Chapter 176: Baizhu
The sleek black sedan cut through the city streets, its destination Beika Central Hospital. Inside, James Black listened intently to the phone pressed against his ear, his brow furrowed. After a few terse replies, he ended the call with a decisive click.
"A report from the team at the scene?" Shuichi Akai asked from the passenger seat, his voice calm and even.
"Yes," James confirmed, letting out a heavy sigh. His gaze, reflected in the rearview mirror, was clouded with doubt. "They didn't find Cointreau's body. No signs of a fall, no blood, nothing. It's as if he simply vanished into thin air."
"He just… disappeared?" Jodie murmured from the back, her voice a mixture of disbelief and awe.
"An unfathomable and troublesome opponent, indeed," Shuichi remarked. He had already braced himself for this outcome, so the confirmation elicited little more than a grim acknowledgment. The man was a phantom, and phantoms left no trace.
Beika Central Hospital. In the private room adjacent to Kir's, Shuichi Akai sat on the edge of a sterile hospital bed while Jodie and James stood nearby, rehashing the day's chaotic events.
A sudden, polite knock at the door interrupted their discussion.
James moved to answer it. Two men stood in the hallway. One was the hospital director, his expression a familiar blend of professionalism and anxiety. The other, also in a white coat, stood slightly behind him. This had to be the specialist the director had recommended.
James stepped aside, allowing them to enter. The director quickly made the introductions.
It was then that Shuichi and the others learned the doctor's name was Baizhu. He was a physician from China, personally invited by the director to join the staff at Beika Central Hospital. The director explained that they were old acquaintances and that Baizhu, having only just arrived in Japan, was a trustworthy individual—which was why he felt confident recommending him to the FBI.
As the director spoke, all eyes turned to the man in question. Dr. Baizhu possessed a striking appearance. His eyes were a luminous amber, framed by gold half-rimmed glasses. Long, teal-colored hair was neatly gathered into a low ponytail that draped over his shoulder.
Even when faced with a room full of tense, unfamiliar foreigners, a serene smile remained on his lips. It wasn't a forced or artificial expression; rather, it radiated a gentle, refreshing warmth. His posture was elegant, his bearing poised. He was, at a glance, the very picture of a doctor who could inspire absolute confidence in his patients.
"Hello," Baizhu said, his voice as smooth as his demeanor. He gave a slight nod before his gaze shifted to Shuichi Akai's shoulder, a flicker of professional concern entering his eyes. "The injury on Mr. Akai's shoulder requires immediate attention. I can assist, if you'll permit me. Of course, if you are not at ease, the director can handle it."
"Then I'll be in your care, Dr. Baizhu," Shuichi replied without hesitation, gesturing for him to proceed. The decision had already been made; there was no need for further pleasantries.
Jodie watched, her curiosity piqued, as Baizhu produced a set of fine, silver needles and deftly inserted them into the flesh around Shuichi's wound. "What is this?"
'Could this be the legendary acupuncture from traditional Chinese medicine?' she wondered.
Baizhu seemed to read her mind. He glanced up, his smile unwavering, and confirmed her unspoken question. Noticing his patient also twisting his head to look, he offered an explanation for Shuichi's benefit. "I surmised that you would not be fond of anesthesia, so I took the liberty of using acupuncture for pain relief. It will not affect your nerves and makes treating the wound much more convenient."
Shuichi watched as Baizhu skillfully cleaned and tended to the gunshot wound. It was true; the sharp, throbbing pain that had been a constant companion moments ago had dulled to a distant ache.
"Dr. Baizhu," Shuichi began, his eyes sharp and analytical, "why did you assume I dislike anesthesia?" Without James's explicit permission, the director shouldn't have revealed their identities, even if he trusted this doctor. And even knowing he was FBI, there was no rule stating agents couldn't receive painkillers. The only way Baizhu could have reached that conclusion was if he had deduced something more specific. 'Has he identified me as a sniper?'
