The words of Ji Hongguang caused a hesitation to creep onto Qin Zheng's face. This man had a terrible temper and an eccentric personality, but his medical skills were beyond reproach. After the treatments over these past few days, Qin Zheng genuinely felt a change; his body was moving in a positive direction.

It could be said that in Qin Zheng's heart, he was reluctant to switch doctors at this late stage. The most crucial point was that something Ji Hongguang said had struck a chord deep within him: Zhang Yang was simply too young. Even though Zhang Yang had saved him, Qin Zheng lacked complete confidence in him.

“Do you think you’re the only one who’s skilled in this world? You can’t do something, and you assume no one else can? Let me tell you, if Zhang Yang says he can cure it, he absolutely can. My uncle’s asthma of over thirty years, Zhang Yang managed to fix it—this case is nothing compared to that!”

Before Zhang Yang could say anything, Su Zhantao blurted out.

Su Zhantao was a young man, and youth often came with a certain impetuousness. At this moment, he thoroughly disliked this Ji Hongguang, and he disliked him even more for belittling Zhang Yang.

“Asthma for over thirty years? I can treat that too!”

Ji Hongguang smiled proudly. He hadn’t just treated asthma; he had helped countless people. For his reputation to spread overseas, he couldn't possibly lack genuine ability.

Su Zhantao responded coldly, “But what about polygenic asthma? You can treat it, but dare you claim you can cure it?”

“Polygenic asthma, capable of being cured?”

Ji Hongguang paused slightly, then suddenly burst into laughter again. “I have practiced medicine for decades, and I have never heard of anyone curing this type of condition. Young man, that’s not how you brag!”

Saying this, Ji Hongguang laughed again, dismissing Su Zhantao’s claim as a complete joke. And his smile carried a palpable layer of sarcasm.

“Zhang Yang said he can cure it, so he definitely can. My uncle’s illness has already seen tremendous improvement. If you don't believe it, you can ask around anytime. My uncle’s name is Su Shaohua, and he wouldn’t lie!”

“Su Shaohua? Su Shaohua from Changjing?”

This time, it was Qin Zheng who spoke. Su Shaohua was a nationally renowned entrepreneur, known even internationally. In fact, Su Shaohua’s wealth was not inferior to that of their Qin Group.

“That’s right, Su Shaohua of the Kaida Group!”

Su Zhantao lifted his head, a hint of pride in his bearing. The Kaida Group belonged to Su Shaohua—one of the top two electronics companies in the country. Few people in China hadn't heard of the Kaida Group.

“So you are from the Su family!”

Qin Zheng smiled and nodded, his attitude toward Su Zhantao clearly different from moments before. Earlier, Su Zhantao was just someone accompanying Zhang Yang, whom Qin Zheng viewed as Zhang Yang’s friend. Since Zhang Yang was his savior, he treated Zhang Yang well, but his friends were secondary.

“I am who I am, and he is he. Everything I have, I earned through my own struggle!”

Su Zhantao immediately added. While he was indeed Su Shaohua’s nephew, his current achievements were truly the result of his own hard work. He hated it most when people heard he had accomplished something and immediately assumed it was thanks to Su Shaohua.

“No matter who he is, I don’t believe this illness can be cured. And you, little fellow, you talk too much nonsense. I don’t trust you either!”

Ji Hongguang suddenly interjected, shaking his head repeatedly as he spoke, as if deeply disappointed.

“Tell me, how shall we compete?”

Zhang Yang suddenly spoke up. This statement caused Ji Hongguang to pause slightly, only to laugh again immediately.

“You dare challenge me?”

“This is your territory. I’m worried you’ll lose face. With your temperament, don't do anything rash that would cause me trouble later!”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly, directly targeting Ji Hongguang. His meaning was crystal clear: he was implying that Ji Hongguang was narrow-minded and might not handle losing well, perhaps even doing something foolish. It was nearly an outright declaration that Ji Hongguang couldn’t handle defeat.

“Haha, you don’t need to worry about me. You should worry about yourself. Being young is good, and being spirited can be too, but overdoing it is unwise. Today, I will reluctantly teach you a lesson!”

Ji Hongguang boomed with laughter. He didn't take Zhang Yang’s words to heart, in fact, he seemed supremely confident in himself.

“Confidence is good, but overdoing it becomes arrogance. Tell me, how do we compete?”

Zhang Yang shook his head slightly. Ji Hongguang’s arrogance was truly irritating, and Zhang Yang was too lazy to waste more words on him.

The only reason Zhang Yang agreed to the competition this time was because of Su Zhantao. If Ji Hongguang provoked him, at worst, Qin Zheng would refuse to let him treat the illness. For a doctor like Zhang Yang, they were the ones who selected patients; they were never selected by patients. Whoever could cure the condition would treat them—it made no difference to Zhang Yang.

But Ji Hongguang targeting Su Zhantao was unacceptable. Su Zhantao was his partner and had accompanied him here; Zhang Yang had to help him save face, no matter what. Moreover, Su Zhantao had stepped forward entirely on his behalf, so he couldn't let others look down on him or believe he was just boasting.

“It’s very simple. We go outside now, find a place, and walk forward together. We each seek out one person with an illness, and we see whose case is more complicated and difficult!”

