Martin was placed on the table in a neighbor's house.
Several sandworm oil lamps were lit in the room, illuminating it brightly.
Two men stood nearby, their faces pale as if they had just experienced something terrifying.
Lu Yuan walked in, his gaze falling on the man on the table.
Martin’s complexion was ashen, his forehead drenched in cold sweat, and his lips were tightly pressed together as if he were enduring immense pain.
His arm was wrapped in cloth, and something could be seen moving vaguely beneath it.
"What did the town doctor say?" Lu Yuan asked with a frown.
"He said... he's never seen anything like this before," one of the men spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "He told us to prepare for the funeral."
Lu Yuan didn't ask further questions. He walked to the edge of the table and reached out to unwrap the layer of cloth around the arm.
The cloth fell away layer by layer, revealing the skin beneath.
Or rather, what used to be skin.
The arm had turned a dark brownish-black, its surface covered in swellings of various sizes.
Those swellings were currently moving.
They writhed beneath the skin, as if living creatures were crawling inside.
Martin let out a suppressed groan.
"Endure it," Lu Yuan said. He carefully reached out, picked up a small knife from nearby, heated it over the oil lamp, and then lightly sliced open one of the swellings.
Black pus surged out.
Then came something else.
Eyeballs.
One, two, three...
Dense clusters of eyeballs squeezed out from the incision. They varied in size, all bloodshot with cloudy pupils.
They crowded together like a nest of newly hatched insect eggs.
The woman screamed, and the two men's faces turned deathly pale.
But Lu Yuan did not deal with them immediately.
Because behind those eyeballs, he saw thin threads of flesh connected to them, snaking downward and attaching directly to the bone.
Lu Yuan tried to pull one with a tool.
It wouldn't budge.
Those threads of flesh seemed to be growing out of the bone, tightly entwined and impossible to separate.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text began to flicker:
【Forbidden Lore: Specialized Research activated】
【Analyzing target characteristics: sandworm pus pollution (mid-stage/parasitic type)】
【Status Analysis: Mutated sandworm pus contains unknown parasitic egg sacs, which are rapidly reproducing within the host. They use bone marrow as nourishment and parasitize subcutaneous tissue in the form of eyeballs.】
【Deducing formula...】
【Solution generated: heat cauterization purification (crude version)】
【Principle: The parasites are heat-averse; high temperatures can kill the egg sacs and prevent spread. Must be combined with sandworm oil applied to the wound, using the oil to seal off air and prevent secondary infection.】
【Estimated success rate: 31%】
【Remarks: This solution can only stop the spread; it cannot completely clear the already parasitized parts. If the parasitized area exceeds 30% of the limb, amputation is recommended. During the procedure, the parasites may react violently; the patient must be restrained.】
Lu Yuan finished reading the prompts and fell silent for a few seconds.
"Tie him up."
"Wha... what?" The woman was stunned.
"Rope, strips of cloth, anything," Lu Yuan’s voice was calm. "Secure his body, especially the arm. It needs to be tied separately to the table so he can't move."
"What are you going to do?"
"Save him."
Lu Yuan turned around, found an oil lamp, and turned up the flame.
"It's going to hurt."
The two men looked at each other and began to tie him down.
Martin seemed to realize something and started to struggle, but he was quickly pinned down, and a strip of cloth was even stuffed into his mouth.
The rope was wrapped around him layer after layer, fixing him firmly to the table.
Lu Yuan placed the oil lamp near his hand and found a bottle of sandworm oil.
He flexed his right hand.
His left hand was still wrapped in bandages and couldn't exert force.
He could only operate with one hand.
"No matter what happens next, do not let go."
Lu Yuan looked at the two men, his tone serious.
"If you let go, he dies."
The two nodded, pinning Martin’s shoulders down with all their strength.
Lu Yuan took a deep breath, picked up the oil lamp, and brought the flame close to that dark brownish-black arm.
The moment the flame touched the skin, Martin let out a piercing scream.
But the arm was even more terrifying.
Those swellings seemed provoked, writhing frantically.
The eyeballs beneath the skin began to rotate, one after another, all turning toward the direction of the flame.
They watched the approaching fire, a flash of fear appearing in their pupils, followed by a look of absolute malice as they stared at Lu Yuan, who held the flame.
Lu Yuan’s expression didn't change, and his movements did not hesitate in the slightest.
The flame descended.
The stench of charred flesh filled the air.
When the eyeballs were burned, they made soft "pop" sounds like balloons being pricked, leaking black pus.
Martin’s screams grew weaker and weaker until he finally lost consciousness completely.
But Lu Yuan did not stop.
He kept burning until he reached the elbow before finally stopping.
The entire forearm was now completely charred, unrecognizable from its original form.
The swellings were gone; the writhing had stopped.
All those eyeballs had been scorched into charcoal.
Lu Yuan caught his breath and applied sandworm oil to the charred wound to seal it from the air.
"Next..." He looked at the woman, his voice somewhat raspy. "The arm cannot be saved."
"It must be amputated."
The woman’s body swayed, nearly fainting.
"But his life can be saved," Lu Yuan added.
The two men remained silent for a moment before one spoke: "...What do we need to do?"
"Find a saw. Make sure it's sharp. I only have one hand I can use; I'll need your help in a moment."
The man who was slower to react turned a bit green at those words.
By dawn, it was all over.
Martin lay on the table, unconscious, his breathing faint but steady.
His left forearm was gone, severed at the elbow.
The stump was wrapped in sandworm oil and cloth strips, temporarily stopping the bleeding.
The woman kept watch beside him, her tears having long since run dry, simply stroking her husband’s face over and over.
Herman stood at the door, a newly lit cigarette holder in his mouth, looking at Lu Yuan with a complex expression.
"Thank you."
He spoke with a hint of sincerity in his tone.
This time, it didn't feel like a transaction.
Lu Yuan leaned against the wall without speaking.
He looked out the window.
Dawn was approaching.
Those charred figures had vanished at some point, and the area beyond the light domain had returned to being an empty desert.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text flickered gently:
【Pharmacology: +0.3... 15.9/50】
Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Herman.
"How many people were involved in dismantling the sandworm today?"
Herman was taken aback; he hadn't expected this question.
"About a dozen or so."
"Have someone check them," Lu Yuan’s tone was calm. "See if anyone else was splashed with pus."
Herman’s face changed.
"You mean..."
"Martin was lucky," Lu Yuan glanced at the unconscious man on the table. "The pollution was on his arm, and it was caught before it was too late. An amputation saved his life."
He paused, his tone becoming even more solemn.
"But if it's the chest, the neck, or the face... by the time it's discovered, those things will have already spread to the internal organs."
"By then, even a god couldn't save them."
Herman’s cigarette holder nearly fell from his mouth.
He turned to the two men who had helped pin Martin down, his voice raspy:
"The two of you, go now! Get everyone who touched the sandworm today up and check them one by one!"
The two exchanged a look and charged out without a word.
Herman looked back at Lu Yuan, his expression grave.
"If someone really is infected..."
"Bring them here," Lu Yuan flexed his stiff right hand. "While I'm still awake."
Herman nodded and walked out quickly.
The room fell silent.
Lu Yuan leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
The debt for saving his life could be considered paid.
But the troubles for this town were likely just beginning.
Rate on N.U.
