Super Doctor - Chapter 141

Xu Ze admitting a surgical patient went unnoticed by others, as the hospitalization form had been issued for him by Director Qu.

As the head of the emergency department, Director Qu oversaw both internal medicine and surgery cases, so whether he admitted a medical or surgical patient, it was entirely within his purview. Thus, no one else had any reason to question it.

When the nurses saw the hospitalization form, they merely wondered why Director Qu had taken the time to handle an outpatient surgical case today. But they didn’t dwell on it and promptly arranged for the patient to be admitted to the general surgery ward.

After a full day at the hospital, Xu Ze finally clocked out at 5:30 p.m. Shedding his white coat and bidding Director Qu farewell, he stepped out of the hospital and let out a long breath of relief.

Today was his first real taste of hospital work, and he now understood just how different it was from running a clinic. Working in a hospital was no easy task.

Though the hospital’s equipment and facilities far surpassed those of a clinic, the interpersonal dynamics and work coordination were infinitely more complex. A doctor had to focus not only on patients but also on maintaining good relationships with colleagues and superiors, coordinating with nurses, and meticulously documenting observations for every patient kept in the emergency ward. It was all incredibly tedious.

Xu Ze silently thanked his lucky stars that Xiaodao’s training in the virtual space had followed the strictest modern hospital standards. Because of that, he was already familiar with most of what he encountered on his first day, allowing him to adapt relatively smoothly.

Had he been just an ordinary clinic doctor, facing the hospital’s rigorous protocols, he would’ve spent at least half of these two months trailing behind Director Qu like an intern, needing guidance on even the simplest things like how to write a proper medical order.

Returning home, the familiar scent of his own space finally put him at ease. The hospital’s atmosphere carried an intangible weight, but here, he could truly relax.

After a long day, Xu Ze felt his stomach growl. Opening the fridge, he grabbed two eggs, some scallions, and a bowl of leftover rice. In just a few minutes, he whipped up a large plate of fried rice. He devoured it, washed the dishes, and then headed straight for the shower.

Freshly changed into a comfortable T-shirt and shorts, he padded barefoot into his room, sliding open the floor-to-ceiling window to step onto the balcony. The evening breeze brushed against him as he gazed out.

Sun Linfei’s window was dark, not a single light on—she probably wasn’t home.

Leaning against the wall, Xu Ze sat on the balcony, stretching his legs comfortably as he took in the view of the tranquil lake below and the faint outline of distant greenery. Breathing in the warm, slightly humid air, he exhaled slowly, expelling the stagnant energy from his lungs before gently closing his eyes.

The energy vortex in his dantian had grown significantly, its vigorous presence palpable. Xu Ze took a deep breath and began his first cycle of energy circulation for the day.

The energy stream flowed smoothly through his Governing and Conception Vessels—down, then up, completing one loop, then another, and another…

As the energy circulated, particles of external energy gathered above North Lake, slowly converging around Xu Ze before seeping into his body. They merged with the energy vortex in his meridians, strengthening it as it continued its steady flow.

By the sixteenth cycle, the vortex had grown immense, moving sluggishly through his meridians.

But to Xu Ze, it still wasn’t enough. After a brief hesitation, he allowed the vortex to settle back into his dantian, ending the first cycle.

After a short rest, he inhaled deeply and initiated a second cycle.

This time, the energy vortex grew even more robust.

Thirteen cycles… fourteen… fifteen… sixteen…

This time, Xu Ze didn’t stop. With unwavering focus, he pushed the vortex toward the seventeenth cycle.

Thanks to the energy accumulated from the first cycle, the vortex was now brimming with power. Though progress was slow, after over half an hour of relentless effort, the energy finally reached the base of his neck, inching upward at a snail’s pace.

Xu Ze poured all his concentration into driving the energy forward. Every millimeter demanded immense mental exertion, and the distance to the crown of his head, the Baihui point, still seemed daunting.

Yet he remained calm. While channeling the energy, he also drew in more external particles, fortifying the vortex and sustaining its momentum.

Millimeter by millimeter…

Sweat beaded on his forehead, trickling down his face in rivulets. The wall behind him grew damp from his drenched back.

His entire body trembled from the strain, but he refused to relent. Through past attempts, he had learned one thing—progress in cultivation was like rowing against the current: if you didn’t advance, you regressed.

Every breakthrough demanded perseverance. Only by pushing to the limit could he succeed. And so, Xu Ze always resolved to persist until his mental strength was utterly spent.

The journey from the base of his neck to the crown of his head spanned about twenty centimeters. After an hour of relentless effort—with his back drenching the wall behind him—the energy finally surged past the Baihui point, flowing down his forehead and chest before returning to his dantian.

“Seventeen cycles… just one more to reach the second level!”

Exhausted but triumphant, Xu Ze stood up, taking deep breaths. To his surprise, his mental energy wasn’t completely drained. He smiled faintly—it seemed his recent piano practice in the virtual space had indeed strengthened his focus.

Back in his room, he stripped off his sweat-soaked clothes and tossed them into the washing machine before stepping under the shower again.

As water cascaded over him, he ran a hand over his toned arms, pleased with their firm elasticity. Each energy cycle subtly reinforced his physique, enhancing cellular vitality and strengthening muscles and bones. This steady improvement was crucial—reaching the second level as a combat medic required at least an E-grade physical fitness level. Given his recent training and energy cultivation, he estimated he was already close.

By the time he finished showering, it was past 10 p.m. Refreshed, Xu Ze lay on his bed, closed his eyes, and re-entered the virtual space. Having experienced the benefits of music, he intended to refine his piano skills further.

Xiaodao greeted him with a grin. Xu Ze’s latest breakthrough had boosted the system’s energy reserves by over a dozen points—enough to put the little miser in an excellent mood.

When Xu Ze mentioned practicing piano again, Xiaodao waved dismissively.

“Your piano skills are nearly on par with Tao Jun’s. There’s no need to keep training here. What you need now is real-world practice and experience to refine them further.”

“Wait, so… no more practice?” Xu Ze felt a twinge of disappointment. He had finally found something he enjoyed that also aided his growth, and now he was being told to stop. “Then what do I do next? More combat training? Flying lessons? Just… no English, please.”

Xiaodao chuckled. “Next, you continue with music. Mastering beautiful melodies through multiple instruments is key to enhancing your mental energy. You’ll need to learn at least three different instruments to a proficient level for it to have a meaningful impact.”

“Three?!” Xu Ze blinked. “And they all have to be at a decent level? That sounds… challenging.”

“Correct. Three.” Xiaodao nodded. “You’ve already got one down. Two more to go.”

Xu Ze sighed. “Can I choose which ones?”

“You can… but I wouldn’t recommend it.” Xiaodao smirked.

“Why not?”

“Because if you pick instruments Tao Jun already mastered, his experience will let you learn them in a month or two. If you start from scratch? Even with a genius instructor like me, it’ll take you years to reach a high level.”

With a sly grin, Xiaodao added, “So… you’re sticking with Tao Jun’s repertoire.”

“Fine. What else did he know?” Xu Ze asked, resigned.

Xiaodao gave him a look. “You really think a guy like Tao Jun bothered learning more than the bare minimum?”

“Oh.” It dawned on Xu Ze. If three was the baseline, then his predecessor, Tao Jun, had probably only learned exactly three.

“So… what are the other two?” he asked, hoping at least one would be something he liked.

But given his luck so far, he wasn’t holding his breath.