A Shocking Dream

This white hair not only did not make her look old, but instead added a mysterious temperament.

The leader narrowed his eyes slightly, and began to reassess this woman. He wondered what experiences had lent her such exceptional medical skills and unwavering courage? Why, amidst this chaotic situation, was she here, desperately trying to treat these people? His heart was filled with questions, yet at the same time, he developed a sense of respect for Wu Nian.

In this tense atmosphere, the leader of the officers and soldiers fell into deep thought. He knew that he could not easily drive this woman away, because perhaps she could really bring hope to these people.

Wu Nian, on the other hand, continued to focus on treating the people, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her. She had only one belief in her heart, which was to do her best to help these suffering people.

The leader of the officers and soldiers watched Wu Nian's busy figure in silence, his heart filled with shock. He hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand to signal his officers and soldiers to step aside for the time being and not forcefully drive him away.

Wu Nian was so focused on treating the civilians that she didn't notice the change in the soldiers' attitude. When she finished feeding medicine to a seriously ill civilian and looked up, she realized the soldiers were no longer aggressive. She was slightly startled, her eyes meeting with the leader of the soldiers.

The leader of the officers and soldiers coughed lightly and stepped forward, his tone much softer than before: "Young lady, I didn't expect you to have such medical skills and a kind heart. I apologize for any offense I may have caused you earlier."

Wu Nian nodded slightly, his expression remaining calm. "Your Excellency is too kind. I am only doing my best to help these people."

"I wonder if you have any way to cure these people's illnesses?" the leader of the officers and soldiers asked expectantly.

Wu Nian frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "At present, I can only try my best to alleviate their symptoms. To cure them completely, we need to further understand the cause and find more medicinal herbs."

The leader nodded. "You are absolutely right, young lady. We are also looking for a solution. If you need any help, we will do our best to assist you."

"They? Why are they gathering here when they're clearly unwell and not coming into the city for treatment?" Wu Nian asked tentatively. Her gaze shifted from the civilians to the officers and soldiers, her eyes filled with confusion.

The leader of the soldiers frowned slightly and sighed softly, saying, "Young lady, you may not know that the city is not at peace right now. This sudden outbreak of a strange disease has caused panic. The city's clinics are already overcrowded, and the government is also trying hard to control the situation, worried that the entry of these sick people into the city will cause even greater chaos."

After hearing this, Wu Nian fell into deep thought. Looking at the suffering people, she felt a surge of compassion. "Have the government taken any measures to help these people?" she asked.

The leader of the officers and soldiers shook his head helplessly. "We're just trying our best to maintain order right now. Finding the cause and treatment will take time. We on duty can only try our best to prevent the situation from getting worse."

"Where did they come from?" Wu Nian noticed something and asked again. Her eyes moved among the people, trying to find clues from their clothing, expressions, or some subtle details.

The leader of the officers and soldiers watched Wu Nian's focused expression, and a hint of curiosity welled up in his heart. "We're not quite sure about this. They seem to have gathered here from different places one after another."

Wu Nian squatted down and carefully examined the clothes and belongings of the common people. She found that some of the people's clothes were worn, as if they had been through a long journey. And some people's packages contained only simple dry food and worn clothes.

"They might have traveled far and wide seeking treatment and finally gathered here," Wu Nian whispered, as if talking to herself. She stood up and gazed into the distance, her heart filled with worry. If these people came from different places, then the impact of this strange disease might be even greater than imagined.

"Have you found the source of the disease?" Wu Nian asked. Her eyes were fixed on the leader of the soldiers, filled with anticipation. At this moment, she had only one thought in mind: to find the source of the disease as quickly as possible so that she could better treat these people.

The leader shook his head slightly, his expression solemn. "We haven't found anything yet. We've sent people to investigate everywhere, but so far we've found nothing." His tone was filled with a hint of helplessness and anxiety.

Wu Nian frowned, lost in thought. She knew that if she couldn't find the source of the illness, it would be difficult to completely cure it. She looked at the sick people again, and a strong sense of responsibility surged in her heart.

"Old man, where are you from? Is there a plague in your hometown?" Wu Nian squatted down and gently asked an elderly man who was gradually regaining consciousness after being treated. Her eyes were full of concern, and her tone was gentle, as if she was afraid to disturb the old man's newly recovered consciousness.

The old man opened his cloudy eyes slightly and looked at Wu Nian weakly. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Wu Nian waited patiently, gently holding the old man's hand, giving him some strength.

After a moment, the old man finally spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and weak: "I... I came from the village in the south. We... there was a disaster there, and many people fell ill."

Wu Nian's heart tightened, and he continued to ask, "Then do you know how this disease started? Is there anything special?"

The old man tried to recall, a pained expression on his face. "At first...someone came back from outside and suddenly fell ill. Then, more and more people died."

Wu Nian listened carefully to the old man's words, her mind racing through various possibilities. She knew this clue might be the key to finding the source of the disease. She gently patted the old man's hand and soothed him, "Old man, rest well. We will find a way to cure everyone."

Standing up, Wu Nian questioned several more people. She eagerly spoke with every available person, trying to piece together the full picture of the disaster. However, the deeper she inquired, the heavier her heart grew. She discovered that people had fled from all directions, yet they were all plagued by the same illness.

Wu Nian was able to treat them because their symptoms were mild, but when she thought about the people they had come into contact with on their way here, how the disease would spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred, she panicked. A terrifying scene emerged in her mind: the disease was like a raging flood, spreading rapidly, swallowing up one innocent life after another.

Wu Nian bit her lip tightly, trying to stay calm. She knew now was not the time to panic. She had to find a way to control the spread of the disease as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous. She turned to look at the people who were still suffering, and a strong sense of responsibility surged in her heart.