The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 50

Kuuung.

The heavy shockwave that spread out from him shook the entire valley. Even Sa Mu-sim’s eyes, watching from afar, trembled.

“What did you just do?”

“What else? Just a normal Jingak [a technique to focus internal energy].”

Sa Mu-sim was astonished by Beom Gye-wi’s nonchalant reply.

“This is normal…?”

Sa Mu-sim’s martial arts had improved rapidly since taking the Azure Stone Oil.

However, just glimpsing a facet of Cho Ak-ryang’s true martial prowess was enough to leave him speechless.

“Don’t make such a fuss. What will you do when Cho fully recovers his inner strength? You’ll faint.”

Han Seol-hwa, who was standing to the side and gauging Cho Ak-ryang’s martial arts, added a word.

“Not bad.”

“……!”

Beom Gye-wi looked at Sa Mu-sim, who was too surprised to speak, with a pitiful gaze.

“Do you think that man was called one of the Five Greats for nothing?”

Sa Mu-sim looked at Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa with a fresh gaze.

Cho Ak-ryang was one thing, but these two were also unbelievable monsters.

Beings who walked in the realm of the incomprehensible.

The standard for martial arts itself was different from his own.

‘Indeed.’

Sa Mu-sim nodded, turning his gaze back to Cho Ak-ryang. The martial world was not so easy that it would bestow the title of Gwonjeol [Fist Supreme] for nothing.

Cho Ak-ryang stepped forward and swung his hands like lightning.

Grabbing, twisting, pressing, tapping, pulling…….

Each was a basic technique of Geumna-su [a hand combat technique].

But when all of this was gathered together and poured out at once, it was truly a divine art in itself.

Sa Mu-sim felt a shiver run down his spine as he witnessed this.

Despite the considerable distance, he could clearly feel the sonic booms and energy bursting from his fingertips.

Each movement felt like it was commanding the world.

This was truly “the martial art of the Fist Supreme!”

Sa Mu-sim had seen Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi use their martial arts a few times before. However, he had been too preoccupied at the time to properly assess their prowess.

But watching Cho Ak-ryang seriously display his martial arts like this, he could feel the realm beyond the heavens with his whole body.

“Uncle Cho is really amazing.”

Beom Gye-wi grinned at Dan Ak-seon’s exclamation.

“Doctor Dan will become much stronger than that.”

Han Seol-hwa also nodded.

“Of course, he has to.”

Sa Mu-sim, who couldn’t take his eyes off Cho Ak-ryang, felt goosebumps at those words.

Because the two’s words did not sound like a joke at all.

‘What kind of monster are they trying to create?’

At that moment, along with a sharp metallic sound, Cho Ak-ryang’s figure momentarily distorted and then returned. It was a phenomenon caused by the air entangled in his hands returning to its original place.

Cho Ak-ryang wore a satisfied smile.

He had confirmed an unexpected gain in the process of checking his martial arts.

‘The nature of my inner strength has changed!’

It was only thirty percent, but it had fully returned, and more than anything, the inner strength itself was much purer than before.

In addition, his meridians had become even stronger.

The surging true energy was unhindered, and it moved without the slightest deviation, following his will.

‘Perhaps…….’

If he fully recovered his inner strength in this state, he might be able to overcome the wall of limitations that he had not been able to surpass in the past.

It wasn’t just confidence that had recovered along with his martial arts.

Cho Ak-ryang’s eyes had also changed.

The Blood Demon Lord, who once dominated the world.

He had completely regained his original eyes.

Cho Ak-ryang, who had returned to the group, opened his mouth.

“There is a place I need to go.”

Beom Gye-wi smirked.

“Are your hands already itching?”

Cho Ak-ryang, who would have usually retorted, shook his head with a serious look.

“I need to find out who is secretly gathering the figures of the unorthodox factions.”

He was concerned about the destination of the Three Demonic Oddities he had met on the way to the Murim Alliance.

Beom Gye-wi asked back with a nonchalant face.

“Isn’t that none of our business?”

“If they are the ones who invited the Three Demonic Oddities, they will surely make a similar offer to us. It won’t hurt to find out what kind of guys they are. I’m also thinking of finding out about the current situation of the Murim Alliance and the Seven Fiends.”

