Chen Yu and the other three returned to the Tsukasa Empire. After helping Chen Yu sort the medicinal herbs, Gen left right away. He needed a good rest.
He had been working nonstop over at Senku's place, only getting to rest after producing the required amount. This time, he was going to sleep for a whole day no matter what.
Once Chen Yu reached the base, he headed straight for his dispensary. Seeing Xiao Xi apparently preparing medicine, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he thanked her and walked over to her side.
When Xiao Xi saw that Chen Yu had returned, she was overjoyed and threw her arms around him. It took a long while before she finally let go.
Chen Yu calmed himself down, then examined Xiao Xi. Once he had the results, he smiled in satisfaction.
"You're recovering well, much better than I expected. From now on, take your time recuperating and don't wear yourself out. If anything needs doing, leave it to someone else," Chen Yu said.
Xiao Xi smiled and nodded.
Afterward, Chen Yu sent Xiao Xi out for a walk while he sorted the herbs with Miwa and Reiko.
To make them easier to distinguish, they hung wooden labels on the little baskets Yuzuriha had made. The labels bore carved lettering and marked the contents as "safe" or "dangerous," keeping others from accidentally coming into contact with them.
The heartbreak grass, meanwhile, was kept a short distance beside the dispensary. The area was practically becoming a little courtyard.
Chen Yu sent Miwa and Reiko out to make their medical rounds, then began measuring out medicinal powders himself.
(This idea came from a reader. My original plan was to defeat Treasure Island by force, but after seeing their suggestion, I leaned more toward a support role. Still, fight scenes are a must.)
Chen Yu began grinding, weighing, and mixing the ingredients. Finally, he wrapped them in broad leaves and tied them with the thin hemp cord Yuzuriha had provided, making sure they would take effect when used before carefully putting them away.
He really wanted some of Senku's glass bottles. With those, he could simply throw one, and once it shattered, the powder would scatter and take effect immediately. With a favorable wind, he could just open the bottle and sprinkle it out, letting the wind carry it away.
But when would he be able to get some small explosive charges? Then he could throw them, let them explode, and turn the contents into a cloud of dust that would gradually take effect.
It wasn't as though he had nothing that worked instantly, but those substances were still too dangerous. One careless mistake could leave him suffering the consequences himself. Until he had an antidote, he would leave them alone. A delayed effect would do, as long as he could guarantee it kicked in within half a minute. The fighting after that would end very quickly.
Chen Yu sighed, his brow deeply furrowed.
"What's wrong? Having trouble?" Tsukasa walked over just then and asked when he saw Chen Yu's troubled face.
"Nothing. It's just too much hassle," Chen Yu said after a moment's thought.
"Hassle?"
"Yeah. The technology we have now won't let me make medicine more conveniently. Something that originally took only five steps now takes dozens. It's a real pain," Chen Yu said after thinking it over.
"Things will get better soon," Tsukasa said.
"By the way, what brings you here?" Chen Yu asked, looking at Tsukasa, who had appeared so suddenly.
"Hyoga and the others found that village at the foot of the mountain. They're planning to take a look."
"Really? I've met people from that village before too. I hope Hyoga doesn't get into a fight with them," Chen Yu said thoughtfully.
He seemed to remember that when Hyoga first encountered Senku, he came across the gas rising from that lake. Then, to test whether it was real, he sent a few people down there, killing them instantly.
There was simply no saving them. They had died instantly.
The only reason he had managed to stay down there so long back then was that he had temporarily sealed all his pores to prevent anything from entering, and he could hold his breath for a long time. Otherwise, they would have had to risk trying it themselves.
After obtaining the lake water, he had quickly devised a countermeasure and drunk a medicinal decoction, which had temporarily relieved the effects. He certainly didn't want to take that risk again.
Although his internal energy set him apart from ordinary people, even he couldn't defy the most fundamental scientific principles of this world.
Still, with a little martial arts skill under his belt, he could manage the superhuman feats involved in forging. After all, he couldn't believe that a gymnast could nimbly dodge attacks from people who competed against wild beasts in a primitive society.
Kohaku and Kinro might have been young, or inexperienced because it was their first encounter, but primitive people with such keen instincts for danger surely couldn't be dealt with that easily. At most, the scientific rules here were different.
This trip down the mountain had yielded a great deal. He had brought the hidden doctor-killer into the fold. Although Reiko was his fan, he couldn't rule out the possibility that she was acting. Then there were Kohaku and Kinro, his two disciples who had learned a little of the basics. Though he hadn't brought anyone back, that was close enough.
Oh no. Speaking of Kinro, I remember he's learned the turnabout spear thrust for now. I'm really worried Hyoga will realize that isn't something a person from a primitive tribe could know.
Seeing Chen Yu look even more troubled, Tsukasa felt a tug at his heart and immediately said, "Tell me what you need. I'll send people to make it right away."
"Forget it. What could you do, anyway? We're short on people right now, aren't we? By the way, how many of those things do you have?" Chen Yu waved a hand and asked.
"Since you told me that day, I've kept about five. Is that enough?"
"Five, huh? By the way, how many people are in the empire now?"
"Almost a hundred. Since autumn's nearly here, I haven't been rushing to revive people. I've been choosing exceptional people to revive instead. Otherwise, we won't have enough food in winter," Tsukasa said after considering it.
"That's sensible. Assign a few people to help Yuzuriha and the others. Warm clothing will be important in winter," Chen Yu said, offering praise before making his suggestion.
"I will." After that, Tsukasa fell silent and quietly watched Chen Yu.
Noticing that Tsukasa still hadn't left and was watching him, Chen Yu thought of something. "Help me prepare some medicine. You know how to do it, don't you?"
Tsukasa remembered the bruises he had sustained when he first began practicing his punches. Chen Yu seemed to have made medicine specifically for him each time. Over time, with Chen Yu's instruction, Tsukasa had also learned a little about making medicine to treat such injuries.
"I have a question. Why did you specifically study Chinese herbal medicine? Didn't you say you studied Western medicine too? How come I've never seen you use it?" Tsukasa asked as he worked.
Hearing that, Chen Yu helplessly picked up a finished packet of sleeping medicine from beside him and handed it to Tsukasa.
"You. Compress this into tablets in the proper proportions." (;一_一)
Tsukasa opened it and took a look. The multicolored powders mixed together gave him a headache. "Use some water to bind it..."
Before he could finish, a death glare from Chen Yu shut him up.
Watching Tsukasa fall silent, Chen Yu didn't even know what to say.
Adding water to powder made from Chinese herbs was simply a waste.
"Actually, I focused on traditional Chinese medicine because it's easier to pass down. It's just that my homeland doesn't want it. At the very least, someone has to take the lead and hold the line, right?" Chen Yu suddenly said.
Tsukasa paused when he heard that, then gave a knowing smile and went back to work.
Then I'll protect you properly and help you pass it down. That will count as keeping my promise to someone, too.
After that, neither of them spoke. They quietly prepared the medicinal ingredients, and a pleasant day passed just like that. Meanwhile, over on the other side, Senku entered the grand tournament under the astonished gazes of everyone in Ishigami Village.
(I'm doing well, but I need to rest. Thank you all for your support during this time. Also, we'll be reaching eighty thousand characters soon. Although it'll still take several days at two thousand characters a day, we're getting close. I'll see how things are then and update accordingly. Please point out anything that hasn't been good lately. I don't want my work to let you all down either.)
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