The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 394

Fires blazed, and shouts erupted, shattering the night’s tranquility.

“It’s an attack!”

“The Guild Master is down!”

Members of the White Snake Society, jolted awake by the sudden explosions and screams that tore through the night, swarmed out from every corner of their compound.

“For the righteous sects to stoop to such cowardly tactics, ambushing under the cloak of night!”

The Flame Effigies, each clutching their weapons, radiated a fierce, murderous intent, poised to charge.

Some, wearing thick leather gloves, kept their hands near pouches at their sides, ready to unleash their deadly poison.

Facing the imminent assault, Beop-ryeo stepped forward, his voice ringing out, “Even if you are a villainous sect, you are still martial artists of the Central Plains! How can you defend the Demonic Cult, with whom we can never coexist!”

“Nonsense!”

At the bellow of a burly man, Jang Han, who seemed to hold a position of authority, Beop-ryeo raised his staff, pointing towards the chaotic melee where the Arhats [Buddhist disciples known for their spiritual attainments] clashed with members of the Demonic Cult.

“If you have eyes, then look!”

A wave of undeniable embarrassment washed over the faces of the White Snake Society members.

There, locked in combat, were those who had once been their comrades.

The martial arts they wielded against the Arhats were undeniably demonic, plain for all to see.

“W-we know nothing about this!”

“Our Society has no connection to the Demonic Cult!”

The White Snake Society’s resolve crumbled.

The mere mention of the Demonic Cult stirred a deeply rooted, primal fear.

Paralyzed by dread, they hesitated to act.

Meanwhile, the wildly rampaging Demonic Cult martial artists were swiftly cut down by the relentless Arhats.

The Flame Effigies of the White Snake Society, who had been cautiously retreating, suddenly broke ranks and fled without a backward glance.

The elite of Shaolin, having swiftly quelled the uprising within the grounds, suppressed the pressure points [vital points used in martial arts to control or incapacitate an opponent] of those still breathing, ensuring their capture.

The remnants of the Demonic Cult, who had secretly established a foothold in the Central Plains, were now subdued.

Beop-ryeo, having completed their subjugation, escorted the survivors to Muwi.

“You’ve worked hard,” Dan Ak-seon said, greeting him with a smile and a raised hand.

“With this, I have lessened one of my debts of the heart,” Beop-ryeo replied, returning the smile. He then produced an object and handed it to Dan Ak-seon.

“What’s this?”

“It’s something Won Ji-geuk possessed. A blank piece of paper, but I found it suspicious that he kept such a crumpled thing without discarding it, so I brought it with me.”

“Ah!” Dan Ak-seon nodded, belatedly realizing it was a sensory paper [a special type of paper used to record and transmit messages, often used in espionage or covert operations] used by high-ranking members of the Demonic Cult.

With this, they had decisive evidence that Won Ji-geuk was a pawn of the Demonic Cult.

Having already learned how to decipher the sensory paper, it wasn’t difficult to reveal the contents written on it.

“We need to find the one who sent this order. That person must be the leader.”

Afterwards, Dan Ak-seon interrogated Won Ji-geuk, whom Beop-ryeo had escorted.

Breaking him was surprisingly easy.

His will to fight shattered by his encounter with Beop-ryeo, and confronted with irrefutable evidence, he surrendered everything, revealing all he knew.

“As expected…”

It was as he suspected.

The Martial Alliance’s declaration to subjugate the Ten Great Evils [a collective term for the most notorious and powerful evil organizations or individuals in the martial arts world].

Foreseeing the inevitable downfall, the Won Ji-geuk brothers had pledged themselves to the Demonic Cult, volunteering to be their vanguard in return for protection.

Moreover, he confessed to orchestrating a series of events, including the poppy powder scheme and inciting discord between Dan Ak-seon and the Green Forest.

Above all, he admitted to directly colluding with Black Dot to kidnap the fire field farmers.

