Chapter 180

Chapter 180

"Doctor Fors?! What are you doing?!" Startled by the sudden turn of events, the young man widened his eyes in confusion at the white-haired man.

"I believe I mentioned earlier not to bring strangers here," the man called Fors spoke coldly. He appeared to be in his forties or fifties, with gray hair at his temples and wrinkles on his face. Despite his average height, he had a well-defined bone structure and muscular arms, giving him an American tough-guy vibe.

"But, he said he came from outside like you did."

The old man shot a mocking glance at God Amongst Men, who calmly retorted, "I never said that. It was your assumption."

The young man froze for a moment, two moments, then stood there, realizing that... yes, that seemed to be the case.

"He's from the Salvation Society," Doctor Fors stated coldly. "By bringing someone from the Salvation Society here, you've violated our agreement. I won't be treating your sister anymore."

"What? He's from the Salvation Society ?!" The young man looked at God Amongst Men in shock. Intrigued, God Amongst Men asked, "How did you know?"

Before arriving, he had already taken off his religious robe.

Fors replied, "Of course, it's your arm. I'm a doctor, and I can tell your movements are stiff, and that you have bandages wrapped around it. That spot is perfect for bloodletting. You're injured, aren't you? The fanatics from the Salvation Society have a tendency to self-mutilate through bloodletting."

God Among Us sighed on Earth, raising his hands in surrender before Fors' gun, indicating that he bore no ill will.

As he raised his arms, the wide sleeves of his robe slid down to his elbows, revealing the scars that covered his skin, especially the freshly bandaged cut on his wrist, still oozing blood.

"I mean no harm, as you can see, I'm not carrying any weapons," he said.

"Fors replied, "That's none of my concern. You've brought a Savior's member here, violating our agreement. I won't be treating your sister anymore." With that, he lowered his gun but remained vigilant against God Among Us, stepping around him to leave.

The young man was taken aback and quickly stepped forward to stop Fors. "Wait, Doctor, you can't just abandon a patient! I've got the blood vials, I brought them back. I know you want them, you can check their contents!"

Fors said, "I've made it clear, this is the condition for treating your sister. The Savior's people are after me, and you can't guarantee that he won't divulge information."

Upon hearing this, God Among Us felt a pang in his heart. Seeing the young man turn to him with reddened eyes, some players in the live stream also caught on.

"Damn, this old man is cunning, he's forcing the brother to deal with God Among Us."

"Oh no, big guy, run away quickly!"

"Is he stupid? He's got a gun, how can he run? Turning his back would make him a huge target."

"And did you notice that old man's movements? Despite saying he's leaving, his eyes keep sneaking glances at God on Earth, and his hand never leaves the grip of his gun."

"Is this guy really a doctor? Why does he seem so menacing?"

"It's normal, in this day and age, which medical student hasn't terminated lab mice, let alone worked with cadavers?"

"Perhaps this is a hardcore doctor who practiced on corpses in the dead of night (dog emoji), so it's reasonable for him to be skilled in combat and shooting."

The chat was still joking around, but many players were genuinely concerned for God on Earth.

God on Earth took a deep breath, keeping his hands raised as a sign of non-aggression. "Although I'm from the Church, I no longer believe in it. They're deceivers, not to be trusted. I want to find another way to save the patients here."

Fors lifted the barrel of his gun and sneered. "You're not the first cultist to beg for mercy."

Facing the dark barrel, God on Earth felt the real threat to his life. If there were a game master, they might warn him that he had only a few minutes left before the NPC pulled the trigger.

Players couldn't die, but based on the experience of Black Cat and the others, if a player died in a dungeon, they would be immediately ejected, without a second chance.

God on Earth could feel his heartbeat quickening. This nasty old man wouldn't likely give him a second chance to plead. Without hesitation, he removed the emblem representing the Church from his chest and threw it to the ground, stomping on it twice.

The young man's fierce expression froze, and the menacing Fors also paused, seemingly not expecting the God on Earth to act with such decisiveness. Then, he witnessed the God on Earth pausing in thought before placing a hand on his pants.

The live stream camera swiftly changed its angle. At first, the viewers in the live stream were puzzled, but then they heard the sound of running water, and they all fell silent in unison.

"?"

"??? Is it what I think it is?"

"?????"

"Damn, why can't we see the stream feed for this?"

"What is there that we players aren't allowed to see? Show me!"

"Well, well, well, here we go."

"What!? You can take off your pants in this game!?"

"Yes, you can. Didn't you know? It just gets censored."

"Oh, then it's settled."

