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TL: ALT
Chapter 1 – Hua Tuo
The Age of Awakeners, Towers, and Dungeons.
The world was filled with all sorts of mysterious powers.
As a result, many professions disappeared, while new ones emerged. One profession that naturally became obsolete in the process was…
“Ah, I made a mistake.”
It was a doctor.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“No, you just said you made a mistake.”
“People make mistakes in life.”
I administered the acupuncture with trembling hands.
Why was I, a doctor, performing acupuncture?
The reason was simple.
“Because I’m a Korean doctor.”
Healers with the power to heal appeared in this world. They could instantly cure all kinds of injuries. That’s why the profession of doctor became obsolete in the blink of an eye. But is there really a law against dying?
[Disease]
Healers aren’t omnipotent.
They certainly treated external injuries well.
Occasionally, however, they were unable to heal complex injuries.
On top of that, they couldn’t treat any kind of disease.
Because of this, doctors still had a little room to stand.
“There, all done.”
I gave the patient a sharp slap on the back.
The patient, covered in tattoos, stood up.
Then, with a scowl, he looked at me and…
“I-it’s crazy! My back is really healed!”
He exclaimed in amazement, his eyes shining.
“Crazy is just informal speech.”
“As expected of Dr Hua Tuo!”
[T/N: This is the name of a famous ancient Chinese physician from the late Eastern Han Dynasty (2nd–3rd century CE). He is often regarded as one of the greatest traditional Chinese doctors and is sometimes depicted as a “miracle doctor.” Metaphorically, this means “a doctor as skilled as Hua Tuo”, or “a genius doctor.”]
He looked down at me, expressing his gratitude.
“It was something even healers couldn’t cure. Thank you very much!”
“Don’t be such a drama queen.”
“With skills this good, why are you just practicing as a back-alley doctor?”
“…People have their own reasons.”
I avoided the patient’s gaze.
And rightly so. My acupuncture skills were anything but ordinary.
I could confidently say they were among the best in the world.
But me?
“Using that skill to treat thugs in some back alley.”
I was working in a place completely mismatched to my abilities.
Why was that?
It was simple.
[Awakening]
I had obtained my Korean medicine doctor’s license, but it came with many restrictions.
Hospitals only wanted healers to begin with.
Otherwise, the minimum requirement was being a general doctor.
That’s why, as a Korean medicine doctor, I struggled to get hired, even at mediocre hospitals.
I knew that when I got the license, but…
Still, patients come to me, so everything’s okay, right?
“Doctor! I will never forget this kindness!”
“It doesn’t matter if you forget.”
“Here’s the payment I promised!”
A thick wad of bills was piled before my eyes.
Even a rough estimate showed it was over a hundred million won.
Far too much for merely treating back pain.
“That seems like an excessive amount…”
“It’s for the renowned Dr. Hua Tuo’s treatment, isn’t it? Please consider it a small token of my appreciation!”
“…Well, I won’t refuse.”
I hastily gathered the money.
Then, I began preparing various things for the patient.
“This is Eucommia bark. Brew it and drink it. It should help with your back pain.”
“O-oh! Thank you!”
The man who received the medicine pouch from me bowed repeatedly. After he left, I slumped into the chair. I took off my mask and stared at the ceiling, letting out a deep sigh.
“Ah, it’s done.”
I have a fundamentally weak constitution.
That’s why I couldn’t treat patients for long periods of time.
Was it because I placed the needle incorrectly earlier?
My body was weak, and my arm strength was failing.
“Cough, cough!”
As I coughed, blood stained my white coat.
Lately, my health has deteriorated further.
The tremors in my hands had worsened, and my headaches had become more frequent.
“At this rate, I’m really going to die.”
I was just becoming alarmed about my physical state.
Suddenly, my smartphone started ringing.
I immediately checked the screen.
The caller was my eldest brother.
The moment I answered the call,
“…Father passed away?”
Before I knew it, I was already taking off my coat.
* * *
To me, my father was like a teacher.
I had just obtained my license as a Korean medicine doctor.
How could someone like me possibly practice alone in a back alley?
“I learned everything from my father.”
He would occasionally pass techniques down to me.
Just casually.
And I would desperately try to master them.
