Chapter 98 – No, Surely… (4)

Kim Ji-hyuk entered the examination room under the nurse’s guidance.

“Welcome!”

The director greeted him warmly.

He was a man of good build with a greasy face.

As Kim Ji-hyuk entered the examination room, the director wiped off the lipstick marks around his lips with the back of his hand and welcomed Kim Ji-hyuk with a smirk.

‘Disgusting! How can a fellow calling himself a doctor behave like this during examination hours?’

“Yes. Hello.”

‘He is not that Professor Jo Dong-gi.’

Kim Ji-hyuk paid no attention to the doctor’s greeting. He recalled Professor Jo Dong-gi’s face in his head and compared it with the doctor sitting in front of him.

However, his appearance was completely different from the Professor Jo Dong-gi Kim Ji-hyuk knew.

“Sit down.”

“…”

As soon as Kim Ji-hyuk sat down, he looked alternately at the nameplate on the director’s desk and Director Jo Dong-gi’s face.

And.

He shifted his gaze to check the medical license hanging on the wall.

‘There doesn’t seem to be a problem with the medical license… Is it a homonym in the end?’

There seemed to be no problem with the medical license itself.

“Hello? Patient?”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

“What are you looking around for? Is this your first time seeing a clinic?”

At that, Director Jo Dong-gi asked bluntly.

“Ah, no. It is nothing.”

“Hahaha, I guess it is your first time at our clinic?”

“Ah, yes. By the way, your name is the same as a doctor acquaintance of mine whom I know well.”

Kim Ji-hyuk tilted his head.

“Hahaha, is that so? Well, the name Jo Dong-gi is not particularly unique. Must be a homonym.”

Director Jo Dong-gi smiled broadly as if it were nothing.

“If it isn’t rude, may I ask one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“I came because you are rumored to be highly skilled, Director.”

“Hahaha, is that the rumor?”

“Yes. I heard you used to be at a famous hospital in Seoul, may I ask which hospital you worked at? I also lived in Seoul and moved to this neighborhood only a few months ago.”

“Hahahaha, is that so? Do you know Severance Hospital?”

“Of course.”

“I see. I worked there. Are you satisfied now?”

Director Jo Dong-gi spoke with a relaxed face without any hesitation.

“Ah, yes.”

“Right. I think this is enough background checking… where does it feel uncomfortable?”

‘I should test him briefly.’

“I think it is pneumonia.”

“Pardon? Pneumo…”

He had no choice but to be flustered.

Since among the patients who had visited him so far, there had not been a single person who used medical terminology.

“Ah! Pneumonia. I made a slip of the tongue. I mean I think I caught pneumonia.”

“Ah! Pneumonia! Th-then let me perform auscultation. Could you lift your shirt?”

*Ahem—*

Director Jo Dong-gi cleared his throat a few times, then placed the stethoscope earpieces in his ears.

“Take a deep breath.”

“Yes.”

*Inhale—*

Kim Ji-hyuk took a deep breath.

“Turn around.”

“Yes.”

Director Jo Dong-gi placed the stethoscope chestpiece on the chest a few times, then had Kim Ji-hyuk turn back.

“Good. Take a deep breath again, then exhale!”

“Yes.”

*Inhale—*

“Good. You may lower your shirt now.”

When Kim Ji-hyuk did as told, Director Jo Dong-gi nodded, removed the earpieces from his ears, and hung them around his neck.

“How is it?”

“Mmm, it indeed seems to be pneumonia.”

‘No way? If it is pneumonia, shouldn’t I at least suffer from high fever, or have a dry cough and sputum?’

“Is it definitely pneumonia?”

“Haha, I tell you it is. I will prescribe medicine, so if you take it at home for about a week, you will be completely cured.”

“But I keep having a dry cough, and sticky, pus-like sputum comes up every day?”

“I-I see. That is why the medicine…”

“And when I inhale, my chest feels tight, and I even have indigestion, I tell you?”

“Ahem! That is why I am telling you to take the medicine.”

As Kim Ji-hyuk listed various symptoms, Director Jo Dong-gi was beginning to get annoyed.

‘Shouldn’t he ask if there is vomiting or diarrhea, instead of just prescribing medicine? If he is a doctor?’

“The symptoms are very severe… but since there is no vomiting or diarrhea, the inflammation doesn’t seem to have invaded the pleura.”

“Wh-what? Pl-pleura? Wh-who on earth are you?”

Director Jo Dong-gi was gradually becoming suspicious of Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Well. Just that I have a bit of medical knowledge.”

“This fellow! Are you talking nonsense that will cause trouble? Is medicine a joke? If the doctor says so, you just take it. How dare you try to teach a master! What are you trying to do right now?”

As if unable to bear it any longer, Director Jo Dong-gi flared up.

“Did you hear fine crackles on lung sounds? If it were pneumonia, it wouldn’t be continuous; it would be intermittent, sounding like firewood burning when making a campfire.”

Kim Ji-hyuk paid no attention to Director Jo Dong-gi’s high-handed attitude.

“Get out! Right now! I am not selling medicine to someone like you!”

Director Jo Dong-gi roared and sprang up from his seat.

“It is a classic sound made when alveoli accumulate fluid and the closed spaces open as air moves in and out. Well, an experienced doctor—no, even if inexperienced, anyone with enough basic literacy to obtain a license should be able to tell, shouldn’t they?”

“Damn it! What is this bloody guy babbling about? Aren’t you getting out right now? If you don’t get out, I will call people to drag you out!”

In the end, Director Jo Dong-gi exploded, unable to contain his anger.

‘It is certain. This fellow is not a doctor!’

The man shouting in front of him until his face turned red.

