Chapter 1037 A Desperate Gamble
Song Yanwang’s face showed a hint of solemnity.
He had seen videos of Pu Jinguo competing in other provinces, and Pu Jinguo’s silver needles were formidable, capable of piercing five-inch-thick iron plates.
However, he wasn't intimidated.
“We’ll compete with silver needles! This is a fundamental skill in our Traditional Chinese Medicine. Do you think I’m afraid of you?” Song Yanwang said, taking a deep breath.
To his surprise, the King of Korean Medicine, Pu Jinguo, shouted, “Someone, bring me the steel plate!”
A steel plate? Not an iron plate?
A deathly silence fell over the crowd at this announcement. Song Yanwang would have to perform acupuncture on a steel plate!
Song Yanwang’s face turned grim.
Steel plate? Was this for real?
The hardness of a steel plate was incomparable to an iron plate. He had little confidence in performing acupuncture on steel.
Soon, someone brought over a steel plate and placed it before Pu Jinguo and Song Yanwang.
Without a word, Pu Jinguo took out a silver needle. He held it, suspending it above the steel plate for a few seconds. Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and with a whiz, the silver needle shot towards the steel plate.
The needle, as fine as a cow’s hair, was firmly embedded in the steel plate!
This… how was this possible?
Everyone’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.
Seeing this, everyone’s hearts sank, and they began to worry for Song Yanwang.
Song Yanwang’s face looked worse than if he had swallowed a fly.
This guy hadn't even used his full strength earlier!
“This Korean doctor’s challenge seems to have some merit,” Chen Xuan remarked, nodding slightly at the sight.
Pu Jinguo looked at Song Yanwang and said indifferently, “Song Yanwang, I’m done. It’s your turn!”
Song Yanwang finally snapped back to reality. He picked up a silver needle slowly, looking at the cold steel plate before him, a wave of despair washing over him.
If it were an iron plate, he might have had some confidence, but on a steel plate, he had no confidence at all.
“Still not performing acupuncture? Does Song Yanwang intend to concede?” Pu Jinguo provocatively asked.
Conceding to a Korean? What a joke!
He would be nailed to the pillar of shame!
Song Yanwang said coldly, “I will not concede!”
“Then hurry up.”
Pu Jinguo urged him on, his smile resembling that of a cunning old fox.
Song Yanwang gritted his teeth, deciding to risk it all.
He stared intently at the steel plate, concentrating, and raised his arm high. After a moment, he exerted force, and the silver needle shot out abruptly!
Clang!
A sharp sound echoed, and the next moment, Song Yanwang’s expression changed.
The silver needle bent the instant it touched the steel plate and was then bounced off by it.
Seeing this, the surroundings fell silent, and everyone’s expression was incredibly grim.
“Hahahaha! Is this all your Traditional Chinese Medicine is capable of? It seems your medical arts from Xia Kingdom were also transmitted from our H Kingdom!”
Pu Jinguo mocked them without restraint.
The accompanying H Kingdom personnel also shouted in agreement.
The already quiet surroundings made their laughter even more grating, filling the venue with a sense of ridicule.
Even with his thick skin, Song Yanwang’s face flushed red, and he wished he could disappear into a crack in the earth.
This was truly a humiliating spectacle.
He gritted his teeth and said, “What are you laughing at? There’s nothing to laugh about. It’s a best of three. Let’s move on to the second item.”
The crowd immediately quieted down.
Pu Jinguo looked at Song Yanwang, unfazed, and said calmly, “Alright, let’s begin the second match.”
As he spoke, he gave his assistant a mysterious smile and a meaningful glance.
The assistant immediately understood and walked off, returning shortly with several people.
They carried trays laden with various medicinal herbs, which soon filled the tables before the two competitors. The steel plate had also been removed.
The medicinal herbs on both sides were identical, thirty-three in total, and all were common herbs.
Song Yanwang, unsure of Pu Jinguo’s intentions, couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you bringing so many herbs? What are we competing in?”
Pu Jinguo gave a wicked smile and said, “Since we’re gambling, let’s bet big. This is how we’ll play.”
Pu Jinguo’s smile made Song Yanwang’s expression shift.
He felt a sense of foreboding.
Pu Jinguo continued coldly, “The competition method is very simple. Since we are both doctors, the most crucial aspect is the mastery of pharmacology…”
Not only Pu Jinguo but also everyone present nodded slightly. Clearly, what Pu Jinguo said was not wrong.
Mastery of pharmacology was essential knowledge for any doctor.
Pu Jinguo went on, “Before us are thirty-three common medicinal herbs. You can choose any from them, formulate a poison to administer to the opponent, and then use these same thirty-three common herbs to detoxify yourself.”
Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in an uproar, everyone stunned.
“This isn’t a competition of medical skills, it’s clearly a gamble with life!”
“What if one can’t detoxify themselves?”
“This is simply playing with death!”
“We are doctors, not daredevils!”
Almost everyone was greatly dissatisfied with Pu Jinguo’s proposed method of competition.
Song Yanwang, as one of the contestants, also had a dark expression and asked coldly, “What if the detoxification fails?”
Pu Jinguo smiled, “See, Song Yanwang is indeed Song Yanwang. He’s asked the crucial question. I forgot to mention, we should sign a waiver of liability beforehand. If you can’t detoxify, you are solely responsible.”
Song Yanwang’s face darkened. “Are you playing with death?!”
Pu Jinguo scoffed, “Song Yanwang, you’re not a coward, are you? If you’re afraid, then get out of here immediately and find someone else!”
Pu Jinguo was quite pleased with Song Yanwang’s expression.
He had used this tactic to challenge many people in H Kingdom, and it had always been effective. Few dared to challenge him.
The reason he dared to use this method was his absolute confidence in his medical skills and experience. Pu Jinguo had studied under two masters: one was a renowned poison master in H Kingdom, and the other was a famous Korean physician known for saving lives.
During his studies, Pu Jinguo had also learned about potent poisons and had practiced making and detoxifying them, skills not commonly possessed by other doctors.
Song Yanwang, thoroughly rebuked, felt disgraced and crestfallen.
To be honest, he was indeed scared.
Now that he was representing Jiangnan Province, if he were to withdraw shamefully, how would people see him? What face would he have left in Jiangnan Province?
He gritted his teeth. “Who said I’m afraid! We’ll compete!”
Pu Jinguo smiled. “Since you dare, then good… Here, sign this waiver of liability, otherwise, you might be arrested by your Xia Kingdom’s laws.”
Song Yanwang looked at the waiver with a grim expression, and finally, with gritted teeth, he signed his name on it.
Seeing Song Yanwang sign, Pu Jinguo smiled and also signed the waiver.
He said with a smile, “Then let’s begin!”
After saying this, Pu Jinguo’s expression also became serious. He began selecting herbs from the pile before him, weighing each one before placing it down with great concentration and practiced movements.
Song Yanwang, having never experienced such a life-or-death duel, trembled with fear…
What should he do?