Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 468 - 429: Encountering Danger

East side of the New Continent, Far Sails Territory on the Golden Sea.

During the construction of the Mercury United Trading Company headquarters building, Aiven used public resources for private benefits.

About ten kilometers north of the Mercury Shipyard where the headquarters building is located, in a secluded and quiet seaside area that has not yet been developed, he prioritized the construction of his own high-standard laboratory.

This laboratory is currently the highest-level biological lab in his possession, especially essential for the projects he is currently researching, serving as indispensable hardware facilities.

"Clearly, this thing has a nucleus and a cell membrane, and it causes humans to grow horrific cyst-like bodies resembling fungal forms.

It should belong to any fungal biological categories: Phycomycetes, Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, and Deuteromycetes among the Ascomycetes section.

Yet it has undergone some kind of witchcraft modification, possessing extremely frightening infectiousness and lethality. Even before death, the ’host’ becomes a puppet controlled by its manipulator, spreading the organism far and wide."

A faint Extraordinary Spiritual Light flickered in Aiven’s eyes as he simultaneously activated [Witchcraft: Microscopic Vision] and [Data Visualization], conducting a detailed analysis of the samples he collected.

At this moment, what appeared in his vision was densely packed red and yellow elliptical fungi piled on a glass slide.

In the natural world, the most common fungi are various types of mushrooms, including mushrooms, fungi, and additionally molds and yeasts.

Yet, the pathogenic fungi in front of Aiven clearly differ from most of what exists in nature.

Not only are they extremely large, but they maintain high activity even after being separated from the host organism, quickly moving around on the transparent glass slide.

Scribble...

A pen on the test bench jumped up on its own, writing down Aiven’s findings in the experiment records and even quickly drawing a series of highly precise illustrations.

Though only black and white, they’re almost indistinguishable from photographs.

Afterward.

disi——

A radiant water-hued light arose, completely extinguishing the sample’s activity on the glass slide.

[Witchcraft: Cleaning!]

Ordinary sterilization methods find it extremely difficult to kill these pathogens; even highly concentrated acids and bases are useless since they automatically form protective spores in harsh environments.

Based on previous experiments, Aiven did not engage in pointless endeavors further.

Step.. step.. step..

Aiven emerged from the laboratory with his experiment records, thoroughly disinfecting himself in the buffer room before officially stepping into the outside world.

After removing his leather-sealed protective suits.

Snap——

He snapped his fingers.

Outside, ten pens had already jumped up on their own, leaving lines of text on paper, outlining what had fully formed in Aiven’s mind as a Prevention Manual.

Uh, perhaps naming it the "Zombie Escape Manual" would be more fitting.

Since to ordinary people, this pathogen is neither deadly nor curable...

Letting the temporarily animated pens work by themselves, Aiven brewed a pot of tea, stood by the laboratory window holding the teacup, and softly sighed.

"Sigh..."

Earlier, through the reconnaissance network of the Seagulls, utilizing about a week of time, he conducted a detailed investigation into the sudden outbreak event and thoroughly analyzed the pathogen samples.

Aiven temporarily named the disease [Orokin Disease]; the pathogenic pathogen named [Super Cystic Fungus]; those humanoid pathogen carriers accompanying strange sounding clouds, named [Modified Organism: Cyst Attendant].

Coincidentally, during this period, he compared the blood sample acquired from Clockwork Billy with this "Cystic Fungus."

Then, surprisingly found the Extraordinary modification traces had astonishing similarities.

"A group must be behind mastering advanced biological modification technology, though with unknown intents, likely Black Wizards. Moreover, despite not visible on the surface, there’s an intrinsic connection with the technology applied on that Clockwork Man."

This aroused Aiven’s heightened vigilance and more attention, somewhat suspecting it was left from his family’s "Flesh Sacrifice" Volume II.

A week later now.

The four sick patients in the Privateer Fleet have been brought back using cost-intensive Extraordinary level magic potions without causing significant panic in the fleet.

Also in the process of healing them, Aiven discovered the pathogen causing their illness, the now so-called [Super Cystic Fungus].

With the current medical standards in the mortal world merely at the stage of just discovering bacteria, such tiny microorganisms, while fungi are widely recognized by scholars as belonging to plants.

Even within the deeper understanding of the microcosm by the Wizard Community, including Aiven’s Vitalist School, there isn’t a systematic classification of them, only knowing of their existence and ability to use them.

The most typical is [Parasitic Seeds] in Aiven’s possession, which are also a modified fungus, having similarly mysterious effects as [Super Cystic Fungus].

Therefore, now, Aiven understands most clearly the necessity not to underestimate these microorganisms barely visible to the naked eye.

Because historically notorious "Black Death," its culprit is a virulent bacterium called "Yersinia pestis!"

If left unchecked, even the complete extinction of human populations within a region is not entirely impossible.

Therefore.

Even after using witchcraft to heal four sailors in the fleet, Aiven subsequently conducted thorough disinfection on all fleet members involved in the plundering operation and underwent temporary isolation observation.

And, after a complete detection analysis of this pathogen today, Aiven formulated the next step action plan: eliminate the source, block transmission, and seek conventional treatment plans suitable for ordinary people.

