Chapter 5: Adopting the kid and an escalating situation

16 June 15:00 to 16:00

15:20

Beep beeep…  the unrelenting sound of honks came from the vehicles with a red cross as they moved in to Xin Xin Jia Wan, a new residential area specially built for relocation, with the guidance of the police car.

Such a spectacle naturally attracted everyone’s attention.

Most people walking on the road had not been not aware of what had happened; hence their first response was to ask the people next to them. Even if they could guess it had something to do with the Liu’s, they were unable to comprehend why were there such a need for so many ambulances.

Xiao Mo had an uneasy feeling. The image of the youth’s smile before he died kept surfacing to his head.

He felt a chill ran down his spine and couldn’t help but sneezed twice.

“Bro, you don’t look too good.” Xue Li Hong lifted up his head.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

“Vlabyrp kv’p y zkvvzl nsze; zssjp zkjl ol’zz byhl vs cwu psxl nsze xleknkdl vseyu,” Dkys Ys ekpxkpple bkp osaaklp, vbkdjkdt vbyv bl bye vbl yka nsdekvksd vss zso ulpvlaeyu dktbv.

“Mbyv kp qsa vbl clpv.” Dwl Nk Tsdt xwxczle, bl oypd’v pwal kq bkp qspvla qyvbla nswze zypv vkzz vbl cltkddkdt pvytlp sq vbl nbysp. Tl bye kdkvkyzzu nbspld bkx dsv sdzu qsa vbl tssedlpp kd bkp blyav, cwv yzps qsa bkp blyzvbu yrrlyaydnl.

Lsaxyzzu, vbspl obs olal kd tsse blyzvb bye bktbla nbydnlp sq pwahkhyz.

Jsvb vbl naspp Kwdnvksd yde Lyd Fyd Kky Eyd pvyavle vs nasoe okvb rszknl.

Flhlayz olal ypjkdt vbl rszknl sd vbl nwaaldv pkvwyvksd, cwv vbl rszknl vblxplzhlp olal yzps zlqv kd vbl eyaj, ps vblu fwpv wple vbl xypp blyzvb nblnj yp yd lmnwpl.

“Psd’v vlzz xl vbyv vblal kp y dlo pralye sq kdqlnvkswp ekplypl?” Fsxlsdl pweeldzu ypjle.

“Psd’v prswv dsdpldpl!” vbl rszknl pvayktbvldle bkp qynl, “Rq vblal kp ds cwpkdlpp qsa usw blal, rzlypl ts bsxl yde esd’v zskvla swvpkel. Rq vblal kp yduvbkdt lzpl, ol okzz kdqsax lhlausdl.”

“Rq kv kp sdzu y xypp blyzvb nblnj, obu kp vblal y dlle qsa y rsrwzyvksd nblnj vss? Gzps, vblal yal vss xydu yxcwzydnlp blal.”

“Those ambulances are doing a free health check for the residences. When the time is right, it will be your turn to go.” The police explained.

“Looks like we can’t make the trip to the police station today,” no one would be available to help him. Xiao Mo thus decided to bring Xue Li Hong to the station to report tomorrow. Tonight, he would buy some cold medicine and then go to the supermarket for some grocery shopping.

15:40

Northern city, zone 6 Zhou Gan Medical Centre

“We are really unable to handle this! The blood keeps flowing and we can’t seem to stop it. We have to quickly send this patient to the main hospital!”

“Doctor Lee, his condition does not allow us to send him. If anything happens on the way, who is going to be responsible?”

“Where are his family? Who sent him here? Explain it to them; let them sign the paper. We are unable to resolve this issue! This is only a small city medical centre!”

“Doctor Lee! This is bad! The girl that sent him in also started vomiting blood, what should we do?”

“What? Send her in! Then call the emergency centre, ask them to send the ambulance here!” Doctor Lee shouted aggressively.

15:50

An enclosed car moved out from Xin Xin Jia Wan, Block 11, Liu’s house, and moved towards the Centre for Infectious Disease.

In the car, the Liu couple, together with the chair, were enclosed with a layer of oxygen bubble. They seemed to be feeling uneasy with the change in environment and started to struggle.

Doctor Qian Yun Kai and his assistant Xiao Cheng were both donned in protective clothing. Together with the other doctors, they were here to help with the residents’ medical check-ups.

As for Block 11, those residents that had done their checks were currently waiting for their results. All of the residents in that block were requested to stay at home, and all supplies were delivered to their doorstep by the government.

The six Interpol officers that were tested positive for metallic poisoning also volunteered to help. They too were all donned up in protective clothing, so as to ensure security and order.

Looking at the test results generated from the machine, Qian Yun Kai’s face turned green.

Ten minutes ago, there were still one or two negative results. But only after ten minutes, up till now, all those that were tested were now showing different levels of metallic poisoning.

“Wang Cheng!”

“Yes Doctor, how can I help you?” Wang Cheng ran over.

Qian Yun Kai took out the details of the two residents that were tested positive earlier, and passed him the information. “Go and bring these two residents, tell them we need a retest.”

