Chapter 58: Wild Dodder (16)

Fu Jingyan’s demeanor made everyone present feel something was amiss.

The twins’ faces turned pale as they asked, “How did you find out…?”

It was too late to pose this question now; Duan Jiaze and Duan Jiayou could only blame themselves for being too careless. The fact that control had so swiftly returned to Fu Jingyan left them deeply dissatisfied.

“Are you saying this just to show off your abilities?” Duan Jiaze expressed his discontent. “What do you mean by ‘doing what shouldn’t be done’? Do you have the right to judge us?”

Duan Jiayou quickly followed up, “Are you trying to bring these matters into the open? Remember, it was you who first stole food and committed theft under our watch, Fu Jingyan!”

Even Zhu Zhan didn’t refute the twins’ words, sneering, “Quit pretending—you’re disgusting.”

Xuan Yiqing stood frozen at the scene, bewildered. What were the twins and Zhu Zhan talking about? The person they were accusing was… Fu Jingyan?

Unfazed by their hostility, Fu Jingyan continued gazing tenderly at his young mistress. “Little Ling, I’m here with you,” he said reassuringly. “Tell me, did they threaten you somehow?”

Xuan Yiqing knew that Bai Ling hadn’t left him willingly; she simply couldn’t do without her medication. This couldn’t be blamed on the young lady but rather those damned thieves!

Tong Ling no longer ignored Fu Jingyan as before. In her eyes, he had finally become intriguing.

“So what if Jingyan threatened me?” Tong Ling’s lashes fluttered slightly as she murmured, “I don’t want to discuss this topic.”

“I know you’re afraid of them,” Fu Jingyan said, bending down and enveloping the young lady in his arms. “It’s alright, they won’t harm you again—I promise.”

Witnessing Fu Jingyan’s actions, fury surged through Zhu Zhan’s heart. He stood up, ready to give that bastard a sound beating. “Fu Jingyan! You dare make a move on Bai Ling right in front of me?!”

“Trash! Let go of Elder Sister Bai!” both twins shouted simultaneously.

Still stunned, Xuan Yiqing asked, “Fu Ge… What are you doing?”

He had just expressed admiration for her moments ago—so why was he now embracing Bai Ling instead?

“You all still have so much energy?” Fu Jingyan furrowed his brow. Fortunately, before Zhu Zhan could land a punch, the latter clutched at his stomach with a stifled groan of pain.

“What did you do…” Zhu Zhan felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, dizziness, waves of nausea, and an urge to vomit.

He then noticed that among tonight’s shared wild vegetables, only Fu Jingyan’s bowl remained entirely untouched. “What did you put in our food?!”

These symptoms soon erupted in the others as well.

The twins’ entire skin turned red, and they collapsed in their seats, limbs drained of strength.

“Fu Jingyan…” Duan Jiaze gasped in pain, “Have you gone mad? You dared to poison us!”

Duan Jiayou tried to help Duan Jiaze up, but he himself lacked the strength. He recalled the wild mushrooms he and his brother had hidden; while they hesitated, Fu Jingyan took action…

Jiayou should have acted sooner, disregarding concerns for human life—delaying even a moment might not save his own!

Clearly, Duan Jiaze and Duan Jiayou reached the same conclusion, both bitterly saying, “We shouldn’t have spared you…”

The facade of peace at the camp was torn open, revealing the underlying malice within everyone present.

Zhu Zhan tried to grab Fu Jingyan again, but this time, before he could even touch him, Fu Jingyan kicked him forcefully, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Zhu Zhan curled up, trembling from pain.

Damn… Zhu Zhan felt nauseous and on the verge of vomiting once more; he truly should have beaten that bastard to death that night!

“Ah—” Tong Ling emitted a timely scream of alarm.

Fu Jingyan gently patted the young lady’s back, his face full of apologies. “Sorry, Little Ling, I frightened you.”

Fu Jingyan still vividly recalled how Zhu Zhan had attacked him, with the lingering wounds causing faint throbbing pains even now. Unfortunately, with the young lady present, he couldn’t go too far.

“I don’t favor crude violence,” Fu Jingyan warned Zhu Zhan. “Stay away from Little Ling. I don’t want to resort to force against you again.”

Zhu Zhan clenched his fists tightly, grinding his teeth audibly.

As several men fell, even Xuan Yiqing felt dizzy and her limbs went cold.

“Qingqing!” Seeing Xuan Yiqing distressed, Tong Ling didn’t hesitate. She pushed past Fu Jingyan and rushed to Xuan Yiqing’s side, nearly breaking into tears out of worry. “Jingyan, Qingqing she… How could you…”

“My dear young lady, why are you so naive?” Fu Jingyan’s gaze towards Bai Ling was filled with tender concern. “This Qingqing of yours doesn’t have your best interests at heart.”

