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TL: ALT
Chapter 24 – Special Treatment Begins
All the materials have been gathered.
Troll blood.
Lizardman scales.
Even the hawthorn fruit is ready.
Based on my experience so far, I’ve realized one thing.
“Perhaps the early pages allow you to gather materials from lower floors.”
That’s what I’m thinking.
Of course, that’s just my assumption.
Grind, grind!
I ground the lizardman’s scales with all my might.
They were too hard to break with brute force alone.
I mixed the ground hawthorn fruit into the powdered scales.
Then, as the final step, I poured in the troll’s blood.
“Now, I just need to shape it…”
I formed the mixture into a ball with my hands.
Just like that, the familiar form of a pill was complete.
[Herb Pill Information]
▶Name: Pill for Heart Inflammation
▶Effect 1: When ingested, it treats heart inflammation.This medicine is called the Pill for Heart Inflammation.
It is probably named for its ability to treat heart inflammation.
After completing the medicine, one question arose in my mind:
“It doesn’t make the inflammation disappear, but instead treats it?”
The pills I made before weren’t like that.
They had phrases like “cures the illness” or “makes it disappear.”
But this medicine’s description was slightly different.
It only had one effect.
“Divine Doctor, if it’s ready, hurry up!”
“Understood.”
There wasn’t time to question things.
I immediately gave the medicine to Seojun.
Seojun kept frowning, probably because the medicine was bitter.
“My baby… You have to take it to get better.”
Seojun nodded at Grandma Yeongja.
Then he swallowed the pill.
At that moment, a message appeared.
[Master of the Herb Garden effect activated.]
[Effect of Pill for Heart Inflammation increased by 200%.]“Beginning the process to treat the inflammation in the heart.”
I panicked the moment that message appeared.
“Beginning the process to treat the inflammation in the heart?”
Wasn’t it supposed to be over just by giving him the medicine?
“Young master, there’s no time to hesitate.”
Did he already know everything?
Nureongi pushed me forward, urging me on.
“All right, I’ll do anything.”
Having come this far, there was nothing left to hold me back.
I opened my eyes, resolved to do whatever it took.
At that moment.
[System "Special Treatment" commencing.]Blue holograms appeared before my eyes, like a game.
Seojun’s physical condition was visible in real time.
“Body temperature is abnormally high.”
Moreover, his heart rate was excessively fast.
Various other pieces of information were clearly displayed as well.
This must be the “Special Treatment System.”
I never dreamed such a function existed.
[Acupuncture needles are required to proceed with special treatment.]
[Please take out the needles.]Upon seeing this message, I took out the needles.
At that moment,
[Displaying the patient's primary acupoints.]Red dots appeared on Seojun’s body.
They were clearly acupoints.
This meant that I had to insert needles into those spots.
However, the acupoints were as narrow as a needle.
Still, I immediately picked up a needle with my hand.
“Hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing right now?”
“I’m about to insert the needle.”
“Acupuncture for a heart condition? Are you out of your mind?”
“I can hardly believe it myself, but please trust me.”
Nak-yong looked at me as if I were strange. Well, it would be surprising.
Acupuncture for a patient with endocarditis?
Even I would get chills.
But there was no other way.
“This is the only way to save Seojun.”
That’s why I said firmly.
“I’m going to insert the needles now.”
Grandma Yeongja then spoke in an anxious tone.
“Could you at least explain what you’re doing while you insert them?”
“Of course.”
I nodded and undressed Seojun.
I immediately grasped a needle in my hand.
I inserted the needle into the point about two cun toward the elbow on the inner side of the wrist.
[T/N: Two cun is about 3.5–4 cm, but it is measured according to the patient’s body proportions, not with a fixed-length ruler.]“This is the Naegwan acupoint.”
[T/N: Naegwan Point (P6) is an important acupuncture point located about two cun above the wrist crease, between two tendons on the inner forearm.]“Naegwan… So you’re placing it there.”
“Naegwan is an acupuncture point that invigorates the heart and regulates blood circulation.”
Nak-yong seemed convinced by my choice.
He nodded.
Grandma Yeongja listened to the explanation and nodded, too.
Then, I inserted the needle about one cun toward the wrist from Naegwan.
“This time, it’s the Gukmun point.”
[T/N: It's located on the side of the chest, near the second intercostal space.]“Oh, the Gukmun point definitely alleviates heart pain and prevents blood from congealing.”
“That’s correct. It’s also used as an emergency acupoint to alleviate symptoms of cardiovascular disease.”
Nak-yong seemed to understand this time, too.
His gaze gradually shifted from doubt to trust.
After all, even this absurd treatment had a basis. He had no choice but to believe.
“This time, I need your help, Mr. Nak-yong.”
“If it’s something I can help with, I will.”
“Please have Seojun sit down.”
“Understood.”
It was painful, but Seojun managed to sit up.
Then, I turned toward his back.
I immediately inserted needles on both sides, one and a half cun below the spinous processes of the vertebrae.
“This is the Simsu point. It invigorates the heart and promotes blood circulation.”
[T/N: It's located on the back, about 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the fifth thoracic vertebra (T5).]Now, no one answers.
They’re focused on my acupuncture technique.
That’s how precise and grounded my technique is.
I placed a needle without hesitation about three cun below the knee on the lateral side of the shinbone.
“This is Joksamni. It’s an auxiliary point that supports heart health and the immune system.”
[T/N: It's located on the lower leg, about three cun below the kneecap and one fingerbreadth lateral to the tibia.]I had already placed needles at four acupoints.
Now, only one spot remained.
Placing a needle here would heal Seojun.
“This is the last one.”
I held the final needle in my hand.
