Awakening the War God

Chapter 137 The Surgery

At nine o'clock, Dr. Louis finally arrived.

However, he appeared rather gloomy today, lacking his usual vigor.

When he entered, he seemed somewhat flustered as he addressed Gabriel, "Um... everything is prepared. We can begin Zoe's surgery at 9:50."

Gabriel felt a surge of excitement, but seeing Dr. Louis's expression, he furrowed his brow. "Dr. Louis, did you not sleep well last night? You don't seem in the best condition."

Something about Dr. Louis just didn't seem right.

He was far from his usual composed self.

"It's... it's nothing," Dr. Louis stammered, evading the question. "I stayed up late last night, but don't worry, it won't affect the surgery. By the way, given the significant risks involved, we'll need you to sign a consent form before we proceed."

Despite Gabriel's lingering doubts about Dr. Louis's condition, he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

With the surgery approaching, he couldn't afford to focus on these concerns. Perhaps Dr. Louis had had an argument with his wife last night.

As long as the surgery went well, nothing else mattered.

Turning to Christopher, Gabriel said, "Chris, you go and sign the consent form, alright?"

Christopher nodded repeatedly, his weathered hands fidgeting.

The waiting period was always the most excruciating.

When the red light above the surgery room door lit up with the words "In Surgery," the hearts of the family members felt suspended in midair.

It was during these moments that they realized how time could accumulate minute by minute.

Gabriel and Christopher paced back and forth, their restless movements betraying their anxiety. All rights © NôvelDrama.Org.

Blind John, who had been missing for days, waited patiently in a corner.

The coming and going of the surgery team determined the length of Zoe's life.

The pacing Gabriel felt increasingly uneasy and curious.

He had seen surgeries on television where doctors or nurses would come out to update the family. Why was Zoe's surgery room so eerily silent?

However, in this moment of unease and curiosity, there was nothing they could do but wait.

Finally, at around one o'clock, the red light above the surgery room door went out.

Three long hours had passed, and the surgery room door opened.

Two female doctors wheeled Zoe out of the room.

"Zoe!"

Gabriel and the others immediately gathered around.

They anxiously observed Zoe in her wheelchair, her dazed expression raising concerns. Gabriel was quick to inquire, "Doctors, how did it go? Is the surgery a success?"

Their foremost concern was the outcome of the surgery. However, the two female doctors continued pushing Zoe's chair without offering any response.

Gabriel grew puzzled and glanced back, spotting Dr. Louis walking behind them.

He was moving slowly and had his head down.

In that instant, a sense of unease washed over Gabriel, and he had a foreboding feeling about the situation. He halted abruptly, rushing to Dr. Louis, and firmly grasped the doctor's arm, demanding, "Dr. Louis, tell me, how did the surgery go?"

As he posed the question, his heart was in his throat.

The fate of Zoe depended on Dr. Louis's answer.

Dr. Louis finally lifted his head, appearing flustered, but he nodded and uttered, "Uh... it was a success, it was successful!"

"Successful?" Gabriel found himself momentarily lost for words. In theory, he should have felt relieved upon hearing that the surgery was successful.

However, Dr. Louis's peculiar demeanor left him uneasy. Why did he seem as though it hadn't been successful?

Back in the hospital room, Zoe, still in a daze, opened her eyes.

She remained visibly weak.

Christopher seemed unsure of what to do, gazing at his daughter with deep affection.

Gabriel held Zoe's hand and gently inquired, "Zoe, the doctor said the surgery was successful. How are you feeling?"

As long as the surgery was indeed successful, there shouldn't be any significant issues.

At the very least, it meant an extension of Zoe's life.

Zoe, her voice weak, replied, "Gabriel, I feel like my heart is still mine. I can sense its feeble beats."

"The heart is still yours?" Gabriel's brow furrowed in response to Zoe's words.

He was well aware that under normal circumstances, she wouldn't express herself ambiguously. When she did, it signified her certainty.

