Doctor Goes Back to Joseon - Chapter 51: The Bodyguard Warrior [1]

Yeon had never experienced war either.

However, the extinguished torches struck her as unusual.

The guards who had been posted near the flames were nowhere to be seen.

“Young Master, Young Master.”

She urgently shook Kang-hyuk awake.

Having honed his reflexes to respond instantly to calls during his residency days, Kang-hyuk was able to rise without much difficulty, even in the dead of night. It was as if he had never been asleep.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

“Something seems off.”

With a serious expression, Yeon handed him a sword.

“Do I really need this?”

“Yes. I’ll check outside.”

Yeon cautiously opened the door.

She moved so stealthily that not even a creak escaped from the old door.

Thanks to her, Kang-hyuk also felt tense, his heart pounding so loudly he feared it could be heard outside.

‘Damn it. I knew I shouldn’t have come.’

Looking around the room, Kang-hyuk realized that Dolseok, Makbong, and Yeoju still hadn’t returned.

All that greeted his hand was the cold stone floor.

While Kang-hyuk sat in a daze, Yeon slipped out like the wind and scanned the courtyard.

The soldiers in the yard were all asleep.

‘Was I just being paranoid?’

After a glance back at the room where Kang-hyuk was, Yeon moved toward the wall. Or at least, she tried to.

“You!”

A Wae pirate appeared in front of her, holding a bloodstained sword.

The blade was remarkably short, likely the weapon used to cut down the guard.

Without saying a word, the pirate swung his sword.

Yeon easily dodged the attack and shouted.

“Enemy! We’re under attack!”

Almost simultaneously, the sounds of clashing swords and screams erupted from all directions.

“Argh!”

“You bastard—”

It wasn’t just this one pirate. The area was swarming with them.

-*Swish!*

Yeon dodged a second strike and thrust her sword into her opponent’s neck.

Then she called out to Kang-hyuk.

“Young Master!”

“Huh? Oh!”

Kang-hyuk quickly slipped on his straw sandals and followed behind Yeon.

With a sword in one hand and his medical bag in the other, his movements were far from graceful.

Yeon crouched low as she peered over the wall.

The chaos was already in full swing.

Sword fights had broken out everywhere, and some houses were ablaze—likely set on fire by the Wae pirates.

-*Clang, clang!*

The sounds of clashing swords came from nearby.

Turning instinctively, Kang-hyuk saw Makbong fighting furiously, with Dolseok and Yeoju clinging to him like burdens.

“There’s Makbong!”

“Where?”

“Young Master!”

Makbong shouted in relief upon spotting them.

He cut down an opponent and tried to rush toward them, but it wasn’t easy.

There were too many pirates and too few allies.

Those quick or perceptive enough had already fled.

“Argh!”

Screams echoed from all sides.

Although Shin Rip and his adjutants were finally entering the fray, they were outnumbered.

The sheer number of pirates was overwhelming.

“Damn it.”

Yeon groaned as she tried repeatedly to reach Makbong but was blocked.

Kang-hyuk swung his sword clumsily, trying to fend off the attackers, but he was more of a liability than an asset.

His strength was the only thing keeping him alive; without it, he might have already been killed.

Makbong wasn’t faring much better.

Neither Yeoju nor Dolseok could hold their own in a fight, making them even less capable than Kang-hyuk.

“It’s better for just the two of us to escape.”

Yeon shouted as she cut down another pirate.

Kang-hyuk dodged an attacker and responded.

“What about them?”

“Makbong will protect them. If we stay here, we’ll die.”

“Damn it.”

Being separated from the main group had been their downfall.

Most of the soldiers sleeping in the courtyard had already been killed.

Those who survived were fighting alongside Yeon, but at this rate, they wouldn’t last long.

Kang-hyuk made a quick decision.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Follow me. I’ll clear the way. Don’t get left behind.”

“Got it.”

Yeon turned toward the direction the pirates had come from.

That side had far fewer enemies, as most of the pirates had charged toward the main group.

Only a few were lingering, casually swinging their swords and watching the chaos. Occasionally, they would cut down soldiers trying to escape.

-*Swish!*

Yeon darted into the fray.

Her movements and swordsmanship were exceptional, making her opponents look like mere training dummies.

She struck with precision, driving her blade into necks with the skill of a seasoned warrior.

“You bastards!”

The soldiers following her thrust their spears with all their might.

“Ugh.”

