A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 337

Chapter 65: A Foreign Land (2)

Word spread like wildfire.

Jun-hoo widely announced his decision to go to America, starting with his parents and then to Ah-young and his other acquaintances.

The reactions were sharply divided.

One was worry.

Most people were worried about Jun-hoo.

Why go to a foreign land to suffer?

The food wouldn’t suit his taste, he wouldn’t be able to communicate properly, and the culture would be completely foreign.

Moreover, wouldn’t racial discrimination against Asians be severe?

Most people worried about Jun-hoo’s future and tried to dissuade him from his choice.

Even though he was only going to America for training, people reacted as if Jun-hoo was being sent to a labor camp.

A few people openly expressed their disappointment in Jun-hoo.

These were mainly professors.

Among the professors, Dong-hoon, who had been particularly interested in Jun-hoo, was representative.

“Jun-hoo, I don’t know if you realize it, but I had high expectations for you… I believed that you could stay in Korea and become the next-generation star surgeon to take over Professor Park Jae-hyun’s baton.”

“…….”

“But suddenly going to America? And training there for as long as 7-8 years? I’m disappointed and feel like I’ve been blindsided. Even if it’s about facilities or equipment… Korean surgeons are by no means inferior to American surgeons in skill.”

Jun-hoo didn’t offer excuses for Dong-hoon’s criticism.

He simply replied that he was sorry and grateful.

Despite the persistent opposition from those around him, Jun-hoo’s resolve didn’t waver.

Jun-hoo’s mind was firm.

It was firmly set on the Mayo Clinic’s Boost-Up Program.

*If there’s something you want to do.*

*If there’s something that makes your heart race.*

An inner voice told him that he shouldn’t bow to the gaze or judgment of others.

*I am just me.*

*No one can replace me.*

*I am not living to fulfill the expectations of others.*

The inner voice protected Jun-hoo.

Among his many acquaintances, only two people supported Jun-hoo’s choice.

Ah-young and his mentor, Jae-hyun.

Rather, the two purely cheered and encouraged Jun-hoo’s choice.

Jae-hyun was a mentor in medicine, and Ah-young was a haven for his heart.

Jun-hoo felt grateful for the fact that there was someone pulling him forward and someone he could lean on.

As the month rushed by.

Jun-hoo steadily prepared for his departure.

He obtained a visa and brushed up on his rusty English-speaking skills.

He also personally contacted Jennifer, a professor of gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic, who had been introduced to him by Jae-hyun.

In the meantime, the results of the specialist board exam were also announced.

Jun-hoo passed the exam with a perfect score in both the first and second parts.

It was a natural result, so there was nothing particularly joyful about it.

The evening before his long-awaited departure.

Jun-hoo took a walk on the nearby mountain near his house for the first time in a while.

He was originally going to see Ah-young at Shinwon University Hospital, but Ah-young strongly opposed it.

She said that he would definitely need time to sort out his feelings alone.

While taking a walk, Jun-hoo still couldn’t believe it.

He felt like he was floating on clouds.

Because he wouldn’t be able to set foot on Korean soil again for as long as 7-8 years.

But when he returns to Korea, Jun-hoo will be a completely different person than before.

For the first time as a Korean.

He will be reborn as the one and only surgeon who has mastered all sub-specialties of neurosurgery.

*I will become stronger.*

*I will no longer see tears falling from the eyes of patients and guardians.*

*I will no longer see tears falling from my eyes.*

*I will end all tragedies with my own hands.*

As the night deepened, Jun-hoo’s determination deepened as well.

* * *

Incheon International Airport was bustling as always.

Many people were frantically running around.

Among them were foreigners and young women dragging carriers larger than their torsos.

An announcement was also made that some flights were experiencing delays.

“Stay healthy and contact us often whenever you have time. Don’t worry about the time difference.”

“Now that you’ve started, you have to eat well. Don’t think about home until you achieve your goal.”

His mother’s words were warm.

His father’s words were reserved.

The temperature of their words was different, but both were full of love for Jun-hoo.

“Yes. Don’t worry too much. Whose son do you think I am? And after looking into it, life in America isn’t a big deal.”

Jun-hoo reassured his mother and father and hugged them in turn.

And finally…….

He stared at the woman standing next to his father.

It was Ah-young, who had taken a special day off to see Jun-hoo off.

Ah-young was smiling brightly at Jun-hoo.

It probably wasn’t a real smile.

It was probably a forced smile so that Jun-hoo could leave comfortably.

As evidence of that, Ah-young’s fist was clenched tightly.

So much so that the veins on the back of her hand were prominent.

“Ah-young. I’m sorry and thank you. I…….”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anymore.”

Ah-young hugged Jun-hoo instead and patted him on the back.

“Jun-hoo, you’re the coolest when you’re challenging yourself. You’re going to America to become even cooler, so why would I stop you?”

“…….”

“Get what you want and come back. I’ll always be cheering for you.”

Jun-hoo only nodded instead of answering.

If he said anything, he felt like he would burst into tears.

After the hug with Ah-young ended.

Jun-hoo turned his back on his loved ones and headed for the gate.

The sound of people’s footsteps.

The sound of people talking.

The sound of the carrier wheels rattling.

The airport was filled with countless sounds, but Jun-hoo could hear it clearly.

