Chapter Two: Defying Fate, Snatching Life from Death!

The reborn Su Zheng was a completely different man from before. Although his clothes were tattered, revealing bruised skin underneath, and blood still stained the corner of his mouth, the look of defeat was gone from his face, replaced by an indescribable confidence. His gaze, sharp as a blade, was fixed coldly in the direction of the hotel.

His beloved wife, whom he had cherished so dearly, was at that very moment entangled with another man in some hotel room, a fact that made his heart bleed. But priorities had to be set. Who knew how many wicked deeds those two had committed in secret? There would be time to deal with them later.

Now, the ancestral medical knowledge awakened within him, Su Zheng’s first task was to save his mother, whose life hung by a thread. Wiping the blood from his mouth, he wasted no time and ran toward the hospital.

At City First Hospital, it was already late into the night, the lobby nearly deserted. Su Zheng hurried in, heading straight for his mother’s ward. But when he pushed open the door, he was stunned to find the familiar hospital bed empty—his mother was gone.

Realization dawned on him, and without a second thought, he dashed out of the room.

In the corridor, he caught up with the nurse pushing a gurney. Rushing forward, he lifted the white sheet from his mother’s head—and it was as if thunder crashed inside his heart.

“My mother isn’t dead yet! Quickly, bring me silver needles, now!” Su Zheng, relying on the medical knowledge in his mind, immediately sensed something was wrong and shouted at the two nurses. His mother was merely in a state of suspended animation!

The two nurses looked bewildered. Was this man out of his mind? Director Cao had already signed the death certificate—could there be any mistake?

“Out of my way!” Su Zheng had no time to argue, shoving the nurses aside and pushing the gurney toward the lobby.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” one nurse shouted. “Tonight’s shift supervisor is Director Cao—you go call him, I’ll get security!” After their initial shock, the nurses quickly took out their phones.

Su Zheng pushed his mother through the corridor, heading toward the hospital’s traditional medicine wing. Time was critical—he had to find silver needles himself.

But just as he reached the lobby, a group blocked his path.

“Stop right there! This is a hospital, the patient is dead, and you’re running around with a corpse? You lot, grab him—I suspect he’s mentally unstable!” The leader, a middle-aged doctor in a white coat, barked orders, instructing the security guards to restrain Su Zheng. He was Director Cao, on duty tonight, who had rushed over after receiving the call.

“My mother isn’t dead! I can save her. If you delay and she dies, can you bear the responsibility? That’s a crime—you’ll go to prison!” Su Zheng shouted sternly, his eyes blazing.

The security guards, cowed by Su Zheng’s imposing manner and his words, hesitated, not daring to lay a hand on him. Life was at stake—they could not act rashly.

“Nonsense! I signed the death certificate myself. The patient showed no signs of life—she is dead!” Director Cao retorted sharply, then sneered at Su Zheng. “I remember you. Frankly, your mother could have received treatment, but you’re too poor to pay for the surgery. That’s why her condition worsened!”

“And let me give you some advice—don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You just want to cause a scene and extort money. With me here, you can forget about it!”

“Pathetic pauper, trying to extort money from the hospital with your mother’s corpse—have you gone mad for money?” As Director Cao finished, the surrounding security and nurses looked at Su Zheng with a mixture of scorn and contempt. Some shook their heads, others saw Su Zheng as an unfilial son deserving of a beating.

The commotion also drew the attention of late-night patients, who gathered around, pointing at Su Zheng and criticizing him with disdain.

“My mother is in a state of suspended animation. With just a box of silver needles, I can bring her back. Either give me the needles or step aside—otherwise, it’s murder, and I won’t let you off!” Su Zheng’s expression was fierce; his mother was on the brink of death—a few more minutes and all hope would be lost.

“Impossible! With my years of medical experience, I, Cao Desheng, guarantee the patient is dead. I won’t allow you to make a scene and try to shift the blame to the hospital. I see right through your tricks!” Director Cao, feigning righteous indignation, deliberately announced his name and continued to order the guards to hold the gurney.

He was convinced Su Zheng was scheming and had no intention of backing down. Resolving a potential medical dispute would be a great boon for his annual promotion—a chance at a considerable bonus and opportunities for international training, things many coveted.

Since this pauper had walked right into his hands, he couldn’t be blamed.

“So it’s Director Cao—the youngest specialist at First Hospital, quite impressive!”

“With Director Cao in charge, making trouble won’t get you anywhere—he’s barking up the wrong tree!”

“You’re right. Not even other doctors could do anything in this case—such a person deserves condemnation!”

“Unbelievable—trying to extort money with his own mother’s corpse. Is he even human?”

The crowd whispered their approval of Cao Desheng, and their contempt for Su Zheng.

Su Zheng grew desperate. He knew words were useless—he might have to force his way through. The new memories in his mind offered not only ways to heal, but also techniques to subdue others.

He resolved then to use the lethal arts to deal with Cao and the guards.

“Wait!”

Just as Su Zheng was about to act, a woman’s voice rose from the crowd.

“Director Cao, give him the silver needles. With so many witnesses, what could he possibly do?” Everyone turned to look.

A tall young woman, wearing a mask and sunglasses, stood elegantly at the edge of the crowd. Though her features were hidden, her presence was commanding and assertive.

“Director Cao, didn’t you hear me? I’m the one who assigned you to tonight’s shift,” she reminded him coolly when he hesitated.

“Ah… you’re Miss Qiao… Cough, yes, yes, right away!” Cao Desheng’s demeanor changed instantly, and he hurried off to the traditional medicine wing.

“You know traditional Chinese medicine?” The young woman approached as Su Zheng began massaging his mother’s acupoints. She watched curiously.

Su Zheng had no time to respond, continuing his treatment as memory dictated to stave off his mother’s crisis.

“You’d better prove your skills,” the woman warned, her tone edged with threat. If he was truly a scoundrel making a scene for money, she would not stand by.

Cao Desheng returned swiftly with the silver needles. Su Zheng snatched them, ignoring the astonished looks around him, steadied his mind, and, slow but resolute, inserted the first needle.

As the needles went in, his movements grew faster—the inherited expertise in his mind guiding his hands. In mere minutes, the acupuncture was complete.

A low groan came from the gurney just as Cao Desheng and the others were about to mock him.

“My god…!” Many in the crowd gasped in shock. The woman who had been pronounced dead was, against all expectations, alive once more.