21. The “Man” Behind Luo Hao

Luo Hao’s words left everyone in the gastroscopy suite in a state of confusion and chaos.

Lin Yuming, in particular, knew perfectly well that the ERCP suite at the Mining General Hospital had been idle ever since the doctor who performed the procedures moved to the south. Although he had personally supervised the maintenance and upkeep of the equipment to ensure it remained ready for use at any time, there was absolutely no inventory of consumables.

What was Luo Hao talking about?

How could he possibly have them? Was he joking? Was he performing magic? Did he intend to simply "conjure" the supplies out of thin air? This child was becoming increasingly unable to distinguish between what was serious and what was trivial; he needed a stern lesson.

"You have them? Let me see," Director Shi asked, looking suspicious.

Luo Hao took off his gloves, stepped out of the gastroscopy suite, and made a phone call in the hallway.

"Luo Hao, what are you doing!" Lin Yuming said sternly. "Do you think I don't know what we have at Mining General? How could you possibly conjure up some kind of stone-retrieval basket?"

"Uncle, I’m going to check. If we have them, it could solve a lot of problems," Luo Hao said, hurrying away.

"Call me Director Lin!" Lin Yuming scolded with a stern face.

"Director Lin, wait a moment, let me coordinate this."

With that, Luo Hao walked to the changing area at the entrance of the gastroscopy suite. This was where patients changed their clothes, and also where doctors, nurses, and family members communicated. Lin Yuming was completely baffled, and Director Shi followed him out, driven by curiosity.

Without the Skylite stone-retrieval basket, the surgery would have to be suspended. If Luo Hao couldn't "conjure" one up, they would have to bite the bullet and try, but if that failed, the patient would have to be sent to the Medical University for surgery. Simple matters were becoming complicated, and Director Shi’s mind was a mess. He didn't believe for a second that Luo Hao could conjure a Skylite basket. He complained inwardly that performing surgeries away from his home base was incredibly inconvenient—everything was in short supply—and vowed that no matter who asked, he would never leave the provincial capital for surgery again.

There’s no place like home; everything is difficult when you’re away.

Luo Hao reached the entrance and opened the door. Three people in suits walked in. Their gait was slightly odd, walking on tiptoes as if afraid of making an unusual sound.

"Dr. Luo, hello. I am Nie Changchun, the Sales Director of Southern Minimally Invasive. You can just call me Old Nie." The leading man was all smiles, bowing slightly and extending his hand.

Luo Hao shook his hand, polite and warm, yet reserved.

"Dr. Luo, Manager Yin’s request was quite vague, so I didn't know exactly what you needed, and I brought everything I could. Please take a look. If there are any other special requirements, I will strive to get them within three hours."

"Director Nie?!" A gasp rang out.

The sales representative brought by Director Shi looked on in horror, staring blankly at the middle-aged man standing before Luo Hao, bowing slightly with a demeanor that bordered on servile.

"Who is he?" Director Shi asked, stunned.

"He... he..."

"He what! Who is he, exactly?" Director Shi demanded impatiently.

"Director Nie used to be an executive at a multinational corporation before being headhunted by Southern Minimally Invasive. Within two years, he built a nationwide sales network, and the company's performance has climbed sharply every quarter. He is a titan in our industry," the junior sales rep muttered. He never expected to see a legendary figure of the industry in the gastroscopy suite of the Mining General Hospital. Moreover, this titan was showing such humility in front of a junior doctor. Watching in astonishment, the junior rep felt that Director Nie’s attitude wasn't just simple courtesy; there seemed to be a primal, innate fear in his demeanor toward the young doctor, like that of a creature at the bottom of the food chain toward one at the top.

Luo Hao didn't hear the conversation behind him, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared.

"Do you have the Skylite stone-retrieval basket?" Luo Hao asked.

"Yes, we have both the original and the replicas, in three different sizes," Director Nie answered shrewdly. Without further ado, he took a suitcase from the young woman behind him, opened it, and knelt on the floor to find the three models of the Skylite basket. "Dr. Luo, please take all three inside; use whichever one feels best."

"!!!"

Director Shi looked at the well-stocked suitcase, his heart surging with shock. It was better equipped than their own operating room, and it was mobile, to boot. What exactly was Luo Hao’s background?

