The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 199

The Divine Doctor of New Demonic Arts (199)

Late Yushi period.

The Divine Doctor of New Demonic Arts was silent, devoid of people.

A solitary night filled only with the elegant moonlight that enveloped the surroundings like flowing water and the occasional sound of the wind.

However, Dan Akseon’s residence was still lit late into the night.

The light of the oil lamp flickered incessantly, pushing back the darkness.

Beneath it, Dan Akseon was reviewing a letter that had just arrived via messenger.

It was a letter sent by Cho Akryang, who had left the Divine Doctor of New Demonic Arts a few days prior.

—Chasing the Seven Fiend Warriors.

It was a simple letter, just a single line of content with no promise of when he would return.

“I hope nothing bad happens.”

As Dan Akseon sighed softly, Beom Gyewi glanced at the letter.

Then, with a displeased look, he clicked his tongue.

“Tsk! See? I knew it would be like this.”

“Yes?”

At Dan Akseon’s puzzled question, Beom Gyewi, as if he had been waiting for it, began to criticize Cho Akryang.

“He gets all excited and runs around as soon as he’s healed. Huh? He’s not a child. I finally managed to fix him, and he’s already off to fight again. And in such an important situation like now. Isn’t that right, Doctor Dan?”

Dan Akseon smiled and shook his head.

Even though he said that, the person who was most worried about Cho Akryang was none other than him.

“He’ll come back safely, right?”

At Dan Akseon’s question, Beom Gyewi scoffed.

“You should worry about someone who needs worrying. Who could hurt Cho Akryang, who has regained his martial arts? Even if you searched the entire Kangho [the martial arts world], only someone like me could barely hold a candle to him.”

Before he could finish speaking, a snort was heard.

Beom Gyewi frowned and glared at Han Seolhwa, who was standing behind him.

“Or maybe that witch is the only one who could.”

In essence, he meant that Cho Akryang, who had regained his martial arts, had no equal.

Only then did Dan Akseon, who was somewhat relieved, fold the letter and tuck it into his bosom.

“Then I’ll go check around the medical ward.”

Beom Gyewi called out to Han Seolhwa, who was silently following Dan Akseon.

“Hey, witch.”

“……?”

“Don’t you have anywhere else to go?”

As if it wasn’t worth answering, Han Seolhwa snorted again and turned away.

“Tsk.”

Beom Gyewi, whose plan to monopolize Dan Akseon had failed, clicked his tongue with a disappointed expression.

At the same time.

In the Divine Merchant Guild’s office, two people were deep in thought, heads together.

They were Sa Musim and Neung Somil.

Sa Musim frowned without realizing it as he checked the mountain of documents.

“More than six hundred people today alone.”

As Sa Musim groaned, Neung Somil also sighed.

“Four hundred are related to the guild, about two hundred are related to the medical family, and the rest are people from the security bureau and ordinary people. Among them, there are only about ten members of the Demonic side.”

The faces of the two people who had checked the data recording the people who had entered and left Muwi today became heavy.

“The current manpower can’t handle this number.”

Even though the guild’s size had increased, the guild members were still just guild members.

Since they were not personnel specialized in surveillance and information gathering, there was a clear limit to their role.

“But we have to do something.”

Neung Somil smiled bitterly.

“It may take some time, but investigation will be possible.”

The problem was that there was no guarantee that the number of people entering and leaving Muwi would not increase further in the future.

“We need to find a solution.”

It was while the two were worrying that a person entered, opening the office door.

“Are you suffering because of me?”

The two people who found Dan Akseon forced a smile and shook their heads.

“No, it’s no trouble at all.”

“It’s just that it was brought forward a little because of this incident; it was something we had to do anyway.”

Dan Akseon, who had checked the documents on the table, smiled at the two.

“But please don’t put too much pressure on people.”

Sa Musim and Neung Somil looked at each other with bewildered faces.

Dan Akseon continued to speak to them.

