Almighty God of War - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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069

Du Jinseong asked in a heavy voice.

“Grand Young Master, I heard that even a divine physician like Divine Physician Hwata couldn’t do anything about this plague. Is there a way to stop this terrible disaster?”

Guyang Cheongang answered with a stern expression, his gaze fixed ahead.

“If there’s no way, then we must create one.”

It was a short but strong-willed answer.

Guyang Cheongang asked.

“Brother Du, don’t you think of returning to the Du Family Estate?”

Du Jinseong laughed heartily and asked back.

“Hahaha, does the Grand Young Master have any thoughts of giving up returning to the Guyang Family Estate and going somewhere without plague?”

“Haha, of course not.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Hiya!”

The sound of whipping sharply cut through the cold winter air.

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

Two horses began racing madly along the official road, their hoofbeats thundering.

They rode their horses with all their might toward the Guyang Family Estate.

It looked as if they were racing against the invisible shadow of death.

The cold winter wind seemed to cut their cheeks like blades, but cold sweat continued to flow down their backs without stopping.

When darkness covered all directions, Guyang Cheongang and Du Jinseong arrived at a secret residence near the Guyang Family Estate.

The two horses were drenched in sweat and foaming at the mouth, and one of them even collapsed with its legs giving out.

This was the result of urging the horses on for half a day without a single rest.

After tying the horses in the backyard of the secret residence and entering the house, Guyang Cheongang spoke to Du Jinseong.

“Brother Du, I am currently known within and outside the family estate as ‘a person dying from worsening Nine Yin Severed Meridians.’ And my quarters are being watched day and night by spies from Golden Tower Manor. So I cannot enter together with you, Brother Du. I’ll send someone soon, so please wait here.”

Du Jinseong finally understood why Guyang Cheongang had come here instead of the family estate.

He nodded with a stern expression.

“I understand, Grand Young Master. I will wait here until called.”

Guyang Cheongang headed toward the wild mountain near the family estate with Golden King.

The darkness concealed him as he unfolded his Ghost Shadow Dance.

‘Akasha, how much time is left?’

[Approximately 68 hours remaining, Doctor.]

His mouth became so dry with anxiety that his saliva dried up.

Guyang Cheongang opened the entrance to the secret passage hidden behind an old shrine and rushed inside.

The secret passage leads to Guyang Baek’s training room.

Since dinner time had passed, Guyang Cheongang thought his father might be in the training room.

His prediction was not wrong.

The secret passage door opened with a heavy sound, and Guyang Cheongang walked out with Golden King on his shoulder.

Guyang Baek, who had been practicing fist techniques alone in the center of the training room, was shocked that the passage no one should know about had opened.

His complexion hardened as he drew up his internal energy and watched the secret passage door.

But the voice that came from the opened door was not that of an unknown intruder, but of the person he missed most.

“Father, it’s me.”

“Gang-a… is it really you?”

Guyang Baek opened his eyes wide in disbelief upon seeing Guyang Cheongang.

After examining his son from top to bottom, he said.

“Your qi has become incomparably deeper and purer than before you left the family estate. What on earth happened outside?”

“I simply never stopped training.”

Guyang Cheongang answered while bowing deeply toward Guyang Baek.

“Stand up.”

Guyang Baek’s voice was filled with pride as he helped his son up by the shoulders.

But Guyang Cheongang was different.

He spoke quickly with a stern expression.

“I found Master Jupyo and restored the alliance with the Second Family Head as well. I’ve also asked them to find the descendants of the other three families, so there should be good news soon.”

Guyang Baek was momentarily stunned by his son’s report that poured out like a waterfall.

The tasks that had weighed on his shoulders for decades, which he thought were impossible, were flowing from his son’s mouth as casually as if he had bought something at the market.

“Hehe, take it slowly. We haven’t even caught up after meeting for the first time in so long, yet you’re starting with the results of your travels?”

But Guyang Cheongang’s expression remained darkly sunken despite his father’s joy.

“I’d like to, but there’s no time.”

The smile disappeared from Guyang Baek’s face.

As an experienced man of Gangho, he instinctively sensed from his son’s atmosphere alone that something serious had happened.

“Is there some bad news?”

Guyang Cheongang nodded.

His voice became even heavier as he replied.

“On the way back to the family estate, I saw several villages completely wiped out by plague.”

Guyang Baek’s complexion changed dramatically in shock.

“Plague? What on earth are you talking about?”

Plague doesn’t spare martial artists either.

Unless one is at the Transformation level or above, anyone below that gets infected just like common people.

Guyang Cheongang revealed everything about the devastation he witnessed on the road and what he learned about the Black Death through Akasha’s analysis.

“This… this can’t be! A plague!”

Guyang Baek’s face turned pale.

Before being a martial artist, he was the head of a family, albeit fallen, and a local magnate of this land.

Naturally, he knew all too well what it meant for plague to strike his territory.

He spoke with a stern expression.

“I must immediately inform the Namchang Prefect to close the city gates and warn him to prepare thorough defenses.”

“You should certainly do that. But that alone won’t be enough.”

“What do you mean?”

Guyang Cheongang fell silent for a moment.

The conversation he had with Akasha on his way here came to mind.

‘Akasha, in medieval Eastern societies during large-scale plague outbreaks, what was the most common initial reaction shown by bureaucrats under central government control?’

[Data analysis shows ‘concealment and downplaying in reports’ at 76% as the highest probability. This is a typical bureaucratic reaction for avoiding responsibility.]

Shaking off his thoughts, Guyang Cheongang spoke to Guyang Baek.

“The moment the outbreak of plague is officially reported to the imperial court, the court will likely hold the regional officials accountable for incompetence and negligent management.”

