The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 179

The Divine Doctor (179)

“How does it feel, Adu?”

Adu couldn’t hide his surprise at Dan Ak-seon’s words.

“I can barely feel any pain.”

Moreover, lifting his knee was much easier than usual.

The physicians dispatched from the Jinseong Medical Family couldn’t hide their astonishment at the sight.

Pung Jin-seong, who had been managing Adu’s condition, had urgently returned to the Jinseong Medical Family due to a sudden change in the condition of a patient staying at the medical family’s residence.

Since then, they had been treating Adu in place of their master.

However, the results were lackluster.

They were barely managing to prevent his condition from worsening; noticeably improving it like this was impossible.

The three of them looked at each other before eagerly firing questions at Dan Ak-seon.

“Was the point you just inserted the needle at the Geolyo acupoint?”

“The way the needle went in was a bit unusual; why is that?”

“Exactly where does that needle act? Nerves? Muscles?”

Dan Ak-seon smiled and held up the Seonang Needle.

“Watch closely.”

After having Adu lie face down, Dan Ak-seon slowly inserted the needle this time.

It was near the Sangryo acupoint, located at the end of the tailbone.

“Normally, you’d insert the needle straight in to anchor it in the acupoint. But in Adu’s case, the exact location of the acupoint is slightly different from the average person.”

This was because the twisted muscles and nerves had hardened in place.

“So, I have to find the acupoint by going around like this.”

The needle, touching the skin, curved significantly as it dug into the skin.

“Adu, try moving your leg.”

As Adu bent his knee as instructed, he groaned.

“Ugh…”

Dan Ak-seon asked Adu, who was frowning.

“How would you rate the pain? On a scale of one to ten?”

“Six… no, about seven.”

“Is it a sharp, stabbing pain? Or a pain accompanied by a tickling sensation, like insects biting?”

“I think it’s closer to the latter.”

Despite the pain exceeding his expectations, Adu didn’t panic.

He trusted Dan Ak-seon more than anyone.

Dan Ak-seon smiled and nodded.

“That’s a relief. It means there’s still a chance for the nerves to recover. Now, I’ll put a needle in another spot. This will probably be quite difficult too.”

Dan Ak-seon inserted a needle into an acupoint about an inch above his waist.

“……!”

Adu’s eyes widened.

It hurt so much that he couldn’t even groan.

Dan Ak-seon instructed Adu.

“Adu, move your legs alternately.”

Amidst the terrible pain, Adu slowly bent and raised both legs.

It was then that an expression of astonishment appeared on Adu’s face.

At some point, the pain had disappeared like a lie.

Removing the needles, Dan Ak-seon said to the physicians.

“Alleviating symptoms by focusing on pain control isn’t the only part of treatment. Pain is also an important indicator of recovery. Especially since human nerves are intricately intertwined, dulling the sense of pain can affect motor skills.”

Dan Ak-seon held up the needle in his hand.

“In Adu’s case, the muscles and nerves are hardened out of place. So, both the muscles and nerves are overloaded. Every time the muscles are used differently from their original movement, the sense of pain is warning him.”

Originally, treatment involving tremendous pain was necessary.

However, the process was so arduous that they couldn’t dare to try it.

Even martial arts experts relied on anesthesia, and they couldn’t be sure if Adu could withstand it.

So, Dan Ak-seon chose the next best option.

“As you asked earlier, this procedure is a needle that acts on both nerves and muscles. It stimulates the sense of pain to make the existing muscles remember the new movement.”

“Such a method!”

Leaving behind the physicians who were too surprised to speak, Dan Ak-seon said to Adu.

“Hyung [older brother/term of respect], would you like to try walking now?”

Adu, who got off the bed, took a cautious step.

He could definitely feel more strength in his legs than before.

“Ah……!”

An exclamation flowed from Adu’s mouth.

Although it was a staggering and unsteady walk, the mere fact that he was walking without crutches filled his heart.

Dan Ak-seon supported Adu.

“Let’s stop here for today. As I said, it will be a long treatment.”

