I Am Diagnosed as a Medical Titan

Chapter 184: Chapter 138: We Are Only Human

Leaving the Oncology Research Institute.

Jiang He took a deep breath, a wave of exhaustion washing over him.

He’d been working nonstop for two days and two nights. Even a young body couldn’t take that kind of abuse...

He leaned against the wall for a moment, taking it as a brief rest.

Then, he called his wife.

It rang only once before she picked up.

”Dr. Jiang?”

”It’s me. How are things on your end? Did the hotel tell you to relocate? Is the ventilation system in your room off?”

”I’m fine, don’t worry. The CDC has already taken over the Westin. We’re all quarantining in place in our own rooms. The central air conditioning has been shut off. The disease control staff just came by half an hour ago to do throat swabs and delivered breakfast and water. We’re all very safe now.”

”But are you feeling any discomfort? Have you taken your temperature? Do you feel any muscle aches? A dry or itchy throat? Or any slight chest tightness?”

”I just took it. My temperature is normal, no cough, no chest tightness, no aches at all. Dr. Jiang, I promise you, I’m perfectly safe.”

Hearing her answer.

Jiang He let out a long breath.

He finally felt a bit more at ease. Then he said, ”That’s good... Just stay put in your room.”

”I know, I know, you’ve already told me several times. Stop asking about me. What about you? Have you actually gotten any proper rest?”

Jiang He paused. ”Uh, yeah, I rested for a while in the lab.”

”Oh, really? Is there a bed in the lab?”

”Uh... there’s one of those folding cots, for when you’re on duty.”

”What color is the folding cot?”

”...Uh, blue?”

There were two seconds of silence on the other end of the line, followed by Shen Yu’s soft sigh.

”Jiang He, if you lie to me again, I’m going to punch you.”

Jiang He fell silent... ’Is my wife too hard to fool, or am I just a bad liar?’

Shen Yu asked again, ”So you haven’t slept a wink, have you?”

”Teacher Shen, I...”

”You don’t have to explain. I know you’re doing something very important, but I’m only asking you for one thing. Jiang He, you’re not made of iron. You need to sleep. I’ve already called Chen Hao and told him to keep an eye on you. Right now, immediately, this instant, go close your eyes and sleep for two hours. I’m begging you.”

Jiang He softly agreed, ”Okay, I’ll listen to you. As soon as this first wave of quarantine is over, I’ll come find you.”

”Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

The call ended.

In the Westin Hotel, Shen Yu put down her phone, and her tears instantly burst forth.

Her heart ached for Jiang He.

It ached for him, yet she was powerless to help. She hadn’t dared to cry on the phone, afraid it would only make him worry more.

All she could do was cry secretly, carefully, and quietly.

And Jiang He’s eyes had long since reddened.

In this world, the one thing he could never face calmly was the potential danger to Shen Yu.

If this virus hurt Shen Yu because of his butterfly effect... He didn’t dare to think any further.

After calming himself.

Jiang He walked toward Affiliated Hospital No. 1.

The streets were empty, and this emptiness felt reassuring.

As he passed the small plaza outside the outpatient hall, a large LED screen on the wall was broadcasting a special news report.

”...In response to this sudden public health emergency, our city has officially initiated a Level 1 emergency response. Currently, temperature checkpoints have been established at all transportation hubs. Large numbers of epidemiological investigation teams from the municipal and district CDCs have been dispatched. After twelve hours of tireless work, the screening and quarantine of key areas and close contacts have been largely completed. The first batch of allocated medical supplies and the expert team have arrived at Baiyun Airport. We urge all citizens to remain calm, and to not believe or spread rumors...”

On the screen, rows of personnel in full white hazmat suits were systematically disinfecting the streets on a large scale. Traffic police were swiftly diverting vehicles at intersections.

Jiang He stopped and watched for a moment.

’This is the power of the nation.’

When faced with a crisis, the emergency response speed and mobilization capabilities of this land were enough to leave any other country in the world in the dust.

It was truly a case of protecting the lives and property of the people at all costs.

Jiang He averted his gaze and walked into the critical care building of Affiliated Hospital No. 1.

In a private changing room, he put on a protective suit, an N95 mask, and goggles.

Then he pushed open the door to the negative pressure ICU’s buffer room.

This was the real battlefield.

The beeping of various instruments, the hiss of ventilators, and the sharp alarms of monitors all mingled together.

Jiang He, extremely practiced and low-key, immediately blended into the environment.

Passing bed three, he saw a resident staring worriedly at a ventilator screen.

The patient’s blood oxygen level just wouldn’t rise.

Jiang He walked over, glanced at the airway pressure and tidal volume on the screen, and advised in a low voice:

”The patient’s airway resistance is increasing, and compliance is decreasing. Increase the PEEP to 12, lower the tidal volume to 6 ml per kilogram of body weight, and switch to a low tidal volume lung-protective ventilation strategy. Also, increase the I:E ratio.”

The resident was stunned for a moment, looked at Jiang He, and immediately nodded. ”Right!”

A few seconds later, the blood oxygen saturation value on the monitor slowly climbed from 84% to 89%.

”Thank you, River God...” The resident looked up to thank him, but found that Jiang He had already moved on to the next bed.

In front of bed five.

Director Yang Xu was standing by the bed, his brow deeply furrowed.

Lying on the bed was the taxi driver, Old Lin.

”Teacher.” Jiang He walked up and greeted him.

Yang Xu turned his head. Seeing it was Jiang He, a flash of relief appeared in his eyes. ”I heard about what you did. Good work. You can leave this to us. Go get some rest.”

”I can’t sleep,” Jiang He said, then asked, ”How’s the patient?”

Yang Xu shook his head, his voice heavy. ”Extremely poor. He was a close contact of patient zero. Prolonged exposure in an enclosed vehicle, and his viral load from the first-generation virus is absurdly high. On top of that, he was driving while fatigued for long periods, so his immune system was on the verge of collapse. By the time he was brought in, both of his lungs had already begun to show consolidation.”