Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 140

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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 140.
After examining Beom-jun’s USB Drive, Kang Yo-han suddenly felt as though filth had settled on his hands. He rushed to the bathroom and washed them.
But no matter how much he scrubbed, the words Han Myeong-jae had spoken would not fade away.
‘We need to elevate physicians’ rights. Only then can we treat patients with peace of mind.’
He had believed those words were right.
That everything he was doing was justified.
‘Welcome. We are the future of Korean medicine.’
He could not remember how happy he’d been to join the Uigwonhoe. He’d thought he was becoming a shield protecting doctors, but it had been nothing more than a veil concealing corruption.
Kang Yo-han had been moved by Han Myeong-jae’s donation of five billion won, and he’d given nearly his entire fortune to the Uigwonhoe—nineteen hundred million won accumulated through sleepless nights and sweat shed at the hospital. Even so, he’d thought it fell short of half of what the Chairman had donated.
‘But it turns out the Chairman’s donation came from draining Korea University Hospital.’
And yet the Uigwonhoe had made such a show of it. They’d said everyone was gladly participating in a noble cause.
Kang Yo-han was not alone. Because Han Myeong-jae had taken the lead in donating, most of the Uigwonhoe’s members had poured vast sums into the organization. Executives in particular had contributed donations in the tens of millions.
He found his own stupidity revolting.
Scritch-scritch, clink.
Kang Yo-han pulled a brush from the cabinet—the kind used in hospital operating rooms, which he kept on hand. He scrubbed his knuckles, the backs of his hands, his palms with the coarse bristles until his skin flushed red.
Yet the sensation of insects crawling across his skin persisted.
“Aaaaaahhhhh!!!”
Kang Yo-han let out a primal scream and hurled the toiletries scattered about the bathroom in all directions. One of them struck the mirror, cracking it.
From the impact point, the mirror splintered like a spider’s web, and Kang Yo-han’s face fractured into six fragments.
His inner self had shattered in the same way. Everything he’d believed was right by looking at only one side had been nothing but lies.
The itching spread from his hands throughout his entire body as though it were contagion, and Kang Yo-han tore off his clothes like discarding a shell. Compulsively, he began to wash himself.
Scrub-scrub-scrub.
Body wash alone was not enough; he retrieved disinfectant.
With trembling hands, Kang Yo-han poured brown Betadine Solution and wiped his body. With no foam to create lather, he merely rubbed it across his skin, and as he did, the Betadine spread in blotchy, sordid streaks.
Then his phone rang.
Beep-beep. Beep-beep.
He’d set it on the toilet seat, so the vibration echoed loudly through the bathroom.
Kang Yo-han rinsed only his hands and checked the screen. The caller was none other than Han Myeong-jae.
Upon seeing the caller’s name, Kang Yo-han clenched his teeth. Water from his wet hair dripped down his cheeks in steady droplets.
Kang Yo-han answered.
“Hello.”
“Hey there, Director. I hear you met with Beom-jun.”
Unlike him, Han Myeong-jae sounded delighted.
“Yes, I did meet with him.”
“Why does your voice sound like that? Where are you right now?”
“I’m in the bathroom. I was washing up.”
The bathroom was humid, and Han Myeong-jae could not hear Kang Yo-han’s voice clearly. He sensed that Kang Yo-han’s response was cold, but he did not give it much thought and proceeded with what he had to say.
“So Beom-jun is going to join the Uigwonhoe, yes?”
Upon hearing Han Myeong-jae’s purpose, Kang Yo-han’s mind went cold. The thought of what he had done for the Uigwonhoe made his teeth chatter.
Yet even so, Kang Yo-han did not ask where all the money he had donated had gone. He had no wish to wallow any longer in filth with Han Myeong-jae.
Kang Yo-han, his entire body streaked with blotches, suppressed his emotions and lied.
“Yes, it seems he will.”
Kang Yo-han pressed down the tremor of rage in his voice, and Han Myeong-jae seemed satisfied with his answer.
