Medications

Sizzle, sizzle. Sizzle.

The strange sound echoed in the quiet air. The dim light should have brought a soft feeling, but in this environment, it made people inexplicably think of the ghosts that flashed from time to time in old Japanese horror movies in their previous lives, and they felt a chill down their spine.

What appeared at the end of the road was a nightmare-like monster. It was the size of a car, with centipede-like legs and scorpion-like pincers. It had tentacles on its head, and its multi-faceted compound eyes stared straight at the creature in front of it. The strange sound came from its mouthparts rubbing against each other.

Ricks shrugged his lips and stared at the thing. "Higher insects will transform back into monsters at night. This thing is called a scavenger."

After confirming that they were not his companions, the scarlet bug's pupils burst out with a terrifying murderous aura, and in the blink of an eye, it crossed a distance of dozens of meters and appeared in front of everyone. The sharp forelimbs fell from above, and the blood-losing people reacted quickly and dodged. The huge sound attracted more scavengers, and the group ran away.

Oleus casually pulled up a decorative railing on the roadside, used his blessing to transform it into an iron rod covered with spells, and swung it at the monster with great force. They fought and retreated, with Rex leading the way swiftly.

"We can't kill it, or it'll set off the alarm. Run to the barn! There's no patrol there at night!"

It has to be said that talents are everywhere. In this emergency situation, Rex can even find the route with the least scavengers. A dozen scavengers are hanging behind the five people, running out of the thousand-mile battle.

The closer we got to the barn, the dimmer the lights became.

From a distance, the animal shed seemed to be completely cut off from the city, shrouded in darkness. A thick black fog flowed through the animal shed, and nothing could be seen inside.

The priest's eyebrows twitched: "What kind of a hellish place is this? Will I be transformed if I enter it?"

"You'd better pray that you're not so lucky."

Ricks said this without looking back and took the lead into the black fog.

This layer of mist is thick on the outside and loose on the inside, like a deliberately made insect net that traps the people inside.

The scene in the animal shed was the same as it was during the day, except for the people who were unable to move and were still lying on the ground. Most of them were severely infested with insects, and their faces showed pain.

The footsteps of the five people were very clear in the silence, and they rushed into the depths in one breath. There was a rustling sound behind him, and Ricks looked surprised: "Strange, the scavengers should not come in. They are very bloodthirsty at night, and the queen strictly forbids them to enter the animal shed."

"The problem is they're already in, now what do we do?"

At the critical moment, the door of a dilapidated hut in the left front suddenly opened, and a small head popped out.

The girl waved at them: "Come over here! Those guys are coming in!"

Without time to think, the five people rushed into the house. The girl immediately closed the door and pulled the others to hide in a corner.

Swish, swish.

The strange sound of friction between mouthparts lingered in front of the door, sometimes far away, sometimes near, looking for something. After a moment, the sound left in the direction from which it came.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had the energy to observe the surroundings. The room was dark and the furnishings were blurry. There was a pile of straw on the ground as a bed, and a dark figure was curled up on it. The girl ran to the straw and carefully helped her up: "Mom."

The priest checked on the woman and asked, "Is your mother feeling better?"

"Thank you for giving me medicine during the day. Mom is feeling much better now."

"That's good."

The quality of the medicine brought this time is guaranteed. Hearing the little girl say this, the priest felt relieved and thanked her: "Thank you for helping us escape. It really helped a lot."

The girl lowered her head shyly: "I'm glad I can help you. This house was left to me by my father. He would be very happy if he knew."

"Then your father..."

Flynn had just finished speaking when Ricks elbowed him back. He swallowed the rest of the sentence, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

A trace of sadness flashed in the woman's eyes: "He was eaten by the insect people in exchange for food for us."

"...Feel sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. This is our normal state. You guys are not from here. I haven't seen you before."

The group introduced themselves, and Oreius asked each other's name. The woman showed a trace of nostalgia: "It's been a long time since anyone asked my name. Call me Amelia."

“Puff, cough, cough…”

Hearing this, Rex, who had been very quiet until now, suddenly burst into a shocking coughing fit.

Everyone looked at him strangely, and Ricks waved his hands hastily: "Nothing, you guys continue. I just think this name sounds nice."

He was probably the only one who thought he could cover it up. The woman looked at him curiously for a while and smiled: "Thank you, this is a name given to me by someone very important to me. You are not from here, are you from outside?"

They definitely couldn't hide their temperament, and with Rex, who was a low-level insect during the day and escaped with them at night, they would be exposed. Oleus simply nodded: "We want to go to the central area."

"Central District..."

The woman hesitated for a moment, and then her eyes lit up slightly, as if she was thinking of something.

"I know someone who can go to the Central District. I'll ask Belle to take you there. Can you tell me why we're going there?"

