30 minutes earlier…
Meanwhile, Jeong Mong-hoon, chairman of the Hyundo Group, was riding in a limousine, almost arriving at Hampyeong.
He was going there to receive Chubuam surgery from Kim Cheol-su.
Inside the moving car, he read the newspaper.
Will the new chairman’s Hyundo Group collapse?
Hyundo Electronics and Hyundo Construction, sinking into debt. If they can’t pay their debts, they risk falling into the hands of creditors…
“Hoo—this is truly suffocating.”
“Are you alright, Chairman?”
Jeong Mong-hoon’s wife, Lee Eun-joo, spoke from beside him.
She was a capable woman from a prestigious university, so Jeong Mong-hoon often consulted her on company matters.
The group’s debt situation shows no signs of improvement. Hyundo Construction already defaulted once last year, so that’s somewhat expected. But to think the electronics division would accumulate 10 trillion won in debt…
“It’s because the global economy keeps faltering. Especially the semiconductor market, which is recording negative growth. Other companies are struggling just as much. Even Chairman Oh of Oseong Electronics is going through hard times.”
“But still, our situation is worse. I thought I could beat my older brother Jeong Mong-gi, but to think the group would be in such a crisis…”
Jeong Mong-hoon’s expression darkened.
He had known the global economy was unendingly unstable, but he hadn’t realized the Hyundo Group’s internal affairs were this dire.
Only after taking the helm as chairman did he fully grasp the extent.
“Chairman, we’re almost there.”
Following Lee Eun-joo’s words, he looked out the window and saw the Hampyeong Military Hospital.
But there were an overwhelming number of reporters gathered at the entrance.
Jeong Mong-hoon sighed and said, “Looks like the reporters have caught wind of something. What should we do?”
“Just go in. You’re not feeling well either.”
“No, at times like this, it’s necessary to let them know I’m still well. Stop for a moment.”
“I’ll assist you.”
With his wife’s help, Jeong Mong-hoon got out of the limousine.
Immediately, the reporters swarmed him.
“We heard the chairman is unwell. Is that true?”
“It’s nothing serious. Just a minor ailment.”
“There are rumors you came to Hampyeong Military Hospital to visit the coffin of soldier Kim Cheol-su, who was active during the recent flood accident. Is that true?”
Jeong Mong-hoon hesitated.
He was worried his involvement might cause trouble for Kim Cheol-su.
Especially if the hot-tempered Jeong Mong-gi found out, he would pressure Kim Cheol-su.
But he changed his mind. Since the reporters were already crowding him, hiding the truth was impossible.
If they asked the medical staff inside, they would quickly learn the truth.
So he spoke honestly.
“Yes, that’s correct. I happened to receive a medical examination and found a minor issue, so I came for treatment. I feel sorry to burden a military hospital that treats soldiers like this.”
“I believe Colonel Kim Cheol-su will handle the legal matters. Isn’t he the head of the critical patient surgical team directly under the Medical Command? It’ll be fine. What we’re curious about is where exactly the chairman is unwell. Could you please share?”
“I will clarify that in due time. Let’s stop for now. May I go in?”
“Chairman, please take a few more questions! We…”
“I’m Ryu Jong-han from Channel 580. We’ve received a tip that the chairman has an illegitimate child active in the entertainment industry. Is this true? Please answer!”
Questions that would have shocked Jeong Mong-hoon poured out, but he maintained a firm demeanor and got back into the car, entering the hospital.
Ryu Jong-han, who had chased after him like a dog after a chicken, clicked his tongue.
“Damn. Missed the interview chance. Now this tip really feels credible.”
“The rumor that the top star is the chairman’s illegitimate child? That’s just a common rumor. Do you really believe it?”
When female junior reporter Kim Seong-gyeong muttered this, Ryu Jong-han scolded her. He had quite a hot temper.
“You never know until you check it. This time, my gut feeling is dead-on. This info seems accurate.”
“Pfft—what gut? When we went to the motel last time, you couldn’t even get it up.”
“Y-You crazy! How dare you say that to your senior?”
Flustered, Ryu Jong-han stammered. In truth, there had been something between him and the junior reporter. But to be attacked so unexpectedly left him dazed.
“Meh! Just behave next time. I’m counting on you.”
“Shut up! I’m drunk right now, so no hot talk.”
“It’s unfair. Yelling at me like that.”
Ryu Jong-han’s face flushed red with embarrassment. Just as he was about to get angry again, a helicopter’s sound came from the sky.
Tootoo.
It felt like a war zone atmosphere. Startled, Ryu Jong-han raised his head to look up.
He saw a doctor’s helicopter landing on the hospital rooftop.
His intuition kicked in again. Surely something was going to happen today.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for a doctor helicopter to arrive for an emergency.
“Wow! This is amazing footage. I’ve never seen a doctor helicopter land at a military hospital. I wonder if there’s actually a patient inside.”
“Look! The medical team is unloading stretchers. They must have brought a patient.”
Ryu Jong-han was shocked. He never imagined he would see something like this from afar.
He grabbed Kim Seong-gyeong’s shoulders with both hands, shaking her.
“Is that really true? Can you stand by that statement?”
“Yes, I saw it. Though far away, it was clear enough. I have 2.0 visual acuity in both eyes. Congratulations, senior. Seems like there’ll be a lot to write about today.”
Smooch.
