A Shocking Dream

"I know. Just take care of yourself and don't worry about me." Wan Wan said softly, trying to pull her hand back. But Qin Ruoyu held on tightly, as if she would disappear into this dangerous world if he let go.

"You don't understand. The situation outside is getting worse and worse. There are more and more zombies, and they're becoming more and more ferocious. If you go... I'm afraid..." Qin Ruoyu frowned, his eyes filled with anxiety. His wound began to ache again from the previous movement, but he was oblivious, his heart filled with worry for Kanan.

Wanwan looked at him, her heart warmed. She gently patted Qin Ruoyu's hand and said, "I know my limits. The people in the city still need my help. I can't just watch them get hurt by zombies. You know my abilities, I won't get into trouble easily. But you, you're so badly injured, don't move."

A flicker of struggle flashed in Qin Ruoyu's eyes, but he finally let go of her hand. "Then you must return safely. I'll wait for you here." Kankan nodded and turned to leave. Qin Ruoyu stared at her back, his eyes filled with reluctance and worry. Even after her figure disappeared from his sight, he couldn't recover for a long time. The air around them seemed to freeze, leaving only his heavy breathing and the worry that still lingered.

Kankan hurried into the room, where a strong medicinal aroma mixed with a tense atmosphere hit her face. She saw Lin Wunian mumbling to herself over the questions written on the table, "What exactly is the problem?" Her brows were furrowed, her eyes filled with confusion and anxiety. The candlelight flickered before her, illuminating her worried face.

Kanan gently walked over to Lin Wunian and looked at the densely packed records on the table. They contained their experiences and confusions from battling the plague and zombies. "We've tried everything, but the plague keeps mutating, and the zombies are becoming increasingly difficult to deal with." Lin Wunian seemed to be talking to Kanan, but also to himself.

Kanan picked up a piece of paper on the table, on which was written a combination of several herbs and observation records of zombies. "Could it be that we have misjudged the source of this plague? Perhaps it is not just a naturally occurring disease." Kanan put forward her own idea and looked at Lin Wunian with a serious gaze.

Lin Wunian was slightly startled, as if he had been enlightened: "You mean... man-made? But who would have such a cruel heart to cause such a disaster?"

"The current situation is complicated, with various forces intertwined and intertwined, so we can't rule out this possibility." Kankan frowned, and the undercurrents in the court emerged in her mind. "If someone did this intentionally, then our previous direction may have been completely wrong."

Lin Wunian fell into deep thought. The room was so quiet that only the two people's light breathing could be heard.

"I've considered what you're talking about, but with the Great Qi Dynasty now so prosperous and stable, I can't imagine how someone could do such a thing." Lin Wunian frowned, her eyes filled with confusion and resentment. She walked to the window, gazing out at the hazy sky, a mixture of emotions welling up in her heart.

Wan Wan walked up to her, her eyes deep. "Beneath this prosperous era, there are also undercurrents. Perhaps someone, seeking power and subverting everything, would not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of the people. We cannot be deceived by appearances."

Lin Wunian clenched his fists. "If that's true, then this person must be utterly deranged. We must find evidence and not let the mastermind behind this go unpunished and continue to endanger the people."

"That's easier said than done. We can't even confirm whether this was man-made, let alone find out who is behind it." Kanan shook her head helplessly, her eyes sweeping over the messy documents on the table.

"Have any of those who have been quarantined in recent days shown any abnormal mutations?" Lin Wunian frowned, his eyes full of worry, and stared at Kankan, not missing any expression on her face.

Kanan's expression was solemn, and she sighed softly, "The situation isn't optimistic. Yesterday, two people who were only showing early symptoms of infection suddenly went berserk, their strength increased dramatically, and they exhibited zombie-like aggressive behavior. We've managed to control the situation in a timely manner, but... this seems to mean that the quarantine wasn't as effective as we expected, and the virus is mutating even faster than we imagined."

Lin Wunian's expression grew even darker. She paced back and forth, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. "It seems we need to re-evaluate our isolation measures and treatment plans. We can't just sit back and take a beating like this anymore. We have to take the initiative."

Kanan nodded. "I've already arranged for someone to conduct a more in-depth examination of the two mutants, hoping to find some clues. Additionally, the protection of the isolation point needs to be further strengthened to prevent more people from being harmed."

"Are the supplies sufficient? And the safety of those responsible for guarding and caring must be guaranteed. They must not be put in danger." Lin Wunian stopped and looked at Kankan.

"The supplies can last for a few days, but if the situation continues to deteriorate, it's hard to say. The guards are under a lot of pressure and are all very tired. The long period of high tension has made them a little overwhelmed." Kanan said truthfully, with a hint of fatigue in her eyes.

Lin Wunian was silent for a moment, then said resolutely: "Draw some people from other places to support us. We can't let the defense line collapse in our hands. We must find a way to deal with it as soon as possible. This is our last chance, otherwise the entire Linzhou will be in an irretrievable situation." After that, she turned and looked out the window, which was the direction of the isolation point, her eyes full of determination and resolution.

The dim candlelight flickered in the room, casting swaying shadows. Kanan looked at Lin Wunian solemnly, her eyes filled with worry. "Sister, isolating these symptomatic individuals is a good idea. We're worried they might suddenly mutate en masse, and then we won't be able to stop them."

Lin Wunian's brow furrowed. How could she not know the danger? She paced slowly around the room, her gaze scanning the map of Daqi hanging on the wall with a thoughtful look. The town markers seemed to silently speak of the crisis. "I'm worried too, but right now, we have no other choice. If they mutate, it will spread like wildfire, and all of Daqi will be plunged into the zombie scourge."

Kanan bit her lip. "Then we must strengthen the defenses of the quarantine point and station more experts and soldiers there. We also need to be prepared for any potential mutations, such as sufficient kerosene so we can use fire attacks if the situation gets out of control."

Lin Wunian nodded slightly. "Yes, while fire attacks can temporarily stop the zombies, they will also cause heavy casualties. We must try to avoid such a method that will destroy both ourselves and the zombies. I will have the craftsmen build some special cages that are sturdy and can restrict the zombies' movements, just in case."