Chapter 1813 Madness <TOC> Chapter 1815 Live Wire
Next page password is bold portion: 6i9LrerApA2=&
Translator: SumTLMan
After navigating the long corridor, Angel felt an unexpected sense of spaciousness. A town, seemingly pulled right from a fairytale, stood majestically in the distance.
Rotating windmills, vibrant colored cottages, and a complex network of streets painted the very essence of an underground country’s town.
This was Windmill Town.
Angel and his companions ambled leisurely along the paths lined with fields of flowers, as if they were out for a casual stroll in the town square. Guiding them was a parchment merchant named Cassius, who had been among the mortals who previously sought their aid.
Though Cassius led the way, he frequently glanced back. However, his gaze did not dare linger on the wizard; instead, it focused distantly on the end of their group.
Iva, afflicted with madness, trailed closely behind them. He moved in a manner so ordinary, so composed, that it could easily be mistaken for sanity.
Upon their first encounter, Cassius had thought that the wizard had cured Iva. But a closer look revealed his still distorted expression and the eerie, wild gleam in his eyes. Perhaps the wizard had used some kind of spell or technique, making Iva oblivious to those around him and causing him to obediently follow them.
After observing Iva, Cassius’s gaze shifted slowly to another individual——Old Ham.
Currently, Old Ham wasn’t walking because he was unconscious. Suspended mid-air by a flying octopus, its tentacles binding the old man securely, he resembled a kite drifting with the wind. As the group progressed, the octopus moved forward, ensuring Old Ham floated along.
Cassius was unaware of what Old Ham had endured in the cave earlier. Yet, observing how the wizard had him under such control, Cassius felt a creeping suspicion forming in his mind.
Is it possible that Old Ham has also contracted the madness? He didn’t come out just now; was he infected by Iva?
The thought startled Cassius. If this were true, it would be terrifying! He had only heard rumors about the contagious nature of the madness, but he didn’t realize how potent the contagion was. To think that they had only separated from Old Ham for a few minutes, and he had already caught the disease, it was hard to fathom.
With this realization, a hint of anxiety and concern began to well up in Cassius’s heart.
If his speculation was correct, should he continue to stay in Windmill Town? Would it be better to go to other villages or head straight to the capital city?
As these doubts circled in Cassius’s mind, a cold, indifferent male voice echoed in his ears:
“Without identifying the source of the disease, escaping anywhere might lead to a recurrence of the scene in Windmill Town. Perhaps the madness has already spread elsewhere.”
Cassius quickly turned around and discovered that the speaker was the young man among the three esteemed wizards.
“Lord, how did you…?”
“You mean, how do I know what you’re thinking?” Angel looked at Cassius, who hesitated and then nodded.
“You can think of it as a kind of mind-reading spell,” Angel said casually. Of course, he didn’t possess any mind-reading magic. The reason he could discern Cassius’s thoughts was a combination of various information, primarily facial expression interpretation. But explaining all that would be tedious, and Angel couldn’t be bothered.
After sharing his piece, Angel said no more.
Having quickly come to terms with the concept of “mind-reading,” Cassius set it aside and began pondering the words of the wizard before him.
Indeed, no one can guarantee that similar ailments won’t break out elsewhere. If he were to exhaust his entire fortune and relocate, only to discover the same madness spreading in the new location, wouldn’t all his efforts have been in vain?
Under the premise that the source of the contagion can’t be guaranteed to be controlled, moving away isn’t a feasible plan.
Moreover, Cassius is certain that if an outbreak of the disease occurs elsewhere, it would spread like a tidal wave. By staying in Windmill Town, at least there’s a significant probability of receiving aid, especially since the Savage Grottoes are located right next to Windmill Town. Just like before, when they were on the verge of being infected by Iva, they managed to escape and sought assistance from a revered wizard, all because of this very reason.
With this in mind, Cassius discarded the idea of relocating.
However, even if he’s not moving, it’s best to minimize outings. After all, the madness is truly terrifying. It would be prudent to stay at home for now and wait for the esteemed wizard to resolve the crisis before venturing out again.
As Cassius contemplated this, they had already entered the heart of Windmill Town, and he could faintly see his own house in the distance.
Yet, Cassius didn’t head towards his home. Instead, he made his way to the tail end of Windmill Town.
There, a specialized hospital stands, designed to detain those afflicted with the madness.
The very reason for his return to the town was to lead the wizard to this institution.
…
Throughout their journey, they didn’t encounter many townsfolk. Windmill Town was eerily quiet, with every household keeping their doors and windows tightly shut. Occasionally, a few individuals could be seen walking about, but the moment they noticed Iva behind them, they’d scurry away in fear, clearly illustrating the intense stress and terror the outbreak had induced.
Soon, under Cassius’s guidance, Angel and the others arrived at a hospital encircled by towering walls.
“The Puppet Hospital.”
After Gloria read out the name of the hospital, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at Sanders. “It seems that your organization has also noticed the condition of this group of people,” she remarked.
Those infected with the madness disease move as if they are marionettes controlled by puppeteers.
Given the reference to ‘puppets’, it’s clear that the Savage Grottoes have also taken note of the anomalies in the patients with the disease.
“The ability to probe mentally has been blocked; the hospital area has set up an energy shield,” Sanders pointed out. “Let’s go in and have a look.”
Angel and Gloria nodded in agreement. They came here naturally to understand the specifics of the situation.
After letting Cassius leave, they proceeded to walk through the grand entrance of the Puppet Hospital.
To be precise, it was the front lobby door. This area hasn’t yet been covered by the energy shield. Upon entering, they found the lobby deserted.
Gloria walked over to a table on the side, picked up a water glass, fiddled with it for a moment, then set it back down.
Gloria observed, “The scent of people is faint; it seems very few have been here.”
“That’s a bit odd,” Angel chimed in. He didn’t specify what exactly was strange, but both Gloria and Sanders understood his implication.
Based on their speculation, the underlying cause of this epidemic is undoubtedly complex.
For such a significant event, there should be several extraordinary individuals overseeing it. Yet, the place is devoid of any presence, which indeed is suspicious.
The only explanation would be an absolute confidence in the security measures of this place.
But if the security here is truly so impeccable, how did Iva manage to escape?
Just as they were pondering this, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew in from the wide-open door. Accompanied by the continuous rustling sound echoing in their ears, a single leaf was swept inside.
The leaf floated like a drifting feather, leisurely circling in the air above the hall.
When the leaf flew directly in front of them, the verdant blade emitted a soft glow. Immediately after, countless phantom leaves began swirling down from above, resembling a tornado of leafy shadows.
As the shadowy leaves touched the ground, the figure of a nearly naked person slowly materialized from below.
When this figure fully revealed itself, all the leaves, whether real or illusionary, vanished without a trace. It was as if this individual had transformed from the leaves.
“Hello, everyone. Especially you, Angel. It’s been a long time~”