Chapter 231: [Blessed with Longevity] Appeasing the Masses
The scene was terrifying enough to send a cold thrill of fear through everyone present.
Only after that doctor had completely dissolved into ash did those vines cease their wild growth.
Yet fully half the corridor was now blanketed in delicate, pale-yellow vines, adorned with tiny, matching blossoms.
Under ordinary circumstances, one might have found the sight quite lovely.
Now, however, the onlookers felt only a skin-crawling dread, a phantom itch prickling across every inch of their bodies as though vines might burst forth from their own flesh at any moment.
“Doctor Qin, what on earth is going on here? I expect you to get to the bottom of this right now! Is there something wrong with the medicine you gave us?”
“Doctor Qin, you said that medicine was Tai Sui, that taking it would grant us youth and longevity. But isn’t it actually these vines?! It restores vitality, sure, but it turns us into plants just as easily, doesn’t it?!”
It was hardly surprising they jumped to such conclusions; in their position, no other explanation made sense.
Qin Fa took a deep breath. “I have no clear idea what caused this either, but I can assure you it has absolutely nothing to do with the Tai Sui. Someone is playing tricks on us!”
In all likelihood, it was the work of that medicine thief from yesterday!
“It might even be the same person who set off the explosions! They could have seized the chaos over here to tamper with the Tai Sui on the other side. This was completely beyond my anticipation, but I will return and investigate immediately!”
“No way! If what you say is true, doesn’t that mean we could still end up dead at any second?!”
“Precisely! You claim it has nothing to do with the Tai Sui, but we have no way of knowing whether that Tai Sui of yours is genuine in the first place. You need to give us proof!”
This greedy, self-serving mob pressed closer.
They didn’t give a damn about anyone else’s survival.
Even in the face of this horrific event, their terror was instantly outweighed by an eye for personal gain, sniffing out an opportunity to squeeze out maximum leverage.
“Doctor Qin, we’ve never been allowed to see the actual Tai Sui—the complete, original main body you spoke of! You have to let us see it!”
“That’s right! What if something went wrong with the main body itself? How can we know unless we see it for ourselves?!”
Qin Fa’s face darkened into a thundery scowl.
How could he not see through their wretched minds?
He had dealt with their kind countless times.
Every single person who consumed the Tai Sui grew ever more consumed by greed and craving—himself included.
So how could he possibly allow them near the main body? That belonged to him and him alone!
The muscle fibers beneath Qin Fa’s skin began to quiver softly, jiggling like jelly.
Strands of black thread emerged from his skin in ever-increasing numbers, finer than hair, spreading outward.
He allowed these emerging black threads to become visible to the crowd because he willed it so.
Sure enough, the greedy sneers on their faces instantly shattered, replaced by sheer horror.
“Doctor Qin, you…”
“Do not be alarmed, everyone,” Qin Fa said, a gentle smile returning to the corners of his lips.
“This is merely the sole side effect of the Tai Sui. Under normal conditions, it can be drawn back into the body at will. It poses absolutely no harm to any of you.”
As he spoke, he retracted all the black threads into his flesh, instantly transforming back into the gentle, cultured Doctor Qin.
The display struck fear and awe into the crowd once again.
Many began secretly calculating their options.
Sprouting black threads or turning into plants didn’t matter—so long as it didn’t threaten their lives, and perhaps even granted them extra, supernatural power, they were more than willing to accept it.
Plenty of them had tried to probe him about it in the past, but Qin Fa’s responses had always been airtight.
Now presented with an opening, even if they couldn’t see the main body of the Tai Sui, it was still a rare opportunity.
“With your assurance, Doctor Qin, we can naturally rest easy. Still, you ought to let us understand the situation a bit better, shouldn’t you?”
“Indeed! What are those black threads, anyway? What causes them? Can you guarantee they won’t pose a threat to our lives?”
“I guarantee it!” Qin Fa knew that if he didn’t reveal a few secrets today, they would never let the matter drop.
“The Tai Sui is entirely mild and possesses no consciousness of its own. Just as the legends say, it is a treasure that extends life. As for its exact texture, you have all consumed it and know it well yourselves.”
“These black threads are by no means a bad sign. They are part of our bodies now, generated to combat free radicals in order to sustain our reversed age and grant us immortal vitality.”
“I was the first to consume the Tai Sui. I have lived longer than anyone standing here today, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing wrong with it.”
“If there is any flaw to speak of, it is that your age will grow uncontrollably younger. But I have already begun addressing this issue. You should have noticed that the latest batch of medicine allows you to regain your youth without letting it spiral out of control.”
The crowd nodded subtly.
“We are all grasshoppers tied to the same string. I consume it just as you do. I wouldn’t be stupid enough to tamper with something like this. Someone is undeniably sabotaging us—and if they have acquired some special power of their own, all the more reason for us to unite and investigate together, wouldn’t you say?”
The crowd was grudgingly placated.
Meanwhile, Bai Cha—the culprit behind all the sabotage—was currently sitting on a bench at the end of the corridor, basking in the sunlight.
She cradled a cup of water in her hands.
She had no idea how Qin Fa was faring over there, but judging by the time that had passed, she activated the Dodder Vine inside a third host.
Selection was entirely random.
After all, the Dodder Vines in this instance had been scattered far and wide, present in almost every corner.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so generous with them.
As the vines erupted from inside the third victim’s body, the crowd that had just been soothed descended into chaotic panic once more.
As the saying goes, a mistake can happen once or twice, but never three times.
With a third outbreak occurring, true terror finally took root in their hearts.
The eruptions were far too fast and far too frequent.
No matter what assurances Qin Fa offered for the future, none of it mattered if they lost their lives to sprouting vines right now.
“Doctor Qin!”
Someone lunged forward and grabbed Qin Fa by the wrist.
“What is going on?! We can’t wait any longer—you have to investigate this right this instant!”
It had been years since Qin Fa had encountered such a thorny predicament.
Instinctively, he reached up to push his glasses, only to remember they had been destroyed earlier.
The realization stoked the irritation in his chest, yet he had no choice but to keep soothing the panic.
Words alone were no longer enough to stabilize the situation.
“Everyone, follow me! We are moving first! We can’t be sure if there’s a problem with this location, so everyone move to the back building with me!”
The rear building had already been equipped with specialized rooms for them anyway.
Taking action gave people a sense of purpose, helping them calm down as long as they were doing something.
Basking in the warm sun, Bai Cha glanced down out the window.
Before long, she spotted a crowd of people heading in her direction.
Everything was unfolding exactly as she had anticipated.
If you want to slaughter them all, it’s always better to herd them into one place first.
Sigh, I feel like I’m growing more unhinged by the day. I won’t end up a twisted terrorist in the end, will I?
Qin Yu was also soaking up the sun nearby. Spotting the commotion downstairs, his gaze instinctively darted toward Bai Cha, but he quickly reined himself in.
The lesson from yesterday—when he had failed to hide his joy at not needing treatment—was still fresh in his mind, and medical staff were eyeing him from nearby at this very moment.
Yet he knew in his heart: when she had handed him the flower yesterday and whispered that an opportunity for a complete cure would arrive tomorrow, that tomorrow had finally come.
