Chapter 664: with translation of chapter title

In the Mayo Clinic, Mu Tao stared blankly at the webpage on the notebook in front of him.

His hometown experienced a massive earthquake; at the opposite end of the earth he felt no tremor, yet his heart clenched with sharp pain.

When the earthquake occurred, it was after 2 a. m., and Mu Tao had just fallen asleep.

After he woke up and learned the news, a large number of reports had already appeared online; he stared at the various messages popping up on his notebook screen for a long time.

Without hesitation, after calculating the time, he directly picked up the phone.

"Teacher, I want to return to my country," Mu Tao said firmly.

"Fine, I'll book the nearest airplane ticket. I'm going to the front line; has civil aviation already been suspended there?"

"Then thank you for the trouble," Mu Tao said: "I'm really sorry; given what happened, I truly cannot convince myself to stay at the Mayo Clinic."

After hanging up the phone, Mu Tao began booking tickets and packing his belongings.

He didn't have much, and he didn't have time to take everything; he only took valuables and the issue of The New England Journal of Medicine featuring the new TIPS surgery technique.

As he wheeled his luggage out of the Mayo Clinic, Mu Tao felt the sunlight blindingly bright.

Here, the sunshine is bright and pleasant.

And over there? What kind of scene is it?

Squinting his eyes, Mu Tao waited for the car to come and take him to the airport.

While waiting, Mu Tao saw a yellow-skinned person wailing loudly, describing the situation in the earthquake disaster zone.

No rescue, countless casualties among the disaster victims…… that person, vivid and lively, painted a tragic, hopeless world for passersby.

Mu Tao shook his head, too lazy to watch their performance.

No rescue? Nonsense.

Even though I am ten thousand miles away and rushing back, they claim there is no rescue—how laughable.

If they insist on saying there is none, it merely means there are no slots left for rescue teams; the list of personnel participating in rescue is a headache.

Mu Tao heard over the phone that Wu Haishi, Wu Lao, said the hospital's Medical Department kept receiving pleas to go to the front, even bloody letters, showing a posture of threatening to resign and go privately if not allowed.

If it weren't for the military control of all flights and railways into Sichuan for transporting strategic supplies, probably many would have already slipped away secretly.

The hospital administration desperately tried to soothe, but the rescue team slots are extremely precious.

This is merely a local hospital; those military medical universities and hospitals likely have already deployed in full strength to the front.

I hope that upon returning I can manage to go up. The Teacher needs to pull strings… but Mu Tao feels no guilt; if not now to ask for a slot through connections, when would be?

He pulled his luggage, looking at the person across the road spitting saliva as he spoke, and a familiar figure suddenly appeared in his mind.

What is Doctor Zheng doing?

He must be striving for the Nobel Prize, surely.

Soon, the car arrived.

Mu Tao got into the car, coldly staring at the show-off across from him; he did not go over to argue with those people or explain the facts.

People tend to believe what they like to hear rather than the facts.

These clowns, let them jump; they're just a bunch of idiots—I shouldn't, and can't, waste my time on them.

Just like you can't wake someone pretending to sleep, there's no need for me to reason with them.

Mu Tao got into the car, closed the door, and rushed all the way to the airport.

……

……

Inner Mongolia, Horqin Right Wing Middle Banner.

In this small secondary hospital, the Intervention Department doctor was ignored.

He signed up for earthquake relief, and his name was directly deleted.

The Intervention Department is a flimsy department—does it handle emergency rescue? Are they under thirty-five? They meet none of the standards; would going just add trouble for the disaster victims?

Nonsense!

He felt dispirited, head down and discouraged as he walked back.

The medical contempt chain always exists, and in this secondary hospital the Intervention Department is a tiny unit scorned by all other departments, lacking any presence.

What a dilemma! Unable to go to the front, the Intervention Department doctor is lost and despondent.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

He dazedly picked up the phone and saw a very unfamiliar name.

This is the person who, two years ago, led a group of trekkers that friends from the capital had arranged to come play in Inner Mongolia.

The Intervention Department doctor had arranged everything meticulously, even including desert camping; under the moonlight they sang and danced. Everyone returned happy, leaving contact information. Since they were all trekkers who loved outdoor activities, they never deleted each other.

But that side basically never contacted him; only during holidays would they send a group message to greet him.

It is said that this person has connections.

Who knows; it has nothing to do with him. The Intervention Department doctor answered the phone absentmindedly.

"Hello."

"Liu Xu zhi?"

"I'm Liu Xu zhi; what's up, Chief Zhang?"

"The front line—are you going?"

Without any pleasantries, the other party's words were like a knife, stabbing straight into the heart of the Intervention Department doctor Liu Xu zhi.

His heart trembled once, and his hand kept shaking.

At this moment, besides that place, where else is the front line?

"Zhang… Zhang ge, really?" Liu Xu zhi's voice trembled uncontrollably; happiness came too suddenly, making him feel as if he were dreaming.

"Going or not?" the other side's voice was cold, somewhat impatient.

"Go, of course go!" Liu Xu zhi realized that if he hesitated a bit more, the phone would hang up.

At this point, everyone's patience had been worn down to almost nothing; a simple sentence—whether to go or not—was enough.

Afterwards, that side told him how to get in touch, explained what transportation to take, where to meet, and then they would fly together.

After hanging up, Liu Xu zhi still felt unreal; he didn't suspect the other party was deceiving him, immediately called his wife and told her he would be away on a business trip for a few days.

He didn't go home either, simply packed his toiletries from the department, bought a ticket, and prepared to board the high-speed rail to Blue City.

Walking out of the hospital with light steps, he saw the hospital's volunteer team holding red flags, waiting on the flat ground in front of the office building. The hospital had dispatched two ambulances; they were in the ambulances, carrying supplies, and were also about to set out.

"Don't bring me!" Liu Xu zhi felt a different emotion inside; hehe, I'm going to take the plane—I'll definitely arrive before you.

This feeling is really good.

It's like a pie filling falling from the sky, so delicious.

By the time you guys drive there, the most critical 72 hours will have passed; I estimate the best work will be loading and unloading the piled-up relief supplies.

Liu Xu zhi involuntarily whistled; he suddenly realized he seemed to have forgotten to ask for leave.

However, this thought was just a flash, then faded away.

Asking for leave, QTMLGB, what a damn leave request. I just went AWOL—what can they do?!

However, sending a message in the department WeChat group is still necessary; as for not granting leave—anyway, I'm already at the front line, so it doesn't matter whether they approve it or not.

Getting into the vehicle, rushing all the way to the high-speed rail station, nonstop.

……

The whole country experienced a violent vibration; countless people spontaneously rushed to the front line.

They didn't know what they could do by going, but doing nothing always felt wrong; they felt stifled inside, especially uncomfortable.

Like Mu Tao far away at the Mayo Clinic, Liu Xu zhi from Inner Mongolia Khorchin Right Wing Middle Banner, and countless others.

They are just tiny streams that converge together.

Trickles form water, streams form a river, like a surging song.

……

……

Mu Tao's experience was that of a very famous video from back then; I remember when I watched the video, there were only two words in my mind—idiot. On this side, I have to wait six hours for my blood to be cleared, luckily it's not type B.