“Hmm…”

Guyang Baek’s face contorted as it was an undeniable statement.

“I don’t know what kind of character the current Namchang Prefect has, but most government officials value their position more than the lives of the people. If father talks about the Black Death, he’ll likely think of imperial accountability first.”

“The prevailing opinion is that the current Namchang Prefect is a self-preserving opportunist blinded by advancement.”

“Then he’s much more likely to try to cover this up rather than solve it. And that delayed response will turn Namchang into a real hell.”

Guyang Baek’s eyes wavered at his son’s cold analysis.

“Then… then what should we do?”

“We cannot avoid informing the Namchang Prefect. Tomorrow morning, as soon as dawn breaks, go find him and warn him about the plague.”

“And then?”

“At the same time, it would be good to publicly announce to the people of Namchang in father’s name that plague is spreading. Once rumors spread, the prefect won’t be able to delay his response.”

“You’re thinking of evacuating the people.”

“Those who can flee should flee. Father and mother, Cheongi and Cheongcheong should also evacuate.”

Catching the subtle meaning in his words, Guyang Baek furrowed his brow and asked.

“You have no intention of fleeing.”

“I will find a cure for the plague and put an end to it so it cannot spread further.”

Guyang Baek’s eyes widened.

“Is that even possible? Didn’t you just tell this father that the plague would arrive here in two or three days?”

“It’s possible. No, we must make it possible. Only then will our family, and furthermore the common people, be safe.”

“Hmm….”

“Father, please take Mother and my younger siblings and leave the family estate temporarily.”

“We cannot evacuate and leave only you behind.”

“I may not be able to find a cure within the time limit.”

Guyang Baek shook his head with a resolute expression.

“I’ll send your mother, Cheongi, and Cheongcheong away. But I will remain.”

“Father….”

“This has been decided, so speak no more of it.”

Realizing that Guyang Baek had made up his mind, Guyang Cheongang swallowed a sigh inwardly and said.

“I understand. Tonight I’ll return to my quarters. To properly search for a cure, I need to first pretend to recover from my sickbed.”

A bitter expression appeared on Guyang Baek’s face.

“During this time, Bamboo Forest Trading House and Miss Shangguan have been sending the profits from selling the Dragon Nourishing Pills and Yin Dragon pills as agreed in the contract. Thanks to that, the family’s finances have become tremendously prosperous, but we haven’t had proper time to share this joyful news.”

“We can have plenty of time for such conversations after defeating the plague, Father.”

“Yes… I suppose we must hope for that.”

“I’ll head to my quarters.”

“Elder Hwang will be greatly delighted.”

After bidding farewell to Guyang Baek, Guyang Cheongang deployed Ghost Shadow Dance and left the training room.

Coming to the separate building that served as his quarters, he discovered Elder Hwang sitting in front of his room door, gazing up at the night sky.

Entering his room through the window, he used sound transmission.

[Elder, it’s me.]

A lightning-like divine light flashed through Elder Hwang’s eyes as he sat there blankly.

[Young Master?]

[Yes.]

[Where are you?]

[Inside the room.]

[What?]

Shock appeared on Elder Hwang’s face.

The fact that he hadn’t sensed any presence until Guyang Cheongang infiltrated the room and sent the sound transmission startled him.

He spoke with a moved expression.

[You’ve achieved something extraordinary.]

[I’d like to catch up, but there’s an urgent matter that must be postponed for later.]

[An urgent matter?]

Guyang Cheongang told Elder Hwang about the plague.

Elder Hwang’s complexion hardened like stone.

Guyang Cheongang said.

[I will definitely create a cure for the plague. So don’t worry too much. Elder, please go to the secret residence tomorrow morning and bring Du Jinseong. By tomorrow morning, there will be no need to worry about the sentries’ eyes.]

The fragmented statement was difficult to understand.

However, Elder Hwang was already deeply impressed by his genius, so he nodded unconditionally.

He believed that Guyang Cheongang must have some plan.

[I will do so.]

[I’ll pretend to wake up tomorrow morning, so please act as if you don’t know until then.]

[Understood, Young Master.]

Having finished their conversation, Guyang Cheongang briefly looked around the dark room.

A human-shaped doll lay on the bed chamber covered with blankets.

Seeing this, a bitter smile appeared at the corners of Guyang Cheongang’s mouth.

Compared to when he left, nothing in the room had changed, and it was very clean.

It was clear at a glance how carefully Elder Hwang had maintained the room.

Sitting in a chair, Guyang Cheongang called Akasha.

‘Tell me the standard treatment for septicemic plague.’

[By 21st century standards, it involves intensive administration of specific antibiotics like streptomycin and gentamicin. However, synthesizing these drugs with this era’s technology and materials is impossible. At minimum, a laboratory capable of molecular-level synthesis would be needed.]

Guyang Cheongang furrowed his brow.

It was the answer he had expected, but confirming it made his heart heavy.

Though he had come to Murim and obtained and mastered the Life and Death Scripture, he was fundamentally an engineer, not a medical doctor.

Naturally, there was more he didn’t know about modern medicine than what he did know.

‘Isn’t there a way to treat the plague using this era’s medicine and your abilities?’

[There is a theoretically possible treatment method. Since no clinical trials have been conducted, I cannot guarantee the results.]

Guyang Cheongang’s gaze intensified.

‘What method is it?’

[First, analyze the Life and Death Medical Classic to find all medicinal herb components that can have direct antibacterial effects against plague bacteria. Second, use nanobots to most effectively deliver those components to the patient’s body and precisely attack only the pathogenic bacteria.]

‘Research that theory immediately and find the optimal treatment method.’

[Understood, Doctor.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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