Chapter 31: The Plague Victims, Emergency Rescue!

“Xiaoyan!”

Shi Hai immediately picked up his grandson, shocked by the burning heat radiating from his small body.

His temperature was terrifyingly high.

In such a short time, it had likely already reached 40°C.

“What’s wrong, Xiaoyan?”

The little boy looked at the cake, guilt in his eyes.

“Sorry, Grandpa… I got the cake dirty… I’ll eat it up…”

Shi Hai hoisted him onto his back.

“Forget the cake. Grandpa is taking you to the medical room!”

The child’s eyes lingered on the cake. The moment they stepped out the door, he slumped into unconsciousness.

—

The illness was spreading too fast.

By the time they reached the medical facility, it was packed with people.

Almost every adult was carrying a child, seeking treatment. Some adults were also infected, burning up with fever, coughing up blood.

“What’s going on? Why is this sickness spreading so aggressively?”

“We’ve detected an unknown virus in their blood. It’s highly aggressive and extremely contagious!”

A-class healer Liu Yun examined Shi Yan and her expression darkened. While channeling her healing ability, she quickly ordered:

“Move him to the isolation chamber and submerge him in antiseptic fluid—quickly!”

Shi Hai’s voice was grave.

“Contagious… are you certain?”

Liu Yun was silent for a few seconds before speaking sternly.

“Report the situation immediately! From now on, no one is allowed to leave this medical facility, including myself!”

The medical staff were shocked but tearfully followed orders.

“An unknown virus has been discovered! It is highly contagious and deadly! From now on, this facility is on lockdown—no one enters, no one leaves!”

Some people panicked.

“This is absurd! My child just has a normal cold—why are you locking us in?”

“We’re not even sick! Let us out!”

“You can’t trap us here! I only came to drop someone off!”

Several people tried to push their way out. But Shi Hai stepped forward and blocked the door.

The powerful aura he exuded silenced the crowd.

“Until we find the source of the infection, no one is leaving. Get back inside!”

Shi Hai was a seasoned general who had battled countless mutant beasts. Everyone knew and respected him.

With him standing guard, the unrest subsided.

Yet fear lingered in their hearts.

“If we’re trapped here with no food or water… will we just be abandoned?”

Shi Hai answered firmly.

“No! The City Lord will never abandon a single person!”

He turned to Liu Yun.

“Dr. Liu, please… save my grandson!”

Liu Yun nodded solemnly.

“I’ll do my best, but—”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she rushed back into the treatment room.

—

Thirty minutes later, she emerged from the sterile chamber, her face grim.

“We need to escalate this—immediately! Everyone must be transferred to the Central Hospital. We need all medical personnel on this!”

As she spoke, the medical center doors swung open. Soldiers in hazmat suits entered, armed with medical equipment.

“Everyone, put on protective gear and enter the quarantine pods! We’re moving to the Central Hospital—quickly!”

Rows of portable isolation pods were brought in, and the patients were loaded inside.

Shi Hai saw his grandson lying in a cylindrical sterile pod, being transported away.

His heart clenched in pain.

How could this be happening?

Just a moment ago, his grandson had been full of life…

—

“General Shi.”

Liu Yun looked him in the eyes.

“Your grandson had direct contact with the infection source and spent a prolonged time with it. We must locate the source immediately!”

“We may need to use psychic abilities to extract his memories—it could cause damage to his brain. Please understand.”

Shi Hai’s hands trembled as he pulled out a golden hairpin.

“Xiaohuan… please protect your little brother.”

Liu Yun said nothing more and hurried back to the emergency response.

—

Meanwhile, the Central Hospital was filling up with patients.

The source of the infection remained unknown.

—

At City Hall, an emergency meeting was held with the hospital.

Song Lufeng remained calm as he directed the response.

“Activate the emergency medical tunnel. Prioritize protective gear for all healthcare workers.”

“General Chengfang, take your men to the hospital—guard against any opportunistic attacks.”

“Yes, sir!”

Bai Shuang interjected urgently.

“General Shi’s grandson was the first known case. He’s been infected, and he’s now quarantined in the hospital.”

“This plague is spreading too fast, too strangely… It seems like it’s targeting the Savior. There are even rumors circulating that…”

She hesitated, looking angry.

“That what?”

Song Lufeng’s voice was steady, giving everyone confidence.

Bai Shuang took a deep breath.

“That this plague was brought by the Savior… City Lord!”

Song Lufeng’s expression remained unreadable.

“Add twenty more cooking stations in front of City Hall. Make sure the pots are filled with vegetable soup.”

“Rations for the troops must not decrease—give every soldier an extra portion of vegetables.”

“Workers and medical staff will get meat and vegetables in their porridge.”

“Announce this city-wide: Anyone who seeks medical help will be treated for free and provided with food.”

The officials’ eyes brightened. They immediately set to work.

—

A holographic projection appeared.

“This is the memory extraction from General Shi’s grandson. Look at this—what do you see?”

The projection showed Shi Yan playing number games with his friends.

Then, the sewage drain made a strange noise, catching their attention.

Despite their cautiousness, something emerged from the drain—something they couldn’t resist investigating.

It looked like a penguin.

A comically round body.

Yet, it had human arms.

And human legs.

It could talk.

It could sing.

The projection ended.

Silence filled the room.

Every person wore a grim expression.

The children didn’t know what it was.

But the adults did.

A hybrid of a mutant beast and a human.

“This has to be the work of the Light Group!”

“That organization has no humanity!”

Song Lufeng remained silent.

This was Zhan Bai’s declaration of war.

—

“City Lord! The number of infected has risen to 2,328—and it’s still climbing!”

“Many medical staff have also fallen ill. Dr. Liu Yun has a high fever but is still treating patients!”

The situation was spiraling out of control.

Song Lufeng commanded:

“Recruit more medical personnel. Increase their pay—10 kilos of rice, 2 kilos of meat, 3 kilos of vegetables per person!”

“Anyone who makes a significant breakthrough in treatment will be rewarded with 100 kilos of rice, 50 kilos of meat, and 50 kilos of vegetables!”

“Understood!”

—

A video call came in from the Central Hospital.

The elderly hospital director appeared on the screen. His face was flushed with fever. He coughed, blood splattering onto his coat.

“City Lord… the disease is progressing too quickly… This virus is a hybrid strain—healing abilities don’t work!”

“Quarantining the source won’t be enough. We need medicine!”

“We need the antiviral drugs from the Golden Era… fever reducers… now!”

“City Lord… please… beg the Savior. Ask her to send us a miracle drug… or else these children, these people…”

The old director couldn’t finish his sentence.

A hundred years ago, when plants went extinct, so did medicine.

Since then, they had relied on healer-class ability users for treatment.

But this virus was born from mutant beasts.

It was immune to abilities.

Only real medicine could cure it.

And only the Savior could provide it!