48 Hours a Day Chapter 455 - The Flu

Chapter 455 The Flu

“So? Hit it. What’s the bad news?”
After having a well-deserved rest, Fan Meinan finally seemed to be in better spirits. She pulled off the blankets shrouding her body. “I found the city that we need to go to. Recently, there has been a significant rise of patients over there.”
“Huh?” Fan Meinan raised her eyebrows. “So… We got caught in a flu outbreak? Now, when is that seasonal flu again?”
“If I remember correctly, the peak of seasonal flu period is from December to March or May next year,” said Han Lu.
Fan Meinan looked at Zhang Heng. “I hope I’m worried for nothing.” Zhang Heng said nothing more after that.
However, Fan Meinan became vigilant after hearing the news. “Well, maybe your worries are not unfounded after all. Based on my understanding of her, she hardly goes out unless there is something significant. This time, she happens to be heading to be a hospital.” “Wait, you’re not telling me that… this flu has something to do with her, right?” Han Lu had this incredulous look on her face. “Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses. It usually spreads by close human contact and pollutants around us. It’s just a common infection…”
Han Lu suddenly paused. “Sorry, I’m still trying to understand your world. Before this, I never thought someone could kill me in my sleep.”
“Welcome to this bizarre world,” Fan Meinan said. “Anyway, we better be prepared. Let’s buy some facemasks when we get off the plane.”
After disembarking, the three people discovered that the actual situation was a little more severe than they initially thought.
One-third of the people they met on the road had masks on, and every last stock of Isatis Indigotica and Vitamin-C were sold out in pharmacies. There was, however, insufficient clinical data to prove that these two supplements could indeed prevent colds, but most people still had the impression that the over-the-counter remedy would help in some way.
The three bought the last two boxes of masks on the shelf after hopping around four different pharmacies. The masks’ price had increased by at least tenfold, but a woman busy stockpiling up medical products succumbed to the obscene amount of money Han Lu offered. Grabbing the cash, she hurriedly left the place and went to a different pharmacy. So finally, the three of them managed to purchase the necessary medical equipment to protect themselves.
“You are right,” said Fan Meinan. “This flu is abnormal. If we are right about it, the source of the problem is probably that hospital.”
“We only need to find your sister this time and get the Dreamland of Death’s cure from her. It is best not to be distracted unrelated issues,” Zhang Heng said.
“Roger that,” concurred Fan Meinan. Since their target had arrived an hour and a half before them, there was no time for a little R & R. After purchasing the masks; they immediately rushed to the hospital. The hospital was also the busiest during flu season every year, and to cope with the sudden influx of the sick, many extra doctors had been drafted in. And this year’s situation was unique. Thanks to the prolonged working hours and insufficient rest, the medical staff’s immunity was also declining, especially when facing so many infected patients were all in a day’s work. As a result, a large number of doctors and nurses started to fall sick.
The hospital was short-staffed of staff, where each day, where the number of patients in the hospital’s lobby now rivaled a large-scale Spring Festival event.
There were parents with children, young with the elderly, and even couples cuddling with each other. The corridors were filled with a pungent mix of body odor and powerful disinfectant. Not helping with the situation were the incessant wailing and crying of little kids.
“It is not easy to find someone in a place like this,” Han Lu lamented. “What does your sister look like? Can you at least give us a simple description?” “Telling you how she looks is practically useless,” said Fan Meinan. “As long as she puts the Plasticine on her face, she can have a brand new look. It’s how she has evaded capture from almost everyone from the three major guilds.”
“It seems like we have to carry out Plan B,” said Zhang Heng.
“Err, I don’t know we still have a Plan B… wait… What is plan B again?” Fan Meinan stuck her scrawny body to Zhang Heng as much as possible to prevent her from being shoved around by the overwhelming crowd.
“What is your sister looking for? She seems to have done lots of research before she came to this hospital.”
“Yeah. I saw her notes and the map. She eliminated a few places, compared them with some markers before finally circling this place. She seemed to be looking for something or someone.”
“In other words, we can find her as long as we find what she is looking for,” Zhang Heng concluded.
“You are right, but didn’t you say we shouldn’t get distracted?” “As I said, the plan has changed.” “Okay, no harm giving it a go,” Fan Meinan shrugged.
Han Lu frowned. “Sorry, but I don’t get it. If we are not looking for your sister now, then what should we be looking for?”.
“Assuming my sister is related to this large-scale outbreak, we will most probably find her as long as we find the source of the
flu.
“I can understand this part. I mean, what is this source that you are talking about?”
“It could be anything. A book, a piece of expired cheese, a plant that makes you sneeze, or perhaps even a rag. I don’t know, But the good news is, my sister doesn’t know the source of the infection as well. It’s like a treasure hunt. Let’s see who can find it faster. Bear in mind that she has done more research than us, and she’s ahead of us by an hour and a half.”
“Try to look for patient zero,” Zhang Heng said. “Even if the patient is not the source, he must have come into contact with the source somehow.”
“That’s right, but how are we going to find this ‘patient-zero?’ After all, many people come to the hospital every day because of the flu.”
“Well, we can narrow down the suspects. Since your sister targeted this hospital, there is a high probability that the first patient is still here. I can try hacking into the hospital’s local area network, check the records, and look for those admitted because of flu?” replied Zhang Heng.
“I didn’t see you during the winter holidays, and have you acquired a new skill?” Fan Meinan asked in surprise. “Could you be a true genius, then? Now, why I can’t see it in
you?”
“Instead of teasing me, why don’t you think about what your sister would do in the face of such a situation. Did we miss anything?”