Dokmaeuiseon - Chapter 14
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 14
Good. A conclusion had been reached.
If this fellow before him remained in Hangzhou and became a variable,
it would be right to release him rather than kill him.
If he chose to leave Hangzhou, the story would be different.
‘Then I’ll have to deal with him.’
He would handle it his way.
He would sell him through Black Point, which he operated.
If someone had Divine Power, Black Point would value them highly,
and quite a few would covet such a person.
Now, which choice would he make?
He was genuinely curious.
‘He’ll likely leave with high probability. If possible… I’d prefer he made a different choice. Will he do so?’
As he sent a curious gaze toward him,
Jung Myeong seemed to sense madness from him and visibly flinched in surprise.
Jung Myeong felt it instinctively.
That he now stood at a crossroads.
‘Good intuition. Or perhaps his Divine Power is manifesting? Either way is fine.’
What did it matter?
On Yang-ja was simply curious about the choice the man before him would make.
He asked, hoping his prediction would be wrong.
“It seems you received quite an intense welcome greeting from Hangzhou. How do you feel about it?”
“That was a welcome greeting?”
“It’s rougher than it looks, isn’t it? Hangzhou is originally like that.”
“I’d die if I received it twice.”
“Don’t you like it?”
“How could I like it? I was in mortal danger.”
“As expected, that’s right. You don’t like Hangzhou.”
Would he leave like this?
That would be no fun.
On Yang-ja bit his lips tightly.
It was a habit that came out when situations didn’t please him.
An old bad habit had emerged after a long time.
It was proof that he liked this fellow that much.
‘Tsk… This is no fun.’
Still, it would be good to get an answer.
On Yang-ja was about to ask Jung Myeong one last time.
“Then will you leave Hangzhou?”
“I am this Hangzhou…”
The answer Jung Myeong had to give came from elsewhere.
Voices began to be heard from far away.
“Doctor! Doctor!”
“Doctoooor! If you can hear us, please make some noise!”
“Where are you!”
* * *
Voices too untimely to be heard at this late hour.
Voices crying out endlessly like screams.
Quite a distance away.
However, it was sufficient for the two Martial Artists to hear.
More than enough to know their identity.
‘These voices, could it be…’
Jung Myeong turned his head toward the direction the voices were coming from.
At that moment, Jung Myeong’s eyes softly relaxed.
A different emotion from the previous poison he had shown rested in his eyes.
‘Ho… So they’re connected like this? Interesting.’
On Yang-ja didn’t miss that sight for even a moment.
Seeing that, On Yang-ja succeeded in finding the answer himself before Jung Myeong gave his response.
‘This fellow won’t go. No, he can’t go. He’s already been tied down, hasn’t he?’
Jung Myeong couldn’t leave Hangzhou.
Those with such eyes were absolutely unable to leave their territory,
and Jung Myeong’s territory visible to his eyes was right here.
Just like On Yang-ja himself long ago.
“It seems they’re people who’ve established themselves in the Western Market.”
“You know them?”
“There’s nothing I don’t know in this Hangzhou.”
“That’s overconfidence.”
“It’s confidence. Anyway, you won’t go, no. You can’t go. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
“You don’t need to answer. I think I’ve already heard the answer.”
“…Damn it.”
“Don’t you like the current situation?”
“Honestly, yes.”
“Why?”
“I get kidnapped out of nowhere. And seeing someone from Black Point come out talking about deals and interrogating me point by point… how could I like it?”
“Hmm. That makes sense. I understand.”
He thought he would leave, but he doesn’t.
For him, this was a welcome variable.
‘If this is also fate, then it’s fate. And it’s even an interesting variable at that…’
On Yang-ja felt intrigued.
He threw out an interesting proposal.
“Then how about this?”
“What?”
“Come to Black Point. If you come, I’ll help you get what you were trying to obtain today.”
“Huh…”
Jung Myeong’s face filled with surprise upon hearing this.
* * *
‘An invitation to Black Point.’
Black Point.
A black market that had existed since before this country was founded.
They were definitely not a place that easily opened their doors for trade.
And this was an invitation from such a Black Point.
Since there would surely be a deal involved, he had gained an unexpected opportunity.
However, Jung Myeong couldn’t understand the reason at all.
‘Why are they inviting me? Understanding the minds of criminals is originally difficult, but… that person is extreme. Is it a whim? Or is there some reason?’
Well.
Black Point was a place that dealt with people and even traded them.
Wasn’t that man a person from such a place?
Thinking of him as a person from a gathering of criminals and madmen.
Understanding why he extended the invitation was impossible in itself.
What was important here was one thing.
Whether the deal he was proposing would be beneficial to Jung Myeong or not.
‘What should I do?’
As Jung Myeong was about to answer.
“There’s the physician!”
“Physician!”
Before he knew it.
The voices of the residents that had been heard from far away had gotten much closer.
Close enough to notice them.
The people of Hangzhou began running toward him.
Did he consider that moment the time to leave?
