Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 41

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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 41
Everyone rose from their seats in unison and bowed to my Master.
My Master waved dismissively at the morning greetings and took his seat.
The head seat of Baekrin Uigak, the position of Cheon-won.
The seat of Baekrin Uigak’s director, Jegalling.
My Master, who always smiled brightly whenever he looked at me, offered me not a single glance today.
He seemed like a completely different person. He spoke to the Chief Administrator, Yoo Ho.
“Let us begin the meeting.”
At his voice, the four hall directors straightened their postures.
* * *
The basic proceedings commenced. Chief Administrator Yoo Ho read the agenda in a clear voice.
“The Martial Alliance has requested medical dispatch. It appears they will hold the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering as usual this year.”
The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
A martial tournament held by the Martial Alliance to foster unity, gathering promising disciples from each sect.
For martial artists, it was an excellent opportunity to earn a reputation, but for doctors, it was a period of death.
‘From a physician’s perspective, it’s a period when massive emergency trauma cases flood in.’
Images of an emergency room nightmare flashed through my mind like a lantern show.
As expected, the expression of Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Hall director, was grim.
Sama Byeong.
With a lean, stubborn appearance and a sharp voice, he was not an easy person to approach.
Despite his age, he was quite handsome, with a large frame and solid musculature. His short-cropped hair made him resemble a seasoned boxing veteran.
The Acupuncture Hall was responsible for needlework and moxibustion within the Medical Hall.
They used needles to stop bleeding or inserted inner force into acupoints for anesthesia before treatment.
When needles alone could not resolve matters, moxibustion was employed to treat both external and internal injuries.
Literally, it was the hall that died first at such events.
“What is the scale of the martial tournament?”
“It appears to be similar to last year’s level.”
“Sigh, similar to last year, you say…”
At Sama Byeong’s words, Manpagok, the Medicinal Herb Hall director, burst into laughter.
“Who can control the hot blood of young martial artists?”
“Ha, and the Medicinal Herb Hall director laughs as if it’s someone else’s problem.”
“I shall prepare plenty of trauma salve. Do your best.”
In a way, it resembled the banter of elderly men at a community center, but the content was far from ordinary.
Once a blade is drawn, arms will be severed, legs will be severed, organs will be severed—something will inevitably be wounded.
The lightest wound among these would be merely a scraped surface.
Even that could prove fatal if not treated properly, succumbing to secondary infections like tetanus.
Knowing this, the four hall directors probed each other’s intentions, each trying to secure one more staff member.
Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Hall director, rubbed his beardless chin.
“In that case, why not have the Medicinal Herb Hall help? We’re severely short on hands—
Lal
seems like it.”
The medicinal herb master chuckled with a sly grin.
“I hear many of the clan’s junior talents will be attending this Yongbong Gathering, so it will likely be demanding. I’ll be burning the midnight oil just crafting the Qingming Pills needed for detoxification.”
“Then what of you, Chuna Master?”
Chuna Master Joo Dan-ha.
A woman in her thirties with a striking presence—thick eyebrows and large, piercing eyes.
Her frame was smaller than the two elderly masters before her, yet her musculature was more solid than anyone’s.
As the Chuna Master, she oversaw the tuina techniques of the Medical Hall.
Through tuina, she pummeled bodies to realign bones, corrected qi and blood circulation, forcibly opened blocked acupoints and stagnant blood vessels to restore function, mended fractures, and straightened twisted bones.
Crude methods, perhaps, but remarkably effective.
Chuna Master Joo Dan-ha answered with indifference.
“What use would tuina be for martial artists struck by blades? Take my people if you need them. I can help with transporting patients, at least.”
“There will be plenty of broken bones, surely? I hear many of the rising talents are martial artists specializing in fist techniques.”
“Fist techniques vary, though…”
“Unfortunately, a rising master who has awakened the mysteries of Taiji will be attending.”
Her expression hardened like stone.
Taiji—when struck by soft fist techniques that suppress force through yielding, dislocations and fractures are inevitable.
Like all external injuries, fractures are a race against time, and tuina is what resolves them.
“Why do they even hold the Yongbong Gathering? Do they all enjoy getting injured?”
She grumbled while selecting a few more personnel to assign.
Watching this scene unfold, I felt an oddly profound sentiment wash over me.
‘So this is what the Yongbong Gathering feels like to physicians.’
As a former surgeon, I felt a strange kinship.
Yoo Ho, as chief administrator, had been taking notes on the masters’ discussion before asking a question.
“Does the Martial Master have anything to add?”
Martial Master Dokgo Joong-hu.
A middle-aged man wearing an eye patch, with distinct features that drew people’s attention.
He always carried an air of detachment from worldly affairs. I had heard that one of his eyes was blinded in the past while protecting Jegalling.
His build was larger than Joo Dan-ha’s, and his arms were covered in scars.
He answered flatly.
“I wish to retire.”
“Pardon?”
At those words, every master’s head turned toward him. Even Yoo Ho, who had posed the question, was left speechless and asked again.
Dokgo Joong-hu spoke.
“A master who has reached the Transformation Realm has entered the Medical Hall. What reason do I have to remain here? I wish to pass my position to Gungwi Wang Chae-baek and spend my remaining days fishing in retirement.”
Everyone fell silent at this sudden retirement announcement.
‘No, this is completely out of the blue.’
