Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 994

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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 994
The wager with the Sichuan Tang Family had begun.
However, as time passed, something astonishing started to unfold.
“How on earth is this possible…?”
The number of patients being cured by Baekrin Medical Guild’s medicine was a staggering five times greater than those treated by the Sichuan Tang Family’s remedy.
Moreover, the speed of symptom improvement showed a marked difference.
When I recorded it directly on the wooden tablet, the disparity became even more evident.
And as time progressed, the gap only widened further.
I made my way to the Sichuan Tang Family’s tent and spoke thus.
“Would it not be better to use Baekrin Medical Guild’s medicine going forward?”
“…”
Tang Mukha studied me before responding.
“I expected you to mock us outright, yet instead you wear an apologetic expression.”
‘What kind of person do they take me for?’
Actually, now that I thought about it, martial artists typically did behave that way in such situations.
A certain lack of foresight.
The audacity to live only for today!
But a modern person—especially one accustomed to society—became more cautious the more they won.
‘In any case, I had to definitively prove which medicine was superior. Otherwise, the Sichuan Tang Family would never accept it. Besides, I’m currently managing patients on the verge of critical condition through poison cultivation techniques.’
Tang Mukha’s gaze met mine.
‘There is no arrogance in those eyes, no contempt for the opponent. Truly, the White-Robed Divine Dragon.’
Only a look of genuine concern.
“It seems the White-Robed Divine Dragon must have anticipated this situation. How did you know?”
“…”
‘How should I explain resistance?’
I paused briefly, then decided to explain in the Tang Family’s manner, as simply as possible.
“What is the first thing one does when learning poison cultivation?”
“That would be… starting by consuming small amounts of poison. Through this, one gradually becomes accustomed to it and builds resistance… Ah, surely not?”
True to his nature as a poison-toxin branch patriarch, his mind worked quickly.
“Yes. To the disease, medicine is poison. These pathogens, like humans, develop resistance.”
“But this plague is a type of parasitic infection, is it not? How could…?”
“Even invisible parasites exercise wisdom to survive. The instinct to live, reproduce, and thrive is common to all living things—parasites are no exception.”
And humans are the same.
Even now, humans exercise such wisdom in their struggle to survive.
“Hah…”
Tang Mukha exhaled in astonishment.
“If the mosquitoes cannot be completely eradicated, this will continue to repeat. The Sichuan Tang Family’s medicine… has already developed resistance.”
“You mean Baekrin Medical Guild’s medicine works well now because it is a different type?”
“Precisely. And this medicine too may eventually develop resistance.”
There is no ‘absolute’ in all things.
This was especially true when it came to matters of life and death.
Gal Hong, the legendary immortal sage.
The Patriarch of the Naba Sect and author of the legendary text, the Baopuzi.
In the Baopuzi’s Inner Chapters and his other work, the Emergency Remedies Worth a Thousand in Gold,
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there were recorded secret methods for treating malaria.
In fact, the Chinese medical scientist Tu Youyou had obtained hints from that very book to develop her cure.
And I knew well what the crucial component of that treatment was.
Artemisinin, or what was called qinghaosu—the substance itself!
This compound, which could be extracted from sweet wormwood, was known to eliminate parasites like malaria faster and more reliably than other medications.
However.
‘In modern society, malaria strains resistant to artemisinin have already been discovered.’
Because of this, artemisinin alone is no longer recommended; it must be used in combination with other antimalarial treatments.
This is a method to reduce the probability of resistance developing, even if only slightly.
But.
In this martial world, they would not yet know of such things.
So.
They either continued using Gal Hong’s secret methods, or improved upon them to create the Sichuan Tang Family’s exclusive secret remedy, and then made no further modifications, using it as is until now.
It would have been sufficient regardless.
And this is the result.
That malaria has developed resistance to the Sichuan Tang Family’s medicine!
It resists artemisinin quite powerfully!
In contrast.
The medicine of the Baekrin Medical Guild is primarily based on a substance called quinine.
After learning of the malaria outbreak and discerning that the primary medicine used was artemisinin-based,
I prepared medicine primarily composed of quinine.
Quinine is a different type of medicine from artemisinin in its mechanism.
‘Oddly enough, this went in the opposite direction from Earth’s history.’
Still, I prepared artemisinin as well to account for pregnant women.
I cannot know exactly how much resistance has developed, but in any case, it is better than prescribing quinine alone.
And in the worst scenario, I would rely on the power of Hyeongyeong itself.
‘This is why I went all the way to the brink of Hyeongyeong. Yes.’
Strangely, as I came to this place and fought against the calamity of malaria, my state of mind began to shift once more.
‘Why do I fight?’
‘What am I fighting against?’
‘How have I come to reach this state?’
Questions began to embed themselves naturally and increasingly in my heart.
“This will be… an endless battle, won’t it, Jin Sogakju. Unless you eliminate every last mosquito, as you yourself said….”
The entire world had once united and pushed forward until they thought they had finally ‘crushed it,’ but the moment the dust settled, didn’t the next wave strike immediately?
Perhaps in the distant future, even Earth might manage it.
Even at this very moment, new medicines continue to be developed.
But when even Earth struggles with it, the Central Plains hardly needs mention.
“Yes. As it stands now, it’s impossible. However, we can manage it. At the very least, we should be able to improve upon the current situation.”
“Is there a way to do so?”
….
I narrow my eyes slightly.
‘What in the world is this young man thinking?’
The White Celestial Dragon.
One who has mastered countless poison techniques and reached the realm of divine skill.
Tang Mukha’s eyes shine with respect. Though people call him a madman, I see nothing of that sort.
Usually, those called divine skilled in the martial world have some eccentric tendencies.
Yet this young man before me is remarkably humble, and his words are considerate—he speaks in a way that’s easy to understand, always thinking of his conversation partner.
‘The rumors of his madness must surely be false!’
Soon, lost in thought, I change the subject.
My blue eyes gleam with brilliance like stars.
‘Though he doesn’t speak of it, there must surely be profound wisdom contained within him.’
Tang Mukha thought that those who called the White Celestial Dragon mad were the true enemies of the martial world.
Yet contrary to his expectations, I was thinking something mad indeed.
‘I want to somehow use those Sichuan Tang Family bastards and accomplish a mythical feat of civil engineering.’
But if I said that here, I’d get stoned.
Soon, I spoke.
“First, let’s treat the patients before us. If we combine our efforts, we can save more people. If you don’t mind, it would be wonderful if the branches of the Sichuan Tang Family could help us manufacture our medicine.”
The foundation of the Sichuan Tang Family is poison.
Extracting and refining such toxic liquids—they excel at this more than any other family.
Even their branches have superior facilities compared to most pharmacies.
“Understood. I shall immediately contact the scattered branches and have them assist.”
Instead of poison, we manufacture medicine.
Even so, the process differs little.
‘And quinine, if misused, becomes a deadly poison….’
Conversely, if used correctly, it becomes a cure for malaria.
“What is the name of this medicine?”
I spoke using the Sino-Korean pronunciation.
“It’s called Geum-gye-rap.”
?!
The Sino-Korean notation for quinine.
A name given when Jesuit powder crossed over to Asia in the past.
Though it’s read differently in Chinese, in Korea it’s read as Geum-gye-rap using the characters directly.
From the cinchona tree to Korea, this powder has traveled around the entire Earth.
Humans consumed this medicine and survived, accumulating ten thousand evils and a hundred virtues, reaching the modern era.
Geum-gye-rap.
Just hearing the name makes it sound like medicine made from a golden chicken.
‘Looking at the name alone, doesn’t it seem like some kind of fried chicken?’
Yet, despite this ridiculous name.
A doctor from Earth had traveled all this distance to spread the same knowledge once more.
‘Ah, I see. Everything carries its own debt.’
Humans cannot live alone.
Even this blood flowing through my veins is the result of a journey where someone—an ancestor of my ancestor from ages past—received help and gave help in turn.
Learning, plundering, slaughtering, stealing, yet still helping and being helped.
Within this amusing name, the Golden Rooster Elixir, lay the history of mankind.
And now it was the Golden Rooster Elixir’s turn to save countless lives once more.
The people here too would accumulate ten thousand evils and a hundred virtues.
But that was fine.
‘Because those hundred virtues weigh heavier than the ten thousand evils.’
Tang Mukha had people send letters flying in all directions.
Now this Golden Rooster Elixir would begin production across numerous branches of Sichuan at the main family’s command.
The place that once made poisons had now begun making medicine.
The world—especially human medicine—could never advance alone.
‘I’ve done everything I can do right now.’
What remained was treating patients with the medicine we had until the new supplies arrived.
Once I extinguished this immediate crisis, there would be the next task waiting.
* * *
Nearly all the patients had been treated.
The surrounding marshlands had been completely cleared as well.
Even if more patients arrived, the doctors within the medical pavilion should be able to manage reasonably well at this point.
