"Phew."
Sweat dripped down Jin Cheon-hee's forehead, and Yoo Ho quickly wiped it away with a cloth.
His eyes had almost stung from the sweat, but thankfully, it was taken care of in time.
"He’s doing things before I even say anything. He’s quite sharp, isn’t he?" Yoo Ho wasn’t a seasoned nurse—he was just a rookie.
Yet, he was performing at this level.
Jin Cheon-hee found himself growing more and more fond of Yoo Ho.
Of course, Yoo Ho’s own feelings weren’t taken into account at all.
"What a good tool you are, our Yoo Ho."
Jin Cheon-hee praised Yoo Ho as if he were a hardworking ox and then continued with the marginal resection surgery.
"This is a situation that would make other orthopedic surgeons jealous..."
Marginal resection surgery is usually performed by the most experienced surgeon.
It’s not about having quick hands but about having extensive experience.
In the past, it was believed that the faster the surgery, the better, especially in emergencies.
But now, the consensus has shifted toward taking more time to thoroughly prevent infections, as it significantly increases the patient’s chances of survival.
Marginal resection surgery is directly tied to survival.
And Jin Cheon-hee was using the Five Elements Divine Technique to breeze through it.
On top of that, there was the excellent nurse, Yoo Ho.
This guy was doing low-pressure irrigation, changing tools, and wiping sweat without being told.
"What a great AI."
The marginal resection surgery ended cleanly.
The medical staff watching were filled with awe.
Next, Jin Cheon-hee moved on to external fixation.
This method is used for severe open fractures.
Temporary external fixation.
It involves using half-pins to temporarily stabilize the fracture.
Later, a metal rod would be inserted into the medullary cavity for permanent fixation...
"Is there really a need to split the surgery into two parts? Why not handle everything in one go this time..."
Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.
"No, let’s not get greedy. I’ve already gained an advantage using the Five Elements Divine Technique. The rest should follow the manual."
Just the marginal resection surgery alone was groundbreaking.
Moreover, the appropriate measures had significantly reduced the risk of complications.
"Surgery isn’t something done alone. It’s done with the patient. No matter how skilled you are, if the patient’s body can’t keep up, it’s pointless."
Jin Cheon-hee pointed out where the pins should be placed to his master.
After identifying a spot where the soft tissue wasn’t damaged, his master began inserting the pins using internal energy.
Without the usual unpleasant noise, the metal pins were inserted as easily as skewering tofu with chopsticks.
Jin Cheon-hee whistled inwardly.
"He’s doing it so effortlessly."
Normally, this would be a grueling carpentry session involving hammers and drills.
But with minimal damage, it was done so simply.
Jin Cheon-hee concluded, "We’ll maintain temporary external fixation while monitoring the soft tissue condition and proceed to the second surgery later."
Things were going better than expected, and his mood lifted.
A smile appeared on Jin Cheon-hee’s lips.
As the most challenging part of the surgery was resolved smoothly, the expressions of the medical staff also relaxed.
Then it happened.
The patient’s fingertip twitched.
A very small movement.
The first to notice was Zhuge Lin.
"Cheon-hee, the patient’s finger moved."
"It’s possible for that to happen once during anesthesia. Ah, is the acupressure method different?" Then, another twitch.
Jin Cheon-hee’s pupils contracted.
The medical staff urgently reported, "The pulse is rising!" "What about the patient’s consciousness?" "Still unconscious!" What on earth was going on?
The patient’s body convulsed, bouncing on the operating table.
Yoo Ho quickly grabbed the patient’s arms to stabilize them.
Strangely, Yoo Ho’s shadow seemed alive, simultaneously grabbing the patient’s legs and shoulders.
It was unclear what kind of martial arts technique this was, but it certainly wasn’t from the orthodox sects.
"Young Master!" This wasn’t the time to be amazed by Yoo Ho’s skills.
Jin Cheon-hee quickly thought of possible complications.
"Acute compartment syndrome wouldn’t cause this. Is it acute pulmonary embolism due to fat? No, pulmonary embolism wouldn’t cause this reaction... Or is it something with the heart...?" The patient’s limbs flailed like an epileptic seizure.
The fact that the patient remained unconscious was even more bizarre.
Then, the master spoke in a calm voice.
"This seems like a martial world illness. It’s natural not to know about it with only worldly knowledge."
"Huh?" The master picked up a long needle and placed his other hand on the patient’s solar plexus.
Jin Cheon-hee finally noticed that the patient’s solar plexus was strangely protruding.
The master closed his eyes, checked the pulse, and then stabbed the needle into a specific spot.
Thud! "Cheon-hee, we need to cut it open. Hurry!" There was no time to question.
The patient started vomiting blood.
If this continued, the blood would block the airway, and the patient would drown in their own blood! Jin Cheon-hee quickly cut open the patient’s solar plexus.
What he saw inside was a perforated stomach and a squirming, unfamiliar creature.
"A parasite... can it grow this big in the stomach?" The fact that it was alive made it even more grotesque.
Moreover, its mouth was attached to the stomach.
When the master stabbed it with a second needle, it seemed to be in pain and detached its mouth.
In that instant, the master swiftly pulled out the creature’s body and placed it in a jar.
Thud— Yoo Ho’s shadow immediately closed the jar’s lid.
The patient’s convulsions stopped as if by magic.
