A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 513

100. Accord (4)

That evening, at Jun-hoo’s apartment.

A chilly atmosphere had formed between Jun-hoo and Ah-young, who were usually as lovey-dovey as lovebirds.

Ah-young glared at Jun-hoo with her hands on her hips.

He knew he was in the wrong.

Jun-hoo’s neck shrank like a turtle’s. His head was practically buried in the floor.

Even in front of the most heinous demonic figures,

Jun-hoo hadn’t batted an eye, but he was completely helpless before Ah-young.

“Ugh, I can’t believe you. How could you do something like that without even consulting me!”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s not just a few bucks, you threw down 3 billion won [approximately $2.3 million USD]? Have you lost your mind?”

“It was a fight I couldn’t possibly lose from the start. I couldn’t back down from a fight I was guaranteed to win, could I?”

“Still, even so!”

Ah-young continued, her face contorted in displeasure. Her voice grew louder as she got more agitated.

“Does it even make sense for an individual to buy a surgical robot that the foundation itself found burdensome?”

“Hahaha. I guess it might seem a bit excessive to others.”

“Are you laughing? Is this funny to you?”

Ah-young stomped over and pinched Jun-hoo’s side. Jun-hoo writhed in pain.

“Don’t pretend it hurts. I know it doesn’t.”

“Okay.”

Jun-hoo confessed honestly.

It wouldn’t make sense for a master of the Harmonious Realm [a high level of martial arts mastery] to be in pain from a pinch.

“It’s true that our income is more than enough, but if we keep going like this, we’ll end up as beggars, you know?”

“Of course, Ah-young, you’re absolutely right. No doubt about it.”

“You knew all this and still did it?”

“Just let it slide this once, please. I’m begging you.”

Jun-hoo clasped his hands together like a fly [a gesture of pleading].

Even though he was confident he wouldn’t fail, it was a mistake to proceed unilaterally without consulting Ah-young.

As Ah-young said, the amount was by no means small.

Jun-hoo mentally calculated the balance in his bank account.

After purchasing one surgical robot,

the remaining balance would be around 2 billion won.

It was still a comfortable situation.

He had started NewTube early and amassed a fortune, and his accumulated doctor’s salary was also substantial.

Plus, the money earned from the MayU Boost-Up Program,

recent publishing royalties,

and appearance fees and advertising revenue.

In reality, Jun-hoo was secretly wealthy.

His daily life was mostly spent at the hospital, and he wasn’t naturally wasteful, so the money just kept piling up.

“Don’t think about solving problems with money when they arise.”

Ah-young continued her lecture like a strict teacher.

“Once that kind of mindset takes hold, there’s no turning back. Are you going to develop a surgical robot next?”

“Well, I do have that goal in the future…”

Jun-hoo stopped talking and clamped his mouth shut.

If he said a few more words, he felt like he would be devoured by Ah-young.

How could he handle that fierce look?

“Were you wrong? Or not?”

“I was wrong.”

“Will there be something like this again in the future? Or not?”

“There will not be.”

“Good. Since you seem to have repented, I’ll let this one slide generously.”

“Thank you, Ah-young.”

“If you’re grateful, go buy some salt bread from Ahreum Bakery.”

“Yes, ma’am! I’ll head out right away.”

Jun-hoo quickly left the house.

No sooner had Jun-hoo left than Ah-young unfolded her arms and smiled brightly.

The change in expression was almost instantaneous.

Honestly, she wasn’t even a tiny bit angry at Jun-hoo’s actions.

If Jun-hoo did something,

she believed it was something she could handle.

Ah-young’s faith in Jun-hoo was close to blind faith.

Of course, 3 billion won was an outrageous amount.

But neither Ah-young

nor Jun-hoo

had any desire to live extravagantly.

What they both wanted was simply to sincerely treat patients.

Hehehe.

I’ve got something good this time.

I won’t have to worry about bread errands for at least a year.

