Taeho returned home and finished showering.
His entire body ached as if he had been beaten all over, and he was exhausted, but perhaps because he was too excited, sleep did not come easily.
Taeho put on his glasses and called Rema.
“Rema, you said something happened earlier because I reached Bronze rank?”
There had been too many people around, so he hadn’t been able to properly read what Rema had shown him.
-Intuition has improved by +10%.
“What exactly gets better, and by how much, if my intuition improves by 10%?”
-That varies from person to person in terms of how it is perceived, so as an AI, it is difficult for me to explain in concrete terms.
-In addition, Kang Taeho, you currently possess medical capabilities at the level of a specialist in the fields of dermatology and surgery.
“That’s a Bronze-rank benefit too?”
-That is correct. At Bronze rank, specialist-level medical capabilities are guaranteed in two fields of specialization.
Specialist-level surgery, huh…
There was no law saying that a general practitioner could not perform highly difficult surgeries. Legally, that meant a general practitioner could perform the same surgeries as a specialist.
However, in the case of large hospitals, they imposed their own restrictions on surgical qualifications. For some highly difficult surgeries, there was a high chance insurance reimbursements would be reduced, and above all, it was because legal responsibility could be assigned in the event of medical malpractice.
What if I perform those surgeries at my own hospital?
If the patient consents, there’s no problem. Insurance reimbursement is ultimately a matter of money.
Taeho realized that he had seen far more patients than he had while working as a resident at Seyoung Seoul Hospital.
Among the patients who had flocked in, dermatology cases had been overwhelmingly numerous, so it made sense that he had reached the level of a dermatology specialist.
And Department Head Gwak Byeongdae’s laparoscopic surgery, as well as the emergency treatment of the victims buried in the landslide this time, had been highly difficult surgical procedures.
In the end, it meant that, with Rema’s help, he was completing on his own the training he was supposed to receive under professors at a university hospital.
Of course, it was not an official specialist qualification.
But he wasn’t trying to get a job at another hospital, and if he was treating patients at his own hospital, wasn’t a specialist license just about as useful as a trophy hanging on the wall?
What mattered was skill.
Wait… Then does that mean that if I gain enough experience, I can master all twenty-six fields of clinical medicine?
A path he had never once considered made Taeho’s heart race.
-Would you like to set the next goal, Silver rank, as is?
“Good. But what improves when I reach Silver rank?”
-At Silver rank, not only can abilities such as mental strength, stamina, and intuition improve further, but you will also be able to possess specialist-level capabilities in three additional medical fields.
“What are those three?”
-The selection of medical fields depends on what kind of medical experience you have, Kang Taeho.
“So that’s how it is. If I start seeing a lot of child patients from now on, I’ll gain the abilities of a pediatric specialist.”
-That is correct.
In the end, that meant what mattered was what kinds of patients he would meet often going forward.
-Count in progress: D-899
“You’re still not going to tell me what that count number means, are you?”
-Detailed information on this item is currently inaccessible.
“Got it.”
As if there was no need to hear any more, Taeho took off his glasses, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes.
***
Around the time Taeho finished his morning consultations, a lawyer came to Geumsan Clinic.
‘I’m sure they said her nickname was Tosa Dog?’
CEO Kim Seonwoo had introduced her, saying she was known in the industry as the famous “Tosa Dog.”
They said that once she bit down, she never let go, to the point that if the opposing side met this Tosa Dog lawyer in court, they would sigh before anything else.
But the lawyer he actually met seemed to be in her mid-fifties, and except for the fact that she wore a suit, she looked like an ordinary middle-aged woman one could see anywhere.
“Attorney, welcome.”
“Hello. I’m Attorney Cha Sujin.”
Cha Sujin held out her business card. Her eyelid twitched slightly as she blinked.
Taeho led her to his office.
“Please have a seat over here. You must have had a hard time coming all this way.”
“It really is far out here. Hohoho.”
Feeling apologetic, Taeho poured her a cold drink and placed it in front of her.
Cha Sujin took a tablet out of her briefcase and smiled to herself.
“Is something the matter…?”
When Taeho looked puzzled, Cha Sujin spoke.
“Director. I’ll be honest with you about how I feel. When CEO Kim Seonwoo first asked me to take this case, I hesitated a little. For someone like me, it’s much more advantageous to take another case in the time it takes to come all the way here and go back. But because of my relationship with CEO Kim Seonwoo, I couldn’t refuse right away.”
“I was a little surprised myself when I heard you would come all the way here, Attorney. And grateful.”
“But after I saw the news about the landslide rescue, I changed my mind.”
“In what way?”
Cha Sujin rolled her eyes roundly as she said,
“I’ve fought in court for more than twenty-five years. There are times when I feel skeptical. When I meet all sorts of clients, I often feel mentally drained.”
A job dealing with people was the same whether one was a doctor or a lawyer.
Taeho agreed with that. Sometimes people gave you strength, but sometimes people wore you down.
Cha Sujin’s eyelid trembled, and she spoke in a voice filled with emotion.
“But when I saw what you did at the landslide site, Director… Ah, how should I put it? It felt as if my old passion had been revived. The kind of passion that lets you risk even your life for your work. I heard you saved the lives of all eight people?”
Taeho smiled as he said,
“Attorney, I’m not a perfect person either. What happened this time was only possible because many people around me helped.”
“But I think you would have done the same even if you had been alone. No matter how hard it gets, you don’t give up, do you?”
Taeho acknowledged those words.
“I’ve never given up until now.”
“I think that’s what matters most. Not giving up until the very end.”
Attorney Cha Sujin felt a sense of trust toward Taeho, the kind one feels when meeting someone of the same breed. There was a certain feeling that only those who dug to the end in their own field possessed.
