2025-10-14 16:02:45The hospital’s atrium glittered with cameras and white coats. Banners draped across the mezzanine read “In Honor of Life Restored.”
Rick stood beside Master Yuren Sun at the podium, heart pounding louder than the applause.
Yuren’s voice carried over the crowd. “Apprentice Franklin achieved what we deemed impossible, reviving a collapsed Golden Pulse.”
Polite clapping rolled through the hall; reporters leaned forward, holo-recorders glowing. Rick managed a stiff bow.
Across the rows of physicians, he caught Isaac Voss’s expression, smiling just enough to hide the contempt in his eyes.
When the crowd quieted, Yuren’s tone shifted, almost too soft for the microphones. “Yet, even golden light can blind those who gaze too long.”
A murmur rippled. Rick blinked, uncertain whether it was a warning or a proverb. After the ceremony, Yuren placed a hand on his shoulder. “Come by the study this afternoon. We need to talk.”
Rick forced a smile. “Yes, Master.”
The cameras kept flashing; every lens felt like an eye judging him. From the edge of the hall, Evelyn watched, white lab coat over her floral dress, pride mixed with something darker. When their gazes met, she mouthed “Be careful.”
Yuren’s private study smelled of aged parchment and tea. Diagrams of meridians shimmered in suspended light; scrolls lined the walls like silent witnesses.
Rick stood near the window, waiting while Yuren poured tea into two small cups. “You spoke beautifully this morning,” Rick said, trying for levity.
Yuren’s smile was brief. “I spoke the truth. Beauty is irrelevant.” He set a cup in front of Rick. “Tell me, do you know what you awakened that night?”
Rick hesitated. “You called it the Golden Meridian Flow.”
“More than that.” Yuren’s eyes flicked to an ancient scroll on the shelf. “It is the remnant of a divine system, one that hears the pulse of creation itself. Those who touch it uninvited… invite echo.”
Rick frowned. “Echo?”
“Death, madness, calamity, call it what you will. Every miracle disturbs the balance.”
Rick’s voice sharpened. “Then why train us to heal at all? Why teach methods you fear?”
“Because compassion without discipline is chaos.”
Yuren’s words landed like blows. Rick stared into the steam rising from his cup. “When I treated that child, I didn’t feel chaos. I felt… clarity. Like the world was breathing with me.”
“That feeling,” Yuren said softly, “is precisely how the madness begins.”
Silence settled. Outside, rain whispered against the glass. Rick finally asked, “So what now? You want me to pretend it never happened?”
Yuren looked tired. “I want you to live long enough to understand what it means.”
Rick glanced down at his wrist; beneath his sleeve, the faint golden rune pulsed once, then faded.
The apprentice ward buzzed with quiet rivalry. Screens projected patient simulations, virtual meridian maps, digital organs pulsing in rhythm.
Rick joined the cluster of students around a holographic patient suffering from “energy imbalance.” Isaac was already there, coat immaculate, tone clipped.
“Standard correction at points Q-14 to S-3,” Isaac instructed. “We balance flow manually, no improvisation.”
Rick watched the projection flicker, the simulated heart still faltering. “That path only stabilizes output, not rhythm.”
Isaac’s brow furrowed. “You have a better idea?”
Rick stepped forward, fingers hovering over the interface. “Link Q-14 to T-7, skip S-3. Cross-bridge the meridian. It’ll sync the pulse faster.”
“That’s not in the manual,” another student whispered.
Rick smiled faintly. “Neither was the cure last night.”
He executed the adjustment. The holographic pulse leveled instantly; the screen turned green.
A wave of murmurs swept the room. Isaac’s jaw tightened. “You think breaking rules makes you enlightened?”
“No,” Rick replied evenly. “It makes me adaptable.”
Isaac slammed his palm on the console. “You got lucky once. Don’t mistake intuition for mastery.”
The door opened. Yuren entered silently, gaze sweeping the room. “What’s this commotion?”
Isaac straightened. “He’s undermining standard protocols, Master.”
Rick started to respond, but Yuren raised a hand. “Enough. If conflict breeds skill, you’ll settle it through cooperation.”
“Cooperation?” Isaac repeated, incredulous.
“You’ll share the next clinical assignment. One patient, one report.”
Rick blinked. “Together?”
Yuren nodded. “Perhaps you’ll learn balance from each other.”
When he left, Isaac leaned close, voice low and venomous. “I don’t need your charity, Franklin. Keep your miracles to yourself.”
Rick said nothing, but the silence between them crackled like static. As he packed his notes, he heard Isaac mutter to another apprentice, “He thinks he’s touched heaven. Let’s see how heaven feels when it burns.”
