Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

But when the silver needle was removed, Su Tian showed no reaction.

A collective sigh of relief went through the room.

"Didn't Zhao Dong say the needle couldn't be moved? Look, nothing happened!"

"Damn it! Was Zhao Dong just bluffing?"

"It's a good thing Young Master Qian brought Divine Doctor Sun. Otherwise, the Family Head would have been in real trouble!"

A wave of lingering fear washed over the Su Family members.

At that moment, a roar suddenly erupted from the doorway.

"Stop! Who told you to pull out that needle?"

Zhao Dong strode into the room, tossed the medicinal herbs aside, and angrily demanded, "What are you doing? Who gave you permission to ignore my instructions? Do you have any idea what the consequences of removing that needle are!?"

"Heh, so you're Zhao Dong?" Qian Qiang stepped forward, glaring at him with contempt.

"And who are you?" Zhao Dong's gaze turned to ice.

"I am Qian Qiang, the eldest young master of the Qian Family. What makes you think you're worthy of looking me in the eye?" Qian Qiang scoffed. "With your meager skills, you dare come here and make a fool of yourself? If your treatment harms Uncle Su, can you bear that responsibility?"

"So you understand medicine, then?" Zhao Dong retorted.

"I don't, but Divine Doctor Sun does!" Qian Qiang declared, glancing at Divine Doctor Sun with an arrogant smirk.

Divine Doctor Sun then turned to face Zhao Dong, saying scornfully, "You're just a wet-behind-the-ears boy. Was that haphazard acupuncture from earlier your handiwork?"

"What of it?" Zhao Dong didn't back down an inch.

Divine Doctor Sun sneered, "Your technique is pure garbage! And you have the nerve to look at me like that? Do you have any idea who I am?"

Qian Qiang added, "Old Sun is the number one physician in the Provincial City. Scared now?"

As the two mocked him, Zhao Dong decided they weren't worth his time and turned his gaze to Su Yurou.

Su Yurou's face flushed with embarrassment. "I... I'm sorry... I really couldn't stop them..."

"Sigh." Zhao Dong shook his head helplessly and looked at Zhang Fang. "Auntie Zhang, they can act recklessly, but are you going to do the same?"

"My dear Zhao, it's not that I don't trust you..." Zhang Fang said, her expression pained. "It's just that Divine Doctor Sun is renowned. He's been a prominent figure in the medical world for years. You may be superior in some areas, but when it comes to medical expertise, you likely can't compare to him. Now that he's here, we have to trust his judgment."

Zhao Dong's face grew cold. "You were the ones who invited me, and now you're the ones who distrust me. Do you think I, Zhao Dong, am some toy to be summoned and dismissed at your whim? Let me make myself clear! If you let this Sun Simiao treat him, then no matter what happens, don't even think of asking me to lift a finger!"

As he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Zhao Dong's meaning was crystal clear: the Su Family had to choose.

Su Yurou was as anxious as an ant on a hot griddle.

Qian Qiang and Sun Simiao, however, remained silent, staring at Zhao Dong with haughty disdain. Their arrogant expressions seemed to say:

Who is this nobody to put on such airs? A single hair on the leg of the man I, Qian Qiang, brought is thicker than your waist! What makes you think you can compare to me?

Finally, Zhang Fang sighed and turned to Sun Simiao. "Divine Doctor Sun, we'll have to trouble you."

Her decision was obvious.

Qian Qiang burst out laughing. "Hahaha... Kid, did you hear that? Auntie asked Divine Doctor Sun to take over! If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to still be here. So why don't you get lost?"

Hearing this, a chill crept into Zhao Dong's heart. He hadn't wanted to intervene in the first place; it was Su Yurou's sincerity that had moved him. And now, this was how he was being treated. He couldn't help but laugh at his own expense.

"Fine! I'll leave! But when things go wrong, don't come begging me!"

With that, Zhao Dong turned and strode away.

Su Yurou wanted to chase after him, but with her father's life hanging in the balance, she hesitated and ultimately stayed behind.

Divine Doctor Sun began applying the needles. After just a few insertions, color indeed started to return to Su Tian's face.

"Divine Doctor Sun is truly incredible!"

"He really is the number one doctor in the Provincial City! Zhao Dong worked on him for so long and the Family Head's complexion didn't change at all. But after just a few needles from Divine Doctor Sun, he's already recovering?"

"Phew... Thank goodness we trusted Divine Doctor Sun. If we had chosen Zhao Dong, the Family Head would have been in real danger!"

The crowd was overcome with relief. Zhang Fang was also secretly glad she had chosen the right doctor. Su Yurou felt a knot of complicated emotions, but seeing her father getting better, she was mostly just happy.

Observing the Su Family's reactions, Qian Qiang proudly tilted his head up. If Zhao Dong were still there, he would have undoubtedly jeered at him some more.

But just as everyone was breathing a sigh of relief...

SPURT!

A mouthful of black blood suddenly erupted from Su Tian's mouth.

The next moment, a black mist seeped from his pores and enveloped him, causing his complexion to darken before their very eyes!

"Old Su!"

"Father!"

"Family Head!"

The surrounding crowd shouted in alarm.

"No! This... How is this possible? The negative energy was clearly dispelled!" Divine Doctor Sun was stupefied. He frantically tried every technique he knew to save the man, but it was useless.

