Chapter 66.2 – Tongwan Hospital (20)
◎ Let’s go to Sin City! (Ferrara + Tongwan Arc End) ◎
Tongwan Outpost.
A private steamboat was opened by the guard, and it underwent immigration inspection.
Song Ke got off the boat, connected with the terminal and the guards, and her ability information was displayed on the screen.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, the commission you accepted has expired, and the access permission is no longer valid.”
The ‘medical support’ was originally just a part-time job, so Song Ke might spend one day as a volunteer and another day outside, and she even went to do extra work to rescue Tao Tao. Half a month later, the form of completing this B-level commission changed to a ‘full-time’ one, requiring a 24-hour standby on duty.
“Recently, the pressure of zombie transformation has been too great, and manpower is insufficient. The magistrate has issued a new policy,” explained the young guard, “If you don’t have access permission, you cannot enter.”
Zhuang Qingyan showed half of his face and glanced at him, saying, “You’re new, aren’t you?”
“How did you know?” the young man was surprised. He had just joined the guard less than a week ago and was still doing the most basic outpost checks. He wondered if he had missed something and it was noticed.
Song Ke knew why. When Zhuang Qingyan was in Tongwan, he spent every day in the archives flipping through information and already knew all about Tongwan’s awakeners.
Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly towards him and said calmly, “Last month, we helped Captain Zhao resist the invasion of the zombies. Brother, we are all law-abiding citizens, not criminals. Can you make an exception and let us in?”
“Well… I can’t make the decision,” the young man scratched his head. He had heard the seniors talk about the shelter, but he wasn’t sure if these were the people. If they deceived him and he let them in, he would face consequences.
While the group was in a stalemate at the city gate, Zhao Liqiang happened to pass by with a middle-aged man.
Song Ke saw this and immediately shouted, “Captain Zhao!”
Zhao Liqiang noticed them and whispered to the person next to him. The group of people walked towards them.
The leading middle-aged man had a steady temperament, determined eyes, and was dressed in the popular Tang suit from the old times. A faint herbal fragrance emanated from him.
The young guard, upon seeing the man, stood at attention and saluted, with an excited voice, “Good day, Lord Magistrate!”
So this was the magistrate of Tongwan, Song Ke thought to herself, the person who single-handedly organized the defense of the city and guarded the medical and pharmaceutical hub.
Zhao Liqiang introduced respectfully, “Dr. Chen, they are the V587 who helped us in Lujia Shelter, as I mentioned.”
Chen Zuyi, Tongwan’s highest governing officer and a doctor specializing in ancient medical practices, nodded at the group, “On behalf of Tongwan, I would like to thank you.”
The first encounter with such a courteous magistrate made Song Ke a little embarrassed, waving her hands repeatedly, “No need, no need to thank us.”
“What happened? Why are you blocked at the entrance?” Zhao Liqiang asked.
The young guard explained to Zhao Liqiang that Song Ke and her group did not have entry permits.
“Dr. Chen, they want to stay in Tongwan for a few days, what do you think…” Zhao Liqiang inquired softly.
A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Zuyi’s eyes, “You don’t plan to stay in Tongwan?”
“Yes, just a temporary stopover. We plan to go elsewhere afterwards,” Zhuang Qingyan replied politely.
Chen Zuyi sighed regretfully. He himself was just an ordinary person and would usually pay special attention to and recruit high-level awakeners. A powerful team like V587, if they could join the guard, Tongwan’s security would be more fully ensured.
However, he also knew the principle of not forcing things; building good relationships for future encounters is better than having more enemies.
“Tongwan won’t turn away friends who have done us a favor. Let them in, consider it my special approval,” Chen Zuyi said with a smile, “But the necessary checks still need to be done, to confirm no zombie transformation and no threat.”
“Of course,” Zhuang Qingyan said with a smile.
Chen Zuyi looked at the group one last time and said solemnly, “Tongwan will always keep its doors open for you.”
After they entered, Lin Youyou couldn’t help but comment, “This magistrate seems nice.”
Song Ke was more mature now, knowing that judging people based solely on appearances is not wise. She turned to Zhuang Qingyan, “What do you think?”
Zhuang Qingyan pondered, “Chen Zuyi is very tactful and wise. As an ordinary person, he thinks things through very thoroughly.
“Every nest has its eggs. Chen Zuyi’s life is tied to this city. Guarding Tongwan is also protecting himself. In this sense, he is indeed a competent magistrate.”
*
The next day, Song Ke went to the 119 Hospital.
She came to see An Qiwen and Wang Qiang, the only two remaining members of Azure Phoenix 11th Squad.
When they first met, Song Ke almost didn’t recognize the two. Wang Qiang used to be a tall, silly guy who loved to laugh and joke around with Ouyang Pei, but now his entire right leg was made of bionic material. He hadn’t completely adapted yet, and there was a strange awkwardness in his movements.
