Someone’s Death Becomes Fertilizer for Another (3)

What Oh Jung-gyeong was holding was a Ginseng Doll.

 

It was shaped like a child curled up in a ball and it was said that the more human-like the form, the more potent the medicine.

 

The one in Oh Jung-gyeong’s hand looked exactly like a small child—an incredibly rare treasure, nearly impossible to find in the human world.

 

For a moment, a look of conflict flickered in Oh Jung-gyeong’s eyes.

 

No matter how determined he was to save someone’s life, administering such a precious herb to a complete stranger was a heavy decision.

 

However, he closed his eyes tightly and decided to administer the Ginseng Doll to Cheon-wol. Clenching the Ginseng Doll tightly, he channeled his internal energy, turning it into juice that flowed into Cheon-wol’s mouth.

 

“Ah!”

 

At that moment, So Goo-san let out a sigh.

 

The Ginseng Doll was a priceless treasure that couldn’t be bought with money.

 

If an ordinary person consumed it, they would enjoy a life free from illness and live long. If a martial artist consumed it, their internal energy would increase by decades in an instant.

 

If it were sold on the market, wealthy people would line up to buy it, even if it cost a fortune.

 

Oh Jung-gyeong had found the Ginseng Doll by sheer luck.

 

While crossing a treacherous mountain, a package had fallen off a cliff.

 

Despite So Goo-san and the other escorts’, Oh Jung-gyeong went down the cliff alone to retrieve the package. It was a risk that could have cost him his life.

 

The escort agency thrived on trust. No matter how insignificant the item, losing a package would mean losing people’s trust.

 

That was why he was willing to risk his life to go down the cliff.

 

At the bottom of the cliff, he found the package along with the Ginseng Doll.

 

When he first discovered the Ginseng Doll, he thought he was dreaming. The Ginseng Doll was a rare treasure that only grew in places with strong yin energy, like the Great Snow Mountain.

 

As he surveyed the valley, he realized that the area had an unusually strong yin energy. The valley was perpetually shaded from sunlight, and the yin energy was trapped, unable to escape.

 

That was why a rare treasure like the Ginseng Doll could grow there over a long period.

 

Oh Jung-gyeong collected the Ginseng Doll and the package and climbed back up.

 

He only told Soo Goo-san about the Ginseng Doll.

 

Soo Goo-san was as delighted as if it were his own good fortune.

 

With just one Ginseng Doll, they could expand the escort agency, recruit more escorts, and increase their influence.

 

If this escort mission went smoothly, wealth and glory were guaranteed. But now, Oh Jung-gyeong had given that precious Ginseng Doll to a complete stranger.

 

“Joong-kyung!”

 

Soo Goo-san looked at him with a pained expression. But he didn’t think Oh Jung-gyeong was foolish or stupid.

 

It was because of Oh Jung-gyeong that he had left his stable position to join him.

 

Even though the future looked tough, he wouldn’t leave Oh Jung-gyeong.

 

After administering even the leaves of the Ginseng Doll to Cheon-wol, Oh Jung-gyeong said to Lee Gwak,

 

“To extract the maximum medicinal properties, you need to channel your inner energy to assist in the circulation.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Lee Gwak thanked Oh Jung-gyeong, then placed his palm on Cheon-wol’s vital point and began to circulate his qi.

 

He channeled his inner energy to ensure that the medicinal effects of the Ginseng Doll were fully utilized.

 

Thud!

 

Cheol Gwang-woo stood guard next to Lee Gwak.

 

With his massive frame and stern expression, no one dared to approach.

 

Sssss!

 

Steam began to rise from Cheon-wol’s body.

 

Whether it was the effect of the Ginseng Doll or not, his pale face gradually regained some color.

 

Lee Gwak focused even more on circulating his energy.

 

He could not afford to waste even a fragment of the herb’s potency.

 

To extract the maximum potency, intense concentration was necessary—something Lee Gwak had in abundance.

 

Sssss!

 

Lee Gwak guided the medicinal properties of the Ginseng Doll to Cheon-wol’s wounds. The wounds, which had barely been closed, reopened and black blood flowed out.

 

It was dead blood.

 

Once all the dead blood had flowed out, the wounds began to scab over.

 

His labored breathing gradually stabilized, and he had passed the critical point. Still, Lee Gwak continued to channel his inner energy into Cheon-wol’s body.

 

Even after healing his wounds, a significant amount of the medicinal properties remained. He needed to help convert all of it into internal energy.

 

Oh Jung-gyeong watched the scene in awe.

 

“Just how much internal energy does this man have…?”

