Dr. Camila: “Did you record the trajectory into this area?”
Staff member: “Yes, no problem, it’s already recorded.”
Dr. Camila patted the staff member’s shoulder approvingly, “Good. Starting today, you’re promoted to the leader of this investigation team. You’re responsible for organizing the route taken to get there. The sooner, the better.”
The staff member’s eyes lit up, “Okay, Dr. I won’t let you down!”
As the staff member lifted his head, Bai Lixin noticed an abnormal reaction on his face.
After making arrangements, Dr. Camila exchanged a glance with Dr. Olay, then the two left the monitoring room together.
The places they passed seemed like an isolated realm, with respectful voices all around them.
These two probably held significant authority. Even if they were not the top leaders of the laboratory, they were certainly at the top level.
Bai Lixin quietly followed them, and when the invisibility card was about to expire, he took out another one.
The two wandered through winding corridors, and stopped in front of a pure white laboratory made of metal.
A familiar scream emanated from inside. Bai Lixin peeked through the glass and saw a struggling mermaid lying on a huge hospital bed.
Instruments restrained the mermaid’s wrists as a machine injected a sedative into her body accurately.
In just a few seconds, the mermaid, who had been struggling moments ago, lay motionless on the bed, unconscious.
The experimenter inserted a syringe into the back of the mermaid’s neck, quickly extracting a tube of blue-golden blood.
On a shelf beside the experimenter, there were already dozens of tubes containing slowly flowing blue-golden liquid.
After extracting one tube, the experimenter didn’t stop but replaced it with a new one to continue drawing blood.
Five or six tubes were drawn, approximately 400 in total, but the experimenter still didn’t cease his actions.
During the blood extraction process, the mermaid on the bed, with the passage of blood, had its once glossy scales dim at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the skin started turning pale.
Seeing Dr. Camila and Dr. Olay enter, the experimenter was about to greet them, but Dr. Olay stopped him, “It’s okay, continue with your work.”
On hearing this, the experimenter continued with his actions.
Dr. Olay surveyed the laboratory and asked, “How much have we extracted?”
Experimenter: “We’ve reached 8000.”
Dr. Olay: “We need 2000 more. After extracting another 200 from this mermaid, move on to the next. Don’t press on one too much, anemia will reduce the merfolk’s desire to reproduce. It’s already challenging to capture wild mermaids. We need to breed our own.”
The experimenter nodded, “Alright, Dr. Olay, understood.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Dr. Camila stepped forward and examined a tube of blue-golden liquid, “Merfolk are truly God’s treasure to nature. Their blood is full of medicinal value, it can cure diseases and save lives.”
“Oh, wait,” he chuckled, “They’re not a treasure to nature but a treasure left for us.”
Dr. Olay: “Merfolk blood is called the ‘blue diamond.’ Its medical value is as precious and rare as diamonds. Wealthy individuals outside are eager to buy this blood at high prices, and our research institute can continue thanks to the continuous investments from these wealthy people.”
“It’s just that they never thought,” Dr. Camila pursed his lips, “Although merfolk’s blue diamond can extend life, it also brings the merfolk’s curse.”
Dr. Olay: “Perhaps they do know, but in the choice between life and death, for the sake of living a bit longer, they’re willing to pay this price.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Dr. Camila placed the blue-golden syringe back on the shelf, casually scanning the operating table, “By the way, the blood of merman No. 1 should be the best, right? You really don’t want to consider taking some?”
Dr. Olay’s brows suddenly tightened, “Don’t have any ideas about merman No. 1. He has other more important roles. We’ve drawn enough from the others, we don’t need this one.”
Dr. Camila shrugged with an indifferent attitude, “Got it, got it. Look how anxious you are.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
His resolve was now even firmer.
———————————–
In the live broadcast room
[These two people are on the road to death and will never return. ]
[No one has ever stepped on thunder as accurately as them. ]
[These mermaids are so pitiful. No wonder the red-tailed mermaid looked so weak before. I guess her blood had been almost completely drained, and when she was deemed useless, she was thrown into the sea as bait to find the merfolk’s faith.]
[From the moment they were captured, they lost their freedom. Treated as tools for others’ survival while alive, and even after death, they become specimens. Even if half-dead, they must serve as bait.]