“Ha ha ha. So it’s settled, then. That fellow’s finally come to his senses. Asking to join us in this great endeavor—that shows real growth.”
Having Beom-jun as an enemy would be nothing but tiresome. Han Myeong-jae had already concluded that it would be better to bring Beom-jun onto his side.
Han Myeong-jae had become irritated after Beom-jun hung up on him without warning, and it was only much later that he’d called Kang Yo-han. Now he congratulated himself on making that call.
‘Good thing I called. I nearly spent the whole day without hearing such wonderful news!’
But Kang Yo-han clenched his teeth again at Han Myeong-jae’s words.
Great purpose. Grand cause.
The memory of those bygone days when he had been seduced by such grandiose words came flooding back.
Kang Yo-han’s grip tightened on the phone. Water continued to drip from his hair.
“You handle the joining procedures. Beom-jun learned about the Uigwonhoe because of me, but have it listed as if you recommended him. You can put your name down as his sponsor.”
Han Myeong-jae offered the position of recommender.
When the number of sponsors accumulated for a new member, there were rewards. It was an end-of-year event held within the Uigwonhoe.
But honor was more valuable than any reward. Being recognized for one’s influence within the Uigwonhoe was what truly mattered.
Kang Yo-han did not respond.
The true nature of the man he had believed in was so contemptible that there was nothing more worth saying.
* * *
Days later, Han Myeong-jae heard shocking news.
“Director Kang Yo-han of Seint Hospital is requesting to withdraw from the Uigwonhoe.”
“What? Why would Director Kang do that?”
“He says his health is not well. He intends to focus on his work at Seint Hospital for the time being.”
“That makes no sense whatsoever!”
Han Myeong-jae barked at the employee who had come to deliver the news.
The employee squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for Han Myeong-jae’s outburst to end.
“…?”
But when no scolding followed and nothing was hurled, the employee opened one eye cautiously to assess the situation. Han Myeong-jae seemed lost in thought, staring fixedly at the edge of his desk. Taking advantage of the silence, the employee slipped quickly out of the Chairman’s Office.
‘How can this be? Just a few days ago when we spoke, everything was fine. Wasn’t Beom-jun supposed to be joining the Uigwonhoe?’
Han Myeong-jae could not fathom it. Whenever Beom-jun became involved, results always took unexpected turns—something that had long displeased him.
Now he could not even discern what was happening within the Uigwonhoe itself.
Han Myeong-jae hastily called another executive of the Uigwonhoe. It was the Eunseong Hospital Hospital Director.
“Hey! So something happened with Kang Yo-han?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself, Chairman. He suddenly submitted withdrawal papers and left.”
But the Hospital Director knew nothing either.
“After all the years we’ve spent together, how can he just cut things off like this?”
The Eunseong Hospital Hospital Director expressed his disappointment, but Han Myeong-jae had no interest in his feelings.
“Has anyone joined the Uigwonhoe recently? What about Beom-jun?”
“Beom-jun? It seems he’s joining the Uigwonhoe. Wow, that man is no ordinary fellow. Chairman, about that AI Medical Center—it looks like Cheon Hee University Hospital is going to take it.”
The Eunseong Hospital Hospital Director itched to talk about what had happened at the hospital directors’ conference.
Though nothing was confirmed yet, the momentum seemed to be shifting toward Cheon Hee University Hospital, and he was worried. He had wanted to consult with Han Myeong-jae about it.
But as the Eunseong Hospital Hospital Director continued to ramble, Han Myeong-jae finally lost patience.
“I asked if Beom-jun joined the Uigwonhoe!”
“Oh, yes. One moment, please.”
The man who managed the member roster searched through the enrollment documents. But there was nothing under Beom-jun’s name.
“He hasn’t yet. There’s no record of recent submission either. Was the application form even sent to him?”
Beom-jun, who had said he would join, had not appeared, while Kang Yo-han had simply vanished.
