Lu Linjiang immediately recalled the state of Guzman’s body after his death. He took a deep breath. "Old Guo shouldn't be that unlucky." He looked up and noticed that Xiao Mao was still standing there. Forcing a thin smile, he suppressed his impatience and waved the boy out. "It’s probably just a stress response. After all, he seemed to be in a terrible mood when he first told me about it."
On the other end of the line, Jiang Cheng was not as optimistic as Lu Linjiang. "There are still nearly twenty-four hours until the final test results are out. I’ll see if there’s a way to run an extra test."
Remembering the characteristics of the Gaimoer virus, Lu Linjiang couldn't help but caution him, "Take care of yourself as well."
"I know. I’ll notify you if there’s any news."
Lu Linjiang hung up, but his brow remained furrowed. Yang Bo, who had overheard the entire conversation, looked bewildered. "Old Guo? Guo Junyi? What happened to him?"
"Nothing," Lu Linjiang answered instinctively.
Yang Bo rarely saw Lu Linjiang with such an expression and sensed that something was wrong. However, seeing that Lu Linjiang had no intention of elaborating, he had no choice but to swallow his questions.
Lu Linjiang hadn't touched his chopsticks since hanging up. The exquisite pastries on the table had never been his goal anyway. He tapped the table impatiently, hoping the owner would bring out the main course soon.
The door finally opened again, and this time, it was the owner himself. He was followed by two workers carrying a massive, boat-shaped porcelain basin. "Let me clear the table for you."
By the time the pastries were moved aside, Lu Linjiang’s face had already darkened as he saw the contents of the basin—it was filled with various fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish. The most conspicuous item was a massive grouper placed right in the center.
The owner introduced it with a proud flourish. "This is our signature dish: Boiled Thousand Armies!"
"This is your specialty?" Yang Bo was nearly sick with frustration. Based on Cui Bin’s abnormal reaction, he had thought this place would be a breakthrough. That waiter, Xiao Mao, had also acted so mysteriously, yet they ended up with a basin of seafood so large one could practically lie down in it.
The owner watched with pride as the workers set the basin on the table. "Of course it’s a specialty. If nothing else, just look at this basin—you won't find another like it anywhere else!"
He went on boastfully about the unique qualities of the dish. Lu Linjiang listened in silence. Once the owner finished, Lu Linjiang nodded with a cold face. "Alright, I get it. Thank you, Boss."
Boss Cui happily offered a cigarette. Seeing that Lu Linjiang didn't want one, he lit it himself. "Then please, enjoy your meal. We’ll be going now."
When only the two of them remained in the private room, the basin looked even more gargantuan. Yang Bo said with a long face, "I won't even mention how much this thing must cost, but this is way too different from what we imagined! Did we miscalculate?"
Lu Linjiang looked at the contents and gave a cold snort. "It’s more likely that our cover was blown."
Yang Bo was startled. "When?"
"I don't know." Lu Linjiang didn't even bother wondering when they had been found out. "This Boss Cui is quite the character—bold and skilled. He actually dared to turn the tables on us. Someone like him won't tell the truth without ironclad evidence."
Yang Bo looked at the giant basin in despair. "Let's not think that far ahead. What are we going to do with this?"
Lu Linjiang slowly lit a cigarette. "What else? Eat."
"Can I expense this?"
"In your dreams." Lu Linjiang exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I’ll pay, you eat. Just remember one thing..."
Yang Bo looked at him earnestly. "What?"
"Don't you dare tell anyone about this. It’s too damn embarrassing."
Yang Bo tried his best for a long time but barely made a dent in the dish. Lu Linjiang didn't even bother with a doggy bag and paid the bill briskly. Boss Cui stood at the door with a cigarette in his mouth and his hands behind his back, calling out smugly, "Come again!"
Lu Linjiang arched an eyebrow. "Oh, I’ll definitely be back. I’m still staying at your guesthouse, after all."
He walked slowly for a few paces as if heading back to the guesthouse, but soon changed direction.
"Where are we going?" Yang Bo followed behind, letting out a burp.
"While there are fewer people out at night, let's scout around first."
***
Jiang Langmin had already accompanied Madam Tao back to Denmark. Jiang Cheng tried to contact Cheng Hao, but the other man wouldn't pick up. Out of necessity, he called Jiang Langmin. It should have been daytime in Denmark, but despite several attempts, he couldn't get through.
Guo Junyi actually felt that his body was fine, aside from a slight low-grade fever. If Jiang Cheng hadn't noticed it, he wouldn't have known himself.
"Jiang Cheng, the final results will be out soon anyway. Why don't we just wait?"
Jiang Cheng looked at his phone. Guo Junyi seemed to be in a decent mood, and he didn't have the heart to discourage him. However, he knew in his heart that if there was even a one-in-a-million chance, confirming it even a minute earlier would mean a bit more hope. The final result was still nearly two days away; by then, it might truly be too late.
"It’s an occupational hazard..." Jiang Cheng chose his words carefully. "At the slightest sign of trouble, I can't help but want to test and confirm. If I don't, I probably won't be able to sleep tonight."
Guo Junyi was no fool. He nodded slightly. "Without Jiang Langmin, I doubt Cheng Hao will help us."
Jiang Cheng hummed in agreement. The man was a businessman; he wouldn't agree to such a losing proposition if Jiang Langmin wasn't there to mediate.
"Is there anywhere else in Jinghai that can help?" Jiang Cheng felt a surge of regret. He had delayed for too long, and over the past three years, he had buried himself in his research. When it came to interpersonal connections, he was completely in the dark.
"Let's go to Jinghai Medical College. Aside from biotech companies, they’re the only ones with the equipment and environment."
