Chapter 19
Episode 19
Misunderstandings Summon the Sword (1)
Ten days ago, the young family head, Se-woon, suddenly appeared at the Medical Hall.
"Now, I wish to repay the debt I owe to our clan and contribute to the family."
This was the meaningful first step Se-woon took immediately after the house arrest imposed by the family head was lifted.
However, neither Tang Se-rin, the deputy head of the Medical Hall, nor Tang Jun, its leader—no, none of the Medical Hall's members—had held much expectation.
Because the medical skill they all knew Se-woon possessed was barely enough to treat minor scrapes and bruises.
But......
"Who would've known! In such a short time, the young master's medical skills have soared to the heavens!"
"There's no illness he can't cure with a single needle—no wonder people are flocking to him like this."
"Rumors say he received teachings from the Divine Doctor of the Emei Sect."
"Oh, that might actually be true!"
What kind of enlightenment had he experienced?
From the very first day he appeared at the Medical Hall, Se-woon displayed astonishing skill.
With his godlike acupuncture, every patient he treated recovered completely and returned home healed.
Though the Tang family's prestige had declined, reducing the Medical Hall to serving only a handful of regulars, the rapid spread of rumors about Se-woon had temporarily overcome this downturn.
'So the aspect the Fourth Elder mentioned—that there was something to learn from him—was about his medical skills.'
Ha-young finally felt her doubts resolve.
Se-woon's congenital disability had long been whispered about in Sichuan's martial world, so she was aware of it.
If he had devoted himself not to martial arts but to medicine, it made sense that he could achieve such remarkable results.
"The escort agency only recently gained fame. Back when the Tang family was one of the Seven Great Families, their forge and medical hall were considered the best!"
"Exactly, the very foundation of foundations!"
"Phew. If only the wait were just a bit shorter, it'd be perfect."
"......But honestly, if we have to wait this long, wouldn't it be better to go to the Emei Sect, where the skills are far superior?"
Cheong Yeon, her pride wounded, subtly inserted herself into the conversation, but the patients merely snorted in response.
"Hmph, only the wealthy can even step through their gates. For commoners like us, getting a diagnosis is like plucking stars from the sky."
"And unless you're seeing the Divine Doctor herself, our young master is far better."
"Absolutely. Just a few days ago, he cured a man suffering from boils—someone even the Emei Sect had turned away with a single glance."
"Ugh, our young master alone is a hundred, no, a thousand times better than the Emei Sect!"
Ha-young's face flushed with embarrassment.
The other two felt the same.
Concerned for her master's dignity, Ha-young sent a Sound Transmission to Abbess Geumhwa.
[Master. I'll quickly go through the back and inform the other gatekeepers.]
[No.]
But Abbess Geumhwa refused the suggestion.
Ha-young was taken aback.
[Huh? Why not?]
[Since things have come to this, let's wait and see. I've grown curious to witness the skill of this Tang family's young master, who claims to surpass the Emei Sect.]
[......!]
It seemed the patient's earlier remark had pricked Abbess Geumhwa's pride in the Emei Sect.
Abbess Geumhwa's epithet was Living Sword of Medicine.
She was one whose medical skills were said to rival even those of the Divine Doctor Boyeon—so such words would have wounded her pride deeply.
'No, I feel the same way.'
In the end, Ha-young didn't try to dissuade her master.
Part of it was the disciple's deference—she couldn't dare defy her master's will.
But she, too, shared Abbess Geumhwa's discomfort and suspicion about the situation.
"Ugh, how much longer do we have to wait?"
Cheong Yeon, who had suddenly found herself in line, began whining, but she wouldn't have to endure it for long.
Given the absurdly long line, Ha-young estimated it would take at least half a day.
But......
"Next patient, please come in."
"And the next patient as well."
'......This fast?'
The line ahead was shrinking at an unbelievable pace.
'This is impossible.'
At that moment, Ha-young reached a conclusion.
This speed was anything but normal.
Even if it were just diagnoses without treatment, it should have taken far longer.
There was only one way this could be happening.
"These people......."
Abbess Geumhwa's eyes turned icy cold.
A deep fury radiated from her.
Using numbing agents to dull the pain, pretending the patient was cured, and pocketing the fees—
In short, medical fraud.
The kind of thing only unscrupulous rogue practitioners or lowlifes would do.
It was the very act Abbess Geumhwa despised most—robbing patients not just of money but of the golden time they could have used to seek real treatment.
'Did they think they could get away with this just because they owe the Tang family a debt?'
The warmth in Ha-young's eyes, which had briefly regarded Se-woon favorably, also chilled in that instant.
"Next patient, please come in."
Finally, their turn arrived.
Guided by a female medic, the three finally stepped inside the Medical Hall.
Physicians and medics in the Tang family's signature green robes and white caps embroidered with the character for medicine bustled about busily.
"If you're here to see the young master, please wait here a little longer. Someone will be with you shortly to assist."
"Thank you."
As soon as the medic bowed and left, the three couldn't help but sigh.
'Ha, textbook medical fraud. How much extra are they going to extort in the middle?'
They could already see what was coming.
Soon, a middleman would appear and pressure them, saying the young master wouldn't see them unless they paid an additional fee.
The three were utterly disgusted.
This wasn't the behavior of some rogue sect or underworld thugs—it was happening openly in an orthodox family's medical hall.
But.
"Oh, apologies. You've all been waiting a long time, haven't you?"
"......?"
Moments later, contrary to their expectations, the one who appeared was a young servant around Cheong Yeon's age.
Jang Il, wiping the sweat beading on his forehead with his sleeve, spoke up.
"Whew, today's especially busy with patients seeking the young master. Please, follow me."
"......Is that all?"
"Huh?"
At Ha-young's question, Jang Il blinked blankly, as if he didn't understand.
