Chapter 536

Southern Gressland, the place where Charles was severely injured, was also known for its ancient and enigmatic neighboring nations. Rumors said that southern Gressland was rife with sorcery and the birthplace of venom. Its climate was conducive to breeding various venomous insects. Moreover, while Secret Realm's official headquarters were in Centuria, its real base was in southern Gressland. This strategic location allowed for both effective attacks and strong defense against potential threats. Cyrus knew this place well because he sourced his medicinal herbs from there. The herbalist families serving the Hippocrates Sect had been quietly living in southern Gressland for thousands of years. Using it as their base, they explored the primitive forests to find rare and precious herbs. Given the high cost of these herbs, Cyrus paid them millions of dollars in cash for each shipment. Chandler nodded and said, "It seems you're well aware that Southern Gressland is the toughest place in Summerland. They used my success in quelling local family power, like the Lynch and Hayes families, and suppressing the Secret Realm's activities as a pretext for my promotion. "But I know it's all thanks to your efforts, Mr. Johnson. They just needed an excuse to justify my promotion." Cyrus grew more concerned. "Are they sending you to deal with the dark forces there?" "That's probably the plan, but it won't be easy. The general in southern Gressland isn't someone I'm familiar with. He might not be cooperative," Chandler said. "The former general of southern Gressland was Charles' lieutenant. Maybe you could reach out to him?" "It probably won't help. They're at the same level now, so there's a good chance the general isn't trustworthy. Self-interest often takes precedence." It seemed Chandler was well-informed about southern Gressland. The current general might not be as noble and selfless as Charles. The Sykes family showed their cunning and ruthless nature by sending Chandler to such a potentially dangerous place, especially since he had a wife and a daughter, Hazel, who was still in college. Even though Chandler had 20 bodyguards, it might not be enough to keep him and his family safe in such a dangerous place. "Mr. Hudson, when do you leave?" Cyrus asked. "In two days," Chandler replied. "That's quite urgent. I'll start preparing preventative pills against venomous insects for you. You and your family should take them regularly. If any venomous insect tries to attack you, it'll be killed instead," Cyrus explained. "Thank you, Mr. Johnson. I'm especially worried about Hazel," Chandler said. Cyrus stood up, preparing to slice some truffle. Chandler was stunned. "You're using that for the pills?" "Of course. Venomous insects are vicious, but the Millennial Crimson Truffle is effective against them. But it's not a cure; it's a preventative measure. Make sure you take them regularly. I'll send someone to deliver more when you run out," Cyrus reminded him. "But the Millennial Crimson Truffle is worth hundreds of millions! It's too expensive!" Chandler insisted, feeling uncomfortable with accepting such a generous gift. Cyrus smiled and said, "No worries. Consider the pills a gift from a friend. You refused to cooperate with the Sykes family against me. I feel responsible for your situation. Money is secondary; the Millennial Crimson Truffle is rare but not unattainable." Cyrus smiled as he sliced off a few pieces, easily worth over 20 million dollars. Chandler winced at the sight, thinking how fortunate he was to have befriended Cyrus. Cyrus was genuinely worried. Chandler was an honest and capable official, a rarity in Summerland. The dangers in southern Gressland were formidable. Chandler's strength alone might not be enough to effect change in that region. Chandler hesitated but then said, "Mr. Johnson, the Sykes family initially wanted Hazel to marry James. My father decided against it, so I'll be frank. The Sykes family transferred me away to target you. They plan to establish a Medical Association branch and a subsidiary in Jorsproburgh." Cyrus chuckled. "Well, well, a classic case of a decoy tactic." "What do you mean?" Chandler asked.