Jiang Fuyue also had a request: “There can’t be too many people.”
She was going to work, not making a celebrity appearance, there was no need for crowds swarming around her.
“Alright, then two. Can’t be any fewer.”
“…Fine.”
The next day, Jiang Fuyue met the “bodyguards” arranged for her by the higher-ups.
Two young men in camouflage uniforms, shoulders square and waists straight, stood there with impossibly long legs and high spirits.
Seen from afar, they looked like two tall, upright young poplar trees.
However, none of that was the point, the point was that Jiang Fuyue knew these two “little poplars”,
“Yici? Zhong Ziang?”
“Hehe…” Yici revealed a standard eight-tooth smile, his good-looking phoenix eyes narrowing.
Compared to the fair-skinned, overly pretty adolescent boy in her memory, the person before her had darkened by several shades. The impulsive, fearless youthful air between his brows and eyes was gone, replaced by solemnity and steadiness.
Yet with this smile, the overly mature look lightened a little; a trace of his former spirit returned. Deep down, he was still that “X-heaven-X-earth” school tyrant, Brother Ci.
“Didn’t expect it, huh?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Indeed, I didn’t.”
Zhong Ziang spread his hands, tilted his head, and instantly put on the air of a dandy young master: “Surprised? Unexpected?”
Like Yici, he’d gotten tanned too, though he was still fairer than most people.
When he spoke, he still habitually lifted his chin slightly, his arrogance unchanged.
Same person, same smile, but there was less frivolity in that smile now, and more composure.
They were still the people they once were, yet not entirely the same as before.
Just like Jiang Fuyue now, dressed in a white lab coat, professional and proper, long past the childishness and youth of wearing a school uniform.
If the Jiang Fuyue of those days was a bud about to bloom, then the Jiang Fuyue before them now was a fruit steadily maturing.
Everyone had changed.
Changed into better versions of themselves.
“How did you end up here?”
Yici: “Temporarily transferred.”
After the college entrance exam, he and Zhong Ziang both enlisted. Speaking of fate, the two of them were actually assigned to the same unit.
This trip was mainly for desert survival training. Originally, they were supposed to return after it ended, but there was a manpower shortage on Suweitan’s side, so they were temporarily transferred over.
There were more than a dozen companions who came with them.
At first, they didn’t know Jiang Fuyue was here as well. Yesterday, their superiors suddenly summoned the two of them and told them to be responsible for protecting a “key individual,” handing them a pile of materials.
They didn’t know until they looked, and once they did, they were shocked: it was actually Jiang Fuyue!
“There were originally more suitable candidates, but considering that you were classmates before and are more familiar with each other, it was ultimately decided to send you two.”
When the two walked out of the office, they were still a bit dazed.
Zhong Ziang: “How is Jiang Fuyue in F Continent? Shouldn’t she be studying at Ming University right now?”
Yici: “We’ll know if we ask.”
Forgive the two of them for not having touched a phone in a long time, they had no idea what was happening in the outside world.
Later, the two asked other soldiers at the base. Speaking in clumsy English, they finally got a rough grasp of the situation.
It seemed to be some kind of scientific research, targeting the Schankwo virus, and it had already achieved huge success.
As the most critical link among them, Jiang Fuyue’s personal safety was of paramount importance!
That was why the higher-ups took it so seriously.
After hearing it all, Yici smacked his lips: “She really lives up to expectations.”
He thought she’d settle down for a while after getting into university, who knew she’d only play bigger and bigger.
Zhong Ziang said nothing, feeling rather uncomfortable inside.
I thought I’d already run fast enough. I didn’t expect you to leave me even farther behind.
Yici: “You’re going to Duhe?”
“Mm.”
“That place is a major epidemic disaster zone, with lots of infected patients.”
“I know. This trip is precisely to see those patients.”
“What?” Zhong Ziang widened his eyes. “What are you planning to do?”
“Search for new mutant strains.”
At present, all discovered mutant strains could be effectively prevented by Vaccine A.
