Doctor Goes Back to Joseon

Chapter 50: Ultra Short Term Army Surgeon [3]

Tickle tickle!

There were sounds arising from the friction between the armors and weapons.

“A war in Eotanmyeon!”

“Japanese, sons of b*tches!”

People around there were trying to find out what was happening. Most of them were criticizing the damn Japanese while some of them had brought food for the soldiers. At the same time, they didn’t forget to praise the governor Kim Yungil.

“Governor, please defeat the Japanese and set an example.”

Some people who had heard of the fame of Shin Rip praised him. “Here we have general Shin Rip. Poor Japanese! They will not be his match at all.”

“General Shin Rip!”

He was a famous general indeed. Once his name was raised, people in the marketplace came out on the streets and started chanting his name, the sound getting loud and intense as thunder.

Ganghyuk could feel the difference in the people around him. It seemed that they were trying to boost up the soldiers’ morale before the war.

‘I feel something different here.’ Ganghyuk changed his posture and sat up straight on the horse. ‘Nothing will happen.’

It was not a real war; there was no big invasion between Eulmoywaeran and Imjinwaeran as far as he remembered.

‘Or was there one?’

He was not too confident at this point.

When he saw Yeoni and Makbong walking by the horse, he felt a bit reassured. They did not look much different from the officers of Shin Rip.

They must have had some experiences.

“Are we good?”

Compared to them, Dolseok was well worth seeing, closely following Yeoju with anxiety. He could be killed instantly without even having the chance to use the sword that he held.

“They said it will be fine. So, I think we will be fine.”

“The Japanese… They are very cruel.” Dolseok murmured with the darkened face. He seemed like he was remembering his past.

But as far as Ganghyuk knew, Dolseok had lived in Suwon since his birth.

“Have you seen them before?”

“No, I haven’t seen them.”

“Then, why did you speak as if you had seen them?”

“Everybody says that they are very cruel.”

“You are a chicken.”

Ganghyuk shook his head, then found Yeoju walking with determination, a frown present on her pretty white face.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I am. Thank you for accepting the task.”

“Not at all. I had to. I should be going, especially with Professor Changgweon being there.”

“Thank you, sir. I wonder why the Japanese have come here at this time.”

These were not simple bandits or thieves. These were Japanese bandits.

‘Japanese bandit.’

He had once seen the pictures on the Internet: short people holding swords in their hands. At first, he had thought that it was a school picture.

“Are they really fearful? I don’t understand.” He could not imagine the situation. If they held guns, they might be… But, they looked like having a combat game amongst children.

…

They were still quite far from Eotanmyeon when Ganghyuk asked Yeoni beside him, “Have you seen the Japanese bandits?”

“Yes, yes. I have.”

“Oh, have you? What did they look like?”

“I don’t know. I saw them in a remote place. The village was ablaze and the people were all dead.”

“Well…”

When he heard the answer, he instantly regretted asking the question. A village in flames and filled with corpses… He didn’t want to think about it anymore.

Dolseok was following him while feeling even worse at this point. He was about to vomit, his complexion turning extremely pale.

“Oh my goodness!”

“Are you fine?”

Makbong had to pat the back of Dolsoek. Although he was big, he was a chicken in his heart.

‘In our group, the women are stronger and more courageous.’

Yeoni had lived a rough life, so it was understandable that she was strong and courageous. But how about Yeoju?

She was a noblewoman, but she had the courage of a man. She walked while carrying the longsword on her back, but still did not complain. Ganghyuk had asked her to give him the sword, but she didn’t listen to him.

“I didn’t listen to my father, so why do you think I will listen to you, sir?”

That was a good answer, so he could not refute it. ‘If she wants to take pains, how can I help her?’

She had already been accustomed to walking, so she did not stumble or stagger. Ganghyuk then stopped cultivating useless worries and looked forward.

“Eo?”

Somebody pointed in a direction as people felt at a loss. They could see black smoke came rising up from a remote place.

As it was the direction that they were heading into, it must be somewhere in Eotanmyeon. Ganghyuk’s mind was urgent, so he went past the people to get to the governor.

At that moment, the governor and general Shin Rip were in a conversation.

“They’re burning the village.” The governor said in anger. To that, Shin Rip replied proudly. “It is good for us to come early.”

“Yes, but we are still quite far.”

As the governor had pointed out, the smoke came from a place quite far from their location. It would take several hours to reach the place even if they walked without taking a rest.

“How about encamping after going a little further?”

“Encamping? How about attacking them right away?”

“War at night is unfavorable to both parties. Furthermore, our soldiers are tired.”

On looking back, they could see many soldiers who were exhausted. But, the governor thought it would be worth a try.

“At night, I think it will be more favorable for us.”

“What is the reason?”

“My soldiers were born and grew in Suwon, so they know this place very well. They could fight well even at night just like daytime.”

“Eum…” Ganghyuk nodded his head unknowingly. Even though he did not know about the military strategy or tactics, it sounded good.

In old Chinese historical novels such as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Legend of Chu and Han that he loved reading, something similar to this was depicted. Although, what he had read was the comic book version translated by Go Wooyoung.

However, Shin Rip persisted. “No, look at the village.”

“Yes, I am watching.”

