"What's going on?"
Hearing the commotion from the plaza, Bailu turned around, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she looked at Daichi.
She wanted to see what was happening.
Apparently, the desire to watch a spectacle wasn't limited to humans; even the Vidyadhara had it.
"Let's go take a look."
Daichi said, though a bit concerned.
"But Lady Bailu, aren't you afraid of being caught again?"
"It's fine!"
she replied brightly, tugging at his hand.
"We'll just do it like yesterday, right? Come on, come on!"
Pulled by her small but insistent hand, Daichi started walking, sighing inwardly. Hopefully, the Alchemy Commission or her clan guardians wouldn't lose their minds over this later.
Tingyun followed with a knowing smile.
"That's exactly what makes Lady Bailu so adorable, don't you think?"
By the time the three of them reached the plaza, it was already surrounded by Cloud Knights.
"There are so many of them... what happened?"
Bailu tiptoed and jumped, trying to peek through the wall of armored soldiers.
Tingyun, meanwhile, had already asked one of the nearby knights for an update.
She returned and spoke quietly.
"A Cloud Knight suffered a mara-struck outbreak. He's already been subdued."
"Subdued?"
Tingyun nodded.
"Yes. The transformation wasn't complete, so they're waiting for the Ten-Lords Commission to take over."
At the mention of mara, her tone lost its usual lightness.
The Mara — the "Aberrant Flesh" was among the greatest taboos for any Xianzhou native.
Though the people of the Xianzhou lived long lives, that longevity came at a cost.
No one truly understood how the aberration began, but when it did, it meant one thing: the person had begun transforming into a Denizen of Abundance.
Once the transformation completed, death was inevitable.
[Such intense negative energy.]
X's voice buzzed through X Devizer.
[It feels like the emotional pressure could condense into a physical force.]
"Yeah... this is bad."
Daichi muttered.
"Though, honestly, this whole thing sounds exactly like a setup for a negative-energy monster."
He remembered from the game's story that the Aberrant Flesh phenomenon was tied to emotional memory.
When negative feelings accumulated beyond control, the body would start mutating under the weight of despair and abundance's influence.
Still... if negative emotions were the trigger... could he—perhaps use that technique?
Daichi rubbed his chin thinking, though without a chance to get close, he couldn't confirm his theory.
"The Ten-Lords Commission is here!"
A shout rippled through the crowd, followed by the sound of boots striking stone in perfect unison.
Daichi and the others looked up to see several dozen people marching in formation, led by a short-haired girl dressed in white and dark green.
[Daichi, that one in front... she doesn't seem to have a living body.]
"That's the Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission, Judge Xueyi,"
Tingyun explained softly.
"Her body was crafted as an automaton."
[You mean... she's a robot?]
"Not exactly."
Tingyun corrected.
"It's said her soul was transferred into that mechanical vessel through a secret rite. She's served the Commission for nearly a thousand years."
[Transferring consciousness into machines... I've seen that before on other planets. They call it... mechanical ascension?]
"'Flesh is weak, machinery eternal.' right?"
Daichi tapped X's terminal with a wry grin.
"Pretty similar idea, I'd say."
Both involved escaping the limits of flesh.
By that logic... wasn't X's own consciousness, sealed within the terminal is a kind of "mechanical ascension" too?
"Mara..."
Bailu murmured, holding Daichi's hand tightly, her ears drooping.
Though known as the Benevolent Dragon Lady of the Alchemy Commission renowned for curing nearly any illness, she could not cure this one.
The Mara affliction had haunted the Xianzhou for generations, immune even to her divine art.
She had tried before, and though her efforts could delay the outbreak, it could never be stopped.
As Xueyi and her Youfu Enforcers approached, the Cloud Knights opened a path. Seizing the moment, Daichi lifted Bailu up and slipped through the gap for a better look.
It was his first time seeing a mara-struck in person, he couldn't resist.
"They're hurt!"
Bailu exclaimed.
Several Cloud Knights outside the formation were already injured and receiving emergency treatment.
Without hesitation, Bailu wriggled free from Daichi's arms and hurried over, healing them with a gentle glow.
"Thank you, Lady Bailu."
one of the knights said, bowing deeply.
"But this area isn't safe—please, step back!"
Bailu smiled sheepishly.
"I was just out playing with my friends and saw you guys. Thought I could help!"
She waved at Daichi and Tingyun, who approached.
"Wait, that's Tingyun from the Whistling Flame Caravan... and the one next to her, he's the benefactor who saved them!"
Recognition flickered in one of the knights' eyes.
"You mean the one who fought off the Antimatter Legion?"
The tension in the air eased slightly. If Bailu was safe with them, there was no need to drive them away.
"You've done well."
came a calm, mechanical voice from behind.
It was Xueyi. Her red silver eyes scanned the fallen knight, his body convulsing and golden leaves sprouting along his veins.
"Yuanquan, citizen of the Xianzhou Luofu."
she murmured.
"Your allotted lifespan should have stretched for centuries more. That your mara erupted centuries early... defies all logic."
"Judge Xueyi."
reported one of the enforcers.
"the afflicted has been subdued."
"X." Daichi whispered, touching the terminal at his hip.
"Do you think your Purify Wave could cleanse the negative emotions inside that mara-struck?"
[I don't know.]
X replied.
[It was a technique I once used to calm monsters overwhelmed by emotional instability or eliminate ailments and quell evil spirits.... to stop them from destroying everything around them.]
[But... if there's even a chance we can save him, then we should try!]