"Also, you'd be hauled away by the police for indecency on the streets, resulting in a public humiliation for your character's reputation."

"How do you guys know all this?!"

"What exactly have you been up to in this game?"

God Among Men, composed as ever, pulled up his pants amidst their petrified expressions and said, "I suppose this should suffice as proof, right?"

Indeed, more than sufficient.

The young man gaped at the defiled symbol of the Church in the muddy ground, shuddering at the thought. If those fanatics were to find out what God Among Men had done, it wouldn't matter if he was an undercover agent or not. After sullying their faith, even the Pope would be in deep trouble!

Fors huffed, her expression softening, and a hint of admiration appeared in her gaze as she looked at God Among Men. "Not bad, quite the guts. You mentioned something about seeking alternative healing methods earlier?"

"Mm-hm, I don't trust that Church's claims of saving people. I have some knowledge of medicine, and the longer the plague goes untreated, the more devastating and irreversible its outbreak will become. I'm searching for other means to halt the spread of the plague," God Among Men declared with righteousness, as if he truly betrayed the Church for the sake of saving lives.

Fors had never been fond of idealists in the past, but circumstances were different now. In a city controlled by a cult, allies were always welcome. Lowering her gun, she nodded at God Among Men and said, "Come in and talk."

Noticing that Forss had no longer mentioned giving up the treatment, the young man immediately felt relieved. He promptly followed suit, with the God in Human Form strolling in at a leisurely pace at the rear.

The dwelling was petite, measuring barely more than ten square meters. It appeared to be constructed of red bricks, with walls that had been haphazardly plastered, leaving much of the reddish brick exposed. The interior decoration and furnishings were scant. At the heart of the room, on a solitary bed, lay a brunette girl, her complexion an unsettling shade of pale blue.

Foss approached the bed and skillfully administered a dose of medication into the young girl's vein. "You've called me a bit too late. I'm not certain if I can save her. I'll let you know upfront."

The young man's expression turned grim upon hearing this. "Is... is that vial of blood still useful?"

"Bloody vials?" Fors glanced at Human World and scoffed. "Their blood bottles did cure a few, but they were ineffective for many more. I'd rather believe it's all a spectacle, a trick by a group of frauds. I only asked you to bring them so I could expose their ruse."

"But those few who were cured..."

"Perhaps they were secretly given additional treatment. Anyway, I don't believe in it, and neither would you if you truly did. Why not pray to the gods for your sister's safety?" Fors's words were laced with sarcasm; surprisingly, he was an atheist. "Of course, you can also choose to stay, just for some psychological comfort."

The God on Earth didn't know about the Savior Society, so all they could do at this moment was smile and say nothing. After Fors finished injecting the girl, he handed the remaining medicine to the young man. "You give her the medicine. I need to have a word with him."

The young man eagerly took the medicine from the doctor as if it were his last lifeline. Fors had seen many such people before. Initially, he had felt sympathy, but now, he was desensitized.

"I never expected to find someone like you in the Church," Fors said as he led The God on Earth to the back door of the house. This door led directly to the woods behind, and few people ventured there. Smoking casually, he continued amidst the smoke, "Ordinary people, even if they cut ties with the Church, wouldn't go as far as you did. If the members of the Savior Society saw that scene, you'd be publicly hanged."

"Is there no law here?" the god among men asked.

Fors gave him a surprised look. "Are you joking, or are you seriously asking me?"

"I had an injury recently and my mind isn't as clear as before. I've forgotten many things," the god among men said calmly.

"No wonder…" Fors readily accepted this explanation and chuckled with his cigarette. "You'll probably regret it when you regain your memories."

"Betrayer of the Salvation Society, who turned against them during the outbreak of the plague."

The god among men pondered over his words. Connecting the dots—the plague, the outbreak, and the isolation—he asked, "This place is sealed off?"

"Mm-hm. The military guards all entrances and exits to the city," Fors shrugged. "All supplies and channels entering the city are controlled by the Salvation Society. All hospitals within the city are under their jurisdiction too. In this era where death can come at any moment, human lives are the cheapest. The Salvation Society is the de facto ruler."

"…Don't the people in the city have any objections?"

Fors laughed again. "The wealthy and well-connected left when the Black Death first appeared. Those who remain have their living areas divided based on the severity of the plague. Information channels are cut off, and the Salvation Society controls medicine and supply distribution. Would the elite class have any objections?"

The god among men recalled what he had seen. It was probably the region worst hit by the plague. The church members had become saviors to the patients… Even if someone wanted to rescue them, these people would likely chase them away with guns.

