Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 40. Determining the Successor
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Yuseong secretly let out a sigh of relief.
If Jeong Yeon hadn’t awakened right here and now, things would have gotten a bit troublesome.
If she had woken up a few days later, who knew what tricks Bang Hyeok might have pulled in the meantime.
Fortunately, she came to immediately after the treatment.
It seemed the unidentified poison and dementia symptoms had some kind of interaction.
‘I’m not sure how much the House of Revelry Leader remembers, but the dementia didn’t damage much. I’ve done everything I can, so now I’ll just watch. First, let’s check her condition.’
The moment he tried to approach Jeong Yeon.
“Master!!”
Bang Hyeok rushed to her like a shot and collapsed to his knees.
“I thought something terrible had happened to you…! I’m so relieved you’re awake! White-Clothed Physician, thank you. Thank you!”
He clutched her hand, even shedding tears.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think Bang Hyeok was a devoted disciple serving his master with utmost care.
“...”
Yuseong was speechless at the absurd display.
His scheming behavior even reminded him of someone.
‘No, even Cha Physician wouldn’t stoop that low. He at least has some底线.’
He apologized to Cha Physician in his mind.
One couldn’t compare someone trying to poison their master with a person merely working a bit harder than others for small successes.
Before long, Jeong Yeon was surrounded by the elders and Bang Hyeok.
Yet she said nothing in response to their words.
Yuseong pushed through the elders and approached Jeong Yeon.
“Please step aside for a moment. I need to examine the Leader.”
“Y-Yes, of course. We’re counting on you, White-Clothed Physician!”
After giving a cold glance to Bang Hyeok, who kept up the act to the end, Yuseong took her pulse.
Unlike when she was paralyzed, her pulse beat vigorously.
Even activating the Detoxification skill brought no change.
‘The poison is fully resolved, and there are no other abnormalities.’
At that moment.
A gentle hand patted the one Yuseong was using to take her pulse.
It was Jeong Yeon.
Her eyes brimmed with gratitude.
“Are you having trouble speaking, by any chance?”
She slowly shook her head.
“No.”
“Ah, that’s a relief. I was worried since you weren’t saying anything. No other discomfort?”
“None at all. It feels like the fog in my head has cleared. It’s even better than before the poisoning. As expected of the White-Clothed Physician’s reputation. I’m truly fortunate.”
Yuseong noticed something odd during the conversation.
Poisoning?
How did she know about her condition?
“How did you know you were poisoned? Did you see who administered it before you lost consciousness?”
Jeong Yeon shook her head.
She scanned each person in the room.
“...!”
She seemed startled upon spotting Jeong Rip’s face but soon turned her gaze to the elders, Bang Hyeok, and the servant by the door.
Then she fixed her eyes on Bang Hyeok.
“I learned I was poisoned yesterday.”
“Yes? Yesterday…?”
As far as Yuseong knew, Jeong Yeon hadn’t regained consciousness since collapsing a few days ago when he visited.
Which meant.
Amid puzzled looks from some and knowing glances from others, Jeong Yeon slowly spoke.
“I couldn’t move my body at all, but I could hear everything. Yesterday, when I learned the truth, I wanted so badly to get up from that spot.”
Yuseong noticed Bang Hyeok’s suspicious movement beside him.
He had flung himself backward with all his might.
But.
Jeong Rip wouldn’t miss the motion Yuseong had caught.
Thwack—
As Jeong Rip lightly extended his hand, Bang Hyeok tumbled backward just as he was launching himself.
The servant guarding the door tried to flee outside but was subdued by another elder and dragged back in.
The room, filled with joy at Jeong Yeon’s awakening, grew heavy in an instant.
Now everyone realized.
Bang Hyeok was the one behind this.
Jeong Yeon glared at him fiercely.
“I once cherished you like a son, yet I never imagined you’d resort to such vicious means against me.”
Bang Hyeok had already tested this poison on several people after obtaining it. They had all died without waking.
There was no way to know if they had heard everything while paralyzed.
‘The poison didn’t cause unconsciousness—it just kept them aware until death?’
He recalled sneaking into the room yesterday to discuss the poison with the servant.
Jeong Yeon had heard it all.
‘What exactly did I say yesterday…?’
Desperately trying to remember his conversation with the servant, Bang Hyeok prostrated himself before Jeong Yeon and begged forgiveness once escape proved impossible.
Even then, he mixed in lies to save his skin.
“Master! Please forgive me…! It wasn’t a particularly dangerous poison! I just wanted to make you sleep deeply for a few days and… in my greed to become Leader, I went too far…!”
“Is that so? Your servant says otherwise.”
Bang Hyeok’s head whipped toward the subdued servant.
Seeing the servant’s eyes widen in terror, he chose to cut off the tail.
“No! I don’t know what nonsense that wretch is spouting—please believe me!”
“I-I was just following Bang Hyeok’s orders!”
The servant, too, desperately made excuses to survive.
“We’ll find out once we investigate.”