Beom Gye-wi nodded.

The Seven Fiends were still searching for the two of them with bloodshot eyes.

If it were just them, there would be nothing to fear, but since they were living with Dan Ak-seon, it wouldn’t hurt to be fully prepared.

* * *

The next morning.

As soon as the day dawned, Cho Ak-ryang finished preparing for a short trip and left the hut. Beom Gye-wi cast a dissatisfied look at the sight.

“Aren’t you going to eat breakfast before you go?”

Cho Ak-ryang smiled awkwardly.

“I have a long way to go.”

“How stingy.”

Beom Gye-wi came down from the tree he was hanging upside down from.

“Hey, are you running away as soon as you get better?”

“Anyone would think I’m going on a trip.”

“Why? What’s wrong with that? Just go on a trip.”

Cho Ak-ryang cast a dubious look. He wondered why he was being so friendly for once.

But as expected.

“If you find a good place, it’s good to just settle down there. Leave this place to me.”

Inwardly dumbfounded, he glared at Beom Gye-wi, but he felt a presence not far away.

“Are you leaving already?”

It was Dan Ak-seon.

Dan Ak-seon’s face, rubbing his eyes, was full of sleepiness that he hadn’t yet shaken off.

“Doctor Dan woke up because of your noise.”

“Why is that my fault? It’s because of Cho who was making a fuss from the crack of dawn.”

Dan Ak-seon squeezed between the two growling men. Then, he looked up at Cho Ak-ryang with a worried expression.

“You shouldn’t be away for too long. Even though you’ve passed the critical point, you still need to continue treatment. Some recovery has been made, but it’s still clearly unstable.”

“Of course. I’ll be back in about ten days, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yes, please be careful. Take this with you, too.”

Dan Ak-seon handed over a small pouch.

Inside were several small pills wrapped in beeswax. It was a pill made by gathering the remaining elixirs and mixing them with herbs.

“I saw the lights on in the pavilion all night……. Were you making this?”

Dan Ak-seon nodded.

“I just couldn’t rest easy.”

Cho Ak-ryang was grateful for his sincerity every time, but on the other hand, he felt sorry.

“Thank you. I’ll be careful.”

With that greeting, Cho Ak-ryang went down Sinma Valley.

He could have used his lightness skill [a martial art technique to move swiftly], but he deliberately didn’t.

Instead, he kept his eyes on Dan Ak-seon, who was waving goodbye, several times as he walked.

* * *

A-du was a beggar.

He was thirteen years old this year, but that was probably why he was still short. It was because he hadn’t been able to eat properly since he was a child.

Still, he prided himself on being faster than anyone else his age when it came to wit and feet.

That’s why he immediately noticed that the person approaching him had an unusual gait. He remembered receiving silver from someone with that kind of walk once before.

What did I do then?

Straighten your posture, and raise your head in a humble yet dignified manner to make eye contact slightly…….

Clang.

Yes!

A silver coin rolled down onto the chipped earthenware bowl. A person’s face came into A-du’s eyes as he raised his head.

……Huh?

“Do you remember me?”

“Of course!”

A-du nodded vigorously.

How could he not recognize the benefactor who had generously given him a whole silver coin in exchange for delivering just one letter?

Cho Ak-ryang smiled and took out a letter from his pocket.

“Can you do it this time too?”

“Of course. You just need to deliver it to someone named Neung So-mil, right?”

Cho Ak-ryang was surprised this time.

Unlike his appearance, the young beggar’s memory was quite remarkable.

“Just leave it to me. No one can follow me when it comes to finding people in this neighborhood.”

Cho Ak-ryang smiled and nodded.

“That silver is yours now.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

A-du, who was bowing repeatedly to express his gratitude, raised his head with a strange feeling.

The person he had just been talking to had already disappeared.

He looked around in a daze, as if possessed by a ghost, but he couldn’t see him anywhere.

He wondered if he had dozed off and had a dream, but the silver in his hand told him that it wasn’t a dream.

“This is no time for this.”

A-du hurriedly gathered his mat and begging bowl.

