Chapter 128: I

The newcomer is hostile; this certainly isn't a sound a normal patient could make.

Ji Ming replayed the events of the past few days in his mind one by one, yet he truly could find no way he might have provoked anyone.

If so, then it must be an unforeseen disaster…

He made no sound, but placed the sharp axe he had sharpened seven or eight times beside his hand.

"Doctor…"

"It's fine."

After soothing AdaiEr, Ji Ming continued, unhurriedly, to wrap the gauze around the patient's leg.

"Ji Ming! Ji Ming!"

Hearing that familiar pronunciation again, he actually felt a twinge of nostalgia, after all, no one dares to call him that any longer.

"Step aside, let us examine first; didn't you see my brother is about to die?"

"Weren't you the one who said this was your nephew? Look, everything I gave you is top‑grade…"

Ha, pulling tiger‑skin really is exhilarating!

Ji Ming sat in silent contemplation, while Sani stared wide‑eyed beside him, looking for a snag.

"No way!"

There's no need; he clearly left room for negotiation, yet Ku Po actually sent a crate of Rejuvenation Third Generation over as a goodwill gesture.

Sani reached out and yanked the little subordinate beside him, roughly as if pulling a torn cloth sack.

Hm?

But…

When he returned, Sani still thought he had finally grasped Ji Ming's weak spot, and was secretly rejoicing.

"Oh, a fracture? Easy to treat,"

Seeing him cower like a quail, Ji Ming's face once again broke into a warm smile.

A hint of retreat rose in Sani's mind, but the money over there had already been taken; if they were to call off the operation…

"Considering the friendship between me and your brother, I even gave you a zero discount; why aren't you pleased?"

"What, you want to be at odds with the Union?"

But with the older brother dead and the younger one starting a quarrel, it's unclear whether the matter stems from heartfelt brotherly camaraderie or warm sibling unity.

Ah, isn't that a coincidence?

Ji Ming replied leisurely.

"Or perhaps you intend to hinder Uncle Suo La's earnings?"

These bandits' mouths never utter a true word; although the ledgers and medical logs lack detailed entries, Ji Ming dares to conclude that his in‑story self was set up by them.

"According to the Commercial Union's regulations, anyone on Commercial Street who causes a disturbance, picks a fight, attempts to disrupt normal business, or violently violates store rules, the Union has the right to punish with any appropriate action or form."

"Look, my little brother's leg is broken; I need you to stitch it back together!"

Ji Ming paused briefly, then suddenly realized who the man before him was.

"It's crowded inside; one person is enough."

Saying so, he pointed at a picture frame on the wall beside him.

But Ji Ming was betting that Sani didn't grasp the intricacies behind that clause.

Blocking any possible attack direction of the hammer‑staff she hid behind his back, Ji Ming, with a tense expression, escorted her out.

If you were a badass, you could settle the matter yourself.

Is Suo La trying to strike me?

In the main hall stood several obvious thugs, confronting the patients.

Now Sani's face flushed red and then white, and she could no longer speak.

Sani, afflicted by a professional habit, subconsciously tried to say a couple of lines, and Ji Ming, startled, quickly cleared his throat.

"Damn, what a crappy Rejuvenation Third Generation, it's absurdly pricey—one use costs a silver coin!?"

"AdaiEr, I'm fine here alone; you go out first."

Sani stammered briefly, steeling herself.

"?"

"Then I'm a family member of the patient. No, you at least have to let me in!"

He seemed quite pleased with the dirty water he splashed, deliberately scanning the surroundings.

On the contrary, Ji Ming, who had been smiling before,

Why does that tone sound like a familiar person? There shouldn't be such a beastly life in my circle of friends…

Seeing Ji Ming come out without causing a fuss, he actually forced a fake smile and started chatting about everyday matters.

But aside from the little subordinate, the angry patients offered him no support.

In total, it added up to exactly two hundred and one copper coins.

On the very first day of opening, an old foe ignorant of the truth rushed over in a fury to pick a fight; he didn't think this was mere coincidence.

"Ah…"

Your mother and neighbor Old Wang's intertwined burial mound.

If you can't do it yourself, truly no one is idle enough to back you up.

Ji Ming wouldn't make things difficult for him; he simply proceeded step by step with the treatment.

Too lazy to expose his ghostly trick, Ji Ming blocked the thugs trying to follow, signaling the youngster to enter the treatment room with him.

"Hey!"

Just by looking at his skeletal frame, one can tell he isn't a member of the bandit gang; he seems to have been forced from somewhere unknown.

So Ji Ming's smile grew even brighter.

"Yo, Ji Ming, so you're still here."

"What's so pricey? It's been this price for a whole month; don't speak recklessly with your eyes open, Dr. Ji Ming, it's hard."

Sani seemed as if someone had grabbed his throat, and he immediately dared not continue the topic.

"If you don't want treatment, go to the hospital and spend gold coins."

"A friend introduced it, the Iron Chain Squad, you know?"

