Chapter 2: Remember-it's an invitation!

"Kid, you're way out of line. Dr. Wokey is North Jenden's top cardiology expert. You dare call him a quack unworthy of the title? Do you have a death wish?" "Damn it, I want to rip this punk's mouth apart!" "He insulted us, fine, but dragging Dr. Wokey into it too? Absolutely not-we can't just let this slide!" Several doctors itched to pound Carlos Yale into the floor. Richard Wokey's eyelid twitched. He spoke coldly. "Kid, unless you give me an explanation today, don't think you're walking out of this hospital." "Bring me a silver needle and I'll give you your explanation," Carlos said. "Go get a silver needle," Richard snapped. He had to see what kind of "explanation" this kid could offer. Only then did Callie Yare snap out of her daze. She grabbed Carlos's hand, tears spilling as relief flooded her face. "Carlos, you finally woke up. I thought I was going to lose you and your dad. I almost didn't want to live… sob…" "Mom, don't worry. Dad will be fine." Carlos pulled his mother into his arms, steadying her. In his memories, his parents had doted on him. They weren't wealthy, but they always did their best to give him what he wanted. They never hit him, never even scolded him. Soon, a doctor hurried in carrying a case of silver needles. "Here. Let's see what kind of 'explanation' you can give me," Richard said, handing one to Carlos. Carlos took the needle. "I'll bring my dad back and prove you're all incompetent." "Are you out of your mind from taking too many sleeping pills?" Alora Lyson rushed over, anxious and angry. "Dr. Wokey is the most authoritative cardiology expert in North Jenden. If he says there's no saving him, it's a death sentence. You're just a med school graduate-you haven't even interned at a hospital. What are you going to use to save your dad? What gives you the right to say Dr. Wokey is incompetent?" "I remember now-three days ago, this kid OD'd on sleeping pills and had to be resuscitated here." "Right, I remember too. He's the live-in son-in-law of Dr. Zimmerman from Treasure Hall in Jenden. I heard his wife wanted to divorce him, and he couldn't take it, so he tried to kill himself with sleeping pills." "Ridiculous. A loser like that wants to save a man on death's door? If he had that kind of ability, Dr. Zimmerman would treat him like gold and never agree to his daughter divorcing him." The doctors sneered one after another. Hearing Carlos's story, Richard chuckled. "Kid, if you can save your father, I'll waive ten grand in medical bills and give you another ten grand. But if you can't, you'll kneel, apologize, and slap yourself ten times." "Then get ready to hand me ten grand." Carlos pulled out a twenty-centimeter silver needle and drove it cleanly into the area over Kaden Yale's heart. "Murder! That's blatant murder!" Every doctor present felt their scalp crawl at the sheer force he used. Carlos drew three more needles, each over ten centimeters long, and slammed them into Kaden's chest with one hard punch. "Kid, stop! Even a corpse doesn't deserve to be manhandled like that!" A doctor lunged to drag Carlos back. "Hold it," Richard barked, stopping him. Carlos's technique looked crude, but he didn't hesitate. Each needle went straight into a critical acupoint. Even veteran traditional doctors who had practiced for decades couldn't hit those points so quickly and precisely, yet Carlos did. It meant his acupuncture had reached a frightening level of mastery. Whether he could bring Kaden back-they would see soon enough. If he did, it would rock the international medical world. Because in Kaden's condition, even the most advanced Western technology couldn't bring him back. Richard didn't expect much. He was simply stunned a young man had such refined technique. Very quickly, Carlos had placed twenty silver needles of varying lengths. "Watch closely. Time to witness a miracle." He pulled out another twenty-centimeter needle and, under a dozen watching eyes, drove it hard into the atrium region of Kaden's heart. Pfft! With that final stab, Kaden-who had looked like a corpse-jerked upright and sprayed a mist of blood. Luckily Carlos jerked back fast, or he would've been drenched. "Kaden! What's happening?" Callie rushed up, grabbing tissues to wipe the blood from his lips. "Good… much better," Kaden said, chest rising and falling. "A miracle! It's a miracle!" Richard blurted out, excitement lighting his face as color returned