Chapter 23 The Gray Dome 23 "He just likes unconventional methods."...
What is He Ting now? Nanmen Jue doesn't know either.
In the experiments with antiretroviral agents, it wasn't that mutated monsters hadn't been tested, but He Ting was the first to inject three doses during the mutation process.
The mutation process seems simple—just a few roars and convulsions, and a perfectly healthy person transforms into an unconscious monster. However, explaining it using scientific principles involves quite complex theoretical knowledge.
After receiving the information, Nanmen Jue only glanced at it. At that time, she did not intend to get involved in the troubles of this world. She only remembered that during the mutation process, the radiation had not completely invaded the brain, and the radiation content in the body had not reached its maximum. If the reversal agent was used on the monsters that had already mutated, no matter how many injections were given, the monsters would still be monsters, and their brains would have been contaminated.
But the symptoms of He Ting's mutation subsided.
He looks like an ordinary human being again, but no one can guarantee that he really is just an ordinary human being.
Nanmen Jue lowered his face and softly called He Ting's name.
"He Ting?"
Crane stopped breathing slowly, her skin was paler than normal, and there was no echo.
"Do you have any testing equipment in your base?" Nanmenjue asked.
“We only have some very simple machines. You can discuss the specifics with our doctors,” Qin Yehan said. “Nanmen, I know you care about this child, but as the leader, I must be responsible for the people at the base.”
He didn't finish his sentence, and Nanmen Jue understood his meaning: "If he makes any unusual moves, I will kill him with my own hands."
His tone was resolute, showing no sign of reluctance.
The group remained silent for the rest of the journey. When it was broad daylight and the heavy snow had subsided, they arrived at the rebel base.
The place where the car stopped looked like an abandoned village. The houses, built of bricks and thatches, were buried under a thick layer of snow, their gray color tinged with dust. Nanmen Jue and Zhang Chuxi helped each other out of the car. Looking around, they were somewhat stunned.
Although it is the apocalypse, the Gray Tower is very different from their usual living environment. After arriving in this world, they have never had a strong sense of reality in terms of emotions. Like most reincarnators, it is more like entering a real-life scenario game.
But this place, with its buildings clearly resembling an ordinary village, was utterly deserted. The desolate and bleak appearance was more impactful than a monster charging at them, making them acutely aware that this was the apocalypse.
Qin Yehan got out of the car right after them, and Tong Gu drove the car deeper into the village. Qin Yehan nodded to them, "Let's go this way."
Nanmen Jue said, "We must bring the cranes under control."
"Don't worry," Qin Yehan said. "We also have extensive experience in dealing with people on the verge of mutation."
Nanmen Jue didn't say anything more. They followed Qin Yehan to the house in the middle of the village. To her surprise, it was not an empty house, but a house filled with clutter, broken wooden tables and chairs, and covered in dust.
“When we first escaped, we lived on the ground for a while. But as more and more people came and the radiation became stronger, we had no choice but to move down to the surface.”
The radiation on the ground is too strong. To survive in this world, unless you have a powerful filtering function like the Gray Tower, the only way is to retreat underground.
As Qin Yehan spoke, he pushed aside the table used for concealment, revealing a trapdoor on the ground.
If you didn't know better, you would think this was the village's cellar.
They climbed down the ladder, and the temperature gradually warmed up. Although it couldn't compare to the Gray Tower, which had a heating system, Nanmenjue felt that his arms and legs were much more flexible.
However, as the temperature rose, the pain that had been suppressed by the cold became more pronounced again. She could feel Zhang Chuxi shivering, but she didn't make a sound.
The deeper you go underground, the brighter your vision becomes, and more and more torches are burning on the earthen walls.
“These are oil lamps made from the fat of those monsters. A few years ago, when we were struggling to find fuel, Tong Gu accidentally discovered this use,” Qin Yehan said. “Unexpectedly, they work very well and can burn for a long time.”
"Tong Gu discovered it himself?" Nanmen Jue asked. "Did he have any scientific knowledge?"
"No, he was born outside. The day he was found, he was too hungry and wanted to eat roasted meat. The only thing he had around was the monster's corpse, which he could ignite."
