Chapter 153 Toxicity Testing

Upon returning to Riverbend, Leo wasted no time in manufacturing a batch of cassava flour.

Riverbend originally kept a store of sun-dried antler cassava set aside for emergencies. After establishing trade relations with the ogre tribe, quite a few villagers would also bring back antler cassava discovered in the wild.

Once sun-dried, antler cassava could be stored for several years simply by tossing it into a warehouse or hanging it under the eaves. There was no need to worry about mold, rot, insect infestations, or rodent damage; it could serve as both food and firewood. However, once other food sources became available, Riverbend never again had to gnaw on these toxic, old tree roots.

When freshly dug from the ground, antler cassava—both its skin and flesh—was a deep red, identical to sweet potatoes. After drying, the skin of most antler cassava turned black, with only a small portion retaining a dark red hue. Inside the blackened antler cassava, the flesh appeared lighter, taking on a pinkish tint.

Following a strict procedure, Leo peeled the antler cassava, chopped it up, soaked it, and added sulfur and refined silver made from silver coins. After soaking in a large tub of chopped antler cassava for a night, the two additives had not diminished; only the silver bullion, when removed, had a slightly rough surface and a frosted texture to the touch. Cautiously, Leo replaced them with a fresh batch of sulfur and silver to ensure they retained their potency.

After two days and nights, the pink flesh finally turned white. Leo hurriedly dried it by roasting and then ground it into powder.

Olivia and the little mouse had helped Leo process cassava flour last time, and they assisted once more. Freya paced around them, eating all the discarded parts; her digestive system was even more formidable than an ogre's. She was a terrifying existence capable of devouring ten pounds of raw antler cassava in one sitting, a sight that caused the boarfolk to cry out in terror of a demon.

Once a bag of finished cassava flour was produced, Leo had Olivia make pastries with it once again—she had been the one to bake them last time, while the remaining flour had been used by her as an insect repellent.

This time, the pastries were snow-white, far more appetizing than the previous batch, which had a greenish-red tint.

Holding the plate of pastries, Olivia and Leo stood on the wooden steps of the lord's manor, watching the villagers moving about below.

The two of them nudged each other, playing push-and-pull.

"You go. You do it."

"How is it appropriate for a grown man like me to go deliver pastries to people?"

"Then I'll go. Is it still for Ivan?"

"We can't just poison the same person over and over. Pick someone else!"

While they whispered, seven or eight Riverbend infantrymen living in the militia barracks were leisurely chatting in a circle, entirely unaware of the tragic fate about to befall them.

Olivia began counting off heads to make her selection, finally pointing to Viki.

With a guilty and uneasy conscience, she walked over, looking rather shy as a result. "Viki, please have some pastry."

Flattered and bewildered, Viki took the pastry while casting stealthy glances at Leo, fearing the latter would fly into a jealous rage. However, Leo acted remarkably magnanimous, waving a hand to signal that he should eat up.

The other soldiers also craned their necks, gazing at Olivia with hopeful expressions, but Olivia completely ignored them and walked away swiftly with the tray of delicious pastries.

Ah, such treatment was reserved solely for Deputy Commander Viki; after all, he was the most brilliant young talent in Riverbend second only to Leo.

A wave of intense gossip surged among the soldiers. Could it be that Leo had fallen out of favor?

Amidst the envy of the others, Viki nibbled reservedly on the pastry, yet he always felt something was amiss, his internal alarm bells blaring wildly. He watched the two of them whispering in a corner, casting bizarre and hair-raising glances in his direction.

Leo even offered the remaining delicious pastry to a little kobold, causing all the little kobolds to tear up and refuse to reach out their hands to take it.

Even dogs wouldn't eat it!

Even the usually harmless little mouse stared at him nervously, standing alongside Freya with a predatory gaze, as if preparing to deal him a fatal blow.

Viki thought of a single terrifying possibility.

The only person in Riverbend who could command all the troops alongside Ulyan and Leo was himself...

His face instantly turned pale, and he clutched his stomach, trembling as he said, "You people!"

Leo and Olivia crowded around him, asking with deep concern, "How is it? Are you alright? Does your stomach hurt?"

Your expressions are far too fake!

As mere Deputy Commander of Riverbend and holding seventh or eighth place in the chain of command, by what virtue or ability did I, Viki, deserve the two of you joining forces to poison me?

Unfortunately, the melodramatic plot the militiamen eagerly anticipated did not unfold, nor did the despairing, sinister conspiracy Viki dreaded come to pass.

Viki waited for a long time, yet experienced no physical reaction whatsoever.

Staring at Viki, Leo spoke with a tone of genuine delight, "It seems you're quite alright."

Only then did the little mouse and Freya set their minds at ease and run off to play again. Fearing that Viki might actually be poisoned, Freya—that half-baked doctor—and her little assistant had spent half the day in nervous suspense, standing by at any moment to provide medical rescue.

Naturally, there was a second round of toxicity testing.

Carrying the tray of pastries, Leo walked happily into the crowd and distributed the remaining delicious pastries to all the soldiers.

"Come, come, come! There's enough for everyone, one each. They're utterly delicious!"

A night passed, and none of the soldiers who had eaten the cassava flour pastries showed any adverse reactions.

When Ulyan finished his work and came home, Leo tossed the remaining cassava flour before him with an air of heroic grandeur.

"It is time to display the true strength of Riverbend!"

Ulyan actually had plenty of thoughts of his own, but his stance remained firmly anchored to Riverbend. Now, having a new food source opened up possibilities for Riverbend's expansion.

However, food was only part of the equation; without a reasonable plan to settle refugees, refugees would always remain refugees—a threat when hungry, and double the threat when well-fed.

"What do you want?"

"Give me manpower." Leo made an exorbitant demand. "Give me everyone in the refugee camp, and give me another hundred soldiers."

"Very well."

Watching Leo stride out excitedly, the pipe-smoking Rusev, who was watching from the sidelines, asked Ulyan, "You didn't even ask, and you just agreed like that?"

Having survived a difficult period, the gray-haired Rusev now had his own small tavern and rarely participated in the administration of Riverbend anymore. His pipe finally contained tobacco, sparing him from the need to gnaw on an empty pipe every day while reminiscing about the past.

Yet, whenever major decisions arose, Ulyan would still instinctively have someone summon him to attend. This was a Northern tradition; with Ulyan serving as lord and chieftain, Rusev acted as the village elder. As long as he nodded, objections from the villagers regarding many decisions would dwindle significantly.

Ulyan was tasting the cassava flour by dipping a finger into it, and hearing the question, he sighed with emotion, "Times have changed. The changes are too fast—too fast for me to adapt. Matters of the outside world can only be left to the young."

Rusev felt a similar resonance. Their original goal had merely been to survive in the wilderness. The step-by-step expansion that followed made it seem as though they were still steering everything, yet every single step was one they had never anticipated.

Riverbend today had even surpassed their past imaginations.

Watching Leo's receding figure, Ulyan said, "All I can do now is hold onto Riverbend."

"No matter whether he succeeds or fails, there will still be a home for him to return to."