Chapter 269: Want to Come to My House?

It's not just Cheng Shuili's idea; it's also Xiong Ji's request.

After all, this is a morgue; what does it matter if they light a fire down there?

Xiong Ji even specified not to harm the Fire Lizards, but to drive them away and keep the morgue clean!

But… Cheng Shuili's house is huge.

Their home is gone, but Cheng Shuili's house is still there.

"How about… you stay at my place?"

Cheng Shuili extended the invitation to a Fire Lizard that seemed to be the leader.

It's one thing that these little creatures are cute; it's another that Cheng Shuili destroyed their home. Responsibility aside, the point is, with these guys around, won't the manor need firewood to start a fire?

When fire is needed, just summon a Fire Lizard…

Just thinking about it feels convenient and fast.

As for whether they obey… once a Territory Servant Card is used, they have no choice but to listen.

The leading Fire Lizard halted its restless pacing, the flames between its scales flickering.

It lifted its head, its golden‑red vertical pupils fixed on Cheng Shuili, a rumbling sound emanating from its throat as if weighing pros and cons.

Then it flicked its tail, splashing a few sparks with a 'pop', its front paws scraping the ground, and it tilted its head in a nod‑like gesture.

The other Fire Lizards, seeing this, scurried out from the corners, rustling together behind the leader, eyes sparkling like a pack of pups waiting for a meal.

The leading Fire Lizard nudged Cheng Shuili's boot, twitched its snout to sniff, then sneezed, spitting a cluster of tiny flames that nearly singed her pant leg.

It seemed a bit embarrassed, pawed the ground twice, then lifted its head, gazing at her earnestly, its tail tip wagging apologetically as sparks drifted down.

Hmm… it must have agreed.

Cheng Shuili naturally produced dozens of Territory Servant Cards; the last time the card bug let her buy hundreds, so she isn't stingy about using them.

But unexpectedly, after she used one on the leading Fire Lizard, the entire Fire Lizard swarm vanished.

For a Territory Servant Card, does a whole swarm of Fire Lizards count as a single entity?

Cheng Shuili was surprised, but quickly accepted the outcome.

While the area was still being excavated, she entered the territory once more to find the Fire Lizards a new home.

After confirming it wouldn't affect anyone else, Cheng Shuili immediately left the territory.

She returned just in time.

"Boom!"

With the final shovel thrust, the iron spade slammed into some hard metal, producing a dull thud.

The brown bear beastman froze, then widened his eyes, his massive claws digging away the soil to reveal a curved dome beneath that glowed with a dark‑red sheen.

"W‑what is this thing?"

He scratched his head, patting the metal surface with his bear paw, producing a 'dong‑dong' echo.

The surrounding bear‑tribe beastmen immediately gathered, the iron spades clattering everywhere, each craning their heads to look inside.

A gray bear beastman, the sharpest of them, thrust a claw into a metal crevice and levered hard!

Snap!

A corner of the metal shell peeled back, exposing a tangle of pipes and gears inside; the rust‑spotted machinery still quivered faintly, as if a centuries‑old monster had just been awakened.

A low mechanical hum rose from deep underground, like an ancient engine barely clinging to life.

Cheng Shuili squinted, seeing three amber‑colored crystals set into the device's top; two were already dim, and the last was fading at a visible rate, as if its life were being drained.

"Eh?"

Lang Yu pushed to the front, furrowing his brows, and asked, "What's this? Isn't there only a crematorium down here?"

As the words left his mouth, the last crystal burst with a 'pop', turning into fine powder that drifted into the air.

Rumble!

The whole device seemed to lose its spine and collapsed instantly, the pipes hissing out scalding white smoke, and a sulfur smell instantly filled the morgue.

The bear‑tribe beastmen suddenly went berserk!

"Aaa! So hot!"

"It's on fire?! Where's it on fire?!"

"Don't push! My tail's about to get stepped on!"

The last line is uncertain; Cheng Shuili, using her own strength, silently pushed the beastmen crowding the front aside.

She finally saw the device clearly; deep inside it revealed a fist‑sized recess that matched the shape of the golden medicine bottle she held.

Found it.

This is the special device described earlier.

Cheng Shuili didn't act rashly; she first told Lang Yu to lead the bear‑tribe beastmen to honey, then she checked the golden medicine bottle's description again.

Sure enough, it refreshed.

【Modification status: Unlocked! Please go to the morgue on the basement level of the town‑center hospital and use the special device to alter! Note, each alteration consumes 100 energy stones! Choose wisely whether to modify!】

How many?

100 energy stones??

Cheng Shuili could tell without looking that she didn't have enough energy stones in hand.

She furrowed her brows, opened a private chat and messaged Xinxue: "Go collect a few dozen energy stones; I need them urgently."

The message was sent, but Cheng Shuili still felt a bit dissatisfied.

Why so many?!

But thinking about it, it makes sense; the device's positive effect is almost at the level of 'bringing the dead back as flesh and bone'.

