The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 437

The old man’s deeply set eyes gleamed with a strange light.

“Government troops?”

Gu Yang-jin’s eyes lit up as he spotted the troops moving about the village.

The group of ten soldiers before him were clearly not from the local government office.

Their attire, level of armament, and palpable discipline suggested they were regular troops from a nearby garrison.

“Well, no matter.”

The old man grinned, casting a meaningful glance at his followers.

The very fact that the local security relied on the military was proof that no powerful martial arts faction held sway here.

In other words, it was practically unclaimed territory.

Moreover, military officials were generally easier to deal with than martial artists.

A well-placed bribe and connections to the central government could easily manipulate them.

“Let’s meet the head of the Shinma Merchant Guild first.”

Gu Yang-jin started walking, and the four stalwart men behind him followed with stern expressions.

However, trouble arose before they could take more than a few steps.

The marketplace was bustling with people, as the Mid-Autumn Festival was just around the corner.

As it was a holiday when families and relatives gathered, many people had returned from afar.

Moreover, the custom of sharing mooncakes while watching the moon meant that merchants selling mooncakes filled the marketplace.

Thus, the streets were more crowded than usual.

Despite this, Gu Yang-jin deliberately walked through the center of the throng.

As expected, he was bumped by people.

Thud.

The collision between Gu Yang-jin and a middle-aged man pulling a cart full of mooncakes happened soon after.

It was a minor accident that occurred as the merchant was moving to find a place to set up shop.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

The merchant immediately bowed and apologized, but Gu Yang-jin’s gaze remained icy.

“You’re smiling?”

The merchant, who had offered an awkward smile out of embarrassment and apology, belatedly sensed Gu Yang-jin’s ominous aura.

“As you can see, there are so many people… I’m sorry.”

With a sincere apology, the merchant carefully offered Gu Yang-jin a box of mooncakes from his cart.

However, Gu Yang-jin let out a cold sneer and lightly waved his hand.

Crack.

The cart the merchant was pulling collapsed on the spot.

“……!”

A look of horror filled the merchant’s eyes.

He had recently purchased the cart with great effort in anticipation of the holiday season.

But now, before he could even start his business, the cart was destroyed, leaving him in despair.

“Oh no! Why are you doing this?”

The merchant finally cried out in anguish.

“Hmph.”

However, Gu Yang-jin let out a cold snort as if the man was not worth his attention and began to walk away again.

But before he could take more than a few steps, a voice stopped him.

“Stop.”

“……?”

“You seem to be a martial artist.”

Gu Yang-jin was inwardly dumbfounded.

*How could they not recognize me, even though I have been living in seclusion for quite some time?*

As he was momentarily speechless with bewilderment, a stalwart man with sharp eyes, carrying a large frame on his back, warned in a low voice.

“Martial artists must never harm ordinary people.”

“Why should I?”

“That is the rule of this place, Muwi [a region or area governed by martial arts principles].”

Gu Yang-jin stared at the stalwart man and curled his lips into a sinister smile.

The man also had a considerable presence, suggesting he was no ordinary person.

It was clear at a glance that he was a martial artist who had seen his fair share of battles.

“So, it’s okay to harm a martial artist like you, then.”

With those words, Gu Yang-jin reached out like lightning.

“……!”

The stalwart man was startled and tried to retreat hastily, but the force emanating from Gu Yang-jin’s hand had already reached his chest.

Crack.

The sound was not loud, but the result was not insignificant.

“Ugh!”

The stalwart man staggered back, vomiting a mouthful of blood, and collapsed powerlessly on the spot.

“You are……?”

The stalwart man’s eyes shook violently as he belatedly recognized the palm technique Gu Yang-jin had used.

“Why are you here…….”

The stalwart man lost consciousness and fell to the ground before he could finish his sentence.

Gu Yang-jin looked down at him with cold eyes and slightly curled his lips.

“I have come to collect the debts I have been putting off.”

* * *

The top floor of the Shinma Merchant Guild’s main headquarters.

A frustrated sigh escaped from the office of the guild’s head, Danju [a title or position, often translated as “Guild Leader” or “Chief”].

“No, Danju-nim! What are you going to do?”

