A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 426

Chapter 83: Experience (2)

The Korean Manual Therapy Hospital, first-floor café.

Jun-hoo was sitting face-to-face with the hospital director, Dong-won, and the vice-director, Myung-jin.

He thought, on his first day of outpatient service, he’d already performed emergency surgery and met the top two figures of the hospital.

His schedule this afternoon was turning out to be quite spectacular.

He felt like a character in a movie.

‘I was curious what kind of person he was anyway,’ Jun-hoo thought to himself.

The hospital director was definitely strong-willed.

He could tell from his decisive judgment.

Not only did he answer the phone of Jun-hoo, whom he had never met, but he also readily entrusted him with the surgery.

This was impossible without extraordinary guts.

Imagine if Jun-hoo had failed the surgery.

The hospital director would have had to bear 90 percent of the blame.

However, Jun-hoo didn’t see the hospital director as purely altruistic. He couldn’t yet determine whether the hospital director was a ‘bear’ [someone straightforward and honest] or a ‘fox’ [someone cunning and sly].

However, the classification would be quickly determined after a conversation.

Jun-hoo had top-notch observation skills as well as martial arts.

Beeeeeep.

The vibration bell broke the silence.

Myung-jin naturally grabbed the vibration bell and headed towards the counter.

“I guess the first thing to do is to offer our thanks? Thank you for treating the emergency patient so well.”

Dong-won lightly bowed his head.

Jun-hoo also bowed his head, following Dong-won.

“It would have been impossible without the director’s decisiveness. That patient…”

Jun-hoo’s voice was calm.

“If we had transferred him without being able to launch a helicopter, he would have just arrived at the university hospital emergency room. His condition would have been much worse.”

Jun-hoo also sincerely thanked Dong-won.

Dong-won’s decision, no less than Jun-hoo’s surgery, was crucial in saving the patient.

This was why the head of the organization was so important.

“Hahaha. I believed that Doctor Seo would do well, but it’s also true that my heart was pounding.”

“You seemed pretty calm for that?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you come to observe the surgery…?”

“Oh. You knew.”

“Yes.”

Jun-hoo nodded.

Thanks to using Manhwa Force [referring to his enhanced abilities], his surgical view was unbelievably wide.

Jun-hoo easily noticed that there were spectators in the operating room for observation on the second floor during the surgery.

“Were you upset that it felt like an inspection?”

“Not at all. I’m operating with integrity, so what does it matter who’s watching?”

“Hmm… this is a bit of a digression, but…”

Dong-won trailed off before continuing.

“Would you agree to the mandatory installation of CCTV in the operating room?”

“Yes, I agree. It’s a hectic job where people’s lives are at stake, so it’s right to keep a record.”

“…”

“Recording the video will rather prove that the surgeon was not at fault.”

“That’s a groundbreaking decision. Most surgeons don’t think that way.”

“But I fully sympathize with the opposing view as well.”

Just in time, Myung-jin returned to his seat.

He placed the coffee on the table and sat next to Dong-won.

Jun-hoo took a sip of coffee and continued.

“Even if the surgeon does his best, there are cases where the patient dies. If the bereaved family holds the surgeon responsible and files lawsuits one by one, the surgeons will have a hard time maintaining their daily lives.”

Jun-hoo offered an open perspective on the installation of CCTV in the operating room.

As with all judgments in the world, there is no right answer.

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and it’s just a matter of whether you see the advantages of a choice as big or small.

“I’m the one who’s been talking nonsense for too long.”

Jun-hoo smiled awkwardly.

“Isn’t that what conversations are all about? Anyway…”

Dong-won’s eyes sharpened.

It seemed like he was about to get to the point.

If he was just going to say thank you, a phone call would have been enough.

To bring the vice-director along to meet, it was right to assume that the real story would start now.

What on earth did he want to talk about?

Did he want to take credit for today’s surgery?

The longer the silence, the greater the curiosity.

“Doctor Seo, your surgery was very impressive, as I’ve heard in the media. I was amazed dozens of times while watching.”

“Me too,” Myung-jin, who had been silent, added.

“So…”

“Skip the curveballs and throw a fastball [speak directly]. I’m ready to receive it.”

At Jun-hoo’s joke, Dong-won chuckled and unfolded his legs.

“Okay. Then I won’t refuse. Doctor Seo, can you continue to help us in the future?”

“In the future?”

Jun-hoo’s eyes widened in surprise.

Dong-won’s proposal was too shocking and unconventional.

And in fact, this was something Jun-hoo wanted to bring up first.

Because he had no opportunity to experience actual surgery during his three years as a military doctor.

Jun-hoo calmed his surprised heart.

He momentarily wavered and revealed his emotions as they were.

That was something only a novice would do.

A master should always calmly read the other person’s intentions.

“What’s the reason?”

Jun-hoo frowned as if he was serious.

He poured out questions like he was interrogating a criminal.

“Is there any regulation that allows me to be used as an official surgeon?”

“No. There’s no such thing.”

Unlike the content, Dong-won’s tone was confident.

“So, it’s reckless.”

“Yes. I’m recklessly asking for a favor. I’m even asking Doctor Seo for shadow surgery.”

Shadow surgery.

It was a type of surgery also called proxy surgery.

Usually, shadow surgery is performed by medical device company employees, nurses, or residents instead of the actual surgeon.

But Jun-hoo’s case was special.

People thought a general surgeon was operating, but it turned out that the best surgeon in the country was performing the surgery.

To give an analogy…

It was like going to a neighborhood snack bar and finding out that the chef was Gordon Ramsay.

