Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The Physician Who Fixed My Leg
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"This is the physician who fixed my leg."
I said this to Song Heon-ro, who stared at me with a look of astonishment.
"Yesterday, I gave a demonstration of acupuncture by inserting a Fire Needle into paper."
"Ah, so you're the one who did that demo? How many sheets did you pierce? Eight? Nine?"
"Ten sheets."
"..."
Song Heon-ro stared blankly at me for a moment before breaking into a laugh.
"Haha, look at me losing my wits. With your acupuncture skills, ten sheets is more than enough. And it seems your lecture was a hit too."
"Fortunately, it wasn't bad."
"Not bad? That's an understatement. My disciples were clamoring to attend your next lecture. I was going to ask them about it, but instead, I came straight to you."
"Actually, I lectured your disciples using the case of Choi Cheol-bo's left leg treatment as an example."
Song Heon-ro's eyes widened in surprise.
"Is that true? Can you just share a treatment method like that so freely?"
"If it can help treat other patients, why not? Keeping it to myself means I can't heal everyone."
Song Heon-ro gazed at me silently for a moment. Then, with a voice full of emotion, he spoke.
"It reminds me of the day Seon-u first told me about you. I said it was a relief that a physician like you existed. No one person can save all the people in the world."
I returned to the lodging with Song Heon-ro. He could've gone back alone, but it seemed he didn't want to let me go by myself.
As soon as we arrived, he patted my shoulder with a proud smile and added,
"I'm truly glad to have you with us. Let's continue to work well together."
"I look forward to your guidance as well."
"Haha. Now, have some breakfast and get some good rest. It's your first break in a long time."
After Song Heon-ro left, Dang Seol-yeong emerged from her room next door and said,
"Just like Physician Song said, it's been ages since we had a holiday."
Ever since the Generate Pulse Powder promotional event drew in crowds of patients, we hadn't taken even a day off.
"But I'm not particularly tired."
Compared to my past life's clinic, the workload was much lighter. Seeing patients recover and smile only gave me more energy.
I grinned at Dang Seol-yeong and added,
"I wouldn't mind working more."
Her eyes widened.
"Ah! Saying that is just asking for... "
"Physician Jang!"
Bae Seon-u came rushing toward the lodging, panting heavily.
"What's wrong?"
"Suddenly, a bunch of patients showed up at the Famous Physician Tower."
"Oh, that's great news. Congratulations."
"No, no. It's not that. All these patients are specifically asking for you, Physician Jang."
Come to think of it, I had posted notices at the Clear Seclusion Clinic.
- Due to expansion construction, Clear Seclusion Clinic will be closed for half a month.
I hadn't mentioned where we'd gone.
"How did they know?"
"I asked the patients, and they said the construction supervisor told them."
Ah, Seok Jung from the Unit Stone Guild.
I had told Seok Jung we'd be staying at the Famous Physician Tower for a while.
Bae Seon-u asked cautiously,
"Are we disturbing your rest? Should I send them away?"
I shook my head.
"If patients need me like this, how can I turn them away?"
Bae Seon-u gazed at me blankly, his eyes filled with admiration and respect.
"I'll have breakfast and come over, so tell them to wait a bit."
"Yes, got it!"
As Bae Seon-u dashed off, Dang Seol-yeong said to me,
"Just like you said, Physician Jang, it looks like more work won't be a problem."
"Dang apprentice, rest if you want."
Dang Seol-yeong smiled brightly.
"How can an apprentice rest when the physician is working?"
We ate breakfast together and headed straight to the Famous Physician Tower's main building.
"Wow, the Famous Physician Tower really is packed with patients."
As Dang Seol-yeong exclaimed, there seemed to be several times more patients than at our clinic.
"Hmm, but I see a lot of familiar faces."
At that moment, Bae Seon-u, who was tending to patients, spotted me and approached.
"You've arrived. I gathered the ones looking for you separately."
Bae Seon-u led the way. So those familiar faces were patients from our Clear Seclusion Clinic that he'd assembled.
The familiar patients greeted me one by one as they saw me.
