Chapter 365: Elena Ward Huddled in the Corner

"The surgery is complete!"

Elena Ward huddled in the corner, shivering violently under the thick military coat. The others suddenly understood—her insistence on bringing the coat upstairs had been foresight.

"Dr. Ward! What's wrong?" Dr. Monroe was the first to notice something amiss.

Trembling, Elena pulled out the silver needles, her fingertips turning pale blue. "Vital... energy... depletion... hypothermia..." Her teeth chattered so badly she could barely speak. "Need... warmth..."

Dr. Monroe acted immediately. "Quick! Body heat is most effective!"

Four women rushed forward, forming a tight huddle around Elena like stacked dominos. Alice even stripped off her outer layer, pressing her bare skin against Elena's icy back.

"Rub her hands!"

"Massage her legs! Stimulate circulation!"

In the corner, the midwife gaped in disbelief. In all her years, she'd never witnessed a cesarean where both mother and child survived. But what stunned her more was these city doctors using their own bodies as living heaters.

"Miracles... true miracles..." The midwife muttered as she retreated, spreading the tale through the village by nightfall.

Meanwhile, inside the room, the four doctors endured their own trial—clutching a human ice block in sweltering summer heat, trembling from cold yet refusing to let go.

"Better... much better..." Elena finally stopped shaking, color returning to her pallid face.

Exhausted, the four women collapsed onto the bamboo bed. Across from them, the new mother slept peacefully with her newborn. Their uniforms clung to their backs with sweat—whether from heat or chill, none could tell.