Chapter 1: The Black Market Doctor
Amidst the boundless blue sky and sea, a slender figure, like a fish, continuously weaved through the water, and before long, he emerged from the deep seabed and climbed onto a speedboat docked nearby.
As the oxygen tank was dropped onto the speedboat less than five meters away, a tall and robust figure was revealed in the sea.
Ling Xiao glanced at the towering cliff, dozens of meters high, nearby. It was sufficiently hidden. Ling Xiao had quietly set up here for half a year, and no one had discovered any issues.
This small beach with its cliffs and precipices is one of Los Angeles' most beautiful beaches, with a rough, secluded surface, adorned with giant rocks eroded by wind, rain, or water.
Due to its distance from the city, limited parking at nearby attractions, and difficult access, not many people visit. There are no recreational facilities here; you can observe tidal pools and sea caves left behind after the tide recedes, or go for a swim or dive.
Ling Xiao flipped onto the speedboat, pulled out three small bottles from his person, placed them in the small refrigerator on the yacht, then took out a can of iced water and poured it deep into his throat, feeling extremely refreshed.
Leaving El Matador State Beach by dinghy, Ling Xiao sped along the coastline of the Western Pacific Ocean, reaching speeds of over a hundred kilometers per hour.
El Matador State Beach is about twenty kilometers from the famous Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles, but traveling by sea is, after all, more convenient than by land.
Santa Monica Beach is known as the most romantic and melancholic beach on the Pacific coast. Backed by rolling green hills and facing the vast Pacific Ocean, the sea here is much calmer and more peaceful compared to San Francisco's. There are no towering white waves or crashing surf, only eternal azure and tranquility.
Countless tourists visit here every day, especially now that it is June. The beautiful sea sunset dyes half the sky red, and the red fiery clouds slowly drift across the sky with the breeze, creating a picturesque scene.
Waves crashed against the rocks on the shore, making a beautiful, eternal, rhythmic sound, then transformed into white foam and receded.
Ling Xiao docked the speedboat at a pier north of Santa Monica Beach. He had paid a full six months' rental fee here, and it was truly not cheap.
Walking down Palm Avenue, he could see beautiful women in bikinis, revealing their soft skin, making it impossible to look away and leaving one lingering.
Unconsciously, a surge of heat rose in Ling Xiao's heart. He took a deep breath, and the True Qi in his body circulated quietly, suppressing this surge of heat.
Driving his pickup truck, Ling Xiao left the small town of Monica, passed through the famous Beverly Hills, and after more than twenty kilometers, finally arrived at his destination: a traditional Chinese medicine shop in the northeast corner of Los Angeles Chinatown.
This Chinese medicine shop, which completely belonged to Ling Xiao, was originally one of the residences of a local Southern Gang boss. After Ling Xiao saved his life once, he completely gave this three-story building to Ling Xiao. He himself, however, died in an unfortunate Gang conflict a few months later.
Ling Xiao was not from this world. He didn't know how he became an orphan who grew up in America. His mind even gained a cultivation System, making him a glorious Cultivator.
Originally, Ling Xiao thought that with his Golden Finger, he could make a big splash and stir up trouble in this world. However, when he accidentally saw the playboy Tony Stark on TV, Ling Xiao immediately calmed down. He finally understood where he was.
The Marvel World. This is the Marvel World where Mutants are as common as dogs and Super Soldiers walk everywhere. Here there is Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, and even gods. Thor and his Asgard, in the entire Marvel World, are already extremely powerful figures, but the mighty Thanos possesses the terrifying power to overturn the entire Asgardian race. Coupled with the Frost Giants, the Dark Elves, Mephisto, and Dormammu, even with his small Golden Finger, Ling Xiao dared not show off in the slightest.
Stepping into his Chinese medicine shop, Ling Xiao asked the young and beautiful woman who was busy at the counter, "Hey, Gan Jing, how's business this morning?"
"It's the same as usual. Only a few old customers with colds came to buy some medicine, and then no one else came," Gan Jing rolled her eyes at Ling Xiao and said, "But one of your old clients from Monterey Park came. He's still waiting downstairs!"
Gan Jing was a university student from China studying in America. Like Ling Xiao, she was also a student at California State University. Gan Jing was a good student in China, and after four years of hard work, she managed to get into California State University as an international student. Unfortunately, shortly after arriving in America, her boyfriend, in collusion with a swindler, defrauded her of all her savings, almost leaving her homeless.
Gan Jing, like a headless fly, searched for jobs everywhere, hitting walls at every turn, and accidentally stumbled into this pharmacy on the edge of Chinatown. Ling Xiao originally had no intention of hiring anyone, but seeing the beautiful woman, he asked an extra question, asking if she understood traditional Chinese medicine.
Gan Jing's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. She said that her Family had a tradition of Chinese medicine, but because she wasn't interested in it, she studied architectural design instead. However, she still had a considerable understanding of the basic theories of Chinese medicine and the identification of medicinal materials.
At that time, Ling Xiao had also just taken over the shop, and he only had a partial understanding of Chinese medicine. Since Gan Jing had this ability, he decided to keep her for now. With free room and board and a monthly salary of nine hundred dollars, Gan Jing, who was on the verge of despair, immediately agreed, and later, she even proactively signed a four-year contract with Ling Xiao.
At first, Ling Xiao thought he had made a profit, but when they actually started operating, he discovered that Gan Jing knew nothing about Chinese medicine. It was true that her Family had a tradition of Chinese medicine, but first, she herself wasn't interested, and her parents had no intention of having her take over. Besides memorizing ancient herbal formulas as a child, she didn't even recognize medicinal ingredients. Only then did Ling Xiao realize that he was the one who had been swindled.
Left with no choice, Ling Xiao had to personally step in. At the same time, he hired an old Chinese medicine practitioner at a high price among the Chinese community in Los Angeles to oversee the practice. Six months later, the old practitioner left, and Ling Xiao and Gan Jing, who had become somewhat proficient, were finally able to keep the Chinese medicine shop running normally.
Perhaps due to Family genes, Gan Jing learned very quickly in this area. After three years, she was already able to normally see patients and prescribe medicine, maintaining the daily operations of the shop without any problems.
As for the old clients from Monterey Park that Gan Jing mentioned, she was actually referring to the members of the Si Hai Gang in Monterey Park.
On the surface, Ling Xiao was a student at California State University and also owned a Chinese medicine shop, but in reality, he was a genuine black market doctor, proficient in various Western medical disciplines, especially surgery. He had handled countless knife wounds and gunshot wounds.
A minor hall master of the Si Hai Gang was Ling Xiao's brother from the orphanage where they grew up. So, after Ling Xiao opened this Chinese medicine shop, his brother often came to him for help.
"Gan Jing, you keep a close eye on things here. If anyone asks, just say I haven't returned yet. I'll go take care of the matter downstairs first!" After giving instructions, Ling Xiao directly carried the box in his hand upstairs, locked the items inside the box into the freezer, and then slowly went down to the basement.