"Guardian! Stop immediately!!"
The doctor rushed to my side, reaching out to grab my arm.
But there was no way I was stopping.
I pushed the syringe plunger all the way down, as deep as it would go.
"W-What—?! No!!"
The doctor finally caught my arm, then screamed in horror as he saw the syringe—completely empty.
With that, the injection was complete.
I had successfully administered the elixir to my father.
***
The VIP ward was always under special supervision.
That was only natural.
This was a room that cost 20 to 30 million won per month just for the bed.If it were managed the same way as a general ward, that would be strange.
Today, the son of a patient suffering from critical illness caused by long-term exposure to trichloroethylene had come to visit again.
It was a heartbreaking case.
Then again, everyone who came here had their own tragedy—but this father and son stood out even among them.
The son had struggled just to afford a general ward not long ago.
Yet suddenly, he had requested a transfer to a VIP room—prepaying three months of fees in full.
It was unusual.
Had he won the lottery?
If so, it would at least be a small blessing amid misfortune.
With that thought, I headed to the VIP room to meet the guardian.
The truth was—
The fact that the patient had held on this long was already a miracle.
Perhaps the heavens had been moved by the son's desperate efforts.
Compared to others suffering from similar conditions, this patient's deterioration had been unusually slow.
But speaking honestly—
Neither I nor modern medicine could save him.
Sooner rather than later, the patient would reach the end of his life.
That knowledge weighed heavily on my heart.
I opened the hospital room door with a heavy sigh.
…And froze.
The guardian was injecting something strange into the patient.
A purple liquid—something I had never seen in over a decade of practicing medicine.
A horrifying thought crossed my mind.
What if transferring to the VIP room had been the guardian's last desperate act?
What if he had poured every remaining resource into giving his father a comfortable final few months—only to end it himself?
There were more such cases than people realized.
Guardians who, after years of suffering alongside terminally ill loved ones,ended both the patient's life—and their own.
No.
That could not be allowed.
The guardian was still in his twenties.
His life was only just beginning.
As a doctor, I shouldn't think this way—but the patient would pass soon regardless.
There was no need for the guardian to commit such an irreversible act.
This would be murder.
And once convicted, his life would be over.
I rushed forward.
"G-Guardian! What is that?!What do you think you're doing?!Stop immediately!!"
But when I grabbed his arm—
The syringe was already empty.
Every last drop had been injected.
The needle had been placed perfectly into the vein.
It was over.
"There's… no going back…"
"NO—!!"
I screamed, clutching my chest as my heart sank.
***
The doctor who had grabbed my arm was now screaming, staring at the empty syringe.
He reacted far more violently than I had expected.
I watched him in confusion.
Sure, an unknown substance had been injected into a patient—panic was understandable.
But…was he always this emotionally invested in my father?
Somehow, it was almost touching.
Then suddenly, the doctor grabbed me tightly and shouted:
"Why would you do this?!You're still so young—why would you make such a choice?!I told you! I told you it was time to prepare yourself!"
…Prepare myself?
What was he talking about?
"I-I think you should calm down first, doctor—"
"Calm down?!You've committed murder!Murder—!"
…Murder?
And why was he crying?
That was when it happened.
My father's skin tone began to change.
The dark, withered complexion—like that of a dead tree branch—slowly gained color.
Elasticity.
Life.
The ashen face that had looked moments away from deathbegan to shift visibly.
Still holding me and sobbing, the doctor didn't notice.
I gently tapped his back.
"Doctor… I don't know why you're so upset, but—I think you should look at this."
"…Huh…?"
Still sniffling, he lifted his head and turned toward the bed.
"…W-What?!"
His eyes went wide.
Even I would've been shocked seeing this without context—for someone who had devoted his life to medicine,it must have felt like the world he knew was collapsing.
He rubbed his eyes hard and looked again.
But it was real.
My father's complexion had clearly improved.
"…How is this possible…?"
After staring blankly for several seconds, the doctor finally turned to me.
"…What… exactly did you inject…?"
How should I explain this?
I chose a careful half-truth.
"Doctor, do you remember the case where the celebrity Min Seo-ah fully recovered from sulfuric-acid burn scars?"
