“Basic CPR function activated. Bioelectric shock assistance initiated.”
A sudden voice in Xu Ze’s mind caught him off guard. He looked around in confusion, but there was no one nearby who could have spoken.
“Was that just my imagination?” Xu Ze frowned, puzzled. But with a life on the line, he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He pushed the thought aside and focused on the task at hand, his hands moving steadily without pause.
Unbeknownst to Xu Ze, the mysterious program activated in his mind, the replica of the One Ring from “The Lord of the Rings” which he wore on his right index finger just for fun. Each time Xu Ze’s right hand struck his left hand, which was pressed against the child’s chest, a strange electric current shot out from the ring, passing through his left hand and into the child’s heart.
With each electric pulse, the child’s heart began to regain its rhythm, beating weakly but steadily.
Xu Ze, however, was unaware of this. After delivering three firm blows to the chest, he quickly reached out to check the child’s carotid artery, hoping to feel a pulse. Had the heartbeat returned?
What seemed like simple punches were actually a critical emergency technique known as “life-saving strikes” in medical circles. Officially called precordial thumps, the method involved delivering three to five quick, medium-force strikes to the left side of the chest when a patient’s heart had stopped. Each strike generated about five joules of energy, which could help restore the heart’s rhythm and potentially restart it.
These three strikes were crucial. If they worked, the patient’s heart might start beating again. If not, the chances of successful resuscitation dropped significantly.
In this case, the child’s heart had been stopped for quite some time, and the likelihood of it restarting with just a few strikes was slim. However, the mysterious electric pulses from the ring had done the trick, restoring the heartbeat without Xu Ze’s knowledge.
“Hmm… It’s faint, but it’s there!” Xu Ze’s eyes widened in disbelief and joy as he felt the weak but steady pulse in the child’s neck. “Did I really just save this kid? How did that even happen?”
“He’s alive?”
The onlookers, noticing the relieved smile on Xu Ze’s face, began to murmur in awe.
Old Wang and his daughter-in-law, who had been watching anxiously, were now on the verge of tears. They stared at Xu Ze, waiting for confirmation, afraid to celebrate too soon.
Xu Ze took a deep breath, calming himself as he observed the child. The bluish tint on Xiao Jun’s face was gradually fading, replaced by a faint flush of color. His chest began to rise and fall slightly as his breathing returned.
Satisfied, Xu Ze turned to Old Wang and said, “He’s stabilized for now. Get him to the hospital for oxygen and some IV fluids. He should be fine.”
“He’s really alive! He’s alive!”
The crowd erupted in cheers as they noticed the color returning to Xiao Jun’s face and the faint signs of life. Their earlier skepticism had vanished, replaced by admiration for Xu Ze, who had managed to save a child who had seemed beyond hope.
Old Wang, tears streaming down his face, thanked Xu Ze profusely before rushing off with his family to the hospital on their tricycle.
Once they were gone, Uncle Wu approached Xu Ze, his expression filled with awe. “Ah Ze, I never knew you were this skilled. You even saved someone who was practically gone. You’ve surpassed your father!”
Xu Ze, however, didn’t share Uncle Wu’s enthusiasm. His mind was still preoccupied with the strange voice he had heard earlier. He shook his head, dismissing it as a hallucination. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder. Saving the child had been a stroke of luck, but that voice… Was that really just a hallucination?
After a moment of reflection, Xu Ze decided to let it go for now. He smiled faintly and replied, “Uncle Wu, you’re giving me too much credit. This was just luck. In most cases, once the heart stops for that long, there’s not much hope.”
With that, Xu Ze bid farewell to the crowd, mounted his bike, and continued on his way home. It was Friday, and his father would be busy at the clinic. He needed to get back and help out.