Reflecting on the situation, this disaster might be a troublesome yet opportune moment for the Salvation Society to exert control and expand their influence...

Perhaps God on Earth's previous actions had pleased him greatly, as he readily answered several of God on Earth's questions, explaining the current state and dynamics of the city, dispelling the fog of confusion hanging over the players.

Of course, other players in the live stream seized this chance and flooded the chat with their inquiries about the Salvation Society's scale, their origins, the status of the Bubonic Plague, and the medical conditions within the city. Fos answered some, ignored others, until eventually, tired by God on Earth's endless questions, he impatiently said, "Enough questioning. It's better to see the situation at the city's edge for yourself. I need to fetch new medicine, so come along with me!"

God on Earth: "Sure."

Both were decisive individuals. Seeing God on Earth nod, Fos immediately set off with him, giving the young man instructions before leaving the hut. He explained what to do if a patient showed symptoms during his absence and which medicine to administer first if they didn't return in time.

Despite his rugged, American tough-guy appearance that screamed roughness, Fos was surprisingly meticulous when it came to the patients. This contrast left God on Earth quite astonished.

The young man diligently memorized these medical instructions and saw them off at the door.

"Come on, we need to reach our destination by three in the afternoon." Fos checked the sky and urged God on Earth to hurry.

To avoid drawing attention, Fos provided God on Earth with a black robe, long boots resembling Wellingtons, a mask, and a head covering, essentially cocooning him from head to toe. "This outbreak is mainly septicemic plague. You're quite fortunate. Had it been pulmonary plague, you'd be lying in bed after strolling through the worst-hit area."

"Though, there's also the possibility of being in the incubation period. Call out if you feel unwell," he added.

Divine Being on Earth: "Then you'll heal me?"

Forrest: "Then I'll run far, far away."

Divine Being on Earth: ".... Are you really a doctor?"

Forrest grinned triumphantly and patted Divine Being on Earth's shoulder after his laughter subsided. "Of course I am. Right now, only I can save the people in this city."

During travel periods, the live stream was usually less engaging. Players exchanged information intermittently. A few players who were also replicating the dungeon had initially planned to post their findings on forums. However, for some reason, they all ended up gathered in Divine Being on Earth's live stream.

"Speaking of which, is there any way we can cure the plague?"

"It's rather unlikely. Honestly, the cure for the plague is medication and isolation. The disease kills too quickly; almost instantly upon infection. Medication can help, but its effectiveness is limited. Due to the high mortality rate, the host often dies before spreading it much. As long as isolation is enforced, it typically doesn't spread too far. The reason the Black Death was so devastating in ancient times was that people didn't have the concept of isolation back then, and sanitation was poor. When someone fell ill, others would move away, inadvertently spreading the virus everywhere."

"Therefore, when that old man said the city was isolated by the military from the outside, I do believe him. As for the church's dominance here... well, it's hard to comment."

"By the way, if those believers were to drink the blood of infected residents, what if they contract the plague...?"

"Mm, they'd be doomed. It baffles me, though. Why is the church so daring? They still cling to superstitions at such a time? This is the Black Death, after all. Don't they fear death?"

"In reality, they'd be simply foolish and wicked, but considering this is a world where gods exist, well, it's hard to tell."

"Vampiric Cultist: I'm bleeding myself here too, just plain cutting. You could at least offer a blood bag, right?"

"Security Guard: This isn't very sacred, is it? I heard that the tradition of this church involves atoning for humanity's sins, hence the self-inflicted harm. Cutting flesh might be part of their ritual."

"Milk Tea Pup: Can't sell any milk tea here at all. Ah, the loneliness."

"Tax Inspector: I've dug up some history on the Salvation Society's origins. I'll compile it and share with everyone."

God watched the content posted by the tax officer on the live stream while attentively guiding his steps. As Furs had described, the journey was punctuated by devotees or mercenaries patrolling multiple zones, enforcing strict segregation between areas. Everyone was confined to their designated sectors, with special emphasis on the regions plagued severely by the plague. Desperate individuals, feeling beyond salvation, would attempt to breach these boundaries in search of redemption from the devotees, only to meet their end at the hands of mercenaries' gunfire.

A woman's form lay prone on the floor, behind her, a child weeping, and among the roused patients, one cursed at the disruption while others, undeterred, prayed devoutly to the icon of the new Bishop.

Madness, eccentricity, and disconnection.

God on Earth pursed His lips, and Fors took this in stride, skillfully guiding Him to evade the mercenaries' notice.