But the epidemic was spreading, and once the virus entered the human body, it could mutate at any time. When that happened, new mutant strains would emerge.
As for these as-yet-undiscovered mutant strains, whether Vaccine A would still provide immunity required further study.
And the prerequisite for that research was first finding the new mutant strains.
After listening, Zhong Ziang scratched his head, looking slightly confused: “Um… seems like I understood, and yet maybe I didn’t.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
“In short, we’re going to Duhe.”
Zhong Ziang: Oh, this time I completely understood.
Yici: “When do we depart?”
“Tomorrow.”
……
On April 24, Jiang Fuyue set off from the base with the first batch of vaccines, heading for the severely affected area, Duhe! Traveling with her were Zhong Ziang, Yici, as well as transport personnel and security.
At eight in the morning, the off-road vehicles set out on time.
The trucks carrying the vaccines followed closely behind.
The entire journey took six hours. They only stopped once in the middle, when passing through an urban area, to refuel and grab lunch.
Zhong Ziang and Yici went to collect boxed meals, and brought one back for Jiang Fuyue as well.
The dishes were cold, the rice was hard. Just looking at it killed any appetite; once it went into the mouth, the taste was even worse.
In the past, Zhong Ziang and Yici wouldn’t have touched this kind of food at all.
Now, however, they could swallow it bite after bite without changing expression.
Because they were already used to it.
Having food to eat at all was already pretty good. During wilderness survival training, forget meals, even a sip of water wasn’t available; you had to find it yourself.
At their hungriest, they’d even eaten insects.
The two finished their boxed meals in a few quick bites, then suddenly remembered that Jiang Fuyue, unlike them, hadn’t received military training and probably wasn’t used to this kind of food.
But unexpectedly…
Although the girl ate more slowly than they did, she was still eating earnestly, bite by bite.
More than half of the food in the box was already gone.
Her expression was calm, without the slightest hint of disdain.
In the end, Jiang Fuyue was too full and really couldn’t eat anymore, so she dumped what little food remained.
Perhaps feeling choked, she then fished out a bottle of mineral water from under her seat, twisted it open, and took two sips.
Watching this, Zhong Ziang clicked his tongue inwardly and asked her, “What do you think of the taste of this food?”
Jiang Fuyue answered honestly: “Not very good.”
“Then why are you still eating it?”
“If I don’t eat, am I supposed to just wait around hungry?”
“……” You haven’t even been trained, how is your awareness still this high?
Seeing that the main group didn’t seem ready to set off just yet, Jiang Fuyue got out of the vehicle, put on a sun hat, and began pacing back and forth.
Yici and Zhong Ziang also got out and followed.
Their task was to protect Jiang Fuyue without leaving her side for a single step.
There were a total of eight trucks transporting the vaccines, lined up in a straight row like a long dragon.
Jiang Fuyue walked along the side of the road to the position of the last truck. Just as she was about to turn back, she suddenly noticed that behind the last truck, there was actually another off-road vehicle following.
There was no one on it, it was empty.
She didn’t think much of it, guessing that personnel had been arranged to bring up the rear and had gone off to eat at the moment.
Ever since that incident with Wei Yuan, the base had been especially cautious in these aspects.
The reason Zhong Ziang and Yici were temporarily transferred over as reinforcements was likely also due to this consideration.
Soon, the convoy set off again.
They finally arrived at Duhe at four in the afternoon.
Everyone put on protective suits and donned face shields in advance. When entering the temporary vaccination site, every single person wore a solemn expression, nerves stretched taut.
Especially Zhong Ziang and Yici. Not only did they have to pay attention to their own safety, they also had to constantly observe their surroundings to prevent any accidents.
And Jiang Fuyue was protected between the two of them.
By evening, the vaccines had all been unloaded and transferred into cold storage at the vaccination site.
At this time, Jiang Fuyue, Zhong Ziang, and Yici were no longer inside the vaccination site.
