The entire Henry family hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Old Master Henry sat in a chair, looking at the iron chains binding him. John quickly stepped forward to unlock them.
"Are you James?" Old Master Henry looked at James with a smile.
James nodded and smiled, "Now that you're okay, sir, I should be going."
Just as James was about to leave, there was a sudden commotion outside, followed by a deep, powerful voice saying, "Was Old Master Henry bitten by a mutated beast?"
A second later, James saw a middle-aged man in a military uniform stride in with a serious expression.
"Tremp!" James's eyes lit up upon seeing him.
He had planned to use the well water to connect to the upper levels of Lakeside City but had not expected that right after curing Old Master Henry, a high-ranking official of Lakeside City would appear, and a nuclear-level one at that.
Tremp, in the previous life, was the ruler of the entire Tremp Base and the highest authority in Lakeside City.
Even now, Tremp was one of the top-ranking figures in Lakeside City.
"Hmm?" Tremp's eyes brightened upon seeing Henry in the living room, and he said with joy, "Henry, you're alright?"
Henry chuckled, "Thanks to this young man James, he saved my life."
Beside him, a doctor wearing glasses quickly said, "This is simply a miracle. Old Master Henry's virus had already erupted, but this young man gave him a glass of medicine, and he was instantly cured."
"Oh?" Tremp's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he turned to scrutinize James for a full two seconds.
James was very familiar with this future leader of Lakeside City. Sensing Tremp's gaze, he remained calm and stood quietly.
"What a young man," Tremp praised inwardly and then said, "I don't know your name yet, but you have the medicine to cure mutated beast bites. I hope you can give this medicine to us."
James remained calm and nodded, saying, "This medicine was given to me by someone else, and I don't know the formula. But if you want to study it, I can give you some."
"Oh?" Tremp's eyes lit up, and he suddenly stood at attention, saluting James with a standard military salute, saying loudly, "On behalf of all the people of this country, I thank you!"
After saluting, Tremp added, "Don't worry, if this medicine is effective, it will be priceless. Feel free to ask for anything you need."
James waved his hand and smiled, "I don't need anything. You should focus on developing a cure for the mutated beast virus. By the way, I need you to publicly announce that I have handed over all the medicine to the government."
Just kidding, James wasn't foolish. If he asked for something now, Tremp would think it was just a transaction and forget about James. But if James asked for nothing, Tremp would remember him.
Tremp understood James's intention and nodded, saying, "That's expected. I can guarantee your and your family's safety."
Then, Tremp immediately sent someone to accompany James back to his residence. James handed over a prepared bottle of well water.
Tremp's people took the well water and hurried back. However, Tremp was also considerate and immediately gave James a "Merit Medal."
James knew about this Merit Medal. It was part of a grand plan in Lakeside City to abolish currency and trade for survival supplies with merit.
Only those who made significant contributions to humanity would receive a Merit Medal, granting many privileges, such as receiving high-quality food without labor and permanent residence in the safe zone.
In the previous life, it was said that there were only dozens of these medals in the entire Tremp Base, given to those who made the greatest contributions to humanity.
Tremp giving the Merit Medal to James in advance showed his consideration. James also received a certificate, which, although just a formal commendation, had an obvious implication: the government had taken the medicine, and James was under official protection. Anyone who wanted to make a move should think twice.
James's initial goal was achieved. After seeing Tremp's people off, he sighed inwardly, thinking, "I'm still too weak."
If James had enough power or strength, he wouldn't need to hand over the well water or seek Tremp's protection.
"Next, I need to quickly improve my strength and form my own group. Besides, the number of mutated beasts in the western district will increase, making it unsuitable for my parents to live here long-term." James was already planning for the future.
However, forming a group was not an easy task and required a lot of resources, which were currently out of James's reach. For a moment, James felt like he was back to the days right after his rebirth, worrying about gathering supplies.
After Tremp left, James's phone suddenly beeped. He looked down to see a message from an unknown number, but the content caught his interest—"James, this is Henry. Thank you for saving my grandfather. The western district has many mutated beasts, and it's not suitable for long-term residence. I have a house in Green Park. You can move in; the ownership has already been transferred to your name. Although Green Park is in the suburbs and not a high-end community, it is my small token of appreciation. I hope you won't refuse."
James couldn't help but smile upon reading the message. Henry was still the same as in the previous life, always a step ahead and meticulous in his actions, which explained his high status in the Henry family.
Green Park wasn't a high-end community now, but its elevated location made it a future safe zone in Lakeside City, with property values soaring tenfold. Henry must have known some insider information, which is why he chose to give James this villa.
Meanwhile, after receiving the well water from James, Tremp immediately tested it by giving it to an official who had been bitten by a mutated beast. The official recovered instantly, and Tremp, usually composed, was momentarily stunned by the results.
Two minutes later, Tremp, in his military uniform, appeared in the office of the highest official in Lakeside City.
Ten minutes later, seven top officials of Lakeside City gathered in a hidden chamber. The middle-aged man sitting in the center began the meeting, "I called this emergency meeting because we have found a cure for the mutated beast virus."
"What?" The usually unflappable officials were visibly shocked.
That evening, a news report announced, "A team of scientists has developed a cure for the mutated beast virus. The research team is currently working on mass production, which should be available soon."
This news sent shockwaves throughout the country, filling everyone with immense joy. Even the whole world was amazed.
James also saw the news and smiled. He knew that the discovery of this medicine would shock not only Lakeside City but the entire world. And he had achieved his goal by gaining the promise of protection from Tremp, the future ruler of Tremp Base.