I Became the Oriental Doctor for Divine Beasts - Chapter 14
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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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She became a herbal physician to the Divine Beasts.
#14
Chairman Baek Ho-jung entered the guest room with calm, dignified bearing.
His hair, streaked with silver, and his neat hanbok seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, lending him an even more commanding presence.
“Are you resting well, Go?”
I nodded quickly.
“Yes, thank you. I’m doing well.”
The chairman crossed the room slowly and settled into a seat before the tea table, then spoke with a weighty tone.
“According to the field investigation, Corrupted Energy from the Fallen Ones was detected. It appears they deliberately rigged the lighting system to target Jung Ra-bit and bring her down. The stage collapse was done the same way.”
“Why target Ra-bit specifically? Because she’s a direct descendant of the Rabbit Tribe?”
I pulled out a chair opposite the chairman and asked seriously.
He shook his head slowly.
“No. The real aim was likely to draw you out.”
“Me?”
The moment understanding struck me, my eyes reflexively widened.
“Ah… the internet….”
That’s right. My face is all over it right now.
They used Ra-bit as bait to provoke my reaction.
A chill crept down my spine.
“I was too hasty. I didn’t think things through that far.”
As my expression hardened, Chairman Baek continued gently.
“Unless you meant to hide away in the mountains forever, your identity would have been revealed eventually anyway.”
“But still—”
“And if it hadn’t been you, Jung Ra-bit’s safety would have been in danger. You made the best choice in that moment.”
Only then did my heart settle.
The chairman paused, studying me, before continuing.
“And thanks to Ma Yun-sang’s testimony, we’ve been able to prepare in many ways. Even though Yun-sang left the Horse Tribe, he had declared neutrality and wouldn’t give us any information.”
“Ah…”
“We’d given up on gathering intelligence because of his stubbornness, but he answered all your questions without hesitation. Quite remarkable.”
Goodness. So Yun-sang’s stubborn as a… well, as a horse.
I laughed sheepishly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
Following my smile, the chairman’s expression turned serious again as he broached the main topic.
“The problem is, outside of Baek Myodang, we cannot always keep watch over you. I’ve had Eun-ho prepare a new Protective Talisman. Since it takes time to extract the Spiritual Energy, I’d like you to stay here for the next week.”
I felt a jolt of surprise.
I’d assumed that bracelet was easy to make, the way he’d handed it over so casually.
‘So it took a full week to gather the Spiritual Energy. It must be incredibly precious.’
I’d heard that sharing Spiritual Energy depletes one’s stamina drastically. I felt a pang of guilt.
I was biting my lip when—
‘Wait a moment.’
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
I hesitated briefly, then looked up.
“Chairman, would it be possible to see Baek Eun-ho? And… would I be able to use the kitchen?”
“Hmm? It’s possible, but why all of a sudden—?”
I could sense the chairman’s puzzled gaze.
I closed my lips, then answered with a small smile.
“I thought perhaps I might be able to help a little.”
* * *
Deep within the chairman’s residence, in the inner chamber.
A faint fragrance drifted through the room as Baek Eun-ho sat cross-legged, his robe hanging open.
A Jade Orb rested in his clenched right fist.
“…”
Eun-ho closed his eyes and chanted quietly.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his lips grew increasingly pale, but he did not stop.
He was still deep in concentration when—
Knock, knock.
Someone rapped at the door.
He ignored it at first, but the knocking continued.
Finally, Baek Eun-ho’s brow twitched and he shot to his feet.
“I said not to disturb me—it’s important—”
He yanked the door open to snap at whoever stood there, but his words died on his lips.
Standing before him in surprise was none other than Go Yeon-hui.
On the tray she held in both hands sat a single steaming cup.
“My goodness, you startled me! Why are you dressed like that?”
Yeon-hui awkwardly averted her gaze.
Eun-ho fastened his robe without expression and replied curtly.
“You’re the one who came barging into my room at this hour.”
“You’re right. I heard you didn’t want to be disturbed, but I thought I might be able to help.”
She thrust the tray toward him.
Eun-ho wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel and peered at the cup.
“… Coffee in the middle of the night?”
Yeon-hui rolled her eyes, then suddenly began chattering about something unexpected.
“I have a morning routine. Every day I brew herbal medicine tailored to my condition instead of morning coffee.”
A faint laugh escaped him.
The corner of Eun-ho’s mouth curved slightly upward.
“An unusual routine. True to form for a herbal physician.”
“Exactly. I packed some medicinal herbs I was planning to use tomorrow, along with a Mini Herbal Decoction Pot, and I brewed this ahead of time.”
