The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 190

Dan Ahk-seon headed to a building behind the Divine Physician Manor. It was a detached house specially prepared for patients who had difficulty entering the inner ward.

The thirty or so detached houses were already full of patients.

Dan Ahk-seon crossed the garden, his steps measured.

Behind him followed about twenty doctors.

These were the doctors who had decided to stay and learn Dan Ahk-seon’s medical skills.

The doctors following Dan Ahk-seon, who went from house to house treating patients, all carried writing instruments in their hands.

Even as they frantically recorded Dan Ahk-seon’s treatment process and tried to memorize every detail, they couldn’t help but be amazed.

His vast knowledge, the depth of which was impossible to fathom, was one thing, but his attitude and mindset towards patients felt new every day, no matter how much they learned.

On the other hand, Dan Ahk-seon was also impressed in his own way.

The doctors’ eagerness to concentrate so as not to miss even a moment of his treatment was truly remarkable.

At first, gaining their recognition hadn’t been easy, but once they committed, they didn’t easily reverse their decisions.

Regardless of age and pride, they were first and foremost doctors.

A sense of calling to save people drove them.

Before that, only medical skill was the absolute measure dividing each other’s superiority.

Having treated inpatients until Jinshi (3-5 PM), Dan Ahk-seon turned to look at the doctors.

“Then let’s resume treatment after dinner.”

Even while eating together in the restaurant prepared on one side of the medical building, the doctors kept asking Dan Ahk-seon questions.

Dan Ahk-seon answered their questions as sincerely as possible.

As a result, he couldn’t actually enjoy a proper meal.

The person who saved Dan Ahk-seon from his predicament was Sa Mu-sim, who happened to enter the restaurant.

“It’s almost time to start treatment.”

At those words, the doctors all got up from their seats with regretful expressions.

The doctors bowed politely to Dan Ahk-seon and headed to their assigned treatment rooms.

Only then did Sa Mu-sim cast a pitiful look at Dan Ahk-seon, who was finally able to take a breather.

“You’re having a hard time every day.”

“It’s okay. But it’s a rewarding hardship.”

“There are no particularly serious patients yet. You might be able to practice martial arts today for once.”

“It seems to be somewhat stable now, right?”

Sa Mu-sim smiled and nodded.

With the addition of the doctors, there was more leeway than before.

Thanks to this, Dan Ahk-seon’s expression was also more relaxed than before.

As Dan Ahk-seon continued his meal, Sa Mu-sim began to report on the general affairs revolving around the Shinma Sangdan [Divine Devil Merchant Group] and Shinma Medical Center, as usual.

“Another pharmacy has been added this time. It belongs to a large merchant group with its headquarters in Beijing, and they say they are setting up a branch here with the permission of Leader Neung [Neung So-mil].”

“Again?”

“That’s how much the supply can’t keep up with the demand of Shinma Dan [Divine Devil Pills] and Dokgye Mountain [Poison Crest Mountain]. From their point of view, it seems they judged that it would be advantageous to secure a supply source as close as possible to the source.”

“Is it a reliable place?”

“After looking into it, it was quite reliable except for charging a slightly higher price. They have a solid foundation and connections in Beijing, enough to trade with the royal physicians of the imperial family.”

Sa Mu-sim explained the future plans.

“First of all, I’m only thinking of supplying Shinma Dan. I plan to watch closely for the next three months, and if no special problems are found, I plan to supply Dokgye Mountain as well.”

“I heard the quantity is insufficient, is it okay?”

“I have prepared countermeasures, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

Dan Ahk-seon couldn’t hide his surprise at Sa Mu-sim’s words that followed.

“The expansion of the manufacturing facility has already been completed, and technicians to manufacture pills have also been secured, focusing on skilled workers. Of course, the training process will take some time, but if they are put in as soon as they are ready, it seems that production will be possible more than five times the existing amount.”

“Wow! That much?”

Dan Ahk-seon nodded, admiring.

“Then there will be some leeway in supply now.”

At those words, Sa Mu-sim smiled bitterly.

“Well.”

“Could it be that’s not enough either?”

Sa Mu-sim sighed lightly.

“It’s all because of Leader Neung.”

Dan Ahk-seon looked puzzled when Neung So-mil was suddenly mentioned.

However, he was soon able to understand the reason in Sa Mu-sim’s explanation that followed.

