Chapter 1466: The Solution (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Immortality?

eternal life?

Dong Dao slammed his fist on the table: "This is utterly absurd."

Is there any such thing as immortality in this world?

Even mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas cannot remain unchanged forever; otherwise, how could scholars and poets lament the vicissitudes of life? How could a mortal body dare to dream of immortality? How arrogant and ignorant must one be to even entertain such a thought? Dong Dao spat again: "You've already wasted a mere hundred years in a daze, how dare you covet immortality? Creating such a harmful thing?"

If he finds out who dared to defy the world, Dong Xingdao will be the first to not let them off the hook and will skin them alive!

Among those present, some agreed with him, while others disagreed.

The item was indeed harmful, but the courage was commendable!

If mortals don't fight against fate, what hope is there in this life? Aren't doctors in the medical field just a profession that snatches lives from the King of Hell? There's nothing wrong with trying to break the limits of lifespan, right? It's just that I dare not say these things openly, for fear of accidentally running into a gun.

Dong Dao couldn't swallow this insult.

He said fiercely, "If everyone were to live forever, how many descendants would they have in a lifetime? And how many descendants would they have? You don't even understand such a simple principle, you're so stupid!"

With too many mouths to feed and resources insufficient, war will inevitably break out sooner or later, leading to a massive reduction in population through warfare. Dong Dao spent most of his life in turmoil and poverty, growing up witnessing the tragic scenes of starvation everywhere, and deeply understood the immense suffering that war and famine could bring.

He loathed these things!

At that moment, someone muttered something under their breath.

"Immortality is not something ordinary people can attain."

If there truly were an elixir of immortality, it would be reserved for the elite and high-ranking officials, who would forever control the best resources in society, while the common people would merely be mass-produced expendable resources. The population explosion that Dong Xingdao feared would simply not happen.

He was glared at by Dong Daoheng as soon as he finished speaking.

Adhering to the principle of prioritizing harmony and friendship, a physician from the medical community took the initiative to step forward and ease the tension: "Arguing about these things now is useless. What we need to do most is to come up with a solution as soon as possible. Currently, this thing does indeed match some of the characteristics of Gu worms."

It closely resembles a Gu worm, but it is not a Gu worm.

However, they could try using the approach of dispelling the curse.

"...The patient's body only loses energy and doesn't gain any. If this continues, the patient will die from internal exhaustion before we can even come up with a solution."

Dong Dao ordered people to prepare a nutritionally complete liquid diet.

Not long after, the temporary guards from the Fourth Guard reported that feeding was not going well, and the patient was going crazy and struggling, unable to swallow. Dong Dao waved his hand and said, "It's easy. You all use your martial energy to condense a soft tube and insert it into their nasal cavity, throat, and stomach."

Then use a funnel to pour the prepared food into the tube.

Guaranteed to reach the stomach in one step!

The soldiers of the Four Guards were surprised to find that they could do this.

But it did solve a big problem.

The group speculated that the cause of the illness was a special entity similar to a Gu worm, so they naturally needed to consult more Gu worm texts, as the medical bureau didn't have enough. Since neither Ji Moqiu nor Lin Feng were in the capital, Dong Dao could only consult Ning Yan. He would obtain a warrant from Ning Yan and then visit her to borrow the texts.

It was called a "borrowing" service, but it was really no different from "confiscating" someone's property.

They took all the books from the two people's home.

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. I hope you two will not take offense. I will personally visit you another day to offer my apologies with a drink." The books he had gathered weren't all related to Gu worms; some might contain private information. Dong Dao didn't ask anyone else to help him look through them. He spent two days and two nights alone, without closing his eyes for a nap, reading through them all. He carefully put away the private content before taking out the rest.

He was lost in thought, holding a scroll of notes in his hands.

Dong Dao boasted that although he had lived to a ripe old age, he had never experienced as much shock as he had today—the source of the disease was most likely not created by any medical practitioner, but rather a product of the previous civilization. Thousands of years ago, this same disease had ravaged the land, leaving corpses strewn everywhere.

