Negotiation

[Pingchang Chen Family].

[The eccentric noble].

When Zhou Zhi captured these pieces of information, thoughts had already begun to form.

In Zhou Zhi's field of vision, the current enemy was already confirmed.

The core of the disease that created the [Blue Stone Town Pestilence Zone] was that [Great Sneeze Doctor - Qiu Ti], along with his current lackey, the medical student [Wu Ji].

These two individuals had mastered the Plague Extermination Art, especially Qiu Ti.

He had to introduce external forces to resolve the current predicament.

Otherwise, even if he didn't die from the disease, Zhou Zhi wouldn't survive the day.

"Quiet."

Zhou Zhi said in a cold, low voice.

He stood up and groped his way toward the other side.

[Great Sneeze Operating Room].

The pale, white curtains were right beside him, and the strange smell in the air felt even more intense.

"The communicator is said to have been left here by Wu Ji, though the possibility that it has already been destroyed cannot be ruled out."

Zhou Zhi raised his head slightly.

In the distance.

Several Mucus Men with numb expressions walked through the Great Sneeze space.

They were carrying some items.

"Hmm..."

Zhou Zhi looked at the scene ahead.

Although he did not have the ability to see exactly what kind of power Qiu Ti possessed, judging by the current situation, [controlling Mucus Men] should be the power Qiu Ti gained after embracing the plague.

Including the [Mucus Man Vanguard] made from medical students that appeared earlier, thinking about it this way, the [Mucus Men] hanging above would immediately become Qiu Ti's soldiers when encountering variables.

"A system completely different from the Plague Extermination Art."

Zhou Zhi could recognize that the power Qiu Ti used was completely different from what Yu Jinhai had used before.

Avoiding the gaze of the Mucus Men.

His footsteps were calm as he entered the inner operating room.

The curtains moved slightly, and Zhou Zhi's movements became increasingly gentle.

Rather than an operating room, this place was more like a storage room where Qiu Ti conducted human experiments.

Unlike the morgue beneath Bai Xiu Clinic, this place was much more chaotic.

Mucus flowed down the walls, vaguely streaked with blood.

Several Mucus Man corpses were strewn about, looking extremely disgusting.

"Communicator..."

Zhou Zhi really wanted to scavenge this place to gain a concrete understanding of the plague-extermination power in this world, but now was not the time.

A message flickered.

At this moment, it was very timely.

Zhou Zhi's gaze shifted to a shelf on the side, where many miscellaneous items were placed.

[Musk Brand Special Communicator].

[Medical Department fourth-generation epidemic prevention communicator, capable of effectively preventing unconventional disease-induced interference with signals, electricity, etc.]

[Equipped with two-way individual positioning function.]

[Ordinary communicators can sometimes be the cause of death; do not forget how that female Plague Exterminator died.]

["This communicator is really nice."]

Completely different from Lin Rui's communicator, the one before him exuded refinement and elegance.

Sometimes, Zhou Zhi felt that the inexplicable message was like a part of himself, or at least that was what he believed.

"Enter password."

Zhou Zhi operated the communicator gently.

Crackle, crackle.

The sound of electricity rang out, bringing back some unpleasant memories for Zhou Zhi.

However, this communicator seemed to be the type that was less prone to disease-induced corruption.

Zhou Zhi observed the situation outside, holding the communicator in his hand with meticulous care.

Crackle, crackle...

After a burst of noisy static.

It seemed to connect.

Yet it also seemed not to; there was a faint sound of a man's voice, but it was impossible to hear clearly.

"Make it brief."

Zhou Zhi lowered his voice: "Chen Yao is in Blue Stone Town; this place has already become a Pestilence Zone."

Crackle, crackle.

Zhou Zhi did not know if the message had gone through. It was likely because this place had become a Pestilence Zone that the communication was severely obstructed.

The communicator fell into a deathly silence, with no further sound.

Zhou Zhi pondered for a moment before placing it back in its original position.

If it were to ring again out of nowhere later, he would be finished.

At this moment, his gaze shifted.

He saw several blades lying beside the communicator.

There were three in total.

They lay horizontally right there.

"Plague-Slaying Blades?"

Zhou Zhi recognized these blades; their design resembled oversized scalpels, only they were a size larger than the Bai Xiu's Scalpel he originally possessed.

These Plague-Slaying Blades were likely the standard equipment for Plague Exterminators in this world.

Zhou Zhi recognized one of them.

It was the blade originally held by Yu Jinhai.

Clearly, it had been confiscated by Wu Ji.

Looking at it this way, aside from Lin Rui, who had just transformed into a Mucus Man, the remaining two blades must have belonged to the other two medical students from the intern group of five.

Standard Scalpel Type II.

Pathogen Index: 10.82%.

The base bears the insignia of Pingchang First Medical College; it is a Class III contribution exchange item from the academy.

Provides a minor bonus to (Heart) branch Plague Extermination Arts.

Provides a negligible bonus to (Cardiopulmonary) major category Plague Extermination Arts.

Using this scalpel can slightly increase heart rate and enhance overall physical capabilities.

As such a common item, it is almost impossible to promote to (Good Grade) based on its own merits.

The current condition of this Plague-Slaying Blade is good.

All three individuals' scalpels were of the same model, far superior to the shattered scalpel Zhou Zhi had previously.

"Perhaps..."

Zhou Zhi gripped one of the Plague-Slaying Blades, feeling its temperature.

It was significantly larger than Bai Xiu's Scalpel and could not be freely tucked into his pocket.

However, he took it without hesitation.

The Plague-Slaying Blade seemed capable of providing mysterious power.

Incidentally, the [Lung Resection] that Zhou Zhi now possessed should also count as one of the (Cardiopulmonary) major category Plague Extermination Arts.

He slowly raised his hand.

In the distance, footsteps approached.

Zhou Zhi's expression remained unchanged; he quickly replaced the Plague-Slaying Blade, then crouched down, blending into the shadows of the Mucus Men.

It was Wu Ji.

At this moment, the young man's face looked extremely unsightly.

As a favored son of heaven, Wu Ji was an object of envy for everyone at the medical college.

He was also the leader of this medical internship.

His future should have been bright.

But now...

There was an ugly palm print on Wu Ji's face, and a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, which he wiped away lightly.

"[Three Vials of Mucus Man Essence]."

"[Throat Beast Trachea], one piece."

Wu Ji's eyes flickered as he searched for the items he was supposed to obtain.

After Qiu Ti had actively embraced the pestilence, he had fallen into a state of chaos, and many special items had begun to be scattered about.

"Hmm..."

Wu Ji's expression shifted slightly.

His gaze turned toward a certain spot.

Three Plague-Slaying Blades—they were still three.

The identical Plague-Slaying Blade at Wu Ji's waist stirred.

"The position is wrong... someone has been here."

Wu Ji's face grew inscrutable.

"Who is it?"

His gaze was frigid.

"It is I."

To his surprise, someone had actually answered him.

From the shadows, in a corner that had gone unnoticed.

The young man revealed a calm expression.

"Mr. Wu Ji."

"Perhaps we should give some serious thought to how we might kill that monster outside."

"Don't you agree?"

Zhou Zhi's voice was soft.

Yet, to Wu Ji's ears, it sounded like a thunderclap.