Chapter 678: Level 7 Skill and Major Breakthrough! ~ (Seeking Subscription)

Liu Huanglong is one of the pioneers of functional reconstruction surgery, but there are also some functional impairments that fall outside his capabilities as disease types!

Some department directors at prefecture-level city hospitals certainly have areas where they are not thorough. But if the results are too poor, it's better not to carry them out at all.

Idle chatter did not delay surgical progress.

The shadowless lamp cast a cold white halo overhead, the smell of disinfectant carrying the chill of metal instruments rushing at the face. Fang Ziye adjusted the angle of the surgical magnifying eyepiece, polyester fiber gloves stretching into fine wrinkles at the knuckles.

Through the microscope lens, the patient's damaged tendon fibers lay disordered like saplings shattered by a hurricane, collapsed in a quagmire woven from blood scabs and scar tissue.

"Two more sets of pulse irrigation." Fang Ziye's voice sounded somewhat muffled under the mask; the circulating nurse immediately turned the pressure pump knob clockwise to the bottom.

The transparent curtain formed by normal saline flushed the surgical field, washing away debris while also exposing deeper structural damage — collagen fibers that should have been arranged in parallel now presented a bizarre spiral twist, like aluminum foil crumpled by a mischievous child and then unfolded.

Liu Huanglong assisted Fang Ziye while replying: "Without detailed investigation there is no right to speak; mainly this kind of thing we also can't easily meddle in."

"If others are willing to bear the responsibility, why must you act as this referee?" Liu Huanglong said.

The microsurgical scissors in Fang Ziye's hand suddenly hovered in midair. The instrument nurse immediately pushed the spare 5-0 Prolene suture forward half an inch, but saw him wave his hand, instead asking for the high-frequency electrotome.

The hand surgery circulating nurse had spent very little time with Fang Ziye, so there wasn't enough tacit understanding.

With a "zzzt" of electric current, a wisp of blue smoke rose from the cauterized capillaries, diffusing into a pale blue mist under the shadowless lamp.

"So new surgical technique authorization must be cautious again and again." Fang Ziye's voice wrapped in the electrotome's hum, the blade tip precisely cutting through the fibrotic area. Under his hand, the originally adherent subcutaneous tissue gradually revealed clear anatomical layers like frozen soil touched by spring breeze.

"Letting a student who just learned sketching paint the 'Mona Lisa' —" Fang Ziye's microsurgical needle holder spun a circle between his fingers, "but to do functional reconstruction well, besides solid basic skills, one might truly need a bit of Da Fenqi's imagination."

Liu Huanglong continued: "But Professor Zhong Junyu has also noticed this matter; estimates by year-end there will be detailed research conducted, then suggestions given to the Health Commission!"

"Must authorize cautiously, and also revoke a batch of surgical authorizations."

The reason new techniques require authorization is precisely to deal with this kind of situation.

In principle, any surgeon's any surgery's authorization is granted by the Health Commission; only a portion of surgical authorizations are delegated to hospitals and departments.

"This surgery is a bit tricky, but can only play it by ear."

"Teacher Liu, I haven't yet thought of a minimally invasive surgical method; next time let's not seek novelty for novelty's sake." Fang Ziye said.

Liu Huanglong nodded, but still pursued: "Ziye, that patient of yours last time? How was the result?"

"Barely up to standard, though only eighty-five percent level. But sufficient."

Everyone's condition fluctuates; Fang Ziye also cannot guarantee one hundred percent level at every moment, but basically every surgery is Fang Ziye's ninety percent or above strength and level.

"Solid basic skills are good after all."

"But those operations of yours are no longer considered basic skills." Liu Huanglong laughed enviously.

The operating room atmosphere loosened a few degrees from this banter. In the beeping of the anesthesia monitor, Associate Professor Li Qi leaned in to observe, the lenses reflecting Fang Ziye's flowing-cloud-and-running-water operations. When he saw Fang Ziye use bipolar electrocoagulation to construct a temporary blood supply channel in a gap under two millimeters, he couldn't help exclaiming softly: "This approach design... never seen before."

After Liu Huanglong arrived, he took over Professor Zhou Ziyu's group; Associate Professor Li Qi still follows Liu Huanglong to this day.

After Fang Ziye took the stage, he immediately yielded position, earnestly observing and learning beside Fang Ziye.

