Chapter 21: Never a Trembling Hand

Dr. Zhong’s clinic seemed to be the most peaceful and bustling place in the entire city, feeling more like the world before the apocalypse than anywhere else.

All medical treatments here were free of charge. However, those who remained here for care were suffering from far more than just a simple loss of health points. It was only upon arriving at the clinic that Song Yu realized there were so many bizarre status effects: [Fracture], [Infection], [Gastroenteritis], [Migraine]...

Every status effect had a corresponding treatment, ranging from instant-acting miracle drugs to common medications requiring long-term care. The free treatments naturally utilized the common medications. Fortunately, Song Yu’s condition only required a single vaccine shot.

However, it was clear that Dr. Zhong had no time for her at the moment, as the Qilin Organization had brought in a large number of wounded. Although these were mostly superficial injuries, they required a significant amount of Dr. Zhong’s time and energy. Song Yu noticed that quite a few players were also queuing up inside the clinic.

"Xiao Yu!"

The girl who had chatted with her earlier on the transport vehicle pushed through the crowd with great effort, holding something in her hand.

"This is the vaccine and the syringe. Dr. Zhong won't have time to see you today, so do you know how to give an injection?" the girl asked, breathless.

Song Yu nodded. She was actually quite proficient in this; she had been the one to administer her grandmother’s insulin, as well as Xiao Hei’s vaccines and many of the medications used to treat his canine distemper back in the day. Her hands were incredibly steady. She had never once hesitated when it came to stabbing someone in the neck.

Song Yu took the syringe, expertly drew the vaccine into the tube, and completed the disinfection and injection in one fluid motion. As the thin needle pierced the skin, a blood-curdling scream erupted from beside her, giving her a real start! Fortunately, Song Yu’s hand remained steady, and she successfully injected the vaccine without wasting a drop.

Aside from those visiting the clinic for the first time, everyone else had grown accustomed to the intermittent screams of patients. Song Yu looked around, wondering, wouldn't this attract zombies?

Regarding this, an NPC with a fractured arm in a sling leaned over and whispered an explanation to her. "Nobody dares to lure zombies to the clinic. Any zombie that gets close is cleared out beforehand."

Despite the clinic’s unassuming appearance, it was actually surrounded by a heavy array of firearms and artillery. Song Yu nodded blankly and tucked away the empty syringe and the small glass vial.

While Dr. Zhong’s clinic offered free medical care, it also functioned as a supply exchange point. The items available for trade were naturally various medical supplies, such as bandages, medical grenades—which Song Yu had seen before—and miracle drugs. In return, Dr. Zhong required food, water, and many of the raw materials needed to manufacture medical supplies.

Song Yu took a brief look. Taking sterilized bandages as an example, one roll could be exchanged for items with 300 satiety points or 15 bottles of water. Water, in particular, was the clinic’s most scarce resource. The cheapest items were rags used as bandages; they could restore some health, but they were prone to causing wound infections.

Song Yu didn't rush to trade for medical supplies. Instead, she stayed by the girl's side and began to help. Whether it was administering injections, changing dressings, or even suturing wounds and cutting away necrotic tissue, Song Yu proved to be exceptionally skilled and efficient. She was essentially a natural; whatever she was tasked to do, she did perfectly, without a single error. She even generously used the water from her own storage to help the patients.

This caught the attention of the seemingly stern and rigid Dr. Zhong, who gave Song Yu an extra look.

[NPC Doctor Zhong Huijun's favorability +10]

This was expected. Song Yu was not the only player who knew how to curry favor with NPCs, nor was she the only one doing so. However, most players were still struggling just to meet their basic needs; they couldn't afford to be as generous as Song Yu. The favorability of these NPCs was bought with resources.

Song Yu worked through the night behind Dr. Zhong. Xiao Hei wasn't idle either; after obtaining Song Yu’s permission, he joined the Qilin Organization on their mission. Of course, he didn't stray too far from the clinic, helping to clear out wandering zombies in the vicinity. Xiao Hei’s hearing and smell were extremely keen, and he was clever enough to be of great help. Song Yu didn't forget to warn him: if there was danger, run immediately—don't just stand there foolishly. If the Qilin members asked him to carry something or place it somewhere, he should pretend he didn't understand. Song Yu feared it might be a bomb or something similar; judging others by her own standards, it was hard for her not to think that way.

As it turned out, her worries were unnecessary—these NPCs were fond of Xiao Hei precisely because he was so useful.

By the time the sky brightened, the Qilin Organization members returned safely with Xiao Hei. Song Yu was sitting outside the clinic, washing the blood off her body. Because her hands were so steady, she could even hold a scalpel with ease when faced with a living, beating heart. She had such a natural aptitude for this work that Dr. Zhong had kept her by her side to assist. It was only in the apocalypse that Song Yu would have such an opportunity; here, there were no rules—anything that could be used was put to work! Regardless of whether they had been farmers or cattle ranchers before, Song Yu, who had never touched medicine in her life, was brought onto the operating table to perform surgery. It was quite miraculous.

Fortunately, this was a game instance, so it couldn't be judged by conventional logic.

Of course, Song Yu wasn't working for free. After seven or eight hours of high-intensity labor, she earned ten rolls of professional medical bandages and one Tier 1 medical grenade. Furthermore, Song Yu had some "extra income." She pocketed the parts removed from certain unfortunate patients, as well as the bodies of those even less fortunate who had passed away.

Her performance had been so stellar that when she proposed taking these items for herself, Dr. Zhong didn't refuse at all. The doctor wouldn't dig into the reasons behind it. In the apocalypse, there was no shortage of inhumane things she had witnessed. Song Yu’s actions were hardly worth noting in comparison.

The exhaustion from staying in the operating room was immense. Song Yu sat at the entrance and ate three jam-filled buns in one go, still feeling like it wasn't enough. Just as she was using the leftover mineral water to wash away the bloodstains, Xiao Hei returned. He pounced into Song Yu’s arms, acting adorably and coquettish. This shocked the group of Qilin members following behind him; it was a stark contrast to how Xiao Hei behaved when facing zombies.

Xiao Hei hadn't been working for free either. Although the Qilin Organization didn't have abundant resources, they were truly well-stocked with guns and ammunition. Xiao Hei’s hard work earned him a hand grenade—one capable of dealing 200 damage over a wide area. It was powerful enough to kill certain Tier 3 or Tier 4 zombies with lower health in one blast!

"Working for NPCs is the way to go," Song Yu remarked to herself, squatting at the door with Xiao Hei.

Come to think of it, from night until day, the number of players at the clinic had been steadily increasing. Song Yu had asked the other clinic staff, and they said there hadn't been this many players before. Looking at these players who refused to leave, Song Yu had a hunch. It seemed the clinic was likely one of their targets for looting.