His words left me wary. A question rose in my mind: Do I trust him… or only pretend to? There didn't seem to be any other option.
Even as my suspicious gaze lingered on his face, I couldn't deny the offer was tempting. If I could learn something this powerful and fuse it with my modern knowledge… I could take medicine to heights no one in either world had ever seen. My eyes must have betrayed me, shining with that excitement. Call me a fool, but that's the reality of being in love with your work.
"What are your real intentions in keeping me hostage here?" I asked bluntly, ignoring his question for now, though my words, in their own way, were already an answer.
His eyes lingered on me for a moment before shifting back to the girl.
"This is my daughter, Elira. She…" His voice faltered. Is he crying? I wondered, unsettled by how suddenly the mood had shifted.
"She was walking alone in town, even after I told her it was dangerous. That brat… she's always ignored my warnings. She's a strong fighter, never afraid, not even of demons." I listened closely, trying to piece together more about this place.
"One day, she was ambushed on the city's outskirts. It shouldn't have been possible, but somehow a demon slipped inside the walls. When she exposed him, he struck her down. Now she's on death's door. That's also why you're still alive. I need your blood to cleanse the curse in her wound. Only pure demon blood can do that."
Now it made sense. I had read about this in the book: demons carried corruption in their attacks, a taint that rotted the body like poison. To purge it required blood from another demon, one with blood untainted by corruption.
"So why waste time teaching me medicine," I asked bluntly, "if you'll kill me right after she recovers?"
"You're sharp. That's exactly why." He laughed through his tears, the sound bitter and broken.
Something in me clicked. He couldn't save her alone. The way her wound darkened again as I watched… he was stalling, buying time, gambling on me. He needed me to wield my blood, to shape it into healing. Without me, she would die.
Fine. I'll play along. And when I save her, if he dares to chain me again, I'll kill him.
The thought was sharp, foreign, soaked in bloodlust. Not like me at all. Yet I ignored the unease it stirred. In moments of danger, instinct ruled.
"What if I told you I can save her here and now?" I decided to take the gamble, test the waters, and see if this could be my way out. Confidence stirred in me. If I could just examine those herbs and learn their properties, I might actually have a chance.
His hand, resting on her fevered forehead, trembled at my words. Then something unexplainable happened. For a moment, it felt like ice water poured down my spine, every instinct in me screaming as a suffocating sense of danger crushed my chest. His eyes snapped to mine, and when his lips moved, they did so slowly, deliberately, each word cutting into me like steel.
"Don't fuck with me."
He said it calmly. Too calmly. Each syllable stabbed into my eyes like daggers. This man was dangerous. My instincts shrieked at me to shut up, to stop provoking him. But I forced myself to hold steady.
"What do you have to lose? She'll die anyway if this continues. The infection's likely already spreading into her bloodstream. If it turns septic, she'll be gone within hours. Do you believe me when I say that?" I bluffed, my voice firm. I hadn't examined her closely yet, but judging from the wound's appearance, it wasn't impossible.
Shock flickered across his face. His lip quivered, and then he bit down so hard it bled. "You're actually… knowledgeable in the field?"
"You could say that." I didn't give him more than that.
In a flash, he drew his knife again. I didn't flinch. With one swift motion, he cut through the ropes binding my wrists and hauled me upright. The sudden freedom should have been my chance to strike back, but after the look he'd just given me, I wasn't confident I could take him down. Not yet.
"Show me what you've got. If anything happens to her…" I felt the cold edge of his blade kiss my throat, "…I'll kill you here and now. But if you can save her, I'll let you go."
"How do I know you'll keep your word?"
"You'll just have to gamble."
Shit… he's not an easy nut to crack. I cursed silently.
I turned back to the girl. My hand moved carefully, pressing against her pale skin just above the pelvis, my fingers brushing over soft flesh that had grown clammy with fever. I leaned closer, studying her face. She looked so gentle, almost fragile, her lips parted, lashes trembling faintly. But her eyes remained closed, giving no sign of awareness.
She doesn't even have the strength to care who touches her. Has she already given up on life?
Not good. I had seen that far too many times before. Patients who surrendered inside were always the hardest to save. It was the clearest sign that death was close.
I glanced back at the wound, and then froze. Before my eyes, the world warped, the edges of my vision blurring until text began to bleed into existence. My stomach lurched from the dizziness, but then I realized what I was seeing.
And for the first time since arriving here, I felt a spark of real hope.
[TIP: Use your Blood Surgeon skill {Inspect} to examine the patient. Use {Pharmacy} to open the list of available medicines and recipes for purchase. Use {Inventory} to open your spatial inventory and view tools or supplies.]
I stood frozen, breath caught in my throat. Then, with a sharp thought, I called out silently: Inspect.
Like a game overlay, glowing text shimmered across her body.
On the wound: [Severe Infection: Necrotic Tissue Present. High Risk of Sepsis (Click for more details)]
Above her left wrist: [Pulse: 120 BPM, Rapid; Weak] [Temperature: 39.5°C: High Fever]
Above her head: [Age: {18}]
Above her chest: [Blood Type: {O}]
[TIP: You can use several skills for your first surgery: Anesthetic Shot; Body Scan; Blood Cleanse.]
[You have received a new quest: {Save the life of your first patient.} Reward: {10 System Coins}]
I felt like a child let loose in a playground, my hand trembling before finally steadying. My thoughts raced uncontrollably. I think I love this world… The thought burst through me, and a wide, manic smile spread across my face. Maybe I really was losing my mind. Just a little. Hehe.