Chapter 10 Jason Parker Arrived

Inside the cloth bag were 18 silver needles, each varying in size and thickness. "Silver needles? Is he seriously going to use acupuncture?" Henry muttered under his breath, his expression shifting between doubt and disbelief. "Henry had some knowledge of acupuncture, having learned from his mentor, who was deeply rooted in traditional medicine." Acupuncture wasn't just a skill, it was an art, one rarely practiced with true mastery. In this country, practitioners of ancient acupuncture were a rare breed, most of them well past middle age. And here was Alexei, young enough to raise eyebrows, pulling out needles as if he was some kind of prodigy. Henry couldn't help but scoff internally. Let's see how this plays out, he thought, his skepticism growing. Alexei calmly picked up a silver needle, studying it briefly before positioning it above Daniel's body. The room fell silent. Everyone watched, barely daring to breathe. "Stop!" The sharp command startled everyone, and Alexei froze mid-motion. He turned toward the source of the interruption, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp. Ivan strode in, his expression cool and confident. "What are you doing, Ivan?" Levi's voice was tense, clearly annoyed. "Mr. Walker was about to start Dad's treatment. Why are you barging in?" "I'm not here to barge in," Ivan said smoothly, a smug grin spreading across his face. "I'm here to introduce someone who's actually qualified to treat Dad." "Qualified? What do you mean by that?" Levi demanded, narrowing his eyes. "Compared to this guy with a shady background, I think this doctor is way more suited to treat him," Ivan said, stepping back. That was when everyone finally noticed the silver-haired old man standing behind him. The newcomer was short, dressed in a distinguished long coat, and even without saying a word, his presence alone commanded attention. Henry's jaw nearly dropped. "Jason Parker?" "Mr. Parker is a legend. A medical expert even my teacher wouldn't dare compare himself to," he blurted, his voice filled with surprise and awe. With newfound confidence, Henry couldn't help but sneer. "If he is here, what chance does Alexei have?" Upon hearing the name, Henry, who had been standing off to the side, suddenly looked like he'd just seen a lifeline. He stepped forward quickly, grinning. "Mr. Parker, remember me? We met a few years ago at the Jetpolis Medical Summit." Jason gave him a quick once-over, then smiled. "Ah, you're Theodore Turing's disciple, right? Didn't expect you to have grown this much since then." "Yep, that's me," Henry said, practically glowing. "Never thought I'd be lucky enough to run into you here. Now, with you here, Mr. Daniel is gonna be fine." Levi looked a little unsure. "Dr. Diaz, is Mr. Parker really as good as you say?" Henry didn't hesitate. "I wouldn't dare put him in the same category as anyone else. His skills are way beyond my master's. "As for fame... well, he's definitely above Dragon Healer." He shot a glance at Alexei, almost like a challenge. Alexei just stood off to the side, watching the drama unfold without saying a word. "Mr. Parker is the top traditional medicine expert in Jetpolis, no question about it!" Ivan said, looking proud. Jason waved his hand modestly. "You're too kind. I'm just a physician in the martial arts world, not really in the same league as the big names." He looked at Alexei, curious. "But I don't think I've seen you around before. Which expert trained you?" "Self-taught. No mentor," Alexei replied, cool as ever. "Self-taught?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "Guess I might've underestimated you." His tone was polite, but there was a definite edge of superiority in his smile. Levi quickly defended Alexei. "Even though Mr. Walker doesn't have a formal teacher, his skills are real." Ivan smirked, looking at Alexei like he was nothing. "Levi, I get it, you want to help Dad, but treating illnesses is no joke. This guy's too young, he looks too inexperienced. Honestly, I think he's probably a fraud." "Ivan, what the hell are you saying? Mr. Walker is someone even the Lord of Gapdiff respects! How can you call him a liar?!" Levi snapped at Ivan before turning to Alexei, his tone softer. "Mr. Walker, I'm really sorry. Ivan didn't think before speaking. Please don't take it personally." Alexei didn't react, just standing there silently. Ivan wasn't bothered. "No way. Mr. Parker, you ever heard of Dragon Healer?" "Dragon Healer? First time I've heard of that title," Jason said, shaking his head. His response seemed to confirm the suspicion that Alexei was a fraud. Levi, usually calm, was now visibly stressed. "Don't worry about it," Alexei said, stepping forward. "If Mr. Parker's as good as they said, just let him take over." With that, Alexei picked up his box and walked out without a second thought. "Ivan, you've really messed things up. Now Mr. Walker's left, who's going to treat Dad?" Levi was beyond frustrated.