He always regarded himself as a person who could hold his liquor, yet he lost to a goddamn girl. He did not take that loss lightly.
This was not a good day. He had been defeated by Chang Yue in a drinking game and outclassed by Zheng Ren in the operating room.
"Not fully there yet, I see," Chu Yanzhi said as she put the anesthesia machine aside. "If you can't tolerate alcohol, you should drink less. Look at you. If you keep drinking like that, it'll ruin your body. You're still young so you won't notice it…"
"Can you stop nagging?" Su Yun said, annoyed.
"Oh?" Chu Yanzhi smirked. "You drank yourself into a stupor."
Su Yun could not refute the statement. "Well, no one wants to marry a person who nags."
"Lightweight."
"Pack up your stuff, it's almost fifteen minutes."
"Lightweight."
"If you dare, come challenge me next time!"
"Lightweight."
This word alone was enough to shut Su Yun up.
Zheng Ren was happy to witness this whole exchange.
The patient's blood pressure was steadily rising as they transfused bags and bags of blood.
Fifteen minutes later, the pressure on the puncture site was removed and it was bandaged tightly. A few people lifted the patient onto the trolley stretcher.
The patient had not woken from general anesthesia and was equipped with a breathing tube. Chu Yanran operated the ventilation bag as they transported the patient back to the ICU ward.
As Su Yun was there, Zheng Ren did not follow.
The surgery was a success and that was all that mattered. Zheng Ren went to the changing room and removed the special lead apron that could turn radiation into energy. He wanted to see if it worked.
If he were honest with himself, he could feel the difference.
Although the surgery had taken just over twenty minutes, a heavy lead apron would have made anyone sweat through their clothes at that time.
Right now, his body was still dry and he felt refreshed. The pounds of weight did not seem to affect him. He was energized and if he had been in a video game, his energy bar would be full.
Hm… Maybe the next time he was tired, he could wear the special lead vest and stand under the X-ray machine to regain energy.
Or maybe he should not do that, as it could all just be the placebo effect. The System had given it to him without any clear guidelines.
Zheng Ren tucked away his mind-blowing idea. Holding the lead apron, he entered the System.
At that moment, a loud ring blared out.
Chapter 97 - One Should Be Down to Earth in Life
[Emergency Mission: Pileup Crash completed. The emergency rescue of two patients was successful.
[Mission Reward: 200 skill points, 30000 experience points, 2 silver c.h.e.s.ts.
[Mission Duration: 9 hours and 23 minutes, totaling 52620 experience points.]
The cold, unfriendly voice of the System droned on.
The rewards from the emergency missions were uninteresting. Zheng Ren felt that the in-depth missions yielded better rewards.
Of course, the System could simply be a fickle machine that randomly rewarded him.
The two surgeries he did for this mission had been fast-paced but were not high-level procedures—both were third-grade procedures. Zheng Ren looked at the progression bar for the main mission. Nine of ten were done; one more was needed to complete the whole cycle. He would then gain some bonus experience points.
He had been busy the whole day. The time for rewards had come.
Zheng Ren sat down and checked his inventory.
His general surgery skill had gone from 3154 to 3161 points. The gain was due to the recent surgery and the book he read. He still had 1739 unused skill points.
His heart pumped faster as he neared the rank of Master in the general surgery skill tree.
The Expert rank had granted him so many skills that decided the outcome of difficult surgeries. He wondered what a Master rank would give him.
From the Master rank in interventional surgery bestowed upon him by the System, he knew there was a fundamental difference between the ranks.
During the placenta abruption case, Zheng Ren was just at Expert. Using incompatible instruments and materials, he had managed to complete the surgery without incident.
He was a Master when he performed the pelvic fracture arterial embolization surgery. Each superselective embolization of the external iliac arterial branches went smoothly as if the guide wire was a living thing that had found its own way to the damaged vessels.
It felt like the guide wire moved with his will.
Zheng Ren was eager to find out how a being Master rank in general surgery would feel.
General surgery was the start of his career and the first skill that he had invested in. Hence, he had a soft spot for the field.
It was only 100 skill points and one mission away. A smile graced his face.
Looking at his steadily growing skill tree, Zheng Ren thought he could see his future. The vast knowledge that he would gain from the Master rank spurred him forward.
Skill tree… That was weird. The highest skill tree Zheng Ren had was in interventional surgery, an area that had been strongly recommended by the System, followed by the general surgery skill tree.
His skills in other areas were too low to be counted, but there was one small sprout that had broken ground and risen to eye level.
This…
It was the cardiovascular surgery skill tree.
Zheng Ren realized that interventional radiology was applied in neurology, angiology and cardiology throughout the world. Angiology was probably one of the areas that heavily utilized it as iIt was useful in procedures like coronary bypass and stenting.
The boost in interventional surgery likely brought up his interventional cardiology skill and filled his cardiovascular surgery skill tree.
No; Zheng Ren checked the details again. The System had given him the Master rank and upgraded all the skill branches in the interventional surgery skill tree. He was now a Master in all types of interventional surgery, ranging from neurosurgery, peripheral vascular surgery, cardiovascular surgery and more.
