Main Story Chapter 11-10: Along with the Sins (与罪同行) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of blood and gore, injury, fire, possible traumatizing events

Read previous part here (check trigger warnings before proceeding)

When I was little, I was very afraid that the ceiling fan on the classroom will fall, and crash onto people that their flesh and blood are blended into a blur. During my first time boarding an airplane, I was also worried that something will suddenly go wrong with it.

It lasted until a certain day where I saw the probability of an aircraft failure being extremely low, and it's even harder than to win a special prize from the lottery.

Most people don't have the luck to win the jackpot of lottery throughout their lives, and similarly it's also difficult for them to encounter a disaster like an aircraft failure.

Yet, just now, right half a second ago, I clearly heard a disaster that is incomparably coincidental, and it was something that could've been avoided just a little more.

The moment I placed my phone down, all of my senses and my body aren't working. It only feels like the world is very far from me, with my soul floating in the air, and my body felt extremely heavy.

Crying is no longer an important matter. I quickly rushed to the road and stopped a speeding taxi.

After the sounds of a hurried brake, honks and the curse and swears from the driver, I apologized to him, and begged him to give me a ride.

From afar, I can already see the rising smokes. The feelings where my soul left my body surged towards me for once again.

There are already little smokes remaining the moment I got off the vehicle. There are many people surrounding at the art gallery's entrance, all discussing among themselves.

Passerby A: So scary...

Passerby B: There won't be things like gasoline in an art gallery too.

You: Excuse me, let me in!

I opened up a path through layers and layers of the crowd, and finally rushed inside.

The smokes and dusts are still floating around the gallery, it's a mess everywhere. I can't help but to let out a couple of coughs, and pushed off the wooden rack that is half burnt.

You: Charlie, are you there?!

Nobody replied me. After a pause, I walked deeper into the art gallery.

Gradually, a weak cry of pain is heard before me. My heart stopped. The moment I looked up, I immediately see the tall figure facing me with his back.

The khaki-colored windbreaker is filled with large amounts of soot. It became very dirty, looking a little desolated, but thankfully there aren't traces of blood on him.

The meticulously tidy hair in the morning is now messy, with a piece of wood chip hanging on the top of his hair.

That's great, he's fine...

Charlie: Sir, are you okay?

He squatted in front of a half-lying man, seriously examining the person's carotid by placing a finger over it. He then let out a sigh of relief afterwards.

Man: Ouch...

Charlie: The ambulance will be here soon, bear with it for a little.

After laying that man down and confirming that there's nothing major happening to him, he then walked towards another person laying at the corner.

Charlie: Everyone, don't panic, I'm a doctor. I'll be provide first aid treatment before the ambulance is here.

He examined everyone's injuries in order, the silhouette walking across the venue looks like a gonfalon in the ruins, making people to feel safe.

This is his first time not noticing me standing behind him, but it's this conscience that have made me teary.

Woman: Doctor, save me...

Charlie: Where does it hurt? Is it here? Do you feel anything else?

Woman: Yes, it's exceptionally painful here.

I can't help but to walk a few steps closer. I saw a thin, long metal piercing onto that woman's arm.

Upon confirming the woman's condition, Charlie's expressions looked a little serious, but still tried his best to console her.

Charlie: Your wound is closed by a metal object, so there's yet any excessive bleeding. We will immediately help you to handle it as soon as we arrive the hospital, so please bear with it for a while to ensure the foreign object will not move.

The woman closed her eyes in fear, but still nodded. Charlie raised an arm to help her to hold onto the metal object, but another call in pain sounded from the other side.

He immediately looked towards the source of the sound, seemingly wanted to get up, but looking at the metal he's holding, he paused again.

You: Let me help you.

I quickly walked over, and helped Charlie to hold onto the long, thin piece of metal.

You: Get busy.

Charlie: Are you injured?

You: I just arrived, so no.

Charlie: Okay.

He didn't ask why I'm here, nor he stopped what he's doing. Only to nod at me with a smile after confirming that I'm not injured.

The pair of clear purple eyes showed determination, gentleness, and lots of gratefulness.

The ambulance came in time.

After carrying all of the injured onto the vehicle, and just when we thought the disaster is about to come to an end, an exclaim is heard among the crowd!

Ambulance Staff: There's another person here!

Charlie: ...?!

Ambulance Staff: Weak carotid pulse, with full body seriously burnt, an immediate emergency treatment to the hospital is a must!

Charlie and I are both shocked. In a panic, the stretcher has already moved past us. I can only see that it's a thin little girl, with her slim arms charred black.

Charlie: The city's first hospital is the nearest from here, head there right away! Fiancee, let's get on the ambulance now.

Upon taking a seat on the ambulance, that I've finally noticed some bandage circling around Charlie's left wrist. It's very simply bandaged, and there's already blood seeping out.

But he didn't seem to mind it, or should I say, he didn't even notice it.

Charlie: Hey, Lao He, it's me. How many empty rooms are there in the operation room? Okay, got it. There will be a batch of injured patients sent over there, let everyone be prepared for emergency treatments.

The coordinating doctors and nurses are already waiting when the ambulance stopped. As soon as the door is opened, the most injured patient is brought out.

Dr. He: Dr. Zha, how's the condition of the patient?

The old doctor that I have met once walked towards Charlie with a serious expression.

