Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: I'll Never Be Bored
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The Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric left the Hubei Martial Alliance early in the morning and began systematically visiting the clinics in Yichang.
With expressions and gazes blending tension and determination, the two of them meticulously assessed the physicians.
At first, they moved together.
The One-Needle Eccentric didn’t trust that the Divine Doctor would provide him with all the information.
So he started by confirming the location of every clinic alongside the Divine Doctor.
While he was at it, he also gauged the skills of the physicians working there.
Only after combing through Yichang several times did he part ways with the Divine Doctor and begin visiting the clinics again on his own.
“They’re all about the same.”
The One-Needle Eccentric was lost in thought.
No matter where he looked, there were no physicians worth his time. They were all mediocre.
It made sense. Any physician who could catch the One-Needle Eccentric’s eye would have to be a renowned master doctor.
But Yichang had no such master doctors who had made a name for themselves yet.
The One-Needle Eccentric grew inexplicably anxious.
If the Divine Doctor suddenly found a good physician, it would be an utter disaster.
Before the bet began, he had believed he had a significant advantage.
In fact, he was confident his eye for physicians was a cut above.
His One-Needle Arts were not some simple martial art for sticking needles in people or killing them efficiently.
It was a martial art that allowed him to read the flow of energy.
With it, discerning a physician’s level was a trivial matter.
He could even assess the skill level of people in other professions, not just physicians.
The unique flow possessed only by a master was something no ordinary person could ever imitate. And he had met plenty of such masters during his long travels around the world.
So now, all he had to do was find a master physician with a corresponding flow.
But to think there were no master physicians to be found.
The One-Needle Eccentric scoured Yichang as if with a fine-toothed comb. Now that the bet had started, he absolutely could not lose.
There was still some time left. He would take his time and find a master physician, no matter what.
At the same time, the Divine Doctor of the Ages was wrestling with the exact same problem.
For some reason, Yichang had very few capable physicians.
It was strange, now that he thought about it, but neither the Divine Doctor nor the One-Needle Eccentric had considered it that far.
They were both blinded by the bet.
* * *
Byeok Taesan erased his initial preconceptions.
The gathering of the next generation was better than he had expected.
To begin with, the only members of the next generation Byeok Taesan had encountered were Seo Munjehak, Guyang Su, and Chu Yeonghak.
If he added one more, it would be Jongli Ung.
They had given him a negative impression of their generation.
But now that he was here attending the gathering, the other young warriors were surprisingly decent.
There was no one flaunting their own greatness, nor was there anyone desperate to make a move on Yeon Harin after seeing her beauty.
Of course, their gazes were constantly stolen by her, but none of them seemed to have any ill intentions.
At least, not yet.
In any case, they seemed to be trying their best not to make her uncomfortable, as if they knew she disliked that kind of attention.
‘Is this why she was so keen on bringing me here?’
She must have judged that no major incidents were likely to occur.
And it was a good opportunity to build connections in the process.
Moreover, it wasn't just the younger generation here.
Key figures from the Hubei Martial Alliance were also scattered throughout the venue.
It wasn’t just a gathering of special people; it was a diverse mix of individuals from various fields.
They took every question from the young warriors seriously, no matter how absurd.
What mattered wasn't the question itself, but what could be gained in the process of finding the answer.
Furthermore, the interactions among the younger generation were very lively.
Exchanging greetings was a given. Some from close-knit families gathered for lighthearted chats about personal matters, while others engaged in serious discussions.
There were also those from similar regions who were earnestly contemplating the future of their families.
Byeok Taesan didn't join any of the groups, simply observing.
That alone was entertaining enough.
‘How refreshing.’
It was a sight he would never see in the Heavenly Demonic Cult.
No, it would probably be difficult to witness such a scene even in the Martial Alliance or the Black Alliance.
Byeok Taesan saw this very scene as the Hubei Martial Alliance’s potential.
The Hubei Martial Alliance would continue to grow for some time.
At least until this refreshing novelty faded, or until this gathering itself became so familiar that it no longer inspired any excitement.
As Byeok Taesan just stood by and watched, Yeon Harin, who had come with him, grew increasingly concerned.
