With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Yang arrived at the door of the monitoring room. This was a standard monitoring room; Zhang Keqin was merely unconscious, and his vital signs showed no immediate danger, thus avoiding the ICU.

A crowd stood outside the door, some even being police officers. Given Zhang Keqin’s status as the Provincial Party Secretary, his sudden collapse at work had drawn considerable attention.

At the very front stood Zhao Min, his face etched with anxiety. “Young Master Zhang, you’ve returned!” Zhao Min hurried forward to meet him, disregarding the onlookers.

Having followed his superior for so long, he had come to understand Zhang Yang’s capabilities. He was the most frantic among them when the leader collapsed, but thankfully, he hadn't panicked, knowing Zhang Yang’s prowess in medicine.

He had insisted on waiting for Zhang Yang rather than yielding to the advice of the hospital professor. “Take me in!” Zhang Yang gave a slight nod, dispensing with pleasantries.

Zhao Min led Zhang Yang directly into the monitoring room. Those gathered at the entrance murmured amongst themselves.

Some had never seen Zhang Yang before and wondered why Secretary Zhao immediately brought him inside, whispering inquiries about his identity. Zhang Yang paid no mind to the discussions outside; even if he had heard them, he wouldn't have cared.

His entire focus was now solely on Zhang Keqin's condition; he needed to ascertain exactly what was wrong. Only one man he recognized remained in the room: Zhang Keqin’s personal guard.

A nurse had just stepped out, leaving the guard alone. Seeing Zhang Yang enter, the guard remained silent, simply maintaining his vigil.

Zhang Yang cast him a brief glance before his eyes snapped to the patient bed, where Zhang Keqin lay still. Visually, Zhang Keqin showed no difference, appearing merely asleep.

His complexion held a slight ruddiness, looking as healthy as could be. Looking at him, one might feel that a soft call could easily rouse him awake.

“This afternoon, just before clocking out, the leader was laughing, saying he’d practice his cooking later and have you all over for a meal to taste his dishes. Who knew that after saying that, he just collapsed and hasn't woken up since!” Zhao Min spoke quietly, his eyes slightly red as he recounted the event.

He was genuinely distressed. The secretary and the leader were almost one entity; his own future success depended entirely on Zhang Keqin’s future promotions.

Moreover, having served Zhang Keqin for over a decade, a deep bond had formed between them. “Don't worry, he’ll be fine!” Zhang Yang spoke softly, then sat by the bedside, taking Zhang Keqin’s arm and placing his fingers on the radial pulse point.

Zhang Yang observed that everything appeared normal, yet this very normalcy caused his brow to knit tightly. If it were indeed poisoning, as Professor Li suggested, provided the poison wasn't instantly fatal, Zhang Yang was reasonably confident he could treat it.

Even with venom from the Ten Great Venomous Beasts, he could use the elixirs he possessed to stabilize Zhang Keqin’s life long enough to search for an antidote. But Zhang Keqin’s symptom-free exterior, lacking any visible sign of poisoning, bred a sense of unease in Zhang Yang; the more normal he appeared, the potentially more severe the underlying issue.

Zhang Yang spent a full several minutes taking the pulse this time. As Zhang Yang released Zhang Keqin’s arm, Zhao Min immediately leaned in, asking anxiously, “How is it?” Zhao Min had witnessed Zhang Yang’s medical skills firsthand.

He had seen the treatment performed on Elder Qi, who went from frail health to moving freely upon departure—a sight that profoundly shocked him. He had also heard about the incidents involving Su Shaohua and the others Zhang Yang had saved at the hospital.

Furthermore, Zhang Keqin frequently praised Zhang Yang at home, mentioning that few in the world could match his medical skill, giving Zhao Min a solid understanding of his abilities. Compared to others, Zhang Yang’s skill was already masterful, certainly worthy of being called a National Saint-Physician.

“It’s nothing, you don’t need to rush!” Zhang Yang shook his head slightly, saying the words, yet his expression betrayed no ease. Zhao Min felt a slight relaxation—if Zhang Yang said it was fine, it must be—but when he looked up and noticed Zhang Yang’s frown deepening, his heart inevitably sped up again.

“Young Master, what… what exactly happened to the leader?” Zhao Min inquired carefully. Worry clouds judgment, and seeing Zhang Yang’s demeanor amplified his own anxiety; he desperately needed to know the cause of the coma.

He was already contemplating suggesting a transfer to the capital if Zhang Yang truly couldn't manage it, as the medical facilities there were far superior to those in Changjing. “I said it’s fine.

You step out for a moment; I need to administer some treatment first!” Zhang Yang shook his head again, this time ushering Zhao Min out. Zhao Min was momentarily stunned, but he dared not disobey Zhang Yang’s words.

In terms of relationship, Zhang Yang was closest to the Leader’s family; they were father and son, whereas he was merely a secretary. With a look of confusion, Zhao Min left.

The guard remained, standing quietly to the side; Zhang Yang hadn't dismissed him. Gazing at Zhang Keqin, who seemed deeply asleep on the bed, Zhang Yang’s eyes suddenly sharpened.