He had seen Neung So-mil frequently at the brothel when he had checked before. So, he thought it wouldn’t be too difficult this time either…….

Unfortunately, it seemed that it wouldn’t be easy.

“He hasn’t been coming lately?”

The young assistant cook nodded.

“The chief manager is so grumpy because he lost a big-spending customer that we’re the only ones suffering.”

“What should I do? This isn’t good?”

A-du, flustered, began to search for Neung So-mil all over the neighborhood.

However, he couldn’t find any results even after spending all day on foot.

In the end, A-du had no choice but to return to the bridge where he usually begged.

“What do I do now?”

If he had known things would go this wrong, he shouldn’t have received the money in advance.

As he was worrying for a long time, A-du’s eyes sparkled.

The face of a person walking from afar was familiar.

A man with thin eyes like threads and a large, bulbous nose. His friendly smile was impressive.

‘Could it be that person?’

He had seen him enter the brothel with Neung So-mil a few times.

A-du cautiously began to follow the man.

It was because of a faint hope that he might run into Neung So-mil if he followed him.

Lee Gyu, the vice-chief of Sinsobang [a secret organization], was in a very bad mood today.

The pressure from the Murim Alliance [a coalition of martial arts clans] had been gradually increasing lately.

‘It’s all because of that bastard!’

If Neung So-mil, the chief, hadn’t been doing crazy things, the situation wouldn’t have gone this wrong.

One day, Neung So-mil had called him and secretly given him a few instructions.

The problem was the content of those instructions.

In this current Kangho [martial arts world], it was not enough to gain the trust of the Murim Alliance, which had absolute influence. He was told to gather information related to the Murim Alliance.

Lee Gyu couldn’t help but be horrified.

How could he give such instructions unless he was out of his mind? He didn’t even tell him the proper reason, but just urged him to give the instructions.

Lee Gyu was dumbfounded.

He had been with him for twenty years.

But how could he give such ridiculous instructions? Did he really not know that Sinsobang, which he had worked so hard to build, could be blown away at once with this one instruction?

Above all, the Murim Alliance was not blind.

Even if he didn’t mention Cheonidan [an intelligence agency under the Murim Alliance], there were hundreds and thousands of spies planted all over Kangho. Of course, Sinsobang would soon find out that they were digging into their backs.

After that?

It was clear that Sinsobang would be swept away like dust.

Lee Gyu went straight to the Murim Alliance and reported Neung So-mil.

That was the only way for Sinsobang to survive.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have a conscience at all, but it didn’t last long.

What bothered him more than that was something else.

‘That vicious bastard!’

Even in this situation, Neung So-mil was still not releasing the information he had.

There must be a reason why he ordered the investigation of the Murim Alliance.

However, he remained silent about the background of the matter and the person who requested it. So, Lee Gyu did not pity Neung So-mil, who was caught by Pasadan [an interrogation division under the Murim Alliance].

Isn’t it his own fault for digging his own grave?

Besides, he was in a situation where he was overwhelmed with his own problems.

The Murim Alliance was now openly putting pressure on him to reveal the mastermind behind their investigation.

Just a moment ago, that was the case.

He was forced to watch Neung So-mil being tortured, even though it wasn’t necessary.

‘Damn it!’

If he delayed like this and failed to produce results, he might also be imprisoned and tortured alongside Neung So-mil.

That’s why he was even more anxious.

However, crisis is also an opportunity.

If he could find out the mastermind behind Neung So-mil…….

Using this, Sinsobang could dream of a new leap forward. And using that as a stepping stone, he could rise to the position of the new chief.

Of course, the road was too long to get there.

Even now, a warrior belonging to Cheonidan under the Murim Alliance might be watching him somewhere. Lee Gyu’s eyes flashed as he looked around just in case.

It was because of the young beggar who was following him from afar.

It was the face he had seen an hour ago, and two hours ago. Wasn’t it too coincidental to dismiss it as a coincidence?

Besides, the young beggar’s eyes were constantly fixed on him. It was a clumsy tail, but it could be that he was aiming for that point.

After thinking for a while, Lee Gyu made up his mind.