Physician's Odyssey

Chapter 724 - Checkmate

Translator: Thyaeria

“The leader of International SOS, Mr. Andrewson, said that they hope that they can enter the epidemic center by themselves without anyone following them.” Rui Lei fell into deep thoughts. In the end, he still gave his superior, Han Yi, a call.

Yui Lei was a director in a third-rated hospital in Yundian Province, responsible for the coordination of the Seven Mountain Village’s overall planning.

Knitting his brows together, Han Yi asked, “Aside from the International SOS participating in this medical assistance mission, what other organisation participated as well?”

“It’s an organisation called the Qihuang Charity Funds. It’s a TCM organisation. The higher hierarchy were the ones who approved their participation.” Rui Lei helplessly replied.

“TCM? What can they do?” Han Yi knitted his brows as he unhappily said, “They don’t know what the exact situation is. This incident is way more dangerous than they’ve imagined. Through numerous emergency conferences in the province, Mr. Andrewson is someone that we’ve invited at a great cost.”

International SOS might be doing volunteer work, but to get a specialist like Mr. Andrewson, it required a lot of resources from the government. It’s a cost that cannot be valued with money.

Simply putting it, if Andrewson chose to leave, then all the resources that they’ve invested would be for naught.

“Inform the Qihuang Charity Funds tomorrow morning that they won’t be participating in this mission.” Han Yi replied after a brief pondering.

“What if they disagree?” Rui Lei knitted his brows.

“They do not have any qualifications to agree or disagree. Everything will go according to the government's arrangements. What we’re encountering is a disaster right now, and we have to consider the overall situation. What use can they be to enter the epidemic center?” Han Yi said with some anger before he added, “I’m worried that this charity organisation is just trying to promote themselves.”

“I know what to do now.” Rui Lei sighed.

Nodding his head, Han Yi responded, “You have to be more tactful in handling this matter, such as letting Mr. Andrewson’s team leave first before finding a reason to obstruct the Qihuang Charity Funds from entering the epidemic center. On this matter, Mr. Andrewson’s team will be placed with more importance. After all, he’s an internationally acknowledged specialist, and he has resolved multiple difficulties. I believe that they can create another miracle.”

“I will make arrangements immediately. I’m sorry to disturb you so late.” Rui Lei immediately answered.

Wearing a faint smile, Han Yi replied, “Little Rui, your working attitude is pretty good, and you have to deal with this crisis well. When this matter is done, you will definitely have a contribution in it.”

Rui Lei sighed upon hearing those words. Evidently, Han Yi was still unclear about the danger this time. It’s mainly because the Seven Mountain Village was located in a remote area, and there’s no large-scale infection yet. This was also the reason why many people in Yundian Province weren’t affected.

As an official who understood the virus the best in the province, Rui Lei knew how dangerous this situation was. A 30% chance of infection was already terrifying, not to mention that the rate was still increasing. There were practically about ten new cases daily. If it wasn’t controlled well, it might result in a massive figure.

However, his superior was pretty capable to invite International SOS for help, lessening Rui Lei’s worries.

Although everyone drank last night, everyone still gathered on time the next morning and took their breakfast. At about 8 a.m., all of them waited for the vehicle arranged by Yundian Province’s Health Bureau to pick them up.

However, Su Tao realised that there weren’t any vehicles at about 8.30 a.m., so he gave a call to the contact person.

After two rings, Tu Zhi rushed in with his phone and wore an awkward smile. “President Su, I’m sorry that I came late. Furthermore, we received a piece of bad news. I’ve just been informed that the ambulances in the province have all been dispatched, and there aren’t any vehicles to send you guys to the frontline.”

Upon hearing that, everyone in the medical assistance team started to explode in a commotion. If there were no vehicles to send them, it would undoubtedly increase the amount of trouble. After all, they weren’t familiar with the Seven Mountain Village. If the regional government arranged for them, they would be able to avoid trouble.

Looking at Tu Zhi’s eyes, Su Tao noticed that the former was avoiding his gaze. Clearly, Tu Zhi was hiding something from him, so he knitted his brows. “Mr. Tu, you can just be honest and tell me about it. It’s impossible for the regional government to make such a mistake and forget about us. Did anything happen or does someone not wish for us to go to the frontlines?”

Tu Zhi briefly froze when he heard Su Tao’s words. He never expected that Su Tao would be so straightforward. But since Su Tao was so straightforward, he also did not bother to beat around the bush and said in a grave tone, “I’ll not hide it from you guys. Actually, the epidemic center is more dangerous than we’ve imagined, so we requested help from International SOS for a virology specialist to lead the team. We can understand that you guys are anxious to save people, but we have to consider the overall situation and obey orders. We’ve consulted that specialist for his opinion before we made the decision not to overcomplicate the situation.”

