If You Don't Like It, Take It Back
That night.
Thump-
"Ugh, I must be out of my mind! Why did I have to be such a busybody!"
Gong Chayoung was a student of the Gyeong-hyun University class of '16.
She had entered the year Hyun Kyungwoo, class of '10, graduated.
Although Kyungwoo had gone through his residency, he had already earned his specialist certification and left by the time Chayoung reached the year for hospital rotations, so they had never met in person.
Even so, she had heard the name Hyun Kyungwoo countless times.
They said the acupuncture research group he led had won the grand prize at the national Korean medicine student thesis competition, beating the U-myeong University herbal research group for the first time in ten years.
They said he had written three SCI-level papers while going through the grueling specialist training course.
They said Professor In Gyeonghak, the greatest talent at Gyeong-hyun University Korean Medicine Hospital, had handpicked him as his successor, only for him to run off to a local clinic—and so on.
'There’s a reason people call him a legend. Sigh... how am I supposed to face him now after being so embarrassing?'
Chayoung kicked her blanket again.
'I should have just asked him calmly why he changed the prescription instead of getting all worked up like that.'
She was supposed to be the calm, cool-headed type...
He must have already pegged her as an incompetent, hot-headed junior.
Haa-
Only sighs came out.
But a moment later, Chayoung changed her mind.
'No, I should be grateful. If it weren't for him, Grandma Kim Geum-rye could have been in serious trouble because of me.'
In truth, there was a flaw in the phrase "because of me."
How many people could actually detect signs of a stroke in a clinical setting and resolve them on the spot? Even though she had suggested the grandmother go to a larger hospital for tests, it was hard to hold him responsible, but... that thought didn't cross Chayoung's mind.
'Let's just be glad it ended with me being embarrassed. Anyway, I wonder if I can actually learn that skill...?'
He was the one who had visited clinics for observation every vacation since his undergraduate days.
Seeing a senior with such insane skills suddenly drop into her life made her heart race.
'Every time I take Grandma there, I'll slowly try to improve my image, and later... I'll have to ask him to teach me!'
She resolved.
At that same time, Kyungwoo made a phone call.
"Shin-woo."
[Hello, Senior!]
The person he called was Kang Shin-woo, Gyeong-hyun University class of '13.
He was a bright and polite junior who had served as the intern representative when Kyungwoo was a third-year resident.
[What brings you to call?]"
"Do you happen to know a junior named Gong Chayoung?"
[Gong Chayoung from the class of '16? I know her well. Why about Chayoung?]"
Kyungwoo briefly explained the situation that had occurred today.
As he listened, Kang Shin-woo giggled like crazy.
[Gong Chayoung being Gong Chayoung, I see.]
"Is that so? What kind of person is she?"
[Chayoung is a good kid. But how should I put it... she has zero self-awareness, so it's hilarious to watch.]
According to what he heard:
When she prepared an assignment so extensively that everyone around her was impressed, she’d say, "Eh, everyone does at least this much."
When she studied parts that weren't even on the exam so hard that people asked if she wanted to stay at school and do research, she’d say, "No? I hate studying. I'm going to go out to the clinic and make money."
Yet, when you saw how she treated patients, it was with such sincerity that when you asked her why, she’d say, "Well, they're my patients, so of course..."
[The point is that she's not being coy; she's genuinely like that, which makes her a total weirdo, haha. She’s a born graduate student, so all the professors wanted her. Even when she was an intern, every department wanted to take her.]
"She did an internship?"
[Yes. Just the internship, without getting the specialist certification. The reason is funny, too. She said she wants to make money, so she doesn't care about being a specialist, but since she needs to do charting and emergency response properly, she wanted to at least finish the internship.]
He felt like he understood her character.
She was a person with high standards for herself. But because she had little interest in others, she assumed everyone else was just like her.
"Did the hospital accept her when she said she'd only do the internship?"
[Her grades were incredible. She was almost the top of her class throughout her undergraduate years. She was quite famous, though not as much as you, Senior. Haven't you heard?]"
A roadmap formed in Kyungwoo's mind.
'Just as I thought. If it's a person like that...'
Rumors about the clinic were spreading among the residents of Baejae-ri.
