Krafft's Anomaly Notes

Chapter 423 Systemic Suicide
"The skin is the largest organ in the human body. Skin damage is often the most obvious, superficial, and easily noticed of all diseases."

"Diseases manifest on the skin in a variety of ways. Some are short-lived, while others last for years; they can be so small as to be barely visible, or so large as to be unbearable to look at."

"The earliest written records of various skin symptoms may date back to the 10th century BC, when some people made simple summaries and records of them. We will not go into the details here."

"When reviewing these early materials, it is not difficult to notice that predecessors had already described some particularly dangerous and potentially fatal skin lesions and named them 'Lupus'—that is, 'wolf'."

"As for why it's called 'wolf,' we used to think it was because the lesions resembled the wounds from a wolf bite, or the way the tissue was destroyed like a wolf gnawing."

"However, some people believe that the early term 'Lupus' was a broad term that could include any ulcerative or necrotic skin lesions that were aggressive and highly erosive, rather than simply because they looked like wolf bites."

"Regardless of the evolutionary process, it eventually formed the term 'lupus' that we know today, and it has been used ever since."

The narrator's gaze left the projection screen and wandered around a long table made up of several tables pushed together, searching for a suitable target.

It was very hot, and the air conditioner seemed to be broken; it was just blowing air but not cooling. A blinding band of light pierced through the gap in the thick curtains, splitting the screen in two, leaving it a blinding white blur, making the text illegible and the rest of the room appear exceptionally dark. Even the faces and figures of the listeners were not clearly visible.

The cramped chair legs scraped against the floor as it shuffled into a corner. A gurgling sound of water filled its throat, but the thirst only intensified.

"Some documents record that doctors at the time would advise patients to apply fresh chicken to their wounds in an attempt to divert the wolf's bite, but of course it was of no use."

"The wolf is neither led by bait nor will it pounce on anyone else. Unlike some diseases that are obviously explosive or regional, it is often a single, isolated event."

"Why is that? The student in the back, please answer. You don't need to stand up."

There was no specific reference, but he could sense that they were calling him.

Consciousness, like a stray insect, flies through the curtains and clings to the gray glass. It can hear the building renovations, the car horns, and the caregiver's trolley rolling over the tiles, the old casters making a regular, tooth-grinding creak.

They are somewhat distorted, as if they do not come from the outside world, but rather are sound specimens sealed in glass or window frames, being transcribed and played back.

The light was so bright that I couldn't help but shield my eyes with my hand after just one glance. I couldn't see anything outside; the only world I could see was the stuffy room I was in.

The yellowish white lapel was a bit rough, and it scratched my sweaty neck painfully.

"why?"

Perhaps feeling that he hadn't been heard clearly, he repeated the question. He looked up at the screen, and the projector light shone on the questioner's face, creating a colorful and hazy effect. The colors came from the night view of the hospital's main building in the background of the slide template.

The red and white cross and the densely packed window lights obscured a tired and earnest face, a face with blurred features.

He racked his brains for a moment, trying to find the corresponding image in his mind, but found that the face was everywhere, and from some angles, it was like looking at himself in a mirror.

It has distinctive features yet lacks distinctive features, and can be applied to many faces that one has only met once, whether male or female, old or young.

"..."

He remained silent, as did the questioner, as if the throng of people were merely background figures, and they had temporarily gained unlimited time.

The face, with its indistinct features, remained expressionless, while the button in his hand was pressed.

The slideshow transitioned rapidly, with images appearing alongside the text.

First, half of a face was suddenly pulled closer, only the bridge of the nose and eyes could be seen, and red was spread out symmetrically, converging from the cheekbone towards the middle.

The red wasn't vibrant, but it carried an unpleasant burning sensation, like claw marks, like a pair of butterfly wings nailed to the face. The borders were sometimes clear, sometimes slightly blurred. At first glance, it seemed to be evaporating, but upon closer inspection, it felt like it was seeping downwards. Then came the second image, several patches of skin whose location was not immediately apparent, disc-shaped marks, with swollen, red edges and a lighter, whiter center, like rings of fire spreading from the inside out. The outer layer was still burning, while the inside was withered, cracked, and scaly like piled-up ash.

The scene shifts, and the razor-sharp sunlight falls, striking the skin and causing a series of spreading papules and erythema on the cheeks, backs of the hands, and chest.

With the lips parted, an oval-shaped ulcer on the oral mucosa, surrounded by a bright red band of congestion, appeared as if a layer had been removed, exposing a fragile and painful wound.

On the lower limbs, countless purplish-red dots appeared, ranging from the size of a pinhead to raised patches, which did not fade when pressed, and had irregular, tear-like edges.

Erythema, scaling, ulceration, purpura, necrosis, sclerosis. Images superimposed on the retina, butterfly-shaped erythema pressed onto a circular disc, purpuric hemorrhage and papules intertwined, some like the bite of a wild beast, others even more shocking.

Where are the wolves?

Those who came before us must have had the same doubts.

If it is an infection, why can't the source of infection be traced?

If it is hereditary, why is there no obvious bloodline clue like in familial diseases?
If it's just a coincidence, then why do seemingly unrelated people repeatedly show similar injuries?
The skin, mucous membranes, and internal organs are affected one by one, ultimately leading to death. How could such a deadly disease exist?

Where are the wolves?

The light grew brighter and brighter until the text and images on the screen were completely invisible. It seemed as if someone behind them had drawn back the curtains, and the questioner's face melted into the bright white light.

Finally, the light became bright enough that he couldn't help but turn around and look back.

There was nothing outside the window, only a surge of pure, violent light that engulfed the room, scattered the listener in the shadows, and exposed him to utter nothingness. His palm, which he was holding in front of the window, was burning hot, as if he were holding fine sand heated by fire.

……

……

Kraft gasped, sprang up from the table, and nearly slid off his chair.

A thin layer of sweat clung to my forehead, soaking my palms underneath. The lingering tingling and numbness drained away between my fingers as the pressure eased, and my palms felt faintly warm.

He paused for a moment before realizing that he had been slumped over the table all night. Daylight broke, and the outside was blindingly white, like handfuls of crushed seashells and chalk being scattered into the cabin.

A dream, a pure dream, entered his sleep after a long absence.

The poetry collection Raymond gave me was spread out on the table. I read a little bit, then the sea breeze blew in and turned a few pages, stopping at the unread section. It was a religious epic written by a native North Asian author.

He cannot escape hell, for hell is itself...

"How fitting, actually answered correctly." Kraft closed the book, pushed open the door, and went up to the deck.

A salty breeze blew in, carrying a familiar scent.

I've been too busy lately and my mind is a bit foggy.

Thank you to "Brand_ML" for the generous donation! However, I must say that I don't recommend donating, since updates depend entirely on my workload.

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