Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 803

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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 803
Half of strategy lies in terrain and weather.
I finally understood how my Master had fought all this time.
‘So that’s it. Knowing the land and knowing the sky—half the strategy is already won.’
Everyone from the Jegallim Family learned this from childhood.
And I’d heard my Master was the most exceptional among them.
‘That’s why my Master never needed allies or factions.’
Baekrin Medical Guild was a place my Master created while preparing for the end.
Though he’d explored medical techniques in case there was any possibility of survival, it seemed he’d already accepted that things would likely not turn out that way.
That he might die without gaining anything.
Now Baekrin Medical Guild excels in martial prowess, but back then it was merely a small group of swordsmen needed to protect the guild itself.
‘Perhaps there was no one to help, but more than that, he would have found it cumbersome.’
Once you reach the level of governing all under heaven, everything in the world begins to feel like puzzle pieces, and that pleasure is incomparable to anything else.
As a modern person, I found it similar to the satisfaction Tetris gave me in my youth.
Kids these days probably have more entertaining games, but when I was young, disks had holes punched through them, and a single swipe of a magnet could wipe out your files.
Files would disappear so easily that sometimes they’d vanish even without the magnet—for reasons I never understood.
Early adopters of that era studied DOS and BASIC.
We desperately connected to PC networks through telephone lines, and some people received phone bills exceeding a hundred thousand won.
I first encountered this in university.
The monitors were so thick they were larger than a human head.
In those times, Tetris was simply the game anyone could play.
At first, it’s difficult just stacking and clearing blocks.
As the blocks fall faster and faster, stacking them becomes harder, and eventually it becomes a game where you die.
And since you win by tallying points—either the highest score or the last one standing.
But as you repeat, at some point you begin to see the blocks that will fall next.
The next block, the block after that, the block after that.
Tap. Tap. Tap—
From then on, you have much more ease in clearing blocks.
Your thinking speed has caught up with the falling speed of the blocks.
An improvement in perception speed.
After that, you realize Tetris has only seven types of blocks, and despite appearing random, there’s actually a pattern.
‘Hmm, it’s about time for that long block to fall?’
The moment you feel that way, if the long block appears a couple turns later, it means your subconscious has already begun sensing the pattern.
Finally, when you begin to paint Tetris with those seven blocks, an indescribable pleasure washes over you.
Your thinking speed has surpassed the falling speed of the blocks.
Once you reach that point, you can’t even see the blocks falling.
The moment a block appears, you position it from above, rotate it, press the down button, and settle it immediately below.
The process is so fast that observers only see the block appear, disappear, and then one is already stacked at the bottom.
The intermediate steps are omitted.
It becomes difficult to even understand why that block was placed there.
Except for occasional moments requiring a final rotation at the end, every block arrives below the moment it appears.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
Once it accelerates further, I can barely see which block I’m even using.
I feel something flickering and blinking.
Because the observer cannot keep pace with the player’s perception speed.
‘Right. Next comes the physical aspect.’
It’s extraordinarily difficult for the brain to continuously maintain that speed of perception surpassing even a computer’s A.I.
And even if the brain perceives it, getting my fingers to move at the desired speed is another problem entirely.
That indescribable pleasure created by perception that has reached its limit—the sensation of dominating the entire board—is beyond words.
Once I grow accustomed to it, faster still, ever faster.
Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-tat— clack, rat-a-tat-a-tat—
The Jegallim Family’s governance of the realm operates on that same sensation.
Tetris made from human pieces.
The pleasure felt when everything slots into place exactly as calculated surpasses any alcohol, gambling, or carnal pleasure.
I watch the board flow and feel the joy of it.
My Master likely experiences the same sensation.
I wonder what sensation he feels now, manipulating his disciples and those around them.
In any case, I myself possess the talent to distort the Heavenly Mandate, so I must be difficult to handle.
Shiver, shiver—
Watching me like this, Namgung Un suppresses his chill.
Almost no one dies.
Despite facing so many through strategy, I barely kill anyone.
At most, they become entangled in formations and pierce each other with their own blades.
It’s more like children’s play than bloodshed.
And the Cheonhailgwang before his eyes—the Veiled Madman—is clearly enjoying himself.
Crunching on millet candy while he’s at it.
When Namgung Un finally hands him a water pouch, he drinks while still chewing.
“Wow, I’m delighted things are going according to plan. Brother Namgung.”
His instinct screams at him to flee from here.
To escape to somewhere those blue eyes cannot reach.
But the thought that someone—at least someone capable of rational thinking—must remain at his side anchored his feet in place.
If he fled now, Jin Cheon-hee would likely never show such a face again.
Because this is a side only those this genius deeply trusts ever witness.
While I reveled in the joy, half of those gathered fell.
The assassins seemed to realize they could no longer operate separately and began gathering together.
“Wow, even halved, there are still nearly a thousand.”
I laughed with blue eyes gleaming with delight.
At that sight, Namgung Un felt fear wash over him again, but he suppressed it and handed me another water pouch.
“Drink more water. Jin.”
“Ah, hydration is important, after all.”
* * *
In an instant, half of them had fallen.
