Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 421

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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 421
“Pirates don’t prey most often on massive merchant vessels like those of the Gongseon Family. Those are too risky for the potential gain—a delicacy, not a staple meal.”
“Then what is the staple?”
“Common folk’s ships. The ones who suffer most from pirates are the common people. And those common people hope that someone will punish the pirates in their stead. By dealing with pirates in the same manner, we plant memories in their hearts.”
“Memories of the Gongseon Family?”
“More precisely… memories of the Black Ice Poison Dragon. How terrifying she is as a force, and how necessary she is to the common people.”
The Black Ice Poison Dragon, Gongseon Hyeon, desired notoriety.
She wanted people to revere her as a ruthless and cruel strategist.
It would be her younger sister Gongseon Yeong’s role to build virtue.
After explaining this, Jin Cheon-hee continued.
“But now that she’s truly become the Gaju, she also needs the hearts of the common people. That’s the proper way to manage a great family.”
“The benefactor’s little one certainly values the hearts of the common people highly.”
At Gongseon Yeong’s words, Jin Cheon-hee nodded.
“Yes. Well… there are families among the great clans that exploit the common people. That’s the path of the wicked.”
“The righteous path merely maintains boundaries.”
“Hmm. That’s not enough.”
Even in a small administrative task, the budget can differ by several times depending on whether local residents willingly help or not.
‘If there’s a region with exclusionary residents, I’d need to start by bribing the village chief to bring them over.’
Even with such expenditures, it’s often difficult.
The reason Baekrin Medical Guild’s commercial territory expanded so widely and trade routes were established was because they had the hearts of the common people behind them and had obtained considerable information.
“Then why do you rent pirate ships cheaply instead of selling them?”
“Because other pirates could buy them and use them for piracy again. If we rent them out, we need to manage them periodically, and we must verify the identities of the common folk renting them, so that provides peace of mind.”
“I see.”
Gongseon Yeong began to understand why her sister coveted Jin Cheon-hee so much.
“Understood. I’ll tell her right away. I think she’ll definitely approve…”
“I wouldn’t be so certain. What I’m proposing is merely one suggestion, and I don’t know the internal circumstances of the Gongseon Family. There could be other considerations.”
This one didn’t arrogantly assume his own words were absolute truth.
‘The more I see, the more I like him.’
The problem was that he was already firmly grasped by Baek Rin-ui-seon.
If he belonged to an ordinary family, I could have seduced him away somehow.
* * *
After dealing with the first Suro-chae in that manner, they headed to the Yellow River port for resupply before handling the second Suro-chae.
As I was about to disembark, I spotted a familiar martial robe.
‘The Namgung Family?’
The emblem on the chest was unmistakably the symbol of the Namgung clan.
Focusing my inner sight, I recognized them as the Namgung Family’s Spear Palace Unhindered Sword Squad. And at the very front…
‘Namgung Un…?’
Jin Cheon-hee quickly pulled his veil down low to cover his face.
Even though his appearance had been altered by expert hands, he worried that Namgung Un might recognize him.
Sure enough, Hwang-gu wagged his tail thoughtlessly and tried to acknowledge Namgung Un.
Clink…?
I quickly covered Hwang-gu’s mouth.
‘Shh, we can’t get caught.’
When I whispered in the smallest voice possible, Hwang-gu finally stopped wagging his tail.
No matter how much I’d reshaped his bone structure or how expertly the professional had applied wool to his disguise, his behavior was unmistakably that of a dog.
Chirp-!
Noeji pecked Hwang-gu’s forehead as if to say ‘I told you so.’
Hwang-gu slumped dejectedly and went inside.
‘Phew, thank goodness. He’s well hidden.’
I naturally descended with the group.
Namgung Un bowed respectfully to the Gongseon Family’s martial artists, then spoke to Gongseon Yeong.
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
“What business does the Namgung Family have?”
When Gongseon Yeong asked, Namgung Un broke into his characteristically warm smile.
“If I said I happened to see your merchant caravan while passing through… you wouldn’t believe me, would you? The truth is, I had something to discuss, so I’ve been waiting here. Could you spare me some time?”
Then Wang Gak-yeon sent me a telepathic message.
[No way. I believe her. She would’ve just believed it.]
[Does the Namgung Family not know how simple Gongseon Yeong is?]
[I know. But you’re underestimating her simplicity. She’s the type who could ruin the entire family within a month. Actually, she could do it in a week too….]
[I… see.]
I observed Gongseon Yeong.
Bold features and a refreshingly straightforward voice.
A bright energy that radiated warmth like sunlight to those who beheld her.
However, Wang Gak-yeon had assessed that she was so bright that getting entangled with her would feel like one’s life was being ruined.
I wasn’t sure about ruining people’s lives, but the Gongseon Family could certainly be ruined by her.
Namgung Un spoke.
“As it happens, I’ve prepared some excellent wine. As someone famous for loving drink, Miss Gongseon should enjoy it.”
At the mention of alcohol, Gongseon Yeong’s eyes lit up.
Wang Gak-yeon sent me a telepathic message.
[We’re doomed. She’d die for alcohol.]
[A lover of drink?]
[That’s the polite way to put it… She just drinks entire buckets of it.]
That’s quite something.
[This Namgung Un bastard is definitely up to something with her.]
[Is he trying to extract information?]
At those words, Wang Gak-yeon fell into thought.
[No… Gongseon Hyeon already knows about Gongseon Yeong, so she won’t reveal truly important secrets.]
[… Then what’s he scheming?]
[Let’s go anyway. Cheon-hee.]
