Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 573

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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 573
‘Simply calculating that the North Sea Ice Palace would suffer losses if they joined forces with Sadoren for war doesn’t seem sufficient.’
Without something more, it would be difficult to stop the North Sea Ice Palace.
‘Should I request a martial competition and knock everyone down as needed… cleanly give about a hundred people twelve-week injury diagnoses by beating them… No. I’d be stopped before that anyway.’
At some point, I had grown accustomed to thinking like a martial artist.
‘Be patient. I’m a doctor. If things go that way, I’ll have to treat them all. And this place isn’t easy to destroy for religious reasons either. This damned place… No, no. Find peace of mind and body. Peace, inner peace…’
I recited Buddhist sutras to calm my mind and spirit.
“We’ll need to gather information.”
“Information gathering, you say…?”
“Yes. First, I should investigate whether there are any problems in this city by walking through the marketplace of Baekho. They probably won’t summon me right away anyway.”
“Are you trying to earn goodwill, something like that?”
“Something along those lines.”
I nodded at Gongseon Yeong’s question.
My meeting with the North Sea Ice Palace Master ended without any particular conclusion, and after some time passed, I would meet with them again.
At least I had several days.
If I could provide something the North Sea Ice Palace needed, I might be able to break their alliance with Sadoren.
“Hmm. I’ll help you too. How could I not offer this much help to my life’s benefactor?”
“Ah… but Your Highness walking through the marketplace…?”
“I have people I know within the palace. My Master taught me martial arts, but besides my Master, my Sifu and senior brothers also instructed me.”
Connections within the North Sea Ice Palace.
With those, gathering information from within the palace would certainly be easier.
“Then, I humbly ask for your help.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll go check out the shops! I still have my touch for this!”
Gongseon Yeong said spiritedly.
Business was another matter, but when it came to making connections, she was quite capable.
In modern terms, as someone who could be called a super extrovert, she might actually be able to gather information from the shops.
“I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to me!”
And so our group dispersed.
* * *
Baekho was a city where quite a few people lived.
In this city adjacent to the lake, there were people of various races—from nomadic merchants like the Suksin Tribe to those who had come from the Hwa Empire, the variety was remarkable.
‘So the specialty here is azure crystal.’
Azure crystal.
If left alone, it was said to emit a faint blue light, a precious stone.
It was mined from a mine on one side of the great snow mountain, and was like a luminescent stone that emitted light on its own.
Just as luminescent stone was more expensive than gold of equal weight, this azure crystal was similarly costly.
Only its brightness was said to be weaker than luminescent stone.
Because of the azure crystal, merchants from all directions gathered, and it became a waypoint for those traveling from east to west and from west to east.
Stepping out into the streets, I heard vivid information flowing through the marketplace as I walked.
Having cultivated martial arts, I could hear people’s voices from great distances—a privilege of my training.
After gathering intelligence this way, I made my way toward the healing clinic, having already obtained an introduction letter before departing the North Sea Ice Palace.
Just as the Empire had doctors and the Dadu Kingdom had healing sorcerers,
the Aisha Kingdom possessed healing clinics of its own.
Here, I intended to assess the medical standards of this region and investigate whether the North Sea Ice Palace might benefit from any information available.
I had deliberately chosen the healing clinic because, as a doctor myself, I thought we might find common ground in conversation.
I had even gone through the trouble of obtaining an introduction letter from the prince, so I wouldn’t face rejection at the door.
“There it is.”
In the distance ahead.
A rather impressive four-story stone building.
The symbol of the Guardian Church hung from its roof—this city’s finest healing clinic came into view.
The one who operated the healing clinic was said to be from the Selim Church Kingdom, not originally from the Aisha Kingdom, and his name was Germaine.
As I made my way toward Germaine’s healing clinic, I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
“Hm?”
Between the shadowy alleyways.
There stood a strikingly familiar young man.
Yeo Ha-ryun, the Minor Sect Leader of the Demon Sect!
Without moving his head, he merely shifted his eyes to glance at me, then sent a transmission.
-It’s been a while, Hyeong.
From within the shadows, only Yeo Ha-ryun’s characteristic dark and serene presence could be felt.
-Ah… it has been. But what are you doing here?
-I have a mission. Let’s move to a different location first.
With that, Yeo Ha-ryun walked deeper into the alley.
I hurried after him.
* * *
The interior of the alley was narrow and labyrinthine.
A characteristic of ancient cities.
Just like Hangzhou, when buildings are repeatedly torn down and rebuilt, the entire city becomes interconnected like a spider’s web.
Following Yeo Ha-ryun deeper in, I was able to enter through a small back door of an old house.
It was a safe house created by the Demon Sect.
“Ah… it’s cold. Why is it so freezing even inside the house?”
As I grumbled, my younger brother chuckled softly.
“The ondol heating system is spreading, but it’ll take time to reach everywhere. This is a poor alley, so it’s even worse here, Hyeong.”
“How have you been managing all this time?”
“Since it’s a volcanic region, it’s warmer than other frozen wastelands. Come sit here.”
I took a seat in the chair as Yeo Ha-ryun guided me.
He warmed two cups of strong liquor and shared them with me.
Normally, even when heated with a flame technique, one wouldn’t prepare it so quickly without any preliminary steps.
It seemed as though he had warmed it through sheer will alone rather than inner energy, making his level difficult to gauge, but I showed no outward reaction.
This fellow is the protagonist, a powerhouse who far transcends the intellect of ordinary people.
“Wait, hold on.”
