Shao Qingge's feelings were complicated. "I woke up one morning to find I had a kidney transplant"—he simply couldn't believe such a bizarre experience. Yet, the memories flooding his mind clearly told him that it was all true.
The kidneys in his body now belong to someone else.
Xiao Lou was taken aback by CEO Shao's words. Yu Hanjiang had previously mentioned that CEO Shao might hold important clues, but Xiao Lou never expected that Shao Qingge was actually a direct participant in the organ transplant case!
"Ask CEO Shao for the specific details." The familiar voice in his mind pulled Xiao Lou back to reality. Xiao Lou looked at Shao Qingge and whispered in his ear, "You had a kidney transplant? Which hospital did you have the surgery at?"
"It should be Renchuan Hospital," Shao Qingge said definitively.
The hospital he mentioned is the one where Xiao Lou currently works. According to the established setting, this " Renchuan Hospital " is the largest comprehensive hospital in the city, boasting state-of-the-art medical equipment and top-notch specialists and professors.
Xiao Lou continued, "Do you remember who performed your surgery?"
"Let me think." Shao Qingge pressed his temples, his head aching, and carefully sorted through his memories. "My dad consulted a nephrologist, I think his name was Qin Changming, around 50 years old. I heard everyone call him Professor Qin. I stayed in the hospital for three days, had a lot of random tests done, and then was sent to the operating room to have a kidney transplant."
At this point, Shao Qingge raised an eyebrow: " What kind of messed-up setup did Guardian come up with? My kidneys are perfectly fine, it's not chronic kidney failure, why did they inexplicably replace my kidney? What does this mean?"
Xiao Lou: "..."
Replacing one kidney is the best-case scenario; if the Guardian is unhappy, they might just take away one of your kidneys.
Xiao Lou stepped forward, lifted Shao Qingge's shirt, and sure enough, found a surgical scar on his lower back. The stitching was very skillful, so the scar wasn't unsightly after healing. He continued, "When was the surgery done? Do you know where the kidney that matched yours came from?"
"It was done on November 11th last year." Shao Qingge thought for a moment and said, "I don't know where the kidney came from. My dad said he bought it from someone for 20 million gold coins, which is about 200,000 RMB." He paused and looked at Xiao Lou worriedly: "You keep asking me about my kidney. Could it be that there's something wrong with this kidney? Why am I in the hospital again?"
"Your kidney likely came from black market organ smuggling," Xiao Lou said in a low voice. "And your hospitalization this time is because of an acute myocardial infarction. Three of your heart arteries are narrowed by more than 75%, requiring stent implantation surgery. Otherwise, your heart is at risk of large-scale myocardial cell necrosis at any time."
"..." Shao Qingge pressed his temples with a sullen face. "It seems that this time I'm playing the role of a sickly rich young master."
"Not only you, but the other teammates are also hospitalized. Long Sen broke his leg, and Captain Yu and Lao Mo can't do strenuous activities after their surgery. Your [ bug king card ] can repair external injuries. Find an opportunity to get them discharged as soon as possible so we can continue investigating this case."
" How is Ye Qi?" Upon hearing Xiao Lou's words, Shao Qingge couldn't help but worry about Ye Qi's condition.
"He is in good health, and his pneumonia is under control, but he has become like a 7-year-old child and is currently staying in the Pediatrics Department."
"..." Thinking of Ye Qi transformed into a child, Shao Qingge couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly and said, " The Bug King Card can only be used once per escape room, and the transformation lasts for 24 hours. Should we use it now?"
"Yes, as soon as possible, before you're wheeled into the operating room." Zhao Sen had mentioned that once Shao Qingge's condition stabilized, the heart stent surgery would be scheduled as soon as possible. Shao Qingge just woke up today, and Zhao Sen will assess his condition after he goes to work. If all goes well, the surgery will be scheduled for tomorrow or the day after.
The Bug King Card's transformation lasts for 24 hours. You can't have Shao Qingge undergo surgery while he's transformed; who knows if his bug minions will obey? What if they crawl out during the surgery and bite the surgeon? Shao Qingge will be dead after the transformation ends.
Xiao Lou glanced at the clock on the wall—7:20, 40 minutes before her 8:00 AM start time.
Zhao Sen went to Morgue late last night to retrieve his cousin's head. After returning home, he was busy making specimens and didn't go to sleep until 2:30 a.m. He probably won't be coming to work that early.
