Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 347

347. The Value of Life

Un-hyun boarded the official vessel with Dok-sun.

Commissioner Jo-gwan, Yeong Ho-jun, and Dam So-ha, who had been waiting, joined them, and Jin Ye-rim also appeared.

“Miss Jin!”

Un-hyun greeted Jin Ye-rim, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, with pleasure.

Jin Ye-rim smiled brightly.

“It’s been a while, Sir Un. Coming all the way to Seongdo and not visiting Mount Emei? Aren’t you being too much? Leaving all the work to me… But who is this?”

Jin Ye-rim looked at Dok-sun and asked with a slightly nervous expression.

With his white hair, white beard, and long, white eyebrows, Dok-sun’s appearance was striking.

It was natural for Jin Ye-rim to be nervous.

“Ah, this person is…”

“I am Gae-kong.”

Dok-sun said abruptly.

Jin Ye-rim frowned.

“Gae-kong?”

Gae-kong (客翁) literally means ‘guest grandfather’.

It was quite different from the commonly used terms like No-gaek (老客, old guest) or Bin-gaek (賓客, honored guest).

“No, that’s not a name… Why are you poking me?”

Jin Ye-rim looked at Yeong Ho-jun and frowned.

Yeong Ho-jun cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Acting Supreme Commander, how is the work progressing? If even the acting commander is gone, who will do the work…?”

He, Dam So-ha, and Jo-gwan had been waiting at the dock for half a month, unsure when Un-hyun would arrive.

They had sent some instructions to Mount Emei through letters, but ultimately, the one who did the work was the Acting Supreme Commander, Jin Ye-rim.

“It’s not like only the Supreme Commander knows how to delegate to others, you know?”

Jin Ye-rim said with a triumphant expression.

“The task distribution was finished a long time ago. I placed the Emei monks in just the right positions. It was harder to decide on the titles and to teach them that they need to communicate with each other.”

Jin Ye-rim sighed deeply.

“I don’t know why everyone is so sensitive about those titles, and why they only want to know about their own work. Anyone would think they’ve been doing this as a family business for generations.”

“Wow, to grasp the chronic problems of the organizational structure so quickly, Miss Jin is indeed capable. How about becoming the Vice Supreme Commander on this occasion?”

“Vice Supreme Commander?”

“Or the Internal Affairs Supreme Commander, or something.”

“That’s the same thing. No, more than that…”

Jin Ye-rim glanced at Dok-sun and asked Yeong Ho-jun.

“Who is that person really?”

“…You’ll find out soon enough.”

Yeong Ho-jun said with an awkward smile, unlike his usual self.

“Just… know that you’ll die if you cross him.”

Jin Ye-rim frowned, but Yeong Ho-jun’s eyes were trembling.

It couldn’t be helped.

He was seeing the grim reaper named Dok-sun right in front of him, holding life and death in his hands, and whose whims he couldn’t predict at all.

In fact, Yeong Ho-jun had never imagined that he would see him in person.

Until Un-hyun, who had left saying, ‘I’ll bring an elder,’ appeared with Dok-sun.

‘He said I’d find out soon enough where he got the Tang Family’s Supreme Command Token…

Yeong Ho-jun wanted to jump off the boat right away.

In fact, that would have been the only solution during the Great Righteous War [a major conflict in the story’s history].

Of course, that didn’t guarantee he would survive.

‘Seriously. Why is he so scared?’

Jin Ye-rim didn’t understand Yeong Ho-jun.

She glanced at Dok-sun.

Dok-sun was looking at the Yangtze River with Un-hyun, talking about something.

The stern Dok-sun and the gentle Un-hyun’s expressions looked like a close grandfather and grandson.

Even Dam So-ha was often joining in their conversation.

“He doesn’t seem that scary?”

At Jin Ye-rim’s words, Yeong Ho-jun sighed deeply.

“It’s better not to know.”

If she hadn’t known, it would have been better, but knowing, she couldn’t help but be afraid.

That was the fear and intimidation that the name Dok-sun held.

Splash.

The official vessel, carrying Dok-sun and Un-hyun’s group, and Yeong Ho-jun, trembling with fear, was heading down the Yangtze River without hesitation.

***

Outside Nanjing, at the residence of Naval Commander Jin-rim.

Dok-sun was holding Ah-ryeong’s wrist, with his eyes closed.

Her father, Naval Commander Jin-rim, Gwan Cheol-hun, and Un-hyun’s group watched the scene with anxious eyes.

