A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 15

The Martial Surgeon – Episode 15

Chapter 3: At School (5)

Dawn arrived the next day.

Jun-hoo sat at his desk, studying.

Perhaps it was due to the brain-boosting supplement and the Qi [vital energy] circulation exercises.

His mind felt sharp and focused.

He absorbed the English passages as easily as if they were written in Korean.

Occasionally, he encountered unfamiliar words, but it wasn’t a problem.

He could infer their meaning from the context.

Surprisingly, his inferences were always correct.

‘Is this why people say studying is enjoyable?’

Even after returning from the Murim [martial arts world] world, Jun-hoo hadn’t enjoyed studying.

Improved stamina and concentration didn’t automatically make studying easy.

It certainly wasn’t fun.

However, after fully experiencing the effects of the brain-boosting supplement, his perspective shifted.

‘Studying is the easiest thing to do.’

‘Studying is fun.’

He now understood those sentiments completely.

Once you understand something, it becomes enjoyable and easy.

Just like Jun-hoo from Murim had been completely absorbed in martial arts.

Jun-hoo studied until 5 a.m.

After finishing, he realized he had completed nearly 20% of his English workbook in a single day.

It was an astonishing pace.

‘Did I focus too intently on the book? My eyes are throbbing.’

Feeling the strain in his eyes, Jun-hoo placed his index finger on his temple.

He moved his index finger slightly closer to his eye.

That was where the optic nerve, the second cranial nerve, was located.

He infused his index finger with internal energy and gently rubbed the area, and the fatigue in his eyes vanished as if melting away.

The nerve relaxed, and the pain subsided.

A nerve stimulation technique he had recently learned from studying anatomy books.

It was similar to acupressure but also different.

Both were effective in reducing pain.

However, the key difference was that this technique could increase nerve function by more than double.

The enhancement of his sense of smell the previous evening was proof of that.

So, Jun-hoo could use internal energy once.

And stimulate the nerves again.

In other words, he could amplify his body’s senses and nerve function twice.

He believed that nerve stimulation techniques would be invaluable when performing complex surgeries.

Especially if he chose to specialize in orthopedics or neurosurgery.

He could also use it to alleviate pain in patients with herniated discs.

Jun-hoo achieved 300% of his daily study goal and spent the remaining time reading medical books.

It was challenging, but he enjoyed it.

The anticipation of his future as a surgeon was also a great motivator.

“Jun-hoo, are you studying already this morning?”

He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of the door opening and his mother’s voice.

“Ah, yes. I woke up early.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard. Come and have breakfast.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Jun-hoo went to the living room and ate with his parents.

After washing up and putting on his school uniform, he headed to school.

When he arrived at the classroom, the atmosphere was completely different from the day before.

The friends who had previously ignored Jun-hoo began to talk to him.

“Hey, you were really awesome yesterday. It felt good to see you beat up that Hyeon-tae jerk.”

“Did you train at a martial arts gym during the vacation? You totally crushed Hyeon-tae.”

“Sorry for acting like I didn’t know you all this time.”

Jun-hoo simply listened with a smile to the outpouring of words from his classmates.

He didn’t particularly resent the friends who had ignored his bullying.

Because anyone who had helped Jun-hoo would have become Hyeon-tae’s next target.

They would have suffered the same hellish life as Jun-hoo.

“You were supposed to meet Hyeon-tae on the roof yesterday. What happened up there?”

A friend changed the subject.

“Isn’t my face the best evidence?”

A relaxed smile appeared on Jun-hoo’s face.

He subtly implied that ‘if Hyeon-tae’s gang had beaten me, my face wouldn’t look this good.’

The friends who had gathered around him all exclaimed in admiration.

Well, it’s not a big deal.

Soon after, Hyeon-tae’s gang stormed into the classroom.

They flinched when they saw Jun-hoo and the classmates surrounding him.

“Hyeon-tae, what happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?”

Jun-hoo pretended not to know, even though he knew everything.

“Ah… no, I just tripped and fell.”

“What about your friends behind you?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“Looks like you were walking in a rocky area. Judging by how messed up your faces are as a group.”

