Chapter 201

Chapter 201

The moment the news of the hospital having medicine spread, it was promptly conveyed to the church headquarters by the believers who had infiltrated among the patients. The Pope's first reaction was amusement.

Could he, himself, not know if there were still medicines in the city? The church had run out of supplies, and they were all relying on the blood still left within the priests. They had even destroyed the collected medicines.

When the bishop reported this with a similar nonchalant expression, he said, "They must be desperately lashing out before their demise. It's impossible for them to have sufficient medication. If they do have any now, it's likely that they've been hoarding them. They're probably using them to appease the people, but the quantity must be limited. Once this lie is exposed, it will immediately trigger panic among the masses."

The Pope replied, "After this panic spreads, it will be the perfect time for us to harvest faith."

The two exchanged glances and laughed in unison.

...

Ever since the players 'acquired' the medicine, Anthony felt more confident when persuading the resigned doctors. Doctors and nurses weren't heartless people. They had only stopped working previously due to the lack of hope in treating patients and the risk of infection. Now that the supply of medicine had caught up, they returned to work at the hospital one after another.

The hospital finally resumed its normal operations. Many residents, upon hearing the news, left their homes to seek treatment. Of course, considering the risk of the plague, most people wouldn't go to such a dangerous place unless they had no other choice.

As the hospital's order gradually recovered, a rumor began circulating without anyone noticing.

That was the so-called antiplague remedy, a meager amount that could barely treat scores of people, let alone cure many more.

Despite Anthony's vigilance, the rumors had spread beyond everyone's expectations. There was even a scramble for the medicine when the nurses entered the wards to distribute it.

No matter how much Anthony assured them that there was ample medication, many still preferred to snatch enough for themselves, willing to pay several times the price if needed. After all, life was everything, and without it, nothing mattered.

It wasn't until the players arrived with their feces-covered mops that the patients, seeing the yellow stains on the floor, obediently returned to their beds, ending the chaos.

However, they couldn't resort to using feces as a threat every time there was unrest. It was a disturbing experience for both patients, nurses, and doctors, and the excrement might even carry bacteria.

Anthony and Fors discussed the issue of the medicine with God on Earth in the office. All three sat with grave expressions. "Simon, be honest with us. How much medicine do you actually have in stock?"

God on Earth blinked. "Of course, there's plenty left?"

"Really?" Anthony asked instinctively, then added, "I don't doubt you, but this is a serious matter."

"Fors echoed, locking eyes with God on Earth. "You can tell us the truth. If the situation is grim, we'll brainstorm together. You don't need to shoulder all the responsibility. Honestly..."

His voice softened involuntarily. "You've done more than enough."

God, observing the two humans' expressions, couldn't help but curve the corners of their lips slightly, but still said, "I know what you're thinking, but I'm not lying. There's still plenty of medicine, more than enough to sustain the patients... Here's an idea: this afternoon, we'll stock the hospital warehouse with ample medication. You can place it in the hospital foyer for the patients to collect themselves. That way, the rumors will naturally dissipate."

"Y-You're serious?" Anthony was incredulous. "Where did you get all that medicine?"

"Of course I am. As for the medicine," God Among Us casually explained, "as you know, the city lacks medication because it's been hoarded by those politicians. Fortunately, one of my companions intercepted a shipment that was about to be sold. It just needs some time to arrive at the hospital."

Anthony's face lit up with excitement. "Haha, fantastic! Where is that batch of medicine? I'll go and fetch it for you!"

"No need. Just open the hospital's warehouse. They'll deliver the rest when the time comes," God Among Us continued, their eyes gleaming. "And we can spread the word, allowing those in need to come and collect it themselves... We can also disclose the location of the warehouse to see who steps forward."

The latter part of their words was spoken softly, yet it struck a chord with Anthony, whose gaze sharpened. "You're right. This will also give us a chance to see how many church members have infiltrated the hospital."

...

"Father, we really shouldn't go to the church. Have you forgotten the humiliation from that gatekeeper? They want half our savings just for entry! Those people are crazed for money!"

Anna complained to her father-in-law, but he lashed out at her from his sickbed. "You're the one crazed for money! Which is more important, wealth or life? Do you think you'll live long enough to spend all that money?"

"It's not about the money, Father! This is blatant robbery. Do you truly believe those people are genuine followers of the faith? They're worse than bandits taking advantage of a crisis! Think back to the photos. Everything was planned by them. They've somehow cut us off from the outside world, forcing us to submit. Why can't you see this?" Anna was exasperated, turning to her husband for support, who also joined in trying to reason with her father-in-law.

