Weird nail

"You are still as sharp as ever."

As the applause stopped, the black-robed businessman walked out from the corner and bowed politely to the head of the Owen family.

"I heard that the Owen family has been in some trouble recently, so I came here to offer help."

The woman looked straight at him, her eyes seemed to pierce through his soul. She said in a slightly joking tone, "It's nice to see you when I need you, Mr. Profiteer. The Owen family is happy to establish a good relationship with you. Perhaps you are qualified to get a key to the house?"

"Please believe me, I come here with good intentions, not as a malicious guest who wants to cause trouble. I heard that your family is deeply troubled by illness, and I happen to have a solution."

"I understand. If you can really handle this matter well, you will be a distinguished guest of the Owen family in the future."

After some consideration, Owen decided to trust the other party. She stood up and personally took the other party to the place where the patient was placed, and explained the situation in detail on the way.

"The team we sent to the third trial was infected with an extremely strange disease. The degree of contamination in the patients increased rapidly, and once they used their abilities, they could not be extinguished. In severe cases, they would even burn themselves to ashes. This is a fatal danger to the Owen family, and it is constantly spreading."

"At first, there were only a few infected people in the team, but then more and more people came, and the whole team was infected. After learning about the situation, we immediately took them back. Only three days later, the bloodline who was responsible for taking care of them also showed the same symptoms."

As they talked, they came to a courtyard. The lights were on inside, and through the windows they could see patients lying on beds, wrapped in bandages, in deep comas. Ofili was among them.

The medical staff standing by the bed were talking to each other, all with worried faces. They didn't even notice the two people coming in.

It was not until the head of the Owen family spoke that they hurriedly saluted. The head of the family waved his hand, and the profiteer stepped forward to check it out, and made a rough judgment in his mind.

"No problem, I need some personal space."

An impatient doctor suppressed his anger when he heard this. "Can you handle it? We don't even know the cause of the disease, how can you handle it? What is an amateur doing here? If you can cure them now, I will go out and yell three times that I am a piece of trash!"

"Well, don't offend my distinguished guest. And please understand, Mr. Profiteer, he has been guarding here for two days."

At the order of the owner, everyone else left the room. The impatient doctor walked out muttering, "What a waste of time." Only the profiteer was left in the room.

The pale mask was facing the bloodline patients on the beds. He had a way to cure these people directly, but the most important thing was to know the cause of the disease. With no one else around, the profiteer let go. He untied the bandages on Ofili's body, revealing burn marks all over her skin. The girl frowned and groaned in pain from time to time.

The bandage on the profiteer's body flew up automatically and pierced directly into the opponent's chest, peeling off the flesh and exposing the internal organs. The moment it came into contact with the air, a part below the heart suddenly swelled, and the profiteer's pattern remained motionless, and the edge of the bandage shed a pure white light and wrapped it. While healing and cutting, the piece of flesh was cut open, revealing the things wrapped inside.

It was a small lead-gray ball that looked new, growing with flesh and blood, emitting pollution.

The profiteer used the same method to treat the original body, and took it out immediately after the ball calmed down. The ball, which lost its host, exploded in the air with a bang, and thick black mist spread.

The girl's body convulsed, and a look of pain appeared on her face. The black-robed merchant increased the intensity of the white light treatment and used his ability to erase the sequelae. With the cooperation of the two abilities, the opponent was rescued from the hands of the god of death.

The success of one person provided a method for the next person. He started to treat and study at the same time.

"These spheres are the same shape as the ones inside my body, but they are smaller and transmit less black mist."

"The spherical device will release black mist, which will trigger the blood rejection of the Owen family. Therefore, once the flame is ignited, it will not go out. The black mist provides fuel for it."

"But if that's the case, how did the circular device spread among the Owen bloodline?"

"Well... the same method can be used to solve the device in my body, but I need to be more careful. It has been integrated with my body for too long. If it touches the bloodline that made a deal with my parents before, it may cause unexpected trouble."

As the number of patients treated increased, the profiteer processed them faster and faster. When he took out the last device, a dense black mist filled the room and was dispersed by the white light.

Watching the fog gradually disappear, the profiteer felt relieved.

"Luckily, we exchanged some power with Canaan. These spherical devices are connected to the host's life, and the consequences of exploding inside the body are disastrous. Even if they are taken out, such a high concentration of black mist can easily cause mutations. The researchers are despicable."

Compared to the spheres in the original body, these spheres seem to be made recently. The profiteer had a plan in mind. When everything in the room returned to normal, he pushed the door and left. The medical bloodline practitioners rushed in and were stunned when they saw the patients who had been cured.

The doctor who had just spoken out loud murmured, his eyes full of confusion: "Impossible, am I really a waste?"

During the treatment, Owen Family Head had not left, standing in the courtyard waiting for news. Seeing the profiteer coming out, she showed a hint of understanding on her face: "Excuse me, Mr. Profiteer, I have asked someone to get the reward from the warehouse."

