Extreme germ phobia

Chapter 214 Continuous Communication
Ou Yang asked in a trembling voice, "Who exactly are you?"

In an instant, he had already imagined countless possibilities in his mind.

A soft laugh came from the receiver: "I am the Second Secretary of the Embassy, ​​my name is Luo Hui."

The three of them still couldn't believe it, and Ouyang cautiously asked for confirmation: "Is the embassy still operating normally?"

"It's still operating, but it's not exactly normal." Luo Hui looked out the window at the endless blue sea. "Most of the people have moved to our own ships, and only a few people are left to guard the embassy."

Zhu Yiming mouthed, "Just like the Brown Bear Consulate!"

Ouyang nodded: "Are the people from the Brown Bear Consulate also on the ship?"

Yes, they are all there.

Ouyang suddenly asked, "Who stayed behind during the evacuation?"

Luo Hui answered fluently: "Lei Yong, Ma Zhiyuan, and Song Lei... have you met them?"

“I’ve met him!” Ouyang said.

Luo Hui's tone immediately became urgent: "When did you see them? How are they now?"

Ou Yang felt a sharp pain in his heart and quietly explained the situation.

Upon hearing that Lei Yong was infected and Song Lei had lost consciousness, Ma Zhiyuan, whose condition was unclear, volunteered to stay and take care of them. Luo Hui was momentarily lost in thought.

Ou Yang asked gravely, "Secretary Luo, do you have any information about them?"

"No, the last time we contacted each other was before I left Brown Bear. The communication blockade in Bear State has never been lifted, and we don't know what happened after that." Luo Hui's tone was low as he pulled a few names from the depths of his memory. "Are you Ou Yang or Zhu Yiming?"

Upon hearing this, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

If it were an outsider impersonating them, it would be impossible for them to know about the three of them.

"I am Ouyang."

"I am Zhu Yiming."

"I am Jiang Yuwei."

"Where are you now? How are you doing?" Luo Hui asked with concern.

"The situation is alright," Ou Yang said. "We have vehicles, weapons, and food, and we're safe for now."

Luo Hui immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good. Your situation is much better than the others."

Ouyang asked instinctively, "Are the other people in a bad situation?"

“It’s very difficult,” Luo Hui said frankly. “Although the US is begging us, the US has less and less control over its subordinates in this situation. There are robberies, discrimination, and all sorts of unbearable situations everywhere… It’s already very lucky if we can get back in touch with them afterward. Many people have inexplicably lost contact, and no one knows what happened to them.”

Zhu Yiming suddenly interjected, "We know where some of them went!"

"Really? That's great!" Luo Hui's words were filled with undisguised joy. "Wait a minute, let me write this down... Okay, go ahead and say it!"

Recalling his experience of being stranded at the airport, Zhu Yiming sighed sadly: "On July 5th, Ou Yang and I were stranded at Brown Bear Airport. There were also several other compatriots stranded at the airport, and they were later infected with the virus."

Luo Hui's initial joy vanished, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "Who are they?"

Zhu Yiming: "Guo Shufen from Beijing; Hu Hongwei from Tianjin; Zhang Yu from Northeast China; He Qianqian from Jiangnan... that's all."

With each name he uttered, those he had deliberately forgotten deep within his heart became clearer, involuntarily plunging him into unbearable memories.

Luo Hui carefully wrote down each name, put away his pen and paper, and solemnly said, "Zhu Yiming, thank you for providing their information. On behalf of their families, I would like to express my gratitude to you!"

Zhu Yiming sighed softly, "No need."

Ou Yang patted Zhu Yiming on the shoulder, quite forcefully.

In his memory, Zhu Yiming was always laughing and joking, a very optimistic person. But he couldn't remember where he had seen a quote that said the more carefree and nonchalant a person seemed on the surface, the more sensitive and fragile they were inside, and the less willing they were to show their true selves to others.

Zhu Yiming quickly composed himself and forced a smile: "I'm fine."

Luo Hui's voice came through the receiver: "Please rest assured, I will inform their families as soon as possible through official channels."

Zhu Yiming brought bad news, but bad news is better than no news at all—for the family members who are waiting anxiously, the worst thing is to be left wondering if he is dead or missing.

The most agonizing outcome is the long wait with no clear news.

Luo Hui calmed his chaotic emotions: "Ouyang, Zhu Yiming, Jiang Yuwei, according to organizational procedures, I must ask you a few questions, and I hope you will answer truthfully."

“Okay, no problem.” Ou Yang was basically certain that the other party was not an imposter, and answered without hesitation.

