Extreme germ phobia

Chapter 266 Northward and Southward Travel
Ou Yang suddenly asked, "Immune serum is made from the blood of immune patients, right?"

"right"

"How many immune individuals would it take to produce enough serum? Does Old Mi have enough immune individuals?" Ou Yang sneered. "Research on immune serum cannot be separated from immune individuals. I'd like to know more about how many immune individuals this research has actually harmed!"

With such a small number of immune individuals, they will first be harmed by the infected, then by underground organizations like New Eden, and finally fall into the hands of the Mikkelsen, where another batch will be sent to the laboratory to be harvested. How many will be left in the end?
It's ridiculous. The hope and burden of solving the pandemic are all placed on the immune population, but no one is thinking about protecting them or improving their social status. Instead, they are trying every means to exploit them.

But that's not surprising. It's a capitalist society, after all. Everything is about money, so who isn't an egoist?
“It’s definitely not enough,” Luo Hui said. “After developing the immune serum, the US has changed its strategy and set up a green channel through the blockade area. Immune individuals whose identities have been confirmed can leave the epidemic area through the green channel.”

What the hell?
A string of question marks immediately popped into Ou Yang's head: "What kind of crazy move is this? Old Mi's motives aren't pure, are they?"

“Not surprising,” Zhu Yiming said softly. “Pneumocystis pneumonia is too deadly to ordinary people. If the US wants to control the epidemic, it can’t do without immune people.”

Jiang Yuwei asked worriedly, "Won't they send someone for a lung transplant again?"

"It's hard to say," Ou Yang said, his teeth aching. "If the few of us go through the green channel, will we be able to leave the epidemic area smoothly?"

Luo Hui thought for a moment and said, "We can go and take a look, but I don't recommend going through the green channel because this thing is relatively new and we don't know exactly how it works yet. But the US is doing this to recruit immune people, so if we go through the green channel, we'll definitely have to do something for the US. For example, we can donate blood to make serum, or become mercenaries and go deep into the epidemic area to carry out some shady missions or something."

"Can the embassy get them out?"

“Not yet,” Luo Hui said. “The higher-ups are negotiating with the US Department of Health, hoping that the US Department of Health will transfer our immune patients, but the US Department of Health has not been willing to budge... The gap is just too big.”

“A gap?” Ouyang disliked the term. “This is treating the immune population as a resource!”

“Your understanding isn’t wrong. From a certain perspective, immune individuals are a resource, and an indispensable strategic resource!” Luo Hui readily admitted. “Would you like to give it a try?”

"I'll pass, but Lao Zhu and Sister Wei could give it a try," Ou Yang said.

He knew his situation; once he fell into the hands of the US, the possibility of being detained was 100%, and it wasn't impossible for him to be dismembered by the US.

"Forget it, whoever wants to go can go!" Zhu Yiming shook his head vigorously.

Having been trapped at the airport by the US military for so long, he knows all too well what kind of people the Americans are.

Jiang Yuwei was no exception. Although she had not experienced it firsthand, she had heard a lot about what happened when the virus fell into Old Mi's hands from Ou Yang and Zhu Yiming. She had also witnessed firsthand how Old Mi tortured the immune patients in New Eden.

"Oh, right, there's something else I think I should tell you." Luo Hui used "you" instead of "you all."

Ouyang asked curiously, "What is it?"

"You know about the outbreak in Alaska last winter, right?"

"heard about it."

"According to the investigation by Americans, the outbreak in Alaska is not caused by Pneumococcus."

"What?" Ouyang's eyes widened immediately.

If Phantom pneumococcus didn't originate in Alaska, then where did it come from? A lab in the United States?

Luo Hui guessed Ou Yang's thoughts and explained, "To be precise, the pathogen that appeared in Alaska is the pre-mutated Pneumocystis jirovecii. This thing causes disease and death very quickly, so that before the epidemic can spread, all the infected people will die."

The three men looked at each other in bewilderment. Ouyang hurriedly asked, "Then where did the phantom lung bacteria come from?"

Several people unanimously guessed that the Americans might have created a mutated version based on the original Pneumocystis jirovecii.

"Based on the information we have so far, it is believed that after the infection of Patient Zero, the Pneumocystis mutated for some reason that is not yet clear."

Ou Yang couldn't help but ask, "Does the higher-ups believe it?"

