Chapter 7 HIS FIRST TEST

THE EMERGENCY ROOM of the medical center was rowdy and bustling with activity. Stretchers were being pushed and pulled all over the place. People were crying, while others looked on with hopelessness in their eyes.

"Doctor Barton," a nurse called, waving at him. "Over here."

Elias walked up to the nurse. Her tag said her name was Nurse Lily. She handed him the chart, and as he looked at it, even though he had never seen a case like this before, he began to figure it out.

"A man had an accident. He fell from a multi-story building and impaled himself on a seven-inch metal spike. It is lodged in his stomach," she explained as she hurried alongside him. "All the other doctors backed off. They said Doctor Marcus assigned this case to you..." She looked at him questioningly, wondering why the head surgeon would assign such a fatal case to a new doctor.

Of course he did. Marcus had not wasted any time, Elias snorted and handed the chart back to her as she opened the ward partition where the patient was lying. Blood dripped from the nasty wound in his side as several younger doctors tried to stop the bleeding.

"His heart rate is dropping!" one of them yelled. "He's losing too much blood!"

"We have to call someone! This man is going to die!" another doctor shouted. "Ring Doctor Marcus again!"

Elias immediately stepped forward, snapping on a pair of latex gloves and pushing one of the younger doctors aside. He looked at the monitor. The man's vitals were failing rapidly.

"I want all of you out. Now," he said.

They all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him incredulously.

"What?"

"You heard me," Elias repeated. "Nurse Lily, lead these doctors out of here and give me space to work."

They all looked at him like he was a madman who had lost his senses, but he was a senior doctor, so they had no choice but to obey. After all, if the man died, the responsibility would be in Elias's hands.

So, the three younger doctors filed out.

"Nurse, you can stay and assist me." He added and immediately sprang into action.

A seven-inch spike was lodged in the man's body. From his study of anatomy, Elias deduced that the spike had likely pierced the man's liver. That explained the blood loss. The liver could regenerate if the man survived but first, "I have to stop him from bleeding to death." Elias thought to himself.

As for the bleeding... It was just like that case he had in with Leo Salvatore.

Elias took out his needles and placed them strategically around the wound, then placed another at the man's throat. As he did so, he felt the familiar surge of energy rise from within him and flow into his fingers.

The bleeding suddenly slowed to a trickle, and the man's muscles seemed to tighten around the wound.

The monitor stopped blaring, and began a constant beeping rhythm.

Elias carefully removed the spike and placed it in a metal tray beside him. Then he began placing more needles, recalling the teachings of his master.

The torn flesh began drawing together with a speed that made Elias's stomach tighten. Life slowly returned to the man, but Elias could feel himself growing light-headed. If he did not stop soon, he knew he would collapse.

As soon as he was certain the man's internal injuries were stable, he stopped. He gripped the metal edges of the bed so he would not keel over from exhaustion.

Then he retrieved the needles and called for Nurse Lily.

"Yes, Doctor," she answered immediately.

"Thread a suture needle for me," he said.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the monitor. The patient's vitals had returned to almost normal, and he had stopped bleeding.

"Did you hear what I said?" Elias asked again.

"Y-yes, Doctor," she stammered.

Pushing aside her awe, she threaded the needle for Elias. He used it to carefully stitch the remaining open layer of the man's wound.

When he was done, a sudden wave of dizziness enveloped him. He collapsed into a nearby chair as the nurse went over the patient again.

"Make sure to check on him every day," Elias said. "He is out of immediate danger, but still do your routine checks."

The nurse nodded hastily. She gave Elias a small glance before asking, "W-what did you do, Doctor?"

Elias stood up, removed his gloves, and said, "I saved him. Tell that to Doctor Marcus."

He walked out of the ward, where the younger doctors had been waiting. When they saw him come out, they rushed inside and saw what Elias had done.

They were shocked and impressed.

They rushed back out, wanting looking at him in awe, but he was already gone.

Elias battled dizziness and nausea as he rode the elevator to his office. As soon as he got in, he collapsed into his chair and rested his head on the table.

He could not go on like this.

Chen Wei had never become this weak after doing what he did, even for much longer periods.

Marcus might soon try to overload him with more work, and Elias knew he could not keep using this technique multiple times a day.

He sighed and looked at the pouch on the table.

There had to be a way to get stronger. He grabbed the pouch and took out a needle. It was warm to the touch, he brought it close to his face and examined it.

There had to be a way to reach Chen Wei's level of skill..

He clenched the needle tightly and made himself a silent vow. "I will find a way to become stronger. I promise."