Fang Mo injected the third dose of Opening Meridian Solution, concocted with 2 milligrams of Flame Orchid, and waited. Unlike the first two results, the last Wen brother's body temperature didn't increase within the first fifteen minutes. Nineteen minutes after the injection, blood began leaking from his seven apertures, and one minute later, he died.
"This is it!" Fang Mo exclaimed with satisfaction. The results from this concoction matched exactly those he had achieved on Earth. He approached the corpse, placed it onto a rectangular table, and picked up a scalpel. With practiced precision, he opened the body to examine the meridians.
The human body, as far as Fang Mo knew, contained 108 meridians. Over the course of half an hour, he carefully checked each one before sighing. The results were as expected—the solution couldn't fully open the meridians. An external catalyst would be required.
Though some might see this outcome as disappointing, Fang Mo was prepared for it. This was precisely why he sought entry into an immortal sect. An item capable of removing the blockages from meridians after opening them likely didn't exist within the mortal realm, but he was confident it could be found among immortals. As long as the meridians were opened, that was enough. The blockages could be dealt with later.
The Opening Meridian Solution Fang Mo had concocted was able to open three meridians, though only partially unclogging them. If he could fully purge the impurities blocking the spiritual energy pathways, he would be able to cultivate.
The problem? He would have less than twenty minutes to do so, or end up like the corpse lying before him. But Fang Mo smiled. I've achieved the so-called impossible more than once. Nothing will stop me from getting what I want.
Since the night was still young, he resumed his experiments. There were still four healthy bodies inside his laboratory. It would be a crime to waste them.
***
The first ray of sunlight shone on Fang Mo's laboratory as he finished dealing with the corpses of the Mountain Tiger Gang members. Despite staying up all night, sleep was the last thing on his mind. The rush from his success was stronger than any drug.
Fang Mo created nine more doses of the Opening Meridian Solution before setting his laboratory on fire. In his past life, he had shared his knowledge to build a better world. He could have made billions of dollars selling the cure for cancer, but instead, he gave it away for free. This time, things would be different. Whatever success he achieved in this life would belong to him, and him alone.
With everything he needed packed in his satchel, Fang Mo stood and watched as the laboratory he'd spent the last four months in burned to the ground. He turned around and walked toward General Wan's camp.
He went straight to General Wan's tent, where the general was already awake and working.
"Good morning, General Wan. I've come to request the final part of our deal."
General Wan looked up at Fang Mo and smiled. Thanks to Fang Mo's contributions, especially the discovery of penicillin, the war was as good as won. The Wei Zhou State had surrendered; all that remained were the formal negotiations. Once everything was finalized, General Wan would retire with countless merits to his name.
"I've already informed the State Lord of your request. You'll be working as a medic under their command," General Wan said. "You can depart whenever you wish, Doctor Mo. I'll assign four soldiers to escort you. Frankly, I doubt anyone here would refuse the chance to accompany Doctor Mo." The general rose from his chair and extended a hand to Fang Mo.
Fang Mo shook his hand and replied, "Then I'll take my leave. There's nothing more for me to do here."
"Doctor Mo, don't you want to say goodbye to Ren Shan and Xue Xiu?" General Wan asked, raising a brow. Though Fang Mo didn't show it outwardly, the general could easily tell how much he cared for the boy.
Fang Mo shook his head. "No need," he said, offering no further explanation.
At this hour, Ren Shan and Xue Xiu would still be asleep. Fang Mo knew the boy would be in good hands. Xue Xiu doted on him as if he were her own son.
***
"Doctor Mo, this is as far as we can go. Thank you for taking care of our soldiers," said a man clad in heavy armor, clasping his hands in respect. Beside him, three more soldiers, each wearing the emblem of the Cheng Hou State on their uniforms, did the same.
Fang Mo replied without turning to face them. "Thank you for escorting me, Captain Wang."
The soldiers turned and left, leaving Fang Mo alone at the gates of Chengduan City, the capital of the Cheng Hou State. Before Fang Mo, a beautiful city sprawled—a vast tapestry of curved rooftops, towering pagodas, and lines of lanterns that would light the streets at night.
For the next thirty minutes, Fang Mo walked through Chengduan's streets, appreciating its beauty. Women flirted with him, only to be met with a cold shoulder. Vendors yelled, trying to get his attention to sell their goods.
When he finally arrived at the State Lord's mansion, two guards met him. "State your name and business!" one of them demanded.
Fang Mo looked at the man who spoke—a mountain of a man with biceps as thick as tree trunks. He pulled a letter from his chest and handed it over. "My name is Fang Mo. I've been recommended by General Wan to work as a medic for the State Lord."
At the mention of General Wan, the guard's expression shifted. He accepted the letter with a grin and opened it. "Is General Wan still as gentle as ever?"
