Chapter 332
The impact of this thing is beyond what a flower immune to "corruption plague" could ever compare to.
To put it bluntly, whoever possesses this can alter the entire political landscape of Ansu City and the religious structure of Ansu Country.
This is a nuclear-level item; whoever can resolve the great famine in Northern Ansu will almost certainly win the hearts of millions.
Likewise, it could save at least a million lives.
But... can Adele really do it?
Xia Er took a deep breath and glanced toward Aivina, only to find her looking back.
Aivina briefly glanced at Adele, then gently shook her head.
‘It’s too dangerous; Adele can’t handle it.’
Xia Er understood what Aivina was trying to convey.
If handled well, it could lead to unimaginable wealth; if mishandled, it could spell an unstoppable crisis.
Yet, if Adele truly creates the antidote and becomes the center of attention, she might actually be safer.
The major churches would fight tooth and nail to win her over, especially the Church of the Savior and the Redemption Society... even the royal family would extend an olive branch.
This would leave the Joy Society with no leverage... and given their tendency not to seek revenge, this situation might just blow over...
Provided that Adele can indeed create the antidote.
Xia Er stood up, slowly reached for the vial, and hung it at her waist.
Seeing this, Aivina withdrew her gaze, took a sip of her red tea, while Adele’s expression fell, her head bowed like a child who had done something wrong.
“Alright, you can rent a place, set up the lab, and once I confirm that this method is safe, I’ll hand the antidote over to you.”
Xia Er spoke slowly.
At this, the other three exchanged shocked glances, seemingly puzzled by her decision.
She didn’t outright refuse?
Wanting to save millions in Northern Ansu?
No, Xia Er wasn’t that noble...
Was it just to satisfy Adele’s wishes?
No, the closer their personal feelings, the more Xia Er would oppose others doing dangerous things.
Even after leaving Xia Er’s room, Adele still felt dazed and confused, unsure how Xia Er had agreed to her request.
Aimi wore a worried expression, but there was a hint of excitement in her heart... This was her first foray into the extraordinary world, and to be involved in such a monumental, almost epic event thrilled her.
They all returned to their respective rooms to rest, while Aivina stayed in Xia Er’s room, her face filled with concern as she asked, “Xia Er, what’s going on? This is too dangerous…”
“You said Ashford would attract attention from others; we’re just in a ‘race’ with the Redemption Society to develop the antidote.”
Xia Er shook her head, “You know, research itself isn’t inherently dangerous.”
“But…”
There’s still a possibility of success.
Aivina didn’t voice this thought.
Yes, it was absurd, but Adele might actually succeed in developing the antidote.
When that time comes, what should they do? How could they protect themselves while wielding such a powerful “weapon”?
No organization could be trusted, whether it was the Redemption Society, the Church of the Savior, the royal family, or any other orthodox sect; they all had their own interests and wouldn’t wholeheartedly protect those who created the antidote.
The only solution Aivina could think of was to return to her family, hand over the antidote, and exchange it for power and protection...
But that would only bring her back under her family’s control...
“Don’t worry, Aivina.”
Xia Er stepped forward, gently wrapping her arms around Aivina’s head, pulling her close to her abdomen, softly rubbing the back of her head as she comforted her, “To completely free you from your family, we need power... a strong, equal power…”
“The organization will assess whether this operation is feasible; if it’s not, I’ll cancel it.”
Xia Er whispered to Aivina, a thought slowly rising in her mind.
Who says this antidote can only be given to the Church of the Savior, the Redemption Society, or the royal family?
What if the Holy Ascendancy received a divine revelation from the Mother Goddess and obtained this precious antidote? With such explosive news, no one would turn their gaze toward them.
They could even use this situation to merge sects... after all, Xia Er had done something similar in her simulations before.
What she needed to think about now was how to leverage all of this to maximize their gains while ensuring their safety.
As for whether all of this was feasible, Xia Er would need to run a simulation first to find out...
At this moment, Xia Er felt Aivina was right.
Only by holding absolute power and authority could they ensure their safety.
---
**PS1:** A few color sketches of Tara (unfinished).
The final draft will be out by Monday at the latest.
**PS2:**
193.5 (overdue) - 1 (extra) = 192.5 (overdue)
Let’s aim for 6 to 8 tomorrow!
Good night!
---
**Chapter 185: Breaking News.**
The next day, July 12, 741, the weather was overcast.
At 7 AM, Xia Er got up, and after washing up, she had Tara call the others to her room.
Everyone had jostled through the night and had mostly slept well, except for Adele, who was a bit of a light sleeper and arrived at Xia Er’s suite with dark circles under her eyes.
The maids brought in the breakfast prepared by the hotel, and Xia Er, seated at the head of the table, turned to Aivina on her left and asked, “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Not really used to it.”
Aivina gently shook her head, taking a sip of her coffee.
They hadn’t slept together last night because Aivina had dozed off for quite a while on the train and couldn’t sleep well at night. To avoid disturbing Xia Er’s sleep, she returned to her own room to read the newspaper.
However, judging by Aivina’s complexion, she seemed to have rested well.
“I’m not used to it either; the mattress here is a bit too soft.”
Xia Er nodded in agreement.
Aivina glanced at Xia Er but didn’t say anything.
Her discomfort wasn’t due to the bed but because Xia Er wasn’t beside her.
Once everyone had finished eating, Xia Er gently wiped her mouth with a napkin and said, “Do you have any good ideas about renting a place?”
Hearing this, Adele, who had been staring at the untouched smoked salmon on Xia Er’s plate, immediately raised her right hand.
“Adele? What do you think?”
Xia Er turned to Adele and asked.
Although Adele seemed to have never been to Ansu City, she might have received some guidance from High Priestess Yulis, who had lived in Ansu City for several years.
“Do you still want the salmon?”
Adele looked at Xia Er, her eyes sparkling.
Xia Er: “…”
With a straight face, she picked up the plate and handed it to Adele.
Lichi was just listening attentively to Xia Er and didn’t interject, as she had no idea what to say; she had virtually no knowledge of Ansu City.
At this moment, Aimi looked at Xia Er and said, “My father gave me some money; he said it should be enough for me to rent a place in the West District and hire a few maids... They’ll come to find me after a while.”
Baron Hastings and his wife were somewhat worried about Aimi being alone in Ansu City, so they planned to come over for a few days after finishing their business there to keep her company, which was something they had known beforehand.
“Last night, I discussed it with Aivina, and our thoughts are basically aligned. I think we should all live close to each other for mutual support.”
Xia Er said, “We’ve decided on the Mafer District in the West District.”
The Mafer District is one of the most luxurious and expensive areas in Ansu City, home to many wealthy individuals and nobles. The hotel Aivina initially wanted to stay at was also located in the Mafer District, adjacent to the Crown Glory District where they were currently staying, both situated in the western part of Ansu City.
Since Aimi had no objections, this matter was practically settled, especially since Lichi would definitely be staying with Xia Er, and Adele had no money, leaving her with little choice.
The task of finding a place was entrusted entirely to Aivina, who was more familiar with Ansu City, allowing her to make the arrangements.
If all went well, they might finalize their housing situation within two days.
After breakfast, Lucy, having learned from the hotel staff that Xia Er and the others were up, arrived at Xia Er’s door right on time.
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