The point where managing reservations was becoming difficult.
However, Kyungwoo needed to keep encountering new diseases to accumulate cases.
'I can teach that friend a bit, and send patients who have been treated to a certain extent and only need management to the public health center.'
Judging by her character, she didn't seem like the type to turn down such an opportunity.
"Right, thanks."
[Don't be too hard on Chayoung. The reason she was rude today was probably because she lost her cool for a moment because of the patient. If you get to know her, she's hot-tempered, but she's the only one who doesn't know it...]"
"I know. She seemed diligent. And what do you mean, 'being hard on her'?"
[Wow... Senior, that's not it. You have no idea how much I suffered during my internship...]"
The grumbling junior asked cautiously.
[But Senior, did you... go to the countryside?]"
"Yeah. I'm taking a break."
[Nothing bad happened, right? Um, actually, I heard some strange rumors. It sounds like nonsense, but...]"
"The rumor that I committed medical malpractice?"
[Gasp, you heard that too, Senior? That's not true, right?!]"
'That bastard Lee Taeyoung...'
He had said he was spouting that nonsense at the alumni meeting, and it seemed he was flapping his mouth elsewhere too.
"It's not."
[Whew... I thought so. If I hear that again, I'll definitely tell them it's not true. So, when are you coming back up?]"
"...When I'm ready."
After hanging up, Kyungwoo wore a bitter expression.
'That readiness... when will it come?'
His skills were definitely improving, but he couldn't face the So-myeong network by seeing five or six patients a day.
'As soon as possible.'
That was the reason Kyungwoo ground himself down every day, training the secret techniques of the medical text to their limits.
That night.
Kyungwoo, who had opened the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok for training as usual, discovered that Chapter 6 was open without any warning.
'Not Chapter 5, but Chapter 6...?'
Chapter 5 remained in the form of encrypted text.
And Chapter 6, which had begun to be deciphered first, presented a task of a different nature than before:
He who has attained the secret techniques of the Gam-tong, how shall your wisdom illuminate the world if it shines alone?
To feel the pain of one body and save one person is the Small Path; to transmit the medical art that resolves the suffering of the masses is the Great Path.
When the deep principles of the medical path are shared with other practitioners, the practitioner shall finally advance to a new realm; this is called Jesaeng-guryo (Saving Lives and Healing).
The first is the path of teaching, raising disciples to inherit the insight of the medical art.
The second is the path of writing, containing the essence of the medical school in books to leave for future generations.
It seemed to be about training future students.
Then, the reason this suddenly opened was, as expected...
"Did it open because of what happened today?"
> Indeed. Today, you taught another practitioner, and within that teaching, you contained the complete mystery of the Gam-tong, and the other party accepted that meaning with sincerity; thus, the chapter of Jesaeng-guryo has opened.
"So, what's in it for me if I raise a disciple?"
He was already going through hell because of the Pain Resonance; he had no intention of raising a disciple without getting anything in return.
> The mission of the chosen one is to give back what has been gained to benefit the world widely—
"I didn't want to be chosen, though?"
> ...
"I'm not doing it, I'm not doing it. If you don't like it, take it back."
Kyungwoo crossed his arms and held his ground.
In fact, even without the grand title of a disciple, he had thought about teaching Gong Chayoung a bit for his own needs, but he narrowed his eyes and managed his expression.
'I have no intention of just listening!'
Sure enough, the medical text, which had been silent as if buffering, said as if to soothe him:
> As the number of disciples who inherit the essence of knowledge increases, the practitioner's healing ability will also grow.
"Speak clearly. How exactly does it grow?"
> This will be naturally understood once a disciple is acquired.
"Wasn't this chapter opened because you judged the junior I taught today as a disciple?"
Then, the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok said something strange.
> The practitioner's disciple will share the mystery of the Gam-tong in a limited way.
> This is a great authority under heaven; to take on a disciple, you must first possess the qualifications as a 'Medical Master'.
Wait, wait.
They share the mystery of the Gam-tong...? "Share? How? Don't tell me the disciple will feel pain like me?"
Who would recommend that to anyone?
It would be ruining a person under the guise of teaching them medicine.
If things went wrong, he might even get stabbed.
