Chapter 79: Getting Used to That Feeling

Ji Xiang confirmed that the System NPC had opened a back door for him once again; how much of a reward he could actually get would depend on that hellish competition.

But even just a basic reward was already quite excellent, and Ji Xiang had high expectations for it.

It was daytime now, and Ji Xiang had to save his stamina for surgeries, writing Medical Records, and the like, so he didn't do any surgical training and bid the System NPC farewell before leaving.

……

……

"Tianjiao, you need to take this competition seriously."

At the same time, Zhao Tianjiao, who was doing his Standardized Residency Training rotation in the Orthopedics Department, received a call from his father.

"Dad, it's too much of a waste of time."

"It's for padding your resume; you can't just make things up, can you?" Zhao Yuanzhang explained to his son very patiently. "Although the level of the competition is very low, who will remember that years from now? But the fact that your resume shows you won a first-place prize in a municipal competition is solid. Even if others have opinions, it won't matter."

"I understand, Dad," Zhao Tianjiao replied.

"Back then, when I was assigned to a lower-level hospital, I didn't give up; I seized every opportunity." Zhao Yuanzhang began to recount the hardships of his early years. "The big competition—nobody wanted to go, but I went. I took first place, and to this day, my knots-per-minute record still stands at the Provincial Hospital!"

"Dad, that's amazing!" Zhao Tianjiao laughed.

"Your knot-tying level is average, but it shouldn't be a problem to surpass the others."

"I'll keep practicing, Dad. Professor Deng is already letting me perform emergency surgeries for Clavicle Fracture!"

Zhao Yuanzhang didn't praise Zhao Tianjiao for this; he gave a few indifferent instructions and hung up the phone.

He knew his mood was a bit off. After hanging up, he thought for a long time before realizing what the knot stuck in his heart really was—that sunny young man from the residency entrance exam!

……

……

Ji Xiang focused on completing Medical Records in the ward, inquired about the competition events, and went to the operating room with Resident Chief Wu in the afternoon.

Resident Chief Wu's Muscle Memory was very strong, and Ji Xiang wasn't in a rush; this must be the legendary "a leopard cannot change its spots."

It was just that using 【Superior Doctor's Gaze】 for every surgery consumed one Surgical Point, which made Ji Xiang's heart ache a little.

Over the course of three days, Resident Chief Wu admitted all patients with surgical indications and performed emergency surgeries after completing the relevant examinations.

Finally, after one surgery, Ji Xiang heard the pleasant sound of a task being completed.

【System Task: Emergency Rescue completed.

Task Content: Complete 20 cases of Stone Removal Surgery.

Task Time: 7 days.

Task Reward: 30,000 Experience Points, Free Attribute Point +1.】

Ji Xiang didn't even think about it; he added the Free Attribute Point to his Luck.

Basic Endurance could increase the time he spent training in the System Space, Comprehension could improve his ability to grasp surgical techniques, and Agility could increase surgical speed, but none of these were as good as the Luck stat that silently acted as a background board.

Although his basic Luck hadn't shown its effect up until now, Ji Xiang was convinced that Luck was the most important basic attribute.

17 points of basic Luck—Ji Xiang was satisfied with this.

Good things come in pairs.

When the next surgery was finished, the sound of another task being completed rang out.

【Triggered Task: Mission: Preaching completed.

Task Content: Raise Resident Chief Wu Qingshi's Stone Crushing and Extraction Surgery level to LV4.

Task Time: Unlimited.

Task Reward: One: For the next 3 years, you can obtain a certain amount of Experience Point conversion for surgeries of this type performed by this doctor.

Two: Obtain 30 Surgical Points.】

His Surgical Points had increased by 30, and Ji Xiang was quite satisfied with this.

Over these three days, Ji Xiang had consumed 25 Surgical Points for 25 Stone Crushing surgeries; now, after being replenished, he had 5 points remaining.

As for Resident Chief Wu…

Ji Xiang briefly tallied his gains and carefully observed Resident Chief Wu.

He stood still in front of the mirror, the expression between his eyebrows, visible between his mask and sterile cap, seemed somewhat heavy. And this heaviness was changing every instant, shifting constantly—at times joyful, at times thoughtful.

"Resident Chief Wu?" Ji Xiang bumped him with his shoulder.

"Huh?" Resident Chief Wu was startled awake. He looked at Ji Xiang in confusion. "Doctor Xiao Ji, I think I've grasped the technical essentials of getting the Zebra Guidewire into the Ureter opening."

"That's great," Ji Xiang smiled.

Resident Chief Wu raised an eyebrow, looking radiant.

His stone crushing technique had been raised to LV4, and Ji Xiang wondered if he had gained any skills.

But Ji Xiang estimated that there was a high probability he hadn't.

"Doctor Xiao Ji, I'll do the next surgery myself; you help me watch," Resident Chief Wu's voice was extremely low, but the sense of joy and delight was overflowing.

"Okay."

Ji Xiang knew this wasn't "killing the donkey after the grinding is done," but rather an eagerness to try after a surge in technical level.

He was like that, and Resident Chief Wu was the same.

The next patient was brought in. Ji Xiang positioned the patient, went to scrub in and disinfect, and cooperated with Resident Chief Wu throughout the process.

Resident Chief Wu's surgery was performed quite steadily, especially when the Zebra Guidewire was moving through the bladder to find the Ureter opening; compared to his previous operations, it was a world of difference.

"Huh? Xiao Wu's surgery has improved very quickly these past few days."

After the Zebra Guidewire entered the Ureter opening, Resident Chief Wu was about to perform the next step when Liu Zhuren spoke from behind.

