Chapter 424: Parasite Immunity

Chapter 424: Parasite Immunity

The Parasitic Doll Lena pointed at began violently thrashing from within, as if stimulated by something inside. Squirming outward frantically like it had met its natural enemy. Before whatever it was could fully emerge, Zheng Yichen shook his head. He grabbed the Flame Judgment sword and reduced the Parasitic Doll to dust.

Then he replaced it with a fresh one for his research. Others in the team frowned as they watched. When Zheng Yichen was done with his third specimen, Lena couldn’t resist approaching him. Curiosity colored her tone. “Just what are you trying to do? We’re supposed to track the Undying Witch, and you’re messing around with these things?”

“Tracking isn’t my strength. Fighting isn’t needed either. Might as well stick to what I can do,” Zheng Yichen replied without looking up. “Even before meeting you guys, I saw plenty of these Parasitic Dolls. I wonder if there’s a way to completely stop the parasitic infection.”

“Some kind of Magic Potion?”

“Brewing potions isn’t like growing cabbages,” Zheng Yichen shook his head dismissively. “Think of it more as an agent.”

As someone who came from Earth, Zheng Yichen never underestimated medicinal agents. Even if the agents on Earth weren’t that amazing, hadn’t he seen loads of incredible concoctions in movies or anime? Magic Potions earned their wonder only by adding a touch of magic to the mix, creating effects beyond pure science. Applying Potionology knowledge to ordinary agents was entirely possible. It just meant leaving out the magic component. And Zheng Yichen’s grasp of these fundamentals was solid. So he had a plan, though after several tests, it didn’t feel quite right yet.

“Agents can be that strong?” Lena sounded surprised.

“Well, not exactly strong,” Zheng Yichen clarified after thinking. “Facing these parasites head-on? Definitely can’t win that way. But maybe making the host ‘repulsive’ to them is possible. Think of it like those Magical Beasts—super powerful, yet utterly repelled by the smell of some normal plant.”

“You mean… an agent that repels these Corrupted Parasitic Plants or creatures?” Lena’s eyes lit up as she grasped his idea.

“Exactly,” Zheng Yichen nodded. “Since an infected person’s Mana protection often fails entirely, relying solely on high-grade Magic Potions for a cure, even if possible, would be too costly. Using it after infection? Often too late. The real solution lies in prevention.”

Sanctuary Church members overhearing the conversation between Zheng Yichen and Dan Marina finally relaxed their earlier displeasure. His clear goal justified his otherwise gruesome dissection of the dolls. Though their deaths were tragic, they ultimately served a greater purpose. Desecration? Only if misusing the dead for evil. Zheng Yichen’s research aimed for a future good.

“Sounds simple enough,” Lena mused, then voiced her doubt. “But research like this… won’t be smooth sailing, right? Time’s limited.”

“What exactly do you want?” Zheng Yichen shot her a sideways glance.

“If you can’t figure it out immediately… how about I sponsor your research?”

“…” Her suggestion caused Oss and others to sigh inwardly. Was parting really so near? Dan Marina was clearly aligning her future actions with her family’s interests.

“Unnecessary,” Zheng Yichen waved a hand. “The usual path would be cumbersome. But finding a fast solution isn’t that hard.” He pointed to other Parasitic Dolls restrained on a flat cart. “These Parasitic organisms aren’t universally compatible. Once a specific type infects a host, it keeps others out. There’s natural rivalry. That gives us an easy angle to solve this.”

Zheng Yichen’s approach was straightforward: Extract concentrated essence from the collected parasites/plants. Proper processing stripped away their biological activity. Unlike crafting fussy Magic Potions, mixing medicinal agents was simpler—mainly juggling compatible properties. New agents might have overlapping effects or be less potent than established ones, but that was manageable.

Under the watchful eyes of amazed Church members, Zheng Yichen worked late that night. By dawn, he produced tangible results. A vial containing a bright blue liquid. What puzzled most Church members was its container—a peculiar spiral tube vial, strangely reminiscent of something Earth-bound…

“Holy crap! You made it already? Seriously?” Gale stared dumbly at the vial famous on Earth. Today, what exactly had Zheng Yichen done? Discarded dozens of Parasitic Dolls? Harvested countless Parasitic Plants and creatures? Juiced them all? His notes alone formed a mountain. While Zheng Yichen made it look easy, glancing at the complex diagrams and detailed component analysis on those notes gave Gale a headache—like staring at high-level Magic Rune Arrays.