On the other hand, Ah-ryeong’s expression was not good.

She remembered how the doctors who had examined her had reacted.

Some clicked their tongues, some frowned, and sometimes their eyes welled up.

Ah-ryeong really hated that.

But Dok-sun was different.

“Eyes.”

Dok-sun said with a blank face.

“Ah-ryeong, to the doctor…”

“Here.”

Before her father Jin-rim could say anything, Ah-ryeong brought her eyes closer.

Still expressionless, Dok-sun examined Ah-ryeong’s eyes and complexion.

“Back.”

“Yes.”

Ah-ryeong turned around and faced her back to Dok-sun.

Dok-sun tapped lightly here and there over her clothes and said.

“That’s enough.”

Ah-ryeong turned around and sat down.

Dok-sun said to Ah-ryeong.

“If you do as I say, you can become healthy.”

Ah-ryeong blinked. But soon, she had a surprised expression.

“R-really?”

Dok-sun frowned.

“How dare you doubt my words…”

“Um, Elder.”

Un-hyun interjected slyly.

“It just means it’s so good that it’s hard to believe.”

Dok-sun was clumsy in communication.

In his youth, he had devoted his life to training. After gaining fame, even the people of the Tang Family found him difficult.

When he spoke, people either unconditionally submitted or rebelled and died.

Moreover, after the Hwasan Pledge [a significant agreement or event in the story], he had lived almost in seclusion, so he couldn’t possibly be good at interpersonal communication.

“…Ahem.”

Dok-sun cleared his throat.

Looking down at Ah-ryeong’s round eyes looking up at him, Dok-sun said in a serious voice.

“Believe me. I will heal you.”

“Yes! I’ll believe you!”

Ah-ryeong said with sparkling eyes, and only then did Dok-sun nod in satisfaction.

Looking at the scene, Jin Ye-rim shook her head.

The sight of Dok-sun, with the aura of a divine immortal, sitting face to face with the small and cute Ah-ryeong with a serious expression, was too incongruous.

It was somehow funny.

“You will now fall into a sleep like death. But when you wake up, you will no longer be the same as before, and a new day will open before you. As the temporarily stagnant growth progresses rapidly, some symptoms will appear…”

“Huh, what did you say?”

Ah-ryeong tilted her head and asked.

“If I don’t understand what you’re saying, I can’t believe it.”

Dok-sun stared at Ah-ryeong and said.

“…That’s right. That’s a valid point. So, what I mean is…”

“Um, Elder.”

Un-hyun interjected again.

Dok-sun was already bad at communication, and he couldn’t even guess how long it would take to explain it in a way that Ah-ryeong, a child, could understand.

“I’ll explain the details to the guardian later, and first, the treatment…”

“No.”

Dok-sun said in a firm tone.

“How can I treat her without telling her about the important matters concerning her own body?”

“I’ll believe you!”

Ah-ryeong interrupted Dok-sun.

When Dok-sun looked at her, Ah-ryeong said.

“I’ll believe Grandpa. So please just do it.”

“…You believe me?”

“Yes.”

Ah-ryeong nodded her head greatly.

After a moment of silence, Dok-sun slowly opened his mouth.

“I understand.”

Dok-sun’s eyes lit up.

“Your faith will be rewarded.”

“Yes!”

Ah-ryeong said with a bright smile.

At Ah-ryeong’s bright and cheerful smile, a hint of a smile was also appearing on Dok-sun’s expressionless face.

“Then I’ll start.”

Swish.

Dok-sun lightly waved his hand towards Ah-ryeong.

Then, Ah-ryeong’s eyes gently closed, and she fell to the side.

Rustle.

As if he had been waiting, Dok-sun picked up Ah-ryeong’s frail body.

Ah-ryeong was fast asleep.

“Everyone, leave.”

Jin-rim hesitated for a moment, but Gwan Cheol-hun grabbed him and left the room.

Un-hyun’s group was also quietly trying to leave when Dok-sun suddenly said.

“You, stay.”

That was directed at Un-hyun.

Un-hyun was puzzled for a moment but soon nodded.

Click.

Everyone left, and only the sleeping Ah-ryeong, Dok-sun, and Un-hyun remained in the room.

Dok-sun laid Ah-ryeong on the bed and said.

“Watch me heal this child.”

“Yes? Me?”

Un-hyun was puzzled.

“But I have no knowledge of medicine at all…”

“I’m not telling you to look at the medicine.”

