Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 259

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 259
Jegalling sighed.
“People need rest, Hope.”
“I’m resting right now, Master. I’ve finished writing the medical texts, and I’m training like this….”
Tap, tap-tap-tap!
My Master shook his head as he watched me counterattack against the wooden dummy.
“Training isn’t resting. You’ll work yourself to death that way.”
‘I thought I’d rested quite a bit since coming to the Medical Guild…?’
I’d believed I’d spent my time leisurely since the Yongbong Conference, but it seemed others saw it differently.
My Master threw a letter at me.
I struck the final wooden dummy’s solar plexus with my spear, then launched my body upward as if performing a pole vault.
Crack—
The last dummy lost its strength and collapsed as its vital point was struck.
Whirrrr—
My spinning spear caught the letter.
The movement was so natural, as if performing a trick, resembling a first-rate spear master who had polished his technique for decades.
My eyes gleamed blue as I read the letter.
“Huh… Master? Eun Wang-ya’s regular checkup is already due? But at the border?”
“Yes. She wishes to receive her checkup near the border in two months.”
Suddenly?
I furrowed one eyebrow.
“She must be handling some matter there.”
“The Kings should rest too.”
“…Will you be the only one?”
My Master’s words struck home.
I looked at him with a rueful expression.
“So go and conduct Eun Wang-ya’s regular checkup as a way to rest. At least for these two years, the Hyeolseonggyo will be as quiet as death, so there shouldn’t be any great danger.”
My Master cares for my safety more than anyone.
If even he reached this conclusion, it seemed the Hyeolseonggyo was truly lying dormant.
Besides that.
‘Master isn’t accompanying me this time?’
It seemed he intended to do something while I was away.
‘Well, Master must have his own reasons.’
I had a feeling it was something I’d be shocked to learn about.
My Master is far more radical than he appears.
‘What you don’t know won’t hurt you.’
He has so many secrets, and the fact that he’s revealing this much to me is considered a miracle at Baek Rin’s Medical Guild.
I don’t intend to know everything my Master does.
I simply trust him.
“Understood. It’s been a while since I’ve had a break.”
* * *
I immediately began packing my belongings.
In a world without railways or airplanes, the distance was considerable, so I needed to depart now to arrive on time.
That’s when Gungwi came to find me.
“Come in.”
*Click—*
Upon entering, Gungwi seemed slightly surprised to see me packing.
“Ah… cooking utensils, spices, and food ingredients, I see.”
I planned to procure meat through hunting along the way, but I intended to pack cheese and butter quite thoroughly.
On top of that, that expensive Seojiang pepper.
Since I couldn’t find it at the local markets, I packed plenty of pepper as well.
Seeing my luggage—enough that one might think I was going to eat rather than work—Gungwi clicked his tongue.
“Since I’m bringing Hwang-gu along this time, it’s fine to have more luggage.”
Professor Jin’s obsession with fine cuisine is well-known throughout Baek Rin’s Medical Guild.
“I’ve brought this for you.”
A composite bow. And a light, elastic one at that, perfect for traveling.
He must have deliberately chosen this material.
“Finger Flick Heaven Piercing is a fine martial art, but it does consume inner energy after all.”
“I’m delighted!”
I brightened immediately.
I had never learned Finger Flick Heaven Piercing from Gungwi, but I had learned a bit of Thunder Dragon Archery, the martial art that Gungwi’s disciples practice.
That alone was sufficient to handle long-range attacks.
For ultra-long distances exceeding 100 zhang—roughly three hundred meters—I’d use Thunder Dragon Archery. For close and mid-range, Finger Flick Heaven Piercing.
For close combat, I could respond with the Frost Jade Sword.
Hearing this, Gungwi chuckled.
“As expected, you’re not like a typical warrior. Even in the military… I doubt there’s anyone like you in the military either.”
‘Is it really so strange to use the right weapon for the right situation?’
Well, to warriors, weapons are like their very lives.
A warrior with a sword dies if the blade breaks, and a spear-wielder dies when the spear dulls.
The weapon itself represents the warrior’s entire existence.
But I was different.
To me, weapons were merely tools.
If a sword broke, I’d simply fight with another sword.
If a bow was more advantageous, I’d pick it up and shoot.
After all, to a modern person, a sword is just a sword—the very concept of treating it like one’s life was strange.
Ultimately, as long as my life was spared, what did it matter if the sword broke?
“Yes. It would be best to carry this on my back.”
After carefully preparing everything from start to finish, my bundle was quite substantial.
*Clang!*
“Thank you.”
I patted Hwang-gu’s back for a long while.
For now, he would be wandering around the size of an ox, so I needed to make sure he had plenty of jerky.
Now that he looked quite like a ferocious beast, other people wouldn’t be offering him snacks anymore.
After gathering various supplies and bidding farewell to my Master,
I earnestly entrusted the laboratory to Yoo Ho.
“After coming this far without results, wouldn’t it be wise to give up?”
I even received some frank criticism.
