Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 275

Thud!

The sound of the Mad Dragon Axe striking the ground was as menacing as ever.

Even if it wasn’t intended as a threat, the weapon itself possessed a tremendous sense of intimidation. Ga Yeok-so flinched involuntarily.

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“The Medical Society?”

“Yes, sir.”

“A medical union, or something like that?”

“It seems you’ve heard of it.”

“Of course, I have.”

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t bother to beat around the bush.

“I heard there’s a group controlling the distribution of medicinal herbs to prevent them from reaching the Western Mystic Woman. They called themselves a medical union, and that name was the Medical Society?”

Ga Yeok-so’s eyes deepened.

“You knew about it.”

“I didn’t know the name.”

“That’s right. The Medical Society is spread throughout the Central Plains and provides a lot of support to those who have inherited the medical lineage of the Central Plains.”

Ga Yeok-so took a breath.

Whoosh.

A subtle aura emanated from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.

Due to the Mad Dragon Axe’s blunt weapon training, not only his physical strength but also his internal energy consumption was considerable. The true energy he usually kept perfectly controlled was leaking out, and the fierce aura was naturally becoming intimidating, shaking Ga Yeok-so’s mind.

“To explain about the Medical Society…”

“Before that.”

“Yes?”

Yeon Ho-jeong said with a smile.

“Even if you are a physician, you seem to be well-versed in the affairs of the Central Plains, and if you have a long career, you must have encountered many martial artists.”

“…?”

“You don’t seem like someone who wouldn’t know that secretly observing a martial artist’s training is a great discourtesy.”

“Ah! I apologize. I apologize for that part first.”

“Your apology is a bit late.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt, so I couldn’t speak first. I hope the Tiger General will believe that I was looking away, and please forgive me.”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“Alright, let’s say that’s the case. Actually, I don’t particularly want to know about the Medical Society or whatever it is. What’s important is why someone I don’t even know came to find me, isn’t it?”

Ga Yeok-so said calmly.

“I was about to tell you that, but I thought it was a priority to ease the General’s wariness first. This is also my fault, I apologize.”

He was being quite humble.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong was not swayed. He shouldn’t have preconceived notions, but he already knew what the Medical Society had done. It was hard to have goodwill towards them.

“The explanation is enough. So, what brings you to me?”

Ga Yeok-so licked his lips.

‘They say the Wall Mountain Tiger General has a fiery temper, and indeed, the rumors of the martial world are not false.’

Fiery didn’t just mean hot-tempered.

He was honest and direct. He disliked beating around the bush and wanted to get to the point quickly.

That was Yeon Ho-jeong. Ga Yeok-so could somewhat guess the other’s personality.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Can you temporarily put aside your escort duty for the Western Mystic Woman?”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“Leave.”

“General Yeon.”

“I thought you were from the medical union, so I thought you’d give me some good elixir. Just leave.”

Ga Yeok-so quickly continued.

“It’s for the sake of the Central Plains.”

“Hmm?”

“For the sake of the Central Plains, she must disappear. To be precise, she must not go to the Martial Alliance and rise to prominence.”

“Why?”

“The medical skills she has learned are extremely evil. In terms of martial arts, it’s no different from a demonic art of the evil sect.”

“Why? Is the Western Mystic Woman turning people into zombies, or is she poisoning patients with drugs?”

Ga Yeok-so sighed.

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then why are you so desperate to get rid of her?”

“Her medical skills are causing great chaos in the medical lineage of the Central Plains. The Medical Society has been suppressing her presence until now, but if she gains great fame in the Martial Alliance, it will be truly enormous…”

“Causing great chaos in the medical lineage of the Central Plains? Just because she has a different kind of medical skill?”

“General Yeon. Please listen to me. The medical skills she has learned are a wicked path. I don’t know what the chivalrous people of the martial world will think, but recklessly cutting into a patient’s body causes great aftereffects.”

“Aftereffects? We even scrape out boils with a knife, are you saying that has great aftereffects?”

“Cutting with a knife doesn’t mean that.”

“Open chest surgery?”

Surprise appeared on Ga Yeok-so’s face.

“Do you know about open chest surgery?”

“I’ve heard of it before. When a patient’s condition is too severe to be treated with medicine and acupuncture alone, they remove the malignant tumor that is the cause of the disease with open chest surgery.”

“Amazing. I can’t help but admire General Yeon’s knowledge and insight.”

“Enough with the flattery.”

“Yes, the Western Mystic Woman is a master of open chest surgery. And it’s not appropriate to say this, but open chest surgery is a medical procedure that is accompanied by extreme aftereffects and is strictly prohibited in the medical lineage of the Central Plains.”

Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.

“Listen here, Physician Ga.”

“Yes.”

“Open chest surgery, the medical lineage of the Central Plains, enough with that. I’ve never studied medicine professionally, so it’s hard for me to understand right away, and it doesn’t seem like I’m in a situation to listen to such explanations.”

“General Yeon.”

“I’ll make it clear. Our mission is to escort the Western Mystic Woman safely to the Martial Alliance. That mission must be accomplished no matter what.”

“…”

“Give up escorting the Western Mystic Woman? Is that something you should say in front of me?”

Ga Yeok-so’s face hardened.

“I understand that General Yeon is angry. But since you won’t listen to me any further, it’s difficult to explain that part.”

“I’m angry, but I won’t take it out on you.”

It was quite a chilling statement. For the number one late-stage master to release his anger, he would definitely see blood.

