diymy Chapter 15. A Blue Shadow Propelles the Way—Someone's Stealing the Magic Lamp!
Chapter 15. A Blue Shadow Propelles the Way—Someone's Stealing the Magic Lamp!
"The Iron Cross?"
Seeing the crowd's doubts, the Raven Doctor nodded.
"At first, people thought it was just an ordinary plague, and no one could have imagined that a city would lose millions of people to that plague."
"The first to be infected were probably the rats in the sewers, then the animals in the circus, and finally, even the superhumans and mages in the city were mutated, none of them escaped."
The Raven Doctor slowly said:
"Those infected with the plague become mad and bloodthirsty, their skin covered with blood-red crosses, a symbol of the terror of the gods beyond the Abyss. At the same time, the plague awakens the dark side within them."
When various parties noticed the outbreak and sent people to the city to suppress the unrest, they were shocked to find that in just one night, the city of millions had been turned into a pool of blood and tears, with no survivors.
"The contents of the medicine test tubes in that handbag, as you just saw, are the plague known as the Iron Cross."
"In addition to this potion, there is also a test tube containing pure slime gel synthesized food."
Besides filling one's stomach, this stuff is dry and tasteless; it was something people ate only during the most severe periods of the past demon-slaying war, and it disappeared hundreds of years ago. It's unbelievable that someone has unearthed it again.
Green thought for a moment, "These days, I'm afraid only the poorest people in the slums would try to make this."
The Raven Doctor spoke in an unusually serious tone:
"You're right. The Iron Cross can be transmitted through water, food, saliva, and blood."
If they simultaneously mass-produce and release the slime-based food containing the virus into the Rhine River, and distribute it to people in the slums, St. Petersburg could become history in as little as a few days, or at most half a month.
After all, once infected by the Iron Cross, even the Emperor would only have the option of killing.
Green and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.
Green said, "Good heavens, isn't this just a zombie virus? Bro, I've already run to another world, and this Resident Evil is still chasing me."
Where's Lyon? Help him!
"Zombie virus?" Dr. Raven shook his head. "As far as I know, the hero mentioned this term before, but the Iron Cross is different from zombies. People infected with the Iron Cross retain their original intelligence, but their personalities become twisted, making them extremely difficult to deal with."
Wow, awesome, it's an evolved version.
Mabel couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if they hadn't stopped Dao Ge and had instead allowed this thing to be mass-produced...
Her savings are still in the city. If the virus breaks out, will it be too late to run away?
The Razor Clan and their followers have such vicious minds!
The old wizard and the bull-slaughtering knight exchanged a glance, clearly seeing this for the first time.
"I never expected that what started as just asking you to help me collect a debt would lead to something like this. The three of you... well, or rather, all four of you have done a great service."
The Raven Doctor chuckled:
"Just to be on the safe side, I've already started developing the Iron Cross vaccine, and it should be successful by tomorrow."
"A vaccine?" Green asked, puzzled. "Wasn't it said that even if the Emperor came, killing him would be the only option?"
The Raven Doctor scoffed, confidently stating:
"Of course, but that was before I was born. Those quack doctors had the qualifications but no ability, so of course they couldn't come up with a solution."
But since my birth, Teresa's dark medical world has finally seen a glimmer of hope. What can possibly be difficult for me? Just kidding.
The raven doctor's eyes gleamed beneath her bird-beak mask as she began bustling about her messy worktable:
"Once I've developed the vaccine tomorrow, I'll take you all to City Hall to collect our reward. This time, I'm going to really rip off those old geezers at City Hall! Hehehehehehe!"
Seeing her uninhibited manner, Green hesitated to speak.
The Raven Doctor replied casually:
"You've done a great service this time, indirectly saving the entire city. What does this achievement matter compared to the crimes you've committed? Did you kill any royalty or nobles?"
Green and the other two shook their heads.
"That works!" the Raven Doctor exclaimed excitedly. "Even if you kill nobles, it doesn't matter. Those bastards deserved to die long ago. This time, I'm in the right. Even the Emperor himself can't change that."
So you used to be in the wrong all the time?
"The Raven Doctor is truly benevolent!" Green said, bowing slightly. "However, let's discuss the reward after we rescue the Bull-Slayer's wife from that magic lamp tomorrow."
After saying that, Green felt like he had forgotten something. There was someone else he needed to rescue, but he forgot their name. Anyway, he would rescue them together later.
With time still until tomorrow, everyone took the opportunity to rest.
Green then started doing 36 basic exercises, including push-ups, high knees, and jogging in place, on the first floor of the clinic.
These movements are the basic training techniques for mastering skills, and also the secrets to strengthening physical fitness.
