“That is possible.”
“It’s possible?”
“Yes. It will take some time, but it isn’t impossible.”
“You’re saying Korean medicine has something like that?”
Taesu could not easily trust it.
In truth, everyone felt the same.
Namgung Hyeoncheol added an answer.
“It isn’t purely Korean medicine. I heard my great-grandfather incorporated Chinese medicine into Korean medicine.”
“Even if Chinese medicine has something like that, isn’t it still amazing?”
“It would be stranger to be amazed. Western medicine only entered the East in modern times.”
He was right about that.
In the East, treatment had been based on acupuncture for countless ages.
At present, it was leaning toward and developing around Western medicine, with its convenience and intuitive clarity.
Noticing that, Taesu formed one hypothesis.
‘What if the know-how passed down from the past had continued intact?’
There had to be a field of surgery in Korean medicine and Chinese medicine as well.
What would happen if that were combined with Western medicine?
It was not an absurd thought.
Korean medicine and Chinese medicine found illness through the method of pulse diagnosis.
In field medicine, that might even be more effective.
It seemed Taesu was not the only one thinking along those lines.
Everyone’s eyes were shining as they imagined new possibilities.
It was then.
Clap.
Namgung Hyeoncheol lightly clapped his hands and said,
“If you’re all tired, we should start getting up.”
“That’s not—”
Just as Jeong Minsu was about to protest.
Swoosh.
Taesu lightly stopped him and spoke first.
“Let’s do that. Everyone’s tired, and we’ve been sitting too long.”
“Then rest well, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Namgung Hyeoncheol naturally got up and moved.
Soon, Namgung Hyeoncheol stepped out beyond the main gate.
Only then did Jeong Minsu look at Taesu in puzzlement.
“We should have grabbed him right away. Why did you stop me?”
“It’s not something that’ll work out just because we’re the only ones impatient.”
“Then?”
When Jeong Minsu looked confused, Kim Hyeokgwon answered.
“Only if that side clings to us can balance be established.”
“If we grab onto his pant legs, we might end up having to live serving him like some lord.”
Bred Kim added.
Only then did Jeong Minsu lower the corners of his eyes, which had been sharply raised.
“That would be a bit troublesome.”
“For now, we’ve thrown the words out there, so let’s watch a little.”
“And what if he says, ‘I like freedom,’ and flies off without a care?”
“We like freedom too, don’t we?”
At Taesu’s answer, Jeong Minsu flinched.
“That’s true……. Then I don’t know. Let him do whatever he wants.”
“Right. They say a person’s heart is like flowing water. You think you can stop it by force?”
Following Taesu’s words, Kim Hyeokgwon added a comment.
“Still, it was a hopeful reaction.”
“I don’t know how long we’ll be here, but we’ll have enough time to observe each other. Let’s go in and sleep.”
Bred Kim finally declared the end of the gathering.
Everyone rose from their seats and headed to their rooms.
In their minds, each of them was picturing different dispatch sites.
And they were calmly weighing how much help Namgung Hyeoncheol might be there.
For now, that was as far as it went.
It was far too early to speak of a new change.
The next day.
Namgung Hyeoncheol went to support Bred Kim and Kim Hyeokgwon.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu spent the same time as yesterday without any particular words.
If there was one slight difference, it was Jeong Minsu’s lament.
“Now soldiers are even showing up in my dreams.”
“At least we started with good intentions, but this really is too much.”
Taesu, too, was growing exhausted from the endless visits of patients.
He thought it might actually be better if they all came flooding in at once in a single day.
Seeing a similar number of patients at similar times every day seemed to make it even more draining.
The number of inpatients also changed every day.
The medical staff were tired, but Squad Leader Sam and his squad members were struggling as well.
Perhaps because of that, they had no physical or mental leeway to talk about Namgung Hyeoncheol.
Still, time flowed on without obstruction.
It was around ten days after the Toritina harvest had begun.
The tea leaf harvest was reaching its peak.
Thanks to that, Raku also came to the village often.
Taesu was able to see him only briefly after lunch.
And now, the two of them were sitting side by side on a rock, each drinking a cup of Toritina.
After taking a sip, Taesu smiled lightly.
“When I’m worn out, drinking a cup of this does give me a little burst of strength.”
“That may be because this year’s tea leaves are exceptionally good.”
“I heard the yield is high too.”
“This is already my third visit. I did hear they were harvesting until late at night.”
At Raku’s words, Taesu nodded.
“Yes. Our treatment ends late too, and they’re even using lights to harvest.”
“Is there any good news?”
“None at all. It seems both sides are just sharpening their blades.”
“It would be nice if they were only sharpening their blades.”
At Raku’s meaningful words, Taesu listened closely.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m hearing rumors here and there that the clouds of war are gathering again.”
“They clashed so massively not long ago, and again?”
Taesu showed his irritation, his brow tightening hard.
Raku’s expression was not good either.
“The Indian army and the Pakistani army are a problem, but……”
“There’s more?”
“They say the terrorists are showing signs of beginning full-scale activity now that spring has come.”
“Do those bastards not know when to butt in and when not to?”
Taesu growled coldly.
Raku’s worries did not end there.
“The atmosphere in China is strange too.”
“What’s with those bastards now?”
“It looks like weapons are being moved this way little by little, bit by bit.”
“They’re kicking up shit from every direction.”
At Taesu’s blunt response, Raku smiled bitterly.
“I just hope civilian casualties are low this time.”
“The PKO and NGOs must have started preparing for an emergency too.”
“There probably isn’t anything revealed yet for them to prepare openly. Still, they must be drawing up plans through their intelligence.”
Slurp.
