Chapter 218: Mr. Su, Are You Here to Save Me?

Duanmu Qing lay on the pristine white bed, staring blankly at the equally white ceiling with hollow, despairing eyes. "Father... Mother... Everyone..."

The faces of her persecuted family flashed endlessly through her mind. The memories of their happiness now turned to tears, slipping silently down her cheeks.

She was ultimately still a young girl. Unwilling to yield to this absolute despair, the only remaining act of resistance she could think of was suicide. Yet even that was denied to her.

The collar around her neck constantly monitored its wearer for intense thoughts. The moment she showed suicidal intent, it would immediately deliver an electric shock, forcibly terminating the attempt.

Furthermore, the Federal Pharmaceuticals Chiyan Branch Company stored an abundance of premium Healing Potions. Even if she managed to mortally wound herself, medical staff would rush in instantly to treat her, dragging her back from death's door.

For a prisoner of her caliber, they would even deploy a Divine Healing Potion. She simply could not die.

As for escaping through the Nightmare World? She had considered it, but Chu Shang had planned far more meticulously than she expected.

Her next entry into the Nightmare World was at least half a month away. Chu Shang had already prepared the Sleepless Potion, ready to force it down her throat the moment the time came.

A single bottle of the Sleepless Potion prevented a person from falling asleep for an entire month. Chu Shang's plan was to keep her constantly dosed, permanently eradicating her ability to sleep.

Though prolonged sleep deprivation was lethal, Chu Shang would use various rare potions to sustain her life. Even if doing so drastically slashed her lifespan, the company didn't care about a mere tool's survival. They only cared about squeezing every drop of value from her while she still drew breath.

Duanmu Qing had thought of every possible method, but ultimately, there was no way out. She realized she might never avenge her family. Instead, she would be completely controlled by her enemies, imprisoned for eternity just to concoct their potions.

The most terrifying part was how the company planned to extract her final value. In the twilight of her life, they would force her to conceive in order to birth a new Breath of the Wood Spirit!

Despair. Endless despair.

"Why is this world always so full of despair?" Duanmu Qing murmured, her hollow eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Miss Mu, is my potion ready?" Su Mu's gentle voice rang out right beside her ear.

Her hollow eyes instantly snapped into focus. Struggling to prop herself up, she looked toward the sound and saw a calm, elegant figure standing quietly before her.

In that moment, she seemed to come alive. A radiant gleam returned to her dark, gem-like eyes, as if a soul had been poured back into her empty shell.

"Mr... Mr. Su!" Trembling, she stared at Su Mu, terrified that he was just a hallucination.

Su Mu offered a faint smile. In Duanmu Qing's eyes, that smile was like the warm spring sun—the very first ray of light to pierce her dark life.

"Long time no see, Miss Mu."

"L-long time no see, Mr. Su," Duanmu Qing replied, her voice shaking. The sudden, overwhelming surprise threatened to break the dam on the tears she had just managed to hold back.

When a person met their savior at the height of despair, they truly would weep tears of joy.

Especially since Duanmu Qing was absolutely certain that she would be saved if Su Mu took action. She still vividly remembered how he had single-handedly overturned the Sea Kingdom and defeated the sea god's familiar.

"Mr... Mr. Su, are you here to save me?" Duanmu Qing asked, her voice trembling with anticipation.

Su Mu shook his head. "I'm here to pick up my potion."

Her eyes dimmed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Su. I was captured by the company's people before I could gather all the ingredients for Ceaseless Recovery."

The smile on Su Mu's lips didn't waver. "What am I going to do with you? Looks like I'll have to save you first. Just remember to brew my potion after we get out of here."

Duanmu Qing shuddered. Her beautiful eyes stared unblinking at the man before her, and his gentle smile swiftly filled the despairing void in her heart.

Suddenly, she smiled through her tears and nodded vigorously. "Mhm, it's a promise!"

She paused for a moment before quietly adding, "Thank you, Mr. Su."

"You're welcome. Tell me what happened first, then I'll figure out how to get you out."

Just as Duanmu Qing was about to speak, her expression grew tense. "Mr. Su, someone comes to check on this cell every so often. If they find you..."

"Don't worry, they won't find me." As Su Mu spoke, his entire body vanished as if he had never been there at all.

Startled, Duanmu Qing called out cautiously, "Mr. Su?"

"I'm here." Su Mu's voice echoed directly in her mind. "This is a mental link. You don't need to speak out loud; just communicate with me in your mind."

She gave a small nod, lay back down on the bed, and restored her previous expressionless facade.

Mr. Su, can you hear me?

Yes, I hear you. How long have you been captured?

Just the last couple of days. Actually... I lied to you before. My real name is Duanmu Qing, and I'm not from the Chiyan Empire.

I know. The Duanmu Family of the Longyuan Empire. Su Mu had already gleaned this information from her dreams.

The Duanmu Family was a noble house in the Longyuan Empire. While their combat prowess wasn't strong, they were famous for their alchemy. Their ancestors had founded the Federal Pharmaceutical Company, whose operations were initially restricted to the Longyuan Empire.

As their reputation grew, more and more people invested. This included not just citizens of the Longyuan Empire, but people from other empires as well. Branch companies opened one after another.

However, with the influx of shareholders, the Duanmu Family—who only excelled at alchemy—began to be marginalized. The ideals of both sides diverged drastically.

The family had originated as a lineage of doctors. Their ancestral teachings upheld the principle of healing the sick and saving the world. Later, through a stroke of fortune, they became Transcendents, eventually producing their first Gold-tier powerhouse and ascending to the ranks of the nobility.

Even after becoming nobles, they never forgot their roots. They used their abilities to develop new medicines to save lives. But all of this changed after the establishment of the Federal Pharmaceutical Company.

As various factions invested, the Duanmu Family gradually fell from the helm to mere peripheral figures. Ultimately, they were reduced solely to concocting potions. Once the types of Transcendent Potions developed by the family broke a thousand—enough to meet the market's myriad demands—their value was steadily bled dry.

Seeking to maximize profits, the major shareholders plotted to release a Plague Potion and then sell the cure. The Duanmu Family tried to stop them, and the persecution began.

Faced with human greed, the family was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Their attempts to expose the company's actions resulted only in slaughter and imprisonment.

Those without value were massacred, while those with value were locked up to brew potions. Naturally, some managed to escape.

Duanmu Qing was one of those who had escaped.

The saying that possessing a treasure is a crime in itself perfectly fit the Duanmu Family. They held exceptional alchemical abilities, yet lacked the strength to defend them.