The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 312

Divine Physician of the Demonic World (312)

Deung Wi-pyeong addressed the martial artists.

“Thank you for your hard work. All spoils will be converted into silver and distributed accurately according to your contributions.”

“Ooh!”

The morale of the martial artists soared.

They weren’t losing anything, and there was no reason to refuse since the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild was inflating their merits.

“Shall we wipe out the Blood Cloud Stronghold while we’re at it?”

At someone’s tempting suggestion, the experts were already eager.

The experts gathered here alone were enough to wipe out most sects in an instant.

No matter how infamous the Blood Cloud Stronghold was, it was still just a band of marauders in the frontier.

The martial artists, full of vigor, were ready to rush to the Blood Cloud Stronghold’s main camp.

It was Deung Wi-pyeong who stopped them.

“Is there really a need to do that? There are others who will open the waterways; we just need to irrigate the rice paddies.”

Referring to the idea of sitting idly by and enjoying the fruits of others’ labor, he used a saying that could be translated as ‘sitting and enjoying the finished product.’

The martial artists burst into laughter at his expression of this in the Gangnam dialect.

“Haha, that’s true too.”

“Well, there are servants to do the hard work; there’s no need for the master to step in.”

Deung Wi-pyeong smiled and nodded.

“It’s enough for us to deal with those who recklessly charge in like this.”

Realizing there was some truth to it, the martial artists who followed the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild were very satisfied.

* * *

A black horse, leisurely grazing in the meadow, approached Dan Ak-seon.

Dan Ak-seon, who was comfortably sitting and gazing at the vast horizon, smiled when Heukseom (Black Flash) approached and nudged his shoulder with its nose.

“Do you want to run again already?”

Prrr.

As if understanding Dan Ak-seon’s words, Heukseom nodded.

The Bayan tribe warriors watching from afar were simply amazed.

The sight of that monstrous creature, which had been so ferocious, acting so friendly and affectionate was amazing every time they saw it.

Tweet.

A sharp sound echoed in the air at that moment.

A hawk, folding its wings and descending like an arrow.

The hawk, quickly snatching something as if sweeping the ground, landed on the perch that Dan Ak-seon had set up.

Thump.

The hawk dropped a field mouse it was holding in front of Dan Ak-seon.

“Did you bring this for me to eat?”

Appreciating its kindness, Dan Ak-seon gently scratched the lower part of the hawk’s beak with his finger.

The hawk’s eyes narrowed as if enjoying the touch.

After a while.

Flap.

The hawk flapped its wings and jumped onto Dan Ak-seon’s shoulder.

Then, after preening its feathers with its beak for a moment, it soon began to doze off.

The Bayan tribesmen exclaimed at the sight.

“He’s a natural, a natural.”

Heukseom, which they had initially intended to give as a gift, was tamed by Dan Ak-seon himself, so they gave him a hawk instead.

But it had become so friendly in less than a day.

They knew better than anyone how difficult and arduous the process of taming a hawk was, so the sight was even more amazing.

The Bayan warriors were able to forget their worries for a moment at the extremely peaceful scene unfolding before their eyes.

How much time had passed?

Someone came out of the Bayan’s ger [a traditional, portable round tent of Central Asian nomads] and walked towards Dan Ak-seon.

It was Cho Ak-ryang.

But his expression was not good.

“What’s wrong?”

Dan Ak-seon asked cautiously at the ominous atmosphere.

Cho Ak-ryang frowned and handed a letter to Dan Ak-seon.

It was a report sent by the reconnaissance team that was out quite a distance.

“The Golden Dragon Merchant Guild guys who came through Anmun Pass are setting up camp near Challyeong (㳐零) [a specific geographic location].”

“Is that so?”

Dan Ak-seon’s expression turned serious.

“Will it be okay?”

“They won’t be much of a hindrance. They’re not moving with us anyway.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

Cho Ak-ryang gave him a dumbfounded look at Dan Ak-seon’s words.

“They’ve come in too deep. If this continues, there will definitely be a problem. The Blood Cloud Stronghold won’t just sit back and watch them invade their territory.”