16:30

An ambulance moved out from Zhou Gan Village Medical Centre and was leaving for the nearest hospital in the city. In the ambulance, there were two people in it, side by side. They were the young lovey dovey couple from the bus stop.

At the same time, the sixty-year-old couple finally arrived at Zhong San North’s largest residence, Wang Hao Villa, after changing quite a few buses.

16:45

Qian Yun Kai shouted at his phone in the enclosed car, his face turning black.

“Just what are you waiting for? The test results have showed the message loud and clear; this disease can be transmitted through air, and it is spreading as fast as a wild fire! According to the checks done, it can be confirmed that all Xin Xin Wan Jia’s residents have already been infected all within the same day.”

“How would I know the result? Until now, I still haven’t completely grasped how the disease had spread! Disturbing the residents? This is called disturbing the residents? This is all for the sake of being responsible for the residents’ health and safety! If we don’t quarantine them now it will be too late!”

“F*ck the meeting! A bunch of idiots!” Qian Yun Kai almost threw away his phone in anger.

“Yun Kai!” The door of the car suddenly opened.

“What is it?”

“Wang Cheng stood outside of the car, and spoke worriedly, “Some residents have started vomiting nonstop and some even fainted!”

“What?!” Yun Kai shouted.

“This isn’t even a symptom of metallic poisoning, even the worst cases won’t vomit or faint immediately- there is a progressive stage. Damn it! This isn’t normal metallic poisoning- this is a residential area, where did all the dense metals come from? All other types of metallic compound are also very high. This must be a new kind of disease that we are unable to identify. Come, let’s go take a look!” as he said, he opened the door and jumped out of the car.

Peng!

Qian Yun Kai suddenly felt his leg soften and fell down from the car.

“Yun Kai!” Wang Chang shouted worriedly. He responded swiftly and grabbed Qian Yun Kai before he fell on the floor.

17:00

The meeting room of the communicable disease centre was filled with smoke.

“This incident must be reported to the higher level.” A middle-aged doctor with a small belly said.

“Of course, but we need more detailed information.” The man replied, perspiration dripping from his head. The whole room felt hot even with the air condition on at full blast.

“How about isolating the entire area, since it is air borne, if…”

“Leader Qian, this has only been verified by your son and there are no complete medical reports. Mobilizing the government and the police to isolate such a big residential area, this… not anyone can achieve it. Isolating them will also cause panic and create social disorder. Pray tell, who is going to shoulder this responsibility?” Another half bald doctor rebuked while tapping his cigarette on the ashtray.

“But…”

“Who said you could smoke here? Don’t you know that no smoking is allowed in the centre?” The door was violently swung opened by a woman that looked around fifty years old. The woman, wearing a full suit, marched in angrily while she berated the doctor.

“Team Leader!”

“Hello Leader Chai!”

The smokers silently put out their cigarettes and swiftly greeted the lady.

The lady unhappily waved her hand and opened the windows, letting the pungent smell to escape.

“I heard that Doctor Qian is down, and there is still no outcome from you guys?”

“What?!” Leader Qian, who was around fifty years old but looked very well-maintained, shot up from his seat. “What happened to Yun Kai? How is the situation? Why did nobody report this to me?”

“Lao Qian, don’t panic first, Yun Kai has already been sent to the city’s hospital. I will make sure they will rescue him immediately.” The woman appeased him. She then changed her tone and said, “I personally saw that some of the residents from Xin Xin Jia Wan were infected with metallic poisoning and read through the reports received. I believe this information is enough for us to bring to case up to the higher ups to request for isolation and quarantine.”

“Leader Chai, about this quarantine, please reconsider; if it causes the public to panic…”

“Then should we wait till people start to die? So that the public won’t panic then?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, but…”

“Alright now, I am responsible for this case, so if there are any faults, then I, Chai Jin Hua will shoulder it. Now, go and immediately raise this situation of Xin Xin Jia Wan to code red, cooperate with the government and the police and mark out the 10-meter isolation belt!”

17:20

 The doctors operating on the patient shook their heads and gave up on rescuing the patient on the operation table.

“16 June 2019, afternoon 17:20 hours, patient Zhang Hua is beyond rescue, cause of death: Internal organ bleeding. Cause of illness: Unknown, temporarily suspected to be heavy metal poisoning.”

Five minutes later, his girlfriend in the other operation theatre also announced death, unable to be rescued, with the same symptoms.

17:30

Starting from Gu Ning avenue, with Xin Xin Jia Wan as the center, together with the surrounding ten kilometres, were being isolated.

Within these ten kilometres, there were more than thirty-seven thousand residents living in it, including one large electronic factory that was in charge of imports and exports.

As of now, the residents living in the area were still unaware of the quarantine.

Those vehicles that were blocked outside of the ten kilometres and were not able to come back thought that it was a normal jam, and eagerly waited for the traffic to loosen.

Xiao Mo was travelling back from the market in his electric driven tricycle. He went to the clinic for a check and came out clean; the doctor simply prescribed him some general cold medicine and fever suppressor.

He was spotted by a neighbour that brought her child for injection; the neighbour kept pestering him about the youth that got into the car accident.

Looks like news had spread fast around the area.

