Chapter 68

“Isn’t that Baek Kang-hyuk?”

Reporter Park Sang-eun shouted informally, forgetting entirely that she still had her YouTube live stream running.

Her words sparked cheers from the mere hundred or so remaining live viewers.

<Baek Kang-hyuk?>

<What’s the camera doing? Turn it over there!>

<The helicopter already left, what are you talking about? Why would he be on a boat?>

Of course, cynical responses followed in droves.

But Reporter Park Sang-eun couldn’t care less about those reactions.

“That boat! Follow that boat!”

Her mind was entirely occupied by the ship she had just glimpsed.

“That boat?”

The captain who had come out after hearing she’d pay a hefty sum to rent a boat was clearly flustered.

The vessel she pointed at wasn’t just any boat—it was a naval patrol boat.

‘288… That ship’s commanding officer isn’t exactly easy to deal with.’

The high-speed patrol boat was quite familiar to the locals around Baengnyeong Island.

It was out on patrol almost daily.

Fishermen had even had their nets shredded by its propellers more than once.

‘Compensate for illegally placed nets?’

The captain still couldn’t forget the sight of Lieutenant Kim Young-jae screaming his lungs out back then.

Unlike other soldiers who’d always bow their heads at the mention of a civilian complaint, he had been different.

They eventually got compensated somehow, but—

They never got an apology.

Only a string of curses.

“That boat’s a bit… It’s a high-speed patrol boat, so it’s fast.”

“I’ll pay more!”

Reporter Park Sang-eun now began dipping into her own funds.

She had a gut feeling that something big was about to happen.

Her seniors had always warned her to be wary of such instincts.

But once it hit, she couldn’t resist.

“More money, here…?”

The captain tilted his head in puzzlement.

He had already been paid quite handsomely.

Reporter Park handed him another 500,000 won.

“If it’s not enough, give me your account number!”

“A-Ah. That’s more than enough. Then let’s go after it.”

The captain took the additional 500,000 won and began steering the boat after the patrol ship.

Unless it was some secret operation—

That ship was simply heading toward Incheon Port.

Didn’t seem like they were trying to stay hidden either.

‘So it’s fine. It’s fine.’

The captain tried to rationalize as he piloted the boat.

VROOOOM.

The boat rented by Reporter Park Sang-eun was a small one.

Sure, patrol boat 288 was small compared to other warships—

But when compared to fishing boats or regular motorboats, it was massive.

So naturally, there was a significant speed difference.

“Yes, yes!”

Reporter Park Sang-eun pumped her fist as patrol boat 288 grew nearer and nearer.

<Is he really on that?>

<You just burned 500k for nothing. He’s not on that boat.>

Even the once quiet YouTube live chat was gradually heating up.

Viewers had surged past 300.

News that ‘something was caught on camera’ had spread across online communities.

“What’s that now?”

Naturally, the approach of the smaller boat was quickly detected by the patrol vessel.

Lieutenant Kim Young-jae, who was barely able to move, pointed and cursed.

“Hey, kill the broadcast! What the hell is that boat doing tailing a warship, are they nuts!?”

“Sir! Yes, sir!”

The senior officer of patrol boat 288 saluted.

Then turned toward the stern and initiated a warning broadcast.

WEEEEOOOOOOO—

A siren blared, the kind that soured your mood just by hearing it.

“White boat. White boat. Do not approach. If you come closer, we will open fire.”

The word ‘fire’ came out right away.

They probably wouldn’t actually shoot—

But the captain’s face turned pale.

“Ah, this is…”

The captain wore the expression of someone thinking, ‘Of course. I knew it.’

But Reporter Park Sang-eun showed no intention of backing off.

“Captain, you’ve got a loudspeaker or something, right?”

“Huh? Well, we do, but… what are you going to—”

“Just give it to me.”

“Good grief. I think we should just steer clear.”

“Let me at least try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll give up.”

“Fine, fine.”

The captain slowed the boat a little and handed her the loudspeaker.

“Testing, testing.”

As expected, the boat’s loudspeaker was high-quality.

It had to be—for actual emergency use.

Reporter Park Sang-eun gripped it tightly and shouted with all her might.

“I’m Reporter Park Sang-eun from TV Goryeo! Professor Baek Kang-hyuk, you’re aboard that ship, aren’t you?”

Thanks to the loudspeaker, her voice was delivered clearly to the patrol boat.

“You’ve got to be f***ing kidding me. Why is a reporter out in the middle of the ocean?”

Lieutenant Colonel Kim Nak-chul let loose a stream of expletives.

There was a soldier currently undergoing surgery on that boat, without any safety equipment.

If this got broadcast, it could blow up into a massive scandal.

‘Sure… we could spin it positively, but…’

If not, the fallout could be disastrous.

“Hey, I don’t care if it’s a reporter. Get rid of them.”

“Yes, sir.”

He addressed Lieutenant Kim Young-jae with clear irritation.

Lieutenant Kim was momentarily thrown off by the colonel’s uncharacteristic attitude, but quickly nodded.

“This is a live broadcast! The footage aboard your vessel is being streamed nationwide!”

Just as he was about to order them to back off, Reporter Park’s voice reverberated through the patrol boat again.

“Live broadcast?”

Lieutenant Kim Young-jae and Lieutenant Colonel Kim Nak-chul turned to look at each other at the same time.

