The Carefree Military Doctor

The Carefree Military Doctor is an urban novel by the online author Zhongqiu Yueming. Initially serialized on Qidian Chinese Network and later relaunched by the author on a new platform, the completed book runs to more than four million characters. Its protagonist is a battlefield military doctor who returns home after retirement: on smoke-filled battlefields he saved lives on the edge of death, and his duty as a military doctor taught him to put the distinction between friend and foe after the triage of serious and minor wounds. After an extraordinary return home, he brings his battlefield rescue skills into urban life, where he faces trials of a different order—business dealings, human relations and emotional entanglements, and a steady stream of trouble that comes looking for him. The story unfolds along two lines, one of hot blood and one of warmth: on one side are clashes of guns and fire, emergencies and crisis management; on the other, the slow currents of daily life and the emotional entanglements of its characters. Unlike the common formulas of the ace soldier or miracle doctor genres, the author, while sustaining a satisfying feel and pace, pays greater attention to character portrayal and the creation of an everyday atmosphere; the supporting cast and the female characters each have distinct personalities and are recognizable rather than flat stereotypes. Through the special identity of the military doctor, the book explores the contradiction and responsibility of one who can both kill and save lives, and also how a man reestablishes himself outside the battlefield.