Ding! Gained 5 Experience Points, Anal Fistula Ligation Surgery skill proficiency +30, Diagnosis skill proficiency +8.
Ding! Gained 10 Experience Points, Anal Fistula Ligation Surgery skill proficiency +50, Diagnosis skill proficiency +7.
Ding! Gained 8 Experience Points, Anal Fistula Ligation Surgery skill proficiency +45, Diagnosis skill proficiency +9.
Ding! Gained 6 Experience Points, Anal Fistula Ligation Surgery skill proficiency +21, Diagnosis skill proficiency +6.
...
Watching the system notifications pop up constantly, Liu Banxia was ecstatic. He had only reviewed a few cases, and already his experience and skill proficiencies were shooting up.
He was already downstairs at Zhou Li's apartment; otherwise, Liu Banxia would have continued studying.
"Shoutian, you achieved a great victory today, didn't you? Why so quiet now?" Wang Lei from the Anesthesiology Department asked curiously.
He was the "Old Wang" from next door whom Liu Banxia often called out to. He and Zhou Li were already secretly planning to get married. He had interned at the Second Hospital with Shi Lei, and they both ended up staying there. Their names both contained the character "Lei," signifying their close bond.
"I'm cultivating. My boss even gave me the Sunflower Manual," Liu Banxia said with a straight face.
"See? He either stays quiet, or when he does speak, he's never serious," Shi Lei said, shaking his head.
Wang Lei was highly amused; Shoutian was quite entertaining.
Liu Banxia didn't mind. These two were practically his closest connections in Binhai City. In fact, if he hadn't received this system, he would have abandoned any thoughts of living in Binhai City long ago.
Zhou Li had prepared a lavish spread: braised pork bones in sauce, smoked chicken, fried peanuts, century eggs with tofu, a cold tomato salad, smashed cucumber salad, and a large bowl of egg drop soup.
"Sister Li, you're in the wrong profession. You're a true culinary genius," Liu Banxia said, giving a thumbs up.
"Well, look, Old Wang works so hard. If I don't feed him delicious food, how can I keep him?" Zhou Li said proudly.
Liu Banxia nodded. "When I first started medical school, I thought being a doctor meant suffering first and enjoying the rewards later. In reality, it's just suffering followed by more suffering. Anesthesiologists like our Old Wang here might seem to have it easy, but that's just on the surface."
"You can say that again! It's already good if he can get off work on time even one day a week. He often gets called in even on his days off," Zhou Li complained as well.
"Anyway, I've gotten used to it. Besides, I'm spared from directly facing the patients' suffering too often," Wang Lei said while pouring drinks for everyone. "We do alright in our hospital. Lots of surgeries, so even though it's hard work, we earn more. Those in smaller hospitals are the ones really struggling; they often don't even have enough work to get truly tired. Several of my classmates have already jumped ship to private hospitals."
"Alright, alright, we chose this line of work. Like it or not, we're in it for life. Hardship is part of the deal. Let's just eat and enjoy ourselves today," Zhou Li declared.
She might have the lowest rank at the hospital, but in this house, she was the one who called the shots. Her word was law.
And Liu Banxia's earlier praise for Zhou Li wasn't mere flattery; her cooking was genuinely delicious. With good company, good wine, and dishes perfect for drinking, the four of them enjoyed a very lively meal around the small table.
After eating and drinking their fill, Liu Banxia and Shi Lei didn't dare linger too long. As doctors, they could only truly relax on their designated days off. The rest of the time? Even after returning home from work, they had to make the most of every minute.
"Go back and study carefully. Even though it's a routine low anal fistula thread ligation, it'll be your first time performing it," Shi Lei advised before they parted ways.
"Boss, don't worry. I promise I won't embarrass you tomorrow," Liu Banxia said, his usual playful demeanor replaced by seriousness.
He knew Shi Lei well. For Shi Lei to go out of his way to request a surgical slot for someone was definitely an exception to his usual conduct.
He figured Shi Lei was probably angered by Qin Hai's actions earlier. It would have been difficult to request a slot from other departments, as too many people were waiting. However, Shi Lei had some connections with the Proctology Department, which is why he'd asked them.
