Taeho checked his lungs with Bio Vision. Fluid was collecting again in the lower lobe of the left lung.
At first it was only a faint gray shadow, but it was gradually darkening and spreading. Like ink dispersing in water, exudate was seeping between the alveoli. The right lung was relatively clear, but the lower third of the left was being obscured by a murky, watery hue.
More serious was the area around the airway. As the bronchial walls began to swell, the air passage was narrowing. Through Bio Vision, he could see streaks of light when the boy breathed, and the one on the left was thin and irregular.
“SpO2 is down to 88!”
The paramedic spoke urgently.
Taeho’s prediction had been right. The condition of the lungs he saw through Bio Vision matched the oxygen saturation level exactly.
‘Ventilation in the lower lobe of the left lung has dropped by about 30 percent. At this rate, there won’t be enough oxygen reaching the brain.’
Taeho made a quick judgment.
“Dr. Jo, please tilt the child slightly to the left. Exudate is pooling in his left lung.”
Jo Hyeongjun looked puzzled. He wondered how Taeho could know that without even using a stethoscope, but he changed the child’s position as Taeho instructed.
As soon as the posture changed, a change occurred on the Bio Vision display. The pooled gray fluid shifted downward under gravity, and the relatively healthy alveoli began to come into contact with air again.
At the same time, the streaks of light from his breathing brightened little by little. Gas exchange was becoming active again in the middle section of the left lung.
Jo Hyeongjun was amazed.
“That’s incredible. His SpO2 rose to 92. How did you know?”
“Experience.”
On the Bio Vision display, the color of the lung was gradually clearing. The exudate was still there, but at least it had moved to a position where it would not interfere with breathing.
At that moment, the child’s body began to convulse violently, as if he had been electrocuted.
“Generalized seizure!”
Taeho quickly supported the child’s head so his neck would not snap back. The child’s eyes rolled upward until only the whites showed. Foamy saliva trickled from his mouth.
Taeho took gauze from the emergency kit and gently placed it between the child’s molars. It was to prevent him from biting and injuring his tongue.
The child’s body arched like a bow, then went limp again, over and over. His fingers curled like hooks, and his legs stretched stiffly as they trembled.
“One minute, two minutes…”
Jo Hyeongjun was timing it.
When Taeho looked with Bio Vision, a red electrical storm was raging throughout the brain. As intracranial pressure rose sharply, nerve cells were firing at random. The compression of the cerebral blood vessels was making oxygen supply even more difficult.
“His intracranial pressure is rising rapidly. He needs hyperventilation. Ventilate at twenty breaths per minute.”
Jo Hyeongjun began ventilation with a BVM.
But the ambulance was shaking badly, making accurate ventilation difficult.
“I’ll support you.”
Taeho lightly supported Jo Hyeongjun’s arm. Thanks to his support, Jo Hyeongjun’s hand steadied.
The seizure continued for about two minutes before gradually stopping. The child’s breathing stabilized again.
“That was a dangerous crisis.”
“Jintae, it’s all right. We’re almost at the hospital. Hang in there just a little longer.”
Taeho spoke while holding the child’s hand.
Even though he was unconscious, the child’s pulse seemed to stabilize a little.
Had Taeho’s warm voice reached him?
“Blood pressure has recovered to 100 over 60!”
Jo Hyeongjun looked at Taeho.
Kang Taeho’s concentration did not waver at all, even inside the shaking ambulance. Rather, he was displaying creativity in providing the best possible treatment with limited equipment.
A new realization came to him.
‘So this is what a real doctor is like.’
“Thirty more minutes to the hospital!”
The paramedic in the driver’s seat announced.
“Let’s keep monitoring him on the way.”
At Taeho’s words, Jo Hyeongjun nodded.
Inside the ambulance, the two doctors’ perfect teamwork continued.
“We’ve arrived at Buyeong University Hospital!”
When the ambulance stopped at the entrance to the emergency room, the medical staff who had been contacted in advance were waiting. An emergency medicine resident and two nurses ran over.
“What’s the patient’s condition?”
The emergency medicine resident asked.
Taeho reported concisely and accurately.
“Thirteen-year-old male drowning patient. Return of spontaneous circulation after eighteen minutes of CPR. During transport, he had a generalized seizure for two minutes due to suspected increased intracranial pressure, but he is currently stable. Blood pressure 100 over 60, pulse 85, breathing assisted.”
“Understood.”
As the stretcher was wheeled into the emergency room, Taeho and Jo Hyeongjun followed in as well.
