Chapter 138: Successful Surgery

(TN: As a celebration of my first week I'm gonna post a bunch of extra chapters enjoy I'm gonna enjoy my two-day weekend break) The surgery went smoothly. Indeed, not many parents can bear to watch their children being cut open, but Maya was one of those with an exceptionally calm demeanor. Leo thought this might be related to his mother's experience as a caregiver, but more likely it had to do with her childhood experiences. To perform this surgery, Leo had programmed a device similar to a behavior chip, setting up numerous fixed operation pathways. Using several cameras for visual guidance, the program performed well, accurately making the incision into Leo's chest while avoiding all necessary blood vessels and nerves— Using prepared stents to hold open the incision and muscles, Leo pulled out the secondary heart. It was a sophisticated piece of cyberware. The blood loss made Leo a bit dizzy—this kind of dizziness couldn't be countered by the system. "L-agent 3ml, 1000ml glucose." Maya was puzzled—1000ml seemed like too much, and the mysterious L-agent didn't appear to be registered. Besides that, there was the secondary heart, and the cyber-modulator and prosthetic lines wrapped around the body looked quite abnormal. But she wisely refrained from asking questions; she knew that now wasn't the time for inquiries. This was a moment to stay as calm as possible and follow instructions. The L-agent was processed lizard serum, designed to function minimally, while the glucose was for nutritional supplementation. The agent took some time to take effect. Intravenous injections are slower than arterial injections, but Leo only had the equipment for intravenous use. Clotted blood was flushed out again; this wasn't a good sign clinically, but it meant that the lizard agent was starting to work. Blood began to regenerate, blood pressure rose, causing the recently clotted wound to loosen. As he regained consciousness, Leo started modifying the secondary heart, which didn't take long. Unlike a biological heart, the secondary heart had only one large chamber, filled with fresh blood from himself, a full 500ml. The blood was pumped by a miniature motor, transferring blood to the biological heart in case of an accidental stop, and used electrical shocks to try and revive the stopped heart. In normal operation, it participated in the blood circulation at low power to keep the stored blood fresh. After a full load, it would receive blood from the main heart again until it was filled with 500ml. Overall, it was quite advanced. Leo now needed to convert this chamber into a structure with three smaller chambers—this structure had already been pre-fabricated. So he stopped the secondary heart, opened the chamber, emptied the blood, and began the modification. The modification used materials from a cardiac pacemaker; he simply inserted the pre-fabricated components and connected the micro-motors to control the chambers. After inserting the three chambers, sealing the secondary heart, Leo rebooted the prosthetic and began reprogramming it. Once reprogramming was complete, the secondary heart started functioning. The biological monitor displayed a new interface: [L-Type Secondary Heart Monitoring]. The process of re-inserting it was much simpler—indeed, in Night City, many unlicensed doctors perform surgeries like slaughtering pigs; after adjusting the program, they simply insert it into the body. Leo, however, was not unprofessional. He carefully positioned it in the center of the chest, slightly left of the lungs, separated from the biological heart by the mediastinum. Then he began stitching—though Leo hadn't prepared any sutures or needles, he had his mother administer two more shots of glucose. 3ml of lizard serum was enough for partial lizardification and sufficient for wound healing. After completing the injection, Leo used his prosthetic doctor gloves to press the wound together— "Surgery successful, beginning stitching." A miraculous scene occurred: Maya watched as the surgical wound slowly began to heal. It was almost like a miracle. With the declaration of the surgery's success, Maya could no longer contain her shock, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at this seemingly miraculous sight. Even though the surgery had just been performed, Leo didn't feel the slightest weakness. Instead, with the activation of the lizard DNA under the agent's effect, he felt remarkably well— His complexion was gradually reddening, and his mind was becoming increasingly clear. Only after returning to normal could Leo realize that his previous state wasn't just physically fragile; even his brain activity had been significantly suppressed. He felt refreshed. Seeing Maya's astonished expression, Leo shrugged. "Mom, I'm normal now." Maya was still overwhelmed by the immense impact. Hearing this good news, she hugged Leo gently despite the blood on him. "I'm truly happy for you." "I am too. You don't have to worry about me anymore." Leo also displayed a relieved smile— As a son, the moment his mother's worries were eased was also when he felt content—though he