A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 227

Chapter 43: Strange Power (2)

Step. Step.

After finishing his conversation with Min-seok, Jun-hoo was returning to the neurosurgery ward with Si-hoo.

The cerebral aneurysm surgery was successful.

The patient and the fetus were safe, and he even received praise from Min-seok.

He should have been feeling good, but Jun-hoo felt somewhat embarrassed.

Bringing up the HEXA major story.

Revealing the lump in his chest, revealing the wound in his heart, felt awkward.

It felt like a sudden outburst.

No, maybe it was a good thing after all.

The more wounded, the more you need to drag it out into the light. Give it a sunbath and willingly acknowledge its existence.

Changing his mind, Jun-hoo picked up his phone.

He searched for Professor Daniel in the search bar.

Even though he searched in Korean, he was able to quickly find Professor Daniel’s profile.

Professor Daniel from the United States was from the Mayo Clinic.

His major was, of course, neurosurgery.

While his mentor had a triple major in brain tumors, cerebrovascular surgery, and stereotactic neurosurgery [a minimally invasive surgical procedure to target specific areas in the brain].

Daniel had a triple major in hand surgery, trauma surgery, and pediatric surgery.

He had taken a completely opposite path from his mentor.

[Park Jae-hyun VS Daniel, Clash of the World’s Best Neurosurgeons, Who Will Be the Winner?]

There was also an article dealing with the confrontation between his mentor and Daniel.

After checking, it turned out to be a clickbait article.

It was an article about Daniel visiting Korea to observe the surgery when his mentor operated on conjoined twins two years ago.

There was no actual content about the two people’s medical opinions being different or fighting over who was better.

Ugh, this is frustrating.

That’s why they’re called ‘Giregi’ [a derogatory term for journalists in Korea, implying they write sensational or misleading articles] instead of journalists.

Although he was annoyed, Jun-hoo was happy about Daniel’s existence.

His mentor Jae-hyun and Daniel’s medical knowledge and experience.

He thought that absorbing all of those would make him the strongest neurosurgeon in no time.

The fact that Min-seok was close to Daniel was also a bonus.

Daniel’s nickname was Mr. Freak, meaning eccentric.

He was a difficult person to meet due to his eccentric personality, but with Min-seok’s help, he could solve that problem as well.

Reading Daniel’s article, Jun-hoo imagined himself flying to the United States.

A picture that was just an imagination now, but would become a reality later.

“What are you grinning about all by yourself? Let’s laugh together.”

Si-hoo, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“It’s not really something to share.”

Jun-hoo replied with a cold expression and in a stiff tone.

Si-hoo’s true nature.

Because he had seen through his psychopathic tendencies, he couldn’t bring himself to be friendly.

“Were you really aiming for a HEXA major? I didn’t know that.”

Si-hoo changed the subject.

“Why? Does it seem absurd?”

“I didn’t think that. Rather, I thought it was like you. You like playing the hero, don’t you?”

“Is wanting to treat as many sick people as possible playing the hero? Your words are harsh.”

Jun-hoo’s brow furrowed.

Si-hoo’s twisted way of speaking made him feel nauseous and queasy.

He wanted to give Si-hoo affection, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Not even 1mg.

“But it’s good to keep one thing in mind. The higher you climb, the harder you fall.”

“Your ill wishes are still the same. You want me to fail, don’t you?”

“Rather than fail, I’d like you to be corrupted. There’s no character as attractive as a fallen hero.”

“But I’ll ask you something on this occasion.”

“Anything.”

“Why do you only take off your mask in front of me? Why do you act so nice in front of other people?”

Jun-hoo asked with an expression that conveyed he genuinely didn’t understand.

Si-hoo was well-known for his smiling face and caring behavior towards the staff, patients, and guardians.

But only when talking to Jun-hoo did he willingly reveal his darkness.

Jun-hoo felt that such behavior was a contradiction.

If he was going to pretend to be virtuous, wouldn’t it be better to pretend all the way?

“You know what kind of person I am, so there’s no need to pretend. It’s a waste of energy, isn’t it?”

“You’re such a great person.”

“Not as much as you.”

“I’m offended. Don’t put me on the same level as you, senior.”

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? Opposites attract.”

Si-hoo smiled.

How could he smile in this context?

To Jun-hoo, Si-hoo was still a mystery and a wonder.

