The man before him was, at least in Zhou Zhi's eyes, very handsome.
Unlike Wu Ji.
His features were colder, his eyes long and narrow. His long hair was tied back, leaving a lock of bangs over his forehead.
He looked like a tiger choosing its prey.
He wore a pitch-black uniform beneath a trench coat, with ornaments hanging from either side and swaying faintly. At his waist was a Plague-Slaying Blade.
Unlike the ones Zhou Zhi had seen before, this blade was long and slender, just like its owner's eyes. It was black from end to end, and tiny star-like patterns dotted the end of its scabbard.
His black hair stirred faintly.
The man never looked at the ground. Instead, he gazed up at the sky.
Zhou Zhi hadn't noticed that night had already fallen over Blue Stone Town.
The moon shone bright, and few stars were visible.
The man looked up at the moonlight, his face cold and indifferent.
He had to admit, Zhou Zhi thought, this guy beneath the moonlight had an incredible air about him.
But Wu Ji was trembling beside him.
Zhou Zhi could tell that Wu Ji was afraid.
"[Star-Illuminated]..."
"[Star-Illuminated] is here..."
Wu Ji muttered to himself. Clearly, after everything that had happened lately, the strain on his mind had reached its limit.
"[Xuanyuan Seven Shining Stars], Chen Chaosheng?"
Qiu Ti looked up and instinctively took a step back, but quickly steadied himself.
Many complicated emotions stirred in his eyes.
The Seven Shining Stars!
Those were the Seven Shining Stars!
He wasn't even qualified to stand alongside someone like that!
Every one of them was a leading figure among the younger generation of the Xuanyuan Plague Extermination World.
In Zhou Zhi's eyes, information flowed over the man above.
[Seven Shining Stars—Chen Chaosheng].
[???].
[???].
Zhou Zhi was used to the question marks by now. He lowered his gaze slightly, watching Qiu Ti's expression from the corner of his eye.
Was this so-called Seven Shining Stars really putting that much pressure on Qiu Ti?
Just moments ago, Doctor Qiu Ti had looked like he'd mastered some divine art. Now Zhou Zhi could clearly sense the fear lurking beneath the surface.
Then—
Qiu Ti's expression finally grew resolute.
Things were different now. He had obtained [Xenogeneic Lungs]. He was no longer the person he'd been before!
Even if Chen Chaosheng was one of the Seven Shining Stars, he was still just an ungraduated kid.
Qiu Ti's expression gradually took on a diseased cast. His left and right lungs began to writhe inside his chest.
In the [Dark Plague Extermination World], the bounty for the head of any of the Xuanyuan Seven Shining Stars was astronomical.
If he killed Chen Chaosheng here, he could easily trade the bounty in the Dark World for a top-tier Plague Extermination Art or the rarest materials and equipment!
"Lucky me."
"I'll use your life as the stepping stone for my first step."
"I... hate talented geniuses like you most of all."
RUMBLE!!
The earth trembled. Cracks spread out from where Qiu Ti stood!
The naked [Great Sneeze—Qiu Ti] was covered in copious amounts of mucus.
At the same time, several small bubbles spread out from the wounds over his left and right lungs.
"Die."
"[Explosive Sneeze Orb]."
An uncanny Power of Pestilence spread outward, aimed straight at the man above!
The power took Zhou Zhi by surprise.
[Great Sneeze—Qiu Ti].
[Pathogenization Index: 82.7%].
[Source of Pathogenization: Influenza].
[Pathogenization Level: Primary Pathogen].
[Pestilence Ability: ???].
[1. Any being that approaches the host will be pathogenized and develop symptoms such as Influenza Plague. The (sneeze) attribute causes severe damage to the internal organs.]
[2. Explosive Sneeze Orb: An attack method that actively uses the internal organs to build up abdominal pressure, then uses mucus as a membrane to form bubbles.]
[???]
[???]
[The doctor at Blue Stone Town Central Hospital was an outcast with a trace of talent. He embraced Pestilence and lost the recognition of his own Plague-Slaying Blade].
[The Human Sacrifice Pill granted him temporary resistance to rejection, but the effects could not be sustained. The contamination from rejection gave him power, but was also cutting short his life].
[The Influenza Vaccine granted him temporary resistance to pathogenization].
["A life without talent is meaningless. Then... is the life of someone with a little talent meaningful?"]
As Zhou Zhi's contact with Qiu Ti deepened and Qiu Ti revealed more of his power, the information in Zhou Zhi's mind gradually filled in. There were still plenty of question marks, but even so, he couldn't help being astonished by the power of this world.
At least, the power Qiu Ti had just displayed was astonishing compared to what Zhou Zhi had known in his past life.
It had completely surpassed the realm of ordinary superhumans.
"Quick... run!"
Wu Ji fled wildly, putting as much distance between himself and Qiu Ti as he could.
Zhou Zhi nodded.
Even if Qiu Ti didn't kill him here, Zhou Zhi would be completely pathogenized.
Above them—
Chen Chaosheng's face darkened.
What a bore.
If it weren't for his father, who would want to save that so-called younger sister?
That lowlife [illegitimate daughter].
A waste of his time.
"It's all your fault... If it weren't for you..."
He spoke softly. "[Di Qiuyan] was this close to dying at my hands."
Chen Chaosheng seemed not to care about Qiu Ti below him at all.
The bubbles swelled, reached Chen Chaosheng, and then—
Exploded in an instant!
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! DIE!!!"
Qiu Ti laughed wildly, his body bare. "I'll take every last bit of talent from all of you!"
The Xenogeneic Lungs inside him had given him power enough to do it.
That was a treasure he'd obtained by sacrificing an entire Blue Stone Town and two Plague Exterminators!
The dust slowly settled.
Footsteps sounded.
Qiu Ti's smile gradually faded.
"Another fool who embraced Pestilence and thought he knew better."
The man's voice rang out.
"Your attribute is [Sneeze]? An attack on the internal organs."
"Trash."
Chen Chaosheng spoke.
"[Black Kite]."
"[Heart Slash]."
What color, exactly, was black?
It was difficult for humans to describe in words.
But now, Qiu Ti saw it.
A shadow of a heart, black as darkness.
Above the ground.
Then it split in two.
The terrible pain vanished in an instant. Qiu Ti could no longer feel anything at all.
He hadn't even seen Chen Chaosheng draw his blade.
"We're both... official Plague Exterminators... why..."
Qiu Ti couldn't understand.
His life faded, and he collapsed.
Chen Chaosheng walked past him, powerful and terrifying.
All around them, the Influenza Plague was being purged.
Zhou Zhi lowered his head.
Was the difference between them really this great?
By rights, shouldn't Qiu Ti have been the big boss of this Blue Stone Town area?
How had he... been taken out so quickly?
And he hadn't even been able to fight back.
This so-called [Xuanyuan Seven Shining Stars].
He was around the same age as Wu Ji.
But their strength was worlds apart.
"My lord! My lord!!!"
Wu Ji wore a fawning smile as he led the woman behind him over.
"I rescued Miss Chen Yao!"
"I've been waiting for you... You don't know how much I've suffered..."
Squelch.
Wu Ji's expression froze.
The world spun around him.
Zhou Zhi's heart turned cold.
Because—
Wu Ji's head had been severed from his body.
He'd been... beheaded.
Blood spurted everywhere.
"You couldn't even protect a person."
As if kicking a piece of trash, Chen Chaosheng shoved Wu Ji's corpse aside. "You don't deserve to live."
Before you continue