Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 496

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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 496
Throughout life, the skin endures countless injuries.
Thus, humanity has sought wisdom to repair such damage since ancient times.
Smallpox scars typically leave deep, pitted marks because the inflammation damages the skin layers.
When this occurs, the skin struggles to regenerate as it once did, leaving those pits permanently.
Even without smallpox, in modern times those with severe acne often bear such marks after squeezing, do they not?
We commonly call such marks ‘pockmarks.’
Smallpox is devastating because these marks cover the entire face, making normal social interaction impossible.
“I believe restoring the skin to its pre-infection state will be difficult. However, I think we can achieve a level where the patient can interact normally with others.”
“Hmm. Even that alone would completely transform the patient’s life.”
My Master understood well what life became for those bearing severe pockmarks.
“The basic principle is destruction followed by regeneration.”
I showed the vaccination scar remaining on my left arm.
Remarkably, what had once been a raised pustule with deep pitting had filled in with new flesh, becoming nearly invisible upon close inspection.
“Since I naturally possess excellent regenerative ability, such a procedure isn’t necessary for a mere vaccination. So I deliberately received the injection on my left arm to create a scar intentionally. Thanks to that, I became an excellent test subject.”
“…!?”
In that instant, Jegalling grabbed both my cheeks and pulled them left and right.
“Gaaahhh! Mmmph-mmmph-mmmph? (M-Master?)”
“Hahaha, so this mouth of yours dares say you deliberately got vaccinated on your left arm instead of your healthy right one, using yourself as a test subject?”
“Ugh… gaaahhh….”
“Don’t worry, Hope. Let’s see how much your lips regenerate even if they tear. I’ll remove the scars using the exact same method.”
…Save me.
* * *
After the commotion finally ended, I could finally explain the principle to my Master.
“So you’re saying you generate sword energy finely to scrape away the skin surface, then apply scar-healing medicine to regenerate it.”
“Yes, yes!”
Modern laser resurfacing.
The problem was that generating such sword energy required reaching at least the Sword Master realm, and even reaching that realm, controlling the sword energy with such precision was another matter entirely.
“So essentially… a supreme master, instead of beheading an enemy, must scrape the skin surface as finely as a grain of rice?”
“Exactly.”
“Hope, reaching the supreme master realm requires dedicating one’s entire life. Within the Gangho, one must protect one’s own life while crossing countless death lines. Would you truly use such a precious realm to scrape another’s skin?”
I spoke calmly.
“It’s not merely scraping skin, Master. It’s saving lives. Saving people! Transforming someone’s entire existence?”
“Using such a realm for that… sigh.”
Ilgwang, the Veiled Madman.
My disciple spoke as if nothing were strange about it.
“Of course, even with such a realm, we cannot fully restore all the skin. And it’s a procedure requiring a long recovery period. But smallpox patients are different, are they not?”
I continued.
“Of course, the laser… no wait, the sword energy too will require precise control depending on how deeply it penetrates the skin layers, and maintaining consistent output would be as arduous as inscribing the Heart Sutra on a grain of rice. But isn’t it worthwhile to save one person’s life?”
“…You will do this.”
“Ah… yes. I’ve already recovered, and several of the medical assistants volunteered to undergo the procedure themselves. Hehe. All of them have shown excellent progress. The doctors who were initially concerned about the redness that appears after the first treatment are now extremely satisfied. I’ve already completed the draft of a medical text on this.”
With that, I slid a thick book across the table.
“Hope. This treatment method is only possible for supreme masters. How many of them do you think will actually read this?”
“But Master, listen to this. This is true life-saving medicine.”
My disciple was persistent.
* * *
“…I will use the techniques of the Yeokgeun Sesuggyeong here to accelerate the patient’s regeneration and minimize side effects as much as possible. The experimental results are on page seventy-two.”
Flap—
Jegalling had no choice but to listen to his disciple’s presentation on the martial world.
“Sigh.”
What on earth was wrong with this fellow.
It would be enough to be called a Divine Physician just for being able to safely prevent smallpox, yet the idea of grinding down supreme masters to remove pockmarks from smallpox patients—where did such a notion come from?
“…By going through this process, through destruction and regeneration, the flesh fills in, and the overall skin itself becomes thicker, allowing for skin that is more elastic and healthier than before. Master. Of course, the flesh on the scarred areas fills in more and becomes flattened—that’s just the basics! With finer adjustments, we could even achieve wrinkle improvement or elasticity effects, but I’m well aware that if I asked a supreme master to do that using my precious sword threads, they would kill me.”
…Was I mad?
Even now, my disciple’s expression shone with brilliance as he explained.
Receiving my master’s cold gaze with my entire body, I continued my explanation silently.
“However, the problem now is side effects. The first is skin discoloration…”
I enumerated the side effects one by one and explained how each could be prevented.
