Chapter 49: Gu Insect, More Than One
Gu Insect!
Hearing what Zhou Fan said, both Chen Feng and Gu Feifei, who had just finished tidying her hair, froze. Chen Feng's expression was especially telling. After a moment of confusion, it morphed into shock, then into terror and fury!
But Ah Lian's expression remained unchanged. She even poured Chen Feng a glass of wine. "I don't know what a Gu Insect is, but since Mr. Zhou has said so, I'll take his word for it."
"Mr. Zhou, how could I have a Gu Insect? Is there a way to get rid of it?"
Chen Feng suddenly interjected, looking at Zhou Fan with a tense expression. Under the table, however, he secretly kicked Ah Lian's foot.
"How you got it is a question for yourself. All I can say is that this type of Gu Insect is very aggressive. It's probably been in your body for at least a decade, maybe longer. I even suspect it's been there since the moment you were born. As you grew, the Gu Insect grew with you!"
"Now, this Gu Insect is about to mature. It's preparing to devour you completely before finding a new host or returning to its master!"
Zhou Fan didn't notice Chen Feng's action. He had one hand on Gu Feifei's waist, and it was starting to wander.
"It's been there since the moment I was born? This… I think I might know how it happened!" Chen Feng's face fell. He sighed heavily and spoke in a low voice.
"I remember my mother telling me when I was little that for some reason, I didn't cry or make a fuss when I was born. I just kept my eyes open, refusing to eat or drink. I almost didn't make it. Back then, my grandfather and father tried everything and sought help from many people, but nothing worked."
"Three days passed. Just when they had lost all hope, my mother had a dream. Following the dream's instructions, she took me to Miaojiang, where an old woman fed me something that looked like a piece of candy."
"My mother said that after I ate that candy, I started crying my eyes out. And I've been perfectly healthy ever since."
Chen Feng sounded as if he were talking to himself, yet he was also recounting to Zhou Fan the story of how he came to have the Gu Insect.
"Don't move!"
Listening to Chen Feng, Zhou Fan frowned slightly. He then placed a hand on the other man's shoulder as a flash of crimson glinted in his eyes.
Through Zhou Fan's eyes, Chen Feng's bones, blood, and meridians became distinct and clear. He could even see the flow of blood within Chen Feng's body with perfect clarity.
Zhou Fan's eyes were like a scanner, meticulously searching every inch of Chen Feng's body. They finally locked onto Chen Feng's heart, where a red insect, about ten centimeters long, was lying quietly, continuously feeding on his blood.
But Zhou Fan frowned and shook his head. Something still seemed off.
The other three had no idea what Zhou Fan was doing. To them, he was just holding Chen Feng's shoulder with one hand, staring at him intently. Even for Chen Feng, despite his unconventional preferences, the intense gaze was making his skin crawl.
'What is this guy trying to do?'
'He's not thinking of...?'
Chen Feng was conflicted. 'If Zhou Fan really tries something, should I consent?'
'But he isn't my type at all!'
'Besides, based on Zhou Fan's behavior, if I agreed, I'd definitely be the passive one. Zhou Fan would be the one in control!'
Ah Lian shot a questioning glance at Gu Feifei, only to see Gu Feifei shake her head in equal confusion.
Phew!
Just as the three of them were lost in their own thoughts and at a loss for what to do, Zhou Fan finally returned to normal. He let out a long breath, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag, as if to calm his unease.
"Mr.… Mr. Zhou, did you find anything? Is there a cure?"
Chen Feng's voice trembled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
"There is a red Gu Insect located in your heart. At its current rate, I estimate that in about half a year, your heart will no longer be able to take the strain and will collapse completely."
Zhou Fan spoke softly, his eyes subtly flicking toward Ah Lian as he continued, "With my current abilities, I can't cure you completely. However, I can temporarily suppress the Gu Insect to buy you some more time."
"Yes, of course! Just buying more time would be a huge help!" Chen Feng nodded eagerly. Time was his biggest concern. "So, Mr. Zhou, what should I do?"
"Have someone prepare a set of golden needles. Remember, they must be solid gold—plated ones won't do. Have them brought here now!" Zhou Fan thought for a moment. It seemed that aside from using the Golden Needle Acupoint Passage, there were no other options for now.
"Ah Lian, handle this personally. I wouldn't trust anyone else with it!" Chen Feng said, turning to Ah Lian. She nodded in agreement and left with the two bodyguards.
The moment Ah Lian left, Zhou Fan clearly sensed the tense front Chen Feng had been putting up relax slightly, which further confirmed his suspicion.
'There's more than one Gu Insect!'