wondered how to explain it. Maya closed her eyes, feeling Leo's warm body, a sign of health. After about ten seconds, she wiped her tears and said to Leo, "Leo, I know you're different from others, but I won't ask more questions. I just hope you stay safe, and just like today, as long as you need me, I'll always be waiting at home for you, no matter what happens or what you become. Just promise to keep yourself safe." Leo felt a warm, yet poignant, sensation in his heart. Parents, too, are human, and their expectations for their children are based on their own experiences. Honest parents hope their children won't cause trouble and live honestly; shrewd parents hope their children won't be deceived; diligent parents hope their sons will also work hard. These are just examples, but the main hope is for their children to live well, with no other demands, which is a modest expectation. Clearly, during Leo's comatose days, Maya had come close to despair. So he gently nodded and said with a smile, "Mom, you're underestimating me a bit. Remember your dream of a grand castle? It might come true soon." Maya's smile widened, but she said, "Then you'd better work hard." Before she could finish, Leo frowned— [ctOS Subsystem Monitoring Alert] [Type: Registered Personnel, Abnormal Entry Time] [Location: Empire University—Professor Connors' Laboratory] [Monitor Sighted: Peter Parker] [Crime Probability (Internal Test Function): 40% (Increasing)] Maya noticed her son's unusual reaction and asked, "What's wrong?" "Just a small issue. I might need to handle something at Empire University—not a physical issue, but some academic matters." "So late?" It was already 10 PM; at this hour, nowhere in New York was safe, let alone starting from Hell's Kitchen. But Leo nonchalantly said, "Mom, you should trust the system I developed—how long has it been since you've seen any crime at night?" "This isn't about confidence; it's a safety issue." Maya hesitated for a moment before saying, "Just if you must go, remember I'll be waiting for you at home." Leo nodded— Thinking about it, it seemed his previous self had run out after a fight with his mother, only to get into trouble. No wonder she was always so humble. The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Leo, unable to stand it, told himself "That's not me" and then dressed quickly, heading straight to Empire University. At Empire University's laboratory, Peter quietly snuck into Professor Connors' lab, gently opening the door to find it empty. He let out a sigh of relief. "Hey." A voice from behind startled Peter! He turned around and saw a lab worker from the adjacent building—one he had seen with Leo before, each looking in poor condition. The one speaking to Peter looked even worse, as if drained, with dark circles, high cheekbones, and a pale complexion. Peter almost jumped. "Hey—don't scare me like that!" The person scratched his head. "Just saw you also working late in the lab, came over to say hi. Your lab needs to work overtime too?" "Uh, yes, I'm here for extra hours." "Ugh." The person walked in and patted Peter's shoulder, looking like he found a kindred spirit. "Research really is torturous, and having a client pressuring you is like being chased with a knife." "Your client is the Osborn Group, right? That makes sense." "I didn't know the Osborn Group was so extreme—actually, we've always had a partnership, but recently... ugh, let's not talk about it. Many colleagues are already saying they can't handle it, and I feel like I'm getting close to that point." He sighed again and looked at Peter. "Although we are somewhat in competition, I still hope our efforts won't be in vain." Peter, seeing this competitor who looked like he might collapse any moment, felt conflicted. "It won't be in vain." "Optimistic, I like it—well, I'm off. Happy overtime!" The person turned and left, waving his coffee in the air as he walked away. Peter calmed himself and entered the lab, motivating himself: This was a dangerous experiment, and without volunteers, it would be hard to make faster progress. But it was a dangerous experiment, so he needed to perform it inside a safety glass enclosure. Setting up the equipment inside the safety glass, the lab suddenly went dark— Click! Almost all the equipment stopped! Peter was stunned, looking at the flashing red lights, realizing that the lab had activated the backup plan! Someone had seen what was happening here! But not all the equipment was networked; at least, the recently arrived pharmaceutical equipment wasn't. He avoided looking at the cameras—he convinced himself, but deep down, he probably knew it was self-comfort. Quickly configuring the lizard serum, he attached various monitoring devices to himself and lay down on the observation glass bed. Looking at the green lizard serum, Peter encouraged himself inwardly— If he didn't take this step, he would forever be the useless Puny Parker. He wanted to be the center of attention like Spider-Woman, help Harry overcome his illness, and advance the experiment— He no longer wants to be powerless. The green lizard serum slowly entered his body. (End of Chapter)