Because the moment they arrived, the three of them had diverted to the largest local hospital.
Calling it a hospital, its scale was not even as large as a slightly bigger specialty clinic back home.
This place was also divided into two areas: emergency and inpatient.
The emergency area had already been taken over by the Doctors Without Borders team, more than a dozen people running back and forth, stretched to their limits.
Although they were doing their utmost to maintain order, patients shrouded in the shadow of death simply wouldn’t listen.
They vented their panic with screams, fought over medical resources with crying and kneeling.
There were even physical altercations, with people coming to blows.
Every medical worker on site faced all this with a kind of near-numb calm in their eyes.
From last year’s outbreak of Schankwo to the current pandemic, they had been stationed here for over half a year. From the initial flustered chaos and heartfelt distress, to now being composed and unfazed by the familiar, hearts long since tempered like steel.
Jiang Fuyue found the head of the medical team and explained her purpose: “I want to collect virus samples.”
“You are?” The other party sized her up from head to toe.
Both of them were wearing protective suits and isolation face shields. Aside from being able to see each other’s eyes, nothing else was visible.
Jiang Fuyue explained her identity and provided valid work credentials.
“You’re a virologist?”
Jiang Fuyue shook her head. “I just research vaccines.”
The person in charge nodded, withdrawing the wariness and caution from his eyes. “I’ll have someone take you to the inpatient area. Everyone staying there is critically ill, be sure to take full protective measures.”
“Thank you.”
The person in charge waved. “Little Zhang, come here, ”
“Doctor Wang?”
“Take them to the inpatient area for sampling.”
“Now?” Little Zhang showed difficulty. There were still so many patients waiting, there was simply no time to spare.
Jiang Fuyue spoke up at the right moment: “It’s fine, we can go ourselves. I mainly wanted to inform you to obtain consent.”
The person in charge didn’t insist. This place was truly short-handed. “Alright, make yourselves at home. If you need anything, come find us anytime.”
Jiang Fuyue thanked him again and walked straight toward the inpatient area.
This place was even more horrifying than the emergency area.
Beds were in short supply, overcrowded to the extreme, there wasn’t even room to set foot in the corridors.
Order had fallen into chaos more than once.
Jiang Fuyue frowned, her expression grave.
It should have been Zhong Ziang and Yici’s first time seeing such a scene. Behind their isolation face shields, the eyes revealed were filled with shock.
“He, they’re just lying on the ground like this?”
Jiang Fuyue gave a cruel reminder: “At a critical time, beds are scarce.”
As long as they could receive treatment, what did it matter if they lay on the ground?
At least it was a hospital floor, with IV drips running, life signs not yet gone.
And some people didn’t even have such an opportunity, because the illness struck too suddenly, they died directly at home or on the way here.
Almost all of Duhe’s local medical staff were concentrated here, roughly estimated at over twenty people.
Footsteps rushed back and forth, faces carrying fatigue and anxiety, spinning nonstop like tops.
Occasionally, two people running face to face would collide, medicine bottles scattering all over the ground. With no time to apologize, they would quickly pick everything up, put it back, and pass each other by, each hurrying off to their own tasks.
This was a battlefield racing against the god of death, and life was the weight on the scale pulled back and forth by both sides.
Perhaps being just one or two seconds faster could save a living, breathing person!
……
Jiang Fuyue found the head nurse and explained her purpose. She was very cooperative and led them to the innermost critical infection area.
It was quieter here than outside, and there were no people in the corridors, but the risk of infection was far higher.
Jiang Fuyue stopped and turned to look at Yici and Zhong Ziang. “You two don’t need to go in. Just wait for me outside.”
The two exchanged a glance. “No way!”
Yici: “We’re on a mission. We’re not allowed to leave without authorization.”
Zhong Ziang: “The order we received was wherever you go, the two of us follow.”
“……”
In the end, all three went in together.
After bringing them there, the head nurse left.
Before officially stepping inside, Jiang Fuyue checked her own protective measures, very good, no problems.
