He focused, sensing Huang Daxian’s condition. He was still unsure if the Hundred Beasts Detoxification Powder would be effective against the unknown hallucinogenic toxin.
As it turned out, the system’s reward was truly reliable.
As Huang Daxian lapped up most of the detoxifying water in the cup, Yang Qi clearly sensed the faint, abnormal aura of agitated excitement around it rapidly subsiding!
The paranoid, frantic light in its eyes, so eager to find a target to kill, began to dim. It was replaced by a more natural and peaceful look, even a touch of post-meal laziness.
"Not bad."
Yang Qi nodded to himself.
The Detoxification Powder was working.
Huang Daxian, still seemingly wanting more, licked the paper cup until not a single drop remained. It even pawed at the empty cup before letting out a small, satisfied burp. Its body gave a sudden shiver, as if it had just shaken off some invisible burden.
Only then did Yang Qi speak softly, once again using the Spirit Communication Technique to "converse" with it.
"You see, killing those chickens and ducks without eating them is wrong, and it’s also dangerous. Other Two-legged Beasts will try to catch you, and they might even hurt you."
[I know it’s dangerous.]
Huang Daxian seemed much more lucid. It sat up on its haunches and washed its face with its paws, its eyes betraying a lingering, dawning fear.
[But... but I just want that good feeling.]
[That feeling... it’s so good. It makes me forget everything...]
It even raised its head and, in a naive tone that suggested ’good things should be shared’, extended an invitation to Yang Qi.
[Nice-smelling Two-legged Beast, do you want to try it too?]
’Quite the gracious host.’
Yang Qi suppressed a smile and politely refused again, "No, thank you."
’Him, join it in killing chickens?’
’What a lovely image. I’d rather not.’
Looking at the weasel—which had been acting erratically after eating a poisonous plant but now seemed to have come to its senses—Yang Qi thought for a moment. He decided to run a simple test, one that would also help the weasel give up on its addiction for good.
"How about this."
Yang Qi continued, "You can either wait here for me or come with me. I’m going to talk with one of the nearby families, buy a couple of chickens, and bring them to you. You can ’kill’ them just like before and see if you still get that ’good’ feeling."
With the toxin purged, the faulty conditioned reflex no longer had a physiological basis.
When this weasel faced poultry again, it would likely no longer be able to experience the "pleasure" it had found so intoxicating.
[Buy chickens?]
Huang Daxian tilted its little head, its eyes filled with confusion. It clearly couldn’t comprehend the sudden proposal.
"I’ll give you two chickens, and you can kill them."
Yang Qi explained patiently, "But you can’t sneak into anyone else’s coop to kill their chickens or ducks anymore. If you agree to my condition, I’ll give you more of that tasty water you just had."
Huang Daxian froze.
Its little brain couldn’t fathom why this strange, pleasant-smelling Two-legged Beast would do such a thing.
But the memory of that "Divine Water" was still fresh. It had been cool, sweet, and delicious. After drinking it, its whole body had felt warm and light—the comfortable feeling of the poison leaving its system. The craving for more overwhelmed all its doubts.
[Okay.]
It agreed without hesitation, nodding its head, afraid that Yang Qi might change his mind.
"It’s a deal, then."
Yang Qi gathered the paper cup and water bottle, got to his feet, and brushed the grass clippings from his pants.
"If you’re willing, you can come with me."
With that, he turned and began walking out of the woods.
Before leaving, his hands very naturally made several subtle gestures at his sides.
They were for Xiaojiu and Ta Xue!
Hidden among the high branches, Xiaojiu’s amber pupils and Ta Xue’s pale gold ones contracted slightly in the darkness as they received the command.
They didn’t move at once, remaining like statues melting into the shadows of the trees. Not until Yang Qi and Huang Daxian were a dozen meters away did they silently slide down the trunk. Using the terrain and vegetation for cover, they began to follow from a distance.
Huang Daxian trotted behind Yang Qi, keeping a distance of two or three meters, both curious and wary.
They left the woods and reached a relatively open area on the edge of the village. In the distance, it saw a crowd of people gathered under a light by a doorway.
It immediately stopped and scurried into the shadow of a low wall. Only half its head and a pair of glittering eyes peeked out, watching Yang Qi’s every move.
Yang Qi didn’t press it, walking straight toward Luo Kaifeng, Yu Bo, Chen Shuangquan, the old village chief, and the others who had been waiting.
"Expert Yang! How did it go? Did you catch it?"
The old village chief, being the most impatient, was the first to approach. He lowered his voice and asked, his gaze darting repeatedly into the darkness behind Yang Qi.
"I found the weasel."
Yang Qi nodded, his voice steady. "And I’ve discovered the reason for its abnormal behavior."
"Oh? And what’s that?" Luo Kaifeng immediately pressed.
"I believe it was poisoned," Yang Qi stated his conclusion directly.
"Poisoned?!"
"What poison?"
"How could it be poisoned?"
Luo Kaifeng, Yu Bo, Chen Shuangquan, and the surrounding village officials all cried out in unison, their faces masks of shock and disbelief.
A weasel gets poisoned and then goes on a crazy chicken-and-duck-killing spree?
That sounded even more bizarre than the "revenge of Huang Daxian."
"I can’t be completely certain what specific poison it was,"
Yang Qi explained—and this was the truth, not an omission—"It likely ingested some kind of rare plant with hallucinogenic or neurostimulant properties."
"The toxin affected its nervous system, causing it to form a faulty association between the act of killing poultry and an abnormal sense of ’pleasure’."