Rick didn’t turn around, but a cold weight settled in his chest.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 574
The impact shook the cavern, but Rick did not move a single inch. His feet were rooted to the sacred ground. "You cannot beat me," the monster hissed, struggling to push its spike forward. "I have the power of the Void Sap! I am a god!""You are just a sick man," Rick corrected him softly. "And your surgery is overdue."Rick squeezed his hand. The giant bone spike shattered into a million pieces of white dust. The monster screamed in shock and stumbled backward. Rick did not stop. He walked forward slowly, steadily, powerfully. He raised his right hand. He pointed his finger directly at the swirling black hole in the monster’s open chest. "Earth Pulse," Rick commanded. "Purifying Dawn."A massive, concentrated, blinding beam of pure green and gold light shot from Rick's finger. It was the combined magic of the ancient temple and Rick's own compassionate soul. The beam hit the black hole in the monster's chest. The reaction was beautiful and violent. The black hole tried to eat t
Chapter 573
"It is pure, concentrated Void Sap," Isaac warned sharply. "It is the raw, toxic waste of the Mother Seed. It deletes biological matter. If he throws that at us, we will melt into nothing."But Doctor Thorne did not throw the syringe. Thorne unbuttoned his white coat. He pressed the thick, sharp needle of the syringe directly against his own chest, right over his heart. "No! Stop him!" Rick yelled, running forward. But he was too late. Doctor Thorne pushed the plunger down. He injected the entire bottle of boiling black liquid directly into his own heart. Thorne threw the empty glass syringe to the floor. It shattered.For one second, Thorne stood perfectly still. Then, he let out a horrific, blood-curdling scream. "GAAAAAAHHHHH!" It was not a human scream. It sounded like a heavy iron door tearing off its hinges. Thorne’s body began to mutate violently. The neat, clean white coat ripped into shreds. His bones cracked and popped loudly, shifting under his skin. His skin turned
Chapter 572
Rick walked slowly toward the center of the massive room. He looked at the floor. The floor was covered in intricate, detailed carvings. They were pictures of human bodies. The carvings showed the magical pathways, the blood veins, and the beating hearts. They were perfect medical diagrams. "Rick," Luna said, her voice shaking with emotion. She pointed to the far wall. "Look."Rick lifted his eyes. At the very back of the room, there was a massive, raised platform made of pure white stone. Sitting on top of the platform were twelve large stone chairs. They were arranged in a half-circle. Carved into the stone wall directly above the chairs was a giant symbol. It was a perfect circle. A jagged heartbeat line running through the middle. And a beautiful lotus flower blooming in the center. It was the Pulse Seal. "My god," Rick whispered. Tears instantly filled his eyes. He dropped his staff. He walked slowly toward the giant carved symbol. He reached out his trembling, bare hand
Chapter 571
"I will catch it!" Rick yelled, preparing to summon a magical shield. "You cannot catch it!" Doctor Thorne laughed cruelly. "I am not throwing it at you!"Doctor Thorne raised the heavy glass jar high into the air. He threw it straight down at his own feet. The glass shattered on the floor of the Sapphire Vault. The thick black liquid splashed across the metal tiles. The reaction was instantaneous and absolutely catastrophic. The black liquid began to hiss and boil with terrifying heat. It ate through the shiny metal floor in one second. It ate through the heavy steel support beams underneath the floor. It melted the solid gold bars sitting nearby, turning them into liquid orange puddles. "The floor is failing!" Isaac shouted. A massive, deafening sound echoed through the giant room. The entire center of the Sapphire Vault collapsed. The thick steel floor broke completely in half. A giant, gaping black hole opened up right under their feet. "Jump!" Rick roared. He lunged forw
Chapter 570
The heavy steel doors of the Sapphire Vault were completely blown open. Inside the giant room, a fierce, terrifying battle exploded. Fifty corrupt doctors charged forward. They wore spotless green coats, but their hearts were completely black. They held dangerous weapons. Some carried glass guns filled with boiling green acid. Others held sharp, buzzing surgical saws that sparked with dark purple magic. "Kill the intruders!" Doctor Thorne shrieked. The Head of Surgery pointed his long, bony finger at Rick. "Burn the book! Do not let them leave with the ledger!"Rick did not take a single step back. He spun his smooth wooden staff in his hands. The brilliant, emerald green light blazed at the tip. "Stay behind me!" Rick roared to Doctor Lin, Luna, and Ash. A corrupt doctor raised his glass gun. He pulled the trigger. A thick stream of boiling, toxic green acid shot through the air, aiming directly for Rick’s face. Rick stepped forward. He did not dodge. He slammed the bottom of
Chapter 569
“March 12th. Poisoned the water supply in Sector Nine with diluted Iron Rot. Estimated casualties: 400. Projected profit from painkiller sales: 50,000 gold coins.”Doctor Lin began to cry. The tears fell onto the old pages. "They killed them," Lin sobbed, turning the pages wildly. "They killed my own mother. She died in Sector Nine three years ago. They killed her for gold."Rick walked over. He placed his warm, strong hand on Lin's shaking shoulder. "They will never do it again, Lin," Rick promised softly. "We have the proof. We will take this book to the broadcasting room. We will read every single page to the entire city. The people will know the truth."Rick reached out to take the book. Suddenly, a loud, slow clapping sound echoed from the shadows at the back of the vault. "Very noble, Ghost Doctor," a cruel, scratching voice sneered. "Very dramatic."Rick spun around. He raised his glowing green staff. Isaac drew his silver pistol. The shadows parted. Stepping out from behi
You may also like
Rise of the Useless Young Master
AFM3134.0K viewsLevel Up With My Bastard System in Fantasy World
Oceanna Lee28.6K viewsThe Successor System
Khay Phynom 65.3K viewsThe Invincible Arthur Gardner
Herolich105.3K viewsI Awakened the World's Worst Class, Then Became Unstoppable
Landing Vale999 viewsThe Calamity They Awakened
Chris Ben316 viewsThe Gravecaller Who Levels While Sleeping
Landing Vale158 viewsMy Dominance Begins With Investing In Beauties!
Author Promise66 views