“Father!”
Seeing Li Zhengxi faint, Li Minghan cried out in alarm and quickly rushed over.
However,
At that moment, Ye Qiu appeared beside Li Zhengxi, holding a golden needle.
“Ye Qiu, what are you doing?” Li Minghan shouted angrily.
As if he hadn’t heard, Ye Qiu inserted the needle into Li Zhengxi’s Baihui acupoint.
Five seconds later.
Li Zhengxi opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and invigorated, the previous exhaustion completely gone.
“Mr. Li, can you still keep going?”
“If you can’t, just admit defeat and stop wasting my time.”
Ye Qiu’s words were laced with sarcasm.
“Let’s go again!”
Li Zhengxi shouted, standing up from the ground.
Li Minghan, worried about his father’s condition, said, “Father, your health…”
“My health is fine,” Li Zhengxi replied, resuming the competition with Ye Qiu.
The two began treating patients again.
An hour later.
Li Zhengxi was trembling with exhaustion, barely able to stand.
“Mr. Li, look at yourself now. I feel like a gust of wind could knock you over. Why don’t you rest for a bit?”
Ye Qiu’s words seemed kind, but his face was full of mockery.
“No need to rest, I can still hold on,” Li Zhengxi gritted his teeth and persisted.
Another half hour passed.
“Thud!”
Li Zhengxi fainted again.
Ye Qiu darted forward, inserting a silver needle into Li Zhengxi’s Baihui acupoint. A few seconds later, Li Zhengxi woke up.
The feeling of exhaustion was gone again.
Li Zhengxi looked revitalised.
“Let’s go again!” he shouted loudly.
The competition continued.
An hour later.
“Pfft!”
Li Zhengxi suddenly spat out blood and collapsed, unconscious.
This time, Li Minghan was quick, supporting Li Zhengxi before Ye Qiu could reach him, and shouted, “Ye Qiu, are you trying to exhaust my father to death?”
“No need to worry. With me here, he won’t die,” Ye Qiu said, swiftly inserting a golden needle into Li Zhengxi’s Baihui acupoint.
Fifteen seconds later.
Li Zhengxi opened his eyes.
“Mr. Li, still not admitting defeat?” Ye Qiu asked with a cheerful smile.
Li Zhengxi’s face darkened, “Continue!”
“Father, stop competing,” Li Minghan grabbed Li Zhengxi, saying, “If you keep going, he’ll work you to death.”
Li Zhengxi replied, “Don’t worry, he doesn’t dare let me die here. Otherwise, he’ll face serious consequences.”
“Father…”
“No more persuading me. I will never admit defeat.”
The competition resumed.
An hour later, Li Zhengxi spat blood and fainted again.
And so it went, time after time.
Each time Li Zhengxi collapsed, Ye Qiu would revive him.
At first, Li Zhengxi would spit blood and faint every hour. Later, it was every half hour, and eventually, every five minutes.
It happened over a dozen times.
Li Zhengxi no longer resembled Korea’s Medical Saint.
His face was pale, his eyes lifeless, his body trembling, as if he could die at any moment.
“Father, admit defeat!”
Li Minghan pleaded with tears in his eyes.
Li Zhengxi said, “I cannot admit defeat. I am Korea’s Medical Saint. If I concede, where is the honour of Korean medicine? Where is the honour of Korea?”
Li Minghan replied, “Father, listen to me. Honour is important, but not more than your life. No matter what, staying alive comes first.”
“There’s an old Chinese saying: ‘As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood.’”
“As long as you’re alive, there will be chances for revenge in the future.”
Fearing Li Zhengxi would persist, Li Minghan added, “Father, if you insist on continuing, I’ll smash my head and die right in front of you.”
“Minghan, why go to such extremes?”
“I don’t want to lose my father forever, nor do I want you to die in a foreign land. Father, admit defeat!”
Sigh…
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Li Zhengxi let out a long sigh and looked at Ye Qiu with difficulty, saying, “I admit defeat.”
Ye Qiu smiled, “Mr. Li, I know you, and this surely isn’t your true intention. Let’s continue the competition. I’m someone who persuades through virtue.”
Continue?
It’ll kill him.
“Ye Qiu, my father has already admitted defeat…” Li Minghan began, but Ye Qiu cut him off.
“Li Zhengxi, do you dare continue competing with me? If you don’t, kneel here right now, admit defeat, and apologise to Chinese medicine.”
Kneel here and apologise?
In your dreams!
Hearing Ye Qiu’s words, Li Zhengxi felt his blood surge. He stood up and roared, “Compete, then! I’m Korea’s Medical Saint, why would I fear you…”
Before he could finish.
“Thud!” He collapsed unconscious on the stage.
“Ye Qiu, stop pushing my father. I’ll apologise to Chinese medicine on his behalf,” Li Minghan said.
“You’re not Korea’s Medical Saint. What right do you have to apologise for him?” Ye Qiu walked over and suddenly kicked Li Zhengxi’s knee.
“Ouch!”
Li Zhengxi cried out in pain, jumping up from the ground.
What the hell?
Wasn’t he unconscious?
How is he suddenly bouncing around?
The audience below was stunned.
“This Li Zhengxi, even now, is pretending to faint to weasel out of this. Shameless,” Zhang Jiuling said, laughing in exasperation.
Li Chunfeng smiled, “Li Zhengxi has met his match this time. With Xiao Ye’s personality, if he doesn’t apologise, Xiao Ye won’t let up.”
On the stage.
Ye Qiu looked at Li Zhengxi, smiling, “Mr. Li, shall we continue the competition?”
Li Zhengxi waved his hands repeatedly, “No more competing. I admit defeat.”
“You’re sure you’re admitting defeat?”
“Certain.”
“Are you convinced now?”
“I’m convinced.”
Ye Qiu leaned close to Li Zhengxi’s ear and whispered, “If you’d known it would come to this, why bother in the first place?”
“If you’d admitted defeat from the start, would you have had to spit so much blood today?”
“Li Zhengxi, you’re pathetic!”
Li Zhengxi’s eyes widened, glaring at Ye Qiu, “You—”
“Kneel down and apologise to Chinese medicine now,” Ye Qiu commanded.
Li Zhengxi roared, “Ye Qiu, I’ve already admitted defeat. Don’t push me too far!”
Ye Qiu spoke in a voice only they could hear, “Li Zhengxi, you can choose not to apologise, but don’t expect to leave China alive.”
“Don’t tell me you’re not afraid of death. If you truly weren’t, why would you have Xu Changjin beg me?”
“Or even have Xu Yuan正 pass messages to the higher-ups?”
“If you don’t apologise today, I’ll first kill your son, then the Korean medical delegation, and finally you.”
“Don’t doubt my ability. I can ensure you all vanish without a trace.”
“No one will ever find your bodies.”
“If you don’t believe me, try me.”
Li Zhengxi’s heart trembled.
From Ye Qiu’s eyes, he saw a chilling intent to kill.
He had a strong feeling that if he didn’t apologise, Ye Qiu would truly kill them all.
What should he do?
At that moment, Ye Qiu suddenly placed a hand on Li Zhengxi’s shoulder.
Thud.
Unable to bear it, Li Zhengxi dropped to his knees on the stage.
