Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 459

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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 459
After the Khan of the Suksin Tribe fell, the tribe retreated and began to collapse.
The Imperial Army pursued and subjugated them.
Jin Cheon-hee, Cheonwoo, and Sama Hyeon all remained unconscious, unable to rise from their beds.
They had faced an enemy of such tremendous magnitude.
By any reasonable measure, an adversary that three men should never have been able to confront.
Yet, word was already spreading quietly among everyone that the three brothers had achieved great merit in this war.
“Audacious! Truly audacious! You say you severed the Khan’s head, surpassing General Yuk Heon of Choyang!”
It was Jegalling who severed the head.
It was also Jegalling who crushed it.
Yet Jegalling fanned himself with his fan as though he had done nothing at all.
“As for who delivered the final blow, I cannot say with certainty, but such details are hardly significant. In any case, the great merit achieved is undeniable.”
“Tsk… I should have fought alongside you.”
“It was only possible because Prince Ju-wang depleted the enemy’s vital force.”
“Truly audacious and meticulous! Indeed! Especially, I hear the eldest brother, the Veiled Madman, earned the greatest credit.”
My Master, who had severed the head and crushed it, nodded in agreement.
“Hehehehe, quite so. This fellow is so talented that he keeps attempting dangerous deeds, and I cannot help but worry.”
From outside, the voices of soldiers rang out crying “Ilkwang! Mushin! Ilkwang! Mushin!”
“At last the conscription order is lifted, and everyone can return home. Of course, some troops will remain, but still… those who served their military duty will be able to see their families.”
“That is fortunate.”
“Kang Ho-in can finally return home as well.”
“Indeed.”
Jegalling narrowed his eyes and nodded.
“The Medical Guild cannot withdraw.”
“There is no helping it. My incompetent disciple refuses to open his eyes.”
“You must have many concerns.”
…
Ju Wang opened his mouth.
“Your disciple has saved my life twice. Therefore, to repay the debt of gratitude for saving my life, I shall take responsibility and prevent the advancement of these two men.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
“…Truly, I never imagined I would receive such thanks for blocking someone’s path to office.”
Ju Wang scratched his head vigorously and spoke thus.
“I hope your disciple awakens soon. It troubles me to see a hero of national salvation lying prostrate.”
“He will awaken soon. His condition is better than before.”
“Baek Rin-ui-seon seems to be becoming chronically ill.”
Jegalling sighed.
“I merely think that I am settling the karmic debts of my past in this manner.”
“Khekhekhe, I understand. I know how you lived when you were young. But doesn’t it take quite a long time to settle such things? Shouldn’t you suffer more?”
…
‘He tolerates me once because I am of imperial blood.’
Pungju-ha swallowed hard, her throat tight.
That bloodline bastard wasn’t called Bloodline for nothing.
‘Even with age, that nature hasn’t changed one bit.’
What did she care? What was so great about being royalty anyway?
Pungju-ha laughed foolishly, a wheezing sound escaping her lips.
“If you laugh too much, your wounds will reopen.”
“They already seem to be opening a bit… Ugh!!”
This battle had taken its toll on her as well.
Ten days had passed since Jin Cheon-hee collapsed.
Finally, the day her disciple awakened had arrived.
* * *
In the darkness, Eungryong whispered.
[The Heavenly Mechanism will soon be completely torn asunder.]
His voice was remarkably calm.
From within the boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness, Jin Cheon-hee asked a question.
What was so bad about the Heavenly Mechanism being completely destroyed?
[One of two things. The time of ruin may be hastened, or it may be delayed.]
Ruin, then…
Listening to Eungryong’s words, it seemed like a future not so distant.
However, the answer wasn’t particularly helpful.
‘So you’re saying no one knows what will happen from here on?’
When I asked that, Eungryong replied.
[Precisely. It means escaping the destiny that Heaven has ordained.]
‘I thought threats to my life would come… but it seems fine for now.’
[A man who’s been lying in bed for ten days shouldn’t say such things.]
Ugh, he struck right at the heart of it.
Eungryong continued.
[Those who seek to restore the Heavenly Mechanism will begin their earnest movements. It doesn’t disappear so easily, you see. Destiny, my boy.]
Eungryong seemed oddly pleased.
[Its weight.]
‘…’
[Can you bear that weight?]
The people of this world never provided the foundational information necessary when explaining something to someone.
‘Efficient Heavenly Mechanism Education for Mortals: An Academic Research Journal Approach.’
A book like this was needed.
These creatures just spewed out whatever they wanted to say, leaving mortals like me to piece together the meaning.
It was infuriating.
‘So… the world has destiny, and those on high roughly determine the life and death and history of people, and based on their decisions, humanity faces ruin, is that it?’
[That is so.]
‘Are the intentions of the people involved reflected in that life, death, and history?’
[One’s fate can be changed to some extent by one’s own resolve.]
‘But it seems that one’s right to know how their fate was determined is not being respected.’
[Right to know?]
‘Yes. Humans have the right to know who determines their life and death. From what I’ve heard, my guess is that those exalted beings in the Heavenly Realm are not revealing individual destinies but rather concealing them, and this is problematic.’
