Ruri

The moment they successfully produced the antibiotic, the entire science team's hearts finally settled.

After working for three days and nights, Senku and Chrome had dark circles beneath their eyes and were exhausted from head to toe. Yet as they looked at the clear, pale yellow medicine in the vessel, neither could suppress the light in his eyes.

After all that work, they had finally made this bottle of lifesaving medicine.

Before giving Ruri the antibiotic, Li Xiang had already made thorough preparations.

While Senku and Chrome were absorbed in working out the formula, Li Xiang had specifically sought out Grandpa Fossil.

She had asked him to use his seasoned craftsmanship to make a simple, sterile syringe.

There were no industrially manufactured medical instruments in the Stone Age. Every implement had to be polished and carved by hand.

Drawing on his wealth of experience, Grandpa Fossil had managed to fashion a simple syringe suitable for a skin test from smoothly polished animal bone, a thin hollow tube, and soft leather seals. The needle was sharp and even, and the seal was tight enough to meet the requirements of basic medical procedures.

It also had to be sterilized at a high temperature before it could actually be used.

All Li Xiang needed was a tool that could accurately perform a skin allergy test.

Antibiotics were potent, and people's tolerance varied enormously.

Ruri, in particular, had been weakened by years of illness. Her lungs were frail, and her immunity was low. If they rashly gave her the medicine straight away and triggered an acute allergic reaction, it would not only fail to cure her illness but could instantly worsen her condition and even endanger her life.

The skin test was an essential step that absolutely could not be skipped.

With everything ready, the atmosphere inside the wooden house was quiet and solemn.

Ruri sat quietly on the wooden bed, her face still pale from her chronic lung disease and her breathing slightly rapid. Yet she was exceptionally cooperative, following everyone's instructions throughout.

Li Xiang took out the prepared antibiotic solution and, with practiced, steady movements, gradually diluted it with water in a safe ratio.

She controlled the concentration precisely, retaining enough of the drug's potency for testing without placing a burden on the body, fully meeting the requirements for a skin test.

Beside her, Chrome watched her methodical movements with sweaty palms, even more nervous than the patient herself.

Clenching his fists, he leaned close to Ruri and reassured her softly.

"Ruri, if it hurts, just pinch me as hard as you can. Don't be scared!"

Ruri nodded gently, her long eyelashes trembling as she nervously looked away, not daring to glance at the sharp needle. The girl feared both pain and needles, and this was practically her first time seeing such a thing. Her heart fluttered with anxiety.

Li Xiang readied the syringe, expelled all the air inside, and crouched in front of Ruri.

"Ruri, bear with it for a moment. The skin test will sting a little, but it'll be over soon."

As she finished speaking, she gently inserted the needle at an angle into the surface of Ruri's upper arm. With a steady angle and the lightest pressure, she precisely lifted a thin layer of skin and slowly injected the diluted medicine beneath it at an even rate.

A few seconds later, she deftly withdrew the syringe.

A small, pale pink wheal immediately rose on Ruri's fair arm, round, raised, and particularly conspicuous.

"All done." Li Xiang put away the syringe and gently instructed her, "Don't touch it, rub it, or scratch it. Just wait quietly. We'll watch it for half an hour to see whether there's any allergic reaction, like swelling, itching, or a rash."

For that half hour, everyone in the room stayed quiet. No one spoke, and a faint tension of anticipation hung in the air.

Half an hour was neither particularly long nor particularly short, and it passed in a flash.

Everyone took turns examining the test site carefully. Ruri's skin remained clear, with no spreading redness or swelling, no itching or flushing, and no unusual rash.

There was no allergic reaction at all. She had passed the skin test!

The weight hanging over everyone's hearts finally lifted.

They could officially begin treatment!

Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief, a gentle smile warming her eyes. She personally prepared an oral dose suited to Ruri's constitution and had her take it slowly.

After taking the antibiotic, Ruri experienced no discomfort whatsoever. Everything remained stable and normal.

In fact, for several months before they began making the antibiotic, Li Xiang had not simply let Ruri's health deteriorate.

Every day, she personally brewed gentle herbal decoctions, gradually tending to Ruri's lungs and strengthening her constitution, slowly improving her frail health and keeping the illness from worsening.

With long-term traditional Chinese medical care as a foundation and the antibiotic now precisely targeting the bacteria, the combination of Chinese and Western medicine doubled the effectiveness.

Seeing Ruri's stable condition, Li Xiang smiled warmly and spoke with heartfelt feeling.

"It looks like all that time spent building up her health really helped. With a stronger foundation, the risks of medication are so much lower."

Standing nearby, Senku watched the situation settle completely under control, and a relieved smile spread across his exhausted face.

He looked at Li Xiang and spoke sincerely.

"Thanks for all your hard work, Li Xiang."

Li Xiang turned toward him and replied with a smile.

"You too, Senku."

Over the following days, everyone patiently watched over Ruri as she rested and recovered.

Day after day, the medicine gradually took effect within her body. The longstanding infection deep in her lungs was cleared away bit by bit, and her damaged respiratory system slowly healed.

Ruri, once frail and pale and plagued by constant coughing and wheezing, gained more color in her face and breathed more steadily with every passing day.

At last, she was completely free of illness and fully healthy, without the slightest trace of sickness remaining!

Seeing Ruri recover completely and regain her vitality, Chrome grew so excited that his eyes reddened, and he could not help cheering softly.

"Thank goodness... Ruri's illness is finally completely cured! We did it!"

After the joy subsided, the atmosphere in the room gradually quieted. Following that brief moment of relief, everyone immediately regained their composure.

Ruri's illness was cured, and the crisis within their group had been completely resolved.

Li Xiang's gaze darkened slightly.

"We've been making so much noise over here. There's no way Tsukasa hasn't made a move."

Senku nodded, instantly reaching complete agreement with Li Xiang.

Passive defense would only leave them dancing to the enemy's tune. To truly stabilize the conflict, their only way forward was to keep innovating, continue advancing their technology, and seize full control of the initiative.

Their most pressing problem lay right before them.

They had completely lost contact with Taiju, Yuzuriha, and the others. With information cut off between the two sides, they could neither exchange messages nor learn how the others were doing, much less coordinate their plans.

To coordinate with their people on the outside, track the enemy's movements, and anticipate Tsukasa's actions, they had to solve the problem of long-distance communication.

Li Xiang murmured thoughtfully, organizing their next steps.

"We have to contact Taiju and the others as soon as possible. But the two places are so far apart. Sending messages by hand is too slow, too risky, and too easy to intercept."

As she finished speaking, Gen Asagiri, who had been listening from the side the whole time, brightened and immediately supplied the answer.

"Then what we need is-a telephone."

The corners of Senku's mouth suddenly curled into his trademark grin, his eyes gleaming with absolute confidence.

"Exactly."

"Our next goal is to make telephones and build a Cross-Regional Communication Network."

"Heh heh, I'm coming to serve them a feast!" Li Xiang could barely contain her grin, her voice brimming with excitement. "Forgive me one more time. This will be the last time, Tsukasa."