Back home, Liu Banxia took a quick shower to clear his head. He had already figured out a quick way to learn; now it was time for "practice." The object of his practice was what the system labeled the "Dream Space."
He had wanted to try it at the hospital but was afraid of causing some commotion that might arouse suspicion. Back home, he was on his own turf.
Since it was his first time, he didn't know what the Dream Space's effects would be, so he only exchanged 1 Glory Point for two hours.
His vision blurred then refocused, and he found himself in a place resembling an operating room. However, there was no surgical equipment, only an operating table. On the right, a display showed a countdown timer, starting from 119:59.
Liu Banxia quickly looked down at what he was holding and grinned. Sure enough, he had brought Shi Lei's notes in with him. This is my secret manual, he thought, a Sunflower Manual-level treasure that doesn't even require self-castration!
He opened the notes and began to read from the beginning.
Ding! Gained 20 Experience Points, Anal Fistula Ligation Surgery skill proficiency +170, Diagnosis skill proficiency +8.
Looking at the system notification, Liu Banxia was stunned. Why was there so much skill proficiency this time? When he checked the timer, he got a scare.
The display now read 108 minutes and 32 seconds. He had only spent eleven and a half minutes and had already meticulously read through an entire case study.
In the hospital and in the car, he had only skimmed through them, as the environment was too noisy. However, Shi Lei's notes were incredibly detailed, with surgical insights, potential complications, and how to handle them annotated in the margins.
By his previous standards, he wouldn't have expected to be able to read it carefully in under half an hour. Now, not only had he finished reading it, but he had also used less time and retained much more information.
This was thanks to the tranquility of the Dream Space, combined with the boost to his comprehension and memory. All these factors working together... I've really struck gold!
If the Liu Banxia of the past had been told to study for two hours, he would only have done so if an exam loomed the next day—one that, if failed, would cost him his degree certificate. But today was different; he was completely engrossed and absorbed in his reading.
His vision went black, then cleared again. The sounds of the outside world rushed back in, startling him for a moment. The exchanged time had run out; he'd been ejected from the Dream Space.
He quickly glanced at his phone. It displayed 20:09, the same time as when he had entered.
Liu Banxia pumped his fist, his resolve hardening. Even if I have to use all my remaining 9 Glory Points tonight, I must master Anal Fistula Thread Ligation Surgery!
This time, Liu Banxia was more decisive, directly exchanging 2 Glory Points for four hours. This seemed to be another hidden attribute of the Dream Space: though it consumed the host's stamina, it was fully restored upon exiting.
Going in and out like this, Liu Banxia used a total of 5 Glory Points for ten hours in the Dream Space, finally finishing Shi Lei's notes.
After a brief hesitation, he exchanged all his remaining 5 Glory Points. Next, he planned to practice the actual Anal Fistula Thread Ligation Surgery.
He also seemed to have figured out another function while reading the notes: the space would configure itself according to his thoughts. No wonder it's called the Dream Space, he mused. Whatever I dream up, it becomes reality here!
When he emerged again, Liu Banxia swung his fist forcefully and called up his system panel.
Liu Banxia: Level 12, 11,083/11,440
Mental: 62 points (Comprehension, Memory, Concentration increased by 10.71%)
Agility: 60 points (Stability, Speed, Touch increased by 11.11%)
Strength: 43 points
Endurance: 39 points
Attribute Points: 4 points
Glory Points: 0 points
Dressing Change: Level 2, 5,170/19,999
Suturing: Level 2, 5,554/19,999
Diagnosis: Level 1, 3,431/4,999
Cesarean Section: Level 1, 534/4,999
Anal Fistula Thread Ligation Surgery: Level 2, 5,000/19,999
This was the fruit of his labor: he had ground out over four thousand proficiency points in Anal Fistula Thread Ligation Surgery. Upon reaching 5,000 points, he hit the proficiency threshold required to actually practice the procedure in the Dream Space.
Of course, he realized he'd also been a bit too hasty. The closer he got to mastering the material from the notes, the smaller the proficiency rewards became. As his skill level increased, there was simply less new information for him to absorb from them.
Some of the exchanged time might have been inefficiently used, but he didn't regret it.