“Ah, what is it now? What’s the problem this time?”

So Jeok-san, buried in a mountain of paperwork, filling out approval forms, retorted curtly to his subordinate’s disgruntled voice.

He deliberately buried his face deeper into the pile of documents.

The eyes of his subordinate, who was in charge of the guild’s finances, looked ominous.

Sure enough.

“Didn’t you decide to cut support for the Nine Great Sects and martial artists who participated in the Demon Cult subjugation starting this month? But I heard you told them to execute it as is again?”

So Jeok-san frowned slightly.

The moment had finally come.

“I thought it was too early. Let’s extend it for another six months.”

“We’ve been dragging it on like that for ten years already, haven’t we?”

So Jeok-san ignored his subordinate’s nagging and continued to work through the backlog of tasks.

Jin-rip, who had been assisting So Jeok-san since his days as a street thug in Euidang [likely a district or area], sighed in frustration again.

“Haa… Danju-nim. No, Hyung [older brother or respected male figure]! If you keep giving away money like this, our finances will be ruined!”

“Don’t exaggerate… It’s not that bad, honestly.”

“Exaggerate? How much money have we poured into that side over the past ten years? If we had the mind, we could have established a country with that amount.”

“……”

Jin-rip wore a distressed expression as So Jeok-san ignored his advice and remained silent.

“Have you heard that the waterway to the south of the Yangtze River has been blocked recently? Moreover, the movements of the barbarians beyond the Great Wall have been unusual lately. As a result, trade with merchants from the Western Regions has also decreased significantly. If we don’t reduce the massive subsidies, we will have difficulty processing the promissory notes that are due in a few months.”

So Jeok-san finally raised his head and met Jin-rip’s gaze.

“Do you think I, as the head of the guild, wouldn’t know that?”

“Then withdraw it immediately……”

“Before that, let me ask you one thing.”

“……?”

“What are you going to say when Gok-ju-nim [a respectful title] comes back?”

Jin-rip flinched for a moment.

After a brief pause, he let out a soft sigh and revealed a complicated expression.

“Can I be honest?”

“When have you not been?”

Jin-rip took a breath and revealed his inner thoughts.

“How long do we have to wait without any promise? Frankly speaking, no one knows when Gok-ju-nim will return. According to rumors, due to the Demonic Qi Deviation [a state of imbalance or corruption of internal energy], he will never……”

“Hey.”

Jin-rip stopped, startled by So Jeok-san’s suddenly cold voice.

So Jeok-san stared at Jin-rip and opened his mouth with an uncharacteristic serious expression.

“Even among ourselves, there are things we can say and things we shouldn’t.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, execute the budget as planned.”

Jin-rip’s expression changed several times as he moved his lips, but in the end, he drooped his shoulders and left the office.

So Jeok-san, watching his retreating figure, couldn’t help but feel bitter.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know.

He believed that the Shinma Merchant Guild could overcome the current crisis as it had always done.

On the other hand, supporting the Central Plains martial artists who participated in the Demon Cult subjugation was a matter directly related to Dan Ak-seon’s reputation.

He couldn’t abandon the trust he had worked so hard to build for the sake of immediate profit.

This was not a matter that could be compromised from the start.

As So Jeok-san sighed, someone burst into the office and called out to him in a hurried voice.

“Danju-nim!”

So Jeok-san felt a headache coming on as he faced his subordinate’s unusual expression.

“What is it? What’s the big deal this time?”

“We have a guest who wishes to see Danju-nim.”

“Who is it that’s making such a fuss?”

“That’s……”

“……?”

So Jeok-san’s eyes wavered at the subordinate’s report that followed.

“It’s Gomok Shinseung!”

So Jeok-san was startled.

“That old monster is still alive?”

“It seems dangerous, so you should avoid him……”

So Jeok-san let out a groan.

A long-forgotten incident flashed through his mind, so distant that he couldn’t even remember exactly how many years ago it had happened.

Back in the days of the Sunui Bang [likely a gang or organization], when they collected protection money and protected the shops.

It was when they overthrew the Shinhyo Bang [another gang or organization] and shared the night streets of Muwi with the infamous Black Dragon Society.

