Chapter 104: Doctor Dai Le

Taking out a storage box, Zhang Ran carefully secured the demon eye monster crystal, then activated his Spatial Box ability to store it away.

“My stamina is not at its best right now, and there’s still residual Curse Technique on me. I can only exert about eighty percent of my strength! If I encounter another demon eye monster or any other powerful level-4 mutant, I definitely won’t be able to defeat it—it would be very dangerous! It’s time to return to Black Hawk City for treatment.”

With the battle concluded, Zhang Ran used his chip to scan his body again and made his decision based on the feedback. Although it wasn’t late, Zhang Ran’s condition had deteriorated. Continuing to hunt now would risk unnecessary danger, so he chose to end his hunt and head back to Black Hawk City.

After nearly two hours of trekking, Black Hawk City came back into view. Upon entering, Zhang Ran went straight to the city’s central hospital.

There was only one hospital in Black Hawk City, called Black Hawk Hospital. It was an official institution directly overseen by Black Hawk Corporation, which also prohibited the establishment of any private hospitals within the city.

Unlike hospitals of the old era, hospitals in the wasteland specifically served Evolvers. They did not treat minor ailments like colds, fevers, or diarrhea. Instead, they specialized in treating the various injuries Evolvers sustained in the wild.

At Black Hawk Hospital, staff were divided into nurses and doctors. Nurses, who were ordinary people, handled sterilization, stopping bleeding, preparing simple medicines, dressing wounds, and bandaging. Each doctor, however, was an Evolver with healing abilities within their auxiliary domain, responsible for treatment through their powers. The cost for each session was quite high.

The hospital itself covered about a thousand square meters, stood three stories tall, and had white exterior walls. Since it primarily served Evolvers, the number of patients was relatively low.

Zhang Ran went straight to the reception desk without any waiting. After explaining his symptoms, a nurse led him to an office.

“Young man, I’m Doctor Dale. You must be cursed by the Curse Technique, right?”

In front of Zhang Ran was an elderly man with gray hair and wrinkles, yet he looked quite spirited. He glanced over Zhang Ran and immediately diagnosed his condition.

“Yes, Doctor Dale, you’re absolutely right! May I ask how much the treatment will cost?”

Zhang Ran nodded in agreement and asked, while simultaneously using his chip to scan Doctor Dale.

The chip revealed that Doctor Dale was a level-2 Evolver and fifty years old. For most pioneer-class Evolvers ranked between levels 1 and 9, the theoretical lifespan was around sixty years, but they rarely lived that long, often dying in the wild.

Even those fortunate enough to safely return each time faced strong radiation and energy depletion from injuries in the wild, making it nearly impossible to reach fifty.

Generally, only Evolvers like Doctor Dale, who possessed auxiliary abilities and didn’t need to venture into the wild, had the chance to live past fifty. However, this came at the cost of a low evolution ceiling, forcing them to rely on gene enhancement drugs to advance.

In Black Hawk City, a level-1 gene enhancement drug for levels 1 to 3 Evolvers cost 100,000 Black Hawk coins, while a level-2 drug for levels 4 to 6 cost 300,000 Black Hawk coins—an exorbitant price.

For these doctors, eighty percent of their income was taken by Black Hawk Corporation, leaving them with only twenty percent. Unless they were highly valued and nurtured by the company, it was nearly impossible for them to reach the ranks of high-level Evolvers with such earnings.

“Don’t worry. Let me conduct a thorough examination first,” Doctor Dale said with a wave of his hand, then gestured for Zhang Ran to place his right arm on the examination table.

Following his instructions, Zhang Ran rested his arm on the table. Doctor Dale gently placed his right hand on the swollen area of Zhang Ran’s arm.

A blue light flowed from Doctor Dale’s hand into Zhang Ran’s body. The blue glow circulated within, intertwining with the curse’s dark energy, neutralizing and dissipating it. Zhang Ran felt a soothing comfort.

“A very strong curse! Young man, you must have encountered a level-3 or even level-4 mutant,” Doctor Dale said as he slowly withdrew his hand, then looked at Zhang Ran and asked.

“You are absolutely correct! Doctor Dale, can you help me remove it?”

Zhang Ran nodded and continued to ask.

“To advance to level 3 at such a young age is remarkable! As for curing your curse, it will cost 3,000 Black Hawk coins.”

With a look of admiration, Doctor Dale sighed and answered.

“3,000 Black Hawk coins? Very well.” Zhang Ran took out a pouch from his backpack and handed over three purple-gold coins, each worth one thousand Black Hawk coins.

Though the treatment was expensive, it was worth it. Even if untreated by Healing Technique, the Curse Technique would dissipate in half a day to a day but leave lingering side effects. For the sake of his future evolution, Zhang Ran did not hesitate to pay the three thousand coins.

“Follow me to the operating room. I’ll remove the curse for you. The entire treatment will take about half an hour. Don’t worry and don’t move around during the process.”

After accepting the payment, Doctor Dale nodded slightly and motioned for Zhang Ran to follow him.

They went up to the hospital’s second floor, where the operating room was located. As a wasteland medical facility, the room lacked complex equipment—just a bed and a fairly bright electric lamp.

Though simple, the lack of advanced machinery did not affect treatment. Wasteland doctors, while knowledgeable in medicine, relied more on their own abilities rather than surgery.

For ordinary Healing Technique treatments, the effects far surpassed surgical operations. Moreover, in the wasteland, there were many powers even stronger, capable of miraculous feats like limb regeneration or reviving patients on the brink of death—truly formidable abilities.