Chapter 90
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: I'll Go Take a Look Myself
Gong Son Woo-kyeong bit her lip hard and spoke again with firm resolve.
"The Five Sounds Blocked Meridians and the Nine Sounds Blocked Meridians are both the same Blocked Meridians Syndrome, but the difficulty of treatment differs greatly. The Five Sounds only blocks five meridians, but the Nine Sounds blocks nine. That means all nine major meridians throughout the body are obstructed. Even researching treatments for the Five Sounds has its limits. And we don't have time."
It was a thoroughly convincing argument, and the other physicians present nodded in agreement.
Gong Son Mu-oe also bit her lip tightly.
"You know full well what the price is for opening the Sacred Scripture."
This voice was different from the anger-filled tone up to now. It brimmed with reproach and worry.
"My lifespan, that's what. Even if mine shortens a bit, that child will gain a new life."
"It's not just your lifespan at stake. Opening the Scripture requires three people. Three lives sacrificed to treat that child. No matter that she's the precious golden child of the Myriad Things Alliance..."
"Father!"
Gong Son Woo-kyeong shouted loudly, cutting off Gong Son Mu-oe's words.
"That child is indeed the Myriad Things Alliance Leader's golden child. But she's also your granddaughter. My niece!"
Gong Son Mu-oe clamped her mouth shut.
And said no more.
She was a granddaughter she loved more than her own eyes. Yet she had to consider her position as lord of Senyu Valley.
She was her granddaughter, but also of the Myriad Things Alliance.
Strictly speaking, an outsider.
She couldn't expend the lifespans of Senyu Valley's precious talents to save an outsider.
The Sacred Scripture was finicky.
Not just anyone could open it.
It only responded to those whose talents shone brilliantly.
"Father!"
Gong Son Woo-kyeong cried out once more.
"We'll proceed as decided. You said there's no time, but the progression of the Blocked Meridians has halted for now, so we've bought some. We'll find a way to treat her somehow."
With those words, Gong Son Mu-oe rose from her seat and left the meeting room.
It was a declaration that no further objections would be tolerated.
"Haa..."
Gong Son Woo-kyeong let out a deep sigh at the sight.
Opening the Sacred Scripture required the valley lord's permission.
The key to where it was sealed was the lord's seal of authority.
"Ji-yu. Oh, Ji-yu. What should we do... You poor thing..."
Gong Son Woo-kyeong murmured her niece's name, who suffered from the Nine Sounds Blocked Meridians, and closed her eyes.
Dan Mok Un-hye's treatment was going smoothly.
Every three days, Wi Ji-gun and Ha Mu-baek visited the house to administer acupuncture.
Each time, her complexion visibly improved.
At some point, she no longer writhed in pain at night.
Whether Yeo Hwa had enlisted Thunderclap Dog's help or not, Dan Mok Un-hye's condition had improved beyond recognition.
Her cheeks were starting to fill out plumply.
Proof that she was eating well.
"Good."
Wi Ji-gun said calmly as he withdrew the needles.
With the calming moxibustion applied, Dan Mok Un-hye was once again deep in sleep today.
Wi Ji-gun nodded as he checked her internals by grasping her wrist.
"Now we can start using medicine."
Ha Mu-baek took Dan Mok Un-hye's wrist at Wi Ji-gun's signal and examined her internals.
It was the process of directly confirming the changes so far.
While treating Dan Mok Un-hye, Wi Ji-gun was also teaching Ha Mu-baek.
Passing on the treatment method for Blocked Meridians Syndrome that he had developed while treating Ha Seol-ran to his disciple.
"The necessary herbs are..."
Wi Ji-gun listed them one by one. Ha Mu-baek memorized them immediately. Now he just needed to inform Thunderclap Dog.
Then he would procure them.
'He even said he'd raid Senyu Valley's herb warehouse if needed.'
Ha Mu-baek didn't take those words lightly.
He saw them as proof of that resolve.
After finishing today's treatment and heading back to the Dragon Training Pavilion,
Ha Mu-baek parted ways with Wi Ji-gun as usual and went to find Thunderclap Dog.
He had already informed Wi Ji-gun of Thunderclap Dog's existence and his assistance.
"You've worked hard."
Thunderclap Dog, still leaning against the slum wall, saw Ha Mu-baek and greeted him gladly.
It was a natural reaction, having witnessed Dan Mok Un-hye's steady improvement day by day.
"Now it's time to use medicine."
"Her meridians have firmed up considerably."
Thunderclap Dog immediately grasped the meaning behind Ha Mu-baek's words.
"It's barely this much. The herbs are..."
Ha Mu-baek explained each one in detail.
Thunderclap Dog pulled out a nearly broken writing set from somewhere and jotted them down quickly.
"Whew. Quite a list."
"It'll only grow longer."
He didn't know all the herbs used in treating Ha Seol-ran.
But he knew enough, and even that was far more than what he'd just listed.
That's why he could say it so confidently.
"Got it. I'll prepare them. It might take some time, but is that okay?"
"We've just passed the minimum point where we can use medicine. We can keep managing the meridians with acupuncture, then switch to medicine once the herbs are ready."
Thunderclap Dog nodded vigorously at Ha Mu-baek's response.
"Then..."
Ha Mu-baek bid farewell and left.
Thunderclap Dog was left alone.
He examined the paper where he'd noted the herbs again.
And this was just the beginning—quite the amount needed.
Plus, there were a few he'd never heard of.
"This much just to start..."
He had no idea how many more herbs would be required ahead.
