Fang Mo slowed his movements to allow Doctor Xue to suture his shoulder wound. Moving too much would make it impossible for her to do her job, but moving too little would also make it impossible for him to do his.
He had to admit Doctor Xue wasn't bad. Few doctors could perform sutures on someone moving as much as he was. Normally, the patient needed to remain as still as possible during such a procedure.
Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Fang Mo began by removing the damaged tissue. Most of this had already been dealt with during the initial cleaning, so only a few remnants remained. It didn't take long to finish.
Next, he moved on to the bones. On Earth, the standard procedure would involve shortening the bone ends and securing them with pins and wires, allowing for a tension-free repair of the surrounding structures.
But Fang Mo was no ordinary medic; he was one of a kind. Using only acupuncture needles, he reconnected the bones and used the tendons to hold them in place. He inserted the needles into precise locations on Wan Liwei's body to accelerate its natural regenerative abilities.
This technique allowed the bones and tendons to begin fusing even as the surgery continued. With meticulous movements, he had aligned the tendons and bones in the arm with their counterparts in the shoulder. In time, they would naturally reconnect.
Fang Mo then turned his attention to the arteries. These were crucial for blood circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients necessary to keep the cells alive. The sooner they were reconnected, the greater the chance the arm would remain usable after the surgery.
The major artery supplying blood to the arm and shoulder—the axillary artery—had been severed in its infrapectoral segment. Fortunately, the clean cut had caused minimal damage.
Nervous eyes continued to watch both Doctor Xue and Fang Mo. At first, they had doubted the arrogant newcomer's chances of completing what they believed to be an impossible surgery. But watching him work with such precision left them speechless. Even if he failed, it was obvious his skill far surpassed theirs.
Doctor Xue glanced at Fang Mo's shoulder in disbelief. When she began suturing, she hadn't expected success, not due to her own lack of skill, but because suturing a moving person was difficult.
Any movement during the process could cause inflammation, infection, or even reopen the wound. But Fang Mo somehow knew exactly how much he could move without disturbing her work. She finished her part, applied antiseptic around the wound, and dressed it with fresh bandages.
By the time she was done, Fang Mo had already moved on to the nerves. For the first time, Doctor Xue was free to observe his hands without distraction. Comparing herself to him made her feel inadequate. It was like comparing a sedentary person to a professional runner—by the time she took one step, Fang Mo had already taken ten.
An hour after the surgery had begun, Fang Mo reached the final step. The internal parts of the arm and shoulder were fully reconnected; only the suturing of the skin remained. He glanced at his trembling hands.
His weakened body, strained by constant exertion and injuries, had long passed its limit. A self-deprecating smile tugged at his lips. This body is really useless. I'll need at least a year to bring it to a decent level.
Ignoring his body's protests, Fang Mo pressed on. Within a few minutes, he completed the surgery. "Assistant Doctor Xue," he called as he stepped away from Wan Liwei, locking eyes with her.
Doctor Xue gulped, unsure of what to expect.
"I'm exhausted. Don't let him move his arm, give him antibiotics, and manage the pain. I need rest." With those final instructions, Fang Mo collapsed onto the ground and fell asleep. There were no beds available. He would have to make do with the floor.
***
The smell of blood greeted Fang Mo when his consciousness returned. He looked around and realized he was no longer in the infirmary, but inside a private tent with a single bed. It was small, but having a tent to himself in a military camp showed how much they valued him.
The surgery should've been a success. Now I need to speak with the local commander. As long as I play my cards right, I can get what I need to research the meridian opening solution and improve my physical condition.
While Fang Mo was lost in thought, a hoarse voice caught his attention. "Doctor Mo, are you feeling better?" Yuan Yi entered the tent with a stupid grin on his face.
"I'm feeling better. What do you want?" Fang Mo asked coldly, he saw no need to be courteous. Yuan Yi had likely been rewarded for bringing him to the camp. It could be said that Fang Mo's presence benefited Yuan Yi far more than the other way around.
