23: Chapter 23: A Massive Rainstorm? Is This a Coincidence?

Lu Chen stared at this notification for two seconds.

Torrential rain.

He couldn't help but frown.

Rainy days are never good news for the Emergency Department.

Slippery roads and poor visibility mean the probability of traffic accidents will rise significantly.

Moreover, rainy days easily trigger various accidents—falls, electrocutions, collapses—anything is possible.

By then, the patient intake in the Emergency Department will surely skyrocket.

And he happens to be transferring to the Yellow Zone tomorrow.

Is this a coincidence?

Lu Chen thought for a moment, then opened the system panel to check the status of his skills.

[Manual Hemostasis: Master Level (Progress: 23 / 100)]

[Suturing: Perfect Level (Progress: 15 / 100)]

[Basic Surgical Operations: Proficient Level (Progress: 25 / 100)]

[Internal Medicine Diagnostics: Introductory Level (Progress: 12 / 100)]

[Laparoscopic Appendectomy: Master Level (Progress: 60 / 100)]

Internal Medicine Diagnostics is still at the Introductory Level; this is his biggest weakness at the moment.

However, emergency cases on rainy days are primarily trauma-related, so surgical skills will be more practical.

Thinking about it this way, he actually feels that tomorrow might be a good day to grind for experience.

"I hope it's not too heavy."

Lu Chen muttered to himself, then turned off his phone and continued seeing patients.

The Green Zone gradually quieted down in the afternoon.

On a Sunday afternoon, those who don't have to go out, don't.

Lu Chen took advantage of the free time to take out his Emergency Medicine textbook and read for a while.

The system's theoretical progress was still stuck at 22%; he had to hurry up and push it higher.

After reading for about an hour, the progress rose to 23%.

Slow, but it's rising.

After four in the afternoon, Sun Tiantian walked over from the Green Zone Nurse Station, holding a cup of hot water.

"Dr. Lu, drink some water."

"Thank you, Sister Sun."

"Don't call me Sister Sun. I'm the same age as you; just call me Tiantian."

Lu Chen took the cup and smiled.

"Thank you, Tiantian."

Sun Tiantian pushed up her glasses, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly, and then turned to leave.

She walked two steps and then turned back.

"By the way, Dr. Lu, I heard you're going to the Yellow Zone tomorrow?"

"Yes, starting next week."

"Then you won't be in the Green Zone anymore?"

"I'll still come to help occasionally."

Sun Tiantian let out an "Oh," her expression a bit subtle.

"Well, you should take care to rest when you're in the Yellow Zone. The Yellow Zone is much busier than the Green Zone."

"Got it, thanks for your concern."

Sun Tiantian gave a hum of acknowledgment and turned back to the Nurse Station.

After returning, she sat at the Nurse Station for a while, then took out her phone and opened the Green Zone work group chat.

She sent a message in the group.

[Sun Tiantian: Dr. Lu is officially going to the Yellow Zone tomorrow. Everyone will have to pour your own water from now on.]

After the message was sent, the group chat immediately exploded.

[Zhou Xiaoman: What?! Dr. Lu is leaving?!]

[Zhou Xiaoman: Didn't you say he would still come occasionally?!]

[Nurse Zhang: It's over, it's over. The Green Zone won't have its designated eye candy anymore.]

[Zhou Xiaoman: I want to apply for a transfer to the Yellow Zone!]

[Sun Tiantian: Don't even think about it. Intern Nurses can't choose their own posts.]

[Zhou Xiaoman: Wuuuuuuu]

Lu Chen didn't know about this, and even if he did, he wouldn't care.

All his attention now was on tomorrow's Yellow Zone and that heavy rain warning.

...

5:30 PM.

Lu Chen completed his final shift handover in the Green Zone.

He detailed the conditions of the few patients he had on hand who were still waiting for follow-up results to the night shift doctor taking over.

"The elderly gentleman in Bed 3 has high blood sugar. I had him recheck his glycated hemoglobin, and the results will be out tomorrow. Please keep an eye on it."

"Sure, I'll remember."

"The child in Bed 7 has had diarrhea for two days. They seemed in good spirits today, and I rehydrated them. Observe them again tonight; if the diarrhea is still severe, add a stool routine test."

