A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 463

A pitch-black room, devoid of any light.

Jun-ho sat cross-legged, focusing on his breathing exercises.

His stomach swelled as he inhaled and flattened as he exhaled.

The breath was singular.

A fleeting moment.

Internal energy circulated through the meridians of his entire body, accumulating in his dantian [energy center located in the abdomen].

How much time had passed?

“Hoo.”

A weak sigh escaped Jun-ho’s lips.

Currently, Jun-ho’s realm was the Harmonious Realm.

It was a realm below the Realm of Life and Death and the Mystic Realm.

Considering the Realm of Life and Death was virtually unattainable, the Mystic Realm was the highest realm.

And in the orthodox martial world, only three people had reached the Mystic Realm.

I feel like I’m close.

Just one step short.

What am I missing?

Jun-ho shook his head.

Recently, during his breathing exercises, his buttocks would often float in the air. It was a phenomenon that occurred when he was close to enlightenment.

But the Mystic Realm…

It was running away one step at a time whenever Jun-ho tried to reach for it.

During his three years of military service.

Because he had failed to find a cure for brain death and vegetative state patients, Jun-ho was secretly pinning his hopes on the Mystic Realm.

He wondered if he could see something new if he surpassed his current realm.

Jun-ho got up from his seat.

He carefully went to the kitchen.

He put frozen croissants in the air fryer and heated water for coffee.

With time to spare, he stood in front of the apartment veranda [a roofed, open-air gallery or porch].

Lifting the curtain, the apartment complex came into view. Beyond it, mountain peaks rippled like waves, with the yellow east hanging at the end of the peaks.

“You’re up early?”

A familiar voice came from behind him.

A-yeong, in her pajamas, rubbed her eyes and approached Jun-ho.

She wrapped her arms around Jun-ho’s waist from behind.

“Sleep more. You can sleep for another 30 minutes.”

“I’ve slept enough. Being like this makes me realize we’re married.”

“I guess so.”

Jun-ho smiled faintly.

Ten days ago.

He had his wedding with A-yeong.

They went on a honeymoon abroad, something he had never done before, and prepared a newlywed home in Busan.

The entire process was handled quickly from start to finish.

If I had known it would be like this, I should have gotten married sooner…

Jun-ho felt a slight regret.

As the time to leave for work approached, he had breakfast with A-yeong.

Following A-yeong’s preference for bread, Jun-ho also filled his stomach with pre-heated croissants and coffee.

He washed up, changed his clothes, and went down to the underground parking lot.

The car drove out of the parking lot.

Today was his first day at work.

* * *

“A-yeong, you’re going through a lot because of me.”

Jun-ho said while driving.

“What do you mean?”

“You were doing well in Seoul, but you had to come to Busan.”

“You have to put new wine in new bottles [start fresh in a new environment]. And I like Busan too. I’ll be able to see the sea as much as I want.”

A-yeong said in a lively voice.

It didn’t seem like she was just saying that to reassure Jun-ho.

So that was a relief.

“I’m more worried about you, though?”

“Me? Why?”

“I’m worried the existing professors will be hostile.”

A-yeong’s point was valid.

Jun-ho was appointed as the head of the department at Busan Shinwon University, which was quite an unusual condition.

Usually, surgeons of Jun-ho’s age would become assistant professors.

Usually, people over 50 would become the head of the department.

In other words, Jun-ho had become a young senior, as they say.

Moreover, Jun-ho didn’t know anyone in Busan. He was in a position where he couldn’t ask for help or rely on anyone.

“If they want to be hostile, let them be. I’ll eat them all up. I’m scarier than a tiger.”

“I like your confidence. That’s my husband.”

“It’ll take me six months at most to take control of the department.”

Jun-ho nodded and said.

People around him mistakenly thought Jun-ho was a simpleton who only knew patients, but that was a huge misconception.

Jun-ho was also talented in politics.