Xiao Mo was finally able to shake her off after a good while.

“Lao Xiao, did you realize, there are only a few cars that are on the street moving around.” Xue Li Hong sitting at the back pulled on Xiao Mo’s shirt to gain his attention.

Xiao Mo let slid the way the kid addressed him, and observed Gu Ning avenue instead.

Indeed, there was not as much vehicle than normal. The supposedly never-stopping stream of vehicles on Guo Ning Avenue now does not seem to have much traffic; not even the public transport- it was currently the evening peak hours.

“I feel that you bought too little food.” Xue Li Hong kicked the plastic bag next to his leg.

“This amount should be able to last for one week, if I buy more, it can’t last, even if I store them in the fridge.” Xiao Mo felt that he already bought plenty, especially since there was an extra mouth, he bought plenty of fruits and vegetables.

“According to my experience, when a time of chaos takes place, food and medical supplies become scarce resources. That goes for weapons too. So, if you still have enough savings, I would personally suggest that you stock up on these necessities.

“Hey, hey, you are putting it like it’s real.” Xiao Mo felt the boy’s words were really ominous.

“We already bought so many items, are we able to move all of them upstairs? Even with just all of this, we will have to run two trips up.”

“Not listening to old people’s advice, you will sure to suffer later. Hope you don’t regret it.”

Xiao Mo chuckled; he still needed some time to get used to the kid’s jokes.

Xiao Mo’s house was in the same block as his shop, block seven, unit 701. Usually, he would go home straight from his store.

He bought his house three years ago. Back in the days, the old zone’s house was not suitable to be converted to his recycling project, so he started looking for a suitable place in the outskirts. When he passed by this area, he felt that the scenery was fantastic, and there was a future in it, but the best part was that the price was reasonable and the space was big. Since it was very suitable for his recycling business, he immediately sold off his old house and bought this place.

Shan Nan Jia Wan and Yen Jia County were only separated by a street, hence shopping was very convenient, unlike some other newly developed residential areas that were very deserted.

Last year, there was a newly built supermarket “Lian Gou Le”- it was almost as big as Xin Xin Jia Wan’s biggest supermarket “Hao Mei Duo”.

With two large supermarkets, and a few smaller convenient shops that operates for long hours, the residents enjoyed the convenience. This also gradually changed their habit of stock piling groceries and necessities.

The house that Xiao Mo lived was actually on the upper floor. Although it was called the upper floor, technically, it was the penthouse. In order to rake in more profits, Nan Shan Jia Wan’s developer sold most of the penthouses at half price, and even gave some of it as a gift for purchasing their other houses.

At San Nan Jia Wan, there was no lift for levels seven and below, so they had to run up the stairs twice in order to bring all of the grocery home.

The kid might have sounded weird, but he was very hardworking nonetheless. He was not very strong, but he still managed to bring up two bags of vegetables.

Xiao Mo liked the kid even more after seeing him work diligently.

When they went up for the last time, the tenant from unit number 301 walked out. Xiao Mo reacted quickly and pulled the kid aside to let him walk out.

“Oh, it’s little Xiao. Thank you.” Residents of San Nan Jia Wan mostly knew him as the boss of the recycling shop.

“Is uncle going out for a stroll?” Xiao Mo smiled, exchanging pleasantries.

“No,” the seventy-year-old uncle that was still very healthy and fit shook his head and replied, “I am going to the community hospital for a consultation. My chest started to feel uncomfortable ever since this afternoon.”

“If your chest feels uncomfortable, then it is a minor illness. Uncle, let me send you the city’s hospital.” Xiao Mo sincerely offered.

The old uncle shook his head, “No need, it’s an old problem, a drip will get it fixed. My son will be back later, if I am still unwell, I will ask him to send me there. Thank you, little Xiao.”

The uncle soon ambled down the steps holding the hand rail. Xiao Mo watched for a while, and could not hold himself. He piggy backed the uncle down the stairs, and together with Xue Li Hong, he sent the uncle to the community hospital using his car.

Initially, the old man still had the strength to chat with him, but later on, he looked really tired, so Xiao Mo helped him with the registration and collected the medicine for him. He also sent him to the dripping room and called his son to ensure that his son was near the house before finally leaving.

Luckily, the uncle’s son entered the isolation belt just minutes before the quarantine, so when he received the call, he still was unaware of the quarantine.

“It looks very crowded tonight. It wasn’t crowded just now when we went to get the cold medicine, weird.” Xiao Mo sighed. He did not stay in the hospital for long, he left together with Xue Li Hong right after settling the uncle in.

Before, he asked Xue Li Hong to wait for him outside, but he was very adamant and insisted on following him into the hospital.

Compared to Xiao Mo who was kept busy the whole time, the kid kept observing the patients in the hospital.

Cough, fever, vomiting, signs of bloating, even people vomiting blood.

Xue Li Hong sniffed, the air in the hospital seemed to be mixed with an extremely light hint of a metallic smell.

What exactly was this disease?

Xue Li Hong tilted his head and thought for a while. After rifling through his eidetic memory, he finally reached a conclusion- this was a new type of virus.