Fang Mo chuckled. "As gentle as a bull."
For the past four and a half months, Fang Mo had trained his body under General Wan's guidance. When it came to physical conditioning, he was already an expert, but fighting, especially with weapons, was not his forte. General Wan had helped him bridge that gap.
The guard laughed heartily in response. "My name is Qian Qi. I once had the pleasure of training under General Wan's guidance. Harsh as he may be, the results speak for themselves."
Qian Qi handed the letter back to Fang Mo, opened the estate's gates, and gestured for him to enter. "Brother Mo, you can head inside. The head butler has been expecting you. He told me to instruct you to wait in the main hall; someone will notify him the moment you arrive."
Fang Mo stepped through the gates and made his way toward a mansion not far from the entrance. The path was lined with orchids and lavenders, their soft pink and purple hues blending together beneath the morning sun. A gentle floral fragrance drifted in the air, calming and pleasant.
When Fang Mo arrived at the entrance of the mansion, the head butler was nowhere in sight. Instead, a woman dressed in maid attire stood waiting, her hands neatly folded in front of her.
"Doctor Mo, Butler Dai is attending to some matters at the moment. I'll accompany you inside while we wait for him," she said before turning around and leading the way into the mansion. Fang Mo followed closely behind.
Inside the main hall, the rich history of the State Lord's family was proudly displayed. On the wall opposite the entrance hung a row of portraits depicting each lord who had ruled the state. Beneath each painting, the name of the respective lord was engraved in gold lettering. Several statues of past lords stood neatly arranged along the walls.
The maid guided Fang Mo to an enormous couch, large enough to seat ten people comfortably.
"Butler Dai will be with you as soon as he concludes his business. May I offer you a cup of tea, Doctor Mo?" the maid asked politely as Fang Mo sat down.
"I'm fine, thank you," Fang Mo replied.
"If you need anything, feel free to call any maid. They will attend to your needs, Doctor Mo," the maid said with a polite bow before excusing herself.
Fang Mo was left waiting for nearly twenty minutes until, finally, a man wearing a black suit and tie descended the stairs, his face marked with a worried expression.
"You must be Doctor Mo. I apologize for my tardiness. First Lady's health has deteriorated over the past few weeks, which has kept me busier than usual," the butler said with a slight bow.
Fang Mo nodded without offering any words. Since the butler hadn't asked for his help, he felt no need to offer it. Whether the State Lord's wife lived or died meant nothing to him. He would only be staying here for a few months.
Butler Dai was slightly taken aback by Fang Mo's indifference. Since Fang Mo had been hired as the State Lord's medic, he expected him to at least offer assistance out of courtesy, even if it wasn't necessary.
"Since Doctor Mo is already here, why don't I take you to see First Lady?" the butler asked, his tone carrying more than just a subtle hint.
Fang Mo sighed. "Lead the way."
Together with Butler Dai, Fang Mo headed upstairs, stopping at the third door to the right. Inside, a disheveled, overweight man in white robes lined with black was tending to a sickly woman lying on her bed. Her breathing was labored, her face pale, and her once-glossy blond hair now dull and brittle.
"First Lady, please drink your remedy. It's important to strengthen your body," the man urged, offering her a cup filled with a pale brown liquid.
The woman took the cup with trembling hands. Fang Mo's sharp eyes immediately noticed the faint redness on her fingers.
"Butler Dai," the fat medic saw Butler Dai entering the room, accompanied by Fang Mo, and asked. "Who is this?"
"This is Doctor Mo. He's the new medic assigned to the mansion. I thought he might be able to assist with the First Lady's condition," Butler Dai explained.
Doctor Zhu scowled over his shoulder. "Butler Dai, are you implying I'm not competent? You've already brought five so-called miracle doctors, and not a single one was useful! I've told you before, the First Lady's illness cannot be cured. At best, I can delay her death."
Butler Dai was left speechless. Doctor Zhu wasn't wrong; several famous medics had been called, yet none could diagnose the root cause of her condition. Only Doctor Zhu had managed to alleviate the symptoms, but even that merely postponed her inevitable death.
"Doctor Zhu, I mean no disrespect," Butler Dai said hurriedly, clasping his hands. "Please, allow Doctor Mo to examine her."
Doctor Zhu sneered. "Hmph. Very well. I'd like to see what this new quack you've dragged in can accomplish."
Fang Mo's brows knitted together, his expression darkening. Not many dared to insult his medical skills to his face. A cold grin tugged at his lips as he stared down at Doctor Zhu.
"A quack doctor who can't even distinguish poison from illness dares to call me one?" he said flatly. His words sent a chill down both Doctor Zhu's and Butler Dai's spines.
"P-Poison?!" Butler Dai gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief.