Plague Doctor

Translator: Lonelytree

This incident sent tremors through the headquarters. Developing an understanding of spell was necessary but it should not come at such a high cost. Yao Sinian and Elder Tong had done more than enough lip work to help salvage the situation. The arrival of the cleansing stone and the assessment stone helped greatly in their persuasion. The Ancient Seal technology was a game changer, at least it stopped the headquarters from making the decision to suspend the Spell Department fully. However, they did forbid Phecda members from responding to unknown rescue signals as well as conducting unknown rituals in the future, that was now a law.

This time they were lucky but who knew what would happen next time. If the real Gu Jun did not show up on time, the most loyal members of the Spell Department would be murdered by the Brotherhood while the corrupted traitors would return to infiltrate Phecda.

Elder Tong accepted this punishment begrudgingly considering the possible consequence. The devil will use the thing you’re most hungry after as bait to lure you in, that has always been the truth. However, there was another decision that the headquarters made which was not so well-received despite how logical it was.

In the conference room, Elder Tong announced in a hoarse voice, “All the members who showed signs of betrayal during this mission will all be suspended from their work indefinitely. They will be sent to a new base that the Correctional Department had recently built for re-education. For now, the project will last for 3 years.” Instantly the atmosphere in the room froze. Due to the uniqueness of spells, one could not forget what they had learned. Therefore when the Spell Department was built, it was already agreed that all the members would receive monitoring to a certain degree but rule-breakers would never be kicked out from Phecda while they were still alive due to their already existent knowledge.

Elder Tong called it a ‘project’ but it was in truth an ‘incarceration’ of 3 years ‘for now’, who knew whether the headquarters would prolong the ‘project’ or not…

“What?!” Lou Xiaoning glared with her left eye. She was spared from this punishment but…

“Ah.” Cai Zixuan turned to Wang Ruoxiang nervously. Wu Siyu frowned. Gu Jun asked darkly, “Elder Tong, this is the leniency that you’ve promised us?” Gao Yi, Zhang Zuodong, Yu Xiaoyong and the rest who showed signs of treachery during the mission either sighed or set their jaws. To sacrifice their lives on the battlefield was one thing but to be imprisoned like an inmate was another. However, no one could argue that the decision by the headquarters crossed any line. Wang Ruoxiang appeared serene like she had already predicted this result. Or it could just be a front.

“But their ‘treachery’ was an irrational behavior.” Gu Jun argued.

“Ah Jun.” Yao Sinian interrupted sternly, “Originally they were going to be fired and imprisoned for life but now at least they have a chance to return.”

“Have you heard of the first atomic missile project? The first batch of workers who worked on the missile had sacrificed their health due to radiation.” Elder Tong turned to Gu Jun, “We are currently building an atomic bomb! Everyone should be prepared to make necessary sacrifices when they join the Spell Department, that is simply the truth.”

Elder Tong looked at the faces of the people he had personally recruited, “The Ancient Seal technology cannot read minds, that is the key problem. Personally, I would lay my life down for any of you but I cannot say for sure if there are any bad apples among us. After all, I also thought Zheng Jialiang would be the next Gu Jun.”

Gu Jun wanted to say something but swallowed it with a sigh.

“Time will tell what will happen.” Elder Tong continued, “Time will also help the department grow. When we have reached the necessary breakthrough, with sufficient technology and management system, and your innocence proven, I will do my best to haul all of you out, because no one understands better than I do how it feels to be kicked to the side on the suspicion of distrust.” Elder Tong couldn’t help but sigh, naturally he was disappointed by this result too. “I will make this happen as fast as I can, that I promise you.”

“Elder Tong, I am okay with the arrangement.” Wang Ruoxiang uttered sincerely. “I only hope that I can be allowed to continue my medical study when I am inside, I do not wish to stay idle.”

“Of course!” Elder Tong replied instantly, “This is not an imprisonment, other than the ban from leaving the place and further interaction with spells, the privilege you’ll receive there will not be worse than what you’re having here. In fact, it’ll be like a vacation with more free time. I will not allow any of you to abandon your main responsibility, the learning must continue.”

“Ruoxiang, don’t worry.” Yao Sinian added consolingly. “The organization will find you the best professors to give you online lectures and you can apply for any books you need.”

“Then everything’s fine by me.” Wang Ruoxiang flashed a smile and nodded. “I will use this time to finish a master’s degree and a doctorate.”

Gu Jun frowned, a medical student, especially one who specialized in clinical medicine, trapped inside an isolated base, with no access to patients, how was she going to conduct experiments and trails?

Cai Zixuan knew the hardship ahead as well. Their monitor was the most hardworking of them all and this truly deprived her of the full potential of her talent.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Wang Ruoxiang said, “I’m really fine with it. I know I will have to abandon clinical medicine but I can still study pharmacy or other school of medicine.” She said self-deprecatingly. “In fact, with all the free time I will have, I’m sure I’ll release more findings in peer-reviewed journals than the both of you combined.”

Gu Jun smiled bitterly while Cai Zixuan sighed, “Sev’ral plum branches stand at the wall corner there; Ev’n in extreme cold they, alone, flow’r in delight. Monitor, good luck.” Gu Jun also added, “Good luck.”

Gao Yi, Yu Xiaoyong and the rest followed Wang Ruoxiang’s example and accepted their assignment, it was not like they had much choice. Their hope was that their innocence would soon be proved and the day of return won’t be that long in the future. Then the members of Action Departments led them away from the conference room. Although they weren’t going to be transferred immediately, they were ushered away because Elder Tong wanted to spare them from the next item on the meeting.

Since there was punishment, there was reward as well. A simple ‘failure’ was too simple of a word to conclude this mission. Gu Jun did return alive, he even smoked another evil cult out of the dark, killed one of its core members and brought so many important technologies back with him. Just from the result alone, the mission was a huge success. The team members’ courage was praiseworthy and so did their resistance against the dark forces.

Among them, Wu Siyu had performed exceptionally. Due to her warning to Elder Tong, a huge tragedy was averted. She was given a Grade 2 merit, there was no medal but it would help in her future promotion.

For Gu Jun, even though there was still much argument about how he dealt with the banyan tree disease, his sacrifice for the Nightmare Illness and what he had done during this mission more than enough lived up to his name as the Phecda Hero. And such a hero had returned from the dead. The headquarters spent half a month to confirm his identity and ascertain that he still belonged to their camp. This inspiring news had to be properly used.

“Ah Jun, the headquarters want to set up an individual commendation ceremony for you.” Yao Sinian said with a smile, to see Gu Jun receive the reward he deserved was a great comfort for the older generation. “The ceremony will be broadcasted live to all the Phecda divisions. Those, who are too busy to attend the broadcast, are requested to watch its recording when they are free.”

Cai Zixuan and Xue Ba were glad for him. Gu Jun though was dumbfounded. ‘I don’t want to be the kind of person who would stand on the stage to recite a script for hours…’

Wu Siyu’s neck shrunk. Thankfully she only got a Grade 2 merit.

“Don’t give me that look.” Elder Tong grumbled, “Take the glory when it’s yours, accept the reward when you’ve earned it, how else are people going to know that Phecda is fair to its members?”