143

Chapter 143 - Crisis at the Dasogak - 3

The Incomplete Poisoned Human (毒人).

Hwarin was deceived by Dang Geo-ho, fated to become a Poisoned Human after a lifetime of consuming poison amidst pain and contempt at the Seong Family household.

'It was I who changed that fate.'

The story of my soul partner, Hamurin Gongja, made the head of the Seong household and his faction weep rivers before they ascended to the heavens in one fell swoop.

My design, graceful as the flutter of a butterfly's wings, had a role in pushing Hwarin out into the world, and ultimately, led her to meet me and arrive here.

'I thought I was curing her poison with the power of the Heaven-defying Child.'

The pain that vanished upon meeting me, the skin that was healing – naturally, I assumed the accumulated poison in her body was disappearing. It seems that was not the case.

"The Forbidden Wish of the Dang Family. The Complete Poisoned Human. This child's body is being shaped into a vessel fit to become the Complete Poisoned Human."

It seems my totem-shaped ability is not a healing totem, but a leveling-up totem.

"All the research material related to the Poisoned Human was burnt over 20 years ago during a massive purge. How on earth... Child, can you explain how Dang Geo-ho turned you into a Poisoned Human?"

When the Orthopedic Master showed a friendly demeanor, Hwarin explained everything she had endured.

"Heh. It's theoretically perfect, but in reality, a deemed impossible method was used. After all, that must have been the best they could do with the remnants of the research. It's astonishing. To think, survival alone would have been a miracle, but having fled and entered a dormant phase, your body is transforming into a perfect vessel. Is this really the power of lineage... Child, have you recently had difficulty controlling your impulses?"

"What?"

Hwarin asked back, confused by what the Orthopedic Master meant.

"The previous Poisoned Human, the Lust Demon, was physically perfect. However, there were problems with his mind. He became unable to control his urges. He would scatter killing order based on mere irritation or bad moods."

The Orthopedic Master tapped his temple with two fingers, casting a doubtful gaze at Hwarin, pondering if she had similar issues.

"I don't get angry like that."

Hwarin's tone was curt – perhaps upset by the implication that there was something wrong with her mind.

That's right. Even jokes about gaining weight left her sulking all day, that's all.

"What about your sexual desires? It looks like the two of you are sharing a room. Haven't you ever forced yourself on him, driven by desire?"

The Orthopedic Master seemed to think it more appropriate to ask the potential victim than the perpetrator, looking at me as he spoke.

"We use separate beds."

I shook my head swiftly in denial.

The Orthopedic Master is frightening. How can he think that Hwarin, 'says no but again! Again!', 'Shut it! Yoon Ho, you better get it up quickly!' or something as dreadful as forcefully impregnating her with manipulated breeding press happened to me.

Such a thing would never happen.

"Hmm, perhaps you can't feel the charm of a barbarian."

"That's not it! Do you know how decent this g... guy is?"

Hwarin, if you're going to deny it loudly, affirm it loudly too. I can't help but recall my friends pityingly saying how decent Yoon Ho is...

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Uh!"

Startled when I offered thanks, Hwarin jerked her head away.

"If you've felt no sexual desire at all, that wouldn't be an answer."

"I, it's not that I felt none, f... fuck, really! Ugh, why do I have to talk about this!"

Hwarin, flustered with embarrassment, shouted at the Orthopedic Master and then glanced at me furtively.

I averted my gaze gently, so as not to deepen her embarrassment, keeping my expression neutral.

It's okay, Hwarin. It's natural to feel something when a man and woman share a room.

There's no need to be ashamed.

For a moment, I considered admitting that sometimes I too felt my heart flutter whenever I saw her sway, but I decided against it since coming from someone like me, that wouldn't be a joke—it would be harassment.

"Is it truly the power of lineage, then..."

The Orthopedic Master stroked his beard, gazing into the void with a thoughtful look.

"Hey. Yoon Ho."

