Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 136

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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 136.
Ha-rin’s story was quite shocking. Funds were disappearing. Roughly five to fifteen hundred million won per year. She varied the amounts each time so it wouldn’t be detected.
Over five years, the total came to more than five billion won.
“It was that much?”
Hui-jeong was even more horrified than Beom-jun at Ha-rin’s words. The two of them had a conversation they’d been putting off.
“I thought the Vice Director was deliberately covering it up. Since the Chairman was the one doing it.”
“Me? If I’d known, I would’ve stopped it. Money aside, you think I would’ve just stood by and let you suffer?”
The misunderstanding that arose from avoiding an uncomfortable conversation was cleared up in front of Beom-jun. Though truthfully, none of this would have happened if Han Myeong-jae hadn’t embezzled the funds in the first place.
Rather than joining their conversation, Beom-jun examined the materials Ha-rin had handed over. Five years of traces showing funds leaking from Korea University Hospital.
“Oh, that’s just a summary. The original expense vouchers are in the office.”
When Beom-jun stared at the Tablet PC as though he could devour it, Ha-rin provided additional explanation.
After registering Ha-rin as a Talent, Beom-jun gained knowledge of hospital accounting and could now understand the documents she’d sent.
Where Han Myeong-jae inflated funds and how he made them disappear.
“What is this? The execution record and the transaction partner don’t match.”
“Ah, that’s right. That’s a company that supplies disposable medical instruments, and since the Chairman approved it directly without checking… I only found out recently myself.”
Beom-jun’s point struck home. Ha-rin had discovered it after having an uneasy dream yesterday.
Until now, the hospital’s money had been leaking through inflating repair costs on perfectly functional medical equipment. But this year, he’d gone ahead and created an outright shell company.
He was essentially manipulating Korea University Hospital’s funds at will.
With the habit of someone reading charts, Beom-jun scanned Ha-rin’s materials with a piercing eye.
Even though she called it a summary, he flipped through a hundred pages of five years’ worth of data in an instant, yet pinpointed the essentials.
‘When did he even study accounting?’
‘Honestly, I didn’t expect him to understand all of it. It’s quite complex—how did he figure it out?’
While Beom-jun focused on the materials, the Vice Director and Ha-rin exchanged glances.
They’d expected they’d need extensive explanation, but the opposite happened. Beom-jun immediately corrected what Ha-rin had been missing until recently.
The Vice Director marveled anew at Beom-jun’s abilities in hospital management. He’d once been a clueless young man who knew nothing but treating patients, but that wasn’t him anymore.
And this was only a few months ago.
Hui-jeong thought that at this rate, he would catch up to Chairman Han Myeong-jae’s experience.
After all, management isn’t done by seniority alone. You need a sense for business. The head of an organization has to determine the hospital’s direction at each moment.
‘Hmm.’
Hui-jeong watched Beom-jun quietly as he scanned the materials with a keen eye. For now it seemed Han Myeong-jae was ahead, but it wouldn’t last long. She trusted her own judgment.
In the meantime, Beom-jun had read through all the materials without omission. And being knowledgeable enough about accounting as Ha-rin was, he didn’t ask further questions about them.
Where Han Myeong-jae was spending the money he embezzled was obvious.
The Vice Director had previously mentioned that the Chairman was personally sponsoring Saint Hospital. Combined, all his sponsorships would add up to around five billion won.
Han Myeong-jae was taking funds he’d embezzled from Korea University Hospital and personally donating them to Saint Hospital, the Uigwonhoe’s headquarters.
It was no different from Han Myeong-jae directly sponsoring Uigwonhoe.
“Vice Director. What would Uigwonhoe need money for? If they’re asserting doctors’ rights, most of what they’d do is publish expert opinions.”
Beom-jun changed the subject of conversation. The past was the past, after all. What mattered now was what had to be done going forward.
In any case, funds were leaking from Korea University Hospital. To stop it, he’d need to clarify the reason for the leak.
No matter how much he thought about it, something felt off. Did Uigwonhoe have room to exert influence? Uigwonhoe was ultimately a networking organization. It wasn’t treating patients like a hospital, after all.
‘Why would money flow into Uigwonhoe, and what would they use it for?’
Beom-jun suddenly realized he didn’t know much about Uigwonhoe.
Uigwonhoe didn’t appear in Doctor X. What Beom-jun knew about Uigwonhoe was limited to: they insisted on guaranteeing doctors’ rights, and Saint Hospital was their headquarters.
“What is Uigwonhoe spending all that money on? It’s certainly not a small amount.”
At Beom-jun’s question, Hui-jeong—who had heard the most rumors about Uigwonhoe—answered. She seemed to have caught on that Han Myeong-jae’s sponsorship of Saint Hospital wasn’t for Saint Hospital’s sake, but for Uigwonhoe’s.
“I think I heard they support regional hospitals, but I don’t know the details well myself.”
“Support? Are you talking about donations?”
“Well, I don’t think it’s just economic support. The Chairman often said things like ‘Regional medical care must thrive.'”
It was just like Han Myeong-jae—or Uigwonhoe—to present such a plausible justification.
No one would object to revitalizing regional medical care. Even if you couldn’t do it yourself, you’d support others who do, and even if you truly opposed it, merely voicing that opposition would invite criticism.
A clear pretext, an outwardly perfect act of charity.
But the fact that he’d done it while embezzling from Korea University Hospital and making it look like his personal donation left a bad taste.
‘I need to figure out what Han Myeong-jae gained by pouring out this much money. Once I understand that, I’ll start to get a sense of Uigwonhoe.’
The more Beom-jun engaged with Uigwonhoe, the deeper his concern became.
Uigwonhoe was a far larger force than expected. Regional medical care—the scope of what Uigwonhoe was touching was far from small.