“Since the story has come up, let me say one more thing.”

Jun-hoo paused before continuing.

“Don’t even think about doing anything to the patients or guardians in the future. Or to Ah-young. I heard everything. That you even went to the thoracic surgery department to see Ah-young.”

“…….”

“You’ve been dodging like a loach [slippery and hard to catch] until now, but you can’t fool my eyes. If you get caught doing anything, senior, you won’t even be able to recover your bones.”

Jun-hoo threatened Si-hoo in a way that was unlike his usual self, no, unlike Jun-hoo.

In other words, Si-hoo was such a deeply rooted villain that Jun-hoo had to come out so aggressively.

Si-hoo’s existence always presented Jun-hoo with tension and anxiety.

“Aren’t you answering?”

“…….”

Si-hoo avoided Jun-hoo’s gaze and remained silent.

Denial was a silent affirmation.

The invisible war would eventually end when one side fell.

* * *

That night.

The view outside the window was filled with deep darkness.

Around 9 p.m., Jun-hoo visited the neurosurgery ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

As usual, the smell of death permeated the ICU.

The pungent smell of urine and feces.

The fishy smell of blood.

The musty smell of flesh rotting.

Finally, the stinging smell of disinfectant that covered everything.

Except for the smell of disinfectant, it was a smell that Jun-hoo had smelled countless times in the Murim [a martial arts world often depicted in Korean fantasy stories].

It was a smell that stimulated Jun-hoo’s trauma.

In the Murim, Jun-hoo remembered the deaths of his colleagues by smell.

“Doctor, you’re here again?”

Nurse Shin Hyo-jin spoke to him as he passed the station.

“You must be busy; you should send an intern or Doctor Kyung-soo sometimes.”

“I think I’m suited for the intensive care unit. How’s patient Kang Mi-rae doing?”

Jun-hoo asked about Mi-rae’s condition.

Mi-rae was a pregnant patient who had undergone cerebral aneurysm clipping today.

“Vitals are normal, and the electrocardiogram and oxygen saturation are also normal. She’s recovering smoothly.”

“That’s welcome news. I’ll do some keeping [staying by the patient’s side to closely monitor them] for patient Mi-rae for a while.”

“Isn’t keeping done when the patient’s condition is not good?”

Hyo-jin tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

“You can do it when it looks like it’s going to get worse.”

“Well, I’m glad if Doctor Jun-hoo does the keeping. Strangely, patients who are kept by Doctor Jun-hoo recover quickly.”

“I must have magic hands.”

After making a joke, Jun-hoo took a chair from the station.

He moved to Mi-rae’s bed, placed the chair, and sat down next to her.

Mi-rae was still unconscious.

Each time she breathed, the belly containing the fetus bulged and then deflated.

Mi-rae was the only pregnant woman among the ICU patients.

Jun-hoo stared at Mi-rae and gently held Mi-rae’s hand.

As Hyo-jin said earlier.

The reason why Jun-hoo’s keeping was effective was because Jun-hoo performed Qi Gong therapy [a traditional Chinese medicine practice involving coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation] on some critically ill patients.

So, for a quick recovery, Jun-hoo was planning to perform Qi Gong therapy on Mi-rae as well.

Woooong.

Woooong.

The internal energy drawn from the dantian [an energy center in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine] was transmitted from Jun-hoo’s hand to Mi-rae’s hand.

Following Jun-hoo’s careful guidance, the internal energy began to thoroughly scan Mi-rae’s entire body.

Internal energy was the energy of nature, called natural true energy.

It had the effect of helping with wound recovery and healing.

The reason why Murim masters forgot to sleep.

Even though they suffered serious injuries, they recovered overnight thanks to their abundant internal energy.

That was also why Murim people, regardless of whether they were righteous or evil, were crazy about elixirs or inner cores [items believed to enhance internal energy and healing in Murim stories].

After opening the blood vessels on his arm, Jun-hoo sent internal energy to Mi-rae’s head.

Left arm – head – right arm – right leg – left leg – chest – abdomen.

The Cheongpung Mind Method that Jun-hoo had learned was operating internal energy in the following order.

It also had the characteristic of piercing through the blood vessels while drawing a vortex shape with internal energy.

‘I wondered why I wanted to do Qi Gong therapy.’

Jun-hoo clicked his tongue inwardly.