Just then, an urgent report arrived.

“Guild Master!” Nung So-mil burst in, a letter clutched in her hand, which she presented to Dan Ak-seon.

“They’ve found the Black Dot Master, whose whereabouts were unknown!”

“What? Where?”

“Beijing.”

“Beijing?”

It was an unexpected location.

Most martial artists avoided operating in Beijing, the seat of the Emperor.

The Imperial Family and elite forces stationed there maintained strict security and an impenetrable information network.

Any clandestine activity would face considerable restrictions.

Especially for someone connected to the Demonic Cult.

“To go to Beijing in this situation…”

It meant they had something crucial to accomplish, even at great risk.

“Could it be related to the Imperial Family?”

Dan Ak-seon, lost in thought, was jolted by Nung So-mil’s suggestion.

“Could it be related to the Eastern Depot [a powerful secret intelligence agency during the Ming Dynasty, known for its ruthless methods and extensive reach]?”

Considering the Imperial Family, they were the first that came to mind.

“I’ll check right away.”

Dan Ak-seon shook his head.

“This is urgent; I’ll meet him in person. If I remember correctly, the name of the eunuch from the Eastern Depot we met back then was Yoon Heum?”

The young eunuch who had provided evidence of the Minister of Revenue’s corruption when he visited Beijing to meet with the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

A slender face and gentle voice.

His striking appearance immediately caught the eye, but his eyes were as cold as could be, creating a strange contrast.

“Yes. He is the adopted son of the eunuch Yoon Bong.”

Yoon Bong was the eunuch to whom he had given a sachet [a small perfumed bag] before attending the Emperor’s royal conference.

“I’ll try to get in touch with him somehow.”

Dan Ak-seon nodded.

“Then I’ll leave Muwi in your care. Please discuss matters related to the White Snake Society with Uncle Cho. And I think we need to inform the leaders attending the meeting in advance. If things in Beijing take longer than expected, I may not be able to attend the meeting on time.”

Nung So-mil’s capabilities were more than sufficient to handle the situation.

However, Cho Ak-ryang had to remain in Muwi in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Moreover, a meeting with the leaders of the Nine Great Sects [the most influential and respected martial arts sects in the land] was scheduled to take place in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, in ten days.

It would be awkward for both parties if Cho Ak-ryang were to attend that meeting.

“May Buddha’s blessings be with you,” Beop-ryeo said.

Dan Ak-seon bowed his head in response.

“Then I’ll be off,” Dan Ak-seon said, bidding farewell to his party before soaring away with Han Seol-hwa.

A few days later, Dan Ak-seon arrived in Beijing and visited the branch of the Shinma Merchant Guild that had sent information about Yoo Gi-jin.

“We found the Black Dot Master near the residence of Eunuch Sa Rye,” the head of the local branch reported.

A wanted poster, distributed throughout the guild by a manager named Hwang Young, was presented.

“Are you sure it’s him?” Dan Ak-seon asked.

Hwang Young nodded. “Yes. He was covering his face with a bamboo hat, but our children saw him clearly.”

“Children?”

“They are children learning the ways of the merchant guild. Too young for commercial trips, they handle errands and are the future talents of our guild.”

The Shinma Merchant Guild recruited children from each region, providing education and training from a young age.

Hwang Young smiled, pleased with the unexpected results.

“We were lucky. Children have a different perspective.”

While adults might struggle to identify someone under a bamboo hat, a child could look up from below, rendering the hat useless.

From Dan Ak-seon’s perspective, it was a stroke of luck.

“Where was he last seen?”

“We’re avoiding direct surveillance due to the dangerous individuals nearby. However, he appeared at an inn near Eunuch Sa Rye’s residence yesterday.”

Dan Ak-seon nodded, his face serious.

Sa Rye-tae-gam [a high-ranking eunuch official], the head of Sa Rye-gam, held immense power, controlling and supervising all eunuchs.

