The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 376

Divine Physician of the Demonic Realm (376)

Bum Gye-wi was momentarily taken aback.

He had naturally expected that upon facing him, Gwak Ryung-san would immediately prostrate himself and beg for his life…

Far from being frightened, the Chaeju’s reaction of bursting into hearty laughter was quite unexpected.

At first, he thought it was due to the alcohol, but that wasn’t the case either.

Although he was holding a bottle of alcohol, there was no sign of intoxication in his eyes.

After staring silently at Gwak Ryung-san for a moment, Bum Gye-wi chuckled.

The emotion wriggling deep within the opponent’s eyes.

It was clearly fear.

Yet, he didn’t back down, gripping his axe and burning with fighting spirit.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a guy like this.”

His actions were absurd, but his unwavering spirit in the face of fear was commendable.

“Good. As a reward, I’ll kill you cleanly with my best technique.”

However, Bum Gye-wi couldn’t kill Gwak Ryung-san.

He sensed Dan Ak-seon’s presence descending behind him, having followed at some point.

Dan Ak-seon, who quickly blocked Bum Gye-wi, shouted at Gwak Ryung-san.

“Where are the merchants and escorts of the Sangdan [merchant guild] and Pyoguk [courier company] now?”

Gwak Ryung-san, who had been staring silently at Dan Ak-seon, grinned.

“I threw them in the warehouse with the goods. So, did you bring the escort fee and ransom?”

Dan Ak-seon frowned at Gwak Ryung-san’s sudden use of informal speech.

“I don’t think that money is the issue right now.”

“What?”

“You violated the agreement with the Shinma Sangdan [Divine Devil Merchant Guild] and harmed our people. How do you intend to take responsibility for unilaterally breaking the promise?”

“Heh heh. Agreement? Responsibility?”

Gwak Ryung-san took something out of his pocket.

It was Ak Ho-gun’s order, delivered through a messenger hawk.

“I’m just following the orders of the Supreme Overlord! We no longer care about the Shinma Sangdan!”

Dan Ak-seon picked up the order that Gwak Ryung-san had thrown and sighed quietly after confirming its contents.

Gwak Ryung-san snarled at Dan Ak-seon.

“If you don’t intend to pay the ransom, then take up your weapons.”

Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa, who belatedly entered the room, wore dumbfounded expressions.

They were simply wondering what he, a mere Chaeju [bandit leader], was trusting in to be so confident in front of them.

It was then that Dan Ak-seon took a step towards Gwak Ryung-san.

Startled, Gwak Ryung-san reflexively swung his axe.

But Dan Ak-seon was even faster.

The moment Gwak Ryung-san felt Dan Ak-seon’s figure disappear like a phantom before his eyes, his blood points had already been sealed, and his whole body was stiffening.

“Huh? Doctor Dan. The pressure point is wrong?”

When Bum Gye-wi pointed to his own death point with his finger, Gwak Ryung-san’s face turned pale.

Dan Ak-seon smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“First, let’s check on the safety of our people. We’ll make a decision about what to do with this person then.”

Afterward, Dan Ak-seon headed straight to the warehouse that Gwak Ryung-san had mentioned.

Several Green Forest bandits were guarding the front of the warehouse, but their martial arts skills weren’t very high, so subduing them wasn’t too difficult.

Dan Ak-seon rescued the merchants belonging to the Shinma Sangdan and the escorts of the Cheonhwa Pyoguk, and was relieved.

Fortunately, no one had died.

Several people were injured, but none had injuries so severe that their lives were in immediate danger.

Looking back at the three people who had returned after subduing all the Green Forest bandits of Cheolsanchae, Dan Ak-seon said.

“I need to meet the Supreme Overlord.”

No sooner had he said those words than Dan Ak-seon shot up.

And immediately headed towards Geomdansan, where the Green Forest’s main base was located.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that time.

Ak Ho-gun was facing one person.

It was Jeon Gwang, the Chaeju of Wahochae, who had demanded the Green Forest General Assembly.

Ak Ho-gun’s eyes showed surprise at Jeon Gwang’s appearance, who calmly entered the office and plopped down in the opposite chair.

His eyes and expression were too calm for someone who had pressured him to the point of using the Green Forest General Assembly, the last resort, to unseat him.

“I thought you’d either come alone or bring a crowd, but you’re full of surprises.”

Ak Ho-gun said, looking at the man standing behind Jeon Gwang.

