Chapter 136: Caught (1)

“Uh…uh…” The patient couldn’t find any words to say because he didn’t detect Suhyuk’s lie.

Moreover, the reactions of other doctors contributed to his confusion.

“Cigarettes? Ah, could it be?” Lee Hyunjong, who was well-versed in medical trivia, clapped with delight.

“Abrupt nicotine poisoning… It roughly fits their symptoms, but is this possible?”

As expected from someone hailed as a prodigy, Suhyuk genuinely admired him.

He really is intelligent. How can you achieve such insights without my help?

“Well… let’s call it experience?”

In the past, Baruda would have claimed superiority over Suhyuk’s intellect, but surprisingly, he sided with Suhyuk now. Perhaps Baruda realized that criticizing Suhyuk would ultimately reflect poorly on himself, given they shared the same body. For an AI with exceptional capabilities, it took him quite some time to grasp this realization.

When I thought about it, we were stuck with one body after all. Criticizing Suhyuk was ultimately criticizing myself. For such advanced artificial intelligence, it took me quite some time to realize this, but there is a valid excuse for my delay.

‘Oh… What’s happening?’

“He now studies and strives on his own.”

This implied that he hadn’t done so before. However, Suhyuk couldn’t deny it outright. Was it because of his acting skills or did he genuinely lack conscience?

Moreover, there wasn’t time for such discussions at the moment.

“Yes, as the director just mentioned, you’re experiencing acute toxic reaction from smoking. You’ve probably never heard of this before,” Suhyuk explained.

The patient nodded almost hypnotically in response to Suhyuk’s words. The idea of hiding his smoking habit had vanished completely from his mind. With everything confirmed, what else could he say?

Thanks to this, Suhyuk could continue without any interruptions.

“It is rare, but sometimes it can happen. Usually, patients don’t hide their smoking habit… so misdiagnosis doesn’t occur like this.”

Moreover, in this case, two soldiers were affected simultaneously. As they were trainees, they had to conceal their smoking habits. The probability of encountering such a situation was akin to winning the lottery.

“Ah…”

“Now, please tell me. Did you smoke? If you don’t confess now, your colleague might die.” Suhyuk pointed his thumb over his shoulder, indicating someone behind him.

Although the patient couldn’t be seen directly, everyone understood who Suhyuk was referring to.

“Well…”

The patient, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation, began hesitating again.

Suhyuk was concerned about the potential repercussions of admitting he smoked while still a trainee.

“Look at this.”

At that moment, Professor Hong Changgi stepped forward from his slightly withdrawn position. His face displayed a kind expression.

“Well…yes.”

“It’s okay; we’re in a hospital. Anything said here won’t be shared outside. Anyway…even though your colleagues might be upset, rest assured, we won’t discuss it with the disciplinary authorities.”

“So…”

“Yes, go ahead and tell us.”

Hong Changgi wore an incredibly warm smile, which surprised Suhyuk, as rumors among residents portrayed him as rather cold-hearted.

Baruda had a similar reaction:

[Are all the doctors here actors? Why is everyone putting on such performances?]

Indeed…I thought I was quite skilled at acting, but now I see.

“Suhyuk, you need to work hard in various ways.”

As they were immersed in self-reflection, the patient opened their mouth:

“I smoked… It is my first time.”

“I am aware of it.”

The acute toxic reaction from smoking could be considered as a type of allergic reaction. This meant that symptoms would not appear for someone who regularly smoked. Both this student and the one lying over there had never smoked before.

“This sometimes happens.” Hong Changgi now looked at Lee Hyunjong, Shin Hyun-tae, and Suhyuk. Among them, he showed a slightly surprised expression towards Suhyuk. Indeed, the current situation was quite challenging for residents to diagnose.

‘I wondered why everyone praised him so much…’

Hong Changgi thought Suhyuk wasn’t showing excessive surprise. Of course, it wasn’t entirely visible on his face.

“Originally, they were treated one by one… And there hasn’t been a case where the disciplinary room noticed and brought them here with such severe symptoms.”

He didn’t expect these patients to end up in the intensive care unit. From Hong Changgi’s perspective, the intubated friend already had developed pneumonia. Regardless of whether it was due to an acute allergic reaction or not, inflammation occurred when airways narrowed.

‘This guy also needs antibiotics.’

The delayed diagnosis led to this complicated situation.

‘At least we caught it now.’

If they missed this point and proceeded only with CT scans and other tests, they might have lost at least one patient. It would be tragic for someone in their early twenties to die from misdiagnosis during the prime of life.

It was unbearable to even imagine that scenario.

“In any case, when I think about it, the symptoms and medical history align perfectly. Let’s start with low-dose steroids and observe the response.”

“Oh… So Suhyuk was correct?”

Hong Changgi tried to gloss over this fact, but Lee Hyunjong and Shin Hyun-tae, who were supporters of Lee Suhyuk, didn’t remain silent. With both senior doctors acknowledging Suhyuk’s contribution, Hong Changgi, as the most junior member, had no choice but to agree.

“Pardon me? Yes, you’re right.”

“Indeed, our Suhyuk did it again.”

“Uh…”

“Patient, your life was saved by our Suhyuk. Isn’t that great?” Among them, Lee Hyunjong, being particularly assertive, pushed Hong Changgi aside and approached the patient.

