Chapter 142 - 8: A City on the Brink of Death

News of the strange events in the southern border cities soon reached the Roland Kingdom, but it failed to raise any alarms.

The Kingdom had too many matters to attend to.

Barbarians to the east had renewed their harassment of the Kingdom. Pirates to the west had begun raiding with increasing frequency. A frigid wind swept in from the north, forcing the Kingdom’s Mages to contend with the cold snap. And in the south, a mysterious plague had erupted, seemingly a resurgence of the Black Death of old.

Of all these threats, the Black Death was by far the most terrifying.

Every morning, bodies were carried out of homes, one after another. Doctor Beaks scurried through the city, but their efforts were almost entirely in vain.

They collected samples of patients’ feces and blood, placing them under magical Glasses for careful observation. They attempted to use the power of Magic to isolate and break down the harmful components, but to no avail.

Bodies piled up like mountains. Even though the Doctor Beaks demanded they be cremated, no one dared to carry out the task.

To contain the plague, the southern part of the Kingdom was blockaded. Soldiers worked through the night, setting up checkpoints and fortifications on the main roads. The southern cities were all but abandoned, yet the people in some small mountain villages remained oblivious, still happily anticipating the coming harvest season.

It was under these perilous circumstances that Duan Fei and his two companions arrived in the largest city of the south, Radiant City.

Back at the border, the three of them had become wanted men. Local government officials had begun searching for Duan Fei and his companions, intending to question them about the origin of the bloody water and the nature of that giant eyeball.

It was only a routine inquiry, but Duan Fei couldn’t possibly allow it.

After all, they were skeletons!

Even if they couldn’t die, Duan Fei had no desire to be locked in an underground coffin, squandering the opportunity this instance had given him.

Therefore, once he confirmed Winston remembered the way, they headed straight north for Radiant City. Their plan was to start at the library there. They hoped to find more information that would help the two skeletons better recall their pasts and, in turn, better understand the source of the corruption.

When Duan Fei and the other skeletons entered Radiant City, a scene from Hell greeted them.

The entirety of Radiant City reeked, filled with untreated waste and corpses. The sick would often collapse and die mid-stride, yet the people around them paid no mind.

Once the largest city in the south, it was now on the verge of collapse.

From the moment they set foot in the city, Beist was furious.

He was furious at the horrific state of the city, furious that no one was taking action, and furious at the Clergy for their inaction.

Finally, Beist stormed into the nearest Church, ready to demand what the Priest there was doing. But the moment he saw the tragic scene inside, his anger vanished.

The Church was eerily empty. Inside, the Priest and a Nun lay dying, their breathing so faint it was barely perceptible.

They still possessed some divine Power, but it wasn’t enough to drive out the disease. It could only ensure that, like everyone else, they would slowly succumb to death.

Duan Fei stepped forward and quickly checked their breathing. His Passive Skill, [Medical Skill], activated, allowing him to assess their condition.

A disease that was incredibly fatal, incredibly dangerous, and spread in an incredibly terrifying manner was running rampant here.

Typically, a disease’s lethality and its transmissibility are inversely related.

The higher the fatality rate, the lower the rate of transmission, and vice versa.

But this disease defied everything Duan Fei understood. It made him feel that there was more to this illness than met the eye.

Or, to be more precise, this disease was very likely man-made.

When Winston realized this, he was stunned. "You’ve got to be kidding me. People are still pulling this crap? Even back in my day, I wouldn’t have dared to try something like this! If this keeps up, who’s going to cook my meals? Who’s going to be my slave?"

"You old capitalist. Yan Yuan, over here."

Yan Yuan sighed. He already knew what was coming next.

Duan Fei made a cut at the base of his wing. Blood flowed out and trickled into the mouths of the two members of the Clergy.

Though it was only three drops, the blood of Yan Yuan, the Phoenix, possessed potent healing properties.

Combined with Duan Fei’s [Rough Healing Technique], the blood allowed the Priest and the Nun to open their eyes. They parted their cracked lips and whispered, "Water."

"I’ll make you some soup." Beist immediately stood up, went into the back kitchen, and began preparing soup and white bread for them.

Half an hour later, Beist returned with the food. He personally took a spoon and fed the precious soup to the two of them.

Though their throats still felt like they were being sliced by a knife, the virus in their bodies had been purged. Their bodies, like sponges, desperately craved the nutrients, and tears of relief streamed down their faces.

After they finished the broth, they used the white bread to sop up every last drop. Only then did they manage to say with great difficulty, "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it," Duan Fei said, his voice low. "Tell me what happened here."

Leaning back against the bed, the Priest collected his thoughts before speaking. "It all started with an ordinary Adventurer..."

「One month ago.」

An Adventurer returned to Radiant City.

He was heavily in debt and, out of desperation, had ventured into a very dangerous ruin.

But against all odds, he returned alive, bringing back a great number of gems.

According to him, the place looked dangerous but was actually quite safe. He claimed that as long as you observed and learned the patterns of the mechanical Monsters, you could easily find the path into the ruins and get your hands on a fortune in gems.

The Adventurer’s behavior was actually quite strange. For example, how did he know the mechanical Monsters’ movement patterns? And why would he reveal such an easy way to get rich?

But at the time, blinded by the promise of wealth, the other Adventurers didn’t notice the issue. Some of the more reckless ones set out that very night and, sure enough, returned safely with even more gems.

The more rational Adventurers held back and watched, but when they saw others returning with rich hauls day after day, they could no longer contain themselves and joined the frenzy.

More and more gems flowed into the city. The rapid accumulation of wealth led to packed bars every night. People began to spend recklessly, indulging in feasting and drinking. The entire city was lost in a sea of revelry, completely oblivious to the disaster that was to follow.

It wasn’t long after the gems started appearing that the plague broke out.

Everyone suspected the gems were connected to the plague, but by then, there was hardly anyone left who could investigate the truth.

At this, the Priest let out a weary sigh and gave a bitter smile. "I, too, was blinded by greed. I thought that I should also go and get some of those gems. That way, the children at the Church could eat better and be warmer during the coming winter. But... Wait, the children! They weren’t sick. I had them quarantine in the attic. Please, check on them!"

Beist immediately rushed up to the attic. A moment later, he leaned out and shouted down to Duan Fei, "There are seven children up here, and they’re all sick!"

Hearing this, the Priest sat up in alarm and grabbed Duan Fei’s hand tightly.

Through the glove, he could feel the sharp, distinct bones of Duan Fei’s hand—it was definitely not the hand of a human.

He froze for a moment, then said earnestly, "Please, I’m begging you."

Duan Fei nodded and patted the Priest’s shoulder. "I understand. Leave it to us."