Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 114

‘So this is how such a person came to be.’

Sama Hyeon.

It seems there was a time when he took responsibility for orphans.

The boy before Jin Cheon-hee would have lost all these orphans just now if Jin Cheon-hee hadn’t been there.

The boy had resolved to die then.

That would have become one of the reasons for his madness.

‘He killed his loved ones with his own hands, he said.’

The Hao Sect Leader often liked to wear masks of boys and girls.

Of course, he might have killed them himself to wear their masks.

But considering there were descriptions of him cherishing those masks, they might have been the faces of his dead family members.

‘It’s all speculation in my head. But still…’

He couldn’t let them go like this.

And those loved ones he had to kill with his own hands because they were in too much pain.

‘Could I save them…?’

Jin Cheon-hee grabbed Sama Hyeon’s wrist.

Clap-

The wrist was thicker than it looked.

When Jin Cheon-hee grabbed his hand, Sama Hyeon tensed for a moment before relaxing.

Despite appearances, he had tremendous grip strength and speed that was difficult to follow with the eyes.

Fortunately, his internal energy was low, so he’d lose in a direct fight with Jin Cheon-hee, but at this distance, he could easily tear off human flesh.

‘He’s still a puppy. I don’t need to be afraid of him…’

Jin Cheon-hee was unnecessarily scared because the novel’s descriptions were so terrifying.

‘Unless he’s taken some spirit medicine, I should be fine for now.’

Sama Hyeon asked:

“What is it, brother~?”

This was Sama Hyeon still in his right mind.

And Jin Cheon-hee had changed the future today.

Even so, if he sent him away like this, the same future would repeat.

Thanks to the Mysterious Origin Thousand Calculations Skill, his thinking speed increased. He recalled and compared each line from the novel.

Then he analyzed response strategies.

‘No, I can’t let this go.’

“Wait a moment.”

He wanted to do what he could.

“Why don’t you get your injuries treated before you go?”

“Hm?”

The boy’s eyes widened. Jin Cheon-hee pointed with his thumb to the medicine box on his back.

“Aren’t you curious about who I am?”

“What good would it do to know? Geez, did you eat some glue or something? There’s nothing good that can come from getting involved with people like us…”

“I’m a doctor.”

“You look like one. But why?”

Do I have to say this with my own mouth? Feeling his earlobes burn, Jin Cheon-hee actively promoted himself.

“It’s a bit embarrassing, but in the martial world, I’m called the Little White Dragon. My master is Zhuge Rin, the pavilion master of White Dragon Medical Pavilion.”

At those words, Sama Hyeon’s eyes widened.

“The Little Divine Doctor, Little White Dragon!?”

Why does it have to be “Little” Divine Doctor? Why add another “little”?

Jin Cheon-hee grumbled inwardly.

Anyway, it seems he gained another title from his recent heroic deeds.

Sama Hyeon’s expression became complex.

“Why has such a big shot suddenly fallen from the sky? Brother, are you really good at treating people?”

“I can handle injuries like yours easily.”

“No, that’s not what I mean… Can you take a look at our kids? But brother… it’s a bit awkward to say, but I’m broke~”

If Jin Cheon-hee had answered, “Sure, come find me when you have money~” here, it was clear that Sama Hyeon would awaken into the original Hao Sect Leader mode, saying things like “The world is hell~! Let’s burn and die. Might as well collect some face skins while we’re at it. Wow, killing like this, humans are all just maggots~”

As a modern person, Jin Cheon-hee had no intention whatsoever of contributing to this guy’s awakening.

‘In about ten or twenty years, he’d set fire to the front yard of White Dragon Medical Pavilion. No, before that, the medical system would be paralyzed by the patients he directly or indirectly produced.’

Gulp.

Jin Cheon-hee swallowed hard.

He had already entered the tiger’s den, so he decided to go all the way.

“It’s fine with me. If you’re really worried about it, you can repay me when you grow up and become a great person.”

“Haha, there really are all kinds of weirdos in this world~ Treating people like us for free. We’re not from the same sect, not related by blood, someone you just met today…”

Sama Hyeon let out a hollow laugh.

Eventually, as if he had made up his mind, he grabbed Jin Cheon-hee’s sleeve tightly.

“Alright. Since it’s come to this, I’ll ask properly, so please help us, brother.”

“Sure.”

“Brother, you should know you’ve hit the jackpot today~ I’m going to stick to you and not let go.”

“That’s fine.”

“My goodness, what a strange person…”

Jin Cheon-hee thought:

‘Thank goodness. At least I met him when he was young.’

If it had been even a little later, they might not have been able to have this conversation.

The awakened Hao Sect Leader was a person who not only didn’t trust people but was also incapable of having such a conversation.

***

As they passed through Hangzhou’s spider web-like alleys, they saw a path leading underground.

It was a hut leading to the basement of an abandoned house.

Following it inside, they found many children sitting there.

“Brother! It’s brother!”

“Wow!”

“Brother Hyeon!”

Not a single child was properly dressed.

Their skin had inflammation in various places, and some even had large tumors like lumps on their faces.

Due to poor nutrition, all parts except their internal organs were emaciated, making their bellies appear protruding.

On top of that, there was another big problem: the acrid smell of opium.

‘First… I need to do something about their living conditions.’

In the furthest corner, a small girl was lying down.

“Brother… are you back?”

The child tried to get up but lay back down due to pain.

“I’m back. I brought a doctor too.”

He didn’t mention anything about being the Little White Dragon or the top disciple of White Dragon’s Divine Doctor, probably to avoid disappointing his sister.

‘This guy’s acting skills are art. Or is that his true feelings?’

