The male supporting character was actually myself.

The more she thought about it, the happier she felt. She felt the comfortable sensation of the new spiritual root growing in her lower abdomen and the new spiritual vein expanding, and she felt like she was floating on air.

This is only the first successful step in the fairy's plan. Next up is that unfortunate young couple. Since you're so unlucky, I'll help you solve your problems and be a great philanthropist. You should be very grateful to me, right?

She walked lightly away from the well, and the little dumpling immediately reported the situation.

"Hmm, so much pesticide and rat poison..." Jiang Chen strolled to the well, scooped up a handful of water, and used his unique martial arts technique to examine the harmful substances it contained.

A moment later, he took out a few pills from his backpack and threw them in.

This is an antidote pill refined by the original owner. It can not only counteract the poison that Mu Liuli put in, but also give the well water a nourishing effect for a certain period of time. Anyone who drinks the well water will feel refreshed and free from hidden ailments.

Once he was sure there was no threat from the well, Jiang Chen leisurely followed the route provided by the little white cat and caught up with Mu Liuli, following behind her.

[Ding! The host's attempt to commit evil has failed. The townspeople and tourists who should have suffered painful deaths from the poison are all safe and sound. The reward is revoked!]

The system's cold, impersonal notification suddenly rang out, and Mu Liuli, who was happily planning how to torment the unfortunate young couple, immediately felt a chill run down her spine!

Her keen intuition as a martial artist made the hairs on her body stand on end, as if something terrifying was about to appear!

"Crack!"

Suddenly, dark thunderclouds appeared in the originally clear sky, and tourists on the bustling street not far away took out their phones to record videos.

"Thunder again?"

Mu Liuli's heart was trembling; she was truly terrified of being struck by lightning!

Damn it, didn't I just poison them? What happened? Why is this happening? Why didn't the poison work?

The thunderclouds gave her no time to think; a bolt of lightning suddenly struck down.

"Ah! Help!"

Mu Liuli only had time to let out a scream before she was struck down to the ground. The wood spirit root that had just sprouted in her lower abdomen was completely destroyed by the lightning, and she was in so much pain that she clutched her stomach and rolled around on the ground.

"Look! Someone's been struck by lightning!"

"My God, such a powerful bolt of lightning, it's going to kill someone, isn't it?"

"This is really strange. Thunderclouds have been appearing far too frequently these past few days. I just saw a video online yesterday of that vicious woman Mu Liuli being struck by lightning, and today I'm actually witnessing someone being struck by lightning in person!"

"Mu Liuli, the one who got struck by lightning, was struck for the second time yesterday. The day before yesterday, she was also struck like that while walking down the street and ended up in the hospital."

"Wow, martial artists have such great physiques! She was struck by lightning and hospitalized on the first day; on the second day, she was still able to jump around and fight in the arena and get struck by lightning again. Hey? I heard she fled to avoid punishment and is now wanted everywhere. Do you think... the one who got struck by lightning over there could be Mu Liuli?"

"Damn! That's very possible! Go check it out, Mu Liuli is practically a walking 500,000 yuan bonus now!"

"Let's go over there later, after the thunderclouds have cleared. Otherwise, if another thunderstorm strikes, we might get caught in the crossfire."

"If it really is Mu Liuli, we'll be rich!"

…………

The tourists, who were mostly having lunch and resting in the afternoon, were suddenly drawn out by the lightning strike and came out to see what was happening.

Someone mentioned the wanted criminal Mu Liuli, and everyone got excited. They surrounded the lightning strike site and stood outside the safe zone waiting for the thunderclouds to dissipate. If they could catch the wanted criminal, their trip would be incredibly profitable!

"Wow, as expected of the Villain System, it doesn't hold back at all when it comes to the backlash against its host." Jiang Chen looked at the scene before him and felt extremely pleased and satisfied. He had originally planned to trick her, but he didn't expect the system to be so powerful.

The newly formed wood spirit root was taken back, and they even had to strike it with lightning.

"It hurts so much..." Mu Liuli groaned, and wisps of black smoke immediately billowed from her mouth.

Spiritual roots are the foundation of a martial artist's existence, as important as their lifeblood.

The feeling of having an extra one is exhilarating, but the feeling of being struck by lightning and taken back is equally tragic.

Not only did she lose her top-grade wood spirit root, but the spiritual veins that had just sprouted in her body were also drained away. The pain that penetrated to the bone marrow made her feel as if she were dead as she lay on the ground.