"Okay."

Handover complete.

Lu Chen took off his white coat and hung it on the coat rack in the examination room.

He stood at the door and looked back.

Examination Room 3.

He had been sitting here for nearly two weeks.

From the awkwardness of the first day, to becoming proficient later on, and now being able to handle things with his eyes closed.

The Green Zone had taught him many things.

Although the experience points weren't much, every case gave him a more solid understanding of basic diseases.

"Thanks, Green Zone."

Lu Chen said to himself in his heart, then closed the door and left.

He walked along the corridor towards the staff dormitory.

When passing the Yellow Zone, he specifically stopped to take a look.

The Yellow Zone was much larger than the Green Zone, with rows of observation beds set up.

There were patients on every bed—some were receiving infusions, some were sleeping, and some were talking to their families.

The Nurse Station was brightly lit, with several Nurses busy walking back and forth.

Lu Chen scanned the area, noting the layout and equipment configuration of the Yellow Zone.

ECG monitors, defibrillators, backup ventilators, and cabinets for various emergency medications.

It was much better equipped than the Green Zone.

"Tomorrow, this will be the place."

Lu Chen withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.

He also passed the entrance to the Red Zone.

The door to the Red Zone was closed, with "Resuscitation Room, No Unauthorized Personnel" written on it.

Through the glass window on the door, one could vaguely see the bright lights and busy figures inside.

The Red Zone is never short of patients.

Lu Chen took a couple of extra looks, then left.

No rush.

He would get in sooner or later.

...

Back at the staff dormitory.

The dormitory was very small: a bed, a desk, a chair, and a wardrobe.

But for Lu Chen, this was already heaven.

It was free.

The saved rent money could be sent back to the Orphanage.

He took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and sat on the bed to continue flipping through his textbooks.

After reading for an hour, the system's theoretical progress rose to 24%.

After nine in the evening, Lu Chen turned off the light and lay down.

The sky outside the window was a bit gloomy, and the wind was much stronger than during the day.

The torrential rain was coming.

Lu Chen closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

His sleep quality had always been very good.

Children who grew up in an Orphanage have strong adaptability.

They can sleep in any environment and survive under any conditions.

This was probably the only talent he had to be grateful for from childhood to adulthood.

Except for the system.

...

A dreamless night.

The next day.

Lu Chen was awakened by the sound of rain.

To be precise, it wasn't the sound of ordinary rain.

It was the sound of torrential rain, overwhelming, pitter-pattering against the window.

He opened his eyes and glanced at his phone.

6:15 AM.

Outside the window, it was gray and dark; the sky was so gloomy it didn't look like 6:00 AM.

The rain was terrifyingly heavy.

Lu Chen sat up and walked to the window to take a look outside.

The rain was pouring down like a waterfall. The entire Hospital courtyard was already starting to flood, and the rainwater on the ground was forming little streams, flowing downhill.

Dense splashes were kicking up from the roofs of cars in the parking lot, and the distant streetlights had become blurred in the curtain of rain.

"It really came."

Lu Chen muttered to himself.

He took out his phone and checked the weather forecast.

[Jiangcheng Meteorological Observatory issued an upgraded Red Alert for Torrential Rain at 6:00 AM: Some areas of our city have already experienced torrential rain. The rainfall is expected to continue until this evening. Citizens are advised not to travel unless necessary.]

Red Alert.

The highest level.

Lu Chen took a deep breath.

The Emergency Department would definitely be driven crazy today.

He quickly washed up, put on his work uniform, and went to the Cafeteria to eat a bowl of noodles.

The Cafeteria was desolate; presumably, many medical staff living far away were stuck on the road due to the torrential rain.

After finishing the noodles, Lu Chen checked the time.

6:55 AM.

Five minutes early.

He walked quickly towards the Emergency Department.

While passing through the corridor, the sound of rain crept in through the gaps in the building, rumbling, making one feel inexplicably tense.

The Emergency Department lobby was already busier than usual.

There were quite a few people sitting in the waiting area; some were soaked to the bone, others had umbrellas but their pant legs were completely wet.

Traveling on a rainy day is inconvenient, but those who need to see a doctor still have to come.