The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 211

KWAANG!

A deafening explosion shook the earth, and a massive shockwave engulfed the area.

Dust clouds billowed, obscuring everything.

Amidst the dust, crimson flames and sharp blue light flashed, accompanied by a series of ear-splitting booms.

“Crazy!”

A cry of astonishment erupted from within the impenetrable dust cloud.

It was Ak Ho-gun’s voice.

Even during their days as two of the Ten Great Evils, they were known to be closely matched.

Nevertheless, Ak Ho-gun secretly believed he held a slight advantage, perhaps half a step ahead.

While their martial skills were similar, Beom Gye-wi had a weakness that was impossible to overcome.

However, upon clashing, Ak Ho-gun realized that this was not the Beom Gye-wi he once knew.

From the start, he had intended to end the fight quickly, channeling all his power into his blade.

But unexpectedly, Beom Gye-wi was parrying his attacks with ease.

Moreover, Beom Gye-wi was empty-handed.

It was hard to believe that he could stand as an equal without his signature weapon, the Great Beginning Self-Reliance.

Blade energy filled the space before him.

It was then that he noticed Beom Gye-wi approaching, ignoring the attacks.

‘Damn it!’

Ak Ho-gun gritted his teeth and unleashed his ultimate technique with all his might.

WHOOOONG!

The aura surging around the broadsword pulsed with even greater intensity.

Simultaneously, the atmosphere vibrated violently, and a translucent barrier of energy manifested with overwhelming power.

A clear wall spanning a full three meters!

The Blade Screen, a technique of the Starfall Dense Weave style said to be impenetrable even by raindrops, revealed its divine might.

JJEEOEONG!

With an uncontrollable impact, Ak Ho-gun was pushed back nearly fifteen meters.

Gazing in disbelief at the deep furrow etched beneath his feet, Ak Ho-gun was astonished to see Beom Gye-wi having retreated only about three meters.

Beom Gye-wi, rubbing his aching wrist, cast a strange look his way.

“But you…”

Ak Ho-gun frowned at Beom Gye-wi’s next words.

“Why have you become so weak?”

“……!”

“Or is it? Have I become stronger?”

Beom Gye-wi curled his lips into a chilling smile and began to approach Ak Ho-gun again.

“Well, does it matter? Let’s get serious now.”

The chilling pressure emanating from Beom Gye-wi made it hard for Ak Ho-gun to breathe.

Unlike himself, who had already exhausted his resources, the other man seemed to have plenty in reserve.

‘Crazy!’

The power he had already displayed was terrifying enough.

But now he was saying he would fight seriously.

He couldn’t even imagine what kind of power he would unleash.

Yet, he couldn’t back down now.

Aside from his pride as a martial artist, he couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of his subordinates as the Chief Bandit.

Fortunately, there was still one more method he could use against Beom Gye-wi.

‘I didn’t want to resort to this method.’

Ak Ho-gun raised his sword and slashed his palm.

Thud, thud.

Then, he extended his hand, dripping with crimson blood, towards Beom Gye-wi.

‘Soon…’

Ak Ho-gun wore a meaningful smile.

Having seen blood, Beom Gye-wi would soon descend into his characteristic madness.

Of course, there was a chance that Byeok Hwa-ryeong might be caught in the crossfire, given his tendency to destroy everything around him, but that wasn’t important right now.

He had used Beom Gye-wi’s madness to escape difficult situations several times before, so he had no doubt that this move would work.

But….

“What are you doing?”

Ak Ho-gun’s eyes wavered in bewilderment.

He should have gone berserk by now.

But Beom Gye-wi was just standing there, looking at him with a dumbfounded expression.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“……!”

Beom Gye-wi frowned at the bewildered Ak Ho-gun.

“Even if things aren’t going your way, why are you hurting yourself? You’re not some back-alley thug. A bandit leader like you, without any dignity… Tsk, tsk.”

Ak Ho-gun was beyond dumbfounded at Beom Gye-wi’s tsking; he was simply flabbergasted.

