Chapter 568: Cholera 2
Evelyn nodded. "Alright. When Rhys Chase comes, give this formula to him."
Evelyn produced two sheets of paper; one was filled with the formula, and the other was a table of the component ratios.
"You can just give it to him. Why are we making such a fuss about it? Besides, I couldn’t remember the formula to begin with. If Ronan Kendrick hadn’t hypnotized me, I wouldn’t have remembered it even with a knife to my throat. I can’t make the medicine even if I have the formula. In my hands, it’s worthless, but in yours, it becomes a life-saving cure."
"Then let’s give it to him together, Quincy. Rhys Chase is a very powerful man. We may just be making a deal with him, but if we can build a good relationship beyond the transaction, it’ll make things much easier for us down the line. We’ve got a long road ahead. It can’t hurt to get a little more face time."
Quincy smiled. "Alright, whatever you say."
The next day, when Liam Sterling came to their quarters, Evelyn told him about the special medicine.
"There’s really a medicine that powerful?"
"Of course there is. The formula for this special medicine is two pages long. Production isn’t easy, but it shouldn’t be too difficult for the base’s R&D team. I’ve written out all the ratios on this sheet. This bottle is the finished medicine; there are twenty pills inside. You can take it to run some tests first."
Liam Sterling took a deep breath. "You two are truly the saviors of the base."
"I wouldn’t go that far. We don’t even know if this medicine will work on the cholera yet. Let’s talk after you’ve tested it."
"Evelyn, whether this medicine works on cholera or not, its intrinsic value remains the same. Just tell us what you want; the base will certainly do its best to provide it."
Evelyn smiled. ’She didn’t need anything at the moment, but Rhys Chase would definitely owe them a favor for this.’
"I wouldn’t have been able to create this medicine without Quincy. In fact, he’s the one who gave me the formula."
Liam Sterling understood.
"I’ll tell Mr. Chase. Quincy, the base won’t forget this great service."
"Evelyn was the one who developed it. It had nothing to do with me."
Liam Sterling smiled. "Look at you two, pushing all the credit onto each other."
"As long as it can save people, credit isn’t important."
Liam Sterling clapped Quincy on the shoulder. "You’re a good man."
"I have to go. This is too important, I need to report it right away."
Evelyn waved him off. "Go on. We’ll hope for good news."
After the medical team confirmed it was cholera, the base began to organize large numbers of patrol officers to collect samples from water sources, fruits and vegetables, soil, the air, and various birds to test for *Vibrio cholerae*.
Even the pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese in the livestock area did not escape being tested.
Ultimately, the medical team found the source of the infection in a sink in the shelter. The first infected individual was also identified. Fortunately, he hadn’t died. Unfortunately, he was in the intensive care unit and couldn’t be questioned at the moment.
However, according to his family, the first infected person had started to experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting after drinking untreated water from the sink.
The water in the sink was not filtered, only subjected to simple disinfection with a good deal of bleach water. The infected man had just returned from his shift at the cannery. He was so thirsty that he didn’t want to go to the hot water room to get water, so, taking the most convenient option, he drank the untreated water directly from the sink.
The cholera spread far faster than anyone could have imagined. In just two days, the number of infected had surpassed 500, and in the residential area, another twenty-some people had died.
When Liam Sterling returned to the administration building with the formula and the special medicine, Rhys Chase was in a meeting with all the base’s management leaders. Liam pushed past those who tried to stop him and burst right in. He leaned in and whispered a few words in Rhys Chase’s ear, and Rhys Chase immediately stood up.
"Everyone, that concludes today’s meeting. You’re dismissed."
After Rhys Chase left, the other leaders looked at each other, nonplussed. Ever since Rhys Chase had become the Commander, he had never once left a meeting halfway through. Moreover, the shock on his face just now had surprised everyone. Rhys Chase was a man who, it could be said, never betrayed his emotions; no one ever knew what he was truly thinking. This was the first time he had ever shown such open shock. Watching his retreating back, the leaders began to worry.
’Did something happen at the hospital?’
’Or has the cholera outbreak gotten even worse?’
"Is what you said true?"
Inside the heavily guarded office, Rhys Chase looked gravely at Liam Sterling. His aura was overwhelming, and Liam didn’t even dare to meet his eyes.
"Mr. Chase, look at this. Evelyn gave me these two sheets of paper. They contain the formula and the ratios for the special medicine. This bottle is the medicine itself—there are twenty pills inside. Evelyn said that as long as it’s not a terminal illness, this medicine can bring people back from the dead."
The part about bringing people back from the dead was Liam Sterling’s own embellishment.
"Ronan Kendrick wasn’t wrong. She really is incredible."
Liam Sterling smiled. "Mr. Chase, Evelyn said Quincy provided the formula and she only handled the development. She’s the one who produced this bottle of medicine."
Rhys Chase opened the cap, and a strong medicinal scent hit him. The white pills looked no different than chocolate drops. Rhys Chase smelled them for a long while before picking one up and tossing it into his mouth.
Liam Sterling watched him nervously. After a few minutes, Rhys Chase twisted the cap back on and let out a long breath.
"Find ten patients to test this on. Are today’s mortality numbers in yet?"
Liam Sterling nodded. "Lynn Pierce just gave me another report. Another fifteen people have died in the residential building."
"Test the medicine as quickly as possible. Take the remaining nine pills and the formula to the laboratory. Have them replicate it with the utmost speed."
"Mr. Chase, I looked at it just now. There are several herbs on the list that we don’t have here." The more Liam Sterling spoke, the more hesitant he sounded.
"Trade for them. Gasoline, planes, cars—give them whatever they want. You must gather all the necessary herbs."
Liam Sterling nodded. "Yes, sir. I’ll get right on it."
Evelyn was surprised to see Liam Sterling return only a few hours after he’d left.
"Mr. Kendrick, Evelyn, the base is short on some herbs. I was wondering if you have any to spare? If so, we’re hoping you can part with some. Mr. Chase said you can ask for anything you want in return. Don’t be polite with him."
"Which ones are you missing?"
"Longgu, Xuanshen..."
Evelyn listened in surprise. ’Good grief, they’re missing seven or eight different types. If I hadn’t planted herbs on such a massive scale before, I really wouldn’t have any extra.’
"We can give them to you. Tell Rhys Chase that if there’s any more gold ore or jade, I want it, no matter how much."
Liam Sterling breathed a sigh of relief. "Rest assured, Evelyn, I’ll pass that on. And forget just jade and gold ore—Mr. Chase said you can tell him however many planes, cars, or how much gasoline you want. If he doesn’t have it on hand, the other managers have plenty."
Evelyn smiled. "I’ll keep that in mind."
Ronan Kendrick went with Liam Sterling to deliver the prepared herbs to the pharmaceutical plant’s warehouse.
With the cholera outbreak, all factories except for the pharmaceutical plant were temporarily shut down.
The hospital was overflowing with patients, the isolation rooms in the residential building were packed, and trucks carrying away bodies came and went every day.