Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 312

Fifth Vital Sign – Episode 313 (312/502)

313. Tense Standoff

But an unexpected response came.

“Director, this isn’t our first time meeting. I believe we’re acquainted.”

“…….”

Acquainted? That couldn’t be.

Tae-kyung possessed a remarkably sharp memory, a fact acknowledged by both himself and his staff. Moreover, he remembered nearly every patient he’d treated, even if only once. Yet, he couldn’t quite place the middle-aged man who claimed to be an acquaintance.

Just as he was about to inquire if the man had been a patient in the distant past, the man spoke first.

“You don’t seem to remember me, judging by your expression.”

“Have I perhaps treated you before?”

“No. I’ve never been treated by you. I wasn’t the one who received treatment.”

“Then, did a family member of yours receive treatment from me?”

“Yes. Director, do you remember patient Kim So-hyang?”

“……!”

At the mention of the name, Tae-kyung instantly recalled who she was.

“You’re the husband of patient Kim So-hyang, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

Kim So-hyang was a patient who had undergone hemorrhoid surgery some time ago and had come in for a routine post-operative checkup just a few hours earlier.

He remembered her face because her husband had accompanied her on the day of her surgery and the day of her discharge, and he had greeted them both times.

Now that he thought about it, the conversation he’d had with Kim So-hyang during her outpatient visit earlier flashed through his mind, bringing with it a strange sense of irony and a slight chill.

‘You must have driven yourself today.’

‘My husband is so obsessed with fishing that he went even though his wife is sick.’

Kim So-hyang had explicitly stated that her husband had been working at a small company for years and that he was consumed by his fishing hobby. In other words, even his wife, Kim So-hyang, was unaware of her husband’s true occupation.

Tae-kyung could deduce that this place was shrouded in secrecy and hidden from the world.

“Now you remember? You recognized me right away when I said her name.”

“Ah. Yes.”

“Come to think of it, I don’t believe I ever told you my name. I’m Lee Hu-rak.”

As Tae-kyung watched him reintroduce himself, he felt a prickle of unease.

As he had remarked to Kim So-hyang at the hospital, Lee Hu-rak, during their brief encounters, had given off a very ordinary impression.

To be precise, he had seemed like a typical middle-aged Korean office worker, the kind one might easily picture wearing a suit and tie on his way to work.

That was the impression he had conveyed at the time. But now, he exuded a completely different aura.

Lee Hu-rak was smiling, but the smile seemed so forced that his facial features appeared disjointed. His mouth curved upward, but his eyes remained cold and unfeeling. Instead, they held a fierce, emotionless glint.

His excessively polite and amiable demeanor now seemed like a carefully rehearsed act.

Tae-kyung thought to himself, ‘This is a person who wouldn’t feel a thing, even if he killed someone.’

‘I can’t get a read on him.’

Tae-kyung couldn’t help but be taken aback by Lee Hu-rak’s true nature, which was so different from the man he had seen at the hospital.

“Director, shall we head this way?”

“Is Doctor Kam Deok-chan not here?”

“No, he’s not here. Didn’t you receive any explanation about that?”

“No, I received an urgent call from the hospital and came straight here.”

“I see. This is a military base.”

“Ah… Is it some kind of black ops unit?”

Tae-kyung speculated that it might be an agency involved in covert operations.

“Actually, even the word ‘secret’ doesn’t quite capture it. So-called secret units have no official records in the military, but they still possess resident registration numbers and most social records. We, however, have none of those records. Of course, there are no military records either. We operate in the shadows, not in the light, so naturally, we can’t afford to be exposed.”

“Then, your wife also…”

“My wife? No, she’s in the dark. Among the few of us who have been with this organization for a long time, some are married, and their situations are similar. Most live under false identities, and there are no exceptions, even for family. To my wife, I’m just a salaryman who’s been working for years and is obsessed with fishing. I’ll have to make it up to her for my deception when I retire.”

“You’re living a complete double life.”

“A double life? Haha! Now that you mention it, it’s true.”

Lee Hu-rak laughed heartily, as if he were discussing someone else’s life.

“You’re not wrong. Anyway, you can easily understand if you think of these people as non-existent.”

Tae-kyung was astonished by Lee Hu-rak’s words.

He had no reason to doubt the man’s sincerity, but he had never imagined that such entities could exist in 21st-century Korea.

He felt a strange sense of unreality, finding himself in an organization he had only encountered in movies.

“We’re aware that we’re a military unit, but we can’t officially call ourselves that, so we address each other using company titles. You can call me Chief Lee. Just call me Chief Lee, no need to be formal.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Tae-kyung followed Lee Hu-rak down the long hallway and noticed the wounds on his hand as he walked ahead.

He hadn’t noticed them when he greeted him at the hospital or outside a little while ago.

Seeing those wounds, the words he had spoken seemed to resonate with him more and more clearly.

He felt a growing sense of dread.

Perhaps it was due to the nature of the secret agency, but the building itself was also peculiar. From the outside, it appeared to be a neat three-story structure and didn’t seem particularly large, but the interior concealed a vast underground complex.

‘If I get lost here, I’ll never find my way out. What’s the layout like? It’s incredibly complicated.’

Judging by the length of the corridors and the height of the ceilings, there were indeed extensive structures beneath the surface.

“Director, do you have any questions? Feel free to ask anything you’re curious about.”

How could he not have questions?

Tae-kyung was curious about everything from A to Z, but he decided to ask the question that was foremost on his mind.

“Chief Lee, are there no medical staff here?”

