Chapter 19: The Ultimate Mastery in Treating the Tyrant’s Illness

"Hiss! Damn it! It's really cancer! You're so red you're practically purple! You sure can endure!"
After giving Ren Zhong a full-body scan and seeing the three-dimensional human model on the wall blooming red like a rose, Sun Miao sighed in awe.

He felt genuine satisfaction upon confirming that the man before him was truly the "Heaven-sent Auspicious Sign"—a terminal cancer patient.

Ren Zhong, obediently lying on the chair, nodded honestly, "Yes, that's right."

"With this degree of metastasis, calling it terminal isn't an understatement."

"Ah. Doctor Sun, about the treatment cost... is it expensive? I'm afraid I can't afford it."

The kind-hearted Doctor Sun swiftly donned a compassionate expression and patted Ren Zhong's shoulder with deep feeling. "Don't worry, everyone in Spark Town knows old Sun's miraculous hands and hospitality—oh no, his righteousness. You don't need to worry about the treatment fee. I offer installment plans!"

Ren Zhong: "But I only have 0.72 contribution points, and I'm just a powerless wastelander."

Sun Miao: "Zero down payment, installment plan! Ten-year mortgage!"

Ren Zhong grasped Sun Miao's hand tightly. "Doctor Sun, you're a good man! Thank you so much!"

...

Watching Sun Miao busy preparing medicine with his back turned, Ren Zhong felt a bit complicated.

He knew the next steps like the back of his hand. When to run, how to run, how to stay, how to negotiate—he had it all planned out.

Still, he felt a twinge of guilt. No matter what, Sun Miao had clearly saved his life.

Shame, Ren Zhong certainly felt, but emergencies call for expediency.

Such great kindness, I’ll repay it another day!

...

Injected the neural blocker, waited five minutes, self-checked.

Injected the abnormal cell phagocyte solution.

Sun Miao took out a brown bottle, about to give instructions.

Ren Zhong, now adept at anticipating, snatched it. "This is the nutrient paste, right? Three times a day, finish it in two days, I know."

Sun Miao was momentarily stunned. "Alright, total is 102 contribution points, write me an IOU."

Ren Zhong abruptly sat up, jumped off the chair, and pulled out a pre-prepared note from his pocket.

On the slip, he had already written in bold strokes: "Today, I, Ren Zhong, received treatment from Doctor Sun Miao at Spark Town's Miraculous Clinic, and owe a total of (blank) contribution points as medical fees."

He snatched the pen from Sun Miao and quickly filled in 102 in the blank.

Sun Miao froze, faintly sensing something odd.

How could a dying patient prepare an IOU in advance, only the number left blank?

You really came prepared!

Ren Zhong cupped his hands, "Doctor Sun, great kindness need not be spoken. The medical fee I owe you today, I’ll repay it double someday! Farewell!"

As soon as he finished, Ren Zhong took a big stride to the clinic's entrance.

Just a turn, and the world outside would be wide open.

Sun Miao, about to draw half a vial of saline for the final sampling, was caught off guard.

"Wait! Don't go! Stop right there!" Sun Miao shouted hastily from behind.

Ren Zhong chuckled inwardly.

Page 1/3

He’s panicking, yes, he’s panicking!

On the surface, Ren Zhong feigned confusion. "Doctor Sun, is there anything else?"

Despite speaking, he didn't stop, stepping back so half his body was already outside the clinic.

"How come you, as a patient, have no sense of being a patient? The doctor hasn't told you to leave, so you can't! Get back here and lie down! There's one last shot, an immune correction agent, boosts your immunity, and I’m giving it to you for free! No charge!"

Ren Zhong feigned embarrassment, waving his hands. "How can I accept? I already owe you so much, I can't receive more of your kindness."

"Stop! You, stop right there!"

Sun Miao really was jumping with frustration now.

He truly feared Ren Zhong would escape.

Though, given his status in town, finding him again wouldn't be hard.

But the problem was, the abnormal cell phagocyte had already been injected and was working. Ren Zhong’s cancer cells were being executed in droves. If the delay exceeded five minutes, some phagocytes would reach key lymph nodes, making it much harder to obtain ideal samples.

But Ren Zhong was only pretending and had no intention of escaping.

