Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 298

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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 298
What emerged from Jin Cheon-hee’s hand was iron coins.
They were the medical fees the villagers had forced upon him.
Initially, they had tried to thrust their entire fortunes or silver upon him, but when Jin Cheon-hee stubbornly refused, they reluctantly gave him three taels of iron coins instead.
The price of a bowl of noodles at an inn.
He loaded those iron coins into a crossbow and fired.
Twang!
The iron coins infused with Heavenly Thunder Qi flew forth as arrows.
Bang!
They ricocheted off a tree like bullets, flying behind cover simultaneously.
“Noeji.”
Screeeeeech–!
Noeji’s twin wings blazed with azure light as if they had been waiting for this moment.
In the village, at the funeral of those who had suffered a sudden death, only the sounds of weeping and screams echoed.
My master simply leaned against a pillar, standing in a daze, while rain fell from the eaves.
Noeji delighted in the storm.
The spirit creature, ignorant of human hearts, consumed the white lightning that streaked down from the sky.
Lightning was Cheonryeong’s finest meal.
The lightning thus consumed became divine punishment, striking the iron coins infused with Heavenly Thunder Qi.
Crackle!
Thus the lightning became chains, electrocuting all those clustered together.
“Ahhhhh!”
In that moment, Jin Cheon-hee did not hesitate.
A second iron coin became an arrow and struck.
And finally, even the last iron coin.
Three iron coins guided Cheonryeong’s lightning, electrifying all directions like a net.
“Thank you for accepting the noodle bowl fee.”
With those words, Jin Cheon-hee’s body swayed slightly.
Exhaustion pressed down upon his entire frame.
However, there was still work to be done.
When Jin Cheon-hee raised his hand, Noeji immediately perched upon his shoulder.
“I’ll write a letter. Bring Jin Seung-bae, the captain of the constables.”
Chirp?
“Right. Human affairs are more complex than the spirit realm—knocking them down doesn’t mean it’s over.”
They all need to be bound and arrested.
While Noeji is away, I’ll need to cripple their dantians.
“I’ll handle the rest, brother.”
For days now, my brother hasn’t eaten or slept properly.
The thought that my brother had been reduced to this state because of these cursed young ones made Cheonwoo’s chest roil with anger.
With feelings like this, I won’t manage the clean execution my brother achieved, but I still have no intention of killing them.
As long as there’s breath left in the body, that’s all that matters.
* * *
When Jin Seung-bae, the constabulary commander, arrived with his troops, all the bandits were captured and lying sprawled on the ground.
Every last one of them had their limbs shattered, so they could simply be hauled away as they were.
‘We’ll need carts for this.’
More than half of them couldn’t walk on their own feet.
“I’m not sure how to properly express my gratitude….”
Jin Cheon-hee raised his hand toward the constabulary commander who was about to offer his thanks.
It would be disadvantageous if it became widely known that Jin Cheon-hee had the Inspection Bureau at his disposal.
The constabulary commander made a startled expression at Jin Cheon-hee’s signal, then quickly nodded in understanding.
“His Majesty will not forget the loyalty shown by the White-Robed Divine Dragon.”
“It’s nothing. I merely repaid a debt I owed.”
“Then wouldn’t you come to the magistrate’s office with us? You’ve accomplished great deeds, so a substantial reward….”
At those words, Jin Cheon-hee shook his head with a weary expression.
“I wish to proceed to my next destination. I simply ask for your cooperation going forward.”
‘A remarkable… warrior indeed.’
I never thought there would be someone who would refuse a reward after accomplishing such a feat.
‘If he were an inspector, it would be natural to want to boast of his achievements….’
The White-Robed Divine Dragon spoke calmly. He merely wished to repay the debt he owed.
“Still, you’ve avenged the village’s resentment. If there’s anything you’d like me to convey, please let me know.”
….
At those words, Jin Cheon-hee fell into thought for a moment.
The wind brushed past the young man’s refined profile. His neatly bound hair swayed once before settling. Soon, the young man parted his lips.
“…Tell them I’ve repaid three copper coins’ worth of debt.”
“Three copper coins?”
“Then you’ll understand.”
With those words, Jin Cheon-hee turned to leave.
Cheonwoo followed after his brother with a worried expression as he grew distant.
The constabulary commander watched Jin Cheon-hee’s departing figure and muttered to himself.
“Three copper coins….”
It was difficult to understand the meaning right now.
Yet for some reason, the words lodged themselves in his chest, and Jin Seung-bae found himself murmuring repeatedly, “Three copper coins, three copper coins….”
“Three copper coins…you say?”
One of the guards who heard the murmuring tilted his head in confusion.
“Do you know something about it?”
At those words, the guard nodded.
“Indeed, sir. After the villagers held the funeral for the blood debt, the remaining money came to three copper coins. They still tried to give more by borrowing silver coins to offer to the White-Robed Divine Dragon, but he said three copper coins would suffice and took only that before leaving.”
At those words, Constabulary Commander Jin Seung-bae’s eyes widened.
“It was the money left after the funeral! It was the money left after the funeral!”
And those three copper coins were later discovered among the bandits.
It was some time later that Jin Seung-bae returned those three taels to the villagers.
It was after the verdicts on the bandits and the Village Chief and Magistrate had been rendered.
“How could we possibly use this money!”
“But you said the debt was repaid.”
The villagers looked bewildered, exchanging glances with one another.
Soon, the eldest woman among them spoke up.