 

Normally, to fully dissolve the medicinal properties of a treasure like the Ginseng Doll, at least two martial artists at the peak level were required. Only with that level of internal energy could the Ginseng Doll be fully utilized.

 

But Lee Gwak was handling the Ginseng Doll alone.

 

With just his own power, he was extracting the medicinal properties more perfectly than two people combined. It was no wonder Oh Jung-gyeong was amazed.

 

Lee Gwak was a master beyond what he had vaguely imagined.

 

‘Is he an absolute master?’

 

Oh Jung-gyeong tried to recall if there was any martial artist of a similar age who was called an absolute master.

 

Suddenly, his eyes fell on the blade hanging at Lee Gwak’s waist.

 

The moment he saw the simple blade scabbard, the name of a recently famous bladesman , who had risen to prominence like a blazing fire, came to mind.

 

“Lee Gwak! He must be Lee Gwak.”

 

No matter how he thought about it, the only absolute bladesman in the Jianghu who matched the characteristics of the man before him was that one person.

 

Hearing his muttering, Soo Goo-san asked in surprise,

 

“Is he really the bladesman Lee Gwak?”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

Soo Goo-san unconsciously let out a sigh.

 

Among those who lived in the martial world, there was no one who didn’t know Lee Gwak.

 

His fame was already on par with the leaders of the Seven Great Sects. At such a young age, he was the only one in the current martial world to have achieved such renown.

 

Soo Goo-san suddenly remembered the time he had stood in Lee Gwak’s way.

 

‘Surely someone with such a reputation wouldn’t hold a grudge over something so trivial, right?’

 

He felt a cold sweat running down his back.

 

At that moment,

 

“Phew!”

 

Lee Gwak let out a light sigh and removed his palm from Cheon-wol’s vital point. The task of healing Cheon-wol was finally complete.

 

Lee Gwak spoke to Cheol Gwang-woo,

 

“Take Cheon-wol to the cabin and let him rest. He needs a good rest.”

 

“Don’t worry, brother!”

 

“I’ll go too.”

 

Seok Yi-cheon followed behind Cheol Gwang-woo, who was carrying Cheon-wol.

 

“I should prepare some special food for him to eat when he wakes up. Since he’s past the critical point, he should be fine.”

 

Bang Ye-in gently tapped Lee Gwak’s forearm before moving on.

 

Lee Gwak briefly watched towards the cabin, then approached Oh Jung-gyeong.

 

“Thank you for your great kindness. I don’t know how I could ever repay this favor.”

 

Lee Gwak bowed in gratitude.

 

“As a fellow warrior, it was the right thing to do. Please don’t think too much about it.”

 

“Even though I’m ignorant, I’m well aware that the Ginseng Doll is a treasure of heaven. How could I accept such a treasure without offering something in return?”

 

“I wasn’t expecting any compensation.”

 

Oh Jung-gyeong hastily waved his hands.

 

“I understand. That makes me even more grateful.”

 

“There’s no need for this, Sir! This makes me feel even more embarrassed.”

 

“It seems you know who I am?”

 

“How could I not recognize a renowned warrior such as yourself? I’m actually blaming myself for not realizing it sooner.”

 

“I apologize. It wasn’t my intention to deceive…”

 

“I understand. Revealing one’s true identity can bring its own set of complications.”

 

Oh Jung-gyeong expressed that he understood.

 

Seeing that his expression was genuine, a smile formed on Lee Gwak’s lips.

 

During the pulse diagnosis, Oh Jung-gyeong showed the true demeanor of a healer, and willingly provided the Ginseng Doll.

 

This was not something just anyone would do.

 

“Once again, I am grateful for your kindness, Brother Oh. I wish I could repay you with money, but unfortunately, I do not have such funds. Instead, I promise you this: I, Lee Gwak, will become a friend to Jeongong Escort Agency. If there is ever a need at Jeongong Escort Agency, I will come running, putting all else aside, to help with all my heart and soul.”

 

“Ah!”

 

Oh Jung-gyeong was stunned, his mouth agape.

 

It was a promise from Lee Gwak himself.

 

A promise from a man whose reputation matched that of the Seven Faction Leaders was worth more than any amount of gold.

 

So Goo-san was equally astonished.

 

‘Is this man saying he’ll become our shield?’

 

With Lee Gwak’s reputation behind them, it was only a matter of time before Jeongong Escort Agency grew.

 

Merchants trusted courier services for their safety. The more formidable the warriors in a courier service, the more trust it garnered from merchants.

