I Want to Live, Not Die

A chill ran through Lu Yuan's heart. He had no doubt that in such bizarre, fanatical circumstances, if that "Holy Master" told these believers to storm the County Government Office, they would charge without the slightest hesitation.

"Did you really develop medicine to treat the plague? And with such remarkable results?"

Lu Yuan muttered to himself, his gaze icy.

"So many physicians have been utterly helpless against this plague."

By the logic of criminal theory—whoever benefited most from this plague was the most suspicious—the Taiping Sect was the prime suspect.

If the Taiping Sect truly was behind it all, then they were utterly devoid of conscience.

This plague had not only struck Lingbao County. Large numbers of people in several surrounding counties had also been infected.

Yet amid this plague, the number of Taiping Sect believers had surged dramatically.

"Zhao Hua is probably about to die..."

When Lu Yuan returned home, he heard people discussing it.

Zhao Hua had been a cook for the Lu Family for seven or eight years, and Lu Yuan's whole family liked his cooking.

Three people in the Lu Family had been infected, and he had been the first to fall ill.

One of them had already recovered.

One had only just been infected. Whether they would live or die remained unknown; they could only leave it to fate.

Zhao Hua's condition, meanwhile, was very serious.

The three were isolated separately in rooms to prevent the plague from spreading to more people. Every day, someone specially delivered food and medicine to them.

"Cough, cough, cough~~~"

From a house in one corner of the courtyard came Zhao Hua's shrill, hoarse cries, like the wailing of a ghost in the wind.

He shouted, cried, and coughed.

Who wanted to die? Zhao Hua did not want to die.

He wanted to live.

He said he had found a woman he loved. He still wanted to marry her, have children with her, and live countless good days ahead.

He begged Master to save his life.

But Master could only do his best.

Yet the house in that corner was exceptionally desolate and cold. No one paid him any heed. Even those delivering food and medicine acted as though they were approaching the God of Plague, using bamboo poles from far away to send the food and medicine inside.

No one dared go near.

"Cough, cough, cough~~"

Just as he was coughing, someone appeared outside the house. He desperately tried to squeeze himself out through the crack in the door.

"Second Young Master, I'm begging you, save me, save me!!"

In merely three or four days, the once-plump Zhao Hua had wasted away beyond recognition. His hair was disheveled, his face grimy, his cheeks sunken, and his bloodshot eyes seemed ready to bulge from their sockets. He pressed desperately against the crack, staring fixedly at Lu Yuan.

"Second Young Master, I want to live, I don't want to die!!!"

It was as if he had seen a savior. His bloodshot eyes bulged even wider as his hoarse throat let out a torn, piercing roar.

"The Taiping Sect's Talisman Water can save people! Second Young Master, let me out!"

Lu Yuan sighed inwardly. Fine.

He stepped closer, intending to unlock the door.

Compared to a human life, it did not matter if the Taiping Sect gained one more believer.

The next moment, Zhao Hua pulled his head back. A withered hand like a chicken claw suddenly shot out and grabbed fiercely.

But the crack in the door was only so wide. His arm could squeeze through only as far as the elbow. His blackened fingernails flailed madly, yet Lu Yuan stood a full meter away.

Lu Yuan stepped back a few paces impassively. "What are you trying to do?"

Zhao Hua withdrew his hand, then shoved his face against the crack again. His savage, ghostlike visage reappeared. The blood vessels in his eyes were so red they seemed ready to drip blood, revealing boundless hatred.

"Lu Yuan! You little beast! Lu Longjing, you big beast! What right do you have to lock me up!! What right do you have to keep me from going out!! Beasts! If I'd known you would torture me like this, I would've poisoned you all! Poisoned every last big and little beast in your family!! I'll poison you! Ahhhhhh! I'm going to poison you all!!!!"

Venomous curses poured from his mouth like a deluge.

"You dog-bred bastard! Beast! Scum! I've served your family for so many years—why won't you save me!!"

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching the author instead! It may have simply been renamed!

After waiting for him to finish cursing, Lu Yuan said blandly, "I was originally going to let you out to receive the Taiping Sect's Talisman Water."

Hearing this, Zhao Hua was beside himself with joy. He dropped to his knees and kowtowed, pleading desperately, "Quick... let me out..."

But Lu Yuan had already walked away. From afar, he could hear Zhao Hua's curses rising again.

This damned plague had tortured people until they were neither human nor ghost.

The Zhao Hua of the past had been round and plump, always wearing a Maitreya-like smile no matter whom he faced. No one had ever seen him lose his temper with anyone.

An hour later, Zhao Hua's wails and curses fell silent.

The two guards wrapped themselves layer upon layer in silk, then cremated Zhao Hua's corpse, clothes, and bedding together.

In this plague, the stronger one's body was, the lower the chance of infection.

"In times like these, natural disasters and man-made calamities weren't enough—now there's a plague too. Why is it so hard just to stay alive?"

"Luckily, Master acted in time. He even gave us face veils, and the medicinal soup never stopped. Only three people in the Lu Family were infected."

Lu Yuan silently watched the raging flames, surging killing intent flickering in his eyes.

Though killing intent churned within his chest, Lu Yuan could find no target for it. He could only suppress his anger.

Returning to his room, Lu Yuan found the box containing the Yin Yang Pill, along with the token he had taken from Shen Luo.

"Shen Luo said this Yin Yang Pill concerns the lives of tens of thousands. Could it be connected to this plague?"

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment.

For the second time, he informed his father and brother, left Lingbao County, and headed straight for Taikang City.

Taikang City was a long way off—more than twice as far as Leiji Town.

After traveling all day, Lu Yuan reached Ziyun County by dusk. Once past Ziyun County, Taikang City was only a little over a hundred li away.

After entering the city and asking around, he was just about to find an inn for the night when his footsteps abruptly halted.

He saw a familiar figure.

It was Xu Ziyi!

Three others stood beside him, and they appeared to be fellow members of the Six Doors.

Just then, the surroundings suddenly erupted into noise.

Commoners came rushing in from every direction, their faces alight with excitement.

"The Holy Master has come to bestow blessings!"

"Hurry! If you're late, you won't get any blessings!"

Hundreds upon hundreds of commoners surged toward the same place.

Lu Yuan frowned deeply.

"The Holy Master again? So many people in Ziyun County are infected too. This plague has spread far wider than I imagined."

Everywhere he had gone, people had been infected by the plague, and everywhere there had been these so-called Holy Masters bestowing blessings.

These so-called blessings meant distributing Talisman Water.

At first, the blessings were free.

Later, they began charging for them.

And the price was exorbitant.

They claimed it was for offerings to Wusheng Laomu.

Many followers would empty their entire fortunes just to make offerings to Wusheng Laomu.

Following the feverish crowd, he soon arrived at an open space where thousands upon thousands of commoners had gathered, heads packed tightly together, shoulders brushing shoulders.

At their center, a Daoist priest dressed in robes, with snow-white hair and beard and the air of an immortal, sat cross-legged atop a high platform.

The Daoist looked kind and benevolent. A foot-long beautiful beard hung beneath his chin, and his gentle smile concealed a faint gleam in his eyes.

"This old Daoist is no ordinary man..."

Lu Yuan's gaze sharpened. His senses were exceptionally keen; he could tell that though the old Daoist appeared aged, his body was in fact immensely powerful, his blood and qi vast and vigorous. His strength was likely no less than Qin Zhen's.

Around the high platform stood more than a dozen Taiping Sect followers, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with tough, capable expressions. Every one of them was a blood-exchange martial artist.

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