“Muwi is developing. People’s lives are much better than before. Seeing those people’s smiles is the greatest happiness for me.”

“But if even one in ten thousandth of a danger befalls Master Gok…”

Despite Neung Somil’s concern, Dan Akseon did not change his mind.

“If someone is targeting me, I think it’s a good idea to just leave them alone.”

“Yes?”

“If we suspect the majority of good people to find potentially dangerous people, wouldn’t the efforts we’ve made to create Muwi be tarnished?”

Dan Akseon revealed his firm intention.

“I hope we don’t make the mistake of burning down the *chogajip* [traditional Korean thatched-roof house] to catch a flea.”

Seeing that the two still couldn’t shake off their worries, Dan Akseon smiled and said.

“This place, Muwi, is the last choice for some people. At least I want them to live freely here. If they arrive here to escape the harsh reality and are monitored again…”

Dan Akseon asked back to the two who were silent.

“I hope you’ll think once again about the reason why Muwi was declared a *geumjiguyeok* [forbidden zone].”

Sa Musim, who had been staring at Dan Akseon, slowly nodded.

“I understand. I will follow Master Gok’s will.”

On the other hand, Neung Somil still had an unwilling expression.

He somewhat sympathized with Dan Akseon’s intentions, but he thought it was a naive idea that could only be made because he didn’t know the *eumheom* [insidious] and *naenghok* [ruthless] side of the *murim* [martial arts world] where *gwige* [schemes] were rampant.

However, Neung Somil had no choice but to change his mind at Dan Akseon’s next words.

“If a tense atmosphere is formed, those who move in the shadows will also act more secretly and carefully than before. Rather than acting as usual, it is possible to minimize damage by responding quickly in the event of an emergency. And I am already prepared, so you don’t have to worry.”

“A *heosilsilsil* [deceptive] plan.”

“And one more thing. We have to shake a delicious bait in front of them to keep them from coming to their senses.”

“Bait?”

“Rather than startling the snake by rashly touching the thicket, we naturally lure the opponent to reveal themselves.”

Someone spoke to Neung Somil, who still had an expression of not knowing what it meant.

“Doctor Dan is talking about the *paujeon-ingok* [casting a brick to attract jade] plan.”

Neung Somil was startled and asked back to Han Seolhwa, who was entering the office.

“You don’t mean Master Gok is going to be the bait himself?”

Han Seolhwa nodded with her usual cold expression.

“I have already finished talking about it with him.”

Neung Somil *chimeumhaetda* [fell silent, pondering].

Dan Akseon pointed to the Mukryong he was carrying on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry. I’ll always carry Mukryong with me from today. Besides, I always have my aunt and uncles with me.”

Neung Somil also nodded at Dan Akseon’s firm will.

“I will follow Master Gok’s will.”

* * *

In the center of Muwi’s marketplace was a pharmacy street.

In the past, it was all herbal medicine shops that only dealt with medicinal herbs, but thanks to the popularity of the *sinmadan* [divine medicine pill] and *dokgyesan* [poisonous chicken powder], pharmacies began to increase one by one, and now they are gathered in one place in the village, forming a huge commercial district.

And behind that was Dan Akseon’s decision.

A significant number of patients had to take medicine steadily, but there were limitations in the manpower and tools to make medicine, so Shinmaeuiga [Divine Doctor] alone could not handle it.

So, through cooperation with pharmacies, they were allowed to prepare the medicine at any time if they brought a prescription issued by Shinmaeuiga.

The profits gained through this were considerable, and above all, they could secure a stable income, so new pharmacies were springing up in Muwi over time.

So now, the pharmacy street has become one of the characteristics that symbolize Muwi.

Yeonghwadang was also one of those pharmacies.

It was a recently opened pharmacy, but thanks to the kind owner and excellent medicinal effects, it was getting quite a reputation.

That’s why it was crowded with patients coming and going today as well.

“Then take care.”