Nanmen Jue's comment: "His strength is unknown, but he has a lot of luck."
Qin Yehan didn't quite understand, but since he had already reached the end of the stairs, he didn't ask any further questions.
"Brother Qin, what are these?"
Several young men, dressed in patched cotton-padded clothes and carrying guns, approached. When they saw that it was Qin Yehan, they lowered their guard and looked curiously at the two wounded men.
"The new comrade has joined us," Qin Yehan said. "Is everything at the base normal?"
"Everything is normal."
Nanmen Jue looked at the people in the base. If he were to label these sallow-faced, emaciated young men as a rebel army and treat them as if they were a major enemy, then Gray Tower would be making a mountain out of a molehill.
Qin Yehan understood her meaning and explained in a low voice as they walked inside.
“In the past, the resistance had the strength to fight the Grey Tower, but since my father took over, he has not really wanted to be an enemy of the Grey Tower, so he has always advocated self-sufficiency and focused his energy on finding other Grey Towers... In recent years, the situation has become more and more difficult. As we approach the radiation wave, the climate has become more severe, food is becoming scarcer, and the seeds we plant are also difficult to survive.”
He didn't show much emotion when he said these things; he was just stating the facts. But Nanmenjue keenly sensed the worry beneath his calm exterior.
“Your identity is too important, so I want to keep it a secret for now. This is also to protect you,” Qin Yehan said again.
Nanmen Jue nodded; she understood Qin Yehan's concerns.
Seeing that she had no objections, Qin Yehan seemed relieved.
Nanmen Jue raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I'd make a big fuss about announcing my arrival?"
"I'm not sure." Qin Yehan gave a wry smile. "I haven't known you for long, but I've experienced your fearless and audacious nature."
Nanmen Jue remained noncommittal.
She wasn't really someone who let these people coax and protect Dr. Nanmen; announcing her existence would only do more harm than good.
Compared to the environment of the Gray Tower, the rebel base was much simpler. They walked through a short corridor and a round door appeared in front of them. Qin Yehan stepped forward and knocked on the door. A hole similar to a peephole, but slightly larger, opened to reveal an eye.
“It’s me,” Qin Yehan said.
The door opened, and a dim, yellowish light flooded in. The walls of the hall were covered with many of those fat candles, and the burning of so much fat created an unpleasant odor on the floor.
The hall was crowded with people of all ages and genders. Some were wearing oxygen masks, while others were not. In the dim light, everyone looked unwell.
Upon seeing Qin Yehan return, a large group of people immediately swarmed around him, bombarding him with questions.
"Chief, you're back!"
"Any new findings this time?"
"Who are these two people? They're injured."
"Are these the young couple you picked up?"
Zhang Chuxi looked up at Nanmen Jue and saw that her expression had not changed, seemingly accepting that she had been mistaken for a boy. She hesitated to speak.
If the pain in her arm hadn't been so intense, she might have been a little embarrassed.
Even if it's fake, just having Nanmen Jue's face labeled as her boyfriend is enough to make people feel smug.
"Everyone, make way! Our new colleague is injured. Where is Dr. Wu?"
"In the treatment room."
Qin Yehan helped Nanmen Jue up and led them inside. The layout here was very simple. There were three corridors leading out of the hall: one to the living area, one to the treatment room, and the last one to the warehouse, where food, weapons, and some plants and animals were stored.
The path to the treatment room is the shortest possible, to ensure that injured people can receive treatment as quickly as possible.
Dr. Zhang was a middle-aged woman with disheveled hair. As soon as she saw them come in, she grabbed Qin Yehan without even looking at who was there.
"What's the deal with that guy Tong sent me?! The radiation levels in his body have long exceeded the limit. Logically speaking, he shouldn't be a human being now, but rather a blurry monster!"
"Sister Wu, let's talk about this later. There are injured people here. Please take a look first."
"Injured? Yes, there's a strong smell of blood." Wu Qing sniffed, her round, protruding eyes looking to his side, but she only saw nothing.
The two turned their heads and saw that Nanmen Jue had already pressed Zhang Chuxi onto the bed and was clumsily rummaging through the tools with one hand.