“Do we need to worry about their safety?”

Dan Ak-seon couldn’t possibly not know the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild’s purpose.

The reason they formed the subjugation force was only one thing.

It was to check the Divine-Demonic Merchant Guild.

However, the Blood Cloud Stronghold was not such an easy group to just hand over its front yard.

That’s why Dan Ak-seon was even more worried.

“Even if they build up their reputation and obtain trade rights with the Western Regions, we won’t lose anything.”

As long as the Divine-Demonic Dan and Dokgye Mountain were exclusively treated, the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild could not fundamentally surpass the Divine-Demonic Merchant Guild in trade.

Moreover, there was also the entertainment facility in Muwi, which was on the verge of completion.

Since they had already devised a way to attract Western merchants in large numbers, the profits that the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild could obtain were extremely limited.

More than anything, the Divine-Demonic Merchant Guild had something that they didn’t.

The Divine-Demonic Physician, who had already risen to a unique position in the Central Plains.

His reputation and presence were playing a significant role in expanding the influence of the Divine-Demonic Merchant Guild.

Cho Ak-ryang nodded.

“Neng So-mil also told a similar story.”

“The top priority is to restore peace to the grasslands.”

More than anything, it was necessary to win the hearts of the grassland tribes for stable and continuous trade.

Then, Dan Ak-seon, who belatedly checked the report sent by the scout, bit his lip tightly.

He finally realized why Cho Ak-ryang had been wearing such a displeased expression all along.

“I think I need to meet with the people from the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild.”

Dan Ak-seon sighed.

The report contained information that the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild had annihilated a tribe.

It was one of the tribes that the Blood Cloud Stronghold had forcibly subjugated.

Even though they had been attacked, it was too much of a response.

If the Blood Cloud Stronghold collapsed, the tribes that had been forced to follow would eventually return to their original places.

The Golden Dragon Merchant Guild’s destructive approach had its limits.

Moreover, it would only fuel the grasslands’ antipathy towards the Central Plains people.

That was also why Dan Ak-seon had limited his enemies to only the Blood Cloud Stronghold.

More than anything…….

“They’re underestimating the Blood Cloud Stronghold.”

It could be inferred just from the fact that they had confidently entered the Blood Cloud Stronghold’s sphere of influence.

Cho Ak-ryang said to Dan Ak-seon, who was mounting Heukseom.

“Let’s go together, just in case. I’ll get a horse too.”

Cho Ak-ryang, who had returned to the ger, put a saddle on the resting horse.

Han Seol-hwa, who saw the sight, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Where are you going?”

“To the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild.”

“Why?”

“Doctor Dan said he has something to say to them.”

Han Seol-hwa nodded at the words and naturally followed Cho Ak-ryang.

Cho Ak-ryang wore a puzzled expression.

“The horse?”

“It’s faster to just run.”

Cho Ak-ryang was inwardly dumbfounded at Han Seol-hwa’s appearance, who didn’t say that she had no talent for riding even if she died.

“Who doesn’t know that, so they ride a horse?”

Short distances might be different, but long-distance travel was much easier on horseback.

It was possible to conserve stamina in preparation for a possible battle.

More than anything, it was necessary to get used to group battles in the grasslands.

The basic concepts underlying tactics and formations were based on horsemanship.

However, Han Seol-hwa ignored Cho Ak-ryang’s nagging and was already walking ahead.

“This guy or that guy…….”

Cho Ak-ryang shook his head and drove his horse towards Dan Ak-seon.

Meanwhile, Dan Ak-seon saw Han Seol-hwa approaching and immediately realized what she was thinking.

“Are you going with us?”

Han Seol-hwa glanced at Cho Ak-ryang, who was already beside her, and nodded.

“The horse?”

“…….”

Han Seol-hwa closed her mouth as if she was embarrassed even thinking about it herself.

Dan Ak-seon smiled bitterly at the sight.

It had been quite some time since they came here.

Most of them, except for Han Seol-hwa, were now quite familiar with horses.

For some reason, only Han Seol-hwa still refused to ride a horse.