“H-How…”

However, on the other hand, it became an opportunity to calmly reassess the situation.

“Let’s finish this up now.”

Ak Ho-gun shouted at Beom Gye-wi, who was striding closer.

“Stop!”

“What now?”

“I refuse any more meaningless fighting!”

“Says who?”

Ak Ho-gun’s face contorted.

“Is this crazy bitch possessed by the ghost of someone who died fighting? You’re both acting insane!”

“What are you talking about? Who was fighting Hwa-ryeong until just now?” Beom Gye-wi asked, looking puzzled.

Byeok Hwa-ryeong replied with a displeased look, “It’s not like I wanted to fight!”

“That crazy bastard suddenly confessed to me, so I had no choice.”

“Confessed? He likes you?”

“He even asked me to marry him?”

Beom Gye-wi’s face immediately brightened.

“Oh, really?”

Beom Gye-wi cracked his knuckles and cleared his throat, then subtly stepped aside.

Byeok Hwa-ryeong cast a puzzled glance at him.

Anyone could see that Beom Gye-wi had the upper hand in their previous confrontation.

“Beom Ga-ga? [Beom Gye-wi’s nickname]”

“Oh, well… Thinking about it, it might not be a bad idea for you two to have a good conversation. After all, you’re both old enough to be married, and neither of you has a partner…”

“Ha!”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s eyes, which had been about to drip honey, instantly turned icy cold.

Byeok Hwa-ryeong approached Beom Gye-wi with a chilling smile.

“I’d rather just die.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry to Seolhwa unni [term of endearment for older sister], but…”

“Why, why are you doing this?”

“I’ll kill Beom Ga-ga and then kill myself. And if that’s not possible, I’ll just bite my sword and die here. I’d rather do that than endure such humiliation.”

Beom Gye-wi’s heart turned cold at Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s crazed look.

“I’m kidding. Just kidding. Can’t we even joke around like that?”

Beom Gye-wi hurriedly placated Byeok Hwa-ryeong.

“Let’s beat up that bandit leader first and then talk, okay?”

However, Ak Ho-gun wasn’t going to be easily defeated either.

Ak Ho-gun let out a long whistle, and the Green Forest bandits, who had been densely surrounding them, revealed themselves.

There were about three hundred of them.

Beom Gye-wi scoffed at the sight.

“What do you think you can do with this rabble?”

Ak Ho-gun’s pride was hurt, but he swallowed his rising anger and spoke.

“Can’t you see what they’re holding?”

Beom Gye-wi belatedly noticed the uniquely shaped bows aimed at them.

They were crossbows that fired projectiles using a mechanical device.

“With toys like that?”

Ak Ho-gun smiled back at Beom Gye-wi’s ridicule.

“What if those toys are the Flying Thunderbolts that wiped out the remnants of the Demonic Cult who dared to challenge us in the past? Of course, you might be fine, but will those guys be?”

The faces of the Shinma Merchant Guild members turned ashen at the mention of the term Flying Thunderbolts by Ak Ho-gun.

A rain of projectiles that flew a certain distance and exploded.

Moreover, the fragments were coated with deadly poison.

Unless one was a martial artist with protective energy, there was no way for ordinary people to survive the endless rain of projectiles.

‘Wait? If it’s that, then…’

Beom Gye-wi’s mind began to race.

He judged that he could at least save Byeok Hwa-ryeong with ease.

On the other hand, Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s purpose of going to Muwi would disappear.

No matter how skilled the Hainam Sword Sect warriors escorting her were, it would be impossible to protect a patient from the rain of projectiles.

The reason she was heading to Muwi was to meet Dan Ak-seon.

If that patient in front of him disappeared, he could prevent her and Han Seol-hwa from meeting.

“What are you doing?”

Beom Gye-wi urged Ak Ho-gun, who was still hesitating.

“You need to prove that you’re not just all talk.”

“What?”

Ak Ho-gun was speechless at Beom Gye-wi’s reaction, who seemed rather pleased despite his threats.

‘Is he really crazy?’

It was then.

