Divine Level Witch Doctor

The community doctor soon discovered his worries were all for naught. Zhao Yuan’s hands were rock-steady, without the slightest tremor.

This display of skill truly astonished the community doctor. He often performed minor surgeries at his community clinic, had undertaken advanced training at major hospitals, and had seen his share of high-stakes situations. Yet, whether it was himself or the surgeons and experts he’d seen in those major hospitals, none could compare to Zhao Yuan when it came to steadiness!

Of course, he couldn’t have known that Zhao Yuan’s steadiness came from cultivating the Four Saints Technique, which had tempered his body to the Mid Stage of Muscle Strengthening. He could only marvel, involuntarily linking Zhao Yuan with the word ’prodigy’...

’So young, yet so calm while facing such a difficult emergency surgery, and displaying one astounding Medical Skill after another... If that’s not a prodigy, what is?’

Zhao Yuan had no idea what the community doctor was thinking. His entire focus was now on extracting the bullet.

To others, he appeared calm and composed, his hands as steady as a rock. Only he knew just how immense the difficulty he faced was. Thankfully, he could use his Qi Observation Technique to pinpoint the bullet’s location. Otherwise, even if he managed to extract it, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t damage Lu Qing’s spleen.

The surgical forceps probed deep into the wound. Zhao Yuan held his breath, carefully sensing the feedback traveling up the instrument. Suddenly, he felt the tip of the forceps touch something hard. ’The bullet,’ he knew. Gently rotating the forceps, he clamped down on it and slowly exhaled. The next step was to pull it out. However, this was also the part of the procedure with the highest risk of damaging the spleen. A single slip-up would lead to a disastrous outcome.

Zhao Yuan’s hands remained perfectly steady as he slowly withdrew the forceps clutching the bullet. He couldn’t rush this part. The bullet was embedded in the flesh, and pulling it out too quickly could easily cause further injury. Fortunately, the process was completed without a hitch.

As the bullet was removed, Zhao Yuan let out a long sigh of relief. The community doctor beside him, however, shouted in excitement, ”He got it out! The bullet’s out! My goodness, that Medical Skill, that composure... he’s really one of a kind!”

In that moment, the community doctor was completely in awe of Zhao Yuan.

Setting down the forceps, Zhao Yuan picked up fresh cotton balls and gauze, carefully packing the wound. He then wrapped more gauze around Lu Qing’s waist several times, dressing the injury. Gunshot wounds like this can’t be sutured in the Early Stage. Suturing is only possible after a few days, once the condition has stabilized and symptoms like inflammation have subsided.

HUFF.

His work done, Zhao Yuan collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat.

This was his first time ever performing surgery, and a high-stakes one at that, where the slightest misstep could have been fatal. The pressure had been immense. He had been forced to remain calm, gritting his teeth and pushing through it. Now that the surgery was over, a profound exhaustion washed over his body and mind.

The police officer standing guard nearby asked nervously, ”Xiaozhao, our Land Group... is she...?”

”The bullet’s out, so she’s out of immediate danger for now,” Zhao Yuan answered, gasping for breath. ”But we still need to get her to a hospital immediately. She’s lost too much blood. We need to restore her blood volume and get the bleeding under control, or her life will still be at risk! Where’s the ambulance? How far out is it?”

”I’ll call and check,” the officer said, quickly pulling out his phone. A moment later, his expression was fraught with anxiety. ”The ambulance is stuck in traffic. Apparently, there was a car crash on the route, and with it being rush hour, the road’s completely gridlocked. The ambulance can’t move at all. Our guys from the traffic division are on site trying to clear it up, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be moving anytime soon...”

”What?” Zhao Yuan’s brow furrowed.

He had gone through all that trouble to remove the bullet from Lu Qing’s body and get the bleeding under control. But if the ambulance couldn’t get here in time to take her to the hospital for proper treatment, she would be in grave danger all over again. Even if she was lucky enough to pull through, she’d be left with severe, long-term complications.

”We can’t just sit here and wait. We have to get Lu Qing to the hospital as soon as possible!” Zhao Yuan made an instant decision. ”How far is the nearest hospital?”

”About four or five kilometers,” the community doctor, who was familiar with the local area, replied.

