Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 71
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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 71.
The Vice Director came with approval documents. It was the first time since Beom-jun had possessed Doctor X.
With her Hostility gone and her Affinity reset to zero, she treated Beom-jun with purely professional courtesy.
“We’ll be releasing media materials soon. Since Cheon Hee University Hospital came out favorably toward Korea University Hospital, staying quiet now would invite criticism.”
Yet even as she spoke, she showed no hesitation in doing whatever helped Korea University Hospital.
“This is a draft article.”
Beom-jun, sitting at his desk, clicked open the draft the Vice Director had sent.
There are usually two kinds of articles distributed online.
Those written directly by journalists and those published exactly as requested from outside sources. In the latter, the journalist merely lends their name—they do no actual work. They don’t even touch spelling, just publish whatever comes from outside as-is.
It’s mostly used as a publicity tool. A news source, you might call it.
‘This is insane—they call this a draft?’
The Hangeul file was smattered with notes, underlines, and red and blue markings. It had to be at least the tenth revision.
Beom-jun scrolled down with his middle finger. As he moved to the next page, a second version appeared.
The article was about Korea University Hospital successfully adopting Jason Therapy,
the first focusing on Beom-jun’s relationship with Cheon Hee University Hospital,
while the second centered on how Professor Im Sung-hyuk came to adopt Jason Therapy and its effects.
‘Cheon Hee University Hospital’s article ran yesterday afternoon. They pulled together this quality in half a day.’
Beom-jun had been declining all interview requests lately, keeping his distance from the media.
One wrong move could blow up in his face.
Beom-jun found himself newly impressed by the Vice Director’s competence.
[A talented person who excels at independent work. There is no one who can match her in terms of what she accomplishes.]
The Status Window’s praise had good reason behind it.
“You mean… you haven’t checked the external news?”
When Beom-jun said nothing in response to the draft, the Vice Director’s face hardened. Her initial uncertainty quickly shifted to conviction, her volume rising.
“How can you possibly use a therapy that Cheon Hee University Hospital developed and not bother to check on it!?”
“I saw it. The interview with Jason.”
The Vice Director, who had been getting heated, whipped her head around at Beom-jun’s specific comment.
“…Hmph. Well, you should have said so then.”
‘But you didn’t give me a chance to speak, woman.’
The Vice Director, who had flared up momentarily, quickly returned to business mode and finished what she was saying.
“In any case, we’ll most likely go with Version One unless you object.”
“Version One is something I might not like?”
“Well, this Jason person—the professor, was it? He showed off his connection with the Hospital Director. Strictly speaking, it’s improper. I don’t know how close you two actually are, but it’s only been two or three days when you think about it? I was saying, if you feel like you’re being used as a connection, let me know. But I’m guessing that’s not the case.”
Her remark was somewhat surprising.
Jason probably didn’t make such a statement deliberately. It was something Cheon Hee University Hospital and the media had manufactured.
Even so, to prepare a second option just based on the possibility… Beom-jun had never handled tasks alongside the Vice Director before, but she was thorough in her preparation.
Either way, having quickly grasped the situation, the Vice Director continued her report at length.
“Is there anything else you’d like to comment on? If so, let me know in advance. For reference, the article will run sometime this week.”
And with her business concluded, she switched off her tablet’s screen.
She had explained at length without steering toward any particular answer. It seemed she already knew what she thought best, but left the final decision to Beom-jun.
Was it goodwill or a trap?
Just as the Vice Director was turning to leave, Beom-jun spoke up.
“It seems like everything’s already decided. So why did you bring this to me?”
The reason Beom-jun had never received a report from the Vice Director until now was that she resolved everything at her level.
The Board Chairman had approved this to allow the Hospital Director to focus on treatment.
Though it was dressed up as protection in name only,
it was actually a means of control to prevent Beom-jun from wielding influence at Korea University Hospital
and to block the Hospital Director’s authority from expanding.
But why had the Vice Director brought this? Beom-jun tried to read her intention in her changed attitude.
The Vice Director had half-turned away when Beom-jun spoke, and she paused. Her lower lip pressed tight, she seemed to be filtering her words.
“Since the Hospital Director started this, don’t you think you should know how it unfolds? I’m telling you upfront—if problems arise after the article runs, I can’t take responsibility for it. It’s already been attributed to you.”
“So, because it’s work you can’t take responsibility for?”
“…Did I say something wrong?”
Beom-jun made no response to the sharp edge in her voice.
It was the right thing to say. Only… he hadn’t realized she was such a rational person. Without her Hostility, she seemed like an entirely different person.
“Go ahead with whatever you think is best, Vice Director.”
Beom-jun told the uncertain-looking Vice Director. She seemed unhappy with his answer.
“No, you did look at it carefully, right? This isn’t something to brush past like this. Every article is Korea University Hospital’s image.”
“Exactly. I’ll leave this matter in your hands. I’ll take responsibility for it.”