Just as Qin Yehan was about to speak, Wu Qing raised her hand to stop him, her eyes suddenly fixed on Nanmen Jue's movements.
Nanmen Jue didn't care what they were saying. Since no one was helping her, she decided to rely on herself. She actually found hemostats on the workbench and used her own sharpened scalpel to cut open Zhang Chuxi's bandages.
She only had one hand to use, but her movements were extremely steady, as if the terrible wounds on her shoulder did not cause her any pain. Only the cold sweat seeping from her forehead revealed this.
"Nanmen, take care of yourself first." Zhang Chuxi stared at her shoulder with concern.
“My injury looks big, but it’s just a superficial wound and hasn’t damaged any bones or tendons. If yours isn’t treated soon, you’ll lose your arm.”
Hearing that it was so serious, Zhang Chuxi's face turned even paler.
Although she could spend points to have the main god repair her back in the space, losing an arm in this cruel world would further reduce her chances of survival.
Nanmen Jue pulled off the bandages on her arm, paused for two seconds after seeing the wound, and then picked up the tweezers without changing his expression, removing the bone fragments from the wound.
"Ah!" Zhang Chuxi broke out in a cold sweat from the pain and couldn't help but cry out.
Not everyone has the composure and courage of Nanmen Jue, who could calmly roast meat over a fire.
Nanmen Jue hesitated for a moment before turning back to look at the two of them. "Do you have any anesthetic?"
Wu Qing slowly walked over, looked at Zhang Chuxi's wound, and then looked at Nanmen Jue, "Kid, your technique is not bad. Do you do this kind of thing often?"
Nanmen Jue said, "I asked if they had any anesthetic."
“Oh, she still has a bad temper,” Wu Qing said. “There’s no point in wasting our time. This girl’s bones are about to break, and she can’t save her arm. The best thing to do now is amputation. If we wait any longer, we don’t know if she will even survive.”
Nanmen Jue looked up at her and repeated her question again: "I said, is there any anesthetic?"
Wu Qing looked into her eyes, her expression fluctuating. Seeing that she didn't answer, Nanmen Jue simply ignored her and continued to nitpick at Zhang Chuxi, saying, "Bear with it."
Zhang Chuxi bit her lip hard until it bled.
Wu Qing watched with a subtle look in her eyes and said, "Did you just come out of the tower? We're not like the Gray Tower here. We don't have as many medicines. Her wound is too deep. She was bitten by a monster. Even if she survives, the risk of infection will be very high, and there's a greater chance that radiation will seep into her body."
"If you don't want to help, just shut up. Thank you for your cooperation," Nanmen Jue said without looking up.
Wu Qing shut her mouth and continued to watch with great interest as Nanmen Jue treated Zhang Chuxi's wounds. Qin Yehan walked over with a pleading look in her eyes, but Wu Qing ignored her.
Nanmen Jue wasn't very agile, but her technique was extremely professional. She patiently picked out the broken bones and debris bit by bit. By this time, Zhang Chuxi had collapsed on the bed, almost fainting from the pain.
"Almost there, hang in there." Nanmen Jue wiped the sweat from his face with his arm. "Do you have a wooden board? Also, what medicine can we use?"
Wu Qing pushed her aside. "I'll take care of this. You go and treat your own shoulder. You're using fire to stop the bleeding? How could you even think of that? It's the best way to prevent infection when there's no medicine, but I've only seen one person in all these years who would actually do that."
Nanmen Jue glanced at Qin Yehan, who nodded slightly to her. She watched as Wu Qing skillfully applied medicine to Zhang Chuxi and secured the splint before walking aside to treat her own wound.
Wu Qing only glanced at her casually, but when he saw her actions, he was so shocked that his hand trembled and he almost dropped what he was holding.
Then Nanmen Jue took out her scalpel again, sprayed it with disinfectant, and then cut directly onto the wound on her shoulder!
"My God, what are you doing!" Wu Qing shouted, rushing over to grab her hand.
Nanmen Jue calmly said, "Only by removing the dead flesh can new flesh grow back as quickly as possible."
