Chapter 9
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Unintended Consequences
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“But there are quite a few of them. Will that be alright?”
The shop owner, having checked the various wooden statues loaded on the cart, was greatly surprised.
“I'm worried I won't be able to sell all of these right away. Items worth five silver taels don't sell that often.”
“Should I bring just a few then?”
“No. I'll buy them all. If I really can't sell them, I can just take them to another town.”
Just then, someone approached the cart.
It was the owner of the woodcraft shop Dan Ak-seon had visited first.
“What is the meaning of this! I told you I'd buy them all!”
Perhaps because he was in a rush, he bumped into someone as he hurried over.
“In the middle of the road, what bad luck…”
The owner, about to unleash a torrent of curses, quickly swallowed his words. He was momentarily intimidated by Beom Gye-wi's massive frame.
Beom Gye-wi stared down at him.
He had already overheard the conversation between him and Dan Ak-seon.
“From now on, you're forbidden from approaching this shop.”
“But this is a shopping alley…”
“Go around the other way. If you don't want your head smashed in.”
Beom Gye-wi picked up a stone from the roadside and clenched his fist.
*Crunch.*
In an instant, the stone crumbled into dust.
“…!”
The face of the owner who had come to protest turned deathly pale.
He had dealt with all sorts of people while running his business, but the giant before him was on a completely different level.
A bottomless, distant abyss.
He felt as if the darkness of that abyss was opening its maw towards him.
*Thud.*
At the sight of the man collapsing on the spot, Beom Gye-wi clicked his tongue.
“A grown man, pissing his pants.”
Beom Gye-wi looked at Dan Ak-seon and smiled quietly.
Having completed the transaction, Dan Ak-seon received the payment slip. It was for a whopping one hundred and fifty silver taels.
Dan Ak-seon headed straight for the apothecary.
“Mister! I'm here!”
“Oh, yes. You're he—!”
The apothecary owner was startled to see Beom Gye-wi appear behind Dan Ak-seon.
He had never in his life seen someone so large.
Dan Ak-seon whispered softly to Beom Gye-wi.
“He's a good person, so please be nice to him.”
Beom Gye-wi nodded and grinned at the apothecary owner.
The apothecary owner shivered. It was due to a sudden, inexplicable chill that washed over him.
Dan Ak-seon handed him the payment slip.
“This is for the tab I promised to pay yesterday.”
“Oh? Oh, right.”
“What about the medicinal herbs you were going to get for me?”
“As a matter of fact, I was just waiting for you to come by.”
The apothecary owner took out a box from under the table. When he opened it, a terribly pungent smell filled the room.
Beom Gye-wi frowned.
“You're paying money for this crap?”
Dan Ak-seon replied with a smile.
“It's a medicinal herb that unblocks meridians and aids circulation.”
Dan Ak-seon looked at the apothecary owner.
“How much is it?”
“Just take it instead of the change.”
“What? But you said it was more expensive than its weight in gold…”
“Because you're a valued regular at my shop.”
Dan Ak-seon felt something was strange.
No matter how much of a regular he was, the owner was still a merchant.
There had to be a reason for him to take such a loss.
As Dan Ak-seon hesitated, the apothecary owner practically shoved the box into his hands.
“Here, now that it has left my hands, it's yours.”
“Oh? Yes… I'll make good use of it.”
It was certainly suspicious, but he couldn't refuse it.
After all, it was a necessary herb for the treatment of the two men.
“Ahem. Well, I have something to attend to.”
The apothecary owner, glancing nervously at Beom Gye-wi, disappeared inside the building.
Seeing this, Dan Ak-seon tilted his head.
“What's wrong? Isn't it a good thing you got it cheap?”
At Beom Gye-wi's question, Dan Ak-seon looked in the direction the apothecary owner had disappeared.
“Come to think of it, this has happened a few times…”
“You said he was a good person, didn't you?”
“He certainly is a good person, but… Hmm…”
Something still bothered Dan Ak-seon.
***
The next morning, Dan Ak-seon woke up early as usual.
“Haaah…”
Dan Ak-seon let out a sigh without realizing it.
Normally, he would have started his day by opening the window of the two-story pavilion and admiring the scenery of Divine Demon Valley.
It was one of the few joys in his monotonous life, but lately, he hadn't been able to do so.
It was because of the drastically changed appearance of Divine Demon Valley.
