A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 496

The Martial Surgeon – Episode 496

Chapter 97. An Ambitious Dream (2)

Jiwon University Hospital, Busan.

The oldest university hospital in Busan.

Located in Haeundae-gu.

If you were to name a representative university hospital in Busan, eight out of ten people would choose Jiwon University Hospital without hesitation.

As befitting its long history.

The passage of time was evident in the hospital building.

Compared to more recently built structures, the building’s design looked outdated and crude. The main building was only eight stories high.

The cramped and complicated parking lot was also a chronic problem.

“I just don’t understand it.”

A woman walking through the lobby of Jiwon University Hospital tilted her head.

She looked at the man walking beside her, as if seeking agreement.

The man was tall and handsome.

However, he was wearing a mask and sunglasses, giving off a suspicious vibe.

“What don’t you understand so much?”

“Whether you look at it lying down or upside down, our hospital is better, isn’t it? But why does Jiwon University Hospital have more patients?”

The woman grumbled.

“That’s what we’re here to find out.”

“I’m saying this because even after coming here, I still don’t understand the reason.”

“There must be a reason. We just haven’t found it yet.”

The suspicious man soothed the woman.

The woman’s identity was Yena.

A second-year fellow in the Department of Neurosurgery at Shinwon University Hospital.

The man’s identity was Junhoo.

The head of the Department of Neurosurgery at Shinwon University Hospital.

The reason the two of them visited Jiwon University Hospital was simple.

Espionage!

Shinwon University Hospital and Jiwon University Hospital had been rivals for a long time.

They were always at each other’s throats. Their relationship was worse than cats and dogs.

Among them, the place where the battle of wills was most intense.

That was Busan.

By car, the two hospitals were only 40 minutes apart.

It was close enough for one hospital to steal patients from the other.

As Junhoo walked through the first-floor lobby.

He meticulously analyzed the atmosphere of Jiwon University Hospital.

In terms of interior design alone.

Shinwon was far superior.

Having been built relatively recently, Shinwon University Hospital’s interior was clean and modern.

The colors of the walls, ceilings, and furniture were comfortable and unified.

The layout and structure of the departments were also several levels above Jiwon University Hospital.

‘I can understand why Yena is upset.’

Junhoo nodded.

However, he couldn’t just come to spy and return empty-handed.

If you jump into a stream.

You should at least catch a minnow before coming out.

Moreover, today was a weekday morning.

For this espionage, Junhoo had postponed one of his precious morning surgery schedules.

Junhoo circled the center of the lobby without gaining much.

Even for Junhoo, who had excellent observation and analytical skills, it was difficult to find any advantages that Jiwon University Hospital possessed.

“But, Chief. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Since you came, the status of our neurosurgery department has risen several times higher than before.”

“It has.”

“Wouldn’t it be good to just maintain the current state? If we do even better, wouldn’t it be too much to maintain the department?”

Yena’s voice was filled with worry.

In Yena’s eyes.

Junhoo was excessively greedy.

This was because he had set the goal for the first half of the year for the neurosurgery department as ‘Overthrow Jiwon!’

The goal was ambitious to the point of being excessive, and the time needed to achieve the goal was too short.

Perhaps that’s why.

It seemed like Junhoo was gulping down unreasonable demands.

What if he gets indigestion…….

“Yena.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“I can’t be satisfied with maintaining the status quo. At least while I’m here, the Busan neurosurgery department must become the best neurosurgery department in Korea.”

“Not just Busan, but the best in Korea?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Yena covered her mouth with one hand.

So surprised that her voice momentarily turned into a soprano.

“Why? Do you think it’s impossible?”

“Well…… um…… wouldn’t it be a little difficult?”

“You’ll see. You’ll see that I’m not just bluffing.”

If others heard Junhoo’s goal.

They would be busy laughing or scoffing.

They would tell him to think more realistically.

No, to wake up from his dream.

However, Junhoo was confident in his goal.

He was already confident that his skills as a neurosurgeon were the best in the world.

His political skills were also top-notch, and he was well-versed in the ways of the world.

Junhoo knew that he could move forward as much as he ran.

So, he would definitely make it happen.

The day when medical school graduates would clamor to major in neurosurgery.

The day when patients with brain death and vegetative states would be completely cured.

* * *

The exploration of Jiwon University Hospital lasted nearly two hours.

However, the exploration did not simply end with looking around Jiwon University Hospital.

Junhoo collected data in various ways.

The first was interviews with patients and guardians.

He interviewed several patients sitting in the waiting area of the neurosurgery outpatient clinic.

Of course, the interviews were Yena’s responsibility.

Because Junhoo’s attire was too suspicious.

“My mother has a problem with her brain. Would it be better to go to Jiwon University Hospital? Or Shinwon University Hospital?”

“Of course, you should get treatment here. The doctors here are so skilled. Someone I know had surgery here and became perfectly fine.”

“Is the newly established hospital not good? Have you been there?”

“No, well…… it’s not that.”

The woman, who looked to be in her 50s.

With her permed hair and cheerful personality, hesitated before continuing.

“Somehow, when you think of university hospitals in Busan, this place is the first to come to mind. It has history, you know.”

“Ah. I see. Thank you.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with your mother, but get treatment from Dr. Kwon Byeong-cheol. He’s a renowned doctor.”

“Yes. I will.”

There were five interviewees.

After the interviews, Yena’s face was dark as she returned to Junhoo.

“Chief. I don’t think the interviews were very meaningful.”

“Why?”

“They only said good things. Isn’t that the truth?”

Yena pouted her lips and continued.

“They came because they liked Jiwon University Hospital, so of course they would only praise Jiwon University Hospital.”

“…….”

“If they didn’t like it here, they wouldn’t have come.”

