A Divine Farmer

Chapter 299 - Simple Method

“He's such a blockhead,” Wang Zhengyi said with renewed vigor, chiding his son for his lack of insight. “Lacking even the most basic common sense! Medicine can be overpowering because its properties are too potent for ordinary people's meridians to handle. Just reduce the potency a bit, and the problem is solved, right?”

While enhancing medicinal properties is challenging, weakening them is relatively straightforward.

However, Wang Cheng was either too fixated or too rattled by his father's illness to grasp how to weaken the medicine. He turned to Zhang Xiaolong, who was wearing a knowing smile.

“Actually, it's quite simple,” Zhang Xiaolong said with a grin. “Just two words: dilute it.”

Hearing this, Wang Cheng nearly burst into laughter. He had complicated such a simple solution, turning it into a grand medical conundrum. He couldn't help but laugh at himself.

“We can't delay any longer. Xiaolong, pack up these medicines and distribute them outside. A dilution ratio of one to fifty should suffice to eradicate the virus,” Wang Zhengyi asserted, aware of the urgency as countless lives hung in the balance.

Zhang Xiaolong nodded and passed over the box with the remaining three Qilin Fruits. “This medicine should be enough to treat everyone. As for these three fruits, they should stay with you, Senior Brother.”

Wang Zhengyi immediately waved off the suggestion. “No way. You obtained the Qilin Fruit at great personal risk; it's not my place to keep them. Moreover, Divine Medicine like this is safest with you. The Wang family already brought disaster upon Eternal Light Village with just a set of acupuncture techniques. If it became known that I possessed the Qilin Fruit, I can't even imagine the lengths people would go to acquire it.”

Zhang Xiaolong's expression shifted subtly. Though Wang Zhengyi hadn't spelled it out, his words hinted that the epidemic was no accident but a targeted act against him.

Since Wang Zhengyi hadn't elaborated, Zhang Xiaolong refrained from probing further. After all, the people outside were waiting for the medicine, and it wasn't the time for extended conversation.

Zhang Xiaolong swiftly filled his medicine bag and dashed out of the village at breakneck speed.

The village was bustling, and administering medicine to everyone single-handedly would be a time-consuming task. Moreover, in the midst of widespread panic, with no one recognizing him, who would dare to drink his medicine at random?

The situation called for Chen Shi's intervention. He needed to rally all the medical personnel to help eradicate the virus as quickly as possible.

At this point, Zhang Xiaolong had shed his protective suit. With the Dragon Controlling True Spell now enhanced by the Heart Sutra, his physical condition had significantly improved.

The Hundred-grass Spring Coming Arts was a divine technique primarily for nurturing the body, while the Dragon Controlling True Spell was akin to a cultivation method, enabling one to control their physical form at will. Together, they complemented each other perfectly, rendering Zhang Xiaolong impervious to the virus.

However, he had overlooked one detail: Eternal Light Village was still under martial law. The sight of someone charging out without any protective gear, appearing quite mad, naturally startled the authorities.

But before they could intercept him, Zhang Xiaolong had transformed into a whirlwind, spiraling past them.

When they tried to take another look, they saw nothing.

“Hallucinations?” one asked his comrade.

The other was equally puzzled. A hallucination might explain it, but could two people experience the exact same illusion simultaneously?

Zhang Xiaolong paid no mind to this episode and proceeded directly to the temporary medical center.

“Chair Chen,” Liu Hsing, with eyes red from exhaustion, reported, “The new vaccine… it's failed. We've had eight more patients today…”

“Liu, don't lose heart. As doctors, we cling to any shred of hope and never give up. Even when there seems to be no hope left, we must continue to seek it,” Chen Shi, though deeply grieved, spoke with unwavering resolve. “If we surrender to despair, then the villagers caught in this epidemic will truly be without hope.”

“I understand…” Liu Hsing exhaled heavily, about to speak further when he was abruptly interrupted.

“Chair Chen, I've found a cure for Ebola,” Zhang Xiaolong burst in, “We need to dilute this medicine fiftyfold and quickly distribute it to every Ebola-infected patient.”

“Can you please stop causing trouble?” Liu Hsing burst out, “Even if you're not a fraud, administering some random concoction to patients is tantamount to murder. The vaccine recently brought over from A Country didn't work; we're dealing with a mutated strain of Ebola. Where did you dig up this supposed miracle cure that's even more effective than A Country's vaccine?”

Zhang Xiaolong shook his head, “I'm not aware of any vaccine failure. All I know is that this medicine has just cured a patient with the Ebola Virus. We shouldn't be arguing about who's right or wrong; we need to get this medicine to everyone immediately!”

Liu Hsing was about to argue, but Chen Shi interrupted him, urgently asking, “You're saying this medicine cured an Ebola patient? Who was it? Where are they? Have they been properly examined?”

“Not yet, but the cured individual is Dr. Wang Zhengyi, whom I mentioned earlier. He assured me he feels fine, and after examining him, I confirmed the Ebola Virus in his body is completely eradicated. If you're still concerned, we can retrieve him from the epidemic zone for further testing. However…” Zhang Xiaolong paused, “My point is, time is of the essence. Can we administer the medicine while simultaneously verifying my claims?”

“Liu, dilute the medicine immediately and administer it to the most critically ill patient!” Chen Shi commanded without hesitation.

“But…” Liu Hsing attempted to protest.

“No ‘buts.' We're out of options with many patients here. Since Mr. Zhang has discovered a medicine, I cannot stand by and watch them die without at least trying it!” Chen Shi declared emphatically.

“It's not the same!” Liu Hsing countered loudly.

If patients died, it would be due to a lack of proper medication. But if they died from the medicine they provided, they would be considered murderers, or at the very least, responsible.

“It is different, but as a doctor, I'm prepared to take responsibility for these patients,” Chen Shi asserted, looking determined. “As the head of this facility, if all I can do is watch my patients die day after day, powerless to help, then I don't deserve the title of doctor, nor the coat I wear. It's my duty to bear this responsibility, and I will do so.”

Zhang Xiaolong looked on and interjected, “Enough talk. Let's begin with Su Mei; she's my friend, and I'm confident you'll trust her judgment. My sole condition is that while Su Mei is testing the medicine, someone should dilute it. Any further delay, and not even Divine Medicine could revive the dead!”