Chapter 34: Surgery!
The doors to the operating room were tightly shut, a throbbing red light flashing above them. From the corridor outside, wails echoed—it was Zhao Qirou's mother, Wang Xiulian, and her father, Zhao Kangming. Zhang Cuimei hurried over to them. "Xiulian, how is Qirou? How could the poor girl just jump off a building like that?"
When she saw Zhao Dong's family arrive, Wang Xiulian completely broke down. "My daughter!" she wailed. "Qirou… if you die, how am I supposed to live?"
Zhao Dong's hands were shaking. He took several deep drags from his cigarette before dropping the butt and stamping it out. He walked over, his voice hoarse as he asked, "Uncle, Aunt, how long has Qirou been in there?"
Tears streamed silently down Zhao Kangming's face. "It's been close to four hours…"
A sharp pain seized Zhao Dong's heart. "Which floor did she jump from? Are there any security cameras nearby? How bad were her injuries when they found her?"
Zhao Kangming shook his head weakly. Beside him, Wang Xiulian choked out, "I heard your cousin jumped from the fourth floor. We only rushed here after the police called. We don't know..."
Her words were cut short as the operating room door slowly opened and a doctor in a white coat emerged. Wang Xiulian immediately rushed toward him. "Doctor, Doctor, how is my daughter?" she cried out.
Zhao Dong also stared anxiously at the doctor, who remained silent for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "Fortunately, she didn't hit the back of her head, so there's still a chance of survival. Unfortunately, her injuries are severe. A piece of bone has pierced her lung, causing hemorrhage and infection. The bone is extremely difficult to remove, and the success rate for the procedure is less than ten percent. I'm here to have you sign the consent form if you wish to proceed with this final surgery."
"Less… less than ten percent?" Wang Xiulian slumped to the floor, her eyes vacant as tears streamed down her face. "My daughter… Qirou, why is your fate so cruel!"
Wiping away tears, Zhao Kangming choked out, "Doctor, we… we'll sign! Even if there's only a ten percent chance, we have to save our daughter!"
The doctor sighed, looking as though he wanted to say something more but held his tongue.
After Zhao Kangming signed the form with a trembling hand, the doctor turned to reenter the operating room, but Zhao Dong took a deep breath and called out, "Doctor, wait a second!"
The doctor stopped, looking back at him with a puzzled expression. With newfound resolve, Zhao Dong said, "Doctor, can I go in, too?"
"You? Are you joking? What would you do in there?"
"I'm not joking! I know how to treat illnesses, and I can perform surgery!"
Zhao Dong was ready to risk it all. He couldn't just stand by and watch Qirou die.
The Mystic Sky Technique contains all kinds of surgical methods. I have the theoretical knowledge and I know the procedures. I just haven't done it with my own hands before… But now, I have to try!
The doctor reprimanded him sharply. "Young man, what nonsense are you spouting? An operating room isn't a place just anyone can enter! Besides, you're not a doctor at this hospital, and you don't have a medical license. Who's going to be responsible if something goes wrong?"
Zhang Cuimei, startled, quickly grabbed Zhao Dong's arm. "Zhao Dong, you can't be so reckless. We know you're worried about Qirou, but this surgery is for the doctors to handle. Don't be so impulsive!"
"Mom, I'm serious! I performed surgery during my years in the army! I was a military doctor!"
Desperate to get inside, Zhao Dong had no choice but to lie. As expected, the doctor was taken aback. "You're a military doctor?"
"That's right! I belong to a classified unit. You can check if you don't believe me!"
"That doesn't matter," the doctor replied, hesitating for a moment. "No one can take responsibility if a medical accident happens! All of you, wait outside."
With that, the doctor walked straight into the operating room. The door swung shut behind him, plunging the corridor back into silence.
Zhao Dong stood before the operating room door, his fists clenched tightly. What should I do? What should I do! There's only one option left: force my way in. If I succeed, everything will be fine. But if I burst in and still fail to save her, I'll end up in jail!
Zhao Dong was torn. After all, he'd never performed a surgery like this. I'm not sure if I can pull it off. The entire procedure from the Mystic Sky Technique, every single step and crucial point, is seared into my mind. I want to try… but I'm afraid…
Inside the operating room, the incessant beeping of machines filled the air as several doctors and nurses surrounded the unconscious Zhao Qirou.
"Is the form signed?"
"Yes, the family has signed it. We can proceed with the final step."
The atmosphere in the room was heavy and grim. Everyone knew this was a touch-and-go situation with an incredibly low chance of success. They could already imagine the consequences of removing the bone fragment from the lung, but they had no other choice. A bead of cold sweat dripped down the chief surgeon's forehead as he slowly picked up the surgical forceps.
