Although Wu Tian had told everyone not to drink the well water, he reconsidered, thinking it would be inconvenient. He then used his spiritual energy to purify the well water and arranged for someone to guard it.
A week passed quickly, and Wu Tian found no one responsible for the poisoning. Moreover, no villagers experienced any further issues, and the matter was gradually forgotten.
This day was the day for campaigning for the village chief election. A stage was set up in the square, with villagers filling the area below.
The village chief of Peach Blossom Village typically served an eight-year term, elected by popular vote. Wang Damao had been the village chief for sixteen years and was confident in this election. He spoke at length on stage, emphasizing his experience and ability to transform Peach Blossom Village into a true paradise. Wu Tian, however, merely picked his nose, dismissing it all as nonsense.
Wang Damao had been village chief for sixteen years. While he hadn't committed any major offenses, Peach Blossom Village remained the same as it had been before. For such a poor village, true development was incredibly difficult and not solely dependent on the village chief. Nevertheless, Wang Damao received considerable applause; after all, he was the old village chief and was familiar with everyone in the village. It was highly probable that they would re-elect him.
Other candidates also took the stage to campaign, but their impact was minimal. Wu Tian felt sleepy, finding such events utterly boring and preferring to sleep in. He yawned and waited, finally reaching the last candidate.
The man was named Liu Song, in his forties. He usually did business out of town and was a wealthy individual in the village. It was whispered among the villagers that if not for Wang Damao's strong popular support, the village chief position would likely have gone to Liu Song.
Liu Song began with some perfunctory remarks, nothing new. Just as Wu Tian thought the event was nearing its end, Liu Song’s subsequent words caught his attention.
"Speaking of which, I must mention one thing," he said. "A major incident occurred in the village a few days ago: the well that everyone relies on was poisoned by someone with malicious intent!"
"I don't care who did this, but our safety is indeed a significant issue! The current village committee bears great responsibility for this."
"Although this disaster was resolved with the help of our dear village doctor, Wu Tian, it serves as a wake-up call!"
"I believe such incidents will continue to happen. Only if I become the village chief can I prevent such malicious events from occurring again."
"Please cast your vote for me. I believe that under my leadership, everyone will live in peace and happiness!"
Using the poisoning incident as a talking point was indeed quite effective. The villagers' anxieties were reawakened, and they hoped Liu Song could protect them, leading to extremely enthusiastic applause. Wang Damao, who had been so confident, turned pale. He thought, "Damn it, am I going to lose this time?"
Meanwhile, Wu Tian’s brow furrowed as he listened to Liu Song's speech. He felt something was amiss. The fact that Liu Song brought up the villagers' poisoning at this moment gave him the impression that Liu Song had perhaps been planning this all along.
Upon reflection, Liu Song's speech was quite skillful. He used the poisoning incident to undermine Wang Damao's capabilities, thereby increasing his own chances of winning the election. Thinking it over, Liu Song seemed to be the biggest beneficiary! Could it be that he was the one who administered the poison? Wu Tian looked at Liu Song's smiling face, his suspicions growing stronger.
He decided to test the waters. As Liu Song had not yet left the stage, Wu Tian loudly declared, "Villagers, you don't need to be so nervous. As long as I am here, you don't have to fear being poisoned!"
"I could cure you this time, and I can cure you a second time, so please don't let this incident affect you!" He had no intention of defending Wang Damao; he simply wanted to gauge Liu Song's reaction.
As expected, upon hearing Wu Tian's words, Liu Song's smile froze slightly. He looked at Wu Tian, his smile now tinged with a hint of darkness. "Wu Tian, I know you're capable, but you can't just say things like that, can you? What's the difference between that and blind confidence?"
"You must understand, this is a matter of life and death for the entire village!"
"You cured everyone this time, but what about next time, or the time after that? Can you guarantee you'll be able to cure them again?"
Wu Tian chuckled coldly, "What you're saying sounds like you're cursing everyone."
Liu Song immediately became angry, "Wu Tian, don't slander me!"
"When have I ever cursed anyone? I'm just reasonably raising my concerns!"
"You cured someone's poisoning this time, but if someone else comes with a different poison next time, you might not be able to cure it!"
"You're just a village doctor, have you really started thinking you're an immortal?"
Wu Tian shrugged, "Why are you getting so agitated? I'm just stating my thoughts reasonably. If you don't agree, then you don't agree."
"However, I think that person wouldn't dare to poison again. They've already failed once; to try a second time would be foolish, wouldn't it?"
Liu Song snorted, "Then let's wait and see. I want to see if you really have a solution next time!"
Hearing this, Wu Tian let out a cold laugh internally. He had long heard that Liu Song was brainless and easily emotional, and that his success in business was entirely due to his father-in-law's connections. Liu Song's words now were practically a confession. However, he said nothing, simply shrugged, and left.
Watching Wu Tian's retreating back, Liu Song's expression turned extremely grim. A plan quietly solidified in his mind.
At midnight, behind a large tree by the square, Wang Damao yawned. "Hey, Wu Tian, we've been waiting for an hour. Is your information reliable?" Wang Damao asked Wu Tian, "How did you know someone would come to poison today?"
Wu Tian whispered, "Don't worry about it. Just stay here with me."
"If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the day after. We'll eventually catch that guy."
Wu Tian and Wang Damao were staking out the poisoner. After Wu Tian's conversation with Liu Song during the day, based on Liu Song's reaction, Wu Tian knew that if Liu Song was indeed the poisoner, he would poison again within three days. After all, the official voting day was in three days, and he needed a bigger bargaining chip to secure victory in the election. To this end, Wu Tian had specifically asked Wang Damao to remove the guards from the well, intending to lower Liu Song's guard and catch him red-handed.
After waiting for another hour, the square remained silent. Even Wu Tian began to feel drowsy. Was no one coming today? He yawned again, his eyelids growing heavy. But just then, two figures furtively entered the square.