“What are you talking about, Yoo Ho? We’ve only reached half of the expected timeframe. We still have a long way to go.”
“Sigh.”
My eyes were speaking volumes.
‘On Earth, it took twenty years of full-time research to develop streptomycin, and we haven’t even reached ten years yet!’
Seeing those eyes burning with mad ambition for human progress, there was no answer to give.
In any case, I had no intention of abandoning this research.
It seemed I would pour time and resources into it until it succeeded.
Ever since the success in Yeonmu City, I’d been pouring increasingly more funds into expanding the laboratory with each passing day.
Continuously recruiting more researchers, and investing more money into whatever was needed.
Days spent recording intermediate processes and producing papers—those miscellaneous writings.
Pouring forth endless effort while showing no sign of disappointment.
“Yoo Ho, is there anything you’d like to eat?”
I asked casually.
“Please don’t cause any trouble while you’re at it.”
“Since you like meat, I’ll send you some rare jerky if I find any.”
Chirp! Chirp chirp chirp!
Behind me, Noeji, Cheonjin, and Nanman were conversing about something.
In the middle of it, their mother Noeji scolded Cheonjin and Nanman once each, looking exactly like parents heading out on a trip.
Chirp! Chirp chirp!
After chirping urgently about something, apparently satisfied, Noeji fluttered up and perched lightly on my head.
The signal to depart.
“Then we’re off! Take good care of my Master!”
“Please don’t worry about such things.”
Even that grumbling voice felt endearing.
‘Hehe. Still, Yoo Ho came to see me off this time.’
I never expected that fellow, who never usually bothered with such things, would come to see me off.
‘He must have come out instead of my Master, who’s in the middle of an emergency surgery.’
But still. What did that matter?
If he took better care of the laboratory with this momentum, wouldn’t that be good enough?
‘And though I say it’s fine, I’m also feeling a bit frustrated.’
The streptomycin research had indeed hit a wall.
I could only hope that some answer existed.
‘I’m aiming for twenty years, but it’s possible this could take far longer than that.’
Perhaps I may ultimately fail to succeed.
That’s how research is.
It’s almost like gambling—there’s no guarantee that pouring my time and resources will yield results.
Conversely, someone who invests half the effort and time I do might stumble upon a breakthrough through sheer luck. That’s how this field works.
‘It’s fine. It’s fine. I shouldn’t be discouraged by just this. Right!’
Given this situation, I need more samples.
Since I’m heading down to Nanman anyway, I plan to collect soil samples from that entire region.
* * *
As I made my way down toward Nanman, I collected soil samples.
I also packed provisions and traveled comfortably.
From Jiangsu Province to Guangzhou.
I borrowed horses from relay stations or occasionally hitched rides on merchant caravans.
And I prepared dinner myself each evening.
Sizzle, sizzle—
‘I’ve been craving spicy chicken ribs lately. This timing is perfect.’
The merchant caravan happened to have a large, flat wok-like pan.
The moment I saw that wide pan, I could only think it was perfect for making chicken ribs.
There’s a saying called “chicken ribs.”
It’s a phrase from the Records of the Three Kingdoms meaning something troublesome to eat yet too wasteful to discard.
But for a Korean like me, nothing tastes better than chicken ribs.
Chicken ribs.
What a delicious word.
Of course, I don’t use only the rib portions.
I strip every bit of meat from an entire chicken.
The enlightenment of the heart I gained at death’s threshold… I’m not using it to kill people, yet somehow my surgical and cooking skills keep improving.
Specifically, Central Plains-style chicken ribs made with Sichuan pepper and numbing spice on the spot.
Once I began cooking in earnest, not only the merchant caravan’s martial artists but even the hired hands stopped their work and watched me cook.
‘Why is the reaction better than when I treat their injuries?’
Still, cooking tastes better when someone appreciates it.
To build excitement, I shook the pan sharply, tossing the chicken ribs into the air while simultaneously pouring high-proof alcohol over them.
Then I used a fire-starting device to increase the heat.
Whoooosh!
Flames erupted over the chicken ribs.
“That looks delicious…”
“Wow. So the White-Robed Divine Dragon truly excels at cooking as well.”
The people stared mesmerized at the dancing flames.
‘Western cuisine, Korean cuisine, and Chinese cuisine all mixed together.’
Well, what does it matter? As long as it tastes good, that’s all that counts.
Over the chicken ribs infused with that charred flavor, I sprinkled my secret ingredient.
Cheese.
Sizzzzzzle—!
The cheese melted and began to drench the dak-galbi.
“Ooooh!”
The people from Pyohguk applauded as if they were witnessing a theatrical spectacle of the century.
While the cheese melted, I quickly whisked eggs in another iron pot to prepare egg soup.
I added no small ingredients to this.
Only eggs and broth determined the outcome.
Exactly like the egg soup served at Chinese restaurants.
‘Dak-galbi with egg soup—now that’s the pairing.’
I craved dongchimi as well, but since I hadn’t brought any from the Medical Guild, there was nothing to be done about it.
At last, the cooking was complete.

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