It took time for the muscles to remember the new movement through repeated stimulation and adapt again.

“But if we find a way to treat it, you’ll be able to walk properly someday. I believe you can endure it.”

Adu smiled and nodded.

It felt like a ray of hope had finally dawned after a long darkness.

“I will try my best.”

Dan Ak-seon also felt good at Adu’s bright smile.

On the other hand, the physicians of the Jinseong Medical Family were busy recording what Dan Ak-seon had just said.

It was then.

“The preparations are complete.”

At Sa Mu-sim’s words, Dan Ak-seon left the treatment room with an expectant expression.

“Shall we slowly begin now?”

Dan Ak-seon headed towards the main gate with Adu.

Already at the main gate, many people, including Neung So-mil, were waiting for Dan Ak-seon, having perfectly completed the opening preparations.

As it became five o’clock, as promised, Adu looked at Dan Ak-seon.

“Then, I will open it.”

As Dan Ak-seon nodded, Adu grabbed the doorknob of the main gate.

Creak.

With a heavy sound, the gate of the Shinma Medical Family opened wide.

“……!”

Bewilderment appeared in Dan Ak-seon’s eyes.

People lined up in front of the gate.

But the number of people was unusual.

He had guessed that quite a few people had come from the murmuring sounds heard beyond the closed door, but he didn’t expect this many.

Roughly three hundred.

No, more than that.

“Are there this many sick people in Muwi?”

Sa Mu-sim smiled at the surprised Dan Ak-seon.

“About half of them are probably here out of curiosity. The reputation of Master Gokju that has spread throughout the Jianghu [martial arts world] is much greater than Master Gokju thinks.”

Dan Ak-seon gave the young physicians of the Jinseong Medical Family an apologetic look.

“It seems like you’ll have to suffer a bit today.”

The physicians of the Jinseong Medical Family nodded with confident expressions.

“Then, let’s start quickly.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve experienced it occasionally before, so I’m quite trained in these cases.”

“We need to hurry more. The patients must be anxious right now.”

As expected, like master, like disciples.

They were all physicians from the bone.

Adu stepped forward in front of the people.

“Please come one by one and tell me your symptoms.”

Adu guided patients with severe symptoms to Dan Ak-seon and patients with relatively mild symptoms to the young physicians, according to their symptoms.

It was a skillful and natural action, as he had experience at the Jinseong Medical Family and had practiced a lot in preparation for today.

As the treatment began, the number of patients quickly began to decrease.

Fortunately, there were no seriously ill patients, so the treatment was easy.

And many were townspeople who came to congratulate the opening and say hello.

Still, the number of real patients was not small.

After spending a hectic day like that, it was only around sunset that Dan Ak-seon was barely able to finish treating the last patient.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”

At Dan Ak-seon’s words, given while having a late dinner, the young physicians of the Jinseong Medical Family nodded, forcing a smile.

Unlike what they had confidently said at first, they were exhausted and worn out.

“Originally, the first day of opening a medical family is when the most patients gather.”

“It will get a little better from tomorrow.”

“Still, it’s fortunate that we safely passed the most difficult first day.”

Dan Ak-seon smiled and nodded at the words of the young physicians.

However, it didn’t take long to realize how big of a mistake that was.

Four days passed, passing the next day and the day after.

“Who was it? Who said the number of patients would decrease?”

Beom Gye-wi frowned and glared at the physicians of the Jinseong Medical Family at the number of patients that noticeably increased day by day.

“Good heavens!”

The young physicians were simply astonished by the patients who were flooding in like a tsunami.

There is an expression called Yeo Wol-ji-hang (如月之恒) [like the waxing of the moon].

It meant that the business was prospering day by day, like the waxing moon gradually becoming a full moon.

However, even that word was far from enough to express the patients who were crowded in front of the door.

“It seems that rumors have spread to Muwi and even to nearby villages.”

At Neung So-mil’s words, Dan Ak-seon asked back with a puzzled face.

“Rumors?”

Neung So-mil organized the rumors she had identified and reported them to Dan Ak-seon.

