A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 312

Jun-hoo fixed his gaze on the young man seated across from him.

Goo Seo-jin.

A former second-year resident in neurosurgery.

Jun-hoo had learned about Seo-jin from Dae-hwi, a first-year resident.

Dae-hwi described him as a stoic and steadfast individual, wholly dedicated to his work.

According to Dae-hwi, Seo-jin’s work ethic was exceptional.

Before Jun-hoo’s arrival, the Daejeon Neurosurgery Department had relied heavily on Seo-jin to function.

Perhaps influenced by what he’d heard, Jun-hoo found Seo-jin’s appearance to be a reflection of his personality.

He had thick, sharply defined eyebrows.

A broad face and a square jaw completed the picture.

His expression was unreadable, making it difficult to gauge his emotions.

“Now that we’ve finally met, allow me to formally introduce myself. I’m Seo Jun-hoo, dispatched to work here in Daejeon.”

“I’m Goo Seo-jin.”

“Shall we order some drinks? What can I get you?”

“I’ll have chamomile tea.”

“No coffee?”

“Caffeine makes my heart race.”

“How did you survive residency without caffeine? Caffeine is the lifeblood of a resident,” Jun-hoo said jokingly, but Seo-jin remained silent.

Was it because the joke fell flat?

Or was he still wary of Jun-hoo?

The reason remained a mystery.

Jun-hoo rose and went to the counter. He placed the order and returned to his seat.

Seo-jin was staring out the window, his eyes unfocused.

“Dae-hwi mentioned that you live in Daejeon.”

“Let’s skip the small talk and get straight to the point. You didn’t arrange this meeting just to make friends, did you?”

Seo-jin took the initiative.

His voice was firm and direct.

Was he the type to prioritize logic over emotion?

Sensing Seo-jin’s disposition, Jun-hoo abruptly changed his approach. He straightened his posture and met Seo-jin’s gaze directly.

Jun-hoo was confident when it came to verbal sparring.

The Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance] was a place where words were weapons.

Careless use of that weapon could lead to harm or emotional wounds.

“That’s correct. I didn’t call you here to become friends. I asked you to meet because I have a proposition.”

“……”

“To be precise, I’m seeking your cooperation.”

“Cooperation? Out of the blue?”

“You know Professor Hong, right?”

“I wish I didn’t.”

For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed Seo-jin’s stoic face.

Seo-jin frowned at the mention of Professor Hong.

“I intend to remove Professor Hong soon, and I’d like your support in this endeavor.”

“Seriously? That’s absurd.”

“What’s so absurd about it?”

“How can a resident possibly kick out a professor from the department? Are you out of your mind?”

Seo-jin spoke as if the idea was utterly inconceivable.

The professor held absolute power over the residents’ careers.

Even if they sought training at another hospital, they couldn’t escape the professor’s influence.

The medical community was so interconnected that everyone knew each other within a few degrees of separation.

Therefore, they could face disadvantages at the new hospital due to the professor’s animosity.

“My mind is clearer than ever. Do you think I’d waste your time with nonsense?”

“Ugh, I had a bad feeling about this from the start. I shouldn’t have come.”

Seo-jin muttered to himself, but Jun-hoo made sure he heard it.

“Let’s pretend you didn’t say that. I’m leaving.”

“Sit down. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

Jun-hoo’s voice stopped Seo-jin as he stood up.

“Regret? I think I’ll regret it even more if I continue talking to you.”

“You seem particularly agitated when Professor Hong is mentioned. It sounds like you’ve been bottling up a lot… If I were in your shoes, I’d want to get revenge.”

“……”

“Well, you’re free to run away if you prefer to be a coward. I won’t stop you. Be careful on your way back.”

Jun-hoo deliberately provoked Seo-jin.

His aim was to seize control of the conversation.

There’s a saying that if you remain passive, you’ll be taken advantage of.

And it’s often true.

If you unconditionally accommodate someone because you want something from them, they tend to become even more demanding.

It’s human nature.

“What? Coward? Run away? Have you said everything you wanted to say? What do you even know about me to speak so recklessly?”

“Then why are you treating me like a madman? What do you know about me?”

