0008 - Kidnapped by Physicians.

A person in his 50's along with a few younger ones barged into his room. Lu Sheng didn't recognize any of them.

[Host. That's Physician Hong. you were unconscious but I was not. He is very strict and all his disciples are very scared of him.]

Lu Sheng noticed all the other younger ones in a subservient stance behind Physician Hong.

"YOU RASCAL!!! You take your injuries this much lightly???" Lu Sheng suddenly got barraged with scolding as he looked at the frightening yet refined man. 

The man had a well-groomed short ducktail gray beard, long waist-length gray hair tied neatly in a ponytail, an impeccably smooth and silky ironed green robe with a shiny golden sash, spotless milky-white gloves, and an emerald jade token hanging from the sash.

"What am I supposed to do now, System? We healed up too fast! It's all your fault!" He cursed at System the moment he found himself in distress.

[If I hadn't healed you quickly, you would be lying here, nearly dead, after Lu Zhan was done with you.]

"Stop praising yourself and help me quickly." However, Lu Sheng didn't get a chance as Physician Hong was standing on his head glaring at him like a demon.

"Greetings, Elder!" Lu Sheng quickly greeted, trying to act polite to defuse the anger.

"I have never seen a useless child like you, you spend all day sleeping and eating, no physical work at all, no studying, and no respect for elders at all. Yesterday, I saved your life and specifically left instructions to stay in bed for the next 3 months or else you will never walk properly again, you discarded those instructions and unbandaged yourself! Fought with people, destroyed your room and now sleeping on a cold floor which is detrimental to your overall health." Physician Hong shouted in one long breath, each word infused with spirit essence, striking Lu Sheng like a whip.

[You are lucky, Host.]

"I am getting scolded and getting hurt, and you call this lucky?"

[Physician Hong also cultivates Eternal Life Core Elixir, each word is laced with the gentle essence of the Eternal Life Core Elixir Method. He has also detected the same essence within you, nothing hides from this Senior.]

"Are we caught?"

[Relax, I have muted all the pores we opened. In the eyes of Physician Hong, you are a talented person but still a pure laziness-filled brat, that's why he is so angry at you.]

"I am talented?"

[Do you have selective hearing? And no, that was me. Not you.]

"Oh!" Don't know why Lu Sheng got sad hearing he was not talented but he sure is shameless, he wants to be lazy and at the same time wants to be praised as a hardworking talent, there is no saving to this trash.

Seeing Lu Sheng not replying at all, Physician Hong's anger calmed down. "Take him away and tie him down to the bed."

The disciples promptly followed orders, seizing Lu Sheng as if they were capturing a pig for slaughter. Lu Sheng didn't resist, but he did feign the demeanor of someone freshly injured.

They quickly made a makeshift stretcher tied Lu Sheng to it and carried him up. Physician Hong nodded and walked out, disciples following him back with Lu Sheng tied to the stretcher.

"What is that? Physician Hong taking a patient in? Sad, he will be subjected to all sorts of torture now!" Lu Sheng heard murmurs of others outside and his hair stood up in terror.

"Torture? What do they mean?" Lu Sheng wanted to scream out when one of the disciples gagged his mouth.

"HELP ME SYSTEM!!!" He screamed internally for System's help.

[Host, we are very weak, we can't even fight one-on-one with these disciples. Please surrender to your fate, it's better for you, why get worked so much over some torture? Let's sleep and eat.]

"SHUT UP!!! Stop mocking me!!" Lu Sheng wanted to cry and beg these disciples to stop, but even that wasn't possible. He noticed all the other disciples were looking at him with delight as if they were eyeing a new prey.

As the disciples carried Lu Sheng along the path, he observed a growing crowd of onlookers. First, there was Physician Hong, who appeared to be a highly esteemed figure in the clan but seemed more like a guest than a member.

The disciples accompanying Physician Hong didn't resemble members of the Lu Clan either. They wore distinct sets of robes, all in shades of green and yellow sash with white gloves, except for Physician Hong, who wore green and gold. 

"Disperse!" With a loud scold, Physician Hong chased away all the crowd trying to create a commotion. 

[This Lu Sheng is truly your multiverse clone version, Host. He doesn't even know significant details about his own clan; he just ate and slept, just like you.]

"Shut up! Stop talking to me!!" 

[What did I do now? I am an Automated System, not an Overpowered System.]

Lu Sheng cursed the moment he chose this kind of System. He is about to be sacrificed in the name of medical experiments and everyone is enjoying it, even his own system.

