The Eve of the Opening

After it was discovered (?) that the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok could hold a conversation, Kyungwoo naturally began asking it various questions.

Through this, he learned a few facts...

'This thing is just an administrator.'

He didn't know the source of this strange ability, but the book-bugger didn't actually control this power at will. In gaming terms, was it a GM? It had the authority to exercise some discretion, but it couldn't change the base settings themselves.

-I don't want the ability, and I don't want to be in pain! Just take the ability back, will you?

In short, the core aspects couldn't be touched anyway. However, the medical text had previously, 'at its own discretion,' made it so that Kyungwoo wouldn't perceive pain as a sensation within certain limits. Considering how much of a benefit that had been to him, that 'discretion' wasn't something to be ignored.

[What is needed to reignite your motivation? If there is anything I can do...!]

Therefore, it was important to grasp the boundaries. The opening was in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two days. He couldn't just dig in his heels and play tug-of-war. Even if this thing was bending over backward, if he demanded too much, he would just waste the opportunity. For example, asking to increase the total number of patients he could see without pain, or asking to unlock the next stage of his abilities. Those things related to 'progress' couldn't be bypassed without meeting specific conditions. In other words, it was outside the scope of what the medical text could grant on its own.

Then what would be good to ask for? There was one thing. Something that might fall under its discretion, yet was desperate for Kyungwoo right now. That was...

"Hmm, I have a disciple."

[By disciple, do you mean a member of the medical family growing under the guidance of the practitioner?]

"Yeah. Let's increase that by one."

He intentionally threw out a vague, broad request, and as expected, the medical text was flustered.

[Sharing the mysteries of the Gam-tong is a great authority under heaven. A disciple is only permitted each time a medical text read by ten thousand practitioners is compiled; this can never be increased arbitrarily—]

"Not that. I mean the subject for gauging achievement. Let's increase that to two."

The Gamshin-tongmaek-rok had begrudgingly acknowledged that three SCI papers counted as a 'medical text read by ten thousand people,' but it had judged that Kyungwoo had not yet reached the level to raise a disciple. So, it had said that after taking in one disciple first, once that subject reached a certain level of achievement, the restrictions on the remaining disciples would be lifted. Asking to increase the number of disciples, or asking to lift the restrictions on disciples immediately, would definitely be refused. But increasing the number of test subjects from one to two? Wouldn't that fall within the administrator's range of discretion?

'It will take about a month for the professor's condition to stabilize to a certain degree.'

After that, he would start rehabilitation immediately. The time to practice setting a new baseline by calling him in would be the perfect moment to share the ability. He had already revised the CRPS paper and submitted it to the explorer, but considering the time it would take to reach 10,000 downloads after publication, a month would certainly not be enough.

[......]

The medical text was deliberating. It wasn't content that could be easily granted, but since it thought he was asking to increase the number of disciples, and then he said it was just to increase the test subjects...

-Isn't this... something you could do?

The shaken medical text wanted to get a firm answer from Kyungwoo.

[Is that... truly something that can contribute to inspiring your motivation?]

"If there are two disciples, the inflow of Polarity will increase too, right? If so, well... I think my mind and body, exhausted by the pain resonance, might be soothed a little?"

[Then when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠will you resume treatment?]

"I'll see how you handle this. You keep dragging this out, and the motivation I was starting to feel is dropping again, aigoo..."

[I, I will do it!]

Flash—

Light erupted from the medical text, and the text was modified.

Done! Now, whenever the professor was ready, he could help him.

[It is done, are you motivated now?]

"Ah, wait a second."

[A, are you now?]

"I told you, it's coming up slowly."

The afternoon before the opening. The waiting room was spotless, thanks to the opening gifts piled behind the desk and Park Miyoung's touch. The freshly laundered bedding was laid out neatly in the treatment room, and Kang Sera was organizing the cash drawer by denomination, placing it neatly into the POS machine. While the three of them were busy with the final preparations, the phone in the clinic rang.

RRR—

"Hello, this is Hyenin Oriental Hospital."

