The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life - Chapter 79
Chapter 79: How Unfamiliar
“The Yichang base has been completely raided.”
At the sudden report from his subordinate, Seo Daegun’s expression instantly stiffened.
“The Yichang base raided? What do you mean?”
“Someone attacked the stronghold and either killed or captured all the bandits.”
“And Geok Yangdu?”
“His whereabouts are unclear. Most likely…”
“He’s dead, isn’t he? Damn it!”
Seo Daegun frowned deeply and asked again.
“I suppose we’ve lost all the half-Jiangshi as well?”
“Yes. While we still need to confirm everything, it seems like this is Byeok Taesan’s doing.”
“Byeok Taesan? Didn’t we lure him into a trap? I heard it was almost foolproof. We even brought the Mad Trio for this!”
“That also failed.”
“What? Failed? Are you kidding me right now?”
The subordinate hung his head low.
“My apologies.”
Seo Daegun’s face twisted severely. The losses—how significant were they going to be?
“So what does the fact that Byeok Taesan didn’t fall for the trap have to do with his raid on the Yichang base?”
“We succeeded in luring Byeok Taesan into the trap. However, he smashed through it and likely obtained information about the Yichang base in the process.”
“Byeok Taesan is that formidable? From what I know, he only has about ten people with him. Are you telling me that such a small group destroyed the trap and captured Budu Cheol?”
Budu Cheol, the one in charge of the trap, was someone who would rather kill himself than be captured.
No, that was inevitable—he had been subjected to years of thorough brainwashing to ensure it.
“Besides, Geok Yangdu… What kind of man was he again?”
There was no way that Byeok Taesan and his group alone could handle it. Surely, someone else must have intervened.
“If this is the case, the blame will fall entirely on our side for starting all this in the first place…”
Seo Daegun stared anxiously at his subordinate.
“Don’t tell me this is a Hao Clan scheme? Using Byeok Taesan as bait to lure us out? Check all other bases immediately.”
“We’re already investigating. So far, all confirmed bases are safe.”
“Don’t just check for safety. Look for anything suspicious and report back.”
“Understood. I’ll see to it.”
“So, what are the total losses from this incident?”
“For now, we’ve lost all half-Jiangshi stationed at the Yichang base, as well as Four Monsters, Mad Trio, Budu Cheol, and Geok Yangdu.”
“If we just look at this, losing Geok Yangdu is the worst of it, but…”
“There’s also the Blood Fortifying Pills stored at the Yichang base.”
“That’s the real problem.”
A flicker of fear crossed Seo Daegun’s twisted face.
This entire plan had been initiated under his sole discretion.
He was eager to earn merit, and tying up the Yichang affairs by eliminating Byeok Taesan, who had severely disrupted their operations against the Hao Clan, seemed like the perfect opportunity.
The orders from above had only been to investigate Byeok Taesan.
Seo Daegun had thought capturing Byeok Taesan would not only facilitate the investigation but also bring greater results. That’s why he set up the trap.
Even if capturing him failed, thinning his forces or provoking his allies to reveal themselves seemed like a win-win situation.
But when the plan was put into action, all it did was cause devastating losses.
Losing Geok Yangdu and the Blood Fortifying Pills was especially critical.
He would undoubtedly face severe repercussions for this.
“For now… erase the evidence.”
“…Excuse me?”
The subordinate looked at Seo Daegun with wide eyes.
Seo Daegun glared coldly at him and spoke.
“Erase the evidence so that it only looks like we lured Byeok Taesan into a trap. Make it seem like what happened after that has nothing to do with us. Can you do that?”
The subordinate finally grasped what Seo Daegun was implying. With a grave expression, he lowered his head deeply.
“I’ll find a way to make it happen.”
It wouldn’t be easy.
Once the higher-ups sent investigators, they’d tear apart every detail.
But it had to be done.
Otherwise, what awaited them would be a life far worse than death, one of endless suffering.
After the subordinate withdrew, Seo Daegun paced restlessly, his unease palpable.
Even his shadow seemed to tremble with anxiety.
Byeok Taesan stood atop a building, gazing down below. From there, he could see numerous people moving about busily.
They were operatives from the Hao Clan.
