Chapter 489: Chapter 488 Duke, Has Your Will Been Worn Down?

At the Shao Family’s small courtyard, the official car appeared at the entrance once again the day before.

Shao Yuying helped Shao Zifeng adjust his collar, “Take good care of yourself outside, winning or losing the competition doesn’t matter, don’t worry too much.”

“I know.”

Shao Zifeng, pulling his suitcase, stood by Lingling, Little Deer, and Yaya.

Just as Shao’s mother turned around, a green figure burst into her arms. Lingling wrapped her hands tightly around her neck, her big eyes misty with tears, “Mom, Lingling will miss you, next time I come back, I’ll spend more time with you, boo-hoo, boo-hoo.”

Shao Zifeng and Little Deer’s mouths twitched, turning their faces aside.

“Good child, Mom will miss you too, no crying, crying makes you less pretty.” Shao’s mother really fell for Lingling’s antics, continually comforting her softly; one would think they were blood mother and daughter.

“Mmm~”

A heavy, nasal sobbing rose in everyone’s hearts.

Shao Zifeng was shocked.

How on earth did you make that sound?

Next to say goodbye was Little Deer, not as extravagant as Lingling. The little one simply rubbed Shao’s mother’s cheek, leaving behind a fragrant ephemeral little flower near her ear.

“Good child.”

Shao’s mother gently hugged Little Deer and finally walked over to Yaya.

“Gurgle~”

Yaya obediently bowed its large head, emitting a soft throaty sound.

Stretching her hand to hug Yaya’s big head, Shao Yuying softly said, “Zifeng’s safety is now in your hands, please make sure to protect him.”

“Woo~” Yaya nodded firmly.

Indeed.

In Shao’s mother’s eyes, Yaya, being the biggest and looking the fiercest, must be the strongest.

Lingling, still sobbing nearby, suddenly felt unhappy. The safety of Duke His Grace was clearly the responsibility of him, Lingling Bauhinia, the secretary-general. How could this newcomer steal the spotlight!

Lingling’s eyebrows shot up, about to voice his dissatisfaction, when Shao Zifeng pulled him back.

After the goodbyes, Shao’s mother, holding Qiqi with one arm, smiled and waved at them, “Get on the car, I’ll be rooting for you in front of the TV.”

“Goodbye, Mom.”

“Yo~”

“Roar!”

As the car started, Lingling continued to lean on the window, waving at Shao’s mother.

After Shao’s mother’s figure disappeared, the little one remained silent, its shoulders trembling slightly.

Upon seeing this, Shao Zifeng was about to offer some comfort, “Ling…”

Before he could finish his words, Lingling excitedly turned around, “My lord, we are finally setting off on a new journey!”

His mouth twitched, “You were just crying your eyes out…”

“Heh.” Lingling…

Without a mouth, it’s hard to describe its expression.

Lingling’s gaze shone like starlight, displaying three parts scorn, three parts dissatisfaction, and four parts zeal, “We, as protectors of the duchy, cannot allow ourselves to be entangled by family affections. Duke Lord, has the warmth of family worn away your resolve?”

Hearing this, Shao Zifeng covered his face with his hand while Little Deer turned to look out the window, branches of illusory vines growing on its antlers, covering its little head like a curtain.

Really.

So embarrassing!

…

The First Military District Hospital in the capital city.

The ICU was permeated with the strong smell of disinfectant, and painful wails echoed from the depths of the corridor occasionally.

Rapid footsteps arose, a group of people moving quickly through the corridor.

Leading them was a middle-aged woman in a white lab coat, followed by several young doctors carrying folders.

They stopped outside each ward, peering through the windows in the doors to check on the patients inside.

The middle-aged woman’s lips moved slightly, and the young doctors around her bowed their heads, scribbling notes on their papers quickly.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps startled them and two panicking nurses ran up one after another.

“Dr. Qin, the patient in Room 3 has worsening symptoms, is confused, and is extremely aggressive,”

“Dr. Qin, Dr. Qin, the patient in Room 4 is experiencing severe mental fluctuations and has tendencies of self-harm.”

After hearing this, the middle-aged woman’s expression turned serious, “Let’s go.”

Room 3.

When a group of people entered, the frenzied patient had already been subdued.

His body was tightly strapped to the hospital bed, his hollow eyes wide open, with dark red veins starkly visible on his white eyeballs.

The bed kept shaking, and even though he was restrained, he was still struggling constantly, making indistinct noises from his throat.

“Dr. Qin.”

The male nurse guarding the bed saluted the woman and quietly retreated to the corner.

Dr. Qin nodded, walked up to the bed, and was about to reach out to examine the wound on the patient’s neck, when the man suddenly paused, then lunged with his mouth towards her hand.

“Dr. Qin!”

Several people started panicking, but then they saw the man’s mouth stop just before biting and slam heavily onto the pillow.

“There,”

Everyone looked and saw a small turtle perched on the man’s forehead, rendering him completely immobile.

After a brief check, Dr. Qin led the group out of the room, “Xiao Zhao, go notify the logistics department to use the treatment Beibei to absorb the toxins in the patient’s body.”

“Yes!”

A young doctor hurried away after receiving the order.

At that moment, Dr. Qin’s eyes swept over the young nurse’s hand, “Injured?”

The young nurse instinctively tried to cover her hand, a shy expression on her young face, “It’s not severe, just accidentally scratched by the patient in Room 3.”

“Hmm, good thing this virus isn’t contagious. Go wash it with disinfectant later, only…”

Saying this, Dr. Qin felt something was off.

It wasn’t her first time treating patients infected with this virus, but they rarely exhibited madness, yet today two cases had arisen consecutively.

“Right, has the virus research lab released the results for this case yet,” Dr. Qin suddenly asked.

“Dr. Qin, we haven’t received a notification from them yet.”

“Hmm, then document the symptoms of the two patients we just saw, to use as references in virus analysis.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after, the male doctor who had left earlier returned, his forehead dripping with sweat, followed by several chubby Healing Lulus.

“Dr. Qin, the Healing Lulus are here.”

“Poot~”

“Poot~”

The Healing Lulus waved their small short hands, seemingly greeting Dr. Qin.

Dr. Qin smiled warmly, crouching down to stroke the frontmost Healing Lulu, “We need your help again this time.”

“Poot~”

The Healing Lulu happily nuzzled her hand and walked into the patient’s room with its short legs.

Soon, a Healing Lulu missing one leaf came out, waving its small hand weakly and was replaced by another Healing Lulu.

Just then, a scream suddenly came from behind.

“Xiao Ling!”

Everyone quickly turned around, only to see the young nurse who had been scratched earlier now collapsed on the floor, her face pale and her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Dr. Qin pushed aside the young doctor next to her and knelt beside the young nurse.

At this point, the young nurse’s reactions grew more intense, she was gritting her teeth and the muscles on her somewhat chubby face twitched continuously.

Dr. Qin pulled up the young nurse’s sleeve and saw that the wound on her wrist had changed color.

The normally red subcutaneous tissue had turned a pale purple-red.

“This is…”

Dr. Qin’s face suddenly turned very grave; the virus could indeed cause a secondary infection.