Although he was not the Professor Jo Dong-gi Kim Ji-hyuk knew, it was certain that he was absolutely not a doctor.

“What kind of doctor behaves like this? Even if you cannot treat a sick patient, how can you throw a tantrum like this?”

“Get out right now! You bloody guy!”

“Ah, fine. I can just leave, right?”

Only then did Kim Ji-hyuk smirk and stand up from his seat.

“Nurse Kim! A guy like a dirty rag came and brought bad luck, so throw salt!”

As Kim Ji-hyuk went out, Director Jo Dong-gi strained his neck.

* * *

‘A quack who doesn’t even possess the basic literacy of a doctor! We must not let such humans corrode public health any longer! We must punish them by law, absolutely!’

Kim Ji-hyuk was convinced that Director Jo Dong-gi of Ilseong Clinic could never be a doctor.

Around the time Kim Ji-hyuk went to Ilseong Clinic and returned to the Moeundong clinic.

“Doctor Kim Ji-hyuk! Summary! Hurry!”

As Kim Ji-hyuk approached the clinic, Nurse Park In-seon came out to meet him, waving her hand.

“What is the matter?”

“Th-there is trouble! Right now, patients are flocking to the clinic!”

Nurse Park In-seon ran toward Kim Ji-hyuk at full speed.

“Patients? What kind of patients?”

“They came from Gyeongneung, from Obuk… Anyway, the clinic is in a mess with patients. I think you should go quickly!”

‘What is this situation again?’

“Ah, I understand. Let us go quickly.”

Kim Ji-hyuk hurried his steps toward the clinic along with Nurse Park In-seon.

‘H-how can this be!’

*Clatter—*

Opening the clinic door and entering, just as Nurse Park In-seon had said, the waiting room was filled with patients and their guardians.

“Oh, my stomach! It feels like my stomach is being pierced with an awl!”

“Oh dear, I’m dying!”

“I feel like I’m going to have diarrhea again! How many times is this!”

With patients rolling around clutching their stomachs, and patients entering and leaving the restroom due to nausea, the clinic was in complete chaos.

“Doctor, you have arrived! It is complete chaos right now! Chaos!”

Nurse Yun Jeong-a, who had newly assumed her post this time, was at a loss.

‘How did all of this happen?’

Immediately, Kim Ji-hyuk changed into his doctor’s gown and went to the examination room to start treating them.

The first patient entered the examination room wearing a painful expression.

He was a male patient who appeared to be in his late 40s to early 50s.

“Where does it hurt?”

The man’s face was pale, and he was trembling from sweating.

“Oh dear, I am dying. My stomach throbs, and I keep vomiting to death!”

‘Vomiting and nausea are severe!’

“Let me look at your eyes!”

Kim Ji-hyuk flipped the patient’s eyelids to inspect the pupils.

‘Jaundice?’

“By any chance, do your gums bleed?”

“Yes! I suddenly got a nosebleed, and every time I brush my teeth, blood gushes from my gums. I have never had that happen before.”

The man spoke in a dying voice.

“Since when did you have these symptoms?”

“*Pant, pant*, I think it was about five days ago. I live in Obuk, and my stomach was aching slightly, so I went to the hospital. I took the medicine they prescribed, and it was fine for about two days, but then suddenly my stomach hurt like it was tearing open… What on earth is this? Am I not dying?”

“By any chance, did you bring the prescribed medicine?”

“Ah! It is here. The medicine I received there!”

The man rummaged through his pockets, pulled out a medicine bottle, and showed it to Kim Ji-hyuk.

‘What? An acetaminophen-class antipyretic? They prescribed an antipyretic for stomach pain?’

“Are you saying you took this medicine?”

“Yes.”

“How much did you take a day?”

“It is… I took five pills three times a day. Because they told me to take it that way.”

‘Insane! Acetaminophen-class drugs are dangerous if you take more than 4,000 milligrams a day. But he took fifteen pills? This is close to a lethal dose! This is nothing short of murder!’

“Who prescribed it like that?!”

“It was the director of the Obuk hospital, he was called Professor Jo Dong-gi. He said he worked at a large hospital in Seoul.”

‘Jo Dong-gi again?! Was the director of Ilseong Clinic Jo Dong-gi, and the director of the Obuk hospital also Jo Dong-gi? Then…?’

As if something occurred to him, Kim Ji-hyuk’s pupils dilated.

‘Damn it, at this rate, toxic liver failure could occur. I must perform detoxification first!’

“Nurse Park In-seon! Could you go to the mining office right now and bring some charcoal? It should be there.”

“Charcoal?”

“Yes. I think we need to detoxify with charcoal first, and perform gastric lavage! There is no time. Hurry!”

“Yes. Understood!”

Having received Kim Ji-hyuk’s instructions, Nurse Park In-seon hurried toward the mining office.

* * *

That evening.

*Sigh—*

*Thud—*

Throwing himself into the chair with a long sigh, Kim Ji-hyuk was almost in a state of exhaustion.

Kim Ji-hyuk had examined all the patients who came to the clinic. Most of the patients were suffering from drug poisoning.

Ilseong Clinic, Sabuk Clinic in Sabuk, Famous Clinic in Dongjin-gun…

These were the clinics where the patients who came to the clinic had previously received treatment.

What did these clinics have in common?

The directors’ names were all identically Jo Dong-gi.

In other words, Kim Ji-hyuk’s rational deduction was that Professor Jo Dong-gi must have rented out his former medical license (which had already been revoked) to these clinics and received compensation in return.

‘Son of a bitch! I will absolutely not let him get away with this!’

Kim Ji-hyuk clenched his teeth with a serious expression.