The maintenance was over and Adrian logged back in the game. Thankfully, his experience multiplier did was not consumed. Twenty four hours in real life is equivalent to three days in-game. If it was consumed then he would have seven days left for the experience multiplier. He was thankful that it was still ten days.
Adrian then had a grim look as he knows it was a tough job finding potential patients. He once again tried going to infirmaries but this time he asked if he could help. He was chased out of the infirmaries that employed professional healers. He then arrived at one of the infirmaries that had a shabby look. .𝒎
The one who was overseeing the infirmary was an old lady. She had a rather sweet tone like that of a caring mother. She welcomed Adrian with a smile instead of others that had a rather irritated tone. .
“What can I do for you? Are you here to check in the young boy accompanying you?” the old lady said in a gentle tone.
“Uhm..I was actually going to ask if you have any grievously sick people. My soulbound can actually take away their sickness.” Adrian honestly said.
When the old lady heard what Adrian said, she looked at Adrian straight in the eyes. She wanted to confirm if what Adrian said is true. She also want to know if the adventurer in front of him some kind of ulterior motive. Since this infirmary was used by those who are poor, some people enter this for heinous purposes.
“Is what you are saying really true? Or are you part of some shady organization?” the old lady asked as she was still suspicious.
“Shady organization? I think I need to prove myself.” Adrian thought and then said, “Why not let me prove myself? Words will not be enough to be a judgement of my soulbound’s ability.”
The old lady then looked at Adrian once more from head to toe. The adventurer in front of him looked too young to be a member of any shady organization. She still needed to be sure as she might not know if they change their modus.
“Come with me then.” The old lady said with a bit of a serious tone.
“My name is Equinox. What about you Ma’am?” Adrian asked as it would not be polite to call her Ma’am all the time as she was doing a respectable job.
“You can learn my name after you have proven yourself.” The old lady replied.
“Wow. This old woman is feisty. She must have been famous in her heyday.” Adrian thought as he had a grandma in the neighborhood that had the same attitude. They are usually viewed as strict but once you know them then they usually like you and treat you like a real grandson.
Adrian followed the old lady without saying other words. They passed through a couple of open doors and Adrian was able to see bedridden children. He wore a sad expression because some looked like they were in pain. Some of the children were coughing and were burning up.
Adrian could feel the sadness in the air. The old lady then stopped at a door that was closed. This was the only one different as if it was necessary to separate it from the others. The old lady mumbled some words and a faint yellow light enveloped the old lady and Adrian along with his soulbounds. The old lady then opened the door and Adrian was shocked on what he saw.
The little boy laying on the bed was so thin. He looked like he was always on death’s door but Adrian noticed a peculiar lamp. Adrian used his evil eye on it and saw that the lamp was like a portable healing lamp as life energy was being transferred to the little boy to preserve his life.
Adrian knew that such an item was very expensive. It seems that the old lady has some connections but it was not enough to fully sustain the child. She must have been researching a way to help the little boy. She then gestured towards Adrian to try and help the boy to prove the latter’s statement.
“Okay then Saena you are up.” Adrian gestured to Saena to use her skill.
Saena then flew next to the boy as she thought that landing on top of him will suffocate the boy. A white light then eveloped Saena and she did an inhaling motion. The little boy then exhaled and something like black gas came out of him. Adrian then saw a system notification.
[Saena has been afflicted with miasma.]
[Saena will be unable to do any activity for an hour.]
Saena then looked like she was shivering so Adrian picked her up and told Kanlaon to warm her up. The little boy who was sleeping in pain now looked better. The old lady who was observing the situation looked at Adrian but most importantly at Saena in great shock. She then used her magic to check on the little boy and was shocked that he was healing normally. Any sign of sickness was nowhere to be found.
“Amazing! You must have been sent by the almighty Goddess of Life to save the poor little ones.” The old lady exclaimed.
“Uhh…Yeah. You could think of it that way. I have to tell you that we would not be able to heal anyone for about an hour. How did the little boy even get infected by miasma anyway?” Adrian said.
“It was awful. He managed to escape from the clutches of acolytes but his family was not fortunate enough. When I found him near the woods, he was not this thin. After a few days, his health started deteriorating every day. Thankfully, you managed to help him.” The old lady said while shaking Adrian’s hands.
Adrian then froze when he heard the word acolyte as it may mean that there may be followers of dark gods hidden in the jungle. Adrian put those thoughts at the back of his brain because helping the children in this infirmary is a higher priority. The old lady then escorted Adrian to a guest room so that they could talk in depth.
The old lady was named Theresa and she was a retired priestess of the Church of Life. She retired due to her old age and wanting to help the poor in her village. She used her past connections for favors but it was still barely passable. Although, she never lost hope and continued helping others.
When the hour was up, Saena continued to heal the other children. Some diseases took ten minutes to heal while some took longer but not as long as the little boy. It looked like he was cursed rather than afflicted with a disease. Miasma is not associated with sicknesses but curses according to the player forums. Adrian was certain that there are acolytes nearby.
Adrian spent a whole day tending and playing with the kids who became healthy. Grandma Theresa was beaming with joy as she could tell the good news to some of the children’s parents. He left Adrian to look after the infirmary as she left to tell the parents the good news.
About thirty minutes passed since Granma Theresa left, some thugs just entered the infirmary. Adrian was about to ask what is their business but decided not to. Adrian then saw three thug looking men holding sacks and ropes.
“Where is that old crone? Never mind. Hand over the children brat.” A man with a vertical scar on his face ordered Adrian.
Adrian did not even bat them an eye but the children who were playing with him became scared. Adrian’s look became ferocious but it was not only him. Sirius too became ready to lunge at them but Adrian ordered him not to. Kanlaon was playing with the other kids and he was huddled in with them. Saena was resting in one of the beds because she was exhausted. She was still ten people short from evolving.
“I am sorry but I am afraid that I would ask you to leave. You people are scaring the kids.” Adrian said with a smile but he was hiding his killing intent.
“Heh. What can a brat like you do anyway? You cannot overpower the three of us. Let’s go and round them up boys.” The man with a vertical scar in his face stated.
Adrian was not afraid because these NPCs are only level 50. They must have been street thugs that are hired by the real mastermind. Adrian focused his magic and used Blink. Instead of using it to himself, he directed it to the three thugs. He blinked them away outside but it seems that it was too much for the current Adrian as he looked tired.
The three thugs became dazed as they were just inside the infirmary but now they were outside. Little did they know that a little dog followed them outside. The dog then smiled at them and a black pool of shadows slowly absorbed the three thugs. They tried to struggle but their mouths were the first to get shut so they would not be able to even scream for help.
𝑖𝘦.𝑐𝘰𝘮