Chapter 100 : The Slacker Sets Off on a Journey (1)

Chapter 100: The Slacker Sets Off on a Journey (1)

Sacred Hand Grounds was swarming with people day after day.

Business couldn’t possibly fail, thanks to establishing the most competitive clinic in Wuhan to begin with—but things truly took off after the collapse of the fake Sacred Hand Grounds.

Logically speaking, it was an event that couldn’t happen—and shouldn’t have happened—but now, Sacred Hand Grounds was the only large clinic in all of Wuhan. So, anyone with even a slightly serious condition had no choice but to flock there.

When Wi Yeonho asked if it would be alright to raise the consultation fee slightly, Ha Daebung immediately waved his hand.

If they hiked the fees now, he warned, they could lose patients the moment a new competitor appeared. According to his belief that the most dangerous moment was when things were going well, Wi Yeonho had no proper counterargument.

After all, Ha Daebung knew far more about running a business than he did.

“I’m planning to open a branch where the old Sacred Hand Grounds used to be.”

“What about the money?”

“It’s coming in well. I should be able to repay it soon.”

“No, I mean, the money to open the branch?”

“If we don’t open a branch now, we won’t be able to handle the patients. Then another clinic will surely open, and we won’t be able to maintain our current status. Progress or stagnation! The future of this clinic hinges on this very moment.”

“No, seriously, the money…”

Ha Daebung stared directly at Wi Yeonho, then nodded.

“Then it can’t be helped.”

“Right. If something’s not possible, it’s just not possible.”

“I’ll borrow money from the pawnshop using our current clinic as collateral.”

“W-wait a second!”

Ha Daebung was dead serious.

“I have both experience and connections, so I should be able to get a low-interest loan. We’ll take out a loan and open a new clinic! Then use that clinic as collateral for another loan!”

“…How much do you need?”

In the end, Wi Yeonho raised the white flag.

Even the emergency stash he’d hidden deep in his robe was completely drained, and he shed tears of regret.

“No wonder things were going too well…”

Of course—it made no sense for his life to go so smoothly.

If the heavens really smiled on those who worked hard, there was no chance the heavens would ever smile on Wi Yeonho.

“Th-that’s all, right? You don’t need anything else?”

“Even if I did, you have nothing left now.”

Judging by the way Ha Daebung licked his lips, there was no doubt he had a precise grasp of Wi Yeonho’s finances.

‘What a terrifying man.’

Though Wi Yeonho had brought him in, when it came to money, this man was truly exceptional.

“Ugh.”

Now that he had no money left, the mere thought made him feel sick—but thinking it over, there wasn’t much Wi Yeonho needed money for anyway.

“I trust you’ll run it well.”

“Of course.”

“If you embezzle anything, now that’d be a laugh.”

“No way.”

“To be honest, I kind of wish you would, just once.”

“I’m not stupid enough to embezzle from the Lord Inspector. If I were going to swindle someone, it wouldn’t be the Lord Inspector, right? Besides…”

“Besides?”

Ha Daebung answered with a hardened expression.

“If all I wanted was money, I wouldn’t have left the pawnshop. If I had stuck to my plan, I could have made it to the capital in a few years. Then I would’ve earned far more than I do now. I chose this path because I wanted to do something meaningful—not just chase money. Isn’t that also true for you, Supreme Head?”

“I’m in this for the money.”

“…”

Though they had different motivations, Ha Daebung comforted himself that it wasn’t a major issue and cleared the awkward silence with a cough.

“Each person has their own goal. I aim to build the greatest clinic, the Manor Lord aims to be the greatest physician, and you, Supreme Head, aim for money. If all of those align, we’ll have the greatest physician working at the greatest clinic, raking in cash with a shovel—everyone wins.”

“Sounds about right.”

Most of it went in one ear and out the other, but the part about raking in money with a shovel was something he understood perfectly.

“Then, take care.”

“Huh? That’s it?”

As Ha Daebung walked out, Wi Yeonho voiced the suspicions swelling in his chest.

“So you came just to take money? Chief Steward? Chieeef Stewaaaarrrd?”

Ha Daebung offered no reply.

The clinic continued to operate in a bustling state—but Wi Yeonho had nothing to do. In the end, he had no choice but to do what he did best.

“Haaam.”

Lying down and wasting time was as natural to Wi Yeonho as breathing. For others, it might’ve resulted in bedsores, but Wi Yeonho’s sturdy back stayed perfectly smooth even after spending ten out of twelve sihins each day lying flat.

“This must be heaven.”

Sprawled out in the Supreme Head’s quarters, located right next to the Manor Lord’s room, Wi Yeonho was in a blissful state.

There was no one to bother him here, no one to scrutinize him. After all, he had paid for everything—who could possibly challenge the Supreme Head?

The only people who knew his identity were Jin Soa and Ha Daebung. Jin Soa was too busy seeing patients, and Ha Daebung knew that leaving Wi Yeonho alone was best for the clinic.

Thanks to that, Wi Yeonho ended up entirely neglected.

But the neglect didn’t last forever.

Bang!

The door swung open, and a group of anxious-looking attendants entered.

“Hmm?”

As Wi Yeonho looked at them blankly, one of the attendants spoke up.