Thinking of this, Xiao Lou immediately said to Yu Hanjiang in his mind: " Peach Blossom Spring skill is on cooldown and can't be used. I will send a text message to notify everyone to activate Invisibility Cloak and meet at the VIP Ward of the General Surgery Department as soon as possible. We only have half an hour."
Yu Hanjiang said in a low voice, "Okay. Can CEO Shao come over?"
Xiao Lou glanced at Shao Qingge, who was lying on the hospital bed looking utterly hopeless, and said, "He's too weak to get out of bed right now, but he can use the Bug King Card. After transforming, his stamina will be enhanced. Wearing the Invisibility Cloak, he can come with me."
After saying that, Xiao Lou whispered the next plan in Shao Qingge's ear.
Shao Qingge nodded and activated the bug king card.
His eyes quickly turned the familiar blood red, and his entire body was instantly filled with power. At this moment, he could move freely and was an expert at climbing and jumping, able to jump directly from the ground to the roof of the hospital.
Shao Qingge then used Invisibility Cloak. Xiao Lou pulled all the curtains around bed number 3, turned around and went out. Shao Qingge followed him out invisibly. The old lady in the next bed was still unconscious and had no idea what was going on.
Nurse smiled and said, "Dr. Xiao,"
Have you seen the patient?
Xiao Lou calmly said, "Yes. He just fell asleep, let's not disturb him yet, let's wait for the attending physician to return."
Xiao Lou walked quickly back to the General Surgery Department ward.
The door to the VIP Ward was open, and Yu Hanjiang was leaning against the headboard, organizing documents. Although he couldn't see his surroundings, the presence of gusts of air told him his teammates had quickly arrived. Each person greeted Yu Hanjiang quietly upon entering, except for Liu Qiao, who had gone to Morgue the previous night and used the Invisibility Cloak. Apart from Card being unable to attend this time, everyone else has arrived.
Yu Hanjiang informed Xiao Lou of this information.
After entering the house, Xiao Lou locked the door behind him, let out a soft breath, and said, "Everyone, come out."
As soon as he finished speaking, familiar figures quickly appeared before him, including CEO Shao, who had always been with Xiao Lou.
Ye Qi exclaimed in surprise, " CEO Shao is awake?!"
Shao Qingge turned his head and saw a little boy standing next to him, whose height only reached his waist. His cute round face made him want to pinch it. He reached out without hesitation and gently pinched Ye Qi's cheek, chuckling, "Where did this little kid come from? Come here, let uncle hold you." He then stretched out his hands and actually picked up little Ye Qi.
Ye Qi was only the height of a 7-year-old child, and had no chance against Shao Qingge, a grown man who was over 1.8 meters tall. Moreover, CEO Shao was now using the Bug King Card, making him incredibly strong, and picking up Ye Qi was as easy as picking up a kitten.
Ye Qi was lifted up and hoisted high into the air, her face flushed red: "What are you doing! Put me down!"
Shao Qingge said with a smile, "Don't be silly. Uncle will buy you candy. Do you like milk candy, fruit candy, or chocolate?"
Ye Qi kicked his legs in anger, but unfortunately, his short legs were quickly restrained by Shao Qingge, so he could only glare at CEO Shao.
Teammates: "..."
Long Sen was both amused and exasperated: "Seeing CEO Shao being so unserious, I'm relieved. He should be alright, right?"
Yu Hanjiang mercilessly exposed the other party: "He only became energetic after using the Bug King Card. He couldn't even get out of bed just now, and he might have to have heart stent surgery tomorrow. Don't be careless; your surgeon is Zhao Sen. "
Shao Qingge frowned in confusion: " Zhao Sen? That name sounds familiar?"
He completed Red Heart 2 with a C rating and didn't get the story card, so he didn't have a deep impression of Zhao Sen.
Ye Qi said, "It's Red Heart 2." "That killer in Rose Funeral killed two people and even chopped up my cousin's body."
Upon hearing this, Shao Qingge's mind flashed to the image of the rose-covered bed and the bespectacled, refined-looking doctor in the photo in the study. His spine suddenly stiffened: "My attending physician is the murderer?!"
Xiao Lou said helplessly, "Yes, Zhao Sen appeared in the secret room. We don't know yet if he is related to this organ smuggling case, so we haven't alerted him."
Shao Qingge looked utterly devastated: "...He's going to operate on me? Are you sure he won't dissect me?"
