Chapter 33
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: The Frame-Up
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Chapter 33
There were five visitors in total.
Four disciples from the Mount Hua Sect and the eldest son of the Jiwol Medical House.
Cheong Song, the head disciple I had seen before, was leading the group from Mount Hua.
He showed a flicker of surprise upon seeing me, Wi Ji-cheon, but given the circumstances, he didn't acknowledge me.
"Thank you, honored guests from the Mount Hua Sect and the Jiwol Medical House, for coming."
"Amitabha. I am Cheong Song, a third-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. My condolences for your loss."
"Do not worry. I, Ji San of the Jiwol Medical House, will avenge your late father."
A murmur went through the crowd.
Xi'an was Mount Hua's territory.
There wasn't a soul who didn't know who Cheong Song was.
The same went for the Jiwol Medical House.
While not the top medical house in Xi'an, everyone knew of their expertise in forensic medicine.
As a major city, Xi'an saw all sorts of crimes, and the constabulary had relied on the Jiwol Medical House's help more than a few times to catch criminals.
"I, Ji San, even studied abroad at the Evil Alliance Medical House. Catching the culprit will be a simple matter."
His voice was brimming with confidence.
For reference, each of the Heaven-grade medical houses had its own unrivaled field of expertise.
The White Immortal Medical House of Health Preservation!
The Sichuan Tang Clan of Detoxification!
The Heavenly Peak Medical House of Trauma!
The Demonic Cult Medical House of Inner Demons!
And the Evil Alliance Medical Houses was forensic medicine.
These Heaven-grade medical houses developed their strengths due to their respective environments.
The White Immortal Medical House became experts in health preservation because they treated the wealthiest clients.
The Heavenly Peak Medical House of the Martial Alliance, which dealt with the most real-life incidents occurring throughout the martial world, specialized in trauma.
And the Demonic Cult Medical House, responsible for treating the demonic practitioners who were always on the verge of losing their minds, became specialized in treating inner demons.
Theres even a saying that the Demonic Cult is a relatively sane organization compared to the Blood Cult because the physicians of the Demonic Cult Medical House treat their inner demons.
The place where the most crimes occurred in this martial world was the Heretic Alliance, a gathering of the forces of the underworld.
Therefore, the physicians of the Evil Alliance Medical House were the foremost experts of their time in forensic medicine used to track criminals.
But I doubt the crazy bastards at the Evil Alliance Medical House would have accepted a hollow disciple like him.
Wi Ji-cheon knew the Evil Alliance Medical House well.
As he had briefly mentioned before, he had once been a part of the Heretic Alliance.
The physicians of the Evil Alliance Medical House were well.
They were like crazed snakes.
Calling a physician a snake? But it was true.
The physicians of the Evil Alliance Medical House were masters not only of forensic medicine but also of torture. The Bone-Shattering and Tendon-Grinding technique that Wi Ji-cheon often used was something he had learned from one of their physicians.
I picked up bits and pieces about forensic medicine, but my own medical knowledge was so shallow back then that I didn't gain much. If I were to hear it again now, it would be a great help.
In any case, that wasn't what was important right now.
Lets just watch how this plays out.
Wi Ji-cheon was convinced that the second son, Seo Eun, was the one behind Seo Ho's murder.
In the life Wi Ji-cheon had lived before, it was Seo Eun who became the lord of the Seo Manor.
He didn't know how the current lord, Seo Ho, had died. At that time, Wi Ji-cheon had been too young to leave Nanyang, and the news of Seo Ho's death wasn't significant enough to spread that far. Or perhaps he simply hadn't heard it even if it had.
What Wi Ji-cheon did know was the state of the Seo Manor about ten years later.
It was no longer an ordinary wealthy household.
It had its hands in all sorts of criminal activities.
I always found it strange that the Seo Manor, which wanted for nothing, would get involved in such crimes. But if Seo Eun was a pawn of the Blood Cult, it all makes sense.
The real culprit, Seo Eun, had instead invited the Mount Hua Sect and the Jiwol Medical House?
It meant he had prepared the perfect frame-up for the eldest son, Seo Geum.
"Now then, I shall begin the examination."
"Pardon me, but may I also observe?"
"And you are?"
"I am Wi Ji-cheon of the Medical Immortal Medical House."
"You're Wi Ji-cheon? The one who won the Grand Prize of a Hundred Clans at the Nanyang Medical Examination Ceremony?"
"Yes, that is correct."
Ji San's eyebrow twitched.
He looked Wi Ji-cheon up and down as if appraising him, then smirked.
His eyes have a certain sharpness; he seems clever enough. But hes still just a disciple from a fallen medical house.
"So, a junior in the medical field. What business do you have here at the Seo Manor?"
"The Medical Immortal Medical House and the Seo Manor have a deep connection from the past. I came to visit while in Xi'an for the Grand Prize of a Hundred Clans award. Lord Seo Ho was like an uncle to me, so please allow me to observe the examination."
Ji San crossed his arms and considered for a moment before nodding.
He saw it as a good opportunity.
A chance to put this kid in his place.
Ill prove that the eccentric Ice Crane Sa Ma So was wrong. To criticize me and then acknowledge a country bumpkin like this.
Soon, the examination began.
"The direct cause of death is demonic energy that invaded the blood vessels. A sinister, dark-natured demonic energy tore through the vessels and caused massive hemorrhaging in the liver among the five viscera. The findings are identical to the other victims murdered by the Xi'an Killer."
So far, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
They needed to find an additional clue.
Something that could identify the culprit and the mastermind.
Ji Sans eyes glinted as if he had found a lead.
However, instead of revealing it immediately, he looked at Wi Ji-cheon.
"Junior Wi Ji-cheon. Do you know anything about forensic medicine?"
