Chapter 300

One Hundred and Tenth Page [During the Surgery]

The makeshift ward was very spacious, with only a bed, a ventilator, and a multi-parameter monitor that displayed several lines, which seemed very expensive.

This was far from an ICU ward, let alone a VIP ward.

“Grandmother!”

Xiao Jing, the youngest sister, rushed into the ward first. She almost fell to the bedside, gripping her grandmother’s hand and rubbing it against her face.

On the bed, Grandmother was lying there with a ventilator attached. Two researchers in white coats were surrounding her, carefully asking about her health condition. Mother sat quietly by the bed, saying nothing, like a young bride taking care of her mother-in-law… and indeed, that was what she was doing.

“Mom, we’re here.”

Aunt Zhen and Aunt Huāyíng, Grandmother’s two daughters, came to the bedside. Although they were no longer young enough to act like Xiao Jing, their expressions were still quite serious, making the atmosphere in the room very low.

Brother Zhú, Grandmother’s only son, stood secretly in the corner as if he was afraid of being seen by Grandmother. He took off his glasses, looking full of guilt and regret.

“You all came? Good, let me tell you about this surgery.”

At the door of the ward, Senior Sister Bìfāng, dressed as a doctor, walked over. She looked at Grandmother and said, “Yuehua, listen too.”

“Just say it directly, I’m prepared.”

With Grandmother’s permission, Senior Sister Bìfāng continued, “Including anesthesia, the entire transplantation process will take about two hours. Kidney transplants are already quite mature, and our medical techniques can provide good protection, so the risk itself isn’t high.”

Senior Sister paused, then added, “The real danger comes during the post-transplant rejection period, especially in the first week after the surgery. Yuehua’s body functions will face a huge test. We will do our best to provide 24-hour care, but getting through this phase still depends on Yuehua herself…”

Even if the surgery succeeds, Grandmother could still die from severe rejection reactions.

This was clearly not good news. Aunt Huāyíng, who had a soft heart, became somewhat emotionally unstable. She looked at Grandmother on the bed and started crying. Aunt Zhen patted her sister’s back and nodded, “We have known these consequences. Trust you and your team; this is what Mother chose.”

“We will do our best, and we won’t disappoint Yuehua’s trust.”

Sister Fēi stepped forward, helping Aunt Huāyíng sit down next to Mother, and gently patted Xiao Jing on the back, bringing her to her side.

“Xiao Kai, I have something else I need to entrust to you.”

After briefly explaining the surgery, Senior Sister turned to me.

I asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

“You can be Yuehua’s anesthetist.”

“What… I don’t know how to anesthetize anyone!”

Senior Sister made a cutting gesture with her hand.

“Anesthetic in the magical sense means cutting off Yuehua’s consciousness from her body and transferring it to a temporary container… I heard it from ‘Qianxia.’ As long as you do it like you did at noon, it should be possible, right?”

Using consciousness transfer can indeed achieve an effect similar to anesthesia, but the side effects caused by rejection reactions can also affect the state of consciousness. At that time, there would definitely be various abnormalities in the spirit, after all, Grandmother’s soul still belonged to this old body.

“Let Cherry Sauce handle it. She did it all,” Senior Sister smiled slightly.

“Huh, aren’t you the same person?”

“… Let her explain it to you.”

My consciousness retreated back into my body, allowing Cherry Sauce to take control. She said, “Should we start the consciousness transfer now? Anesthesia is also done before the surgery, right?”

“We can start now.”

Miss Kē Màn interjected, “After the consciousness transfer, we will move Grandmother to the operating room. During the surgery, family members should wait outside on the square… sterile operating rooms require cleaning when entering and exiting, so you cannot watch.”

Seeing such a bloody surgery, I didn’t dare and didn’t plan to watch.

Lǐn Huā asked, “Boss, are you going to perform the surgery on Grandmother yourself?”

“No, surgery is a job for professionals. I am just a pharmaceutical merchant. However, I am responsible for operating the medical techniques during the surgery.”

Although Senior Sister was not a doctor, in terms of mastering magical techniques, no one in the institute could match her. After all, she was the teacher of all the researchers.

“—There must be exceptions, right?”—

Cherry Sauce asked, “Is Qianxia also responsible for operating the techniques? So why haven’t I seen her?”

Senior Sister closed her eyes and nodded.

“She is responsible for using the technique to create temporary blood vessels, which is a very important part of the surgery. Putting on and taking off protective clothing is troublesome, so she stays inside and doesn’t come out.”

“Is that so?”

The newly renovated fourth laboratory next door was tightly sealed, with a disinfection channel added at the entrance. Every entry and exit required sterilization to ensure the cleanliness of the operating room. It was indeed quite troublesome.

But would Old Lady not appear because of this?

“Now that Yuehua’s condition is relatively stable, let’s start the ‘anesthesia.'”

Miss Kē Màn urged, though her expression seemed a bit strange. Sister Líng Qīng had also shown such an expression earlier, and I felt that they were hiding something.

