godfather of surgery

Chapter 1247 Secret Mission
The color drained from Zhang Lin's face in an instant, and the thermos he was holding froze in mid-air, unsure whether to put it down or continue holding it.

He felt cold sweat instantly soak through his clothes on his back. Only one thought echoed wildly in his mind: "It's over! It's over! He heard everything! Imitating him... and saying he doesn't understand scientific research..."

The other young doctors were also terrified. They quickly lowered their heads and pretended to write medical records seriously. Their fingers were trembling as they typed, and they wished they could stick their heads into the computer monitor. The air in the office was so heavy that it was almost dripping with water.

After saying this, Dean Xia's gaze lingered on Zhang Lin's face for a full three seconds. Those three seconds felt like three centuries to Zhang Lin. He could almost see himself being relegated to managing the library or being sent to the emergency room for night shifts every day for the next few months, or even years.

However, the expected thunderous wrath did not materialize.

Dean Xia simply gave another soft "hmm," and then, in his characteristically emotionless tone, slowly said, "Are you all very free? Have you finished writing all the medical records? Have you standardized all the progress notes? Have you been able to submit your discharge summaries on time?"

Each question was like a small hammer, striking the hearts of the young doctors.

"No...no, Dean, we're writing it right now," a resident trainee replied, his voice barely audible.

Dean Xia nodded, his gaze swept over everyone again, and finally gave Zhang Lin, whose face was ashen, a meaningful look. Without saying anything more, he turned around, put his hands behind his back, and slowly left the office.

The footsteps faded into the distance until they disappeared completely at the end of the corridor.

The people in the office remained silent for a full minute before anyone dared to breathe heavily.

"My God...that scared me to death..." someone patted their chest, looking terrified.

“Teacher Zhang…you…you really are something else this time…” Another resident looked at Zhang Lin, whose face was ashen, and didn’t know what to say.

Zhang Lin slumped into a chair, slamming his thermos down on the table with a clatter, spilling a few drops of water. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his face contorted with despair: "It's over... I'm dead... Dean Xia will definitely remember me..."

How was I supposed to know he'd come at this time today! It's almost time to get off work, and he's still wandering around the clinical departments. Zhang Lin was on the verge of tears.

Having navigated the world for so many years, I've gossiped about deans and secretaries thousands, if not tens of thousands, and never stumbled. But today, I've stepped in dog poop.

Someone exclaimed as if suddenly realizing something, "Isn't the research institute now affiliated with the Academy of Medical Sciences? It's already separated from Sanbo Hospital..."

Yes, didn't they separate? They are in a parallel relationship, not subordinate to each other. They are just still mixed together in space, but in terms of actual management, they have been completely separated.

Zhang Lin breathed a sigh of relief. He was terrified! Now that the family had separated, he was at least much safer.

Although the research institute and the hospital have separated, Dean Xia's image, having served as dean for so long, is etched in Zhang Lin's mind, creating a certain degree of "bloodline" pressure.

That meaningful glance just now will probably give me nightmares for the next few nights. In my dreams, I'll either be assigned to manage the morgue or sent to support a medical team in Africa.

After calming down a bit, he received a call from Section Chief Qiu of the institute's security department: "Dr. Zhang! If it's convenient for you now, please come to my office... the empty office on this floor upstairs, not the one next to Professor Yang's."

Security Section? Section Chief Qiu? The one who used to be a top soldier in the army, with eyes as sharp as an eagle, usually stern and serious, who was in charge of the institute's security and confidentiality?

Why would you need to find a junior clinical doctor like him?

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Zhang Lin's mind.

Was this the punishment for imitating Dean Xia last time? Or had he crossed a security line by spreading "insider information"? Or... He didn't dare to think any further, only feeling a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

"It's over, it's over. This time it's not just being exiled to the frontier, it's going to be taken directly to a military court!" Zhang Lin said with a mournful face.

With the feeling of going to his execution, Zhang Lin shuffled slowly to the security office. He took several deep breaths before mustering the courage to knock on the door.

