The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 17

“Hah, hah!”

So Jeok-san ran through the mountain, gasping for breath. He had been running so much that his mouth tasted bitter. He was so exhausted he felt like he was about to die, but he couldn’t afford to delay even for a moment.

Only an hour remained until the agreed time.

‘Am I too late?’

In that moment of distraction, So Jeok-san tripped over something unseen, lost his balance, and tumbled. When he regained his senses, a cold dagger was pressed against his neck.

“You son of a bitch!”

So Jeok-san cursed as he belatedly identified the person who had climbed on top of him.

It was Ga Hwi-seop.

Then, Ga Hwi-seop forced something into So Jeok-san’s mouth.

“Swallow it, unless you want to die.”

The dagger on his neck dug in about an inch.

Gulp.

So Jeok-san swallowed the pill in his mouth. He had no other choice at the moment.

Ga Hwi-seop’s single eye narrowed slightly.

“What you swallowed is Black Spider Scarlet Vine Poison.”

“……!”

So Jeok-san’s eyes widened.

A spider found in the remote regions of Naman [a fictional region].

Once bitten, it’s a terrifying poison that leaves red marks all over the body, like vines coiling around it, before death occurs in less than a day.

“Tell me what you found out, then go back. I’ll give you the antidote tomorrow.”

“What if I refuse?”

Ga Hwi-seop answered by pressing the dagger harder.

‘Damn it!’

So Jeok-san was furious. Unlike himself, who was completely exhausted, that bastard was still full of energy.

‘A cunning bastard!’

Unlike himself, who had been running his ass off, that bastard had been hiding here from the start, conserving his strength.

He couldn’t trust that bastard’s words.

Even if he managed to escape this place, that bastard would try to swallow the entire Twofold Justice Party he had built up, in exchange for the antidote.

He would rather die than see that happen.

How many people had been deceived by him and ruined? Even the Righteous Guard, who lived by collecting protection money in the entertainment district, had a line they wouldn’t cross, but that bastard had no such thing.

“Just kill me.”

Ga Hwi-seop laughed wickedly.

“If that’s your wish.”

Just as Ga Hwi-seop was about to slit So Jeok-san’s throat.

“What are you doing? You guys.”

Ga Hwi-seop was startled and turned his head. A bald giant was frowning nearby, having arrived unnoticed.

So Jeok-san hurriedly shouted.

“I found him! Someone saw the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance] warriors taking that boy away!”

“Murim Alliance?”

“Yes. I heard he was involved with a notorious Demonic Faction member…….”

“Really? So where are they?”

“Huh?”

“Where are those bastards?”

“C, Cheonghwa Inn.”

Beom Gye-wi grabbed So Jeok-san and Ga Hwi-seop by the scruff of their necks and immediately flew away.

So Jeok-san felt his legs go weak at the sight of the ground rapidly receding.

It was an unbelievable feat of agility, even when seen with his own eyes.

* * *

Tap, tap.

Kwak Ga tapped the table with a frustrated look. It was an unconscious action that surfaced when he was worried. One of his quick-witted subordinates poured him a drink and said.

“They said they left on horseback, so they should be arriving soon.”

Kwak Ga silently picked up the glass and brought it to his mouth. But he put the glass down without even drinking half of it.

Because he felt a presence outside the door.

“Looks like they’re here.”

Kwak Ga grinned.

Judging by the fact that they arrived much earlier than expected, they must have been quite impatient.

A moment later, the door to the detached building opened and a man entered.

A look of bewilderment appeared in Kwak Ga’s eyes.

It was not Poong Jin-sung, whom he had been waiting for, but a stranger he had never seen before.

But the atmosphere was unusual.

The moment he met his icy cold gaze, he felt the blood in his body turn cold.

Besides…….

‘Murderous intent!’

The clear murderous intent flickering beyond the other person’s gaze was so terrifying that it instantly blew away his drunkenness.

“Did Poong Jin-sung send you?”

Cho Ak-ryang chuckled.

Who in the current Jianghu [the martial arts world] would dare to employ the Bloodhand Lord? It seemed like they were mistaken about something, but he didn’t feel the need to explain.

Kwak Ga gripped his sword.

“Interesting. To send an assassin against the Pasa Clan.”

Kwak Ga was secretly welcoming this situation. With this, Poong Jin-sung would become his loyal dog.

“Don’t interfere.”

Kwak Ga ordered his lined-up subordinates and then said.

“Shall we see your skills?”

The moment he finished speaking.

His sword tore through the air.

The blue light emanating from the sword instantly surrounded Cho Ak-ryang.