And I added one more thing.
‘And regarding the destruction of that world. Was the opinion of the residents of the human realm reflected in that decision?’
Eungryong began to look at me with the sense of ‘Has this bastard lost his mind?’
But I had to say what needed to be said.
‘In the end, this is similar to a building problem. You could demolish the building and redevelop it. However, to do so, it would be right to obtain the consent of the majority of the residents.’
[I merely asked whether you would bear the weight of that fate.]
I nodded.
‘No, but I naturally have to bear my own fate. I don’t understand why I should bear the fate of others.’
[You changed the Heavenly Mandate, didn’t you?]
‘Did the Jade Emperor notify each resident of the human realm of their individual destinies?’
[Why would the Jade Emperor do such a thing.]
‘Or was there a process of gathering opinions from the residents before the demolition and redevelopment of the human realm?’
[…The time of destruction approaches.]
‘Then I resist this process. I have no intention of bearing the weight of others, but as one resident of the human realm, I will bear my own weight.’
Insane…. This one was mad.
Yet… there was no sense of madness peculiar to a lunatic, and rather I could even sense brilliance in his words.
Jin Cheon-hee was oddly rational and composed.
[…Very well. I understand your view that you merely believe in the future and save people.]
Eungryong attempted his own interpretation.
[I hope your faith is not betrayed.]
And so Eungryong began to fade away.
My consciousness also gradually returned.
And the thought that crossed my mind as a modern person was….
‘The Heavenly Realm as an organization is quite lacking in human rights and administrative systems.’
* * *
When I opened my eyes, sunlight streamed through the window.
I expected to wake in a field tent, but instead I saw a ceiling made of wood and stone.
From that alone, I immediately understood.
“The war is over.”
“Wow, you catch on fast.”
At Sama Hyeon’s voice, I turned to see him lying on the adjacent bed.
His legs were splinted, and his entire body was covered in wounds.
There were four beds in the room.
It seemed they had treated the wounded here after the war.
“You’re awake?”
“Is Cheonwoo alright?”
“I’m perfectly fine.”
Yet Cheonwoo had a splint wrapped around one of his arms as he said this.
Seeing how everyone seemed oddly relieved, it appeared that only I had remained unconscious for quite some time.
“How long was I asleep?”
“About… ten days~? We were down for a few days and woke up, but you just kept sleeping like you were dead?”
“I see.”
“Second brother came by in the middle~”
“I didn’t notice while sleeping.”
I checked my body’s condition.
Surprisingly, there were no broken bones.
Well, perhaps something had been broken once, but Bowook had somehow taken care of it.
In any case, no major wounds were visible.
I could see traces of my Master treating the lacerations below my ribs and calves.
‘Hmm… I’ve made my Master stitch up my disciple’s body again…’
I felt ashamed.
From outside, I heard cheers of “Ilkwang! What an Ilkwang!”
“Ilkwang?”
“Among the top ten masters under heaven, you’re the only one with ‘mad’ in your title, aren’t you? So it seems to be sticking more and more. Brother.”
“Let’s just go with Veiled Madman.”
“Don’t worry~ we already know all that.”
…I see.
If this were a game, I might have earned another title.
“Ughhhgh.”
“Don’t push yourself. Brother.”
“…Right. I’ll rest a bit longer.”
My Master’s voice was heard.
How did he know?
It seemed he had rushed over almost like a ghost the moment I woke.
I bowed respectfully to my Master.
“Master, your disciple has awakened safely.”
“…”
Jegalling stared at me intently.
Then he grabbed both my cheeks and pulled them out.
“This time there were no broken bones.”
“Yes. I made an effort to preserve all my limbs intact.”
“Instead, your younger brothers collapsed from exhaustion fighting alongside you.”
At those words, Cheonwoo spoke urgently.
“Ah, we’re actually relieved we could fight together.”
“Right right~ at least it’s better than nursing an unconscious brother through the entire change of seasons.”
Fearing my Master might scold them further, my two younger brothers expressed that they were more at ease with this situation and that it was fine.
Jegalling spoke.
“Yes. You did well.”
“Pardon?”
“At least you didn’t shoulder everything alone this time. Still….”
Squeeeeeeeze—
He grabbed his disciple’s cheek and pulled again.
“Owwwwww! Master, it hurts!”
“Next time, try getting injured a little less, would you?”
“Yes!”
Jegalling exhaled a sigh of relief.
His disciple was that kind of existence.
The type who couldn’t bear it if he saw fire without extinguishing it.
In the old days, he would desperately cover it with his own body to put it out, but now he had at least learned to use buckets and water.
‘Mudang Gwon-je told me to raise him like a weed…. Am I truly raising him like a weed?’
The master who had followed his disciple all the way to the battlefield pondered.
‘Yes. Isn’t this quite indulgent raising, if anything?’
Then, from outside, the voice of Prince Ju-wang calling could be heard.
Jegalling made a brief expression of annoyance before departing outside with noble grace.
His very form was so beautiful it resembled a crane in flight.
Sama Hyeon and Cheonwoo watched his retreating figure with weary eyes.

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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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