Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The Sichuan Tang Family's Secret Apprentice
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"A l-lie? What lie did I tell?"
Seol-yeong—no, since it's a lie, she's a Tang now.
Her pupils suddenly wavered, and her voice trembled with tension.
Her lying skills had seemed amateurish from the start.
"How can I work with someone who lied about their background on their application?"
No one hires someone who fakes their resume.
But the Tang girl kept denying it.
"You're saying my family background is a lie? How would you even know that, Physician? You don't even practice martial arts."
"Oh? From that reaction, it seems you've trained in martial arts after all."
"...Ah!"
The Tang girl clapped her hand over her mouth as if she'd made a grave mistake.
In wuxia novels, there's that technique where you channel your inner energy into someone to gauge their martial prowess.
Being a regular person, she figured I couldn't detect her cultivation even with pulse diagnosis.
To the frozen Tang girl, I decided to bluff without revealing my Pulse Eye ability.
Mixing knowledge from wuxia novels with my Korean medicine expertise to make it sound convincing.
"When you offered your wrist, I caught a faint scent of aconite—a toxic herb."
The Tang girl's mouth fell open.
"You smelled aconite? That's ridiculous..."
Of course it was. It was a lie.
Aconite is that poisonous plant called monkshood in the modern world. Famous around these parts, too.
Who could smell a toxin they handled who-knows-when?
But this was the murim world.
"I could, though. And if you've handled such a fearsome poison from Sichuan Province and trained in martial arts, there's only one place it points to."
"..."
The wide-mouthed Tang girl lowered her head slightly, like someone confessing.
"Actually, I'm Dang Seol-yeong. From the Sichuan Tang Family."
"You could've just said so honestly."
"People get scared off by anyone from the Sichuan Tang Family."
"Fair enough."
Even in wuxia novels, the Tangs weren't exactly saints.
"I heard you treated a poisoning victim whose arm turned pitch black."
Oh, she'd heard the rumors about me.
She continued.
"I want to learn your amazing detoxification skills, Physician."
"But your Tang Family excels at antidotes."
"You're not from our family, though. That means a completely different perspective and expertise—which is exactly why I can learn from you."
With those sparkling eyes, she looked incredibly sharp. Definitely the high-caliber talent I wanted.
But did she need to detox something insanely toxic?
I was curious but couldn't pry further. That would invade her privacy.
Digging into an employee's personal life is rude.
The real question now was...
Would this Tang girl—or Dang Seol-yeong—be a threat to me?
'Either way, she needs me to learn anything, right?'
To Dang Seol-yeong, I was essential.
Good enough. She wasn't a threat, at least.
Better yet, she was from the Sichuan Tang Family.
Tang Family meant top-tier poison experts in the murim world.
I lacked poison knowledge.
So Dang Seol-yeong would definitely be useful to me.
"Alright. You're hired as an apprentice."
Dang Seol-yeong's face lit up.
"Yes!"
We discussed pay. She insisted she wasn't here for money, but I settled on a fair wage out of conscience.
"First, here's what you'll do."
"Feel free to drop the formalities. I'm your Clear Seclusion Clinic apprentice now."
I'd always been polite to the nurses and aides back home.
"Sure."
If she insists, who am I to argue?
"But Physician, with no patients, what do we even do? Let's research poisons together."
"..."
No patients—hits where it hurts.
If I'd reincarnated into a golden spoon like the Tang or Nangong Families, I wouldn't be doing this.
"Patients will come. This is my livelihood. We'll ease into poisons and antidotes on the job."
"Yes!"
I showed her how to air out the room, sweep and wipe dust, boil linens, and sterilize tools.
Dang Seol-yeong's eyes went wide.
"I didn't expect this rundown clinic to be so thorough."
"Gotta keep it clean for patients."
"As expected of your mindset, Physician."
And Dang Seol-yeong diligently followed every instruction.
As she folded linens, she glanced back without turning and asked softly.
"So, how'd you detox that guy whose arm turned black?"
"Less detox, more extracting the toxin."
"Hold on."
Dang Seol-yeong pulled out a notebook and brush from her bosom, dipping it in ink to take notes.
She's eager. I like hardworking people.
"The poison's source was in his left leg. So, Three Mile Foot, Yin Mound Spring, Three Yin Intersection."
As I finished explaining, Dang Seol-yeong looked puzzled.
"How'd you know the source was in his left leg? No one could figure that out."
"No one?"
"N-No, I just heard many famous Deokyang physicians failed, so I assumed..."
Dang Seol-yeong's eyes darted around.
She's lying again.
But it was minor, so I let it slide.
'Can't exactly say I used Pulse Eye.'
Time to gloss over it.
"That's for you to learn going forward."
Dang Seol-yeong gaped at me blankly.
Admiration on her face.
Not a bad feeling.
I took her outside next.
Showed her outdoor cleaning and the herb garden.
She bent down to inspect the herbs, then murmured with a beaming smile.
"Plant some aconite, morning glory, and grass root here, and it'll be perfect."
"..."
All poisons.
Though they can be medicines in the right mixes.
Guess I'd hired a poison-obsessed girl as my apprentice.
In the office of Ten Thousand Winds Inn's owner, Na Ho-pyeong—who also served as Hao Gate's Deokyang Branch Chief.
Naturally, he compiled reports from his informants and sent them to headquarters.