Originally, he had planned to leave after dealing with the semi-Jiangshi. However, during a brief rest, Hwaryeong and the Heavenly Divine Healer discovered a significant quantity of medicine in a quick survey, forcing a change of plans.
While this was happening, Hao Clan operatives arrived, having been monitoring the waterways and capturing any escaping bandits. They began thoroughly searching the stronghold.
The medicine discovered within the base was now being examined in one corner by the Heavenly Divine Healer, the Needle Master, and two physicians from the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.
Byeok Taesan had a rough guess about the medicine. It was likely the one used to trigger the explosive strength of the half-Jiangshi.
Surprisingly, the base contained more than expected.
A considerable amount of wealth was hidden there.
The sheer volume and value of the goods made it hard to believe it was all accumulated by bandits alone. Rare treasures were also mixed in.
Even if the nearby bandits had pooled their resources here, the amount was still excessive.
This suggested that whoever orchestrated this scheme had also contributed their own wealth.
Currently, the Hao Clan operatives were scouring the area to ensure nothing remained hidden.
Since there were numerous concealed spots, a thorough search would take some time.
They might even end up spending the night in this vicinity and departing the next morning.
As Byeok Taesan considered this, he began walking leisurely toward the place where the Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master were.
The two were deep in conversation.
“It’d be best if you two just stepped away from this,” said the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The two physicians looked at him in disbelief, their eyes widening.
“We are from the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion. We pride ourselves on being second to none when it comes to medicine.”
“The Heavenly Medicine Pavilion may be exceptional, but that doesn’t mean you two are.”
“That’s why we suggested delivering a small sample of this medicine to the pavilion for thorough research and analysis.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer chuckled.
“That’s rich. Let me ask, who found this medicine? Who seized this base and dealt with all those semi-Jiangshi? Tell me, what exactly did you two contribute? Yet you want us to just hand over the medicine?”
“N-no, we’re not saying to hand it all over. We’re just asking for a small portion to be sent to the pavilion. Also, we did fight the bandits!”
“Do you even realize how much effort I put into keeping you from getting hurt? Without me, you’d both be dead. If anything, I should be collecting a debt for saving your lives, not handing over the medicine.”
“N-no, it’s not for our benefit alone. It’s for the greater good…”
“‘Greater good,’ my foot. What’s next, you’re going to try and stake your claim with a spoon you didn’t even bring to the table?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer cut them off and continued with his own words.
“I called you here because, even though the chances are slim, I thought you might be able to help analyze this.”
“And that’s why we are helping right now, aren’t we?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer firmly shook his head. Simultaneously, the Needle Master also shook his head.
“You’re not helping at all. Your knowledge is far too shallow. Honestly, it makes me wonder if the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion is underestimating the severity of this situation.”
“What nonsense are you saying? We at the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion never take matters involving the Poison Demon lightly.”
“Yet, they sent just you two? Does that mean the true capability of the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion is lacking?”
“That’s not true!”
The physicians flared up, shouting indignantly.
However, they couldn’t deny that their skills paled in comparison to the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master, leaving them red-faced.
‘They’re both legendary physicians, the likes of which the world may never see again. Of course we are lacking compared to them!’
The physicians admitted they were lacking in skill. But they couldn’t stand their institution, the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion, being disparaged.
The power of the pavilion was not simply about the skill of any individual.
They had the ability to uncover every ingredient of a medicine, no matter how complex.
Of course, even if they analyzed a pill, it didn’t mean they could perfectly replicate it.
Typically, pills were made by finely grinding ingredients and thoroughly combining them. This made it incredibly difficult to identify the components.
Yet those monstrous men, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master, were managing to identify each ingredient one by one.
Even though they couldn’t determine the exact ratios, they were able to identify the components, which was astonishing to witness.
“We may lack individual skill compared to you, but within the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion, we are considered competent. Don’t judge the pavilion’s strength based on us. The power of a collective is far greater than you might imagine.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer nodded.
“Fair enough.”
He had no intention of dismissing the power of a collective. Sometimes, a group could achieve far greater results than a single extraordinary individual.
“Anyway, you’re useless right now, so leave. I’ll call you if I need you later.”
In the end, the two physicians had no choice but to retreat, their faces full of discontent.
