Chapter 4: Basking in Borrowed Power

Words : 2135 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

The crowd heard Fabian Farrell and began whispering and pointing. "Look at you-so young, already talking big?" "Just a kid, green as grass, and he dares to judge Dr. Stephen's skills?" "Didn't expect that clean-cut kid to say something so nasty. No wonder the assistant snapped at him." "At your age, do you even know what traditional medicine is? And you're showing off here?" "Get out of the way and let a real doctor save a life!" Dexter saw the others getting riled up and joined in. "Yeah, don't embarrass yourself. Can you even read a medical book?" "A country bumpkin, trying to play hero?" "You really think you're some kind of genius?" Just as Dexter was about to say more, the old man on the ground suddenly convulsed. He gagged. Blood-flecked foam bubbled from his lips. His mouth and eyelids had already turned blue; now his whole face went a dark, purplish hue. Stephen jumped, his face tightening as he checked the man's pulse again. He frowned deeply, shook his head, and told the driver, "I'm sorry. Mr. Hugo's attack was sudden and extremely severe. He's barely hanging on. There's nothing more I can do." Bella Doyle's eyes filled with tears. She clutched his sleeve and cried, "Dr. Stephen, I know you're the best. Please, you have to try something to save Hugo Ferguson!" Stephen sighed and gently brushed her hand away. "I'm sorry. I've done all I can." Fabian saw Bella's devastated face and quickly asked, "You know him?" With reddened eyes, Bella nodded. "I do. He's an old friend of my grandfather's and has looked after me since I was little." Fabian gave a small nod and smiled. "Then I'll save him." He ignored Dexter's mocking and Bella's startled look, walking straight over to the old man. "Fabian…" Bella called without thinking. Fabian glanced back with a gentle smile. "Do you trust me?" At that, Bella stopped crying. She nodded, steady and resolute. "I trust you." Stephen watched Fabian approach, on guard. "What do you think you're doing?" Stephen didn't think much of him. In his view, this kid was just trying to show off for a pretty girl. He'd devoted his life to traditional medicine and couldn't stand to see anyone treat a life so lightly. Besides, this was the head of the Ferguson Group. The man still had a breath left-if the ambulance came quickly, he might still be saved. If anything went wrong, it wouldn't just be on the kid-Stephen would be held responsible too. Seeing Stephen's wariness, the driver's face hardened. He knew Stephen's reputation in Haltoria. If even Stephen couldn't help, what could a boy like this possibly do? "What am I doing? Saving him," Fabian replied calmly. "If you keep stopping me, the old gentleman really won't make it." He reached for the needles Stephen had placed, ready to remove them. The driver stepped in front of him, blocking his way, then turned to Stephen. With Hugo's status, how could they let some unknown kid put hands on him? "Even Stephen couldn't save him. This kid must be out of his mind. Anyone can tell the old man's someone important. If something happens, how's he going to answer for that?" "This kid doesn't know when to quit. Stephen couldn't handle it and he still wants a shot?" The crowd buzzed as Fabian stepped forward. "Uncle Johnathan, let Fabian try," Bella said to the driver, her gaze unwavering. "We don't know when the ambulance will arrive. And Dr. Stephen has no better plan. We might as well let him try. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility." "Give me some room-I can get him back on his feet," Fabian said, his tone turning cold. "If you waste even a second more, he's done for." There was a finality in his voice that brooked no argument; even his posture changed, and Stephen blinked in surprise. The driver furrowed his brow, glanced at Mr. Ferguson as his convulsions eased, then clenched his jaw and nodded. "Fine. You'd better save Mr. Ferguson. If anything happens, the Ferguson family will come after you." He knew Bella and would never speak to her like that. With Fabian, he didn't bother being polite. That way, if things went south, none of the blame would stick to him. Stephen, feeling completely sidelined, bristled. "Young man, I'm considered gifted and only at fifty did I dare say I'd made some progress. At your age, how much experience can you have? A doctor's duty is to heal, not to play games." Fabian let out a short, cold laugh, then crouched beside Hugo and pulled out a neat row of silver needles from his pocket. "I know a doctor's duty is to heal. If you know so much, did you save him?" "You couldn't do it, but you're preaching at me? Ridiculous." Stephen was momentarily speechless. "You-" He huffed and stepped aside. Let's see what this kid can actually do. By then, Hugo's face was nearly black, his eyes tightly shut. "If you can't save him, you'll have to answer for it," Stephen's assistant said coldly behind Fabian. "This is the Ferguson family head. If anything goes wrong, they'll feed you to the dogs." Bella shot the assistant a glare. "Is that something a doctor should say?" The assistant fell silent, sulking. Stephen didn't scold him-he just watched Fabian coolly. In his eyes, the kid was far too arrogant. Barely twenty, still wet behind the ears, and he dared to lecture Stephen. Fabian took the old man's pulse and said, "When he was young, he neglected his health. His heart and his digestion are both in bad shape. Now, at his age, with a frail constitution and a lot weighing on his mind, he suffered an acute cardiac episode. Step back and give him air. Two of you, block the sun from his head." As he issued orders, he laid out his silver needles. Stephen watched the young man's smooth, steady movements and felt a jolt-Fabian's diagnosis matched his own. He watched closely, studying every move. "Yeah, talk is cheap. Anyone can diagnose like that. Treat him already," the assistant sneered, sour and sharp. Fabian ignored them. He selected thirteen needles and inserted them into the old man's head, neck, and chest. His hands moved so quickly that before anyone could react, he was done. Then he flicked each needle with a fingertip. A faint, almost invisible wash of pale yellow light flowed down the needles into the old man's body. After barely thirty seconds, color slowly returned to Hugo's face. The onlookers were stunned, their jaws hanging open. "My God, he's actually doing it. Look, Mr. Hugo's color is coming back!" "Who would've thought he was this good?"

Chapter 4: Basking in Borrowed Power

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