"Indeed, the most chilling part is their lack of pretense. Look, they aren't even pretending anymore. This is clearly a cult!"

Not all the residents were fools deceived by the church. In fact, most had seen through the church's malevolent intentions from its actions, but why did so many still flock to it?

It all boiled down to one word: fate.

"The label of a cult or a legitimate religion doesn't matter if it has divine protection," the old man's cloudy eyes turned to his son. "Look at how many houses are empty next door. Where do you think they've gone? They've all obediently paid their dues to the church."

"We're not going. I know your situation. The hospital said there's medicine available. We don't have to rely on the church to survive. Things will get better."

Just as the husband finished speaking, a cold laugh echoed from outside the window. "There are still people who believe their lies?"

Anna and the others looked out the window to see a security guard standing there, mocking their innocence. "Do you know why news of the medicine spread? It's to lure fools like you into staying here and dying with them. After all, they've offended the church. Not only can they not buy their way in, but they won't be accepted by the church at all! They just want to drag you down with them."

"Haha, how much did the church pay you?" Anna didn't fall for his rhetoric, responding with a mocking laugh. "How many times have you repeated that same speech? Why haven't you gone yourself?"

The husband gripped Anna's hand nervously.

The security guard's face darkened. He shot a hateful glare at Anna and her husband before turning and leaving.

The husband said helplessly, "Why do you have to provoke him? If he really is from the Church, we'll have even less chance of joining."

"You still want to join? You were the most excited and opposed to the Church when that magazine came out. Have you forgotten?"

"Well, I still have you and Father."

Before the argument could escalate, the neighborhood's public address system suddenly came alive.

"A patient with the plague can receive free medication at 7 p.m. at the hospital. There is ample supply, so please do not hoard or sell these life-saving drugs. Each person should only take what they need. Repeat:..."

The two, on the verge of a spat, paused and leaned in to listen to the broadcast. A look of relief spread across Anna's face. "That's great. The hospital has enough medicine; otherwise, they wouldn't be advertising it so openly."

"Ha, who knows for sure," the old man replied, still unimpressed.

"Well, we'll find out tonight," Anna dismissed his skepticism and tried to convince him. "After all, it's free."

The elder, who had been about to say something, fell silent. The allure of 'free' was indeed potent for a frugal senior like him...

That evening, Anna donned protective gear and wheeled the old man out. They had previously checked for the plague at the hospital before their wheelchair collapsed. Unfortunately, her father-in-law had accidentally contracted it, albeit still in the incubation period. Seeing the overwhelming number of patients flooding the hospital, they feared it would become a nightmare and thus decided against leaving him there. Instead, they took precautions and cared for him themselves. However, they were still lacking in medication...

Yet, the moment their family stepped into the hospital hall, they were stunned.

A mountainous pile of medications was stacked on the floor of the hospital lobby. Nurses had cordoned off an area with tape and moved the reception desk in front of the drugs. Patients collected their prescriptions according to their medical reports, queuing orderly. Compared to the chaos during Anna's previous visit, it was like two different hospitals.

The sheer volume of medication left Anna momentarily dazed. How did they acquire so much?

But then, shock, delight, and disbelief washed over her. Her husband, seemingly sharing the same thoughts, approached a patient's relative, "Eh, hello, I wonder if I could ask – are those genuine medicines? I mean, the ones that treat the plague."

The patient's relative glanced at them, shrugged, and said, "There are microscopes and analytical instruments for lab use over there. If you know how to operate them and understand the drug's composition, you're free to take a look. No one's going to object anyway."

With that, the relative pushed the patient forward to consult with the doctor about their condition.

Meanwhile, the husband had already cleverly taken his place in line. The old man said nothing more; a rare spark of hope flickered in his turbid eyes. Anna muttered to herself, "This time, the Church has truly dug its own grave..."

In times of dire crisis, human desires could become grotesquely magnified. Even the Pope might not be aware of how greedily his subordinates were exploiting the Church's growth, all in the name of God. The people were not entirely ignorant of what the Church was doing; they were simply bound by the plague and had no other choice.

They claimed that only God could save the world, but now that medicine was abundant, it seemed that this so-called God had no room to intervene?

Of course, provided that there were no issues with the medication.

Anna also found it perplexing. Logically, the Church couldn't be that foolish. Since they could cut off communication with the outside world, how could they fail to regulate the flow of medicine? Where did this batch of medicine come from?