Chapter 382: Repatriation and Hostages (4k)
The international hospital, currently accommodating a large number of refugees, had become a thorn in Yela’s side. However, Liu Gang and others couldn’t refute this; the presence of Mokala members had indeed been within the hospital previously. Even though foreign doctors adhered to the principle of non-intervention in war, this was ultimately Earthers. Many nurses and doctors in the hospital were locals who secretly aided Mokala members, something outsiders couldn’t prevent. As for them, foreign international organizations, they naturally became Yela’s primary target. And the solution Yela devised was quite simple…
“Are you saying that in last night’s meeting with Yela, they demanded we be driven out of Earthers, or else they would directly act, accusing us of disrupting the international war?”
As Xu Wutong’s lips moved slightly, Liu Gang was momentarily stunned. Suddenly, an “Aow—” cry of an eagle from above broke his train of thought. He immediately looked up; it was several Yela reconnaissance agent demon eagles gathering intel.
“Because our presence halted their full-scale offensive, their goal might not be as simple as forcing out civilians,” Xu Wutong also looked up at the reconnaissance eagles occasionally soaring overhead and said softly, “but to eliminate all these civilians, and then completely occupy Earthers, turning it into a country called [Yela].”
Liu Gang said blankly, “Aren’t they afraid we’ll expose their premature start to the war?”
“They are afraid.” Looking somewhat dejected, Xu Wutong said softly, “Of course, they’re afraid. That’s why all our belongings will be inspected and confiscated after we leave the country—that’s also their demand of us.”
Liu Gang remained silent. Seeing his silence, Xu Wutong added in a low voice, “If we, the only pillars, leave, these refugees might suffer much injustice…”
“What can we do against the machinery of a nation? I’m a doctor, you’re a journalist…” Sighing, Liu Gang retied the red silk scarf on his arm, dusted off the soot from his pants, and prepared to head downstairs. He shook his head, saying, “We don’t have the strength of a Battle King. We can only do our jobs well and reduce civilian casualties.”
“I’ve completely photographed the hospital’s situation and written a report on the premature war in Earthers overnight. This report, disseminated through the People’s Daily radio broadcast, will most likely prompt the United Nations to send stronger individuals to verify its authenticity.”
“Dr. Liu, I need your help…” Just as he was about to step out of the corridor, Xu Wutong’s voice suddenly rang out, with a trace of helplessness, yet with absolute certainty.
“You want me to deliver a message? But those Yela soldiers aren’t fools. Will they really let me leave without searching me?” Liu Gang was taken aback by her words. He stopped in place, turned his head to look at Xu Wutong, and said solemnly. He seemed to be waiting for her to elaborate.
“A year ago, you came to this city to serve as a volunteer doctor to treat a plague. Our People’s Daily did a report on you back then… You should have a good relationship with the Mokala people, right?” Xu Wutong replied, then paused for a moment before looking up, meeting Liu Gang’s gaze directly. She then took out a small, fist-sized storage bag from her pocket and handed it over, saying, “With the help of a few Mokala members in the hospital, and by taking this report as a repatriated person to the United Nations or Dragon Country, they will certainly take action.”
“With their help… but how will they help?” As Liu Gang listened, Xu Wutong found a place to sit, a spark of fire flashed from her fingertips, and she began to smoke, her gaze falling on the dilapidated guitar in the corner, flickering uncertainly. Delivering a message was not an easy task, as Yela had already officially surrounded the entire city. Unlike before, the security measures were intensified, with strong individuals at the High-Rank Battle General level guarding almost all vantage points. No Earthers were allowed to leave, and no food or water was allowed in, with violators being shot on sight. One could only hope there was a tunnel to get out…
“Liu, there’s no clean water here anymore,” During Liu Gang’s silence, the small, white doctor from earlier walked over from the stairs. “Without professional water-element bloodline users or alchemy devices to purify water, those refugees have been drinking water with special properties… severe rejection symptoms have already appeared.”
