Daniel wanted to strangle the other Doctor with his own bare hands. Collin may have agreed to work with Daniel during the tournament, but it didn't mean the brunette would make it easy for him.
For all parts of when Daniel was giving him a tour, Collins would ask questions that were either just backhanded slander or just meant to be plain rude.
'Did you really make this room look like a school nurse room because you weren't afforded the luxury of attending an actual school?'
No. It already looked like this for the most part.
'The Director favours you so much that he probably sent you all this first-class stuff didn't he?'
The Founders, not his uncle provided all the resources and materials. Also, Daniel didn't even need to ask for the stuff, James wouldn't dare give anything less than the best to use.
'Must be nice to be the nephew of the Director, to be given such a mundane and unimportant role. Do you sit on your ass doing nothing most days when the CC isn't operating?'
Judging by the gruelling past couple of weeks organising for this one tournament alone on top of his usual work, no, Daniel didn't just sit on his ass all day.
All in all, Daniel was ready for Collin to leave.
After explaining to the elder what his role and job would be during his stay at the CC for the third time in that hour alone, the door to the medical room opens to let Jay in. Daniel made a show of introducing the two and explaining to the blonde about why they had an extra Doctor. Jay took it all in stride, offering Collin a friendly smile and handshake.
The brunette had immediately sized up the nurse, looking him up and down noticing his young age and then glancing back at Daniel before taking the hand.
"It's nice to meet you, Nurse Hong. I'm Doctor Collin Yu" The pleasant smile on his lip was polarisingly different to the looks of hatred he had been giving Daniel earlier. "My, there are a lot of young prodigies nowadays but it's great to see so many people wanting to get into the medical industry" He muses and Daniel wanted to gag.
Jay must've noticed the sour look Daniel had been making so he hesitates to accept the praise but Collin must've noticed it as well and instantly he turns on Daniel.
"Daniel and I went to the same university and we both interned at SNMC. Despite this I'm way older than him" Collin chuckles as he pats Daniel's back.
Daniel wanted to recoil at the fake attempts of being friendly but he powers through and smiles.
"Nonsense, you're only what…in your mid-twenties?" Daniel replies. "You're not that old, hyung" he makes sure to enunciate the last word.
A sharp glare passes through Collin's face but just as quickly as it appears it disappears and melts into the fake mask he'd put on for Jay. No matter, the blonde seemed to register the tension between the two doctors with or without the pleasantries.
The same introduction and air of awkwardness is put on for when Mira and the other employees arrive later in the day. After several hours of Daniel showcasing the list of fighters to the other Doctor and Collin immediately complaining about how many there were when Jay left to go to the bathroom. Collin had surprisingly gotten through the list of people, memorising the most important details within an instant.
Daniel had been sceptical of this but after questioning Collin's about it the brunette merely snorts before responding with a 'Just because I wasn't a prodigy doesn't mean I'm shit at my job. If you paid attention to anyone else except just yourself you'd know that' before listing off a couple of medical details. Details that included Olly's condition and a couple of other notable past injuries and medical conditions from other fighters.
So despite being a bully, Collin was quite proficient at his job.
"So you and Doctor Park went to the same university? Cool!" One of the employees calls after Collin's simple introduction.
"Yes, very cool" Collin grins before giving a thumbs up. He was such a two-faced jerk that Daniel wanted nothing more than to throw up but he kept his feelings under wraps. So long as the jerk of a Doctor was civil to everyone else he didn't have any qualms.
"Were you and Doctor Park friends?" Someone asks and this time Collin's eyebrow twitches.
"No, we had separate friend groups," Collin replies casually.
Again Daniel wanted to scoff. The truth was Daniel had no friends and Collin was friends with everyone else, a bully that was a social butterfly and popular.
"But it doesn't mean I didn't notice how talented Dr Park was, after all, he was the youngest in our class and with every theory or practical class he aced everything that was thrown at him. He inspired me to work harder" Collin explains and this time Daniel does gag at the words.
"Nonsense Hyung, I struggled occasionally" Daniel inputs with a strained smile. "Anyways, with introductions out of the way let's go over the process of tonight" He announces and this time everyone pays attention.
Daniel notices Collin's observing the scene but keeping quiet. When he was assigned his group of people to help him out in his section of space it wasn't dissimilar to being handed over a group of interns. Even Collin seems to notice this, raising a brow at the happy gaggle of ex-volunteers trot over to the new, handsome Doctor to pester him with questions.
He luckily responds to them in kind.
If this were an actual hospital Daniel was sure that Collin would already be barking orders at interns.
Making sure everything was in place, ensuring that materials and resources were in range as well as noting down that everyone knew their roles was a difficult task to determine because the minute something went wrong everything could crumble. So of course Daniel worries, especially with the memories of the first tournament coming to mind.
Daniel receives a message from Taejin stating that he and his people were around a couple minutes away from the CC, slightly late due to traffic. Daniel heads out to receive the CEO and his men, letting Collin and Jay know that he'd be back soon. The doors to the CC would be open in a couple of minutes but the Tournament doesn't start until another half an hour. It gave people time to come in and fill up the seats and stands, gave everyone time to settle in, make their bets and even for the views on the stream to accumulate.
Daniel waits in the lobby for the First Responders, patiently using the time to take a breather. He hadn't been able to rest at all the last couple of weeks with all the appointments, testing and going through every safety procedure he could come up with taking his time in the morning. He still met with Gun at night which also continued to drain him. And now this entire morning with Collin by his side. Daniel couldn't catch a break.
"Stupid tournament" Daniel huffs, kicking his feet against the tiles when the gentle thrum of crowds starts to fill Daniel's senses. The CC must've opened up to the public, he had seen the crowds gathering out the front of the building over an hour ago but being able to hear them from the other side of the area was crazy.
Daniel hoped that Taejin would get there soon, he didn't necessarily want to deal with the crowd even if the majority of the time they gave him his space.
It takes a few moments of Daniel mentally going over his last-minute list of things to do when footsteps approach him.
"Excuse me, do you happen to know where the bathroom is?" A voice asks and Daniel snaps back to reality, ready to put on a calm smile to reply when he falters.
A…monk?
"Um…" Daniel couldn't help but be utterly baffled by the sight of the large man. With his grey and orange robes to the stretched ear lobes…it was a monk. What the hell was a Buddhist Monk doing in a place like the CC arena?
The Monk must have noticed his utter confusion as instantly he's chuckling.
"It's an odd sight to see, isn't it? But I promise that I do have a purpose being here" Despite the kind smile on his face, Daniel couldn't help the wary feeling that was growing in his heart. This guy couldn't just be a regular Monk.
"It seems like you're scaring him with your presence, Gongseob" A voice intervenes and Daniel catches sight of someone who looks even scarier.
A man who was built like a Brickhouse approaches them, dressed in a navy blue pinstripe suit surrounded by an air of confidence. Numerous scars were etched into the man's forehead and his right eye seemed to be a milky white colour, exhibiting to Daniel that he was blind in that eye.
"Ah Seokdu, I didn't think I'd see you so soon but here you are, it seems like everyone from our time is gathering here" The Monk, GongSeob calls, his grin tightening slightly as he eyes the man.
"You make it seem like we're old, we're only in our mid-twenties" Seokdu huffs and Daniel internally gapes. These guys were only in their mid-twenties?! "Also if any of us were to not be here it would be you, how did you even manage to come here?" Seokdu sighs.
"I took a taxi" GongSeob smiles.
"I think he meant how did you find out about Crew Corporation" Now that was a much more familiar voice. Daniel brightens at the sight of Taesoo who for once wasn't with Public. It must have been because the trio were going to be competing in the tournament.
"I watch the streams just like most other people" GongSeob frowns.
"Aren't you supposed to give up on most of those worldly things since you're a Monk? Do they even have Wi-Fi at the monasteries?" Taesoo snorts, nodding at Daniel before coming to stand by his side.
"Oh please, GongSeob may be a 'monk' but let's be honest, he enjoys too many things like women and money to give them up '' That was also another familiar voice.
"Jichang!" Daniel smiles as the officer who wasn't dressed in his uniform approaches the odd group. With him were two guys who looked like him with similar matching silver eyes, the only oddity was their younger appearance.
