Chapter 272: Chapter 261: The Second Defense Line
Just learned from Sun Yifei that the HTC4 mutated virus has mutated once again, and also heard from the broadcast channel about a viral epidemic occurring on Mainland Japan, where over a hundred people have died in a single county. How fierce must this newly mutated virus be? Xiao Lin was unable to imagine.
According to what Tong Tong recounted, the virus mutation happened only in the past couple of days, and once it occurred, it claimed over a hundred lives in a single district. Xiao Lin’s intelligence suggested that Jingliang Province was not the worst affected area during the epidemic, and in that outbreak, Weizhou’s severity ranked only in the middle.
One can imagine what impact this new mutation would have on those areas previously most affected. Xiao Lin couldn’t be clearer; the memories are vivid, of those infected looking with eyes of farewell and expressions of helplessness...
Back then, even though the THC4 virus was extremely contagious, it infected about 30 million people across Huaxia, with fewer than a thousand fatalities, showing an extremely low mortality rate. Moreover, that outbreak lasted three months, averaging about four deaths daily. Now, with this mutated virus, just as it had mutated, the death toll surged to a frightful over hundred in just one county. Although this has yet to be officially confirmed, Xiao Lin believed there shouldn’t be much difference.
"Dr. Xiao... Dr. Xiao?" Li Jingyi lightly patted Xiao Lin’s shoulder.
Xiao Lin snapped back to reality, apologetically smiled at Li Jingyi, and said, "Sorry, Director, I got lost in thought just now. What did you need to say?"
"Tong Tong is asking when you’ll be leaving," Li Jingyi asked.
"In the next two or three days, Director, I would like to request a leave of about half a month," Xiao Lin said to Li Jingyi.
If someone else were to say this, Li Jingyi would definitely respond: I will eternally grant you leave, you don’t need to come to work anymore.
You see, Xiao Lin has only been working for a little over a week, a newcomer on the job for just a week, saying to the leadership that I want half a month’s leave?
But evidently, Li Jingyi did not hesitate at all and said, "No problem, I will inform the Dean for you!" Not to mention that Xiao Lin had given up the department director position for her, Xiao Lin’s reasons for leave were sufficiently strong. If the epidemic in Jingliang Province is indeed as severe as Tong Tong describes, the hospitals in Yanjing might soon receive orders to mobilize medical staff to support the epidemic zone.
"Dr. Xiao, thank you. I’d like to go with you, if I may?" Tong Tong said.
Xiao Lin thought for a moment; Tong Tong was previously suspected by him to have been infected with the mutated HTC4 virus, but later it turned out not to be the mutated THC4 virus. Xiao Lin was quite confident in his expertise, and after checking the previous records, Tong Tong’s symptoms were extremely similar to those of an HTC4 mutated virus infection outbreak. Could it be that Tong Tong’s body has some antibodies?
Since Tong Tong previously had such symptoms, although the test eventually showed no infection with the mutated HTC4 virus, Xiao Lin thought it best for Tong Tong to go to Jingliang Province for another examination using specialized equipment; perhaps they might even find some antibodies?
Xiao Lin is a very meticulous person; as a doctor, one needs to be extremely patient and careful to ensure respect for patients’ lives. Moreover, seeing Tong Tong’s situation now, even if he doesn’t take her, she probably won’t stay in school obediently.
Although he hadn’t spent a long time with Tong Tong, Xiao Lin could tell from lending her medical expenses last time that despite her seemingly fragile appearance, she is a very strong woman internally.
"Alright, we’ll go together then. Regarding your parents, I will call my friends in Jingliang Province and ask them to keep an eye on things. Give me your home address and your parents’ phone numbers and I’ll have my friends there look into it for you!" Xiao Lin said to Xiao Lin.
"Thank you, Dr. Xiao!" Tong Tong was incredibly grateful to Xiao Lin and hurriedly provided him with her address and parents’ phone numbers.
Xiao Lin jotted them down and said, "Alright, focus on your studies for the next few days, and I’ll call upon you when it’s time to return to Jingliang Province!"
Having received Xiao Lin’s promise, Tong Tong was naturally overflowing with gratitude. Xiao Lin and Li Jingyi persuaded her for a while, and Li Jingyi finally escorted Tong Tong out. As Tong Tong reached the door, she suddenly gasped slightly: "Dr. Xia, why aren’t you going in?"
"Oh, I... I’m just going in now, you came out just as I arrived at the door, saved me the trouble of opening a door!" Xia Xue quickly regathered herself after a brief fluster.
"Alright, thank you so much, Dr. Xia!" Tong Tong said sweetly.
"No problem, don’t worry!" Xia Xue resumed her usual smile and gently spoke to Tong Tong.
As Xia Xue entered the room, Li Jingyi teased, "Should I step aside and not disturb you two during your private time?"
Xia Xue gracefully smiled at Li Jingyi and said, "Sure, I’d gladly take that!"
After the laughter, Xia Xue and Xiao Lin packed up their things and exited the emergency department. Li Jingyi stayed behind as she was covering for another doctor’s shift in the department; she didn’t leave. During this month of military training for new admissions, it’s different from usual. Each department must have personnel on standby during lunch hours, although there’s a bit more leeway for slacking at other times.
On the way back, Xiao Lin’s mind was preoccupied with the HTC4 mutated virus mutating again, and he didn’t speak. Xia Xue too had matters weighing on her mind and remained silent. Thus, the two quietly returned home.
Upon arriving home, Xiao Lin directly went to his room, logged onto his computer, entered the password, opened a window, and two emails popped up, one from the Military General Hospital, and another from Dragon Soul.
The Military General Hospital’s message came at ten o’clock in the morning, while Dragon Soul’s was at nine fifty. The Military General Hospital email wasn’t sent in the unit’s name but from an individual — the director of the Military General Hospital personally sent it, whereas Dragon Soul sent an email in Dragon Soul’s name.
Same message: HTC4 mutated virus again mutated, starting its outbreak yesterday morning at eight, causing five hundred deaths by the time the email was sent, with several thousand critically ill in Jingliang Province due to the virus mutation. These figures continue to rise rapidly.
Dragon Soul’s email further requested Xiao Lin to return to the team as soon as possible, with a Level Two alert activated internally!
Xiao Lin’s expression turned a lot grimmer. Upon confirming the virus had mutated again, Xiao Lin knew that in nearly two hundred years of modern history, this was an unprecedented virus, one with the most formidable threat. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit to cast your votes and monthly tickets; your support is the greatest motivation for me.)