stonecrandall Page 192
Page 192
"I don't know," Lu Mingfei answered frankly, his tone calm.
He wasn't worried about exposing his "ignorance".
Although his cultivation was temporarily sealed by the system, his powerful Stellar Body defense and exquisite Void Soaring Dragon Steps remained intact.
Simply put, as long as he doesn't encounter any beings of the third rank or higher in this world, he can easily escape even if he can't defeat them.
Based on his contact and observation just now, he was basically certain that the beast-eared girl, Xina, was not even at the first level and was probably at the bottom of the hierarchy in this world.
Although she was full of doubts, facing this "Awakened One" who could easily catch up with her and whose strength was unfathomable, she still honestly explained:
"The infected individuals appeared approximately one hundred years ago."
"Because the Holy Sun... that is, the land beneath our feet, died, a terrible biological virus was born from the Holy Sun's 'corpse'."
"If a human is unfortunately infected, their body will mutate..."
As she spoke, she instinctively grabbed the pair of furry bear ears on the top of her head, her voice lowering, "...and you'll end up like me."
Lu Mingfei narrowed his eyes.
He originally thought that Sheena's animal ears were a natural racial trait, but he never expected that they were the result of a viral mutation she had contracted.
Combined with Sheena's earlier statement that humans called them "monsters," he instantly understood.
There is a huge gap and conflict between humans and infected "orcs" in this world, and they may even be hostile to each other.
"What about the Awakened?"
Lu Mingfei pressed for confirmation, wanting to verify whether the "Awakened One" that Sheena spoke of matched the identity he had been mistakenly identified with.
"Huh?" The doubt in Sheena's eyes deepened.
Isn't this person a powerful Awakened One?
Why ask this? Are you teasing her?
The thought made her heart skip a beat, but fear led her to choose to answer truthfully:
"Awakened Ones... are also a type of Infected. However, they are very, very special!"
Her tone was filled with obvious awe and longing.
"They weren't corrupted by the biological virus and turned into monsters, but instead... they evolved! They gained incredible power!"
"Grandpa Village Chief said that this is the last blessing from the dead Holy Sun, the Holy Sun's final mercy and blessing upon mankind."
Lu Mingfei looked at Xina in silence, lost in thought.
It turns out that the "awakened" and the "infected" are from the same source, both originating from the disaster and viral infection a century ago.
But judging from Sheena's tone and description, their status and circumstances in this world are worlds apart.
It is seen as a gift of evolution, possessing power and status;
The other is seen as a monster, struggling to survive.
The differences and contradictions involved are intriguing.
The holy sun is dead, the frozen earth remains, the infection spreads, and the awakened reign supreme...
He stood on the boundless, frozen wasteland, the biting cold penetrating his clothes, but it was far less profound than the confusion in his heart.
What is the true meaning of the "Trial of Courage" given by the system?
The word “courage” has many meanings.
It can be the courage to face fear, the bravery to charge into battle, or even the identity of a brave person carrying a mission.
He suddenly remembered the "Ten Doctrines of a Qualified Villain," one of which seemed to be about "the courage to resist."
Could it be... that this trial is testing the very act of resistance?
But what is the object of resistance?
Are they the humans who condemn the infected as "monsters"?
Is it that biological virus that twists our fellow human beings into the appearance of beast-eared girls?
Or perhaps... this resistance needs to be directed towards a more illusory existence.
For example, the very fact that the land that resisted the "Holy Sun" was already dead?
The biting wind, carrying snowflakes, swept across the desolate ice field.
Lu Mingfei stood at the edge of the giant pit, his gaze sweeping across the vast white wasteland before finally settling on the uneasy beast-eared girl, Xina, beside him.
Cultivation sealed, trial objective unclear, time running out...
But the girl who rescued him seemed to be the only clue.
It's pointless to just think about it without doing anything about it.
Lu Mingfei spoke immediately, his voice clear in the cold wind:
"Where do you live? I'll take you home."