He abruptly turned and fixed his gaze on Dr. Louis. Gabriel couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss with the surgery.

At that moment, Dr. Louis appeared entirely lost, standing there like a lifeless puppet.

"Dr. Louis..."

Gabriel was about to rise and confront Dr. Louis about the situation when suddenly, Zoe's face contorted in pain. With a "puh," she expelled a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness completely.

"Zoe!"

Gabriel's mind went blank as he clutched Zoe's hand, shouting frantically.

Christopher also rushed over, calling out in confusion, "Zoe, Zoe!"

"You bastard, what the hell did you do to Zoe?"

In that moment, Gabriel was seething with anger, his eyes burning with intensity.

He was absolutely certain that something had gone terribly wrong with the surgery.

He charged furiously at Dr. Louis, gripping the doctor's collar, and demanded answers.

"I... I'm sorry!"

Dr. Louis suddenly broke down, his hands clutching his own hair.

He appeared tormented and guilt-ridden as he confessed, "Someone kidnapped my wife and child early this morning, forcing me to hand over the heart today. I had no other choice, really no other choice, but to give them the heart!"

"What!" Gabriel trembled with rage. The heart meant for Zoe's surgery had been stolen!

He used his right hand to lift Dr. Louis off the ground. "As a doctor, how could you do this? What did you do in the operating room just now?"

Three hours had passed without a matching heart.

This despicable asshole had been performing a charade in the operating room for three hours.

His face turned crimson from being choked. Dr. Louis struggled and said, "I was afraid you would find out. I just made a small incision in Zoe's chest and then sewed it back up!"

In the operating room, he had been tormented and torn apart by his inner conflict.

He had always been proud of saving lives, never expecting that one day he would harm someone.

Originally, he had planned to perform a fake surgery and, when Zoe fell ill, attribute it to the aftereffects of the procedure.

But he hadn't expected to be exposed so quickly and completely.

"You..."

Gabriel harshly threw Dr. Louis to the ground, scolding him furiously. "You're a demon! Tell me, where is the heart now? Tell me quickly, or I'll punch you to death!"

At this moment, Gabriel truly wished he could punch Dr. Louis's head into pieces.

But his raised right hand remained suspended in mid-air.

He didn't care about this wretched doctor's life or death.

Right now, all he wanted was to know the whereabouts of the heart and retrieve it.

"I'm sorry, I really don't know... I can only tell you that there were two bald old men in gray robes!" Dr. Louis truthfully replied.

After those two old men took the heart, he had no idea where they had gone.

He knew even if he asked further, he wouldn't get any useful information.

Gabriel was about to strike.

Even if he didn't kill this wretched doctor, he was determined to maim him.

But just then, Christopher shouted in despair, "Gabriel, Zoe's not doing well!"

"Zoe!"

Gabriel panicked and forgot about Dr. Louis. He rushed to the bedside.

Zoe had lost consciousness, and blood continuously flowed from the corners of her mouth.

Trembling, Christopher desperately wiped his daughter's mouth with his trembling right hand.

No as he wiped, the blood kept flowing.

At that moment, Gabriel's heart tightened.

Zoe was on the verge of death.

"Let me handle this. Take her to the emergency room; I can save her!"

Just as Gabriel stood there in despair, Dr. Louis rushed over.

At this moment, he was surprisingly calm, examining Zoe's condition.

"You... I don't trust you. Get lost!"

Blinded by anger, Gabriel pushed Dr. Louis away. He wouldn't allow this wretched doctor to touch Zoe again.

Dr. Louis fell to the ground but got up, grabbing Gabriel's hand. "I beg you, trust me this once. At the very least, I can give Zoe a few more days to live!"

Gabriel's heart trembled violently.

He stopped stopping Dr. Louis.

A few more days?

Those few words struck him deeply.

Was Zoe really going to die?

He couldn't believe it, NO...