The plastic gloves on his hand were stained with a bit of blood. He casually threw the gloves aside, sat on the steps, and took out a piece of gum from his pocket to chew, his eyes showing fatigue.
“We need someone to go out and notify the outside world about the situation here.” Water-element bloodline users produced water with various effects. A small amount boiled and drunk was acceptable, but for ordinary people using it for a long time without the vital energy of intermediate warriors to purify it, their blood and organs would accumulate the water’s special properties. They drank it just to survive, such was the inverted world.
“We’re about to be repatriated.” Blowing a large bubble and then watching it pop, the little doctor supported himself with his hands on the ground. His slightly greenish eyes reflected the reconnaissance eagles. He paused for a moment and then said softly, “Liu, Yela’s vehicles are just outside on the street. You should take Yuko with you and inform the outside world about this.”
“I added sleeping pills to Yuko’s drink. She’s sleeping in the car over there. She and you are different from us. She has a fiancé waiting for her, and you have students waiting for you.” Liu Gang didn’t reply immediately. He looked at the little doctor, his stern face revealing worry. His gaze swept over him and Xu Wutong, and he asked softly, “What about you two?”
The little doctor smiled and made a “no problem” gesture with his fingers. He then continued, “I want to stay here. I’m alone even if I go home. Perhaps I can be more useful here.” Xu Wutong pursed her lips, her eyes lowered, and her gaze fell on her camera as she gently stroked it. “I am a reporter from Dragon Country. If I leave, those Yela people might cause even greater harm to the refugees.”
An oppressive atmosphere inexplicably spread among the three. The reconnaissance eagles screeched wantonly, as if they knew the humans below wouldn’t dare to attack them.
“Then… everyone, take care.” Liu Gang’s expression grew increasingly somber. Amidst the swirling blue smoke rings, he suddenly stood up, reached Xu Wutong’s side, took the storage bag, sighed, and then left the corridor. Descending from the hospital’s top floor to the second-floor area for patients with mild symptoms, Liu Gang’s body seemed to shrink a bit. His bald head lacked its usual sheen, and the white coat was draped over his shoulders again, as if nothing had changed.
“Dr. Liu, hello.” Weaving through the expectant gazes of the patients, he walked directly to a thin young man. His tall body blocked the dim light from the incandescent bulbs. Seeing the young man dozing by the corridor, he didn’t know how to start. Seemingly noticing the darkness in front of him, the thin young man slightly opened his eyes. Initially wary, he relaxed upon seeing Liu Gang and scratched his head, smiling, “Dr. Liu, did Dad say I can be discharged?”
“No… Linka, I would like to ask for your help with something… Please deliver this. It would be best if someone could hand it to me at the western port. This item is very important to this hospital.” Sighing, Liu Gang took out the small storage bag Xu Wutong had given him earlier from his pocket and handed it over, explaining in detail. The other party was a Mokala member who had his meridians severed and was severely injured, and he was also the son of a local doctor…
“We will absolutely not fail your trust.” As he finished explaining, the thin young man named Linka received it with a solemn expression, steadied himself, gave a not-so-standard military salute, and then supported himself on the stairs to leave.
…
Having done all this, Liu Gang walked out of the hospital. Gazing at Yela’s black pickup trucks in the distance, he didn’t head over immediately. Instead, he looked at the patients huddled together outside the hospital. In the past, these patients, if not smiling, at least wouldn’t constantly look at the sky with fear. When an eagle occasionally soared past, they would mistake it for a fighter jet and desperately clutch their heads. Suddenly, someone walked over and asked, “Dr. Liu, will the Yela army storm the hospital and kill us? Will those battle generals bomb the hospital?”
“No.” Liu Gang was silent for a moment and then explained softly, “At least until all the doctors are dead, you will certainly be fine, and the hospital will also be fine.” At this moment, the patients’ faces were not as tense. A husband said to his wife, “Did you hear? We’ll definitely be fine. Dr. Liu is a great doctor from Dragon Country; he wouldn’t lie to us.”