Initially managed by the Ministry of Personnel, the eunuchs’ position strengthened after the Yeongnak Emperor, transferring authority to Sa Rye-gam.

Accordingly, Sa Rye-tae-gam’s status and authority grew.

He wielded absolute power due to Sa Rye-gam’s role in handling the Emperor’s documents and diplomacy.

When the Emperor spoke, the eunuch recorded and delivered it to the cabinet.

Sa Rye-tae-gam, overseeing the process, sometimes added his own opinions to the Emperor’s edicts, even forging royal decrees in severe cases.

Yoo Geun, the previous emperor, was a prime example.

Sa Rye-tae-gam was called Geun-si-no-gong [a term for a powerful and influential eunuch] for a reason.

Even the Eastern Depot Commander couldn’t compare to Sa Rye-tae-gam’s power.

“Thank you. We’ll take it from here,” Dan Ak-seon said, declining Hwang Young’s escort to avoid attention. He then turned to Han Seol-hwa.

“Monitor the movements near Eunuch Sa Rye’s residence in case the Black Dot Master reappears. I’m going to meet Eunuch Yoon Heum.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Dan Ak-seon smiled at Han Seol-hwa’s concern. “Don’t worry. There won’t be any great danger. And I can handle myself well enough.”

Han Seol-hwa nodded. “Still, be careful.”

Dan Ak-seon smiled and nodded.

After parting ways with Han Seol-hwa, Dan Ak-seon visited Yoon Heum’s house.

Perhaps informed in advance, the servants immediately guided Dan Ak-seon to the inner garden upon revealing his identity.

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you,” Yoon Heum greeted him with a smile, though his eyes remained coldly frozen.

Ignoring the strange incongruity, Dan Ak-seon cut to the chase. “Who was the person the Eastern Depot’s Weisa [a term for secret agents or spies] dispatched to Muwi were trying to monitor?”

“Hmm…” Yoon Heum hesitated, seemingly surprised by the question.

Dan Ak-seon pressed on. “It’s related to the Demonic Cult. I hope you’ll answer.”

Yoon Heum’s eyebrows twitched. “Did you just say Demonic Cult?”

Dan Ak-seon shared the information he had gathered, prompting Yoon Heum to sigh and finally speak.

“The person we were monitoring was the Black Dot’s Muwi branch manager… no, the Black Dot Master.”

“So that’s why he frequented the brothels.”

“He recruited courtesans as informants.”

“Did you know from the beginning that he was the Black Dot Master?” Dan Ak-seon asked.

Yoon Heum nodded with a bitter smile. “We learned of his true identity very recently.”

“Why did you monitor him?”

“That’s…”

Yoon Heum hesitated before reluctantly answering. “Because he is a person of Eunuch Sa Rye.”

Dan Ak-seon nodded, confirming the information about his frequent appearances near Eunuch Sa Rye’s residence.

Yoon Heum, conflicted, spoke carefully. “In fact, there have been suspicious circumstances regarding Eunuch Sa Rye for a long time.”

“Suspicious circumstances?”

“For example…” Yoon Heum looked around, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Like the late Emperor’s demise (崩御) [a respectful term for the death of an emperor].”

“…!”

“It’s strange that someone of the Emperor’s stature would die from falling into the water while boating. The late Emperor suffered from the aftereffects of falling into the water for several days before his demise. The person by his side at the time was the current Eunuch Sa Rye.”

“…”

“He also advocated for the succession of the current Emperor.”

Dan Ak-seon understood Yoon Heum’s reluctance to speak.

Sa Rye-tae-gam was the head of all eunuchs.

As a member of the Eastern Depot, he had to be cautious investigating someone far above him.

Yoon Heum continued, his eyes heavy. “In the process of secretly conducting investigations, we learned of an organization that handled Eunuch Sa Rye’s external affairs. That organization was Black Dot.”