Haider's Poison

The people on deck were still laughing and chatting.

Haider sat at the head of the table and personally served Dai Mubai a bowl of fish soup. He wore the hearty smile of a man who had spent years at sea.

"Silver-Scaled Fish from these waters is excellent for restoring strength. You all worked hard today, so have another bowl or two."

Dai Mubai took the bowl and glanced at Tang San. Tang San's right hand still rested beside the table. His index finger tapped twice.

It was a signal Shrek had used years ago in the spirit-fighting arenas.

Something's wrong. Don't move yet.

Ning Rongrong lifted her bowl with a smile, but her sleeve hid her mouth. As Oscar pulled out her chair, he slipped a tiny Antidote Sausage into her hand. Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Bai Chenxiang each received one too.

Ma Hongjun looked at the table laden with seafood, his face scrunched up in anguish.

"We really can't eat it?" he asked Oscar quietly, focusing his Soul Power into a thin thread of sound.

"Only if you want to spend the next few days in bed."

"Can I at least pack some to go?"

Yuan Yu sat by the railing with his Wine Gourd beside his leg. He left the fish soup untouched. Beneath the table, he crooked a finger, drawing a glimmer of water from the Profound Origin Azure Sea Bottle within the Myriad Phenomena Wheel.

The poison had already mixed with the soup. Extracting it by force would take the soup with it. He decided not to interfere and watched to see how Tang San would handle it.

Tang San raised his bowl and took a small sip.

The tension in Haider's eyes eased.

Tang San set down the bowl and swayed twice, bracing