Frank was silent for a moment before nodding and agreeing to it.This was obviously the Turnbulls' bottomline, and they were ready to snap if he kept pressing his luck.And he was certainly unlucky today, running into Titus Lionheart and his Ascendant rank retainers—he did not have the advantage if a fight started.Still, meeting Vicky would have to be done for now, since he had questions for her anyway.Glen was clearly relieved that Frank was playing along too.The details from Zac suggested that Frank was actually Ascendant rank… Even peak Ascendant rank.If they really drove him over the edge, things would really get out of hand."Where's the patient… Can 't you hurry?" Professor Roberts snapped impatiently right then, clearly unaccustomed to the messy diplomacy of Draconia."The professor's right. Come on, my father's more important." Glen nodded.Having come to an agreement, Glen had his people get a car to take everyone to a building at the edge of the Turnbull Estate.
"What…" Frank frowned. "Examination is vital in Draconian traditional medicine, and gloves aren't a part of it. I need direct contact to examine the patient's body temperature, skin texture, and other details to properly diagnose him—""Shut up!" Kendra clearly could not stand his long-winded explanation, almost spitting out her dentures. "Put those gloves on, or get out of here! We never asked for you! Some hillbilly like you doesn't get to touch my husband—I care for hygiene even if you don't!"Frank almost snapped at Kendra's outburst.He had every intention to help George, but his family repeatedly harassed him, clearly having no intention to let him live!"Hmph."He snorted, but decided to bear with it and put on the gloves for the sake of seeing Vicky."Now, now, Mr. Lawrence." Titus chuckled even as he put on the gloves. "You don't get to blame those gloves if you misdiagnose Mr. Turnbull.""Draconian traditional medicine doesn't even observe proper hygiene. How scandalou
"No rush." Frank rubbed his chin as he continued, "If it's deer musk, it'd be mixed with water, no?""Nothing you said was right!" Kendra lost all patience and strode up at Frank, pointing at him as she snapped, "Get out of here and stop wasting our time!""Why don't you just give up already?" Titus Lionheart added gleefully."That's right—you should leave," Glen agreed, posturing himself as head of the Turnbulls. "We won't stop you, but you don't get to mention Vicky ever again or set foot in our house, you hear?"Frank narrowed his eyes but eventually nodded. "I have an idea of what Mr. Turnbull has been infected with. The symptoms started a week ago, catalyzed by deer musk which he consumed frequently, and not in solid form…"Taking out the needles he always carried with him, he looked around at everyone and said, "I will now perform acupuncture. If the information you've given me is right, Mr. Turnbull will wake up soon.""Stop it!" Glen snapped, frowning. "Don't bother forci
Glen then leaned in to speak into his mother's ear, saying, "This is also our chance—we can pin blame on Frank so that Vicky hates him, and we have more reason to stand against him."Kendra's frown eased right then, and she nodded. "Good. We will go with that!"Frank could hear them whispering to each other and knew right away what they were intending.Though he did not care, he was still frustrated nonetheless.If Kendra had allowed him to touch her husband in the first place, he did not need to resort to tricks to get the details from them, and he would have been able to diagnose George more accurately.Still, he had deduced that George was infected by an earwig from the South Sea. It was not a particularly profound technique, but once the earwig's eggs were consumed, the eggs would hatch into larvae with certain medicine or martial techniques. With that, the larvae would reproduce within the victim's innards, building hives and eventually devouring their insides clean.At
Frank expected George to awaken in under five minutes with his treatment, with the scarab eggs in his gut purged.He said ten minutes just so that he had time to spare—everyone's constitution was different, and it was his style to be conservative.However, it was soon ten minutes, but George was not showing signs of recovering, and his cheeks were still darkened.Frank checked the pill he made and eventually came to a frustrating conclusion. "Wait… Could they be lying to me?" If they were lying, his diagnosis would be inaccurate and his solution incorrect.If that was really the case, his treatment would be meaningless in a minor case, but George could get killed if it was serious.But before Frank could ask anything, Glen raised his wrist pointedly to check his Patek Philippe and shook his head."It's been twelve minutes, Dr. Lawrence," he said, emphasizing 'doctor' to add insult to injury. "How much longer do we have to wait?""Hehe…" Professor Roberts chuckled but otherwise
Even so, Frank decided to put in one last effort and said quietly, "I'm a healer, but I'm not omnipotent. I can't diagnose a patient without touching him, or when you're lying to me about his symptoms! It's Mr. Turnbull's misfortune to have a wife like you!"The last part was certainly a bombshell. Kendra leapt up to her feet instantly, leaping straight at Frank, ready to claw his face and eyes out."You vermin! Watch your mouth!" she screamed unreasonably. "I-I'll kill you! Glen, call in every man you have—I'll make him wish he was dead!"Glen did not stop her and was actually glaring at Frank. "Do you know what you just said?! Say it again, I dare you!"Frank met his angry glare, took a deep breath, and chuckled coolly. "You want to hear it again? Fine—I'll say it as many times as you want! Having people like you for family is why George Turnbull will die! You're all scum who would rather have your father and husband die!"Everyone was left stunned by Frank's outburst, and Glen
As Glen reared his chin at Frank hostilely, Titus strode up."Wait, Mr. Turnbull." He chuckled coolly. "Frank Lawrence can wait, now that Professor Roberts has seen how pointless Draconia traditional medicine is. Time to show Mr. Lawrence what proper experts can do—it won't be too late to kill him after."That was exactly what he wanted—to beat Frank physically and psychologically, just to wipe that smug grin off his face and make him kneel before him."Are you done talking?" Professor Roberts asked, already impatient."Yeah." Glen nodded. "Please help my father."Kendra snorted coolly. "See? The professor isn't making excuses for his failure, unlike that whippersnapper."At the same time, the Turnbulls and Lionhearts' retainers encircled Frank and did nothing else, since Glen would not go against Titus when he wanted the Lionhearts' help.Having had his orders, Professor Roberts opened his briefcase. Pulling a green tube from a cold storage case, he inserted it into a syringe w
"What?! Impossible… Impossible…" Professor Roberts was gaping, shaking his head and clearly not expecting that to happen to George.Even as he quickly rummaged through his briefcase, Glen asked urgently, "Professor Roberts? What's happening to my father?""I don't know… It's the latest serum our team developed, and it should kill the parasites, but not this…"Professor Roberts panickedly shoved a yellow tube into the syringe and shouted, "Get over here! Hold him down!"At Professor Roberts's call, Glen quickly beckoned for the retainers encircling Frank to hold George down even as he convulsed."Keep him steady!" Professor Roberts shouted even as he wiped the sweat off his brow and injected the yellow serum into George."Urgh…" George finally turned still and stopped convulsing or foaming black blood from his mouth."Phew…" Professor Roberts sighed, before wheeling on Frank, glaring as he bellowed, "It's all his fault! He interfered with my treatment! Feeding a patient some