“Talented? You only see the talent,” Zheng Yichen spun the vial labeled ‘T-Virus’. “Never see the mountains of effort beneath. Who wants to volunteer?”

“……”

Gale, who had cheered moments before, fell silent. The rest of the Sanctuary Church party went quiet too. Agents were weaker than Magic Potions, sure, but that didn’t mean they were harmless. Who knew what bizarre effects this concoction—derived from Corrupted flora and fauna—might unleash? While it probably couldn’t cause infection now, what if it weakened their immunity? Made them easier prey to the Corrupting Aura leaking from the Abyss Entrance? What if it started Corrupting them?

“No spirit of self-sacrifice at all,” Zheng Yichen sighed. Settling onto a flat cart, he immersed himself back into reams of raw data, needing refinement. His core principle remained elegant: This agent would temporarily bathe the user’s body in specific ‘signature signals’ mimicking those of the Corrupted creatures/plants it contained.

Parasites of the same type, sensing this signature, wouldn’t bother infesting an already ‘occupied’ host. Parasites of different types, detecting a repulsive rival signal, would actively stay away. Double signatures, double protection.

“And… this thing… works?” Achille walked over. Zheng Yichen’s overnight results startled him, but results and practicality were two different things.

“Harmless to the human body. Gets metabolized naturally later. Why wouldn’t it work?” Zheng Yichen countered. Potential rejection effects? The user wasn’t powerless. Whether using Mana or Battle Qi, one could easily purge any minor rejection that might occur. Failing that, a quick Purification potion or spell would do. No toxicity, and no rejection could be instantly fatal.

Achille ignored terms like ‘metabolized’: “Based on my quick analysis, although non-toxic, it makes the user emit a special odor. This odor potentially repels Parasitic creatures, but… might also attract Corrupted Creatures which actually prey on parasites or revel in vile things.”

“Acceptable,” Achille reasoned after a thought. Powerful Corrupted Creatures generally lurked closer to the Abyss Entrance center, drawn by its stronger radiation. Meanwhile, Parasitic Plants lurked everywhere. They weren’t individually strong but terrifyingly insidious. Their secreted anesthetic often left victims unaware even as they were hollowed from within. Within the Containment Barrier, parasites claimed more Adventurer and Mercenary lives annually than any other cause.

“If you say so,” Zheng Yichen shrugged. “Problem is… who’s volunteering?” He scanned the hesitant faces. “Just saying upfront—this does nothing for those already infected.”

Sure, he could make an agent targeting existing infections, but the required potency would violently expel the parasite, damaging the host severely. Pushing a Fixation Potion and pulling it out seemed far kinder.

“Are all you Magic Pharmacists this… impressive?” Gale couldn’t help but blurt out.

“Doesn’t any new invention require testing? Even if it’s not you doing the testing.” Zheng Yichen smiled faintly. “Want to give it a shot? There’s something extra in it. Guaranteed… pleasant buzz…”

Nope, no ‘laundry powder’ here. Just a menthol-like component designed to counteract the parasites’ anesthetic secretion. Without numbness, even a fool would feel the pain. The agent also contained ‘purifying particles’ scrubbed from the Corrupted creature they’d slain, helping clear Corrupting Aura.

“… Absolutely not!”

“You’ve just skipped a golden opportunity,” Zheng Yichen shook his head mournfully, fixing Gale with a ‘you poor regretful soul’ look. It effectively erased any trace of hesitation Gale might have felt.

“But, I might grant you another chance…”

“I’ll think about it…” Gale waffled nervously, eyes darting towards Wood and Rick trying to edge out of sight. “Why not ask them?!” he howled, pointing frantically. With Church members around, he wasn’t too worried about safety. They wouldn’t let Zheng Yichen go wild.

“Because you’re young,” Zheng Yichen deadpanned. “Lena, maybe?”

Dan Marina gave an almost imperceptible eye roll.

“Captain…”

“Uh… gotta focus on the search,” Oss mumbled, gently massaging his eyes—still locked in the four-stage Kaleidoscope. Constant use was draining, and only he could spot the Undying Witch’s trail. The Church knights had shared invaluable experience on channeling Blood Essence for vision enhancement and energy control; knowledge Oss, as a self-taught fighter with a back-story richer in raw power than practical skill, devoured gratefully.

