Chapitre 6: Cauterization
Major Robert looked at Sofia with a sly grin, then turned his gaze back to me. "This might sting a little, green boy," he said, his smile shifting from sly to cruel.
Green boy!
Throwing caution to the wind, I fixed my gaze on him. "Major, Robert please allow me to finish the gratitude I was expressing before you interrupted. First, I want to sincerely thank you for arriving in time to rescue both Sofia and me. Please accept my deepest gratitude for that. However, given my current condition,I'm afraid that I cannot undergo cauterization. Unfortunately, I also don't believe that cauterization will help in my situation, so I can't accept your kindness."
I finished speaking with a smile, but my eyes remained firmly fixed on him.
Cauterization? Are you fucking kidding me?
What kind of black magic is that?
Although my knowledge of medicine is limited, I do know that wound infections are primarily caused by various bacteria in the environment.
Cauterization actually increases the risk of infection by causing more tissue damage and creating a more favorable environment for bacterial growth.
Eighteenth-century medicine seems more like black magic or witchcraft than actual science.
I remember reading an article about the cause of George Washington's death.
Poor old Washington had only a cold that led to acute laryngitis, but the doctors first gave him a bunch of questionable herbs and then drained nearly two liters of blood from him.
And that wasn't even the worst part—They even considered treating him with an enema to save him, and they really did it.
The thought made me clench my buttocks.
Acute laryngitis on its own causes significant suffering, but poor old Washington, before his death, not only had to endure the pain of the illness but also had to suffer through so many torturous treatments.
Washington was in good health at the time, but thanks to the relentless efforts of three determined doctors, they managed to torment the poor old man to death.
Washington was the founding president, a man of great stature, yet even he suffered so much before he died.
I certainly don't want to end up like him, tortured in the name of treatment before my death.
Especially now, in this damp jungle, even if my wound isn't fatal, Cauterization would almost certainly lead to infection.
Moreover, Major Robert's barely concealed attitude since I regained consciousness makes me suspect that if I were to pass out again due to cauterization, he might do something terrible to Sofia.
I need to stay alert—for both Sofia's and my own safety.
Major Robert spat viciously and sneered, "Ah, a tough guy, huh? Well, suit yourself."
With that, he shrugged and walked back to the fire. His two subordinates hurried over, saying something I couldn't hear, and soon the three of them were laughing loudly, casting glances at Sofia.
"Tom, why aren't you accepting treatment? Your wound may not be deep, but if it festers, it'll be a problem, and there aren't any doctors here to help you," Sofia asked worriedly.
I took Sofia's hand and looked at her as I explained, "Honey, I'm okay. Cauterization will only make my wound worse and won't disinfect it."
Sofia's hand was incredibly soft, and as I held her delicate fingers and looked at her beautiful face, filled with fear from everything that had happened, a wave of resolve washed over me.
I'm the master of this body now, and Sofia is my girlfriend. She gave up a comfortable life to follow me to the wilderness of colonial America out of love.
No matter what, I must protect her and ensure she comes to no harm.
I gripped Sofia's hand tightly. Perhaps my expression conveyed my feelings, because she also held my hand affectionately, bent down, and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before asking, "So what should we do now?"
Sofia's sudden gesture left my mind in a daze.
Did she just kiss me?
My first kiss!
She took my first kiss!
"Oh, what should we do? What should we do now?" I repeated her question mechanically, still lost in the memory of my first kiss.
It happened so suddenly that I didn't even have time to fully experience the feeling of the kiss.
I need more! One more kiss, please. My inner voice screamed desperately.
"Tom, are you okay?" Sofia gently shook my arm.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. You were asking what we should do next, right?" I stammered, feeling as guilty as a thief caught in the act, trying not to let Sofia know my true thoughts.
"Yes, if not cauterization, then how should we treat your wound?"
I calmed myself and began to think about our current situation. Memories started to surface, and suddenly, I remembered that I had something very useful in my luggage.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone