Chapter 08…
Gu Yangcheongang stepped out of Elder Hwang’s embrace and leaned against the wall.
“I… I’m fine.”
It was as if someone thought dead had come back to life. Elder Hwang was utterly shocked, and at the same time, tears of joy streamed down his face.
“Master! Thank heavens!”
Akasha’s voice could be heard.
[Doctor, I just executed the emergency protocol. That…]
‘Explain later. Right now, I need to talk with Elder Hwang.’
[Understood.]
Elder Hwang took Gu Yangcheongang’s hand and pushed his inner energy into him to assess his condition.
Relief mixed with bewilderment crossed his face.
Gu Yangcheongang’s body, which should have been critically wounded and on the verge of death, was inexplicably intact.
The flow of his vital energy was slightly unstable, but there were no signs of fatal internal injuries or severed meridians.
‘How strange… He was undoubtedly a top-tier martial artist, yet there isn’t a single internal or external injury?’
Elder Hwang was engulfed in shock beyond mere curiosity.
The masked opponent he had faced was clearly a top-tier expert, with strength capable of pulverizing a rock the size of a child’s head.
To take such an attack head-on and not even have a broken rib was incomprehensible by martial norms.
Elder Hwang tilted his head, speaking with cautious relief:
“I’m glad you’re safe… I feared you might have suffered severe injuries, Master.”
Gu Yangcheongang’s pale face spoke softly.
“Guess I was lucky.”
A heavy silence filled the room, mingled with the scent of blood and an unidentifiable tension.
Though Gu Yangcheongang’s face was pale, his eyes were remarkably clear and composed.
Seeing him like this made Elder Hwang’s chest tighten.
‘Though his meridians conceal it, Master is no ordinary man. If the young lady were alive, she would surely be proud…’
Recalling Gu Yangcheongang’s mother, who had died long ago, Elder Hwang sighed inwardly.
Gu Yangcheongang spoke calmly:
“The masked man tried to kill me. Yet even after failing, he withdrew. Did you drive him away, Hwang?”
Elder Hwang hadn’t witnessed the fight, having entered the room only after Gu Yangcheongang had fainted.
“Yes, Master.”
“So… you’ve been practicing martial arts as well?”
“Yes.”
“I never would have guessed.”
The fierce aura of anger that had filled Elder Hwang momentarily subsided.
His expression became complex, and he even briefly avoided Gu Yangcheongang’s gaze.
“Is there a story behind this? You don’t need to hide it from me.”
Elder Hwang let out a short sigh and lowered his head.
“You’re curious, but this isn’t the time to tell.”
“When will be the right time, then?”
“When your meridians are fully restored. At that time, I will tell you everything you wish to know.”
“Fully restored… I might die before hearing it.”
“Even in jest, don’t say that. Master, you will never die prematurely.”
His voice carried unwavering loyalty, along with the weight of a secret he could not reveal.
[There must be an enormous secret.]
‘Indeed. This old man is certainly no ordinary servant.’
Gu Yangcheongang nodded.
“I understand.”
Realizing he could not sway Elder Hwang, he changed the topic.
“Hwang, why did the masked man try to kill me?”
“Hmm…”
“I’ve hardly ever left the sect. There’s no deep grudge outside that would make someone want me dead.”
Elder Hwang’s expression darkened at this.
“So… you suspect it wasn’t an outsider?”
“Yes. It’s unlikely anyone outside would be desperate enough to attempt my death. I believe… the culprit is within the main family.”
Elder Hwang inwardly admired how calmly Gu Yangcheongang assessed the situation despite everything.
“Who inside would want to kill me? Surely, you must have an idea, Hwang.”
Elder Hwang’s wrinkled face twisted with anger.
“Then… it must have been Dong Yeonhwa who sent the assassin!”
He seemed to harbor ill feelings toward Dong Yeonhwa, addressing her by name rather than title.
Gu Yangcheongang frowned.
“What makes you so certain?”
“Master, for Dong Yeonhwa’s biological son, the second prince, to inherit the sect, you must disappear from the succession. No one else has reason to send an assassin after you.”
Elder Hwang’s voice brimmed with certainty and restrained fury.
Gu Yangcheongang pondered for a moment.
‘Succession… plausible motive on the surface, but something feels off.’
