A violent explosion echoed from the far end of the fields, sending a tremor through the dirt beneath. The carriage Bai Ci was riding in was also caught in the shockwave.
Startled by the noise, the horse pulling the carriage reared back with a sharp, piercing neigh, causing the carriage cabin to sway violently.
Fortunately, the seasoned coachman had years of experience. After some pulling and soothing, the panicked horse gradually calmed down and stopped its wild thrashing, though it continued to snort and stamp its hooves anxiously.
The coachman let out a long sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “M-Miss, it's alright now, it's alright.”
Bai Ci didn't answer. Before the coachman could help her down, she hurriedly pushed open the carriage door and jumped out.
Looking closely at a spot not far away, she saw that the patients who had been running so frantically had all collapsed to the ground, completely motionless.
Bai Ci's footsteps halted. She subconsciously opened her Rain's Message panel and locked her gaze onto Hugo's status bar.
【Rain's Message NPC: Hugo Durom | Appearance: Brown hair, freckles, grayish-blue eyes | Identity: Mail carrier at Withered Wood Post Office in Aether Town | Relationship with Player: Fiancé by family arrangement. He initially intended to reject the engagement due to his family's decline, but it was forced upon them by both sets of parents. He is currently living with Lora Chaos to cultivate their relationship. | Skill Levels: Strength 7, Mind 8, Agility 9 (Mail Carrier class bonus), No special skills | Health Status: Deceased】
There was no extra description, no buffer. Just three simple words, declaring the absolute end of a life.
Bai Ci stood frozen in place. After dazing for a few seconds, she snapped out of it and began searching through the pile of corpses for Hugo.
The doctors and nurses from the hospital had arrived, having rushed after them with first-aid kits out of concern for the patients.
But when they saw the scene before them, everyone froze in place. Shock and bewilderment were written all over their faces, and they stood there dumbfounded, completely speechless.
Across the fields, dozens of plague patients lay scattered in all directions, completely motionless. There were no signs of struggle around them, only the rustling of the wind blowing through the fields.
Among them, a meticulously dressed woman wept as she turned over the bodies of the patients, seemingly searching for something.
That woman was, of course, Bai Ci, searching for Hugo's body.
It took a long while before a brave doctor snapped out of his daze. He stepped forward cautiously, knelt down, and gently placed his fingers on the carotid artery of the nearest patient.
A few seconds later, the doctor slowly withdrew his hand and shook his head. “They are dead.”
Hearing this, the other doctors and nurses also gathered their courage and stepped forward, each checking a few patients. They all came to the same conclusion.
Disbelief mirrored on every doctor's and nurse's face. They quickened their pace to test the others one by one. No one could understand how these patients, who had just been running like madmen with such eerie strength, could all die in unison after a single explosion.
Finally, after turning over countless bodies, Bai Ci found Hugo.
He lay quietly on the ground, his face pale and his lips chapped. A lifeless, ashen hue covered his features, and his eyes were tightly shut. His brow was slightly furrowed, as if he had been in immense pain before he died.
Bai Ci knelt down and gently reached out to touch his cheek, her fingertips meeting an icy chill.
Watching someone who had been so full of life just moments ago die without warning, a wave of bitterness welled up in her heart. Her eyes grew hot and red, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.
She hadn't known Hugo for very long—only a few days—so there was naturally no deep love between them.
But Hugo himself had been a truly good person, regardless of their relationship. It was only human nature to weep for the loss of something beautiful.
Though she considered herself a cold person, her heart wasn't made of stone. How could she not shed tears for this?
“Miss Lora?” a gentle female voice called out from behind her.
Bai Ci slowly turned her head and saw a young girl in a nurse's uniform walking toward her, her face filled with concern and caution.
There was a familiar warmth in the girl's features. Bai Ci stared blankly for a moment, unable to place who she was right away.
Is she here to ask what happened?
Before the girl could get any closer, Bai Ci spoke first, her tone calm but slightly choked up with tears. “I don't know what happened. Right after that explosion, I got out of the carriage and found them collapsed on the ground.”
The girl walked over to her side. Seeing Hugo on the ground, a flash of pity crossed her eyes. “Miss Lora, please accept my condolences.”
Bai Ci nodded slightly, a hint of confusion rising in her heart. She couldn't help but ask, “Do you know me?”
Apart from Hugo, Aunt Martha, and Evan, she didn't know anyone else in this town... Wait, wasn't Aunt Martha's daughter a nurse?
The girl's subsequent explanation confirmed Bai Ci's suspicion. “My name is Lena, you can just call me that. My mother is Martha, your neighbor. I've heard her talk about you.”
Bai Ci nodded, returning a polite, faint smile.
After a brief silence, Bai Ci asked, “Lena, what will happen to the bodies of these patients now?”
At the mention of the bodies, Lena's expression turned solemn. “The plague is still spreading, and while the cause of death for these patients is unknown, they still carry the pathogen. To prevent the virus from spreading further, they will be cremated.”
Bai Ci had expected this outcome and nodded without objection.
The hospital didn't know that the source of the plague had already vanished. In their eyes, these patients were still dangerous vectors of transmission. To prevent the plague from spreading, cremating the bodies was a necessary step.
She reached up and untied the off-white ribbon from her hair. She had put it on when she left the house this morning; it was soft and embroidered with tiny flowers.
Gently taking Hugo's cold hand, she carefully tied the ribbon around his wrist, fashioning it into a simple bow.
“This is a marker showing that family is taking responsibility for him,” Bai Ci said, looking at Lena with a plea. “Please keep an eye on him when you handle the bodies, and don't mix him up with the others. I don't mind paying extra, but please make sure Hugo's ashes are kept for me.”
Looking at Bai Ci's reddened eyes and the tear stains on her cheeks, Lena felt a deep wave of sympathy. She agreed without hesitation, “Miss Lora, don't worry. I will make sure of it.”
Bai Ci didn't say anything more. She simply nodded gently, stood up, took one last look at Hugo's body, and turned to walk back toward the carriage.
She didn't get into the carriage, though. Instead, she paid the remaining fare, dismissed the coachman, and began walking back toward No. 7 Red Brick Street on foot, step by step.
After walking for who knew how long, Bai Ci finally arrived back at Hugo's home.
She pushed open the door, and a faint scent of blood wafted out. The house was no longer in the tidy state she had left it in.
Rate on N.U.
