A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 445

Chapter 87: Cold Wave (1)

We arrived at the campsite after half a day.

The training was to take place in a small mountain area, where soldiers from the advance battalion were already gathered in groups of three or five, setting up tents.

“Hey, can’t you hold it straight? It keeps slipping because you’re not putting any strength into it.”

“Ah, damn it. A winter exercise in my final year! A winter exercise!”

“It’s already freezing. We’re all dead tonight.”

The soldiers grumbled among themselves.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of hammers added to the complaining voices. It was the sound of driving tent pegs into the ground.

Although the atmosphere wasn’t exactly positive,

the campsite was full of energy.

It was a kind of energy that couldn’t be seen during the march.

Jun-hoo got out of the ambulance and went up the mountainside with the medics.

They were said to be building a temporary camp for the medical company there.

Jun-hoo fiddled with the cell phone he had put in his field jacket.

An hour ago.

He had called Lee Si-ho’s old phone number, and a man with a rough voice answered.

“Is this Lee Si-ho’s cell phone?”

– Who’s asking?

The man asked in a low voice.

“I’m an acquaintance of his. A doctor.”

– Then who are you?

“I’m…”

Jun-hoo hesitated for a moment.

He didn’t even know who the man was.

Nor what his intentions were.

He wasn’t sure if he should readily reveal his identity.

But the hesitation didn’t last long.

“My name is Seo Jun-hoo. I’m a neurosurgeon.”

– I’ve lived long enough to talk to a doctor.

The man’s voice was tinged with laughter.

They only exchanged trivial words,

but Jun-hoo instinctively knew that the man was not Si-ho.

If it were Si-ho, there would be no need to hide his identity from Jun-hoo.

He would have said that it had been a long time since they had talked.

He would have revealed his blatant hostility, saying that he was preparing for revenge.

But was that really the end of it?

Was there no possibility that the man was in league with Si-ho?

What if Si-ho was maintaining the phone number, knowing that Jun-hoo would call again someday?

What if he had given the number to someone else?

Jun-hoo kept doubting.

He couldn’t help it.

Si-ho was originally an evil and meticulous person.

Jun-hoo was just glad that he had worked with Si-ho.

If he hadn’t,

Si-ho would still be secretly killing people while being recognized as a kind and capable surgeon.

“Are you… not an acquaintance of Lee Si-ho?”

– An acquaintance? How can I be an acquaintance with someone I don’t know? But are you really a doctor?

The man was testing Jun-hoo.

The dull voice suddenly became clear.

– Neurosurgery is the department that looks at the head, right? I’ve had migraines for a few years, what should I do?

Under the guise of a medical consultation.

Did he want to find out my location?

Or did he really just want a consultation?

Jun-hoo couldn’t figure it out right away.

Ever since he heard that Si-ho had been released from prison,

and from the moment he felt the threat that he might retaliate against his family and Ah-young,

Jun-hoo’s mental state had been more shaken than usual.

“There’s not much I can do over the phone. First, go to a neurologist near you.”

– Not a neurosurgeon?

“Yes. Neurosurgery is where surgeries are performed. You should have tests and medication at the neurology department, and if that doesn’t work, you should see a neurosurgeon.”

– Thank you. I’ll go to the neurology department.

The man’s voice became cheerful.

After talking a little more, the man sounded like he was in his early 40s. Judging by age alone, he was similar to Si-ho.

‘I guess it was too greedy to expect to be connected to Si-ho right away.’

Jun-hoo smiled bitterly and was about to press the end call button when.

An unexpected murmur was heard.

– The previous owner of this number must have been quite a person. I’ve had a few calls looking for him before.

“Who was it?”

Jun-hoo asked urgently.

There was someone else who called Si-ho besides me?

– How would I know? They hung up as soon as I said it wasn’t him. Anyway, thanks for the advice.

The man hung up first.

Jun-hoo looked down at his cell phone with a dumbfounded expression.

“Company Commander, it’s over there.”

Medic Jeong-min pointed to the open space in the distance. The medical unit leaders and medics were gathered in the open space.

The officers were chatting, and the soldiers were busily setting up tents.

“Hello, Company Commander.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The three unit leaders bowed deeply and treated Jun-hoo with the utmost respect.

The regiment consisted of three battalions, and the same was true of the medics.

There was a medical company in the regiment, and the medical company dispatched medics to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd battalions, respectively.

The medics of the battalion were called unit medics.

The medical officers of the battalion were called unit leaders.

Jun-hoo, as the medical company commander, was responsible for managing the three unit leaders and three unit medics.

“Nice to meet you.”

Jun-hoo stood facing the unit leaders with a smile.

It was the first time he had met the unit leaders.

There was no reason to visit the units.

The medical company and the medical units had independent workplaces and environments.

Unless it was a winter exercise or a *Yugyeok Training* [Korean military training similar to obstacle course], it was no exaggeration to say that they would never meet face to face.

“Can I ask for a handshake?”

The 1st unit leader asked, watching Jun-hoo’s expression.

“Why are you being so cautious?”

“You’re a legend in neurosurgery, Company Commander.”

“A legend.”

Jun-hoo reached out his hand first, and the 1st unit leader shook it and smiled brightly.

“I want to shake your hand too.”

“Please take a picture with me.”

The 2nd and 3rd unit leaders also made a fuss.

Jun-hoo couldn’t refuse because they said they liked him, so he *matched their tune* [went along with their enthusiasm] appropriately.

“What are your specialties?”

“I’m a second-year dermatology resident.”

“I’m a first-year gastroenterological surgery resident.”

“I’m a first-year ophthalmology resident.”

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd unit leaders answered in turn.

He had noticed from their youthful appearance, but they were all fresh residents.

Jun-hoo had heard that there were many residents as unit leaders.

