Chapter 294: Arrangement

The banquet, forced to begin, hadn't even taken the first sip of wine when it was interrupted by two abruptly appearing figures.

The air rippled, and the silhouettes of Black Tower and A Xing settled steadily on one side of the courtyard, exactly between Rider's "entrance" and the castle windows.

Black Tower still wore a witch's dress, her long brown hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze, her violet‑black eyes calmly scanning everyone present, finally landing on the broken wall and the Archer in the air; she furrowed her brow as if disapproving the chaos here.

A Xing stood quietly half a step behind her side, his golden eyes untroubled.

"Black Tower Lady?"

Ailisi Feier looked a bit surprised, while Chang Ye Yue showed a knowing expression.

Gilgamesh's gaze instantly locked onto Black Tower; in his crimson eyes swirled displeasure at having his interest forcibly interrupted, and the anger accumulated from last night.

But before he could speak, Black Tower had already a step ahead moved her gaze away, as if he were merely an inconsequential decoration in the courtyard.

"Banquet?"

Black Tower's voice was cold, with a hint of obvious sarcasm, "When half the city's people may soon be gnawed clean from the inside by insects, do you still have the mood here to discuss drinking and testing stamina?"

The words were like cold water poured into a hot oil pot.

"Insects?"

Rider's smile froze, and Weber, frightened, let out a hiccup.

Saber's anger turned to vigilance, her emerald eyes sharply fixed on Black Tower.

"Explain clearly, Caster."

Archer's voice was icy, yet it carried a hint of inquiry.

Though arrogant, he was not oblivious to abnormalities.

Black Tower gave no riddles; her explanation was concise and direct, stripping away all complex jargon, presented in a way people of this world could understand:

"A parasitic curse transmitted through water. After ingesting contaminated water or food, tiny insect eggs hatch inside the host, siphon life force to grow, and in the final stage—"

She glanced at A Xing.

A Xing cooperatively uttered two words, his tone as flat as saying "It's raining": "Chest rupture."

The scene fell into dead silence.

Even battle‑hardened Heroic Spirits were seized by the ominous nature behind this manner of death.

"Case confirmed: Lancer's Master."

Black Tower continued, "The manner of death matches the description above. Based on diffusion model rewind and signs of abnormal biological activity, the current Winterwood City public water supply or deep groundwater appears contaminated, with a potential infection rate approaching fifty percent. Early symptoms: persistent abdominal pain, diarrhea. Late symptoms: need not be elaborated."

"Fifty percent?!"

Weber let out a voiceless gasp, his face as white as paper.

He recalled the crowd queuing for restrooms he saw on the road earlier that day…

"Shi Chen that guy…"

Archer's crimson eyes narrowed, a curve lifting his mouth, "No wonder he's been hiding there all day, looking pale… So it's not a magical backlash, but something interesting growing in his stomach?"

He was clearly more interested in this discovery than in the lives and deaths of ordinary people.

In a certain secret room, Yuanban Shichen, who was remotely monitoring through a Familiar to ascertain his daughter's whereabouts, turned ghost‑pale in an instant!

Abdominal pain… diarrhea… these two days' tormenting symptoms… water…

He suddenly recalled his usual water source, whose origin seemed linked to a spiritual vein somewhere in the city… Could it be?!

Panic flooded him like icy water; the pride of a Magus and a father's worry wavered before the extreme physiological threat.

In the courtyard, Chang Ye Yue's crimson eyes narrowed slightly as she whispered softly, "Breeding…"

The word carried a different weight coming from her mouth.

She needed to immediately relay this crucial information via a hidden link to the lady.

Ailisi Feier covered her mouth, eyes full of shock and worry: "This… is terrifying! Black Tower Lady, is there any way to stop it? Treat the infected? Purify the water source?"

"Treating late‑stage individuals is too costly, inefficient, and not feasible."

Black Tower's answer was cold and realistic, "The only effective strategy: eliminate the source of contamination, block further spread. According to source‑tracking calculations—"

She paused, looking at Chang Ye Yue, "The source lies deep beneath the Jiantong Family residence."

