190: Chapter 190 A Special Battle

Chapter 190: A Special Battle

Before the winter morning mist had fully dissipated, the smell of disinfectant already hung heavy over the street.

Around eight o'clock, three epidemic prevention vehicles bearing red crosses parked in front of the Tubular Building.

Disinfection personnel clad in white protective suits were adjusting pulse foggers, their metallic nozzles gleaming cold in the morning light.

On the open ground in front of the stairwell entrance, a temporary testing station had been set up.

By now, a somewhat chaotic long line had already formed.

A few police officers walked back and forth with megaphones, shouting instructions to help maintain order.

Bearing hints of nervousness, the residents of the Tubular Building stepped out of their homes one after another to join the line for the free health checkup.

With Lunar New Year approaching, fewer than a hundred migrant workers remained stranded here.

Usually quite quiet, having everyone squeeze together all at once suddenly turned the place into a bustling market.

"Sigh, New Year is right around the corner, and now this terrible mess happens!"

"Did you know? The murder at He Yao's place the night before last... the killer was a monster."

"Didn't the police already debunk that rumor? They said a gorilla escaped from a lab, carrying a mutated virus that infects humans, which is why we need to lock down and disinfect."

"That's way too absurd. With all these strange news stories in Dongdu lately, I think after the New Year, it's better to return to my hometown and find a steady job..."

Ever since news of the murder broke and the police sealed off the building, everyone had been on edge, hiding in their rooms, afraid to step out lest they invite trouble.

Now gathered together, they couldn't help discussing the events of the past two days, exchanging whatever news they had gathered.

In the line, young mothers holding toddlers listened as bursts of crying erupted.

This made the atmosphere on the scene even noisier.

"Brother, Sister Zhou..."

Standing in line, Wen Xin looked timid as she glanced back at Fang Cheng and Zhou Xiumei behind her.

Listening to the neighbors' alarmist chatter, she seemed worried that they too might get infected with this terrifying virus.

Fang Cheng reached out and patted her head to reassure her.

Zhou Xiumei also chimed in with a few comforting words.

Just then, a crisp female voice sounded nearby.

"Little sister, don't be afraid. This virus isn't very contagious. In a moment, they'll just take your temperature and draw a little blood. It won't hurt."

The speaker was one of the female agents sent by the Special Investigation Team to assist the police in solving the case.

Smiling warmly, she seemed particularly fond of children, appearing quite friendly and caring.

As she spoke, she turned to soothe a crying infant nearby.

Fang Cheng merely glanced at her faintly, his expression showing nothing out of the ordinary beyond a hint of curiosity.

Wen Huiyi, however, appeared overly nervous and hurriedly thanked her repeatedly.

From overheard conversations between this woman and her companion, Fang Cheng knew her real name.

It seemed to be... Cheng Leyi.

Meanwhile, the other Special Investigation Team agent, a stubble-faced man,

stood not far away, his gaze constantly scanning the long queue.

He seemed to be searching for any unknown monster that might be hiding among the residents.

Sensing the woman's gaze occasionally drifting over to him, Fang Cheng pretended not to notice.

He simply raised his eyes and watched the medical staff at the testing station ahead.

Two doctors sat behind the sampling desk, methodically conducting detailed health checks on each resident.

As Fang Cheng pondered in his mind, he occasionally exchanged a few words with Zhou Xiumei and Wen Xin.

Amidst the low murmurs, the line shuffled forward sluggishly.

Perhaps because the wait was taking too long,

the two Special Investigation Team agents grew impatient and sat back inside a car by the street, watching the long checkup queue from a distance.

By nearly ten-thirty, it was finally Wen Huiyi and Wen Xin's turn.

Standing behind them, Fang Cheng observed the specific procedures the doctor was performing.

First was using devices like blood pressure monitors and thermometers to measure blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.

Next, they had the person open their mouth wide to inspect their oral cavity and teeth, wiping a cotton swab across the tongue coating and throat before placing it into a reagent bottle.

Finally, it was the blood test.

The doctor drew about two milliliters of blood and carefully stored the sample in a cold box.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and his heart thudded, speeding up just a bit.

Soon—it was his turn.

Fang Cheng took a soft breath, instantly adjusting his physical state.

Then, with a calm expression, he sat down in front of the sampling desk.

As routine, the doctor first conducted the blood pressure and heart rate test.

Fang Cheng proactively rolled up his sleeve and extended his arm.

Generally, athletes with superior physical conditioning have lower blood pressure and heart rate than ordinary people.