Something was wrong. Everything had gone badly awry.
“How many people are currently on the waiting list to join?”
“Thirty-one people.”
The Eunseong Hospital Hospital Director answered briskly, sensing the gravity of Han Myeong-jae’s tone.
“Let those who want to leave go. The urgent priority is to fill the vacancies. There’s no need to follow strict order, surely. Send me the waiting list. I’ll see if we can find someone suitable to bring in as a full member right away.”
“Yes, understood.”
After the call ended, Han Myeong-jae hung up the receiver roughly.
Bang!!!!
But loud noises from the Chairman’s Office were nothing new lately, so everyone simply accepted it as routine.
* * *
The moment Kang Yo-han withdrew from the Uigwonhoe, Beom-jun learned about it immediately.
[Kang Yo-han has withdrawn from the Uigwonhoe.]
[Use of Talent Contract is now available for Kang Yo-han.]
A Status Window had appeared. As if it knew that Beom-jun had been planning to use a Talent Contract on Kang Yo-han, the window displayed specific information about him.
‘I could acquire Kang Yo-han with this.’
He was a very desirable talent. If he registered him as personnel, he could gain internal information about the Uigwonhoe. He was curious to see what character traits would appear for him as well.
Then, someone came to visit the Director’s Office.
Knock-knock-knock.
“Come in.”
The person who entered at Beom-jun’s permission was none other than Jae-gyeong.
“Director! Director! An executive from the Uigwonhoe has withdrawn!!”
Upon hearing news about the Uigwonhoe, he had rushed straight to Beom-jun. Eagerly, too.
Jae-gyeong had run so hard he could barely catch his breath; his face was flushed.
“We’re still investigating who it is, but we know for certain it’s an executive. He withdrew today! This morning!”
Animated, he spoke rapidly. Watching Jae-gyeong like this, Beom-jun let out a soft chuckle.
“I know. It’s Kang Yo-han. The director of Seint Hospital.”
“Huh? Really? You knew?”
Beom-jun answered with a nod.
“How did you know? This literally just happened!”
Jae-gyeong’s expression was one of disbelief. He had finished speaking but could not quite close his mouth.
“Did the director of Seint Hospital tell you directly?”
“Something like that.”
“Right, you two had dinner together a few days ago! So the withdrawal from the Uigwonhoe—did you have something to do with it?!!”
Jae-gyeong made a fuss, and Beom-jun chuckled again. And he played along with Jae-gyeong’s expectations.
“I wasn’t entirely without influence.”
Seeing Beom-jun shrug, Jae-gyeong shot up a thumbs-up.
“Wow, you’re the best, Director.”
One thumb apparently was not enough, so he raised both thumbs.
Beom-jun took out the Talent Contract from his item window.
For the first time in a while, he also took out the Fountain Pen.
He needed it to fill in the names of Party A and Party B in the blanks of the Talent Contract.
“But how did you find out about this?”
“The Uigwonhoe released their waiting list for applicants. Director Min Jeong-sik is among the candidates. I think he’ll formally join the Uigwonhoe around next week.”
Jae-gyeong, who worked under Director Min Jeong-sik, seemed to have picked up the information quickly.
“Director Min is joining the Uigwonhoe?”
“Oh, maybe not. I mean… he might… not join, since I heard he’s been waiting for quite a while.”
Before Jae-gyeong finished speaking, a Status Window appeared.
[Main Quest has been created.]
[Main Quest: Plant a Straw in Enemy Territory]
Secure collaborators to continuously relay internal information about the Uigwonhoe.
Rewards:
1 person – Survival Probability +1%
2 people – Survival Probability +3%
3 people – Survival Probability +5%
Failure: Death
Upon seeing the Status Window, Beom-jun’s eyes widened in disbelief.
‘I thought Uigwonhoe members couldn’t be registered as talent?’
Then another Status Window appeared.
[Talent already registered may join the Uigwonhoe.]

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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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