[Isn’t this the typical scenario of ‘beauty meets tragedy’ often seen in novels?]
[By the way, if I remember correctly, it was God Xin who saved the red-tailed mermaid, right?]
[Yeah, haha, they’ve searched everywhere for the ‘faith’, only for it to be right beside them.]
[God Xin: Surprised or not surprised? It’s unexpected, right?”]
[Hahaha.]
——————————-
Dr. Olay and Dr. Camila spent some time in the blood extraction lab before turning to leave. In contrast to the busy experimenters at their respective posts, the two seemed more like inspectors.
Afterward, they entered other labs one after another, all were conducting experiments related to merfolk.
They walked to the end of the corridor and finally stopped in front of an elevator.
Seeing the two enter the elevator, Bai Lixin quietly followed.
While observing the two of them vigilantly, he opened the map in his mind.
The location they were descending to was where he heard movement behind the walls in the sewer a few days ago.
The elevator only had two buttons, one for -3 and the other for -1.
Dr. Olay pressed -3, and the elevator began to descend slowly.
Dr. Camila rubbed his nose and scanned the elevator back and forth, his eyes filled with confusion.
“Do you really not smell anything strange?” After hesitating for a moment, he spoke again.
Dr. Olay was somewhat annoyed. “Stop being so paranoid all the time. You have a problem, you need treatment.”
Dr. Camila had an embarrassed expression on his face. Just as he was about to retract his gaze, his eyes suddenly focused on a spot.
Seeing where Dr. Camila was looking, Bai Lixin’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. “Something’s wrong!” Dr. Camila urgently shouted, “Sure enough, something’s wrong. Look up!”
Just as Dr. Camila yelled, the elevator suddenly reached the third floor, and the doors slowly opened.
The moment the elevator doors opened, Bai Lixin rushed out with a swift step.
Puzzled, Dr. Olay followed Dr. Camila’s direction and saw the digital screen in the upper right corner of the elevator displaying several numbers.
Elevator maximum load: 4500kg.
Actual elevator load: 190kg.
Dr. Olay was puzzled, “What’s wrong? Is there something off?”
Dr. Camila was about to go crazy. He felt that something had been off around him since he returned from the ocean, he even begun to suspect that he was haunted. “It wasn’t like this just now. The elevator showed 255kg just a moment ago.”
“The moment the elevator doors opened, it changed to 190kg, a weight difference of 65kg!”
Dr. Olay frowned, glancing at Dr. Camila, “You’ve really fallen into the trap of theology. Next, are you going to tell me that there was someone in the elevator just now? Oh, wait, it shouldn’t be a person but a ghost, a 65kg ghost.”
“Your current state is really abnormal. Do you remember the reaction of the last cursed person before the curse erupted completely?”
“It’s like you are now, paranoid and nervous. Are you okay? Do you need to get checked? How far has your curse spread? 50%?”
Dr. Camila: “It’s already 65. And you?”
Dr. Olay’s eyes went wide with surprise, “You’re already at 65? How did it get so high? My spread is still around 45.”
Dr. Camila scratched his head, “I don’t know why. Since that time I went to the bottom of the sea, my curse has been accelerating. I suspect it’s the influence of those green-skinned monsters.”
Dr. Olay: “No wonder you’re so eager to find the merfolk’s faith.”
The two continued talking as they walked out of the elevator. Bai Lixin, who had been waiting on the side, silently followed their steps, chewing on their conversation.
According to their recent and previous implications, although they caught merfolk and discovered the medicinal value in their blood, the merfolk’s bodies harbor a curse or virus. It seems everyone in this research facility has been infected by the merfolk’s “curse,” and the way to lift the “curse” is to find the merfolk’s faith. However, the specific method of using the merfolk’s faith to lift the curse is still unknown.
Bai Lixin suddenly paused in thought, then opened a private chat window and sent a message to Xia Chi.
Bai Lixin: [Xia Chi.]
After about two minutes, Xia Chi replied: [Brother, I’m here.]
Bai Lixin: [What were you doing just now? Why did it take so long to reply?]
Xia Chi’s response time usually didn’t exceed one minute, and this time was indeed a bit longer.
