Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 46

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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 46
From my perspective, Yoo Ho had truly reached his limit.
Even managing nine tasks simultaneously, he had long since transcended the bounds of human capability, yet it seemed he could not labor infinitely.
‘What a shame.’
It felt like watching a hard drive reach capacity.
Whether ten terabytes or a hundred, eventually you hit a ceiling when you keep filling it. That’s the feeling.
‘Still, if I coax him just a bit more and push gently, I think he could manage it?’
By my standards, Yoo Ho was not human, so I felt no particular pangs of conscience.
Yoo Ho opened his mouth.
“You asked about the relationship between my master and myself.”
“Oh, you felt like talking?”
“Ha, hardly. I simply told the young master to eat and be satisfied.”
“So what?”
Yoo Ho’s brush paused slightly. Then he spoke.
“You released a debt of gratitude owed by this insignificant creature.”
“Insignificant creature?”
“To people, I would be nothing more than a lowly creature, yet even such a creature carries debts of gratitude. You released one such debt.”
“Doesn’t ‘insignificant creature’ refer to animals or plants? Why would Chief Administrator Yoo refer to himself as such?”
Yoo Ho did not answer. He merely smiled bitterly.
“Are you curious?”
“Of course.”
“How fortunate. If you continue being curious, you might develop anger-induced illness. That would be ideal.”
I reached out and grasped both of Yoo Ho’s cheeks. Then I pulled them to either side.
The young man smiled brightly and said to Yoo Ho:
“See how much clearer Chief Administrator Yoo’s complexion looks now? Indeed, from a physiognomical perspective, one needs some fullness in the cheeks to appear auspicious.”
“Say what you will. I won’t say more. Perhaps when I kill the young master later, I’ll tell you then.”
I asked without releasing my hands from Yoo Ho’s cheeks.
“Murder and annihilation? Something like that?”
“If you’re curious, then fail to treat your master.”
This damned fox.
We bickered like that for a while.
When I released my hands, Yoo Ho spoke.
“I refrain from speaking for the young master’s sake. Though you won’t believe that either.”
….
“Still, it is remarkable.”
”
What
is?”
“That there exists a human who works me so relentlessly, pries into my past so thoroughly, and remains alive. In that sense, might I take just one fingernail? I won’t kill you.”
“That’s enough. Get back to work. After the liver comes the spleen.”
“We’re proceeding in surgical order.”
“Many of the Medical Assistants who volunteered for the Buseol Hall were those who participated in surgeries with me before. Besides, the doctors of Baekrin Uigak have solid fundamentals, and they’ve gained practical experience through actual cases. It’s good to refresh their memories.”
“Ho, that’s quite a thoughtful approach. I was wondering what order you’d structure the chapters in… Honestly, I’m impressed.”
“Oh, impressed? So that’s why you don’t want to kill me?”
“But I’m the one who has to draw the illustrations. And edit the book as well.”
“Right. That’s true.”
“Young Master, you’re truly not human.”
Regardless, Jin Cheon-hee drove Yoo Ho relentlessly.
The creation and teaching of medical texts was progressing smoothly.
Those who had received Jin Cheon-hee’s knowledge were opening their eyes to a new world.
At this rate, within a few years, it would be possible to compile Jin Cheon-hee’s knowledge into texts and teach from them.
And perhaps Baekrin Uigak would become the greatest Medical Hall under heaven and dominate the medical system of this world.
007. Surgical Operations and Antibiotics
Winter deepened in earnest.
Jin Cheon-hee was still maintaining a busy schedule, but recently there had been a change in his routine.
He had nearly completed the work of turning surgical knowledge into a book with Yoo Ho’s assistance.
Now he was formally beginning his activities as the Buseol Hall Master.
He had decided to accept patients in the vicinity of where Baekrin Uigak’s main branch was located who were judged to need surgical operations.
That was only a few days ago.
Naturally, Yoo Ho had worked diligently for this purpose.
Only Yoo Ho could manufacture the tools necessary for surgery.
‘At this rate, it’s almost like an early-to-mid twentieth century operating room. That bastard Yoo Ho. I’m really curious about his true identity. My Master just laughs and won’t tell me. The Guild Masters seem to know something though.’
Jin Cheon-hee marveled while looking around in a pristine white surgical gown.
IV bottles made of glass. Connected to them were IV lines and catheters. There were also various tools like extremely sharp small blades, scalpels, and forceps.
All of it had been produced by pressing Yoo Ho to make them.
Even things he thought couldn’t possibly be made were there, and they even had disinfectant solution that had been distilled repeatedly.
And today.
It was the day another surgical operation was scheduled for the first time since Wang Gak-yeon.
Not someone who suddenly burst in like Gungwi pleading to be saved, but a patient who had come here through proper diagnosis.
A patient whom even the legendary Baek Rin-ui-seon would shake his head at, saying it would be difficult to survive.
The diagnosis was acute appendicitis.
Commonly known as a ruptured appendix.
“Patient entering.”
With a call from outside, the patient was wheeled in.
The wheeled medical bed the patient lay on was also something Yoo Ho had been driven to create, and it was said that due to its usefulness, local craftsmen were now being commissioned to manufacture it.
“So this is an operating room. How extraordinary…”
“Now we can finally witness the Buseol of the rumored Master.”
The patient, the Medical Assistants to aid in surgery, and Master Jegalling along with three of the other four Guild Masters—all except the Martial Arts Guild Master—entered.
