Unease

There are, in fact, many ways to improve one's Plague Extermination Art.

Increasing spiritual power, acquiring knowledge of plague extermination, gaining clinical experience, or even experiencing the plague firsthand.

In this world, all knowledge originates from the plague.

The closer one gets to the plague and the deeper one researches it, the more one can improve their Plague Extermination Art.

Sun Shun's eyes were lowered, as if he were concealing something.

Zhou Zhi did not speak, lost in his own thoughts.

As expected.

Being an external staff member at the Epidemic Prevention Center might be considered a lucrative job for an ordinary person.

But for a sophomore medical student like Sun Shun, it was anything but.

Eight hundred Xuanyuan Coins a month was barely enough to keep one fed and clothed, which held little significance for a medical student who had already reached the level of an Apprentice Plague Exterminator by his second year.

Zhou Zhi glanced at the Plague-Slaying Blade at Sun Shun's waist; it was not the standard-issue blade from Changdu Medical College, though its design was quite refined.

Wealthy background, excellent academic performance, abundant spiritual power.

Why would someone like this come to work as a city patrolman...

Zhou Zhi looked at Sun Shun.

"The so-called Plague Exterminator, the so-called talent—these things don't matter at all."

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

"As long as one has sufficient clinical experience, even a person without any natural talent can become a formal Plague Exterminator!"

"It is precisely because I learned about the current situation in advance that I chose to join the Epidemic Prevention Center."

"The outer city will fall into chaos because of the [Longevity Path], and the Strange Incidents that should have been cleared by formal Plague Exterminators will be left ownerless. This is our opportunity—Pathogenized Objects, Plague Extermination Art, and all of this is happening [within the city]."

Sun Shun looked at Zhou Zhi; of the two, he favored Zhou Zhi more.

Even if Zhou Zhi was excessively young.

"Not having to go to the Pestilence Zone is, in itself, the greatest guarantee of safety."

Before Sun Shun could finish his sentence, the slightly plump girl, Le Wei, asked with some concern: "But, those Strange Incidents that were originally meant to be cleared by formal Plague Exterminators—won't we... won't we be in danger?"

"The Epidemic Prevention Institute classifies Strange Incidents. As long as we take on low-level missions, there won't be any significant danger... As for danger, it certainly exists, I can guarantee that."

Sun Shun touched his Plague-Slaying Blade: "But for a Plague Exterminator, if one doesn't even dare to risk such dangers, then there is no need to discuss a future path."

"Others are in the ivory towers of their colleges, not having seen a single plague by the time they graduate. They have no clinical experience and are merely working in a vacuum. But we can start clearing the plague now, and we can even obtain [Pathogenized Objects] from Strange Incidents to arm ourselves... In the future, perhaps even the [Selection] will be within reach."

Sun Shun smiled: "How about it?"

He didn't really care about Le Wei's thoughts.

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 and could hardly contribute any effective combat power.

What Sun Shun valued most was Zhou Zhi.

Young, not even enrolled in a medical college, yet carrying a Plague-Slaying Blade and possessing extraordinary ability.

If Zhou Zhi were 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 don't have any thoughts of advancing my studies for the time being, nor do I have any urgent desire to improve myself."

"I don't intend to go out of my way to provoke Strange Incidents."

"That's all."

Zhou Zhi nodded slightly, then turned and left.

Sun Shun's expression darkened.

But soon, his composure returned.

"Le Wei, what about you?"

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

Based on what he had learned from Sun Shun, the situation seemed even more dangerous than the information suggested.

The current known situation was that the cult [Longevity Path] was running rampant outside Changdu, attacking Plague Exterminators.

Inside the city, the [Strange Incidents] that were supposed to be cleared by Plague Exterminators like Li Xun were being left unattended, leading many to join the Epidemic Prevention Center for the sole purpose of training themselves.

After all, such relatively safe training opportunities were extremely rare.

Sun Shun found it hard to imagine that Zhou Zhi would reject his proposal.

However, Zhou Zhi simply refused.

"Strange Incidents... theoretically speaking, are similar to the incident involving Liang Xiao's Meat Toxin back in Blue Stone Town."

"They are eerie and terrifying, yet they are also excellent places for training."

But Zhou Zhi had only one reason.

He did not trust Sun Shun or Le Wei in the slightest.

Le Wei went without saying; without a Plague-Slaying Blade, she was likely nothing more than a mediocre student at the Medical Academy.

As for Sun Shun, Zhou Zhi simply disliked him.

Sometimes, that reason alone was enough.

Furthermore, he believed that Le Wei would likely choose to team up with Sun Shun.

Because that girl seemed to have no other choice.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door was rapped.

Zhou Zhi roused himself from his thoughts and opened the door.

A delicate, pretty face appeared before Zhou Zhi—it was Su Rongrong.

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

"I made these myself!"

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

"I just finished making them and am handing them out; you have two as well."

"But only two, otherwise there won't be enough for the others later."

Zhou Zhi nodded and offered a smile.

Clearly, these Lotus Leaf Buns were not sent by Doctor Su Xing.

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

Zhou Zhi happened to be a bit hungry, so he asked casually.

"At your age, you should be studying hard; you shouldn't be skipping class."

Su Rongrong arched her delicate brows: "You're practically the same age as me, why are you acting so old and stuffy?"

"Besides, our school started suspending classes today... so it's not skipping class."

Suspended classes?

Zhou Zhi's eyes flickered.

He hadn't received this notification in advance; it must have just been issued.

"Did something happen?"

Su Rongrong shook her head: "I don't know either, but classes are suspended anyway, and everyone is so happy. I'm not that happy, though; when I'm off, I have to help my dad take care of patients at home... these past few days, we've had quite a few more patients than before."

Tsk, tsk.

Following the standard script, this development was quite dangerous.

Zhou Zhi took two bites of the red bean paste Lotus Leaf Bun, then picked up his Blade Case.

"I'm going out for a patrol."

Two days later.

Zhou Zhi saw Sun Shun and Le Wei once again.

This time, the once timid Le Wei looked a bit more cheerful.

And on Sun Shun's face, there was a strange new scar.

But the expression on his face betrayed a few things.

Both of their spiritual energies had increased.

It seemed... things were progressing well.

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

"An elderly man living alone refused to go to the hospital to pay the high medical fees, choosing to endure the plague at home, which resulted in gradual pathogenization and spread."

"By the time it was discovered by the Epidemic Prevention Center, the old man had completely pathogenized, the ulcers had spread throughout his oral cavity, and [Disease Seeds] had even begun to crawl out from his mouth."

"Fortunately, two Apprentice Plague Exterminators from Suhui discovered the situation and suppressed both the host and the threat on the spot."

"Incident Rating: Low-level Disease Seed."

"Reward: Three Contribution Points."