Chapter 1458: What did you say? (Part 1) [Requesting monthly votes]
In the stillness of the night, the candlelight flickered inside the tent.
The Allied leader sat upright at his desk, frowning as he flipped through the book in his hands.
In a corner unnoticed by anyone, a shadow nimbly swam into the tent like a fish swimming on ice, instantly blending into the shadows.
The leader paused, closed the book, and put it down: "Anzhi."
The shadow that had been there emerged from the shadows and gradually twisted into the shape of Lin Su. Lin Su stood in the corner, staring intently at the Alliance Leader. Combined with the scene, it had a somewhat eerie, chilling feel to it.
The leader of the alliance asked, "What brings Anzhi here so late at night?"
Why did you agree to release the ancient disease?
If the leader of the alliance were to firmly oppose it, the matter would absolutely not succeed! The middle-aged man who first proposed it was also an ally of the leader, whose family relied on the power of the aristocratic family behind the leader. Lin Su did not believe that the proposal was made without the leader's authorization. Lin Su had been trying to find out the truth for the past few days, but he was being monitored too closely, and the leader was deliberately avoiding him. He had no choice but to risk sneaking in at night.
The alliance leader asked in surprise, "I thought Anzhi wouldn't come to ask, and it shouldn't be you who's questioning us. If the disease gets out of control, wouldn't that be exactly what you want? Given your dislike for the inferiority of humanity, wouldn't you be happy to see the disease spread uncontrollably throughout the world?"
Lin Su fell into a brief silence.
The alliance leader gazed gently into Lin Su's eyes, but within moments, Lin Su deliberately looked away. This action elicited a genuine chuckle from the alliance leader—not mockery, but rather a confident expression of expectation and control. He had always found Lin Su an interesting person.
At around thirty years old, in an ordinary family he would be preparing to become a grandfather, yet he was still single, without the pressure of supporting a family. His elder brother bore the burden of family responsibilities, while he only needed to support himself; the pressures they faced were different.
Lin Chun would abandon his self-respect to make a living, choosing to bow his head and bury his face in the mud, while Lin Su still retained some of his pride. Birth, aging, sickness, and death were imminent, and the frustration of his pride and self-respect caused him extreme pain, yet he did not know how to relieve or break free. He could not bear to see the powerful and wealthy taking pleasure in the lives of ordinary people for their own selfish desires, and he could not stop the unbridled privileges of the members of the Gods Society.
They could neither kill the high-ranking nobles nor save the common people.
Caught in the middle, like a puppet being pushed along by fate, I watch helplessly as all living beings struggle and sink in the mire.
Thus, the idea arose that everyone should go to the Western Paradise.
The birth of all beings is unfair, but the death of all beings is the same.
only--
If Lin Su were truly asked to bear the blood debt of trillions of lives, he couldn't bear it, and his heart resisted. His inner conflict and struggle were quite interesting to the Alliance Leader. The Alliance Leader got up and walked to Lin Su's side, patting his shoulder: "Anzhi, your Dao heart is not firm."
Lin Su's face was pale.
“I just don’t want it to be achieved this way.”
The alliance leader laughed and said, "Sophistry."
Ultimately, Lin Su still had too many ties he couldn't let go of, hence his resistance. If his entire clan were wiped out, leaving him with no blood relatives left, he naturally wouldn't resist. The alliance leader casually concluded, and Lin Su, though wanting to argue, could only swallow his words.
"Has the Alliance Leader considered the consequences of the disease getting out of control?"
"What will be the outcome?"
"Not only the Northwest and Southwest, but even the Central region may not be spared! No, not possibly, it's inevitable! How many years have these ancient diseases of the Inner Clan existed? How can the Alliance Leader guarantee that these diseases won't spread to the Central region through the Qi of Heaven and Earth? At that time, everyone will suffer heavy casualties! Is that what you want to see?" Lin Su lowered his voice, speaking each word clearly, "Isn't that also against the Alliance Leader's principles?"
What this leader wanted was never an empty shell.
What use is immense wealth if no one is around?
The alliance leader sneered, "How do you know I've disobeyed?"
Lin Su's pupils trembled slightly.
"...Anzhi still doesn't quite understand the ancient disease," the Alliance Leader said calmly. "According to the internal records, this disease is the culmination of human wisdom. After that, the patient feels no pain or hunger, everyone's thoughts are unified, and they obey one person, so there will naturally be no more internal strife. Isn't that a good thing?"
These words struck Lin Su as absurd.
"How is this any different from being dead?"
"The living and the dead are no different to me. I only need them to obey." The leader's tone was calm and even. "Only ants can be controlled by diseases. You and I are not among them... Anzhi is just a few ants dying."
Ordinary people are just ants, the most inferior kind of ants.