"This really is a reunion" Seokdu announces.
"A very unplanned and sudden one," Taesoo adds although from the way he was looking at the other men and exaggerating the tone of his voice, it seemed as if he was lying about it. Daniel had no clue as to why he would lie about meeting up with other people at the CC.
"I just wanted to use the bathroom" GongSeob grumbles under his breath. "But if there's any problem with my being here, we can settle this outside" His gaze turns dangerous and the others tense.
"Always quick to anger" Jichang crosses his arms. "There will be no fighting amongst us today, I thought we were past the days where we would challenge each other on sight," The officer remarks with a disapproving look.
"You would be the one to tell us off if we got into a fight nowadays, wouldn't you? Officer Kwak" Seokdu grunts.
"I may be off duty right now but I won't hesitate to arrest your asses if you get on my nerves" Jichang replies.
The tension was growing and whatever underlying animosity existed between the group of men fades as Daniel interrupts them.
"Um as much as I'd love to continue watching whatever this is, I'm going to have to stop you right there. No one is getting arrested because no one is going to be fighting out here in the lobby, the only fighting that will be going on tonight is the fighting in the arena, okay? So please if you're here to watch make your way into the seating areas before they're all filled up. The bathroom is down this hall and to your left, you won't miss the signs. Everyone good with that?" Daniel directs and they all pause to turn and look at him.
The first one to break the uneasy silence was surprisingly Taesoo who let out a soft chuckle.
"You second generation are so brave" He comments before nodding. "But Doctor Park is right, we should get going before we end up making a commotion out here. I'm sure James wouldn't hesitate in making an example of us again if he catches wind of us fighting, especially on his turf" At the mention of James' name the group of people sour.
"Tch, fine" Seokdu relents, he's the first to move, walking towards where Daniel had pointed. Taesoo follows after him, flashing Daniel a meaningful look before turning away.
"I'm going to head to the bathroom before the tournament starts" GongSeob mutters as he walks away, this leaves Daniel with Jichang and what the Doctor presumes to be his two younger brothers.
"Officer Kwak" Daniel greets and the older man lets out a soft sigh before smiling tiredly at the Doctor.
"Doctor, you should be more wary around people you don't know" Jichang states evenly.
"Thanks for the s-tier advice officer, I'll make sure to jot that down somewhere so I don't forget" Daniel muses before nodding to the disappearing figures who were going up to the second floor. "Friends of yours?" He asks.
"Rivals at best" Jichang responds.
"And at worse?" Daniel presses on.
"Enemies" The police offer indulges which encourages Daniel to give the elder a confused look. Jichang doesn't make any effort to clarify anything so Daniel lets it go, instead, he turns to the two individuals who were eyeing them in curiosity.
"So what brings you here, Officer Kwak? What happened to that speech about disliking the CC?" Daniel changes the subject and Jichang's jaw clenches.
"My brothers decided that they wanted to come by and watch the Tournament, it's not like I want to be here" The man shrugs only for a thick arm to wrap around his shoulder.
"Oh come on Hyung, it's not like we're forcing you to be here" The taller and broader brother whines.
"Yeah, you insisted on coming along with us" The leaner, younger brother sighs before turning his gaze to Daniel. "So how do you know the Doctor? You two seem pretty casual" He smirks and Daniel couldn't help but flush.
"Boys don't be rude" Jichang warns and the two pull away from their eldest brother, standing at his side with similar teasing looks. "Doctor Park, these are my two brothers, Jibeom and Jihan" He gestures respectively to the two.
"It's nice to meet you guys" Daniel greets back in return. "Also I've met your brother a couple of times simply due to his work. Moreover, Officer Kwak has helped me out on every occasion that we've seen each other so I do appreciate him" He informs them and the two have the audacity to chuckle lowly to each other.
Jichang sighs, taking off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose.
"You must be busy, we'll leave you to your devices and head to the arena to find seats. God knows there won't be many left seeing how many people are attending to watch today" Jichang announces and Daniel hums.
"You could sit upstairs with your friends, I'm sure Taesoo wouldn't mind the company," He tells the man who could only grunt in annoyance.
"No thank you, I'll see you around Doctor" With that Jichang turns to leave, his two brothers trailing after him, bickering and teasing the elder with soft nudges and punches. Daniel watches them leave, a soft smile on his lips when he catches sight of a figure bumping into Jihan as he walks.
Said man didn't even turn around to apologise, simply heading straight for Daniel.
"Taejin" Daniel greets, finally meeting up with the man that he came out into the lobby for.
"Sorry for taking so long, it's hectic out there" Taejin sighed, there were four other guys behind him. Three of the four wore the same uniform as Taejin, from the black vests with the words 'First responders' written on them to the navy blue collared button-downs and dark slacks. The only person who didn't seem to fit in was the handsome man in a doctor's coat who came to stand beside Taejin.
"Doctor Park, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person" The Doctor greets, his hair and glasses framing his face perfectly. "My name's Hangyeoul Baek, I'm No.1's handler" He introduced himself and Daniel couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion, even as he accepted the handshake.
"Handler…" Daniel hums out before raising a brow. "Handler?" He poses again as a question.
"Yep," Hangyeoul nods before letting go and turning around to gesture at something.
No. At someone.
Daniel couldn't help but gape as he stared at the behemoth of a human, guarded by a couple of other individuals who wore workers' uniforms. Bulging muscles, a plethora of surgical scars and a mask over his face. It wasn't a man that Daniel was staring at. It was a monster.
.
.
.
"What the hell?" Daniel hisses once he's back in the confines of the medical set-up, returning with the first responders in tow. "How the hell did James even agree to letting…letting that thing into the arena?" He asks no one in particular.
Hangyeol had left with the Workers and No.1 to settle him into the waiting area for the fighters but just because he was gone and out of sight didn't mean that Daniel felt particularly safe.
"He was quite the sight," Taejin shrugs. "But seeing as it's Workers I'm not too shocked by it" The first responder CEO adds.
Daniel wanted to question the man about Hangyeol and No.1 but restrained himself from diving into the topic. Instead, he focuses on settling the group into their spots.
"Everyone, gather around" Daniel claps his hands and the group of bustling workers from Jay to Mira and even Collins follow the order. "Alright, tonight is going to be chaotic. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything and I'm not going to hide it either. The amount of fighters that entered the Tournament this time round seems to have doubled maybe even more than that, whether that's because the Founders want to capitalise on the popularity of the CC or because more people want the chance to win money or beat up a Founder, I have no idea why. What I do know is that tonight is going to suck, but it's not going to suck too badly so long as we follow the procedures that we should all have memorised" He speaks.
There was a murmur of agreement.
"It's going to be busy, very busy in here so we have to be mindful of this. Everyone should know their assigned places by this point but just a reminded, Nurse Hong will be in the Medical room, Mira will be handling patients in the waiting room across the hall and Doctor Yu and I will be in here on our respective ends of this room" Daniel then steps closer to Taejin, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We've also got a couple of other people that are here to assist us. This is CEO Taejin Cheon, along with his men here are first responders who are on standby to take any patients who are in critical condition to a hospital but otherwise whilst they are here they will be helping us tend to patients. Mr Cheon will be assigned to me whereas Mr Jo will be with Doctor Yu. Any questions as of so far?" He asks.
The room was silent except for the sound of the crowd which was practically filled.
"Good. Make sure to stay hydrated and be vigilant. Take a step back to calm down if you become overwhelmed. I'm not one to go on about CC pride and I'd rather not quote James Lee of all people but Vivere militare est. They may be fighting their battles out there but we'll be fighting our war here. I have faith in all of you that everything won't go to shit. Alright, dismissed" It wasn't Daniel's best speech, not that he'd given many in his lifetime, but it would do for now.
Most of them have gone through numerous tournaments, and some have been around far longer than Daniel has been so he's sure that they were strong enough to deal with most situations including in dealing with pressure. They just needed to be confident in themselves.
Collin whistles, sliding up next to Daniel with a smirk.
"Nice speech back there, maybe after today they'll make you chief of general surgery or something like that" Collin grunts, his look demeaning as always but to others, it must've just looked like simple teasing, Daniel knew what the Doctor meant.
