Chapter Sixteen: A Stunning Beauty That Captivates All

When a delicately crafted throwing knife appeared before everyone’s eyes, the hall erupted into raucous laughter, save for Guo Xiaoxiao and the Fierce Tiger, who had both witnessed the brilliance of this very knife before. Lin Yang showed neither joy nor displeasure; he had already anticipated such a reaction. Yet, there were still quite a few who, out of curiosity, wanted to see what would happen.

“Kid, are you messing with us? What can you do with a measly throwing knife?” President Luo’s face darkened as he immediately began to berate Lin Yang. For someone as resolute as a stone, allowing Lin Yang to participate today was already an exceptional favor. But unless this young man did something earth-shattering, it seemed he would never be at ease.

To increase the difficulty and showcase each expert’s medical professionalism and versatility, the competition selected patients requiring surgery, dividing the contest into three parts: diagnosis and examination, surgical operation, and post-operative recovery.

Accurate diagnosis, a successful operation, and swift, safe recovery without complications—these were the judging criteria for the spectators, and the highest scorer would be declared the winner.

“For someone your age, you sure lose your temper easily. Aren’t you afraid you’ll hurt your health?” Lin Yang’s words were as sharp as ever, retorting without the slightest courtesy.

Unable to win the argument, President Luo fell silent, though the mocking glint in his eyes was impossible to hide—not that he made any effort to conceal it.

To ensure fairness, the choice of patient was still decided by drawing lots. As soon as President Luo finished speaking, a beautiful young nurse walked over carrying a sealed box. There were thirty participants, each drawing a number in sequence; Lin Yang was last and drew number sixteen.

Each doctor was assigned a sterile, disinfected operating room equipped with a monitor and an assisting nurse, as the patients’ safety was paramount. Lin Yang was no exception. Guided by the nurse, he entered room sixteen. The moment he opened the door, his brow furrowed deeply—even before stepping inside, a nauseating stench of blood assaulted his senses. The nurse beside him instinctively covered her delicate nose, clearly affected by the smell as well.

Though Lin Yang had guessed the hospital might make things difficult for him, the sight that greeted him was still unsettling. On the bed lay a man of about thirty-five or thirty-six, his face ashen and devoid of color, eyes tightly shut—clearly unconscious. His leg bore a gaping, fist-sized wound, still oozing blood. Though the bleeding had been somewhat staunched, the loss was still significant. At this rate, the man might bleed out before treatment could even begin.

Ignoring the stench, Lin Yang hurried over. Upon inspecting the wound, his expression grew even grimmer. Several shards of metal remained embedded in the mangled flesh of the man’s thigh, which was a bloody mess.

There was no time for hesitation. Lin Yang swiftly disinfected his knife, administered local anesthesia, tore open the patient’s trouser leg, and began extracting the metal fragments. The wound showed signs of burns, leading Lin Yang to suspect the result of an explosion. The fragments were lodged even deeper than he expected—one nearly pierced the entire thigh. This was truly tricky: removing the shards too hastily might cripple the man, or even necessitate amputation.

Left with no other option, Lin Yang employed the Thirteen Heavenly Blade Techniques. First, he used the Hemostasis Blade to stem the bleeding, then meticulously extracted the shards, one by one. It took a full half hour to remove fourteen pieces. The charred, necrotic flesh had to be excised to prevent infection of the healthy tissue.

Finally, with the Bone Restoration Blade, he repaired the shattered femur. This entire process consumed as much internal energy as when he had driven out the poison from the Fierce Tiger. By the end, Lin Yang was drenched in sweat, heat radiating from his brow. The nurse, watching this focused and tireless young man, felt an inexplicable emotion rise within her. She stepped forward and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.

In the conference room, the spectators could not help but fix their gaze on Lin Yang’s operating room via the live monitors. At first, the mood was one of curiosity and ridicule, but as the operation progressed, everything changed. One by one, they stared in disbelief at the screens, as if witnessing a dream.

His technique, his posture, his speed—each movement flowed seamlessly into the next, as if crafting a work of art. Even President Luo, who moments before had been the picture of arrogance, was dumbfounded. A plastic surgeon wielding a blade with more precision than a seasoned surgeon—such a prodigy was rare indeed. The irony was not lost on him: having purposefully assigned Lin Yang the most difficult patient in hopes of making him fail, he had inadvertently elevated the young man’s reputation.

