Chapter Thirty-Two: The King of Soldiers, Li Qun

“It’s like this—I have a soldier who’s been severely wounded. I’d like you to take a look at him and see if there’s any way you can heal his injuries.” The lieutenant general commanded a special operations team, and during their last mission, the team leader was gravely injured. He’d been in the hospital ever since, still not recovered.

“I’ll have to examine his condition first. I can’t promise anything until I see for myself,” Chu Feng replied, not daring to give any guarantees. After all, he had no idea where or how the man was wounded.

“Come with me, then. He’s in this hospital, just in another building, not this one.” The lieutenant general spoke a few words to Elder Chen, then led Chu Feng toward another ward.

“What kind of injury did your soldier suffer? He’s been hospitalized for so long and still hasn’t been discharged,” Chu Feng asked, his curiosity piqued. If the man had only been shot and hadn’t suffered critical damage, he should have been discharged by now.

“He took a bullet to the knee. We’re not sure if he’ll ever stand again. The doctors are still discussing the best course of treatment, hoping to get him back on his feet.” As he spoke, a flicker of grief flashed in the general’s eyes. This soldier was his best—he had made many contributions to the country.

“If his kneecap was shattered, even a god could do nothing. Once we get there, I’ll examine him. If there’s any chance at all, I won’t stand by and do nothing,” Chu Feng said. Though his watch could grant longevity, it was no cure-all—it could only prolong life, not restore someone to full health.

After a few minutes’ walk, the general led Chu Feng to a ward guarded by two soldiers at the door.

“General Gao, if you’d told us you were coming, we’d have come out to greet you,” said the two soldiers, snapping to attention when they saw him. They glanced curiously at the young man accompanying the general, wondering if he was here to treat their captain.

“I’m in town on some business and thought I’d stop by to check on Li Qun. You two stay here—don’t let anyone else in.” After asking about the soldier inside, General Gao instructed the two at the door to remain on guard and led Chu Feng inside.

“Good day, sir!” As soon as Chu Feng entered, he heard a loud greeting. Looking up, he saw an utterly ordinary-looking man lying in bed, saluting General Gao.

“How many times have I told you—not to salute me anymore? This isn’t a drill, nor are we on base.” General Gao’s tone, though stern, held only concern and no reproach, as Chu Feng could tell.

“Who’s this young man? You’ve brought him here—there must be a reason,” Li Qun said, not dwelling on the matter of saluting, but instead asking who Chu Feng was.

“This is Chu Feng, a brilliant doctor. I’ve brought him to see if he can heal your leg,” General Gao introduced Chu Feng to Li Qun.

“My dear old commander, please don’t trouble yourself over my crippled leg. The bullet shattered my knee—I never expected to stand again. Don’t waste your time seeking doctors for me,” Li Qun said, his eyes growing moist. He knew his commander had been searching far and wide for a cure on his behalf.

Seeing how young Chu Feng was, Li Qun’s skepticism only deepened. He believed the general had been duped; how could someone so young possess true medical skill?

“Nonsense! You served with distinction. Now that you’re injured, seeing you healed is the least I can do. My reputation is nothing compared to that,” General Gao’s tone suddenly sharpened.

Li Qun, lying in the hospital bed, was the most outstanding soldier under his command—he’d even won first-class honors. If he hadn’t been wounded and the mission had succeeded, he’d likely have been awarded the title of National Combat Hero.

“Let me take a look. If I can help, I will,” Chu Feng said, feeling somewhat awkward as he approached Li Qun to check his pulse.

“Stay away! Just because you fooled our commander doesn’t mean you’ll fool me. If you take another step, don’t blame me for being rude—get out!” Li Qun threatened as Chu Feng approached, convinced he was a charlatan who had only managed to deceive the general.

“Stop fussing. If your leg can’t be healed, your commander will worry about you every day. I’ve said—I’ll do whatever I can,” Chu Feng snapped back, his patience wearing thin after being repeatedly scorned by Li Qun. In all his years as a doctor, he’d never been treated with such contempt.

Chu Feng placed his hand on Li Qun’s wrist to take his pulse, then reviewed his medical report.

“You probably have no sensation below your knee. That’s due to poor blood circulation. If this continues, that part of your leg will become useless—you can forget about ever being a special forces soldier again,” Chu Feng reported his findings to General Gao and Li Qun after the examination.

“Mr. Chu, can you heal the injury to his knee? This young man has rendered great service to the country. I can’t bear to see him spend the rest of his life with a cane,” General Gao pleaded, hoping for a miracle. Even if Li Qun could never return to special forces, a life without a cane would be far better.

“I’ll try. I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll do my utmost,” Chu Feng replied. He couldn’t promise a full recovery, but at least acupuncture might help restore blood flow to Li Qun’s lower leg.

“Wait here. I’ll fetch my silver needles for acupuncture. If you refuse treatment, your lower leg will have to be amputated in a couple of days,” Chu Feng warned, leaving his needles in Elder Chen’s room, but making sure both General Gao and Li Qun understood the consequences of refusing treatment.

“Commander, why go to such lengths for me? I’m already a cripple. Don’t waste money on me—use my medical expenses for the brothers’ meals. Our garrison’s food isn’t that great these days,” Li Qun sighed heavily from his hospital bed after Chu Feng left. The day he realized he’d never walk again, despair had filled his heart.