Physician’s Odyssey

Although there wasn’t any bloody scene in the surgery room, it was still sufficient to leave everyone shocked. This was also the objective behind Su Tao’s intention to have an open-view surgery. He wanted to let those that knew or didn’t know about TCM to abandon their current view on TCM. He wanted to tell them that TCM could create miracles as well.

Next up, Su Tao chose two 3-inch awn-needles and inserted them into Zhitong’s deformed veins.

Liu Ruochen’s eyes lit up as she asked, “You intend to remold her?”

Everyone in the observation room was left puzzled upon hearing her words, while Su Tao smiled. “You finally figured out my intention. Although it’s a little late, it’s gratifying that you figured it out.”

Liu Ruochen bitterly smiled at his words. Remoulding was commonly used in TCM, but wuxia novels had exaggerated it, turning them into peerless martial arts. In reality, TCM also had a method of remoulding by strengthening the physique through massage and exercise to achieve the effect of consolidating the kidney’s qi and regrowth of teeth. But it was mainly practiced through training the body and mentality right now. What Su Tao was trying was helping Zhitong achieve this through external force.

For a more imagery description, Su Tao’s attempting to use awn-needles to reform Zhitong’s abnormal portal veins. It’s the same as plastic surgery, but could it really be done with just awn-needles?

The Nine-Palaces and Eight-Trigrams Acupoint Guarding and Awn-Needles Forming Bridge were just the foundations for remoulding. But this was extremely challenging, when compared to performing surgery with a scalpel, since there weren’t any records of anyone attempting this. It was merely a legend that had spread through words.

Is the Heavenseizing Hand really that magical?

Taking two 3-inch awn-needles, Su Tao took a deep breath and held one each in his hands. Referring to the x-ray film, Su Tao slowly inserted them into the abnormal portal veins with a modeled structure in his mind that displayed the patient’s condition. The awn-needles turned into tools for his surgery and his fingers lightly trembled, changing the direction of the awn-needles according to his will…

As time passed, Liu Ruochen would occasionally wipe his sweat, while some of those in the observation room were starting to get impatient. In their view, Su Tao was just standing there and not doing anything.

There were a few physicians who originated from renowned sects and families, and they felt admiration for Su Tao, since they had roughly guessed what he was trying to do. Putting themselves in his shoes, it’s impossible for them to achieve what Su Tao had done by innovating an unprecedented treatment plan.

Capable people were always daring, and it was suitable to use it to describe what Su Tao was doing right now.

Kim Jung-ho’s eyes incessantly flickered. Although the surgery was still on-going, Kim Jung-ho was already bowled over by Su Tao’s performance. Although the patient still wasn’t fully treated, Su Tao was someone worth respecting. His imagination was bold and unconstrained, which was what the TCM needed. The development of any theory must be continuously researched, and not standing on the same spot without any progress. The reason why TKM could develop better than TCM was that they extracted nutrients from other sources to grow. Take Kim Jung-ho, for example, aside from being a Physician, he also had the Western Medicine Practitioner Certificate.

It’s the fortune of TCM that someone like Su Tao had appeared.

From the clock on the wall, the surgery had been ongoing for 3 hours and 40 minutes, and it was close to midnight now. However, Su Tao was still standing with all his muscles tensed up, and only his wrist could be seen trembling. When he finally took out the two awn-needles, he let out a long breath and looked relaxed.

Liu Ruochen asked, “You succeeded?”

“Only half. I’m going to remove the needles now. It might be a little terrifying to watch.” Su Tao replied with a firm smile.

Pulling out needles is a terrifying scene? Su Tao’s words had left Liu Ruochen puzzled.

When he started to pull the needles out, his hands moved swiftly, and it only took two to three minutes for him to accomplish it. When the last needle was pulled out, Zhitong suddenly sat up and incessantly vomited blood. 

Dong Likun exclaimed in panic, “What’s wrong with Zhitong?!”

Lou Zi’an rejoiced as he sneered, “Big problem now. She was only having the symptoms of vomiting blood, which was already treated by Physician Kim. But she’s vomiting blood again? Isn’t he causing more trouble instead of helping?”

Kim Jung-ho couldn’t bear Lou Zi’an’s ridicule, so he knitted his brows. “It’s different right now. Previously, the flow of her qi and blood wasn’t smooth due to the abnormalities in her portal veins, which resulted in her vomiting blood from the accumulation. But her qi and blood flow are cleared up right now, so she is vomiting all the waste blood in her body. Right now, she’s completely treated, and there’s no need to worry about relapse in the future.” Kim Jung-ho could tell that Lou Zi’an wasn’t an expert, so the latter’s understanding was shallow and he couldn’t see the reason why Zhitong vomited blood.

After being refuted by Kim Jung-ho, Lou Zi’an’s lips moved, but he had no channel to vent his rage on. After all, Kim Jung-ho wasn’t part of his representative team.

