Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei's War Journey

Chapter 80 Falling Ill

"We don't have enough medicine, and I'm not skilled enough to cure them—we need real doctors—"

'

He was just a veterinarian who used to look after horses and cows; he had never dealt with anything like this before.

Lu Mingfei stood outside the barn, peering through the crack in the door at the dimly lit scene inside, where Peters and two other soldiers were groaning in pain.

"What do we do?! What do we do?!" Captain Henrik, wearing a gas mask, stood on a hillside dozens of meters away from the barn and shouted anxiously to Lu Mingfei, "This is the plague! If it spreads, we're all doomed!"

He was now torn about whether to kill the three soldiers inside, then burn down the granary to eradicate the plague, but he didn't know how to bring it up—

"I will go to the battalion headquarters to bring in a real military doctor. We can't be completely sure it's the plague yet," Lu Mingfei said, seeing through Captain Henrik's thoughts.

Captain Henrik was momentarily stunned by Lu Mingfei's words. He understood Lu Mingfei's implication: the young sergeant was trying to stop him from making that cold-blooded decision.

"Go to the camp headquarters? In this weather, the camp headquarters is at least three kilometers away, and the whole way is muddy. How are we supposed to get there?" Henrik's voice sounded muffled through his gas mask.

"I know the situation, Captain, but we have to try. Our comrades are lying inside, and I won't give up on them until we've confirmed they can't be saved." Lu Mingfei's voice remained unwavering.

These words made the soldiers around who heard them raise their heads, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in their eyes.

Yes, the platoon leader didn't abandon them.

Henrik was silent for a few seconds, then finally nodded: "Okay, go. Take a few people with you, be careful, and if—if you really can't bring back a doctor, at least bring back some medicine."

"No need, I can go by myself," Lu Mingfei said, then turned to Caesar and continued.

"I'll leave this place to you."

Caesar nodded with a serious expression, understanding the extreme urgency of the situation.

Soon, Lu Mingfei put on a waterproof raincoat and started running towards the rear camp headquarters. There were mud pits everywhere along the way, and it was already dark. He could only brave the rain and grope his way to the camp headquarters. The muddy ground greatly depleted his strength.

Lu Mingfei gritted his teeth, but the faces of the three soldiers in the barn kept flashing through his mind. Peters was only nineteen years old. Before the war, he was an apprentice at a bakery and always said that he would go home and open his own shop after the war. The other two soldiers were also children from poor families.

"No one can die—no one can die—" he repeated in a low voice, unsure whether he was speaking to himself or to his comrades far away.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Mingfei finally ran back to the battalion headquarters, covered in mud and panting. He wiped the mud off his face, determined his direction, and rushed straight towards the largest building where the battalion command post was located.

"Report! Sergeant William Hans, 3rd Platoon, 9th Company, has an urgent epidemic report!" Lu Mingfei didn't even have time to tidy up his disheveled appearance before pushing open the door, standing at attention, and saluting as he reported.

The battalion commander was studying a map with several staff officers when he was startled by the mud figure that had suddenly appeared. His face showed displeasure, and he was about to reprimand the man.

But after hearing Lu Mingfei's words clearly, all his displeasure vanished instantly, and his expression became extremely serious: "The epidemic? Explain clearly! What's going on?!"

Lu Mingfei gave a brief report on the situation in the company: three soldiers had fallen ill with symptoms resembling plague, and the military doctor was unable to treat them.

Upon hearing Lu Mingfei's report, everyone in the battalion froze. The name of the plague was too infamous; it was a terrifying mark etched deep in the collective memory of Europeans.

"Send military doctors to isolate and disinfect immediately! We absolutely cannot allow the plague to spread!" the battalion commander ordered immediately. If the plague were to spread, they could simply surrender.

Soon a military doctor was dispatched. He was a middle-aged man named Thomas, who wore thick glasses and was the head of the battalion's medical team. After listening to Lu Mingfei's more detailed description, he immediately asked to examine the patient.

"I need to see the symptoms in person to make a diagnosis," Dr. Thomas said.

"If it really is the plague, we must immediately take the highest level of isolation measures."

"Sergeant Hans, take the medic back with you, along with all available medicines and disinfection supplies, and do everything in your power to control the spread of the epidemic," the battalion commander ordered loudly.

"Yes, sir!" Lu Mingfei and Dr. Thomas saluted simultaneously.

Half an hour later, a mule cart loaded with supplies set off. Besides medicine and disinfectant, there were clean bandages, surgical instruments, protective suits, and large bags of lime powder. On the return journey, Dr. Thomas kept asking about details: "When did the first patient develop symptoms? Who had contact with him? Where is your water source? Have you handled a large number of corpses recently?"

Lu Mingfei answered each question, while noting that the doctor's questions were very professional, completely different from those of the military doctor who was a veterinarian.

