Lan Qiren rushes from the infirmary with Healer Fei back to the Mingshi, his mind in turmoil. How had he overlooked such obvious signs? After explaining the symptoms of their prisoner to both of his friends and then, Healer Fei, he feels like an idiot.
"Qiren, don't beat yourself up. Even if you excelled in medicine, which we both know is an aspiration for the next life, you've had too much to deal with. Not just today, but I have a feeling, ever since your return from Nightless City. That conference was a debacle that people are still talking about, and yet you've still gone night hunting, hosted the Lan conference and made significant changes in the Cultivation world." Healer Fei puts a frail hand on his arm, stopping him from opening the door to the Mingshi. "Your thoughts are too loud, my friend. Let it go," he smiles gently.
Lan Qiren takes a deep breath and nods. Perhaps Healer Fei is right; he's being too hard on himself.
"We are only human, after all. Mistakes pave the way for clarity," Healer Fei tells him firmly, before pushing open the door and holding it open for Lan Qiren to follow him inside.
But the prisoner is looking far worse than before. Thankfully, whoever was under orders to watch him, leant towards kindness and kept the bed for the young man, even though he's very much ill from the side effects of whatever was given to him. He's very pale against the white sheets, and sweat beads along his forehead, as his body is racked with shivers. He's still delirious, muttering incoherent words and clutching his pillow as if it could save him. His eyes are shut tightly, but it's as if he still can't get away from whatever is terrorising him in his mind.
If anything, his condition is worsening.
Healer Fei grabs his wrist and performs the initial examination, closing his eyes. His tension is palpable, reaching out towards Lan Qiren and the guards as they watch him anxiously. No one breathes a word.
Moments pass by like shards of fragile glass waiting to shatter.
Finally, Healer Fei opens his eyes.
"I would ask if the patient can be moved to the infirmary where the necessary ingredients are readily available to treat him. I cannot stress the urgency of his condition more. You can tie him to the bed if you like, but even you can see Qiren, he's in no condition to go running for the hills." Healer Fei is in no mood to be argued with, were Lan Qiren so inclined, and he nods, issuing orders to the guards to bring a stretcher to transport him.
"What do you think he's been given?" Lan Qiren can't wait for the privacy of the infirmary to ask Healer Fei for his diagnosis.
"A powerful hallucinogen, that's all I can tell for now. I must test the patient to know what he's been given, and then find the cure." Healer Fei is being curt for good reason, and Lan Qiren knows this.
But time is more precious as the hours bleed away, and he can't spare much kindness in lieu of his duty. "How long is it going to take?"
"Why? If he's your culprit-"
"He can't be, not if someone gave him something to act like the traitor, to throw us off the chase," Lan Qiren interrupts him, hating himself for the rudeness towards his elder, but unable to stop himself.
They follow behind the guards transporting the feverish young man, keeping their voices low.
"What were you going to do to him?" Healer Fei asks him suspiciously.
"Truth serum. I know we don't resort to that unless absolutely necessary, and I thought I had time. But we need to know what he knows as soon as possible, otherwise it could jeopardise tomorrow's mission." His brow furrows as he comes to terms with the implications of failure at this crucial time.
