The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 44

The Divine Doctor of the Demonic World (44)

“That can’t be…”

Sa Mu-sim’s eyes shook violently.

It was clearly the wooden box he had been looking for.

Sa Mu-sim unknowingly took a step closer to Dan Ak-seon.

His eyes, which had been subdued by the need to read Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi, now flickered with intense desire for the first time.

“Here you go.”

Dan Ak-seon handed the wooden box he had brought to Sa Mu-sim.

“Thank you!”

Sa Mu-sim snatched the wooden box and took out a key from his pocket, inserting it into the bottom of the box and turning it forcefully.

Click.

The box opened with a heavy metallic sound.

Dan Ak-seon, curious about the contents, moved closer to Sa Mu-sim.

“You’re safe!”

Sa Mu-sim smiled brightly as he examined the contents of the wooden box.

Dan Ak-seon tilted his head at the sight.

He had thought that there would be something amazing inside the box, since he knew Sa Mu-sim was good at making money.

But the wooden box was full of worn-out papers.

Sa Mu-sim took out the papers one by one and looked at them for a long time.

After a while.

Sa Mu-sim, having checked all the contents written on the papers, took out a fire starter from his pocket.

And he started to burn the papers completely.

The papers quickly turned to ashes and scattered into the air. Sa Mu-sim stared at them with a blank look.

Soon, Sa Mu-sim bowed his head to Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi.

“I will not forget the grace you have shown me.”

Cho Ak-ryang shook his head.

“You should thank Dan Physician, not us.”

“Pardon?”

Beom Gye-wi grumbled at Sa Mu-sim’s puzzled expression.

“Do you even know how much he gave up in treatment fees for that?”

And to think he would burn the contents like that.

If that was the case, why did he risk his life to find it?

Beom Gye-wi couldn’t understand at all.

Sa Mu-sim, who belatedly grasped the situation, bowed his head again to Dan Ak-seon.

“Thank you so much.”

It was a polite attitude that showed sincerity.

“I will go to Jinseong Medical Center after I’ve calmed down a bit.”

Feeling the solemn atmosphere, the group nodded willingly.

While heading to Jinseong Medical Center, leaving Sa Mu-sim behind, Cho Ak-ryang opened his mouth.

“I thought it was some great treasure that he cherished so much, but it was just letters.”

“But why burn them?”

Cho Ak-ryang tilted his head at Beom Gye-wi’s question.

“Who knows? Maybe he was worried that the children’s whereabouts would be revealed?”

Sa Mu-sim had many enemies, as many as the years he had lived as Sujeon-gwi [Waterfront Ghost, a term for someone who profits from illegal activities near waterways].

“He wanted to completely sever the connection with the children he had helped before he died. For the safety of those children.”

Beom Gye-wi nodded at Cho Ak-ryang’s plausible guess.

“He wasn’t a bad guy, just a fool.”

Sa Mu-sim visited Jinseong Medical Center an hour later as promised.

Dan Ak-seon immediately called him in and took his pulse.

Then, with an astonished expression, he asked.

“How can you even move with such a messed-up body?”

Dan Ak-seon said, looking at Sa Mu-sim.

“You said you had three months left to live, but in my opinion, it’s only about a month at most. It’s not strange for a seizure to occur right away, even though there are no signs.”

Sa Mu-sim seemed surprised at first, but soon accepted it calmly as if he had resigned himself to it.

“I’m fine. It’s something I’ve already prepared for.”

Sa Mu-sim smiled faintly.

“I have no regrets since I have achieved everything I wanted.”

Suddenly, Sa Mu-sim felt strange.

Dan Ak-seon, who had given him the terminal diagnosis, was not the only one who seemed indifferent, but also Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi.

Sa Mu-sim suddenly felt a surge of emotion.

‘Even though we’ve become acquainted…’

They didn’t even seem to feel sorry or pitiful for someone facing death, let alone offer comfort.

‘What can I expect from a bunch of bad guys like me?’

Still, Dan Ak-seon was unexpected.

‘Well, there’s a reason why they say birds of a feather flock together.’