After finishing his words, Raku took a sip of tea.
Taesu did the same.
But his heart was not so at ease.
‘How many more people will have to shed blood and tears?’
He simply could not understand why they continued such meaningless wars endlessly.
He parted with Raku after promising to meet again in a few days.
Unlike that gloomy news, there was also happy news.
It was Factory Manager Na Duyoung’s improvement.
Taesu carefully listened to the sounds of both kidneys with his stethoscope.
The operated right kidney?
Shwaaaa.
The intact left kidney?
Fwaaaa.
The sounds on both sides were still different.
However, the gap between them had clearly narrowed.
Taking off the stethoscope, Taesu informed Factory Manager Na Duyoung of the news.
“If the left is a ten, the right seems to be around a seven or eight.”
“Wow, then that means it’s gotten incredibly better. Dr. Choi, you really are skilled, you are. Hahaha!”
Factory Manager Na Duyoung burst into a hearty laugh.
Amazingly, he was sitting up.
Taesu had listened to his back while he was seated.
Taesu came around to the front, sat facing him, and asked,
“Can you move around the room now?”
“Can I move around? This room is so cramped for me that I feel like I’m suffocating.”
“And because of the IV, you can’t even go far.”
When Taesu said that, Factory Manager Na Duyoung lifted the long connected IV and grumbled.
“This is a complete hand-shackle.”
“A hand-shackle?”
“An ankle shackle goes on your feet, doesn’t it? Since this is on my hand, it should be called a hand-shackle. I know I should be grateful for it, but it’s still a nuisance.”
Factory Manager Na Duyoung put on a full display of complaint.
His complexion was incomparably better than when he had first undergone surgery.
His side was still wrapped in bandages, but it had healed quite a lot.
Compared to the time that had passed, his recovery was rather fast. That was likely thanks to the fact that he had steadily managed himself even before.
So Taesu took hold of the arm connected to the IV.
“Then shall I try giving you your freedom now?”
“W-wait a minute. Really? Dr. Choi, you’re really going to release me?”
“If you don’t want it, forget it.”
When Taesu acted boldly, Factory Manager Na Duyoung’s face turned pitiful.
“Why would you say that? I, Na Duyoung, have obeyed every word you’ve said all this time, Dr. Choi. You know that.”
“I know it very well. That’s why this moment came sooner.”
“That’s right. Of course. It should. Keu. So I’m finally escaping this hand-shackle.”
His expression grew distant, as if recalling the frustrating time he had endured.
Taesu smiled gently and granted his wish.
Swoosh.
He removed the IV needle, covered the spot with an adhesive bandage, and said,
“I’ll switch the painkillers to oral medication.”
“Thirty minutes after meals?”
“No. Take them whenever it hurts. And now, you are free.”
With those precautions as the end, Taesu closed his house-call bag.
At that moment, Factory Manager Na Duyoung put strength into his body and stood up.
Thud, thud.
Taking one step at a time, he flung open the door and shouted loudly.
“Na Duyoung has resurrected!”
“Waaah.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Behind him, Taesu cheered and applauded alone.
But it seemed Factory Manager Na Duyoung was not satisfied with just that.
“Then, Dr. Choi, please excuse me first.”
Thud. Thud.
Factory Manager Na Duyoung went straight outside just like that.
It was obvious where he would go.
He must have headed to the Toritina harvest site.
Even so, Taesu merely smiled.
“I’m glad I dragged it out until today.”
In truth, he had delayed the timing of removing the IV by about two days.
With Factory Manager Na Duyoung’s personality, there was no way he could stay lying still.
If Taesu had delayed any longer, he was the type to pull the IV out himself.
Taesu had visited every day for treatment purposes, but also to gauge that delicate timing.
Fortunately, the result was successful.
Click.
After tidying up his house-call bag, Taesu immediately followed him out.
Factory Manager Na Duyoung was walking diligently, but he was still up ahead.
Taesu picked up a thick branch he had hidden beforehand and approached him.
“Factory Manager.”
“Don’t even think of stopping me. You have no idea how sorry I’ve felt all this time.”
“I’m going to give you a discharge gift.”
“What gift……. Uh-huh-huh!”
“I hope you like it.”
Taesu immediately handed over the gift.
Looking over the crutch he had received, Factory Manager Na Duyoung’s face brightened.
He immediately tucked it under the side that was not injured.
As if he truly liked it, he gripped the crutch tightly and said to Taesu,
“How am I supposed to repay this gratitude?”
“You’re repaying it right now.”
“Euhahaha. Still, a person shouldn’t be like this. Just wait. I’ll harvest some myself and brew you a cup.”
Thump, thump.
Factory Manager Na Duyoung walked forward with much smoother, more lively movements.
Taesu did not bother chasing after him.
There were times when one wanted to feel the happiness of walking alone.
And a short while later.
“What the hell kind of mess is this? I knew this would happen, so I came back like this!”
“It’s the factory manager! Waaah!”
“Whiiik!”
Following Factory Manager Na Duyoung’s laughing threat, cheers rang out.
The sound was so loud that the tea fields and the village seemed to shake.
Everyone was rejoicing at the revival of another spiritual pillar, different from President Gu Seungheon.
As Taesu turned toward the temporary hospital, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
It was because he could naturally picture everyone’s happy faces in his mind.
‘For us, this is the greatest reward.’
It was the proudest moment he had felt since arriving in this village.
He hoped this feeling would continue until the last day.
Following Factory Manager Na Duyoung, Ritesh was discharged the next day as well.
He likely would not be of immediate help with the tea leaf harvest.
That did not matter at all to the people.
They were happy simply to see his face again after he had overcome such a serious injury.