Trauma Center : Golden Hour - Chapter 94

<Wow, saved them again?>

<He’s a “Savelinator.” Everyone he meets lives.>

<True doctor…>

Naturally, every online community was on fire.

Yesterday, all eyes had been forced onto the TV thanks to Park Sang-eun’s blunder.

But today, it was because of a genuine large-scale disaster.

With six confirmed deaths already, the entire nation was desperately hoping for good news.

So when Baek Kang-hyuk said, “I saved everyone,” it was both comfort and hope.

“You saved them all… Did you participate in every surgery yourself, Professor?”

Reporter Lee Jung-min squeezed through the crowd to ask a question.

Baek Kang-hyuk looked at him quietly for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes. I participated in every surgery.”

“H-how is that possible? You don’t have three bodies, do you, Professor?”

It was a bit of a clumsy question, hardly what you’d expect from a reporter.

But instead of criticizing him, the other reporters just brought their mics closer to Baek Kang-hyuk.

‘He’s just going to brag again, isn’t he…’

Jaewon thought, watching Baek Kang-hyuk’s lips move.

He was finally starting to recover from the shock of all the camera flashes.

And right on cue, Baek Kang-hyuk got exactly the sort of question he’d love.

“I am the head of the Severe Trauma Center and the team leader of the Severe Trauma Team.”

But instead of bragging, Baek Kang-hyuk began with something totally unexpected.

‘What? Why is he suddenly telling them stuff everyone already knows?’

Jaewon wasn’t the only one confused.

Every reporter in the room tilted their heads.

<What is he saying?>

<They asked how he did the surgeries—why is he introducing himself?>

Online communities were just as puzzled.

After baffling everyone, Baek Kang-hyuk continued.

“There are other doctors, nurses, and medical staff in the center and on the team besides me.”

He spoke seriously, with a grave expression—completely different from his usual swearing and brashness.

Jaewon was starting to wonder if it was even the same person.

But to everyone else, the atmosphere felt serious and impressive.

“In other words, when critical patients arrive, I don’t have to do everything myself. For the patient with a metal rod through his abdomen, Dr. Yang Jaewon here assisted me.”

Suddenly, Baek Kang-hyuk grabbed the hesitating Jaewon and pulled him forward.

Pop-pop-pop!

Flashes exploded in Jaewon’s face again.

He turned away, scowling—making for some unfortunate photos.

<Why’s he so ugly?>

<I thought he looked cute being shy, but he’s weird?>

<Yeah, weird.>

But for Jaewon himself, it was a proud moment.

Hearing Baek Kang-hyuk—his mentor and someone he practically worshipped—acknowledge his help in front of everyone.

If nobody had been watching, he might have dropped to his knees and called Baek “Master.”

Meanwhile, Baek Kang-hyuk remained perfectly calm.

He didn’t seem moved at all, which made him seem even more trustworthy.

“Next, the patient with simultaneous upper and lower abdominal injuries. Professor Han Yoo-rim, the chief of surgery, personally assisted. He handled the lower abdomen.”

“Han Yoo-rim… I think I’ve heard that name before. Isn’t he a proctologist?”

One reporter recognized the name.

It seemed Han Yoo-rim had written a medical column for them before.

“Professor B-Baek…”

Han Yoo-rim, who had just come down from finishing orders in the ICU, was so moved by hearing his name mentioned that he started to cry.

He’d been running to see what was happening when he heard Baek Kang-hyuk mention him in front of the press.

It was enough to make anyone emotional.

“Crying? Are you crazy?”

Of course, to Professor Hong Jae-hoon, it all just seemed ridiculous.

“I’m not crying.”

“You are. Is it really that great to have your name mentioned by that guy?”

Professor Hong was nearly fuming.

The more Baek Kang-hyuk dominated the news, the harder it would be to get rid of him.

But they still couldn’t just keep him around.

‘What good does it do to have a trauma surgeon get famous? If he were in ortho or plastics, it would be great. More patients would mean more money for the hospital.’

But Baek Kang-hyuk was in trauma surgery.

Ordinary patients would never even see his face.

You’d have to be nearly killed just to meet him.

And even then, it depended more on the scene of the accident and how close it was to Baek Kang-hyuk.

‘And the more surgeries he does…’

The more surgeries, the more money the hospital lost.

He was a loss generator.

It was infuriating.

‘Why did Minister Choi Pil-du have to bring in a guy like that…?’

Professor Hong even wondered if this was all some grand scheme for Minister Choi to secure the hospital director job after his retirement.

Maybe it wasn’t even that far-fetched—after all, Minister Choi was a Hanguk University graduate.

He never made it to professor, though.

