Chapter 185
He settled into his chair and called out:
"Next."
A heavily armored Shield Guard entered, his massive frame comparable to Patriot's. He proactively showed his left hand, displaying the wound he had just inflicted.
Shi Lei guessed that it would be inconvenient for the other person to sit down, so he carried the empty bucket over and placed it under the injured finger.
"Stand still."
The guerrilla team members were numerous, and the slow operation was extremely time-consuming. He placed one hand on his pulse and began to guide the Originium Particles in his blood vessels. Because the Originium in his limbs had been detonated earlier, the workload was greatly reduced.
It took about a minute in total. Once the Originium in the patient's body had been mostly expelled, he waved his hand and said:
"Alright, you can leave now. Next one."
"Thank you, thank you, Divine Doctor."
These elites who followed Broca were all severely infected and had been tormented by Originium-related illness for many years.
Seeing the thin strands of Originium mixed with blood fall into the wooden barrel, his feelings were incredibly complex. Regardless, he should be able to live a few more years in the future.
This feeling of being able to stay alive is wonderful.
The Shield Guard was extremely grateful, but Shi Lei asked him to leave the tent on the grounds that "it should not delay the treatment of other patients."
The guerrillas who were queuing up behind him were all dumbfounded when they saw him come out so quickly.
"What happened? So fast? You were only in there for about a minute, and you're already out?"
"Yeah, even if you get an injection of an inhibitor, it won't work that quickly, right? Tell everyone, is that man inside a fraud or not?"
"I'm not well-educated, don't try to fool me."
A benefactor who had just saved his life was now being questioned and slandered by his colleagues. The Shield Guard immediately transformed into Shi Lei's staunch supporter, retorting:
"The Divine Doctor is truly amazing; he removed most of the Originium from my body. If you ever dare to speak ill of him again, you'll be my enemy!"
Not long after, the second person to go in, the mixed-race Wendigo, came out. He, too, became a staunch supporter of Shi Lei, offering harsh criticism of the doubts raised by others.
They went in looking worried, but came out beaming. Anyone who didn't know better would think the tents were some kind of half-hearted entertainment venue.
As more and more people cleaned up Originium to prolong their lives, the guerrilla team members' enthusiasm grew even higher.
They learned from their colleagues that the infected organs could not be cured; the only option was to clean the Originium from the blood and areas not near the internal organs.
No guerrilla fighter expressed any dissatisfaction with this. They had never held out hope of curing Originium-related illness, knowing that a complete cure was unlikely.
I'm already very grateful to have been able to clear the Originium from my blood. This will not only reduce the pain I experience in daily life, but also allow me to live a few more years.
This feeling of being able to extend one's life is captivating.
Patriot's militarized management of the guerrillas cultivated a group of people who strictly enforced discipline.
It is said that the Divine Doctor will touch the wrist, so they will roll up their sleeves before entering the room to make it easier for Shi Lei to perform the procedure.
FrostNova stood outside the tent, acting as a supervisor. She would remind everyone not to cut too hard when making cuts, otherwise the Kouzi would become larger and heal more slowly.
Seeing familiar faces emerge with smiles, FrostNova was overwhelmed with emotion. She hadn't forgotten Patriot's parting instructions and had secretly sent people to make preparations.
The wooden barrels Shi Lei had requested were no longer enough. So he made his own rock barrels to continue filling them.
Every infected person who came in treated Shi Lei with great respect, calling him a Divine Doctor. When they left, they repeatedly bowed and thanked him, and some even tried to kneel down and kowtow.
Shi Lei initially stopped several people from doing this, but after stopping them so many times, he got tired of it. He simply told them not to delay the patients behind him and politely asked them to leave the tent.
"Next."
After Shi Lei called out, no one came in. A few seconds later, he called out again:
"Next."
There was no response from outside the door. Even FrostNova, who had been standing guard at the door, remained silent.
Shi Lei lifted the curtain and stepped out, only to see the entire guerrilla force of over 800 people kneeling on one knee. They were devout and respectfully looking in his direction.
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248 Idealism (4K)
Seeing this familiar scene, Shi Lei immediately understood what the guerrillas outside were up to.
FrostNova did all of this in accordance with the instructions Broca before she left the camp.
