Extreme germ phobia

Chapter 272 Full BUFF Stacks
Early the next morning.

Half-asleep, Ouyang suddenly heard a knock on the door. He was instantly awakened and instinctively grabbed his rifle.

Zhu and Jiang were equally alert and immediately opened their eyes.

The three looked at each other, and at the same time felt relieved.

Listen carefully, and you'll realize the gunfire stopped sometime ago.

The knocking sounded again, and Ouyang, gun in hand, darted to the door: "Who is it?"

"I am Duan Shuxun!" Deputy Director Duan couldn't help but roll his eyes. These guys were way too vigilant, weren't they?

But then I thought, these three people have had so many terrible experiences in the epidemic area. If they don't take precautions, they might just die quietly in some corner one day.

Being able to get out of the epidemic area is not just due to luck, but also to strength!

Ou Yang confirmed the visitor's identity but remained vigilant. He opened the door a crack and, after confirming there was nothing amiss, opened it completely.

Duan Shuxun's lips twitched uncontrollably when he saw Ou Yang fully armed.

Ou Yang rubbed his eyes, looking like he hadn't slept well: "Hey, the gunshots rang all night, none of the three of us slept well, sorry for the trouble."

Duan Shuxun nodded: "I understand, don't worry, it's nothing."

Ou Yang raised an eyebrow: "Are you really alright?"

"No... I guess not." Duan Shuxun sighed.

We had a great chat yesterday, so why is he being so difficult today?
"Is it an attack from outside?" Ou Yang asked.

Duan Shuxun wasn't surprised at all, and said with a sigh, "The specifics are still unclear. All we know is that they got into a firefight with the Americans outside, and the fighting continued until dawn."

Ouyang hummed in agreement: "I can imagine."

One side was forced by the need to survive, while the other was fighting to protect their homeland. Both sides had their own compelling reasons, making the battle naturally fierce.

Seeing that the three of them seemed unfazed, Duan Shuxun couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to go and take a look?"

"Forget it." Zhu Yiming stood up lazily. "There are corpses everywhere in the epidemic area, nothing to see. Director Duan, do you know what the real epidemic area is like?"

Duan Shuxun shook his head: "I haven't seen it with my own eyes."

Zhu Yiming was about to speak when Ou Yang interrupted, "I hope you never have the chance... Believe me, this is a blessing."

Duan Shuxun was silent for a moment, then nodded: "It's all in the past."

“Yes, that’s all in the past.” Ou Yang noticed that Deputy Director Duan’s gaze kept drifting towards the M27, and immediately understood. “Alright, put the gun away quickly!”

"Yes, put it away, dinner is about to start," Duan Shuxun said.

Breakfast was simple: cabbage buns with millet porridge and a few ordinary pickled vegetables.

The trio's eyes lit up as they devoured the food like starving ghosts.

The taste may not be to everyone's liking, but it's much better than rice-based foods that are so sweet they make your throat ache. Plus, being able to eat familiar flavors at this time and place, and all of them hot, what is there to complain about?

The staff who witnessed this scene all cast curious glances at it.

It's not that I think the trio's behavior is unsightly, but I heard that three compatriots came out of the epidemic area yesterday, and I'm curious about what these amazing people look like.

That's an epidemic area!

On the television in the restaurant, local news was playing. A slightly older Black woman, dressed in a well-tailored suit, stood behind the podium, her expression both serious and somber: "Laterson and Andgett, a very regrettable incident occurred last night. A group of refugees from the epidemic area attempted to infiltrate our city..."

Ou Yang stared at the screen in surprise: "Who is she?"

“She is Talivia,” Duan Shuxun said. “The mayor of Salleton.”

"A female mayor?"

"Not only is she a woman, but she's also a lesbian." Duan Shuxun casually recounted the gossip about the female mayor, "She's publicly admitted it."

Okay!

Ouyang was shocked: "Women, Black, lesbians, this is the ultimate American-style righteousness buff!"

He didn't care about things that didn't concern him; he was just making a few comments.

The female mayor continued her impassioned speech on television, first emphasizing the sinister intentions of the outsiders, then praising the bravery and tenacity of the defenders, and finally commending the people for their tireless efforts. In short, everyone played a huge role in last night's battle, and everyone was a hero of the city.

