The Seven Shining Stars

Zhou Zhi's silence had annoyed Yu Jinhai at first.

But since Zhou Zhi was always quiet and obedient, and he also possessed spiritual power, Yu Jinhai had come to view him a little more favorably.

If the center of Blue Stone Town was full of harmless creatures like Mucus Men, that was fine. Those things were just lucky.

But if there were dangerous creatures like the Throat Beast, Yu Jinhai wasn't about to risk rapidly worsening his illness by fighting to the death.

Obviously, they needed a few people willing to die.

This group of survivors was pretty good, especially this kid who had mastered spiritual power.

"Disease Prevention and Control Agency... Brother Zhou, you've made it big!"

Xiao Nan said quietly as she and Xia Yu came over.

"What's that?"

Zhou Zhi asked.

"It's the public organization responsible for defending Pingchang against pestilence and preventing outbreaks. They handle disease prevention across the entire city. The full-time members are proper Plague Exterminators, while the part-timers are ordinary people like us. But even part-time work is something everyone envies, because... the pay is really generous."

Xia Yu looked wistful.

Especially in a major metropolis like Pingchang.

It really was a pretty good job.

Nearby, Lei Heng listened, looking tempted. He turned to Yu Jinhai. "Sir... I..."

"Shut up. You're annoying."

Yu Jinhai's face was cold. "Get lost."

Lei Heng tucked away his yellow teeth and immediately fell silent.

Xia Yu watched this exchange with a lovely smile.

Her double-lidded eyes were just as lovely.

The corners of her eyes curved like crescent moons.

"Mr. Zhou Zhi."

She moved closer to him. "I spoke briefly with that female Plague Exterminator just now, and got a rough idea of their plan."

"We should be able to survive."

The girl looked naturally beautiful.

Zhou Zhi glanced at Lin Rui from the corner of his eye.

Compared with someone like Yu Jinhai, this female Plague Exterminator really was easier to talk to.

A week ago.

Six students from Pingchang First Medical College were doing their graduation internships.

Blue Stone Town Central Hospital was just one of their stops.

However, according to Lin Rui, there were only five actual classmates.

The other one was a special case.

A transfer student from a family with an illustrious background.

On the surface, it was supposedly an internship and study tour. In practice, the transfer student's arrival had turned the five of them into her bodyguards.

Lin Rui's expression had darkened when she talked about it.

It was because she couldn't stand that transfer student that she and Yu Jinhai had decided to get some fresh air around Blue Stone Town, leaving the captain and the others at their lodgings in town with the transfer student.

They hadn't expected the pestilence to strike during that brief separation.

All of Blue Stone Town had been sealed off and turned into a Pestilence Zone.

"An illustrious background? Just how illustrious are we talking?" Xiao Nan asked curiously.

The most important person Xiao Nan had ever met was the mayor of Blue Stone Town. It was hard to believe even those lofty Plague Exterminators had someone they couldn't handle.

"[The Seven Xuanyuan Stars]."

Xia Yu glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, then continued, "That's what Exterminator Lin told me."

At those five words, Xiao Nan's pupils widened in shock.

"Could it... could it really be one of the Seven Shining Stars?"

Xiao Nan could hardly believe it.

Zhou Zhi frowned.

What was going on?

Was it some kind of idol boy band?

Seeing Zhou Zhi's confusion, Xia Yu immediately explained.

"In Xuanyuan, Plague Exterminators are the most respected people. And there are a few among them..."

"They're idols to almost everyone, representing the finest of the younger generation of Plague Exterminators in the Xuanyuan Kingdom."

"They're outstanding in every way, without a doubt."

"They're destined to become [Dragons] one day."

"They were selected by major domestic journals as [the Seven Xuanyuan Stars]."

"Each one is extraordinarily talented and exceptionally capable."

Xia Yu lowered her voice.

"And the brother of the transfer student currently in Blue Stone Town is one of the Seven Xuanyuan Stars, a star shining high above Xuanyuan."

"One of the Seven Shining Stars."

"[Chen Chaosheng]."

That name seemed to have some kind of magic. In the distance, Lin Rui seemed to sense something and turned her gaze toward them.

Xia Yu immediately fell silent.

A name like that was usually only heard on television.

He was a genius destined to become a great figure in the future.

His younger sister absolutely couldn't be allowed to come to any harm.

Zhou Zhi thought about the name of this group.

The Seven Xuanyuan Stars. It did sound impressive.

And this particular Star probably had a bad personality.

On top of that, in terms of Plague Exterminator rank, he was certainly far stronger than these two Plague Exterminators, and even their entire squad.

For now, their goal was the same as Zhou Zhi and the others': head to the center and find that [official Plague Exterminator].

The sky slowly darkened.

Holding the Ash Box, Zhou Zhi sensed something faintly.

A stream of warmth passed through his palm.

It had briefly communicated with the broken scalpel from before.

Bai Xiu's Scalpel had been damaged by the Throat Beast in the earlier fight. It was basically ready to shatter at the slightest touch. Zhou Zhi had put it in a pocket and wrapped it in cloth.

Without the scalpel, Zhou Zhi had no way to use Lung Resection.

Crunch.

They stepped on fallen leaves.

They crossed the deserted Central Plaza.

Up ahead, the outline of Central Hospital finally came into view.

"This is Blue Stone Town Central Hospital."

Zhou Zhi looked up.

Up close, the entire hospital was grayish white.

White powder had flaked from the walls, like the wrinkled dead skin of a corpse.

A metal fence stood in the middle, its gates now swung open to either side.

The plants lining the road seemed to have darkened.

And...

The corpses of Mucus Men.

They were everywhere.

They had nearly piled up into a mass grave.

The slime on the ground had also been cleaned away.

"The Throat Beast corpses!"

Yu Jinhai smiled.

Behind the mass of Mucus Man corpses lay the bodies of several Throat Beasts.

Yu Jinhai crouched halfway down and examined an opening in one of the Throat Beast corpses.

"The blade was sharp, and the movements were precise... these are traces of the Plague-Slaying Blade."

"Interns can't break through a Throat Beast's [Pestilence-Heat Hide]. Only... a licensed doctor, a true Plague Exterminator, can do that!"

Yu Jinhai knew very well that only those who had earned a license and advanced to official rank could be called true Plague Exterminators. Only then could they suppress Pestilence Calamities on their own.

The hospital's main doors were shut. Yu Jinhai gave them a gentle push.

He had already put some strength into it, but they wouldn't budge.

Rustle, rustle.

Static crackled from the Communicator.

Lin Rui held it in her hand, looking anxious.

"Captain! Captain, we're here!"

A broken voice came through the Communicator.

"Come... to... Blue... Stone..."

"Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

Something seemed slightly wrong.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..."

The voice on the Communicator grew louder and louder with every cough.

It sounded as though the speaker would cough up every organ in their chest.

Lin Rui's expression shifted.

Zhou Zhi moved back, retreating behind the crowd.

Yu Jinhai gripped the handle of the Plague-Slaying Blade with his right hand, then pushed open the doors of Blue Stone Town Central Hospital with his left.

Creak—

The sound of the door was like a hoarse scream.