In the era of technology, news tended to spread like wildfire.
The success of the prostate interventional embolization surgery in Sorcery Capital reached the higher-ups of Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery in record time.
It was earth-shattering news for the company.
While the professors in Imperial Capital had been studying scans and researching ways to carry out the surgery, Biosensors International had invited the world-class surgeon, Professor Rudolph Wagner, from Heidelberg University to Sorcery Capital. The multinational had also invested in a production line for large-scale manufacturing of their in-house guide wire and catheter used in the groundbreaking operation.
It all boiled down to capital in the end.
It mirrored the Chinese Revolution 70 years ago, where thousands of brave men froze to death on the battlefield as their impoverished country failed to supply them.
They were closing the talent gap but still lagged behind in materials science.
Their rivals had a head start of a few hundred years of knowledge and experience dating back to the industrial revolution.
Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery chairman cum CEO, Ma Quan, was in his office. The lights were off as he sat motionless in his large office chair, stuck in the same position he had been in since the news broke.
As expected, there had been no progress from the engineering department.
Was this their end?
Decades of hard work, all gone in one fell swoop.
Were they too late? Was it because they lacked the core technology? There were many factors in play.
Ma Quan gazed in despair at the glimmering city lights outside his office window. He had expected such an outcome, but nothing could have fully prepared him for it.
During Shenzhen City’s humble beginnings as a small fishing village, he had started out with a small, struggling supermarket.
He had then ridden the wave of Shenzhen City’s growth and expansion.
Had he reached the zenith of his career? Although the company was far from bankruptcy, the influx of foreign businesses was making business more competitive, and the careless would be torn to bits…
Ma Quan sighed deeply.
His phone suddenly rang. Its bright screen cut through the oppressive darkness and breathed some life back into the office.
Ma Quan was not in the mood to answer any calls.
Seeing that this was from Manager Feng of the northeastern operations team, he rejected it.
The young man was competent and hardworking. In a decade’s time, he could be in charge of a whole region.
What a pity.
Ma Quan could not guarantee if the company would survive that long… No, he was certain that it would not.
As he was deep in thought, the phone rang a second time.
He rejected it but seconds later, it rang again.
Ma Quan was outraged.
That insignificant salesman would not have gotten his personal number had he not felt the need to spur the man on to success with the interventional surgery in Imperial Capital. Now, that rare privilege was being abused.
This upstart was incorrigible, ringing him continuously like that.
Had he lost his wits?
Well, if it was death Feng Xuhui wished for, that could be expedited.
Ma Quan was not ill-tempered, but successful businessmen did not tolerate insubordination or disrespect.
This greenhorn had repeatedly called him despite his clear rejection. It was unforgivable.
Stony-faced, Ma Quan accepted the call.
Feng Xuhui’s exuberant voice came through the speakers.
“Chairman Ma! We’ve had a breakthrough in Imperial Capital!”
Ma Quan huffed in response. This kid had probably not heard the news from Sorcery Capital. A breakthrough? Could any breakthrough provide leverage against an entire Biosensors International production line?
It was futile!
“The chief of the interventional surgery department, Dr. Kong, would like to meet you and discuss a supply contract for the hospital.” Feng Xuhui’s infectious joy bounced off Ma Quan, but his words surprised the old man.
Ma Quan suppressed his emotions to keep his voice from trembling. “What did you say?”
He had cultivated an infallible poker face from years of doing business.
However, Feng Xuhui’s announcement was all that he wanted. He could barely contain himself.
Neither Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery and Biosensors International cared for the surgery’s success out of the kindness of their hearts.
It was just a pathway to introduce their products to healthcare providers. Once the company’s products were adopted by Imperial Capital General, their market would expand alongside the surgeons who flew across the country to perform surgery.
The tightening of healthcare regulations made introducing new products to the market harder. As a latecomer to the industry, gaining access to Imperial Capital General would give them a foothold in the domestic market.
Interverntional Surgery Department Chief Kong had agreed to a deal?
Ma Quan felt his blood pressure rise. Stars danced across his vision and he felt dizzy.
“Say that again!” Ma Quan growled, ignoring his discomfort.
Feng Xuhui noticed the agitation in Chairman Ma’s voice and checked his excitement, deciding on a succinct summary. “Chairman Ma, Chief Kong of the interventional surgery department wishes to purchase some micro guide wires. The hospital’s purchasing procedures require a contract with us, but since I’m not authorized to sign any agreements, I called you instead.”
It was true! Ma Quan immediately replied, “I’ll get on the next available flight!”
With that, he hung up.
In the darkness of his office, the lights outside seemed to twinkle with magic.
…
…
In the CT room of Imperial Capital General, Zheng Ren worked late into the night.
Although the anatomy of a prostate was simple, reconstruction of its CT scan was much more laborious than he had expected.
The capillary network was as complex as the river systems in the canal towns down south.
There were no obvious tumor-feeding arteries in the prostate area. The blood supply came from networks of capillaries whose origins could not be established.
It was similar to Zheng Yunxia’s liver tumor absorbing nutrients from an unnatural branching of the phrenic artery.
The vascular system in the prostate was more complex than that of a cancerous liver.
After 4 taxing hours of fiddling with the CT scan console, Zheng Ren gave up and reluctantly used a skill book to raise his genitourinary skills to Master rank.
Equipped with a Master rank and the memory of 3,000 dissections, Zheng Ren believed few in the country—no, the world—could rival his knowledge of the prostate.
Master-level surgeons were common, but few could claim to have performed 3,000 prostate dissections. Experience was everything.
With his skills at CT scan reconstruction and interventional surgery also at Master rank, Zheng Ren was arguably at the forefront of prostate surgery research.
His fingers flew across the keyboard, performing countless operations one after another. One might have mistaken him for a competitive esports professional, hitting 500 actions per minute and demolishing his rival.
Department Chief Kong had his eyes closed, resting. Even Su Yun failed to keep up with Zheng Ren.
The hum of the 64-slice CT scan 3D reconstruction machine was ten decibels louder with Zheng Ren at the helm.
It was running at full power; there was no other way it could keep up with the lightning-fast hands and even faster mind before it
…