Because he was too focused, Liu Zhuren's words gave Resident Chief Wu a start.

"Zhuren, isn't your surgery over there finished yet?" Resident Chief Wu asked, patting his chest.

"Eight cases; I have to do them until past five in the afternoon. I came over to take a look—you sent the Guide Wire in on the first try?" Liu Zhuren asked.

"Mm!" Wu Zong looked somewhat proud and nodded vigorously.

Liu Zhuren nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Wu Zong had completed this surgery independently, and the feelings of happiness and joy in his heart were almost boiling over, so he focused on the surgery afterward.

When the surgery was finished, Ji Xiang saw a value of 2000 points floating above Wu Zong's head.

And his own Laser Lithotripsy had also increased by two thousand points.

My goodness... this Experience Points gain is quite high.

It only took completing a surgery in the System Space for Ji Xiang to get 300 Experience Points; the Experience Points fed back from teaching Wu Zong to perform surgery were actually several times that.

The 25 Surgical Points were not spent in vain, Ji Xiang thought happily.

"Ding-dong~"

The sound of a System Task rang out.

【Long-term Mission: Mission: Preaching.

Mission Content: Improve the technical level of other doctors.

Mission Duration: Unlimited.

Mission Reward: One: Within the period before the end of the Standardized Residency Training, you can obtain a certain conversion of Experience Points for the same type of surgery performed by this doctor.

Two: For every doctor whose technical level improves, you can obtain 30 Surgical Points.】

There is actually a long-term mission!

Ji Xiang's eyes were a bit red.

He imagined a scenario in his mind—he wouldn't have to do anything every day, just sit in the office daydreaming, and he would receive a certain amount of Experience Points for every surgery completed in the operating room.

A life of idling away... although Ji Xiang didn't think it was all that great, getting something for nothing always makes people happy.

The only regret was that this long-term mission had an expiration date; otherwise, hmph hmph!

After sending the Patient down, Wu Zong, full of joy, pulled Ji Xiang to his Duty Room.

The Resident Chief lives in the hospital every day and can only go home to visit for 2 days a month, so they have their own Duty Room.

Closing the door, Wu Zong thanked him sincerely, "Ji Yisheng, thank you so much! My technical level has improved very quickly during this period. Especially today, I feel my surgery has made great progress."

These words were spoken quite directly, without concealment, and even carried a hint of humility.

Wu Zong was also long accustomed to the effect of 【Gaze of the Superior Doctor】, so he didn't feel anything about saying a few soft words to this little Standardized Training Student, Ji Xiang.

"Wu Zong, look at what you're saying." Ji Xiang kept a low profile, even using honorifics, "I only did some Auxiliary work, it was still..."

"Hahaha, I'm not being polite, I'm telling the truth." Wu Zong said, "Ji Yisheng, your talent really makes me envious."

Ji Xiang smiled.

"Let me tell you something serious." Wu Zong had long been accustomed to the lash of 【Gaze of the Superior Doctor】 and was very obedient and docile. He didn't treat Ji Xiang as a Standardized Training Student at all, and his attitude even vaguely carried the tone of someone speaking to a mentor.

At this moment, he looked at Ji Xiang with a serious expression, as if reporting a patient's condition to a superior doctor.

"What is it, Wu Zong? Please, have a seat."

"The Medical System Competition this weekend, I know you're going, so I asked around." Wu Zong said, "Regarding this kind of thing, I think you should take it to heart. The Director thinks very highly of you!"

Ji Xiang was silent.

"After your Standardized Residency Training ends, if the Director wants you to stay at our Second Affiliated Hospital, you have to have something to show for it."

"Oh."

Seeing Ji Xiang give a lukewarm "oh," Wu Zong became a bit anxious.

"I have a Doctor of Philosophy degree and barely managed to stay; even those with master's degrees can't! Ji Yisheng, you have to take this to heart."

"Thank you, Wu Zong, I know." Ji Xiang said earnestly.

This was a backdoor opened for him by a System NPC, so he had to achieve a good ranking no matter what.

Ji Xiang didn't have any particular feelings about staying at the Second Affiliated Hospital, but he was very keen on the rewards.

"A few years ago, I also wanted to participate in the competition." Wu Zong said, "But the only item in the Provincial Hospital medical system competition that has any comparative value is Tying Knots."

"..." Ji Xiang was speechless when he heard Wu Zong mention Tying Knots.

But then again, the most basic competition certainly wouldn't involve real blades and guns, and it was completely different from surgical competitions at various levels.

"The record for Surgical Knot was set by Zhao Yuanzhang more than 20 years ago, and so many years have passed and no one has broken his record yet."

"How many in one minute?"

"Surgical Knot, 138 per minute." Wu Zong shook his head, "I practiced for several months, and it's pretty good to reach 100 per minute; some of the knots weren't even tight because the speed was too fast."

"These are all fleeting clouds, unreachable." Wu Zong said earnestly, treating Ji Xiang like a friend, "Don't think about 138 knots per minute. I asked around, and the highest speed in recent years is only 108 per minute. If you can reach 110, you can leave a deep impression on everyone."

"Thank you, Wu Zong."

"What's there to be polite about." Wu Zong waved his hand and opened a drawer.

Inside the drawer were more than thirty opened packs of Surgical Thread.

"I've been saving these for you these past few days." Wu Zong said, "Tie all these threads! Get a good result during the competition."

After finishing, he looked around, afraid that walls have ears even in his own Duty Room.

"Based on my understanding of Liu Zhuren, he really thinks highly of you. Seize the opportunity and stay here in the future!"

(End of this chapter)