And now, one can only say his information is really unreliable; this month's disconnection made him miss too many exciting things.

Huh, that name does sound familiar.

The leader had a face full of flabby flesh, a lot of sclera, and looked like a hard‑to‑handle ghost.

"Niang Xi Pi, you can stop provoking me, but provoking someone's demon‑activated armored summoner is deadly!"

He smiled and nodded.

Glancing at the rogue's iron club behind him, Ji Ming felt that with one careless move he had found the murder weapon.

He was 1.8 meters tall, standing like a thug.

"Ha!"

He could only steel himself and lie down on the ground.

He even counted the mysterious enemy who chased him on the night he first met Bao Li Si.

According to the ledger, that bandit leader's nickname on the road was Hei Yan La Si.

"Sani, don't blame me for not warning you, this is the Commercial Street under the jurisdiction of the Commercial Union Club."

"Oh, then hurry up and treat!"

He squinted his eyes, speaking sarcastically.

"Don't be impatient; treat them one by one, I will send you all away individually."

He shrugged.

"Oh my god, have you never seen a patient?"

But he just couldn't find anyone who would suppress him in this manner.

He took another step.

Sani suddenly raised his tone.

"Oh, I recognize you, little brother, what's up? Anything?"

"I'll go out to handle something, you settle the bill with my assistant."

"You, this mediocre doctor, still have the nerve…"

Then another step.

"Are you sure?"

Your black egg can have such a white nephew?

He stared for a long time, but couldn't find even a single flaw.

"Doctor, this little assistant looks quite pretty, where did you get them?"

"Last time a few of us brothers stared at you could have killed my brother, this time who knows…"

Mountain People Mercenary Alliance?

Ji Ming's mind immediately jumped to that answer, but upon reconsideration realized it also insulted AdaiEr, so he quickly dismissed the thought.

"Done, two silver coins, settle up."

"Two silver coins?"

He burst out of the room, pointing at the treatment room and shouting loudly.

"Confirmed!"

Seeing Ji Ming silent, the rogue leader lowered his voice.

It wasn't until the doctor finished the entire treatment process and leisurely began washing his hands that he finally came to his senses.

"How much?"

Is someone inside the Adventurers' Guild holding a grudge?

If you're a worthless snack…

He could only watch the doctor debride and stop bleeding step by step, finally fixing a splint on the boy.

He helped the boy into the treatment room, where only AdaiEr stood with his hands behind his back, looking obedient.

"Got you, huh? Let me catch you!"

Unfortunately, if the rogue could obey, he wouldn't be a rogue; Sani immediately screamed.

So one is defecating, the other is urinating.

That robust voice kept clamoring, seeming to be in conflict with the patients outside.

"Ah, I'm sick, I'm also sick!"

However, besides lying, the rogue also had another skill: flailing around.

"I just treated a fracture, and he dared to charge me two silver coins!"

The troops hadn't moved, but supplies went first; before moving to Inner City, he had specifically asked Ku Po about the local rules.

Today was his first day of opening, and he didn't want a spotless treatment room to immediately acquire a soul ring.

It was impossible; he hadn't wasted his friendship with Bao Li Si, and instead they should award him a rescue‑and‑healing medal.

In his casually filled background setting, the reason "Mediocre Doctor Ji Ming" was broke to the ringing was mainly because he once killed a bandit leader, losing almost all his savings.

"Ah!?"

A skinny, pimple‑faced boy wore a terrified expression, and he was trembling from the cold air.

Ji Ming helped the boy onto the bed and sat him up, then carefully lifted the boy's trousers, which were so loose they no longer fit.

Ji Ming calmly took the price list and walked out.

"First get in line; it'll be your turn soon."

"Yo~"

Ji Ming turned his head and stared at him.

His right leg was indeed bent in a strange arc, but…

He pointed at the prices on the price list and rattled off a rapid series of charge items.

"What, because you're big and powerful you think you're soaring in the sky, and you don't acknowledge me, White‑eyed Sani?"

He said it lightly.

"Do you know what's written up there?"

The Union does have that rule, but in practice it's certainly not enforced that strictly; it's just a 'full‑discretion' overriding clause.

"What's wrong with the Clinic's rule? Do you really think…"

I still thought everything was a month ago; not even a dog was taken out, not even a map was explored, they just came straight to the door to assert their authority.

His sluggish brain numbed his tongue.

"No, my junior is my nephew, and he must be treated first today!"

I was away this month; what on earth happened in the city?

"Step forward, come in."

Holy Light Church?

Sani, who is all guts, couldn't possibly be frightened by mere Ji Ming, yet his eyes widened.

"Little brother, you're pretty impressive now. I haven't been in the city for a month; have you moved all your belongings to Inner City?"

Sani wanted to continue scolding, but realized the surrounding patients were looking at him as if he were a fool.

Ji Ming adjusted his brand‑new white robe, smiled, and walked out of the treatment room.

His face twitched, and he jumped up on the spot.

"Ji Ming, charging randomly, huh? Ji Ming, charging randomly, huh!"