"Professor Li, I also just thought of it temporarily; I myself haven't seen it before either." Fang Ziye replied calmly.

Only after operations become fixed effective routines are they surgical techniques; otherwise they are still just basic skill operations. Fang Ziye right now is using his own profound basic skills to deconstruct the disease type; there is no fixed routine to speak of.

Associate Professor Li Qi, who already thought Fang Ziye was very impressive, upon seeing Fang Ziye's operations formally begin, believed even more deeply that a famous reputation is not undeserved; thus his mindset became even more humble, occasionally even asking a question or two...

Fang Ziye answered them all one by one.

Functional repair surgery has no standard technique; it can only be playing it by ear, then re-performing functional reconstruction surgery. The standard definition should be functional reconstruction revision surgery.

Fang Ziye re-did one; intraoperative effect was okay, but whether postoperative will reach as good as the first surgery, Fang Ziye himself has no bottom in his heart.

"Teacher Liu, let's leave it at this; I've already done to the limit."

"Postoperative functional rehabilitation should be worth expecting, but compared to pure functional impairment patients' postoperative rehabilitation, it may still be somewhat worse."

"Any surgery once done will leave spider-silk horse-tracks on the patient." Fang Ziye admitted defeat...

Time also pointed to 7:30 PM.

Today's two surgeries were very time-consuming.

Revision surgery is harder than a primary surgery, takes longer.

"Can only do it this way." Liu Huanglong nodded.

"Go eat dinner together?"

"No, Teacher Liu, I have to go to the lab today, have some things to do." Fang Ziye said.

"You still personally go to the lab now?" Liu Huanglong clicked his tongue in wonder.

"Worthy of being the King of Involution King. Involution Baboon."

"No way, Teacher Liu, limited family background; my several students are still in Enshi; the things on hand that need doing, if I don't go do them myself there's no one who can do them." Fang Ziye replied.

Liu Huanglong heard this and gave a few embarrassed laughs, then stiffly nodded: "Then you go..."

Fang Ziye had ultimately already transcended his vision once again; Fang Ziye's vision, capabilities, had long exceeded his cognitive range; therefore, things Fang Ziye can do but didn't say, asking wouldn't help.

Better to be tactful.

Fang Ziye left the operating room and started ordering takeout.

Thought a moment, still ordered that barbecue rice place he and Luo Tingzhu often ate at before.

When Fang Ziye pushed open the laboratory's main door, the electronic clock displayed 20:47. Corridor ceiling lights stretched his shadow long then short, finally freezing on the access control system's iris recognition device.

But the barbecue rice is pre-made, so it arrived very fast.

Fang Ziye had just put on the lab's white coat when the delivery guy appeared at the doorway; Fang Ziye had to take off the white coat and go back out, and connected a video call with Luo Tingzhu.

Fang Ziye still crouched on the steps where he previously ate with Luo Tingzhu.

But the mindset was different, so the eating emotions were also especially different. Current Fang Ziye no longer had the previous confusion about the future.

"Senior Brother look at this!" Luo Tingzhu in the video call suddenly turned the phone toward the microscope eyepiece. Tumor cells in the culture dish resembled a star sea under fluorescent markers, yet certain areas eerily showed vortex-like arrangement. "Third repeat experiment, control group also showed the same chemotactic migration."

Fang Ziye's action of tearing open the takeout packaging froze. The aroma of barbecue rice and the distinctive phenol red reagent smell drifting from outside the lab strangely blended; he stared at the fluorescent spots on the phone screen, Adam's apple bobbing: "Send me the metabolomics data..."

Luo Tingzhu's face reappeared on the screen, ponytail slightly loose, faint green shadows under her eyes.

She reached out and poked the lens, as if to pierce through the screen and poke Fang Ziye's forehead: "Fang Da Professor, right now is your legal dinner time. Professor Duan's AI prosthesis already went on strike protest yesterday; can you bear to let a human work to death?"

Fang Ziye laughed and raised his chopsticks in surrender, completely oblivious to the rice grains stuck at the corner of his mouth. The fume hood overhead emitted a low hum...

"Your speaking level has improved a great deal now?"

"Then I won't speak first, I'll just watch you eat." Luo Tingzhu propped her chin with both hands, her gaze warm and moist, her eyelashes fluttering nonstop in the video.