Whoosh.

Dok-sun’s sleeves began to flutter.

He was drawing up his inner strength.

“I’m telling you to see in detail how the Qi [life energy] flows and circulates along this child’s twelve meridians and eight extraordinary vessels, and what changes occur in the numerous minor meridians.”

Woo-oong.

Raising his hand and placing it in the center of Ah-ryeong’s face, Dok-sun said.

“You will be able to see it. Because you are the owner of the Mind’s Eye (心眼) recognized by the Reclining Buddha.”

Whoa-ah-ah.

Dok-sun’s inner strength raged like a storm in the room.

***

After a while, Dok-sun, having finished the treatment, came out of the room with Un-hyun.

The people waiting outside all looked at Dok-sun.

“D-Doctor. Our Ah-ryeong is…”

The fat Jin-rim asked in a trembling voice.

Dok-sun nodded.

“She’s fine now.”

Jin-rim trembled.

Then, he suddenly threw himself in front of Dok-sun.

“Doctor!”

Jin-rim cried out as if weeping.

“Thank you! Thank you, Doctor! For saving Ah-ryeong, Ah-ryeong… This Jin-rim, even if my bones turn to dust, I will surely repay this grace…”

His daughter, whom even the royal physician had given up on, had been saved, so Jin-rim’s emotion was beyond words.

“I am not a doctor.”

Dok-sun said, looking down at the sobbing Jin-rim.

“…Yes?”

When Jin-rim, covered in tears, looked up, Dok-sun continued with a blank face.

“I am Gae-kong.”

“Yes! Gae-kong-nim [a respectful title]!”

Jin-rim bowed his head obsequiously.

At the sight, Dok-sun muttered quietly.

“…The father and daughter listen well.”

It was a small voice, but Jin-rim somehow heard it and said with a bright smile.

“Yes! I listen very well to my superiors! Hahaha.”

That was true.

In terms of position, Naval Commander Jin-rim’s superior was the Emperor, so how could he not listen well?

“Now that the severed meridians have been healed, the accumulated medicinal energy will take effect. There will be growing pains as well as some symptoms on the skin, but do not use medicine hastily and wait patiently, and they will disappear naturally, so do not be impatient.”

“Yes! I understand!”

Jin-rim nodded repeatedly.

It seemed that he certainly listened well to his superiors.

“Severed meridians, I see…”

Yeong Ho-jun nodded and muttered.

In fact, severed meridians were not a specific disease name.

It was an expression referring to incomprehensible incurable diseases with similar symptoms.

Dok-sun had healed that difficult severed meridian.

“Well, he is an amazing person with not only medical skills but also inner strength…”

Dok-sun was the one who controlled life and death.

It was not at all strange that he had healed the severed meridians known as an incurable disease.

“Gae-kong-nim.”

Jin-rim said to Dok-sun with tears in his eyes.

“Although it is insufficient, I have gold that I have saved all my life for Ah-ryeong, so please consider it as my sincerity…”

“I don’t need it.”

Dok-sun said without hesitation.

“The Azure Dragon Society has a lot of money.”

“Yes?”

Jin-rim asked back with a blank expression, and Un-hyun gave a bitter smile.

But Yeong Ho-jun’s face was distorted.

“Oh my, that wouldn’t be a small amount of money…”

If the Naval Commander, of all people, had saved it all his life, even being called greedy, the amount would be hard to imagine.

Jin-rim’s words that he had offered a thousand gold to the royal physician were by no means an exaggeration.

Jin-rim said in a flustered manner.

“T-Then how should I repay this grace…”

“No one can afford the value of life.”

Dok-sun said bluntly.

“So there is no need to repay it. Because you can’t repay it in the first place.”

After saying that, Dok-sun strode away.

The fat Jin-rim trembled with emotion and shouted.

“Gae-kong Divine Healer! Thank you! Gae-kong-nim is truly a divine healer!”

At that moment, Dok-sun paused.

But he didn’t look back and moved his steps again.

Looking at the scene, Un-hyun said to Jin-rim.

“That’s fortunate.”

Smiling, Un-hyun said

“Gae-kong must be tired, so please rest, Commander.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Jin-rim nodded.

Un-hyun followed Dok-sun, and the other members of the group followed him.

There was no need to go far.

Because Jin-rim had provided a room for the group.

Step, step.

Looking at Dok-sun’s back walking ahead, Un-hyun smiled contentedly.

His heart was filling with warmth.