Most of the company commanders were specialists.

‘Times have changed.’

Looking at the unit leaders like this, Jun-hoo felt anew that he was not the same as before.

It felt like yesterday that he was a resident.

He was already a mid-career doctor.

Even in terms of age, there was almost a twelve-year difference between him and the unit leaders.

Maybe that’s why.

Although the years to come seem far away,

a certain saying that the years that have passed are fleeting suddenly resonated with him.

Jun-hoo talked with the unit leaders for a long time.

He asked about life in the medical units.

Life in the medical units was not much different from that in the medical company.

They treated soldiers who came to the medical unit during work hours.

The schedule for *outpatient visits* to the division medical unit and the Hankook Dosu Hospital every Wednesday and Friday was the same.

“By the way, it’s much colder in the mountains.”

The 1st unit leader said, shivering.

“When will the tents be finished?”

At the 1st unit leader’s words, everyone simultaneously stared at the scene where the tents were being set up.

It had been 30 minutes since they had started chatting, but the medics’ work speed was still at a standstill.

It hadn’t changed much from the beginning.

Jun-hoo approached the medics.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well…”

The unit medic scratched his head awkwardly and smiled.

“The ground is frozen solid, so the screws don’t go in well.”

“The other soldiers were doing fine?”

The 1st unit leader scolded the medic.

The medic lowered his head.

“Our ground seems to be a little harder. And we haven’t set up tents much.”

The unit medic said defensively.

Jun-hoo thought that medics were bound to be weak in outdoor work.

Medics only manage patients in the medical unit.

“Then I’ll help you, so let’s finish quickly.”

“Are you saying that, Company Commander?”

The unit medic’s eyes widened in surprise.

In fact, he was hoping that Jun-hoo wouldn’t help.

Even if the company commander was an excellent doctor, that ability had nothing to do with setting up tents.

If the company commander stepped in, things would only get more complicated.

Other soldiers would feel intimidated.

That was his thought.

“You don’t seem to believe me?”

“Ah… no. It’s not that, it’s just that setting up tents is our job.”

“Company Commander, wouldn’t it be better to let the soldiers do the work?”

“Come this way.”

Even the unit leaders tried to stop Jun-hoo, but Jun-hoo didn’t listen.

“Give me the hammer and nails.”

“Ah, yes.”

Jun-hoo received the screws and hammer from the unit medic, who was dissatisfied.

“Hold that line tight.”

“Yes.”

Clang!

Jun-hoo put the screw on the ground and hit it with the hammer. A clear metallic sound rang out, and yellow sparks flew over the screw.

Jun-hoo’s hammering seemed perfunctory, but the result was amazing.

With just one hammer blow.

He pierced the frozen, hardened ground and drove in the screw.

“Let’s go to the next fixing point.”

* * *

30 minutes later.

The tent that would save the unit leaders and medics from the cold was completed.

Jun-hoo and the three unit leaders.

12 medics.

In addition, the tent was incredibly large and spacious because it needed its own inpatient space to accommodate patients.

Flapping. Flapping.

As soon as the tent was completed, the outer tent flapped wildly.

It was proof that the mountain wind was that strong.

“Company Commander, your form is crazy. Anyone would think you’re an engineer.”

“Your strength is amazing too. You drove all the nails in at once.”

“If it weren’t for the Company Commander, we would have asked the headquarters company to set up the tent. How embarrassing.”

The medics carried the luggage from the ambulance to the medical unit barracks, talking about Jun-hoo until their mouths were sore.

Jun-hoo’s performance was that shocking.

The difference before and after Jun-hoo stepped in was clear.

Under Jun-hoo’s command.

The tent revealed its true form in just 10 minutes.

Driving the screws into the ground.

Fixing the frame.

All the work of maintaining parallelism at the edges of the tent was carried out quickly under Jun-hoo’s command.

Even when Jun-hoo first said he would step in himself.

The medics, who had been squinting suspiciously, felt it without exception the moment they saw Jun-hoo’s first hammer blow.

We must follow the Company Commander unconditionally.

“The Company Commander is definitely different from the unit leaders. Do you always take care of the medics like this?”

1st unit *Corporal* Chan-woo asked Medic Jeong-min of the medical company.

“Yes. He’s very good to us. He’s also sincere with the patients.”

“That’s why they say you can tell ten things from seeing one.”

Chan-woo nodded as if acknowledging it.

Chan-woo’s gaze followed the company commander.

Even though he had already done 200 percent of his role by helping to set up the tent, the company commander didn’t rest.

He helped the medics carry the luggage from the ambulance.

He also carried mostly heavy items.

Boxes of IV fluids, stretchers, and so on.

As the company commander carried the luggage, even the unit leaders, who were heavy on their butts, couldn’t dare to slack off.

They started carrying the luggage after the company commander.

Thanks to that, the luggage was *organized* as quickly as lightning striking beans.

After a while, the medical officers and medics rested in the barracks, keeping their distance.

In the meantime, the headquarters company connected the electrical wires.

Click!

The heater was turned on.

A red light came on, and a subtle warmth spread in all directions.

Were they all busy setting up tents and getting ready?

No soldiers had visited the medical unit yet.

“Chan-woo.”

The company commander suddenly called Chan-woo. Chan-woo was nervous for no reason, even though he had done nothing wrong.

“Yes, Company Commander.”

“Can you move that IV fluid box a little further inside?”

“The IV fluid box?”

“Yes. It’ll freeze if you leave it there.”

Come to think of it, he was right.

The IV fluid box was placed right in a drafty spot.

If the company commander hadn’t pointed it out, there would have been an *unfortunate event* of having to wait for the frozen IV fluid to melt later.

He’s a great person.

There’s nothing to worry about for this winter exercise.