“And that’s not all. On my way here, I deliberately asked the villagers for directions several times. Because the feelings they have toward you, Director, show through subtly. And when I entered this clinic, I felt something similar from the expressions of the patients sitting here.”
“What did you feel?”
“Affection and respect.”
Cha Sujin answered clearly, without hesitation.
“I could feel how much the villagers cherish and look up to Director Kang Taeho.”
“Thank you for thinking so.”
“I’m someone who can never say those kinds of compliments just because I’m asked to. I’m telling you honestly because that’s what I felt.”
Cha Sujin seemed to have taken quite a liking to Taeho even before beginning the work.
“Shall we start talking about the case, then?”
Taeho explained the case step by step. Cha Sujin listened attentively, blinking rapidly.
Taeho placed the records he had prepared on the table.
“So far, there are seventeen heavy metal poisoning patients treated at our clinic. All of them are residents of Geumsan-ri and nearby villages.”
Attorney Cha Sujin carefully examined the documents and took notes.
“All of the patients have blood heavy metal concentrations far exceeding the standard values, and with soil contamination at this level as well, there are sufficient grounds for a class action.”
Cha Sujin took off her glasses and said,
“Then now we need to identify the defendants. The primary defendant will be Eco Resource Center, and the secondary defendant will be Samcheok City.”
“Can Samcheok City also be included as a defendant?”
“Of course. If the local government neglected its duty to manage and supervise the environment, it can absolutely be held responsible.”
Cha Sujin paused for a moment and looked at Taeho.
“To be honest, lawsuits like this take a long time. The humidifier disinfectant case went on for more than ten years. Will you still do it?”
Taeho answered without hesitation.
“All the patients I found require long-term treatment. But most of them are not in a position to afford it. And as time passes, I think more patients will appear. I want all of them to be able to receive treatment without worrying about money.”
Cha Sujin was convinced that she had not misjudged him after all. This young doctor was taking the lead in something he could have pretended not to notice and simply passed over.
All because he wanted his patients to receive proper treatment!
Cha Sujin began writing on a new sheet of paper.
“Then let’s organize the claims.”
“How much would the total compensation be?”
“Based on the seventeen patients currently confirmed, I expect a minimum of two billion won and a maximum of about five billion won.”
Taeho looked surprised.
“If it’s that large a scale…”
“Yes, it isn’t a small scale. But in environmental pollution cases, as long as causality is proven to a reasonable degree, the courts have recently tended to recognize damages actively. In particular, the medical records you wrote, Director, are likely to become decisive evidence.”
Cha Sujin looked at Taeho seriously.
“One more thing I want to tell you is that once this lawsuit begins, you may come under considerable pressure as well, Director. The offending company or related institutions may try to interfere in various ways.”
“I’m prepared for that.”
“Then we’ll first apply for collective dispute mediation. It’s faster than a lawsuit and costs less. If mediation fails, then we’ll proceed with a full-fledged class action.”
Cha Sujin spoke briskly.
“Director, you are the key witness in this lawsuit. The patients must become the plaintiffs themselves, and you need only provide the medical records.”
“What about the litigation costs? Most of them aren’t well-off…”
“The patients will bear them, but most should be able to receive support from the Korea Legal Aid Corporation. Besides, I work on a contingency fee basis, so there won’t be major costs right away.”
Taeho nodded.
“Good.”
“Then within a week, let’s start organizing the victims. We’ll need to get consent from all seventeen patients.”
Cha Sujin glanced at her watch and spoke with satisfaction. Perhaps because of the way she blinked, Cha Sujin’s smile felt rather fierce.
“Now, don’t worry about anything. Fighting is my job. You just need to trust me and watch.”
Taeho nodded.
“But… it seems like your eye keeps twitching. If it’s uncomfortable, would you like me to take a look?”
“Ah, it’s essential blepharospasm. I manage it with Botox, but the cycle has been getting a bit shorter. I’m scheduled to get it this Friday.”
“The cycle is getting shorter?”
“At first, once I got an injection, I was fine for six months, but now it only lasts three months.”
“Have you had sufficient tests done?”
“Of course. I’ve had everything from blood tests to an MRI. Then I’ll contact you again about how things are progressing.”
Cha Sujin said this as she organized her bag.
“Wait a moment, Attorney.”
Taeho was sensing something he had not felt before.
From the moment he first saw Attorney Cha Sujin until now, the twitching of that eyelid had bothered him greatly.
Cha Sujin said that based on her test results, it was essential blepharospasm, but Taeho had a feeling that it was not.
‘Is this the result of my intuition improving by 10%? I should talk to her a little more.’
Taeho relaxed his expression as if making a joke and said,
“I heard you have a nickname, Attorney.”
“Ah, Tosa Dog?”
Cha Sujin laughed cheerfully.
“Haha, I do have that nickname. Even if I look this warm and easygoing, in court, I’m the type to bite down and not let go.”
Cha Sujin blinked her eyelids several times and said,
“But these days, because of this eye, it’s hard to concentrate in court. I worry the opposing lawyers will think I’m winking at them. Hohoho.”
She said it like a joke, but there was something behind it.
Taeho smiled, then soon asked with a serious expression,
“Have you perhaps felt your concentration declining recently as well?”
“I have, but well, that can happen when you’re tired.”
“When did you say the symptoms started?”
“Two years ago.”
“Was there anything special that happened right before the symptoms first began? For example, an overseas trip?”
Cha Sujin thought carefully, then answered.
“That’s right. I went on an overseas trip with my family. Not long after I came back, the symptoms first started. So at first, I thought it was just travel fatigue building up and left it alone.”
“Was that overseas trip perhaps to Southeast Asia?”
“What? How did you…”
Cha Sujin was so startled she nearly jumped.