"I..."
Alesha's lips trembled.
Could she refuse?
Look at the outside; the Tribe was filled with the cries of the suffering, and even her most trusted clansmen had fallen.
Faced with this terrifying plague, she was as fragile as a house of cards.
She thought back to what Wu Liang had just said.
Refusing him was equivalent to refusing the only hope of saving everyone.
"If... I offer my loyalty, can it really save them?"
Her voice was hoarse, carrying a trace of an imperceptible tremor.
"Of course."
Wu Liang nodded with a smile.
"Fine..."
Alesha looked up at Wu Liang and slowly closed her eyes.
"I am willing... to offer my everything."
Wu Liang reached out and gently pinched her chin.
"You will get everything you want."
Wu Liang's voice made Alesha's chaotic mind go blank.
A pair of powerful arms picked her up and slowly placed her on the carpet by the blazing fireplace.
The warm firelight stretched their shadows long, projecting them onto the rough wall.
Crazily twisting and intertwining.
Pop!
Wu Liang shuddered as the system's notification sound rang in his mind.
[Ding! Detected Host has completed the first Bloodline Linkage with high-potential target 'Alesha'. Triggering 'Conquest Rebate' reward!]
[Mission Evaluation: Perfect!]
[Issuing mission rewards...]
[Reward 1: Double rebate of Host's consumed stamina!]
[Reward 2: Host has obtained a new talent 'Life Perception LV15'! Effect: Can perceive the vital signs (heartbeat, body temperature, breathing rate) of designated targets within a thirty-meter range, assisting in judging their health status and emotional fluctuations!]
[Reward 3: Tech Tree Unlocked—'Bio-Medical Tech Tree' (Basic module unlocked)!]
A massive torrent of information instantly flooded into Wu Liang's mind.
From the most basic cytology to microbiology, then to disinfection, epidemic prevention, and basic pharmacology... a brand new, magnificent world belonging to modern medicine slowly unfolded before him.
A genuine smile finally curled at the corner of Wu Liang's mouth.
It's done!
Wu Liang extended a finger and tapped Alesha's smooth forehead.
[Ding! Do you wish to transfer the 'Bio-Medical Tech Tree (Basic)' knowledge to the target 'Alesha'?]
"Yes."
In the next second, a stream of knowledge, gentler than the one Wu Liang had received but equally massive, flooded into Alesha's brain.
"Ugh..."
In her unconscious state, Alesha's beautiful brows knitted tightly together.
In her mind, it felt as if countless images and words were flashing by at high speed.
The things Wu Liang called "little bugs" now had clear images in her head.
Some were shaped like balls, some like rods, and some like spiral whips.
Their names were bacteria and viruses.
The ways they spread were no longer vague concepts like breathing and saliva.
Instead, they had clearer definitions.
For example: droplet transmission and contact transmission.
How to kill them?
High-temperature boiling, exposure to the blazing sun, and a miraculous liquid called alcohol... How to treat the diseases they caused?
It was no longer about randomly boiling a bunch of herbs into a soup, but analyzing the truly effective ingredients within the herbs.
Targeting different symptoms like fever, cough, and inflammation with different medicines... This... this is... Alesha suddenly snapped her eyes open!
She looked up blankly at that handsome face, her eyes filled with unprecedented shock and fervor.
So, treating illnesses and saving people was such a profound and extensive field of study!
At this moment, the last trace of humiliation and resentment in her heart completely vanished.
In its place was a sense of worship and awe.
This man had given her the key to open the door to a new world!
"How do you feel?"
Wu Liang's voice rang in her ear.
Alesha snapped back to reality and looked into Wu Liang's eyes.
"Wu Liang..."
She used all her strength to call out these two words.
"You were right, I understand everything now."
"Very good."
"Go then, and realize the true value of the Yuequan Tribe."
Wu Liang nodded with satisfaction and stood up from the beast-skin rug.
He looked down at her as if looking at his most perfect masterpiece.
"Of course, this is your gift to me."
"Before that, I still need to..."
Alesha lightly gripped his hands as Wu Liang supported the back of her head... Alesha didn't know how long she had been occupied in front of the fireplace.
By the time she finally came to her senses from the shock, the fire in the fireplace had already grown weak.
She propped up her somewhat sore body and silently dressed herself.
"Alesha, from this moment on, the Medical Camp has the highest priority."
Wu Liang walked over and put his arm around her waist.
"As long as it concerns medical matters, you can mobilize everything in the Tribe."
"Good."
Alesha nodded and stated her requirements.
"First, immediately transfer all patients, regardless of severity, to the Wounded Soldiers Camp for the strictest isolation."
"Establish a restricted zone fifty meters around the Wounded Soldiers Camp; no one is allowed to approach."
"Second, everyone caring for the patients must wear masks, and they must be changed daily."
"After coming into contact with a patient, hands must be washed repeatedly with hot water and wood ash."
"Third, I need a large amount of clean water; all water used for patients must be boiled."
"All clothing and utensils they have used must also be steamed and boiled in boiling water for a long time."
"Fourth, I need specific herbs; they shouldn't be boiled together but processed separately."
"I need manpower to help me with screening and decocting."
"Finally..."
Alesha stared into Wu Liang's eyes and said seriously:
"Wu Liang, I need alcohol."
Wu Liang looked at her organized and logically sound arrangements and nodded with satisfaction.
"No problem, I'll handle the alcohol. Follow me."
Wu Liang led Alesha directly toward the Tribe's Forging Area.
At this moment, Suina was leading the clansmen of the Chuishi Tribe, sweating profusely as they forged weapons.
The piercing sounds of hammering and the blazing furnace fire made the place full of power and stifling heat.
"Suina!"
Wu Liang's voice drowned out the clanging of the ironwork.
Suina stopped her heavy hammer, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and turned around.
She saw Wu Liang and then saw Alesha standing behind him, her brows instantly furrowing.
Why would this gentle woman appear here with Wu Liang?
Moreover, she felt as if Alesha had changed somehow.
"Wu Liang? What do you want?"
Suina's voice carried a hint of impatience.
She had been harboring anger over Wu Liang splitting up their clansmen and assigning them to various places to work.
"Stop all the work you're doing."
Wu Liang's command was simple and direct.
"From now on, you and your clansmen will follow Alesha's orders."
"What?"
Suina's fiery temper flared up instantly.
"You want us to listen to her?"
"She's just someone who tinkers with herbs. Does she know anything about forging that I should listen to her?"
"Wu Liang, don't go too far!"