The problem was that it was nearly impossible to explain precisely how it had happened.
Something that should never occur had occurred, leaving everyone stunned in disbelief. Yet fortunately, they could all reach the same conclusion.
‘We can no longer operate separately.’
What had begun as competition had now become cooperation.
They would need to negotiate how to divide the final bounty, but the basic success compensation would be distributed individually regardless, wouldn’t it?
This was the most fundamental mindset of assassins.
While assassins were responsible for more deaths in Gangho than anyone else, paradoxically they killed not out of anger or malice, but simply because of orders from above and payment. That was their trade.
If they continued to be picked off individually like this, they would be operating at a loss.
So everyone began to gather and speak their piece.
The first to step forward was one of the Eight Paths of Sadoren—the Headmaster of Salgeomru.
The Headmaster personally summoned the other assassins.
Piiiiik—
The sharp, high-pitched sound emitted through the front teeth was something ordinary people could not hear. Yet all assassins could perceive it.
The meaning of this extended sound was quite simple.
Very simple indeed.
[Attention].
At just that, the assassins began to gather like ants converging on a fallen cicada.
In moments, the squad leaders of each assassin group and sometimes even the Headmasters who had come for payment assembled in place.
Some among them, their throats parched, merely licked at their water pouches to replenish their moisture.
During an assassination mission, they did not drink deeply.
Normally, they should not drink even a drop of water until the mission was complete.
Yet the fact that they drank at all meant the situation was that exhausting.
As expected, the others too felt their throats drying and began to swallow from their pouches in the smallest amounts possible.
They recognized this in each other through sidelong glances.
‘So the enemy is that formidable.’
There was no need or reason to maintain face at this point.
First and foremost, they had to succeed in the assassination somehow.
Therefore.
The master of Salgeomru, one of the Eight Paths of Sadoren and a massive assassination organization renowned throughout the realm, finally spoke.
“I have gathered you all for a reason—at this rate, it is clear the remaining half will be completely annihilated.”
“Wait. Which organization do you belong to?”
The Salgeomru Master never removed his mask. Anyone who saw his face had to be killed.
The same applied to the other assassins.
Instead, the Salgeomru Master merely raised his scabbard, which bore intricate black patterns, to display it.
The emblem of Salgeomru!
The eyes of those who saw it wavered.
Salgeomru was the largest and most powerful assassination organization in Gangho.
The Salgeomru Master alone was a prominent figure of the Heterodox Faction, and rumors spread that his martial prowess ranked among the top ten masters.
“Hmm… The Headmaster of Salgeomru himself has come. We of the Wolsal Sect shall respect Salgeomru’s authority.”
As the Wolsal Sect spoke first, the other sects nodded in agreement as well.
“We of the Wollryeong Mountain Sect concur.”
“The Blood Cliff Pavilion shall acknowledge this as well.”
As they rushed to recognize each other’s authority, it was now time for discussion.
“Since we must now combine our strength, I wish to take command. Does anyone object?”
Speaking directly without preamble was the habit of assassins.
Then another voice immediately rose.
“We are well aware of the Salgeomru Headmaster’s reputation. However, is there any guarantee that you will not use us as expendable pawns?”
“I stake my name and the name of Salgeomru that such a thing shall never occur. Moreover, the person who witnessed the formation technique and requested assistance from Sadoren has already arrived at this place. An Seok the Cunning. Come forward.”
An Seok the Cunning, whose epithet meant one possessed of a cunning mind.
Upon hearing his voice, the sect leaders immediately understood.
‘He is one of those belonging to Sadoren’s military division, and also a disciple of the General Bukgung Sansan.’
‘Bukgung Sansan, who maintains sect rules similar to the Jegallim Family, shrouds her sect in mystery in many ways… So he is one of her disciples.’
However.
Just as Bukgung Sansan’s abilities as a general were genuine, so too did her disciple An Seok the Cunning possess exceptional capability.
‘Especially. He is known to be deeply versed in formation techniques.’
‘The Salgeomru Headmaster has made his preparations well.’
Yet some of the leaders immediately grasped the hidden intention.
‘Had he brought him from the beginning, the losses would have been fewer. The fact that he waited until half of the other assassins fell means the Salgeomru Headmaster intends to claim the final credit for himself.’
‘Can we truly trust him, even with Salgeomru’s name on the line?’
However, they had come to realize that Ilgwang Jin Cheon-hee, the Minor Sect Leader of the Jegallim Family, possessed formation technique mastery beyond imagination.
With matters now so entangled, a strategist skilled in formation techniques was absolutely necessary.
“If it is An Seok the Cunning, he is trustworthy. Very well. We shall accept the Salgeomru Headmaster’s command.”
Several leaders quickly changed their expressions and accepted.
Then the other leaders agreed with those words.
“Understood. We shall place our trust in the Salgeomru Headmaster.”
“We who once competed against each other now find ourselves in the same boat… It is unsatisfying, but it cannot be helped.”
Even if there was a risk of betrayal from behind, one must use what could be used.
Just as everyone was in agreement, only one voice rose in opposition.
“I object.”
I disagree.

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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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