Chapter 5 Nobody Move

At this point, the nature of this bet had completely changed.

Both sides had put up their most precious stakes, the dignity of a department director, and the futures of two talented professionals.

Nora glanced down at her watch, then turned to grab the X-ray that had just been snatched away.

"We're out of time. Take me to the patient's room, then contact the nurses and other assistants right away."

Hazel's voice, which had just calmed down, rang out again, full of disbelief.

"You, you're ordering me around?"

However, the two people across from her acted as if they hadn't heard her protest at all. After quickly gathering their things, they pushed open the door and left.

Just as she had ignored Nora's reaction moments ago.

The office door slammed shut with a bang, serving as a response to her outburst.

Hazel instantly deflated, collapsing into her chair. "This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous! Two wet-behind-the-ears kids daring to crack open the skull of an eighty-year-old man, it's basically murder! I'm calling Mr. Percy right now, and I'll make sure you pay for this!"

Meanwhile, John's room was already bustling with activity.

To direct everyone, Nora stood on a stool, gesturing constantly with both hands in the air, her voice hoarse from shouting.

"Check the ventilator and monitoring equipment. We need to monitor blood oxygen levels throughout the surgery. There appears to be mild inflammation around the tumor, possibly from radiation therapy. Get dexamethasone ready immediately."

Just then, the door burst open, and a series of machines of various shapes were wheeled into the room.

Sidney, following at the end of the line, looked excited as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Nora! I got you reinforcements."

Nora jumped down from her perch with a light tap of her toes. She frowned as she looked at the metal contraptions filling the entire room.

"These are all the latest model auxiliary equipment, right? Where did you get them?"

Sidney's face showed undisguised pride as he patted his chest like he was claiming credit.

"I pulled some strings to borrow them. Pretty good, right? I do have some standing at this hospital."

Nora's expression darkened as she turned away.

"Take all of these back out."

At first, Sidney thought something was wrong with his ears and instinctively leaned forward.

"What did you say?"

Nora stood with her hands behind her back, not turning around.

"Last week, a surgery in the neighboring state used this batch of new equipment. One of the main components didn't meet sanitary standards, and it caused a severe infection in the patient's wound. We can't take that risk."

Hearing this, Sidney felt somewhat disappointed and could only wave at the medical interns standing dumbfounded by the equipment.

"Everyone, sorry for the trouble, but take this stuff back. And bring over the old batch of equipment."

However, Nora, who had just stepped back onto the stool, vetoed this again.

"No, there's no time. We start the surgery now."

Sidney felt his vision go dark and his legs go weak, nearly collapsing to the floor.

Coming to his senses, Sidney scrambled to the stool and grabbed Nora's legs, shaking them back and forth.

"Nora, did that old woman make you lose your mind? Without modern equipment assistance, even God couldn't perform brain tumor surgery!"

Nora impatiently pulled one foot out of Sidney's embrace, her brows furrowing slightly.

"We already wasted over ten minutes in the office, and now we've spent another ten-plus minutes setting up the surgical site. That means the patient only has an hour and a half left. Never mind whether that's enough time to complete the surgery; even if the equipment arrived right now, how long would calibration and sterilization take?"

As the two were locked in this standoff, a smug laugh suddenly came from outside the door.

"I've been a doctor for over ten years, and this is the first time I've heard of someone performing surgery without equipment assistance. Let me ask, when you cook, do you still make fire by rubbing sticks together?"

Everyone turned toward the doorway to see Hazel standing there, with the male director who had slipped away earlier behind her.

From the gleeful expressions on their faces, they had clearly united their front once again.

The male director seemed fired up, and he came in swinging harder than before.

"Miss, this is beyond what even a medical genius could do. Right now, you should be praying you're a bomb disposal expert. Without modern equipment assistance, one cut from you might sever John's brain stem."

The two burst into laughter again, their voices echoing throughout the room.

This time, Nora didn't argue back. Instead, she jumped down from the stool again, her eyes quickly scanning the various tools on the operating table before saying quietly.

"Surgery begins. All non-essential personnel leave immediately."

Sidney moved like a robot receiving commands, quickly walking up to the two directors.

"You two, the assistant doctors and nurses are all arranged. There's no place for you. Leave now, or I'll call the police for malicious interference with surgery."

With that, the door slammed shut, and Nora's methodical commands could be heard from inside.

"Check the bone drill, milling cutter, and bipolar coagulation."

"Check complete."

"Gelatin sponge ready."

"Yes."

Hazel's mouth twitched as her high heels struck the floor violently, creating a racket.

"Zachary, wasn't I right? This is how they treat us senior leaders!"

Zachary shook his head somewhat helplessly.

"The attitude doesn't really matter. Young people always need to have some new ideas. What I'm worried about is that girl of unknown origin and John's condition. Although Sidney keeps promising he'll take responsibility if something goes wrong, if John really dies in that room, how could the administration possibly let us off the hook?"

Inside, the sound of the bone drill had already started.

Meanwhile, Sidney's earlier words flashed through Hazel's mind, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

"I've got it! Let's call the police right now! What do you think?"

As she spoke, she fumbled through all her pockets, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Where's my phone? I definitely had it on me."

Zachary, seeing this, seemed to remember something important and started walking toward the stairs.

"Don't worry, my phone is downstairs. I'll go get it. You stay here and watch them. I'll be right back."

Watching his hurried departure, Hazel stopped her frantic searching, a meaningful smile appearing on her face.

Inside the room, the atmosphere had reached its peak of tension.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the tissue forceps in Nora's hand.

To everyone's surprise, Nora at the operating table moved like she was in the zone.

Every cut, every snip, landed precisely in the right spot.

Sidney, beside her, was also stunned.

Initially, he had secretly arranged for the hospital's top-tier support team, hoping to show off his connections in front of his crush.

But now it seemed Nora was the real trump card he'd brought in.

Suddenly, a collective gasp filled the room.

The forceps in Nora's hand had precisely controlled the bleeding point.

This meant the tumor separation work had reached its most critical step.

"Wipe my forehead."

You could hear Nora's voice trembling slightly.

"Wipe my forehead."

The nurse beside her was completely absorbed, so much so that she didn't respond even after Nora called twice.

Sidney quickly grabbed the gauze and stepped up to the operating table.

However, just as he reached toward Nora's temple, the room suddenly plunged into darkness.

Immediately after, the beeping of the ventilator and monitors filled the entire room, and the emergency lights on the instruments instantly illuminated countless terrified faces.

"Nobody move!"