A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 166

Chapter 31: Progress (1)

The on-call room was as silent as a tomb.

Pale blue dawn and moonlight streamed in through the half-drawn window curtains.

In a corner of the on-call room, Jun-hoo sat cross-legged, his back ramrod straight.

His expression was utterly solemn.

Jun-hoo’s cross-legged posture was unwavering.

He looked like a Taoist immortal who had transcended the mundane world.

Presently, Jun-hoo’s eyelids slowly lifted.

The first thing that escaped as he released his posture was a sigh.

He had absorbed the energy of the Cheonsanhwan pill and spent nearly an hour circulating his energy to cleanse his body and mind, but Jun-hoo’s expression was not bright.

The inscrutable and sly Si-ho.

The awakening surgery for pianist Myung-han, which was only two days away.

These two things troubled Jun-hoo’s mind.

Jun-hoo shook his head.

He struggled to shake off the persistent thoughts that clung to him like gum.

Worrying about the future wouldn’t make the worries disappear.

The important thing was to do his best in the present.

Jun-hoo sat at his desk and checked the time.

The current time was 2 a.m.

Before the ward’s daily routine began, Jun-hoo planned to learn a new martial art.

The martial art was called Jeong-an (正眼) [Righteous Eye].

Literally translated, it meant ‘Righteous Eye.’

Jeong-an was the only eye technique Jun-hoo knew, a martial art that used the eyes.

Like the Sharingan, Mystic Eyes, or Rinnegan from manga.

Of course, the Jeong-an that Jun-hoo would train in didn’t have such overpowered abilities.

Jeong-an was a martial art that subtly manipulated the psychology of others.

In ways such as encouraging others or instilling courage.

In other words, Jeong-an could not be used with malicious intent.

Wicked eye techniques were the domain of the Demonic Sect. Showing illusions, brainwashing, and so on.

First, stabilizing Myung-han with Jeong-an would be the priority.

Once mastered, it would be helpful in many ways.

Jun-hoo quietly nodded.

After reading his master’s secret manual, he realized that the most important thing in awakening surgery was the patient’s mental state.

He also learned that administering tranquilizers was not always the answer when the patient’s mental state wavered.

Therefore, Jun-hoo had no choice but to turn to martial arts.

If he used Jeong-an.

He could stabilize the patient without tranquilizers.

Furthermore, he could ease the minds of his tense colleagues.

Jun-hoo stared intently at the desk mirror.

He channeled the inner energy from his dantian [energy center] into his eyes.

As the inner energy gathered, his pupils became as hot as a stove.

Jeong-an was about to begin.

“Rest assured. No one can harm you. You are protected.

I am here to protect you.

Calm your wildly racing heart.

Even in the midst of a raging storm, your heart can be at peace.”

Jun-hoo chanted as if reciting a spell.

He focused on righteous thoughts.

Emitting righteous thoughts along with inner energy was the key to Jeong-an.

Filling his entire body with righteous thoughts, Jun-hoo shot the inner energy in his eyes into the mirror.

In that instant, Jun-hoo’s pupils briefly turned into blue eyes like a lake.

But it was only for a moment.

The eyes returned to their original brown color.

Jeong-an had failed.

Even after seeing himself in the mirror, Jun-hoo’s mind was not at ease.

Was it because he was training in a martial art he had never been interested in before?

“It just doesn’t feel right.”

“What’s the problem?”

Was it because the righteous thoughts weren’t sincere? Or was the inner energy emitted from his eyes insufficient?

Reflecting on himself.

Jun-hoo repeatedly attempted Jeong-an.

Of course, the results were all failures. Eye techniques were not easy martial arts.

Could he complete this in two days?

Time was too short.

Anxiety washed over him, but Jun-hoo used that anxiety as a driving force for his training.

He used Jeong-an to calm his own mind.

As the training time lengthened.

Side effects began to appear.

His eyes felt gritty, dry, and hot, as if he had been thrown into a desert.

The sharp focus also began to wane.

His mind became hazy.

But Jun-hoo did not give up on Jeong-an.

The reason Jun-hoo was able to become a master of Harmony Realm in the Murim [martial arts world] world was thanks to his persistence in never giving up.

What to give up.

And what not to give up.

He distinguished these two things well and poured his passion into them.

Not knowing how time was passing, Jun-hoo devoted himself to Jeong-an.

Jun-hoo snapped back to his senses.

When he suddenly heard Kyung-soo’s voice.

It was when the orange glow of dawn was visible from the window.

“Hey, what are you doing looking in the mirror?”

Jun-hoo turned his head.

Kyung-soo was standing in front of the on-call room door with his arms crossed, looking at Jun-hoo.

His eyes held an expression of exasperation.

“I know you’re handsome, but isn’t it a bit much to admire your own face in the mirror? Are you a narcissist?”

Jun-hoo, who had been training Jeong-an, had unintentionally caused a strange misunderstanding.

* * *

That morning.

Jun-hoo, dressed in casual clothes, was sitting in the Jeiwon University Hospital’s observation operating room.

Yesterday, he had contacted Jae-hyun and told him that he was preparing for awakening surgery, and Jae-hyun readily invited Jun-hoo to Jeiwon University Hospital.

It just so happened that Jae-hyun was scheduled to perform awakening surgery today.

And Jun-hoo happened to have the day off.

The perfect alignment felt like a sign of fate.

“Not to fail Myung-han’s awakening surgery.”

“It’s an honor.

To be able to see my master, the best neurosurgeon in the country, perform surgery so soon.

And that too, as a resident from another university.”

Jun-hoo couldn’t take his eyes off the monitor showing the operating room.

