abnormal mutation

Chapter 37, number II-I-2607
"Don't touch that coffin, Chief Mark, please evacuate all residents of the West End immediately..." The old priest was very nervous, as if he had seen something terrifying.

“Okay.” Director Mark readily agreed and immediately arranged for an enforcement officer to carry it out.

The relationship between the church and the imperial authorities was complex, with outward harmony masking inner discord and occasional conflicts. However, when it came to matters of principle, Director Mark trusted the old priest's integrity and character.

Priests, also known as priests or priests, are a formal rank in the church and are responsible for the church's affairs. They are not necessarily highly respected, but they represent the image of the major churches and would not easily do anything to tarnish the church's reputation.

“Doctor Pedro knows this?” Julia silently moved the medicine box a little further away.

“Two years ago, a sealed artifact was lost from Grantham Church. Its name was ‘Silent Coffin,’ and its serial number was II-I-2607. It was said that someone had seen it in the Earl of Arrennes’ territory, but I never expected it to appear in Glacier Town,” Priest Pedro explained.

Roland listened intently; these were secrets from the mysterious realm, things that were usually inaccessible. Two of the symbols in the string of numbers were difficult to pronounce, so they were probably not Akkadian or Solonian.

"Hmm?" Sheriff Mark narrowed his eyes. "Danger level only I?"

“This sealed object is very special. As long as you don’t lie in it or have prolonged contact with it, there is not much danger.” Pedro’s aged face was very serious. “But as long as you lie in it, you will be corrupted and sooner or later become a mindless coffin puppet, also known as the Silent Guardian.”

Even ordinary people transformed into corpse puppets are impervious to swords and spears, possessing immense strength; how much more so would extraordinary beings.

Everyone's expressions changed slightly.

A person who has been cleansed is three times weaker, while one who has turned evil is ten times stronger. An extraordinary being who has fallen into madness or aberration is much stronger than usual. In the entire Ice River Town, only Chief Mark is a mid-sequence extraordinary being, and he would probably be no match for a monster that has been enhanced by a sealed artifact.

"How long will this process take, and how can it be stopped?" Yulia asked in a deep voice.

“Madam.” Pedro nodded to Julia, his expression still grave. “The timing is uncertain, the contamination is irreversible and cannot be stopped. The only way to slow the process is through a special, extraordinary ritual. However, we lack the necessary materials and time is running out.”

"I've sent someone to get the chains. We'll tie it up and drag it out of town," Chief Mark said. His initial idea was to put it in the law enforcement agency's underground warehouse, but that now seemed inappropriate.

Pedro nodded slightly: "That's the only way. Every side of the [Silent Coffin] can be opened, and the corpse puppet can come out from any angle. The iron chains are brittle, so I'm afraid they won't hold it for long."

The night was deep and the air grew increasingly cold. Roland, who had just been sweating, was shivering from the cold.

He had a sudden inspiration and, remembering the thick ice of the Frost River, immediately suggested, "How about throwing it into the Frost River?"

"No..." everyone objected in unison.

“It will pollute the ecosystem and continuously create mutated organisms. Even if the impact is small, it will damage the reputation of Ice River Town. No one will dare to eat our fish anymore. The consequences are too terrible…” Yulia explained.

“You’ve misunderstood. I didn’t mean to abandon the Frost River. I meant to seal it with the ice,” Roland said carefully. “If we bury it in the ice on the river and keep watering it, it will freeze into an ice block in no time. How could it possibly escape?”
"Just hold on for a few days, we'll deal with it once Grantham's reinforcements arrive."

He didn't understand the concepts of extraordinary and spiritual, but he felt that since low- to mid-sequence extraordinary beings were afraid of firearms, their physical destructive capabilities must be limited, and it was unlikely that they could break through a layer of ice several yards thick.

As we all know, the lower the temperature of ice, the harder it is. At -15 degrees Celsius, it can be as hard as copper. In February, the nighttime temperature in Glacier Town is below -40 degrees Celsius, and the ice is harder than steel. A few centimeters of ice can withstand bullets.

Everyone's eyes lit up, and their expressions showed considerable interest.

