Night Talk

"My name is Kadesi Haji. Thank you for your treatment, Mr. William."

"Hmm."

Yi Chen took his seat at the reserved spot.

Before each person were two exquisite main courses, soup, and dessert.

Avengrade-style raw fish, Braised fish chunks, Large fish roe vegetable pie, Mushroom fish bone soup, Big Red, Big Purple, Big Green, Big White dishes laid out before him—if not for the enticing aroma, it would be hard to bring himself to eat.

During the meal, the Boss gnawed on a piece of fish while asking in a low voice:

"Have you already seen through the essence of this town?"

Yi Chen quickly waved his hand. "Ah? Seeing through the essence is a stretch. I've only barely understood the Diseased Symptoms and process occurring in Green Lake Town, or rather, a kind of Screening Mechanism.

If my analysis is correct, Disease Infection should be divided into three phases:

Direct or indirect contact with Green Lake Town's water source leads to invasion by the Pathogen.

Thus begins Phase One.

In this phase, the body slowly grows partial fish scales and starts to yearn for an underwater life.

It should also be able to receive commands from the Parasitic Mother.

The main structure of the body remains within human bounds, with no major visible changes... living normally in the town, organizing various activities, attracting more tourists here.

Once Phase One stabilizes or meets a certain threshold, the individual is granted the right to approach Green Lake and have intimate contact with its waters, formally entering Phase Two.

I personally call this phase—Fish Transformation.

Due to deep immersion in the lake water, the human body undergoes severe changes, skin grows scales, and organ structures tend toward those of a fish, gradually transitioning into a Mermaid State.

As for Phase Three, it's the state you've already reached, returning to land, shedding the external fish-like structures, and becoming an individual with full consciousness."

"You really are... different.

But there's one thing I couldn't understand all night—knowing full well we are diseased people, why would you still offer help?

You came here to investigate the Root of Disease and eradicate it, didn't you?"

Yi Chen listened to the Boss's doubt, unhurriedly sending a piece of raw fish into his mouth, swallowing before replying:

"To be precise, I'm still in a probation period.

I'm not entirely clear on certain concepts or notions yet.

I'm just acting according to what I think is 'right.'"

Speaking of which, Miss Kadesi beside him let out a chuckle.

The Boss also showed a faint smile and said nothing more.

Just then, a violent explosion came from outside the inn, from the direction of the town center... along with hurried footsteps and crashing sounds—the town seemed to have fallen into chaos.

Yi Chen was about to stand and check, but the Boss gestured for him to sit and said softly:

"If an 'outside visitor' lives in the town for two days without being infected by the disease, we take compulsory measures here.

The tourists who came to town this time all have strong self-control and considerable strength, effectively avoiding all forms of water contact.

Tonight, the Town Chief has designated it as the Day of Diseasement, targeting you for forced purification.

But don't worry... as long as you stay in the inn, no one will come knocking."

"Hmm."

Staying in the inn until the end of the third day was also a fine choice.

Yi Chen knew his limits, especially after meeting Edmund and the others—he was well aware that his foundation was poor, lacking systematic training... if he encountered a stronger diseased entity, he would have almost no chance of victory.

Just as Yi Chen was happily accepting this safety proposal, Little Grape suddenly popped out from his shoulder, landing on the dining table with a bounce.

Rows of teeth and eyeballs emerged together, hands on hips!

A jumbled noise emanated from within its body.

"Hey~ William helped you complete the important 'Patient Transformation'... You know, humans might see that as a [crime], maybe even send you straight to the guillotine.

You really think cooking a meal is enough to settle this?

Give some useful information, and substantial help."

Though Little Grape's fleshy ball form looked a bit ridiculous, these words carried a hint of coercion.

The Boss remained expressionless, but her sister Kadesi instinctively shifted her chair away from the ball of flesh.

Yi Chen was somewhat surprised but kept his face unchanged... silently allowing Little Grape's actions.

The Boss met Little Grape's single eye with her gaze, and ultimately chose to compromise.

"I was planning to bring this up after the meal.