If the Gongxi Chou brothers or Lin Feng were present, they would recognize that the manuscript was left behind by a high priest, and that the [Corpse Vine] that Lin Feng kept was also brought back by her from a mass grave in a deep mountain forest. Next to the record were several different annotations in the notebook, and Lin Feng's handwriting added more details, stating that the mass grave was located near the battlefield where the Kang and Gao kingdoms were at war.

But what truly made Dong Dao value it were other annotations.

Calling them annotations is an understatement; they're more like guesses.

The mass grave contained the remains of ordinary people who had lost their lives to a disease. After their deaths, the disease within their bodies was somehow drawn to and caused their bodies to converge into the mass grave. A journal owner left a joking comment nearby: "Feeding flesh to eagles, how amusing."

Dong Dao lowered his eyes and stroked the words with his fingertips.

"...Cutting flesh to feed an eagle, is this selfless compassion?"

A fleeting thought seemed to flash through his mind.

A ripple of hesitation stirred in my heart, but it quickly subsided into stillness.

Dong Dao felt he had spoken too soon as he refuted his colleague's words. This seemed like a good solution, and the only way to break the deadlock that gave him hope. The medical department was feeding the patient liquid food through a nasal tube, but the doctor caring for the patient also reported that the patient's consciousness and spiritual energy were growing weaker and weaker, and that they could not delay any longer. Dong Dao got up and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

With a creak, the sunlight from outside poured down on him.

"Dong Ling, something terrible has happened!"

Just as Dong Daogang adjusted to the change in light, a medical officer from the Imperial Medical Bureau rushed over, panting: "The Fourth Prefecture reports that someone fell ill and bit several people in the market east of the city. Two hundred and thirty-six patients have been brought in!"

This news was like a thunderbolt to Dong Dao's ears.

"What?"

He could barely stand.

Are there incidents of patients biting people on the streets?

In fact, the situation is more than just biting. Last night, a night watchman in one of the poorer areas of the city was bitten to death, and when he was found at dawn, only half of his body remained. The four prefectural offices have been mobilized in droves lately, arresting people everywhere.

There are no secrets that stay hidden forever.

No matter how well they tried to cover it up, the news still leaked out.

Rumors of a strange, cannibalistic plague have spread among the people, causing widespread fear and forcing everyone to stay indoors. This has made the work of the Four Guards Bureau more difficult, as some corpses have been found dead in homes without being discovered or reported in time. If it weren't for the fact that martial artists are more sensitive to the aura of this disease and can react and capture and imprison it with the fastest reaction speed, the death toll would have been at least over a thousand.

Even so, the four prefectures were extremely busy.

They were arresting people, investigating, and simultaneously blocking information from spreading.

Public panic is very high.

Once panic reaches a critical point, and ordinary people flee the city for their lives, not only will the spread of the disease become much easier, but the difficulty of tracing patients will also increase exponentially. At that point, even if the Emperor himself were to arrive, the situation would completely spiral out of control! The capital, Fengluo, might fall!

Dong Dao took a deep breath: "I must enter the palace."

Because the number of patients exceeded the hospital's capacity, and to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control and affecting the surrounding area, all patients were quietly transferred to a temporary field hospital. The field hospital was heavily guarded; any signs of trouble would be dealt with decisively.

Ning Yan is already considering locking down the city.

Those at the top always have the best access to information.

While the common people only heard rumors about the plague, the civil and military officials in the court already knew most of the truth. The timid ones began to feign illness and stay at home, trying to move their families out of the city to avoid trouble. Those who reacted slowly didn't even have time to act before they found the city gates were already closed.

The four prefectural officials paid a visit.

The sight of the soldiers' armor gleaming with a cold light sent a chill down my spine.

