Big Data Cultivation

Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Slowly Regretting

The young man who jumped down was not very tall, about 1.68 meters, slightly overweight but not ugly by any means, with delicate and tender skin.

As soon as they arrived, the gatekeeper barred their way; ever since President Feng showed off his skills in Baixing Town, people came every day seeking medical treatment.

It was one thing to ask for treatment, but many hoped a bowl of water would suffice, claiming they would make a donation.

Donations are voluntary, not a fixed price for treatment; which means, most visitors harbored the hope of taking advantage.

The gatekeeper usually brushed off such matters immediately, but today he hesitated upon hearing the word “poisoned.”

People are inherently kind-hearted, and the gatekeepers at Men Gang were no exception. They didn’t mention seeking an audience with President Feng and instead glared, “If it’s poisoning, why aren’t you rushing to the hospital? This isn’t a place for medical treatment; if you don’t want something to happen to your family, then hurry on.”

...

The young man spoke with a bitter face, “I’ve been to the hospital already, there’s no cure… It was only after getting a referral that I came here.”

“Damn it, the hospital couldn’t cure it and you brought it here?” Gao Mengang shook his head with a wry smile, “What poison?”

The young man, with a dark face, answered in dismay, “Paraquat.”

“Paraquat…” Dwarf Hill Post repeated, then shouted, “Paraquat? Who can cure that?”

“Haha, paraquat,” Gao Mengang also chuckled sarcastically, “That poison is certain death, even deities can’t save you.”

The young man stated bluntly, “We’re willing to pay, however much it costs… Just name your price, as long as the treatment works.”

“Ha,” Gao Mengang scoffed dismissively, “So you won’t pay if it doesn’t work, right?”

The young man glanced at him, “If the treatment doesn’t work… treating unsuccessfully shouldn’t be exploited, should it?”

“So, you better go look for a famous doctor,” Gao Mengang waved his hand, “Really, don’t waste any more time.”

Just then, Feng Jun came strolling as if he were in a carriage, “I remembered to buy ice cream, didn’t I? Give me a mung bean flavor, and make it a big one.”

The two gatekeepers had spotted him approaching, and upon hearing his words, the taller one quickly went to the refrigerator, took out three popsicles, gave one to Feng Jun, and shared one with Dwarf Hill Post. Then, smiling, he spoke, “So you like the mung bean flavor?”

“Mmm,” Feng Jun tore open the packaging, took a big bite, disposed of the wrapper near the trash can, and then entered the guard post, casually saying, “Actually, if we make our own mung bean soup, boil the beans until they just begin to burst, and then freeze it, that would be even more cooling.”

“I’ll buy some mung beans this afternoon,” the shorter one replied with a grin, “Should we add some rock sugar for taste?”

The three chatted away, completely ignoring the anxious and flushed young man.

It wasn’t that the gatekeepers were heartless; as former farmers, they knew all too well about paraquat – those who ingested it were doomed to a slow, inevitable death; there was no point in panicking.

After a few words, Feng Jun finally turned to the short, plump young man, “Who are you blocking the entrance? What do you want?”

The short, plump young man wiped the sweat from his forehead and respectfully replied, “My sister has been poisoned, and I’m seeking an audience with Master Feng from the estate. I would be very grateful if you could introduce me… I will certainly reward you.”

Feng Jun had actually overheard most of the exchange, so he turned to look at the tall gatekeeper, “Did I hear it’s paraquat poison?”

“Yes,” the tall gatekeeper, taking out a pack of cigarettes and offering Feng Jun one, saw him decline, then gave one to the shorter gatekeeper while speaking, “I already said, that poison can’t be cured.”

Feng Jun glanced at the short, plump young man, bit his ice cream again, and mumbled, “Better rush to the hospital, don’t waste time foolishly… Trust in science.”

The short, plump young man heaved a sigh, “We’ve just come from the hospital, the doctor said it’s hopeless. Hearing of Master Feng’s experience in treating poison, I thought I’d try my luck.”

“So you’re using this as a last resort?” Feng Jun looked at him disapprovingly, “Can salmonella and paraquat be the same thing?” @@novelbin@@

He came from a small county town and was no stranger to paraquat, a pesticide that might as well be called “enough time to regret.”

Paraquat didn’t kill immediately after ingestion, but rather caused pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and irreversible process leading to complete respiratory failure and a slow, agonizing death.

The torment of progressively fibrotic lungs was exceptionally brutal, potentially lasting over ten days or even a month.

In a way, it’s the cruelest of pesticides. Unlike deadly poisons that kill instantly, leaving no time for regret, paraquat offers a semblance of mercy.

If paraquat is taken in a sufficient dose, indeed there is no antidote.

Truthfully, Feng Jun was tempted to try his hand at curing the poison; it posed a challenge.

To most people, the satisfaction that comes from healing others and saving lives, especially from incurable poisons, is significant.

But in modern times, one can’t just carelessly attempt rescue. Feng Jun might not fear helping a fallen elder, but his dislike for trouble doesn’t mean he invites it.

He sensed the young man’s attitude and decided whether to lend a hand accordingly. He had heard the farmer and the viper fable, after all.

