Chapter 108 – Ahhhhh!
The woman, seeing Lin Jiu remain silent, cried out, “Boss Lin, is there any way to save my husband?”
Hearing her call him “Boss Lin,” several nurses turned around, recognizing Lin Jiu’s signature long black hair and black mask. Their eyes sparkled. Lin Jiu had become so famous that they were in awe of seeing him in person.
Lin Jiu was still feeling uneasy about the parasites and hadn’t even asked the system if there was a solution.
Before the system could respond, Lin Jiu heard a notification from his energy collection system.
[Energy Collection System reminder: Magic crystal marrow energy has been fully converted. A total of 932,660 magic points have been obtained.]
Lin Jiu: …
Back then, Vera had given him three magic crystals, and he had found two fragments himself, which had been converted into over 800,000 points. Now, the five magic crystals from the Cecil family had only added a little more—clearly, they had given him defective goods.
Still, Lin Jiu was satisfied with the total amount of magic points, even though it hadn’t reached 1 million. He could use his current points to purchase the advanced genetic enhancer, and once Si Xu used it, he could transform into a true demon spirit.
The system’s excited voice rang in Lin Jiu’s mind.
[Host, do you want to buy the advanced genetic enhancer now?]
Lin Jiu: “No rush.”
The system was in a hurry, though!
[How can you not rush? If you buy it early, I can upgrade sooner!]
Lin Jiu: “Si Xu isn’t here right now. Even if I buy it, I’ll just have to store it. Isn’t saving up magic points nice? Why spend them so soon?”
[The system upgrade takes time. The sooner you buy it, the sooner I can upgrade. Once I’ve upgraded, I might even be able to solve the parasite problem!]
Lin Jiu was suspicious: “So you’re saying you don’t have a solution right now?”
[Everything I know comes from recorded incidents in the Demon Sea dimension. Unless something has been recorded, I won’t know about it. And this parasite hasn’t appeared before, so there’s no record of it.]
Lin Jiu: “Then how do you know upgrading will give you the solution?”
The system hesitated for a moment.
[I don’t know right now, but if I become stronger after upgrading, won’t I be more likely to know?]
Lin Jiu felt the system was being a bit too eager, but then again, when wasn’t it eager when magic points were involved?
Lin Jiu: “If you upgrade, will the system’s functions still work normally?”
[Most functions will be temporarily unavailable, but basic functions will remain open. The portal can still be used.]
Lin Jiu thought for a moment: “We might need your abilities now. You can upgrade later.”
[The system: …]
[Don’t say ‘later’! I can upgrade right now, and it will be quick, I promise!]
Lin Jiu: “Will the sub-systems be affected?”
[No, the sub-systems will continue to work. It’s only the main system that will upgrade.]
Lin Jiu considered that the demon-hunting system wasn’t much help at the moment, and if upgrading the main system could potentially solve the parasite crisis, it would be better to upgrade sooner. As long as the sub-systems like the Demon-Hunting Chef system, energy collection system, and Si Xu’s weapon-making system were still functional, that should be enough.
Lin Jiu spent 1 million magic points to buy an advanced genetic enhancer. He was both heartbroken and excited—heartbroken over the loss of magic points but excited to see what Si Xu would look like after fully transforming into a demon spirit.
Just as Lin Jiu made the payment, he heard the cold mechanical voice of the system, noticeably different from its usual tone.
[Demon Hunting System reminder: Magic points have accumulated over 1 million, reaching the upgrade threshold. Demon Hunting System is upgrading…]
Lin Jiu was stunned for a moment. That was all the mechanical voice said, and then nothing else happened—no sign of an upgrade progress bar or anything.
Lin Jiu had come to confirm whether the parasites were from the Demon Sea dimension. Now that it was confirmed and he couldn’t do anything to solve the issue, he didn’t want to waste any more time there.
As Lin Jiu left the hospital room and walked toward the elevator, he saw a small rubber ball roll out from a nearby room. He instinctively kicked it aside.
Lin Jiu: …
He quickly stepped forward to grab the ball and return it, but when he turned around, he locked eyes with a young boy.
Lin Jiu was surprised to see the boy standing at the door—wasn’t this the child confirmed to be infected with the parasites?!
The hospital room door was only halfway open, and the boy stood right in the doorway, his face expressionless, with an empty look in his eyes.
Lin Jiu felt a chill down his spine under the boy’s gaze.
