Chapter 54
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Unwilling Test Subject
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That night.
Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa gathered at Cho Ak-ryang's hut.
“I hear that bastard No Dan-yang is running wild like he owns the place.”
At Beom Gye-wi's question, Cho Ak-ryang snorted in derision.
“The arrogant fool already had a big head, but now that he has the Martial Alliance's authority behind him, he's become completely fearless.”
“But what's in it for him to become a lackey for the Martial Alliance? And bringing all his subordinates with him, too.”
“According to Neung So-mil, he seems to have made a promise with the Alliance Leader.”
“What kind of promise?”
“It seems he couldn't find out the specific details.”
The problem was the Evil-Shattering Corps, which he led.
So far, Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi had taken down a considerable number of its members, but it was only a fraction of their total strength.
Moreover, the numbers of the Evil-Shattering Corps were growing rapidly even as they spoke.
It was because they were using the authority and might of the Martial Alliance to absorb small and medium-sized factions, thereby expanding their influence.
“At this rate, it won't be long before the Martial Alliance swallows the entire martial world.”
Hearing Beom Gye-wi's prediction, Cho Ak-ryang couldn't hide his displeasure.
He didn't like how things were unfolding, but he couldn't deny the current reality.
“Witch, what do you think?”
Han Seol-hwa, who had been silently sipping her tea, answered nonchalantly.
“I don't care.”
“Then why are you listening?”
Han Seol-hwa replied with an annoyed look.
“Just pretend I'm not here.”
The two men couldn't hide their bewilderment.
A moment passed.
“Hey, Witch.”
Beom Gye-wi asked Han Seol-hwa.
“Be honest. You enjoy being with us, don't you?”
“...?”
“At some point, you started always being around whenever we talk.”
“...”
Han Seol-hwa just kept sipping her tea without a word.
As Han Seol-hwa brought the teacup to her lips again, Cho Ak-ryang spoke.
“I saw earlier that your cup was empty.”
Han Seol-hwa froze.
Embarrassed, she put down the teacup and started to leave.
Cho Ak-ryang stopped her.
“Just stay. We're done with the Seven Severing Demonic Lord. Now we need to talk about Physician Dan.”
At the mention of Dan Ak-seon, Beom Gye-wi was the first to react.
“Is there some problem with Physician Dan?”
Han Seol-hwa sat back down, and Cho Ak-ryang began to speak.
“The internal energy cultivation method. Now that we've decided he should learn it, we can't delay any longer.”
“True. Even if he starts now, it's not exactly early.”
Han Seol-hwa also offered her opinion for the first time.
“We can't ruin a talent the likes of which the world has never seen.”
Cho Ak-ryang nodded and asked the other two.
“When do you think we can start?”
“The theory is more or less established, but...”
Beom Gye-wi hesitated before speaking cautiously.
“Theory and practice are very different, you know.”
The three fell silent for a moment.
As Beom Gye-wi said, there were still too many variables.
They couldn't rashly have Dan Ak-seon learn an incomplete internal energy cultivation method.
“Should we just grab someone and try teaching it to them?”
A glint appeared in Cho Ak-ryang's eyes at Beom Gye-wi's casually thrown remark.
“That's a good idea.”
“Huh? It is?”
Unlike the flustered Beom Gye-wi, Han Seol-hwa immediately caught on to Cho Ak-ryang's thought.
“A suitable candidate just walked in, after all.”
“Oh? Right.”
Only then did Beom Gye-wi realize what the other two were planning.
“But what if something goes wrong?”
Cho Ak-ryang answered Beom Gye-wi's question.
“We'll just fix him. Didn't you say the method for treating severed meridians was derived from the one used to cure cultivation deviation?”
“Right, I did.”
The three shared a meaningful smile.
And so, once again, Neung So-mil's fate was decided without his consent.
At the same time.
Neung So-mil felt a chill for no reason.
He thought it might be the chilly night air, but it wasn't.
*What is this? This ominous feeling?*
He looked around, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.
*Is it because I'm nervous?*
Watching Sa Mu-sim's back as he walked ahead, Neung So-mil inwardly nodded.