Jun-hoo’s joke made his classmates burst into laughter.

Hyeon-tae’s gang lowered their heads and blushed, feeling ashamed at Jun-hoo’s mockery.

Creak.

Jun-hoo got up from his seat and approached Hyeon-tae.

Just his approach made Hyeon-tae shrink back.

“Why are you so scared? It’s not like I’m going to do anything. We’re friends, aren’t we? Relax.”

“Y-Yeah, I will.”

“In that case, Hyeon-tae, would you mind buying me some bread from the cafeteria?”

Jun-hoo turned Hyeon-tae into his personal errand boy in front of his classmates.

It was a clear demonstration of who was now in charge of the class.

“B-Bread?”

“Yeah, bread. Close friends can ask each other for favors like that, right? I used to do it for you all the time.”

“Well, that’s true, but… there isn’t much good bread at the cafeteria.”

“Hyeon-tae, are you perhaps…”

Jun-hoo frowned and continued.

“Talking back to me?”

* * *

The power dynamics in the class had completely shifted.

Hyeon-tae and his gang had to visit the cafeteria every break to run bread errands for Jun-hoo.

The fact that they obediently followed Jun-hoo’s orders was undeniable proof that they were under his control.

“Jun-hoo, can you come to the roof for a moment?”

During the break of the third period, Hyeon-tae unexpectedly called Jun-hoo.

‘What is this guy planning?’

Jun-hoo followed willingly, but he was suspicious of Hyeon-tae’s motives.

Evil people rarely change willingly, so it seemed likely that Hyeon-tae had something up his sleeve.

The most likely scenario was that he had brought other bullies to the roof.

Even after arriving on the roof, he didn’t sense anyone else’s presence.

Only Jun-hoo and Hyeon-tae were there.

“Jun-hoo, I was really wrong. Looking back, I realize I deserved everything you did to me.”

Hyeon-tae suddenly began to confess.

His voice even sounded like he was about to cry.

‘Has this guy lost his mind from running bread errands?’

“I’m a terrible person who deserves to be beaten. I’ll listen to you from now on. I won’t disobey you again.”

“…….”

“Here, the 500,000 won [Korean currency, approximately $400 USD] you asked me to prepare.”

Hyeon-tae took out his wallet and readily handed over the money.

“I can give you more if you need it.”

Jun-hoo, who had been listening to Hyeon-tae’s one-sided confession, smiled coldly.

He had completely figured out Hyeon-tae’s pathetic scheme. Jun-hoo had encountered similar tactics in the Murim world.

Whoosh!

Jun-hoo snatched the cell phone from Hyeon-tae’s pants pocket in an instant.

He easily unlocked the screen because it wasn’t locked, and the recording app was running.

‘I knew it. You dirty bastard.’

Jun-hoo removed the SIM card from the cell phone, broke it into pieces, and then smashed the cell phone on the roof floor.

Thud!

The cell phone, thrown with internal energy, was shattered beyond repair.

“Our Hyeon-tae, how clever you think you are?”

Hyeon-tae turned pale at Jun-hoo’s words and actions.

He immediately realized that his elaborate plan had failed.

“If someone only listened to the recording, I would look like the perpetrator of school violence.”

“…….”

“You thought that if you took the recording to the homeroom teacher, I’d be in trouble. Your methods are so amateurish. Don’t you agree?”

“…….”

Hyeon-tae, whose plan had been exposed, couldn’t even speak.

He didn’t even dare to look Jun-hoo in the eye.

Jun-hoo took the 500,000 won back and then tripped Hyeon-tae.

Thump!

“Ugh!”

A groan escaped Hyeon-tae’s mouth as he landed on his butt.

Jun-hoo saw Hyeon-tae, who hadn’t learned his lesson even after being beaten so badly yesterday, as utterly foolish.

Jun-hoo felt that Hyeon-tae was practically begging for another beating with his underhanded behavior.

At this point, there was no need for lectures or discipline.

The best lesson is one that’s etched into your bones.

Puck!

Jun-hoo suppressed Hyeon-tae’s speech acupoint [pressure point] and then mercilessly flicked Hyeon-tae’s forehead.

Hyeon-tae screamed in pain.