"Please come in." Qiu's steady voice came from inside.

Zhang Lin pushed open the door and entered. The office was small and simply furnished, with a desk and a few filing cabinets. Section Chief Qiu was sitting behind the desk, holding a document. When he saw Zhang Lin enter, he looked up. His gaze, just as rumored, was calm yet extremely penetrating, as if it could see right into a person's heart.

"Section Chief Qiu... you wanted to see me?" Zhang Lin felt his voice trembling and he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

"Dr. Zhang Lin, right? Please have a seat." Section Chief Qiu gestured to the chair opposite his desk, his tone unreadable.

Zhang Lin sat down cautiously, his bottom only touching half of the chair, his back ramrod straight, like a primary school student waiting to be scolded. The extraordinary demeanor of "Professor Zhang" that he usually possessed had completely vanished.

Section Chief Qiu put down the documents, crossed his hands on the table, and leaned forward slightly, a gesture that put even more pressure on Zhang Lin.

“Dr. Zhang, don’t be nervous,” Section Chief Qiu said, his voice still steady. “I’ve called you here today to get some information.”

They're here! Zhang Lin's heart skipped a beat.

"I...I know I was wrong, Section Chief Qiu!" Zhang Lin decided to confess first and try to get lenient treatment. "I shouldn't have talked about the leaders in the office, I shouldn't have spread unverified rumors, and I shouldn't have imitated Dean Xia...I will definitely keep my mouth shut in the future, work hard, unite with my colleagues, and put patients first..."

He poured out every "crime" he could think of in one breath, his attitude so sincere that he was almost in tears.

Section Chief Qiu listened patiently to him finish speaking, his face remaining expressionless. Only after he stopped did he ask calmly, "That's all?"

Zhang Lin was taken aback: "Huh? There... there is more?" He thought back carefully, wondering if he had unintentionally made some more serious mistake that he wasn't even aware of?
Leaked information? Was it an unintentional leak?

Instead of answering directly, Section Chief Qiu changed the subject: "Dr. Zhang, I heard that you are very knowledgeable about the institute, especially Professor Yang Ping's research group?"

Zhang Lin's heart tightened again; sure enough, they'd brought up this again! He quickly waved his hands, "No, no! I don't know! It's all hearsay, just guesswork! Don't take it seriously!"

"Oh? Just guessing?" Section Chief Qiu leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "But the version I heard is that you not only clearly knew about the 'soft blockade' that Professor Yang's research group was facing, but you could also describe in detail the specific methods and situations that Jiang Jitong, Liu Yang, Chu Xiaoxiao, Wang Chao, and He Zijian each used to deal with the blockade. You even seemed to be there during the conversation between Dean Xia and Professor Yang."

Section Chief Qiu's tone remained calm, but every word struck Zhang Lin like a hammer blow. He felt a cold sweat break out on his back again. The security department truly lived up to its reputation; they knew everything he had been boasting about in the office!
"This...this..." Zhang Lin stammered, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to explain. "Dr. Zhang," Section Chief Qiu's voice became more serious, "I hope you can tell the truth. Some information is currently under internal confidentiality and has not been disclosed to the public. For example, how did you know the specific details of the targeted blockade of research materials?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lin felt slightly relieved. So they weren't investigating his gossip about the leadership, but rather the source of his information? He breathed a sigh of relief, but then immediately brought it up again—the source? He'd just guessed! Who would believe that?

Seeing the sharp, scrutinizing gaze of Section Chief Qiu, Zhang Lin knew he wouldn't get away with it if he didn't give a clear explanation today. He gritted his teeth and decided to go all out.

"Section Chief Qiu, I... to be honest, I really just guessed, or rather, I deduced it based on some overt information." Zhang Lin tried his best to make his voice sound sincere.

"Speculation?" Section Chief Qiu raised an eyebrow slightly. "Tell me, how did you deduce this?"

