"Ancient General on Campus "

Section 1: Two Time Points

Eight hundred years ago

Black Cloud City, the cold iron armor!

Two pairs of troops stood facing each other, as if cast in iron or bronze, without flinching.

Only two large banners fluttered in the wind, adding a touch of life to the deathly Zhu Xian Town.

The banner on the left was black with gold trim, bearing only the character 'Yue' in bold, flowing strokes, a dragon leaping from the banner. Beneath it, soldiers stood in a wedge formation, wielding long spears, with dozens of archers at the rear, their armor heavy with bronze,

awe-inspiring. The Yue Family Army was known for its strength, each soldier capable of taking on a hundred. In the Battle of Niutou Mountain, Marshal Yue's eight hundred soldiers defeated tens of thousands of Jin soldiers. From that day forward, no one dared underestimate the Yue Family Army!

A lone figure stood at the forefront, unarmored yet exuding an indescribable, chilling aura of power. A sheathless iron sword hung at his waist, its hilt wrapped in cloth. The sword itself was five fingers wide, three inches thick, and over five feet long!

Countless swordsmen wielded swords among the outlaws of the martial world, but only one could wield such a heavy sword: Xiao Bieli, the foremost expert under Marshal Yue, a prodigy who had created the Nine Separations and Eighteen Partings Techniques. He wielded a heavy, fifty-three-pound black iron sword, without a sharp edge or blade,

and none could rival him!

His thick eyebrows slanted like swords, his nose was straight and narrow, and his eyes were like shooting stars, yet a serious expression had crept into them now.

Not far away, a large banner fluttered in the wind. It bore no words, only an embroidered image of a fierce tiger with wings sprouting from its ribs, its claws outstretched, lifelike, as if poised for battle at any moment. Beneath the banner stood a line of soldiers, heavily armored cavalry,

even their faces were covered by iron masks, yet they exuded boundless killing intent, their imposing presence no less than that of Yue Fei's army!

The Jin soldiers were fierce and ruthless, and this unit was undoubtedly among the elite, the best of the best. Although Yue Fei's army struck fear into the hearts of the Jin soldiers, if there were any Jin soldiers who dared not defy Yue Fei's might, it would undoubtedly be the 'Flying Tiger Ironclad Soldiers' before them!

Two men stood facing Xiao Bieli. One was Pi Zai, his chest bulging despite the cold, his body as strong as if forged from iron. He was dressed like a wild man, his messy hair tied up in a long braid,

and coiled around his neck. Although his attire was wild, his face wasn't rugged; instead, he possessed a scholarly, aloof air. However, his eyes flashed with a cold light, making one shudder. It was as if his eyes didn't match his appearance at all,

and his entire being exuded an inexplicable awkwardness.

A thick-backed broadsword, five feet long, hung from his saddle, its blade gleaming coldly, radiating a sinister aura.

Judging solely by the man's attire and demeanor, others might chuckle, but upon seeing the thick-backed cleaver, no one could laugh. The cleaver itself wasn't particularly special; perhaps it was thicker, longer, and heavier than other blades.

However, the two large, golden characters 'Demon Flame' emblazoned on its back were truly awe-inspiring!

In the martial world, everyone knew that two divine weapons currently dominated the realm: one was the 'Heavenly Sword,' currently held by Xiao Bieli, and the other was the 'Blazing Flame Blade,' wielded by Wan Lie, the number one expert of the Jin Kingdom.

And this man dressed like a wild man was none other than Wan Lie, the number one expert of the Jin Kingdom!

The man beside him, though imposing, had handsome features and was surprisingly tall!

The young man possessed features so exquisitely handsome that even the southerners rarely witnessed such beauty. However, a look of solemnity and respect filled his eyes as he gazed upon Xiao Bieli. Wan Feihua, Wan Lie's sister, recognized the man she was facing as the renowned, yet unseen, 'Heaven-Asking Sword' Xiao Bieli.

Yue Fei commanded countless fierce generals—Yue Yun, Zhang Xian, Wang Gui, Yang Zaixing—each possessing unparalleled bravery. But this Xiao Bieli was the fiercest of fierce generals, the vanguard among vanguards!

