Chapter 00200: Saving Lives with a Hanging Gourd
# Saving Lives with a Hanging Gourd
Chapter 200
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 200: Saving Lives with a Hanging Gourd
At this moment, in the intermittent silence filled with wails, a cold, eerie wind suddenly rose, sweeping through the long street.
Inside the car, Tong Shan was momentarily stunned.
He felt the figures closing in around them, the terrifying pressure of the external force field, had suddenly come to a halt.
No, it wasn’t just a halt.
It was as if they instinctively wanted to retreat...
In the foul, icy wind, a blood-stained white robe fluttered, ghostly and ethereal.
The ghostly figure lying on the car hood moved stiffly, its eyes wide and vacant, staring at the unfamiliar face before it, unable to make out any details.
It couldn’t see his face clearly at all.
It was as if countless figures were overlapping, sometimes resembling a burning corpse, other times a blood-soaked demon.
At times, it appeared as a rotting skeleton, and at others, it was covered in dense, crisscrossing stitches.
Thick, bloody liquid oozed slowly from beneath the stitches, tracing a cruel arc across a face that seemed to be smiling with joy.
“Are you hurt?”
Ji Jue stared at the ghastly figure, unable to suppress the rising sense of joy and wonder in his chest.
Could it be that material had come to him on its own?
Crack!
The moment he reached out his hand, a faint sound came from the car hood.
The ghostly figure that had been lying there, screeching and roaring, instinctively took a step back.
“I... I’m not...”
The two sets of features, crudely stitched together, twitched and squirmed in a mix of cold dread and terror.
Even the soul and flesh so close at hand were forgotten in its panic.
No, it should be said that it wanted to flee!
But the terrifying speed and ability to vanish at will that it had relied on before were now completely useless!
It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed hold of it.
The work badge on Ji Jue’s chest trembled slightly, but it felt like a mountain of weight, pressing down with an inexorable force, making it impossible for the ghost to break free.
The same strange power that originated from Quan City was at work here, erasing all possibility of change.
Or rather, the moment Ji Jue appeared, the rules and power it had relied on had been completely erased, replaced by a higher, more terrifying authority.
From the moment it dared to say to the ‘doctor’ recognized by Quan City, “I’m hurt,” its fate was sealed.
“So that’s how it is...”
Ji Jue lowered his gaze, carefully sensing the strange power that now enveloped the long street.
He recalled the earnest teachings of Director Qian at the hospital, and finally, he sighed in understanding.
He said, “You’re sick.”
Snap!
In that instant, as those words left his mouth, the ferocity and rage in the ghostly figure vanished, replaced by unprecedented terror.
Even though it didn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend what was happening, it was gripped by an instinctive, primal fear.
“No! I-I-I’m not!!!”
The ghost on the car hood struggled wildly, falling into a pool of blood, scrambling on all fours to crawl away, to retreat.
Its two mixed faces screamed, “No no no no!!! Go away! Leave! Get away—!”
The screeching stopped abruptly.
Because the blood-soaked feet were now right in front of it.
“No, you’re sick. You’re very sick.”
Ji Jue comforted it, his blood-stained face breaking into a gentle smile. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll cure you...”
Doctors save patients.
Doctors will save patients.
Yes, this was his divine duty.
This was the obligation and responsibility that Quan City recognized and bestowed upon doctors...
In that moment, amidst the ghost’s screams, Ji Jue’s hand pressed down on its face, pinning it firmly to the ground. “Don’t hide your illness. I’m a doctor. Can’t you see? You must be sick. Your illness has spread throughout your body. If left untreated, it will only get worse! Come, let me take a look—”
Crack!
Amidst the violent struggle, a cracking sound came from the ghost’s body.
Ji Jue looked down, one hand still holding the ghost down, and frowned at the source of the sound.
“Your leg’s broken? How tragic!”
He gripped the bone knife, measuring the spot. “It’s this bad. We’ll have to amputate. No anesthesia, so bear with it.”
“Mmm—!!!”
Under Ji Jue’s left hand, the ghost’s eyes widened in horror.
A piercing scream erupted from beneath his palm, blood gushing like a spring.
The lower part of the left leg was severed in one swift motion, falling off and rolling in the pool of blood like a living thing.
But soon, it was enveloped by the mercury that crawled out of the toolbox, absorbed, suppressed, sealed, and reduced to a fragment the size of a thumb.
This time, there was none of the previous difficulty.
It was effortless!
“Ah, no.”
Ji Jue frowned. “Don’t move. It’s the thigh that’s broken!”
Then, with another slash, the screams rose again, and a complete right leg fell from the ghost’s body.
The spreading mercury, like a ravenous beast, instantly devoured it.
The ghost’s two faces twisted violently, eyes bloodshot, screaming and wailing in vain, struggling helplessly.
“I told you, don’t move! You need to cooperate with the doctor’s treatment! This is all for your own good!”
Ji Jue scolded angrily. “It’s your fault I cut the wrong leg! Now I’ll have to cut again! Do you think surgery is free?! If you keep moving, don’t blame me if I get nervous and cut the wrong place!”
“Mmm!! Mmm! Mmmm!!”
The ghost stared in disbelief, unable to believe its ears.
Then, as Ji Jue swung the knife again, its body convulsed uncontrollably, before stiffening completely.
Only crimson tears seeped from its four eyes, falling into the pool of blood.
Ji Jue hesitated, looking back, and noticed that the left thigh was still intact?
Then what had he just cut...
Oh!!!
Ji Jue suddenly understood, waving his hand, and the mercury absorbed the severed limb.
Since it was already cut, it was for the patient’s good.
Consider it a preventive measure against cancer.
Even though it seemed useless to keep, at least he could take it back and let Lu Feng soak it in wine.
He’s been working hard installing cameras to support the family.
He deserves a little tonic!
After three attempts, he roughly understood the special status of the ‘doctor’ within Quan City and the rules and authority he held over these ghostly entities.
Saving patients, by any means necessary.
Within the rules, he could use any method he deemed reasonable to carry out treatment.
But what triggered it?
The first time he encountered that strange figure, the bone knife had resonated, but not as strongly as now.
That meant the other party hadn’t been judged as a patient.
So what was the standard for being a patient?
Injury? Wailing? Pleading for help?
Perhaps all of the above, since the bone knife’s resonance had appeared when the other party crawled under the wheel.
As long as the conditions were met, he could act as a doctor and perform emergency treatment and surgery.
But here’s the question...
If the patient has a problem, the doctor can perform emergency treatment.
But if the patient doesn’t have a problem, can the doctor still take action?
This was something he still needed to test, but it shouldn’t be a big issue.
Even if he couldn’t send the patient to the ICU himself, he still had teammates, didn’t he?!
Imagine, as an honest, law-abiding local ‘person,’ one day you’re suddenly beaten to within an inch of your life by a group of outsiders.
At the brink of death, you’re saved by a doctor who rushes to your aid.
You’d be overjoyed, wouldn’t you?
Just thinking about it made Ji Jue want to laugh out loud.
More importantly, he had come to understand the many strange phenomena and their essence that had formed in Quan City over the decades in this highly corrupted environment.
Everything before him was merely an external manifestation.
At its core, it was a chaotic phenomenon formed by the despair, hatred, and madness of countless lingering spirits converging in Quan City.
External destruction could at most remove the branches and leaves above ground, leaving the roots untouched.
To completely eradicate it, one would either need absolute power to crush everything, turn the soil over, and expose it to the sun, grinding it to dust.
Or, one had to follow the rules, working from within to remove this malignant fruit!
Just like now...
Studying medicine could save Quan City!
“Oh no, internal organs ruptured!”
Ji Jue ‘panicked,’ “Emergency surgery is needed immediately!”
The ghost stared in horror, but before it could react, the bone knife came down, slicing open its abdomen.
A long section of intestines was roughly pulled out and removed!
“Ah, the liver isn’t looking good either.” Ji Jue frowned, reluctantly reaching in again.
“The lung’s ruptured? That’s... not good.”
“The heart’s stopped! What’s going on!”
Ji Jue’s hands moved swiftly, aided by his innate skill, as fast as if he were scooping out the stuffing of a doll.
In a few quick motions, he emptied the opened chest cavity.
But the ghost still hadn’t died?!
Its tenacity was truly admirable.
In its continuous struggle, it seemed to realize it was futile.
Only its four eyes remained fixed on him, filled with venomous hatred.
But its abilities were now completely useless, and it could only endure, waiting for the treatment to end.
Until Ji Jue, for the umpteenth time, exclaimed in shock, “Oh no, intracranial hemorrhage?!”
A pair of small hands naturally reached for its head, and before it could react, the knife came down, splitting its skull open!
Splat!
Blood gushed out, staining Ji Jue’s face, but he paid it no mind.
Emergency treatment was like this; every second counted!
If he didn’t treat it soon, the patient would recover!
But amidst the chaos, he couldn’t help but look up at the surrounding ghostly figures, which for some reason seemed to be retreating further and further away...
He could feel the connection between them.
As if they were one.
In that case...
“Oh no, the patient’s losing too much blood!”
Ji Jue frowned, shouting loudly, “Family members, prepare to donate blood!”
Instantly, the surrounding ghostly figures seemed to be disturbed, shaking violently, struggling silently as if trying to break free.
But then, they were pressed down by an even more terrifying weight, unable to move.
Frozen, flickering.
Ji Jue urged again, shouting, “The patient is about to stop breathing! Family members, what are you waiting for? Donate blood! Donate blood! Donate blood!”
In the dead silence of the long street, the voice echoed, overlapping, until it was like thunder.
On Ji Jue’s chest, the blood-stained work badge trembled violently.
Beneath the bloodstains, a face covered in stitches appeared, grinning madly.
As Ji Jue’s lips moved, it shouted in unison with him.
【Donate blood】!!!
Instantly, blood surged like a tide.
From the countless sharp screams around, crimson liquid源源不断地从人影身上涌出，汇聚成奔流，涌入地上奄奄一息的“患者”体内。
The dying, shattered ghostly figure was revitalized, glowing with renewed vigor.
Then, the blood gushed out from the wounds all over its body, spreading, only to be completely sucked up by the little ox-horse that had quietly crept up beside it, filling its fuel tank.
Delicious, loved it, wanted more!
The little ox-horse flickered its headlights, silently urging: 【More】!
And so, the wails rose again like a tide!
Then, gulp gulp, gulp gulp...
Ten minutes later, when Ji Jue reluctantly stood up from beside the patient, the ghost on the ground had been completely hollowed out, too weak even to wail, like an empty milk carton, dry and stiff.
Even the four eyes on its face had been removed by Ji Jue as a preventive measure against presbyopia.
After donating blood seven or eight times in a row, the surrounding ghostly figures had also dimmed, flickering like candles in the wind.
Under the hungry gaze of the little ox-horse’s headlights, they retreated one by one, waving their hands in panic.
No more, no more, not a single drop left!
After extracting almost all of the ghost’s soul and forcibly squeezing out the corrupted pollution and spiritual essence, the final product appeared in Ji Jue’s hand.
A crystal the size of a thumb.
After being purified again and again through fluid alchemy, it was clearly mercury, yet it had the translucent quality of a gemstone, crimson and radiant.
He nodded in satisfaction, storing it in his toolbox alongside the black iron block from yesterday’s workshop.
If he saved up a bit more, he could make something really good!
“The emergency treatment was a success. The patient is out of danger.”
He raised his hand, wiping the blood and sweat from his forehead, removing his gloves, and announced the good news to the family members: “Now, you can pay up.”
In the dead silence, he looked eagerly at the stunned ghostly figures, his smile full of anticipation:
“Cash or card?”
.
On the long street, silence reigned.
Inside the car, everyone had become as quiet as mice at some point.
They stared, dumbfounded, as Ji Jue laughed maniacally while extracting the ghost’s blood, digging out one organ after another formed from condensed spiritual essence, literally hollowing out a monster that would have left them all scrambling.
Then he turned around and started beating up the family members, extorting their loved ones.
Squeezing every last drop out of a toad, taking everything but their lives, leaving nothing but a breath of life.
Gulp.
Ji Xue swallowed dryly, hesitantly turning to look at Lou Feng, unable to hide her shock:
“Is this how all of you Embers...”
“Only him!”
Lou Feng instinctively waved his hands frantically, refuting, “I’m normal! No, we craftsmen are all normal! Except for Ji Jue! Is he even human?!”
He had to distance himself, distance himself fiercely!
If he didn’t, he felt the reputation of craftsmen would be dragged into the gutter by this bastard.
Besides, it hadn’t even been that long since he got better!
Ji Xue fell silent for a long time, looking at him, then at Ji Jue, who was laughing maniacally while beating the ghost, and nodded sincerely:
“You’re right.”
In the passenger seat, Xu Guan, who had been forced to witness the entire ordeal, turned stiffly, his face twitching as he looked at Tong Shan: “Captain... I suspect he’s from the Heretic Cult...”
Tong Shan remained silent, wanting to speak but holding back.
He really wanted to nod and say: I suspect so too, but I have no evidence.
But in the end, he just patted Xu Guan’s shoulder, comforting him: “Look on the bright side, he’s even more bizarre than the Heretic Cult, right?”
“...”
Xu Guan had nothing to say, silently deleting this part from his record book.
In the silence, the car door opened.
Amidst the mess on the ground, a refreshed Ji Jue returned to the car, sat down, and chugged a large bottle of water before letting out a long sigh.
“Whew! Worked up a sweat...”
He wiped his face, looking around in confusion: “Huh, what’s wrong with everyone? Why so quiet?”
“No, it’s... it’s nothing... really...”
After a round of reflexive denials, Ji Liu coughed, his eyes darting around: “We’re just tired, all of us are tired.”
Instantly, the responses came flooding in: “Yeah, yeah, yeah!”
“Exactly!”
“I’m so tired, my head hurts!”
“Let’s go, let’s go! This place is bad news!”
And so, the car, which had been stalled for so long, started up again.
Crushing over the mess on the ground and the ghostly figure struggling to crawl away in the middle of the road, it drove off amidst a series of satisfying cracking sounds.
They continued on their way.
Traveling through the maze-like dark world.
After a long, long time, light finally appeared ahead.
A shadow like a fortress emerged from the darkness, searchlights shining towards them.
Figures could be seen running along the high walls.
“We’re finally here.”
Amidst the collective sighs of relief, Ji Liu stepped on the brake, finally relaxing a little.
Ahead was the permanent exploration team’s base.
Someone raised a gun.
(End of Chapter)