Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 470
One, then two days had passed. However, the situation has not improved significantly.
“So-so.”
With a worried expression, Baek Chun looked at Tang So-so.
“Get some rest.”
“I’m still okay, Sasuk.”
“If the one who heals people falls first, the rest are bound to die.”
“…….”
“Wouldn’t the sick live only if you are fine?”
“…then a little more.”
Baek Chun couldn’t hide his sadness and pity when he saw the desperately hanging Sajil.
In the infirmary (병소(病所)) set up in the village’s largest house, the sickest patients and children were lying half unconscious. And Tang So-so looked at them without a break.
They were given a decoction and constantly given acupuncture. But their condition did not improve easily.
Creak.
Then the door opened and Chung Myung went inside accompanied by Hye Yeon.
“There wasn’t anything that seemed strange around here.”
“Are you sure?”
“There is only snow. Oh, and ice.”
“…….”
She looked at Hye Yeon just in case, but Hye Yeon only sighed with a heavy face.
“We searched everywhere but couldn’t find anything to cause.”
Tang So-so sighed deeply.
“Now.”
Chung Myung, who approached, held out the bowl he had brought to her.
“What is this?”
“The herbal medicine I just brewed.”
“…… I’ve fed everyone here.”
“No. You eat it. You.”
“…….”
“You look like the sickest person here right now. You eat it.”
“It’s okay…….”
“Eat!”
“Eat it!”
“Listen to me and eat it!”
Tang So-so flinched and reluctantly accepted the herb bowl as her Sahyung lit up and shouted at once.
“I- I will eat it.”
And she gulped down the herb at once.
“… uk.”
With her tongue sticking out, she looked at her Sahyung with a slightly complicated expression. For the past two days, they hadn’t slept together when she stayed up all night, and she was busy, they worked tirelessly to help.
It’s so stupid, but…… It gave her strength.
It’s silly though.
Sitting in front of Tang So-so, Baek Chun spoke quietly.
“Yes, do you have any idea?”
Tang So-so shook her head weakly.
“I don’t know.”
“…… you not have any guesses?”
“……Yes, I’ve never seen a disease like this in Jungwon.”
“Hmm.”
Yoon Jong’s face also grew serious.
“If it’s an unknown disease, isn’t it difficult to treat it in the end?”
“… … He is ill, but his condition is very bad. Even those without symptoms were very hungry.”
“…….”
“Is this a disease caused by a bad body? I don’t know if they’re not feeling well because I’m sick.”
“First of all, we are using porridge as the grain we brought, so wouldn’t those who are conscious get better?”
“That would be great…….”
Tang So-so, who was vague at the end of her words, wrapped her face tightly with both hands.
‘Why am I so incompetent?’
She felt helpless and was about to cry.
If she knew this would happen, she would have studied medicine harder. Things would have been very different if his father, not her, had been here.
No, it was clear that this would not have been so helpless if at least one doctor had learned medicine properly without mentioning Tang Gun-ak.
“Don’t blame yourself.”
Then a cold voice is heard in her ears.
When she looked up, Chung Myung stared at her with a serious face.
“If you do everything you can and it doesn’t come true, it’s not a person’s responsibility.”
“…….”
“In other words, self-blame is something you can only get out of after you’ve done everything you can. Have you really done all you can?”
“……No, Sahyung. No… Not yet.”
“Right, Then try more if you have time to blame yourself. Don’t miss a single little thing. Reproach puts you at ease, but regret weighs you down for a long time. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“Yes.”
Tang So-so bit her lips and nodded.
However, the fact that there is no other option has not changed.
The Mount Hua disciples, who saw such her, racked their brains together and gave their opinions.
“… … Is it endemic?” ((of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.)
“The Chief said they had never seen a disease like this before.”
“Then did the Magyo really spread these diseases on purpose?”
“Uh…… I don’t think so.”
“Huh?”
Everyone looked back at Chung Myung.
“These bastards aren’t that smart or catchy. They are just crazy people.”
“…….”
They don’t know why, but somehow it was a reliable word. Don’t crazy people recognize other crazy people?
“Then what the hell…….”
Yoo Iseol, who was just listening, opened her mouth.
“Not plague.”
“Yes?”
Baek Chun looked back at Yoo Iseol and asked back.
“What do you mean, Samae?”
“The plague is more contagious to the weak.”
