Chapter 140: Fanatic Fans
"Why is it you?" Roger showed a disgusted expression. "What's wrong with you? What kind of illness? Brain damage or terminal disease?"
Cressida shot back, "You're the one with brain damage! You're the one with a terminal disease!"
She had deep connections with the Langford family. Roger and I had previously performed heart surgery on her niece, but Cressida and Roger seemed like natural enemies, getting into huge arguments every time they met.
However, today Cressida's furious gaze was directed at me.
"Isabella, I heard you think Miracle Surgeon's medical skills aren't as good as yours?"
I glanced at Roger, who looked away, not daring to meet my eyes.
"I didn't say that, but in terms of surgical ability, I might not be as good as Miracle Surgeon. In other areas, I should be a bit better than Miracle Surgeon."
Roger stared at me wide-eyed, then burst out laughing. "Bold enough! I like it!"
I said calmly, "Just stating facts."
After all, I am Miracle Surgeon. No one knows my abilities better than I do.
"You're ridiculous!" Cressida's pointing finger kept shaking, her face flushed red with anger.
I almost forgot—Cressida was a crazy fan of Miracle Surgeon, the kind who wanted to marry him.
"I'm going to defend Miracle Surgeon's dignity! Isabella, do you dare compete with me? If you lose, you must apologize publicly and never use Miracle Surgeon's reputation to promote yourself again!"
Cressida was heartbroken. "Miracle Surgeon just disappeared. You people act like he's dead. It's terrible!"
I was speechless. When would Cressida wake up?
"Do you really like Miracle Surgeon that much?" I asked sincerely. "Haven't you thought that maybe Miracle Surgeon is an old, ugly man? Or maybe even a woman?"
"Miracle Surgeon is handsome and charming, not an old man!" Cressida glared at me angrily, frowning in distress. "Even if she's a woman, I'm okay with it!"
I'm not okay with it!
Roger clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he almost rolled on the floor.
"Miracle Surgeon probably doesn't show up because of stupid fans like you," Roger said.
I fell silent, having to admit there was some truth to that.
"Shut up!" Cressida didn't want to deal with him at all. "Isabella, what's your answer?"
"I'll compete with you, but what if you lose?" I asked back.
"I'll apologize to you?"
I shook my head. "That's not worth my time."
"You think you've already won?" Cressida was furious. "Fine, what do you want?"
"You stay here and work for me," I held up three fingers, "for three months."
Cressida looked hesitant.
Roger, who had been watching the drama unfold, suddenly became alert and firmly objected. "No way! I can't work with this stupid woman. Over my dead body!"
Cressida rolled up her sleeves, ready to punch Roger. "You think I want to work with you?"
The two started arguing again. After they'd argued enough, I asked Cressida, "How do you want to compete?"
"A simulated surgery would take too long. Let's compete on who has better basic knowledge!" Although Cressida's practical experience was far less than Roger's, she was outstanding among medical professionals her age and confident in her foundational knowledge.
"I remember your university was pretty ordinary, and you learned most of your pharmaceutical knowledge by yourself. I won't take advantage of you—let's just compete on basic pharmacology knowledge. How about that?" Cressida offered to give me a break, afraid Roger would accuse her of winning unfairly.
"Fine." I agreed readily.
Roger raised his hand. "Then I'll set the questions."
"No way!" Cressida rejected. "Isabella is your boss. Who knows if you'll favor her."
"Then let's randomly find a medical staff member to randomly pick questions from online?" I suggested.
"No, online questions aren't professional enough. The difficult ones don't have correct answers." Cressida rejected again.
"This won't work, that won't work," Roger got impatient. "What do you want?"
Cressida thought hard. "How about we invite a great medical scholar to be our judge?"
"That's too much trouble!" Just as Roger finished speaking, a dignified, elderly voice asked warmly, "How about I be your judge?"
We all looked toward the speaker and were stunned.
An elderly man with gray hair but sharp spirit stood in the hallway, with an elegant and steady demeanor and the authority of someone in a high position. His photo had appeared in countless medical textbooks. He was the medical authority, Gerald.
Cressida, Roger, and I all straightened up and respectfully greeted Gerald.
"No need for formalities. I hope you don't mind me showing up uninvited." Gerald said kindly and casually.
"Not at all!" Cressida looked at Gerald admiringly, a bit nervous. "How... how are you here?"
"I saw Isabella's rescue video online." Gerald looked at me. "I'd like to see the special desensitization shot you used. May I?"
"Of course." I readily agreed, having Roger bring out a new special desensitization shot, and handed Gerald the ingredient analysis report and clinical trial data.
Gerald quickly read through the report, nodding in appreciation, then asked me, "Did you also develop Phoenix Blood Balm?"
I nodded and said "yes."
"Excellent, excellent." Gerald nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Cressida and me, saying cheerfully, "Since we're having a competition, let's not waste time. I'll set the questions and judge on the spot."
Cressida's expression stiffened. With Gerald's arrival, the small competition had taken on a different meaning. She was getting nervous.
I looked at the group of about ten people following Gerald, who looked travel-worn, and suggested, "Dr. Gomez, I'm the vice chairman of Platinum Haven Hotel. Let me arrange your accommodations first. You can rest a bit, and I'll follow your arrangements for how to conduct the competition."
Gerald looked back and nodded. "Good idea. Very thoughtful of you."
I personally led Gerald through check-in and assigned James to be at his service, though I didn't see anyone particularly good-looking among Gerald's entourage.
That person named Beckett didn't seem to be here.
An hour later, the competition venue was set up.
In the middle of a 2,000-square-foot small banquet hall, there were two podiums 30 feet apart, each with an identical laptop. The questions were already stored in the computers.
The screens of both computers were projected onto the walls on the left and right sides.
The rules were simple: Cressida and I would start answering questions back-to-back at the same time, and Gerald could see both our answers simultaneously.
As the competition start time approached, Lucas arrived.
Brian, Marcus, Julie, and Jacqueline came too.
Then Jonas and Simeon.
Wave after wave of people came after hearing the news. I even saw Diana and the wealthy ladies who followed her. Freya smiled at me from the crowd.
Gerald allowed them to observe, so I didn't have anyone stop them.
A ten-minute countdown appeared on the big screen, and the atmosphere gradually grew tense.