Chapter 128
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Becoming the Team Doctor
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The qi of heaven and earth could be thick or thin, but the ability to sense and manipulate it didn't come overnight. Even when taught breathing exercises, some kids floundered for months, even years.
'Does Ijin just have a natural talent for it? Or is it because I cleared her pathways...?'
She couldn't dedicate hours a day to it like the children from martial clans.
Was it the efficiency of her near-Heavenly Martial Body, or was she born with the sensitivity too?
The amount of qi she had accumulated wasn't huge, but it was clear and distinct.
Compared to the disciples of the Tang Family Estate, who took pulses from a young age, she was about on par with a child who'd trained in internal arts for half a year.
'At this rate, in ten years of cultivation, she'll be a full-fledged martial artist.'
She might really turn into an invasive species disrupting the ecosystem.
"How's it feel? Doing okay?"
"Yes. Looks like you've been practicing what I taught you last time? It's gotten really... smooth."
"Of course. You recorded it for me yourself. Plus, I'm noticing my athletic performance improving bit by bit. I can run much longer without getting winded, and I can really feel the power going into my muscles."
Kim Ijin replied, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"You've had a breakthrough. Don't get greedy on that front—build it up slowly."
At this point, the risk of qi deviation was practically nil, but a word of caution never hurt.
"Yes!"
"I've been watching your games. Keep it up till the end of the season!"
I encouraged her future endeavors.
"You really watch the broadcasts?"
"Of course. Whenever I'm not working. Actually, even during work, I catch the highlights."
"...I'll do my best."
She shot to her feet.
And right before opening the door to leave...
"I'll become the most famous and get my signature up top."
She tossed that out.
Eh?
Kim Ijin had headed to the treatment room on her own.
I just stood there, staring blankly at the signatures by the water cooler.
Somehow, Hyun Jumi's signature had ended up at the top.
Below her was Park Sesun. Then today's new ones: Lee Sora and Kim Ijin.
'It's not exactly by fame...'
Putting her at the top wouldn't hurt anyone!
She's still just a kid. To think she'd care about something like that!
Instead of dousing her competitive fire, I kept my mouth shut and started loosening Lee Sora's shoulders and lower back.
Shwoooosh—splash!
A three-pointer swished through as the practice game ended.
Captain Lee Sora had thrown it.
Points happened dozens of times in a single scrimmage.
In this era of "archery basketball," where long-range shots were the norm, three-pointers weren't rare.
But a buzzer-beater right at the end? That always drew eyes.
"That last one was perfect."
"In the heat of the moment, you launched it in 0.1 seconds—thought it was a free throw it was so spot-on."
The coach and teammates alike praised Lee Sora's three-pointer as flawless.
"You all take a shot too. I've been reborn."
Lee Sora, wiping sweat while lost in thought, said it absently.
"Huh? Reborn where?"
"Oh, the clinic."
Only then did Lee Sora catch her breath and hear the others.
"The clinic? You mean Ijin's regular spot? Even the captain went?"
Mention "Ijin's regular clinic," and pretty much everyone knew.
The team mostly thought of that place just hearing "clinic."
The other players listening in quickly caught on.
"Yeah. Went there and fixed that chronic habit of stepping back with my left foot on three-pointers."
"Come on, you're exaggerating..."
Kim Ijin just quietly slipped out often—no dramatics like that.
She said it was good when asked, but a few treatments fixing shooting form? Did that even make sense?
"No, really. Check the reviews on their receipts—stuff like 'went in as an Australopithecus, came out human.'"
"Yeah."
"I went in thinking 'total exaggeration.' Wasn't expecting much beyond some muscle loosening—my back wasn't that bad. But now my pelvis is aligned, and the power distributes perfectly to my lower body!"
"Uh-huh."
Some teammates looked skeptical.
"For real?"
"What's the name again?"
Others showed interest.
"Seong... something."
"Seongsu Clinic."
Kim Ijin, who'd played against Lee Sora, answered for her.
Everyone knew her skills were improving daily too.
Intrigued by Lee Sora's words, they started searching the map app.
"Captain's not exaggerating, is she?"
"That's why you're going too?"
"I've gone beyond ape-to-human—I'm evolving into a new species."
Silence fell for a moment.
"Whoa... Ijin can joke around."
"Argh, yeah, yeah! I've only gone once, so I'm barely human now!"
Lee Sora cracked up at the metaphor and chimed in.
"No, it's not that big a..."
Myeong Seonju—the only other one who'd visited Seongsu Clinic besides them—trembled slightly, but her words got buried under their praise.
"Can't we ask him to be our team doctor? It'd be great if he came to games."
