The weather was peculiar. Despite it being summer, after more than ten days of heat, the temperature dropped. Instead of the stifling heat of previous summers, it became cold, damp, and spring-like.
Gu Qingcheng couldn't tolerate the cold. Building a heated floor system was complicated in this weather, so she sealed off the main hall with bricks, leaving only doors and windows. Inside, she built a stove and kept it burning coal whenever someone was present to maintain warmth.
Idle and bored, she also set up a table for brewing tea by the fire. Sitting by the stove, she enjoyed hot tea along with roasted sweet potatoes, peanuts, and other snacks. The atmosphere in her office felt relaxed and comfortable.
The village had harvested another crop of grain, and the yield was good, a successful harvest once again. Gu Qingcheng's burden felt a little lighter.
Whenever the village officials visited Gu's residence and saw Gu Qingcheng brewing tea by the fire, so full of spirit, they were drawn in by the aroma. They would sit and chat, often for half the day, and enjoy Master Gu's excellent tea. It was a delightful experience.
Though Gu Qingcheng seemed busy with her tea, in their conversations, she subtly gauged the progress of everyone's tasks. This relaxed approach to work was quite effective.
When Gu Zhaobei returned home, he saw his daughter dressed in a white silk shirt, sitting in the center, looking exceptionally radiant amidst a group of village officials.
In Phoenix Village, Gu Qingcheng had always dressed as a man. The villagers were accustomed to her identity as "Young Master Gu," so she didn't wish to suddenly change back to women's clothing.
More importantly, there was no necessity to revert to women's attire at the moment. Dressing as a man made it easier for her to conduct her affairs, so she continued this style for the time being.
Except for the Gu family themselves, no one in the entire village knew that the "Young Master Gu" was actually a woman.
Everyone simply thought Young Master Gu was too intelligent and that the mental strain caused her to be slender and not particularly tall. They never suspected her gender; instead, they felt pity and concern for her.
Gu Qingcheng looked up and saw her father enter. She quickly got up to greet him.
"Father, you're back so early today? That's rare."
Seeing her father return home unexpectedly, during his usual working hours, Gu Qingcheng's heart skipped a beat. She sensed something unusual.
Gu Zhaobei's face lit up with joy. "Just now, the zombie antidote has been successful."
"What? The zombie antidote can be made?"
Dai Fa exclaimed, greatly excited.
The brothers Da Peng and Xiao Peng were stunned, then said with surprise, "That's great! From now on, when we go out, or when merchant ships travel, we can bring the antidote. We won't have to worry about being accidentally infected with zombie poison."
A cheer erupted from everyone, so loud it nearly blew off the roof.
Gu Zhaobei stroked the beard he had recently grown, exuding an air of a wise elder. He smiled, watching the revelry, and felt joy from the depths of his being.
Gu Qingcheng knew her father best. Seeing his reserved demeanor, she asked, "Father, after the antidote is developed, what procedures are still needed to confirm it?"
Hearing Gu Qingcheng's question, everyone calmed down slightly.
Indeed, if the antidote was declared successful, there needed to be real-world cases.
But how would they get such cases?
They couldn't possibly have someone get bitten by a zombie and then immediately administer the antidote, could they?
Gu Zhaobei said, "Qingcheng asks a good question. Everyone, although I am confident in this medicine, it is currently only a theoretical deduction that this formula is effective. It needs to be able to truly heal people before it can be considered truly successful.
So, we will first produce a batch of the antidote and distribute it to our brothers who frequently need to go out, especially Da Peng and Xiao Peng's fleet. This way, they can have it on hand to prevent tragedies. Also, if they encounter villagers who have been bitten by zombies, they can administer the antidote promptly and observe the effects.
Furthermore, with zombies now spread across the country, have they mutated? Will our antidote be effective against them? This also requires you to accumulate cases and compare them for verification.
This process will be long, but with the antidote, there is hope."
Gu Zhaobei explained slowly, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Doctor Gu, we will do as you say," Da Peng pledged. "We will accumulate cases for you."
"Currently, I need the hunting team to capture 10 zombies for our research, to see if the process of their zombification can be halted after taking the antidote."
Gu Zhaobei looked at Yan Xin.
Yan Xin immediately replied, "No problem. I will go down the mountain tomorrow to capture some zombies."
"This cannot be rushed. We must think of a plan, otherwise, losing our own people would be too costly," Gu Zhaobei cautioned.
Gu Qingcheng thought for a moment and said, "To capture live zombies, the key is to prevent our own people from being bitten. Therefore, I think we can use a tool similar to a 'blood drop' to cover the zombie's head, and then use a pole to secure its two arms. This way, people don't need to make close contact, ensuring they won't be scratched or attacked by the zombies."
"That's a good idea. We'll do as you say."
Hearing his daughter mention the "blood drop," Gu Zhaobei's mind conjured the image of the executioner's tool invented by the eunuch of the Eastern Depot, a hood that was placed over a person's head, containing rotating blades that could sever it.
Of course, the "blood drop" his daughter spoke of was purely a hood, without any rotating blades inside. If they cut off the zombie's head, the capture would be in vain.
Therefore, what Gu Qingcheng described as a "blood drop" was simply a durable, tear-resistant net designed to cover the head.
The village had many skilled craftsmen. As long as the concept was clearly communicated, they could find ways to create it.
So, Gu Qingcheng drew a sketch of the "blood drop" and asked Dai Fa to find the village artisans to make thirty to forty of them for use.
After all, capturing zombies was not an easy task. They had to consider the probability of failure and prepare plenty of useful tools.
As for the poles, the hunting team already had them. A pole was a long stick with a rope loop at the end, used for catching rabbits or injured, fleeing prey. It seemed quite convenient to use these for capturing zombies.
Thus, capturing a single zombie would require the cooperation of at least three people.
One person would place the "blood drop" over the zombie's head, and two others would use the poles to secure its arms. Only then could the zombie be fully subdued.
For this purpose, Yan Xin organized practice sessions with the people involved in the capture to ensure there were no mishaps.
After ten days of training, Yan Xin led his team to capture zombies. With their synchronized efforts and this method, they successfully captured ten zombies. They brought them back to the village and confined them in a small wooden house next to Ge Hong's residence, preparing for secret experiments.
The development of the zombie antidote was cause for great celebration. Gu Qingcheng discussed it with her family that evening and organized a celebratory banquet for her father.
Ge Hong, as one of the key contributors, was naturally invited to attend.