None of the injured villagers had any merit of good intention. Even those with sins of evil intentions had only a few demerit points. They were all ordinary, suffering folks. If he brought them back to treat in the clinic, Ning Tao would suffer a loss. Ning Tao was too lazy to take them back to the clinic. Instead, he used plucking talismans to treat those with gunshot wounds, pulling out their bullets. He made Qing Zhui dress their wounds. If they were only lightly injured, he let Qing Zhui treat their wounds directly. After that, he would use his spiritual power to heal them and remove their old ailments as well. Finally, he gave Qing Zhui a few Fine Primary Elixirs to brew a big pot of herbal broth for every injured villager to drink from bowls. He tried to maximize her merits of good intention.
Jiang Hao dragged two seriously injured militants into Ning Tao's treatment room. “Tao, while going through the dead bodies, I found these two men alive. Would you like to take them back to the clinic?”
Ning Tao looked at the two dying militants, lying on the ground. He was certain they had acc.u.mulated many sins of evil intention. But he did not speak their language, so he could not convince them to sign on the prescription pacts in his clinic.
A female teacher from the village walked in at this moment. She was carrying a wooden plate with a few potatoes, as well as another plate containing food which resembled sweet potato gruel. Her name was Hadelan. One month ago, her husband had died in the war, leaving her a widow.
Tears sparkled in Hadelan's eyes. “Thank you for saving us. We want to welcome you cordially, but… we really can't offer you anything good. We had a few sheep, but they were killed by the bombs. There isn't even a piece of meat left. You must be hungry. I've made you three something to eat. Have some.”
Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao both s.h.i.+fted their eyes to Ning Tao. They seemed to be awaiting his decision.
Ning Tao stretched out his hands and accepted the wooden plate from Hadelan. He said, “We are indeed quite hungry. Thank you for the food you prepare for us.” Then he spoke in Mandarin, “Qing Zhui, Hao, come and have some.”
Only then did Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao walk over. They each took a cooked potato.
Ning Tao also picked one and took a bite. As he ate, he said, “Miss Hadelan, I want to treat these two militants. Could you translate for me? If they are willing to undergo treatment, please get them to sign on my prescriptions.”
Hadelan asked in surprise, “You want to treat them?”
Ning Tao answered, “Yes.”
Hadelan pointed at one of them whose belly had been carved open by Qing Zhui, and whose intestines were dangling out. She said furiously, “This man killed three of our villagers. One of them was executed by him personally.” Then she pointed at the other man, whose lungs were shot at by Bai Jing. Her tears gushed out. “He, he killed our village chief, as well as his wife and son. You want to save such devils?”
Ning Tao said, “I understand how you feel, but don't get me wrong. I just want them to undergo your trial when they are better. Please help me translate. Half an hour later, I will let you punish them.”
Hadelan said after a moment of silence, “Alright, I shall translate for you.”
Ning Tao said, “I can save you two. Are you willing to accept my treatment? If you are, you must sign on the prescriptions I gave you.”
Hadelan translated Ning Tao's words to the two militants.
The two militants were at the brink of death and suffering from unbearable pain, so of course they were willing. After Hadelan translated Ning Tao's words, they responded with a.s.sents.
Hadelan said to Ning Tao, “They have agreed. They are willing to sign on your prescriptions.”
Ning Tao said, “Thank you. Please go out first. Half an hour later, I will leave them in your hands for punishment.”
Hadelan nodded and went out.
Ning Tao said, “Hao and Qing Zhui, stay here and guard the door. I will bring these two guys back to my clinic for treatment.”
Jiang Hao said, “Okay. Finish your business fast and come back.”
Qing Zhui said, “Brother Ning, I'd like to go back to your clinic to see if it treats me as badly as before.”
Ning Tao said, “Alright then, you take one man back. Then go to the supermarket and buy some rice and oil. Take some money from our house and give it to the villagers. I guess in this way, the merits of good intention you acc.u.mulated will offset the sins you have committed.”
Jiang Hao said, “Qing Zhui, bring me back a bag of potato chips and an ice-cream. I don't want potatoes, and I want potato chips and ice-cream.”
Qing Zhui smiled. “Okay.”
Ning Tao blindfolded the eyes of the two militants with rags and then tore out an ordinary prescription with a blood lock. He opened the convenient door and dragged one in.
Qing Zhui also dragged the other man into Sky Clinic.
The good-evil tripod was scowling in fury as green smoke spiraled.
Ning Tao threw the militant he dragged in casually on the floor. He looked at Qing Zhui and asked in concern, “How are you feeling?”
Qing Zhui shut her eyes and sensed for a moment, then she reopened them and smiled sweetly. “I can't really explain, but it doesn't feel like any force is oppressing me. And I don't… feel tense now.”
This result made sense.
Qing Zhui had only badly injured a few patients to “cheat” for Ning Tao. She was helping him earn treatment fees from those who had not yet suffered retributions for their sins. Later, she also killed a few patients who did not merit death. Even if each dead man got her 7 sin of evil intention demerit points, her meritorious acts in saving dozens of villagers tonight would have offset them in her body.
Ning Tao was happy and smiled. “You don't have to suffer anymore. If this continues, you will be a great benevolent demon.”