"There is currently no evidence to suggest that the US falsified documents," Luo Hui said euphemistically. "I remember you had contact with patient zero, right?"

"Correct!"

"The joint laboratory has obtained tissue samples from patient zero, but so far, there have been no results."

Ouyang suddenly remembered HeLa cells: "Living cells?"

"How could that be? Of course he's dead!"

"What about the strain extracted from patient zero? Surely it's still alive, right? Have you gotten any results from the research?"

Luo Hui paused for a moment, then suddenly scratched his head: "This, it should be alive, right... Hey, where do you get all these strange questions? You've confused me."

He wanted to say, "If you keep asking, I won't be able to answer."

Several gunshots suddenly rang out from the direction of the sentry post. The three men froze simultaneously, then exclaimed in unison, "Old Mi's here?"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Zhu Yiming jumped up and down anxiously, "Quickly check if it's Old Mi!"

Ouyang took off his backpack and climbed up the tree in a few quick movements, but the distance was too far, and even with binoculars, he couldn't see the situation at the sentry post.

At the same time, at checkpoint number 62.

Although the rebels' attack was repelled, the defending troops dared not relax their vigilance and remained on alert to prevent the rebels from making a comeback.

But the roving sentry at the checkpoint suddenly noticed that dust was billowing on the highway to the south, and it seemed that someone was approaching!
Without giving it much thought, he immediately reported to Mori: "Major, there's a situation in the south; reinforcements should be arriving."

"So fast?" Mori was quite surprised.

Although he called for reinforcements, he is short-handed. It takes time to organize manpower and allocate equipment. How could it be so fast?
He immediately climbed onto the wall and saw through his binoculars a row of civilian vehicles heading towards the checkpoint. The people in the vehicles were not soldiers, but ordinary civilians.

What's going on?
Morrie lowered his binoculars and shouted, "Alert! Everyone on alert! Prepare for battle!"

The American soldiers around were all dumbfounded. Why were they on guard to the south?
But an order is an order, and the soldiers immediately rushed to the south, leaving only a few to monitor the rebels in the north.

The convoy arrived shortly afterward, but not a single vehicle dared to approach the checkpoint.

In this bizarre country, if there is no danger around, then the US police and military are the biggest sources of danger.

The US military is not an iron army. Don't assume that US soldiers have good military discipline. On the contrary, their military green uniforms have always been corrupt, and scandals are endless. They have long been infamous and are completely contrary to the glorious image they portray in movies and TV shows.

These are extraordinary times, and we must not risk our lives to test the kindness of the US military. Therefore, all the Americans are obediently staying at a safe distance.

Mori breathed a sigh of relief. At least these old Americans from the south still had a sense of awe for the US military, so a conflict was unlikely to break out.

The real danger is that the Americans on both the north and south sides are allies. If they attack from both sides, the outposts will be attacked from both sides and may not be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive.

Morrie casually pointed to a corporal: "You, go ask them what's going on!"

The corporal looked reluctant, but dared not disobey orders, fearing exposure and the possibility of being shot or in other dangers.

Just as he was thinking of what excuse to use to get rid of this unfortunate task, he suddenly heard a voice: "Something's up!" Looking south, he saw a pickup truck with a white flag on its roof stepping out from the crowd and driving toward the checkpoint at a speed that would not cause any misunderstanding.

If Ouyang and others saw this scene, they would be very confused: American people waving white flags to American troops on American soil?

Are you guys here to be funny?

Morrie felt a little more at ease and calmly ordered, "Bring that pickup truck over. Everyone, be on alert!"

After saying that, he called over the machine gunner and gave him a few instructions.

A moment later, the machine gunner suddenly opened fire, a burst of bullets hitting the road in front of the pickup truck, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A ricocheting bullet struck the windshield, leaving a spiderweb-like pattern the size of a fist.

Although no one was hurt, the two elderly Americans in the car were startled, their hearts pounding wildly.

"Wait for me here!" the middle-aged man in the passenger seat whispered.

Judging from his appearance, this man was about fifty years old. His hair was neatly combed, and his clothes were equally sharp, giving him a very serious impression.

The Black driver quickly stopped him: "Mr. Flynn, this is too dangerous, you should go back!"

Flynn smirked. "We have no way out, do we?"

After saying that, he opened the door, got out of the car, and walked towards the checkpoint with a calm and confident gait.

A smile appeared on Morrie's face: "Interesting. Bring him up!"

