Capítulo 108: Epidemic Doctor Base
As for the core of the world, it holds little appeal to the ancient gods. They have neither a shortage of time nor resources.
Thus, this group of God's favored ones might have entered this world primarily for the Origin Stone and certain undestroyed projections of disaster objects.
In the previous life 2.0, a piece of space debris cursed with the Black Death fell into Dawn. It is highly likely that it descended into the Dawn Federation after the destruction of this sub-time and space.
Bai Yi looked outside, unease stirring within him.
This theory seemed plausible, and the timeline fit. However, it also meant that the group of God's favored ones could either destroy this world—or know how to do so—and he was unaware of it, which was a dangerous prospect.
Perhaps he could act first, eliminating them before they could take action, and then search for the core of the world.
More plague doctors arrived on Sunset Street, led by one in a white robe, carrying a device about fifty centimeters in diameter.
The doctor operated the device swiftly, and a wave emanated from it, spreading quickly.
Bai Yi did not avoid the fluctuation, instead, he fiddled with the dangerous object in his hand. A trace of black flickered in his scarlet pupils, though it was subtle.
Meanwhile, the Embrace of Pain in his hand began to stir, trembling before coming to a sudden halt. Some of its soul roots extended from behind the mask, as if testing something.
Bai Yi stared at the faceless mask with an emotionless gaze.
Evil thoughts, forbidden knowledge of alchemical transformation, were inherently dangerous. Yet, they were not dangerous objects mutated by the Black Death Curse. To prevent any misunderstandings, the White Plague exuded the aura of the light side.
However, this made the Embrace of Pain seem somewhat dissatisfied, as if it were trying to resist.
Snap.
Tentacles erupted from Bai Yi's fingers, growing as though countless new fingers had sprouted, delicately stroking the mask. The soul roots instantly retracted, and this time, the mask stood still, motionless, as if an ordinary object.
Bai Yi smiled in satisfaction and extended his other hand, slowly retracting the tentacles, one by one.
The plague doctor at the door stared at the device's reading of [Dangerous Material A-031], then looked back at Bai Yi. He remained silent for a moment.
The instrument was intact, and Bai Yi didn't seem dangerous, but something felt off. Was it reasonable for an alchemist to be in possession of an A-Class dangerous object? And what about those tentacles?
Remembering the peculiarities of alchemists noted in their records, he suppressed his discomfort and said, "Sorry, Mr. Bai Yi, my name is Ha Hai. Fenghuo is in crisis right now, and we have to be cautious."
Bai Yi raised his head, his pupils once again glowing pure scarlet. He smiled and said, "It's fine. I'm actually quite interested in the dangerous items you have here; they seem very similar to my transformation."
Ha Hai's tone softened. "Mr. Bai Yi, would you like to visit our base? You may not know this, but this country is quite dangerous at night. The Black Death Curse appears after dark. If there is no protection, there's a high chance of infection."
He paused, then added with a touch of sorrow, "This curse is very deadly. Even a legend from our country was infected and died, his soul withered away. Perhaps you should exercise caution."
Bai Yi didn't decline, smiling politely. "Of course. It would be my honor."
"Then follow me," Ha Hai said, gesturing for Bai Yi to walk with him. The plague doctors formed a circle around him and began making their way toward the outskirts of Beacon City.
The group seemed to avoid getting too close to the White Plague—perhaps due to his -5 Charisma, or maybe because of the Embrace of Pain.
Bai Yi, however, was unconcerned. He looked around at the city. It was similar to Sunset Street—deserted and dilapidated. Most of the shop signs were damaged, and there was no one in the stores. It felt like a city after a disaster, yet even more eerily silent.
A few rats and cockroaches scurried across the streets. In the absence of other intelligent creatures, they seemed the most active.
Bai Yi heard faint groaning sounds coming from some of the relatively intact buildings, as though the residents inside were suffering from illness.
Curious, he asked, "Are these people isolated because of the Black Death Curse?"
Ha Hai shook his head. "No, those cursed by the Black Death are already dead. These are plague patients. The pollution in the air, influenced by the curse, makes the plague incurable. We can't simply kill them—we can only isolate them here and provide food at designated locations."
Bai Yi nodded in understanding. In the extraordinary world, there was never a shortage of food, only magical materials. As long as magic wasn't involved, whether alchemists or magicians, they could create extraordinary plants and obtain nearly unlimited food.
Therefore, as long as order remained, even if it was corrupt, starvation was rare. The main causes of death were still natural and man-made disasters.
The group soon arrived at West City, where a few extraordinary people walked with lifeless, hollow gazes. Though people were present, they appeared drained of life.
The Black Death Curse would come at night, and no one knew if they would be its next victim. Its contagious nature made pedestrians avoid contact with others, but they seemed to come to life only when they saw the plague doctors.
The plague doctors' headquarters was an underground complex beneath the ruins of a military camp, hollowed out, with a large steel door wide open. Magical and other unique fluctuations flowed from inside.
After passing through several more metal doors, they arrived at an expansive underground city. The special air contamination seemed to dissipate, likely filtered by the immense steel doors.
As they descended, ordinary people appeared, looking healthier and, for the first time, Bai Yi noticed smiles—smiles that had been absent in the nightmare world above.
Bai Yi glanced around and asked, "How many people remain in Fenghuo City now?"
Ha Hai's expression darkened. "A little over 800,000, scattered across different underground bases. This base only houses about 30,000."
