Thanks to Su's gentle technique, Mu Qingyun only felt a slight prick on her arm, like a mosquito bite. It didn't take long before the medicine in the syringe was fully injected into her body.
Her once-purple arm slowly began returning to its normal color under the effects of the antidote.
"It's really healed?" she asked curiously, lowering her gaze to Su's syringe-holding hand.
This kind of thing existed in the original host's memories, but in her past life, she'd never seen it in person. This was her first time encountering such medicine, and she was intrigued.
"Mhm. But the Insect Toxin Purifier has a side effect," Su answered, meeting her gaze. His voice was soft as he continued, "For the next three days, you'll feel weak all over and won't have the strength to do much of anything."
Three days?
That long?
She frowned and moved her arm slightly. While the pain had subsided, her strength indeed hadn't returned.
"Is there any way to reduce the side effects?"
"What do you think?"
Ka Ze'er walked over from behind and stood beside her, lowering his gaze to the puncture on her arm. He sneered coldly, "Next time, try saving yourself before worrying about others."
"Oh come on, I'm already like this and you're still scolding me." Mu Qingyun rolled her eyes. Saving Su had been an instinct—how could she have guessed that those bulky-looking bug creatures could bite so swiftly?
"Serves you right. For the next three days, just stay in the room and don't go anywhere," Ka Ze'er narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
She didn't reply, only furrowed her brow in mild irritation.
She really disliked it when people spoke to her in such a domineering tone. Even if it came from concern, there was no need to express it this way.
"It's alright. I'll stay with you these next three days. Thank you for saving me." Su gave her a gentle smile, his eyes full of gratitude.
After all, she had only gotten hurt because she was protecting him.
"It's nothing," Mu Qingyun looked down at Su's hand, which was still holding her injured arm. Almost reflexively, she raised her other hand and pressed it over his.
"But... you really don't feel guilty at all?" she asked, eyes glinting with mischief.
Both Su and Ka Ze'er were momentarily stunned by her unexpected words.
Su visibly froze, going rigid at her touch. Seeing his reaction, she chuckled like a mischievous child who'd pulled off a prank. "Just kidding, don't take it seriously."
[Uhh... is this her flirting?]
[Hahaha I'm dead—"You really don't feel guilty?" That's savage. I would've died from secondhand embarrassment.]
[This is the first time I've seen Big Mu acting... playful? Is that the word?]
[What kind of idol drama moment is this? I'm shipping them hard, y'all.]
[Also, Su's injection technique looked way too practiced. Has he studied medicine before?]
...
"Mu-ge!"
Xiong Ruoyou and Fan Xuanye ran in from the perimeter of the fire circle and hurriedly gathered around her.
"Are you okay, Mu-ge?" Xiong Ruoyou looked at her worriedly. She had clearly seen the bug bite earlier.
But when she glanced at Mu Qingyun's arm, she couldn't see the typical post-bite symptoms at all.
"Mu-ge... you're really fine?"
Hearing the disbelief and shock in her tone, Mu Qingyun felt the urge to laugh. "What, from how you sound, do you want me to be hurt?"
"No, no! I would never think that!" Xiong Ruoyou panicked, completely missing Mu Qingyun's teasing tone, and frantically shook her head in denial.
But the more anxious she got, the more her words tangled.
Seeing that she was nearly in tears, Mu Qingyun stopped teasing and explained, "Su gave me an injection just now. I'm fine now."
"Yeah, it was the Insect Toxin Purifier." Su nodded, lifting the used syringe slightly.
"But how did you manage to bring that with you? The academy's audit team specifically banned that kind of medication," Fan Xuanye frowned, eyeing the syringe with suspicion.
He himself had tried to bring some antidotes, anticipating the risk of encountering insectoids, but the academy had strictly forbidden it. If someone got bitten, the only option was to press the emergency exit button and wait for assistance.
"I don't know either. Yi Beixuan gave it to me." Su met Fan Xuanye's gaze and threw Yi Beixuan under the bus without hesitation.
The guy wasn't around anyway, and Su didn't have a better excuse.
"Yi Beixuan?"
Fan Xuanye's eyes grew cold, but he said nothing further.
[Wait—Yi Beixuan? Great, now I've got another mystery with no answers.]
[Ugh, Yi Beixuan was already eliminated. Where are we supposed to find him to ask about this?]
[I just searched the web and found nothing—no info, no profiles, nothing registered under his name.]
[Aaaaah I need answers!]
...
"If you're fine now, let's go inside. You need to rest properly." Su gently took her arm and began leading her back into the building.
Mu Qingyun allowed herself to be pulled along. "Will proper rest help speed up the side effects?"
Hearing that, Su looked at her helplessly. Why was she so obsessed with recovering quickly? Wasn't a bit of rest a good thing?
He sighed. "No."
No?
This side effect is seriously intense...
Back in the house, she went straight to her partition and lay down on the grass mat. She stared blankly at the needle mark on her arm.
No training for the next three days? That was downright depressing.
"Were the insectoids defeated?" Bai Feifei asked timidly as she watched the group come in.
"Yes, they were," Ka Ze'er stepped in front of her, towering over her with a sneer. "Weren't you always so loud? Why are you so scared now?"
"W-Who says I'm scared?" Bai Feifei couldn't stand being mocked and shot up to her feet, trying to regain her usual attitude. But her pale face betrayed her completely.
Ka Ze'er had no interest in engaging with her further and turned to leave. But just as he was about to head to his spot, he seemed to recall something and changed direction.
He walked straight over to Mu Qingyun and squatted beside her.
"Mu Qingyun, I have a request," he said.
"Speak," she replied without even lifting her head.
"Since Yi Beixuan's been eliminated, his room's now empty. I'd like to move in there. Would that be alright?" Ka Ze'er said softly. "I'll go to the seabed and get you five top-grade red pearls in exchange."
Red pearls?
Now she looked up at him. That was a tempting offer.
That room would stay empty anyway, and trading it for five high-quality red pearls was a pretty good deal.
"Sure. But I want the pearls first."