Rumor had it that since his debut, Xiao Bieli had fought countless battles, encountering numerous martial arts masters without a single defeat. Although he and his elder brother were invincible in the Jin Kingdom, for some reason, he felt uneasy now.

It was said that shaking a mountain was easier than shaking Yue Fei's army, but this Xiao Bieli before them stood like a towering mountain; defeating him seemed no easier than shaking a mountain.

But today's battle was unavoidable!

Just like the Song and Jin dynasties, they are irreconcilable enemies, with no possibility of reconciliation.

“Wan Lie.”

Xiao Bieli said in a deep voice, “I never imagined that after parting three years ago, we would be facing each other with swords drawn.”

Wan Lie’s eyes were like knives as he coldly stared at Xiao Bieli and said, “You didn’t kill me three years ago, do you regret it now?”

With a faint smile, Xiao Bieli’s expression held an indescribable sense of desolation. “Although I didn’t kill you three years ago, it wouldn’t be impossible to kill you now.”

Wan Lie sneered, “Xiao Bieli, you are indeed a genius, having forged your own path in martial arts, creating the Nine Separations and Eighteen Partings Technique. I have always admired you greatly. However, after three years, do you know what level my Thirteen Limitless Technique has reached?”

His eyes flashed with a sword-like light as Xiao Bieli said in a deep voice, “Indeed, a scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation. Three years ago, you were at the seventh level, where there is no wind, far from being my match. I never expected that you would break through four levels in just three years.

Now…” "I've reached the eleventh level of the Thirteen Limitless Realms: Creation from Nothingness!"

Wan Lie was startled, but quickly regained his composure and said slowly, "Everyone says Xiao Bieli's insight surpasses even his swordsmanship. Now that I've seen it, it's truly remarkable. However, although you've discerned the depth of my skill, do you know how confident you are in killing me?"

Slowly shaking his head, Xiao Bieli said, "None."

He paused slightly, "But how confident are you in defeating me?"

Wan Lie was taken aback, and after a long silence, said, "Not even a fraction."

Slowly drawing his iron sword from his waist, gazing at the dark gleam on the blade, Xiao Bieli said in a deep voice, "Unfortunately, today we've reached a point where we must settle things. Wan Lie, have you ever considered that as long as Marshal Yue is alive, your Jin Kingdom's ambitions will ultimately fail?

Since that's the case, why didn't you turn back sooner?

Moreover..."

He wanted to say something, but ultimately held back.

Wan Lie, gazing at the large banner bearing the character 'Yue' on the other's back, even showed a hint of respect in his eyes. He slowly unfastened the Demon Flame Blade from his saddle. "You're right," he said, "but can I turn back?

Or can you stop?"

After a slight pause, Wan Lie coldly said, "Yang Zaixing is dead. One of the Five Tigers of the Yue family is dead. The next one is you, Xiao Bieli, the Sword of Asking Heaven!"

His expression was somewhat somber, but more so, helpless. His eyes blazed with boundless fury. Xiao Bieli brandished his iron sword and said in a deep voice, "The outcome is still uncertain. Indeed, our friendship has long been severed. Since that's the case, then!"

His sword tip merely pointed diagonally to the ground, but his entire demeanor seemed transformed. Gone was the desolation and somberness; instead, there was an aura of righteousness and boundless awe.

Wan Lie's eyes lit up, as if spitting fire. He raised his sword to the sky, the killing intent gone. The figure on horseback, which had been lurking, became elusive and unpredictable.

The great battle was about to begin! August 23, 2002

Anping Hospital, a municipal hospital, is located in the northeast corner of Jiangyuan City. Although it's a municipal hospital, everyone says that in terms of skill and medical conditions, it's definitely no worse than a provincial hospital.

The hospital is near the scenic Donghu Lake in Jiangyuan City, with a pleasant climate and beautiful scenery, making it a good place not only for treatment but also for recuperation.

At noon, when everyone is feeling drowsy, a slightly mournful siren blared inappropriately, approaching from afar and rushing towards the gate of Anping Hospital.

