Seeing that I had brought back the water, Ah Li seemed to have found reinforcements. She sprang up from the ground and threw herself into my arms, sobbing loudly.

I gently stroked her hair, murmuring comfort, "It’s alright now, it’s alright. Uncle Xiaoyu is back, and Uncle Li can be saved too. We’ll head back at dawn, and no one will bite you anymore." As I spoke, I shot a look of reproach toward Xing’er.

He sat languidly on a stone, his two feet swinging alternately against the earth, feigning complete indifference. All the innocence and charm he displayed in Miao Village had vanished. He looked more like a flippant, spoiled rich kid, adept only at creating trouble and obstruction for others.

I couldn't be bothered with him any longer. Shielding the weeping Ah Li, I walked over to Xiao Shu. Xiao Shu’s eyes were tightly shut, his face flushed crimson, his eyebrows furrowed so tightly they looked like twisted rope, capable of tying a knot if pressed together. Touching his forehead, it was scorching hot, burning even worse than when we had left.

Time to treat the wound. I sat down next to Xiao Shu, picked up the two canteens—the military one I’d brought from home, filled with the Water of the Sea of the Undead, and the ordinary one given by Yingzi, whose contents were a mystery. However, considering their past rapport, I doubted she would harm Xiao Shu.

Taking every precaution, I first rolled up the pant leg of Xiao Shu’s trousers. I unscrewed the cap of the military canteen and slowly poured the Water of the Sea of the Undead onto the wound. Initially, the injury had been merely a small dent made by a rock. Later, the laceration expanded to the size of a palm. Now, the entire leg was swollen, and a small amount of pus oozed from the broken tissue. Just as I was pouring the water, the bloated leg began to contract. Great gouts of pus surged out from the wound, and Xiao Shu’s leg twitched occasionally.

Ah Li stopped crying. She watched at first, but seeing the relentless flow of pus, she thoughtfully took a towel from her backpack and sat beside Xiao Shu, gently wiping away the fluid. There was an alarming amount of discharge; in no time, the entire towel was soaked. She then took the pus-laden cloth to the stream to rinse it, taking a long time to clean off all the reddish-yellow filth.

By the time the military canteen was empty, Xiao Shu’s swollen leg had reduced considerably, but the wound remained unhealed, and his forehead was still burning hot. I suspected the pathogens had invaded his system; external treatment alone wouldn't suffice. I picked up the canteen Yingzi had provided, hesitated for a moment, and opened the lid to take a tentative sip myself. The water was clean and sweet, completely devoid of any metallic taste. Whether it was spring water or well water, it certainly wasn't drawn from the Sea of the Undead.

After taking a mouthful, I waited for a considerable time. Feeling no adverse effects or abnormalities, I carefully lifted Xiao Shu’s upper body, nestling his head in the crook of my arm, and slowly used the water to feed him.

At first, his jaw remained tightly clenched. Ah Li set down the towel and stretched out her small hands to his mouth, forcing open the two lips that seemed glued shut. I seized the opportunity and poured a small sip in. About half of it trickled down his chin, but the other half likely slipped through his teeth and into his mouth.

With half a mouthful down, Xiao Shu’s tightly drawn brow relaxed slightly, and his mouth parted with a soft smack. I seized the moment and gave him a large gulp. This time, far less water spilled out. I could distinctly see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, indicating that the water had been swallowed.

After swallowing, his mouth opened again. I couldn't tell if it was thirst or a reaction to the water’s efficacy. The next time I brought the canteen spout to his lips, he closed his eyes and began gulping it down heartily, like a perfectly healthy man.