Chapter 213: Pill Experiment

Moon stared at the scene in surprise.

’This place looks even cleaner and richer than my own perch on the mountain!’

[This looks nice. Hurry up and increase your soul power so you can take over the Lost Realm for real.]

The Moon Goddess prompted him.

When the people noticed Moon, they raised their heads.

For a moment, several different expressions crossed their faces. Surprise, hatred, guilt, and even gratitude.

Some were simply happy to be alive.

Others still believed that all their misfortune had started with this man.

Although they had submitted to him in exchange for a chance to live longer, that didn’t mean their resentment had disappeared.

Moon could tell at a glance who still harbored malicious intentions toward him.

He smiled.

It wasn’t as if they could leave this place anyway.

Then his gaze swept over a few younger people who seemed less devoted to their packs and genuinely grateful to be alive.

He made a mental note of their faces.

Soon, Lupine led him toward a cave.

After walking for a while, they finally found the five men working in the mine. Chika was overseeing them.

Ugo had left those five fools in his care, and ever since, they had been mindlessly mining.

When Chika saw Moon, he immediately put down the tool in his hand and approached.

"Mast..."

His voice trailed off when he noticed Moon’s increasingly dark expression.

He stopped, looking somewhat conflicted.

Moon didn’t want to be called Master by him. But Chika couldn’t exactly address him by name, either.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Moon eventually looked away and walked toward the men who were mining.

Chika didn’t try to follow too closely.

Lupine followed Moon, as did Xiao Hong.

Ghost Master didn’t come along because he disliked taking a fully human form, so he simply buried himself in the ground.

Moon inspected the men for a moment before taking out a pill.

Chika noticed it immediately. His gaze lingered on the pill, but he hesitated before asking.

"...What pill is that?"

He didn’t seem to expect Moon to answer.

But Moon did.

"A transformation pill. I need a test subject. Do you want to try it?"

Moon raised his brows slightly.

He wasn’t particularly interested in testing it on someone who wasn’t even in their right mind.

If someone was willing to volunteer, that would save him some trouble.

Chika stared at him.

"Transformation?"

His eyes lit up.

Who didn’t know that this witch was famous for his transformation abilities?

Though certainly not in the way they understood it.

"I... I want to try." He stammered.

Moon looked at him for a moment.

He hadn’t expected Chika to agree so quickly.

"Are you sure?"

Chika nodded. "Yes."

Moon said nothing more.

They left the mine and found a secluded place surrounded by trees.

Moon stopped at a safe distance and tossed the pill toward Chika.

"Take it."

Then he stepped back.

Lupine and Xiao Hong stood beside him, watching.

Chika looked down at the pill in his palm.

His life was good now. Better than it had been at the Last Hole.

He had food, shelter, and work. He no longer had to worry about being thrown away when his usefulness ran out.

And Moon...

Chika glanced at the man standing some distance away.

He knew Moon hadn’t forgiven him.

He couldn’t blame him for that.

There were things that couldn’t be undone, no matter how much time passed or how many favors were exchanged.

Even if Moon had saved his life, it didn’t mean Chika had the right to expect kindness from him.

But the opportunity was right in front of him.

He had once been willing to risk everything for the chance to become a proper wolf.

Now, when that chance had finally appeared, could he really turn it down?

Chika inhaled deeply and swallowed the pill.

It melted in his mouth.

A sudden jolt of pain shot through his body, followed by an intense current that rushed through every blood cell.

He screamed and growled before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.

His bones seemed to crack and reshape themselves.

A fierce energy lashed at his soul.

Within moments, he was drenched in sweat, as if someone had poured water over him.

Chika’s gaze fell on the distant figure watching him coldly.

’Have I been poisoned? Is this revenge? But haven’t I already suffered death twice?’

His consciousness began to fade.

Yet, just as he thought he could finally rest, another sharp wave of pain shot up his spine.

His back arched at an impossible angle.

From a distance, Moon’s brows furrowed.

’Why is the reaction so fierce? I even replaced the Gengjin Spirit Marrow with Shapeshifting Fern because I was afraid the marrow would burn soul and heart directly.’

Time seemed to crawl.

In reality, only a few seconds had passed.

A few hellish seconds.

Finally, Chika’s body stopped convulsing.

A fragile black wolf lay on the ground, looking as though he were barely alive.

"It worked!" Lupine gasped.

"But... I don’t think he can transform back!" Moon said, his heart sinking.

[He is a very low-grade wolf. He doesn’t have any miraculous bloodline.]

The Moon Goddess spoke in his mind.

’Does that make a difference?’ Moon regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth.

Of course it made a difference.

He simply didn’t understand exactly how it worked.

[You used Ancient bloodlines, Moon. They are fierce. Only another high bloodline might be able to withstand your pill easily. For a low-level wolf, it’s like having a mountain press down on him. But don’t worry. I think your pill will work for your mate.]

’Hmm. So... will he die?’ Moon asked, looking at Chika.

[Not necessarily. It depends on his luck. With the full moon tonight, he may be able to awaken his spirit.]

Moon nodded.

[Sigh! Mooney, you did a good job. I am giving a blessing. Tonight will be a blood moon, and you can use this trigger as your anchor.]

’What?’ Moon’s eyes widened.

’Hell! Who wants your blood moon? Take back the blessing!’ he grumbled.