Andaya: "Anything else?"
Elayna: "Someone burned down a warehouse, and it made the secretary lose her mind... so that was fun."
Elayna said it with a mischievous smile. Venus then raised his hand.
Venus: "I'm the one who did it."
Andaya turned to him with a curious look.
Andaya: "Oh...And why's that?"
Venus: "That warehouse was storing the source of the curse. To be more specific, the curse was embedded in the rice grains that people have been eating."
Elayna: "Wait... does that mean the rice—the same rice they've been exporting outside of this town—is cursed?"
She turned to Andaya, her voice rising with urgency.
Elayna: "Andaya, this is bad. The barangay captain said earlier that they've been exporting their surplus supplies to other places. That means—"
Andaya finished her sentence.
Andaya: "It means the curse is already spreading outside of this town... before we even began this mission."
Elayna: "What do we do now?"
Andaya's expression stayed composed.
Andaya: "We focus on the problems in front of us. That other issue—we'll deal with it after."
He then turned to Venus.
Andaya: "So, what kind of curse are we dealing with here?"
Venus: "It's a soul-corrupting curse. Whoever eats the rice gets slowly affected. The more they consume, the more their soul becomes tainted—until they eventually lose control and give in to their violent urges."
Venus paused for a brief moment before speaking again.
Venus: "I found out because, at that same warehouse, I encountered some of them. Their entire bodies were wrapped in chains, completely immobilized—and they were locked in cages to prevent escape. It looked like they were being force-fed the cursed rice, like lab rats undergoing some horrific experiment."
Elayna suddenly remembered something the secretary had said earlier.
Elayna: "Not lab rats... they're trying to create Aswang using curses. More specifically, they're called pseudo-Aswang."
Andaya with a serious expression.
Andaya: "This is bad. They're increasing their numbers through other means. They're building an army for us to fight. What happened next, Venus?"
Venus bit her lip, remembering the disturbing scene in her head.
Venus: "The real reason the warehouse burned down is when I analyzed them using a spell to look into their souls, I saw that the curse had completely taken over. I tried to see if I could at least weaken it... but before I could do anything, they suddenly burst into flames. They screamed in agony... and the way they looked at me—it felt like they were blaming me for not saving them in time."
While Venus recalled the memory, Andaya stood in deep thought.
Andaya: [I never expected this mission to turn into something this huge. It might be too much for the team to handle. Eric needs to hear about this immediately.]
He then turned back to Venus.
Andaya: "Venus, during your analysis... what exactly did you find?"
Venus: "We can't save the people whose souls have fully given in to the corruption. But there's still a chance for those who haven't been completely taken over. It depends on how well the person can endure the process."
Andaya: "Explain."
Venus: "Curse magic is considered forbidden knowledge because it always demands a sacrifice from the living. The stronger the curse, the greater the sacrifice it requires. The curse we're dealing with isn't just an ordinary one. Think of it like a parasite feeding off a fruit—it keeps draining it until the fruit withers. In this case, the physical body is the fruit, the soul is the nutrients, and the parasite is the curse."
She took a breath, then continued.
Venus: "In theory, we can save them by cutting away the part of the soul that's been affected. But doing that causes immense pain—so much that it could kill them if they're not strong enough to endure it. You might not realize it, but the soul and the body are more deeply connected than even our nervous system."
Andaya: "Based on your assessment, are there still people in this town who haven't been affected by the curse?"
Venus looked down, sadness in her eyes.
Venus: "Probably none."
Elayna quickly turned to Venus, desperation in her voice.
Elayna: "Then can we stop them from eating the rice? That should stop the curse from spreading... right?"
Venus: "It'll slow it down, but it won't stop it completely. Even if we force them to stop eating it, the curse will still grow—just more slowly."
Andaya sighed, then turned to Elayna.
Andaya: "Hah... Elayna, anything else you learned when you eavesdropped on the secretary?"
Elayna: "The last thing I caught was that there's a leader who ordered the execution of Barangay Captain Troy Malabanan—tonight, at midnight."
Andaya: "Any idea why they'd do that?"
Elayna: "No. At first, we thought he was one of the masterminds. That's why we asked Adrian to follow him."
Andaya having deep thought.
Andaya: [Right now we have three main problems. First, saving those people will put their lives at serious risk. Second, what happened to the 78 patients admitted to the hospital? And third, the identity of their leader—why was the Barangay captain ordered to be executed, and for what reason?]
Andaya: "Here's the plan. Venus, Elayna—you two regroup with the others. While you're at it, try to save some of the cursed people."
Andaya then placed a hand on Venus's shoulder.
Andaya: "Find another way—one where they don't have to suffer through the pain that could lead to their death. I believe you can do it. You were chosen for this mission for a reason."
Venus gave a reluctant nod.
Venus: "I'll try."
Andaya: "And you, Elayna. You're still injured. Even though Venus eased your pain and stopped the bleeding, you need to avoid any fighting. Only fight if it's absolutely necessary."
Elayna: "What about you? What are you going to do?"
Andaya: "I'm heading to the hospital. There's still a lot we don't know, and I think some of the answers are there."
7:40 PM
Ramel and Elayna sat at the table, silently watching Venus cast a spell on Tasyo.
Ramel: "Cutting someone's soul... does that mean Tasyo's life is in danger right now!? I have to stop Venus."
He stood abruptly, but Elayna quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
Elayna: "Wait, Ramel. Venus found another way to save him."
Ramel: "How can you be so sure?"
Elayna: "Because she's not just a Panggulo. She's also a candidate to become a Punong Albularyo of the 7th company."
Ramel: "You mean...?"
Elayna: "Yes. The Punong Albularyo holds a rank equal to a Pato. She's only a candidate for now since she's still young, but I can vouch for her skill. I think this is also why Andaya persist that she find another way to save them without putting their lives at risk. If anyone can save the kid, it's her."
She spoke quickly.
Ramel gave a small nod, his expression softening.
Ramel: "I trust both of you."
After a pause, he continued, concern tightening his brows.
Ramel: "But what you said earlier about the execution order on Malabanan—it contradicts what the kid told me."
Elayna: "What do you mean?"
Ramel: "Because Malabanan... he's the one who turned him into a pseudo-Aswang."