The town of Rakavik,
Originally, this should have been a rural town with a European retro style, with sparse and low-rise bungalows, which was very suitable for foreign tourists.
But as the Gray Zone spread, the epidemic spread.
The disease has penetrated every inch of land, every brick and tile, and every piece of wall paint. The town has undergone fundamental changes caused by the disease. The once low-rise bungalows have begun to grow like living things, not vertically but crooked and twisted.
The various window structures are more like organ structures such as mouths and eye sockets.
What's even more exaggerated is that the completely diseased houses seem to be able to "reproduce", giving birth to buildings with similar structures around them, making the once sparse town compact and the spacious roads so that people can only squeeze through sideways. In some places, people even need to climb over walls, drill holes, or even pass through the inside of the houses.
Most buildings will have intersections above the second floor, with doors and windows connected together.
The residents of the small town do not wander around the streets, but visit each other from building to building, making the town very lively.
This vertical structure also increases the town's population capacity by more than ten times.
Just standing outside the town and looking at such densely packed twisted buildings will make one feel uncomfortable all over, as if one will be squeezed by the houses once they step in.
William was attracted by the town structure from hundreds of meters away and wanted to go in for a walk and experience the local culture.
Just then, a click sound came from the side of the road.
A snail shell the size of a football is peeled off from the ground, first secreting a large amount of mucus for lubrication, and then a large amount of soft tissue grows from inside.
She had translucent, moist long legs, a willow-like slender waist, black hair hanging down in front of her to cover the bulge, and her hands were politely clasped at her waist as she saluted the four people passing by.
However, judging from his physique alone, this person's head has been fused with the snail shell, and it is obvious that he is infected with some kind of parasite.
A nasal voice, similar to that of a severe cold, came from the snail shell on the head: "If I guess correctly, you are all here to stay in Rakavik Town and inquire about the news of Sick Mountain, right? Can I be your guide for your stay
For a small kickback, I can help you arrange the best possible accommodation and explain the legends and stories about the Sick Mountain, the Flying Dragon, and the Hidden Village."
William immediately became interested after hearing some special keywords. "How much does it cost?"
"For people like you who are deeply infected, I don't want any money. Just let this guy accompany me."
While she was speaking, some nematode-like structures grew out of the woman's translucent body and floated in the air like silk threads. The person she was referring to was Nash.
William turned his head and asked directly, pushing his newly changed glasses with his fingers, "Nash, can you meet this lady's request?"
“It’s my honor.”
Nash also changed his previous follower appearance and very gentlemanly invited the other party to join the team.
The moment the snail-headed woman touched Nash's palm, a large amount of tissue fluid was immediately secreted from the head of the snail shell, permeating her entire body, as if she were electrocuted.
Her whole body was trembling with excitement, and she was obviously sure that her bet was right. Being able to mate with such an excellent parasite would give her parasitic experience that money could not buy.
William, who was walking in front, continued, "It's better for us not to stay in an inn. Instead, you give us a general description of the situation in Sick Mountain, and then we will set off."
"Is it so urgent? Sick Mountain is very dangerous. Most people will rest and recuperate until they are in the best condition before setting off. Otherwise, the mortality rate is very high."
"How high?"
"It's probably about the eighth or ninth floor."
"Okay, then you can find a place to tell us in detail about the Sick Mountain, and then we can consider the next course of action."
"Okay." The snail girl naturally wanted them to stay for a few more days so that she would have the opportunity to communicate and learn with Nash. "Let's go to the cafe first. There are private rooms there, which will be convenient for us to chat."
Led by the snail girl, everyone stepped into the outermost building of Rakavik Town. When they walked in, they found that the "streets" of this town were completely set up inside the building.
By crossing the glued windows,
Or a 'public door' in the bathroom or living room,
Even the fully connected entrance passages allow you to freely travel through different buildings, allowing you to go shopping.
Of course, there are private areas marked in some places, and you will be attacked if you trespass.
Soon they arrived at a high-end coffee shop called Cloud Cafe on the top floor. The waiters here were all wearing snail shells and quickly arranged a closed private room for everyone.
The coffee cups served were also in the shape of snail shells, and you could occasionally see the mollusks popping up in the hot coffee, which gave it a unique flavor.
The private room was for four people. The snail girl sat on one side with Nash, while William and dentist Jessica sat on the other side.
Lorian, like a mental patient, stood with his back to the door, and remained unmoved even when William asked him to come over and squeeze in.
The snail girl spoke first, "You came here from another place, so you should have some basic understanding of the sick mountain, right?"
William waved his hand and said, "We came here unintentionally and heard about the Sick Mountain. We don't even have the most basic understanding.
The purpose of our trip was to transfer this special patient to a hospital in the North.
But he was still in a stable state, and we stopped and walked along the way, participating in any interesting things we encountered."
"I see, then let me tell you in detail.
Ill Mountain is very famous in many places in the Central Region. Many patients who have reached the open source level will come here to find out what is going on, even if it means risking their lives.
Rumor has it that as long as one can find a hidden village in the sick mountain and become a villager there, one will be infected with a terminal disease, and the individual's disease will undergo a qualitative leap, and can even easily reach a path that is simply unbelievable."
"Incurable disease?" For some reason, William felt like laughing when he heard such a word.
"The mountain of disease breeds a special pathogen, but not everyone can be infected. Only those who reach the open source can try to contact it."
"What kind of illness is it? Is there anyone in this town who is infected with this terminal disease?"
“Big shots with terminal illnesses won’t come to our place. Most of them will stay in the Hidden Village for a long time and then go directly to the Old World.
I have no idea what the disease is like. I have only heard that one can breathe in and out smoke and fly in the clouds.
The special mist surrounding the Sick Mountain is exhaled by the sick people in the Hidden Village. Even the brightest light cannot penetrate it, isolating the Sick Mountain from the outside world."
"What about the flying dragon you mentioned earlier?"
"This is the most dangerous element of the Sick Mountain. There are a large number of flying dragons lurking in it... These huge flying creatures that look like dragons in mythical stories can seriously injure or even kill open-source patients with just one breath.
As for us patients, especially those with physical illnesses, we are the favorite desserts of the flying dragons."
"Can this thing kill?"
“It cannot be killed, and it cannot be killed!
The flying dragons are part of the Sick Mountain. Killing them will bring hatred upon the Sick Mountain. Not only will you never be able to find the Hidden Village again, you will also never be able to leave the Sick Mountain.
In serious cases, they may even be assassinated by the sick people in the hidden village, or even taken away as living sacrifices.
Moreover, there are many hidden dangerous elements in the Sick Mountain, such as human-shaped mushrooms, man-eating tree holes, etc.
I suggest you rest here for a few more days and buy some of our mountaineering equipment, which will greatly increase your success rate."
"No, we'll set off today. Time is very urgent. After all, our main mission is to send this special patient away. We'll just wander around the Sick Mountain. It doesn't matter whether we can find the Hidden Village or not.
If you want to stay with Mr. Nash, you can come with us.
Of course, if you don’t want to come and want money, we can pay you.”
Snail Girl would never go to the Sick Mountain. She knew how dangerous it was and that she would almost die if she went there. But the contact with Nash's palm just now made her experience a feeling she had never had in her life.
He gritted his teeth and said, "I... I'll go with you."