Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Apprentice Wanted
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Clear Seclusion Clinic was small. It only had two sickbeds.
There were all the basics and essentials, like the medicine cabinet and brazier.
'Well, two beds is about right. It's not like I could handle a crowd of patients anyway.'
For now, he decided to clean up Clear Seclusion Clinic.
Jang Wol had kept it fairly tidy in his own way, but it still fell short.
First, he flung open the front and back doors and windows to air the place out.
He shook out the dust, swept it away, and wiped every corner with plain cloth boiled in hot water.
He gathered up the bedding from the sickbeds and boiled it furiously in a large pot.
Then he disinfected the beds, tools, and dishes with water boiled from herbs like goldthread root.
'Good. That's clean enough.'
Jang Wol had worked hard on his own, but from a modern perspective, hygiene standards were still sorely lacking.
After his own cleaning and disinfecting, the rundown clinic started to look almost elegantly antique.
'I meant to tidy up the outside today too, but no dice. Tomorrow it is.'
It was tough going solo.
The next day, he straightened up around Clear Seclusion Clinic.
He swept the yard, pulled the weeds, and checked the vegetable patch. It wasn't well-tended, but herbs like astragalus and licorice were growing.
Sichuan was warm in winter and humid in summer. Plants thrived here.
'Poisonous weeds and bugs probably thrive too.'
Thinking of the venomous critters from wuxia tales made his skin crawl.
'Anyway, I need to hire an apprentice.'
Even with the small scale and few patients, it was too much for one person. Managing the clinic and treating patients wore him out.
Besides, when the place grew later, it'd be better to train someone now than scramble to hire in a rush.
There was the lodging his master had used, after all.
'Someone with skills I don't have would be ideal.'
Like expertise in poisons.
This was Sichuan, after all.
Sichuan's Deokyang City.
The Medical District in Deokyang was called Deokyang Medical District.
Clear Seclusion Clinic was one of the clinics there.
In that Deokyang City stood Ten Thousand Winds Inn, the third-largest inn.
The inn where he'd posted the hiring notice for an apprentice.
'But it's been ten days with no word.'
It made sense. Even in the real world, nursing aides didn't apply to rough gigs.
He headed to Ten Thousand Winds Inn again today. He dropped by every day since posting the notice—not just to check for responses, but because the food was delicious.
A four-story inn with ornate decorations dangling from every eave.
"Welcome!"
He sat at a table guided by the errand boy.
'Business is booming.'
As someone just starting out, he envied it. This place was practically a veteran in the inn game.
'Well, third biggest in Deokyang? No wonder.'
Deokyang was close to Sichuan's provincial capital, so it bustled too.
It grew alongside the capital, and beyond here, Sichuan was mostly mountains, making prosperity tough elsewhere.
"What'll it be?"
"One serving of demon's feast noodles."
Moments later, the food arrived with a nose-tingling aroma.
Noodles stir-fried spicy in red sauce, piled high with minced pork and vegetables.
'Getting to savor Sichuan cuisine to my heart's content is a real stroke of luck.'
He'd always loved spicy food.
Luckily, it suited his palate, so he came daily, trying this and that.
As he mixed the noodles, pork, and veggies, lifting a chopstickful to his mouth, a familiar voice rang out.
"Little Brother Jang, back again today, eh?"
He looked up, chewing slowly, at the middle-aged man.
A plump face, protruding belly, and overall round features always wore a friendly smile.
Na Ho-pyeong, the inn's owner.
They'd grown close after he asked for the posting and became a regular.
He swallowed and asked Na Ho-pyeong,
"Any applicants today?"
Na Ho-pyeong rubbed his belly lightly and sat in the facing seat.
"Who'd apply to a small, rundown no-name like Clear Seclusion Clinic?"
He knew it, but hearing it stung.
That's why he'd posted the notice here and slipped Na Ho-pyeong extra silver. Spread the word around.
It had brought them closer too.
"Fair enough. Still, keep spreading the word. I can pay more."
He was chipping away at the silver from Ha Mok-tae, so he had leeway.
Na Ho-pyeong's smile deepened.
"Heh. Music to my ears. Nothing money can't fix. And you, eating here daily, tipping extra to boot."
He leaned forward, propping elbows on the table, and added,
"Business must be picking up at Clear Seclusion Clinic lately?"
"Just some silver Master left behind."
Na Ho-pyeong kept rubbing his belly, a light sweat beading on his face.
"The Old Physician? Ha ha. Come on now."
Na Ho-pyeong's words sounded like he knew it all.
'He was surprised when I first came asking to hire.'
His expression had been odd when Jang Wol mentioned it, and more so when he offered pay.
As if he knew Clear Seclusion Clinic inside out.
'No patients, not well-known, and he has the full scoop?'
Sure, innkeepers heard rumors.
But his tone and manner always felt off.
'Like the insurance investigators back when I ran my clinic.'
Friendly, but every word loaded with intent.
Seeing Na Ho-pyeong overlap with those investigators sparked a thought.
'Could he be from the Hao Gate?'
The info network from wuxia tales, always regular characters.
Disguised as inns or brothels, trading secrets.
It fit perfectly now.
He'd hide it from martial artists, but slack off for a mere apprentice physician.
Sorting his thoughts, he probed casually.
"Well, you don't know everything, Brother."
Na Ho-pyeong's eyes narrowed briefly, then his genial smile returned.
Na Ho-pyeong stood, belching softly as if indigestion plagued him, and said,
"Ha ha. True enough. Enjoy your meal."