"Of course. It's been all over the news.But why bring that up now…?"
I handed him my business card.
Hyun Si-wooLuktic Corporation
"I work for Luktic—the company that developed the technology used to treat Min Seo-ah."
"W-What…?That venture company with the world's best skin regeneration technology…?"
"Yes.Luktic focuses on developing treatments for patients modern medicine can't help.The drug I just administered to my father is a result of that research."
"…This is unbelievable…"
Just then, the door opened and a nurse rushed in.
"Doctor! What's going on?!"
"Please check the patient's vitals immediately."
"Yes!"
As the nurse operated the equipment, charts and numbers began printing out.
The doctor stared at them—then gasped.
"This… this is impossible…There's no precedent for this in modern medicine."
He turned to me again, dazed.
"I have to ask—truly.What method did you use?What substance could cause something like this…?"
I answered calmly, with a guarded expression.
"I'm sorry, doctor.That information is currently a company trade secret."
"But—there are countless patients dying from similar conditions right now!If this technology were released, you could save so many lives!"
He wasn't wrong.
The Stage 1 Elixir didn't just apply to my father's illness.
According to the Akashic Records, it treated all abnormal bodily conditions.
Countless incurable and rare diseases would respond to it.
Releasing it to the world was the right thing to do.
"We've only just completed our research.What my father received was a verified prototype.We plan to proceed with official pharmaceutical approval soon."
"…I see…I'm not an expert in pharmacology or medical science, but if that happens…You really will save countless people."
It felt strange.
Just like when Min Seo-ah had been cured—
I had only followed a recipe decrypted from the Akashic Records.
Yet everyone looked at me as if I were a once-in-a-century genius.
Of course they would.
I couldn't tell them about the Akashic Records.
After regaining his composure, the doctor ordered more detailed examinations.
The results were miraculous—improvements that modern medicine could not explain.
It wasn't a complete cure.
But the doctor said this:
"The critical phase has been completely overcome."
Further tests would be needed, but for the next few months at least,there was no immediate danger.
Given how severe the illness was, a Stage 1 Elixir alone couldn't fully cure it.
But even this was more than enough.
My father had gone from any day nowto no immediate risk.
That alone was a miracle.
…Good.
I had bought time.
And since this was called a Stage 1 Elixir,higher-stage elixirs would surely exist.
One day, I would unlock them.
And when that day came—
I would cure my father completely.
I looked at him, lying peacefully on the bed, still unconscious.
I promise you.I'll make sure you stand up again—healthy.
***
By the time I returned to the warehouse, dusk had settled over the mountains.
Dong-sik greeted me with a dead-tired expression.
"Si… Si-woo…Weren't you gone a bit too long…?"
Time had slipped away more than I'd realized.
"Sorry, Dong-sik.Things took longer than expected."
He shook his head.
"Thinking about it, I dumped almost all the work on you yesterday too.Let's call it even."
"Yeah. I was just about to feel guilty."
"What?!"
He swung at me playfully.
I dodged just as playfully and said,
"Dong-sik, about the call from Daesung Group's chief secretary—don't you think it's time we respond?"
"Ah… right. You're probably right."
"It's a bit late, though.Is it okay to call now?"
"Trust me.Someone in that position doesn't really have a line between work and personal life.Late nights are the norm."
"…Alright then."
I called the number he had used to contact me.
It rang only once before he answered.
[You've called, Mr. Hyun Si-woo. I was waiting.]
We quickly arranged the details.
The meeting was set for the following evening.
***
"Chairman, the meeting has finally been scheduled."
"At last…It's been a long time since anyone made me wait like this."
"I apologize."
"Why are you apologizing?The bold ones are them."
"Perhaps success at such a young age has made them a bit arrogant…"
"Hmph.Whether it's arrogance or justified confidence—we'll see soon enough.If it's arrogance, we'll correct it."
"But if they really can treat the young master…As with Min Seo-ah, their technology is unquestionably unique."
"Yes.If they cure my son, I'll give them anything they want.I swear it on my name."
"They will understand the weight of a promise made in your name."
"Good.I'm counting on you, Jae-seok."