The Gentleman at the End-Chapter 710 - 708: Sick Mountain, Flying Dragon and Hidden Village

Chapter 710: Chapter 708: Sick Mountain, Flying Dragon and Hidden Village

Lakavik Town,

Originally, this place should have been a European retro-style pastoral town, where sparsely arranged, low-rise bungalows were very suitable for visiting travelers.

But as the Grey Zone spread, the plague raged on. frёeωebɳovel.com

Pathological contamination seeped into every inch of land, every brick and tile, every wall paint—this town had undergone a root transformation, with the once low-rise bungalows beginning to grow like living things, not vertically, but in skewed and twisted manners.

The various window structures resembled more of organs such as mouths and eye sockets,

More exaggeratedly, houses that were completely pathological seemed to even ’fertility’, birthing buildings with similar structures around themselves, making the once sparse town become compact, turning spacious roads into paths just wide enough to squeeze through sideways, and in some places, it was necessary to climb over walls, crawl through holes, or even pass through the interiors of houses.

Most of the buildings would interconnect above the second floor, with doors meeting doors, windows connecting to windows,

The town’s residents would not wander the streets, but rather visit each other between buildings—a bustling scene.

This vertical structure also allowed the town’s population capacity to increase more than tenfold.

Just standing on the outskirts of the town and looking at this dense cluster of twisted buildings would make one feel uneasy, feeling as if entering would result in being crushed by the houses.

From hundreds of meters away, William was drawn to such a town structure, wanting to go in and take a look to experience the local culture and customs.

Just then, click—a sound came from the side of the highway,

Corresponding to a snail shell the size of a football, the ground peeled away, first secreting a large amount of mucus for lubrication, then sprouting a multitude of soft tissues from inside.

Translucent, moist limbs, willow-like slim waists, and black hair hanging in front to cover raised parts, the figure politely placed her hands on her waist and bowed to the four passersby.

However, with only a figure to speak of, this person’s head had already merged with the snail shell; it was clear they were a Parasite infection Patient.

A voice, akin to one with a severe cold and serious nasal obstruction, emanated from the snail-shell head: "If I’m not mistaken, you are here to stay in Lakavik Town and to inquire about Sick Mountain, right? May I serve as your lodging guide?

For just a small kickback, I can arrange the best accommodations for you and explain the legends and deeds related to Sick Mountain, Flying Dragon, and Hidden Village."

Hearing several key words, William immediately became interested, "How much do you charge?"

"For deep infection patients like you, no charge, just let this young man keep me company,"

During the conversation, the translucent figure of the woman grew some worm-like structures, floating in the air like silk threads, and the person she referred to was Nash.

William turned and asked directly, pushing his newly changed glasses with his finger, "Nash, can you satisfy this lady’s request?"

"The honor is mine."

Nash too, unlike his usual hanger-on demeanor, invited the other party into the group with gentlemanly grace.

When the snail-headed woman touched Nash’s palm, she immediately secreted a large amount of tissue fluid from the snail shell of her head like an electric shock, soaking her entire body.

Her entire body also trembled excitedly, clearly convinced she had made the right bet. Mating with such an outstanding parasite, she would gain parasitic experience money couldn’t buy.

Walking ahead, William continued, "We’d better not stay at a hotel, but rather have you briefly tell us about Sick Mountain, and then we’ll be off."

"Are you in such a hurry? Sick Mountain is very dangerous; most people rest and recuperate to their optimal condition before setting off, otherwise the death rate is very high."

"How high?"

"About as high as the eighth or ninth floor."

"Okay, find a place to tell us in detail about Sick Mountain first, then we’ll consider our next steps."

"Sure." The snail woman naturally wanted them to stay for a few more days, which would give her a chance to communicate and learn from Nash, "Let’s go sit in the café then, they have private rooms convenient for chatting."

Under the guidance of the snail woman, everyone stepped into the outermost building of Lakavik Town and discovered that the town’s ’streets’ were entirely set inside buildings.

