Plague Doctor

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

The screen at the front of the stadium lit up and showed a list of nominees. There were a total of 32 students selected.

9 from Eastern University, 7 from Qingyun University, 5 from Qihua Medical College, 4 from Dongyang Medical College, and 7 from the remaining schools.

Amongst the students from Eastern University, Gu Jun’s name was unsurprisingly present together with Wang Ruoxiang and Cai Zixuan. This time, Professor Gu created a considerable expression with his students taking up a third of all of the places allocated to the school. This result was even above Professor Yu’s school team, which only got 2 seats.

“Old Gu, that is pretty amazing,” Professor Yu shouted his congratulations from afar. The other Professors had no choice but to concede. They had never understood why Professor Gu thought so highly of Gu Jun. They had always thought that he was deluded. Now, it turns out that Professor Gu was actually the wise man, while they were blinded. No one with the right mind would dare mock Professor Gu again. Even the students’ gazes held huge respect and admiration for him.

From now one, Professor Gu’s position and prestige within the school would no doubt soar beyond the skies.

Looking at the results, Professor Gu was delighted. He turned to his team, comforting those that were not selected, “All of you, do not be discouraged just because you were not chosen.”

Discouraged? What was there to be discouraged about? He Yuhan even felt happy and grateful. Once again, she was a pharmacy student. Using dissection and surgical scalpels were not suited for her. Right now, she was already on the verge of throwing the towel and going home.

Xu Hai too was not upset. Some people like him had always believed that they were the creme de la creme before the event. It was only during and after that did the reality of their incompetence had crushed their minds. Xu Hai was crystal clear about it; he knew that he was this type of person. On the other hand, Zhang Haoran was regretting his severe lack of preparation. In his mind, he was lamenting nonstop. Should have watched a dozen gore and horror films before coming.

***

“Such is fate...” Cai Zixuan’s heart was overwhelmed as he rubbed his balding head with his hand. Looking up into the distance, he lamented, “Where would fate bring me this time?”

Cai Zixuan’s nomination had taken quite many people by surprise. They had never expected this young Patrick Stewart to have such a heart of steel.

“Don’t allow the nomination to get to your heads.” Again, cold dad jokes began to pop out from Professor Gu. “Perhaps it was not your calm and collected performance that got you selected, but your comparatively inhumane attitude.”

On his side, Wang Ruoxiang chuckled and pointed at Gu Jun. Must be talking about this guy.

Laughing wryly, Gu Jun thought to himself. What a bad joke.

Perhaps, Gu Jun would look back to this some time in the future, thinking how his peacefulness would soon be stricken with the turbulence of chaos.

At the same time, in a spacious lounge in the backstage, a noisy chatter echoed as the judges discussed the situation.

Although the competition was organised hastily, the department had placed great importance to it. After all, the four medical schools in the Eastern Province had always been the major universities to train medical talents for the country, especially Eastern University and Qingyun University. The number of nominees entering the second round was within their expectations. What Professor Qin said earlier was just to shock the students before. They were not only picking two or three people. In fact, their goal was about six people.

The only unexpected incident was Gu Jun. They had decided on recruiting this young man regardless of his technical skills. They had already determined with his performance during the first round that he was chosen.

As to his arrangement and position, they still had to judge based on his medical expertise.

“I don’t think we need to worry about it. That kid is an eight-year student at Eastern University. How bad could his skills get?”

“Precisely, he already looks like a high potential surgeon. Who knows, he might even be qualified to join the Mobile Task Force. They asked again yesterday, always wanting new people.”

“Just drag it. One day is one day. This talent needs to stay at our Medical Department even for a short while.”

As they discussed this unprecedented and unexpected discovery, the tens of judges either sat or paced around. The atmosphere was immediately pumped with adrenaline.

Being able to find great talent always sets euphoria rushing through their veins. What’s more, the talent was a young handsome lad. In their eyes, Gu Jun was literally a piece of refined jade.

“Everyone do not be too happy now.” Professor Qin was the calmest amongst them, maintaining his full point of view even during this time of extreme excitement. “Possessing strong psychological resilience and high intelligence, but a lack of any form of surgical skills would leave him in an admin position. Don’t forget. This sort of situation happens very often. The talent that the Mobile Task Force requires is scarce. Where are we supposed to find it for them?” 𝒇𝑟𝐞𝐞w𝐞𝑏𝙣𝑜vℯl.co𝑚

That one sentence jolted everyone back to their senses. It was as Professor Qin said. After scouring through the entire nation, they had selected numerous young talents. However, the qualified individuals to join the Mobile Task Force were countable with one hand. This mission, it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Right at that moment, a long deep sigh pierces through the bubbly mood. One of the panel members had just ended a phone call. His face was sullen and depressed. In a dredging voice, he said, “I think Professor Qin was spot on.” Immediately the whole group exploded with questions. Then, that panel member continued, “I just called to understand more about this Gu Jun. From what I heard, he is a student with poor academic achievements, a lack of drive in his studies, and always smoking his way through since enrollment. He is a rich man, extravagant in spending with a tendency to splurge. Hence, everyone calls him “Tycoon Jun”. this time, he only managed to get here as his mentor, Professor Gu Rong, was biased and insisted on bringing him along.”

