Chapter 19

In the collapsed factory, smoke and dust filled the air.

Amidst the siege of dozens of ghouls, Wen Wen walked forward as if strolling in a courtyard, waving her hand casually, hanging the ghosts blocking the way one by one on the sharp crystal trees that rose from the ground.

Facing her questioning, the voice on the phone continued, without any irritability or unhappiness, as if always having a good temper, patiently facing all the questions and accusations of patients.

Anyway, the consultation fee of 160,000 federal coins per minute won't be a penny less, and if it’s not enough for a minute, it’s counted as a minute.

Caller—[Hope Hospital·Assay Department]

"The assay analysis report of the virus sample No. R54447 from patient Zhu Hong that you sent yesterday has been completed."

The physician named Muller said slowly: "We regret to inform you that this is not the standard sample of the previous NO.109 Blood Thirst Syndrome, but a new type of strain alienated and iterated on the basis of Blood Thirst Syndrome."

Wen Wen asked: "What do you mean?"

"Hmm, in layman’s terms, it’s an upgraded, specialized version that is even stronger than the original!"

Muller explained: "As everyone knows, the original version of Blood Thirst Syndrome comes from Middle Earth and is a plague produced after the sacrificial king of Middle Earth lost control of alienation. I won't describe the specific symptoms here; the final result is the complete alienation of the host into a type-b ghoul among alienated creatures.

And the strain you provided is completely different.

Its alienation of the host is just a superficial phenomenon, more like a modification of a tool; the blood, life, and even spiritual quality absorbed by the host eventually belong to the strain itself.

Just like a parasite, the focus is not on the host, but on the strain.

In the end, even the host itself will be eaten up by the strain, leaving only the strain itself for the controller to retrieve and use. As long as it is used properly, gathering massive amounts of life and spiritual quality in just a few days is not difficult."

Speaking of this, Muller couldn't help but sigh: "As a tool, such a strain is truly simple and practical, very cost-effective."

"Wait—"

From the other party’s tone, Wen Wen keenly sensed a discord, subconsciously gritting her teeth: "Why are you so clear about this? Could it be that you bunch of dog things also have a connection?"

"Of course, this is our hospital’s patent! It was a classic variant cultivated by Director Yan of the Infectious Disease Department forty-one years ago!"

Muller answered proudly: "Although limited by the T5 agreement and unable to be used publicly on a large scale, none of the partners who purchased the corresponding technology have not praised our hospital’s technical level!"

"You fucking—"

Wen Wen almost crushed her phone; although she knew in her heart that for the bunch of research lunatics at [Hope Hospital], morality and ethics were not as useful as a diaper, she still couldn't help but want to hit someone.

Why didn't she choose the matrix that could give someone a big slap through the computer back then?

Otherwise, she wouldn't have to suffer this bird’s anger?!

"However, please rest assured, our hospital does not yet possess the qualifications and permits for outpatient visits, and naturally will not interfere with sovereign territory outside the hospital area.

According to the cooperation agreement with the Federal Security Bureau, we will definitely cooperate fully when encountering such terrorist attacks."

Muller said quickly: "According to our hospital’s regulations, all achievements and products rated C1 and above are strictly prohibited from spreading to non-partners, and all contacts will have traces left in the file room of the Visitor Reception Center.

According to records, there are forty-one people who currently possess and know how to use this strain.

And among them, the only one who has a connection with the Dragon Sacrifice Society is the former emergency department assistant physician 'Andreas Lawrence' who was expelled from our hospital sixteen years ago for academic misconduct."

"Or, you are more familiar with his other title..."

Muller spat out the name: "[Worm]."

A wanted criminal on both the Federation and Empire lists, an escapee from the Northern Mountain Prison, a cultist who once single-handedly created the Empire’s Flower Moon Tragedy.

One of the sixteen shepherds of the Dragon Sacrifice Society, the Alienated Worm.

"If it’s him, you have to be careful."

Muller reminded at the end, "That guy, when doing things, always likes to make a big mess..."

Wen Wen didn't speak.

Silently turning back, looking from the foothills... at the scattered, slowly rising scarlet lights in the North Mountain District.

That is aberrant spiritual quality that ordinary people cannot perceive with the naked eye; they are like substance, rising to the sky, exploding violently. Strands of scarlet extend, gather, just like a giant tree woven by blood vessels.

Amidst the sharp laughter, it dances enchantingly.

Ten minutes ago, Jici Hospital, Inpatient Building.

"Ward rounds, ward rounds."

The nurse in a hurry walked in front, knocking on doors one by one, the attending physician patrolling: "Everyone, please tidy up messy items, don't eat instant noodles on the bed, Auntie, put away your underwear, can't hang it at the door!"

Saying this, she pulled down that huge, sagging pair of underpants that made people dumbfounded and threw them back to their owner; Ji Jue beside her was dumbfounded, he had come in and out so many times, and actually thought it was the old man’s vest!

Then, he saw the old lady turn around... and hang it up again!

Ji Jue couldn't help but give a thumbs up,

Truly, tenacious!

