The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 499

The Emperor revealed a hint of regret.

“You look so carefree? As if you’ve finished all your tasks and there’s no reason to keep you tied down.”

Neng Xiaomil’s heart wavered for a moment at the Emperor’s sincere gaze.

But he steeled his resolve, shaking off the hesitation.

The Emperor wasn’t usually one to reveal his inner thoughts so openly.

That’s why he needed to seize this opportunity to drive the point home.

He knew better than anyone that if he hesitated, worrying about appearances, he would never escape the shackles of power.

“Still, I pride myself on having done my best.”

“I won’t deny that.”

“And…”

“…?”

“If I continue to serve in the court, the meaning of the corruption I’ve fought against will be diminished. That’s why the ancient sages said, ‘Running water does not rot.’ Power is like water; it must flow quickly and continuously to avoid stagnation or freezing. Please, release me to set an example.”

The Emperor gazed at Neng Xiaomil for a long while before finally sighing softly.

“I understand. I won’t hold you back any longer.”

As Neng Xiaomil secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the Emperor spoke again after a long pause.

“But always remain within reach. If I call upon you, return to the court swiftly. You are already my man, and I value the importance of relationships.”

He added one more thing.

“Besides, one never knows what might happen. Who knows? You might miss this place again.”

Neng Xiaomil forced a smile.

“I will deeply engrave His Majesty’s boundless grace in my heart and never forget it.”

“You still won’t say you will do as I ask?”

“……”

“I understand. Then, there must be a proper reward for your service. Is there anything you desire?”

Neng Xiaomil replied quickly, as if he had been waiting for this question.

“I only wish that you remain in good health, even in my absence. That is all I desire.”

The Emperor chuckled.

“It’s a pity that there is no one like you among the close eunuchs to succeed Eunuch Sarye. If there were, my reign would be much smoother.”

Neng Xiaomil felt a chill run down his spine.

Moreover, Eunuch Sarye, who had been silent until now, took up the words, making it no longer a joke.

“It’s not too late. If you wish, I would gladly give you a position in the Sarye Department.”

Neng Xiaomil made a face as if he was about to cry.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

Eunuch Sarye finally smiled slyly at his expression.

With the henchmen he had painstakingly raised now gone thanks to Neng Xiaomil, this much revenge was nothing.

As soon as the Emperor granted his resignation, Neng Xiaomil fled to Murim [a martial arts world] without looking back.

* * *

“Brother!”

Neng Xiaomil, who entered the Divine Devil Valley with Dan Akseon, immediately embraced Sa Musim, who had come to greet him.

“Haha, you. Are you that happy?”

Neng Xiaomil teared up at Sa Musim’s ever-present, good-natured smile.

“Of course. These past years have made me realize where I truly belong.”

“Have you finished everything in the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes! I will never even think about going back there until I die!”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Neng Xiaomil was simply grateful and glad for Sa Musim’s sincere comfort.

“You’re the one who’s worked hard, Brother. How could being the Chief Manager of the Divine Devil Valley be easy? But anyway…”

Neng Xiaomil tilted his head, examining Sa Musim’s eyes and face.

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but his aura and demeanor were distinctly different from the Sa Musim he remembered.

“Did you perhaps obtain some kind of fortuitous encounter?”

“Haha. Meeting the Valley Lord himself can be considered a fortuitous encounter.”

“I suppose so…”

At that moment, as he nodded with a smile.

A chilling voice flew in from somewhere.

“So, you mean we’re making you suffer?”

Neng Xiaomil smiled brightly as he spotted Cho Akryang and Han Seolhwa walking towards them in the distance.

“Haha. I can’t deny that.”

“What?”

Neng Xiaomil immediately prostrated himself as Cho Akryang’s eyes turned fierce.

“Have you both been well since we last met? I am overjoyed to see that you are both in good health. Also, I belatedly congratulate you on your precious union.”

“You’ve only become more glib after being in the Imperial Palace.”

Neng Xiaomil responded with a smile to Cho Akryang’s teasing.

After all, Cho Akryang was the one he had known the longest in this place.

“Your life has been quite eventful. To think that a mere soldier from the Hao Moon would bring down the Dongchang [Eastern Depot, a secret agency], who were said to bring down even flying birds.”

Moreover, relinquishing the power he had gained and stepping down without hesitation was something that not just anyone could do.

The amicable atmosphere was only temporary.

“Now, all that’s left is to deal with Sa Jongak, and everything will be over.”

At Dan Akseon’s words, one person stepped forward.

It was Tak Yeosang.

“Please, let me help.”

Tak Yeosang opened her mouth with a determined look, receiving everyone’s attention.

“I’ll be the bait.”

“But…”

Tak Yeosang smiled at Dan Akseon’s worried gaze and opened her mouth.

“It’s called a mountain, but Mount Otae is a vast area spanning sixty li [approximately 30 kilometers]. If he’s determined to hide, we won’t be able to find his tracks easily. But if he knows I’m nearby, he’ll definitely react in some way. His obsessive attachment to me is anything but normal.”

He had even tried to enter the formation himself, knowing that it was set up.

Tak Yeosang continued with a serious look.

“Please. I don’t want to be trapped in the nightmares of the past any longer.”

She wanted to erase the ill-fated relationship with Sa Jongak as soon as possible.

It was then that Neng Xiaomil opened his mouth with a troubled expression.

“But will that be enough to make him appear willingly? Of course, it would be great if it goes as Lady Cheonui says, but realistically speaking, isn’t that an overly optimistic expectation?”

“It’s understandable that you think so. But that’s only when he has a normal sense of reason.”

Tak Yeosang added an explanation.