"Right, right. Captain, suggest it!"
"Hmm. Not sure about game support—the director seemed super busy. I'll mention it to the coach next time. Oh, and don't wait till you're hurt—go this weekend!"
"That's separate~. Take me too!"
That week, five teammates visited the clinic en masse.
Lee Sora and one other joined the weekly treatment regulars.
And soon after.
In Seongsu Clinic's waiting room, next to the "Affiliated with Sowon General Hospital" plaque, a "Busan BUK Basketball Team Physician" plaque went up.
A young woman in the waiting room was staring intently at Hyun Jumi's signature and a photo with her.
Everyone peeked there during long waits, but this one fixated on Hyun Jumi's not-that-big photo relentlessly.
"See? Mom was right. Celebrities and athletes get treated here. You'll get good care too."
At her mother's words, the young woman turned.
Opposite her plump, plain mom, the daughter was skin-and-bones—thinner than most idols—with heavy makeup.
"Ugh, I got it."
The daughter shoved her mom with an elbow.
Tense vibe.
20-somethings came alone for injuries or colds.
Parents tagged along for meds sometimes, but family tension like this? Rare.
'Ah, she's the one.'
Then I recalled the patient Chu Miyoung had referred recently.
Someone whose health tanked on diet meds from another clinic.
She still wanted to diet, but with severe anorexia and insomnia—Chu Miyoung didn't know what to do.
I'd told her to send them my way without worry, but when no one came, I figured they went elsewhere... Looks like mom needed time to convince daughter.
Soon, it was their turn.
Mom and daughter entered side by side.
"Shin Heeju, hello. Have a seat here~."
I greeted them brightly, calling the name from the chart.
Patient in front of me, guardian beside—as always.
Shin Heeju sat without a word where I pointed, but her attitude was sour.
Arms crossed, leg over knee, head turned away deliberately.
"Hello, Director."
Her hapless mom greeted for her, eyes flicking between me and Shin Heeju.
"You noted diet and tonics for the visit."
"Yes, my daughter wants to diet, but I think she needs tonics too. Her health's gone downhill from dieting."
"I still lost weight, though."
Shin Heeju cut in curtly.
I preferred talking directly to patients, but this duo was tricky.
"How exactly has your condition changed?"
Asked the daughter—mom answered.
"She was already slim, now she's skin and bones! Look at this!"
She lifted a scrawny arm; Shin Heeju smirked.
"You set food out, she smells it and says she'll puke—won't eat. Can't sleep either. Sometimes clutches her stomach like it hurts, and I've seen her puking at night."
"No, that wasn't nausea—it was me purging what I ate."
Her face hardened at the vomit mention.
...Forcing it up is worse.
"I'll explain. That night, I couldn't sleep, stayed up late. The appetite suppression wore off, so I ate from the fridge without thinking. Mom and bro keep buying stuff. Anyway, realized late-night eating's bad, so I purged. But mom freaked, tossed my meds, and now promises new herbal ones— that's why we're here."
She was willing to talk to me now, explaining calmly.
"Purged, took two packs of meds, then couldn't sleep at all. ...I was wrong to toss them. She's not usually like this—it's making her snappy."
Her mom scratched her head.
No clue where to start.
So, diet herbs caused insomnia.
Up late, suppression faded—ate and purged.
Took two packs.
Mom saw, tossed the meds.
They fought... daughter's attitude soured... and mom's defending it to me?
But all that was secondary.
"Did you lose this much weight from those other clinic's herbs? Or were you already thin and seeking more loss?"
Who prescribes diet meds to that frame?
"I wasn't thin before or now. My thighs are still chunky."
"Heeju! You'll die like that!"
Mom grabbed her arm, near tears.
Definitely thin already when starting meds.
Who prescribes to someone with anorexia signs?
"Mom said you'd give me meds that don't cause weight gain and build health. Purging's on me—ignore it. The stomach pain and insomnia bother me sometimes. Something to sleep well and keep losing weight would be great."
Shin Heeju said.
"Maintaining nutrition deficiency while tonifying is nonsense. Health means sleeping well, eating well, excreting well—body using energy properly. Excess fat's bad, but you can't suppress appetite in this state and tonify."
"Knew it. Skip tonics—diet meds please."
I'd explained to make her drop dieting, but she shrugged, prioritizing weight over health.
"Why lose so much weight?"
Mom jumped in, shielding her.
"She's got some emotional scars. As a doctor, prescribe what's needed without boosting appetite..."
"I don't wanna get fat like you!"
Shoving mom again, Shin Heeju yelled irritably.