After quickly finishing the video call with Luo Tingzhu, Fang Ziye said, "Tingzhu, you rest a bit more, I have to go to the laboratory too."

"I have informants in your laboratory, you didn't leave the laboratory until 2:23 AM yesterday morning."

"If I catch you leaving the laboratory this late again next time, I guarantee I won't hit you."

Luo Tingzhu stuck out her tongue at those words: "Senior Brother, our whole group worked overtime yesterday, it wasn't just me alone."

"It's already September, starting October, the clinical project combining the microcirculation instrument with chemotherapy will formally begin."

"I also have to contact the designated trial units on my end, there are a lot of things."

"Also, Brother Nie and Teacher Liao, those two, have been working overtime doing experiments like they've gone mad recently."

"The day before yesterday, Sister Liu Guo even went to my place looking for people, asking if they'd gone out carousing..."

Fang Ziye: "..."

His own partners were all striving, so he couldn't be too much of a slacker either; having already rested for nearly half a month, Fang Ziye also had to formally start working.

Fang Ziye worked overtime that very night, and this rhythm continued for nearly half a month...

September 27, 3:00 PM.

Fang Ziye received a call from Liu Huanglong: "Ziye, tonight's 9:00 high-speed rail, don't miss it?"

"We'll meet at 6:00 PM, eat together, then go to the high-speed rail station."

"If this gets messed up, Director Du and Dean Wang will flay us both alive."

If we miss the National Award ceremony and cause the farce of not attending, we really will get beaten! ~

"Professor Liu, I've already come out of the laboratory now, things are wrapped up on my end."

"I'm going back to pack luggage right now!"

"My fellow trainees, my two masters, and my wife have been calling me since this morning."

"Just now, Li Yuanpei even personally ran over to remind me, just afraid I'd forget the time." Fang Ziye replied with a laugh.

No matter how busy he was with experiments, he would not forget the time.

Having put in sufficient labor and achieved certain results, not going to accept an award would be excessively arrogant.

This award ceremony is at the Great Hall of the People in Jingdu.

Although Fang Ziye is just a minor participant, not a top-tier big shot, he might have the opportunity to enter such a circle.

After receiving the award, Fang Ziye's standing will only differ from others.

Hmm, although Fang Ziye didn't get Outstanding Youth or Distinguished Youth, the National Award is more awesome than Outstanding Youth and Distinguished Youth, and has no education or age restrictions.

Generally speaking, those who can get the National Award can absolutely look down on Outstanding Youth and Distinguished Youth; conversely, Distinguished Youth can only show supreme respect to National Award winners.

Fang Ziye counts as having pulled off an overtaking on a curve again.

Didn't get the chance for Outstanding Youth and National Youth.

"Good that you didn't forget."

"Just afraid you'd get busy and forget the time, I also heard you've been running to the laboratory whenever free lately, leaving early and returning late."

"Besides surgery and the training room, I haven't gone anywhere." Liu Huanglong also clearly cared a lot about Fang Ziye's whereabouts.

However, Liu Huanglong wasn't curious about what Fang Ziye was doing.

Basic experiments entering the laboratory — can those be spoken of casually?

Fang Ziye's current medical foundation, a casual remark from him might be an important project, belonging to the project group's secrets.

He does research himself, he wouldn't be that impolite.

"Teacher Liu, we'll meet this afternoon! ~" Fang Ziye actively ended the call.

After hanging up, Fang Ziye went straight from the laboratory to the roadside, then took a taxi back to Luo Tingzhu's house.

Opened the computer, started chatting with Academician Zhang Limin.

However, after Fang Ziye sent the message, Zhang Limin did not reply at the first time.

Fang Ziye could only wait quietly for a while.

Because recently Fang Ziye had been chatting with the other party continuously, Fang Ziye knew the other party must have set a special alert for his messages; not replying meant it was inconvenient.

Sure enough, five minutes later, Fang Ziye's phone rang: "Professor Fang, I was just in a meeting, saw your message, made an excuse to come out to the toilet for a bit."

"Time won't be very long! ~"

Fang Ziye immediately said: "Teacher Zhang, some especially detailed circumstances, let's talk in detail when we meet tonight! ~"

"I've looked up a lot of materials recently, also conducted some trial-and-error related experiments, I discovered that the new tumor inducer I mentioned to you before has some clues."

