Sports Medicine Master System-Chapter 105 - 82: Surgery Maniac

「Saint Luke Hospital.」

"Stop signing. We need to hurry. I have a surgery soon," Chen Yu said, turning his head.

In the hallway, Kobe was surrounded by a crowd of nurses, orderlies, and doctors, signing autographs at a furious pace.

Sensing Chen Yu’s displeasure, Kobe quickly pushed through the crowd and hurried to catch up.

"Sorry."

Kobe was very docile in front of Chen Yu.

After all, this was the man who could make him lose an All-Star Game MVP with a single word.

Chen Yu said no more, leading Kobe to Hardaway’s room.

Inside the room, a nurse was making a bed.

Hardaway watched the nurse bustling about, a baffled look on his face. He was in a VIP room—a large, private one. ’Why are they cramming another patient into my room?’

The problem was, when he asked, he was told Chen Yu had arranged it.

Seeing Chen Yu push the door open and enter, Hardaway quickly asked, "Chen, you’re just in time. What’s going on?"

’Bringing a strange patient in here is going to be such a hassle.’

Just as the words left his mouth, Hardaway saw Kobe and Pelinka follow Chen Yu into the room.

Kobe was even holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.

"Kobe?"

Of course Hardaway knew Kobe.

’The question is, why is Kobe here? The season isn’t over, is it? Shouldn’t he be in Los Angeles playing ball?’

"Penny, how are you?" Kobe was clearly excited to see Hardaway. He rushed forward, placed the flowers on the bedside table, then stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

Hardaway was just as baffled. He glanced at the flowers and thanked him first.

’Did Kobe really make a special trip just to see me?’

He knew Kobe had said that he was his idol. In fact, there was that one time Kobe had asked for a photo with him.

’But coming all the way from Los Angeles to Phoenix just to visit me... that’s a bit much, isn’t it?’

Even Tracy McGrady hadn’t done that.

"You really didn’t have to come all this way. I’m doing great now," Hardaway said, sitting up a little.

Just as Kobe was about to speak, Chen Yu walked over and said, "Don’t overthink it. He didn’t make a special trip to see you. He’s here to be admitted for treatment."

"Huh?"

Hardaway blinked. Now he understood completely.

’So the extra bed was for Kobe all along.’

Kobe said hurriedly, "No, Penny, I’ve actually wanted to come see you for a while, but there were too many games. How’s your recovery going?"

He looked at Hardaway’s left knee, which was still firmly held in place by a brace.

Chen Yu waved his hand, cutting off their polite exchange. He didn’t have time for Kobe’s fanboying. He beckoned for Hardaway to lie down. "All right, time for the needles."

After returning from Los Angeles yesterday, Chen Yu’s top priority was to take care of the patients who needed surgery from the previous free clinic.

There were 39 people in total.

He had to push himself to get through all of them before the All-Star Game and grind out a High-Level Treatment Effect.

Then, after the All-Star Game, he would operate on Ronaldo.

That was why he had scheduled four surgeries for today; it was going to be an extremely busy day.

Hardaway murmured an "oh" and immediately lay back down.

Chen Yu took out the steel needles and disinfected them.

At this stage, the purpose of the acupuncture was still primarily to stimulate blood flow.

The faster the blood flow, the better his cartilage could grow.

Kobe, who had just set down his backpack, paled when he saw Chen Yu take out a row of steel needles. He almost cried out when he saw Chen Yu plunge one of the needles into Hardaway’s leg with lightning speed.

’That must hurt so much!’

"Penny, does it hurt?" Kobe asked, wincing. ’It’s not enough to just stick it in? It’s already in the flesh, and now he’s twisting it back and forth? Is he afraid it doesn’t hurt badly enough?’

Hardaway glanced at Kobe, figuring he was probably next, and said with a smile, "It’s nothing. You’ll find out for yourself in a little while."

Before Kobe could even react, he watched as Chen Yu’s hands moved nonstop, turning Hardaway’s left leg into a pincushion. The sight made him shudder uncontrollably.

Pelinka stood silently to the side. ’So this is what Hardaway’s been doing in the hospital all this time? Getting stabbed like this every single day? How awful!’

Chen Yu removed the needles and immediately began to disinfect them. He saw Kobe still gaping at him and said, "Why aren’t you lying down yet?"

Kobe was stunned.

"Your turn," Chen Yu said, pulling out a steel needle.

Kobe’s jaw dropped. "Chen," he stammered, "are you saying I have to get stuck with needles like Penny?"

Chen Yu nodded.

Kobe quickly shook his head. "No, I’m afraid of needles. Let’s not. I think I’m fine."

Nearby, Pelinka silently made the sign of the cross and said a prayer for Kobe.

"Don’t want to?" Chen Yu glanced at Kobe. "Fine. Then forget about the All-Star Game. You can go back to Los Angeles right now."

That one sentence was all it took to shut Kobe up. He silently lay down on the bed.

He closed his eyes, his expression that of a martyr facing his doom. "Do it."

Hardaway couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

So that was it. Kobe was only accepting Chen Yu’s treatment so he could play in the All-Star Game.

"Don’t worry, Kobe. It doesn’t hurt, and it’s over quickly." Seeing as Kobe was his fan, Hardaway offered a kind word of reassurance.

"Really?"

Kobe opened his eyes. He believed Hardaway.

Chen Yu said nothing, simply gesturing for Kobe to strip down to his underwear. Then he began inserting the needles.

First, the ankle.

Then the hip flexors. The two areas were treated as a single unit, as many acupoints affected both.

Finally, the shoulder and elbow.

These were also a single unit.

One needle after another, and in no time, Kobe’s left leg, his waist and abdomen, and his entire right arm were covered in steel needles.

Kobe was completely terrified.

At first, he had been skeptical when Hardaway said it wouldn’t hurt. But now that the needles were in, he found it really didn’t. There was just a numb, tingling sensation, and no blood. He had no idea how Chen Yu managed it.