‘Ah… I don’t want Namgung Un to see me like this.’
At that moment, Namgung Un also addressed Jin Cheon-hee, who was wearing a headband.
“I heard you are a princess from a foreign land. If you don’t mind, would you care to join us for a drink?”
Jin Cheon-hee responded in a clear, melodious voice.
“I’m not particularly skilled with alcohol… but Sohyeop…?”
“Haha, surely a martial artist of the Gangho cannot abstain from drinking.”
I see.
He hadn’t reflected on his kidney stones one bit!
I had certainly shown him a taste of the pain that would come from continuing to drink like this with his own hands.
‘And yet he continues to drink? Has he lost his mind?’
I wasn’t even surprised.
‘Sigh, what good does it do for me to be angry? He’s going to ruin the body I fixed. He’ll end up clutching his lower abdomen and dying in some inn. Madman.’
Jin Cheon-hee thought to himself.
I was not angry.
I had already anticipated Namgung Un’s behavior.
So I was absolutely! Not angry at all!
After all, humans are foolish creatures who repeat the same mistakes.
If I got angry over every such thing, I couldn’t last long as a doctor.
I repeated the thought to myself.
‘I’m not angry. I’m not angry. I’m not angry.’
Namgung Un spoke.
“Then perhaps the princess would also join us….”
“Very well. The elegance of the Gangho—I shall certainly enjoy it.”
For some reason, the princess’s tone seemed strained, but Namgung Un decided not to make much of it.
The princess thought to herself.
‘Yes. My joining them is purely to help ensure that Gongseon Yeong doesn’t get beaten down. Namgung Un’s kidney troubles are not my concern.’
How many patients fail to listen to their doctor?
Jin Cheon-hee reminded himself again.
‘That’s right, I’m not angry. After all, it’s his life to live as he chooses.’
* * *
“Our Namgung Family has already contracted with the brewery that produces this fine liquor, so we’re able to enjoy the finest quality daily.”
‘Yes. He drinks every day.’
It wasn’t even a matter of restraint. He simply lived as he always had.
Jin Cheon-hee silently recited a Buddhist sutra in his heart.
Wasn’t this common even on Earth?
No matter how much treatment you provide or warnings you give, patients ultimately live according to their habits.
Cases where they fail to change and their illness deepens are far too common.
It would be wonderful if everyone learned their lessons and changed their ways, but that happens far less often than not.
‘Sigh, that’s just how it is. Patients don’t listen to their doctors and destroy their own bodies—that too is their freedom.’
Even if I fixed that belly of his, destroying it again is the patient’s choice, not mine.
Whether he continues this foolish behavior or not is no concern of mine.
Noticing that Jin Cheon-hee’s mood beside her was not particularly pleasant, Wang Gak-yeon opened her mouth.
“Oh my, Young Master Namgung. I heard that one shouldn’t drink alcohol due to kidney stones. Are you quite certain you’re alright?”
“Haha, now that I think about it, Miss Wang, you seem to have quite the connection with my younger brother Jin. He tends to be rather strict about such matters. However, there’s no need to worry anymore.”
“Pardon?”
“That kidney stone problem—I’ve found a solution for it.”
‘…What on earth?’
Jin Cheon-hee’s eyes widened beneath his mask.
If there were a method to prevent kidney stones even while drinking alcohol, that would be a medical technique that didn’t exist even on Earth.
Had Namgung Un discovered a solution that even he was unaware of?
As a doctor, Jin Cheon-hee became genuinely curious.
“What is this method, Namgung? I must ask.”
Jin Cheon-hee added the honorific “Great Master” when asking.
If one discovered such a method, they certainly deserved to be called a great master.
Namgung Un spoke.
“It is… by training in extremely minute qi manipulation and striking one’s own abdomen using the internal qi shattering technique, one can destroy recurring kidney stones!”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“Expelling toxins from within the body through inner force is something any master of internal qi cultivation can do. I’ve simply applied and developed that principle.”
Wang Gak-yeon, finding this absurd, asked again.
“So you’re saying you hit your own abdomen yourself? Young Master Namgung…?”
“Yes. Of course it hurts. It does hurt. However, if one can drink alcohol, then enduring this level of pain is acceptable.”
“…”
Jin Cheon-hee and Wang Gak-yeon fell silent for a moment, staring at each other.
Beside the two of them, Gongseon Yeong was busy drinking, so the three’s conversation was of little consequence to her.
After standing there dumbfounded, Jin Cheon-hee asked.
“That… Young Master Namgung. Have you perhaps studied the location of the kidneys within the human body?”
“Haha, I know only roughly.”
“And… have you ever formally studied medicine?”
“Not at all! But I’m confident this method will work.”
“Then you’ve never practiced the shattering technique using internal qi manipulation, nor learned from a specialist…?”
“Not in the slightest!”
“So you’re simply striking your lower abdomen with your fists repeatedly…?”
“Ah! It’s minute internal qi shattering, I tell you. Don’t misunderstand. With my inner force, it’s entirely possible.”
Namgung Un sensed something was amiss.
Though the Princess’s face was hidden behind a mask, it seemed as though she was staring at him without blinking once.
He could feel a subtle aura of anger emanating from her.
The Princess spoke.
“Then let us do this. I shall strike Young Master Namgung’s head with this stone pipa. Since it will be struck using minute internal qi shattering technique, I believe his intelligence will also be corrected.”
“I… what…?”
In that instant, a pristine white pipa came down on Namgung Un’s head like lightning.
Crack!
“Kugh?!”

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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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