Chapter 701 ·The Legendary Doctor Makes Her Appearance

Zoe ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍stood dumbfounded. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Gaia raise a finger in front of her lips.

Gaia ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gently shook her head and pointed to Beatrice at the side.

Beatrice ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was now cautiously poking her head out from inside the Steam Engine. She first tried spitting a few times with “ptoo ptoo ptoo.” When she realized that nothing but saliva came out, she finally let out a sigh of relief and crawled out of the Steam Engine.

Seeing ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gaia and Zoe staring at her, Beatrice froze. “What’s wrong? Did the airship run out of fuel? Wait a moment, let me build it up.”

“No ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍no no, no need.”

“No ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍need, no need! There’s still fuel!”

The two of them waved their hands frantically.

What a joke. They were already beside Castel—how could they possibly lack Pollution?

The Pollution delivered daily from the Stellar Furnace was more than enough for the entire island to use.

The Stellar Furnace, the Stellar Furnace…

Zoe’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Got it!”

Gaia and Beatrice were both startled by her reaction. Zoe hurriedly explained, “Beatrice, can the Steam Engine help you suppress the Pollution?”

Beatrice turned back to glance at the Steam Engine. Its gears twisted slightly, letting out a few clicking sounds, as if humming in response.

“Yes, the Steam Engine has been suppressing the Pollution inside my body. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lasted until now.”

“Then do you know that Castel has an enormous Furnace? That Machine Soul must be much stronger than this one. It would definitely suppress the Pollution in your body even better!”

Beatrice blinked in confusion. Dissatisfied gurgling sounds came from the Steam Chamber of the Steam Engine. Only Gaia truly understood what Zoe meant, and her eyes widened.

“She can go in? She can come out? That’s completely ridiculous!”

Zoe’s face flushed red. She looked away and stiffened her neck. “Just tell me—would it suppress it or not?”

“Well… by your logic, once you go into the Stellar Furnace, there’s no illness that can’t be cured.”

Zoe was instantly embarrassed into silence.

Fortunately, the lookout who burst into the cabin quickly saved her:

“We’ve received a message from Castel!”

The three turned their heads. “What message?”

“Castel has received news of our arrival and is preparing to send a doctor to assist.”

“A doctor? Who’s coming? Richard?”

“They didn’t say a name. They only said a ‘legendary doctor’ would come to assist.”

At those words, Gaia and Zoe’s expressions changed drastically. “Quick! Send a message back—no legendary one! Just send an ordinary doctor!!”

Castel didn’t actually have a formal rank called “legendary doctor,” but there were indeed two people who had earned that title.

One was Gwen, the other was Monica.

There was no need to elaborate on Gwen. With a single chain flail, she had smashed the entire Silent Sanctum back into shape, then achieved enlightenment in the midst of battle and created the “Eight Sacred Healing Strikes,” the pinnacle of physical-therapy treatment.

As for Monica, she was legitimately licensed to practice medicine. She knew all standard medical procedures. The problem was that she rarely used standard treatment methods.

Her treatments were always wildly imaginative, defined by the unexpected. Every procedure was a miracle. She could always cure someone in an outrageously unconventional way.

Together, the two of them had made Castel’s medical world renowned. Patients often recovered the moment they heard their names, wishing they could jump out of bed and flee with the hospital bed strapped to their backs.

This also led to poor doctor-patient relations in Castel. Medical disputes occurred frequently—doctors demanding to treat patients.

Gaia and Zoe had naturally heard these rumors. They immediately told the lookout to pull the Steam Whistle. Unfortunately, they were still a step too late.

Bang!

The entire airship shook, as if something had smashed into it.

In the next moment, the door to the Passenger Cabin was violently pushed open.

“Castel’s greatest doctor has arrived! Where’s the patient!”

Monica rushed in, her face full of excitement, with black soot still smeared across her head.

A large patch of scales on her tail was scorched. It was obvious she hadn’t come up through any conventional means.

Gaia vaguely had a guess. Monica always applied for quite a lot of explosives.

“You’re the patient?” Monica bypassed Zoe and Gaia and circled Beatrice with keen interest. “Where’s the problem?”

Beatrice was startled. It was her first time seeing a Banshee. When she had come to Castel previously, she hadn’t even known of their existence.

Compared to the other Banshees, Monica didn’t feel as alien. Not for any profound reason—mainly because she was rather short.

Noticing Beatrice’s gaze, Monica straightened her serpent tail as much as possible to make herself look taller. “Stop staring at me. You’ll have plenty of time to look later. Hurry and tell me what illness you have!”

“Let me explain,” Gaia sighed and stepped forward. “Beatrice’s body isn’t in good condition…”

After hearing the explanation, Monica’s eyes were already shining brightly.

“So you can spray Pollution?!” Her six hands interlaced two by two, her expression filled with longing. “That’s amazing!”

“A-amazing?” Beatrice scratched her head. She truly didn’t understand how turning into a fountain had anything to do with being amazing. Yet Monica didn’t seem to be faking her excitement.

“Of course it’s amazing! Don’t you think this Breath ability can instantly defeat any Transcendent?”

The three of them froze at those words.

Battles between Transcendents rarely ended instantly. Even when an Investigator faced a Chrysalis—two Transcendence Paths with vastly different combat strength—the fight could drag on for quite some time. Not to mention a Transcendence Path like the Burial Ones, famous for endurance. When two Burial Ones dueled, they could bore the audience to sleep.

At its core, this was because Transcendents possessed numerous methods of resisting danger.

But Beatrice’s Pollution Breath almost perfectly countered any supernatural ability.

A Burial One had great endurance? One mouthful of Pollution would make them lose control, turning them into an endurance-heavy monster.

A Chrysalis had many Avatars? Once contaminated, an Avatar would be completely destroyed, requiring a long time to slowly purify and isolate it—otherwise the erosion would spread to the main body.

One breath would cripple the Avatar ability. Two breaths, and it was over on the spot.

Gaia and Zoe exchanged a glance. They both saw the shock in each other’s eyes.

They truly had never considered it from this angle.

Last time Beatrice had used her Breath, they had avoided it with their Avatars and hadn’t thought much about it. Now that they considered it carefully, they were lucky she hadn’t taken a second breath.

Beatrice herself was stunned for a long moment before speaking with difficulty, “I… I still want to cure this spraying-Pollution problem.”

Zoe quickly added, “Monica, Beatrice’s issue isn’t just that she can expel Pollution. There’s too much Pollution accumulated inside her body. She’s on the verge of collapse. She must be treated!”

“Oh, that’s simple too. Amputation will solve it.”

Beatrice froze again. After a long while, she asked softly, “How… how would you amputate?”

She was still young. She truly didn’t want to become disabled like this.

“Nora-style amputation. Guaranteed to solve all your problems!”

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