Master of Lust

Chapter - 147

Rick lay on the floor, unmoving, his back against the door. He looked at the blood, the broken glass and the violent mess that covered the room. He looked at the body of the man, blood constantly seeping out of his chest. He felt nothing seeing the man lying in a filthy pool of his own blood. A pool that only seemed to grow bigger and bigger as time passed.

The blood travelled across the tiles and snuck into the edges, where it would stay for longer. The forceps stood upright in his eye. Rick had made sure to push it in deep. Whichever poor soul was responsible for removing it was going to have a tough time.

The white coat he had worn now bore no semblance of being white. It had turned into a dark red, forever stained with the hitman's stupidity.

Emily lay still on the bed, unaware of the chaos around her. One of her IV bags had a large cut in it, and it hung from the stand with a big hole. The machines that helped her breathe and checked her heart kept beeping quietly, seeming like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Rick didn't know exactly what the man had injected into her. But from Roy's incessant babble, he knew she wouldn't make it if he just stayed on the floor, doing nothing.

He pushed himself up, ignoring the pain that seemed to overtake his very soul. He staggered towards the bed, reaching for her hand. He felt a faint pulse, and he sighed in relief. She was alive. But for how long?

The area where the man had plunged the syringe was turning into a dull grey, and her veins seemed more pronounced as the greyness just spread further up her arm and also down to her wrist. He searched for any sort of flicker of pain on her face. There was nothing. She continued to look at peace as though she were just sleeping.

Rick remembered the system, the shop had items that had given him powers and abilities beyond his imagination. He knew they would help him now. He opened the system, scrolling through the pale, translucent screen. He opened the system's shop, looking for something that could help him.

He saw a lot of options, but one caught his eye. The Whispering Insight Card and the Curious Oracle Card. He read the description.

[

Whispering Insight Card

This basic-level card grants a sneak peek into the surface thoughts and general vibes of people around.

Usage: 1 time

Cost: 15,000 Ero Points

]

But that wouldn't be enough. He still needed to find out how to undo the effects of whatever the man injected. He scrolled some more and found what he needed.

[

Curious Oracle Card

This mystical card taps into the wisdom of ages, offering profound insights on any mortal you want. The user can pose more complex questions and receive answers to anything you could think of. But remember, it works only on mortals

Usage: 1 time

Cost: 40,000 Ero Points.

]

Among all the options, Rick found the above two the one actually usable to him. He wasn't sure if the 'Whispering Insight Card' would help, so just in case he bought the tried and trusted 'Curious Oracle Card' as well. He spent 55,000 Ero Points and received the cards in his hands. He knew they were worth it.

He used the Whispering Insight Card first. He held it in his hand and asked the question in his mind. 'What did the man inject into Emily's body?' He waited for an answer.

An answer appeared in his mind in a soft and gentle voice. He heard the name of the poison. Zephyr. A rare and deadly toxin that was designed to kill slowly and painfully.

[It travels through the veins and arteries and attacks the nervous system, causing spasms, seizures, paralysis, and, once it reaches the heart, death. It had no known antidote and was almost impossible to detect. It was a weapon of mass destruction, used mostly by assassins.]

Rick swayed on his feet. He, too, was losing blood by the second. His leg throbbed under his weight, and his eyelids drooped. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes to focus. First, he needed to take care of Emily, then he'd take a nice, long rest.

Emily twitched just then. A soft shudder passed through her that didn't go unnoticed by Rick. He needed to act fast.

He used the other card, the Curious Oracle Card. He held it in his hand and asked another question in his mind. 'What is the antidote to cure Emily from the poison?'

Another answer appeared in his mind in a deep and authoritative voice. He heard the name of the cure. Nebula Syrum.

[Nebula Syrum is the antidote to counteract the effects of the poison Zaphyr. A rare and miraculous substance that was designed to heal any wound and disease. It stimulates the immune system, causing regeneration, restoration, and rejuvenation.]

[It had no known side effects and can be easily found in the black market. But master we know you. There is no way you have connections in the under ground market. Geez, you were a virgin a couple of weeks back. Huh... Good thing a good for nothing boy like you have me to take care of a dumb...]

"Enough..." Rick's legs almost gave up, and the system's barrage of insults made him dizzy. He didn't even have the strength to get offended.

Rick's shoulders sagged, and he didn't realise the breath he was holding all this way. There was a way to save Emily. There was a way to heal her.

He used the system again, searching for the cure. He found it in the shop, and good thing for the current Rick, it wasn't that expensive. It cost 50,000 Ero Points.

But it didn't matter, he would have bought it if there was an extra zero. Emily was the priority here. He used the system one last time before his body might give up, spending 50,000 Ero points.

And just like that like always, a syringe filled with a golden liquid appeared in his palms.

Without wasting any time, he plunged the syringe into Emily's body his hands trembled as he plunged the syringe into Emma's pale skin, just above where the man had injected the poison. He pushed the plunger and injected the cure into her bloodstream. He watched as the golden liquid flowed through her veins, coursing through them.

Emma's fingers clenched the edges of the bed sheets, nails digging into the fabric as the antidote began its merciless work. Sweat beads formed on her forehead, glistening like tiny diamonds under the hospital lights.

Her chest rose and fell with erratic breaths, the air struggling to find its way into her lungs. Rick's heart pounded in rhythm with hers, his eyes locked onto the woman he fought so desperately to save.

The lines of pain gradually softened, replaced by a fragile calm. He saw the greyness slowly recede from her skin, like a fog lifting. He saw the colour return to her cheeks, her lips, her eyes.

He sighed another breath of relief. Emily would be alright.

His eyes finally turned as he stared at the floor. There was still some space where the blood didn't reach. The blood of the man who had tried to kill Emily. He wondered how cruel Roy Kent was to want Emily dead.

But it doesn't matter. Roy must have been dead by now. And there was hardly anything that could connect Roy's death to Rick.

Maybe he could sit there for a while. He just needed to lay down for sometime, then he'd be good to go. He was tired, and hurt, and confused. All he needed was some rest and some peace, just for a little while.

Just as he was about to move, the door creaked open softly, and Olivia entered with barely audible footsteps. Dried blood covered the entirety of one side of her face, starting from her temple. On the other side, a nasty purple bruise decorated her cheek, swelling so much that her eye was barely visible.

He saw her look at the man on the floor, the man who had tried to kill Emily. He saw no sign of recognition or remorse in her eyes. She was impassive and stoic when she sidestepped around his body and the blood. Then, she rushed towards Emily, her hands outstretched as she grabbed Emily's hands and dropped her head in Emily's lap.

Rick watched as Olivia sobbed, clutching Emily's hands. He heard her whisper words of love and apology. He moved back, giving the mother and daughter a moment of privacy, but his eyes never left the two of them. More specifically, it never left Olivia.

Rick continued to watch as she rose and pressed her lips against Emily's forehead, her hands caressing Emily's hair. Just watching her brought a sense of calmness in him. The pain faded and he was able to focus on something else for once. Focus on the woman of his dreams.

"Rick."

He heard the soft way his name was uttered, and his head bounced up. Olivia stood in front of him. Her hands fidgeted with themselves as always, but her teary eyes were filled with a determination Rick couldn't quite place. She extended her arms, and Rick, of course, couldn't help but lose himself in them.

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