Eun-ho looked down at the cup again.
Now that he thought about it, the aroma wafting up was far too sweet for coffee.
“This is… herbal medicine?”
Yeon-hui nodded confidently.
“Modified Ssanghwa-tang. Oh, a ‘modified formula’ means I’ve adjusted the original prescription by adding or removing ingredients. You know Ssanghwa-tang is good for fortifying the blood and restoring vitality, right? It has a naturally sweet taste, so I drink it often.”
“How did you modify it this time?”
Yeon-hui paused briefly at his question before answering quietly.
“I added a bit of Polygala, which calms an unsettled mind, and Zizyphus, which promotes restful sleep.”
“…”
Baek Eun-ho regarded her silently.
He noticed her shoulders trembling slightly.
‘Didn’t she just say these were herbs she’d brought for herself?’
Calm. Sleep…
Despite her brave facade, she must be frightened too.
One day she was living an ordinary life, and the next she was caught up in Divine Beasts and Fallen Ones, now with her life hanging in the balance.
Eun-ho spoke in a low voice.
“… Thank you. I’ll have it.”
He lifted the cup and took a sip.
Instantly, a warm current seeped deep into his body.
“…!”
It felt like a gentle brook suddenly transformed into a rushing torrent as a dam burst open.
At the same time, his fatigue vanished completely.
Eun-ho’s eyes narrowed slightly as he gripped the Jade Orb again.
He steadied his breath and infused Spiritual Energy once more.
Whoosh—
The Jade Orb blazed with brilliant light.
The pace that had felt agonizingly slow before—like blowing air into a massive rubber raft by mouth—now accelerated dramatically, as if an electric pump were filling it.
Baek Eun-ho murmured in astonishment.
“At this rate… a single day or two should be enough, not a week? How is this possible?”
Yeon-hui nodded with a pleased expression.
“Really? I’m so glad. I infused a bit of Spiritual Energy while brewing the medicine. I thought it only worked with acupuncture, but it seeped beautifully into the herbs.”
“What?”
Eun-ho stared at Yeon-hui with wide eyes.
If this was true, it was extraordinary.
Acupuncture can only be administered to one person at a time.
Herbal medicine, on the other hand, can be prepared in bulk quantities and distributed to Divine Beasts far away.
In other words, the potential applications were immense.
‘Who is this woman, exactly?’
Baek Eun-ho studied Go Yeon-hui carefully once more.
The slightly upturned corners of her eyes, feline and alert.
Eyes bright with intelligence.
A confident bearing that showed no trace of timidity before anyone.
And when facing a patient, eyes that grew remarkably warm.
“Do you understand how extraordinary this is?”
The words spilled from his lips almost of their own accord.
Yeon-hui blinked blankly.
“What?”
“Indirect healing through a medium—I’ve never seen it before. It’s something only legendary figures like Seol Un-hwa could have done.”
“Is that so? It just worked when I tried it.”
Watching her shrug with casual indifference, Eun-ho found himself at a loss for words.
A remarkable woman. And simultaneously, dangerous.
‘If the Fallen Ones learn of this, they will never leave her alone.’
She must be protected. At all costs.
Baek Eun-ho clenched his fist silently.
* * *
At around the same time.
A certain antiquated office.
Outside the window lay deep darkness, and only the red glow of a desk lamp illuminated the room.
That crimson light cast an eerie hue over the wineglass and computer monitor on the desk.
“Hmm.”
On the screen, a woman’s face was magnified.
A photograph of her cradling Jung Ra-bit on stage, another entering the medical office with Ma Yun-sang, and still another captured from the audience.
Dozens of stills followed in succession, obsessively photographed by someone.
“… I know that face.”
The man sunk deep in his chair muttered lowly.
His sharp eyes lingered over Go Yeon-hui’s face for a long moment.
The next instant, his pupils flashed.
“Could it be… her daughter?”
His voice carried unmistakable shock.
Bang!
He clenched his teeth and slammed his fist hard against the desk.
‘How is this possible?’
That woman couldn’t possibly have a daughter.
The last Purifier of the Cat Tribe.
Already troublesome and relentless enough in life, and still a headache even in death…
After grinding his teeth for a while, he suddenly broke into a cruel smile.
“Well, it doesn’t matter.”
Menace dripped from his softly spoken words.
“If I capture that girl and interrogate her, the truth will reveal itself soon enough.”
The red lamp flickered.
The man’s laughter echoed through the darkness, reverberating through the room.
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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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