“Let us do this instead. We shall keep these three taels, and whenever a warrior from Baekrin Uigak visits, we shall provide three taels’ worth of noodles—what say you?”
“…Noodles, you say?”
“We have more than enough means to offer such hospitality. Though it would not even be one part in ten thousand compared to the debt that person repaid us. I dare say we can prepare noodles more delicious than those served at ordinary inns…. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
Everyone nodded at the old woman’s words.
“Excellent! Let us do so!”
Thus a new tradition began in the village, and it was not long after that a warrior from Baekrin Uigak, having unknowingly received noodles, learned of Jin Cheon-hee’s benevolence.
A tale of virtue had begun to spread.
But it would be quite some time before the person in question, Jin Cheon-hee himself, would hear of it.
* * *
Upon arriving at the new village, I rented an inn and slept as though dead.
I did not even hear Hwang-gu’s barking, remaining completely defenseless as I slumbered on.
Though worrying, my pallid complexion made it clear that sleep was what I needed most.
‘It was likely a matter of the spirit rather than the body.’
After experiencing such bloodshed, anyone could see that my older brother had changed from his usual self.
It was Cheonwoo who stayed by his side.
Cheonwoo waited for my brother to awaken, and the moment he did, he had the server bring easily digestible foods, feeding my brother immediately.
“Ah, my body must have been quite depleted.”
That was the first thing my brother said after doing so much.
“….”
I had much I wanted to say, but he was not the type to listen.
One could never say anything while he was eating something.
‘He might stop eating if he started thinking about work again.’
Finding a good inn had been a stroke of fortune.
“Wow, this place uses bamboo shoots well.”
He seemed pleased.
His appetite had returned. At first he only ate soft foods like congee, but now he was consuming everything from braised pork belly to eight-treasure stir-fry.
“This place uses good meat too.”
He was eating as much as he had missed from skipped meals.
After tasting the tender braised pork belly, he now placed it over rice like a rice bowl.
After trying the egg drop soup once, he even brought out pepper from the kitchen and seasoned it anew.
After enjoying all the food, Jin Cheon-hee patted his distended belly and lay back on the bed.
“A letter came from the village while you were unconscious, brother.”
“A letter? How did they know I was here?”
“A relay station worker brought it. Given the reputation you’ve built, finding you wouldn’t be difficult, would it?”
“…?”
I had no idea what had transpired while I lay collapsed from exhaustion.
-Do you know the story of the Baek-ui Sinryong and the three coins of iron?
The storytellers at the inn were already embellishing the tale and peddling their versions.
-I never realized the three coins of iron carried such meaning….
Reputation in Gangho naturally involved some embellishment, and with the storytellers’ characteristic melodrama woven in, all the martial artists listening shed tears.
-Offering a free bowl of noodles… In a village that suffered a blood calamity, their circumstances must be dire, yet how could they….
-Even a dog knows gratitude, so how could a person ignore it? No matter how difficult things become, there’s no reason to let one’s humanity wither away.
-…I hear the noodles from that village are quite delicious. Perhaps I should visit?
-Well, it’s not like we’re going because of the good deed or anything. We’re going because the noodles are supposedly tasty. Ahem!
-Quite right. Since it’s nearby anyway, we might as well stop by. The noodles are said to be delicious. Yes, quite so!
This was why the martial artists and escort merchants who followed reputation began to move.
The village began recovering faster than expected.
Letters of gratitude naturally followed.
I received the letter and read through it slowly, my face flushing crimson to the tips of my ears.
“Ugh! This is far too embarrassing!”
“Isn’t this a good thing, hyung?”
“Of course it’s good. A good deed. But… it’s harder to keep reading.”
Yet my eyes had returned from their blue glow to their original color.
For those watching, it was an immensely relieving sight.
I scratched my head vigorously and muttered.
“Sigh, what did I do to deserve this….”
My usual easygoing self had returned.
I couldn’t express how reassuring it was to see.
* * *
After resting thoroughly, I resumed my journey.
During the trip to Hwangdo with Cheonwoo, nothing of great consequence occurred.
“Baek-ui Sinryong! If you wish to cross this bridge, you must first defeat me!”
Crack!
The moment those words left his mouth, Cheonwoo’s fist flew out first.
“Hahaha, even still water has its hierarchy. Challenges should come from those of lower standing.”
The way he grabbed the man’s collar and shook him was exactly like a sect leader of the heterodox schools.
“Ugh, cough… You scoundrel.”
“I am Cheonwoo of the Mudang Sect.”
“Mudang Sect? Don’t lie. What kind of Taoist has such killing intent?”
“Hahaha, why do you say such things to make others misunderstand?”
Smack, smack-smack-smack-smack!
The martial arts of the Mudang Sect are fundamentally based on the Taiji Quan of Harmonious Strength, divided into two major categories: straight paths and curved paths.
When an opponent’s attack comes, you wrap it once and redirect it through your shoulder—this is the straight path.
When you receive an opponent’s attack and wrap it to break their arm—this is the curved path.
However, Mudang Gwon-je said this.
-Yuneung Jegang is fundamentally a technique meant to face those stronger than oneself, and that’s only something you employ when you encounter true strength. Tsk, why would you waste profound martial arts on mere rabble when you could simply beat them senseless?
Cheonwoo was Mudang Gwon-je’s foremost disciple.
He seemed to have inherited some of his master’s temperament. In short, he simply beat him down.
“Kughack-ack-ack!”

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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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