As soon as Gu Jintae was moved onto the emergency room bed, the medical staff began moving busily. ECG, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure monitors were connected one after another.
“We suspect increased intracranial pressure, so we’ll take a CT first.”
“Yes, we’ll prepare it!”
A neurosurgery resident turned to Taeho and asked.
“Have the guardians been contacted?”
“Yes, his parents are on their way. It should take about thirty minutes. Please take good care of him.”
“Understood.”
The neurosurgery resident hurried away, leaving Taeho and Jo Hyeongjun standing alone in the emergency room.
Both of them were exhausted from maintaining tension the entire time.
“Dr. Jo, shall we catch our breath for a moment?”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
The cafeteria on the first floor of the hospital was quiet.
Jo Hyeongjun looked at Taeho’s profile as he calmly drank his coffee.
Accurate judgment, hands that moved before words, and the will to never give up until the end. His respect had now solidified into certainty.
Jo Hyeongjun’s eyes shone.
‘If I’m with this man, the future will be different.’
“Director Kang Taeho.”
“Yes?”
“I want to share the future with you… Ah, I mean, that future, what I’m trying to say is…”
Taeho smiled gently.
“That’s a good decision. Samcheok is a place with great potential not only in medicine, but in other fields as well. It will develop tremendously in the future.”
“Other fields?”
“There’s a research institute where I serve as director. We’re working on a project there to develop immune substances from seaweed.”
Jo Hyeongjun’s eyes sparkled.
“Seaweed immune substances? That sounds interesting.”
“Yes. Components extracted from miyeok and kelp are showing considerable immune-enhancing effects. If medicine and research develop together, this region will become a truly special place.”
“I feel like I’ll be able to learn so much if I’m with you, Director.”
“Let’s learn from each other as we go. You worked very hard today, Dr. Jo.”
“Not at all. It was exhausting, but it was a worthwhile day.”
The certainty in Jo Hyeongjun’s heart grew even firmer.
***
At 4:30 in the morning, the sound of engines from fishing boats heading out to the early sea echoed through Samcheok Port.
At the end of the breakwater, the Merry was moored.
“Director, this way.”
Gihwan, wearing a waterproof jumper and rubber boots, took the lead.
Taeho asked.
“Have you been coming out personally every time until now, Mr. Gihwan?”
“Well, the quality of the raw materials determines the research results, doesn’t it? Especially for developing immune substances, the uniformity of the components in the seaweed is important. So I had to check for myself.”
Gihwan’s face reddened in embarrassment.
Just then, Kim Daesu came out of the Merry’s wheelhouse.
He was in his mid-fifties with a sturdy build, and his sunburned face bore the weathering of thirty years as a diver.
“Mr. Kim, how’s the sea today?”
“Not bad. Waves are about one point five meters, and the current’s about moderate.”
Kim Daesu began his briefing.
“There’s a high-quality kelp colony at a depth of twenty-five meters. That’s our target point.”
He unfolded a nautical chart and pointed to the location with his finger.
“The current’s a bit strong, so we’ve got to be real careful. Especially since it’s that fellow’s first time today. I’ll go down first, check the situation, and if it’s safe, we’ll work together.”
“Brother Daesu, don’t worry.”
Heo Minho, a young diver in his late twenties, answered.
Taeho looked around at the diving equipment and asked.
“The safety devices are sufficient, right?”
“Well now, I haven’t had a single accident in thirty years.”
Kim Daesu spoke confidently.
The boat arrived at the work site. White foam rippled across the blue sea. The current looked stronger than expected.
As Kim Daesu checked the diving gear, he spoke to Heo Minho.
“Hey, the current’s a bit strong today, so don’t leave the twenty-five-meter line. Especially if you head east, there’s a rapid current.”
“Ah, hyung, you’ve said it so much my ears are getting calluses. Don’t worry.”
Kim Daesu continued as he checked the weather.
“And when your remaining air hits fifty bar, come right up. Don’t be stubborn for no reason.”
“Hyung, I dove to thirty meters more than two hundred times at the polytechnic. With fifty bar, I can stay down another ten minutes.”
Kim Daesu stopped for a moment and looked at Heo Minho.
“You damn fool! A school pool and the sea are different!”
“Of course they’re different. But the basics are the same. I learned all the pressure calculations, and I’ve memorized the decompression stop timetable too.”
“Why, I oughta just—!”
When the atmosphere seemed to grow rough, Gihwan stepped in from the side.
