Chapter Thirty-Seven: Medicine Must Not Be Used Recklessly

Within two hours, Hou Li and Lu Zhiyou met again at Xiaoshan International Airport.

They dared not waste a moment and immediately booked the earliest flight to the capital.

Both were feeling relaxed: Lu Zhiyou was happy for Old Li, while Hou Li was relieved for himself.

Yet, whenever their thoughts strayed back to that pitiable woodpecker, a chill rose from deep within. The Wu family nestled in that rural mountain village was absolutely not an ordinary household.

...

At three in the afternoon, their flight took off on schedule. Hou Li had booked the tickets—first class.

Lu Zhiyou repeatedly inspected the little jade bottle containing the Reviving Continuity Balm; the semi-liquid ointment measured barely a milliliter, but if applied carefully, it would be enough to coat General Li's entire body.

The black ointment was lustrous and transparent, paired with the delicately carved jade bottle, it appeared almost as if it were an elixir of immortality procured from a celestial isle.

As Lu Zhiyou examined it, Hou Li did as well. The two scrutinized it like connoisseurs appraising a treasure for two hours, until the plane arrived at Terminal 3 of the Capital International Airport.

No sooner had they disembarked and turned on their phones than Lu Zhiyou discovered nineteen missed calls—all from his father, Lu Hanlin.

He was about to call back when his phone rang; the caller was Lu Hanlin.

As soon as Lu Zhiyou answered, his father's anxious voice rang out, "Zhiyou, have you arrived? Did you bring the medicine?"

"I've arrived, I'm at the airport now, the medicine is with me," Lu Zhiyou replied.

"Hurry to the Li residence, Old Li is fading fast!"

Lu Zhiyou, shocked, cried out, "Wasn't he supposed to have another year? How has it worsened so quickly? Dad, don’t worry, I’m coming immediately." He hung up.

Though Hou Li hadn't heard Lu Hanlin's voice, he understood what was happening from Lu Zhiyou’s words.

Before Lu Zhiyou had even hung up, Hou Li was already making a call. "Hello, this is Hou Li, we're at the arrivals gate..."

Two minutes later, a Mercedes sedan pulled up beside them.

Hou Li promptly pulled the driver out, while Lu Zhiyou slid into the passenger seat.

The accelerator was floored, the engine roared, and the Mercedes sped out of the airport.

Throughout the drive, Hou Li never once eased off the gas.

...

Relying on the skill honed from his youthful days of racing, he ran through countless red lights, reaching the Li residence in less than a third of the usual time.

The security guards at the gate, startled by the car's reckless approach, even raised their guns.

The two inside, hearts ablaze with urgency, ignored the guards and tried to force their way in. Fortunately, Lu Hanlin, having just received his son’s call, was already waiting outside.

He had expected to wait at least twenty minutes, but they had already arrived, just as several guards twisted Hou Li’s and his son’s arms behind their backs.

"Stop!" Lu Hanlin shouted. "Let them in immediately—they’re here to save Old Li’s life!"

...

Li Hongguang’s room had long been transformed into a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, capable even of performing certain surgeries in an adjacent sterile chamber.

The old man lay pale upon the bed, his breathing thread-thin.

Li Youbo and Li Shengyao’s wife stayed at his side.

Outside, several medical experts studied instrument readings and discussed heatedly, while Li Shengyao listened in silence.

Professor Chen Gang, a leading authority on bone diseases, was loudly presenting his viewpoint.

"We must immediately transfer him to the Capital Hospital, use radiation therapy, and then employ the newly developed European CH2 injection for intraosseous administration. If we delay, it will be too late."

"But the Capital Hospital has no CH2 in stock; it must be procured from Europe, and the turnaround would take too long," objected an elder, an orthopedic specialist from the Capital Hospital.

"But leaving Old Li here is even riskier. Even without CH2, we can begin chemotherapy first."

An expert from Shencheng hesitated, "The fatal allergic reaction rate of CH2 is as high as sixty percent—are you certain you want to use it?"

"What other options are there?"

Li Shengyao paced irritably nearby. "Then transfer him to the hospital first—I’ll have someone expedite the CH2 shipment through diplomatic channels."

At that moment, Lu Hanlin arrived with Hou Li and Lu Zhiyou.

The argument was intense, and Lu Zhiyou had heard it even before entering. Seeing them about to move Li Hongguang, he could not restrain himself and shouted, "No—do not move Old Li!"

All turned in surprise toward the newcomers.

Li Shengyao, recognizing them, exclaimed in delight, "Zhiyou, you’ve arrived! Is what you told Uncle Lu on the phone true?"

Lu Zhiyou immediately produced a small rectangular wooden box from his coat. "The medicine is right here."

"Then hurry in and give it to Father," Li Shengyao said, seizing Lu Zhiyou and moving toward the room.

"Wait," Chen Gang interjected, stopping Lu Zhiyou at the door.

"General Li, what medicine do you intend to give Old Li?"

Lu Zhiyou opened the box, revealing the exquisite jade bottle within. "This is it. It’s called Reviving Continuity Balm. Elder Bai said that as long as there’s a breath left, applying it will pull a person back from the brink."

Chen Gang, still gazing at the ointment, was immediately incensed by this explanation.

"Absurd! You’re gambling with Old Li’s life!"

He turned to Li Shengyao. "General Li, have you ever seen such medicine? Do you believe such a thing exists in this world?"

"And you, Lu Zhiyou, a top medical student—do you not understand the rigor of medicine? Recklessly applying an unknown irritant will only worsen Old Li’s condition!"

"The only hope lies in chemotherapy followed by CH2 intraosseous injection. We can’t waste time on charlatans and their mystical tricks."

Chen Gang spoke righteously, and the other experts quickly sided with him.

Li Shengyao wavered, looking at Lu Zhiyou with inquiry and scrutiny. Even a hardened soldier, faced with his beloved father’s life, could not help but falter.

Lu Hanlin, too, looked at Lu Zhiyou questioningly. "Zhiyou, have you witnessed this medicine’s effects yourself? You said your patient recovered rapidly, but did you see him use this medicine?"

Lu Zhiyou was so anxious he could barely speak. "Dad, even you don’t believe me? Why would I harm Old Li?"

"You may not wish him harm, but what about others?" Chen Gang interjected again. "Can you guarantee the person who gave you this medicine has no ulterior motive? I, Chen, have practiced medicine for forty years, versed in both Chinese and Western theory, and have never heard of such a drug. It’s pure fantasy."

Hou Li could only fret at the side, stamping his feet and clutching his hair, several times wanting to speak but not daring.

...

The argument continued outside the room. Lu Zhiyou, after all, was no master debater, unable to refute so many experts at once.

Inside, Li Hongguang’s breathing suddenly grew rapid, his face flushed with an unusual red.

"Huh..." Li Youbo clutched his grandfather’s hand and cried out, "Grandpa, what’s wrong? Grandpa..."

His mother immediately pressed the bedside button.

The shrill beeping sounded outside the room, alerting those in the hallway to the patient’s critical state.

Chen Gang shouted urgently, "No, there’s no time! He must be sent to the hospital right now—inject Old Li with a cardiac stimulant first!"