Xia Chi: [My stomach hurts, Brother, it’s really uncomfortable.]
Bai Lixin suddenly had a bad feeling. He asked: [Did you eat something bad?]
Xia Chi: [I don’t know, I just eat whatever the restaurant serves. I haven’t eaten anything from the restaurant tonight, only compressed biscuits I brought into the copy.]
Bai Lixin: [Xia Chi, take off your clothes and lie down on the bed.]
Xia Chi on the other side delayed replying to him. Just when he thought something had happened to Xia Chi, Xia Chi sent a message: [Brother, are you finally going to make a move on me?]
[Don’t be like this. Although I admire you a lot, my feelings toward you are purely respectful, without any improper thoughts. And I dare not.]
Bai Lixin: [???]
‘Is this kid’s brain okay?’
[I want you to see if there’s anything different on your body, like any black spots or something.] Before Xia Chi could say anything dangerous, Bai Lixin quickly sent the message.
There was a long silence on Xia Chi’s side again. [Okay.]
Even if he wasn’t in front of Xia Chi, he could already imagine Xia Chi’s embarrassed expression.
While waiting for Xia Chi to check his body, Bai Lixin continued to follow the two doctors, observing the surrounding environment with divided attention.
They had gone to the sewers, but not where he went previously.
A thick wall separated the two sides.
The structure here was different from the sewer, meaning it did not belong to the sewer area; it was a separate experimental area.
Thick soundproofing sponges were affixed to the surrounding walls to isolate sound.
As Bai Lixin followed them to a heavy door, Xia Chi’s message arrived: [Brother, I’ve finished checking.]
[A black spot appeared on the back of my thigh at some point, and it feels a bit rough when touched.]
[How did you know something was growing on me? Is this not just a common skin problem, but something related to the copy?]
[Fuck, is this thing going to keep growing? I knew this copy wouldn’t be so simple.]
[Am I going to die? What will I turn into if I let it develop continuously, Brother?]
While Xia Chi was talking, Dr. Olay and Dr. Camila opened the heavy iron door, revealing the scene inside.
The moment the iron door opened, a foul odor instantly hit them.
The murky smell was similar to the sewer but even stronger, like the fermented odor of stagnant mud never cleaned up.
At the same time the iron door opened, the lights inside the room came on.
A pitch-black monster suddenly appeared in his line of sight without any warning. The monster’s entire body continuously exuded muddy liquid downward, accumulating on the floor and quickly flowing into the sewer below.
On careful inspection, Bai Lixin realized that it wasn’t black slime but secretions from the monster’s skin.
To describe it more accurately, black pus would be more appropriate.
Despite being covered in black pus, he could still discern the outline of the monster.
Two arms, two legs, and a head.
Its appearance was no different from a human.
The monster’s original eyes, if it had any, were now entirely covered by the black pus, revealing only an irregular oval shape.
Chains were attached to the monster’s two arms and legs, making a “tap tap” clattering sound against the walls as the monster moved.
The sound they heard through the wall probably the chains hitting the wall.
The monster seemed to be in great pain, constantly emitting chilling howls.
Dr. Camila covered his nose, frowned, and backed away. “When will it finally die?”
Dr. Olay: “Patient Zero, the first one cursed for consuming too much merfolk blood, reached a curse progression of 100%, transforming into the current state. Perhaps the peculiar chemical reaction of merfolk blood in his body turned him into a monster that will never die. That’s the merfolk’s curse.”
“Now it can only live in such agony every day, covered in sores that emit a foul liquid. Not only does it endure the stench, but it also suffers immense pain from bodily degeneration.”
“Those who paid a fortune for merfolk blood probably never imagined the heavy price they would have to pay.”
Dr. Camila sneered, “They asked for it, we provide what they want. We’re not obligated to tell them the consequences of the curse. If they knew, who would fund our research institute?”
Dr. Olay nodded in agreement, “You’re right.”
A notification for Xia Chi’s private message rang out in Bai Lixin’s mind.
Xia Chi: [Brother, I just found a dark spot on my back.]
[Brother, why aren’t you saying anything? What’s happening? What is this black thing?]
[Am I going to die, Brother?]
Bai Lixin: [You won’t die.]
Xia Chi: [Brother, you finally replied. It’s good I won’t die.]