Wu Qing looked at him as if he were an incomprehensible madman. "Didn't you hear what I just said? We don't have many medicines, and your wound is too big; it's very easy for it to get infected!"
"More than getting infected, I need to regain my mobility." Nanmen Jue's tone was as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.
Wu Qing was speechless. Even though he had witnessed Nanmen Jue's unusual behavior several times, Qin Yehan was still shocked and stepped forward to grasp Nanmen Jue's scalpel.
“You can’t see it yourself, so I’ll help you,” he said, taking a deep breath.
Wu Qing stared at him incredulously, then turned back to deal with Zhang Chuxi, but kept glancing over here out of the corner of her eye.
Qin Yehan held the knife, his hand, which had slain countless monsters, seemed somewhat unsteady. He looked uncertainly at Nanmen Jue, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Nanmen Jue chuckled, grabbed a bandage, rolled it up, stuffed it into his mouth, and bit down hard with his teeth.
Seeing her meaning, Qin Yehan composed himself and made the first cut.
To remove the charred flesh, one must cut through intact flesh to allow fresh blood to flow out, so that it can heal as quickly as possible. Qin Yehan kept his eyes fixed on the wound the whole time, barely daring to look at Nanmen Jue's face. He could only feel the body under his hand trembling violently, with veins bulging on his arms and neck, but he didn't utter a sound.
Qin Yehan acted quickly, ending the double torment inflicted on himself and others as soon as possible. At this moment, Wu Qing walked over, took the bandage from his hand without saying a word, and bandaged Nanmen Jue.
"Good lad, I admire you," Wu Qing said.
Nanmen Jue's voice was much hoarse, "How is she?"
“She fainted. I gave her some medicine. Whether she can overcome the infection depends on herself,” Wu Qing said. “Did she learn this from you? She can be in so much pain without making a sound. Twenty years have passed, and everyone who came out of the Gray Tower has become tough as nails.”
Nanmen Jue's lips were a little numb. She used words to keep herself awake, "You also came from the Gray Tower?"
Wu Qing paused for a moment. "Of course, everyone here came from the Gray Tower."
Nanmen Jue felt a dull ache in her head, but with her extraordinary sharpness, she realized something: "You're a doctor, and you used to be with the Life Society? Do you know Zhao Huai Ren?"
"Old Zhao? Of course I know him. It's been twenty years. Does he still like smoking and drinking?" Wu Qing said casually. "Life forbids drinking, but Old Zhao has been breaking the rules. After all these years, is his salary enough to pay the fine?"
“So… he likes to smoke and drink,” Nanmen Jue said in a hoarse voice. “I’ve never seen him do these things before; maybe he quit a long time ago.”
Wu Qing stopped what she was doing and looked Nanmen Jue up and down with a strange gaze. "You and Lao Zhao are on good terms? How is he doing now?"
Nanmen Jue took the bandage from her hand with one hand, tied a knot in it, and then looked up at her.
"I am Nanmen Jue. My teacher is dead."
Silence.
Wu Qing's expression was somewhat dazed. The mad look in his bulging eyes disappeared, leaving them large and lifeless, as if he hadn't understood what had happened.
Nanmen Jue helped Qin Yehan to his feet, and Wu Qing's faint voice came from behind.
"How...did he die?"
“He was murdered,” Nanmen Jue said.
"Is this the one who also ruined you all like this?"
"I guess so."
Wu Qing fell silent. Qin Yehan glanced at her worriedly, "Sister Wu?"
Wu Qing said blankly, "Although I thought we would never meet again after I got out, I never expected to die like this... It's so frustrating, Lao Zhao, I think you died of frustration."
Nanmen Jue sat down beside Zhang Chuxi's bed. Wu Qing said, "You're a patient too, go lie down on the other bed. Qin boy, go back. By the way, what exactly is that humanoid monster?"
"That's also what we want to figure out," Qin Yehan said. "In your opinion, is there still a risk of him mutating?"
"Mutation? He's already in his mutated form, that doesn't make sense... What did you do to him?"
Qin Yehan glanced at Nanmen Jue and said, "He received three injections of reuptake."
