The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 333

“Are you, esteemed Administrator, trying to harm us?”

“Do you think you’ll get away with doing something like this?”

But there was no reply.

The faces of the military officers turned ashen.

Looking around, they saw countless martial artists surrounding them, glaring with fierce eyes.

The suffocating intent to kill pouring in from all directions left them breathless.

Everyone present was already on the verge of death from Nang So-mil alone.

It was clear to anyone that if those people joined in, they would be burying their bones here.

Nang So-mil curled his lips into a chilling smile.

“Who would know?”

They were completely overwhelmed by his terrifying gaze and eerie voice.

“How are you going to find bodies swept away and crushed in the rapids? Well, even if they are found, it doesn’t matter. Not many people can properly identify the bloated corpses.”

Only then did the military officers realize the gravity of the situation, and their faces began to turn blue.

At that moment, Dan-ak Seon stepped forward and stopped Nang So-mil.

“Don’t threaten them too much. Someone might think it’s real.”

Nang So-mil turned to Dan-ak Seon and gave an awkward smile.

He had been so overly excited that he had momentarily overlooked Dan-ak Seon.

Then, at some point, he was startled.

Only then did he notice Cho-ak Ryang standing silently behind Dan-ak Seon.

He had impulsively caused a scene without considering the consequences, but if he had known that Cho-ak Ryang was here, he wouldn’t have rushed in so recklessly.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“I’ve been with Doctor Dan the whole time.”

Nang So-mil wore a dumbfounded expression at Cho-ak Ryang’s reply.

“And you just stood by and watched these guys spout nonsense?”

“I was dumbfounded too. How could I have known there would be guys spouting such ridiculous things?”

Besides, these kinds of things were originally the specialty of Beom Gye-wi or Han Seol-hwa.

More than anything, Nang So-mil had already made such a big fuss that it was awkward to step in late.

It was then that Cho-ak Ryang clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk. Take it easy. You’ve only gotten worse since you took office.”

“Excuse me?”

Nang So-mil felt extremely wronged.

It wasn’t something that he should be saying, especially since he was known as the Blood Demon Lord, the terror of the Central Plains martial world.

But then he smiled bitterly at the incoming telepathic message.

—Is it right to openly threaten to kill someone in front of Doctor Dan? Send Doctor Dan back first, then take care of them quietly.

That’s more like it.

From the moment they disrespected Dan-ak Seon, they were as good as half-buried in the afterlife.

At that moment, Dan-ak Seon smiled and opened his mouth.

“You’re not secretly planning to harm them later, are you?”

“……!”

Nang So-mil hesitated to answer, feeling guilty inside.

Dan-ak Seon shook his head at him.

“Please don’t. It’s not like they committed a crime worthy of death.”

“Insulting Master Gok is a crime…….”

“Today is a very good day.”

Dan-ak Seon smiled and soothed Nang So-mil.

“At least for today, I hope there will be no more bad things happening.”

Nang So-mil, who had been moving his lips, sighed.

“I understand.”

The military officers all wore astonished expressions at that sight.

‘Just who is that boy?’

The fact that the governor, the administrative head of Muwi, which had been changed to Jikye-ju, was so obedient to the boy’s few words was truly shocking.

It was then.

“What in the world is going on here?”

A man entered the area and shouted.

Nang So-mil’s gaze turned to him.

A man in his mid-forties with a sturdy build and the stern eyes typical of military officers.

Judging from the way the military officers, who had been sprawled on the floor in disarray, closed their eyes tightly and bowed their heads to the ground as soon as he appeared, it was clear that he was their superior.

At first, the man was furious at the sight of his subordinates in such a mess, but after confirming Nang So-mil’s face, he was startled.

“Are you perhaps Governor Nang?”

“Who are you?”

At Nang So-mil’s question, the man respectfully clasped his hands.

“I am Eom Seok, a Jeongcheonho (正千戶) [a military rank, literally ‘Right Thousand Household’] belonging to the Muwi Garrison (無違營), newly stationed here.”

