Chapter 1734

Austin glanced at her but remained silent. He lacked the energy to speak.

"Shall I continue?" she asked.

"It's up to you," he replied. Such words were rare from him. He had always been skeptical of Lily, even as her capabilities became apparent. He'd argued with her, a misguided attempt to assert his own knowledge and skills.

His doubts vanished when his life hung in the balance. Witnessing Lily's abilities, he trusted his instincts and put his faith in her.

Lily pursed her lips, donned her mask, and fetched the needles. Dominic, with a fogging machine, began disinfecting the room. Silence descended, broken only by the spray of disinfectant.

Austin found this peculiar. He was poisoned, not infected. Why the disinfection? He decided to forgo questions, closing his eyes again.

The warmth in his body gradually subsided. The coughing had sapped his strength, leaving him weak. He drifted off to sleep.

He awoke to find Lily gone, replaced by Dominic, who sat beside him, reading a book. He wore his reading glasses, his eyes slightly squinted in concentration.

"Uncle Dom..." Austin croaked. His throat felt dry and tasted faintly of blood, yet he felt considerably stronger. He cleared his throat and tried again, "Uncle Dom..."

The old man looked up. "Ah, you're awake."

"H-How long was I asleep?" Austin looked around. Darkness had fallen. He couldn't tell the time, but his bonds were gone, the needles removed. It seemed the treatment was complete.

"Not long. Perhaps four hours," Dominic replied, checking his watch. "How do you feel?"

Austin cautiously sat up, testing his limbs. They felt far looser than before. While relaxed muscles usually signify weakness, in his case, it was the opposite. The drug's overstimulation had caused extreme tension, stretching his skin and flesh.

This explained his muscular physique despite his gaunt face. With the tension released, his energy remained within his muscles, increasing his strength.

"I feel much better!" he exclaimed, surprised. He avoided forceful movements, fearing he might overexert himself.

"Excellent," the old man nodded, relieved. "I've prepared porridge downstairs. Someone will bring it up. Once you've eaten, you can rest."