Chapter 178: Alive
Translator: WQL Editor: DarkGem
Evening of August 9th, Holy Brilliance Hospital, the best hospital in Blackhot City...
When Colonel Leibniz came to the hospital, it was already past 8:00 pm. By the time he came, full-armored soldiers of the No. 39 Division occupied each corner of the hospital. Not only the atmosphere in the hospital, even the entire Blackhot City became tense.
The one who assassinated Zhang Tie was a classmate's father whose son got lost during the survival training. That person firmly believed that Zhang Tie had killed his son. Therefore, he wanted him to pay for his son's life with his own.
If you ignored Zhang Tie's and Glaze's dad's statuses, it would be a trivial matter, but if their statuses were to be considered, this thing would become complicated.
Zhang Tie was a military officer of the Iron-Blood Camp of No. 39 Division of the Iron-Horn Army of the Norman Empire, while Glaze's dad, who was already dead, was the guard leader of Gregorian family, which was once one of the greatest families that ruled the Coal, Steel, and Iron Federation of Blackhot City. Almost one seventh of the entire wealth across Blackhot City was occupied by Gregorian family.
If on the land that had been newly incorporated into the territory of the Norman Empire, a guard leader of a ruling family that had already lost its power dared to assassinate a military officer of the empire in public, the outcome would be very severe. Who knew whether there was a plot against the empire behind the killing?
Especially since the bolt container and the poison in which the bolts were quenched both originated from Gregorian family. Therefore, Gregorian family could not make this thing clear anymore.
The violent Iron-Blood Camp had already surrounded Gregorian family's fortress in Blackhot City, preparing to surge inside and eliminate every single person inside.
The other families in Blackhot City were so scared that they became as quiet as cicadas in late autumn. In case of repeated occurrence, Colonel Leibniz declared a curfew in Blackhot City. Now, on the avenue outside the hospital, soldiers in full-armor were patrolling with heavy killing intent.
As for these soldiers, they only needed to know one reason about this curfew—a military officer of the Iron-Blood Camp was assassinated by a guard of a rich family in Blackhot City.
...
Previously, Colonel Leibniz hadn't planned to go to the hospital as he had heard that Zhang Tie was dead. Upon hearing this message, he just signed inside. He could still remember the boy who was looked upon by the Battle God and was very energetic in the military uniform of the Norman Empire.
Colonel Leibniz had planned to build this youth into a main character of an interesting story in the cocktail party and salon of Nordinburg. Unexpectedly, he had died this way. It made Colonel Leibniz feel like he'd lost an interesting toy. The message brought him a similar sense as when an oak-root tobacco pipe was pushed off his writing desk by his cat.
Zhang Tie was poisoned by blue frost which was usually daubed on the blades or bolts by assassins. It was a rare poison with amazing killing effect. Commoners could not get this poison at all. In Blackhot City, only rich families like Gregorian might have some of it. The weapon and poison used to assassinate Zhang Tie were also from the arsenal of Gregorian family.
Upon touching blood, blue frost would be fatal in one minute. Mostly, it could not be cured. That was not to say that there was no antidote to deal with its toxicity, but the antidote for blue frost was hundreds of times more expensive and rarer than the blue frost itself. It could not be found in Blackhot City at all. Therefore, upon hearing his adviser's report about Zhang Tie's situation and confirmation that the youth was poisoned by blue frost, Colonel Leibniz treated him as a dead man.
Knowing that Zhang Tie was poisoned by blue frost, the entire Iron-Blood Camp was like a gunpowder barrel being ignited, with heavy killing intents, they all became infuriated and wanted to seek revenge from Gregorian family.
Previously, Colonel Leibniz didn't blame his cat for making his oak-root tobacco pipe fall to the ground, however, today, he had to pay great attention to this incident. He was the head of No. 39 division and the one assassinated was his man. At this moment, each soldier of the Norman Empire in Blackhot City represented the dignity and honor of the Norman Empire itself, especially when political intents were involved in this accident, he should not regard it as unimportant anymore.
In the entire afternoon, honorable lobbyists in Blackhot City who interceded for Gregorian family against those furious military officers of the Iron-Blood Camp, completely holding colonel back in the office. He couldn't leave his office at all. One party of high-ranking people defended the Gregorian family while the other wanted Leibniz to give orders to his soldiers to sweep over Gregorian family's fortress.
The Gregorian family had dispatched an assassin to kill a military officer of the Norman Empire in public. Once this guilt was verified, Gregorian family would be in great chaos.
Facing such an event, even the strong Gregorian family became restless. So at supper time, a head of another family which had ruled Blackhot City invited Colonel Leibniz to have supper in a private mansion in Blackhot City. On the table, Gregorian family expressed their 'sincerity' for complete settlement of this misunderstanding through an intermediator, which greatly moved Leibniz.
Although these 'dirty money' families which had dug mines for dozens of years in Blackhot City didn't have deep-rooted family histories nor great fighting force, by wealth, they even dwarfed the nobles of the Norman Empire. God knew how much wealth these families had accumulated by digging mines for dozens of years.
On one hand, Gregorian family's 'sincerity' made Colonel Leibniz's heart pound, but, on the other hand, this event was truly tricky, and it was rather difficult to satisfy both parties. Therefore, Colonel Leibniz was left scratching his head.
