LWDC Chapter 141

Chapter 141: The World of the Mire

Chapter 141: The World of the Mire

Chapter 141: The World of the Mire

Ning Fei finally took the vacation he had been postponing for quite some time.

Perhaps because he had mentioned his original world to Yu Zhou several times in the previous world, this time Ning Fei didn’t look for a relaxed and pleasant new world or a place he had originally scouted, as he had done before. Instead, he returned to the world where he was born, a country that, for most people, held only despair.

Moreover, Ning Fei didn’t spend many points to exchange for an absolutely powerful aristocratic setting or a high-ranking role within the church. Such roles might seem luxurious and decadent, but to Ning Fei, they were extremely disgusting, even more nauseating than the smell of the slums. Therefore, he simply became a doctor.

Not a private doctor for royalty, not a wealthy and respected church doctor, but a common street doctor who catered to the common people, treating them as he pleased, and charging whatever he felt like. He wasn’t here to do good deeds; he simply found a profession that allowed him to come into contact with all kinds of people. From ordinary citizens struggling to survive to some clergy members the church couldn’t control, all were his customers.

He came back to rest, wanting only to be an “observer.”

Observing these people from top to bottom, forever willingly wallowing in the mire, with no one truly wanting to change the mire itself.

Of course, Ning Fei’s medical skills were actually quite average, so he brought a “medical skill package.” However, this skill package was very cheap and very basic, barely better than a barefoot doctor. So, Ning Fei treated minor illnesses symptomatically, watched over moderate illnesses, and treated major illnesses randomly. Oh, and the people of Commoner Street—actually “Poverty Street”—usually didn’t treat minor illnesses, dragged out moderate illnesses, and lay down and gave up on major illnesses, so Ning Fei’s income was actually very low.

Anyway, Ning Fei didn’t rely on this for a living. He had prepared in advance and exchanged enough wealth with his luck points. A small house, a small business, didn’t cost much money, and the money he brought was enough for him to live in this world for a long time.

However, in this world, having money alone couldn’t necessarily completely protect you, so Ning Fei also kept another trump card up his sleeve. He just didn’t want to be high-profile; he wouldn’t reveal this trump card unless absolutely necessary.

Ning Fei lived a low-key life in the old, small house for a while. Commoner Street had always been a mixed bag, and most people didn’t care about this outsider, only occasionally someone would knock on the door to buy some herbs. Instead, his reputation began to spread among some people who served the church.

Because Ning Fei could, and was willing to, treat “that aspect” of illnesses and injuries.

From temporary external injuries to contagious, embarrassing ailments, Ning Fei could basically handle them. If the church doctors’ treatments were ineffective, or even if they were too lazy to treat them, Ning Fei became one of the top choices for these people. Although Ning Fei’s consultation fees weren’t cheap, his attitude wasn’t good, and his medical skills weren’t exactly superb—some techniques were even quite brutal—but this was already the best option for these people.

“Accidental budding flowers that bloom in the rotten mud, only to quickly decay…”

This was Ning Fei’s assessment of these people.

Most of these people were actually commoners that the church had gathered from all over the country. The selection criteria were simple—young age, beautiful appearance. The people who took the children away used similar rhetoric, telling the parents, “The church believes your child has potential and wants to take them in for training. In the future, he (or she) may become a Holy Son/Daughter.” These days, it was difficult for many parents to raise children, and the church was a place with a “glorious, great, and correct” image. So, when the church stated its willingness to take on this responsibility, the parents usually agreed without hesitation.

If there were any who were unwilling, the church people would patiently persuade them with talk of “family honor,” “the child being able to live a better life,” and “the child being able to receive a salary as a clergy member and send some money back home.” In short, after a series of small combos, most commoner families would agree to dedicate their children to the church. As for those who really didn’t agree, well, forget it. The church wasn’t short of one or two children; did they expect the church to pay compensation to the parents? No way.

The children who were brought into the church were collectively called “Sacred Apprentices,” and in theory, they would have the opportunity to become “Holy Sons” in the future. But theory was just theory; reality was much crueler. The church gathered so many children not to seriously train them at all. During the day, these children had to study and work, and when night fell, they would be used as “toys” to be selected and played with.

Yes, the glorious and great church during the day was simply a terrifying demon’s lair at night—for these “Sacred Apprentices.”

When the lanterns were lit, the nobles who had donated various sums to the church during the day would come to the gatherings organized by the church. The church provided food, drinks, and various novel ways to have fun. The nobles could indulge all night long, releasing themselves to the fullest, and then leave at dawn. The next time, the nobles would give money again during the day and come again at night. This cycle repeated itself, and the church would continue to have a steady stream of income, remaining prosperous and never stopping the extravagance of the night.

Ning Fei later learned that this kind of church couldn’t be considered a proper religion at all; it was a true cult.

But the people of this world couldn’t wake up, and even if they did, it was useless. The church and the nobles colluded with each other, firmly controlling the lifeblood of this country both spiritually and materially. It was too difficult to change this situation, so Ning Fei said that “saving the world” cost too much luck and was useless even if saved.

And the Ning Fei of the past was also one of the “Sacred Apprentices.”

He was a bit different from those apprentices of commoner origin. He himself had aristocratic blood, but his family had declined by the time he was born. When he was young, he was spotted by a church official who brought him to his side to teach him. This official was old and shrewd, understanding the principle of “less but better.” He didn’t touch Ning Fei, but he often brought Ning Fei with him, as if showing off and flaunting the masterpiece he had cultivated. The more Ning Fei grew up, the more refined his appearance became, especially his black hair and black eyes, which carried an increasingly mysterious charm. The official was holding him out for a good price, all to get a richer return.

