Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 965
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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 965
With Namgung Un now grown this formidable, I could afford to tell him more.
“They’re spreading demonic arts?”
“Yes. Supaechai learned the demonic arts spread by the Demonic Cult and has been drinking human blood.”
“What…? What did you say!!”
Namgung Un gasped in shock.
It seemed he hadn’t known about the fact that they were even drinking human blood.
Well, that made sense.
Even I had doubted my own eyes when I witnessed it directly.
If one only saw the remaining traces, they would assume it was the work of the Demonic Cult or the Hyeolseonggyo, never suspecting it was the work of Sueok.
And furthermore….
“I’ve heard of demonic arts that consume fresh human blood, but this is the first time I’ve heard of them actually appearing. Is that a real demonic art? Apart from the Hyeolseonggyo’s, I mean.”
“Yes. It’s a genuine demonic art. According to Hao-mun’s intelligence, there were quite a few witnesses decades ago. The Gaebang likely has no related information. These are accounts that circulated among the Black Dao cultivators.”
I spoke of those recorded in Hao-mun’s intelligence—the Blood-Devouring Fierce Demon, the Bone-Greedy Ghost Demon, the Corpse-Flesh Ugly Demon, and others like them.
These were dusty pieces of information even within Hao-mun.
They were tales from an older generation, and these demons had briefly appeared among the Black Dao cultivators before vanishing.
“Such beings existed?”
“They were Geomars of the previous generation. Some died, and some disappeared without a trace. And some are probably….”
“…in the Demonic Cult, I presume.”
“Precisely. And the demonic arts they mastered are likely there as well.”
I spoke of the scenes I had witnessed and the atrocities they had committed.
“Hmm…. So they’re indiscriminately spreading the secrets of such demonic arts?”
“For now, it seems they’ve only sent them to places like Supaechai… but there’s no way to know what they’ll do in the future.”
“That means… they can continue their schemes indefinitely.”
“Yes. Probably. It won’t be limited to just Anhui Province.”
“Hmm….”
Namgung Un closed his eyes and fell into thought.
Since this was happening in his homeland and the Namgung Family’s territory, as the Family Head, he could never overlook it.
Soon he opened his eyes halfway and asked.
“So what do you intend to do, Jin’s younger brother?”
“….”
*Sip*
I took a sip of tea and fell into contemplation.
‘First. The Demonic Cult intends to spread demonic arts in all directions.’
From what I could see, they would certainly spread mid-tier and low-tier demonic arts indiscriminately, excluding only the highest-tier ones.
In the midst of this, I thought.
‘Wow…. This is going to be exhausting work. Should I use woodblock printing? If I used woodblock printing, I might be able to mass-produce and distribute them, but when we searched their headquarters, the demonic arts that came out had traces of handwriting.’
Despite committing such atrocities, the Demonic Cult seemed more old-fashioned than expected. Making people repeatedly hand-copy so many demonic texts.
‘If the person doing the copying isn’t at a high level of cultivation, they’ll cough up blood from Heart Demons and die while writing.’
That would be different if it were a book teaching righteous cultivation.
The Demonic Scripture is something that can inadvertently damage one’s mind simply through repeated transcription.
Regardless.
‘Second. The Soegooju are targeting Ha-ryun.’
They would certainly fight among themselves, but Ha-ryun was what one might call a rolling stone.
The full military might of the Six Demon Clans wouldn’t necessarily emerge, but at least thirty percent of their forces might come directly.
A flash of azure light danced across my eyes.
‘What if I resolve both problems at once?’
Immediately, the small versions of me sang in unison.
‘Using a lure strategy is the superior move!’
My mind as a strategist ignites like fire on dry branches.
A thousand stratagems unfold in an instant.
The thoughts of the Hyeonwon Jeondan Singeong grew like a tree, spreading branches in all directions, while the small versions of me plucked the fruits of these schemes.
‘First, use Ha-ryun as bait to gather them all, then eliminate them in one sweep.’
‘Then the Demonic Cult’s military strength would be weakened, so spreading the Demonic Scripture would be delayed somewhat, wouldn’t it?’
‘But fundamentally, we might not be able to stop the spread of the Demonic Scripture at all….’
‘The greatest problem with the Demonic Scripture is replication of replications. The Black Dao Scoundrels won’t follow the principle of non-transmission against the Demonic Scripture either,’
‘Right. Once they start spreading it, copies will be circulating everywhere in no time, won’t they?’
‘We felt it when the Jegallim Family fell, didn’t we? It’s not like they obtained some fortuitous encounter at the bottom of a cliff, but once a martial art becomes open-source like this, it rolls around everywhere.’
‘Then… I need to think about it differently.’