> No, Pain Resonance is permitted only to the practitioner alone.
"I'd like to decline that permission too."
> ...However, as the disciple continues their training under the practitioner's guidance, their Gi-gam (sensitivity to energy) will grow, which will become a great tool for accurate acupuncture and point selection.
So, ah.
They can grow rapidly by swallowing my teachings without having to go through hell like me?
Wow, I'm jealous! Who could that be? I wish I were that person...
"This book-bastard, seriously!"
Kyungwoo clicked his lighter for the first time in a while.
"Spit it out before I really burn you. Why should I have to teach someone else the knowledge I gained through such hardship? Why would I do that without any benefit!"
Finally, the medical text confessed.
> Only the practitioner can utilize the Geuk-seong (Polarity). Therefore, whenever disciples see patients, the Polarity of the patients they treat will flow into the practitioner.
'Oh! I'm already short on Polarity, so I can't even brew the medicine I need.'
Moreover, although he had feigned being wronged to the book-bastard, Kyungwoo had already grasped the significant advantage this system gave him.
'To strike down the So-myeong, I can't do it alone anyway.'
Kyungwoo's ultimate goal was to ruin the So-myeong network.
To face the massive So-myeong, he eventually had to raise a group to oppose them.
Not a place like So-myeong that sees patients as money, but a very special group of Korean medicine doctors, staffed by directors who possess sincerity toward patients and unapproachable skills.
'A capability sufficient to be the starting point!'
However, Kyungwoo didn't show any satisfaction at all and asked indifferently:
"So, what qualifications do I need to take on a disciple?"
> That is connected to the second path of Jesaeng-guryo; a Medical Master must transmit their unique medical art to the world so that many practitioners can utilize that knowledge.
> Therefore, write a medical book containing your own unique Medical Path, and whenever ten thousand practitioners read and learn from that book, you will finally earn the qualification to welcome one disciple.
The Gamshin-tongmaek-rok thought it was still a long way off while informing him of the contents.
-How did Chapter 6 open first...
It was originally an impossible thing.
There was no precedent for Chapters 3 and 4 opening in such a short time.
Moreover, since it had suddenly opened Chapter 6 at a point when the training achievements of Chapters 3 and 4 were still in their infancy, a very slim probability had been triggered due to the practitioner's exceptionally outstanding sense.
-It is impressive, though...
A medical book read by ten thousand practitioners.
To write such an enormous thing, the practitioner still had a long, long way to go.
...or so it thought, but for some reason, Hyun Kyungwoo was wearing an ominous smile?
"Then how do you count that?"
> When you bring and present the medical book you have written, the influence that book has had on the world will be tallied.
"Is that so?"
He stood up abruptly and started rummaging through his bookshelf...?
"Let's see... where did I put them."
A moment later, what Kyungwoo pulled out were three thin bundles of paper.
> A medical book refers to a volume—
"Uh-huh. Just try counting them once."
> A medical book must contain the unique essence of the medical school—
"It's noisy, I told you to just try counting them once?"
And a moment later.
The Gamshin-tongmaek-rok was silent.
> Why is there such a result...
"It's noisy, just tell me the result. Is it a medical book read by ten thousand people? Yes or no?"
Unique theory?
It contains it.
Practitioners of the world who have seen this?
It's incomprehensible, but it far exceeds ten thousand.
> How have you already written three types of medical books that have influenced ten thousand practitioners...
Kyungwoo giggled.
He had felt it before, but it seemed the conditions for this medical text were set according to the era in which it was created.
But what Kyungwoo had shoved in front of it now was...
'This is what you call a thesis, you idiot.'
<Neurophysiological Mechanisms of Acupuncture in Pain Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis>
<Effects of Acupuncture on Inflammatory Biomarkers in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Clinical Approach>
<Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Electroacupuncture and Manual Acupuncture>
These were the three SCI papers he had written during his specialist days!
'Unique theory? Of course it's included. Since they are SCI papers published in English, medical scholars around the world have already read them sufficiently on PubMed.'
Of course, the "medical book" the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok had in mind probably wasn't this.
But these days, medical scholars exchange the latest findings through papers. Got it?
"So, what's the result?"
After a moment of silence, the medical text answered.