Respect is something others give you

"Get lost! Die!" Shi Fei repeated the same words, his voice low and steeped in something sinister.

Luo Yang tried a different question. "What are you? What do you want?"

"Ah!" Shi Fei suddenly roared, becoming wildly agitated as his arms and legs struggled nonstop.

Clack, clack, clack!

The metal-framed hospital bed rattled harshly. The prefab room had poor soundproofing, and the noise carried outside.

"Brother, what's going on?" It was Director Luo from the infectious diseases department at Luo City People's Hospital again. He hadn't gone far and had returned when he heard the commotion.

Being interrupted at such a critical moment was frustrating, but there was nothing Luo Yang could do.

Luo Yang withdrew his hand and replied, "Nothing. The patient just woke up."

But the door opened anyway, and Director Luo walked in.

Just then, Shi Fei closed his eyes and fell asleep in the blink of an eye.

Director Luo said, "Brother, although you've been sent by the higher-ups, we're still responsible for both your safety and the patient's. You can't rush this."

"I know. He's fine, and so am I," Luo Yang explained.

Director Luo glanced at Luo Yang. "Brother, did you find anything?"

Luo Yang didn't answer. He turned and headed outside.

"Is that confidential too?" Director Luo was a little annoyed, and a hint of sarcasm crept into his voice.

"Yes, confidential." Luo Yang couldn't be bothered to explain.

Director Luo looked disdainful. As far as he was concerned, this young colleague hadn't found anything and was merely putting on an air of mystery. If Luo Yang hadn't been sent by the higher-ups, he would have lost patience long ago.

As soon as Luo Yang stepped outside, a medical worker carrying a sprayer sprayed him with disinfectant from head to toe. Director Luo, who followed him out, received the same treatment.

Once the disinfection was finished, Ma Zhonghua and Ye Yiming walked over.

"Young Luo, have you found the cause?" Ma Zhonghua asked anxiously.

"More or less," Luo Yang said. "I need to examine another patient or two to confirm it."

"That's no problem. First, tell me what's causing it." Ma Zhonghua couldn't wait.

Luo Yang smiled faintly. "Curator Ma, I know you're anxious. I'll tell you as soon as I've confirmed it."

"All right. Director Luo, take Young Luo to see some of the other patients," Ma Zhonghua said.

Director Luo's expression soured. Ma Zhonghua was a museum director, not his superior. Already displeased with Luo Yang, he pretended not to hear and offered no response.

"How about I go on my own?" Luo Yang said.

Director Luo immediately changed his mind. "I'd better take you. You don't know your way around or understand the patients' conditions."

He then led Luo Yang to another ward.

The second patient was a very young woman with a delicate oval face and pretty features. Her name was Bai Jing, and true to her name, her complexion was exceptionally fair. She was twenty-four and had probably only recently graduated and started working.

This time, the medical worker simply stayed in the room, standing beside Luo Yang and watching him. It left him speechless.

"Director Luo, would you mind waiting outside?" Luo Yang asked politely.

Director Luo didn't budge. "I'm responsible for both you and the patient. Surely there's no harm in my watching?"

Luo Yang smiled calmly. "That elderly gentleman outside is Ye Yiming, a retired senior official. We're quite close, and he knows your mayor well. I felt an instant connection with you. Later, I'll speak to Mr. Ye and ask him to put in a word with your mayor so you can receive the praise you deserve."

"Well... there's no need, no need. I'll wait outside." Director Luo promptly left.

At last, Luo Yang had some peace.

Without wasting any time, Luo Yang deftly traced a Spirit Infusion Seal on Bai Jing's forehead and activated it...

Outside the prefab room.

"Curator Ma, which higher-level hospital is Young Luo from?" Director Luo couldn't help asking as they waited.

"Young Luo is a miracle doctor invited here by our retired senior official," Ma Zhonghua said.

Director Luo looked startled. "A miracle doctor? He only looks about twenty. How could he possibly..."

Suddenly remembering Ye Yiming's status, he fell silent.

Anyone brought here by a retired senior official had to have some backing. If he questioned Luo Yang to his face, he might really end up being "praised" by Luo City's mayor.

Inside the prefab room.

The Spirit Infusion Seal on Bai Jing's forehead vanished. She stopped muttering sorcery incantations and fell asleep within seconds, her full chest rising and falling gently with her steady breathing.

Bai Jing's condition was the same as Shi Fei's, but the sorcery incantation she recited was different.

Could each person be holding a fragment of some sorcery spell? There were eight people on the archaeological team involved in the incident, so that would make eight fragments. Could they form a complete spell? Luo Yang considered the possibility as he left the isolation ward.

Ma Zhonghua hurried over. "Young Luo, how did it go?"

Luo Yang gathered his thoughts briefly before saying, "Curator Ma, I have a basic understanding of the situation now. The archaeological team probably came into contact with a particular artifact in the Sacrificial Pit and was affected by it. If possible, I'd like to visit the Sacrificial Pit they were excavating."

"Well..." A troubled look appeared on Ma Zhonghua's face. After all, Luo Yang had no official standing. He wasn't even a medical worker sent by a higher-level hospital to help. Ma Zhonghua had only brought him here out of consideration for Ye Yiming. But now, after examining the patients, Luo Yang wanted to visit the Sacrificial Pit as well. That put him in a difficult position.

"Doctor Luo, what exactly do you mean when you say they were affected by an artifact?" Director Luo asked.

"Your preliminary conclusion was a viral infection, only the virus is unknown. Correct?" Luo Yang asked in return.

"Isn't it?" Director Luo countered.

"You based your diagnosis on the patients' symptoms, which is reasonable," Luo Yang said. "But that isn't what's actually happening. My understanding is that it's an energy capable of affecting the human brain. It's invasive, but it isn't contagious. If you're skeptical, you can test it on animals."

"Just because you say we should?" Director Luo muttered so quietly that only he could hear. In his eyes, Luo Yang was a wet-behind-the-ears brat with no right to question his preliminary diagnosis. That nonsense about energy affecting the brain was nothing more than mystification!

"Director Ma, take me to the Sacrificial Pit," Luo Yang said. He had a strong hunch that there had to be an artifact connected to shamanism there, and a powerful one at that. He couldn't wait to see it.

Ma Zhonghua was silent for a moment before replying, "Young Luo, your suggestion to conduct an animal experiment is feasible, but this talk of energy affecting the brain is too far-fetched. Besides, the Sacrificial Pit isn't somewhere we can visit whenever we like. I'd have to seek approval from above. How about this? The expert team is coming tomorrow anyway. Let's hear what they have to say first. Would that be all right?"

Luo Yang glanced at Ye Yiming out of the corner of his eye. The old man gave no response. Luo Yang felt a little disappointed, but he understood. Ye Yiming was retired, after all, and had only gotten involved out of kindness to help. He didn't want to complicate matters either.

"All right, then. I'll leave you my number. If the expert team can't solve the problem, give me a call, and I'll come back to handle it." After a brief pause, Luo Yang added, "Curator Ma, there's something I need to make clear now. I only came to help out of respect for Uncle Ye. Next time, it won't be free."

I came here out of goodwill to help, and you won't even let me look at the Sacrificial Pit. Since you won't be reasonable, I won't worry about saving anyone's face either.