The Night Watch

That silver sword light was too fast.

Lu Yuan was so fast that he didn't even see how the sword was swung. He only saw a cold afterimage flash before his eyes, followed by the dull thud of a heavy object hitting the ground.

The mutated creature, which was just moments ago arrogant and berserk, has now turned into a pile of minced meat scattered on the floor.

The cut was as smooth as a mirror, without any adhesion. In fact, due to the speed of the sword, the black blood in the wound took half a second to gush out.

[Target's vital signs have disappeared] [Source of mutation has been eliminated]

Lu Yuan leaned against the wall, his chest still throbbing from the impact. He didn't speak immediately, but quickly adjusted his breathing, his eyes seemingly casually sweeping over the black figure blocking his way.

A long black trench coat, a wide-brimmed hat, and that silver greatsword that was still dripping blood.

Without needing any system prompts, Lu Yuan could guess the visitor's identity.

In this port, there is only one kind of person who can slice monsters as neatly as sashimi and still dare to break into the slums at a time like this.

"The Night Watch?"

Lu Yuan asked tentatively, his voice hoarse. He didn't loosen his grip on the holy water bottle; instead, he subtly tucked it further into his sleeve.

The man turned around.

It was a face as hard as rock, with stubble on his chin and a pair of gray eyes as sharp as a hawk's, scrutinizing Lu Yuan from head to toe.

"The response is good."

The man swung his greatsword, splattering black blood onto the wall. He didn't answer Lu Yuan's question, but instead walked to the pile of mangled flesh and used the tip of his sword to pick up a piece of still twitching tissue.

"It was corroded by a high concentration of holy water, part of its vocal organs were severed, and it even used the terrain to maneuver for a long time."

The man looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "As a doctor, your combat skills are higher than I expected."

"When ordinary people see this thing, there are usually only two outcomes—they become one of them, or they become food."

"I am a doctor."

Lu Yuan straightened his disheveled collar, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said calmly, "In the doctor's eyes, it's just a patient with a rather serious condition..."

The man raised an eyebrow, seemingly neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the explanation.

He sheathed his sword, the metallic scraping sound particularly jarring in the cramped room.

"I am Hans, captain of the third squad of the Night's Watch."

Hans walked up to Lu Yuan, his tall shadow casting an invisible pressure. "Dr. Lu, although you acted very bravely, according to regulations, anyone who has been in close contact with a Deeply Mutant has an extremely high risk of infection."

"so?"

"So, you have to come with me." Hans' tone was firm, not like he was negotiating. "I need to make sure everyone else is safe."

Lu Yuan remained silent for two seconds.

He knew he had no choice.

Resistance was pointless in the face of that silver sword, and he did indeed want to make contact with the official organizations of this world.

"Okay." Lu Yuan nodded, "But I need to take care of things here first."

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

"Dr. Lu! Uncle!"

Brent, who had been waiting outside, seemed to have heard the fighting subside and finally couldn't resist rushing in.

As soon as he entered, he was hit by the overwhelming, nauseating stench of blood. Then he saw the floor littered with pieces of flesh, and two men standing amidst the carcass.

"Uncle... Uncle?"

Brent stared blankly at the scales remaining on the rotten bed, then at the pool of indescribable tissue on the floor, as if he had lost his soul.

Hans frowned, as if he wanted to say something.

Lu Yuan, however, went over first. He didn't say anything like "please accept my condolences," but simply bent down, picked up a still recognizable piece of clothing, and handed it to Brent.

He's gone.

Lu Yuan's voice was soft but clear, "He was freed before he became a complete monster. He passed away quickly and without suffering."

This is the truth. For someone who is irreversibly sliding into the abyss, suffering excruciating pain in both body and soul, death is indeed the only relief.

Brent trembled all over, and tears streamed down his face silently.

He knew his uncle was sick, and he knew that the disease was difficult to cure, but he never thought it would end like this.

"elder brother..."

A small voice came from behind the door.

Lu Yuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a small head peeking out from behind Brent.

It was a little girl, about five or six years old, wearing ill-fitting old clothes, with dry, yellow hair, but with surprisingly large eyes, looking timidly at everything in the room.

Brent snapped back to reality, quickly covered his sister's eyes, and shielded her tightly behind him.

"It's okay...it's okay..." He comforted his sister while crying, then turned to look at Lu Yuan and hurriedly pulled out the copper shield stained with sweat and shoe polish from his pocket.

"Thank you... thank you Dr. Lu."

Although he was young, he had spent so much time at the docks that he knew that if his uncle really turned into a monster and ran away, the Night Watch would not only kill his uncle, but he and his sister might also be disposed of as "contamination sources."

Yuan not only freed his uncle, but also saved the lives of the brother and sister.

Lu Yuan looked at the dirty little hand that was reaching out, but did not refuse.

He reached into the pile of copper coins and picked one up.

"This bronze shield is used for diagnosis."

Lu Yuan put the bronze shield into his pocket and said calmly, "Keep the rest to buy bread for your sister."

After saying that, he turned to Hans and said, "Let's go, Captain."

Hans glanced at the brother and sister kneeling on the ground, then at Lu Yuan, who was expressionless, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

"Keep up."

...

After leaving the low-rent housing, Hans led Lu Yuan not to the police station or the church, but instead took a winding route to an old street on the edge of Grimport.

The fog here is lighter than at the dock, but it's much colder and more gloomy.

Hans stopped in front of a dilapidated building with a sign that read "Old John's Tavern".

"arrive."

Pushing open the door, a stench of cheap beer, tobacco, and rotten wood hit you.

The tavern wasn't crowded; only a handful of weary-looking men in trench coats sat in a corner, drinking alone.

When they saw Hans enter, they simply nodded slightly, their gazes lingering on Lu Yuan for a moment before shifting away.

It was the kind of look one gives to a "dead person" or someone who is "troublesome."

"Take him to room number two in the basement."

Hans called out to someone behind the bar, then turned to Lu Yuan and said, "Stay here and don't wander off. If nothing changes, you'll get out of here alive."

Lu Yuan shrugged, showing neither fear nor asking any questions, and obediently followed a waiter into the basement.

But he was making quick calculations in his mind.

[Contact with a key faction stronghold: The Night's Watch base]

[Current Status of Grimsport: 25/50]

"It seems this move was the right one."

Lu Yuan was led into a small room with only a table and two chairs.

As the iron gate slammed shut with a clang, a deathly silence fell over the surroundings.

Lu Yuan sat in the chair, closing his eyes to rest.

He knew that the real test had only just begun.