“Even if the situation is urgent, you were too rude. If you really wanted that, you should have gone to the Martial Alliance, not me.”

“…”

“However, you must have your own reasons, so let’s end this conversation here. Leave now. I won’t say anything more.”

Ga Yeok-so shook his head.

“I can’t do that.”

“Then keep standing there. I’m leaving now.”

“General Yeon.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, with the Mad Dragon Axe on his shoulder, strode towards his residence. His intention to not deal with Ga Yeok-so any further was clear.

Ga Yeok-so, who was quietly watching Yeon Ho-jeong’s back, said.

“We must impose sanctions on that witch.”

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t stop walking.

Ga Yeok-so continued.

“We cannot leave such a dangerous being alone. And we, of course, have no intention of confronting the Martial Alliance, let alone General Yeon.”

Thud.

Yeon Ho-jeong stopped walking.

Standing still, he looked up at the sky and sighed.

“Seriously, even when I try to let it go smoothly.”

“…?”

Yeon Ho-jeong lowered the Mad Dragon Axe.

Clang!

The Mad Dragon Axe’s blade was embedded a foot into the ground. Ga Yeok-so flinched involuntarily.

Yeon Ho-jeong opened his mouth.

“Muk Bi.”

Swoosh.

Muk Bi appeared beside Yeon Ho-jeong.

Not only that. All the members of the group who had been resting each revealed themselves one by one from the darkness.

Ga Yeok-so was startled. He couldn’t tell when they had been standing there, even though he saw it with his own eyes.

Yeon Ho-jeong said in a cold voice.

“You know where the Beggars’ Union branch is, right?”

“Yes.”

“Go and tell the branch leader. As of this moment, the Medical Society is behind those who are targeting the Western Mystic Woman’s life, as well as all the oppression against her.”

Ga Yeok-so was startled.

“General Yeon!”

“And tell them this too. The Medical Society is an organization that can threaten the Martial Alliance at any time. To prepare for any situation, they must thoroughly investigate all information about the Medical Society.”

Ga Yeok-so’s face turned pale.

“General Yeon! What are you talking about?”

Yeon Ho-jeong turned his body.

Swoosh.

At the same time, Muk Bi disappeared. He had left for the Beggars’ Union branch.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes cooled down.

“Listen here, Physician Ga.”

“…”

“You’re telling me to stop escorting her? You’re going to impose sanctions on the Western Mystic Woman? That sounds like you’re going to kill her.”

“…!”

“Isn’t saving people’s lives your job? Did you learn that acupuncture and pharmacology to kill people?”

Ga Yeok-so bit his lip.

“This has nothing to do with my profession. This is strictly for the sake of the Central Plains…”

“For the sake of the Central Plains, or for the sake of the legitimacy of the Central Plains’ medical lineage?”

“…!!”

“If it’s the former, explain it properly. If she can spread a serious epidemic or has learned an extremely evil demonic art, I will investigate it thoroughly. But if it’s the latter…”

Grrr.

The Mad Dragon Axe embedded in the ground created a long groove.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, which were aimed at Ga Yeok-so with the Mad Dragon Axe, were filled with murderous intent.

“From this moment on, the Medical Society will be the enemy of the Martial Alliance.”

Ga Yeok-so swallowed.

“General Yeon. I think you’ve misunderstood something, the Medical Society is never…”

“I saw someone approach an escort carrying out the Martial Alliance’s orders and say that the person they were escorting was a witch, someone who should die, and spew sweet talk.”

“General Yeon!”

“If it had ended there, I could have ignored it as if a dog was barking. But what did you say? You have no intention of confronting the Martial Alliance?”

The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth curled up.

“I thought we lived in different worlds, but I didn’t know the Medical Society was a martial arts group. If that’s the case, I can’t just stand by. If you’re trying to take the life of an innocent woman, as a general of the Martial Alliance, who is the embodiment of chivalry, I can’t just let it go.”

“…!!”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been staring at Ga Yeok-so, turned his head and looked at Moyong Woo.

“General Moyong. What should we do with this guy? Should I blow his head off right here?”

Moyong Woo’s face was also frighteningly hardened.

“Hold back, General Yeon.”

“Should I hold back? You heard everything, didn’t you? If what that guy said is true, then that guy, as well as the group he belongs to, are a bunch of murderers.”

“General Yeon. Hold back for now.”

Yeon Ho-jeong glared at Ga Yeok-so again.

Ga Yeok-so’s face was now white. Even in the midst of it, he was biting his lip and clenching his fist, so he deserved some recognition for his guts.

Moyong Woo said.

“You said you were Physician Ga?”

“…”

“Your words had no persuasiveness. Of course, there was no logic, and you committed a lot of discourtesy.”

“…”

“I’ll make it clear. As General Yeon said, from this moment on, if any harm is done to the Western Mystic Woman, I will consider the Medical Society to be behind it.”

“That is!”

“If it were just the Extinction Army General, it might be different, but if the Demon Subjugation Army General joins in, the members of the Alliance’s service division will also move unconditionally. If that happens, the Medical Society will have quite a headache.”

Moyong Woo smiled coldly.

“Until we arrive, you will protect the Western Mystic Woman. If there is anything she wants, you will fulfill it all. You are controlling the distribution of medicinal herbs? If you don’t give her the medicinal herbs within two days, I will also consider that a provocation against the Alliance.”

“…!!”

“What are you doing? Do you think you have a lot of time?”