Chapter 69


    "Garrett, we''re here!"


    Shouts echoed. A squad of city guards thundered through. The captain yelled from a distance:


    "What do you need us to do?"


    Garrett turned around, thrilled. The questioning squad leader, Horn, a close friend of Uncle Karen, was familiar to Garrett. He answered loudly:


    "Maintain order! Report! Get the priest over here! Go to the barracks, fetch my surgical kit!  The rest of you, see any injured? Don''t touch others, but for those I''ve marked in yellow, apply pressure to stop bleeding!"


    Damn it!


    Something''s not right! I''m a city guard  albeit just a nominal one for now, and Big Brother Raymond is too! During such major festivities, shouldn''t everyone be on duty, maintaining order?


    Why is everyone out ying on the streets?


    "How many priests do we need?!"


    "As many as we can find!"


    "@#$%!"


    Captain Horn cursed, leaving with a final, "You all follow Garrett''s orders," and dashed out. He sprinted, grabbing the first colleague he saw, yelling:


    "To the Temple of the War God! To the Spring Goddess''s temple! Get people! The North Street stage copsed, dozens injured or dead!"


    Actually, it''s the followers of the Nature God who are most reliable... Captain Horn regretted inwardly. The adherents of the Nature God were warm and caring, never denying treatment to the poor forck of money. But they didn''t have fixed temples! At this moment, finding people all over the streets was incredibly difficult!


    "What about you, Horn?"


    "I''m off to the Lord''s mansion!"


    Inside the Lord''s mansion, festivities were in full swing.


    Lord Joane, the city''s noble figures, mostly graced the celebration of the Midsummer Festival. The high priestess of the Spring Goddess''s temple, the bishop of the Temple of the War God, even the usually elusive elder of the Nature God''s faith, none were exceptions. It was about showing respect while active in Harnd City, honoring the Lord''s presence.


    Amidst the merriment, Captain Horn burst in, heading straight for several knights:


    "Captain! Trouble in North Street, dozens injured or dead!"


    "What?!"


    Several knights, including Captain Nn, were rmed simultaneously. North Street was one of Harnd City''s liveliest areas; none of these knights dared assume their families weren''t there. Dozens injured or dead... even at the Lord''s feast, two knights almost bolted.


    Lord Joane frowned, gesturing:


    "No more singing!  What happened?"


    "The stage copsed... the crowd was dense, trampling each other..."


    Horn swiftly recounted the incident. Elder Elwin had risen after the first sentence, heading down briskly. As the second sentence ended, the bald bishop stood up, asking as he walked:


    "Who''s in charge there?"


    "Garrett..."


    Horn blurted, then halted abruptly. While Garrett had good ties with the Temple of the War God privately, in this crowded Lord''s mansion, saying more might cause trouble if someone disliked Garrett.


    "Garrett Nordmark?"


    As expected, the high priestess of the Spring Goddess temple frowned. Before Horn could respond, he exined to the Lord, "I know thisd. He''s barely grasped healing for a month. He''s in charge at the scene"


    Implicitly doubtful. What use was an apprentice priest for twenty to thirty injured?


    "Thed who treated Knight Barron?" Lord Joane furrowed his brow. "How does he end up everywhere?"


    Garrett Nordmark? Mage Gelman raised an eyebrow, keeping silent. Instead, an elderly man with a salt-and-pepper beard at the head of the table chuckled and asked him:


    "Thatd? The newly minted apprentice to the elder of the Nature God''s faith?"


    "..."


    "Fascinating. Let''s have a look!"


    A throng of dignitaries flooded out of the Lord''s mansion. In the rear, Captain Nn faced his knights, serious:


    "Flynn, take your team, cut through the alleys to North Street! Garrett can''t handle this alone; he needs backup!"


    "Yes!"


    "Westlow, stay here, guard the Lord''s mansion! Others, gather all avable hands! Tell them there''s trouble; no more games, patrol the streets! North Street''s a mess; we can''t afford chaos elsewhere!"


    "Yes!"


    "Be cautious! If there''s trouble on the main streets, we guards will be the first in line when the Lord inquires! If fewer people die, our responsibility lessens somewhatGarrett''s helping us out!


    Those going to North Street, all follow Garrett''s lead. Whatever he asks for, provide it! People, money, insufficient? Cover it for now, ask meter!"


    "Yes!!!"


    The city guards rushed out. Meanwhile, on North Street, Garrett swiftly sorted the injured, categorizing them, marking them. Until thest was carried away, he turned, without pause, into a store turned makeshift shelter.


    The zing sunlight turned to shadows. Garrett abruptly halted.


    Twenty-nine injured.


    He, a doctor, with limited help from an apprentice priest who knew barely more than nothing about healing.


    The people around were allmoners. Not to mention CPR, they needed instruction on how to apply a bandage.


    If this were his previous life, the entire emergency department would have sprung into action. Internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, and supportive departments like bloodbs and diagnostics would''ve hurried down to assist.


    But now, at this moment, with so many lives


    He had only himself to rely on.


    Garrett lifted his head, granting himself a second to reminisce about the hospital where he once worked.


    He missed the pervasive scent of disinfectant. Strong, sometimes choking, yetforting, indicating a hospital''s sterile environment;


    He missed the ring rms of the cardiac monitors. Despite the spike in a doctor''s blood pressure each time they rang, having these devices monitoring patients was reassuring;


    He even missed the sharp-tongued head nurse. From scolding junior nurses to the deputy director, shemanded the chaotic emergency room, never missing a beat during critical moments...


    He even missed the X-ray machine. Yes, he devised a substitute, but so what? Something that could provide enough light source; to date, he had only found Elder Elwin''s oak staff...


    But now.


    Left, Little John looked at him expectantly; right, two guards stood at attention, waiting for hismand. To make split-second decisions, issue orders, performplex medical proceduresonly he was capable.


    One person.


    Twenty-nine lives!


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