Chapter 158: Chapter 158: A Talent with Superb Medical Skills

It was only then that he realized the woman before him had been perfectly calm the entire time.

Whether it was his earlier gratitude or the special invitation he had just extended, she showed no significant emotional reaction.

Or perhaps she wasn’t without emotion, but simply concealed it so well that nothing showed on her face.

’The more she’s like this, the more there is to her.’

He had initially assumed she was hesitant to go to Meridia Base because she had a gun and was wary of their rules. But now, even after he had given her his personal assurance, she was still deliberating.

Clearly, her original reasons might have been different from what he had imagined.

Ethan Young pondered this, glancing at Stella Sterling, but didn’t press the matter. "Very well. Please, Miss Sterling, take your time to consider. There’s no rush."

"Captain Young," the doctor examining Basil Xavier said to Ethan Young, "this gentleman’s injuries are very serious. It looks like he was in the water for too long, and his wounds became infected. However, they’ve all been properly treated. Now it just depends on his own constitution. As long as he doesn’t develop a fever in the next few days and can pull through, he should be fine."

The moment she finished speaking, Basil Xavier, Louis Grant, and Ethan Young all turned to look at Stella Sterling simultaneously.

They all knew that Stella Sterling was the one who had treated Basil Xavier’s wounds.

Before, they had assumed she had just performed simple first aid—bandaging the wounds to stop the bleeding. They never expected she was actually skilled in medicine.

Louis Grant was stunned. This woman they had met by chance had a gun and knew medicine. She was truly no ordinary person.

A glint appeared in his eyes.

Ethan Young’s estimation of Stella Sterling rose even higher. If his initial special invitation for her to join Meridia Base was because she had saved Basil Xavier, now he genuinely hoped she would join. People with medical skills were rare and valuable talents these days.

Medical personnel are practical, indispensable assets anywhere.

Her joining the base would be a great benefit to them.

"Miss, did you treat the wounds on his body?"

Seeing everyone looking at the same woman, the doctor realized what was happening. Her eyes lit up as she stared at Stella. ’This woman must be the one who treated his injuries!’

If she weren’t afraid of startling her, she would have run right up and started asking questions.

She had just examined the man’s wounds. Several of them were in tricky, difficult-to-treat locations, yet this woman had handled them perfectly.

’This woman is a real expert!’ she thought. ’I have to ask her how she did it.’

The others were a bit baffled by her excitement, especially Ethan Young. Due to the shortage of medical personnel, the base treated its doctors with great respect. Normally, this particular doctor was lukewarm at best, even toward him.

It was rare to see her so agitated.

’Could it be that this friend of Basil’s is someone special?’

"Yes, I treated him. But in his current condition, he’ll still need a professional to monitor him through the night."

Stella Sterling nodded. There was nothing to hide; after all, Louis Grant and the others already knew.

As for the doctor’s excitement, she figured she knew the reason why.

’My medical skills haven’t been practiced for the past two years for nothing.’

"That’s amazing! Your wound treatment is absolutely perfect! Miss, could I possibly learn from you?"

The doctor was a young woman, and upon hearing Stella Sterling’s confirmation, she looked at her with eager anticipation.

With her big, pleading eyes staring at you like that, most people would find it truly difficult to refuse.

But Stella Sterling was resolute. She shook her head. "I don’t have the spare time."

"Oh, okay. I was being too forward."

Although the doctor was disappointed, she understood.

She turned to Ethan Young, her tone urgent. "Captain Young, you absolutely must get this talented young woman to join our base! With her medical skills, it would be the base’s loss to miss out on her."

Although she didn’t know this woman, her wound treatment was so perfect that her medical skills must be excellent.

’If she joins the base, I might be able to learn a thing or two from her in the future.’

Although Ethan Young was normally a bit stern, he was also quick-witted. He immediately stood up and looked at Stella Sterling with renewed gravity. "Miss Sterling, regardless of the reason, my invitation for you to join Meridia Base is completely sincere. I hope you will give it your serious consideration."

Hearing this, Stella Sterling’s brow furrowed. "I have no intention of pursuing a career as a doctor. So even if I were to join the base, I would not be joining as medical personnel."

She wanted to make this clear upfront. She hadn’t even decided whether to go to the base yet, but even if she did, she had no desire to become a doctor, constantly busy with patients.

The doctor standing nearby grew anxious. ’With such amazing skills, it would be a huge waste for her not to be a doctor!’

’Doctors are in high demand at the base!’

She desperately wanted to persuade Stella Sterling, but Louis Grant, who was standing to the side, shook his head at her, signaling her to say no more.

Although his interactions with this Quincy Sterling had been brief, he could tell she was a free-spirited and independent person.

Pushing her too hard would only backfire.

Before, his main reason for wanting her to join the base was simply that he liked her style and thought she’d be good company.

He never expected things to escalate to this point.

Hearing Stella Sterling’s words, Ethan Young actually smiled. "Rest assured, our base will not force you to do anything you don’t want to do."

"Thank you. I will consider it seriously."

Stella Sterling nodded.

’I have no intention of tying myself down to Meridia Base,’ she thought. ’Even if I go, it will just be to check things out. I’ll stay for a while and then leave. That’s another reason I won’t become one of their doctors.’

’Of course, the most important reason is that I’m lazy. I only learned medicine in the first place to treat my own injuries... ’

A short while later, Ethan Young and his group left, taking Basil Xavier with them.

He had wanted to stay with Stella Sterling. After all, she knew medicine—and seemed quite skilled at it. Rather than go somewhere else, he would have preferred to stay here and catch up with her.

However, it was obvious Stella Sterling had no intention of catching up with him, much less taking care of him.

At her firm insistence, Basil Xavier had no choice but to leave with Ethan Young’s group. Ethan Young arranged for someone else to look after him.

After all the commotion, it was already two or three in the morning. Stella Sterling finally felt a wave of drowsiness and slowly drifted off to sleep.

「7:00 AM」

Stella Sterling awoke and sat cross-legged on the floor, meditating and circulating her energy. There was no trace of fatigue on her face.

When Louis Grant pushed the door open, he saw her posture and asked in confusion, "What are you doing? You look so mysterious."

Stella Sterling opened her eyes. "Next time, could you knock before you come in?"