“That’s right.”
“The Chief is fine.”
Baek Chun’s eyes were dimmed by the unexpected remark.
‘Come to think of it…….’
The Chief was a frail-looking old man who looked weak enough to fall down tomorrow. But he didn’t show any signs of illness.
If this is a plague, why avoid such a weak old man?
“Come to think of it, there were some healthy old people.”
Everyone agreed with a nod.
Baek Chun looked back at Yoo Iseol in surprise.
‘Even though she didn’t seem interested in anyone else at all.’
In the meantime, she must have been looking around closely.
“Perhaps… … Did the old men have anything in common?”
“I don’t know that.”
But then Chung Myung suddenly opened his mouth.
“Oh? I think I know?”
“What?”
Baek Chun’s head turned as if it were going to break. This is more surprising than the fact that Yoo Iseol was looking around properly. He can’t believe Chung Myung sees something like that.
“What is it?”
“You’re talking about old people who aren’t sick, right?”
“Yes!”
“Rich.”
“Huh?”
Chung Myung smiled and drew a circle with his thumb and index finger.
“They have a lot of money. In this town.”
“…….”
Emotions flowed from Baek Chun’s face.
‘That’s right.’
‘It’s my fault that I’m expecting him.’
‘I should hope for something.’
Everyone gave up their expectations for Chung Myung with one mind.
“No, why are your faces like that?”
“No.”
“Amitabha, what can we blame? Everyone appears as pigs in the eyes of a pig.” (Note below.)
“So we’re all bald in your eyes, aren’t we? Hah?”
“Oh, Amitabha! It’s not about me!”
“That’s none of my business!”
Everyone took Chung Myung’s words lightly.
But only one, Tang So-so, did not take those words in vain.
“… They were rich?”
“Yeah, they seem to be doing pretty well. It’s the countryside, but…….”
“…Wait a minute.”
Tang So-so muttered something to herself.
“Being rich means you have a lot to eat. Then the nutrition…… No, if it’s hunger, you’re supposed to get better with herb and porridge…….”
Then, she suddenly raised her head as if something had come to mind.
“H- Hey there, wait a minute!”
“Yes?”
One of the villagers, who were still in good condition, looked back at Tang So-so.
“This village, everyone was locking the door when we arrived.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Has it been like that since the mysterious disease outbreak?”
“No, that’s not it. It was like that ever since before.”
“Why?”
“… … People keep disappearing and there are rumors that demons in black are roaming around, so everyone has been refraining from going outside for several months.”
“A few months ago? What about before that?”
“Before that, as usual…….”
“Um, how about you guys eat?”
“It’s winter now, so we’re somehow holding on with roughly dried meat and grain that we’ve kept in stock.”
Tang So-so’s eyes shook greatly.
“Thi- This…….?”
She opened her mouth slowly with a blank face. She even looked absurd.
Baek Chun asked a little hastily.
“Have you thought of anything?”
“…I remembered, no……why is this in the civilians?”
“Huh?”
Tang So-so sprang up and looked at the details of the patients again.
“…Yes, that’s right, isn’t it? Wh- Why is this here?”
After reviewing each patient’s body, she looked back at her Sahyung with a puzzled look.
“Sa- Sasuk.”
“Yes?”
“Thi- This isn’t a disease for these people, but the symptoms are the same.”
“What are you talking about! Tell me properly.”
“This is… this is a closed disease (폐관병(閉關病)).”
“Huh?”
Baek Chun tilted his head.
‘Closed disease, that kind of disease…….’
“Aah!”
But Jo-Gol leaped from his seat as if he had heard of it.
“N- No! Huh? What’s this?!”
“Right?”
“…… what’s wrong with this?”
Baek Chun, who became frustrated as the two exchanged only questions about why, urged them.
“What! Why are you both surprised!”
“Sasuk! It’s a closed disease, a closed disease!”
“So what’s that?”
“A disease that comes out of someone who has been in a closed-off place for a long time!”
“…is there such a thing?”
Jo-Gol thumped his chest as if he was frustrated.
“It’s a disease where the rising stars from prestigious families come out once after doing closed-off training in the same place for a few years! They became as weak as a ghost, their nose bled, their gums crumbled and their teeth fell out!”
“……the symptoms are exactly the same.”
“But this is known as Qi Deviation (주화입마(走火入魔)), why are these people……?”
