Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 59

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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 59.
After seeing Kang-woo and his mother off, Beom-jun returned to the Director’s Office.
If it had been a staff member or outsider, he would have given them a proper lesson, but the patient was another matter. He’d shown considerable restraint as it was.
‘I’m going to become a doctor like you, sir.’
In Doctor X, Kang-woo had sworn to become a physician.
After his parents divorced when he was young, Kang-woo had been living with his mother, and by observing and emulating Im Sung-hyuk, he’d nurtured his dream of becoming a doctor.
‘Well, he’s a role model to doctors too, but from a patient’s perspective, he’d seem even more impressive. Kid’s got high standards, doesn’t he.’
Even if Kang-woo looked like a delinquent reeking of cigarette smoke right now, he’d be entirely different by the time he was discharged. Though admittedly, he hadn’t even been admitted yet.
‘When am I supposed to see him, learn from him, do anything about it.’
As Beom-jun fumed, Jae-kyung brought him tea.
“Director, this is chamomile tea.”
“Did I ask for this?”
“Try it. It should be good for calming your mind and spirit.”
Recognizing her thoughtfulness, Beom-jun wasn’t particularly drawn to it, but he picked up the cup anyway.
‘Right, I need to settle down.’
As he drank the hot tea, his insides only grew more turbulent, but conversely, his mind cooled with clarity.
The timing was terrible. Kang-woo was only fourteen, barely fifteen years old.
Could a boy whose sense of self was inflating and whose identity was in flux really handle a rare disease that had just been discovered?
Like all illnesses, no condition ends with a single surgery or procedure.
Once a bone breaks and heals, it aches whenever you strain it.
Other organs too take a long time to recover fully to their previous function after major surgery.
Even if Im Sung-hyuk performed the Jason Therapy, Kang-woo would need careful management for a long time to come.
‘What if he damages what we’ve finally fixed and comes back?’
Kang-woo was the first patient to receive the Jason Therapy. He had to be a good precedent.
Beom-jun, who had been sipping his tea, suddenly drained the entire cup in one go. He could vividly feel the hot liquid traveling down his esophagus and arriving in his stomach. Steam rose from his mouth like a dragon.
Huff, huff—Beom-jun opened his eyes wide and managed a dry smile. He’d definitely need to do something about that temperament. The full course: education first, then management.
Nothing short of improvement would do.
* * *
But Kang-woo’s mental education was blocked at Im Sung-hyuk’s end before Beom-jun could even propose it.
“I’ll take full responsibility for the patient Kim Kang-woo. You have many other duties, Director. I think it’s excessive for you to see my patient as well.”
Ever since Beom-jun had faltered in Busan, Im Sung-hyuk had often regarded him with pity.
“No, it’s fine for me. Stop fussing.”
Beom-jun scratched his head awkwardly.
‘I can’t exactly tell him I registered him as Talent, and that’s why I’m passing on knowledge to him.’
But Im Sung-hyuk spoke quite firmly.
“I can’t accept that. He’s my patient, after all. It’s best I handle it myself. It would be better if you concentrated on running the hospital, Director.”
Beom-jun knew he couldn’t change Im Sung-hyuk’s mind. Once he made a decision, he never looked back.
Instead, Beom-jun offered him one hint.
“If you and the patient can’t communicate, separate him from his guardian. He needs a chance to speak for himself.”
After admission, when Kang-woo would have time alone without his guardian, Im Sung-hyuk could build rapport. They’d probably need that time together.
Kang-woo believed he had to protect his mother in place of his divorced father.
He’d be more guarded when they were together. Without his mother present, Im Sung-hyuk could actually hear what Kang-woo really felt.
“Patient Kim Kang-woo? Director, how did you know that….”
When Beom-jun acted as if he knew about Kang-woo’s personality, Im Sung-hyuk looked startled.
“I ran into him by chance. It was probably when you were coming back from your clinic shift.”
“Ah, that would have been two days ago then. I can figure out when.”
Im Sung-hyuk nodded as if it made sense.
“He was smoking. I only saw him briefly, but the kid seemed…. Are you really sure he’ll be all right?”
Im Sung-hyuk frowned momentarily at the word “smoking,” but spoke calmly, defending his patient Kang-woo.
“He does it out of ignorance, I think. And being young is something of an excuse at his age. I’ll talk to him properly.”
“Later, it might be good to connect him with patients his own age. Should I contact the Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Department?”
Beom-jun proposed an alternative treatment approach, but
“No, it’s fine. I’ll let you know if it becomes necessary.”
Im Sung-hyuk shut him down flatly. The kid was sharp as a blade, that was for sure.
“All right, all right, I get it. Just remember—if communication with the patient breaks down, separate him from his guardian.”
“Yes, yes. Don’t worry. I think it would be good for you to rest a little, Director.”
But Im Sung-hyuk brushed off Beom-jun’s words as if they were nagging.
“And take it easier with work. Haven’t you been doing overtime too often lately?”
And Im Sung-hyuk didn’t stop there—he lectured Beom-jun, who listened and let out a small laugh.
“That’s not something you should be saying.”
“I’m on the front lines, so it’s different. You can afford to rest, Director.”
The frontmost line of clinical medicine, where patients flow in relentlessly, and the last stop for those with nowhere else to go. Im Sung-hyuk said he would bear it all alone.
Beom-jun found him pitiful as he spoke so matter-of-factly. He knew all too well how steep and arduous that path could be.
