After lunch, everyone returned to their homes for a midday nap, seeking refuge from the intense heat of noon.
The sun hung in the sky like a massive furnace, scorching the earth. Sweat would pour from anyone, even if they remained motionless.
By morning, the roofs of the three makeshift shelters had been completed, and new door curtains were hung, providing a degree of privacy for Bai Sheng and Lu Ye's living space.
Bai Sheng lay alone on the ground. Lu Ye had entered the spatial dimension, taking the opportunity to complete the tasks Bai Sheng had assigned him.
"Dongjia! Dongjia! Help! Save my son's life!"
Suddenly, a heart-wrenching cry erupted from outside the shelter.
Bai Sheng immediately scrambled to her feet, lifted the door curtain, and saw Tian Guihua running towards her in a state of panic. She pointed to a sand dune and cried, "Dongjia, you are experienced and knowledgeable, please save my son's life!"
"What happened?" Bai Sheng stepped forward, asking urgently.
Tian Guihua trembled, "My Tian Dou... he passed a lot of worms, and... and his body is sweating black!"
Passing worms? Could it be roundworms? Ancient people certainly had no concept of roundworms.
As for the black sweat, Bai Sheng recalled her own body's detoxification process when she bathed with spiritual spring water.
"Hurry and take me to see him!"
Tian Guihua immediately turned and, with Bai Sheng, stumbled towards the sand dune.
Hearing Tian Guihua's cries, everyone else emerged and hurried in the direction she was heading.
On the other side of the sand dune.
Tian Dou was seen squatting with his pants half-pulled down over a small sand pit, defecating. The excrement was dark, foul-smelling, and interspersed with numerous, chopstick-length pink roundworms wriggling continuously. Several worms were still attached to his buttocks, not yet fallen. Tian Dou, terrified, was crying his eyes out, afraid to move.
The sweat on his face and body was also pitch black. His entire being seemed to have been dipped in ink, emitting a strange, unpleasant odor.
Upon witnessing this scene, Lu Yun shouted, "Tian Dou, I'm here to save you!"
He immediately lunged forward, intending to pull the worms clinging to Tian Dou's buttocks with his bare hands.
This child was too chivalrous!
Bai Sheng, quick-eyed, grabbed him by the back of his collar and turned to Tian Guihua, saying, "Sister Guihua, just use a thin stick to pick the worms out!"
Someone from the crowd immediately handed over two bamboo sticks. Tian Guihua covered her mouth and nose and pulled out the worms.
The onlookers felt their scalps tingle and involuntarily took a step back.
Tian Dou, without time to wipe himself, immediately pulled up his pants and, as if fleeing, jumped away from the pile of excrement.
Tian Guihua hugged him tightly, her expression filled with fear, and asked Bai Sheng, "Dongjia, has my Tian Dou contracted a serious illness? Why is he passing so many worms and sweating black all over?"
Before Bai Sheng could answer, Grandma Tie Zhu anxiously added, "My Tie Zhu has also been sweating black these past two days!"
Bai Sheng smiled and said, "Those worms are called roundworms, a common childhood illness. If one doesn't pay attention to hand and mouth hygiene, they can get infected by worm eggs, and roundworms will grow in the intestines.
Roundworms are intestinal parasites. They are generally not fatal, but if they burrow into the bile duct, they can cause severe pain. Too many worms can also lead to intestinal obstruction and affect nutrient absorption. Most of the time, they don't cause serious consequences. A bit of medicine to expel them from the body will suffice.
From now on, when we dig wells and have ample water, everyone must wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet to maintain cleanliness and hygiene."
Upon hearing that they had worms in their intestines, everyone shuddered and instinctively clutched their stomachs.
The younger children, in particular, were terrified. They never wanted to defecate again! What if they also passed worms!
Hearing Bai Sheng's explanation, Tian Guihua felt much relieved. She then asked, "Then, what about that black sweat? Do normal people sweat black?"
Bai Sheng's expression paused, and she smiled slightly, "Sister Guihua, Granny Zhong, and everyone here, you should all be happy. Tian Dou and Tie Zhu sweating black means their bodies are expelling toxins, indicating that these toxins can be eliminated."
"Expelling toxins?" Tian Guihua and Granny Zhong were greatly surprised. "Expelling what toxins?"
Bai Sheng glanced at the crowd and, after a moment of hesitation, asked directly, "Have everyone present ever eaten... human flesh?"
Everyone looked at each other, then lowered their heads in embarrassment.
Yes, they had eaten it. If they hadn't, how could they have survived until today?
The answer was self-evident.
Bai Sheng's smile faded, and she said gravely, "Humans can eat the carcasses of other animals because they are different species, and the composition of their bodies differs greatly. Therefore, the human body will reject the toxins accumulated in animal bodies.
However, humans eating humans is not permissible. Due to the extreme similarity in the composition of human flesh and blood, the toxins present in the consumed human's body will directly enter the body of the consumer, resulting in a type of Kuru disease. This disease is generally incurable and fatal."
Everyone present turned deathly pale, their spirits utterly crushed.
"What is Kuru disease?" Grandma Tie Zhu asked, her voice trembling.
Bai Sheng, having experienced prolonged illness in her previous life, had become somewhat of a self-taught doctor and had privately consulted many medical books. Her knowledge of Kuru disease stemmed purely from curiosity.
To ensure everyone understood what Kuru disease was, she patiently explained, "Kuru disease is caused by cannibalism.
In the early stages, patients only experience headaches and joint pain, followed by ataxia, tremors, and involuntary movements, the latter including chorea and myoclonus.
In the late stages, progressive dementia and mental abnormalities appear. Most patients die within 3 to 6 months of symptom onset."
"So, does that mean my Tian Dou, and I... we all... are going to die?" Tian Guihua trembled with fear.
The others also gaped in astonishment, their palms sweating, their eyes filled with boundless despair.
"Sister Guihua, don't worry," Bai Sheng said with a smile, beginning to fabricate an origin for the spiritual spring water. "Earlier, I said you should be fortunate because the water I've been distributing to everyone these past few days is actually a type of mountain spring water with nourishing and detoxifying properties.
Moreover, I've added a special herbal medicine for expelling toxins and promoting health. As long as you continue to drink it for a while longer, the residual toxins in your bodies will be gradually eliminated.
Tian Dou and Tie Wa are younger, so the mountain spring water has had a quicker effect on them, which is why they are showing symptoms first.
In a few more days, you should also start to sweat black, and your stools will likely be dark and foul-smelling. Once the toxins are gone, everything will return to normal."
"This... this means we won't die?" Tian Guihua excitedly hugged Tian Dou.
Grandma Tie Zhu also repeatedly patted her chest.
Bai Sheng smiled, "Fortunately, you stopped consuming... that substance in time, and my mountain spring water and detoxifying herbal medicine have taken effect. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."