The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 348

Divine Doctor of the Demonic Path (348)

Fifteen days had passed since they left Hainan Island.

Bum Gye-wi and Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s group arrived in Muwi ahead of schedule.

They decided that there was no point in dragging out the time any longer, as it wouldn’t yield any significant gains.

Moreover, Bum Gye-wi’s eagerness to reunite with Dan Ak-seon was a major reason for urging the group on.

Because of this, Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo, who had to take turns carrying the Demonic Cult member on their backs while using their lightness skills, were suffering immensely.

However, they couldn’t dare to voice their complaints openly and had to swallow them down.

In any case, the first person to greet Bum Gye-wi’s group as they entered Muwi was Gok Un-gyeong, who ran a fabric store at the entrance of the village.

“You’ve arrived.”

Gok Un-gyeong greeted them politely, but Bum Gye-wi nodded perfunctorily.

“Where is Doctor Dan?”

At those words, Bum Gye-wi simply passed by Gok Un-gyeong and immediately began walking in the direction where the medical clinic was located.

“Oh? Senior Bum!”

Several martial artists who were busily moving around the village noticed Bum Gye-wi and approached him in surprise.

“Welcome back!”

Bum Gye-wi tilted his head at their disciplined appearance, as if they were soldiers newly assigned to their post.

These were the guys who used to shrink away and sneak off whenever they encountered him.

But now, they were approaching him first and offering greetings.

However, it wasn’t just them who had changed.

“Senior Bum has returned!”

At someone’s shout, the martial artists from the unorthodox factions staying in Muwi rushed out to welcome Bum Gye-wi.

Bum Gye-wi was taken aback by their enthusiastic welcome.

He had only been away from Muwi for about half a year.

Yet, the atmosphere was noticeably different from before.

However, he didn’t bother to figure out the reason.

Meeting Dan Ak-seon was his priority right now.

On the other hand, Byeok Hwa-ryeong and the Azure Two Swords, who had visited Muwi before, were keenly aware of the changed atmosphere.

“What happened?”

“How would I know?”

Jang Cheol-woo and Jongri-chu tilted their heads and followed behind Bum Gye-wi.

After a while, Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s eyes lit up as she carefully observed the martial artists.

“They’ve gained some 余裕 (yoyuu) [composure/leeway/room to spare].”

Only then did Jang Cheol-woo and Jongri-chu realize the reason for the change.

In the first place, most of the unorthodox martial artists in Muwi were those who had fled to escape the pursuit of the orthodox factions.

Perhaps that’s why they were always somewhat intimidated, and they were full of resentment and self-loathing.

But now, even their eyes were different.

The anxious and sharp eyes now had a sense of 余裕 (yoyuu) [composure/leeway/room to spare], and their actions and speech were full of confidence.

And it wasn’t difficult to find the cause of that change.

“Uncle!”

As if someone had announced Bum Gye-wi’s arrival, Dan Ak-seon ran out as if flying.

“Doctor Dan!”

Bum Gye-wi also ran towards her and embraced Dan Ak-seon tightly.

“Ehehe! How have you been?”

“Thanks to you. How about you, Uncle?”

“I haven’t been doing well.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Because I missed our Doctor Dan.”

“Hahaha. I missed Uncle Bum’s jokes too.”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong, who was watching their reunion from a distance, smiled slightly.

It had been a long time since she had seen Bum Gye-wi with such a bright expression.

On the other hand, Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo looked around and blinked their eyes.

“Is this really the Muwi we knew?”

“I know, right? Look at those passionate eyes. It’s like a religion.”

The gazes of the people of Muwi towards Dan Ak-seon.

The respect and affection contained within them were filled with something so great that it couldn’t be expressed in words.

It was then that someone joined their conversation.

“Because she’s that grateful.”

The Azure Two Swords, who turned their heads towards the voice, could see Gok Un-gyeong, who had been following them silently.

“The valley lord has helped us regain something we had long forgotten.”

Jang Cheol-woo and Jongri-chu paused.

This was because Gok Un-gyeong, known in the Jianghu [martial arts world] as Chubi Murang, was usually known to be very arrogant and rude.

