Chapter 88 – Coal Mine Accident (2)

“Doctor Kim Ji-hyuk! A call came from the National Medical Center in Seoul! Please go and take it quickly!”

Around the time Kim Ji-hyuk and Shin Jeong-eun were heading to the clinic, an employee of the Okdong Mining Office ran over in a flurry.

“Pardon? From whom?”

“They said it is Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo.”

“The professor? Yes. Understood.”

With that, Kim Ji-hyuk turned his steps toward the Okdong Mining Office.

“Professor, it is me.”

—Yes. Are you okay?

It seemed the Okdong Mining Office had contacted the National Medical Center.

“Yes. I am fine, but Nurse Park In-seon is…”

—I know. I heard Nurse Park is trapped in the shaft?

Over the receiver, Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo’s heavy voice was heard.

—So, what do you intend to do?

“What do you mean what? Eight people’s lives are at stake!”

—Isn’t it something beyond what you can do?

“There are injured people inside. If I do not go in and treat them, it will be useless even if the rescue is successful.”

—Kim Ji-hyuk, no! Never! You must absolutely not go in!

At that, Kim Yun-seok’s voice was heard from afar.

—Hmm, I too share the same opinion as Dr. Yun-seok. Even if you go in, it is useless if rescue is not achieved. Waiting calmly outside the shaft for them to be rescued is the wise decision.

“Professor, you said you would dedicate your life to those who have never seen a doctor even once! Was that a wise decision?”

—…

“What could be wiser than a doctor’s mindset of trying to save people? A doctor is needed right now, and I am trying to go to those who need my help.”

—Hmm, I spoke foolishly. If your intention is truly so, then do as you wish.

“*Hehehe*, that is why you are called a foolish doctor, Professor. Do not worry too much. I will not die so easily. After how I started this life…”

—No! Kim Ji-hyuk! If you go in there, I will kill you!

With that, Kim Yun-seok grabbed the receiver from Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo.

“Is that you, Yun-seok?”

—Yes, you punk! Do you know where that is to go in? Wait! You must wait outside! Do not act rashly.

‘Do not worry, Grandfather! I am your grandson, Kim Ji-hyuk. I am a phoenix!’

“Hey. Just prepare to go to America. Stop talking nonsense. Haven’t you seen my palm lines? Grandmother Mi-seon said I would live until I smear poop on the wall. You know she is sharp, right?”

—You bastard!

“So do not worry. I will go inside and come out safely with the people.”

—You crazy bastard! Are you really going to be like this?

The trembling voice of Kim Yun-seok flowed directly through the receiver.

“I told you not to worry! I do not have time to chat idly with you like this. If you have nothing else to say, I am hanging up…”

—I will pack the squid salad and glutinous rice you like and go!

“Pardon?”

—You punk! Did you intend not to see me before I go to America? I am going to Moeundong with a delicious lunchbox!

“*Hehehe*. If it is my favorite spicy squid salad, I cannot miss it! I have one more reason to return alive! Thank you, friend!”

—You crazy guy! Pull yourself together and listen carefully to me. You know I went into coal mines with my father when I was young, right? My father was a miner!

‘What? Was my great-grandfather a miner? I have never heard of that.’

“Is that so?”

—Yes, you punk. I went into shafts several times, so I know well! Experienced miners would surely have reached the upward shaft (coal face rise) without difficulty. Once they reach there, water will not fill up, so they can hold out for the time being. However, that is under the assumption that toxic gases do not generate. Keep in mind that the time they can hold out is 24 hours at the very longest! You must bring the miners out somehow! Understood?

It was Kim Yun-seok’s agonizing voice.

“Of course. Until I eat the spicy squid salad you made, I cannot die even if I wanted to!”

—Are you joking right now? Anyway, keep my words in mind! The upward shaft! The upward shaft!

“Understood. I will keep it in mind.”

—Yeah. I wish you luck, my friend!

“Of course, I will contact you again when I come out.”

—Be sure! You must!

Thus, Kim Yun-seok repeatedly pleaded for Kim Ji-hyuk’s safe return.

* * *

Moeundong Coal Mine accident scene.

The two who had run to the clinic and packed the necessary medical tools and medicines.

Kim Ji-hyuk and Shin Jeong-eun ran frantically without resting even once, arriving back at the accident scene.

*Murmuring—*

Before long, miners and nearby villagers had gathered.

“I knew an accident like this would happen big time! I warned them until my tongue wore out that it was so dangerous. How could they not listen to my words at all?”

At the entrance of the shaft, firefighters set up barricades, blocking people from entering. Miners, their families, and all the villagers had come out, sighing in distress.

‘Damn it! With that kind of equipment and those rescue members in this major accident? They cannot do anything with that!’

Kim Ji-hyuk cast a disappointed gaze.

The rescue environment could not have been more miserable.

A fire engine that seemed utterly useless.

It was crudely constructed by roughly combining old military trucks left behind by the US military.

Furthermore, the rescue equipment was even poorer.

A single shabby crane vehicle hanging a precarious gondola to be lowered down to the accident scene was all there was. Moreover, there were only five or six rescue members present at the scene.

And they did not seem to possess a single shred of expertise.

A large pump to drain the water, a circulator to purify toxic gases, and a mine expert could not be found anywhere, no matter how hard one looked.

To the point that it shamed its title as the country’s best coal mine, there was no preparation for accidents at all.