The doctor's temper naturally did not affect the profiteer. He was always considerate and responded immediately: "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you, Miss Master. I have a good one to sell. I wonder if you are interested?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am very interested in this disease and plan to go to the Black Mist Border. I think you also want to find out what this disease is. In that case, why not entrust the matter to me, and I can give you a discount."

The woman glanced at him with a half-smile: "You are really the most business-savvy person I have ever met. This proposal is very interesting. If you can bring back enough intelligence, the Owen family will pay for it."

“You won’t be disappointed.”

The profiteer replied politely, and the other party paid the deposit and shared the information he had with him.

"The trial team was in the middle of the Black Mist. They found a gathering place of Black Mist followers. There are many devices for producing crystals there, the scale is beyond imagination. It may be a little late to go there now, but I think it should not be difficult for you."

This coordinate is a place that Oleus has never been to before, and it is not within the location provided by the border. The Owen family obviously wanted to fight with the power of the alliance, but ended up hitting the muzzle of a gun.

When the exchange was over, the black-robed merchant disappeared as quietly as he had come. The head of the Owen family stared at the direction where he left, wondering what he was thinking.

Suddenly, a medical blood rushed out of the house and ran to the door, shouting "I am garbage! I am garbage! I am really garbage!!"

The cry pierced the silence. The head of the family came to his senses and looked at the person who fulfilled his promise with a frown on his face: "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and bring him back. Isn't it embarrassing to be like this?"

......

dark fog border.

The black-robed businessman walked out of the black hole. He carefully looked at the surrounding environment and made minor adjustments to his landing position from time to time.

Going to a completely unfamiliar place accurately is a challenge. His ability is too unstable, and it took him a while to finally find the destination mentioned by the head of the Owen family.

This is an extremely secluded valley, with black sand and no grass. To get here, you need to cross a mountain range full of tainted beasts, so few people come here.

Just as Patriarch Owen had judged, the land was as clean as if it had been plowed, without even a blade of grass left. There was no trace of the previous gathering of Black Mist followers and tainted beasts.

There was a faint fishy smell in the air, and high-concentration black fog would cause all kinds of abnormalities. The profiteer stepped on the ground and thought for a while. Countless white bandages stretched out from his cuffs, making a pleasant sound of jewelry colliding in the void. Scarlet pigment flowed on the mask, like blood that would never end.

"I want to find the location of those spherical devices."

He whispered, and his ability took effect immediately. The wealth accumulated during this period of time was consumed in large quantities, and invisible power descended on the ground, forming many arrows pointing in different directions.

Only he could see these signs. There were two most obvious ones. One went deeper into the mist, and the other pointed to the border. The profiteer thought for a moment, then followed the first one deeper into the mist.

[Weakened presence], [Fast], [Weakened hostility].

The sound of jewelry falling to the ground continued, giving the black-robed merchant special power. His steps suddenly became extremely light. Like a ghost walking in the shadows, all monsters ignored him. Even the most ferocious tainted beasts did not have any hostility towards him.

The curved arrows kept pointing to various rugged places, some of which were inhabited by monsters or had dangerous terrain. The profiteers walked on flat land until the vegetation began to become sparse and the surroundings became desolate.

The black mist gradually became thicker and heavier, and a terrifying and strange sound could be heard faintly from it. It was pitch dark, and the profiteer just took out a lamp he had brought from the new town. The weak light flickered, and then went out as if it had been blown out.

Ordinary lights were useless here. An inexplicable force was dispersing the power gained from the transaction, causing those unspeakable things to start paying attention to him.

Suddenly, a fire lit up in front of them, gradually approaching the location of the profiteer. The black-robed merchant stood there, deftly turning a coin with his tied right limb, as if waiting for something.

Soon, the owner of the firelight came into view. It was a man with an old and deep face, holding a lantern with patterns of irises and white horses engraved on it.

"Who are you?"

"I am a businessman and I got lost here by accident. Can you take me to the nearest town?"

The old man exuded a soldier's temperament. He stared at the profiteer with sharp eyes and said with a strong western accent: "Strangers are not welcome here."

"Please be kind to me. This place is so cold and weird. I can't even light a fire and I can't get out."

The lantern was swaying, struggling to provide light in the darkness. The old man finally said, "Follow me, don't run around, or no one can save you."

He turned and walked towards the depths of the black fog, and the black-robed merchant immediately followed. The two were engulfed by the fog. After walking for an unknown amount of time, a dilapidated town appeared in front of them. The old man skillfully led them around the main gate and entered through a hole.

As soon as he entered the town, the fog suddenly became thicker. There were strange creatures in the fog that kept squirming, afraid of the fire and dared not approach. The old man strode quickly and led him to a secluded house.