The Vice Director stared at him intently, trying to gauge whether he meant what he’d just said.
She looked uncomfortable. Startled, perhaps. Confused, maybe. After several seconds of silence, she spoke curtly.
“…Do as you like then. I’ll bring the approval documents, so just sign them.”
But above her back, the Status Window appeared.
[Gu Hee-jung’s Affinity has increased by 1.]
* * *
After the Vice Director left, Beom-jun sighed as he reviewed the documents Kim Jae-gyeong had brought.
– Military Hospital Consignment Project Plan and Budget Allocation (Draft): HIS (Electronic Medical Record System) Implementation and Integration
At first glance it looked plausible, but it had far too many loopholes.
‘They omitted the justification—did they just write this off the cuff?’
Most critically, the timeline was absurd. Three months to implement HIS across every military hospital in the country.
‘Even if all Korea University Hospital staff worked around the clock for three months, it wouldn’t be enough.’
Looking at Kim Jae-gyeong’s documents, Beom-jun could tell his secretary lacked a comprehensive understanding of the HIS implementation project.
It had been too much for him as a secretary. After all, he didn’t have the skills for this kind of work to begin with.
[Name: Kim Jae-gyeong / Title: Secretary General]
Schedule Management: ■■■□□
Administrative Support: ■■■■□
Internal Communication: ■■■■□
External Cooperation: ■■□□□
– Growth Potential: Minimal
– Affinity: 10
Beom-jun pulled up Kim Jae-gyeong’s personnel information. He’d raised his Administrative Support by one bar with a Quest reward, bringing it to four, but that was purely a “support” capability.
‘He can’t coordinate the whole thing—this is my mistake.’
Beom-jun pressed his palm to his forehead. The thought of Kim Jae-gyeong struggling through this alone made him dizzy.
It must have been grueling for him to pad out the proposal without understanding it. Plus, he’d burned Control Authority for it.
[Main Quest: Build a Solid Foundation.]
Keep the organization from rotting by rotating personnel. You must reassign the current registered key talent.
Reward: Survival Probability +3%
Failure: Death
Beom-jun opened the Quest window. Yes, no matter how many times he thought about it, this Quest could only be about Kim Jae-gyeong.
The key question was: who would replace him? Beom-jun reviewed the capabilities of the talent he’d discovered so far.
[Name: Min Jung-sik / Title: Director]
Business Strategy: ■■■■□
Organizational Operations: ■■■□□
Performance Management: ■■■□□
External Cooperation: ■■■■■
[Name: Gu Hee-jung / Title: Vice Director]
Business Strategy: ■■■■■
Organizational Operations: ■■■□□
Performance Management: ■■■■■
External Cooperation: ■■■■□
[Name: Ahn Jun-mo / Title: Legal Team Lead]
Legal Counsel: ■■■□□
Crisis Response: ■■■◧□
Regulation Management: ■■■■□
Business Support: ■■■■■
[Name: Park Ha-rin / Title: Accounting Team Lead]
Budget Management: ■■■■■
Accounting Processing: ■■■■■
Internal Audit: ■■■□□
Financial Strategy: ■■■□□
While professionals like executives and doctors have fixed capabilities, others varied depending on their roles.
Of these, only Director Min Jung-sik was registered as Beom-jun’s talent.
He’d felt it during the IRB review—his skill was outstanding.
The only drawback was that having a Director do hands-on work looked a bit odd.
‘Min is not quite experienced enough to replace Kim Jae-gyeong, but… would it work?’
He didn’t seem like he’d refuse. With Control Authority, he couldn’t refuse anyway. If necessary, he’d have to assign it to Min Jung-sik.
But honestly, Beom-jun couldn’t imagine anyone more suited for this than Park Ha-rin the accountant.
Her Budget Management and Accounting Processing were both maxed at five. Everything else in the management category was ordinary, but in terms of hands-on expertise, she was top-tier.
Money is a direct indicator of priority.
When a large budget is allocated, it’s an important item; when a small budget is allocated, it’s less important.
That way, once the budget is set, the project plan can actually be drawn up fairly smoothly in reverse.
But she was the Vice Director’s person.
‘Ugh, I barely erased the Vice Director’s Hostility with Reset Tissue—how am I supposed to get Park Ha-rin registered as my talent!!’
Then Beom-jun spotted an icon on Park Ha-rin’s personnel information that he’d never seen before.
“Huh?”
– new!!
The words “new” appeared twice in small text on part of Park Ha-rin’s personnel information.
– Affinity: 3
new!!
– Hostility: Low
new!!
And below that, just as with the Vice Director, the trait information had faded to a lighter shade.
[Possessor of a sharp and meticulous nature. Highly sensitive to numbers. Please note that her memory is exceptional.]
Could traits change?
If so, there was no one better suited than Park Ha-rin to replace Kim Jae-gyeong.
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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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