Chapter 63: Contamination
The one who was contaminated was me... The moment this realization surfaced, Zhang Yuanqing felt his mind splitting, half lucid and wise, half chaotic and twisted.
It was like a walking corpse from folklore, unaware of its death, suddenly awakened.
"This is a dungeon for Aberrants, a dungeon for evil classes. I've replaced the role of the demonic beast, Haas. I'm the villain on the ship. Why do I feel like the crew are the monsters? My perception has been twisted..."
No wonder the crew were so afraid of him. Everyone knew he was an Aberrant monster, yet they had to cooperate with him, maintaining his state.
No wonder his room in the dormitory had been cleaned. The crew didn't want him to remember the identity of "Lieutenant Stephen."
Lieutenant Stephen's perception in the diary was also twisted, believing that the crew had all become Aberrants, and only he was normal. This was a logical loophole. If the crew had all mutated into monsters, why would Lieutenant Stephen be spared?
Actually, Stephen was the Aberrant monster.
"Damn it, from the moment I entered the dungeon, I was contaminated. My perception was subtly distorted, creating illusions... Why can't the power of the Sun God purify this distortion?"
Zhang Yuanqing sat weakly on the bench, his right hand pressing his head, his face showing pain. His expression was somewhat ferocious, his eyes sometimes calm and normal, sometimes cold and gloomy.
This was the struggle of self-will against spiritual contamination.
If he had opened the captain's cabin drawer last night and read James's notes, he would have woken up immediately, but he chose to play it safe, which was likely a choice made under contamination.
Subconsciously, he didn't want to open the drawer. He didn't want to be awakened then.
"What's wrong?" Yin Yao Junzhu took a few steps forward, looking somewhat nervous.
She didn't know what had happened to Yuan Shi Tian Zun, but she could feel that his current state was terrible.
My mind is contaminated, contaminated by the evil power of a high level... Zhang Yuanqing tapped his head. I can't tell which is the real me, I can't tell reality from illusion.
In his view, the crew and the Holy See's The Way of the Extraordinary were Aberrant monsters, covered in scales and tentacles. He had seen it with his own eyes.
But James's notes and the various details of the dungeon told him that Lieutenant Haas was the one who had been contaminated.
Yin Yao Junzhu's mind was clear. She brought the small loudspeaker to his ear and shouted, "Quickly circulate the Pure Yang Cleansing Record! You must believe in the power of the sun. Any filth will be reduced to ashes under the sunlight! Your spirit is indeed contaminated. In the battle just now, you subconsciously ignored the power of the Sun God. You didn't want to use it because it would eliminate the contamination and improve your state."
Zhang Yuanqing immediately sat down cross-legged, breathing in and out the power of the Sun God, gradually making his breath hot, and slowly lighting up his lungs with golden light... Suddenly, the mysterious, ethereal whisper echoed in Zhang Yuanqing's ears again.
Like unconscious murmuring, or some unknown language.
Zhang Yuanqing's consciousness instantly fell into chaos, unable to maintain the circulation of the power of the Sun God. The veins on his forehead bulged, and dense, hard buds of flesh protruded from his neck, ugly and disgusting, extending toward his chest covered by clothes.
"A bit disgusting..." Yin Yao Junzhu commented. Seeing Yuan Shi Tian Zun's ferocious and painful expression, she knew it wasn't the time to make comments. She hurriedly said, "Aversion Charm, do you have any Aversion Charms left?"
"What's an Aversion Charm..." Zhang Yuanqing's brain was slow. He paused for a few seconds before answering, "I'm out of them..." His painful expression suddenly subsided. His face was calm, and a coldness permeated his calmness. He smiled and said, "Yin Yao, well done. We've dealt with The Way of the Extraordinary from the Holy See. Next, we just need to seal the Demon Seed. Seal the Demon Seed with that coffin."
"Okay, there are two knights still alive in the hold. Let's go down and deal with them."
He seemed to have completely forgotten what had just happened.
Yin Yao Junzhu was greatly alarmed. Yuan Shi Tian Zun's perception had been distorted, and he was even hallucinating.
Yin Yao Junzhu retreated repeatedly, holding the Mountain God Scepter in one hand and raising the small loudspeaker in the other: "Yuan Shi Tian Zun is contaminated, contaminated, contaminated."
The speaker in her waist bag emitted a "buzzing" electrical sound: "Important things should be said three times."
Zhang Yuanqing was stunned. He carefully examined Yin Yao Junzhu. His expression became increasingly ugly, and his eyes became increasingly cold: "Yao, are you contaminated too?"