When Su Tao walked out of the surgery room, President Chen immediately informed the doctors to conduct a full body check-up for Zhitong. Roughly ten-odd minutes later, the results were out. Su Tao had miraculously treated her Congenital Anomalies of the Portal Venous System with the awn-needles surgery. Su Tao had used TCM to put up an outstanding performance that could only be described as brilliant.

Holding onto Su Tao’s hands, Jin Guoxiang’s eyes flickered with tears as he expressed his gratitude, “Physician Su, thanks for treating my daughter! You’ve brought happiness back to our family while giving her health back!”

Feeling Jin Guoxiang’s firm grip, Su Tao smiled. “You're too polite, Major General Jin. It's our duty to save lives, and I have to thank you for giving me this opportunity. Although you know nothing about me, you still gave me this chance, which I am grateful for that.”

Jin Guoxiang felt that Su Tao was neither obsequious nor arrogant. He appeared to be more mature than those of his age. Grabbing onto Su Tao’s hands, he added, “I owe you a great favor, and I will surely repay this in the future!”

Waving his hand, Su Tao humbly replied, “The relationship between patient and physician is that of employment. Just paying me according to the industry rules will do, and we won’t owe each other anything after that.”

Although Dong Likun knew that Su Tao was joking, she still hastily opened her black snake-leather bag and took out her purse. “Sorry, I did not bring enough cash with me. Why don’t you give me your bank account and I’ll arrange for someone to transfer you the money tomorrow?”

Su Tao gently pulled out a ¥100 bill from her wallet and smiled. “This is enough!”

Dong Likun was a smart person, and she knew that Su Tao did not really want the medical fee. Treating her daughter was a great favor, so how could it be measured with money? The reason why Su Tao took ¥100 as the medical fee was to give a stage for her to go down. If he was too serious about it, it would make him look materialistic instead. Faintly casting a glance at Jin Guoxiang, the two of them exchanged gazes. The couple had already known each other’s intentions. They would not express their gratitude through words, but they would repay it in the future.

After that, Kim Jung-ho took the initiative to stretch his hand out towards Su Tao and gentlemanly said, “My name is Kim Jung-ho, and it was an honor for me to witness your medical skills.”

Su Tao had researched about Kim Jung-ho, a Korean. As the saying goes, those who are not of the same kind are bound to have different hearts. However, Su Tao had a pretty good impression of this fellow from the latter’s actions and gestures. It felt like a fresh breath of air, and Su Tao held onto his hand. “I’m Su Tao, your medical skills have also left a deep impression on me.”

A faint smile appeared on Kim Jung-ho’s lips as he sighed, “But it’s disappointing that you’re not in the Three States Forum Exchange. Otherwise, I’m afraid South Korea’s representative team wouldn’t have been able to obtain our victory so easily.”

Su Tao smiled. “China is vast with abundant resources and lots of talented people. So how can a few people represent the entire culture of TCM? With me included, we’re just a grain in the vast ocean.”

Kim Jung-ho felt that Su Tao’s speech was flawless. The art of healing was also linked to human principles, and the standards of medical skills could also represent the foundation and inner qualities of one person. He did not conceal the praises he had in his heart. He smiled and threw out an invitation, “If there's a chance in the future, please come to South Korea. I believe that after witnessing the current situation of TKM, you will have a deep impression of my country’s medical standards.”

Su Tao responded, “Thanks for your invitation. There will surely be a chance for me to pay a visit!”

Taking a deep look at Liu Ruochen, Kim Jung-ho gently nodded his head at her before he turned around and left.

With a smile on her face, Liu Ruochen asked, “What do you think of Kim Jung-ho?”

“Deep and unfathomable!” Su Tao spoke with an unusually grave expression.

Liu Ruochen smiled. “I believe he must also have the same evaluation of you.”

With Zhitong’s Congenital Anomalies of the Portal Venous System treated, the reporter, Cheng Peini was undoubtedly the happiest one. She had already drafted an article in her mind. She swiftly headed back to the company after leaving the hospital and wrote out a smooth story with the title, The Hero of TCM has finally appeared!

The first portion was about how China’s TCM representatives miserably lost in the Three States Forum Exchange. Because of that, a young physician, Su Tao rushed over to Yuhang from Hanzhou for the sake of protecting the orthodox reputation of China’s TCM, but the exchange had already ended by the time he came over. Shortly after, a situation arose in the People’s Hospital, and under the invitation from the hospital, the TCM specialists, along with the Korean Physician, Kim Jung-ho, went over. But none of them could deal with the issue. At the crucial moment, Su Tao stood up and used his brilliant and exquisite TCM techniques to perform an open-view TCM surgery.

“With the negativity that China’s TCM is currently suffering, even as a reporter, I’m doubtful if TCM is really marvelous. But this question was answered after witnessing the entire surgery. I have witnessed the previous experience that has been handed down in TCM for thousands of years. It’s a considerable wealth, even though it was in decline. But even so, there are still those that are persevering, and this someone has used his medical skills to show that TCM can produce a godly doctor! He is Su Tao, an acupuncture physician, and also the hero that has redeemed our honor!”

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