Card Room

Chapter 557 – Crisis and Turnaround

The Black Death. Lu Jiuchuan hadn’t studied medicine but he still heard from many channels about the tragic outbreak of the historical epidemic in Europe.

At that time, there was no specific medicine for the plague and the disease was extremely contagious. Once a person was infected, the entire village or town would die in a short period of time. The epidemic spread rapidly through Europe and corpses were scattered everywhere. The people who were killed by the Black Death accounted for one-third of the total population of Europe. It was like a massacre of bacteria against human beings.

The most terrible part about this disease was that it progressed very quickly. After infection, it was often too late for treatment and the patient would die within three days. There were even examples of being infected in the morning and suddenly dying at night.

Lu Jiuchuan thought about how the last part of the two jokers’ secret room required everyone to survive for three days and his expression became uglier. He asked Xiao Lou in a low voice, “Is it impossible to save Hanjiang and Long Sen if we can’t find a specific cure for this disease?”

Xiao Lou nodded with a white face. “Yes. They will most likely die of illness before we clear the secret room.”

Qu Wanyue heard this and her hands shook violently. There were already many bruises on Long Sen’s skin and he wasn’t conscious. Obviously, his condition was very serious. Qu Wanyue’s eyes were bloodshot. “We don’t even have enough food and water. Where can we find medicine in the desert? Isn’t it inevitable to die from such a serious disease?”

Xiao Lou thought about it carefully and suddenly said, “Maybe there is still hope. Do you remember the mirage we saw before?”

Lu Jiuchuan heard this and he recalled the illusion at that time: the clear spring water, the beautiful women dancing at the water’s edge and many caravans moving on camels…

His eyes narrowed slightly. “You mean, there might be medicine in the oasis town that exists in the desert?”

Xiao Lou looked at Lu Jiuchuan cautiously. “In the vast desert, it is only in places where people gather that there can be a pharmacy and perhaps antibiotics to deal with common diseases. Mr Tang said that the mirage is an illusion produced by the refraction of light. Since the oasis town can appear in front of us through the refraction of light, it must exist somewhere in the desert. We just need to find this oasis town and Hanjiang and Long Sen will be saved.”

Lu Jiuchuan nodded. “It makes sense. I remember many caravans riding camels to and from the illusion. The merchants in the desert probably brought some common medicines in addition to selling various spices and silks.”

Xiao Lou continued, “There must be antibiotics there. Otherwise, we won’t be able to clear the secret room this time.”

Qu Wanyue also calmed down. She took a deep breath, temporarily laid Long Sen flat next to a tent and walked to Xiao Lou. “Is Group Leader Yu also infected? How is he doing now?”

Xiao Lou opened the tent with a worried expression and looked inside. Yu Hanjiang was already asleep. He had a high fever, an abnormal flush on his cheeks and a bruise similar to Long Sen’s had started to appear on his neck. This was a sign of subcutaneous bleeding. Xiao Lou closed the tent door and said softly, “Hanjiang’s condition isn’t progressing as quickly as Long Sen’s but he has started to bleed. His situation isn’t very optimistic.”

Qu Wanyue analyzed it. “Long Sen was caught on his right foot by the poisonous scorpion. His foot was already numb and his ankle red and swollen when we were swept away by the quicksand. It is likely that he is so sick because he was originally poisoned by the scorpions and then bitten by the gerbils, his immune system was already weakened.”

Xiao Lou nodded. “Maybe there is a reason for this. Long Sen is in shock from the infection. We must find the oasis town as soon as possible or he won’t be able to live a day in his condition.”

Qu Wanyue clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. “I’ll go find it.”

Xiao Lou stopped her and looked back at Lu Jiuchuan, who quickly understood Xiao Lou’s meaning and patted Xiao Lou’s shoulder. “No wonder you woke me up. My vermilion bird’s speed is the fastest and I can find the oasis.”

Just then, Tang Ci walked out wearing a coat. “I’ll accompany you, Brother Jiu.”

Lu Jiuchuan looked at him with surprise. “When did you wake up?”

Tang Ci answered, “I woke up when you got up and I heard everything you said.”

He walked over to Xiao Lou and nodded at Xiao Lou. “This is better. If Brother Jiu and I can find the oasis smoothly, we will simply bring the medicine back first to treat Group Leader Yu and Long Sen. It is better than pulling you over as a group.”

Lu Jiuchuan frowned slightly. “Are you worried there might be hunters over in the oasis?”

Tang Ci’s tone was firm. “The illusion I saw at that time had many beautiful women dancing and caravans coming and going. There were also local people dressed strangely. The town looked very lively and had a large population. The hunters will definitely be mixed in there. If we all move together, it will be very dangerous to bring our two sick teammates.”

Xiao Lou remembered Long Sen, who was already in shock, and Yu Hanjiang, who was suffering from a high fever. He also thought that Tang Ci’s method was more reasonable.

It was better to let Brother Jiu and Tang Ci go to the oasis to bring back the medicine than to send everyone to the oasis. Xiao Lou immediately made a decision and looked at Lu Jiuchuan and Tang Ci. “It will be hard work for the two of you. Please set off as soon as possible.”

