This worker must have come into contact with cursed items… or possibly witchcraft?
"You five! Come with me to investigate," Ye Chenfeng instructed, and the group of mages followed him into the factory. Inside, they found the machinery intact, but every worker was sprawled on the ground, in the same condition as the man outside.
"This… how could this happen?" gasped a shorter girl in the group.
The leader of the five mages furrowed his brow and suggested, "Young Master Ye, this situation is highly unusual. Maybe we should involve the law enforcement team?"
"No rush. Let me assess the situation first," Ye Chenfeng said, checking the workers' conditions. He reached out to feel the carotid artery of one nearby—still alive. Another—also alive. No casualties at all.
The workers had dense black spots on their skin, but none of the symptoms were fatal. This wasn't typical demon activity. It had to be the work of a curse mage.
"Spread out and investigate. Report anything unusual immediately," Ye Chenfeng instructed. The five mages exchanged glances, and finally, their eyes settled on Captain Ke Luan.
Ke Luan hesitated. "Young Master Ye, given that the black spots spread nearly a hundred meters, it might be safer to stay together."
Ye Chenfeng dismissed the concern. "The black spots aren't severe, and these people are alive, which rules out demon involvement. As mages, our resilience should protect us. You only need to observe for colder spots or strange areas. Don't go too deep—just report back."
Reluctantly, Ke Luan nodded. "Yes, Young Master Ye. Alright, team, let's get moving!"
The mages dispersed, and Ye Chenfeng quietly observed the afflicted workers below him. Meanwhile, Zhao Fei, one of the mages, sauntered along, a stalk of grass between his teeth.
"Honestly, this is a job for the law enforcement team, not us demon hunters," he muttered, brushing his hand against a crumbling wall. Dirt smeared his hand, but as he brushed it off, black spots appeared, spreading across his skin.
Startled, Zhao Fei yelped and stumbled back. "Master Ye! Master Ye!" he shouted, running back with panic in his eyes. "I found it!"
Ye Chenfeng looked over as Zhao Fei held out his hands, black spots covering his palms. "Calm down. What did you find?" he asked.
"Young Master Ye, the Nanbo Building… that abandoned building over there is cursed! Look at my hands!" Zhao Fei stammered in horror. The team crowded around, examining the black spots.
Ke Luan rolled his eyes. "Zhao Fei, really? Just a few black spots and you're panicking like this?"
"But it's not just my hands—the entire building can spread these spots!" Zhao Fei insisted, feeling the need to defend himself.
Ye Chenfeng's curiosity piqued. If the building could infect others with dark spots, it might hold the key. "Lead the way, Zhao Fei," he ordered.
The group navigated through the dense trees until the decrepit structure came into view. Ke Luan eyed it skeptically. "It just looks like an old building."
But Ye Chenfeng sensed otherwise. This place had been repurposed for something sinister. Without hesitation, he summoned a burst of energy, and with a powerful strike from his palm, a massive fist of light tore through the air, reducing the cursed building to rubble.