The issue Xie Liu mentioned about the potion isn't actually a potion problem at all; to be precise, it's a "toxicology problem".
The reason is simple. In this era, doctors simply can't treat illnesses, especially those among the Holy Blood, who are even less able to treat illnesses.
The only two things they can do are to stop bleeding and bloodletting.
If someone is injured, then stop the bleeding.
If you want to injure someone, then let the blood.
All treatment or harm revolves around these two simple logics, and naturally, their potions are born to achieve these functions.
So the problem troubling Xie Liu is actually very simple. Her pro-coagulant often kills people while saving them, but not every time, even the Holy Blood can't escape this law.
This leaves her a bit at a loss. She doesn't know exactly how much dosage to use to heal without killing someone.
After hearing her description, Chen Jian was almost speechless.
If you want to stop the bleeding, just sew it up. Why bother using a pro-coagulant?
Moreover, their pro-coagulant is purified from some viper venom Chen Jian had never heard of. Who knows what other toxic compounds it contains.
If it weren't for the Holy Blood's physical fitness, her mortality rate should be 100%, not 50%.
So, Chen Jian's advice to her was very simple.
Don't use it, don't save.
If there's real bleeding, use a tourniquet, and try to sew it with a needle and thread.
Even if there is an infection later, the survival rate is much higher than a massive thrombus.....
Xie Liu did not understand these truths, nor did she understand how a person could be sewn with thread.
In her cognition, bandaging to stop bleeding was acceptable, but stitching the human body with a needle and thread was something only some heretical sects would do, simply a desecration of people.
But seeing how assured Chen Jian was, she had to temporarily agree, planning to try stitching if someone got injured next time...
An 8-person team rested while chatting, and after nightfall, Chen Jian customarily arranged for someone to stand guard overnight, while the Holy Blood Team directly let Xu Lie keep watch all night.
The next morning, when everyone broke camp to set out, it was only then that Chen Jian saw their means of transportation for the first time---or should I say their transport equipment.
Two large water buffaloes.
No mutations at all, legit Asian water buffaloes.
These were kept more than two hundred meters away from the camp on a small riverbank. When they found them, the buffaloes were frolicking in the water, looking vibrant.
The team transferred most of the items that didn't need to be used immediately onto the buffaloes' backs and then set off like that, leading the buffaloes.
This primitive mode of transport, combined with already vegetation-covered roads, almost made Chen Jian feel like he had traveled not to the future, but to some bucolic pastoral era from the past.
But at the same time, he thought of a question:
Why is there no vegetation in Chuansha City?
He raised this question with Xu Lie, who couldn't answer, only telling him that every area occupied by a Level 4 and above monster had different characteristics.
Some had no vegetation, some had abnormally lush vegetation.
Some were severely weathered, and all buildings had turned to dust.
Yet some remained perpetually new, as if they were newly built cities.
Chen Jian was instantly interested. He asked:
"The kind of city that looks like a newly built city, where is it?"
"Southwest, a place called Mountain City."
Xu Lie casually answered:
"Fog envelops it all year round, only revealing a corner when the storm blows."
"No one has ever been in there, everyone can only watch from a distance, even the High Priest of the Holy Blood Temple is the same."
"Those who tried to enter the city all died----no, everyone who got close to the city died."
"But maybe you all could give it a try? But that would have to wait until you've completely rested, right?"
"Indeed."
Chen Jian nodded in response, exhaling lightly.
Mountain City, Fog City!
In his era, the strategic importance of that city was self-evident.
And by common sense, there must be extraordinary deployments there after a major crisis.
If that place really is "perpetually new", then it's very likely the best spot for the team to receive equipment replenishment.
Chen Jian quietly updated this information on his PDA and flagged it as the core objective for the team.
The other three members of the team all had a glint of anticipation in their eyes, perhaps they were hoping for more than just "equipment", but also...
People.
What if there were still "compatriots" living there, the ones with whom they were most familiar?
This somewhat unrealistic thought was unanimously suppressed in the four people's hearts, but undeniably, they also indeed took this as some hope...
The team continued forward, with Chen Jian initially thinking that they would walk for half a month without rest.
But in reality, after four rests, four days and nights, having safely eliminated a few straying monsters, they reached their first stopover point.
It was a village-style settlement. Due to its mountainous surroundings, the collapsed outer walls and sentry posts, and the distinct internal air defense facilities, Chen Jian recognized its original function at a glance.
"Military camp."
"We've been following the highway all along; from the route, it's the Wushen Highway."
"In total, we've covered 220 kilometers, with a large lake below, meaning this is near the Bai Zhangyuan Reservoir."
"In other words...this base is..."
"The camp of the WJ Second Machine Brigade?"
Chen Jian's tone carried some doubt, and Shen Yue beside him shook his head and said:
"Doesn't look like it, too small in scale."
"But this does appear to be a base. Regardless, we have to go in and see."
"Of course, we must go."
Chen Jian nodded in agreement, looking ahead to ask Xu Lie:
"How many people are here?"
Xu Lie turned back to answer:
"Less than a hundred people."
"There aren't many people here, but it's already the largest settlement in the vicinity."
"Moreover, this is the must-pass route for many caravans heading further south, making trade quite prosperous."
"We can sell the scavenged resources to the locals in exchange for some supplies and gold or silver."
"If luck favors us, we might even find some pre-catastrophe ammunition and bombs here----but that really requires luck."
"Where did they come from?"
Chen Jian sharply asked.
"No one knows, maybe the residents here dug them out of some small monsters' nests."
"Anyway, we will stay here for two days, you can take a good look around."
Of course, we will thoroughly examine everything.
Chen Jian took a deep breath, nodding to his team members.
He was now almost certain that there were definitely hidden treasures in this settlement.
The ammunition couldn't possibly have been brought by merchants, because even if merchants had them, these rare goods wouldn't be sold to such remote places.
So there was only one answer.
The items must be local.
If luck is on their side, his team's ammunition supply problem might just get a preliminary solution here...
Chen Jian's eyes lit up, and then he gave the order:
"Let's go, enter the city!"