Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 426

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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 426
The child who had been crying for quite some time suddenly stopped, as if some shift in heart had occurred, and looked up at me.
“That’s right, that’s right. Yes. The pain is almost completely gone now.”
I said this and then spoke to the child’s father.
“Even if you return home, you must continue monitoring his condition. If he suddenly vomits, has convulsions, or loses consciousness, rush immediately to Baekrin Medical Guild.”
“Will there be aftereffects?”
The father looked at me with wet eyes.
“….”
I smiled reassuringly.
“It’s too early to be optimistic, but… even if there are aftereffects, as long as you rush to Baekrin Medical Guild immediately, it should be fine. And given the positive prognosis, he will grow up healthy and strong.”
For a simple skull fracture, we typically monitor for approximately one month on average.
However, this patient will likely need to be observed for at least half a year.
‘Especially with a baby, it’s difficult to discern through pulse diagnosis.’
The body is far too small.
Moreover, since the organs and meridians are not yet fully developed, it’s hard to distinguish them.
And next, I must say something difficult for a doctor to say.
“However, if something like this happens again, I cannot guarantee his life.”
“…There are many hidden experts in Gangho, so it’s impossible to completely avoid danger.”
“At least for a year. Couldn’t you manage just one year?”
“….”
Worry settled on the father’s face.
“If we could build a simple dwelling deep in the mountains and live there, it might be possible. But if the child becomes ill, wouldn’t you need to rush immediately to Baekrin Medical Guild?”
That was the problem.
The father pondered and then spoke.
“If I could enter Baekrin Medical Guild as a martial artist… it might be possible. I believe recruitment ended not long ago.”
“Yes. Recruitment has already concluded.”
“Shameless as I am… perhaps…”
I understood what he was trying to say.
‘Hmm, should I ask Muyue if there are any open positions? If he has enough martial strength to pass an examination, it might be possible…’
But I had already forced one person in last week.
Just then, Yoo Ho entered.
“Ah, Chief Manager Yoo!”
I was about to ask if there was some solution, but Yoo Ho answered with an expression of dread.
“I refuse.”
“What? I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“You’re trying to assign me some bothersome task, aren’t you? It’s obviously the troublesome sort.”
“Wow! Now Chief Manager Yoo is truly perceptive. You already know everything just by seeing my face.”
Saying this, I deliberately brushed my hair back behind my ear.
‘Sigh… that guy is trying to make that pitiful expression again.’
It’s been happening day after day.
Yoo Ho quickly spoke before Professor Jin could unleash his killing technique.
“We have a visitor.”
“Hmm, a visitor?”
At that moment, Yoo Ho answered through sound transmission.
[The Eunuch General has come in person.]
…What is this?
* * *
I left the rest to Yoo Ho and hurried to meet the Eunuch General.
‘A man who’s swallowed a hundred snakes comes in person?’
He could have sent my granddaughter Han Yi-jeong instead, now that she’d been promoted to Minister of the Six Ministries.
Han Yi-jeong had been appointed to the Ministry of Revenue and Local Administration among the Six Ministries.
The Minister of Revenue was also called the Minister of the People’s Ministry—the cream of the crop among the cream of the crop.
‘The fact that he didn’t place her in the Ministry of Personnel is his last shred of conscience.’
It wasn’t that he couldn’t.
He simply chose not to.
Besides, the Ministry of Revenue would be better for protecting the Eunuch General than the Ministry of Personnel.
Finance and local administration were connected to his old classmates, after all.
For such a person to come in person instead of just sending some old classmate as an errand boy—my granddaughter, the Minister of Revenue, no… he came himself.
‘Ah…. I haven’t even changed professions yet, and I feel like I’m meeting the strongest final boss in the world.
I thought he’d surely brought some wretched business with him.
‘It’ll be dirty work that’ll bore holes through my fragile soul.’
By now, I’d gained enough experience as Soggakju.
Nothing good ever comes from this.
It simply cannot be good.
And sure enough.
When I arrived at the tea room, my Master sat across from the Eunuch General with an expression from the other world.
* * *
“A conscription order?”
“Hehehehe, indeed it has come to pass.”
That was it. A conscription order had arrived.
Though martial artists live their lives breaking laws as casually as eating, they are still subjects of the Empire and must fulfill their civic duties.
First, the obligation to pay taxes.
Yeo Ha-ryun of the Demonic Cult in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains need not concern himself, but most martial artists issued identification tablets must pay taxes nonetheless.
Second is the obligation of military service.
By imperial law, one must answer the call and defend the nation.
For reference, Yeo Ha-ryun of the Demonic Cult is exempt.
The Demonic Cult itself is classified under imperial law as a subversive organization of heretics and is a target for suppression.
Of course, since the Demonic Sage, one of the Three Elites, resides there and the Demonic Lords exist, the losses from suppressing them far outweigh the gains, so it simply cannot be done.
The fact that individuals can wield destructive power equivalent to mini thermonuclear weapons is truly a wretched situation.
Of course, the imperial family, including our King, who possess such abilities, can sweep them away with comparable force.
However, if the Cheonma simply abandons the Ten Thousand Mountains and flees, what becomes of the administration? The Emperor cannot just abandon the imperial palace and run.
Thus, our Ten Thousand Mountains became an ambiguous territory—technically an illegal occupation of rebel territory under imperial law, yet practically beyond the empire’s reach.
‘…You don’t pay taxes or serve military duty. Must be nice, Ha-ryun.’
