Chapter 19: Black Death and the Deity 001 Part 3

He looked down at the clothes he was wearing. A roughly cut set of burlap clothes. A thin short-sleeved top and very short pants, even shorter than the Pajama bottoms he wore in the last Instance. The pants couldn’t even cover his knees. The edge of the loose, saggy fabric had rough threads.

…It seemed his economic status in this Instance wasn’t very good.

Jian Bumian stood up and pushed the door open.

The space outside was unexpectedly large.

What met his eyes was a long Hallway. Both sides of the Hallway were lined with old, dilapidated wooden doors. Following the creaking wooden floor of the Hallway, the end led to a Spiral Staircase.

Standing on the Spiral Staircase and looking down, he could see stained glass reflecting a five-colored light. The arched dome ceiling was too high to see the top. The frescoes were brightly painted and exquisite, even embedded with countless glittering gems.

The gem’s radiance, mixed with intense sunlight, was split by the golden tip of the Cross in the Church.

This was a very magnificent, grand Church.

And in the center of the Church Hall were many people gathered—Players who had just been transported in.

Their clothes were the same as Jian Bumian’s, simple garments made of burlap, completely out of place with the Church’s luxurious, extreme atmosphere.

They heard footsteps from the Spiral Staircase, looked over, and saw Jian Bumian coming down.

Without exception, they all froze.

Standing on the Spiral Staircase was a youth with a slender figure, black hair, and white skin.

Even wearing simple burlap clothes, his beauty couldn’t be hidden.

Standing in the sunlight, his entire person almost blended into the light, dazzling and striking. He lowered his head, looking at the crowd, like a beautiful Deity with a heart full of compassion.

Jian Bumian felt the heated gazes from everyone: “………………”

Ahhhhh, he had never been this embarrassed!!

Ahhhhh!!

Jian Bumian came down, coughed a few times, and merged into the crowd.

“Jian Bumian?! Are you Jian Bumian!”

A familiar voice came, laced with surprise.

Jian Bumian looked up and saw Qin Yihan.

Qin Yihan was very surprised to actually end up in the same Instance with Jian Bumian. His eyes were wide, his face full of excitement. “What a coincidence, you’re here too? You know, you were way too cool in the last Instance… actually daring to provoke the Noble Guest…”

“Shh.”

Jian Bumian sensed the curious glances cast by others and immediately stopped the other’s words.

“More importantly, let’s first see what the background of this Instance is.”

And what his Conquest Mission was.

This would determine the manner in which he devoured the Target Malicious Ghost.

Not long after, the holy, sunlight-filled dome was obscured by suddenly appearing blood-red text. A dense black shadow projected down.

This Instance’s hints about the background and Missions were no longer released in the form of voice broadcasts like in the last Instance, but purely in text.

【Welcome, Players, to the Instance “Black Death and the Deity”】

【The place you are currently in is an imaginary town modeled on medieval Europe.】

【You are insignificant commoners of the town, caught in the torrent of the spreading Black Death.】

All Players instantly boiled over.

The Black Death was actually Yersinia pestis, a highly contagious infectious disease.

It erupted in 14th-century Europe and nearly led to the extinction of the entire European race.

It was hailed as the most terrifying plague in History.

At that time, there was simply no way to contain the Black Death. The reason it disappeared was because too many people died, leaving the virus with no Living hosts to infect.

But the Players were tasked with stopping the spread of the Black Death.

In this world, they weren’t Church members, not knights, not wealthy merchants. They were just commoners whose very lives were precarious, just an insignificant speck of sand in the torrent of the era.

How could they possibly interfere with the spread of the most horrific plague in History?

The arrangement of the task pressed down on the Players’ hearts like a giant boulder.

“This…? What is the meaning of this task? Is there still a way for us to survive?”

“I don’t know. I’m more concerned about whether the Black Death has already broken out. If it has, it’s impossible for us to stop its spread.”

“Wait, look quickly, new text has appeared!”

The text originally serving as background hints in the dome underwent a new change.

【The tasks for this Instance are divided into each day.】

【No.1day task: Within twenty-four hours, do not allow the number of new infections to exceed five hundred people. Once the number of infected people exceeds five hundred, all will be Erased.】

A giant virtual Counter, projected holographically, appeared in mid-air.

【Total city population: 10,000 people】

【Number of infected people (refreshed every 24h): 1,000 people】

【New infections in 24h: 0】

They had thought the Instance would give them Time to buffer, to prepare methods to deal with the Black Death’s spread.

They hadn’t expected the Black Death had already begun to spread!

What made all the Players’ hearts jump even more was the number on the Counter, which began to jump at a speed difficult to catch with the naked eye!

【New infections in 24h: 1】

【New infections in 24h: 2…】

【10…】

【11…】

If this number reached five hundred within twenty-four hours, all would be Erased.

“What are you all still standing around here for! Come over quickly and think of a solution together! Otherwise, there won’t be enough time!”

A Veteran Player shouted, taking the lead.

Everyone snapped back to their senses and gathered together.

