A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 195

Chapter 36: I Can Do It (5)

Seo-hee, sitting on the bench, stared intently at the operating room at the end of the hallway.

Benches lined up on either side of the operating room entrance were all occupied by guardians waiting for surgery.

Despairing, grieving, hoping.

Seo-hee was also one of those guardians experiencing such emotional ups and downs.

She had just sent her only son into the operating room.

“I never thought this would happen to my baby…….”

A sigh of lament escaped Seo-hee’s lips.

Just two hours ago.

Seo-hee received a call from a 119 paramedic [Korean emergency services]. The paramedic said her son had been hit by a car while riding his motorcycle.

It was clearly her son who had the accident.

The impact felt like it had happened to her.

Her heart sank, and her limbs trembled.

Rushing to the emergency room in a taxi.

Her son lying on the bed was a terrible sight.

Blood seeped from the bandages wrapped around his chest, waist, and side. His ankle was also twisted grotesquely.

“Ha-jin! Ha-jin!”

No matter how desperately she called, her son did not wake up.

He was unconscious, as if dead.

She wished she had been hurt instead of her son…….

Seo-hee even reached such extreme thoughts.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Harsh footsteps broke her reverie.

Turning her head towards the sound, she saw her husband hurrying towards her.

“How is Ha-jin?”

Her husband stood before Seo-hee and asked.

The pungent smell of cigarettes stung her nose, as if he had been chain-smoking.

“He just went into the operating room.”

“Ha…… I knew it. I told him not to ride a motorcycle so many times. He insisted on buying one.”

Her husband frowned and blamed the motorcycle first.

Seo-hee nodded in agreement.

If her son had been in a car accident, he probably wouldn’t have been hurt this badly.

So, the motorcycle seemed to be the root of all evil.

“But they said he survived because he wore a helmet and protective gear properly. Otherwise, he might have already been brain dead.”

“It would have been much better if he hadn’t ridden the motorcycle.”

“That’s true.”

The fundamental cause of the accident was a vehicle that ran a red light, but Seo-hee didn’t realize this.

It was much easier and faster to blame the motorcycle.

“Do you think the surgery will go well? A skilled professor is performing the surgery, right?”

“Well…….”

“Why are you hesitating? Shinwon University Hospital is a Big 5 hospital, so isn’t it obvious?”

“A resident…… is doing the surgery.”

“What? A resident?”

Her husband clicked his tongue, dumbfounded.

“Ha-jin’s condition is serious. But why is a resident doing the surgery?”

“They said they’re short on staff because of a seminar. And they said it’s originally a surgery that a resident can do.”

“Still, is a professor the same as a resident? Damn it, why come to a university hospital if you’re going to get surgery from a resident?”

Her husband continued, fuming.

“If Ha-jin hasn’t been in surgery for long, let’s just send him to another hospital.”

“Don’t make a fuss. They said Ha-jin would be in more danger if we moved him to another hospital.”

“How can I not make a fuss right now? It’s a hundred times better to have a professor do the surgery, even if it takes longer.”

“Honey, please calm down. As you said, it’s a Big 5 hospital, so the doctors here must have a plan.”

“Ugh. This is frustrating.”

Her husband sat down next to Seo-hee, looking annoyed.

He ran his hands through his hair as if he couldn’t shake off his frustration.

“If anything happens to Ha-jin, I’ll hire Kim & Kim lawyers and sue [a well-known, high-powered law firm, implying significant legal action].”

Her husband, a professor at a famous university with a wide network, was certainly capable of doing so.

But Seo-hee didn’t want that to happen.

Not suing meant her son was safe.

* * *

Having finished the surgical scrub and donning the gown, Jun-hoo entered operating room number 4.

The operating table in the distance looked bright like a stage.

The air touching his skin was cool, and the pungent smell of disinfectant penetrated his nostrils with every breath.

The calm before the storm in the operating room.

The unique senses felt in the operating room made Jun-hoo realize that he was the surgeon.

Tuk. Tuk.

Jun-hoo stood before the operating table.

He looked down at the pale-faced young patient.

The fact that the patient, who had collided with a car while riding a motorcycle, reminded him of Sung-ho was probably not a simple coincidence.

No matter what happens, I will save you.

I will return you to the arms of your loving family.

I will give my all.

People say I’m reckless, but that’s far from the truth.

Others don’t know.

How much blood, sweat, and tears I have shed to save you and countless others like you.

Firming his resolve, Jun-hoo checked the patient’s vitals first.

Considering the patient had received CPR during transport, his vitals were relatively stable.

Blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and body temperature were normal.

The fluctuations on the electrocardiogram graph were also regular.

Clatter. Clatter.

Amplifying his hearing with internal energy, Jun-hoo heard noise from the supply room.

The intern and scrub nurse were busily preparing surgical instruments.

The opportunity is now!

Jun-hoo placed his hand on the patient’s head.

He sent the internal energy drawn from his dantian [energy center in the body, a concept from traditional Chinese medicine] through his palm and into the skull.

Woooong.

The internal energy containing the principles of qi gong [a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial-arts training] rippled and passed through the skull.

It spread to the subdural blood vessels where bleeding had occurred and the nearby hematoma.

Moonlight Slash (月光斬) [a martial arts technique].

The internal energy, shaped like needles, crisscrossed the hematoma, tearing it to shreds.

Rustle.

Rustle.

The hematoma, the size of a fingertip, was finely chopped.

Checking the fragmented hematoma, Jun-hoo smiled contentedly.

Surprisingly, this surgery was already ‘more than 70 percent’ complete.

A hematoma was a mass formed from clotted blood.

When a hematoma forms in the limited space of the skull.

The hematoma pushes against the brain, causing intracranial pressure to rise.

So, the surgeon opens the patient’s head to remove and aspirate this hematoma.