Byeok Taesan, who had been silently observing the scene nearby, approached them.
“Have you figured anything out?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master both shook their heads.
“It’s impossible to figure out the manufacturing process from this. However, it might be possible to create a new medicine to counteract it.”
All they needed to do was administer the medicine to someone, observe the reactions, and then devise a treatment or prescription to neutralize the effects.
Of course, this wouldn’t be easy. But with the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master involved, the odds were much better.
The Heavenly Medicine Pavilion might also be able to come up with countermeasures in a similar fashion.
“It’s definitely a pill that forces explosive strength. The ingredients used are also exceptional,” said the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The Needle Master added, “That means it’s a very expensive medicine.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer grinned and continued, “From the ingredients we’ve identified so far, one of these pills costs at least thousands nyang of gold. Considering the components we haven’t identified yet, the price would go up even more.”
Hearing this, Byeok Taesan turned his gaze toward a stack of medicine boxes nearby.
Each box contained dozens of pills, and there were hundreds of boxes.
“That’s going to sting,”
Hearing this, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master chuckled as if they found it amusing.
“Leave the countermeasures against this pill to us. We’ll handle it quickly.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer said this, then quickly glanced around to ensure no one was near. Once the area was clear, he leaned in close to Needle Master and whispered.
“Make sure this medicine is kept under the tightest security. The Medicine King won’t be able to resist coming after it.”
Watching him with a look of exasperation, the Needle Master commented, “Why do you keep bringing up the Medicine King?”
“Apparently, she’s beautiful.”
“You haven’t seen her?”
At the Needle Master’s words, the Heavenly Divine Healer’s eyes widened.
“Don’t tell me you’ve met her?”
“I have.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer’s eyes sparkled as he eagerly asked, “What was she like?”
The Needle Master frowned.
“She’s… not ordinary, to say the least.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer tilted his head, perplexed by the vague response. Just how beautiful could she possibly be?
It took an entire half-day to finish organizing the stronghold and get back onto the boat.
Hao Clan’s ability to locate hidden items was unparalleled.
They managed to uncover even treasures that had been concealed with incredible care.
Among them, they found additional pills that had been stored separately.
All the wealth they uncovered was entrusted to Hao Clan for safekeeping, with plans to deliver it to Byeok Taesan later.
On the boat carrying Byeok Taesan’s group, only the medicine was loaded.
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master shut themselves in their cabin, immersed in studying the medicine for the entire journey.
Byeok Taesan occasionally visited them to observe, and each time, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
Their exchanges were so rapid and intense, it felt like two martial arts masters engaging in a life-or-death duel with words.
Just before they arrived in Wuhan, the two finally developed a solution.
“In the end, the explosive strength is triggered by a herb called Blood Dew Grass. The name comes from its resemblance to a drop of blood. It’s an incredibly rare medicinal herb.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer explained this to Byeok Taesan with a proud smile.
“Most of the other ingredients are likely included to slow down the activation process.”
After pausing for dramatic effect, the Heavenly Divine Healer grinned slyly.
“So, if we could accelerate the reaction of the Blood Dew Grass exponentially, it wouldn’t matter if they triggered their explosive strength, would it?”
“If you make their explosive strength react faster, won’t they become even stronger?”
“We just need to manage it from a distance. Typically, when explosive strength is forcibly triggered, a person burns out their energy within half an hour to an hour. Wouldn’t that be manageable?”
“That does make sense…”
Byeok Taesan nodded.
“Besides, the method I’ve devised is incredibly cost-effective. By combining a few common herbs appropriately, we can create the necessary medicine.”
At this, the Needle Master clenched his teeth and spoke.
“Why are you claiming that method as yours? I’m the one who came up with it.”
“Come on, brother. Let’s not argue. I did 80%, you contributed 20%.”
“It’s the other way around.”
As the two started bickering, Byeok Taesan raised his hand to silence them.
“Prepare the medicine as soon as we arrive. Improve it if possible.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer smirked confidently.
“Leave it to me.”
Byeok Taesan stood up and walked out to the deck. Standing at the bow, he gazed at the massive city looming in the distance.
Finally, he had returned to Wuhan.
As he stared at the approaching city, he muttered quietly to himself.
“It still feels… unfamiliar.”