A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 293

Chapter 56: The Truth (3)

Neurosurgery conference room.

Hun-shik, arms crossed, glared down at the neurosurgery intern kneeling before him.

The intern clutched his shin, groaning.

“Can’t you do anything right? You think surgery prep is a joke? You scared me half to death.”

“I’m sorry, Professor…”

“You frustrating bastard. You shouldn’t have given me anything to be sorry for. Go, Hyeong-jin.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Do that again, and you’re dead. Your intern evaluation will be a failing grade.”

Hyeong-jin’s face paled at Hun-shik’s harsh threat.

Terrified, he could only nod.

Hun-shik finally smiled, satisfied.

He left the conference room, slamming the sliding door shut.

Bang!

Hun-shik headed to the Chinese restaurant on the first basement floor, a popular spot for professors.

Though today, it wasn’t for dinner.

The restaurant was deserted after lunch. Empty seats stretched out, and the staff idly watched TV.

Perhaps that’s why it was so easy to find his appointment.

“What’s this? Looking for me at this hour?”

Hun-shik sat across from Lee Si-deok.

Si-deok was the current head of the neurosurgery department and Hun-shik’s junior from medical school.

In private, Hun-shik dropped the formalities.

“Need a reason to see you? Maybe I just wanted to see your face.”

“Don’t lie. You’re not the type to do anything without a reason.”

“Let’s order first.”

They ordered a late lunch. Si-deok chose fried rice, and Hun-shik, jjambong [spicy Korean noodle soup with seafood].

Si-deok poured water into Hun-shik’s cup, handed it over, and then filled his own.

“You called me. Good service.”

“Senior, you’re always so particular about these things. Hierarchy, and all that.”

“Whether it’s humans, animals, or insects, society needs hierarchy and order to function.”

“……”

“How does it feel to wear the crown of thorns?” Hun-shik asked sarcastically, referring to the department head position.

“Not as bad as I thought. I think I’m starting to enjoy the taste of power.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You don’t even realize your teeth are rotting from all the sugar.”

“But, Senior.”

Si-deok’s eyes narrowed, and the atmosphere shifted.

Hun-shik mentally braced himself, sensing the real reason for the meeting.

Si-deok was the king of the neurosurgery kingdom, and Hun-shik, the former king, wanted his throne back.

Tension was inevitable.

“Could you lay off your junior a little? Why are you nitpicking everything I do?”

“Nitpicking? Watch your mouth. If you were doing your job, I wouldn’t have to interfere.”

“If you’re going to interfere, do it to the other side. Not your own. I’m talking about the department reorganization plan I suggested to the Vice Director of Medical Affairs.”

Si-deok sipped his water.

“Rumor has it you blocked it?”

“What are you talking about? What power do I have?”

“You’re close to the Vice Director of Medical Affairs.”

“You think I can manipulate the Vice Director? Stop flattering yourself. Huh?”

While refuting, Hun-shik chuckled inwardly.

Si-deok’s misfortune was Hun-shik’s happiness.

Si-deok had to fail for Hun-shik to reclaim his position.

“If you’re suffering so much, why did you take the department head position in the first place? Just give it back.”

“And who would benefit from that?”

“You still don’t know your place. You’re not qualified to be the department head. Everyone knows it but you.”

“It’s not that I don’t know my place; it’s that someone is interfering from behind. Watch your tone, even if your mouth is crooked.”

“Ha… this bastard is being rude again.”

“Keep acting like that, and I won’t hold back either. This is the third time I’m being patient.”

The two men locked eyes.

Sparks seemed to fly.

Neither looked away.

The war of nerves was evenly matched.

“Your order is here.”

The cold war ended when the server brought their food.

They ate in silence.

After the meal, they paid separately and left.

As Hun-shik left, he pulled out his cell phone and called someone.

“Yes, Vice Director of Medical Affairs. Is now a good time to talk?”

-“……”

“Yes, yes. How about golf this weekend? It’s been too long, I’m getting rusty.”

-“……”

“Hahaha. Yes, then I’ll see you this weekend. Loyalty!”

Hun-shik smirked, watching Si-deok walk ahead.

You stupid bastard.

What’s the point of running around if you don’t know how the game is played?

The higher-ups make the decisions anyway.

You’re still in that position because you can’t please them.

Hun-shik firmly believed that success in social life came to those with good manners.

* * *

Slurp. Slurp.

The sound of cup noodles being eaten filled the on-call room.

Having finished cervical myelopathy surgery [surgery to relieve pressure on the spinal cord in the neck], Jun-hoo ate cup noodles.

Since starting at the hospital, cup noodles had become his staple food.

The noodles went down smoothly, and the broth warmed his stomach.

Satisfied, Jun-hoo threw the empty container away and stretched.

Creak.

Dae-hwi, a first-year resident, entered the on-call room.

“Senior, you’re here?”

“Yeah.”

“How was assisting Professor Hong’s surgery?”

“The worst. First time I’ve seen a professor late for surgery.”

Jun-hoo shook his head.

But Hun-shik’s lateness wasn’t the only problem.

He was also unskilled.