"Doctor, have you ever treated the plague before?" Lu Mingfei couldn't help but ask.

Dr. Thomas pushed up his glasses: "In 1911, I participated in a bubonic plague prevention effort in the border region of East Prussia. More than two hundred people died in that epidemic, but it was eventually brought under control. The plague itself is not terrible; what is terrible is panic and ignorance."

He looked at Lu Mingfei: "Sergeant, epidemic prevention is like fighting a war. It requires discipline, organization, and a firm will. Your soldiers will be watching you. If you show fear, they will break down."

Lu Mingfei nodded: "I understand, doctor."

When they returned to the village, the rain finally stopped, but most of the soldiers in the village stayed indoors, afraid to go out for fear of contracting the plague.

Without taking a break, Dr. Thomas immediately requested to enter the isolation area. He put on protective clothing, a mask, and gloves, and carried his medical kit into the barn.

Lu Mingfei wanted to follow, but the doctor stopped him: "Sergeant, your task is to maintain order. If I need help, I will call you."

Dr. Thomas stayed in the barn for nearly an hour, which felt like an eternity to Lu Mingfei and Henrik, who were anxiously waiting outside.

Finally, the barn door opened again. Dr. Thomas carefully removed his protective suit and then meticulously wiped his entire body with alcohol.

He said to Lu Mingfei and Captain Henrik, who were waiting outside, "It's not typical bubonic plague. The symptoms are similar, but the mode of transmission is different. It should be trench fever, which is transmitted by lice. This is a special infectious disease that only breaks out in harsh battlefield environments."

"Trench fever?" Captain Henrik asked, puzzled.

"Simply put, it's a disease that soldiers contract from lice bites while living in dirty, damp, and crowded environments. It causes recurring high fevers and severe pain, but rarely results in immediate death," Dr. Thomas explained.

"So, this isn't the Black Death?" Lu Mingfei asked quickly.

"No, but if left unchecked, the consequences can be just as dire. It can spread rapidly through lice in densely populated areas, causing widespread non-combat casualties," the doctor said seriously.

"From now on, everyone must implement my epidemic prevention plan. First, completely eradicate lice. All clothes and bedding must be scalded with boiling water or soaked in disinfectant powder. Second, isolate all patients and observe those who have been in contact with them for seven days. Third, improve sanitary conditions. This is the most important."

Over the next three days, under the guidance of Dr. Thomas, the entire Ninth Company launched an unprecedented health campaign.

The soldiers were divided into several groups. One group was responsible for collecting all the clothes and bedding and boiling them in a large iron pot outside the village to disinfect them. Another group was responsible for spreading lime powder around the village to establish a buffer zone. A third group was responsible for clearing the water in the trenches and laying wooden planks to create passageways. A fourth group was specifically responsible for burning garbage and disposing of corpses.

Lu Mingfei personally supervised every step of the process. He and Otto inspected the clothing of every soldier to ensure nothing was missed. He followed Caesar on patrols around the village to prevent anyone from entering or leaving without permission. He even learned basic medical knowledge to help doctors care for patients.

Dr. Thomas's work was very effective. On the fourth day, the number of new cases stopped increasing, and Lu Mingfei finally breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't had a good night's sleep for almost three days.

Just as he sat down to rest, he suddenly felt a sharp headache, his whole body trembled, and he felt feverish. He felt his consciousness begin to blur.

Before he lost consciousness, he seemed to hear many people calling his name.

"Platoon leader! Platoon leader! What's wrong with you!"

When Lu Mingfei woke up again, he found himself lying in the barn where he had been quarantined. His head was still throbbing as if it were splitting open, and he felt extremely weak.

Just then, the barn door opened and a person walked in. It was Caesar. He had heard Lu Mingfei wake up outside, but his long golden hair was gone, and even his eyebrows had been shaved off. Lu Mingfei almost didn't recognize him.

"Hehehe—how did you become like this—" Lu Mingfei laughed weakly.

"Don't laugh at me, you're the same." Caesar snorted coldly, then his face turned very gloomy.

"Me too—" Lu Mingfei then realized that he had also had his head shaved, but he didn't really care about it.

"Why are you looking so long-faced? It's just trench fever—Dr. Thomas said that resting for a while will make it better," Lu Mingfei continued weakly.

After a long silence, Caesar spoke with some difficulty: "You don't have trench fever—it's typhus—a much more serious disease than trench fever—there's currently no cure—"

Both typhus and trench fever are transmitted through lice, but typhus is a highly lethal infectious disease that can rapidly cause high fever, altered mental status, and death.

Lu Mingfei's weak smile froze: "So, you mean I might die?"

He never imagined that he would die not in the battle with the French, but from the mouth of a tiny louse.

