114 The Doctor (Please subscribe!)

The night was as cold and desolate as a bowl of chilled water.

Under the cover of darkness, Li Changjiang and Nicholas swiftly crossed the border with Jin, cutting directly through the desert behind it and entering a small market town on the western side of Zayevy. Although it was nearing dawn and the market felt somewhat deserted, there were still a few people moving about.

This small city, less than twenty kilometers from the capital, Tripoli, lay to the north by the Mediterranean Sea and housed nearly 200,000 inhabitants. It was an extremely important gateway on the western front. Perhaps because it was far from the battlefield, the city still retained a relatively tidy appearance.

Yet Li Changjiang knew all too well that war now cast its shadow over nearly every corner of Libya. Even this unremarkable little market town was unlikely to be an exception.

Nearly ninety percent of the residents around Zayevy were militants, so when the three of them hurried across the street, no one stopped to ask questions. Instead, they kept their distance with wary and anxious expressions.

Bang!

The Russian kicked open a half-closed wooden door with a loud crash. The interior showed clear signs of long abandonment: the floor was a mess, and Li Changjiang even noticed dried bloodstains and marks of struggle in the corner.

The only thing that remained somewhat intact was a half-new wooden table. They emptied everything left on it onto the floor.

“Hurry!”

“Damn it, Jin! Jin! Nicholas, Jin can’t hold on much longer. We need to operate immediately to dress his wounds.”

They laid Jin on the table.

Li Changjiang’s voice was urgent.

“Damn! There’s no doctor here.”

With a sharp rip, Li Changjiang tore open the clothing around Jin’s waist. The wound was a gruesome mess. Just one glance told him this was beyond their amateur capabilities. The bullet had pierced through Jin’s back and emerged near the waist. It was impossible to tell with the naked eye if any bones were hit. If the bones were damaged, it would be a nightmare. Even if Jin survived, he might never walk again—a crushing blow atop everything else.

“Jin needs surgery immediately. Go find a doctor!”

“Damn! This is Libya!”

After cursing a few times, the Russian cautiously pushed the door open and slipped outside. Li Changjiang forced a bitter smile; the Russian was the kind of man who would not return empty-handed once told to find a doctor. But in this environment, finding one was far from simple.

What surprised him even more was that before he could catch his breath, the door was forcefully thrown open again.

Li Changjiang was stunned when he saw a small-statured man being carried in by the Russian.

“Damn it, Nicholas, is this the doctor you found?”

“No! He’s not a doctor, but he can treat wounds.”

Damn it!

If he’s not a doctor, why bring him back?

Li Changjiang raised an eyebrow in helplessness as the Russian dropped the man unceremoniously to the ground. The man’s expression immediately turned uglier.

This was just a kid, barely grown.

Watching the figure clumsily rise from the floor, Li Changjiang felt his frustration mounting. The “doctor” looked like a baby-faced boy, his eyes flickering with a mixture of fear and unusual composure.

“Damn it, Nicholas, he’s still a child!”

“Heh, heh, heh! Li, this is Libya, not China! Hey, tell him to say if he’s a doctor.”

Amid Li Changjiang’s astonishment, the thin boy suddenly lifted his head and rattled off a string of English words smoothly—actually smoother than Li himself.

“I’m not a doctor, but I can diagnose. My father is a veterinarian, my mother a nurse—”

“Enough! I don’t need your life story. I need you to tell me if you can save him.”

Li Changjiang’s nerves were frayed from constant tension and alertness. If Jin was seriously injured, their mission would be severely compromised. Neither he nor the Russian could carry a critically wounded comrade to rescue someone else—especially here in Tripoli, hundreds of kilometers from Benghazi.

What rotten luck!

Yet, to Li Changjiang’s extreme surprise, the boy boldly stepped forward to Jin’s side. He flipped Jin’s eyelids, felt for a pulse on his neck, and then pressed gently on the wound, ignoring the bloodstains. Li frowned.

Maybe the boy really was some kind of doctor. His technique was frighteningly proficient. Whether or not he could save Jin, it was certainly better than having no doctor at all.

“He won’t die immediately, but I can’t treat him here. You must take him to my home.”

Damn it!

“Where’s your home?”

Ignoring the Russian’s curses, Li Changjiang asked the unusually calm Libyan boy. At this point, they had no choice but to grasp at straws.

“Just two streets away. Very close.”

“Fine, let’s go. You lead the way.”

Saying this, Li Changjiang moved to lift Jin, but suddenly his arm was gripped tightly. Looking down, he saw the Libyan boy holding firmly onto the hem of his shirt.

“Damn it, what are you doing?”

“If you don’t want him to die right now, you should put him down.”

Amid their stunned expressions, the boy took a red belt from his waist and tightly bound it around Jin’s waist before motioning for Li Changjiang to pick him up.

Outside, dawn was breaking.

Li Changjiang and Nicholas kept a sharp eye on the passing crowd. In such an environment, danger could strike at any moment. Yet their wary expressions somehow caught the attention of the Libyan boy, whose face betrayed a strange mixture of curiosity and even envy.

If Li Changjiang was not mistaken, the boy’s expression was indeed one of envy.

“We’re here. Come in.”

The boy swiftly crossed the narrow streets and led them to a large building that was almost intimidating in size. The three-story structure radiated an unmistakable Arab flavor, and Li Changjiang’s mind was filled with doubts.

This was practically a fortress. How could this be the home of a boy who looked like a street urchin?

“This is your place? Are you sure?”

The boy nodded firmly.

Li Changjiang exchanged a glance with the Russian. Both saw disbelief in each other’s eyes, but time was running out. If Jin wasn’t treated soon, he could die at any moment.

“Damn it!”

Gritting his teeth, Li Changjiang carried Jin and followed the boy inside.

The scene inside shocked both Li Changjiang and Nicholas, but it also eased their minds. The house was intact but utterly empty—clearly, the boy hadn’t lied.

“Hurry, hurry!”

“Nicholas! Water!”

“Hold him still! I need to clean his wounds!”

While the two were momentarily stunned, the boy skillfully cut away Jin’s clothes and began cleaning and disinfecting the wounds.

Nearly two hours later, the three of them—now bloodied and exhausted—sat together.

“Hey, thanks, kid!”

“No need, sir. I have one request. Can you take me with you when you leave here?”

“What?”

“Damn it, what did you say?”

The Russian’s eyes widened instantly.

“Kid, listen to me, we’re not like those damn Libyans!”

“Yes, sir. I know. You’re mercenaries!”

“Let me come with you. I can treat your wounds!” (To be continued.)