Not only that, but the heart rate monitor beside the bed went into a frenzy. The line spiked and plummeted wildly—a terrifying sight!

"Divine Doctor Sun, what's happening? What's wrong with my father?"

"I... I don't know! This... this shouldn't be happening..." Sun Simiao was sweating profusely, completely out of ideas.

It was only then that everyone recalled Zhao Dong's warning.

"Oh no! Zhao Dong was right, that silver needle couldn't be moved! The Family Head is in this state because we moved it!"

"Zhao Dong! Only he can save the Family Head!"

The Su family's shouts of alarm jolted Su Yurou and her mother back to their senses.

"Mom, hurry, find Zhao Dong! Only he can save Dad!"

"Yes, yes! Zhao Dong! Only he can save your father!" Zhang Fang recovered her wits, and she and Su Yurou rushed for the door.

The Su estate was located in a remote part of the suburbs. After leaving, Zhao Dong had called for a rideshare and was waiting by the gate. They caught up to him just as he was about to get into the car.

"Mr. Zhao! Mr. Zhao, please don't go! Don't go!" Zhang Fang cried out, arriving disheveled. She had run so fast she'd lost a shoe, but she managed to block the car door with her body just before Zhao Dong could close it.

She frantically yanked the door open and sobbed, "Mr. Zhao, I was wrong... I shouldn't have distrusted you! Please, I'm begging you, save Old Su! Please..."

Hearing this, Zhao Dong's expression was one of pure disdain. "Auntie, it's not like I didn't give you a chance. This is the path you chose. I told you that no matter what happened, you were not to ask for my help again. Did you not understand me?"

Zhao Dong's words made Zhang Fang wish a hole would open up and swallow her. Just moments ago, they had treated him with such cold disregard, and now he was repaying them in kind. Was Zhao Dong wrong? Of course not. Helping was a favor, not an obligation. Besides, they were the ones who had been cold first.

Even so, how could Zhang Fang just stand by and watch Su Tian die?

THUD!

Zhang Fang dropped to her knees. "Mr. Zhao, I know I was wrong, and I'm not asking for your forgiveness," she pleaded. "I only beg you to help just one last time, seeing me in this pathetic state. My family possesses a peerless Spiritual Medicine. If you can save my husband, I'm willing to give it to you!"

A peerless Spiritual Medicine?

At these words, Zhao Dong's eyes flashed with interest. He no longer had any ties of goodwill with the Su Family. If it were a matter of sentiment, he wouldn't lift a finger. But for a peerless Spiritual Medicine... well, this deal wouldn't be a bad one.

Just then, Su Yurou also rushed over, pleading through her tears, "Zhao Dong, my mom is right. We really do have a peerless Spiritual Medicine. If you can save my father, not only will the Spiritual Medicine be yours, but everything I offered before... that still stands..."

Zhao Dong was taken aback.

This again?

He got out of the car, helped Zhang Fang to her feet, and said coldly, "I helped before out of goodwill, expecting nothing from your family in return. But your family's actions were heartless, completely disregarding that. This time, I am acting for the sake of the Spiritual Medicine. Understand?"

"Yes, yes! Thank you, Mr. Zhao! Thank you!" Zhang Fang nodded repeatedly, her heart still pounding with fear.

Su Yurou was overjoyed and quickly took Zhao Dong's hand, pulling him back toward the house.

They soon returned to the sickroom. When Zhao Dong saw Su Tian on the bed, his expression changed drastically. Su Tian's heart rate was about to flatline.

He shoved the flustered Sun Simiao aside and snarled, "If you don't know what you're doing, then stop messing things up! Get out of the way!"

"You!" Sun Simiao sputtered with rage. "Who do you think you are, telling me to get out of the way? You think you can cure a patient that even I can't?"

"Auntie Zhang," Zhao Dong said, glancing at her.

Zhang Fang immediately stepped in front of Sun Simiao. "Divine Doctor Sun, you've already failed. Mr. Zhao is going to treat him now, so please hold your tongue!"

"You! You—you—" Sun Simiao's chest heaved with fury.

Su Yurou snorted coldly. "You what? Not only did you fail to save my father, you nearly killed him. So much for the 'number one doctor of the Provincial City'!"

"Fine! Fine!" Sun Simiao raged. "You think this is my fault? Then I'd like to see what tricks this little brat has up his sleeve! If he can't cure the Su Family Head either, don't come crying to me!"

With a cold snort, Sun Simiao retreated to the side. He couldn't cure Su Tian, but he'd be damned if he believed Zhao Dong could.

Nearby, Qian Qiang's eyes glinted with malice. He also refused to believe Zhao Dong could succeed. It was just that with Sun Simiao having failed, he had no grounds to object at the moment. But if Zhao Dong failed too... Qian Qiang had plenty of biting remarks saved up just for him.

Zhao Dong ignored them. He picked up the silver needles again and inserted them into the same acupoints as before. As the needles entered the body, the dark mist swirling around Su Tian instantly dissipated.

Zhao Dong said, displeased, "He should have woken up by now. But because of all of you, he must now endure excruciating pain!"

As he spoke, he gathered Spiritual Energy in his right hand and slammed his palm onto Su Tian's chest.

SPURT!

A mouthful of black blood flew through the air.

The crowd was collectively dumbfounded.

Qian Qiang roared, "Zhao Dong! This is a personal vendetta! Are you trying to murder him!?"