The quinine requested from other regions had not yet arrived.
I would leave some of the Researcher Doctors behind to receive the supplies themselves, then disperse them to various Baekrin Medical Guild branches to save people across the regions.
However.
‘It’s unrealistic to expect this plague to disappear overnight.’
And the abnormal weather is also a concern.
With sudden rain creating marshes everywhere and mosquitoes proliferating.
I decided to rest for a day, then move toward the Sichuan Tang Family.
Everyone was exhausted, so it was only natural.
We took down the tents on the outskirts of the medical pavilion and carefully loaded the supplies back onto the carriages.
And thanks to Tang Mukha, the Poison Sect’s Deputy Patriarch, those who could rest stayed at the most luxurious inn in the medical pavilion.
Though we were already treated like honored guests, with Tang Mukha’s involvement, we could clearly feel we were being treated even more respectfully than before.
It was not merely a form of rule through force.
‘This is charisma.’
The belief that no matter the drought or plague, the Sichuan Tang Family would find a way.
Indeed, hadn’t the medicine used by the Sichuan Tang Family repelled malaria all this time?
Until resistance developed, it would surely be the strength protecting the commoners.
At the large inn where we stayed in Yibin.
From the topmost floor of the four-story pavilion, I looked down upon all of Yibin.
Unlike a great city like Hangzhou, Yibin at night was quiet and filled with darkness.
The sound of rain filled that darkness completely.
I couldn’t count how much rainwater I’d witnessed since arriving here.
The place I’d visited before was suffering from drought, but here it was the opposite—rain continued to fall relentlessly.
It would suddenly pour like this, then suddenly clear up, only to become unbearably hot again.
In the darkness where rain fell.
I could see small fires lit here and there, with faint smoke rising from them.
Smoke with insecticidal properties.
In this region it was essential, but it alone was simply insufficient.
One couldn’t live in smoke their entire life, and lately these cursed mosquitoes had begun biting right through the smoke.
It seemed they were developing resistance to the insecticide.
‘If this continues, it will become an endemic disease altogether.’
That had to be prevented.
What would be the best approach?
Concern flickered across my eyes.
“….”
* * *
The next morning arrived.
Now it was time to depart for the Sichuan Tang Family.
The Baekrin Group’s escort formation was complete as the carriages descended from the boat and began moving.
Of course, the carriages were loaded with the supplies we’d brought.
I rode in the carriage at the very front alongside Sama-hye. Namgung Un followed on horseback beside us.
As we attempted to exit Yibin through the main road.
People began appearing one by one along the roadside.
But their numbers kept increasing.
As if.
Everyone living in Yibin had come out.
They didn’t block the road. Yet they stood at the roadside, watching the Baekrin Medical Guild procession.
“Um… Eun Gong. Who exactly are these people…?”
“Who knows?”
I simply smiled at the surprised Sama-hye.
And one by one, the people began cupping their fists in salute and bowing their heads.
“Thank you!”
“Thank you, Patriarch Sama-hye of Hangzhou’s One Healer!”
“White-Eyed Divine Physician! Thank you for healing my mother!”
The people.
Cried out.
This was something I had experienced several times before.
Patients and their families always express gratitude to a doctor when they return from the brink of death.
But for Sama-hye, this was her first experience of such a thing.
Hangzhou’s One Brilliance.
The epithet the people of Hangzhou bestowed upon Sama-hye, who treated malaria.
Literally, the one shining star of Hangzhou.
The “one” here did not mean there was only one. It signified the greatest.
The brightest star shining in all of Hangzhou!
Sama-hye’s eyes grew red with tears.
“Ah….”
“Hold this memory dear. So you can bring it out whenever hardship comes.”
“Yes…!”
This memory was a treasure that could not be bought with money.
Sama-hye quickly wiped her eyes.
So she could etch this scene, even slightly, into her pupils.
Having chosen the path of a doctor in Gangho, countless storms would surely come her way.
Yet to keep the boat from capsizing, she needed memories like these.
A tempest that would someday end.
The memory of a single ray of sunlight at its end.
Reminding herself again and again that all of this would someday pass.
Did a doctor not live on such small memories?
Namgung Un watched the two of them with a satisfied smile.
Then the people began to cheer for Namgung Un and the Skyward Dragon Namgung Family as well.
“The Sword of Creation, Namgung Family Head!”
“Thanks to you, the mosquitoes are gradually disappearing!”
“The buried sections are so solid that simply laying stone slabs on top would make an excellent road!”
Oh, the people recognized his labor in civil engineering!

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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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