The sound of Ah-young sobbing mixed in with it.

His heart ached as if it were being torn apart, but he didn’t look back.

No, he couldn’t look back.

If he looked back now.

He wouldn’t have the confidence to leave for America.

* * *

After completing the boarding procedures and passing through the long passage, Jun-hoo boarded the plane to America.

He sat in a window seat and gazed out the window.

The vast runway like a wilderness and the blue sky were creating a fantastic horizon.

At least the sky seemed to be blessing Jun-hoo’s trip to America.

The weather was fantastic today.

Jun-hoo’s destination was Minnesota, and there was a direct flight, so he didn’t have to go through any troublesome procedures.

Jun-hoo’s gaze, which had been looking out the window for a while, moved to the aisle in the cabin.

A foreign man was talking to a flight attendant.

The foreign man in a suit was tall and had a bear-like physique.

His face was kind, and if he had a white beard, he would have looked like Santa Claus.

Whether he was naturally prone to sweating, or whether he had run to get on the plane late, sweat was pouring down his face like rain.

Jun-hoo quickly lost interest in the man.

He looked out the window again.

Using the blue sky as a canvas, he imagined the eventful life in America that would unfold in the future.

First of all, communication wasn’t a big concern.

For the past month.

He had been frantically studying English speaking.

Since he wasn’t starting from scratch, his skills grew rapidly.

It seemed that there would be no major inconvenience in living in America.

Jennifer, who was introduced to him by his mentor Jae-hyun, had assured him that she would take care of all the routine matters.

The biggest problem was…….

It was still getting accepted into the Boost-Up Program.

According to Jennifer’s information, the competition rate for the Boost-Up Program was close to 100 to 1.

Since they were all people who had graduated from medical school, completed residency, and obtained specialist licenses, it was clear that their skills would be impressive.

Even Jun-hoo could never let his guard down.

In addition, the Mayo Clinic’s Boost-Up Program was shrouded in secrecy.

Jennifer even said that she had failed to find out the faculty and curriculum in charge.

It seemed that Mayo was putting a lot of effort into information security, as it was an ambitious and first-ever training course.

*I wonder how they will screen the applicants’ skills.*

*Will they make them analyze cases like during the specialist exam?*

*Or will they actually make them perform surgeries?*

While thinking about this and that, the plane took off.

As the plane got closer to the sky, things on the ground became invisible or gradually smaller.

Jun-hoo soon closed his eyes and began to circulate his energy.

He began to wrap the fifth layer of the band around the mana heart, which consisted of a total of four layers of bands.

It was best to transcend the Harmony Realm and reach the Profound Realm.

But the Profound Realm seemed to be beyond Jun-hoo’s reach.

No matter how hard he tried.

No matter how desperately he stretched out his arms.

No matter how hard he clenched his hands, there was nothing to grab.

*Don’t be impatient.*

*If it’s mine, I’ll eventually have it.*

After sorting out his confused mind, Jun-hoo focused on circulating his energy.

The surroundings were busy and noisy, but Jun-hoo had already entered a completely different dimension from other people.

Since the dimensions were different, there was no way to be disturbed.

But how much time had passed?

“We would like to make an announcement on board. If there is a doctor on board, please move to the restroom area as soon as possible. I repeat. Currently on board…….”

Even Jun-hoo couldn’t filter out the captain’s urgent voice.

It was his first time on a plane, and he was already getting a doctor call.

It seemed that he was born to wear a patient gown.

“Excuse me.”

Jun-hoo apologized to the people sitting next to him and came out into the hallway. He hurried to the rear cargo hold.

As expected, several flight attendants were gathered near the restroom, looking anxious.

Surrounding passengers were staring intently as if there was something to see.

“I heard the doctor call. I’m Seo Jun-hoo, a neurosurgeon at Shinwon University Hospital. The patient is…….”

“Here.”

A flight attendant gave way and pointed to the patient who had collapsed on the floor with her index finger.

The patient was the foreign patient that Jun-hoo had noticed earlier.

The patient looked like he was sleeping, using the hallway floor as a bed.

He was completely unconscious.

“Does anyone know the circumstances of the patient’s collapse?”

“I know.”

A flight attendant with a youthful appearance raised her hand.

“I saw the patient coming out of the restroom. Suddenly, he seemed dizzy, so he put one hand on his forehead and used the other hand to hold the restroom door.”

“…….”

“I thought it was strange, so I approached him, but he lost his balance and collapsed.”

After speaking, the flight attendant bit her lip and looked down at the patient.

Other flight attendants were in the same situation.

They were at a loss as to what to do.

This was because it was common for passengers to complain of various pains, but it was rare for them to lose consciousness and collapse like this.

Meanwhile, Jun-hoo was the only one maintaining composure in this situation.

Jun-hoo didn’t panic or become impatient even though the patient was unconscious.

*Why did the patient collapse?*

*If he found out the reason for the collapse, how would he deal with it?*

While asking himself questions.

He maintained as much composure as possible.

If his mind wavered, the diagnosis and treatment would also waver.

“First, can you move the patient to his seat, check if he has a bag or other belongings, and bring them to me?”

“Why is that…….”

“I’ll explain later. Please.”

Jun-hoo knelt on one knee and leaned towards the patient.

The examination was about to begin.