The boy who had been cynical towards the world wore a bright and cheerful face only in front of his sister.

While the other children were problematic too, the girl seemed to have difficulty moving at all.

The pain seemed to be severe, and she was using opium to calm it, but that was just another form of poison.

Jin Cheon-hee took out his medicine box.

“First, I’ll give emergency treatment to the injured children. Then I’ll check everyone’s pulse, so don’t worry.”

The children whispered among themselves.

“Brother, can someone so young be a doctor?”

“He looks only a few years older than Brother Hyeon.”

That was true. To properly complete medical training, one would need to be at least in their late twenties. Even then, they’d be a fledgling intermediate doctor who had just shed their novice status.

In comparison, Jin Cheon-hee was in his late teens.

If not for his title of Little White Dragon and his reputation, he might have been seen as a quack.

Sama Hyeon said:

“Don’t worry about that. Trust this brother~ Let’s get treated well.”

“If you say so, brother…”

The children nodded.

‘They’re quite wary indeed.’

Thinking this, Jin Cheon-hee began treating the most urgent cases first.

***

Fortunately, most of the children didn’t have any major illnesses besides malnutrition.

However, given their environment, there was no guarantee for the future.

Some limped due to the effects of polio, but as it had progressed to the stage of permanent disability, there was no way to treat it.

Still, given their young age, if they combined braces with physical therapy, there were statistically cases of improvement.

From here on, it would be a battle with time, will, and luck.

“We’ll try.”

A fierce determination settled in the children’s eyes.

They were good eyes.

Was it because they had to risk their lives every day?

The children of the martial world were different from those of the modern Earth where Jin Cheon-hee had been. They gave up their innocence early but had strong perseverance in exchange.

A world of survival of the fittest where nothing was protected.

Jin Cheon-hee patted their heads.

The last was the girl Sama Hyeon called his family.

Sama Hye.

Just looking at her, the severe curvature of her back seemed to be extreme scoliosis.

The child seemed to be in pain, letting out low groans every time she moved.

It had already reached the stage of chronic pain.

‘In this case, the treatment method differs depending on the cause of the spinal curvature.’

Jin Cheon-hee grabbed the child’s wrist and infused his internal energy.

The child, as previously instructed, kept her mouth shut and waited for Jin Cheon-hee to finish checking her pulse.

Sama Hyeon stared intently at Jin Cheon-hee.

“…”

The other children also waited, trying not to interfere as much as possible.

After some time had passed like this, Jin Cheon-hee let go of her wrist.

‘There’s a tumor on her spine…’

Not only can the spine curve due to poor posture, but there are cases where it happens from birth due to some cause.

Scoliosis.

First, the majority of cases are of unknown cause.

Even with modern science, there are many cases where the cause of a disease cannot be fully understood, and scoliosis is particularly like that.

There are a few representative causes that have been identified and their corresponding treatments.

First, cases where a child is born with an extra bone or with a deformity.

In these cases, treatment is attempted through spine braces that look like corsets, physical therapy, or surgical methods are considered.

As the child grows, monthly thorough management is needed, requiring the cooperation of the guardian, doctor, and patient.

Secondly, there are cases caused by muscular disease.

This is a situation where muscle cells have abnormalities and can’t support the spine, and even with modern technology, there aren’t many solutions.

It’s intractable.

However, if the spine is left to continue curving, as the child grows, the pressure on the lungs and organs increases, making it difficult to breathe and eat, and the patient ends their life in pain.

To solve this, even if surgical methods are used for correction, without muscles to support it, over time it eventually requires another surgery.

Isn’t that also painful?

Because it’s a problem without an answer, the guardian, doctor, and the patient who will go through it end up in endless self-questioning.

Third.

Cases where a tumor grows and presses on the spine.

This means that for some reason, a tumor grows inside the body and pushes the spine sideways.

Sama Hye’s case was this third type.

‘The fundamental cause is the tumor. Removing it will be the key.’

Fortunately, it wasn’t the second type of muscular disease, but since this wasn’t an easy method either, Jin Cheon-hee let out a small sigh.

The girl’s spine was already severely twisted, affecting her entire body.

Especially, the pressure on her internal organs was considerable, making it difficult to eat food and breathe.

Deformation of the ribs had already occurred.

It seems she was also experiencing chronic pain, making it impossible to live normally.

‘Was Sama Hye the one Sama Hyeon had to kill?’

Jin Cheon-hee looked at Sama Hyeon.

Though cynical about the world, he was a child who had endured because of Sama Hye.

How must he have felt having to kill this child with his own hands?

It was undoubtedly a situation sufficient to break a person’s character.

Sama Hyeon said:

“Don’t expect much, brother. Everyone has already said it’s impossible.”

With this era’s technology, it was impossible.

Chiropractic isn’t omnipotent. Without removing this tumor, proper treatment was ultimately impossible.

“But is it possible for my sister Hye to be in less pain than now?”

At that moment, Sama Hye spoke in a gloomy voice.

“Is there a way to die without pain, doctor…?”

“Hye!”

“…”

Sama Hye didn’t say anything more and turned her head away.

In the muck, Sama Hye’s will to live had eroded.

Jin Cheon-hee suddenly recalled scenes from pediatric wards.

Children were not different from adults.

Children didn’t have a special will to overcome illness, nor were they unable to feel depressed emotions.

Children despaired too.

Human will erodes easily, and what lies at the end of that erosion?

Jin Cheon-hee said:

“Surgery, no, breaking will be necessary. But statistically…”

“What?”

Sama Hyeon and Sama Hye’s eyes widened.