If this masked man can truly cure so many infected people, then it's up to the patients to voluntarily decide whether or not to swear allegiance to the Divine Doctor.
Many years ago, the Patriot fought for the Emperor of Ursus. Later...
He led his troops to break away from the emperor's control because the oppressive policies against infected people in the local area had killed his son. There was nothing wrong with him serving the new enlightened ruler as a free man.
FrostNova stood near the tent, her attitude extremely respectful. She was just about to explain when Shi Lei interrupted her, saying:
"Wait a minute, what are you doing? Are you swearing allegiance to me?"
Having her lines stolen, she instantly lost the initiative and could only respond passively:
"Yes, Divine Doctor. Everyone is willingly pledging their allegiance to you; no one was forced."
"You guys are really weird."
Shi Lei shook his head; his argument was reasonable and well-founded.
"I am a Doctor, Doctor treating patients is my duty. Does that mean I should receive the loyalty of every patient I save?"
"Ah, this..."
FrostNova was speechless for a moment, the conversation was being led by the other person, and she had no idea how to respond.
She lost her composure and completely panicked. Her thoughts stagnated, offering only weak and feeble explanations:
"Divine Doctor, that's not what I meant."
This answer was exactly what Shi Lei wanted to hear. His voice, delivered through the mask, was irrefutable:
"I'll treat you for free, and you can thank me verbally. That will settle things between us. If you can keep it a secret, that would be even better. No need for anything extra."
FrostNova felt a chill run down her spine, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to persuade the other person. Her pupils widened as she recalled Broca's instructions, as if she had found a solution:
"Doctor are required to charge consultation fees when treating patients. However, we are currently short of resources and simply cannot afford it. Therefore, I would like to serve you for three years to repay this consultation fee, which is the fairest approach."
Fair.
Upon hearing this word, his attitude softened.
Unlike middle school students who constantly dream of World Saving or USA heroes, Shi Lei wasn't particularly interested in unifying the world. The reason he was unwilling to accept this was actually quite simple.
Firstly, because he is exceptionally capable and can solve various problems on his own, he doesn't really need to recruit followers.
Secondly, Shi Lei has no intention of becoming a leader. Although the pension system is providing guidance, he prefers to "roam the world freely" rather than "govern in the world."
If there were talented individuals like the Liyue Qixing to help with administrative affairs, Shi Lei could be a hands-off manager. He certainly wouldn't mind having his own power base.
Shi Lei harbored no deep-seated anger or ambition to conquer the world. He truly seemed like a retired Rex Lapis, coming to Terra to enjoy life.
"There's no need for that. I already said the treatment would be free."
FrostNova, initially in a passive position, gradually gained the upper hand and persuaded:
"Divine Doctor, you can certainly refuse, but we can't refuse to give it to you. You can consider this a fair trade. You've extended everyone's lives by a few years, so let's calculate it as three years. If you need guerrillas in the future, we will go through fire and water for you. After we've sold three years of our lives to you, we'll be even."
"It sounds like a fair deal."
Shi Lei finally relented and didn't engage in a pointless argument with FrostNova on this issue.
"Please take a piece of paper and write down the details of the transaction you just mentioned. Only a written agreement can serve as a contract."
The guerrillas' Originium-related illness was greatly alleviated, essentially giving them a life-saving boost. Whether or not the contract was written made no difference to them.
Since the Divine Doctor needs it, let's put it in writing.
"Okay, I'll have someone prepare right away."
By doing this, Shi Lei firmly grasped the initiative.
Anyway, the timeline starts counting from the moment the contract takes effect, and after three years everyone is even. This way, they won't have any psychological burden, and they can enjoy some peace and quiet. As long as they don't call it a guerrilla operation, nothing will go wrong.
How wonderful.
FrostNova quickly drafted the contract and had representatives from each guerrilla squad sign it. After reading it, Shi Lei waved his hand and left behind his code name, "Wandering in the Mortal World."
Zhongli.
Mudrock, Chen, and two others arrived at the Rhodes Island's camp, led by Talulah.
This time, breaking through the Ursus army's blockade and reaching the Lake Vega area, the organization suffered heavy losses.