Fu Jingyan knew that the young lady valued Xuan Yiqing above all else. If he didn’t clarify the situation to her, she would undoubtedly become angry.

“You’re lying! What did you do to Qingqing?!” Tong Ling’s tears flowed freely, yet she still tried to reassure the protagonist, “Qingqing, don’t worry, I’ll save you!”

Xuan Yiqing, overwhelmed by shock and anger, felt as if she had never truly understood the man before her. Struggling weakly, her face pale, she managed to say, “Fu Jingyan…you’ve been playing me…”

She had helped him countless times, trusted him implicitly, only for him to betray her like this!

These symptoms… instantly reminded Xuan Yiqing of the plant responsible for such poisoning.

“Water hemlock… You took it away on that day…” Xuan Yiqing gritted her teeth, wondering how she hadn’t realized earlier that Bai Ling had spoken the truth!

This man truly was no different from others-or worse, even more despicable than the twins. Not only did he control Bai Ling with drugs to ensure her obedience, but he also poisoned anyone who knew his secrets.

“Why…” What Xuan Yiqing found most unbearable was, “Why would you target me?”

Her tears were filled with pain and regret; she wished desperately to go back to the moment they first arrived on the deserted island. When Bai Ling suggested leaving these men behind, she would have run without hesitation, far away, never allowing herself to encounter this man again!

“You harbored thoughts you shouldn’t have,” Fu Jingyan sighed. “You brought back the water hemlock. If I hadn’t caught you, whom did you intend to poison? Little Ling must have told you everything, including that she needed medication. So why do you still have the medicine bottle?”

Upon hearing this, Tong Ling feigned surprise, “Qingqing, you had my medication?”

Fu Jingyan retrieved the medicine bottle from Xuan Yiqing’s pocket, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. “Everything eventually returns to me.”

Xuan Yiqing’s face turned pale; she opened her mouth but couldn’t utter a word.

Tong Ling continued to gaze at Xuan Yiqing, seemingly unwilling to believe that such an act could be committed by her friend. “Impossible…”

“I’ve said it before, anyone except me has the potential to harm you.” Fu Jingyan stepped forward and once again embraced the dazed young lady tightly, exerting more force this time to prevent her from escaping. “It’s high time you acknowledge this, Miss.”

Tong Ling let out a soft cry of pain, gripping Fu Jingyan’s sleeve as tears fell onto his hand. “Jingyan, can you please let go? I feel… somewhat uncomfortable.”

“Is it because it’s time for your medication?” Fu Jingyan showed no intention of releasing her. Holding her like a child, he walked towards the beach. “The moment has come; we should head to the shore now.”

“Jingyan!” Tong Ling raised her voice slightly, but even louder, her delicate tone remained weak and feeble. “You can’t do this. It’s wrong—they’re suffering terribly. Please don’t…”

“They have all done wrong, and I’m doing this to help you,” Fu Jingyan replied softly, lowering his head to place a tender kiss on the young lady’s forehead. “Have you considered what would happen to you without me?”

Whispering into the young lady’s ear, Fu Jingyan said, “These filthy and despicable men will taint you. Only I can keep you so pure and beautiful. Have you forgotten how I applied medicine for you, cleaned you, and how I…”

“Stop it! Don’t say anymore…” Tong Ling lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at Fu Jingyan, pleading, “Jingyan, please give me this bottle of medication, alright? I know you care for me the most…”

“I’ll feed it to you every day,” Fu Jingyan responded firmly, showing no intention of handing over the medicine bottle. He vividly recalled how the young lady had resolutely left him when he ran out of medication before; he wouldn’t be angry with her, but such incidents would not happen again.

“Once we’re the only two left on this deserted island…” Fu Jingyan envisioned their future together, “no matter the time or place, I’ll always be by your side. I’ll groom and care for you, feed you both food and medicine. My little Ling will obediently wait for me, with eyes that see only me…”

Unable to bear listening further, m577 rolled its eyes and interrupted, “Your fantasies sound lovely, but I’ve already contacted the rescue team. They’ll arrive early tomorrow morning!”

Tong Ling assumed the system would rescue everyone tonight and thought to herself, “So the people in the log cabin can still hold on for another night?”

Miserably, m577 responded, 【Who do you think I’m doing this for? Since you haven’t left the group yet, how could I arrange for early rescue? Hurry up, my dear sister, this team truly cannot accommodate you anymore. People will die if you don’t leave soon, it’s imminent!】

M577 continued monitoring the vital signs of the protagonist and several male characters in real-time. Due to the water hemlock being dried and further heated by cooking, its toxicity had somewhat diminished. However, even with that reduction, the poison within their bodies wouldn’t allow them to survive beyond 25 hours.

Without finding a way to neutralize the toxin, they risked losing their lives at any moment.

