Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

The rain has subsided.

Half of the bell tower was smashed into the well's throat, and the bronze bell was stuck diagonally between the rubble and the black and white roots. Frost spread along the cracked ground, freezing half of the ruined church blue.

The frantic noises of the night had ceased, leaving only the soft whistling of the wind as it passed through the broken walls, like someone panting deep within the ruins.

Xilun stood by the well, his spear stuck in the mud. The blood on his shoulder and ribs had long been washed away by the cold rain, leaving only his clothes clinging to his skin, sending waves of tingling pain through him.

Rena hurried forward, her face pale and her voice a little hoarse:

"My lord, the outer ring has already retreated fifty steps. As you wish, no one is allowed to approach the well."

The patients in the annex... two of them started trembling, and a child kept crying, saying he could hear music in his ears.

Xilun looked up and glanced at her.

Her lips were dry, and there were bloodshot eyes from staying up late; it was clear that she had been badly hurt by the spiky water from the well.

"Don't get too close yet," Xilun said in a low voice. "Have someone take down the doors of the annex and use them as stretchers to carry people out one by one."

Don't touch the mud near the well, and don't break the blackened spots on the wall. If your shoes get muddy, throw them away. If your hands get muddy, wash them three times with salt water immediately.

Rena nodded quickly: "Understood."

"besides--"

Xilun turned his head and looked at Kusso and Feru not far away.

The two men were leading the musketeers to re-tie the outer perimeter of the church, and a row of wooden stakes was driven into the ground, forming a crooked but conspicuous restricted area.

Ferru's face was ashen, but his hands were steady. He was clearly terrified by the events of the night and dared not harbor any more illusions.

"Kuso".

"Yes, sir!"

"Separate those who have come into contact with the well water, well mud, and roots, and don't mix them with the others. That includes yourself."

Kuso paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Yes."

"Feru".

Ferru jumped in surprise and immediately trotted over: "Sir."

"You are more familiar with the patients in the East Alley. You will lead the way and take them to the South Warehouse first."

The warehouse doors and windows were all sealed, leaving only a ventilation shaft. Two shifts of people were assigned to guard the outside. Anyone who heard singing at night, or suddenly went mad, was to be tied up immediately, but not killed yet; they were to report to me first.

Ferru's Adam's apple bobbed: "...Yes."

After Xilun finished speaking, he bent down and pulled the spear out of the mud.

The gun felt heavy and cold, as did my palm.

It's not that he doesn't know how tired he is, it's just that tonight's events are far from the point where he can finally relax.

The well is sealed, but only sealed.

And those patients brought by Samuel, those whose voices lingered in the annex, the guards near the clock tower who had been swept away once…

If these things are released, the entire North District will rot even more.

Rena took another half step closer and lowered her voice: "Samuel and Edwin are tied up and kept under separate surveillance. Edwin was coughing up black blood before he passed out, as if he was trying to crawl back to the well. As for that old man..."

She glanced back.

Beneath the broken wall, Samuel sat with his hands tied behind his back, leaning against the rubble, his gray hair plastered to his forehead in clumps, his face deathly pale.

He had exhausted almost all his strength to cooperate with Xilun's well-pressuring, and now he was like a piece of old wood that was about to burn out, ready to fall over with a gust of wind.

Even so, his eyes remained fixed on the annex.

They weren't focused on the escape route, nor on the well opening; they were focused on the group of patients.

Xilun paused for a moment, then picked up his gun and walked over.

As soon as the two musketeers saw him approaching, they tightened the ropes, pressing Samuel down until he groaned.

"Loosen up a bit," Siren said.

The two were taken aback, but still did as instructed.

Samuel looked up and saw Siron. He swallowed hard, his voice hoarse like a rag: "If you want to kill me, wait until dawn."

Xilun looked at him: "Do you know what I have in abundance right now?"

Samuel did not answer.

"dead."

Xilun slammed the butt of his gun on the ground, sending mud and water splashing. "So don't give me that nonsense. Those guys in the annex, the group from the east alley, and the ordinary people you met on the way—explain clearly what their situation is, how to suppress them, and when they'll flare up."

Samuel's eyes flickered slightly.

After a moment, he coughed softly twice, as if he were laughing, but it didn't seem like it.

"You really are..."

"Speak," Xilun interrupted him.

Samuel remained silent for a few moments, then finally spoke:

"Those people in the attached houses weren't really infected; they were just too close to the well and listened for too long, so the echoes got into their heads."

First, keep them away from places with high humidity, and don't let them sleep on the ground. Someone will definitely keep watch over them at night.

"Once they start repeating the same sentence, no matter what they say, immediately cover their mouths, tie their hands, and force-feed them a tranquilizer."

"dose."

"Half a bottle for adults, a quarter for children, any more than that will cause you distress."

Xilun nodded.

