Chapter Seven: Rooting Out the Nest

I asked, "Who was so unlucky to become your test subject?"

Rotten Meat remained silent for a long time before replying, "Ourselves."

I didn't know whether to console her or rebuke her.

Rotten Meat continued, "To conduct human experimentation, one needs to go through extensive procedures, rigorous screening, and layers of oversight. We didn't have the time. So, we had to do it this way. We believed it was glorious; we were making a sacrifice for humanity. We anticipated failure and thought the worst outcome would be death, but that blood... that blood erased our sense of self, turning us into this... this collective, this individual that is no longer an individual."

This was indeed very similar to the Sun King, and they had survived until today without being influenced by him.

Zuo Ti asked, "Why are you still able to maintain your sanity?"

Rotten Meat explained, "My husband and I were on the same team. We were... arguing at the time. I discovered he was having an affair with another woman. They wanted to murder me and tampered with the blood. I didn't die, but I was able to survive independently, outside of the collective."

It just goes to show that office romances should be forbidden, a red line; if not handled properly, the entire office is doomed. Could Lamia and I be considered an office romance? Once, perhaps, but didn't I retire to go into business later?

How wise I am.

Rotten Meat continued, "We... they quickly lost control and became these low-functioning monsters. They had only the instinct to eat and drink, and the desire to assimilate others. They turned the laboratory staff into us one by one. We kept growing; the entire office building became a hell. Those drugs and reagents were mixed into the water tanks, becoming a thick venom that caused cockroaches and lab mice to mutate..."

I exchanged a glance with Zuo Ti. Perhaps he also felt that these Blood Brothers shared significant similarities with the Sun-infected.

I asked, "Do you know that a catastrophe has occurred outside?"

Rotten Meat said, "Of course, but we didn't know how severe. We saw humans who were similar to us, yet far worse, enter the building. Their flesh could melt and merge."

My heart chilled. I asked, "The Sun King? Where are they?"

Rotten Meat replied, "They left, and they spared us. I truly felt that I was of the same kind as them, just a different tribe."

She unfastened her robe. I don't know what she looked like originally, but now, her body lacked any defining characteristics. One could not tell if she was male or female; she was just an ugly, obese, and tall human, both pitiable and tragic.

She said, "I thought about committing suicide, but I couldn't. If I failed to die, they would find me immediately and try to absorb me into the collective. I also thought about leaving, but whenever I wandered too far, a tremendous pain would force me to return. We are all cursed. They are deformed and vicious. For over a hundred years, they have been capturing people who wandered into the office building, killing them or assimilating them into the mass. I just want to end all of this. Only when they are all dead will I be able to die."

I asked, "I'm happy to help, but how can we achieve that? There’s no telling how many of these Blood Brothers there are."

Rotten Meat was about to answer when she suddenly fixed her gaze on the injured Era soldier. She asked sharply, "Were they bitten by the Blood Brothers?"

Zuo Ti asked, "What's wrong?"

Rotten Meat lunged forward and grabbed the man. The other soldiers thought she had gone mad and shouted to stop her, but Zuo Ti said, "Let her check!"

Rotten Meat's eyes widened, and she reached out with her fat, trembling hand. I saw near-invisible blood vessels growing from the soldier's wound, extending all the way into the pipes.

She screamed, "They are coming for us!"

Suddenly, the vessels swelled like leeches gorged on blood. The soldier let out a low laugh. I saw his hair fall out, and his face became round and ugly. In the blink of an eye, he grew fat, strong, and kept getting taller.

I drew my sword and slashed at the sticky vessels. Rotten Meat cried, "You can't cut them!"

Indeed, as she said, my sword felt like it had struck thin air. But if they were close relatives of the Sun King, the Blood of Lasombra might still be effective.

I wrapped the shadow around my fishbone sword and struck again. The soldier's vessels severed. He let out a piercing roar, his expression ferocious, cruel, and in immense pain. Rotten Meat cheered, "Quick, quick! You can kill him now!"

Zuo Ti lamented, "Sorry, brother!" He threw a lightning lasso, electrocuting the soldier until he was scorched within and fell dead to the ground.

Rotten Meat said, "My back... there are some on my back, too. Help me cut them." I did as I had before. She seemed to be in great pain, kneeling on the ground and covering her face to weep for a short while before saying, "They already know we are here."

The Era soldier said, "We'll stand guard here. They can only come down from the pipes one by one. Mr. Longinus can cut their vessels, and we can take them out individually."

Rotten Meat pointed to the wall and said, "They can easily shatter this wall." The man muttered, "They might not be that smart."

But we couldn't take the risk.

I said, "Let's flee first. You tell us where to go, and we'll go!"

She pushed open an iron door to the side, and we sprinted blindly once more, continuing to climb through exhaust pipes until we reached another small room. She said, "Good, I hope they won't find this place for a while."