“We’re on the same page.” Director Mark patted Roland on the shoulder, looking as if they were kindred spirits. His upright appearance and demeanor were very convincing.

He then shouted to his deputy, "Quickly prepare the tools, and be fast!"

At this moment, chains, ropes, and sleds arrived, and ordinary people, including Roland, were driven out. Six extraordinary individuals personally took charge of the work; apart from Julia and two enforcers, the others were all clergy.

Roland was pulled to the outside by Hughes. The proposal was passed a bit too quickly; the group acted on their idea without hesitation, which was somewhat unexpected.

The "Silent Coffin" was bound with several chains and thrown onto a sled, but the dozen or so sled dogs lay trembling on the ground, unable to stand. Julia went to fetch her reindeer, but the reindeer refused to come, eventually lying on the ground and pretending to be dead. "Animals' senses are definitely stronger than humans'," Roland joked with Hughes.

Ordinary people are basically unaffected by encountering corpse puppets and the [Silent Coffin]. Not everyone has Roland's abnormal five senses and intuition. The original owner of this body did not have them either, relying entirely on abnormal mutations.

"Frech, come here." He took a few steps forward and shouted loudly to the black wolf at the door, so that others could hear him.

Frederic approached the black coffin at a leisurely pace, with law enforcement officers making way for him along the way.

Yulia and the others stared intently at Frederick. They had been curious about the black wolf, but the situation was urgent and they hadn't had time to ask.

Director Mark untied all the sled dogs, personally tied the leash to Freddie, and even patted him, earning Freddie a glare in return.

"shelf--"

Without delay, Director Mark led the way in another sled, with Fletcher following closely behind, looking relaxed.

Yulia got into her reindeer sleigh, and as soon as Roland opened the door, she shoved him out, her eyes flashing a warning: "Stay home and don't go anywhere!"

"Hehe..." The girl driving the car chuckled and drove away, leaving Roland alone, bewildered in the wind.

Hughes nudged him with his shoulder, raised his chin, and gestured, "Go home. A group of law enforcement officers will be keeping watch for you tonight. This kind of treatment doesn't come often."

Roland: "..."

He felt helpless. After today's incident, the entire Ice River Town would probably think he was a jinx, and even he himself was starting to have doubts. But all of this was clearly caused by the original owner of this body; he was merely passively bearing the consequences.

"Hughes, do you think things like the [Silent Coffin] count as my spoils of war?" He thought so, but he felt there was probably no hope left.

Hughes stared at him in disbelief: "What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing, I'm tired, I'm going home to sleep." He silently turned and left, sighing inwardly. As long as the law enforcement agency didn't cause him any trouble, that was fine. He would still place his hopes on the old priest's legacy.

Back in his room, the fireplace was almost out, so he quickly added charcoal to warm the room.

Evan and the others were still fast asleep, breathing evenly, with strong heartbeats, and no external injuries. Yulia said they would probably forget some recent memories, which was one of the extraordinary abilities of mourners, and generally did not have serious aftereffects.

He focused his attention on Fletcher; the two were of one mind, and Fletcher's presence was no different than if he himself were there.

Sheriff Mark and his team ran several kilometers along the Frost River and stopped some distance downstream from Glacier Town. There, they were leading a group of law enforcement officers in a lively and efficient ice-shaving operation.

Julia and several clergy arrived one after another, bringing people to prepare water. Her method was unique: she poured a tube of bright red liquid onto the ice, and the ice surface instantly burst into flames, making it impossible for anyone to stand within several meters. The melting snow and ice layers could not affect the fire.

The flames burned for less than a minute, leaving behind a large puddle at least a meter deep.

On the other side, Sheriff Mark dug a shallow pit several tens of centimeters deep and then easily pushed the [Silent Coffin] inside.

What followed was simple: pile the crushed ice on the coffin and keep pouring water on it. In the minus forty degree weather, the ice froze instantly when it was poured on, and a small iceberg quickly rose from the ground.

Midway through, Mayor Org arrived late, dragging his obese body. He did not approach, but only inquired about the situation from the outside before leaving.

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(End of this chapter)