Zhang Lin took a deep breath and began to organize his thoughts: "First of all, those people who usually look so energetic in the cafeteria have recently become like wilted eggplants. Liu Yang, who always asks the cafeteria lady for extra rice, has been eating half his usual amount these past few days. What else could this be but a sign of trouble? Also, Liu Yang is going to the bacterial culture bank and protein purification platform, but he's only getting the most basic culture media and packing materials. This doesn't make sense. How could a cutting-edge research group that's eager to produce results suddenly stop using good 'ammunition'? Unless they can't buy any good 'ammunition'."

Section Chief Qiu listened quietly, offering no comment.

Zhang Lin continued, saying that once he entered his area of ​​expertise, "analysis," he became less nervous. "Secondly, Chu Xiaoxiao used to be quite vain, but now she often has dark circles under her eyes, smells like flow cytometer cleaning solution, and is always carrying around thick notebooks of raw data. Wang Chao and Senior Brother Jiang used to go back and forth between the lab and the clinic, but now they frequently travel to Nandu University of Science and Technology! He Zijian is practically living at the Digital Medicine Center of Nandu Medical University. Combining all this scattered information, their fussing over these things is definitely not because their original path is no longer viable, but because they've been forced into a corner and have no choice but to come up with their own 'alternative solutions.'"

"As for the conversation between Dean Xia and Professor Yang..." Zhang Lin paused, a little embarrassed, "That day I happened to be delivering some materials to the research institute, and I saw Dean Xia coming out of Professor Yang's office from afar. His expression was a bit... well, complicated. Based on what I had observed earlier, I guessed that Dean Xia must have wanted to help, but Professor Yang had turned him away for some reason. Professor Yang's personality definitely doesn't like leaders interfering in specific research matters, and with his nonchalant style, it's not surprising that he would say you don't understand research. Dean Xia's arrogant temperament means he wouldn't have looked that way unless he had been rebuffed; if he had been rebuffed, it would only be in this area."

Zhang Lin finished speaking in one breath and secretly observed Section Chief Qiu's reaction.

Section Chief Qiu's face remained expressionless, but a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed deep in his eyes. He remained silent for a few seconds, his fingers unconsciously continuing to tap the table.

Although some details of Zhang Lin's speculation were based on observation and reasonable imagination, the overall logical chain was very clear, and the conclusion was surprisingly accurate! Without any inside information, he almost completely reconstructed the predicament and coping strategies faced by Yang Ping's research group through just some clues, and even guessed the core meaning of the high-level dialogue with great accuracy.

Such observational, analytical, and logical reasoning abilities in a clinician who has not received any professional intelligence training are simply... a gift.

There was a brief silence in the office.

Looking at the young doctor who he had initially thought was just a "big mouth," Section Chief Qiu felt a surge of emotion. Having worked in security and confidentiality for a long time and seen all sorts of people, he knew very well how precious and rare this ability to accurately reconstruct intelligence based on publicly available information was. This wasn't just gossip; it was an almost instinctive and intuitive talent for intelligence analysis.

“Dr. Zhang,” Section Chief Qiu finally spoke again, his tone much gentler than before, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible appreciation, “Your observations are very meticulous, and your analysis is very logical.”

Zhang Lin felt a sense of relief and quickly said modestly, "No, no, I was just thinking about it randomly. I always like to ask around and I can't control my mouth..."

“Sometimes, ‘thinking things through’ and ‘being inquisitive’ can be strengths, not weaknesses, if used in the right way,” Section Chief Qiu said meaningfully.

Zhang Lin was taken aback, not quite understanding what he meant.

Section Chief Qiu stood up, walked to the door, gently opened it, glanced outside, then closed and locked the door again, returning to his seat with a serious and solemn expression.

"Dr. Zhang, the main purpose of calling you here today is not to hold you accountable for spreading the information," Section Chief Qiu lowered his voice, "but rather to discuss something more important and sensitive that may require your help."

"Need my help?" Zhang Lin pointed to himself, completely dumbfounded. What help could a junior clinical doctor like him possibly give the head of security?