"If a speech is all it takes to be chief then we'd all be chief" Daniel waves off before directing the first responders over to Collin's. "Try not to fumble, seeing as it's your first time here I won't fault you for making any mistakes" Daniel snarks back at the other Doctor who bristles.
"I won't be making any, If I can work 8 hours in the emergency department then this should be a breeze" Collin retorts before turning away with two first responders following him.
"He seems…nice" Taejin remarks and this time Daniel allows himself to snort.
"Right," Daniel replies before heading to his station.
The waiting game doesn't take long and sooner than later the swell of music, the roar of the crowd and Goo's voice penetrates the entirety of the arena.
"WELCOME TO THE 18TH TOURNAMENT OF THE CC ARENA!" Instantly there was cheering, cries and screams from the crowd to encapsulate everyone's excitement. "WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO RETURNING VIEWERS BOTH IN PERSON AND ON THE STREAM!"
Goo was making a show of revving up the people, pointing to sections of the seats before directing his gaze to the large screen. His smirk was wide on his face and his eyes twinkled with mischief as he continued speaking.
"I'm your host, Joon Goo and here alongside me are of course my wonderful co-hosts, the great James Lee and our lovely, grumpy Jong Gun!" He introduces them as if people didn't know who they were. "And we're here to bring to you the most epic of fights you'll ever get to witness in your lifetime, so strap in and get ready for what's to come!"
Daniel couldn't help but cross his arms and stare at the Founder in amusement.
"Well, that was different" James states after Goo finishes his little moment.
"And dramatic, Goo what the hell was that all about?" Gun questions. "I'm sure the viewers didn't need any of that shit. They know what they're here for" he grunts.
In an instant, Goo was dramatically whining and punching Gun in the shoulder repeatedly.
"Oi, I'm just trying to get people excited and to accommodate any newbies that are watching either the tournament or the CC for the first time. Not that you would know anything about being nice" Goo replies, the banter between the two flowing smoothly.
"You're right, I'm never nice" The sharp grin that appears on Gun's lips has Daniel holding back a snort.
Right. Whatever you say, Gun.
"Anyways if you're both done I'd like to get into the Tournament now" James butts in and the two nod. "Most of you who have seen our tournaments before understand how exhilarating it is as well as how most of it works. For the 18th Tournament the Founders and I have had to change some things around due to the ever-growing number of participants" James announces which has people whispering to each other in glee.
"This time around we have a whopping 124 contestants for the first round alone! Please welcome these fighters into the Arena!" The sheer number of fighters that were going to be in the ring alone was ridiculous. Sure the Arena grounds were huge and there was plenty of space, but it didn't mean that the situation itself wasn't absurd.
As the fighters walk in, the three Founders briefly introduce the groups and individuals, making sure to point out the key individuals to the crowd. From crews to crew leaders or aces within a team. Most were regulars but even the people could tell that something was different when a plethora of randomly new fighters seemed to have joined the fray.
'Those are VIP Neko's fighters? Did she send more than usual?'
'VIP Vivi didn't send Xiaolong but those guys? Hmm, maybe she has a plan'
'Who the hell is that?!'
No.1's entrance seemed to rock the building. His lone footsteps sufficiently overshadow the presence of everyone else. If it wasn't his lack of clothes, scars and appearance it was the vicious aura that he was letting out that seemed to make people freeze and stare.
Daniel shudders at the sight of the massive form, not a single thought behind his eyes as he stares straight, not caring about anything around him. Hangyeoul who had walked him to his spot in the arena pats his arm before walking away, heading straight for where Daniel was standing.
The walk takes a minute but eventually, the man is hopping down next to Daniel.
"He's quite the show stealer, isn't he?" Hangyeoul asks, smiling as if he was a kid showing off his latest toy.
"I'll say that again" Daniel mumbles, eyes narrowing on the man. "So you'll be handling all of No.1's medical stuff, right? Do you need any help at all?" He asks and the other shakes his head.
"Myself along with workers security members are enough to secure No.1 but thank you for the offer" Hangyeoul replies easily enough and Daniel nods, turning back to the arena.
The other fighters were staring at No.1 in apprehension, sizing up the large man silently even as the crowd whispered to each other.
Daniel looks up to the VIP section only to tense. James, who Daniel had faith in, was suddenly looking a little worried as he stared at No.1. As if he hadn't been expecting such a fighter which he really should have since he gave Eugene free reign. Goo and Gun looked baffled, not scared but confused. Did they not know about what James had done?
Judging by the looks they were casting James and Eugene, who looked like a smug fox, they didn't.
Daniel sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he attempts to calm himself down. The moment Daniel looks up again he makes brief eye contact with Gun, the two stare at each other for a moment, both attempting to decipher what the other is saying.
'What the hell is going on?' Gun seemed to send.
'Aren't you supposed to know?!' Daniel replies.
They both turn away.
"As per usual our first round is a free for all. The same rules apply, those who are knocked out or are out of bounds are out of the competition. No weapons are allowed for this round and any use of an object that results in critical injury or death will mean immediate elimination and a first-hand ticket to the police station. Fighters please keep this and the contract that you signed in mind" James warns.
Daniel was thankful for that reminder, his eyes seeking out the crowd to catch sight of Lineman but the Big Deal member was lost in the sea of people.
"Now, because there are so many people competing, the number of individuals that can move onto the second round will increase from 8 to 16" At this the murmurs increase.
16 people. 16 out of the 124 individuals. It was crazy.
"As usual the bettings are now open on our online website. As you all take a moment to do that are there any words from our VIPs and sponsors that are here today?" Goo asks.
Vivi and Neko don't move to say anything, Crystal who was present and in the booth next to Gun doesn't take the mic either. Had Daniel been so focused on the tournament that he hadn't noticed the woman? The person who does take the mic is none other than Eugene.
"Oh, Eugene, do you have a couple of words?" Goo asks, a tense smile on his lips as he passes the mic.
"I do" Eugene smiles, it was the same slimy smile that was currently on Hangyeoul's face. "May the best fighter win and in the words of Crew Corporation, Vivere militare est" His words were simple but to those who knew of what the man wanted, what he had planned, it was a little more than unsettling.
"Well alright then, fighters take up your positions!" Goo calls, brushing past Eugene's statement. "Get ready!" Goo adds.
The fighters move, finding a spot either with their crews or by themselves as they ready themselves for the brawl.
"Set" James calls.
There was a moment of pause as everyone waited. The tension was high and because Gun was an asshole the moment seemed to draw out even longer. Finally, the bastard grins and utters out one lone word.
"Fight"
Sirens go off and the effect is immediate.
Fights between groups initiate and Daniel can hardly register them all. Eyes darted around, looking for the most intense battles to capture any injuries that might take place but there were too many to keep track of.
"What the hell, this is chaos" Daniel overhears Collin's call, a tinge of stress and disbelief in his voice.
"Having front-row seats to this pandemonium is surreal" Taejin remarks and Daniel agrees.
The first time Daniel had witnessed the first round of the tournament, everything had been shocking. It's even worse now.
Screams of horror ring out and Daniel catches sight of why everyone is gasping and shouting in a frenzied craze. No.1 had started moving, having taken several seconds longer to process the start of the fight but he made up for it in his speed in taking out fighters. He had reached out and grabbed someone by the arm, lifting them with such ease that it shouldn't have been humanly possible. The next thing anyone could process was the monstrous man using said person as a weapon, smashing the poor form against anyone who came close enough.
Pain screams and shouts echo the area and Daniel watches in aghast alarm as the fighter terrorises the arena. Bulldozing through a path, waving the fighter in his grasp around before coming to a sliding halt just mere inches before the line and throwing the human weapon to the floor outside the arena boundaries. Those who had been quick enough to process the oncoming move had been fast enough to jump out of the way, those who hadn't were either knocked down or sent spiralling out of the area.
Within under 2 minutes, No.1 had taken care of over half a dozen fighters already.
"Well, this is a first for the CC. No.1 probably takes the crown in having not only taken out the most number of people single-handedly but also being the fastest to do so" Goo hums his observation into the mic.
"He's strong," Gun acknowledges.
Daniel immediately signals to his team and they rush out to grab fighters that had been taken out, reaching those who were outside the boundaries first. As the members cart them off to safety, the Doctor turns back to those who were injured but still in the arena. Those who weren't knocked out were injured in ways that put them out of the tournament and usually, they would already be on their way to the medical team, accepting their loss. They aren't this time around.
