Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 440

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 440
‘Still, from a practical standpoint, it would be better to cultivate external martial arts.’
What were the odds of the Emperor dying of natural causes within the imperial palace?
If this were modern Earth, I would advise him to manage his health carefully throughout his life, but the martial world had its own complications.
“Moreover, he wears the Dragon Scale Divine Armor, woven from dragon scales obtained from the Heavenly Silkworm Temple.”
In other words, he wouldn’t die instantly even if pierced by inner force.
“And he has mastered the Noble Blood Poison Resistance Technique, a method passed down only to the imperial family that grants immunity to various toxins. Well, as I mentioned earlier, it’s primarily a longevity-focused cultivation.”
Indeed, an Emperor of his stature would use the Shaolin Temple’s Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic and the Diamond Prajna Heart Sutra as longevity practices.
I recalled the bloody storm that had swept through the martial world in pursuit of divine techniques.
“…I see.”
“He has also learned a lightness skill technique, but as you might guess, his understanding is shallow. Naturally, he cannot fight at all.”
At those words, Ju Wang burst into laughter.
“This one was always a bookish scholar from childhood.”
“My sister, on the other hand, wielded the spear as naturally as breathing.”
“Whenever I see the crescent blade and the eight-section whip, my blood boils. You could never understand that.”
“I have no desire to understand it.”
They said the twin princes had opposite personalities since childhood.
Watching them now, it was certainly true.
Eun Wang-ya spoke.
“Still, I have learned one martial art suited to my own abilities.”
Lion’s Roar.
A type of sound-based technique, known to possess the power of breaking through obstacles.
With this, one could strengthen one’s voice projection.
Jin Cheon-hee, who had been listening quietly, spoke.
“Ah… you’ve learned quite efficiently.”
“I am merely a member of the imperial family, not a general. I am quite different from my sister. For that reason, I need a warrior to transport me and another to guard me.”
“I understand the guard, but… transport?”
“Yes. A warrior who can carry me on his back and flee at a moment’s notice. And it must be a warrior I can trust. That is why I called you. I hear that the Jegallim Family’s Cheongi Miribu is considered first-rate in lightness skills even throughout the martial world.”
At those words, my Master, Baek Rin-ui-seon, finally spoke.
“If it is merely a matter of carrying someone and running, other warriors would suffice. They are trustworthy enough. Especially if Yuk Heon, who bears responsibility for this defeat, were to take on the task, he would be delighted.”
“Since this battle will be a defensive siege rather than a field engagement, the fighting will take place on the city walls. My disciple will face no danger.”
That was true.
The situation had now shifted to a defensive siege.
The reason was simple. Though Yuk Heon suffered a great defeat, he succeeded in his primary objective—buying time.
The Imperial Army’s four hundred thousand troops were now nearly at the gates.
At the current pace of advance, they would arrive in approximately thirty days.
‘What if the Suksin Tribe ignores the fortress and crosses the border?’
Then Danmok Fortress could strike at the Suksin Tribe’s vulnerable rear as they entered the empire.
There was a reason why surrounding territory in Go was called a territory and led to victory.
Military strategy’s foundation came from Go, and no matter how formidable the Suksin Tribe was, being attacked from both sides would leave them unable to think straight.
‘No matter how much the strategists are coughing up blood from defeat, they’ll instinctively cut off the supply lines first.’
This is simply the nature of strategists.
Even if those bastards drag several horses per cavalry unit, eating the horses themselves, raiding and plundering the scattered villages they encounter along the way.
Surviving while surrounded on foreign soil is difficult.
During the Japanese invasions, the Japanese armed with muskets plundered villages and held out, but when General Yi Sun-sin cut off their supply lines, they had no way forward—it was exactly the same.
Japanese samurai without supplies became soft enough to be beaten by Joseon guerrilla militias.
No matter how sharp the Japanese katana was, it couldn’t match the iron flails of Joseon militia in their fury.
Though many died over seven years and the land was ravaged, Joseon achieved victory.
‘And the Suksin Tribe’s military is quite formidable.’
So there were two strategies available to them.
Wait here while the Suksin reorganize their formations and await reinforcements, then wage a massive decisive battle, achieve great victory, and occupy the fortress.
The other is to occupy the fortress now and face the Empire’s four hundred thousand troops.
Either way, it would ultimately become a defensive siege centered on Danmok Fortress.
‘Ah, I can’t endure this.’
The blood of a defensive siege specialist who had to conduct sieges once every three years cried out.
“Um… I’m fine, Master.”
At those words, Baek Rin-ui-seon’s expression darkened.
“I’ll go instead. Hope.”
[I’m worried that if this becomes a prolonged war, it might strain Master’s heart.]
If we fight only a short war, Master is invincible.
Perhaps he could even match the Three Elites… though this is my subjective assessment as a disciple.
But the war would become prolonged, and if it did, I couldn’t guarantee how Master’s heart would endure.
Master’s heart does contain Mannyeonhwari’s inner core.
But that’s not a medically approved device tested through empirical methods and sample collection, and I myself couldn’t guarantee how well it would function in a prolonged war.
If we only consider a short war, Master would be more than capable of defeating even one Sip Cheon-gun.
Indeed, didn’t he obtain one of Dong Cheon-gun’s twitching arms quite well?
Thanks to that, we’re conducting excellent research in the laboratory.
