Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 2142: Chapter 2045: Gu Worms

"But, Doctor Qi, isn’t Gu just something made up in novels and TV shows?"

The nurses felt it was exaggerated. They regularly consumed novels and TV shows, so they weren’t unfamiliar with Gu. However, in reality, no one had ever actually seen it.

Doctor Qi shook his head. "The truth is, in areas around Miaojiang, there are still some secret Gu passed down. And many Gu are hard to defend against unless you have someone specializing in Gu poison to resolve them. Even regular doctors might not have a way."

"So, the couple just now really had Gu in them..."

Not only were the nurses in the emergency department baffled, but even the doctors nearby had bewildered expressions.

Doctor Qi looked at everyone’s reactions, hesitated slightly, and then nodded:

"A few years ago, when I was in the Magic Capital, I saw a family just like that. Their bodies were covered in rashes, extremely itchy, and the more they scratched, the itchier it became. The more they scratched, the faster those pustules grew. The itch was uncontrollable, as if lost their senses, unless their hands and feet were tied."

Simply hearing Doctor Qi describe this condition would’ve left these doctors and nurses without much concept. They wouldn’t find the disease particularly special.

However, having just witnessed Zhang Jing and Tong Jian’s terrifying symptoms and smelled that unpleasant odor, the doctors and nurses gained some understanding of this strange ailment. Now, listening to Doctor Qi’s descriptions, they immediately felt a chill and shivered uncomfortably. Some even wondered if it was psychological, as they simultaneously felt itchiness creeping over them.

But, recalling what Doctor Qi said, everyone feared that the symptoms might happen to them. Even though they knew those symptoms were non-transmissible, none dared to scratch the itch, forcing themselves to endure it.

"When that family arrived at the hospital, the person responsible for treating them was my senior brother. After examining them, my master initially thought it was merely a special skin condition. But surprisingly, after trying various anti-inflammatory and anti-itch medications, those people’s symptoms showed no improvement."

"All kinds of instruments were used for testing, but none detected viruses or bacteria in their bodies. Even my senior brother was at a loss."

"Because of this, my senior brother forwarded their case to my master, hoping he could shed some light on the condition."

"After reviewing the test results and symptom descriptions, my master immediately said it wasn’t a disease—it was Gu."

"At that time, I was pursuing my Ph.D. under my master’s supervision. Hearing the word ’Gu’ for the first time, just like your reaction, I found it incredible."

"But the situation developed beyond our expectations. That family had indeed been afflicted by Gu because they had offended someone. Unexceptionally, the entire family was cursed by Gu—a type that only caused itchiness without any other bodily harm. However, this itch was unbearable for normal people, forcing them to endure such torment day and night."

Hearing Doctor Qi’s words, several doctors marveled at this type of Gu and couldn’t help but ask, "Then what happened next? What about that family?"

Doctor Qi chuckled. "Later, my master couldn’t help either. That family had to search for other expertise. Strangely, half a month later, they hadn’t found a good treatment method. Just as they were desperately trying anything, the itch suddenly and miraculously disappeared, along with the rashes. But—"

"But what?" everyone asked curiously.

"Just that they couldn’t resist the itch beforehand and scratched themselves. The rashes ruptured, oozed pus, formed scabs, and left many dark brown scars on their bodies—not just on their backs and necks, but even on their faces, looking very unsightly."

The doctors didn’t find this troubling, but the nurses felt differently. Hospital nurses were generally beautiful and loved their looks, so imagining those horrible rashes leaving dark brown scars on their faces like disfigurement changed their expressions instantly. They felt immense sympathy for that family.

"Healing without medication, Doctor Qi, isn’t this Gu quite strange? The ones we read about usually require the person who cast them to cure them personally; otherwise, there’s no way to heal them, right?"

Several doctors were extremely curious about this.

Doctor Qi shook his head and said, "I asked my master about this too. His explanation was that ant-like insects live short lives, and the Gu used by the Miao people are actually toxic pests."

"These insects, when cast by a Witch Gu onto a person, enter the body and rely on the blood to survive. But these insects have a lifespan, usually going through metamorphosis to maturity and then dying within days or weeks. So some Gu, after entering the body, don’t last long. They inflict a period of torment and then perish."

Upon hearing this explanation, the doctors immediately understood, though some remained puzzled: "But even if the insects have short lives, they lay many eggs. If they lay and hatch eggs within the body, wouldn’t these Gu persist constantly within and last much longer?"

Doctor Qi nodded. "Normal Gu often act this way. That’s why some books and TV shows feature Miaojiang Witchcraft, claiming Gu cannot be dissolved by anyone but its caster."

"Because each Witch Gu uses different poisons. If you can’t address the root cause, even if you eliminate the Gu insects within the afflicted person’s body, it only treats the symptoms. The eggs attached inside will continue to hatch endlessly."

"However, the family my senior brother dealt with likely had Gu poison different from normal ones. These pests might be selectively single-sex toxic insects, secreting toxins in the body but unable to reproduce. So, once these insects reach the end of their lifespan, they die, and the affliction sings naturally vanish."

The doctors immediately grasped the situation, nodding: "So that’s how it is."

The nurses appeared to understand partially, but they were more into gossip. They huddled together, discussing who the couple might have offended and speculating about the Witch Gu, with conversations ranging from offending people to love and revenge, eventually imagining a dramatic eight o’clock soap opera scene.