Instead, their eyes lay frozen on the monster that had hurt them, unmoving and paralysed with fear. The behemoth of a man turns around and everyone holds their breath as if waiting for him to attack again, even if it's against those that are already down. He doesn't.
No.1 takes a moment to draw up to his full height before sucking in a deep breath and letting out a grotesque roar, spit flying out of his open mouth as if he was nothing more than a mindless animal which in all honesty he probably was. The showcase of initial power and now this carnal display was enough to make the remaining fighters wary.
Daniel snaps his head to the ones that have been taken away for treatment, following along to discern their appearances and who they belong to before turning back to those still in the field who needed to get out. Over a third of them belonged to some fraction of the Worker's crew. It was then that Daniel came to a sudden conclusion.
No.1 wasn't just here to ensure Eugene's victory. No.1 wasn't just here to take down enemy fighters either. He was a mindless creature that was going to tear apart anyone and anything that he came across enemies or allies. No one was safe and Daniel wasn't the only one who seemed to realise this notion, judging by the looks that passed through the crowd of remaining fighters.
The tournament wasn't a free-for-all battle anymore. It was everyone vs No.1.
No.1 snaps back into movement, charging again to ram and maim people but it isn't even the attack that snaps Daniel back into reality, it's the hand on his shoulder.
"Doctor Park, we need to get those people" It's Taejin.
"How the hell are we supposed to do that? If you can't tell, a giant humanoid monster is currently wreaking havoc" That's Collin's voice, trembling in fear as he comes to realise just how dangerous his job is. "And if you haven't noticed, I'm a Doctor, not a fighter. There's no way in hell I'm going in there to grab a bunch of bodies" He adds and it was just as reasonable as it was selfish.
Daniel turns back to his team, some were already starting to patch up the fighters whereas the others were waiting for Daniel to say something. Daniel doesn't expect them to risk their lives, doesn't want them to do that either so he sucks in a breath and takes it upon himself to take on the risks.
"We all can't go in to grab the bodies, it'll distract from the tournament and it might accidentally make us targets whether we're wearing medical uniforms or not. I'll go in to grab those that are out and bring them back here where you guys will take them to Dr Yu" Daniel plans out, scraping his original plan of how the Tournament was going to go down. "You're all more than capable at this point to fix some people up" He adds.
"Are you crazy?!" Collin's roars out. "You're going to go in there like some suicidal maniac and leave me to be the only qualified Doctor in there? Don't be stupid!" He screeches, panic seizing his thought process.
"Yes," Daniel answers bluntly. "If I don't then they could get seriously injured and I can't allow that" His reasoning was simple.
Collin continued to stare at him in disbelief and for once Daniel was amused by it. Flashing the other Doctor a grin he speaks once more.
"You said that if I paid more attention to others I would notice how competent everyone is. I know you're competent, time to show me how much better of a Doctor you are than me" He states before turning back to the arena. "Let's go, we don't have time to waste"
Without another word or glance, Daniel darts forward, weaving through the people who were either running away from No.1 or standing frozen. He reaches two people, one who's unconscious and bleeding from his head and another who's gripping his ribs yet conscious. Daniel hoists the unconscious one first, mindful of their injuries but needing to act quickly, he throws him over his shoulder before circling his arm around the other's waist. The one who's awake, a member of Workers, gasps but doesn't resist.
With both secured, Daniel runs back to the edge of the arena and deposits the bodies for his team to take. Daniel takes a minute to analyse them, checking over the unconscious body in particular. Dilated eyes but even breathing.
"One with a concussion, other with a fracture or possible broken rib, take care of them" Daniel orders and the two are being carted off. Daniel turns back, ready to go in again.
Daniel can only carry two at a time, not because it was the limit of his strength, he could probably take four at a time if that was the case, but it was due to the precarious nature of each individual's injuries. There were more broken bones than Daniel could keep up with but he'd take bones over injuries to vital organs.
By the 7th rescue trip, Daniel can feel himself sweat and his breath has gone heavy yet the never-ending amount of people that are injured seems to continue to grow. No.1 continues to reign down his power against the fighters, those who were smart and quick were able to evade. It just meant that all they needed to do was hold out, No.1 would be the one to do all the actual heavy lifting for them.
Most of No.1's victims so far have been thrown like rag dolls outside or at the edge of the arena, hitting the hard ground with disgusting thuds but in close enough range for someone to drag them out to give them medical attention. Daniel hadn't been lying about having faith in Collin as a Doctor, no matter how much he wanted to say against the other. Collin's would take care of them. All Daniel had to focus on was not getting hit and taking the people back to safety.
Daniel sets down two others, a large bulky man from his shoulders and for once a woman that he had been carrying carefully close to his chest, who had been clinging onto his coat as she murmured whispers to herself.
"Eugene didn't tell us this, he didn't" She was close to hysterics. She had several scrapes that she was bleeding from but the shock of it all was what was overwhelming her. Daniel settles onto the ground before ordering someone to get her a shock blanket before spinning back around.
There were three people, lying on the floor right beneath where No.1 stood as he was trying to swing his arms around to grab at people. Fear encompasses Daniel's heart at the thought of the man placing all his weight on any of their backs, even if he was mindless surely he wasn't that cruel. To break their necks as if they were nothing more than a rug for him to step on.
Wasting no time, Daniel circles the edge of the arena to where the people are closest, crouching down low to not capture No.1's attention before surveying the rest of the arena. Survivors were scattered, and most were losing stamina due to the constant running and dodging but it was a true testament of who was superior.
Crew leaders like Jake, Eli, Olly, Hudson, Vasco and Johan were at ease, as were several others that were in the upper ranks of their groups like Samuel, Channing and multiple of Hostel's uncles. Ryohei was boredly jogging around, dodging hands and debris and casually knocking people out of bounds when they got too close to him, he took advantage of the Chaos.
As No.1 walks past the three people Daniel takes it as his cue to rush forward. He reaches one body first, checking it over with quick eyes, two fingers to his neck to find a pulse before feeling assured that the person is alive. He turns to the next person but is quick to feel chills run down his spine.
"DANIEL! WATCH OUT!" A voice, it might have been Jake or one of the other fighters who spoke but the Doctor doesn't ignore it. His body acts before he can process it but with the person in hand, he dives out of the way just as a foot is brought down to where he had been sat.
Rolling to a stop, hands wrapped around the body but eyes on where No.1 stood, glaring and baring his teeth through his mask, Daniel feels a pulse of fear. No.1 craved for blood.
"Shit" Daniel curses as he dives out of the way again just as a fist swings past his head. He could practically hear the sound of the wind as it passed him.
No.1 might have been big and burly but he was just as fast and strong.
Daniel tucks the limp body's head against his neck, his other arm around his waist as he uses his strength to tug the dead weight of the body backwards and out of the monster's reach. Daniel could run but his mind was still on the two other bodies that were behind No.1. He didn't want to leave them.
Gritting his teeth, Daniel attempts to figure out what to do, he's nearing his limit and he knows there will only be a couple more rescues before his body gives out on him. This was above his pay grade.
"No.1 you will be disqualified if you attempt to attack the medical teams again, let Doctor Park collect those that have been injured or knocked out" Gun's voice sounds out, a warning and a threat laced into one.
The monster turns in the direction of the voice, barely registering the words before turning to face the medical set-up, probably making eye contact with Hangyeoul before letting out a grunt and turning away from Daniel. Letting out a sigh of relief, Daniel turns to the remaining two bodies. If he overexerts himself then he could probably carry all three back but before he makes that decision a hand promptly yanks the body he was holding.
"We'll take it from here, Doctor Park" It's Taejin who's now carrying the body and over on the other side it's Isu, the other first responder, who grabs the other two bodies. "Head back to the set-up, leave it to us first responders to take care of the body. With the Founder's order, No.1 won't attack us" He states and Daniel frowns.
Had Taejin been waiting for that all along? Was that why he didn't offer to help initially? Whatever the case, Daniel nods and heads back to the set-up.
"Doctor Park!" There were several cries of relief, whether it was because he was okay from being in the lines of the arena itself or if it was because he was back to help.
