Chapter 382: Charity’s Owner
"Truly fascinating." Michael muttered, examining the condition of the man. Even though he had been a simple researcher, he was well-versed in the benefits of cultivation, having reached the Adept realm. Not that impressive feat, but enough to be affected by the plague.
Since the researcher had proven to be quite weak-minded, constantly screaming nonstop, Michael had proceeded to gag him, sparing their ears from his high-pitched screeches.
He had to give them credit... The plague was truly vile in its creation. Once introduced into the bloodstream, it spread throughout a cultivator’s body at alarming speeds.
At first glance, it appeared to have a similar structure to spiritual energy, though far more chaotic. The foreign energy would mix with the very essence of the cultivator, taking root in their being.
Going deeper, it seeped into their bones, organs, and blood vessels, allowing it to evade detection even from the most skilled examiners.
After that, what exactly the chaotic energy did was a mystery. But if Michael had to guess, it likely tricked the body into thinking it was normal spiritual energy, preventing the cultivator’s soul from channeling any more energy.
"It’s just a hypothesis. I’ll need to investigate it much further. But the cure could theoretically involve the infected cultivator expelling the chaotic spiritual energy... The plague, as it’s now called. Essentially, it’s the polar opposite of cultivation."
He paused briefly.
"Or perhaps we could automate the whole process with some kind of injection?"
All things considered, it was a good theory, but the only way to be truly sure of his assumption was to put it to the test himself... By purposely infecting himself with the plague.
If he rushed things, it could lead to severe complications. There were human lives at stake... Mistakes weren’t going to be tolerated.
The revelation weighed on his mood. The plague was eerily similar to the condition his father was suffering from. Even though it was infinitely smaller in complexity, the same principle seemed to apply.
Soon after Michael finished his work, the local authorities finally arrived. Dressed in battle attire and protective masks, they were all members of the felines.
"W—What happened here?!" The squad nearly had heart attacks at the sight of the mass destruction that had occurred. In the middle of the capital, even in the worst of times, it was rare to witness so much death.
"There’s no need to worry!" Michael reassured with a smile, waving from a distance.
What he failed to account for, however, was that the appearance of his physician’s attire made him look far more menacing than intended. To top it off, Devil, leisurely cleaning his claws, was the topping on the cake.
It took quite a bit of time before they were truly convinced Michael and his team were on their side... And not something far worse than the current cultists.
Ruby broke the tension. The moment she pointed to her pointed ears peeking from under her protective hood, the squad visibly relaxed with a sigh of relief.
"We are deeply grateful for your assistance!" They chanted in unison.
With this being their first large-scale operation, they were eager to prove that the felines weren’t just a burden but people capable of getting the job done.
"As per your request, we will keep the captives you’ve brought alive for future interrogation." A woman, the leader of the squad, saluted towards Michael.
After a second she threw a glance toward Ruby.
"Rest assured, we will also locate the families of those unfortunate enough not to make it and inform them."
As was typical of human nature, some of the felines had already begun to form families.
Ruby couldn’t manage a smile, only nodding quietly. She still felt sick to her stomach, wondering if she could ever look at the world the same way after today.
Whether Devil was too bored to walk back or smart enough to give the two some personal space, he retreated into Michael’s soul.
"Pity... I didn’t get the chance to test the evolved form of Heaven’s Judgment. The enemies were simply that weak." Michael murmured, glancing at Ruby with concern.
"Are you sure you don’t want me to carry Zachary?"
Ruby remained silent for a few seconds.
"Yes... I want to reflect on how a helpless child was treated like livestock. It’s to make sure I never hesitate when I strike down my enemies from now on."
Michael wanted to tell her there was no need... She hadn’t hesitated until now, after all. Yet, if that was her choice, he had no right to claim he knew better. All he could do was support her along the way.
By the time they reached the soup kitchen, the boy had fully healed, though he was still unconscious.
"Zachary!" Lily rushed out to greet them, having anxiously waited all this time for their return.
Considering the boy was still weak, Michael was about to tell Lily not to shake him so roughly, only for the boy to suddenly wake up.
"You dummy!" The little girl sobbed.
"Don’t scare me like that ever again!" Lily proceeded to lecture Zachary while simultaneously hugging him.
"Did I do something wrong... or right?" The young boy was left completely baffled.
The reunion between the two ended swiftly. Michael noticed that a few members of the crew had responded to his earlier call and were assessing the damage in the storeroom.
Before he could join them, Lily grabbed both his and Ruby’s hands, leading them to the second floor of the building.
"Anya told me that she’s very grateful for what you two did and wants to meet you in person!"
With Zachary back at her side, Lily was radiating like a dazzling flower.
"It wouldn’t be bad to meet the person who makes this charity possible." Michael reasoned.
Lily giggled.
"Anya can seem a bit strange at first glance, but she’s really a good person! Sadly, she rarely leaves her room since she’s always busy working."
Michael was intrigued by her description of the charity’s owner. She must have been incredibly smart to not only learn a skill in such a short time but also manage the entire kitchen operation and keep it functioning.
The first floor of the building was meant for cooking, while the second floor served as the living quarters of the staff.
"We’re here!" Lily pointed to a door at the far end. "Why don’t you try entering?"
Hearing faint echoes from beyond the door, Michael paused.
"Thank you so much for the golden phoenix! All donations are appreciated and mean the world to me!"
Lily noticed Michael’s hesitation, so she simply opened the door, not bothering to knock.
Instantly, Michael’s vision was assaulted by rays of colorful lights. Once his eyes adjusted, he noticed the unmade bed pushed to the side.
Energy drinks were stacked neatly in the corner of the room, kept out of sight.
While the large desk with a powerful computer and several monitors took the spotlight... literally.
A woman bearing feline characteristics sat in a chair that looked like it had been ripped out from a sports car. Her eyes were focused entirely on the primary monitor, where she was playing a video game, controlling a knight clad in black armor and wielding a colossal sword twice his size.
It seemed that Anya’s occupation... was a streamer.