A hint of genuine compassion appeared on the leader's face: "Giving ants the ability to think is cruel! Once they glimpse the lives of the celestial beings, they will begin to suffer! They will suffer because they are on earth while the celestial beings are in heaven! They will be dissatisfied with their current lives, and their minds will be constantly replaying what they have seen and heard. Letting them know the gap will not change their current situation, but will only bring them torment."
He looked at Lin Su with gentle eyes.
“…Anzhi, isn’t it a kind of compassion to let these ants live their lives in ignorance and confusion? If you are truly compassionate, you should do this. Let them be unable to think, let them have no energy to think, let them not explore how high the sky is, how thick the earth is, or how big the gap is between people, only then can they obtain true happiness. Anzhi, do you agree with what I said?”
This is also the source of Lin Su's suffering.
A poor family insists on trying to get into a place he shouldn't be in!
However, Lin Su has some talent, much better than an ant, at least she is of the same kind as him, and the alliance leader is willing to truly confide in her and say some heartfelt words: "Anzhi, don't let me down."
Lin Su's eyes glazed over for a moment, then immediately cleared.
He exhaled a breath of stale air: "Alliance Leader, that's just sophistry!"
The leader blinked. His mood didn't sour because of Lin Su's words; on the contrary, he felt somewhat pleased: "Anzhi can't make the world deserted, and I also think it's too difficult to make fools stay fools forever. Look at me, I feel dizzy just managing the allied forces these days, let alone managing such a vast world, making ants and fools forever struggle to make a living and lose their ability to think?"
"Therefore, we need to rely on external forces."
"I thought the ancient diseases of the inner society were just right."
He reached out his hand to Lin Su: "All it takes to bring peace to the world is a few wise men. Anzhi, you are the one I like best."
Lin Su looked at his hand, then turned and left.
Despite being humiliated, the alliance leader didn't fly into a rage. He simply looked at his hands and sneered, "Anzhi is still young and has too many ties, which is why he doesn't understand my good intentions... He will understand."
Speaking of which, where are Lin Su's blood relatives?
At the same time, the illusory figure floating beside Lin Su was pacing anxiously: "I thought this alliance leader was a rare breath of fresh air, but I didn't expect him to be even more insane than you, An Zhi. He's simply beyond saving!"
Lin Su stopped in her tracks and said angrily, "Are you going to curse me again?"
The phantom made a shushing gesture.
But in her heart, she thought to herself, "A madman needs another madman to cure him." And sure enough, after meeting this alliance leader, Lin Su's mind improved considerably.
But soon, the phantom decided to take back its words.
Lin Su's mind has never been clear; when she goes mad, she's just as bad as that alliance leader. The illusory figure sighed, lifting the hem of his robe.
What terrible things have I done? Even in death I won't find peace!
The Allied forces in the central region sent people to retrieve the ancient disease, and operations were also quietly underway within Kang Kingdom. Dong Dao, the Imperial Physician of the Medical Bureau, received a confidential letter. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, reading it several times, followed by boundless rage: "Outrageous! Outrageous!"
The medical department adhered to medical ethics and did not try to create plague or cholera on the other side. The soldiers were simply doing their job of saving lives. How could the other side possibly resort to such underhanded tactics against Kangguo? Dong Dao was so angry that his blood pressure soared, and he clutched his chest for a long time, unable to calm down.
His face was ashen, and the students trembled with fear.
He cursed inwardly, wondering who had provoked the teacher to such a rage.
Looking at the twenty-odd hunched-over quails in the room, Dong Dao grew increasingly irritated and berated them for their laziness. The group was so ashamed they couldn't lift their heads, and no one dared to argue. If it came down to diligence, Dong Dao was indeed the king of slackers, making them complain endlessly.
Compared to him, who isn't lazy?
After Dong Dao calmed down, he waved to everyone.
"You can study on your own for now, and the test will be held in the classroom as usual at noon."
He wasn't targeting these students—though they were all experienced folk healers, promising talents poised to become medical practitioners, some even just shy of the entrance exam for the prestigious medical school. They were simply there to improve their chances of being accepted into Dong Dao's tutelage, learning exam techniques and filling in any gaps in their knowledge. But Dong Dao, thinking of the impending catastrophe that would destroy the nation, felt the urgency of time. If Heaven had granted him a few more decades, he wouldn't be worrying about a shortage of physicians.
This kind of man-made disaster is beyond the capabilities of a mighty army on the battlefield to resolve.
The key to victory or defeat lies with the medical department and the doctors.
The immense pressure on Dong Dao's shoulders is unimaginable.
"...These damned bastards! Why can't they just stay quiet for a few days?" Dong Dao gritted his teeth, wishing he could grab the culprits, skin them alive, and turn them into teaching aids for his students!
Despite their cursing, they dared not slacken their efforts in the slightest.
The first step was to summon all the registered physicians to various military prefectures: "Our lord is farsighted, having made the register so early."