*I suppose so.*
The saying "a dagger hidden in a smile" didn't come from nowhere.
The Money-Grubbing Ghost Lord before him was more than capable of hiding a blade behind a smile.
It would be stranger not to be nervous.
Sa Mu-sim, who was guiding Neung So-mil, pointed to a hut next to the warehouse.
“You'll be staying here for the time being.”
Wary of Sa Mu-sim, Neung So-mil spoke cautiously.
“Isn't this your residence, Steward?”
“I can't very well let a patient be exposed to the night dew, can I?”
Sa Mu-sim wore a benevolent smile.
“You must be tired from your long journey. Don't feel burdened, just rest comfortably.”
Neung So-mil stared blankly at Sa Mu-sim.
His excessive kindness only amplified his suspicion and anxiety.
*What in the world is he doing? Why is he being so nice?*
He was even preparing the bedding himself and had set out water in case he got thirsty.
Finally unable to bear it, Neung So-mil asked.
“Um...”
“...?”
“You are... the one they called the Money-Grubbing Ghost Lord... Senior Sa, right?”
Sa Mu-sim replied with a gentle gaze.
“There was a time I was called that. But now, I am simply the steward of Divine Demon Valley.”
Neung So-mil wondered just how much of that he should believe.
Sa Mu-sim continued speaking to him in a kind tone.
“I know better than anyone how you must be feeling right now. I was the same way. But this place, in the end, is a place where people live. You'll get used to it as time passes. Not to mention the three Seniors, the Valley Lord is also a person worthy of respect.”
Those words made Neung So-mil wary all over again.
*Come to think of it, they said he was a physician, right?*
He wanted to find Dan Ak-seon and ask what kind of medicine he had fed him.
Otherwise, it was hard to explain why the Money-Grubbing Ghost Lord, so famous for his wickedness, was acting like an enlightened monk.
It was then.
Sa Mu-sim, seeing someone behind Neung So-mil, respectfully bowed his head.
“You've arrived.”
Neung So-mil reflexively turned his head and was startled.
Led by Cho Ak-ryang, Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa were standing there—he didn't know for how long—giving him a strange look.
“You're Neung So-mil, right?”
Neung So-mil flinched at Beom Gye-wi's words.
“Yes? Yes!”
“What kind of meat do you like?”
“Pardon?”
“You want me to repeat myself?”
As Beom Gye-wi scowled, Neung So-mil hurriedly answered.
“I like pork!”
“Right. Got it.”
With those words, Beom Gye-wi turned away.
Then, Han Seol-hwa asked.
“Fruit?”
“Pardon?”
“...”
Under Han Seol-hwa's steady glare, Neung So-mil hastily replied.
“R-Raspberries! I like raspberries.”
Hearing his answer, Han Seol-hwa also turned away without a word.
As expected, Cho Ak-ryang also threw a question at him.
“What kind of liquor do you like?”
“Sh-Shaoxing wine...”
Without even waiting for him to finish, Cho Ak-ryang disappeared.
Neung So-mil could only stand there with a blank face, completely baffled.
“What in the world just happened?”
After coming to his senses, Neung So-mil asked Sa Mu-sim.
Sa Mu-sim smiled and replied.
“It warms my heart to see the Seniors have taken a liking to you. You should go in and rest. I still have work to do.”
“I'll help.”
“Didn't you hear the Valley Lord say you need to recuperate for a while? Don't feel burdened, just get plenty of rest.”
With that, Sa Mu-sim also turned and left without a second thought.
Left alone, Neung So-mil couldn't hide his bewilderment.
*What is this? Why do I feel so anxious?*
It didn't take long for Neung So-mil to realize why.
The next morning.
Neung So-mil blinked at the lavish meal spread out before him.
It was because of the appetizing steamed suckling pig, a plate full of raspberries, and a whole crock of Shaoxing wine.
In contrast, everyone else's meal consisted entirely of vegetables.
*Why only me?*
He felt too burdened to dare take a bite.
Seeing Neung So-mil hesitate, Beom Gye-wi suddenly spoke up.
