Chapter 85: Detoxify Me, Right Now!

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Detoxify Me, Right Now!

Upon hearing Bai Taotao’s words, Qin Yao cast a deep glance at the little girl who only reached her chest height.

A flicker of unconcealed curiosity flashed in her bloodshot peach blossom eyes.

"Little girl, your perception is quite sharp."

Qin Yao’s red lips parted slightly as she uttered a hoarse whisper.

But she didn’t ask further, quickly turning her head and striding forward on her long, beautiful bare feet to continue leading the way.

As soon as everyone stepped into the cavern, their first impression was one of extreme oppression.

The surrounding rock walls were all a glaring blackish-red, with dark red magma slowly flowing through the crevices beneath their feet.

"This damn place, the air is so hot it feels like it could scorch your throat."

Tang Ling complained in a hushed voice while fanning herself with her hand, deliberately softening each breath.

As for Qin Yao at the front, her state was clearly completely different from outside the moment she entered here.

Her bare feet stepped directly onto the scorching rock surface, yet she showed no reaction at all.

The violent heat waves gently lifted her red hair.

The curves beneath her tight leather outfit flickered faintly in the firelight.

It was as if she had already merged with this volcano, exuding an intensely dangerous, wild beauty.

Qin Yao suddenly stopped, tilting her head slightly as her crimson eyes swept coldly over everyone.

"Listen up, all of you."

"If anyone dares to make even a slight commotion, I’ll burn them to ashes before whatever’s inside even wakes up."

Lin Ji didn’t argue with this madwoman, instead immediately taking over command of the team.

"Yihan, guard the rear. Qingyue, maintain cooling. Manyun, keep a close eye on everyone’s condition."

"I’ll walk ahead with her."

The team readjusted their formation and cautiously continued deeper.

Soon, everyone saw the churning, bubbling magma pool deep within the cavern, emitting a pungent odor.

And behind the magma pool, a massive shadow, large as a small hill, lay coiled silently.

Its full form was impossible to discern; one could only feel that with each breath it took, the entire vast cavern seemed to contract and expand along with it.

"That’s the Level 5 Creature I sensed."

Qin Yao lowered her voice, her tone thick with apprehension.

"I’m not even sure what species it is, I only know... we absolutely must not wake it."

Even the usually lively Bai Taotao was uncharacteristically quiet now.

Her little face was tense, her large eyes filled with terror.

"Captain brother... that big guy has a very, very bad temper."

"In its eyes, we’re like little snacks."

Lin Yurou, walking behind, didn’t even dare to look at it for long.

She clutched Shen Manyun’s sleeve tightly, her palms drenched in cold sweat.

"Boss, look over there!"

Amid this suffocating silence, Tang Ling suddenly whispered with suppressed excitement, pointing toward a section of the outer rock wall.

There, a cluster of translucent crimson crystals grew.

Within the crystals, it seemed as though real flames were slowly flowing, occasionally emitting faint glows like the beating of a heart.

This was exactly the premium energy ore Qin Yao had mentioned earlier—the Moltenheart Source Crystal!

She immediately grew excited, crouching before the rock wall.

Her tight white T-shirt stretched taut across her chest, outlining two rounded curves, but she remained completely unaware.

She only lowered her voice and said to Lin Ji, "Boss, this thing is definitely top-tier energy ore. We’ve hit the jackpot this time."

Lin Ji grabbed Tang Ling just as she was about to step forward, warning in a hushed tone, "Don’t act recklessly! Follow the plan and coordinate."

He turned to Qin Yao. "You sense which part of the vein is the most stable."

"Tang Ling is responsible for prying it loose. Qingyue will seal it with Frost Energy the moment the ore detaches. Manyun, be ready to rescue at any moment."

"I’ll keep an eye on the rhythm and the surroundings."

For their first attempt, Qin Yao raised her hand and pressed it against the rock wall.

The fiery threads at her fingertips traced an incredibly precise, thin line around the crystal cluster.

"Now," Qin Yao rasped.

Her movements were steady, yet they radiated extreme danger.

