Chapter 551: Let Time Be the Judge
Nile River Province.
Rowinard Village.
A group of people in white coats surrounded several houses in Rowinard Village. Many onlookers tried to get closer, but city police pushed them back to a safe distance.
A long warning tape encircled the houses marked in red paint. The white-coated personnel were fully equipped—masks, gloves, tongs—carefully picking through the scene.
Clad in olive-green uniforms, a police officer shouted to the villagers: "Stay back! For the next week, do not approach these buildings. We will be burning them down shortly. Don't gather here out of curiosity—there's a risk of harm."
Another officer added, "One last question—does anyone have any of the infected person's belongings? Think carefully. Don't be tempted by small gains. The virus is contagious, though we're not certain how it spreads. So we must be extra cautious."
A villager replied loudly, "Don't worry, officer. We know how to handle an outbreak. We wouldn't dare touch the belongings of the dead. No one would risk their life over something so trivial."
"Good. Let's hope that's the case."
In reality, this small village in the western part of Nile River Province had little of value to tempt anyone. Most of the immigrants' belongings were distributed by East Africa and well inventoried. It would be easy to notice if anything was missing. As the officer said, it was just part of the protocol—to ensure absolute safety.
Some villagers were understandably anxious about the outbreak. Veteran immigrants, however, remained calm. Having been through similar situations, they knew how to handle them. Rowinard was a new settlement, with a few experienced immigrants placed as leaders to help newcomers adapt to East African life.
Of course, no one was completely unfazed. Even disease control personnel who dealt with this regularly had some concern. But once the situation was underway, everyone maintained a stable front—panic solves nothing.
Some, like the police or Claire from the Grusegen City Disease Control Center, were either fearless or desensitized. Most East African police had military training, so dealing with the dead wasn't shocking. Claire was simply hardened by long exposure.
"Mr. Claire, we've collected all of the infected individual's belongings. We've filled the houses with flammable materials—wood, straw, etc."
"Burn them," Claire said coldly, unmoved by the somber expressions around him.
Soon, the houses were engulfed in flames. Thick smoke filled the sky, and the fire seemed to cry out with ghostly wails.
"Director Claire, the likely source of infection is eating wild animals raw—our investigation points to monkeys."
"Any leads?"
"Mostly villagers' testimony. They said a man named Tie Li illegally hunted monkeys from the eastern forest to satisfy a craving."
"Monkeys? Of all animals, he chose monkeys? Lions, leopards, wildebeests, zebras... so many options—and he went for monkeys?"
"It might relate to a rumored dish from the Far East—monkey brain. But Li didn't know how to properly prepare it, which likely caused the outbreak. Though this is just our theory—we can't confirm the exact cause yet."
Many East African outbreaks had vague origins—malaria was easier to trace, as it was usually caused by mosquito bites.
"Monkey brain?" Claire shook his head. If only it had been another animal—or at least cooked properly—this might have been avoided.
In early East African development, wildlife was sometimes hunted for food. But they usually went after zebras and wildebeests. Bizarre species were avoided.
Claire addressed the villagers: "This outbreak likely started because someone violated regulations, hunted wild monkeys for food, and didn't cook the meat properly. How anyone could eat something so bloody is beyond me. You're not starving. Li's death wasn't undeserved. But now five of his neighbors have died with him."
He turned to his assistant: "What about those who were in contact with the deceased?"
"They've been quarantined—no symptoms so far."
"Good. Keep them isolated. If they're symptom-free for a week, they'll be fine. As for Rowinard Village—no outside contact for a month."
"The city government has already decided to deliver supplies to a flat area two miles from here. We'll collect them every three days—there's no risk of shortage."
"Yes, that's part of our prior agreement with the city. Don't worry too much, team. We've seen worse. You'll get used to it," Claire said to his colleagues.
Spend enough time by the river, and you're bound to get your feet wet. Claire had seen many partings between life and death. He was lucky to still be alive.
"Diseases aren't that scary. It's like drawing straws—the odds are low. I haven't seen a major outbreak in years. Don't worry about your future. I believe you'll have better lives than I did."
"Director Claire, have you ever experienced a full-blown epidemic?"
"Only once—in Kampala City. Others I only heard about. East Africa used to have more of these incidents, but we've controlled most of them. Compared to Europe, none of ours were large-scale. Nothing like the plague in Vienna. We've never had that here—or never let it get that far."
"Director Claire, we've only been in East Africa a few years, but it's nothing like how Europe described it. This is the most unique part of Africa. It's like a different world from the rest of the continent. Do you know why?"
Claire shook his head. "I don't know. But I think one key reason East Africa is the safest place in Africa is the strict hygiene policies—water filtration, boiling drinking water, cooking food thoroughly, cleaning, bathing... all those details help protect public health. The rules may be many, but tests show they work."
"No one knows the exact science, but measures like mosquito control really seem to reduce malaria. Even compared to some temperate countries, our numbers are lower."
"Hard to say why. But it's true—cleanliness improves life quality. Maybe only lazy people dislike it."
Claire and his team chatted casually. For the next two or three weeks, they would remain in Rowinard. Having entered the village, they too were potential carriers. With no diagnostic tools available, they could only rely on time to prove whether they were safe.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10