“His mind has been greatly damaged while absorbing Demonic energy using the Northern Profound Art. As Doctor Dan once said, there’s a reason why Demonic arts are called Demonic arts.”

The only reason Sa Jongak hadn’t gone completely mad until now was because of the continuous treatment.

Not for Sa Jongak’s sake, but for the sake of others.

If he were to be completely consumed by Demonic energy and go berserk, innocent people would have to bear the brunt of the damage.

But now, he had been neglected for quite some time.

There was a high possibility that his madness had reached its peak.

“It could be dangerous. No one can predict the future.”

Tak Yeosang nodded with a smile at Dan Akseon’s warning.

“Please. Let me fulfill my responsibility, even if it’s just this.”

In the end, Dan Akseon nodded at her determination to take responsibility for her actions.

“Then let’s go together. To end all of this.”

* * *

Mount Otae was called that because of the five high peaks located in the east, west, south, north, and center.

Dan Akseon and his group climbed to the summit of Chwiaam Peak, called Jungtae (Central Platform).

The highest peak here was Yeoptu Peak, which was Buktae (North Platform), but Chwiaam Peak, located in the center, was much easier to overlook the entire mountain range.

“Now, how do we lure him out?”

At Beom Gyewi’s question, Cho Akryang and Han Seolhwa’s gazes naturally turned to Dan Akseon.

Dan Akseon smiled awkwardly at this.

“I’ve been thinking about it on the way here, but I still haven’t come up with a specific method.”

That was the same for Cho Akryang and Han Seolhwa.

“How about dividing the personnel and assigning each peak to one person to search around?”

Han Seolhwa shook her head at Cho Akryang’s suggestion.

“That would make the distance between us too great.”

Tak Yeosang also offered an opinion.

“I’ve heard that there’s something called Cheollajimang [a net of surveillance] in Murim. Since this is the territory of the Green Forest [a group of bandits/outlaws], wouldn’t it be possible to surround the area with their help and narrow the search?”

This time, Dan Akseon shook his head.

“He’s also a formidable expert who can’t be underestimated. If he’s determined, he can easily avoid the eyes and ears of the Green Forest. Even if we’re lucky enough to find him, the sacrifice will be great.”

Moreover, Sa Jongak had mastered the Northern Profound Art.

Approaching him with a half-hearted force was like throwing bait into the monster’s mouth.

After that, the four exchanged several ideas and pondered how to find Sa Jongak.

But no particularly brilliant idea came to mind.

But then.

“Why are you making it so difficult?”

Cho Akryang and Han Seolhwa frowned at Beom Gyewi’s confident expression.

“What are you trying to do again?”

“Just stay still.”

Beom Gyewi snorted at the two’s nagging.

“Hmph! What’s wrong? I’m Beom Gyewi. The best troubleshooter in Gangho [the martial world], Beom Gyewi.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Beom Gyewi reached out and snatched Tak Yeosang, then placed her on his shoulder.

“Ah!”

Surprised, Tak Yeosang unknowingly grabbed Beom Gyewi’s head.

At that moment, Beom Gyewi flew away.

At the same time, a resounding voice filled with internal energy shook the area.

“Euhahaha! Sa Jongak! I have Cheonui with me! If you want to save Cheonui, come out now!”

There was no time to stop him.

Tak Yeosang’s sharp screams left a long echo and were already fading into the distance.

Cho Akryang, who was blankly watching the scene, shook his head.

“No matter how out of his mind he is, he wouldn’t fall for such a shallow trick…”

Cho Akryang couldn’t finish his words.

Dan Akseon, who had been smiling, suddenly became serious and stared at something.

Following his gaze, Cho Akryang and Han Seolhwa also turned their heads.

From afar, a roar like a beast could be faintly heard.

It was from the direction of Gwaewol Peak (Hanging Moon Peak), the western main peak.

Without a word, the three flew towards that direction.

The closer they got, the more intense the Demonic energy became.

Beom Gyewi also seemed to sense this and turned to run this way.

After a while.

A strange place appeared.

A wide basin that could easily fit three or four buildings.

However, it was a place that would have been easily overlooked under normal circumstances, as it was naturally formed to block the view and had a slight formation added to it.

And there, a scene of hell unfolded.

The corpses, damaged beyond recognition, were scattered everywhere.

The bodies submerged in blood were estimated to be over thirty.

‘Dongchang!’

Dan Akseon could immediately guess who they were.

This was because the bitter smell of blood and the scent from the sachets were mixed up in the area.

And in the center of that hell, one person was standing.

It was Sa Jongak.

He had his hair all disheveled and was emitting an eerie glow.

His hand was gripping one person’s neck.

Dan Akseon could tell that the person was Yoo Shin, a Cheophyeonggwan [low-ranking official] belonging to Dongchang.

This was because it matched the wanted poster that had already been spread throughout Gangho.

Blue blood vessels were protruding like spider webs all over his face.

The whites of his eyes, where the capillaries had burst, were all red, and his purple lips were cracked like dry rice paddies.

It was a typical appearance of someone who had been plundered of his True Won Energy [internal energy/life force].

Curses leaked from his mouth as he struggled with intermittent convulsions.

“Damn it… How did this happen…”

But Yoo Shin eventually couldn’t finish his words.

Crack.

His neck was eventually broken by the terrifying grip.

Dan Akseon frowned.

Judging from the situation, it seemed that something had been planned but had gone wrong.

Tak Yeosang, who arrived in the area with Beom Gyewi belatedly, turned pale at the sight before her eyes.

And at that moment.

“So…sang…”

Tak Yeosang, who turned her head at the sound of someone calling her, flinched and froze in place.

A pair of eyes staring at her.

The moment she met the eyes that were all black without any whites, the blood in her whole body turned cold.