The morning light, like a veil, bathed the village, a scene that should have been filled with hope. But today, the sunlight seemed powerless, as if all its warmth had been drained, unable to dispel the increasingly heavy gloom that hung over the village like a demon. Lin Yue dragged her body, heavy as lead, her eyes bloodshot, the veins crisscrossing like a dense spiderweb, yet her gaze still held an unwavering determination. As usual, she arrived at the isolation area early, each step carrying a sense of mission, for she knew this was the front line in the direct confrontation with the disease, where even the slightest change in a patient could be the dividing line between life and death.

Inside the isolation ward, the pungent smell of disinfectant permeated every corner, mingling with the patients' painful groans and heavy breathing, creating a heart-wrenching scene. Lin Yue moved between the beds, carefully examining each patient's condition. Her focused expression was as if she were scrutinizing the world's most precious treasure, allowing no room for oversight. Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper with each examination, like two mountains gradually converging, their deep wrinkles filled with worry.

A young nurse was busily working nearby, her hands trembling slightly, like leaves in the autumn wind, and the handwriting on the paper was crooked due to the trembling. Her eyes were full of worry, a worry that seemed to be overwhelming her. She anxiously said to Lin Yue, "Sister Lin Yue, this patient's temperature has risen again, and his breathing has become rapid. His condition looks very bad."

Hearing this, Lin Yue's heart tightened. She rushed to the patient's bedside, her steps urgent. The patient's face was flushed like a burning sunset, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead like broken strings of pearls. His body convulsed uncontrollably, the violent shaking causing the bed to creak slightly. Lin Yue quickly picked up the stethoscope; the cold metal instrument seemed to warm in her hands. She gently placed it on the patient's chest and back, carefully listening to his heart and lungs. Her gaze became even more focused; everything around her seemed to disappear, leaving only the chaotic and rapid sounds coming from the stethoscope. Each heartbeat and breath was like a heavy drumbeat, pounding on Lin Yue's heart. With each erratic rhythm, her heart sank deeper and deeper. She knew the situation was far worse than she had anticipated.

"Adjust the medication immediately, increase the dosage of the antipyretic, and prepare some ice packs for physical cooling. Be quick!" Lin Yue quickly gave the order. Her voice was steady, but the slight tremor revealed her urgency. The nurse nodded immediately and turned to prepare the medication and ice packs.

On another bed, an elderly patient who had initially shown signs of improvement suddenly deteriorated. His lips turned bluish-purple, the color of a flower ravaged by a storm, lifeless and devoid of vitality. His eyes were glazed, as if trapped in an endless abyss of darkness, and he mumbled incoherently, his words like ghostly whispers, sending chills down one's spine. Lin Yue rushed over to examine him, her movements swift yet gentle, as if handling a fragile treasure. She carefully observed the patient's symptoms, her brow furrowing even more deeply. She discovered some new symptoms, like hidden reefs in the shadows, adding new obstacles to the already difficult treatment path. This sudden change sent a wave of panic through her, countless thoughts flashing through her mind, but she immediately forced herself to calm down. She knew she couldn't afford to lose her composure; she was everyone's hope.

“This is a new development in the patient’s condition; the virus may have mutated,” Lin Yue whispered to Chen Yu beside her. Her voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded. Chen Yu’s expression also became very serious, a weight pressing down on his heart like lead. He looked at Lin Yue, his eyes filled with trust and encouragement, his gaze like a ray of light in the darkness: “We will definitely find a way, Yue’er, don’t worry too much. We’ve overcome so many difficulties; we can definitely do it this time too.”

Lin Yue took a deep breath, as if to dispel all her unease, then turned to the other medical staff and said, "We need to reassess the condition of all patients, leaving no detail overlooked. We need to see how many others have experienced similar changes; this is crucial for adjusting our treatment plans. At the same time, we need to collect new samples from the patients and send them to the temporary laboratory for analysis as soon as possible to find the cause." The medical staff immediately sprang into action, and the entire isolation area became even busier and more tense, like a high-speed machine. Some were taking patients' temperatures and blood pressure, their focused expressions resembling a sacred ritual; others were preparing tools for collecting samples, their hands trembling slightly, yet their movements remained practiced; still others were comforting agitated patients, speaking softly and reassuringly.

Amidst her busy schedule, Lin Yue noticed a particularly unusual case involving an elderly woman. Not only was her condition worsening and her body growing increasingly weak, but she was also extremely depressed; the despair in her eyes was like a bottomless black hole, seemingly threatening to devour all hope. She refused treatment, simply lying quietly in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, like someone who had already given up on life. Lin Yue went to her side and gently took her hand. Her hand was rough and cold, like withered wood, each wrinkle a testament to the pain of time.

“Auntie, you have to cooperate with the treatment. We will definitely cure you. You can’t give up hope,” Lin Yue said gently, her voice like a spring breeze, warm and hopeful. The old woman’s eyes were filled with tears of despair, the tears welling up but not falling, as if telling of her inner pain: “Young lady, don’t waste the medicine. My old bones can’t hold on any longer. Let me die, don’t suffer anymore. I’ve lived enough, I don’t want to be a burden to everyone.” Lin Yue’s eyes moistened. She looked at the old woman with heartache, tears welling in her own eyes: “Auntie, you can’t say that. Your family is waiting for you. How heartbroken they will be if you leave. We haven’t given up, and you can’t give up either. Look, we still have many ways. You have to believe in us.” With Lin Yue’s patient persuasion, the old woman’s parched heart seemed to be soothed a little. She finally nodded slightly, a faint glimmer of hope rekindling in her eyes, and she resumed treatment.

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!