It seemed that an emergency coronary bypass surgery might fall under the emergency department's jurisdiction one day.
He chased away the thought.
If a normal surgeon's stress level while operating was an eight out of ten, then a cardiovascular surgeon's stress level would be at ten.
He remembered an encounter many years back when he was still a houseman. He was resting with his mentor in the on-call room on a quiet night when they heard a shriek. Zheng Ren's drowsiness instantly vanished and he saw his mentor run outside without his shoes.
His mentor had managed to rescue the patient but hurt his foot in the process. The floor was smeared with his blood.
A cardiac arrest… The thought of it drained the energy from most doctors.
Most emergency rescues had a window of minutes before their success rate plummeted, but cardiovascular emergencies had seconds.
Even if Zheng Ren could perform such surgeries, he would need a specialized nurse to assist with the machines.
He thought about establishing a green channel for patients with c.h.e.s.t pains, but it was a faraway dream. He would leave that to Old Chief Physician Pan. In the meantime, he should focus on leveling up his general surgery to the Master rank.
One step at a time.
Do not bite off more than you can chew.
Zheng Ren carefully put his special lead vest aside. Then, he went to look at the three shiny silver c.h.e.s.ts.
The two c.h.e.s.ts were from the latest mission while the other was from a previous one. He did not even bother opening it.
Zheng Ren was averse to the System's gimmicky, luck-dependent reward.
He was from a lower-class family that was struggling. A year ago, he had treated an old patient.
The patient was a mental
ly disturbed and skinny man who was only 50 years old but looked 70.
Through their conversations, Zheng Ren found out that the patient had once been a big shot in the financial world.
When the first shopping mall popped up in the center of Sea City in the late eighties, this man had the foresight to monopolize the city's shopping mall industry.
Back then, it was all about the money… It was an opportunity and he grabbed it.
He took three years to amass three million yuan worth of assets, which was equivalent to a few billion yuan now. Basically, he was the ric.h.e.s.t man in the city.
However, good things never last and in the early nineties, he developed an interest in slot machines.
Within a year, he had managed to burn through all his assets.
He quit at one point and got back into business, but the addiction returned.
The cycle repeated itself multiple times over ten years. In the end, he was destitute and ended up operating a minimart opposite the hospital, living the average life.
His wife was many years younger than him. Zheng Ren could tell she was a no-nonsense lady.
They had a normal relationship. Zheng Ren wondered why a smart, capable lady would stay with a man who lacked the strength to resist slot machines.
He never knew what became of them.
It had been a long time since Zheng Ren last saw the patient. The minimart had also disappeared following the rise of shopping malls.
All in all, it was not a happy story.
Zheng Ren had heard of pay-to-play in many online games these days. People paid to open treasure c.h.e.s.ts in hopes of rare items that would make their characters stronger.
He had never paid any mind to his luck, of whether he was a European King or an African Chieftain.
After all, one should be down to earth in life.
The silver c.h.e.s.ts were nothing compared to the skill points he earned through surgery.
He took one look at his skill trees and exited the System, satisfied. He did not look back at the c.h.e.s.ts.
Back in the changing room, he put on his usual scrubs and heard a voice from the operating room.
"The riders are no longer delivering. So, what are we eating?"
Chapter 98 - The Kind-Hearted Ones are Tender
The snow outside was not too heavy, but the ground was frozen solid. It was too hazardous for riders to be delivering meals. It was going to be a hungry day for all homebodies.
Xie Yiren let out a w.h.i.n.e from the operating room. Her mood instantly worsened as her hopes for good food were dashed.
Zheng Ren chuckled. Luckily, he was not a food connoisseur. He was not hungry and planned to swing by the cafeteria for a simple dinner when he had the time.
He left the operating room and headed to the emergency department ward on the second floor. As he entered the office, he saw Chang Yue standing before the window, watching the snow fall.
He had wanted her to follow him on his rounds but she appeared to be occupied. Zheng Ren decided that he could spare a few minutes.
Women had more appreciation for romance and Chang Yue was not an exception.
He went to his table and was about to sit when he noticed Chang Yue's face.
The corner of her eye seemed a bit damp.
"Chang Yue, what's wrong?" Zheng Ren asked.
"Nothing." She turned around to face him and the dampness was gone. Chang Yue had the usual expression that he was familiar with.
"If there's something wrong, you can talk about it. Help might come from where you least expect it," Zheng Ren said casually. He was already seated at his table with the medical book, Sciences of Hepatopancreatobilliary, open.
It was an informal inquiry. It would be awkward to not converse when they were face-to-face.
Chang Yue's resolve wavered, and she sat across Zheng Ren with a grave expression.
Hmm… Was she going to complain about Su Yun? From what he knew, Chang Yue was the one who made Su Yun pass out drunk, not the other way around.
Zheng Ren wondered.
"Let me tell you something, Chief Zheng. See if you can solve it," Chang Yue said.
Zheng Ren tasted a mild bitterness in his throat. This was not going to be a happy thing.
"The patient with gangrenous appendicitis; I've gone through his medical records. He never said much about his past but I deduced that he was once in the army," Chang Yue said.