The orthodox Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] was a battlefield where one could not survive without flamboyant rhetoric, behind-the-scenes maneuvering, and battles for justification.

He had endured in such a martial world for ten years.

He had even led the Murim Alliance Leader’s direct military force.

Until now, he hadn’t shown his qualities as a manager because he was training.

Now that he had become the head of the department, he planned to exert leadership befitting his position.

“We’re already here? I’m 괜히 [unnecessarily/for no reason] excited.”

A-yeong rubbed her palms together and said.

While they were chatting, the Busan Shinwon University Hospital building was right in front of them.

Among the Shinwon University-affiliated hospitals, Busan was built the latest, so the building was the cleanest and most sophisticated.

If the Seoul main hospital building gave off the feeling of an experienced old professor.

The Busan building gave off the feeling of a young professor who had studied abroad and returned.

The exterior walls of the building were white and neat.

The sidewalks were marble, and the driveway to the parking lot was neatly organized without being congested.

“Did you see that just now?”

“Yeah. I saw it. The hospital director is putting a lot of pressure on me.”

Jun-ho chuckled.

Such a banner was hung at the entrance.

「Welcome Neurosurgery Department Head Seo Jun-ho. Treatment begins March 14.」

The banner had a half-body photo of Jun-ho and a brief resume.

It was like a banner promoting a top instructor at a cram school.

After arriving at the parking lot.

Jun-ho and A-yeong took the elevator.

Since there was no one else in the elevator, he put his hand on A-yeong’s back. He gave her internal energy infusion as usual.

If she received the infusion in the morning, her condition wouldn’t deteriorate until the evening.

“See you tonight.”

“Okay. Have a good day.”

After a farewell kiss, A-yeong got off the elevator first.

Jun-ho got off on the 5th floor.

Thump. Thump.

Jun-ho’s steps towards the neurosurgery ward were confident.

How long he had waited for this day.

Others would never know, even if they died and came back to life.

Jun-ho’s life as a surgeon was just beginning.

Depending on Jun-ho’s performance, the Busan neurosurgery department could either collapse or prosper.

Having power and skill meant that.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Seo Jun-ho.”

“Hello, Director.”

Jun-ho stopped in front of the station and greeted the nurse on duty.

The nurse greeted Jun-ho happily.

“You came to work very early?”

“It’s my first day. I wanted to check things out. How was the ward overnight?”

“It was quiet… relatively.”

The nurse smiled awkwardly. She hesitated a little, so it seemed like there was a problem.

Jun-ho’s eyebrows twitched.

“Tell me if something happened.”

“No. It’s just something that always happens…”

“That’s why I’m asking what always happens.”

Jun-ho pressed.

He didn’t want to miss even one suspicious thing. Originally, small things became big things.

“I didn’t want to say it because it feels like tattling… Can you keep a secret?”

“Of course.”

“The 2nd-year resident on duty right now. I paged him several times, but he didn’t give any orders.”

“…”

“He didn’t even do rounds in the intensive care unit all night. His work ethic is a bit 별로 [not good/lacking]…”

“Is he usually lazy?”

Jun-ho asked with his arms crossed.

“Not really, but his work skills have been getting worse lately.”

“I’ll check it out myself. Without causing any harm to you.”

“Thank you, Director.”

The nurse bowed her head.

Jun-ho crossed the ward hallway, looking at the left and right patient rooms.

The ward lights were all off because it was still sleeping time. A soft sleep light, like moonlight, illuminated the ward.

Creak.

Jun-ho opened the door to the on-call room.

The nurse’s words were true.

The on-call resident was sleeping with his face buried in his desk.

Jun-ho deliberately opened the door loudly, but there was no reaction at all.

The morning conference was coming up soon, but he hadn’t prepared anything for the conference.

Jun-ho’s stomach was churning.

It’s not like Jun-ho hadn’t been a resident before.

He knew very well that surgery residents were especially 힘들다는 [having a hard time/struggling].

