Tokyo, 1994, starting with medical training

Chapter 37 Power Outage

The fluorescent lights in the emergency room emitted a buzzing sound.

The patient who was howling was a young man in his early twenties, shirtless, with his left arm hanging stiffly at his side. Even the slightest movement would make him grimace.

Kiryu Kazusuke walked over and, without saying a word, immediately began to examine the items.

The patient's left shoulder exhibits a typical square shoulder deformity, with the originally rounded deltoid muscle outline disappearing and the acromion protruding, resembling a right-angled clothes hanger.

He asked the patient to try placing the affected hand on the opposite shoulder while keeping the elbow close to the chest wall.

Can't do it.

This is solid evidence of a positive Dugas sign and anterior shoulder dislocation.

In this era, painless repositioning is not yet widespread, or rather, using an anesthesiologist for such a minor injury is a waste of resources.

Doctors usually only give one injection of Demerol, or simply tell the patient to endure it.

The nurses nearby had already prepared triangular bandages and dressings.

Kazusuke Kiryu stood beside the patient.

He recalled the contents of the "Fundamentals of Joint Dislocation Reduction Technique" that he had just received.

What comes to mind is not some dazzling special effects, but an intuitive understanding of the biomechanics of the human body.

The humeral head dislocates from the anterior and inferior part of the glenoid cavity and becomes lodged below the coracoid process or below the clavicle. The surrounding muscles spasm violently due to pain, creating a strong resistance that locks the dislocated bone firmly in place.

To reset the humeral head, you must first resist the force of the muscle and then let the humeral head slide back along its original path.

Kazusuke Kiryu stretched out his hands.

Hold the patient's wrist with one hand and support the patient's elbow with the other.

Without any fancy moves, he used the most classic Cocker Spaniard.

"Relax, take a deep breath."

As Kiryu Kazusuke spoke, he began to slowly pull on the affected limb.

There was no feeling of a sudden surge in power as I had imagined.

His arm strength is still at the same level, but the difference is that he now knows very clearly which angle to exert force at and how much force to use.

The feeling was like he was tightening a rusty screw.

Previously, it might have required repeated attempts to find the bite point, but now, the moment he grasps the patient's arm, he already senses the only correct path.

He first maintained traction, allowing the patient's spasming muscles to gradually tire and relax.

Then, slowly externally rotate your upper arm.

The patient was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely and wanted to struggle.

"Don't move."

Kiryu Kazusuke's hands were very steady, firmly controlling the angle of rotation, not a fraction more or less.

Until the humeral head rotates to the front of the glenoid fossa.

Next, inward.

Bring the elbow of the affected limb towards the chest wall.

Finally, internal rotation.

Have the patient place their palm on the opposite shoulder.

These four steps—traction, external rotation, inward contraction, and internal rotation—must be completed in one continuous motion.

Click.

A dull thud echoed in the quiet treatment room.

It was a unique vibration sensation when bones are put back in place, transmitted through Kiryu Kazusuke's palm. It wasn't strong, but it was exceptionally clear.

The patient's previously contorted expression of pain froze instantly, then turned into surprise.

The excruciating pain vanished almost entirely in that instant.

The arm that was originally stiff and unable to move can now be freely placed on the opposite shoulder.

The square shoulder deformity disappeared, and the shoulders became rounded again.

The reset was successful, and Kiryu and Kaisuke began their work.

"Okay, go get an X-ray to double-check, and then get a sling."

He took the disinfectant wipes from the nurse, wiped his hands, and turned to start writing the medical record.

"Is that all?"

But the young man objected, looking displeased.

Shouldn't it be like in the movies, where a few burly men hold him down and then the doctor kicks him in the armpit, making him writhe in excruciating pain?

Is this over?

This doctor isn't very old, is he a quack with poor medical skills?

But he stretched his shoulders and immediately swallowed back the words of doubt that were on his throat.

"Is that all?"

He looked at his arm and muttered something to himself.

This doctor is quite skilled.

After treating this patient, the emergency room became quiet again for a while.

Kiryu Kazusuke returned to the duty room and lay back down on the uncomfortable single bed.

……

December 12th, Christmas Eve.

It was also Saturday.

Unfortunately, the weather turned against them on this holiday that couples all over Japan were looking forward to.

It snowed in Maebashi City.

The snowflakes that started falling at noon had turned into heavy snow by 2 p.m., and by 4 p.m., they had intensified into a blizzard.

The weather station issued a heavy snow warning, with visibility less than ten meters.

The entire city of Qianqiao was shrouded in a white curtain, and traffic was almost paralyzed.

Gunma University Hospital quickly activated its emergency response plan for severe weather.

All non-emergency surgeries were canceled, and some medical staff living in remote areas were allowed to leave work early, leaving only essential staff on duty.

8 PM.

After Kiryu Kazusuke, the son of Congressman Okawara, finished writing his follow-up observation report, the day was about to end.

Walk to the elevator lobby and press the button.

Ding--

The elevator doors opened, revealing a man in a white lab coat, hands in his pockets, with a cold expression.

"Dr. Imagawa."

Kiryu Kazusuke paused for a moment, then stepped inside.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but Dr. Imagawa's eyes still seem to have some redness and swelling that hasn't completely subsided.

Imagawa Ori simply nodded without saying a word.

The elevator doors slowly closed and began to descend.

however--

Just as the elevator was halfway through its journey, passing between the first floor and the basement,

bang-

With a dull thud, the elevator car shook violently before coming to a sudden stop.

The bright overhead lights went out instantly, replaced by dim emergency lights that dimly illuminated the space, which was less than two square meters in size.

Immediately afterwards, a crackling broadcast came from the walkie-talkie.

"Urgent Notice"

"Due to the blizzard, the hospital's external power supply line failed, and the backup generator has been activated."

"Repair personnel are delayed by heavy snow and are expected to arrive in two to three hours. Please remain calm and wait for rescue."

The call has ended.

The only sound in the elevator was their breathing.

Kiryu Kazusuke turned to look at Imagawa Ori.

In this small, enclosed space, a lone man and woman, on Christmas Eve, during a power outage.

If this were a romance novel, the next thing that would be a scene like, "Dr. Imagawa, you don't want your secret to be discovered, do you?"

But it's a pity.

Imagawa Ori took a piece of chocolate out of her pocket, tore open the wrapper, broke off half, and put it in her mouth.

"What bad luck."

She chewed on the chocolate, not panicking, but simply disgusted that she was wasting her precious time here.

Tonight is Christmas Eve.

Who knows how many champagne towers those lonely women at "Kagura Club" would open for her?

"Tsk."

"This lousy elevator should have been replaced a long time ago."

"Once that old man Okawara sends the donation, I will definitely suggest that the director build the elevator first."

She leaned against the elevator wall, somewhat agitated.

Kiryu Kazusuke didn't reply, because a pale red light once again appeared in the depths of his eyes.

[Imagawa Ori: Why does Kiryu have to be here? It's so cold, and I really need to pee. I wish he could just kill himself. I've never tried peeing in an elevator before.]

[Can converge world lines]

[Branch 1: Show your masculinity by forcibly prying open the elevator doors and carrying her out. (Reward: Slightly improved physical fitness)]

[Branch Two: Remain silent, be a proper background character, until rescue arrives. (Reward: 1 yen cash)]

[Branch 3: You attempt suicide and decide to strangle yourself. (Reward: Half-day trip to the county's national mental hospital)]

(End of this chapter)