Eric was stunned, and Susan immediately said, "No way. We don't even know if this medicine will work."
James waved his hand dismissively and said, "Then there's no other way. If you don't trust the medicine, you can transfer the money to Uncle John. If your friend gets better, Uncle John can transfer the money to me."
Eric hesitated for a moment, but when Susan glared at him, about to explode, Eric quickly stopped her and said, "Alright, I'll transfer the $10,000 to Uncle John first."
"Damn, he really has money," James thought, annoyed but hiding it well. He agreed quickly and poured another cup of well water for Eric.
Eric grabbed the water and rushed out, while Uncle John, now safe, had his wife bustling around, inviting everyone to stay for a celebratory meal.
James and his family stayed for lunch. In the afternoon, Eric returned with a pleased look on his face, indicating that his friend was probably fine now.
As soon as he entered, Eric laughed heartily, patting James on the shoulder, "James, your medicine works wonders."
Seeing this, Uncle John immediately transferred the money to James's father, making Eric's eyelid twitch. In his mind, all this money should belong to him, even though he had already extorted over $10,000 from his so-called friend.
"I can't turn against him now; he still has that medicine. This is my chance to get rich. I need to find a way to get the medicine or the formula from him," Eric thought, feeling greedy after the success.
James, unaware of Eric's schemes, returned home with his parents after the meal.
On the way back, James's father suddenly said, "James, you shouldn't reveal that you have medicine to cure rabies. People can be dangerous."
James's eyes brightened, feeling relieved that his usually naive father had finally caught on. He smiled, "I understand. I only had one bottle, and most of it's used up now."
Back home, James rushed to the kitchen, surprising his parents, who asked, "Didn't you eat enough?"
James had gotten used to the high-quality food from the mysterious space, so even the lavish meal at Uncle John's didn't satisfy him. In the kitchen, he took out the morning's harvest: rice, greens, cabbage, and peppers.
He cooked a simple meal: stir-fried greens and spicy cabbage with rice cooked in the mysterious well water.
After about twenty minutes, the dishes were ready. The aroma filled the house, surprising his parents, who were busy with chores. They marveled at the delicious smell but were too full to eat.
James then took out apples from the mysterious space, washing them and giving one each to his parents.
"This apple is so crispy and sweet, really delicious," his mother exclaimed after a bite.
His father agreed, also praising the taste. James smiled and said, "I got these from a friend. If you like them, we can have them every day."
James then devoured his meal, enjoying the simple dishes. The rice from the mysterious space was incredibly fragrant and sweet, and he ate three large bowls, finally feeling full.
After eating, James felt a warm sensation in his body, and the energy vortex in his abdomen grew stronger. Excited, he asked his parents how they felt.
Even after just one apple, his parents felt a soothing warmth, with minor aches and pains seeming to heal.
"Grains from the mysterious space can also enhance cultivation, and even better than the well water!" James realized.
Although the well water could also promote cultivation, its limited quantity was a drawback. If the grains could provide similar benefits, it would be crucial, as they required much less well water to grow.
"Growing grains is like amplifying the well water's effect," James thought, deciding that his family should start eating the grains from the mysterious space. The well water would be reserved for emergencies.
As they ate, the news played on the television, showing reports of animal attacks and advising people to go to community clinics instead of overcrowded hospitals.
James knew the news wasn't revealing the full extent of the situation. The reality was that bites from mutated animals rendered rabies vaccines ineffective, leading to death within twenty-four hours or turning victims into zombies.
"Mom, Dad, I don't think the news is telling us everything. Uncle John still got sick after getting a rabies shot, which means the vaccine doesn't work," James said.
His parents were shocked, "That can't be true. So many people will die."
"The situation is probably worse than the news is letting on. You two should stay home for a few days. I have a bad feeling about this," James urged.
"We can't just not go to work," his mother said, but before she could continue, screams erupted from outside.
James rushed to the window, seeing figures chasing each other in the thick fog.
"Someone's gone crazy! Help!" someone screamed, followed by a chilling cry.
James sighed, realizing that someone in their neighborhood had already turned into a zombie.
The commotion outside soon died down, but news of the incident spread quickly through the community, revealing the truth: bites from mutated animals led to death or turning into zombies.
Panic spread rapidly, and online forums were flooded with desperate pleas for help.
"My mom was bitten by our dog. I'll pay $10,000 for a cure."
"Please help me! I was scratched by a wild cat. I don't want to die."
Mainstream media finally began reporting the grim reality.
"Animal bites render rabies vaccines ineffective. Victims die or lose consciousness within twenty-four hours, becoming aggressive like zombies."
"Citizens, do not panic. Our experts are researching the virus. Dr. B's team has sequenced the entire genome, naming it 'Virus X.'"
"Dr. A's team is working tirelessly on a cure."
Seeing the news, James's parents were speechless. His mother, who had insisted on going to work, immediately called her workplace to take leave.
Suddenly, more terrifying screams came from outside, mixed with human cries. The world seemed to descend into chaos that night.