Chapter 187: Three Chances

Ji Xiang reviewed the Angiography images five times, always feeling there was a problem, yet he lacked confidence.

Holding his breath and focusing his mind, Ji Xiang entered the System Space.

"Teacher, I don't want to be Qin Chu's student," Ji Xiang said directly after entering.

"Oh, why?" the System NPC asked calmly, not surprised in the slightest.

Ji Xiang recounted what had just happened, and without reservation, poured out all the negative emotions he had experienced while using Empathy to the System NPC.

In Ji Xiang's heart, the System NPC was a trusted confidant, just like his parents.

As for professional matters, he was the only one who existed.

After finishing, Ji Xiang said firmly, "Teacher, I don't understand why Qin Chu, as a top-tier surgeon, would do this."

"It's mainly because it's too difficult. Extending a surgery from 40-60 minutes to 4-5 hours—who would want that? Willingness is one thing, physical stamina is another," the System NPC smiled. "Moreover, due to the effect of the Tumor factors, the blood supply arteries that proliferate in the body are extremely tortuous and very difficult to find."

"I once encountered a similar problem during a surgery. Five hours. I searched for a full five hours."

The System NPC reached out, and five deformed fingers appeared before Ji Xiang's eyes.

Ji Xiang was struck with awe.

He knew how high the System NPC's technical level was. Even so, did it require five hours?

"In the end, it was Zhou Congwen whose eyes were sharp enough to spot a tiny abnormality."

"An abnormality?"

"Yes, actually, even I didn't see it," the System NPC said candidly. "I searched through every possible branch artery and couldn't find it. Finally, Zhou Congwen discovered that the spot where the Abdominal Aorta had just branched off seemed a bit different."

"He didn't have any evidence either; it was just a feeling from having performed many surgeries. We performed an Angiography there and discovered an extremely thin branch."

Ji Xiang's heart stirred.

"Teacher, is that the origin of the passive skill 'Insight into the Finest Detail'?" Ji Xiang asked.

"It is," the System NPC said. "If you are looking for a feeding vessel, you have an innate advantage—after all, you are young, have sharp eyes, and on top of that, the skill... Sigh, I'm getting old. Whenever I say this, I feel awkward, unlike that bunch of kids like Zhou Congwen."

"Teacher, I want to try it here now."

"Unwilling to fail?" The System NPC looked up at Ji Xiang, eyes like torches.

"..." Ji Xiang was stunned.

He accepted the trap Qin Chu had dug without hesitation; three chances? This young master has 3,000 chances.

In reality, he would definitely succeed in one Super-selection!

This was the source of Ji Xiang's confidence.

Yet, the System NPC posed such a question.

"When you are young and face heavy pressure, you must rely on your own ability to solve it," the System NPC coaxed patiently. "You can try here, but I won't help you. Everything must be solved by yourself."

"Ding-dong~"

At the same time, the sound of a System Task being issued appeared in Ji Xiang's ear.

Ji Xiang's gaze turned to the System Panel.

【Main Quest: Challenge!

Task Content: 3 Super-selections to find the abnormal feeding vessel of the Tumor.

Task Time: 2 hours.

Task Reward: Experience Points +20,000, Surgical Points +100, Random Attribute Value +1.

Special Reward: Superior Doctor's Gaze skill level +1.】

This task—the rewards are generous enough!

And that idiot skill level +1; Ji Xiang sensed something was slightly off.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then spoke frankly, "Teacher, the '3 times' in the task refers to..."

"In reality," the System NPC said. "However, the blood supply to this Patient's Tumor is indeed quite special; you might need countless attempts."

"I look down on doctors who give up trying directly. Although it is very difficult, trying is always necessary."

"Go perform the surgery first," the System NPC said. "Look at the images carefully. If you can succeed in one go, that is best. If not, come back and try again."

Ji Xiang nodded.

He understood the System NPC's meaning. Qin Chu's approach had its own logic; the surgery was difficult, or rather, extremely difficult. But for Qin Chu to not even try and just give up—he couldn't accept it, and the System NPC couldn't either.

He wanted him to understand the difficulty of the surgery by experiencing it himself; this was also the path of a doctor's growth.

The recording he had watched five times before was completely insufficient.

Even with the blessing of the passive skill—Insight into the Finest Detail, Ji Xiang still felt it wasn't enough.

With over 200,000 Experience Points remaining, Ji Xiang didn't even think about it and added them all to Imaging.

"Teacher, please rewind the surgical recording again," Ji Xiang said politely to the technician.

The technician glanced at the expressionless Qin Chu, and seeing that Qin said nothing, looked up at Ling Tian.

"It's already been five times, how long do you intend to watch?" Ling Tian said coldly. "There are other Patients waiting behind; do you think this is your grassroots hospital, where doing one or two surgeries a day is the limit?"

"All over the country, how many Patients are waiting in line for surgery? You are wasting time here, which is wasting the Patients' lives!"

"Can you do it or not? If not, get lost."

"One more time, just one more time." Ji Xiang didn't bicker with Ling Tian, but instead revealed a smile.

Liu Zhuren and the others had told Ji Xiang to be thick-skinned, but no one expected Ji Xiang to use it for this.

Ling Tian also didn't know how a young person like Ji Xiang could be so thick-skinned, completely ignoring his words and provocations, insisting on watching the surgical Angiography again.

"Ling Tian, keep your voice down. Guests from afar should be treated with courtesy," Qin said, sitting in his chair, speaking calmly.

Unknowingly, Ji Xiang had gone from Closed-door disciple to a guest from afar. Ling Tian heard it clearly, and although there was no exchange, he understood his boss's meaning immediately.

"Last time!" Ling Tian said with annoyance, no longer giving Ji Xiang a pleasant look.

"Thanks." Ji Xiang didn't bicker with Ling Tian, but focused his attention on the Angiography again.

Without the cheat of the System Operating Room, which allowed for countless repetitions and countless failures, Ji Xiang became countless times more focused.

Losing face himself was a small matter, a trivial and insignificant matter.

The remaining half of the Patient's Tumor was the real big matter.

During the long time spent in Empathy, Ji Xiang knew all too well what kind of outcome this sort of thing would bring.

"Snap~"

It felt as if a sound came from his mind.

Ji Xiang instantly entered a state of high focus; a line of text appeared on the System Panel, but Ji Xiang did not notice it.

It seemed the system had given a special reward.

At this very moment, his entire attention was focused on the Angiography image; what the system gave was not important, he had to complete the surgery!

Finding a tiny trace of evidence, Ji Xiang's mind instantly outlined several paths of abnormal blood supply that might appear.

Insight is indeed useful; although using it once requires consuming one Surgical Point, Ji Xiang had already found several possibilities.

(End of chapter)