All Ning Fei could do was try his best to maneuver among those high-ranking and grotesquely exposed nobles, trying not to fall into their clutches too quickly and then quickly lose his value. However, his stalling caused the official’s displeasure, and before the official’s dissatisfaction with his lack of cooperation reached its limit, he made a choice.

The chosen target wasn’t exactly a good person, but compared to the others, it was Ning Fei’s best option.

Ning Fei now thinks back and feels that he was quite cheap back then. He did so much, thinking he was different from others, thinking he was struggling with all his might, but in the end, he was just a clown. He understood very well that without Yu Zhou, there was no way he could have reached where he was today. Yu Zhou was his savior, his god, irreplaceable, the most important person in his heart.

No matter how absurd and unreliable Yu Zhou was, as long as he sent out a signal for help, as long as he wanted to do something, Ning Fei would reach out and lend a hand.

But Ning Fei only valued Yu Zhou; he didn’t want to completely learn from him or replicate his path.

This time back, Ning Fei wasn’t here to find another boy like he was back then and take him to the Bureau of Management. He knew he was selfish, but he wouldn’t feel guilty anymore. Everything in this world would quickly numb you.

He just wanted to stay in this pool of rot for a few days, and he would leave when he was tired of it.

*

Since the last time he went to the church villa, Ning Fei had been staying indoors for several days.

He didn’t care about the medical follow-up, didn’t care whether the boy lived or died later. Anyway, the church people hadn’t come looking for him again. The rainy season arrived, and Ning Fei closed the doors and windows, lit the incense in his house, and isolated himself from the strange stench that permeated the street. It was perfect for sleeping at home.

After Ning Fei had been staying indoors continuously, holed up at home for several days, the church people finally came again.

Rarely in the daytime, and rarely was it no longer a panicked apprentice, but a proper clergy member who came to find him. Ning Fei inquired about the situation and understood that it was because a currently favored apprentice had fallen ill with a contagious disease. The illness had been going on for quite some time, and the church doctors couldn’t control it, so the symptoms were getting worse and worse. Now that the church doctors were completely helpless, but the church didn’t quite want to give up on this apprentice, they began to look for doctors outside the church.

Ning Fei, who had treated the lower-level apprentices, was recommended to the upper levels.

So, Ning Fei asked Salai to call the carriage he had rented for a long time and followed the clergy member’s car to the manor where the church was located. Then, he entered the main building he used to be familiar with.

It was very large here, and Ning Fei didn’t recognize anyone inside anymore. Many people quietly watched him pass, silently assessing and evaluating him, including many dressed in exquisite clothes. Ning Fei didn’t look sideways and went up to the second floor, arriving at the patient’s room. He put on gloves, a mask, and a dark, cheap coat at the door, his whole body was black except for his gloves, which was out of place with the luxurious building dominated by white and gold.

Ning Fei didn’t care about other people’s sidelong glances and pushed open the door.

As a “popular” “Holy Son candidate,” this boy’s room was much larger and more luxurious. There weren’t any important people like church officials in the room, but many clergy members, doctors, and servants were standing there. Ning Fei still chased most people out, leaving only a church doctor, a clergy member, and a servant to help, which was enough.

This boy was much more arrogant than the previous patients, staring at Ning Fei with dissatisfied and ashamed eyes. Ning Fei didn’t have an emotional appeasement session; he directly lifted the quilt on the boy and began to examine him.

…It had already spread a lot.

It was estimated that the nobles who favored him weren’t doing any better.

Ning Fei ridiculed in his heart, examining, diagnosing, prescribing medicine, and using the character’s “medical skill package” to fulfill his responsibilities. He also made it clear that the prescription he prescribed could only control the disease, but this boy’s condition had already developed quite seriously and was difficult to cure completely. To alleviate it, isolation, rest, and dietary control were indispensable.

The clergy member casually agreed, but Ning Fei guessed that they wouldn’t take “isolation” to heart.

How could they let a favored “toy” rest? If this boy was really so serious that the nobles were unwilling to touch him, the most likely outcome he would get was… a dead end.

Ning Fei couldn’t care about these things. He just finished his medical advice and walked out of the room. He took off the gloves, mask, and coat, threw them into the bucket, and ordered the nearby servants to burn the items completely. If these people were greedy and didn’t burn the coat, Ning Fei wouldn’t care about their own deaths.

The clergy member also came out, staring at Ning Fei’s face thoughtfully. Ning Fei ignored his gaze and directly asked him for the consultation fee, but he got an unexpected yet reasonable answer.

“…Do you want me to talk to the steward?” Ning Fei sneered, “I quoted the price when I came. You agreed before I came, but now you say you want to go back on your word and talk about it again?”

The clergy member also smiled meaningfully, “I don’t know, wouldn’t you know if you went?”

“I’m not going. Don’t play that game with me.” How could Ning Fei not understand these people’s tricks? They could have just handed over the money, but they insisted on making it complicated. Ning Fei knew too well what these A ghost wanted to do. So many people had seen his face just now, and it was possible that someone had been moved by the idea of being a “pimp.”

He went straight downstairs, quickly walking toward the door. The servants, who didn’t know what had happened, opened the door for him.

The old but safe black carriage was parked at the door—fortunately, Ning Fei had been careful and called his own car.