4 Chapter 3: Recovery (1/2)

”Ugh…this is boring…”

I lay on my bed as I stared at the ceiling, bored out of my mind. It had only been a day or two since I recovered consciousness. The old man had paid me an unexpected visit on the very next day, but other than that I received no other visitors except my family.

”Did the school give me any homework or assignments to do? I'll do them in the hospital and try my best not to fall behind.”

”No, not really.” Dad stared at me for a moment before breaking into a grin. ”I've never seen you so excited to go to school.”

Why wouldn't I be? The only thing I was good at was studying. In fact, I was so useless at everything else that I ended up applying for graduate school and entering a career of lifetime studying. I was probably among the worst scholars in academia, but at least I wouldn't be causing deaths with my incompetence if I somehow ended up working as a bus driver or in a factory. Hell, I would probably kill more patients than save them if I somehow ended up as a doctor despite my meager intelligence.

Simply put, I was a lot better at handling books and writing stupid essays (basically making stuff up as I went along) than dealing with people.

”But that explains your act of valor,” Dad continued with a nod of his head. I gaped at him, not sure I heard him right.

”Huh? Act of valor?”

”Yeah. You wanted to impress the teachers at Wu Ling Academy with a show of bravery, so you risked your life to save that old man.” He glanced around suddenly, looking a little guilty. ”Don't worry, I won't tell your mother.”

”Wu Ling Academy?”

”You don't remember?” Ji asked with a tilt of his head. ”You're supposed to enroll in Wu Ling Academy this week, but you got caught in that accident…”

Now this was news to me. I was pretty sure I never applied for any Wu Ling Academy when I was thirteen. If I recalled correctly, I attended Gong Jiao Middle School when I was thirteen, which emphasized on a bilingual education. That helped me a lot when I applied for graduate school, being able to speak two languages.

But I had never heard of Wu Ling Academy before.

”You were so eager to learn martial arts that you were so excited when you were accepted into Wu Ling,” Dad spoke up proudly. I could only stare at him, baffled.

”I…did…?” I mumbled dumbly. Ji gave me a strange stare.

”You don't remember, Big Brother?”

”No, I don't.” pushing my glasses up with my uninjured hand, I glanced from Dad to Ji, but they didn't elaborate. I sighed. ”So what's this Wu Ling Academy? You mentioned something about martial arts earlier, right, Dad?”

”You really don't remember?” Dad looked a little disappointed. I did remember Dad being a fan of martial arts, having learned a few when he was young and enjoying Hong Kong Kung Fu movies with him all the time, so that probably explained why he was so enthusiastic about me going to a martial arts academy. I nodded.

”Wu Ling Academy is one of the most prestigious martial arts academy in Martial City (Wu Cheng),” Ji explained helpfully. Dad nodded and continued.

”You took the theory exam last month and passed with flying colors, making us proud! To be accepted into the top martial arts academy in Wu Cheng…”

”Wait, Martial City?”

I had to stop them while I attempted to wrap my head around what I was hearing. Weren't we from a small village called Jia Xiang? And I remembered I attended schools in Cheng Shi City. I had never heard of Wu Cheng City (Martial City) before, not once in my entire thirty years in my previous lifetime.

Even though my family and identity were all the same, it seemed that I was no longer in the same world.

”Yeah,” Dad affirmed. ”You'll be heading to Martial City after you recover and learn martial arts in Wu Ling Academy.”

I snorted and gestured toward my bandaged arm and legs.

”Do I look like I'm in any condition to learn martial arts in this condition?”

”About that, Mom has gone to fetch Doctor Gui Yi. He'll heal you up in no time.”

Ji said something unbelievable as if it was an everyday thing.

”Doctor Gui Yi?”

”The Ghost Hands Doctor, master of the Twelve Mystical Earthly Branches,” Dad explained. ”One of the top twelve Saints in the Jianghu (martial arts world).”

This was getting more and more bizarre. Okay, so I did get transported to another world after all. A modern martial arts world at that. While somehow retaining my past identity. It was as if my life was transplanted into another world.

”Wu'er!”

Mom burst into the room, a big smile across her face. Behind her, an old man who looked as if he was almost a hundred years old, swaddled in. unlike normal doctors, he was dressed in traditional Chinese robes, and even had a hat perched atop his wrinkled face. He had a perpetual scowl, his beady eyes hidden behind small glasses, and a small wisp of a white beard hung down from his gnarled chin. Beaming, Mom stepped forward.

”Doctor Gui Yi is here!”

Gui Yi glared at me and snorted.

”So this is the brat who tried to play hero and almost got himself killed?”

What the heck? There was something about his tone that ticked me off, but I held my tongue. In addition to his traditional appearance, he had this menacing air about him that intimidated me into silence. This man possessed power enough to allow him his arrogance and condescending attitude toward mere mortals such as me.

”Um…Doctor, so do you think you can help my son?” Mom asked somewhat timidly. Gui Yi's lips curled into a sneer.

”Of course I can! Who do you think I am?”

He rolled up his sleeves and stuck his hand out. Behind, a pair of doctors in long flowing white coats hurried to his side and produced a case of needles.

…needles? What?

”I guarantee that this brat will be up and running about tomorrow.”

”Is that even possible?” I blurted out, unable to help me.

Bad mistake.

As Gui Yi glared at me, I suddenly felt extremely tiny. Shrinking back into bed as much as I could, I shuddered involuntarily. This was not a man I could afford to piss off. There was something divine about him, something that told me that he transcended humans.

Was he a xian just like the old man who I saved from the accident?

”Are you questioning my skills, brat?”

”No, I'm just…a little light-headed. Sorry.”

”Hmph.” Gui Yi raised a few needles. ”Looks like I need to fix your head as well.”

No, you did not. Nonetheless, I did not argue. Learning from my mistakes, I kept my mouth shut. That said, I couldn't help but tremble at the sight of the needles.

”What, you're afraid of needles?”

Gui Yi finally pulled his mouth into some semblance of a mocking smile as he waved the needles in his hands. I sighed.

”Well, let's get the injections done and over with.”

”Who said they're injection needles? Do they look like syringes to you?”

Now that I had a closer look, I suddenly realized how the needles weren't injections syringes but just ordinary stainless steel needles. In fact, they resembled sewing needles more than medical devices. Then I understood what they were.

”I'm going to perform acupuncture, not injections.” Gui Yi's unkind smile spread wider across his face as he advanced closer. ”Don't worry, it won't hurt.”

Somehow, that expression on his face didn't convince me.

*

Unexpectedly, the acupuncture session didn't hurt at all. And Gui Yi also infused my body with qi. While I lay on the bed, I could feel a strange warmth circulate through my body.