Bai Lixin: [You’ll become very ugly.]
Xia Chi: […]
‘Do I have to choose between death and ugliness? These are clearly two undesirable options.’
Bai Lixin: [Ask others if they have these black spots on their bodies. You’re affected by the merfolk’s curse. I followed Dr. Olay and the others to the underground laboratory. I’ve seem the fate of people cursed by merfolk here.]
Xia Chi hesitated, […Can I have a brief description?]
Bai Lixin also hesitated. He paused, and ultimately chose to refuse, [Trust me, it’s better not to know.]
Xia Chi: […]
Inside the iron door, there wasn’t only a trapped monster but also an iron rack and metal tools placed on the rack.
Dr. Olay walked up to the rack, wore protective gear and approached the monster.
The monster felt someone approaching and roared at the top of its lungs.
The monster’s movements were violent, and the black pus on its body scattered everywhere with its actions.
Dr. Camila backed away in disgust. As he backed away, he held his nose and urged: “Hurry up, don’t waste time. Every time we come here, my nose is uncomfortable for several days, I can’t bear it.”
Dr. Olay took a sharp scalpel, cut a piece of flesh from the howling monster, and quickly placed the flesh in a container.
After collecting the sample, he put things back in place, removed the protective gear, and carefully placed the stopper back before joining Dr. Camila, “The sample has been collected, let’s go.”
Dr. Camila looked at the black flesh disdainfully, pinched his nose, and walked away.
After Dr. Olay closed the door and tidied up the place to its original state, he turned and followed Dr. Camila.
In the distance, Dr. Camila’s complaints could still be heard.
“This monster is really like cancer cells, unstoppable and continuously growing.”
“If it weren’t the only completed cursed body we found, and that the only way to extract cursed materials is here, I wouldn’t come here no matter what. You know my nose is too sensitive.”
Dr. Olay replied indifferently, “I know, I know.”
The two continued their conversation as they returned to the elevator.
After entering the elevator, Dr. Camila began to observe the displayed numbers. However, even after the elevator closed, the number remained at 190kg, showing no signs of change.
Dr. Camila: “Did you record the trajectory into this area?”
Staff member: “Yes, no problem, it’s already recorded.”
Dr. Camila patted the staff member’s shoulder approvingly, “Good. Starting today, you’re promoted to the leader of this investigation team. You’re responsible for organizing the route taken to get there. The sooner, the better.”
The staff member’s eyes lit up, “Okay, Dr. I won’t let you down!”
As the staff member lifted his head, Bai Lixin noticed an abnormal reaction on his face.
After making arrangements, Dr. Camila exchanged a glance with Dr. Olay, then the two left the monitoring room together.
The places they passed seemed like an isolated realm, with respectful voices all around them.
These two probably held significant authority. Even if they were not the top leaders of the laboratory, they were certainly at the top level.
Bai Lixin quietly followed them, and when the invisibility card was about to expire, he took out another one.
The two wandered through winding corridors, and stopped in front of a pure white laboratory made of metal.
A familiar scream emanated from inside. Bai Lixin peeked through the glass and saw a struggling mermaid lying on a huge hospital bed.
Instruments restrained the mermaid’s wrists as a machine injected a sedative into her body accurately.
In just a few seconds, the mermaid, who had been struggling moments ago, lay motionless on the bed, unconscious.
The experimenter inserted a syringe into the back of the mermaid’s neck, quickly extracting a tube of blue-golden blood.
On a shelf beside the experimenter, there were already dozens of tubes containing slowly flowing blue-golden liquid.
After extracting one tube, the experimenter didn’t stop but replaced it with a new one to continue drawing blood.
Five or six tubes were drawn, approximately 400 in total, but the experimenter still didn’t cease his actions.
During the blood extraction process, the mermaid on the bed, with the passage of blood, had its once glossy scales dim at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the skin started turning pale.
Seeing Dr. Camila and Dr. Olay enter, the experimenter was about to greet them, but Dr. Olay stopped him, “It’s okay, continue with your work.”
On hearing this, the experimenter continued with his actions.
Dr. Olay surveyed the laboratory and asked, “How much have we extracted?”
Experimenter: “We’ve reached 8000.”
