A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 247

Chapter 47: Already a Year (2)

Jo Hwa-gyeong’s skill wasn’t something he acquired casually in the marketplace; it was hard-earned.

The tipsiness only lasted a minute or two.

Jun-hoo was drunk, yet he could ‘observe’ his drunken state, watching it objectively.

Dizziness, nausea, weakness in his limbs, and so on.

He could accept the various symptoms as they were, acknowledging them without resistance.

This level isn’t enough.

I need to be able to perform surgery in this state, too. That’s the only way the Drunken Fist will have true meaning.

Jun-hoo began to repeat the incantation of ‘Beggar’s Drunken Art’ that he’d learned from the Elder of the Beggars’ Sect.

A drunken immortal sees the world.

You, with a clear mind, see the world.

Which of the two perceives a more chaotic world?

A person drunk in spirit has no boundaries, so there is no place they cannot reach. A person drunk in spirit is like the sky, unable to not embrace anything.

There is a subtle pleasure in drunkenness to remove the dust from the mind….

While reciting the incantation, Jun-hoo’s mind gradually began to clear.

He felt his thoughts and emotions becoming freer than before he was drunk.

It felt like everything inside him was soaring.

He had never felt like this before.

Jun-hoo practiced suturing, having grasped the essence of the Drunken Fist.

He placed the suturing model on the desk.

He laid out the suturing tools, such as needle holders, forceps, and sutures.

Wait a minute!

Do I necessarily have to suture with surgical tools?

Should I flip my thinking 180 degrees?

Perhaps due to the influence of the Drunken Fist, Jun-hoo questioned something he had never doubted before.

He wondered if he really needed to use a needle holder for suturing.

The basics of suturing were like this:

Hold the needle holder in the dominant hand (right hand).

Use the needle holder to grasp the suture needle.

Hold the forceps in the left hand.

Support by holding the tissue to be sutured.

But suddenly, a shift in thinking occurred.

What if I don’t use a needle holder?

It seemed silly, but it was an attempt he wanted to try right away.

So Jun-hoo put it into action.

First, he put down the needle holder he was holding in his right hand and held the suture needle with his bare hand.

The sensation wasn’t bad.

The suturing with 4-0 PDS suture [a type of absorbable surgical suture] was successful without any problems.

About 10 meticulous knots were tied in the 3-centimeter incision.

It was a remarkable achievement, hard to believe given his drunken state.

Jun-hoo nodded, feeling proud.

The Beggar’s Drunken Art was now completely Jun-hoo’s.

And one more important fact!

That was that the Drunken Fist in the Beggar’s Drunken Art state was a very attractive martial art.

The bare-handed suturing he had just performed was also a product of the Drunken Fist.

Of course, according to common sense, it was right to use a needle holder with the right hand.

To prevent contamination.

To help with finer control.

To widen the surgical field of view, and so on.

Using a needle holder was many times more beneficial than not using one.

But!

In some cases, bare-handed suturing was also sufficiently viable.

If the sutured area wasn’t as delicate as a blood vessel or nerve.

Also, if the surgeon’s skills were lacking.

Bare-handed surgery was quite useful.

Picking up beans with chopsticks.

Picking up beans with bare hands.

Is there any need to explain which one is easier?

The bare-handed surgery technique that Jun-hoo developed in a drunken state naturally belonged to the latter.

It seemed applicable enough for cutting out and suturing the appendix.

‘Wow, this is a completely unexpected result.’

Jun-hoo trembled with excitement.

If he hadn’t been drunk, he would never have dreamed of using his bare hands instead of surgical tools.

In that it broke common sense, the Drunken Fist’s utility was endless in that it opened up a third way.

It was a martial art worth looking forward to in the future.

Knock, knock, knock. Knock. Knock, knock, knock.

Just in time, a knock came in the form of an SOS.

‘That person’ had arrived.

He couldn’t show himself drunk while on duty.

Jun-hoo pulled the alcohol down to his dantian [energy center in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine].

He completely evaporated the alcohol energy by creating an intense vortex with his internal energy.

