Hell Game: Starting from Metropolis

"If a tree were like this, it would be fine to swim on the surface of the sun, let alone lava."

"The Nile doctor seized the opportunity to speak," he said.

"Then it can still swim even if it evolves into a phoenix. Alright, alright, stop advertising and take a look at these bottles first."

Liu Zheng handed the evidence bag to him.

“What is advertising? This is spreading the divine grace of our Lord.”

While refuting the claims, Dr. Nile examined the bottles in the evidence bag.

His method of checking the bottle was also very simple and crude: he simply stuffed his tongue into the bottle and even spun it around a few times.

"Doctor, are you sure this won't contaminate the evidence?"

Liu Zheng asked, frowning.

"Don't worry, I didn't even spit out any water, how could I contaminate the evidence?"

"The Nile doctor pulled out his tongue and said."

"Oh."

Oh, I forgot, this guy was a mummy.

"There's something wrong with this bottle."

After finishing his examination, the Nile doctor held up a wine bottle and said...

He took the bottle; it was a gold-label craft beer with cherry and passion fruit designs on it, suggesting it was a blend of the two flavors.

"What is the problem?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"I don't know, but it shouldn't be poison. Take the bottle to the medical bee; it's more knowledgeable about these strange drugs."

The Nile doctor pointed out.

I don't know how a doctor who uses smegma as medicine can have the nerve to say that other people's medications are weird.

"Okay, I'm off then."

Liu Zheng didn't stand on ceremony. He put away the problematic wine bottle and headed straight for Yifeng Pharmacy.

Of course, they didn't forget to feed the Sphinx before leaving.

"Clap clap clap!"

He arrived at the door of Yifeng Pharmacy and knocked on the door.

"Who?"

The doctor didn't open the door, but asked cautiously.

"It's me, Liu Zheng."

"Huh? How did you know the treatment you were doing was almost over? Did you install a surveillance camera on it?"

The medical bee was both surprised and terrified.

"Whether it's possible or not, I don't know, it just happened to be the right time."

Liu Zheng squinted and said.

"Then what are you here for?"

"I'd like to ask you to help me check this wine bottle."

He took out the problematic bottle.

"Crench!"

The doctor opened a crack in the door and took the bottle inside.

"Yes, there are two kinds of drugs mixed in here, one is poison, and the other can also be considered poison."

A few minutes later, the medical bee said.

What are the uses of these two poisons?

Liu Zheng asked.

"The first one can cause confusion, and if taken with alcohol, its effects can be increased several times."

"The second type is nicknamed 'Friend of Poison.' It is colorless and odorless on its own. If it is mixed with other poisons during the refining process, it can also make those poisons colorless and odorless as well."

Doctor Bee replied.

Where can I buy these two poisons?

"The first type can be bought in many places, and I know how to refine it. There are fewer people who know how to refine the second type; I only know of two."

It shut its mouth after saying that.

"Give."

Liu Zheng simply took out a wad of banknotes and stuffed them into the crack in the door.

"One is Bronze Seventeen from the 'Bronze Hall,' and the other is Ugly Dusa, nicknamed 'The Wig Banshee.'"

The doctor took the money and said.

"So who do you think wrote this 'Friend of Poison'?"

"I can't say for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd guess it's Ugly Duckling."

"That's what the medical bee said."

"why?"

“I have studied both of their drugs. This ‘Friend of Poison’ has a more active effect. It must have been made by that Ugly Dusa woman.”

"That's what the medical bee explained."

As for what it means to have "relatively active medicinal properties," it didn't bother to explain, because even if it did, Liu Zheng wouldn't understand.

"Could you ask her for me who got these two doses of medicine?"

Liu Zheng asked.

"Don't even think about it. In our line of work, we're very strict about our clients' information. We wouldn't easily hand it over even if the city hall came to investigate. Besides, Cleopatra has an extreme and eccentric personality. Soft approaches definitely won't work. If you try to force her and push her too far, she'd rather die with you than tell you anything."

The doctor shook his head.

"No way at all?"

He frowned.

"It's not entirely without merit. Do you know why she's called the 'Wig Banshee'?"

"why?"

Liu Zheng asked cooperatively.

"You know Gorgon, right?"

"I know, Gorgons, seeing their faces will turn you to stone."

He nodded.

Gorgon was the daughter of Phorcys, the god of the sea, and Ceto, a sea monster. She had three sisters: the eldest was named Scythena, the second was named Euryale, and the youngest was named Medusa.

Of these, only the third daughter, Medusa, did not possess the immortal demigod body, and was therefore killed by Perseus, the son of Zeus.

"That's right, the Ugly Dussa are descendants of Gorgons. But their bloodline was cursed by a certain god, causing them to be born bald and lose the ability to turn people to stone. Moreover, unless the previous child dies, they can only have one offspring in their lifetime."

"Therefore, they could only make a living by making poisons, and they usually wore wigs, so they were called 'wig banshees'."

"This is what Yifeng explained."

"This god sounds pretty boring."

Liu Zheng complained.

"Gods are simply a general term for beings whose life level has reached a certain dimension; there are all kinds. Some have almost no self-awareness, while others have excessive self-awareness and are even more annoying than bratty kids."

"I'm getting off topic. Anyway, if you can help Ugly Dussa break the blood curse, she'll do anything for you. Hehehe."

The medical bee let out a lewd laugh.

"Wouldn't it be simpler if I had the ability to just grab her and search her memories?"

He rolled his eyes.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm just giving you an idea; it's up to you how you decide to proceed."

"However, considering that you are a major client, if you tell me the details of the matter, I might be able to offer you some ideas."

"That's what the medical bee said."

Okay. Here's the thing.

Liu Zheng told it everything he could.

Did you take the liquor out during the transportation process?

The doctor bee asked.

"No. They've always been in my storage unit."

"Then it must have been tampered with after you gave the wine to that tree. You can hire a detective to investigate the area around that tree; they should find something."

"That's what the medical bee said."

Do you know any experts in this field?

he asked.

The doctor bee remained silent, only extending one of its forelimbs.

Liu Zheng understood and handed over another wad of banknotes.

"I do know one, but he charges a lot."

The doctor put away the money and said.

"money is not a problem."

"Okay, I'll contact him then."

The medical bee made a phone call right in front of him.

Even so, he and the person on the other end of the phone were speaking in code. Liu Zheng could understand each word individually, but he didn't know what they meant when put together.

"It's settled. A flat price of 100,000 yuan, and I guarantee I'll investigate how the poison was put into the bottle."

The doctor continued the call and spoke to him.

"Then if I add a little more money, can you guarantee that the whole matter will be thoroughly investigated?"

Liu Zheng asked.

He thought the fees from Yifeng were much higher than he expected, since it was only 100,000 yuan.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. His salary is only a few thousand dollars, while the money in the metropolis is still worth a lot.

"Let me ask."

The medical bee started using coded language again.

"He said he couldn't guarantee it, and he wouldn't earn money he wasn't sure about."

"Alright, then it'll be 100,000 yuan."

Liu Zheng nodded.

Judging from this, the detective seems to be quite reliable.

"Then I'll call him over."

A dozen minutes later, an old Nissan pulled up at the alley entrance.

A man wearing a detective hat got out of the car and walked towards Liu Zheng.

It was clear that he was not in good physical condition; not only was he slow, but his steps were also very unsteady, as if he would fall over with the slightest breeze.

But upon closer inspection, Liu Zheng discovered that he was not thin at all; in fact, he was quite robust, though his overly loose trench coat concealed it.