"You probably have some blood clots in your head. The clots can be dispersed, but the dent in your skull can’t be fixed."

Quincy was on the verge of tears. "Am I going to die?"

Evelyn Ford fell silent for a moment, and Quincy burst into tears.

"If I die, can you bury me a little deeper? I’m afraid a passing beast will drag me out and eat me."

Evelyn Ford was speechless. "I was just thinking about how to perform the acupuncture, and you’re already being so dramatic. Don’t worry, you’re not going to die. I’ll save you."

Wyatt Vaughn’s emotions had been all over the place. Hearing this, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Quincy cried even louder. "That’s wonderful! Evelyn Ford, you’re Hippocrates reborn! You have to save me. I’m so scared of dying."

Evelyn Ford and Wyatt Vaughn exchanged a look, both finding the situation exasperating and funny.

"Quiet down. Wyatt Vaughn, help me shave the hair around his wound. I’m going to get a packet of medicine. He’ll drink a bowl of it before the acupuncture."

Wyatt Vaughn immediately complied. She took out a dagger to shave Quincy’s head, startling him so much he temporarily forgot the pain.

Back in their carriage, Ronan Kendrick had already finished bathing. Evelyn Ford put the bathtub into her storage space and took out the Silver Needles and a packet of medicine.

"Quincy has a head injury. His skull is dented, and there are blood clots. I’m going over to treat him. You should go to sleep."

"I’ll go with you." Ronan Kendrick immediately got out of bed. Seeing his loosely worn pajamas, a hint of a smile touched Evelyn Ford’s eyes.

Evelyn Ford first started brewing the medicine, asking Taylor Vance and the others to watch it. Everyone was very worried when they heard Quincy had injured his head.

Evelyn Ford just said it was nothing serious and went to Wyatt Vaughn’s carriage. Quincy’s hair was already shaved. Evelyn checked his head twice more, confirmed there were blood clots inside, and quickly formulated a treatment plan in her mind.

"The medicine is brewing. You’ll drink it first, then get the acupuncture. It will probably take a month of daily treatments to clear the blood clots in your head, and it’s going to hurt a little."

"Do I have to keep drinking the medicine? Evelyn Ford, I don’t need painkillers. Don’t waste the medicinal herbs."

Quincy thought the medicine was just for the pain, but Evelyn Ford told him not to worry.

"The medicine helps soothe the pain, and one packet will last for three days."

With his arms crossed, Ronan Kendrick stared at Quincy’s head. A chill ran over Quincy’s scalp.

"Ronan Kendrick, you’re not jealous, are you? Heh heh, last time Evelyn Ford operated on Peter Owens, you looked pretty grim."

Caught, Ronan Kendrick didn’t seem embarrassed; he just averted his gaze.

"Even a headache can’t shut you up?"

Quincy sighed. "I want to talk precisely because it hurts."

Just then, Officer Graham came and knocked on the door. The medicine was ready.

Evelyn Ford took the medicine and told Quincy to drink it down quickly. It was incredibly bitter. After one sip, Quincy’s face twisted into a pained grimace.

"Hurry up and drink it. Don’t let it go to waste." Wyatt Vaughn said, looking as if she was about to force it down his throat. Terrified, Quincy quickly finished the medicine.

Evelyn Ford put on her gloves and took out the Silver Needles. Quincy was already drowsy. As soon as he closed his eyes, Evelyn quickly began the acupuncture.

An hour later, Evelyn Ford removed the Silver Needles, and Quincy slowly opened his eyes.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Was I asleep just now?"

"Yes. The medicine has a sedative effect."

Putting the Silver Needles back in their case, Evelyn Ford got up to leave.

"It doesn’t hurt anymore. I feel a bit better overall, too."

"That’s good. I’ll give you another treatment tomorrow. Starting tomorrow, it’ll be half an hour of acupuncture each day."

Back in their carriage, Evelyn Ford was disinfecting the Silver Needles when Ronan Kendrick gave an unnatural cough.

"I wasn’t jealous."

Evelyn Ford smiled. "Oh, really?"

"Yes."

Evelyn Ford washed her hands, took off her jacket, and lay down on the bed. "I’m tired. Time to sleep."

Ronan Kendrick...

He couldn’t quite fall asleep, lying with his eyes open and staring at the wooden ceiling. Evelyn Ford reached out and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"And you say you’re not jealous. You practically reek of sour grapes, yet you still won’t admit it."

"I’m not." He was still being stubborn.

Evelyn Ford gave his waist a squeeze, and Ronan Kendrick let out a muffled grunt.

"I don’t want to interfere with you saving people." He had finally admitted it.

"It’s perfectly normal. If you were saving another woman, I’d be jealous too. But there isn’t another doctor in our group, and saving people keeps the team whole. Of course, I wouldn’t save anyone outside of our team."

"Quincy is a doctor too."

Evelyn Ford stifled a laugh. "Quincy is just a researcher, a veterinarian at best. Besides, he can’t perform acupuncture on himself."

Evelyn Ford took his hand, lacing her fingers with his. "Are you still jealous now?"

Ronan Kendrick gave her a dark look but remained silent.

Evelyn Ford sighed. It took a lot more coaxing before he was finally placated.

The next morning at six, Taylor Vance and Zion Lowell got up to start a fire and boil water.

They needed to set out early today; the goal was still sixty kilometers. The others gradually emerged from their carriages, feeding branches to the horses and sheep. After everyone had breakfast and took care of their morning business, it was time to depart.

The compass’s magnetic field had stabilized. Evelyn Ford confirmed their direction and ordered the Mammoth to move out.

Meanwhile, one hundred and fifty kilometers away, there was a city. Taylor Vance remembered it from the official list of planned bases distributed when the apocalypse began; this city was one of them.

"Norvane Base can hold three hundred thousand people. I have a feeling there are still people there. Should we go check it out?"

"We could. If the base has supplies, maybe we can trade some Red Deer or wild sheep for grain."

"The one thing Khoros isn’t short on is meat. Before the apocalypse, this was the largest pastureland in the country."

Everyone started talking at once, each with a different opinion. Some agreed they should go trade for supplies, while others felt a base wouldn’t be safe and it was best to go around it.

"I think we can go trade for supplies, but we shouldn’t drive the whole flock of sheep over. It would be best to send three people with three or four sheep," Officer Graham suggested.

"That makes sense. So who’s going?"

"I’ll go."

"I’ll go too."

"Count me in."

Everyone wanted to go, eagerly raising their hands. Taylor Vance looked around before his gaze finally settled on Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick.

"Evelyn Ford, Ronan Kendrick, would you two be willing to make the trip?" Compared to the others, Taylor Vance felt Evelyn and Ronan were more reliable.

"Okay," Evelyn Ford agreed.

"Then it’ll be you two, plus Quincy. The three of you will go. We’ll wait for you not far from Norvane Base. If there’s danger, blow the whistle."

Officer Graham disagreed. "Quincy isn’t feeling well. He should stay behind."

Quincy wanted to go too, but he knew his own limits and dismissed the idea.

"Mr. Vance, my skills are just average." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"It’ll just be the two of us, then. We’ll be back as soon as we can."

"Alright, then. Be careful."

The group continued onward. Evelyn Ford looked at Norvane on the map and drew a circle around it.

"Ronan Kendrick, do you think there are still people there?"

"Probably."

If Taylor Vance hadn’t mentioned there was a base here, Evelyn Ford would never have known. Norvane was a small city on the grasslands, and its population hadn’t been very large.

Evelyn Ford gazed outside, a thoughtful look in her eyes.