Hwarin called me softly and then nodded towards the Orthopedic Master with her chin. Was she suggesting I tell him about the Poisoned Friend?

I couldn't. If I did, he could investigate the existence of the Poisoned Friend and perform tests on the fake medicine. I sternly directed a glance of refusal at Hwarin that only she would notice.

Hwarin looked puzzled at my refusal but seemed to understand that I had some strategy in mind.

"Child."

The Orthopedic Master called Hwarin softly, his expression one of self-realization. This must be their conclusion.

"Yes?"

"Come with me to Sacheon Dangga."

So, this proposal was inevitable.

Given that the reason for writing about the Dang family's turmoil was because of Dang Geo-ho, this was an offer that couldn't be avoided.

"If you follow me, we can punish Dang Geo-ho and his cohorts. Moreover, if you come to Sacheon Dangga, we can clear your skin and ensure you no longer suffer from poison."

It was an enticing proposition. Dang Geo-ho would never give up on Hwarin, who was becoming the Complete Poisoned Human. If he found out where she was, he would surely come for her.

While I could treat Hwarin's poison, I couldn't stop Dang Geo-ho. But for Sacheon Dangga, it would be different.

If Hwarin were to come under the protection of Sacheon Dangga, she would be safeguarded, and Dang Geo-ho could be punished.

In a situation with no other options, this proposal was like a lifeline. However, there was a flaw in this offer.

"Do you plan on making Hwarin into the Complete Poisoned Human?"

The proposal was attractive. Yet if Sacheon Dangga intends to turn Hwarin into a Poisoned Human, the end result would be the same even if the process differed.

I couldn't bear to witness such an outcome.

"Ha. That's not my intention. A Complete Poisoned Human, you say. Such dreams belong to those chasing the title of the strongest sect in the world and other illusory ideals."

The Orthopedic Master firmly shook his head at my question.

"Are you telling me to believe that offer?"

Hwarin's voice held an edge, unable to hide her skepticism.

"How rude to the Orthopedic Master!"

Good heavens. The Sub-master, who had been watching like a shadow by the Orthopedic Master's side, suddenly cried out loudly.

I had thought he was like an NPC who barely speaks, only offering ellipses in conversation, but it seems that wasn't the case.

"That's enough. Stay quiet. Child, what do you doubt?"

The Orthopedic Master raised his hand to restrain the Sub-master and then asked Hwarin with a gentle voice.

"You said that I am becoming a vessel that can turn into a Complete Poisoned Human. How can I know if your attitude won't change once I am at Sacheon Dangga?"

Hwarin's doubts were reasonable. The forbidden wish of the Dang family (悲願). It's unlikely they would give up on someone so close to being a perfect Poisoned Human. I looked at the Orthopedic Master with eyes filled with suspicion, just like Hwarin.

"The upright path befits a noble (君子大路行). Why should we, as part of the righteous path, engage in dishonorable acts? Over 20 years ago, the Lust Demon came close to being a complete form of a Poisoned Human. By solving only his mental issues, we could have really approached the Dang family's wish. However, the previous patriarch and the current one firmly purged and punished those who tried to create a Poisoned Human, burning all related materials."

Impressive. I knew Sacheon Dangga forbade Poisoned Human experiments, but I didn't realize they were this resolute.

A friend who studied for the civil service exam stayed put for three years just for being a few points short of passing; to think they burned the research even with near-complete results?

"So you're really going to punish that bastard Dang Geo-ho and cure me?"

Hwarin asked the Orthopedic Master once more with a voice mixed with skepticism and hope.

"Child, I understand the animosity you might have towards Sacheon Dangga. However, as someone with the Dang family's blood, I think you know the aphorism of Sacheon Dangga."

"Sacheon Dangga does not forget."

From Hwarin's lips came the aphorism of Sacheon Dangga.

"That's right. Sacheon Dangga does not forget. We weren't just trying to conceal our faults all along. We looked for the victims and tried to embrace the children born from them. Even though these children could be called the illegitimate of the illegitimate, within the collateral family branches."

