"I apologize... but, there is no antidote for it, Your Highness..."
"No antidote?!?"
"I'm not the only one who makes the disease. Lady Hu too. Lady uses a lot of compositions that I don't know of, and it's beyond my ability..."
"Summon Nayin to come here!" Zhu Su ordered a eunuch who immediately carried out his duty.
Hu Nayin came in a hurry. "Your Highness, you call me?" Looking that everyone was staring at her in tension, her mind was soon engulfed by panic.
"Nayin, do you know the antidote for the disease you made with Liu Changshi last time?"
"Eh?..."
"You must tell us, Nayin! The disease is now infecting our troops because of fighting with the enemy and having direct contact with them!"
Hu Nayin's face was deathly pale. She was clearly frightened. Her voice faltered as she replied, "That's... I apologize... but that disease... has no antidote!"
"What?!" Zhu Su exclaimed in disbelief. He gripped Hu Nayin's shoulders. "Try to remember! This is a disease of your own making, you must know clearly about it! How come there is no antidote?!"
"At that time I just focused on working, that's all! I never thought it would turn out like this, because what I thought at that time was only to destroy them! I... of course, I must help them!" Moreover, Wu Qi is fighting there. Hu Nayin's eyes dimmed, her expression was very miserable, full of the squeezes of guilt that attacked her nonstop. She pursed her lips, and looked at Zhu Su seriously.
"The one who makes this disease, is me. I must be responsible for solving it!"
Hu Nayin gasped, breaking away from Zhu Su's grip. She immediately ran out of the room.
"Nayin! Where are you going?!" Zhu Su chased after Hu Nayin, as did Liu Ku.
"To the Medical Center!" Hu Nayin replied. "I will try to make the antidote there!"
***
The contagion effect of the outbreak was faster than expected. Just when the San Hu Wei found a good resting area far from residential areas, symptoms of the disease started to appear. Some soldiers began to complain that their bodies turned fragile and chilled. They must lie down as they could not move for longer time. Some even complained of dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
"What I heard from the residents of Shuanghu District a while ago, this disease doesn't have any symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Why do they complain about it right now?" Wu Qi could only look at the soldiers who were vomiting onto the river.
Instead of getting an answer, he even watched another problem. Not far beside him, Yan San was supporting his forehead. His face looked terrible.
"Commander Yan, what's wrong with you?" Wu Qi asked worriedly.
Yan San's breath sounded heavy and he was in great distress when he answered, "I... have a headache... as if it can burst soon..."
Wu Qi soon remembered Zhu Su's symptoms when he investigated the outbreak in Shuanghu District. "Jeez, Commander Yan, can it be that you!..."
"Contracted the disease," Yan San choked up. "Definitely..."
"Don't be pessimistic. Maybe you're just tired..."
"Maybe not." But despite the pain he suffered, Yan San kept pushing forward. He was now sitting on a chair, forcing his shaking hands to pick up the paper, and was about to write it down.
"You have to rest! Your illness will get worse if you still force yourself!"
"I can't... Wu Qi! We have to tell His Highness about this! Otherwise, he will be waiting in uncertainty. It is my duty as the chief commander to do this task. Even if I am sick, I can't neglect my responsibility!"
"You can leave this matter to me. The important thing is you have to rest..."
"No need! I can do it!" Yan San waved his hand in a sign that he was driving Wu Qi away. "Okay, okay, you may leave! You yourself also have to rest, don't mind me!"
"Well… I'm just worried about you…" No longer caring about Yan San's stubbornness, Wu Qi edged away. He took a deep breath. According to what he remembered, the duration between a person got infected for the first time and the person finally died lasted only three days. It was now the first day, some soldiers had contracted the disease. That meant, only two days left for them.
But, this disease is created by Lady Hu and Liu Ku. So they must have the antidote. Now Yan San has sent a letter to His Highness. The letter will definitely arrive there fast, and the antidote will definitely come to rescue us, Wu Qi thought, his previously restless mind calmed down in an instant.
Wu Qi did not know. What he hoped was far from reality.
Even worse, not long after, he also caught the disease.
***
"Captain Wu!" Wu Qi subdivision's men screamed in horror as they saw Wu Qi staggered and hit a nearby table. They immediately approached Wu Qi, helped him. "Sir! Are you alright?! What's wrong with you?!"
Wu Qi leaned limply against the table, but soon after, he slumped down, and was now sitting on the ground while clutching his excruciatingly sore head. It was difficult for him to breathe. His body was very weak, he had no strength to get up. "I... I'm so limp..."
Happening to be passing by, A Nuo immediately approached Wu Qi. "Sir Wu! Are you sick?!"
Even though Wu Qi was in a lower military status than A Nuo right now, A Nuo still respected Wu Qi. Because he really saluted and honored Wu Qi from his deepest heart. He squatted down and held Wu Qi's forehead. "My Heaven! Sir, you have a fever! My Heaven... have you caught the disease?!"
Wu Qi was too limp to answer A Nuo. His head was now drooping on the table.
"Bring Sir Wu Qi to the bed, quick!" A Nuo ordered to his men who soon did as ordered.
Wu Qi's condition was really bad. Now, besides dizziness, he also almost lost consciousness. A Nuo and all of his men surrounded him, their faces grieved. A Nuo muttered, "Commander Yan has also caught the disease... and now, Sir Wu Qi... our strength is almost destroyed... we can only surrender... and accept our defeat here, is that so?..."
But Wu Qi did not hear their grievances anymore. He had gone far away. Everything was pitch-black. Nothing he heard. And, nothing he saw as well.