"I referenced literature and materials from chemistry, physics and other related majors, finally narrowed down the suspicious substances we previously discussed and listed to eleven kinds."

"I suspect there may not be just one carcinogenic substance in the end, there may be two or even three."

Professor Zhang Limin researches the pathogenesis of common malignant tumors, dedicated to identifying tumor driver genes through multi-omics data, precisely classifying tumors, identifying novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets, deeply mining omics data, systematically elaborating the functions and mechanisms of key genes and pathways.

Finding etiology, finding internal and external carcinogenic factors, are all his research directions, not merely tumor molecular sequencing.

The matter Professor Zhou Yan entrusted to Fang Ziye, Fang Ziye in the preoperative phase only confirmed that the microenvironment would induce tumor mutation, but could not precisely position which substance.

Equivalent to only confirming a phenomenon.

In such a situation, it looks like fishing for a needle in the ocean.

But there are also certain patterns to follow: re-sort all substances detected in the microenvironment, identify and distinguish their chemical and physical properties, see if they have certain chemical structure and physical structure homology with other similar carcinogenic substances.

Thereby identify some suspicious, unproven, but indeed potentially cancer-cluster-causing substances.

Fang Ziye has actually been doing this thing all along; his hand was injured earlier, right?

Besides participating in project group discussions, all other time was spent doing this.

Professor Zhou Yan also knows the benefits of "treating the undiseased"; Fang Ziye isn't a fool either — he knows that if a new carcinogen can truly be confirmed, that would definitely be boundless merit.

"Professor Fang, you've taken trouble."

"We used the subsampling method, but it's still not as precise as your inference method, Professor Fang." Zhang Limin's tone was also quite excited upon hearing this.

The so-called halving subsampling method is to partially eliminate many substances, use the remaining substances as a microenvironment, supply normal cells, and determine whether it will cause animal mutation.

After sequencing the animals, observe whether their normal tissue cells show atypia or whether genes have increased inducers of pathogenic genes, thereby reversely inferring and positioning...

They are all good and commonly used methods.

"Professor Zhang, it could also be luck. Actually during the actual operation process, I also used the subsampling method."

"It's just that my luck is comparatively better." Fang Ziye said with a smile.

"Professor Fang, as everyone knows, luck is also part of strength."

"This time you've taken trouble, Professor Fang; your discovery may shorten our work timeline by at least three years." Professor Zhang Limin said.

Redefining a new carcinogen isn't something achievable in a short time; generally it takes five years, fifteen years, even fifty years before a new one can be added.

Even with extremely high talent and excellent technique, a sudden flash of inspiration can only reduce workload by half a year or a year at most.

"Professor Zhang, then shall we meet and talk?"

"I'm mainly afraid I won't be able to schedule you, Professor Zhang, so I sent you a message in advance." Fang Ziye said.

Many people want to meet Zhang Limin — whether for meals or cooperation; if going by seniority, disregarding Professor Zhang Limin's personal favoritism, Fang Ziye would have to queue for at least several months.

After all, Fang Ziye is merely an associate professor, at most a special associate professor.

Fang Ziye's current research achievements are premium, but some especially renowned old professors' decades of accumulation are also not particularly weaker than Fang Ziye.

"Meet and talk."

"This evening I'll treat Professor Fang to a meal." Professor Zhang Limin was also very polite.

People who understand research cooperating together — that's kindred spirits.

Wine with a kindred spirit — a thousand cups are too few!

Zhang Limin felt that Fang Ziye was a very interesting person; they got to know each other through conflict...

And it was his own student's family member who provoked Fang Ziye first; Fang Ziye had a perfectly justified reason to strike back.

After hanging up, Fang Ziye looked at his own skill panel.

【Medical Basic Cell Experiment Technique Level 7 0/0 (Cannot upgrade, unique trait, redefinition)】

It looks simple; the four words "cannot upgrade" are also easy to understand.

But the unique trait "redefinition" that follows is a concept-level skill.

If Level 6 skill's passive is being able to very quickly discover a research technique's loophole, then through certain methods make it more perfect?

Then Level 7 skill's passive is: forever maintain the most advanced thinking mode, the most agile thinking circle, able to very keenly learn and capture any stir, self-derive an experiment until it becomes a new redefinition, the perfection of the present world.