There weren’t many people in this Instance. Novice Players and Veteran Players were split half and half.

Leading the discussion was that Veteran Player. He was a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who introduced himself as a Doctor. He asked everyone to call him Doctor Li.

Doctor Li adjusted his glasses and said:

“The Black Death, that is, the plague, is mainly transmitted through rat fleas, skin contact, and the respiratory tract…”

“We are neither Church members nor nobles or wealthy merchants. We have no power or weapons at our disposal. We can only use our knowledge advantage as modern people to stop the spread of the Black Death.”

He raised his head and looked at the Players gathered around him.

“You people, later, leave the Church with me and head to the town. Advise the people to hide in their houses and not run around. Wear masks, immediately boil Water to bathe and wash hands.”

“The Black Death that broke out in medieval Europe almost caused the entire continent to perish. A major reason was that people back then didn’t practice hygiene. The streets were full of feces, urine, rats, and fleas. Initially, they didn’t take the plague seriously at all.”

“Even if we make them do this now, it’s already too late to completely eradicate the Black Death, but it can slow down the speed of its spread.”

The Players nodded, feeling it made sense.

The only things they could do were indeed just these.

“Quickly, find some fabric to make masks to protect yourselves, and then leave the Church together.”

Jian Bumian listened quietly from the side. He didn’t react much, only feeling that the burlap clothes were a bit chafing on his skin, making him squirm uncomfortably, the tips of his ears turning red.

Why was this body so delicate and sensitive?

He didn’t know what kind of identity and background he’d had while alive in the Real World to have developed such a body.

Jian Bumian lowered his head. His fair, slender fingers were picking at the loose threads at the edge of his shorts.

His smooth, straight legs, because there was no long fabric to cover them, were shyly pressed together.

He always felt like this was akin to not wearing pants at all.

If only someone had an unwanted pair of pants to give him.

His quiet appearance looked very obedient, the kind that seemed no matter how he was bullied, he wouldn’t resist, easily arousing the malicious intentions in people.

But no one could imagine what he was thinking.

Jian Bumian felt a little hungry and asked the System:

“Can you tell me what the System Mission for this Instance is?”

【You really can’t guess what it is?】

Jian Bumian: “…”

“Can’t guess.”

【It seems your romantic experience is truly zero. Very pure. Continuing like this, you’ll easily be bullied.】

【Your No. 02 System Conquest Mission in the 02 Instance—】

【Before this Instance ends, offer your passionate kiss to the Strategy Target NPC.】

【Your lips are truly very suitable for a fierce kiss.】

After two people confessed their love to each other, the next step generally was indeed to embrace and kiss.

Hearing this mission, Jian Bumian frowned.

A passionate kiss…?

What a joke.

He felt he would end up eating the Malicious Ghost’s mouth while kissing.

But the mouth part wasn’t tasty at all. He didn’t want to accidentally eat the other’s mouth.

Jian Bumian blinked, asking with pure confusion. “Can I kiss other places?”

【…………】

【…………】

【Where do you want to kiss?】

It believed that Jian Bumian, who was very innocent just a moment ago, wouldn’t suddenly change his nature the next second.

It definitely wasn’t what it was thinking.

Jian Bumian said casually, “Depends on what I like.”

Wherever was more delicious, he would prefer there more.

【…………???? You’re no longer innocent!】

Jian Bumian ignored the strange response and continued asking:

“By the way, the Strategy Target this time shouldn’t be the same ghost as in the last Instance, right?”

【It won’t be.】

“That’s good…”

That impulse had passed, and he realized the red wine-flavored Malicious Ghost didn’t seem that delicious after all.

…Even though he hadn’t gotten to eat it.

Jian Bumian opened his Livestream Room.

He didn’t see the familiar Bullet Comment frame.

A large line of text appeared in the Livestream Room.

【Congratulations, Player Jian Bumian.】

【Your popularity has met the unlocking requirement for Livestream Function 001.】

【Livestream Function 001: Viewer Tipping (Beginner)】

【Within one Instance, you have only one opportunity to solicit tips from Viewers. You can choose any time to open the tipping channel. You will receive the gift from the first Viewer who tips you.】

【This gift might drag you into the abyss of Death, or it might reverse your Fate in a desperate situation of Death! So, please do your best to please the Viewers by Live Streaming diligently!】

Solicit tips?

Jian Bumian wasn’t very interested in this function and skimmed over it.

The Viewers in the Livestream Room were much more numerous than during the first Instance.

【Aaaa I’m here!! Beautiful, cute new wifey hehehe!!】

【Aaaa the latest mission is kissing!! Hehe, will Mianmian peck on the lips? Seems like he doesn’t know how to~】

【Has my color changed? Where does Mianmian like to kiss? Abs?】

【Sob, only I pity Mianmian’s pants. In the last Instance, he didn’t even have pants to wear. When he finally got to wear a Tailcoat, the Target used a knife to rip his pants. In this Instance, he only has a burlap short that doesn’t even reach his knees!!】

【I noticed too. Which Viewer has unwanted pants they can give to Mianmian! QAQ】