Her eyes were full of expectation and pleading, fearing to hear disappointing news. The red-haired young man's expression softened: "We are here to save you."

"Save us...save us...Great!"

The woman sat up excitedly, her pale face flushed. She held Belle's hand and repeatedly told her to listen to her brothers. Belle nodded and stood beside the priests obediently, ready to lead the way for them at any time.

The woman finally calmed down and smiled a little embarrassedly.

"I'm sorry, I got a little too excited. I'll let Belle take you to find the uncle. Besides, if you go to the central area, you will definitely meet a man who was once our hero. Please help me make sure he is safe."

Aurelius had only heard that word used in one other person before, so he asked tentatively, "You mean the betrayer?"

The smile on Amelia's face faded, and she said seriously, "He is not a traitor."

"He is a good man. I believe he did not betray us. He just had no choice. He gave me my name. If you have met him, you will know that he is a real hero."

At that time, she was still a little girl, separated from her parents when she first came to the barn, and had no one to rely on. It was the chief who gave her a name and hid the children, including her, deep in the barn, so that they could spend a stable childhood.

Amelia still remembers him clearly. He was younger than her, but resourceful and brave. He had led the people in the barn out of danger many times and had made great achievements in the resistance. He was like a flag. Wherever he was planted, people there would feel hope.

How could such a man betray them? There must be something wrong, a trick by the queen to make them disappointed in their followers and then laugh at them behind their backs.

Amelia's voice was not loud, but it was full of power. It was the first time that Orelius and his friends heard different ideas among these people. Rex looked at her in a complicated way: "Are there many people like you?"

The woman smiled bitterly, and people heard the answer from her smile.

The more hope a person places on others, the more severe the backlash will be when they collapse, and people will not hesitate to make malicious assumptions about each other. Amelia could only tell her child about this incident over and over again when telling her goodnight stories, repeatedly sketching that thin figure in her mind. She warned her to never give up light and never forget hope.

She waved her daughter over and said, "Belle, take them to see Uncle before daybreak. Be careful."

Belle nodded, and after making sure that there was no movement outside the door, she led them in and out of the house. The scavengers had indeed left. They had run and jumped when they came, but this place was unusually quiet. There was no sound except for the heavy breathing of the people on the ground.

Belle Cat walked into the depths of the barn with the sash on his belt and knocked on one of the houses. After a while, the door was slightly opened, and a vigilant voice came out from inside.

"Who is it?"

"Uncle, I'm Belle. Mom asked me to bring someone to find you. The scavengers are hunting them down."

The other party then opened the door, revealing a bearded face. The two looked at each other, and the man in front of them was the Cangsang man they had seen during the day. Seeing Oleus and the others, the man was obviously very surprised. He leaned over and motioned for everyone to enter the house. Compared with the mother and daughter's house, this room seemed more tidy.

The man rummaged around in the corner for a while, then carefully took out a small bottle of cloudy liquid and sprayed it on everyone.

Instantly, an unimaginable stench assaulted the red-haired youth's nose. The man explained, "The scavengers distinguish humans by their smell, and when they transform back into high-level insects, they won't remember your appearance. Just remember to spray the pesticide."

Flynn was surprised: "You are a pharmacist?"

The man smiled and said, "My brother and I once worked for a former pharmacist here. He taught us how to make a drug that can confuse smells. Plus, we happen to be twins, so my brother would occasionally come back and exchange identities with me for a while, so that we could get information from the outside world."

Priest: "Don't you mean we have to follow the rules?"

"Rules are made to be broken if you want to escape."

The man's eyes were deep, showing an extraordinary aura. He was indeed a good partner, more strategic and far-sighted than others.

A few people looked at each other, and Aga said calmly: "We need to go to the central area."

The man's face changed slightly: "What are you doing there?"

"We are from the Black Mist Association and need to activate the equipment there. Amelia said you can get us in."

The man hesitated and said, "I can, but it will cost a lot. You'd better be prepared."

Flynn said straightforwardly, "What price is more terrible than death? Just tell me."

The man looked at him steadily. "Every once in a while, the insect people come to the animal shed to collect the meat. The advanced insect people are close to human form and are very picky in every aspect. Their food cannot have any flaws. They are all slaughtered on the spot."

"The best place to cook it is in the central area. But if you don't escape in time, you will become a meal for the insect people. If you want, I can arrange it for you."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

"You're welcome. Besides that, there's one thing you must remember. Don't come into contact with the insects and humans in the central area. If you encounter a traitor, run away quickly. He's best at calling his friends. Once he finds out, things will get very troublesome."

Several people looked at each other, and no one agreed immediately. The man shook his head: "Did you agree to Amelia to meet him? The silly girl is still saying this. She only met him once. But she believes in him so wholeheartedly."

