They had clearly remembered what each of them had seen on the snowy mountain and, clumsy as it might be, prepared in their own way.
“Excellent.”
“As much as you need.”
“Of course. Preparation first.”
Since the environment was more stable than the snowy mountain, Taesu made his decision decisively and moved.
What was needed now was to administer the bare minimum of emergency treatment before they arrived.
Taesu solemnly washed his hands and even put on surgical gloves.
Then, with a sharp gaze, he declared,
“We’re beginning an emergency thoracotomy.”
Srrk.
As the scalpel opened the chest, proper emergency treatment began.
They had the minimum medical equipment in place.
As if he had found his own world, Taesu gave orders to Squad Leader Sam and Corporal Ryan.
“Both of you, put on surgical gloves. Sam, use something broad and pull here.”
“Sir.”
“Ryan, prepare as much antiseptic, liquid hemostatic agent, gauze, and saline as you can.”
“Underst— There’s no liquid hemostatic agent. We only have powdered hemostatic.”
Corporal Ryan spoke with a stiff expression.
But Taesu paid it no mind and changed the order.
“Then prepare the powdered hemostatic. And this.”
“Isn’t this the response bag?”
“There’s an ampoule pouch inside. Please disinfect that thoroughly with antiseptic first.”
“Sir.”
Corporal Ryan’s hands moved like lightning.
The thought that he owed Taesu his life had rooted itself deeply in him. That thought erased every bit of hesitation and reluctance from him.
Squad Leader Sam, too, did his utmost to help with the matter of Corporal Ryan, whom he cherished like a brother.
Thanks to that, Taesu was able to continue the emergency surgery smoothly.
Of course, that was how it looked on the outside.
‘Ugh, hss.’
He struggled not to show the aftereffects that made him throb all over.
Surgery was directly tied to morale.
If the surgeon performing it lost energy, the surgery itself would sag.
This was a crucial moment.
He absolutely could not allow even the slightest opening for that.
And so Taesu’s expression was solemn, and his hands were firm.
Right beside him, emergency surgery was underway with Jeong Minsu and Kim Hyeokgwon at the center.
With the patient lying on his side, they were dealing with the splenic hemorrhage first.
Jeong Minsu seemed to be thinking the same thing as Taesu, because the moment he began, he pushed forward fiercely.
“Pulling out the gauze. Out, out.”
Thwack. Thwack.
Jeong Minsu pulled out the blood-soaked gauze and dropped it straight onto the helicopter floor.
He had his back to Taesu.
Even as each procedure continued, he did not forget to make sure surgical instruments and medical supplies did not cross that line.
It was then.
Thud.
Taesu’s arm touched Jeong Minsu’s body.
At that instant, Jeong Minsu’s hands stopped.
“……”
His expression did not change in the slightest.
It looked as if he had stopped so the surgical instrument would not slip.
But the truth was very different.
“Uuuugh.”
He was enduring the prickling, electrifying sensation.
Jeong Minsu, too, knew full well that in the progress of surgery, the operating surgeon had to hold the center.
Kim Hyeokgwon was assisting Jeong Minsu.
“……”
Sssk, scrape.
His hands were as cold and efficient as usual. It was as if he had shaken off every dizzying moment.
But that was not the case.
He was suppressing and hiding his own turmoil.
‘We’re busy enough to die. What’s there to think about?’
All his nerves were focused on the emergency state of the patient before his eyes.
As his time with Taesu and Jeong Minsu had grown longer, he could not help but be influenced by them.
That positive influence was turning him into a pseudo(?) medical professional.
While Kim Hyeokgwon was concentrating on assisting, there was a Middle Eastern man in his mid-twenties at the patient’s head, holding an Ambu bag.
He was the patients’ guide.
Push, push.
Unlike the motion of pressing the Ambu bag, his eyes were squeezed tightly shut. Once the surgery began right before him, he was avoiding the dizzying sight.
He was so frightened that his lips trembled as he muttered in the local language.
“Ugh, I’m a guide. I’m not one of them.”
“That’s how it starts for everyone.”
“What?”
At the reply in the same language, the guide’s eyes flew open.
Kim Hyeokgwon felt his gaze, but continued assisting the surgery as he answered.
“When we arrive, run no matter what. If you linger around for no reason, you could end up like me.”
“What are you……”
“There’s such a thing. More importantly, close your eyes. If you get used to watching surgery, life gets exhausting.”
“Hup.”
The guide happened to see the surgical scene and, startled, hurriedly closed his eyes.
Kim Hyeokgwon gave a bitter smile and continued assisting.
Two or so hours later.
With the sunset as its backdrop, the helicopter settled onto the helipad at the NGO headquarters.
Sssrk.
When the rear door opened, the medical staff waiting outside saw the interior and were startled out of their wits.
They had been wiped out.
Literally everyone had collapsed and lay unmoving.
Not only that, but the entire helicopter floor was soaked with blood.
At the front, Dr. Ozma shouted with eyes wide as saucers.
“What on earth happened here?”
“Don’t tell me they were all injured and bled out……”
“Shut that nonsense.”
The moment Dr. Ozma shouted fiercely, Brad Kim, who had been standing nearby and quickly scanning the interior, spotted something and immediately gestured as he shouted.
“Dr. Ozma, the ECG.”
“Why would that…… Mm.”
Dr. Ozma, who checked reflexively, froze.
In the meantime, perhaps because the helicopter engine had been shut off, the sound of the ECG grew clearer and clearer.
Beep-beep, beep.
The signal changed intermittently.
That meant the numbers and graph were unstable.
