Mortal Dawn and Dusk, My Eternal Life - Chapter 31

Time, in everyone’s bated breath, flowed second by second. In a nearby shop, someone lit a stick of incense, its curling blue smoke swaying in the breeze, as if sensing the tension and gravity of the moment.

The young girl in the student uniform lying on the ground visibly grew worse. Her complexion had changed from its initial paleness to a frightening grayish-green, and her lips were dark purple, almost completely devoid of color. Her breathing, which had initially been rapid and shallow, became increasingly faint and prolonged, as if it could completely cease at any moment.

Director Liu of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, his forehead already covered with large beads of sweat, dripped continuously down his face, which was distorted by anxiety. He held his stethoscope almost constantly against the young girl’s chest, but the heartbeats he heard grew fainter and slower, like a flickering candle in the wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.

“Adrenaline! Quick! Give her another shot of adrenaline!” Director Liu’s voice was hoarse as he shouted to the nurse beside him, his tone filled with anxiety and… a hint of barely concealed despair. He had practiced medicine for many years and was well-experienced, but witnessing a young life rapidly slip away in his hands, yet being utterly helpless, was a first. His pride and confidence as an elite Western doctor shattered in the face of this cruel reality.

Could it be… could it truly be that his judgment was mistaken?
Could what that young female physician said… be true?

This thought, like a poisonous snake, gnawed at his insides, making him feel waves of dizziness and weakness.

“Director Liu, one stick of incense… is almost up.”

From the crowd, someone whispered a reminder. The voice was not loud, but it struck Director Liu’s heart like a heavy hammer. He subconsciously looked up, his gaze complex, at the young woman who had stood quietly by all this time, her expression unchanged. She remained calm and detached, as if the dying life before her had nothing to do with her, or as if… everything was within her control.

Just then, the stick of incense, serving as the timer, finally burned to its end, its last wisp of blue smoke dissipating into the air. And almost at the exact same moment, the nurse who had been listening to the young girl’s heartbeat on her chest suddenly let out a crying gasp: “Director Liu! It’s no good! Her… her heartbeat… has stopped!”

“What?!”

Director Liu was struck as if by lightning, his entire body frozen! The surrounding crowd also erupted in sighs of regret and low sobs. It was over! This young life, beautiful as a flower, had ultimately… not been saved!

Just as everyone fell into despair and sorrow, a clear and calm voice, like sunlight piercing through dark clouds, distinctly reached everyone’s ears:

“Move aside.”

It was Su Mingyue. She slowly walked forward, her gaze calmly fixed on the ashen-faced Director Liu and the bewildered nurses. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Director Liu subconsciously took a step back, making way for Su Mingyue. His mind was blank at this moment; all his pride and stubbornness had turned to nothingness with the pronouncement, “her heartbeat has stopped.” He even forgot to question, forgot to stop her. Perhaps, deep down, he vaguely hoped that this mysterious young woman could truly create a miracle.

The surrounding crowd also held their breath, all eyes focused on Su Mingyue. They didn’t know what this young woman intended to do, but they could sense an indescribable confidence and power in her calm eyes.

Su Mingyue walked to the young girl’s side and slowly crouched down. She didn’t examine her with various instruments like the Western doctors, nor did she rush to bandage the bleeding wounds. She simply extended two slender, fair fingers, gently placed them on the young girl’s already cold wrist, and closed her eyes, as if concentrating on listening to something.

A moment later, she opened her eyes, a hint of understanding flashing within them.

“She can still be saved,” she said lightly, her tone calm, yet with a convincing certainty.

Still be saved?!

Hearing these three words, the surrounding crowd immediately burst into low gasps of astonishment! Even the desperate Director Liu suddenly looked up, staring at Su Mingyue in disbelief. Her heart had stopped, how could she still be saved?!

Su Mingyue ignored the crowd’s reactions. She took out an ancient wooden needle box from her medical bag on her back. Opening the box, dozens of silver needles of various lengths and thicknesses were neatly arranged inside, gleaming with a chilling cold light in the dim illumination.

“Silver needles?”

“She… she’s going to use acupuncture?”

Someone in the crowd recognized the silver needles and started an uncertain murmur. Acupuncture, they had heard of, was a type of therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine. But, using a few small silver needles to bring back someone whose heart had stopped? This… this was too unbelievable!