From his pocket, Lin Yang produced a delicate jade vial, intentionally shaking it in front of the monitor before sprinkling some powder onto the patient’s wound. After the nurse carefully bandaged the injury, he strode confidently out of the operating room.

Though not the first to finish, Lin Yang was the third to emerge. Once outside, he greedily inhaled the fresh air, desperate to rid himself of the lingering stench from the ward. He habitually took out a cigarette, lit it, and began smoking leisurely.

For Lin Yang, healing the sick was not just a matter of skill—it was an exhausting task that drained his internal energy. Each time he used it, he needed a smoke to recover; it had become his ritual. Without it, he feared he would be too fatigued to stand. Cigarettes, after all, were a great stimulant.

It wasn’t long before the pretty nurse also emerged, signaling the end of Lin Yang’s operation. However, upon seeing him smoking in front of the ward, she frowned and stepped forward to admonish him. “This is a hospital. Smoking is prohibited. If you must, go to the smoking area over there.”

“Oh, I forgot for a moment,” Lin Yang replied, his tone markedly more agreeable than when sparring verbally with President Luo. Without protest, he turned and headed toward the designated area, contentedly puffing away in solitude.

“What an interesting man,” the nurse muttered to herself, watching him go. She stood quietly in a corner, waiting for the competition to end.

It was another half hour before the last expert finished their operation. Aside from Lin Yang and Wu Hao—the so-called genius rookie who had finished first—there were no particularly spectacular performances. The second doctor to finish had simply lucked into an appendicitis case.

The thirty participants gradually returned to the conference room. Lin Yang was the last to enter, drawing many sidelong glances and disapproving stares, as if accusing him of showboating.

Unbothered, Lin Yang ignored the glares and strode inside. The room was abuzz with heated debate over the results.

“Brother Yang, you were amazing!” As soon as he entered, Leng Nini threw herself into his arms, her small mouth overflowing with praise.

“Of course! You should know your Brother Yang’s caliber by now,” Lin Yang replied, unabashedly boasting.

His response was met with a chorus of derisive snorts.

Lin Yang and Leng Nini returned to their seats and began chatting as if unconcerned with the outcome. Meanwhile, Guo Xiaoxiao, sitting beside Guo Mingda, kept glancing at Leng Nini, her thoughts unclear.

Since half the judges were from the hospital and the other half from the city leadership, there was bound to be bias. The hospital’s judges gave Lin Yang low scores, a fact that inevitably sparked fierce debate.

After all, none present were blind—Lin Yang’s earlier display of surgical prowess had astounded them all.

With scores determined in three categories, the first two could be judged immediately, while the last would depend on recovery and follow-up, to be assessed in half a month.

After much dispute, Lin Yang’s combined score only ranked him ninth—not an ideal result, but at least he wasn’t at the bottom.

With the results announced, voices of protest quickly rose—Leng Nini, Guo Xiaoxiao, and the Fierce Tiger, as if of one mind, all stood up to express their dissatisfaction. Watching through the monitors, they had seen everything clearly. Of all the patients, Lin Yang’s had been in the most critical condition, which by severity alone should have earned extra points. Ranking fifth was an obvious injustice.

“You’re cheating!” blurted Leng Nini, never one to mince words. This was far from the first time she’d spoken so bluntly.

“If this is how you run your competition, we might as well not bother. After all that debate, this is the result? So this is the integrity of your so-called regular hospitals,” the Fierce Tiger added with icy sarcasm. On the street, he chose his words carefully, but with these doctors, he saw no need for restraint.

No one was angrier than Guo Xiaoxiao. She tugged her father’s arm and declared, “Let’s go, Dad. Today your daughter has truly seen it all. The reputation of First People’s Hospital of Jinhai City is well-deserved. I’ll be sure to take after them in the future.”

“Xiaoxiao, sit down,” Guo Mingda replied helplessly. He doted on his daughter and was equally dissatisfied with the outcome, but walking out or starting a scene would be unwise. After all, President Luo was also the Minister of Health and a trusted confidant of Secretary Li Hongxing. Openly offending them could have serious consequences.

Just as the atmosphere grew tense again, a nurse burst into the room, breathless and exclaiming incoherently, “He’s cured! He’s cured! A miracle—it’s a miracle!”