Michael slowly made his way through the corridors, the echo of his boots creating a steady, rhythmic beat. Paired with his upright posture and composed presence, he looked every bit the dignified warrior.
Guards along the passage froze at the sight of Xiao Ren, saluting in respect.
Michael passed by without acknowledging them, just as Xiao Ren often did in the memories he had inherited. On the surface, he was calm and aloof—but beneath that, he was on high alert. His eyes, shadowed by flickering torchlight, scanned every face with quiet scrutiny.
When he finally reached the outpost infirmary, he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and stepped inside.
---
In the darkness not far from the infirmary, a figure stood in silence. His posture was tense, his gaze fixed on the building with visible confusion in his eyes.
---
Inside the infirmary, Michael walked past rows of empty beds and bustling doctors. He barely glanced around—until a splash of purple caught his eye.
A young woman stood across the room, her lilac-colored hair glowing faintly under the oil lamps.
"Ming Su" he murmured unconsciously.
The doctor in question turned at the sound. Her previously stern expression lit up with joy. Her bright violet eyes and pink lips curved into a wide smile as she strode toward him.
"Master Ren! What an honor it is to see you, sir," she greeted formally, saluting with practiced ease. Once the official pleasantries were done, her stiff posture relaxed, and her smile grew more genuine. "What brings you here?"
Watching her cheerful demeanor, Michael couldn't help but smile. He now understood why Xiao Ren had favored her presence.
She was like a beam of sunlight after a storm.
But feeling the weight of curious gazes, he quickly composed himself.
"Ming Su," he said quietly, "we need to talk."
Hearing his serious tone, Ming Su's cheerful expression faltered for a moment—but she quickly straightened.
"Yes, sir. Please, this way."
She led him deeper into the infirmary, down a quiet corridor until they reached a door labeled Main Doctor.
Inside was a modest room filled with tall cabinets, a desk, a chair, and a single cot. Books overflowed from every shelf, spilling onto the floor in a chaotic mess.
Ming Su turned red with embarrassment.
"S-sorry about the mess…"
Michael paid no attention. He strode into the room and lay on the bed without a word.
Ming Su blinked in confusion but said nothing.
Then—
"Ming Su," Michael called, his voice low and sharp.
She froze. The warmth she'd felt just moments ago vanished, replaced by a cold, soul-piercing glare. Startled, she took an instinctive step back—only to trip over a book and tumble to the ground.
Fear widened her eyes as she stared up at him.
Michael almost felt guilty. Almost.
But he needed to be sure.
"Ming Su," he repeated, hand resting on Rain's hilt, "Can I trust you?"
The intent behind the question was clear. She saw the threat—subtle but undeniable.
"Y-yes, sir!" she stammered. "You can trust me…"
Tears welled up and burst from her eyes, streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Seeing her like this, Michael exhaled slowly, his tense posture softening. He let go of the sword's hilt and leaned back.
"I need your help, Ming Su."
Still sniffling, she blinked up at him in surprise. "H-help? With what?"
"I've been poisoned."
Her eyes widened dramatically. In a heartbeat, she scrambled to her feet and rushed to his side, voice frantic.
"Poisoned? By who? When? What happened—are you okay?!"
Michael studied her reaction. The panic in her voice, the concern in her eyes—none of it was fake. That final sliver of doubt vanished, carried away by her sincerity.
He raised a hand and tapped her lightly on the forehead—something he'd seen Xiao Ren do to her in a memory long past.
"Calm down. And listen."
She swallowed hard, wiping her eyes. Her hands still trembled, but her voice sharpened as she shifted into the role she knew best, a healer.
"What symptoms? When did they begin?" she asked, already reaching for a medical kit on the shelf.
Michael leaned back and began to recount everything—every sensation, every detail Xiao Ren had experienced, down to the smallest pain and fatigue.
As she scribbled notes, her hand suddenly froze. Her already pale complexion drained even further.
