Chapter 504: 475: Life-and-Death Speed (5)

At twelve noon, there was only one hour left until the deadline for the safe passage to open. Inside the temporary medical point, with the last critically injured patient properly settled in the observation area, the Huaxia Medical Team’s treatment mission finally came to an end.

"Doctor Gu, the results of the latest round of rapid tests are out!"

Nurse Chief Ailinda hurried over with a stack of reports, her face tired beneath the protective gear, yet her eyes remained astonishingly bright, "The newly confirmed dengue cases in Zone B and Zone C have been zero for twelve consecutive hours, and the severe case conversion rate has dropped below two percent."

"We’ve successfully curbed the momentum of the epidemic’s spread!"

Upon hearing this news, the medical team members who were packing up their equipment all paused their actions, letting out long sighs of relief.

In just over thirty hours, they had carved out a piece of pure land in this quagmire cursed by both war and plague.

"Well done."

Gu Yu glanced at the report he accepted, a comforting smile appearing on his lips.

But he knew that after they left, the heavy burden here would once again fall on Professor Ruosi and the other medical staff’s shoulders.

"Captain Luo, how’s the material inventory?" Gu Yu turned to ask.

"Almost all packed."

Luo KaiXuan patted a few large waterproof medical boxes beside him, speaking in a low voice.

Gu Yu nodded and walked towards Dai Zhengguo and Professor Ruosi, who were making the final handover in the makeshift laboratory.

At this moment, Dai Zhengguo was holding a thick folder, bound overnight, solemnly handing it over to Professor Ruosi.

"Professor Ruosi, this is the surgical emergency manual and tropical infectious disease prevention key points and simple diagnosis and treatment process manual that we compiled based on your local conditions."

Dai Zhengguo pointed at the bilingual annotations in Chinese and English and the hand-drawn diagrams in the manual, speaking earnestly, "Inside, you’ll find the rapid test reagent ratios, fluid resuscitation formulas for severe dengue, and alternative repair plans for your outdated equipment."

"Supplies will eventually run out, but this knowledge, I hope, will help you through the toughest times."

As Professor Ruosi took the still warm-from-the-ink manual with trembling hands, flipping through a few pages and seeing the detailed diagrams and unreserved sharing of experiences, her eyes instantly reddened. This French immunology professor, hardened by seeing life and death amidst war, was moved deeply.

She closed the manual abruptly, stepping forward to give Dai Zhengguo a deep hug, her voice choked with emotion, "Dai... and Doctor Gu and all our Huaxia friends. You have brought not just medicine and equipment, but you... you’ve ignited the flame of hope that allows us to carry on in this land of despair."

"On behalf of the Rohingya refugees, thank you!"

"Doctors Without Borders, Professor Ruosi, you are the true Guardian here."

Dai Zhengguo patted her back, smiling gently, "Once your work is done, we’ll be waiting for you in Huaxia, and we’ll have some beer and academic discussions together."

Time ticked away, and finally, the moment of departure arrived.

Outside the medical point, two BTR-80 armored personnel carriers dispatched by the Bangladesh Military roared to a stop at the roadside, with well-armed peacekeeping soldiers swiftly taking over Ge Zhengxiang’s team’s defense, establishing an outer perimeter.

"Attention all! Board per team! Move quickly!"

Ge Zhengxiang’s rough voice echoed within the camp.

The team members, with their backpacks, formed a line heading toward the armored vehicles.

Along the way, the encampment’s doctors, nurses, and many ambulatory mild-case refugees stood voluntarily on both sides of the road, expressing their gratitude in their own ways.

Some joined their hands in prayer, some silently wept, and a few children yelled "Thank you" in broken Chinese.

At the end of the convoy, Gu Yu and Lin Xinyue saw Ez and his sister waiting there.

Ez’s father still needed ongoing oxygen therapy and had been properly placed in the intensive care tent by Professor Ruosi, under the care of a dedicated person, waiting for further arrangements by the International Refugee Agency.

"Doctor Gu, Sister Lin..."

Ez’s eyes were red, tightly holding his sister’s hand.

After this ordeal of life and death, the young Bangladeshi boy seemed to have grown up overnight.

Lin Xinyue squatted down, tenderly stroking Ez’s sister’s withered hair, took a small cloth doll wrapped in a sterile bag from her pocket, and placed it into the girl’s hand, softly saying, "Listen to brother and Grandma Ruosi, once the war is over, I’ll come back to see you."

Gu Yu stepped forward, clapped Ez on the shoulder firmly, and used the gesture of a hug to slip a heavy waterproof pouch into the wide pocket of Ez’s jacket.

"Doctor Gu, this..." Ez touched the hard object in his pocket, just about to take it out.

"Don’t move." Gu Yu pressed down on his hand, lowering his voice, swiftly saying only loud enough for the two of them, "Inside are a few nutrition agents, two boxes of anti-inflammatory drugs, and some US Dollars. Keep them quiet, hide them well."

"Your father’s information has already been reported to the International Refugee Agency, more help will soon arrive for you. Once the situation stabilizes, use this money to take your father and sister to Dhaka, or even further away, and live well."

Ez’s entire body shuddered as the tears uncontrollably flowed out.

He bit his lips tightly to hold back his sobs, then stepped back, pulling his sister, bowing deeply to Gu Yu and Lin Xinyue, staying in that position for a long time.

"Let’s go, board the vehicle."

Gu Yu took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, turned around, and walked with large strides toward the armored vehicle.

At precisely one o’clock in the afternoon, the evacuation began on time.

"Roar!!!"

The diesel engine of the armored vehicle let out a deafening roar, the wheels crushing the empty shells and mud on the ground, slowly driving away from the refugee camp.

Gu Yu sat inside the cabin, looking through the narrow observation window of the armored vehicle, taking one last glance back.

Amidst the swirling dust, Professor Ruosi and the camp’s medical staff stood at the entrance of the ruined camp, waving their arms vigorously.

Behind them lay a refugee camp still scarred and devastated, while on the horizon was the lingering cloud of war.

The suffering on this land might continue, but the seeds of life left by the Huaxia Medical Team had quietly taken root in this scorched earth.

"We are going home."

Lin Xinyue sat next to Gu Yu, watching the Borderless Medical Aid Center fade into the distance through the window, and said softly.

Gu Yu withdrew his gaze, leaned against the cold cabin wall, and closed his eyes for a short rest.

"Yes, we’re going home."

With the military’s escort, the convoy, like a torrent of steel, raced toward the temporary dock on the coastline.