Higher (6)
[Get Smith’s recognition. You have completed your mission. Talk to Smith.]
Ki-Seok Choi checked the status window and found Smith’s office.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
When I knocked, I heard a voice telling me to come in.
Smith was sitting on the sofa drinking coffee, and across from him was Jonathan.
“You’re here just in time. Sit down there.”
“Ah yes.”
Ki-Seok Choi sat next to Jonathan.
“How is the liver transplant patient’s condition?”
“There was no rejection from both the donor and the recipient. He was in the intensive care unit until yesterday and was transferred to the gastroenterology department this morning.”
“Good good.”
Smith nodded with a smile.
“It was a difficult laparoscopic liver transplant surgery. It would be difficult if the patient had a problem. By the way…” “….”
“
I understand that you performed the Ruwai surgery yesterday.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I read Ethan’s report and he said it was flawless. He’s surprising me more and more.”
“That’s too much praise.”
“It’s a shame. It’s a shame.”
Jonathan, who had been quiet, joined the conversation.
“what?”
“It would be motivating for you if Mr. Choi stayed in the general surgery department. Mr. Choi’s growth rate is unmatched.”
“Am I glad that my competition is gone?”
Jonathan took Smith’s joke as a joke.
After a moment of silence, Smith spoke again.
“Actually, I was just talking about Jonathan and Mr. Choi. It’s early, but I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make a decision in advance.”
gulp.
Choi Ki-seok swallowed dry saliva.
I knew roughly what the Head Chief was going to say. So I became more nervous.
“I have watched countless residents and fellow professors. Among them, there were some who were skilled and some who were not. There were some who only cared about their patients and others who only knew about themselves.”
“….”
“Among them, Mr. Choi is special. Not only his skills and personality, but also his potential. He showed excellence in all areas. That’s why I decided after discussing it with Jonathan.”
“Then perhaps…”
“You are right. We decided to promote Mr. Choi early using the higher system.”
Smith’s words touched my heart.
The short but difficult life of general surgery flashed through my mind.
“thank you.”
“There’s no need to say thank you. All I have to do is send it to the person I’m sending it to. I didn’t think anyone would use the Hire system while I was Head Chief. That’s a big deal.”
“….”
“It may affect the morale of my classmates, so please keep this a secret for the time being.”
“yes.”
“And don’t let your guard down just because your early promotion has been confirmed. It’s unlikely to happen, but if something goes wrong with you, we can cancel your early promotion.”
“I will always keep that in mind.”
“Then go.”
Choi Ki-seok bowed his head and left the office.
Tiring!
[Get Smith’s recognition. You have completed your mission. As a reward,
we provide a ticket to use the higher system and 500 P.P.]
[New mode system pet has been released.]
[New mode pet: Pets can help you with medical activities and daily life. The pet is invisible to others and returns to the warehouse after a certain period of time. Food can be obtained at the store.]
[Pets grow in proportion to the summoning time and food, and gain special abilities according to the level of growth.]
‘What is this again?’
Choi Ki-seok hurriedly opened the status window.
At the top of the status window, the word “PET” was shining in gold. When I went inside, there were small eggs lying in an empty space.
[Would you like to hatch a pet?]
Weeeeeee.
When I decided to hatch, the egg broke and a dazzling light poured out.
Soon, a small puppy with a green body appeared.
[Chico has hatched.]
[Chico Lv.1 (Normal): Currently has no abilities.]
[Can be summoned: 1 hour / Satisfaction: 0
[Special skill Glutton: Satisfaction decreases faster than other pets.]
[ master! I’m hungry! I’m hungry!]
A text appeared above Chico’s head.
Choi Ki-seok scratched his cheek while looking at Chico and then snapped his fingers.
I confirmed it later.
That you can get feed at the store.
‘wow. ‘It’s expensive.’ A whopping 50
P.P. was needed
to purchase feed .
Ki-seok Choi, with tears in his eyes, bought feed and fed it to Chico. Then the satiety level, which was 0, rose to 100. Additionally, the text floating above Chico’s head disappeared.
Choi Ki-seok stared at Chico for a long time with his arms crossed.
The ominousness of the name and appearance of Chico grew like a snowball.
Surely it’s not the same guy from Wallet Monster?
Trudging. Trudging.
As I walked down the hallway, I stopped in front of Lavin Williams’ hospital room.
Drurr.
“Dr. Choi. Nice to meet you.”
Ravin greeted him as he entered the hospital room.
A calm greeting without a smile.
After confessing her true feelings a few days ago, Lavigne did not force herself to act cheerful.
It has become a positive state of acknowledging one’s emotions.
“How are you feeling?”
“There is no particular discomfort or pain.”
“This is proof that the surgery for Crohn’s disease was completed successfully. You will probably be able to be discharged within four days.”
“okay.”
Ravin continued calmly.
“I felt many things while I was in the intensive care unit after the surgery. All around me were people who were not breathing. In fact, the young woman next to me passed away while receiving CPR.”
“….”
“Do you know what they have in common?”
“I do not know.”
“…Everyone wanted to live. I gritted my teeth and held on because I wanted to live one more month, a week, even one more day. When I looked at those people, my heart ached. I couldn’t believe they were trying so hard to gain the life and time I was trying to throw away… .”