"He has no motive to kill you, and besides, we will definitely find a way to protect you," Xiao Lou comforted him. "Don't worry too much about the surgery. If we can postpone it, we can. If we can't postpone it, I will apply to be an assistant in the operating room and personally oversee the process."
Shao Qingge nodded, put Ye Qi down, and walked to Yu Hanjiang's bedside to ask, "Where is the wound?"
Yu Hanjiang lifted his clothes, removed the gauze, and said, "The wound is relatively small, it should be easy to treat, right?"
Shao Qingge gently placed his hand on Yu Hanjiang's wound, and several small insects crawled out from his fingertips, moving back and forth on Yu Hanjiang's wound like busy porters. The wound healed little by little at a speed visible to the naked eye, and in no time, the skin at the wound site looked as if it had been reborn.
Looking at this amazing scene, Ye Qi exclaimed, "Back in the Spade 8 Secret Chamber, I really hated bugs, but now I find these little bugs kind of cute. Their healing effect is amazing."
Shao Qingge chuckled softly: "Of course, they've been tamed by me."
After Yu Hanjiang was cured, Lao Mo's surgical wound was also healed. Long Sen's broken leg repair would take some time, but it would not exceed 5 minutes, because Long Sen only had a ligament rupture in his leg, unlike President Tang who lost half a leg.
Xiao Lou silently noted down the time CEO Shao spent treating various wounds.
After recovering, Xiao Lou said, "It's only 7:30 now, the doctors haven't started their rounds yet. Everyone else can go back to their wards from the restroom. CEO Shao is in the ICU of the Cardiovascular Surgery Department, so it's inconvenient for him to go in. I will use Li Qingzhao's marker to take CEO Shao there. When you receive Li Qingzhao's teleportation invitation later, please don't press it by mistake."
The teammates all said they understood.
Xiao Lou gave Shao Qingge a "wait a moment" look, then turned and went to the cardiac surgery ICU ward. He asked Nurse to open the door for him, and once inside, he used Li Qingzhao's "Stray into the Lotus Blossoms" skill to mark Shao Qingge's bed.
The entire team can teleport to the marker point from 5 minutes ago. As long as they wait 5 minutes, he can have Shao Qingge teleport over.
**
After Xiao Lou left, Shao Qingge suddenly remembered something and said, "I just used the bug king card, so I might as well make a copy."
They 've already accumulated enough funds through Plum Blossom 9, and the [ Rich and Willful ] S card must copy any card used within the last 10 minutes —might as well use it.
Shao Qingge spent 5 million gold coins to duplicate a [Insect King] card, glanced at his teammates, and laughed, "Who wants this card?"
This combat card is so powerful that it grants the user immortality during the 24-hour transformation, making them invulnerable to blades and bullets, except for fire. Even if their head is severed, it can be instantly severed.
When it comes to limb restoration, people are too embarrassed to ask for it.
Shao Qingge patted Ye Qi's head: "Then let's give it to little Ye Qi."
Ye Qi looked up at him in disbelief: "For me?!"
Shao Qingge placed the card into Ye Qi's hand, his gaze gentle: "Your hand is full of control cards. If you really encounter danger, your combat power will be too weak. You can't just keep running for your life."
Ye Qi was flattered and said, "I... such a powerful card, should I give it to Captain Yu?"
Yu Hanjiang said calmly, "Take it if I give it to you, I don't need it."
Ye Qi looked at Shao Qingge and found him smiling at him. Although Shao Qingge was a bit frivolous and liked to tease him, CEO Shao was really good to him. Back in the Spade 8 Secret Chamber, he was infected by the Zerg while saving him, and by chance evolved into the Zerg King. Now, he had even given him the one-of-a-kind Bug King Card replica in the entire Card World.
Ye Qi felt a warmth in his heart, carefully put the card away, and happily said, "Thank you, CEO Shao."
Shao Qingge laughed: "You're welcome. You guys go back first, I'll wait for Xiao Lou to teleport me."
Li Qingzhao's teleportation required him to reach the marked point from 5 minutes prior. Xiao Lou had marked the point after entering the ICU ward and needed to wait 5 minutes before summoning Shao Qingge. Seeing that the time hadn't expired yet, Yu Hanjiang chatted with Shao Qingge about the case.
