Chapter 50
The Aftermath of Charisma (3)
[You have to dig broadly from the edges—!]
[The fine roots must not be damaged. Do you understand? Otherwise, the effect will be halved—!]
[Slowly. That’s it. Exactly like that.]
[See the moss around? Take a handful and wrap it around the ginseng like you’re protecting it.]
Kang Yong-woon followed the elders’ advice from Gungchang faithfully.
“Oh, wow! Amazing—!”
For the first time, seeing a century-old wild ginseng up close, its precious form felt even more striking.
“The trunk is much bigger than my thumb! Including the roots, it’s over a foot long, elder.”
[Heh heh heh. That’s because it’s easily over a hundred years old.]
Kang Yong-woon licked his lips.
Since this was his first time encountering such a ginseng, he was curious how to extract its medicinal properties to the fullest.
The elders at Gungchang explained everything as if they already knew he would ask.
[It would be best to refine it into a medicinal elixir, but the situation doesn’t allow for that, so you’ll have to use the ginseng itself as medicine.]
[It’s best to boil it and take it directly.]
[Place the decoction pot over charcoal and gradually add water, simmering it for six sijin (roughly six hours). Only then can you fully extract its medicinal properties.]
Ah, got it.
“I understand, elder. Charcoal, decoction pot, add water gradually, six sijin.”
But… where could he do that?
[Go fifteen ri (roughly six kilometers) to the left from here—!]
That meant there was a place there with the tools to extract the ginseng’s medicinal properties.
“Understood, elder.”
Snap. Paah-ong.
Excited, Kang Yong-woon immediately activated his divine technique and ran full speed toward the location the elders had pointed out.
When he arrived, he found a slash-and-burn villagers’ settlement.
But something felt off.
There were only three households, and there was no sign of life—only silence.
“Is anyone here?!”
He entered one of the houses and called for the owner.
No response.
“Is anyone here?!”
He shouted again, louder this time, but still no answer.
“This feels strange…”
He cautiously opened the door.
Inside, a young man, a woman, and a child lay motionless, as if dead.
“Oh no—!”
Had something happened to them?
Kang Yong-woon hurried inside and checked the man’s pulse with his fingers.
“Thank goodness, elders. The pulse is still there. They’re alive—all of them.”
He informed the Gungchang elders, but for some reason, there was no response.
Regardless, Kang Yong-woon went outside and checked the remaining houses.
“Hah—! Same here?!”
All the households were filled with patients.
Their breathing was barely noticeable. It seemed obvious that, if left like this, they would gradually waste away and die.
Kang Yong-woon felt utterly defeated.
“Huh—! What should I do?”
He had only come to borrow a decoction pot and brew some ginseng…
“Right. The ginseng!”
He thought of the century-old wild ginseng in his arms.
“Could this…?!”
Could it save them?
At the same time, he felt a selfish desire to consume it himself and increase his internal power.
He paused for a moment.
Should I just ignore them and eat it myself?
Or should I give it to them, sacrificing my own gain, to save them?
Unless one is a Buddha, such a dilemma is unavoidable.
“Ah, whatever.”
After a brief moment of hesitation, Kang Yong-woon made his choice.
“Let’s save them—!”
All three households.
He entered the kitchen of the first house.
A decoction pot?
There was nothing like that.
In a remote mountain village, what decoction pot would there be?!
“The other houses will be the same, right?!”
Kang Yong-woon decided to just use a regular pot as a decoction pot.
He poured in all the water that someone had drawn in the inner jar and lit a fire.
“First, let’s add the ginseng.”
Somehow, the water felt too much.
“It would be good to add some additional herbs to boost the effect…”
He quickly scanned the surroundings.
Since these were mountain villagers, they likely had placed herbs there to try and heal the sick.
“As expected. There’s something here—!”
He discovered several small bags of herbs hanging under the eaves.
“The question is which ones to use to create a synergistic effect that benefits the patients.”
The elders at Gungchang, who had been silent until now, suddenly began giving advice.
[That one, child. That’s licorice.]
[See the dried herb next to it? That’s astragalus. Using it with the ginseng will create a synergistic effect.]
[Isn’t there a fragrant herb nearby? That’s angelica. It’ll also be good to use together.]
If the elders said it was good, there was no reason to hesitate.
He collected all visible licorice, astragalus, and angelica from the three households.
“Okay, the water’s boiling—!”
He threw everything into the pot.
Including the century-old ginseng.
[You need to control the heat too. If it boils too vigorously, the medicinal properties will be ruined, child.]
[That’s why decoctions are slowly simmered over charcoal in an apothecary.]
[Reduce the heat, child. A bit more. Stop. Perfect now. Heh heh heh.]
Kang Yong-woon spent the time under the elders’ scolding.
Hours passed.
“Who’s there?!”
An elderly voice called from outside.
“Oh! Just a passerby. It looked like there were many patients, so I’m brewing some medicinal decoction with the herbs I had.”
Kang Yong-woon quickly explained the situation, worried he might startle them.
“What a blessing!”
The shabby-looking old man entered the kitchen with tears in his eyes.
“My son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild were on the brink today and tomorrow. Thank you, benefactor—!”
