Chapter 34: First External Activity (3)

 

After hearing Soo-yeon noona’s suggestion.

 

The plan I immediately came up with was…

 

A nationwide scam.

 

A bold lie.

 

‘Anyway, no one knows the unique abilities of an awakener except the awakeners themselves.’

 

What is the root of the problem in the first place?

 

Isn’t it because my hypnosis is too versatile and has no cost, allowing me to cure numerous mental illnesses in just one day?

 

If I generously used it for treatment?

 

According to the supply-demand curve, the value of hypnosis would plummet.

 

At first, people who gratefully received hypnosis would later take it for granted and look down on it.

 

So I deliberately performed a fake act.

 

I pretended that I could only use hypnosis 100 times, even though I could use it infinitely, and then collapsed.

 

[Due to the status abnormality ‘Hypnosis’, you gain 1% of the status abnormality ‘Partial Overload’ every time you use the unique ability ‘Perfect Hypnosis’.]

 

‘I’ve seen myself collapse from overuse several times. I can fake it easily.’

 

Creating a penalty that didn’t exist through hypnosis was for that reason.

 

All those around me were doctors.

 

Even if I faked an illness, they would catch on immediately.

 

It was better to boldly trigger an overload and collapse like a real one.

 

Anyway, thanks to the trait ‘Indomitable’, I recovered quickly even if it hurt…

 

Moreover, I had the angel in white, Soo-yeon noona, beside me.

 

In other words, this was a nationwide scam with 0% injury risk.

 

A show that both built my image and deceived people about my abilities.

 

It wasn’t for nothing that Master allowed it.

 

‘…So I thought it would be okay, but I didn’t expect to even get a nosebleed. I’m going to get scolded by Shia and Master.’

 

I struggled a bit more than I had boasted.

 

Little Kkong held out every time, so I thought I could manage it too, but it was physically impossible from the start.

 

It felt like my brain was being sous-vide cooked.

 

It suddenly made me feel anew how amazing Kkong was.

 

Though I would never compliment him in front of him due to my pride.

 

-Squish.

 

‘By the way, where am I? I can’t tell because I can’t muster the strength to open my eyelids.’

 

This nonsensical thought lingered until I regained consciousness.

 

Since my body, which had been heavy like a waterlogged sponge, felt a bit lighter, I rolled over to figure out my current situation.

 

-Hiss….

 

“Heeeyah!?”

 

‘A soft texture, with a slightly bitter peppermint scent… Is this a hospital bed?’

 

Turning my head, something soft and squishy brushed my nose.

 

Judging by the circumstances, it was undoubtedly the pillow of a hospital bed.

 

Because I had collapsed in a hospital. Naturally.

 

…At least, I thought so until my hearing returned.

 

-Twitch twitch.

 

‘My hearing is slowly returning….’

 

“Heu, Yoo-jin? I’ll turn your head a little…?”

 

“…….”

 

‘Oh, dear God.’

 

Soo-yeon noona’s voice came from directly above.

 

At the same time, I felt a gentle hand carefully turning my head to the other side.

 

The instinct of a former married man sounded an alarm.

 

There was only one reason why Soo-yeon noona, a healing-type awakener, would be so close to me, who had fainted.

 

I immediately hypnotized myself.

 

‘I, Seo Yu-jin, will not feel any sexual desire for the next 10 minutes.’

 

[The target falls under ‘Perfect Hypnosis’.]

 

“Kuh, ugh….”

 

Just in case, I first hypnotized myself.

 

Then, with all my might, I lifted my eyelids.

 

A strange ceiling greeted me.

 

However, only a third of it was visible.

 

“Huh, Yoo-jin?”

 

“…….”

 

‘It was a lap pillow after all.’

 

A ceiling blocked by quite a large chest.

 

Squishy thighs felt at the back of my head.

 

And lastly, a cool hand resting on my forehead.

 

It seemed that Soo-yeon noona had given me a lap pillow while treating me after I collapsed.

 

I quickly sat up.

 

‘No affairs! Especially not with a married woman!!’

 

-Startle.

 

“Oh my? Please lie down a bit more, Yoo-jin. Exhaustion from mana rampage heals slowly, so for about 30 more minutes….”

 

“I-I’m fine now! Completely fine!”

 

“Are you really going to lie to a doctor?”