“Medical staff… There used to be one, but they left for personal reasons. It’s difficult to recruit new staff because our hiring process is complex and 까다롭다 [difficult/demanding].”

The smile that accompanied every word he spoke made Tae-kyung even more wary.

“We’re still looking, but in the meantime, one of our employees got injured. So I told Doctor Kam Deok-chan about the situation, and he recommended you without hesitation.”

Tae-kyung understood why Doctor Kam Deok-chan had contacted him so urgently when he heard Lee Hu-rak’s words.

“When I first heard your name, I wondered if you were the director of our hospital whose wife had surgery, but it seems 설마가 사람을 잡는군요 [lit: disbelief catches the person; meaning: you never know]. I was even happier when I found out it was you. Ah! And the doctor asked me to relay one thing to you regarding you.”

“A request?”

“Yes, he asked if I wanted to save the injured person, and I said of course. Then he told me to listen to everything you say unconditionally. So I said I would.”

“Ah, yes. But what is the patient’s current condition?”

“I figured you’d be curious. It’s right here.”

Lee Hu-rak, who had paused while exchanging brief conversation, opened a door in the hallway.

As soon as the door swung open, the fifth vital sign [smell of bodily waste/decay] assaulted his sense of smell, as if it had been lying in wait for Tae-kyung.

The odor was a strong level 3, the smell of feces, and a very faint level 4 smell [indicating possible necrosis/tissue death].

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

Unlike the sterile hallway, the interior resembled an ordinary apartment. It was just like a regular home, except there were no windows.

Whether it was due to his state of mind or the enclosed space without windows, the fifth vital sign, unable to escape, seemed to intensify even further.

“Deputy Park? We’re here.”

Lee Hu-rak called out to someone and led the way into the room.

“…Yes, Chief.”

Tae-kyung’s gaze instinctively turned to the patient.

A sturdy man was lying in bed, his right shin severely swollen.

It was covered in bruises, and anyone could suspect a fracture.

“How long has this been going on? Couldn’t you have gone to a nearby hospital?”

“No, we don’t have medical insurance. And we can’t leave any medical records, so this is how it turned out. Deputy Park, you see? The doctor is here. How did you get hurt?”

“Yes, I fell while walking around 9 PM and got hurt.”

Tae-kyung’s expression momentarily tightened, almost imperceptibly.

It was utter nonsense. It was a story that even a dog wouldn’t believe.

To sustain an injury like this from a simple fall, the ground would have had to suddenly rise up and kick this person’s shin with considerable force.

He decided not to waste time asking pointless questions. Tae-kyung resolved to focus solely on the patient’s injury.

“Director? What do you think?”

“He needs surgery. Let’s get him moved right away and operate. Is there an operating room here? Are there no other medical staff at all?”

“Well, we do have an operating room. It would be ideal if you could perform the surgery here. First, would you like to take a look at the supplies and equipment we have and make a judgment?”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

Tae-kyung spoke firmly, as if he had no need to follow Lee Hu-rak’s lead.

Perhaps because of his resolute tone, the mouth that had been displaying an awkward smile stiffened for the first time. Lee Hu-rak seemed slightly taken aback.

“Director, shouldn’t you take a look at the equipment and make an assessment?”

“You said earlier that when Doctor Kam Deok-chan asked if you wanted to save the patient, you said you did.”

“That’s right. Who wouldn’t want to save their injured subordinate?”

“In other words, am I correct in assuming that Chief Lee is also desperate to save Deputy Park right now?”

“That’s also correct.”

“Then I hope you will follow my instructions, as you promised the doctor.”

“I fully understand what you’re saying. But Director! This isn’t an ordinary place like the world you know. If you’re here, you have to abide by my rules. This is a place with its own principles and regulations.”

Tae-kyung and Lee Hu-rak engaged in a tense battle of wills, neither willing to yield.

The atmosphere between the two was as taut as a rubber band stretched to its breaking point.

“I also fully understand what Chief Lee is saying. But it seems there are no other medical staff here, and if you’re unfamiliar with the internal state during the surgery, you’ll constantly need new materials. Each time, you’ll have to deliver the instruments while maintaining a sterile environment, but no one here has received such training, correct? Then it’s simply impossible.”

“We have more talented and well-educated people than you think. If you just give us a little training, we’ll be able to assist you effectively…”

“Chief Lee!”

Tae-kyung raised his voice.

“Can you even imagine leaving someone this injured without disinfecting the wound?”

“We’re not doctors, so how would we think of that?”

“That’s precisely my point.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re not medical professionals, yet you’re suggesting you can receive a short training course and assist with the surgery? That’s simply out of the question.”

“Don’t be so inflexible. We also have our own constraints.”

“Chief! Then let me ask you this. If I receive some training in what you do and immediately start working alongside you, do you think that’s feasible?”

“Director, we’re people who work with guns and knives. That would be impossible on a battlefield where bullets are flying.”

“The operating room is also a battlefield. There’s no difference at all.”

“…….”

Tae-kyung’s eyes were firm and unwavering. No matter what Lee Hu-rak said, he had no intention of backing down.

“Chief! Are you not going to save Deputy Park? You have to save him. He’s your subordinate, isn’t he?”

Tae-kyung continued to press his point, as if driving a wedge into the silent Lee Hu-rak.

“…….”

“I’m not familiar with the principles and rules of this place because I’m just an ordinary person. However, I am a doctor, so the patient’s well-being is my utmost priority. Please think only about the patient. I implore you.”