After the three stared at him intently for a while, Jang Il, belatedly realizing something, continued with an awkward expression.
"Oh dear, I forgot the most important thing."
Here it comes.
The three focused on Jang Il's next words.
"So, which of you is here for treatment?"
"Huh?"
"Excuse me?"
This time, it was the three who blinked in confusion. They were utterly dumbfounded.
No matter how long they waited, there was no mention of additional fees.
No—this couldn't be happening.
Just as bewilderment crept onto their faces—
"......Um, is no one here for treatment?"
Jang Il cautiously asked.
Ah, right.
To receive treatment, someone had to be injured.
As Jang Il tilted his head in confusion, suspicion flickered in his eyes—
Thwack!
"Ahh!"
"Gasp! A-Are you okay?"
"Ahem, as you can see, this child has injured her leg."
Cheong Yeon suddenly clutched her calf and hopped on one foot.
Abbess Geumhwa had lightly kicked Cheong Yeon's calf at a speed imperceptible to Jang Il's untrained eyes.
"Uh, um."
"Ah! S-Sorry!"
"N-No, it's fine."
Flustered, Jang Il quickly let go after helping steady Cheong Yeon, whose face had turned bright red.
In the slightly awkward atmosphere that followed, Jang Il, afraid of being reprimanded, hastily led the three to Se-woon's examination room.
"Please wait here. The young master will see you as soon as the current patient's treatment is finished."
With a bow, Jang Il hurried off to attend to the next patient.
The three stood in the small courtyard, gazing at the examination room ahead.
Due to the sweltering heat, the door was half-open.
'......That must be him.'
Unlike the others, he wore a green robe with purple lining—the mark of the Tang family's direct lineage.
His back was turned, but his silhouette was far too slender for a martial artist.
"Sniff... Young Master. Please, please help my child."
"Don't cry, Mom."
Then, another figure came into view—not Se-woon, but a woman weeping uncontrollably and a child around five years old comforting her.
Abbess Geumhwa's expression darkened.
[Focus. The moment we confirm fraudulent treatment, we strike immediately.]
[Understood.]
[Don't worry, Master!]
Whoosh!
After exchanging the Sound Transmission, a golden energy began to shimmer in their eyes.
The Golden Summit Divine Technique, the pinnacle of the Emei Sect's internal arts, infused their vision with clarity.
Though the distance was considerable, with their energy enhanced, they could see as clearly as if they were right in front.
The woman's clothing was visibly shabby.
The faint, fishy scent reaching their noses suggested she likely sold fish at the market.
"Calm yourself. I'll make sure he's healed."
"Sniff... Sob... Young Master."
'......!'
But unlike the hypocrites of other martial families, Se-woon didn't hesitate to pat the woman's shoulder reassuringly, calming her down.
Then, he turned to the sullen child.
"So, what's your name?"
"It's So-ha. Jin So-ha."
"That's a wonderful name. So, So-ha, where does it hurt?"
The child pointed to his left leg with a finger.
His right pant leg was clean, but the left was filthy with dirt and dust—evidence of countless falls.
"Here. My left leg hasn't moved for three months."
"Oh dear. That must have been very hard. May I take a look?"
"......Other doctors say I'll never walk again."
"Tch. You've only met quacks, haven't you?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Se-woon responded to the child's hopeless words.
"So-ha, I promise you this."
"Huh? What?"
"Once the treatment is over, you'll be able to run all the way home."
"Wow, really?"
"Heh, of course."
The delighted child rolled up his pant leg, revealing a withered ankle, atrophied from disuse.
Se-woon carefully examined the affected area with gentle hands.
'......What's that?'
Ha-young's eyes narrowed.
She caught sight of strange black gloves on Se-woon's hands.
Just then, Se-woon asked the child softly:
"Did you ever have to dodge something suddenly?"
"Uh, now that you mention it, I once rolled out of the way of a carriage."
"I thought so."
The mother's eyes widened in shock.
She had taken her child to countless doctors, but none had ever deduced the cause so effortlessly.
Trembling with newfound hope, she clung to Se-woon's words.
"D-Do you know what's wrong?"
"Yes."
Se-woon nodded and continued smoothly.
"It's foot drop. The nerve running down this part of his shin must have been injured. The trauma likely paralyzed the surrounding muscles as well."
"S-So, can it be cured?"
"I was just about to fix it right now."
"—!"
Se-woon flashed a reassuring smile before shifting seamlessly from diagnosis to treatment.
Watching this, Cheong Yeon scoffed in disbelief.
[Ha, how utterly despicable!]
[.......]
[.......]
[Master? Senior Sister?]
But her call faded into silence.
Unlike Cheong Yeon, who was seething with anger, the other two were utterly bewildered.
Cheong Yeon, whose medical knowledge lagged behind her martial prowess, hadn't noticed—
'But listening again and observing the child, his diagnosis was frighteningly accurate.'
'......Even I couldn't have diagnosed it that quickly.'
Because Se-woon's assessment matched their own conclusions perfectly.
Having been so certain it was fraud, their shock was all the greater.
But.
'......No. It's too soon to dismiss our suspicions.'
They decided to watch a little longer.
No matter how flawless the diagnosis, the lightning-fast "recoveries" they had witnessed earlier were impossible.
Diagnosis and treatment belonged to entirely different realms.
Numbing agents could temporarily relieve pain, but restoring the ability to walk required genuine healing.
Abbess Geumhwa and Ha-young sharpened their focus further.
And then—
Whoosh!
Their pupils trembled as if struck by an earthquake.
From the tips of Se-woon's gloves, where there had been nothing before—
'What is—?'
'H-How?!'
Like a goblin's trick—
Mysterious black needles materialized out of thin air.
The Black Needles of the Sichuan Overlord.