As for An Qiwen… he had become drastically thinner. The once confident and carefree soldier who used to hold a cigarette and confidently blast open the side door of U-Lab was gone. He had become much more subdued, and from a distance, he looked like another Wu Juemin.
Song Ke stopped in front of him, pondering how to start the conversation.
“If you want to inform me about Maeda and the captain, I already know,” An Qiwen anticipated what she was about to say.
“We have an inter-communicative life detection frequency within our group. A few days ago, everyone’s signals disappeared,” Wang Qiang lowered his head, trembling all over, his mechanical leg creaking. They say real men don’t shed tears easily, but he couldn’t control the dampness in his eyes.
“That day, I was at the scene,” Song Ke said slowly.
An Qiwen suddenly looked up at her, his gaze incredibly focused, “So you know what happened, right?”
Song Ke nodded and told An Qiwen and Wang Qiang everything about Manzoni Street.
“Bloody Hunter…” An Qiwen repeated each word slowly, clenching his fists tightly, his eyes cold.
“Afterward, wh-what do you plan to do?” Song Ke asked.
“I’ll return to North County (B6 District). The mission failed, and all members of the Azure Phoenix 11th Squad, except An Qiwen and I, lost their lives. I have a responsibility to report everything to General Xie,” An Qiwen said solemnly.
Song Ke took out the seven shoulder patches from her pocket and handed them back to An Qiwen, “Take them, and go together.”
“Thank you,” An Qiwen carefully put them away, “We’re leaving. If there’s a chance, we’ll see you in North County.”
…
Song Ke leaned against the corridor, watching An Qiwen and Wang Qiang leave the hospital.
“Song Ke, how come you’re here?” Lu Ning had just finished a surgery, rubbing her tired forehead. She came out to catch a breath and unexpectedly saw her. “I thought you weren’t volunteering anymore.”
“I’m not. I’m… going on a trip.”
“A trip? I heard it’s chaotic outside. Take care of yourself.”
“Yeah, thank you, Dr. Lu.”
The two of them stood quietly, feeling the breeze. Doctors in white robes hurriedly passed by the corridor behind them. In a place like a hospital, the busiest people were always the doctors—surgery after surgery, sometimes working for over ten hours straight, yet getting only a few minutes of rest.
Lu Ning noticed her gaze and sighed softly, “Recently, the number of patients turning into zombies is increasing. The medical pressure is one thing, but I’m worried that the patients and their families can’t handle it mentally, and it might cause trouble.”
Song Ke: “Dr. Lu, may I ask you a question?”
Lu Ning: “Of course.”
“In your eyes, what kind of person is Fang Zhixu?”
Fang Zhixu wanted to disappear from the medical community in Tongwan, and Song Ke respected his wishes, not revealing his whereabouts casually. But since he wouldn’t say anything, she had to indirectly understand his situation from others.
“Brother Fang…”
Lu Ning’s character was truly bold, and after some thought, she suddenly dropped a bombshell: “Actually, I had a crush on him for a while.”
Song Ke’s eyes widened instantly.
“Don’t get me wrong, he got married a long time ago, and I gave up when I found out. Besides, I’m married now too.”
Song Ke’s expression was overly exaggerated, making Lu Ning somewhat nervous, hastily waving her hands to explain.
“Although I don’t know much about his personal life, one thing I’m sure of is that he’s a good doctor, a very good one.”
“Tongwan holds free medical consultations every year, helping those children with basic illnesses who can’t afford surgery. Brother Fang always goes there, but it’s secretly and anonymously… I discovered it by chance one time, nobody in the hospital knows about it.
“Despite his great reputation, he goes to these consultations without seeking anything in return. He must genuinely want to help those children.
“As a doctor, he has a compassionate heart and is genuinely gentle with patients,” Lu Ning said with a faint smile.
The Fang Zhixu mentioned by Lu Ning was exceptionally talented and had a proud disposition, yet his heart was extremely soft. He had nothing in common with the current guy who hung out with them every day, the weathered uncle with a beard, messy hair, and an indifference to everything except sleep.
What kind of blow did Fang Zhixu endure to undergo such a drastic change?
Mu City, C55 District—Song Ke silently repeated this place name in her heart. She would definitely go there.
Tun Qin came from Mu City. Song Ke hadn’t found his body in the martial arts hall, indicating that he most likely returned to the C55 District ahead of time. If she could meet him there, she really wanted to ask what had happened in the martial arts hall during those last few days.
…
Two days later, Lin Youyou got in touch with a private transportation convoy, paid a toll, and arranged for them to travel to F180 District.
On the first day of the new calendar year in the 47th year of the new era, four months after the apocalypse, on an ordinary sunny day, a relatively unknown group of awakeners, “V587,” set off on their journey to Sin City.