He took out his needle case, selected a relatively long silver needle, and slowly inserted it into Zhang Keqin’s Yintang point. Generally, only severe illnesses warranted striking major acupoints.

Yintang is one of the most critical points on the human body, one not to be trifled with. Zhang Yang attacking this point first clearly indicated he perceived a serious issue.

The guard shifted his stance, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately remained rooted in place. As Zhang Keqin's guard, he had met Zhang Yang before and knew the relationship between them.

Though their father-son bond had only recently been reestablished, he would never believe Zhang Yang would harm Zhang Keqin. He was also aware that Zhang Yang possessed truly miraculous medical skills, having saved many people.

After needling the Yintang, Zhang Yang inserted a needle into each Taiyang (Temple) point on both sides of the head. These were also major points, struck simultaneously on both sides.

After completing this, Zhang Yang’s expression grew even more grave. If Zhang Daofeng or Zhang Yungan were present, they would be astonished at the consecutive striking of three major points; such action was reserved only for the most critical ailments.

Having needled these two points, Zhang Yang did not stop. He picked up another silver needle and aimed for the Baihui point atop Zhang Keqin’s head.

Baihui, located at the highest point of the head, connects all meridians, serving as a central nexus—another crucial acupoint. Zhang Yang plunged his fourth needle directly into this location.

Four needles, all major points. Only after inserting the last needle did Zhang Yang breathe a slight sigh of relief, though his demeanor remained tense.

The assurance he gave Zhao Min earlier was merely to comfort him. Zhang Keqin’s situation was indeed dire, proving thorny even for him.

Zhang Keqin had indeed been poisoned, but not by a current toxin; rather, it was a flare-up of latent poison. Latent poison refers to residual toxins accumulated within the body.

When initially contracted, the dose is minor, not causing an immediate outbreak or harm, instead hiding within until the precise moment it is ready to erupt. This was akin to viruses with incubation periods that trigger symptoms once that period expires.

The latency period for latent poison can stretch from a year to perhaps ten or even twenty years. The longer the dormancy, the greater the destructive power upon eruption.

Through his diagnosis, Zhang Yang judged that Zhang Keqin’s latent poison had been present for at least a decade, classifying it as extremely potent. Regrettably, latent poisons are notoriously difficult to trace.

Zhang Yang could only diagnose the flare-up; he had not yet identified the specific toxin responsible. What he was doing now was merely protecting the brain, dispelling the toxic influence localized there, which would allow Zhang Keqin to awaken temporarily, but it was not a true cure.

As Zhang Yang was contemplating this, Zhang Keqin’s eyelids on the bed fluttered slightly. Moments later, his eyes opened.

Staring at the ceiling, Zhang Keqin appeared slightly disoriented, then his gaze settled on Zhang Yang, whose brow was deeply furrowed beside the bed. “When did you get back?

Where am I?” Zhang Keqin spoke slowly, his voice reasonably clear, only sounding a touch weak. Latent poison, being long-accumulated, does not cause as much physical destruction upon eruption as acute poisons, but it poses an extreme threat to the brain and heart, capable of causing immediate death.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang had previously worked to regulate Zhang Keqin’s constitution, which helped him withstand the eruption for this long. Furthermore, Zhao Min and Mi Xue’s insistence on keeping him in Changjing until Zhang Yang arrived had been crucial.

With Zhang Yang present, even an eruption of latent poison would not easily claim Zhang Keqin’s life. “The hospital.

You overworked yourself, and it resulted in an unexpected collapse!” Zhang Yang’s frown finally eased slightly, and he spoke with a faint smile. This explanation was a casual fabrication; given the workload of someone like Zhang Keqin, such a reason would never arouse suspicion.

Confusion flickered across Zhang Keqin’s face, which quickly melted into a self-mocking smile. “I haven’t been excessively busy lately.

Am I truly getting old, with my body failing this quickly?” “No, you’re not old. With me here, you’ll recover quickly!” Zhang Yang chose not to reveal the full findings of his examination.

There was no need to burden him with such details and cause undue worry. The toxins capable of forming latent poisons are never ordinary, and a poison that could still erupt after Zhang Yang’s earlier physical regulation was exceptional.

Hospitals had no means to address such a poison; Zhang Keqin’s illness could only be treated by him. The unfortunate part was that he still hadn't identified the specific latent poison; only by knowing its nature could he devise the corresponding treatment to eradicate the toxins completely.

Seeing Zhang Keqin awaken, the guard registered a jolt of relief, casting a surprised glance at Zhang Yang. However, he remained stationary.

His duty was to protect the Chief, and his obedience lay with the Chief’s commands. Until Zhang Keqin spoke, his post was to remain steadfast.

“Boss, you’re awake!” The door to the monitoring room suddenly swung open, and Zhao Min cautiously entered alone. He paused in surprise upon seeing Zhang Keqin talking with Zhang Yang, then cried out with immediate joy.

He too looked at Zhang Yang with shock. So many hospital doctors had been helpless, yet Zhang Yang had awakened the Leader just after returning—his medical skill was truly unrivaled.

Second update, more coming soon; the next chapter will be posted around 1 AM! RQ