The corporal was unwilling to leave the outpost, but he was willing to bring people in, and he quickly brought Flynn into the outpost.

Mori demanded sharply, "Who are you? Why are you approaching the checkpoint? What are you planning to do?"

“I’m State Representative Flynn,” Flynn introduced himself with neither servility nor arrogance, his gaze falling on the other person’s name tag. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the commander here, aren’t you?”

Morrie's tone was impatient: "You still haven't answered my question, Mr. Congressman!"

Flynn wasn't going to beat around the bush, saying directly, "We plan to go through the checkpoint and continue north."

As soon as he finished speaking, an uproar erupted around them. The soldiers looked at each other, wondering if they had misheard.

They had heard that the elderly people in the epidemic area were trying every means to get out, but this was the first time they had heard of elderly people outside actively going into the epidemic area.

What kind of crazy thing is this?

In that instant, Morrie considered many possibilities, such as these people being brainwashed by some shady cult; or that they were simply mentally unstable and intended to send some supplies to their compatriots suffering in the epidemic area.

He refused in a very curt tone: "Sorry, impossible. Do you know that there's an epidemic area right behind the checkpoint?"

The sergeant immediately leaned close to Morrie's ear and whispered, "The north side has been contaminated by infected people, and they're too close together!"

The rebels were on the other side of the checkpoint, and no one knew exactly how many of them were infected. Although the US military had cut off the road, they could not stop the spread of pneumococcus.

Strictly speaking, the area around the checkpoint has been unsafe since last night. These Americans were already potential carriers the moment they approached the checkpoint. Removing them at this point is like planting a time bomb in the safe area south of the defensive line!

Maurice's expression froze instantly, and he was racking his brains for a way to salvage the situation when Flynn spoke up first: "Major, don't you know that the south is also an epidemic area? We are heading north to escape the plague!"

Walter?

Everyone was stunned.

Everything was fine yesterday, how come the south has become an epidemic area overnight? Could it be that the rebels broke the blockade from another direction?
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Mori instinctively rejected the idea. "How could the south be an epidemic zone?"

Flynn's eyes showed a hint of pity, and he was about to speak when Morrie waved his hand to stop him: "Don't speak, don't speak!"

After saying that, he immediately went into the command room: "Sentry post 62, calling command, please respond, Oh!"

There was no response from the radio. Mori, who had initially just refused to believe it, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding: "Outpost 62 calling command, please respond!"

He continued calling, again and again, undeterred.

Kizilsu Command Center.

The calls from post 62 continued incessantly. The communications soldier remained silent, looking up at Lieutenant General Kaul standing beside him.

He was the supreme commander of the entire Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture and the person in charge of the Kizilsu defense line.

"Aren't you going to answer?" the communications soldier couldn't help but ask.

"Wait a little longer," Lieutenant General Caul said.

A while later, the calling continued.

Lieutenant General Kaul glanced at his watch: "How long has it been?"

"Seven and a half minutes, almost eight minutes," the communications soldier said.

“Take it,” Caul said.

The communications soldier immediately complied: "This is the Kizilsu Command Center, please speak!"

Mori finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Command Center, a group of ordinary people have appeared directly south of checkpoint 62, intending to head north. They say that Kizilsu is already an epidemic area and they plan to go north to avoid the plague. Is that true?"

After a few seconds of silence, Kaul finally nodded in agreement: "Yes!"

Mori's vision blurred, and he almost fainted on the spot: "Everything was fine yesterday, how come the south has become an epidemic area in less than a day?"

Kaul sighed, “Our defenses have been breached. A group of South Americans have illegally crossed the border and dispersed overnight. According to the reliable information we have, the furthest migrants have probably already left Kerritos in a full day.”

Morrie was starting to lose his composure: "The epidemic area in the north is still there, and now you're telling me the south has become an epidemic area too?"

"The illegal entry of South Americans triggered the circuit breaker agreement... You know, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Circuit break? Break my ass!" Mori finally exploded. "Both sides are epidemic areas, what are we to stand between them? We held off the rebels for a whole night, what do all those deaths and injuries matter?"

“I’m sorry, Morrie,” Caul said helplessly. “I didn’t want this either, but we’re both caught in the middle… You can handle the situation at the outpost yourself.”

After saying that, he cut off the communication.

Morrie stared blankly at the heavens, as if all the bones in his body had been removed.

(End of this chapter)