Otto gasped and looked at Herbert.
"Senior, I didn't mean anything else by it. I'm just worried senior might be deceived by treacherous people."
Fyren said, "Pull yourself together. Even if we combined our IQs, they wouldn't amount to a single hair on senior's head."
Herbert: "Uh-huh, that makes sense."
Otto was on the verge of tears. "Senior, I—"
"Alright, alright," Herbert interrupted. "Both of you fell pretty hard, but there's only one Fugu Jianyuan Pill. Here's what we'll do - I'll ask you a question. Whoever answers correctly gets to take it."
"Please speak, elder."
Herbert looked at Fyren. "Let me ask you: what's one plus one?"
Fyren stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Equals... two?"
Herbert: "Wow! Genius!"
Otto grew anxious: "Senior, he's—"
Herbert: "Don't worry. Now I'll ask you: what's one plus one?"
Otto was shocked.
Holy shit, original question!
"It equals two."
"Bullshit!" Herbert said. "That's someone else's answer! You're really something!"
Otto protested, "I'm injured right now, otherwise I'd jump up and kick you, old man! Just give it to him if you want to. Are you messing with me? Elder, one plus one can't equal anything else! I'm not convinced!"
Herbert sneered. "Fine, I'll let you die with understanding."
Turning to Fyren, he asked, "What's one plus one?"
Fyren said, "Fourteen!"
Herbert got excited. "Gee, genius!"
Otto was furious.
That's rich! Fourteen! You two... at least be somewhat accurate!
Herbert looked at Otto: "Let me ask you again: what's one plus one?"
Otto said, "How am I supposed to answer?
If you want nonsense, I'll give you nonsense.
"It equals nineteen."
Herbert shook his head regretfully. "Are you stupid? One plus one equals nineteen? You're really something!"
Otto's eyes widened as he pointed at Fyren. "He said fourteen! Why don't you criticize him?"
"I will!"
Herbert asked Fyren, "Your turn - what's one plus one?"
Fyren closed her eyes. "Nine thousand one hundred and twenty-four... no, nine thousand one hundred and twenty-five."
Herbert excitedly slapped his thighs. "You're a god!"
Otto immediately overturned the stone table in front of him. "Just give it to him already! I don't want it! What kind of game are you playing?"
Herbert said, "Don't lose your temper with me. I'm asking you: what's one plus one?"
Otto cried, "I... I..."
Herbert shook his head: "Wrong again!"
Otto sobbed, "I haven't even answered yet!"
Fyren said, "The senior is truly wise. He already knew you were wrong before you even spoke."
Herbert nodded, deeply impressed. "You tell him the answer."
Fyren answered confidently, "It's equal to x plus y minus z, multiplied by delta, times three, and divided by the fruit of pi."
Herbert gave Fyren a thumbs-up. "Bullseye!"
Otto nearly froze. "Divided by pi? Are you fucking serious?"
Herbert said, "I don't know what pi means, but it sounds pretty esoteric."
Otto was getting pissed off.
He tried to walk, but his bones were too broken.
This is a desperate situation!
Otto, you need to calm down! You pride yourself on being the pride of the heavens—there's no way you're stuck here without a way out.
The old man was so comfortable with Fyren's shameless ass-kissing that whatever Fyren said now sounded brilliant to him.
I've got to turn this around!
Otto suddenly laughed at the thought.
"I lost." Otto clasped his fists and bowed. "Elder's wisdom and intellect are beyond my comprehension in this lifetime. I have nothing but admiration for you—my respect flows like an unending torrent."
Herbert scowled. "Horse's ass!"
Otto nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, yes! This junior is a horse's ass. But senior, your wisdom truly makes me revere you. I can't even find words to describe its depth, breadth, vastness, and… uh…"
"Shut up!" Herbert snapped. "Are you mocking me like I'm a three-year-old?"
"Huh? I… wouldn't dare."
Herbert grunted. "One plus one equals pi? How can that be?"
"Then why did you—"
"You!" Herbert pointed at Fyren. "Tell him exactly what one plus one equals!"
Fyren's expression didn't change. "It equals triangles."
Herbert said, "See? That's how you kiss my ass properly!"
Otto cried.
He was aggrieved!
What the hell kind of logic are these two using?!
It's not that I can't compete with you guys—I can't even fucking understand what you're saying!
What's with these two idiots and their weird chemistry?!
Herbert looked at Fyren and said, "Kid, you suit this old man's temper. This Fugu Jianyuan Pill is yours!"
"Thank you, senior!"
Fyren accepted the pill with a smile, but after glancing at Sherry—still unconscious nearby—his heart wavered.
[Sherry is actually a good girl. It's just that a strand of her spiritual sense has been sealed, so her mind isn't too sharp.]
[She carries a blood feud before willingly joining the demons. She shouldn't die here.]
Fyren sighed. "Elder, why don't you give this elixir to Sherry instead?"
"Hmm?" Herbert froze. "Why?"
"Both of us are men. In situations like this, life and death are fated, right? But she's a girl. For men to take the pill and live while letting a girl die… I can't do that."
Herbert gave a thumbs-up. "Righteous!"
