Chapter 1618
I’m prepared to cut it off. (3)
“Get up. We need to change your bandages.”
Namgung Dowi, who was lying down with bandages wrapped tightly around his entire body, glanced around with a slightly uneasy and uncomfortable expression.
“Um, by any chance… isn’t there another doctor available?”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s just that, uh, Sojeo…”
“It’s not ‘Sojeo’, it’s ‘Dojang’.”
“Ah, right, Dojang. I feel guilty for someone with such important duties to be tending to such trivial matters…”
“I’m free right now and I am here, so stop talking and get up.”
“…Yes.”
Namgung Dowi raised his upper body. Tang Soso began unwrapping the dirty bandages and applying new ones with skilled hands. Namgung Dowi watched her with a slightly curious look. Tang Soso asked indifferently.
“Why?”
“It’s just… you seem very skilled.”
“…”
“We have a medical hall in Namgung clan too, but even the head doctor there isn’t as skilled as you… Ahhhhh!”
Tang Soso, with a blank expression, pressed hard on his wound, causing Namgung Dowi to writhe like a squid dropped on a hot grill. His face turned red with confusion and pain.
“W-what…!”
“This part has healed. Hmm, here…”
“Wait! Y-you’re not going to poke it again, are you?”
“Why are you so fussy? My Sahyeongs keep talking nonsense even when I open their wounds with bare hands.”
Namgung Dowi was momentarily at a loss for words. Of course, he acknowledged Tang Soso’s skills. There was no denying them. But he had to acknowledge her personality in a different sense as well.
‘She didn’t seem like this before…’
Because of their statuses as the children of Namgung and Tang clan, they hadn’t been complete strangers. However, the Tang Soso in his memories was vastly different from the one standing before him now.
Naturally, the most significant difference was not her personality but her skills.
Frankly, he hadn’t expected Tang Soso to take control of this place so smoothly in the absence of Chung Myung and Baek Cheon. Sure, it was possible because of Chung Myung’s influence, but it wouldn’t have been feasible without her own abilities.
Tang Soso meticulously checked the wounds stitched with silk thread and nodded.
“They’ve healed well. You can start moving a bit from tomorrow.”
“…Thank you.”
“Oh, and…”
“Yes?”
“It’s not that I’m particularly skilled. I just got used to it because I’ve had so much experience stitching and tending to wounds. My Sahyeongs think human bodies are like rag dolls that heal as long as you stitch them up roughly.”
Well, that’s true…
To Namgung Dowi, the extremes of Hwasan’s methods surpassed even that of the Evil Sects. Watching them fight would make even the demonic cultists shake their heads in disbelief.
Namgung Dowi asked about the news he hadn’t heard while he was unwell.
“How’s the battlefront?”
“Surochae’s side is almost cleared up. The operation to drive them out of Gangbuk will be completed soon.”
As the topic of Surochae came up, Namgung Dowi’s face subtly hardened.
“I still don’t know if this is the right decision. If we were willing to sacrifice a little more, we could annihilate them completely. Is there really a need to leave them a way out?”
“If we don’t leave them a way out, we must be prepared for sacrifices on our side.”
“Hmm…”
“As I said, I am a warrior and a physician. For me, the most important thing is not to kill one more enemy, but to ensure one less person dies or gets hurt.”
Namgung Dowi nodded. He still didn’t agree with Tang Soso’s words. But he acknowledged that such an approach exists. Not everyone can think the same way.
And to be honest, if he looked at it rationally, this was why Namgung Dowi could lie here now. If Tang Soso had insisted on dealing with Surochae at all costs, even with sacrifices, Namgung Dowi wouldn’t have been able to take care of himself like this. He would have had to stay on the battlefield, even if his wounds worsened and he collapsed.
‘This isn’t easy.’
After sending Namgung Myeong to Shaanxi, he found himself bedridden. He couldn’t help but feel anxious. The worry that the invaluable forces of Namgung could be sacrificed against his will made Namgung Dowi restless.
The fact that Tang Soso was the one commanding this entire situation was the only reason he could stay put. If someone else had been in charge, he wouldn’t have dared to rest like this.
‘Even so, at this rate…’
“Don’t even dream about it.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Your external wounds have healed to some extent, but your internal injuries are still severe. If you push yourself now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Surely, you’re not that foolish?”
Namgung Dowi gave a hollow laugh.
“I understand that I deserve such words. But it feels a bit unfair. Isn’t ignoring injuries and going on rampage a specialty of Hwasan?”
“…It’s hard to deny, but Hwasan is different. Hwasan’s Taoist internal energy techniques are unparalleled in terms of protecting the body. There’s a difference compared to Namgung clan’s methods, which focus on the path of the blade.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, because of that, they recklessly push their limits, which drives physicians like me crazy.”
Tang Soso sighed deeply as she neatly put away the new bandages she had been holding.
“And… if you’re going to worry about something, shouldn’t you be more concerned about Shaanxi rather than here?”
“…Shaanxi? Is there something going on?”
“No news has come yet.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“That’s exactly the problem.”
“What?”
Namgung Dowi looked at Tang Soso with puzzled eyes. A trace of worry crossed her face.
“Having suffered a crushing defeat, knowing Chung Myung Sahyeong, he would have already taken some action. The fact that it’s still quiet – what do you think that means?”
“Maybe he has decided to be more cautious after learning a big lesson from this incident?”
“It’s the opposite. He probably thinks that small measures won’t suffice and is planning something big. That’s just the kind of person he is. He can’t stand half-measures.”
