Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 367

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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 367
I had unleashed a poison upon Gangho.
‘No, this is insane… It sold more than all the previous batches of Qingyu combined?’
This trashy melodrama red jade had achieved the highest sales figures.
And every last coin of those profits flowed directly back to the Martial Arts Guild, which protected the doctors’ quarters and their families.
A virtuous cycle born from melodrama.
I became somewhat happy.
‘Indeed, imperial melodrama red jade is the finest.’
Scenes were unfolding in every household—mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather, four of them pulling out the red jade and creating melodramatic dramas together in perfect harmony.
Later, I divided it into budget and premium versions to diversify pricing, and both sold like hotcakes.
-Silver Duke. We have acquired three additional workshops. Mass production commencing.
Having tasted the capitalist flavor of melodrama red jade, Gongseon Hyeon began rowing when the tide came in.
She intended to see this through with the Gongseon Trading Company.
-Hyeong, I’ve made counterfeit red jade. I’ll send you thirty percent of the licensing fees. Keep it secret from the Black Ice Poison Dragon.
Though he didn’t uphold merchant principles, Sama Hyeon—who honored his loyalty to his brother—began using the back channels of the Golden Blood Hall to manufacture and sell counterfeit red jade.
‘Before long, those two will be at each other’s throats.’
I decided to be satisfied as long as money kept flowing in from somewhere.
‘The red jade really did become a massive hit.’
I gazed out the window at the falling rain.
Since Baekrin Uiseon was located at the foot of the mountain, rain fell quite frequently.
‘How many months have passed since then?’
I opened the next letter.
-Patriarch, we have delivered the report to Yunryong Hall. With this, all the treasures and spirit medicines that Tugoe stole have found their way back to their rightful owners.
A letter from Dokgo Junghu.
Ever since Tugoe became my guest, she had returned everything she had stolen.
Of course, if she had returned them directly by her own hand, blood would have been spilled, so they were delivered through Baekrin Uiseon instead.
Naturally, some troublemakers tried to cause a scene.
But there was no need for me to step in—everything was settled at the level of Vice-Master Wang Chae-baek.
-By the way, Patriarch. I do hope you might grant me retirement this time.
“…”
Martial Arts Guild Master Dokgo Junghu’s desire for retirement continued to burn fiercely.
However, neither Jegalling nor I would permit it.
Dokgo Junghu had now reached the realm of Hwagyeong.
For such an absolute master to retire was simply unthinkable, and his true ability lay not in martial prowess but in his capacity for command.
‘From my Master’s perspective, he is also a connection inherited from the days of the Jegalling clan.’
Thus I spent my time working, training in martial arts, conducting medical research, and overseeing the development of new medicines.
And the new medicine I was developing was…
‘Aspirin, I suppose. That’s next.’
Records indicate that the precursor to aspirin was already being produced in ancient Egypt.
Salicylic acid extracted from willow bark could be considered the primary active ingredient.
The problem was that extracting and refining salicylic acid only became possible in modern times, and this was precisely what the Medical Guild was researching now.
‘Because if you try to use this salicylic acid as medicine directly, the side effects are quite severe.’
As a result, there remained the challenge of synthesizing this salicylic acid with other substances to create aspirin.
The manufacturing process I remembered was simple.
1. Extract salicylic acid.
2. Synthesize it with acetic acid.
3. Voilà, finished!
‘Damn it, I should have studied more!’
Since all my knowledge was based on modern technology, I had no idea how to implement this in this era.
I didn’t know the intermediate steps between steps one and two.
Actually, I was already stuck starting from step one.
‘Setting aside the extraction of salicylic acid, acetic acid requires ethanol to produce, but I could use medical alcohol anyway. But what’s the synthesis ratio? And how do I form it into pills?’
In the modern era, it was impossible to use willow bark individually like this.
To begin with, cutting down enough willow trees for medicinal use presented both environmental and capital problems.
So we simply synthesize it through chemical means.
‘At least this is better than the first and second projects.’
The first one—heading into bare ground. The second one—infinite mushroom cultivation.
Back then, I couldn’t tell if it was working or not.
Whether we were on the right track or not, I couldn’t grasp anything clearly, so there was no answer but to just try.
However, this aspirin research at least had better direction than before, and the Medical Assistants were working with enthusiasm.
Mass production in this era was out of the question anyway.
Considering the unit cost, it would be terrible regardless.
Let’s make it first and think about it later.
‘Of course, it’s not just this.’
Thanks to how hard I’d been pushing the Medical Assistants, now I was having them work while making sure they took their days off properly.
A world of difference compared to before.
And it had been several years since I started operating the Baekrin Elixir House.
Talented people from the Baekrin Elixir House were beginning to be hired at Baekrin Medical Guild.
Not just martial artists protecting the Medical Guild, but people like Sama-hye who aspired to become medical professionals, or those who wanted to work in commerce and the intelligence network began to emerge.
‘On the other hand, I’m also making many enemies.’
The fact that the future had changed meant that enemies I hadn’t foreseen were beginning to emerge.
Jegalling’s survival, the growth of Baekrin Medical Guild.
Along with Sama Hyeon’s transformation, preventing the Wudang Sect’s blood assassins through Cheonwoo’s survival.