Through the windows stuck together,

Or ’public doors’ set in bathrooms, living rooms,

Even the fully accessible entrance hall passages allowed one to freely transit between different buildings, realizing the so-called "shopping" experience.

Of course, some areas were marked as private, and unwarranted access would be met with an attack.

They soon arrived at a top-tier coffee shop situated on the topmost floor, named the Cloud Café. The attendants here, all bearing snail shells, quickly arranged a private and enclosed booth for the group,

The coffee cups served also resembled snail shells, and occasionally one could spot mollusks poking their heads out in the hot coffee, offering a unique flavor.

The booth was for four. The snail woman sat next to Nash, while William and Dentist Jessica sat on the opposite side,

Lorrian, who seemed as if he had a mental illness, stood with his back to the door. Even when William asked him to squeeze in, he remained unmoved.

The snail woman spoke up first, "You’ve come all the way here from afar, so you must have some preliminary understanding of Sick Mountain, right?"

William waved his hand dismissively, "We came here unintentionally and only heard about Sick Mountain upon arriving. We don’t have even the slightest initial understanding.

The purpose of our journey was to transfer this special patient to a certain hospital in the north.

But his condition is still relatively stable, and we’ve been making stops along the way, getting involved in interesting things when we encounter them."

"I see. Then let me tell you about it in detail.

Sick Mountain is well-known in many places of the Central Domain. Many patients who reach the Open Source level would come here lured by its fame, even at the risk of their lives, to explore its mysteries.

It is rumored that if one could find the Hidden Village within Sick Mountain and become one of its villagers, they would contract a unique and unparalleled disease. An individual’s illness would leap in quality, and they might even effortlessly touch upon that inconceivable "Path."

"A unique and unparalleled disease?" For some reason, the term made William want to laugh.

"Sick Mountain nurtures a special Pathogen. However, not everyone can be infected; only those who have reached Open Source are eligible to attempt contact."

"What kind of illness is it approximately? Are there any patients with this unparalleled disease in town?"

"Important figures with the disease wouldn’t come our way; most of them stay in the Hidden Village for a long time before heading directly to the Old World.

As for what the illness looks like, I’ve only heard that they can ’swallow clouds and spew fog, ride clouds and command mist.’

The peculiar mist that encircles Sick Mountain is exhaled by the villagers of the Hidden Village. Even the brightest light cannot penetrate it, keeping Sick Mountain isolated from the world."

"What about the Flying Dragons you mentioned before?"

"That is the most dangerous element of Sick Mountain. A multitude of Flying Dragons nest within... These enormous flying creatures, resembling dragons from mythological stories, can breathe out an attack that is potent enough to grievously injure or even kill Open Source patients instantly.

And we patients, especially those with physical-related illnesses, are considered the Flying Dragons’ favorite delicacies."

"Can these creatures be killed?"

"They cannot be killed, and nor should they be!

Flying Dragons are a part of Sick Mountain. Killing them would provoke its animosity. Not only would you never find the Hidden Village again, but you would also never be able to leave Sick Mountain,

In severe cases, you might even fall victim to covert assassinations by the villagers of the Hidden Village or be taken as a living sacrifice for offerings.

Moreover, there are many other hidden dangers within Sick Mountain, such as humanoid mushrooms, man-eating tree hollows, and so on.

I suggest you rest here for a few more days and perhaps purchase some of our climbing tools. They could significantly increase your chances of success."

"No, we’ll set off today. We’re in a hurry~ after all, our main task is to escort this special patient. As for Sick Mountain, we’ll just take a casual look around, and it’s of no consequence whether we find the Hidden Village or not.

If you want to stay with Mr. Nash, you’re welcome to join us.

Of course, if you prefer not to come along and instead desire money, we can pay you."

The snail woman was absolutely not inclined to venture toward Sick Mountain, well aware of the dangers it posed—a likely fatal expedition. However, her recent contact with Nash’s palm had given her an experience she had never felt in her life.

With gritted teeth, she declared, "I... I’ll go with you."

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