“P-Please save me!” Gwan-jeong cried out desperately, causing Beom Gye-wi to pause.

Come to think of it, they were members of the Shinma Merchant Guild.

If their deaths were to be known to Dan Ak-seon?

And the fact that he was there would also be a big problem.

‘Ugh…’

Beom Gye-wi began to waver.

More than anything, he didn’t want to see Dan Ak-seon sad and disappointed.

And then Byeok Hwa-ryeong also made a request.

“Please, Ga-ga. We can’t let him die here.”

After hesitating for a moment.

Beom Gye-wi finally let out a sigh that seemed to drain the earth.

“You got lucky today, bandit leader.”

Cold flames dripped from Beom Gye-wi’s eyes as he glared at Ak Ho-gun.

“I’ll overlook this much for Hwa-ryeong’s sake. So get lost.”

Ak Ho-gun was dumbfounded by Beom Gye-wi’s unpredictable behavior.

But he couldn’t miss this rare opportunity.

As Ak Ho-gun and his subordinates retreated, Beom Gye-wi growled softly.

“But you better keep one thing in mind.”

“……?”

“If you touch anything related to Doctor Dan, I’ll come find you myself. And that day, the Green Forest will disappear from this land.”

Ak Ho-gun felt a chill in his heart at the sight of Beom Gye-wi’s eyes blazing with terrifying intensity.

What on earth had happened?

The already troublesome guy had now become a distant monster that he couldn’t even reach.

It was then that Byeok Hwa-ryeong spoke.

“Yes, that’s what a man should be.”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong looked up at Beom Gye-wi with dreamy eyes.

“Seolhwa unni is so lucky.”

Beom Gye-wi flinched at those words.

“This is ridiculous.”

Ak Ho-gun, feeling twisted with envy, couldn’t stay there any longer.

As Ak Ho-gun and the Green Forest bandits retreated, the members of the Shinma Merchant Guild, including Gwan-jeong, finally let out a sigh of relief.

It felt like their lifespans had been shortened by several years in that short time.

However, Byeok Hwa-ryeong was anxious.

It was because of the patient’s condition, which was rapidly deteriorating.

“Let’s hurry too.”

Beom Gye-wi wore a troubled expression at Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s urging.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t let her meet Han Seol-hwa.

“I’ll take that guy. So you wait here, Hwa-ryeong.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

At Beom Gye-wi’s question, Byeok Hwa-ryeong glared at the patient with murderous intent.

“I have something to ask him when he wakes up.”

“That… Inner demon isn’t something that can be easily cured.”

“Doctor Dan said it’s possible, right?”

Beom Gye-wi was speechless.

It was a moment when he regretted praising Dan Ak-seon endlessly when he visited Hainam Island last time.

Byeok Hwa-ryeong wore a determined expression, as if she wouldn’t yield on this matter.

“I must find out how he came to learn demonic arts.”

That patient was a capable sailor who had dedicated himself to the Hainam Sword Sect for many years.

His name was Mo Yong-jin.

He was not just an ordinary sailor, but a captain who directly commanded a warship.

A man who was born and raised on the island and whose entire life was only the Hainam Sword Sect.

One day, he went mad and killed all the sailors he was leading.

When the Hainam Sword Sect masters heard the news, they eventually subdued him, but in the process, it was revealed that he had learned demonic arts.

In the end, he completely lost his mind and spouted demonic arts, eventually vomiting blood and falling into inner demon.

“Are you perhaps uncomfortable with showing me to Seolhwa unni?”

Beom Gye-wi stammered, flustered by Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s plaintive eyes.

“T-That’s…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t act like a crazy bitch in front of Seolhwa unni.”

“…….”

“I came here to handle official matters. As such, I won’t forget that I’m the Vice Sect Leader of the Hainam Sword Sect. I won’t cross the line, so don’t worry.”

“Can I… trust those words?”

“Of course.”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong smiled sadly like a rain-soaked pear blossom.

“When have I ever broken a promise with Beom Ga-ga?”

Beom Gye-wi grimaced.

In fact, that was why it was even more of a problem.