After Boss Quinn and the other higher-ups got nothing from their questioning and left, a doctor in a white coat walked in, expressionless.
Goat's beard, complexion like cured meat, an overall gloomy air about him.
Ryan recognized this man.
This sinister-looking old man was the Weasel Bandit Gang's chief physician — Chiz Pisces.
Though this man was only a second-stage Awakened "Adept," with fairly mediocre combat strength, his standing within the gang was extremely high — even Boss Quinn treated him with considerable deference.
Because he held an even more distinguished title: a two-star Serum Master, certified by the Serum Masters' Guild!
Nearly every gene serum used to advance transcendents within the entire gang came from his hands...
And of course, the Zombie Serum used to control the rookies was also his own proprietary formula.
If Ryan wanted the antidote, he'd have to work this old man's angle.
...
Pisces walked into the medical room, his gaze landing on Ryan, and said flatly, "You're awake..."
Ryan quickly sat up, adopting the deferential posture expected of a rookie, and bowed his thanks: "Thank you, Master Pisces. Only you could have pulled me back from the brink of death."
"Heh..."
Pisces gave a noncommittal grunt. Then, suddenly, a sharp gleam flashed through those cloudy eyes — as aggressive and probing as a venomous snake.
He stared at Ryan for a moment before speaking, his tone laden with implication: "There's no one else here now. Why don't you tell me what actually happened down in that sewer?"
An ordinary enough question — but the tone carried a chilling menace, the kind that raised the hair on the back of one's neck.
As if telling a lie would get him swallowed whole by a serpent.
"Huh?"
Ryan's face showed genuine surprise, though inwardly he thought: here it comes.
His expression took on a slightly unnatural cast as he said, "I already told the boss and the others — I passed out and don't remember anything..."
"Oh? Is that so..."
Pisces sneered, wearing an expression that plainly said your little tricks won't fool me.
After a pause, a mocking curl touched the corner of his mouth. "When they brought you in earlier, I drew a blood sample and ran some tests. Strangely enough... aside from that unknown lethal toxin, I also detected traces of an antidote. Unless I'm mistaken, you survived precisely because you injected yourself with that antidote in time..."
Hearing this, Ryan's expression froze for an instant.
To anyone watching, this looked like a poorly maintained facade of composure.
Pisces caught the shift in Ryan's expression with a keen eye, his gaze brightening — all the more convinced he'd guessed correctly.
He then pressed further, his tone menacingly low: "So then, care to explain who injected you with that antidote?"
"Ah... this..."
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Ryan's eyes trembled for a moment, adopting the panicked look of someone whose secret had just been exposed.
But he'd already anticipated, even before losing consciousness, that he'd leave behind one unavoidable "flaw."
Once injected, the antidote would remain detectable in the bloodstream for several days.
This "flaw" could fool anyone else — but there was no way it would slip past someone as versed in serum craft as Pisces.
When Quinn and the other higher-ups had questioned him earlier, none of them had mentioned this detail — which meant Pisces hadn't reported this piece of information to them.
The motive was obvious enough... this greedy old man clearly intended to keep Baron Morin's treasure entirely for himself!
But this was also... exactly what Ryan wanted.
Because this was precisely the situation he'd been hoping for!
Earlier, when Boss Quinn had been questioning him, Ryan had noticed no mention of the "antidote" issue — which told him his gamble had paid off.
This man, whom the gang's veterans privately called "the arrogant Pisces," had indeed made the greedy choice.
Of course, anyone who knew just how enormous a fortune Baron Morin had left behind would probably want it all for themselves!
And Ryan understood clearly enough — although this man served as the gang's honored specialist, this noble Serum Master had always looked down on these filthy thieves, unwilling to associate with them as equals.
As long as Pisces had ulterior motives, Ryan could use his "leverage" to negotiate for greater gains — the antidote... and his freedom!
Of course, even if Pisces hadn't harbored any private agenda and had reported the matter to the boss, Ryan had already prepared a backup story to cover himself.
...
For now, Ryan held complete control of the situation.
After all, no one would ever suspect that the missing treasure was, at this very moment, hidden on his own person.
But he also understood clearly — dealing with a cunning old fox like Pisces, the moment he handed over his leverage, his own value would evaporate entirely!
This old man clearly intended to keep the treasure for himself — but once he got what he wanted, would he really leave a witness alive?
"Well..."
Ryan feigned a moment of internal struggle, then, as if reaching a decision, dropped the pretense and asked directly: "Master Pisces, if I tell you... what will you give me in return?"
"Oh... no more denials, then?"
Hearing this, a sharp gleam flickered in the depths of Pisces's eyes.
So this brat really did know something about the missing treasure!
Something that could make even a master thief like Quinn this nervous — what on earth could it be?
The old man's heart leapt with delight, though his face remained frigid and cold as he said, "Heh heh... you know the gang's rules. If Quinn found out you were withholding information, nine lives wouldn't be enough to pay for it..."
"Hmph!"
Hearing this, Ryan put on the look of someone with nothing left to lose, his gaze hardening. "I can't awaken transcendence, and there's no antidote for me anyway. Whether I die in training or die on a mission — what's the difference?"
Living life on the edge of the blade as a thief, one survived year by year, however long that lasted.
For a rookie ranked dead last, the odds of survival really weren't great to begin with.
Such a reaction was perfectly reasonable.
"Well now, kid, you've got a bit of cunning in you."
Hearing this, far from being surprised, a flicker of expectation crossed Pisces's eyes.
Greed was human nature.
Of course, he'd never actually intended to use Quinn's name to intimidate this rookie he considered mildly clever.
Without further ado, he asked directly: "So then, what exactly do you want from me?"
Ryan said plainly: "I want the antidote for the Zombie Serum!"
"That's it?"
Hearing this, Pisces raised an eyebrow — exactly as expected.
But after a pause, he heard Ryan add: "And also... I'd like Master Pisces to formally take me on as your disciple!"
"Oh?"
At this, a barely perceptible flicker of light passed through Pisces's eyes, and he gave a half-smiling remark: "You really are a clever one, aren't you."
Under normal circumstances, this would indeed be the choice that maximized his benefit.
Becoming Pisces's disciple would transform him overnight into a doctor's or serum master's apprentice. His standing within the gang would rise dramatically, and he'd never again have to participate in deadly training exercises or dangerous missions — his personal safety would be effectively guaranteed.
After all, in this brutal world, both serum masters and doctors held extremely high social standing.
For a boy of fifteen or sixteen to show this much cunning was no small feat.
And becoming his disciple, handing over the secret — perhaps that really was the only way to avoid death.
Under ordinary circumstances, taking on one more reasonably clever errand-boy apprentice, one he could control through various means, wouldn't have been out of the question.
But now, with the Weasel Bandit Gang on the verge of collapse...
He had no intention whatsoever of taking on any disciple.
Since it was just an empty promise anyway, Pisces — who had already resolved to kill him regardless — readily agreed: "Deal! I'll give you the antidote, and I'll tell Quinn I'm taking you on as my disciple."
Hearing this, Ryan feigned overwhelmed gratitude: "Master Pisces, you really agree to take me as your disciple?"
"Mm."
Having said this much, the old man looked at Ryan with a face full of feigned kindness and asked, "Now then... you can tell me what happened down in that sewer at the Morin estate, can't you?"
Hearing this, Ryan matched his smile with one of his own, and began his performance: "Back then, in the sewer..."