Ji Hongguang revealed a smile. When he smiled, it wasn't unpleasant, but his terrible temper was unbearable.

“That’s all?” Zhang Yang was slightly taken aback, then asked. He hadn't anticipated this kind of contest, but it did have a certain appeal. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasized observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking; using one's eyes for observation was a component of this, making it a valid test. Furthermore, spotting a complex, rare illness among a crowd just by sight was not easy.

Ji Hongguang continued, “Of course not. It’s not just about finding one case; we must also successfully treat them. That is how the task is complete. If we succeed, we then compare to see whose case was more difficult; the one with the more challenging case naturally wins!”

“What if one of us can’t find a patient? We can’t expect the streets to be filled with the sick. Also, how will the cases be judged? This is your turf; don’t tell us we won only for you to declare otherwise!”

Su Zhantao interjected. Qin Zheng and the others were harboring the same doubts, as there was no appointed judge or mediator.

“If one person finds a case, the other automatically loses. In the same location, on the same street, if your eyesight isn't as good, what can you say? As for judging the cases, you need not worry about that. I, Ji Hongguang, am a man of integrity. A win is a win, a loss is a loss. I wouldn’t resort to trickery with you young fellows!”

Ji Hongguang looked up and declared loudly, seeming somewhat agitated. That was just the way he was: his temper was foul and his personality strange, but he never lied or distorted the facts. That, perhaps, counted as one of his virtues.

“Fine, I trust you will be fair. Since we are competing, let’s start now. Where should we go?”

Zhang Yang patted Su Zhantao, signaling him to stop talking. If he truly won, Ji Hongguang wouldn't be able to backtrack; Zhang Yang had confidence in that regard.

“The place with the most people is the Chinese Herbal Medicine Market. We’ll go there!”

Ji Hongguang chuckled wickedly. The market gathered tens of thousands of people daily. Among so many people, it was highly likely some would have underlying health issues, perhaps chronic conditions. Searching there would certainly increase their chances.

“The Trade Center—meet me at the main gate!”

Zhang Yang stood up and told Ji Hongguang plainly, then turned and headed out. As he left, he didn't forget to greet Qin Zheng and Qin Yong. Both men repeatedly apologized, having invited Zhang Yang to thank him for saving a life, never expecting such a dispute to erupt. Unfortunately, the situation had spiraled beyond their control, and all they could do was offer apologies for now.

Zhang Yang didn't dwell on it. He left with Su Zhantao and the bodyguard, driving their Santana. Since he had accepted this wager, Zhang Yang intended to prepare thoroughly. To succeed, he needed the needles he carried, and preferably some useful tools and medicinal herbs. Moreover, since winning depended on finding the more complex case, trivial illnesses were irrelevant. Complex diseases mostly fell under the category of difficult and rare ailments, and treating those would certainly be troublesome. Zhang Yang was mentally prepared; this competition wouldn't be as simple as it sounded.

The car first returned to the hotel. After collecting the needles Qin Yong had gifted him, Zhang Yang immediately went to a store dealing in medical equipment. There, he sterilized the needles and purchased some other small items before heading to the Trade Center. On the way to the Trade Center, Zhang Yang bought some common patent Chinese medicines. These didn't take up much space but could be immensely helpful if needed. He could only lament now that he hadn't prepared some of his own concoctions; Zhang Yang’s custom-made medicines were far superior to anything sold in that shop.

At the entrance of the Trade Center, a crowd had already gathered; Ji Hongguang had arrived even earlier. Ji Hongguang’s residence was actually near Qin Zheng’s place, which explained why he could visit that afternoon and retrieve his things from home quickly, giving him a significant speed advantage. The local host always had certain perks.

Qin Zheng and Qin Yong had also followed. This dispute had originated because of them, so they couldn't stay away. However, they were also curious to see who was truly more skilled between Zhang Yang and Ji Hongguang. Furthermore, this method of competition was something none of them had ever witnessed—two doctors, one of whom was already famous, the other not simple either—competing in this manner definitely piqued their curiosity.

“Are you ready?”

As soon as Zhang Yang arrived, Ji Hongguang said with a chuckle. He had changed clothes: his Zhongshan suit was swapped for a Tang suit, and following behind him was a young man carrying a large medical bag. He truly looked like a doctor on a house call.

“When do we start?”

Zhang Yang didn't answer the question, instead asking one of his own. Zhang Yang genuinely disliked Ji Hongguang’s temperament and was too lazy to exchange pleasantries; the sooner the competition started, the better.

Standing behind Zhang Yang was Su Zhantao, carrying Zhang Yang’s canvas bag where their supplies were stored. However, that canvas bag looked decidedly unprofessional compared to Ji Hongguang’s imposing presentation. This made Su Zhantao feel a bit disappointed, resolving that he would get Zhang Yang a fine medical box later; it would look much better than this canvas bag.

“Right now. We walk north together!”

Ji Hongguang raised his head and pointed to the other side of the road. Without a word, Zhang Yang strode forward.

………… Help! We haven't reached 90 votes, and our ranking hasn't improved; the ninth spot is even in jeopardy. Little Yu, who was determined to write five chapters, is greatly discouraged. This book started even better than the last one, with over a thousand subscriptions in 24 hours, but there are so few monthly votes. My dear friends, could you grant Little Yu one wish?