Lavin’s voice wavered and his eyes turned red.
“So I wanted to live a little more. I wanted to know what the people I watched and the lives they never gave up on until the end were like.”
“Whatever you decide, I’m on your side.”
“Thank you, Dr. Choi.”
Lavigne finally turned around with tears in her eyes.
“As I said before, I will seek consultation with a neuropsychiatrist. I will accept the way I am now and start over.”
“Yes. Ravin can do it.”
Choi Ki-seok left the hospital room while talking with Lavin.
Suddenly, I looked out the window and saw puffy clouds floating in the blue sky.
* * *
Six months since then.
Ki-Seok Choi’s training in general surgery continued.
I filled the training room every day and didn’t forget to film and review surgery videos.
As his endless effort and gaming skills created synergy, his skills grew day by day.
Near the end of training.
The surgical treatment level has risen to level 7.
All general surgery surgeries are filmed on video.
In addition, I now have the skills to perform surgery at the level of a general surgery resident.
That wasn’t all.
As a result of consistently studying over time, I passed USMLE step 3.
He became an official doctor recognized by Minnesota.
After an eventful time, Ki-Seok Choi succeeded in being promoted early.
The general surgery training period, which was originally one year, was able to be shortened to six months.
His next destination is neurosurgery.
I had no interest in neurosurgery either in my past life or in this life, but it was my first time training at Meijo.
Prior to full-scale training, Ki-Seok Choi left Minnesota and headed to Korea.
A sweet vacation has arrived.
* * *
Incheon International Airport.
Choi Ki-seok left the gate, dragging his suitcase.
The feeling of returning to Korea after 7 months was special. I found it fascinating to see Korean people encountering various Korean signs.
“Good. Good.”
A bright smile appeared on his lips.
As a perk of the Hire system, I got a week’s vacation.
And that too with pay.
However, no one knew that he had taken leave.
I quietly returned home to surprise my family and friends.
Drurr.
I left the airport with my suitcase and got into a taxi.
“Where can I take you?”
“Please go to Uijin University Hospital.”
Choi Ki-seok leaned against the backrest and looked out the window.
Meanwhile, I opened the status window and checked my pet.
The pet had the appearance of a small and cute fairy like Tinkerbell.
[Hathi Lv. 20 (Unique Flying Type)]
[Summonable Time: 5 hours / Satisfaction: 50
[Special Skill Reconnaissance: Identify patients in need of emergency treatment within a 50 meter radius.]
[Special Skill Management: Observe up to three patients and check for abnormalities. A notification will be sent if any signs are detected.]
[Wind of Potential Recovery: Increases the summoner’s stamina recovery ability. However, it only applies to activities other than treatment.]
[New skills and potential abilities are added when you reach level 50.]
‘Good job.’
I nodded, closing the status window.
The first pet he got was Chico. However, Chico did not gain any abilities while raising him to level 50.
Should we say that he is a glutton who only eats feed?
Luckily, I succeeded in entering the training room for the 200th time and obtained a hatching egg.
That’s where Hathi was born.
Needless to say, Hathi’s skill set and potential are mind-boggling.
Thanks to this, work became much easier by the end of my general surgery training.
If you use management skills, there is no need to keep patients separate. Thanks to Patient Baragi’s stamina recovery ability and Hati’s potential, there was always no shortage of stamina.
“Im here.”
While I was thinking about this and that, a taxi arrived at Uijin University.
Choi Ki-seok got off the taxi and went to the emergency room.
I wanted to say hello to my classmate Kim Geon-woo first.
* * *
Uijin University emergency room.
Youngho Lee looked down at the patient, his legs shaking.
A bandage was wrapped around the patient’s chest, and as time went by, the bandage became stained with red blood.
‘Ha…what is it?’
I felt anxious.
This is my first time treating a patient with a stab wound to the chest.
My mind went blank because I didn’t know what to do.
“Seo… Doctor. The patient is not breathing and his pulse keeps dropping? If we don’t do something…”
the intern next to him said urgently.
“I know.”
Lee Young-ho bit his lip and called the thoracic surgery department.
Bleep. Bleep.
There was only an obnoxious connection sound.
‘Stupidly… I’m the only one.’
Youngho Lee hung up the phone and bit his lip.
Saber surgery was in progress for a while, and an hour ago, an emergency surgery was performed for a patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
There are no skilled surgeons in the medical office.
“Teacher, please save my husband. Please!”
The sound of the patient’s wife crying made his heart hurt even more, but Lee Young-ho was unable to provide treatment.
The head was blank and white and the body did not move.
“What are you doing! Come to your senses!”
A familiar voice came from behind me.
The owner of that voice pushed Youngho Lee and closed the distance between him and the patient.
“Seo… Senior? Why is my senior here….”
“I don’t have time to explain, so grab your emergency tools. This patient has an open pneumothorax caused by a stab wound. Quick!”
“Ah. Yes!”
Lee Young-ho gathered his treatment tools and stood next to Choi Ki-seok.
That’s right.
It’s been like that for a long time.
I felt like I could get through any patient or disease if I was with him.
“Caesar.”
“Yes.”
Square. Square.
Choi Ki-seok . He cut the bandage with scissors given to him by Lee Young-ho. Then, the wound on his chest where he had been stabbed with a knife appeared.