“I think I’ve gained enough.”

Unlike Yena, Junhoo smiled faintly. Although the smile was not visible because he was wearing a mask.

“What did you gain?”

“It’s also important to know why patients who visit Jiwon University Hospital choose Jiwon University Hospital.”

“I don’t understand even after listening.”

“I’ll explain it later. Let’s move on to the next mission. It’s my turn this time, so Yena, you can sit on the bench and rest.”

After seating Yena on the bench, Junhoo stood in front of the electronic display board that showed the patients’ waiting order.

Woo-oong.

Woo-oong.

The inner energy drawn from his core rushed to his ears.

Amplifying his hearing with inner energy, all the sounds within a 30-meter radius poured into his eardrums.

The sound of footsteps walking down the hallway.

The sound of patients and guardians chatting.

Even the sound of rustling the paper with the blood pressure reading, which was taken before the consultation.

It was hearing that would make an elephant cry.

As his hearing became more sensitive, the noise pollution inevitably became sharper.

Junhoo ignored all the other noises.

Like emitting ultrasound.

He groped for the sounds coming from the outpatient clinic.

The faint voices gradually became clearer.

“Doctor. My face keeps getting flushed these days. It throbs even when I touch it, and it even hurts when I talk.”

The patient complained, expressing feelings of frustration.

“Exactly when did it start?”

On the other hand, the voice of the professor conducting the examination was as rigid as a machine.

“It’s been about a month.”

“Where does it hurt the most?”

“My cheekbones and jaw.”

“Does it hurt now?”

“Yes. But it’s a little better because I took painkillers before coming.”

“For now…… I suspect trigeminal neuralgia, but I’ll start with an examination.”

The consultation ended like that.

The patient’s face was full of 찝찝함 [a Korean word describing a feeling of being unsettled or uneasy] as she left the consultation room.

As if something was left undone, she turned to look at the tightly closed consultation room door.

Junhoo continued to stand there.

He eavesdropped on the consultations of Professor Kwon Byeong-cheol, who was known as a 명의 [myeong-ui, a Korean term for a renowned or skilled doctor], nearly five times.

By then, he had an idea.

“What were you doing just standing there?”

Yena asked as Junhoo approached.

“I was listening to 낮말 [natmal, literally ‘day words,’ meaning secrets or whispers] like a bird. I think I know now. Why Jiwon University Hospital is loved by the local residents.”

“Really? What’s the reason?”

Yena jumped up from her seat and asked.

Honestly, Yena thought this exploration was a waste of time.

She had worked hard enough to sweat on the soles of her feet, but she had not found a single point where Jiwon was better than Shinwon.

But surprisingly, Junhoo said he knew the reason.

Indeed, the chief’s eye for detail was excellent and sharp.

If they found the reason, wouldn’t they be able to benchmark it and apply it to Shinwon?

“Let’s talk about the details at the cafe.”

* * *

“…….”

Yena had her arms crossed.

She didn’t even touch the coffee that had just come out and was looking at Junhoo across from her with narrowed eyes.

“I was secretly expecting a lot, but I’m disappointed.”

“What were you expecting?”

“Something insightful that would make me slap my knee [a figure of speech for a sudden realization].”

“Shall I slap your knee for you?”

“No.”

Yena, feeling deflated, sipped her iced coffee.

The reason why Jiwon is doing better than Shinwon!

The reason she had been expecting so much was simpler than she thought.

According to Junhoo’s explanation, it was because of the first-mover advantage.

It was simply because it was the first university hospital established in Busan, so people were following its authority and history.

“Jiwon is just a long-established institution, so it has a lot of patients. There’s nothing more to it than that.”

Junhoo said with confident eyes.

It was ridiculous to look for convenience in an outdated building.

Did that mean the medical staff was kind and the service was good?

Of course, that wasn’t the case either.

It wasn’t about blaming or faulting the medical staff, but the medical staff at university hospitals inevitably had to be rigid and cold.

Because they had to deal with numerous patients and guardians with a limited number of staff.

If they could be kind every moment.

That person might be a machine, not a human.

Anyway.

The results of the interviews with patients and guardians.

The results of Junhoo eavesdropping on the consultations of Kwon Byeong-cheol, who was known as a 명의 [myeong-ui, a Korean term for a renowned or skilled doctor].

Were clearly pointing to one point.

People were just visiting Jiwon because they were familiar with it.

“If Jiwon is doing well because it’s a long-established institution.”

Yena changed the subject.

“Wouldn’t it be only a matter of time before we do well? Shinwon will also establish itself over time, right?”

“Not necessarily.”

Junhoo shook his head.

“If Shinwon doesn’t have any elements that differentiate it from Jiwon, people will continue to visit Jiwon.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s familiar and comfortable. There’s no need for residents of this neighborhood to come all the way to the area where Shinwon is located, right?”

“Then it’s even more difficult.”

Yena smoothed her hair with one hand.

Honestly, aren’t all university hospitals pretty much the same? She wondered how they could differentiate themselves.

It was true that Shinwon’s neurosurgery department had succeeded in differentiating itself solely through Junhoo’s existence.

However, it was questionable whether they could show something more than that in the future.

“Chief, do you have anything in mind?”

“I don’t have any brilliant ideas right now either.”

“Chief. You were cool just now.”

“Suddenly?”

“I felt a sense of humanity because you showed a weak side.”

“I’m human to begin with.”

The corner of Junhoo’s lips, which had been about to smile, drooped rapidly.

Because he saw an unwanted sight from the opposite seat.

A child, who looked to be about 6-8 years old, was staggering with his head bowed as if he couldn’t bear the weight of his head.

Just as he was about to fall next to the chair.

Thump!

Junhoo kicked off the chair and ran towards the child like an arrow.