THUD!

The sound of Mad Dragon striking the ground was, as always, threatening.

Even if he had not meant it as a threat, the sheer pressure carried by the weapon itself was immense. Ga Yeokso flinched without meaning to.

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.

“The Medical God Association?”

“That is correct.”

“So the medical associations, something like that?”

“It seems you have heard of them.”

“Of course I have.”

Yeon Hojeong did not bother to soften it.

“I heard there’s a group controlling the circulation of medicinal ingredients so the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions can’t receive any. They called it the medical associations and all that. Was that name the Medical God Association?”

Ga Yeokso’s eyes darkened.

“So you already knew.”

“I didn’t know the name.”

“That is right. The Medical God Association has spread across the entire Central Plains, and it provides a great deal of support to those who have inherited the medical tradition of the Central Plains.”

Ga Yeokso drew a deep breath.

WOOOOONG.

A faint qi wave flowed from Yeon Hojeong’s body.

Because of the blunt-sword training with Mad Dragon, the drain on not just his muscles but also his Inner Qi had been considerable. The True Qi he normally kept under perfect control was leaking out without his noticing, and that fierce qi wave, like fire, was naturally becoming a pressure that shook Ga Yeokso’s mind.

“To explain the Medical God Association...”

“Before that.”

“Pardon?”

Yeon Hojeong spoke with a smile.

“Even if you are a physician, you seem quite knowledgeable about the affairs of the Central Plains, and if your experience is long, then you must have dealt with plenty of martial artists.”

“...?”

“You do not seem like a man who would fail to know that secretly peeping at a martial artist’s training is a serious discourtesy.”

“Ah! My apologies. Let me first apologize for that.” 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

“That apology came rather late.”

“I was afraid I might interrupt you if I spoke first. Commander, I do not know whether you will believe me, but I had turned my head away, so I ask that you let go of your anger.”

Yeon Hojeong snorted.

“Fine, let’s say that much is true. In truth, I do not particularly care to know about the Medical God Association or whatever else it may be called. What matters is this: why did someone whose name I do not know come looking for me?”

Ga Yeokso answered calmly.

“I was trying to explain exactly that, but I thought it was more urgent to ease your wariness first. That, too, was my mistake. I apologize.”

He was being remarkably deferential.

But Yeon Hojeong did not waver. He should not go in with prejudice, but he already knew what the Medical God Association had been doing. It was not an easy group to regard with goodwill.

“That explanation will do. So then, why did you come looking for me?”

Ga Yeokso wet his lips.

They said the Green Mountain Tiger Commander’s temperament burned like fire. It seems the rumors of the world were not false after all.

Of course, “like fire” did not merely mean hot-blooded.

He was frank and direct. He hated people circling around the point and wanted the heart of the matter quickly.

That was Yeon Hojeong. Ga Yeokso felt he could now roughly gauge the other man’s nature.

“I will speak plainly. Could you set aside your escort of the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions for a while?”

Yeon Hojeong let out a short laugh.

“Leave.”

“Commander Yeon.”

“When I heard you were from the medical associations, I thought perhaps you had brought some fine spiritual medicine. Be on your way.”

Ga Yeokso spoke quickly.

“This is for the sake of the Central Plains.”

“Hm?”

“For the sake of the Central Plains, she must disappear. To be precise, she must not go to the Martial Alliance and rise to great prominence there.”

“Why?”

“The medical art she has learned is a vile discipline beyond words. In terms of martial arts, it is no different from the demonic arts of the heretical path.”

“Why? Does the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions turn people into corpses, or get patients addicted to drugs?”

Ga Yeokso sighed.

“That is not what I mean.”

“Then why are you all so desperate to devour her alive?”

“Her medical art is throwing the medical tradition of the Central Plains into enormous disorder. Until now, the Medical God Association has suppressed her presence, but if she were to win great fame within the Martial Alliance, then the consequences would be truly enormous...”