However, Dan Ak-seon didn’t feel comfortable letting her run alone.

“I can’t help it.”

Puzzlement flashed in Han Seol-hwa’s eyes when she found Dan Ak-seon reaching out his hand.

“Are you saying we should ride together?”

“Yes.”

“Will that guy like it?”

Dan Ak-seon smiled and stroked Heukseom’s neck.

“He’ll allow it. He’s secretly similar to Uncle Cho in personality.”

Cho Ak-ryang, who was suddenly compared to a speechless beast, flared up.

“That guy is similar to me?”

Dan Ak-seon smiled and nodded.

“At first, he’s wary and refuses to get close, but once he opens his heart, he’ll do anything.”

“…….”

Cho Ak-ryang, who had nothing to say, kicked the stirrup for no reason.

“We need to hurry to get to where they are before sunset.”

Leaving those words behind, Cho Ak-ryang started riding his horse ahead.

“Auntie, hurry up too.”

Han Seol-hwa reluctantly reached out her hand at Dan Ak-seon’s urging.

Dan Ak-seon, who grabbed her hand tightly, pulled Han Seol-hwa with force.

“……!”

Han Seol-hwa felt a strange feeling that was hard to describe at the sight of Dan Ak-seon lightly lifting her onto the horse.

The strong force transmitted through his hand.

Dan Ak-seon had matured even more while living here in the grasslands.

He was no longer the child she knew.

Moreover, unlike what she had been worried about, Heukseom surprisingly readily allowed her on his back.

“Hiyat!”

At Dan Ak-seon’s signal, Heukseom began to gallop across the grasslands.

It was a speed and momentum that was not at all lacking in the name that Dan Ak-seon had given him.

* * *

“Damn it! What dirty weather!”

The Golden Dragon Merchant Guild’s subjugation force, which was stranded by a sudden gust of wind, was suffering unexpected hardships.

The weather, which had been calm until morning, suddenly began to go crazy after noon.

It was already a biting north wind accompanied by the winter general [a metaphor for the harshness of winter], and the wind was so strong that the flying sand grains and dust stung their eyes.

The Golden Dragon Merchant Guild’s subjugation force, led by Deung Wi-pyeong, hurriedly set up tents.

It was a flimsy tent with only a cloth raised between the pillars.

They had fought with the barbarians several times in the middle and obtained considerable spoils.

And among them was the ger, their mobile home.

However, they couldn’t figure out how to install it.

So they had to rely on this makeshift tent to avoid the wind.

However, the wind did not subside easily even as time passed.

How much time had passed like that?

“Two riders are approaching this way!”

The Golden Dragon Merchant Guild’s martial artists grabbed their weapons at the shout of a martial artist who was scouting.

“What is it? They wouldn’t be attacking with only two riders, would they?”

After a while, when a huge black horse that they had never seen before came into view, the martial artists exclaimed.

They were not very good at judging horses, but they immediately knew that the horse in front of them was a magnificent steed that was so excellent that it was difficult to assess its value.

If they could get their hands on that guy and bring him to the Central Plains, the rich guys would rush to him.

On the other hand, the horse following behind the black horse was a small horse of an ordinary grassland tribe at a glance.

At this time, someone shouted in surprise.

“H-Blood Demon Venerable!”

Surprisingly, the person riding the horse that they thought was insignificant was someone they didn’t want to encounter even in their dreams.

Moreover…….

“Even the Ice Jade Immortal? Then who is the rider of that black horse……?”

“It’s the Divine-Demonic Physician!”

The relaxed gazes of the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild’s martial artists, who even recognized Dan Ak-seon and Han Seol-hwa riding on Heukseom, disappeared.

And an undeniable sense of tension replaced it.

Deung Wi-pyeong, the general manager who was practically leading the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild, calmed the agitated martial artists.

“There’s nothing to worry about. We also came here with the permission of the court.”

Saying that, Deung Wi-pyeong stepped forward confidently as if to show off and greeted Dan Ak-seon’s group.

Cho Ak-ryang, who had slowed down and approached the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild, frowned.

“There are still those who are armed.”