“What’s the rush? Didn’t the original plot mention that the female supporting character quietly leaves the group at dawn?” Tong Ling nestled close to Fu Jingyan, unperturbed by the system’s urgency. “I’ll depart at daybreak; it’s crucial to adhere to the storyline.”

【 When you leave doesn’t significantly affect the plot deviation, so why delay? 】 m577 questioned.

“I want to give it a try.” Tong Ling’s gaze fell upon Fu Jingyan. “This is our last night on the deserted island; we shouldn’t waste it.”

Once again, m577 broke down: [Others are waiting to be saved, and you’re thinking about this?]

“How long have I been enduring for this damn body?” Tong Ling gave the system a stern “get your act together” look. “Don’t disturb me, or else…”

Taking the hint, m577 retreated promptly: […I’m leaving, even if it means carrying away a train overnight!]

Unlike the impulsive Zhu Zhan and the twins, Fu Jingyan would never make her feel uncomfortable.

“During the days when the twins took you, did they take good care of you?” Fu Jingyan gently stroked the young lady’s hair as he stopped at their usual spot. Without waiting for her response, he continued, “I need to check if they hurt you.”

Perhaps with no one standing in his way, or perhaps having shed any sense of moral restraint, Fu Jingyan now appeared more assertive than before. He didn’t bother asking the girl for consent; instead, he simply decided to proceed as he deemed necessary.

The young lady couldn’t refuse nor had any means to do so. All she could do was quietly lie in his arms, tears silently streaming down her face.

Fu Jingyan conducted the examination meticulously, his movements incredibly gentle. He ensured that rough sand wouldn’t touch the young lady’s skin, keeping her nestled in his embrace throughout the process.

Tong Ling was quite pleased with Fu Jingyan’s restraint; even after the examination and taking medication, the young lady’s heart didn’t bear too much strain.

Fu Jingyan did not return the young lady to the log cabin, knowing well that the sight of those inside would only frighten her further.

He gently coaxed the young lady to sleep. As she drifted off, eyes gradually closing, his own heart began to calm down as well.

With the tension from the day suddenly released, Fu Jingyan closed his eyes, succumbing to drowsiness.

“Jingyan,” the young lady nudged his arm, “I think I hear some movement.”

“The people in the log cabin… have they come out?”

Her voice trembled, reflecting a hint of fear in her eyes. “Go check it out…”

Fu Jingyan doubted there could be any significant activity; water hemlock’s poison is lethal, rendering one incapable of movement once the motor nerves are paralyzed.

Just as he was about to reassure his young mistress, a sudden hard impact struck the back of his head, causing searing pain. Turning around, he saw Zhu Zhan glaring at him with pure hatred, clutching a rock. As Fu Jingyan collapsed, Zhu Zhan staggered and fell heavily to the ground.

“Hurry, leave,” Zhu Zhan rasped hoarsely to the stunned Bai Ling, “Get away from him.”

Inside the log cabin, Zhu Zhan clawed at his throat, forcefully vomiting out everything from his stomach. Then, he crawled to their water basin, drinking its entire contents before finally regaining some strength.

Zhu Zhan knew he had to get up; if he didn’t stop Fu Jingyan, on this deserted island, the controlled young lady would forever remain under that bastard’s control.

“Go!” Zhu Zhan wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on; he might not even see the next sunrise. But…at least he could do something for the young lady, and that was enough.

Tong Ling cast a surprised glance at Zhu Zhan. Perhaps it was unsurprising given his high physical stamina within the group—he managed to strike Fu Jingyan even in such dire circumstances, showcasing remarkable resilience.

Tong Ling retrieved medication from Fu Jingyan’s pocket. Before leaving, she gently cupped Zhu Zhan’s face and pressed a kiss on his cheek.

Zhu Zhan’s eyes widened, staring dumbfoundedly at the girl’s retreating figure until he lost all consciousness.

Early morning.

Several helicopters circled above the deserted island.

Apart from professional rescue teams, parents from influential families also rushed to the scene, eager to search for their long-missing children.

The rescuers swiftly found the stranded group of young masters—survivors of the plane crash—and a lone ordinary girl on the island.

Stretcher after stretcher carried out the survivors.

The group’s condition was dire; medical personnel discovered water hemlock, a toxic plant, in their cooking pot. Had they arrived just moments later, they might have found only corpses.

It was unclear what these individuals had experienced on the deserted island, but beyond the poisoning, tensions and conflicts were evident among them.

On the beach, rescuers found a man unconscious from excessive blood loss due to a head injury inflicted by a rock. Beside him lay a youth, also unconscious from poison, holding the weapon used in the attack.

Witnessing this scene, hostility flared between the Fu and Zhu families.

“Jingyan!” Fu Jingyan’s mother exclaimed, her gaze fixed on her son lying on the stretcher, his fate uncertain. She turned to the Zhu parents and scolded them, “What did your son do to our Jingyan?! Was he trying to kill him?!”