A subordinate was briefing Na Ho-pyeong on the latest intel.
Chu Man-seok.
A senior informant, always diligent—Na Ho-pyeong's favorite.
Chu Man-seok rubbed his lower back repeatedly as he finished.
"That's all the intel we've gathered."
Na Ho-pyeong leaned back in his chair.
"Hmm. The Deokyang Medical District updates are interesting."
"Yes. White Herb Hall and Immortal Spirit Pharmacy are both ramping up their rivalry for the top clinic spot."
Sichuan's heart is Chengdu, but the Tang Family dominates it. So the medical district boomed in nearby Deokyang.
Central Plains' Jeongju Medical District.
Hubei Province's Yangyang Medical District.
And Sichuan's Deokyang Medical District—the murim world's three great medical hubs.
Na Ho-pyeong read the report with keen interest when Chu Man-seok asked.
"But didn't you used to ignore the medical district, Branch Chief?"
"Just got interested lately. Anyway."
Na Ho-pyeong eyed the back-rubbing Chu Man-seok.
"Back hurting?"
"Yeah, for a while now. Informants live with aches like this."
Informants hide in attics or tight spots daily. Sometimes stuck in one position all day.
Bad backs were inevitable.
Na Ho-pyeong nodded.
"Makes sense."
Masters wouldn't suffer this, but Hao Gate's third-rate warriors did.
"Why not see a physician?"
"I did. They said daily acupuncture for months. No time for that. We're short-staffed as is."
"White Herb Hall or Immortal Spirit Pharmacy?"
Chu Man-seok waved it off.
"Can't even get in. Too pricey, huge lines."
"Fair. Take a break and focus on treatment for now."
Chu Man-seok's eyes widened.
"What? Ridiculous. We're swamped investigating the Blood Massacre at Dongryeong Mountain. Can't fall behind other intel groups."
Stubborn. Na Ho-pyeong admired his work ethic—but worried, too.
Then Jang Wol popped into Na Ho-pyeong's mind.
"There's Clear Seclusion Clinic in Deokyang Medical District."
"Clear Seclusion? Oh, right. That place."
So small even Chu Man-seok barely recalled it.
"Give it a try."
Doubt flickered in Chu Man-seok's eyes.
As I organized herbs in the cabinet, Dang Seol-yeong's voice came from behind.
"No customers again today?"
The "again" grated a bit.
But it was true—no rebuttal.
No patients a few days ago, the day before, yesterday.
From her view, "again" fit.
'Lost out to veterans in my past life, and now here too?'
I shook my head.
No way.
I'd treated a tough case recently—rumors would spread.
Dang Seol-yeong came because of them, right?
Then.
"Hello?"
A voice from outside.
Dang Seol-yeong and I exchanged glances.
Soon, she led in the patient.
"Please sit here and jot your name and address in this ledger."
My patient record system.
Keep regulars coming with good management.
Chu Man-seok, lives near Ten Thousand Winds Inn market.
"Here for back pain?"
I'd guessed from his entrance posture. Simple diagnosis, but it impressed him.
"How'd you know?"
"Tell me more about the symptoms."
"I crouch in the same position for long stretches. One day, my back started hurting. Thought it was normal, but lately it's worse."
Dang Seol-yeong chimed in.
"Left flank lumbago."
"Left flank what?"
Meant herniated disc.
Dang Seol-yeong nodded.
"Yes. Poor posture crushed and damaged your lower back muscles. And it's chronic? You'll need to come daily for a month."
Chu Man-seok shot up.
"Same story here. I'm out—no time."
Can't lose a patient like this.
"Wait. Sit back down. Let me diagnose you."
He sat. I told Dang Seol-yeong.
"Apprentice."
"Yes?"
"I'll handle patient diagnoses from now on."
Her neck shrank like a turtle.
"Y-Yes..."
Kept the patient, but needed to win his trust.
'A Korean clinic's best edge: empathetic kindness you won't find elsewhere.'
Why elders flock here. Korean docs listen warmly more than others.
"You must be swamped. Back hurting, work piling up—I can imagine the stress."
Chu Man-seok stammered, flustered.
"...Y-Yeah. Can't commit to a month."
"I get it. Chronic back pain needs steady treatment, like my apprentice said."
Chu Man-seok's eyes bulged to protest. I cut him off.
"But that's just her opinion. I'm different. One session today fixes it."
"..."
"Trust me?"
"I... I do."
"Alright, pulse diagnosis first."
I took his proffered arm, entranced.
He came to the district, so murim man.
Hao Gate again.
Na Ho-pyeong send him?
Fine by me. Patient's a patient.
Pulse Eye showed simple chronic herniated disc. Fixable with skilled Fire Needle.
"Lie face-down on the treatment bed."
Chu Man-seok prone, I rolled up his back and leg clothes, inserted Fire Needles.
Back: Kidney Shu and Lumbar Yang points. Legs: Yang Mound Spring and Hidden Bell.
All prime for herniated discs.
As I needled, Dang Seol-yeong muttered skeptically beside me.
"Seriously needs a month..."
Waited for effects, removed needles.
"Try standing."
Chu Man-seok got up from the bed. His eyes widened.
"I-It really doesn't hurt anymore!"
Dang Seol-yeong watched, still doubtful. But this time, her disbelief was entirely different.