They also said that the city hall will continue to serve the public, and the guards, composed entirely of locals, will continue to protect everyone's safety.

Finally, given the current dire situation, the female mayor hopes that more able-bodied men will join the ranks of those guarding our homeland, even if it's just for an hour a day, it would be a great support for the defense work.

The atmosphere at the scene was surprisingly good. The female mayor's speech was frequently interrupted by enthusiastic applause, and some people shouted slogans, making the scene chaotic at times.

It's very American style.

However, the scene wasn't always harmonious. Suddenly, an elderly American man stood up with a serious expression and loudly questioned, "Madam, those people outside are also Americans. Why won't you let them into the city?"

These words caused an uproar not only at the scene, but also stunned Ou Yang and others watching on television.

What kind of shocking statement is this? Has this guy gone mad?

At a time like this, how can there still be such a brainless person?

Okay, Ouyang has to admit that the female mayor's buff hasn't been fully stacked yet; this guy is the real max-level human!
The female mayor on the screen looked shocked: "Are you kidding me? Don't you know that those people outside are from epidemic areas? Don't you know they might be carrying pathogens? Our family and friends all live in this city. Do you want them to live with outsiders?"

The man remained unrepentant and stubbornly insisted: "Just provide them with a place to stay and some food, and don't let them have any contact with the locals, isn't that enough?"

The female mayor was so angry she laughed, and everyone else was speechless. Where did this idiot come from?

Talivia said seriously, "You really think so?"

"Of course!"

“Very well.” The female mayor looked down at the idiot. “They’re Americans too? Fine, since that’s what you think, I’ll grant your wish!”

Talivia suddenly turned around and looked at the councilors standing behind her: "Keeping this kind of ignorant person in the city could endanger the safety of others. I suggest that the councilors present vote on whether to expel him from the city... As the initiator, I will not participate in the vote. Councilors who agree with this suggestion, please raise your hands!"

All the members of parliament present raised their hands in unison.

The idiot finally realized something was wrong: "No, you can't do this!"

The female mayor completely ignored him and nodded, saying, "Passed by a large margin. Now, let's vote on whether to expel him!" "No—" the man shouted in terror.

But it was too late; the lawmakers raised their arms again.

"Unanimously approved!" The female mayor turned around, still looking down at the idiot. "You're an adult now, and you must be responsible for your actions!"

"Guards, take him away and send him out of the city!" Talivia waved her hand expressionlessly. "Gentlemen, I will not allow any behavior that endangers this city or harms the interests of everyone. From my personal point of view, I sympathize with the plight of those outsiders outside the city, but as mayor, I must prioritize the safety of the local residents!"

Her expression was exceptionally sincere, and her words were resounding and infectious.

The audience immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause, interspersed with whistles. The chaotic scene resembled a comedy show more than a city hall press conference.

Just then, an old man suddenly stood out from the corner, pulled out a small revolver, and aimed it at Talivia: "Die, bitch!"

The nearby elderly people screamed in alarm, but no one rushed to stop them; they all scrambled away to get away.

When Ou Yang and the others saw this, they were all stunned.

Old Mi's mental state is truly extraordinary!
Talivia was very alert; as soon as the man stood up, she immediately shrank back under the podium.

Several loud bangs rang out, and an unfortunate congressman was shot in the abdomen.

The nearby guards immediately opened fire, emptying their magazines in one go. They not only killed the gunman, but also injured seven or eight elderly people nearby who were accidentally hit by stray bullets.

The press conference was forced to stop, and police officers immediately evacuated the crowd. The female mayor and her council members quickly left, leaving only a group of police officers to clean up the mess.

However, the program did not end there. Instead, a curvaceous American woman came on to report on the situation at the scene, introduce the gunman's identity, analyze the gunman's purpose, and the conspiracy behind it.

In short, we must not allow a small group of unscrupulous individuals to ruin the excellent situation in the area.

Ou Yang was engrossed in the story and hadn't even finished his breakfast when he received a call from Luo Hui, informing him that he could call home now.

However, mobile phones are not allowed; calls to home must be made through the office's dedicated line.

Ouyang certainly has no problem.

The method of contacting home is not important; what matters is that you make contact.

Ou Yang hadn't contacted his family for a long time. He nervously dialed the familiar phone number. After the dial tone rang several times, the call was connected, and a tired voice came from the other end: "Hello."

