Chapter 31: The Rat Plague Strikes!
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The heavy rain that had fallen throughout the night left the morning air exceptionally fresh.
The rain had also made for remarkably restful sleep, and Zorn had slept soundly.
Of course, to an Evil Spirit Warlock, sleep was merely the body sinking into repose.
The Evil Spirit Warlock’s spirit never slept.
It remained perpetually vigilant toward reality, the dreamscape, and the spirit world.
At the same time, Zorn’s spiritual will had spent the entire night digesting the resources of the “Hidden Source.”
He opened the window and let the slightly chilly morning air drift into the sitting room.
While enjoying breakfast, Zorn glanced at the level bar on his system interface.
【Star Mark · Fighter】 (30th Anniversary Exclusive Edition) (Non-tradable)
Level: 1 (10%)
【Talent】
Steel Will · Iron Bones (SS Rank): You possess a will and body as tough as steel.
【Skills】
Basic · Skull-Splitting Fist: Level 0 (35%)
…………
Yesterday, his experience had stood at only six percent.
After devouring the souls of several mafia members and digesting a night’s worth of offerings, his Sequence experience had surged to ten percent.
There was no need to elaborate on how efficient that increase was.
For some time to come, his Sequence experience would continue to soar.
Zorn estimated that by the time he graduated from the Noble Academy, he would have advanced to the second level—a great deal faster than originally planned.
After finishing breakfast, Zorn looked toward the old butler, Granck, beside him.
“Uncle Granck, I heard a commotion coming from the kitchen this morning. What happened?”
The old butler’s expression shifted slightly before he answered truthfully.
“Young Master Zorn, quite a few rats appeared in the kitchen, and they were all enormous—nearly the size of house cats. Two of them were even more terrifyingly large.”
“This morning, those dreadful creatures chased Sophia, the laundry maid who rose early, and Daisy, one of the kitchen assistants.”
“They were both scared witless.”
“When Vanessa and the cook, Berita, rushed over, those damned rats were dragging Sophia toward a corner.”
“By the time I arrived, Sophia’s face was deathly pale. Her whole body was trembling, and she still lacked the strength to stand.”
“Those damned sewer rats have truly become… utterly lawless.”
“I have already reprimanded Cook Berita. He is inspecting and cleaning the kitchen.”
“For now, he has found a rat hole in the corner as large as a dinner plate.”
After a pause, Granck continued.
“It is not only our estate. Rat infestations have appeared in the homes of several other nobles as well. I hear that even some long-tailed hunting cats, renowned for catching rats, have been killed when surrounded by swarms of them.”
“Perhaps… we should find a rat catcher and have the place thoroughly cleared.”
Zorn’s brow furrowed slightly at this.
The power of the terrifying Calamity Rats was gestating, and the signs were already unmistakable.
This was not something that could be solved by simple cleaning.
“Uncle Granck, find some bricklayers today and have them inspect the foundations beneath the entire castle. Seal every potential rat burrow.”
In the face of the approaching rat disaster, Zorn could not stand aside. He needed to make thorough preparations.
He was not afraid of the “Dire-Night Calamity Rats,” nor of the 【Dire-Night Ratfolk】, creatures born among their swarms and endowed with a measure of supernatural power.
Indeed, when the Dire-Night Calamity Rats arrived, they would merely become another dish for Zorn.
But the others living on the estate possessed little ability to resist them.
“Also, I will contact a rat catcher. They have more experience dealing with infestations.”
Although he said this, Zorn had already begun considering how to construct a slaughter trap specifically for the “Dire-Night Calamity Rats.”
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The terrifying 【Rat Disaster】 was a catastrophe for ordinary people.
But to Zorn Korik, the Evil Spirit Warlock, it was more akin to—a feast!
He could use the power of the calamity to pry open countless possibilities.
That very afternoon, Granck summoned several masons, who began inspecting and repairing the underground foundations of the entire estate.
Over the following days, Zorn continued his studies while steadily and rapidly digesting the resources transmitted from the Hidden Source, growing at astonishing speed.
Indeed, his diligent manner of studying had attracted the attention of some shy and inexperienced young girl.
One afternoon, after classes had ended, Zorn discovered an anonymous “love letter” in his schoolbag.
It left him sighing inwardly at the simplicity and purity of youth.
During the new week, reports of small-scale rat infestations appearing throughout Augland City finally began making their way into the Augland Steam Daily.
…………
The penultimate weekend of May, in midsummer.
Zorn was enjoying a rare and leisurely morning tea.
At last, good news had arrived!
Just yesterday, the Augland City Steam Factory Administration Act had been formally promulgated.
Several of its key provisions were even stricter than Zorn had anticipated.
They established not only minimum wages for workers, but also standards for coal-smoke emissions, while imposing far more rigorous inspections on the various steam factories.
Clearly, Augland City Hall had already noticed that something was amiss.
The rapid expansion of the steam industry had driven Augland City’s prosperity and development, drawing countless outsiders to the city in search of a livelihood.
This had also allowed secret cults devoted to evil gods, criminal syndicates, and gangs to take root and flourish throughout Augland City.
Once people grew too numerous, the light could no longer reach the deeper places.
In the dark shadows of Augland City, the restless power of calamity was gestating.
Given Augland City’s population density, if the power of an evil-god calamity were to descend, it would become a terrifying nightmare.
The promulgation of the stricter Steam Factory Administration Act was excellent news for Zorn.
Three steam-factory owners had already come to visit him that morning.
The old butler, Granck, had received them.
At present, Granck had accompanied one of the factory owners to inspect his steam factory in person.
If everything went smoothly, the factory could be finalized within the next two days.
Once the factory was secured and the alchemist arranged, production and training could begin.
Unfortunately, the alchemist Vladimir Korkin had not come to visit during the past few days.
Zorn had already begun quietly searching for another candidate.
The absence of an alchemist could not be allowed to disrupt his steam-factory plans.
Just as Zorn was wondering whether he should go to Adolf Monastery to purchase some of the resources he needed, footsteps sounded outside the door.
It was Old Nero, accompanied by the young rat catcher Isaac.
“You rat catchers must be terribly busy these days,” Zorn said as he rose.
Zorn had previously sent Granck to Number 1456 on Rook Long Street to look for the rat catcher Bevis.
But they had gone three times, and he had never been there.
According to the landlord, the master and apprentice had been so busy dealing with the infestation these past few days that they were almost impossible to find.
“We’ve been worked to the bone!” Isaac scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
Then, with an apologetic expression, he said, “I am terribly sorry, Lord Zorn. My master originally told me to come yesterday, but I was simply too exhausted.”
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“I swear, I only meant to rest for a little while. When I opened my eyes, it was already this morning!”
He stood there, fidgeting uneasily over his “mistake.”
“What a simple, honest child,” Zorn thought to himself.
“I imagine you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Zorn invited Isaac to sit down, then pushed a selection of exquisite cheese pastries and scones toward him.
After a brief struggle, hunger ultimately won out.
Over morning tea, Isaac transformed into a man who buried his head and ate with single-minded devotion.
Seeing how starved Isaac was, Zorn could not help but smile before turning his gaze into the distance.
When he had first obtained the Evil Spirit Warlock Sequence and had been tormented by hunger, the way he had frenziedly drained the life force of mutated gray rats had not looked much better than Isaac did now.
Once his stomach was more or less full, Isaac raised his head and offered Zorn an embarrassed smile.
In the past, whenever Isaac came to deliver gray rats, he would spend some time with Zorn.
He often asked Zorn about the knowledge of the supernatural world.
Zorn was naturally a patient teacher and gladly instructed him.
Every conversation with Zorn left Isaac with abundant gains and deeper insight.
“How has the rat infestation been lately?”
Zorn withdrew his gaze from the window and looked toward Isaac.
Isaac thought seriously for a moment before answering in a low voice.
“It’s a terrible problem. Extremely difficult to deal with.”
“Rat infestations have appeared in the homes of many residents living in the poorer districts and in basements. A great many people have been bitten.”
“If the plague breaks out, things will become even worse.”
“As far as I know, several homeless people sleeping on the streets have already been gnawed to death by rats during the night.”
“Their screams brought the patrol officers running, but even the patrol officers were helpless against the swarms.”
“Yesterday, some policemen came to us and said that a child had been dragged into a rat burrow by those damned creatures. They asked us to lend a hand.”
At this, Isaac’s face darkened, and his spirit sank somewhat.
“I searched for a long time around the area, but I couldn’t find a single trace.”
“If only I were stronger… perhaps I could have found the child those damned rats dragged away.”
The rat disaster was erupting!
After hearing Isaac’s account, Zorn’s suspicions were confirmed.
For now, this was only the prelude—the rats growing agitated in scattered districts after nightfall.
When the rat disaster reached its climax, tens of thousands of rats would surge through the streets beneath the blazing sun, utterly unrestrained.
The supernatural “Dire-Night Ratfolk” would even dare to assault police stations and challenge the nation’s machinery of force.
When that time came, the residents would be able only to hide inside their homes, watching the terrifying disaster rampage outside through their windows and praying that those dreadful creatures would not break down their doors.
Even ants could bring down an elephant through sheer numbers.
And these were not ordinary rats, but mutated gray rats tainted by corruption and deformation.
Their shrill squeals would drown out the sacred bells of the Sacred Sun’s noon service. The terrifying power of calamity would no longer be content to remain in the sewers; it would spread throughout all of Augland City.
When that happened—
The calamity born of the 【Rat Disaster】 would fiercely challenge the authority of the Church of the Sacred Sun.
And upon Augland City, it would carve a calamity scar that could never be erased.
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