"By my calculations, there are eight minutes until the poison takes effect. Don't think about using that time to do anything. You should know how latent toxins work—while they lie dormant, the poison gradually seeps through the victim's entire body. Without an antidote, any treatment is useless. All you can do is wait for the inevitable explosive outbreak."
Jiu Ming explained in a professional tone, "Poisons that kill at the sight of blood are pretty good too, but in terms of potency, this latent kind is still more formidable. So what will you choose? Rush back now, or keep waiting for time to run out?"
One of his five raised fingers lowered. "Seven minutes left. If her constitution is a little weak, it might happen a minute or two early."
"...I don't believe you."
"This?" Jiu Ming chuckled. "I guarantee that if you go back, you'll definitely find something. After all, I don't like casually taking people's lives. If my family found out I did this sort of thing, they'd whip me too."
Hei fell silent. Cat was silent as well, but beneath that silence was even more helplessness. Thinking back on Jiu Ming's earlier actions, this guy must have been plotting from the very beginning. Otherwise, why would he have done something as "meaningless" as giving away lollipops?
Just thinking back on it revealed scheme upon scheme, calculations piled to the brim—this was fucking barking mad!
But what would Hei decide now? Given a Contractor's rationality, he ought to continue with the mission... right?
Yet Hei made a choice that utterly stunned him. He jumped straight out through the shattered window and sprinted toward the cigarette shop where Yin usually stayed.
That move left Cat completely dumbfounded. How could he choose this...? But perhaps this was good too. Now