But even without analyzing it, one thing was certain.
“He’s alive.”
Dr. Ozma said it himself.
What he meant was not that the patient was completely out of danger. It meant he had escaped the immediate crisis where his life was at risk.
The patient beside him was undoubtedly in the same condition.
As everyone was looking on, it happened.
Sssrk.
Someone who had collapsed struggled to raise himself.
It was Taesu, his face a complete mess. Barely managing to sit up, Taesu spoke with hollow eyes and dry, cracked lips.
“Patient One has a ruptured diaphragm……”
After all that, what he said was a briefing on the patient.
Beside him, Jeong Minsu groggily sat up. And when Taesu’s words ended, he continued the report in a parched voice.
“Patient Two has a ruptured spleen and……”
His face was haggard, as if he had not even been given gruel to eat.
Even so, the way he explained the patient’s condition to the end was exactly like Taesu.
After the two men’s briefing ended,
Srrk.
One more person slowly raised himself.
It was Kim Hyeokgwon.
With utterly unfocused eyes, he said one thing to Dr. Ozma.
“Dr. Ozma. Please take these troublesome cases away. I’m begging you.”
Only after hearing that did Dr. Ozma shake himself free from his shock.
“E-everyone, the patients first, hurry.”
“Who are the patients?”
“The ones in hiking clothes. Probably.”
“Right. Probably…… Hurry.”
Rumble.
The doctors and nurses quickly poured into the helicopter.
Including the two patients and the unconscious guide, preparations began to move all three of them with the help of the medical staff.
It was then.
Tap, tap.
Taesu looked with hollow eyes at the hand tugging at him.
When he confirmed it was Brad Kim, Taesu gave a weak smile and said,
“Brad, it’s me.”
“Good grief. I thought you were a patient.”
“Heh. Hehe.”
“You look terrible. What do you think? Can you move?”
At Brad Kim’s question, Taesu slowly nodded.
“Of course. Hurry and operate first. They’re still in danger.”
“The pilot said it was no joke. Looks like that was true.”
“You must make sure the surgery succeeds.”
“Doctor-level surgeons are already on standby. I guess going through hardship together made you attached to them?”
Brad Kim guessed, but Taesu shook his head.
“No.”
“Then?”
“I’m going to kill them. So please save them. So I can kill them with my own hands.”
Grit.
Taesu ground his teeth despite having no strength.
It was the first time Brad Kim had seen Taesu like that, so he looked a little surprised.
“It must have been something else. Then you should’ve just killed them on the way here.”
“They should at least know why they’re dying before they die.”
“You’ve gotten awfully extreme. What on earth happened all this time?”
“Later. Hurry, the patients first.”
Swish, swish.
Taesu only flicked his wrists as he pushed him away.
Only then did Brad Kim stop delaying and move.
Soon, the patients were carried away by the medical staff.
And only those who had been dispatched remained sprawled inside the helicopter.
Having recovered a little, Taesu asked aloud,
“Everyone alive?”
Sunken replies came from here and there.
“Probably.”
“More or less.”
“Siiir……”
Only after hearing the soldiers’ replies did Taesu struggle to raise himself.
“Let’s get out of here quickly. The smell of blood is even giving me a headache. Ugh…… Ugh.”
Thump.
Taesu tried to put strength into his legs, but in the end, he fell flat on his backside.
At that moment, a broad hand reached toward Taesu.
“Dr. Choi.”
When he looked up, Squad Leader Sam was smiling faintly.
Taesu held that hand and stood.
Thud.
Squad Leader Sam subtly supported him and guided him outside.
Jeong Minsu and Kim Hyeokgwon followed behind with the soldiers.
They were people who had overcome a crisis together.
Comrades-in-arms?
It might be too early to use such an expression, but the bond between them was certainly extraordinary.
Soon, everyone came out of the helicopter.
“Mm, haa.”
They filled their lungs with clear air, again and again.
Only then did a little strength return.
Taesu’s eyes cleared slightly, and as if he had suddenly thought of something, he looked at Squad Leader Sam.
“Sam, I’ve been wondering since earlier.”
“What is it?”
“Are you Army? Air Force?”
“A special unit.”
Taesu immediately understood what that meant and smiled.
“No wonder you handled special situations so smoothly.”
“The emergency surgery was the hardest part for me. Everything swam before my eyes, and the smell of blood made my head pound.”
“You’ll be fine once you get used to it.”
“Oh, no.”
Squad Leader Sam was startled and even waved his hands in refusal.
Taesu smiled softly at his reassuring figure.
A short while later.
Once they had regained some strength, the soldiers moved first.
Through them, Taesu sent his regards to Colonel Clark.
“Please tell him I’ll come see him soon.”
“He’ll be waiting. Then.”
Step. Step.
Perhaps because there were eyes around them, though there were only three of them, they moved according to military form.
That disciplined sight was pleasing to see.
Just then, someone approached Taesu’s side.
It was Pilot Austin.
Because he wore a military cap and his face was hidden by sunglasses, Taesu could not see his features clearly.
Nor did he have any burning desire to see them.
Having approached in the meantime, Pilot Austin abruptly held out his hand.
“We should at least say goodbye before parting, shouldn’t we?”
“You said you never wanted to see me again, so I should hurry and offer my farewell.”
Grip.
Taesu spoke with cheek and clasped his hand.
But Pilot Austin turned things around in a low voice.
“If another opportunity arises…… I believe then we’ll be able to exchange opinions more smoothly.”
“Are you saying you’re giving me an opportunity?”
“I rather think I may be the one receiving one.”
Pilot Austin replied with a light smile.