Ch. 245: Something in the Air

The rat-hound monsters swarmed toward them in droves.

Locke took one stride in front of Mo Fei, thrust his staff forward, and sent a sheet of lightning roaring out.

Blinding white arcs burst across the cavern. The rat-hound monsters in the lead were flipped end over end and slammed into the pack behind them, and the scorched stench instantly drowned out the sour tang in the tunnel.

But the ones behind simply trampled over their fallen companions and surged forward again.

Locke raised his staff once more and brought the lightning down. The front rank collapsed, yet the gap refilled almost as soon as it opened. Mo Fei cowered behind him with the lamp, watching the sea of eyes press forward layer upon layer, with no end in sight.

By the third bolt, the lightning had visibly thinned, singeing only two or three of them.

"We can't finish this! Retreat!" Mo Fei bellowed.

Locke glanced at the iron door and clenched his jaw.

"Fall back!"

The two spun around and ran.

Claws scraped over gravel behind them, the rustling chasing them all the way into the tunnel.
The lamplight swung wildly with every stride, flickering across the rock walls on either side. Mo Fei had no time to watch his footing; he nearly pitched over several times after kicking loose stones, and could only grit his teeth and keep charging.
Locke turned back every few steps and flicked small arcs from the tip of his staff, but the ones in front would fall, and the ones behind would simply trample over them and catch up.

As they rounded the bend, a black shape pounced from the side, its long, pointed snout aimed straight at Mo Fei's throat.

Mo Fei didn't even have time to scream.

An emerald tentacle lashed out from the delivery box and struck the dark mass dead-on, sending the rat-hound monster crashing into the rock wall.

A chill ran down the back of Mo Fei's neck, and he sped up with everything he had.

He had no idea how long they ran. The rustling behind them gradually thinned, until all that remained echoing through the tunnel was the sound of their footsteps and ragged breathing.

Even so, they didn't dare stop all the way, not until they burst out of the mine entrance and bolted down the gravel slope. Only then did Mo Fei's legs give out, and he braced his hands on his knees, gulping down air.

Dusk had already fallen.

Mo Fei looked back at the pitch-black mine entrance.
"T-that was way too dangerous! I almost got my throat ripped out back there!"

Locke stared at the entrance and didn't answer.

After a while, he finally turned around. "Stay out of this from now on. I'll handle it."

Mo Fei blinked, and only then did the hand clutching the strap of his delivery box loosen.

"Gladly." He waved a hand. "I'm just an alchemist. Don't ask me to guide you through a place like that again."

Even as he said it, his gaze lingered on Locke's tense profile.

"Hey, don't go charging in there alone."

Locke glanced at him. "I know. I'll find others to help."

---

By the time Mo Fei got back to the workshop, it was already dark.

The lights were still on inside. Toby had been keeping watch at the workbench, and he stood up the moment Mo Fei came through the door.

"Mr. Mo Fei, you're back."

"Good work. Anything happen today?"

"More p-people came asking about infection-control devices and masks. I told them all to ask the Chamber."

"Even masks?"

"I heard people looking after the sick at home are collapsing one after another now, but the ones wearing masks are fine."

It got worse again? Looks like medicinal herbs will be even scarcer. Mo Fei's gaze fell on the pack of herbs Corone had given as payment. I'll hand these to Jimmy first.

After Toby left, he picked up the herb pack and headed for the black market.

---

Jimmy stood behind his stall. The patchwork trench coat was gone, replaced by a new jacket in crisp fabric and a respectable color.
The goods on the stall were different too. Where herbs, spices, and sundries used to be heaped together, everything was now sorted and laid out, looking far tidier.

Mo Fei walked up to the stall and looked him over from head to toe. "Oh? New clothes?"

Jimmy cleared his throat and gave a slight bow.

"Good evening, Boss. It's all thanks to you. What can I do for you tonight?"

Mo Fei dropped the herb pack onto the stall. "Did you take the wrong medicine?"

Jimmy gave a dry laugh, his hand already reaching for the pack. "You're joking, Boss. Is this another shipment from that side?"

He untied the pack and sorted through the herbs one by one, until his hand stopped at two of them.

"Lungclear Herb... and Silverleaf Fever Herb." Jimmy set the two herbs aside and lowered his voice. "Boss, these two are in hot demand lately. More patients every day, and the medicinal herbs are nearly all snapped up."

He went through the rest as well before looking up.

"I'll buy out the whole pack right now, for 100 gold coins. That way you won't have to wait for me to sell it all and split the profit."

Has this guy really struck it rich? He can pull out 100 gold coins without waiting to sell anything.

"Sure."

Jimmy took a coin pouch from his jacket pocket, counted out 100 gold coins, and pushed it over.
Mo Fei pocketed the money. Jimmy drew the herb pack toward himself, but then picked a small bunch of dried grass out of the pile and pushed it back in front of him.

"I won't take this one."

"What, not good stuff?"

"Catnip," Jimmy said. "No effect on people, and it won't fetch much. But the moment a cat catches a whiff, its soul gets snatched right out."

Mo Fei picked up the bunch of dried grass.

So this is... catmint?

He thought of the little guys in the alley and tucked the catnip into his pocket.

Perfect. I'll bring it to them for playtime sometime.

---

The next morning, Penny arrived with staff from the Chamber and delivered the rat poison to the workshop.

"Fifty portions of rat poison. Please check them."

After seeing Penny off, Mo Fei looked at the rat poison piled beside the table.

No idea how well it works. Better test it first.

He picked up the emblem from the corner of the desk. Purple light flared.

"What is it?"

"I've got a batch of rat poison here. It should help with your assault on that rat nest. Want to try it?"

"No." Locke paused. "Stay out of this."

The purple light went out.

Mo Fei stared at the darkened emblem, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Tsk, fine. Stay out of it, then. I'll just keep it and test it at my leisure.

He pushed the rat poison aside, and his gaze landed on the workbench, where the flat-bottomed shallow basin of white clay still sat where he'd left it.

"Let's get on with this."

He placed the Adamantine block into the basin and took out the white ceramic bottle of Aqua Fortis.

Just as he was about to pour, Mo Fei remembered how, in the mine tunnel, merely standing next to the puddle of Aqua Fortis had made his nose sting.

Better be careful.

He tilted the bottle slowly, letting only a thin trickle spill from the mouth.

The Aqua Fortis flowed over the Adamantine block, and the brass wrapped around it immediately began to bubble in fine beads, dissolving bit by bit.

The next moment, a plume of smoke billowed up from the basin.

Mo Fei had barely taken a breath when his throat felt as though it had been scraped raw. He doubled over, coughing violently, tears welling in his eyes.

"Cough! Cough! Cough! Isn't this way too extreme? I only poured a little bit..."

He clamped a hand over his nose and mouth and stumbled backward, unable to stop coughing.

A knock came at the door, and then it swung open.

"Mo Fei?" Lily stood in the doorway holding a small cloth bundle. "The herb pouches are done blending. Why are you coughing so—"

Before she could finish, the spreading smoke had already drifted to the door.

Lily took a breath and began to choke too, hastily raising a hand to cover her nose and mouth.