It was like a professor-level physician at a university hospital’s morning assembly suddenly declaring, “A star American surgeon has joined our hospital! I’m not needed anymore, so I’m retiring!”
Then Jegalling spoke.
“As you know, the Martial Master of the Medical Hall is not a position determined by strength alone. Gungwi lacks both the prestige and experience necessary to assume the master’s position.”
“But retirement….”
“…I humbly ask for your continued support, Lord of the Martial Arts Hall.”
However, he did not grant permission.
Dokgo Junghoo spoke in a hollow voice.
“Last year, the rising masters from the Yongbong Branch caused so much trouble that I had quite the ordeal.”
“Haha, because you handled it so well, Lord of the Martial Arts Hall, it was resolved without issue, was it not?”
Dokgo Junghoo was destined to continue being worn down in this manner.
After handling the agenda items one by one in this fashion, we finally arrived at the most important matter at hand.
Yoo Ho spoke.
“Next is the agenda regarding Young Master Jin’s future disposition.”
At those words, the four elders’ eyes all brightened at once.
‘Strange—until just moments ago, these people weren’t even greeting me, so why are they suddenly looking at me with such fervent interest?’
Receiving their gazes, I felt somewhat burdened.
* * *
“This Medical Hall originally originated from the Jegal Medical Institute.”
This was a tale from long ago.
During the time when the Jegal clan existed, the family operated a medical hall called the Jegal Medical Institute. Though it was not counted among the three greatest medical halls under heaven at that time, it is said to have possessed considerable prosperity nonetheless.
Afterward, though the Jegal clan fell into decline, Jegalling, the last surviving member of the Jegal family, inherited its legacy.
He established the Baekrin Uigak and transformed it into one of the three greatest medical halls under heaven.
Had there been even one more descendant of the Jegal family, the name Jegal Medical Institute might have been revived.
However, Jegalling was a man whose death could come at any moment, and he alone carried the bloodline of the family.
Thus, he humbly chose a new name and established the Baekrin Uigak.
The four hall lords who remain now were those who had supported Jegalling since the days of the Jegal Medical Institute.
Standing firm against the calamities of Gangho, they steadfastly sustained Jegalling.
Manpagok, Lord of the Medicinal Herbs Hall.
Sama Byeong, Lord of the Acupuncture Hall.
Joo Dan-ha, Lord of the Therapeutic Massage Hall.
Dokgo
Junghoo,
Lord of the Martial Arts Hall.
The world called these four the Four Hall Lords of Baekrin Uigak.
Thus, these four were no different from retainers who had served the Jegal family since ancient times.
Their loyalty
ran
deep and profound. Yet, as elders of Gangho, they possessed equally strong individuality.
They were doctors and scholars, and also martial artists.
Jegalling expressed deep respect toward them.
“Without your labors all these years, I, Jegalling, would not still be alive.”
The four listened quietly to Jegalling’s words.
“Yet, upon reflection, I realized I must also consider the future of this Medical Hall. Thus, I took on a disciple—a brilliant child who possesses medical knowledge entirely different from our own. The depth of medicine this child possesses warrants the establishment of an entirely new hall. For this reason, I have convened this meeting. I earnestly request that you share your candid opinions.”
“A master must be deliberate in choosing disciples, and disciples must be thoughtful in serving their master. Gak-yeon’s keen insight is something this old man acknowledges, and curing Wang Gak-yeon, the daughter of Gungwi, was certainly remarkable.”
The Chuna Dangju’s crisp voice resonated through the conference hall.
“However, is he not still too young? His medical skills are extraordinary, but much remains unverified. We bear responsibility for our patients’ lives, so we cannot recklessly employ unproven techniques. Would it not be better to verify the young master’s medical arts further before establishing a new hall?”
I considered this carefully.
‘From the Chuna Dangju’s perspective, it’s a sound judgment. Yet on the other hand, it’s frustrating.’
My medical knowledge was thoroughly verified. I possessed modern medicine accumulated over thousands of years. But of course, they didn’t know that.
How much time would it take to verify the medical arts I possessed?
‘And by then, my master’s body won’t endure it.’
However, I remained silent for now. There was no point in insisting I was right without evidence.
“Is there not a prior issue?”
The Chuna Dangju opened his mouth in a languid tone.
“To begin with, I have never seen nor heard of such medical techniques. Among the three great Medical Halls under heaven, even Hyeolsaeng Nogoe’s Heukjeon Uiseon does not operate in this manner. In truth, suspicions about the young master’s identity have not easily dissipated.”
‘I wondered when that would come up.’
By anyone’s measure, I was a suspicious child.
Even for a genius, there were limits.
If one did not question the origins of unheard-of medical techniques, one could not be part of the martial world. The martial world is a forest built upon martial prowess.
Questioning the roots of the trees that form the forest is almost like an instinct of the martial world itself.
“I shall vouch for that matter.”
Then it happened.
Yoo Ho spoke up.
“Director Yoo?”
“Yes. I have completed verification through certain means. You need not worry. The young master’s true intentions pose no harm to the master.”
The expressions of the four Dangju changed at those words.
“Hmm… if Director Yoo says so…”
He calmed the four elders with a single statement. That was no easy feat with ordinary trust.
I stared back and forth between Yoo Ho and the Dangju in disbelief.
‘What? They’re just accepting it because Yoo Ho said that?’
My curiosity about Yoo Ho deepened further.

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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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