“What are you doing? Eat up.”
Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa were the same.
Under the intense stares of the three, Neung So-mil reluctantly brought the food to his mouth.
“Won't you join me?”
Feeling quite awkward eating the delicious food by himself, Neung So-mil spoke cautiously.
But the three just shook their heads with meaningful smiles.
“No. It's all for you.”
Beom Gye-wi pushed the dishes closer to Neung So-mil.
“Th-thank you.”
“No. We should be thanking you.”
“Pardon?”
“Hurry up and eat. Don't leave anything behind.”
Even while eating the delicious food, Neung So-mil couldn't taste a thing.
He was so nervous he couldn't tell if the food was going into his nose or his mouth.
Halfway through, he felt full and wanted to stop, but he couldn't.
He couldn't bring himself to leave any food behind under the burdensome gazes of the three, which were fixed on him.
In the end, after forcing himself to finish everything, Neung So-mil panted for breath.
“Finished?”
“Yes...”
Neung So-mil barely managed to answer Cho Ak-ryang's question.
“Then let's have a little chat.”
“...”
Dragged by the three to a secluded spot, Neung So-mil felt the anxiety he had tried so hard to suppress creeping back up.
Sure enough.
“Are you telling me to give up my martial arts?”
Neung So-mil shouted in dismay at the thunderous news.
His skills were insignificant compared to theirs, but he was still a martial artist.
He would rather die than give up his martial arts.
Cho Ak-ryang clicked his tongue at Beom Gye-wi.
“Tsk! How is he supposed to understand if you just say it like that, without any context?”
This was because the first thing Beom Gye-wi had said after dragging Neung So-mil over was, "Let's get rid of your martial arts."
Beom Gye-wi said with an aggrieved expression.
“Well, it's not wrong. To learn a new internal energy cultivation method, you have to disperse all your existing internal energy first, right?”
“That's why you should have explained the reason first. Look at him. He looks like he's about to have a heart attack. How do you expect him to willingly learn martial arts like this?”
“What's he going to do if he doesn't want to?”
Beom Gye-wi glared at Neung So-mil.
“Speak up. You don't want to learn martial arts from us?”
“Th-that's...”
Confronted with Beom Gye-wi's killing intent from point-blank range, Neung So-mil's face turned pale.
Casting a pathetic look at Beom Gye-wi, Cho Ak-ryang finally stepped forward.
“I've come to a realization after this incident.”
Terrified and darting his eyes around, Neung So-mil snapped to attention at Cho Ak-ryang's next words.
“Since you went to such lengths for me, isn't it only right that I give you a suitable reward?”
“A reward?”
“We will personally bestow upon you a martial art.”
Sensing something suspicious, Neung So-mil quickly waved his hands in refusal.
“N-no! It's fine! I didn't do it for a reward!”
“Don't refuse.”
At that moment, Beom Gye-wi cut in.
“You can't refuse.”
“...!”
“You wouldn't be ignoring our goodwill, would you? Right?”
His face drained of color, Neung So-mil finally understood why they had brought him meat and liquor.
As he'd suspected, it was no simple gift.
“It won't be a bad thing for you, either. The nature of this martial world is that you need the skills to back you up if you want to avoid a harsh fate.”
Neung So-mil stammered.
“Are you asking me to become the joint disciple of you Seniors?”
Han Seol-hwa let out a snort of laughter.
Beom Gye-wi was just as dumbfounded.
Worried about a potential misunderstanding, Cho Ak-ryang quickly continued his explanation.
“We're not trying to pass down our unique martial arts. We intend to teach you a martial art that the three of us created together.”
*How is that any different?*
Neung So-mil suddenly grew anxious.
After all, Neung So-mil was the head of an intelligence organization.
If there was one thing he excelled at, it was gathering given information and assessing the situation.
*Damn it all...!*
Through the ensuing conversation between Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi, Neung So-mil realized the situation he was in.
In short, they needed someone to experiment on with their newly created internal energy cultivation method.
He was so dumbfounded he was at a loss for words.
Neung So-mil felt a dark cloud looming over his destiny.