With a slap from the System, Ryan Ling's soul snapped right back into place. Turns out he hadn't truly died—he'd just taken a massive hit and had the Ten-Thousand-Poison Source rampaging inside him, causing his soul to temporarily leave his body.
"Cough, cough!" In the dead of night, Ryan Ling let out two soft coughs.
Instantly, Angie Chen, who'd been lying exhausted beside him, woke up with a start. Half her face was filled with shock as she stared at Ryan, her voice trembling: "R-Ryan, you're alive?"
As Angie spoke, tears started streaming down her face again. She'd spent half the night trying everything she could think of to save Ryan Ling. Growing up in the Chen Family, she'd learned a bit of first aid, but none of her tricks worked at all. Watching Ryan's complexion get worse and his breathing nearly stop, Angie was so desperate she even considered dying with him. In her daze, she didn't know when she'd drifted off to sleep.
But just when she'd hit rock bottom, Ryan miraculously showed signs of life. The shock and joy overwhelmed her—besides hugging Ryan and crying, she couldn't do anything else.
If there's ever a time for 'sharing life and death,' this was it!
"I-I'm so thirsty!" Ryan Ling swallowed, feeling his throat parched and his whole body icy cold—clearly all thanks to that Ten-Thousand-Poison Source.
"There's water here, I'll get it for you right now!" Earlier in the night, Angie Chen had tried searching for an exit. She didn't find one, but she did find a water source and some dry rations. Clearly, Penny Pan didn't want them to die of thirst or hunger.
Angie fetched some water for Ryan to drink, then found some food to fill his stomach. His color looked much better than before, and he could even sit up against the cave wall now—though he was still freezing, his hands and feet shaking uncontrollably.
"Ryan, are you really cold?" Angie asked, hurriedly taking off her own jacket. It was already torn to shreds, but at least it could block some of the chill.
"I-I'm fine, thank you!" Ryan Ling glanced at Angie Chen, the heiress who’d jumped down for him. He’d never expected her to do something so reckless, and all his previous hang-ups about her instantly vanished.
"Thank you for what? As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters!" Angie said, tears welling up again. She rushed forward and hugged Ryan tightly, like a wounded kitten, desperate to pour out all her pent-up feelings.
With Angie hugging him like this, the System immediately popped up in Ryan’s mind, practically yelling at him: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and devour her! As long as you use her Yin-Maiden energy, your cold affliction will vanish, and the source of all evil will be suppressed. Don’t hesitate tonight—seriously, you can’t afford to drag your feet!"
Ryan’s face flushed red. He wanted to, sure—but the problem was, he didn’t have the strength!
His mind was clear now, but his limbs were still numb. Most importantly, his little brother wasn’t responding at all, like it had been frozen solid.
"Uh, Angie, I have a favor to ask—would you be willing to help me out?" Ryan hesitated. The System was right: no matter how tough things were tonight, he had to make it happen, or the consequences would be unthinkable.
He’d managed to block the source of evil for now, but who knew what other nasty tricks Penny Pan had up her sleeve? The people of Harbor City were still in grave danger—and worse, he was stuck in a dungeon. If he didn’t do something tonight, he might be refined into a poison-man by morning. He already knew most of Penny’s plans; at best, she’d let him live until dawn.
"What do you mean, ask me? We’re sharing life and death now—are you still going to act like a stranger? Don’t you see me as your woman yet?" Angie’s voice trembled, clearly feeling wronged again.
"No, absolutely not! I’m asking because I do see you as my woman, okay? Can’t you tell?" Ryan rushed to explain.
Hearing Ryan call her his woman, Angie couldn’t help but smile, then steadied herself and said, "Alright, go ahead—whatever it is, your woman will do it!"