The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

"Teacher? What's wrong?" Gao Yanzhou, who was closest to him, was shocked to see this and quickly reached out to support him.

Zheng Hong did not answer. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, and large beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead. His face turned from pale to a terrifying bluish-gray. He wanted to speak, his lips moved, but he could only utter a series of breathy "hoarse" sounds.

"Professor Zheng!"

"Quick! Help him up!"

Sitting behind him, Song Dazhuang had been silently observing the commotion. Suddenly, he rushed over.

The laughter and singing in the cafeteria came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone looked over in astonishment.

"Ugh—!" Zheng Hong suddenly bent over and began to gag violently, but nothing came out. His breathing became extremely difficult, and he gripped his shirt tightly with both hands, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

"Is he choking?" someone shouted in a panic, wanting to rush forward to help.

"It doesn't look like it! Quick! Call Dr. Sun! Hurry!" Professor Qian's voice changed with anxiety. He supported Zheng Hong's sliding body and could clearly feel the stiffness and spasms in the other's muscles.

Commander Liu had already handed Tiantian to Li Guihua beside him, and strode over with a solemn expression: "Make way! Keep the air circulating! Liang Zhe, prepare the stretcher!"

The well-trained soldiers sprang into action; some ran to fetch the medic, while others brought over makeshift stretchers. The warm and cheerful atmosphere in the mess hall vanished, replaced by tension and worry.

Everyone gathered around, but dared not get too close, anxiously watching Professor Zheng Hong, who was curled up in pain on the stretcher.

Sweetie was held tightly in Li Guihua's arms. Her eyes were wide open, and she looked at Grandpa Zheng, who had just been talking to Grandpa Qian but was now in great pain, with a mixture of confusion and fear. Her little hands unconsciously gripped Aunt Li's clothes.

Dr. Sun arrived breathlessly, carrying his medical kit, and quickly began his examination. Examining the eyelids, feeling the carotid artery, and listening to the increasingly weak and erratic heartbeat, his expression grew increasingly grave.

"This isn't a typical acute illness; it sounds more like a neurological complication..." he muttered to himself, his tone tinged with uncertainty. "Could it be a metabolic disorder triggered by a sudden increase in nutrients after a long period of extreme malnutrition?"

"What should we do?" Gao Yanzhou was so anxious he was almost in tears.

"I'll give him a sedative first to see if it can stabilize him temporarily, and then I'll observe him further."

As Dr. Sun spoke, he quickly took out an injection from his medicine box. "However, given his condition, it's best to send him to a major hospital in the city for a thorough examination as soon as possible. The conditions at the town hospital and our base are too limited; they can't find the root cause."

"I accompanied my teacher to the city hospital. How can I explain this to his wife with him in this condition?" Gao Yanzhou wept. "During this time, my teacher was exposed to a complex geological environment for a long period of time while laying pipelines. Could it be that he came into contact with some rare minerals, or that it was chronic damage caused by groundwater pollution?"

Dr. Sun knew nothing about geology and could only shake his head: "Then he needs to go to the city for a comprehensive examination. But his condition is too unstable right now, and it's absolutely not suitable to move him. We have to wait until his vital signs stabilize."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Commander Liu waved his hand sharply, his tone urgent. "Administer the medicine quickly! No matter what, we must cure Professor Zheng!"

The sedative was slowly injected into his bloodstream, and a few minutes later, Zheng Hong's breathing finally returned to normal.

His body, which had been trembling violently, gradually calmed down. His limbs were no longer tense and twitching, and only occasional slight shivers remained.

He was carefully carried into the clinic. Dr. Sun stayed by his bedside without leaving for a moment, occasionally picking up his stethoscope to monitor his heartbeat. Ten minutes passed like this, and only when Zheng Hong's ashen face gradually returned to normal did Dr. Sun's tense brows finally relax.

"The situation is under control for now." He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

More than a dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on him, waiting for his conclusion.

But Dr. Sun's next words immediately made everyone's hearts sink: "This is being forcibly suppressed with medication. As for the specific cause, I cannot find it at the moment."

The inability to determine the cause of the illness means that Zheng Hong is carrying a time bomb that could explode at any moment!

The danger involved is self-evident.

Commander Liu frowned, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Just moments ago, everyone was celebrating the good news of a bumper harvest; the excitement hadn't even died down when Zheng Hong, a core member of the reconstruction team, collapsed. How could he explain this to his superiors?

He turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning, and stared directly at Gao Yanzhou: "Technician Gao, Comrade Zheng Hong's illness is very strange. You've been by his side the longest; have you noticed anything wrong?"

Dr. Sun also asked, "Did you come into contact with anything unusual during the operation? Think carefully about the food and materials; don't overlook any details!"

Gao Yanzhou, who had been lying face down with his hands on the edge of the hospital bed, suddenly raised his head when he heard the question.

Only then did everyone notice that his eyes were already red from crying, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Teacher Zheng's life is very regular, and her diet is the same as everyone else's, with no abnormalities."

"As for work, the teacher is always meticulous and conscientious, so there won't be any problems."

"Nothing at all?" Commander Liu's face grew increasingly grim.

Sure enough, Gao Yanzhou pondered for a long time before hesitantly speaking, "If I had to say there's anything special... it's that Wan Hongxin came to see me a while ago to ask about some data on water conservancy projects. But I was there the whole time and didn't notice anything amiss."

"Wan Hongxin?"

Upon hearing this name, everyone present became serious.

Commander Liu and Brigade Commander Bai exchanged a glance, both seeing the wariness in each other's eyes.

"Why didn't you report such a big thing sooner!" Brigade Commander Bai's voice suddenly became stern.

"This..." Gao Yanzhou's face showed a hint of embarrassment, "We only just found out that he was a bribed spy, and we're afraid that because we had contact with him... we'll be implicated and investigated."

Everyone instantly understood his concerns—if he proactively admitted to having contact with Wan Hongxin, it would inevitably lead to a strict investigation by the organization.

"Nonsense!" Commander Liu slammed his fist on the table in anger. "You're a veteran comrade, can't you even tell what's important? The political commissar specifically spoke with you before, why didn't you tell the truth!"

At this moment, Dr. Sun suddenly realized something and slapped his thigh: "Commander, this clue is crucial! If Professor Zheng was poisoned by a slow-acting poison, then everything makes sense!"