Chapter 942 Poisoned

Though it was already dark outside, Chloe was able to see a few steps ahead with the help of the moonlight. Inside of the stone chamber was pitch-black. The floor was uneven, and she stumbled with every step. Chloe kept close to the wall, moving forward one step at a time. Suddenly, she heard a creak. She was unsure of what she had stepped on, but the entire chamber began to shake violently, followed by a sensation of weightlessness. She clung to the wall, trembling in a corner as she started to panic. She knew there would be many unknown dangers inside, but dying before seeing Joseph would be a terrible waste. Giant rocks rolled toward Chloe from all directions. She just narrowly avoided being hit several times. Each passing moment was like a battle with the Grim Reaper. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Suddenly, rough hands gripped her shoulders, and a familiar masculine scent enveloped her. Chloe could not see the person's face, but she knew it was Joseph, and her tense nerves relaxed. "Are you okay? Vince said you weren't in good shape. Are you injured?" Joseph hesitated for a few seconds. After a while came some soft rustling sounds. A pair of night vision goggles settled on Chloe’s nose bridge, and her vision became clear. It was only then she realized something unusual about Joseph. "Why is your face all red?" Joseph gazed at her and his Adam's apple bobbed. "I was poisoned." "Poisoned? How serious is it? But you said you weren't injured!" She immediately panicked and started frantically checking him, running her hands all over his body. Joseph tensed. He caught her hands, stopping her from touching him. Desire swirled in his eyes as he said, "Don't touch me." Chloe thought he was seriously injured and was worried. She withdrew her hand and stared at him. "Are you having a fever?" "It's not a fever." Joseph lowered his head slightly to meet her gaze. His voice was husky as he said, "I've been poisoned." Without waiting for her to react, he continued, "You're poisoned too." "But I feel perfectly fine," she replied. "Check your palms. Do you see any red dots?" Chloe opened her palms and her eyes widened. Just as he had said, there were tiny red dots on her palm, and they were oozing with blood. However, she felt no pain. She had no idea when she had been poisoned. "There are mechanisms on the walls. When you first entered, your eyes weren't accustomed to the darkness, so you naturally held onto the walls as you walked. Hidden in the walls are cactus thorn-like projectiles, but they’re soft and have a mild paralyzing effect. Combined with minor injuries that go unnoticed, it's normal not to feel anything. After all, this isn't their true poison." Chloe tugged at her collar, feeling a rush of heat running through her. She asked, "What’s the real poison?" Joseph watched her movements and suppressed his instincts. He sighed and said, "An aphrodisiac." Just as he finished speaking, the stone chamber started shaking again. Due to her poor physical condition, Chloe wobbled as the ground shifted beneath her. She failed to maintain her balance and pitched forward. In contrast, Joseph had excellent balance. He reflexively reached out for her and encircled her into his arms to protect her. The sudden movement closed the space between them. They locked gazed, and her hands moved to his jawline, then trailed downward, tracing his Adam's apple, his abs, and the v-lines of his abdomen.