Even for Thunderclap Dog, gathering them all wouldn't be easy.
Of course, Thunderclap Dog couldn't procure everything himself. Ha Mu-baek surely didn't expect him to.
Still, Thunderclap Dog wanted to gather as many as he could.
"Whew. Guess I'll have to raid after all."
Thunderclap Dog patted his back, rose to his feet.
"Let's see... Hunan Province, huh. Quite the distance. Wonder if I can make the round trip quick at my age."
The moment Thunderclap Dog muttered that, his figure vanished.
He had kicked off the ground the instant he decided.
Thunderclap Dog's lightness skill displayed tremendous speed.
One meaning of his moniker "Thunderclap" was his lightning-fast movement.
The first training session of the morning.
The members of Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven were frowning.
How could they not? The forge laborers had come to the training ground.
"Instructor, what's that?"
"Hm? You've been having it easy lately during external arts training. Can't have that."
Ha Mu-baek answered Dang Jin-san's question nonchalantly.
"No, but we've adapted. Why is that a problem..."
Dang Jin-san pleaded.
"Then your external arts won't improve. Training only works when it's grueling."
Dang Jin-san's face twisted at those words.
He itched to speak his mind. But he held back.
He knew that would cross the line—badly.
"I'm telling you ahead of time, but I don't train like this because it doesn't work for me. I'm not skipping to slack off. If you're so curious, join me for my routine sometime."
Ha Mu-baek had eerily sensed Dang Jin-san's discontent and spoke up.
Dang Jin-san waved his hands frantically.
"N-no, sir! We'll diligently do the training suited to our level!"
With that, Dang Jin-san dashed toward the hideous iron lumps.
The other cadets were already helping the laborers position them.
Having trained for over half a year, they handled it routinely.
Only heavier now.
Once sorted, training began immediately. External arts every other day.
Dan Mok Un-roe was grunting as he lifted a heavy iron lump.
Ha Mu-baek approached him.
"You'll hurt yourself. That's not training; it's abuse."
Dan Mok Un-roe froze at Ha Mu-baek's words.
Quite some time had passed since he'd confided his worries to Ha Mu-baek that day.
His outing day hadn't come around yet, so he hadn't visited home.
With no word from Ha Mu-baek, his anxiety had driven him to overwork his body.
He clearly hadn't shown up for training that day and had gone somewhere.
"Your outing day's soon, right?"
"Yes."
Dan Mok Un-roe answered, his movement halted.
"You'll be surprised when you go home. Hye won't be in pain at night anymore."
Ha Mu-baek said calmly.
Dan Mok Un-roe's expression changed instantly.
"Th-then..."
His face filled with hope.
Ha Mu-baek shook his head slightly.
"It's just a little better now. This isn't a disease that heals so easily. She'll improve gradually from here. So focus on your duties."
Ha Mu-baek patted Dan Mok Un-roe's shoulder and moved on to check the other cadets.
He was covered head to toe in white dust.
Yet his appearance hadn't changed much. He'd been a filthy beggar dripping sweat from the start.
The place he'd arrived was a deep valley in Mount Hyeong.
Senyu Valley's main headquarters, known to scarcely anyone.
"Whew. That was tough."
Thunderclap Dog patted his back and muttered with a relaxed face.
"Wh-who goes there!"
The gate guards startled at the sudden intruder, adopting alert stances and shouting.
Given Senyu Valley's remote mountain location, encountering such a freak was rare.
"You're the valley lord's old friend. Go tell her Tiger General has arrived."
With that, Thunderclap Dog leaned against a nearby rock and plopped down.
The gate guards were dumbfounded by his bizarre behavior.
They exchanged glances, unsure what to do.
"F-first, report it..."
He was a freak, but claimed to be the valley lord's friend. They couldn't decide rashly.
The squad leader dashed inside to report.
Perhaps because he claimed friendship with the lord.
The report ascended swiftly, reaching the valley lord in less than half a shichen.
Unusually fast for news of an unidentified beggar at the main gate.
"Some beggar shows up claiming to be my old friend?"
Gong Son Mu-oe tilted her head quizzically.
"Yes, that's what he said."
"Hm..."
Gong Son Mu-oe searched her memory. Nothing. None of her friends would show up unannounced looking like a beggar.
"He, uh, said to tell her Tiger General has come."
Gong Son Mu-oe, about to speak, paused.
Because of that name.
"Tiger General, he said?"
Her voice rose slightly.
"Yes."
"N-no way... It can't be..."
Gong Son Mu-oe muttered in bewilderment.
Among those she knew, only one bore the name Tiger General.
But it was a name long vanished from the jianghu.
How could she imagine that person—that gentleman—suddenly appearing?
Especially when she'd searched desperately in vain before.
'Imposter? No, no. I can check myself.'
Gong Son Mu-oe rose from her seat.
"I'll go take a look myself."
Her subordinates were shocked by the decision.
The valley lord personally going out for a freak at the gate? Unheard of.
Just have him brought in.
But before they could say anything, Gong Son Mu-oe was striding off swiftly.
"V-valley lord!"
The subordinates hurried after her.
It didn't take long to reach the main gate.
Gong Son Mu-oe had even used lightness skill to speed along.
The gate guards were startled by the lord's sudden appearance.
But regardless, Gong Son Mu-oe's gaze was fixed on one spot.
An old beggar slouched against a rock, grinning with yellowed teeth.
Unmistakably the face she knew.
Though more aged than in her memories.
"H-how..."
Gong Son Mu-oe's voice trembled.