A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 188

Chapter 35: Deep in the Mountains (3)

6 AM, the neurosurgery morning conference began.

The atmosphere was quite bustling as the department head, professors, fellows, and residents all attended.

Chief Chan-young was in charge of the proceedings.

The other staff members sat in their chairs, staring at the beam projector screen in front of them.

“Before the inpatient briefing, may I say a word?”

Gwak Min-seok raised his hand, changing the subject.

Min-seok was an associate professor specializing in pediatric and adult cerebrovascular diseases [diseases affecting blood vessels in the brain].

Tall and thin, he was nicknamed ‘Reed’ among the residents.

“Go ahead.”

“About the seminar in Gangwon-do today. I heard many of the people I recommended were cut. How did this happen?”

Min-seok looked at the department head with a wronged expression.

“Wasn’t it decided that each professor could recommend two accompanying staff members?”

“That’s true, but… isn’t this a cerebrovascular disease seminar? I think it makes sense for at least one more of the fellows I manage to be selected.”

“Hmm… there’s some truth to that. Professor Shin.”

The department head, stroking his chin, turned his gaze to Shin Dong-hoon.

Dong-hoon was an associate professor specializing in brain tumors who had come to the Seoul branch three months ago.

“Yes, Department Head.”

“The number of attendees is fixed. It seems we’ll have to take one person from Professor Shin’s allocation and give it to Professor Gwak.”

“I’m afraid that would be difficult.”

“Why?”

“The people I chose have already cleared their schedules. And this seminar isn’t just any seminar. Renowned neurosurgeons will be gathering there. Even if they don’t specialize in cerebrovascular diseases, there will be much to learn.”

“Professor Shin, please be considerate.”

Min-seok, who had been silent, joined the conversation.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

“Ha… are you really going to be like this?”

“It’s unpleasant to hear you say I’m being unreasonable. I’m just exercising my rights.”

“I can concede next time, can’t I?”

“This time is more important.”

As Dong-hoon and Min-seok clashed head-on, the atmosphere in the conference room turned icy.

The staff members were busy watching the two of them.

‘He’s really mean.’

‘How can someone be like that?’

Watching the chaotic conference, Jun-hoo shook his head.

The person Jun-hoo was paying attention to was none other than the department head.

The department head, who should have been mediating the conflict between the two professors, was merely standing by with his arms crossed.

A faint smile had even appeared on his lips.

According to Jun-hoo’s prediction.

All this conflict was deliberately created by the department head.

The department head had planned to pit Min-seok and Dong-hoon against each other from the start.

“How long are they going to keep this up? If this continues, the schedule will be delayed.”

Kyung-soo, a colleague beside him, muttered to himself with a frustrated voice.

“It’ll be over soon. Don’t worry.”

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon?”

“The department head will step in to mediate soon. He’ll say he’ll take away one of his own people and give it to Professor Gwak.”

“Are you a shaman or something?”

“You don’t have to be a shaman to predict that much. If you understand the root of this situation.”

Jun-hoo’s words soon became reality.

“Both of you, stop it. What a spectacle in front of the staff?”

The department head stepped in with a voice mixed with annoyance.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Professor Gwak can use my T.O. [Table of Organization, referring to a slot or position]. Then there’s no problem, right?”

“No, then I’d be too sorry….”

“What can we do? That’s the only way to resolve this mess. Let’s continue the meeting.”

The situation was settled as the department head stepped in.

The inpatient briefing also resumed.

However, this was only superficial peace.

Min-seok and Dong-hoon were busy shooting piercing glances at each other.

Their feelings were thoroughly hurt.

“What? You were right?”

Kyung-soo stared at Jun-hoo with a surprised expression. Jun-hoo simply nodded indifferently instead of answering.

Jun-hoo had experienced all sorts of schemes and tricks in the Murim Alliance [a fictional martial arts world].

Predicting this much was a piece of cake.

The department head was similar in style to Wi Ji-hyeon, the Azure Dragon Leader of the Murim Alliance.