[I’m weaker than Master, but my body is healthy. Even if it becomes a prolonged war, thanks to the Protective Jade, my inner energy recovery speed is fast!]
He earnestly persuaded Master, confident in his health above all else.
Jin Cheon-hee continued.
[And… someone must guard the medical camp. Besides, you’ve already begun advising the strategists, haven’t you, Master.]
[I understand.]
Master’s brow furrowed.
Even from Jegalling’s perspective, it didn’t seem like Jin Cheon-hee would suffer serious injury at this level.
And before that…
[If the fortress falls, I don’t know what will become of you then.]
[Yes?]
[Your mind won’t be able to endure it.]
[…]
[Promise me. While helping Eun Wang-ya, you must face the battlefield as a warrior, not as a doctor.]
[Are you saying I should set aside my military duties for a while?]
[If you try to do two things at once, a person tears apart. You will tear apart, Hope. You’re already at your limit.]
I suppose deceiving my Master was impossible after all.
[And one more thing. From now on, I’ll prepare the cigarettes for you, so use them in emergencies if you feel like you’re losing your mind.]
Cough, cough!
As I suddenly coughed in the middle of our silent transmission, both Eun Wang-ya and Ju Wang-ya looked at me as if I were a madman.
I spoke.
“Ah… I inhaled some tea the wrong way.”
“…If you need to use silent transmission, feel free to do so without hesitation.”
Right. I was far too obvious.
Normally, I would exchange some superficial words on the surface and pretend otherwise, but this was not easy to manage.
[Master, did you know?]
[I know that when you feel like you’re losing your mind, you bend your body in one direction. Besides, among the ancestors of the Jegallim Family, there were several who lost their minds while conducting military affairs.]
[I see.]
[I have no need for it myself, but I know the preparation method.]
[…]
[Ah, the dependency is low, so don’t worry. My ancestors also lived their daily lives well after the war.]
Master, ah, Master.
I see. From what I’ve observed throughout history, strategists typically display a cold side where they view human lives as mere numbers…
So there were already people who experienced such things.
[Still, smoking too much isn’t good. Low dependency doesn’t mean no dependency.]
A Master recommending cigarettes to his disciple.
That’s not your nature, Master—to pressure me to overcome it through willpower alone. Right.
Soon, my Master spoke in a low voice.
[At the very least, when urgent matters arise, your body won’t stiffen and fail to move.]
‘So you knew…’
Did someone tell him?
In any case, it seems my Master must have asked around those close to me.
When treating patients, the more information one can gather, the better.
Such as the state of one’s body just before contracting an illness.
This is a matter of the spirit, but there’s no reason not to speak of it.
Especially, I don’t know how much Sama Hyeon knows about how far my brother had fallen.
Nevertheless, I felt certain that he would have done anything to save my brother.
‘I did something I shouldn’t have done to a child.’
When young, Sama Hyeon watched the only adult who had become his ally collapse.
And since it happened while protecting himself, the guilt must have been immeasurable.
Before such a Sama Hyeon, even after becoming an adult, I collapsed before his eyes after saving him.
The childhood trauma had replayed itself right before him.
My brother felt sorry toward his younger sibling.
‘I must cherish myself more. Both body and spirit…’
While the Central Plains lacked psychology in the modern sense, the concept of fire-sickness still existed.
Even in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, there were many legends passed down—such as Zhou Yu and Lu Xun, who coughed blood and died from fire-sickness.
There was also the expression “heart-demon.”
Primitive compared to modern times, but there were herbal remedies that could suppress immediate fire-sickness and act as a kind of stabilizer.
Moreover, she said it was something passed down among the soldiers of the Jegallim Family.
‘This is good. I don’t need to prescribe it arbitrarily.’
That was the most important thing.
Because arbitrary prescriptions like that often led to addiction.
My Master would carefully observe the patient’s physical and mental condition.
I decided to accept.
“I will accompany you, Your Highness.”
“Hm, I had to work quite hard to get your permission.”
Ju Wang burst into hearty laughter.
“I had promised to keep you safe in the rear, but things have turned out this way. I have no face to show.”
They say a lord is without shame, speaking out of both sides of her mouth without hesitation.
“I too wish to march out—my body itches for battle. When might I be ready to take the field?”
Baek Rin-ui-seon answered calmly.
“For an ordinary person, such a wound would require at least twelve to sixteen weeks of recuperation, but given Your Highness’s recovery rate, it seems you could recover within three weeks at the earliest.”
“Hm! Truly, the fruit of never neglecting martial training.”
I spoke.
“You also possess an exceptionally strong constitution by nature.”
“How does the White-Robed Divine Dragon know so eerily what I wish to hear?”
The flattery technique of a modern person.
In the Korean jungle where self-help books teach how to praise one’s superior, the clumsy do not survive.
Of course, that skill began to atrophy the moment I became a professor, but it was developing again here in Gangho.
Ju Wang’s expression turned stern.
“Then I shall devote myself entirely to recovery. Until I am well, please look after my younger brother.”
I and Baek Rin-ui-seon bowed respectfully to Ju Wang.
She chuckled softly.
“That’s enough—get to work. I’m not shameless enough to keep busy people detained.”
Looking at Ju Wang, I finally understood what it meant to be a hero and a great warrior.
She was a hero painted in a portrait.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————