A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 215

Step. Step.

Jun-hoo walked through the pediatric ward hallway, his gaze drifting over the young patients.

The patients ranged in age.

From kindergarteners with congenital diseases to middle and high school students with enlarged heads [likely referring to hydrocephalus or another condition causing cranial enlargement].

He didn’t know their stories, but just looking at them…

Jun-hoo’s heart ached.

They shouldn’t be here, in a hospital.

They should be learning and experiencing the world, not battling illness.

That’s what he thought.

In the ‘ㅁ’-shaped [U-shaped] hallway, Jun-hoo continued toward the ward on the upper right.

There wasn’t a separate pediatric neurosurgery ward; neurosurgery patients were integrated into the pediatric ward.

Jun-hoo stopped before a six-bed room.

Among the names listed on the wall, Lee Jae-eun’s caught his eye.

She was the patient he was there to see.

Creak-

He entered the room and saw Jae-eun and her mother.

Jae-eun was a sweet-looking six-year-old girl.

Her innocent, wide eyes captivated him.

Her mother, presumably her guardian, was absorbed in texting.

“Jae-eun, hello? And hello to you, ma’am.”

“Hello,” Jae-eun mumbled cutely, her pronunciation a little slurred. Her mother, belatedly noticing Jun-hoo, stood up.

“Hello, doctor.”

“Nice to meet you. It must be a bit overwhelming on your first day, right?”

“It’s our first time being admitted, and there are so many little things to remember. Slippers, towels, toiletries, even a phone charger…”

“If you have someone who can relieve you, it might be good to step out for a bit. I’d like to talk to Jae-eun for a moment.”

Jun-hoo turned back to Jae-eun.

She had been admitted today, and he was her attending physician.

Jae-eun suffered from Moyamoya disease.

The name was unique enough that even people outside the medical field had likely heard of it.

Moyamoya disease is a cerebrovascular disorder where the walls of the brain’s blood vessels thicken, leading to blockages.

A Japanese doctor discovered it, and the test results resembled smoke rising, hence the name Moyamoya [meaning “puff of smoke” in Japanese].

“Jae-eun, where does it hurt now?”

“It doesn’t hurt now.”

“And how did it hurt before?”

“My head hurt, I couldn’t talk, and my arms wouldn’t move.”

“Oh, dear. That must have been scary.”

A six-year-old experiencing symptoms that would terrify even adults…

Jun-hoo felt admiration and pity for her.

“Our Jae-eun is so mature, isn’t she?”

“What is ‘mature’?”

“That’s… well, it means cool.”

“Doctor is mature too.”

Seeing Jae-eun use the word immediately, Jun-hoo realized his mistake. He’d explained it poorly.

After asking more about her condition, Jun-hoo turned to her mother.

“As you’ve heard, Jae-eun shouldn’t have spicy or hot food. And avoid dehydration, though that’s unlikely.”

“…”

“The brain’s blood vessels can narrow further, causing problems.”

“Yes, doctor. I’ll remember that.”

“I understand you wanted to speak with me privately…”

“Yes, if we could talk outside.”

“Of course. See you in a bit, Jae-eun.”

“Yes, doctor.”

Jun-hoo left the room, and the mother followed him into the hallway.

She looked to be in her mid-30s.

Her face was etched with worry, her fingers were rough with eczema and small scratches.

“Doctor, how much will Jae-eun’s… treatment cost?”

She asked with a sigh.

“It won’t be as much as you fear. Moyamoya disease is a rare and intractable [difficult to manage or treat] disease. If you register her as severely ill, you’ll only pay 10 percent of the total cost.”

“So, what’s the specific amount?”

“It’s hard to say for sure right now, but… if I had to estimate, I’d say expect around three to four million won [approximately $2,500 to $3,300 USD].”

Jun-hoo answered with a reassuring expression, but her face remained troubled.

There was clearly more to the story.

“That’s less than I thought, but… our family is in a difficult situation…”

She continued, barely audible.

“We were scammed out of our deposit and are about to be evicted, and my husband’s income is…”

“Is there something wrong with your husband?”

“Yes. He’s so immature. He doesn’t do his work and is always looking into strange business ventures. I feel like I’m raising another child.”

Jun-hoo bit his lip at her unfortunate story.

The deposit fraud was particularly concerning.

Being evicted from their rented home, which they’d secured with a loan and should have been a source of hope, would be devastating.

On top of that, her child had Moyamoya disease, and her husband was immature…

She must feel like she’s at the end of her rope.

“The professor who saw us as an outpatient said she needs another surgery and rehabilitation.”

“Yes. Moyamoya disease surgery is performed on both sides of the brain’s blood vessels, one at a time. She’ll have surgery this time and then again in a few months.”

“I won’t be able to work to take care of Jae-eun until then. I’m worried about how to cover living expenses.”

She sighed again, as if the ground was giving way beneath her.

It seemed she couldn’t ask her family or friends for help.

“First, go to the social welfare team and ask if you can receive support.”

“Social welfare team?”

“Yes. It’s on the second floor of the main building. If they don’t have a good solution, I’ll help you personally.”

“Oh, no. I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not? I have more money than I look.”

Jun-hoo answered playfully.

People don’t just die from disease; they die because they can’t afford treatment.

And Jun-hoo had started NewTube [presumably a video platform like YouTube] to prevent that.

Helping Jae-eun and her mother wasn’t difficult for him.

He also wanted to test something out on this occasion.

Tap tap tap-

Jun-hoo reacted to the sound of approaching footsteps.

Turning, he saw a man running toward them.

“Honey! I have good news!”

It was the problematic husband she’d been talking about.

* * *

“You’re here too, doctor. I’m Jae-eun’s father. My name is Lee Yong-jae.”

