Chapter 182 Chapter 183 Negotiation (Part 2)
Ji Ma glanced quietly at Jenna and saw her cold gaze in return.
Several voices echoed:
“Recently, the city has been quite strange, frequently experiencing accidents; even when I ride my horse, I can collide with people.”
“There are many disputes, and the court has been continuously in session, with duels happening every day.”
The square-faced witch hunter nodded in agreement: “Yes, all four of Young Master Iis’s horses have died.”
“According to incomplete statistics, among the recent victims of accidents, there are nine and a half out of ten who have drunk medicine from your pharmacy.” Young Master Iis took out a document and said, “Jenna, if you do not believe in the authenticity of this, you can use the ‘Field of Honesty’ to detect if I’m lying.”
Jenna’s voice felt distant, yet polite: “No need.”
“Actually, I want you to test both her and me in the same way.” Young Master Iis pointed at Ji Ma and then at himself, “This way you will know who is lying.”
Jenna shook her head.
Is this it?
Is his attack this simple?
Ji Ma did not believe that Young Master Iis’s trump card was that easy. The witch hunter had been staring at her, his gaze lingering back and forth on her head, kidneys, and heart, which were her three weaknesses. Ji Ma also kept her eyes on him, feeling that Young Master Iis’s best entry point was herself.
As long as she revealed her “evil deeds” and colluded with the Sigma Church, leading the witch hunter to capture her to threaten Jenna, laying the groundwork to expose Jenna’s childhood trauma, she could take Jenna down in one blow.
The witch hunter did not blink, reached into his coat, and pulled out…
A ripe peach, biting into it while staring intently at Ji Ma.
“We are also left with no choice.” Jenna said, “Everyone, my family is in imminent danger. The business alliance formed by Young Master Iis is squeezing my father’s business, and everyone is coming to collect debts. We must do this to get through the crisis.”
“I want to remind you, Jenna, that you were the first to breach the contract.” Young Master Iis sighed, “I don’t wish to confront you, but you have personally overturned your promises, causing so many families to be ruined.”
“I demand that you stop your predatory business competition against my family.”
Young Master Iis fixed his deep gaze on Jenna and said, “Unless you fulfill your contract and continue treating me.”
“Are you trying to make me lose control on purpose?”
“That is not my intention.”
“I will return the Virtue Necklace to you.” Jenna had discussed with Ji Ma beforehand; as long as Young Master Iis agreed to stop the sanctions, the business of money-enhancing potions could be disregarded.
“No need, that is already yours. But please continue to fulfill your treatment contract.”
“I’m not in good condition; I can fulfill it in a few months, provided you agree to an extension.”
Young Master Iis pressed insistently, “A contract is a contract.”
Negotiations hit a deadlock.
“I propose banning all potions sold by the Golden Rolling Pharmacy from now on.” Young Master Iis glanced around and said, “Because they have caused great harm to our society.”
“Voting begins, raise your hand in agreement.”
Almost everyone raised their hands.
“Miss Jenna.” An older male voice spoke up, the Grand Exorcist said, “Since you mentioned your condition is poor, combined with your father’s recent business setbacks, to prevent you from going on a rampage and harming others, a team of extraordinary beings led by Van Helsing will be stationed near your home. I hope you understand, this is also the law.”
The Grand Exorcist was an old bald man dressed in military attire, with metal-bound scriptures tied around his waist with iron chains. His words represented the official extraordinary being maintaining local order, siding with Young Master Iis.
Van Helsing, standing behind the Grand Exorcist, nodded and said, “I haven’t burned any evil spirits in a while.”
Jenna couldn’t help but say, “You are clearly threatening us.”
“This is the law, Miss Jenna. Do you members of the Church intend to trample it?”
Jenna felt indignant, her chest heaving, but did not know what to do.
At that moment.
“Wait!” Ji Ma shouted, “I oppose.”
Then she squeezed in, saying, “I am the creator of the alchemical potion; my potion has undoubtedly made an indelible contribution to maintaining social stability. How can Young Master Iis deny my contributions?”
Young Master Iis looked meaningfully at Ji Ma, while the other extraordinary committee members who were about to raise their hands also stared at her.
Van Helsing directly spit the peach pit out onto the floor in public and pulled out another peach, eating it bite by bite.
“My potion benefits the redistribution of wealth because only the rich can afford to pay enough for the drinkers; it greatly reduces the gap between the rich and the poor in the city and maintains social stability.” Ji Ma said passionately, “The first person to drink the wealth potion was just a poor man who could hardly cover his body. If he hadn’t consumed the potion, he would sooner or later have been driven to crime by despair.”
“Enough!” A short-tempered middle-aged man slammed his fist on the table, interrupting Ji Ma.
Ji Ma looked towards the voice and saw a muscular middle-aged man, his skin darkened from years of living at sea. His beard looked as if it had been struck by lightning, standing tall; he was a ship mage, using wind to sail.
The ship mage shouted, “I haven’t even dared to take a cart out on the streets lately; you are robbing us!”
“I’m glad you have such a profound memory of the wealth redistribution process.” Ji Ma said, “These past few days in Jenna’s mansion, I have been making money-enhancing potions; I just happened to have finished a full cart this morning as I set out.”
“Are you actually asking for compensation?”
Young Master Iis said, “We haven’t asked you to compensate the victims, that is already generous treatment.”
Ji Ma’s voice lowered: “Fine, if the shop is shut down, a full cart of money-enhancing potions will be pushed onto the streets and given away for free to everyone. Since you won’t accept payment, then it wouldn’t count as ‘selling’.”
“Your potion will throw society into disorder!”
“That promotes wealth redistribution.”
Young Master Iis questioned: “Jenna, do you really want to see Marin City descend into chaos?”
Jenna said: “I only see the order losing its proper function because some people are using it to satisfy their own desires.”
“Don’t worry.” The Grand Exorcist said, “As long as you go out into the streets to distribute this evil potion, soldiers will smash and confiscate the potions.”
The host wearing a pointed cap announced: “The ban is now in effect.”
“Wait a minute.” Ji Ma said, taking out a piece of paper and placing it on the table, “A certificate from the Church, you can take a look.”
As soon as her paper was placed on the table, a nearby committee member picked it up, only to have it snatched away by Van Helsing, who glanced at it and read aloud:
“According to the Church’s verification, the person showing this certificate is a succubus.”
Everyone was startled.
The Grand Exorcist slammed the table and said:
“A succubus actually appearing in Marin City?”
Jenna immediately stood up, protecting Ji Ma and said: “She has not committed evil; she is innocent and under my protection.”
“Whether it is evil or not is not determined by the Church.” The Grand Exorcist said, “She must be imprisoned!”
Jenna gritted her teeth and looked at Young Master Iis: “You?!”
Young Master Iis said: “This is the law.”
“I will not let you succeed.” Jenna spread her arms, a faint glow enveloping her, transforming into a light-forged armor, “Unless you are willing to step over my dead body.”
“Are you going to go against the entire Extraordinary Committee?” Everyone stood up, the Grand Exorcist said: “Even a brave man must abide by the rules here.”
——————
There will be one more update tonight.
I slept too long during the afternoon nap; when I woke up, it was already four-thirty.