Dr. Olay: “We need 2000 more. After extracting another 200 from this mermaid, move on to the next. Don’t press on one too much, anemia will reduce the merfolk’s desire to reproduce. It’s already challenging to capture wild mermaids. We need to breed our own.”
The experimenter nodded, “Alright, Dr. Olay, understood.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Dr. Camila stepped forward and examined a tube of blue-golden liquid, “Merfolk are truly God’s treasure to nature. Their blood is full of medicinal value, it can cure diseases and save lives.”
“Oh, wait,” he chuckled, “They’re not a treasure to nature but a treasure left for us.”
Dr. Olay: “Merfolk blood is called the ‘blue diamond.’ Its medical value is as precious and rare as diamonds. Wealthy individuals outside are eager to buy this blood at high prices, and our research institute can continue thanks to the continuous investments from these wealthy people.”
“It’s just that they never thought,” Dr. Camila pursed his lips, “Although merfolk’s blue diamond can extend life, it also brings the merfolk’s curse.”
Dr. Olay: “Perhaps they do know, but in the choice between life and death, for the sake of living a bit longer, they’re willing to pay this price.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Dr. Camila placed the blue-golden syringe back on the shelf, casually scanning the operating table, “By the way, the blood of merman No. 1 should be the best, right? You really don’t want to consider taking some?”
Dr. Olay’s brows suddenly tightened, “Don’t have any ideas about merman No. 1. He has other more important roles. We’ve drawn enough from the others, we don’t need this one.”
Dr. Camila shrugged with an indifferent attitude, “Got it, got it. Look how anxious you are.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
His resolve was now even firmer.
———————————–
In the live broadcast room
[These two people are on the road to death and will never return. ]
[No one has ever stepped on thunder as accurately as them. ]
[These mermaids are so pitiful. No wonder the red-tailed mermaid looked so weak before. I guess her blood had been almost completely drained, and when she was deemed useless, she was thrown into the sea as bait to find the merfolk’s faith.]
[From the moment they were captured, they lost their freedom. Treated as tools for others’ survival while alive, and even after death, they become specimens. Even if half-dead, they must serve as bait.]
[Isn’t this the typical scenario of ‘beauty meets tragedy’ often seen in novels?]
[By the way, if I remember correctly, it was God Xin who saved the red-tailed mermaid, right?]
[Yeah, haha, they’ve searched everywhere for the ‘faith’, only for it to be right beside them.]
[God Xin: Surprised or not surprised? It’s unexpected, right?”]
[Hahaha.]
——————————-
Dr. Olay and Dr. Camila spent some time in the blood extraction lab before turning to leave. In contrast to the busy experimenters at their respective posts, the two seemed more like inspectors.
Afterward, they entered other labs one after another, all were conducting experiments related to merfolk.
They walked to the end of the corridor and finally stopped in front of an elevator.
Seeing the two enter the elevator, Bai Lixin quietly followed.
While observing the two of them vigilantly, he opened the map in his mind.
The location they were descending to was where he heard movement behind the walls in the sewer a few days ago.
The elevator only had two buttons, one for -3 and the other for -1.
Dr. Olay pressed -3, and the elevator began to descend slowly.
Dr. Camila rubbed his nose and scanned the elevator back and forth, his eyes filled with confusion.
“Do you really not smell anything strange?” After hesitating for a moment, he spoke again.
Dr. Olay was somewhat annoyed. “Stop being so paranoid all the time. You have a problem, you need treatment.”
Dr. Camila had an embarrassed expression on his face. Just as he was about to retract his gaze, his eyes suddenly focused on a spot.
Seeing where Dr. Camila was looking, Bai Lixin’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. “Something’s wrong!” Dr. Camila urgently shouted, “Sure enough, something’s wrong. Look up!”
Just as Dr. Camila yelled, the elevator suddenly reached the third floor, and the doors slowly opened.
The moment the elevator doors opened, Bai Lixin rushed out with a swift step.
Puzzled, Dr. Olay followed Dr. Camila’s direction and saw the digital screen in the upper right corner of the elevator displaying several numbers.
Elevator maximum load: 4500kg.
Actual elevator load: 190kg.
Dr. Olay was puzzled, “What’s wrong? Is there something off?”