Unlike Jeon Gwang, the man, who was standing with his shoulders hunched and a pale face, was just an ordinary person who didn’t seem particularly special.

“If I die, there has to be someone to lead the mountain village, right?”

Ak Ho-gun revealed his doubts at Jeon Gwang’s answer.

“So you left your vice leader behind? Then what about that guy?”

“He has amazing skills in preparing corpses. It’s said that even foxes turn their heads towards their hometown when they die, so shouldn’t he be able to enjoy that much luxury? It was my lifelong wish. To bury my bones on the mountainside overlooking Wahochae.”

The meaning contained in Jeon Gwang’s words was clear.

He, too, had come prepared for death.

Ak Ho-gun chuckled.

“Isn’t your wish to become the Supreme Overlord by ousting me?”

Jeon Gwang smiled bitterly at Ak Ho-gun, who was mocking him.

“Do you really think that’s why?”

Jeon Gwang glared at Ak Ho-gun, who remained silent, with blazing eyes.

“Then give me an answer. How long do we have to be dragged around?”

“The agreement with the Shinma Sangdan has already been broken.”

“That’s why I only brought this guy. It seems that the Supreme Overlord has finally come to his senses. If that weren’t the case, I would have brought all my forces.”

After staring silently at Jeon Gwang for a moment.

Step.

Ak Ho-gun began to move towards Jeon Gwang.

Jeon Gwang, who had been looking up at Ak Ho-gun, who was exuding a cold gaze and had approached within striking distance, smiled bitterly and slowly closed his eyes.

At that moment.

Thud.

A heavy object flew into Jeon Gwang’s arms.

“This is!”

Jeon Gwang, who couldn’t hide his bewilderment, checked the object that Ak Ho-gun had handed him and jumped up from his seat in astonishment.

A dark iron plaque with a subtle red glow, made by forging rare Kunwu steel as a whole.

Inside, a roaring tiger was engraved towards the world from the top of a rugged mountain range.

However, the reason Jeon Gwang was surprised was different.

The only sacred object symbolizing the authority of the Green Forest Supreme Overlord was the dark iron plaque in front of him.

Jeon Gwang, who was looking at the dark iron plaque with trembling eyes, slowly nodded his head.

“Does this mean you want me to die instead?”

Since the promise with the Shinma Sangdan had been broken, someone would soon come crashing down here.

Someone had to face and take responsibility for them, a disaster close to a natural disaster.

At those words, Ak Ho-gun cast a dumbfounded look.

“No matter how pathetic I may seem in your eyes, I’m still the Supreme Overlord. I’m not that low.”

“Then…?”

“I’ve told Chief Secretary Seok to recommend you as the new Supreme Overlord at the Green Forest General Assembly to be held this time. Although it’s a temporary position, I’m transferring all the authority of the Supreme Overlord to you until then. Of course, you’ll need to get the consent of the other village leaders to formally take that position, but that’s something you’ll have to figure out on your own.”

“Supreme Overlord!”

“First, immediately lead the Blood Fang Unit out of the main base.”

Jeon Gwang’s eyes changed.

The Blood Fang Unit was a group with the best martial arts skills in the Green Forest.

In addition, it was a direct group like limbs that only carried out the orders of the Supreme Overlord.

“Even if you put them all in, it’s impossible to deal with those monsters. For the future of the Green Forest, it’s necessary to preserve the last potential.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that it’s enough for me to die alone.”

“Supreme Overlord!”

“Declaring the will of the Green Forest to the world through my death. That is the last duty given to me as the Supreme Overlord. So, when I die, you lead the Blood Fang Unit and prepare for resistance.”

Jeon Gwang’s shoulders trembled.

“You’ve returned to the Supreme Overlord I knew. I will also stay by the Supreme Overlord’s side until the end.”

Ak Ho-gun smiled faintly.

“There’s no need to be impatient. Since you’ve inherited the position of Supreme Overlord, your turn will come soon.”

In the past, they only had to deal with the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance], but now the situation has changed.

The moment they antagonize the Shinma Valley, they had to face not only the Nine Great Sects but also the heretical factions affiliated with Muwi as enemies.

It was truly fighting against the world.

“There’s only one thing you have to do. Do your best to ensure that the lineage and will of the Green Forest are not cut off in the history of blood that we will write in the future.”

The resolute will felt in Ak Ho-gun’s eyes and voice.

Jeon Gwang’s eyes, who had read this, also became hot.

