HDCLSSRS Ch 68

Chapter 68 Antidote (2)

“…You bastard.”

“Don’t fight…”

Seong Muyeon muttered weakly with his eyes closed. Even without seeing, he could tell that Baek Ryeoil and Ilgwang were glaring daggers at each other.

At those words, footsteps were heard as Ilgwang turned away abruptly and walked off.

Regrettably, he wasn’t in a position to care about who was fighting whom. Having felt on the verge of freezing to death on the cold stone floor, Seong Muyeon was sincerely grateful for Baek Ryeoil’s warm body.

Seong Muyeon laid his head on Baek Ryeoil’s arm and buried his face where his heart was.

‘It would be nice if they could just get along…’

Perhaps because of how they first met, or because they belonged to opposing factions, Baek Ryeoil and Ilgwang growled at each other whenever their eyes met. It was probably a mix of both.

Even if the world were to split in two, it was impossible to imagine Baek Ryeoil and Ilgwang having a pleasant conversation with smiles on their faces.

After a short rest, they set off again before the morning dew had even fallen. When Ilgwang naturally approached Seong Muyeon, Baek Ryeoil intervened.

“Come here.”

Seong Muyeon furrowed his brows.

“What is that gesture?”

Baek Ryeoil was curling his fingers toward Seong Muyeon like one would beckon a puppy.

“I’m much faster than that guy.”

“That may be true, but…”

“That’s enough, Seventh Young Master. Don’t listen to what that man says. I will serve you.”

Ilgwang reached out his arm, but Baek Ryeoil quickly approached and smacked it away. Then, not wanting to lose the lead, he lifted Seong Muyeon by the thighs and took the front with a triumphant air.

They arrived at Mount Daebyeol, where the fog lay thick. Just before entering Herbal Sage’s laboratory, Seong Muyeon spoke to Ilgwang.

“Ilgwang, wait here. The Black Shadow Corps too.”

“Excuse me?”

“Herbal Sage hates the Demonic Cult.”

“……”

Herbal Sage despised the Demonic Cult. Of course, there wasn’t anyone in the martial world who liked the Demonic Cult, but in terms of sheer intensity of hatred, Herbal Sage rivaled even the original Baek Ryeoil.

“Control your behavior, even your posture. Absolutely, under no circumstances are you to cause a disturbance here. Act with proper manners.”

He warned Baek Ryeoil several times. Ideally, he would have liked to leave Baek Ryeoil behind too, but in case things went wrong, he needed at least one shield. Seong Muyeon was technically also part of the Demonic Cult.

“Why so serious?”

“Please. The antidote is important, but this person might be the only one who can create the medicine that will save my life.”

Because of his earnest plea, Baek Ryeoil didn’t argue any further.

“Especially! No violence.”

“I said I got it.”

In the original story, Baek Ryeoil’s martial prowess had matured to such a superhuman level that he couldn’t be challenged even with a single punch, but he wasn’t quite there yet.

Knock, knock.

Seong Muyeon politely knocked on the door.

“Who is it…?”

From inside the door came the languid voice of a young boy.

“I came hoping to see Herbal Sage.”

“For what purpose…?”

The boy’s tone was very polite, but it felt dreamy and otherworldly.

“I’ve been poisoned and was hoping to obtain an antidote.”

“Please come in…”

Creak.

The wooden door, thick with moss, slowly opened.

Though rumors spread that Herbal Sage had severed ties with the secular world and disappeared, in truth, he had not exactly hidden himself. He simply drew a strict line from martial affairs. He wandered the Central Plains, offering help to those in need and never turning away visitors at his door. Any ordinary civilian could meet Herbal Sage.

A bright expression came to Seong Muyeon’s face.

‘At last, I’m meeting Herbal Sage.’

The first thing that entered his view was the sight of the room filled with all sorts of items. At a glance, it looked chaotic and cluttered, yet oddly, it also gave off a sense of comforting stability.

The quiet laboratory, built from dark wood, was rather dim inside, but the warm sunlight streaming through windows placed throughout gently heated the air.

Four or five boys and girls wearing animal-shaped masks paused their tasks and turned to look at the two who had entered. As Seong Muyeon swayed his body side to side, their gazes followed him as if nailed in place.

Seong Muyeon felt a bit of a chill, but he didn’t show it and instead smiled. Then he nudged the side of Baek Ryeoil, who stood idly by.

“Smile.”

“What?”

“I said, smile.”

Seong Muyeon whispered through gritted teeth, forcing a cheerful expression. But Baek Ryeoil wasn’t someone who would comply so easily.

“I don’t want to.”