Although Tu Zhi spoke his words tactfully, no one was a fool here. They could hear the meaning in his words, so Liao Huashi unhappily said, “I understand now. You guys are worried that we’ll drag that foreign specialist down?”

“That’s not what we mean, but the situation isn’t optimistic at the present stage, so it’s best for fewer people to enter the frontlines. This way, we can avoid unnecessary loss.” Tu Zhi shook his head.

Knitting his brows together, Su Tao seriously said, “We’re all part of the mission, and we’re all capable physicians in China’s TCM industry. We naturally know the danger of this mission, and we wouldn’t volunteer ourselves if we did not have any confidence. Please convey my thoughts with your superior and get a car to send us there. If you guys don’t agree to it, then I can only hire my own driver and have them guide me to the frontlines.”

Tu Zhi knitted his brows from Su Tao’s stubbornness. As annoyance flashed across his face, he faintly said, “I’ll make a request to my superior for you.”

Thereafter, Tu Zhi went to the corner and gave Rui Lei a call and helplessly said, “These people are more stubborn than we’ve imagined. They practically don’t listen to my advice, and they even intend to hire their own vehicles to head to the Seven Mountain Village. Sir Rui, what do you think I should do?”

“They’re still someone sent by the Health Ministry, so we have to consider their faces. Get them to stay in the hotel for now and tell them that we have a shortage of vehicles. Once we sort everything out, we will send them to the Seven Mountain Village.” Rui Lei had already found a solution.

“What if they ask when the vehicles can be arranged?” Tu Zhi asked.

“Do you need me to teach you everything on this matter?” Rui Lei sighed, feeling helpless with Tu Zhi’s ability.

“I got it!” Tu Zhi immediately replied.

After a brief pondering, Rui Lei instructed, “You don’t have to be too polite to them. If you’re too polite with them, they will only be more firm.”

Tu Zhi instantly understood Rui Lei’s meaning. This time, the Vice-Department Head has received Andrewson’s team, while they only sent an administrative section-level official to receive the Qihuang Charity Funds. From this detail alone, anyone could tell the drastic difference in value.

Tu Zhi sighed. Rui Lei had requested him to be more firm, but how was that easy? As the one receiving them, he couldn’t possibly fall out with them.

Seeing that Tu Zhi was making a call for over ten minutes in the corner, Liao Huashi sighed, “President Su, is there a need for us to beg them since their attitude is so vile with no respect for us? We paid everything from our pockets for this mission, and the government does not have to take any responsibility. I never expected that we would even have to beg them.”

At this moment, even Kong Siyu unhappily said, “These bunch of people are blindly worshipping everything foreign. Since they think that those foreigners are better than us, it’s fine even if we don’t go there! Let those foreigners handle it!”

Upon hearing Kong Siyu’s words, everyone echoed along.

“You guys are wrong. We’re not here to help the government, but to help those patients.” Su Tao swept his glance around and continued, “Then again, it’s my fault for this incident to take place, since I did not sort out the relation. Since all of us came with a sincere heart, we can’t suffer so many grievances. Please give me some time, I’ll make a call and give everyone a swift reply.”

Su Tao also never expected that this trip would be so unsuccessful. He was checkmated by the government before he even arrived at the Seven Mountain Village.

This was also because Su Tao had simplified things too much. When he provided the information of Qihuang Charity Funds to the Health Bureau in Yundian Province, he did not say that he’s a National Healer since he wanted to be low-profiled. He thought that he could save on unnecessary trouble. After all, they’re here to save lives, not to tangle with the political vortex.

However, he never imagined that his intention to be low-profiled would land him in such an awkward situation. Revealing a self-mocking smile, Su Tao realised that there were times for him to act high-profiled. Otherwise, he would be looked down upon and suffer unnecessary grievances.

Hence, he made a call to Yue Zun before Tu Zhi and bitterly smiled, “Martial Uncle, there’s something that I would like to trouble you with. Due to various reasons, we were given the cold shoulder in Yundian Province.”

“What’s the matter?” Yun Zun locked his brows and asked, “You guys are representing the National Healer Specialist Team, not to mention that it's voluntary work. So how can you be given the cold shoulder?”

However, Yue Zun was experienced and swiftly sorted his thoughts out before he continued, “You briefly wait for now. I’ll make a call to the leaders for them to pay some attention to this matter. You guys don’t have to be anxious, it’s unavoidable for there to be a communication break when instructions were issued down. I never expected that the Yundian Province would handle this matter so casually, they’re too disappointing.”

Tu Zhi initially thought that he could put up a strong front with Su Tao. But when he saw that Su Tao paid no attention to him and made a call to someone, his bearing instantly died down and he wondered if Su Tao had a great influence.

Instantly Tu Zhi’s scalp started to tingle as he bitterly smiled. He never expected that an ordinary receiving job would be so difficult.