Chapter 58: Concocting the Antidote
While Abyss was erasing the memories of Eugene and his loyal subordinate, Rebecca was already formulating several potential antidotes.
The black mud from Shadow Demons was an incredibly rare material on the continent, rarely encountered by alchemists. Firstly, it was extracted from Shadow Demons, and few possessed the skill or the courage to approach these creatures or their lairs. Secondly, the black mud was highly corrosive and contaminating, posing significant handling challenges. And thirdly, and most importantly, its uses remained unknown. In other words, it had “no research value.”
According to reports from expeditions sent to the Shadowed Depths, the contaminated soil produced mutated plants that grew rapidly and bore abundant fruit and seeds, but they were inedible.
Those brave enough to sample the mutated fruit found their taste distorted, no longer sweet, but replaced by a strange, unappetizing flavor that triggered instinctive revulsion. Consumption resulted in vomiting and diarrhea.
The seeds of these plants spread easily, even in uncontaminated soil, outcompeting native plants for nutrients. Therefore, all nations strictly prohibited unauthorized research on the black mud, fearing widespread mutations that could disrupt agriculture and cause widespread famine.
But Rebecca, always fascinated by rare materials, had acquired a permit from the Eastern Empire authorities, after considerable effort and expense, to obtain a sample of the black mud for research.
Now, armed with Abyss’s clues, she quickly formulated several potential antidotes, ready to test them in a safe environment.
Titus, despite owning potion factories, knew little about alchemy. His knowledge was limited to identifying ingredients. He was of little help to Rebecca. Bored, he sat on a table, chewing on his spoon, watching Rebecca and a few eager children, experienced in assisting alchemists, bustling around the alchemy table.
“Tiffany, take a test tube of this potion and give it to Rezel. Remember, only one test tube,” Rebecca instructed, handing a newly brewed potion to a young girl.
The girl nodded, carefully filling a test tube with a few drops of the potion, then rushed to the bedside of a young boy lying on a makeshift cot. His skin was still tinged blue, but he had stopped vomiting black mud.
The unconscious boy swallowed the potion, his body reacting quickly to the magically charged ingredients. The blue tinge on his skin faded, and his furrowed brow relaxed.
“Sister Ray! It worked!” the girl exclaimed, her voice filled with joy, as she turned to Rebecca.
“No, we can’t be sure if it’s completely eradicated the black mud from his system yet,” Rebecca said, shaking her head, her expression serious, urging caution.
Her concern proved valid. Within seconds, the boy’s skin turned blue again. Although Rebecca’s potion had suppressed the black mud’s effects, it hadn’t eliminated it. The boy’s body twitched, a pained groan escaping his lips.
“Ah…” the girl’s face fell, her hope replaced by disappointment.
“Don’t be discouraged. If this formula had an effect, it means it’s valuable!” Rebecca said, already moving on to her next experiment. “Dave, boil that green solvent. Tony, bring me those baskets!”
The children, eager to help their friends, rushed to fulfill her requests. Titus, feeling awkward standing idly by, approached Rebecca. “Ray, is there anything I can do to help?”
“I’m going to add some human blood this time, utilizing its components to achieve my goal,” Rebecca said, her hands moving swiftly as she processed the ingredients. “Find a few healthy men among your subordinates and ask them to donate some blood.”
“You’re adding blood to the potion for the children to drink?” Titus asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, it’s an oral potion. Once it reaches the stomach, it’ll be absorbed quickly, its effects amplified by magic,” Rebecca explained, her focus unwavering.
Titus nodded, retrieved a clean beaker, and placed it on the table. He then pulled out a small knife from his pocket and sliced his wrist, letting the blood flow freely into the beaker.
Rebecca looked at him, surprised. “You don’t need to donate your own blood…”
“I only had a few drinks. I’m not drunk. The alcohol in my blood shouldn’t be a problem,” Titus said, his gaze fixed on his bleeding wrist. “Most of my men are addicts. Their blood is contaminated with hallucinogenic potions. I can’t risk giving that to the children. But I’m different. I never touch those things. I need to stay alert and clear-headed. Don’t worry, I’m perfectly healthy.”
“Thank you,” Rebecca said, her voice soft, after a moment of silence. She had forgotten that Titus’s men were mostly addicts. Giving the children a potion with hallucinogenic properties, even in small doses, could be dangerous, potentially leading to addiction if left untreated.
While Rebecca continued working on the potion, Titus brought her a beaker filled with bright red arterial blood. “Is this enough? I can provide more if needed.”
Rebecca glanced at his face, noticeably paler than before, then took the warm beaker. “You’re incredibly selfless… This is more than enough. I’ll brew you a restorative potion later.”
After processing the blood, she added a portion of the final product to a bottle, shaking it vigorously. After a brief, bubbling reaction, a new antidote was ready.
“Tiffany! Give him another test tube!”
“Okay!”
The girl repeated the procedure. The blue tinge on the boy’s skin faded slightly. The black mud’s effects weren’t completely eradicated, but there was no immediate rebound.
Rebecca instructed the girl to administer the entire bottle to the boy. The blue tinge vanished completely, and after coughing up a large glob of black mud, his breathing stabilized. The expelled black mud had solidified into a gelatinous mass, no longer possessing its corrosive and assimilating properties.
“Success!” Rebecca exclaimed, clapping her hands.
The children cheered, relieved and overjoyed.
Rebecca quickly brewed more antidotes for the other children. Titus, slightly lightheaded, sat at a table, watching them with a satisfied smile.
Rebecca, her face beaming with triumph, felt a surge of pride. Although Flora could have healed the children with her Divine Arts, Abyss had clearly intended for Rebecca to conduct further research, beyond simply treating them. And she hadn’t disappointed him. She had discovered something remarkable…
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