“It’s also my mistake for not recognizing Leader Neung’s business talent to this extent. I didn’t think she would expand the business this far.”

Recently, the amount of orders has been pouring in through merchants from the Western Regions, putting the entire merchant group on emergency alert.

“I heard that merchants from the Western Regions often clash with each other to take over the allocated quantity. Leader Neung seems to have a headache because of that problem as well.”

So, Shinma Sangdan recently changed its trade policy with merchants from the Western Regions.

They declared that they would no longer accept gold and silver, which had been allowed as payment for transactions, but only barter.

Thanks to this, merchants from the Western Regions were scrambling.

They were busy searching for specialties from the Western Regions, including Janghonghwa [Saffron] and Yongyeonhyang [Dragon’s Breath Incense], which were difficult to obtain in the Central Plains, and their prices soared several times.

On the other hand, the merchants of Shinma Sangdan no longer had to go to the Western Regions, bypassing the Great Wall.

Because they came to find them first.

Dan Ahk-seon, who had been lost in thought for a while, called Sa Mu-sim.

“But, Chief Manager.”

“Yes, please speak.”

Dan Ahk-seon carefully opened his mouth.

“About the medicine merchant at the end of the slum.”

“Are you talking about Im Pyeong, whom you mentioned last time?”

“Yes, you remember.”

“How could I forget? I heard that he has a deep relationship with Young Master.”

Sa Mu-sim belatedly realized his mistake at the sight of Dan Ahk-seon’s expression darkening in an instant.

Jangnakbang [Long Joy Clan], which had once reigned as a local tyrant based in the Shanxi area.

They took a turn for the worse with the death of their leader, and eventually made a bad move.

They kidnapped Dan Ahk-seon to secure the Holy Water Divine Pill and tried to rebuild the sect through it.

In the process, an innocent person was caught up.

It was Im Pyeong, the owner of the medicine shop.

As he had been trading with Dan Ahk-seon for a long time, they tried to extract information about Dan Ahk-seon through him.

Im Pyeong eventually confessed what he knew due to the Jangnakbang’s harsh torture.

But what good was it all?

‘Foolish ones.’

In the end, Jangnakbang was completely erased from the Jianghu [Martial World] due to a wrong choice.

The problem was that Dan Ahk-seon also suffered emotional wounds from the series of events.

Im Pyeong, who ran the medicine shop, pushed Dan Ahk-seon away.

The wounds on his body had healed, but the wounds engraved on his heart lasted a long time.

A normal person, his body and mind were ruined by the torture of the Murim [Martial Arts World] people.

So he notified Dan Ahk-seon that he would no longer trade with him.

He pretended that it was because he was haunted by nightmarish memories that he couldn’t shake off whenever he saw Dan Ahk-seon, but Dan Ahk-seon knew the real reason he was doing that.

It was because of guilt.

“Are you still not receiving our medicine?”

Sa Mu-sim nodded with a pitiful expression.

“He stubbornly refuses, saying he has no shame.”

“How is the operation of the medicine shop?”

“It seems that customers have completely stopped. It is no exaggeration to say that there is no way to do business properly in Muwi now unless you have Dokgye Mountain or Shinma Dan.”

“Haa…….”

Dan Ahk-seon, who sighed deeply, stared blankly at the air.

How much time had passed like that?

“Can I go out for a bit?”

“Of course.”

Sa Mu-sim nodded as if nothing was wrong, but he was inwardly worried.

It was not difficult to guess the destination based on Dan Ahk-seon’s expression and atmosphere.

Sa Mu-sim saw Dan Ahk-seon off as he left the restaurant.

Soon, when Dan Ahk-seon’s figure completely disappeared from sight, Sa Mu-sim let out a soft sigh.

It was Dan Ahk-seon’s will and decision to the end.

There was no way he could tell him what to do.

‘However…….’

Sa Mu-sim turned his body and began to head somewhere.

At the end of his steps was a place where the only three people he could rely on in the current situation stayed.

* * *

Dan Ahk-seon passed through the market and entered an alley where old shops were gathered.

A shabby medicine shop located at the end of the alley.

Dan Ahk-seon was momentarily overwhelmed by the sight of it remaining the same as before.

The scenery of Muwi, which had changed markedly from what he had seen on the way here.

Because only this place seemed to have avoided the passage of time, maintaining its appearance from long ago.

But no one was entering the medicine shop.

