Chapter 312: Chapter 312

"A C-section? What do you mean by a direct C-section?" the elder aunt asked, taken aback. "Don’t we lack the medical resources?"

The doctor didn’t hesitate to explain in front of Qiao Lian, "The cervix is now dilated to four centimeters. I just checked, and the baby is indeed huge; it’s going to be a difficult delivery. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes. Once the oxygen runs out inside, the child will be at risk. If we perform the C-section without anesthesia, we can take the baby out first."

Qiao Lian’s mother stood up and asked, "And afterward? Will you stitch her back up with needles?"

The doctor nodded. "We don’t have any medicine right now. If she can withstand it, she’ll get through; if not, that’s it. It depends on whether she can bear the pain of surgery without anesthesia. Some can’t and pass away. However, our hospital’s childbirth mortality rate isn’t high—only about forty percent." That means, on average, four out of ten pregnant women die.

With a THUD, Qiao Lian’s mother collapsed to the ground, crying out, "In-laws, what should we do? My poor grandchild!"

Grandma Jing gripped the elder aunt’s hand, her own trembling as she asked, "So, you mean to save the child first?"

The doctor nodded. "Otherwise, given the situation, we might lose both mother and child."

"Is there no other way? We have some anti-inflammatory drugs at home; can we use those?" the elder aunt asked anxiously.

The doctor shook his head. "Stitching requires a sterile environment; otherwise, it’s too easy to get infected. Besides, recovery after a C-section requires specific medications, and she’ll need IV drips for several days."

Under the current conditions, maintaining a sterile environment for stitching is impossible.

When Qiao Lian heard this, she cried and struggled, but she couldn’t break free. "No! I don’t want a C-section! Save me first! Mom! Mom! Where are you?"

"I’m right here, Qiao Lian." Qiao Lian’s mother stood up and took her daughter’s hand.

"Tell them not to give up on me! I want to live! I’ll deliver the baby! I’ll push hard to give birth! I don’t want to die! If I have a C-section without medicine, how will I survive?!"

The doctor nodded. "If you’re willing to cooperate, that would be best. Let’s try again. Use the breathing method I told you..."

Jing Shu passed over the lunchbox and urged the others to eat something. Grandma Jing and the elder aunt had no appetite. However, Qiao Lian’s mother, who hadn’t eaten all day, decided to fill her stomach and started shoveling food into her mouth. Jing Shu then gave the leftovers to the men waiting outside. Wei Zheng immediately asked about the situation. Jing Shu had no choice but to explain everything again, and he slumped down dejectedly.

Jing Shu remembered Wu You’ai, who had been kidnapped and had holes drilled in her thigh, had used anesthesia. Jing Shu had anesthesia too, but as the doctor said, performing the C-section was the easy part; the postoperative recovery and stitching were the real trouble.

Zhang Bingbing’s childbirth must have been a miracle, Jing Shu thought. Her second child was due in a few more months. Looking at the desolate scene in the delivery room, she reflected that before the apocalypse, at least they had medical resources. Now, women could only lie on their beds and wail. Those who delivered smoothly were overjoyed, while some, weakened from labor, were forcibly cut open. Others left bloodstains all over the ground.

Even in the apocalypse, the continuation and reproduction of the human race couldn’t be stopped; these newborns were all new hopes for life. Every mother was great, whether her pregnancy was an accident or planned. Giving birth during the apocalypse was truly a struggle between life and death.

It was only later that Jing Shu heard from the doctor that Wu County’s birth rate had dropped from 8% to the current 0.08%, a hundredfold decrease. Originally, three thousand newborns were born there every day, but now the entire county had only a little over thirty expectant mothers daily, and only about ten of those would successfully give birth. The mortality rate, however, was as high as 15%. At this rate of decline, the human population would decrease by hundreds of times within twenty years. It was a terrifying fact. Therefore, the nation was also providing subsidies, offering benefits and exempting fees for every newborn, but sadly, medical conditions truly couldn’t keep up.

