Under the kerosene street lamp, two men who had just come out of the Evil Dragon Bar watched from a distance as Lex ducked into an alley.
They were both wearing blue-gray dockworker uniforms, reeking of alcohol, with bloodshot eyes and veins crisscrossing their eyelids.
After exchanging glances, they quickly followed, but upon entering the alley, they found no one there, not even a shadow.
"Damn it, the fat sheep got away!" one of the shorter, sturdier men exclaimed, taking off his hat and throwing it forcefully to the ground.
"Consider him lucky, otherwise, Tingen City would have one more water ghost tonight," his companion snorted, walking out of the alley with his hands in his pockets and a slight hunch.
After the two men had left for a while, a figure leaped down from a nearby warehouse, and it wasn't until he walked out of the alley that the street lamp illuminated Lex's face once more.
Just as the Bartender had said earlier, there were people here who valued money over their lives.
Those two dockworkers must have been eyeing him in the bar.
Originally, Lex's thought was that anyone who dared to covet his wallet and intended to sink his body would not see the sun tomorrow.
However, considering the unknown dangers lurking in Tingen currently, and not wanting to draw attention, he ultimately abandoned that idea.
Returning to the inn with a bag of Materials, Lex carefully hid them before finally feeling at ease enough to go to bed.
He had a dreamless night.
Waking up the next day, Lex eagerly summoned the mystical book, hoping to find a way to treat Lanci.
Kyle's wife's condition was very serious; every day it was delayed, the danger would increase.
Perhaps because of his mother, Lex didn't want to see Amelia's friend lose a loved one.
He had already experienced that kind of loss and pain.
As soon as he got the mystical book, Lex flipped to the message board page and was delighted to see replies below.
'God Bu is the best in the world: No. 18 Vlad Street, East District, Rosen's Folk Herbal Medicine Store. The owner is a Beyonder of the Life School's Apothecary pathway.'
'Please call me, Half-Immortal: Why not just let Amon steal her liver disease? So dumb.'
'Faceless Man: This problem is not difficult to solve. Just go to the East District of Tingen, there's a herbal medicine store on Vlad Street, run by an Apothecary. Go find him, and a few packets of herbs will cure it. Additionally, you can also buy a few packets of special potions mixed with mummy powder; trust me, that will give you a pleasant experience.'
There really is a way!
As expected of the Watcher, they know so many things, I never thought they'd even know information about treating illnesses.
Lex quickly jotted down a few keywords, didn't bother reading the other comments, and ended the summoning.
After breakfast, the manservant Matthew left with gifts to visit the friends Bison had named.
Lex, on the other hand, called Gru and instructed him to go to Vlad Street in the East District of Tingen to find the herbal medicine store with 'Rosen' in its name and purchase a remedy for liver disease.
At noon, the sweating bodyguard returned, Gru placing a packet of herbs on the table.
"Sir, as per your instructions, I went to Vlad Street.
There is indeed a pharmacy called 'Rosen's Folk Herbal Medicine Store' there.
I told the owner I needed a treatment for liver disease, and he gave me this packet of stuff."
"This packet of herbs isn't cheap at all; this small packet cost us 10 pounds, a full 10 pounds!"
"All the money I've spent on doctors since I was a child combined doesn't amount to as much as this packet of herbs. Oh, by the way, he also instructed to boil this packet with enough water to make a medicinal solution."
"After boiling, add ten drops of fresh rooster blood, and then drink it immediately. He said this packet of herbs can be boiled three times, and after three times, there should be no problem."
Lex immediately picked up the packet of herbs, skipping lunch, and took a rented carriage to Chris's Private Hospital.
Outside the private room, Lex saw Kyle.
The former hunter looked even more haggard, huddled in a corner with his head in his hands.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, quickly wiped his face, and stood up.
Lex strode forward, holding the packet of herbs: "Good news, Mr. Kyle, I think I've found a way to treat Ms. Lanci."
At this moment, the door to the ward opened, and a doctor and two nurses walked out, solemnly telling Kyle: "Ms. Lanci's condition is not optimistic. You need to consider whether to proceed with surgery.
If you decide, then you must act quickly.
If we delay any longer, the surgery might not be meaningful anymore."
He nodded to Lex, then left with the two nurses.
Kyle said hoarsely: "Lanci had an attack last night; she was in great pain.
I almost thought she was going to leave me."
"What did you just say? You found a way to treat Lanci?"
Lex handed him the packet of herbs and told him how to prepare the medicine, Kyle said skeptically: "This packet of stuff can cure Lanci?"
"We can try it. If it still doesn't work, we'll consider surgery."
Kyle nodded and took the herbs downstairs.
When a dark green, continuously boiling liquid appeared before Lex's eyes, Lex's confidence in this concoction began to waver.
Especially that peculiar smell, like unwashed socks for days, was nauseating, making one truly wonder if it wasn't a poison.
"Only one last step remains."
Kyle added drops of rooster blood into the medicine, then gritted his teeth, helped his wife up from the hospital bed, and fed her the medicine.
Gurgle, gurgle.
Soon after drinking the medicine, the patient's stomach rumbled, and as a result, Lanci went to the restroom three times that afternoon.
This made Kyle even more suspicious of the herbs Lex had brought, but seeing that his wife's spirits visibly improved after each trip to the restroom, Kyle did not give up.
The next day, as Kyle was sound asleep, sprawled on the hospital bed, he felt someone stroking his hair, and he opened his eyes.
In the soft morning light, he saw his wife sitting up; although her face was still quite pale, a smile played on her lips, and her whole demeanor seemed especially good.
Kyle thought he was dreaming, rubbed his eyes hard, and confirmed that Lanci was indeed smiling at him.
"How are you?" Kyle asked anxiously.
Lanci moved her arm: "In all these days, this is the first time I've felt like I'm recovering, becoming healthy."
"Really?"
Kyle excitedly rushed out of the ward and called the doctor.
After an examination, the doctor's expression was surprised.
"This is simply a miracle; Ms. Lanci's condition is improving, which is incredible.
Judging by her current situation, perhaps it won't be long before you can go home."
Light shone in Kyle's eyes; since his wife fell ill, this was the first time he had seen hope.
He thought of Lex, and how he had enthusiastically worked to help his wife's illness.
Kyle softly said, "Amelly really raised a good son."