That’s how I came to be:
I am Heo Jin, a doctor of Korean medicine who has been trained since childhood.
“Brothers, I’m here.”
“The youngest’s here.”
“Oh, you’re here?”
My two older brothers were smoking in the designated area in front of the hospital.
Even at our father’s funeral, we remained calm.
We had braced ourselves for this a long time ago.
Our father had been frail since we were born.
“What happened?”
“What’s there to say? The cause of death was exhaustion. Grandma Park reported it.”
“Well, Dad was frail.”
“Exactly. He should have lived in the city to receive treatment since he was unwell. Why be so stubborn?”
The eldest brother, Heo Junsoo, nervously lit a cigarette.
“If he’d been treated at the hospital, he would’ve lived twice as long.”
“Hehe, don’t be so critical, brother. You know Dad’s personality well enough.”
“What’s so great about that stinking country place…?”
My oldest brother, Heo Junsoo, and my second brother, Heo Junseok, exchanged words.
But beneath that calm surface, sadness could be felt.
They seemed to be putting on a brave front.
Sad but trying to hold it in, you might say?
“Anyway, little brother, what have you been up to lately?”
“Yeah, exactly. Who even seeks out a traditional doctor these days?”
My brothers looked at me suspiciously.
The truth is, they don’t know what I do for a living.
Would they ever guess that their little brother treats thugs in back alleys?
“Just getting by, I guess.”
“Hey, if that’s the case, why not come work at our place? You don’t need to be an Awakened to do office work.”
“Besides, we’re both B-rank Awakened. Putting you in a position wouldn’t be a problem at all…”
“No, it’s fine.”
I declined my brothers’ offer.
Of course, their proposal was tempting.
After all, they were Awakened members of a famous Korean guild.
Working in an office for that guild would probably pay well.
“But it doesn’t suit my personality.”
I hate groveling to anyone.
Especially since I’m in poor physical condition, I can’t imagine pulling all-nighters.
I’d quickly become a liability living like that.
“I’m doing my best to live my own way, so don’t worry.”
“Ugh, how could I not worry?”
“Do you know you’re the one we worry about most?”
“I know. I know it well enough. Now, let’s drop it.”
I brushed off the conversation.
Then my second brother spoke up.
“Come to think of it, they found Father’s will.”
“Will?”
“It seems he knew when his time was coming. He’d written it beforehand.”
“Damn it! If he knew, he should have come to the city for treatment!”
My eldest brother nervously crushed a cigarette under his shoe.
“So, what was in the will?”
“Nothing much. Just an apology to us and some stuff about the inheritance.”
“Inheritance?”
“What could Dad have? Just that old house and the herb field.”
I remember.
Father tended the herbs in that old house.
The herb field was enormous.
He tended that vast space alone with his frail body.
I used to follow him to look at the herbs.
“Memories. That herb field.”
“If it’s such a memory, go see it after the funeral.”
“…What?”
When I asked back, my second brother chuckled and said,
“Because Father left that house and herb field to you.”
* * *
The funeral was surprisingly crowded.
After all, my father was born and raised in the countryside.
Unexpectedly, many guests attended.
They ranged from elderly people with white hair to young people. Everyone deeply mourned his death.
“He had a wider circle than I thought.”
That’s how much it struck me.
As for my two older brothers…
“I told you! I told you to go to the hospital! Ugh!”
“Ugh, Father!”
While Father was being cremated, they wept so hard that they were almost dehydrated.
They were strong people outwardly, but they were human after all.
I was no different, of course.
“Father…!”
It was the first time in my life that I had cried so much.
The reality of his death was starting to sink in.
The fact that I could never see my father again.
Once all the arrangements were finished,
Bam!
I immediately got in the car and raced back to my hometown.
“Phew, this place hasn’t changed a bit.”
My father left me the family home and the herbal medicine business.
He left a small amount of money to my two older brothers.
It was a fitting inheritance for a man who treated people for free.
As I thought this, I realized that I had inherited the land.
I’ll live like Father did, tending herbs.
“I’ve earned enough money.”
I didn’t become a back-alley doctor for nothing.
People usually think that back-alley doctors are cheap. But maybe in my case, it was because my skills were at their peak. Patients would come seeking treatment and often bring staggering sums of money. Thanks to that, I saved enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life.
