Chapter 061: Courting Death! (Requesting Recommendation Votes!)

Tang Mubai felt a wave of itching curiosity. After two consecutive “resistances,” he had begun to understand this system ability. It was a passive defense! Whenever he was threatened against his will, the system would immediately retaliate with a “counter.” Once the resistance accumulated to a certain extent, he could spend part of his lifespan to evolve it into a “divine ability.”

The guess was simple to test: he just needed to keep eating the poisoned food. With the system protecting him, there was no risk of death. With this thought, Tang Mubai picked up his chopsticks, grabbed another piece of food soaked in poison, and ate it.

Soon—

[Poison Resistance +1]

[Poison Resistance +3]

[Poison Resistance +5]

…

After finishing one dish, his total “Poison Resistance” reached 85, still short of 100. Tang Mubai moved on to the second dish. Near the end—

[“Poison Resistance” has reached 100. Would you like to consume 10 years of lifespan to unlock the “Poison Control” divine ability?]

A familiar prompt flashed through his mind. Thrilled, Tang Mubai quickly responded, “Yes!”

Buzz—

His body trembled, and a profound, novel sensation surged into his heart. In an instant, he gained a comprehensive understanding of poisons, toxins, poisonous liquids, and gases. Within seconds, Tang Mubai became a poison master.

When he opened his eyes, even the currents in the air seemed clearer. Scanning the dishes on the table, he saw wisps of green vapor rising from two and a half remaining plates. Tang Mubai was certain he hadn’t seen these green vapors before! It was the “Poison Control” divine ability that let him instantly detect the toxins within the food.

Compared to the “Pressure Control” ability, “Poison Control” was distinctly more unique.

He opened the system panel—

[Name]: Tang Mubai
[Constitution]: 20
[Strength]: 20
[Agility]: 20
[Perception]: 5 (+)
[Will]: 5 (+)
[Vitality]: 60k (+)
[Martial Arts]: “Golden Radiance Skill” (Perfected), “Tiger Roar Fist” (Perfected), “Wave-Breaking Blade Technique” (Perfected), “Nine Arrows Over Mountains” (Perfected), “Grass Step” (Perfected)
[Divine Abilities]: Pressure Control (Intermediate), Poison Control (Beginner)
[Lifespan]: 491.6 years
[Retainers]: 3
…

Sure enough, the “Divine Abilities” section now listed “Poison Control.” However, there was no “+” symbol after “Beginner.” What could that mean? Could it be related to reaching the limits of constitution?

“Pressure Control” couldn’t be improved further because advancing required innate pressure, which demanded a much stronger body. As for “Poison Control,” it seemed there was also no way to upgrade it beyond “Beginner”—there was no path forward from here.

Tang Mubai couldn’t figure out if this was connected to his constitution. After puzzling over it for some time, he gave up. Regardless, gaining another divine ability was a good thing. Especially since this ability was “gifted” to him by Kou Xiaohui!

He wondered what Kou Xiaohui would feel when he learned that the poisoned water he sent had failed to kill him.

…

At this moment, Kou Xiaohui was indeed miserable. Or rather, he was furious and stifled, with nowhere to vent. At noon, he had waited outside the Miracle Restaurant for over an hour, but never saw Tang Mubai carried out—let alone an ambulance arrive. At that point, he realized things might not go as planned. When he finally saw Tang Mubai walk out the front doors, perfectly fine, he knew the plan had failed.

The attempt to poison Tang Mubai had failed!

In response, Kou Xiaohui raged, howled, and fumed, but dared not go looking for trouble with Tang Mubai again.

That morning, after inciting Huzi to attack Tang Mubai—only for Huzi to be crippled by a single punch—his brother-in-law had found out and given him a harsh scolding, forbidding him from seeking revenge on Tang Mubai. He’d further explained that, in this matter, Tang Mubai was not the real concern. Rather, the friends that Lin Huafeng and Tang Mubai’s father had made in the past were not to be underestimated; if possible, it was best to avoid provoking them.

After all, Lin Huafeng alone was more formidable than Kou Xiaohui’s brother-in-law.

The facts were as such, and Kou Xiaohui’s brother-in-law, the head of the Qiangyuan Mercenary Group, accepted it. But Kou Xiaohui himself did not—he was unwilling to let it go!

Agitated and stifled, Kou Xiaohui only stayed at home for the afternoon. As soon as night fell, he rushed out to a bar owned by the Qiangyuan Mercenary Group, picked a corner seat, summoned some hostesses and a few wastrel friends, and drank to vent his frustration.

As night descended, the bar, quiet in the day, came alive. Kou Xiaohui and his group of cronies sat in a corner, drinking and cursing loudly.

One of them, a pockmarked man, sneered, “Brother Hui, your brother-in-law said not to touch that Tang guy, but he never said you couldn’t go after Tang’s family! I know for a fact that, after the Miracle Mercenary Group was wiped out, one of the survivors is that Tang fellow’s younger cousin—a little girl. Her father once almost crippled you!”

“You… you mean I should take care of that little girl?” Kou Xiaohui slurred, his face drunk and dazed.

“Exactly,” the pockmarked man nodded coldly. “Tang’s father is dead, so that little girl is his last family. If she dies, Tang will be driven to utter despair! That’s more satisfying than killing him outright.”

“That’s right, Brother Hui, you targeted the wrong person today. If you’d gone after the little girl, you wouldn’t be so agitated now.”

“Yeah, revenge doesn’t always mean going after the man himself. Making him suffer, making him miserable, making him wish for death but unable to die—that’s even better!”

“Brother Hui, just do it! I’m with you!”

“Even if your brother-in-law finds out, I bet he won’t say anything. As long as you’re careful, who’ll ever know it was you?”

“Exactly!”

…

The group surrounded Kou Xiaohui, chipping in with ideas and laughing maliciously. For them, pleasing Kou Xiaohui and drinking for free was the main goal. As for whether a little girl lived or died, or whether Tang would be devastated—they couldn’t care less!

In their reckless wickedness, none of them noticed that, not far away in a shadowy corner, Tang Mubai was clenching his fists, murderous intent blazing in his eyes.

“Despicable scum! A pack of trash, courting death!”

Had he not heard this with his own ears, Tang Mubai would never have believed this group could so casually decide the fates of him and his little cousin with a few words.

To kill his cousin and plunge him into despair—beasts like these deserved death!

Rage surged uncontrollably in his heart. Tang Mubai drew a deep breath, barely restraining his fury. Donning his cap, he rose and walked toward Kou Xiaohui’s table.

As he passed them, a wisp of green vapor twisted around his fingertips and shot directly into Kou Xiaohui’s wine glass!