But if what Amelia said was true, they had an insider in the central area who could understand the queen's current situation. This would be extremely beneficial for future battles.

The red-haired young man weighed the pros and cons in his heart. This time, unlike before, only Oleus came as a disguise. His ability was indeed strong, but it was better to use him in combination. Of course, it would be best to know more about the opponent.

As if he could see through their thoughts, the man warned them, "If we just go to the central area, I can help you. But after that, there will be no more help. I have to be responsible for the people here."

"Thank you. I understand."

Oreius came back to his senses, and the group discussed the details. The man said, "It's getting late, you can rest here with me tonight. My room is bigger than others. When you are ready tomorrow night, you can go directly from the barn to the central area."

This plan was very thorough, and the five of them were all tired. They had run a battle royale game in the middle of the night, which consumed a lot of their energy.

The man sent Belle home and found some straw for them to lay on the ground. The red-haired young man was not picky about the place, he lay down comfortably on the straw, closed his eyes and let his mind go, allowing his body to get a full rest.

The blood connection was empty, and it was rare that it was cut off from everyone. Oreius lay down for a while, and the person next to him tossed and turned, seemingly unable to sleep.

He reached out and touched the other person's shoulder, and the man turned his head and stared at him. The red-haired young man opened his eyes and said, "Rex, what are you doing instead of sleeping?"

"Nothing..."

Ricks' eyes flickered, and the red-haired young man glanced at him: "If you don't tell the truth, I'll throw you out."

"No, no, no, I'm just a little nervous. Normally, scavengers shouldn't go into the barn. If something goes wrong with what I understand, I'm worried that I won't be able to escape."

Yes, that is indeed a problem.

But the arrow had to be shot. It was the first time that Oleus missed the portal so much. He wondered what it was like now.

Fast forward to the time when he just received the portal contact, and the missed portal was escaping.

In the dark space, illusory doors flickered continuously. A huge and cold gaze descended from above, and doors kept bursting wherever it passed. In reality, the locations of these doors suddenly changed.

Iron gates, wooden doors, doors of abandoned houses, half-open courtyard gates...

Doors grew bloated limbs, wandered chaotically in the black mist, and attacked all living things they saw.

Why is this guy so persistent? What on earth did I do to offend him?

The portal narrowly passed by his sight, and he continued to teleport without even turning back. It rarely came to such a deep place, and the places it could go were limited. If it continued like this, it could only go to where humans lived, and that was the world of the portal.

——But, Oreius seems to like humans very much.

If I kill those little things, can I still get blood from them?

The portal was caught in a contradiction. As an out-of-control pollutant, its self-preservation consciousness and the control of blood restrained each other, so it did not directly degenerate into a vassal of the red-haired young man like a dead object. But in its heart, the other party had unknowingly become an extremely important existence. Just like the "thing" that the pollutants have been looking for, as long as they follow Oreius, they may be able to complete the promotion by relying on his blood. This is an irresistible temptation for the portal.

It swiftly dodged the attack of [Cursed Day] and finally made up its mind. It couldn't lose Oreius' trust, as it was related to its future!

That's all that can be done.

After the last jump, the portal did not run to the border of the black fog. It shouted to the [Cursed Day] above its head: "Hey! Why are you chasing me?!"

The scale-covered eyes did not respond, but only stared at the red lines on its body with hatred. The portal was numb from being stared at, and threatened: "If you do this again, I will not be polite!"

Its body suddenly swelled to its fullest, exuding an extremely mysterious and ancient flavor. Bright red patterns were outlined on the black marble door, like eyes opened in the abyss. But soon, these patterns faded.

At this moment, Oleus completely lost control of the portal. However, since he had been disconnected before, he did not notice anything.

The aggressive [Cursed Day] suddenly turned, and its pupils looked towards the door. The translucent door did not move under its gaze, and opened very slowly from the middle.

A cold breath flowed out, as if carrying death and despair. The swaying sunlight was tainted with a smell of decay. There was not a single ray of light inside the door, only the deepest nothingness surging, and the occasional sound of metal clashing could be heard.

At the critical moment, a hand suddenly pressed on the door.

It was a slender, white hand that looked like a woman's at first glance. The heavy door closed again with a gentle push. The portal regained consciousness and turned around and fled to the human world when it saw the other party.

But the visitor simply pinched it lightly, and the portal was pulled back into his palm by an irresistible force. Energy surged in the void, freezing it into a solid.

[The Cursed Day] Looking at Him with fear, the black mist flows over His body like a veil, making everything seem hazy and mysterious.

"I can't give this to you. I promised to keep it for the Sage as an experiment."

He spoke in a leisurely tone, and put the rapidly shrinking portal into his sleeve. Cursed Day stared at Him for a moment, and was the first to look away and leave.

