Chapter 22 - ER (4)
Ding-dong!
[System: The user’s will resonates with the system.]
[A new function is being activated!]
Flash.
The empty parking lot where Sihyeon stood was suddenly engulfed in a bright light.
“It is a pleasure to meet you again, Dr. Cheon Si-hyeon.”
The Subjective and Objective Resident Assistant.
Along with a newly appeared notification window, she revealed herself.
‘This place is...’
A space surrounded by light. It was the same sense of unreality he had felt in the System Administrator's consultation room.
“Nice to see you too,” Sihyeon replied.
“I will periodically upload information necessary for medical treatment to the information window. Furthermore, please make a request if there are any other specific areas you desire.”
“So I can request desired information as well.”
“I provide all information within the accessible range.”
Until now, he could only see what the system provided.
‘An interactive interface? No, since she provides desired information, is she a secretary?’
“It is similar. You may understand it as such.”
It was a reaction as if she were reading his thoughts.
“Huh? Just now...”
Sihyeon flinched in surprise.
“Ah, I do not share all of your thoughts,” she reassured Sihyeon.
She followed with an explanation that a limited sharing of primarily verbalized thoughts was possible.
Communicating with the system through dialogue. That was the first function of the ‘Subjective and Objective Resident Assistant.’
“By the way, how do I make a data request?”
“You simply call for me and state the necessary content.”
“‘Subjective and Objective Resident Assistant’ is too long. Can I call you by another name?”
“It is possible. Please set a custom call command.”
“Si... no, I’ll go with ‘SORA.’ Is that okay?”
SORA.
It was taken from the original name, Subjective Objective Resident Assistant.
“Registration complete. From now on, please call me ‘SORA.’”
For the first time, a faint smile spread across her expressionless face.
“I would also appreciate it if you spoke to me comfortably.”
“Understood. I mean—alright, SORA.”
Since he would be calling her frequently, it felt awkward to continue using formal speech.
“Displaying the list of shortcut commands.”
A new window popped up.
It contained commonly used menus such as lists of inpatients, ER patients, and outpatients. Additionally, various test results and even imaging findings could be checked.
“Is there another input method besides speaking aloud? It feels strange, like I'm talking to myself.”
“It can be replaced by simply bringing the command to mind.”
“I’ll give it a try.”
‘Show me the ER patient list.’
Just as he thought it, the patient list appeared.
‘Inpatients by ward, too.’
With all the windows spread out, the list of patients across the entire hospital was visible at a glance.
Back in his first year, Sihyeon had felt like he was in a whole new world just by using dual monitors. Now, looking at the multiple windows floating in the air, he felt as if he had stepped into a sci-fi movie.
“Basic instructions are complete. Is there anything else you are curious about?”
“I don't think so. For now.”
“Terminating basic instructions.”
“Ah, alright.”
“I wish you the best of luck, Doctor.”
SORA offered Sihyeon a faint smile.
“Wait, about recommending the potion earlier...?”
“It’s a secret from the Administrator.”
SORA’s form gradually faded, and soon the space surrounded by light returned to the bleak parking lot of the Emergency Medical Center.
“Dr. Cheon Si-hyeon?”
The surprise at the changing scenery was brief. Someone called Sihyeon from behind.
“Ah, Dr. Chae Yi-jin.”
It seemed she was also on her way out of the ER toward the resident dormitory.
“Ah, yes. Has Mr. Jeong Seong-hwan’s surgery started?”
“Yes, he just went in. I was on my way out after handing the patient over to the surgical ward nurse.”
“That’s good. I'm glad.”
Sihyeon nodded at her answer.
“I didn't even think about trauma for that patient. If we had gone through with the coronary intervention without knowing that...”
Because they use additional heparin (a type of anticoagulant) during a coronary angiogram to prevent blood clotting, the possibility of the bleeding worsening was extremely high.
Whew.
Chae Yi-jin let out a shallow sigh.
‘She must have been startled.’
Although Chae Yi-jin was considered the most capable resident in the entire Internal Medicine department, it was still only the beginning of her first year.
No matter how much of a genius she was, she was currently closer to an intern than an internal medicine doctor.
It would have been weirder if she weren't flustered after nearly losing a patient right before her eyes.
“But how did you know the patient was injured? Even the patient himself said he couldn't remember.”
“Pardon?”
It was an unexpected question.
‘Is this a sort of post-mortem?’
She definitely had an academic side. She was trying to find the basis for Sihyeon’s judgment and identify what she had missed.
“I just... saw a bruise in that area, so I asked the patient about it.”
Complex explanations only lead to more questions. Sihyeon told her as simply as possible, just as he had seen it.
“There was a bruise? I didn't see one.”
Chae Yi-jin tilted her head. Her expression had been grim for a while, as if she were blaming herself for almost losing the patient due to her negligence.
‘Of course you didn't see it.’
Because it was something even he hadn't known until he used the ‘Potion of IPPA.’
“Maybe it was just a difference in perspective? Since Dr. Nam Hye-mi asked me to look into his drinking problem... I only asked about that part.”
“A difference in perspective?”
“Yes. Things like whether he had been injured while drinking, or if he had blacked out recently—that sort of thing.”
Sihyeon said as if to comfort Chae Yi-jin. He hadn't heard anything from Nam Hye-mi regarding the patient’s condition, but saying it this way felt the most natural.
