CHAPTER 48: 48: A MAN BEGS TO SAVE HIS WIFE

One second became a minute, then many minutes passed.

Everyone was waiting with their own bated breath, all eyes falling on their companion, who was already showing infected symptoms.

The person on the ground showed no change in their complexion. Still gasping for breath and breathing much faster than before.

Such a sight indeed made everyone very nervous, and some of them even stepped back, moving farther away.

In case their former brother became an infected man who would bite them, they would not dare to risk their lives here.

Aria understood at one look that they were giving up, no longer expecting she could save this man, and a series of questions swarmed in her mind.

Will this healing bottle not work at all on people infected with the A-Virus?

If that was the case, then it was completely useless against the virus of this world.

Realizing this, she was about to let out a resigned sigh when the man in front of her suddenly moved.

His eyes snapped open, staring back at her in shock and disbelief.

That look made Aria’s heart skip for a second, and then the dark veins on his body slowly stopped spreading.

What followed next was his breathing, steady and calm, making everyone gasp in surprise.

It was at that moment that they realized their brother was completely fine.

The golden-haired woman had actually saved their comrade from infection using that unknown bottle of liquid!

It is so amazing and unbelievable that their hearts almost want to jump outside of their ribcages.

One by one, the tense atmosphere began to melt into something lighter, almost cheerful.

Someone even dared to step closer to the man, asking how he was feeling.

Making space for them, Aria stepped aside to let the others check on their companion by themselves.

Standing up straight, her back aching from crouching for so long, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.

At that moment, her eyes met someone else’s tender gaze.

The leader of Base E wore an expression she could not decipher, whether it was gratitude or shock that she had truly cured someone infected by the A-Virus.

Soon, a simple mouthed "thank you" accompanied by a small smile was directed toward her.

At that moment, Aria paused, and a smile curved on her lips, showing how she was feeling a bit happy about it.

"Quick, help your brother into the car."

"Yes, Boss!"

"Let’s set up the tent quickly! Hurry!"

As everyone outside got busy, Aria was not heartless enough to let their efforts go to waste.

She quickly entered the Heavenly Train Station and instructed Lolo, along with the two best friends Mikey and Richi, to order meals from the Train Mall Station and buy suitable men’s clothing for the people outside.

They were reeking of dried blood, dust, and an unknown dark liquid that certainly did not look like it belonged to them.

Aria had always believed one’s appearance and comfort mattered the most in daily life.

Just imagining that kind of filth clinging to her own body was enough to make her skin crawl in discomfort, to the point she felt she might actually get sick if she were in their place.

Naturally, she assumed the others were just as uncomfortable in their current state.

Although their first meeting had been unpleasant, things could still be mended.

Besides, none of them had dared to cause trouble within her territory since last night. They had behaved, respected her space, and followed the rules.

Perhaps these people could become useful allies in the future, partners who might even help her complete this mission.

Soon, the takeouts were delivered one by one to everyone, and tents were already set up along the road.

At first, it was surprising for Aria, considering those tents definitely hadn’t been there before.

It seemed that the moment they stepped outside the Golden Barrier’s protection, they had managed to find useful supplies scattered around.

Alone, her figure appeared again, and instantly the lively atmosphere quieted.

Everyone’s attention shifted to her, their expressions becoming cautious and respectful. They had already understood clearly that this powerful woman with golden hair and strange clothing was not someone they could afford to provoke.

The leader of Base E took a step as if to greet her first, but before Michael could, one of his men suddenly rushed forward, cutting him off.

That alone was enough to draw raised eyebrows from the group, including from Aria herself.

She stopped walking, standing there with steady golden eyes.

It was obvious the man wanted to speak, so she simply turned her gaze toward him in quiet calm, waiting patiently.

The man’s anxious expression trembled under her gaze, and for several long seconds, he could not form a single word.

The leader of Base E shifted, clearly about to step in, but the man seemed to sense it and finally forced himself to act first.

With a deep breath, he blurted out, voice shaking. "Goddess! Please save my wife!"

"Eh!"

"Ehhhhh you have a wife?"

"When did this bastard have a wife!"

"Isn’t his childhood sweetheart already gone? What nonsense is he saying?"

The men erupted in shock, voices overlapping in confusion as they stared at their seemingly deluded brother.

In front of the subject of those teasing words, Aria understood nothing of the sudden commotion and simply looked at the man now kneeling before her.

His trembling gaze held raw desperation, and she could clearly see it was not fake.

She had always been good at recognizing genuine pleas for help, and this man’s eyes were filled with it.

Ignoring the murmurs and accusations from his comrades, the man pressed a hand firmly over his heart, as if anchoring himself, and lifted his head with determination shining through his fear.

"I am Henry Franz Sy. I am twenty-four this year. I have no ill intentions toward your power, Goddess. I only wish to save my wife, who was infected a year ago. Your appearance in my life is the only chance I have to save her!"

This sparked an even heavier silence.

No one dared to utter a single joke after hearing his words.

Aria also remained still, quiet in thought as she looked down, her gaze meeting the eyes of the desperate man before her.

For the first time since arriving here, she saw someone whose eyes were filled with despair not for themselves, but for another.

Or perhaps it was simply because she had not met many people yet.

"First, I am not a goddess." Aria stated it plainly, ensuring there would be no foolish ideas of worship. She was an ordinary human too, just like any of them.

After seeing that the men clearly heard and understood her words, she returned her attention to the kneeling man.

"Second, saving your wife is something we need to discuss further. If I simply say yes, others will develop dangerous thoughts sooner or later."

That concern had immediately surfaced in her mind. Agreeing too easily would bring future trouble, and she did not wish to be surrounded by greedy requests or threats tied to the Healing Bottle, especially since more than one person had witnessed what she did earlier.

Additionally, the fact that it could cure an infected person of A-Virus would surely become a problem in the days to come.

"But... as long as you can meet my conditions, we can talk about your request later." With that, she ended the conversation.

Aria turned her gaze toward the Leader of Base E, who snapped out of his trance and met her eyes in silent understanding. They shared a brief look before walking away from the group.

It was getting late, the sun already dipping toward the horizon. Facing the ruined city, Aria let out a quiet and soft sigh.

Who says she would not end up sleeping in a chair tonight? She felt like a pitiful clown for declaring otherwise this morning.

"I heard you mention earlier that you found the place I want." There was no point beating around the bush.

Aria wanted to secure a proper place as soon as possible, but after what happened earlier, she knew it was impossible today.

A gigantic snake-like mutant was still lurking outside the Golden Barrier, and stepping out now would be no different from courting death.

She had no intention of acting recklessly.

"Yes. It is not far from here. However..." Michael’s tone grew heavy. "I believe you already understand, Golden Princess. There is something out there."

Aria raised a brow, nodding. "Is that size normal?"

"This year, that is the largest mutant animal I have seen." He replied, expression stern, the weight in his voice confirming the seriousness.

"But to answer your question... yes. At this point, such a size is considered normal."

"Do you have any plans?" Hearing his confirmation made Aria even more certain the story had returned to its intended track, which only raised her suspicion.

Her system had told her this world was abandoned, that it would no longer follow its original plot.

Yet the appearance of that large mutant snake...

It tugged at her memory.

Back when she had scribbled her early world notes, she wrote a detail just like this.

The moment mutant creatures suddenly appeared, far larger and more aggressive than in the last five years, it marked the beginning of a disaster.

"Twenty-five percent of the remaining survivors around the globe would fall soon after."