Chapter 1: Rebirth in 2014 and the Legendary Hospital System!

Austin, Texas

Travis Heights, Downtown

During the Spring Festival, in a quiet residential neighborhood, a young man murmured to himself, "Did I just… go back in time? Back to 2014?"

His name was Ethan Carter. A graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, he was a doctoral student specializing in clinical medicine.

Like most medical students, after graduation, he went through three grueling years of residency training before officially becoming a full-fledged doctor at 29.

The years had passed in a blur.

Eventually, Ethan worked his way up to Associate Chief Physician, earning a senior medical title.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that one day he would wake up to find himself reborn, transported back to 2014.

Looking back on the past decade, Ethan had experienced doubt, exhaustion, and frustration—the dream of becoming a top-tier doctor had been slowly worn down by the weight of daily routines and bureaucratic red tape.

He often wondered—

If life gave him a second chance, would he still choose the same path?

Should he follow in the footsteps of his colleagues, open a private clinic, and become his own boss? Would that give him the fresh start he never had?

But Ethan quickly shook off that thought.

The Mayo Clinic, one of the most prestigious hospitals in the United States, was where he worked as an associate chief physician. His future had been bright.

If he kept pushing forward, he was certain he'd eventually rise to the top and become a nationally renowned doctor.

But now…

Now that he had been reborn, he could clearly see how the world was about to change.

As the saying goes, "If a rising tide lifts all boats, even a pig can fly in a strong enough wind."

Since 2014, countless medical innovations, business trends, and investment opportunities had emerged.

With the foresight of someone who had lived through it all once before, Ethan knew exactly where to invest his time, money, and energy.

And once he had amassed enough wealth, he had a bigger goal—

He wanted to build a world-class medical institution, a hospital that could rival the Mayo Clinic, one that would provide top-tier healthcare for people across the country.

Suddenly—

[Ding! System detected. Binding in progress… 1%... 50%... 80%... 100%. Congratulations, host! You have successfully activated the Legendary Hospital System!]

"Legendary Hospital System?"

Ethan's breath hitched.

For a brief moment, he was completely stunned.

Then, as realization set in, his eyes filled with determination and excitement.

Ethan Carter had read countless online novels, so he was no stranger to the concept of a "golden finger"—the mysterious cheat-like ability that always made protagonists unstoppable in every second of their new life.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.

After all, he had already experienced rebirth. Compared to that, getting a system wasn't exactly the strangest thing to happen today.

Ethan steadied his thoughts and asked, "System, what exactly does the Legendary Hospital System do?"

As soon as he spoke, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind:

"[The Legendary Hospital System allows the host to build and develop a world-class hospital, eventually making it the number one medical institution in the world!]"

The number one hospital in the world?

Ethan's heart trembled.

Right now, the undisputed top hospital in the world was none other than the Mayo Clinic, based in Rochester, Minnesota.

Founded in 1863, Mayo Clinic was the most prestigious, competitive, and advanced medical institution in the world.

With an annual revenue of over $10 billion, it wasn't just a hospital—it was a medical empire.

Over the years, groundbreaking achievements had been born within its halls:

The world's first multidisciplinary joint diagnosis and treatment model.

The first-ever use of insulin to treat diabetes.

The invention of the modern ICU and the BLB mask, revolutionizing postoperative care.

...

These weren't just milestones—they were legacies.

And now, the system was telling him that he could surpass even that?

Ethan's breath quickened.

If this was real…

Then his future was limitless.

Mayo Clinic—the temple of modern medicine.

A true pioneer in medical research and treatment.

Ethan Carter knew exactly how powerful the Mayo Clinic was.

And now, the system was telling him that the hospital he founded could surpass it and become the number one medical institution in the world?

That sounded impossible.

Even with his knowledge of the future, he wasn't entirely confident that he could build a hospital greater than Mayo Clinic.

But before he could dwell on his doubts—

[Ding! Before activating the main quest, the host has received a beginner's gift package. Would you like to open it?]

Ethan's eyes sharpened. "Open it!"

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received the following rewards

A fully established, world-class tertiary general hospital!

$7 billion in hospital operating funds!

A talent-enhancement aura that doubles the skill and expertise of all medical staff!]

Ethan was momentarily stunned.

Then, excitement surged through him.

His original plan had been simple—

He was going to use his knowledge of the future, accumulate a vast fortune, and then slowly build his hospital from the ground up.

But now?

The system had skipped all the hard steps. It had given him a fully operational hospital, complete with a massive financial foundation.

It was a game-changer.

Why was Mayo Clinic so dominant?

One major reason—

It had over 63,000 employees, including 4,700 top-tier doctors, and an annual salary budget of over $7 billion.

But now, Ethan had $7 billion in operational funds right from the start.

With this kind of money, he could immediately recruit the best doctors, researchers, and specialists. He could attract world-class talent without hesitation.

His hospital was destined to rise.

Suddenly, the system spoke again:

[Host, please name your hospital.]

Ethan thought for a moment.

Finally, he said, "Celestial Medical Center."

The name symbolized his ambition—a guiding light in the medical world, just like the stars in the sky.

[Ding! Main quest activated: Make Celestial Medical Center the #1 hospital in Austin within one year!]

Ethan's eyes flickered.

Austin, Texas—one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, a hub of innovation and business.

However, its medical infrastructure still lagged behind cities like New York, Boston, or Los Angeles.

The best hospital in Austin, St. David's Medical Center, was only ranked 50th in the nation.

Despite Austin's strong economy and growing population, the number of top-tier hospitals was still shockingly low.

And Celestial Medical Center?

A private hospital, built from the ground up, entering the scene out of nowhere.

Competing against established institutions would be an uphill battle.

But Ethan was unshaken.

He had foresight. He had resources. He had the system.

If Celestial Medical Center couldn't dominate Austin's medical scene within a year—

Then it would be downright unreasonable.

Austin's #1 hospital?

Celestial Medical Center is coming.