Moreover, he was a senior expert who had started his activities in the Jianghu earlier than them, leaving behind the orthodox and unorthodox factions.

In fact, the fact that he had spoken to them first was already something they were grateful for.

Jongri-chu asked cautiously.

“What is it?”

“Pride.”

“Pride?”

Gok Un-gyeong nodded.

“You’ve heard the story about the Blood Cloud Temple subjugation, right?”

Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo simultaneously exclaimed.

Of course, they didn’t know the details because they were being relentlessly driven by Bum Gye-wi, but even the rough details they had heard were no ordinary matter.

How could they not know about the amazing event of dismantling the Blood Cloud Temple, which had reigned as the terror of the grasslands for many years, and in the process, wiping out Amjon, one of the Six Demonic Venerables of the Demonic Cult, and the elite of the Black Night Bees, one of the Five Desolates of the Borderlands, which was affiliated with the Demonic Cult?

“Ah! So…”

Finally, they could understand the reason for Muwi’s change.

The life of running away for survival and the life of fighting for a purpose are so different.

“So that’s why everyone is so confident.”

They now had pride as members of Muwi.

That’s why there wasn’t a single person who didn’t welcome Bum Gye-wi’s return.

Everyone was smiling contentedly at Dan Ak-seon’s happy appearance, as if it were their own business.

However, not everyone was like that.

There was also an uncomfortable gaze watching from afar.

“That bastard really came running.”

“And even brought Hwa-ryeong with him.”

Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa, who exchanged glances, sighed without either of them saying anything first.

“The good times are over.”

Meanwhile, Dan Ak-seon greeted Byeok Hwa-ryeong and the Azure Two Swords, who had accompanied her, with pleasure.

Then, after moving to the Divine Demonic Valley, they continued their reunion.

After a while.

“But who is that person?”

Dan Ak-seon, who belatedly discovered the man tied up behind Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo, wore a puzzled expression.

Bum Gye-wi grinned.

“It’s a gift. For Doctor Dan.”

“My… gift?”

Bum Gye-wi nodded and explained in detail what had happened so far.

“I see…”

Dan Ak-seon’s expression visibly hardened as she silently stared at the man.

The bright smile from just now had disappeared without a trace, and only a chilling gaze, like ice, replaced it.

Soon, Dan Ak-seon nodded.

“I understand. I’ll interrogate him.”

“Huh? Now? You don’t have to rush so much…”

At Bum Gye-wi’s dissuasion, Dan Ak-seon smiled bitterly.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate on talking to you in this mood anyway.”

“…”

“Then I’ll be back.”

Bum Gye-wi nodded absentmindedly.

This was because Dan Ak-seon’s expression was clearly different from what he usually knew.

In particular, her dry eyes, devoid of emotion, were surprising even to Bum Gye-wi.

Bum Gye-wi stared blankly at Dan Ak-seon’s back as she disappeared with the Demonic Cult member, then suddenly burst out.

“You bastards! What the hell did you do to Doctor Dan!”

Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa, who were sitting still and suddenly got caught in the crossfire, wore bewildered expressions.

“What the hell did you do to make Doctor Dan change like that!”

Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa flared up.

But they didn’t have anything to say in response.

After a while.

Cho Ak-ryang sighed softly.

They had experienced many things in the grasslands, but it would only hurt their mouths to explain everything.

Bum Gye-wi glared at the two of them.

“From now on, you two are forbidden from approaching Doctor Dan!”

“What, you son of a…”

Cho Ak-ryang, who was about to glare at Bum Gye-wi in anger, swallowed his words at Bum Gye-wi’s next words.

“You should have taken good care of her while I was gone! Who do you think made Doctor Dan have that look in her eyes! So you two don’t deserve it! From now on, I’ll protect Doctor Dan, so know that!”

Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa were speechless in disbelief.

They had never imagined that they would hear these words from Bum Gye-wi of all people.

But it was a reasonable thing to say, so they couldn’t argue otherwise.

“Tch!”

Bum Gye-wi, who glared at the two of them with a dissatisfied look, turned away.

Then, he disappeared in the direction where Dan Ak-seon had disappeared, grumbling.

That night.