“Ah, so that’s why Dr. Nam Hye-mi...”
In the next moment, Chae Yi-jin’s face brightened.
“To be honest, I thought Dr. Nam Hye-mi was just indiscriminately throwing around consult requests for no reason, but I was wrong.”
“Pardon?”
“I didn't realize there was such deep meaning behind it... As expected, one should trust and follow a senior resident’s words unconditionally.”
‘No, why would you come to that conclusion?’
The words almost escaped his mouth.
“No, well... if you follow her, you'll...”
Sihyeon tried to say something, but in the next moment, a notification sound rang out.
Ding-dong!
[System: Achievement rewards are being issued.]
[An Assist as Good as a Goal — Contributed significantly to the patient’s survival through swift and accurate consultation. (Very Hard difficulty +3,000P)]
‘Good.’
Seeing the reward being issued, it seemed that the patient's survival probability had risen significantly as the surgery began.
He had received great help just by using a Grade D item at the right time.
Needless to say, the higher-tier items that would appear later would be even more effective.
‘I need to collect more points.’
Sihyeon clenched his two fists tightly.
……
7:00 AM
Sihyeon had been out at the Emergency Room station since early morning.
—This is ER intern Noh Min-hye. I am giving you a noti.
A patient had visited the ER during a time when there were usually few patients. The patient complained of severe suicidal ideation.
‘Of course, there are no beds.’
Sihyeon finally found a hospital to transfer the patient to and was writing the referral form.
“We’re heading out first.”
It was the ER nurse shift change. The night shift workers were leaving the ER.
It was also about time for Sihyeon to head to Ward 9.
In order to hand over the duty to Hwang Jin-ho, he had to grasp the status of the ward patients.
Actually, since he had been performing the daily quest "Ward Dominance" lately, he already knew as much about most details as the physician in charge.
“Doctor, thank you for back then.”
On the way across the parking lot toward the New Wing building where the wards were located, someone called out to Sihyeon.
“Who...?”
It was a nurse he’d never seen before. Her shiny new name tag read: RN Park Hye-seon.
‘Is she a new hire?’
When Sihyeon wore a bewildered expression, the nurse spoke.
“Um... that time you came to have a beer with your friend.”
‘So this person was the "fellow medical staff" member.’
If she was a new nurse, it was entirely possible he wouldn't know her. Since she had been working three shifts, there might not have been much time for them to run into each other.
“Ah, were you alright back then?”
“Yes. Thanks to you. I was so surprised. I really didn't know he was such a bad guy.”
Nurse Park Hye-seon handed him a carrier containing four cups of coffee.
“I only realized you were a resident at our hospital after seeing you in the ER yesterday. I was so flustered back then that I couldn't even say hello.”
“I’ll enjoy them.”
Three iced Americanos. And one Caramel Macchiato with plenty of whipped cream.
It was the drink Sihyeon used to drink throughout his first year in the past, always adding extra shots.
It seemed to help when things weren't going well, but he had gained a lot of weight because of it.
‘Come to think of it, I don't really crave sweets much lately.’
Ding-dong!
[System: Achievement rewards are being issued.]
[Green Light...? : Received a sweet drink from a member of the opposite sex for the first time. It is absolutely NOT a green light. (Very Hard difficulty +1,000P)]
“…….”
There was no need to go as far as informing me it wasn't.
Sihyeon immediately closed the notification window.
……
8:30 AM
During the hours after the physicians in charge have left or on weekends, first-years practically cover the entire Emergency Room and the wards.
Sihyeon headed toward the ward, holding the coffees Park Hye-seon had handed him.
“Dr. Cheon, I was just about to call you, but you arrived at the perfect time.”
Lee Seon-ji, a nurse in Ward 9, welcomed Sihyeon.
“Please have these before you start.”
Sihyeon set down the four cups of coffee he had received at the ER right there on the station.
“Wow! Awesome! Did you buy these specifically for us to drink?”
“I didn't buy them specifically...”
“My blood sugar is dropping, so I’ll take this one!”
Lee Seon-ji quickly snatched up the caramel macchiato.
Ding-dong!
[System: Achievement rewards are being issued.]
[“I Picked This Up on the Way”: You hit the mark with a small gift. (Hard difficulty +500P)]
‘They give rewards for things like this, too.’
He had earned points with four cups of coffee. At this rate, it seemed he could soon buy the necessary items just by diligently bringing snacks to the ward.
He glanced through the nursing records and the orders set for tomorrow, but nothing particularly stood out.
‘The work here is all finished.’
He was about to leave after a quick round of the ward when Lee Seon-ji spoke to him.
“Doctor, by the way, is that for real? The new girl who joined the ER... I heard she almost met with disaster, but you caught the guy?”
Hospital rumors are fast, as expected.
Sihyeon didn't like these kinds of conversations. It felt like he had been especially that way during his first year in the past.
“Ah, yes. I was with Dr. Hwang Jin-ho, and it just happened by chance.”
Since work piled up the longer a conversation lasted, he didn't want to be held back for even a second. He tried to brush it off and leave when the notification sound rang out again.
Ding-dong!
[System: Achievement rewards are being issued.]
[Time to Spill the Tea: People are showing interest in your story. Become the ultimate storyteller! (Hard difficulty +500P per person)]
“Well, you see, how it happened was... Actually, that day, originally...”
Before he knew it, Sihyeon was standing at the center of the station, beginning his story.