Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 757

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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 757
Yeo Ha-ryun continued speaking.
“Martial prowess may not make crops grow in fields, but it can certainly kill someone standing right in front of you instantly, can’t it?”
That was also a valid point. Yeo Ha-ryun spoke on.
“Instead of the oppression of the few for the many, it’s become the personal violence of those with overwhelming power that takes root.”
The humans Yeo Ha-ryun observed seemed far too bleak, making destruction feel like a sanctuary.
Jin Cheon-hee answered.
“But there are also groups that stand and fight against injustice. Shaolin, Huashan, and even the Wudang sect—though they’ve strayed from the path once or twice.”
“True. And there’s Baekrin Uiseon as well. But I’m convinced it would be easier to stop them with blood than to persuade those who would sacrifice one for the many.”
“Right. After all, they’re a heretical sect.”
“If we become weaker than a heretical sect, we won’t be able to stop them.”
The chivalry that the world so reveres ultimately requires strength to be possible.
Since I couldn’t deny that either, I nodded.
“That’s the principle of the strong.”
I found it remarkable that Confucianism had taken root in the Central Plains, a world governed by the logic of power.
Yeo Ha-ryun spoke matter-of-factly.
“Even if you use people as kindling, you can’t stop it without strength. Because that’s what Gangho is, the Ilwol Singyeo prioritizes power above all else.”
“Yet for that power, they feed loneliness to young children.”
Yeo Ha-ryun didn’t deny my words that struck at the heart of the matter.
“Right. The current sect ignores its own doctrine for the sake of means. And it was Cheonma who created that.”
“And yet, outside of that, the Demonic Sect is still the best option.”
A world where miracles truly come to pass is a strange place indeed.
A world that fundamentally denies the notion that “all humans are born equal,” built upon countless corpses.
And yet the night sky alone is so devastatingly beautiful.
Even now, I would stop walking and gaze blankly at the heavens.
Thinking how the light flickering with the wind was like human life itself.
The Doctor was captivated by it and couldn’t turn his eyes away.
That was Gangho.
Gangho existed outside as well.
It was a vast darkness that flickered, shimmered, and captivated people.
In other words, the essence of humanity itself.
* * *
At last, we arrived at the mining city.
The stone mountain was lined with mines, and I could see what appeared to be Buddha statues carved from stone.
“Is that soda stone?”
“No. Soda stone is weak against water—it crumbles if it gets rained on. That’s just regular stone.”
It was quite a large city.
The population was substantial; according to reports, approximately ten thousand people. Though that was merely an estimate by the administrators, and considering the era, the actual population might be even larger.
Upon arriving at the mining city, a young man blocked our path at the entrance.
The young man’s clothes weren’t flashy, but they were neat, and he gave the impression of living in a fairly comfortable place.
The young man took a sharp breath the moment he saw me, then shouted with all his might.
“Turn back–!”
“Hmm?”
The moment our eyes met, the young man continued shouting.
“Go back! Don’t come in! This is no place for the likes of you!”
It didn’t seem like territorial hostility.
At least he hadn’t thrown any stones.
Sure enough, someone came running from behind the young man.
“Young Master! What are you doing over there again!”
From his appearance, he looked like a soldier. The young man clicked his tongue and fled while shouting again.
“You there! Leave this city at once! Or you’ll die!”
The soldiers chased after the young man. Some of them approached me.
“Welcome, honored guests. Welcome to Natronsi. Our young master can be quite mischievous, so please forgive any strange words he may have spoken…”
“Young master, you say… are you referring to that little one from before?”
“He is the Governor’s son. Perhaps because he is still young, he is quite spirited.”
I considered this.
‘If you don’t want to die, turn back. This child has learned the Gangho way of greeting.’
In villages with questionable reputations, it was customary for a child to come out and issue such a threat as a matter of Gangho courtesy.
Having thought this far, I lowered my eyelashes and smiled benevolently.
“Indeed, children are always like that. Ah, I apologize for the late introduction. I am Jin Cheon-hee, a magistrate from the Hwa Empire, here for trade purposes. I also carry a personal letter from His Majesty the King.”
With that, I handed over the letter.
“Ah! When I saw the large dog, I had my suspicions, but the Blind White Saint! What an honor this is…”
My reputation apparently had spread quite far.
The soldiers spoke.
“We shall guide you inside. Please follow us.”
* * *
I followed the soldiers in silence.
My expression showed no trace of surprise or anxiety at seeing that child.
Jasi scattered the sand he had been holding along with the wind.
Along with the clicking sound of the bone necklace striking together, a whisper reached my ears.
[Quite kind, aren’t they.]
‘A sound transmission? No, it’s different from sound transmission.’
I immediately understood.
‘This is shamanism. So shamanism can convey meaning in this way.’
What would be impossible for an ordinary shaman, Jasi was doing with remarkable ease.
Whether this was because Jasi burned his life force to use gold magic, or whether there was a separate shamanic technique for this, I could not determine.
I answered through sound transmission.
[Is there something wrong with being kind?]
[When I came here years ago, they were not so kind.]
[This person could simply be a kind individual, couldn’t they?]
I notice the smile drawing itself across Jasi’s lips.
[I can’t fathom what you’re truly thinking. For now, don’t let your guard down.]
I give a barely perceptible nod.
Soon, a transmission echoes from my direction again.
[Do you sense anything that feels shamanically inclined?]
[Nothing. It could be hidden somewhere.]
My eyes roll slowly.
Shortly after, I ask Ha-ryun.
[Ha-ryun. Where are your subordinates?]
[I told them to infiltrate first under the guise of merchants, but they’re nowhere to be seen. Strange.]
[Hmm…. Has contact been lost?]
[Losing contact itself is common during an ambush. For now, I’ll need to search through Heukmyo.]