But Cho Ak-ryang didn’t move.

He simply raised his hand and flicked the tip of the sword the moment it fell towards his forehead.

Kwak Ga’s figure, who was holding the sword, was instantly flipped in the air.

Thud!

Kwak Ga crashed into the floor with a heavy thud.

“……!”

Kwak Ga, who had been thrown to the floor without knowing why, looked at Cho Ak-ryang with astonished eyes.

‘Four ounces moves a thousand pounds!’

Or the essence of martial arts, also known as Pear Blossom Transfer [a martial arts technique].

It was the ultimate technique of turning the direction and flow of power to subdue the enemy with their own strength. Kwak Ga also knew this, but it was only in theory.

‘He’s not just an assassin!’

He felt a huge wall that could never be reached by someone who sold their sword for a few coins.

This was the presence of a grandmaster-level figure.

“Could it be…….”

At that moment, lightning struck Kwak Ga’s mind. He remembered why they had been dispatched to this place, Muwi.

His voice trembled without him realizing it.

“Bloodhand Lord?”

Cho Ak-ryang nodded with an indifferent face.

“You came to catch me, and you’re only recognizing me now?”

Kwak Ga’s heart sank.

He had been drinking, but that was no excuse. It was the same face as written in the wanted poster, so how could he not recognize him?

Boom!

It was also at that moment that the wall of the building behind him collapsed with a huge explosion. The moment he met the bloodshot eyes flickering through the hazy dust, Kwak Ga instinctively swung his sword.

Regardless of his will, his body reacted on its own to the other person’s murderous intent.

The eerie shadow of the sword swallowed the opponent like an explosion.

The moment the blue blade was about to slash his entire body, Beom Gye-wi reached into the shadows.

Clench.

An unbelievable thing happened to Kwak Ga.

The sword he had swung with fierce momentum had been caught by a bare hand.

‘Crazy!’

Kwak Ga, utterly shocked, desperately poured his inner energy into the sword.

Blue veins popped out on his forehead.

As if waiting for it, Beom Gye-wi also injected inner energy into the hand holding the sword.

At that moment, Kwak Ga realized that something was terribly wrong. An unimaginable amount of repulsive force was rushing towards his inner energy.

But the situation was irreversible.

His sword turned red-hot, then melted into molten metal and fell to the ground.

“Huff!”

Kwak Ga gasped for air and quickly retreated.

At that moment, Beom Gye-wi stretched out both hands. Two Pasa Clan members who had been넋을 잃고 있던 [넋을 잃고 있던 is a Korean expression that means ‘넋을 잃고 있던’] were caught in his hands.

“Cough!”

“Ugh!”

The two Pasa Clan members struggled, hanging in the air, as the pot lid-like hands gripped their heads.

Thwack!

At that moment, the heads of the two men exploded.

While Kwak Ga was horrified by the terrifying grip that had crushed the skulls of the people, the bodies that had lost their heads collapsed onto the blood-soaked ground.

Only then did Kwak Ga identify the other person’s identity.

“Mangshan Choja [Mad Mountain Choja]!”

Beom Gye-wi gritted his teeth and glared at Kwak Ga.

“Is it you? The bastard who messed with our Dan Physician [a highly skilled doctor].”

* * *

An alley not far from Cheonghwa Inn.

So Jeok-san and Ga Hwi-seop, who had been hiding in a place out of sight, were startled. Flames suddenly soared from the direction of Cheonghwa Inn.

‘That’s…….’

It was the detached building that the Pasa Clan was using.

So Jeok-san’s face turned white as he witnessed the soaring flames. Because no one was jumping out of the fire.

The meaning was clear.

It meant that there were no survivors.

‘The Pasa Clan was annihilated?’

It was only after some time that So Jeok-san, who had been staring blankly at the fire, came to his senses.

Belatedly, people who witnessed the fire began to shout.

Ga Hwi-seop also seemed to have come to his senses, as he spat out curses.

“This fucking…….”

So Jeok-san grabbed Ga Hwi-seop as he turned to leave.

“Where are you going? That monster told you to wait here.”

Ga Hwi-seop made an absurd expression at So Jeok-san’s dissuasion.

“Don’t you understand the situation properly?”

“……?”

“Do you think the Murim Alliance will stay still after this?”

“……!”

Only then did So Jeok-sang realize the seriousness of the situation.

“The moment the Murim Alliance moves, small fries like us will be swept away in an instant.”

Undisguised annoyance was revealed in Ga Hwi-seop’s eyes.

“Damn it, it’s so twisted. How did I get caught up in this…….”