A wicked smile bloomed on Ah-young’s lips; Ah-young was above Jun-hoo, who was running.

* * *

As Jun-hoo decided to introduce a robot dedicated to epilepsy surgery at his own expense, the epilepsy clinic project gained momentum.

However, this fact

was still a secret known only to Jun-hoo and Jung Hyun-jung.

After the negotiations were settled,

construction of the epilepsy clinic began in earnest.

It was called construction, but it was actually more like a simple remodeling.

All that was needed was to convert one of the less profitable ENT [Ear, Nose, and Throat] clinics into an epilepsy clinic.

Jun-hoo took charge of introducing the robot.

He exchanged letters with the MayU Clinic via email and paid the costs directly.

Perhaps because he was the first master of the Boost-Up Program,

MayU also provided a lot of convenience for Jun-hoo.

The robot introduction cost was also reduced more than before, with the 3 billion won robot dropping to 2.3 billion won.

Biomedical engineering was, after all, still a business.

As the epilepsy project began, there was a lot of talk within the neurosurgery department.

Most opinions were skeptical and negative.

Especially from Professor Kim Han-sang’s faction.

They openly rejoiced.

They were grinning, saying that Jun-hoo was digging his own grave.

-He’s really putting on airs. I guess he thinks he can bring down a flying bird just because he’s doing well.

-Isn’t this a good thing? If this project falls through, he’ll be marked by the vice chairman and demoted.

-That’s true. If we just lie still with our mouths open, rice cakes will come in on their own [a Korean idiom for good fortune coming without effort].

-I knew this would happen from the moment Director Seo became arrogant.

-Only now?

-Wahahaha!

At the tea time they had every morning, Professor Kim Han-sang’s faction burst into hearty laughter.

On the other hand, the neutral professors were worried about Jun-hoo.

-Isn’t the director making things too big this time?

-That’s what I’m saying. It would only be a matter of time before he becomes the nation’s best surgeon if he just stays as he is now.

-Someone should try to persuade him.

-I already broached the subject with him a while ago, but he just laughed it off. I don’t think he can be persuaded at all.

-If we introduce the robot, the profits will definitely increase… but the training is the problem. The training…

The neutral professors weren’t against Jun-hoo’s epilepsy clinic itself.

They were also favorable to the profit model.

Epilepsy robot surgery was non-insured.

Since insurance didn’t apply, the surgery cost was high.

However, the biggest obstacle was…

The qualifications of the surgeon performing the robot surgery.

Urology, obstetrics and gynecology, thoracic surgery, gastroenterological surgery, and so on.

Robot surgery was slowly gaining popularity in these fields.

But not in neurosurgery.

It was difficult to introduce robots due to the nature of the surgery.

The biggest evidence was that only one hospital, Seoul Jewon University Hospital, currently had a robot dedicated to epilepsy.

Since the introduction of robots wasn’t widespread, there were also no surgeons who knew how to operate them.

Even if Busan Shinwon University introduced a robot, who would be able to perform surgery with that robot?

Of course, Jun-hoo would be able to.

He had completed various training courses in the MayU Boost-Up Program.

But still.

Jun-hoo’s surgery schedule was truly murderous.

The regular schedule was already fully booked for six months.

In other words, he wasn’t in a situation to take charge of epilepsy robot surgery.

So who on earth should be in charge of the surgery?

The neutral professors’ questions were all focused on that point.

One week after Jun-hoo became a black hole, sucking up all the attention of the department.

It was near the end of the morning conference.

“The clinic’s estimate work is finished, and the main construction will begin today. It will be completed in two months.”

Jun-hoo, who had gone up to the platform for the first time in a while, said, scanning the staff.

“Professors Chun Seok-young and Jung Min-jae from the stereotactic neurosurgery department will be in charge of epilepsy robot surgery.”