Many wounded soldiers, women, and children hid in dark, overgrown caves, where no sunlight could reach them. The combatants wore various styles of clothing, some even in only a single layer of clothing, and resources were visibly scarce.
Broca's hill-like body attracted the attention of many Rhodes Island members.
There were various types of troops here, including crossbowmen, artillerymen, swordsmen, and sorcerers. Mudrock, trailing at the rear of the column, unexpectedly encountered Sarkaz centurion here.
To buy as much time as possible, Broca moved slowly. Every now and then, he would stop the infected people who passed by and ask them about their recent situation and trivial matters.
Talulah accompanied them throughout and did not express any dissatisfaction with the Patriot's actions. Whether the two sides form an alliance or join forces in the future, conducting more investigations now is understandable. It's not a bad thing for the other side to be cautious.
Chen often takes care of homeless children in Lungmen and is very good at entertaining minors. Playing with the infected children here took up some of her time.
After an unknown amount of time, the group arrived at the tent where Talulah was temporarily staying. Knowing that further delay was impossible, Broca finally began negotiations regarding cooperation between the two sides:
"I have a general understanding of the Rhodes Island; they are a very dynamic team. I can provide you with food resources."
There's also a local hand-drawn map to help you with extended stays in the area.
Talulah's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly upon hearing this. Her ambitions wouldn't be confined to Lake Vega, but rather extended to a much wider world:
"Mr. Patriot, after our meeting just now, I believe you have a basic understanding of the Rhodes Island. These infected people are under great oppression and have traveled thousands of miles from other countries to join the organization."
In Yan, there's a well-known proverb: a single chopstick is easily broken, but a bundle of chopsticks is not. Rather than forming an alliance, I would prefer to unite with you. Only in this way can the Rhodes Island reach a broader stage.
The Patriot, upon hearing this, couldn't help but inwardly scoff. If someone possessed the power of Divine Doctor, they could break a whole box of chopsticks.
"The stage? What do you want to do in the future?"
If Talulah wants to bring the guerrillas under her control, she needs to demonstrate her grand ambitions to Broca:
"This land is a dog-eat-dog world. If we don't continue to absorb infected people and grow our strength as quickly as possible, we will only be wiped out. By then, it will be too late to say anything. Only by thinking and working together can we unleash the power of unity!"
If there's no place for the infected to hide in Ursus, then we'll take it from them! I'll find a way to conquer a city and make it a home for the infected!
Broca's eyes, gleaming red beneath his mask, betrayed his skepticism:
"Miss Talulah, your idea is good, but somewhat unrealistic. Even if you were to conquer a city, what then? A city without trade is just an isolated city within Ursus. Given its massive population, it would be completely unable to be self-sufficient."
"While all those infected are silently enduring unfair treatment, only I can ignite the flame in their hearts. If one city isn't enough, take two. If two aren't enough, take three."
I believe that humanity can coexist peacefully with the infected. As long as we show enough goodwill, we can attract more infected to come. Just as the Sarkaz built Kazdel, this city, where the infected gather, will eventually become a sanctuary in their hearts.
Hearing Talulah use Kazdel as an example, Mudrock, a member of the Sarkaz race, hesitated to speak.
Most people who haven't been to Kazdel mistakenly believe it to be a beautiful place. The real Kazdel, however, has been ravaged by war.
With damaged fields, dilapidated infrastructure, and low productivity, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a primitive tribe.
In her spare time, Mudrock borrowed books from Shi Lei's collection. When she didn't understand something, she would ask Surtr. One particular history book, in particular, left a deep impression on her.
How can I allow someone else to snore beside my bed?
How can we expect to coexist peacefully with Ursus after the infected have conquered Ursus cities?
Miss Talulah's ideas are a bit too idealistic.
Mudrock wanted to argue, but then she felt it wasn't her place to interfere, so she swallowed her words.
After speaking with Broca also felt that Talulah was too idealistic. He didn't point it out, but after a moment's thought, proposed a compromise:
"If you want to merge forces and bring the guerrillas under the command of the Rhodes Island, no problem. However, we need to have sufficient autonomy."
Under the overarching premise of creating a better environment for those infected, we can stand together. However, in practical terms, we will make our own judgments and take different actions based on the situation at the time.
The meaning of "Patriot" is quite clear.