Bai Yi thought about Fang Heng's words about the short lifespan of alchemists—only ten years—and fell into silence. This city was a dead one. Each underground base was a fleeting opportunity; once the Black Death Curse hit, it would be over.
But other bases kept the city alive, for now.
Seeing the faint smiles on the civilians, Bai Yi couldn't shake the feeling that they were forced. Were there really smiles left in this kingdom?
After a short while, they arrived at the central building.
"Master Zai, the person has been brought back," Ha Hai said, pressing a button and speaking with respect.
A buzz sounded, and a massive metal door slid open. Inside were a dozen plague doctors, some wearing bird-beak masks, others in death robes.
Bai Yi noticed no clear distinction between the two groups, except that those in death robes seemed more menacing. The leader, a plague doctor in a death robe, radiated powerful energy—Bai Yi could sense it was above the gold level.
There were many legends in ancient times, but they were rare. Only ancient gods had an abundance of such legends. In other places, high-level combatants were still mostly gold-ranked.
The plague doctor called Zai stood still, observing Bai Yi. After a long silence, he spoke politely. "Mr. Bai Yi, please come in."
Bai Yi followed Zai into a technologically advanced building, large and filled with small rooms. Occasionally, Bai Yi heard wailing sounds coming from some of the rooms. Plague doctors were conducting surgeries or research, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
The plague doctors who had returned with Bai Yi dispersed once inside the building, each heading to their assigned tasks in the small rooms.
"What do you want to know?" Zai asked, still walking briskly.
They were under pressure. They needed to find a cure for the plague or risk losing more lives. Moreover, they had to continue their research on the dangerous substances that could hold the key to their survival.
The plague doctors firmly believed that the Black Death curse could be defeated through these hazardous objects. In the end, they had managed to recover the curse and all related dangerous materials.
"Can you contact other bases?" Bai Yi asked, following Zai into a simple room. The other plague doctors stayed outside, guarding the door.
Inside the room, an operating table stood in the center. Strapped to it was a deformed orc, its struggles weak and frantic roars echoing through the air.
"Yes," Zai replied, without slowing his pace. "The magic communication device is still functioning, unaffected by the Black Death Curse for now." He quickly crossed the room and retrieved a black box, its surface inscribed with strange symbols.
Zai placed the device on the orc's head. Instantly, the box transformed, extending into a black curtain that engulfed the creature. The orc fell silent, its movements ceasing, as it lay motionless like a blackened corpse.
Zai turned back to Bai Yi, the yellow glow from his bird-beaked mask reflecting a faint but intense gaze. "I can help you find your partner," he said, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of something more. "But I have a request."
"You can speak," Bai Yi replied, unfazed.
"Give us your transformation information. We really need it." Zai's tone was polite but edged with subtle firmness.
To the plague doctors, the appearance of White Plague was like a beacon of hope. Bai Yi's ability to interact with dangerous objects without the need for protective attire was nothing short of miraculous. If they tried the same without their plague doctor gear, they would most likely be instantly corroded by these objects. Bai Yi, on the other hand, seemed impervious. From the moment they learned that he was not a threat, his transformation techniques became highly valuable.
Bai Yi hesitated, considering his options. The "evil thoughts" that allowed him to control dangerous objects were only effective because they were objects from the nightmare world. This power wouldn't translate to objects from the outside world.
Zai, interpreting Bai Yi's pause as reluctance, spoke again, his voice deepening. "You can make a request of your own. I will do my best to accommodate you, as long as you share your transformation technology."
Bai Yi's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of calculation in them. "Really?"
"Of course," Zai responded, his composure unwavering. He wasn't worried that Bai Yi would demand something out of reach; after all, Bai Yi had little choice but to cooperate with them in order to survive in the Kingdom of Fenghuo. The Black Death Curse was a force beyond ordinary resistance.
Bai Yi's mind raced. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "First, help me find my partners. There's a mechanical bone dragon and an old man—he's a gold-ranked individual. This is what they look like."
Bai Yi raised his hand, a surge of malice creeping from his palm. Slowly, it began to take shape, morphing into the figures of the old city lord and the bone dragon.
Zai immediately took out a device and captured the image, scanning it for a few seconds before setting it down. "I've sent the request. As long as they're still within Fenghuo City, we'll have news before nightfall."
"And if they're in another city?" Bai Yi asked, voice steady.
Zai paused before responding, his expression neutral. "At the moment, only two other cities remain viable in the Beacon Kingdom. I'll contact the disaster storage agency and request a search by the Knights of Light. If we don't have any news by nightfall, it means your friends are in the dead cities—and I won't be able to assist you further." There was a subtle weight to his words when he spoke of the "dead cities," but he quickly moved past it. "Is there anything else?"
Bai Yi nodded, his curiosity piqued. "I need to know the strength of the plague doctor organization."
Zai didn't hesitate. "We have seven top-tier golds, thirty-five mid-tier, and one hundred twelve lower-tier. As for silvers, we have nine hundred twenty top-tier, two thousand one hundred fifty-four mid-tier, and four thousand eight hundred thirty-two lower-tier. As for bronzes... there are too many to count."
Bai Yi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Over a hundred golds? The figures were staggering. But then, he thought about the state of the world. The concentration of magic was far higher than during the Federation era, and those who had survived to this point were all powerful individuals. The number of top-tier plague doctors made sense.
Bai Yi, now more resolved, pulled out a booklet. It was a book on the creation of "evil thoughts."
"Help me find and kill a few people," Bai Yi said, his voice low. "And this book will be yours."
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