At this moment, he heard shocking news—that Zhang Tie, who had been poisoned by blue frost, was still alive.
Because of this, Colonel Leibniz saw a beacon of hope for the complete settlement of this event. Full of curiosity, he came to the hospital where Zhang Tie was brought.
...
The youth lay with his shoulders and abdomen wrapped with gauze. His face and skin looked terribly blue, making him a blue eggplant. So far, he was still in a comma. However, he was still breathing as people could see his chest and abdomen slightly rise and fall every couple of seconds.
Although Colonel Leibniz had seen a great amount of weird things in his life, he had to admit that the one happening to Zhang Tie would definitely rank in top three—a person poisoned by blue frost at least seven hours ago was still alive without taking in any antidote? With the toxicity of blue frost, even a magical beast would have been killed.
"Are you sure he's been poisoned by blue frost?" Leibniz asked a doctor.
Seemingly having expected that she would be asked this question, the doctor took a vial of blue liquid and a white rat. After that, before Colonel Leibniz eyes, she lowered the needle of the syringe into the vial before thrusting it into the white rat.
Under the gaze of Colonel Leibniz, that white rat only jumped twice before gradually becoming still. Ten seconds later, it started to convulse. After ten more seconds, that pitiful white rat's skin started to become blue. One minute later, its body became as stiff as a frozen piece of meat.
Colonel Leibniz didn't doubt it any more.
"This vial of blood was retrieved from him! We're sure that he had been poisoned by blue frost! As there is no antidote in the hospital, we don't have the treatment either. Therefore, we can only wrap and deal with his wounds. Compared to the toxicity of blue frost, his wounds were not fatal.
"Previously we thought that he would surely die this time. However, for some special reason, his physical condition is different from that of commoners. Under this event, others would have died hundreds of times by now. Nevertheless, the harm the blue frost brought to him is not as severe as what we've imagined. Therefore, he's still alive for now. This is definitely a miracle!"
A thought suddenly flashed across Colonel Leibniz's mind. He abruptly remembered that Zhang Tie had been struck by a lightning bolt. Was this a special ability that the youth had obtained after being struck by a lightning bolt?
"He's was struck by a lightning bolt and suffered Post-Lightning Stroke Savant Syndrome. He has extremely great strength. Besides, he can cultivate very fast. Is it possible for him to be able to resist blue frost after being struck by a lightning bolt?"
"This person is suffering from Post-Lightning Stroke Savant Syndrome?" The doctor was startled. After thinking for a while, she nodded. "It's very possible. Human body has countless secrets, just like a treasure bank. Nobody can say how much his body changed after being struck by lightning!"
"Will he wake up then?"
"Because his combat suit has good defense against bolts, the wound on his abdomen is very shallow. Although the wound on his shoulder is deeper, it isn't fatal. Judging by his breath frequency, blue frost's harm has been controlled by him. Although I cannot tell you that he will surely wake up, it is truly possible for him to wake up!"
"Fine, please give him the best treatment. This person is the most excellent military officer of the Norman Empire. He has an endless bright future!" Colonel Leibniz told the doctor.
"We will try our best!"
Before Colonel Leibniz left Zhang Tie's ward, he ordered a team of soldiers to stay in the hospital to stop anyone from disturbing the treatment. Meanwhile, he ordered them to keep secret about the current situation. If Zhang Tie woke up, they should bring him the news immediately.
Additionally, before getting into his exclusive vehicle, Colonel Leibniz allowed his adviser to go to the Iron-Blood Camp to tell those violent maniacs that Zhang Tie was not dead yet.
He also canceled the curfew in Blackhot City at once. Colonel Leibniz didn't want to make a big thing out of event today. Therefore, he sent a relief signal to someone in Blackhot City right away.
Soon after colonel Leibniz left, a large group of military officers of the Iron-Blood Camp headed by battalion commander Reinhardt rushed into the hospital like the wind and entered Zhang Tie's ward.
Seeing that Zhang Tie was still breathing after being poisoned by blue frost for such a long time, the military officers of the Iron-Blood Camp were somewhat dumbfounded.
After knowing the possible side effects of Post-Lightning Stroke Savant Syndrome, Reinhardt seriously asked Guderian, "I will have a try, how about that..."
"If you were struck by a lightning bolt to death, there would be no person who has formed Iron-Blood battle Qi across the entire No. 39 Division. Without anyone who has formed Iron-Blood battle Qi to succeed your position, the No. 39 Division's Iron-Blood Camp will get canceled! That would be a huge shock to the entire No. 39 Division. If so, No. 39 Division would be the only division abandoned by the Battle God in the Iron-Horn Army. Not only us, even colonel Leibniz would not allow you to do this..." Guderian calmly replied.
Reinhardt only let out a deep sigh. Everybody then cast admiring eyes onto Zhang Tie who was lying on the bed. Then everybody noticed that the patch of blue on his forehead had gradually become lighter...
In Zhang Tie's mind that could not be overheard or spied on by others, a message appeared...
——Manjusaka Karma Fruit tree has completed the judging and recombination of the toxin in your body; it is being cleared. Your physical functions are gradually recovering. Poison-Resistance Fruit can be formed,
Yes or No?"
"Yes!"