Chapter 98 - 96: [Skillful Hand]

Chapter 98: Chapter 96: [Skillful Hand]

"Good. It seems you’ve truly come to your senses this time."

"It’s good that you can admit your mistakes and change... That said, you’re not planning on getting revenge, are you?"

"Alright, I’ll believe you. After all, if you were thinking something like that, I’d have to pull you out by the roots."

"Hurry up and go. Don’t let me see you again, or you know what the consequences will be."

A few minutes later, to the sound of Lu Wei’s "cordial" farewell, the man fled through the door without a second glance, as if escaping Hell itself.

’He’s running that fast with two broken ribs. His Physique must be at least 8.’

’In that case, even though he’s penniless, as long as his luck isn’t too bad, surviving shouldn’t be a problem.’

’He could sell some Equipment or beg. If all else fails, he could just lie down at the church entrance. An injury like this isn’t life-threatening.’

’Of course, if his luck is bad, that’s another story.’

In any case, Lu Wei felt he had been merciful enough.

"Uncle Elder, what’s this hammer for?"

Picking up the iron hammer from the floor, Lu Wei glanced at it curiously. "Why would a clinic have something like this?"

"For amputations."

Elder mumbled, explaining, "Some patients have very hard bones. A bone saw alone can’t cut through them, so you have to use a hammer."

"You place the bone chisel, aim the hammer at the back of the blade, and with one strike, it doesn’t matter how hard the bone is."

"But the cut isn’t clean that way, so you have to grind it down with a bone file..."

’Stop! That’s enough!’

’I was just asking casually, you don’t need to be so detailed!’

Seeing Elder get more and more excited as he spoke, Lu Wei couldn’t help but suspect he ran the clinic to satisfy some perverted fetish.

After all, surgeon and medical examiner were probably the only two legal professions for a "dismemberment maniac."

"Ahem, that certainly sounds like skilled work."

The corner of Lu Wei’s mouth twitched as he quietly changed the subject. "By the way, Aryan asked me to tell you she’s going to stay at her uncle’s place a little longer. She’ll be back after dinner."

"Dammit, I knew it!"

Elder jumped up as if someone had stepped on his tail. "Every week she finds some excuse to slack off for a day! This is a clinic, not a goddamn charity house!"

"One day off a week is four days a month, which is fifty days a year!"

"Add in all the holidays, and that’s sixty days!"

"Trivial things like sleeping and eating take up half the time, that’s another one hundred and eighty days!"

"That adds up to two hundred and forty days!"

"So she only works one hundred and twenty days a year! But she rests for two hundred and forty!"

"..."

’Holy crap! You can calculate it like that?’

’That’s next-level!’

’He’s even more of a black-hearted boss than I am!’

Lu Wei stared at Elder with wide eyes, utterly shocked.

Then, as if he had found a kindred spirit, he began nodding vigorously.

"Indeed, that’s completely outrageous!"

"As an apprentice, she should be spending all her time working! Only the boss has the right to rest!"

"You kid... Well said!"

Elder slapped his thigh, his impression of Lu Wei improving dramatically. "It’s a shame most people don’t realize that! From the Royal Court to Heitai Town, everyone is just too merciful!"

Lu Wei excitedly agreed, "Exactly! The newly enacted ’Slave Protection Law’ is a perfect example! It actually requires slaves to rest for half a day each week. That’s just ridiculous!"

Elder’s face flushed red. "You’re absolutely right! Slaves don’t need rest at all! Stupid mercy will only be the ruin of Octavia!"

"Yes! Hard work is their blessing!"

"Why else would they be slaves? Slaves are meant to work hard!"

"..."

Like Bo Ya meeting Zhong Ziqi, Lelouch meeting Yagami Light, or Zhong Ma meeting Sect Leader Lei, Lu Wei and Elder had found kindred spirits in each other, bonding instantly over their shared rotten worldview and chattering away with excitement.

As they talked and talked, Lu Wei suddenly picked up an important piece of information from Elder’s words.

"It’s been two years! Aryan still hasn’t learned Skillful Hand! That’s proof enough that she’s not trying at all..."

’Hm?’

’Wait a minute.’

Sharply catching the keyword, Lu Wei immediately interrupted, "Uncle Elder, is this Skillful Hand you’re talking about a Universal Skill?"

"It is, but that’s not important."

Elder waved his hand dismissively, still hopelessly lost in his criticism of Aryan.

After all, he could never win an argument against her and had been annoyed for a long time. Now that he had finally found a kindred spirit in Lu Wei, he naturally had to vent his frustrations thoroughly.