"Physician Jang, so you were here!"
"I wasn't feeling well, so I came straight to you!"
"I have to get treated by Physician Jang himself!"
I greeted them back and said,
"Welcome, everyone. Come on in. It's sweltering out there—you must be sweating buckets. Have some cool tea while you wait. The Famous Physician Tower's tea is excellent."
"Physician Jang really is such a kind soul."
"He even praises the Famous Physician Tower without forgetting."
I guided the patients inside the Famous Physician Tower.
Then, the people waiting for treatment there began murmuring.
"Physician Jang from Clear Seclusion Clinic? He looks even younger than I heard."
"I heard rumors that Famous Physician Tower and Clear Seclusion Clinic are collaborating."
"Heh, both physicians must have made a bold decision. Cooperating without greed."
"True healers who put patients first."
Bae Seon-u led us to the annex and said,
"Oh, and Master told me to assist you, Physician Jang. He was worried you might not be familiar with the Famous Physician Tower."
"Thanks. I'll owe you one."
Bae Seon-u scratched the back of his head bashfully.
"Heh heh, no problem. Of course I'd help."
At that moment, a surprised voice came from the end of the patient line.
"Isn't that the Disruptive Maniac at the very back, following Physician Jang?"
"Yeah. That fierce look and the sword on his back. It's Hyeong So, the Disruptive Maniac."
"Even the Disruptive Maniac goes to Clear Seclusion Clinic?"
It seemed Hyeong So had come all the way to the Famous Physician Tower for Generate Pulse Powder too.
Choi Cheol-bo was riding at the front of the Golden Flower Merchant Group, providing escort.
The deputy leader riding nearby said to him,
"The rendezvous point with the leader is at the fork in the road if we keep following this official path."
"Got it."
The Golden Flower Merchant Group was Deokyang's top merchant company.
And it was one that Choi Cheol-bo frequently escorted.
The deputy leader said cheerfully,
"This escort mission is quite large-scale, but it seems to be going smoothly."
It was a mission to transport a massive shipment from Pingmu City in the north and Songban City to Deokyang City.
That's why the leader himself had joined the command. The escort led by the leader was coming from Pingmu to Deokyang, while the one led by Choi Cheol-bo and the deputy was from Songban to Deokyang.
They planned to merge midway and return to Deokyang together.
Choi Cheol-bo shook his head gravely.
"You can only relax after the escort is complete."
The deputy leader nodded as if admitting his mistake.
"You're right. My bad."
"With a large-scale transport like this, the bandits might be eyeing it with special preparations."
The merchant caravan continued, kicking up clouds of dust.
Moments later, the deputy leader shouted,
"The fork is coming up soon!"
Choi Cheol-bo spotted the escort led by the leader entering his view. But what followed next was...
"Ambush!"
Choi Cheol-bo whipped his horse forward like a streak of light.
The escort caravan was locked in combat.
Bandits and guards lay scattered here and there.
But more bandits remained.
Without hesitation, Choi Cheol-bo leaped from his horse into the midst of the bandits.
Bam!
One bandit flew back, vomiting blood from Choi Cheol-bo's single punch. And he didn't stop.
With every step and every fist, a bandit met certain death.
"It's Hero Choi!"
"We're saved!"
The surviving guards' morale surged. Then the rear escort guards joined in.
Though outnumbered by bandits, the tide turned in an instant.
As the fight ended, a man in the center thrust his sword into the ground and collapsed.
Choi Cheol-bo rushed over and supported him.
"Brother, are you alright?"
It was Bi Geum-seok, the Golden Flower Merchant Group leader, with whom Choi Cheol-bo shared brotherhood.
"Brother Choi, I knew I could count on you..."
"Brother, your complexion!"
Bi Geum-seok's face was pitch black. A sign of poisoning.
Bi Geum-seok gave a faint smile and nodded toward a fallen warrior. This one was dressed differently from the other bandits.
"They hired a hidden weapons expert from somewhere... The projectiles were poisoned, but I took him out, so the others didn't suffer much."