"Mom..." Ou Yang choked up after saying just one word.

"Son, why haven't you called in so long? I was so worried..." Without saying a word, Mrs. Ou immediately launched into a tirade.

Ouyang listened quietly, tears streaming down his face.

He can be firm and tough with others. But he's only in his early twenties, and in his parents' eyes, he's still a child.

After a while, Mrs. Ou stopped and asked about Ou Yang's recent situation.

"I'm doing great, in excellent health, and have a great appetite. It's just that I'm still in the US, and communication is inconvenient, so I can't go back anytime soon."

"It's alright, it's alright. It's better that everyone is safe and sound. Don't worry about home, your dad and I are fine!"

"My dad's home?" Ou Yang was both surprised and delighted. "Didn't they say he boarded the ship?"

There are many ships stranded in the United States, and he was worried that his father might be stuck on one of the ships and unable to return home.

In that case, the mother would be all alone at home, with her son and husband not around. It's hard to imagine whether the old woman would become ill from worry if she were all alone.

Now that his father has gone back, he can finally rest easy.

"He's back, he's been back for a while now." Mrs. Ou started her nagging mode again, recounting in detail what Mr. Ou had gone through.

There's not much to say. During that period, a large number of ships were sent to the United States to bring back a large number of people. The ship that Mr. Ou was on left late and was stopped and brought back before it even reached the United States.

At that time, the University of Tokyo had realized the seriousness of the problem. All compatriots returning to China were gathered together and had to be quarantined for a sufficient period of time and repeatedly checked to ensure that there were no problems before they could leave.

As it turns out, the lockdown of Brown City by the United States was not entirely without merit. At the very least, it effectively controlled the spread of Pneumocystis pneumonia in the early stages of the pandemic, buying enough time for the University of Tokyo's evacuation.

As for settling our compatriots in the Pacific Ocean, that was a matter for later.

After listening for a while, Ou Yang finally found an opportunity to interrupt: "Mom, where's Dad? I want to say a few words to him."

“Your father isn’t home,” Mrs. Ou sighed. “He went to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office to get some news.”

"What news?" Ou Yang asked blankly.

"What other news could it be? Of course, it's news about you!"

After Ou's mother explained, Ou Yang finally understood that the family was not completely hiding information about all compatriots in the United States. If it was confirmed that someone was alive or dead, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office would send someone to inform the family of the situation of the person in the United States.

However, such reporting has many restrictions. Death goes without saying, but there must be solid evidence. If there is only testimony or other insufficient evidence, it will only be listed as a suspected death.

Survival doesn't mean being notified immediately upon receiving news; one must return to the University of Tokyo's ship and be on their own territory to be considered a survivor.

If you're still in the epidemic area and rush to tell your family the news, what if you lose contact with them again a few days later? Would that be considered missing or dead?
Another possibility is that an infection has been confirmed.

This is quite troublesome. Initially, the situation was directly communicated to the family. The problem is that there is no cure for pneumoconiosis, and medical staff can only watch helplessly as the disease progresses until the patient dies.

In this situation, the actual circumstances must be carefully considered. If the person is in the early stages of developing this condition, arrangements will be made for them to contact their family while they are sober and to give their last words or will.

Every contact is cruel and heartbreaking, but it has to be done.

As for infected individuals who have entered the growth stage, the usual practice is to conceal the infection as much as possible until the patient dies before notifying the family.

Initially, when infected individuals in their formative years were identified, their families would be notified. Some emotionally distraught families would accuse the treatment of inadequate care, claim that their property had been lost, or demand to see them one last time. In short, this caused a lot of trouble and wasted a great deal of valuable human and material resources.

Only after painful reflection did the unspoken rule of not reporting during the growth period come into being.

The mother and son talked for a long time before hanging up the phone with the mother's reluctant farewell.

Zhu Yiming and Jiang Yuwei also spoke with their families by phone.

Like Ouyang, the two dared not say what they had gone through, only repeatedly emphasizing that they were safe now and could go home as soon as the pandemic ended.

Both sides know that the pandemic won't end anytime soon, yet all the unrealistic statements they make are actually expressions of their desire for the pandemic to end soon.

The pandemic has caused countless tragedies and lifelong regrets. As the saying goes, "A speck of dust in the era becomes a mountain on an individual's head."

(End of this chapter)