Sensing the weight of the inquiry, Baizhu's hands paused for the briefest of moments. He looked up, meeting Shuichi's intense gaze with his own placid smile, before lowering his head to continue his work.
"I have treated thousands of patients, perhaps tens of thousands. I have examined more bodies than I care to count," Baizhu stated, his tone measured. "Sometimes, one can guess a person's profession simply by observing their physique." He didn't speak in absolutes, but his confidence was clear. "When I noticed the specific placement of the calluses on your hands, I could naturally deduce that you handle a firearm. A sniper rifle, to be precise."
"You have a sharp eye, Doctor," Shuichi conceded, offering no refutation.
A quiet fell over the room. The only sounds were the soft clinking of medical tools and Baizhu's calm, methodical movements as he worked. Finally, after disinfecting and bandaging the wound with practiced efficiency, he took a few steps back.
"All done," he announced. "Your previous wound was also weeping a bit; it might have reopened, so I've tended to that as well. I recommend a light diet for the next few days. Also, your shoulder has been injured repeatedly in a short span. While the wounds are not severe, you should still be careful and avoid any strenuous movements."
Baizhu finished his instructions, then tilted his head. "By the way, the patient the director mentioned to me earlier… it wasn't you, was it?" The symptoms the director had described were not from a gunshot, but a coma induced by a fall and significant impact trauma. "Since there is time now, may I see the patient's current condition?"
He had taken the initiative, offering to perform the check-up himself.
James considered it for a moment. His trust in the hospital director's judgment was firm. He gave a decisive nod, rising from his chair. "This way."
He led Baizhu and the director to the ward next door.
By now, Baizhu had already pieced it together. The patient the director had asked him to treat was Kir. The moment he stepped into the room and saw the woman lying motionless on the hospital bed, his suspicions were confirmed.
'To think,'he mused internally,'I've only just arrived at Beika Central Hospital, and the FBI has already delivered Kir's location directly into my hands.'
It was truly like searching high and low for something, only to have it fall into your lap without any effort at all.
His expression remained a mask of professional calm. At a gesture from James, he approached Kir's bedside and performed a brief examination.
"The injuries on this young lady have indeed been treated properly, and she is out of immediate danger," he concluded, his voice even. "As for why she has yet to awaken, I will need to conduct further examinations to determine the cause."
Based on the plot he knew, Baizhu had originally assumed Kir was already faking her coma. But his examination revealed the truth: she was genuinely unconscious. It seemed she would only begin feigning her condition after waking up and assessing her predicament.
'But with me here,'he thought, a flicker of private amusement in his eyes,'I'm afraid she won't be able to lie there pretending for very long.''After all, if I can't awaken a patient who is merely out of danger, wouldn't that tarnish my reputation?''So, my apologies, Kir,'Baizhu offered silently, the sentiment lacking any real sincerity.'I'll have to disrupt your plans and wake you up ahead of schedule. Besides, you were going to cooperate with the FBI anyway. Sooner or later, what's the difference?'
Hearing Baizhu's professional assessment, James nodded, his relief evident.
After returning to Shuichi's room, the group discussed the matter. With the director's enthusiastic affirmation, they officially decided to entrust Kir's follow-up treatment to Dr. Baizhu.
"Oh, honestly, that Mr. Morikawa left so early. It's such a shame! I didn't even get to chat with him properly," Sonoko complained, slumping listlessly against a cafe table.
"Sigh," she continued, propping her chin in her hand. "I thought today's confession event would be exciting, but the main guy was a total dud, and the whole thing was just one interruption after another."
The handsome man she'd just met was gone before they could say more than a few words. She had thought Mr. Morikawa and Natsume might have a spark, but they had separated so quickly. And from the way they'd interacted, there was absolutely zero chemistry.
'What a waste,'Sonoko lamented, her thoughts already turning to her friend's currently nonexistent love life.'They looked so good together, too.'
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