Before reaching this level, one can never understand this skill.

Fang Ziye also spent a full week before barely managing to figure out its trait and the benefits it brought him.

For example, if I design a new thing, it belongs to the most advanced of the current era.

But ten years later, you think you've surpassed my thing, but actually the thing I developed can still be perfected at any time to the most perfect stage of what you think is redefinition.

As long as you can produce something, I can produce it too; find a way and I can produce it.

But what I can produce, unless you have a similar skill, you may never be able to produce.

A skill of this level is not merely a skill; it also encompasses thinking, learning and other capabilities as an integrated passive.

It is therefore that for the past half month, whether Fang Ziye was reading literature or doing experiments, he had divine assistance; some experiments, he did half, then roughly knew the trend and result, and could go do another part.

The current Fang Ziye isn't doing it to prove, but to select pathways, choose possible directions — naturally doesn't need original data, doesn't need to finish all trials.

He only needs to obtain a portion of possible circled substances, screen out suspicious directions, then assign them to people to do.

So Fang Ziye can quickly truncate experiments.

Mm, with this trend, don't do it, keep as backup.

Time- and energy-consuming matters, let others...

Fang Ziye now estimates his own experiment efficiency: one day can output something like ten workloads or even more "experiment directions".

What concept is this — others need one week to two weeks for one workload.

If Fang Ziye doesn't pursue results, maybe just one or two hours can determine the direction of experiment results!

Of course, it's actually not that exaggerated; taking the average yields this efficiency.

After all, some cell experiments need cultivation and growth cycles.

It's just that Fang Ziye can simultaneously, in a single day, control and operate forty to fifty directions of experiments without difficulty.

Why Fang Ziye is busy — it's actually all busy with these.

Fang Ziye immediately started packing; after confirming his ID card, wallet, etc. were all on him, he also simply handled messages on his phone, cleared his email inbox.

And politely replied: "Thank you for your magazine and editorial department's recognition and invitation, but due to personal reasons my current schedule is quite busy; afraid of delaying your magazine's normal operations and affecting other scholars' publication efficiency, I can only decline with tears!"

Fang Ziye finished copying, checked once, felt even he would think it was sincere, then chose to send.

Finally simply finished going through a day's messages and email schedule; time reached 4:30 PM.

Fang Ziye went out, hailed a taxi, while replying to messages in the group chat, started reviewing basic info and examination data of patients to be admitted by the sanatorium's trauma surgery and hand surgery.

Although Fang Ziye left the sanatorium and also let the group leader go, he has always been bearing his own role.

Although he basically didn't speak, it doesn't mean Fang Ziye wasn't paying attention.

"@Du Donglin, Professor Du, hand surgery group's patient number two — don't admit." Fang Ziye replied.

Du Donglin wasn't holding his phone, so he might not have discovered it at the first time.

But after three minutes, someone reminded Du Donglin.

Du Donglin called, his tone polite: "Group Leader Fang, is there something wrong with this Patient Number Two?"

"There's an issue with his MRI; the details shown don't quite match his symptoms. There might be a trap — don't do the functional reconstruction surgery lightly." Fang Ziye replied.

"Alright, thank you, Group Leader Fang."

"Also congratulations, Group Leader Fang. Group Leader Fang is going to prepare to receive the award today, right?" Du Donglin said with no small envy.

What concept is a National Award? This isn't a National Scholarship during school years — this is the National Natural Science Award and the National Science and Technology Progress Award!!!

As long as one is a research personnel, they would take pride in it and aim for it.

"Professor Du, when I return, I'll treat you all to a meal, and we'll celebrate then."

"I was just about to depart." Fang Ziye said.

"Group Leader Fang, it would be great if you were still here. This patient, I feel we can admit."

"Only a pity?"

Du Donglin continued: "Recently, personnel changes inside the sanatorium have been quite large. Director Song Libo and Research Group's Professor Pang Longshan are both serving as acting deans simultaneously."

"Dean Chen suddenly announced retirement, and no one knows where he went. Now many people in the sanatorium are panicked."

"No matter, Professor Du. Whatever happens, it will all pass in the end." Fang Ziye didn't know where Dean Chen went either.

"Hope so."

