Question: How many different tests can one person undergo in a hospital?
Answer: More than you could ever imagine!
In the days that followed, Jonathan Black was forced to drop everything and stay in the hospital around the clock. His daily routine was classic patient fashion—roaming from department to department, standing or lying inside all sorts of machines. Waves of radiation zipped through his body, scanning him inside and out, leaving no stone unturned.
And those were just the gentle tests. The intense ones involved drawing all sorts of fluids, injecting all kinds of drugs, and even 'interventional' procedures. What’s 'interventional'? Simply put, it means sticking some kind of device—usually a tube—inside your body through some opening. As for which opening... Let’s not get into the details.
A few days later, Jonathan Black looked like he’d lost a whole size—he was downright haggard.
When Jill Young saw him again, she was genuinely surprised: "Whoa, since when did you start using a wheelchair? And look at you, being pushed around by a pretty nurse. Now you really look the part, big boss!"
"Give me a break," Jonathan Black grumbled, his face a mix of irritation and gloom. "Some random illness didn’t kill me, but at this rate, the doctors just might! The Eastern Research Institute is on the verge of a major breakthrough—the rotary engine is about to make history! Who’s got time to sit around in a hospital? No way, I’m outta here!"
"Oh, come on! With top-notch medical care and Dr. Susan Morrow personally overseeing your tests, you’re getting the kind of VIP treatment most people can only dream of. Ask the folks who can’t even get an appointment—see what they’re dealing with. And you’re here whining? Just cooperate and get your checkups, kid!"
Just then, Dr. Susan Morrow herself stepped out of the consultation room, followed by a crowd of doctors. They clustered around her, discussing as they walked, with Dr. Morrow naturally at the center. In just a few days, this OB-GYN from a second-tier hospital in a third-tier city had managed to win over a bunch of international medical hotshots.
Honestly, it was pretty unbelievable. But behind all the absurdity, there was a simple reason: Dr. Susan Morrow’s medical skills were just that good—undisputed, hands down.
Over the next few days, Jill Young pulled every string she had and tapped into all her connections to investigate her cousin’s situation. After all her years in the Chosen Ones circle, one call from her and a whole bunch of experts showed up, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing off their own powers.
First up, contestant number one: the Psychology Master, Senior Brother.
"Disturbances in the mental world can manifest physically. Some truly powerful psychic experts can even create the illusion of death and make it real. The triggers are mysterious and unpredictable, totally outside the norm. Judging by the symptoms, this fits the bill, so I suspect someone’s meddled with Jonathan Strong’s mind." Senior Brother was brimming with confidence, assuring everyone that if it was a mental issue, he’d handle it.
Soft music played as Jonathan Strong sat across from Senior Brother.
"Now, look at this watch." Senior Brother swung his pocket watch back and forth, imitating a pendulum. "Don’t resist, let me observe your inner world."
"Listen, buddy, I know a thing or two about hypnosis myself. If the subject’s on guard, it’s tough to get results." Jonathan Strong sighed. "I’m not sure if I should be proud or disappointed, but my defenses are ironclad. You can’t just relax into your subconscious because you want to—so good luck hypnotizing me. I’m staring at your watch, but honestly, it’s not doing a thing."
"Oh really?" Senior Brother smiled. "You’re sure you’re still awake?"
"Huh?" Jonathan Strong blinked, suddenly noticing the ceiling and walls of the cozy little room shattering into thousands of points of light. The lights turned into butterflies, swirling around him, carrying him deeper into his own mind.
Senior Brother had picked up a fragment of the Impermanence Mind Technique from the Lord of the Rings world, and his psychic skills were climbing fast. In the latest Heavenly Rankings, he’d jumped from the top 1,500 to the top 1,000. For a pure tech guy who can’t fight at all, that’s pretty wild. So lately, Senior Brother was riding high, full of confidence as the first to take the stage.
Meanwhile, in the material world, Dream Monroe’s eyes sparkled—she could see what was happening during the hypnosis and nodded in approval. "Skilled technique, strong power, able to explore the mind freely. That’s one heck of a hypnotist."
But—wait—
"That’s weird… Didn’t find a thing, not even a dark corner!" Senior Brother scratched his head, defeated. "Normally, there’d be some kind of shadowy zone, a mind maze, or a mental trap. How can there be nothing?"
"Told you, I’m not that easy to hypnotize."
Next up was Paladin, the Holy Knight.
"After thorough investigation, Mr. Jonathan Strong hasn’t suffered any physical-world attacks, so it must be a special curse. Most dark curses can be dispelled by the Holy Light. Even if the curse is too strong for me alone, I can call on the whole knight order for help. When the Holy Light resonates, no evil can stand against us." Paladin was all business, insisting that saving lives was the true path of the Light.
Back in that cozy little room, Paladin took Jonathan Strong’s hands like a priest.
"Son," the old knight, face weathered by time, looked at him with the solemn power of a confessor. "Keep faith in your heart. Hold onto justice. Shine like the sun, and darkness will never touch you."
"You’re preaching justice to a Lord of Darkness? Classic knight move." Jonathan Strong chuckled, then grew just as serious. "I respect folks like you, but I’m not walking your path. I don’t need to shine to avoid getting lost, because I know where the sun is and what I believe in. If I were a knight, I’d walk through the shadows."
"Ah… everyone’s got their own way, can’t force it. The path of the Dark Knight is full of thorns, but I’ll bless you anyway." Paladin looked sorrowful, softly chanting holy words: "May you walk with integrity, defending the faith of your soul—"
The Holy Light surged like boiling water, but with no hint of aggression—just a pure river of brilliance pouring into Jonathan Strong, leaving him feeling crystal clear inside. After battling the worst darkness, Paladin had leveled up. In the Heavenly Rankings, he’d gone from top 600 to top 400. Doesn’t sound huge, but it’s still a big step up.
Dream Monroe nodded again, reading the brilliance of the Holy Light. "Definitely a true seeker, honest and upright—a real bane to darkness and curses."
But—wait—
"I’ve done all I can, but I’m sorry—I can’t cure you. Maybe the darkness in you runs so deep even I can’t see it. It’s not a matter of quantity, but quality. Even if the whole order came, we’d be helpless. Maybe when the Grandmaster gets back, he can handle it himself."
"Don’t worry, maybe I’m not cursed at all—maybe we’re all just being paranoid." Jonathan Strong was pretty chill about it.
But Dream Monroe frowned. She’d always had a subtle sense that this was no simple matter—there had to be some huge karmic twist, and it was connected to her own plans. No way it was just paranoia.
That’s why she was here personally, running this whole "Eight Immortals, each showing their stuff" healing operation.
"Next!" Dream Monroe called for contestant number three. No matter what, she had to grab this crucial clue.
Meanwhile, Jill Young started her own investigation.
"Your Majesty, before the boss fell into a coma, his life was pretty routine—he didn’t go anywhere special. He just bounced between the company, the lab, and the bank all day."
"What about visitors?"
"The boss is super cautious—he’s had strict visitor protocols for ages. If it can be handled over the phone, he won’t meet in person. Most of the time, his staff handles things for him. Even when he does meet people, it’s only folks he knows really well."
So it seemed unlikely he’d been targeted during a meeting—but that didn’t mean Jonathan Strong’s circle was simple.
"What about women?"
Let’s not forget—Jonathan Strong is basically a walking, talking ball of energy! If he can learn martial arts, so can others. Some shady techniques out there let you drain someone’s energy. Maybe Jonathan’s gotten involved with the wrong lady?
"Give me a list of every woman he’s been in contact with lately—especially the ones he’s, you know, ‘contacted.’ I want to check them all out!"
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