“Rema! What’s the possibility of converting the Geumsan Research Institute into an emergency ward?”
-Analyzing current facilities at Geumsan Research Institute······.
A 3D model of the Geumsan Research Institute appeared on the hologram screen.
-Search result: Third-floor sterile room can be converted immediately into an emergency ward.
“Then what medical equipment do we need?”
-Transmitting emergency medical equipment list······.
-Core equipment required for pediatric intensive care: 3 patient monitors, 6 IV pumps, 3 pulse oximeters, 1 emergency medical cart, 1 defibrillator.
Taeho immediately called Seong Gihwan.
“Mr. Gihwan, are you at the research institute right now?”
-Yes, Director. What’s going on?
“I’m at Chorok Kindergarten right now, and there’s been a mass food poisoning incident here.”
-What? Is our Hayul all right?
“Hayul is fine.”
-Haa, I see.
The voice that had been taut with tension settled down calmly.
“But the other children are the problem. The nearby hospitals are all out of beds. So I’m going to convert the sterile room on the third floor of the research institute into an emergency ward.”
-What? An emergency ward? Ah, understood! If it’s the sterile room, it should be more than possible. It has oxygen supply lines, and the power is stable too. As for medical equipment······.
“I just texted you the equipment list. Can you prepare these?”
-Mm······. We have two patient monitors for experiments, and the IV pumps are······ hold on.
He could hear Seong Gihwan checking inside the research institute.
-We have most of them! The only thing we’re missing is a defibrillator······.
“I’ll bring the defibrillator. Then please start right away! How long will it take?”
-We can have the basic setup ready in 30 minutes!
Taeho hung up and ran an emergency bed simulation in his head.
A new problem surfaced. There were three children in critical enough condition to require immediate admission.
And Taeho was the only doctor.
For emergency patients, especially critically ill pediatric patients, real-time integrated monitoring of vital signs was essential. In cases like food poisoning in particular, the progression of symptoms varied from patient to patient, and sudden deterioration could occur, so if one doctor was to watch multiple patients at the same time, predictive monitoring was absolutely necessary.
Only then could Taeho handle all three patients on his own.
The problem was that even in ordinary hospitals, such integrated systems were extremely expensive and complex. Unless it was a major hospital in Seoul, they were difficult to install, and even if money were no object, immediate installation was impossible.
Taeho’s face darkened.
“Rema, can we quickly install an integrated monitoring system?”
-It is difficult with current technology.
Of course······.
Just as disappointment was about to set in.
-However, access to the Project Asclepius future technology database is available.
“What? Future technology?”
Taeho doubted his ears.
-Project Asclepius possesses not only current technology, but also technologies scheduled for commercialization within the next 5 to 10 years.
-In emergency situations, limited access is permitted to Gold Level users and above.
-Would you like to access the future technology database?
“Good. Do it.”
-Viewing of advanced technology protocols permitted with Gold Level authority.
-Searching for real-time vital sign integrated predictive system······.
A new hologram appeared on the screen.
-AIMS (Advanced Integrated Monitoring System)
-AI-based integrated analysis of real-time vital signs for multiple patients.
-Scheduled commercialization: two years from the current point in time.
“This is it!”
Taeho’s eyes flashed open.
“Rema, can we install this system at the Geumsan Research Institute?”
-Installation possible, but conditional approval required.
-Usage period: limited to 72 hours.
“I accept the conditions. Install it right now!”
-Approval complete. Beginning remote installation of AIMS system.
-Estimated installation time: 20 minutes.
-Linking with Geumsan Research Institute network······.
Taeho checked the children’s conditions once more. Fortunately, most of the children were recovering thanks to his emergency treatment.
But three children showed no improvement, or were in fact gradually worsening. Eunseong was still unconscious while receiving an IV, Minseo, who had suffered diarrhea earlier, was complaining of abdominal pain even as her mother washed her in the bathroom and changed her into spare clothes. Hyeonu, whose mother had not yet arrived, was clutching his abdomen and groaning while teacher Kim Seoyeong looked after him.