“She is throwing the medical tradition of the Central Plains into disorder? Just because she possesses an unusual kind of medicine?”

“Commander Yeon. Please hear me out. The medical art she has learned is a heretical path. I do not know how the chivalrous heroes of the martial world may see it, but carelessly ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ taking a blade to a patient’s body causes tremendous complications.”

“Complications? People scrape out boils with blades too. Are you saying even that causes severe complications?”

“That is not what taking a blade means.”

“Open-chest surgery?”

Shock flashed across Ga Yeokso’s face.

“You know of open-chest surgery?”

“I heard of it once by chance. When a patient’s condition worsens too far to be controlled by medicine and needles alone, they say the diseased growth causing the illness is removed through open-chest surgery.”

“Remarkable. I can only admire Commander Yeon’s knowledge and discernment.”

“Save the empty flattery.”

“Yes. The Divine Maiden of the Western Regions is a master of open-chest surgery. And while it pains me to speak this way, open-chest surgery is a medical art that brings severe complications in its wake, and within the medical tradition of the Central Plains it is a method that is strictly forbidden.”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“Listen, Physician Ga.”

“Yes.”

“Enough with the talk about open-chest surgery and the medical tradition of the Central Plains. I have never studied medicine in earnest, so I would have a hard time understanding all that at once, and it does not seem we are in a situation where I should be standing here listening to such explanations anyway.”

“Commander Yeon.”

“I will speak plainly. Our mission is to escort the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions safely to the Martial Alliance. That mission must be completed, no matter what.”

“...”

“You are telling me to abandon my escort of the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions? Do you really think that is something to say to my face?”

Ga Yeokso’s expression hardened.

“I understand why you are angry, Commander Yeon. But since you refuse to hear more, it is difficult for me to explain that part as well.”

“I am angry, but I will not vent it on you.”

It was a chilling thing to say. When the greatest of the younger generation said he would vent his anger, then blood would almost certainly be spilled.

“Urgent or not, you were far too rude. If you truly wanted this, you should have gone to the Martial Alliance, not to me.”

“...”

“Still, you must have your own position to maintain, so let us end this conversation here. Be on your way. I will say no more.”

Ga Yeokso shook his head.

“I cannot do that.”

“Then keep standing there if you like. I am leaving.”

“Commander Yeon.”

With Mad Dragon resting against his shoulder, Yeon Hojeong trudged back toward his quarters. It was written all over him that he did not wish to deal with Ga Yeokso any longer.

Ga Yeokso watched his back in silence, then spoke.

“We must impose sanctions on that witch.”

Yeon Hojeong did not stop walking.

Ga Yeokso continued.

“We cannot simply leave such a dangerous existence alone. And we have no desire whatsoever to oppose you, Commander Yeon, or the Martial Alliance.”

STOP.

Yeon Hojeong halted.

Standing still, he looked up at the sky and let out a sigh.

“Honestly. Even when I try to let this pass nicely, you people always...”

“...?”

Yeon Hojeong lowered Mad Dragon.

BANG!

The axe-blade of Mad Dragon buried itself a full foot into the ground. Ga Yeokso flinched without meaning to.

Yeon Hojeong opened his mouth.

“Mookbi.”

SHHHK.

At some point, Mookbi had appeared at Yeon Hojeong’s side.

And not just her. All of their companions, each of whom had supposedly been resting, emerged one by one from the darkness.

Ga Yeokso was stunned. He could not tell, not even though he was looking straight at them, since when they had been standing there.

Yeon Hojeong spoke in a cold voice.

“You know where the Beggars’ Union branch is, right?”

“Yes.”

“Go and tell the branch chief this. From this hour onward, those seeking the life of the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions, as well as everyone behind every kind of pressure being placed on her, are the Medical God Association.”

Ga Yeokso jolted.

“Commander Yeon!”