Su Mingyue didn’t hesitate for a moment. She picked up a silver needle about three inches long, aimed at a certain acupuncture point on the young girl’s chest, and with a light flick of her wrist, the silver needle, as if alive, quietly pierced beneath the young girl’s skin, leaving only a small portion of the needle’s tail faintly trembling outside.

Immediately after, the second needle, the third, the fourth… Su Mingyue’s movements were as fast as lightning, yet incredibly precise. In just a few breaths, more than ten silver needles had already pierced several major acupuncture points between the young girl’s chest and abdomen, forming a peculiar plum blossom pattern. Her technique secretly startled those around her who had only a superficial understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

This… this was clearly the long-lost “Plum Blossom Deliverance Needles”! It was said that this needle technique had the effect of bringing the dead back to life, but it required extremely high skill from the practitioner. The slightest mistake would backfire, accelerating the patient’s death! This young woman actually knew such a profound needle technique?!

However, what was even more shocking was yet to come! After performing the needling, Su Mingyue did not stop. She extended her right hand and lightly pressed it onto the young girl’s cold lower abdomen. Then, she closed her eyes, and almost imperceptibly began to softly chant some obscure syllables. The syllables were ancient and long, carrying a peculiar rhythm, as if they were not of this era. At the same time, she gently pressed the young girl’s lower abdomen with her hand, to conceal her chanting!

As she chanted, an almost imperceptible, pure and warm energy began to continuously flow from her palm into the young girl’s body! This energy was part of Su Mingyue’s immortal fundamental power! It was like spring rain, nourishing the young girl’s already withered life force, repairing her damaged organs, and stopping the fatal internal bleeding in her abdominal cavity!

Time passed, minute by minute. The surrounding crowd watched, dumbfounded, not daring to even breathe loudly. Although they couldn’t understand what Su Mingyue was doing, they could clearly feel an indescribable, life-giving aura emanating from the young woman, enveloping the little girl lying on the ground.

Suddenly!

“Cough… cough, cough…”

A faint cough came from the young girl’s mouth! Immediately after, her previously grayish-green face miraculously regained a hint of color! Her breathing, which had previously stopped, began to become steady, though still weak! Her tightly closed eyes also trembled slightly, as if they were about to open at any moment!

“She moved! She moved! She’s moving!”

“Oh my God! She really… she really came back to life!”

A chorus of incredulous gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd! Everyone was completely stunned by this “resurrection from the dead” scene before their eyes! This… this was simply a miracle!

Director Liu of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, his mouth wide open, his eyes almost popping out! He had practiced medicine for many years, priding himself on his extensive experience, but witnessing someone whose heart had stopped being pulled back from the brink of death in just the time it took to burn one stick of incense, by a few silver needles and some “strange” intervention—this was simply unheard of, unseen! This… this had completely exceeded his understanding of medicine!

He looked at the young woman, who remained calm, his eyes filled with deep shock, confusion, and… a hint of undeniable respect and… shame. He knew that this time, he had truly… lost. Lost completely, utterly convinced.

Su Mingyue slowly withdrew her hand from the young girl’s abdomen, then removed the silver needles one by one. She glanced at the young girl’s now ruddy face and steady breathing, and nodded slightly.

“Alright, she is temporarily out of danger,” Su Mingyue stood up and said to Director Liu, who was already dumbfounded, “However, her internal injuries are not fully healed yet. She still needs to be sent to the hospital for proper recuperation. Remember, do not use any strong, aggressive medicines. Just use some gentle tonics to strengthen her foundation, and she will slowly recover.” Her tone was still calm and indifferent, as if she had just performed a trivial task.

Director Liu’s body jolted at her words, finally snapping back from his immense shock. He looked at Su Mingyue, opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat seemed to be choked by something; he couldn’t utter a single word. The expression on his face fluctuated, a mix of shame, respect, curiosity, and a deep… incomprehension.

Finally, he took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Su Mingyue.

“Mis… Miss… No! Divine Doctor! It is I who was blind and ignorant! Thank you, Divine Doctor, for your life-saving intervention! You saved this child’s life, and… and also taught me a lesson!”

His voice was full of sincerity and… a hint of imperceptible awe. He knew that this young woman was by no means an ordinary wandering physician. Her medical skills had reached a realm he could not even imagine!

….. In a corner, a pair of eyes watched everything unfold here…….