Dudian nodded, indicating that he understood. There was no surprise in his heart. The radiation concentration outside the Wall was extremely high, and the items were covered with thick radiation and germs, so they naturally needed to be cleaned. However, what caught his slight attention was that the Church of Light was actually in charge of this work.
"Your items!" A young guard of the Church of Light in his early twenties shouted softly at Dudian, "State your name."
"My name is Dudian, and these are my items." Dudian handed over the bundle on his back upon hearing this.
The young guard waved to his companion beside him. A guard of the Church of Light came over and picked up the huge bundle on Dudian's back. Wearing a white mask, he let out a soft exclamation, "Goodness, it's quite heavy. I hope it's not all scrap metal."
As he spoke, he sent the bundle to an escort vehicle behind. There was a female guard standing on the vehicle. She tore off a piece of paper from her wrist, on which Dudian's name was written, and pasted it on the bundle. Then she threw the bundle into the compartment of the escort vehicle.
"Next one." The young guard waved his hand and said.
Dudian thought for a moment, took out the seven deep blue spheres from his waist bag, and said, "I found this too. Do I need to send it along as well?"
The young guard looked down and was stunned. He raised his eyes and looked Dudian up and down. Squinting his eyes, he said, "Little guy, where did you pick this up?"
"From the head of a walking corpse." Dudian answered truthfully.
The young guard stared at him and said, "Why did you think of rummaging through the head of a walking corpse?"
"Out of curiosity." Dudian said.
The young guard stared intently into his eyes, but seeing that the latter looked back at him without blinking, very calmly, he couldn't help but nod slightly and said, "I'll take this. It will be recorded in your account. As for whether it has any value, your consortium will naturally notify you later." As he spoke, he gave Dudian a meaningful look and took the seven deep blue spheres.
Dudian read some hidden emotions of pity and indifference in his gaze and couldn't help but feel strange in his heart. But he knew it wasn't appropriate to ask more questions, so he turned around and made way for the passage.
At this time, after the young guard put away the seven deep blue spheres, he successively inventoried the supplies of Mekin and the other three. When Pete came out from the steps after the passage was closed and saw that there were no other missing scavengers behind him, he immediately waved his hand and said, "Everyone, get on the carriage."
"Dean!" Scott lifted the curtain of a black carriage and beckoned to Dudian, "Come here."
Since he was invited, Dudian couldn't very well refuse, so he stepped into the carriage.
In the spacious carriage sat Mia and another young scavenger boy. The three young scavengers from the consortium were in another carriage.
"We wrongly suspected you before." After the carriage started moving, Scott said apologetically.
Dudian shook his head slightly and said, "It's only natural. I don't blame you."
Scott looked at him. Seeing that he didn't seem to really hold a grudge, he let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "Come to think of it, you're our savior this time. After the 'Washing Day' in three days, I'll treat you to a good meal. It's a pity you're too young to take you to those colorful places... Ahem. In the future, if you have any troubles or don't understand something, feel free to tell me. I'll do my best to help you!" At the end, his expression became slightly solemn. Although he had been joking before, it was obvious that this was what he really wanted to say.
Dudian smiled slightly. Previously, he and Mia were surrounded by walking corpses. He could have just abandoned those young scavengers from the consortium and left, but he chose to stay. Just this alone made him feel admiration. After all, he was someone who had experienced life and death and knew very well how desperate one could feel in the face of death, and he also understood what kind of evil thoughts could arise in people under such despair.
Being able to suppress these evil thoughts truly shows one's true nature!
So Dudian admired him.
"What is this 'Washing Day' you just mentioned?" Dudian asked curiously.
Scott slapped his head and smiled, "Look at me. I forgot to tell you about this. Fortunately, that guy Pete isn't here, or he'd nag at me again. I planned to introduce it to you newbies slowly when we had some free time at night during the scavenging trip in the Eighth District..." He sighed, shook his head slightly, and said to Dudian, "The 'Washing Day' is a usual practice after each return. Just like those items, our bodies also need to be carefully examined before we can enter the living area of the Great Wall."