Good things take many trials…

Cheng Shuili could only comfort herself like this.

And this time, Xinxue had anticipated Cheng Shuili's needs again.

【Xin Xue Chuji】: I've already taken it, after all it's new material, I feel Boss you could use it.

"You received a gift from Xin Xue Chuji, Energy Stones x212!"

Over two hundred!

It's actually quite reliable.

This time Xinxue truly refreshed Cheng Shuili's impression of her; praise, must give her proper praise!

Cheng Shuili opened the five-person group chat and sent several messages in a row, only stopping when she felt a bit embarrassed praising Xinxue.

She closed the private chat page, her gaze falling on the device before her.

Cheng Shuili took a deep breath and steadily inserted the golden medicine bottle into the device's slot.

The metal and glass collided, producing a crisp 'click' sound, and the patterns on the bottle suddenly flared with blinding golden light.

【Detected special item: 'Eternal Life Bottle at both ends'】

【Current status: Curse effect】

【Please select modification direction: Activate Fountain of Life effect (consumes 100 Energy Stones)】

Cheng Shuili decisively chose to activate the effect!

As a hundred Energy Stones were poured into the device's gap, the entire morgue suddenly shuddered violently. The rusted gears began to turn in reverse, emitting a grating metal screech that made one's teeth ache.

The golden medicine bottle suddenly floated up midair, and its stopper sprang open automatically.

Strands of black mist poured from the bottle's mouth, condensing in the air into ferocious ghostly faces that emitted sharp wails.

Cheng Shuili instinctively stepped back half a pace, raising her head to stare at those black mists.

They were obviously harmless; when they flew out of the golden medicine bottle, they symbolized an ending.

When the last wisp of black mist dissipated, clear liquid gushed from the bottle's mouth, tracing a graceful arc in the air before falling into the device's core.

The rust-speckled mechanical structure regained its luster at a visible speed, and three brand‑new amber crystals re‑condensed at the top.

【Modification successful!】

【Current status: Positive effect.】

【Current effect details: Three uses remaining!】

There's a usage limit?

Cheng Shuili raised her eyebrows slightly; this positive effect is far worse than the negative one.

The negative effect, however, stays active!

Changing the positive effect costs 100 Energy Stones, and after that you can only use it three times!

Moreover... after those three uses, can it not be used at all, or does one need to modify the status again?

Cheng Shuili found the answer to this question in the updated description.

It's the latter.

In other words, each time she spends 100 Energy Stones, she gains three chances to use the golden medicine bottle.

This...

Is acceptable.

Anyway, having it is definitely better than not having it.

Cheng Shuili reached out and caught the medicine bottle falling from the air, noticing its weight had increased considerably.

Through the glass she could see three drops of golden liquid settled at the bottom, each emitting a warm glow.

What takes effect is this.

Just then, the hospital's lights all switched on at once, the formerly dim yellow illumination becoming bright and steady.

Suddenly, from the end of the corridor came a rising and falling chorus of delighted shouts:

"Director! The equipment in the critical care ward has suddenly returned to normal! The ECG on bed No. 3 suddenly showed a fluctuation!"

"Director! The ICU ventilator! All its parameters are rising! That firefighter burned all over... his blood oxygen saturation is climbing on its own!"

"Doctor Xiong! Quick, look at this! The alarm in the negative‑pressure isolation room has stopped! That patient... that patient! Finally beginning to improve!!"

The noisy crowd of bear‑beastfolk at the morgue entrance fell silent.

All the beastfolk stood with mouths agape, as if hit by a pause button, turning in unison to look at Cheng Shuili's hand where the medicine bottle glowed with flowing golden light.

Xiong Ji suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor, his hands trembling slightly, his usually steady and sharp eyes now red and wet. He took off his glasses, roughly wiped his face with his sleeve, yet tears still streamed down his wrinkled face.

"Miss Human......" his voice hoarse to the point of being almost inaudible, as if something were choking his throat.

He drew a deep breath, then suddenly strode forward and bowed deeply before Cheng Shuili, a near‑ninety‑degree bow; the bear‑beastfolk's stocky frame, usually sturdy, now looked especially solemn.

"Thank... thank you... thank you..." his voice choked, shoulders trembling slightly, "I... I had thought... this hospital was beyond saving..."

He straightened up, his rough bear paw wiping his eyes, yet he could not stop the tears.

He gave up trying to stop it, letting the tears flow, his voice gradually steadying: "Over these years... we've tried every method... medicine, surgery, even prayer...... but those patients... those children..."

His gaze swept past the crowd toward the ICU indicator light glowing at the end of the corridor, his voice finally carrying a hint of relieved smile: "Now... at last... at last there is hope."

Lang Yu stood to the side, unusually refraining from comment, merely watching silently this ever‑stern old director.

The other bear‑beastfolk also quieted down, a few even secretly wiping the corners of their eyes.