Before the ambulance had even come to a complete stop, several people in white coats rushed out of the hospital, deftly took the stretcher from the ambulance, and quickly ran towards the emergency room.

The person on the stretcher wore an oxygen mask, eyes closed, a pained expression on their brow, yet seemed still conscious. There were red stains on the stretcher, clearly indicating bleeding and severe injuries.

The emergency light on the emergency room door instantly turned red.

Within five minutes, all the emergency personnel were in place.

The attending physician's eyes were bright and alert, though a mask obscured his face. His full head of black hair suggested he wasn't old.

He quickly glanced at the medical record: Patient Lin Yifei, a 20-year-old sophomore at Zhejiang University, suffering severe contusion and swelling of the right side of his brain from a car accident, closed abdominal injury with possible shin splints, and fractured ribs.

Zhejiang University?

This is one of the top universities in the country. Although the employment rate is unimaginably high right now, those who can get into this university are practically guaranteed a comfortable life after graduation. The attending physician sighed inwardly. This person had such a bright future ahead of them,

but this car accident has made their future uncertain.

"Have you notified the family?"

The attending physician didn't forget to ask. In this situation, the hospital's priority is obviously to save lives, but subsequent work can only begin after the family arrives. In other words, someone needs to sign off on the payments. Otherwise, if everyone comes in for treatment but no one pays the bills,

no one takes responsibility, and even the best hospital can't last more than a few days.

"There's no contact information for the injured person's family."

A nurse-looking person whispered.

"Then contact the school."

The attending physician was somewhat anxious.

"It's summer vacation now, and it's noon. We can't contact the school right now."

The nurse added.

The attending physician paused slightly, glanced at the injured patient, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Then let's focus on resuscitation. Have Xiao continue to contact the patient's immediate family as much as possible."

The nurse responded and quickly left.

The attending physician didn't hesitate any longer and began the resuscitation efforts.

"Anesthesiologist, prepare. Abdominal decompression, prepare. Emergency infusion, prepare."

The attending physician on the operating table was sweating profusely, his expression increasingly grave. An assistant frequently wiped the sweat from his forehead; seven times in just one minute.

The assistants, without even looking at the patient's condition, knew from the attending physician's demeanor and the intensity of his work that the patient's injuries were serious.

"Continuously decreasing, heart rate continuously increasing, platelets continuously decreasing."

A series of urgent reports rang out.

"Adjust dosage, correct electrolyte imbalance, replenish platelets."

The attending physician remained relatively calm, issuing a series of instructions tailored to the patient.

The patient's injuries were far more severe than initially diagnosed. After an exploratory laparotomy under general anesthesia, the attending physician discovered two ruptured duodenums, a ruptured pancreatic head, a ruptured and contused right lobe of the liver, spleen damage, and a lesion several tens of centimeters in size in the posterior abdomen.

Such severe rupture and damage to multiple vital organs is clinically extremely rare.

The attending physician was simultaneously performing a duodenectomy and liver repair, maintaining high concentration and daring not to be the slightest bit careless.

"Something's wrong."

An assistant suddenly exclaimed, "The patient's heart rate is zero, and his heart has stopped beating!"

But the EEG is normal?

Somewhat incredulous at his eyes, the assistant looked again at the instruments in front of him. Indeed, it was true. How could this be?

The attending physician was slightly startled, but quickly regained his composure. He calmly handled the equipment without slowing down, finishing his remaining work in a moment. He glanced quickly at the electrocardiogram (ECG) and said in a deep voice, "Prepare for defibrillation."

The equipment was already ready. He glanced at the ECG again. "Deblow the patient, begin CPR."

After three defibrillations, the ECG showed ventricular fibrosis and uncoordinated contractions. The attending physician felt a slight surge of joy. "Administer cardiac stimulants."

"Dr. Qin, the patient's condition has improved; there's a heartbeat signal, but it's very weak," the assistant suddenly stopped in surprise, looking up. "But there's no brainwave signal!"

After confirming that the equipment wasn't malfunctioning, the assistant finally said cautiously, "The patient is brain dead!"

