Chapter 352 – Terrifying Thoughts

“What did you say? A plague? Why would a plague occur?”

“When it rains, it pours” – there existed a proverb with similar meaning in the Faerûn Plane. Now, Jiaoni was experiencing this saying with unprecedented intensity.

Before the issue of Punk suddenly killing all the great nobles of the kingdom could be resolved, a messenger now reported to him about a large-scale plague outbreak. Despite possessing the willpower of a Master-Level expert, Jiaoni couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by these successive “major surprises.”

“Soldier, are you prepared to take responsibility for your words? This is no joking matter.”

Clutching at his last shred of hope, Jiaoni dashed to the messenger’s side and roared furiously in the soldier’s face:

“Explain everything immediately! What were the quarantine officers doing? Why has this plague information only reached us now?”

The contorted expression on Jiaoni’s face appeared utterly terrifying, his left hand gripping the messenger’s shoulder hard enough to crack the armor.

“Y…yes, Your Excellency General.”

Though the messenger was astonished by the ruins of what was called the Royal Palace upon arrival, and now trembled under Jiaoni’s hysterical shouting and terrifying visage, being an Apprentice-Level Holy Warrior of the Zordas Family, his years of training made him reflexively report all necessary information:

“R…reporting to Grand General Zordas. According to reports from temples of the God of Justice across all regions, the plague began breaking out around midnight last night. Within just three hours, over ninety percent of residents in towns throughout the kingdom were confirmed infected… As for the quarantine officers… th…their family was executed by you five years ago during the noble assembly for ‘disrupting military morale.’ Due to empty national coffers, no replacements were appointed since…”

At this point, the messenger’s expression began twisting in pain, as he could feel his shoulder blade cracking under Jiaoni’s unconscious grip.

“Nonsense! What plague could infect almost an entire nation within three hours? Could it be some Legendary disease? Is that even possible? This is clearly…”

Jiaoni’s voice suddenly cut off. In the gradually chilling wind, he slowly released the pale-faced messenger. Then, the Holy Warrior with overflowing Battle Aura turned slowly to face Punk. Under the faint sunlight, his pupils, nearly fused with rage, resembled two volcanoes on the verge of eruption!

“Cyan… this plague’s arrival seems far too coincidental. Might I ask… if you know… why this disease could spread so rapidly?”

Jiaoni’s tone sounded much calmer now, but everyone knew this calmness merely masked his fury. If his anger earlier resembled blazing flames, it had now transformed into magma ready to erupt – more suppressed… and more intense!Jiaoni was no fool. A plague couldn’t suddenly erupt and spread nationwide without reason—this was clearly someone’s malicious scheme. With sharp intuition, he almost immediately suspected Punk as the prime suspect.

Hearing Jiaoni’s accusation, Punk couldn’t help but grumble inwardly:

“Of course it spread fast—I spent three days personally poisoning every river. It’d be strange if it didn’t spread rapidly.”

Naturally, he would never voice these thoughts. Without evidence pointing to him, Punk would absolutely deny any involvement in the plague’s outbreak.

But mere denial wasn’t enough. He needed to quickly divert Jiaoni’s attention from the matter, as Punk had used the Graybone Virus not to confront Jiaoni but to deal with Ovakain.

Thus, having long prepared his argument, Punk calmly replied to Jiaoni:

“I once heard a wise man say: if misused, a disaster remains merely a disaster. But if wielded skillfully, it becomes an unstoppable weapon. Regarding the calamity befalling your kingdom, I must say—this is a good thing!”

“A good thing?”

Hearing this response, Jiaoni became almost certain this expressionless mage before him was involved. Now the instigator was earnestly calling it a “good thing.” The thought nearly made Jiaoni laugh in anger. Leaning his Greatsword Chair against a broken wall, he retorted:

“Wonderful! Do enlighten me—how is this a ‘good thing’? This is the first ‘good thing’ of its kind I’ve encountered in my life!”

Ignoring the sarcasm, Punk maintained his serious demeanor:

“A plague’s terror can destroy any nation, whether the weakened Maple Leaf Kingdom or the mighty Dragon Roar Kingdom. So why can’t this epidemic become a weapon against Dragon Roar Kingdom? Even Ovakain would be overwhelmed facing this pervasive disease!”

Punk’s voice echoed through the ruins as Jiaoni’s twisted expression faded into silence.

“Cyan, what are you planning?”

Benlajin, who had remained quiet until now, frowned slightly. But Punk paid him no mind, continuing:

“Mr. Zordas, before you lies a tremendous opportunity. The masses of poor will swell your glorious army. Hunger will become their fearless drive. The plague will prove deadlier than any blade. So, Jiaoni, what reservations could you possibly have?”

“But… the enormous sacrifices these unarmed commoners would make… plundering Dragon Roar Kingdom’s grain is no different from banditry… we cannot simply let the plague run rampant…””Jiaoni, your concerns are truly laughable. Sacrifice? Isn’t it an honor for commoners to sacrifice for their country? Plunder? Everything the Dragon Roar Kingdom possesses was taken from the Maple Leaf Kingdom. Isn’t reclaiming stolen property from robbers a just act? As for the plague’s spread… only after the war can we devote full attention to controlling and researching a cure. Or do you want to quickly develop a potent antidote only to have the Dragon Roar Kingdom seize everything, letting pristine lands become Ovakain’s spoils of war for nothing?”Punk coldly articulated what he himself considered sheer nonsense and sophistry, yet these twisted ‘toxic chicken soup’ arguments proved remarkably effective against stubbornly righteous individuals like Jiaoni.”

As Punk piled on more of his “reasoning,” Jiaoni sank deeper into silence. Even though this Holy Warrior still maintained immense wariness toward Punk, he had to admit that deep down, a terrifying thought was emerging: “This guy actually makes some sense!”

(End of Chapter)