Plague Doctor
chapter-108

Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Lonelytree

How could someone prove whether they suffered from a psychiatric illness or not? The Rosenhan Experiment proved that most psychiatric doctors could not tell who was really suffering from psychiatric disorders. Even that mysterious system did not provide a clear diagnosis of the host’s mental state, it only provided some physical data.

“I am not crazy.” Gu Jun held firm to that belief. There had to be other reasons for his low S value; what he needed to do was continue to be himself. It was now the eighth day into his isolation. Other than cooperating with the interrogation, writing down new foreign words, and rewriting the ruined parchment, for the past few days, he had been reading medical books and undergoing intense physical training. Gu Jun now understood the importance of physical stamina. Be it standing for the whole day inside the surgical room or surviving in the world, he needed a stronger body. Therefore, his days were spent through sit-ups, push-ups, and high protein meals... Therefore, sleep came to him easily every night.

If not for the problem with the brain stem tumor, he could last for two months with this kind of lifestyle, but it had been two weeks since he stopped his medication. His brain started to pulse with pain again. Before this, the cancerous cell in his brain had stopped growing and showed signs of shrinking, but now the system had rung the warning bell again. Gu Jun was stuck in this conundrum. The medicine was part of the personal effects he had handed over before he entered the banyan tree, and the pills were stored inside a sleeping pill bottle. Now, his every movement was under surveillance. Even if he managed to steal back the medication, he would be questioned when he was seen consuming the drug.

That morning, someone came to pay him a visit. It was Prof Qin. Prof Qin was in serious protective gear when he walked into Gu Jun’s room. The man appeared much older with his head of white hair.

“Prof Qin.” Gu Jun could not help but feel comforted seeing a familiar face. It was like he was finally yanked back to real life from a very long dream, even though Prof Qin was the person who lured him into that dream.

“Ah Jun, things must have been hard for you.” The smile on Prof Qin’s face was kind. “There is no problem with your physical check. The state of that tumor is stable. Even though you said that place is very dangerous and dirty, none of you came back with any strange viruses or bacteria. There is no change to the physical body, but Phecda decided to keep all of you in isolation only for the sake of security.”

“That’s wonderful news...” Gu Jun sighed in relief, and that was not only for himself. “Prof Qin, I was really worried we would bring some horrible disease back with us.”

It looked like the Malformed Banyan Disease had incidentally ‘consecrated’ that shrine. With the pooling of abnormal energy, the other vicious virus and bacteria could not get close. This perhaps could prove that the source of hemoptysis was not a microorganism. It would fit Raybundy’s observation...

“But you are going to be transferred,” Prof Qin said. His tone made it sound like he was not delivering bad news. If anything, he sounded relieved. “No need to worry about the Demon Hunters; they are all fine. Phecda merely has a different plan for you. They wish for you to join a newly established national Special Mobile Force unit, and you will enter training soon.”

“Oh?” Gu Jun was stunned. This was truly a surprise. He had thought that he would be continually bombarded by the Review and Tribunal Departments. ‘Joining a new Special Mobile Force unit? Is this some kind of test?’

“I know this will come as a shock to you.” Prof Qin ignored the clear suspicion on the young man’s face and sighed. “I planned to keep you around the Medical Department for another year to finish your training, but desperate times call for decision measures. After all, the Malformed Banyan Disease has been temporarily resolved, but there are still other cases elsewhere...”

“Then...” Gu Jun was thinking openly. “Will I receive my training here at the Eastern State?”

“No, there is a helicopter that will fly you to a base in the Northern Desert. Your new superior will meet you there. His name is Huang Guotong, but everyone calls him Elder Tong. He is the generation after mine. Elder Tong... is a very unique character. You’ll see.”

Both Prof Qin and Yao Sinian were surprised by this result. They were certain that Gu Jun was going to be kicked out from Phecda. But according to rumors, Elder Tong had slammed his fists at the conference room in the headquarters and openly berated the higher ups who sent him into exile all those years ago. He brought up the names of those who had retired and even passed away. He individually slammed them one by one, but no one dared speak back to him.

“If you do not carefully deal with Gu Jun, the mistake you make will be much bigger than you did with me!” Elder Tong shouted angrily. “This is a precious treasure. It is not to be wasted! Brain stem tumor? He is still alive, isn’t he? In that case, I’ll take him. I’ll train him to become the leader of this Special Mobile Force unit.”

Elder Tong was impudent and presumptuous, but that was the way he was before he ‘went mad’. Among these higher ups, even if according to seniority, the most senior among them was at the level of Prof Qin. The rest of them were equal or even junior to Elder Tong. Furthermore, if he was not forced into retirement, Elder Tong would definitely have been among the center of power at Phecda. After thirty years of exile, the man’s life had completely changed, and Phecda had to ask him for help, so who could say anything back?

Therefore, those who supported getting Elder Tong out of retirement directly handed Gu Jun over to Elder Tong. Of course, this was just a trial. There would still be a tribunal afterward to access and discuss the results of their team.

“This time, it is Elder Tong who saved you,” Prof Qin told Gu Jun. “You can place your trust in him. Elder Tong has gone through even more things than you, so he’ll understand you.”

“Okay.” Gu Jun nodded, but the suspicion in his heart did not lessen... ‘Is this whole thing just a show? Do they want to use this Elder Tong to get close to me to draw out more information from me?’

“Good luck.” Prof Qin patted his shoulder. Even through the protective gear, Gu Jun could feel the warmth. “You know I am always in your corner. Oftentimes, only us studying medicine can see the latent danger in certain things.”

Gu Jun was comforted by Prof Qin’s encouragement. He felt ashamed for suspecting Prof Qin earlier. Perhaps his nerves were a bit taut.

After their farewell, Gu Jun put on the protective gear and followed Prof Qin out of the isolation room. He was finally given back his personal effects. His phone and his bottle of ‘sleeping pills’ were all there, untouched. When he was about to get into the vehicle to leave the campsite, he saw Xue Ba, Uncle Dan, Lou Xiaoning, and the rest standing in the distance. They were all in protective gear. It appeared like they were there to send him off. But obviously, they were still forbidden from having close contact.

“Ah Jun!” Uncle Dan shouted and waved.

Xue Ba cupped his hands together and roared, “We heard you’re leaving.”

“Yes.” Gu Jun nodded at them and shouted back. “I’ll be leaving now. There’s another arrangement for me in Phecda. We’ll meet up later. Uncle Dan, I still remember your promise.”

“Of course, I swear your eyes will spin by the end of the night!” Uncle Dan laughed.

Lin Mo was seated in a wheelchair. He looked much better. He raised his right leg and shouted, “Ah Jun, thank you for this.”

Lou Xiaoning with her eye patch added, “Thank you for everything. Have a safe journey!”

Gu Jun waved at the fifteen of them. With them waving back, he turned and got into the vehicle. Inside the enclosed cabin, there was no signal on his phone, so he sat on the chair, mulling over his thoughts. The journey was treacherous. The car moved for one hour before it arrived at a military copter pad. The vehicle drove into a military-use cargo plane. Then the plane lifted off, leaving Eastern State, heading toward the Northern Desert.