‘Okay. The situation does seem off in multiple ways.’
I don’t particularly enjoy suspecting people at first glance, but we came to this village precisely because it was suspicious.
Things proceeding strangely was, in a way, inevitable.
I roll only my eyes to quickly assess the complexions of the villagers.
“Oh! Is that person the Blind White Saint!”
“Remarkable for such a young age!”
The people who came to see me were busy laughing and chattering amongst themselves.
The children were plump and well-fed, and the adults had straight teeth and healthy complexions.
It was certainly a good thing, but also peculiar.
‘Given that the plague was only recently resolved, food supplies shouldn’t have improved so quickly….’
I grab a soldier and ask.
“Has this place not suffered from food shortages?”
“Don’t even mention it. We were the ones who suffered most from food shortages. Since this is a mining-centered city, there was practically no food….”
The soldier lets out a long sigh, shaking his head as he recalls those times.
I ask.
“But now it seems full of vitality?”
“Of course! The Mireuk Church has granted us salvation!”
The salvation that the Mireuk Church—or rather, the Mireuk and Hyeolseonggyo combined—could offer was remarkably diverse.
Not only salvation in the dictionary sense, but even the claim that death itself is salvation.
“What exactly is this salvation you speak of?”
I ask directly and without preamble.
The soldier answers.
“Hmm, that’s difficult for me to answer.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
The soldier says nothing more beyond that, offering not a single concrete word.
With an attitude as if his lips were locked shut, suspicion only deepens.
Finally.
I managed to arrive at the residence of the Governor of this city.
* * *
“I am Nakrantik, the Governor. Blind White Saint.”
The enormous white palace was lined with precious glass throughout.
From ornate glass sculptures to the wine cups they held, everything rippled with extravagant luxury.
Yet what was strange was this:
‘Why is there no food?’
There was only a small amount of wine—no meat, no fruit to be found.
He spoke.
“I apologize for the meager spread. Our food supplies remain strained. Now that the plague has been resolved, matters should improve soon enough.”
“It’s quite alright. The wine has a lovely fragrance.”
“I hear that you resolved the plague on behalf of our people. Please accept my gratitude.”
At those words, I waved my hand dismissively.
“It was nothing. Rather, I’m delighted to have been of service to the kingdom.”
I accepted his words with humility.
The Governor nodded, seeming pleased with my response.
“If I may be so bold, Administrator Jin, you are quite different from the other envoys of the Hwa Empire. Not only are you fluent in our language, but you possess such humility as well.”
He was speaking poorly of the previous Hwa Empire envoy, but I was accustomed to such remarks.
After all, every time they came, they demanded glass, asked if there was gold, demanded silver—they caused quite the disturbance.
“Haha, I’m grateful for your kind words.”
“I received a letter from His Majesty instructing me to hear the details directly from you. What brings you on such a long journey?”
Finally, the main topic.
I set down my wine cup.
“I’ve come to negotiate the large-scale importation of soda ash from this region. We’ve also agreed upon tax exemption benefits.”
“Tax exemptions as well? Well, a saint who ended such a great calamity certainly deserves such consideration.”
The Governor said this and then spoke to his servant about something.
The servant nodded and quickly drafted a letter.
It was certain that he was sending it for verification—not that I would lie, but one could never be too careful.
I spoke.
“How will the extracted soda ash be bought and sold?”
“I oversee all of it as the Governor. Private mining is illegal here.”
“As I expected.”
In medieval times, mines for salt, iron, and copper typically belonged to the state.
Sometimes private individuals purchased mining rights from the state and extracted resources, but here it appeared the Governor managed everything directly.
Hence, illegal mining existed.
Smuggling, as it were—extracting resources without the state’s knowledge to earn profit.
“Furthermore, I’ve agreed to receive a share of the mining profits.”
With that, I presented documents bearing the King’s seal and showed them.
The Governor showed them to his servant, who examined them carefully with a magnifying glass before nodding.
It was genuine.
“Your Majesty certainly has a generous spirit. How much are you planning to procure?”
I handed over the documents I had prepared in advance.
“This is the quantity we require annually.”
“Hmm… You’re aiming quite high from the start. What exactly do you intend to use it for?”
“We plan to use it for medicinal purposes.”
The Governor nodded at my words.
“Soda ash is indeed excellent for rinsing the mouth or aiding digestion. It’s also used in laundry and works well as a preservative.”
“Yes. We wish to procure as much as possible.”
There had been considerable hardship along the way.
I wanted to extract everything we could.
“Hehehehe. Well, there’s no helping it then. Very well. We have plenty of soda ash anyway, so we can simply recruit more workers!”
‘Oh, thank you for such a smooth transaction.’
The Governor was truly a magnanimous man.
He summoned people and held a banquet. No food was served there either—only alcohol.
Yet no one appeared hungry.
I spoke.
“First, I would appreciate it if you could stamp the trade permit.”
“My, you’re quite impatient. Are all the envoys from the Hwa Empire like this?”
Something was about to go wrong.
Having experienced countless catastrophes, I knew this well.
Before any disaster strikes, one must obtain signatures and stamps as proof!
‘No matter what, is it normal for a city where even children don’t eat?!’
Only a contract—a grand and magnificent contract—could save me from the chaos that lay ahead!
Seeing me like this, Ha-ryun sent a telepathic message.
[Hyeong, normally when someone realizes something is amiss, they try to flee immediately. They don’t rush to get a stamp first.]
[Ha-ryun. Listen here. If we do that, all this hardship will be for nothing. If that bastard transforms into a demon or monster later and chaos ensues, and a new Governor is appointed, I need to show it to him.]
[… Just what kind of catastrophes have you experienced, Hyeong?]
Well, you went through them with me.
It’s only because you don’t remember.

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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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