After blowing a kiss on his cheek and walking away, the cheeky junior reporter watched Ryu Jong-han’s reddening face and smirked.
He didn’t understand what today’s events meant.
His relationship with her had progressed, and he had gotten incredible news.
Most of all, his suspicion that the helicopter and Kim Cheol-su’s coffin were connected grew stronger.
He had heard that Kim Cheol-su successfully performed several emergency trauma surgeries. So it wasn’t strange for patients to be transported by doctor helicopter.
Swallowing hard, he muttered, “Wow! This is really amazing. Surely he’s not trying to bring someone else back to life, right? Crazy… Colonel Kim Cheol-su is truly a god.”
*****
Meanwhile, Kim Cheol-su, heading toward the treatment room, encountered an unexpected figure.
Deputy Director Park Jeong-hyun. Their ill fate, starting from Hongcheon, blocked his path.
“Who is this patient? As deputy director, I demand an honest answer.”
Kim Cheol-su had no excuse to refuse. He calmly said,
“Following the Medical Command’s orders, I dispatched the critical patient surgical team. We performed a tracheostomy in the helicopter to secure the airway, and now additional surgery is needed to suture the carotid artery and other wounds caused by the gunshot.”
“W-What? You performed surgery in the helicopter? What kind of surgery?”
“Because the patient had severe respiratory distress, we performed an emergency laryngotracheal separation to ventilate through a hole in the throat. Is that sufficient? The patient urgently needs surgery.”
As Kim Cheol-su tried to pass, Park Jeong-hyun grabbed his arm.
“Wait! Just a gunshot wound? Are you crazy? You want to operate on a gunshot victim whose death is uncertain here? Even if you’re the critical patient surgical team, if the surgery fails, I’m responsible too. You do realize I’m the one overseeing everything at this hospital, right?”
“So what’s your point? If you have complaints, take them to Medical Command.”
“Hoho— I already spoke with the head nurse. She didn’t even know it was a gunshot wound patient. Even if she did, would she approve? Director Jo Tae-jun of Medical Command would oppose it too. The success rate for gunshot wound surgery is incredibly low.”
Kim Cheol-su remained silent. The man wasn’t wrong.
Since it was a military accident, the team was dispatched by default. But there was a high chance of opposition to performing surgery on a critical gunshot patient at the military hospital.
Kim Cheol-su looked coldly and asked,
“Why do you keep interfering with the patient’s surgery? Aren’t you a doctor too? Even now, the patient’s chance of survival is dropping. Step aside.”
“All right.”
Kim Cheol-su was surprised that Park Jeong-hyun stepped aside without resistance.
“What’s going on? That’s unlike you… making way so easily.”
“If you don’t, I’ll have to hit you. You have quite a violent streak. I did some digging.”
“Ugh! I’m going to surgery.”
Passing behind Park Jeong-hyun, Kim Cheol-su said bitterly,
“No matter how wildly you act like a naked fool, someday there will be a failed surgery. Then you won’t be able to go against me. Won’t that be so?”
Kim Cheol-su ignored him and entered the operating room.
There lay the patient and the surgical staff ready for operation.
Ignoring the earlier conflict, he asked,
“How is the patient’s condition?”
“Oxygen saturation is stable, but the bleeding is increasing. The amount of blood transfused is insufficient, and blood pressure is dropping. At this rate, we can’t guarantee the patient’s survival!”
He thought the situation might have improved slightly, but the carotid artery was still critical. If they didn’t seal the carotid artery and stop the bleeding soon, the patient would die or become semi-paralyzed.
The carotid artery was an extremely important blood vessel connected directly to the brain.
Checking the blood pressure monitor, Kim Cheol-su’s expression hardened. The reading was 55/33 (systolic/diastolic).
At that moment, Shin Se-young shouted,
“Wah! Blood pressure keeps falling. 52/32!! 51/31!! Hypotensive shock is imminent, Colonel. What should we do? Please give instructions quickly!”
A blood pressure below 50/30 indicated severe hypotension and acute shock. There was no more time to delay!
The patient’s life literally hung by a thread.
The operating staff stiffened with fear as the vital signs monitor beeped sharply—tick tock, tick tock.
What do we do? Is this going to be a disaster?
This is crazy! Why did the colonel bring such a patient here again?
This is too dangerous. Maybe it’ll collapse secretly? Scary.
The surgical team’s morale plummeted, and they openly criticized Kim Cheol-su.
Since they had gathered hastily, there were many negative opinions about him.
“Ah, Colonel. What do we do? I’m scared. If the patient dies like this…”
Growing desperate, Shin Se-young placed her hand on Kim Cheol-su’s shoulder, and he said,
“Just trust me.”
Even a genius doctor was human. He was so tense that a bead of sweat dripped from his forehead.
Drip drip.
But there was no turning back now. He shot a sharp glare around the room and yelled,
“Everyone, focus! This is no time for idle talk! Even if the surgery fails, I take full responsibility. Concentrate!”
Hearing Kim Cheol-su’s shout, the surgical team’s expressions steadied.
Mentally, they were ready to resume surgery.
Seeing their change, Kim Cheol-su smiled faintly and approached the patient.
The surgery was extremely difficult and complex, but honestly, he was confident.
“I will now perform emergency trauma surgery on the throat. The goal is to stop the bleeding from the deep penetrating gunshot wound and perfectly suture the patient’s carotid artery and vertebral artery!”
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