Five hours ago, 1,800 kilometers away, Zheng Ren and his team finally trudged to Nanchuan Town with great difficulty.
In the ruins, there was a young figure dressed in camouflage clothes running around busily.
“So fast, there’s someone who came earlier than us…” Su Yun’s lips were dry as he muttered.
“We have a long way to go and the route is also bad. It’s normal for us to come in late.”Zheng Ren followed behind Zhao Yunlong and softly comforted Su Yun.
They really had to compete in everything. Zheng Ren really felt that there was no need to be so competitive.
After almost a day and night of arduous trekking, other than the cameraman and reporters, there was also an Imperial Capital chief resident who was hit by a flying stone toward his chest, resulting in some of his ribs getting fractured.
That was already considered lucky. At the very least, he was able to make it there alive.
Zhao Yunlong came to the back of a young man in camouflage who was busy rescuing people. He saluted and asked, “Where are you from? Where is the leader?”
The young man did not notice that someone had entered Nanchuan Town. He was already mentally and physically exhausted.
When he heard Zhao Yunlong’s question, he turned around to look.
A face that should have been brimming with youth was covered in dust. His eyes were bloodshot and his body was covered in various injuries.
“We’re military doctors. The captain is treating someone over there.” When he saw that Zhao Yunlong, Zheng Ren, and the others were also moving forward lightly and had made a long journey to enter Nanchuan Town, he only revealed a disappointed expression.
“Who are you? Did you bring any relief supplies? A jack, just a jack will do.” The young man’s eyes revealed a look of hope.
What a small request. If they were outside, it would not even be considered a request… Unfortunately, even such a small request was still an extravagant hope in this small town that was practically isolated from the world and turned into ruins.
The teams that could rush there at the first possible moment were all moving forward with light equipment. It was impossible to carry any sort of heavy equipment with them.
Zhao Yunlong shook his head slightly and followed the direction that the young man was pointing at, quickly rushing over.
On the square, hundreds and thousands of survivors were sitting there. Some were helping the first batch of rescue teams to search for the injured, some were crying, and most of them were still in shock and numbness.
A row of corpses was placed in a corner of the square, covered with sheets of cloth that could be found. A few simple military tents had been set up. Someone was disinfecting them. It seemed that they were being used as an emergency operating theater.
Su Yun glanced at the supplies beside the tents. There was almost nothing. The water and food that the team brought in had already been distributed to the hungry survivors.
During that time, the rain that had just stopped began to fall again.
When would the main force be able to enter the isolated island? Three days? Or maybe even five?
Zheng Ren did not know.
“Boss, I’m a little desperate,” Su Yun said softly. His black hair hung down on his forehead and he looked weak.
That was also what everyone in the square thought.
Could they still get out alive?
It had been 24 hours and only 20 or so rescue workers had come in. The supplies they brought…were only a drop in the bucket.
A military flag was erected in the rubble by the square.
Zheng Ren looked at the military flag and said in a low voice, “You shouldn’t feel that way.”
“This is an isolated island. There’s no food and water, only these survivors.” Su Yun sighed, his tone filled with sorrow.
According to the mission requirements, they needed to find the survivors and help as many of them as possible.
These hundreds of people… Could they be brought out?
The surgery squad had already suffered a loss. If they really brought hundreds of old, weak, and disabled people out, they would probably die a terrible death.
But if they did not leave, would they just sit there and wait for death?
There was no way out. The future was foggy and filled with the smell of death.
Zheng Ren shook his head. He thought of something and took out the folded national flag from his bosom. It was still warm from his body heat.
He stood under the military flag and tried his best to smile as he said.
“The national flag doesn’t fall, the military flag doesn’t fall, the hearts of people don’t fall. What’s there to be desperate about?”
Su Yun and his companions were stunned.
In the wind and rain, Zheng Ren raised the national flag in his hand. It fluttered along with the military flag, unyielding and strong.
If the national flag, the military flag, and the people’s hearts do not fall!
That was right. What the hell is there to be desperate about? Who knew how many troops were traveling night and night outside, crossing mountains and ridges to rescue them.
All difficulties were temporary, and all difficulties could be overcome.
Flying from the Imperial Capital to here was not for him to lose all hope!
Su Yun smiled and flicked his black hair on his forehead, causing water droplets to splash.
He found a piece of wood and called a few people to fix the national flag in Zheng Ren’s hand firmly and erect it in the rubble.
After kicking the pole a few times, it was very firm. Su Yun patted Zheng Ren’s shoulder and smiled, “Boss, sometimes what you say makes sense.”
“Hehe.” Zheng Ren also smiled.
“Boss, if we get out of here alive, I’ll take you to Tahiti to fish,” Su Yun said, sweeping away his dejected state.
“Tahiti, where’s that in the Imperial Capital? Will the subway be repaired very soon?” Zheng Ren asked in confusion.
Speechless, Su Yun did not know how to respond to him.
..
..
The rescue work never stopped, no matter how bad the weather was or how strong the aftershocks were.
After some simple repairs, Zheng Ren and the other team members threw themselves into the search and rescue work.
While he was busy, Zheng Ren heard a whistle for help not far away.
He immediately rushed over with Su Yun.