Jun-hoo usually memorized the professors’ surgical methods and stored them in his head.

But there was nothing to learn from Hun-shik.

Instead, he felt suffocated, wanting to take over the surgery himself.

Meanwhile, Hun-shik acted like a skilled surgeon and treated the staff rudely.

“It’s unpleasant, but you’ll have to adapt. The department head is there, but Professor Hong really runs things…”

“Seemed that way to me too. I saw it during the morning conference.”

“Didn’t you get hit?”

“Huh? Hit? Does Professor Hong hit the staff?”

“No. Just saying.”

Jun-hoo noticed Dae-hwi’s awkward smile and pressed him.

“Don’t try to gloss over it. Tell me. It’ll come out eventually.”

“Ah… okay.”

Dae-hwi sighed and explained.

Hun-shik was known for his violent temper.

He would kick residents in the shin or slap them if they made mistakes.

Jun-hoo clicked his tongue, unsurprised by Hun-shik’s behavior.

“So you especially have to be careful, Senior.”

“What do you mean?”

“The fact that Professor Hong didn’t hit you means you did a good job.”

“That’s right.”

Jun-hoo nodded. He had performed the hysterectomy himself, shortening the surgery time by nearly 30 minutes.

“When Professor Hong finds a resident who does a good job, he targets them. Then he dumps all his work on them.”

“……”

“There was a second-year resident named Woo Seong-gyun who ran away before you came. He was targeted by Professor Hong and couldn’t handle the workload.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

Jun-hoo stroked his chin.

The main villain of Daejeon’s medical department was Hun-shik.

Unless Hun-shik was dealt with, peace would never come.

But taking down a professor as a resident seemed impossible…

“You just have to endure it. There’s no other way.”

Dae-hwi looked gloomy.

“Anyway, how’s Hyuk-jae? Still harassing you?”

“He’s a docile sheep since you took him down yesterday. He even talks to me politely. Never seen him like that.”

“Of course. Unless he wants another taste of hell.”

“You’re the best, Senior Jun-hoo. I’m just glad Hyuk-jae is behaving.”

“Don’t settle for that. Just wait. I’ll take care of Professor Hong too.”

“Professor Hong? Is that even possible?”

Dae-hwi’s voice rose.

“Shh! Quiet. This stays between us.”

“Yes! My lips are sealed.”

Dae-hwi pretended to zip his mouth shut.

He left to do rounds, asking Jun-hoo to watch the on-call room.

Sitting at his desk, Jun-hoo sent an email to his mentor, Park Jae-hyun.

He asked for his mentor’s “secret book” to study the cervical and lumbar spine.

After the brain tumor and cerebral vascular sections, Jun-hoo wanted to master the spine.

He didn’t trust Hun-shik’s skills in that area.

Jun-hoo was the only one who could recognize and correct Hun-shik’s mistakes.

‘It was surprisingly interesting when I tried it…’ he thought, reviewing the recent cervical myelopathy surgery.

Unlike brain surgery, spine surgery had a rough side.

The tools were terrifying: medical drills, metal plates, hammers, screws, screwdrivers.

Mostly woodworking tools.

Spine surgery required strength and stamina, which Jun-hoo possessed.

If he memorized his mentor’s secret book, he was confident he would improve rapidly.

He decided to master the cervical and lumbar spine in Daejeon.

“You’re already here?”

Jun-hoo turned as the door opened.

He expected Dae-hwi, but intern Hyeong-jin limped in.

Jun-hoo frowned.

“Why are you limping?”

“Uh… I bumped into something while running. I’m clumsy.”

“Is that a black mark on your pants? Did Professor Hong kick you?”

Jun-hoo asked, suspicious.

Hyeong-jin hesitated, avoiding his gaze.

“Sit down. I won’t tell the professor. Tell me what happened.”

“Yes…”

Hyeong-jin revealed the truth.

He had made a mistake setting up the surgical table and Hun-shik had kicked him in the shin and verbally abused him.

Jun-hoo’s anger simmered.

What an ugly human, he thought. Lazy, late for surgery, and taking out his frustrations on interns.

“Wait a minute.”

Jun-hoo rolled up Hyeong-jin’s pants.

Hyeong-jin’s shin was swollen.

Pow, pow, pow.

Jun-hoo’s fingers moved quickly, targeting blood vessels and nerves near Hyeong-jin’s shin.

He used the ‘pain relief pressure point’ technique he hadn’t used in a while.

“Senior. What did you do?”

“Don’t worry about it. Get up and walk.”

Hyeong-jin widened his eyes.

“Wow! It doesn’t hurt anymore? Amazing.”

Jun-hoo smiled bitterly. It wasn’t the time to be amazed, but to be angry at Hun-shik.

“Professor Hong is a strange person, so don’t take it too hard. Just think you stepped in poop.”

“Yes, Senior. Thank you! I’m going to change.”

Hyeong-jin left, walking easily.

Jun-hoo watched him go, then moved to the calendar.

He circled the date exactly 30 days from now.

Within the next 30 days, he would kick Hun-shik out of the department.

Jun-hoo set a new goal.