"Huh?" Sheena looked up abruptly, her round bear ears twitching nervously, her clear eyes filled with panic. "This... I won't trouble you, sir. I can go back by myself!"
She quickly waved her hand, her voice filled with obvious resistance, and stammered out a sentence.
Bringing this unidentified, terrifyingly powerful Awakened back to the village?
She wouldn't dare take that risk.
If this official is in a bad mood, or if the village offends him in any way, the entire village could face annihilation.
She can't bear this responsibility.
Chapter 190 The Infected's Final Path
Lu Mingfei looked at the fear hidden in Xina's eyes and understood her concerns.
After all, she was his benefactor, and forcing him to do so would seem domineering.
"Okay, that's fine." He nodded, not insisting.
But before they parted ways, he had to ask some key questions.
He looked into Xena's eyes, which held both wildness and innocence, and asked:
"Why do humans hate infected people?"
Upon hearing this, Sheena's beast ears drooped instantly, like two wilted leaves, and a bitter expression appeared on her face.
She explained in a low voice, "This is because if an infected person comes into contact with a human, they can spread biological viruses, making humans new infected individuals."
"What negative effects will becoming an infected person have on humanity?" Lu Mingfei pressed.
In his original worldview, having animal ears and tails, or even the "fortune" features that some people dream of, doesn't seem to be entirely a bad thing.
Sheena paused for a moment, seemingly hesitating whether to demonstrate.
Finally, she took a deep breath of the cold air and turned her back to Lu Mingfei.
She unbuttoned her thick leather coat, put her hands behind her waist, and carefully rolled up the hem of the coat a little.
Lu Mingfei's gaze fell on her bare back.
The skin there was no longer smooth, but covered with a thick layer of grayish-brown down, the same color as the bear's ears, extending all the way to the waist and connecting with the part under the clothing.
This scene silently speaks of the deep marks the infection left on her body.
He heard Sheena's voice, carrying a sadness that she tried hard to suppress but was still clear:
"Once the infection progresses, humans will lose their rationality and become mindless animals."
She paused, trying to mask the heaviness with a lighter tone, "Like me, maybe I'll turn into a little bear someday!"
She even tried to force a smile, but the deep-seated fear and sorrow about the unknown fate emanated from her slightly trembling back as if it were a tangible thing.
Lu Mingfei clearly sensed this emotion.
Although his cultivation was sealed, he still possessed skills that did not fall under the category of cultivation.
Emotional manipulation and absolute calmness—still effective.
Sheena's sorrow pierced his senses like cold needles.
"System, is there any way to help her?" Lu Mingfei asked anxiously in his mind.
He couldn't bear to watch the girl who had saved him, now trapped in despair, meet an inhuman end.
[The host is currently undergoing trials and cannot use other system functions at this time.]
The system's response was cold and resolute, extinguishing the hope that had just been rekindled in his heart.
Sheena silently put down her clothes, re-tied the leather coat, and turned around.
She lowered her head, not daring to look Lu Mingfei in the eye, and tentatively whispered:
"Um, does the master have any other questions?"
Lu Mingfei suppressed his sense of powerlessness and shook his head: "No more for now."
"Then... I'll be going!" Sheena felt like she had been granted a pardon and immediately turned around.
They tiptoed deeper into the snow-covered wasteland, their steps clearly indicating an intention to flee.
Watching her cautious figure, as if afraid of disturbing something.
Lu Mingfei was amused by this behavior, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a helpless smile.
The system gave no warning. The wasteland was vast, and the only key figure who appeared and helped him complete the "Trial of Power" was Sheena.
Based on his past experience, she must be closely related to the upcoming "Trial of Courage".
Without hesitation, Lu Mingfei took a step forward and followed at a leisurely pace.
Sheena didn't notice at first and just kept her head down as she walked.
But soon, she sensed someone behind her.
She turned around abruptly and was shocked to find that the Awakened One was steadily following behind her about a hundred meters away!
Her heart nearly stopped from fright, and she immediately quickened her pace, even jogging, leaving a trail of frantic footprints in the snow.