Chapter 565 - 574: Worry
Chapter 565: Chapter 574: Worry
’If the Master can just find a solution, then all this suffering can end. People outside won’t have to die anymore.’
’More importantly, he was afraid. He was afraid that some of the people around him might have mutated as well.’
’He wasn’t afraid of death, but of having to turn on his former comrades.’
He was attached to every member of Caeluna Base and didn’t want to see them reach the point of fighting one another.
’Perhaps he could act without hesitation against people he didn’t know well. But what if, one day, those people were the ones he knew best, like Black Swan or Shane Lawrence? Could he still bring himself to do it?’
’Even if he could bring himself to do it, the pain would be immense. He might even spend the rest of his life consumed by guilt, and he didn’t want to become that person.’
That was why he now truly, desperately hoped his master had a solution.
’She must have a way. The Master has to have a way. She said she’d already made a major discovery, so there has to be hope.’
’The Master had always been so capable, practically omnipotent. She was brilliant. So this time... she had to have a solution, right?’
Just like that, Stephen Lawrence departed, glancing back from time to time with a heart full of both hope and worry.
"Sterling, don’t blame your man. I was the one who was too impatient. But don’t you blame this old man, either! Do you have any idea how happy I was when I heard from your people that you’d made a major discovery?"
"Over the past few days, Chief Ford’s condition has gotten worse and worse. And it’s not just Chief Ford—it’s the world outside. It’s like a living hell out there now. So many people are dying every day. The feeling is just... unbearable!"
"If we can develop a cure, I would willingly give my own life!"
Mr. Magnus spoke with great agitation, and as he went on, his words became increasingly disjointed. The rims of his eyes even turned red.
In the beginning, all he had thought about was finding a way to resolve Chief Ford’s condition.
But seeing the situation outside, his desperate desire to develop a method to contain this affliction was no longer just for Chief Ford.
It was for all the infected people out there, and even for the sake of the future.
If things continued like this, there was no telling how many more people would die each day. Even if some of them ultimately survived, there wouldn’t be many left.
Every time he thought of this scenario, his heart ached unbearably.
"I know, Mr. Magnus. Please, don’t get worked up. Sit down and take a breath."
Seeing his face flush a deep red, Stella Sterling grew concerned, afraid he might get so worked up that he’d stop breathing and just... go.
Of course, she understood how he felt, but she also knew that panicking wouldn’t help.
Mr. Magnus also sensed that he was getting carried away. He sat, took a steadying breath, and accepted the water Stella Sterling offered him. He took a slow sip, and only after a long moment did he begin to compose himself.
He said apologetically, "My apologies, Sterling. I’ve lived a great many years, but I never thought I’d lose my composure like this in front of a young woman like you!"
Stella Sterling shook her head. "There’s no need to apologize. I understand how you feel."
’It wasn’t just him; she felt the urgency too. If not for that, given her past self, she never would have subjected herself to such hardship.’
’Why else would she have locked herself in the villa for the better part of two weeks? It was all to find a solution and end this crisis quickly.’
’Since she felt the same way, she could completely understand his state of mind.’
However, she now had a promising lead, so her own anxiety had subsided.
Once he had calmed down a little, Mr. Magnus said, "I’m much better now. Sterling, what exactly is this major discovery you mentioned?"
Stella Sterling didn’t answer, instead walking into her room. She returned with the medical book and handed it to him.
Mr. Magnus was puzzled but began to read anyway. He soon found the passage Stella Sterling was pointing to.
The more he read, the brighter his eyes grew. The condition described in the text was uncannily similar to what was happening to the infected people outside.
’If it’s recorded here,’ he thought, ’then there must be a cure!’
He kept reading, his expression a mixture of shock and delight. "If this is true, we just need to find this ingredient, and everyone outside can be saved!"
But then his brow furrowed deeply. "But this ingredient... I’ve never even heard of it before. Finding it will be incredibly difficult. Where does it exist? Where do we even start looking? These are all major problems!"
At this thought, the hope that had just begun to swell within Mr. Magnus deflated again.
They had a potential cure, yes, but they had absolutely no leads on the medicinal ingredient. They didn’t know where to find it, and searching for it without a single clue would be no different than looking for a needle in a haystack.
Even if they eventually found it, how long would that take? And in that time, what would become of the world outside? How many more people would die?
Granted, they could always resort to suppressing the problem with brute force; that would also eventually resolve the issue.
But that would mean so many more deaths.
If it were possible, he much preferred to develop this cure and allow the infected to return to normal. That way, they wouldn’t have to lose so many lives.
But after a moment of disappointment, Mr. Magnus’s hope was rekindled. No matter what, they had a solution now where there was none before. At least they had a direction to move in, which was far better than being completely in the dark.
Hearing his concerns, Stella Sterling showed no signs of worry. A smile touched her lips. "Mr. Magnus, there’s no need to worry."
At her words, Mr. Magnus looked at her quizzically. Stella Sterling then produced a small section of a vine.
Seeing the object, Mr. Magnus asked, both confused and hesitant, "What is this?"
’But seeing the look in Stella Sterling’s eyes, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. ’Sterling wouldn’t joke about this, not now. For her to pull this out at this very moment... could it be...’
He asked excitedly, "Could this be the medicinal ingredient recorded in the ancient medical text?"
Stella Sterling nodded. "Unless I’m mistaken, this is exactly what’s recorded in the ancient text."
At this, Mr. Magnus was both thrilled and incredulous. He asked in bewilderment, "How do you just happen to have some? I’ve never even heard of this thing before!"
Stella Sterling then gave him a brief explanation of what had happened, omitting any mention of Professor Lawrence and only saying that she had business in that area.
She continued, "At the time, I sensed there was something strange about the vine, so I brought a piece back out of curiosity. The description in the ancient medical text—its shape and properties—matches what I saw perfectly. I’m almost certain this is it."