Caesar continued, "Dr. Thomas said that younger, stronger soldiers have a higher survival rate—"

Dr. Thomas tried many methods, but all to no avail; this disease could only be left to fate.

Footsteps sounded outside the barn, and Dr. Thomas pushed open the door and came in. His glasses reflected the light, obscuring his eyes, but his exhaustion was evident.

"Sergeant Hans, you're awake." He walked to the bedside and checked Lu Mingfei's symptoms.

"Doctor, to be honest, do you think I can survive?" Lu Mingfei asked directly.

Dr. Thomas paused for a few seconds, then took off his glasses and wiped them. "Sergeant," he said, "I've seen patients with more severe symptoms than you survive, and I've also seen people with milder symptoms die. That's how typhus is; it doesn't play by the rules. But I can tell you that your physical condition is better than most soldiers, and that's your advantage."

"What do I need to do?"

"Rest, drink plenty of water, stay alert. The high fever will last for five to seven days, which is the most dangerous period. If you can get through this and your temperature starts to drop, there is hope. But if you develop delirium or fall into a coma—" The doctor didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

"How are Otto and the others?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"While you were unconscious, rumors started spreading in the other platoons of the company. Some said you were going to die, others said the disease was incurable. Captain Henrik tried to control the rumors, but with limited success. Yesterday, Otto led a group to fight the rumor-mongers in the other companies and is now in solitary confinement," Caesar said.

Lu Mingfei struggled to sit up, but the doctor held him down.

"Your mission is to recover, Sergeant. Command on the battlefield can be temporarily handed over to others, but your health depends on yourself," Dr. Thomas said solemnly.

"But----"

"No buts. If you push yourself now, you'll only die faster. Listen to me, close your eyes and rest as much as possible. I'll check on you every hour." Lu Mingfei wanted to say something, but a sharp headache struck, forcing him to lie down again.

His vision began to blur, his ears were ringing, and he felt as if his body was being roasted on a fire while he was shivering with cold. These were typical symptoms of typhus: alternating high fever and chills, splitting headache, and muscle aches all over his body.

Seeing Lu Mingfei's pained expression, Caesar unconsciously clenched his fists. During this time, he had completely become a comrade-in-arms with whom he could entrust his back. He felt that Lu Mingfei was his only friend since childhood, the only person who could stand by his side.

"Doctor, is there really no other way?" Caesar asked in a low voice.

"The sergeant is a strong man, which is his greatest strength, but typhus can destroy a person's will, and the delirium caused by high fever can break even the strongest person. He needs someone to remind him to stay awake at all times."

"I'll do it," Caesar said without hesitation.

Dr. Thomas nodded: "Okay, remember, if he starts talking nonsense or tries to harm himself, call me immediately. Also, you must protect yourself. Although you shaved your hair and eyebrows, reducing the environment for lice to breed, you still have to be careful."

Soon after, Dr. Thomas left.

Caesar sat down beside Lu Mingfei's bed, looking at his comrade-in-arms who had fought alongside him on the battlefield and competed with him.

"Drink some water." Caesar's voice rang in Lu Mingfei's ears when he woke up again, and a glass of water was handed to his lips.

Lu Mingfei struggled to sit up and sipped some warm water.

"You should leave. Stay away from me to avoid catching the virus," Lu Mingfei said in a hoarse voice.

Caesar didn't answer, but simply picked up a damp cloth and placed it on Lu Mingfei's forehead. The cold touch made Lu Mingfei shiver, but it did make him feel a little better.

"Did you know that at Kassel College, we have a course called 'Hybrid Pathology'? It mentions that hybrids with high-purity bloodlines have strong resistance to most human diseases," Caesar suddenly said.

Lu Mingfei turned to look at Caesar, not understanding his meaning: "What are you talking about?"

"What I mean is, you and I, we are not ordinary people. Our bloodline may make us more resistant to typhus. Dr. Thomas said that young and strong people have a higher survival rate. We are not just young and strong, we are mixed race."

"So you will definitely survive," Caesar said firmly.

He had seen Lu Mingfei's dazzling golden eyes on the battlefield and knew that Lu Mingfei was also a hybrid, and that his bloodline level was definitely not low. Otherwise, he would have been able to overpower him in terms of absolute strength. He did not believe that such a powerful hybrid would be killed by a tiny louse.

"Don't worry—I will go down—I still have people I want to see—how could I die like this—" Lu Mingfei said weakly.

He had seen Nono's face during his recent unconsciousness, and how could he bear to die like this before seeing Nono again?

"But until I recover, Otto and the others need someone to take charge—so I'm counting on you—partner—"

Caesar stared into Lu Mingfei's eyes, which, though weak, were unusually determined. He remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly nodded.

"Leave it to me, I won't let them be bullied, that's my promise, Caesar Gattuso."