Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 106

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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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Episode 106.
Im Sung-hyuk was troubled.
“When you make Ward Round with the Kim Do-yoon Patient, tell the head nurse of Ward 77 to come to my office.”
He felt unsettled at the thought of failing to accomplish the task entrusted to him by the Director.
‘There’s something I can’t do.’
It was a disappointment in himself.
Whenever he wore a white coat in the hospital, there was nothing lacking.
He interviewed patients, ordered tests,
made diagnoses and provided treatment,
and prided himself on having no shortcomings through every step of patient follow-up.
Yet from the moment Jeong Da-eun was assigned as co-attending physician for Kim Do-yoon, his chest felt tight, congested and burning.
‘Ugh, is this gastroesophageal reflux?’
Sung-hyuk bent forward, curling his body inward. He swept his hand across his epigastrium.
Gastroesophageal reflux, though common, often sends first-time sufferers to the Emergency Room in the terrible agony of stomach acid scalding the esophagus.
Because it’s located near the heart, people often mistake it for chest pain. When seized by fear of death during an ordinary day, they rush to the hospital.
But Sung-hyuk diagnosed himself as he would a patient.
When emergencies arose and he’d hurried to respond, he hadn’t felt these symptoms; rather, during unusually long fasting periods, his chest burned as if on fire.
Still, he should run more detailed tests. There might be a hole in his stomach. Well, since he never ate properly anyway, his stomach had good reason to rebel.
He told patients to eat well, sleep well, avoid stress—yet he lived nothing like that himself.
Sung-hyuk tipped an Acid Secretion Inhibitor from his emergency supply into his mouth.
Ding.
An alert sounded on the hospital system. Sung-hyuk clicked to find a message from Jeong Da-eun—the very source of his stress these days!
– Professor Im, I heard you’re making Ward Round with the Kim Do-yoon Patient this afternoon. Around what time?
After reading the message, Sung-hyuk brought his hand to his epigastrium again.
Much as he hated to admit it, Jeong Da-eun was an excellent physician.
She didn’t diagnose patients with the Director’s breathtaking precision, or operate with the inspired skill that Sung-hyuk possessed,
yet somehow patients and staff alike were drawn to her.
“This patient has trouble moving. What about a portable X-ray? It should be fine to shoot in the room.”
“The dressing—this should work too. The one you were using before probably isn’t in stock right now.”
She was considerate to patients and helpful to staff, carefully crafting thoughtful prescriptions—that was probably why.
When Sung-hyuk charged ahead focused only on treatment, he often caught reproachful looks,
yet Jeong Da-eun drew no such criticism.
Truthfully, her strengths aren’t strictly necessary for patient treatment. They’re purely a bonus feature.
Sung-hyuk takes the lead and saves the patient decisively, then Da-eun follows and refines the orders. He builds the road; she paves it beautifully, so to speak.
Watching patients’ faces relax, Sung-hyuk found himself deep in thought.
‘I’ve overlooked so much.’
Ding.
Another simple alert sounded, cutting through his complicated feelings. Again, it was Jeong Da-eun.
– Ah, the time doesn’t matter to me. Just let me know when you’re free and I’ll adjust my schedule.
Since a physician was dispatched from Eunseong Hospital, Im Sung-hyuk had transferred roughly thirty percent of his patients to her. He’d focused on milder cases considering severity, but it was still substantial work—yet she had said she’d accommodate his schedule entirely.
To her, Sung-hyuk composed a reply. Hesitation was unlike him, yet his fingers faltered over the keyboard.
Having seen Da-eun’s careful, considerate nature, he felt compelled to match it.
He forced his fingers to relax and sent what he thought was a thoughtful response.
– Professor Jeong, why don’t we go once you finish your clinic. I’ll call when we’re ready.
For all his deliberation, the message was unremarkable, yet Sung-hyuk tilted his head uncertainly.
‘Ah, maybe that was too much. Should’ve asked her to call me instead.’
As Sung-hyuk was regretting it, a reply came from Da-eun.
– Okay! I’ll call you!
Sung-hyuk closed the messenger. That would do. Slightly embarrassing, but not unpleasant.
The Director treated Min-ho and Hyun-ji, who were much younger than Sung-hyuk, the same way—he was simply doing likewise.
Meanwhile, Cha U-jin, who was with Jeong Da-eun, found her exchanging messages with Im Sung-hyuk irksome.
“Do you really need to go on Ward Round together? You could go separately.”
“Then the patient would have to be interviewed twice. Things could get jumbled with multiple conversations.”
Even knowing her reasoning was sound, U-jin bristled.
Da-eun had been talking about Im Sung-hyuk frequently lately. That they shared the Department of Thoracic Surgery as a common ground also irritated him.