The thunderclouds came quickly and dispersed just as fast, disappearing without a trace immediately after the thunder, and the sky, which had suddenly turned dark, cleared up and became bright again.

The onlookers rushed forward. Some who were live-streaming excitedly jumped around to explain the sudden situation to their viewers; while many others excitedly gathered around to see if it was indeed the fugitive suspect, Mu Liuli.

"The clothes are exactly the same! It's most likely that it's that bitch Mu Liuli!" The person who rushed forward was so excited that his hands trembled. He took a video and posted it online, then started tagging the High Martial Arts Alliance law enforcement department.

"Yes, the hair color, length, and style are all the same!"

"Ninety-nine percent similarity to the wanted poster!"

"Holy crap! I saw a living 500,000-pound walking car. Everyone, come and witness this! But with so many tourists catching it at the same time, I don't know how to divide the bounty."

"Look at her face! Quickly check if she's dead! Turn her over and see if it's really Mu Liuli."

"There's no doubt about it. Everyone says that men look at a woman's face and women look at another woman's figure. This woman who was struck by lightning has the exact same measurements, body proportions, and even head circumference as Mu Liuli. It's definitely her!"

…………

Hearing the excited discussions in the crowd, Jiang Chen smiled slightly, sent a message in the group chat, and then slipped away from the crowd and headed into the village.

The script hasn't been updated yet; he has to stop another tragedy.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Contest Between Alchemists

Besides the annual Yunshui Rice Harvest Tourism Season, the biggest news in Yunshui Town these days is that Laiwang and his wife have returned from the provincial hospital.

Jiang Chen didn't need to ask around; he could just walk around the village streets and hear the complete story from the aunties and grandmas who were busy with their work and talking.

The town has a small population, and Laiwang and his wife's home is located in the northwest corner.

The two families were neighbors and got along very well. Hongmei's father passed away early, and Laiwang's family took good care of the orphan and widow. The relationship between the two families became closer and closer, so they arranged a marriage between the two children.

The young couple had been childhood sweethearts and had never argued. Their families were all simple and honest farmers. Neither of them were good at studying, so they dropped out of school early and, following their families' wishes, held a wedding and started their own family.

Besides farming, Laiwang also does odd jobs around the town with his father.

His wife, Hongmei, worked hard with her mother and mother-in-law at home, making pastries and running a small business. Although they weren't rich, they lived a self-sufficient life.

However, the happy times did not last long. When Laiwang and his father went up the mountain to break rocks to build a pigsty, an accident happened. A rolling rock fell and hit the father and son.

The father died on the spot, but Laiwang was rushed to the hospital and his life was saved.

With her husband gone and all the money spent on saving her son exhausted, Laiwang's mother, burdened by days of toil and worry, finally succumbed to her illness. When Hongmei discovered her early in the morning, her mother-in-law lay dead in bed, her body stiff.

After burying her parents-in-law one after another, and bringing her ailing husband, who was unable to work, from the hospital, Hongmei, a woman who had just turned twenty, supported the family and worked hard to earn money to make up for the losses incurred in treating her husband's illness.

Fortunately, we have land at home, so as long as we work hard, we won't have any problems with food and clothing.

With the help of his mother running a small business, and the townspeople being willing to support him, he managed to make a decent living.

Last year, Hongmei's mother was diagnosed with cancer. In order to save money for the young couple and not be a burden on them, the strong-willed woman, who had been widowed for half her life, committed suicide by drinking pesticide.

The once happy and harmonious family lost three elderly members within a few years, leaving only the frail Laiwang and the aging Hongmei to support each other.

Fortunately, she is hardworking and capable. She manages the fields in an orderly manner and keeps her house clean and tidy. She has also made some money by selling her small pastry business online.

Just as Laiwang's health was gradually recovering this year and he was able to help with some household chores, Hongmei suddenly fainted and was taken to the hospital for various tests. It was eventually discovered that she had a rare genetic disease.

After being diagnosed, her condition rapidly worsened, and she was told by various hospitals that there was currently no cure.

Laiwang was unwilling to give up. He sold his house and land and searched everywhere for martial artists to help him "cure" his illness. He had heard that there was a magic pill that could cure all diseases. He hoped that a miracle would happen.

However, being just an ordinary person with no connections, the money he borrowed from selling houses and land was spent like water, and most of it was swindled away by fraudulent swindlers.

Finally, after the doctor's kind persuasion, Laiwang had no choice but to take his wife back to their hometown.

Fortunately, the village chief was kind-hearted and bought their homestead back then, and he still lets them live there, so the young couple won't be left without a place to stay.