The patient quickly recognized Lee Hyunjong’s title due to its prominence on his badge.

‘Is he really the director?’

In dramas, directors usually had a commanding presence, right? Moreover, Taehwa Medical Center was widely recognized as the best hospital domestically. Although recent metrics suggested that Asan and Chilseong Hospitals were surpassing it, the general perception remained unchanged.

“Can you imagine?”

Could this be true of such a prestigious institution’s director? The patient looked at Hong Changgi with a questioning expression, seeking clarification.

What could Changgi do? Lee Hyunjong truly held the position. Despite feeling slightly embarrassed, there was no denying his exceptional skills. Among doctors around Lee Hyunjong’s age, he was the only one recognized globally for his expertise.

“W-Well, Dr. Lee… Imagine…”

“I can’t believe it! Did you diagnose him yourself? This man did it. He is just 28 years old now. Can you even fathom what he’ll achieve in ten more years?”

“Th…that’s right, I know. But currently, we have a patient here…”

“It is thanks to Suhyuk that this patient was saved. Can’t you listen to my bragging? Isn’t it so, Patient?”

The patient let out a sigh and helplessly nodded. They felt relieved knowing the name of their illness, but facing Lee Hyunjong’s manic gaze made them uncertain about what would happen if they didn’t comply with his instructions.

“You see? Now go ahead and take some medication, specifically steroids. Don’t overdo it though. Remember, these recommendations are based on…the results of my reasoning.”

Lee Hyunjong maintained control throughout, exuding authority when giving prescription orders. Hong Changgi responded with a nod, clearly thinking, “This is why he’s our esteemed senior.”

“Hyuntae, just to be safe, keep an eye on this patient. If it is an infection…you know?”

Lee Hyunjong stared at Hong Changgi before turning towards Shin Hyun-tae.

He pretends not to care but looks after everyone diligently…

Shin Hyun-tae knew Lee Hyunjong’s behavior was due to Park Ki-tae, the director of the capital city hospital. Was there any other director who cared so much for their subordinates? In a world where sociopaths often became professors…

‘Considering his gentle nature…it’s impressive he reached the position of director.’

It indicated his immense capabilities.

“Yes, sir. I planned to monitor the patient since I treated them.”

“Good attitude. Suhyuk, you also observe until the end. You learn by seeing things through completion. Interrupting midway won’t enhance your skills.”

Lee Hyunjong, who had been looking at Shin Hyun-tae with immense dignity as a director, now started to view Suhyuk with admiration.

[Honestly, it is somewhat burdensome.]

‘Does he mean something else? He isn’t married yet… It makes me slightly uneasy.’

Despite knowing there was no hidden meaning, I felt strange about his words. Of course, Suhyuk didn’t show any signs of discomfort, being adept at acting himself.

“Yes, Dr. Lee. Thank you.”

“What for? I should be thanking you. I’m grateful that you came to our hospital.”

“No… That… Dr. Lee…”

Why did he say such words with a face that seemed straight out of a melodrama? Honestly, his expression looked more like a petty thief’s.

As Suhyuk was flustered, Lee Hyunjong added one more sentence:

“If you think of going to another hospital, I will kill you.”

“What?”

“Huh? It’s a joke, just a joke. Hahaha. What is this atmosphere?”

Lee Hyunjong spoke words that didn’t sound like a joke before leaving with a laugh. Shin Hyun-tae grabbed Suhyuk’s hand as he couldn’t take his eyes off the departing director.

“Why is your hand so sweaty?”

“Huh? No… He said he would kill me…”

“Haha. Would he really kill you?” Shin Hyun-tae laughed while looking directly at Suhyuk. There was something unsettling about those eyes.

“But if you go to another hospital, I’ll kill you. Ha ha.”

As expected, chilling words emerged once again.

[Everyone seems crazy.]

‘Why are they acting…so scary?’

[When I think about it… Didn’t they seem like that? Remember the previous hospital bulletin. Crisis, Taehwa Medical Center.]

‘That… That’s true.’

Whether Chilseong Group was crazy or had seen some future, their sudden investment of over ten billion won was significant. They not only built a new outpatient department but also recruited star professors from various hospitals, quickly becoming the top competitive medical facility.

In contrast, Taehwa Hospital faced internal turmoil due to the Baruda incident, leaving them under immense pressure. If Suhyuk, who could be their next-generation star, were to join Chilseong instead? It wasn’t a joke; there was a real possibility that Lee Hyunjong, Shin Hyun-tae, or Taejin Jo might come after him personally.

“He won’t go, he won’t.”

“Are you sure? I’ll offer him the best deal possible, so don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes, of course.”

“In any case, it’s about time we see some reaction.” Despite his threats, Shin Hyun-tae looked serious as he observed the patient.

The potency of steroids against acute toxic reactions was unparalleled. However, if the diagnosis was incorrect, there were significant risks involved. Nonetheless, when used correctly, their effectiveness was remarkable.

“You removed the oxygen mask?” Shin Hyun-tae turned with disbelief written on his face.

“Uh…yes. It felt suffocating. No, not exactly…” The patient, who had been using supplemental oxygen until just now, was removing the mask themselves.

Despite this action, their oxygen saturation remained at 100%. This indicated a rapid improvement in their condition—a testament to the power of accurate diagnosis.