Because this relates to maximum oxygen uptake during high-intensity exercise.

Maximum oxygen uptake is a key criterion when selecting athletic prospects and a crucial indicator of aerobic capacity.

Under the same conditions, the more oxygen the body can take in and utilize, the more power it can provide for physical activity.

Many factors influence maximum oxygen uptake, mainly including the heart's pumping efficiency, genetic factors, age, and gender.

The most direct manifestation lies in resting heart rate.

Most ordinary people have a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Professional athletes usually range between 40 and 60 beats per minute, while elite athletes can even drop below 40.

If Fang Cheng didn't intentionally control his heart rate, his normal state remained around 20 beats per minute.

At the same time, due to his powerful cardiac function and enhanced myocardial contractility, each heartbeat could pump far more blood, so he didn't require high blood pressure to meet his body's circulatory demands.

Back when his Spirit attribute was only around 20 points, Fang Cheng had already begun attempting to perceive and control changes in his bodily functions.

Now, with his Spirit attribute reaching 43 points, and possessing mastery over Qigong and Meditation along with inner vision,

his minute control over every muscle and blood vessel in his entire body had reached an unimaginable level for normal humans.

One could say that within tolerable physical limits, Fang Cheng could freely control the speed of his heart rate and variations in his body temperature.

At its lowest, entering Embryonic Breathing mode, his heart beat only once every few minutes, and his body temperature dropped to around 10°C.

When he needed an explosive burst of power, such as when unleashing his Qilin Arm, his heart would act like a motor at full power, instantly pumping ample blood to guarantee an adequate energy supply.

Now, with just a slight adjustment, Fang Cheng maintained his blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature within the healthy range of an ordinary person.

Roughly equivalent to a professional athlete—just slightly stronger than average.

He smoothly passed the first three checkup items, showing entirely normal results.

Next was the oral and dental examination.

Fang Cheng understood the general purpose of this test, so he had no reservations and cooperated fully.

Because he truly wasn't a man-eating monster.

The first few items were managed quite easily.

Only the final blood test posed a formidable challenge.

This held true both for the doctor and for Fang Cheng himself.

The doctor conducting checkups for Fang Cheng's line was a relatively young lady.

She skillfully tightened a tourniquet around his upper forearm, then lightly patted it, signaling him to relax.

With a tranquil face, Fang Cheng recalled the ultimate state of relaxation when practicing Tai Chi, completely loosening his body's muscles.

He made the touch of his arm seem soft, hoping to avoid the awkward situation of the needle failing to penetrate.

Fortunately, seemingly to ensure a more stable sample and accurate results,

the doctor chose venous blood drawing rather than a finger prick.

One must realize that with Fang Cheng's current Physique, the Iron Fist effect, and long-term training, the hardness of his fingers was barely inferior to real steel rebar.

The superficial vein chosen for venous blood drawing was located beneath the skin, above the muscle tissue.

All that needed to be pierced was the outermost layer of skin tissue.

Although Fang Cheng's skin was also extremely tough, it was still worth a shot.

If it had been a fingertip prick, Fang Cheng knew that no matter how much he relaxed, he couldn't let the sharp needle pierce even a fraction of a millimeter.

Even so, the first attempt at drawing blood failed.

"Don't be nervous, try to relax as much as possible."

Holding the blood collection needle, the female doctor tried to insert it into the inner forearm vein, but felt as if she were stabbing thick hide.

Thinking Fang Cheng was too tense, she spoke up to remind him.

She tried twice more, still without success, and in the end, the needle actually bent.

The young doctor even began to doubt her own technique, fine beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead.

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Staring at his remarkably robust arm muscles, she couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated.

Fang Cheng smiled gently at her and comforted her warmly,

"No rush, it doesn't hurt. You've been working for half the day, it must be tiring. Take a breath and rest for a bit."

Hearing this, the female doctor looked up at the sunny, handsome man before her.

Her face instantly flushed slightly, and she hurriedly nodded,

"Right."

She then shook out her hand, took a few deep breaths, and grabbed a new blood collection needle to try again.

Gazing at the cold glint of the needle tip, Fang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly as he silently circulated his True Qi.

While his face appeared serene, inside his body, forces stirred and blood surged like a boiling cauldron.

Innumerable breaths cycled like rising and falling tides, surging grandly before finally coalescing into a colossal wave that washed over his right arm.

At the exact moment the needle descended,

the pores on his right forearm suddenly relaxed, opening in unison.

