Chapter 702
Chapter 702
Chapter 702 Suspecting The Soil Composition
“The Gilroy family has been a traditional medicine family for generations, so they must have some knowledge of the soil structure and composition. After all, the older generation of people who went up the mountain to collect medicine didn't rely on chance, but on the growing environment of medicinal herbs as the main consideration. Even if they haven't studied it, Cassidy must know something about it from growing up in such a family since childhood. She probably knows what type of soil and conditions are best for growing plants. You mentioned Cassidy said it was made by Fernando right after you came in. If she hadn't mentioned it, we probably wouldn't have thought of it.”
“Are you saying that Cassidy is deliberately steering us in that direction?” Curtis asked solemnly.
“That's highly plausible,” Rayna agreed with a nod.
“Let's put this aside for now and wait until Robin comes back,” Curtis said softly as he pulled Rayna into his arms.
“Mm.” Rayna knew that was the only way. “Is Cassidy downstairs?”
Curtis nodded curtly, his face devoid of expression. “I think she's still dealing with the Serekos.”
“James told me he'll bring someone here. Norwal City is quite far away from here, so I think it'll be noon by the time he arrives.” Rayna joked, “I recall he used to be so passionate about bugs, but it seems like his interests have shifted to something else.”
Curtis glanced at the time on his phone before clicking into the text James sent a while ago. “I think he
won't take that long.”
“Why?” Rayna shot him a puzzled look. Before he had a chance to respond, a loud, thunderous rumble reverberated from the street outside, unmistakably belonging to a roaring motorcycle.
“Is someone here?” Yasmin, who was sound asleep, was suddenly jolted awake by the noise. She glanced at Rayna and Curtis on the couch before asking, “Is Ms. Cassidy back?”
“Yes. She's downstairs,” came Rayna's answer.
Curtis released Rayna and slowly rose from the couch. He plodded over to the window and peered outside. Immediately, his attention was drawn to a sleek superbike resting beneath a street lamp.
The rider removed his helmet and placed it on the bike. He took a few moments to make sure the bike was securely locked before coming to the door.
“Is that someone you know?” Rayna questioned.
Curtis' gaze shifted to look at the window. “No, I don't know him.”
There was a slimy trail on the window left by the Serekos. Through the soft light of the outdoor lamp powered by solar energy, he could see something wriggling within the gooey substance.
Curtis had been standing by the window for a long time, showing no signs of moving. Growing curious, Yasmin hopped off the bed, her bare feet padding on the cold floor as she slowly approached him. “What are you looking at? Let me see!”
Heoring thot, Curtis stepped oside to give her o better view. He pointed ot o corner of the window ond osked, “Con you see this?”
Yosmin peered intently ot the gloss window, squinting os she tried to get o better view of the slimy substonce. “I think I see o smoll worm moving. It looks to be obout this long.” She held up her hond to indicote the size of the worm ond then odded, “It's white.”
As Yosmin could olso see it, Curtis finolly confirmed thot he wosn't imogining things. “Mm,” he ogreed with o nod.
Royno, who wos sitting on the couch, frowned ot their exchonge. Why would there be o worm in the slime?
As she pondered over the question, she osked, “Is it o porosite?”
“A porosite?” Curtis wos boffled. He grobbed his phone, turning on the torchlight to shine it on the window. At the some time, o Serekos climbed down the window ond slithered ocross the spot he hod shone his light on.
A long ond slender worm wos crowling out of the Serekos' belly. To be exoct, it wos squirming out of the Serekos' genitol orifice, bringing more slime olong with it.
Curtis' expression suddenly grew grim os he remembered thot there wos onother Serekos in the room. He gripped Yosmin's wrist os he osked in o stern tone, “Did onything come out of the Serekos thot you burned eorlier?”
Yosmin wos stortled by his sudden oction of grosping her wrist. She couldn't help shuddering in feor before onswering coutiously, “I don't know. I wosn't poying ottention to thot. When the flomes touched the Serekos, it curled up ond remoined thot woy ever since.”
She slowly turned her goze toword the side of the bed where the Serekos wos ot.
“Curtis, don't worry. Whotever worm thot might hove been in the slime would hove been incineroted in the fire,” Royno exploined. “I instructed Yosmin to set fire to the Serekos' slime troil, which led into this room. When you first come in, you should hove noticed some block spots olong the corridor.”
She immediotely understood his concern.
Heoring thot, Curtis turned to look ot the ground beneoth the door. He could see o foint, dork burn mork illuminoted by the worm light.
With thot, he slowly releosed his grip on Yosmin's wrist. Looking ot her, he noticed her expression of distress ond opologized, “I'm sorry for hurting you.”
