Chapter 40
“Healer?”
And to step forward at this moment, he must have some confidence. Perhaps… he’s a high-level healer.
The right person arrived at the most needed time. The players all changed their expressions. Even the elder sister who had managed to keep her composure earlier couldn’t help but stand up: “Mr. Jiang, I wonder if you still have healing slots available today?”
“Yes. Let’s not stand on ceremony anymore. Where is the injured person?” Jiang Jitang was worried that if they kept talking, the person might end up brain dead even if they weren’t initially.
The elder sister was even more delighted.
She had never seen such a straightforward healer. Refreshing!
“The person is here, please come with me.”
There are two types of player death: one is dying in the game. After death, they appear in reality in a dazed, puppet-like state and die from various accidents within three minutes, including sudden illnesses like heart attacks.
The other is leaving the game severely injured and dying due to untimely treatment.
The former cannot be prevented, but the latter has a chance to hit the stop button.
As a somewhat famous private player organization, they also had a well-equipped medical room here.
This room not only had various medical devices but was also staffed with two players who were former surgeons and one nurse. They were responsible for treating the wounds of players who left the game, or helping them reduce deterioration and get them to the hospital for emergency treatment as soon as possible.
Player organizations within the country generally handled this quite well. Overseas, it depended on resources because general public hospitals often had hours-long waits in the emergency room. Sometimes, a few hours meant death. But building a private medical room required heavy investment.
Their small medical room could handle some non-fatal minor injuries, but for inevitably fatal injuries, it could only buy a few minutes or tens of minutes.
So when faced with severe injuries that were already impossible to save, everyone could only respect the player’s personal wish: go to the hospital immediately for final treatment, or stay here to say goodbye to everyone.
This time, the player chose to use his last moments to say goodbye to everyone.
The severely injured player was already unconscious, and his blood pressure was starting to drop. Although brain waves and heart activity were still present, they knew it was already impossible to save him.
At this moment, five or six people stood in the emergency room, all trying to suppress their grief.
Getting used to a companion leaving might take a very, very long time, but right now, they weren’t used to it.
While they were grieving, the elder sister suddenly brought the guest in. The player in the white coat was stunned: “Sister Zhang, this is?”
Jiang Jitang had already seen the patient lying on the bed. The white cloth over his chest was soaked with blood. Judging by the sunken, soaked area, it seemed he had been disemboweled and had lost too much blood.
Even with such a severe injury, he still managed to return to the real world, yet it still wasn’t enough. He only felt a moment of regret.
Having seen too many partings in life and death, his heart had become as hard as stone.
“Sister Zhang?”
“Shh,” the elder sister quieted them, “He’s a healer.”
Under everyone’s gaze, he held his hand suspended over the wound. The ancient-looking dark gold bracelet swayed gently with his movement.
Those in the room didn’t know what Jiang Jitang did. They only saw the persistently low brain waves and heart activity begin to rise, and the injured person’s pale, even somewhat bluish, complexion recover.
In the span of about three breaths, the unconscious person opened his eyes, still somewhat confused: “Is this the underworld?”
Having never seen such immediate, dramatic results, his friends and family covered their mouths in disbelief.
“This is the world of the living,” Jiang Jitang reminded him. “Congratulations, you owe a treatment fee. Market rate. Transfer it to my card later.”
“Ah?”
—
Death had been slapped back. Jiang Jitang, who had come as a guest, was escorted like a star all the way to the living room. A soft ice silk cushion had been specially placed on the seat reserved for him.
For a moment, he felt he might be made of glass.
Following behind him was the formerly injured man, covered in blood, feeling his own stomach: “It’s healed, it’s really healed.”
The others also looked on as if watching a marvel: “Such a severe injury, just healed like that?”
“I’ve long heard about the power of high-level healing items, but seeing is believing. If it could also be used on non-players, how many fewer people would die,” sighed the player in the white coat.
“Alright, alright, disperse for now. Brother Tao, let’s deal with your clothes first? They’re all bloody.”
Song Ji’an looked at him with a sense of wonder, like looking at a panda: “Jitang, you have healing equipment?”
“Yes, otherwise I’d have died long ago.”
Song Ji’an then thought of Guo Jie, who had tried to harm him: “That damned Guo Jie, targeting a healer? Does he even have the face to call for revenge?” Everyone nodded and cursed in agreement. Guo Jie was as good as dead in their books.