I envied Little Cheonma, the Gangho tax evader and draft dodger.
Still, the empire was reasonably fair in one respect: military service could be exempted by paying an equivalent sum.
That money formed one of the financial arteries sustaining the imperial army.
The system existed because Gangho masters would never obey a captain-commander younger than themselves.
There were already numerous precedents of drunken wanderers, after being scolded by a captain-commander, suddenly snapping and slitting their superior’s throat.
Gangho masters barely listened to the Martial Arts Alliance itself—they certainly wouldn’t heed military orders.
In any case, most Gangho sects paid substantial military service taxes separately to protect their members.
‘The real problem is the conscription orders that come down regardless.’
Conscription orders were different from military service.
Military service typically required five years of duty, but conscription orders were short-term mobilizations for war.
Usually lasting anywhere from half a year to a year.
When a conscription order was issued, participation was mandatory unless there were unavoidable circumstances like illness or natural disaster.
Of course, conscription orders weren’t used frequently.
The empire only deployed them for matters it deemed serious.
‘Ha-ryun. You won’t even receive conscription orders since you’re a rebel….’
The Eunuch General continued speaking.
“No Gangho master enjoys conscription orders. However, the northern nomads have been acting unusually, and we require the support of Baekrin Medical Guild’s doctors.”
The Eunuch General laughed hollowly while hooking his fishing line through the back of my neck.
‘Right. Whether on Earth or here, medical personnel are always conscripted first during wartime.’
Jegalling fell into thought.
….
The Eunuch General continued.
“Guards will accompany the doctors for protection, but fundamentally, this is not direct participation in combat. Of course, we will prioritize the doctors’ safety in the rear, so there is no need for excessive concern.”
How much truth lay in those words?
Even one grain?
I pondered this.
“Furthermore, we hope that the Patriarch Jin Cheon-hee will serve as the responsible party. The other major sects will likewise have their Patriarchs conscripted as leaders.”
“Patriarch and Sect Patriarch, I see.”
At Baekrin Uiseon Jegalling’s words, the Eunuch General spoke.
“It would be ideal if the sect leaders themselves came directly, but those holding the position of sect leader rarely move so easily. Heheheh.”
There was a poison in his tone that could dissolve not just flesh but bone itself.
Before that sentence even finished, Baekrin Uiseon answered.
“…Then I shall go myself.”
“Heheheh. Has the Baekrin Medical Guild not expanded considerably of late? Your duties must be pressing…. Are you certain?”
“The important matters have already been handled.”
At my Master Baekrin Uiseon’s words, I nodded.
“Then I am grateful. The empire will not forget your contributions, Patriarch.”
“…However, since I will be moving personally, it seems the Eunuch General should also demonstrate sincerity.”
As my Master spoke with eyes like ice, the Eunuch General nodded in agreement.
“The Emperor’s favor already rests with the Soggakju…. Of course, I must provide generously. I will have my subordinates establish Baekrin Medical Hall and Baekrin Convenience Stores in Beijing. Furthermore, I will distribute soap through imperial decree. That is to say, I will mandate that soap be used without exception.”
At those words, Jin Cheon-hee and Jegalling both frowned.
The Eunuch General could not make such a decision alone.
‘Hmm, so he prepared what he would offer before coming.’
Eun Wang-ya. No.
Is this the Emperor’s trusted confidant?
Jin Cheon-hee pondered.
‘If soap is distributed throughout the entire empire, the profits will surely be enormous. But…. Money is a secondary concern. With this alone, we could save countless lives.’
My Master’s thoughts were likely not so different.
Indeed, Baekrin Uiseon smiled gently.
“Excellent. Then we shall proceed according to the timing.”
“Ah, for the Dragon and Phoenix of Baekrin Medical Guild to step forward personally…. This humble rustic is overjoyed beyond measure.”
A cunning old fox, indeed.
To look at his expression alone, he appeared to be a simple, good-natured rustic who knew nothing.
The truly terrifying aspect of this man was how he lowered himself despite holding the title of Eunuch General.
* * *
After sending off the Eunuch General, my Master furrowed his brow and fell into deep thought for a long while.
“War…. This is an unforeseen variable.”
“War…I see.”
“Yes, war. Hope, you seem particularly sensitive to such matters.”
“Yes, I have had unpleasant experiences….”
At those words, my Master nodded.
“Then you should withdraw from this matter.”
“….”
I could have fled if I wished.
Perhaps Baekrin Medical Guild would bear considerable burden as a result, but I believed my Master could somehow manage it.
However.
“It is acceptable, Master.”
This foolish disciple did not know how to run away.
I continued speaking.
“If conflict breaks out at the border, many doctors skilled in Busul will be needed, and if the Busul Dangju flees, the doctors of Busul Party will have no one to trust.”
“You will be their pillar of support?”
“I will not flee.”
Without a single wavering moment, the young man simply gazed forward.
His appearance seemed both reassuring and somehow precarious, causing Jegalling to regard his disciple with complicated feelings.
Jin Cheon-hee asked.
“But Master, if both the Uigakju and the Deputy Uigakju go to the border, who will operate the Medical Guild?”
“Yoo Ho will serve as temporary acting Patriarch. Though we will have to halt research for a time….”
“Ugh…”
As I clutched my chest, my Master spoke.
“You have no conscience, Hope.”
“After all, it would be better if you remained at the Medical Guild, Master…!”
“That’s a terrible thing to say to me.”

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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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