Jiang Cheng immediately agreed, and the two headed straight for the college.
Yao Jingbo was a professor at Jinghai Medical College and one of the people Guo Junyi frequently pestered. He was currently in the anatomy lab, giving a few graduate students extra lessons on preparing human specimens. When he saw Guo Junyi show up in person, he actually looked up at the lunar calendar on the wall.
"The calendar says today is auspicious for going out; I shouldn't have stayed in the anatomy lab." Despite his words, he politely extended his hand.
Guo Junyi raised both his hands. "Does the calendar say it’s inauspicious to shake hands today?"
Yao Jingbo assumed Guo Junyi was just acting up again and rolled his eyes. Jiang Cheng glanced at Guo Junyi in confusion, and Guo Junyi explained with his hands still raised, "I’m a bit nervous, my palms are sweaty."
Hearing this, Yao Jingbo made a disgusted face and complained, "Are you sick?"
Guo Junyi nodded. "I am. I’ve got a low-grade fever."
Yao Jingbo had long thought Guo Junyi was eccentric, but this time the retort got stuck in his throat, leaving him momentarily speechless. Then, he noticed Jiang Cheng standing beside Guo Junyi and changed the subject. "And this is?"
Jiang Cheng took the opportunity to shake Yao Jingbo’s hand before he could retract it. "My name is Jiang Cheng. We’ve come to ask for a favor."
"Sure," Yao Jingbo replied without thinking. "You’re the first living person Guo Junyi has brought over in all the years I’ve known him. I have to agree. What do you need? Speak up."
"I want to know if Jinghai Medical College has an electron microscope and a virus purifier. I need to perform a virus detection test."
Yao Jingbo reacted quickly. He looked at Jiang Cheng, then at Guo Junyi. "For him? What exactly is wrong with you?"
"I’m just a bit worried about his fever, so I want to run a test to check first," Jiang Cheng explained.
Yao Jingbo froze for a few seconds, his expression gradually turning serious. "It couldn't be related to the virus in the blood sample you gave me last time, could it?"
After the series of blows he had endured, Guo Junyi’s heart had settled, and he had come to terms with the situation. He shoved his hands back into his down jacket pockets. "Correct. No prize for you."
Yao Jingbo looked at Guo Junyi as if he were a ghost. "Are you serious?" The students also stopped what they were doing, staring at Guo Junyi in shock.
"Alright, alright, don't scare the kids. It’s not settled yet! Right now, it’s Schrödinger’s cat—it could be real, or it could be fake!"
Yao Jingbo instinctively looked back at his students. "None of you are allowed to spread a word of this, or I’ll fail you!" Once the students nodded repeatedly, he immediately went to the sink. Amidst the rushing water, he warned Guo Junyi, "Holy crap, what a mess! Can you stop giving me these kinds of surprises?"
He led them to the laboratory. Just as they were about to enter, he realized something was off. "Jiang Cheng, right? Who are you exactly?"
"I’m a doctoral student. Tao Minxing is my supervisor."
Yao Jingbo let out an impressed sound. "An expert!" Then, he looked at Guo Junyi with even more concern. "Should I say you’re lucky or call you cursed?"
Guo Junyi: "Shut up!"
Yao Jingbo found two lab coats for them. "We don't have a P4 lab here. You’d better be careful later."
"Are you afraid I’ll sneeze on you on purpose?" Guo Junyi snorted.
Yao Jingbo looked at him with a headache. "Can you be a bit more reliable? Look at what time it is!" He rummaged around noisily and produced a few disposable syringes and alcohol swabs for Jiang Cheng.
"Don't worry, it might not be it. Maybe I’m just being paranoid." Jiang Cheng signaled for Guo Junyi to sit down and drew some blood from his arm.
Yao Jingbo took the sample, processed it quickly, and placed it into the purifier. "This machine is a bit old. If the purification steps aren't sufficient, we might not be able to isolate it."
"It’s fine. A rough check is enough. I’m just looking for peace of mind," Jiang Cheng said. But in reality, everyone present was medically trained; even if they knew nothing about Gaimoer, they understood that if he were truly infected and already showing a fever, it would be impossible not to detect it.
The three of them stopped talking, silently watching the equipment together. Although the clock on the wall was still ticking slowly, time felt as though it had frozen. Guo Junyi was the first to lose his resolve and began to doze off. Yao Jingbo looked at the man sleeping with his head propped up and shook his head speechlessly.
"I actually quite admire him. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't be able to sleep," Jiang Cheng said softly.
"He’s just brainless!" Yao Jingbo complained coldly. "We agreed to study clinical medicine together, but at the last second, he changed his mind and secretly filled in forensic medicine. If he had the guts, he should have stayed away from me for life, but instead, he brings stuff here for testing every few days."
Just as Jiang Cheng was about to remark that the two were old acquaintances, Yao Jingbo added, "The bastard never pays, saying it’s to save on budget! I suspect this grandson planned from the start to treat me like a sucker!"
Jiang Cheng: "..."
The "grudge" between the two seemed deep, so he felt it inappropriate to comment and remained silent. Yao Jingbo probably felt bored as well and simply lowered his head to scroll through his phone. He looked up papers related to the Gaimoer virus on academic journals, his face growing grimmer the more he read.
The machine finally stopped. Yao Jingbo took out the extract, processed it further, and placed it under the electron microscope. The two glanced at the sleeping Guo Junyi and silently agreed not to wake him yet.
A clear projection appeared on the screen. Jiang Cheng and Yao Jingbo’s hearts sank simultaneously. A very characteristic filamentous object appeared in the projection. Yao Jingbo adjusted the position, and a complete, clear filamentous virus was presented on the screen.
***