"The 'Washing Day' lasts for three days. For anyone who has been infected, the longest incubation period of the virus in the body is three days. If after three days, one doesn't turn into a walking corpse, it proves that there is no virus on the body, and one can return to the living area."
Dudian suddenly understood.
Indeed.
Walking corpses and monsters could all be blocked by the Great Wall.
But the infiltration of the virus was much more terrifying. Once someone who was bitten by a walking corpse returned to the inside of the Wall and wasn't found out in time, the disaster caused would be extremely terrifying. Even if the spread of the virus wasn't controlled in time, the entire area could be infected!
Suddenly, Dudian thought of the "Boundary Wall" between the commercial area, the residential area, and the slum area. Those towering city walls and huge gates - could it be that their original meaning wasn't just to distinguish between the rich and the poor? In fact, they were to divide each area to prevent the virus from infiltrating the inside of the Wall and infecting all areas at once?
The more Dudian thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
At this time, Scott asked curiously, "Dean, why has your strength become so strong? You've only received the blessing twice, right? But your strength is even stronger than mine. I'm a man who has received the blessing nineteen times."
Mia and the young scavenger boy sitting beside him were also full of curiosity.
Seeing that they still hadn't forgotten this question, Dudian felt a bit helpless in his heart. Indeed, people's curiosity would never fade until it was satisfied.
"The air inside the Wall is really good." Dudian said.
Scott's face was covered in black lines. 'Your topic change was too sudden,' he said
Mia couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Dudian felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I really don't know. I passed out, and when I woke up, I was like this."
"Alright, alright..." Seeing that he couldn't get an answer, Scott could only give up.
Before long, everyone arrived at a certain place on the outer edge of the commercial area. This was the edge of the living area, where people rarely came. But the radiation level in the air was much thinner than in other outer areas and was almost the same as that in the living area. The reason why there were few people here was that this was a forbidden area!
Old trees like withered vines grew on both sides of the street, and several gloomy ancient castles stood on a few small hills. The carriage that Dudian and the others were in stopped in front of one of the ancient castles, and everyone got off the carriage one after another.
The guards in front of the ancient castle saw the carriage from a distance and opened the door of the ancient castle. A large horse with dark red hair, nearly three meters tall, galloped out from the ancient castle. This horse was full of vigor, and its entire body was covered with scarlet hair. At first glance, it was an extremely aggressive war horse.
A young man dressed as a Light Knight sat astride the horse. He gently tugged on the reins, and the strong horse neighed loudly and stopped in front of everyone. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and his jet-black hair was scattered over his shoulders, setting off his snow-white cheeks. He was extremely handsome. After casually glancing at Dudian, Scott, and the others, he said, "Follow me."
Scott nodded respectfully and took the lead with Mia in following the horse.
Dudian exchanged a look with Mekin and the other three and also followed.
Everyone knew that the young man with an extraordinary temperament in front of them was a Light Knight in the Church of Light. This was much nobler than an ordinary knight. One had to possess extremely high qualities to be granted this title! If having an ordinary knight to follow was a basic requirement for a noble, then having a Light Knight to follow or cultivating a Light Knight within one's own family was a great honor.
This was a very prestigious thing among the nobility.
In addition to the honorable status, the powerful strength of a Light Knight itself was beyond doubt. They were the number one vanguard in suppressing evil alchemists, magic pharmacists, and other professions. An ordinary knight needed to dismount and salute when seeing a Light Knight!
At this time, everyone followed this Light Knight into the ancient castle and came to a basement at the back of the ancient castle.
"One room for each person. Take a bath, change your clothes, and stay here for three days. There is the 'Book of Light' inside. It's best to read it more. Even if your body isn't contaminated, it can purify your hearts full of impurities." The young man with grayish-green hair said indifferently.
"Yes, Sir Knight." Scott nodded respectfully, already familiar with the rules here.
Dudian and the others were new here and followed Scott's example.
The small rooms in this basement were made of rough iron pillars, somewhat similar to cells. There was just a bed for sleeping, a wooden chamber pot, and a clean small table. On each table, there was a book with a light golden cover and silver streaks.