Chapter 19: The First Settlement

The issue Xie Liu raised about the potion wasn’t really about the potion itself; more precisely, it was a matter of toxicology.

The reason was simple: doctors in this era simply couldn’t treat illnesses, especially those among the Holy Blood bearers. Their capabilities were limited to just two things—stopping bleeding and bloodletting.

If someone was injured, they stopped the bleeding.

If they wanted someone to be injured, they let the blood flow.

All treatments or injuries revolved around these two basic logics. Naturally, their potions were developed to fulfill these functions.

So the problem troubling Xie Liu was straightforward: her coagulation agent often saved lives but sometimes killed the patient. Yet, it didn’t kill every time—even the Holy Blood bearers couldn’t escape this pattern.

This left her uncertain; she didn’t know the precise dosage that would heal the wound without causing death.

After hearing her description, Chen Jian was almost speechless.

If the goal was to stop bleeding, why not simply stitch the wound? Why rely on a coagulation agent at all?

Moreover, their coagulation agent was purified from the venom of a certain viper Chen Jian had never heard of. Who knew what toxic substances were mixed in?

It was only because the Holy Blood bearers were physically robust that the mortality rate of those she treated wasn’t 100%, but around 50%.

So Chen Jian’s advice was straightforward:

Don’t use it. Don’t attempt to save.

If there’s bleeding, just tie a tourniquet and find a way to stitch it up.

Even if infection occurred later, the survival rate would be far higher than from widespread thrombosis.

Xie Liu didn’t quite understand these principles. She couldn’t comprehend how one could sew a human body.

In her mind, tying off to stop bleeding was acceptable, but stitching flesh was something only heretical cults would do—a profanation of the human body.

But hearing Chen Jian’s firm conviction, she reluctantly agreed to try it the next time someone was injured.

The group of eight rested and chatted as night fell. As usual, Chen Jian arranged for guards to stand watch, but the Holy Blood team assigned Xu Lie to stand guard the entire night.

The next morning, as everyone broke camp and set off, Chen Jian saw their means of transportation for the first time—two large water buffalo.

No mutations, just ordinary Asian water buffalo.

They were kept about two hundred meters from the campsite by a small riverbank, and when found, they were frolicking in the water, full of vitality.

The team loaded most of their non-immediate supplies onto the buffalo’s backs and then set out, leading the animals.

This primitive mode of transport, combined with roads overtaken by vegetation, almost made Chen Jian think he had traveled not to the future but to some pastoral era of the past.

At the same time, he pondered a question:

Why was there no vegetation in Chuansha City?

He asked Xu Lie, who couldn’t answer but told him that every area dominated by monsters of level four or above had different characteristics.

Some had no vegetation, some had unusually lush growth.

Some were heavily weathered, with all buildings reduced to dust.

Others remained as fresh as newly built cities.

Chen Jian’s interest was piqued immediately, and he asked:

“The cities you say look like newly built ones—where are they located?”

“Southwest, a place called Mountain City,” Xu Lie answered casually.

“It’s shrouded in fog year-round, only revealing itself when fierce winds blow.”

“No one has ever entered; everyone can only observe from afar—even the High Priest of the Holy Blood Cathedral.”

“Anyone who tries to enter dies—no, everyone approaching the city dies.”

“Maybe you could try, but only after a full rest, right?”

“Indeed,” Chen Jian nodded, exhaling softly.

Mountain City, the City of Fog!

In his time, that city’s strategic importance was indisputable.

And logically, after a major crisis, there would be extraordinary deployments there.

If it truly remained ‘fresh as new,’ it might be the best place for the team to replenish their equipment.

Chen Jian silently updated this information on his PDA, marking it as the team’s primary objective.

The other three team members’ eyes flickered with anticipation—perhaps they hoped for more than just equipment…

Perhaps they hoped to find… people.

What if their most familiar kind of ‘kin’ still lived there?

Though somewhat unrealistic, the four suppressed this thought, yet undeniably, they regarded it as a glimmer of hope.

The team pressed onward. Chen Jian expected they would march nonstop for half a month.

But after four rests across four days and nights, having safely dispatched a few roaming monsters, they arrived at their first stop.

It was a village-like settlement, nestled in the mountains, surrounded by collapsed walls and watchtowers, with obvious internal air defense structures. Chen Jian immediately recognized its original purpose.

“A military camp.”

“We’ve been following the highway all along, based on the direction, it’s the Wushen Expressway.”

“We’ve covered 220 kilometers. There’s a large lake below, so this must be near the Baizhangyuan Reservoir.”

“In other words… this base is…”

“The camp of the Second Mechanical Corps of Wu J?” Chen Jian’s tone was doubtful.

Shen Yue beside him shook his head.

“Doesn’t look like it. The scale is too small.”

“But it does look like a base. Regardless, we have to go in and take a look.”

“Of course.”

Chen Jian nodded and looked to Xu Lie.

“How many people are here?”

Xu Lie turned back and answered:

“Fewer than a hundred.”

“There aren’t many people, but this is the largest settlement nearby.”

“Also, many trade caravans must pass through here heading south. Trade is fairly active.”

“We can sell the scavenged resources to the locals in exchange for supplies and silver.”

“If we’re lucky, we might even find some ammunition and bombs from before the Great Catastrophe—but that requires quite a bit of luck.”

“Where do they come from?”

Chen Jian asked sharply.

“No one knows. Maybe the locals dig them out from the nests of smaller monsters.”

“In any case, we’ll stay here for two days. You can take a good look around.”

Of course, they would take a good look.

Chen Jian took a deep breath and nodded to his team.

He was now almost certain that this settlement concealed valuable items.

That ammunition couldn’t have been brought by merchants—such scarce goods wouldn’t be sold in such a remote area.

The only conclusion was that those items were local.

If luck favored them, their squad’s ammunition shortage might be partly resolved here.

Chen Jian’s eyes gleamed, and then he ordered:

“Let’s go, into the city!”