During Wang Gak-yeon’s surgery in the past, their schedules hadn’t aligned because each was occupied with their own duties.
Today they had come to observe directly.
Of course, Yoo Ho, our nurse, was with us as well.
Recently, I had been training additional nursing staff through Yoo Ho, but no one yet matched his level of competence.
“Then I’ll begin the surgery. Everyone has reviewed the medical diagnostic records, yes?”
As everyone nodded, I finally picked up the scalpel.
This time, Yoo Ho assisted as the nurse while Jegalling stood beside me to help.
First, I placed my non-knife hand against the patient’s abdomen.
I moved my qi to sense what lay within.
Ever since learning this technique from Jegalling, I had practiced it consistently, yet each time felt entirely new.
It was as though I had developed a fresh sense entirely.
My expression darkened as I confirmed the state of the internal organs.
‘As I suspected, it’s a mess… Normally, in this condition, survival would be nearly impossible without antibiotics.’
Appendix surgery. The proper medical term is acute appendicitis.
It refers to a blockage in the appendix that creates a perforation—a hole.
When this occurs, the contents of the digestive organs spill out, infecting and contaminating the interior.
Without swift intervention, the patient dies.
‘According to the medical records, the abdominal pain began five days ago. I can’t determine exactly when the perforation occurred… but at this stage, the vitality is still good. Truly, qi is a blessing.’
I picked up the scalpel and slowly drew it across the abdomen with a sharp blade.
As I skillfully opened the belly, a foul stench emanated from within without even needing to open the peritoneum.
The appendix had perforated, spilling everything from within the intestines—it was only natural.
“Hemostasis! Suction!”
At my command, Jegalling’s hands moved like lightning, applying pressure points to stop the bleeding.
The blood ceased immediately, and simultaneously Yoo Ho reached out with the vacuum extraction device, drawing out the filth from within the abdomen.
Yet despite this, the interior remained in a deplorable state.
“Organ extraction! The water is ready, yes?”
I removed the intestines entirely and placed them in the pre-boiled water, washing them clean.
I repeated the process of removing contamination
again
and again, then sutured the tissue to repair the ruptured appendix.
My hands moved swiftly and efficiently. There was no bleeding during this process.
I completed the sutures without even touching a single artery.
“High-proof alcohol!”
High-proof alcohol—distilled repeatedly to create a pure spirit.
I used it to wipe and wash the organs and the interior of the abdomen once more.
Then, using the vacuum extraction device again, I drew out the liquid before pushing the organs back inside.
“Remarkable…”
“Hmm…”
The three Guild Masters watched this entire process in astonishment.
For them, this style of medical treatment was something they had never witnessed before.
Though Baekrin Uigak was one of the three greatest medical halls under heaven, we were not unfamiliar with surgical techniques. Yet none of them had ever seen or performed surgical work of this caliber.
As they marveled at the sight,
I quickly began closing and suturing the abdomen.
Everyone watching gasped in admiration repeatedly.
“The surgery is complete. Please move the patient to the recovery room and ensure the blood transfusion treatment is properly administered.”
Since I had Yoo Ho craft glass bottles for intravenous fluids, blood transfusions had become possible.
Creating the actual intravenous solution to fill the bottles remained beyond my current capabilities, but with further research, I might eventually produce it.
‘There’s so much left to do….’
The surgery had concluded without incident. Yet my expression remained grim.
In stark contrast to my demeanor, everyone else was marveling at what they had witnessed.
Manpagok, the Herb Guild Master, spoke first.
“Truly remarkable. It seems even Hyeolsaeng Nogoe couldn’t perform surgery in this manner.”
At those words, Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Guild Master, fell into contemplation.
“Opening the abdomen, washing the internal organs, suturing, and returning them—normally, the moment you cut open the belly and remove the intestines, doesn’t the patient die? Whether quickly or slowly, death comes regardless.”
This era still lacked knowledge of infection and inflammation. Sama Byeong’s question was entirely reasonable.
Joo Dan-ha, the Chuna Guild Master, spoke.
“Internal energy can extend life to some degree, but without reaching the pinnacle of mastery, recovery is impossible. Even for those who reach the pinnacle, deep wounds guarantee death.”
At her words, Sama Byeong’s brow furrowed.
“Usually, death comes after extreme fever. Moreover, perforation of the internal organs makes eating and defecation virtually impossible—death is merely a matter of time.”
In the modern era, appendicitis surgery is a relatively simple procedure.
But in this age, it was a terrifying disease that claimed countless lives.
The Herb Guild Master asked the Acupuncture Guild Master.
“Acupuncture Guild Master, what do you think will become of this patient?”
“The suturing is flawless and blood loss minimal, so it may not come to that… but we must observe the patient’s progress carefully.”
Could the fever problem truly be resolved?
The Herb Guild Master’s shoulders grew heavy.
‘Even with existing internal injury medicines, I couldn’t suppress all the fever. Will it be possible?’
Concern etched itself across her kind face.
‘The Surgical Master has done what he could. The rest falls to me!’
She too had devoted her life to saving patients.
Internal injury medicine was the most difficult to formulate among all medicines. One had to consider the patient’s wound, constitution, consumed food, and even the cause of the internal injury.
Achieving this much in an era without antibiotics was itself a remarkable feat.
Then I emerged from the operating room. All four Guild Masters gathered around me.

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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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