Chapter 432: Chapter 432: Mycelium
Baiyu seldom gets involved in the matters of the Veterans Mutual Aid Association.
His daily work mostly consists of talking to retired veterans, checking in on their life status, and visiting their homes.
These tasks could easily be handled by ordinary members of the Inspection Department.
However.
If certain events arise that the regular members can’t handle, then he has no choice but to intervene.
Like the veteran distortion incident last time.
And this time.
The incident where members of the Inspection Department were killed.
"Don’t rush, calmly tell me what happened at the scene."
Inside the office.
Baiyu reassured several fearful subordinates, his gaze directed towards their squad leader, Hu Yue.
The latter’s face was pale, his muscles trembling slightly.
It’s unlikely he’d look this terrified unless he encountered something truly horrific.
Baiyu poured a cup of tea, waiting for them to calm down.
After quite a while.
Hu Yue finally trembled and began to speak: "Minister, today we followed specific procedures to visit a veteran.
But his room was like Hell itself...
Goldin was almost immediately consumed by those bizarre threads."
Baiyu furrowed his brows.
Another Extraordinary incident?
When idle, the Veterans Mutual Aid Association seems to have nothing happening.
But when busy, there’s always all sorts of Extraordinary incidents.
High pay comes with high risk...
Baiyu’s brow tightened, "When will the ministers and president return? Handling these matters alone is a bit overwhelming."
Hu Yue shook his head, "The President and the Ministers are all performing tasks in the Spirit Realm, so I don’t have any information."
Several months have passed.
What tasks take such a long time?
Baiyu often feels like he’s been set up.
He certainly didn’t join the Veterans Mutual Aid Association to deal with one Extraordinary incident after another.
But now.
As Deputy Minister, he has the duty and responsibility to face them.
"Alright, let’s head to the scene first."
Baiyu pondered for a moment, then spoke softly.
...
The wounded from the veteran distortion incident within the Inspection Department are still in the hospital, yet to be discharged.
After two months of treatment, it’s said the person can now recognize others — quite a relief.
Every Extraordinary incident.
Is extremely dangerous and bizarre.
These members of the Inspection Department, while earning high wages, must naturally face some unexpected risks.
Yuelan Street, No. 23.
As the group reached the exterior of this detached residence, a long caution tape had already been raised around the perimeter.
Occasional passersby pointed and commented.
"Hello, Sir. We’re members of the police department. Do you require our assistance inside?"
A police officer dressed as a detective hurried over and asked respectfully.
"No need, just guard the surroundings and keep civilians from entering."
"Yes, sir!"
The detective swiftly departed.
Baiyu deeply focused his gaze inside the room.
There’s no apparent abnormality from outside.
According to Hu Yue and the others, it’s not a case of distortion this time, but an Extraordinary event.
There’s a difference between the two.
Distortion is part of Extraordinary events.
However, to prompt the Church to deploy combat forces, usually, only distorted monsters qualify.
Therefore, these matters.
Baiyu and his group must handle them themselves.
Thankfully.
Based on Hu Yue’s description, the situation inside is merely terrifying, causing a surge in Pollution Level but not directly aggressive.
In such scenarios.
Baiyu is able to investigate.
He slightly uplifted his aura, then deftly opened the courtyard gate.
All the plants and flowers in the garden had already withered.
Judging by the watering can and pruning shears nearby, the owner of these plants and flowers usually cared for them meticulously.
Baiyu approached the room.
The door was gently pushed open.
An old, decaying moldy smell wafted inside.
The entire room was arranged in a vintage style, with nothing peculiar on the first floor.
Baiyu ascended to the second floor.
Hu Yue and the others followed behind him.
The abnormalities on the second floor were conspicuous.
In the room at the end of the corridor, a large amount of red threads extended from the door edge.
These red threads emitted a repulsive, nauseating odor.
Like mycelium.
Layer upon layer.
Crawling out resiliently from the door crevice, adhered to the door frame.
Baiyu took a deep breath.
In the next moment.
A golden armor, glowing with brilliance, enveloped his entire body.
The people around him backed away continuously, unable to withstand the spiritual pressure from the armor.
Once prepared, he directly pushed open the door.
Creaaak.
The layout inside the room was indistinguishable from a typical bedroom.
The only difference.
Was the red mycelium spread throughout the room.
They cocooned the veteran lying on the bed like a spider’s nest, revealing only his head.
On the floor lay a member of the Inspection Department wrapped in mycelium, long since ceased breathing.
The red mycelium spread like a plague across his body.
Throughout the room.
A red light shimmered — eerie and enchanting.
Baiyu felt his Pollution Level skyrocketing at this moment.
Even with Mechanical Armament defense, the rise in Pollution Level was hard to stop.
However.
The surging Pollution Level abruptly halted as two mouths on his palms split open.
He was fortunate enough to clearly observe the surrounding situation.
Blood-red mycelium had already enveloped the entire room, even covering the floor with a thick fungal carpet.
Walking over it.
Produced a crunchy sound.
The door had been closed by Baiyu; if ordinary people were exposed to this scene for too long, indeed, it would trigger distortion.
"These things are quite tough."
Baiyu broke several obstructing mycelium threads and approached the bed.
The elderly man wrapped entirely in mycelium shut his eyes tightly, wearing a peaceful smile as though slipping into a pleasant dream.
His breath, pulse, and heartbeat had long vanished.
Large patches of corpse spots appeared on his facial skin.
His death looked extremely strange.
Baiyu reached out, intending to tear away the mycelium and remove the corpse.
But just as he started.
The corpse on the bed suddenly opened its eyes, its mouth splitting into an extremely terrifying arc, filled with densely packed teeth that resembled rows of chain saws lunging towards Baiyu.
"Damn, I knew something was off."
Baiyu’s heart skipped a beat.
Anyone witnessing such terrifying sights would shiver with fear and lose their composure.
Baiyu was no exception.
As it jumped to bite him, he panicked greatly.
So instinctively.
He punched hard.
Bang, crack!
The entire wooden bed shattered under the powerful punch.
Along with the head of the corpse.
The corpse slumped down limply.
The dark liquid sprayed onto the armor, emitting sizzling corrosion sounds, but given the defense of Forbidden Armament, these droplets couldn’t even leave marks on it.