Within Kangguo, all medical practitioners were required to register, not even barefoot itinerant doctors. The register was managed by the Medical Bureau, which issued medical qualification certificates. The requirements for obtaining this certificate were very low; even ordinary barefoot itinerant doctors could obtain one. With the certificate, one could receive medical books compiled by physicians from the Medical Bureau, which contained prescriptions for many common ailments—a system welcomed by physicians.
The medical staff initially disagreed with such a low threshold.
Medical skills are a matter of life and death; they cannot be treated lightly.
The king merely retorted calmly: "Where is this childishness? Have you all considered how many people there are in Kang Kingdom? With such low entry requirements, how many doctors can actually obtain the qualifications? Tens of thousands of people might not even find one qualified physician. Even a little knowledge can save lives..."
It's much better than letting patients suffer and die.
Shen Tang patiently persuaded the medical staff: "The low entry barrier is only temporary. Once the medical books you all have worked together to write have yielded results and the number of physicians has increased, the royal court will naturally raise the entry barrier and conduct examinations for practicing physicians every few years. What do you think?"
Shen Tang has always been a man of action.
They say it, and they do it.
Wang Ting spearheaded a positive campaign within Kang Kingdom, and over the past decade, the situation of physicians among the people of Kang Kingdom has improved dramatically. The most typical example is that if a physician wants to take in a child from a respectable family, the parents won't turn them away but will treat them as honored guests.
These changes are visible to the naked eye.
For Dong Dao, Shen Tang was his mentor.
Although he was not a scholar, he knew what it meant to "die for one who understands him," and he would never allow anything to happen to Kangguo!
In addition to mobilizing doctors, medicinal herbs also need to be statistically analyzed.
He then convened a meeting of all the physicians and doctors within the capital's territory.
"You said the patient is insane and inexplicably bloodthirsty, and can even kill people? Such a strange disease is unheard of..." There were only fifteen medical practitioners present, including Dong Dao. The others were either on duty or on military expeditions, so the scene looked rather desolate.
Descriptions alone are not enough; we must also observe, listen, inquire, and palpate.
Are there any patients or bodies of people who died from illness in Dongdao?
Where can I find it?
Dong Dao felt bitter inside.
The group of medical practitioners: "..."
How can a prescription be given if the symptoms are only described verbally?
Generally speaking, this approach involves responding to each situation as it arises, treating the symptoms accordingly. If the patient has a high fever, antipyretics are prescribed; if it's due to external pathogens, the focus is on treating the six pathogenic factors and epidemic toxins; if it's due to internal injury causing high fever, the focus is on addressing the imbalance of internal organs and the resulting heat. If the patient is emotionally agitated and violent, calming and tranquilizing medications are prescribed; if the effects are too slow, physical methods can be used. The Temple of Healers possesses many incantations that can provide targeted treatments.
As for the patient losing consciousness and appearing like a living dead?
"...That makes things complicated."
They are physicians, not witch doctors.
No one knows how to summon spirits yet.
"...Could it be possible to stimulate the soul with the power of words?"
As long as a person isn't truly dead, the power of words to stimulate their mind and consciousness can be effective, temporarily bringing them back to reason. However, none of them had ever used this method before. Normally, pinching the philtrum is enough for a comatose patient; why would they need to use such a technique on their mind and consciousness?
If the brain is the most intricate part of the human body, then the spiritual center is the most vital point of the soul, a place even the most skilled physicians dare not touch lightly. A mishap could turn someone into a fool, or even a weak and sickly fool—a responsibility no one can bear.
The fourteen physicians below all turned to look at Dong Dao.
According to the medical ethics manual for physicians designated by Dong Dao, this was considered taboo. Physicians who easily violated this taboo would be wanted by the government if exposed, and would suffer punishments ranging from caning and disqualification from practicing medicine to deportation, or even death.
Exemptions may be granted in special circumstances.
Dong Dao: "..."
The problems facing everyone are not limited to these.
Dong Dao said that the saliva and blood of patients carry pathogens, and those infected can fall ill within three to five hours to three to five days. To completely cure patients, it is necessary to find a way to remove the toxins.
“…If all else fails, why don’t I go to the epidemic area myself? Without any medical records, what can I possibly come up with just by sitting here thinking?” The physician who spoke appeared to be in her early twenties, but her hair was completely gray. She possessed a gentle and calming aura, radiating a power to soothe the soul. She offered to go to the epidemic area, and although Dong Dao was moved and impressed, he could only politely decline. The epidemic area was right beneath their feet!
Not long after, the capital city of Fengluo may become an epidemic area.
ヾ(■_■)
I've recently been reading a fantasy romance novel, and there's something I really don't understand. The novel portrays immortals as indifferent to love, and while I shed a lot of tears, the question is, aren't friendship, family ties, and sect ties also forms of love? What's wrong with romantic love? It's like saying that without romantic love, one can be perfectly upright and honest in the workplace… So much criticism and judgment.
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