Seo-jin was momentarily speechless by Jun-hoo’s counterattack. He couldn’t find a suitable response and bit his lip.

Just then, an employee approached their table.

He placed the drinks down, glancing nervously between Jun-hoo and Seo-jin.

The employee quickly retreated.

The white steam rising from the drinks danced between Jun-hoo and Seo-jin.

“Ah… seriously.”

Seo-jin grumbled and sat back down.

He took a sip of chamomile tea to soothe his throat.

Jun-hoo had won the battle of wills.

“Professor Hong is going to cause a major incident within the next two weeks. All you have to do is give an interview to the press at that time and expose all of Professor Hong’s wrongdoings.”

“Are you a fortune teller? How do you know that?”

Seo-jin asked, his voice still sharp.

However, his fiery emotions had noticeably subsided.

“Because I’m going to make it happen.”

“Do you have a concrete plan?”

“I do. But it’s difficult to explain it all right now.”

Jun-hoo continued to speak rapidly.

He was capitalizing on the momentum of the conversation.

“In any case, you have nothing to lose, right? Let’s say my plan fails and Professor Hong doesn’t cause an incident. Then you can simply continue living as you are now, correct?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Seo-jin nodded in agreement.

“Come back to the department after Professor Hong is gone. I’ll speak with the head and help you return.”

In truth, this was Jun-hoo’s primary objective.

Strictly speaking, getting rid of Professor Hong didn’t necessarily require Seo-jin’s involvement.

However, if Seo-jin cooperated, he would be able to overcome his past resentment.

For the neurosurgery department to function effectively, a capable individual was essential, and Seo-jin, having achieved revenge and found relief, would undoubtedly be a valuable asset upon his return.

“Why would I ever go back to that hellhole? Look at how much I suffered.”

“Professor Hong will be gone. And I’ve already tamed the third-year resident, Hyuk-jae. It’ll be a much more pleasant environment to work in.”

“You tamed Hyuk-jae? That jerk who swings a baseball bat when he’s in a bad mood?”

Seo-jin blinked in disbelief.

The main reasons Seo-jin had left were Professor Hong and Hyuk-jae.

Hyuk-jae frequently abused his junior colleagues.

Seo-jin had been a frequent target.

As a result, he made a mistake during surgery and was targeted by Professor Hong, marking the beginning of his long ordeal.

“If you don’t believe me, call Dae-hwi. You can even call Hyuk-jae.”

“By the way, you’re speaking informally to your senior.”

“We’re practically friends now. I even got permission from the chief.”

Jun-hoo’s responses were increasingly baffling to Seo-jin.

Taming Hyuk-jae, who was known as a thug, and speaking informally to his senior.

And obtaining permission for that informal speech directly from the chief. It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel.

“……”

“……”

The conversation, which had been raging like a storm, entered a lull.

The two remained silent for a moment.

They quietly sipped their drinks, each contemplating the conversation they had just had.

“I think I’ve said enough. What about you, Seo-jin?”

“I have nothing more to add.”

“Then what’s your decision? Are you going to help me get rid of Professor Hong?”

Jun-hoo issued an ultimatum.

* * *

Step. Step.

Seo-jin walked down the street, facing the orange sunset. The setting sun cast an orange hue over Seo-jin’s figure.

Seo-jin’s steps, which had been aimlessly wandering around the station, now led towards a nearby stream.

Seo-jin walked along the waterway, lost in thought.

He had a whirlwind of thoughts after meeting Jun-hoo.

Most of them were unpleasant.

He recalled being verbally abused by Professor Hong, getting his shins kicked, and being burdened with excessive thesis work.

The wounds inflicted by Hyuk-jae in a similar manner resurfaced in his mind.

Seo-jin’s expression grew somber.

-Professor Hong will be gone. And I’ve already tamed the third-year resident, Hyuk-jae. It’ll be a much more pleasant environment to work in.

Amidst all the negativity, Jun-hoo’s confident words resonated with Seo-jin.

If Professor Hong was removed.

If Hyuk-jae had reformed.

There would be no reason for Seo-jin not to return to the department. It would be as if all the troublemakers had vanished.