As a result, she too ended up on the sidelines.
Byeok Taesan noticed, but he didn't tell her she didn't have to.
It was better not to intervene.
Here and now, even that was not a meaningless act.
Looking back later, she would surely have gained something.
As they were passing the time, a true intruder appeared.
“The… the Alliance Leader!”
At someone's shout, everyone's gaze turned to the entrance.
The Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance, who had just stepped inside, was surveying the room with a pleased expression.
There was no need to search for anyone. The first person who caught his eye upon entering was Yeon Harin, and not far from her stood Byeok Taesan.
The Alliance Leader strode purposefully toward Byeok Taesan.
The gazes of everyone in the room followed him.
When the Alliance Leader stood before Byeok Taesan, their gazes shifted to Byeok Taesan.
An ordinary person would probably feel either troubled or smug at this point.
But Byeok Taesan was neither.
He simply stared blankly at the Alliance Leader.
Then he tilted his head.
“You look familiar…”
The Alliance Leader’s face was vaguely familiar.
Everyone stared back and forth between Byeok Taesan and the Alliance Leader in astonishment.
To say such a thing even after hearing someone shout “Alliance Leader” just moments ago.
It was the onlookers who were growing restless.
“Did you, by any chance, not hear that I wanted to see you?”
Only then did Byeok Taesan clap his hands together.
“Aha!”
The Alliance Leader looked at Byeok Taesan with an incredulous expression.
On the other hand, he found it quite refreshing and strange. He had never encountered anyone who reacted this way upon seeing him.
And wasn't this kid a member of the younger generation?
But contrary to the Alliance Leader’s thoughts, Byeok Taesan had genuinely just remembered who he was.
The Alliance Leader had been one of the youngsters who had accompanied the Martial Alliance to a negotiation with the Heavenly Demonic Cult long ago.
At the time, he had relentlessly unleashed his aura, and this man had been one of the two who withstood it, leaving quite an impression.
The other person who had endured the Heavenly Demon’s aura was the Martial Alliance Leader himself.
The reason the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader, Baekri Yeop, had withstood the Heavenly Demon’s aura back then was not because of his martial strength.
Among those present at the negotiations, Baekri Yeop was actually on the weaker side.
He had endured it solely through willpower.
To withstand the Heavenly Demon’s aura with sheer will alone—how could that not be impressive?
That was already decades ago.
The impressive youngster from back then was now the Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance, standing right here.
“Ah, I’m going to get an earful from the Patrol Captain.”
He had come under the pretext of meeting the younger generation, with the side goal of meeting Byeok Taesan, but now his purpose had been reversed.
The Alliance Leader looked at Byeok Taesan with gleaming eyes and said.
“Let’s have a talk.”
Byeok Taesan’s face openly showed his annoyance.
“I think it’s better to do that with someone who actually wants to…”
Byeok Taesan said, glancing around.
The Alliance Leader unconsciously followed Byeok Taesan’s gaze and looked around as well.
Everyone was looking at him with eyes full of longing.
“It seems I’ll be getting a lecture from the Chief Steward today.”
The Alliance Leader muttered to himself, then addressed the people around him.
“I came today with the intention of speaking to each one of you, so please, continue with what you were doing.”
They looked ready to erupt in cheers.
Honestly, even at a gathering for the younger generation, meeting the Alliance Leader was nearly impossible.
So, with such an opportunity presenting itself, they were too excited to continue what they were doing.
The Alliance Leader grinned and looked at Byeok Taesan.
“You’re first.”
Byeok Taesan grinned back in the exact same way.
“I’m good, you can move on to the next in line.”
A muscle twitched in the Alliance Leader’s face.
‘Look at this kid.’
He wouldn’t be the Alliance Leader if he just said okay and moved on.
“Do you think the opportunity to speak with me is common? Don’t waste a good chance. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”
Byeok Taesan, acting as if he hadn't heard the Alliance Leader at all, looked around until he found the one staring at them with the most burning desire.
“Hey, you!”
The man pointed at by Byeok Taesan flinched, his eyes widening.
“M-me?”
“You’re the winner.”
