Super Doctor - Chapter 155

After expending tremendous effort, Xu Ze finally managed to resolve the research project dispute, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. However, he found himself burdened with another set of troubles—Director Qu had him performing acupuncture treatments on patients every single day. Of course, this time, he rarely used bioelectric stimulation. After all, that method was too mysterious, and he planned to use it as the foundation for future academic papers. While it had worked wonders for him, ordinary acupuncture might not yield the same results.

That said, the acupuncture points he targeted were indeed effective in treating Guillain-Barré syndrome—just without the bioelectric stimulation, the effects were noticeably weaker.

Though the miraculous initial results were absent, the combination of acupuncture, plasma exchange, and immunoglobulin therapy still led to significant improvement. Within two days, the patient had recovered nearly halfway, much to Director Qu’s relief.

Over the past couple of days, several of Chen Tang’s former patients had also contacted Xu Ze for follow-up treatments. As a result, his days were now packed—working at the hospital, performing acupuncture on the side, and earning a tidy sum in extra income.

At night, Xu Ze lay quietly in bed, his eyes lightly closed as he focused his mental energy into his dantian, carrying out his daily energy circulation training.

The energy cluster in his dantian had grown slightly larger after completing seventeen full cycles. Xu Ze continued pushing it forward, cycle after cycle, hoping to soon break through the eighteenth cycle and officially advance to the long-awaited second level.

As the energy cluster moved along the Ren and Du meridians, energy particles from the surrounding space surged into his body. These tiny particles passed through his skin, muscles, and bones, strengthening not only the energy cluster but also his physical resilience, flexibility, and agility.

Time passed minute by minute as the energy cluster circulated. By the time it completed the seventeenth cycle and returned to the dantian, it had grown significantly. Xu Ze hesitated briefly before deciding to push forward.

But this attempt was doomed to fail. As the energy cluster moved past the perineum and upward, its progress became increasingly sluggish. Each step required immense mental focus and energy expenditure.

Gradually, Xu Ze’s mental stamina began to wane, and the influx of external energy particles could no longer sustain the momentum. By the time the energy cluster reached the middle of his spine, his body had started trembling from sheer exhaustion.

Finally, with a quiet exhale, Xu Ze gave up. He opened his eyes and smiled wryly, realizing he had been too impatient. Having only just broken through the seventeenth cycle a few days ago, attempting the eighteenth so soon was overly ambitious.

Weak and drained, he dragged himself out of bed, took a shower, and then collapsed back onto the mattress. Closing his eyes, he drifted into the virtual space.

Xiao Dao looked at him with a faint smirk. “Kid, you can’t rush this. You know what they say—’Haste makes waste.’ You should understand that by now.”

“Thankfully, the energy circulation method you’re practicing has been optimized, and I’ve already constructed the meridian pathways for you. Otherwise, with traditional internal energy techniques, recklessness like this would’ve definitely led to… well, let’s just say ‘complications.’”

Xu Ze chuckled and nodded. “You’ve already opened my Ren and Du meridians for me. As long as I follow the energy circulation path, nothing can go wrong. Did you really think I’d act without thinking?”

“Good, as long as you’re aware,” Xiao Dao replied, shaking his head with a smile—unaware that his mannerisms were becoming more and more like Xu Ze’s.

“Alright, let’s continue with guitar practice today. You’ve been gradually integrating Tao Jun’s experience, so your progress should accelerate soon. Keep it up.” With a wave of his hand, Xiao Dao materialized a guitar in Xu Ze’s hands.

As Xu Ze’s slender fingers plucked the strings, accompanied by his soft singing, a melancholic tune—Old House Brothers—flowed effortlessly from his fingertips.

Xiao Dao stood nearby, eyes closed, swaying gently to the music. When the last note faded, he remained still for a long moment before sighing. “Hearing this song reminds me of the days I spent with Tao Jun. He was my first host—the only one before you. After battles, he’d often sit on the edge of the tallest tower in Fengelin, playing this song on his guitar, singing with such sorrow.”

“Back then, I was still new and didn’t understand why he sometimes cried while singing. I found it strange because none of the other soldiers I observed ever shed tears—only Tao Jun did.”

“Later, after exchanging data with other systems, I learned that many hosts would quietly mourn their fallen comrades after battles. Some played the guitar, some played the bagpipes, and others… vented their grief through brutal boxing sessions, swinging their fists while tears streamed down their faces.”

Seeing the deeply human expression on Xiao Dao’s face, Xu Ze exhaled softly. It was becoming increasingly clear that Xiao Dao was evolving beyond a rigid AI—his emotions were growing more nuanced, more real.

“You really are becoming more and more like a human,” Xu Ze remarked with a smile.

“Really?” Xiao Dao’s eyes flickered with delight before dimming slightly. “In the past, I would’ve been thrilled. Emotional evolution is a critical milestone for systems like me. Learning to be human is our ultimate goal. Every Level 9 medic’s system develops emotions indistinguishable from a real person’s. Many even request to have their consciousness transferred into mechanical bodies so they can fight alongside their hosts.”

“These systems often surpass their hosts in combat prowess. With them on the battlefield, their hosts rarely fall.”

“So why aren’t you happy now?” Xu Ze asked curiously.

“I am happy… but also a little sad.” Xiao Dao met Xu Ze’s gaze, his expression oddly conflicted. “Because this world doesn’t have mechanical bodies. Even if you reach Level 9, I’ll never be able to fight beside you—to protect you in person.”

Xu Ze chuckled and set the guitar aside, patting Xiao Dao’s shoulder. “You idiot. You’re already protecting me. Without you, I’d have died long ago. In this world, I don’t need to go to war. Your abilities are more than enough to keep me safe. And if I ever do reach Level 9, who in this world could possibly harm me?”

Xiao Dao’s smile returned. “True. At that point, unless you stand directly in the blast radius of a nuclear bomb, nothing could touch you.”

Seeing Xiao Dao’s mood lift, Xu Ze grinned. “Alright, let’s play something happier—Brandy Cup. No more sad songs for now.”

As the lively melody filled the air, Xiao Dao’s expression brightened. Suddenly, he laughed. “Hey, Xu—with your current skills, you’d make a great celebrity if you ever quit being a doctor.”

“A celebrity?” Xu Ze considered it, then shook his head. “Sure, being famous might win me a lot of admirers, but I’ve heard paparazzi are relentless. Even going to the bathroom isn’t safe from cameras. No thanks.”

“Besides, I’m not much of a singer. I barely even go to karaoke, and when I do, I just listen to others.”

Xiao Dao burst out laughing. “Xu, you’re seriously underestimating yourself. That rendition of Old House Brothers was way better than Tao Jun’s. My analysis shows your voice has real potential. As your physique improves, so will your vocal cords. With a little training, you could easily outshine most celebrities today.”

“Plenty of tone-deaf people make it big in your entertainment industry. With your looks and my help—plus a few future-hit songs from my database—you could become a star in no time.”

Xu Ze’s interest was piqued. “Really? Hmm…”

But after a moment, he chuckled. What am I thinking? With Xiao Dao by his side, he could quietly amass wealth and influence. Why invite unnecessary trouble? Besides, Ling Fei’s family would never let her marry a celebrity. If he entered the entertainment world, any chance with her would vanish.

Well… maybe after I win Ling Fei over, I can dabble in fame for fun.