Zhang Lin knew perfectly well that although Section Chief Qiu held the title of Security Section Chief, he was no ordinary section chief. Every security guard under him was a top-notch soldier.

“Yes.” Section Chief Qiu nodded, looking at him sharply. “Your analysis just now proves that you have a strong ability to gather and analyze information. So, have you ever thought about this question—why did the ‘soft blockade’ encountered by Professor Yang Ping’s research group come so quickly and so precisely?”

Zhang Lin blinked and subconsciously replied, "Because...because the opponent is strong and reacts quickly?"

“That’s one reason,” Section Chief Qiu leaned forward, lowering his voice even further. “But another possibility that cannot be ignored is that there may be someone within our ranks who is leaking intelligence to the outside world.”

"A mole?!" Zhang Lin nearly jumped out of his chair, his eyes wide with shock. This guess was far more sensational than any of his usual gossip!
"Shh—" Section Chief Qiu made a shushing gesture, his eyes stern. "We're only in the suspicion stage right now, with no evidence whatsoever. This matter has a significant impact. If word gets out, it will create a climate of fear within the institute, severely affecting the research atmosphere and staff morale. Therefore, the investigation must be conducted in secrecy, without alerting the suspects."

Zhang Lin quickly covered his mouth, nodding repeatedly, his heart pounding with shock and a strange excitement. Gathering intelligence? Catching an inside man? This was far more thrilling than writing medical records or performing surgery!

"Section Chief Qiu, you mean..." Zhang Lin seemed to have guessed something, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Given your demonstrated talent and familiarity with the institute's personnel and environment," Section Chief Qiu said, looking at him, and formally extended an invitation, "I hope you can assist us in conducting an internal investigation, while maintaining confidentiality. Use your usual 'hobbies' to observe and pay attention to see if there are any unusual people or things, especially those who may have access to Professor Yang's research group's core information and have the means to make unauthorized contacts with the outside world. Report any findings directly to me."

Zhang Lin felt a rush of excitement to his head, his face flushed red. The head of security had personally invited him to participate in a secret investigation! This was like something out of a movie! He felt his title of "unofficial spokesperson for Sanbo" had instantly been upgraded to "Sanbo's unofficial agent"!
"I'm willing! I'm willing! Section Chief Qiu!" Zhang Lin was so excited he almost stood up to salute. He patted his chest vigorously. "Don't worry! Leave this to me! I, Zhang Lin, may not be good at anything else, but when it comes to gathering information, I'm an expert! I guarantee I'll complete the mission discreetly and won't leak a single word!"

Seeing Zhang Lin's eager and ready expression, Section Chief Qiu's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but held it back. He solemnly instructed, "Remember, this is no small matter. Your task is to observe and report. Without my orders, you are absolutely not allowed to act on your own, and you are absolutely not allowed to reveal the investigation to anyone, including your best colleagues and friends, and your family—I mean anyone. Everything must be done in secret, understand?"

"Understood! Absolutely understood!" Zhang Lin nodded vigorously, "It will be done covertly. I am your eyes and ears planted on the front lines of clinical care!"

"Alright, the content of today's conversation is best left unsaid once you leave this room." Section Chief Qiu stood up, indicating the end of the conversation. "Go back now, maintain your normal work and life routine, and if you discover anything, contact me in a safe manner."

"Yes, Section Chief Qiu!" Zhang Lin straightened his back, feeling his image instantly become taller and more radiant.

He turned back as soon as he reached the door: "For the sake of convenience at work, should I get a code name or something?"

Section Chief Qiu almost spat out his tea: "Code name? He hadn't thought about that yet."

"We'll talk about it later..." Section Chief Qiu waved his hand.

"Understood!" Zhang Lin nodded solemnly.

He walked out of the security office, his steps light and quick. His earlier anxiety and fear had vanished, replaced by a sense of excitement and pride at shouldering a secret mission. Sunlight streamed down the corridor, making it appear exceptionally bright.

P.S.: I have a little more time now than before, and I will definitely try to update more often. Thank you all for your continued support!