CHAPTER 202: APPROVAL OF 202 BIG SHOTS

BEEP! Mission launched: Zhou Shuwen’s Introductory Task

Because the host, Liu Banxia, has learned medical skills from Zhou Shuwen, Zhou Shuwen is not quite aware of the host’s real level. This task will determine the host’s standing in Zhou Shuwen’s mind and the training methods in the future.

Task Reward: Depends on the host’s task completion. Task Punishment: System store disabled for 30 days.

Seeing the system prompt before him, Liu Banxia felt as though he were being forced into a corner.

Recently, he had sensed some sort of change brewing within the system; tasks he had expected were not assigned. Today’s sudden mission confirmed his suspicions.

The system was stingy and didn’t assign tasks easily. Only in cases like difficult diagnoses, or situations related to his future development, would it release tasks.

Although Liu Banxia was extremely nervous, he still managed to complete his warm-up exercises in the shortest possible time.

Everyone has their habits. Some like to listen to music during surgery; others prefer to meditate before operating. Liu Banxia? He liked to get his body moving, especially his hands. He had to swing them a few times.

This wasn’t just because the task itself was daunting; the surgery’s complexity was also genuinely high, requiring extreme focus.

To be on the safe side, he directly redeemed 5 Glory Points for time in the dream space to intensify his training.

Zhou Shuwen allowing him to be the chief surgeon was something he hadn’t expected at all. Last night, he had only planned to review surgical records and practice how to assist.

In fact, his training in there had focused solely on practicing dissection techniques in the liver using a laparoscope. The liver was just too complex, crisscrossed by blood vessels and bile ducts. Why else would such surgeries take so long? Sheer speed wouldn’t cut it.

In everyone else’s eyes, Liu Banxia simply shook his hands, flexed his neck, twisted his hips, and then began to operate. But Liu Banxia himself was brimming with confidence, thanks to the system.

First, he used a gastrointestinal purse-string suture to suspend the round ligament of the liver, making the tumor more visible and the operation more convenient. Then, he began to open the gastrohepatic ligament, his movements careful and precise.

"Good thing you came, otherwise I was planning to call you." Upon seeing Shi Lei arrive, Li Jun waved at him.

"I had to come see. Banxia has surgery today, so I did a round for him in the emergency department," Shi Lei said casually.

"Heh, just watch," Li Jun said with a smile.

At first, Shi Lei hadn’t paid much attention. His eyes were fixed on the monitor displaying the surgical interface. It only showed tissues, organs, and instruments, not the person performing the procedure.

Now, with Li Jun’s reminder, he glanced into the operating room. This was astounding! If not for his composure, he might have actually screamed.

The chief surgeon was actually Liu Banxia, with Zhou Shuwen as his first assistant! Was this some kind of joke?

Before he could recover from his surprise, he saw Chen Zhenxing, Li Mingwu, and Zhou Zhiyong—these three senior figures—walk in from outside.

"Has it started already? Haha, I didn’t expect Shuwen to actually have the guts to let this kid do it," Chen Zhenxing remarked with a glance and a laugh.

"Sigh... I reminded him yesterday when he told me that this wasn’t an ordinary surgery. I didn’t expect him to be so bold," Zhou Zhiyong sighed.

The people standing behind them understood now. Allowing Liu Banxia to be the chief surgeon today wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision by Zhou Shuwen; it had been confirmed yesterday.

The even more astounding part was that the ’Big Three’ from the Second Hospital had all come.

Many in the crowd felt much like Wang Chao had yesterday: a genuine pang of acidity and envy, but not jealousy. They knew that if they were in Liu Banxia’s shoes, under these circumstances, would they be brave enough to stand at that operating table?

Forget about themselves; what doctor who had just finished their residency would dare to take the lead on such a major surgery? Moreover, this was a laparoscopic procedure, not open surgery.

"Although his technique seems a bit unrefined, it’s acceptable. At least it’s much more proficient than the laparoscopic cholecystectomy he performed yesterday," Li Mingwu commented after observing for a while.

"Shi Lei, come over here. Do you think Liu Banxia is performing like this because he’s nervous, or because he lacks practice?" Chen Zhenxing turned and beckoned to Shi Lei.

"Hello, Chief Director. If I were to venture an opinion, it’s because he lacks practice; not many things can truly make him nervous," Shi Lei hurriedly responded. "Currently, our hospital’s investment in instrument training cannot meet the needs of so many residents and attending physicians for instrument training."

"This is the kind of person Shuwen nurtures," Chen Zhenxing said with a smile. "You all always say Liu Banxia has swallowed a leopard’s gall, daring to do and say anything. In my opinion, Shi Lei is no different; he just put us on the spot."

"Relax, the hospital will definitely invest more in this area in the future. That way, we won’t have you all lingering around after surgeries, reluctant to leave the table."

Chen Zhenxing’s comment amused everyone, as such situations were indeed common. Especially for those just starting with laparoscopy, frequent training was essential for proficiency.