to Kaden's and he began to speak. "How is that even possible?" The other doctors and Alora stared, dumbstruck. He had actually saved a dying man? "Dad, how do you feel?" Carlos leaned in. "Carlos?" Kaden's eyes lit up. Tears broke free as he laughed and cried at once. "I thought I'd never see you again. You're safe-then I'm at peace. My breathing's smooth. It feels like my heart disease is gone." "Good," Carlos said with a small smile, and pulled the twenty-one silver needles from Kaden's body. "Kaden, you were already at the gates of hell. Carlos pulled you back with silver needles," Callie said. "What? Carlos saved me?" Kaden stared, then softened, pride and relief in his eyes. "Looks like I was right to have him study medicine. He saved my life when it mattered." "Yes, it's all thanks to you," Callie said. The couple basked in the simple joy of their family being whole. Carlos turned to the doctors. "You didn't like being called quacks. How about now? Still feeling feisty?" "..." The doctors and experts stood mute, like students scolded by the teacher. Thud! Richard dropped to his knees, eyes blazing. "Master Yale, please take me as your disciple and teach me your needle technique. I swear I'll carry your art forward, make your name resound through the international medical world, and see you revered by all." "Get lost, get lost, get lost. With that character, you're not fit to be my disciple-and you couldn't learn my skills anyway," Carlos said with disdain. His medical art wasn't something just anyone could learn. You needed real intuition. Richard clearly didn't have it. "Oh, right. My ICBC card number: 6212**********875. Transfer ten grand." "Alright, I'll send it right now." Richard scrambled up, pulled out his phone, and got to work. A moment later-Ding!-Carlos's phone chimed. A text confirmed a $10,000 deposit. Balance: $10,250.25. In the two years he married into the Zimmerman family, he'd eaten their food but never received a single cent. He had been dirt poor; the $250 in his account had been pocket money from his parents. "Dad, Mom, let's get you discharged. Lunch is on me. I'll take you out for a real feast," Carlos said. "Good, good." Kaden and Callie were delighted-not because Carlos had just made ten grand, but because he had changed. He was upbeat, forward-looking, alive. Callie had worried that even if Carlos woke up, he would spiral again over Arya Zimmerman wanting a divorce, maybe even try to end his life. Now she saw that fear had been needless. Her son had walked to the gates of hell and come back cherishing life more-and all the color it offered. The three left the hospital, warm and laughing together. "Dr. Wokey, Angelo is furious. He wants you to come immediately." Richard had barely returned to his office when a doctor rushed in. At the mention of Angelo, Richard's face went grim. He knew trouble had come. Still, he steeled himself and went to see Angelo. Sure enough, the moment he stepped into a lavish ward, a torrent of abuse crashed over him. "Richard Wokey, you useless piece of trash! Ever since my mother's cerebral hemorrhage, she's been out of her mind. You said she'd get better. Why, after two months, does she still not even recognize me?" Richard edged toward the burly middle-aged man with a face full of hard lines. "Angelo, our hospital's experts have done everything. Even the specialists from the Imperial Capital couldn't help. Your mother's cerebral vessels are severely blocked. If we operate, I'm afraid-" "Don't feed me useless crap. I'm giving you half a month. If my mother still doesn't recognize me, I'll tear your hospital down and send you quacks begging in the street!" Angelo snarled. Cold sweat broke across Richard's back. He didn't doubt Angelo for a second. Angelo had reach across politics, business, and the underworld. In Jenden, you could count on one hand the people who dared not fear him. "Wait." A spark lit in Richard's eyes. "Angelo, I remembered-there may be someone who can cure your mother." "Who?" "His name is Carlos Yale. His acupuncture is incredibly precise. Just now, he revived his father after his heart had stopped. I think he can cure your mother." "Then get him here." "He's already left the hospital, but we can provide his information. With your resources, finding someone in Jenden is easy." "Bennett, go with him and get the file. Before dark, you must bring Carlos Yale to me. Remember-this is an invitation." "Yes, Angelo!"