I'm The Only One With Cancer-Chapter 160: Eden Republic’s Emergency

"Don’t tell me..."

Zen muttered under his breath as he tried to burn the note repeatedly.

However, no matter what he did, no matter how much mana, evil energy, or divine energy he used with his skills and magic, the note remained without as much as a scratch.

"Did he really cast a protective magic or skill on this paper!?"

Feeling that Arthur had got him, Zen could not help but chuckle.

"Oh well..."

His gaze landed on the chest under the table once again.

"Let’s see what’s inside this one..."

Feeling a little excited, Zen hurriedly opened the chest.

Clack— Thud!

"..."

However, what he saw inside made him speechless.

Inside the chest was the very priest’s robe that he had worn in the game just a few seconds ago.

"I remember folding it on the ground before the Rite of Firepower, though... How did they arrange everything in this space in that short while?"

Zen caressed the familiar robe as thoughts ran rampant in his mind, ’I wonder what the principle behind these things is. How did Teacher and Aunt Ada put everything here in just the span of a few seconds? Can I really meet them in real life...?’

’I guess only time will tell. I’d better focus on the things I can do for now.’

Zen thought while shaking his head with a hint of a smile on his face, his hands worked swiftly as he folded the robe neatly and closed the chest.

Focusing his mind, the sight before him vanished as his vision turned dark.

When Zen opened his eyes once again, he was greeted by the sight of his room— as if his earlier experience was nothing but an illusion.

Unconsciously staring at his left index finger, a smile appeared on his face.

After all, he knew that everything he had experienced just earlier, and even in the game, was all real.

It was then that Zen’s face suddenly froze, "Wait— Did I... just bring back an item from the game!?"

Due to his earlier shock of dying and everything happening too quickly, it was only now that he was able to process everything that had happened.

"What’s better is the fact that this is a storage artifact! Does this mean that everything I put in here— I can access in the game as well?"

Just as Zen was feeling excited to try it out, he suddenly remembered that there was a three-day penalty before he could dive into the game again, thereby dampening his mood.

"Phew... Well, I think I’ve been in the game for too long anyway, so it’s time to breathe some fresh air— Eh, what’s this?"

While Zen was thinking out loud, he suddenly felt a tug on his left hand the moment he tried moving it.

Looking down, his eyes widened.

There seemed to be something connected to his hand— a needle which was linked to a hose that was connected to a bag with clear fluids inside.

It was the improved version of an IV fluid that had been administered to him as well, back in the hospital when he was bedridden.

"This is... a little nostalgic..."

Zen could not help but chuckle, feeling that the bad memories from back then were not so bad after all.

"This must be from Aunt Veronica... I should thank her when we meet..."

Carefully removing the apparatus from his hand, Zen hurriedly stood up and stretched.

Although logging out of the game makes one feel refreshed with the feeling not unlike that of waking up from a good night’s sleep, this had already been a habit for him.

It was then that Zen noticed something from the corner of his eye.

"What’s this... Oh, it’s a note!"

Zen gukped, seemingly having been traumatized by the last note that he had read.

Fortunately, upon reading that it was from his family, a smile bloomed on his face.

He opened it and hurriedly read its contents.

It turned out that it was merely to explain that the apparatus connected to him was the most advanced fluid that helped with all the nutrients the body needed.

In addition, it seemed to be able to regulate bodily functions.

As for how— nothing about it was stated.

Aside from that, Zen also read that Sera, Ren, and Rina had all just dived in the game not too long ago, and told him not to worry about them.

They also said that they might try staying longer this time due to the improved IV fluid that Veronica had introduced to them, which made staying in the game for longer periods of time possible.

After all, even though one would feel refreshed upon exiting the game, the gaming helmet does not provide them with nutrients or help with bodily functions.

Of course, that was the case for normal people at the very least.

As for Zen, he did not really need something like that due to his special situation.

Lastly, the note also indicated various reminders from his parents, like for him to not forget to eat after logging out of the game and whatnot.

With a smile on his face, Zen placed the note back on his bedside table.

He then started swinging his arms in a circular motion— a sign that he was bored out of his mind.

"Hmmm, what should I do for now~ Mom, Dad, and Sera are all in the game, so I can’t really play with them..."

Zen thought out loud, wondering how he should spend the next three days.

"Let’s start with having a meal first."

With a smile on his face, he was about to reach out for the door handle when his expression suddenly turned weird.

"...I stink."

Zen commented as his brows furrowed.

He looked down and saw that he was still wearing the very same clothes he wore when he entered the game— which was around three days ago.

Looking at the clock, Zen decided, "It’s 11:30 pm right now. The cafeteria’s open 24/7, so I can just have a bath first..."

When he and his family had first moved to Eden Republic, Margareth and the others had already briefed them about the numerous facilities that this building had.

***

The Eden Republic was comprised of islands that had suddenly appeared in the isolated part of the Pacific in the recent years.

It was like a sign of the Earth’s development, or it could also be seen as a sign that something big was about to happen.

On the largest island of the Eden Republic, a skyscraper stood.

Among the other buildings, it seemed to be the tallest and the most high-tech in terms of visuals due to its futuristic design.

This was in addition to what seemed like an antenna at its top with a giant, glowing blue orb embedded on it.

From this large, glowing blue orb, light blue energy seemed to be radiating.

And, in every few seconds, a translucent blue barrier that encloses the Eden Republic’s islands as a bubble fluctuates along with the glow of the blue orb.

It was none other than the mana barrier that covered thousands of kilometres around the clustered islands.

The barrier’s basic functions were camouflage to stay hidden from the satellites and other radars that the various governments of the world had, protection from stray meteorites and even from typhoons and tsunamis, as well as the regulation of climate and various other functions.

It had not even been a month since the Alcantra family had moved in here along with Ren and Rina’s former colleagues, yet their impact on the place had been anything but small.

...

At this moment, in the control room located at the very top of the tallest skyscraper...

Wang— Wang— Wang—

Red lights pulsed as a buzzing sound alerted the numerous personnel present to an incoming danger.

Thud—!

The door to the control room shot open as a sharp, feminine voice echoed in the room.

"W-What’s happening!?"

The figure’s pale-pink hair and eyes, which looked lovely, formed a stark contrast with her frowning depression.

Who could it be other than Margareth?

Margareth immediately headed into one of the sections, where the bespectacled Ethan was furiously pushing down buttons as the large hologram at the center of the room showed the situation on the Eden Republic’s islands.

"Wait a minute!"

Ethan spoke with difficulty as sweat trickled down his temple.

Beside him, Olivia had a handkerchief in her hand which she used to wipe off his sweat.

"Sickening..."

Despite the urgent situation, Margareth, who witnessed this affectionate action of theirs, could not help but let out a sarcastic remark.

Meanwhile, Sophie and Blake could be seen among the other personnel in the various sections of the control room, pushing buttons away as they utilized the Eden Republic’s very own satellites.

With each passing second, the large holographic image at the center of the room moved until the skies above the Eden Republic were reflected in detail on it.

However, what Margareth and the others saw made their jaws drop.