"Here it comes, here it comes," said Song Yue, rushing over with a pot of warm water.
Lin Fan didn't have time to think. He crushed the Red Blood Ganoderma with his palm and carefully placed it into Wan Anfu's mouth.
"Water," he said, holding out his hand. Song Yue immediately handed him the kettle.
Taking the kettle, Lin Fan directly placed the spout into Wan Anfu's mouth.
"Cough, cough, cough."
The strong flow of water caused Wan Anfu to instinctively cough. Lin Fan's other hand covered the top of Wan Anfu's lips, fearing he would spit out the ganoderma, while he tilted the kettle slightly to reduce the water flow.
Wan Anfu finally stopped coughing. His throat rolled as he swallowed the semi-liquid ganoderma.
"Light a fire and decoct the medicine," Lin Fan instructed.
"The fire in the stove is already lit," Xia Xue replied immediately.
"Sister-in-law, get me the silver needles. Yueyue, go get the herbs," Lin Fan organized them methodically.
Xia Xue quickly ran to the counter to fetch the silver needles. Song Yue stood before the medicine cabinet, grabbing paper and a pen to record the prescription.
Soon, Lin Fan began inserting needles while reciting the names and dosages of the herbs. Song Yue, after confirming, quickly retrieved the required ingredients.
"Doctor Lin, can I help with anything?" Tian Yu asked softly, unwilling to be useless.
"You, I'll have something to ask you later," Lin Fan replied, concentrating on his needling.
The shining silver needles were inserted into Wan Anfu's acupoints such as Zigong, Tanzhong, and Jiuwei, piercing the flesh by an inch and extending over two inches deep, reaching directly to the internal organs. Xia Xue and the others, seeing only the tails of the long needles exposed, and knowing that vital organs like the heart and lungs were just beneath, felt anxious and broke into a cold sweat.
Lin Fan concentrated his mind and spirit, inserting the last silver needle into the Shenting acupoint on Wan Anfu's crown. This technique, called 'Ding Shen' (Soul Stabilization), was meant to anchor the patient's soul and prevent it from being lost during treatment. According to Lin Fan's observations, stimulating the Shenting acupoint would repair the brain through the complex nervous system and enhance the activity of the cerebral cortex. Although the explanations differed, the underlying principle was the same.
With Wan Anfu's soul stabilized, Lin Fan began to twist a silver needle on his left chest.
"Zzzt~"
A sound like a balloon popping was heard. Dark purple toxic blood seeped out along the needle. Lin Fan carefully continued his acupuncture. The toxic blood surged out faster and faster, flowing over Wan Anfu's emaciated chest, tracing a dark purple mark.
"Is the medicine ready?" Lin Fan asked, relieved, looking up.
"Five more minutes, it'll be ready soon," Song Yue said, crouching before the decoction stove. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and some soot smudged her pretty face.
"Don't make the fire too strong. Don't rush," Lin Fan instructed. Song Yue stopped fanning the flames.
"Doctor Lin, how is Old Wan?" Tian Yu couldn't help but ask.
"He's fine. I'll write you a few more prescriptions later. Drink them for half a month," Lin Fan said, then waved and walked out of the clinic first.
Tian Yu turned to her daughter and said, "Xiao Ling, take care of your father." She then hurried after Lin Fan.
"Sister Tian, did you hear anything unusual last night?" Lin Fan asked, his brow furrowed with worry.
Tian Yu pondered for a moment and replied, "I slept very soundly last night, I didn't hear a thing." She looked at Lin Fan anxiously, "Doctor Lin, are you suggesting someone poisoned Old Wan?"
"Alas!" Lin Fan sighed heavily. If only it were that simple. Observing with his Violet Supreme Spirit Eyes, he saw that Wan Anfu hadn't been poisoned anew, but an old, incompletely removed toxin had suddenly flared up due to some special reason, and with considerable ferocity.
"Doctor Lin, just tell me what you need to say, don't hide anything from me, okay?" Tian Yu was frantic, tears welling up in her eyes.
"It's alright. I'll escort you back later, and I'll take a look at your place then." Lin Fan's expression was complicated as he pushed all his worries to the back of his mind for the moment. Having endured years of hardship, he instinctively assumed the worst-case scenario. The snake demon might have returned and was lurking in the shadows, seeking revenge. Lin Fan himself wasn't afraid of the snake demon, but what about Xia Xue, Song Yue, and many others close to him? He couldn't possibly guard against everything. There were those who could steal for a thousand days, but not those who could guard against theft for a thousand days. No matter what, he had to find the snake demon as quickly as possible, or the consequences would be endless.
*Creak!*
An SUV screeched to a halt in front of the clinic.
"Xiao Fan! Xiao Fan!"
Before the car had even stopped completely, Tian Mengyao had already flung open the door and jumped out, shouting in panic.
"I'm here, I'm fine," Lin Fan said, smiling and waving at her.
"Xiao Fan!" Tian Mengyao cried with joy and ran towards him, stumbling. When she returned to the village committee, she saw a car overturned by the roadside from afar, which looked increasingly like her own minivan. Everyone knew Lin Fan's driving skills were worse than a beginner's. The car had overturned; what about the person? Tian Mengyao's heart sank to the bottom, and she floored the accelerator, speeding towards the clinic. To her surprise, Lin Fan was standing perfectly fine at the clinic entrance, greeting her with a smile.
"You scoundrel!" Tian Mengyao reached out to grab Lin Fan's ear, but her gaze suddenly fell upon outsiders nearby. She quickly retracted her hand, but still glared at Lin Fan angrily.
"I was in a hurry to rush back to save someone, and I overturned the car," Lin Fan explained.
"Hmph," Tian Mengyao pouted. She noticed someone lying in the clinic and her anger subsided considerably.
"Xiao Fan, the medicine is ready," Song Yue said, using a towel to cushion the pot as she lifted the clay pot from the stove, her hands quickly covering her ears.
"Wait for it to cool a bit, then give it to the patient," Lin Fan replied, turning back. He then took Tian Mengyao's arm, "I have something to tell you."
"What is it? So secretive?" Tian Mengyao hadn't recovered yet and was unhappy about being pulled aside by Lin Fan. Lin Fan glanced back, ensuring no one could overhear, then whispered, "The patient in the clinic is a worker from the old quarry."
Tian Mengyao raised an eyebrow, "What happened to him?"
"The residual poison flared up, and he almost lost his life." Lin Fan said in a low voice, "I know my treated patients best. The snake venom would never flare up without reason, unless..."
"It, it, it's back?" Tian Mengyao's body trembled, her eyes widening to their maximum.
"It's just a guess," Lin Fan comforted her.
"Better safe than sorry!" Tian Mengyao nervously looked around, as if the snake demon was hidden nearby.
"What are you looking at?" Lin Fan chuckled, "If she were nearby, she would have come to kill me by now."
"I'm calling my dad right now," Tian Mengyao tremblingly took out her phone.
Lin Fan gently pressed her wrist, "Not yet. We don't have any proof. If we make a big fuss and find nothing, what then?"
"I can't care about that anymore! Everyone is in danger now!" Tian Mengyao was extremely nervous, fearing the snake demon would slaughter innocents.