I Became the Oriental Doctor for Divine Beasts - Chapter 65
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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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I had become the physician of Divine Beasts.
#65
“Insufficient?”
“Yes.”
To Baek Eun-ho’s question, I reached for the glass sitting on the table.
When I tilted the glass gently, the blue liquid remaining at the bottom sloshed slowly.
“At this concentration, Yun-sang shouldn’t have collapsed like this.”
Even with a toxic herb, at this dilution level it could only shake his condition temporarily—nothing more.
“For Yun-sang’s athletic performance to deteriorate this severely, to the point where they’re talking about replacing his starting position—that’s unnatural. And you’re right, Eun-ho. Yun-sang is a Divine Beast, not an ordinary person.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Even if someone fed him the drug repeatedly to build up effects, it’s still not enough. Yun-sang was fine on normal days.”
When I diagnosed Yun-sang at the squid-sausage restaurant in Sokcho, his Spiritual Energy flow was normal.
Even earlier in today’s training, there was nothing wrong with his abilities or Spiritual Energy.
It was only after he drank the Sports Drink during the break that his condition deteriorated.
And besides.
I recalled the taste lingering on my tongue again.
“The sweetness bothers me.”
“Sweetness?”
“Yes. It seems like licorice, astragalus, cinnamon—various herbs were mixed in.”
I rested my chin on my fingers and muttered in thought.
“It could be they mixed them to mask the Aconite taste, but… the Sports Drink itself is already quite sweet. Would they really add more sweet herbs on top? That’s excessive.”
I furrowed my brow.
My mumbling grew slower.
“If masking the taste was the goal, there’d be no need for this much. There’s some other intention behind it…”
My thoughts tangled.
It felt like solving one puzzle piece threw another out of alignment.
That was when.
A soft laugh came from beside me.
“Why are you laughing?”
Baek Eun-ho was looking down at me, one corner of his mouth loosely drawn up.
“It’s simple.”
“Simple? You say?”
“By your own words, this diluted concentration alone isn’t potent enough.”
“…That’s right.”
He shrugged lightly.
“Then it’s straightforward. If this alone wouldn’t work, they used another method alongside it.”
A flash of lightning struck my mind.
In an instant, the scattered pieces snapped into alignment.
The diluted toxicity of the Aconite. The oddly added sweet-tasting herbs.
And the reason the drug’s effects only manifested during training.
“Ah…!”
A small gasp escaped me.
With this new hypothesis, everything explained itself perfectly.
Feeling my heart pound, I opened my mouth.
“It wasn’t just the Aconite! The culprit had means to supplement it. That’s why it was effective even at this concentration.”
I slowly lifted my head.
A short laugh came once I understood.
“This is far more malicious than I thought.”
For low-concentration Aconite to have an effect, there had to be another trick involved.
And there was only one person who could do it naturally to Yun-sang.
“There’s only one person who would dare do something like this. I’ll expose them all tomorrow on the field.”
I smiled broadly, my eyes gleaming.
“So, Eun-ho.”
“Mm?”
“Could I borrow your ability one more time? I think I’ll need the Dominion ability.”
* * *
A training ground in Sokcho where the national soccer team’s pre-season camp was underway.
The Coach’s mind had been in turmoil lately.
The Republic of Korea’s key strength—
Or rather, the pillar on which everything rested, Ma Yun-sang, was crumbling.
Stamina, strength, speed.
Ma Yun-sang was a player so overwhelmingly superior in every aspect that it was hard to call him human.
‘Honestly, when I first saw him, I thought some kind of wild beast was running loose.’
But gradually, something went wrong, and now his decline was plainly visible.
Even—
─ “At this rate, I think we should consider benching Yun-sang,” the Coach had said.
Those words still echoed in his ears.
Bench Ma Yun-sang?
It made no sense!
Of course, he had occasionally underperformed due to migraine attacks before.
‘But that problem was already resolved.’
The acupuncturist, Go Yeon-hee.
Since receiving treatment from her, he hadn’t had a single relapse.
So I’d thought Ma Yun-sang had finally become a complete player!
“A bolt from the blue, nothing else…”
The despondent Coach muttered quietly as he gazed at the field.
Today was an important test day.
A Mini Game Evaluation conducted like a real match, where positional competitiveness would be directly compared.
This result would significantly affect the final roster for the national team.
If Yun-sang’s performance was poor today too?
“Do I really have to make Son Byeong-su a starter?”