Dr. Camila was about to go crazy. He felt that something had been off around him since he returned from the ocean, he even begun to suspect that he was haunted. “It wasn’t like this just now. The elevator showed 255kg just a moment ago.”
“The moment the elevator doors opened, it changed to 190kg, a weight difference of 65kg!”
Dr. Olay frowned, glancing at Dr. Camila, “You’ve really fallen into the trap of theology. Next, are you going to tell me that there was someone in the elevator just now? Oh, wait, it shouldn’t be a person but a ghost, a 65kg ghost.”
“Your current state is really abnormal. Do you remember the reaction of the last cursed person before the curse erupted completely?”
“It’s like you are now, paranoid and nervous. Are you okay? Do you need to get checked? How far has your curse spread? 50%?”
Dr. Camila: “It’s already 65. And you?”
Dr. Olay’s eyes went wide with surprise, “You’re already at 65? How did it get so high? My spread is still around 45.”
Dr. Camila scratched his head, “I don’t know why. Since that time I went to the bottom of the sea, my curse has been accelerating. I suspect it’s the influence of those green-skinned monsters.”
Dr. Olay: “No wonder you’re so eager to find the merfolk’s faith.”
The two continued talking as they walked out of the elevator. Bai Lixin, who had been waiting on the side, silently followed their steps, chewing on their conversation.
According to their recent and previous implications, although they caught merfolk and discovered the medicinal value in their blood, the merfolk’s bodies harbor a curse or virus. It seems everyone in this research facility has been infected by the merfolk’s “curse,” and the way to lift the “curse” is to find the merfolk’s faith. However, the specific method of using the merfolk’s faith to lift the curse is still unknown.
Bai Lixin suddenly paused in thought, then opened a private chat window and sent a message to Xia Chi.
Bai Lixin: [Xia Chi.]
After about two minutes, Xia Chi replied: [Brother, I’m here.]
Bai Lixin: [What were you doing just now? Why did it take so long to reply?]
Xia Chi’s response time usually didn’t exceed one minute, and this time was indeed a bit longer.
Xia Chi: [My stomach hurts, Brother, it’s really uncomfortable.]
Bai Lixin suddenly had a bad feeling. He asked: [Did you eat something bad?]
Xia Chi: [I don’t know, I just eat whatever the restaurant serves. I haven’t eaten anything from the restaurant tonight, only compressed biscuits I brought into the copy.]
Bai Lixin: [Xia Chi, take off your clothes and lie down on the bed.]
Xia Chi on the other side delayed replying to him. Just when he thought something had happened to Xia Chi, Xia Chi sent a message: [Brother, are you finally going to make a move on me?]
[Don’t be like this. Although I admire you a lot, my feelings toward you are purely respectful, without any improper thoughts. And I dare not.]
Bai Lixin: [???]
‘Is this kid’s brain okay?’
[I want you to see if there’s anything different on your body, like any black spots or something.] Before Xia Chi could say anything dangerous, Bai Lixin quickly sent the message.
There was a long silence on Xia Chi’s side again. [Okay.]
Even if he wasn’t in front of Xia Chi, he could already imagine Xia Chi’s embarrassed expression.
While waiting for Xia Chi to check his body, Bai Lixin continued to follow the two doctors, observing the surrounding environment with divided attention.
They had gone to the sewers, but not where he went previously.
A thick wall separated the two sides.
The structure here was different from the sewer, meaning it did not belong to the sewer area; it was a separate experimental area.
Thick soundproofing sponges were affixed to the surrounding walls to isolate sound.
As Bai Lixin followed them to a heavy door, Xia Chi’s message arrived: [Brother, I’ve finished checking.]
[A black spot appeared on the back of my thigh at some point, and it feels a bit rough when touched.]
[How did you know something was growing on me? Is this not just a common skin problem, but something related to the copy?]
[Fuck, is this thing going to keep growing? I knew this copy wouldn’t be so simple.]
[Am I going to die? What will I turn into if I let it develop continuously, Brother?]
While Xia Chi was talking, Dr. Olay and Dr. Camila opened the heavy iron door, revealing the scene inside.
The moment the iron door opened, a foul odor instantly hit them.
