A Race Against Time

When Margaret and Dustin led the rescue team to the slums of Wugang City, they were utterly shocked by the sight before them.

Inside the wooden walls, the muddy ground had long been blackened and tainted by filth and stench.

Countless civilians were huddled together like livestock in captivity. Their eyes had lost all light --- only numbness and despair remained.

Many were dressed in rags, some even half-naked, their emaciated bones casting terrifying shadows under the dim light.

In one corner, an elderly man with graying hair curled up in a ball. His legs had completely rotted, covered in wriggling white maggots. Yet he seemed numb to it all, mechanically shoving clumps of mud into his mouth with his withered hands.

Nearby, a young woman clutched the lifeless body of her child. The child's face was darkened, with black saliva still staining the corners of her mouth. The mother gently caressed the child's cold cheek again and again, murmuring softly, “Don’t be afraid, baby… Mama’s taking you home now… home…”

But her voice was hoarse and broken, her tears long dried up --- only a deep emptiness remained in her hollow eyes.

Not far away, several strong men were fighting fiercely over a moldy half bun. Their faces and hands were covered in wounds, yet they roared with bloodshot eyes, as if that tiny morsel of food was their only hope of survival.

One of them suddenly shoved another to the ground and bit down savagely on his neck. Blood spurted out, splashing onto nearby onlookers --- who simply stared blankly, not even flinching.

The rain continued to fall, its icy drops landing on the already frail bodies, causing them to tremble uncontrollably.

A young man holding a baby wrapped the infant tightly in his thin clothes. But the baby kept crying --- its voice weak, like a flickering candle in the wind.

The man, drenched in sweat, kept breathing warm air onto the baby’s tiny hands, but the cries grew quieter and quieter… until they stopped altogether.

The man froze for a moment, then suddenly let out a gut-wrenching scream of agony --- his cry filled with pain and despair, piercing through the deathly silence of the slum.

Margaret stood frozen, fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white, nails digging into her palms, drawing thin beads of blood.

Her eyes reddened instantly. Tears welled up, but she stubbornly held them back.

“These bastards…” she growled through gritted teeth, her voice laced with fury and heartbreak.

Dustin, too, felt a sharp pang in his heart. He had witnessed countless slaughters and bloodshed --- but this living hell, full of innocent suffering, still struck him deeply. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he said in a low voice, “Save them. Now.”

Margaret snapped out of it, wiped the corner of her eye, and shouted, “Rescue team --- move out! Begin the operation immediately!”

With her command, the rescue team --- already prepared --- sprang into action.

Medical staff carrying supply kits wove through the crowd, carefully treating wounds and feeding medicine to those infected with the plague.

But the number of patients was simply overwhelming. As soon as they helped one person, several more collapsed nearby.

The soldiers hauling supplies were panting with exhaustion. Box after box of medicine, food, and clean water was brought inside the wooden walls --- but in the face of such massive need, it all felt like a drop in the bucket.

They had to fend off panicked citizens trying to grab the supplies while also distributing them quickly. Every face in the rescue team showed deep fatigue.

Margaret personally directed the rescue. One moment she was reminding medics to protect themselves, the next she was commanding soldiers to reinforce the wooden barriers to prevent further incidents.

Her voice was already hoarse, sweat beading on her forehead, her clothes soaked through with rain and perspiration, clinging tightly to her body. Yet she never paused --- her eyes still burned with unwavering resolve.

Dustin didn’t stand by either --- he joined the rescue effort, using his medical knowledge to save as many people as possible.

Though they had prepared extensively before coming,
Facing such a nightmarish scene left them overwhelmed.

But there was no other choice.
They could only save as many as they could --- one life at a time.

This was a race against time --- snatching people from the hands of death.
There could be no delay --- every second lost meant another life gone.

Under Margaret’s command, the medical team worked around the clock, racing to treat the injured.

Within the despair of the slums, a fragile sliver of hope began to emerge ---
And that hope rested entirely on the backs of those who fought for it with their own flesh and blood. - Ton

For AUD discussions, to read novel from the start and get automatically notified of updates, we invite you all to join our Discord. Also, for those wanting to keep us awake while waiting for updates, you can buy us some Kofi. Links on upper right of our Blog Home page. Thanks and see you!