Dan Ak-seon left the hall with a tired expression.

The Drunken Dream of Death, which loosens the opponent’s mental defenses and induces confession, was a very difficult and complex acupuncture technique.

Especially if the opponent was in a normal state, the difficulty increased even more.

“Hoo.”

Dan Ak-seon sighed deeply.

It took some time, but she was still able to extract information from the opponent somehow.

Then, Dan Ak-seon suddenly felt a strange sensation and looked around.

The people who were densely gathered in front of the hall and waiting for her came into view.

“I’m sorry. Did I take too long?”

Dan Ak-seon tried to smile.

But it was a smile that was worse than not smiling at all.

Her face, which was full of exhaustion, made her look even more pitiful as she tried to smile somehow.

It was then that Bum Gye-wi stepped forward.

Then, he reached out and hugged Dan Ak-seon tightly.

“Uncle?”

She was momentarily flustered, not knowing what was going on.

“Doctor Dan. It must have been hard without me, right?”

Dan Ak-seon paused at Bum Gye-wi’s sudden words.

But she didn’t try to shake off Bum Gye-wi’s hand.

The rough and firm touch.

The warmth conveyed within slowly melted the frozen heart.

How much time had passed like that?

Dan Ak-seon, who had gained comfort through Bum Gye-wi, regained her smile.

“I didn’t find out much.”

Dan Ak-seon, who had left Bum Gye-wi’s embrace, began to explain the newly secured information to the group.

“First of all, their main purpose was to understand the movements of the Hainan Faction. Furthermore, they also had the purpose of causing chaos through kidnapping or poisoning.”

“Why?”

“Because the more Wokou [Japanese pirates] appear on the southern coast and the more chaos increases, the better the conditions for them to operate.”

But their plan failed before it even started properly.

“They also had a plan to win over and co-opt the disciples of the Hainan Sword Faction who had grievances, depending on the situation.”

At those words, Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo snorted.

At the time, most of the core forces of the Hainan Sword Faction were dying under Bum Gye-wi and his wife.

Then, there was suddenly a strange point.

“There must have been a good reason why the Demonic Cult tried to kill him to silence him, right?”

Dan Ak-seon nodded at Jongri-chu’s words.

“Even so, there was some information that bothered me.”

Dan Ak-seon mentioned a place name.

“Namgon Mountain, located in Guangdong Province. I think we need to investigate that area.”

“Namgon Mountain?”

Dan Ak-seon nodded at Bum Gye-wi’s question.

“It seems that all reports are gathered there. Just like the Gangmyeong Inn near Giryeonsan in the past.”

Cho Ak-ryang, who was tilting his head at the familiar word, soon recalled someone from his memory.

“Perhaps that place is also related to someone called the Dark Night Commander.”

In the past, the Demonic Cult had spread fake martial arts manuals in the Central Plains.

And they had obtained information that the person who had the list of those targets was the Dark Night Commander.

If the Six Demonic Venerables, now only four, were the Demonic Cult’s de facto guardians, then the Dark Night Command was an organization that managed information.

It was certain that he was a key figure in the Demonic Cult, along with Subo, who presided over all conspiracies.

Neng So-mil’s eyes, who had been silently lost in thought, sparkled.

“I will share this fact with the Beggars’ Sect immediately.”

“Yes, please do.”

As soon as Dan Ak-seon’s permission was given, Neng So-mil left to write a letter immediately.

“Hoo.”

Only then did Dan Ak-seon lean against the wall and wipe the sweat from her forehead.

“You look very tired. How about we stop here today and get some rest?”

Dan Ak-seon nodded at Cho Ak-ryang’s concern.

“I think I should.”

At this time, Bum Gye-wi snorted at Cho Ak-ryang.

“Hmph! Don’t worry. I’ll take care of our Doctor Dan myself.”

Then, he pulled Dan Ak-seon into his arms.

“Uncle. Doesn’t this spot already have an owner?”

“My woman? It’s okay. Now Hwa-ryeong and I will protect Doctor Dan together. So throw away the useless people.”

“Haha. You’re still funny, Uncle.”

“Right?”

Dan Ak-seon and Bum Gye-wi laughed together.