"Hey, you ribs over there!"
Victor held up a large brush dripping with a thick white liquid, a warm, salesman-like smile plastered across his face.
"Don't you want to get... rock hard?"
However.
He had clearly overestimated the intelligence of these osteoporosis patients.
In the pitifully simple logic of the low-level skeleton soldiers, complex concepts like "treatment" and "free" were entirely beyond comprehension.
All they saw was a human wearing a bloodstained white robe, carrying an unidentified bucket, and smiling in a way that looked worse than crying.
This was... the legendary Pale Demon!
It was him!
The pervert who loved to smash people's legs with a hammer and then use scissors to turn their heads into dolls!
Fear instantly overwhelmed their desire for that bucket of "divine oil."
"Roar—!! (Run!)"
It was unclear who let out the first howl.
The low-level skeleton soldiers, who had been huddled together fighting over scraps, suddenly scattered like a hornet's nest that had been kicked.
Clatter, clatter—
They turned and bolted, moving so fast they seemed like entirely different beings compared to their previous, about-to-fall-apart states.
Some were in such a rush that they rattled off two of their own ribs.
Others simply threw away their broken swords and scrambled on all fours like dogs.
Running at the very front was the skeleton captain who had just had its leg reset and its skull held affectionately by Victor for a chat.
It understood everything now.
That demon wasn't treating it just now—he was marking it!
He wanted to fatten it up before smashing it!
"Hey? Don't run!"
Victor was stunned.
He held the bucket, watching blankly as the group of "ribs" ran further and further away, leaving a trail of bone shards in their wake.
"You don't want free treatment? Your bones are practically powder! If you don't get treated, you're really going to fall apart!"
He tried to persuade them earnestly, attempting to win back these "patients" who were hiding from their doctor.
But to the skeletons, his voice sounded like the death knell of the Grim Reaper.
"He's catching up!"
"He wants to drag us all back to paint us!"
"Help! I don't want to become rock hard!"
Seeing his hard-won free labor about to disappear into the depths of the forest, Victor finally lost his patience.
"We'll do it the hard way, then."
He set down the bucket and pulled a silver thread as thin as a gossamer from his waist.
It was the 【Infinite Suture Thread】 rewarded by the system.
"Alice."
Victor called out to the air.
"I'm leaving it to you."
"'Invite' these disobedient patients back for me."
"As you wish, Director."
A soft yet cold voice echoed directly in Victor's ear.
In the next second.
The suture thread in Victor's hand snapped taut and shot out like an arrow from a bow.
No, it was faster than an arrow.
The silver light vanished into the air in a flash.
The fleeing skeleton captain suddenly felt its ankle tighten.
It looked down to see an invisible thin line tightly coiled around its ankle bone.
Before it could react.
A massive force traveled through the line.
Crack!
The skeleton captain was yanked backward like a hooked fish.
"What is that?!"
The skeleton underlings behind it were scared out of their wits.
They only saw their captain suddenly fly into the air, trace a graceful parabola, and then land face-first at the feet of that demon doctor with a thud.
"I told you not to run, why won't you listen?"
Victor crouched down, pinning the skeleton captain's spine with his foot to prevent it from moving.
Before the other skeletons could react, the invisible silver thread had already woven a dragnet through the forest.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The silver thread tightened.
Crack!
Clatter!
Sounds of snapping bones and screams (though the skeletons couldn't actually scream) rang out one after another.
The remaining five low-level skeleton soldiers were like rabbits caught in traps, each bundled into strange shapes by the silver thread and dragged out from trees and bushes.
Some were hung upside down from branches, their skulls banging against the wood.
Others were tied around the waist, their upper and lower halves struggling wildly as if performing a human-cutting magic trick.
"Done."
Alice's figure appeared silently beside Victor.
She twirled the end of the silver thread around her finger, an innocent smile on her face.
"Director, the patients have all been invited back."
"Not a single one got away."
Victor looked at the scene, which resembled a modern art exhibition, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Good job."
"Drag them all to the operating tables. We have a lot of work to do today."
...
Half an hour later, in the clinic hall.
The six low-level skeleton soldiers, who had been taken apart and put back together, were arranged neatly on six temporary operating tables.
Their soul fires had shrunk to the size of pinpricks due to fear, trembling inside their hollow eye sockets.
"Alright, patients, don't be nervous."
Victor, wearing his bloodstained lab coat, walked over slowly, pushing a cart filled with various tools.
In addition to the bucket of 【High-Calcium Bone Reinforcement Liquid】, the cart now held several hammers, chisels, and a grinding machine that looked like it was for polishing.
"I know you're afraid, but please trust in my professionalism."
Victor picked up the skeleton captain's skull, which had been placed separately on a tray, holding it between two fingers and lifting it to his eye level.
"Look into my eyes."
He stared directly at the flickering blue soul fire, his tone sincere and solemn.
"I am a doctor. My duty is to heal the sick and save lives—even if the patient is a bag of bones."
"Your current condition is very serious: osteoporosis, joint wear and tear... if you don't get treated, you'll completely weather into a pile of bone meal within six months."
"And I am the only one who can save you."
Whether it was an illusion or not, the soul fire in the skeleton captain's eyes seemed to stop trembling.