An argument erupted from inside the hall: "What does Minister Ning mean by this? My wife and the others were merely going out of the city to offer incense and pray for blessings. Why are they being detained? Who gave you the authority to do this? Detaining the family members of a court official without authorization—even if you are a minister, I will impeach you!"

Ning Yan said, "Then you go and submit your report. I'll approve it."

The officials inside the room were so angry at her words that they nearly fell over.

Lowering her voice, she pleaded weakly, "Ning Tunan, why must you be so ruthless? Those ignorant people below are kept in the dark by you, they don't know what's going on, do you think I don't know? Staying here means certain death! We haven't enjoyed any good fortune with you all these years, but don't ruin our family line by causing it to end! Why are you still holding onto old grudges and determined to make my whole family suffer a terrible death?"

"I didn't intend to hurt you."

"You're trying to kill me now!"

Over the years, Ning Yan had maintained a lukewarm relationship with her family, refusing to visit them during holidays or festivals, and even when her father was seriously ill, she only sent someone to check on him briefly. He knew Ning Yan harbored resentment and couldn't forgive him, but even broken bones are still connected; he never expected her to be so ruthless.

They insisted on trapping the Ning family's lineage within the city.

“It’s not just targeting you; everyone is treated equally.”

"Your karmic debt with Yan Xingning...and your daughter is the same?"

Ning Yan sneered, "My daughter is in the city. You, as her uncle, should go and see her to confirm her identity?"

"They won't let us through?"

"No, I'd rather die inside the city."

Once the gates are opened, more and more people will flee, and the panic will intensify. That's when there will truly be no hope.

"Fine, fine, Ning Tunan, you just wait!"

The middle-aged man, dressed in the robes of a fifth-rank official, turned and left.

Dong Dao glanced at him and immediately recognized the young man's identity.

Three years ago, in the winter, Ning Yan's father suffered a severe illness that triggered an old ailment. The illness struck suddenly and rapidly, and within three days, his condition deteriorated to the point of near death. The entire Ning family began preparing for his funeral. Ning Yan went to Dong Dao's house to ask for his help, and Dong Dao, out of respect for her, came to treat her.

It took a lot of effort to pull the person back from the brink of death.

The middle-aged man was Ning Yan's elder brother and the head of the Ning family.

Dong Dao remembered that he was arrogant, which explained why Ning Yan didn't like to associate with the Ning family; the two siblings couldn't get along.

When he entered the hall, Ning Yan's face showed no negative emotions from arguing with her family; she was calm and composed, even her breathing was steady.

"Does Dong Ling have a clever solution?"

"There is one, but it requires the Chamberlain's approval."

Ning Yan's eyes suddenly brightened, and the worry that had been building up on her brows visibly dissipated by a third. However, as Dong Dao explained, a layer of gloom returned to her heart. Dong Dao waved his hand to interrupt her hesitation: "Your Excellency, there's no need to worry. I know what I'm doing."

To show her determination, Ning Yan didn't even send away her only daughter. How could Dong Xingdao be afraid of death? It's either break the deadlock or die.

Dong Dao has no intention of exploring a third path.

This isn't the only thing causing trouble.

Not long after, Dong Dao heard an urgent announcement coming from outside the hall.

Ning Yan's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

This round is aimed at Ning Yan.

Well-informed officials, eager to flee, dared not challenge Ning Yan's iron-fisted methods. Instead, they deliberately leaked the information to Ning Yan's brother, using him as a shield. If Ning Yan yielded, they could use that as leverage to force her to submit.

Ning Yan abused her power and broke the law; what face does she have to stop them?

Once this matter subsides and the emperor returns to court, their decision to allow their families to flee will not affect their careers; in fact, it could become leverage to bring down or control Ning Yan. Whether Ning Yan's future is secure depends on their mood! Unfortunately, Ning Yan is ruthless, cold-blooded, and extremely cold-blooded!

Her brother's family was stopped by the Sishu Prefecture.