"The group in the east alley is even more troublesome." Samuel closed his eyes. "They were already sick, weak, and their souls were light, making them the easiest targets for dirty things to sneak in under the pretext of something."

Add the ash of the incense to hot water, stir well, and drink it twice a day to stabilize your condition.

If someone starts scratching their throat or chest, it means something is searching for a way out. Don't let them see a mirror, and don't let them near wells, bells, chimes, or people singing...

He paused abruptly at this point.

Xilun looked at him: "Continue."

Samuel slowly raised his eyes, and for the first time, a weary coldness surfaced in his cloudy eyes.

"I know you look down on me and think I'm crazy for using people to test the waters."

Xilun didn't say anything.

Samuel smirked: "But if those people in East Alley don't enter this church, half of them will die within three days."

The parish wouldn't take them, the hospital wouldn't take them, the security detail thought they were dirty, and not even a decent pharmacist was willing to go there...

If I truly only wanted to live, I could have run away alone. Why drag these burdens to my death?

The wind blew through the broken wall, carrying damp earth, the stench of blood, and the cold stench rising from the well.

Xilun looked at him, his eyes calm.

"So you're using them to test the old well?"

Samuel opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he didn't say anything and just lowered his head.

Xilun stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly turned around.

"Rhodes".

The old steward, who had been guarding the outer circle, immediately stepped forward and said, "My lord."

"Write down everything he says and do it. If you're short of medicine, go buy some overnight. If you can't find any, bang on the door."

Rhodes nodded: "Understood."

Xilun added, "Find another clean room, lock the old man in there alone, seal all the windows, and put two teams of people at the door to guard him in shifts."

"Don't give him freedom, don't give him tools, but don't let him die, and don't let him see Edwin."

"Yes."

Samuel jerked his head up: "What do you want to do?"

Xilun then turned around and gave him a brief, indifferent glance.

"Didn't you say that half of those people would die whether they went into the church or not?"

"Now, let me see if you're just talking nonsense."

Samuel was stunned.

Xilun ignored him and walked straight toward the annex.

Half of the annex had collapsed, the roof was leaking, and the ground was covered with wet straw mats and rags.

Several patients huddled in a corner, their faces pale and their eyes empty and panicked, as if they had not yet recovered from the roar from the well.

In the corner was a boy of about seven or eight years old, his whole body convulsing violently, his face covered in snot and tears, but no sound came out of his throat, only his mouth was open, as if something unseen was blocking it.

A woman beside him hugged him, sobbing uncontrollably: "My lord, my lord, he was fine just now, is he going to become like that too...?"

She was referring, of course, to those who had been dragged away by the roots.

Xilun crouched down and reached out to press his hand against the boy's forehead.

It's so cold!

It's not the kind of coolness you get when you have a fever; it's a coolness that seeps out from the inside.

He closed his eyes, his mind settled, and the white bud deep between his brows seemed to be stirred by the wind, slowly illuminating a very faint white light.

The next moment, he put two fingers together and gently pressed them on the boy's chest.

The white light was very faint, as faint as a wisp of moonlight.

But the moment it fell, the child's body tensed up suddenly, and a "ho" sound came from its throat. Then, a very thin wisp of gray-black breath emerged from the corner of its mouth, like an insect or smoke, and was crushed by the white mist as soon as it appeared.

The boy gasped for breath a few times, and the unfocus in his eyes finally eased a little. He then burst into tears.

The woman holding him was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears, nodding repeatedly while clutching the child, "Thank you... thank you, sir... thank you, sir..."

Xilun, however, had no time to accept the thanks.

This move looks effortless, but it takes real mental effort.

Pray that the sacred bud can purify, suppress, and compel, but it is not a bottomless pit.

If he were to clear out everyone here in one go, he would have to give up here tonight.

He stood up, his breathing momentarily heavy.

Reina, with her sharp eyes, immediately helped him up: "My lord?"

"fine."

Xilun waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the people in the room. "Bring out the three most seriously injured first, I'll check on them one by one. The rest of you, move them out first."

After saying that, he added, "From now on, anyone who dares to take even half a step closer to that well will have their legs broken."

These words, though not harsh, were chilling.

The few people in the room who were terrified shrank back, and no one dared to make a sound.

The sky gradually brightened.

The rain finally stopped.

The pale morning light in the northern district fell outside the ruined church, making the collapsed, forbidden zone look even more like a rotten sore.

Kusuo and his men dragged out piles of mud-stained planks, ropes, and straw mats, poured kerosene on them, and set them on fire.

As soon as the flames started, black smoke billowed into the sky, carrying a foul, acrid smell that even the wind couldn't dispel.

Ferru led his men to carry the patients from the annex room onto the carriage one by one.

As Samuel was being led away, he couldn't help but look back.

The old women, teenagers, and children on the bus were wrapped in clean blankets, and armed guards stood by the bus. Although they were still being escorted, they were much more dignified than when they came with him.