Suddenly, Yao Liang’s cries rang out—the baby in the next bed had been born. Congratulations echoed around the room.

The doctor attending to Qiao Lian helplessly shook his head. "Her water broke too long ago; the baby inside is running out of air. If he doesn’t come out soon, I’m afraid he’ll be stillborn. An episiotomy to widen the cervix won’t help at this point."

Qiao Lian’s voice grew fainter and fainter, increasingly feeble, until only her erratic breathing remained.

Qiao Lian’s mother rushed over. "No, we must save the mother! Qiao Lian is so young! She hasn’t yet had the chance to properly care for the mother who birthed and raised her."

The doctor furrowed his brow in thought. "That’s an option, but the risk is significant. We can perform an embryotomy—crush the fetus, break it apart, and then expel it. However, you all need to discuss this, as it could potentially result in the loss of both mother and child."

Frightened, Grandma Jing stumbled back a step, clutching Jing Shu in bewilderment. "Jing Shu, you always have ideas. What methods did you use when you delivered babies before? We can’t just focus on the child and ignore the mother! But... crushing the baby... that’s too cruel! Isn’t there any other way to save the mother?"

The elder aunt, tears in her eyes, also nodded. "Is there no safer option to save the mother?"

The doctor shook his head. "Without medicine, embryotomy is the only way."

"If we really can’t save the mother, then save the child," Qiao Lian’s mother wept, snot and tears streaming down her face. "But let me make it clear: the filial duties Qiao Lian couldn’t fulfill, this child will have to perform in her stead! I’ll take care of him, this poor child, for his poor mother."

The elder aunt seriously doubted this was how a mother should react, still thinking of such things at a time . "In-laws," she said, "we don’t have the right to decide this. Let the young couple decide for themselves. Qiao Lian has been listening the whole time."

Qiao Lian, sobbing on the bed, said breathlessly, "Ask... ask Wei Zheng."

Wu You’ai ran to relay the message and soon rushed back. "He said to save the mother."

Qiao Lian’s hand slammed down with a THUD. Her tears fell silently. After sobbing for a long moment, she mustered her courage and said, "Doctor... save the child. Please... do it quickly. I... I really can’t take it anymore."

"Alright, I’ll go prepare the tools right away."

An inexplicable sadness settled over the family. Jing Shu hesitated. Should she offer to get some water from her Spiritual Spring after a C-section? But was there truly no better way? Her Spiritual Spring water was very scarce and should only be used when absolutely necessary.

"Grandma, I want to try something, just once, before the doctor comes back." Googlᴇ search 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝙣𝙚𝙩

"Go on, try. Whatever you think might work."

Jing Shu walked over slowly, took Qiao Lian’s hand with one of hers, and gently caressed Qiao Lian’s belly with the other. She spoke softly, "Qiao Lian, close your eyes and try to picture where the baby is inside you..."

Jing Shu’s words were just a distraction. In reality, she was attempting to use her Illusion Technique to influence the baby in the womb, to encourage it to consciously push its way out. After all, she had controlled snakes and animals before; with humans, she could only offer a strong suggestion.

Illusion Technique, activate!

Suddenly, Qiao Lian’s belly jolted violently, and she screamed in agony.

Jing Shu focused her power, aiding the push and urging the baby’s head to squeeze outward. Simultaneously, she guided Qiao Lian to use the breathing method the doctor had taught her. Under this combined effort, Jing Shu began to feel her own head buzzing.

When the doctor returned, he was amazed to see the baby’s head already visible. He quickly performed a decisive episiotomy, swiftly making the incision to hasten the delivery. Indeed, in less than five minutes, a large baby, weighing ten pounds and nine ounces, was born.

While everyone was focused on the baby, Jing Shu clutched her head and rushed out into the pouring rain, where she stumbled and knelt in the cold downpour.