Nutcase (5)

A heart that had stopped completely.

A giant aorta, with all the blood drained into the heart-lung machine.

Professor Ju Gwangho held out his hand.

“No. 11 blade.”

“Number 11.”

The scrub nurse placed the sharp No. 11 scalpel in his hand.

Without hesitation, Ju Gwangho set the tip of the scalpel upright and drove it straight into the most swollen part of the front of the ascending aorta.

Thwip.

With a dull sound as if piercing tough rubber, a small incision was made.

The pump was running and all the blood had been drained, so nothing surged out, but through the gap the chilling interior of the aorta was briefly visible...