As faint white sweat vapors billowed out, pores in a very specific small area dilated to their limit, allowing the slender needle tip to slide in smoothly.

In that split second of opening and closing, each pore acted like a black hole.

Immediately after, a suction force was generated, actively pulling the needle inward until it penetrated into the deeper vein.

*Pfft!*

To onlookers, perhaps it was because Fang Cheng's smile was too magnetic, or perhaps the young doctor had regained her full skill after a moment's rest.

Finally, the needle went in unobstructed, successfully piercing through.

Thick, dark red blood flowed through the transparent tubing and was quickly drawn into the collection vial.

"Phew—"

The young doctor exhaled a long breath, suddenly looking immensely relieved.

Fang Cheng also breathed a secret sigh of relief, feeling as though he had just completed an intensely fierce battle.

Then, easing his energy and dissipating his Qi, he offered the doctor a smile.

Truth be told, if that hadn't worked, he had been ready to insert the needle himself.

Fang Cheng had never imagined that one day, learning martial arts would be used to help someone hurt his own body.

The formidable challenge of "drawing blood" was finally accomplished.

However, things were far from over...

As Fang Cheng slowly stood up, his gaze briefly flicked over the doctor's chest badge, then at the cardboard box behind her holding medical equipment.

Printed on both her name badge and the surface of the box were the words "Renan Hospital."

Fang Cheng's mind stirred slightly; acting nonchalant, he stood up and yielded his seat to Zhou Xiumei behind him.

"Brother!"

Having finished her checkup earlier, Wen Xin waved and called out to him.

Fang Cheng immediately stepped over and stood beside her, waiting for Zhou Xiumei and her grandmother.

Inside the Tubular Building, epidemic prevention personnel in white protective suits carried disinfectant tanks on their backs, performing disinfection work door to door.

The pungent odor of disinfectant was extremely potent, distinctly noticeable even outside.

Having been stuck in the building for two days, many neighbors, like Fang Cheng, stayed outside chatting.

Although they still couldn't cross the cordoned-off area, getting some fresh air was better than nothing.

Wen Xin pleaded with her mother to let her go upstairs to play with Fang Cheng in the afternoon.

Being cooped up indoors for two days had been far too suffocating.

Unable to resist her nagging, Wen Huiyi helplessly nodded in agreement.

With thoughts weighing on his mind, Fang Cheng's gaze wandered through the crowd.

He then scanned the streets and buildings around the Tubular Building, as well as the police, doctors, and Special Investigation Team agents.

In his mind, a vague plan gradually began to take shape.

...

Heavy night descended, shrouding the entire cold city.

Outside the window, the wind howled as hazy white frost condensed on the glass.

Warm yellow light filled the living room, where the television screen flickered continuously.

Fang Cheng leaned back against the sofa, crossing his long legs comfortably on the coffee table.

Atop it rested a few opened, unfinished snack bags—potato chips and cookies.

On the screen, a group of Martial Forest masters fought noisily with wails and howls.

It was precisely the kind of kung fu movie Fang Cheng enjoyed watching.

Come to think of it, this disc borrowed from Wu Datong's shop was already half a month overdue.

He had only remembered to play and watch it tonight.

Beside him, occasional beeping button sounds rang out, echoing the punch-and-kick sound effects from the TV.

Wen Xin sat cross-legged on the sofa, her eyes glued to the screen of the handheld game console in her hands.

She was completely immersed in the adventure world of pixel characters on screen.

This newly released handheld console was a New Year gift from Fang Cheng.

Having lacked toys since childhood, the young girl couldn't stop playing once she got her hands on it.

Suddenly, she let out a cheer, seemingly having cleared the first stage at last.

"Stop playing for a moment, you two. Try my newly learned recipe."

Zhou Xiumei walked gracefully from the kitchen into the living room, carrying steaming homemade milk tea.

Smelling the rich aroma, Fang Cheng immediately stood up to take it, took a deep gulp, and praised it.

Being locked down wasn't entirely filled with gloom and anxiety; at least there were peaceful moments like this, gathering together.

Holding their milk tea, the three drank while chatting and laughing.

Time passed quickly, and it was nearly ten o'clock.

Wen Huiyi came upstairs to call Wen Xin back to sleep.

The little girl could only wave goodbye reluctantly.

As Zhou Xiumei helped clean up the room and prepared to leave,

Fang Cheng suddenly called out to her, taking a ring of keys out of his pocket and handing it to her.

"Brother Cheng, what's this?"

Zhou Xiumei looked at the keys with surprised eyes.