Chapter 66

Chapter 66 Quarantine Zone

Lord Ashgra and his soldiers stopped at the entrance of the quarantine zone. Even the three centaurs hired by Locke were worried at this moment.

Just because there is a quarantine area with barbed wire in front.

At the entrance to the isolation area, there is a group of patients with limited mobility, severe physical deformities, disordered facial muscles, and enough to scare people to death.

This group of sick civilians were lying behind the barbed wire, looking at the outside world with longing, just like people who had fallen into the water and were pulling at a straw in vain.

Because they didn’t know whether this was a contagious disease, neither the city of Ashgra and his soldiers nor the three centaurs dared to move forward after seeing this scene.

They are afraid that they will become like this too.

Locke calmly dismounted the carriage and briefly surveyed his surroundings. “There are no hidden spores or parasites in the air, and the magical fluctuations aren’t particularly unusual. It’s just that these civilians are showing unusually active wood elemental particles. From this perspective, it’s highly likely some kind of demonic plant is causing trouble.”

“I just don’t know which one.”

Locke walked to the front of the barbed wire, got closer, and observed the face of a little girl. The little girl also looked at Locke with an innocent face.

Locke thought, “It seems to be just a mental disorder. As long as the source is solved, these people will recover quickly.”

“So, it’s really not contagious.”

Locke said impatiently to Lord Ashgra and the others, “You can leave now. My centaurs will follow you into the city first.”

Although these sick civilians are not contagious, it would be very troublesome to convince these mortal lords to believe this.

Instead of wasting time, it would be better to start an investigation immediately. Anyway, these mortals here will only cause trouble.

Lord Ashgra looked at the patients at the entrance of the isolation area in horror. For a moment, he seemed to really want to leave.

But soon his reason overcame his cowardice.

Lord Ashgra saluted Locke and said, “Master Wizard, as the Lord of Ashgra… I am unable to help my people. It is my fault.”

“At least I will lead the soldiers and wait for your results at the entrance. If you need my help, we can lend a hand…”

Lord Ashgra pleaded earnestly, and Locke said, “Master Wizard, please help us. We really have no other options.”

“You are the only one who can help us.”

“Please save Ashgra City.”

Locke said ‘hmm’ without much concern.

He snapped his fingers, and the iron lock of the isolation area’s iron gate automatically fell to the ground. He pushed open the isolation area’s iron gate and walked into the isolation area.

It seemed that because of his identity as a wizard, the civilians did not dare to rush forward even though they saw the wire door opened by Locke.

Locke glanced at the victims and confirmed that their symptoms were similar.

At the same time, Locke looked up and saw a second-class female wizard apprentice walking out of the woods in the distance.

Gabi Montoya breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Locke coming. “Great! The academy finally sent someone over.”

“I have absolutely no idea what’s going on here.”

“Senior, I’m Gabi Montoya. I’m a wizard apprentice who’s been commissioned by the academy to conduct my first investigation here.”

Locke nodded slightly. “Locke Augustine.”

The academy was not quite sure what had happened here for the first time, so they would definitely send an ordinary second-class wizard apprentice to investigate. Once they were sure that it was at least the demonic plants causing trouble, they would send a breeder assistant like themselves to investigate the situation.

Gabi Montoya seemed to have made a lot of discoveries during this time. “Senior, I think it’s probably the rot-faced fern that’s causing the problem. You see, there are a lot of ferns in this quarantine area.”

“A major characteristic of the rot-faced fern is that when it grows next to other ferns, it will automatically mimic that plant, disguising itself as its shape. This makes it extremely difficult to spot, and it can also cause disfigurement in mortals.”

Gabi Montoya said, “So, I’ve been investigating this area for a while now, but I don’t have the relevant academic background, so my efficiency is very low. There are at least a hundred different fern species around here.”

“Senior, this is my investigation record so far. You can take a look at it. I hope it can help you.”

Locke glanced at her and didn’t take it. Instead, he said, “Junior Montoya, your investigation direction is completely wrong.”

“The characteristics of those infected with the rot fern are not like this. Moreover, I have observed that these people do not have the typical characteristics caused by the rot fern parasite – tiny facial spores.”

Gabi Montoya blushed slightly. She looked at the much younger Locke and stuttered slightly as she spoke, “Senior Locke, is… is that so? No wonder I haven’t made any progress in my investigation these past few days.”

“Then you’d better not read my investigation records. First, it’s a waste of time, and second, I’m afraid my thinking will mislead you.”

“But it’s really strange now. I’ve investigated these residents and found that they don’t live together at all, are not of the same age group, and have completely different eating habits and beliefs.”

“They seem to have nothing in common, and sometimes I’m not even sure if they have active wood particles in them.”

Gabi Montoya sighed.

Locke nodded slightly. “It’s perfectly normal that you lack the relevant knowledge and are unsure of the situation. Junior Montoya, your mission is essentially complete.”

Gabi Montoya asked tentatively, “Senior, can I continue to complete this academy mission?”

“I’m not after the magic stones or the academy reward. I’m just curious why I haven’t found the cause of my illness after searching for so long.”

“You know, for a wizard, this situation is really curious.”

Locke said, “It’s up to you.”

Unlike her, Locke, as a breeder’s assistant, can keenly perceive the active wood element particles in these patients.

These people are affected by some kind of magical plant.

Locke thought that these people must have something in common. Gabi Montoya had investigated them but did not find any such commonality among them.

Either her findings were unreliable, or the commonality among these people was not in these… people.

Perhaps what these people have in common is not who they are, but where they live.

Locke looked back at Gabi Montoya and said, “Have you ever been to their residence and seen it with your own eyes?”

Gabi Montoya was stunned. “That’s not the case, Senior.”

Locke said, “Then let’s go investigate together, maybe we can find something.”

(End of this chapter)