"Master! Master! Are you back? Did you bring our new junior brother back with you?" a sweet but sharp voice entered Lu Sheng's ears as he turned to see.

He saw a young girl dancing around Physician Hong like a butterfly fairy asking non-stop questions and Physician Hong smiling like an idiot, not getting annoyed at all. 

"Yes, yes, Ming Mei, calm down. Yes, this is Lu Sheng, your new junior brother," Physician Hong replied with a fond smile, gently patting the girl's head. Ming Mei, a petite and energetic girl, looked at Lu Sheng with sparkling eyes.

She was also in Green Robes with a yellow sash but much better silk, wearing white gloves like everyone but she looked more like some nurse and full of silver hairpins on her head. Hopscotching, she came near Lu Sheng with the same crazy eyes as everyone, like they had found a new pig to roast and eat.

It was so unsettling to look at their eyes that he looked away. "I have a junior brother now, can I keep him Master?"

"Of course, he is your junior brother, make him healthy as fast as possible." Physician Hong smiled again like an idiot giving a toy to a little girl who would later dissect her toy and create an abomination from all of her other toys together.

"SAVE MEEEEEEE!!!!" He screamed out loud muffled cries through his gag.

"Quick! Hurry! Junior Brother is in pain. We need to treat him immediately." Ming Mei got worried as she commanded even as she was the youngest of all.

The disciples respected Physician Hong, but it seemed like they were afraid of Ming Mei as they ran with Lu Sheng on a stretcher towards the Physician Hall.

"Ming Mei, this is an opportunity for you. Be responsible, do not play around. Be sincere, or else your junior brother will surpass you in no time," Physician Hong said sternly when no one was around. His words had hidden meanings which Ming Mei didn't understand immediately.

"I will be sincere, Master," she respectfully bowed. "Master, is it true about Junior Brother?"

"Yes, I am very hopeful. I am going to inform them right now. Go, do not delay in your duties."

"Yes, Master!" She returned to her bubbly personality and vanished with two bounces.

______________________

*Knock Knock*

"Senior Hong? Welcome Senior! How can this junior help?" A middle-aged man in Lu Clan's White Robe with a Blue cloud pattern welcomed Physician Hong. This man was a little chubby and looked more like Lu Sheng.

"Please call me Physician Hong." Physician Hong displayed his stance toward propriety.

"My apologies, Physician Hong. I am Lu Ming." The man bowed to show his sincerity. "How can I be of help?"

"I have an announcement regarding your son, what is its name? Sheng?"

"Lu Sheng?" Lu Ming frowned and felt his anger rising. "GUARDS! Bring that unfilial son of mine, today I will skin him alive."

"YES!" the outside guards echoed.

"Wait!" Physician Hong turned to look at Lu Ming and frowned. "Do not presume too quickly."

"I apologize Se…Physician Hong! Please continue." Lu Ming bowed deeply.

"I've decided to accept your son, Lu Sheng, as my new disciple. If you have any objections, speak up now," Physician Hong declared, and his words echoed in the air, silencing everything, even the thoughts of Lu Ming and the guards outside.

"What now?" Lu Ming thought he was hallucinating and thought he heard madness. He lost propriety again. 

Physician Hong glared and Lu Ming felt his spine chilled bringing him back to reality. He didn't hear madness, it was the solid truth.

"Sen…Physician Hong, are you sure? It's my son, the lazy, good of nothing, Lu Sheng?" Lu Ming questioned, scratching his head, struggling to reconcile the image of his lazy, trash son with the idea of him being accepted as a disciple by someone as esteemed as Physician Hong.

Physician Hong, who is revered as a meticulous, proper, clean freak and personified as Restless Demon until his patient is healthy, has decided to take his lazy, dirty, foolish, and lethargic son as his disciple. 

Physician Hong crossed his arms, his expression stern. "Yes, your son, Lu Sheng. Why? Do you have an objection? Do you really want to object to my decision?" 

"Not at all, I do not dare, even if I can dare, I will not…but?"

"Then it's settled." Physician Hong left without giving Lu Ming any other chance. Lu Ming followed until Physician Hong vanished from sight.

The two guards also followed as their eyes also wide open and couldn't believe what they heard.

*PAH*

Lu Ming slapped one of the guards. "Is it real?" the guard splat on the floor because of the force of the slap.

"Of course, it's real! Why did you hit me so hard?" the guard complained. Lu Ming still can't believe it. 

*PAH*

He smacked himself too. "Awu! It is real, I am not dreaming?" 

"What are you waiting for? Go! Verify this news, quick!" He kicked the guard lying on the floor.