Chapter 0414
With that, Suzy took the lead, walking ahead.
The man watched her back, his dark eyes flashing briefly with an unreadable intensity before he stepped forward to follow.
Suzy led him to her mentor’s apothecary, a house steeped in old–world charm.
Even before reaching the door, the rich scent of medicine filled the air.
Though the house had been unoccupied for years, it remained impeccably clean and well- maintained. From the day her mentor passed, Suzy had ordered regular cleanings to keep the place exactly as it had been when he was alive.
It had been several years since she last visited, and stepping into the courtyard brought a sudden sting to her eyes.
Her mentor had treated her with a kindness akin to that of a beloved granddaughter.
When she first joined the organization, Suzy hadn’t been under his wing. She started with physical training, focusing on building her endurance and strength. It wasn’t until she completed that phase that she began studying pharmacology.
Unlike others, who were assigned to different instructors, Suzy had the rare privilege of being personally taught by her mentor.
But outwardly, he had been anything but gentle. Especially in the beginning, he was harshly strict.
Every mistake was met with a lash to her palm from a small whip. He never held back. She vividly remembered one time when she mixed a formula incorrectly–he punished her with fifty strikes. Her hands bled by the time he was done.
But from that day forward, she never made another error.
The memories of her time with her mentor stirred a bittersweet ache in her chest.
Her mentor’s death had always seemed suspicious. Something about it felt off, but no matter how hard she tried, she could never uncover the truth.
Steeling herself, Suzy turned to the man behind her. “Wait here for a moment. I’m going inside to check if I can find those two missing ingredients.”
He nodded. “Go ahead.”
Leaving him in the courtyard, Suzy entered the inner room alone.
Suzy activated the surveillance monitor she had prepared in advance, secretly observing the man’s every move from inside the inner room.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0414
Perhaps he sensed something, as his behavior remained completely normal, almost too normal. It only served to heighten her suspicions.
After watching for a while and finding nothing unusual, Suzy decided to drop the act. She grabbed two random ingredients from the shelves and stepped back outside.
“I couldn’t find the exact ingredients, but I found substitutes that should work. Let’s go. I’ll make it for you.”
The man stood and followed her. As they walked, Suzy suddenly stopped and turned
around.
“Wait here for a moment. I need to grab something else.”
She handed him the ingredients she was holding and walked off without waiting for a reply.
The man accepted them absentmindedly, glancing down at the items in his hands. Suddenly, his expression changed drastically, as if he’d been bitten by something sharp. Instinctively, he flung the items far away.
Looking at his palm, a small bite mark was clearly visible. It was tiny, almost like a pinprick, with only a drop of blood oozing out–barely noticeable, yet…
He immediately reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black vial. Tipping it into his hand, he retrieved a single pill and was just about to swallow it when-
“Well, well,” Suzy’s icy voice interrupted from a few steps away. She stood there, a bloodthirsty smirk curling her lips. “The great Mr. Wright, supposedly clueless about pharmacology, just happens to carry an all–purpose antidote like the Elixir of Purification?”
Her gaze was sharp as a blade. “Not only that, but you seem to know exactly what bit you. Otherwise, why look so panicked? After all, not everyone recognizes a Bone–Eater Bug, let alone knows what happens after it bites.”