Zheng Ren's eyes left the pages of his book. He listened attentively.
"He doesn't have much money. He was working as a laborer in the construction industry, moving ceramic tiles and all that. The site elevator was not working and he had to lug those tiles up 16 floors. When it came to payment, the owner claimed some of the tiles were broken and wanted him to pay for it. A few rounds of back-and-forth later, the owner suddenly fell to the ground and claimed that he hit him," Chang Yue said in a quiet voice that trembled.
The world was a cruel place. From the man's build, his army background was more than likely. Before sickness took him, he had to have been a fearsome one. Zheng Ren let out a sigh.
If the man wanted to, Zheng Ren believed he could have seriously injured the owner with a single punch.
"In the end, he did not get paid and had to compensate the owner," Chang Yue continued, "He spent some time homeless and that was when he felt the pain in his abdomen. He fainted and was brought to the hospital by Yanzhi."
'So that was the story,' Zheng Ren thought.
The man had a remarkable body. They had noted his speedy recovery during postsurgical monitoring and his body did not show the usual signs of heating up.
The latter cases usually indicated that the patient had a very weak immune system or extremely fast recovery.
"Right, has he passed gas and started eating?" Zheng Ren asked.
He had been so caught up with emergency surgeries that he had left Chang Yue with all postoperative follow-ups.
"The patient passed gas four hours after the surgery completion. We gave him 1000ml of Dextrose 10. At noon, I ordered him a bowl of porridge with pickled vegetables."
Zheng Ren smiled at that. Truly, the kind-hearted ones were tender.
"What did you want to ask me?"
Chang Yue was embarrassed as she said, "He seems like a good guy. I don't know many people, so I wondered if Chief Zheng could help get him a job?"
Chang Yue was a saint.
In the medical field, one was used to witnessing life and death. A soft heart would not survive.
This was the responsibility of the Welfare Department, not the hospital. The hospital already subsidized fees for the poor. It was also common to feed patients who could not afford to buy themselves a meal.
However, Zheng Ren did not find Chang Yue's request unreasonable.
The guy was undoubtedly strong and hardy.
Faced with such an injustice, even Zheng Ren could understand the man's anger.
However, the man had not lashed out at the owner, but was rather punished for the whole ordeal.
The financial loss had resulted in a delay in his diagnosis, causing the illness to worsen and developing into gangrenous appendicitis.
He was a good man.
Zheng Ren tapped his fingers on the table and thought about who he should approach for such a favor.
A person popped into his mind and he pulled out his phone.
"Brother Six, it's me, Zheng Ren.
"Yes, yes. There's this guy that I think would be of use to you. He's quite strong. You think you can get him a job?
"Nothing much. Solid pay, food, and shelter. Just temporary.
"Thank you. If he gives you any trouble, you can just fire him. Pay no mind to me."
The conversation ended and Zheng Ren put down his phone. He said with a smile, "Done."
Chang Yue was surprised.
The problem that had seemed insurmountable to Chang Yue was solved with a phone call by Zheng Ren.
She had little respect for l
eadership… However, now, she might make an exception for Chief Zheng.
He seemed all right.
"What's the job?"
"Should be security, I'm not too clear. We'll still need the patient's agreement," Zheng Ren replied.
Chang Yue's mood immediately brightened and a smile appeared. The sun rays reflected off her black-rimmed glasses.
"I'll connect with the patient. Thank you, Chief Zheng," Chang Yue stood up and thanked him sincerely.
"It's alright. Go on and pass the news to the patient." Zheng Ren suddenly remembered that he had a long list of things to do, from writing up the report for the pelvic fracture case, surgery journaling, and so on. A headache was developing.
Paperwork was the bane of his existence.
He was truly grateful to have Chang Yue. If he had to do all of the paperwork for the patients he saw, he would probably not have been able to have helped as many people as he had.
Watching Chang Yue walk away with a spring to her step, Zheng Ren smiled and switched on his computer.
His phone rang with a notification from the WeChat group. It was Xie Yiren asking about lunch.
There were limited choices in the hospital cafeteria and Xie Yiren avoided them at all costs.
She was adamant that the food served in the cafeteria was slop.
Zheng Ren disagreed with her. Although the cafeteria was not outstanding, the portions could fill a grown man and it cost one yuan per meal for hospital employees.
He scrolled through the chat history. Xie Yiren and the Chu sisters' messages filled his screen even though he was sure they were in the same room.
What had technology done to humans? Zheng Ren sighed and shook his head.
Chapter 99 - A Grandmaster of Communication
Zheng Ren ignored the women bombarding the WeChat group with questions about dinner and focused on the open book before him.
Another 100 skill points and he would be a Master. It would be a much better reward than dinner.
Soon, the WeChat group fell silent.
A few minutes later, Chu Yanran, Chu Yanzhi and Xie Yiren walked into the room in their day clothes, searching for Zheng Ren and Chang Yue.
"Chief Zheng, we have decided it's your treat tonight. We'll get some takeaway for you when we return," Chu Yanzhi informed Zheng Ren.
The Surgeon's Studio c1-799 Page 54