But before he could continue, Lu Wei suddenly dropped a line and rushed off in a hurry.

"Uncle Elder, wait for me! I’ll be right back!"

...

...

[Universal Skill — Skillful Hand Level 1 (0/∞)]

[Skillful Hand: No cast time. After entering the Skillful Hand state, consumes 1 point of Magic Power every 5 minutes. Greatly increases the dexterity and stability of both hands, allowing one to perform a perfect surgery even on a bumpy carriage.]

[The Agility Attribute is closely related to the "dexterity" effect.]

[The Strength Attribute is closely related to the "stability" effect.]

[Imitation Trait: Cannot be upgraded.]

「An hour later.」

In the small clinic, a bewildered-looking Bai Ya had already learned Elder’s signature skill.

The latter was able to perform surgery while drunk precisely because he relied on this skill.

Well... strictly speaking, it wasn’t a Universal Skill with a very clearly defined ability.

Just like [Stealth], its specific use was entirely dependent on the person.

A pervert would use it to stalk and peep.

An assassin would use it to assassinate targets.

A spy would use it to steal intelligence.

Lu Wei would use it to monitor whether his employees were slacking off.

And [Skillful Hand] was the same.

Although it was a great help to surgeons, it wasn’t limited to that. It had many other uses as well.

Stealing, cheating at cards, precision machining, and so on.

Perhaps on a lonely night...

Ahem. In short, it was a very useful skill.

"Hurry up and thank Uncle Elder!"

Lu Wei shot Bai Ya a glare and urged, "Uncle Elder demonstrated it for you for free, without asking for a single Copper Coin. He did it entirely out of respect for me!"

???

Elder froze. ’When did I say it was free?’ he thought.

But perhaps because their "like-minded" conversation had put him in a good mood, he didn’t say anything.

Still, he was a little puzzled.

"Why did you two want to see this?"

After Bai Ya finished thanking him, he asked Lu Wei in confusion, "And why did you need to see it ten times?"

"Because Miss Bai Ya has recently been planning to write a book, the ’Compendium of Heitai Town’s Masters of Industry’."

Lu Wei replied with a perfectly straight face, "So we needed to observe your skill to write about it in the book."

"A compendium of masters?"

Elder’s eyes widened. "So I count as a Master?"

"A Master, without a doubt!"

Lu Wei nodded solemnly. "With your consummate medical skills, over so many years, you’ve amputated—no, saved—countless patients. Of course you deserve the title of Master!"

"Er, now that you mention it..."

Elder pondered for a moment and decided Lu Wei’s words were flawless.

"True. Almost all the patients who came for an amputation survived, and the infected areas never had a relapse."

"..."

’Relapse?’

’How can it relapse when it’s been amputated??’

"So that just further proves how superb your medical skills are."

"Just you wait. When this book is published, I’ll bring you a copy."

Lu Wei fought back the urge to retort. Seeing that the sun was beginning to set, he exchanged a few more pleasantries and then led Bai Ya out of the small clinic.

The moment they were outside, Bai Ya immediately asked in her dopey way:

"When was I going to write a book?"

"I just made it up."

Lu Wei shot her a sidelong glance. "If I didn’t say that, how would I explain the Imitation?"

"Ah! So that’s why! What a clever excuse!"

Bai Ya paused, then exclaimed with a face full of admiration, "It’s completely flawless!"

’Seriously, can you not be so dramatic all the time?’

Lu Wei shook his head helplessly. "Anyway, just tell other people the same thing from now on."

Bai Ya nodded like a little chick pecking at grain. "Mhm, so do I actually need to write a book?"

"...Sigh. Whatever."

Letting out a weary sigh, Lu Wei felt like his IQ dropped every time he spoke to this woman. He couldn’t help but quicken his pace.

Bai Ya, on the other hand, trotted happily behind him, making flashy hand gestures all the way.

That is, until she suddenly spotted Aryan standing not far ahead on the side of the road, her hair in braids, waving at them nonstop.

"Captain..."

Alarm bells ringing in her head, Bai Ya immediately pulled her hands back and warned him warily, "Aryan is up ahead."

"Mhm, so you should head back on your own."

Lu Wei glanced at her. "I’m having dinner with Aryan tonight."

Bai Ya froze, then hurriedly asked, "Can I go with you?"

Lu Wei answered decisively, "No."

Bai Ya: "..."

Lu Wei frowned. "Why are you still here? What are you looking at me for?"

Bai Ya lowered her head and muttered gloomily:

"Nothing. Just suddenly had the urge to steal your money pouch and ruin this date..."