Chapter 1618: Bracing Oneself For The End (Part 3)

"Please get up. Your bandages need changing."

Namgung Dowi, lying down with bandages wrapped around his whole body, glanced around with a slightly uneasy and uncomfortable expression.

"Um, are there... any other doctors available?"

"Why? Is there a problem?"

"It's just that... I didn't realize it was Sojeo who was attending to me..." [not sure, sojeo maybe = 'soldier' or 'martial artist sir' ?]

"It's not Sojeo, it's Dojang."

"Yes, Dojang. I feel somewhat sorry for troubling a person in charge of important matters with such a trivial matter..."

"I'm the least occupied person here right now, so stop the nonsense and get up."

"...Yes."

Namgung Dowi raised his upper body. Tang Soso skillfully removed the dirty bandages and began wrapping new ones. Namgung Dowi looked at her somewhat curiously. Tang Soso asked bluntly.

"What?"

"Well... you seem very skilled at this."

"... "

"Even though Namgung Family also has a medical hall, their chief doctor isn't as proficient as the Dojan... Ah!"

As Tang Soso pressed on his wound with an expressionless face, Namgung Dowi writhed on the bed like a squid on a hot pan. His face twisted in confusion and pain.

"W-What...!"

"Everything here has healed. Hm. Here..."

"W-Wait! You're not planning to poke me again, are you?"

"Why are you making such a fuss? The Sahyungs usually chatter nonsensically even when I stitch up their wounds bare-handed."

Namgung Dowi was momentarily speechless. He certainly acknowledged Tang Soso's skill. He had no choice but to. However, her character also had gained acknowledgment in a different sense.

'She didn't used to be like this before...'

Perhaps it was because they were the children of Namgung Family and Tang Family respectively, but they had some interaction in the past. However, the Tang Soso in his memory was so different from the one standing before him now, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were two completely separate people.

Of course, the most significant difference wasn't in character but in skill.

Honestly, Namgung Dowi hadn't expected Tang Soso to effortlessly take control with Chung Myung and Baek Cheon's absence. Of course, it was possible because of Chung Myung's shadow, but it would have been difficult without her own abilities.

Tang Soso carefully examined the wounds sewn with silk threads and nodded her head.

"They're healing well. You should be able to move a little from tomorrow."

"...Thank you."

"Oh, and..."

"Yes?"

"It's not that my skills are exceptional. It's just that I've had a lot of experience stitching wounds and caring for them. The Sahyungs think that the human body is like a rag doll that can be patched together with just a few stitches."

Well, that was true, but...

To Namgung Dowi, it seemed that Mount Hua Sect's extremity surpassed that of the Evil Sect in some ways. If anyone witnessed their battles, even the Demonic Cult Members would shake their heads.

During his recovery period, Namgung Dowi inquired about news he hadn't heard.

"How are things going?"

"The situation at the Su Lo Chae is almost cleared up now. Driving them out from Gangbuk will soon be finished."

As the story of the Su Lo Chae came up, Namgung Dowi's face subtly hardened.

"I still don't know if this was the right choice. If we were more prepared to sacrifice, we could have wiped them all out, so is it necessary to open a way for them?"

"If we don't open a way, we also have to be prepared for sacrifices."

"Hmm..."

"As I said, I'm a medic as well as a martial artist. What's most important to me is not killing more enemies but ensuring that fewer people die and get hurt."

Namgung Dowi nodded. He still didn't fully agree with Tang Soso's words. But he acknowledged that there was such a way of thinking. Not everyone's thoughts could be the same.

And truthfully, when examined coldly, that was why Namgung Dowi could lie here. If Tang Soso had insisted on sacrificing more and wiping out the Su Lo Chae, Namgung Dowi wouldn't have been able to take care of himself like this. Even if he got more wounds and eventually collapsed, he had to defend the battlefield.

'It's not easy.'

Sending Namgung Myung to Shaanxi and lying here like this, he couldn't suppress his anxiety. The anxiety that the Namgung's forces, of which each and every person was invaluable, might be sacrificed regardless of his intentions made Namgung Dowi unable to remain calm for a moment.

Fortunately, since the one in command of all this was Tang Soso, he could afford to stay put. If someone else had taken command, he wouldn't have dared to relax even this much.

'But this should be enough now...'

"Don't even think about it."

"...What do you mean?"

"Your external wounds have healed to some extent, but your internal injuries are still severe. If you overexert yourself now, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Surely you're not that foolish?"

Namgung Dowi chuckled hollowly.

"Even hearing that, I understand the situation isn't favorable. But it's somewhat unfair. Recklessly charging ahead without concern for injuries is Mount Hua's style, isn't it?"

"...That's difficult to deny, but Mount Hua's circumstances are different. Mount Hua's internal energy techniques are unparalleled in terms of protecting the body's stability. It's different from Namgung Family's martial arts centered around pressure points."

"Ah..."

"Of course, from a doctor's perspective, it's unreasonable for them to act recklessly without consideration."

Tang Soso sighed deeply as she neatly arranged the new bandage she held in her hand.

"And... If you're going to pay attention to something, wouldn't it be better to focus more on Shaanxi?"

"...Shaanxi? Is there something wrong?"

"There's no news yet."

"Then it's not a problem, is it?"

"That's exactly the problem."

"Yes?"

Namgung Dowi looked at Tang Soso with a puzzled expression. A worry flickered across Tang Soso's face.