Nang So-mil reluctantly clasped his hands in return.

The rank of Jeongcheonho was Jeongopum (正五品) [a specific grade in the bureaucratic ranking system].

In terms of rank alone, they were in the same position.

The administrative system of Muwi, which had recently been promoted to Jikye-ju, was different from ordinary local systems in many ways.

Originally, an administrative office called Haengseong was established in each province.

The Dojhwisa (都指揮使) [Military Commissioner], who managed military affairs, the Pojeongsa (布政司) [Civil Administration Commissioner], who managed civil affairs, and the Ancharsa (按察使) [Surveillance Commissioner], who managed criminal affairs.

These so-called Samsa (三司) [Three Commissioners] had their given authority and fulfilled their given duties.

However, in Muwi, Nang So-mil, as the governor, held most of the authority except for military power.

On the other hand, the military commander of Muwi was a Jihwisa (指揮使) [Garrison Commander] directly dispatched from the Ogundodokbu (五軍都督府) [Five Military Directorates].

A Jeongsampum (正三品) [a high-ranking official grade] position in charge of one Garrison.

Below him were five Cheonhoso (千戶所) [Thousand-Household Units], each with one Jeongcheonho appointed.

Generally, a Jeongcheonho had command over a thousand soldiers.

Below the Jeongcheonho were Bucheonho (副千戶) [Deputy Thousand-Household Commander] of Jongopum (從五品) [another official grade] and Jinmu (鎭撫) [Pacification Officer] of Jongyukpum (從六品) [yet another official grade].

The Jinmu was mainly in charge of military law and criminal affairs, acting as a substitute for the Baekho (百戶) [Hundred-Household Commander] under the Cheonho.

Eom Seok, who had identified himself, opened his mouth as if to question.

“What on earth made you hurt my subordinates?”

Nang So-mil snorted briefly at Eom Seok’s question.

“It would be faster to ask your subordinates.”

Eom Seok’s expression soured at Nang So-mil’s much sharper reaction than expected.

It wasn’t difficult to guess the situation.

He was the one who had readily approved the report from his subordinates who had requested to hold a promotion celebration.

The lax military discipline due to alcohol had ultimately caused this incident.

If he hadn’t come here in person, it could have led to an irreversible situation.

Sure enough.

“How on earth do you manage your subordinates?”

Eom Seok was taken aback by Nang So-mil’s sudden questioning.

Regardless.

Nang So-mil continued to raise his voice.

“I knew that the soldiers newly assigned to this area were Chunggun (充軍) [soldiers serving as punishment], but I never imagined that even the military officers commanding them would be such a mess.”

Originally, the early Wiso Army (衛所軍) [Garrison System Army] was divided into three categories.

Conscripted, surrendered, and Chunggun.

The conscripted were peasant soldiers or those who had opposed the Yuan Dynasty in the past, and the surrendered were mainly Yuan soldiers who had surrendered.

Finally, the Chunggun were criminals whose punishment had been replaced by military service.

However, the nature of the Wiso Army had changed a lot over time.

So now, most of them were Tajipgun (垜集軍) [soldiers conscripted from commoners], who were conscripted from commoners all over the country and given military registration (軍籍) [military household registration], and Chunggun, composed of criminals.

Military registration was also called Gunho (軍戶) [military household], which was basically inherited by later generations.

As such, they often took root in one area.

This time, as Muwi was promoted to Jikye-ju, the Ogundodokbu had to quickly build up its forces, and it had no choice but to increase the proportion of Chunggun, composed of criminals, rather than Tajipgun, who had many restrictions on movement.

Therefore, the high-ranking military officers dispatched to this Muwi Garrison were also having considerable difficulty in handling their subordinates.

“I will severely punish them as soon as I return.”

Nang So-mil frowned at Eom Seok’s words.

“Is that all?”

“What more is needed?”

“An apology and a promise to prevent recurrence?”

“That’s…….”

Eom Seok trailed off, looking troubled.

The moment he admitted his mistake, the responsibility would fall entirely on him, the Jeongcheonho.

