10: Chapter 10 A Matter of Life and Death

Double the amount.

Han Jingyang was tempted.

No matter what, Zhou Yucheng was a somewhat famous wealthy man.

According to Liu Jing's fee schedule, double would be six hundred thousand.

Something bought for twelve hundred could be resold for at least six hundred thousand after an appraisal; who wouldn't be tempted?

However, he still didn't agree directly, instead saying calmly, "Professor Zhou, I like money, and your offer is very tempting, but I don't like you."

"No problem. As long as you can get the job done, I'll disappear from your sight completely," Zhou Yucheng paused before continuing, "My previous behavior was indeed impolite, and I apologize to you. Where are you? I'll come pick you up."

"Meet me at the hospital entrance."

"A life is at stake, so please be quick."

Han Jingyang hung up the phone and quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Testing his mettle against a tycoon of Zhou Yucheng's caliber for the first time was truly nerve-wracking.

He hadn't felt much while on the phone, but after hanging up, he realized how much pressure there was in maintaining a persona in front of such a person.

Recalling his lines and tone just now, he felt there were still flaws and that he hadn't performed well enough.

He would definitely do better next time.

Twenty minutes later.

Han Jingyang saw Zhou Yucheng pacing frantically at the hospital entrance.

The usually elegant Zhou Yucheng was now like an ant on a hot pan, unaware that his hair was a mess. Seeing Han Jingyang get out of the car, he trotted over and greeted him with a face full of smiles: "Xiao Han, I'm so sorry to trouble you with this trip so late at night."

Han Jingyang maintained a calm expression and waved his hand: "Take me to see the client."

"Okay, this way."

...

Inside the ward.

Vice President Zhang Xiaohai was trying his best to persuade: "Old Shen, just listen to me and get the surgery done. If you don't do it now, you won't even make it until Professor Liu and her team arrive."

Old Shen was a middle-aged man in his fifties, slightly balding, with a face as grim as still water. He sat upright and motionless, checking his watch: "Wait another ten minutes—no, nine minutes."

"Old Shen, you don't really believe those charlatans can cure illnesses, do you? Even a truly good doctor of Chinese medicine wouldn't have a good solution for this kind of emergency. Getting surgery is the most correct path; those other so-called folk remedies are just scams that cost lives," Zhang Xiaohai said, frustrated. "Old Shen, we've known each other for so many years, would I cheat you?"

"Old Zhang, let's wait a bit longer. You said it yourself, the success rate of the surgery isn't very high, and even if it succeeds, things won't be much better than they are now."

"That's still better than pinning your hopes on a charlatan."

"Sometimes..." Old Shen shook his head and looked at his watch again. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Zhou Yucheng push the door open and immediately stood up: "Where is he?"

Zhou Yucheng stepped aside and pointed to Han Jingyang behind him: "He's here. Xiao Han, this is Mr. Shen, that's Mr. Shen's wife, and this is Professor Zhang Xiaohai."

Old Shen walked straight up to Han Jingyang, sized him up for two seconds, and nodded slightly: "Mr. Han, my mother's situation is urgent. Do you need any cooperation from us?"

Han Jingyang shook his head slightly: "Then let's begin."

At this moment, Zhang Xiaohai stepped forward to block Han Jingyang: "Young man, do you know the nature of practicing medicine without a license?"

Han Jingyang certainly knew.

But he said nothing, instead calmly turning his head to look at Old Shen.

Old Shen gritted his teeth and put his arm around Zhang Xiaohai's shoulder: "Old Zhang, go outside and wait for a bit. We'll talk later, okay? Do me a favor."

Zhang Xiaohai gave a cold snort and shook off Old Shen's arm: "I'm not going out. I'm staying right here to watch. I want to see what kind of charlatanry he's going to pull."

"You..."

Han Jingyang spoke up then: "If he wants to watch, let him. Just don't be noisy; the process is very quick."

Old Shen took the opportunity to de-escalate and quickly asked: "What preparations are needed?"

"Step back, at least five meters."

"Oh," Old Shen hurriedly led everyone back.

Only then did Han Jingyang take the bronze statue of the old god of longevity out of the box.

In his field of vision, the faint blue light on the bronze statue was being drawn toward the withered old lady on the hospital bed, whose life hung in the balance.

He walked back and forth a few steps.

The reaction of the blue light changed as the distance between it and the old lady increased or decreased.

The closer the distance, the stronger the attraction.

The further the distance, the weaker the reaction; beyond three meters, the blue light had almost no reaction.

In other words, these props also had a casting range. If they exceeded that range, their attributes and skill effects could not be activated.

Han Jingyang didn't engage in any mysterious theatrics. He walked a few steps around the room, found the optimal placement position, pulled out a marker he carried with him to draw an X, and then turned back to Old Shen: "Find a table of equal height and place the old god of longevity on it."

Old Shen nodded quickly.

Old Shen's wife frowned and asked: "Do you need incense, candles, or offerings?"

Han Jingyang shook his head.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohai sneered: "You're quite the unprofessional charlatan. No offerings is one thing, but you don't even have a ritual to invite the gods? Even if you symbolically danced at the bedside or chanted some scriptures, it would be better than this—"

Han Jingyang glanced at Zhang Xiaohai: "Professor Zhang, watch if you want to, or leave if you don't. But just as I won't criticize your medical skills, please do not speak nonsense about a field you don't understand, lest you be humiliated."

"Humiliated? You don't really think placing a bronze statue at the bedside can cure paralysis, do you? Even if the God of Longevity himself descended to earth, he'd have to administer medicine or cast spells. You, on the other hand, just place a statue and call it a day? Even ghosts wouldn't be fooled by your methods."

"That's why I said you shouldn't speak nonsense in a field you don't understand. Listen to yourself; do you sound like a medical professor?" Han Jingyang remained calm and placed the bronze statue directly on the table after a young nurse brought it over.

Then he stepped back a few paces and quietly watched the blue light on the bronze statue.

Rank 7 items were white.

Rank 6 items were blue.

This color scheme was exactly the same as the settings in certain games.

It was evident that his Grandmaster-level Appraisal Technique did indeed come from some game.

But he had possessed this Appraisal Technique for too short a time and had too little sample data. Moreover, this was his first time taking on such a big job, so he was still nervous.

However, once he personally saw a flash of blue light, he felt relieved.

The skill had taken effect.

Even if this old lady didn't recover completely, her condition would definitely be better than it was now.

This bronze statue of the old god of longevity was a Rank 6 item. Theoretically, its effect was better than the Rank 7 fan used by Liu Jing's grandmother.

Now it was just a matter of seeing how long it would take to work.

The others couldn't see the skill effect. They only saw Han Jingyang step back and stare blankly at the bronze statue. They all subconsciously held their breath, fearing they would disturb Han Jingyang's "spellcasting."

After several minutes, Zhang Xiaohai, unable to contain himself, cleared his throat: "Your way of treating illness is just standing there and staring?"

After saying that, he turned to Old Shen: "Old Shen, you saw it too. This young man isn't even professional at being a charlatan. He does nothing but place a bronze statue there and ignores it. Ask yourself, do you really believe he can cure the old lady's illness?"

A trace of doubt flashed in Old Shen's eyes. Just as he was about to speak, the old lady on the hospital bed suddenly moved, as if she were about to turn over.