Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 903

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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 903
Remarkably, there are quite a few people in this world who doubt the existence of demons.
Half believe, half don’t, one might say.
The reason is simple—actually encountering a demon is rare.
In the past, they existed only in tales and legends, and even now that they’ve begun to emerge, there’s no way to spread word in a world without communication devices.
If I hadn’t encountered that tiger called Che, the one that made barking sounds, I wouldn’t believe it myself.
Like martial arts, sorcery and the bizarre techniques of the Western Continent truly exist, yet few experience them firsthand.
The same applies to government officials.
Most don’t believe.
Even when reports are filed, they’re more inclined to believe the hypothesis that someone simply smoked opium and saw illusions.
But.
Now I suspect this too might be a kind of smokescreen created by the Goe-eo-in spies.
‘Of course, there’s also the possibility that the Magistrate himself is a Goe-eo-in spy.’
So I’d already completed preliminary verification before coming here.
Using workers from the broker’s house, I had spices that cats dislike rubbed onto clothing.
The beloved cat, irritated that day, scratched its owner and left a wound.
What comes next is simple.
I only need to check if that wound remains.
As a result, this person was not a hybrid of the Goe-eo-in.
“I was aware of it. I thought it made no sense to call them man-eating demons, so I ignored it. Still, it seemed water spirits were involved, so I did issue a warning order… but.”
As expected, the government doesn’t believe in demons.
Yet I continued speaking.
“You’re aware that the Elder Brother recently recovered from an incurable illness, aren’t you?”
“I’ve heard of it. What does that have to do with… Oh!”
“Yes. These Goe-eo-in cured the illness. In exchange, they’ve been conducting human sacrifices. And those whose illnesses were cured transform into Goe-eo-in and engage in cannibalism.”
If a commoner had said such things, I would have suspected they’d been using opium heavily.
However, the being before me is an Inspector backed by the Emperor’s favor.
What choice does he have but to believe?
He must at least pretend to believe.
Word of the Emperor’s deep favor has already spread widely among officials,
so even if I pointed at a deer and called it a horse, he’d have to agree it’s correct.
“W-what should we do! How can we possibly… those demons…?”
His reaction is quite good. Truly someone capable of becoming a Magistrate!
“Now, now. Calm yourself.”
I decided to match rhythm with this Magistrate.
Otherwise, nothing would progress.
So I patted his back gently as if soothing a child and smiled softly.
“That’s why I’ve brought a solution.”
To Cheonwoo’s eyes, my brother looked like a con artist.
* * *
A proclamation was posted declaring that the Goe-eo-in demon, which practices cannibalism and disguises itself as human, would be subject to a massive extermination campaign!
Such was the notice that appeared on every wall.
Of course, the officials working under the magistrate thought to themselves:
‘What kind of nonsense is this?’
But.
Their thoughts would soon be overturned.
‘No way! It was actually real!!’
And.
The solution Sama Hyeon proposed.
Inflicting wounds.
When this method began to be implemented on a massive scale throughout Qingdu, the identities of the Goe-eo-in hybrids naturally started to be revealed.
As the guards made their rounds inflicting wounds, the hybrids’ true nature was exposed like fish pulled from water.
It was only natural that such a tremendous shock would strike the entire city of Qingdu.
Moreover, the hybrids whose identities were exposed either immediately fled or fought back by taking up weapons.
Some even threw themselves into the sea and disappeared before their identities could be fully revealed!
It was only natural that rumors spread—a wound that bubbled and healed rapidly marked one as a demon.
“That royal family member always seemed suspicious! Turns out he was a demon!”
“Who would’ve known? The way he used to seduce women with that handsome face of his…”
“And what about the Elder Brother? I thought it was miraculous that dying men recovered, but I never imagined he’d go so far as to become a demonic cultivator just to save them!”
“They say he practices cannibalism too?”
“Absolutely horrifying creatures!”
The Hyeong Gajangju fled under cover of night and disappeared, while the confused Hyeong Gajang essentially became sealed off from the outside world.
It wasn’t just the Hyeong Gajang.
Those who had recovered from incurable diseases were revealed to be demons, and those who had been cured of permanent disabilities were exposed as demons as well.
One by one.
As days passed with the Goe-eo-in hybrids being captured or exposed.
A very thick sea fog descended upon the entire city of Qingdu.
* * *
Taha-pa.
He gazed at his dead kinfolk hybrids with hollow eyes.
Children born between his kind and humans possessed different appearances from one another.
Some resembled their demonic kin, others resembled humans.
Some were born with appearances completely identical to humans, while others were born completely identical to their demonic kin.
However.
Eventually, they all transform into the appearance of their demonic kin.
Human traits are inherently inferior to theirs, so eventually all of his kind assume the same form.
Because of this, beings like Taha-pa who had lived for ages did not discriminate against hybrids.
However, that was only true for some.
Most of the immature members of their kind discriminate based solely on appearance…
‘In the end, we will all become one anyway.’
That is why he was filled with rage.
“Hear me!”
He shouted in their language.
Upon the altar.
With the corpse of the dead hybrid behind him, he cried out to his kin gathered below the altar.
“These inferior creatures dare to hunt us!”
It began with shocking words.
“Dare these pathetic humans hunt us!”
“Uu! Uu! Uu! Uu!”
“Uu! Uu! Uu! Uu!”
