Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 599

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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 599
Whoosh—
I lit a cigarette while riding my horse.
After rushing here in haste.
It was a battle between physical and mental stamina.
Yeo Ha-ryun asked.
“How many enemies remain ahead?”
“Since I’m not from the North Sea Ice Palace, it’s difficult to calculate precisely. But I suspect there are only about 200 martial artists left in the palace now.”
“Why do you think so?”
Clop, clop—
My head swayed rhythmically with each step of the horse.
“The North Sea Ice Palace Master adheres to fundamentals. Usually, such people are easy to predict strategically. He sends out half and keeps half.”
“You’re basing this on the number of martial artists we’ve captured.”
“Right. When playing Go, how one plays depends on the player’s style, but surprisingly, the opening moves are limited to a few patterns.”
“…That’s difficult.”
“Just think of it simply. He’s a rigid villain.”
In the first timeline’s past, I witnessed his true nature.
He revived his son using the bodies of commoners.
When death drew near, he vaguely entrusted things to his daughter.
If he had possessed a virtuous and righteous nature, he wouldn’t have tried to kill his daughter.
No, at the very least.
Even someone of ordinary disposition would have found it difficult to go that far.
Of course, his nature could have become extreme as he corrupted himself by joining hands with Hyeolseonggyo… but.
“And the martial artists who came to our side brought information as well.”
“That must be the most significant factor.”
“Right. No matter how much I deduce, moving without evidence is dangerous.”
“Is that how you command martial artists, Hyeong?”
“No, it’s Master’s method.”
I laughed bitterly.
Finally, a flag appeared in the distance.
“We’ve arrived at the right time.”
“Yes.”
The Prince and Gongseon Yeong, the guards, and even the garrison soldiers the Prince had persuaded.
I spoke as if performing in a play.
“Well~ now that all the cast members are here. Let’s go in~ let’s go in~”
This madman hadn’t lost his sense of humor even in such circumstances.
Rather, he deliberately swayed his body and spoke cheerfully.
Entering the North Sea Ice Palace.
There was only one way to end this hell.
Defeat the great tiger, and bring spring rain to the burning mountain of winter.
I deliberately spoke with a relaxed expression.
“Well then, let’s finish this quickly and grab a meal.”
With those words, I tapped my pipe stem to signal the advance.
Attack.
Countless martial artists from the North Sea Ice Palace bowed respectfully toward the heir of the Jegallim Family.
Then they began to surge forward in motion.
* * *
The Holy Maiden’s contingent of North Sea Ice Palace martial artists and garrison soldiers entered the Ice Palace together.
As expected, I could feel a sinister aura spreading across the ground like mist.
The Holy Maiden muttered in shock.
“Father, how could you surrender even the Ice Palace to the Hyeolseonggyo’s grasp!”
Indeed.
‘The North Sea Ice Palace once always held a pure and serene chill.’
But now this place had been remodeled in the Hyeolseonggyo’s style.
Yeo Ha-ryun spoke.
“Hyeong. After this is done, can we restore the formation array back to the North Sea Ice Palace style?”
“It’s like pouring ink into water. Returning it to clear water isn’t impossible, but to restore it to the North Sea Ice Palace of old, it will require considerable time and effort.”
“….”
The Holy Maiden clenched her teeth.
Yeo Ha-ryun spoke.
“Regardless, it doesn’t matter. The North Sea Ice Palace Master will fall by my hand. After that, it’s the work of those who survive.”
Is this what a protagonist is?
Even as I found myself admiring him, I let out a small sigh.
‘No, even the protagonist dies.’
The world didn’t revolve around Yeo Ha-ryun, did it?
“Take care of yourself.”
“Your concern for me has grown lately, Hyeong.”
“Don’t forget—when I signal, you retreat without even looking back.”
“Didn’t you say you made a divination through astrology?”
At those words, I nodded naturally.
“Even with divination, there are things I cannot read.”
“Is that how prophecies work?”
“Yes. That’s how it is.”
With that response, I signaled to the garrison soldiers.