What?! The news thundered down like a bolt from the blue sky, smashing their high hopes into smithereens. The judges were left in a daze, mouth gaped open. Their dismay was evident on their faces.

So... he’s all talk?

Tycoon Jun? Somehow, it feels like we got scammed with a Fool’s Gold...

Professor Qin sighed heavily as his head shook. Looking at the ground, he walked out of the door downcasted.

In this world, many can speak massive theories. However, the number that could carry it out were few.

***

As the time without the iron cage in the stadium lengthened, the atmosphere inside the stadium lightened further.

Professors and students whispered, discussing theories and hypotheses nonstop. Beside them, the nominees either warmed up and stretched or sat quietly with their eyes closed.

Gu Jun was the latter. Actually, he was looking at the Missions Log in his mind:

[NORMAL Mission: By today, successfully diagnose 100 Orthopaedic Patients. Mission Rewards, 1 box of Human Brain Stem Tumour Targeted Therapy.

DIFFICULT Mission: Within 1 day, complete dissection of a non-human irregular species’ body part. Mission Rewards, 3 Pages of Intact Diagnosis and Treatment Journal

Abyssal Mission: Within 1 week, complete the dissection of 1 Ghoul. Mission Rewards, Unknown]

Today’s DIFFICULT mission was a new one. It was his first time seeing this type within many refreshes. Now, Gu Jun no longer doubted the existence of mythical creatures like ghouls. It was just that he didn’t think that he would meet one soon.

However, not meeting ghouls did not necessarily translate to not meeting any irregular species.

“We had already dissected the limbs of a patient with 2nd Stage Banyan Malformation Disease. This bunch of torture and sadist freaks would not test us on this again,” Gu Jun thought to himself. “They would probably want to scare us again. There is no way this 2nd test would be smooth-sailing. But what would they scare us with? Limbs of an irregular species? Maybe I can complete this mission today...”

If he could get a journal written in this foreign language. Even if it was just 3 pages, it would be critical to further his decryption of this language.

What’s more, it’s a Diagnosis and Treatment Journal. Treatment of what? Who’s journal is this?

Throughout the 15 minute break, Gu Jun was deep in thought. Soon after, the judges re-entered the stadium, and the emcee announced the commencement of the 2nd round of tests.

“Let’s go.” Gu Jun got to his feet, turning to face Cai Zixuan and Wang Ruoxiang. Behind them, Professor Gu and He Yuhan gave them a thumbs up, a warm sign of encouragement. “Good Luck!”

Quickly, all 32 nominees walked to the centre of the stadium. To their surprise, 10 dissection tables had already been set up. That’s when it dawned to everyone. They had long calculated all of these.

The nominees had been split into 10 teams, with 3 on each side except for the last 2 groups with 4 members. Eastern University had the most number of teams which was 3 teams, then Qingyun University with 2 teams. On their 4 sides, the professors and remaining students watched and placed their highest hopes onto the 2 school teams present. After all, Gu Jun’s team had barely completed their 3 years of medical education. They lacked experience with dissection. Needless to say, any form of surgical skills.

Amongst the crowd, only Professor Gu smiled warmly and somewhat ominously at them.

Every team was assigned a dissection table. It was a conventional stainless steel model with a motor elevator to raise the cooling platform.

“The sample to be dissected is within the cooling storage,” Professor Qin said while pointing to the storage beside each table. His eyes glanced at Gu Jun as he continued, “There are no models to follow for this test. You can go about the dissection as you wish. Do remember to show us your best. We will be watching all of you.”

Hmm? Is his gaze colder just now? Somehow, Gu Jun felt a particular disappointment in Professor Qin’s eyes.

Without further ado, the ten groups of students put on their masks and gloves. They then pressed the lever buttons, and a rumbling mechanical sound rang. Exclamations of surprise rang one after another in the audience. None of the boxes held ordinary bodies nor were they the remains of patients with Banyan Malformation Disease.

Looking at the peculiar corpse on their tables, deep ridges formed on the foreheads of the nominees.

“Well, what is this?” Cai Zixuan asked abruptly, breaking the dense atmosphere. Wang Ruoxiang’s eyes darted around and doubted, “It seems to be the torso of some kind of beast?”

Even if it’s a beast, it is not an ordinary beast. Looks like I’m right again.

As Gu Jun looked at the creature on the table, the corner of his mouth slightly raised. In his mind, he tapped onto the system menu and accepted the DIFFICULT Mission.

Those 3 pages of the journal, I’m taking them!

[Mission Accepted! Current Dissection Progress: 0%, Time Remaining: 23: 59: 59 ]