The Zhu parents were equally dissatisfied. “Our A-Zhan is still poisoned—no one knows how it happened! There’s no way A-Zhan would randomly assault someone; something must be off with Fu Jingyan!”

After examination by medical staff, it was revealed that everyone except Fu Jingyan had been poisoned, leading others to suspect foul play.

Duan Jiaze and Duan Jiayou’s parents also believed Fu Jingyan was implicated in the poisoning. “If our Xiao Zuo and Little You don’t make it, Fu Jingyan better not expect to get off easy!”

Since Xuan Yiqing’s parents were ordinary people without access to helicopters, they had only hurried over after she was taken to the hospital for treatment. They couldn’t really interject amidst the quarreling between the wealthy families.

The trip of four boys and one girl to a deserted island, involving both poisoning and attempted murder—it wasn’t long before this attention-grabbing incident became public knowledge. If not for the control exerted by these influential families over the spread of information, who knew what social repercussions there would have been?

The Bai family’s parents were the most heartbroken among all present. Regardless of whether others suffered from poisoning or fell unconscious due to blood loss, at least they had been found. Only Bai Ling remained missing even now.

“How could Lingling not be here?” Seeing the pitiful state of her daughter’s so-called companions, Mrs. Bai dared not imagine what might have happened to her own child. “She isn’t with them—could those people…have killed her?”

Mr. Bai’s expression darkened. “Search. Turn the entire island upside down if we must; we need to find her. And if we can’t…those responsible won’t escape unscathed!”

As each poisoned teenager was gradually revived, it became apparent that their bodies had suffered severe damage. Although they were fortunate to have survived, they now faced numerous long-term health issues. Not only would their physical well-being be compromised for a prolonged period, but their mental state…

Xuan Yiqing even developed amnesia upon waking up. She couldn’t remember who she was or what had happened to her. The name Fu Jingyan elicited the strongest reaction; hearing it plunged her into a state of terror.

The non-amnesiac youths provided some information, largely aligning with everyone’s suspicions—Fu Jingyan was undoubtedly the poisoner.

However, when asked why Fu Jingyan committed this act, the youths fell silent once more.

“How is Bai Ling doing?” Upon waking, Zhu Zhan immediately asked this question.

“We haven’t found her yet,” said Zhu Father and Zhu Mother. “Don’t worry about her for now. Focus on recovering yourself first. How could you be so impulsive, confronting Fu Jingyan like that…”

“He deserves it!” If not for his immobility, Zhu Zhan would have gone straight to deal with him then and there.

Zhu Mother responded, “It’s not that we don’t want you to act, but at least throw the stone farther away. Holding it in your hand makes it obvious you intended harm.”

Since Fu Jingyan was the first to poison someone, as parents, they naturally sided with their own child. They had already planned to sue Fu Jingyan once Zhu Zhan recovered somewhat. With such a serious crime of poisoning, Fu Jingyan wouldn’t escape punishment!

Upon waking up, the twins asked similar questions as Zhu Zhan. When they learned that Bai Ling was still missing, all their enthusiasm drained away.

“What happened to our dear Lingling on the island?” Mr. and Mrs. Bai inquired from the others. “Why wasn’t she with you?”

Bai Ling’s experiences… made them all complicit; Zhu Zhan and the twins couldn’t possibly reveal those incidents. Even thinking about what occurred on the island felt like recalling a surreal dream.

Fu Jingyan remained unconscious throughout, further fueling the resentment towards Zhu Zhan from his parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Bai observed coldly as families who were once close friends descended into bitter conflict. They knew this turmoil was far from enough; until they found Bai Ling, they would remain unable to find peace.

Meanwhile, Tong Ling was using the system to craft an article with a sensational headline—Shocking! Four Men Fight Over One Woman on a Deserted Island: Poisonings and Love Triangles - Is it a Distortion of Human Nature or Collapse of Moral Standards?

With enhancements from the system, the article’s suspenseful and gripping elements were intensified. Subsequently, Tong Ling submitted the piece to various major news platforms. As a wealthy young lady, she easily spent money to ensure rapid dissemination of her article.

The protagonists of this narrative were none other than Fu Jingyan, Zhu Zhan, the twins, and the female lead Xuan Yiqing, all playing crucial roles. Tong Ling aimed to replicate the original plotline, positioning Xuan Yiqing as the object of desire among several affluent young masters in the public eye.

M577, experienced in handling such matters, found spreading false information remarkably effortless. After the article went viral, it even purchased top trending spots for maximum exposure. To further amplify the reach, m577 commissioned short videos related to the story. Following these strategic moves, ultimately…

On the device monitoring the storyline progression, familiar fireworks erupted, indicating that the small world’s plot had been successfully completed!