Countless versions of me chattered, gathering our thoughts into one.
‘Differently… the opposite way….’
In that moment, stars sparkled in my eyes.
Namgung Un read something… a danger signal in my gaze.
“Jin, are you… thinking of something dangerous again?”
*Smile*
I smiled gently and waved my hand dismissively.
“Oh, no. Dangerous? I’m simply thinking about the peace of Gangho and a peaceful tomorrow for the commoners. I’ve just had a wonderful idea.”
Clear eyes. Remarkably, not a trace of delusion could be felt.
Namgung Un knew from experience that these were the eyes of a madman.
With those eyes, I had once struck his head with a lute.
All while saying I would correct his rotten thinking.
Back then, my eyes—no, ‘Princess Seon-hee’s’ eyes—had gleamed with such brilliance.
Namgung Un, gripped by fear born of past experience, asked.
“Is that… really a good idea?”
“Of course. A very good idea indeed. First, we should attempt it in Gangso Province where our Medical Guild is located, or perhaps in the Oryun Association.”
“What exactly is it? What method are you talking about?”
At this point, curiosity had even gotten the better of him.
However, I merely smiled mysteriously.
“I’ll discuss it with my Master and inform you then.”
“Ugh. Once you lock your lips, you never speak again….”
Namgung Un’s expression resembled that of someone who had visited the outhouse without wiping—such was his regret.
He was that disappointed.
I asked him.
“What will you do, Namgung Hyeong?”
I refuse to teach him, yet I’m asking him what he’ll do.
The sheer audacity of it!
But Namgung Un answered good-naturedly.
“First, I’ll organize a suppression force and eliminate them as they appear. The demonic cultivation secrets must be kept beyond the reach of the sect members. Of course, there’s no one left who would try such a thing now.”
Before everyone’s eyes, the previous Gaju’s dantian had been shattered.
It was his own father, Elder Tae-sang, who had done it.
Even his own son had learned demonic cultivation, so the father personally sealed his dantian—why couldn’t others do the same?
As a result, the Namgung Family had developed an absolute aversion to demonic cultivation.
I nodded and spoke thus.
“Before that, Namgung Hyeong, you should leave now.”
“Hm? I just arrived?”
“My younger brother and I have separate matters to attend to. And….”
I hesitated before finally laying bare my thoughts.
“…I don’t think it’s good for the Namgung Family to get unnecessarily entangled in this.”
So this was why my younger brother had drawn a line today.
Instead of standing, Namgung Un sat in proper seiza and adopted a listening posture.
“What is this matter?”
“…It’s just that kind of situation.”
Then Yeo Ha-ryun spoke.
“My martial siblings will come to kill me. It’s a matter of the sect.”
“Ha-ryun!”
Despite my attempt to stop him, Yeo Ha-ryun merely pressed his lips into a line and stared directly at Namgung Un.
“I’ve heard your sect, the Black Sword Sect, conducts such succession competitions. But now? At this moment?”
“Yes. Now. So leave, Namgung Un.”
I was beginning to understand how my elder brother treated Namgung Un.
He was somewhat uncomfortable with him.
Despite appearing close, there remained a subtle discomfort in my brother’s demeanor toward him.
I don’t know what that discomfort is. I don’t particularly wish to know either.
Yet my brother does not hate Namgung Un.
Rather, he accepted him as a friend in his own way.
‘Then wouldn’t it be better to speak the truth rather than hide it?’
As befitted the protagonist of Jicheon Cheonma, Yeo Ha-ryun grasped the true nature of the problem precisely.
And instinctively, he also knew the easiest way to resolve this matter.
However, that was merely the way of Gangho, not the method of a modern person.
“….”
Namgung Un rubbed his chin.
With mere intent, he drew his sword and planted it between Jin Cheon-hee, Yeo Ha-ryun, and Namgung Un—three persons standing together.
Crash!
The blade vibrated, scattering lightning in all directions.
Was this Namgung Un’s current realm?
Seeing Jin Cheon-hee’s eyes flicker with uncertainty, Namgung Un spoke.
“I’ll help as well. Not as the family’s full strength, but as myself alone.”
“…Is that your answer?”
Yeo Ha-ryun replied without emotion.
That was right.
Both of them were Kang Ho-ins.
Meanwhile, the modern person Jin Cheon-hee asked in bewilderment.
“Wait. Why are you getting involved in this, Namgung Hyeong?”
“I owe Ha-ryun little debt, but you, Jin’s younger brother—I owe you much. I must repay that kindness.”
“…I am not your younger brother. If you speak those words one more time, I will sever your wrist.”
“Ha-ryun! Calm yourself! He’s offering to help you!”