The murky smell was similar to the sewer but even stronger, like the fermented odor of stagnant mud never cleaned up.
At the same time the iron door opened, the lights inside the room came on.
A pitch-black monster suddenly appeared in his line of sight without any warning. The monster’s entire body continuously exuded muddy liquid downward, accumulating on the floor and quickly flowing into the sewer below.
On careful inspection, Bai Lixin realized that it wasn’t black slime but secretions from the monster’s skin.
To describe it more accurately, black pus would be more appropriate.
Despite being covered in black pus, he could still discern the outline of the monster.
Two arms, two legs, and a head.
Its appearance was no different from a human.
The monster’s original eyes, if it had any, were now entirely covered by the black pus, revealing only an irregular oval shape.
Chains were attached to the monster’s two arms and legs, making a “tap tap” clattering sound against the walls as the monster moved.
The sound they heard through the wall probably the chains hitting the wall.
The monster seemed to be in great pain, constantly emitting chilling howls.
Dr. Camila covered his nose, frowned, and backed away. “When will it finally die?”
Dr. Olay: “Patient Zero, the first one cursed for consuming too much merfolk blood, reached a curse progression of 100%, transforming into the current state. Perhaps the peculiar chemical reaction of merfolk blood in his body turned him into a monster that will never die. That’s the merfolk’s curse.”
“Now it can only live in such agony every day, covered in sores that emit a foul liquid. Not only does it endure the stench, but it also suffers immense pain from bodily degeneration.”
“Those who paid a fortune for merfolk blood probably never imagined the heavy price they would have to pay.”
Dr. Camila sneered, “They asked for it, we provide what they want. We’re not obligated to tell them the consequences of the curse. If they knew, who would fund our research institute?”
Dr. Olay nodded in agreement, “You’re right.”
A notification for Xia Chi’s private message rang out in Bai Lixin’s mind.
Xia Chi: [Brother, I just found a dark spot on my back.]
[Brother, why aren’t you saying anything? What’s happening? What is this black thing?]
[Am I going to die, Brother?]
Bai Lixin: [You won’t die.]
Xia Chi: [Brother, you finally replied. It’s good I won’t die.]
Bai Lixin: [You’ll become very ugly.]
Xia Chi: […]
‘Do I have to choose between death and ugliness? These are clearly two undesirable options.’
Bai Lixin: [Ask others if they have these black spots on their bodies. You’re affected by the merfolk’s curse. I followed Dr. Olay and the others to the underground laboratory. I’ve seem the fate of people cursed by merfolk here.]
Xia Chi hesitated, […Can I have a brief description?]
Bai Lixin also hesitated. He paused, and ultimately chose to refuse, [Trust me, it’s better not to know.]
Xia Chi: […]
Inside the iron door, there wasn’t only a trapped monster but also an iron rack and metal tools placed on the rack.
Dr. Olay walked up to the rack, wore protective gear and approached the monster.
The monster felt someone approaching and roared at the top of its lungs.
The monster’s movements were violent, and the black pus on its body scattered everywhere with its actions.
Dr. Camila backed away in disgust. As he backed away, he held his nose and urged: “Hurry up, don’t waste time. Every time we come here, my nose is uncomfortable for several days, I can’t bear it.”
Dr. Olay took a sharp scalpel, cut a piece of flesh from the howling monster, and quickly placed the flesh in a container.
After collecting the sample, he put things back in place, removed the protective gear, and carefully placed the stopper back before joining Dr. Camila, “The sample has been collected, let’s go.”
Dr. Camila looked at the black flesh disdainfully, pinched his nose, and walked away.
After Dr. Olay closed the door and tidied up the place to its original state, he turned and followed Dr. Camila.
In the distance, Dr. Camila’s complaints could still be heard.
“This monster is really like cancer cells, unstoppable and continuously growing.”
“If it weren’t the only completed cursed body we found, and that the only way to extract cursed materials is here, I wouldn’t come here no matter what. You know my nose is too sensitive.”
Dr. Olay replied indifferently, “I know, I know.”
The two continued their conversation as they returned to the elevator.
After entering the elevator, Dr. Camila began to observe the displayed numbers. However, even after the elevator closed, the number remained at 190kg, showing no signs of change.
