The Source of Infection

Zhou Zhi watched Yu Jinhai and Lin Rui's expressions change with his own eyes.

More importantly, Zhou Zhi could now be certain that these two so-called Plague Exterminators had no idea how their companion had died.

The information that had appeared in his mind was visible only to him. What was it? A system?

As for the second question, Zhou Zhi understood why the two of them had changed expressions.

The knife wound on their companion Zhu Xie was the biggest problem.

One member of the five-person group was dead. What about the other two?

And there was the captain whom Lin Rui and the others trusted. Add to that the strange sounds from the Communicator earlier, and even an ordinary person like Lei Heng knew something was wrong.

There was another possibility, too.

That possibility was even more terrifying.

Zhou Zhi lowered his head slightly.

[Official-level Plague Exterminator]

If the problem lay with that person, they would be in trouble.

Now, he had to see what these two medical students would do.

Zhou Zhi knew very well that surviving in a Pestilence Zone teeming with disease would be difficult on his own.

He would have to make use of these people's strength.

"A-Xie is dead."

Yu Jinhai fell silent, placing a hand on the hilt of his knife.

He remained quiet for a while.

"What do we do next? Can we still contact the captain?"

He directed the question at Lin Rui, but she shook her head.

These ordinary people didn't know, but Yu Jinhai did.

The Epidemic War Corps from Pingchang had no idea when it would return.

And as time passed and their Pathogenization deepened, even more terrifying monsters would emerge inside the Pestilence Zone.

There was no time to wait, no time to scrape by and survive.

"We have to find the captain, and... that Doctor Qiu."

Yu Jinhai gathered his emotions.

He still had one hope.

Even if Doctor Qiu had a problem, even if the captain had already been compromised, it didn't matter.

Chen Yao was here. Her older brother, that person, would come.

As long as they held out until he arrived, an incident of this level could be resolved with ease.

That person was the Star-Illuminated known as In-Situ Tremor!

"Move!"

"You! Go in front."

Yu Jinhai couldn't even remember Zhou Zhi's name, though he had already introduced himself.

To Yu Jinhai, an ordinary person who had mastered a little spiritual power was of no use at all.

There were plenty of people like him in Pingchang.

"And you!"

Yu Jinhai pointed at Lei Heng as well.

Lei Heng's face was extremely grim.

But he had no choice.

"Let's go."

Zhou Zhi passed by him.

Something seemed to writhe in the shadows against Lei Heng's back.

Zhou Zhi furrowed his brow slightly.

He climbed the stairs.

"And you lot!"

Yu Jinhai had stopped pretending altogether.

If he wanted to survive, he needed people to test the waters for him.

He was a Plague Exterminator seed with boundless prospects, the future hope of Xuanyuan. He absolutely couldn't die here.

Zhu Xie's death had already changed Yu Jinhai's mindset completely.

The girl before him was even more beautiful and lovely than Di Qiuyan, one of the Seven Xuanyuan Stars, whom he had once seen while volunteering at a medical summit.

But no matter how beautiful she was, in the face of life and death, she was nothing more than bait.

"If you want to survive, you'll have to do as I say from now on."

Yu Jinhai's voice was cold.

Up ahead, Zhou Zhi gave a slow nod.

It was the right approach.

But this guy might not have the character to back up his ideas.

"Two students. One arrogant and volatile."

"One ordinary and hesitant."

Zhou Zhi had seen too many people like them in his previous life.

Thinking back to what had happened earlier made his head ache. A trace of gloom flashed through his eyes.

Click.

The second floor was darker than the first.

The scent of disinfectant hung more heavily in the air.

It had grown irritating.

[Disinfected Environment: Time spent here suppresses the Pathogenization Index]

[Increased Irritation: Prolonged exposure here may cause dizziness, coughing, and difficulty breathing]

The information refreshed again. Zhou Zhi was already used to it.

The second floor of Blue Stone Town Central Hospital was empty, with nothing in its long, deep corridor.

Debris littered the floor, and curtains occasionally stirred in the breeze, making shapes like shadowy figures.

Seeing no immediate danger, Yu Jinhai cautiously stepped onto the floor.

There was no Pestilence here. Just like before, this place had been cleared out.

But there were no corpses, so they couldn't tell who had cleared it.

"Second-floor facilities map..."

A metal sign had been placed in the most prominent spot, showing visitors where to go.

"The third floor has the Dean's Office. It's also his operating room, but we have to go through this corridor."

Lin Rui held the Communicator in her hand and looked ahead.

"Can you sense any spiritual power?"

"None. Nothing at all. At least, it looks safe."

Yu Jinhai spoke coldly.

"But we still need someone to scout ahead."

Yu Jinhai looked over the remaining people.

"I'll go."

Xia Yu suddenly spoke up. "I can do something."

Yu Jinhai paused. He did feel a little more favorably toward the girl now, though only a little.

"You go."

Yu Jinhai pointed at Xiao Nan beside him.

Xiao Nan's face instantly turned deathly pale.

He looked at Xia Yu, unsure what to do.

Zhou Zhi was a little surprised that Yu Jinhai hadn't chosen him this time, though he could understand why.

The previous few times, nothing dangerous had happened. Xiao Nan steadied himself a little.

Then he walked at the front of the group.

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps echoed through the silent space.

They made the already narrow hospital corridor feel even more unsettling.

"It's fine, it's fine..."

Taking deep breaths, Xiao Nan slowly walked forward.

Windows lined both sides, their panes covered in grotesque handprints of mucus.

They showed that many Mucus Men had once been here.

Beyond the windows, everything was still shrouded in fog. Almost nothing could be seen.

"Still no danger?"

Yu Jinhai watched the figure ahead.

Static crackled.

Lin Rui's expression shifted.

She held the Communicator in her hand.

"Up ahead..."

"Right..."

"Up ahead..."

The voice was too garbled to make out clearly.

The captain's voice sounded again.

Achoo.

This time, Zhou Zhi clearly heard it. In the background of the captain's voice, someone was sneezing.

It didn't seem to be just one person, either.

"This..."

Lin Rui had never seen anything so strange. She was almost panicking.

Up ahead, Xiao Nan was still congratulating himself that nothing seemed to be wrong.

At the end of the corridor,

a door stood open.

A strange figure stood nearly two and a half meters tall, almost touching the ceiling.

The aura it gave off was certainly not human.

Everyone saw the terrifying shadow.

Menacing red text appeared before Zhou Zhi's eyes.

[Warning! Warning!]

[Pathogen appeared]

[Environment changed]

[Environment is undergoing moderate infection]

[Spending a short time in this environment will significantly increase the Pathogenization Index]

Xiao Nan could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Not until he was lifted high by one leg—

then flung to the floor.

His body separated from his emaciated legs. Blood sprayed everywhere.

Roar!!!!!