Nutjob (4)

…What?

Professor Ju Gwangho’s voice was low and cold.

It was a calm, chilling voice, the exact opposite of the booming reprimand he’d been shouting just moments earlier.

But I had already crossed the line.

If I backed down here, it wouldn’t be my neck on the chopping block—it would be the patient on the table.

“It’s an acute inflammatory condition caused by GCA, or giant cell arteritis. If we operate the usual way…”

I swallowed hard.

Gulp.

“The blood vessels will all burst.”

The moment we cut it open with a scalpel and try to stitch it with a needle, the inflamed, mushy aortic tissue won’t hold and will tear apart...