“Son of a… Why the hell are they live streaming in the middle of the ocean!?”

“Could someone have leaked it?”

“Leaked what!? This is a routine drill without any procedural issues.”

“Then how else would the media have sniffed this out and chased us all the way out here?”

“Hmm.”

It was definitely strange.

But that wasn’t the priority right now.

What mattered was that a reporter from a major outlet like TV Goryeo was tailing them—

While broadcasting live.

“What do we do?”

“What do you mean what? First, ask what they want.”

“Ah, yes. Please wait here for a moment.”

“Sure.”

Lieutenant Kim Young-jae ran alone across the deck to the senior officer.

Then, receiving the broadcasting equipment, he shouted,

“What do you want? We’re currently conducting an operation!”

“We won’t interfere! We just want to pull alongside and get a look at the deck!”

“We’re operating on the deck! It’s military classified!”

“We already saw Professor Baek Kang-hyuk on board!”

At the name ‘Baek Kang-hyuk,’ Lieutenant Kim momentarily pulled away from the mic and muttered under his breath.

“F***’s sake.”

The words just slipped out.

Meanwhile, the chat window practically exploded.

<What, for real?>

<Why is he on a boat?>

<Who even is this Baek Kang-hyuk guy?>

The number of viewers suddenly shot past 2,000.

This was already approaching the level of a popular YouTube live broadcast.

“We won’t interfere! We’ll just watch from the side!”

Reporter Park Sang-eun glanced at the monitor window and just went all in.

The response was too explosive to wait and see any longer.

“Captain, pull up beside them. Director, switch lenses and get a look inside the ship.”

“Uhh… seriously.”

“Alright.”

The captain and camera director complied with Park Sang-eun’s request.

VROOOOM.

The boat sped up and aligned itself right next to the patrol ship.

The camera lens was then swapped out to peer into the ship’s interior.

“Goddamn bastards.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kim Nak-chul spat curses at the group.

But that was it.

There wasn’t anything else he could do.

Sure, emotionally, he wanted to fire off a few rounds—

‘But they said it’s live…’

Lieutenant Colonel Kim, unaware it was a YouTube stream,

Could only imagine the horror of firing a weapon on live national broadcast.

That’d be the end—not just for the commander but for himself too. They might even land in jail.

“What now?”

Lieutenant Kim Young-jae approached Colonel Kim before he knew it.

He had been so stunned, he even forgot his seasickness.

“What else? We cover it with our bodies. Let’s go.”

“Ah, yes. Understood. Should I call in the soldiers too?”

“Hmm… No, no. Public sentiment’s already pretty bad. If we bring in the soldiers, it’ll backfire. Let’s just make it clear that we’re doing a patient transfer.”

“Understood.”

Thus, the two embarked once again on a march of hardship.

Meanwhile, Kang-hyuk had completed the vascular suturing and was now digging into the wound.

Naturally, he wasn’t just randomly poking around.

He was searching for something.

“Hey, stop standing around! At least use your damn eyes!”

After digging around for about a minute, Kang-hyuk suddenly snapped at Captain Lee Kang-haeng.

It felt a bit unfair since he had just been told to hold the wound open and nothing more.

Still, knowing what Kang-hyuk was searching for, he offered an immediate apology.

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t waste time apologizing—use your damn eyes!”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

Captain Lee nodded rapidly and moved his eyes around.

But even then, the [median nerve] that had disappeared didn’t suddenly make an appearance.
(T/N: The [median nerve] is one of the major nerves of the upper limb, running down the arm and forearm. Damage or rupture can cause loss of movement or sensation in parts of the hand.)

Nerves are elastic like rubber bands. Once torn, they snap back and shrink.

“Hmm.”

Even Kang-hyuk was struggling.

As time dragged on, Kang-hyuk’s gaze drifted toward the surgical instrument tray held by the nurse officer.

More precisely—toward the scalpel.

‘Should I just make a longer incision and start from near the wrist and go upward?’

That would make the search a lot easier.

But that would also be overkill.

‘No, no. Making a 20-centimeter incision just to find one nerve… Ah, there it is. I really am a genius.’

Shaking his head, Kang-hyuk suddenly broke into a broad grin and thrust his left hand into the wound.

Then, between the two branches of the previously sutured artery, he pulled out the severed end of the [median nerve], which had been tucked away.

“Now check the upper part.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t just answer. Look.”

“Yes, sir, yes.”

“Forget it. Just pull. I found it.”

“Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes.”

Lieutenant Kang-haeng nodded in resignation.

Meanwhile, Kang-hyuk aligned the upper and lower ends of the severed [median nerve].

He didn’t just clamp them together.

That would crush the nerve.

Instead, he used a toothless clamp to gently draw them together.

‘Hmm.’

With the ends lined up, Kang-hyuk paused in thought.

Lieutenant Kang-haeng was confused. If it was found, why not just suture it right away?

Sure, the patient wouldn’t recover full mobility, but at least muscle atrophy could be prevented.

But that was the limit of Kang-haeng’s insight.

‘You have to suture the ends in exactly the same alignment as before they tore. Only then can motor function partially recover…’

Kang-hyuk was carefully adjusting the alignment to ensure the severed ends met perfectly.

To Lieutenant Kang-haeng, it looked odd—

But to the people on the boat with Reporter Park Sang-eun, it looked even stranger.

“What the… is he doing surgery on a boat?”