Pitting subordinates against each other.

And deliberately creating discord.

He was the type to reap the sweet rewards from it.

Just now, the department head had secured the image of a generous person by giving up his own T.O., hadn’t he?

Dong-hoon and Min-seok were merely being played by him.

“Mr. Seo.”

As the inpatient briefing was about to end.

The department head called Jun-hoo’s name.

Because it was a formal setting like a conference, the department head’s way of addressing Jun-hoo was respectful.

“Yes, Department Head.”

“Among the patients Mr. Seo manages, there’s a vegetative state patient, right?”

“Yes. Patient Min Tae-woong, who was brought in 8 months ago due to a traffic accident.”

“Talk to the guardian nicely and discharge him quickly. We’re already short on hospital beds, aren’t we?”

“……”

“The hospital isn’t a motel. How long are we supposed to accommodate long-term stays? Tell them to have him nursed at home and call a visiting nurse.”

What the department head said wasn’t wrong.

From the hospital’s profit perspective, a vegetative state patient wasn’t helpful.

There were no more tests or treatments to be done.

In reality, there was little the hospital could do.

However, the department head’s attitude of mentioning a motel rubbed Jun-hoo the wrong way.

How bad would the guardian feel if they heard such a thing to their face?

“I already brought up the topic of discontinuing life-sustaining treatment a while ago.”

“Oh, really? Mr. Seo is better than me.”

“The guardian said they want to protect the patient until the end.”

“So what did Mr. Seo say?”

“I just said I understood.”

“Aha, you were doing well but then went off on a tangent.”

The department head shook his head with a disappointed expression.

“Mr. Seo. I’ll give you exactly one month. Discharge the vegetative state patient within a month. No matter what.”

* * *

After the conference, rounds began.

The department head, conversing with patients and guardians, was like an angel.

A benevolent smile hung on his lips.

He meticulously asked about the patient’s symptoms and showed an attitude of empathizing with their pain.

The highlight of the rounds was when the department head faced the guardian of the vegetative state patient.

The department head didn’t utter a word about what he had said during the conference. He comforted the guardian, saying he hoped the vegetative state patient would miraculously recover.

Jun-hoo, who knew the inside story, had to swallow his nausea.

He resented the fact that such a hypocrite was the head of neurosurgery.

As the rounds ended, the staff scattered.

“It’s a shame. Jun-hoo, it would have been nice if you could have gone to the seminar with us.”

A hand was placed on Jun-hoo’s shoulder near the station.

Turning his head, it was Chief Chan-young.

“Don’t be too disappointed. The seminar attendees weren’t chosen based on skill.”

“……”

“Professor Shin especially wanted to take care of you. But you can’t bring a first-year because of work, right?”

“It’s okay. I like the ward better.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t see the patients if I go to the seminar.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to get some fresh air and hear the latest academic news for once?”

“I don’t know. I’m not really drawn to it.”

Jun-hoo shrugged his shoulders.

As for the latest academic news, Jun-hoo also knew it well, as he frequently read papers and news.

And in fact, the purpose of the seminar was more about networking.

It was a way for neurosurgeons to build camaraderie.

Jun-hoo thought that skill was more important than connections.

If you have the skills, people will naturally gather around you.

“You’re still the same, only knowing patients and medicine. Anyway, you need to be especially careful today.”

Chan-young’s expression became serious.

“Because of the seminar, 3 residents, 4 professors, and 3 fellows are gone.”

“……”

“If an emergency patient comes in, it’ll definitely be hard to manage. If it’s a cervical, spinal, or lumbar patient, call SOS to orthopedics. If it’s a brain issue, consult with Min-kyung well.”

“Yes, Chief. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Then see you tonight.”

Watching Chan-young’s back as he left the ward, Jun-hoo visited a nearby room.

It was the room with the vegetative state patient.

The vegetative state patient was lying in the room by the window. Today, he was also taking in the orange morning sunlight as nourishment.