The only remaining option was to inform the Murim Alliance first.

If he handed over information about this situation, he would be given some consideration.

That was the only way to survive.

Thinking that, Ga Hwi-seop turned around and ran away. On the other hand, So Jeok-san hesitated and eventually stayed in that spot.

No matter how he thought about it, he didn’t want to be associated with Ga Hwi-seop.

‘I’d rather eat arsenic and die.’

Above all, he didn’t dare to go against the bald demon’s will.

It was also at that moment that Beom Gye-wi appeared, with the soaring flames behind him.

Beom Gye-wi’s eyes were bloodshot.

So Jeok-san froze as the suffocating murderous intent poured out.

‘Damn it!’

He had struggled so hard to survive, but…….

So Jeok-san tightly closed his eyes.

But nothing happened even after a long time. He slyly opened his eyes and looked at the bald giant.

‘What is he eating?’

A pill taken out of his pocket.

He could see Beom Gye-wi putting the whole thing in his mouth and chewing it, without even peeling off the beeswax that was covering it.

Then, a miraculous thing happened.

Beom Gye-wi’s eyes, which had been gleaming with madness, gradually began to clear. The murderous intent he had been emitting from his whole body also noticeably decreased.

He suddenly opened his mouth.

“Why are you alone?”

“Th, that’s…….”

So Jeok-san hesitated to answer.

“Kuaaaak!”

At that moment, a desperate scream was heard from afar. It was the direction Ga Hwi-seop had run away.

A moment later.

Ga Hwi-seop, who had disappeared around the corner, reappeared.

He staggered as if drunk and reached out his hand as if begging. But the person who grabbed that hand was Beom Gye-wi.

At the same time, red flames erupted from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.

“Gasp!”

So Jeok-san gasped for air.

In just one breath, Ga Hwi-seop had turned into black ashes.

Swoosh.

The body that hit the floor turned to powder and scattered.

So Jeok-san could only gape at the gruesome sight.

He had no idea what was going on.

“Huh?”

At the same time, bewilderment erupted from So Jeok-san’s mouth. Suddenly, his body began to heat up.

White smoke began to rise above his clothes.

At the same time, he felt a terrible heat that felt like his whole body was burning.

It felt like lava was flowing through his blood vessels.

“Kuaaaah!”

Beom Gye-wi asked So Jeok-san, who was sitting down and screaming.

“Why didn’t you run away?”

At that moment, So Jeok-san realized.

Ga Hwi-seop’s death and the heat he was experiencing were related to that.

So Jeok-san opened his mouth with difficulty.

“Because I promised. With the Lord…….”

Was he pleased with that answer?

Beom Gye-wi smiled and shook his hand, and the hellish heat disappeared like a lie. If it weren’t for the smoke coming from his clothes, he would have wondered if he had dreamed it.

“Wh, what the hell is this……?”

The answer came from elsewhere.

“He’s quite a strong-willed fellow.”

So Jeok-san turned his head and looked at the place where the voice came from.

“Haa…….”

So Jeok-san let out a sigh of relief.

There was a reason why the saying ‘look at where you’re going to lie down before stretching your legs’ came about.

It was the same with Ga Hwi-seop.

He was trying to find a way to survive, but in the end, he brought death upon himself. From the beginning, they were not opponents that could be dealt with.

So Jeok-san prostrated himself on the spot.

Cho Ak-ryang looked down at So Jeok-san and opened his mouth.

“Forget about what happened today.”

So Jeok-san quickly nodded his head.

The hope of being able to live was only temporary, as Beom Gye-wi said as if ordering.

“Guard him well.”

“Yes?”

Beom Gye-wi pointed to Cheonghwa Inn, towards So Jeok-san, who was asking back with a puzzled face.

“Do you know why those bastards died?”

So Jeok-san had a great realization.

“If Dan Physician gets even a speck of dirt on him in this village, you will be responsible for everything from now on.”

“I will keep that in mind!”

“You are responsible even if Dan Physician is hungry.”

“Yes?”

“You are responsible even if Dan Physician is bored, and you are responsible even if Dan Physician is tired. You are responsible even if Dan Physician wants a woman and she doesn’t come over…….”

Cho Ak-ryang frowned and interrupted.

“Let’s go.”

Beom Gye-wi, who reluctantly turned around, glared at So Jeok-san.

“Remember. It’s all your responsibility.”

The relief of being alive was only temporary.

‘Am I supposed to forget or protect?’

He couldn’t decide which words to follow, but So Jeok-san nodded his head diligently for now.