Blood Demon Lord and Mangsan Choja [likely a title or epithet, perhaps referring to a local leader or figure], and even a woman with the poise of a master. He wondered what the child had seen and learned among those monsters.

Then Dan Ak-seon smiled and asked.

“If you could live longer, what would you want to do?”

“Well.”

Sa Mu-sim smiled bitterly.

“What could a guy who’s about to die in a month want?”

“A month later…”

Dan Ak-seon trailed off vaguely and shook his head.

“It’ll probably be difficult.”

Sa Mu-sim’s heart sank.

“Are you saying I don’t even have that much time left?”

Cho Ak-ryang answered instead.

“He’s saying you won’t die even a month from now.”

Beom Gye-wi nodded.

“Of course. Once you’re in our Dan Physician’s hands, it’s impossible.”

“Yes? But my Inner Demon…”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Inner Demon or Inner Demon’s grandfather. Our Dan Physician is the kind of person who would break into the King of Hell’s palace to drag a patient out.”

Dan Ak-seon made a troubled expression at Beom Gye-wi’s praise.

“Even I can’t revive the dead.”

Sa Mu-sim’s eyes widened at Dan Ak-seon’s words.

“Inner Demon can be dealt with somehow.”

“You’re treating… Inner Demon?”

Dan Ak-seon nodded at Sa Mu-sim, who still couldn’t believe it.

“It might have been difficult in the past, but now we have many elixirs and the Wei Hua Therapy [likely a specific medical technique].”

Sa Mu-sim couldn’t decide how much of the crazy things he had just heard he should believe. So he looked at Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi’s reactions, but they had calm faces as if it was perfectly natural.

Beom Gye-wi asked Sa Mu-sim.

“Hey, Money Demon. You always say, right?”

“Yes?”

“You can’t live with debt, right?”

Belatedly, Sa Mu-sim nodded.

“Ah, yes. I did.”

There is a famous saying circulating in the Murim [martial arts world] world related to that.

If you owe the King of Hell, you have to sell your house to repay it, and if you owe the Jeon-gwi [likely a type of supernatural being or powerful figure], you have to sell your grave to repay it.

Cho Ak-ryang opened his mouth, counting his fingers one by one.

“Let’s see. I saved you twice, and the Murim Alliance saved you once more, so that’s three times. And you’ve been introduced to a physician who can treat Inner Demon, so this is the fourth time I’m saving you.”

Beom Gye-wi gave Sa Mu-sim a pitiful look.

“That Jeon-gwi sure is scattering debts everywhere. How many life debts do you have?”

“It’s three, to be exact. My Inner Demon hasn’t been cured yet.”

Beom Gye-wi glared at Sa Mu-sim’s protest.

“Are you looking down on our Dan Physician right now?”

“Yes? Ah, no. That’s not what I meant…”

“If Dan Physician says he’ll save you, he’ll save you.”

Sa Mu-sim nodded, holding his breath.

He felt as if the murderous intent pouring from Beom Gye-wi’s eyes was turning into tangible blades, cutting his skin.

“With this much debt, you wouldn’t be able to repay it even if you died and were reborn several times, right?”

Cho Ak-ryang, who started the conversation, looked at Sa Mu-sim with a meaningful gaze.

“But I’m tired of seeing you again in the next life, so let’s just repay the debt in this life.”

Sa Mu-sim nodded absentmindedly.

“Come to think of it, you said you were a Murim person, right?”

Dan Ak-seon asked.

“Yes. For now…”

Sa Mu-sim was once again overcome with an ominous feeling at Dan Ak-seon’s suddenly serious expression.

As expected.

“Dan Physician, what’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

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

“I can save his life, but… if things continue like this, his dantian [energy center in the body] will be too damaged, and he won’t be able to use martial arts.”

“…!”

Sa Mu-sim nodded with a bitter expression.

“If I can just live… it would be too greedy to ask for anything more than that. That’s enough for me.”

But Dan Ak-seon shook his head.

“It’s clear that life is the priority. But after the treatment, the patient’s life is just as important.”

“But…”

“It’s difficult, but it’s not like there’s no way at all… I’ll think about how to recover the dantian as well.”

He wasn’t sure how much he should believe and doubt.

