Chapter 6: A Not-So-Peaceful Physical Examination
Like every other human base city after the war, Chu Sheng City’s healthcare system was constrained by a severe shortage of medical supplies, resulting in a rather basic level of medical infrastructure.
There was only one facility in the entire Chu Sheng City that qualified to be called a "hospital"—the Chu Sheng City Health and Medical Center.
Just like the Special Affairs Processing Center, the Chu Sheng City Medical Center was a public institution established and operated under the guidance of the base government, intended to serve the residents of Chu Sheng City. It was incorporated into the urban planning from the very beginning of the city's founding.
The initial staff had been drawn from the military medical department of the Standing Army, and the facility had been built atop the ruins of a reasonably preserved maternity and child health hospital.
Over the years, the Chu Sheng City Health and Medical Center had developed into the largest and best-equipped medical facility in the entire city.
Logically speaking, Zhong Jing should’ve had frequent dealings with such a place due to his profession. But in reality, he had only been to the medical center twice—and both times were for the mandatory annual physical examination required after becoming a mercenary. If it weren’t the only facility authorized by the base government to issue a recognized health certificate, he wouldn’t have come even once.
To many Chu Sheng City residents, this medical center represented the pinnacle of healthcare. But for most mercenaries—Zhong Jing included—it was simply unsuitable.
The lengthy administrative procedures, exorbitant medical fees, and its location in the Inner City’s Sector 3 all made it terribly inconvenient.
Minor surface wounds could easily be handled with some basic medical supplies on one’s own. And if the injuries were too severe for self-treatment, mercenaries didn’t have the luxury of time to jump through bureaucratic hoops, wait in line, and hope to get an appointment.
In such cases, what mercenaries needed wasn’t the best treatment—it was the fastest and most effective.
Especially for a not-so-affluent mercenary like Zhong Jing, if the problem wasn’t life-threatening, the first choice would always be a privately operated wound treatment clinic—a booming business that had risen alongside the mercenary community in Chu Sheng City.
These clinics were not legally recognized. Most operators had only a rudimentary grasp of medical knowledge, and hygiene standards were far from ideal. Yet their numbers were immense, and business was never slow.
They were mostly located near the outer city walls, offering quick emergency services to returning mercenaries in need—saving time and money.
And that was all mercenaries really cared about: wounds that wouldn’t get infected or kill them, recovery to a level where they could resume missions, and as for scars or other non-mission-critical aftereffects—those were acceptable trade-offs.
But this time, those back-alley clinics were off the table. Under the intense pressure of Sister Shang Shu’s will, Zhong Jing was forced to come to the medical center for a full-body examination.
Unlike the standard annual mercenary physical, what he faced this time... was a gynecological exam!
"Relax, A Jing. It’s just a routine check-up, nothing to be nervous about."
Sitting on the bench in the waiting room, Shang Shu embraced Zhong Jing with a pampered affection as she offered her reassurance.
Zhong Jing, on the other hand, sat with his head bowed deeply, his face flushed red with shame. The examination form he had just been handed was already crumpled from his unconscious grip, and the word “Gynecology” printed at the top stabbed at his eyes.
Worse yet, he was undeniably the center of attention in the waiting room. Though he had already stored away his military coat, goggles, and gas mask in the locker before entering the medical center...
A beautiful girl dressed in a worn camouflage combat suit was still a rare sight—particularly in the gynecology waiting room of this center—making him stand out like a sore thumb. The curious and inquisitive stares from all sides left him with nowhere to hide. He could only keep his head down, hoping his drooping hair would shield his face.
Though it was a groundless fear, Zhong Jing couldn’t shake the anxiety that someone might recognize him and spread the story throughout Chu Sheng City—how the once-secondary mercenary Zhong Jing had turned into a girl overnight! What would become of him then...?
The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. If not for Shang Shu holding him close, he might’ve bolted already.
"Next, Number 17, please proceed to your examination."