He detected an abnormality in the process of opening the patient’s head blood vessels.

There was a place where the flow of cerebrospinal fluid was unnatural.

It was the passage where the third and fourth ventricles met.

The passage was in a state of stenosis (narrowing).

The patient suffered from preeclampsia.

Also, it seemed that structural changes had occurred in the ventricles as a sequelae of undergoing a long surgery.

If ventricular stenosis was left untreated, the patient was likely to suffer from hydrocephalus [a condition where fluid accumulates in the brain].

Cerebrospinal fluid would not circulate and would accumulate in one place.

As a result, there was a risk that the brain would swell, increasing intracranial pressure and damaging the brain.

In the worst case, she might have to undergo surgery again.

Two surgeries are absolutely not allowed.

Let’s stop it at my level no matter what.

This is something only I can do.

Vowing to be resolute, Jun-hoo poured internal energy intensively into the passage between the third and fourth ventricles.

Woooong.

Woooong.

He gradually widened the passage by drawing a circle with internal energy in the area.

The cerebrospinal fluid also rotated along with the flow of internal energy.

Thanks to Jun-hoo, a new flow was created in the ventricular passage.

After 10 minutes of intensive treatment.

The ventricular passage regained its original shape.

Even when the internal energy was withdrawn, the width of the passage was maintained widely, and the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid also became much more generous.

He had perfectly eliminated the hydrocephalus that could have occurred in advance without Qi Gong therapy.

Even if I treat like this, no one will recognize it.

No, no one will know.

Neither the patient nor the guardian.

Even the fellow staff.

Jun-hoo felt lonely every time he did internal energy treatment.

Because he kept an unspeakable secret to himself.

But he didn’t care.

In the first place, he didn’t do the treatment because he wanted someone to recognize him.

Jun-hoo himself knew his hard work and sincerity towards the patient well.

If I don’t deceive myself.

If I recognize myself, that’s enough.

Jun-hoo had such a mindset.

There were no other problems with the patient other than the narrowed ventricular passage.

So, Jun-hoo repeated the process of sending internal energy to the patient’s entire body about five times.

The internal energy that permeated the blood vessels would definitely make a significant contribution to the patient’s recovery.

I can guarantee that the patient will regain consciousness by tomorrow afternoon.

And be able to return to the general ward by the day after tomorrow.

Considering the big data of patients who have received Qi Gong therapy that Jun-hoo has collected so far.

“Doctor, I’ll go in now. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work too, Doctor Jun-hoo.”

Jun-hoo, who had finished Qi Gong therapy, came out of the intensive care unit.

Jun-hoo was also tired from consuming internal energy and exerting a high degree of concentration.

His head was heavy and his limbs were heavy.

It couldn’t be helped.

Because of the law of equivalent exchange, the dedication of medical staff is inherently consumed in the patient’s recovery.

Jun-hoo looked for a nearby lounge with tired steps.

Perhaps because it was late, the lounge was eerily empty.

Thump!

Jun-hoo took out a nutritional supplement from the medicine cabinet in his gown and put it in his mouth.

Bimaxin Meta, a vitamin B nutritional supplement that is rumored to be effective.

Vitamin C.

Taurine.

And even Rhodiola Rosea, which he recently added.

Gulp!

After filling a paper cup with water from the water purifier and swallowing the nutritional supplement, Jun-hoo sat on the sofa and began to circulate his Qi.

Along with the internal energy that circulates for one week.

The ingredients of the nutritional supplement permeate into the blood vessels throughout the body.

Jun-hoo’s body underwent a dramatic change with just 30 minutes of Qi circulation.

The fatigue was washed away as if it had never been there.

He felt refreshed as if he had slept soundly for half a day.

Only his back was a little uncomfortable, so Jun-hoo got up from the sofa and performed the iron bridge.

The iron bridge was the posture in which Neo avoided the bullets of the agents in the movie The Matrix.

It was an action that bent the waist up to 90 degrees.

Because he had grasped the center of his lower body with a thousand weights, Jun-hoo was able to maintain the posture for a while without falling.

Crack!

Jun-hoo straightened his back while listening to the refreshing sound of bones and returned to the neurosurgery ward refreshed.

The combination of nutritional supplements and Qi circulation was indeed a scam.

No, it was a complete scam.

With just 30 minutes of rest, Jun-hoo regained the stamina and concentration to stay up all night.