Preventing a large-scale blood battle in Bidong, and this time, saving Tugoe.
According to the original story, by now, a quarter of the martial artists in Gangho should have already died and disappeared.
That meant that among those who survived and returned, there were those who would draw their swords against Baekrin Medical Guild.
With the distribution of soap and water purification tubes, the number of people saved directly and indirectly was considerable.
The snowball effect was rolling ever larger.
Especially in Jiangsu Province, the infant mortality rate began to plummet.
The population of Jiangsu Province itself began to increase.
‘Perhaps… they really might come to kill me.’
According to Cheonma’s words, I was someone who “disturbs the heavenly mandate,” and as a doctor, I was certainly doing a thorough job of it.
Yet even so, a doctor walks the path of a doctor.
It was not my way to let those who could live die.
‘What should I do going forward?’
If righteous people lived, then wicked people must have lived as well.
Now, with the increased population, if the Blood Calamity erupted incorrectly, the scale of damage would only grow larger.
‘…More people alive means more people will die.’
A hollow laugh escaped me.
I turned my head to gaze upon the empire’s map.
The empire’s map displayed the various factions established in each region.
‘The Wudang Sect’s Blood Calamity, the struggle over secret manuals. Then… perhaps now I must resolve the heterodox sects’ problems to balance the scales.’
The heterodox sects.
Sadoren.
There were no shortage of problems piling up on that side as well.
And surprisingly.
It wasn’t the Hyeolseonggyo causing trouble there, but the Demonic Sect that had been scheming quite actively.
‘I should contact Hyeon. And Ha-ryun… hmm.’
Even though they were both Demonic Sect, Yeo Ha-ryun’s faction was different.
While I was organizing my thoughts, I received word through Yoo Ho that my Master was calling for me.
When I went to see my Master, he was reading through letters piled up like a mountain, rapidly decoding each cipher and burning them one after another.
“You must visit Oh Dok-mun.”
“Oh Dok-mun?”
Oh Dok-mun and the Sichuan Tang Clan.
While these two don’t belong to the Three Great Medical Guilds of the realm, they possess considerable medical expertise.
The Sichuan Tang Clan operates the Tang Clan Medical Guild in Sichuan Province, and Oh Dok-mun is called the Yunnan Oh Dok-mun, operating the Oh Dok-mun Medical Guild in Yunnan.
‘Because of this, even the Three Great Medical Guilds haven’t been able to establish branches in these two regions.’
There are regional medical divisions under their jurisdiction, but not enough to be called proper branches.
“Originally, we’ve been conducting medical exchanges with the Sichuan Tang Clan and Oh Dok-mun once every five years.”
“I heard it was merely superficial exchange.”
“Indeed. That’s why there was no need for you to go. Formally, the medical staff from the medicinal herb division would visit. In any case, they’re superior when it comes to poisons.”
If one names the Sichuan Tang Clan as the renowned family of poisons on the orthodox side, then Oh Dok-mun exists on the heterodox side.
They could truly be called the two great mountains when it comes to poisons.
“However, this time the Patriarch is earnestly requesting that you come personally.”
“Because my name has become that well-known in the martial realm.”
I was delighted.
‘I was already quite interested in poisons anyway, so this works out well.’
I thought perhaps I might find the answer to aspirin there.
Seeing my disciple’s eyes shining with eagerness to depart, my Master let out a small sigh.
Soon, what was held in my Master’s hand was a fan.
I carved the wooden frame, and my master completed the finishing touches.
Even the decorative tassels were braided one by one by my own hands—truly a treasure beyond compare in all of Gangho.
My master seemed pleased with how the fan felt in his hands as he fanned himself gently, then spoke.
“Yes. Since you’re going anyway, it would be good if we could bring Oh Dok-mun under our faction’s umbrella.”
“Understood.”
“Furthermore, we’ve decided to forge a formal alliance with Shaolin Temple. The peculiar triangle between Shaolin, Baekrin Uiseon, and Hao-mun will continue.”
The goal was to draw in any faction that could be of use, regardless of their alignment.
My master continued weaving his grand strategy.
And I, his disciple, gladly became a chess piece following his counsel.
“Master, you’re thinking of drawing in the righteous sects, then the unorthodox sects, and then the unorthodox sects again. So if we succeed in bringing Oh Dok-mun into the fold, would it be the righteous sects next?”
“Exactly. The more allies, the better. We intend to utilize every advantage our unique position as the Medical Guild affords us.”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
My master folded the fan closed again.
Click—
“However, I have no intention of sending you alone. Since you’ll be going as an official envoy, take four of the Martial Arts Guild’s Twelve Masters who are currently on standby.”
“M-Master, that’s far too much.”
“You are now the face of the Medical Guild. What if you were disrespected while you’re there?”
…Currently, while people might regard me as a madman, few were in a position to actually disrespect me.
My master called it maintaining dignity, but really this was—
‘Good heavens, you’re being overprotective! Master!’
…Didn’t you say you’d raise your disciple like a weed?
I felt like I wanted to die.
In any case, bringing all these people was impossible. I had to reduce the number by at least one.
So I clenched my fists tightly.

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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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