"Alright, thank you for your trouble." Luo Hao took the three models of the basket, offered a polite word to Director Nie, and turned back to Director Shi.

"Teacher Shi, see which one is suitable."

Director Shi was speechless. He only brought a junior sales rep with him when he traveled, yet Luo Hao had a top-tier industry titan serving him personally. The gap between them was beyond words. Was this really the Mining General Hospital in Donglian City? Even the Peking Union Medical College Hospital couldn't be much better than this. This was treatment on par with an academician of the two national academies in the capital!

"Teacher Shi?" Luo Hao called out again, seeing the director remain silent.

"Bring them in first; I'll take a closer look." Director Shi feigned composure and turned back to the ERCP suite.

Director Shi was a mess. *'To put it bluntly, in this province, it’s basically impossible to find another doctor who can bring a manufacturer’s sales director and supplies to Donglian City for surgery. Why am I able to do it?'* The words he had spoken not long ago echoed in his ears. Director Shi felt ashamed. Luo Hao could not only do it, but he could do it better.

Luo Hao returned to the endoscopy suite behind Director Shi and opened all three models of the Skylite baskets.

"Ah! Luo Hao, what are you doing?" Director Shi was startled.

"Using them, Teacher Shi. Try them out and see which model feels better in your hand," Luo Hao said.

"This... the Skylite basket is too expensive. If we bill it to the patient, the cost..." Director Shi stammered.

"It definitely won't be billed to the patient. Teacher Shi, just see which one you’re comfortable with, and we’ll bill that one. We'll have the manufacturer write off the others as wastage; it has nothing to do with the patient," Luo Hao said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"!!!"

Director Shi wanted to argue, but suddenly recalled the humble, bowing posture of that industry titan when he saw Luo Hao. Although Director Shi could bark orders at junior sales reps, he knew he would never even get to meet a titan of that level. If that was the case, then wasting a little bit didn't really matter.

Director Shi immediately accepted Luo Hao’s suggestion. He picked up one set of the Skylite equipment, tested it in his hand, and shook his head. After deliberating for a dozen seconds, he finally chose one set. The equipment was handy and incredibly smooth; one touch was enough to know it was the top-tier gear available in the country—even the First Hospital of the Medical University didn't have it.

With a proper tool in hand, Director Shi performed the surgery with lightning speed. Stone crushing, stone retrieval, bile duct cleaning—the surgery was over in less than 20 minutes.

"Done and dusted!" Director Shi said with a touch of excitement.

Luo Hao began the closing procedures. Director Shi subconsciously wanted to leave the table, but then he changed his mind and stayed to help Luo Hao finish up. The surgery was a complete success. Luo Hao was very happy; although there was no system mission for this surgery and the experience points gained were minimal, he was still delighted.

The patient, under general anesthesia, regained consciousness and was sent back to the ward. Director Shi pulled Luo Hao aside and asked, "Little Luo, do you know that sales director from the manufacturer?"

"I don't."

Director Shi curled his lip. Luo Hao saw that Director Shi was unhappy, believing he was lying and brushing him off.

"Teacher Shi, I really don't know him," Luo Hao explained helplessly. He couldn't exactly tell the director that he was a shareholder in their company; that would be even more troublesome to explain. Luo Hao felt quite helpless as well.

"I get it now!" Director Shi’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Luo Hao was slightly taken aback. What did he get?

"Little Luo, you must have met the manufacturer’s sales rep when your mentor took you to an annual conference!" Director Shi felt he had discovered the truth and said triumphantly. The reason that industry titan gave Luo Hao face and traveled thousands of miles with a suitcase full of supplies to "save the surgery" was because the person behind Luo Hao was powerful. Thinking this way, all the doubts were perfectly explained. It wasn't that Luo Hao was powerful, but that the "man" standing behind Luo Hao was.

Luo Hao chuckled, neither confirming nor denying.

With the patient sent away, Luo Hao and Lin Yuming accompanied Director Shi to the changing room. Inside, the junior sales rep brought by Director Shi stood in the corner like a frightened chick, not daring to breathe loudly. Director Nie was sitting on a chair, waiting for Luo Hao. Seeing them enter, he stood up and asked respectfully, "Dr. Luo, was the Skylite stone-retrieval basket easy to use?"