“…But even considering such discoloration, the consensus among doctors and patients is that it’s still better than current pockmarks, and to minimize this, the countermeasures would be…”
…What was this fellow?
As a master, I had clearly given him everything without lacking anything, yet why was he now embracing smallpox patients and, now knowing a method to treat pockmarks, bringing me this dictionary-sized medical text?
Cheon Hee’s eyes sparkled.
“Of course, Master! I’ve already prepared a profit plan! Even the children of high officials sometimes contract smallpox, which blocks their path to office. Light freckle-like scars are fine, but when pockmarks cover the entire face, it becomes difficult to function in society. So I’ve determined that high officials are willing to pay sufficient money for their daughters and sons. Please see the projected profits on the next page.”
Flip—
“…”
There was an enormous sum written there.
“This amount of money is entirely feasible, and I plan to charge even more for a six-month management course. However, even at this price, the response rate from the prominent families of Hangzhou is approximately ninety percent! This is miraculous profitability, Master!”
Why is dermatology rising in the modern era, after all?
Because many procedures aren’t covered by insurance?
Of course, that’s part of it.
But the more affluent people are, the more money they pour into their skin.
Cosmetic surgery has more dramatic beauty effects, but it carries risks.
So as people age, they manage their skin at dermatology clinics like this, improving their appearance gradually.
That’s why there are so many dermatology clinics in those expensive areas.
Naturally, the high-ranking people of this era also have strong desires for beautiful skin.
Especially when severe pockmarks are accepted as a form of stigma.
Disease doesn’t hurt less just because someone is of high rank, so one can earn substantial money.
“And with the money those people provide, even common smallpox patients can receive treatment at affordable prices. It’s as if those people are paying on their behalf.”
“…Yes. With this amount of money, even a supreme master could grit their teeth and do it once. If we just ease the pride issue a bit.”
“That’s the problem. So I’ve prepared this! A connection between martial arts cities and skin treatment! To become a supreme master, crossing the threshold of the Four Immortals is important, but the financial aspect cannot be ignored either. So we accept talented warriors with exceptional aptitude as scholarship students, and once they complete their training, we have them sign contracts to use their martial skills as life-saving techniques.”
“…Just skin?”
“For the patient, it’s their life, Master. Someone like you, who was born as the finest in some field from the start—you wouldn’t understand that feeling.”
“….”
Jegalling sighed.
Then he looked at the ceiling once more.
‘If he had come to me with schemes to sever an enemy’s neck and seek my counsel, that would be preferable.’
It was, in its own way, the natural disposition of the Gangho.
As one of the three great medical sages of Gangho, Jegalling had entangled himself in many martial affairs both great and small.
Killing and being killed, fighting to realize one’s ambitions, then scheming in the depths of lingering grudges.
Finally becoming a supreme master and going forth to settle with one’s nemesis.
Of course, most perished before reaching supreme mastery. And even those who became supreme masters often failed to settle their grudges. Such cases were countless.
‘Why in the world does my disciple insist on using that supreme mastery for skin treatment?’
Was this also the karma of Hyeolrin Gwangssal?
In a way, since this matter itself was safe, perhaps it was acceptable?
At least he wasn’t rolling about on a battlefield.
I gave this fool everything, and yet he takes it and does this with it.
“Hope, aren’t you interested in unifying the martial world or something?”
“Pardon? Master? Are you perhaps referring to pre-modern conventional governance methods that result in many casualties and deaths?”
“….”
Jegalling is a genius.
He had been called a genius from birth, and because he was a genius, it was believed he simultaneously received the heavenly punishment of the Nine Yin Meridians.
In this world, no one surpassed his five senses, and even unwillingly, enlightenment like lightning was always at his side.
To him, medicine and martial arts were merely intricate mechanisms difficult to assemble.
Given time and interest, there was nothing he couldn’t do.
Only because of that brilliant perception did understanding others’ hearts become somewhat bothersome. Just that much.
Though he had awakened to all things, his disciple alone was impossible.
“Very well. Let’s try it. We’ll grind down a supreme master and perform this skin abrasion technique.”
“Excellent! Master, thank you! I think it would work with just you and me. Since we practice the same type of martial art, we can match the subtle intensity and depth of our sword energy well. Animal trials are already complete. As for human test subjects, several of our medical staff have volunteered directly, so we can use those!”
“No…. What is this.”
“Master, since you’ve had jade-white skin from birth, you wouldn’t know that suffering. But pockmarks really drive people mad. Depression comes, social anxiety comes.”
“…I understand, Hope. The quality of the patient’s life is what matters.”
“And we’ll earn a lot of money from the nobility in Hangzhou.”
Jegalling is a genius.
Yet for genius Jegalling, Jin Cheon-hee was the one being uniquely difficult to comprehend.

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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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