[Be sure to come. I’ll be waiting.]
Swish swish swish swish-
On Yang-ja’s body scattered like smoke.
Even though he was right before his eyes, his presence became faint.
Soon, even his form became difficult to find.
This was skill that only someone who possessed both powerful Stealth Technique and Light Body Technique could display.
‘He’s a madman. But a madman with something to him.’
An invitation from such a person.
It was an unexpected event.
A variable that had occurred in his life.
His principle was to either eliminate or avoid variables.
That’s how it had been until now.
And because of that, he had been able to survive alone as a Gangho Physician.
Wasn’t the price of a moment’s complacency this great?
That’s why he had thought he wouldn’t be swayed anymore.
“Physician! Are you alright?”
“My goodness. Physician, do you know where this place is that you came here!”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Those with whom he had built connections in Hangzhou.
Old Man Jang.
He had come holding his hand.
His tactless son beside him was holding a torch and looking at him with surprised eyes.
Old Man Wang had also come here instead of watching the bookstore.
There was even someone who seemed unlikely to come.
“Isn’t it time to watch the inn?”
“Oh my. I fried some croaker fish and waited and waited, but you didn’t come, so I came out to look.”
The shopkeeper of the inn.
Even this fellow who seemed shrewd had come here.
“What will you do? It’s all gotten cold.”
“Heh heh. Is that what’s important?”
“It is important! It’s important! Do you know how important shop sales are?”
“But you came here looking for me?”
“Ahem… It’s because you treated my younger brother’s cold before.”
“Right. Right. I understand.”
Though he kept spouting nonsense as if embarrassed that he had come.
What he felt from him was a kind he had already experienced.
It was precisely the warmth he had experienced that morning.
And that wasn’t all.
The patients who had received treatment from him.
Though they hadn’t said anything separately.
They were looking at him with surprised eyes.
Some were seeking him out, though what they intended to do was unclear.
There were even those awkwardly holding something in their hands.
‘They’d lose if they fought the scoundrels. Haha. Really.’
Everyone was looking at him.
There was affection in those eyes.
In those eyes.
Jung Myeong felt that his own philosophy had changed.
‘I’m not usually such an indecisive person. Can’t be helped, I suppose.’
What makes a wandering drifter move is not external pressure, but internal change.
What could he do? He had already felt such warm affection and change had occurred.
He made his decision immediately.
‘I should stay in Hangzhou.’
Even if it was a somewhat indecisive decision, it didn’t matter.
It was Jung Myeong’s own choice, melted in affection.
* * *
Jung Myeong returned to the inn.
He was eating the completely cold fried croaker, yet why did it feel so warm?
‘It’s delicious.’
As he continued using his chopsticks without rest, the shopkeeper’s scolding reached him.
“It’s completely cold, yet you eat it so well. Is it delicious?”
“It’s delicious.”
“Oh my. It would have been more delicious if you’d come early. If you were going to find a broker, you should have asked me, why did you go looking for just anyone?”
“I didn’t want to be a bother.”
“What bother? Going around like that is more of a bother.”
“You’re noisy.”
“Hmph… You certainly have good spirits.”
“Well, at least my spirits should be good.”
“Ehe…!”
Even the scolding wasn’t bad.
He hadn’t been drinking, yet he felt intoxicated.
Perhaps Jung Myeong seemed genuine.
The shopkeeper beat his chest and asked.
“Shall I introduce you to a broker? I know a gentleman who, though he looks shabby, does good work.”
“No. It’s fine. I already have one.”
“Huh…? You’re going to get swindled again.”
His eyes were full of worry.
How could Jung Myeong not understand that meaning?
“Be quiet. Come on, bring out some five-spice braised pork.”
“You’re ordering now? What will they say?”
“Just bring it. I’ll order one for you, so go eat it with your younger brother.”
“Huh, you’re trying to settle today’s matter with that?”
“Won’t that work?”
“…Tsk. Fine.”
“At times like this, you should say thank you.”
“Yes. Yes. Thank you.”
“Oh my.”
He ordered five-spice braised pork for the shopkeeper who only increased his nagging.
He wasn’t the type to eat it right away.
He would save it well and eat it with his younger brothers.
It would be enough for his younger brother who had caught a cold to nourish his body.
Deflecting the shopkeeper’s scolding, Jung Myeong repeated his resolution.
‘I’ll establish myself in Hangzhou.’
A resolution for establishing a new base.
In truth, that alone wasn’t enough.
Knowing this, Jung Myeong added one more thing.
He would also abandon the complacency of the past.
‘To properly establish myself, I need to become thorough.’
It was different from the past when he lived alone.
Connections were forming.
To protect these relationships.
There was much to prepare.
‘I don’t want a mistake like last time.’
Though he couldn’t yet call them his people.
He couldn’t let harm come to those who had shown him affection.
He needed to find a way to protect not just himself but everyone.
It meant there was much more to prepare.
So he would have to set out early in the morning.
‘Let me go right away.’
To the place where he had been invited.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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