"It was. The surgery was a complete success. Thank you," Luo Hao nodded.

Director Nie breathed a sigh of relief. "Dr. Luo, this is my business card. If you need anything in the future, just contact me directly. Please don't be a stranger; this is my private cell number, and it’s on 24 hours a day."

"Okay." Luo Hao took the business card presented with both hands and put it away. Seeing that Luo Hao didn't just toss the card aside but placed it in his wallet, the smile on Director Nie’s face grew even brighter.

"Director Nie, is it?" Lin Yuming asked.

"Hello," Director Nie replied, not knowing Lin Yuming's identity but deciding not to offend him.

"I am the Director of the Medical Affairs Department at Mining General. Thank you for your trouble in bringing the Skylite baskets. May I ask how we should account for these consumables?"

"Just bill the one that was used; ignore the others. I’ll record them as internal wastage."

Director Nie’s words aligned perfectly with Luo Hao’s, making Director Shi’s eyelids twitch. The cost wasn't high—certainly well within the authority of a director like Nie—but it was his attitude that mattered! It seemed that as long as Luo Hao was happy, Director Nie would do anything. As for the "little" bit of wastage, he just smiled, completely unconcerned. Having seen much in his time, Director Shi had dealt with many sales reps and managers, and he had long since sensed the underlying meaning.

Director Nie didn't linger, knowing Luo Hao had other matters to attend to. He exchanged a few more polite words with Luo Hao, reiterated that he should call him if he needed anything, and then bowed to show his respect before leaving.

"Little Luo, who is your mentor? How come a titan of the medical supply industry gives you so much face?" Director Shi asked.

Luo Hao scratched his head, not knowing how to answer.

"Haha, in real surgery, how can you not deal with manufacturers? Many guidewires and catheters are designed after clinicians provide feedback. Don't be shy; we’re all on the same side," Director Shi said with a chuckle. Although he told Luo Hao not to be shy, seeing that the young man didn't speak, he didn't press the matter further. Times had changed, and while the attitude was to save lives, it was better to keep some distance from manufacturers. Better to avoid suspicion.

After changing, everyone went to check on the post-operative patient. The surgery wasn't major, but it was wise to take a few more looks for the sake of caution.

Walking out of the endoscopy suite, Luo Hao felt... different. He was young and physically fit; his stamina, while not as high as his luck stat, was still slightly better than the average person. It was just an ERCP surgery, less than 40 minutes long; even wearing a lead apron, he didn't feel tired. But! Instead of feeling tired, he felt energized, with every cell in his body active, the high-energy phosphate bonds of ATP breaking and releasing energy.

Was it the effect of [Energy Conversion]? Luo Hao looked at the passive skill [Energy Conversion] on his system panel, feeling the changes in his body. Wearing an apron for surgery required physical strength; after all, wearing twenty or thirty pounds of lead for an hour or two would usually cause any technical movements to lose their precision. With this passive skill, he didn't have to worry about X-ray radiation, and it enhanced his stamina. This wasn't just a god-tier skill for some post-apocalyptic scenario in movies or novels—it was even stronger than he had imagined.

Seeing Luo Hao looking a bit dazed, Lin Yuming walked over, concerned. "Little Conch, what’s wrong?"

Luo Hao paused, realizing what his uncle meant. "Uncle, I'm fine," Luo Hao said. "The fluoroscopy time for ERCP is very short, almost zero."

"Zero, my foot!" Lin Yuming scolded unhappily. "I don't care about your other surgeries, but you are not to perform interventional surgeries where you have to wear lead and get exposed to radiation!"

Luo Hao looked at the [Energy Conversion] skill and a thought occurred to him. "Uncle, you won't believe anything I say. How about this: you know there are radiation dose monitoring badges in the Radiology Department, right?"

"I know," Lin Yuming said, watching Luo Hao as they walked, wary of what he was planning.

"They get changed every three months and sent to..."

Luo Hao was interrupted by Lin Yuming. "I know where they get sent. Just tell me what you want to do, keep it simple."