Nang So-mil snorted at his appearance.

“Forget it, call your superior.”

Eom Seok’s expression hardened.

His superior was the Jihwisa in charge of the Garrison.

Although the military and administrative positions did not interfere with each other regardless of rank and recognized each other’s command, the governor, who was a Jeongopum, was asking to bring the Jihwisa, who was a Jeongsampum.

Eom Seok’s voice naturally turned cold.

“Wouldn’t it be better to show each other some respect?”

“Respect?”

Nang So-mil grinned.

“Can you handle those words?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, can you, a mere Jeongcheonho, take responsibility for what will happen in the future?”

Without waiting for the other person’s answer, Nang So-mil nodded.

“Okay, then let’s do that. Since you want it, I’ll give you proper respect.”

Nang So-mil raised his voice and called out to someone.

“Young Head So!”

Before his voice could fade away, So Jeok-san appeared from somewhere as if he had been waiting.

But his arms were piled high with books.

Eom Seok was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the head of the Shinma Merchant Guild.

“Here it is.”

So Jeok-san handed the books to Nang So-mil.

Nang So-mil frowned as he checked the contents and muttered.

“Two days ago, soldiers belonging to your Garrison ate without paying at a nearby stall? Similar cases…….”

So Jeok-san immediately replied.

“There are twenty-one more cases in total.”

“There was also a assault case recently?”

This time, So Jeok-san took the words.

“Including minor arguments, abusive language, insults, harassment of women, and regional discrimination, there are a total of one hundred and eighty-four more cases.”

Nang So-mil nodded.

“Write a detailed report and submit it to me.”

As the conversation between Nang So-mil and So Jeok-san continued, Eom Seok, who had begun to panic noticeably, finally couldn’t stand it and opened his mouth.

“Are you going to make a statement to His Majesty?”

“No.”

Eom Seok’s pupils shook at Nang So-mil’s following words.

“I’m going to visit your Dodok (都督) [Military Governor] directly.”

“……!”

Not only Eom Seok but also his subordinates who had picked a fight with Dan-ak Seon turned pale.

If that were the case, their path to success would be blocked.

They knew the ways of the military better than anyone else, having been in the military for a long time.

But the real disaster was yet to come.

Nang So-mil checked another ledger that So Jeok-san had handed him.

“What items does the Shinma Merchant Guild provide to the Muwi Garrison?”

“We lend agricultural tools such as plows and axes for free.”

“What about the repair costs?”

“We bear them.”

“Collect them all tomorrow.”

“I understand.”

“What about building materials, salt, cloth, and medicine?”

“We supply them at half the market price.”

“Those too. From tomorrow, sell them at full price.”

Eom Seok felt faint at those words.

Most of their Garrison soldiers were Duntjeonbyeong (屯田兵) [military farmers] who cultivated the land themselves.

In the early Ming Dynasty, military supplies were procured from the mainland and transported to the border, but due to the resulting harm, the Duntjeon policy had long been established as a means of independently procuring military supplies.

The military camp had only been established here recently.

Therefore, supplies were severely lacking, and the situation was very poor.

Nevertheless, the reason they were able to overcome the difficulties was because of the Shinma Merchant Guild’s full support.

“Governor! Wait a moment…….”

“Then why didn’t you call your superior earlier?”

Eom Seok hurriedly called out to Nang So-mil, but only a cold voice returned.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t openly argue or complain.

Nang So-mil had clearly given him a chance to resolve the situation, and he himself was the one who had rejected it.

In any case, it was easy to guess that the already barren life here would become even more difficult.

It would be fortunate if the upper management allocated additional budget separately, but he couldn’t expect much.

That’s because the budget managers of the Ogundodokbu were famous for being stingy.

“You not only take the kindness of the people of this Muwi for granted as if it were your right, but you also repay that kindness with malice. In that case, you should naturally show the appropriate respect.”

Nang So-mil issued an order to leave to Eom Seok, who was flustered and unable to speak.

“Take your subordinates and leave.”