“What’s the reason for asking me for shadow surgery?”

“It’s simple. For the reputation of Dosu Hospital. The hospital’s image is a mess externally.”

Was he determined to reveal everything inside?

Dong-won’s tone was unreserved.

“So, you’re saying you’re going to use me to raise the hospital’s reputation?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Is that being honest? Or shameless?”

Jun-hoo smiled and asked back. And he took a sip of coffee.

The Americano was especially sweet.

Because he had changed from being in a position to ask for a favor to being in a position to receive one.

“Let’s just say… both.”

“Are you confident that you won’t get caught even if you do shadow surgery?”

“I wouldn’t have asked to see Doctor Seo if I wasn’t confident. As long as there are no problems with the patient during the surgery, the secret will definitely be guaranteed.”

“What if there’s a problem during the surgery?”

“You’re asking even though you know. We’re screwed.”

“Then not only the hospital director but also I will be screwed.”

“Yes. If a problem arises, I can’t cover it up with my power. Someone has to take responsibility.”

Dong-won drank nearly half of his coffee in one go, as if he was thirsty.

“But it won’t necessarily be a bad offer for Doctor Seo either.”

“Why?”

“Aren’t you eager for surgery?”

‘Look at this guy?’

Jun-hoo’s eyebrows twitched.

It was because Dong-won had grasped Jun-hoo’s inner thoughts to some extent.

“You’ve trained at Mayo for seven years, but you can’t be happy about rotting as a military doctor without even having surgery.”

“…”

“Is that the only reason?”

Dong-won’s explanation continued fluently.

How could a surgeon like Jun-hoo, who cares about patients, leave emergency patients alone?

A good example of that was the One-Star patient who had surgery today.

He could have ignored the patient.

Jun-hoo insisted on taking the patient to the emergency room and even expressed his determination to perform the surgery himself.

“If Doctor Seo accepts my offer, many patients like that one who are in danger will be saved in the future.”

“…”

“Shadow surgery is usually bad surgery, but in this case, it can be a righteous surgery.”

“…”

“Am I wrong?”

Dong-won, who had finished his long speech, sought Jun-hoo’s agreement.

Jun-hoo did not answer.

He wiped the water droplets on the surface of the coffee cup with his finger.

Dong-won’s skills were better than expected.

His judgment of the situation was excellent, and he could even see through Jun-hoo’s psychology.

If there was a chance later, he even wanted to keep him as a staff member.

“What if I say I don’t like it?”

“If you don’t like it… get married,” Dong-won joked.

At Dong-won’s joke, Jun-hoo shook his head as if he had lost.

He thought he could trust someone with this much shamelessness and composure.

He didn’t seem to have lied so far either.

Since it was a matter of his own benefit, he would do his job meticulously.

So, Jun-hoo readily reached out to Dong-won first.

“Let’s try to do well so that we don’t screw each other over.”

Dong-won smiled brightly at Jun-hoo’s suggestion.

* * *

The next day, morning.

“Unity!”

“Unity!”

A loud salute echoed in the medical platoon treatment room. Jun-hoo had come to work.

“Yes. Good morning. Nothing happened overnight?”

“Yes. Nothing happened.”

“Go take care of your business.”

Jun-hoo lightly waved his hand and entered the medical platoon leader’s office.

It hadn’t even been two weeks since he started his life as a military doctor.

The small, two-pyeong [approximately 70 square feet] medical platoon leader’s office felt cozy and comfortable. Humans are adaptable animals after all.

Whirr.

Jun-hoo stood by the window and drew the curtains.

The warm spring sunshine caressed his face.

The spring weather was amazing.

The sky was as blue and clear as a lake.

A cool breeze blew in from the slightly open window.

‘It seems like things are roughly settled.’

Jun-hoo recalled the conversation he had with Dong-won yesterday.

Shadow surgery would be more beneficial than harmful to Jun-hoo.

He could treat patients.

He could also perform surgery in the field, so it was like killing two birds with one stone.

However, the somewhat narrow scope of shadow surgery was a complaint.

Dong-won asked him to only see neurosurgical emergency patients that Dosu Hospital couldn’t handle.

In that case…

Jun-hoo’s surgical scope would be about this much.

Gunshot wound patients.

Cerebral aneurysm rupture patients.

Stroke patients.

Or situations where surgery is possible but there are no surgical personnel, like the One-Star patient.

If the surgical scope is so narrow, he wondered if he could perform surgery about once a month.

Compared to Jun-hoo’s skills, it was an insufficient number of surgeries, but considering the situation, he might have to consider it a blessing.

Anyway, among the patients he would treat in the future, the patients who desperately needed Jun-hoo’s help would be gunshot wound patients.

There were no surgeons in Korea who specialized in operating on gunshot wound patients.

Because patients who get shot are as rare as roses blooming between buildings.

However, Jun-hoo had operated on countless gunshot wound patients at Mayo.

He could confidently say that he was the best surgeon in Korea when it came to gunshot wounds.

It was unsettling to perform surgery on gunshot wound patients as a shadow surgeon.

But with Dong-won’s skills, he wouldn’t be able to get over it.

Beeeeeep.

Just in time, his cell phone rang.

Checking the number, it was Min-seok’s number, not Ah-young’s.

A neurosurgeon at Dosu Hospital who had surgery together yesterday.

Unexpectedly, had an emergency patient already occurred?

Still, he had to treat soldiers in the unit during work hours.

Jun-hoo connected the call with half worry and half expectation.

“Yes. Doctor. This is Seo Jun-hoo.”