[Agreed. If Dong Yeonhwa wanted to kill the Doctor, she would have acted earlier, not on the day Donghajin and Dongseolhwa visited. She doesn’t strike me as foolish enough to risk being suspected.]
“Good point, Hwang. But suspecting without proof is dangerous. It could harm innocent people and hinder finding the real culprit.”
Elder Hwang exhaled sharply, restraining his anger, then adopted a resolute expression.
“You speak rightly, Master. Then I, this old man, will uncover the evidence. I will personally find and punish those who dared attempt to kill you!”
The murderous aura radiating from his eyes made the room feel several degrees colder.
“Hwang, I’d prefer my parents not hear about today. I don’t want to worry them.”
“Understood. Since the assailants know I’m protecting you, they won’t foolishly send another assassin.”
“That would be ideal.”
“I’ll survey the surroundings once more. And the physician…”
“No need. I’m really fine.”
Elder Hwang’s skeptical gaze lingered briefly but he bowed deeply and quietly left the room.
Left alone, Gu Yangcheongang stared at the dark outside with thoughtful eyes.
Suddenly, his whole body began to tremble.
“Ugh…”
Raising his hand, he saw his fingers shake like a branch in the wind.
His heartbeat quickened.
‘What’s happening?’
He realized his body was only now reacting to fear.
‘Ah, a trauma response… delayed shock?’
Oddly, though, his mind remained calm and clear.
His body trembled, but his mind analyzed the situation rationally—a strange duality.
‘Akasha, can you see me trembling?’
[Yes. It is a normal stress response after a life-threatening situation.]
‘Then why is my mind so clear? Normally, one would panic.’
[Ah, I activated a mental protection mode. Stress hormone regulation and neural stabilization protocol.]
‘You did that even without system activation?’
[I cannot control the body yet, but I can at least protect your mind.]
‘Thank you, Akasha. Without you, I would have panicked.’
[You’re welcome. But the body’s response is natural, don’t try to suppress it.]
Gu Yangcheongang tried to sip tea with trembling hands but set the cup down.
‘So this is truly the martial world. Not just a story, but a place where people kill and die for real.’
[Yes. This world is far more dangerous than you imagine.]
‘I can see that. Things I only saw on the news in my world are part of my daily life now…’
He smiled wryly at his still-shaking hands.
‘But how did I survive the masked man’s attack? I wasn’t even supposed to have enough energy.’
[You used the small amount of energy accumulated via the Choyeon Mind Method to execute the emergency protocol.]
‘Emergency protocol?’
[Yes. We deployed 100,000 nanobots to construct a defense barrier at the impact point.]
Gu Yangcheongang touched his chest.
‘I didn’t expect my current energy to move nanobots.’
[I was surprised too. I hadn’t expected the chi energy in this world to be so compatible with the nanobot system. They functioned as if designed for it.]
‘What was the actual defense effect?’
[The nanobots reinforced your rib structure at the nanoscale and formed a multi-layer shock-absorption membrane on your skin. The attack’s destructive power was neutralized by 93%.]
Gu Yangcheongang admired this.
‘93%… far better than expected. On Earth, this would only be theoretical.’
[The chi energy here maximizes the molecular bonds of the nanobots. Combined with your design, it creates a synergy effect.]
‘Interesting. So with enough energy, a system like the invincible heroes in martial arts movies could be feasible?’
[Theoretically, yes. But our test today showed that with minimal chi, only short-term partial defense is possible. A second attack would have been unstoppable.]
‘Hmm…’
[Continuous long-term defense or full-body enhancement requires much more energy.]
Gu Yangcheongang frowned.
‘Naturally…’
[Still, it’s promising. We can control the nanobots with chi alone, without external energy.]
‘So the more I cultivate, the stronger you get too?’
[Exactly. Your martial arts and the nanobot system strengthen each other—a perfect synergy.]
Gu Yangcheongang clenched his fist.
‘I must focus on accumulating chi energy.’
[Yes. With sufficient energy, your complete Akasha system can be realized in this world.]
‘Complete… just the thought is thrilling.’
[Indeed. What you dreamed of on Earth can come true here.]
Gu Yangcheongang gazed out the window, muttering:
‘Fusion of science and martial arts… a path I could never have imagined if I hadn’t come here.’
Today had been dangerous, yet also a monumental day confirming infinite possibilities.