“You’re both professionals, so as long as you work safely, that’s all that matters.”
Kim Daesu checked Heo Minho’s equipment once more.
“Test the BCD inflator!”
“This is already the third time.”
Grumbling, Heo Minho inflated and deflated the BCD.
“Are your mask and fins fitted properly?”
“Of course I checked. Hyung, I think you worry too much.”
“Hah! You little— Do you know why I haven’t had a single accident in thirty years at sea?”
“Yes, I know, I know. Because you’re thorough with preparations. But honestly, even the instructors at the polytechnic weren’t this picky.”
Kim Daesu pretended not to hear and checked the rope.
“For signals, one pull means ‘I’m all right,’ two means ‘I’m coming up,’ and three means ‘danger.’ Make sure that’s clear.”
“Yes, yes, I know all the basics.”
Heo Minho smiled and gestured as if there was no stopping him.
Kim Daesu’s expression hardened as he gave one final warning.
“The sea is never the same from one day to the next. A place that was fine yesterday can be dangerous today, and it can change between ten minutes ago and now. You’ve always got to stay humble.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful.”
Heo Minho nodded and answered, but his mind was already in the sea.
Kim Daesu put on his wetsuit and checked his equipment. Oxygen tank, depth gauge, underwater communicator—everything was perfect.
“Going in for the first dive! I’ll come up in twenty-five minutes. If there’s any problem, I’ll send a rope signal.”
Splash!
Kim Daesu disappeared into the sea. Only bubbles rippled on the surface.
Heo Minho looked into the water, licking his lips. Back in school, he had always ranked first in diving. He was more confident than anyone, and it was deeply unpleasant to be treated like a child just because he had come out to sea.
Twenty minutes later, Kim Daesu surfaced. In his hand, he held a large clump of kelp.
Gihwan asked.
“How is it?”
“It’s killer!”
Kim Daesu raised his thumb.
“The leaves are thick and the color is vivid. It’s absolutely top-notch for research!”
“Wow, it really is good. With quality like this, we should be able to meet the research institute’s target.”
A satisfied smile spread across Gihwan’s face.
When Kim Daesu finished his first dive and came up, Heo Minho approached.
“Hyung, the sea is good today. Visibility’s good, and the water temperature is fine too.”
As he sorted the kelp he had hauled up, Kim Daesu said,
“That may be so, but don’t let your guard down.”
“I’ll go down now too. I saw the current pattern, and I’ve got the terrain figured out.”
“Go down with me.”
“Yes! I’ll get ready.”
Eagerness flashed in Heo Minho’s eyes. He was itching to show his skill in front of the director and deputy director of the Geumsan Research Institute.
Gihwan, too, was excited with anticipation for the research institute’s business.
“If the marine bio business goes well, it’ll help the local economy too.”
“That’s right. Fishermen will gain a new source of income, and the research institute can secure high-quality raw materials. It will be killing two birds with one stone.”
While the two spoke, Heo Minho finished preparing for the dive.
“Hyung, I’m ready!”
“Good. Then let’s go down together. Just watch the direction of the current. Follow me carefully.”
The two divers disappeared beneath the sea.
Twenty-five meters below the surface.
Kim Daesu and Heo Minho were swimming among the kelp colony. Underwater visibility was clearer than expected, and large, healthy kelp plants danced in the current.
Kim Daesu spoke through the underwater communicator.
“Minho, let’s work here. Don’t go toward the stronger current.”
“Yes, hyung!”
But in Heo Minho’s eyes, he could see even larger kelp. They were on the side with the stronger current, a little deeper down.
‘Those look much better…’
Heo Minho gradually swam in that direction. Thirty meters, thirty-two meters—before he knew it, he had descended to thirty-five meters.
Kim Daesu’s urgent voice came through the underwater communicator.
“Minho! You’ve gone too deep! Come up right now!”
That was when it happened. A strong current began to sweep Heo Minho away.
It was far stronger than expected. As he struggled to resist it, he checked his air gauge.
Thirty bar remaining.
It was a dangerous level.
‘I’m running out of air!’
Panic began.
Kim Daesu tried to approach him, but it was not easy because of the current.
Heo Minho was frightened and began a rapid ascent.
Decompression stops vanished from his mind.
All he could think was that he had to survive.
From thirty-five meters to the surface, he shot up in one go.
In just seven minutes.
“Huh? Someone’s coming up over there!”
Heo Minho floated up onto the water, unconscious.