Yosmin mossoged her wrist ond pouted unhoppily. With her brows furrowed, she horrumphed in onnoyonce before morching stroight to the door ond yonking it open to heod out without o second thought. She wos so upset she didn't even bother to put on her slippers.
Hearing that, Curtis stepped aside to give her a better view. He pointed at a corner of the window and asked, “Can you see this?”
Yasmin peered intently at the glass window, squinting as she tried to get a better view of the slimy substance. “I think I see a small worm moving. It looks to be about this long.” She held up her hand to
indicate the size of the worm and then added, “It's white.”
As Yasmin could also see it, Curtis finally confirmed that he wasn't imagining things. “Mm,” he agreed with a nod.
Rayna, who was sitting on the couch, frowned at their exchange. Why would there be a worm in the slime?
As she pondered over the question, she asked, “Is it a parasite?”
“A parasite?” Curtis was baffled. He grabbed his phone, turning on the torchlight to shine it on the window. At the same time, a Serekos climbed down the window and slithered across the spot he had shone his light on.
A long and slender worm was crawling out of the Serekos' belly. To be exact, it was squirming out of the Serekos' genital orifice, bringing more slime along with it.
Curtis' expression suddenly grew grim as he remembered that there was another Serekos in the room. He gripped Yasmin's wrist as he asked in a stern tone, “Did anything come out of the Serekos that you burned earlier?”
Yasmin was startled by his sudden action of grasping her wrist. She couldn't help shuddering in fear before answering cautiously, “I don't know. I wasn't paying attention to that. When the flames touched the Serekos, it curled up and remained that way ever since.”
She slowly turned her gaze toward the side of the bed where the Serekos was at.
“Curtis, don't worry. Whatever worm that might have been in the slime would have been incinerated in the fire,” Rayna explained. “I instructed Yasmin to set fire to the Serekos' slime trail, which led into this room. When you first came in, you should have noticed some black spots along the corridor.”
She immediately understood his concern.
Hearing that, Curtis turned to look at the ground beneath the door. He could see a faint, dark burn mark illuminated by the warm light.
With that, he slowly released his grip on Yasmin's wrist. Looking at her, he noticed her expression of distress and apologized, “I'm sorry for hurting you.”
Yasmin massaged her wrist and pouted unhappily. With her brows furrowed, she harrumphed in annoyance before marching straight to the door and yanking it open to head out without a second thought. She was so upset she didn't even bother to put on her slippers.
Noticing the pair of red slippers by the bed, Curtis retrieved them and said, “I'll bring her slippers to her.”
“Sure!” Rayna nodded as she poured herself a glass of water.
After leaving Curtis and Rayna's bedroom, Yasmin went straight to Cassidy's bedroom.
Curtis was about to make his way to Yasmin's room with the pair of slippers when he suddenly spotted her entering Cassidy's bedroom. A helpless smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he followed after her.
Yasmin didn't care what she stepped on and wanted to hop straight onto the bed. Curtis quickly stopped her. “You walked here barefoot. Are you really sure you want to get into bed after walking around like that? You don't know what you could have stepped on.”
“It's none of your business. It's not like I'm getting into your bed,” Yasmin snapped. “Leave the slippers by the bed.”
She shook him off and was about to climb into bed when Cassidy stopped her. “Yasmin, don't get into bed!”
Yasmin knelt beside the bed and turned to look at Cassidy, who was sweating buckets at the door. “What's wrong? You used to get into bed without washing your feet, too.”
“Look at your feet!” Cassidy chided as she switched on the light before entering her own room.
Cassidy's bedroom was equipped with color-changing lights. The one she switched on was the bright white light, creating a stark contrast to the warm light that glowed in the hallway.
Curtis could barely keep his eyes open from the sudden brightness. He squinted his eyes as he watched Cassidy walk into her bedroom, her face set in a dark expression.
Cassidy reached down to retrieve a tissue from the handle of the couch and walked over to Yasmin to gently wipe away the slime that was on her feet. “I can't believe you want to get into my bed with slime all over your feet. Have I been too lenient with you lately, Yasmin? Do you not care about keeping yourself clean anymore?”
Yasmin was overwhelmed with fear as she stared at the slime-stained tissue. Her mind instantly
flashed back to the moment when she spotted a wriggling worm on the window a while ago. Panic began to set in as she blurted out, “There is a worm in the slime. Will I die?”
Previously, she heard Rayna mention the possibility that the worm might be a parasite. She was immediately filled with apprehension, worrying that the parasite might be able to penetrate her skin and make its way into her body.
“No, you won't die. It's just filthy,” Cassidy responded nonchalantly. She then crumpled the tissue in her hand and tossed it into the trash can.