Lu Jiuchuan simply rode on the vermilion bird. He wrapped his arms around Tang Ci and held him by his side. “Let’s go!”

Xiao Lou summoned Qin Guan and connected to Lu Jiuchuan using Heart has a Tacit Exchange of Romantic Feelings. “Brother Jiu, if there is a situation then communicate with me using Heart has a Tacit Exchange of Romantic Feelings.”

Lu Jiuchuan nodded. He reached out to touch the wings of the vermilion bird and the fiery red bird opened its wings impressively. It flew up and soon disappeared into the sky. Lu Jiuchuan’s voice was heard in Xiao Lou’s head. “My brother will be handed over to you, Xiao Lou.”

Xiao Lou stared at the small dot that disappeared and replied in his mind, “Rest assured, I will take good care of him.”

Qu Wanyue set up a tent and Xiao Lou helped her carry Long Sen inside. The noise outside was heard by Shao Qingge, Ye Qi, Gui Yuanzhang and Chu Huaying so Xiao Lou simply informed them about the plague.

For a while, everyone’s expression was ugly.

Ye Qi couldn’t help saying, “Isn’t this too much? We will actually be infected with the plague if we get bitten by the gerbils?!”

Shao Qingge rubbed his temples helplessly. “I felt that something was wrong when I treated Group Leader Yu. The wound was so small that you could cover it with a Band-aid without needing to treat it. What is the significance of these gerbils if their bite wounds are only the size of a sesame seed? It turns out that they spread the plague.”

Chu Huaying frowned. “I don’t know how big this desert is. What if Brother Jiu can’t find the oasis?”

The group looked at her in unison.

Chu Huaying folded her arms over her chest and spoke calmly. “We must prepare for the worst case scenario. Yu Hanjiang currently has a high fever, Long Sen is unconscious from shock and Liu Qiao and Old Mo are untraceable. Let’s think about the possibility of Brother Jiu and Tang Ci being unable to find the oasis, or if they find it but the medicine is missing. What if the remaining six of us experience a sudden attack again?”

Everyone, “……”

It would be too terrible.

Gui Yuanzhang sighed lightly. “We were destroyed in J of Clubs in a similar situation. A few teammates fell down shortly after the start of the secret room and the rest of us had to deal with the pursuit of the hunters while taking care of sick and injured teammates. This finally led to the destruction of the group. We must think about the worst case scenario that Huaying mentioned in advance so that we won’t be in such a rush to cope with it.”

Xiao Lou glanced at the group and spoke clearly, “I won’t give up on my sick teammates.”

Chu Huaying wondered, “How are you going to take care of them?”

Xiao Lou calmly answered, “The plague will be contagious. From now on, no one should go near Hanjiang or Long Sen. I will turn Hanjiang thumb-sized to carry him. Teacher Qu, you will use the Chameleon card to make Long Sen blend in with the sand and place him in a hidden place. This way, he will avoid being the target when animals or hunters suddenly attack.”

Xiao Lou dared to promise Brother Jiu that he would take good care of Yu Hanjiang so he naturally had a plan in mind.

He never said empty words. He had already prepared for the worst in his heart but until then, he would do his best to protect his teammates, especially the one he loved and cared for.

Seeing Xiao Lou’s calm expression, Gui Yuanzhang smiled slightly. “You are indeed suitable to be the captain. You have already thought about how to arrange the two of them so we will do as you say.”

Xiao Lou nodded and entered the tent.

Yu Hanjiang’s face was flushed and the dark bleeding spots on his body were increasing. His eyebrows were slightly twisted and he was obviously uncomfortable. His entire body was restless and his hands were tearing at the collar of his shirt.

Xiao Lou took out the copied Thumbelina card and turned Yu Hanjiang to the size of a thumb. He took an empty mineral water bottle and poked small holes in it for ventilation and breathing before placing Yu Hanjiang inside.

Xiao Lou was extremely distressed when he saw Yu Hanjiang in the bottle.

He picked up the bottle and asked softly, “Hanjiang, is it uncomfortable?”

Yu Hanjiang was in a semi-comatose state at this time and couldn’t hear Xiao Lou’s words at all. Even so, Xiao Lou’s familiar voice was very reassuring. The person in the bottle gradually stopped struggling and slept quietly.

Xiao Lou softly told him, “Sleep for a while. Brother Jiu will be able to bring back the medicine soon.”

Just then, Chu Huaying’s voice was heard from outside. “’Everyone, be alert. There is something happening.”

Xiao Lou immediately listened carefully but he only heard the slight sound of the wind around him.

Chu Huaying’s sense of hearing and smell had been strengthened and it was much more acute than normal people. She could hear things that her teammates couldn’t hear.

She lay on the sand, putting her ear close to the surface and frowned for a moment. Then she stood up and retreated to the edge of the tent, her expression cold and serious. “It is a pack of wolves. Many wolves are approaching us!”

Xiao Lou, “……”

The worst situation was coming.