The guardian was nowhere to be seen, probably gone to the restroom.

Jun-hoo surveyed his surroundings and placed his hand on the left side of the patient’s neck.

He performed the Internal Energy Vagus Nerve Stimulation [a technique using internal energy to stimulate the vagus nerve].

The internal energy extending from his palm took on the form of a wave.

The vagus nerve trembled the moment it touched the wave of internal energy.

Although he couldn’t see it, Jun-hoo could feel it.

‘So it was a special case after all?’

After 10 minutes of stimulation.

Jun-hoo smiled bitterly and removed his hand from the patient’s neck.

For the past two months, he had been performing Internal Energy Vagus Nerve Stimulation on the patient from time to time, but there had been no improvement.

The results of the French researchers who had recovered a vegetative state patient by stimulating the vagus nerve seemed to be a coincidence.

“You’re here again, Doctor?”

The guardian of the vegetative state patient approached the bedside and tilted her head.

Following the rounds 5 minutes ago.

She was puzzled that Jun-hoo had visited the room again.

-Mr. Seo. I’ll give you exactly one month. Discharge the vegetative state patient within a month. No matter what.

As the department head’s instructions came to mind, Jun-hoo felt a pang in his heart.

He knew how much of a wound the task he had to do would inflict on the guardian.

“Guardian.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“……It’s nothing. I just wanted to see the patient’s face up close, so I came to visit.”

“If you have something to say, please say it.”

“I really don’t.”

“By the way, the department head seems like a very kind person. I was a little touched when he made his rounds earlier. I didn’t know he still cared so much about my husband.”

“He’s a great person. In many ways. Then I’ll be on my way.”

Jun-hoo left the room with heavy steps.

He was having a hard time figuring out how to handle this matter.

* * *

Back in the on-call room, Jun-hoo was busy entering orders.

He hadn’t had breakfast.

So he roughly satisfied his hunger with the remaining dalgona pieces from practicing his surgery.

Crunch! Crunch!

The dalgona [a Korean sugar candy] crumbled in his mouth.

Thinking of them as the department head made him feel a little better.

“Did you hear?”

Kyung-soo, who was working at the next seat, brought up a topic.

“Hear what?”

“There was a knife attack in the emergency room of Jewon University Hospital yesterday? Several doctors were injured.”

“Who did that?”

“The guardian made a fuss, saying the patient’s treatment was sloppy.”

“What kind of personality is that?”

Jun-hoo shook his head.

Hospitals are places where people are treated, but they are also surprisingly associated with crime.

Murder, robbery, violence, fraud, etc.

Jun-hoo himself had a big fight with gangsters during his emergency room internship.

“Have you ever had a difficult time treating a patient?”

Jun-hoo asked Kyung-soo.

“Not yet. But I don’t know what will happen in the future. A few years ago, there was an incident where a psychiatrist was attacked.”

“……”

“There’s no guarantee that such a thing won’t happen to me.”

“Don’t worry. If something happens to you, your brother will take care of everything.”

“Yeah, right.”

Kyung-soo crossed his arms and gave his characteristic cynical smile.

“People are fundamentally selfish and evil. They’re bound to save their own lives if they’re in danger.”

“There are people who aren’t. Aren’t you generalizing people too much?”

“That’s the typical reaction. Do you really think you’re any different?”

“I am different.”

“You’ll say you’re different. And that’s something anyone can say. It’s as empty as a politician saying they love the people.”

Kyung-soo revealed a deep-seated distrust of people for once.

Why couldn’t Kyung-soo trust people?

Jun-hoo suddenly became curious about that point.

But he didn’t ask because he knew he wouldn’t get an answer.

“That’s enough. Let’s stop this conversation. It might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Kyung-soo turned his gaze to the monitor as if he had lost interest.

Deepening silence.

Typing.

Typing.

The sound of Jun-hoo and Kyung-soo typing on their keyboards filled the on-call room.

Even at this moment, the two were completely unaware.

That the things they feared would soon come to pass, without exception.