Stepping out of the pavilion, Dan Ak-seon looked around.
And just as he expected…
The meadow that had been full of blooming flowers was now messily dug up in various places.
Furthermore, the clothesline strung between the trees was laden with tattered rags, their original shapes hard to discern.
This was the result of Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi's efforts.
Dan Ak-seon missed the former elegance of Divine Demon Valley.
But he couldn't just tell them to stop.
He didn't want to pour cold water on their well-intentioned goodwill.
Dan Ak-seon headed to the pond to wash his face.
“Huh?”
It was then that he discovered a fish floating on the surface of the water.
He reached out and scooped up the fish.
But a small piece of cloth came out of the dead fish's mouth.
It had mistaken the piece of cloth floating on the water for food. Now that he looked, dead fish were floating all over the pond.
“I can't let this go on.”
*Splash.*
With a determined look, Dan Ak-seon jumped into the pond.
While Cho Ak-ryang was concentrating on circulating his internal energy.
*Tap, tap.*
Someone touched his knee.
“Brother Cho, wake up.”
It was Beom Gye-wi.
Cho Ak-ryang opened his eyes and glared at Beom Gye-wi.
As their eyes met, Beom Gye-wi raised a hand and pointed outside the thatched hut.
“Something's wrong with Physician Dan.”
“Physician Dan?”
Beom Gye-wi nodded.
“He suddenly jumped into the pond and is doing something. He's been coughing constantly but just won't come out.”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“If I knew that, would I have come looking for you?”
Cho Ak-ryang stepped out of the hut.
It was just as Beom Gye-wi had said. Dan Ak-seon was wading through the pond, scooping something out.
“*Cough, cough.*”
And he was doing it while coughing, his face pale.
That wasn't all.
After getting out of the pond and briefly wringing out his wet clothes, he immediately started cleaning.
Cho Ak-ryang approached Dan Ak-seon.
“I told you we'd do the cleaning.”
Dan Ak-seon forced a smile.
“It's alright. I'll just do it myself. I think that would be better.”
Cho Ak-ryang had a bitter taste in his mouth.
How could he not know why?
He and Beom Gye-wi had no talent for chores. They had only kept at it because Dan Ak-seon never said anything.
When Cho Ak-ryang returned, Beom Gye-wi looked puzzled.
“Why did you just come back? You were supposed to convince him.”
“Convince him? If we keep doing it, we'll just be a nuisance anyway.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“He's not satisfied with our cleaning and laundry skills.”
“Why? We both worked hard, didn't we?”
“Yes, that's the problem.”
Cho Ak-ryang sighed.
“Some people are just hopeless, no matter how hard they try.”
At Cho Ak-ryang's lament, Beom Gye-wi also became sullen.
“To think these damn chores are harder than martial arts training.”
A moment passed.
Beom Gye-wi looked towards Dan Ak-seon with a worried expression.
“So we're just going to leave him like that? How is he supposed to perform acupuncture properly while coughing like that?”
“It seems we'll have to invite an expert.”
“Wait here. I'll go grab one right now.”
Cho Ak-ryang grabbed Beom Gye-wi as he was about to dash off.
“Invite, not kidnap!”
Cho Ak-ryang continued to explain.
“We need a pretext. One that Physician Dan will accept.”
“So, how?”
“We need to bring someone who needs treatment, like us. Someone who's good at cleaning.”
After thinking for a moment, Beom Gye-wi thought of someone.
“What about that one guy?”
“Who?”
“You know, the one who calls himself the Divine Thief and sings his own praises.”
“The Ghostly Shadow Demonic Son?”
Cho Ak-ryang nodded.
“With his movement techniques, he'd finish cleaning in an instant. But is he sick anywhere?”
“Damn it! The bastard is uselessly healthy!”
Beom Gye-wi mentioned another person.
“Then what about that old freak, the Withered Tree? That man lost a hand, didn't he?”
“Even a Divine Physician can't make a missing hand grow back, can he?”
Beom Gye-wi snapped.
“Why not! A Divine Physician should be able to make a missing hand grow back!”
“Putting that issue aside, do you think he'd come willingly if we asked?”
“…?”
“Would he listen to the man who blew off his wrist?”
“That… was me?”
Cho Ak-ryang frowned.
“How can you not even remember what you've done?”
Beom Gye-wi shouted in frustration.
“Damn it! Then what the hell are we supposed to do!”
