Ch. 57
"Name, Jong Seojun, age, approaching sixty next year, and is famous for having a good reputation among his subordinates..."
Cheon Myeong was sitting still and listening to Hong Yeorin's words.
However, as if he didn't like something, Cheon Myeong cut off Hong Yeorin's words in the middle.
"That kind of information is enough, tell me about Jong Seojun's son."
Jong Seojun's grudge against Cheon Myeong was related to his son.
Although it seemed that Hong Yeorin had investigated Jong Seojun in quite detail, what Cheon Myeong wanted to hear was, after all, why Jong Seojun had a grudge against him, and about his son, who seemed to be the direct cause.
"I understand."
"..."
"Jong Seojun has a son who is just about ten years old. His name is... Jong Shingeon."
"Is that his only child?"
"Yes. He has only one late-born child whom he had around the age of fifty."
A late-born child at that age... it is natural that it becomes more difficult to have a child as one gets older than when one is young.
Moreover, around the age of fifty, the thought of having a child almost disappears.
But a child born in such a situation, even a hedgehog loves its own young, so how beautiful would a child born in old age be?
Just by hearing this, he could tell that Jong Seojun's affection for his son was quite deep.
'So I've ruined the life of such a precious child...'
Although Cheon Myeong still did not know what he had done wrong.
If that was true, it seemed natural for even Jong Seojun, who was famous for being benevolent, to be angry at him.
"That son... he's alive, right?"
Cheon Myeong asked cautiously.
Until now, he had only known the fact that he had ruined Jong Shingeon's life, but he did not know for sure whether he was alive or dead.
If one were to interpret the words 'ruined his life' in another sense, couldn't it be interpreted as having killed him?
There is nothing one can do about a person who is already dead.
If it was really such a situation, it might have been irreversible now.
"What? Of course he's alive."
Phew-.
That's a relief.
But still, there is room to restore the relationship.
As Cheon Myeong thought so inwardly and let out a sigh of relief, Hong Yeorin continued to speak.
"But it can't be said that he is living a normal life."
At that moment, Cheon Myeong's two eyes widened slightly.
'That's it.'
It can't be said that he is living a normal life.
Cheon Myeong had a strong feeling that he would be able to find the answer he was looking for in the part that Hong Yeorin had just said.
"Tell me more about that part."
"Jong Seojun's son... so Jong Shingeon has a long-standing chronic illness."
"..."
"That chronic illness is called Blood Death Disease, and it is a rare disease that one is born with and whose symptoms appear later."
As soon as he heard those words, a slight light flashed in Cheon Myeong's eyes.
But as if it were too early to be sure, he decided to listen to Hong Yeorin's words a little more.
"You must have investigated Blood Death Disease as well, right?"
"Yes, I did order an investigation, but since it is such a rare disease, I couldn't find out in much detail..."
"Just tell me what you've heard."
"...I understand."
Hong Yeorin answered and recalled what she had heard from her subordinate about Blood Death Disease.
"Blood Death Disease is not a contagious disease, so it is not transmitted to someone later in life. The exact cause has not yet been revealed, but it is a disease that only a very small number of people get from birth."
"..."
"When they are born, they are fine as if there are no symptoms, but as time passes, the symptoms appear."
"What kind of symptoms?"
"When the symptoms break out, the blood in the body becomes insufficient. As a result, anemia often occurs, and if left in that state, it eventually leads to death."
This is not it.
Hong Yeorin had not yet said the answer he wanted.
"Well, up to this point, it can be solved with a prescription, but... the problem is elsewhere."
"What is it?"
"People who have Blood Death Disease and whose symptoms have broken out have a body that is rapidly weaker than a normal person. I don't know if it's because of that, but they get sick easily."
"..."
"And the biggest problem is that even a simple disease can be fatal to a person with Blood Death Disease."
This is it.
It seemed that he would be able to find the answer he wanted from those words just now, Cheon Myeong thought.
"That means... even a cold can be a fatal disease to a person with Blood Death Disease?"
"That would be so."
"..."
"So most patients with Blood Death Disease die from other diseases rather than the symptoms I mentioned earlier."
A body that can die even from a cold.
Certainly, if one had such a body, that person's life could be said to be ruined.
And judging from the circumstances, it seemed highly likely that Jong Shingeon's symptoms had already broken out.
"Jong Shingeon... that child's symptoms must have already broken out, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Since when?"
"Around the age of six... so it would have been about four years ago."
"Four years...?"
Four years... Cheon Myeong had something that came to mind around that time.
'Isn't that around the time I fell into Qi Deviation?'
It was probably right.
The memory of being on the verge of life and death after falling into Qi Deviation around that time and miraculously surviving was still vivid in his mind.
And he had become a body without a handful of internal energy and had been struggling that year, and in the end, he had been kicked out of the main headquarters.
It was a memory that he could not forget even if he tried.
'I don't know if it's a coincidence, but the time I fell into Qi Deviation and the time the symptoms of Blood Death Disease broke out overlap.'
It is a coincidence that feels somewhat suspicious.
However, it felt like one piece was still missing to confirm something.
Cheon Myeong decided to focus on finding that piece from now on.
"...Do you know anything else about Blood Death Disease?"
"Hmm... since Blood Death Disease is such a rare disease, there is no proper treatment for it at present."
"..."
"But there is one way."