"My knowledge is not profound."
"Right, a mere apprentice physician who has just passed his examination wouldn't know much about it. And a place like the Medical Immortal Medical House would hardly be familiar with the subject."
His tone was utterly condescending.
"Forensic medicine is not simply about examining a corpse; it is said to be the art of conversing with the dead."
The guys at the Evil Alliance Medical House used to say forensic medicine was the art of killing a corpse a second time.
Wi Ji-cheon remained silent, and Ji San, high on his own importance, raised his voice even more.
"However, the dead cannot speak. So how does one converse with them? It is by examining the situation from the deceased's perspective. Young Master Seo Eun, what time did Lord Seo Ho usually go to bed?"
"My father typically retired for the night around the beginning of the Hour of the Rat (11 PM - 1 AM)."
"I see. Judging by the rigidity of the corpse, the estimated time of the incident is the Hour of the Pig (9 PM - 11 PM). In other words, he was still awake. So why was he unable to put up any resistance? Junior Wi Ji-cheon, do you have any ideas?"
Wi Ji-cheon continued to stay quiet.
He was curious to hear what nonsense would come out of his mouth.
"Isn't it strange? Lord Seo Ho was a former member of the Outer Court and was known to have learned some martial arts, yet he couldn't resist at all. He could have at least screamed for help."
"Are you suggesting there's another reason?"
Seo Eun asked.
"Yes, there are traces of something other than demonic arts. Traces of poison. At the time of the incident, Lord Seo Ho was under the influence of a sleeping poison."
"!!"
The room erupted in murmurs.
"A sleeping poison?"
"He was dosed with Omyeonsan. When affected by Omyeonsan, a distinctive mark is left on the Hwaryo point in front of the ear for several hours. Based on the amount of lingering scent, it appears he was poisoned around the Hour of the Dog (7 PM - 9 PM). Was there anyone suspicious around that time?"
All eyes turned to one person.
Seo Geum.
"At that time, wasn't Young Master Seo Geum having a meeting with the Lord?"
"No one else had contact with the Lord during the Hour of the Dog yesterday besides Young Master Seo Geum."
All the evidence pointed to Seo Geum as the culprit.
Wi Ji-cheon clicked his tongue inwardly.
Its such an obvious Counter-Corpse Diagnosis Ploy. Are they really falling for such a simple trick?
A Counter-Corpse Diagnosis Ploy.
It referred to setting a trap in anticipation of a physician's examination.
-You Wi brat. When examining a corpse, you must always think several steps ahead.
-My family name is Wi Ji, not Wi. You Sa punk.
-And my family name is Sa Gong, not Sa. Anyway, when examining a corpse, never get fixated on a single clue. If you do, you'll end up catching an innocent person instead of the culprit.
A memory flashed through his mind.
A friend well, not quite a friend, but someone who had looked out for him during his brief stay in the Heretic Alliance.
Hes probably struggling as a common physician at the Evil Alliance Medical House right about now. Though he does eventually become the family head.
Wi Ji-cheon shook his head, clearing the memory.
The situation was escalating quickly.
"Unfortunately, it seems we will have to investigate Young Master Seo Geum."
"Wh-what?! No!! It wasn't me!! It absolutely wasn't me!!"
"Master Cheong Song, if you please."
Just then, Wi Ji-cheon stepped forward.
"Please wait. Before you take Young Master Seo Geum away, may I have a moment to speak with him?"
"Young Master Seo Geum is a prime suspect."
"A suspect, yes, but he hasn't been confirmed as the culprit yet. And I'm doing this to help solve the case."
"What do you mean?"
"There's something I want to ask Young Master Seo Geum privately. It's not something that can be said in front of all these people, so please, just give me a moment."
"Ha!"
"Why don't we give him a moment?"
"Master Cheong Song?"
"As the young physician said, there's no reason they can't speak privately. We might even receive some unexpected help."
Cheong Song had his reasons for siding with Wi Ji-cheon.
Somethings off. The culprit was caught this easily?
How many dead ends had they hit while chasing the Xi'an Killer until now?
It didn't sit right with him.
Perhaps Wi Ji-cheon could catch something they had missed.
"Thank you. It won't take long. Brother Seo Geum, come this way."
"Huh? Huh?"
Click.
After entering an empty room where their conversation couldn't be overheard, Seo Geum exploded in anger.
"Who are you?! What are you trying to pull?! I'm not the culprit!"
SLAP!
Seo Geum stared blankly.
Wi Ji-cheon had slapped him across the face.
"Shut up and get a grip. Do you want to die just like this?"
"You? You?"
"Still don't get the situation? You're about to be dragged to the Martial Alliance branch, tortured in every way imaginable, and then killed."
It wasn't an empty threat, and Seo Geum's face filled with terror.
"Do you want to live?"
"Wh-what?"
"I asked if you want to live. I don't have time, so answer quickly."
Seo Geum nodded his head frantically.
"I'll help you."
"Why would you?"
Instead of saying, Because I need to help you to extort money from you, Wi Ji-cheon offered a different reason.
"Because of our past connection."
"...Connection?"
"We used to be close, didn't we, Brother Seo Geum?"
"..."
Yes.
In truth, Wi Ji-cheon and Seo Geum had a past connection.
Seo Geum was the son born before Seo Ho betrayed the Medical Immortal Medical House. There was a time in their childhood when he and Wi Ji-cheon had played together.
The reason Seo Geum had drunkenly barged into Wi Ji-cheon's room yesterday wasn't just the random act of a ruffian; he had come because he remembered their past connection.
"If you want to live, drink this first."
"Th-this is?"
"It's poison."
"...Poison?"
Beside them, Jang Sam wore an expression that said, There he goes with his devilish tricks again. Tsk tsk.