But today, Beom-jun had gained a weapon. They pursued regional medical care so grandly, yet funded it by embezzling from Korea University Hospital’s budget. And under his own name at that? It made no sense.
“Team Lead Park. Stop by the office after you’re discharged and tidy things up. You can handle that, right?”
“Yes! The original documents? I’ll send them to your email right away.”
But at Beom-jun’s words, Ha-rin’s eyes began darting back and forth.
“But with just that… are you trying to do something? Will that be okay? I’m not sure if that’s enough evidence by itself. I mean, the more evidence you have, the better, right? It would be better to have more.”
The usually taciturn woman’s words grew longer. She was hinting that they search for additional evidence together.
In fact, she could be implicated as Han Myeong-jae’s accomplice. When this is revealed, someone might blame Ha-rin. She’d prefer the responsibility to be distributed.
Beom-jun spoke to such a Ha-rin. To her, brimming with worry, he raised his thumb sharply upward.
“Send the originals, then take medical leave right away. By the time you come back, everything will be resolved. The timing works out well.”
For now, Han Myeong-jae needed to be unable to reach out to Ha-rin. He hadn’t initially given her medical leave with this in mind, but as he’d said, the timing was perfect.
Han Myeong-jae had a strong tendency to blur the fact that he’d embezzled by scapegoating Ha-rin. He’d reached his current position by severing everyone around him whenever things went wrong, like cutting off a tail.
For the time being, Ha-rin’s absence would help Beom-jun.
Rather, she had to be safe—so that another person who knows of Han Myeong-jae’s misconduct would come forward.
“I’m sorry. I’m not being helpful.”
“What are you apologizing for? I’ll put the materials you gave me to good use.”
To the fretful Ha-rin, Beom-jun grinned widely, teeth showing.
When cancer develops, the boundary between it and normal tissue is never clear-cut.
You have to look carefully at where the cancer ends and cut it out accordingly.
If cancer has infiltrated the tissue too deeply, you can’t remove it all and have to leave some behind. You can’t lose vital organs entirely. Instead, you follow up with radiation therapy or chemotherapy afterward. To eliminate any cancer remnants left in the body.
“You’re different from Han Myeong-jae’s people.”
“Ah… did it seem that way?”
At Beom-jun’s words, Ha-rin wavered. She seemed unable to trust herself.
She, who had stood beside Han Myeong-jae along with the Vice Director, was only just now turning away. No wonder she felt confused.
Honestly, Ha-rin wasn’t as devoted to secretarial work as Jae-gyeong. But she’d never shown hostility toward Beom-jun or been caught doing anything shady behind his back.
She was, after all, a Talent registered by Beom-jun. Even if she wasn’t certain of it herself, Beom-jun knew it clearly.
[Ha-rin’s Favorability Rating has increased by 1.]
Ha-rin’s Favorability Rating had reached 9. Only 1 point remained until MAX.
It was impossible not to know, looking at the status window.
Whatever she may have been before, from now on, she would surely be his.
“You are different. I know.”
Seeing Beom-jun’s certainty, Ha-rin nodded. She still seemed confused, but his words appeared to ease her mind somewhat.
“Yes. Thank you, Director.”
“That’s enough. Go now.”
As Ha-rin began to tear up again like before, Beom-jun waved his hand dismissively. Seeing him like that, Ha-rin’s tears vanished entirely.
“Oh, yes! I’ll see you next week!”
“Rest well, and let’s see you looking healthy.”
Hui-jeong saw her off as far as the Emergency Room entrance.
Beom-jun waved his hand irritably, but watched her until the Emergency Room door closed.
Ha-rin bowed deeply to Beom-jun before disappearing.
* * *
[Name: Talent Contract Document]
[Description: Register a specific individual as a Talent.]
[Remaining Uses: 1]
He’d finally completed the Hidden Quest and obtained the Talent Contract Document.
Beom-jun pulled out the item and held it in his hand. It looked like a standard A4 sheet, but the font was identical to that of the status window.
– Talent Contract Document
1. Party A immediately synchronizes all knowledge, skills, and clinical experience accumulated by Party B over their lifetime.
2. This contract applies forcibly by Party A’s will, regardless of Party B’s psychological resistance toward Party A.
3. Party A protects Party B so they may devote themselves to practical work.
The psychological resistance mentioned in clause 2 seemed to be hostility. It was the distinction from other items.
If he forcibly registered someone as a Talent, they didn’t necessarily have to like him.
– Ding.
Just then, Beom-jun’s phone rang. A message appeared on the screen.
– Then, I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll head over near Korea University Hospital.
It was Kang Yo-han, Director of Saint Hospital. Saint Hospital in Gangseo was adjacent to Korea University Hospital.
Unlike Eunseong Hospital, located on Seoul’s boundary despite being in the same city, Saint Hospital was practically right next door, yet Kang Yo-han insisted on coming himself and made a show of it.
Even though it was nothing, he seemed eager to place Beom-jun in his debt. As if whenever Beom-jun received something, Kang Yo-han would return it in kind.
‘Ha, this Talent Contract would be perfect for Kang Yo-han, except for the whole Uigwonhoe thing.’
Beom-jun had been thinking about this since obtaining the Talent Contract Document.
If Kang Yo-han became a Talent, he’d be extremely useful. He’d know Han Myeong-jae and Uigwonhoe very well.
But that’s the problem. If he registered Kang Yo-han, a Uigwonhoe member, as a Talent, his survival rate would drop to zero percent.
Beom-jun tapped his index finger against the desk repeatedly.
Was there another way?
There had to be something. A clue to navigate through this impasse hovered just at the edge of perception.
At that moment.
A sudden thought struck Beom-jun’s mind.

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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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