"He dissected the left hepatic artery quite well. Let’s see how he handles the dissection and ligation of the hepatic pedicle next," Zhou Zhiyong remarked.

"Hmm... very good. The tumor has visibly shrunken; it’s quite successful. Honestly, the fact that he’s managed to persevere this far has already exceeded my expectations."

The attending physicians and residents standing behind were deeply moved. It was clear that Liu Banxia, the resident currently operating, had already earned the recognition of the three titans.

As long as there were no surgical accidents, even if the remainder of the surgery wasn’t completed smoothly, he would still be considered to have met the standard. After all, he was just a resident who had recently finished his training. One couldn’t expect anyone below the rank of associate chief physician to lead such a critical surgery.

However, many observers were experts and could see that Liu Banxia’s technique was still unpolished, and he showed slight hesitation during dissection.

But that was alright; he had an excellent teacher and first assistant.

Those who came to observe were all professionals. Even if some residents seemed to be watching for entertainment, being in the same field, they had their own insights.

Now, they all envied Liu Banxia intensely—beyond words.

Why? Because Zhou Shuwen, acting as the first assistant, was subtly guiding Liu Banxia through the surgery.

A good chief surgeon can guide a first assistant, turning the surgery into a teaching opportunity. Similarly, a highly skilled first assistant can do the reverse.

When Liu Banxia hesitated, Zhou Shuwen would make a move, guiding him toward the next step. Such a complex surgery, even with Liu Banxia’s intensive training, wasn’t easy to internalize completely.

And Zhou Shuwen’s guidance? It wasn’t like a GPS pre-emptively announcing turns. If you always rely on navigation, you’ll struggle to remember the route yourself. Zhou Shuwen only stepped in to point the way when Liu Banxia hesitated at a crucial juncture.

This approach allowed Liu Banxia’s understanding and execution of the surgery to immediately ascend to a new level.

This might sound easy, but it was incredibly difficult to achieve.

Both Zhou Shuwen, providing guidance, and Liu Banxia, as the chief surgeon, needed a solid foundation of skill. Otherwise, their instruments might clash inside the patient’s abdomen—how could that possibly work?

From their viewpoint, only one phrase could describe the synergy in this surgery: ’perfectly complementary’.

They greatly admired Liu Banxia for his remarkable on-the-spot comprehension during the surgery. They had watched the entire procedure: initially, he was very cautious, typical of a novice, but his movements later became remarkably fluid.

Dissecting meticulously, ligating carefully, the monitor showed the tumor undergoing significant ischemic shrinkage. More than half the surgery was now complete. The next step depended on how Liu Banxia would transect the liver.

This time, even Zhou Shuwen couldn’t offer guidance; Liu Banxia had to perform this part himself.

Liu Banxia first used an ultrasonic scalpel to dissect the intrahepatic vessels, then transected the pedicle of the left hepatic lobe before resecting that portion of the liver.

The surgery had now been ongoing for four and a half hours. If it were Zhou Shuwen, it would have been finished by now. However, with Liu Banxia as the chief surgeon, the pace was less about sheer speed.

Li Mingwu remarked, watching Liu Banxia operate, "I knew he could suture quickly from watching his open surgeries, but I didn’t expect him to be this fast with laparoscopic instruments as well. He’s managed the bleeding on the liver transection surface excellently. Very impressive."

"It’s too late for you to set your sights on him now; Shuwen is truly invested in this kid," Zhou Zhiyong replied, laughing.

After managing the transection surface of the liver and inserting a drainage tube, the next step was to remove the resected tumor.

Because the tumor was too large, Liu Banxia had to extend an incision between two of the trocar ports along the subcostal margin. When he finally extracted the specimen bag, the onlookers, including the three senior figures, burst into a warm round of applause.

This applause was for Zhou Shuwen, and also for Liu Banxia.

The skill Zhou Shuwen demonstrated in this surgery far surpassed that of Liu Banxia, the chief surgeon. As for Liu Banxia? A doctor who had just completed his residency, yet he had successfully performed such a highly complex surgery, creating a new milestone for the Second Hospital.

Liu Banxia suppressed the excitement in his heart and sutured all necessary sites, only then truly finishing the surgery. In an instant, he felt waves of fatigue wash over him, his body swaying slightly.

DING! Daily Task Completed (20/20)

Experience Gained: 300 points, Glory Points: 5

Zhou Shuwen’s Introductory Task completed. Experience Gained: 300 points. Suturing Technique Proficiency: +100 points. Dressing Change Technique Proficiency: +100 points. Diagnostic Technique Proficiency: +200 points. Liver Surgery Technique Proficiency: +1,000 points.

Task Rating: Perfect. Experience Gained: 500 points. Suturing Technique Proficiency: +300 points. Dressing Change Technique Proficiency: +300 points. Diagnostic Technique Proficiency: +500 points. Liver Surgery Technique Proficiency: +2,000 points. Glory Points: 10.

Seeing such generous rewards from the system, Liu Banxia couldn’t help but pump his fist forcefully.