As they stared at each other, Lin Jiu was startled to see a faint green light flicker between the boy’s eyebrows.
He doubted his own eyes and looked again. There was no green light, just normal skin.
The boy’s empty gaze gradually regained focus, and he smiled at Lin Jiu. But that smile seemed strange… no, it wasn’t just the smile that was strange—there was something odd about the boy’s entire presence, especially…
Lin Jiu looked him up and down and finally realized what was strange. The boy stood in the doorway with his feet together, his toes perfectly aligned with the door frame. He stood there so stiffly, it felt unnatural.
The boy extended his hand. “Brother, that’s my ball.”
Lin Jiu stepped closer and handed the ball over. “Here you go.”
The boy’s hand didn’t quite reach the ball. “Brother, could you come a little closer?”
Lin Jiu was about to take a step forward when he suddenly stopped. “You come get it.”
The boy gazed longingly at the ball. “I can’t go out.”
Lin Jiu crouched down, curious. “Why can’t you come out?”
The boy glanced at the ball again. “The nurse said I’m not allowed to leave the room. Not even a step.”
That strange feeling crept up on Lin Jiu again.
He looked around. “The nurse isn’t here now. If you sneak out, she won’t know.”
The boy’s smile vanished. “I promised the nurse I wouldn’t leave the room, not even a step.”
Lin Jiu stared at the boy for a long moment and came to a conclusion: this child wasn’t normal.
Normally, kids this age are full of energy and forget rules easily. Even if parents tell them not to misbehave or run around, they still do. But this child was different—he stayed exactly where the nurse told him to, not moving a single inch beyond the door frame.
“Tao Tao, what are you doing at the door?” A young nurse quickly walked over.
She noticed Lin Jiu and, without needing to ask, immediately recognized him from his long hair and mask.
The nurse hesitated. “Are you Boss Lin?”
Lin Jiu stood up. “Yes, that’s me.”
The nurse was thrilled. “I—I’m a big fan of yours! Could I—could I get your autograph?”
Lin Jiu: …
He hadn’t been a celebrity in a long time, yet people still wanted his autograph?
The nurse quickly ran to the station and came back with a pen and a photo, asking Lin Jiu to sign it.
When Lin Jiu saw the photo, he felt a bit uncomfortable.
The photo was one the nurse had clearly developed herself. It was the infamous picture of Lin Jiu tied up in a thicket of bone spikes, looking dazed into the camera. And worse, he was in his siren form!
The nurse looked at him expectantly. Lin Jiu had no choice but to awkwardly sign the photo.
The nurse, overjoyed, hurried back to the desk to carefully store the signed photo before returning. By that time, the boy, Tao Tao, was still standing motionless at the door, feet together.
“Can I ask you something?” Lin Jiu suddenly spoke up.
The nurse was eager to answer her idol’s questions. “What would you like to know?”
Lin Jiu asked, “What’s going on with Tao Tao? When did he wake up?”
The nurse was surprised. “You know about him?”
Lin Jiu explained how Tao Tao’s mother had come to the MoYu shop asking for help and that it was the shop that had called an ambulance.
The nurse said, “I’m not sure about the details. When he was first brought here, he was in bad shape—agitated whenever he was awake. But two days later, when he woke up again, he suddenly became calm. And he’s been very obedient ever since. He eats when told to eat, doesn’t run around when told not to.”
Lin Jiu frowned. “Did the hospital give him any effective treatment?”
The nurse shook her head. “No, the same treatment was given to two others, but it didn’t work for them.”
The other two were likely Tao Tao’s mother and the infected customer who had been bitten. Lin Jiu confirmed this with the nurse.
He then asked, “You know he’s highly likely to be infected with the parasites. Don’t you have any protective measures in place?”
The nurse, following hospital protocols, didn’t have much information.
“There wasn’t any quarantine order before. The news just came today, and they’ll be sent away soon for unified treatment.”
Lin Jiu asked, “Where will they be sent?”
The nurse replied, “To the South Sea region. There are more cases there, so they can be treated collectively.”
Lin Jiu nodded. The hospital should be more knowledgeable about preventing further infection than he was.
He didn’t ask any more questions, handed the ball back to the boy, and left.
He decided to take a trip to the South Sea.