His lips moved, but he ultimately didn't speak.

Xilun stood by the well and took one last look.

The frost still sealed it, the bell still stuck, and the ruins remained motionless.

But when he listened carefully with the echo chamber, he could still hear a very deep, deep ripple below, a faint aftershock, like a giant object turning over, brushing against the earth and the ages with a very light touch.

His gaze darkened slightly as he looked away.

"Erect a monument, string up a rope, and post a notice."

Rhodes wrote it down.

"The official statement is that the torrential rain washed away the old clock tower, revealing underground water veins. The area is now a no-go zone, and anyone who trespasses will be punished with a serious crime."

"clear."

"Furthermore, everyone present tonight shall each receive a portion of incense and a bottle of tranquility potion. For the next three days, no one shall drink alcohol, sleep alone, or go near the church, the old well, or the cemetery."

Anyone who hears a song playing in their ears, even just a single line, must report it immediately.

Everyone responded in unison.

After arranging all of this, Xilun finally turned around and got into the car.

The wheels rolled over the muddy road, making a dull thud.

Rena sat opposite him, glancing at him several times before finally unable to hold back: "My lord, your wound needs to be stitched up again. Also, you've exhausted yourself tonight; you'd better get some sleep when you get back..."

Xilun leaned against the carriage, his eyes closed, but his hand was still on his spear.

"First, separate Samuel and Edwin."

"Yes."

"After the people from the East Alley were settled in the South Warehouse, anyone who came to visit them had to be searched."

"Yes."

"Also, send another team to the Black Dove Church tonight. They don't need to get close; just keep an eye on the outside. If the frost cracks, the bell rings, or smoke comes out of the well again, report back immediately."

Rena looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then whispered in agreement, "I've got it."

The carriage fell silent.

After a long while, she asked softly, "Sir, will that thing down there... come out again?"

Xilun did not answer immediately.

The horse-drawn carriage passed through the morning mist, and the kerosene lamps on both sides of the street went out one by one. A new day had begun in the North District. Newspaper boys called out at the alley entrance, workers pulled empty carts, and steam from the bakery wafted out of the window cracks.

It's like we're in two different worlds compared to last night's blood and roots, rain and well.

But Xilun knew that was not the case.

They have always lived in the same world.

It's just that most people can't see it.

He opened his eyes, looked at the water streaks blown by the wind on the car window, and said calmly:

"meeting."

"But not today."

Xilun's nap was very short.

He couldn't even say whether he had fallen asleep or not; he just felt that his consciousness had just sank in when it was already bright outside.

The wound on my shoulder had been stitched up again, and my ribs were wrapped in bandages. The smell of hot water and disinfectant alcohol still lingered in the room, but outside the window, the sound of a horse-drawn carriage rolling down the street could be heard, like a death knell, knocking into my ears one beat at a time.

Rod knocked gently on the door.

"Enter."

The old butler pushed open the door and entered, carrying a silver tray with breakfast and a stack of newly delivered newspapers.

"The South Warehouse has been prepared as you instructed. Samuel and Edwin have been detained separately, and those who had contact with the church last night have been given tranquility potions and incense."

Several other newspapers sent people early in the morning to inquire about the Black Dove Church, but they were all turned away.

Xilun sat up, took the warm black coffee, and took a sip.

It's just the right amount of bitter.

"Who's causing trouble?"

"Two tabloid reporters were loitering outside when they were chased away by Kusso's men." Rod paused. "However, the biggest news this morning doesn't seem to be about the church."

Xilun raised his eyes.

Rod handed over the top newspaper.

The front page had large black text, almost taking up half the page.

War has broken out!

Xilun paused slightly, his gaze lowering.

The newspaper was written extremely quickly and in a very disorganized manner, clearly printed overnight with additional pages added.

The gist is that the Imperial Western Fleet and a Federation armed force in the outer seas engaged in a large-scale artillery bombardment in the Gray Fog Sea. Ports were blocked, merchant ships were grounded, and the prices of coal, iron and medicines immediately rose. Governorates across the country began to tighten supplies and investigate refugees. Even several large workshops in the northern district were preparing to work overtime to rush to produce military supplies.

"They've really started fighting..." Rhodes whispered.

Xilun didn't respond and continued reading.

The second edition features local news from the northern district. The font size is smaller than the front page, but the content is even more eye-catching.

The Tusol family issued a statement this morning saying that two family members have gone missing on Scarlet Retreat territory and their whereabouts remain unknown.

The two sides exchanged heated words, and multiple parties in the northern district have intervened to mediate.

According to residents in the western suburbs, two Tier 3 Extraordinary beings had a brief fight in the nearby mountains last night. After the battle, the site was littered with broken stones and large numbers of fallen trees, as if a strong wind had swept through, and the scene was extremely horrifying.