CHAPTER 295: CHAPTER 284: YOU KILLED THEM?

The email didn’t have any signature, nor even a sending address; just a series of numbers. Xiao Lin tried different methods to input this string of numbers into the Dragon Soul exclusive database, attempting to find the possibilities behind the numbers, but it couldn’t match with anything.

He leaned back in his chair, frowning and pondering. If even Dragon Soul couldn’t find the information, he had to question its authenticity and, more importantly, its intent. Xiao Lin didn’t dare to take the risk.

A few more QQ chat windows popped up with greetings from Loneliness and the others. Looking at the photos posted in the group, Xiao Lin felt a bit helpless. He moved his mouse over Xia Xue’s avatar, which remained gray; he wondered how she was now. His fingers hesitated over the keyboard, finally choosing to give up, because it’s the understanding that led to hesitation. Given his understanding of her, she would surely rush over immediately!

Ah! Thinking of the Xia Family, Xiao Lin’s brow knitted tightly. In Yanjing, so many eyes were watching, and he had to solve this quickly.

Without further hesitation, he clicked open the email. The content was rather ordinary, rows of values and chemical symbols linked together to form equations, like difficult math problems, yet an expert could easily categorize them.

Xiao Lin understood it, and very clearly at that. At the same time, he was shocked by the data.

This was an invasion of a rare virus; its internal components were not just common poisons, but more of a particle capable of rapidly dismantling the human structure. You could call it a bacterium.

The sender left a final annotation: HTC4 Mutation Virus — No Solution

Finding the antidote is very simple: just control the rapid disintegration of the bacteria. But is this easy? Xiao Lin had to lower his head, not because he was giving up, but because of an unprecedented sense of belittlement. He didn’t know who this person or organization was, but it wasn’t hard to predict that his actions were fully exposed in their eyes. Perhaps they hadn’t paid attention before, but now he knew very well—what exactly did they know? Xiao Lin raised his eyes, a cold and sharp look in them.

"Brother Xiao! Brother Xiao!" A quiet call from Tong Tong came from outside the tent, Xiao Lin shut down the computer and went outside.

"Why aren’t you asleep yet?" He affectionately rubbed Tong Tong’s head.

"I’m about to sleep. I just want to know if Mom and Dad can still be saved, and also thank you for saving Mom this morning." Tong Tong’s big eyes glowed with hope, causing Xiao Lin anguish. The HTC4 virus and the HTC4 Mutation Virus have significant differences. Although there is an antibody for the HTC4 virus, it has no effect on the new virus, which he realized when administering injections to the infected patients. Perhaps the only role it plays is to ease the pain.

"The experts will arrive tomorrow; let’s trust that they will find a way."

"Brother Xiao, can’t you?"

Xiao Lin didn’t answer but instead showed a helpless smile.

"Dr. Xiao, another infected patient has stopped breathing," suddenly came a hurried voice.

"Is it Mom?" Upon hearing this news, Tong Tong screamed in fear and rushed towards the hall, only to be caught by Xiao Lin, her soft body trembling in his embrace.

"Disinfect the body, then dispose of it. I need a small piece of neural tissue."

"Yes!"

Tong Tong continued to struggle, her tears falling on Xiao Lin’s skin, the warmth stinging his nerves. He quickly pressed down on her acupoint, and her soft body lay motionless against his arm.

"Dr. Xiao!" Miao Jiu hurried over, looking anxious, as if harboring some unspeakable distress.

"What’s the matter?" Handing the unconscious Tong Tong to another soldier, Xiao Lin picked up his small bag and said softly, "Talk while we walk."

"The poison has been eliminated, but..."

"Is it that the toxins are cleared, but the onset rate has accelerated?" Xiao Lin glanced at him and said in a deep voice.

"Yes, that’s right." Xiao Jiu was troubled. He always thought that clearing the poison would save them, but within just a few hours, another person died.

"This isn’t your fault." Xiao Lin was the first to head towards the hall. Now there’s only one method to try, assuming the analysis in the email is correct.

Miao Jiu didn’t understand what this Dr. Xiao intended to do. Even with experts, other villages couldn’t effectively control the outbreak, could this school doctor? With doubt, he followed Xiao Lin into the ancestral hall. The latter offered no additional explanation, but performed an act that his naked eye couldn’t comprehend, touching several points on the bodies of the infected. As a result, they stopped breathing, appearing dead, making him scream.

"You killed them, you killed them!" Miao Jiu repeatedly checked their breath, his fingertips unable to perceive any signs of life—were they truly dead? He sat on the ground, terrified of the man before him.