But Jun-hoo had pre-cut the hematoma with his Mind Sword [a metaphor for mental focus and skill].

By reducing the volume of the hematoma, he had lowered the intracranial pressure before the surgery.

Jun-hoo went one step further.

He blocked the microvessels near the middle cerebral artery where bleeding had occurred with internal energy.

How?

By shaping the internal energy into small beads.

This also prevented the formation of additional hematomas.

This was a treatment only Jun-hoo could do on Earth.

It was a treatment only Jun-hoo, who had experienced the Murim [a world of martial arts], could do.

Replacing the surgical gloves that had touched the patient’s head with new ones.

Jun-hoo neatly shaved the patient’s head with a razor blade from the dressing cart.

Finally, he unleashed the Myriad Transformation Attack (萬化攻) [a martial arts technique].

As internal energy circulated throughout his body, his senses became extremely sensitive.

Originally, focusing on one sense would dull the others.

But Jun-hoo could clearly feel sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell simultaneously.

The Myriad Transformation Attack, expressed in modern terms.

Was a martial art that maximized multitasking.

Now, shall we finish the remaining 30 percent?

Crack.

Crack.

Jun-hoo lightly tilted his head from side to side.

If someone were to ask about the success rate of this surgery, he would answer 100 percent.

* * *

Hye-jin, preparing surgical instruments in the supply room of operating room number 4, was very worried.

This was because the surgeon was Jun-hoo, a first-year resident.

A first-year resident doing a surgery that a third-year should be doing…….

Even for Hye-jin, who had been working as a scrub nurse and PA for five years, this was a first.

“Aren’t you worried, Teacher?” [a term of respect for a senior colleague]

Hye-jin asked Seo-joon, who was working with her.

Seo-joon was a neurosurgery intern.

“About what?”

“Dr. Seo is the surgeon. If the surgery fails, who will take responsibility? Not only the department but also the guardians won’t stay still.”

“It’ll be fine if it succeeds.”

“Subdural hemorrhage surgery isn’t child’s play. If it were that easy, I would have done it.”

“Jun-hoo sunbae [a term for a senior colleague or mentor] can do it, probably.”

“Your faith is amazing.”

“When it comes to faith, I’m almost a fanatic. Jun-hoo sunbae is no ordinary person.”

Seo-joon continued to explain garrulously.

Jun-hoo had been flying high since he was in medical school, and he had already assisted professors in the neurosurgery department as a first assistant.

“Assisting and operating are worlds apart. There’s an unbridgeable gap.”

“Seriously, why are you so worried? The water’s already spilled. And we’re not the ones taking responsibility.”

Seo-joon’s answer was carefree.

Seo-joon was watching this surgery as if it were someone else’s business.

Ugh, a slick one.

Not only was he late to the operating room, but he also had no sense of responsibility.

Hye-jin was about to snap at him but stopped.

It seemed like it would only worsen the atmosphere if the assistants fought when the surgeon was inadequate.

“Teacher. Then, would you like to make a bet with me?”

“What kind of bet?”

“Whether this surgery ends safely or not. How about the loser buys snacks?”

“Is this the time for such talk?”

Hye-jin’s voice became sharp.

“I’m just saying that because you’re too anxious. I’ll bet on it ending safely.”

“……Then I have no choice but to oppose.”

“Yes! Free ice cream!”

Hye-jin shook her head at Seo-joon’s immature answer.

Not only was the surgeon in bad shape, but the first assist was also terrible.

That’s why she was even more worried about this surgery.

Moreover, Hye-jin didn’t like that the operating room was number 4.

It seemed to symbolize a tragedy that would befall the patient.

“Let’s go.”

Hye-jin pulled the dressing cart out of the supply room first.

Seo-joon followed behind.

Creak.

Creak.

Jun-hoo, the surgeon, was already standing at the operating table.

Judging by the closed curtains of the anesthesia room near the operating table, the anesthesiologist had also arrived.

With the instrument setup and general anesthesia completed, the surgery preparation was finished.

First-year Jun-hoo stood in the surgeon’s seat.

Hye-jin stood by Jun-hoo’s side.

Seo-joon stood opposite Jun-hoo.

Next to Seo-joon, a scrub nurse was also attached.

Hye-jin thought the staff’s lineup was pathetic.

Hye-jin thought it was like hitting a rock with an egg [a futile effort].

There was not even a sliver of reason to view the surgery positively.

“Teacher. Are you really going to be okay? How about thinking about it one more time?”

Hye-jin looked at Jun-hoo and asked.

“About what?”

“This surgery. It seems too much for you to handle.”

“Well, we’ll see. Do you also think we should have transferred the patient?”

“……Yes. Honestly.”

“I didn’t become a surgeon to avoid responsibility. I became a doctor to save patients.”

“That’s true, but…….”

“Can a swimmer be afraid of water? Can a soccer player be afraid of the ball?”

“…….”

“Likewise. A doctor shouldn’t be afraid of patients. They just silently do their best to treat them.”

Jun-hoo’s mindset was certainly admirable.

There was also a touching aspect.

Above all, Jun-hoo’s words were filled with sincerity.

Perhaps that’s why.

Facing Jun-hoo’s unwavering eyes.

Hye-jin had a glimmer of hope.

Maybe the surgery will succeed.

Maybe the heavens will look kindly upon us.

“I’ll stop saying discouraging things. I’ll do my best to help you from now on.”

“That’s the answer I wanted to hear.”

Jun-hoo’s eyes smiled.

“From now on, I will begin the craniotomy and hematoma removal for SDH (subdural hematoma) [bleeding and blood clotting between the brain and its outer covering].”

Jun-hoo’s cry became a signal flare.

Like an arrow leaving the bowstring, the surgery was irreversible.