"I need sterile gloves and a mask" Daniel calls, discarding his dirtied coat as he waits. Someone is immediately tending to him and soon he's in front of a patient.
"Thanks for not dying out there and coming back after ditching me!" Collin makes a point of calling out.
"I don't die easily," Daniel replies. "Now, let's clean up these wounds" he sighs as he immediately gets to work.
.
.
.
Zack shouldn't be here. He had promised to limit himself to one fight but living off the high of those two wins, he felt like maybe he could enter the Tournament. Vasco had been happy to showcase his support of the idea whereas Mira and even Johan hadn't been.
He should have listened to them, not Vasco. That was his first mistake.
Zack's lungs were burning from running, it's not that he wanted to run like a coward but it was because he knew that if he didn't then he'd immediately die. Whether it was from that monster they call No.1 running him over or it was because his vicious kicks or punches would immediately send him into a coma.
All in all. It was scary as fuck. It was even scarier now that Daniel wasn't running around rescuing injured people anymore, leaving it to a couple of other guys who were in some strange uniform instead.
Was it wrong that the arena felt slightly safer when Dr Park was in their sight?
"Shit, I'm going to piss my pants" Vin Jin, that fucker, calls out, skidding to a halt next to Zack. He kept his eyes trained on both No.1 but also the blonde First Responder. His jaw clenching and unclenching, as if he wanted to fight the individual but all of his reasoning and logic held him back.
Logan fucking Lee slides up on his other side, snarling in frustration over the whole thing.
"I hope you do it so you can slip on it and fall over the border" Logan huffs out.
"Shut the fuck up you fat pig" Vin Jin sneers back.
"You're wasting your breath" Vasco comes stumbling over to them.
"You and that boxing idiot are to blame, why the hell did you decide to drag us into this mess" Logan calls to the Burn Knuckle leader. "Talking about glory, fame and money. This doesn't look like glory, fame or money!" Logan scoffs.
"Tch, no one dragged you by the scruff and forced you to join!" Zack snarls back only to duck and roll out of the way as a body is thrown over his head. "This is crazy, who the hell even is that guy?" He sneers as he eyes the large body.
"There's no way I can beat that thing, there's no way in hell" Vin Jin grumbles only to yelp as someone skids to a halt next to him.
"We need to work together" It's Jake Kim. Zack's never had the opportunity to speak to the man before, he's watched him in the arena and was an avid fan, often making bets on him. The saying goes, 'If you don't know who to bet on, always bet on Jake Kim', Zack doesn't know who started the saying but it was quite accurate seeing as he's made bank on the crew leader.
"The fuck, why should I listen to you?" Logan retorts.
"He's right, there's no way anyone can beat that guy one-on-one" Vasco hums before ducking out of the way as debris goes flying over his head.
"We must defeat him now in this round of the tournament" Johan, that idiot, comes stumbling next to Zack. He's sweating slightly but he didn't seem out of breath. "If we don't take him out now and he moves onto the next round it'll mean that we'll have to face him one-on-one" He explains and the thought makes everyone within earshot pale.
"So what, you propose that we rush him all at once?" Olly Wang, another person Zack hasn't met before but knows of, calls. "Think if we hit him all at once it'll take him out?" He adds.
"We don't need to knock him out" Eli shakes his head, Zack hasn't seen the guy since his second year of high school, after he dropped out to become a full-time fighter at the CC to support his family. It was nice to see the pretty boy was doing well for himself but the boxer doesn't say any of that out loud. "Just out of bounds, we can lure him to the edge and then just…" He makes a pushing motion.
"You want to shove that guy over the edge?" Samuel, Jake's shadow, calls. He's unamused. "He's at least 200 kg, probably more, there's no way we can push him"
"I thought you CC people would be more optimistic" Some random guy that Zack had never seen before calls. He wore a black pinstripe suit, had the longest yet most silky hair the boxer had ever seen a man have as well as a scar on his left cheek. "Also you're wrong, with enough power we could send him over the edge, it's a matter of who's going to be the bait and who's going to do the hard labour" he informs.
Who the hell was this guy?
"You're from Seokdu Staffing agency, aren't you?" Jake calls, eyeing the man as well as a couple of others who were gathered near him.
"Be careful of how you address Changyong Hyung" The guy in a white suit with equally majestic hair calls.
"So who's pushing?" Vin Jin calls out. "Bags not" He pipes up.
"Isn't it obvious?" Jerry Kwon steps forward, pushing the sleeves of his dress shirt up to showcase his massive forearms and their bulging veins.
"I guess if Jerry's taking one for the team I can't back down either" Warren Chae moves forward, following his steps were both his fellow uncles Max and Derrick.
"Shit, can't let them show us up" Justin and Chuck mutter before exchanging a few words in Chinese and patting Olly's shoulder. Their leader merely grins at them in confidence.
"Any chance we can convince Mandeok or Yuseong to help us?" Jake questions, pointing to the two Worker executives.
"Fat fucking chance, all those Worker members are not only avoiding No.1 but also us as if we're the plague. They're going to wait it out" Samuel points out and Zack has noticed it.
He had noticed that despite this No.1 guy being formally a part of Workers, a lot of his members had suffered collateral damage because of him. The only ones that were still in the ring at this point were Nomen, Hyottoko, Daruma and a couple of Vivi's executives as well as Eugene's guards, most of whom looked ready to drop.
"We'll help" Hudson Ahn calls, his two lackeys Channing and Jacky follow him. He nods at Changyong as if he knows who the other is, the nod gets returned before he directs Channing and Jacky. "Channing, do you think you can help?" He asks and he nods.
"Yeah, yeah, we'll go help" Channing grumbles as he rushes to follow the push group.
"So how are we going to bait the guy?" Zack asks, knowing that he was left to the bait team by default but not feeling confident in understanding how he was going to fulfil that role.
"Isn't it obvious, Mr. Boxer?" Jacky slides an arm around Zack as if the boxer hadn't beaten the hell out of him the last time they saw each other. "We piss him the hell off like we're nothing more than a bunch of mosquitos" He answers.
"Alright, let's get this shit over with so we can focus on fighting each other" Eli grumbles.
"Oh, was that your real motive, Eli?" Olly teases.
"He's right, I'd rather fight you, idiots, than that piece of shit" Johan huffs before turning to look at Zack. "Dodge and run, don't be an idiot and try to fight that thing" He warns and Zack rolls his eyes.
"There are stupider people you should be giving that advice to" Zack retorts, pointing at Vasco.
There were a couple of snorts but otherwise, it was game time.
No.1 who had been distracted in chasing after Hyottoko and Daruma didn't take notice until it was too late. As he was throwing Daruma out of the arena by the ankle, a body flashed past him. The whale of a man blinks in confusion, baffled by who would dare come so close to him only to see that it's Eli.
Eli stops a couple of metres away from him before turning back to stare at the man, a challenging glint in his eyes. No.1 scowls at the cocky display, launching himself at the figure only for the Big Daddy to jump out of the way just as the bury fists hit the ground.
Before No.1 could make another move, a knee to the jaw by Olly and several punches to the abdomen by Johan landed against his body. No.1 could only roar in slight pain before attempting to grab the bodies, they jumped out of the way easily.
Grumbling incoherent things, No.1 attempts to stand only to stumble due to the weight that was holding both his feet down. Turning around he gapes at the sight of Vasco, Hudson, Logan, Vin Jin, Zack, Changyong and Dosu. Before he could attempt to swipe the bodies away or grab at them, another punch lands against his jaw and another against his stomach, digging into his ribs.
The monster cries out in pain as he catches sight of Jake and Samuel jumping away before his hands can reach out and grab them. Having enough of this and with strength that the people didn't even know was possible he swung his left leg first, jostling and then ultimately loosening the grip several of the fighters had before doing the same to the other leg. The group scrambles out of the way before he can even stomp on their heads, some narrowly escaping.
Zack grunts as he pushes himself backwards, the foot almost catching him. He stumbles against the floor and in a panic falls onto his ass. No.1 makes direct eye contact with him, Zack swallows thickly as he eyes his enemy. A meaty hand wraps around his ankle, faster than he could even register and it squeezes down harshly.
