Chapter 3, New Cool

The new coolness is miraculous, capable of significantly slowing down the body's metabolism, greatly extending the survival time of the tortoise in the absorption process. Although the doll's body is fragile and the left chest has been pierced by a long needle, Song Yang still managed to hold on.

While administering the injection and medication to relieve Song Yang from the "New Cool" and treat the injury on his left chest, Doctor You kept murmuring to himself. Little did he know that the child he had daringly stolen was a being with two lives and a mature soul, a "monster". All the words he mumbled were heard by Song Yang.

Old Xie addressed the Chancellor with an apology, took two quick steps forward, and extended his hand to check Song Yang's pulse and breath. Soon, he confirmed that the child was lifeless, completely dead. However, the situation was too abrupt and too strange; even though he could ascertain that the Fourth Young Master was dead, he still did not dare to be the slightest bit careless. Seizing the opportunity to examine the body, he subtly flicked his large sleeve and quietly inserted a long needle into Song Yang's left chest.

Doctor You has a peculiar habit—talking to himself

Eighteen years later, you have attained a first-rate physique; I only need to extract a few drops of blood from your fingertip, and we will no longer owe each other anything, parting ways from that point onward... Eighteen years can be considered neither short nor long; it will pass in the blink of an eye.

At this point, Song Yang was finally able to relax a bit. Although he still did not understand the meaning of the term "refining blood," he could at least be certain that this peculiar physician before him had no intention of harming his life or seeking his secrets.

Before he finished speaking, the coachman turned back and replied: "Rest assured, Imperial Physician, I have already instructed Ah Tai to handle the aftermath, there will be no flaws."

His body had become numb, yet his mind remained clear. Song Yang could still "think," reflecting on the past and the future. The only reason he might suddenly "fake his death" was due to Doctor You.

Vice Chancellor Fu did not linger for long; after sitting by the bedside for a while, he raised his hand to wipe the corner of his eye, let out a deep sigh, and then got up to leave

First, there was the sound of shoveling soil, followed by the creaking sound of prying open the coffin... You Taiyi

He was originally closing his eyes, waiting for death, but unexpectedly, before Fatty Old Xie could make a move, a chilling sensation surged from his chest and abdomen, quickly spreading to his limbs and bones

Do not rush, nor cry... I have taken you away; although I have my own plans, I will not harm you. On the contrary, there are great benefits in store for you.

Having taken away your noble status, in the future I will bestow upon you an extraordinary physique, which can be considered a fitting recompense for you

Still alive, it is a state of apparent death, sufficient to deceive everyone.

Only Song Yang himself knows that he is not dead yet, and he is quite confused.

Doctor You had set his sights on Song Yang, having made up his mind to steal this child

To encounter you, a naturally gifted child with a right heart, is my fortune; yet for you to meet me, is it not also a blessing earned from a past life! Young one, do you know that my blood refining technique, in conjunction with books, is the most extraordinary skill in the world

Under the light, Doctor You hastily unwrapped the bindings on the doll, intending to dispel the effects of the new cooling medicine. However, he soon found himself in a daze. Although the needle mark on Song Yang's left chest was not prominent, it could not escape the keen eye of a renowned physician.

The imperial physician desires a living doll, yet how easy is it to steal a lively Fourth Young Master from the Xiang residence? Thus, he administered a peculiar drug called "fake death" to Song Yang. Previously, when Physician You visited, he applied a powder known as "new cool" to the tip of Song Yang's nose. Life is but a grand dream, and how many times does one experience the "new cool"? How can one know the "new cool" without having faced death at least once?

Almost at the same moment he was thrown away, the coachman, who had been sitting over ten zhang away in the carriage, suddenly leaped forward like the wind and managed to steady Yu Taiyi before he landed. However, Yu Taiyi showed no gratitude and angrily shouted, "Fool! I won't die from a fall; you should go catch the child!" While cursing, he quickly hurried forward to retrieve Song Yang again.

Doctor You reached out to remove the car light, leaning closer to examine the pinhole carefully. After a moment, a smile appeared on his dry face: "Fatty Xie’s needle in his sleeve? Didn’t he send his daughter to you as a wife? Why does he want to kill you again? Did your father offend him? Tsk tsk, the higher the official rank, the more troubles one encounters. You’re quite injured, but don’t worry, you won’t die with me around. Hey, I can’t bear to see you die." While speaking, Doctor You took out acupuncture needles and medicinal stones, and began to get busy...