Yuan Yi might have been a brute, but he wasn't dumb. He knew Fang Mo was his best shot at rising through the camp's ranks. Even in times of peace, a medic with Fang Mo's skills would be highly respected, let alone during a war, when competent medics were in short supply. Yuan Yi intended to cling to Fang Mo's coattails while he still could.
Still grinning, Yuan Yi stepped closer and bowed courteously to Fang Mo, completely ignoring the cold tone in his voice. "Doctor Mo, General Wan Gang sent me to make sure you had everything you needed. He also asked me to bring you to him once you felt better."
Fang Mo blinked, stunned.
"General Wan? Don't tell me… Wan Liwei, the one I operated on, is related to him?"
Yuan Yi let out a laugh. "Not just related. Wan Liwei is General Wan's son!"
Fang Mo frowned. "Why would he send his own son to the front lines?"
People in high positions usually shielded their families. It was rare to see a general allowing his own son to risk his life on such a dangerous battlefield.
"You must not know General Wan," Yuan Yi said, shaking his head. "He's known for being iron-willed and morally upright. If his own son committed a crime, he'd execute him without hesitation."
Fang Mo sighed. The news didn't please him. If anything, it made things more difficult. If the general could throw his own son into a warzone, how could he, an outsider, expect special treatment?
Still, he rose from the bed, brushing aside his fatigue. "Let's go. I want to meet General Wan as well." Fang Mo's eyes gleamed with determination. Even if the man was hard to persuade, Fang Mo was confident he could make it work as long as he played his cards right.
"Of course! Right this way, Doctor Mo," Yuan Yi turned to the entrance. "And if you could say a few good things about me to the general, I'd be grateful."
***
Inside another tent, an old but robust man with a sword scar running diagonally across his face stood with a deep frown as he looked at the middle-aged man seated before him. In stark contrast to the general's solid frame, the middle-aged man was slim, with a sly expression.
"General Wan, the situation is really bad," the man said. "We're losing too many soldiers to injuries and infections. I've reviewed the numbers and compared them to previous wars. It's likely that Wei Zhou's troops are doing something to make the wounds worse than they normally would be."
"Lieutenant Xiang, don't we have enough doctors?"
Lieutenant Xiang shook his head. "It's not about the number of doctors, but the medicine we're using. It's as if they're deliberately spreading an infection our drugs can't treat."
Just then, another voice called from outside the tent, interrupting their conversation.
"General Wan, I've brought Doctor Mo, as you requested."
General Wan's expression softened slightly. "Lieutenant Xiang, we'll continue this conversation later. Please give me a moment to speak with Doctor Mo."
Lieutenant Xiang stood, clasped his hands respectfully, and exited the tent.
"Come in."
Fang Mo entered alone and stood before General Wan. "General Wan, I heard you wanted to speak with me?"
He didn't state his own intentions immediately. If the general made a request first, Fang Mo would gain leverage. In negotiations, having the upper hand was always crucial to maximize the benefits.
"Doctor Mo," General Wan said, "I'm pleased to have a physician of your caliber joining our forces. Doctor Xue spoke highly of your skills, she even claimed no one in the entire Yun Han Empire could compare to you. I wonder… what does someone as capable as you stand to gain by joining this war?"
Just as Fang Mo expected, the general didn't mention the surgery on his son's arm. He's not someone easy to deal with.
With a heroic and righteous expression on his face, Fang Mo replied, "How could I, Fang Mo, sit back and let the despicable Wei Zhou State do as it pleases? I want to lead our people to glory."
Of course, he had no intention of revealing his true motives before understanding what General Wan wanted from him. In terms of status, the general held the advantage. Fang Mo couldn't afford to give him any more leverage.
But to Fang Mo's surprise, General Wan stood up, and a crushing killing intent filled the tent, pressing down on him.
"Doctor Mo," the general said, his facial features changing. "Or should I call you Fang Ye? If you think I haven't looked into your background, then you're taking me for a fool."