―He’s truly worthy of being called a divine doctor. The back pain that had been bothering me for twenty years has disappeared.

―And how excellent is his personality? He only charges half the treatment fee for the poor. It’s not even more expensive than other medical families.

―When I said I wanted to use expensive medicinal herbs, he recommended replacing them with cheaper and more effective ones. He’s definitely different from the doctors who only charge exorbitant prices for expensive herbs.

Neung So-mil smiled.

“It’s not for nothing that the saying ‘Sa Bul-geup-seol (駟不及舌) [even a team of horses can’t catch the tongue]’ came out.”

Meaning that even the fastest horse cannot keep up with the speed at which rumors spread.

Dan Ak-seon sighed.

Then, he smiled bitterly at Adu.

“Adu, let the patients come in.”

“The treatment time is still half an hour away?”

“We have to start even a little earlier to take care of as many patients as possible. We can’t just make the sick people wait.”

At Dan Ak-seon’s decision, the treatment time was eventually moved forward.

Beom Gye-wi, who was watching Dan Ak-seon, who was busy with the rush of patients, revealed his uncomfortable mood.

“Cho Hyung [older brother/term of respect], doesn’t Dan Doctor look tired?”

“Of course he’s tired. Dan Doctor has treated over two hundred patients in the past few days.”

“I’m going to get sick too.”

“Why you?”

“I’m saying I’m going to get angry.”

Beom Gye-wi glared at the patients with a frustrated look.

“I don’t even know when I last had a cozy conversation with Dan Doctor. Do you think that’s all? Yesterday, he was nodding off while practicing martial arts?”

“Dan Doctor was?”

Beom Gye-wi looked at Dan Ak-seon’s face with a worried expression.

“How can he not get tired when he’s pushing himself without resting like that?”

Cho Ak-ryang nodded.

“Dan Doctor puts his heart and soul into even small illnesses.”

Beom Gye-wi, who was staring at the patients intently, suddenly jumped up from his seat.

“This won’t do.”

Cho Ak-ryang frowned at Beom Gye-wi’s appearance, striding towards the patients.

“What are you going to do?”

Han Seol-hwa couldn’t stand it anymore and threw a word.

“Just stay still, you idiot.”

Despite the two people’s nagging, Beom Gye-wi snorted.

“Hmph! I have a plan.”

Beom Gye-wi, who brushed off the two people’s dissuasion, shouted at the patients.

“Everyone, pay attention!”

Beom Gye-wi had a much larger physique than ordinary people.

Moreover, he was particularly noticeable thanks to his prominently shining head.

With the addition of his fierce eyes and loud voice, everyone’s attention was focused in an instant.

Beom Gye-wi opened his mouth in a thunderous voice to the patients who were looking at him in surprise.

“Among you, if you have an upset stomach, chills, or diarrhea or constipation……”

Beom Gye-wi, who was listing the symptoms, got annoyed and snapped.

“Ugh, I don’t know. Anyway, all the people with internal illnesses, gather in front of me!”

“……”

Silence fell in the area.

Not knowing what was going on, and overwhelmed by Beom Gye-wi’s pressure, no one stepped forward.

Beom Gye-wi, who was sweeping over the frozen patients, pointed to one person.

“You.”

Was he in his early thirties?

The patient, who was groaning while clutching his aching stomach, stepped back in surprise.

However, by the time he came to his senses, he was already caught in Beom Gye-wi’s hand.

“Where does it hurt?”

“My stomach has been hurting since morning……”

“Is that really all? You don’t have any broken bones or chronic illnesses?”

“Yes. I was fine usually, but suddenly today……”

The patient was surprised and couldn’t continue speaking.

Suddenly, Beom Gye-wi smiled eerily and raised his pot-lid-like hand to his back and stomach.

After a while of doing that.

“Is it done?”

Jang Han, who was held by him, asked back with a bewildered face at Beom Gye-wi’s words.

“Yes? What is?”

“You don’t hurt anymore now.”

“Huh? Come to think of it……”

Jang Han blinked in surprise.