The first mate of the Oriental Princess cargo ship, Liu Chunhua, had just pushed open the cabin door and stepped onto the deck.
He poked his head out and looked around, feeling the weather and sea conditions, trying to find the reason for the change in weather.
Just then, he turned his head and saw a young man standing on the deck. The man stood tall and straight, his legs firmly planted on the deck like a compass. No matter how the ship swayed, he remained steady. This figure was Ling Tian.
Liu Chunhua was somewhat astonished. He knew that even seasoned sailors who had lived at sea for a long time would find it difficult to stand so steadily on such a pitching deck.
So, Liu Chunhua quickly walked over.
"Young man, what are you doing?"
Ling Tian turned around and saw Liu Chunhua. He sized up the man before him. He was tall, with sharp, defined features, and his slightly dark face was etched with determination.
"Hello, Uncle!
I've never seen the sea like this before, and I'm very curious, so I came specifically to take a look!"
"Young man, I don't object to you looking at the sea, but your clothes are too thin. Hurry back and put on some thicker clothes. It's not too late to come out and look later!" Liu Chunhua said kindly.
"It's alright, Uncle. I'm young and full of vigor. This little bit of wind and waves means nothing to me!"
"Young man, it's not that I'm saying this to criticize you, but when I was young, I thought the same way as you. But look at me now, I have old cold legs and rheumatism, a host of old ailments.
See, now I have to wrap myself up tightly just to go out. On cloudy or rainy days, my limbs become numb and achy, causing great discomfort...
I'm speaking from experience, and I'm saying this for your own good, not to harm you."
"Alright, Uncle. Thank you for your kindness. I'll be careful in the future.
However, this short while won't have any effect on me. I'm a doctor, and I know my body's condition very well!"
"Ah, alright. Young man, my name is Liu Chunhua, and I'm the first mate on this ship. Everyone calls me Old Liu!
What should I call you?"
"My name is Ling Tian, and I'm the doctor for the Huaxia team this time."
"Oh my, you're so young! Truly, heroes emerge from youth. We old folks are already past our prime!"
"You are too modest. Just like the sea before us, if experienced captains like you weren't leading us, we really wouldn't dare to venture out casually..."
After a bit of polite banter, Liu Chunhua observed the deck and found that the wind and waves seemed to have intensified. He had no choice but to regretfully use the walkie-talkie to notify Dongfang Yunying to slow down.
The two of them returned to the cabin together. After entering the cabin, Liu Chunhua reached out and squeezed his knee.
After just ten-odd minutes outside, his knee began to feel uncomfortable.
Ling Tian walked over and extended his hand to him.
"Brother Liu, give me your hand, let me take a look!"
Liu Chunhua was taken aback for a moment but still extended his right hand. Ling Tian placed his fingers on Liu Chunhua's pulse and began to take his pulse.
Liu Chunhua let out a wry smile.
"I have old cold legs and a bit of rheumatism. After all these years, it's hard to cure completely.
Unless I leave the ship and give up this profession entirely, but I've spent my whole life drifting at sea; I wouldn't be used to life on land."
Ling Tian smiled, "Actually, your condition, although serious, is not incurable. As long as you undergo treatment, take medicinal decoctions regularly, and pay attention to your habits, your illness can be cured!"
"Really?" Liu Chunhua looked at Ling Tian, his face filled with disbelief.
"Before you go to sleep tonight, I will personally treat you!"
"Thank you, Doctor Ling Tian!"
During dinner, Ling Tian went to the restaurant. The restaurant operated on a buffet system, with all sorts of stir-fries, cold dishes, and pastries available, totaling over 60 varieties.
Dishes from all over the country could generally be found in the restaurant, catering to the needs of all the crew members from different regions.
There was even alcoholic beverage service here, with many brands of beer and baijiu readily available.
Ling Tian realized even more profoundly that this ship was by no means an ordinary cargo ship!
After dinner, Ling Tian was invited to the ship's clinic, which, while called a clinic, was actually a small hospital.
The hospital on the ship comprised over ten cabins. To Ling Tian's surprise, it even had an MRI machine, a CT scanner, and a very high-standard operating room.
Simultaneously, the ship was equipped with various testing and laboratory equipment. In Ling Tian's estimation, the hospital's configuration was even superior to some advanced field hospitals.
Ling Tian observed that the hospital even had elevator facilities, connecting directly to the deck and the ship's helicopter platform. If someone were injured, the patient could be brought here immediately.
And on this ship of over 100 people, there were three surgeons on duty 24 hours a day, ensuring that any patient or injured person would receive timely treatment.
These three doctors heard that someone had volunteered to treat Old Liu's old cold legs and wanted to learn from him.
When the three doctors saw Ling Tian, they were all astonished. This young man was simply too young!
Ling Tian directly took out a packet of medicinal powder and handed it to one of the doctors, instructing him to put the powder into a medicinal pot, boil it, filter it, and cool it down for Liu Chunhua to take later.
"Doctor Ling Tian, how do you plan to treat Old Liu?"
The one speaking was Old Meng, who was in his early fifties and the most skilled doctor on the ship. He was a former military doctor and had been on the battlefield in his youth, possessing exceptional surgical skills.
"Acupuncture, medicinal decoctions, and cupping," Ling Tian replied.
"Cupping seems to have little effect. We cupped Old Liu almost every three to four days, but it's hard to draw out the cold qi..." Old Meng said with concern.
"Cupping is useful, but it can only clear the cold qi from the muscles and a small amount from the meridians.
For someone like Brother Liu, the cold qi has long since penetrated the internal organs, so the effect of cupping is not obvious.
I intend to use acupuncture and medicinal decoctions to force the cold qi out of his internal organs and meridians, and then use cupping for treatment. After several courses of treatment, his body's cold qi can be completely cleared.
This way, both his old cold legs and rheumatism will be resolved!"
The doctors listened with reverence. Ling Tian explained the principles very simply, but they knew that how to achieve it was the key.
With their medical skills alone, they were incapable of doing so.
Next, Da Liu took off his clothes, leaving only a pair of shorts. He was asked to lie down on the treatment bed.
Ling Tian opened the portable medical box he carried, took out a packet of silver needles, and then inserted the needles into Da Liu's body.