After practicing the breathing techniques given to him by Cheshire Cat, Green vaguely felt that his physical abilities had improved a bit, to about the strength of 10 slimes.
Although it is not large, it is long-lasting.
After practicing through the night, Green also mastered the basic training skills to level 3 proficiency.
"Hmph hmph hmph!"
The breakthrough in his skills increased his physical abilities by a full 500 slime power!
Not only am I more resilient than before, but my pain tolerance has also increased, and my wounds heal much faster. Previously, it would take 10 minutes for a severed hand to heal, but now it's estimated that it will only take half that time to fully recover.
It must be said that the basic skills manual that every soldier in the Western Continent Army had was quite valuable.
The saintess who resembled Alice was accompanied by exceptionally powerful guards. According to Green's original plan, he would cultivate to the Lantern Realm before testing the connection between the saintess and Alice.
If one further cultivates basic long-distance running skills and basic combat skills to level 3, one can break through to the Lantern Realm.
However, cultivating skills is extremely energy-consuming and mentally taxing. If one continues to cultivate like this, by morning one can at most cultivate one skill to level 3.
With important matters to attend to the next day, Green chose to rest and recover his mind in the latter half of the night.
……
Starlight and Death Cafe.
The waiter looked at Rust with a hint of pity and asked:
"Sir, you've been in our shop all day. Haven't your friends returned yet?"
"What kind of look is that?" Last blushed and said, "My friends really do exist. They just went out for a bit and will be back soon."
The waiter nodded. "Yes, sir, you're right."
Last: "..."
……
The next morning.
Green and his two companions entered the inner city early in the morning.
St. Petersburg is an economic hub in the southern province of the Southern Continent Empire. The economic benefits brought by the daily influx of tourists and merchants, as well as the cargo transported by ocean-going freighters from other continents, are enormous.
According to Mabel, besides his father, the Earl, there was another high-ranking nobleman in the city, the Marquis of Ward. However, this old Marquis had no real power and could not participate in politics unless the mayor and the Earl went to court.
A few years ago, this old marquis invested in the ocean freighter industry and held a large number of freighter stocks. Who knew that the Demon King's army would suddenly appear in the Western Continent, announcing the Demon King's return.
The various powers of the Terrera immediately went on high alert. In order to prevent attacks by the Demon King's army, all ports and docks of the empire were closed and no longer open to foreign trade.
The stock market turmoil caused the old marquis to lose a large sum of money, and it was at this time that he sold his thousand-acre estate west of the inner city.
Later, when the war situation in the Western Continent stabilized, the various countries discovered that what kept appearing in the Western Continent were only the weakest vanguard of the Demon King's army, and it always had been.
The Demon King showed no signs of leaving the Demon Realm, and his army did not send out stronger forces. Only occasionally did demons of the upper three realms appear, but none of them reached the Fire Transmission Realm. With the Western Sword Emperor suppressing the rebellion in the Western Continent, the situation was relatively stable.
Only then did the countries open their docks and ports, and in accordance with the "Covenant on Salvation" established by the First Hero, they began to trade weapons and stockpile supplies in large quantities. Various forces sent troops to form a Salvation Alliance, waiting for the arrival of the Sixth Hero, and the real war against the demons began.
Although the old marquess later made the money back, he never reclaimed Ward Estate.
Who would have thought that the former marquis's manor would now become a gathering place for the Aladdin Society?
It's truly heartbreaking.
The old wizard had traveled the world for many years and possessed countless spells. At this moment, he cast a concealment spell that made the three of them disappear.
The three of them made their way to the outside of Ward Manor and discovered that people were leaving the manor every now and then.
Just as the Bull-Slaying Knight said, he was probably out recruiting "newcomers." Among them was the middle-aged man the three of them had met yesterday.
No one left the manor until noon.
Green and his two companions then scaled the wall and entered the manor. They found that the patrolling personnel left behind were all Firefly Realm cultivators, so they easily bypassed them and entered the villa inside the manor through a back door.
The old wizard withdrew the invisibility spell, as this spell consumed a great deal of magic power. If he cast it any longer, it would be awkward if he ran out of magic power to cast spells later when they were about to fight.
The three were in the villa's kitchen, just thinking about going out to see where the magic lamp was, when the kitchen door opened and a man dressed as an adventurer walked in, calling out:
"Are you three new here? We do need to prepare the food before the ceremony starts tonight. Someone will come to cook later, and you can just do the odd jobs."
Green thought to himself, "You've really done a good job. The whole initiation ceremony even includes food and drink."
