Chen Zhou looked at the Plague Rat's smug expression, feeling somewhat surprised.
He had originally prepared himself for a long-drawn-out struggle, never expecting that a single sentence from Hong Ling would win the Plague Rat's favor.
Is it really this easy to win over?
As expected, the kid sister is reliable after all.
Chen Zhou sighed inwardly, then turned to Hong Ling.
"The hour has come. Make haste and prepare. You and Shitou shall journey to Lakeglow Ridge together and slaughter every last remnant of the snake demons."
As he spoke, a glow shrouded in death energy flew out and landed before Hong Ling. It contained a total of eight second-stage Blood-Inducing Pills and second-stage Flesh-Reconstitution Pills.
"I grant these to you. Use them to first strengthen yourselves."
Chen Zhou was never stingy when it came to nurturing reliable subordinates. He had prepared four of each pill for both of them.
Three would maximize the medicinal effects, while the last one was for emergencies.
After all, besides increasing strength, the Blood-Inducing Pills and Flesh-Reconstitution Pills also had excellent healing properties.
Chen Zhou did not want his reliable kid brother and kid sister to head out in perfect health only to return missing limbs.
Hong Ling caught the pills, feeling their warmth against her fingertips. Her heart felt warm and moved.
Not only had the god entrusted her with a heavy responsibility, but he had also bestowed high-grade pills. This level of regard made her even more determined.
"Hong Ling will not fail her mission! I will definitely slaughter the snake demons and live up to your trust, my Lord!"
Beside her, Shitou also reached out to take his pills, but his fingertips felt cold.
He could not see the god’s form, nor did he hear the god say a single word to him. He could only confirm the god's presence through Hong Ling’s reactions.
He gripped the pills tight, a wave of irrepressible disappointment surging in his heart.
Over the past few days, the two had been competing both openly and secretly. Since both had received power bestowed by the god, they naturally viewed each other as rivals, neither wanting to lose.
Every day after finishing work, Shitou would cultivate until late into the night, practicing the techniques and martial skills in his mind over and over again.
But it seemed the god truly preferred Hong Ling more. She could see the god directly and even converse with him, while he... seemed to be becoming more and more ordinary.
However, this disappointment was quickly suppressed by fervent faith. No matter what, this was the god's command. Even if he was only following by Hong Ling’s side, he would give his all and not let the god down.
After the two absorbed the medicinal effects, their energy surged rapidly. They surpassed 100 units of flesh energy, reaching the second-stage.
Chen Zhou also gave them new second-stage bone armor and bone swords. Then, he kicked the Plague Rat, who was sitting cross-legged and watching the show.
The Plague Rat grew annoyed and shouted in a voice only Chen Zhou could hear, "You dare be so impudent to Lord Rat?"
"The little brother you’re looking after is about to go on a long journey. Aren't you going with them?"
"Don't try to trick your Lord Rat. Lord Rat won't work for you for free. All you evil spirits have black hearts!"
Chen Zhou remained expressionless, his tone carrying a hint of deliberate regret.
"But you are a propitious omen. If your little sister runs into danger at Lakeglow Ridge while her big brother hides in the back, it’ll sound terrible if word gets out. A dignified fifth-stage propitious omen, unable to even protect one of his own?"
The Plague Rat’s claws paused. Its crimson eyes darted around. "Who wants to protect those lowly humans? You think Lord Rat is that easy to fool? Who would actually consider a rat a propitious omen!"
Its tone was mocking, as if the one who had previously lost itself in a sea of praise wasn't it at all.
Chen Zhou struck while the iron was hot.
"Of course people do! Plenty of them!"
"Since ancient times, rats have been seen as symbols of wealth, fertility, and wisdom. You're even the head of the human Zodiac—a true boss status!"
"Don't believe me? Some people even specifically enshrine rats as household deities to protect the peace of the local land."
Chen Zhou rattled off all the auspicious settings regarding rats, drawing from both this world and his previous life.
The Plague Rat listened, stunned. It asked somewhat uncertainly, "Really?"
Chen Zhou nodded solemnly, then sighed. "Sigh, forget it. It's fine if you don't go. Anyway, when Shitou and the others return and say Lord Rat was too scared of the snake demons to go, I won't argue with them."
"!!!"
The Plague Rat roared loudly, stomping its little claws on the ground. It couldn't find a way to refute him, finally bristling its fur and shouting.
"I'll go! I'll go! But let's get this straight—Lord Rat is only responsible for protecting that little girl. If that brat dies, don't blame Lord Rat!"
After speaking, it let out a long sigh and flopped onto the ground, its tail swaying listlessly.
'Poor rat... I’m going to work for a black-hearted evil spirit for free.'
Chen Zhou nodded with a smile.
Shitou still had the blood-vein wood plaque on him, which Chen Zhou was personally guarding; nothing major would happen to him.
Seeing how easily he agreed, the Plague Rat felt something was off, but it couldn't put its finger on it. After sulking for a while, it said fiercely.
"Hey, evil spirit!"
"Hmm?"
"That thing you said... about rats also being propitious omens. You really didn't lie to this rat?"
"When have I ever lied to you?"
The Plague Rat choked. Although this evil spirit’s heart was black, it seemed he truly hadn't lied to it yet.
It pondered for a moment, then threatened viciously, "When this rat returns, you better tell me more details about that."
'It’s not like this rat really wants to hear it. This rat just wants to carefully discern whether what you said is true or false.'
'This rat is not that easy to fool!'
Chen Zhou agreed.
Before long, Hong Ling and Shitou were fully prepared.
Their bone armor gleamed with a cold silver light, and their bone swords were sharp enough to easily slice through rock. Standing together, they actually looked somewhat like cultivators.
Chen Zhou thought to himself that the kid brother really did have a protagonist’s script. Not only did he possess a unique constitution, but he had also encountered a major stroke of luck like himself. Even his childhood playmate possessed extraordinary talent.
In that case, was the kid sister the female lead?
As expected of childhood friends, they were quite a match.
The two bowed to Chen Zhou, bid farewell to the villagers who came to see them off, and set out on their journey.
The Plague Rat lay lazily on Hong Ling's shoulder, its little claws holding a piece of roasted jerky given by a villager, mumbling as it chewed.
'Munch, munch... what a pain. I shouldn't have agreed if I'd known.'
'Eh? Munch, munch... what kind of meat is this? Why is it so delicious? Munch, munch... why has Lord Rat never eaten this in three hundred years?'
Neither of the two knew the Plague Rat’s inner thoughts. Hong Ling only assumed the god was willing to send his servant to protect her, leaving her both grateful and moved.
Shitou, on the other hand, felt another surge of jealousy toward Hong Ling.
The god truly doted on Hong Ling too much.
The group of three left the Dead Man’s Forest. Following Chen Zhou’s instructions, Hong Ling decided to head toward White Jade City first.
As the name suggested, Thousand Isles County was divided into countless island counties, and Qudao County was just one of them.
Thousand Isles County had highly developed waterways. Traveling by water from the White Jade City docks to Lakeglow Ridge was twice as fast as going by land.
Just as they reached the gates of White Jade City, the sight before them made Shitou stop in his tracks.
The open ground outside the city gates was crowded with refugees in tattered clothes.
Most were so thin they were skin and bones, wrapped in ragged straw mats. Some were curled up in corners, while others lay motionless on the ground, their state between sleep and death unknown.
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