But now that things have come to this, there’s no other way but to believe.

“If that really happens, I’ll do anything.”

Beom Gye-wi chuckled at those words.

“You already have to do anything, right?”

“Ah! Yes… that’s how it is.”

When he thought about it, his creditors were actually Blood Demon Lord and Mangsan Choja. It was terrifying enough with just one person, but the thought of being tormented by the debt collection of two monsters sent shivers down his spine.

“We shouldn’t delay the treatment. The later it gets, the slower the recovery will be. I’ll proceed with the Wei Hua Therapy tonight.”

Dan Ak-seon took out a wooden case containing needles from his pocket.

“Uncle Sa also needs to build up his strength, so get some sleep.”

“I’m not sleepy at all.”

Dan Ak-seon smiled as he took out a needle from the wooden case.

“You will be soon.”

* * *

Two hours later.

“Young Master Gok! Could it be?”

Cho Ak-ryang, Beom Gye-wi, and Han Seol-hwa all rushed over at the scream-like shout of Pung Jin-seong.

At first, they looked at Pung Jin-seong with strange expressions, but soon realized that Pung Jin-seong was staring at the medicinal soup that Dan Ak-seon was holding with a pale face. Then, they discovered a small porcelain bottle rolling around at Dan Ak-seon’s feet.

“Huh? That’s something I’ve seen a lot before?”

Unlike Beom Gye-wi, who was tilting his head, Cho Ak-ryang asked Dan Ak-seon with a dumbfounded face.

“Could it be that inside… no, right? It’s not, is it?”

Beom Gye-wi finally realized that the situation was turning strange at Cho Ak-ryang’s repeated questioning with an unbelieving expression.

“What is it? Why is Brother Cho suddenly like that?”

Han Seol-hwa sighed softly.

“He must have put… Gongcheong Oil [likely a rare and potent medicinal oil] in the medicinal soup.”

“Wh-what!”

Beom Gye-wi, who was startled, had the same expression as Cho Ak-ryang.

“Dan Physician! Who are you trying to feed that to?”

Dan Ak-seon pointed to Sa Mu-sim, who was asleep. At this, Beom Gye-wi began to pant.

“Hoo. Hoo. Brother Cho, can you knock me out for a bit? I can’t bear to see that going into Money Demon’s mouth!”

“Don’t talk to me. My head hurts.”

Cho Ak-ryang rubbed his throbbing temples with his thumb.

To think that he would use the Gongcheong Oil he had worked so hard to obtain for the sake of Sa Mu-sim.

It was something he could never tolerate or accept.

“I can’t help it.”

Dan Ak-seon smiled awkwardly.

“I already promised to fix his dantian.”

“But…”

“If I don’t do this, I’ll be lying.”

Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi exchanged glances for a moment and quickly nodded.

“It’s okay. People have to lie sometimes.”

“Of course. I have to lie a few times a day to sleep comfortably. I’ve already lied to Brother Cho three times today.”

“What? Let’s talk about that later.”

Cho Ak-ryang tried to stop Dan Ak-seon.

“I wouldn’t stop you if you were just eating it, Dan Physician. No, I’d welcome it. But not that guy.”

“That’s right. He’s going to be the Chief Manager anyway. Why does a guy like that need martial arts?”

Han Seol-hwa couldn’t stand it any longer and helped the others.

“All he knows is how to grab money. Gongcheong Oil is like a pearl necklace on a pig for that guy.”

Despite their persistent persuasion, Dan Ak-seon firmly shook his head.

“I want to do my best for every patient. And this is the best way right now.”

In the end, the group, unable to break Dan Ak-seon’s stubbornness, sighed with regret.

Dan Ak-seon approached the sleeping Sa Mu-sim and raised his upper body. Then, he slowly poured the medicinal soup containing Gongcheong Oil into his mouth.

Beom Gye-wi couldn’t bear to watch the scene and ran out, and Cho Ak-ryang clenched his fists so hard that they were about to break.

Han Seol-hwa also watched the scene with her brows furrowed as much as they could, even though they didn’t move well.

Sa Mu-sim was still fast asleep with a peaceful expression.

Unaware of what he was swallowing.