Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 268

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 268
Most people think of parasites as something you treat with anthelmintic medication and move on. However, certain parasites could actually claim a person’s life.
‘Echinococcosis, perhaps?’
It’s rare in our country, but in the Middle East and parts of Central Asia, it remains one of the parasites people easily contract.
A parasite that affects both animals and humans alike.
Humans become infected when they consume parasite eggs found in sheep or cattle feces through food or water.
Once inside, these parasites wander through the body and settle in places like the intestines, kidneys, brain, or eyes, where they form cyst-like structures and establish themselves.
Initially, there are no obvious symptoms, but over years they grow like tumors within these cysts, compressing the organs.
I knew about this because Jin Cheon-hee had gone abroad for volunteer work, and during that time I had studied this type of disease quite thoroughly.
Doctors often casually lump them together and call them tapeworms.
‘This is serious….’
My complexion darkened.
‘The cysts have already formed in the liver and duodenum, establishing themselves. This person….’
Glancing at the patient, I sighed inwardly.
‘If I hadn’t come, this person would definitely have died… which means in the original timeline, this person was destined to die.’
I don’t know the exact future.
Han Yi-jeong wouldn’t have been treated if not for me, and if that were the case, the second executioner wouldn’t have been assassinated.
This handsome man with an idol-like face and Han So-jeong wouldn’t have married, and Eun Wang-ya might have even died of cancer by now.
The future has changed far too much.
‘Sigh….’
I organized my thoughts and continued taking the pulse. Then I furrowed my brow slightly.
‘This person… they said he had a chronic condition. Was it severed pulse?’
Nothing compared to my Master’s nine severed pulses.
Three severed pulses.
Three meridians completely blocked.
There’s a problem gathering inner energy, and maintaining health isn’t easy either.
Unexplained pain must have persisted since childhood.
If he’d been born as a commoner, he would have died young, but being born as a prince of the kingdom was heaven’s blessing.
* * *
Severed pulse syndrome.
While it’s called a condition where pulses are severed, blockage symptoms are also called severed pulse.
The worst among them is my Master’s nine severed pulses.
All nine vital points are blocked by yin energy, which is why it’s called nine severed pulses.
‘So what exactly are three severed pulses?’
You could simply explain it as three meridians being severed.
But they’re not completely severed. Not entirely closed either.
Rather, they’re narrowed and unable to function properly.
One must always be careful about eating and moving around, but since this is a place where every season is summer with no winter, there’s no worry about dying from cold.
‘There will be many things to be careful about during surgery.’
I need to remove the cysts created by the parasites inside the body, and the largest ones are two in number.
When I conducted a more intensive pulse diagnosis in this area, two additional locations were discovered.
Four sites in total.
‘I’ll need to remove them while being careful about the severed vessels….’
My Master possessed an exceptionally sturdy constitution and was a martial arts master, so he had the physical endurance to withstand surgery.
The Third Prince had learned martial arts for health preservation, but it was incomparable to my Master’s level.
‘The problem is that the surgery will likely take a long time. On top of that, I need to minimize bleeding as much as possible. Managing blood pressure alone—nothing about this will be easy.’
I needed the Baekrin Uigak Doctors.
Even if they weren’t at the headquarters level, they needed to be at least at the standard of the Medical Staff in Buntta.
Fortunately, there was still time.
First, I had to explain this situation to the Third Prince.
‘Uh… where should I start explaining the symptoms? Does the concept of parasites even exist in this era? No, before that—this person is a prince, so did he ever have the opportunity to learn about such things?’
First, I explained the basic knowledge about parasites and infection routes to the Third Prince at a beginner’s level.
Two hours (approximately 30 minutes) were spent, but he needed to understand first, didn’t he?
After that, I spoke immediately.
“Your Highness the Third Prince has been infected with this parasite. Normally they live in the intestines and cause no real harm, but occasionally some of them find their way into the wrong places. Especially since this region has warm weather year-round, unlike areas with winter, I suspect that deadly parasites are inhabiting this place.”
To eradicate this, sanitation facilities and water filtration systems would be necessary, but this was someone else’s land.
I had too much work to do to become a dreamer.
“Still, the people of this region follow the wisdom of their ancestors and don’t drink oasis water directly, so I suspect… that might not be the primary habitat.”
Of course, the well water here would also contain these parasites.
However, the tradition of drinking water only from designated wells and always boiling that water before consumption could be said to have saved the people of this region.
“Because of this, surgery is necessary, and since you have three yin severed vessels, I anticipate significant blood loss. There’s a risk of death from bleeding during surgery. Even if you don’t die, you could suffer brain damage.”
“….”
The Third Prince’s expression darkened. However, without knowing the risks, one cannot make a choice. Telling the truth is a doctor’s fundamental duty.
But I had already considered a countermeasure.
I continued speaking.
“To prevent that, blood transfusion and manpower are absolutely necessary, and to prepare for that, I need the Baekrin Uigak branch in Buntta.”
The Third Prince shook his head.
“However, I understand there is no branch in Wannong.”