A pained scream rips out of Zack's throat before he's lifted off the floor. As No.1 pulls back a fist to punch Zack the boxer could only struggle upside down.
"Let go of me!" Zack screams but the man doesn't. The fist is launched but instead, it never meets Zack.
"Oi! I told you to run and dodge!" Johan shouts, having grabbed the fist and using its momentum to launch himself at the man. No.1's grip on Zack slackens the moment his jaw was hit, using that to his advantage, Zack scrambles out of the grip and away from the monster.
The boxer couldn't help but wince with each step he takes, his leg wasn't broken but it was still somewhat fucked. A hand wraps around his waist and Zack registers that it's Johan who's hoisting most of his body weight and helping him escape.
"You're an idiot, you should never have joined the tournament" The brunette hisses and Zack grinds his teeth together, ashamed that he had to be saved like this.
The two come to a stop at the edge of the arena and soon enough several more footsteps join them along with heaving breaths of exhaustion.
"Fuck, that thing isn't tired in the slightest" Vin Jin remarks.
"But it's disorientated and pissed" Eli replies.
"Now what do we do?" Vasco calls.
"We stand our ground and wait" Jake replies easily.
With the group of them present and in a single spot it was easy for No.1 to spot them after he came out of his disorientated state. His eyes narrow on them before he lets out a ferocious snarl. There were still others that were around the arena, scattered and singled out but No.1 didn't want them.
He takes his position, muscles locked into place and faster than anyone could believe he could move, he starts charging.
"Shit, we have to run!" Logan shouts.
"Not yet" Olly denies.
No.1 gets closer.
"Now?" Vin Jin asks, his voice having gone up an octave.
"Not yet" Samuel supplies.
No.1 passes the halfway mark of the arena, his towering body growing larger and larger as he closes in on them.
"Oh God," Jacky could be heard murmuring to himself.
"Almost there" Changyong hums.
A couple of metres left. Zack's muscles were twitching, telling him to move and Johan's grip on him was just the same, tight and tense as he was edging to move.
"NOW!" Eli shouts and in an instant, as No.1's body just about looms over them the group acts. Diving and scrambling out of the way, dodging the hands that attempt to reach them. Zack pushes his body to move and he soon finds himself rolling out of the way, covering himself in dirt and dust but safe.
The boxer turns back in time to see No.1 wildly coming to a stop, digging his shoeless feet into the concrete to prevent himself from reaching the edge of the arena lines. The raw sight of skin on concrete makes Zack shiver, the sight of the monster being a mere metre away from the edge makes him feel cold.
No.1 blinks at the space between him and the edge, trying to register what happened before he lets out a huff as if to mock their plan. Just before he could turn around to stare at them he let out a pained grunt, hands dug into his waist and struggled to remain still but Jerry wasn't having it.
"Tch, you're heavier than I thought you'd be," Jerry remarks as he struggles to push No.1. The monster lets out another cry of pain as another person joins Jerry's side.
"Come on man, I thought you were strong" Warren smirks as he assists.
Soon enough the entire push team was on No.1's back, struggling to push and keep No.1 moving towards the edge and bit by bit it was working. His feet were scraping against the floor as he tried not to move but he continued to slip forward. Several more roars of agitation and anger seeped through the man's mouth but the push team were making better work.
"Shit! Come on! Come on!" Channing could be heard chanting.
"Push god damn it! Push!" The uncle cries out.
Just as it seemed like the group were going to succeed, as they reached a couple of centimetres before the edge, No.1 twisted around, using their pushing momentum to his advantage he gave way only slightly which was enough to make the group stumble. He turns around and in a sudden burst of speed clears himself out of their grip, spins around and in a show of strength, kicks Jerry and Warren to the back of their knees before grabbing the others and throwing them over the line.
Several cries of pain and surprise were let out. Silence envelopes the arena and No.1 stares passively at the pile of bodies that he managed to take out with little effort.
"No way" Zack hisses.
"The plan failed" Johan grunts, his eyes wild as he stares at the form as it turns around. No.1 makes eye contact with the nearest person, an unlucky Jacky who is only a metre away from him. The flexible Public member tenses, turning to scramble only to be yanked back by his hair.
He lets out a scream of pain as he's lifted off the floor.
"JACKY!" Hudson's voice could be heard screaming but even as he ran over to help his crew member he wasn't fast enough.
No.1 pulled his free arm backwards, Jacky could only watch helplessly as No.1 launched his fist straight into the left side of his body, the blow causing immense pain and all the air to get knocked out of him. Jacky was sent flying through the air before landing with a harsh thud and rolling to a stop.
"JACKY!" Channing, who was also outside of the arena along with the rest of the push team rushes to his friend's side.
No.1 turns back around to the remaining group.
"You fucker! You'll pay for that!" Hudson screams, readying himself to take on the fight yet before anyone else could move sirens could be heard reverberating across the arena.
"AND THAT FOLKS IS THE END OF ROUND 1 OF THE 18TH TOURNAMENT! PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THE REMAINING 16 CONTESTANTS THAT ARE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ROUND!" Goo screams.
The crowd that had gone dead silent after watching the failed display of the push team suddenly came roaring back to life. Slow and hesitant clapping changes and soon everyone was crying out in shock and amazement.
'Holy shit did that just happen?'
'What the hell did I just watch?'
'That monster is super scary! The hell?'
It was at that moment that the remaining fighters in the ring realised just how little their numbers had dwindled.
"We're screwed" Zack couldn't help but blurt out.
Heads turned towards No.1 who had gone quiet at the sound of the sirens, the man had shut down and there were a couple of security members and that guy in a white coat and a worker badge who came forward to take him away.
"Shit" Johan mutters.
Before Zack could turn to his friend to ask him what the hell they were going to do about the situation, more frantic cries fill the arena.
"Oh God, Jacky, come on man! You're going to be okay!" Channing calls as he tries to help Jacky who had turned over to the side to throw up. Zack manages to catch a glimpse of his former opponent before he pales at the sight.
It wasn't looking good.
.
.
.
Things were going about as well in the medical set-up as Daniel thought they would. As soon as he had rejoined the group and started playing his part it eased up most of the weight on everyone's shoulders.
There was a lot of cleaning up wounds and scratches, bandaging several parts of bodies and tending to numerous broken bones. The broken bones took up the longest amount of time but Collin and Daniel made the executive decision to only handle them with slight care since most would need better scans and x-rays to get clearer views of the damage. It was something they couldn't do right now so most of those injuries were sent to the waiting room.
Just as Daniel was nearing the end of wrapping his patient's shoulder he noted the silence of the crowd, it was loud and bustling where he was working but the usual thrum of people's murmurs and cheering was gone. Finishing the bandage, Daniel looks up only for his jaw to drop wide open at the sight he was seeing.
No.1 was still in the arena much to Hangyeoul's glee but the ones that were outside, looking like they had just been shoved over the edge, were several high-ranking gang members that Daniel knew were strong.
"Shit, I thought their plan was going to work" Some worker hisses and Daniel couldn't decipher what their plan had been, having been too focused on his task at hand.
One moment No.1 had been standing still and the next he had grabbed onto a figure and launched that body out of the arena with a punch that even Daniel wouldn't be able to withstand. The figure goes tumbling and soon Goo is calling the end to the tournament for the night.
"Oh God," Daniel hisses, his eyes still fixed on Jacky. "Taejin!" he shouts and the first responder is moving with Isu. Instead of running out there with their bare hands, they grab a stretcher this time, understanding the situation better than most.
"Hey!" Daniel calls to one of his people, grabbing them by the collar. "I need you to go down to the medical room and alert Nurse Hong, tell him he needs to prep the room for surgery. Now!" He orders and the poor guy nods before running out.
Daniel catches sight of Jacky throwing up before Taejin and Isu reach him, Channing is told to step away before the first responders take the smaller male away. Hudson comes running over to them, panic clear in his eyes as he stares from Channing to Jacky's form but Channing's arms are the only things holding him back.
The First Responders barely get back soon enough but Daniel was already itching to tend to the hurt male.
"Rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, he's also sweating and experiencing confusion and dizziness" Taejin reports and Daniel nods, quick to do his checks on Jacky. He attempts to ask the male the standard questions, 'What's your name and do you know where you are?' But all he receives are pained grunts in return.