She then carefully checked Yici’s and Zhong Ziang’s as well, also no problems.
Only after everything was confirmed to be correct did she step inside.
The two were influenced by her cautious behavior and couldn’t help but take things seriously as well.
Jiang Fuyue opened the case she carried with her, took out the tools, then went from one ward to the next, beginning throat swab collection.
Most of the people inside were already in a comatose state, relying on various machines to barely sustain life.
While sampling them, Jiang Fuyue would also observe their clinical manifestations.
But there were also patients who were still conscious.
They asked her where she was from.
Jiang Fuyue said, Huaxia.
An elderly man nodded, tears in his eyes as he thanked her, saying that the people of Huaxia had helped them far, far too much.
Since the end of last year, waves of Doctors Without Borders had come, one group after another, all acting voluntarily, coming to support them.
He thought Jiang Fuyue was also one of them.
Jiang Fuyue didn’t explain, only smiled and replied, “You’re welcome.”
Viruses know no borders; the fate of humanity is shared.
The old man trembled as he raised his hand to wipe away his tears.
During this time, the head nurse was worried and came by once during rounds.
Seeing Jiang Fuyue smoothly conversing and communicating with the patients, she stood at the doorway and smiled, deeply moved.
When Jiang Fuyue came out of the ward, she took the initiative to ask, “Do you need help?”
Jiang Fuyue was startled. “Is it convenient?”
“Yes. I was about to deliver medicine to each ward.”
Jiang Fuyue thought for a moment and didn’t refuse. She handed over some of the sterile throat swab culture tubes and blank labels, and taught her the correct way to fill out the labels.
Head nurse: “I understand.”
Jiang Fuyue worked from front to back, while the head nurse worked from back to front.
With the two cooperating, the collection speed was indeed much faster.
But in comparison, it was still easy to see that Jiang Fuyue’s movements were far more efficient.
Meanwhile, Zhong Ziang and Yici followed in and out, only able to watch helplessly as Jiang Fuyue busied herself among a group of patients, unable to help much themselves.
But the vigilance and alertness they maintained toward the surrounding environment never once slackened.
……
Not until night had fully fallen did Jiang Fuyue finish packing away all 134 collected samples, sealing them in boxes.
Before leaving the inpatient area, the three of them underwent disinfection according to procedure and changed into new protective suits and face shields.
After several more rounds of inspection and confirmation by Jiang Fuyue, she carried out every step meticulously and cautiously.
This was a severely affected area, with Schankwo virus everywhere. Without proper protection and disinfection, it was very easy to become infected.
It was true that Jiang Fuyue did not fear life or death, but that didn’t mean she liked “courting death.”
“Did you memorize the steps?” she suddenly asked Zhong Ziang and Yici.
Zhong Ziang nodded. “More or less.”
Jiang Fuyue frowned. “You need to memorize them completely, to the point of copy-and-paste replication. ‘More or less’ isn’t acceptable.”
Zhong Ziang fell silent. “…Then we’ll practice more when we get back.”
“Mm. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me anytime.”
The two nodded and said okay.
When they drove back to the temporary vaccination site, the moon was already hanging high in the night sky, casting a bleak layer of light over the entire site.
In the distance were endless sand dunes and desert. Up close were casually placed tables and chairs. In the corners were stacks upon stacks of protective supplies and disposable syringes.
The three had just gotten out of the vehicle and come to a stop when a medical worker ran up, looking anxious. “Where did you go? Why are you only back now? Dr. X has asked several times!”
Jiang Fuyue froze. In her mind flashed that cold silver mask. “Dr. X?”
“Yes.”
“He came too?”
“Of course! He arrived today with the main group. Didn’t you know?”
Only then did Jiang Fuyue understand who had been in that off-road vehicle bringing up the rear.
One was at the very front, the other at the very back. They hadn’t crossed paths in between, it was perfectly normal not to know.
“You’re saying he asked about us?” Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, hurry inside…”
He’s been waiting a long time.
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