Chapter 14: 14, Deception

The sky had not yet fully darkened, but dark clouds were already drifting across the distant horizon.

"Acid rain is coming, hurry home," Ren Xiaoshu said expressionlessly, while the woman continued to cry out, though no one paid them any mind.

The man's wound was no accident—Ren could easily tell it was a blade wound. It was not an injury from a factory mishap but a fatal blow dealt during a brawl.

Back in his own hut, the acid rain came swiftly and passed just as quickly.

Yan Liuyuan suddenly spoke from the bed: "Brother, you want others' sincere gratitude, right? Doctors do receive plenty of thanks, don't they? The old doctor was beloved in his time. But I don't recommend you become one. First, doctors often find themselves in moral dilemmas. Second, you don't even know any medical arts..."

Ren Xiaoshu turned his expressionless face toward Yan Liuyuan: "Then why are you spouting nonsense here!"

Wait!

Ren Xiaoshu suddenly felt as if he had missed something. Though he lacked medical skills, he could learn them!

The two skill learning charts granted by the palace in his mind had yet to be used. Wouldn't using just one allow him to master the other's medical arts?

Then he could treat people, or in a pinch, heal his own ailments or Yan Liuyuan's illnesses.

When the old doctor was still around, he often ventured out to gather herbs. He had once mentioned with a laugh that while beasts had grown stronger, the efficacy of herbs had improved as well.

Thus, relying on his keen ability to identify herbs and exceptional medical skills, the old doctor had indeed cured many, and the herbs he collected were sold cheaply.

Ren Xiaoshu was no saint—he merely thought that having such medical skills would be useful in emergencies and profitable.

After all, most of Yan Liuyuan's lingering effects from wishes were mere colds, fevers, headaches, and heatiness. He didn't want Yan Liuyuan to suffer backlash from wishes, but what if circumstances forced his hand?

"I want to become a doctor!" Ren Xiaoshu declared, his eyes gleaming with resolve.

"Brother, are you alright?" Yan Liuyuan was stunned. "You don't even know medical arts. Don't go killing people..."

Ren Xiaoshu ruffled Yan Liuyuan's head: "You talk too much. When have I ever harmed someone on purpose?"

At that moment, Ren Xiaoshu was already scheming. If he became a doctor, he could certainly earn money, securing a steady income.

This town often had injured people, so treating wounds was a necessity.

Thinking it over, he acted on it. The next morning, Ren Xiaoshu didn't go to school. After stuffing two mouthfuls of black bread into his mouth, he crouched outside the clinic waiting for it to open.

The result was infuriating—the clinic was just as uncooperative. Ren Xiaoshu waited until noon, and it still hadn't opened...

In the afternoon, as the refuge barrier chimed twice, the young doctor finally emerged from inside, stretching his lazy waist to bask in the sun. But before he could fully stretch, he was startled by Ren Xiaoshu crouched at the door.

"Are you here to see a doctor? Did you bring money?" the doctor asked.

The doctor didn't even inquire about Ren's ailment—he only cared about money.

Ren Xiaoshu smiled and said, "I'm not here to see a doctor. You go about your business."

The doctor was baffled. "If you're not here to see a doctor, why are you crouching at my door?"

At that moment, Ren Xiaoshu had already silently activated his first skill learning chart from the palace!

The parchment-like skill chart in the palace ignited spontaneously, burning to ashes in an instant.

"Randomly learn target skill."

"Randomly selected the target's boasting skill. Learn it?"

Ren Xiaoshu was stunned. "What the hell am I learning boasting for?"

He had almost forgotten that the skill chart randomly selected the target's skill to learn, not whatever he wished to learn.

But the question was—why did this guy even have a boasting skill? Was that even considered a skill? You're done for!

Ren Xiaoshu glared at the doctor with ill will, thinking this guy was truly disgusting. But since he was here to steal someone's livelihood, he couldn't very well steal the livelihood and beat the guy up too—that would be unseemly.

The doctor, feeling uneasy under Ren's gaze, was about to say something when he suddenly remembered who Ren was!

Ren had never visited him for treatment, but both had heard of each other—one was the town's only doctor, the other its notorious ruthless figure. It was only natural they would know of each other.

So, the young doctor immediately cowered...

"What do you want?" the doctor asked weakly.

"You're always boasting, aren't you?" Ren said irritably.

The young doctor was dumbfounded. "What the hell?"

Ren didn't waste words. This boasting skill couldn't be learned—it was useless anyway. Just consider it a wasted skill chart.

He activated his second skill learning chart!

"Randomly learn target skill."

"Randomly selected the target's deception skill. Learn it?"

What the hell! What's this nonsense!

Ren stared intently at the young doctor. "For someone so young, you've got quite a mess of skills..."

The young doctor was nearly in tears. "What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you love to deceive people?" Ren asked. "Who have you deceived? Tell me!"

"You better not go spreading rumors. I didn't deceive anyone..."

Ren was a rational man. After suffering a loss, he carefully analyzed his current situation. Medical skills were a must, and the palace would surely provide more skill charts in the future, though he didn't know when the next task would come.

Now, Ren wanted to know if the doctor's medical skills were worth learning.

In his mind, he asked: "What level is this doctor's medical skill?"

"Target skill learned. Information available."

"The target has no medical skills."

You damn it!

I damn it!

Ren almost smashed the iron pot he was carrying—he had brought it out that morning...

No wonder you had deception skills. You didn't even know a damn thing about medicine, did you? All these years, you've been putting on airs and deceiving people!

How did the old doctor raise such a useless son!

This brat had been living off the old doctor's legacy all these years. Since there was no other doctor in town, he boldly swindled people. Those patients who could endure would endure; those who couldn't, well, people were used to life and death anyway. After all, even the old doctor had patients he couldn't save.

Moreover, before leaving, the old doctor had left him many herbs, labeled for specific symptoms. He only needed to mix them blindly.

Ren had learned his lesson today. Next time he encountered a failed first skill selection, he would make sure the target actually possessed the skill he wanted...

...

Thanks to Wenzainuo as the book's fifth Silver Alliance, and thanks to Shitai as the new Alliance Leader!

Due to special circumstances, this was published 1 hour and 15 minutes early...