From the medicinal pouch I had brought, something resembling a dried fish tail suddenly emerged.
Then I placed it into two cups of liquor and began heating it myself over a flame, didn’t I?
“What is that…?”
“Dried sea bream fins. They’re used medicinally, but when you steep and heat them in liquor, they become quite a delicacy. I’m not particularly fond of alcohol myself, but Gongseon Yeong really seemed to enjoy it immensely.”
“…Brother. I cannot taste anything.”
“That’s why I thought about it. Whether you might also be unable to taste the flavoring added to the liquor. At least you can still detect scents like blood essence well enough, right?”
Like a severed pulse, Yeo Ha-ryun’s inability to taste was also difficult to explain by modern science.
Then shouldn’t I try something regardless?
“Ha. You come all this way just to look after my tongue first?”
“Just try it.”
“…”
Gulp—
Yeo Ha-ryun swallowed a mouthful and then sighed.
“I only feel the texture. It’s not the kind of taste you’re hoping for at all.”
“…Hmm… this won’t do. Then let me have some of your blood. No, I should get closer. Stay still.”
Then I drew out an acupuncture needle.
Just like last time, I made arrangements so he could temporarily perceive taste, then handed him the cup again.
Gulp—
“It’s delicious.”
“There we go. Hehe.”
I smiled like an older brother, finding it endearing how Yeo Ha-ryun savored the drink.
Yeo Ha-ryun also lingered over the taste he was experiencing for the first time in a while.
“What about the candies you sent?”
“I ate all but one.”
“It seems you enjoyed them. You saved one for when times get tough?”
“Yes.”
Yeo Ha-ryun gave a small nod.
After catching up on accumulated stories, I asked.
“So. Why are you all here?”
A question directed not merely at Yeo Ha-ryun alone, but at the entire Demon Sect.
Gulp—
Yeo Ha-ryun savored the liquor I offered and then spoke.
“Two reasons. I’m here for two reasons.”
“Hyeolseonggyo?”
“Yes. You truly are my brother. You grasped it immediately.”
I nodded and asked again.
“Then the second reason?”
“To help maintain the alliance between Sadoren and the North Sea Ice Palace.”
“….”
“You’re not surprised. Did you predict this?”
“It was different from the Hyeolseonggyo’s methods. And ultimately, the Demon Sect would be included among those factions desiring the Great Righteous Confrontation.”
Cheonma craved blood. She desired even greater bloodshed.
In the end, though different from Hyeolseonggyo, she too understood that for the Demon Sect to contend for supremacy under heaven, it was inevitable that rivers of blood must be forged.
“You mentioned there are far too many masters still alive.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
I scratched my chin and added one more thought.
“Could it be Iron Martial Sect Leader from the Iron Martial Sect?”
“…You’ve discerned that much?”
Yeo Ha-ryun made no attempt to hide his astonishment.
“It’s strange that such a young rising master remains unknown, and even if we assume he trained in the mountains and returned, it’s odd that he would specifically go to Sadoren. Most of all.”
“Hmm?”
“I probed a bit, and something felt off—like someone accustomed to being cursed at. Isn’t that strange? Despite being such a powerful unaffiliated rising master, he seemed to have experienced considerable verbal abuse.”
“Iron Martial Sect Leader was far too composed. As a spy, he was first-rate, yet that very excellence became his poison.”
I shook my head.
“No. I went in suspicious from the start, so that’s why I noticed. From Sadoren’s perspective, it would have appeared entirely different.”
“….”
Yeo Ha-ryun fell into contemplation, then swallowed another mouthful of alcohol.
The rich aroma of strong wine and the savory fragrance of roasted meat.
He savored the sensation of the potent liquor warming him from his tongue down to his stomach.
‘My brother remains unchanged. Or perhaps he’s grown even sharper.’
Just as I said, Sadoren had harbored no suspicion of Iron Martial Sect Leader.
Gaepa was likewise a faction established by a warrior who had once belonged to Sadoren, centered around smuggling operations.
Their ledgers were spotless.
Moreover, the Gaepa Investigator who had once belonged to Sadoren was actually a warrior of the Demon Sect.
He had infiltrated Sadoren and departed at an opportune moment.
From Sadoren’s perspective, they were essentially family, so there was no reason to suspect them.
Yet despite this, my brother had seen through it with merely a few distinguishing features.
It meant he had become this accustomed to the ways of Gangho.
“Still, is it alright to confirm so easily that Iron Martial Sect Leader is a spy?”
At those words, Yeo Ha-ryun chuckled softly.
“It’s fine. If things go awry between us and Sadoren, that Minor Sect Leader will be the one in trouble, not me.”
“Oh?”
“Of course, I’m telling you because you’re my brother. If it were anyone else, the moment they learned this secret, I’d have to kill them to seal their lips.”
‘Well, Cheonma. Your little Cheonma is spilling the sect’s secrets so readily here.’
I’ll consider the crab soup debt repaid.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art?
That’s something you forced upon me anyway.
I continued with this thought in mind.
“Just as I suspected—a household in complete disarray. The Minor Sect Leaders are so desperate to devour each other. Well, it makes sense. After all, there can only be one Cheonma in the end, and the survivor becomes the next one, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah, that’s how it works. But I never expected you to come, Hyeong. Did you arrive to interfere with our alliance with Sadoren?”
“Exactly. There’s no need for us to kill each other pointlessly. Oh, come to think of it, I have something decent to go with drinks.”
With that, he pulled out another bottle from his sleeve.

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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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