“And tell him this too. The Medical God Association is an organization that could lay hands on the Martial Alliance at any time. Tell him the Alliance must investigate every last detail about the Medical God Association, to prepare for any possible situation.”

Ga Yeokso’s face went pale.

“Commander Yeon! What in the world are you saying?”

Yeon Hojeong turned around.

SHHHK.

At the same time, Mookbi vanished. She had already departed for the Beggars’ Union branch.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes turned glacial.

“Listen, Physician Ga.”

“...”

“You tell me to stop escorting her? You say you intend to impose sanctions on the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions? That sounds to me like you mean to kill her.”

“...!”

“Isn’t saving lives supposed to be your work? Did you learn your acupuncture and pharmacology so you could kill people?”

Ga Yeokso bit his lip.

“This has nothing to do with my vocation. This is purely for the sake of the Central Plains...!”

“For the sake of the Central Plains? Or for the sake of the orthodoxy of the Central Plains’ medical tradition?”

“...!!”

“If it is the former, then explain it properly. If the woman can spread some terrible plague, or if she has learned some thoroughly evil demonic art, then I will investigate it to the end. But if it is the latter...”

KURURURUNG!

Mad Dragon, still lodged in the ground, carved a long furrow across the earth.

Killing Intent gleamed in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes as he leveled Mad Dragon at Ga Yeokso.

“From this hour onward, the Medical God Association will become an enemy of the Martial Alliance.”

Ga Yeokso swallowed.

“Commander Yeon. I think you have misunderstood something. The Medical God Association would never...”

“I have just seen a man approach an escort carrying out the orders of the Martial Alliance, say that the escorted target is a witch who deserves to die, and pile on one sweet-sounding lie after another.”

“Commander Yeon!”

“If it had ended there, I could have taken it as a dog barking and ignored it. But then what did you say? That you have no desire whatsoever to oppose the Martial Alliance?”

The corner of Yeon Hojeong’s mouth curled upward.

“I thought the world you lived in was separate from ours, but I had no idea the Medical God Association was a martial organization. If that is the case, then I cannot sit still. You people are trying to take the life of an innocent woman. As a Commander of the Martial Alliance, a supposed embodiment of chivalry, how could I let that pass?”

“...!!”

After staring at Ga Yeokso for a long moment, Yeon Hojeong turned his head and looked at Mo Yong-woo.

“Commander Mo Yong-woo. What should we do with this man? Shall I take his head off right here?”

Mo Yong-woo’s face had turned frighteningly hard as well.

“Restrain yourself, Commander Yeon.”

“Must I? You heard everything, did you not? If what he says is true, then not only he but the very organization he belongs to is a pack of murderers.”

“Commander Yeon. For now, restrain yourself.”

Yeon Hojeong glared at Ga Yeokso again.

By now Ga Yeokso’s face had gone white. Even so, seeing him clench his fists with his lips bitten tight, he at least deserved credit for nerve.

Mo Yong-woo spoke.

“You are Physician Ga, I believe?”

“...”

“Your words had no power to persuade whatsoever. Naturally, they had no logic either, and you committed discourtesy after discourtesy.”

“...”

“I will state this clearly. Just as Commander Yeon said, if any kind of harm comes to the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions from this hour onward, I will assume the Medical God Association is behind it.”

“That—!”

“If it were only the Commander of the Evil-Smiting Corps, perhaps not. But if the Commander of the Demon-Sweeping Corps joins him as well, then even the Service Lords of the Alliance will move without fail. And if that happens, the Medical God Association will find itself in quite a troublesome position.”

Mo Yong-woo smiled coldly.

“Until we arrive, you will protect the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions. If there is anything she wants, you will give it to her. You say you are controlling the circulation of medicinal ingredients? If you do not get those ingredients to her within two days, I will take that too as a provocation aimed at the Martial Alliance.”

“...!!”

“What are you standing there for? Do you think you have time to spare?”