The Surgeon’s Studio

Zheng Ren had no time to check on the patient. When the patient was transported in, he made a cursory glance to gauge the severity of the disease.

 The enemy’s attack was fierce. Zheng Ren smiled. It did not bother him.

 To a man who had performed a few thousand appendectomies in the System without food, water or rest, this was nothing.

 3This patient was diagnosed with periappendicular abscess. It was more complex than the previous patient but it would not cause many complications.

 Open up the skin. Separate the tissues, fat layer, muscles and peritoneum. Find the appendix. Cut the appendicular artery and ligaments. Excise the appendix. Drain the abscess. Flush the surgical site. Suture.

 Eight minutes and twelve seconds. The surgery was complete.

 There was no commotion. In the wee hours of the morning, the half-asleep doctors watched the surgery silently from the comfort of their beds.

 Periappendicular abscess was a more severe and complicated symptom of appendicitis. Nevertheless, each step taken by the surgeon was clear and purposeful. The surgery was effortless and his skill suggested that he had tens of years of experience.

 However, the viewers were tired and there were minimal interactions. No one commented ‘666¹‘.

 Everyone just watched wordlessly.

 The interesting but smooth operation was akin to a lullaby, lulling the doctors into a state of sleep.

 One surgery…

 Two surgeries…

 Three surgeries…

 Five surgeries…

 It was a strange night but not unusual. On certain nights, they would have a particular disease breaking out without warning in the population. The medical personnel would nickname such nights, for example, The Night of Appendices or The Night of Gall Bladders.

 Zheng Ren was not so lucky to get The Night of Appendices.

 Usually, ten incoming patients with appendicitis would have qualified it as The Night of Appendices, but ten cases was just the start of Zheng Ren’s night. His luck was really bad as it stood.

 The first general surgery department of Sea City General Hospital was buzzing with activity. Doctors and nurses were rushing about, attending to families, preparing patients for surgery, briefing them about postoperative care.

 Surgical skills were one thing but a patient’s hospitalization from admission to discharge required many other details.

 Ding dong. A clear sound echoed in Zheng Ren’s ears once he completed a surgery.

 [Class S mission, life or death challenge completed.]

 The cold, robotic female voice of the System announced that the knife at Zheng Ren’s throat had been lifted.

 [System rewards have been accredited earlier. The host should keep up the good work.]

 Zheng Ren was not disappointed to hear that there were no additional rewards. After all, he had received the best one in the form of the System’s training. Wanting anything more would just be his greed talking.

 There was still another mission to be accomplished, the one from the enemy of fate. Its reward was unknown but Zheng Ren believed in the System’s generosity when it came to rewards.

 The System did not adhere to step-by-step upskilling restrictions and seemed to be rushing him.

 He was eager to see this mission through.

 He resumed his work. He would perform all the appendectomies as they came.

 Ten surgeries…

 Fifteen surgeries…

 Before he realized it, the sun had risen from the horizon.

 Xie Yiren was numb and felt no weariness or excitement. She looked on impassively as Zheng Ren operated, occasionally handing him the requested instruments.

 The first general surgery department had fallen into utter chaos.

 He completed the fifteenth appendectomy. His nineteenth, if one included the four appendectomies he did yesterday.

 Nineteen patients in nineteen hospital beds.

 The general hospital’s ward occupancy was always at full capacity throughout the year. The sudden spike in patient numbers placed enormous pressure on its medical personnel.

 The matron from the first general surgery department and other matrons in the hospital were putting in extra time to coordinate the frontline. Five general nurses were also sent to the department to assist.

 The pressing matters were addressed but resources were still insufficient.

 There were not enough staff and the first wing ward was on the brink of collapse.

 The first general surgery department had 55 standard hospital beds and all were occupied at this very moment. Additional beds were lined along the corridor all the way to the entrance.

 One patient came with at least two accompanying nurses, some with more. There were more than ten people crowding the corridor—the scene was not unlike a morning market.

 Patients who had undergone surgery rested on the additional beds with intravenous drips. The situation led to some dissatisfied families.

 As this was happening, new patients were turning up at the general hospital’s first general surgery department. The medical staff were desperate and losing hope.

 The hospital chief on duty¹ was woken from his slumber. He got down to managing the lack of hospital beds and manpower to cope with the influx of patients.

 Zheng Ren’s crazy night of appendectomies was like the domino that triggered the chain of events in the general hospital.

 Under the instructions of the hospital chief on duty, the second general surgery department began accepting spillover patients. More matrons, doctors, and nurses were called back for extra duty.

 The general surgery department of the hospital ran like intricate machinery with Zheng Ren as the motor that powered it.

 One appendectomy patient after another was sent to the lower level. Any idle patient monitor was dragged to the general surgery departments. The electronic beeps of ten or more heart monitors formed a hectic tune.

 In the end, the hospital chief on duty rang up the chief of the department of hospital administration and called some shots. Low-risk patients could forgo vital sign monitoring.

 At 5:34 am, the second general surgery department corridor was also filed with hospital beds.

 New patients were still coming into Sea City General Hospital.

 One after another.

 One after another.

 Zheng Ren had lost count of the number of surgeries. A thought was stuck in his head: ‘Must get an assistant.’

 The assistant would only help move the patients onto the operating table.

 It was extremely exhausting. Zheng Ren’s back felt like breaking.

 In the surgical demonstration classroom, Old Chief Physician Pan slept with his palm supporting his head.

 Chief Surgeon Liu wore a stony expression as he watched the screen.

 Was Zheng Ren a robot? Over twenty appendectomies and Chief Surgeon Liu had spotted no error. Every surgery was top-notch and Zheng Ren showed no signs of weariness.

 Disappointment caught up with Chief Surgeon Liu. He had highly suspected that if ten more appendectomies came in, Zheng Ren would complete them perfectly as well.

 Damn it all!

 The doctors who had fallen asleep watching the surgery livestream on Xinglin Garden woke up.

 Their eyes were greeted with an ongoing surgery. It was as if time had stopped and they had woken at the exact moment they fell asleep.

 Had he performed a whole night of appendectomies?

 The livestream video counter had reached 32. The doctors could not believe their eyes.

 Had he completed over twenty appendectomies overnight?

 It was a frightening thought!

 This level of efficiency and proficiency was unparalleled in the medical field. Their views on life had been smashed into pieces, the shattering sounds echoing in their hearts.

 [He did 28 appendectomies in the later half of the night? Question to others: what was your highest record for a Night of Appendices? Mine is nine.]

 [Eleven. I was exhausted at the end and slept for a whole day.]

 [Eight. I was only done by 3pm the next day. Didn’t even take a break.]

 The doctors talked among themselves and the final conclusion was just worship—worship of this highly-skilled, highly-experienced surgeon that had limitless stamina.

 As time passed, some people picked up on a problem. Based on simple calculations, over thirty patients with acute appendicitis in a single hospital meant that this hospital covered a population of over a million.

 In a big city with its population in the millions, there would be at least five to ten Class Three Grade A Hospitals. How was it that so many acute appendicitis cases ended up in one hospital?

 Their suspicions did not extend further but made the livestream less credible. The techniques had been outrageous to the point where they questioned their lives.

 This was fate; the eccentric could not be explained with logic.

 At 7:48 am, the anesthesiologist came into the operating room to take over for the tired night shift doctor. He balked at the stack of anesthesia records.

 How many surgeries did this f*cker do?

 “What the hell were you guys up to last night? Why is there not a single disposable sterile gown left?” The operating room matron’s furious shouts could be heard.