Dr. Qin's heart tightened. He sighed, looking wearily at the patient on the bed. "Put him on a ventilator, continue administering cardiac medication to maintain the heartbeat, repeat the test twice in 12 hours, and give me the results tomorrow."

He had done everything he could. Now, it was all up to the patient's luck. He was just a doctor, not a god. Feeling utterly exhausted, this resuscitation effort was undoubtedly as arduous as fighting a war. Somewhat dejected, he left the operating room, changed his gown, and removed his gloves. Dr. Qin was in a terrible state of mind. He knew what brain death meant, and he knew what it meant for the family.

But what could he do?

A nurse quickly approached. Her long, dark hair was tied in a ponytail, giving her a youthful and energetic look. Her face was somewhat thin, with clear, bright eyes and a slightly serious expression. She wasn't very old;

in fact, she looked quite young.

"Dr. Qin, we've contacted the injured person's relatives. The father is Lin Ping, and the mother is He Xiulan. He Xiulan has arrived at the hospital, and Lin Ping is still on his way. They are both residents of this city. His mother wants to see you."

"Xiao," Dr. Qin said weakly, "issue a critical condition notice."

Nurse Xiao was stunned. She knew that once a critical condition notice was issued, the injured person was basically beyond saving. Although it wasn't the first time she had done this, she always found it difficult to bear, especially how to face the middle-aged woman she had just comforted.

After a long pause, she said, "Dr. Qin, is it really not going to work?"

Actually, she knew that Dr. Qin wouldn't make this decision unless absolutely necessary, but she still couldn't believe it. A vibrant college student had already reached the end of his life.

She didn't like this job because although she could see patients improve, most of the time she witnessed life and death. Just now, she had seen the injured person's anxious mother, and she had just reassured her that everything would be alright, but in the blink of an eye, she was asked to issue a death notice.

Neither of these feelings was bearable. But life doesn't always go according to your wishes; many things you have to do even if you don't want to.

Nurse Xiao, holding the critical condition notice, hesitated at the door. With a determined effort, she finally approached He Xiulan, who was anxiously waiting. "Aunt He," she said.

He Xiulan was a middle-aged woman of average build, slightly overweight. She sat listlessly in the ward, lost in thought. Upon receiving news of her son's car accident, she had immediately dropped everything and rushed to Anping Hospital. She had been waiting for over two hours now.

The agony of waiting was unimaginable unless you experienced it firsthand. If Nurse Xiao hadn't been constantly reassuring her, she might have already rushed into the operating room.

As if seeing a savior, Aunt He grabbed Nurse Xiao's arm. "Nurse Xiao, how is my son?"

Looking into those anxious, expectant eyes, Nurse Xiao felt a pang of heartache, as if she were seeing her own mother. She remained speechless for a long time.

"What is this?"

He Xiulan already had a bad feeling. Suddenly, she saw the form in her hand, grabbed it, and almost collapsed to the ground after just one glance.

"Aunt He!"

Nurse Xiao hurriedly helped her sit up. "We...

We've done everything we could."

"No, no, you're lying to me."

Aunt He murmured to herself, clutching the critical condition notice tightly, as if grasping at her last straw.

"Xiulan, how is Yifei?"

A middle-aged man rushed in, shouting and panting.

"Are you Lin Yifei's father, Lin Ping?"

Nurse Xiao asked.

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, then suddenly saw the form in He Xiulan's hand. His face changed drastically. He grabbed it, glanced at it, and although he didn't collapse, his hands began to tremble violently.

The ward was deathly silent. After a long while, Lin Ping asked in a low voice, "How much hope is left?"

Nurse Xiao gritted her teeth. "The injured person has no brain signals, which means they are practically brain dead."

"..."

Lin Ping was jolted. Aunt He cried out in anguish, "No, Xiao Fei!"

She shouted and was about to rush out.

He hurriedly grabbed him, Lin Ping remaining relatively calm. "Is there absolutely no hope?"

After a moment's hesitation, Nurse Xiao's tone became heavy. "Dr. Qin said to observe him for a day, temporarily using a ventilator and cardiac medication to maintain his heartbeat. If there are still no brain waves tomorrow, then...

there's no need for further treatment." "

Although Nurse Xiao's words were tactful, the meaning was clear. Brain death, from the current perspective, is practically considered death. However, most of the time, as long as a patient still has a heartbeat, no doctor dares to issue a death certificate lightly.

