Upon hearing Lin Mo's words, Hu Liena's expression changed slightly. "Why?"
"This information is indeed confidential and quite valuable."
Lin Mo said calmly, "But I find it difficult to prove the authenticity of its source. This is Slaughter City; why should I believe you?"
"And, more importantly—"
He paused, glanced at Hu Liena, his eyes filled with scrutiny, "Even if we choose to cooperate, how can I guarantee you won't betray me?"
On the final Hell Road, will you become a burden?
These words were direct, and even somewhat hurtful.
Lin Mo also hoped to cooperate with Hu Liena, wanting to ride on the coattails of Bibi Dong, the Death God behind her.
But he didn't intend to agree so quickly.
Sometimes, agreeing too quickly can actually make others suspicious.
Hu Liena's face paled, but her resolve only strengthened. "My source is a powerful individual with the Divine Slaughter's Domain."
"That's why I know so many secrets. Otherwise, I would never have come to such a disgusting place."
A look of understanding flashed in Lin Mo's eyes, and he nodded. "I see."
Then, changing the subject, he said, "Out of consideration for fair trade, I also have some information for you."
Hu Liena was taken aback. "What news?"
"No more Bloody Mary."
"If you keep drinking, your chances of clearing Hell Road are not zero, but they're pretty much over."
Hu Liena exclaimed in surprise, "What do you mean?"
"The air, food, and drinking water of the Slaughter City all contain trace amounts of toxins, with Bloody Mary having the highest concentration."
Lin Mo explained, "The longer you stay in the Slaughter City, the deeper the poisoning will become."
The more you consume in your daily diet and the more Bloody Mary you take to suppress the murderous intent surging within you, the deeper your poisoning will become.
It's like drinking poison to quench thirst.
"What are the effects of these toxins? I'm not entirely sure."
He paused, "But one thing is certain: these toxins are definitely related to the Hell Road you mentioned."
Otherwise, in the entire Slaughter City, over the past thousand years, there wouldn't have been only a handful of people who had cleared the Hell Road.
Upon hearing Lin Mo's words, Hu Liena's pretty face turned deathly pale.
She suddenly realized that what Lin Mo said matched the changes she had experienced recently.
Those uncontrollable murderous rages, those increasingly frequent emotional fluctuations—
So it was all the result of toxin buildup?
"How—how do you know all this?" Hu Liena's voice was dry.
"Observe."
Lin Mo succinctly stated, "The longer people stay in the Slaughter City, the more abnormal their mental state becomes."
Those who rely on Bloody Mary to survive will eventually become bloodthirsty lunatics. Don't tell me you think these are all just coincidences."
Hu Liena fell silent.
"Then—what should I do?" Hu Liena's voice carried a rare hint of panic.
If this continues, she won't even be able to get a hundred wins, let alone clear the Hell Road, and she'll completely lose control.
Lin Mo glanced at her and took out a small jade bottle from the Storage Soul Tool at his waist.
This Storage Soul Tool was a standard Storage Soul Tool that he had prepared in advance before arriving in the Slaughter City, not his signature Ruyi Hundred Treasures.
Since the intention is to conceal one's identity here, then naturally, the act must be carried out completely.
He poured out a few pale blue pills and tossed them to Hu Liena.
"These are medications to clear the toxins from your body. If you trust me, or if you want to cooperate with me, then take them."
"Otherwise, even if we were to cooperate, you, who have been poisoned to the bone by this kind of toxin, would not be a good partner on the Hell Road, but only a one-sided burden."
Hu Liena took the pills and carefully put them away.
I need some time to verify this.
Lin Mo nodded. "Okay."
Hu Liena stood up, preparing to leave.
She stopped in front of the door and turned to look at Lin Mo.
"Thanks."
She said softly, "Whether the cooperation goes through or not, this news is very important to me."
Lin Mo waved his hand. "It's just a matter of each getting what they need."
Just before Hu Liena turned to leave, Lin Mo reminded her, "I still have five games to go before I reach 100 wins, and I can stay in the Slaughter City for another six months at most."
If you want to walk the Hell Road with me, you'd better achieve a hundred victories in the killing field within the next six months."
"Otherwise, I won't wait for you; I'll go ahead alone."
Upon hearing this, Hu Liena nodded emphatically. "I understand."
She pushed open the stone door and disappeared into the dimly lit street.
Lin Mo looked at the stone door that had closed again, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
Hu Liena's reaction was within his expectations; her caution was necessary. If she had readily agreed, it would have made him suspicious.
In terms of pharmacology, although he cannot compare with a master like Ye Linyuan, he has accumulated knowledge over many years and made preparations for the local environment in advance.
Concocting antidotes for the toxins within the Slaughter City was not difficult for him.
As for him, he doesn't need these antidotes.
Whether it's his increasingly powerful blood energy or the increasingly unstable killing intent emanating from him, these signs of losing control are all performances put on for outsiders.
If he wanted to resolve his abnormal condition, he could do so at any time without needing any external assistance.
The medication did indeed resolve the toxins in Hu Liena's body, alleviate her current symptoms, and give her enough time to make her move on to Yum! Brands.
That's enough.
After leaving Lin Mo's stone house, Hu Liena walked quickly down the dimly lit street, her mind churning with thoughts.
If what Blood Asura said is true, then with the help of this medicine, she is confident that she can make up for the last twenty or so victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena in the remaining six months.
It was only because of the restlessness of the killing intent within her that she greatly reduced the frequency of her participation in the Hell Slaughter Arena.
If this problem can be solved, speedrunning the last twenty-odd races will naturally not be a problem.
However, she still needs to verify the pill's effectiveness, which is worth the gamble for her.
If the pills are effective, then it proves that Blood Asura does indeed have the idea and willingness to cooperate with him.
She quickened her pace and headed towards her residence.
Just as Lin Mo and Hu Liena reached a preliminary cooperation agreement, on the outskirts of the Slaughter City...
Two uninvited guests arrived at the entrance to the Slaughter City, which was hidden behind an inconspicuous little tavern.
The tavern door was pushed open, and the bell hanging on it rang crisply.
The bartender behind the counter looked up and his pupils contracted slightly when he saw the two people who came in.
There were two men, one old and one young, who bore a resemblance in appearance.
The older man looked dejected, his clothes were filthy, but the murderous aura emanating from him was undeniable.
These two came for the Slaughter City.