“And for the patient with bilateral comminuted open tibial fractures and vascular injury, Professor Kim In-soo from orthopedics assisted.”

No matter how frustrated Professor Hong felt, Baek Kang-hyuk continued calmly.

Maybe it was because he couldn’t see Hong in the crowd—or maybe he just wouldn’t have cared even if he had.

“Yes, it was only possible because there’s a team.”

“Ah… a team. I see.”

Reporter Lee Jung-min nodded, deeply impressed by Baek Kang-hyuk’s words.

It was unusual for a lead surgeon to credit others for a successful surgery.

In fact, for Jung-min, it was probably the first time he’d ever seen it.

The other reporters weren’t much different.

They all wore moved expressions.

Baek Kang-hyuk looked around at the reporters, all wearing the same look.

‘Everyone else watching must be the same.’

He smiled, thinking of the countless people watching the broadcast.

It was such a calm and benevolent smile.

Jaewon was sure: ‘That’s not the Baek Kang-hyuk I know.’

The only unfortunate part was how few people saw through Baek Kang-hyuk’s act.

“Please continue to support our team so we can grow even more capable. The longer that support lasts, the more people we’ll be able to save. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to return to treating patients.”

With that, Baek Kang-hyuk disappeared inside—just like he had that morning—without giving anyone a chance to ask follow-up questions.

The reporters were all left dumbfounded.

No one had ever started and ended an interview so abruptly.

Not even the president.

But the phrase ‘treating patients’ carried so much weight that no one followed him.

All they could do was babble to their cameras with stunned faces.

But none of them could match the impact of Baek Kang-hyuk’s words.

Viewers were too busy replaying and spreading his message.

<I’m a man, but I think I’m falling for him. Is that normal?>

<Yeah, normal. I’m falling too.>

<Does he have a fan club?>

<Isn’t this crazy? Is it possible for a doctor like this to exist in our country?>

<He said, ‘Support us so we can save more lives.’ Legendary.>

<It’s all a show. Just wants a bigger salary.>

<Quit whining. Do you even know how much university hospital professors make?>

Most of the comments praised Baek Kang-hyuk.

The few negative comments were quickly drowned out.

At least for now, nothing could stop Baek Kang-hyuk’s momentum.

Not even inside the hospital.

“Professor.”

Baek Kang-hyuk was scrolling through the news and supportive comments about himself.

Even though it had been nearly a month since the Cheongdam Bridge accident, articles kept popping up.

“Professor!”

He only turned around when Jang-mi’s voice grew sharper.

“Another meeting?”

He sounded like he already knew.

“Yes.”

Jang-mi nodded, her face looking a bit gloomy.

She’d just finished reading the email announcing not just the meeting, but this month’s trauma surgery deficit.

‘A deficit again… Four hundred million…’

A four-hundred-million-won deficit in a month.

It was enough to make anyone call it insane.

Even if the hospital cut wages, there would be nothing to say.

But Baek Kang-hyuk—the one responsible—remained unbothered.

No, ‘confident’ might be a better word.

“Let’s go.”

“Are you really okay? That deficit is insane… And you requested more staff? That’ll get denied for sure.”

Baek Kang-hyuk looked at her, her hair messy and dark circles under her eyes.

“Jang-mi. Are you okay? You look like you could drop dead any second.”

“Well… it is tough.”

“Isn’t that because you’re the only official team member? I heard you’re basically on two shifts, not three. No days off.”

Baek Kang-hyuk glanced at the wall calendar.

Jang-mi and Jaewon’s schedules were packed.

Jaewon had no time off at all, always on call, and Jang-mi wasn’t much better.

At least as a doctor, you could sometimes nap if there were no patients.

Nurses didn’t get that.

So the workload was about the same for both.

“That’s true… But what can we do, given the department’s situation? We’re running a deficit.”

“I told you, the deficit is my problem. Just do your job.”

Baek Kang-hyuk said it with authority.

But it didn’t work on Jang-mi.

Instead, she snapped, hair wild.

“It’s because you can’t fix the deficit! It just keeps getting worse! I’m even studying for an insurance claims adjuster’s license. What kind of professor runs a deficit and can’t even file claims properly!”

“Hey. You want to get hit?”

“Why not? Who do you think is suffering through all this?”

“And I said I’d fix it, didn’t I?”

“You think the hospital will do it?”

“They will. They have to.”

Baek Kang-hyuk smirked.

That finally caught Jang-mi’s interest.

She knew from experience he only acted this way when he had something planned.

“You have a plan?”

“I do. Just wait and see. I’ll be back.”

“Hmm…”

“Oh, where’s Slave?”

“Slave? He’s working. What else would a slave do?”

“Right. I really did pick the best slave.”

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