Just as he was about to make the first move, the door to the operating room suddenly burst open!
Everyone froze, startled by the intrusion! The chief surgeon, jolted, spun around and bellowed in a mix of shock and fury, "Who are you? Are you insane? Barging into an operating room! Get ready to go to jail!"
The intruder was Zhao Dong! He was panting heavily. After shutting the door, he clenched his fists and said in a hoarse voice, "Doctor, I'll just watch from the side! I won't disturb you! I can perform surgery, too! I'm begging you, please give me a chance!"
The medical staff was stunned by his recklessness. It was clear Zhao Dong had no intention of leaving, and calling security would only delay the surgery!
"Fine!" the chief surgeon said, utterly exasperated. "But you must not disturb us! Go change into a set of sterile scrubs! Do not speak, and do not move around!"
Zhao Dong immediately changed into the sterile scrubs and walked to the side of the operating table. Looking at Qirou on the table, his eyes began to sting with unshed tears. Her injuries were even worse than he had imagined. His body trembled slightly, but he dared not make a sound.
"Beginning the procedure!"
The lead surgeon took a deep breath, picked up the forceps, and began to extract the bone fragment embedded in Zhao Qirou's lung. This fragment was located at the juncture of the heart and lung. A deviation of even a few millimeters would mean puncturing the heart, and all hope would be lost.
Everyone held their breath. Zhao Dong closed his eyes, unable to bear watching. One second, two seconds, three seconds…
"This is bad! Massive pulmonary hemorrhage! The smaller bone fragments on the shard are caught in the lung tissue! We can't get it out!"
The monitor began to blare with urgent, rapid beeps!
Zhao Dong's eyes snapped open, his pupils constricting at the scene before him! Zhao Qirou's heart rate was dangerously unstable, and her lungs were hemorrhaging. At this rate, her heart would stop completely within two minutes!
Unable to hold back any longer, Zhao Dong lunged forward. "Let me do it!" he shouted.
He pushed aside the chief surgeon and snatched a scalpel, ready to operate! He funneled all his Spiritual Energy into his hands, and the hand holding the scalpel instantly became steadier and more precise than any sophisticated instrument. He focused on his Dantian, and as his Spiritual Energy circulated through his body, it granted him absolute calm and focus.
The Mystic Sky Technique activated on its own, presenting the exact procedure for handling such an injury in his mind.
Without another word, he began. He gripped the bone fragment and gave it an infinitesimal twist. The smaller debris immediately separated from the flesh and blood. Taking a deep breath, Zhao Dong swiftly extracted the entire fragment.
Blood gushed from the wound, but Zhao Dong didn't stop. He picked up a pair of tweezers and quickly began removing the tiny remaining pieces of bone. The surgical site was a mere few millimeters from the heart. Not even advanced instruments could guarantee such precision!
Yet, Zhao Dong had done it!
The chief surgeon, who had been stuck at this exact step and hadn't dared to move despite his decades of experience, was dumbfounded.
But Zhao Dong had done it! He had succeeded!
After picking out the last of the most critical bone fragments, Zhao Dong placed his hand on Zhao Qirou's abdomen and infused her body with Spiritual Energy! A miracle occurred before their eyes. The massive hemorrhage simply stopped!
The surrounding doctors were amazed. This was nothing short of a medical miracle! With the bleeding stopped, Zhao Dong began to suture the wound, simultaneously using his Spiritual Energy to disinfect it.
Time ticked by. No one knew how long had passed.
Zhao Dong finally slumped into a chair behind him. "It's done," he said weakly.
All the doctors, including the chief surgeon, stared at Zhao Dong, completely and utterly dumbfounded. The chief surgeon stammered, his voice trembling, "A miracle… This is a miracle!"
Zhao Dong offered a weak smile, took off his sterile scrubs, and walked out of the operating room.
Zhao Qirou was then wheeled out. Wang Xiulian, Zhang Cuimei, and the others waiting outside were left astounded. Wang Xiulian looked at Zhao Dong, her voice trembling. "Zhao Dong… he… he can really perform surgery?"
"Not only can he," one of the doctors replied, his face filled with awe, "he's a miracle worker!"
Zhao Dong didn't say anything as Zhao Qirou was pushed into a hospital room. The family all followed. In the room, Zhao Qirou lay on the bed, her beautiful face now pale and drawn.
Zhao Dong's mind was filled with a pressing question. What on earth happened to make Qirou decide to jump from a building?
He would have to wait for her to wake up to find out. As Zhao Dong waited anxiously, Qirou's eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.