“Fine! Fine! I’ll try the damn thing!” Gale gritted his teeth, snatching the vial. A small button triggered the emergence of a needle. “Agents aren’t… drunk?”

“Wait for it to kick effect after drinking?” Zheng Yichen raised an eyebrow at Gale. “Inject it straight into a vein. Let it circulate through your bloodstream.”

Gale hesitated, delayed the inevitable by re-applying his Fixation Potion effect first. Only then did he grit his teeth and jab the needle home. The moment he pushed the plunger down…

“AaaaaAH!” He shuddered violently. As Zheng Yichen promised—icy coolness flooding his veins. Surprisingly… refreshing.

Shortly after, Gale caught a faint, grassy scent emanating from his own skin. “How long does this smell last?”

“How would I know? Haven’t tested it,” Zheng Yichen flipped his palm dismissively. “When the smell fades, then you know.”

“Damn it! Could you be any less responsible?!”

“It’s a rushed job! Want a full clinical trial?” Zheng Yichen retorted, a pang of missing Annie hitting him. Her presence instantly unlocked any potion’s secrets. “Go find some parasites and test it out. Now!”

“…” Gale glanced pleadingly at a nearby Church Knight. The knight nodded, swiftly returning with a struggling Parasitic Doll. With unnerving strength, he ripped out a thick, worm-like Parasitic Plant. Gale watched it wiggle, extending a trembling hand. Sensing flesh, the plant lunged! Fine, needle-sharp spines pierced Gale’s fingertip.

No pain. The spines’ bases already showed fracture lines. Snap. Retreat. Dive into his bloodstream. That’s how they infected…

Except— the spines recoiled instantly upon contact with his blood! Retracting back into the plant’s fleshy body like they’d touched boiling oil!

“Whoa! Hey! No effect?!” Gale goggled at his perfectly unharmed finger. Heart pounding, he eyed the knight holding the plant. “Can… can I hold it?”

“Be very careful,” the knight warned gravely.

No sooner had the plant touched Gale’s grasp than it erupted into frenzied struggle! Desperate to escape his hold! Elated by the lack of reaction, Gale’s fright flipped into vicious glee. Gotcha now, you creepy crawler!

Playing with his newfound invulnerability, Gale tightened his grip, smirking triumphantly. The enraged plant bristled anew. Scores of micro-spines burst forth, raining deep, piercing blows onto his hand!

“AAAAAGH! FAKE PRODUCT!”

“More like… you tempted fate,” Zheng Yichen retorted coolly, cleaning imaginary earwax. “You practically wrestled a trapped creature dying to flee. Its desperate defense is pretty… instinctive.”

“……”

“Notes: The agent’s components are biocompatible. Non-transformative. A Fixation Potion overlay won’t interfere, but optimal results require application before Fixation,” Zheng Yichen called out to the group, observing Gale closely. Confirming no rejection symptoms appeared, Zheng Yichen promptly pinged Jenna on the Forum.

Despite the late hour, she remained active. Her reply flashed instantly. Jenna was visibly impressed by the Immunity Potion. Regardless of his troublemaking streak, this boy’s Potionology insight was undeniable. First trip into the Containment Barrier? Brought back a breakthrough. It might only be an agent, not a Magic Potion, but its potential impact was enormous. Further testing could validate it fully. Zheng Yichen even included future manufacturing suggestions—like easy cultivation of captive Parasitic Plants for stable material sourcing.

“This guy…” Jenna exhaled, torn between gratitude and frustration. Zheng Yichen provided the formula without demands, like sharing trivial gossip. Yet its value to Border Great Wall forces operating inside the Barrier was immense—potentially saving countless lives during routine sweeps.

Night deepened. Oss’s heavy eyelids forced him into the deepest sleep—long-term Kaleidoscope use was draining. Gale, normally sleep-prone and comforted by the sturdy security detail, found himself wide awake. The chilling clarity radiating from his brain kept him razor-focused. He lay, staring resentfully at Oss’s peaceful slumber, until his gaze finally rested on the culprit—Zheng Yichen. A strange sense of admiration washed over Gale as he watched the figure poring over notes by dim light. With such terrifying stamina.

Then his eyes fell on Zheng Yichen. Still analyzing data beneath the faint light. That unwavering dedication suddenly looked less like obsession and more like… inevitable success waiting to happen.

Gale suddenly felt a grudging swell of admiration.