The horizon gradually sank into the deepest part of night, marking the moment before dawn, enveloped in complete darkness.

Miao Jiu’s cries alarmed the entire village. On such an unusual night, no one slept soundly, or dared to sleep at all—fear was the sole common sentiment.

Miao Jiu clung tightly to Xiao Lin’s clothes, accusingly addressing Elder Miao who hurried over. His words barely discernible, jumbled and incoherent. In contrast, the accused murderer remained rather calm.

Elder Miao glanced at Xiao Lin, a bit worried about Miao Jiu, knowing that angering Xiao Lin might mean the whole village could pay dearly.

"What’s going on?"

"He killed the people in the village!" Miao Jiu ran to Elder Miao as if he’d found a savior. The timid Miao Jiu hid behind the elder whispering, "Just now, he said he wanted to check the patients in the ancestral hall. Who would’ve thought that once inside, he’d touch the villagers only for them to stop breathing."

Oil lamps brightly illuminated the village, allowing Xiao Lin to observe their anger clearly. He remained unconcerned, never needing to explain himself—his ways never faced interference, nor did he waste words on irrelevant people. So he departed confidently, with disdain.

"No one is allowed to touch anyone inside." This was the statement he left behind, like an unquestionable decree.

It was only after Xiao Lin’s people entered the temporary tent that the villagers regained consciousness, beginning protests. Lying in the ancestral hall were their relatives, their fury compelling them to tear apart the culprit. They grabbed their farming tools, ready to seek justice for their loved ones.

"Everyone, stop!" Elder Miao shouted, "If you don’t want to die, go back to sleep. I’ll bear any consequences."

Perhaps never witnessing Elder Miao so irate before, the villagers dared not proceed further. They stared at the respected elder, unwilling to defy despite their grievances.

"But he killed our relatives!" Someone shouted, sparking renewed controversy.

"Did anyone see it with their own eyes?" Elder Miao’s gaze locked onto Miao Jiu.

"I... I... they stopped breathing..." Miao Jiu’s voice grew fainter, nearly inaudible.

"Everything will be discussed once the rescue team arrives at dawn. If you’re unafraid, go ahead and look now. I’ll give you judgment right away, else wait for professionals tomorrow. I, Miao Yikun, uphold my promise, ensuring you get an explanation."

Xiao Lin heard clearly in the tent. Such courage was not meant for a mediocre person, especially not a ninety-year-old. After entering a string of numbers into a dialog box, the screen shifted to a black interface where he inputted Miao Yikun’s name, awaiting response.

After several beeps, the interface indicated no such person found. Xiao Lin furrowed his brows, pondering about chatting with Night Eagle. This serious matter lingered on his mind, yet his hands moved swiftly, placing the cryopreserved slice under a microscope. The cellular structure appeared as expected, aligning with his predictions. He began to wonder about the source of the anonymous email.

If prior knowledge was provocation, now it felt like a warning, instinct suggesting this figure belonged to the gray area—a realm neither attached to any group or force nor belonging to any interest, merely driven by pure curiosity—that remained unknown.

Bacteria activity factors within the frozen soft tissue flustered him, quickly proliferating, intruding nerve systems, weakening immunity. This virus acted as per the body’s metabolism, determining its outbreak efficacy. Now he merely sealed bodily functions via acupressure, a temporary measure. Poor handling might render patients comatose or vegetative, so he tread on thin ice.

After dispersing the crowd, the old man stood on the vacant ground. Those inside consistently refrained from emerging, he too didn’t wish to enter. This wasn’t about further exploration, but acknowledgment and intimidation of the other’s backing, validating the "Military Doctor" title.

A sliver of dazzling light pierced the clouds, landing on earth, with pigeons occasionally gliding over, quietly cooing. Villagers awaited at their doors, pinning hopes on distant prospects after a sleepless night.

Tong Tong opened her eyes, meeting Xiao Lin’s handsome face, head bowed over the desk as he rapidly penned something. The frown like knotted melancholy below a tall nose, and tightly pressed lips struck a blow to Tong Tong’s heart. To her, Xiao Lin was attractive, if marrying such a man, happiness seemed inevitable. But only a beauty like Dr. Xia suited such a man, she thought, casting her gaze down.

"Awake? Go wash up, the experts will be here soon." Any sound eluded Xiao Lin’s ear, even when deeply focused, rarely missing any—an ingrained habit, constant vigilance as a critical rule of survival. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to vote on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivator.)