Unease

There were actually many ways to improve one's Plague Extermination Art.

Increase one's spiritual power, learn about plague extermination, gain more clinical experience, or even experience a plague firsthand.

In this world, all knowledge came from plagues.

The closer one got to a plague, the more deeply one studied it, and the more one could improve one's Plague Extermination Art.

Sun Shun lowered his eyes, as if trying to conceal something.

Zhou Zhi said nothing, thinking it over.

Just as he'd expected.

For ordinary people, being an external hire at the Epidemic Prevention Center was a cushy job.

But for a medical student like Sun Shun, a sophomore at the Medical Academy, it wasn't.

Eight hundred Xuanyuan Coins a month was enough to put food on the table and clothes on one's back, but it meant little to a Medical Student like Sun Shun, who'd already reached Apprentice Plague Exterminator level in his sophomore year.

Zhou Zhi noticed the Plague-Slaying Blade at Sun Shun's waist. It wasn't the standard-issue Plague-Slaying Blade of Changdu Medical College, but it was quite finely crafted.

A wealthy family, excellent grades, abundant spiritual power.

And someone like that had come to work as a city patrol officer...

Zhou Zhi looked at Sun Shun.

"Being a Plague Exterminator, having talent—none of that matters at all."

Sun Shun raised his head, a hint of excitement on his face.

"As long as you have enough clinical experience, even someone with no talent at all can become a full-fledged Plague Exterminator!"

"I chose to join the Epidemic Prevention Center because I learned about the current situation ahead of time."

"The Outer City will fall into chaos because of the [Longevity Path]. Strange Incidents that should have been cleared out by full-fledged Plague Exterminators are now left unattended. This is our chance. There are Pathogenized Objects and Plague Extermination Arts, and it's all within the [city]."

Sun Shun looked at Zhou Zhi. Of the two of them, he had higher hopes for Zhou Zhi.

Even though Zhou Zhi was absurdly young.

"Not having to go to a Pestilence Zone is the greatest guarantee of safety."

Before Sun Shun had finished speaking, Le Wei, the slightly plump girl beside him, asked worriedly, "But those Strange Incidents were supposed to be cleared out by full-fledged Plague Exterminators. Won't we... won't we be in danger?"

"The Epidemic Prevention Institute assigns grades to Strange Incidents. As long as we take low-level tasks, there won't be much danger... As for danger, there's bound to be some. I can say that for certain."

Sun Shun touched his Plague-Slaying Blade. "But if a Plague Exterminator doesn't even dare to face these dangers, there's no point talking about the path ahead."

"Other people are still in their ivory towers at the academy. Some haven't even seen a single plague by the time they graduate, with no clinical experience at all, just building castles in the air. But we can start clearing out plagues right now, and even obtain [Pathogenized Objects] from Strange Incidents to arm ourselves... Maybe, one day, we could even hope to be selected."

Sun Shun smiled. "Well?"

He didn't really care what Le Wei thought.

Le Wei was a junior at Changdu Second Medical College, but as an Apprentice Plague Exterminator, she didn't even have a Plague-Slaying Blade. It would be difficult for her to contribute much in a fight.

The one Sun Shun cared about most was Zhou Zhi.

Young, not even enrolled in a Medical Academy, yet armed with a Plague-Slaying Blade and remarkably capable.

If Zhou Zhi was an ambitious person, he shouldn't...

"I'm not going."

Zhou Zhi spoke slowly.

"Why?"

Sun Shun asked.

Zhou Zhi glanced at Le Wei on his right. "I'm not thinking about furthering my education for now, and I don't have any particularly pressing desire to improve myself."

"I don't think I'll go out of my way to provoke a Strange Incident."

"That's that."

Zhou Zhi nodded lightly, then turned and left.

Sun Shun's expression darkened.

But soon, his expression returned to normal.

"What about you, Le Wei?"

After returning to his residence, Zhou Zhi took the Blade Case out of the wardrobe.

From what he'd learned from Sun Shun, the situation seemed even more dangerous than the information had suggested.

What they knew so far was that the cult, the [Longevity Path], was running rampant outside Changdu, attacking Plague Exterminators.

Inside the city, Strange Incidents that should have been eliminated by Plague Exterminators like Li Xun were left uncleared. As a result, many people wanted to join the Epidemic Prevention Center, hoping to put themselves through their paces.

After all, it was rare to find training that was this close to safe.

Sun Shun could hardly imagine that Zhou Zhi would reject his proposal.

But Zhou Zhi had rejected it.

"Strange Incidents... In theory, they're like the [Liang Xiao Meat Toxin] incident back in Blue Stone Town."

"Eerie and terrifying, but also a great place to train."

There was only one reason Zhou Zhi gave.

He didn't trust Sun Shun or Le Wei one bit.

As for Le Wei, she didn't even have a Plague-Slaying Blade. She was probably no better than an average student at the Medical Academy.

As for Sun Shun, Zhou Zhi simply didn't like him.

Sometimes, that was reason enough.

Besides, he also believed Le Wei would choose to team up with Sun Shun.

Because that girl didn't seem to have any other choice.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Zhou Zhi came out of his thoughts and opened it.

A pretty little face appeared before him. It was Su Rongrong.

"Zhou Zhi, here, have a Lotus Leaf Bun."

"I made it myself!"

Su Rongrong held up a woven basket, beaming as she offered it to Zhou Zhi.

"I just made them, and I'm handing them out. You get two, too."

"But only two, or there won't be enough for the people after you."

Zhou Zhi nodded and smiled.

Clearly, Doctor Su Xing hadn't sent her to deliver these Lotus Leaf Buns.

"Why aren't you at school at this hour?"

Zhou Zhi was a little hungry, so he asked casually.

"At your age, you should be studying hard. You can't skip class."

Su Rongrong raised an eyebrow. "You're about my age. Why do you sound so old-fashioned?"

"Besides, our school started suspending classes today... I'm not skipping."

Suspending classes?

Zhou Zhi's eyes flickered.

He hadn't received that notice in advance. It must have just gone out.

"Did something happen?"

Su Rongrong shook her head. "I don't know either. They just suspended classes. Everyone's happy about it, but I'm not that happy. When I'm home, I have to help Dad look after the patients... We've had quite a few more patients than before these past few days."

Tsk, tsk.

Going by the usual script, this was a dangerous development.

Zhou Zhi ate a couple of bites of the red bean Lotus Leaf Bun, then picked up the Blade Case.

"I'm going out on patrol."

Two days later.

Zhou Zhi saw Sun Shun and Le Wei again.

This time, Le Wei, who'd been rather timid before, seemed a little more cheerful.

There was a strange wound on Sun Shun's face.

But his expression gave something away.

Both of their spiritual power had increased.

Things must have... gone well.

"[Back Alley Road—Oral Ulcer Pathogenization Incident]."

"An elderly man living alone didn't want to pay the high medical fees at the hospital, so he endured the plague at home. As a result, he gradually became pathogenized, and the infection spread."

"By the time the Epidemic Prevention Center discovered him, the old man had become completely pathogenized. Ulcers had spread throughout his mouth, and a [Disease Seed] had even crawled out of it."

"Fortunately, two Apprentice Plague Exterminators from Suhui discovered the situation and subdued the old man along with the pathogen on the spot."

"Incident rating: Low-level Disease Seed."

"Reward: Three contribution points."