Since you want to use 'Green Lake Town' as a platform, pass the so-called assessment and get a high score, I'll give you a special path.

Hidden in the deepest part of the lake is a [Good Thing].

This thing oversees the 'Fish Transformation' process, while monitoring and controlling the diseased.

Kill this thing, and you'll eliminate the town's Root of Disease.

If you're interested in this, my sister and I will disguise you as 'Sacrifices' to offer to the thing at the bottom of the lake... This way, you can easily avoid the fishmen's interference and go straight for the target.

The dinner you just ate will give off enough 'Fishy Smell' that you won't be suspected."

The Boss's words reminded Yi Chen of the feeling during the lake tour—

that sense of being watched from the lake's depths, as if a giant eye was staring at him.

Currently, Green Lake Town was undergoing a 'Purge', with townsfolk and other examinees locked in large-scale combat—the perfect time to act.

This way, two paths to the assessment's end lay before him.

1. Stay put in the inn, safely riding out the assessment under the Boss and her sister's cover.

2. Use this optimal timing, under the siblings' cover, to head to the depths of Green Lake and kill the Root of Disease hidden there.

Before making a choice, Yi Chen had one question.

"If we fail and don't kill the thing at the bottom, you and Miss Kadesi will definitely be implicated... Why do this?"

"Mutual benefit.

My sister has already shed her scales and become an independent-thinking individual.

But because of that thing at the bottom, we're still trapped here... Only by eliminating it can we leave the town. I promised her we'd see the outside world.

The decision is yours, Mr. William~ If you choose to go to the lake bottom, I trust you have confidence in that."

"I need to think... Give me five minutes."

Though he couldn't spot any issues from the siblings' expressions, and based on the intel gathered so far, analyzed objectively, the siblings, though diseased, retained some Human Nature.

But, Yi Chen was still completely unfamiliar with this world, with many 'rules of stance' he didn't understand.

'Little Grape, can they be trusted?'

'Of course they can, why not... Because I myself am an independent being that defies the 'Pathogen Root', reassembled and born from the graveyard, bound by nothing.

I understand these two's feelings and thoughts.

Such a great opportunity is right in front of us—worth the risk.

If you pull it off, your assessment score will far surpass other humans, earning you the organization's favor. More chances in the future, higher survival odds, and more possibilities to explore the world.

Don't you think?'

'Do we have the ability to kill the Root of Disease that controls and rules the entire town?'

'A [Mother Entity] that needs to manipulate a large number of parasites while handling the Fish Transformation work is usually fixed in one place and can't move.

Its essence is also a 'parasite', not very strong in combat.

The biggest difficulty lies in [getting close].'

Any outsider who enters the lake will not only be tainted by its waters but also attacked by the mermaids.

But with the cover of those two siblings, as long as we can get close to the Mother Entity, everything will become simple.

Besides, even if your Silver Axe isn't enough to kill the target, this Grape still has this many teeth!'

Little Grape proudly flashed a mouthful of white teeth, eager to take action.

Yi Chen didn't respond immediately. He crossed his hands in front of his nose, thinking quietly.

He had already noticed that Little Grape seemed a bit unusual—more proactive about this matter than ever before.

Just as he struggled to make a decision, he suddenly recalled his experience in the graveyard.

The feeling of being infinitely close to death while fighting the Living Corpse... and also the crucial assistance Little Grape had provided. It was because of Vision Enhancement that he had managed to leave the graveyard alive.

Hah... He took a deep breath.

'If I want to survive in this world, Seeking Stability is absolutely not an option. Just like back then, I didn't stay in the wooden cabin but took the initiative to head to Graveyard Plot 4 to deal with the trouble.

I don't know Little Grape's origins, true nature, or specific stance either.

Since it saved me once, I'll trust it unconditionally this time.

If I survive, that proves it's trustworthy, and we can cooperate long-term from now on.

And I need to seize this kind of Opportunity to stand on a higher platform... just like back in the Orphanage when I was alive, grasping the chance to leave at any cost.'