Chapter 334 The Chances Are Slim
Derek coughed a couple of times, wincing a bit before quickly shaking it off. He grinned and said, "Ain't Edwin and all those miracle docs here? No matter how bad it is, they got it covered."
Just as he was about to raise his glass for a toast, Edwin stopped him with a pained smile, "Mr. Jenkins, seriously, you should stop drinking."
Walter chimed in, "Yeah, Grandpa Derek, you really gotta lay off the booze."
Derek sighed, shaking his head, "Man, I love my drinks. No drinks is gonna be the death of me."
Edwin looked just as frustrated. Before treating Derek, he could only guess how bad things were by looking at him. If he had known Derek was this bad off, he would've never let him drink earlier as it would only make things worse!
"Mr. Jenkins, you really gotta control yourself. In your condition, it's best to stay away from alcohol," Edwin said seriously.
Derek wasn't the stubborn type. Seeing Edwin's serious face, he nodded in agreement.
One by one, the other doctors took their turns checking Derek out. Just like Edwin, they all ended up with heavy expressions and started whispering among themselves.
They were in a private room, but even though they were whispering, everyone else could still hear them and looked pretty grim. Walter looked the worst, followed by Joe. Derek, on the other hand, was the most chill, still munching away. His calmness in the face of all this was something else.
After a bit, the doctors came back from their huddle, and Edwin said, "Mr. Jenkins, your illness is really severe and tough to treat. After talking it over, we’re not super confident we can cure you."
Joe jumped in, "So what are the chances?"
Everyone else stared at Edwin, waiting.
Edwin gave a wry smile, "The chances are pretty slim."
"What?" Joe lost it, eyes wide.
Walter slammed the table and shot up, "What kind of miracle docs are you? Chances are slim? Just say you can't do it!"
Edwin, already not a fan of Walter, got pissed, "I never said I was a miracle doctor. If you don't trust us, go find someone else."
Edwin respected Derek not because of his status but because of what he had done for the country. He was a man of integrity. If it weren't for his respect for Derek, he wouldn't have bothered. As for Walter, no matter how high and mighty he was, if he didn't earn Edwin's respect, Edwin wasn't gonna bow down to him. That was his pride!
Walter, fuming from Edwin's words, was about to lash out again, but Derek kicked him in the shin, "Shut up! Apologize to Edwin right now!"
"Grandpa Derek," Walter grumbled, his face still red with anger.
Derek shot him a cold, authoritative look that made Walter shiver. Feeling the weight of Derek's stare, he mumbled to Edwin, "I'm sorry." It was a half-hearted, insincere apology.
Derek kicked him again, "Mean it!"
Walter's lips twitched like he wanted to argue, but seeing Derek's icy expression, he swallowed his words. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Edwin and said, "Edwin, I'm really sorry. I was out of line. Please forgive me."
Edwin looked at Walter and felt a pang of sadness. In Walter, he saw a glimpse of his own son, Derrick, who had run away and never returned. Sighing, he waved his hand, "It's fine. Let's move on."
"Grandpa Derek, I apologized," Walter said, his arrogance gone, replaced by nervousness.
Derek nodded slightly, "Sit down and keep quiet."
Everyone who witnessed this scene couldn't help but admire Derek even more. He was truly respectable.
Joe then stood up and said, "Edwin, you're the top doc in Serenity Province. How can even you not cure Mr. Jenkins? He's dedicated his life to our country. We have to save him."
Edwin replied, "It's not that we don't want to try our best. Mr. Jenkins's condition is really bad. It's not just a simple illness; his body's functions and organs are all damaged. It's like the sun setting at the end of the day." He laid it out plainly.
Joe and the other leaders' faces fell upon hearing this.
Walter looked devastated, wanting to say something but holding back.
Derek laughed, breaking the tension, "Look at you all, so serious. It's not a big deal. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are things everyone faces. I've lived a long life, enjoyed it, and done my duty. I've taken down many enemies. It's enough! Edwin, just do your best. If you can cure me, great. If not, it's my fate. No pressure."
Hearing Derek's words, everyone felt a deep sense of respect.
Edwin and the other doctors exchanged glances and silently vowed to do their best to save Derek.
"Since Mr. Jenkins has said so, we'll proceed with the treatment," Edwin smiled. He thought to himself, if they really couldn't cure him, they could call James. With James's skills, he was confident Derek could be saved.
Speaking of James, a few days had passed, and the scars on his face had faded even more. From a few feet away, they were barely seen. His recovery speed would freak people out if they found out.
That day, after finishing his training, he couldn't hold back his emotions and decided to go to the Hall of Benevolent Medicine to see Jennifer. He planned to watch from a distance, making sure she wouldn't notice him.
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