socalfunplaces Chapter 35 The Contaminated Water Source
Chapter 35 The Contaminated Water Source
At night, the new dock in the shipwreck area is filled with the salty smell of the sea breeze.
After eating that high-calorie fried dough, although it caused a dry mouth as a side effect, the hundreds of indigenous laborers not only did not suffer from exhaustion, but were actually full of energy, as if they had been injected with chicken blood.
I haven't felt this full in ages...
In this MapleStory world where there are no labor laws, as long as you're fed enough, the resilience of those at the bottom is terrifying.
Old John, along with dozens of strong men, were chatting and drawing water beside the huge reservoir.
"Luckily, this sir appeared, otherwise I don't know how I would have survived."
"Who says otherwise? I've been thinking about going to the Warriors' Tribe. I heard that the Warriors' Guild there takes in apprentices... It's a pity that fatso blocked the road. Without a pass, going out means certain death."
This reservoir was just built with cement by the players yesterday. It connects to a rare section of clean underground water vein and will be the lifeblood of the entire new dock in the future.
The little snail tapped the edge of the pool and patted the dust off its hands with satisfaction. Old John watched in astonishment. These laborers were usually whipped while working, but these outsiders seemed tireless, pointing and commenting on the mud pile after they finished their work.
Several burly laborers were even pulled aside by the players to teach them how to mix mud: "Brother, do you even know how to use your waist to generate power? Your shovel swings are so soulless! According to the rules of our civil engineering, there has to be rhythm..."
Around a campfire not far away, several players gathered together to study the blueprints.
"Is that pipe over there connected crookedly? It doesn't look like it conforms to fluid dynamics," the bucket-carrying runner questioned.
"Oh, as long as water comes out, that's fine. This game doesn't have any inspection or supervision." The climbing snail waved its hand.
"That won't do!" The contractor, already fed up with irresponsible clients, insisted, "Engineering projects must be meticulous."
Just as the group was chatting idly, George suddenly growled.
In the darkness outside the cordon, a weak groan suddenly came from outside.
"Help...water...give me some water..."
A man covered in blood stumbled out of the acid mist and collapsed onto the newly paved cement floor.
His back was covered with crisscrossing whip marks, making him look like he had just escaped from some torture chamber.
Seeing this, Old John and the other laborers shrank back in fright.
Here, trying to help others often means getting burned.
But the players' reactions were quite different.
"We've got a job! We've triggered a hidden event!"
"This NPC is so pitiful, he must be a refugee who escaped from Bolton! This is definitely a gift of credits, and it might even increase his favorability with the NPC!"
Without saying a word, Little Snail and Little Rain rushed forward and lifted the bloodied man up from the left and right.
"Hang in there, bro! Water'll be here soon!" While carrying out her mission, Xiaoyu also showed compassion. "We provide meals here; getting here is like coming home!"
The semi-conscious refugees were carried to the edge of the reservoir.
Several kind-hearted players even took out precious rags, preparing to wet them and clean his wounds. Old John looked at the players and sighed inwardly: Alas... these adults are too kind. In this man-eating Pearl Harbor, such kindness will inevitably lead to trouble sooner or later.
However, the moment the refugee was placed on the edge of the reservoir, the dying man suddenly widened his eyes.
His eyes were filled with eerie green blood vessels, and his originally weak face instantly became extremely ferocious.
"You're finished, hahaha! You're finished!!"
The man grinned at the tiny snail that was right in front of him, revealing a chilling, sinister smile.
The next second, he used the last of his strength to break free from the player's support like an eel and plunged headfirst into the huge reservoir without hesitation!
"Long live Lord Bolton!!"
With a splash, the dull sound of falling into the water was particularly clear in the quiet night.
"Damn it! This NPC is so ungrateful! This guy is definitely trying to pollute the water!" The little snail was furious and reached into the pool to try and pull the person out.
"Don't touch that water!" Old John suddenly screamed, instinctively backing away. "That's...that's...!"
By the light of the campfire, everyone was horrified to see that the man who had jumped into the reservoir did not struggle.
On the contrary, the moment his body came into contact with the water, it was like an ice cube thrown into strong acid, dissolving at a visible speed, and green mycelium burst out from his seven orifices.
He was actually dead before he fell into the water. The mycelium didn't resemble plants; it was more like thousands of extremely fine horsehair worms that had pierced his pores, eyeballs, and gums. The first things to float to the surface were a few strands of bloody hair, followed by large patches of murky yellowish-green foam.
In just a few seconds, a living person turned into a pool of sticky, rotten flesh at the bottom of the pool.
The once clear reservoir was instantly stained a pale, greenish glow, with bubbles rising to the surface and a pungent smell gradually spreading.
"Cough...cough cough..."
Several indigenous laborers closest to the pool, after merely inhaling the water vapor drifting from the surface, suddenly clutched their necks, knelt on the ground, and coughed violently.
After only a couple of coughs, their spit was streaked with blood.
"It's over...it's all over..."
Old John collapsed to the ground in despair, staring at the enormous pool of poisonous water, tears streaming down his face. "That's blood-putting fungus from the abyss. Just a little bit will turn a person's lungs into blood within three days. That wicked woman, Bolton... she wants us all dead!"
Panic spread instantly among the indigenous people.
There was no antidote, and the water source was abandoned.
For these laborers who had just begun to see a glimmer of hope for life, this was nothing short of a catastrophe.
They had just started to enjoy a good life, and now it's over.
However, amidst the groans and coughs, the whole roasted lamb that had been standing at the front of the pool suddenly scratched its head in confusion.
He was the closest to the man when he jumped into the water; several drops of the green-glowing poisonous water splashed directly onto his face, and one even got into his mouth.
Instead of collapsing and vomiting blood, he felt that the scene and the smell were somewhat familiar.
Under the horrified gazes of hundreds of NPCs, the whole roasted lamb not only didn't wipe its face, but instead stuck out its tongue and licked the venom from the corner of its mouth, giving it a serious taste.
"Come and take a look." The whole roasted lamb turned to look at the iron pot stew, "The special effects and taste of this broken water are exactly the same as the green poisonous fog outside our hometown Rainbow Village. It feels like it's just a different form."
Just as he finished speaking, several players who were close to the pool noticed their situation.
I didn't feel any discomfort, unlike the indigenous people who felt suffocated.
That's right, it's Rainbow Village, the birthplace, shrouded in a green poisonous fog.
In this world, the deadly green fungus that kills with a touch is a dreaded death shroud for the natives. But to the players, these green things are nothing more than toys.