A Divine Farmer

Chapter 290 - Ordinary Chinese Medicine!

“Alright, there's no need for you to come along and add to the chaos,” Zhang Xiaolong quickly interjected, “Soaring Dragon can't do without you, and even if you did come, you wouldn't be of much help. I alone am enough. Instead of coming with me, it would be better for you to stay home and help Eyebrow Dragon Company maintain stability. Don't worry, as long as I'm there, no plague will touch Su Mei.”

Truth be told, he wasn't entirely confident in his assurances. Until he saw the extent of the plague himself, no one could be certain of their ability to contain it. If it was a particularly aggressive disease, people might be falling ill before he even arrived.

Fortunately, Chen Yaru had immense trust in him and didn't question his judgment. She was eager to accompany him, but she also realized that in the epidemic zone, Zhang Xiaolong would have to worry about her safety, which could hinder rather than help their efforts.

“Mr. Zhang, if you're headed to Eternal Light Village in Deep Swamp County, I can guide you,” Huang Zhigang, who had not yet departed, offered unexpectedly. “Eternal Light Village is a very secluded mountain hamlet. Even if you flew there, it would be quite challenging to locate. It might be best if I accompanied you.”

“How do you know the way?” Zhang Xiaolong inquired, surprised.

“Well, my hometown is near there. Eternal Light Village is just next to where I grew up, so I know the area like the back of my hand,” Huang Zhigang explained hastily. “Considering the village is facing a plague, it could spread to our area too. As someone from there, I feel it's my duty to lend a hand.”

Zhang Xiaolong nodded in agreement. “Alright, do you need to take care of anything else in Qingyang? If not, we can set out right away.”

“I… I've got nothing else on my plate,” Huang Zhong thought to himself. With the factory shut down and no immediate pressure from creditors, he indeed had no pressing matters to attend to.

Now was not the time for second-guessing. They embarked on their journey without delay.

Waiting for the plane was an exercise in patience, with Zhang Xiaolong's anxiety mounting. He was tempted to drive straight there, as the journey of over a thousand miles wasn't too daunting for his car's speed. But the greater his urgency, the more he resisted the impulse to take such a gamble.

If he sped along the highway, who knew what kind of terrible consequences might ensue?

At that moment, Zhang Xiaolong cursed his lack of divine powers. The divine energy within him was far from transcendent; if only he could simply fly there.

After a taxing journey, Zhang Xiaolong, led by Huang Zhigang, finally arrived at the outskirts of Eternal Light Village. The area was under strict quarantine, barring any outsiders from entry. Everyone was donned in thick protective gear, diligently disinfecting the epidemic zone.

“Mr. Zhang, it looks like we can't get in,” Huang Zhigang said, troubled.

Considering the quarantine, and the daunting sight before them, who would dare venture inside?

“Go back for now. Once the epidemic is over, I'll come to find you,” Zhang Xiaolong replied.

Despite his lack of fondness for the man, he acknowledged the help he had provided and was willing to return the favor.

“Well… Alright, Mr. Zhang, please be careful. This looks like a severe plague. If you catch it, it could be fatal,” Huang Zhigang said, glancing at the scene with palpable anxiety.

Zhang Xiaolong nodded and, without further ado, headed towards the epidemic area.

He was immediately stopped, “This is the plague zone, are you out of your mind?”

The officer enforcing the quarantine scolded him seriously. Zhang Xiaolong wasn't offended; he understood the concern for his safety.

“I'm a doctor, specially here to assist in the fight against the epidemic. Could you tell me where the medical team is? I'd like to meet with them.”

“A doctor? Which hospital are you with? The doctors treating the plague are all at the temporary medical station. But even as a doctor, you can't just walk into the plague zone. It's safer to treat patients at the hospital. This area is too dangerous. Today alone, we've had to transport out nine bodies.” The officer remained stern, his voice tinged with deep resignation.

“Can you tell me where the hospital is?” Zhang Xiaolong asked urgently.

The person kindly pointed him in the right direction. It made sense; no one in their right mind would impersonate a doctor, especially during a plague. There was no glory in such a risk, and certainly no advantage to be gained.

With the location now clear, Zhang Xiaolong quickly made his way there and soon came upon a large estate with a red cross flag hanging at the entrance, marking it as the makeshift medical center.

Upon entering, he went largely unnoticed as the staff was preoccupied with urgent medical procedures. Their grave expressions made it evident that the situation was dire.

“Chair Chen, the patient in bed nine has slipped into a deep coma. It's not looking good,” reported someone with a look of deep concern and anxiety.

Chair Chen, the man in charge, listened intently, his face etched with seriousness. Having been there for two days, he had seen the death toll rise and was now consumed by a sense of helplessness that plagued him as much as the epidemic itself.

“Chair Chen, may I take a look?” Zhang Xiaolong approached and inquired.

Chair Chen turned to see a young man with an unfamiliar face. “I'm Chen Shi, the head of this temporary medical center. Which hospital are you affiliated with?”

“I'm a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine,” Zhang Xiaolong replied. “I'm curious about the current situation. Are there still many people in the epidemic zone? Do we have any effective treatments here?”

“Hold on, we haven't invited any TCM practitioners,” the young doctor snapped, his anger rising. “Are you here to peddle some ‘secret family remedy,' or to gloat at our misfortune? Let me be clear, this is no place for deceit or profiteering off the suffering caused by the plague!”

“I apologize, but I'm neither here to sell remedies nor to gloat,” Zhang Xiaolong responded with gravity. “Witnessing the conditions here, I just want to see if I can offer any assistance. My friend is also in the affected area. Initially, I came to find her, but seeing what's happening, if I can contribute even the slightest bit of help, wouldn't that be beneficial for those struggling with the epidemic?”

“Chair Chen, do you really think a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner can cure the Ebola virus?” The young doctor turned and asked, “If they simply write up a prescription and administer a couple of injections, and that's enough to heal someone, does that mean we've been wasting our time here, not sleeping for days, just putting on a show?”

“Okay, you go back to your duties; I'll speak with him,” Chen Shi said, sending the young doctor away. He then turned to Zhang Xiaolong with an apologetic tone, “Although Doctor Liu Hsing is young, he's extremely dedicated. Since arriving in the epidemic zone, he's been at the forefront of all the hazardous tasks. His anxiety is understandable, so please don't hold it against him. However, it's true that conventional TCM methods won't have an effect on this epidemic. It would be best if you returned home.”