And indeed.
“Aaaahhhhh! What is this!”
“Mother, motheeeeer!”
Some of the garrison soldiers had fallen into madness after witnessing visions of the past.
Prince Han-bing shouted with internal energy infused in his voice.
“All garrison soldiers, retreat!”
“Fall back, I command it!”
“Carry the wounded and retreat!”
Only then did the garrison soldiers withdraw.
I spoke.
“Judging by the formation, it’s weaker than what we faced last time.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Creating a Gwanghonin formation of that caliber requires extensive preparation. This was hastily assembled, so it’s useless against warriors with sufficient inner strength.”
Whoosh—
I drew a deep breath of smoke and continued.
“Have the retreating garrison soldiers surround the perimeter and control civilian access. They could be caught in the crossfire, and the North Sea Ice Palace leadership might attempt to escape. After that, bring only elite warriors with at least half a decade of inner cultivation.”
I finished speaking and finally dismounted.
Thud.
The thin robe billowed in the wind.
Since arriving at the North Sea Ice Palace, I hadn’t worn a single fur coat.
Just my bare body fighting the cold.
Gongseon Yeong thought to herself.
‘His hands and feet are flushed red, but he’s only circulating his inner strength enough to avoid frostbite.’
Theoretically, that’s the most efficient approach. But was there truly a need to inflict such suffering upon himself?
‘It’s almost as if he’s on guard against something.’
Yet hadn’t he already sent Hwang-gu away to oversee the children’s evacuation and scout the hot spring veins?
If it were merely for vigilance, he would have kept Hwang-gu at his side.
‘Or is he wary of some enemy that even Hwang-gu cannot detect?’
Noeji spends more time delivering messages as Jeon Seo-gu than he does at my side.
That meant there was an enemy that couldn’t be detected even from high vantage points, let alone by scent.
Gongseon Yeong found it difficult to imagine.
With martial prowess like mine, and even a Minor Sect Leader of the Demon Sect nearby, yet a fur coat becomes an impediment worth worrying about.
And an enemy that even Hwang-gu’s nose and Noeji’s eyes cannot find?
‘Even Sip Cheon-gun doesn’t seem to be on that level.’
Gongseon Yeong scratched her head vigorously.
“I must be overthinking this.”
“Hmm? What is it, sister?”
“Nothing.”
Such beings didn’t exist—not even among the Three Elites.
Gongseon Yeong finished her thoughts and patted my back firmly.
“Let’s go in.”
* * *
We selected the elite warriors and ventured deeper into the North Sea Ice Palace.
How much further had we gone?
“There are… enemies?”
The uncertainty in the statement came from the fact that the North Sea Ice Palace warriors ahead were staggering as they walked.
Unable to walk properly as if intoxicated, they continuously emitted strange groans from their mouths.
“Guh… guuuuh….”
I spoke.
“They’re in a Gwanghonin state.”
Yeo Ha-ryun asked.
“Did Hyeolseonggyo do this, Hyeong?”
“Yes. They’ve temporarily induced a state of frenzy to cause their inner energy to run rampant. But after fighting, their inner energy will have spiraled out of control….”
“They’ll die from qi deviation.”
“That’s right.”
“Is there no point in capturing them alive?”
….
I didn’t answer. I was simply lost in thought about something.
The Holy Maiden clenched her teeth.
Soon I asked.
“Do you recognize their faces?”
“Yes. However, it would be a meaningless matter.”
….
One Gwanghonin, two, three, four….
Over a dozen of them began walking slowly forward, emitting strange groans.
“Shriiiiek–!!”
I tried using sound-based martial arts as a test, but their footsteps didn’t stop at all.
“As expected, it doesn’t work. Those from Hyeolseonggyo respond quickly.”
“It seems they saw Hyeong neutralize the gu with sound-based martial arts before and immediately switched to something else.”
“Right. At this level, they’ve prepared multiple types of gu and can swap them out immediately when one is breached.”
“They’ve positioned considerable research personnel. Every time we fight, I feel it—Hyeolseonggyo, like Baekrin Uiseon, invests heavily in research. Strange and bizarre things keep appearing.”
