The pounding on the door was loud, the kind of noise that could easily be misunderstood at a time like this, but Chen Nuo wasn't nervous.
Because he was very familiar with the person's voice.
Chen Nuo pushed himself up against the wall, took a moment to steady himself, and walked toward the courtyard gate, saying weakly, "Stop shouting."
CLICK!
The door latch slid open.
The first thing he saw was a two-meter-tall Great Han wearing a ragged short shirt. He looked tall and sturdy, but a closer look revealed he was just big-boned, with not much meat on him.
This person was Chen Yong. He was the one who had saved Chen Nuo from the river, and he was also the one who had led the men who carried Chen Nuo's father down from the mountain.
Moreover, he was Chen Nuo's paternal cousin. And yes, he was also fifteen this year.
"You nearly shouted the soul out of my body."
Chen Yong scratched his head in embarrassment, then his expression changed, and he tried to pull Chen Nuo along.
"What are you doing?"
"Third Great-Uncle fainted! Chen Li and his gang are unreliable, so I had to come get you. Hurry, come with me and save him!"
'Third Great-Uncle?'
Chen Nuo's expression changed as well.
That was the most senior person in Chen Manor, the Clan Leader's own paternal uncle. Even though he wasn't the Clan Leader, his words were so respected that even the Clan Leader had to listen!
Most importantly, Third Great-Uncle had often helped their family. His family had managed to survive until now thanks in large part to Third Great-Uncle's help. He was a benefactor.
"Let's go."
Without another word, Chen Nuo started climbing onto Chen Yong's back.
"Hey, Brother Nuo, what are you doing?"
Chen Yong was a bit flustered.
"Obviously. Do I look like I can walk?"
"Ah, right."
Chen Yong nodded in realization, then, with Chen Nuo on his back, he took off in a dead sprint.
...
「At the center of Chen Manor, outside the ancestral hall.」
A crowd had gathered in a circle, the air buzzing with a cacophony of voices all talking at once, saying all sorts of things.
And in the middle of the crowd, a coarse-looking, burly Great Han was holding a knife, about to slice the wrist of an old man lying on the ground.
But before the blade could connect, he pulled it back again, his face full of hesitation.
"Hurry up, Brother Li! If you're any slower, what if Third Great-Uncle really passes?"
"The Clan Leader was already killed by that damned Hu Family! We can't lose our Great-Uncle too!"
"Why don't we just get Chen Nuo? He's Uncle Shui Sheng's son, after all. He should be able to save him, right?"
"Save him my ass! Did you forget he treated my family's chicken the other day and killed it? He doesn't have Uncle Shui Sheng's skill, otherwise why wouldn't Brother Li have called for him?"
"But this bloodletting... it sounds really weird. Where did he even get a folk remedy like that?"
"Who knows..."
"Alright! Everyone shut up!
Third Great-Uncle, you'll have to bear with me. After this cut, it's all up to fate. The virtuous are protected by heaven, and you are a magnanimous man. If anything really goes wrong, please don't come back to haunt me." After muttering a few words, Chen Li gritted his teeth and moved to slice the wrist.
"Don't!!"
A shout thundered through the air.
Chen Yong was seen running over, THUMP THUMP THUMP, with Chen Nuo on his back.
"Chen Yong? Chen Nuo?"
Chen Yong lifted Chen Nuo off his back and set him down. He looked at Chen Li and said bluntly, "I didn't think you were reliable, so I brought Brother Nuo."
Chen Li's face darkened. "Unreliable? I'm more reliable than this guy who can't even cure livestock! Get out of my way!"
"No!"
Chen Yong gripped Chen Li's arm tightly, veins bulging on his skin, his eyes wide with fury.
Nearby, Chen Nuo had already figured out what was happening. 'This is probably the mess I made before.'
After his father was poisoned to death, he, as his son, had picked up the trade to make a living. But his Medical Skill was poor, and he ended up treating a few of the villagers' remaining chickens and ducks to death, instantly losing everyone's trust.
This was why Chen Li was so against him being there now.