“…Do you see those masked attendants? You mustn’t offend them. They’re like Herbal Sage’s cherished limbs. If you so much as irk them, Herbal Sage won’t give you even a scrap of bandage.”

“……”

Although displeased, Baek Ryeoil forced a smile. Only then did the attendants turn their heads and resume their tasks.

“You said you were poisoned…?”

The attendant wearing an owl mask, who had opened the door, asked in a dreamy and languid tone. Seong Muyeon nodded.

“Do you… know what kind of poison it is…?”

“I’m not sure. I doubt the master would know either. Someone told me it was a newly concocted poison.”

“Shall we take a look then…”

With a voice that sounded like it could sap anyone’s energy, the attendant murmured and sought permission. Seong Muyeon sat in the chair he indicated and extended his arm.

The attendant examined his pulse. Seeing this, Baek Ryeoil grumbled.

“What does a kid know about pulse reading?”

At that, the attendant snapped his head toward Baek Ryeoil and glared. Though his face was hidden by the mask, that was the clear impression he gave.

Baek Ryeoil flinched and pretended not to notice, whistling nonchalantly.

Fortunately, the owl-masked attendant soon turned his attention back to the examination. After a short while, he withdrew his hand.

“Certainly… We don’t have… an antidote for this poison either.”

“Yes. I know. But if we can’t neutralize it, I’ll die. Where is Herbal Sage?”

“Herbal Sage is currently away… Once the master goes out, they don’t return for months at a time…”

Though disappointed, Seong Muyeon had expected as much and kept a smile on his face.

“Any medicine will do. Isn’t there something worth trying? This poison flows through the meridians and transforms internal energy into poisonous energy.”

“Hmm…”

The owl-masked attendant propped his chin in thought, then slowly lifted his head.

“That medicine… might work…”

The owl-masked one asked for permission and disappeared behind a bookshelf. It seemed Herbal Sage’s medicine storage was located there.

“…Isn’t this place strange?”

Baek Ryeoil muttered in a low voice, glancing around.

“Are those kids even alive?”

“They’re walking and talking, so what else would they be?”

Though he said that, Seong Muyeon didn’t know either. What lay beneath their masks? Were they truly alive? The attendant’s fingers, which touched him during the examination, were so cold it gave him chills.

But no one had ever dared to touch the attendants or forcibly remove their masks. What good would come from incurring Herbal Sage’s wrath in a time of war? Everyone simply assumed that’s just how things were.

“Are you sure there’s an antidote here? Wouldn’t it be better to go find Herbal Sage directly? Show the symptoms and ask for a proper prescription. How can we find it like this?”

Seong Muyeon shook his head.

“Don’t underestimate Herbal Sage.”

Though he couldn’t explain it to Baek Ryeoil, Seong Muyeon knew the antidote was here. Herbal Sage often made all kinds of medicines as a hobby, and they sometimes had unexpected effects.

That’s how medicine worked. While developing one thing, it could unexpectedly prove effective for another condition. The antidote to Jeungseodok was one such example.

It had been created for a different purpose, but by chance, it turned out to be a special remedy for Jeungseodok. And that medicine had already been developed and was surely somewhere in this laboratory. It was something that, in the original story, Baek Ryeoil had come across by lying around in this lab.

“Try drinking this medicine…”

The owl-masked attendant brought over a small bottle and handed it over. Seong Muyeon was about to drink it without suspicion, but Baek Ryeoil snatched it away first.

“You’re just going to gulp it down without even knowing what it is?”

“It’s from Herbal Sage.”

“So what? You think he’s some kind of real immortal? And that kid’s not even Herbal Sage.”

Perhaps sensing Baek Ryeoil’s disrespectful attitude, the owl-masked one stood stiffly without a word. It was impossible to tell what expression he wore beneath the mask.

Worried that the attendant might be offended, Seong Muyeon quickly spoke up.

“Oh dear, master! That’s not it! Of course, we trust you! We absolutely trust you! Please don’t mind him. He’s been through a lot in this harsh world, so he’s just overly suspicious. He means no harm.”

The owl-masked one slowly nodded.

Relieved, Seong Muyeon snatched back the bottle and drank it in one go. But there was no effect.

“I don’t think this is the one.”

“…Does it feel like your hair is growing… by any chance?”

“No.”

“Hmm…”

It seemed to be a tonic originally intended to treat hair loss.

The owl-masked one disappeared again behind the shelf and returned with another bottle. He kept tilting his head curiously.

“Maybe this one…?”

“What kind of medicine is it?”

“It’s a medicine Herbal Sage made for athlete’s foot…”

Ugh.

“It’s not effective for athlete’s foot, but… it does have a cleansing effect on poisonous energy… Would you like to try it?”