”We can’t wait for the ambulance,” Zhao Yuan said. ”Alright, I’ll carry Officer Lu and run to the hospital.”

”That’s not possible!” the community doctor immediately objected. ”It’s four or five kilometers! Setting aside whether you can even run that far while carrying someone, it’s still not a good idea. The bullet may be out, but the wound is still fresh. All the jostling from the run will inevitably cause further damage and worsen her condition!”

”Your concerns are valid, but we have no other choice right now,” Zhao Yuan said gravely. ”I will do everything in my power to keep my arms as steady as a rock and ensure Officer Lu isn’t jostled!”

Running while carrying an adult, all while keeping one’s arms rock-steady to prevent any jostling... The difficulty was astronomical. The community doctor found it hard to believe anyone could possibly do it. Yet, when he saw Zhao Yuan lift Lu Qing into his arms and take off at a run, his jaw dropped in shock.

Zhao Yuan was actually doing it!

Though his feet were moving at a blur, his arms remained exceptionally stable. Lu Qing, cradled in his embrace, was as steady as if she were lying on solid ground, not experiencing the slightest jolt.

It looked simple, but was actually incredibly difficult. Zhao Yuan had to use the Black Tortoise Form, the most stable stance in the Four Saints Technique. By tensing the muscles in his arms, he was able to absorb the vibrations from his high-speed run, just barely managing to keep Lu Qing from being jostled.

The community doctor also broke into a run, intending to lead the way for Zhao Yuan. The other officer wanted desperately to follow, but he couldn’t. The drug dealer was still handcuffed there, and someone had to watch him until backup arrived.

After a kilometer, Zhao Yuan was already panting heavily. Although his stamina was far greater than before, he was, after all, sprinting while carrying an adult and simultaneously controlling his arms to prevent any jostling. The difficulty was orders of magnitude greater than a normal run.

After two kilometers, Zhao Yuan’s breaths were coming in ragged gasps, like a bellows. Sweat had completely soaked through his clothes. His legs felt as if they were filled with lead, and every step was an enormous effort. Lu Qing, in his arms, seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, crushing him to the point where he felt his arms would snap. He desperately wanted to put her down and rest for a moment. But he didn’t. He knew he didn’t have time to rest, that he *couldn’t* rest. If he stopped, his energy would dissipate, and he wouldn’t be able to get Lu Qing to the hospital safely.

All he could do now was keep going, and then keep going some more.

It wasn’t just Zhao Yuan who was pushing on; the community doctor running alongside him was, too.

He was gasping for air and wanted to stop and catch his breath several times, but seeing that Zhao Yuan was still running, he could only grit his teeth and keep up, pointing out the right way at every fork in the road.

Three kilometers in, the community doctor truly couldn’t run any longer. He gathered his last bit of breath and yelled to Zhao Yuan, ”Turn right at the second intersection up ahead! Run a few hundred more meters and you’ll see the hospital! I can’t go on, I have to rest...” With that, he could no longer stay on his feet and collapsed to the ground with a THUD.

”Thanks!” Zhao Yuan gasped. He wanted to sit down and rest too, but he couldn’t. He had to keep running.

’Almost there. We’re almost at the hospital. Hold on! Just hold on!’ Zhao Yuan chanted to himself. Though his stride was becoming ragged, his arms remained rock-steady, ensuring Lu Qing, nestled in his embrace, felt not the slightest tremor.

Finally, he reached his destination and saw the hospital.

The moment he burst into the hospital, Zhao Yuan yelled, ”Doctor! We need a doctor, quick! She’s a police officer, shot while apprehending a suspect! The bullet’s been removed, but she’s lost a lot of blood and needs a transfusion urgently!”

Even though he was dizzy with exhaustion, he maintained a sliver of composure, not forgetting to give a quick summary of Lu Qing’s condition.

Doctors and nurses from the emergency department immediately rushed over, carefully transferring Lu Qing onto a gurney and wheeling her toward an operating room.

Zhao Yuan followed them all the way to the operating room doors. Suddenly, a powerful wave of fatigue washed over him, so intense he could barely stand. He quickly slumped onto a nearby bench, sucking in huge gulps of air. Within minutes, he had passed out from sheer exhaustion.