41 Chapter 40 (1/2)
”Isn't that a wolf?”
Yun Ha-seong nodded in response to Ok Hae-mi's question.
”It seems like it.”
In front of them stood an enormous white wolf, whose height was beyond that of an average person. The wolf's white coat was completely stained with blood.
The coat was so blood-drenched that it was difficult to identify its original colour.
”But...why is it here?”
Kang-hyuk pointed towards the wolf's behind.
”It's probably come here due to that.”
The highest concentration of blood was indeed in that particular place on its body. It seemed as though the wolf had somehow injured its leg, and so, dragged itself into the cave.
”There must be a reason why its leg is injured though…”
”What should we do?”
Yun Ha-seong drew his sword in response.
”Nothing else can be done. For the safety of the students, we're going to have to deal with the wolf.”
Kang-hyuk looked at the wolf. Whilst its life was being threatened, it was looking at him with a pitiful yet trembling gaze.
Therefore, he immediately set upon trying to dissuade Yun Ha-seong.
”Must you kill the wolf?”
”Why do you ask such a question? Aren't you aware that such a huge wolf would obviously pose a threat to the students?”
”I know, but it's currently in an injured condition. Judging by the severity of its injuries, and blood loss, it's unlikely that it could harm any of the students.”
”I guess….that's true.”
”It's not right to senselessly take life. Even though it is an animal that cannot speak, is it not precious life?”
”Then...what do you think we should do?”
”Let's dispatch it outside the cave.”
”Urm...…”
Yun Ha-seong dropped his sword as he thought over Kang-hyuk's suggestion.
”Fine. But seeing as you're insisting on it, you can dispatch the wolf outside the cave.”
”Don't worry about that.”
”In that case, Ok Seonsaeng and I will check the other end of the cave, so the wolf….”
”I'll deal with the wolf.”
”Will you really be okay with doing it on your own?”
Kang-hyuk nodded at Ok Hae-mi's concerned query. At his confident response, Ok Hae-mi and Yun Ha-seong then turned around to search the other end of the cave.
As the sound of their footsteps grew further and further away, Kang-hyuk looked at the wolf and asked.
”You aren't an ordinary wolf, are you?”
The wolf looked taken aback at Kang-hyuk's sudden question.
It had clearly understood Kang-hyuk. Just from that alone, it was clear that the wolf wasn't ordinary.
”An ordinary wolf wouldn't have such a powerful aura, but that's not why I saved your life.”
Kang-hyuk observed the wolf more closely.
”Your only good leg is the front leg on the right side. Your stomach and backside seem to be injured as well. But these wounds…they look like they've been inflicted by a sword.”
The wolf looked at him nervously.
”What on earth happened?”
”Well, I guess it's none of my business. I'll treat your injuries. Even if you're a spiritual animal, you're barely alive even with those wounds.”
Kang-hyuk removed the silver key to his warehouse from his sleeve. Within moments, a door appeared from thin air.
”To the third warehouse.”
The third warehouse contained medicines of all kinds, from elixirs, to poisons, and even healing medicines.
Whilst the weapons and artifacts found in the first warehouse had to be accessed by passing through various corridors, the items in the third warehouse simply manifested by speaking the name of the substance.
Kang-hyuk hurriedly took a few medicines from the warehouse.
The wolf was in shock at the unexpected scene.
”This is a secret, okay? I'll kill you if you say anything about this!”
The wolf's head drooped downwards as it sulked.
”I'm just joking.”
Kang-hyuk smiled, and then began to splash a liquid from a red bottle onto the wolf's body.
As the liquid was absorbed by the wolf's body, its injuries instantaneously began healing.
***
When Kang-hyuk was still a member of Kwaepungdae, there had been a fellow member that was part of the Mysterious Medicine Valley.
The Mysterious Medicine Valley was an organization whose values were completely opposite to that of the Dark Medicine Valley. As the name suggested, its ways were secretive.
Its members went around nursing and treating patients without asking about the patient's identity, or even demanding a price for their services.
Whilst this particular Kwaepungdae member claimed to have been from the organization, his refusal to speak of its inner information meant that most didn't believe him, and thought that his claims as false.
But somehow, the man had ended up at Kwaepungdae of all places.
It wasn't surprising that people doubted his authenticity, as for someone who claimed that they were from the Mysterious Medicine Valley, his martial skills were impeccable.
His physical stamina was beyond what one would expect from a person spending their days preparing medicine.
Kang-hyuk, however, believed him.
He felt that the man's gaze wasn't the gaze of a liar.
Therefore, Kang-hyuk was curious as to what his reasons could have been for leaving the Mysterious Medicine Valley, and joining an organization of the Hwacheon Clan.
He replied, ”I fought with my father.”
”What was the disagreement about?”
”He told the girl I liked that I used to pee my pants when I was younger.”
”Hahaha!”
”Do-don't laugh!”
”So you left your house after fighting with him?”
”Yes. I said that I would leave his house, and then after I left, I had to do something so I…”
”You left home in a fit of rage?”
”…..I guess so.”
”Don't you regret your actions?”
”I don't know.”
”You shouldn't act so rashly when it comes to familial matters.”
”Sorry?”
”You'll be crying tears of regret in the future.”
After deliberating on what Kang-hyuk had said to him, the man wrote a letter home.
He finally returned to the Mysterious Medicine Valley around twenty years later, when Kang-hyuk became the Clan Leader.
As a member of the Mysterious Medicine Valley, he had given Kang-hyuk a large number of different medicines, pills, and potions.
However, as Kang-hyuk was rarely wounded, he usually distributed the medicines to others.
Since his retirement deep in the Sacheon Mountains, Kang-hyuk didn't have much contact with anyone, and so, he hadn't been able to use up or distribute the medicines.
'I always remember Ho-seong whenever I use the medicines he gave me. I wonder whether he's doing well?'
The medicine that Kang-hyuk had just applied to the wolf had been made by his colleague from the Mysterious Medicine Valley, Ho-Seong.
The medicine was commonly known as the 'Red Medicine' but its official name was the Safflower Restorative Skin and Blood Nourishing Health Liquid.
'The name's too long.'