“Grandmother, I’m starting now.”

Cherry Sauce greeted Grandmother, then took out a clone bookmark from her pocket. Holy white light flowed into it, causing the bookmark to expand and deform until it transformed into a younger version of Grandmother in a short time.

Xiao Lei moved forward to support the collapsing clone.

Aunt Zhen and Aunt Huāyíng, seeing this for the first time, were so astonished they couldn’t close their mouths.

“Incredible, is this a miracle?”

Aunt Huāyíng regained her composure and asked, “Since you can create such a complete body, couldn’t you just turn Mom younger?”

Cherry Sauce shook her head with a bitter smile, “That’s impossible. Even deities cannot act recklessly. Defying the Heavenly Way would come with heavy consequences… we are already pushing the limits.”

She snapped her fingers, and Grandmother lost consciousness on the bed, while the clone stood up straight.

Cherry Sauce asked, “Grandmother, how do you feel?”

“Mm, it feels okay…”

Without Xiao Lei’s help, Grandmother walked to the bedside and looked at herself. I couldn’t guess her feelings, but she looked genuinely sad.

“…Zhen’er, let’s go outside and wait.”

——————–

[During the Operation]

Miss Kē Màn and several researchers in white coats pushed Grandmother into the operating room. Researcher Xin Zi, with a determined expression as if she were heading to battle, entered the clean corridor… this was indeed her battlefield.

Operating room, patient, kidney, and doctors. All elements were in place, and a fight I couldn’t participate in began.

The rest of us rested on the stone chairs created by Professor. This included Grandmother’s clone after the consciousness transfer.

Waiting outside for your own body to complete the surgery, such a bizarre experience might be unprecedented.

“Mother, where’s Xiao Qinglan?”

Only when things settled down did I realize someone was missing.

“I don’t know either. I haven’t seen her since the beginning.”

“Huh? Xiao Wu disappeared?”

Xiao Lei, who was originally calming Lǐn Huā’s nerves, leaned in and asked, “Does she have a way to escape from this research institute?”

Brother Zhú turned around and said, “There’s a power battery left on the control panel of the teleportation array. She might have gone up to play with it.”

Lǐn Huā agreed, “Don’t worry too much. She’s not a real child, so nothing bad will happen. Let’s pray for Grandmother instead.”

The teleportation array lit up, and I thought Xiao Qinglan had returned, but it was actually Bā Hé Mèi and two “animal friends.”

She brought Yòu Zi and Xiao Xue to us and asked, “Has the surgery already started?”

“It has. Sorry, I forgot to call you.”

Brother Zhú turned around again, patting Xiao Xue’s head. The cat girl shook her ears and said, “Uncle Běihǎi, good afternoon.”

Mother exclaimed, “Oh, Xiao Xue can talk now?”

“Sister Wēi, good afternoon.”

“Still remembers me!”

Mother was delighted by Xiao Xue’s response, while Aunt Zhen felt confused. But with previous experience, she guessed, “Was she originally a cat?”

She guessed correctly.

“Yes, Xiao Xue is a cat. But turning animals into humans violates the rules of the Heavenly Way, so she remains a cat, albeit temporarily in human form… just like Yòu Zi.”

I pointed to Yòu Zi, who tried to bite my finger.

“Isn’t the measure for her ‘only’ anymore!”

Grandmother smiled.

Though a bit sleepy, her condition was still stable. The surgery inside was proceeding orderly.

“I found Xiao Qinglan.”

Cherry Sauce took over and said, “I thought she wouldn’t run out of the Deep Research Institute, so I searched nearby. She seems to have been locked in the power generation room by someone.”

Power generation room?

The door of the small house in the corner of the cave was closed. I thought it was locked because Professor wasn’t around.

But upon reflection, even if Professor wasn’t present, the institute needed the liquid magic produced there. How could it be locked?

Xiao Lei asked, “Xiao Wu was locked up? Why?”

“I don’t know, probably Old Lady’s petty revenge. She can be quite petty sometimes.”

To be honest, Old Lady is not only petty but also easily jealous.

Bā Hé Mèi scratched her head.

“Let’s release her first. There are diesel generators there, the smell is bad, and it could be toxic if you stay too long.”

I asked, “Do you have the key to the power generation room?”

“No, do witches need keys to open doors?”

“Witches aren’t bandits!”

Though I said that, Cherry Sauce transformed into a universal key and opened the door of the power generation room.

“Save me…”

Dirty Xiao Qinglan lay sprawled under Professor’s workbench, reaching out to me for help.

“How did you end up like this?”

Mother carried Xiao Qinglan out of the power generation room. The latter grimaced and said, “I accidentally overheard an important secret and got locked up!”

“Important secret?”

Lǐn Huā asked, “Is it related to Grandmother’s surgery?”

“Yes!”

Xiao Qinglan nodded, twisting to look at me.

“The kidney used in this surgery might not have been made by your master!”