Bi Geum-seok glanced around and added,
"I just held out until you arrived... Fortunately. For a transport with you involved, failure isn't an option..."
Bi Geum-seok's face grew even darker. Blood poured heavily from wounds all over his body.
Choi Cheol-bo quickly sealed his acupoints to staunch the bleeding temporarily and slow the poison's spread during the ride.
Looking around, Choi Cheol-bo said,
"I'll escort the leader to Deokyang City."
The deputy leader approached and reported,
"No other seriously injured. No one else poisoned. The leader must have overexerted to protect everyone."
"Understood. I'll take him to a physician, so handle things here, Deputy."
Choi Cheol-bo mounted his horse with Bi Geum-seok. The deputy tied them securely with silk to prevent falls.
Then Choi Cheol-bo galloped toward Deokyang like a bolt of lightning.
Poisoned and bleeding, Bi Geum-seok's mind grew hazy.
"Sorry, Brother Choi... for making you go through this."
"What are you saying? I'm only respected like this thanks to you. If you hadn't taken me in, I'd still be a wandering ronin."
"Heh heh, yeah... Kyokyo's going to chew me out. Sorry for the trouble, Brother Choi."
"..."
Kyokyo was Bi Geum-seok's younger sister.
At the mention of Bi Kyokyo, Choi Cheol-bo fell silent.
"Take care of our Kyokyo... She really looks up to you."
"It's too early for last words. Pull yourself together. We're heading to Deokyang Medical District's top physician."
"Ah... Deokyang's best physician. Right. I have some connection with White Crane Scholar from White Herb Hall... We can go there."
"Just trust me."
Choi Cheol-bo's horse sped into Deokyang City. With so many people, carrying him on foot would be faster than riding.
Bi Geum-seok peered hazily at his surroundings.
"White Herb Hall is that way..."
But Choi Cheol-bo ran in a completely different direction.
A passerby shouted as they went by,
"Hero Choi, a patient? Physician Jang is at the Famous Physician Tower!"
"Thanks!"
Bi Geum-seok continued murmuring faintly,
"Famous Physician Tower... Going to the Famous Physician Tower... That's not bad either..."
Moments later, Choi Cheol-bo arrived at the Famous Physician Tower like a shooting star.
"Where's Physician Jang!"
"This way!"
Bi Geum-seok muttered breathlessly,
"W-wait, isn't the Famous Physician Tower run by Physician Song Heon-ro? Who... is Physician Jang..."
Bi Geum-seok no longer had the strength to speak. His body was growing numb and paralyzed. He could only struggle to keep his eyes open.
"Physician Jang! Help me out here!"
"Brother Choi, are you hurt?"
"No, not me. The Golden Flower Merchant Group leader is."
A figure called Physician Jang entered Bi Geum-seok's fading vision. So this was the man Choi Cheol-bo had been searching for.
'He's too young?'
Unable to speak, Bi Geum-seok heard Jang Wol say,
"Dang apprentice, detox first."
Bi Geum-seok was stunned once more.
'Having an apprentice do the detox...'
Dang Seol-yeong approached, checked his pulse, complexion, and eyes.
"It's a poison causing paralysis."
She dashed off somewhere and returned moments later with a small pill.
Disbelief filled Bi Geum-seok's face.
'What nonsense... Where in the jianghu is an apprentice who can whip up an antidote this fast...'
But he had no choice but to swallow it.
Choi Cheol-bo took the pill, pried open Bi Geum-seok's mouth, and forced it in.
The pill melted smoothly in his mouth and slid down his throat on its own.
Soon, Bi Geum-seok felt an astonishing change.
The poison ravaging his body vanished, and vitality began to flow.
Bi Geum-seok, who had been lying down, sat up.
"Wh-what is this..."
Choi Cheol-bo's face lit up.
"Brother, are you coming around?"
Unable to respond, Bi Geum-seok alternated looks between Jang Wol and Dang Seol-yeong in shock.
Then Choi Cheol-bo pointed at Jang Wol and said,
"This is the physician who fixed my leg."
Bi Geum-seok's eyes widened.