Daniel grits his teeth and he pushes the shorter male shirt up, hands going through and pressing down on his sides. Jacky lets out a pained gasp, practically writhing in agony once Daniel touches the upper left stomach. It wasn't good.
"We should take him to SNMC," Taejin states.
This was an emergency, the hospital would be able to do better testing and have better resources but something in Daniel's gut told him that the Public member wouldn't make it no matter how fast they drove.
"Oi, what the hell are you doing?" Daniel was shoved out of the way by Collin who was frowning at Jacky.
"He needs surgery, right now" Daniel states, turning to Collin who watches back with wide eyes.
"Hah?! Are you crazy? Let the First Responders take him to the actual hospital. Why the hell are you giving us more work when we're already swamped with patients to take care of?!" Collin's gestures to the others who were injured, silently waiting and watching.
That's right, there were so many other people around.
"His spleen has been ruptured" Daniel replies, attempting to calm his voice as much as possible to not showcase his increasing panic Collin's eyes narrow before he turns to feel the spot the other had been touching. Collin clicks his tongue.
"Still, he can make it to the hospital" Collin argues when Jacky coughs again but this time blood trickles down his mouth. "Or not, there's a bleed in his stomach cavity" He notes quickly with a sigh, taking a moment to clench his eyes shut before opening them again.
"Fuck, okay we'll do the surgery now. Hey you, first responder. Take the most injured people to the hospital. The ones with broken bones. You'll be able to fit them in your vehicles" Collin orders and Taejin frowns at the way he was addressed but nods.
"Everyone else will have to be tended to by the other employees, I'm sure I've trained you all well enough to clean wounds and wrap bandages" Daniel calls before pointing at two of the guys and addressing another one. "Go grab Mira and tell her to go to the surgery room" He directs and they nod.
"Let's get going" Collin calls and everyone starts moving.
They wheel Jacky to the surgery room and on the way, Collin grabs Daniel's shoulder.
"Hey, you better not fuck up in there" He sneers and Daniel could feel his heart beat erratically even before the other Doctor had said anything.
"I won't," Daniel replies.
Collin let out a disbelieving snort.
They prep for surgery as fast yet as efficiently as they can, Jay having been alerted about the whole ordeal was ready to accept the group and help them into their proper scrubs and surgery gowns.
"You understand that this is crazy right, we haven't done any X-rays or any further check-ups, this is violating so many rules and regulations" Collin makes a point of hissing in Daniel's general direction through his surgical mask, making sure to keep his voice quiet enough not to cause panic between the others that were present. "Hell most of the people that are here to help us, they're not even technically legally registered to be in here with us. How the hell is anyone getting away with doing all this?" He grumbles and Daniel shrugs.
"I'm sure the CC has special privileges but right now we're not in any position to argue. We need to do this correctly or else we're risking a patient's life" Daniel replies, still wordlessly trying to calm himself down.
"Oi, are you actually going to be okay?" Collin's calls and even with the fabrics blocking his face Daniel could tell the other Doctor was glaring at him. "I don't need you fucking up or passing out in the room. Because between those inexperienced rookies that don't have medical degrees, a not yet graduated nurse and the you who can barely go through a surgery without panicking, I'd rather have you" Daniel barely registers that what Doctor Yu was saying could pass as a compliment if it weren't for the dire circumstances.
"It's not a question of whether or not I'll be fine, I have to be. Let's go, we've got a surgery to do"
A splenectomy. A surgery to remove the entire spleen which was located just under the left rib cage near the stomach. Its functions include being a valuable organ that supports the body's immune system since it contains special white blood cells that assist in fighting infections when a person is sick. To remove the spleen would mean that in the future the person's body would be more vulnerable and susceptible to developing infections, overall it was going to jeopardise Jacky's immune system.
But, in his current case where his spleen has ruptured which has been confirmed not only due to the pain and bruising in the general area but also the blood he was coughing up. If the splenectomy isn't done it could lead to life-threatening internal bleeding. Meaning Daniel and Collin needed to act fast.
Collin was taking the lead in the operation and Daniel handed the role over easily. It didn't matter if they were bully and victims or if they hated each other, in the circumstances of surgery and with the knowledge of how Daniel acted during these moments, Collin's is the most logical choice to lead. It didn't matter either, Daniel would support the other at the moment.
Daniel would put his personal feelings aside for the sake of the life and death situation and so was Collin's apparently.
Currently, Dr Yu is administering general anaesthesia. Usually, there would be someone from the anaesthesia department that would be involved or at the very least another Doctor that handled it, the two didn't have that luxury. Instead, they had a couple of small-fry individuals who weren't even qualified interns.
"We don't happen to have a Laparoscope here, do we?" Collin asks Jay and Daniel.
"Unfortunately no" Daniel replies easily. The CC may be well equipped but that was pushing their luck a bit too far. "We'll have to do it the old fashion way" he adds and Collin snorts.
The Doctor quickly cleans the area, disinfecting it before moving on to the true task.
"Scalpel" Collin spoke and Jay was quick to hand over the tool yet the Doctor didn't move to pierce the skin yet. "Dr Park, tell me where the incision should be" He suddenly asks which causes Daniel to falter.
"Are we seriously doing this right now? Collin, I'm not an intern" Daniel hisses back, offended that the elder would start questioning him as if he didn't know what was supposed to happen.
"Then you should know, tell me" He orders and Daniel wants nothing more than to grab the scalpel and stab the other but he holds back his emotions and answers.
"An upper midline incision. It'll give us exposure to the abdominal cavity and allow us to see if any other organs have been injured or not" He answers and Collin nods in approval before performing the incision.
"Alright, what's next?" Collin asks again and this time Daniel lets out an aggravated groan.
"Collin we don't have time for this" Daniel hisses. "Are you asking these questions to piss me off or do you genuinely not know?" He growls.
"I've performed this operation several dozen times at this point, it's a common surgery believe it or not" Collin replies in a haughty tone. "Now I need you to tell me what I should do next, I'm not asking these questions for my benefit or to annoy you, rest assured it's actually for you" Despite the irritating situation there was something genuine in his voice.
Frowning deeply, Daniel answers the question.
For the rest of the surgery, with Daniel handing tools, helping hold things together and Jay suctioning blood to ensure they had a complete view of what they were working with, Daniel answered any and every question the other Doctor was firing at him. If it was a challenge that Collin was offering then Daniel wouldn't back down, he was confident in his skills and knowledge.
Jacky's spleen thankfully wasn't markedly enlarged, the group were able to ligate and cauterise surrounding attachments and disconnect the spleen from the pancreas and body's blood supply before successfully removing it. When it came to closing all the openings that were made, Collin decided to switch with Daniel.
"I'm tired, you take over" Was his excuse but the moment Daniel started performing the sutures the elder was breathing down his neck. His eyes watched Daniel's hands move deftly but with perfect precision. He didn't insult the younger whilst he worked and once he finished he even patted Daniel's back in approval.
"Could use some work but it got the job done" The elder remarks which fanned the flames of annoyance in Daniel.
In just under two hours the surgery came to a finish and soon Jacky was wheeled back to the medical bay to rest. Monitors would still be hooked to him, and he'd have to stay at the CC for a week to ensure that an infection wouldn't persist but otherwise, it was a success.
The surgery was a success.
The moment Daniel was taking off his surgical gown and bloodied gloves he felt a sense of freedom from the restriction.
Sure Daniel hadn't been leading but it was the first time he'd been in a surgery where he hadn't delved into a complete panic attack, disassociated or at the very least freaked out and he didn't understand. Was it because of his multiple slow exposures to being independent in the face of surgery? Was it the CC that has made him overcome this innate fear?
"Nurse Hong and you," Collin points to Mira. "Stay with the patient, Dr Park and I are going to go out for a breather if that's alright. Call us if you need anything" He orders and the two nod.
Daniel raises a brow at this but gets pulled along by his bully. He dismisses the others who were present, telling them to go and eat at the cafeteria before going home to sleep.
Collin walks, a few paces in front of Daniel who follows quietly. Eventually, they end up outside in the cool dark air of the night, coming to a stop when they reach a secluded area.