“Doctor.”
A trembling voice came from behind him.
When Taeho turned around, the mothers were approaching with anxious expressions.
Eunseong’s mother, whose eyes were swollen from how much she had cried, spoke first.
“I just got a call from another parent. They said the emergency rooms at all the big hospitals nearby are full. There’s nowhere that can take the children······.”
“I checked too, and they said all the pediatric wards are at capacity. It would take at least four hours to get to Seoul, so what are we supposed to do with our Minseo?”
Minseo’s mother added in a tearful voice.
It seemed the mothers had used their own information networks to look for hospital beds.
“We really have no one but you to trust, Doctor.”
“I heard you’re incredibly skilled, Director. Please, save our Minseo.”
The two mothers knew very well now that Taeho was the only person they could cling to.
Taeho nodded.
“I will treat the children personally. However, Geumsan Clinic does not have the facilities to maintain a pediatric emergency ward right now, so we will move to the Geumsan Research Institute.”
“What? Really? If you’ll just do that for us, we······.”
“Thank you, Director. Thank you so much. Please, please look after my child.”
Eunseong’s mother gripped Taeho’s hand tightly and burst into tears.
Minseo’s mother also nodded, letting out a sigh of relief.
The two mothers, choking back tears, relayed the news to Hyeonu’s mother, who was leaving work early and rushing over.
Just then, with the sound of sirens, two ambulances arrived almost simultaneously. The paramedics quickly got out of the vehicles and began assessing the situation.
“What is the patients’ condition?”
“The other patients have improved, and these three children here are all severe cases. Please transport them to the Geumsan Research Institute.”
The paramedic tilted his head.
“A research institute? We cannot transport patients to a place that is not a medical facility.”
“I am a doctor. Under Article 33 of the Medical Service Act, treatment of emergency patients and treatment requested by guardians are possible.”
“But procedurally······.”
As the paramedic hesitated, Eunseong’s mother stepped forward and cried out.
“Please! I am entrusting my child to Director Kang Taeho here. I am making an official request!”
“Me too. Doctor, please save our children! Please move them quickly!”
Minseo’s mother also wept and pleaded for them to transport the children at once.
After exchanging looks with another colleague, the paramedic picked up his radio.
A moment later, he nodded.
“Understood. Since it’s an emergency and the doctor’s credentials have been confirmed, we will transport them.”
The paramedics swiftly began moving the children into the ambulances. Eunseong was placed in the first ambulance, and Minseo and Hyeonu in the second. Taeho got into the same vehicle as Eunseong, whose condition was more critical.
“But what about our Hayul······.”
“Don’t worry, Director. I’ll take her safely home in the kindergarten van.”
Teacher Kim Seoyeong said, holding Hayul’s hand. Taeho felt relieved when he saw Hayul bravely waving her hand, and closed the ambulance door.
Sirens rang out.
The ambulance raced toward the Geumsan Research Institute at top speed.
***
The door to the emergency beds on the third floor of the Geumsan Research Institute opened. Taeho and the paramedics, their faces tense, moved the children onto the beds. Gihwan and the researchers who had been waiting also joined forces to help.
Once the children’s places were assigned, the AIMS system immediately activated, and a holographic window appeared before Taeho’s eyes. Complex data began flowing nonstop across the window.
“So this is the AIMS system.”
-System activating······.
-User: Kang Taeho, Gold Level authentication.
-Awaiting patient registration······.
“Eunseong first!”
The moment Taeho laid Eunseong on the bed, the system reacted instantly.
-Patient registration complete: Park Eunseong (7 years old, male)
-Collecting vital signs in real time······.
On the hologram screen, the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and more began appearing vividly as three-dimensional graphs.
-Would you like to view AIMS AI analysis results?
“Good.”