Old Xie has left. Before departing, he quietly said, "Tomorrow I will bring my daughter over, please accept my condolences"

Doctor You's eyes and face were filled with heartache; it seemed that in his heart, the child was even more precious than his own eyes. Song Yang had been beaten to a pulp, but having survived this ordeal, he truly did not care about enduring another blow. What concerned Song Yang more was what this thin bamboo pole had gone through so much trouble to steal him for.

Regardless, with the needle in the heart, this last "demon star" is doomed to die

The coachman, who possessed exceptional martial skills and had kindly offered assistance yet was met with harsh criticism, merely smiled faintly, harboring no resentment whatsoever. After escorting Doctor You and Song Yang onto the carriage, he swiftly returned to his seat, cracked the whip, and urged the horses forward, hastening the journey under the moonlight

Old Xie is a contemporary master of martial arts. The silver needles hidden in his sleeves are thrust out and retracted in an instant, while Prime Minister Fu, being merely a scholar, is completely unable to discern his methods

Invaded by the cold, his body became numb and stiff, unable to move even a fraction. Perhaps due to the experience of traversing or the attachment of a soul, Song Yang could clearly "discern" his physical condition. He felt distinctly that, although he was utterly numb, he was still alive; it was just that everything from the beating of his heart, the flow of blood, to his breathing had become exceedingly slow, imperceptible to outsiders.

Due to the "right heart position," Doctor You Tai intended to steal the Fourth Young Master, completely unaware that the timing of the drug's effect was just right, saving Song Yang's life; it was also because of the "right heart position" that Old Xie, in order to ensure absolute certainty, used a hidden needle, which only injured Song Yang's lung lobe and did not take his life

Before the You hour, Song Yang inhaled the "new coolness"; now, as the Zi hour approaches, it has been exactly three time periods.

The matter of "playing dead" is just as Song Yang anticipated

The carriage, which appears unremarkable from the outside, operates with exceptional smoothness. Its interior is luxurious and comfortable, with two jade-glass lamps hanging on the walls of the cabin. Inside the lamps are clusters of phytoplankton, completely unaffected by the swaying of the carriage during travel. The light is soft yet not dim, comparable to that of a candle.

"New Cool" enters the lungs with each breath, and after three hours of incubation, the effects of the drug manifest, causing the victim to fall into a state resembling death... The tortoise absorbs life, and the heartbeat is almost imperceptibly weak, making it nearly indistinguishable from a corpse... Stealing the Fourth Young Master is difficult, but if the Fourth Young Master is "dead," he will be buried within three days, making the task of exhuming a body much easier.

In the fourth year of the Jing Tai era of the Great Yan, shortly after the Mid-Autumn Festival, two strange occurrences took place in the capital city of Zou Cheng in the Yan state

The specter of illness has arrived, and the "demon star" has finally been crossed over this life-and-death threshold. Before long, a sharp crack echoed as Doctor You pried open the coffin, cradled the infant in his arms, and turned to run towards the carriage parked not far away.

... ...

Perhaps it was the first time being a grave robber, which caused nervousness; or perhaps it was the excitement of finally finding the doll in the right heart position, leading to excessive enthusiasm. The thin bamboo pole had just taken two steps when it kicked a stone, and with a loud cry, both the large and small ones fell out together.

The fourth son of the nobleman has died, but Song Yang is still alive. Concerning the "Heavenly Evil Star," the Fu family dared not give the fourth son a grand burial, nor did they allow him to be interred in the ancestral grave. They hastily prepared a coffin overnight, kept it at home for just one day, and then selected a relatively auspicious location outside the city for a hasty burial.

Doctor You relaxed his expression, chuckled a few times, and said: "That's good, you people are always so considerate in your work... I am no longer a doctor, just call me Old You from now on." After a brief pause, he waved his hand again: "It doesn't matter, since we are parting soon, there will be no chance to meet again, so call me whatever you like!"

The effects of the drug still lingered, and Song Yang was unable to move even slightly, unable to open his eyelids, lying quietly in his own grave, listening in silence. After an unknown period of time, there finally came some movement from outside.

The coachman smiled but did not respond

From midnight until dawn, the carriage was in constant motion. Doctor You finally completed the acupuncture and administered the medication, rewrapping Song Yang. Just as he was about to let out a long sigh of relief, he suddenly remembered something. His expression changed drastically, and he jumped up from his seat, opening the front window to shout at the coachman: "Hurry, hurry back! Last night, I was so focused on digging the grave that I forgot to fill it..."

The Grand Physician, Lord You, resigned from his official position and left without saying a word to anyone, disappearing from sight thereafter

The four sons of the current Prime Minister suddenly fell ill with a strange disease during the night of the "Hundred Years' Child" and died unexpectedly that very night