It seemed to... understand?
"Very good, it seems we have reached a consensus."
Victor satisfiedly placed the skull back onto its neck (though it wasn't attached yet).
He picked up the large brush and dipped it into the thick, grayish-white liquid.
"Now, let us begin the first step of our 'Bone Strengthening Plan': full-body calcium supplementation."
Without hesitation, Victor brushed the viscous liquid directly onto the skeleton's fractured leg bone.
Sizzle—
A magical sight occurred once again.
The liquid rapidly seeped into the bone. The originally dull and fragile bone became white and hard at a rate visible to the naked eye.
The cracks were filled and healed.
"Ooh..."
The skeleton captain's body gave a comfortable shudder.
The feeling of strength returning to its body brought its simple soul an unprecedented sense of pleasure.
"See? I didn't lie to you, did I?"
Victor smiled.
"This is my secret 'miracle water.' It doesn't just provide calcium; it repairs cracks. If you apply it forty-nine times... cough, I mean, if you apply it to your whole body, I guarantee you'll be harder than a bone fresh from the factory."
As Victor spoke, he began an assembly-line operation.
Brush, brush, brush.
Like a house painter, he meticulously coated every single bone in a thick layer of reinforcement liquid.
Ribs, arm bones, phalanges... he didn't even miss the toe bones.
"Here, the cervical vertebrae are misaligned."
After finishing the coating, Victor picked up the hammer and chisel.
He lined them up against a skeleton's crooked neck.
"Bear with it, this might be a bit loud."
Crack!
A crisp snap echoed.
The misaligned vertebrae were forcefully hammered back into place.
The skeleton shuddered, and the soul fire in its eyes flared brightly, as if even its vision had cleared up.
"And you, your pelvis is cracked."
Victor moved to another skeleton, pressing his hands against the split pelvis and slamming it shut toward the center.
Crunch!
The bones aligned perfectly.
"Finally, you—too many burrs on the bone surface, it affects the aesthetic."
Victor started the handheld grinding machine.
Whirrr—
He began grinding and polishing a skeleton's cranium.
Sparks flew.
The originally pitted skull quickly became smooth and rounded, even reflecting the light.
An hour later.
The surgeries were all complete.
The six originally battered skeletons that looked ready to collapse were now brand new.
Their bones were no longer grayish-white but possessed a warm, jade-like texture, appearing hard and full of power.
All fractures and cracks had vanished.
Their joints moved freely, no longer making that tooth-aching grinding sound.
"Alright, get up and try it out."
Victor undid their restraints.
The six skeletons slowly sat up from the operating tables.
They looked somewhat blankly at their own jade-white hands, then tried standing up and walking a few steps.
Stable.
Unprecedentedly stable.
They even tried jumping a couple of times.
Thump! Thump!
The heavy sound of their landing replaced the old, flimsy clatter.
"Roar!"
The skeleton captain let out a silent roar toward the ceiling.
It felt like it could punch a bull to death right now!
Then.
Under Victor's surprised gaze.
Led by the skeleton captain, the six low-level skeleton soldiers actually... knelt on one knee in unison.
They lowered their polished and waxed heads, using the highest form of etiquette for undead creatures to express their purest gratitude and submission.
Though they had no brains, they could distinguish good from bad.
This seemingly perverted human had truly cured them.
Not only cured them, but given them a new lease on life.
【Ding!】
【Group treatment complete!】
【Surgical Evaluation: Rank A+ (Skilled Technique)】
【Congratulations! You have earned 60 points.】
【Patient Satisfaction: 100% (Moved to Tears)】
【Special Reward: Slight intelligence boost for the low-level skeleton soldiers; unlocked "Teamwork" ability.】
"Not bad, not bad."
Victor looked at the row of skeletons kneeling on the ground, radiating an aura of "I am hard," and nodded with satisfaction.
He redeemed several sets of black uniforms from the system mall.
The style of the uniforms was very similar to modern SWAT combat gear, with a prominent red cross emblem printed on the chest.
"Since you've decided to stay and contribute to the cause of medicine..."
Victor tossed the uniforms to them.
"Put these on."
"From today on, you are the first Security Brigade of the Benevolent Heart Clinic."
"You'll be responsible for guarding the door, patrolling, and..."
Victor pointed to the mountain of medical waste in the backyard, flashing a capitalist-like smile.
"Moving the trash."
The six skeletons put on the uniforms. Although their empty frames couldn't quite fill the clothes, making them look a bit comical, the soul fires in their eyes were brighter than ever.
They stood up in unison, gave Victor a standard military salute, and then marched with synchronized, spirited steps toward the trash pile in the backyard.
Alice watched this scene, tilting her head as a flash of curiosity crossed her red eyes.
"Director, they seem to have become a tiny bit smarter."
"Hmm, maybe the calcium supplement boosted their brains too," Victor replied casually.
Looking at his first organized "employee team," he felt a surge of accomplishment.
Even if they were just bags of bones, it was a start.
"Alright, Alice, we have our labor."
Victor clapped his hands and looked toward the clinic's front door.
"Next, it's time to meet those real 'medical troublemakers.'"
Rate on N.U.
