Judge of Souls - Chapter 69

Officer Ye asked, “May I ask, what kind of dispute was it?”

Sun Yi spoke with no emotion, as if reciting from a script. “A dispute about medical equipment. He used a material that had been approved abroad but not yet officially permitted in China, without getting the patient’s signed consent.”

Chu Xuanliang, someone who knew nothing about the medical system, understood that this was definitely not allowed. How could Dr. Zhao make such a mistake?

He certainly had no reason to sacrifice his medical career just to use a new material.

“Actually, every patient has a different constitution. The same treatment method might cause deterioration in some people and improvement in others,” Sun Yi said. “Our country is quite strict about reviewing imported medical devices. Some have already been used abroad for several years, and their usage effects are observed and documented before being introduced here, and there are secondary clinical trials before implementation. Our hospital has approved clinical trial qualifications, but what he did still constitutes a violation of regulations.”

Jiang Feng asked, “Did something happen to the patient?”

“No,” said Sun Yi, “The patient recovered and was discharged.”

Officer Ye asked, “Then what was the patient’s complaint?”

Sun Yi replied, “Even for clinical trials, the patient needs to be informed of the risks and benefits, and can only proceed with their consent. The outcome doesn’t justify the process. The patient felt that Dr. Zhao violated his most basic right to know, and that Dr. Zhao was operating against regulations.”

Officer Ye looked back at Chu Xuanliang and asked, “Is it about compensation?”

Sun Yi gave a light snort, feeling that his question was completely pointless.

Officer Ye shrugged, not minding, and continued to ask, “What was Dr. Zhao’s explanation?”

Sun Yi said, “He claimed that the patient actively proposed it. And since the family members had some understanding of the related medical materials, he didn’t think too much about it. He performed the surgery after the family members signed to indicate their consent. But so what? In the end, they couldn’t find the so-called family consent form he mentioned.”

“It seems the hospital doesn’t trust its own doctor,” said Officer Ye. “I believe people have motives.”

Sun Yi took a pen from the table and tucked it into the pocket on his chest, saying, “We also need to look at the evidence. The lessons from the past are right before our eyes. Even with evidence, black can be turned into white. Without evidence, the hospital’s reputation built over many years would be completely ruined. This state of everyone being on edge is thanks to the support of the major media and your department.”

Officer Ye said, “Everything has two sides. The rapid development of information dissemination and online media still has some distance to go before maturity. It’s possible that some people will be harmed by this, but no one can stop the tide of the times, right?”

Sun Yi sneered, “If the trend is a failure of supervision, then indeed no one can stop it.”

His phone alarm went off right on time, and Sun Yi stood up, saying, “I have to go on duty now. Please leave.”

The three were immediately driven out of the office.

Officer Ye rubbed his newly grown stubble, the slightly prickly sensation making it hard for him to stop this action. He said, “Why is this Dr. Sun’s temperament so strange?”

Jiang Feng replied, “Is it so difficult for someone with an antisocial personality to become a director at such a young age?”

Officer Ye raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you just say he doesn’t like us?”

Jiang Feng said, “Let’s go ask around.”

They decided to take advantage of the lunch break to walk around the hospital.

Dr. Zhao’s regulatory violation incident was indeed very strange. Even just listening to the account, they could sense that the logic didn’t add up, as if he had been framed. First there was the failure of barrier medication, HIV infection, then suicide – these consecutive events strung together seemed too unusual.

The three met four young nurses in the cafeteria.

Perhaps because all three of them were quite good-looking, the girls who were questioned were generally willing to cooperate, looking at them shyly and giggling while answering.

Jiang Feng asked, “What kind of person is Dr. Zhao? Does he have any habits? What’s his personality like?”

“Well, him…” The few showed expressions of indescribable disdain on their faces, looking down and picking at their nails, saying, “No comment.”

All three were a bit surprised. Compared to what the previous nurse had said, the difference was too great. Even though they all worked in the same hospital, why was Dr. Zhao’s image so polarized?

Jiang Feng didn’t pursue it further and asked, “What about Dr. Sun?”

When they heard this name, their eyes lit up, and they smiled happily, saying, “Dr. Sun? He’s handsome, rich, and very kind to everyone. He often treats people working night shifts to late-night snacks. He’s great!”

“So young yet has a bright future!”

“His medical skills are superb, he returned from studying abroad.”

“I heard his whole family works in medicine. His father is a medical giant, you know.”

“But he’s not bad either. I think his future prospects are also very broad. For him, he’ll probably take the research path, right? That would be more relaxed. Ah, these people who win at the starting line – even with eight legs, we couldn’t catch up now.”

Chu Xuanliang asked, “Is he popular at the hospital?”

That nurse wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and said, “The Third Hospital’s number one golden bachelor – what do you think about popularity?”

The group laughed together.

They asked about a few miscellaneous things afterward, but couldn’t get any more useful information.

As Chu Xuanliang was about to leave, a nurse called him back. One girl, encouraged by the others, spoke up, “Leave us your card too. If something comes up, or if we remember anything, we can tell you.”