The being smiled and walked towards a certain place leisurely. With every step he took, the surrounding scenery changed. Black mist surrounded him, as if he was submitting to the king's carriage.

The golden threads intertwined with the white mist that spread across the human territory, forming a barrier that prevented them from advancing. The vast black mist surged in, forming a confrontation with them.

This barrier was fragile yet flexible, bearing the impact of the black mist countless times without ever breaking. The [Monster Lord] stopped in front of the fence and looked deeper, as if staring into the eyes of a certain being.

A smile appeared on the face covered by the mist. He asked with interest, "Do you want to stop me?"

"Forget it. After all, we are old acquaintances. I'll give you a favor. But this is the last time, and the time to reap the rewards is coming."

He flicked the portal into the fence, and the golden thread did not block it this time. The pollution penetrated the white mist, and no one saw it.

It fell from a high altitude and landed precisely in someone's pocket. The command of the [Monster Lord] rang in his ears, and the pocket owner paused slightly and continued to patrol calmly.

He nodded to everyone with a friendly smile on his face. People who saw him greeted him respectfully, so he greeted happily: "Good morning, I like the spring in Partington very much, this city is beautiful."

"See you again, little drunkard. How did you learn to drink like your father when you were so young? Secret brewing is not a good thing. Did you take the medicine I gave you every day on time?"

"Yes, yes. Our medicine is being distributed for free on the streets. Ordinary people can take it to strengthen their bodies, and those with blood can apply for another batch. We have financial support from the association."

He answered people's questions while moving towards his goal.

There was a house on the corner with a sign reading "Arthur Temporary Hospital" on the door. The windows were bright and clean, and the environment was good. He pushed open the door and walked towards his own clinic.

The receptionist greeted: "Mr. Arthur, there is a gentleman waiting for you."

"Thank you. I'll be there soon."

Arthur answered and walked into his own clinic, where his patient was already waiting for him.

The doctor closed the door naturally and sat on the chair opposite. He took out a crystal from his pocket, and a lifelike door was wrapped in the crystal.

The guest sat up slightly and looked at the crystal. Arthur pushed the crystal in front of him and spoke in a soothing tone.

"This is what you wanted. I hope you won't disappoint His Majesty."

The man played with the crystal, a satisfied smile on his face: "Of course, I have arranged everything. How are you preparing?"

Arthur shrugged: "We are distributing real medicines, there is nothing to worry about."

"Don't attract that guy's attention. He's not easy to deal with."

"You're kidding. It's thanks to Mr. Gravekeeper that he told us the rules. Great power has a price. Even if he came in person this time, it would be useless."

Arthur crossed his fingers, spoke in a rhythmic manner, and always maintained a warm smile on his face.

…

In Partington City, profiteers are also very busy.

Bai told him that a team of traveling doctors had appeared in the city. This team had been traveling around in recent years, receiving high praise from patients everywhere, and had cured countless illnesses.

The leader, Arthur, is proficient in medicine, humorous, bold and careful. He also has extremely high skills as a pharmacist and can always prepare suitable medicines.

When the secret brewing became widespread, he immediately developed a truly effective medicine and promoted it. Although it could not completely cure the disease, it allowed patients to no longer rely on secret brewing.

After entering Partington, he not only provided free medical services, but also set up many distribution points to distribute medicines to residents for free to improve their immunity.

These potions were widely sought after, with a rich aroma and excellent taste, but the unscrupulous merchants smelled a familiar scent from them. He had also smelled a similar scent when he first entered the Eastern Hills during the second trial of the Twelve Round Table nobles and saw the beautiful and strange woodland.

Sweet, rich, like rotting fruit, rooted in piles of bones, wrapped in a full and tempting aroma.

The strange thing is that these things are no different from ordinary medicines. The unscrupulous businessman tried them himself, but the result was harmless. Not only do these medicines have no effect, but long-term use will greatly improve the body's quality. In this way, he has no way to report directly to the Noble Association.

The residents of Partington are very fond of this medicine and line up early every day. Even the black area is no exception, and there is a queue craze.

The black-robed businessman thought about it and decided that if he couldn't solve the problem, he would go and solve the initiator of the problem. He paid a visit late at night.

He sensed something was wrong as soon as he entered the door.

The well-dressed gentleman seemed to have known that he would come, and there was a plate of dessert on the table for conversation. The black-robed businessman walked through the door, like a ghost descending in the middle of the night, bathed in the bleak moonlight.

"Welcome, Mr. Profiteer."

"You seem to have known I was coming?"

"I just believe in my own worth. You probably came here for that batch of medicine."

"Yes, the flow of these drugs has affected my guild. I think I need to find out who is behind this."

Arthur made an inviting gesture: "No problem, please sit down. We still have a long time to communicate."