Chapter 146: Plague Temple? Virus Servant! Doomed King?

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[Absorbed deadly fungus, gained 5 evolution points!]

Novak couldn't help but marvel at the discovery.

"What an amazing mushrooms!" he thought to himself. 

Each mushroom provided a full five evolution points—such a boost was incredibly rare, especially from a single viral fungus. It was an exceptional find, even in a place as hazardous as the plague chemical factory.

He continued searching, his eyes sharp with excitement. Unfortunately, even in this factory, such valuable specimens were hard to come by.

Slightly disappointed, Novak let out a small sigh, feeling the effects of the absorbed plague fungus nourishing him. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of Ian, who still seemed bewildered by the whole situation.

"Let's keep moving," Novak said calmly.

Meanwhile, Ian was having an existential crisis. 'Where am I? Who am I? And why am I here with this monster?' These thoughts swirled through his mind as he stared at Novak, whose abilities seemed nothing short of inhuman.

Novak, unfazed by Ian's confusion, made his way to the nearest security room. He knew that the source of the plague wouldn't be found in such a simple location—if it were related to the Plague Sect, it would be hidden much more carefully. Still, Novak's interest in the factory extended beyond just completing the mission.

The factory, teeming with plague incarnations, was a treasure trove of resources for him. Each fungal growth, each viral mutation, represented more evolution points—an endless supply to fuel his power.

To his surprise, however, despite the size of the factory, there were very few monsters lurking inside. Novak scoured the security room and then the first workshop, but he encountered nothing, not even another plague giant mosquito.

But his efforts weren't entirely fruitless. He found another plague-born mushroom, though this one only provided 4 evolution points. Novak didn't mind; he understood that absorbing the same type of virus or bacteria would yield diminishing returns. It was a natural consequence of his abilities.

As they ventured deeper into the plant, Novak and Ian finally encountered other living beings.

A group of massive flying insects hovered near a corpse. These creatures looked like an unsettling combination of mosquitoes and flies, with grotesquely large mouthparts half a meter long that glinted with a sickly green light. Their swollen abdomens swayed as they feasted on the body—a corpse that Novak quickly realized was a zombie.

'Even zombies aren't safe from these creatures,' he thought, his eyes narrowing.

The insects, disturbed by Novak's presence, turned toward him, their hunting instincts kicking in as they prepared to attack.

But they were no match for Novak. Before they could even get close, Novak's claws flashed in the air. He spun with incredible agility, the new abilities granted by the Blacklight Virus allowing him to maneuver effortlessly, even mid-air.

In an instant, the insects fell, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground.

The Blacklight Virus had enhanced his combat abilities, and while he couldn't claim total air superiority, fighting in the air had become far easier. This skirmish had just proven how deadly his newfound powers truly were.

The insect's wings fell as the enormous corpse exploded in midair, spraying a burst of green pus.

Ian, quick to take action, immediately scavenged the ground for anything valuable that had fallen from the creatures. To his surprise, there were indeed a few pieces of decent equipment. However, Novak showed no interest in the bizarre, insect-like items. He casually tossed them to Ian to handle and pressed on, making his way toward the depths of the chemical plant.

But something felt off. Despite crossing several factory buildings, Novak still hadn't encountered the kinds of creatures he had expected to see. It was as if the chemical factory had become an eerie, lifeless wasteland, apart from the persistent green plague fog that hovered in the air.

The further they ventured, the more unsettling it became. Novak's instincts were screaming that something was wrong. This unnatural silence was no coincidence—it was the calm before something far more dangerous.

At last, after what felt like an eternity, Novak and Ian arrived at the deepest part of the plant. A massive structure loomed before them, towering ominously in the distance.

"What is this place?" Ian muttered, eyes wide with uncertainty.

After a moment of thought, he answered his own question. "It looks like the reservoir for the treatment and distribution of industrial water."

Novak nodded slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on the building ahead. "Stay alert. If things get out of control, I might not be able to protect you."

Ian swallowed nervously, his eyes glued to the enormous factory door as they approached it cautiously.

Just as they neared the entrance, the rolling door suddenly burst open with a deafening crash, and a rush of dark green water splashed out. What should have been ordinary tap water was instead a vile, toxic substance. But what really caught Novak's attention was what lay inside the vast factory.

Above them, perched on beams and pillars, were swarms of insects, their wings retracting as they hovered in the plague-ridden air. The floor beneath them was covered in a purple-green organic substance, writhing like a living carpet of flesh. It pulsed and squirmed as though it were part of some grotesque ecosystem.

Among the creatures on the ground were virus-infected zombies—better described as "poisonous corpses." Their bodies were riddled with deformities, covered in pustules and rotting flesh. They stood eerily still, but their dark green eyes gleamed with malicious intent.

In the shadows, pairs of sinister eyes stared at Novak and Ian. Giant rats the size of watermelons, their fur streaked with a glowing purple-green hue, watched their every move. Their malevolent gaze shone with an unsettling intelligence.

But that wasn't all.

High atop the towering reservoir tanks, two enormous mushrooms, each standing over two meters tall, loomed like parasols over the factory. Their grotesque shapes added to the overall sense of danger that hung thick in the air.

A wave of dread washed over Novak. His instincts were screaming at him—this place was dangerous, far more than anything they had encountered before.

And then, in the distance, Novak spotted a figure lurking in the shadows at the far end of the factory. Standing near the drainpipe, it exuded an air of authority, as if it ruled over this nightmarish domain.

The figure seemed to sense their presence. It moved slowly, deliberately, as if taking its time to observe the intruders. 

Novak took a deep breath, his hands transforming into powerful claws as the threat of a biochemical disaster stirred within him. He prepared to launch an attack, ready to face whatever was coming.

But just as he was about to act, the mysterious figure atop the reservoir revealed itself.

Dressed in a dark green robe and clutching a scepter, the figure leaped down from above, landing with an eerie grace. Its voice rang out, sharp and strange, in a language that Novak had never heard before but somehow understood.

"People of the plague! Servants of the virus! Children of the sect! Bow before your destined king! Offer your most noble gestures of respect, and use your lowly bodies to offer the most devout prayers!"

The voice echoed through the factory, its power overwhelming. Novak and Ian, both prepared for battle, froze in place, unable to move.

The figure, now kneeling on the ground in a show of submission, was soon followed by the other creatures. The poisonous corpses, the rats, and the flies all began to bow or form orderly ranks, creating a path through the green plague-infested factory.

At the end of the path, the figure continued to shout praises. "May our destined king ignite the divine fire soon, for we will forever be your most humble servants!"

Ian, watching the enormous plague creatures that radiated danger, could only glance helplessly at the dark green-robed figure who seemed to be leading this grotesque procession. No matter how he looked at it, this figure was no ordinary monster. It wasn't even a twisted mutant like Vale, the Hell Messenger.

And then Ian's gaze fell upon Novak, who was now stepping forward, walking down the aisle formed by the bowing plague creatures. Dressed in his signature dark green robe and wearing a bird's beak mask, Novak looked eerily in place among the chaos.

'Where do I go? Who am I? And what am I doing here with this monster?' 

The same haunting questions returned to Ian's mind as he watched, frozen in disbelief.