“There are many villages being burnt out there. It means that they have quite a big corps. A night attack might bring us failure.”

This made sense as well.

Finally, the governor decided to follow his opinion.

“Okay. Then, we will follow your decision. But, let’s move early in the morning as soon as the sun rises.”

“Of course. We are all excited.” Shin Rip laughed while looking at his officers. Their voices were so loud that they could be heard by the people in the village.

“Let’s go a little further. There is a village.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

The governor was corrupted and liked money very much, but he tried to be a good Politician. Although he exploited people, he tried to allow them to live well still. As he inspected his people secretly quite often, he knew the way very well.

…

A while later, they could finally see a village. But, it was difficult to call it a village anymore.

“What is this?” Ganghyuk covered his nose with his sleeves. There was a smell being perceived even before they entered the village. It was something familiar, and Gagnhyuk had already noticed what it was.

‘Smell from burning flesh.”

In an operation, it was natural that there would be bleeding. In the past, it was stopped by pressing or tying. But in his previous world, they used a different method.

He used electricity and burnt the place to stop bleeding.

That was clearly the smell from the burning flesh, and when they arrived, they could see a pile of half burnt corpses.

“Sons of b*tches.” Makbong swore in a low voice. It seemed the Japanese bandits had killed all of the villagers and left the place. There were people in the pile of all ages and genders.

“Check if they have any Hopae (1). Gather those who cannot be identified together and bury them.” The governor ordered in a dismal tone.

“Yes, sir!”

The soldiers who followed the order looked the same. Some shed tears, some became angry, and some were frightened; but, it did not last long.

“There, there!” Dolseok, who was stricken by fear, screamed suddenly as three bandits came out of a house which was half destroyed. In the house was a woman lying on the floor, bleeding.

It was obvious what they had done to her.

“Beasts!” With the remark, two officers of Shin Rip spurred their horses, cutting down two bandits to death.

The first one got a cut on the shoulder, but managed to run away quickly.

Sheeek!

The other officer shot an arrow and struck the other shoulder. However, he did not stop even with the wounds.

It was already dark, and the place was covered with tall grass. So, the officer came back and asked. “Shall I chase him?”

Shin Rip thought for a while and then shook his head.

“No, it is alright. He will die soon.” Shin Rip felt that the Japanese bandit would not live long because of the severe injury.

‘Is he really going to die?’ On the other hand, Ganghyuk doubted. Considering that the bandit ran in a flash, it seemed that he would not die easily. However, he didn’t share his opinion with the others.

Shin Rip did not listen to even the governor, so why would he listen to Ganghyuk? He was nothing but a doctor after all.

‘Additionally, it is not that I know of the tactics.’

Shin Rip must know better. His fame that he had heard on the way was resounding. It was said that he was very good at the management of the cavalry.

Ganghyuk saw the martial arts of the officers that he had brought. It was not easy to cut the person’s neck in one blow, something he knew very well since he was a doctor

‘He had a thick bone, but it was cleanly cut nevertheless.’

When he saw it closely, it seemed as if the officer had used a saw. At this moment, Shin Rip came to Ganghyuk and asked, “You are not frightened?”

“I was just observing that they have great skills.”

“Naturally! They have been together with me since I fought with the enemy in the north. They would be a match for ten bandits each.”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Take a rest. We will be very busy tomorrow.”

“Yes, general.”

…

The soldiers built a camp by taking advantage of the houses nearby. It was a lot easier to build a camp using them than doing it from scratch. Hence, a camp was completed soon.

“Come here, Sir.”

“Okay.”

“They gave a room for us.”

“Good!”

It was a little bit annoying to think that it was the place where somebody had died. But, it was a battlefield, and they could lie down on the futon in a room with a ceiling, which was already a luxury.

Thinking all this, Ganghyuk went in without any complaints.

“Where is Makbong?”

“Dolseok was sick, so he took him out for fresh air.”

“Where is Yeoju?”

“Yeoju went out together with them. Maybe she did not feel very good either.”

“Is it okay for them to go around?”

“Yes, sir. We are not soldiers, and the governor allowed us to go out. They can walk alongside the wall.”

“Good. Is Yeoju’s father safe?”

Ganghyuk looked out at the empty place where the corpses were piled. If the Japanese bandits did the same thing to the people in the village everywhere else, Changgweon might not be safe indeed.

Yeoni did not say anything, because she was thinking the same thing, but did not want to speak it out loud.

“Anyway, let’s take a rest.”

“Yes, then I will be outside.”

If it were usual times, he would ask for two rooms, one for Yeoni and Yeoju. But, it was a battlefield, and even a room was a privilege.

Hence, Gagnhyuk stopped Yeoni, who was about to go out.

“Stay here. Why are you going outside?”

“But…”

“Why? Do you think I will do something bad to you? I’m not Makbong.”

“I know, but…”

“They will come eventually. Take a rest.”

Ganghyuk lied down on the futon upon finishing the statement. It had been a long day from Chiljangsa to the government office, and then from there to Eotanmyeon.

Snore!

He was really tired and fell asleep almost immediately. Yeoni lied down in a corner as well, feeling restless. She could not fall asleep easily, so she looked out.

Something was wrong!

‘No torches?’

Hopae – An identity tag in Joseon