On the deck of the Oro Jackson, the Roger Pirates crew watched the fervent, festival-like scene on shore, their expressions growing stranger by the second.
They had roamed the seas, and wherever they went, people were either fearful or wary; when had they ever seen such widespread celebration, as if bidding farewell to a departing bully?
Rayleigh's mouth twitched slightly as he re-examined the boy standing at the bow, his figure slender yet his back ramrod straight.
The sea breeze ruffled his short black hair, and an uncharacteristic calm settled on his youthful face.
A tall crew member leaned close to Rayleigh, lowering his voice: "Vice-Captain, this kid isn't some kind of jinx, is he? I feel like we've got something extraordinary on our ship."
Rayleigh remained noncommittal, his gaze only deepening.
Roger, however, didn't care at all. He plopped down on the ship's rail and burst out laughing: "Hahahaha! This is what a member of our Pirate Crew should be like—always causing a stir wherever we go! Luo An, from today on, you're our apprentice Ship Doctor!"
"Wait!"
A sharp voice suddenly cut in.
"Captain! How can he be the Ship Doctor? How old is he?! And aren't we the only two apprentice crew members?"
Everyone looked over to see a red-nosed boy indignantly pointing at Luo An. He wore a comical hat on his head, and his expression was full of defiance.
It was Buggy the Clown.
Beside him, a red-haired boy also curiously observed Luo An. Though he said nothing, the question in his eyes was equally apparent.
That was the future Four Emperors, Shanks.
Roger picked his nose and said indifferently, "Didn't he heal Scott's leg? Crocus couldn't do it, but he did, so he's the Ship Doctor. As for apprentice crew members, one more won't hurt."
"But, but…"
Buggy's face turned red with anxiety: "Medicine is very precise! He must have just gotten lucky! What if he accidentally kills someone next time?!"
Buggy's voice was loud, drawing agreement from many crew members.
Indeed, letting a ten-year-old child be the Ship Doctor sounded like a joke Roger would make when he was drunk.
Luo An's gaze calmly fell on Buggy, scrutinizing him from head to toe, like a butcher eyeing a pig to decide where to make the first cut.
Buggy felt a chill run down his spine from the stare. He stiffened his neck and shouted, "What are you looking at?! Am I wrong?!"
"You didn't sleep well last night."
Luo An suddenly spoke, his tone flat.
Buggy was startled: "How do you know?"
"Dark circles under your eyes, slightly swollen skin, bloodshot whites of your eyes."
Luo An pointed out each detail, then his gaze shifted to Buggy's nose: "And, has your nose been itching frequently lately, occasionally running, especially in dusty or humid environments?"
Buggy subconsciously touched his big red nose, his mouth agape in astonishment: "You... how do you even know that?!"
This problem had bothered him for years; Crocus had only said it was a minor issue and told him to drink more water.
Luo An ignored his surprise and continued: "It's chronic rhinitis, not hard to cure."
"However, you'd best rein in your habit of shouting, or it will strain your throat and completely incapacitate your already inflamed tonsils. Then you'll truly be nothing more than a mime clown."
Luo An's voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.
A silence fell over the deck.
Everyone looked at Luo An as if he were a monster.
If his previous treatment of Scott demonstrated his terrifying talent in Surgery, then his current words completely overturned their understanding of the medical profession.
This wasn't just treating illnesses; this was practically mind-reading!
Shanks leaned closer, his eyes full of adoring stars: "Wow, that's amazing! Luo An, look at me! Do I have any problems?"
Luo An glanced at him: "You?"
He paused, then, under Shanks' expectant gaze, he uttered three words: "Lack common sense."
"Huh?"
Shanks froze.
The surrounding crew members were momentarily stunned, then burst into uproarious laughter.
"Hahahahaha! That's right!"
"Shanks really does lack common sense!"
"Doctor Luo An, you're truly a god!"
Even Rayleigh couldn't help but chuckle, a faint smile gracing his lips.
This new little Ship Doctor seemed more interesting than he had imagined.
Buggy's face alternated between red and pale. He wanted to retort, but found that everything Luo An said was true, and he couldn't argue a single word.
He felt as if he were naked in front of this kid, completely seen through, inside and out.
This feeling left Buggy both terrified and frustrated.
"Alright, alright."
Roger clapped his hands, ending the farce.
"Crocus, from now on, for medical matters on the ship, listen more to Luo An's opinions."
The old Ship Doctor, Crocus, stroked his grizzled beard. Far from being displeased, he nodded solemnly.
He had already been impressed by Luo An's miraculous techniques, and now he was completely convinced.
The skilled are teachers. In the art of medicine, this child had indeed surpassed him.
"Luo An."
Crocus spoke up proactively: "The ship's infirmary is over there. I'll take you to see it. You can use all the medicinal herbs and tools inside freely."
"Okay."
Luo An responded, following Crocus towards the cabin.
As he passed Buggy, he paused, saying something in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"By the way, that half-eaten chocolate bar you hid under your bed this morning is infested with worms. You'd best not eat it."
Buggy's body suddenly stiffened, and cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.
He watched Luo An's small figure disappear into the cabin doorway, his heart filled with an endless chill.
...
In the infirmary, Luo An frowned, inventorying Crocus's proud collection.
"The hemostatic grass is not the right age; 70% of its medicinal properties have been lost."
"This bottle of disinfectant alcohol is too diluted; it can only disinfect tables."
"This surgical blade... never mind, it's too dull even for a fruit knife."
With each sentence Luo An spoke, Crocus's face fell a little more.
By the end, the old Ship Doctor was covering his face, too ashamed to look at anyone.
Crocus had always believed the ship's medical supplies were quite good, but he never expected them to be considered garbage in Luo An's eyes.
Luo An unceremoniously relegated more than half of the items to the 'to be disposed of' category.
"On the next island, we need to replenish everything on this list."
Luo An took out a piece of paper and quickly wrote on it with a quill, his handwriting neat, unlike that of a child.
Crocus leaned over to look. It was full of names of various medicinal herbs and medical instruments he had either heard of or not, even with precise specifications and requirements noted.
"Luo An, where did you learn all this knowledge?"
Crocus couldn't help but ask.
"From books."
Luo An's answer was flawless.
This was true; the system-provided encyclopedia of medicinal knowledge was more detailed than any book.