Fyren crawled over with difficulty and gently turned Sherry's body, feeling how soft she was.
Just as he was about to administer the potion, Herbert interrupted, "Hey, hey, hey! You trying to kill her?"
"Huh?"
Herbert explained, "She's unconscious right now. If you stuff the elixir into her mouth, can she chew it? If swallowed whole, her throat muscles won't work and she'll choke to death."
"Then what should I do?"
"Chew it first and feed it to her."
"Oh."
"Feed her! You two—"
Otto moved to intervene, but Herbert's palm shot out and yanked him back. "They're saving a life here! What are you interfering for?"
"She's my maidservant! If anyone should save her, it should be me!"
"Stop your nonsense! Do you even have a Fugu Jianyuan Pill? From how you were acting earlier, you clearly wanted it for yourself. You didn't even think about this girl—you think I didn't notice?"
In reality, Sherry had been awake for some time.
She simply couldn't move or speak.
She'd heard everything—Fyren and Otto's heated argument, Fyren's inner thoughts, and now... Fyren preparing to chew the medicine and feed it to her...
A strand of spiritual awareness was sealed?
I've known about that for ages.
It was one of the Twelve Main Gods of the Mighty Syndicate who'd personally sealed it, telling her that whoever broke the seal would become her lifelong master.
I always hoped Young Master could help me remove it... but the method to break the seal is too... embarrassing.
And Young Master's current power level can't possibly break it...
Each of the Four Shadow Killers had their most crucial aspect sealed, awaiting Young Master's release.
But Young Master couldn't break the seals until reaching Upper Quadportal realm.
That's why all four Shadow Maidens had to preserve their virginity for him.
When the seals were finally lifted, they would all undergo transformation together.
The Young Master would ascend like a dragon riding the wind.
This was their destiny—the path they'd chosen for themselves.
How does Fyren know about all this?
This bastard with his silver tongue is truly infuriating.
But why is he the one trying to save me now?
Fyren chewed the Fugu Jianyuan Pill. When he noticed Sherry glaring daggers at him, he tensed up and accidentally swallowed some.
Flustered, he gathered the remaining medicine paste in his mouth and mumbled, "Not... not on purpose. Bear with me—I'll feed you the medicine and you'll recover."
With that, he pulled Sherry close and without hesitation kissed her—no, administered the medicine.
The old man kept offering advice: "Use your tongue! Use your tongue! Most of her mouth's functions are inactive—she can't swallow easily! Tsk, why so shy? Give her more saliva—it'll help stimulate her swallowing reflex. Ai-ya! Why are you groping her breasts if you can't feed her properly? If you can't do it, move aside—I'll handle it!"
Sherry received a... rather intimate feeding from Fyren.
Tears of humiliation streamed down her face.
After separating, Fyren wiped his mouth corners, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry about that... force of habit. I don't... I mean, my hands feel awkward if they're not touching something."
Otto was livid. "Fyren! How dare you touch my woman! I swear I'll tear you to pieces!"
Fyren stared back at Otto, completely unfazed now.
"Oh really? Think I'm scared of you? Since we're already enemies, you'd better not provoke me again. Otherwise I might just let you kill me after making sure I ruin half your life first!"
"You insignificant worm! How dare you speak to this young master like that! When Sherry wakes up, the first thing I'll order is for her to kill you!"
Herbert laughed. "He just saved that girl's life. Why would she kill him?"
Fyren scratched his head. "Actually... she probably would." He sighed. "With her spiritual sense sealed, she's completely loyal to this brat. She hates me enough that her first move upon recovering will likely be finishing me off."
Herbert said, "Don't worry, kid. Look what I've got here." He produced another elixir from his belt.
Fyren's eyes widened. "Elder, could this be...?"
Both Otto and Herbert shouted simultaneously: "That's right!"
Herbert: "Huh!?"
Otto snorted in exasperation.
Typical Fyren! Always trying to get by with the same old tricks!
Otto sneered, "Elder, since he claims to know, don't tell him. Let him guess what it is!"
Fyren scoffed. "Is it even a question? Unless I'm mistaken..." He paused dramatically. "This is a pill! Elder, am I correct?"
Herbert slapped his thigh. "Exactly! You've got talent, kid!"
Otto shouted, "What kind of pill? Name it properly!"
Fyren feigned confusion. "What was the one we just took called?"
Otto growled, "Stop playing dumb! That was then, this is now! Name this one correctly and I'll kowtow in defeat!"
Fyren turned to Herbert. "Elder, the previous one was called Fugu Jianyuan Pill. So this one's name... do I even need to say it?"
Herbert nodded sagely. "Indeed. The name speaks for itself."
Otto clutched his chest. "Stop the nonsense! Can you actually name it or not?"
Fyren suddenly bellowed, "If I'm not mistaken, this elixir is called—" then abruptly crawled toward Sherry, "Sherry! Are you scared? There there, don't be afraid. Fyren's here, Fyren's got you..."
Enraged beyond pain, Otto suddenly sprang up and lashed out with a palm strike:
"I'LL TEACH YOU TO ACT CUTE!"