Otherwise, if the family members lose their minds, the shouting and commotion would be a minor issue compared to taking the patient to court, which would be a very troublesome matter. What they can do now is maintain the patient's heartbeat and leave the final decision to the patient's family.

"I want to see Xiaofei, my husband, just let me see my child one last time."

He Xiulan struggled desperately, already knowing in her heart that what she would see next was most likely her son, devoid of consciousness.

Lin Ping finally managed to calm his wife down, but his eyes were also glistening with tears. They had been married for over twenty years and only had this one son. It would be a lie to say he wasn't heartbroken. Forcing himself to remain calm, he said, "Nurse, could my wife see our son?"

Nurse Xiao hesitated for a moment. "Yes, but only outside the observation room. If you agree, I can take you there now." "

Lin Ping slowly shook his head. "Take my wife with you. I need to see the attending physician first."

Nurse Xiao nodded and beckoned another nurse in. "Xiao Wang, take this patient's family to see Dr. Qin."

After Nurse Xiao and He Xiuying disappeared from sight, Lin Ping sighed, appearing much older in an instant. He glanced at the nurse before him, a desolate smile playing on his lips. "Thank you for your trouble." "

Dr. Qin was frowning, carefully examining the newly arrived brain CT scan of the injured patient, his expression unusually serious.

Without his mask, Dr. Qin appeared to be in his thirties, with thick eyebrows and a square face. A few gray hairs had appeared at his temples, but his eyes were very sharp. He stared intently at the CT scan in his hand, finally sighing and looking up, his gaze fixed on Lin Ping.

Lin Ping's heart sank, like a condemned prisoner awaiting sentencing, his eyes filled with despair.

"This is the brain CT scan of the injured patient, Lin Yifei," Dr. Qin said, hanging up the scan and pointing to one area. "This is the brainstem, the main trunk of the brain, composed of the pons, medulla oblongata, and midbrain." Lin Ping was completely bewildered. He was an architect, but knew absolutely nothing about brain structure. He stared intently at his son's brain CT scan, as if it were a lifeline.

"The first physiological characteristic of human life is respiration, and the central nervous system that controls respiration is located in the brainstem. Judging from the CT scan, the injured person's brainstem has protruded." "

"Dr. Qin said in a heavy tone, a suspicion creeping into his heart. Based on his years of diagnostic experience, the patient's cavities were bulging, and his brain had experienced severe shocks. It didn't seem like a simple car accident; rather, it looked like he'd been hit more than twice.

A chill ran down his spine. He vaguely understood the truth of the matter. Some drivers these days had lost even the most basic human conscience. After hitting a pedestrian, they didn't even try to help; some would even reverse and hit the person several more times, until they were dead. Because in terms of compensation,

killing someone is the end of the matter, but if a seriously injured person is injured, the consequences are endless.

They had already thrown their basic conscience aside when they gripped the steering wheel. However, these were just Dr. Qin's speculations; the actual situation still needed to be investigated by the police. "That's it."

Lin Ping's heart sank deeper and deeper, growing colder with each passing moment.

"For a long time, the cessation of heartbeat and respiration, also known as death, has been the traditional standard for diagnosing death," Dr. Qin said, looking at Lin Ping. "However, experts have discovered that in a few exceptional patients, even with damage to the central nervous system, respiration and heartbeat can be maintained for a considerable period with the support of a ventilator and cardiac medication. But numerous clinical studies have found that all resuscitation efforts for these patients ultimately fail, and all of them succumb to death. This means that the previous view of death based solely on the cessation of respiration and heartbeat is incomplete.

Most deaths are not instantaneous events, but rather a continuous process that may begin even before respiration and heartbeat cease."

"Dr. Qin, just say what you have to say."

Lin Ping's voice trembled slightly as he said, "We will follow the doctor's decision." "

Dr. Qin sighed inwardly, "What I meant was, Lin Yifei's brainstem is currently damaged, with a mass compressing his central nervous system. He's no longer breathing spontaneously and is in a deep coma. Furthermore, his EEG is a flat, straight line; even magnified data shows no signal.