“Go.”

“However…….”

“This is the last order I give as the Supreme Overlord. Even if I seem ridiculous to you, are you going to refuse even this?”

Jeon Gwang, who had been staring silently at Ak Ho-gun for a long time, finally put the dark iron plaque in his arms and bowed deeply.

“I will follow the Supreme Overlord’s orders.”

* * *

It was on the third day after leaving Cheolsanchae that Dan Ak-seon arrived at Geomdansan, where the Green Forest’s main base was located.

Bum Gye-wi subtly encouraged Dan Ak-seon.

“Why don’t you take this opportunity to get rid of the bandit leader?”

Bum Gye-wi had been eager to get his hands dirty ever since he left the Shinma Valley, saying that he had a chance to enjoy the taste of blood after a long time.

But after failing repeatedly, he was dying of boredom.

“If you keep giving them leeway like this, they’ll climb so high they won’t know where the sky is. That’s how the Black Faction guys are. They quickly forget what they’re grateful for and engrave grudges in their hearts for a long time. So, huh? Leave this to me.”

Cho Ak-ryang was speechless at the sight of him talking about the Black Faction guys.

It wasn’t something that he, who was called Mangsang Choja [Delusional Prodigy] and had established himself as the terror of the Black Faction Murim [underworld martial arts world] early on, should be saying.

“The damage will be enormous.”

Even if they could push Ak Ho-gun and the main base right away, the aftermath was the problem.

The Green Forest was located throughout the Kangho [martial world], and if they led the remaining forces and fought to the end, the damage would be directly returned to the people of that area, which was obvious.

Above all, the damage to the Shinma Sangdan, which operates throughout the Jungwon [Central Plains], would be enormous.

It was like exhausting the power of the Jungwon Murim just before the battle with the Demonic Sect.

It wasn’t entirely impossible to wipe out the entire Green Forest.

If they explained the situation and asked for help from the Nine Great Sects, most of them would join forces under the banner of Subduing Demons and Eradicating Evil, and it wasn’t entirely impossible to try a large-scale suppression by mobilizing government troops through Neung So-mil to the court.

But even so, it was temporary.

The people who had escaped from the harsh life of reality would eventually hide in the mountains and take up their swords again to survive.

The disappearance of the Green Forest was impossible unless the peaceful era of Yao and Shun, which was mentioned only in legends, arrived.

In fact, many heroes and factions had attempted to suppress the Green Forest in the past.

And there were places that actually succeeded.

Even though it seemed to have been completely swept away, it had already recovered its power before they knew it.

“Are you confident in persuading him?”

At Cho Ak-ryang’s question, Dan Ak-seon sighed with an insecure expression.

“I don’t know. To be honest, I’m confused myself.”

“Confused?”

“I don’t know why the Murim needs the Green Forest.”

He was overwhelmed with a fundamental sense of skepticism as to whether he should be considerate of them to this extent.

In the end, the Green Forest was a group of bandits.

Even if they were appeased and calmed down for the time being, they would surely raise their swords against the escorts and merchants again someday.

It was then that Cho Ak-ryang opened his mouth.

“Although they are evil, they are a necessary evil.”

“A necessary evil?”

“Who do you think will be the first to encounter the Demonic Sect when they enter the Jungwon?”

Since the forces of the Demonic Sect would not move while proudly revealing their existence, they would naturally use secluded mountain paths.

Of course, they couldn’t avoid the eyes and ears of the Green Forest, which was located in key areas throughout the Jungwon.

“In fact, the Green Forest played an important role in the past in the Righteous-Demonic War. Leaving aside righteousness and evil, they are Murim people who have set foot in the Jungwon anyway.”

“Even so, I can’t just sit idly by. Ignoring the immediate damage for the sake of future benefits is no different from the Demonic Sect, which emphasizes only the results while excluding the process.”

Dan Ak-seon’s voice had already sunk.

“In fact, it has caused more severe harm than the Demonic Sect.”

The victims of poppy were suffering at this very moment.

As a doctor, before being a Murim person, he could never turn a blind eye to this, having witnessed it directly.

That’s how the group arrived at Georyeongchae, the main base of the Green Forest.

But an unexpected situation occurred.

Unlike before, the huge wooden fence entrance was wide open, and the soldiers who used to guard the outside were nowhere to be seen.

Bum Gye-wi couldn’t hide his embarrassment and burst out.

“That bastard! He ran away!”