Also preparing to distribute the "Prevention Manual" to the "Dragon Cavalry Pirate Gang" and the high-levels of the Tulip Countries’ colonies...

At least enabling the colonial administrators to discover and intervene timely!

Because he deeply understood the terrifying power contained when contagious pathogens combined with Extraordinary elements.

Having to rush into combat when the situation arises has never been Aiven’s style, especially being in the position of vice chief of the Garrison, if issues arise in the future, he’d have to eventually step in.

However, in the Phaletis Kingdom, he can decide such matters on his own; he doesn’t need to seek anyone’s consent, but whether the other allied countries will take it seriously is beyond his control.

[Super Cystic Fungus] Pathogenic Process:

Tier 2 and above Extraordinary individuals are immune to this fungus.

Those directly infected by the "Black Cloud" are called the first generation, and ordinary people initially exhibit symptoms of almost unshakeable lethargy, primarily to supply the nutrients required for the fungus to grow.

For Tier 1 Extraordinary individuals of the apprentice level, due to their much stronger bodies compared to ordinary people, they have more robust nutrients and a certain probability of being transformed directly into "Cyst Attendants" without going into dormancy, becoming humanoid biochemical weapons without self-awareness.

The strength of these individuals can be determined by the number of cysts they possess, ranging from a minimum of three to a maximum of five.

Then.

Due to the secretions from those cysts or the spores released after they mature, secondary infection occurs in the second-generation patients. They undergo different phases of disease progression depending on their physical constitution, ultimately leading to death.

Symptoms manifest as convulsions, gibberish, single cysts on the surface, culminating in frantic spasms before death. When the host dies, the cysts on their body mature simultaneously, and after death, they rapidly rupture to release highly infectious spores.

This leads to the third and fourth rounds of propagation.

Although there have been no reports of infection in the Phaletis colonies yet, based on what has been observed from the Mind Network, it’s only a matter of time before it spreads here.

The next step for Aiven is to find a conventional treatment plan to prevent the situation from getting out of control!

...

While Aiven was working overtime.

In the inland forests north of the Aimoer Peninsula, Milan, dressed in casual attire, was walking hand in hand on a woodland path with a beautiful indigenous girl who resembled a female leopard.

"Apsuya, is it appropriate for me, a Nimansite, to enter your tribe?"

Faced with the situation similar to meeting the parents, Milan appeared somewhat apprehensive.

"What does it matter? Our Wendat Tribe happened to migrate here, so we can be together frequently during this time.

Once we familiarize ourselves with the route, I can visit you in your city, and you can come to our tribe to find me."

The Hurons consist of several large tribes and numerous smaller tribes, all collectively worshiping the "Spirit of the Giant Bear" Gleam, and it is their faith that unites them as a whole.

The Wendat Tribe, to which Apsuya belongs, is the most powerful among them, and the chieftain is the common lord of all Hurons.

"By the way, I heard from the East Lenz Company officer that you recently ended a war with the Iroquois, right?"

"The Hurons and the northernmost Iroquois have been hostile for hundreds of years, with no peaceful year between us, and the animosity is irreconcilable. The war will never end."

Looking at the girl beside him, with her beautiful profile and the faint worry for her race’s future on her face, Milan couldn’t help but blurt out:

"We’ll... help you defeat the Iroquois!"

"Hehehe, thank you, Milan. You look so handsome when you say that!"

Milan noticed his sweetheart’s indifference and was about to argue, but was caught off guard when her moist, soft lips gently pecked his cheek.

"Mwah!"

In an instant, he felt his whole body lightened by two degrees, and the draft of "My Vice Admiral Father / My Brigadier General Brother" brewing in his mind was thrown to the winds.

However, he hadn’t walked far with his light, cloud-like steps.

Suddenly, a strong sense of danger struck his heart.

The next moment.

"Woof woof woof..."

"Caw caw caw..."

"Whoo whoo whoo..."

Sounds like barking dogs, cawing crows, or the roar of a storm suddenly pierced the two’s ears from the sky.

Milan frowned.

"This scene seems a bit familiar!"

Before he could recall it carefully.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!...

"Howl——!"

"Roar——!"

Over twenty natives, their bodies covered with four or five repulsive cysts, suddenly emerged from the forest. They were a small branch of a tribe living near the Wendat Tribe.

Milan was just about to draw his sword, but Apsuya, with her rich battle experience, reacted faster.

"Something’s wrong, don’t engage in close combat!"

Whoosh——

[Ability: Mountain Cat Soul!]

From the beast tooth necklace on Apsuya’s neck, a blue spirit flame quickly sprang out, instantly enveloping her entire body.

The girl’s smooth, tan skin sprouted blue beast patterns like lynx fur, and two triangular ears extended from her head.

A long tail behind her swayed, cracking and snapping, easily capable of breaking a small tree.

Whoosh——!

The muscle lines under her skin flowed seamlessly like waves, transforming into extremely potent explosive force.

Apsuya grabbed Milan, and within two steps, they had already climbed to the treetops more than ten meters above the ground, leaping towards the Wendat Tribe, which wasn’t far away.