The man continued, "But it doesn't matter when this is done. Right now, Master Genie needs someone to serve him. You, and you, come with me to serve Master Genie."
The man pointed at Mabel and Green, "As for you, old man, you're probably not very nimble, so you'd better stay here and do odd jobs later."
The old wizard: "..."
The three exchanged glances. Mabel and Green followed the man to tend to the magic lamp, while the old wizard stayed behind to see what would happen.
Green and Mabel followed the man dressed as an adventurer to the villa's back garden.
The upper half of the magic lamp was a blurry human figure, while the lower half was a wisp of green smoke that continuously emerged from a small green bottle.
The genie was lying on the chair, with an adventurer at the first level of Destiny and a third level of Lantern on his left and right sides, respectively.
Before them stood a man bound by hemp rope.
The man stared intently at the magic lamp.
The genie calmly said:
"I've been reborn for so long, and you're the first one with such backbone. I'd like to see how long you can hold out. Haven't you always wanted your Felin demon girl lover to gain your family's approval and marry her properly?"
"If you nod your head now, I can make this wish come true for you immediately. Haven't you been waiting for this for a long time? For her, you're even willing to break with your family."
The man scoffed and chuckled, "Pah! You monster! Don't think I don't know that once I make a wish to you, I will become your slave, at your mercy. It's true that I want her to gain the family's approval, but I will do it myself, not accept charity from others."
Although I, from Ladakh, am the son of a minor nobleman, I still possess the honor befitting a nobleman!
The adventurer who first encountered the magic lamp, now the bishop of the Genie's Guild, stepped forward and kicked the man hard in the stomach, saying, "How dare you speak to the Genie like that? He's honored to have invited you, given your talent as a third-level lamp bearer!"
As Green and his companion listened to the conversation, they thought to themselves:
I never expected this man to be Rust's brother; he's quite proud. Judging from the conversation, he's probably a pure-hearted warrior like the Bull Slayer.
Meanwhile, Mabel and Green were looking around.
According to the Bull-Slaying Knight, his lover was sealed in a special black coffin, which could not be opened by anyone outside the realm of the Sun. Because the black coffin was made of special materials, swallowing it would greatly benefit the genie lamp, which is why it was speculated that the genie lamp would take his wife with him after escaping.
The two searched around but couldn't find the black coffin.
The genie scoffed, as if he'd heard a joke: "Noble honor? Men, go and capture his beloved Feline catgirl right now! After the ceremony tonight, I'll reward the entire army!"
"How dare you!" Latbsan's eyes widened in fury. "This is illegal imprisonment and illegal assembly! My brother has definitely sent people to find me. The magistrates and the courts will not let you get away with this!"
The genie laughed heartily, "You mean those two adventurers? They already promised me a high-paying, easy job close to home, with weekends off and a 9-to-5 schedule, becoming my slaves! There's no way anyone will come to save you."
After speaking, the genie looked at Green and the other man.
The adventurer who brought the two here said respectfully:
"Master Genie, I've brought the people. You two remember to serve Master Genie well; your wealth and honor are entirely at his discretion."
"Very good, very good. I will not treat you unfairly," the genie said. "Before you serve me, you two can tell me your wishes, and I will grant them."
Ladb closed his eyes in regret.
In the past few days, he has learned that the so-called service is to have his soul and essence absorbed by the genie lamp after making a wish, eventually becoming a madman, neither human nor ghost, and becoming a slave to the genie lamp.
He had tried to persuade those people, but they were all blinded by desire, and no matter how he tried to convince them, they would still make wishes.
From Latvian perspective, Green and Mabel will probably become slaves to the magic lamp too, alas.
"Blue Shadow, propel!"
A furious shout caused an unexpected change.
In Latuksa, I felt swaying and as if I were being lifted into the air.
When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see the girl who had just been brought there.
The girl's arms were strong and powerful; she lifted him above her head and ran quickly out of the villa.
Beside her, the young man, holding a small green bottle in one hand and repeatedly elbowing the magic lamp emerging from it with the other, moved with lightning speed, also running outwards, shouting:
"Will you tell or not? Will you tell or not?"
In an instant, he was struck dozens of times with his elbows, leaving him dizzy and somewhat dazed.
What did you say?
You didn't ask!
"Oh ho, you still won't tell?"
Green was enraged. Each elbow struck the genie so hard it shook his very soul. Seeing he was about to be killed, he yelled, "I'll talk! I'll talk! Go ahead and ask me, you fucking idiot!"
The bishop of the Aladdin Society, who had been standing there dumbfounded, watching the lamp get further and further away from him, belatedly realized what was happening and exclaimed in astonishment:
"Robbery! Someone's stealing the magic lamp!"