Creak!
I opened the gate and stepped into the yard.
The pungent scent of medicinal herbs hit me.
All sorts of herbal medicines hung in the yard.
“Just like my father.”
I chuckled softly and looked around.
The yard looked exactly as I remembered it from my childhood.
Meanwhile, I had grown much taller.
Was that why?
The house that had once seemed so big now felt small.
“Huh…”
I felt uneasy.
Seeing my father, who was now gone, made me secretly afraid. It seemed I was destined to live a short life like his.
“This frail body has always been a constant headache.”
What on earth was wrong with it?
Its frailty was stubbornly resistant to cure.
“If I keep going like this, won’t I end up walking the same path as Father?”
That thought sent a chill down my spine.
Father passed away in his early fifties, still young.
At the very least, I didn’t want that.
“I must fix this body, no matter what.”
To live longer.
And to strengthen this weak body.
That’s why I came to this earthy-smelling countryside.
Even though my eldest brother wasn’t thrilled about it.
“Still, the air is clear.
The air was refreshing, unlike the musty back alleys.
The sunlight pouring down from the sky was the best.
I could almost understand why Father insisted on living in the countryside.
Thud!
Lost in thought, I began to wander around.
I wanted to see the village after so long.
Then—
“Huh? Isn’t that Jin, Mr. Heo’s son?”
“Village Chief!”
Village Chief Choi Chunsam!
He was the husband of Grandma Park, who found and reported my collapsed father.
Overjoyed, I rushed straight to the village chief.
“Have you been well?”
“Well, I’m still waiting for the day I die!”
“Oh, come on! You’re still so energetic!”
“Hehehe! Does it look like that to you?”
“Of course it does!”
The village chief seemed genuinely pleased to see me.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I’m tired of city life. I’m thinking about settling back in my hometown.”
“Wow, a young person coming to the village! What a blessing! It’s a blessing!”
“Would you slaughter a cow for me later?”
“…And who might you be?”
I burst out laughing at the village chief’s sly expression.
“I’m glad to see you’re still looking so well.”
“Outwardly, maybe, but my back has been killing me lately. It’s a real pain, I tell you.”
The village chief grinned at me as he said this.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you do some cupping, too, Jin?”
“That’s all ancient history now.”
“Don’t be like that. Take a look at my back later.”
“Haha, sure thing.”
I nodded, and the village chief smiled contentedly.
Then he clapped his hands and said,
“Oh, wait! I shouldn’t waste time like this!”
“What’s going on?”
“Haha, my granddaughter is coming to visit today!”
“You must be thrilled.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice! I’d better get going!”
With that, the village chief left.
I watched him go and chuckled softly.
Then, I set off immediately.
I had almost finished exploring the village.
“I’ll head to the herb field.”
Father’s herb field was enormous.
In fact, the part I used to walk through was just the entrance.
Moreover, Father cherished the herb field immensely.
Because of that, he took measures to ensure that no one nearby could approach it.
“He was so thorough.”
The padlock on the gate to the herb field was so sturdy that no one could break it.
If someone insisted on forcing their way in, they would have to break the lock.
But I didn’t need to go that far.
Clank!
I already had the key to the herb field.
Thanks to it, the lock opened with ease.
Then, I stepped into the herb field.
At that moment—
Whoosh!
A fierce wind swept past my cheek.
Simultaneously, the familiar scent of medicinal herbs tickled my nose.
“I’m truly back.”
It finally sank in only after smelling that scent.
I had returned to my hometown.
But such sentimentality lasted only a moment.
Before my eyes
[You have entered the Field – Medicinal Herb Garden of Yakseon.]
[Field – Medicinal Herb Garden of Yakseon verifies your qualifications.]
[You have met the conditions.]
[You have acquired the EX-grade skill, Master of the Medicinal Herb Garden.]
[T/n: In Korean (and Chinese) tradition, a 선인 (仙人) is an immortal being who transcends the mortal world through discipline, spirituality, and harmony with nature.
So a 약선 (藥仙) is specifically: a sage or immortal skilled in the use of medicinal herbs — like a divine healer or herb master.]
An unbelievable thing had happened.
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