Mr. Lee, bedridden as a severe afflicted patient who was “closer to the moon,” had long caught the scent of the moon-skin aura emanating from the two individuals.
He worked hard to suppress his inner desire and excitement, as well as his longing for freedom, maintaining as much dignity and authority as possible as the owner of the clinic.
“Hand over all the moon skins you’ve collected. As long as I confirm the goods are in good condition, I’ll instruct the nurse to inject you with a sufficient dose of the plague vaccine.”
Yi Chen gave a standard gentleman’s bow first, then began removing his outer coat and vest in front of Mr. Lee, the doctor, and the nurse. He undid the buttons of his shirt as well.
Edmund, standing nearby, performed the exact same action.
When the upper bodies of the two were fully revealed, covered entirely in moon skin, a strong smell of fuel mixed in—the result of kerosene lamp fuel they had prepared in advance.
Yi Chen smiled and spoke:
“Mr. Lee, you are no longer a ‘gentleman.’ Therefore, I doubt your honesty and integrity.
I insist you inject us with the antidote first. Once the pathogen is thoroughly removed from our systems, we will naturally keep our word and hand over all the moon skin.
The reason he had only arranged to meet these two individuals was to mitigate risks associated with having the entire team present. Even if the newcomers were mere fledgling gentlemen, he remained cautious.
After all, without this vigilance, he would have long since met his demise.
After some contemplation, Mr. Lee made a decision:
"Your companions will arrive here shortly, but they can only stay in the clinic. The backpack containing the body parts will be handed over to a nurse, who will take it to the underground area and deliver it to me."
Yi Chen feigned deep thought before responding:
One of my companions is skilled in sealing techniques. He’s the one responsible for sealing and monitoring the backpack containing the Moon People. If it’s handed over to a nurse, the seal will be undone.
Not to mention, the clinic is bathed in moonlight, which could empower the Moon People, potentially enabling it to kill the nurse and escape along the way. If that happens, we might lose the chance to capture it again."
Mr. Lee nodded slightly, acknowledging that Yi Chen made a valid point. He himself would never allow such a scenario to occur.
"Alright then, let the companion skilled in sealing accompany the package underground. However, the other person must stay above.
If, as you say, this is a unique, high-quality Moon People that meets my requirements, I’ll naturally let you go and complete your mission so you can continue to survive in Zion."
Yi Chen bowed slightly and respectfully replied, "That works perfectly. We’ll follow your arrangements, Mr. Lee."
At almost the same moment…
Dagobert and Anna, who were sleeping, woke up in this place for the first time—the "Co-located Space." Although they were already aware of the concept of "internal gray-erosion," seeing it firsthand left them stunned for a moment.
The patrolling long-legged doctor and bandaged nurse were quite visually shocking, a distinct impression left by these abnormal patients.
"Mr. Lee said only the person responsible for sealing the backpack can go down with me. The other one has to wait up here."
The two quickly grasped what "sealing" entailed.
Usually taciturn, Dagobert removed his backpack and spoke first, "I’ll stay up here."
Juliana didn’t say much either. She hoisted two backpacks onto her shoulders and followed the bandaged nurse into the elevator.
The reasoning behind this arrangement was simple. The underground space was limited, and if a battle broke out, Dagobert’s large physique and greatsword could hinder movements and possibly harm allies in close quarters.
Staying above also served to block the connection between the clinic and the underground area.
At the elevator entrance, Dagobert stood firm, striding forward... clang! He planted his heavy sword firmly into the ground in front of him, standing guard like a gatekeeper.
As Juliana brought the "goods" down, Mr. Lee, lying on the hospital bed, visibly trembled.
As a Moon Person himself, he could keenly sense the unusual nature of the "companion" in the bags. Its value likely exceeded that of all the other Moon People skins combined.
His prior dissatisfaction with Yi Chen dissipated instantly. Mr. Lee had no desire to stir up trouble or complicate matters.
While he could choose to betray them and kill the young people, the thought of his impending freedom and a bright future discouraged him from introducing any unnecessary risks.
"You newcomers are truly remarkable! I’m thrilled Zion can produce such talented young gentlemen.
Let’s conclude our deal here. Take this empty vial of the secret medicine, and you may leave without worry."
"Thank you, Mr. Lee."
Yi Chen maintained a polite smile as he stepped forward to accept the secret medicine vial.
The moment his fingers touched the vial—
Three gunshots, followed by the sound of a blade slicing through the air.
Hiss... White smoke rose.
The "Gunblade Emblem" on Edmund's neck burned with intense heat, radiating white smoke like a branding iron.
A bloodstained short sword was gripped in his right hand, having cleanly severed the head of a female doctor atop a metal frame.
Mr. Lee hadn’t yet processed the sudden betrayal when a canine figure darted forward, biting his head clean off.