Jeong Yeon conferred with the elders and ordered Bang Hyeok and the servant dragged to the interrogation room.
Bang Hyeok knew nearly everything about the House of Revelry, including what the interrogation room entailed.
It wasn’t as infamous as the Murim Alliance’s, but most who entered didn’t walk out intact.
“Master! How can you do this to me? You said you saw me as a son!”
Jeong Yeon sighed.
“Now that I know you harbored ill intentions, how could I continue treating you like a real son? My own weakness nearly got So-ok in trouble too. It’s my fault.”
Even appeals to emotion failed, so as he was dragged away, Bang Hyeok glared at Yuseong.
“This is all because of you! If it weren’t for you!”
“If it weren’t for me, innocent victims would have suffered. You’re not innocent, so be grateful.”
“What?”
“Farewell.”
Jeong Yeon watched Bang Hyeok’s retreating figure with pity.
But she didn’t rescind the order.
No matter how kind-hearted, she was still the head of the House of Revelry, a righteous sect.
She showed no mercy to one who had revealed his fangs.
‘I probably won’t see him again.’
As Yuseong thought that, Jeong Yeon called to him softly.
“White-Clothed Physician, let me thank you once more. Thanks to you, So-ok and I are safe. I’ll never forget this favor.”
“No need. It’s thanks to the Leader’s compassion for the courtesans. Without that connection, I wouldn’t even have known you existed.”
“The request to treat the courtesans’ illnesses was actually So-ok’s idea. I just lent my face to it.”
“Ah, I see. Also, if So-ok’s coachman hadn’t come and informed us, I wouldn’t have known what happened to you and So-ok. You should reward him too.”
“Of course. I have some important business to handle, so could you wait a moment? It won’t take long.”
Under the guidance of House of Revelry disciples, Yuseong and Jeong Rip waited elsewhere for Jeong Yeon.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Without Jeong Rip, we couldn’t have achieved this. Thank you.”
“A wanderer always gives his all to the commission.”
“Oh, right, I need to pay your fee. I’ve saved up quite a bit, but not enough for a Transformation Realm expert, so please cut it a little.”
“No need. Just have a drink with me. That’s enough.”
Why were there so many people who wanted just one drink?
Still, Yuseong gladly agreed.
Even if he claimed Oja-seong’s bounty as an assassin, it wouldn’t cover a Transformation Realm expert’s price.
To avoid bankruptcy, he had no choice.
A short while later.
Two people appeared.
“White-Clothed Physician!”
Jeong Yeon arrived with So-ok, beaming brightly.
“Are you alright?”
“Fortunately, nothing happened. It’s all thanks to you, White-Clothed Physician. It’s only been a few days, but I’m so glad to see you.”
It was sincere.
So-ok had been steeped in despair just moments ago.
Not only she, a rival to her senior brother, but even Jeong Yeon, like a mother to her—neither life assured.
With her acupoints sealed, she was helpless until rescue came.
Dark thoughts kept surfacing.
Even the worst-case scenario of being dragged to the interrogation room for killing her master plagued her mind.
Yet the situation had dramatically reversed.
‘The White-Clothed Physician came to save us? How could a physician…?’
So-ok knew the Murim Alliance situation, so it was hard to believe.
But upon meeting Jeong Yeon and hearing everything, she was awestruck by Yuseong’s abilities.
‘Getting the Demon Subduing Division Leader expelled from the Alliance and hiring him as an escort to legitimately demand treatment—such connections and judgment. And recognizing Master’s poison and detoxifying it; his medical skill is unparalleled.’
During their conversation, So-ok was surprised once more.
“You even treated her dementia in the meantime?”
“Regrettably, some of the Leader’s memories may be lost. But once my skills improve, I’ll treat the rest.”
“We owe you a great debt, White-Clothed Physician. How can we ever repay… If you need anything, please visit the House of Revelry anytime.”
So-ok bowed deeply and politely.
Divine Power welled up.
And according to her close aide’s words, the sentiments of the House of Revelry disciples remained, so it wasn’t over.
“I appreciate the words, even if empty.”
As Yuseong smiled warmly, Jeong Yeon lightly patted So-ok’s shoulder.
“White-Clothed Physician, So-ok’s words aren’t empty. Would a sect leader speak idly?”
“Sect leader?”
Even as a subordinate sect, had they established it?
Jeong Yeon’s words soon cleared the confusion.
“I noticed Bang Hyeok’s true nature long ago but let him be out of affection, inviting danger. My judgment has been clouded. I was already planning to pass the sect to So-ok, and this incident sealed my decision to step back from the front lines.”
“You’re stepping down from Leader entirely?”
“Actually, I didn’t mention it earlier, but some memories haven’t returned. I had stories to share with you too. I need to recuperate.”
“Then…”
“Once the inauguration ceremony is held, So-ok will be the House of Revelry Leader.”
The “important business” was handing over the leadership?
Now, the new House of Revelry Leader-to-be, So-ok, was inviting him anytime.