In the eyes of these villagers, if he couldn't even cure livestock, how could they possibly expect him to save a person?
An idea began to form in Chen Nuo's mind, but his gaze remained on Third Great-Uncle, who was lying on the ground.
'Pale face, internal deficiency, starvation...'
'What illness was this again? Seems like insufficient Qi Blood?'
'And then... and then... how do you treat it?'
Chen Nuo's mind went blank, the corner of his mouth twitching. 'My Medical Skill really is terrible!'
His eyes shifted to his panel. This was the perfect time to try adding points. If it really worked, he might be able to save a life. Saving Third Great-Uncle wasn't just about repaying a debt of gratitude; it would also help with his life from here on out. Chen Nuo hadn't forgotten that his golden finger's potential could only be maximized by becoming the Clan Leader.
So.
'Add points!'
On the panel, his 4 Life Points dropped to zero.
[Middle Level Medical Skill (1/100)]
A stream of memories flashed through his mind.
He saw himself starting as a Medicine Boy, learning to distinguish medicinal herbs and the basics of pharmacology. Later, he gathered herbs in the mountains, studied books in the pharmacy, mastered the properties of medicines, prepared them, and practiced his craft, setting up a stall to diagnose and treat patients. He could cure common illnesses with ease, becoming an ordinary Physician.
The next moment, his consciousness returned to the present.
When he looked again, his perspective had changed completely.
'Internal starvation, physical weakness, excessive sweating, insufficient Qi Blood.'
'Keep the area clear, feed him fruit, or something sweet like sugar water. Supplement with a gentle abdominal massage. He should regain consciousness.'
"Does anyone have any fruit, or something like malt sugar or honey?" Chen Nuo asked the surrounding crowd.
The crowd just looked at each other.
Malt sugar, fruit... that kind of precious stuff... how could anyone have something like that in these disastrous times? Besides...
"Hey, Chen Nuo, can you really cure him?"
Chen Li, who had still been arguing with Chen Yong, fixed a fierce pair of eyes on Chen Nuo, his expression unreadable.
"Yes! But only right now. In a little while, even I won't be able to save him," Chen Nuo answered decisively.
To Chen Nuo's surprise...
"Fine. For Third Great-Uncle's sake, I'll trust you one more time."
Chen Li actually didn't argue with him.
He was surprisingly decisive, pulling a dark red, half-eaten fruit wrapped in a scrap of cloth from his robes.
"An apple? Good stuff."
Chen Nuo reached out his hand.
"Hey, you have to save Third Great-Uncle. I was saving that for my Ma," Chen Li said, reluctantly letting go.
Chen Nuo didn't answer, instead shouting to the people around them, "Everyone back away, don't crowd around."
'This is to keep the air circulating, otherwise his breathing will be obstructed.'
The villagers were obedient enough to back away a little. Of course, this might have had something to do with the Fierce God-like expressions on Chen Yong and Chen Li's faces.
With some effort, Chen Nuo crushed the half of an apple, which was already a bit yellowed and shriveled. He dripped the juice into the old man's mouth, bit by bit, then tucked the crushed pulp into his own clothes and freed his hands to gently press on the old man's abdomen.
"Is this going to work?"
"Who knows? But as long as Third Great-Uncle is saved, it'll be fine."
"Sigh, that's true. Let's just hope the kid really knows what he's doing."
"..."
Chen Li and Chen Yong were also staring intently.
Third Great-Uncle's status in the village was extraordinary.
It wasn't just his high seniority; he also frequently helped the villagers. Countless people in the clan had received his favor, and his grandson was even a butcher in the county town.
Moreover, now that the Clan Leader was gone, if Third Great-Uncle, their only remaining leader, was also gone, everyone would truly panic.
Chen Nuo also watched, feeling a little nervous himself.
'This is directly related to my future plans. As for being cautious or not...'
'Being cautious isn't the same as being a coward.'
'If I don't find a way out of this situation soon, I'm going to starve to death first!'
'Besides, adding points requires becoming the Clan Leader. I need prestige, I need supporters!'
'The current situation is a risk, but it's within an acceptable range.'