Officer Ye, being the rough type, wouldn’t possibly carry a business card, and the same went for Jiang Feng. Fortunately, Chu Xuanliang had standard business cards, simple white cardstock with just a name and a string of numbers arranged on it.

The four took the cards, and the lunch break was almost over. They picked up their trays and said, “We need to go now.”

Officer Ye muttered, “Listening to them makes me feel like I’m going to have a split personality. Is this even the same person?”

Chu Xuanliang said bluntly, “Judging by appearances, yes. For good-looking people, being antisocial is called being aloof, being introverted is called being composed, and being perverted is called being dark and mysterious.”

Officer Ye thought for a moment, rubbed his closely-cropped hair, and laughed loudly, “I’m what you call perfect. Hahaha!”

Chu Xuanliang: “…”

One had gone crazy on the spot.

****

Chu Xuanliang and the others couldn’t find out much at the hospital. Generally, hospitals would have special methods to intimidate and keep ordinary ghosts from approaching. They toured the various wards and departments with hope, but in the end came up empty-handed. The Taoist priests hired by the Third Hospital were stronger than they had imagined – they didn’t even see a ghost shadow nearby.

With this approach not working, Chu Xuanliang could only temporarily pause the investigation and start considering how to respond to and protect Mr. Ye’s personal safety.

According to Mr. Ye’s description, every seven days, he would experience a disembowelment punishment.

Chu Xuanliang confirmed with the property management that on the nights of the incidents, Mr. Ye had not gone out and had been sleeping peacefully at home. However, Chu Xuanliang had used various methods – spirit-attracting talismans, divination, Five Ghost Soul Search talismans, and so on – but couldn’t detect any trace of fierce ghosts in Mr. Ye’s house.

This indicated that no fierce ghost had ever visited this place. So how did Mr. Ye’s stomach get torn open? It couldn’t have split open by itself, right? He wasn’t an overripe watermelon.

There were thousands of ways ghosts took revenge, but most were traceable. Their magic powers were related to their resentment from when they were alive. Of course, there were some whose logic even Taoist priests couldn’t understand despite racking their brains.

Chu Xuanliang tried to reason through this matter from Dr. Zhao’s perspective, but he still couldn’t make sense of it.

…It wasn’t working; he really wasn’t cut out for this line of work.

Based on the information Sun Yi had given them, Chu Xuanliang went back to ask Mr. Ye about the medical dispute. The other party firmly denied it.

He exclaimed emotionally, “That wasn’t me! I don’t know where you heard that from, but I didn’t drive Dr. Zhao to his death!”

Chu Xuanliang, drawing on years of ghost-catching experience, had some confidence in his judgment. But without complete evidence, a trace of rationality remained in his heart to defend the man.

When Chu Xuanliang wanted to question him further, Mr. Ye again appeared weak and began to moan and gasp, using the excuse that he was too old and his injuries too severe, needing rest, to evade and deflect.

Once or twice was fine, but more than that was simply treating them like fools.

Chu Xuanliang turned and left, not wasting any more time with him, and no longer taking the initiative to contact him.

Mr. Ye himself became anxious and after a while immediately called Chu Xuanliang, asking when he would come over, saying he was afraid to stay alone.

This shameless behavior made Chu Xuanliang furious.

Chu Xuanliang said, “Although I’m not a police officer and won’t dig deep to convict you, I want to remind you that if you want to die, don’t blame me for not saving you. Since you don’t think your life is most important, why should I save it?”

Mr. Ye pleaded, “I really don’t know! And even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. Are you going to watch me die just because you suspect me?”

Chu Xuanliang bluffed him, saying sternly, “Then let’s wait a bit longer, until you know. I think seven more days should do it.”

Even a man made of mud has some spirit; he was a Taoist priest, but he didn’t have the noble quality of saving people at his own expense.

When Jiang Feng heard about this, he commented straightforwardly, “Life and death are determined by fate. Let him wait and see his destiny.”

He had been given the opportunity and the choice. If he ignored it, then that was his fate.

You can’t have your cake and eat it too; things don’t work out that perfectly.

****

Chu Xuanliang knew that with Mr. Ye’s fear of death, he would definitely be the first to give in.

While waiting for Mr. Ye’s reply, he received a call from an unknown number. The caller ID showed a landline number.

“Hello? Can I help you?”

“Hello, I’m a nurse from the City Third Hospital.” The girl spoke very softly, with a hint of hesitation and timidity in her tone. “Your friend left a card with my friend earlier, so I’m calling that number.”

Chu Xuanliang said, “Yes, it’s me. I was asking about Dr. Zhao and Dr. Sun at that time.”

The little nurse probed, “I know. Are you a police officer? Are you investigating Dr. Zhao?”

Chu Xuanliang replied, “I’m not, but my friend is. He’s not beside me right now, but I can relay your message to him. Don’t worry, your privacy won’t be disclosed.”

“Then what are you?”

“A Taoist priest.”

“Wow! A Taoist priest!” The little nurse’s train of thought immediately derailed, giving the standard exclamation. “Wow…”

Chu Xuanliang: “…..”