But because he had struck the acupoint,

Not a single sound escaped Hyeon-tae’s mouth.

Only a vein throbbed futilely on his neck.

Wasn’t this the soundless scream he had learned about when studying poetry?

* * *

“Did something happen with Hyeon-tae again?”

Young-ho asked as they went down to the cafeteria for lunch.

After Jun-hoo defeated Hyeon-tae’s gang,

Young-ho was now talking to Jun-hoo without worrying about Hyeon-tae’s reaction.

“He tried to pull a fast one, so I taught him a lesson.”

Jun-hoo shrugged.

And he honestly told him what had happened on the roof earlier.

Wasn’t Young-ho the only friend who had cared for Jun-hoo and talked to him when Jun-hoo was being bullied?

Jun-hoo wanted to reciprocate Young-ho’s kindness.

“That’s great. That Hyeon-tae deserves to be beaten. Thinking about how he used to bully you makes me sick.”

Young-ho shook his head and continued.

“Anyway, it’s satisfying to see those Hyeon-tae guys with their tails between their legs. They’re constantly watching you during breaks, aren’t they?”

“They have to keep an eye on me. If they don’t want another beating.”

Jun-hoo planned to keep Hyeon-tae’s gang in check until graduation.

If they did anything wrong to Jun-hoo or other students, even a little bit, he would make sure they regretted it.

Jun-hoo had the power to do that.

“That’s true, but are you still not going to tell me how you got so strong?”

“I can’t, and even if I did, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Is it a trade secret?”

Young-ho chuckled.

He didn’t press any further about how Jun-hoo had become stronger.

That’s why Young-ho is such a good friend.

Jun-hoo took his food tray and sat down.

Today’s menu was tteokbokki [spicy rice cakes], sausage and vegetable stir-fry, brown rice, spinach soybean paste salad, and dried pollack soup.

“Eat slowly. You’ll get indigestion.”

Jun-hoo said to Young-ho, whose spoon and chopsticks were moving non-stop.

Young-ho was devouring the food like a starving man.

Judging by how he was enjoying the school lunch even after eating the bread that Hyeon-tae had bought, he seemed to have a naturally large appetite.

“Man, Kang Young-ho. I’ve never experienced indigestion in my life…”

In the middle of speaking, Young-ho suddenly grabbed his neck.

He contorted his face in pain.

Judging by the red sauce on Young-ho’s chopsticks, it seemed like a piece of tteokbokki had gotten stuck in his throat.

“Young-ho, are you okay?”

Young-ho simply shook his head at Jun-hoo’s words.

He struggled and knocked the food tray off the table.

Clang.

A sharp metallic sound echoed throughout the cafeteria.

The gazes of several students immediately turned towards them.

“Myeong-jin, can you call 119 [emergency services]?”

“Okay.”

Jun-hoo gave instructions to a classmate who was nearby.

Having fought countless life-and-death battles in the Murim world, Jun-hoo remained calm.

Jun-hoo went behind Young-ho and placed his clasped hands between Young-ho’s navel and sternum.

He was going to attempt the Heimlich maneuver, which he had recently seen in a NewTube [parody of YouTube] video.

‘With my martial arts skills, I can definitely do this perfectly.’

With confidence, Jun-hoo thrust upwards on Young-ho’s abdomen with his clasped hands.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

He performed the Heimlich maneuver with considerable force, but Young-ho was still in pain.

When he glanced at his face, Young-ho’s complexion was pale.

It seemed like the piece of tteokbokki was still blocking his airway.

Why?

The Heimlich maneuver was executed perfectly.

How could someone who had mastered complex martial arts fail at the Heimlich maneuver?

Jun-hoo tried the Heimlich maneuver again, but the result was the same.

Young-ho was still in distress.

They had already called 119, but it would take at least 10 minutes for the paramedics to arrive.

And 10 minutes was enough time for someone to die.

In other words, Young-ho’s life was now in Jun-hoo’s hands.

‘I can’t give up now.’

Although the situation wasn’t going as planned, Jun-hoo maintained his composure.

Just because the Heimlich maneuver didn’t work didn’t mean he could panic.

He still had one last resort.