The moment he spoke those words aloud, the Coach’s expression twisted.
Son Byeong-su’s skill and character both fell short of his standards.
And yet—
‘Professional sports is all about results.’
The Coach clenched his teeth.
That was when.
“Coach. I have something to tell you.”
Go Yeon-hee approached.
She’d observed training yesterday too, but hadn’t produced any concrete results.
It was a little disappointing, but… there was still faith left.
I’d witnessed firsthand how she’d cured Yun-sang’s severe migraines in one go.
But.
She carefully offered unexpected words.
“I think someone is putting drugs into Yun-sang’s Sports Drink. The taste seemed off, so I sent it for analysis at a place I know.”
“What did you say?!”
The Coach’s eyes widened.
“Wh-what did you just say? Who would dare do that to our team ace!”
In that moment when anger and shock surged simultaneously, Go Yeon-hee’s gaze brushed past him.
Her eyes were clear but strangely cool and calm.
“That’s what I’m wondering. Who could it be?”
“…!”
“Someone who can access Yun-sang’s drink, and who stands to gain the most if that player falls apart.”
At that cool, measured tone, the Coach felt his agitation subside in an instant.
His gaze shifted naturally to one side.
Son Byeong-su was warming up there.
“……”
Go Yeon-hee, noticing the Coach’s gaze, gave a very slight nod.
“There is that possibility.”
“Could it be that guy…?”
“But if it’s someone on the team, anyone could have access, right?”
“That’s true. No one’s standing guard over the players’ tumblers.”
“So everyone’s a suspect.”
The word “suspect” hung heavy in the air.
The Coach wiped his face.
“Honestly… what you’re saying is so sudden. It’s hard to believe, and I don’t want to believe it.”
“I understand. You would feel that way.”
“But you wouldn’t say something false, would you?”
The Coach clenched his teeth tightly.
Then he rushed on, as if lamenting.
“No, I mean—what on earth is this situation? Someone put what drug in Yun-sang’s drink? Shouldn’t we stop training immediately and search for it?”
But Go Yeon-hee shook her head firmly.
“No. Just proceed with practice as usual.”
“What?”
“I have a plan. If we handle this carelessly and the culprit catches on, it will only be harder to catch them later.”
“Hmm…”
“Only you, me, and Yun-sang know about this right now.”
The Coach exhaled a long sigh.
“If that’s how it is… very well.”
Uneasy as he was, he had no choice but to wait and see what she would do.
* * *
Training began.
At first, Ma Yun-sang seemed fine.
He actually looked so sharp the Coach found himself murmuring, “Not bad today?”
Then came the break.
“Yun-sang, here.”
“Oh. Thank you.”
Yun-sang casually took the tumbler from the Athletic Trainer and drank from it.
The Coach’s gaze locked onto that moment.
‘Is that safe? We have the important test coming up.’
What if drinking that made Yun-sang flub the test?
What if he lost his starting position because of it?
Cold sweat broke out on his palms.
But he held it in and pretended not to notice. He’d made a promise to Go Yeon-hee.
And moments later.
“What the—?”
The Coach’s eyes flew wide.
In the positional evaluation that followed, Ma Yun-sang was flying across the field!
Passing, dribbling, shooting. Every facet was sharp and alive.
Yun-sang looked in better condition than he ever had.
He ended the test in utterly dominant fashion.
“Wow, Yun-sang! You’ve got your touch back?”
Even the oblivious Coach marveled aloud.
Meanwhile.
Son Byeong-su, outshone by Yun-sang, had gone pale as a ghost.
“…This can’t be.”
Son Byeong-su muttered dazedly.
“What is it?”
At Go Yeon-hee’s voice, Son Byeong-su flinched and spun around.
“What can’t be?”
“……”
“Oh, I see.”
Yeon-hee’s mouth slowly curved upward. She spoke in a loud, precise voice.
“You’re surprised the drug you put in Ma Yun-sang’s drink didn’t work?”
“…!”
“Go—Ms. Go?”
“What are you talking about?”
Everyone on the field heard her voice clearly.
As the field fell silent.
Yeon-hee opened her mouth with a steady gaze.
“Aconite. An herb that disrupts the nervous system. So I gave Ma’s player an antidote beforehand.”
Then her gaze slowly shifted.
“Unfortunate, isn’t it? Senior Athletic Trainer Kim Beom-hee.”
Toward Kim Beom-hee, whose mouth still hung open.
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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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