Tang Ling immediately stepped forward, her tools expertly wedging into the crevice.

Meanwhile, Su Qingyue stood ready nearby, her hands pressing down with a chilling frost mist.

Click.

The moment the ore detached,

it indeed erupted with an intensely scorching wave of fire, like a bomb.

Fortunately, Su Qingyue’s ice mist and Qin Yao’s control of the fiery threads coordinated flawlessly.

They forcefully suppressed the energy that could have ignited the entire cave.

After this trial run, everyone felt a surge of confidence.

It seemed Qin Yao was right.

As long as they weren’t greedy or lost their composure, these premium ores on the periphery could truly be taken.

With the success of their first attempt, the subsequent mining processes went more and more smoothly.

They gradually excavated over a dozen pieces of Moltenheart Source Crystal.

They even managed to gather some extremely rare auxiliary materials like Fire-Resistant Crystal Sand and Fire Lizard Bone Shards.

"We’re rich, we’re rich..."

Tang Ling stuffed these treasures into her pouch, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she muttered incessantly.

"With these source crystals, not only will our power issues be solved, but I can even install cannons on the ship!"

But Lin Ji never dared to let his guard down.

Because he soon noticed that the longer they stayed near the ore vein,

Qin Yao’s condition was gradually deteriorating.

"Captain..."

Shen Manyun leaned close to Lin Ji’s ear, whispering with concern.

"Qin Yao’s condition is very unstable right now."

"The fire-attribute essence here is too concentrated, as if it’s reigniting the Fire Poison within her."

"If we drag this out any longer, she might break down before that Level 5 monster does."

Even without Shen Manyun’s reminder, Lin Ji could see it.

The crimson glow in Qin Yao’s eyes grew increasingly intense, and even her breathing became heavy.

The rise and fall of her chest, wrapped in that tight leather jacket, was noticeably more rapid than when they first entered the cave.

Qin Yao herself was clearly aware of this.

While continuing to force herself to use fiery threads to help detach the ore vein, she fixed her increasingly frenzied red eyes on Lin Ji.

"Don’t forget what you promised me."

Her voice was terrifyingly hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of her throat.

"You said you could help me neutralize this poison."

"If we delay any longer and I truly go mad, you’ll be the first to suffer!"

Gu Yihan stood at the back, tightly gripping her Storm Hunter Bow, her face filled with vigilance as she stared at Qin Yao.

She didn’t dare trust this madwoman who had nearly killed them even a little.

Su Qingyue’s expression was equally cold.

She kept three-tenths of her Frost Energy in reserve, not only to seal the ore at any moment but also to guard against Qin Yao suddenly turning hostile and initiating a Self-Detonation.

Lin Ji quickly weighed the situation in his mind.

"Cease operations. Retreat."

He gave the order decisively.

Obtaining over a dozen Moltenheart Source Crystals on this trip was already a massive win.

To venture deeper for a few more stones or continue expending energy here would be nothing short of suicide.

However.

Just as everyone had gathered the final batch of ore and prepared to quietly withdraw from the cavern.

The unexpected, as always, struck without fail.

The Fire Poison that had been intensely suppressed within Qin Yao’s body was finally fully triggered, causing her aura to uncontrollably leak out for an instant.

The previously calm, stagnant lava pool suddenly churned violently, sending up a wave of scorching heat!

The next second.

From the deepest part of the cavern, the heavy, rhythmic breathing that had sounded like muffled thunder.

Suddenly paused.

In that moment, everyone’s faces turned deathly pale.

"It’s over..."

Bai Taotao was so frightened she covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.

Deep within the cavern.

A pair of enormous vertical pupils, like two crimson suns, slowly opened within the churning lava.

At the same time, Qin Yao suddenly grabbed Lin Ji’s wrist.

Her sharp nails nearly dug into his flesh, the red light in her eyes blazing to its limit.

"Don’t delay... detoxify me now!" 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Qin Yao’s voice was hoarse and urgent, carrying a hint of morbid madness and fear of death.

"Otherwise, what you’ll face next will be two powerful enemies!"