Of course, Im Sung-hyuk had managed well even through all the trials of Doctor X, but with Beom-jun here now, things wouldn’t be the same.
“This isn’t a burden you carry alone. It’s something the entire Korea University Hospital does.”
As he said this, Beom-jun was the man who moved, decided for, and was responsible for Korea University Hospital,
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
And with someone to entrust the rest to, Im Sung-hyuk had nothing to fear.
* * *
Beom-jun opened his status window and read the quest content again.
[Main Quest: Open a New Door]
Introduce the Jason Therapy to Korea University Hospital through proper procedures.
Reward: Survival Probability +3%
Failure: Death
[Hidden Quest: Create Fractures in the Cartel]
There are those hindering the growth of Korea University Hospital. Register one of them as Talent and shake up the cartel.
Reward: Survival Probability +15%
The Main Quest had to take priority. As tempting as the Hidden Quest reward was, if he failed the Main Quest and died, it would be worthless anyway.
Proper procedures, procedures.
Turning the words over in his mind, Beom-jun reached a conclusion: if the IRB was blocked, it was over.
If the IRB didn’t approve, he couldn’t clear the quest. While waiting, if something happened to patient Kim Kang-woo, Im Sung-hyuk might recklessly use the Jason Therapy anyway, and then the Vice Director would be delighted to tear into both Beom-jun and Im Sung-hyuk.
In Doctor X, it had been the latter. After confirming the patient had no issues following the procedure, approval had come late, with the rationale that it seemed fine after all.
“Jae-kyung.”
Beom-jun called to Jae-kyung with resolve.
“Yes, Director.”
“Tell Director Min Jung-sik I want to meet again. Tell him it’s not a rejection—I’ll come find him myself.”
Jae-kyung’s expression said, ‘You’re going that far?’, but she didn’t contradict Beom-jun’s words.
She was unaccustomed to seeing Beom-jun like this. The Beom-jun who had glided through the hospital like water flowing now spoke with resolve.
“Absolutely. We have to meet no matter what.”
And somehow he had to register him as Talent.
Since Director Min belonged to the Vice Director’s cartel, if possible, he should succeed at the Hidden Quest as well.
[Name: Affection Potion (Intermediate)
Property: Increases the target’s affection by 5.]
Uses Remaining: 1]
Beom-jun closed the item information. The Affection Potion he’d received after registering Jason as Talent—it was time to use it.
* * *
Meanwhile, Director Min Jung-sik tensed at the contact from Beom-jun.
“Why does he want to see me? You have any idea?”
“Well, uh, he just said he wanted to have a meal with you….”
“Why would the Director want to have a meal with me!”
His foolish subordinate was useless.
“Never mind. Just make sure you don’t blab about this to anyone.”
Director Min buried himself in his leather chair.
They’d said the Medical Association Council would be recruiting new members next year. Director Min had long since put his name forward as a candidate, and the odds of him becoming one were high.
The Vice Director surely knew about the Medical Association Council as well. She would be acutely aware of the movements that dominated the medical field.
But since she was a non-physician, she couldn’t join the Council, and Min Jung-sik was, after all, a physician by training.
‘Once I’m in the Medical Association Council, the Vice Director is finished! I should have recognized it when she was having me do her bidding! It’s not too late even now.’
Not long after the Vice Director had come from America, she’d followed Min Jung-sik around, asking about the state of Korea University Hospital. It was because Min Jung-sik, for a doctor, managed business well.
But once she’d established herself as Vice Director, a business expert, his role had been transferred wholesale to her.
It was probably natural that work went to whoever did it better. But he couldn’t stand that afterwards, the Vice Director treated him like a subordinate employee.
‘Director, Professor Im Sung-hyuk will be requesting IRB approval? Reject it. If that’s not possible, drag it out as long as you can.’
‘After all, I’m the one who taught her—where’s my seniority privilege?’
Min Jung-sik was scheming inwardly. He’d enter the Medical Association Council and rearrange the board.
For now, he had to stay quiet, without any controversy.
“The Director says that if you don’t come, he’ll come here himself.”
‘But this Director character won’t leave me alone!!’
Min Jung-sik pressed his throbbing temple.
He’d heard that since the Hospital Director came back from the brink of death, he’d been poking around the hospital everywhere. Rough around the edges like a thug, but still.
Min Jung-sik knew about people who had served the Chairman like dogs and then been discarded.
‘How many times have I watched the Chairman wring someone dry and throw them away once there’s nothing left to squeeze out?’
Director Choi was just one of them. A clueless and pathetic fool. Watching him still strut around as if it’s his world makes me want to laugh.
“I stay quiet and that’s how he looks at me? Impudent bastard.”
If he’d been rejected, he should have accepted it, but instead threatening to come find him—giving a hat to this upstart kid and he becomes utterly disrespectful.
“Tell him he’ll regret it if he comes knocking recklessly.”
“Ah, so you’ll go meet him then, Director?”
Min Jung-sik didn’t respond to his clueless subordinate’s question. There was no point expecting anything from someone so lacking.
Director Min swallowed his sigh inwardly and replied.
“If it’s outside the hospital, that’s possible. After work would be better. Preferably in the evening.”
If he’s going to be persistent, I’ll meet him once. A rookie director like this—I can smooth-talk him and send him on his way.
But it would take him no time at all to realize that was a miscalculation.

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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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