"Group Leader Fang, I still need to report one thing to you. Professor Ye Fusheng and I have discussed carefully. We plan to attempt limb salvage surgery on a Grade 4 diabetic foot recently."

"If the limb salvage surgery ultimately fails, I plan to suggest he come to your place, to see if we can rescue him." Du Donglin said.

"Although this is very impolite, I feel Professor Ye and I have learned many things over the past half year, and can attempt it."

Du Donglin consulted very cautiously, his breathing even becoming somewhat rapid.

Diabetic foot Grade 5 is the final terminal stage, a conceptual grading — one hundred percent necrotic.

Even Fang Ziye cannot perform limb salvage.

"It's fine, Professor Du!"

"You are now the Group Leader; you can decide on your own."

"No need to report to me." Fang Ziye said.

Hearing this, Du Donglin immediately said very sincerely: "Professor Fang, I don't know what your own experience is like?"

"I've experienced my own mentor's retirement, the phase of leaving the department. At first I still felt quite free."

"But later, I would feel very lonely, very helpless."

"Even sometimes when you want to seek help, you can't find a suitable person to confide in. Fortunately, Group Leader Fang, you appeared."

"And you're young, you're willing to speak, willing to interfere..."

"Those my age are all old foxes."

"Having someone to consult, someone managing you — although it's binding, it's actually happiness." Du Donglin's words were earnest.

Fang Ziye couldn't fully understand Professor Du Donglin's feelings, so he just smiled and said: "Then thank you for your trust, Professor Du. I just chimed in with an extra sentence in the group chat."

"I still need to go find another teacher now. Professor Du, shall we chat next time?"

"Okay, won't disturb Group Leader Fang then." Du Donglin actively hung up the phone.

Polite, but not servile.

Respectful, but not obsequious.

……

Morning light penetrated the rhombic glass of the dome opposite the community where Liu Huanglong resided, scattering fine golden flecks on Liu Huanglong's impeccably pressed suit. He adjusted the position of his tie clip for the 13th time; the metal clasp collided with the national emblem badge on his chest, emitting a faint click.

"Ziye, is this okay?" Liu Huanglong turned his head to ask Fang Ziye.

Fang Ziye was lowering his head verifying the invitation letter number; hearing this, he raised his eyes. He had specially chosen an indigo tie with a subtle pattern today, setting off the skin under his eyes as slightly pale: "Teacher Liu, you prepared three suits!"

"I only brought two backups, and they aren't really matched."

Fang Ziye only brought two as well, both in the suitcase!

He dared not bring only one set — if it got damaged and he had nothing to wear, it would be trouble.

Because formal wear suits for this kind of formal occasion are best all customized; meeting so many top experts and teachers, one also cannot be too impolite.

"Wait! Which interlayer did I put my invitation letter in?" Liu Huanglong's briefcase was pulled open with a clatter, revealing neatly arranged documents, each labeled with a different colored sticky note marking the conference venue name.

Finally finding the invitation letter in one of the compartments, he let out a long breath of relief: "Found it."

"Ziye, wait for me a moment. I'll change into a set of casual clothes, then we'll go eat." Seeing Fang Ziye's stunned expression, Liu Huanglong also lowered his head, slightly blushing.

Fang Ziye didn't feel Liu Huanglong was excessive either. For such a solemn occasion, no amount of caution is excessive.

Fang Ziye's formal wear was also customized after Luo Tingzhu deliberated for a long time; both pieces were not cheap either.

It's just that Fang Ziye himself had never obtained Outstanding Youth or Distinguished Youth, so he didn't know what kind of boost such a hat would give himself, and instead had a kind of "newborn calf unafraid of tigers" 'couldn't care less' temperament.

"Teacher Liu, it's fine. I can wait for you a bit longer. It's still early, and I'm not hungry." Fang Ziye gazed at the laugh lines at the corners of Professor Liu Huanglong's eyes, suddenly recalling those centrifuges in the laboratory that never stop.

Generation after generation of medical practitioners rotate like this, precipitating youth and hot blood into the weight of saving lives and healing the wounded.

Liu Huanglong is actually still young; it's just that in Fang Ziye's view, his age is relatively older.

"I'll take you to eat something good." Liu Huanglong finally stopped, waving his big hand, taking Fang Ziye out to buy food.

(Chapter End)