Dwarf Hill Post secretly sympathized with the short, plump young man, giving him a meaningful look – for he was speaking to the master himself.

But the distressed young man missed this hint in his urgency and spoke up loudly, “Exactly, I came especially because I heard that the Master’s potion could cure salmonella. I beg for the Master’s mercy.”

“Cough cough,” Dwarf Hill Post coughed twice and winked at him, “The master isn’t a doctor, and he’s not related to you. What makes you so confident that he would take action?”

The stocky young man finally caught on and looked at Feng Jun with both shock and delight, “Are you Master Feng?”

Feng Jun glared fiercely at Dwarf Hill Post, “I’m saying… are you looking to get fired or what?”

“Ah, Master, please forgive me,” Dwarf Hill Post put on a smile and clasped his hands together, “After all, it’s a human life at stake.”

Feng Jun took out a cigarette, gestured toward him with a finger, “Considering you meant well, I won’t hold this against you this time. But if there’s a next time, just leave… got it?”

“Understood, understood,” Dwarf Hill Post said, grinning, hands cupping the lighter, lighting the cigarette for the other, “I’ll make sure he doesn’t spread the word.”

Feng Jun gave him a bemused look, “The way you’re acting… you’re acting bigger than me.”

Then he looked at the stocky young man again, “Do you think… you’re qualified to talk to me?”

“As for this…” the stocky young man hesitated for a moment then plucked up his courage to ask, “May I ask, Master, what do you mean by that?”

He didn’t believe he was unqualified. His clan wielded no small influence and among those he knew, no one dared to speak to him that way.

“It means exactly what it says,” Feng Jun’s intent wasn’t to insult, “You’re not even a direct relative; find someone who can make decisions.”

Just then, three more people came down from the vehicle, led by a woman in her thirties, her face is worn but it’s clear that she must have been a great beauty when she was young.

She walked quickly, her face teeming with anxiety, “Xiao Tian, what’s the situation, have you seen the master?”

Feng Jun spoke before the stocky young man could, “How many days has it been since the Paraquat was taken?”

The woman was startled, then instinctively replied, “Seven and a half days… Is there still time?”

Feng Jun didn’t answer but glanced at Dwarf Hill Post.

Dwarf Hill Post immediately put on airs — having been caught in his little act by the master, he needed to make a better impression, “Whether there’s time or not, let’s not talk about that yet… why do you assume that the master should take action?”

“Ah?” The woman was first taken aback, then quickly replied, “We’ll pay, however much. We won’t haggle over the price…”

Dwarf Hill Post hummed coldly, “And if it doesn’t work?”

“If it doesn’t work…” The woman’s eyes reddened, and after a moment of hesitation, she answered, “Do you have the Antidote Pill? We’ll start with a hundred thousand, for five Pills.”

Oh come on, Feng Jun couldn’t help but feel amused, so you’ve even checked out the market price?

The price of twenty thousand per Antidote Pill was what he had quoted in Baixing Town, but at that time, his customers were a bunch of townsmen.

When dealing with the wealthy, the price can’t be calculated the same way. Twenty thousand per Antidote Pill, that was the base price.

You have to understand that he deals across planes and holds a monopoly — he could sell an electric generator for two hundred taels of gold, nearly a hundred times the profit.

Of course, the most important thing was, at the time of the poisoning incident, his reputation was involved, and he had to step in and treat them. Although he was reluctant to waste Pills on those with milder symptoms, if the other party was willing to buy at cost, he would still sell.

Now, however, the person poisoned with Paraquat had nothing to do with him, why would he sell at twenty thousand a pill?

So, he shook his head very clearly, “I won’t sell for twenty thousand a pill. Paraquat and salmonella aren’t the same thing, and you have no reason to summon me outside the estate… Do you understand why the Baixing people could ask me out?”

Without hesitation, the stocky young man spoke up, “Money is negotiable, name your price.”

Feng Jun thought for a moment before replying, “Two million per pill.”

A hundred times the profit, that’s how he made money, of course, money is secondary; what’s key is how the other party speaks.

“Two million?” The stocky young man was taken aback, “That’s… Master, you’re being…”

Feng Jun watched him with interest, “What, is it too expensive? But this is about someone’s life.”

The stocky young man paused, then caught on, “I understand now. The salmonella in Baixing Town involved your reputation, Master. Now, we can only purely pay for you to take action…”

Feng Jun nodded, thinking he wasn’t too slow on the uptake, “Or you give me a reason to take action, that’s also fine.”

After a moment of contemplation, the stocky young man shook his head, “Never mind, two million it is… Can you guarantee a cure?”

Feng Jun shook his head, his answer straightforward, “That’s impossible. Who can guarantee a cure from Paraquat? Two million is the price for one Pill, and I haven’t mentioned the other conditions yet.”

The stocky young man’s eyes bulged, and he spoke through clenched teeth, “Master, that’s too much…”

“Fine, it’s two million,” the woman spoke up, “I’ll pay two million for the master to take action. As long as you can save a life, the conditions are up to you!”

“Wait,” Feng Jun looked at her, speaking indifferently, “Are you in charge here?”