[National Mourning! Thirty Thousand Countrymen Buried Overseas!]
[Following the Earthquake, Fires Have Broken Out in the Western Part of Beautiful Country, Killing Thousands]
[Cases of People Biting Others to Death Have Appeared in Kyoto. The Biter Was Shot Dead by Police.]
Gu Yan ate lunch while browsing the trending news.
The comments were filled with condolences for the dead. More than thirty thousand people—how many families had seen their worlds collapse?
Opening another dedicated phone, Gu Yan followed the instructions and entered the Ability Users' internal website, hoping to find something interesting.
He planned to visit the Haishi Ability Bureau in the afternoon. What if he went now and nobody was there because it was lunchtime?
The main concern was that they might not feed him, so he figured he would eat his fill at home first.
[My Girlfriend Is Critically Ill. Begging for an Ability User from the Medical Department. There Will Definitely Be a Generous Reward!]
It was a help request, and the requester had openly revealed his identity: he was an S-rank Ability User! That meant countless talented people would be willing to help!
Gu Yan normally would not have cared. His healing ability was not particularly outstanding, and it was unsuitable for indiscriminate use on ordinary people. He was just about to scroll past it when he saw the picture posted by the requester.
The image showed only a section of skin on the patient's arm. The fair skin made the purple stripes stand out with extraordinary clarity.
Gu Yan abruptly stood up.
Honkai Sickness!
Those were clear symptoms of Honkai Sickness. The Honkai's corrosion had reached Huaguo in such a short time!
He read through the post again. Sure enough, the patient had only begun showing symptoms ten hours ago, yet all the organs in her body had already started failing. Her condition was extremely serious.
Since everyone logging onto the website was an Ability User under the Ability Department's control, the requester was not very wary and had even left her location in the post.
Susu City, very close to Haishi.
Should I go? He really wanted to know whether Ability Users could treat Honkai Sickness. Besides, using Levitation to fly there would not be a problem. He could arrive in just ten minutes.
After all, his own family members were ordinary people as well, and they could also become infected with Honkai Sickness.
Gu Yan did not want to end up flailing around like a headless fly if the worst happened, only to waste precious time.
He could also wait until the patient was treated and then ask the requester, but the requester probably would not casually reveal the savior's information.
So Gu Yan could only wait—wait for the outcome. Would the patient die despite treatment, or recover?
If she died despite treatment, it meant Ability Users might be powerless against Honkai Sickness.
If there was hope, he planned to use Xu Muchi's identity to investigate the person who treated her. Given her current attitude toward him, she should not refuse.
As long as he mentioned that the patient's symptoms were identical to those of the people who had died on the plane, it would definitely attract attention, and the person who had saved her would emerge.
But if things really reached a dead end...
Gu Yan clenched both fists, his gaze dangerous and sharp. No one knew what he was thinking.
"Oh, Nelly, you're truly God's most perfect masterpiece!"
The obese noblewoman's fleshy hands wantonly handled the petite girl, dressing her in an exquisite gown, applying makeup, and arranging her hair.
Her rough movements seemed ready to tear the girl apart.
The girl's captivating lashes drooped. Her face was delicate as if carved from fine jade, and her golden hair fell to her waist in a smooth, silky cascade. Her entire body was petite and adorable, like a doll.
Even her expression was the same.
The noblewoman admired her handiwork for a while, then nodded in satisfaction.
She brought her hand toward the girl's face, and the girl instinctively shut her eyes tight.
"Dear Nelly, what do you mean by that? You look like such a pitiful little wretch." The noblewoman's large hand seized the girl's thigh and twisted it viciously.
The girl kept smiling, as if she did not feel any pain at all.
"Hmm, not bad. Remember to get along well with Duke Simon." The noblewoman leaned forward, stopping her greasy lips two centimeters from Nelly's forehead. It was impossible to say who she was putting on this act for.
Nelly smiled and nodded before turning to leave.
"Look at that—what an obedient child. We only need to move a finger, and she'll let herself be manipulated like a puppet."
A portly man dressed in loose clothing had silently watched everything. At the noblewoman's words, he snorted coldly.
"If Duke Simon hadn't taken a liking to her, I wouldn't have raised a bastard!"
Over the years, in order to "sell" Nelly for a good price, the couple had spent a great deal of money polishing her image.
"Don't worry, dear. Our investment is worth it. Although that bastard's mother sullied noble blood, fortunately God gave her a beautiful face."
What a nuisance.
Nelly left the estate. Simon was waiting for her at the entrance, wearing a smile and gazing at her with affection. He had the air of a perfect gentleman.
A trace of imperceptible disgust flashed through her eyes, but Nelly returned a sweet smile and walked toward him unhurriedly.
What a nuisance. His hypocrisy makes me sick.
"Good afternoon, Nelly. You're even more dazzling than the sunlight today." Simon habitually took her hand, gentle and gentlemanly.
Nelly gave a shy smile, her cheeks flushing as she lowered her head, afraid to look directly at him.
Her bashful appearance was impossible to look away from, making him want to pull her into his arms and lavish affection on this little golden canary.
Let go of my hand, you bastard!
She resisted and recoiled inwardly, but her expression did not change at all.
I can't resist.
"Come on, Nelly. I'll take you to enjoy lunch, and then we'll spend a pleasant afternoon together."
Tsk, where are you looking with those filthy eyes?
Nelly still offered no resistance, as if she did not care in the slightest about Simon's excessive behavior.
Right now, she was merely a piece of meat, destined either to be sold or fed to the dogs.
The fortunate—and unfortunate—thing was that someone had already reserved her. That someone was this disgusting "gentleman."
Seeing that Nelly did not resist, Simon smiled in satisfaction, and the two of them got into the car and left.
They were a golden couple worthy of envy: one was a humble puppet yearning for freedom, while the other was a lecherous, high-born scumbag.
The noblewoman stepped away from the window, a smile on her lips and undisguised greed in her eyes.
Her son had married into nobility—Nelly's mother—and their entire family had risen with him, living a dreamlike life.
Unfortunately, her son had passed away not long afterward.
No, if her beloved daughter-in-law changed her mind, everything their family had would be lost. So she had decided to seize it all.
To hold everything in her own hands!
There was an idiom from the East: "The dove occupies the magpie's nest!"
She had spent many years doing it. Nelly, her granddaughter, was already sixteen years old.
The smile on the noblewoman's face gradually turned savage, and she could not help wanting to burst into laughter.
Her dear daughter-in-law had killed herself. Since Nelly was the child of a servant, the noblewoman exposed her to the public eye, obtained everything she needed first, and then "set aside past grievances" to adopt Nelly.
Her reputation and wealth—all of it belonged to her alone!
Turn this doll into a puppet, tear apart her exquisite princess dress, and replace it with a slave's prison uniform!
Someone had taken a fancy to her? Thank God! She could exchange her for even more wealth!
She felt incomparably light, every cell in her body moaning. It was as if all her bones were transforming. She felt herself ascending, felt that she possessed and had surpassed everything.
She had surpassed desire, surpassed reason, surpassed humanity...
No, this was far from enough!
You must wring every last bit of value from Nelly!
"I will. I'll lick every inch of her flesh clean!"
You must obtain all the power and wealth!
"I will. I'll control everyone in the palm of my hand. They're all my money trees!"
You must stop at nothing!
"Yes. I even killed my own son with my own hands and plotted against my daughter-in-law!"
You have done very well!
Even when death comes for you, do not be afraid.
You will exist forever in this world!
You will never perish through all tribulations!
Because we are Original Sin!
Before you continue