The Silent Witness of Dr. Liang's Last Operation

In the dimly lit operating room of the Grand Hope Hospital, Dr. Liang stood over his last patient, a middle-aged man with a cancerous tumor in his abdomen. The room was silent, save for the occasional beeps of the monitoring equipment. Dr. Liang had seen his share of death and despair, but this case was different. The patient had a look of resignation, as if he knew his time was drawing near.

As the anesthetic took effect, Dr. Liang prepared to begin the surgery. He adjusted the surgical tools, his hands steady but with a subtle tremble. He had performed thousands of operations, but none had ever felt like this one. It was as if an invisible force was pressing down on his shoulders, making his breaths shallow.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. Dr. Liang's eyes flickered to the corner of the room where the operating room window was slightly ajar. There, in the dim light, he saw a shadowy figure standing at the threshold. It was a woman, her face obscured by a hood. She stood there, motionless, her eyes fixed on Dr. Liang.

Dr. Liang's heart pounded in his chest. He had seen spirits before, but never in the operating room. He cleared his throat, trying to steady his voice. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice steady despite the fear that gripped him.

The woman did not respond. Instead, she turned and walked into the room, her steps silent on the polished floor. Dr. Liang's eyes widened as she approached the patient's bed. She knelt beside it, her eyes meeting the patient's. There was a strange connection, as if they had known each other for years.

The patient's eyes fluttered open, and he looked directly at the woman. "I've been waiting for you," he whispered.

Dr. Liang felt a cold sweat break out on his brow. The patient had never spoken to anyone in his presence before. But now, he was conversing with a ghost. He turned back to the woman, his voice trembling. "Why are you here?"

The woman's eyes met his. "I need your help," she said in a voice that seemed to resonate with an ancient sadness.

Before Dr. Liang could respond, the patient's eyes widened in fear. "No, no, please," he whispered, trying to sit up. "She's not who she says she is!"

The woman turned back to the patient, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I need you to understand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I am bound to this place until you free me."

The patient looked at her, confusion and fear mingling in his eyes. "But who are you?" he asked.

The woman sighed, and for a moment, Dr. Liang thought he saw tears well up in her eyes. "I am a witness," she said. "A witness to a great injustice."

Dr. Liang felt a strange sense of urgency. He needed to know more. "What injustice?" he asked.

The woman's eyes met his once more, and he saw a flicker of something human in her gaze. "The injustice is in the heart of this hospital," she said. "A secret that has been hidden for too long."

Dr. Liang's mind raced. He knew of many secrets within the hospital, but none that involved spirits. He turned to the patient, whose eyes were now closed, his body relaxing as if he were falling asleep. "You must tell me what you know," Dr. Liang urged the woman.

The woman nodded. "There was a surgeon once," she began. "A great surgeon, whose skills were unmatched. But he was also a man of great ambition. He sought power, and in doing so, he made a deal with a spirit. In exchange for knowledge and longevity, he opened himself to the spirit world."

Dr. Liang's mind reeled. The hospital had been established by a legendary surgeon, but he had been dead for decades. "What happened to him?" he asked.

The woman's eyes darkened. "He was consumed by the spirit world, his ambition and power driving him further and further into madness. And now, he watches over this place, seeking justice."

Dr. Liang felt a chill run down his spine. "How do I help you?"

The woman's eyes met his once more. "There is a hidden chamber in the hospital, a place where the surgeon performed his darkest experiments. It is there that you will find the key to releasing me."

Dr. Liang nodded. "I will find it. But what will happen to you once you're free?"

The woman's eyes softened. "I will find peace," she said. "And you, Dr. Liang, you will have freed not only me but also the spirit of that surgeon, allowing him to rest."

With that, the woman stood up and turned to leave. Dr. Liang watched as she faded into the shadows, her form becoming indistinct until she was gone.

He turned back to the patient, who had now fully awakened. "Are you all right?" Dr. Liang asked, his voice gentle.

The patient nodded weakly. "I'm fine, Dr. Liang. But you must do as she said. Find the chamber, and free us both."

Dr. Liang nodded. "I will."

As he prepared to close the patient's abdomen, Dr. Liang couldn't shake the feeling that the woman's words had been a warning, not just a request for help. But he knew he had to follow through, for the sake of the woman and the patient, and perhaps even for the sake of his own sanity.

After the operation, Dr. Liang spent days searching the hospital for the hidden chamber. He delved into old blueprints, spoke with retired staff members, and even used modern technology to uncover the secret room. Finally, he found it, hidden behind a false wall in the basement of the hospital.

As he stepped inside, the air grew colder, and he could feel the presence of the surgeon and the woman watching him. The room was filled with ancient medical equipment and artifacts, a testament to the surgeon's time. In the center of the room stood a pedestal, upon which rested an ornate box.

Dr. Liang approached the box, his heart pounding in his chest. He opened it, revealing a crystal orb. As he picked it up, a bright light filled the room, and he felt a strange connection to the woman and the surgeon. The orb glowed, and the surgeon's image appeared within it, his eyes filled with pain and sorrow.

Dr. Liang knew he had to do it. He held the orb above his head, and as the light grew brighter, he felt the presence of the spirit world around him. The orb began to vibrate, and the surgeon's image twisted and contorted until it was gone.

The room grew dark, and Dr. Liang felt the presence of the spirit world fade. When the light returned, the orb was gone, and the chamber was empty. Dr. Liang stepped out, his heart racing but filled with a sense of accomplishment.

He returned to the operating room, where the patient was waiting. "It's done," Dr. Liang said, his voice trembling.

The patient looked up at him, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Dr. Liang. Thank you for freeing me and the surgeon."

Dr. Liang nodded, his own eyes filled with tears. "I did it for you, but also for her. For the peace she deserves."

The patient reached out and took Dr. Liang's hand. "You have done more than you know, Dr. Liang. You have freed us all."

As the days passed, Dr. Liang felt a strange sense of calm settle over him. He had faced the unknown and overcome it, and in doing so, he had found a deeper understanding of life and death. He knew that the spirit world was a part of the human experience, and that sometimes, the key to peace lay in confronting the mysteries that lay beyond the veil of the living.