138: Chapter 138 A Desperate Choice: Death or Crippling

"Of course there's a way," the Bald Old Man glanced at Supervisor Song and said slowly, "After all, I am a professional Senior Cultivator, not some hairless young man who's all talk."

"If I can do it, I can do it. If I can't, I can't. Unlike some people who clearly can't produce results but still pretend to be in seclusion, letting others lose face on their behalf."

The surrounding Breeders all suppressed their laughter, looking at Supervisor Song with strange expressions. The latter's face turned the color of pig liver, his hands shaking with rage, yet he couldn't find any words to retort.

Before Li Yu appeared, anything he said was just empty talk.

Director Wang, focused solely on saving the 100,000 battle beasts, didn't bother listening closely and said hurriedly, "As long as they can be saved, that's fine. No need for a meeting then, let's get started immediately."

"Wait!" Liu Zhanxing suddenly interrupted him, looking at the Bald Old Man. "What are the side effects you mentioned?"

"Right, there are side effects. What are they? If they aren't too severe, I believe everyone can understand," Director Wang asked, realizing belatedly.

The Bald Old Man said, "According to my method, the blood toxin can be guided through the nerves from the head to certain parts of the body. As long as that part is amputated, the blood toxin will be eliminated immediately."

"Amputation?" Liu Zhanxing frowned.

Once amputated, a battle beast's combat power would drop by at least thirty percent. For any battle beast, this was an immeasurable loss.

"Amputation it is, then," Director Wang sighed and said, "At least their lives will be saved. It's a last resort."

Although Liu Zhanxing was unwilling, he had to admit that the logic held up.

With mass amputations, Ningyang City's combat strength would suffer, but if they didn't amputate and everyone died, the loss would be even greater. He could distinguish which was more important.

"Anything else to add?" Liu Zhanxing asked.

The Bald Old Man's face showed a hint of awkwardness. "Uh... I haven't mentioned the side effects yet."

"Huh?"

Both Director Wang and Liu Zhanxing were stunned.

The surrounding Breeders were also taken aback.

Wait, we've already reached the point of amputation, and you're telling me the side effects haven't even started yet?

"Go on."

Liu Zhanxing took a deep breath.

Director Wang clenched his hands nervously, not daring to ask.

The Bald Old Man continued, "Because the materials used to draw out the blood toxin are quite special, after amputation, the body parts the blood toxin flowed through will experience a certain degree of fur shedding."

"Skin defense will be weakened by seventy percent for a long period of time."

"The immune system will drop by fifty percent."

"Additionally, there is a small probability..."

The Bald Old Man paused.

"What?" Liu Zhanxing pressed.

"Of a dementia reaction occurring," the Bald Old Man answered.

The entire room fell silent.

Hair loss, a seventy percent drop in defense, a fifty percent drop in immunity, plus a small chance of dementia?

And that didn't even include the amputation part.

After a battle beast finished treatment, would it even have half its life left?

Director Wang flared up on the spot like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, shouting, "No! Absolutely not! The price for this treatment is too high; the Beast Tamers won't agree to it!"

"The price is indeed too high. Even if they survive, those battle beasts will never be able to participate in combat again," Liu Zhanxing added with a dark expression.

The Bald Old Man shrugged and said helplessly, "Anyway, this is my method. If you think it's inappropriate, you can ask the other Breeders."

After saying that, he sat back down and closed his eyes calmly, ignoring the reactions around him.

Director Wang was helpless and looked at the remaining Senior Cultivators who hadn't reported yet, asking, "Everyone, does anyone here have a better treatment plan?"

These Senior Cultivators whispered among themselves, and after a moment, they all shook their heads.

This reaction caused Director Wang's expression to dim; he seemed to age several years in an instant.

Liu Zhanxing said nothing, but he frequently glanced toward the door.

The meeting room was now deathly quiet, like the surface of a lake before a storm. Invisible dark clouds loomed over everyone's hearts, and the low pressure before the rain made every Breeder feel suffocated.

The reporters' cameras flashed like thunder and lightning before a storm.

Suddenly.

Hurried footsteps, like a burst of rain, fell upon the silent lake, creating dense ripples. Everyone looked toward the door.

Liu Zhanxing suddenly sat up straight, his expression showing a hint of excitement.

Bang!

The doors were shoved open violently.

Several people in white lab coats rushed in.

"This is bad! The condition of the battle beasts has worsened, and death cases have started to appear!"

Boom!

This single piece of news caused the entire meeting room to boil over.

The excitement and anticipation in Liu Zhanxing's eyes vanished, his expression freezing. He looked at Director Wang, only to see Director Wang's face as pale as ash, his head lowered in dejection.

"Director Wang."

"Yeah, let's go with that then."

"You mean..."

"Yeah."

Director Wang's voice was hoarse, his eyes filled with resentment.

If he had a choice, he didn't want to choose the bald Breeder's solution.

On the surface, this plan would indeed save a large number of battle beasts and resolve Ningyang City's blood toxin crisis.

He could submit a relatively acceptable disaster management report with an extremely low mortality rate, saving his job and silencing the public.

But in reality, this plan would directly turn Ningyang City's nearly 100,000 battle beasts into weak, "disabled" beasts, and directly bury the future of nearly 100,000 Beast Tamers.

To him, as the Director of the Cultivation Bureau...

This was a great humiliation, the most indelible stain on his career, and his greatest failure!

But...

He had no choice.

Death or disability lay before him.

Director Wang closed his eyes heavily, took several deep breaths, and when he opened them again, his gaze had become cold. He looked at the Bald Old Man and said, "I agree to your plan. Now..."

"Good luck is coming~ Wish you good luck~ Good luck comes..."

An abrupt phone ringtone interrupted Director Wang's words. Everyone looked toward the source of the sound.

Supervisor Song held his phone, frantically silencing it. Facing the unfriendly gazes from all around, an awkward smile appeared on his face.

"Supervisor Song, I believe I said that during meetings, phones..."

Before Director Wang could finish his cold words, Liu Zhanxing suddenly pressed down on his shoulder and said, "Is it his call?"

"Ah? Uh, yes, that... I... should I take it?"

Supervisor Song asked cautiously.

"Take it!"

Liu Zhanxing took a deep breath, unconsciously applying pressure with his hand, making Director Wang grimace in pain.

Having received the order, Supervisor Song cautiously answered the phone.

"Hello, Father Li?"

The next second, Supervisor Song's expression froze, followed by a look of wild joy as he shouted, "What! Really? It's done? It's really done? Good, good, good..."

Supervisor Song hung up the phone and looked up, about to say something to the head of the table, only to see a blur flash past. Director Wang had lunged in front of him with incredible speed, deathly gripping the hand holding the phone.

"Is it Li Yu? Has he developed the antidote? Is it?!" Director Wang's bloodshot eyes bulged as he asked in a trembling voice, almost pleadingly.

"Yes!"

"Which one? Which one is it? Is it Li Yu, or the antidote?"

"Both!"

Director Wang was stunned at first, then filled with wild joy. He asked hurriedly, "Where? Where is he now?"

Song Jiang said, "Mingyue Gymnasium."