Chapter 19: Black Death and the Deity 001 Part 4

Jian Bumian spaced out for a moment. When he came back to his senses, Qin Yihan had already found some unwanted rags and made two simple masks, handing one to Jian Bumian.

Jian Bumian took the mask, raised his head, and said obediently, “Thank you.”

Qin Yihan’s homemade mask was actually made from a scarf.

The scarf he used for Jian Bumian’s mask was made of silk fabric procured from who-knows-where. It was soft and smooth, carrying a faint coolness.

Covered by another layer of thick, sturdy rough cloth, it barely passed as a qualified mask.

Jian Bumian put on the mask. His face was very small. The mask completely covered half of his face, revealing only a pair of caramel-colored eyes. They were half-hidden by his lowered, thick eyelashes, emitting a warm, gentle glow.

Fine, soft black hair strands hung loosely down, covering his forehead.

Although Qin Yihan was already accustomed to Jian Bumian’s looks…

Every time he looked at the other, he couldn’t help but think—

You can’t judge a book by its cover!

If anyone saw how obedient and good-looking Jian Bumian was and actually tried to bully or hit on him, that person would absolutely… meet their end.

The Players had all found things to substitute for protective gear and gathered in the Church Hall.

The holographic Counter suspended above the hall had already rapidly slipped to a heart-wrenching number.

【New infections in 24h: 100】

In the short time it took to find protective gear, the infection count had already added one hundred people.

At this rate of increase, the Time left for them was running out!

Moreover, following the pattern of one infecting ten, ten infecting a hundred, a hundred infecting… the speed of increase would only get faster, even reaching a breakout period!

Furthermore, they didn’t even know if their current methods could control the increase of the infected population!

Instances in the Infinite World often couldn’t be cleared using conventional, ordinary means.

Doctor Li stood at the front of the group and pushed open the heavy Church doors.

“Let’s go.”

As soon as the words fell, all the Players standing at the doorway smelled a disgusting, foul stench.

This stench was different from the rotting corpse smell, the blood and flesh smell smelled in other Instances, but simply the smell of a mix of feces, urine, and filth.

It seeped deep into the bones.

Because of his thick mask, Jian Bumian didn’t smell the stench.

He narrowed his eyes and counted the number of people.

Three were missing.

He turned his head and asked Doctor Li beside him. “Why are three people missing?”

Doctor Li didn’t look toward Jian Bumian, but his forehead, beaded with sweat, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, his slightly trembling pupils—all betrayed his unease.

“I also noticed. I specifically went to find them… to ask them to leave the Church with us and go persuade the residents to pay attention to epidemic prevention.”

“But they’re not ordinary Players. They’re members of the team ranked fourth on the Team Leaderboard. And it seems their team status isn’t low. …So, I didn’t dare to provoke them.”

The fourth-ranked team on the Team Leaderboard?

Wasn’t that the Star Hunter Alliance?

The formidable team that swore to capture an NPC with a star-blue radiance alive.

Excitement flashed in Jian Bumian’s expression.

Ah, he had something to ask them anyway.

And they had delivered themselves right to his doorstep.

The Viewers in the Livestream Room, upon hearing the team name “Star Hunter Alliance,” all instantly exploded.

【Aaaa it’s the Star Hunters!!! The Star Hunters are out hunting for Star again!!】

【………Scratching head, then why did they appear in this Instance? Is there something special about this Instance?】

【Why does it look like Mianmian seems very interested? Mianmian, no, there will be danger!】

【Could it be this little Player wants to join the Star Hunter Alliance?? Haha, does he know what this team does?】

【Any Instance with Star Hunters appearing is bound to have trouble】

Jian Bumian followed the Player group and gradually headed towards the town.

During their nine years of compulsory education, the Players had long learned about the terrible sanitation conditions of medieval Europe.

No drainage facilities, government indifference, streets full of filth everywhere, people not bathing, not changing clothes.

But that was only seen in books.

When they experienced this atmosphere firsthand, it was truly unforgettable.

The roads weren’t paved; it was all the most natural dirt ground. Stepping on it, one could clearly feel the sticky, mushy, squelchy sensation. Unidentified Liquid splashing up stained their Shoes.

Perhaps it was just rainwater-soaked dirt, but more likely, it was filth dumped by nearby residents.

The group traveled a long way and finally arrived at the central area of the town.

The town center was an evening market, packed with people.

When the Players saw the NPC residents here, they all couldn’t help but gasp.

They looked just like normal Humans. They had all sorts of faces, wore different clothes, old and young, male and female.

But their expressions were like those of the dead. Cold and stiff.

For instance, when speaking, their lips only opened and closed mechanically. Their eyeballs stared straight ahead without moving. Their limbs moved stiffly in straight lines.

“Like controlled puppets…” one Player exclaimed.

Beyond this, what surprised the Players even more was their hygiene.