“Did you know? Professor Im makes Ward Round every single day. He really seems incredible. Does he just have amazing stamina?”
“Amazing stamina won’t help—his health is probably suffering from it.”
Even as U-jin replied curtly, Da-eun remained concerned for Sung-hyuk.
“True, keeping up that schedule has to be wearing on his body. I wonder if his health is really okay.”
U-jin almost rebuked her for worrying about that man, but held back.
As an anesthesiology professor, U-jin had seen Im Sung-hyuk in the operating room.
A mad physician with insane determination to save patients. In moments when U-jin was certain failure was inevitable, everything changed the instant Sung-hyuk took the scalpel.
It was no wonder Da-eun held him in such regard. He felt the same way.
Still, U-jin’s brow furrowed. Despite acknowledging Sung-hyuk’s skill inwardly, he couldn’t help the irritation.
* * *
[Main Quest: Secure a Witness]
A fabricated medical incident will occur. Secure a witness to prove the medical staff’s innocence.
Reward: Survival Probability +1% per witness secured
Failure: Death
‘The more witnesses, the better.’
Beom-jun tapped his index finger resting on the mouse.
This quest wasn’t simply about proving innocence. Of course, he could clear it by securing just one witness,
‘but it’d be a waste to pass up an opportunity like this. Main Quests are honestly stingy. When will 3% at a time add up?’
There had been a similar conditional quest before, where the reward varied by condition.
It was raising Korea University Hospital’s signature video view count. He’d exceeded 300,000 and taken the maximum reward.
But even then it was only 3%. Beom-jun pressed his lips together firmly.
He intended to maximize it whenever opportunity arose.
Beom-jun dreamed big.
Then he’d need to create a stage and expose Han Myeong-jae’s conspiracy.
‘Hmm, what to do. Ideally the Kim Do-yoon patient would confess, but honestly that’s unrealistic.’
Beom-jun shook his head vigorously. If he just didn’t backstab Sung-hyuk, that’d be luck.
The quest difficulty was definitely escalating.
Beom-jun leaned his exhausted body against the chair. His double eyelids deepened, darkening his eyes.
Beom-jun had tried not to hold expectations for Kim Do-yoon,
but it was difficult. Pure-hearted, clear-souled. A genius painter, a young artist beloved by Parisians.
The future Kim Do-yoon would bear many titles, but his present self was quite different.
The moment he heard Im Sung-hyuk’s name, he stared at him as if he’d seen a ghost.
‘His nature is clear as glass, I’ll grant him that much.’
Evidently, he’d heard something about Sung-hyuk before.
But for him to become a witness in this quest, he’d need to sever his connection to Han Myeong-jae.
It would be resolved if he completely changed his environment like Cha U-jin, but Kim Do-yoon was currently hospitalized at Korea University Hospital, effectively within Han Myeong-jae’s grasp.
With a patient’s situation in play, Beom-jun couldn’t move recklessly. Perhaps that’s why the quest came out defensively—to prevent him from acting drastically.
A head-on approach wasn’t the answer now.
Beom-jun picked up the phone on his desk.
An internal line connected to every department at Korea University Hospital was routed to Ward 77.
To Lee Young-ran, the head nurse with exceptional observational skills.
When he’d first registered her, Young-ran had already known Jeong Da-eun.
‘Da-eun must have deliberately suppressed her presence, yet Young-ran picked up on it right away.’
[Name: Lee Young-ran / Position: Head Nurse, Ward 77]
Patient Care: ■■■■□
Clinical Support: ■■■■□
Medical Administration: ■■■□□
Internal Communication: ■■■■□
– Growth Potential: Moderate
– Affinity: 7
[Quick calculator. Good at watching out for interests. Sharp eye for detail.]
Among her skills was patient care. She supported clinical work and operated the hospital, but as a nurse, her primary ability was caring for patients.
Perhaps she knew something about the Kim Do-yoon patient as well.
Ring-ring-ring.
After several rings, a familiar voice came through the receiver.
“Hello, Director. I was just about to call you actually. Do you have a moment?”
She answered as if she’d been waiting for him.
“Yeah, go ahead.”
He’d tried to calm her urgent tone, but Young-ran said she’d come find him right away.
“I have something to show you. Or rather, tell you. It’s about the Kim Do-yoon patient.”
Young-ran brought up the Kim Do-yoon patient without even being asked.
“Director, about the Kim Do-yoon patient… Don’t you think it’d be better to transfer them back to Eunseong Hospital? Korea University Hospital should probably step back.”
From Young-ran’s words, Beom-jun intuited this wasn’t something light to discuss.
“Let’s meet and talk first. Come to the Director’s Office.”
“Yes, understood.”
Beom-jun’s eyes gleamed sharply.
At last, the thread connecting the Kim Do-yoon patient seemed about to unravel.

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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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