"But you didn't show any concern until now."

"Sacheon Dangga trusted the direct descendant, Dang Geo-ho. However, he repaid our trust with profound betrayal. And due to that, you suffered immensely, so any consolation I offer might be displeasing. But I promise you this, I will certainly punish Dang Geo-ho and restore you to a normal life. So please, give me a chance to rectify the wrongs of the Dang family."

"Orthopedic Master!"

Unmoved by the astonished voice of the Sub-master, the Orthopedic Master bowed his head in a sincere apology to Hwarin.

'Is this what it means to be righteous? What I've seen of the righteous path thus far...'

Sacheon Dangga accepts outsiders, but the key positions are held by Dang family members. The Orthopedic Master must also be closely related to Hwarin to address her as "child".

An elder of the family bowing to Hwarin – an illegitimate of the illegitimate, a relative so distant they hardly qualify as collateral – to offer a respectful apology.

It's refreshing to see a true example of righteousness after having only encountered imposters.

"Yoon Ho..."

Hwarin looked up at me, unsure. What is the right decision? The truth is, the answer has been determined.

If the Orthopedic Master had coveted Hwarin's physique, he would have simply taken her by force. After all, there are warriors on the first and second floors who could have forcibly taken her away.

The Orthopedic Master, though initially brusque, listened to our circumstances to the end. Moreover, he possesses both the justification and power, and yet he humbly apologized and is now asking her for a chance.

"Let's go together, punish that bastard Dang Geo-ho, and return after you're cured."

If you can fix a problem by pulling out the rotten one, you should do it immediately.

"Are, are you going to come with me?"

Hwarin looked up at me anxiously.

"What? Did you think I would let you go alone? To abandon a friend and wander Sacheon all by yourself. I am truly disappointed. Really."

I imitated Hwarin's tone of voice and put on an exaggerated display of shock.

"What are you talking about! No, that's not it! ...Heh heh. Okay. Let's go together."

Hwarin nodded in response to my decisive words, looking pleased.

As long as we deal with Dang Geo-ho, there shouldn't be any significant problems running Dasogak.

This time, let's solve all the problems and change the genre of my life. It might end up a genre so boring that it gets canceled within three episodes, but all the characters deserve happiness, don't they?

"However, there is one problem."

The Orthopedic Master poured cold water on my thoughts with a single sentence, just as I had been thinking of titles like ~ The Otherworldly Black-haired Scribbler ~ Skilled with a bow as an archer, a god with a sword, but enjoying a slow life while raising a single chicken in a bookstore.~

"What problem are you referring to?"

"If the news about Dang Family Turmoil reaches Sacheon Dangga, they won't easily overlook the child Hwarin, the author."

The Orthopedic Master briefly lifted the manuscript from the third volume of Dang Family Turmoil that was on the desk before speaking to me.

"Even if I say I wrote the book to survive?"

"Even though Dang Family Turmoil was written as a last resort, you can't erase the crime of writing about the Dang family's secrets. Sure enough, the old demons within the family and those who drooled over the Poisoned Human will not leave this child alone."

"Wouldn't it suffice if you, Orthopedic Master, kept the authorship a secret?"

"Should Sacheon Dangga set out to discover it, uncovering Dasogak, Hofil, and this child Hwarin will be merely a matter of time."

"Wouldn't it be better for Hwarin not to go to the Dang family then?"

"If she'll be found out eventually, it's better that I take her and ensure her protection. Besides, if you help me, we can prevent anyone from making this child into a Poisoned Human."

"What kind of help do you need?"

If there's a way to restore Hwarin, I am willing to help.

"Just do what this child has been doing."

"What do y

ou mean by th...ugh!"

The Orthopedic Master swiftly approached me and firmly grasped my wrist, lifting it. He looked me straight in the eyes with a knowing stare and began to speak.

"Hofil. This time you will bear all the sins."