An Ordinary Night

To Zhou Zhi, money might have been important.

But not that important.

Among Chen Chaosheng's belongings were a bank card, Plague Armor, and a Plague-Slaying Blade. Zhou Zhi didn't need to think any further to know they were worth a fortune, especially the Black Kite—even though he couldn't take it out for now, there would probably be a way to deal with it in the future.

For a businessman like Yu Xianzong, a debt of gratitude was the hardest thing to repay.

But now that he thought about it, businessmen really were shrewd.

If he hadn't brought up Ni Jie and joined the Epidemic Prevention Center, he might not have earned the man's trust so quickly. But whether the man trusted him or not didn't matter. At least now, he had...

Zhou Zhi gently lifted the Black Box.

Compared with the Plague-Slaying Blade he'd had before, this one was much heavier. It had a strange, weighty feel to it.

There weren't many people on the street.

Compared to the bustle of the city center, this area seemed much more deserted.

A few night patrols passed by now and then, giving Zhou Zhi a curious glance or two.

"Changdu's public order is pretty good."

Following the streetlights, Zhou Zhi wondered where he should sleep that night.

Back in Blue Stone Town, he hadn't had a single night of sound sleep. Quality sleep was essential for the human body.

"Young man..."

In an alley, a plump, middle-aged woman waved to Zhou Zhi with a beaming smile.

"You're looking for somewhere to stay, aren't you?"

Zhou Zhi sized her up. "How can you tell?"

"Of course I can."

The woman smiled smugly. "Changdu is the capital of Pingchang Circuit. Every year, lots of young people come here... You're lucky you ran into me. I was just heading home for a late-night snack..."

Generally speaking, plump women gave people a kind, warm impression. The one before him was no exception.

But Zhou Zhi's gaze slowly lowered.

Cough, cough, cough.

The woman coughed twice.

She covered her mouth with a hand.

And saw a smear of bright red.

"Coughing up blood..."

Zhou Zhi's brows drew together slightly.

Was his luck really that bad?

[A plump woman].

[Pathogenization level: 10.4%.]

[Source of pathogenization: Influenza.]

[The flu seems to be the most common pestilence this season.]

[Source of pathogenization: Acute laryngitis.]

[Humans never have only one illness, do they?]

Zhou Zhi took two small steps back. "Hello... are you all right?"

The woman coughed twice more. "I'm fine, I'm fine..."

Zhou Zhi frowned.

Her Pathogenization Index was low, so there was no risk of pathogenization. And this was Changdu; the woman could take care of herself...

"Aunt Mei!"

"Why are you out again?"

"Didn't Dad tell you to rest and recover these past few days?"

A clear, youthful voice came from behind Zhou Zhi. "It's nothing serious, but if this goes on, it could lead to bigger problems."

The plump woman covered her mouth. "I thought I was better, that's all!"

The girl before him was around fifteen or sixteen, about Zhou Zhi's age.

If he had to describe her in a few words, perhaps she was lively and adorable.

Her big eyes brimmed with energy.

"Aunt Mei, I told you to wear a mask... It's no good if you spread your cold to someone else."

"There are lots of places dealing with Influenza Plague these days... Even though this is Changdu, you still have to protect yourself. You're responsible for others as well as yourself."

The girl lectured her with an air of maturity, then finally noticed Zhou Zhi.

"Uh, Aunt Mei, who's this...?"

Zhou Zhi was young, but his face held a composure that didn't match his age.

And carrying a Black Box in the middle of the night felt strangely out of place.

"He's an out-of-towner looking for a place to stay... Cough, cough."

"Oh."

The girl nodded. "Then come with me."

"With you?" Zhou Zhi asked.

"My family's Clinic is next door to Aunt Mei Inn," the girl said. A small cloth backpack hung on her back, and something like bandages was wrapped around her waist.

The slender girl looked full of spirit.

"My name's Su Rongrong."

"My dad's a bona fide Plague Exterminator."

She looked especially proud when she said that.

"What about you?"

Zhou Zhi thought the girl was quite outgoing. "Zhou Zhi."

Then he fell silent.

Su Rongrong waited a moment, then let out an "Ah."

"That's it?"

"Is there supposed to be more conversation, Miss Su?" Zhou Zhi said. "I'm tired. I kind of want to... sleep."

Su Rongrong looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry about that."

With that, Su Rongrong led Aunt Mei toward the other end of the street.

Once he'd confirmed this wasn't some kind of honey trap, Zhou Zhi followed them.

Soon, at the end of the street,

the four large characters "Su Family Clinic" came into view.

Next door was Aunt Mei's inn. Though calling it an inn was a stretch; to Zhou Zhi, it looked more like a rural self-built house.

Then there was the Clinic...

Zhou Zhi looked up at the sign before him.

It was wooden and plain, not particularly ornate.

It was a private clinic, but its style seemed different from the hospitals in Xuanyuan.

Under the dim yellow light of the evening, it looked somewhat old-fashioned.

"Come on, Aunt Mei, come inside first. Dad seems to be seeing a patient. You'll have to wait a bit."

Su Rongrong helped Aunt Mei over the threshold, then called to Zhou Zhi, "Come in, friend!"

"You can wait for a bit. If anything's bothering you, you can tell me beforehand."

"Especially if you've got bruises or sprains... My dad used to have Chengyun inheritance, and he's really good at treating those."

Zhou Zhi went inside and looked around the Clinic.

It looked simple, barely like a proper hospital.

Then...

"Boom!!"

A sound of something bursting came from behind a curtain in the distance.

The grinding sound of shifting bones made his teeth ache.

Zhou Zhi's eyes shifted.

A massive shadow surged out from behind it like a beast, charging straight toward Su Rongrong and Zhou Zhi.

"What is that?!"

Su Rongrong jumped in fright.

Zhou Zhi stopped in his tracks.

Some of the bones inside him seemed to be knocking against each other.

It felt as if something had come out of joint.

Clang!!!

Zhou Zhi's Black Box opened, revealing a light-brown Plague-Slaying Blade in its sheath.

He moved swiftly, lightly tapping the shadow on the head with the scabbard.

The burly Black Shadow was immediately pinned to the floor.

"Dad!!!!!!"

Su Rongrong screamed.

Aunt Mei was already too stunned to move.

The next second, a thin, short, middle-aged man appeared.

He grabbed the massive figure.

Both hands moved at once, gently rotating the upper arm.

As he did, a "crack" sounded through the space.

"I told you not to run around... Your dislocation is already serious. If this happens a few more times, you might really undergo pathogenization... I'm not joking."