After tidying up the infirmary, Luo An felt refreshed and invigorated.
Although he still hadn't found a patient who could help Luo An break through his bottleneck, at least his work environment was in order.
Luo An walked out of the infirmary and saw Shanks and Buggy wiping the deck.
Shanks was working enthusiastically, while Buggy was clearly distracted, occasionally glancing nervously in the direction of the infirmary.
Luo An ignored them and walked straight to the ship's rail.
The boundless sea stretched out before Luo An's eyes, holding infinite possibilities.
Luo An's gaze swept over every crew member on the ship.
These Pirates were all strong and robust, with long, steady breaths; even if they had some old injuries, they were far from enough to provide that crucial bit of experience.
Luo An had already figured out some things about the experience growth for this Divine Doctor System.
Firstly and most importantly, it was naturally the severity of the injuries and illnesses.
Secondly, it was related to the person.
The more powerful the person, the more experience points would be gained when their injuries or illnesses were healed.
Most of the people on Qingju Island were ordinary individuals; the strongest was merely the captain of the island's guard squad, at most a Marine corporal's level.
Among Pirates, their bounty would probably not exceed 100,000 Berries.
The injuries they could sustain were not too severe, and in the Pirate King world, most people had excellent physiques, with few suffering from major illnesses.
But once contracted, such illnesses were almost always terminal, very difficult to cure.
Over the years, anyone who could provide experience had been maxed out by Luo An; to break through that last bit of experience and reach master-level medical skills, he had to heal a powerful existence.
Or a major illness or injury.
“It seems I still have to rely on accidents…”
Luo An muttered softly.
His eyes were like those of a hungry hunter, surveying his hunting ground, waiting for the plumpest prey to appear.
Luo An needed a patient of sufficient caliber, or a major illness or injury, to be the catalyst for him to truly step into the master's threshold.
And on this vast sea, accidents always came the fastest...
Life on the Roger Pirates was like rum, passionate and unrestrained.
During the day, they trained, fished, and boasted on deck; at night, they gathered around bonfires, drinking heavily and singing loudly.
Luo An gradually adapted to this life; he spent most of his time in the infirmary, organizing medicinal herbs or poring over a thick medical book.
That book was the “Detailed Explanation of Human Anatomy and Meridians” that he had obtained from a medical skill blind box; its contents far surpassed the knowledge of this world.
Shanks became a regular in the infirmary; he seemed curious about everything concerning Luo An, always pestering him with questions.
“Luo An, this skull drawing is so realistic, did you draw it?”
Shanks pointed to the human skeleton diagram on the book page.
“This is an anatomical drawing.”
“Luo An, what’s this needle for? It’s so shiny!”
“That’s a silver needle, used for acupuncture. It can be inserted into your Yamen acupoint, making you unable to speak again.”
“Huh? That’s scary!”
Shanks recoiled, but quickly leaned closer again: “What about this? What’s this little hammer for?”
“Tapping knees.”
Luo An’s replies were always concise, with an aloofness that kept others at bay.
But Shanks seemed to naturally filter out this coldness, always finding his own amusement.
In contrast, Buggy kept his distance from the infirmary; he would rather take a detour than pass by its door.
Ever since Luo An saw through him last time, Buggy could no longer stand tall in front of this young doctor.
Luo An didn’t care about any of this; he had more important things to do.
Observe.
Every day, Luo An would spend some time, using his sharp eyes to scan everyone on the ship, like a top-tier hunter patiently searching for weaknesses in his prey.
Rayleigh’s left shoulder would stiffen slightly on rainy days, a lingering effect of an old sword wound.
Roger’s breath would occasionally have an unusual momentary catch when he laughed loudly.
Shipwright Tom’s knees had mild arthritis.
These were minor ailments; healing them wouldn’t increase his experience.
Luo An’s goal was that big case that would allow him to make the final leap.
His gaze ultimately fell on two individuals.
The two combat maniacs on the ship, Douglas Bullet and a crew member named Ghost Hand Joey.
Both were masters of physical combat, with boundless energy to expend, almost daily sparring on the deck.
Their sparring was full-contact, making onlookers tremble.
Luo An’s eyes lit up.
Weren’t these mobile experience packs? And reusable ones at that!
From that day on, Luo An’s reading spot moved from the infirmary to the deck.
He would bring a small stool and sit not too far, not too close to the combat zone, reading while enjoying their fight.
Whenever fists collided, emitting dull thuds, the corners of Luo An’s mouth would subtly curve into an almost imperceptible smile.
That look made Shanks and Buggy, who were nearby, feel a chill.
“Hey, Shanks.”
Buggy whispered, “Don’t you think that guy Luo An… smiles really scarily?”
Shanks scratched his head: “Does he? I think he’s cheering for Joey and them.”
Buggy rolled his eyes; there was no relying on this simple-minded guy.
He’d bet his red nose that Luo An was definitely hoping someone would get seriously injured!
Buggy’s premonition soon came true.
That day, the Oro Jackson sailed into an area of volatile weather.
One moment it was clear skies, the next it was overcast with strong winds.
Raindrops as large as beans pelted the deck, and waves like small mountains crashed against the hull.
“Everyone! Furl the sails! Secure the cargo!”
Rayleigh shouted commands amidst the storm.
The crew members worked busily in the wind and rain, appearing orderly.
Just then, a giant wave suddenly crashed over, and the ship tilted violently.
Joey, who was furling a sail high up, slipped, about to fall from the mast!
In the nick of time, Bullet lunged forward and grabbed his ankle.
But the immense impact still caused Joey’s back to hit the mast heavily.
“Ugh!”
Joey let out a muffled groan, his face instantly turning pale.
“Hold on!”
Bullet roared, veins bulging in his arms, as he forcefully pulled him back from mid-air.
After the storm passed, the crew gathered around.
“Joey, how are you?”
Joey leaned against the mast, breathing heavily, cold sweat trickling down his face.
“My back… feels like it’s broken…”
Crocus quickly stepped forward to examine him. He felt Joey’s spine, and his expression became very grave: “Not good, it’s a dislocated spine, and there might be bone fragments pressing on nerves. This kind of injury… can’t be treated on the ship at all!”
The hearts of the crew members sank.
A spinal injury, on the high seas, essentially meant a death sentence for a Pirate.
Just as everyone was at a loss, a calm voice spoke up.
“Carry him to the infirmary, and lay him flat.”
It was Luo An.