"Get me one, and I'll do a surgery. If the radiation level exceeds the limit, I won't do it again. If it doesn't..."

"They check them every three months. What can you possibly prove with one surgery? Little Conch, don't think I don't know anything; I was studying radiology before you were even born."

"Uncle, give me three months. I guarantee, I promise, nothing will happen. Scientifically, X-rays are direct rays; they don't scatter much. Plus, I'll be wearing a lead apron, a lead collar, and a lead hat."

"Get lost!" Lin Yuming cut him off, refusing to budge.

Luo Hao was helpless. He couldn't exactly explain the mysterious system to his uncle.

After sending the patient back, Director Shi had personal business and left to catch the high-speed train without eating. As he left, he seemed to have something to say to Luo Hao but stopped himself. The look in his eyes as he watched Luo Hao was very complex, beyond words.

After seeing off Director Shi, Luo Hao stayed in the Gastroenterology Department to observe the patient's post-operative condition. The patient was optimistic, and the jaundice was visibly fading. After a blood test, the lab results proved it wasn't an illusion; both total bilirubin and indirect bilirubin were dropping.

Awesome! Even without a system mission, Luo Hao felt quite happy seeing the patient's gradual recovery. The energy boost from [Energy Conversion] hadn't faded; hours later, Luo Hao still felt full of strength. This thing was interesting; he guessed the passive skill might have come from future controllable nuclear fusion technology.

"Dr. Luo."

Luo Hao turned around and saw Chen Yong standing at the door, wearing a mask.

"Chen Yong, what are you doing here?" Luo Hao asked with a warm smile.

"You... you..." Chen Yong stammered.

Seeing Chen Yong in a bind, Luo Hao walked out. "What's wrong? Don't be like that; you're making me feel like you're going to ask to borrow money."

"Borrow money? No way," Luo Hao emphasized. "My monthly salary is only a little over five thousand; I don't have enough to spend myself."

*The saying goes that a man remains a boy until he dies, but why should a boy worry about these few coins?*

His phone rang. Before Luo Hao could pick it up, he saw a delivery driver in a yellow uniform, wearing a helmet, walk in. The driver was carrying two large bags in one hand, and hearing Luo Hao’s phone, walked toward the sound.

"That's me. Order ending in 1986."

The driver handed the bags to Luo Hao. It was two full bags of bubble tea. Chen Yong looked at Luo Hao with disdain. "Not enough to spend, is that so?"

Luo Hao chuckled and handed a cup of bubble tea to Chen Yong. "It's the night shift. I bought some for the on-duty doctors and nurses to replenish their sugar. Working the night shift is hard enough; they need this."

"Anyway, what did you want to see me about?"

Chen Yong hesitated. "Do you want to go to an internet cafe and play some games?"

"Huh?" Luo Hao was stunned. *Are you feeling alright?*

Where the mask didn't cover, a faint blush was visible; Chen Yong looked a bit embarrassed.

"Heh." Luo Hao realized what Chen Yong meant in a heartbeat. "Wait a moment for me. I’ll distribute the bubble tea, then check on the patient. I haven't eaten yet; let’s go get some skewers."

"Okay." Chen Yong breathed a sigh of relief.

Ten minutes later, Luo Hao confirmed the patient's condition was stable, changed his clothes, and left the hospital with Chen Yong.

"Luo Hao, what do they usually teach at Peking Union Medical College? I don't think you've had much contact with ERCP, so how were you so proficient right off the bat?"

"Back then, we..." Luo Hao said, then glanced at Chen Yong. "Are you hot wearing that mask all the time? It’s not like there’s a mycoplasma outbreak."

"Taking off the mask is troublesome."

"Huh?" Luo Hao was puzzled. "How do you eat wearing it?"

"That’s why I rarely go out to eat."

Luo Hao didn't force Chen Yong to take off his mask; whether he wore it or not didn't affect him, and he didn't care. They strolled to the barbecue joint. Boss Ding was busy at the grill. He was tall, thin, and dark-skinned, likely from the smoke of the grill.

"Little Conch is here!" Boss Ding greeted him warmly upon seeing him.

"Boss Ding, it's just the two of us. Just throw on whatever," Luo Hao said with a smile.