In other words," he paused, "the patient is brain dead and in imminent danger of dying."

Lin Ping was shocked, muttering to himself, "Brain dead?"

He could no longer hold back his tears. The grief of losing a son in middle age was unimaginable; life seemed to have lost its meaning.

"But we still need to observe him for twelve hours," Dr. Qin said slowly, "until after twelve hours we conduct brainstem reaction tests, cough reaction tests, and respiratory arrest tests. If there's no response to any of these, then we can declare true brain death.

Even if we can maintain his heartbeat and breathing with a ventilator and medication, we will still advise you to give up resuscitation, because at that point, there's no point in trying."

Lin Ping's eyes were somewhat vacant. After a long while, he stood up, feeling utterly weak. After a long pause, he asked, "What are the chances of my son regaining consciousness?" "

Dr. Qin hesitated for a moment before saying, "Unless a miracle happens."

This was the most tactful tone he could muster, but as a doctor, he had a responsibility to tell the patient the truth.

Lin Ping's tears finally flowed, and he staggered out the door. Dr. Qin felt a heaviness in his heart. He looked out the window; the sky was overcast, and a heavy rain seemed imminent. He sighed and sat down weakly.

Although he knew that staying outside the ward would be futile, and that family members weren't allowed in the intensive care unit, Aunt He still insisted on not leaving. He only had one son; what parent wouldn't stay by their child's side when their child was in critical condition?

Nurse Xiao was very responsible, and after much persuasion, she finally managed to get Aunt He to stay in a ward to rest for a while. Although Lin Ping was filled with grief..." He was still somewhat conscious and stayed with his wife in the ward. Looking out the window at the pitch-black sky, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck,

tearing a sliver of light through the night, but all the light was only temporary, instantly swallowed by the boundless darkness.

Silent thunder rumbled in the distance, gradually growing louder, one after another, sounding terrifying.

Staring blankly at the television in front of her, Aunt He's eyes were unfocused, as if she hadn't seen anything.

Lin Ping, however, heard the announcer on the television broadcasting an urgent weather forecast: "According to the meteorological observatory, due to the alternation of cold and warm air masses along the coast, Jiangyuan City will experience rare heavy to torrential rain tonight. The meteorological observatory reminds citizens to take precautions against rain and lightning when going out and to prepare for safety." "

Before the announcer finished speaking, several more bolts of lightning struck in quick succession, and the thunder roared like drums. Lin Ping's heart remained as still as a stagnant lake, without the slightest ripple. He only thought about tomorrow?

A miracle?

Finally feeling sleepy, Lin Ping glanced at his wife. She was still the same as always. He gently embraced her and whispered, "Xiulan, sleep for a while. We still need to see our son tomorrow." "

The only answer was silent sobbing. The two embraced, tears streaming down their faces.

The night grew deeper, but the rain showed no sign of stopping, pouring down in torrents.

While the two were dozing, they didn't notice a dazzling blue streak emerging from the horizon outside their window, rushing rapidly towards them. Not only the two of them, but no one in the entire Jiangyuan City saw it. At this time, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed throughout Jiangyuan City.

The only option was to stay home, quietly watching television. Who would pay attention to the strange phenomenon in the sky?

What was once a distant blue streak, seemingly unreachable, was now outside the hospital in the next instant. Then a thunderclap rang out, illuminating the night like day, but the blue streak passed through the bricks and concrete without hindrance." They entered a room.

The room contained only a hospital bed. The patient on the bed was covered in tubes, with a ventilator in his mouth and nose, his eyes closed, like a corpse.

The blue light entered the patient's brain without pause and disappeared. Suddenly, the flat EEG display began to fluctuate violently. In just a moment, the amplitude of the waveform almost exceeded the screen's range. With a soft 'pop,'

the patient on the bed seemed to twitch slightly, and the EEG monitor suddenly went completely black, becoming still.

The heart rate monitor, which had been nearly flat and barely perceptible, suddenly began to vibrate, slowly and weakly, but resolutely.