“Actually, there is one person I have in mind…”
“There is?”
“It's just…”
Pondering, Cho Ak-ryang sighed once more.
“Haaah… She's really perfect for it, but…”
Finally, Beom Gye-wi's patience reached its limit.
“Who is it already! Just say the name! I'll go grab her right now!”
“The Ice Jade Fairy.”
Beom Gye-wi flinched.
“Who?”
“Han Seol-hwa.”
“That woman who makes everyone, orthodox and unorthodox alike, shudder?”
Cho Ak-ryang nodded.
“Are you out of your mind?”
Beom Gye-wi raised his voice.
“Is there no one else that we have to bring that crazy bitch here?”
“Are you one to talk?”
“It's different! I only lose my mind sometimes, but she only comes to her senses sometimes!”
Beom Gye-wi shook his head.
“No way! I can't do it! No, I won't do it! If you really want to bring her, you go yourself, Brother Cho. I won't stop you from doing that.”
“I have things to do here.”
“What things?”
“I have to earn money.”
Beom Gye-wi swallowed dryly.
It was a checkmate with no way out.
***
After finishing the cleaning, Dan Ak-seon immediately continued with the rest of his daily tasks.
He began to wander through Divine Demon Valley with a large basket on his back.
It was to gather wild medicinal herbs that grew in clusters.
Perhaps because he had been in the cold pond for a long time, his complexion was pale, and he coughed from time to time.
Yet, he did not rest his hands.
When he had filled the basket about halfway, Dan Ak-seon sensed a presence and turned his head.
He saw Beom Gye-wi striding towards him.
“You rarely take a break.”
Dan Ak-seon smiled gently.
“If I keep moving, my body warms up.”
The sight of him felt so pitiful. He felt sorry. It seemed Dan Ak-seon was suffering more because of them.
“Is that a medicinal herb, too?”
Beom Gye-wi pointed to the red flower in Dan Ak-seon's hand.
Dan Ak-seon nodded.
“Yes. It's called a Silk Gauze Flower. There's nothing better for managing pain and fever.”
“Is it good for the body?”
Dan Ak-seon stopped Beom Gye-wi as he reached out to grab the flower.
“You can't eat it!”
“Why?”
“To be used as medicine, it must undergo a complex preparation process.”
“What's that?”
“It's a process to remove the poison.”
“It was a poisonous herb?”
“Yes. That's why it's also called the Yama Flower.”
Dan Ak-seon asked Beom Gye-wi.
“Did you have something to say to me?”
“Ah, right.”
Beom Gye-wi nodded, his expression turning quite serious.
“I'm thinking of going to Black Dragon Fortress.”
“Why there?”
“There's a patient there. By the way, can you treat madness?”
“It depends on the situation. What are the symptoms?”
“Hmm… a foul personality, and even fouler actions.”
“I don't think it will be too difficult. I'm quite used to it by now.”
“Hehe. Well, Brother Cho is quite a handful, isn't he?”
Dan Ak-seon gave a vague smile. There was no need to point out the truth with one of the subjects standing right in front of him.
“It will take a long time to go to Black Dragon Fortress and back, won't it?”
“A month at most? If I can just find her, it won't take that long.”
“Then please give me a few days.”
“Why?”
“I'll prepare some medicine for you to take, Mister Beom. It will definitely help.”
Beom Gye-wi readily nodded.
“Alright. Before that, I should chop a ton of wood for Brother Cho to use.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Beom Gye-wi started walking towards the valley entrance. Dan Ak-seon called out a warning to him.
“On your way in and out, never touch that.”
Beom Gye-wi looked at the pile of stones Dan Ak-seon was pointing at and asked with a puzzled expression.
“What is it?”
“It's a formation I've set up here.”
“A formation?”
“Yes. It's currently deactivated, but if you remove the stone placed on the very top, the formation will activate immediately. If the formation activates…”
Beom Gye-wi scoffed.
“Hmph, as if I can't just smash some paltry formation to pieces.”
Dan Ak-seon smiled bitterly.
“It's not an ordinary formation that simply confuses the senses. And even if you could, please don't.”
Beom Gye-wi flinched at Dan Ak-seon's next words.
“Because it's something my parents left for me. I'd like to preserve it as it is, if possible.”
“Understood. I won't touch it.”
Beom Gye-wi deliberately walked a wide circle around the pile of stones.