The Goe-eo-in cried out in unison.
It was a roar.
A furious howl.
“Time to teach them who the hunters are! Take up your weapons! We shall slaughter every human in Qingdao!”
All answered Taha-pa’s cry.
Even those living as ordinary commoners drew forth spears and blades.
The wild, savage blood flowing through their bodies boiled with fury.
* * *
“It has begun.”
“I thought they would be aggressive, but it’s happening exactly as you said.”
“From their perspective, humans are an inferior species. It’s natural they wouldn’t endure it. It’s the same in Gangho, isn’t it? Masters don’t tolerate the rudeness of the weak.”
Cheonwoo nodded at my words.
Indeed it was so.
In the merciless Gangho, those called masters did not regard human life as precious.
Kang Ho-in rather valued their pride above their lives.
Thus, those who committed rudeness were rarely left alive.
The Righteous Faction was no different.
Even calling themselves righteous, how many of them wielded their blades to judge sin?
“Jin… Jin Magistrate! Your words have come to pass! Is… is this place safe!?”
The three sworn brothers were currently at the magistrate’s office.
Since a large-scale invasion by the Goe-eo-in was expected, they naturally had to seek the magistrate’s cooperation to prepare defenses.
Not only the patrol guards under the magistrate’s command, but also the garrison soldiers stationed near Qingdao were already prepared to some degree.
Since it was not merely a martial arts matter, it was naturally necessary.
It was something that had to be done to protect the commoners and drive back those creatures.
Yet the magistrate was now truly terrified, not merely acting.
Real demons existed, and knowing they were operating nearby, he trembled with fear.
Though the magistrate held office, he was ultimately a commoner.
He had learned some martial arts, but unless he was a military officer, he could only protect himself to a modest degree.
When even sword-wielding Kang Ho-in should fear, demons were unavoidably terrifying.
‘Still, it does look rather unseemly.’
Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
“Yes. Rest assured, it is safe. The secret formation techniques of the Jegallim Family are protecting the magistrate’s office, so you need not worry.”
Jin Cheon-hee continued to soothe the Magistrate.
Then.
Screeeee!
The cry of a hawk pierced the air.
And with a great gust of wind, a massive blue hawk flew through the window of the magistrate’s office.
“A m-monster! Jin, Jin Taesu! Protect me!”
The Magistrate scrambled beneath his desk in panic.
Jin Cheon-hee shook his head at this shameful display but said nothing.
Then he extended his hand.
The blue and enormous hawk landed upon Jin Cheon-hee’s arm. Its size had somehow diminished considerably.
“Do not be alarmed. This is a child who follows me. Her name is Noeji.”
Noeji, whom I had left at Baekrin Uiseon!
But why was she here?
“Seeing that Noeji has arrived means the reinforcements have reached on schedule as well.”
“We must minimize casualties among the commoners, but also among the garrison soldiers and guards. Then, Magistrate, I shall go and defeat those enemies. Please take care of yourself.”
“Ah. Understood. I shall defend this place without fail!”
Leaving the trembling Magistrate behind, Jin Cheon-hee and his group departed the magistrate’s office.
There, a single figure awaited Jin Cheon-hee.
* * *
Upon stepping outside, the Gaju of Eon-gwon’s family stood waiting.
Eon-gwon was there.
“My, has the Gaju come personally?”
Jin Cheon-hee rushed forward in surprise.
Eon-gwon wore a pitch-black funeral robe and held a bell in one hand.
Noticing the faint scent of sandalwood emanating from his body, Jin Cheon-hee realized this was the garment worn during funeral rites.
The ceremonial dress worn when the Jin Ju-eon Family personally undertook executions.
It was different from the robe he had worn when fighting Jin Cheon-hee in the ruins long ago, and it signified that the Jin Ju-eon Family would personally slay their enemies, transform them into corpses, and return their remains home.
As a White Daoist sect, the Jin Ju-eon Family was thus unique.
Even toward enemies, they would show mercy to the corpse after death.
‘Some might question what meaning there is in returning to one’s homeland after death.’
In this Confucian society, it was a concept of considerable importance.
One of the things people of this era feared most was dying far from home.
Eongaju Eon-gwon continued speaking.
“What choice did I have? The benefactor of Eon-gwon’s family requested it, so I had to come quickly. And to come quickly, I needed to bring the elite.”
“The elite?”
“Myself and two hundred elite members of the Jin Ju-eon Family have arrived. And the main force of the headquarters—a thousand strong—has also arrived.”
At those words, Cheonwoo murmured in astonishment.
“A thousand…?”
Behind Eongaju.
A timely wind swept away the sea mist.
Corpse demons began appearing one by one through the dissipating fog, and a long procession of them filling the entire street revealed itself.
“Wow, how reassuring.”
At my words, Eon-gwon’s shoulders straightened with pride at the compliment.
“So then, what do we do now?”
웨우우우우—-!!!!
In that moment, the cries of the Goe-eo-in pierced through the sea mist and rang out loudly.
Having eliminated the spies hidden among the humans one by one, they seemed to have resolved themselves for all-out war.
‘No. It’s not war. For them, this cannot be war.’
It is a hunt.
A hunt that captures every rabbit and bear in the mountains.
A divine hunting festival.
I spoke.
“We must fight.”
Humans merely take up weapons.

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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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