Professor Chun Seok-young of Kim Han-sang’s faction looked like he had eaten shit [a vulgar expression of extreme displeasure].

Jung Min-jae also dropped his head as if he was in trouble.

“Please come to operating room 10 as soon as your regular schedule is over today.”

* * *

That evening.

Jun-hoo was in operating room 10, dressed in surgical attire.

Operating room 10 was slightly different from other operating rooms.

A cart in the shape of the number ‘7’ was placed next to the operating table. Four robotic arms hung dangling from the ceiling of the cart.

Next to it, about 5 meters away, was the robot surgery-only control panel.

The epilepsy-only surgical robot, ‘Cerebral,’ which had been brought in from MayU at a huge cost,

was set up.

Was it because it was a new product?

The robotic arms and control panel were shiny and dazzling.

‘It’s been a while.’

Looking at Cerebral, Jun-hoo took a trip down memory lane for the first time in a while.

During his training at MayU,

Jun-hoo didn’t particularly like Cerebral. Or rather, he considered it cumbersome.

The reason was simple.

Wasn’t Jun-hoo a master of martial arts?

Whether it was accuracy

or speed, his surgery surpassed the robot.

He didn’t know about other surgeons,

but Cerebral was close to a penalty for Jun-hoo.

Although he was dissatisfied, Jun-hoo still learned Cerebral diligently.

Cerebral didn’t only have disadvantages.

Cerebral had aspects similar to endoscopic surgery, so the incision could be minimized.

Therefore, the patient could be discharged on the same day. (Since the turnover rate was fast, it was also of great help to the hospital’s profits.)

It even had its own navigation system.

Also, once he got used to the controls,

he could achieve a pretty good speed, though not as much as doing it by hand.

Although that range was still limited to epilepsy, with the speed of medical development being dazzling now,

there was a possibility that general brain surgery would one day be replaced by robot surgery.

‘I’m counting on you.’

Jun-hoo couldn’t take his eyes off the Cerebral control panel.

Cerebral was…

It could be a new hope for epilepsy patients who needed surgery.

In addition, it could further solidify Jun-hoo’s position and become a stepping stone to completely crush the Kim Han-sang forces.

It was also a good opportunity to appeal to the chairman and vice chairman about aspects other than treatment.

Ziiing.

The cell phone rang at just the right time.

Jun-hoo took out the cell phone he had put in his gown pocket.

Since it wasn’t a place to perform actual surgery, he showed a generous attitude toward sterilization today.

‘Oh ho. So that’s how you’re coming at me?’

Jun-hoo chuckled after reading the message sent by Choi Jin-gu.

Choi Jin-gu, who was once Kim Han-sang’s right-hand man but was now Jun-hoo’s right-hand man, was playing the role of informant perfectly.

The message he just sent was also part of that.

Kim Han-sang was plotting something again, but since he knew his intentions so well, there was no reason to be taken in.

7 p.m.

At the stroke of the hour, Chun Seok-young and Jung Min-jae, dressed in surgical attire, entered the operating room.

“Is this the hunk of junk you call Cerebral?”

Professor Chun Seok-young of Kim Han-sang’s faction scratched Jun-hoo’s nerves from the start.

Jun-hoo didn’t hold back either.

“Don’t mess with me.”

“What, what did you say? Director, what did you just say?”

Chun Seok-young’s face turned red. Sharp lasers shot out of his eyes.

As the atmosphere became serious, only Jung Min-jae, who was caught in the middle, was at a loss.

The already cold air in the operating room became chilling.

“Shall I hammer it into your eardrums? Don’t. Mess. With. Me. Do you think a robot that treats patients is a joke?”

Jun-hoo released only a small fraction of his inner energy [qi] to the outside of his body and shot it at Chun Seok-young.

Trapped by the formless energy mixed with anger and inner power, Chun Seok-young couldn’t move.

What?

Why does Director Seo suddenly look so scary?

Ugh… I want to go to the bathroom.