In Terra, a Hunter, and a Bad Woman Chapter 40

However, Maria didn't notice this. After thinking for a while, she silently stepped back and looked at the man before her.

Ch'en quickly adjusted her mood as well.

"Then what is your objective? How many companions do you have in Lungmen?!"

Ch'en immediately questioned him, while Maria silently kept the man pinned down.

"I... I don't know."

The man's face was deathly pale, and he even looked desperately close to tears.

"I really don't know... We, we didn't receive any information. We were just sent here and told to infect some influential people in Lungmen. We really don't know anything else! Really! I wasn't lying to you! Really!"

The man kept stressing that he wasn't lying, but he revealed very little, which left Maria somewhat dissatisfied.

But after hesitating for a few moments, she seemed to think of something and frowned.

"So... Sora was your choice, not someone your superiors specifically assigned?"

"Mhm, mhm, mhm!"

The man nodded furiously.

After receiving that information, Maria fell silent for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"If that's the case, there's no point in me staying here... I'll leave these people to you. I'll be going now."

"Ah..."

Ch'en froze for a moment when she saw Maria turn around and leave so decisively.

After hesitating for a while, she turned her head uncertainly.

"You're... not going to interrogate him?"

"Hm?"

Maria looked back at the dragon girl, who seemed hesitant to say something, and smiled.

She stopped walking and slowly approached her.

Under Ch'en's stunned gaze, Maria gently lifted her chin and leaned close.

Her exquisite face was fully displayed before Ch'en.

"Just now, it seemed like you didn't want me to interrogate him, did you?"

Maria spoke gently, her rich fragrance washing over Ch'en's face.

Instinctively, Ch'en took a deep breath as someone drew near, inhaling all of Maria's scent into her lungs.

Only when she came back to her senses and realized what she had done did Ch'en's face flush crimson.

She hurriedly stepped back several paces, breaking free from Maria's fingers as she forced herself to stay calm.

"I was merely reminding you. If you give up this opportunity, everything afterward will have to be handled by the Lungmen Guard Department. You won't get another chance!"

As she spoke, her eyes darted about, too flustered to look at Maria.

But Maria merely smiled.

"How interesting."

"Mm..." An irritated sound escaped Ch'en's mouth.

"I've already learned most of what I wanted to know from his memories. Continuing the interrogation won't yield any more information, so there's no need to waste time here..."

Maria withdrew her hand, slowly straightened her back, and looked at Ch'en.

"Compared to all that, Miss Ch'en, you seem far more interesting... Consider it a personal request. If you uncover any additional intelligence during your investigation, please let me know."

"I would be deeply grateful."

With that, Maria turned and left, giving Ch'en no chance to refuse.

Ch'en wanted to chase after her and say something.

But the Reunion Movement members around her gradually began to wake up, bringing Ch'en back to her senses.

Setting everything else aside, she had to wait for her colleagues from the Guard Department to arrive and take these people into custody.

And around her still lingered that rich, undispersed fragrance.

It made her recall Maria's somewhat intimate gesture from moments ago...

"Damn it... Maria..."

Biting her lip in embarrassment, Ch'en watched Maria's retreating figure and slowly clenched her fist.

Can You Do It?

"That was the situation... Emperor, you..."

"I understand. Thank you."

"Mm... all right. No, I wasn't the only one who discovered it."

"Actually... Ah, all right."

By the time Maria arrived where Texas was, Texas had finished her call atop a rooftop not far from the concert venue.

Although Blacksteel International was responsible for protecting the concert, Monster Siren Records was the one that had invited them.

They were businessmen, after all. They wouldn't spend extra money reinforcing security just because of Texas's side of the story.

Fortunately, Penguin Logistics's boss, Emperor, held a certain amount of influence within Monster Siren Records.

With him stepping in, many matters became much easier.

When Texas saw Maria approaching, a trace of delight appeared on her face.

"The concert venue's security will be reinforced shortly... How did things go on your side?"