“Benefactor? I’m not sure if this will even help them!”
Of course, he hoped it would.
But he was not a doctor; he couldn’t guarantee anything.
“It cannot be helped, benefactor. Everything is the will of Heaven. Just as we may search the mountains and fail to find a single ginseng root, it is also Heaven’s will.”
The old man’s voice was hollow, as if he had let go of many things.
After six sijin of simmering, the decoction—thick enough that the herbs almost lost their shape—was carefully strained and distributed to the patients.
‘I hope this really works.’
He wiped the sweat from the child’s forehead and stayed up through the night.
Finally, morning came.
A miracle happened.
“Who’s big brother?!”
The child, who had seemed dead the entire night, opened their eyes and asked about Kang Yong-woon.
“Oh, my little one—!”
The old man rushed over, tears streaming, and hugged the child tightly.
From that moment, it began.
The child’s parents and all the patients from the three households gradually opened their eyes and got up.
‘Thank goodness. Really.’
Kang Yong-woon quietly stepped outside.
He felt no need for flattery and distanced himself from the mountain village.
[Heh heh heh. It was an epidemic, but the ginseng was enough to overcome it.]
[It’s over 150 years old, so the medicinal properties were sufficient. Heh heh heh.]
The talk of the epidemic didn’t reach Kang Yong-woon’s ears.
‘One-fifty years?’
The news that the ginseng he had dug was 150 years old struck him with new weight.
[Heh heh heh. Why? Do you regret it now?]
Ah, would he not regret it?
Kang Yong-woon nearly shouted out loud.
‘Still, I don’t regret it.’
That was true as well.
-
“Who’s big brother?!”
Thinking of the child’s clear, curious eyes and the old man crying while hugging the child, he felt nothing but pride.
“After digging the ginseng, you sent me to the villagers on purpose and then say that?!”
Kang Yong-woon pouted.
It felt like he was being teased.
[Heh heh heh. I did send you on purpose.]
[Didn’t you ask? How do you fully extract the medicinal properties? Six sijin simmering and the mountain village was the answer.]
[After that, everything was your choice.]
[So, do you ask now? Do you regret it? Heh heh heh.]
He felt both deceived and tested…
Should he be angry?
Or rejoice at passing the test?
The situation was ambiguous, but Kang Yong-woon could answer clearly.
“I don’t regret it.”
[Heh heh heh. That’s fine.]
[Now, let’s go. It’s your turn.]
[Let’s get you some good stuff. Don’t you want to increase your internal power quickly? Heh heh heh.]
“Yes, elders—!”
Excited, Kang Yong-woon activated his divine technique in the direction the elders had indicated.
Meanwhile, changes were happening in the Dang family.
Despite the events involving Chil-suk and the heresy, the direct and collateral branches grew closer.
-
We are one. The direct branch is the collateral, and the collateral is the direct.
Thanks to the head’s declaration.
No bloody purges occurred, and the direct branch took on the tougher tasks.
The previously lingering fear, jealousy, and resentment gradually melted away like spring snow.
‘Heh! Do this too much and you’ll ruin your body.’
‘Just let me handle it. I’ve lived enough. Ah, even if entrusted, I’m fine—!’
The distinction between tough and easy tasks disappeared.
They began helping each other.
Reassured, Dokjon and Head Dang Se-hwang began training to reach the true state of a supreme ruler.
They tried to push their bodies to the limit with toxic elixirs, seeking to reach the level of “poison mastery.”
However…
Day after day…
Dang Gun-woo and Dang Se-hwang’s expressions grew darker.
What on earth was happening?
Had the control been lost?
Were they being attacked internally again by the uncontrolled poisons?
“Ah, Father.”
On the seventh day, Dang Se-hwang called Dang Gun-woo with a worried expression.
“Ahem. What is it?”
Dang Gun-woo, who had been with him in the toxic chamber, responded with equal concern.
“Oh? Father, your expression…?”
Dang Se-hwang trailed off, sensing something.
Quickly, he identified with Dang Gun-woo and asked,
“Doesn’t it also not move well for you?”
“Ahem. You’re like me…”
Dang Gun-woo nodded solemnly, revealing his state.
“It doesn’t move well. No, it moves well.”
“Right?! It doesn’t move well, yet it moves well, right?!”
“Yes—!”
What on earth did that mean?
Not moving well, yet moving well?!
Dang Se-hwang sighed and explained the problem he faced.
“This damn poison only moves according to my will if certain words are spoken to it.”
“Ha… same here. It’s so stubborn, it doesn’t follow my will at all. But surprisingly, if certain words are spoken, it moves well.”
Their eyes met in the air.
A shared struggle.
At the same time, they spoke those “certain words.”
“Oh, good boy—!”
“Oh, so pretty—!”
Whoosh… whoooosh.
As soon as they said those words aloud, the poison within the chamber stirred.
It was cheering, thinking they were being praised.
“Damn it—!”
“Curses.”
After a round of heavy swearing, their eyes met in the air again.
“Until a knife is at our necks, let’s not use this in battle, son.”
“Yes, Father.”
Dang Gun-woo’s suggestion was met with Dang Se-hwang’s agreement, as if he could sign it in blood.