 

“Anyway, I’m fine!!”

 

“Really. You’re still the same, not listening to a doctor.”

 

She looked at me disapprovingly.

 

But only for a moment.

 

Our little scuffle was interrupted by someone barging in.

 

It was the two professors who had made rounds with me earlier.

 

-Bow.

 

“I’m sorry, Yoo-jin. We were so amazed by the miraculous treatment that we didn’t check your condition.”

 

“Oh, Professor….”

 

A genuine bow of apology to someone much younger like me was a bonus.

 

In hindsight, it was an obvious reaction.

 

Even though I was an A-rank awakener, I was still a newly awakened cadet.

 

From their perspective, they had worked a promising rookie to the point of fainting.

 

They must have wanted to apologize, fearing repercussions.

 

“I’m also sorry. That last patient, I had actually treated them before, so I couldn’t help myself.”

 

“Oh….”

 

‘They might just be kind-hearted people?’

 

They seemed like people who would apologize without any particular reason. Anyway.

 

I quickly waved my hand to stop them.

 

It wasn’t easy with my arm trembling.

 

“No, it’s okay. I said I would do it.”

 

“Still….”

 

“I probably won’t be able to use hypnosis for about a week, but I don’t usually need to use it anyway, so it’s fine.”

 

‘Actually, that’s not true.’

 

A bold lie as a bonus.

 

Maybe thanks to my convincing performance, no one doubted me.

 

-Murmur murmur.

 

“Professor Young-hoon, what do you think?”

 

“What do you mean? He’s more of a doctor than I am. Let’s proceed.”

 

“What about the contract? A personal contract?”

 

“If we do that, the medical fee will be slashed by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Since he’s not a medical professional, let’s go through the Awakeners Association for outsourcing.”

 

“Indeed. Unlike Soo-yeon, hypnosis treatment isn’t covered by insurance, so that would be better.”

 

Even while they were having a meeting behind me, they kept sending me eyes filled with goodwill.

 

I was glad that my charm had worked well.

 

‘Though I feel a bit guilty….’

 

Of course, every time my conscience was pricked.

 

I could use it a million times, not just a hundred times.

 

I was ignoring patients who could be treated right away for my own safety.

 

But I had no choice.

 

[Yoo-jin. My mom… No, my whole family….]

 

‘I need to become stronger as quickly as possible. For fifteen years from now.’

 

The mission I carried was too heavy.

 

I couldn’t afford to waste time on this.

 

Maybe I could treat dozens of people on weekends for image-making.

 

Well, the number of patients who needed hypnosis immediately would be small.

 

The hospital would also sort out the serious patients first from now on.

 

This was the best I could do.

 

‘I have no choice….’

 

“Yoo-jin? Can I talk to you for a moment?”

 

“Yes?”

 

A voice interrupted my self-justification.

 

The two professors, having finished their meeting, were looking this way.

 

At me, and at Soo-yeon noona, who had been treating me with a hand on my back.

 

“First of all, thank you. Thanks to you, the patients have shown significant improvement.”

 

“Oh, yes.”

 

“As a hospital, we want to compensate you additionally, but the fee issue….”

 

Then, the professors conveyed their meeting’s conclusion to me.

 

First. Although they were grateful for the treatment, it was difficult to pay a suitable treatment fee.

 

They couldn’t charge the patients because it was an unannounced treatment.

 

Of course, I wouldn’t leave empty-handed.

 

“We won’t let it go just like that. We’ll add some from our own pockets to the fee.”

 

“Oh, you don’t have to. I’ve already received 1 billion won as a rental fee for the A-rank awakener.”

 

“We’ll each add 100 million won.”

 

Soo-yeon noona had paid 1 billion won for the A-rank awakener rental mission, and each professor would add 100 million won from their own pockets.

 

Total 1.2 billion won obtained.

 

I tried to refuse, saying it was okay, but I ended up accepting it when they said it would trouble them if I didn’t.

 

“Thank you…?”

 

‘I just earned 12 million won per person, huh?’

 

I was willing to do volunteer work for the sake of image-making, but they insisted on giving it to me, so I was just bewildered.

 

But that wasn’t the end.

 

“Additionally… we want to make an outsourcing contract with you. What do you think?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“It means our hospital and the A-rank awakener Seo Yoo-jin will officially contract. We’ll select patients and send them to you, and you’ll treat them as prescribed.”