Dan Ahk-seon, who had been standing there blankly for a while, bit his lip tightly.

After returning to Muwi, he had thought about coming here a few times, but stopped.

He was busy, but that was just an excuse.

If he had made up his mind to come, he could have come at any time.

But the reason he couldn’t was because he didn’t have the confidence to face his fear.

Even now, with his body and mind grown, the fundamental fear that had taken root deep in his heart remained the same.

The severance of relationships.

That was the very identity of the fear that Dan Ahk-seon wanted to avoid most in the world.

Dan Ahk-seon took a few deep breaths to calm his mind, and then entered the medicine shop.

Then, the figure of the medicine shop owner sitting in a chair and dozing off came into view.

The exterior of the store was the same, but it seemed that he had not avoided the passage of time as much; white frost had settled on his head.

“Umm?”

Im Pyeong woke up from his light sleep at the unfamiliar sound.

At first, he got up with a delighted expression when he saw Dan Ahk-seon, but then he shook his head and sat back in his chair.

“We don’t have Dokgye Mountain and Shinma Dan in our store.”

That was the first thing that came out reflexively because it was what customers who visited the medicine shop always asked.

And most of the customers who heard those words turned around and left the store.

Of course, he thought it would be the same this time, but what was this?

The long-awaited guest was just standing there blankly, looking at him.

It was then that a different light appeared in Im Pyeong’s eyes.

“Have we ever met somewhere?”

The gentle eyes and warm gaze were not unfamiliar.

Dan Ahk-seon, who was over fifteen years old, had grown taller.

He had always remembered only his young appearance, so he did not immediately recognize Dan Ahk-seon.

Then Dan Ahk-seon opened his mouth.

“You can just put them in.”

“……?”

“I heard that you are stubbornly refusing Shinma Sangdan’s favor.”

Im Pyeong’s eyes widened.

“You are?”

It was then that he recognized that the handsome boy standing in front of him was Dan Ahk-seon.

A welcoming look appeared on Im Pyeong’s face.

But that was only for a moment.

He turned around with a hardened expression.

“What are you doing here? You must be busy.”

He knew about Dan Ahk-seon’s news early on.

It couldn’t be helped, because there was no one who went back and forth to the market who didn’t praise Dan Ahk-seon.

It was said that anyone who didn’t know Dan Ahk-seon was not a Muwi person.

After a long time, Im Pyeong, who had been silently staring at the floor, opened his mouth weakly.

“Please leave.”

“…….”

“I have no face to see you, no matter how much time has passed.”

Dan Ahk-seon shook his head.

“It’s not your fault.”

“No. It’s my fault. I was the one who betrayed my loyalty to you first, and I was the one who was ashamed of it and wanted to cut ties. How can I rely on your favor and make a living now?”

Tears welled up in Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes at Im Pyeong’s lonely appearance.

But he forced a smile and opened his mouth.

“Do you know that Im Pyeong is the first person I made a relationship with in the world, except for Uncle Pung, after my parents passed away?”

“……!”

Im Pyeong’s eyes trembled.

Because the time when he first met Dan Ahk-seon was still vivid in his mind.

A little boy who smelled good, reminding him of his parents, was loitering in front of the medicine shop.

It was dangerous to play on the street, and it was cute that he often said the names of the herbs, so he brought him into the store, and that was the beginning of their relationship.

And not long after, he realized how much of a blessing Dan Ahk-seon was to him.

The young boy began to bring precious herbs.

At first, he was just amazed.

As he continued to trade with him for several years, Dan Ahk-seon became an irreplaceable existence to him.

To him, who had no family, Dan Ahk-seon was a colleague, a friend, and…… family.

He still regretted selling such Dan Ahk-seon because of his fear of death.

Dan Ahk-seon sighed at the sight of Im Pyeong biting his lip and looking like he was about to burst into tears.

“Okay, I’ll go. But I definitely wanted to say this.”

Dan Ahk-seon bowed his head to Im Pyeong.

“Thank you.”

“……?”

“Thanks to you, I realized what is most precious to me.”

It was the relationship between people.

“So I was able to muster the courage to not lose something precious again.”

Dan Ahk-seon met Im Pyeong’s eyes.

“The fact that I was able to go out into the world, and the fact that I am who I am now…… it’s all thanks to you. So I really wanted to say thank you.”

At those words, Im Pyeong finally burst into tears that he had been holding back.