Baek Chun looked at Yoon Jong with a confused face. Yoon Jong also had a similar face. The two exchanged glances and nodded at the same time.
‘I have no idea what they’re talking about.’
‘I’m just going to stay still.’
Whether she knew their feeling or not, Tang So-so and Jo-Gol began to have a heated conversation.
“But the closed disease is a disease that only happens to young people, right? Like a rising star.”
“No, no. If you think about it, an older person may not get sick because they’re a martial master.”
“Ah, that’s right! Because those people learn martial arts!”
At that time, Chung Myung tilted his head as if thinking of something.
“Is that a disease?”
“Yes! It’s also called Great Family Disease by another name.”
“Why?”
“Is there any other place outside the prestigious family or sect that can do closed training for years after accumulating a lot of Byeokgokdan and beef jerky? That is why it is a disease that only rising stars of prestigious families get… … .”
“Oh……. a disease. So it was a disease.”
Chung Myung looked out the window with a subtle expression.
‘I beat them saying they didn’t have enough grit.’
‘I’m sorry, Saje.’
‘I didn’t know….’
‘Why didn’t they say something?’
No matter how much they said, Chung Myung wouldn’t hear them back then.
“Anyway, that’s not the point. So, is there a cure?”
“Yes! It’s very simple.”
“What is it?”
“Vegetables!”
“…Yes?”
Tang So-so’s face was now full of joy beyond the brightness.
“This disease is dangerous enough to kill a person, but the treatment is too easy! You can feed them fresh vegetables, raw food, or fruit!”
“Oh…. Is it that simple?”
“Yes! The treatment is very simple. They got better just by eating rice.”
“…but how do you know vegetables are medicine?”
“The person who only ate meat to take care of themselves died.”
“…….”
‘I didn’t even know that…..’
There was a bit of guilt on Chung Myung’s face.
“I don’t know if the disease is the same, but it’s worth trying!”
Tang So-so shouted in an excited voice. It was the moment when her deep troubles were finally resolved.
But Chung Myung’s face was very sour when he heard that.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes!”
“But where do you get those vegetables?”
The movement of Tang So-so, who nodded passionately, stopped.
“…Yes?”
Chung Myung pointed with his chin.
“This winter?”
“…….”
“In this field of snow?”
“…….”
“If we went all the way to Jungwon, everyone here would be dead.”
“…….”
Tang So-so’s eyes shook violently.
“N- No…….”
It would be better to catch a tiger. Where do they get enough vegetables or fruits to feed many of these people this winter in the North Sea?
The hope she had been looking for the most was plunged underground instantly.
No, it’s better not to know the disease. What could be more desperate than knowing a cure but not being able to treat it?
“No, this can’t be…….”
Dazed Tang So-so muttered with a miserable face, and Yoo Iseol, who had been silent, blurted out.
“Again.”
“…what?”
“Cure, again.”
Tang So-so stared blankly at her and muttered helplessly.
“Vegetables and fruits.”
“Not that. What else?”
“Huh?”
“There was one more. You said it.”
Tang So-so was startled and tilted her head.
“Raw food!”
“Yeah.”
Tang So-so opened her eyes wide.
Closed disease can only be seen in prestigious families, so most doctors are not familiar with it. However, for her, who is a former member of the prestigious Tang Family, it was a must-know disease.
Most treatments are made with vegetables or fruits, so raw food is only memorized as written in the Tang Family’s medical books.
“I- If it’s raw food…….”
“You know, there.”
Yoo Iseol’s hand pointed over the window.
Lake.
There was a vast lake in the North Sea.
“Fish is raw, if not roasted.”
“Ah!”
Everyone’s heads turned to one place at once.
Receiving those passionate and hot eyes, Chung Myung smiled pleasedly.
“Chung Myung-ah!”
“Hurry up and get it.”
“A lot! As much as possible!”
“It has to be fresh, so catch it alive somehow! Somehow!”
Chung Myung looked up at the ceiling with a bright face.
‘Sahyung. Cheon Mun Sahyung.’
‘Now these things order me around as if natural. What do you think?’
‘Is it okay for Mount Hua to go backward like this?’
– Don’t waste time. Go get it, you punk!
‘…… Wait until I see Sahyung there.’
‘I will definitely pull out all of that beard.’
‘For sure!’