“Yes, hello.”

Yong-jae briefly introduced himself and immediately turned to his wife.

“Honey, I have really good news. You don’t have to worry about treatment costs anymore. Just trust me.”

“Trust you? I wouldn’t trust you to make *meju* [fermented soybean block used to make soy sauce and doenjang] from beans.”

“Come on, just listen.”

Yong-jae, excited, began to explain.

Jun-hoo listened from a third-party perspective.

His flustered appearance made Jun-hoo automatically cross his arms.

I’m going crazy. Seriously.

Would it be this frustrating to eat ten sweet potatoes without water?

A grown adult is worse than Jae-eun.

Listening to Yong-jae’s story, Jun-hoo couldn’t help but shake his head.

Yong-jae claimed there was a skilled herbal doctor who could perfectly treat Jae-eun with just two million won.

The herbal doctor’s name was Master Jecheon.

His name alone screamed “cult.”

According to the master, he could treat Moyamoya disease with bee venom therapy and diet alone.

He’d cured dozens of cancer patients, so Moyamoya disease was a piece of cake.

“I went to Gangwon-do this morning, you know? But this person is the real deal. I even saw a patient who was completely cured.”

“You said you had a business meeting, but you actually went to see that quack? You should have helped with the admission instead.”

“I’m telling you, he’s not a quack!”

Yong-jae raised his voice, defending the fake herbal doctor.

“There are many things in the world that can’t be explained by medicine or science. He cured a terminal cancer patient, you know.”

“Seriously, you believe him?”

“There’s no reason not to. His explanations of yin and yang and the five elements were so fluent. He was a complete expert.”

“Scammers are always good at talking. You know why? Because they have to rip off people like you.”

“That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? Do you think you’re the only one who cares about Jae-eun? I’m trying to help in every way I can!”

The couple’s argument grew heated.

Nurses and other guardians passing by in the ward hallway began to stare.

“Doctor, please discharge Jae-eun.”

Eventually, Yong-jae demanded that Jun-hoo discharge her.

Of course, it was an absurd request.

While receiving quack treatment, Jae-eun’s condition would worsen.

If her brain’s blood vessels burst…

She could suffer permanent disability or, in the worst case, die.

“I can’t do that.”

Jun-hoo refused firmly.

“Can’t I do what I want with my own daughter? Isn’t this an overreach of authority?”

“If I approve the discharge, it would be aiding and abetting medical neglect, wouldn’t it?”

“You’re crossing the line, doctor. It’s arrogant to think that modern medicine can cure everything.”

“Isn’t it foolish to try to cure a disease with quackery?”

Jun-hoo refuted Yong-jae’s pathetic logic.

If you don’t have money and your daughter has a rare disease, you might feel like you’re grasping at straws.

But you have to keep your wits about you.

Because quacks prey on those desperate feelings.

“Then please call that skilled master. I’ll talk to him.”

“You said it well. Good. Please do that. My wife needs to know how skilled the master is too.”

Yong-jae took out his phone and called the master.

The call connected quickly.

-Hello.

“Master, this is the person who came to see you this morning.”

-Ah, yes.

“I said I would receive your treatment, but the hospital is trying to stop me. Please persuade the doctor.”

Yong-jae handed the phone over, switching to speakerphone.

Jun-hoo took the phone.

“I’m Seo Jun-hoo, a resident in neurosurgery at Shinwon University Hospital.”

-Haha, nice to meet you, doctor.

“I’m not happy at all, though.”

Jun-hoo retorted sharply.

Yong-jae was a problem, but the quack master was an even bigger one.

He was the root of all evil.

If he treated Jae-eun carelessly and something went wrong, he’d just say it was God’s will.

He’d brush it off, saying that fate couldn’t be helped.

There were quite a few of these quack masters in the *Murim* [martial arts world, often used metaphorically to describe a competitive or unconventional environment] world as well.

-You seem very angry, doctor. How can you treat patients with such an angry heart?

At the master’s words, Yong-jae looked triumphant, while his wife shook her head in exasperation.

Jun-hoo felt a surge of anger and disgust toward the master.

This human is spouting nonsense.

“I heard you’re going to treat Jae-eun?”

Jun-hoo spoke bluntly.

There was no need to be polite to a scammer.

-Yes. Humans are born from nature. So, it is natural for nature to heal humans.

“…”

-Modern medicine has developed greatly, but it cannot be compared to the greatness of nature, can it? Hahaha.

“What a load of crap.”

-Hmm… you’re being too rude.

“I don’t want to talk nonsense, so I’ll get straight to the point. Come up to Seoul today.”

-Suddenly Seoul?

“Yes. Come to the hospital and treat Jae-eun directly. If she’s completely cured, I’ll transfer ten million won [approximately $8,300 USD] to your account right away.”

-That’s a bit…

“Why? Are you not confident?”

Jun-hoo baited the master, acting cocky. He could hear the hesitation in the master’s voice.

Of course…

If he performed a half-baked treatment in front of Jun-hoo, his scam would be exposed.

“Doctor, if it’s okay with you, please come to Seoul. Please prove this doctor and my wife wrong.”

Yong-jae, who had been silent, chimed in.

Yong-jae foolishly still trusted the master.

“Master, if you’re confident, come to Seoul.”

-No, Seoul has weak natural energy…

The master’s voice faded.

“Then I’ll go to Gangwon-do with Jae-eun. There’s no problem with receiving treatment in Gangwon-do and getting tested in Seoul, right?”

-…

“Where are you going to treat her wonderfully with the energy of nature…”

Too-oot- Too-oot-

As Jun-hoo pressured him, the call was cut off.

After that, he tried to call several times, but the master never answered.