Mo Bei barely had time to sit down and enjoy his new loot when a knock on his clinic door made him groan. Being a village doctor was supposed to be a quiet life, wasn't it?
"Doctor Mo! You must come quickly!" a voice called.
Mo Bei opened the door to see a teenage boy, panting heavily, hands on his knees. It was A'Fu, a local errand boy. The kid's face was red—not from illness, just from running too fast.
"What is it now? Another fever?" Mo Bei asked, already mentally preparing for another sprite.
"No! It's Old Madam Wang! She can't stop coughing, and her chest hurts. She says it feels like something is sitting on her!"
Mo Bei's eyes sharpened. A cough that bad? Chest pain? Could be something more serious.
He grabbed his medicine pouch and followed A'Fu through the winding village paths. Along the way, people waved at him, whispered, or straight-up stared.
"Is that him?"
"The young doctor?"
"They say he cured Lao Hu's fever in an instant!"
Mo Bei sighed. So much for keeping a low profile.
When they arrived at Old Madam Wang's home, the elderly woman was sitting up in bed, her face pale. Every few seconds, a harsh cough racked her body, making her wince.
Mo Bei sat beside her, checking her pulse, looking at her tongue, and listening to her breathing. His system popped up.
[Disease Identified: Stubborn Chest Cold - Persistent Wind Variant]
[Difficulty Level: Medium]
[Recommended Treatment: Warming Herbal Syrup + Chest Steam Therapy + Rest]
Mo Bei exhaled. Good. It wasn't pneumonia, just a severe cold stuck in her lungs.
"Grandma Wang, did this start suddenly?" he asked.
She nodded between coughs. "Two days ago. I—cough—thought it was just the evening chill."
"Do you have chills, too? Body aches?"
She nodded weakly.
Step 1: Herbal Syrup
Mo Bei pulled out his mortar and pestle, mixing ginger, licorice root, and cinnamon bark into a thick medicinal syrup. With his system-enhanced tools, he finished within minutes and helped Old Madam Wang drink it down.
The system beeped.
[Herbal Syrup Administered. Persistent Wind Strength Reduced by 30%.]
The old woman's coughing eased almost immediately.
Step 2: Steam Therapy
"Someone bring a bowl of hot water," Mo Bei instructed.
A'Fu ran off and returned with a steaming bowl. Mo Bei added crushed eucalyptus leaves before covering Madam Wang's head with a cloth, letting her breathe in the warm vapor.
The invisible Persistent Wind Monster in the system's display began to shrink, its ghostly form wavering.
[Steam Therapy Applied. Persistent Wind Strength Reduced by 50%.]
Madam Wang sighed in relief. "Ah… that feels nice."
Mo Bei chuckled. "See? Even ghosts don't like a good steaming."
The villagers watching outside laughed, easing the tension.
Final Step: Rest
"You need to rest, Grandma Wang. No working in the fields for a few days."
She grumbled but nodded. The system pinged one last time.
[System Rewards: 50 EXP, Lung Strengthening Skill (Basic), Herbal Syrup Recipe Upgrade, 1000 Yen, +5 System Points]
Mo Bei grinned. Not bad. Another win for the system.
As he stepped outside, A'Fu looked up at him. "Doctor Mo, are you really this amazing, or do you just make it look easy?"
Mo Bei smirked. "A bit of both, kid."
As he walked back to his clinic, his new mission popped up.
[New Mission: Treat 5 Patients in a Single Day to Unlock Advanced Medical Techniques!]
Mo Bei sighed. This system was really keeping him busy.
"Fine, fine. Bring on the next patient."
And so, his life as the village's busiest doctor continued.