“The last is Danjung. It facilitates smooth qi circulation in the heart and lungs, alleviating chest tightness.”
[T/N: It's located on the chest at the center of the sternum, level with the fourth intercostal space.]With that, I placed the needle at the center of the sternum, midway between the breasts.
At that moment,
[All acupoints have been accurately needled.]
[Accuracy: 100%.]
[The effect of the Pill for Heart Inflammation is amplified.]Such a message appeared.
* * *
After the message appeared,
Seojun’s complexion improved rapidly.
Then, he slowly opened his eyes.
“G-Grandma…”
“Oh, Seojun! Are you awake?”
Grandma Yeongja shed tears the moment she heard Seojun’s voice.
Then, a message appeared:
[Special treatment successfully completed.]
[The patient's illness has been completely cured.]
[Due to the effects of the special treatment, the patient's heart will be revitalized for the next month.]Only after that message appeared could I finally catch my breath.
“Thankfully, it was a success.”
Honestly, I was a little nervous.
I never expected to be suddenly told to insert needles.
And that spot on the acupoint?
It was so narrow that it was difficult to see with the naked eye.
“It must have been because I had to insert the needle in that exact spot for it to be effective.”
I inserted the needles precisely into every acupoint.
The proof was in my 100% accuracy rate.
Honestly, I felt drained of all my energy.
“Divine Doctor, you truly are a marvel.”
Nak-yong sat beside me and let out a hollow laugh.
Of course he would.
Even I couldn’t believe what I’d just done.
“Did I really cure endocarditis on my own?”
Severe endocarditis always requires surgery.
Traditional Korean medicine cannot cure it.
Yet, I cured it with traditional Korean medicine!
Even if it was thanks to my awakened ability, it was an incredible feat.
“I want to apologize for doubting you earlier.”
“It’s fine. I would have doubted myself, too.”
“…You really are strange, you know.”
Nak-yong said this while looking at Seojun and Grandma Yeongja.
Seojun looked bewildered, and Grandma Yeongja was crying while hugging him.
It was a heart-wrenching sight.
“Risking your life for a patient? You’re truly extraordinary.”
“If a patient trusts you, it’s only right to live up to that trust.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all doctors were like you?”
Those words embarrassed me.
Nak-yong’s praise sounded excessive.
But he didn’t seem to think so.
“Being with you makes me realize many things.”
“You flatter me.”
“Honestly, I was half-skeptical.”
Saying this, Nak-yong looked at me.
“That you could heal my own hand? Frankly, I couldn’t believe it. But today, I’ve changed my mind.”
He clasped his hands together and spoke to me.
“Divine Doctor, I’ll be counting on you to take good care of my fingers from now on.”
“Leave it to me.”
Nak-yong and I looked at each other and chuckled softly.
Then,
“Jin, thank you so much.”
Grandma Yeongja said to me.
I didn’t mind the reddened eyes looking at me. They weren’t filled with sorrow, but with deep emotion.
“Please think of it as repaying an old debt.”
“A debt?”
“When I was struggling, you took care of me, didn’t you?”
I owed Grandma Yeongja a great debt of gratitude.
That’s why I was glad to repay her in this way.
“It’s also thanks to you that I could become a doctor of Korean medicine.”
“…Our Jin has truly grown into such a fine young man.”
Grandma Yeongja wiped away tears once more.
Seeing her like that, I almost cried myself.
Just then, Seojun came forward and said to me,
“Thank you, Uncle!”
“Is your body okay now?”
“Yes! I got better, all thanks to you!”
Seojun had regained his former liveliness.
Seeing him like that made me feel relieved.
I immediately removed the needle from Seojun.
“From now on, if you get hurt, you have to go straight to the hospital, okay?”
“Mhm…
“Promise.”
I said, holding out my pinky finger.
Seojun hesitantly hooked his pinky around mine.
“Okay! Promise!”
Just like that, we hooked our pinkies and grinned at each other.
* * *
After the treatment ended,
The rain cleared up immediately.
The typhoon must have passed.
So Grandma and Seojun headed straight home.
Then…
“Young Master!”
Nureongi shouted.
“What on earth were you thinking, doing that?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Young Master, you’re a patient too! Entering the tower in that condition? Are you crazy?”
Nureongi unleashed all the pent-up frustration he had been holding back.
He must have been terribly worried.
After all, he knew my physical state perfectly well.
“Still, I made it back safely, so…”
“What if you hadn’t made it back safely?”
“…I-I have no words.”
Nureongi was absolutely right.
“If I had died, Seojun would be dead too, and I wouldn’t have been able to heal Mr. Nak-yong’s finger.”
Thinking about it, I was definitely too hasty.
Fortunately, things worked out well.
Everything nearly went wrong at once.
However, Nureongi spoke as if that weren’t the end of it.
“You said it yourself, young master. You and I are family.”
“…That’s right.”
“You are my only family, young master. So please, don’t leave me alone.”
With that, Nureongi leaned into my arms.
He had spent so much time alone.
I was Nureongi’s only family.
Of course, there were the trolls, too, but they couldn’t compare to me.
Nureongi must have been terribly afraid that I, his most precious family member, would disappear.
“I’m truly sorry.”
I stroked Nureongi’s head sincerely. Only then did he nod his head as if to forgive me.
“Please don’t do that again!”
“…I’ll try.”
“Even if you enter the tower, make sure you’re fully prepared! Do you understand?”
“I understand. I don’t plan on entering the tower often anyway.”
Only then did Nureongi’s mood lift, and he smiled brightly and cheerfully at me.
Then,
[You have successfully completed the special treatment with 100% accuracy.]
[You have satisfied some of the conditions required to advance to a higher class.]
[Some information regarding higher classes has been unlocked.]Such messages appeared.
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