“Great benevolent demon?” Qing Zhui muttered once and grinned. “Demons are born to be wicked. But if you want me to be a great benevolent demon, I will be one.”
Ning Tao felt an urge to hold her in his arms, but he put up with it. After all, this was Sky Clinic. And besides, both he and Qing Zhui had matters to settle within this half an hour.
Ning Tao opened the door of Sky Clinic and said, “Hurry and buy some rice. I'll be waiting for you here.”
“Okay,” Qing Zhui a.s.sented. But the moment she strode past the threshold, she suddenly drew near and pecked on Ning Tao's cheek, then she giggled. “Let's see how she can stop me, that irritating third party.”
That “third party” in Sudan could not interrupt them here, could she?
What a little imp.
Ning Tao smiled wryly and reached out to close the door.
He was in the center of the struggle between these two women. Only he would know how it all felt like.
Half an hour later, the convenient door opened again.
Ning Tao dragged the two unconscious militants out from the convenient door. Qing Zhui also walked out, carrying several sacks of rice, 50 kilograms per sack, as well as kegs of cooking oil and a bag with potato chips and ice-cream.
Jiang Hao said, “Tao, how can you let Qing Zhui carry so many things? Won't your heart ache for her?”
A guilty light flashed across Qing Zhui's eyes. Jiang Hao was so concerned about her, and yet she had called her a “third party.”
Ning Tao responded with a smile. “If I helped her carry those things, who would be the doer of these good deeds?”
Qing Zhui opened her mouth. “It's okay. Brother Ning is doing this for my own good. This is nothing. I can carry them.”
Jiang Hao eyed Ning Tao. “If you bully Qing Zhui in the future, I will make you eat ice pops.”
Ning Tao was speechless.
Qing Zhui chuckled and then put down the rice and oil, putting them in a corner. She covered them with a piece of rag. She did this after much thought. If these villagers were to see rice and cooking oil suddenly, it would be very bothersome to explain to them their presence. She had acc.u.mulated much experience, having been with Ning Tao for so long. She understood the simple procedures she must take.
Ning Tao opened the room door, dragging the two militants out.
There was a huge crowd of people outside the room. The moment they saw Ning Tao out, they gathered up and started gibbering. A few even made gestures. Although Ning Tao could not understand them, he could tell from their eyes and expressions that they were feeling grateful to him.
Ning Tao threw the two militants before Hadelan and said, “They're yours. You people decide how you will punish them.”
“But the wounds on their bodies…” Hadelan stared at the militants on the ground in surprise. She next looked at Ning Tao with a very strange expression in her eyes.
Ning Tao did not explain himself. He merely called for Qing Zhui.
Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao walked out of the room.
Qing Zhui stuffed a paper bag into Hadelan's hand. “This is the charity fund donated by Shenzhou Charity Company. Take this money and rebuild your village.”
Hadelan could not understand Qing Zhui's words. She opened the paper bag and found it full of Chinese currency. She was instantly rooted to the spot. “This is…”
Ning Tao said, “This is the fund she donated to you. Accept it. Although it isn't much, it can at least help your village tide through some difficulties. Well, we must go. Goodbye.”
Only now did Hadelan recover from her daze. “Where are you going?”
“Gangde.” Ning Tao walked to his electric motorbike, G.o.d's Will.
“What are your names?” Hadelan asked.
“Just remember the name Shenzhou Charity Company,” Ning Tao said. He mounted G.o.d's Will. He did not want to leave behind his name as there was no need for it. He only wanted the villagers to remember the company name. Doing this would be like sowing seeds of charity in this land.
Qing Zhui and Jiang Hao got on the motorbike, one after the other. Ning Tao revved the motor and soon G.o.d's Will sped towards the road traversing the village.
Hadelan and the rescued villagers all looked in the direction where they left, hot tears welling in their eyes.
The two militants soon awoke.
A woman suddenly screamed and grabbed a stone from the ground, smas.h.i.+ng it on the head of a militant whose eyes had just opened. That militant had not yet recovered his full consciousness. Bam! His head was smashed with a thud. Fresh blood spurted out…
A huge crowd of villagers rushed up. Soon, rocks, hoes, wooden poles and knives were raining on the two militants.
Actually, even if these villagers spared their lives, they would have died, because Ning Tao had inserted Sacred Needles to Nasty Diseases into their bodies.
Both militants had acc.u.mulated over 1,000 sin of evil intention demerit points. The treatment the ledger of bamboo slips prescribed them was death to atone for their mountain of sins. Ning Tao had earned more than 2,600 sin of evil intention points from them. It was a rich bounty.
However, he did not regret killing all the murdering militants on the spot. He did not earn any sin of evil intention points from them, since there were already too many sins of evil intention in the good-evil tripod. If he tried to earn more, the tripod would be overwhelmed by black evil energy representing those sins. Right now, he needed more merits of good intention to balance the evil.
G.o.d's Will raced towards the border of Gangde under the bright moonlight.
Crunch, crunch…
Jiang Hao and Qing Zhui were munching potato chips.
“Mine's barbecue flavor. What's yours, Qing Zhui?”
“Mine's ketchup flavor.”
“Try some of mine.”
“You try some of mine too.”
Crunch, crunch…
They seemed to have forgotten a very important person!
Ning Tao swallowed a mouthful of saliva and concentrated on his riding.