"..." Wu Qing skillfully turned his gaze to Nanmen Jue, "It was that little madman who did it again, wasn't it?"
Qin Yehan remained silent.
Wu Qing scratched his messy hair. "Sigh, what a mess this is... Let's leave him here for now and observe him. Tong has already locked his limbs, so even if he wakes up, he won't be able to break free."
Qin Yehan glanced at Nanmen Jue again, still feeling uneasy. He couldn't bear to imagine what might happen if he left Nanmen Jue alone with Wu Qing.
"What are you waiting for?" Wu Qing said.
Qin Yehan had no choice but to say in a low voice, "Then I'll go first. You all rest for a while, and I'll come back tomorrow."
Nanmen Jue had no strength left, so he simply nodded.
Qin Yehan left with great concern. Nanmen Jue lay on the bed and suddenly felt dizzy. Wu Qing sat down at the head of her bed.
Her eyes were intense, and there was not a trace of madness in her expression as she looked at Nanmen Jue with an extremely serious look.
"Tell me in detail what exactly happened inside the Gray Tower?"
...
Nanmen Jue erased the details related to the reincarnators and roughly told Wu Qing what had happened. Wu Qing sat there blankly, without any reaction.
After a long pause, she uttered, "That was truly humiliating; he died such a pathetic death."
“That’s it?” Nanmen said. “I thought you would be outraged for him and would be eager to rush back and avenge him.”
“How can a weak office worker like me take revenge? People need to be realistic.” Wu Qing didn’t look at Nanmen Jue, who was lying down and couldn’t see her face clearly. “Xu Yang, another one I don’t know. Twenty years is too long. Things have changed too much. I don’t know you either, but I think you must be one of his favorite students.”
"You can tell from that?"
Wu Qing laughed for no apparent reason, a laugh that looked like she'd been electrocuted. She turned to look at Nanmen Jue and said, "He's a hypocritical old man who just likes unconventional ways."
Nanmen Jue looked back at her, "Then the teacher must like you very much too."
Wu Qing took out a cloth and gently wiped the cold sweat from Nanmen Jue's face.
"If he weren't so hypocritical, you might still be calling me 'Master's Wife' now."
Wu Qing left, and before leaving, she confidently instructed Nanmen Jue to keep an eye on their injuries and to shout if anything unexpected happened, so that someone would hear her.
“If I don’t trust Lao Zhao’s students, am I looking down on him, or am I looking down on my own judgment?” she said.
Zhang Chuxi did not wake up that night, but her vital signs were very stable. Nanmen Jue had a decent sleep. Knowing that she was safe, she let herself sleep from day to night and from night to morning. When she woke up, she checked the time on her bracelet. It was just six o'clock in the morning.
Once you leave the Gray Tower, the bracelet loses its identity marker, but you can still communicate and use its built-in functions.
Nanmen Jue went to see Zhang Chuxi, and then went to the isolation room next door to check on He Ting's condition. Everything was calm.
When I returned, Qin Yehan was already there, carrying breakfast in his hand, which looked like corn porridge or something similar, along with two eggs.
"You can actually get out of bed?" Qin Yehan asked in surprise as he looked at Nanmen Jue who had returned.
"I can endure pain very well, I guess it's my talent." Nanmen Jue sat down and began to eat breakfast without any ceremony. She hadn't eaten for almost 24 hours and was about to starve to death.
Qin Yehan looked at her like she was a monster. "You can use your hands now?"
"Don't ask obvious nonsense." Nanmen Jue peeled an egg with his injured left hand, which was not very nimble but also incredible. "Maybe I have another talent: I always heal faster after being injured."
Qin Yehan was silent for a moment, then said, "Then it seems we can move our plan forward a little. When would you like to see the evidence of the other gray tower?"
"I'll go today." Nanmen Jue looked at the countdown on his bracelet, which showed less than two months until his rebirth. "I'm in a hurry."
“Oh, by the way,” she added, “do you know where there are a lot of radiation monsters? I need to talk to you about something.”
-----------------------
Author's note: Happy Labor Day, everyone! [starry-eyed]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com