[Hello. Is that the new oriental clinic that's opening?]

"Yes. We ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠open tomorrow."

[Do you take phone reservations?]

"I'm sorry. We are only accepting walk-in reservations for now."

[Is that so? What time do you open tomorrow?]

"We begin treatment at 10 AM."

[Got it.]

The call ended just like that.

"Director, have you posted any promotional articles anywhere?"

"No. I haven't."

"Where did they see it and call from?"

The phone number wasn't written on the sign, and the map listing would only be exposed after the opening, so there shouldn't be any way for them to know yet...

A moment later, the phone rang again.

RRR—

"Yes, this is Hyenin Oriental Hospital."

[Is the opening tomorrow?]

"Yes, that's correct."

[Do you give out opening gifts if I come tomorrow?]

"Yes. Opening gifts will be provided to each patient who visits for the first time."

[Thank you. Youngju's mom! They said they give one per person. They say they're really good at acupuncture here, too. We should all go together.]

The call ended with a noisy, bustling sound coming from the other side of the receiver.

"It doesn't seem like they just called randomly, does it? I heard them say, 'They're really good at acupuncture here.'"

"Huh? How did they know that?"

Kang Sera raised the question and Park Miyoung tilted her head, but Kyungwoo spoke up.

"I think I know the source."

"Who?!"

"I ran into the real estate agent on my way up today. But he said something like that. He told me to assume that more than half of the customers who come in the beginning were sent by Mr. Shin."

"More than half?"

"Yeah. When I asked if he was introducing us to his acquaintances, he told me not to try to know anything beyond that."

What on earth had he done to make a phone number that hadn't been publicized circulate, and for reservation inquiries to be coming into the clinic? On the first day of opening, unless you do separate promotions, the procedure is usually for customers who saw the banner while passing by to wander in, and then word of mouth spreads once they find out about the opening gifts. That's why usually, the second day has more customers than the first, and the third day more than the second. After hitting a peak, the 'opening buzz' slowly fades, and from about two weeks later, the future growth potential is determined by how many repeat visits are secured. But for some reason... the atmosphere was unusual.

"I'll have to ask Mr. Shin when he comes by later."

As if he couldn't wait, right at that moment, Shin Nakhyun opened the clinic door and walked in.

"Were you looking for me?"

Today, Shin Nakhyun had been invited to Hyenin Oriental Hospital. It was for a treatment simulation on the day before the opening. It was an important process to align the movements and coordination of the director and staff before the actual treatment. Usually, the director's family or acquaintances were called in to proceed, but today, they had invited a real patient who had been waiting for Hyenin Oriental Hospital to open.

"What were you going to ask?"

Today, too, he was in his usual sweatpants and Crocs. Behind him, a person wearing a hat pulled low followed him in, carrying a potted plant taller than himself.

"Where should I put this?"

"Ah, please put it over here!"

A so-called money tree. The lush tree with its dangling leaves was placed in a prominent spot under Kang Sera's guidance. In the meantime, Kyungwoo asked.

"I keep getting calls, did you happen to promote us, Mr. Nakhyun?"

"Oh... have I been found out already?"

"What on earth did you do? They didn't seem like friends or acquaintances, exactly."

"You said you wanted to establish yourself in this neighborhood. I did a little promotion in a way that works for local business."

"How?"

"That's a trade secret..."

Shin Nakhyun, who couldn't possibly talk about the fact that he had dragged the real estate agent around and caused a stir at major local spots like hair salons and kimbap shops, looked at the distant mountains. Kyungwoo took him in anew. Always in comfortable sweatpants and Crocs. Seeing him peek in to see if his tenant's opening preparations were going well, one might see him as an idle, carefree landlord, but... there were things visible only to a doctor.

'He only wears sweatpants and Crocs because that's the least uncomfortable thing to wear.'

Sweatpants that don't require reaching back to put your arms through sleeves. Crocs that you can just slip your feet into without bending your waist. Just as that attire, which people would interpret as 'the freedom of not having to live worrying about other people's eyes,' was an unavoidable choice he made to be even a little less in pain...

