Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 585: Someone's Snitching
"Ch'en… why is this something even I didn't know about?"
Hoshiguma, who had been casually standing by enjoying the spectacle moments ago, could no longer stay calm.
At this moment, she could only feel relieved that she had been the only one who rushed over.
If anyone else in the Guard Department found out that Ch'en had already contracted Oripathy, the consequences of that secret leaking out would be unimaginably severe.
It wasn't that Hoshiguma hadn't considered the possibility that Steven was simply talking nonsense again.
After all, judging from his earlier behavior, he definitely didn't seem like the type who always spoke honestly.
However, Steven was from Rhodes Island, a professional medical organization.
That fact alone made it impossible for her to completely dismiss his words.
And so, unable to hold herself back, she turned toward her old friend with a heavy expression.
If Steven was lying, then fine.
But if he was telling the truth… then she absolutely could not ignore it.
"H-How could that be?" Ch'en stiffened instantly. "You're really going to believe a guy who constantly talks nonsense like him?"
Then she forced herself to stay calm and quickly added:
"Look at me. Do I seriously look like someone who could be infected with Oripathy?"
But years of partnership between them weren't meaningless.
Hoshiguma immediately sensed something wrong in Ch'en's response.
Ch'en's speech was rarely this hesitant or unclear.
If Steven had truly been lying, then Ch'en would've already slapped handcuffs onto him and dragged him away by now.
There was no way she'd still be standing here trying to explain herself instead.
"…Later," Hoshiguma said quietly, locking eyes with Ch'en, "you're coming with me to see the Guard Department's medical staff."
"Whether you're infected or not… the doctors will decide that."
Her expression had already turned frighteningly grim.
Hoshiguma knew exactly what Oripathy meant.
She had personally witnessed countless infected individuals slowly deteriorate before dying miserable deaths.
No matter what, she simply couldn't accept the possibility that her closest friend had contracted such a disease as well.
In Lungmen—no, across all of Terra—Oripathy was practically synonymous with terminal cancer.
Once infected, there was almost no possibility of a cure.
Medication and treatment could reduce the pain and slow the progression somewhat, but complete recovery was virtually impossible.
In many ways, being infected was equivalent to having a slow death sentence hung around your neck.
And that was precisely why people throughout the world feared and rejected the infected so intensely.
An incurable disease.
Extremely contagious.
A guaranteed death sentence.
Who wouldn't panic standing next to someone carrying that?
"…Uh, did I accidentally say something I wasn't supposed to?"
Steven scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"But it's just the truth though."
Then, after glancing at Ch'en thoughtfully, he added:
"If you don't believe me… let me think. Assuming I'm not mistaken, Officer Ch'en should have a small hard lump somewhere near her collarbone and shoulder area."
"If you touch carefully enough, you should be able to tell it's shaped like an Originium crystal."
Steven genuinely hadn't expected one casual truthful remark to trigger this kind of reaction.
From the looks of it, he had accidentally exposed a very important secret.
…She probably wasn't going to forgive him for this, huh?
And judging from the murderous glare Ch'en was currently directing at him—yeah, definitely not.
Since he had already offended her anyway, Steven simply decided to go all the way and even revealed the approximate location of the Originium crystal inside her body.
At that point, there was no point half-committing.
If he was already doomed, he might as well say everything at once and get it over with.
"That's enough already!" Ch'en snapped through clenched teeth, sounding as though she wanted to grind them into powder. "Why are you, an outsider, talking so much about my business?"
"What, you think you understand me or something?!"
She genuinely couldn't comprehend how Steven had managed to notice something like that.
Was this guy some kind of human X-ray scanner?!
But unlike Ch'en, Hoshiguma no longer cared about arguing.
Without hesitation, she reached out and gently pressed against Ch'en's collarbone area through her clothes.
And the moment her fingers felt that faint, unmistakable hardness beneath the fabric—the already grim expression on Hoshiguma's face completely darkened.
"I think you owe me an explanation."
Hoshiguma stared straight at Ch'en.
"I'm not asking when you got infected."
Her voice grew heavier with each word.
"I'm asking why something this serious happened to you… and yet you still chose not to tell me."
At this point, there was no more doubt left.
Ch'en had already contracted Oripathy.
The worst possible outcome had become reality.
And because of that, Hoshiguma needed an answer.
Otherwise, there was no way she could allow Ch'en to continue serving as the Special Inspection Unit Chief.
"...Hoshiguma, stop asking."
Ch'en let out a tired sigh.
"You already know why I didn't tell you, don't you?"
She lowered her gaze briefly before continuing.
"Do you really think the Guard Department would accept an infected Unit Chief?"
"Or that they'd willingly keep what they see as a ticking time bomb by their side?"
"Even if I insisted I could handle it, do you honestly think you—or my uncle—would allow me to continue this work?"
Ch'en's voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable bitterness hidden beneath it.
"Don't be naïve. We both know the answer already."
"I still want to continue carrying out my responsibilities."
"It's just a little Oripathy, that's all. With my physical condition, some vitamins, proper rest, and regular routines, I'll get through it just fine."
Faced with her old friend's questioning, Ch'en could only answer helplessly.
Because she believed Hoshiguma would understand.
If their positions were reversed, Hoshiguma would probably make exactly the same choice.
Ch'en couldn't help glancing toward Steven again.
The look in her eyes had become… extremely complicated.
Or rather, if looks alone could kill, Steven would've already been sliced into ten thousand pieces by now.
She knew it.
Every single time she encountered this guy, absolutely nothing good ever happened.
What she hadn't expected was this outcome.
She still had no idea how Steven had seen through her condition, but that didn't change the fact that he had directly exposed her biggest secret.
And the next words out of his mouth nearly pushed Ch'en to the point of wanting to tear him apart with her bare hands.
"Uh… mind if I interrupt for a second?"
Steven raised a hand cautiously.
"So from what Officer Hoshiguma just said… am I understanding correctly that you haven't told your uncle about this either?"
"You know. Wei Yenwu?"
For once, even Steven's tone lacked its usual confidence.
At this point, even he felt like the joke might've gotten slightly out of hand.
"…What are you trying to imply?"
Ch'en frowned sharply.
"You planning to threaten me with this?"
Nobody knew about her infection.
Nobody.
If Steven could figure it out, then fine—that was his ability.
But if he thought he could use that information to blackmail her, then he was being ridiculously naïve.
"No, no, that's not what I mean."
Steven immediately waved his hands.
Then, scratching his cheek awkwardly, he gave Ch'en an apologetic smile.
"What I mean is… uh… sorry about this, but there's a pretty good chance he already knows now."
"Even if I don't go snitching, that doesn't mean someone else won't."
Steven tilted his head slightly toward the shadows nearby.
"For example… that little rat who's been eavesdropping this whole time has probably already reported your secret to her boss."
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M