Instantly, his mind cleared.

Physical symptoms such as headaches and nausea also disappeared as if washed away.

“Yes. Come in.”

Jun-hoo greeted that person with a relaxed heart.

* * *

That person’s identity was, of course, Ah-young.

Jun-hoo and Ah-young, twice a week, when the other person was on duty, would visit each other’s on-call room and enjoy a date.

“I’m bored, can I eat bread?”

Ah-young, sitting across from Jun-hoo, asked, watching Jun-hoo’s expression.

“Hey! Someone with reflux esophagitis [a condition where stomach acid flows back into the esophagus], what’s with the bread?”

“I haven’t had any today? Wouldn’t one be okay?”

“No.”

“Heeing. It’s a Yonsei milk cream bread that I barely got. Still no?”

“No. Go back.”

“Jun-hoo nabang [a playful, teasing nickname].”

Ah-young pouted and showed off her bread gag.

Her appearance was so cute, and so lovely, that Jun-hoo couldn’t resist.

So, just as parents can’t win against their children, Jun-hoo couldn’t win against Ah-young either.

“Okay. I’ll allow one a day.”

“Wow! What great generosity! Generosity as wide as the sea!”

“It sounds like you’re being sarcastic, am I misunderstanding?”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

“So, it’s right that it sounds like you’re being sarcastic? It’s right that I’m misunderstanding?”

“Both.”

“Instead, would you like to try this before eating bread?”

Jun-hoo moved to the refrigerator.

He microwaved the dumplings he had put in the refrigerator and handed them to Ah-young.

Ah-young tilted her head and stared at the dumplings.

“Why dumplings all of a sudden?”

“I got them from the guardian of a patient who was discharged today. The taste is really amazing. You’ll be amazed as soon as you eat it, you’ll see?”

“Isn’t the taste of dumplings all the same?”

“No, how can you say such rude things? Just try it.”

“Well, the smell alone is amazing. Okay.”

Jun-hoo watched Ah-young munching on the dumplings.

There was no tension or anxiety.

It was a dumpling that satisfied the taste of dumpling expert Jun-hoo.

There was no way this dumpling wouldn’t suit other people’s tastes.

In fact, all the staff in the ward were also hooked.

“Wow. It’s really delicious! The dumpling skin is chewy, and the filling is savory and keeps making me want to eat more?”

“What did I say? I told you it would be delicious.”

A smile appeared on Jun-hoo’s face.

Now, all that was left was for Jae-eun’s mother to decide to open a dumpling shop.

Jun-hoo’s suggestion would be embarrassing right now, but Jae-eun’s mother would eventually agree to open a dumpling shop.

A talent in the bag.

A talent like an awl will eventually be revealed no matter how much you hide it.

“Jun-hoo.”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Can I eat all the dumplings?”

“There’s no reason to stop my baby from eating if she wants to.”

Ah-young giggled as Jun-hoo used a pet name.

Jun-hoo watched Ah-young eat dumplings for a long time, bringing the dumplings to her cherry-like lips, munching on the dumplings.

Even the trivial act of swallowing the dumplings was like a work of art.

Jun-hoo’s love for Ah-young was ripening like grain.

“Eat slowly. You’ll get indigestion.”

Jun-hoo took out bottled water from the refrigerator and handed it to Ah-young.

“Thank you.”

Ah-young finished eating the dumplings and drank the water.

“Jun-hoo, your NewTube [a fictional analogue to YouTube] is doing really well these days.”

“It’s practically a golden age. We’ll hit 1 million subscribers and the Gold Button will arrive soon.”

When he first started NewTube, Jun-hoo never dreamed that the channel would do so well.

He wished he could have 100,000 subscribers. He thought he wished he could make 1 million won [approximately $750 USD] a month.

But what?

Jun-hoo’s channel has grown rapidly into a large channel in nearly two years. It showed overwhelming growth.

He succeeded in inflating expectations by more than 10 times.

“But why NewTube?”

“I think we should start managing it properly. Start a sole proprietorship and hire employees.”