In the New Medical City of Wannong, where healing shamans held sway, there was no opportunity for the old Central Plains medical methods to take root.
Once people tasted this miraculous healing art that showed results in five minutes whether treatment succeeded or the patient died—pulse diagnosis and herbal decoctions of the Central Plains methods seemed as slow as simmering bone broth.
Moreover, the practitioners lacked the showmanship of dancing with leaves while patients suffered in agony.
Leisurely treatment didn’t suit the people here.
That’s why Baekrin Uigak couldn’t expand into Wannong, and the same applied to its rival, Hwaju Medical Institute.
Heukjeon Uigak barely had branches in Buntta either, and everyone fended for themselves.
If a patient couldn’t find a medical clinic and died, that was their life.
“So please deliver them to me!”
“Pardon?”
“The Central Plains is entering a new era now. Just go to the neighboring city and deliver my staff… ah, no, the Medical Staff to me!”
“Doctor delivery… but what happens if I don’t receive permission?”
Well… the cyst would continue growing, and if it burst from a major impact, the baby parasites inside would come pouring out.
Next time, the cysts will resurrect at double their number.
If even one of them penetrates a vital organ like the brain, it becomes extremely dangerous.
To be honest, I can barely bring myself to explain the full process in detail.
Professor Jin decided to prioritize the patient’s mental well-being.
“Well… you will die. Though there may be some variation in timing.”
“…I see.”
Perhaps he noticed that I had omitted many details.
The Third Prince nodded his head.
“If money is spent, time can be bought. I will immediately dispatch the merchant guild’s warriors and messengers to deliver the necessary supplies.”
“I will provide you with a list of the people and materials needed.”
“However… you will need to cross the desert, and to reach the region where Baekrin Uigak’s Buntta is located, you’ll need to ride for twenty days without rest. Until then….”
He’s asking whether he’ll still be alive by then.
Well, it’s certainly something to worry about.
“I will examine your condition daily through pulse diagnosis. Also, from now on, absolutely refrain from strenuous activities and be cautious of any impacts. It would be best if you remained here.”
I would need to continue monitoring his condition, but his life didn’t appear to be in immediate danger.
It’s not as though the prince would go somewhere and engage in martial contests, so it should probably be fine, but I still shouldn’t forget to emphasize this.
The concept of “not overexerting oneself” in this era differs far too much from the modern understanding.
The Third Prince nodded as if he had considered something as well.
“Ah, and you must not receive any more sorcerous treatments.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the parasites that survive the purification technique grow vigorously under regeneration magic.”
“Ugh…!”
As memories of receiving sorcerous treatments in the past, unaware of this, flashed before him like a lantern show, the Third Prince’s expression grew despairing.
“Now that I think about it, it was strange—the treatments never made me better, only worse.”
Sorcerous treatment, when used well, can accomplish what medicine cannot, but when misused, it can simply lead to a quick demise.
All this time, the Third Prince had been nurturing the parasites beautifully through sorcerous treatment as if it were prenatal education.
Grow well, my parasites. In the front courtyard and the back hills~ camels too, and bands of bandits~
“Ah, and there is one more thing I must ask of you.”
Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
“Please, speak freely.”
With his life on the line, the Third Prince’s expression became quite solemn.
* * *
Eun Wang-ya’s purification bath.
After immersing the body in a bath nearly as toxic as poison, golden needles are inserted into all the meridians throughout the body to expel waste.
The purification bath varies slightly in method from sect to sect, but the practitioner performing it requires considerable internal energy—a point that remains consistent.
In that regard alone, I had no problems handling it by myself.
“Ugh….”
“Shall I have you bite down on something?”
“Do you never stop saying you’ll be gentle until the very end?”
“Would you prefer less pain over a longer duration, or intense pain that ends quickly?”
“You’re really irritating.”
“Haha.”
I laughed awkwardly and inserted another needle.
“Would you like me to tell you something amusing?”
“Rather… ugh… that would be better.”
Hmm, what kind of story would be good to tell.
My eyes wavered slightly for a moment, but I decided to just blurt out whatever came to mind.
“Do you know about when I went to the Yongbong Tournament?”
“I know you won. I’ve gathered some information, but hearing it directly from the person involved is… ugh… different…!”
“…Ah, this is a very painful acupoint. But if you’re going to needle it, it’s better to do it suddenly, isn’t it?”
“Usually people knock someone out or give them anesthesia before doing this.”
“I’d do that for a child. But Eun Wang-ya needs to be tougher. There’s that much turbid qi accumulating, so it can’t be helped.”
“This is killing me…!”
“I ate crab meat tang suyuk there and it was really delicious. I need to go eat it again sometime—maybe I’ll try it at the next Yongbong Tournament.”
I insert the next needle.
“I heard cooking is also one of her specialties, but does she make it herself…?”
With those words, Eun Wang-ya stifles another groan.
“That’s the thing—I can’t replicate that taste. There’s clearly some secret technique only the head chef knows, but I just can’t figure it out. Ah, but I made crab soup with the failed batches and it turned out amazing.”
Thunk!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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