"No room left, share a table," Boss Ding called for a waiter to help them squeeze in. "Give me a call before you come next time."

"It's fine, just a quick bite after work."

Sharing the table was a couple with a 4- or 5-year-old child. At that age, children were at their naughtiest—full of energy, never sitting still for a second.

"Luo Hao, you still haven't told me why you know ERCP," Chen Yong asked.

"I don't know how to do it; Teacher Shi performed the surgery," Luo Hao flatly denied.

"Pfft." Chen Yong narrowed his long, peach-blossom eyes and looked at him with slow disdain. "Do you think I'm blind?"

Luo Hao was about to speak when the child at the table, ignoring his parents' cries of "don't run," sprinted past and bumped into Luo Hao’s leg. Dealing with a brat was truly impossible. Luo Hao steadied the child and checked to see if he was hurt.

"Sorry about that," the mother apologized quickly.

"It's fine, it's fine."

"I told you not to run. Come here," the mother called out softly. Brats are spoiled by their parents; it seemed this one was no exception. Luo Hao felt a bit helpless but didn't want to get involved, just thinking he should keep an eye on the skewers when they arrived; it would be bad if the sticks poked the kid.

"Running around is dangerous, hasn't Mom told you that?" the mother asked gently.

"Yes!" the child struggled to break free from his mother’s arms.

*Smack!*

A slap landed on the child’s cheek, and a five-finger print instantly appeared. Luo Hao and Chen Yong were both startled. The mother had slapped the child, but her voice hadn't risen—it remained gentle. "Mom told you it was dangerous to run around. Do you know it's dangerous now?"

"!!!"

"!!!"

Luo Hao and Chen Yong were full of exclamation points. The brat pouted, about to wail.

"Hold it in," the mother continued softly. "Crying and making a scene in public is also dangerous. Mom has told you about that, too."

*Truly... dangerous.* Luo Hao was terrified.

"Luo Hao, you and this person are really similar," Chen Yong leaned in and whispered.

"What?"

"During the hospital-wide consultation, you spoke to Director Wen with that same smile. I saw you slapping Director Wen, one after another, and while you were slapping him, you were smiling and saying—I already told you it was dangerous."

"..."

Luo Hao was speechless. Still, the mother at this table was even fiercer. The child immediately quieted down, sitting obediently at the table, pouting and swallowing his tears.

"How are things with Director Wen?" Luo Hao asked casually.

"Doesn't look like he's accepted it," Chen Yong said. "I've been keeping an eye on him since the consultation ended. Director Wen hasn't suffered such a big loss in all these years; you should be careful."

"Heh." Luo Hao smiled dismissively. What kind of trouble could Wen Youren cause? In clinical work, being incompetent is the original sin. It wasn't like they were competing to be the Dean; he couldn't pull off any of those petty tricks. Effective disciplinary education meant turning long-term potential danger into clear, immediate danger, making a child who lacks long-term risk awareness wary of certain behaviors. If Wen Youren felt that wasn't enough, he wouldn't mind giving him another "decent" opportunity.

Soon, Boss Ding brought the skewers and added two slices of grilled steamed bun. The bun slices were charred yellow and emitted a fragrant aroma.

"Let’s eat." Luo Hao was hungry; he had ordered food for the on-duty doctors and nurses but hadn't eaten a bite while watching the patient. Now, seeing the bun slices grilled by Boss Ding himself, his appetite was whetted. [Energy Conversion] could stave off hunger, but it didn't provide a sense of satiety.

He took a bite of a skewer, the juicy, tender meat exploding in his mouth—pure satisfaction. It was truly delicious. Luo Hao sighed inwardly.

"Hey, handsome, can I add you on WeChat?"

Just as he took a bite, a pretty figure appeared in front of Chen Yong. A girl in her twenties, full of youthful vitality. Her face was a bit red, but she gathered the courage to offer her phone, the QR code appearing before Chen Yong.

Luo Hao was stunned. He had been asked for his WeChat before, but... Chen Yong had just taken off his mask, and someone immediately came to ask for his WeChat? This was too absurd!

"Sorry, I have a boyfriend," Chen Yong raised his right pinky finger, looking at Luo Hao with "seductive" eyes.

The girl froze.