Sun Miao quickly grabbed a fresh syringe, drew half a vial of saline.

He walked briskly over, rapidly closing in on Ren Zhong.

At the entrance, seeing the moment was ripe, Ren Zhong prepared to lay his cards on the table.

He frowned, pointing at the syringe in Sun Miao’s hand. "Doctor Sun, that’s saline, isn’t it?"

"Hmm?" Sun Miao, caught off guard again. "What nonsense, I said it's the immune correction agent."

Ren Zhong acted suspicious. "Doctor Sun, you’re acting strange."

"What’s strange?"

"Though I’ve never studied medicine, I’m not stupid. You drew the liquid from that big bottle, didn’t add anything else. The bottle’s label clearly says sodium chloride."

Sun Miao, used to compliant patients, hadn’t encountered such a maverick. "Uh..."

Ren Zhong pressed the advantage.

"Also, I asked around before I came. Though your reputation is good, you’re not generous enough to let hundreds in medical fees go on credit. My treatment is done, yet you produce this half vial of saline and claim it’s an immune correction agent. What’s your real intention?"

Sun Miao: "I... you..."

"Doctor Sun, you could just tell me what you want to do, no need to hide. I’m not someone who doesn’t appreciate kindness. Speak, go ahead."

I know what you want, but I won’t say it, I’ll wait for you to ask, so I can name my price.

Ah, just playing the game.

Ten seconds later, tongue-tied, Sun Miao admitted defeat. "I want to collect some cancer cells from you for research."

Ren Zhong smiled, squinting. "Sampling? Then it’s business. You have to pay."

Sun Miao was furious. "How could you! I didn’t even charge you for treatment!"

Ren Zhong: "But I gave you an IOU, didn’t I?"

Ungrateful wretch!

Sun Miao clenched his teeth. "Alright, how much do you want?"

Ren Zhong had no idea about the local research system or Sun Miao’s threshold, so he decided to punt. "Doctor Sun, whatever you deem fit. As the town's only doctor, surely you won’t shortchange a mere wastelander like me?"

Page 2/3

"I’ll waive your debt, how about that?"

Sun Miao’s eyes darted, testing the waters.

"Not good enough."

"I’ll return your IOU and add a hundred!"

Sun Miao squinted, suppressing anger, pretending to feel the pain of loss.

Ren Zhong carefully observed his micro-expressions, judging that Sun Miao's pain was thirty percent genuine, seventy percent feigned.

Still not enough.

"As far as I know, few people let cancer progress this far. Are my cancer cells really so cheap? That can’t be right."

"Two hundred! No more! That’s enough for two vials of abnormal cell phagocyte! Do you know how expensive that medicine is?"

Ren Zhong saw it now.

This time, Sun Miao’s pain was real.

Almost there.

Ren Zhong delivered the final blow.

"Two hundred, after tax! Money first, sample after!"

"Damn..." Sun Miao surrendered completely, like a wilted eggplant, muttering weakly, "Fine, deal. Come over, I’ll transfer it to you."

...

Standing at the clinic door, Sun Miao looked like a courtesan given away for free, watching as Ren Zhong strode off in high spirits.

Sun Courtesan’s feelings were extremely complicated.

Anger, helplessness, aggrieved, excitement—all mixed together.

He spent a fortune treating someone, didn’t even get a penny, and ended up losing two hundred and twenty.

What’s happened to this world?

People’s hearts are truly treacherous.

...

At the intersection outside, with a screech, a hover truck stopped beside Ren Zhong.

Zheng Tian and Wen Lei had just finished their sales and came to meet Ren Zhong.

"Mr. Ren, here’s your money, total 0.72 contribution points."

Ren Zhong nodded. "Thank you."

"Right, the mayor will only be available in an hour. I’ll take you over then to register. We need to resupply now—do you have any plans, Mr. Ren?"

Ren Zhong: "Let’s meet outside the town hall in an hour. I’ll wander around the town myself first."

"Alright."

After saying goodbye to Zheng Tian, Ren Zhong jogged straight to the eastern edge of the white-walled town center.

There stood a relatively tall building—the town's only official department store, commonly called the supply cooperative, under the Yalson Group, one of the Nine Corporations specializing in finance and commerce.

It was time to splurge.

Page 3/3