Ning Yan's elder brother went to the palace to demand an explanation but was also turned away.

However, the excitement is not going to end easily.

Beneath the walls of Fengluo City, a hundred people and their carriages were stopped by the city's guards. The guards and servants circled the city, creating a standoff. The commotion drew the attention of nearby commoners, who risked their lives to come out and watch. Before long, news of the powerful and wealthy fleeing in the chaos spread like wildfire.

The common people who witnessed this scene were filled with righteous indignation.

"Isn't this treating human life like dirt?"

"The corrupt officials have all run away; it looks like something really bad is going to happen."

"Just now it dawned on me? My next-door neighbor's family of three was all murdered. People from the Four Commands Prefecture went in and dragged out a bloody pile of flesh. Was it a plague or some evil spirit that killed people to cultivate?"

Rumors are rampant among the public.

One theory is that it's an epidemic, another is that it's a case of a serial killer.

The latter is somewhat better, but if it were the former, no one would be spared.

Witnessing high-ranking officials and wealthy families fleeing in broad daylight, how could the common people not feel uneasy? The guards even clashed with them; it seemed like a fight was brewing. Leading the convoy was a man with graying temples, who at first glance appeared to be only thirty or forty.

He drew his sword, but not aimed it at the guards.

It was held directly across his neck.

"Give me a straight answer today: are you going to leave the city or not!"

The commander, expressionless, declared: "No one is allowed to leave!"

Someone recognized the man's identity based on the markings on the carriage. Wasn't this the old master of the Ning family, the father of Ning Shizhong?

Haha, even the garrison commander recognized him.

Therefore, he dares not make any rash moves now.

They were afraid of provoking the old man to commit suicide.

"Let Ning Tunan come out to see me. I want to know what she really means! Is she determined to kill us all?" The man looked around. A group of elderly, weak, women, and children alighted from the carriage behind him. He softened his tone and said, "I understand her difficulties and don't want to make things difficult for her, but these people in the household are innocent. If she wants to live, I'll risk my life to accompany her. But I hope she'll consider some blood ties and at least leave a way out for her children and nephews. Is that not even possible?"

The commander impatiently rubbed the engravings on the scabbard with his fingers.

He wondered why the people from the Four Commands Prefecture hadn't come to clean up the mess yet.

If this old man continues to speak recklessly, who knows what kind of trouble he'll cause? But if he were to kill someone in full view of everyone, public opinion would be uncontrollable, and it would only continue to cause panic. He didn't want to take the blame, so he could only pray to God.

Let anyone take the blame.

“My mother is busy with official duties, and my grandfather is well aware of that.”

A young girl in thin clothes emerged from the crowd, her appearance refined and elegant.

Their age is between that of a teenager and a young adult.

The man narrowed his eyes slightly, recognizing that this was his granddaughter whom he hadn't seen many times in over a decade. He recognized her because the girl's appearance combined the advantages of her parents. Even though she was not yet twenty, her appearance was already enough to make people praise her as having a fairy-like beauty and unparalleled elegance.

"Family scandals should not be aired in public. Why don't you go back with your grandson first, Grandmother? What can't a family discuss and resolve together?"

With just one sentence, the matter was labeled as a family scandal.

As for what kind of family scandal it is, let outsiders guess.

The man glared at him angrily: "Who gives a junior the right to speak?"

With a whoosh, the sword was drawn.

Before the man's servants could react, his head rolled to the ground, blood splattering on the girl's shoes and staining her white dress. She raised her cold eyes, staring directly at the man whose pupils suddenly trembled: "The city gates are closed. Your gathering here is treason!"

"Those who rebel and defy authority shall be executed without mercy!"

She pointed her sword at her cousin, who was trembling in her aunt's arms, and raised a token, ignoring the livid faces of the crowd.

The garrison commander was overjoyed and happily clasped his hands in a fist and knelt down.

"Grandmother is kind; please don't force your grandson."

(︶.︶)