But…

That couldn’t be a reason to neglect his duties.

Not only that.

The resident played a pivotal role in the ward.

「Nurse — Resident — Attending Physician.」

If the waist was weak, nothing could be done.

What good would it do if the nurse paged well? If the resident didn’t inform the professor.

The opposite case, where the resident didn’t follow the professor’s instructions well, was also a serious problem.

“Jeong Woo-hyeon!”

Jun-ho shouted, mixing in a lion’s roar [a powerful shout].

But something was strange.

He should have woken up by now, but Woo-hyeon was still asleep.

Suddenly, his spine chilled.

Goosebumps rose on his arms, and his hair stood on end.

Whirr!

Jun-ho ran to the desk, even using his footwork [referencing martial arts agility].

He shook Woo-hyeon’s shoulder vigorously with one hand.

Woo-hyeon was still unconscious.

He put his finger to Woo-hyeon’s nose, but he couldn’t feel his breath.

His chest wasn’t moving either.

‘I’m in trouble from the first day.’

Jun-ho first laid Woo-hyeon flat on the floor.

“Who… who are you?”

Just then, a dazed-looking male intern came into the on-call room.

He seemed to be a neurosurgery intern.

“I’m the head of the neurosurgery department. The on-call resident has collapsed. Bring a defibrillator and an ambu bag [a self-inflating bag used to provide ventilation].”

“Yes? Yes! I understand!”

The intern left like lightning.

Jun-ho started chest compressions next to Woo-hyeon.

With his hands clasped together and his arms straight at a right angle, he compressed Woo-hyeon’s chest.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Each time Jun-ho compressed, Woo-hyeon’s body fluttered like a fish out of water.

When did Woo-hyeon collapse?

Could he save his life with CPR?

Why did Woo-hyeon collapse?

Numerous questions arose, tormenting Jun-ho’s head.

But Jun-ho pushed them away and focused only on chest compressions.

Worry and concern did not help the patient’s recovery.

After a while, the intern and the nurse joined.

Jun-ho still took charge of chest compressions.

The nurse squeezed the ambu bag (airbag).

A cloudy steam formed on the respiratory part of the ambu bag.

The nurse’s breathing also became rough.

Meanwhile, the intern lifted Woo-hyeon’s top and began attaching the defibrillator pads to Woo-hyeon’s chest.

‘No. Something’s wrong?’

CPR was proceeding smoothly, but Jun-ho’s face didn’t brighten.

In fact, Woo-hyeon should have regained consciousness by now.

Jun-ho’s chest compressions were not ordinary chest compressions.

They were chest compressions that utilized internal energy.

In fact, he was taking on the role of a defibrillator.

So, in the case of most patients, it was normal for them to regain consciousness within 2-3 minutes of Jun-ho’s chest compressions.

But Woo-hyeon was not.

He was still hovering between life and death.

Because the situation was different from usual, a red emergency light lit up in Jun-ho’s head.

He could even hear a siren wailing.

His instincts were telling him.

This wouldn’t work.

He was missing something important.

Was he approaching it too simply?

He naturally thought it was an acute heart attack due to overwork.

Maybe the premise itself was wrong.

“Director. I’ll do it.”

The intern said when Jun-ho’s chest compression speed slowed down slightly.

Jun-ho shook his head firmly.

“Does Woo-hyeon have any underlying diseases? Like asthma.”

“No. Not that I know of.”

“Go quickly and bring a thoracentesis set [a kit for draining fluid from the chest].”

“Why suddenly…”

“No time to explain!”

The intern, surprised by Jun-ho’s shout, quickly left.

“Doctor. If the intern leaves like that, who will connect the defibrillator?”

The nurse looked at Jun-ho with a resentful look.

But Jun-ho deliberately ignored it.

He showed a bizarre act of doing CPR with one hand while using the other hand to remove the defibrillator pads attached to Woo-hyeon’s chest.

‘The problem was here after all.’