Even though the feces and urine covering the ground had already shocked the Players…

Among these resident NPCs, not a single piece of white clothing could be found in the entire area. The clothes were all varying shades of black and grimy.

Each person’s hair—the original color couldn’t be seen. It was clumped on their heads like bird’s nests of straw.

Their faces and limbs exposed to the air—needless to say more—were covered in dirty black dust and mud.

These were the “commoners” of this town.

The stench in the air grew thicker and thicker.

Such an environment and people were simply excellent breeding grounds for bio/chemical weapon-level pathogens.

Doctor Li suppressed his disgust and assigned the Players.

“These Players and I will stay here and give hygiene talks… you and the other girls go door to door, telling people to bathe and clean up.”

Jian Bumian pointed at himself. “Me?”

Doctor Li nodded. “Because you don’t look like a bad person. The residents will surely be willing to open their doors for you.”

Jian Bumian nodded.

He also thought he didn’t look like a bad person.

Jian Bumian and several female Players started persuading residents, beginning with the first house on the street.

A girl knocked on the door.

The door was quickly opened. Poking out from inside was a plump middle-aged woman who asked impatiently, “What is it?”

The girl thought for a moment and said, “Madam, a major plague will break out soon. I hope you can stay well within your home and not run around.”

The middle-aged woman’s eyes widened as if she’d heard a huge joke. “A major plague?! Are you joking?!”

The girl: “…………”

Jian Bumian gently chimed in, “It’s true, and it’s already broken out.”

The middle-aged woman instantly threw her head back and laughed loudly, foul-smelling spittle flying everywhere. “Oh my Lord, listen to what I’m hearing. Plague and Death are absolutely impossible things to befall this town!”

Jian Bumian raised an eyebrow. “Why do you say that?”

The middle-aged woman grew interested. “Because our town is blessed by the Deity! To welcome the Deity, the city lord spent a huge sum to build a Church! The Deity will protect us! So, little fools, get lost! If you have this time, go do your worship instead!”

The middle-aged woman sneered and slammed the door shut.

The Players before the door fell silent for a moment, then silently moved on to the next house.

The next house was a small orphanage. Opening the door was an Old Believer wearing a black head covering.

If one ignored the unbearable stench on her, she looked very kind and gentle, seeming very reasonable.

The female Player leading the group patiently explained to the Old Believer what the plague was, what harm it would cause, and how to prevent it.

Like boiling Water for bathing.

The Old Believer tilted her ear to listen, listening very attentively.

When the female Player finished speaking, the Old Believer slowly began, making the sign of a Cross over her chest, half-closing her eyes with a devout tone:

“He who bathes in Christ does not need a second bath”

“Uh…”

The girl wanted to speak but stopped.

Another person shook their head, sighed lightly, and said in a voice only the Players could hear, “Let’s go. This kind of stubborn Old Believer is the hardest to persuade, even harder than that middle-aged woman just now.”

The people of medieval Europe didn’t practice hygiene, largely due to their own religious beliefs.

For example, believing that bathing was associated with lust of the flesh, or that God shouldn’t see their unsightly bodies.

Jian Bumian and the few female Players could only go to the next house.

On the way to the next house, Jian Bumian saw a very beautiful female NPC. Blonde, blue-eyed. The reason Jian Bumian noticed her was because she wore a huge hoop skirt.

She looked like her upper body was growing out of a giant mushroom.

Then Jian Bumian saw a servant, carrying a basin, duck into her hoop skirt.

Plop plop, the sound of filth hitting the ground and constipated groans echoed.

After a long while, the servant emerged from under the skirt and dumped the contents of the basin onto the street.

Jian Bumian: “…………”

He couldn’t help but ask the System:

“System, will the Strategy Target NPC be just like these residents? Marinated in stench?”

【…………】

【No.】

【He might be non-Human. He can stay fragrant without bathing.】

“Wow…” Jian Bumian suddenly understood, his expression excited.

They soon arrived at the doorstep of the third household.

The owner of this house was a plump middle-aged uncle.

Hearing the visitors mention the word “bathe,” he finally didn’t show a disgusted or indifferent expression like the two households before.

He beamed and said, “Right, right, I also like bathing!”

But this plump middle-aged uncle’s black, grimy clothes and indescribable stench didn’t look like he practiced hygiene at all.

A few sharp-eyed Players even noticed the nest of fleas in his hair.

A large, dense clump of flea eggs, like a twisted lotus pod, hung on his matted, greasy head, teetering on the verge of falling.

The Black Death had already begun to spread. No one knew if he was infected.

The Players before him all retreated several steps.

He didn’t notice everyone’s unusual behavior and happily revealed the truth. “I already took a bath ten years ago! I don’t need to take another in this lifetime!”

“Damn…” a Player couldn’t help but curse. But the next moment, she felt even more “damned.”

The Players, including Jian Bumian, saw this NPC, the Fatty resident, undergo a bizarre and horrifying change.

His pinkish skin instantly turned a corpse-like grayish white.