Chapter 11

The old woman had reached a dead end. Despite hearing discouraging words, she still asked, "Young man, do you really have a way to save my grandson?" "There's an ancient method we can try," Cyrus replied. "I'm just a janitor, not really a wealthy person. Would 100 thousand be enough?" She asked. "Healing the sick is the duty of a doctor. I won't be taking your money," Cyrus assured her. Physically exhausted, tears streaming down her face, the old woman looked up at Cyrus. His gaze remained as bright as the brightest star in the vast night. She quickly knelt and bowed, saying, "Thank you, benevolent doctor. Please save my poor grandson." Cyrus helped the old woman to her feet and asked, "Is the rabid dog that bit your grandson still around?" "It's still there, but it's already showing symptoms. Foaming at the mouth, it's probably close to death. I've sinned. To save some money, I foolishly delayed vaccinating my grandson. My son is dead, my daughter-in-law ran away, and now my grandson will soon be gone too. I might as well just end my life" Recalling the situation, the old woman wished she could smash her head against the wall. "Call a car immediately to bring the sick dog here. I'll control the spread of the virus in the child's body. Go quickly. Don't delay any longer," Cyrus instructed. "Alright, alright. I'll go back and get it." A kind-hearted spectator drove the old woman home to retrieve the dog. Cyrus carried the child into the operating room, locked the door, and took out the Imperial Nine Needles to begin acupuncture and massage. Outside, Zoey watched anxiously, pulling Dr. Zimmer aside and asking, "Is there hope for the child?" Dr. Zimmer sneered, "Hmph, who can cure rabies? Zoey, Sean is a hundred times better for you than this useless son of a bitch. While you're young and beautiful, you should secure a way out for yourself. Cyrus is crazy. There's no cure for him." Sean approached, acting like a courteous gentleman. "Zoey, once that loser is gone, I'll take care of your two million debt." "Get lost!" Zoey replied unkindly. Today, Cyrus was willing to stake his own life, not sell her to another man. If his initial motive was merely to preserve some dignity for her and attend her father's 60th birthday celebration, it did evoke a slight emotional response in Zoey's usually reserved heart. She just couldn't comprehend it and refused to believe that Cyrus, the notorious spendthrift of Jorsproburgh, had suddenly developed some courage. If he truly changed, why did he still have such a significant gambling addiction? Zoey always despised gamblers, and there was a time she thought that if Cyrus were to die, the world would be rid of a troublemaker. Yet, at this moment, she couldn't bear to leave. She anxiously waited outside the operating room, just wanting to know the result quickly. ... In the operating room, Cyrus was performing acupuncture and massage on the child. Three needles were used to prevent toxins from spreading to the brain, while the other six were intermittently adjusted to keep the needle holes clear. Through the massage, toxins in the body were forced out through the needle holes. After about ten minutes of repeating the procedures, the child's breathing improved significantly, and his stiff neck relaxed. Toxins that had invaded the brain couldn't solely be treated by acupuncture; Cyrus was waiting for the arrival of the rabid dog. Soon, there was a commotion outside, with someone knocking on the door. "We've brought the dog that bit people." Cyrus hastily opened the door. The rabid dog was on the brink of death, its mouth bound with wire. "Doctor, how is my grandson?" The elderly woman inquired anxiously. "There's still hope," Cyrus replied, carrying the rabid dog over and placing it on the operating table. Then, he started to cut open its skull. Outside, Rachel and Sean exchanged a glance, momentarily startled by Cyrus's words. "Can the little boy really be saved? He's just deceiving us," Sean anxiously said. People in the medical field knew that saving someone from rabies was nearly impossible. Rachel thought of another time when Cyrus had done something many considered impossible. That day, Cyrus had accurately determined the gender and even diagnosed the fetal position through pulse-checking, which made her wonder. Was it mere luck? "Let's go check the surveillance room and see what he's up to." They all pretended to dismiss Cyrus, but their urgency contradicted their words, heading swiftly to the surveillance room. However, the surveillance room's cameras were covered with socks by Cyrus, preventing them from seeing what was happening inside. "Damn, that guy seems to have gotten smarter," Benedict fretted, worried about having to pay another 500 thousand to Cyrus. It was a substantial amount that anyone would feel distressed about. Dr. Zimmer adjusted his glasses and chuckled, "Mr. Wright, rest assured, Cyrus's mediocre medical skills can't even cure a cold, let alone rabies." "Yeah, I almost got fooled by that kid." Half an hour later, Cyrus removed the sock covering the camera, smiling at them. "What's he laughing about? Did the child really survive?" Sean nervously inquired. "Impossible. Let's go check," Rachel said, and the group rushed to the operating room, surrounded by a dense crowd outside, including curious nurses. Inside the operating room, Cyrus was explaining follow-up matters to the old woman. "Take him to the Jorsproburgh Hospital for inpatient care. I'll prescribe the herbs he needs to take for you. Give it to Vice President Cecilia, and she'll help cleanse the remaining toxins. He should be able to leave the hospital in about a week." "Doctor, is my grandson really okay?" The old woman asked anxiously as her grandson remained unconscious. At that moment, the boy mumbled, "Grandma, I'm so thirsty." Tears welled up in the old woman's eyes. The most apparent symptom of rabies is hydrophobia. The boy hadn't had water for two days. He convulsed at the sound of water and was unable to breathe. After giving water to the boy, the elderly woman knelt down and desperately kowtowed to Cyrus, saying, "You have my sincerest gratitude, doctor. You are our benefactor. As the saying goes, saving one life is like saving all of humankind. I will spend the rest of my life praying for you and your family every day, wishing you a long and blessed life." "Please, get up, kind lady." The spectators at the door were stunned and speechless, with dozens of eyes peering inside. Even Zoey was astonished. The Cyrus of the moment was shining brightly, not only because he had won the gamble but also because he had saved the lives of a child and an old woman. Even those who had a low opinion of him couldn't help but show him more respect. "Dr. Zimmer, go check on the child. Has the child really recovered?" Rachel urged quickly. Thomas pushed through the crowd and entered the operating room. He looked at the mess and bloodstains on the floor, and carefully took the child's pulse. The pulse was clear, breathing was regular, just a bit weak. "This..." He looked at Cyrus in horror, unable to recover for a while. Sean and Benedict also entered, hurriedly asking, "Is he really cured?" Thomas put down the child's wrist, adjusted his glasses, reluctantly nodded, and replied, "Yes, there's no life-threatening danger anymore." "What the hell..." Sean grabbed Cyrus's collar, shouting, "How the hell did you do it?"