Virus King [Translation]

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Silence. 

Novak's words plunged the room into a deathly quiet.

Without sparing Ian another glance, Novak walked toward the massive statue in the office. He carefully rotated the base of the statue. 

Suddenly, a rattling noise echoed through the room, as if clockwork gears had been set into motion, the sound sharp enough to make everyone grit their teeth. 

The others instantly turned their heads, staring at the statue in astonishment. 

With a deep rumble, a bookshelf on the wall slowly slid aside, revealing something previously hidden.

Ian, Meimei, and Crow widened their eyes, staring in disbelief.

Because behind the bookshelf, a large, dark passageway appeared, leading to a staircase descending into the unknown. 

A chilling wind blew up from the passage, biting at their faces.

"White, what is this?!" Meimei exclaimed.

Novak, pretending he had just made the discovery, smiled slightly. 

"While searching earlier, I noticed that, compared to the other rooms downstairs, this one seemed unusually small, as though part of it had been sealed off. Looks like I was right—there's a secret here. So, what do you think? Want to check it out?"

The four of them exchanged glances, then nodded almost in unison.

The secret realm had already been marked as cleared by the Cosmic Will, so finding a hidden passage was completely unexpected. It seemed they were gaining a deeper understanding of the Trial Grounds of Gods and Demons.

The dark staircase felt endless. 

There were no lights, just the faint glow of torches mounted on both sides of the stairs, barely illuminating their path. 

They descended cautiously for about ten minutes before finally reaching what appeared to be the basement of the mental hospital.

What greeted them was a massive chamber, over two hundred square meters in size.

The space was illuminated by eerie lights cast from strange statues. 

On the statues were depictions of creatures Novak was familiar with—demons, devils, and more. Solomon's Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods, whether devils or demons, often didn't have a clear distinction between them. At that point, was there really much of a difference?

Besides the unsettling statues, the most striking feature in the room was a large disc on the floor. 

The pattern etched into the disc was bizarre, dark red streaks running across it like dried blood, giving the impression it was dangerous to touch.

On the other side of the room, Novak approached a podium-like table. On it lay a metal disc, smaller than the one on the floor but bearing the same intricate design.

Just as expected.

The words of the Transcendent Saint had proven true!

Novak's eyes fixed on the magical disc in his hand as he received immediate feedback from the Cosmic Will:

[Core of Hell's Teleportation Array] 

[Item – Special Class] 

[Engraved with the purest Hell pattern, this can be activated with sacrificial blood offerings to summon the Sixteenth of Solomon's Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods: Zepar.] 

[Requirements for Use: 16 blood sacrifices. Activates the teleportation array.] 

(Note 1: This item is unique!)

(Note 2: Once Zepar is summoned, it will be bound by the level cap of the current Secret Realm, maxing out at level 12. Upon summoning, the dungeon's difficulty will be elevated to 'Hell' level.)

(Note 3: Whether Zepar is friend or foe remains unknown.)

It was real!

Novak's gaze locked onto the artifact in his hand, drawing the attention of the others. As they looked over, he wasn't shy about showing it to everyone.

"This…!"

Crow's eyes widened in disbelief.

He had just read about the terrifying power of the Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods in the Bart Family's medical records and Vale's diary.

And now, this magic circle claimed it could summon one?

"How about it, do you want to…?"

Crow began to speak but paused when he noticed the looks the three others were giving him—as if he were an idiot.

"summon it?" Crow scratched his head.

Novak quickly realized that this guy didn't seem to know the meaning of fear at all.

Earlier, Vale's mental strength had been so overwhelming that even Novak felt the weight of it. While he still had some cards left to play, he knew that summoning the demon god—even if its power was suppressed to level 12 by the Cosmic Will—would be far beyond his current capabilities, especially without having completed his job transition.

The Transcendent Saint had once remarked with regret that no one, at level 12 or below, could possibly unlock the hidden content and defeat Solomon Demon God within the limits of the Red Star Mental Hospital.

However, there was something unusual about this particular demon. Back when the Saint had summoned it, they hadn't fought. Instead, they struck a deal, which resulted in the Saint gaining significant benefits. 

Of course, Novak mused, anything you could bargain for without a fight would be far less valuable than whatever reward would come from defeating the demon.

Without hesitation, Novak tucked the core of the demon into his jacket.

"We'll wait until we've transitioned jobs, then we can try again and help Ian complete the next mission," he said.

Ian grinned. In that moment, a sharp glint of cold killing intent flashed across his eyes.

"Alright, sounds like a plan."

The four of them slowly faded from the physical world of the mental hospital, becoming transparent before they reappeared, slightly relieved, back in the hospital entrance once more.

Ian turned to Novak and Meimei. 

"Thank you, Brother White and Meimei, for your help. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to complete this task for a very, very long time!"

Ian's chubby's face beamed with joy. Clearly, there were rewards for completing the task that Novak and the others weren't privy to.

The four of them didn't rush to leave the dream state just yet.

Meimei's dream technique depended on her mental power, and since the dream hadn't dissipated, they decided to chat for a while.

Since it was Ian's dream, the conversation naturally revolved around Ian.

"I've never heard my father talk about my mother, nor any of my other relatives…"

"I never expected to have the identity and fate of a protagonist! How could I have gone over ten years without realizing it?"

"It's my fault. I never really paid attention to my dad. He works at a nearby chemical factory, and even before the apocalypse, his health wasn't great…"

"That night, when he turned into a zombie, his body was completely covered in Green plaques. He looked nothing like he used to."

Novak glanced at the still-chatting Ian, who seemed to have finally found an outlet for his emotions.

At that moment, the dream world shattered.

Novak's eyes snapped open, his consciousness quickly returning to De M-anila, thousands of miles away from D-avao.

Yet, he didn't move immediately. Ian's last words echoed in his ears:

Green plaques?

Could it be the work of the Plague Cult?