"I caught them too... Though those people were ultimately taken away by a detective girl, I more or less learned what was going on." Maria nodded, then explained everything she knew.

Including the Reunion Movement, their choice of targets, and the matter involving Sora.

After hearing everything, Texas's brow furrowed deeply.

"So... those people attacked Sora simply because she was more famous, not because of any other reason?"

"From what we know so far, that's the case... I came back because I was worried that other Reunion Movement members might still be targeting Sora."

Maria nodded, while Texas's face darkened with anger.

They had targeted her simply because she was famous?

How was that any different from indiscriminate murder?!

Texas clenched her fists.

Maria glanced at her before quietly turning away.

"Are they all like this?"

"Hm?" Texas turned to look at Maria.

"The Infected... Are they all like this? And why are they so heavily ostracized?"

Maria voiced the confusion in her heart.

Honestly, even now, she still couldn't understand what all this was for.

From what she knew so far, Oripathy was an incurable terminal illness, but she couldn't understand where all of this had come from.

Were those Infected... all this insane?

"That question..."

Hearing Maria's question, Texas didn't know where to begin for a moment.

Still, she honestly organized her thoughts.

"The Infected aren't all this crazed... Rather, under normal circumstances, Infected in the early stages are no different from ordinary people. Only those whose infection is extremely severe and has affected their brains begin behaving strangely."

"People fear the Infected for one reason because their emotions are highly unstable and they often commit acts of violence. At the same time, the Originium crystals in their bodies grant and amplify their Originium Arts, which means that when they go mad, the destruction they cause is far greater than what ordinary people can cause."

"Another reason is that in the later stages of Oripathy, an Infected person's body becomes highly crystallized. Once they die, they explode and scatter Originium dust... That dust can easily infect those nearby. Apparently, someone studied it before—a single person's explosion can produce enough Originium dust to infect a small or medium-sized town!"

"Of course, due to various external factors, the final outcome wouldn't be that severe, but it's enough to make everyone else afraid."

"On top of that, every country's stance toward the Infected is one of suppression. That leaves many people infected with Oripathy unable to receive normal treatment and unable to survive... Extreme circumstances worsen their mental state... Not everyone hates them, but everyone does fear contracting Oripathy..."

After Texas finished, she turned to look at Maria.

Come to think of it, wasn't this common knowledge?

Why was Maria asking this?

"Is that so?"

After hearing Texas's answer, Maria remained silent.

She stood by the rooftop railing, letting the wind brush across her cheek and lift her snow-white hair.

"So Oripathy can't be cured?"

"...No."

"Then how can one avoid becoming infected?"

"That... There isn't an exact answer at present. Even someone who has never come into contact with an Infected could suddenly become infected one day... Some things simply can't be avoided."

As Texas spoke, she carefully watched Maria.

She could sense that Maria was in a bad mood.

"Are you... angry?"

Texas asked cautiously.

"No... I merely feel that I may have misunderstood some things before."

Maria turned and looked down below the rooftop.

Within the lively concert, several youthful, beautiful girls were dancing and singing songs that gave Maria a headache... Though Maria couldn't understand this form of artistic expression, looking at the cheering crowd around them, she could truly feel their happiness.

And in distant corners, crowds dressed in tattered clothes moved through tangled, complicated alleyways. There were fights between them, lonely children, and even more people so desperate that they lacked the strength to move...

So...

The disaster of this world wasn't beastification, but Oripathy?

Maria pondered.

Soon afterward, Doll's voice rang out in Maria's mind.

"Kind hunter, I have organized the memories of that man..."

"How is it?"

"There are still enemies..."

"Hm?"

"There are still enemies in motion, hunter."

Doll's voice was soft, gentle as though she were singing a nursery rhyme.

"In the man's memories, I heard the enemies' plans... Their people will gather in a place called the slums."

"The slums..."

Maria raised her head and looked into the distance.

Vaguely, shadows of people could be seen moving.

"It's not over yet?"

She murmured.

Texas beside her looked puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."