There were 20 to 30 fatter-than-a-finger soft and squishy black worms stuck on his back. Upon closer inspection, those worms gradually turned red and became fatter as the time pa.s.sed…
Luo Yan regained his focus and quickly wanted to help him to pull off the worms, but Gu Yun said, “Stop!”
Luo Yan didn’t understand and looked at Gu Yun. However, he still stopped and stepped back.
Gu Yun was observing the worms on Fang Qing Hong back while saying, “Leng Xiao! Give me a torch and small branch stick.”
“Yes.” Leng Xiao quickly grabbed a torch and a stick. Gu Yun placed the fire close to Fang Qing Hong’s back. The soft worms quickly detached themselves. Under the firelight, they became red-blood pouches of water, making anyone who looked at them feel itchy. Many of them couldn’t help themselves and started scratching, worrying that worms were stuck somewhere on their bodies.
Holding the stick, Gu Yun was burning those soft worms while explaining, “These are leeches. They are commonly found on the edges of farms and fields. Many of you should have encountered them. However, this kind of leech is different from the one which lives on a farm. The rainforest is very humid, so they don’t need to live inside a water body. The gra.s.s nearby a body of water and the back of leaves provide a suitable environment for them to grow. To detach a leech, don’t use your hands to pull it, instead, use fire. It will disengage itself.”
Before it was too long, the leeches fell off. Luo Yan strode forward and stomped on them. The blood spattered all over the place, creating a heavy blood smell. Gu Yun continued to explain, “They access our skin through collars, pants, and sleeves, and then stick onto our skin. There they will draw blood. The more they draw blood, the bigger they grow. Before drawing blood, they were as thin as wild gra.s.s, but after drinking blood …” Without further explanation, everyone was clear of what would happen.
Seeing every one of them lingering with fear, Gu Yun said, “Okay, now all of you get into pairs and check each other’s back. Those with leeches on their back, please immediately go to one side.”
For a while, thousands of soldiers were looking for leeches. They found leeches on tens of soldiers’ backs, however, they weren’t as enormous as Fang Qing Hong’s leeches.
Liu Xing looked hesitant and suppressing his fear, he walked to Gu Yun’s side and quietly asked, “Boss, in case of no fire to roast them, what if we pulled them out?”
“The only thing that will get pulled is the body. Its head and sucker will still be attached onto our bodies. The wound will need a careful handling, or else it will ulcerate. In the rainforest, ulcerated wounds are very problematic,” Gu Yun slowly explained.
Liu Xing’s facial complexion whitened. His eyes were widely open, and his voice trembled, “Then how can the wound be handled properly?” Don’t say there is no cure…
Just as he finished his sentence, suddenly three to four hundred soldiers strode forward. Gu Yun was secretly taken back. She knew that there were leeches in the rainforests, but it wouldn’t be this many. That was why she forgot to warn them about it yesterday. In addition, leeches were not life-threatening. She really didn’t expect this many leeches here.
Secretly sighing, Gu Yun said, “Let me see the wounds.”