Upon entering the laboratory, Rachel arrived at a door marked "Protective Umbrella".

Alfonso said to Rachel, "Marcus is inside, so I won't go in. You know why."

Rachel nodded slightly and followed the Crusader soldier who was leading the way into the room.

Four huge glass walls divided the room into two spaces, an inner and an outer one. The oil hidden under the ground emitted a slightly pungent smell. Hundreds of Crusaders and Dragonbone Knights stood in every corner of the room, ready to prevent the situation from getting out of control.

Marcus lay calmly on a steel operating table, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, as if everything around him was no longer relevant to him.

Huggins stood beside him and whispered something to him.

Rachel refused the Crusader's accompaniment and went into the operating room alone, coming to Marcus's side.

"Huggins has already explained everything that's about to happen to you, hasn't he?"

Upon hearing Rachel's voice, Marcus's massive body reacted slightly. He turned his head with difficulty, revealing an ugly and bizarre face that sent chills down one's spine.

Marcus asked with difficulty, "Karin..."

"She's in Twilight City," Rachel said. "The doctors are trying to treat her eyes."

Marcus visibly relaxed, turning his gaze back to the ceiling: "As long as she... gets better..."

Rachel said to Huggins, "Marcus seems much quieter than usual..."

The latter replied, "I've heard from the people here that low temperatures can render the undead incapable of moving."

As if he hadn't heard Rachel and Hudgens' conversation, Marcus continued to mutter to himself, "I saw... Little Jerry."

"He was one of the few friends I had in the past..."

“I was once seriously injured and on the verge of death. He carried me barefoot for more than ten kilometers... I still remember the bloodstains on the ground along the way.”

"Now, he has become a necromancer..."

A Crusader soldier approached Rachel and whispered, "Lord Dunlop said the surgery will begin soon."

Rachel nodded, indicating that she understood.

Huggins looked at Rachel and asked, "Are there any risks associated with this surgery?"

Rachel smiled and said, "It's just a matter of extracting some living tissue from Marcus's body to develop an antidote for the necromantic plague. Everything will be fine."

Huggins glanced at Rachel, nodded slightly, and said nothing.

A knight wearing dragonbone armor carefully turned Marcus over so that he lay on his side on the operating table, and then smeared white lime all over the latter's back.

The operating room assistant rang the alarm, and all unrelated personnel left the room.

Rachel and Hudgens walked out of the operating room, and as the doors closed completely, they both chose to pass the time in silence.

Rachel closed her eyes, placed her hand on the dragon emblem on her chest, and her consciousness instantly entered the soul world.

Upon entering the research institute in the heavenly realm, Rachel took out beer and ice cream from the refrigerator, slowly walked to the garden, and gazed at the scenery while lost in thought.

"Finally, I have some free time to rest?"

A familiar voice made Rachel turn her head.

Todd walked over with a smile and sat down next to Rachel.

Rachel took a sip of her cold beer and said, "Marcus is undergoing surgery. If successful, we'll soon have antibodies against the necromantic virus."

Todd nodded slightly: "I know. Wayne also reported this to me before. I told him about the surgical plan and screening methods."

Rachel took another sip: "What do you think the success rate of this surgery is?"

“Wayne has simulated the entire surgery hundreds of times in the soul space, so there shouldn’t be any problems with the operation.”

Rachel turned to Todd: "But?"

Todd sighed: "But the most crucial factors in extracting viral antibodies are time and luck."

“Even though Wayne extracted the antibody from Marcus using his special abilities and existing equipment, he still needs to do a lot of screening and comparison work, which will take time.”

"Finding an antibody against the necromantic virus from hundreds or thousands of samples requires luck."

Rachel shook her head vigorously and said, "Let's not talk about that. How are things going with the Elders?"

Todd said with a wry smile, "Clearly, Sutherland still refuses to see me; he just makes me visit the alien village day after day."

Rachel sat up straight: "A village? Which village?"

Todd waved his hand and opened a holographic screen, which displayed a first-person view of the scenery.

A gentle breeze rustled the lush green grass, wisps of smoke rose outside the tent, and the laughter of children echoed in the air.

Todd said to Rachel, “This is all I see today, a strange village nestled next to the council chamber. It’s lunchtime now; the Tatakri couple’s roasted lamb chops are a specialty here, and Mianchi’s singing always starts around noon…”

Rachel's eyes softened slowly: "I know... Todd, this is where I grew up."

Todd looked at Rachel: "I heard from Eliard that this is the residence of the aliens in the Elder Council, and the place where the members of the Alien Association grew up."

As Rachel watched the children chasing and playing on the grassland in the video, she said softly, "It's not just the Alien Association... Todd, do you still remember the name 'Dissident Legion'?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!