 

Even having a high-ranking martial artist from the Seven Great Sects as a backer would have been a blessing, but now an absolute martial artist, who stood equal to their leaders, had promised them support.

 

At this moment, So Goo-san thought the Ginseng Doll swallowed by Cheon Wol was not a waste at all.

 

Investing one Ginseng Doll to gain a friend like Lee Gwak was more than a fair trade.

 

Oh Jung-gyeong expressed his thanks to Lee Gwak.

 

“Thank you. I truly appreciate it.”

 

“It is I who should be thankful.”

 

“You must be worried about your friend’s condition; please, go inside.”

 

“Yes! Once his condition improves, I will visit again.”

 

Lee Gwak told Oh Jung-gyeong that they would meet again later and then entered the cabin.

 

So Goo-san watched Lee Gwak disappear into the cabin and muttered,

 

“They say fate is unpredictable, and truly, one cannot foresee what the world will bring.”

 

***

Cheon Wol had a dream.

In his dream, a decayed Yoo Jung-wol appeared.

He did not speak, only gazing at Cheon Wol with a sorrowful look.

‘My lord!’

Cheon Wol called out to Yeo Jung-wol with all his might, but Yeo Jung-wol did not respond.

‘Sob!’

Eventually, Cheon Wol knelt down and wept.

Yeo Jung-wol had disappeared and was nowhere to be seen.

In a world of darkness, he was alone.

In the pitch-black darkness where not a single light shone, Cheon Wol was lost.

He did not know how much time had passed.

He was lost in the darkness, unsure of how to escape.

That was when it happened.

“Cheon Wol!”

A voice called out to him desperately.

Without realizing it, Cheon Wol walked towards the direction of the voice.

There was light there.

Cheon Wol walked into the light.

Falter!

 

Cheon-wol’s eyelids trembled.

 

Light painfully pierced through his retinas.

 

Cheon-wol blinked several times. Gradually, the blurry world came into focus.

 

A familiar face appeared within it.

 

Without realizing it, Cheon-wol reached out his hand and opened his mouth.

 

“Brother!”

 

The warmth he felt at his fingertips confirmed that the face he was seeing was real.

 

The person looking down at him with a worried expression was none other than Lee Gwak.

 

Lee Gwak spoke.

 

“You’re awake.”

 

“It’s really you, Brother.”

 

“Yeah, it’s me.”

 

“I… I…”

 

Choked up, Cheon-wol couldn’t continue speaking for a while.

 

Tears welled up in his eyes and soon streamed down his cheeks.

 

“I… I couldn’t protect the strategist. Sob!”

 

The guilt of failing to protect Yeo Jung-wol hurt him more than his own wounds.

 

Cheon-wol’s shoulders shook.

 

Lee Gwak patted his shoulder and said,

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

“No, it is my fault. I was too weak… I was incompetent, and I let the strategist die.”

 

“No one could have saved him in that situation. Even the strategist wouldn’t blame you.”

 

“I can’t forgive myself. I can’t…”

 

Grind!

 

The sound of Cheon-wol gritting his teeth sent a chilling echo.

 

As he tensed up, his wounds reopened, and blood began to flow, but Cheon-wol didn’t even feel the pain.

 

For a moment, his mind went completely dark.

 

He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t think of anything.

 

The only thing filling his mind was revenge.

 

Lee Gwak looked at Cheon-wol with pity.

 

As much as it pained him, there was nothing more he could do for Cheon-wol.

 

The guilt and the sense of loss were things Cheon-wol had to overcome on his own.

 

“Your wounds are deep. I’ve treated them temporarily, but if you don’t take care of yourself, your body will suffer greatly.”

 

“Brother?”

 

“Revenge is something you can only achieve if you’re healthy. If you don’t want the strategist’s death to be in vain, you need to recover first.”

 

At that moment, Seok Yi-cheon entered the cabin.

 

“You’re awake.”

 

Cheon-wol’s eyes widened as he saw Seok Yi-cheon.

 

“Brother… how are you here?”

 

“You punk! You worried me so much…”

 

Seok Yi-cheon carefully embraced Cheon-wol.

 

Cheon-wol, held in Seok Yi-cheon’s arms, couldn’t say a word.

 

Sometimes, a single action moves the heart more than a hundred words.

 

Seok Yi-cheon had simply hugged Cheon-wol, but it was enough to melt the frozen heart of the young man.

“Sob!”

Cheon-wol broke into loud sobs in Seok Yi-cheon’s arms.

Lee Gwak watched the scene for a moment before stepping outside.

“Sigh.”

A heavy sigh scattered into the wind.