"Jiantong Family…"

Saber tightened her invisible sword, looking at Chang Ye Yue, "Miss Chang Ye Yue, you rescued Sakura from there."

Chang Ye Yue nodded: "That indeed was our oversight. The situation was urgent, and we couldn't investigate further."

"So, the solution is simple."

Black Tower summarized, her tone an indisputable statement, "I need to go underground of the Jiantong Family and eliminate that source. As for you—"

She glanced at Rider, Archer, and the people on the castle side, "Whether you want to help, or just want to see with your own eyes what almost turned us into a breeding ground, it's fine. If you don't want to, stay here and continue your banquet. Just don't get in the way."

Having said that, she turned and seemed ready to depart at once.

"Wait!"

Ailisi Feier hurriedly said, "Black Tower Lady, it's too dangerous for you to go alone! At least let Saber…"

"Mortal plagues, ant lives and deaths, what does it have to do with The King?"

Archer's arrogant voice cut off Ailisi Feier.

He finally gave Black Tower a cold glance with his crimson eyes, his form turning into Golden Light Particles and vanishing directly into the air.

Clearly, he had no interest in dealing with this filthy source, perhaps preferring to return and enjoy Shi Chen's possible embarrassment.

Rider stroked his chin, his usual cheer replaced by rare solemnity: "Hmm… sounds like a massive plague. If left unchecked, my banquet will have hardly any living guests. Though the method is a bit dirty, the road to conquest cannot be blocked by insects. Boy,"

He patted Weber's shoulder, the latter still in shock, "Let's go take a look! Maybe we can help!"

Weber: "…"

(I don't want to see any insects at all!)

Saber looked at Ailisi Feier, who nodded resolutely.

Protecting innocent civilians and stopping the spread of evil is the Knight King's creed.

Tohsaka Lin heard this, could no longer hold back, and shouted anxiously, "My father! Is my father also… I want to go see him!"

Chang Ye Yue pondered briefly, then decided, "San Yue Qi, you, Saber, and Mrs. Ailisi Feier will go to the Jiantong Family to help, following the arrangement of the Black Tower Lady."

She glanced at the nervous yet resolute San Yue Qi and said, "Stay safe."

"Understood!"

San Yue Qi puffed out her chest; although that golden flash no longer let her relax, the thought of going to a place possibly full of insects still made her scalp tingle.

"As for Xiao Lin and Xiao Ying,"

Chang Ye Yue lowered her head toward the two girls, "I'll escort you back to the Yuanban Family. First, to check on your father's condition; second, because the Yuanban Family, as a renowned local Magic house, may have other solutions."

What she didn't say aloud was that Yuanban Shichen himself might be one of the cases needing attention.

Ailisi Feier nodded in agreement with the arrangement.

"No time to waste; gather outside the Jiantong Family residence within an hour."

After Black Tower finished speaking, she said no more, took A Xing, and vanished again.

Rider hoisted the Wine Crate, pulled the still‑dazed Weber, leapt onto the Divine Car Wheel, and departed amid a flash of lightning.

Saber nodded to Ailisi Feier and Chang Ye Yue, and also prepared to set out.

Meanwhile, near Changletian in Xianzhou Luofu.

Heimu, disguised as Black Tower, walked together with Xinghe and Walter along the bustling street, searching for the Guide dispatched by Tai Bu Si.

Xinghe looked around curiously.

At that moment, Heimu received an emergency briefing from the System Space itself:

"Winterwood City detected residual contamination of the 'Breeding' destiny, intensity: low (deeply localized, merged with local insects), spread status: localized outbreak. Execution subunits have intervened. Risk assessment: no overflow threat to the primary universe; local forces can cope."

Heimu's steps faltered briefly, a flash of understanding flickering deep within her violet‑black eyes.

(Breeding? Its legacy even ended up in a place like that…)

(Fortunately, it's just deeply localized residue, low tier, its nature has changed. Chang Ye Yue and Black Tower should be able to handle it.)

She raised an eyebrow slightly, showed no sign of disturbance, and continued to impersonate Black Tower.

(Come to think of it, according to the plan, Li Su Shang should be heading to Luofu now, right? Let her see the world; I wonder if the host has received her.)