At that time, the head of the Black Dragon Society, Ga Hwi-seop, had been reduced to ashes by the Beomgye Order [a group or faction, possibly religious or martial arts-related], and the night streets of Muwi were completely taken over by Euidang.

With the disappearance of the head, Ga Hwi-seop, and the expansion of Euidang’s power with terrifying momentum, the Black Dragon Society gradually lost its footing.

Feeling the crisis, they contacted Ga Hwi-seop’s younger brother, who was far away, and brought him to Muwi.

His name was Ga Hwi-geon.

The problem was that his inner strength was enormous.

He was the only disciple who had been taught martial arts by Gomok Shinseung, who reigned in terror in the Heukmok area.

After he was promoted to the new head of the Black Dragon Society, the brothels and Yeomwangchae [likely establishments of ill-repute] that Euidang had worked so hard to eradicate reappeared, causing damage everywhere.

Eventually, Sa Mu-sim, the chief manager of the Shinma Valley, stepped in, and when Ga Hwi-geon was eliminated by Sa Mu-sim, the Black Dragon Society collapsed.

So Jeok-san felt a surge of anger as he recalled that time.

“I’ll meet him first.”

So Jeok-san brushed aside his subordinate’s dissuasion and left the office, heading straight down the stairs.

A short while later.

So Jeok-san was able to meet Gu Yang-jin in front of the main gate on the first floor.

So Jeok-san’s eyes grew heavy as he confirmed Gu Yang-jin walking straight towards him, parting the crowd like the tide, and the four men following him as if in attendance.

On the other hand, Gu Yang-jin, who had been wearing a languid expression, slightly curled his lips.

“Are you the head of the Shinma Merchant Guild?”

A grating voice like a crow cawing.

Coupled with the black robe reminiscent of mourning clothes and the eerie gaze, So Jeok-san felt instinctively unpleasant.

“You wanted to see me?”

Gu Yang-jin nodded at So Jeok-san’s words.

“That’s right.”

“May I ask the reason for your request?”

“Well, it’s nothing grand……”

The smile that had been lingering on Gu Yang-jin’s lips deepened as he trailed off.

“I’ve only come to collect a debt. Along with the interest that has been delayed until now.”

“……?”

“I heard that the Shinma Merchant Guild was built by absorbing the Black Dragon Society. And the Black Dragon Society was led by my incompetent disciple. As such, shouldn’t I, as the original master, be entitled to claim a stake in the Shinma Merchant Guild?”

The martial artists belonging to the Shinma Merchant Guild flared up at those words.

“Don’t say such ridiculous things!”

“Danju-nim, his words are not worth listening to!”

However, So Jeok-san raised his hand to stop his subordinates.

“Don’t interfere!”

The Gomok Shinseung before him was by no means an easy opponent.

Moreover, the four men standing behind him were presumed to be considerable experts.

*Are they new disciples he has taken in the meantime?*

Come to think of it, Gomok Shinseung’s appearance was also different from what he had heard.

*He has a prosthetic hand.*

He had once heard that the Beomgye Order had blown away one of his wrists.

But now, both hands were attached perfectly.

The reason he was wearing black gloves on both hands must be to hide the prosthetic.

But apart from that, he was currently dumbfounded.

It had already been more than a decade since his disciple, Ga Hwi-geon, had died.

The way he was now trying to settle old scores was utterly ridiculous.

Moreover, although he didn’t intend to harbor resentment towards someone more skilled than himself, the man’s behavior itself was utterly absurd.

Once claiming to be a divine monk himself, he was now going even further, gilding himself as a living Buddha.

If even one of the Shinma Three Venerables had been here, the old man, who wouldn’t have been able to breathe properly, was acting high and mighty as if he were a master, which was an eyesore.

*If only Great Warrior Gok were here…….*

So Jeok-san missed Chu Bi-mu and Gok Un-gyeong each time, even though he had experienced similar things several times before.

Most of those who came to Muwi with malicious intentions were usually taken care of by Gok Un-gyeong.

But he was not here now.

The Shinji [sacred battleground] where he had fought the final battle with the Demon Cult.

Like many other Muwi martial artists who had gone before him, he too had lost his life there.