"Uncle, if it hurts, you can only take painkillers; this is rheumatism, and gout, surgery can only treat the symptoms, eat less alcohol and soup, eat lighter."

"The wound shows signs of inflammation, communicate with the family, avoid suppuration, still need to change the medicine... costing a few dollars more is better than amputation, communicate the situation well."

"It has healed almost, and you can be discharged soon."

Accompanied by faint sounds, heavy footsteps walked to the door; it was a doctor leaning on a crutch, wearing a brace on his leg. In the sweltering weather, there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, but his expression was eternally gentle and kind, checking the conditions of the old man and aunt one by one, and finally looking at Ji Jue at the very end.

After flipping through the medical records of the bed, he reached out and pressed on the bruises on his body and the burn marks gradually healing on his back, nodding with satisfaction: "Recovering well, luck is also good, no acute renal failure or nerve damage, observe for two more days, adjust endocrine and hormones."

"Take medicine on time, and you will get better quickly."

He waved his hand, and a nurse came up to put a standard paper bag into Ji Jue’s hand.

"Ah?"

Ji Jue was stunned, looking down at the paper bag in his hand: "There was no medicine like this in the morning."

"Mecobalamin, nourishing nerves, supplementing Vitamin B."

The doctor pushed his glasses, smiling: "Promoting nerve healing."

Right in the tilted paper bag, two pills that didn't even add up to half the size of a pinky nail rolled into Ji Jue’s hand, dark red in color, smelling as unpleasant as ordinary medicine, carrying a bitter taste.

"I’m a bit afraid of bitterness."

Ji Jue hesitated: "Need to take it now?"

The nurse handed over a cup of warm water, persuading: "There is another dose in the evening, taking medicine on time will make you get better quickly."

Ji Jue was silent.

Looking down at his palm, those two pills that were slightly sticky after being stained with sweat, and the faint scarlet burning within them. And even, the watch pop-up window that had been popping up from just now.

[Detected external active aberrant spiritual quality, warning, detected large active aberrant source, alienation risk gradually rising, warning, detected unknown alienated body, warning, warning, warning, warning...]

Warning warning, warning all day long.

You fucking help me call the police!

Ji Jue sighed, wanting to speak, but couldn't help but look at the door, freezing in place.

"Brother Feng? When did you come?"

Unfortunately, there was no Brother Feng.

The doctor and nurse turned their heads; outside the door, besides the air and a pair of big underpants fluttering in the wind, there was nothing.

Bad news, this time there was no divine soldier descending from heaven.

Good news, Grandpa has a divine soldier!

Ji Jue’s other hand had already pulled the pistol from under the pillow, aiming at the doctor’s forehead; after flipping the safety without thinking, he used the fastest speed and strength of his life, pulling the trigger.

The roar erupted in an instant, overlapping, the spraying gun flame dancing and spreading, fleeting, but lingering in the loud noise.

In less than a second, Ji Jue could no longer feel his fingers.

But he had no time to care.

The moment he fired, he had already leaped from the hospital bed, jumping backward, smashing the window, and falling from the fourth floor.

Fourth floor, twelve meters, and there was a shed for electric scooters below.

If he was lucky, he wouldn't die on the spot.

As long as he didn't die, he could crawl on the electric scooter and run away.

At worst, making a big scene, the other party would also have to worry about...

Worry about what?

In the wind rushing toward him, his brain was empty, suddenly stuttering and forgetting the back.

Because the fall came to an abrupt halt!

Ji Jue hung upside down in mid-air, holding a pistol with a burnt-red barrel, struggling in embarrassment, but unable to break free... that eerie tentacle wrapped around his ankle.

Then, another tentacle stretched out from the window, wrapping around his right foot.

Then, his hands.

Even too lazy to take the pistol with the empty chamber and only the firing pin clicking from his hand.

Just like that, gently, slowly, carefully, dragging him back into the ward.

Placing him on the bed.

In the dead silence, it was as if even the sound of breathing had disappeared, only the people in the surrounding beds and the nurses looked at him with hollow eyes.

Like vengeful ghosts.

And right in front of him, the doctor’s face, skull, neck, and chest still had the bullet holes running through them, blood slowly overflowing from them.

Through the cracks, one could faintly see wriggling tentacles squeezed into a ball inside, slowly stretching out from the cracks in the face, dancing.

"Actually discovered? How strange."

That face, torn apart but still continuing to smile, slowly lifted, emitting that hoarse voice from a nightmare, full of admiration: "As expected of a Heaven’s Chosen who has been cursed for ten years and can still autonomously awaken!

Just this insight and sense of smell is eye-opening. No... even more so, it’s this determination to dare to pull a gun on a stranger after noticing something wrong."

"I your MUA a [Beep]!"

Ji Jue struggled in vain, but was finally bound layer by layer with zip ties, unable to move anymore; the nurse, walking like a walking corpse, stepped forward and gave his neck a shot.

Then, his eyes went black.

Blacked out.

In the final moment, the phone screen under the quilt lit up, the text message interface popped up, sending the final message to Wen Wen in the address book.

—Save save save save save save save save!!!!