"Such a pity."
Nan Zhiyi watched the shaking footage on TV—various bizarre creatures charging ashore one after another only to be driven back. Humans were indeed sufficient for dealing with infected entities but containing spread was very difficult. Without guessing, she knew infection outbreaks would follow.
She subconsciously touched her thigh—she'd always had leg troubles before, only improving after awakening as a magical girl.
Others didn't have such fortune, only waiting for uncertain-effect yet expensive treatment.
"Do we also have to fight infection?"
"Don't be self-righteous—all value in the world comes from external assignment. Nobody requires you to shoulder any responsibility, don't seek suffering." Hibiscus flipped the fried egg into the air and caught it steadily. "Like this thing—when it should lie flat in the oil pan, it lies flat. What's the big deal?"
"Completely unimpressive metaphor." Nan Zhiyi shook her head. "Can the Healing Technique you taught me treat infection disease?"
"Yes, but currently only I've reached that level. Actually I'm already clearing infections—I made a fake identity and built a clinic, discussed with Dock Gang in advance so it should open soon."
Hibiscus appeared nonchalant while dropping massive information, serving breakfast including fried eggs, milk and bread to the girl.
"I feel like you're skipping a lot."
Food aromas wafted to Nan Zhiyi's nose but she didn't touch her chopsticks, countless thoughts flashing through her mind:
So Hibiscus had acted earlier than anyone, actually figuring out magical girl money-making schemes in advance, getting fake identity and preparing to open a clinic as doctor. Could heal patients while matching her constant dreams—no, should say conveniently intervening in rampant coastal Disaster Beast trafficking. So when did she connect with Dock Gang? She was just talking big about future fantasies while the real action-taker was Hibiscus, secretly making many moves already.
The girl was more certain her childhood friend intended developing influence, practically step by step forward. Silently working hard where people couldn't see truly tested one's resolve.
"Since you're being a doctor, I can be a nurse helping you."
"The clinic's just transitional means. I promised Dock Gang to treat infections while they collect infected entities and Disaster Beast remains for me—just a transaction. If you really want to help, keep your law, I need a lawyer." Hibiscus pointed at the thick stack of corporate law books on the table.
Nan Zhiyi glanced and understood. "You plan to register a company?"
Hibiscus nodded.
"All materials ready?"
"Of course."
"Don't mind me running an errand for you?"
Ultimately Hibiscus couldn't out-argue Nan Zhiyi. The latter wolfed down breakfast then set off enthusiastically, saying she'd previewed much legal knowledge—memorizing was never wrong anyway, should prove useful, at least better than her completely amateur prospective boss.
After clearing dishes, Hibiscus should also depart—after all, the system extracted a bunch of scattered suggestions perfectly matching upcoming actions. Not using them would be wasteful.
Before the floor mirror, the girl patted her head as an hourglass hair accessory appeared, then her hair turned silver-white, eyes dyed wine-red, gaze sharpening with heroic spirit between her brows. Then she didn't forget light makeup to distinguish from her true appearance—thus Dr. Mu's identity reappeared in the world. This time Hibiscus clearly felt reduced magic consumption, more natural than before, gradually strengthening Regalia control.
She pretentiously brought medical equipment and donned a white coat before heading to the dock district.
...
For dock district residents, disaster was just beginning.
Though Disaster Beast attacks seemed mighty and devastating, proper warning work could avoid the worst strikes—but what about afterwards? They ultimately had to return to places sustaining livelihoods, otherwise uproot families and move far away? Easier said than done, ultimately still returning.
Infection symptoms weren't as terrifying as virulent contagions—simply weakening, making legs inconvenient and greatly reducing mobility, but troublesome enough.
Dock Gang Leader Wang Dahai was already overwhelmed by the previous dock night battle incident, then suffered consecutive Disaster Beast attacks. Fortunately they evacuated timely, limiting losses to goods and buildings, but returning meant facing infection disease.
Even with official organizations' repeated sterilization treatments, they couldn't completely eliminate Disaster Beast influence.
Then he sat on the embankment, painful sounds carried on the wind—people with crutches falling after a few steps, people bedridden...
Until that person suddenly visited.
Wang Dahai stared at people continuously queuing since early morning before the broken house bearing "Dock Clinic" sign, even offering pennants, gifts and flowers. The owner hadn't arrived yet but it was already so lively—this reputation was ten times stronger than his own.
He was very wary of the clinic owner, but when the other hinted at connections to that night's figure in black, the gang had to submit.
Who was Dr. Mu? Nobody knew where she came from—even investigations yielded only scraps insufficient for judgment.
Judge by deeds not hearts—whatever she planned or schemed didn't matter, at least more substantial than any so-called official relief or corporate aid. Besides, only Dr. Mu understood treatment. Everyone witnessed: Dr. Mu would receive every patient, just closing doors for a few minutes of observation, listening, questioning, examining, then mostly improving. After taking medicine, everything was fine, sweeping away infection symptoms completely. Monitoring found those medicines were just health supplements, so they weren't key. Asking patients wasn't clear either—they basically said they drowsily finished treatment, couldn't recall details even reminiscing.
Something definitely happened in the clinic, but Dr. Mu forbade prying so nobody had crooked thoughts.
If angering the great benefactor made her leave in fury, dock residents would be angrier, definitely tearing that person to pieces.
Though alone, her reputation quickly surpassed all local snakes. Even appearing as a young girl, nobody dared underestimate—capability trumped everything.
So intelligence sources could only come from patients.
Patients were universally perfectly cured without any aftereffects, better than all current treatments, the process quite humane without pain—not a single flaw. Unscientific. Really folk remedies instantly defeating Changfeng Financial Group's years of research?
Dock Gang members all found this absurd—those researchers would probably vomit blood hearing this, too unreasonable.
How strange. So why charge only minimal treatment fees for charity?
Suspicious details everywhere made Wang Dahai raise 120% vigilance. Because he absolutely didn't believe people practicing medicine to save lives still existed in the world—definitely had ulterior motives, perhaps secretly doing human experiments. Anyway, couldn't trust people lightly.
But the public had already chosen.
His vigilance was actually meaningless—the entire Dock Gang and even coastal disaster areas became Dr. Mu's faithful supporters, everyone afraid of angering her with serious consequences.