Charlie: Blood pressure undetectable, heart rate 130, suspected injury from inhalation, there are annular eschar formed on the chest. It's very possible that it has restricted breathing.

He has already changed into his lab coat, turning around to pat on my shoulder, and showed me a glance that tells me to stay assured.

Charlie: Don't worry, if you don't want to stay here, you can wait for me in my office. Lao He, emergency resuscitation, inform the doctors from the burns and anesthetics department.

Hearing that, a young doctor standing behind Dr. He frowned lightly.

Young Doctor: What about the patient's family? There's no signature of consent!

Charlie: Life is at stake, there's no time.

Young Doctor: But this is a minor--

Dr. He: Xiao Chen, saving lives is on the top priority, it's not the time to discuss this. Dr. Zha, the anesthetist is already stationed.

Charlie: Okay, apply for four units of red blood cells and 400ml of plasma.

A group of people followed the push cart and ran towards the operation room hurriedly.

I didn't go to his office, but instead chose to sat outside the operation room.

Although I know that emergency rescues like this is something normal to Charlie, and I also believe that he has enough confidence to snatch life from the god of Death.

But I'm uncertain of the reason why I still feel a little anxious.

I'll probably know the first-hand updates if I wait here.

What I didn't know is, the situation in the operation room is way worse than I've imagined.

This is a body that has been long-malnutritioned with not a single patch of normal skin. Charlie can see that there is already atrophy on her skin before the burn.

But there's not much time for him to consider this anomaly at this moment.

Charlie: Open up the venous channel.

Ketamine slowly flowed into the patient's body along the tubes. The anesthetist watches the surveillance monitor closely, not daring to move their gaze away even for a second.

In the pure white world under the shadowless operating lamp, time isn't segmented into the rhythmic seconds, but the amount of blood vessels, the accuracy of the incision and all sorts of sudden incidents.

Charlie: The patient is 91% burnt, the eschar on her chest has restricted her breathing. The operation duration will be three hours, estimated blood loss amount is 100cc. Dr. Gao, heart beat, blood pressure, oxygen levels please.

Anesthetist: Heart rate 130, blood pressure 90/40, blood oxygen 90%.

Charlie: Maintain smooth airway, accelerate fluid infusion, check on the blood gas. Scalpel.

 Skin preparation, disinfecting, opening of airway and tracheal intubation... In the tensed operation room, everything are happening in order.

Charlie: Tweezers, pliers.

Anesthetist: Blood oxygen levels have dropped to 70.

Charlie: ...!

Dr. He: Dr. Zha, don't panic. Dr. Gao, switch the respirator to volume-controlled respiration.

Everyone are breathing a little hurriedly as they stared at each and every movement from Charlie.

Anesthetist: Muscle twitching, spasms now happening! Not good, a sudden drop in heart rate after 130!

Everyone looked up in jinx, with disappointment written all over their faces.

The god of Death descended with no warning, making everyone to remain silent. It seemed like there's only the beeping, deafening sounds of machines remaining in this world.

Charlie: Increase the amount of infusion, prepare for demethylation, hurry!

A calm voice broke the silence.

Charlie still continued the operation in his hands and send instructions in order, it's just the slight tremble at the end of his tone exposed his emotions.

Everyone in the surgical department knows that Charlie's practical experience has far exceeded his peers, and the operations he experienced are even more compared to some chief physicians.

Everyone said, that it's because he has worked with too much deaths, that's why he can face each accidents calmly. This is very fair.

That's why even if everyone are in a panic, Dr. Zha can't be in a panic. He is the magic cudgel*.

*T/N: In Chinese folklore for Sun WuKong, his weapon, the magic cudgel is what stabilizes the ocean. It means he is the core of something that if it's removed, chaos ensues.

Watching the panic that everyone has sneaking out from his face, but hid very quickly again, then puzzled back into the Dr. Zha that everyone deems to have no fear.

Suddenly, everyone else stopped panicking anymore.

Since everyone are stationed at where they are, and everyone giving their all, so they should battle until the very last second with no distractions.

Charlie: Dr. Gao, monitor the heart and lung functions and the blood cycling function.

Anesthetist: High pressure at 75, still lower than 80, heart rate is 132.

Charlie: Supply norepinephrine, prepare the plasma.

As the liquid slowly gets injected, the electromagnetic waves on the monitor gradually returned to calmness.

Anesthetist: Blood pressure returned, 85/40, heart rate 122.

Everyone lets out a sigh of relief.

Charlie: Record of emergency rescue time. 10 minutes, operation continues.

Everyone can't feel the flow of time when they are focused in a state of nervousness. Unknowingly, the clock on the wall has made two turns.

???: What's the condition of the patient now?

Dr. Chen: Chief Sun, you're here!

Sun TaiZhong nodded towards the young doctor, then walked towards the operation table.

Charlie didn't look at him, only lowering his head to focus on his operation.

Charlie: Hemostatic forceps, prepare for suture.

Chief Sun: Dr. Zha, leave the suture to Xiao Chen, I heard that you're injured, you have to handle that quick.

Charlie: No need, I can finish this.

Chief Sun: All indicators of the patient are stable now, you've already dragged her back from the line of death. But you can't ignore your hand, it has to save more people. Xiao Chen will do it well later, and I'll also be watching from the side.

After a short moment of thought, Charlie nodded.

Charlie: I'll trouble you to that.