After becoming a Yin corpse, Yin Yao Junzhu's body had long lost its sensation, but at this moment, she seemed to experience a long-lost tingling scalp.
In Yuan Shi Tian Zun's view, she might have turned into an Aberrant covered in tentacles, scales, and an ugly face.
So next, was he going to kill her?
At this moment, she heard Yuan Shi Tian Zun sigh and say, "Yin Yao, I can only seal you first. Don't worry, I'll find a way to save you. If that doesn't work, I can summon Lao Bangzi, no, my You Qing."
The Cat King speaker "buzzed" and emitted a low male voice: "He still loves you!"
Yin Yao Junzhu was too lazy to pay attention to the speaker, her expression grave.
He was really crazy. "Lao Bangzi" was a term Yuan Shi Tian Zun only dared to say occasionally when he was being cheeky, but You Qing was a name he would never dare to say.
Yuan Shi Tian Zun had already taken out the black coffin, intending to use it to seal Yin Yao Junzhu, completely forgetting that he had just said he would seal the Demon Seed in the coffin.
Sealing the Demon Seed was his only rationality, but subconsciously, being contaminated by the Demon Seed, he would never seal it.
Yin Yao Junzhu retreated a few steps, quickly thinking of a solution. She desperately realized that in the Spirit Realm dungeon, she had no way to solve it. If it were the real world, she could ask the resurrected Saints for help, or at worst, ask for assistance from Heavenly Punishment.
But she was on her own in the Spirit Realm. The only props she had were a pair of Sliding Shoes, a scepter, and a speaker that only said nonsense and played vulgar audio.
Even if she wanted to summon her master, she needed summoning rituals and materials.
As her thoughts raced, Yin Yao Junzhu had an idea. She slapped the Cat King speaker: "Drum sound!"
"Buzz..." The speaker of the Cat King speaker made an electrical noise. The next second, a heavy drum sound rang out, forming echoes in the closed captain's cabin. Dong, dong, dong...
Zhang Yuanqing frowned, feeling a little irritable listening to the drum sounds. He grinned and said, "Cat King speaker, even you've betrayed me? Fine, I'll seal you together..."
He suddenly pressed his head, his face showing pain, "Yin Yao, I can't tell, I can't tell reality from illusion!"
Seeing this, Yin Yao Junzhu breathed a sigh of relief. She had the Cat King speaker play the drum sounds, not to suppress Yuan Shi Tian Zun. The suppression effect of the drum sounds was negligible for a peak level six Saint.
Her purpose was to have the Cat King speaker awaken Yuan Shi Tian Zun's normal side.
The only one who could defeat Yuan Shi Tian Zun in the dungeon was himself.
Yin Yao Junzhu told the real Yuan Shi Tian Zun about the existence of the cold Yuan Shi Tian Zun.
Zhang Yuanqing listened, cold sweat streaming down his face: "Junzhu, I've discovered something terrible. If I kill all The Way of the Extraordinary from the Holy See and successfully complete the mission, I might completely lose control and become a Fallen One."
This was the demonic beast Haas's dungeon. As an Aberrant, the demonic beast Haas's mission was to kill the crew and the Holy See's Lawful classes, and release the sealed Demon Seed.
The Lawful classes on the cruise ship were very strong, so strong that Zhang Yuanqing, a dual-class Saint, plus three Yin corpses, almost died under the Cardinal's lightning explosion.
Although this was related to his perception being distorted, becoming reckless and crazy, unable to perform at his normal level.
But the Lawful power on the cruise ship was still a near-death experience for the demonic beast Haas, so the Demon Seed in the hold would send whispers, amplifying the demonic beast Haas's power.
Every day, the amplification would be stronger. After five days, the demonic beast Haas's power would be strong enough to sweep the cruise ship.
This was the logical conclusion Zhang Yuanqing had currently deduced.
The demonic beast Haas was an evil class. The Demon Seed's amplification and contamination were like nectar to him, but for Zhang Yuanqing, it was a deadly poison.
The reward for completing the dungeon would directly turn him into a Fallen One.
Now that The Way of the Extraordinary from the Holy See were dead, the Demon Seed's whispers were gradually becoming stronger. The second day had already made him split-minded. On the third day, his reason would be completely lost, and even the Cat King speaker wouldn't be able to awaken him.
After Zhang Yuanqing finished speaking about his concerns and difficulties, he sighed and said, "My mind isn't very clear. I need a guiding light."
