Chapter 2: Panem et circenses (part2)

I was seriously impressed by how quickly my little virus had spread. The streets had totally devolved into a chaotic mess of lust and pleasure, the loud buzzing of chatter and laughter had become moans of pleasure and fatigued grunts.

It was supposed to spread through bodily fluids, but I didn't actually expect it to spread through sweat, just by coming in contact with it would allow the virus to infiltrate your body trough skin. My idea was to create a stimulant, the infected would feel an uncontrollable sexual need and by trying to relieve it, they would spread the pathogen.

But I think I had underestimated the growth rate of the disease, people should have devolved to mindless sexual beast only after a week or two, otherwise, they would get a heart attack before spreading my virus enough. Ugh, something must have gone wrong, maybe the virus had somehow mutated because of the environment?

Anyway, you couldn't even imagine the satisfaction I was feeling. Mind not to assume it was because I had joined the party, my satisfaction was purely scientific, like a father seeing his own chil- wow! are those natural g-cups?

My attention was stolen by a redhead 'riding a stallion', her perfect mountains hanging down like ripe fruits. I had to slap my face twice to sober up.

Thankfully the guards had given up on chasing me, I guessed they had more pressing matters to take care of. I took advantage of my freedom by going around collecting samples, whose nature I will not disclose, this way maybe I will understand why the virus had spread so quickly.

By the way, let's see how much it has progressed. I extended my right arm and whispered “progress bar”.

[579256] [541] [7]

To tell the truth I was impressed. While compared to my goal it was still a drop in the bucket, it was progress, and a very good one as well!

I whistled happily while wandering the streets, most of the healthy people had already fled the scene leaving the infected to themselves. Tch, party poppers, already realizing the risk of getting infected and joining their fellow citizens on the ground.

Suddenly, as I was observing a boy thrusting himself like crazy inside an apple pie, a bright light glowed in the sky from the southern part of the city, disappearing after a moment.

I waited a few moments and the light was back again for another flash, and then another. Suddenly a suspicion arose inside me and I checked my progress bar. Confirming my fears, my progress bar had changed.

[579294] [495] [15]

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“What madness is this?!”

Yelled a middle-aged man clad in white scale mail. His cylindrical helmet hanging from the back like a hood, revealing a bald head and a pair of perfectly groomed moustache. His hands twitched around the handle of the sword on his waist, he had just left the temple and found people having intercourse on the steps of the temple.

He kicked down a man from on top of a woman with the steel of his toe, sending him rolling down the stairs sprawling on the ground. His spiteful gaze then locked on the woman gasping for air, her whole body shuddered feeling his piercing eyes on her body.

“I'll have all of your heads for the sin of sullying sacred grounds!” Finally, with a gleam, the silvery sword escaped its scabbard. As he was about to bring down the cold metal on the soft neck of the woman, a loud voice came from behind the doors of the temple.

“What do you think YOU are doing?!” Came from behind him halting his movements, a woman on her thirties at most stepped out from the temple, her golden hair flowing behind her like a mantle coordinated with her white gown. “Paladin Damsey explain yourself, why were you about to execute a defenceless woman?” she asked in an angry and demanding tone; the people around them had all stopped for a moment to watch her, but as if being forced by an invisible hand, they resumed the loud thumping, lust being stronger than fear or curiosity. The only exception was the woman who was about to get executed, who taking advantage of the moment scuttled away.

“Mother Haley, look at them, they are just like animals in heat, not giving our god any face! relieving their beastly instincts on our steps.” Mother Haley gave a look to the people on the ground and her eyes glowed in a yellow light. “I'm disappointed, you have been a holy paladin for how many years? And yet you rush to the sword before understanding the situation,” she pointed to the passionate lovers a few steps away and asked, “why do you think they are still doing it under the threat of death?”

Paladin Damsey looked taken aback for a moment, and as if realizing something he looked back at the shameless masses, his eyes glowing yellow like Haley just a moment ago. “They are sick...” he muttered in disbelief.

“I see you finally realized, some kind corruption has made its way inside their bodies and it's forcing them to act like this.” she took a few steps forward to the closest couple. “What are you-” Tried asking Damsey, but he was ignored as she knelt down and touched the man on the shoulder, dirtying her hand with sweat.

“It's inside the sweat as well.” She murmured in thought. Her eyes glowed yellow and she observed the virus infiltrate her body and spread in the blood flow. Her cheeks turned rosy as a wave of heat tempted her to take off her tunic and relieve herself. Her eyes closed, trying to steady her mind she alterned inhaling and exhaling deeply; after a few moments of silence, she opened her eyes again, “Got you” she murmured in a low voice, and after another breath, “CLEANSE” she yelled.

A golden light, proof of the existence of god, wrapped around her body, the weird craving disappeared and so did the virus from her body. A few whiffs of white smoke were expelled from her pores as the holy light burned the criminal cells out of her body.

She turned her head around and with another shout, a mass cleanse was cast. A blinding light engulfed the whole plaza in front of the church, groups of people simultaneously started to scream in pain as pillars of smoke escaped their corrupted bodies, most of them fainted with a few dropping dead as the virus had already corrupted too much to be safely removed.

Haley watched the people suffering and dying in pay with a sad look but still kept the spell going, what had to be done had to be done, this was one of the core beliefs she had in her heart. When the plaza was fully cleansed she turned to Paladin Damsey. “Take all the Templars and the acolytes of the temple out to cleanse the city. When the sun rises I don't want even a speck of this aberration still alive. I also declare the city sealed off, no one gets out, no one gets in.” her tone hardened as her frail figure exuded an air of authority. She turned her head and called out in direction of the temple. “Paladin Lucas, Paladin Marcus.” Two men dressed like Damsey stepped out of the temple and kneeled down in front of Haley.

“I hereby design this city as target for the inquisition and appoint you both as temporary inquisitors with the task of finding the culprit who created this plague. Break down every door of the city if necessary. I, want, him, found!”

"YES HIGH INQUISITOR!"