'Lowering the rent and going around promoting the clinic...'

A person with that level of wealth and discernment wouldn't waste money. Likewise, the fact that he was actively supporting the clinic by mobilizing his time and connections...

'That means... he's desperate.'

Deep compassion filled Kyungwoo's face. But there was no burden in it. It was partly because he didn't have the arrogant heart that he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠absolutely had to cure the patient when dealing with the illness, but...

This time, he could be certain. 'Reaching remission is only a matter of time.' Shin Nakhyun had been listed as the fourth case among the nine intractable cases, and the Gamshin-tongmaek-rok had presented his Pyeong-jo-gi-han as 8 months. That meant treatment was possible. If he did well, 8 months; if he did even better, perhaps he could shorten it a little more.

"Now, let's start from the registration process."

The staff all took their positions, and Kyungwoo went into the director's office and turned on the chart.

The first chart to be created. The name of the first patient Kyungwoo would see at Hyenin Oriental Hospital appeared. As always, he would do his best for each and every patient, and so there would be nothing he would pay special attention to in dealing with him, but—

"You've come to the right place. I will do my best to treat you."

Still, Shin Nakhyun would be able to gain value far beyond what he had invested.

"Then, let's move to the treatment room."

Kyungwoo, who had been concentrating for a long time in the director's office with his hands on Nakhyun's body and his eyes closed, nodded as if he understood, and sent him to the treatment room. After that, the routine treatment process done at a general oriental clinic followed...

Kyungwoo, who had entered the treatment room, briefly explained the 'Research on the Therapeutic Effect of High-Concentration Bee Venom on Ankylosing Spondylitis' that he was conducting with Oriental Medical Doctor Kang Isu.

"So... you're saying there was actually a patient you cured recently?"

"Rather than cured, it should be called remission. That patient was younger and hadn't been ill for long, but yes. They definitely reached remission."

The smile vanished from the face that was always grinning, and Shin Nakhyun's heart began to pound. 'I don't even hope for remission. Even if I just get half as better as I am now...!'

After the bee venom skin test, Kyungwoo, having confirmed there were no issues, started with acupuncture. After inserting needles into the Hoo-gye and Shin-maek he had placed last time, as well as the major acupoints located on his waist and limbs,

"Director, the stimulation has become more intense... Augh."

"It is, isn't it? Now, I will administer the bee venom acupuncture."

The bee venom acupuncture, which was still at a weak concentration, flowed through the syringe and straight into his waist. When he got up from the bed after the needle retention was finished,

"Huh?"

Shin Nakhyun felt a light sensation in his waist for the first time in a long while. The sensation of blood circulating in a waist that had been stiff as a log. When he bent his waist after getting up...!

"Whoa..."

It was right after treatment, and it would return after some time passed, but... could it become this soft? With the conviction that all the things he had done to catch Kyungwoo were very useful and rewarding acts, he made a resolution.

'From now on... I'll provide air support so you'll never have to leave this neighborhood!'

He tidied his clothes and came out, and he heard the three of them talking.

"I'll leave it on the messenger when the patient consultation is over."

"Yes. But I might be organizing in another treatment room, what should I do then?"

"Would it be better to systematize waiting for a while in the middle waiting room in front of the director's office?"

"I think it would be good to do one more simulation. Mr. Nakhyun has such high favorability toward our clinic that I don't think he can objectively feel what's uncomfortable."

"Should we ask the real estate agent to come?"

"If possible, I'd prefer a woman..."

Shin Nakhyun chimed in with sparkling eyes.

"If it's alright, shall I call my wife? I was going to bring her once anyway, and she's waiting in the car right now."

"In the car? Why didn't you bring her up together? Then, I'll ask for your help."

Shin Nakhyun made a call to his wife. And a moment later, they were able to understand why his wife had been waiting 'in the car'...

"Hello. Honey, I'm here."

The moment the beautiful woman walked inside and took off her sunglasses, everyone's eyes widened. It was a face they couldn't possibly not know.