What exactly was Gangho, what exactly were Kang Ho-ins?
“Even if Jin’s younger brother tries to stop me, I will certainly help. The same holds true even if Ha-ryun stops me.”
“Die.”
At that moment, as the second count ended, Yeo Ha-ryun’s intent flew sharply forward.
It wasn’t killing, nor sealing the dantian—just severing one wrist. By Yeo Ha-ryun’s standards, this might be considered relatively merciful(?)
After all, the premise was to keep him alive.
A consideration of sorts between Hyeong and Namgung Un’s relationship.
Of course, if the modern person Jin Cheon-hee heard this, he would call it insane, but by Yeo Ha-ryun’s standards, it was so.
Rather than that.
Brothers.
That held great meaning for Ha-ryun.
In a sense, it was like a dragon’s reverse scale.
The moment Jin Cheon-hee tried to disperse Yeo Ha-ryun’s intent with his sleeve, Namgung Un’s Thunder Dragon Sword scattered the lightning first.
Crash!
“Alas, everything in the house is being destroyed. You bastards! Stop! I said stop!”
The modern person was heartbroken.
* * *
In the end, Jin Cheon-hee performed a full kowtow to settle this mess.
Namgung Un decided to join them.
Since Yeo Ha-ryun had already spoken, Namgung Un would not leave.
That was because he was a Kang Ho-in.
‘Wow…. When I read novels, I gave a thumbs up calling them righteous men, but now thinking that the Namgung Family will be dragged into this because of me, my stomach aches.’
Namgung Un spoke.
“If you tell me to go back even one more time, then I shall call that mysterious sect’s Black Sword friend ‘younger brother.'”
“If that day comes, I will scatter your brains across the Yangtze River.”
“….”
Namgung Un clung to me like a curse item.
It meant I couldn’t remove him until the work was finished.
‘Is this what they call righteousness in the Gangho…. Something feels irrational about it?’
A modern person’s sigh escaped me.
Though I sighed… anyway, just as things calmed down somewhat, Heukseolmyo arrived.
Meow!
And following behind Heukseolmyo was Ilkana.
When Ilkana offered jerky to Heukseolmyo as thanks, she spat it out with a pffft.
“You’re rejecting jerky?”
I sighed and pulled out the special jerky I’d made myself, waving it. Only then did Heukseolmyo run over and eat it.
Watching this, the strategist Ilkana’s expression became as if the sky were collapsing.
‘Her palate has become far too refined… the finances for this year are ruined….’
From now on, I’d have to give only the highest-grade jerky.
And even then, if it wasn’t made by me personally, she’d reluctantly eat it.
After all, she was one of the Ten Greatest Housekeepers under Heaven.
There was no helping that much.
Ilkana glanced at Namgung Un and asked this way.
“So we have an esteemed Young Master with us.”
“Well… he was so stubborn that he eventually joined us.”
I answered.
Then I briefly explained everything that had happened so far, and Ilkana shrugged.
“One absolute master is a tremendous asset, so isn’t it good that it turned out well?”
Cool.
Is this the Gangho way?
She continued speaking.
“And our subordinates are currently gathering on the island where Sueok’s faction was located.”
Oh, it seemed Ilkana had devised a strategy of her own and was swiftly commanding her subordinates to move.
She continued.
“I’ve had them all disguised as Sueok. It won’t take long before they’re discovered, but at least we won’t be found out while we’re fighting the other Soegooju.”
‘Oh, I’m repurposing the Sueok faction I swept away as a hiding place?’
Her improvisation was quite impressive.
Ilkana was truly Ha-ryun’s strategist without question.
I asked back.
“Is it a decoy strategy?”
“How did you know I arranged a decoy and called my subordinates together?”
Assembly, concealment, disguise, decoy.
In terms of Go, that would be the fourth move.
I had prided myself on placing the stones quite secretly, yet I had already calculated and seen through how she would place her stones.
Ilkana looked at me with astonished eyes.
After a moment, I spoke again.
“Brother, you’ve seen through my next move.”
“….”
Instead of answering, I turned to Yeo Ha-ryun and said.
“…Ha-ryun. You must treat the strategist well. Do you think there’s anyone else out there who would tolerate your nature and clean up after you like this?”
“?”
Yeo Ha-ryun glanced at his fist and Heukseolmyo, whose appetite had risen, then spoke.
“I’m already treating her well, brother.”
“No, you fool! At this rate, Ilkana will work herself to death!”
Not understanding what I meant, both Yeo Ha-ryun and Namgung Un watching from the side widened their eyes.
It was only natural.
I had just seen through not only Ilkana’s fourth move, but even her seventh move beyond that.
“?!”
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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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