"Shit, that went better than I expected" Collin remarks as he sucks in a deep breath, running a hand through his hair before turning to Daniel. "I'm sure that's the best surgery you've had seeing as you didn't run out this time" He adds just to annoy Daniel.
"I haven't run out of the surgery room since my intern days, Collin" Daniel replies, shoving his hands into his pocket, for once they weren't shaking after surgery.
"Still, you were a lot more focused this time round. We haven't been in the operating room together all that much but those few times we have I've always noticed how fidgety you get. It'd be amusing if it weren't so embarrassing to watch, you need steady hands if you're a Doctor, after all," Collin sneers and Daniel frowns.
"Are you going anywhere with this or did you drag me along out here just to insult me?" Daniel demands and Collin snorts, as if he was so amused by some joke that Daniel didn't know about.
"Do you know why I was pestering you with so many questions tonight?" He asks instead and at this, Daniel falters.
"To piss me off?" Daniel answers and Collin sighs.
"I mean, I guess that was part of the reason" The brunette replies. "But it was also so that you were distracted and wouldn't panic, kept you focused on the task at hand" He provides and Daniel's anger vanishes into confusion.
"Huh?"
"God you're slower than I thought you'd be, to think you were the prodigy of our class" Collin scoffs before pointing a finger at Daniel. "You know I have no fucking idea why you panic the way you do whenever you're in surgery, it doesn't make sense in the slightest. It especially is even more mind-numbingly confusing after seeing how confident you were to run out into a field of dangerous, bloodthirsty fighters. You can do that but you can't do surgery, something you've had years of practice and education in doing?" He announces but it leaves Daniel feeling even more befuddled.
"What do you mean?" He decides to ask rather than get angry.
"What I mean is that throughout the years of being in the same university course as you, of seeing you work your way to the top in not only the theory but practical classes, you never faltered. Every professor and every other student was sure that you'd make it big no matter how standoffish you were. Not once in any of our prac classes where I'd seen you handle different organs did you hesitate. So why is it that the golden child of the medical industry suddenly switches tunes the moment he enters a real hospital?" Collin rambles on. "And don't say it's because the reality of a hospital is different to our classes because if that was the case then every other student would be in the same predicament as you which is false" he accuses and Daniel sucks in a harsh breath.
"Collin, I don't know" Daniel replies.
"Bullshit" Collin calls him out. "You can lie to your uncle, to the board of medical directors and every other doctor, nurse or resident but I know that isn't the case. There is no way in hell you don't know"
"Collin just lay off, it's none of your business anyways" Daniel retorts and Collin sneers before thrusting his hand out to grab Daniel by the collar.
"You make it all of our business the moment you hinder us, you idiot! How many people have had to cover your mistakes because you haven't been honest or you haven't been able to control yourself? I understand that it might be complicated but you're certainly doing nothing to help yourself by keeping quiet. There's only so many times your name and your affiliations will cover your ass before you either ruin your own life or ultimately kill someone!" He shouts in Daniel's face.
Daniel grabs onto the wrist and pulls it off him.
"Why do you keep screaming about how privileged I am? As If I'm the one that acts like I'm better than you when you're the one who puts on the act?!" Daniel sneers back.
"Because you are a spoiled brat!" Collin screams, causing Daniel to reel back in shock at how furious the other was. "From the moment you walked into that first class and introduced yourself, the moment you told us your age and who your uncle was. From day one you had been getting away with things just because of who your uncle was, even when you turned out to be a shit doctor it was his name that protected you. Had it been me or any other person they would have been kicked out of the program but for you, for little ole Daniel Park who showed promise, who could memorise a textbook like it was nothing, they would bypass any rule or procedures they had in place. You were always the fucking exception!"
Collin paces a couple of steps before running his hand through his already messy brown hair.
"Do you know how utterly aggravating it is to see so many people give up and leave or get fired and tossed aside when they don't do a good job at the hospital? How many hard-working friends I've had to leave behind because they couldn't keep up no matter how much they tried? To see all that and then come face to face with your pathetic actions and how you can get away with it all…it's the most insulting thing in the world" Collins attempts to explain, his voice and expressions straining.
The words that Collin was saying, that he was rattling off were things that Daniel had never truly considered. He knew his uncle had power and influence, it was the reason he was able to get a place at university despite his age but it was through his hard work that allowed him to stay and keep up with everyone, not his uncle. Then again he had also noticed how many faces he used to recognise suddenly disappear from his everyday life. Daniel hadn't realised that his privilege was much more than just his uncle's name in the medical industry.
"It's even more infuriating for everyone because you don't realise it. You don't see how the professors used to favour you, used to let you get away with every little thing so long as they were in your good graces. To top it all off you had that high and mighty attitude as well, and couldn't stand it for a second if anyone tried to get closer to you. Any time anyone would try to talk to you, you'd run off, deny any requests to spend time or look at us as if we weren't worth talking to. It was sickening" Collin's voice had died down but it still shook in fury.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Daniel hisses, attempting to remember when he had acted in the ways that Collin was accusing him to be.
"You know, once upon a time I did try to be your friend" Collin laughs but it held no humour. "It was the first week of our second semester in first year. I sat next to you and I had tried so hard to talk to you but you didn't say a word. I even invited you out with the other guys and instead of responding you just walked away, as if I wasn't worth wasting your breath on. Do you know how insulting that is? For some kid to act like that?" He questions and Daniel remembers it.
The first time he had met Collin along with his other buddies like Jeremy, the taller, much more handsome and mature man had sat next to Daniel with the most dazzling smile. He remembers the elder had tried talking to him and Daniel…well Daniel had frozen up in shock. Didn't know what to say or how to respond, all he knew about Collin was that he was the most handsome man in their department and he was popular too. He hadn't expected to be noticed by the elder.
He couldn't remember much of that class or of what Collin had been saying, his mind running too fast over all the scenarios that would cause the elder to speak to him. Did he want to extort him? Bully him? Was he going to take his notes? Shake him down for his money? Lead him into a false sense of security before betraying him? No one was ever nice to him for the sake of being nice, especially ones that were as handsome as Collin. Especially ones that were as handsome and made Daniel heart beat erratically like Collin.
So when class ended he ran. He didn't look back once and when he went to their next class together he had been right. Collin didn't try to sit with Daniel or initiate friendly conversations anymore, instead, he glared at him as if he was an insect that he wanted to crush. Daniel had reassured himself that he had been right to run before he could get seriously hurt.
"I thought you were going to bully me" Daniel replies breathlessly and Collin raises a brow. "And technically I was right because you did end up bullying me but I thought…I didn't think you actually wanted to be friends with me" He spoke honestly.
"Did I seem like that much of a douchebag the first time we spoke?" Collin questions, in disbelief at Daniel's answer.
"Well no but…" If Daniel wanted to answer that would mean having to delve into his past and well…he technically didn't want to do that. He didn't want to remember it, meeting and seeing Logan in the CC was enough, and he didn't want to talk about it.
"Tch, I get it" Collin states after waiting a moment too long for Daniel to speak. He turns around and heads towards a bench before reaching into his pocket to pull something out, squeezing it within his grip.
Daniel closes his eyes, sucking in a deep breath before going over to sit next to the other Doctor.
"You shouldn't smoke" Daniel muses and the other Doctor scowls at him.
"I quit years ago" He states in return, his voice hard before turning back to fiddle with the small box. "I stopped after my dad got lung cancer during my third year of high school" He adds in a softer tone.
Daniel hadn't been expecting the other to say that.
"He passed away not long after he was diagnosed. He was a stubborn old man that liked to smoke and hated visiting the Doctors, only wanted to work all the damn time…It's funny because he was the reason I started smoking in the first place" Collin let out a sad, airy chuckle. "Used to see him do it all the time so I picked up the habit, to see him slowly die from it, rot away in a hospital bed where I could do nothing to help. I quit after he passed, decided right then and there on the spot to become a Doctor" He hums out and Daniel listens intently.
"So why do you still carry a packet around with you?" Daniel asks gently.
Collin shrugs.
"A reminder I guess. A reason to get through my day and do the job that I chose. My motivation for when it gets tough" Collin hums out softly. "Why exactly are you a Doctor, Daniel? What's your reason?" Collin questions and Daniel remembers the day he had begged his uncle so earnestly to teach him.