"A way... a treatment?"
She had just said that there was no treatment, but that there was one way.
Since Hong Yeorin's tone sounded as if there was a treatment, Cheon Myeong had asked.
"It's a bit much to call this a treatment, but... there is a treatment at the time when the symptoms of Blood Death Disease have just broken out."
"Is it a treatment that can only be used at the time when the symptoms have broken out?"
"Yes, it is a treatment that is only effective within half a day after the symptoms have broken out... but in reality, it is not of much help."
It is unknown when the symptoms of Blood Death Disease will appear.
The symptoms may appear as soon as one is born, or they may not appear until one dies; that is Blood Death Disease.
That's why a treatment that is only effective within half a day after the symptoms appear is not helpful to the patient unless one is really lucky.
How can one know when the symptoms will appear and have a doctor on standby at all times?
Well, if one is really rich, it might be different, but generally...
'...Wait, isn't it possible for Jong Shingeon?'
Isn't Jong Shingeon's father Jong Seojun?
Moreover, Jong Seojun is a person who is well-versed in medicine, to the point where he is called 'Healing Hand, Curing Words'.
Since such a person is his father, Jong Shingeon would have been unintentionally placed in an environment where a doctor was always by his side.
Since there was no way Jong Seojun would not know that his son had Blood Death Disease, he would have been constantly watching his son's condition carefully.
'But still, Jong Shingeon's symptoms have already broken out?'
Something is strange.
Cheon Myeong asked Hong Yeorin to add more flesh to the thought that had suddenly come to him.
"That treatment... what happens if it is used on a patient within half a day after the symptoms have broken out?"
"The symptom of insufficient blood will remain the same, but at least it can prevent the immunity from dropping and getting other diseases easily."
"In other words, after that, one doesn't have to worry about dying from a cold anymore?"
"That's right."
The overall picture was beginning to be seen.
Cheon Myeong was able to infer the reason why Jong Seojun had come to hate him based on the story he had heard from Hong Yeorin until now.
And also a way to resolve the grudge with Jong Seojun.
'But to do that, I'll probably have to use one of those...'
In order to resolve the grudge with Jong Seojun, it seemed that he would have to use one Hyeol-su-yu as a price.
Of course, he had four Hyeol-su-yu, but it was a matter that he already knew without having to say how great the value of one was.
Moreover, he did not yet know how many Hyeol-su-yu would be used to make a Poison Transformation Pill.
Since the number of Hyeol-su-yu used is determined by the toxicity of the deadly poison used as an ingredient, it seemed that he would be able to know the exact number only when he started manufacturing it himself.
That's why, if he used one to resolve the grudge with Jong Seojun and later, the Hyeol-su-yu to be used for the Poison Transformation Pill became insufficient... that would be a situation where the guest becomes the host.
'...I can't help it.'
In the end, Cheon Myeong decided to use one Hyeol-su-yu.
Perhaps three Hyeol-su-yu would be enough for the poison of a Black-spotted Python.
And if he were to create a debt with Jong Seojun in the future, it seemed that there would be many good points for him in many ways.
'If you are slapped on the left cheek, you should also offer the right cheek.'
Although he couldn't remember exactly where he had heard those words, Cheon Myeong's situation was like that now.
Since he was trying to help a guy who had made him wait in front of the gate for three hours and had not even apologized but had told him not to come again, if this was not a saint, what was it?
Even thinking about it himself, he seemed to be really kind.
Of course, there was another ulterior motive behind it, but he decided to just let go of such trivial parts.
'But there is one problem.'
Jong Seojun had even told him not to come to see him anymore.
But would he entrust his son to him like that?
Before he could get permission for that, it was uncertain whether he would meet him again.
'Hmm...'
A situation that was truly a series of mountains.
While Cheon Myeong was worrying about that, Hong Yeorin cautiously spoke to him, watching his expression.
"Well... Young Master."
"Huh?"
"If you wish, shall I conduct a more detailed investigation on Blood Death Disease?"
"No, that's enough. It's enough now."
Since he had learned the cause and the alternative, there was no need to hear any more information.
"I was wondering if the information was insufficient and not helpful..."
"No, it was very helpful."
"Then I'm glad."
"..."
"..."
Ah.
He had been wondering why this woman was like this, but looking at her, her expression was very similar to that of a dog waiting for food after performing a trick.
'Is she asking for a price because it was helpful?'
And the only price Hong Yeorin wanted was Body Enhancement Pill.
However, Cheon Myeong had asked her to get information, but he had never told Hong Yeorin that he would give her Body Enhancement Pill as a price.
So there was no reason to give it to her... no, his thoughts changed.
"Ah, I have to give you a reward."
As Cheon Myeong said that slyly, Hong Yeorin's face brightened and she looked at Cheon Myeong.
"But not yet."
"What?"
"You'll have to do one more thing. Then I'll give you what you want as a price."
"But..."
"It's a simple task. Did you really think you would get a Body Enhancement Pill for just this?"
As Cheon Myeong had said, this was not a very difficult task.
In terms of difficulty, the task he had entrusted to her before was much more difficult.
But still, she had tried to get away with it, but it seemed that she could not deceive Cheon Myeong's eyes.
"I understand... what is the task?"
"It's simple."
Cheon Myeong said with a grin.
"You'll have to go somewhere with me."
(End of Chapter)