Well, safety insensitivity was still a chronic disease of South Korea, whether in 1954 or 2024.

‘I cannot do anything at this rate!’

Kim Ji-hyuk wore a desperate look.

“Dr. Ji-hyuk!”

As if sharing the same thoughts as Kim Ji-hyuk, Shin Jeong-eun called him in a heavy voice.

“Yes. Senior!”

“What should we do now? If too much time passes, it will be a problem even if we enter.”

She spoke with a serious look, holding the medical instrument case tightly in her hand. She was clearly poised to enter the collapsed shaft along with Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Give that to me!”

“Wh-why?”

As Kim Ji-hyuk tried to take the medical tool case away, Shin Jeong-eun gripped it tighter and resisted.

“Senior, please wait here.”

“What? What kind of nonsense is that? No! Why are you the only one trying to be a good doctor, Dr. Ji-hyuk?”

“Th-that is not it. It is dangerous!”

“Is it only dangerous for me, and not for you, Dr. Ji-hyuk? Where is the logic in that? Two doctors are definitely better than one. I am going in together!”

Shin Jeong-eun held her ground, stubbornly refusing Kim Ji-hyuk’s suggestion.

“Sigh, I know how you feel, Senior… but the inside of the shaft is narrow, restricting movement. Going alone is far more efficient. Please! Let me go in alone!”

“Ah, but still…”

She teared up at Kim Ji-hyuk’s shouting.

“Senior! I mean this sincerely, but if I go in with you, you will be too much of a burden. I won’t have time to look after you. So please, drop your stubbornness!”

Kim Ji-hyuk held Shin Jeong-eun’s shoulders and pleaded.

“Dr. Ji-hyuk…!”

“The place you need to be is right here. Look at those rescue equipment! With that, even if I rescue the people and come out, nothing can be done. Then it will all be in vain!”

“…”

Shin Jeong-eun choked up and could not bring herself to speak.

“For now, go to the provincial hospital as quickly as possible and airlift all the equipment you can get. That way, immediate emergency measures will be possible! You know what I mean, right? This is far more important than you going inside!”

“I-I understand.”

“Senior! Please. I will definitely bring the people inside out safely!”

“Are, are you sure? Do you really promise!”

“Of course! I told you I am a phoenix. So do not worry and contact the provincial hospital right now, quickly!”

“Alright. I will do that…”

“Hurry, hurry!”

With that, Kim Ji-hyuk nudged Shin Jeong-eun’s back.

“Most of the miners seem to have succeeded in escaping, and Nurse Park In-seon and about six or seven miners are trapped. I heard they made it to the upward shaft, but the radio signal seems to have been cut off there.”

“The upward shaft?”

Hearing what the people were saying to each other, Kim Ji-hyuk asked as if finding a ray of hope.

“Yes! That is right. They say they have evacuated up to that point.”

‘Thank goodness! Yun-seok’s prediction was correct. In that case, there is still hope.’

Kim Ji-hyuk clenched both fists.

Kim Ji-hyuk immediately gathered the emergency equipment and rushed to the entrance of the shaft.

Later.

“This is a restricted area. Civilians must absolutely not enter!”

As Kim Ji-hyuk tried to step over the barricade, a firefighter blocked him from entering.

“I am the doctor from the Okdong Mining Office clinic. There are emergency patients inside the shaft right now. The nurse from our clinic is also inside. I have something to say regarding their rescue, so please allow me to speak with the rescue chief.”

Kim Ji-hyuk showed his identification card to the rescue member.

“Ah! Is that so? Understood.”

*Crackling—*

“This is the entrance! Scene, come in, over!”

The rescue member spoke to the rescue chief holding a worn-out transceiver.

“Yes. You may enter for now.”

A moment later, the rescue member nodded and allowed Kim Ji-hyuk’s entry.

* * *

Having received permission from the rescue member, Kim Ji-hyuk advanced even closer to the accident site.

The situation here was far more serious than he had thought.

The entrance was barely found, but it was an opening where only one person could squeeze in or out.

‘Ugh, what is this smell?’

Kim Ji-hyuk blocked his nose with his sleeve.

Inside the shaft, it was impossible to gauge how much water had accumulated due to a burst water tank, and judging by the acrid smell leaking out slowly, exposure to toxic gas had already begun.

It was a situation where rescue was not easy.

It was a difficult situation, such that even professional rescue members equipped with the latest gear would hesitate to step forward.

The rescue members also seemed to have sensed the danger, merely reading each other’s reactions and hesitating.

“Are you the chief? I am Kim Ji-hyuk from the clinic.”

Kim Ji-hyuk greeted the rescue chief.

“Yes. I am the rescue chief, Hwang Eui-seong. You are a doctor?”

“Yes. That is correct. How is the situation right now?”

“As you can see, we cannot even think of approaching at this moment. For now, the rescue members are formulating a rescue plan.”

Hwang Eui-seong spoke, frowning at the acrid smell.

“There are injured people inside the shaft. We must rescue them as quickly as possible. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee the patients’ lives!”

“We are also doing our best. It is not like we do not want to go inside!”

At that, Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong snapped bluntly.

‘Damn it, doing our best is not enough! We have neither a pump nor a circulator. We must go inside as soon as possible! Before the shaft collapses any further!’

“Please let me inside!”

“Yes, yes. Of course, go in… Wh-what did you say?”

Surprised by Kim Ji-hyuk’s unexpected words, Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong’s eyes widened.