“…….”

“Or it’s okay to join a company that manages NewTubers or streamers called MCN [Multi-Channel Network].”

Ah-young was worried about Jun-hoo.

She pointed out that as the channel grew, it should not be operated in a haphazard manner like it is now.

Jun-hoo agreed.

He couldn’t just film and upload videos roughly forever.

Also, the quality will be much better if editing is added to the video.

It would be reassuring to have someone to manage the channel and videos, including uploads.

“I’ve already had MCNs lined up to sign a contract? I’ll solve it by signing a contract with a good company.”

“You thought well.”

“You’re the only one who gives me advice on my thoughts. Thank you, I love you.”

“Me too.”

The gazes towards each other met.

Each other’s eyes contained each other.

As the two people’s faces gradually got closer, Jun-hoo read the signs of an uninvited guest.

Thud. Thud.

He could tell who the other person was with just the stride.

“A saboteur has appeared? I’ll have to kiss you later.”

* * *

That day at 2 a.m., Min-kyung took Ah-young’s place.

Min-kyung, who came into the on-call room, said she woke up because she was so hungry. Then she boiled and ate two cups of ramen on the spot.

“Senior, won’t your face get swollen if you eat like that?”

“Well, so what? Senior Si-ho is off tomorrow, so he won’t be there.”

“So, you mean it’s okay for your face to be swollen when Senior Si-ho isn’t there?”

“That’s right. Keueueueue [an onomatopoeic expression of laughter].”

Min-kyung even drank all the ramen broth.

It was such a delicious sight that anyone would mistake her for filming a ramen CF [commercial film].

“Am I uncomfortable? Ah-young just left? She could have stayed longer.”

“She didn’t leave because you were uncomfortable, but because she thought you would be uncomfortable. Ah-young is that kind of person.”

“Ugh. Goosebumps-inducing comments. Seo Jun-hoo, the world’s greatest lover?”

“Senior, please adapt. Because I can’t fix it.”

“Oh, right, Jun-hoo. Can I get some advice from you this time?”

Min-kyung asked, her eyes shining.

There may be no one in the world without worries, but Min-kyung’s request for counseling was surprising.

Min-kyung had an outgoing personality.

She was the only woman in the neurosurgery department and was in charge of the mood maker and human vitamin.

Because Min-kyung usually said everything she had to say, Jun-hoo was more concerned about Min-kyung’s request for counseling because she was the type to say everything she shouldn’t say.

“Senior, I didn’t want to bring up these words first.”

Jun-hoo frowned and continued.

“Did someone sexually harass or molest you?”

“Hey, why are you suddenly rushing in? Nothing like that happened. You know our staff are nice.”

Min-kyung retorted with a bewildered expression.

Jun-hoo felt embarrassed but also relieved.

“I thought that if you were asking for counseling, something like that would have happened….”

“No, my worries are very personal and easy.”

“What is it?”

“That’s… I….”

Min-kyung’s cheeks were already blushing.

Her body was twisted like a pretzel.

“Aren’t you taking too long?”

“Because I’m embarrassed. So… I….”

“…….”

“I’m thinking of confessing to Senior Si-ho this Christmas, what do you think?”

The moment he heard Min-kyung’s story, Jun-hoo thought that what was finally coming had come.

Jun-hoo had known for a long time that Min-kyung had a crush on Si-ho.

But Jun-hoo opposed Min-kyung’s love.

Even if a knife came to his neck, he was against it.

Si-ho was a psychopath killer.

So even if Min-kyung was united with Si-ho, that love could not be happy.

Rather, it would be the prelude to announcing unhappiness and hell.

Of course, Jun-hoo didn’t want Min-kyung to be unhappy.

This confession had to be stopped.

“It would be nice if the confession was successful, and even if it failed, it would be a good memory. What do you think, Jun-hoo?”

Min-kyung carefully asked for his opinion.

Jun-hoo opened the gate to resolutely oppose the confession.

“Well. I think differently?”

“In what way?”

“First of all…….”