These two unfortunate individuals, in the original story, could not escape Mu Liuli's torment, becoming stepping stones for her to kill and destroy their spirits in exchange for rewards and to become stronger.

"Shhhhh!"

As soon as Jiang Chen entered the ordinary courtyard, he heard the sound of running water as someone washed things in the yard.

The courtyard gate was half open, and he saw a thin young man with a bitter face diligently scrubbing the mats. Although they looked old, the man was scrubbing them very carefully, and the simple courtyard was also very clean.

"Is this Laiwang?" Jiang Chen stepped forward, knocked on the door, and asked politely.

The man looked up but didn't recognize him. However, seeing that he was well-dressed, he knew that the man was probably another kind-hearted person who had heard about his wife's illness. He quickly stood up and forced an embarrassed smile, saying, "It's me. Is there anything I can help you with? If you'd like to donate, I would appreciate it, but my wife... doesn't need to go to the hospital for treatment anymore, so we don't need any more donations. Thank you for your concern."

In an effort to keep his wife alive, he tried various ways to seek help and even posted fundraising information online.

Laiwang did see many kind-hearted people who gave money and gifts to encourage the couple; he also saw many sanctimonious "philanthropists" using their seriously ill wives as props for posing for photos.

Now that he could see that she was getting weaker day by day and wouldn't last much longer, he wanted her to leave with some dignity.

With his parents and mother-in-law passing away one after another, and his wife soon to leave him, Laiwang's mood has gone from anger and resentment to a state of calm and indifference.

All beings suffer; it's all just death.

If Hongmei were to die, he would have nothing left to care about or long for. He might as well go with her so that they could keep each other company on the road to the underworld.

Having made up his mind, Laiwang naturally didn't want to owe anyone any more favors.

"I'm not here to donate money." Jiang Chen pushed open the door, lifted a corner of his coat to reveal his badge, and explained, "I'm an alchemist. I heard your wife has a very serious rare disease, and I'd like to see if I can offer any help. Would it be convenient for me to see her now?"

Alchemist?

Laiwang was stunned for a moment, and the splashing water from the brush and mat he was holding didn't even make him react.

During the time he was seeking medical treatment for his wife, he had heard the word "alchemist" too many times, but those were all high-ranking gods who researched precious pills. Even martial artists would try their best to meet them but rarely saw them. Would they really come to such a small, run-down town to treat mortals?

"I...I..." Laiwang's mind was a mess. The badge the other person was wearing was gleaming gold and didn't seem fake. He was excited and his face flushed slightly, then he stammered, rubbing his hands in embarrassment, "But...but I...I don't have any money..."

Jiang Chen smiled slightly and shook his head, saying, "I don't want money. I was deeply moved after hearing about how you two have stayed together through thick and thin. This treatment is free. However, I need to examine your wife's condition to determine if she can recover with the medicine."

"Oh, oh, quick, please come in!" Laiwang finally realized what was happening and hurriedly ushered him into the house, his face flushed. "I haven't tidied up much, please forgive my poor appearance... Um, I don't have any money right now, but I'll try my best to earn some! As long as you can save my wife's life, my husband and I will do anything for you..."

He waved his hand to interrupt the other person's excited and incoherent speech, and made a shushing gesture, "The patient is not in good condition right now and just fell asleep, don't wake her up."

The old house still retains its original furniture and appliances, so it doesn't look so dilapidated.

A woman in her early twenties lay on the bed, her face ashen and her breath faint.

With just one glance, Jiang Chen knew why the young couple had ended up so tragically—Laiwang's wife, Hongmei, was very beautiful.

Despite the torment of illness that left her very weak, her beautiful face, even with her eyes closed, still revealed a delicate and charming beauty. Her frailty even added a touch of endearing sickness.

Mu Liuli, that greasy and lewd male leader, would be strange if he didn't take advantage of such a beautiful woman!

“Sir, look at her now…” Laiwang saw the serious expression on the other man’s face after taking her pulse carefully, and his heart pounded in his throat. He said cautiously, “If there is even the slightest chance, please save her. I will do anything!”

“I do need you two to help me with something. After it’s done, I’ll give you some money to settle down.” Jiang Chen took out the healing pills he had prepared beforehand from his backpack, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Mu Liuli cursed the filthy system a thousand times in her heart, but she felt a little panicked when she heard the onlookers shouting about catching the wanted criminal.

Getting struck by lightning once a day is incredibly unlucky!