The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 310

Borte asked back, tensing up.

“You said opportunity?”

“What we need to target is Dan Akseon. If we kill that brat, the center of the Central Plains will disappear. For a while, they will thrash around like angry beasts, but eventually, they will scatter.”

Borte wanted to ask something more, but he couldn’t.

Just like before, he had no guarantee that he wouldn’t end up like the others who had gone before him if he misspoke.

But…….

Nevertheless, there was something he had to ask.

“What should we do with the other martial artists who passed through the gate?”

“Throw some suitable guys from the recently merged tribes to them.”

“But with their weak forces…….”

“That’s why I’m telling you to throw them. So that they can get drunk on victory.”

Borte was surprised and raised his head.

But the person who had been giving him instructions had already disappeared like mist.

“They will be very good bait.”

Only a melodious voice lingered nearby like an auditory hallucination.

* * *

Dozens of gers [traditional Mongolian tents] were set up on the prairie.

In front of the largest and most splendid ger located in the center, several huge pots were hung.

Dan Akseon was busily moving around the pots, not minding the acrid smoke.

The martial artists of the Demonic Path tried to dissuade Dan Akseon from preparing the food himself.

“Why are you doing this yourself?”

“Give it to us. We’ll do it.”

Dan Akseon smiled and shook his head.

“No. I’ve become very weak from the long journey. It’s times like these that you need proper nutrition. It’s almost done, so please wait a little longer.”

At those words, the martial artists’ expressions brightened.

They were already getting tired of the food on this prairie, which was all white and red.

The sour rice cakes made from livestock milk were always present at every meal, and the red food that occasionally appeared on the table, boiled meat, was simple to cook and used almost no seasoning, so it was bland and tasteless.

The preserved food eaten during the journey was not much different.

It was all bortz [dried meat], torn and dried meat, and sour rice cakes dried on the tent roof.

They say that white food symbolizes integrity and sincerity, and red food symbolizes abundance, but for the people of the Central Plains, the splendid and abundant dishes of the Central Plains were even more desirable.

People gathered in front of the ger, following the smell spreading from the boiling pot.

The number was over five hundred.

Most of them were prairie warriors who were curious about the food of the Central Plains.

Bayan’s efforts bore fruit, and many of the scattered tribes decided to join forces.

Soon, Dan Akseon, who had finished cooking, shouted with a smile.

“Eat up!”

The first to step forward was Bayan.

“It’s an honor.”

Dan Akseon smiled brightly as he filled Bayan’s bowl with plenty of ingredients and soup.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Haha. Who could refuse food made by you?”

The martial artists of the Demonic Path began to help with the serving.

And after a while.

“……!”

The people who had been tasting the food in a hurry froze.

Even the Demonic Path martial artists, who were excited about the long-awaited food from the Central Plains.

Even the prairie warriors, who were excited about the amazing smell of the Central Plains food.

At some point, they were just staring at the bowl with astonished expressions.

“This taste is……?”

Cho Akryang, who tasted the food, sighed.

“It’s been a long time.”

The memories with Dan Akseon flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern [a type of Chinese lantern with rotating paper cuttings inside, creating a moving image effect].

Cho Akryang shuddered briefly at the terrible taste that forcibly summoned those memories.

He had already experienced it enough while staying in the Divine Demonic Valley, but he still couldn’t get used to it.

Han Seolhwa was the same.

She tried not to show it, but anyone could see that her eating speed was significantly slower than before.

She used to eat the food without any problems, but as her senses recovered, her sense of taste was gradually returning.

The only person at this table who continued to eat was Dan Akseon.

The Demonic Path martial artists, who were looking at Dan Akseon with curious expressions, soon made a crying face.

“Are we being punished right now?”

“What did we do wrong?”

“Think about it carefully. There must be a reason why he’s doing this.”

The Demonic Path martial artists whispered among themselves.

That was the only reason they could think of.

Otherwise, there was no reason to torment them like this.

But the suspicion remained.

They were fine, but what about the prairie warriors who had been running like crazy to check the Blood Cloud Squad?

Then, Dan Akseon, who suddenly realized that the atmosphere around him was strange, raised his head.

It was too quiet, unlike the usual noisy mealtime.

Dan Akseon tilted his head with a puzzled look.

Most of them, except for himself, were holding their bowls with blank expressions.

“Why aren’t you all eating? Is it not good?”

“Ah, no!”

Jang Gok was startled and gritted his teeth.

Just in time, the food in the bowl was moderately cooled.

Jang Gok picked up the ingredients, chewed them, and swallowed them, then gulped down the remaining soup in one go.

“Keuh……. It’s really delicious.”

“……!”

The Demonic Path martial artists looked at Jang Gok with respectful eyes.

The indomitable spirit to keep smiling until the end while trembling!

To claim to be a follower of Dan Akseon, you had to be at least that good.

‘We can’t lose either!’