Namgung Dowi’s mouth slowly fell open. Indeed, now that he heard it, it seemed likely.
“Then, does Dojang tending to my wounds mean…?”
He was about to ask if it meant he should recover quickly and head to Shaanxi, but Tang Soso shook her head firmly.
“What are you talking about? Work is work, and patients are patients. Physicians don’t treat people with a specific purpose in mind. Even if the person who collapses in front of me is an enemy or a nemesis, I will treat them with utmost sincerity. That is the mindset a physician must have. That’s what I was taught.”
“…”
“The moment you break that principle, you lose your way.”
“Does that way mean the Taoist path?”
“I suppose so.”
For the first time, Tang Soso smiled.
“After all, I am a Taoist too.”
Namgung Dowi slowly nodded. And he realized anew. If it were the old him, he wouldn’t have understood Tang Soso’s words. He would have asked why she was talking about humanity and principles in front of an enemy that needed to be eradicated.
But now he understood her words.
If Namgung Dowi hadn’t gone through hardships, if he hadn’t spend time with Hwasan, Tang clan, and even Nokrim, seeing a broader world, he wouldn’t have realized that the world he knew wasn’t all there was.
If he had grown up within the high walls of Namgung as he always had, would he have understood what Tang Soso was saying now? If he had remained within the lofty walls of Namgung, what kind of person would Namgung Dowi have become?
At the very least, he wouldn’t be living with the thoughts he had now. He would have continued to believe that his way was the only right one, living like an arrogant frog in a well.
Because the world of Namgung clan crumbled, Namgung Dowi could be here now. The same was true for Tang Soso. If she had stayed within the confines of the closed-off Sichuan Tang Clan, the current Tang Soso wouldn’t exist anywhere in the world.
It was because the sect called Hwasan broke down those walls and crossed the boundaries that shouldn’t have been crossed that the two of them were here now.
“…Maybe that’s the key.”
“What?”
“Nothing, forget it.”
Namgung Dowi shook his head. It was a bit embarrassing to say out loud.
“Then, please help me recover as soon as possible.”
“Huh?”
“I need to get to Shaanxi as quickly as possible to help Chung Myung Dojang.”
Seeing Namgung Dowi’s earnest gaze, Tang Soso smirked.
“Well, at least you seem to be feeling better.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“You used to be really unbearable.”
“…Let’s leave the past behind, Dojang.”
“Alright.”
The two exchanged glances and nodded deeply, reaching a mutual agreement to bury their dark history.
Then, a thought suddenly crossed Namgung Dowi’s mind, prompting him to ask.
“By the way… what about Shaolin?”
“…Ah. As soon as we drove Surochae out of Henan, they returned to Mount Song. That was the original agreement.”
“Hmm, then what about Monk Hye Bang?”
“He…”
❀ ❀ ❀
Swish. Swish.
A long broom continuously swept away the fallen leaves. Despite sweeping every single day, Hye Bang never showed a hint of annoyance. Even though he knew he could clear it all in an instant by using his inner strength, he always insisted on sweeping normally.
Sometimes he thought: Walking the path of Buddhism is like sweeping the yard.
No matter how cleanly you sweep, your efforts don’t stand out. But even one day of neglect becomes glaringly obvious.
Walking the path of Buddhism is the same. No matter how much you train and practice, attaining the truth of the Buddha’s teachings is arduous. But even one day of neglecting your practice, and you feel yourself stepping away from the Buddha’s path.
That’s why it’s a lifelong journey of endless asceticism.
In that journey, what exactly had he been seeking?
“Amitabha…”
Swish. Swish.
After sweeping the last of the leaves to the side of the path, Hye Bang straightened his back. He looked at the empty path of Shaolin, rarely visited by guests anymore.
In that moment, the silence seeped into Hye Bang’s eyes. His pupils narrowed slightly.
Standing at the end of the path, lined with trees turned red, was a person who had been there for an indefinite amount of time.
Hye Bang was momentarily speechless.
It was Beop Jong. Gone was the dignified and noble appearance from when he left Shaolin. Now, he looked ragged and unkept. The last time they met, Beop Jong’s eyes were filled with anger. But now, all Hye Bang could see in his eyes was deep exhaustion.
Hye Bang, who had been silently staring at Beop Jong, slowly assumed a respectful bow.
“Welcome back, Abbot.”
Beop Jong, who had been looking at Hye Bang for a long time without speaking, finally managed to open his mouth.
“You still… call me Abbot?”
“Of course.”
Hye Bang briefly chanted a Buddha’s name and continued.
“Life is like a voyage without a compass. In that process, people always suffer and wander. That’s why they make mistakes and commit wrongs, leaving only regrets.”
Hye Bang’s eyes were steadfastly fixed on Beop Jong.
“In a life full of suffering, the teachings of the Buddha are like a single shining light. But because of that light, people can move forward even in the sea of suffering.”
“…Hye Bang.”
“You are the one who taught me those words, Abbot.”
“…”
“Welcome back, Abbot. If you have lost your way, the light you have left will be here.”
Beop Jong closed his eyes.
“Namu…”
As he began to chant a Buddha’s name, a single tear fell. He had lost everything, but he had not lost one thing: the path he had walked and the path he had to walk.
“Ami…tabha.”
The Buddha’s name. It is what weak and foolish humans hope for and seek.
From that day on, Beop Jong entered an indefinite seclusion.
Until the day he regains the lost light within himself.
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