And above all, Seo-jin longed to practice medicine again.

The month he had spent away from the department.

That time was not as enjoyable as he had anticipated.

Seo-jin took pride in being a neurosurgeon.

Of course, the work was incredibly demanding, but he found fulfillment in treating patients and mastering procedures.

But when he left the hospital, he lost that sense of purpose.

It felt like a void had opened in his heart.

What should I do?

What is the best course of action for me?

After much contemplation, Seo-jin pulled out his phone. He called Dae-hwi for the first time since he had left.

Dae-hwi answered surprisingly quickly.

-Seo-jin, senior! It’s been a while. What brings you here?

Dae-hwi’s voice was as warm as ever. It felt comforting to Seo-jin.

“What right do I have to call you after abandoning you and running away?”

-Don’t say that. And to be honest… I was on the verge of running away too.

“You too?”

-Yes. But Jun-hoo realized I was struggling and gave me a day off. Thanks to that, I pulled myself together and decided to stay.

“What are you talking about? He gave you a day off? How can a dispatched person do something that even the chief can’t do?”

Seo-jin asked in disbelief.

Jun-hoo’s unconventional behavior seemed endless.

“So, on his first day, he took care of your work in addition to his own?”

Seo-jin summarized after listening to Dae-hwi’s explanation.

-That’s right. Jun-hoo is completely insane. He’s not even human.

As Seo-jin questioned Dae-hwi about Jun-hoo, Dae-hwi spoke of Jun-hoo like an idol.

It was clear from his voice that he had completely fallen under Jun-hoo’s spell.

If Dae-hwi trusts Jun-hoo.

Seo-jin thought he could trust Jun-hoo as well.

If Jun-hoo had won over Dae-hwi, the most junior and vulnerable member of the department, he must possess admirable qualities.

Without Seo-jin realizing it, a seed of hope began to sprout in his heart.

“Hey. You’re going to run out of breath. Calm down.”

-That’s because I can’t calm down. By the way, senior… are you really not considering returning? If you come back, I think the department will be unstoppable.”

“I don’t know yet. I’m still thinking about it.”

-What did you and Jun-hoo talk about?

Dae-hwi was curious about their conversation.

Dae-hwi was likely the one who gave Jun-hoo Seo-jin’s phone number. If so, it was understandable that Dae-hwi knew about their meeting.

Seo-jin briefly recounted his conversation with Jun-hoo to Dae-hwi.

The call lasted about 10 minutes, and Dae-hwi ended the conversation by saying that he missed Seo-jin.

To solidify his decision, Seo-jin finally called Hyuk-jae, the devil himself.

He really didn’t want to, but there was something he needed to confirm.

It was directly related to his potential return.

Hyuk-jae answered the phone almost immediately.

Before the ringtone even sounded three times.

As if he had been eagerly awaiting Seo-jin’s call.

-Hey. Seo-jin, how have you been? I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused you. Looking back, I think I was too hard on you. Please forgive me.

Hyuk-jae’s reaction was completely unexpected.

The Hyuk-jae that Seo-jin knew would never utter such words unprompted.

What’s even more absurd is that Hyuk-jae’s voice sounded like a bad actor reciting lines.

This crazy bastard.

How dare you run away from your senior without a word? Did you think I was so forgiving? If you want to survive, crawl back right now.

Otherwise, I’ll use my connections to harass you no matter where you end up training.

If Seo-jin were his usual self.

He would have unleashed a torrent of insults.

“You’re… not scolding me?”

-Oh, what are you talking about, scolding! I’m the one who deserves to be scolded. I used to lash out at my juniors whenever I felt like it.

“……”

-I haven’t eaten wormwood and garlic [a Korean creation myth reference, implying transformation], but I’ve become a better person. Come back whenever you’re ready to sort things out.

Contrary to his anxieties, the call with Hyuk-jae also ended smoothly.

It truly felt like Jun-hoo had cast a spell on the department.

How could this be?

What influence does a second-year resident wield?

After a long period of shock, Seo-jin sent a text message to Jun-hoo.

[I’ll help in any way I can. Please take care of me.]