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Chapter 188 – Brutal Beastman Marshal vs. White Lotus, Black Lotus, Pitiful Plant Prince (15)
“How, how do you know?” Mu Jin’s words left Isaiah stunned. A few days ago, she had gone to the nearby forest to search for suitable medicinal herbs and indeed found a red fruit.
Red fruit has a good healing effect on wounds, but it is extremely rare in the Beastman Empire. Moreover, the beastman’ current methods of refining medicines are far inferior to those of the Plant Empire, utilizing less than ten percent of the medicinal herbs’ potential.
Therefore, Isaiah had been reluctant to use this precious Red fruit and was nurturing it carefully in a flowerpot, still pondering how to handle the plant. She hadn’t even reported this to her mentor, so how could the person in front of her know about it so clearly?
Seeing Isaiah’s shocked expression, Mu Jin smiled. He naturally wouldn’t reveal that he knew because of the powerful tool 003.
Isaiah was always hostile toward him, and he didn’t want anyone causing trouble. So, he had 003 allocate some of its energy to monitor Isaiah.
If the other party was merely sarcastic and mocking, he didn’t mind. But if they truly intended to cause trouble behind his back, he would nip such thoughts in the bud. Thus, Mu Jin was the first to know about the Red fruit.
Mu Jin was very interested in this Red fruit. He knew about its healing properties but also knew how rare it was. Or rather, in the Beastman Empire, very few medicinal plants with value had been discovered.
The Beastman were aware of Red fruit’s healing effects because it was a precious herb from the Plant Empire. So when Mu Jin learned that Isaiah had been keeping a Red fruit, he had long considered how to get it into his hands. He didn’t expect that an opportunity would present itself so conveniently when Isaiah challenged him.
Once he got the Red fruit, Mu Jin could consider researching it to find an efficient way to cultivate it artificially. Then he could mass-produce the medicinal extract, which would surely help his loved one.
Isaiah, though surprised that Mu Jin knew she had the Red fruit, did not refuse when he proposed using it as a wager.
Moreover, she believed that since she initiated the challenge, their bets should match. From this perspective, Mu Jin’s request wasn’t excessive.
Even so, Isaiah was still a bit bewildered that Mu Jin agreed to the duel. As she calmed down, she realized that he was just a student who had been at the Imperial Academy for less than ten days.
Considering he agreed to face someone like her, who had been studying in the potion department for a long time, Isaiah felt uneasy. The Silver Wolf Tribe male was right; it was indeed an unfair advantage.
Although she looked down on Mu Jin, she didn’t want to win this way. So after some thought, Isaiah suggested the duel focus on potion extraction.
Potion extraction isn’t extremely difficult, but doing it well requires strong mental strength and long-term patience. Isaiah also proposed that the duel take place two months later in the arena, and Mu Jin did not oppose this.
Mu Jin knew that reserving the dueling arena usually required advance booking and that most duels were scheduled within a month. Isaiah’s request to extend the time to two months and her immediate disclosure of the duel’s content gave Mu Jin a more favorable impression of her.
Judging by the content and timing she chose, it didn’t seem like she was trying to make things difficult for him. It appeared that this female beastman wasn’t solely driven by jealousy. Though impulsive, she wasn’t entirely disagreeable.
After the two made their agreement public, they reported it to the Imperial Academy through their light-brain devices to prevent either party from reneging. Once this was settled, everyone proceeded to the teaching building.
Standing in the shadows, Cromwell watched Mu Jin’s retreating figure thoughtfully. Initially, he had considered stepping in for his beloved, but Mu Jin’s handling of the situation surprised him.
Seeing his partner manage so effortlessly, Cromwell felt a strange emotion. He had always thought of his little guy as timid and shy.
However, facing the challenge, although Mu Jin remained gentle, the inner calm and confidence he exuded were undeniable.
Even though men tend to view their partners through rose-colored glasses, Cromwell, having encountered many people, noticed something different about Mu Jin. Perhaps his little guy wasn’t as simple as he seemed and had another side unknown to him.
Regardless of Mu Jin’s true nature, Cromwell didn’t mind. This was the partner he had chosen. Instead of feeling disappointed, he was excited, as if he had discovered a secret.
Once everyone entered the teaching building, Cromwell decided against following further. Considering he had some work at the military headquarters, he decided to return to the marshal’s residence.
In the evening, Cromwell went to the Imperial Academy to wait for Mu Jin after school, as they had agreed. Seeing his lover, Mu Jin happily boarded his mini starship.
Back at the residence, during dinner, Cromwell casually asked Mu Jin about his day at school. Mu Jin shook his head, saying nothing happened, which made Cromwell feel a bit down.
Though he knew his partner had resolved the issue, at least for now, being challenged right after joining the Imperial Academy was significant. He wished Mu Jin had shown more vulnerability and sought his help.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t openly express his thoughts to Mu Jin, even though he was aware of the situation. Otherwise, it would be unseemly for Mu Jin to find out he had been followed.
Noticing his partner’s obvious low spirits, Mu Jin reflected and realized it might be because Cromwell knew about the day’s events at school.
Mu Jin hadn’t considered that Cromwell would actually follow him around like a lovesick stalker. But given Wilson’s people were around him, if something really happened, Cromwell would naturally be the first to know.
Perhaps he felt a bit disappointed because I didn’t share these things with him, Mu Jin thought with a hint of amusement.
Although he hadn’t taken the matter to heart, he cared about his partner’s feelings. So he quickly moved closer to Cromwell and smiled, “I suddenly remembered that something did happen today. I forgot to tell you earlier. A classmate from the pharmacy department challenged me, but I’m confident I can beat her.”
Saying this, Mu Jin winked at Cromwell, deliberately trying to be cute. Seeing Mu Jin’s confident expression, Cromwell’s mood lifted.
Hearing Mu Jin proactively talk about this, Cromwell’s face brightened, realizing that Mu Jin had simply forgotten to mention it earlier. He had great confidence in Mu Jin and believed he would definitely win.
Cromwell didn’t think it was unusual for a student who had been at the Imperial Academy for less than ten days to defeat the top student in the pharmacy department. The marshal’s blind faith in his beloved was unwavering.
“Is there anything I can help with?” Cromwell asked, feeling his partner was practically glowing, unable to resist the urge to be close to him.
Mu Jin nodded, even though he didn’t feel he needed much help. Seeing his lover eager to contribute, he didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm.
After a brief thought, Mu Jin said, “Our duel is about potion extraction, so I might need some related materials and practice. Could you set up a personal workshop for me at the residence?”
Cromwell immediately agreed, thrilled that his partner wanted to rely on him. He promptly instructed Wilson to arrange it.
Within half a day, they had prepared a well-equipped workshop for Mu Jin, filled with numerous medical books and materials for in-depth study.
The equipment was the best available in the Beastman Empire. Though it didn’t match the standards of the Plant Empire, it showed Cromwell’s dedication.
For Beastman, fulfilling their partner’s wishes was a duty every male willingly embraced. Seeing Mu Jin so delighted with the workshop, Cromwell felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
He hadn’t expected that upon seeing the workshop, the usually shy Mu Jin would run over and give him a tight hug. This gesture gave Cromwell a new understanding of Mu Jin’s passion for potion making.
To make his partner happy, Cromwell had also sought out some medicinal plants. Though such items were rare in the Beastman Empire and not highly valued due to their low utilization rate, they were meant to provide Mu Jin with some enjoyment.