Suddenly, the waiting room speakers buzzed to life. The emotionless female synthesized voice felt like divine music to Zhong Jing’s ears at that moment.
"A Jing, good luck!"
He jumped to his feet and made a beeline for the door, clutching the form bearing the number “17” tightly in his hand. More than anything, he wanted to escape those gazes—that alone was worth enduring whatever came next... or so he believed at the time.
Before entering the examination room, he had to pass through a small antechamber. As soon as he pushed open the door, the sharp scent of disinfectant struck his nose. Inside, two nurses dressed in white coats, surgical masks, and nurse caps were waiting.
The moment Zhong Jing stepped in, the two nurses were visibly surprised. Such a young and pretty girl, yet dressed so strangely—it didn’t align at all. Mercenary? That never crossed their minds. They simply assumed Zhong Jing had a quirky fashion sense.
Kids in Chu Sheng City idolizing this profession weren’t uncommon. Naturally, they thought she was one of them.
"Alright, little sister, please take off your clothes and place them on the rack over there. Do you need help?" One nurse took Zhong Jing’s form and began recording, while the other slowly approached, reaching toward him.
Take... off my clothes?!
Just as he had begun to relax after leaving the waiting room, Zhong Jing’s nerves spiked again at the nurse’s words. Of course, he knew disrobing was part of the process—but in his current state, that was a disaster waiting to happen!
“W-Wait!”
He yelped and recoiled, narrowly avoiding the nurse’s hand and nearly crashing into the wall behind him. The nurses were taken aback by his overreaction, frozen in place with stunned expressions.
“S-Sorry, I’ll do it myself.” Zhong Jing quickly realized he had overreacted, but he still couldn’t let someone else undress him—even if they were women.
“We’re all girls here—what’s there to be shy about?” The nurses chuckled and kindly turned away.
That’s exactly why I’m embarrassed... Zhong Jing couldn’t say that aloud. Better they misunderstood. It saved him from further explanation.
He placed his hands on the buttons of his shirt and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.
No turning back now. Strip! Besides, he too was curious about his own transformation—was it just appearance, or something deeper? Understanding his body was crucial for future combat.
Still, acceptance didn’t come easy. Though the combat suit was designed for quick removal, his nervous hands kept fumbling with the buttons. Thankfully, the nurses were considerate and didn’t interrupt. Their professionalism began to soften Zhong Jing’s previously poor impression of the medical center.
Finally, he managed to undress and hang the suit on the rack.
It was summer, so the air on his skin wasn’t cold. Even so, he instinctively wanted to cover himself. No one would feel comfortable exposing their body in front of others.
Only after a long moment of mental preparation did Zhong Jing manage to whisper: “I... I’m ready.”
With his permission, the nurses turned around, prepared to tease the shy girl a little. But the moment they saw her, the words died in their throats.
Standing before them, Zhong Jing tried to cover his lower half with both hands. Even with his head down, the blush on his delicate face was vivid, and his fair skin was enough to make any woman jealous—like a baby untouched by postwar hardships.
But that wasn’t what drew their attention.
Their eyes were locked on one thing: the deep gray, male boxer briefs clinging to Zhong Jing’s hips.
Unbelievable... This lovely young girl was dressed like that. Even more astonishing than the black combat suit he’d worn earlier.
“Little sister... where are your underwear?”
“This is my underwear,” Zhong Jing replied as he tightened the waistband. His waist had slimmed down so much that even his briefs had become loose.
The two nurses exchanged a look. Each saw the same confused expression in the other, both clearly thinking the same thing—cross-dressing fetish? Or perhaps a full-blown gender dysphoria?
Such peculiar preferences weren’t common even for veteran medical staff like them. While it wasn’t their place to judge, as medical professionals, they felt obligated to say something.
“Sweetie, everyone has different interests... but you’re at an age where you’re developing. You must take good care of your body.”
The nurse’s gentle advice left Zhong Jing completely baffled. He didn’t understand a word, but judging from the tone, it must have been something really serious.