A young military doctor who had not graduated yet was trying hard to move a prefabricated board. Unfortunately, it was beyond the scope of human strength.
Mechanical strength was needed!
A large amount of manpower and material resources were needed… However, the troops that could arrive within 24 hours were all light troops. There were not many of them and they were similar to scouts.
These young military doctors used their hands to dig through the rubble, looking for shallower areas that could be dug out so that they could rescue the injured and the dead.
The injured were treated, and the dead were carried to the town’s central square. This was the widest open space in the entire town.
In front of them, the rubble was pressed under the prefabricated board, and one could vaguely see a necrotic foot being pressed down by it. The young military doctor did not dare to do anything too drastic and only cleaned up the surrounding rubble.
His efforts were effective. At least the basic outline of the ruins could be seen.
There was a gap between the prefabricated board and the bricks. It was about 20cm wide, slanted, and 50cm long. Zheng Ren looked through the gap and saw that the space inside was extremely narrow. A pregnant woman’s body happened to be in the gap.
She was very lucky and was not dead.
Her luck was not too good either. One of her feet was pressed down and had rotted away.
The pregnant woman was already unconscious. Beside her was a little girl of four or five years old. She blinked her big eyes and had a confused look on her face.
It seemed that she had been scared silly. However, there was a gap. Breathing was not a problem. Water and food could also be passed down.
Zheng Ren frowned. The diagnosis given by the system panel in the upper right corner of his field of vision had caused the hormone secretion in his body to peak.
The unconscious patient had multiple blunt contusions which were not fatal. The fracture of the tibia and fibula of the left calf was also not a big deal.
The ischemic necrosis of the left calf…could also be amputated.
However, bacteremia and toxic shock of infection indicated that the chances of survival were not high even if they were rescued now.
It was also under the premise of not wasting time.
The current medical capabilities… Zheng Ren felt very regretful.
It did not matter what he wanted, it was just the current situation.
But these were not the main points. What Zheng Ren saw was that the pregnant woman’s contractions were intense and she was about to give birth. However, the child in her belly had the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck, causing the pregnant woman to be unable to give birth normally.
If it was in Imperial Capital, no! In a non-hospital setting, even in the simplest operating theater… Even if it was on a bed, Zheng Ren was confident that he could perform a cesarean section within a few minutes and successfully extract the child.
However…
“The pregnant woman is about to give birth. The child’s umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck. What medical equipment did you bring?” Zheng Ren asked hurriedly.
The young military doctor was stunned. Umbilical cord wrapped around the neck? How did he come up with the diagnosis?
However, as long as one was a doctor, they would know how critical the situation was. Moreover, in such an environment, obedience was the best choice.
“There’s only a surgical tray, gauze, iodophor, cotton balls, and a splint,” he said in a daze.
“Surgical tray and injector. Su Yun, give me an anesthetic!” Zheng Ren’s words carried a tone that could not be rejected.
It was dignified and solemn as if this was the operating theater and he had already brushed his hands and was ready to go on stage.
Su Yun did not refute. He immediately analyzed the situation, opened the last bottle of purified water, poured it down, and did a simple cleaning for Zheng Ren.
After washing his hands and sterilizing with iodophor, Zheng Ren began to wear gloves.
Su Yun threw away the bottle of purified water and extended his arm into the narrow space.
The posture was very awkward and the angle was also very small so he could barely see the operative view. The only ‘good’ news was that the pregnant woman was in a coma. It seemed that local anesthesia was enough.
Zhao Yunlong ran over with the satellite phone in his hand. As he ran, he said, “I’ll contact the headquarters. A helicopter will be here soon.”
Zheng Ren did not say anything. He took the surgical tray from the young military doctor who had not graduated yet and stuffed it into the small space through the gap. He opened the surgical tray with one hand and prepared to perform the surgery immediately.
“Chief Zheng, what are you doing?” Zhao Yunlong asked anxiously when he saw Zheng Ren’s posture as if he was about to perform surgery.
“Cesarean section. Fetal umbilical cord around the neck. The contractions of the pregnant woman are intense. There’s no time!” While Zheng Ren was preparing, Su Yun reached in and used one hand to sterilize the operating area of the pregnant woman.
It was full of smoke and dust. With a slight movement of his arm, sand and stones fell down.
A cesarean section under such circumstances?
“Chief Zheng, it’ll cause an infection,” Zhao Yunlong came to Zheng Ren’s side and said in a low and stern voice.
“The child doesn’t have time,” Zheng Ren said. “The adult is already in a state of septic shock. As long as the helicopter can arrive on time and send them to Chengdu, they can be sent to Huaxi for treatment.”
Zhao Yunlong was speechless.
Zheng Ren said it with absolute certainty and could not be rejected.
Zhao Yunlong thought carefully and it was indeed the case.
The injured person’s feet were black. It was obvious that the foot was already dead. After being pressed for nearly 24 hours, the poison from the dead tissue had already seeped into the bloodstream. Even if they were sent to Huaxi for emergency treatment now, it was still uncertain whether the person could be saved or not.
There was still Huaxi. If it was another hospital with slightly lower standards, the patient would definitely not be saved.
The mother or the child. He did not expect to be faced with such a choice the moment he arrived in Nanchuan Town.
