388 Chapter 388: Toxic Tomb (1/2)

While the tournament was going on, Anastasia floated in her stasis chamber, arcane energies stilling her life-signs and halting the rapid expansion of toxins within her body. Without the stasis spell, all the poisons in her body would have erupted and blown her apart from the inside out. It wasn't inaccurate to call her a ticking time bomb.

Fortunately, Glacia had managed to preserve her life by the thinnest thread, stopping all biological and magical processes within Anastasia's body before she could exceed the critical amount. It wasn't a complete cure, but it would buy the Silver Wolves enough time to search for a real one while keeping Anastasia dormant.

\”Still nothing yet?\” the silver-haired ice mage asked the entourage of healing mages who were busily working on analyzing the toxins found within Anastasia's body and trying to concoct an antidote or a serum to neutralize the poisons.

\”Unfortunately, we haven't come up with a working serum yet.\” An elderly healing mage, a thin man in his sixties, replied. He resembled the typical doctor, with a white lab coat over his shirt and tie, wearing large round glasses that perched in front of his wrinkled face. He ran a hand through his gray hair and sighed heavily, looking exhausted. \”This is quite the potent cocktail of poisons in her body. I don't know how the Veneneum Sect does it, but the toxins are too strong, resisting all of the antidotes we administered into her body.\”

\”I'm sure you'll figure something out, Doctor Dorden,\” Glacia assured him with a strained smile. Despite her frustration, she knew it wasn't the healing mages' fault. They had done the best they could. She cursed the Veneneum Sect for developing such insane poison magic and dangerous techniques. There was no denying their effectiveness on the battlefield, but at the cost of their operatives' lives? Like hell she could accept that.

Glacia realized just how lucky she and her colleagues were, working for the Silver Wolves. Feng Hai was a great man, ensuring that all of his subordinates were treated fairly and decently. He had never regarded any of them as tools or weapons to be disposed at his convenience. He had always watched out for their welfare.

The fact that he was spending so much money and resources into trying to save a single subordinate – Anastasia – was proof of that. Glacia was aware that Feng Hai would have done the same for any of the other Silver Wolves. That was why everyone, from Redfield to Brent to even her, was so loyal to him. He had earned their trust and respect.

\”Please…get well soon.\”

Clenching her fists, Glacia glanced up at the stationary body of Anastasia, and prayed fervently for the wellbeing of her friend.

*

At night, the medical staff departed. Even though they were trying to save a life, the healing mages were still human. They still got tired and needed rest. It would be unreasonable to expect them to work 24/7. Understanding that, Feng Hai had allowed them the usual 9 to 5 working hours, and by 7pm, even those diligent healing mages determined enough to do overtime of their own accord had packed up and returned home.

Of course there would be a few who would skip dinner entirely and burn their nights away, staying in the lab until past midnight, but Feng Hai put a stop to that and ordered them all to go home. Not because of security reasons, but because he mandated that the doctors needed their rest. It would do them no good to make remarkable progress at the cost of their own health and wellbeing. None of the doctors protested against his decision – Feng Hai could be very persuasive if he wanted to – and they obediently shut down their computers and put a hold on whatever they were working on.

By evening, the lights were all off and the lab was vacated. Even Glacia rose to leave, stifling a yawn before giving the unconscious Anastasia one last look. Her brow creased in worry, and she placed a hand on the glass chamber, as if hoping she could convey her emotions to her friend.

Even though Anastasia hadn't been in the Silver Wolves for as long as the vast majority of the mercenaries, she had proven herself during the short period of time, having saved many of them and carried out her missions admirably and efficiently. They had come to rely greatly on her knowledge of poisons and, out of necessity, her impressive arsenal of killing skills. The ex-Assassin had become an indispensable member of the Silver Wolves, particularly because of their vocation as combat mercenaries who visited a myriad of battlefields. Furthermore, her bright disposition and cheerful personality had endeared her to everyone, particularly the guys.

Everyone would do anything to save her…and if their positions were reversed, Glacia was sure that Anastasia would do the same, using whatever means she could to preserve the lives of her comrades. No matter what heinous measures she was forced to resort to.

\”Ah…I should go.\”

Shaking the dark, gloomy thoughts out of her head, Glacia proceeded to the exit of the lab. If Anastasia could see her pondering over such pessimistic sentiments, she would surely laugh and tease her about it.

\”I should go home and get some sleep,\” she muttered distractedly. Wait, before that, wasn't there something she should do? Glacia couldn't remember clearly, but she had the distinct impression that she needed to do something before she went to bed.

Right. It had something to do with Anastasia, but what was it exactly? Rubbing her temples, Glacia sighed wearily as she racked her brain, trying to recall what it was.

\”You missed the live telecast!\” Ana whined.

\”?!\”

Blinking, Glacia spun around, but she saw no one. Anastasia's voice no longer rang in her ears, but she was so sure she had heard her speak. That couldn't be possible. Ana was still locked in stasis, unconscious and unmoving in the lab. How could she complain to her in the corridor?

It must be a hallucination, them. Glacia had the feeling that she might have overworked herself over the last few days, trying to save her friend. No wonder she was beginning to see and hear things. And it couldn't have been a ghost, because Ana was still alive. Close to death, yes, but otherwise very much alive.

Nonetheless, that phantom voice had reminded Glacia exactly what she had forgotten. A trivial promise that she had flippantly made with Anastasia before they took on a particular mission…what was it again? Right, the Silver Wolves were hired to serve as security for the national high school tournament held in the Federation.

Anastasia, Glacia recalled, had been so enthusiastic about it. A boy who was very dear to her had been slated to participate in it, and Ana was confident that he would made it all the way. She wanted to cheer for him all the way to the finals, and was ectastic when she learned that they would broadcast a live telecast of the matches. In fact, rather than the live telecast, she wanted to watch the matches firsthand, but was disappointed to learn that she would be dispatched to guard the exterior of the stadium and be forced to keep her eyes out for anomalies and threats rather than be allowed to watch the matches like the spectators.

Fortunately, Glacia reminded Anastasia that they wouldn't be guarding the stadium 24/7 but in shifts. All she had to do was arrange her schedule in a way that her shift wouldn't come in conflict with the boy's match.

What was the boy's name again? She should know – after all, she had met him before, particularly when they held that rescue mission to recover Anastasia when the ex-Assassin was on the verge of erupting. He also helped Captain Brent and Redfield in their mission to the tomb at the Black Underworld Swamp, and assisted Anastasia in eliminating the infamous Grim Reaper, one of the top killers from the Assassins Guild.

There was no way she could have forgotten his name.