Where are you located right now?

"Mule Prefecture".

Luo Hui asked sternly, "As far as I know, the blockade of Xiong Prefecture hasn't been lifted yet. How did you get out?"

"Don't even mention it!" Zhu Yiming interrupted, "I was kidnapped by an organization called New Eden a few days ago, and I almost lost my life!"

"New Eden?" Luo Hui racked his brain, but had no recollection of this organization. "Tell me in detail!"

The three of them took turns explaining what they knew, and they barely managed to finish before the battery got hot.

Luo Hui said, "I'll report the situation in a bit, but even if the embassy intervenes, we probably won't get a positive response from the Rice Palace."

"why?"

"Because the Mi family has already split, but the news hasn't spread yet."

Luo Hui's simple words stunned the three of them.

Ouyang asked urgently, "It split? How did it split?"

Luo Hui: "Let me put it this way: George, the head of the US House of Representatives, is just an ordinary person. He represents the interests of the vast majority of the US. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, he has been fully supporting the research on phantom lung bacteria. So far, he has indeed made some progress, but he has not yet found an effective way to eliminate phantom lung bacteria. Isolation has not been very effective either... I personally believe that even if New Eden has no direct relationship with him, it is inextricably linked to the financial groups that support him."

"And then?" Zhu Yiming asked.

Luo Hui: "The second-in-command of the Mi family is different. He is a lucky immune person. Not long ago, the second-in-command publicly broke with the top leader and set up a separate central government with a few officials who are immune to pneumococcus."

"Wow, that's incredibly strong?" Ou Yang could hardly believe it was true; it felt like listening to a fairy tale.

Fearing the three might not understand, Luo Hui explained further: "George represents the interests of major US conglomerates, while the second-in-command represents the interests of the immune individuals and a segment of ordinary people. To cope with the dire situation, the second-in-command and his team have received support from some members of the US military. They are opening the floodgates for the immune individuals and are working to build a new US military that is derived from the old US military and has a large number of immune individuals."

"As you all know, the old forces like New Eden have been suppressing and persecuting the immune people so severely that the antagonism between the two sides is so serious that it has reached an irreconcilable point."

Ouyang immediately grasped the key point: "Is New Eden within George's sphere of influence?" "Yes."

Zhu Yiming asked curiously, "It's just that the US House is divided, what about the US military?"

"I can't really say for sure about that." Luo Hui had a bit of a headache and regretted bringing up the topic. "More than two-thirds of the US military supports George, while only one-third supports the second-in-command. There are currently no signs of direct conflict between the two sides, and the second-in-command has already gained support in some areas."

“Well, isn’t this just like a general election?” Zhu Yiming said.

"It's somewhat similar." Luo Hui cautiously instructed, "Just keep this to yourselves, don't tell anyone else."

"Which side do we support?" Ouyang asked.

Luo Hui: "We do not support either side, and we do not interfere in the internal affairs of the United States."

Ou Yang's lips twitched. This answer was indeed quite official.

Jiang Yuwei also asked, "Why can I get through to 12308? Isn't that a domestic number?"

Ou Yang and Zhu Yiming immediately turned their attention to him.

Well, after all this time, she's still hung up on this?

"It's very simple. The situation is getting more and more chaotic every day. The US Palace is in a terrible state and has been seeking support from the University of Tokyo. As you all know, the fight against the pandemic is not just a matter for the US alone, but a major issue involving the safety of all mankind. Recently, anti-pandemic supplies from the East have been continuously being sent to the US. Asking the US Palace to do us a favor is a very simple matter."

After listening to Luo Hui's explanation, Jiang Yuwei finally understood the cause and effect.

Ouyang mouthed, "Now you're not conflicted anymore, are you?"

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Luo Hui asked.

Ou Yang paused for a moment, then said, "Secretary Luo, I want to know if all our compatriots have been evacuated, and what the arrangements are."

“Well, that’s a bit complicated.” Luo Hui understood what Ou Yang wanted to know. “Let me put it this way: the Chinese compatriots in the United States are divided into three groups. One group evacuated the United States before the epidemic spread, but instead of returning to the mainland, they temporarily settled on several islands in the Pacific Ocean.”

"After the spread of the epidemic, the evacuation operation was suspended, and some compatriots were stranded in the United States. Currently, they are mainly gathered in Bosco on the East Coast, Utah on the West Coast, and South America. According to the agreement reached by both parties, the US government has designated some areas in these places and leased them to us for a period of time until the epidemic ends."