‘Our hearts for the Valley Master are no less than Brother Jang’s!’

‘We can’t give in to this little ordeal!’

The prairie men were startled by the sudden, determined eyes of the Central Plains people.

That’s how desperate they felt.

Just as they were about to lift the bowl to their mouths with one mind.

The Demonic Path martial artists flinched.

“I’m glad it suits your taste. Then have some more.”

Because they saw Dan Akseon happily filling Jang Gok’s bowl with new food one more time.

The Demonic Path people looked at each other and quietly put down their bowls at the sight of Jang Gok freezing.

“Is it…… not good?”

Everyone closed their eyes tightly at Dan Akseon’s fading expression.

“Ah, no!”

“That can’t be!”

The prairie warriors sighed and reluctantly began to eat the food made by Dan Akseon at the sight of the Central Plains people stuffing food into their mouths.

It was not the etiquette of the prairie to refuse food containing the other person’s kindness.

At that sight, Cho Akryang slipped away.

As the meal was coming to an end.

The tribes, who spotted a group of cavalry running towards them from afar, went on alert.

After a while.

A scout who had been patrolling the area on the hill sent a short signal.

“They are our brothers!”

The expressions of Bayan’s warriors brightened.

The tribe that had been injured in the battle with the Blood Cloud Squad and escorted beyond Gayok Pass.

They had healed their injuries and rejoined.

They got off their horses in front of the ger and knelt before Bayan.

“Are you all right?”

“I can run all day.”

“I’m so glad you’re back.”

At those words, the subordinate kneeling in front of Bayan looked towards Dan Akseon.

Then he bowed more politely than ever.

“Thank you sincerely for the grace you have shown us.”

He reported in detail to Bayan about what he had experienced inside Gayok Pass.

He explained in detail how sincerely the merchants of the Divine Demonic Merchant Group and the doctors of the Divine Demonic Family had helped them, and all the prairie warriors, including Bayan, could not hide their moved eyes.

The prairie warriors each offered words of gratitude to Dan Akseon.

Dan Akseon smiled and opened his mouth.

“Isn’t it said that a friend’s family is no different from my family? I was just being faithful to the teachings of the prairie. I’m glad you’re all doing well.”

With those words, Dan Akseon filled the newly arrived tribe members with the food he had made.

“You’ve worked hard to come a long way. Eat first. It will warm your body.”

Bayan’s warriors, who had just arrived, were once again moved by Dan Akseon’s consideration.

They were in dire need of hot soup, as they had been running through the cold wind from the north.

Then, he belatedly noticed the strange atmosphere.

It was because of his colleagues who were smiling with strange eyes.

“Eat quickly.”

“Friendship becomes stronger when you share a crisis together.”

The appearance of his colleagues saying incomprehensible words was even more difficult to understand.

“……!”

The warriors who ate the food belatedly realized the reason and made astonished expressions.

It was only then that he saw his fellow warriors turning their heads and smiling.

It was then.

“Why would I refuse anything that contains a friend’s heart and sincerity?”

With those words, Bayan gulped down the food made by Dan Akseon in one breath.

At that sight, the other warriors picked up their bowls again.

Dan Akseon made a puzzled expression as he watched them swallow the food.

“Is there any reason to be so determined about the meal?”

“…….”

But no one told the truth.

* * *

In the dim dawn, when the thick darkness receded and the distant dawn began to break.

Bayan’s warriors began to prepare something early in the morning.

Dan Akseon showed curiosity in their determined expressions and eyes.

“Where are you going so early?”

“I’m about to go capture a Black Oryeo (黑烏驪) [a specific breed of black horse].”

“Black Oryeo?”

At Dan Akseon’s question, an old warrior nodded.

“It is a rare breed, called Heuk O Myeongungma (黑五明雄馬) [Black Five-Pointed Hero Horse] in the Central Plains.”

“Ah!”

Dan Akseon had heard of it sometime.

A horse with a black muzzle, eyes, heels, and tail.

Bayan’s warriors added an explanation.

“It is the most outstanding of the wild stallions that lead the herd, and if you tame it, there is no better horse than that.”

“But he is not easy to deal with. First of all, his size is different, and he is as cunning and clever as a fox, and his fierce personality is no less than a tiger.”

“Even the warriors of the prairie have only tamed him a handful of times, and sometimes people are trampled to death by him.”

Dan Akseon was startled.

“Then I’ll go with you. You might need treatment.”

At those words, Bayan’s warriors looked at each other with troubled expressions.

He was puzzled by the sight for a moment.

One of Bayan’s warriors nodded with a bitter smile.

“Let’s do that. After all, it was a gift to the benefactor.”

“My gift?”

“Giving a horse as a gift means acknowledging the other person as a member of the tribe. A prairie warrior needs his own horse.”

He wanted to give a great horse as a gift for Dan Akseon, who was now quite familiar with horsemanship.

“Then I’ll go with you even more. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

Zayan’s warriors nodded.