"We suffered an unparalleled defeat, so given Chung Myung Sahyung's temperament, he would have already stirred up trouble. But the fact that he's still quiet... what could that mean?"

"Did he felt deeply moved by this incident and decided to act more cautiously?"

"It's the opposite. He probably thinks that he can't just let it go with something trivial, so he's considering making a big move. People like him can't stand half measures."

Namgung Dowi's mouth slowly fell open. Hearing it clearly, it seemed plausible.

"Then, is it really necessary for Dojang to be taking care of my body...?"

Although he was asking if she should quickly finish her work to go to Shaanxi, Tang Soso shook her head firmly in response.

"What nonsense are you talking? Work is work, and patients are patients. Doctors don't care for people with a goal in mind. Even if they're enemies that have fallen in front of you, you must treat them with sincerity. That's the mindset that a true doctor must possess. That's what I learned."

"..."

"The moment you deviate from your principles, you tend to lose your way."

"Does that path mean the Tao?"

"That's right."

For the first time, Tang Soso smiled softly.

"After all, I'm a Taoist too."

Namgung Dowi nodded slowly. And he thought again. Perhaps if he were the same as he was in the past, he wouldn't have understood Tang Soso's words. The Evil Sect were merely to be eradicated, so why would one insist on principles and righteousness before them?

But now, he understood Tang Soso's words.

If Namgung hadn't endured hardship. If he hadn't seen a larger world with Mount Hua, the Tang Family, even with Nokrim. If he hadn't known that the world he knew wasn't everything.

If that were the case, could Namgung Dowi truly understand what Tang Soso was saying now? If he had grown up within the lofty walls of Namgung, what kind of person would Namgung Dowi have become?

At least, he wouldn't have been able to live thinking as he did now. He would have lived like an arrogant frog in a well, always believing only his way was right.

Because his world, the Namgung Family, collapsed, Namgung Dowi could be here now.

The same wet for Tang Soso. If she had stayed within the closed Tang Family, the current Tang Soso wouldn't have existed anywhere in the world.

It was because the Mount Hua Sect broke down that barrier, crossing the boundary that shouldn't be crossed, that the two of them were here now.

"...Perhaps the key lies there."

"Pardon?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

Namgung Dowi shook his head. It was a somewhat embarrassing thing to say in front of others.

"Well, please heal me as soon as possible."

"Yes?"

"Because even if just for a day, I need to hurry to Shaanxi to assist Chung Myung Dojang."

As Namgung Dowi looked at her with a serious gaze, Tang Soso chuckled.

"Well, at least you seem to be feeling a bit better."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Before, you were truly unlucky."

"...Let's not dwell on the past, Dojang."

"Alright."

The two exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. They had reached a peaceful agreement not to delve into their dark history.

Then suddenly, Namgung Dowi asked a question that crossed his mind.

"But... what about Shaolin?"

"Ah... After driving out the Su Lo Chae from Hanam, they returned to Song Mountain. That was the original agreement."

"Hmm, and what about Hye Bang Sunim?"

"As for him..."

* * *

Sweep, sweep.

A long broom continuously swept away the falling autumn leaves.

Though the daily chore of sweeping never ceased, there was no sign of annoyance on Hye Bang's face. Despite knowing that he could quickly tidy up with his internal energy, he always persisted in sweeping.

Sometimes he thought, walking the path of enlightenment was akin to tending a courtyard.

No matter how thoroughly one swept, the effort didn't seem to show. But just one day of laziness would be evident.

Walking the path of enlightenment was much the same. No matter how diligently one progressed, enlightenment seemed elusive. Yet just one day of neglecting practice made one feel further from enlightenment.

Thus, it was a lifetime of endless practice.

In the midst of this practice, what was he truly seeking?

"Amitabha..."

Sweep, sweep.

After sweeping the last remaining leaves to the roadside, Hye Bang straightened his back. Now, the empty paths of Shaolin, where even visitors rarely tread anymore, came into view.

In that moment when the silence of Shaolin seeped into Hye Bang's eyes. His pupils slightly narrowed.

At the end of a path lined with red-tinged trees, a person had been standing for some time. Hye Bang was momentarily speechless.

It was Beopjeong. The solemn and dignified figure he saw when leaving Shaolin was nowhere to be found. Now, he appeared disheveled and insignificant. The last time they met, Beopjeong's eyes were filled with anger. But now, all he could sense from his eyes was deep exhaustion.

Staring silently at Beopjeong for a long time, Hye Bang finally spoke.

"You have returned, Bangjang."

After a long silence of the courtroom gazing at Hye Bang, he finally spoke with difficulty.

"Do you still... call me Bangjang?"

"Of course."

Hye Bang replied briefly, bowing slightly.

"Life is like a voyage without a compass. In its course, people always suffer and wander. Thus, they make mistakes and leave only regrets."

Hye Bang's eyes met Beopjeong's squarely.

"In a life filled with regrets, enlightenment is just a beacon. With that beacon, one can still move forward in the sea of regrets."

"Hye Bang."

"You were the one who told me those words, Bangjang."

"..."

"Welcome back, Bangjang. If you ever lose your way, the beacon of Bangjang will be here."

Beopjeong closed his eyes.

"Ah..."

As he was about to utter a chant, he shed a single tear. He had lost everything, but one thing remained. The path he had walked. And the path he must continue to walk.

"Ami...tabhul."

The Buddha. What weak and foolish humans desired and sought.

From that day on, Beopjeong entered seclusion without an indefinite duration.

Until the day he would once again find the beacon within himself that he had lost.