Shao Qingge had limited information; the surgery was entirely arranged by his wealthy father. Yu Hanjiang speculated, "The timing of your surgery coincides perfectly with the time when the deceased Liu Renyuan suddenly became wealthy. I suspect that your kidney may have come from him."
Shao Qingge raised an eyebrow in surprise: "The deceased? The person who donated my kidney is dead?"
"Okay, keep the body in Morgue. Let Xiao Lou find a way to get a kidney match today."
"..." Shao Qingge sighed and rubbed his forehead. "It seems this organ smuggling case is very complicated. Was the victim silenced?"
"No abnormalities were found in the cause of death. We still have too few clues. I will be discharged from the hospital this afternoon to investigate." Yu Hanjiang said with a stern face, "If it is an organized organ smuggling gang, then there will be many more people involved."
At the same time, Xiao Lou was marked in the ICU.
With only 30 seconds left in the 5-minute time limit, Xiao Lou suddenly heard the "beep" of the door card being swiped to open the door. Xiao Lou's back stiffened, and he immediately turned around and went to the door of the ward to block the intruder.
Meeting Zhao Sen's cold, sharp gaze head-on, Xiao Lou's heart pounded, but she maintained a polite smile: " Dr. Zhao, are you at work?"
Zhao Sen said in surprise, "Dr. Xiao, you're here to see your friend so early? I heard he's awake, so I'm going to check on him."
Bed number 3 was now empty. If Zhao Sen discovered this, it would be difficult to explain how Shao Qingge had disappeared.
Xiao Lou steeled himself and stopped Zhao Sen: "I have something I'd like to ask Dr. Zhao for help with."
Zhao Sen stopped in his tracks: "What is it?"
" Is Shao Qingge's coronary stent surgery absolutely necessary?"
"Yes, it's easy for him to have another heart attack if he doesn't do it. He already has three major arterial stenosis sites. You've also seen the test results. Stent implantation surgery can completely relieve the stenosis. I suggest he do it as soon as possible."
"Can I participate personally?" Since he couldn't refuse, he had to personally oversee the process. Xiao Lou said with a worried look, "He was terrified when I told him that there were three narrowed blood vessels in his heart, and he's afraid to have the surgery. If I can stand in the operating room with him, he'll feel much more at ease. Can I be Dr. Zhao's assistant?"
"An assistant?" Zhao Sen raised an eyebrow and joked, "Dr. Xiao, do you not trust my abilities and want to supervise me from the sidelines?"
"Of course that's not what I meant." Xiao Lou quickly waved his hand and said sincerely, "I just wanted to put Shao Qingge at ease. He had a kidney transplant last year and now he's going to have heart surgery. He's worried that his body won't be able to handle it. If an old friend is involved, even if he's just an assistant, he can feel more at ease."
"Oh, I see." Zhao Sen said knowingly, "Heart stenting is a very delicate surgery, Dr. Xiao, you're not an expert, you probably can't do it. I have a regular first assistant, if you don't mind, how about you be my second assistant?"
"No problem, just stand by and put the patient at ease," Xiao Lou said with a smile.
"Okay, let's go see him and confirm the surgery time." Zhao Sen turned and entered the ward, with Xiao Lou nervously following behind. When they arrived at bed number 3, they found Shao Qingge lying in bed, and Xiao Lou finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Li Qingzhao's teleportation managed to pull Shao Qingge into the ward at the last moment.
" Dr. Zhao, can I skip the surgery?" Shao Qingge's expression turned grim when he saw Zhao Sen, the murderer, in person.
"No, your blood vessels are already severely narrowed. If we don't insert a stent to clear the blockage, your heart will suffer extensive necrosis due to ischemia. You were lucky to be brought to the hospital in time this time and survived, but the next time might be different," Zhao Sen said calmly. "We'll schedule your surgery for tomorrow morning. Get ready. I'll have your family come to sign the surgical consent form today."
Shao Qingge looked at Xiao Lou and met Xiao Lou's helpless gaze.
It seems this surgery is absolutely necessary.
Shao Qingge felt a chill run down his spine at the thought. To have the executioner who chopped up his cousin's corpse perform heart surgery on him—what if Zhao Sen's hand trembled even slightly? He'd be dead! Guardian was definitely deliberately making things difficult for him!
Seeing the elevated blood pressure and increased heart rate on the monitor, Zhao Sen frowned slightly: "Are you nervous?"
Shao Qingge smiled and said, "... Dr. Zhao performed the surgery on me personally, I just..."
"...I'm so excited."