“Winner…?”
“You just won the opportunity to converse with the greatest master in the Hubei Martial Alliance.”
The young man, who looked to be just under twenty, beamed upon hearing Byeok Taesan’s words. But he soon began to cautiously glance at the Alliance Leader.
The Alliance Leader let out a hollow laugh. Then, he smiled warmly at the boy and said.
“Come here. I can’t talk for long, but we can at least exchange a few words.”
As he watched the Alliance Leader begin a conversation with one of the young warriors, Byeok Taesan subtly stepped back.
If the kid from back then tried to lecture him like some grown-up, he might just snap.
‘Punching the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader probably wouldn’t be easy to smooth over, would it?’
Byeok Taesan thought to himself as he glanced over at Yeon Harin.
She was looking at him with an expression mixed with half worry and half astonishment.
Byeok Taesan gave her a reassuring grin as if to say ‘don’t worry’ and left the place.
“That’s enough for today.”
Yeon Harin couldn’t grab him, nor could she follow him, and was left standing frozen in place.
* * *
The Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric carefully examined the physicians each had brought.
“Hmm.”
A low hum escaped both their lips simultaneously.
Having visited most of the clinics in Yichang, they had already assessed each other's chosen physicians.
But their skills were truly ambiguous.
The physicians, summoned by the One-Needle Eccentric and the Divine Doctor, tried to hide their uncomfortable and anxious expressions.
At first, they thought it was a simple house call. The pay was so generous that they had postponed all their other work to come.
But upon arriving, they found the Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric waiting for them.
Their hearts pounded when they realized the people who had summoned them were world-renowned physicians.
The One-Needle Eccentric had quite an infamous reputation among physicians.
Most of it was forged in his early days when he was just starting to make a name for himself.
When discussions about medical arts turned into arguments he couldn't win with words, he resorted to force. Naturally, the physicians, who were no match for his superior martial arts, ended up getting beaten.
The notoriety he gained back then still lingered, circulating among physicians like a legend.
So, of course, their hearts would pound upon meeting the man who introduced himself as the One-Needle Eccentric.
And though they didn't know much about the Divine Doctor of the Ages, they assumed he was of a similar sort, seeing him with the One-Needle Eccentric.
“Let’s just take them both for now.”
“Very well. We can send them in one at a time on alternating days.”
“If the Young Master is okay with it, I’d prefer to do it all at once… that would settle things for sure.”
“Then let’s ask the Young Master.”
The physicians, not knowing what the two were talking about, grew restless.
The atmosphere felt strangely like they were being sold off somewhere.
They shouldn't have come here, tempted by the money.
“Um…”
Just as one of the physicians mustered the courage to speak, the One-Needle Eccentric cut him off sternly.
“You don’t need to say a word. Utter any nonsense, and I’ll show you why they call me the One-Needle Eccentric.”
Threatened by the One-Needle Eccentric, the physicians clamped their mouths shut and cautiously watched their surroundings.
“It’ll be over soon if you just bear with it. So don’t worry too much.”
Seeing the physicians swallow nervously with fearful expressions, the One-Needle Eccentric grinned and said.
“Follow me.”
* * *
Byeok Taesan glanced at the two physicians brought by the Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric.
“So you want me to take both of them at once?”
“Yes. Is that possible?”
Byeok Taesan stroked his chin with an intrigued expression.
He had never done it before, nor had he ever even thought of trying, but now that he heard the suggestion, he really wanted to.
“And you want me to tell you who was more helpful?”
The One-Needle Eccentric’s eyes gleamed.
“Yes. It’s important.”
Byeok Taesan smirked.
“Important? It’s a bet, isn’t it? Fine, whatever. It sounds fun, so I’ll give it a try.”
Byeok Taesan gestured with his chin toward the two physicians.
Feeling like cows being led to the slaughterhouse, the two physicians entered the room Byeok Taesan had indicated.
“Honestly, I’ll never be bored with all the strange people I let into my life.”
Hearing Byeok Taesan’s words, the expressions of the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric twisted bizarrely.
There were so many things they genuinely wanted to say, but they held their tongues with all their might.