 

Second. The hospital was willing to make an outsourcing contract.

 

This was a beneficial contract for me too.

 

The number of patients I could treat was limited.

 

It was inevitable that a bottleneck would occur.

 

There could be an unfortunate situation where a rich patient with mild symptoms received treatment before a patient in urgent need of hypnosis.

 

Then I’d be criticized for treating patients based on money.

 

So, the reputable university hospital would get involved.

 

They would select patients according to the severity.

 

Without any controversy, very thoroughly.

 

While explaining these various criteria…

 

-Whisper whisper.

 

“Trust them. It’s a public hospital, and both are people I respect.”

 

While I was zoning out, not understanding what they were saying, Soo-yeon noona vouched for them.

 

Thanks to her, I nodded without hesitation.

 

“Yes. I need to see the contract, but from what I’ve heard, it’s something I’d be grateful for.”

 

“I’m glad. Although we’ll need to discuss the details of the contract… I’ll make sure you receive at least 10 million won per person, even if I have to stake my medical career on it.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

I didn’t expect the pay to be so high, so I was taken aback.

 

I looked around nervously.

 

“That much…?”

 

“Of course. For Yoo-jin’s hypnosis, patients would happily pay 10 million won.”

 

“…….”

 

‘Well, if you think about it that way, it’s cost-effective. But earning 10 million won with a single ‘click’ feels a bit much.’

 

I felt even more guilty.

 

The result seemed plausible, but from my perspective, who actually treated with a single ‘click’, it felt a bit wrong.

 

“And of course, to reduce Yoo-jin’s burden, we’ll strictly limit the number of patients. About 30 per weekend.”

 

“What? I can handle up to 100….”

 

“That’s the limit, isn’t it? Soo-yeon said she was just a bit tired after 30, so that would be appropriate.”

 

“At least for the initial rush of patients.”

 

“Psychiatric patients rarely have emergencies, so it’s okay.”

 

“…….”

 

I only had to treat 30 patients once a week.

 

I was suddenly about to make 3 billion won a week without much effort.

 

‘Is it okay for things to go this smoothly?’

 

“Then… please let me know when you’ve discussed it with the higher-ups.”

 

“Yes!”

 

I felt a bit uncertain, but anyway.

 

My first external activity concluded with a contract proposal.

 

“Yoo-jin, we’re almost there… Can I ask you something?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“The head of the Academy’s health office is actually my junior. Has she been doing her job well lately?”

 

“She’s always on business trips? I went there two or three times in a week, but she wasn’t there.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

-Mumble mumble.

 

“A-rin, you were doing well as instructed?”

 

“……?”

 

“Nothing. I’ll make sure to scold her properly. Haha.”

 

Though Soo-yeon noona said some incomprehensible things,

 

‘Since it ended early, should I go to the training room….’

 

“———Yoo-jin.”

 

“Come here before I say something unpleasant.”

 

“……Yes.”

 

As soon as I arrived at the Academy, I was caught by Shia,

 

“You idiot, fool, moron!! Didn’t I tell you not to do such foolish things!! Do you know how shocked I was when I saw the news!? You collapsed looking like death, I barely restrained myself from running to you….”

 

“I’m sorry….”

 

And got hit 16 times per second by her ultimate backrush.

 

[The trait ‘Indomitable’ reduces the damage by 90%.]

 

“Sorry, sorry.”

 

“Do you know how worried I was seeing you like that on the news!? You collapsed looking like death, I barely restrained myself from running to you….”

 

“I’m sorry….”

 

Or got bothered by Alice and Haru.

 

“Have you returned….”

 

“My, my, my disciple!!!”

 

-Hug.

 

“Ugh!!!?”

 

“Didn’t you say you were just going to pretend to be hurt!! I was so worried, oh…!! Are you hurt anywhere?! You even bled so much….”

 

‘I have blood rushing to other parts right now?!’

 

Caught up in Master’s nonsense.

 

Even though there were various incidents and accidents…

 

Considering I gained a lot, it might be okay for my first external activity?

 

* * *

 

While Yoo-jin was living his life like that.

 

[Korean Awakeners Minor Gallery]

 

Title: The US President’s official statement ㄷㄷ

 

A backlash completely different from his expectations was brewing.