The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 437: Successfully Containing the Outbreak

A golden hue suddenly blanketed many people, and after a minute they disappeared. The once-infected individuals were healthy again, while those who had shown no symptoms also felt a change in their bodies. They felt refreshed, as if they had just consumed elixirs.

"I have already healed all the infected patients and included everyone below the duke stage in my healing technique to ensure that no one remains infected. I can assure you that there are no issues within your body, and you may resume your daily activities." Aldrian voice echoed across the city.

He then looked in Baron Weilmar’s direction and sent her a voice transmission.

"My apologies for coming like this, but this is urgent, and we must save as many people as possible."

Baron Weilmar was stunned but quickly replied, "Young master, you don’t have to apologize. In fact, I truly appreciate your help. This outbreak was completely unexpected. After our city barely escaped the second prince’s troops, now we have this. I’m even starting to suspect that the second prince has a hand in it."

"I agree. Anyway, I’ll head to another place and make sure this gu outbreak is quickly contained." After that, Aldrian vanished.

Baron Weilmar sighed as she watched Aldrian’s figure vanish, then looked around. The once-infected patients were starting to wake up one by one, and joy spread across the faces of the masses. The cheering voices of the people truly relieved her stressed heart and slightly lifted her mood.

The gu outbreak had already claimed thousands of lives, which was a great regret, but she chose to focus on the positive, the outbreak had been quickly contained thanks to Aldrian’s intervention. She felt grateful that he was here to help them.

"He’s truly multi-talented. To think he can also heal people like a physician," she thought.

"With his resourcefulness and ability, he will become a great cultivator like no other. He could grow into an exceptional leader, as he has once again effortlessly won the hearts of the people."

What Aldrian had done for the city and its people was enough to make the populace truly admire him, and his popularity might have already surpassed hers. She did not take it to heart, as he was indeed more capable than her, and it only showed that Aldrian could easily become a leader if he could gain the trust of the masses this effortlessly.

She then walked through the city to continue observing its condition. Seeing the situation improving, her headache had already begun to subside. However, a thought crossed her mind, making her expression darken.

"If this was truly caused by the second prince, then he has gone too far by involving innocent people."

If the second prince was indeed behind this, then it meant he no longer cared about the fate of the very people who might one day be his subjects if he won the civil war. He didn’t seem to care about the possibility of this backfiring on him in the future.

One of the most important things a ruler must secure when governing a territory is public opinion. To maintain stability and avoid turmoil, the ruler must win the hearts of the people.

However, what if news spread that the second prince had resorted to something as despicable as an outbreak to force the rebel faction to surrender or achieve some other purpose? Even if he won the war and claimed the throne, he would lose the people’s respect, even from those who initially supported him, and they would never truly see him as their rightful ruler.

This could become a ticking time bomb, one that would haunt the second prince for as long as he ruled. A commotion even greater than the current civil war might erupt, and that could spell the end of the Atria Empire.

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For the next hour, Aldrian had been teleporting to each city, town, and even small village within the Weilmar Barony. Since the barony had already become his domain, he was determined to contain the outbreak and prevent it from worsening. Fortunately, each of these areas had only tens or, at most, hundreds of cases. The physicians he had summoned also did an excellent job treating the patients.

They were able to destroy the gu quickly and effectively. Aldrian was not surprised, as all of them were duke-stage or higher physicians. As cultivators, they possessed strong cultivation, and as physicians, they had vast knowledge and experience. Eliminating gu that only affected cultivators below the duke stage was an easy task for them. The only thing they needed was direction, which Aldrian had already provided when he informed them of the outbreak’s cause.

After another hour, Aldrian finally returned to Caritas and went to visit Eleine, who was still resting in bed. Sylphia and Baek Jimin sat beside her, seemingly keeping her company. Eleine remained peacefully asleep, while the two women appeared to be guarding her. Xin Haotian had already left the mansion to observe the situation outside.

The two ladies smiled at Aldrian as he entered the room.

"How is it?" Sylphia asked.

Aldrian nodded with a smile.

"Good. I’ve checked every populated area within the Weilmar Barony, and I don’t think there are any infected people left." But then, he sighed.

"However, we lost far too many lives in the first hours of the outbreak. The number has almost reached a hundred thousand, and most of the victims were mortals and lower-level cultivators. They were the most vulnerable and succumbed to the gu infection the fastest."

Sylphia and Baek Jimin also felt a deep sense of regret. Sylphia sighed as she turned back to gaze at Eleine’s sleeping face.

"How could the gu outbreak spread so suddenly? How the hell did this happen? Who was responsible for spreading the gu? I refuse to believe this is just a coincidence." She turned to look at Aldrian again.

"Don’t you think so, dear?"

Aldrian nodded.

"Of course. The timing is far too convenient, and the outbreak only occurred within the Weilmar Barony. I’ve already asked my informants about the situation in other noble territories, but none of them have faced an outbreak like ours. That alone is a huge red flag. With this, I’m certain that the second prince is the one behind it."

He finally understood the plan known as the "Plague Plan"—the one he had discovered from the memories of Marquess Xavier and Duke Schmidt. The name, the timing, and the outbreak all aligned perfectly. It was far too much of a coincidence for this to be the work of some unknown party.

Hearing Aldrian’s words, Sylphia and Baek Jimin’s eyes widened.

"How? Why would he do this? Doesn’t he realize that if word of this gets out, he’ll face massive backlash from the public? Does he not care about his people? Does he intend to rule through total tyranny, crushing the people with an iron fist?" Sylphia asked.

"If we analyze this outbreak, it’s clear that he’s desperate to maintain his supremacy in this civil war. After I crushed his forces multiple times, he realized that facing me head-on would only lead to further losses. So instead, he resorted to a scheme like this to keep me in check. By creating this crisis, he’s trying to force me to remain in the eastern part of the empire while he deals with the rebel forces elsewhere." Aldrian replied.

He then walked closer to Eleine’s bed, standing right beside Sylphia, which made her lean her head against his body.

"I have to admit, he is truly decisive and cruel for involving innocent people in his plan. If he’s already this ruthless, we can only imagine how he will rule in the future. He doesn’t care about public opinion because he believes he can suppress it with his own forces and the support of his allies." Aldrian said.

He gently stroked Sylphia’s hair, but she remained focused on his words.

"Then we should turn the people against the second prince. Even those who are neutral in this empire, if they learn what he has done, they will likely side with the rebels. And with your presence here, it will give them the courage to stand up and fight." She said.

Aldrian nodded.

"That’s true. Now, what remains is figuring out how the second prince managed to spread the gu in Weilmar Barony. While I can confirm that he is behind this, I still don’t know his method. I’m afraid that once he learns his plan has been thwarted, he might try again in the future. As long as we don’t understand how he spread the gu, we’ll always be at a disadvantage. There’s even a chance he could unleash another, entirely different plague."

"For that, I first need to determine how the gu entered this city. I believe the second prince’s primary targets were this city and Weilmar, as they are the two main cities of the barony and the ones I liberated from him."

Aldrian then turned to Sylphia.

"Dear, what have Eleine, you, and Baek Jimin been doing since my battle against the second prince’s troops outside the city? Specifically, is there anything Eleine did that you and Baek Jimin didn’t?"