*
After arranging everything at the shop, Lin Jiu, as a consultant for Team Seven, was flown to the South Sea on a “Special Security Department” helicopter. Of course, the helicopter was primarily transporting supplies, and Lin Jiu was sent along as a secondary task.
When the helicopter landed in the South Sea, Si Xu was already there waiting.
Upon seeing Lin Jiu, Si Xu quickly walked over. “Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t necessary to come? Why did you come anyway?”
Lin Jiu lowered his voice, “If I don’t come, how will you use the smart pharmaceutical space?”
The pharmaceutical space was something Lin Jiu had won from a blind box. It was stored in his inventory, so Si Xu could only access it if Lin Jiu was present.
Si Xu draped an arm around Lin Jiu’s shoulders and led him away from the helipad. “What did the Demon Hunter System say?”
Lin Jiu replied angrily, “The system’s useless! It says these parasites are native to Earth and that it doesn’t know how to solve the problem.”
“Really? Then let’s ask it again. Doesn’t it always claim that its civilization is far superior to Earth’s? How could it have no solution?”
Si Xu never fully trusted the Demon Hunter System. It seemed to have a mind of its own and was quite cunning.
Lin Jiu said, “It’s undergoing an upgrade. Only the basic functions are available right now, but the subsystems are unaffected.”
Si Xu was surprised. “The energy conversion is complete?”
Lin Jiu looked at him curiously. “Yeah, it’s done. It only reached a bit over 900,000. I bought you a high-grade gene enhancer. Once you use it, you’ll become a true member of the Magic Spirit race.”
Si Xu put Lin Jiu in the car and drove away.
With just the two of them in the car, it was easier to talk.
Si Xu asked, “Why did the system suddenly upgrade?”
Lin Jiu responded, “It said I accumulated enough magic points—1 million—and that it met the requirements for an upgrade.”
Si Xu pondered, “Was that the system’s requirement, or did you trigger it by accident?”
Lin Jiu glanced at him. “The system was in a big rush to upgrade. Did you figure something out?”
Si Xu said, “It’s good that it’s upgrading now. Some things I need to discuss with you would inevitably be known to the system anyway.”
Lin Jiu was curious. “What things?”
Si Xu explained, “Don’t trust the Demon Hunter System too much. It has a clear agenda, and everything revolves around gathering energy. It’s desperate for it. I’ve been wondering what it needs all that energy for. Now that it’s upgrading, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens afterward.”
The system was indeed very eager to upgrade. Lin Jiu had originally thought it was a natural instinct for the system, similar to how animals instinctively guard their food. But was that really the case?
There was no point in overthinking it now. All Lin Jiu could do was wait.
Lin Jiu then told Si Xu about what he had seen at the hospital, especially the strange child.
Si Xu’s expression grew serious. “We’ve seen similar cases here too. Children regain consciousness faster than adults—about two to three days after infection, while adults take around five days.”
Lin Jiu frowned. “Are they really waking up?”
Si Xu shook his head. “We’re not sure yet. After recovery, people undergo drastic personality changes and become slow to respond. It’s as if they’ve turned into different people. Most importantly, once they wake up, the parasites inside them disappear.”
Lin Jiu was shocked. “Do the parasites die on their own?”
Si Xu replied, “It’s probably not that simple.”
Lin Jiu thought for a moment. “I’d like to meet some of the people who’ve woken up.”
Si Xu didn’t object and took Lin Jiu to a rehabilitation hospital in the South Sea, where all the infected patients were being housed.
When they arrived, they ran into Lu Yu, who was just leaving, and this time, even Shi Shuqing had come along.
Upon seeing Lin Jiu, Lu Yu joked, “I knew where Captain Si was, but I was wondering why Consultant Lin wasn’t with him. Well, here you are after all.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu quipped, “If you guys had worked faster, I wouldn’t have had to make this trip.”
Lu Yu shrugged and sighed, “It’s a tricky situation. I don’t suppose Boss Lin has any good ideas?”
Lin Jiu retorted, “If you guys can’t figure it out, how would I?”
Lu Yu glanced at Lin Jiu, then at Si Xu. “So what’s the rush? Why did you both come down here?”
Si Xu replied, “We’re here to see the people who’ve woken up. Lin Jiu saw a child wake up back in A City.”
Both Lu Yu and Shi Shuqing’s expressions turned grim. The people who had regained consciousness were indeed strange.