As always, the pharmacy owner, Gamgok, escorted the patient to the door with a kind smile.

Just as he was about to close the door to finish the day’s work after seeing off the last customer.

There was a customer who came to the pharmacy late.

He was a man in his early forties who looked obviously ill.

“Welcome.”

Gamgok reopened the door he was closing and brought the patient inside.

However, the moment he faced the patient inside the pharmacy, his eyes changed.

The kind smile was nowhere to be found, and a more *naenghok* [ruthless] and *chagaun* [cold] *wiapgam* [aura of menace] replaced it.

“Did you get discharged already?”

The man bowed his head, flustered by Gamgok’s voice, which was full of displeasure.

“I’m sorry. There was no way to endure it any longer.”

Gamgok, who had been silently staring at the man, walked to the counter.

Clang.

Gamgok, who took out a pouch containing silver coins from the safe and threw it to the man, opened his mouth in a cold voice.

“You know what to do next, right?”

“O-of course.”

The man, who carefully picked up the *jeonnang* [coin pouch], headed inside the pharmacy.

When he touched one of the drawers where the medicinal herbs were arranged, an empty space behind it appeared.

The man who entered inside approached the *jipilmuk* [writing brush, ink, and paper] placed on the *seotak* [desk]. Then he began to record something.

After a while, Gamgok said to the man who came out after finishing the recording.

“Leave Muwi as it is.”

The man nodded hastily and hurried out of Yeonghwadang.

Gamgok, who escorted him with a nicely decorated kind smile, looked around and locked the door.

Afterwards, he headed to the secret space inside and began to check the records left by the man who had just left.

The books, filled with different handwriting, contained detailed information about the internal building layout of Shinmaeuiga, as well as the movements of patients, and the conversations between Dan Akseon and the patients.

How much time had passed?

Gamgok, who suddenly realized that the candlelight was flickering, secretly reached into his bosom.

It was then that a person’s voice pierced his ear.

“An order has been issued.”

Gamgok smiled bitterly at the familiar voice and turned around.

In his hand was a dagger with a blood-red hue.

“You still surprise people.”

Although he was smiling, there was a subtle anger in Gamgok’s voice.

The man standing in front of him like a ghost, as if he had appeared out of nowhere.

Although he belonged to the same organization, he was inwardly uncomfortable with his existence, which only threw orders at him and disappeared every time.

However, even at his grumbling words, the black-clothed man, who was covering his face with a *bokmyeon* [mask], only silently guarded his position with emotionless eyes.

The *mugijiljeogin* [inorganic, emotionless] eyes that made people *jillige* [sick] just by facing them.

Gamgok, who had put away the dagger, sighed and asked.

“What is the order?”

“Eliminate Dan Akseon.”

“……!”

Gamgok was startled and couldn’t speak for a moment.

But soon he composed himself and answered with a firm face.

“What is my job?”

“Create an opportunity to approach Dan Akseon.”

“Recently, Blood Lord has not been seen, but Mangsan Choja and Bingok Seonja are still with Dan Akseon.”

“One of the two. It doesn’t matter who it is, just separate one of them. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Gamgok nodded.

“I understand. There are a few pre-prepared stones.”

“Exactly three days from now. Five of our people will enter this Muwi. Dan Akseon will be taken care of by them.”

It was then that Gamgok showed a difficult expression.

“But there’s one problem.”

“Problem?”

“There is not enough time to prepare an escape route and a hiding place.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Gamgok, who was initially puzzled, soon realized the meaning of the words and nodded.

“I understand.”

The *bokmyeon-in* [masked man] who heard Gamgok’s answer slowly *mulleoseotda* [stepped back].

And soon he *nokadeuldeoni* [melted] into the darkness and disappeared without a trace.

Gamgok, who was left alone, let out a *heotalhan* [hollow] laugh.

He was speechless at the *gwisin gateun pyoholhan sinbeop* [ghost-like, fleeting movement technique] that he saw every time.