Bear School Astartes-Chapter 845 - 828: Containment

"Looks like I can trust you to help."

Lann casually said as he reinserted the two flower stems into the soil of the clay vase, brushing the dirt off his hands.

Cassandra had somewhat recovered from the high physical consumption brought by the Anka Cross, straightening up with her hands on her knees.

Her fingers slipped into the ring atop the Anka Cross, spinning it around like twirling a keychain.

If a devout believer saw someone treating a Divine Artifact so lightly, they’d surely be shocked, even terrified.

But Cassandra had already come into contact with many artifacts, even directly with the ancient forge left by the Elder Race.

In mythology, this is basically akin to entering the temple of the Fire God Hephaestus.

Each upgrade to Cassandra’s Broken Spear required a visit too, like going home.

Even in this era with a strong atmosphere of faith, Cassandra could remain relaxed towards things related to the Elder Race.

Having encountered too much and too advanced, it’s like being ’disenchanted.’

She twirled the Anka Cross on her finger, speaking as she did.

"So... should we start now?"

Though she wasn’t quite sure what Lann was up to, after using this Ishu Divine Artifact, she felt it was quite simple, so she was confident.

At this moment, Lann raised his hand to refuse.

"No, let’s wait a bit."

The first procedure to be implanted is the original casting surgery, the Holy Chant Gland. This procedure needs to be directly implanted into the brain.

This was Lann’s first time performing an enhancement procedure involving the brain.

According to the experience gained from Deep Memory Dive, after the surgery, the brain usually suffers from a huge impact, leading to temporary dysfunction.

The brain’s autonomous construction of the control link with the new organ also requires time.

The potential and functionality of the brain are miraculous; even with relatively primitive chip implants granting a normal human the control of a mechanical hand, the brain will, due to the ’new component’s’ integration, automatically generate new neurons over long-term use to build a ’control system.’

For enhanced organ implants like the Holy Chant Gland, the necessity of constructing a ’control system’ goes without saying.

Unlike previous enhancements, it’s impossible to just have surgery and then gulp down Pure White Rafad and be done.

It’s sure to cause a period of coma, but the duration is unknown.

Thus, Lann asked Cassandra not to rush; he wanted to wait for the situation in Athens to stabilize before safely completing the surgery.

"Oh, no rush?"

Cassandra chuckled playfully.

"Seems Aspasia arranged a guest room for us earlier?"

"Yes." Lann nodded naturally at first, then turned his head abruptly upon realizing something was amiss. "Wait! What do you mean..."

Before the Demon Hunter could react, the Hawk Trainer had pinned one of his arms, heading straight for the guest room.

After several bloodline enhancements from the Broken Spear, Cassandra’s strength was quite enough even for Lann.

"I’ve held back long enough, Lann."

With a teasing smile, she leaned towards Lann’s ear, forcing him to bend.

"If you want me to work, you better ’feed’ me, ’pay’ me, right? I’m a Mercenary, not doing any loss-making things."

"So you’re planning to... in broad daylight... Okay, you Greeks don’t care much about day or night. But could you wait until we’re in the room with the armor clasps undone? People might see!"

"So what?"

Born of the Aegean’s beauty, Cassandra seemed unable to comprehend Lann’s ’concern.’

"Though I don’t want you to become like Alcibiades, thinking about ** all the time, you’re too conservative now. Sex and love aren’t bad. They’re natural, wonderful, and sacred."

"Let me teach you... I’ve been learning at the Aphrodite Temple in Corinth recently!"

Cassandra flashed a mischievous smile.

-----------------

Afterwards, though Cassandra’s voice almost echoed through the mansion, neither servants nor anyone else reacted.

Partly because such occurrences were common in Ancient Greece, and partly because Alcibiades, who lived there, was known for even wilder antics.

Nothing surprises anyone anymore.

Though Pericles, being an Athenian politician, couldn’t causally utilize his enormous wealth, hosting capable individuals like Lann and Cassandra was easy.

In this era, East and West alike, such practices were common; the East calls it ’welcoming guests,’ the West ’providing shelter.’

Essentially, it’s offering care with no immediate return, even if recruitment fails, it establishes a friendship.

Moreover, Lann provided guidelines for controlling the plague in Athens, worthy of being seen as an advisor to the Governor.

Cassandra seemed to have been to Athens multiple times over the past year and a half, doing various things and earning Pericles’ respect.

Aspasia commissioned her to persuade Pericles to accept treatment rather than wait for death.

She succeeded in persuading him, yet his condition didn’t improve; he was already old.

Now, not only was he plagued, Kleon also staged speeches at his doorstep, steering enraged citizens to curse and hurl trash at Pericles’ residence.

Even without the plague, Pericles’ age might have led to his demise from anger.

For these were the Athenians to whom he dedicated his life.

No matter how Athens had squeezed allied city-states under his leadership, the Athenians truly received his loyal service.

But now, few remember this.

Perhaps this was Kleon’s plan: provoke Pericles to death, allowing him to ascend.

On another front, Pericles’ inner circle indeed began acting on Lann’s plan.

They mobilized Athens’ treasury, installing fire pits burning wormwood along streets, and cremating the numerous disease-ridden corpses scattered throughout Athens.

Stray animals appearing due to the plague started being culled en masse.

All these aimed to cut off the infection.

This year, Athens’ temperature nearly reached forty degrees Celsius, aiding the germ spread.

Yet, once heat escalates further, germ activity drastically declines.

And Alcibiades, indeed as Lann predicted.

Seizing the opportunity’s moment, he intended to rely on Pericles’ legacy and this plague’s chance, officially stepping onto Athens’ political stage.

Compared to his historical appearance, this was a decade early.