"That sounds like… No. It can't be," she whispered—more to herself than to him.
Ming Su's voice filled with disbelief, filled Michael with dread.
"What is it, is it incurable?" Michael frantically asked. He didn't have plans of joining Xiao Ren I to an early grave.
Her big purple eyes with specks of red from crying earlier looked at him, this time a spark of amazement in them.
"I can't believe it... Based on your symptoms" as she said as she hurriedly pulled out some materials from different spots in the office.
A tray filled with white looking roses, a needle and a bottle filled with transparent liquid.
Once all the materials were ready, she continued "from what you're describing, you should not be here with me today, you shouldn't even be alive as the poison I have in mind is very lethal. Do you mind?" She asked offering for his hand.
Michael put his hand in her grasp, intensely watching what was happening.
Ming Su used the needle to prick his finger, causing blood to pool into a drop. She then used a petal from the white rose to clean the said blood.
Once that was ready, she took one last look at Michael before dipping the rose into the transparent liquid. Immediately the white petal turned black, starting from the middle of the flower, down to the outer edges.
Both Michael and Ming Su flinched at the sight.
"It's really the Threefold Wraithbane" Ming Su whispered, the name seeming to drain the warmth in the air.
Michael frowned, the name didn't appear in any of Xiao Ren's memories. For it to garner such a reaction from Ming Su, that means things were really not looking good.
"Why's it called the Threefold Wraithbane?" Michael asked.
Ming Su gently placed the now blackened rose petal onto the small plate she held, her expression grim but focused. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip, an action which caught his attention.
"It's a poison from the old wars, when armies needed generals or top military officials from a neighbouring empire to disappear. It attacks in layers, slow and quiet."
Michael's heart thumped while listening to Ming Su's description.
"Layers?"
She nodded. "The first, heart stiller. It shuts down the organs and muscles. Normally, this layer isn't fatal to normal people, but sir... Due to your constitution, I'm surprised you're still alive. You should've died on the first night."
Michael clenched his fists as he remembered Xiao Ren's last memory. "And the second?"
"Mind breaker." She said. "It messes with the person's thoughts, delusions, fear and paranoia, boosting everything by a large margin. Normally, this stage is where most people end up dying because their bodies go into overdrive as everything to them looks like a danger."
"Their hearts overwork and their lungs wear out, before eventually giving up. This is where most normal people end up dying. It takes effect three days after layer one."
Michael remained silent, his mind going back to his episode early in the day.
'has the second stage started, or am I just being paranoid?' he wondered, as all semblance of hope started to drain away.
"Worst part" Ming Su added quietly, "there's a third layer, Gravelock. It activates five days after the second layer, that's if the persons still alive. This layer activates if the poison senses foreign treatments. One wrong move... And you'll drop dead."
Michael's voice was hoarse. "And you're saying there's no cure?"
Ming Su in response pulled out a small bamboo scroll from a small drawer in the table. After going through the scroll, her eyes lit up. "There is,. At least something that might work." She replied pointing to a diagram of a flower.
"This plant is called copper grass, a common weed that villagers often use for upset stomachs. The last doctor once the theorised that this flower might have a miraculous effect on most deep toxins, cleansing the body.
Michael stood, his once cool voice now tinged with urgency. "where can I find it?"
Ming Su pulled out a map of the surrounding mountain range, when she pointed at a certain ridge not too far off from where the outpost was, at most a two day journey if one took his time.
"Here, just past the eastern ridge, by the riverside." She looked at him with a determined gaze. I'll gather a team and retrieve the copper grass myself."
Michael shook his head, already heading towards the door. "No, I'll go." His voice resolute leaving no room for discussions.
Seeing his stance, her face crumpled into a frown, a flicker of frustration breaking through, but it vanished just as quickly, replaced by a practiced calm.
He didn't see the way her eyes lingered on his back, or how her fingers tightened around the edge of the map.