"You okay, though?"
"Hm? With what?"
"Digestion's off, and your gut's twisting in knots, right?"
Na Ho-pyeong, still rubbing his belly, chuckled at him.
"Ha ha. You read symptoms well for a young one."
"Yeah. Probably acute indigestion from overwork and diet."
If Hao Gate, double duties meant exhaustion and stress galore.
Add Sichuan's spicy fare often, and trouble was inevitable.
A glint of surprise crossed Na Ho-pyeong's face.
He'd pegged him as just a failed clinic's apprentice.
"Mind if I take a look?"
"Huh? You? Well, sure, why not?"
Words assented, face skeptical.
He followed Na Ho-pyeong to his office, had him lie on the sickbed, and examined him.
Bloated gut meant stomach issues. He took Na Ho-pyeong's right wrist for the pulse.
'Hao Gate confirmed.'
Hao Gate: famed Murim info network. Bonding with one was a win for him.
After the pulse, he pressed the abdomen for diagnosis.
"Your stomach and intestines are stagnant, causing spasms. Tension in the body and accumulated fatigue make the pain worse."
Fancy talk for acute gastric spasm.
Na Ho-pyeong's eyes widened as he unpacked his needle pouch on the table.
He pulled three Fire Needles, and Na Ho-pyeong's eyes grew further.
"Huh?"
Doubt clouded his gaze.
He ignored it, Fire Needle in hand, and approached.
"Wait, I just said check it, not needles—"
"Don't worry."
"You sure it's... safe..."
One prick at the Middle Cavity and Heavenly Pivot on the belly. One at Three Mile Foot on the leg.
"...or not—BUUURP!"
A massive belch erupted from Na Ho-pyeong, like all the gas fleeing his gut.
He stepped back slightly. He didn't plug his nose out of courtesy, but held his breath.
Na Ho-pyeong belched repeatedly, venting gas, then sat up with an incredulous look.
He caressed his belly in a daze, then stared at Jang Wol.
"...My gut feels amazing?"
"Glad to hear it."
"...How'd you fix it so fast?"
"I'm a physician."
"Ha ha ha!"
Na Ho-pyeong, face relaxed anew, laughed heartily before him.
Ten Thousand Winds Inn, third floor.
No great view with buildings all around, but he'd never been up here.
'So this is the third floor. The guests' attire is totally different.'
Felt like separate worlds per floor.
'Four floors total, so why third not fourth? Still, generous spread.'
The table brimmed with fine dishes, served lavishly in his honor. Plus a silver ingot earlier.
More than fair recompense.
As he ate, he said,
"Avoid greasy or spicy food for a bit. Oh, and cut back on booze."
"Will do. I'll heed Physician Jang's advice."
Little Brother Jang upgraded to Physician Jang.
"You must've learned proper from the Old Physician."
He didn't know his master well. Just quiet lessons and obedience as apprentice.
"All thanks to my excellent master."
"That's why you're hiring an apprentice. To carry on his skills unbroken."
Not quite.
"Yeah, something like that."
"Hmm. Wait a sec."
Na Ho-pyeong stroked his chin, as if recalling something.
Oh, Hao Gate intel incoming?
"Seeing your amazing needlework reminded me. There's a patient poisoned by some bizarre toxin."
"Bizarre toxin?"
"Yeah. Went to the mountains one day, got bit by a weird bug, right arm turned pitch black."
"Pain?"
"None. Just the color change. Tried every clinic, no progress. One said if no pain, just live with it."
Jackpot info.
Everywhere failed, but he succeeds? Rumors would flock patients to Clear Seclusion.
"I'll check on that patient."
Na Ho-pyeong's eyes gleamed oddly.
"Think you can detox it?"
"Nah, poisons aren't my specialty."
Na Ho-pyeong slumped back, deflated.
"Then?"
"Gotta see first. Diagnosis comes before treatment."
He headed straight to the patient's home as directed.
"Anyone home?"
A plain-looking man in his thirties emerged.
Long sleeves, but his exposed right hand was truly jet black.
"Who're you?"
"Sent by Ten Thousand Winds Inn. Jang Wol from Clear Seclusion Clinic."
He emphasized Clear Seclusion. Promotion first.
The man's lax demeanor shifted slightly at the inn's name.
"Name's Seong Chu. Come in."
Inside, the man said,
"From the inn, so you're here for my arm?"
"Yes. Mind if I take a look?"
Seong Chu sat on the sickbed and bared his arm.
Whoa.
Blacker than imagined.
Unlike burns or frostbite.
Like ink painted solely on the right arm.
He felt it anew.
'This is the wuxia world, alright. Weird stuff everywhere.'
He reached to touch the right arm. Seong Chu flinched back in surprise.
"Heard there's no pain."
"Ah, no, it's just... you touched it so casually, startled me. Others were too scared."
"If contact-spread, the wound would've festered and spread by now."
He grasped Seong Chu's right hand closely, inspecting.
"Heard a mountain bug bit you. What kind?"
"Some weird one I'd never seen. Red mixed with blue, finger-joint size, tons of legs."
Gruesome description.
Unheard-of bug.
ID mattered for toxin type and treatment.
Even modern snakebites needed pics or details for antivenom.
Other questions yielded "dunno."
'Short on info. Pulse it is.'
He took Seong Chu's right wrist.
Hao Gate again?
Why? Na Ho-pyeong just referred a fellow member?
Then a new message appeared before his eyes.
Treat the Man Whose Right Arm Has Turned Pitch Black
🎁 Reward: One Insight