“…Yes. The fact that they can swap out immediately means they’ve already prepared for variables of this degree. In that sense, Hyeolseonggyo is indeed a formidable enemy. But who knows~?”
For some reason, I continued smiling leisurely.
In the heart of enemy territory.
Even in this disadvantageous situation, I felt not the slightest anxiety.
‘How strange. Not the slightest wavering.’
The strategist simply pulled his facial muscles tighter in a smile.
Perhaps because of that.
With the strategist so composed, the others all began to trust me and advance forward.
“Guuuh- guaaaah-”
As their bodies swayed, their shadows swayed too. Only the gleam of ferocity in their eyes instilled terror.
“Didn’t Hyeong say I should change the color of my martial robes?”
“Yes. I did.”
All the Gwanghonin were wearing the martial robes of the North Sea Ice Palace.
“It was good that we changed them. With these, it won’t be difficult to distinguish friend from foe.”
At that moment, the Gwanghonin rushed forward with expressions of madness, using the martial techniques of the North Sea Ice Palace.
She approached using an otherworldly footwork technique—the Ice Snow Step—that glided across the snow, thrusting forward a blade saturated with cold yin energy.
Despite being intoxicated by madness, those capable of wielding martial arts attacked without regard for defense.
Using martial arts while in a state of murderous frenzy was possible because—
Their martial techniques had become completely internalized through brutal training.
“Prepare for battle! The victor shall protect!”
“The victor shall protect!”
At the Holy Maiden’s cry, all the warriors of her faction drew their blades.
In an instant, they deployed a sword formation and engaged the chaotically charging Gwanghonin.
Clang! Crash! Bang!
“Krraaaagh!”
One Gwanghonin caught in the sword formation, blades embedded in all four limbs, shrieked.
Within the mechanically precise sword formation, the blade cleanly severed the opponent’s neck.
Watching this, I cried out.
“There’s no need for such excessive killing! They fall just the same if you strike their heads!”
Only the resonance frequency had changed; the fundamental nature remained identical.
My robe billowed as I suddenly burst forward, leaving afterimages in my wake.
‘So fast!’
‘This level of lightness technique!’
The warriors stared at me in astonishment.
The instantaneous speed I displayed far exceeded ordinary footwork.
Yet my movements flowed like a serpent, weaving through the warriors’ sword strikes without hindrance, passing by with mere inches between us and their garments.
‘It rivals the North Sea Ice Palace’s footwork, but how is this even possible?’
Whoosh!
I leaped backward like a rabbit bounding across the moon’s surface.
My feet touched the North Sea Ice Palace’s lofty ceiling.
Like performing a professional wrestling triangle jump, I planted myself on the ceiling and clung there like a spider, surveying the entire battlefield below.
My thoughts accelerated rapidly through the Hyeonwon Jeondan Singeong technique.
‘No Dragon Scale Person here. They must still be trapped in the underground mines… Though I destroyed it so thoroughly that the Young Lord could dig through the rubble, a Dragon Scale Person couldn’t manage it. The Gwanghonin… Should I suppress them first before moving? Or should I go now?’
As I continued deliberating while engaging those charging at me—
The energy emanating from deeper within the palace was growing abnormally intense.
‘Time is running out!’
My decision to observe the entire situation rather than simply toppling one or two enemies before me had been correct.
-Holy Maiden, we must penetrate deeper. A suspicious ritual is underway!
-This place…
-You must entrust this to your subordinates!
-Understood.
The Holy Maiden’s expression hardened with resolve.
“Suppress the brothers! I shall advance to the palace’s heart!”
“We shall obey the Holy Maiden’s command!”
The Holy Maiden’s warriors cried out, maintaining their sword formation even more firmly.
In the meantime, Jin Cheon-hee, Yeo Ha-ryun, Prince Han-bing, and Gongseon Yeong rushed toward the heart of the matter.
Finally, the Holy Maiden joined them—five in total, charging forward with purpose.

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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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