I asked, "I can't go around cutting every single blood vessel. Do you have any good suggestions for eliminating these Blood Brothers?"

Rotten Meat pointed to a box by the wall and took out a jar of black potion. She coughed repeatedly and said, "This is the reagent my husband used to poison me that year. I only have this much, but it should be enough. They regularly release a flood; that flood is their drinking water, and it's also used to trap cockroaches and mice. As long as you pour this potion into the reservoir at the end of the corridor, it will liberate them just as it did me. There... there are many Blood Brothers guarding it. You must be careful."

I smelled a familiar scent from the reagent. I unscrewed the cap and sniffed carefully; I believed it was the Blood of the Viper. This gave me more confidence in her plan.

Zuo Ti asked, "You mean it will make them just like you?"

Rotten Meat replied, "Impossible. They no longer possess individual thought; their brains have atrophied, and their bodies are over-nourished. This potion will kill them quickly."

I noticed she was weakening significantly. A sudden sorrow washed over me, and I asked, "You won't... what's happening to you?"

Rotten Meat curled up in the corner. She began to lose weight, her cheeks revealing their individual features. Soon, she was as thin as a skeleton, yet her uniqueness made her appear extraordinarily beautiful compared to before.

At least she was human now.

I held her hand and said, "I will go do it immediately. Hold on for a while."

She smiled and asked, "Am I beautiful now?"

Everyone replied in unison, "Extremely beautiful." "If I didn't have a wife, I would definitely marry you."

She laughed until she started to cry. She said, "Farewell. My name is Ludiana."

We all said, "What a beautiful name!" "Truly like a dream lover."

Ludiana lay on her side and passed away just like that.

Zuo Ti loaded his pistol, his expression fierce. The Era soldiers were also gritting their teeth with tears in their eyes. I couldn't see myself, but I feared I was the same.

Zuo Ti said, "Let's go to the reservoir."

I said, "No need. I am enough on my own."

Zuo Ti shouted, "What are you talking about? There are many 'fatties' there. What can you do alone?"

I drank the Water of Amon. Before long, I became transparent and invisible. Zuo Ti and the others were shocked, then laughed, "You really are something. The Ranger lives up to his reputation."

I wanted to say that I wasn't a Ranger anymore, but on second thought, why bother arguing?

Faja projected the terrain map into my mind. I unlocked the door and began to head toward the reservoir. Those disgusting fatties didn't see me, but their bloated bodies blocked the path. I used the Lasombra technique to slip into the shadows and evaded them. Ten minutes later, I found the reservoir. The fatties were wandering aimlessly, scattered everywhere, even walking in and out of the water, doing extremely boring and nauseating things like picking their noses, scratching their feet, passing gas, or excreting.

I was amazed at how much these fatties cherished their own drinking water. If I hadn't possessed a firm will, I would have vomited thoroughly long ago.

I added some ingredients to their supply, pouring in all the Viper's Blood and adding some of the stock from my own bag, then slipped away.

I returned to the room, and the Era priest asked about my progress. I said, "It's done. We'll see what the effect is."

At that moment, the Faja earpiece rang. It was Solis. She asked, "Longinus, you kept us waiting for so long. I heard you encountered danger?"

I said, "Everything is fine. How about you?"

Solis said, "Not bad. Waste Bell and I encountered some fatties, but we escaped."

I asked anxiously, "Are you injured?"

Solis said, "No, why?"

I felt relieved and laughed, "No, just that these fat guys probably have cockroach eggs in their bodies, and I was worried about you."

Solis retorted angrily, "You're an idiot! I don't believe you!"

I said, "Believe me, if you knew the truth, you'd find cockroach eggs aren't that bad!"

Waste Bell's voice interjected, "They've found us!"

Solis said, "This is all your fault, Fishbone!"

I became restless and shouted, "Run! I'm coming up to help you immediately!"

Before the words had faded, the screams of those fatties became deafening, one louder than the next. My heart warmed, and I saw the Era soldiers' eyes were filled with excitement.

Zuo Ti said, "Yes! As long as one of them drinks the water, the poison will spread to every one of them! And these fat pigs can drink a ton at a time."

I secretly opened the door to look. Those fatties were turning black one by one, becoming black statues. These statues had normal physiques, and they looked quite pleasing to the eye.

A dead Blood Brother is a good Blood Brother.

I asked, "Solis, how are things on your end?"

Solis said, "They... they all suddenly died. What's going on?"

I laughed, "It was my doing. You don't need to thank me, because you already owe me too much, and thanks are useless."

Solis said, "Don't be cheeky. Did you find the medicine?"

I looked at the medicine jar in my hand and sighed, "Don't worry. With me providing the magic to sustain her, Lady Yaochi will live for a hundred years."

Solis swore, "Go to hell."

Zuo Ti and the others began to walk out with me. He felt that we had developed a deep friendship and tried to persuade me to believe in their Simon Cult, which, of course, was impossible.