Upon hearing this, Ou Yang was immediately disappointed: "I heard that Xiu Shi Dun has our boat to pick you up."

"Indeed, there is, but your Phantom Lung is too dangerous. The higher-ups dare not risk evacuating people back to the mainland and can only settle them on the spot. But there's no need to worry. We have already established a research center in the United States and are working hard to study this fungus... Ouyang, the research data you provided has played a very important role, and you will definitely be credited for it!"

Ou Yang said with a bitter expression, "Whether it's successful or not doesn't matter. The key is when we can get the results."

"There are no results yet," Luo Hui said regretfully.

"Can the rest of us go back to China?" Ouyang asked impatiently. "All three of us are immune to pneumococcus!"

“Not for now.” Luo Hui gritted his teeth. “No matter when our compatriots are evacuated, they cannot return to their homeland. Other countries have the same decision. Until an effective means of dealing with Pneumocystis pneumonia is found, no one from America can leave.”

The three of them felt a sense of loss.

After working so hard for so long, all I wanted was to leave this godforsaken place as soon as possible, but look what happened! The authorities just put our fellow countrymen who were stranded here on American soil.

It's not that it's incomprehensible; domestic security is more important.

Zhu Yiming suddenly asked, "Secretary Luo, the epidemic hasn't spread beyond the Americas, has it? I mean, it hasn't spread beyond the Americas, has it?"

"Not yet... What are your plans? Are you still going to Shy Stew?"

“Yes!” Ouyang said, “We are closest to Shy Stew; the east and west sides are too far away.”

Luo Hui remembered that Ou Yang had just mentioned that they had a car: "Are you planning to drive to Shy Stew?"

"Correct!"

“There’s no need for that.” Luo Hui pulled up a map of Mule State on his computer. “Mule City… that is, the capital of Mule State, is relatively stable. The airport there is still able to take off and land normally. We have a special plane there, scheduled to take off the day after tomorrow to send some of our compatriots gathered there out. I’ll add you guys to the passenger list. You can just go to the airport and take the plane.”

"Really!" Ou Yang was overjoyed and almost jumped up on the spot.

Zhu Yiming was so excited that he kept rubbing his hands together, not knowing what to say.

Jiang Yuwei also revealed an undisguised smile.

The straight-line distance from here to Xiushidun is over 1,000 kilometers, and the actual distance is more than 1,500 kilometers. Who knows how many unexpected things we will encounter along the way.

Mule City is different; it's only a few hundred kilometers away. You can take a plane and arrive at Xiushidun on the same day.

Don't make your itinerary too simple!
The three of them were instantly overwhelmed with happiness—this is what it feels like to have someone to rely on!
It’s so cool!
Ou Yang sincerely thanked them through the phone, followed by Zhu Yiming and Jiang Yuwei.

Luo Hui finally smiled: "No need, no need, it's all I should do. Keep your phone accessible, and feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions!"

“Definitely!” Ou Yang said, then suddenly asked, “Secretary Luo, the embassy has a way to contact the mainland, right?”

"Yeah, what do you think?"

Ouyang asked expectantly, "Could you transfer my call back to China? I want to let my family know I'm safe."

"Sorry, we can't transfer the call right now. Once you're on the ship, you can use a satellite phone to contact people back home, but there are limitations on the communication time and content."

Ouyang was immediately extremely disappointed.

Luo Hui added, "However, I can relay the news that you are safe and sound back home and then inform your families."

"Then I'll have to trouble Secretary Luo!" Ouyang quickly agreed.

He really wanted to say a few words to his parents, but the circumstances didn't allow it. Letting them know he was safe was better than nothing, right?

"No trouble at all, it's the least we can do... By the way, if you run into the US regular army, you can state your identities. The US is begging us for help, so we have to give them some leeway no matter which side's regular army it is."

"What about the irregular army?"

"Hide your identity and don't mention a single word!"

"Understood!" Ou Yang said a few more polite words, and the two finally ended the long call.

The phone was so hot it was almost burning to the touch, making one wonder if the battery would suddenly explode if the call continued.

Zhu Yiming couldn't help but say, "I don't even talk on the phone with my girlfriend for this long!"

"How can that be the same thing?" Ou Yang plugged in the charger, and his phone started charging. "Talking on the phone for hours is just making conversation, this is about serious business, how can they be the same thing?"

Jiang Yuwei was both amused and exasperated: "You two, that's enough, hurry up and get going!"

She didn't want to waste a single second, wishing she could grow wings and fly directly to Mule City Airport.

(End of this chapter)