He was excited and thrilled about the master’s surgery that would unfold.

After a long wait, the curtain rose on the awakening surgery.

Jun-hoo saw his master standing in the position of the surgeon, and he looked very dignified.

It was as if a giant mountain was guarding the operating table.

In the Murim world, it was called spirit. Something that only masters who had reached a high level could emanate subtly.

The beginning of the awakening surgery was not much different from other brain tumor surgeries.

Scalp incision.

Skull incision.

Incision of the dura mater [outermost brain membrane], arachnoid membrane [middle brain membrane], pia mater [innermost brain membrane], and so on.

During the surgery, Jun-hoo poured all his senses into Jae-hyun.

The surgical tools Jae-hyun used.

The way Jae-hyun used the surgical tools.

The method of approaching the surgical site, etc., were meticulously made into stances and memorized.

Turning the surgical process into stances and memorizing them.

This was one of the talents that had helped Jun-hoo grow rapidly so far.

Usually, one wouldn’t even think of memorizing the entire surgery of the surgeon.

Because the surgical process was so long and complicated.

But from Jun-hoo’s point of view, who had memorized hundreds of stances, that is, from Jun-hoo’s point of view who had been to the Murim world, this was not so difficult.

The problem is from now on.

“If it’s Master, he must have some other secret weapon, right?”

Jun-hoo shone his eyes and watched the monitor hanging from the ceiling.

As the anesthesiologist injected the awakening agent, the patient began to regain consciousness.

The sight of a patient with an open skull and exposed brain regaining consciousness was like a scene from a grotesque horror movie.

“Can you hear me, patient?”

Jae-hyun’s voice was heard from the speaker connecting the operating room and the observation operating room.

“Ah. Yes. I’m still a bit hazy, but I’m okay.”

The patient replied.

The patient was a man in his 40s with a 3cm x 3cm glioma [type of brain tumor] located in the posterior frontal lobe.

The patient’s occupation was a professional baseball player.

“Where am I?”

“Isn’t this a hospital and a place for surgery?”

“Good. How do you feel? Are you nervous or trembling?”

“Just a slightly unpleasant feeling. But is my head really open right now?”

“Yes. We often say that our heads are open when we’re angry, right? It’s exactly that state.”

“…….”

“How is it to experience it firsthand?”

“It’s not a big deal than I thought?”

The patient chuckled at Jae-hyun’s joke.

It may seem like nothing, but Jun-hoo was greatly impressed by Jae-hyun’s eloquence.

Even in the midst of performing a serious brain tumor surgery.

Even though the patient was conscious, Jae-hyun created a soft atmosphere in the operating room.

In short, he knew how to handle the patient.

A renowned doctor was not just good at surgery.

It seemed that a true renowned doctor had to build a rapport with the patient and manage the patient’s mood.

Is that why?

Jun-hoo also decided to become closer to Myung-han.

And to have more active conversations with Myung-han, who would be conscious during the surgery.

Awakening surgery was especially important for the teamwork between the patient and the staff.

The ice-breaking conversation lasted for a full 10 minutes.

“But doctor, will the surgery be successful? I want to continue my career as a player for a long, long time.”

“Of course. Of course, it should be. Isn’t that why I’m standing here?”

“I know that, but… Haa…”

The patient suddenly sighed.

Jun-hoo immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Despite Jae-hyun’s efforts, the patient’s mental state was slowly cracking.

Jun-hoo could clearly see the anxiety on the patient’s face.

“Isn’t the surgery painful?”

“Don’t worry. The brain itself cannot feel pain.”

“Then why do we feel pain?”

“There are few sensory cells that feel pain on the surface of the brain. The brain merely receives pain transmitted from other parts.”

“The brain is a monster.”

“That’s why it’s more attractive. You’re getting anxious as your consciousness becomes clearer, right?”

Jae-hyun, who had seen through the patient’s mind, said a word.

The patient, who had been hit right on the mark, nodded instead of answering.

“I even get endoscopies with sedation… I wonder if I should have agreed to awakening surgery.”

“It’s okay. You can overcome it. Can we start the surgery?”

“Wa… wait a minute. I’m not ready yet.”

The patient said urgently.

The patient who agreed to have Jae-hyun perform the awakening surgery would be a person with a better mental state than average.

Even such a person has a hard time like that when the surgery actually starts…

Could Myung-han, a delicate pianist, endure awakening surgery?

Jun-hoo couldn’t help but doubt it.

Since the awakening surgery was scheduled for tomorrow, the surgery unfolding before his eyes was by no means someone else’s business.

“Gu-hyun, I don’t think this is going to work. Let’s start.”

As the surgery dragged on, Jae-hyun finally drew his sword.

“Yes, Professor.”

“Do… Doctor. What do you mean start? I told you I’m not ready yet?”

“I don’t mean we’re starting the surgery. Don’t worry.”

While Jae-hyun was soothing the patient.

Gu-hyun, the second assistant, picked up the cell phone on the dressing cart.

It was a truly bizarre act.

“What on earth is Master up to?”

If not surgery, what is he going to start?

Even allowing the resident to bring a cell phone into the operating room.

Feeling curious, Jun-hoo adjusted his posture.

He focused his mind on the situation unfolding in the operating room.

Soon, as the resident put the cell phone he had been fiddling with back on the dressing cart, an unexpected situation unfolded.

“I am happy.

I am happy.

I am happy.

I am happy because I’m a Sharks fan~”

A cheerful and exciting cheer song echoed through the operating room, which had been filled with tension.

It was the cheer song of the professional baseball team to which the patient belonged, the Hanjun Sharks.