“My surname is Zhao, Zhao Jianming. I’m also the organizer of ‘Sun Glory’.” A young man in his early thirties, who fit Jiang Jitang’s impression of a ‘rich second generation’ with his flashy style, sat down.
“Hello, Mr. Zhao. I’m Jiang Jitang. I came this time mainly to meet everyone and express my thanks. But joining is out of the question; I have a job.”
Jiang Jitang took the opportunity to state his purpose for coming, especially to tell Song Ji’an that he knew his intentions were good, but to please stop.
“Mr. Jiang, are you interested in earning some extra income?” Zhao Jianming asked.
“It’s too far,” Jiang Jitang shook his head.
“No problem, Jin City, right? We’ll move there in a couple of days.”
“Right, we’ve long thought this place wasn’t good. Even ordering takeout takes an hour to arrive.” Others chimed in in agreement.
Watching the few people, probably the organization’s upper management, decide on moving in just a few words, with no one objecting, Jiang Jitang suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the scarcity of healers.
“Thank you for your high regard, but… how about this, Mr. Zhao, have you considered cooperating with the authorities?”
“Cooperating with the authorities?”
“Yes,” Jiang Jitang nodded. “You also know about the recent update. With the addition of those five hundred thousand representing immense power, the Cube World is bound to undergo greater changes. A small boat is easy to capsize and can’t withstand waves; forming a fleet might allow you to compete for a share. Of course, this is just my suggestion.”
Zhao Jianming looked thoughtful.
Suddenly he asked: “By cooperating with the authorities, do we get a chance to receive healing?”
Zhao Jianming didn’t care as much about how far the organization could go or how much ‘meat’ they could eat. These players gathered together by chance. If there was an opportunity, he hoped more people could survive.
“Perhaps in the future, there will be social security for players. Even if not, I am a healer. I offer concentrated healing sessions on the first day of every month. For emergencies, you can contact me immediately.”
Hearing this, Zhao Jianming was even more tempted. He had seen the healing effect of Jiang Jitang’s item. To put it bluntly, binding with him was like having an extra life.
The game would only get harder, and healing would become increasingly scarce.
“We’re moving. To Jin City.” He made a decision immediately. So what if it’s cooperating with the authorities? Nothing is more important than life.
Hearing the boss’s decision, no team member raised any objection. The people around Song Ji’an even slapped his shoulder hard: “You’re something else, kid, actually connected with such a big treasure.”
Song Ji’an: …
“Even without the official channel, can we still contact you separately? We’ll pay the market rate for treatment, won’t let you suffer a loss.” Zhao Jianming knew cooperation could provide healing opportunities, but that didn’t mean no payment was needed. In this situation, paying directly was the most convenient.
Jiang Jitang thought about it: “For long-term cooperation, I can give a 20% discount.”
“Deal.” Zhao Jianming immediately wrote a check with his signature and stamp, along with a handwritten ‘Voluntary Gift Statement’. “This is for the treatment just now.”
This was a personal gift, tax-free, full amount received.
“It’s too much.” Jiang Jitang looked at the figure of 300,000 and pushed it back. “Non-fatal injuries: thirty thousand. Fatal injuries: one hundred thousand. Don’t bother me with minor injuries; I don’t treat those.”
This was a price he had calculated to be painful but not crippling. If you’re shearing sheep, shear the fat ones. What’s the point focusing on ordinary players?
Zhao Jianming couldn’t believe what he heard. He asked quietly: “Non-fatal injuries are?”
“Severe injuries that won’t cause immediate death, like lost limbs, poisoning, or curses. Fatal injuries are like the one just now, where death follows quickly without immediate treatment. For fatal injuries, you can contact me immediately.”
He added: “This is also why I think this place is too far. For such severe injuries, I can’t get here in time.”
Zhao Jianming was almost moved to tears. He gripped Jiang Jitang’s hand tightly: “I won’t say much else. Pleasure doing business with you.”
“Pleasure doing business. If you have friends who are interested, they can also come to Jin City.” Come settle in Jin City. Herding one sheep is the same as herding a flock; no difference.
Zhao Jianming immediately understood: Spread the word, the more the merrier, right?
“Additionally, if you can capture the outlaw Guo Jie and hand him over to the authorities, I will privately add ten more treatment slots. Valid for anyone.” Jiang Jitang added this point.
Zhao Jianming understood instantly.