Jin Cheon-hee quickly proceeded with the cleanup and began suturing.
The master explained, "This is a Gu. If the patient doesn’t take a specific medicine every ten or twenty days, it goes berserk inside the body."
"Is it like the Blood Gu used by the Demon Sect?" Blood Gu.
The parasite that the Little Heavenly Demon consumes.
Jin Cheon-hee had read about it in novels—how the Demon Sect uses Blood Gu during initiation to control people like puppets.
But the removal method wasn’t like this.
Moreover, its characteristics were different from Blood Gu.
Although some fluid had leaked due to the master’s needle, it hadn’t melted the stomach.
If it were a real Blood Gu, the stomach would have been irreparably damaged by now.
Zhuge Lin said, "It’s far inferior to the Demon Sect’s techniques. This is from the Heterodox Sects. Specifically, it’s used by the Haomen Sect to plant spies."
A spy.
The final suture was completed.
Jin Cheon-hee said, "We’ll need to inform His Highness."
"Yes. Keeping this quiet would be treason."
It was strange.
Although his voice sounded troubled, the master’s lips curled up slightly.
"This is why it’s best not to dig too deep into the affairs of the royal family. If you hadn’t known, this wouldn’t have happened."
Jin Cheon-hee said, "This is just the first surgery. The patient will need a second surgery after recovery."
There’s a reason for performing the surgery in two stages.
The damaged soft tissues need time to recover.
Since the contaminated soft tissues were removed through marginal resection surgery, the lost tissues need to regenerate.
If the second surgery is done before the soft tissues regenerate, the risk of complications and aftereffects increases significantly, putting a heavy burden on the patient’s body.
The problem is that since the patient practices martial arts, the speed at which the soft tissues regenerate is unpredictable.
Depending on the internal energy cultivation method and the level of attainment, the recovery rate varies greatly.
Moreover, there seem to be many secrets not disclosed to the medical staff.
The recovery speed couldn’t be measured within the same parameters as a modern person.
It could take a week, ten days, or even three weeks.
The faster the recovery, the lower the risk of secondary infection.
Additionally, as soon as the temporary external fixation is removed, the main surgery must begin.
That’s the only way to save both the patient’s life and leg.
"I wonder if His Highness will allow it."
Zhuge Lin admired Jin Cheon-hee’s expression as if it were a fine piece of art.
"What a good expression."
It was the look of someone flustered yet shining with the sense of duty as a doctor.
Zhuge Lin seemed quite pleased with his disciple’s gaze.
Jin Cheon-hee said, "First, let’s wake the patient and ask what happened. That’s the proper procedure."
"Proper procedure... What is the right procedure, and what is right? Can you be sure, Cheon-hee?" Zhuge Lin spoke to his disciple in a voice softer and gentler than anyone else’s.
"Yes, let’s do that."
The master went to report to the King.
Meanwhile, Jin Cheon-hee sat by the Prince Consort’s bedside.
He planned to sort out his thoughts while waiting for the patient to wake up.
"What was the novel, anyway?" Novels are never fair.
No matter how omniscient the third-person narrator is, everything ultimately revolves around the characters driving the narrative.
What Jin Cheon-hee knew was only from the King’s perspective regarding the Prince Consort.
"But at least everything described in the novel is true."
He had confirmed this multiple times since coming to this world.
Only the King’s perspective was thoroughly reflected.
The Prince Consort, Cheon Yu-rang.
The King’s husband.
In a royal family rife with political marriages, he had seized the position of Prince Consort as a lowly entertainer, a so-called martial arts version of Cinderella.
Before the King ascended the throne, when she was still Princess Feng Zhuhua, the two had met.
At the time, the King was disgusted with the corrupt royal family and the incompetent emperor.
The princes and princesses were desperate to keep her in check.
The biggest problem was that she herself had no desire to become the emperor.
At the time, Feng Zhuhua was going through a stormy period.
At night, she would wear a mask and beat up corrupt officials, and during the day, she wandered around drunk, moving from one entertainment house to another.
It was futile.
Utterly futile.
No matter how many corrupt officials she beat, it didn’t even amount to a fraction of the people’s grievances.
Even if she killed them, the same kind of people would just take their place.
"What kind of princess am I if I can’t even save one starving city?" That’s when the future Prince Consort, Cheon Yu-rang, appeared.
"What’s in your hand?" "A leech of the people. It’s grown fat from sucking their blood."
She grabbed the collar of the unconscious officer and shook him.
With the mask on, she must have looked terrifying.
Suppressing his fear, Cheon Yu-rang said, "Are you going to kill him?" "I’ll beat him. He hasn’t been beaten enough."
She was terrifying, truly terrifying, but Cheon Yu-rang mustered his courage.
"If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask a favor of you?" "What is it?" "Can I join in beating him?" And so, the two relieved their stress by kicking the officer.
"What’s your name?" "Cheon Yu-rang."
"Where can I see you again?" "I’m an entertainer who dances at the South Heaven Entertainment House. I’m a low-ranking entertainer, so I’ll always be there."
"What’s your relationship with this pig?" "He threatened to cut off my legs if I didn’t serve him, so I’d never be able to dance again."
She looked up and saw Cheon Yu-rang’s face.
Even in the dark night, the man’s face shone brightly.
She thought he had a handsome face, fitting for an entertainer.