Episode 2: Life on a Breath

A cold blade rested against Lin's slender neck. Her green health bar trembled with fear, yet her beautiful eyes still signaled Doctor Pheem not to give up. "Hand over the plague cure! Or her head will roll from her shoulders!" the soldier captain roared, his voice echoing through the herbal shop. Pheem took a deep breath, his mind racing with field medicine knowledge. He had no "magic potion"—only his two hands and a brain that thoroughly understood anatomy. Suddenly, Pheem's eyes caught the captain's health bar. It was turning deep red and plummeting terrifyingly, accompanied by a flashing red warning symbol over his chest: 'Acute Myocardial Infarction!' Within moments, the soldier's massive frame collapsed to the floor, his thick hand clutching his chest tightly, his face contorted in pain. The other soldiers panicked, instantly drawing their swords and pointing them at Pheem. "You cast a spell on the captain!" "Do you want him to die, or do you want him to live?" Pheem's voice was so powerful and calm that everyone froze. "He is dying of a chest fever! Move!" Pheem turned to lock eyes with Lin, who had broken free from her restraint. "Lin! Get me the silver needles, Codonopsis, and Licorice immediately!" Lin nodded quickly, the trust in her eyes giving Pheem hope. Pheem precisely inserted the acupuncture needles into the pulse points based on anatomical positions to stimulate blood circulation, combined with the emergency herbal decoction that Lin quickly administered. The captain's health bar gradually shifted from red back to yellow and improved. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, as if given a new lease on life. All the soldiers stared at Pheem as if looking at a miracle worker. However, the relief lasted only a fraction of a second when another soldier rushed panting into the shop, his face deathly pale. "Disaster! The Lord's young master has stopped breathing! The Lord ordered that if he cannot be cured, everyone in this shop will be buried alive!" Pheem turned to look at Lin, his heart pounding at the massive crisis that was about to unfold.