Yin Yao...
Before he could finish speaking, the Cat King speaker made a "click" sound of turning on a light.
Zhang Yuanqing and Yin Yao Junzhu looked at the Cat King speaker together: "Do you think you're being funny?"
The Cat King speaker chickened out and silently played dead.
Zhang Yuanqing continued: "Yin Yao, the only way now is for me to lie down in the coffin and seal myself. There are still three days to finish the mission. If the Guild Leader comes within three days, there might be a chance to save me. If the Guild Leader doesn't come...
Then I will become a Fallen One.
If the Demon Seed is a Dominator-level thing, he still has a chance to reason. As long as the Night Walker makes a move, he can purify his madness.
But Zhang Yuanqing faintly had a concern. The background of the level six Saint dungeon was actually a cruise ship in 1900. If it was just a B-level, or even an A-level, that would be fine.
But "Horror Cruise" was an S-level dungeon.
The configuration of an S-level dungeon was definitely not just a simple crisis, but must have deeper hidden plots.
So the Demon Seed was likely not as simple as a Dominator-level item.
Zhang Yuanqing was afraid that the Demon Seed's contamination was extraordinary. If that were the case, even if he returned to reality, he might not be able to be purified.
Yin Yao Junzhu did not respond to him, remaining silent.
Yuan Shi Tian Zun was confused and mentally exhausted. Now she was the only one he could rely on.
A dozen seconds later, Yin Yao Junzhu suddenly said, "Why did you destroy that circular formation?"
"What?" Zhang Yuanqing was stunned.
"Why did you destroy the circular formation?" Yin Yao Junzhu repeated.
Zhang Yuanqing pressed his head, his temples throbbing painfully, his consciousness starting to become confused: "I, don't know... No, I do know, because I was afraid of it, instinctively afraid."
Yin Yao Junzhu spoke quickly: "The Demon Seed is sealed, right? The Cardinal from the Holy See has a way to suppress the Demon Seed, so he also has a way to suppress you. Why not ask for help from The Way of the Extraordinary from the Holy See?"
"But the Cardinal is already dead."
Aren't there two knights left? Even if the Cardinal is dead, his spirit is still there!
The two looked at each other: "Back to the hold!"
Zhang Yuanqing did not put away the coffin. He was worried that if he went mad, he would directly kill Yin Yao Junzhu instead of taking out the coffin to seal her. If he didn't take out the coffin, then he wouldn't even have the option of self-sealing.
He and Yin Yao Junzhu turned into starlight and disappeared from the captain's cabin.
In the hold, two streams of starlight lit up. Zhang Yuanqing looked at the two knights and Yin corpses still fighting, withdrew his gaze, and looked at the Cardinal's charred corpse.
A soft exclamation came from Yin Yao Junzhu's small loudspeaker. She quickly walked to the charred corpse, squatted down and checked for a few seconds, then looked up happily, raising her small loudspeaker: "There's still a breath left."
Zhang Yuanqing grunted. He saw that the Cardinal's body was severely charred, but there was still a weak, almost imperceptible heartbeat.
This Cardinal was killed by his own lightning backlash, which carbonized his body, but he had not been impacted by the explosion because the explosion was released with him as the core.
"Then hurry up and save him." Yin Yao Junzhu urged.
On the other side, the two knights were alarmed to see the enemy return, seemingly to completely kill the Cardinal. They desperately tried to rush over to rescue him, but were firmly suppressed by Hundred-Man Slayer and Greed God General.
"Yin Yao, have you also become an Aberrant?" Zhang Yuanqing suddenly showed a cold expression, "Then I can only eliminate you. You Qing won't blame me."
Yin Yao Junzhu's heart sank: "Drums! Cat King speaker, play the drum sounds immediately!" At critical moments, it was still reliable and wouldn't fail. In the sounds of dull and deep drums, Zhang Yuanqing pressed his head, his expression painful, gradually regaining his reason.
"Hurry up and save people! Your state is getting worse and worse!" Yin Yao Junzhu raised the small loudspeaker, her voice a little sharp. At the same time, she held the Mountain God Scepter against the Cardinal's chest, letting the gemstone at the top emit a green light, temporarily keeping him alive.
Zhang Yuanqing quickly took out a tube of life essence, peeled open the carbon block on the Cardinal's neck, and found that it had already carbonized to the bone, with no blood vessels to provide an injection.
Just then, the Demon Seed's whispers once again entered his mind, distorting his perception and contaminating his spirit.