Since Lin Jiu and Si Xu wanted to see them, Lu Yu and Shi Shuqing accompanied them, hoping they might discover something.
Lin Jiu thought Si Xu would take him to the hospital rooms, but instead, he led him to the surveillance room.
On the monitors, some patients sat straight on their beds, staring fixedly in one direction without moving. Others stood at the closed doors, staring at them without a sound. One person had their face turned up, staring directly at the surveillance camera, eyes vacant, their face filling the entire screen in a rather unsettling way.
In another room, children were playing with toys individually. They weren’t talking, nor did they gather together.
In short, none of the people who had woken up were behaving normally.
Lin Jiu watched the monitors closely, then suddenly leaned in and pointed at the forehead of the face on the screen.
“Did you see that? There was just a flash of green light here.”
The others in the surveillance room: “…”
Lin Jiu could tell from their expressions that they hadn’t seen anything.
He turned to Si Xu. “Did you see it?”
Si Xu shook his head. “No.”
Lin Jiu had seen green light on the forehead of Taotao back in the hospital as well. At the time, he thought he was imagining it. Now that he had seen it again, he was convinced it wasn’t a mistake.
Lin Jiu thought carefully, then noticed that the face had moved away from the screen, and someone had entered the room to talk to the patient.
Suddenly, Lin Jiu had a theory.
“I want to go to the ward and meet them.”
Si Xu, Lu Yu, and Shi Shuqing all followed along.
They usually didn’t let anyone get too close to the people who had woken up. Their condition was highly unusual, and it was unclear whether they had any aggressive tendencies. Although they had been oddly quiet so far, precautions still had to be taken.
Lin Jiu chose a room where the person inside was the one sitting motionless on the bed. Lin Jiu leaned against the small window in the door, peering inside. He focused on the person’s forehead, then knocked on the door.
There was no reaction from the person inside, so Lin Jiu knocked again. The person’s forehead flickered with a green light, and as if snapping out of a daze, they looked toward the door and walked over to open it.
Lin Jiu stepped back and exchanged glances with the three people behind him.
The three: “???”
What’s that look for? What are you planning?
The door opened, and the person inside stared blankly at Lin Jiu.
Lin Jiu focused on the green light at their forehead. “Hello, can we talk?”
The green light flickered again, and a hint of expression appeared on the person’s blank face. Just as they were about to speak, Lin Jiu acted swiftly, grabbing at the green light on their forehead. It felt like he had caught hold of something, and thin, root-like strands were pulled out from the person’s forehead…
“Ahhhh——!!!!”
The person suddenly screamed in agony, shoving Lin Jiu away and lunging at him with a furious, twisted face. A long leg shot out from the side, kicking the crazed person back into the room. Lu Yu and Shi Shuqing quickly closed the door, and the inside was soon filled with the sounds of frantic screaming and violent banging on the door.
Lu Yu was just about to ask Lin Jiu what had happened, and why the person suddenly went mad, when he turned around to see Lin Jiu staring in horror at the green liquid on his fingers.
Lin Jiu: “…”
Ahhhhh!!!
A bug! Ahhhhh!!!!
Reflexively, Lin Jiu flicked the green liquid off his fingers and onto the floor.
He took several steps back, staring intensely at the liquid on the ground.
Si Xu grabbed Lin Jiu’s hand, and disinfectant from the wall dispenser was quickly poured over Lin Jiu’s fingers.
Lin Jiu was still shaken.
Si Xu, equally startled, carefully inspected Lin Jiu’s hand.
Lin Jiu’s scalp tingled. “Was…was that a parasite?!”
Lu Yu and Shi Shuqing nearly passed out on the spot!
Who in their right mind would dare grab a parasite barehanded? Did Lin Jiu have a death wish?
Wait! How did Lin Jiu manage to catch a parasite with his bare hands in the first place?!
The commotion drew the attention of the medical staff, who rushed over. Si Xu instructed them to collect the green liquid for testing, warning them to handle it carefully, as it was likely the parasite.
Lin Jiu was dragged off by Si Xu for a full-body examination, out of fear that he might have been infected.
Meanwhile, the person inside the room continued to frantically bang on the door, seemingly having lost their mind.
Up until now, the medical staff had been cautiously observing the people who had woken up. They had all been surprisingly docile, and if it weren’t for their bizarre behavior, the medical staff might have thought they were harmless. But Lin Jiu’s arrival had shattered that calm.