“Good, pleasure doing business. Mr. Jiang, are you in need of a house? Does Mr. Jiang prefer high-rise apartments or a small villa? I can arrange to gift you one. I’m from ‘Wanjia Group’. Don’t have much else, but plenty of houses. We also have three or four high-end communities in Jin City.”
“…I’ll contact Mr. Zhao if I have a need.”
Since Jiang Jitang still had matters to attend to, they specially sent someone to drive him back in a luxury car. As for Zhao Jianming, he was gleefully calling the beleaguered leader of the Dongying Society, who was facing a coup:
“You definitely won’t guess who I met today.”
“It’s the person your crazy Guo Jie is targeting.”
“What? Not interested? Oh ho ho, so capable, not even interested in a high-level healer.”
“Hey, I just made an agreement with him. Can get his help in the future. Tsk tsk, all thanks to you guys. Thank you, thank you so much.”
“Old Xu, you know, you always miss the good stuff, but never miss the bad.”
“Enough said. Don’t call me anymore, alright? I’m afraid Mr. Jiang might misunderstand.”
“Boss,” one team member couldn’t hold back, “Why do you have to provoke the Dongying Society? Their boss is an idiot, but that sickly one is not to be trifled with, both sick and crazy.”
“I didn’t provoke the one surnamed Zhu. Besides, isn’t he trying to take over? Isn’t he trying to replace Guo Jie? I’m giving him an opportunity. Come on, let’s go. Wanna go sing karaoke? My treat!”
—
Leaving aside the Dongying Society leader cursing up a storm after that phone call, Jiang Jitang had already returned to his home in Jin City under the escort of the sports car guy.
“Brother Jiang, you can contact me anytime. This car just sits around collecting dust anyway.” The red-haired guy desperately wanted to secure the job on the spot, becoming the nanny’s exclusive driver.
Actually, he was older than Jiang Jitang, but ‘Brother’ was a status in their circle, unrelated to age.
“Alright, drive safely.”
As soon as the person left, he immediately returned home. It was now 4:26 PM. There were still a few hours left until the deadline for the last order. He bought a colorless, odorless, potent anesthetic from the points mall, one that took effect upon contact with the oral mucosa.
Then he applied it to the thawed turkey.
Jiang Jitang suited up fully again: “Accept order.”
“Oof.”
It wasn’t his first time arriving in a task world, but this was the first time the weather was this cold. A damp, penetrating cold. He shivered the moment he arrived from inhaling the flash-freezing air, almost dropping the shield in his hand.
Where is this?
Before him was a field of withered yellow wild grass about two meters tall, submerging people like insects. Voices came from behind.
He carefully parted the wild grass, thick as sugarcane stalks. Ahead was cleared ground, a firebreak about four or five meters wide. In the distance was a planting field of some unknown crop, with dozens of people working and armed patrollers.
Further away was a muddy tidal flat, and a sea that seemed to belong to a different layer compared to the distant view.
The people in thin clothes were barefoot, using hoes and similar tools to dig in the unfrozen ground. For each one they dug up, they had to test it with a detection probe. The field was filled with the sound of ‘High pollution, inedible, unusable’.
The patrollers, stamping their feet to keep warm, were vigilantly observing every corner from which abnormal sounds came.
“This is the last appearance before winter. The next time will be in spring. Try to find as many as possible.” The tallest and strongest patroller, holding a weapon, shouted. The others didn’t even look up.
And Jiang Jitang immediately spotted the wisher he was looking for: a junior follower sticking close behind an older brother.
His biggest difference from the other patrollers was that he also wore thin cloth clothes, no leather armor, his face chapped and red from the cold. But his eyes were bright and shiny, filled with the novelty and apprehension of someone new to the job.
He seemed like an ordinary person without much of a story.
“Ahhhhhh!”
Sudden screams attracted everyone’s attention.
Following the direction of the sound, Jiang Jitang saw, on the other side of this planting field, near the tidal flats and the sea.
It was about four or five kilometers away from him. The forager group there was in turmoil. Gunshots and screams were constant.
Focusing his attention, the scene before him magnified. He could clearly see the ragged diggers desperately running elsewhere, while nearby patrollers rushed forward. The movement path of each person was so distinct.
He even saw that evasive task target, hugging a bulky weapon, also charging forward.
Behind the humans, a black monster the size of a double-decker bus was writhing in the gaps. Its massive yet agile body advanced at an astonishing speed.
