Chapter 672: Chapter 603: Falling at the Finish Line Chapter 672: Chapter 603: Falling at the Finish Line PS: I’m getting off work late today so I’ll revise the draft tomorrow morning. Let’s post the draft now just to mark my spot, this chapter will have four thousand words after the revision tomorrow morning.

Like always, Yang Ping finished his shift and was ready to make his rounds.

A few interns were chattering excitedly. Apparently, Qin Xiaowei’s long-planned free climb was finally underway.

“There are no bolt hangers on the rock wall. Except for a bag of chalk, he didn’t bring anything else. He didn’t even bring a parachute. A real free climb, how thrilling!”

“It’s started! Began around five in the morning, probably won’t reach the top till seven in the evening.”

“Look at him, climbing like a gecko.”

“They say he can do two hundred pull-ups with one hand, even does pull-ups hanging from one finger. I wonder if that’s true.”

“He’s really going to hit the big time with this. There are already millions watching the video and the number’s still rising, they say it can reach ten million.”

“He has already climbed three hundred meters, there’s no turning back.”

“He’s only got one-centimeter protrusions to hold onto and stand on. It’s all completely supported by his fingertips and toes.”

“Heard the sponsors invited our hospital’s emergency department to provide medical support with a helicopter. Talk about throwing money around.”

“With this kind of popularity, they’re sure to spare no expense.”

Out of curiosity, Yang Ping took out his phone. Without even having to search, the top trending news was about this. Yang Ping clicked on the video. The scene was as breathtaking and suffocating as a Hollywood blockbuster.

On the nine-hundred-meter rock wall, Qin Xiaowei, wearing only shorts and bare-chested, with a bag of chalk around his waist, was climbing upwards.

The filming covered both close and far views. The close-ups should be the result of the photography team climbing the rock wall with him, tracking his movements.

True enough, without any protection, Qin Xiaowei’s hands were gripping any possible protrusion like a pair of pliers. His feet also held onto the rock wall as strong as nails. His body moved in perfect harmony, like a gecko climbing a wall. He steadily moved upwards, getting farther and farther from the ground. Below was a rocky canyon, with a stream flowing through it.

From above to below, left to right, from every direction the full range of Qin Xiaowei’s free climbing was on display. Occasionally panoramic shots were interspersed where the lone climber, in the face of this daunting vertical face, was pushing upwards.

His rhythm seemed well managed, where to rest, where to replenish his water, how to distribute his energy, everything planned very meticulously.

The absolutely straight and steep rock wall, climbing without any safety measures, challenging human limits, the video was intimidating, hard to look at, letting everyone’s heart rise to their throats just by watching through a screen.

At one particularly difficult point, Qin Xiaowei held onto the rock point, but there was nothing to support his feet. He had to climb using only his arms, just like doing pull-ups, repeating this action several times so that his body could rise to a height where he could find support for his feet.

Yang Ping watched for about ten minutes, his heart in his throat. Any failure in one of those pull-up moves, and he would’ve fallen.

Yang Ping called Xiong Sihai in the Emergency Department. Xiong Sihai confirmed that the emergency department had dispatched a helicopter and that a doctor and a nurse on board were there to provide medical protection. All of this was organized by Qin Xiaowei’s contractual company.

Yang Ping didn’t watch the video for long. After making his rounds, he went to the Operating Room to perform surgery.

Around five in the afternoon, Yang Ping finished the day’s surgeries.

Many interns and standardized training students had gathered in the doctor’s office, watching the video on their phones.

Qin Xiaowei was just more than a hundred meters from the finish, having already climbed eight hundred meters. He was faced with the final challenge, the next rock point was too far. Extending his arms was not enough, he had to utilize the length of his body to reach the next rock point.

According to the interns, the sun was scorching at the location, and the temperature was high. Qin Xiaowei already seemed fatigued, it was uncertain if he could overcome this hurdle. The netizens were gripped in suspense.

Since Qin Xiaowei is a family member of a patient in the department, everyone was familiar with him, so many people put their less urgent work on hold to watch the live climbing broadcast.

Even August, Robert, and Takahashi gathered to watch.

After training himself over and over again, Qin Xiaowei swung his body like an ape, his body almost horizontal, and hooked the rock point with his foot. After confirming he had a steady hold, he let go of his arms, his whole body suspended by his toes. Then, using his toes’ grip, he reached for the next rock point. Qin Xiaowei’s body was hanging by his toes. When he didn’t move for two minutes, everyone’s hearts rose to their throats thinking he couldn’t hold on any longer.

He began to move, trying to grab the next rock point by swinging his body.

After four attempts, under the attention of countless netizens, he finally grabbed the rock point, secured his hands, and relieved his lower body.

Using both hands for support, the soles of his feet push against the protruding rock points. He rested a few more minutes then climbed upwards again, another hundred-meters-more to go.

Climbing about twenty meters more, Qin Xiaowei hugged the protrusion of the rock with both hands, and relied on the friction of toe-pushes. His body arched as he climbed a few steps, rested, then repeated the strenuous process.

At this point, the audience wished they could give him a hand.

Finally, under the attention of thousands, Qin Xiaowei, without any slipups, managed to climb the rock wall.

—-
However, about ten minutes later, the interns began to stir.

Qin Xiaowei collapsed at the medical station after reaching the peak.

He was being airlifted back now, the reason was unknown.

The news caused a huge stir online, wondering what exactly had happened.

Yang Ping called Xiong Sihai to inquire about Qin Xiaowei’s condition. The initial diagnosis was heatstroke, he was now unconscious and being flown back via helicopter.

At this moment, Yang Ping suddenly remembered that he should check on Li Jun. He arrived at the ICU where doctors were busy preparing to receive the patient being airlifted back. If he wasn’t mistaken, that would be Qin Xiaowei, and his room was set up right next to Li Jun’s.