Suddenly, a child asked, “Are there really Mokala members in our hospital? Dad said Mokala are messengers of God Spa. They will protect us like the Angel Lord a few days ago.” Liu Gang was stunned. He hadn’t expected that even these ordinary citizens knew about the presence of Mokala members in the hospital. However, regarding this question, he simply shook his head, “I don’t know. Most likely not. Yela needs me for something. Before I leave, I’ll play a song for everyone.” After speaking, Liu Gang took out his new guitar from his storage bag, his gaze distant as he looked at the fighter jets and patrolling Yela powerhouses in the sky, and gently strummed the strings, humming.
“You forgot, the cold wind that crossed the wound.”
“You believed it wouldn’t hurt, and life just passed you by.”
…
The public also looked over. In such a tense environment, appropriate entertainment would ease emotions. However, Liu Gang’s lyrics were somewhat incomprehensible to them, so they could only feel the faint sadness in the song. Meanwhile, upstairs, Xu Wutong and the two leaned against the railings, and the doctors with red crosses in the hospital put down their less important work and joined in humming, their expressions tinged with a sigh. Life, it is as bitter as a song. You want to cherish it, want to hold on, yet countless casualties occur every day. The resonant singing, carrying a spirit of defiance against the status quo, echoed throughout the entire hospital, attracting the attention of the approaching black jeep. The Yela soldiers opened their car doors to look.
…
“Because you enjoy its brilliance!”
“Because you endure its decay!”
Liu Gang didn’t stop. His steps began to move towards the black jeep. He walked past the frozen fish pond outside the hospital. The cool winter sunlight shone on it, and he noticed the green water grass piercing through the ice, exposed on the surface.
“You said don’t chase, yet unwilling to part.”
“So life, it is bitter as a song—”
…
“Dr. Liu, are you leaving?” As the singing continued, some familiar patients followed Liu Gang, seemingly noticing something. There was reluctance in their eyes.
…
“You will be silent, holding a spark, waiting for the darkest hour.”
…
Liu Gang’s body trembled, and he continued singing, soon reaching the front of the black jeep. Seeing Yuko sleeping in the back door, he interrupted the unfinished song and said to the guarding officer, “Let’s go.” The officer glanced at him, his eyes showing surprise and confusion, “Are you alone?”
“Yes.” Liu Gang gently cradled the guitar and entered the back seat. Before closing the car door, he glanced back at the patients one last time. The moments spent with them replayed in his mind. As Xu Wutong had said, he had deep feelings for this hospital. As the car began to move, Liu Gang looked at the plundered street and the soldiers still searching for valuables, murmuring involuntarily:
“What is a spark…”
“Speaking of which, why didn’t that girl named Frost Blade leave? Didn’t she come for honor?”
…
Meanwhile, on another street.
Under the streetlights, several figures flickered. A tall white commander glanced at the thin corpse on the ground, his gaze sweeping over the Mokala insignia on its arm. “You deal with it if you want. There’s nothing important on him anyway.” He then turned to the half-bowing Raven beside him, his eyes showing a hint of disdain.
“This corpse is strong and powerful. He was on the verge of becoming a Battle General in life. Thank you for your bounty,” the Raven explained with a look of joy, then packed it into a sack, placed it on a motorcycle, and hurried away towards the direction of Haikou. As the white commander watched the Raven’s retreating back, his eyes darkened, and he asked the soldier beside him, “He wasn’t carrying anything, right?”
“Absolutely not. We even checked his underwear.” The soldier, asked this question, quickly shook his head like a rattle drum.
“I’m being too suspicious.” Hearing this, the white commander shook his head inwardly, then looked towards the direction of the main hospital, a sinister smile appearing on his face, his teeth revealing a hint of white, “There’s a good show tonight.”
…
And on that motorcycle, the Raven patted his chest, looking back with lingering fear, and cursed inwardly, “This money isn’t easy to earn. After completing this job of transporting Mokala’s corpse, I’m going back home.”