“Um, the Chief Steward says we’re short on rooms…”

100th Chapter: The Slacker Sets Off on a Journey (1) – Continued

“Uuugh?”

Had they really used up all the rooms in that massive clinic?

“So?”

“They’re asking if you could give up your room.”

“Urrrrgh.”

Wi Yeonho clutched his blanket and rolled across the floor. No matter how many patients there were, how could they drive out the Supreme Head? Did that even make sense?

“Is the patient seriously ill?”

The attendant silently pointed outside.

A patient with a yellow-tinged face and vacant, fish-like eyes was staring straight at Wi Yeonho.

“…I’ll leave now.”

Even if Wi Yeonho had reached the pinnacle of laziness, he still understood priorities. One must at least be able to tell whether they themselves or the patient needed the room more to be considered human.

A wave of regret swept over him, but Wi Yeonho rose, blanket still wrapped around him, and lightly leapt onto the eaves.

“Feels like I’m always ending up up here.”

Meanwhile, chaos erupted below as they hurried to prepare a room for the patient.

“Wait! Let’s at least wipe the room down first! There’s a stain here!”

“Looks like a human-shaped shadow, doesn’t it?”

“What on earth happened in here?”

“The door wouldn’t open for so long, I thought this was a warehouse.”

The comments floating around were rather embarrassing to hear. Wi Yeonho rolled away to escape the scene.

“Foolish. A true gentleman does not move without cause.”

Words that would’ve prompted Mun Yuhwan, the true gentleman among gentlemen, to rebuke him with a lecture on the basics of Confucianism, were shamelessly uttered by Wi Yeonho himself.

Perched on the eaves, he had a perfect view of how the clinic was operating below.

He’d wondered why they kept moving things during construction—turned out they were adjusting for the patient flow. From above, it was amusing to see patients lining up like ants, diverging now and then to head toward various consultation rooms.

And where there were crowds, trouble was sure to follow.

“Move aside!”

“I was here first!”

“Can’t you see this is an emergency?”

Three men had barged in and were causing a commotion. They’d rushed to the front of the long line and were trying to cut in, claiming their companion was in urgent need.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Wi Yeonho clicked his tongue at the sight.

There were always people like that—no matter the place. What could be so urgent that they’d try to bully others just to be seen earlier?

As he lazily got up from the eaves, Wi Yeonho froze when he saw the back of a figure walking toward the disturbance.

“Eh?”

That back looked familiar.

The man approaching the trio spoke politely.

“…Gentlemen, you mustn’t cause a disturbance here.”

“Hey! I’m telling you, this is an emergency—”

One of the men, who had been trying to push forward with a menacing expression, immediately lowered his head when he saw who was approaching.

Some expressions were more intimidating than others.

What they thought was intimidating now seemed childishly tame compared to the face they were looking at.

The man twitched his brow and pointed behind them.

“Back in line.”

“Yes, sir.”

“As long as everyone lines up properly, everyone will be treated. But anyone who cuts or causes problems will be immediately moved to the back.”

As he spoke with a snort, nearby patients clapped and cheered.

Watching the scene, Wi Yeonho couldn’t help but admire him.

The one who’d subdued the troublemakers in an instant was someone he recognized.

Leaping down from the eaves, Wi Yeonho approached the man and spoke.

“You’re working here now?”

The man flinched upon noticing Wi Yeonho and bowed at a perfect right angle.

“Greetings, sir.”

“Yes, long time no see.”

It was Jwa Geol, the man who had once caused a disturbance at Sacred Hand Grounds. Formerly of the Black Land Manor, and one who had harassed Jin Soa and Jin Yeran—how had he ended up working here?

“How did this happen?”

Jwa Geol smiled awkwardly.

“Times were tough, so I applied to be a servant. The Chief Steward spotted me and asked me to supervise the other attendants. When things like this come up, I step in to manage them.”

“Oh!”

Wi Yeonho nodded.

He seemed like a good-hearted man, and likely well-suited to that kind of responsibility.

“But doesn’t Soa dislike you?”

“The Manor Lord said that people may stain their clothes with ink, but ink can be washed clean.”

“…What does that even mean?”

“Basically, I lived foully before, but I should now reform myself.”

“Why not just say that, then? Why complicate it so much?”

“Educated folks, sir…”

Watching Jwa Geol chuckle, Wi Yeonho found himself smiling too.

“How’s the work treating you?”

“Sir, who chooses harsh work because they enjoy it? It’s just that I had no education and all I could do was manual labor. That’s why I ended up in a place like that. But if I can make a living using my body doing decent work, of course I’d prefer that. Thankfully, the Chief Steward understood me and offered much better conditions than before. Even my wife nags me less now.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“And you, sir—hey! I said no cutting in line! To the back! You, yes you pretending to look away—didn’t you hear me?”

Wi Yeonho patted Jwa Geol on the back.

“Keep up the good work.”

“Yes, sir!”

As Jwa Geol rushed toward the crowd, Wi Yeonho nodded and looked around.

‘This place is settled now.’

In other words, Wi Yeonho was no longer needed here.

“Then, how about over there?”

With heavy steps, Wi Yeonho trudged out the front gate.

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