The hut was half buried underground, forming a characteristic building of Dingzhen. The old man pushed the door open and lit the oil lamp in the house. A slightly fishy smell came from the lamp, and the fire dispelled the darkness and also made the strange whispers from the outside world quieter.

The other person hung up the lantern and blew out the flame carefully. He pointed to the only bed in the room and said, "Go to sleep."

Being able to sleep in such a place can only be described as a bold move. The profiteer walked to the bed and lay down without hesitation, not forgetting to thank the old man. The old man stared at him straight, and only snorted when the black-robed merchant lay on the bed without making any sound, "You are such a bold young man."

Even so, the old man stood up and lit the oil lamp a little brighter. As soon as he turned around, he met the eyes of countless large and small eyes peering through the window slits. The cruel and terrifying gazes greedily rubbed his flesh. The old man pulled out a curved knife from his waist and slightly opened the window.

The firelight beyond the range was only slightly dimmed, and there was a sound of sliding outside the window frame. The scene reflected from the window was horrible: countless terrifying monsters were wandering on the street, crowding the entire window. Seeing the window open, the monsters covered with eyeballs were eager to drill in, but they were cut open by the old man and doused with a layer of black kerosene.

The monster immediately screamed and retreated, the old man's eyes were dark, and the kerosene immediately ignited with flames. The strange black flames spread quickly, burning out a large area of ​​​​clearance.

The old man closed the window without saying a word. After a long while, a new monster came over, smelling the scent of human flesh and continued to peeking greedily into the house.

The old man sat at the table with a crochet and an oil lamp on it, staring nervously at the door.

Until a ray of light shone in from the door, the rustling sounds gradually faded away, replaced by the sound of human conversation.

After a long while, someone knocked on the door, and a lively voice came in: "Grandpa Knight, Mom asked me to bring breakfast."

The old man stretched his stiff body, carefully put away the machete, and then opened the door.

A little girl with blond hair in a braid stood at the door, carrying a large basket. The morning sun shone on the street, and the townspeople who had gotten up early were already greeting each other, a scene of optimism.

The old man took the basket with a smile and said, "I'll go back and thank your mother, Daisy. The sausages she makes are always my favorite."

"Yes, I'll tell mom!" the girl answered loudly, her eyes glancing at the bed behind her and she blinked. "Hey, is there a guest at the Knight's house?"

"He's my distant nephew. Although he has a bit of a weird personality, he's actually a nice person."

"Oh - there hasn't been anyone in town for a long time, everyone will be very happy! I must go back and ask Mom to bring some more breakfast!"

The girl suddenly realized what was going on, and she said goodbye to the old man and ran back home. The old man closed the door and said without turning his head, "I've been eavesdropping all night, what did you know?"

"This Nail Town is even stranger than I thought. Are you a descendant of this place?"

The merchant who was lying on the bed sat up at some point. He looked around the dilapidated house, not hiding his curiosity. The old man put the basket on the table, took out steaming bean soup, sausage and black bread, and took out two bowls and spoons. The profiteer tasted it curiously with a bandage and found that it was normal food.

The old man looked at his strange behavior and waited until they finished their meal before saying, "Since you are not a lost traveler, you should leave here as soon as possible. When it gets dark, it will be too late even if you want to leave."

Having said this, he no longer paid any attention to the profiteer and went to bed.

There was another knock on the door, and the black-robed merchant went to open it. The little girl Daisy was standing at the door, bringing an apron-covered bread.

Seeing the businessman, the girl's eyes widened: "Why are you wearing a mask? Are you the knight's nephew?"

The profiteer smiled and said, "Yes, you must be Daisy. I've heard him talk about you, a smart and kind girl."

The girl's face turned red, and she was very happy under the clever flattery of the profiteer. She put the bread into the house and asked, "Do you want to go out for a walk? I can show you the way."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

The profiteer closed the door and caught a glimpse of the old man turning over in bed. Daisy led him away, chirping like a little bird, and everyone they passed by would greet them.

This town is undoubtedly a nail town. The people who come and go have a militia temperament, and the buildings reveal the unique style of a nail town. But a normal nail town cannot appear here.

"This is Aunt Petunia's house. She makes delicious bread. You must try it. Over there is Uncle Dale's house. He is the only blacksmith in town. Everyone goes to him for anything they need. If you need any furniture repaired, you must go to Brother Joseph! Old Grandpa Joseph is no longer a carpenter, but Brother Joseph makes furniture as good as his."

"And there—"

The little girl said this, pointing to the edge of the village with an innocent look on her face.

"That's my home. I live with my mother. Every night everyone comes to my house to chat. Grandpa Knight doesn't like the crowds, so he rarely joins. It's a pity for everyone. Are you coming today?"

Facing the child's expectant eyes, the black-robed merchant's mask turned into a smile: "Okay, I love chatting with people the most."