The night was as dark as thick ink, an inky blackness that refused to fade.
Inside a secluded cave, the dim flames flickered slightly as a cool breeze blew in.
Chen Mo didn't dare take a single breath. Without pausing to rest, he immediately removed the white mask from Queen Medusa's face and the black robe draped over her body.
Once again, the breathtaking sight of her crimson dress and enchanting face was revealed before him.
His gaze swept over her alluring features before slowly shifting downward. His brows furrowed slightly as he noticed a terrifying wound—a gaping, bloody hole on her left shoulder. Fresh blood had stained the curve of her delicate figure a deep red.
Leaning against the cave wall, Queen Medusa slightly furrowed her slender brows, a faint trace of pain surfacing on her face. Her noble demeanor now carried an additional touch of cold beauty, making her appear both untouchable and pitifully delicate.
As for Chen Mo's gaze, Queen Medusa had long since grown accustomed to it. She simply uttered icily, "Behave yourself."
Chen Mo nodded, retrieving seven or eight small jade bottles and a roll of bandages from his storage ring. Tearing off a section of the bandage, he dampened it with medicine and gently began to clean Queen Medusa's wounded shoulder.
Watching Chen Mo's serious expression, an inexplicable hint of shyness surfaced in Queen Medusa's heart, though her face remained as cold as ever.
After wiping away the blood from her shoulder, Chen Mo hesitated briefly before lightly lifting the hem of her crimson dress at the back. He then carefully wiped another area where traces of blood remained.
Queen Medusa's body instantly tensed. Her cold eyes sharpened, and her pearly teeth clenched together. If Chen Mo hadn't quickly withdrawn his hand, she might not have been able to resist slapping him on the spot.
That area wasn't even wounded.
The only reason Chen Mo wiped it was due to his slight obsession with cleanliness. It was like seeing a pure white canvas marred by a few stray ink spots—he simply couldn't resist wiping them away.
On her smooth, jade-like skin, that was the only place still tainted with blood. Naturally, Chen Mo felt compelled to clean it.
Once he had finished wiping away the blood, he picked up another small jade bottle and sprinkled a medicinal powder onto the wound below her shoulder. Using his fingers, he carefully spread it over the injury.
This was a special external wound medicine he had refined according to the Sacred Doctor's Alchemy Codex. It effectively enhanced the healing of injuries.
After applying the powder, he grabbed another jade bottle and uncorked it. Inside was a light-yellow liquid.
Pouring some onto his fingers, he gently massaged it into the treated wound.
Once that was done, he took out yet another bottle and retrieved a Recovery Pill, unceremoniously pressing it against Queen Medusa's lips and forcing it into her mouth.
His fingers inadvertently brushed against her soft, moist lips.
Queen Medusa's expression turned icy, her eyes filled with shame and anger. Just how many times had this human dared to do this to her?
More importantly—why did he have so many strange concoctions?
Unable to hold back her curiosity, she finally asked, "What are all these jade bottles for?"
Chen Mo glanced at her. "This one contains Bone-Growth Powder, which promotes bone regeneration. This one is Golden Wound Salve, which accelerates wound healing. This one is Skin Dew, which prevents scars."
"This one reduces swelling, and this one improves blood circulation."
"I originally refined all of these for myself, but it turns out that even Her Majesty can make use of them."
Upon hearing this, Queen Medusa's face suddenly flushed red as she recalled the countless times she had beaten Chen Mo to a bruised and battered state in recent days.
Queen Medusa would never apologize. Instead, she simply turned her head away, refusing to speak further.
As he wrapped a fresh bandage around her wound, Chen Mo spoke casually, "Earlier, you—"
"I was afraid you'd die and that my little sister would be heartbroken when she came out of seclusion." As if knowing what he was about to ask, Queen Medusa interrupted him coldly.
Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Don't misunderstand."
Looking at the prideful yet contradictory Queen Medusa, Chen Mo suddenly realized—she was actually kind of cute.
A slight smile formed on his lips, but he said nothing.
Though the wound appeared severe, for a Dou Huang like Queen Medusa, it wasn't a serious threat.
After finishing the treatment, Chen Mo shamelessly leaned against her delicate figure, sitting side by side. "Your Majesty, about that Bloodline Ability you mentioned earlier—what exactly is it?"
Queen Medusa glanced at the man pressing against her right shoulder. Her brows furrowed slightly as she explained, "Some magical beasts with powerful bloodlines awaken an innate ability when their bloodline reaches a certain threshold."
"It's rumored that the Darkgold Tiger King carries a trace of the Divine White Tiger's bloodline. I never thought it was true. Not only that, but the Tiger King actually awakened its Bloodline Ability. When a magical beast with such an ability dies, if someone touches its Monster Core, the Bloodline Ability will automatically activate as a self-destructive measure, ensuring mutual destruction."
"The Divine White Tiger's bloodline..."
Chen Mo was taken aback. Didn't this mean he had struck gold?
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Regardless of the circumstances, Chen Mo was grateful to Queen Medusa.
If she hadn't pushed him aside in time, he had no idea what fate would have awaited him.
"The best way to thank me is to annoy me less," Queen Medusa smirked, her tone uncharacteristically gentle.
Chen Mo smiled slightly, then, unable to resist, commented, "But I must say, Your Majesty, your waist is incredibly slender."
His expression was one of pure admiration.
A fist the size of a sandbag smashed directly into Chen Mo's face.
Chen Mo's vision went black. He passed out.
"Tch, I should've known—I can't give you an inch."
[Ding! Favorability +1, Obtained 2 Favorability Points.]
This woman really didn't hold back.
When Chen Mo woke up, daylight had already broken.
He instinctively touched his nose, only to wince in pain.
A few streaks of dried blood remained in his nostrils.
He needed to have a serious talk with Queen Medusa about not hitting him in the face.
Then he noticed something was off.
Looking down, he saw Queen Medusa resting her head on his lap, using his body as a pillow.
She had quite the audacity.
Seeing that she hadn't woken up yet, Chen Mo carefully lifted her up. Her elegant crown slipped from her head, and he caught it just in time.
At this moment, Queen Medusa appeared less regal and more like a delicate woman. Her long lashes trembled slightly, making Chen Mo involuntarily admire her.
As his gaze landed on her bright red lips, he could no longer hold back.
Before he knew it, he leaned in and kissed her.
The moment their lips touched, Chen Mo finally understood the saying: To die beneath a peony flower is to live a life of romance.
Chen Mo: "Control Tower, requesting takeoff."
Control Tower: "Denied. You don't even have a license."
Just then, Queen Medusa woke up.
Seeing the scene before her, she was utterly stunned.
Then, without hesitation, she struck out.
Chen Mo: "Control Tower! I'm airborne!"
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