-Condition: Severe hypovolemic shock from dehydration
-Risk level: High (85%)
Tension spread across Taeho’s face.
“Prepare Hartmann’s solution at 25 mL/kg IV and dopamine at 5 mcg/kg/min IV for Eunseong right now.”
“Yes.”
Nurse Park answered with a tense expression and moved her hands quickly.
Once the fluid was administered, the system monitored the treatment response in real time and displayed the treatment effect.
-Monitoring treatment response······.
-Patient condition stabilizing······.
-Chance of recovery increasing.
-Additional management suggestion: strengthen temperature management.
-Blood glucose monitoring required (possible risk of hypoglycemia)
-Priority for correcting electrolyte imbalance: sodium > potassium
Before Taeho could even catch his breath, Hyeonu and Minseo arrived.
-Patient registration complete: Kim Minseo (7 years old, female)
-Patient registration complete: Kim Hyeonu (7 years old, male)
-Multi-patient monitoring activated.
The screen displayed the vital data of all three patients simultaneously.
The moment Taeho checked the screen, his eyes flashed. He had discovered something strange in the data provided by the system.
“Wait, what is this?”
Among Hyeonu’s biometric data, his liver values were outside the normal range.
‘Abnormal liver values?’
Using the system data as reference, Taeho approached Hyeonu and began a precise examination. He took his wrist and checked his pulse; it was fast and irregular. When he lifted Hyeonu’s eyelids, his pupils were abnormally dilated.
“As expected······.”
The system’s data was correct. Taeho palpated Hyeonu’s abdomen. When he pressed over the liver area, Hyeonu twitched faintly.
“Hyeonu, can you hear me?”
Hyeonu nodded, but his response was slower than usual. Based on the hint provided by the system, Taeho performed an additional test. When he lifted Hyeonu’s hand and let it fall, his reaction speed was abnormally slow.
‘The abnormal liver values the system showed are early symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy.’
The toxins were not being properly detoxified by the liver and had begun affecting the brain.
‘Right now, Hyeonu is in more danger than Eunseong.’
Based on the accurate diagnosis from the system data, Taeho changed the treatment priority. Eunseong was in critical condition due to dehydration and circulatory problems, but he could be stabilized with proper fluid administration. Hyeonu, however, could suffer irreversible damage as toxins accumulated in his brain.
“Hyeonu first.”
Taeho swiftly began preparing detoxification treatment for Hyeonu.
***
Outside the research institute, Eunseong and Minseo’s mothers paced anxiously, staring only at the treatment room door. The two mothers who had followed the ambulances could go no closer than the door, stopping there in agony.
Eunseong’s mother opened her mouth with difficulty, her voice trembling.
“They’ll be all right, won’t they? Nothing will happen, right?”
“It’s Director Kang Taeho. All we can do is trust him and wait.”
Minseo’s mother murmured quietly as if consoling herself, pressing a trembling hand against her chest. Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from afar, and Hyeonu’s mother approached, gasping for breath.
“Hyeonu······. Our Hyeonu is all right, isn’t he? Where is he?”
“He’s being treated inside right now.”
Minseo’s mother held Hyeonu’s cold hand tightly and spoke weakly.
The three mothers stared at the firmly closed treatment room door, biting their lips with anxiety and impatience. At times, they pricked up their ears at the urgent sounds of medical devices and Taeho’s serious voice coming from inside, while searching for articles about Director Kang Taeho.
Whenever articles appeared about Kang Taeho’s innovative treatments and cases of patients who had been completely cured, their hearts settled, and they felt hope gradually filling them.
Before long, the children’s fathers, who had hurriedly left work early, also began arriving one by one.
Hyeonu’s mother spoke.
“What on earth is happening in there?”
“The Director is surely doing his very best.”
Eunseong’s mother said quietly in an anxious voice, as if comforting herself.
All three families prayed desperately in their own ways.
That their children, the most precious beings in the world to them, would return safely, smiling once more.