Most fell to the ground, defeated.

Yeon was busy enough just keeping Kang-hyuk safe.

He was an easy target with his large frame and awkward movements.

“Stay close.”

“Got it, got it.”

Kang-hyuk nodded frantically, sticking close behind Yeon.

Though he had trained in Taekkyeon, the reality of combat left him struggling to even take a step.

He could only hope his drawn sword wouldn’t accidentally harm Yeon.

‘But putting it away doesn’t seem right either.’

Holding onto something, even clumsily, felt marginally better.

“We’re almost out.”

Yeon said as she cut down another pirate.

-*Splash!*

Red blood sprayed onto the scattered foliage.

As she had predicted, they were nearing the forest.

Once they entered, it would be difficult for anyone to follow them.

If they could just get inside.

“Die!”

A pirate charged at them with a roar.

This one wasn’t just any grunt.

His pitch-black mask was unsettlingly grotesque, and his sword was longer than most.

‘He’s small, but he’s fierce.’

Despite his size, he was not to be underestimated.

Even Kang-hyuk, a complete novice, could sense the power behind the pirate’s strikes.

-*Whoosh!*

The pirate’s sword sliced through the air toward Yeon.

-*Clang!*

Yeon barely managed to block the attack but had to take several steps back.

Fortunately, her sword was of high quality; otherwise, it might have snapped on impact.

Looking down at her trembling arm, Yeon shouted.

“Young Master! Run into the forest now!”

“What?”

“Run!”

Hearing her words, Kang-hyuk couldn’t help but notice how small Yeon’s back seemed at that moment.

She had seemed so reliable up until now.

‘Yeon’s losing confidence!’

Gripping his sword tighter, Kang-hyuk alternated his gaze between Yeon and the masked pirate.

Just from their stance, it was clear the pirate had the upper hand.

Though Kang-hyuk couldn’t explain why, he had a strong feeling about it.

If he ran now, he felt certain he’d never see Yeon again.

‘Damn it.’

He looked around and saw some of the soldiers who had been with them fleeing toward the forest.

‘Ungrateful bastards.’

They owed their lives to Yeon and yet didn’t even look back.

-*Clang, clang!*

“Ugh.”

The sound of swords clashing was accompanied by Yeon’s strained grunts.

At this rate, it was only a matter of time.

Closing his eyes and reopening them, Kang-hyuk could already picture Yeon lying on the ground, bleeding profusely.

‘What should I do?’

Kang-hyuk had lived his entire life with pride.

Hiding behind a woman to save his own life was a blow to his ego.

If he ran now, the memory would haunt him forever.

But jumping into the fight was equally unthinkable.

He’d likely die instantly, and even avoiding being a hindrance would be a miracle.

‘Damn it.’

His hand, still gripping the sword, grew damp with sweat despite his inaction.

‘Wait a minute.’

For some reason, the words of Samyeongdang suddenly came to mind.

He had said they would meet again.

Samyeongdang had specifically reassured him that things would be fine.

And surely, he hadn’t meant meeting again in the afterlife. That had to mean Kang-hyuk wouldn’t die here.

‘Huh.’

Unexpectedly, a strange sense of peace washed over him—a peace he’d never found despite all his efforts to meditate.

It was an odd sensation, especially for someone who typically scoffed at superstition.

With clearer eyes, he could see just how dangerous Yeon’s situation was.

“Die!”

The pirate swung his sword violently.

“Run, now!”

Yeon blocked desperately, but it was precarious.

It felt as though the word “precarious” had been invented to describe this very scene.

‘Huh?’

Kang-hyuk felt something cold in his pocket.

It was the stone Samyeongdang had given him.

Instinctively, he understood its purpose.

“Alright.”

He picked up the stone, finding it fit perfectly in his hand as though he’d been born holding it.

A mysterious light emanated from the stone, just as it had ever since Samyeongdang had handed it to him.

Though Kang-hyuk hadn’t thrown anything since elementary school, he suddenly brimmed with confidence.

“Ah!”

The pirate’s relentless attacks finally grazed Yeon’s thigh.

-*Splatter!*

Red blood sprayed everywhere.

Though the wound wasn’t deep, the force knocked Yeon to the ground.

The pirate paused, raising his sword high to deliver the finishing blow.

Yeon squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable.

-*Whoosh!*

Kang-hyuk didn’t make the amateur mistake of shouting before throwing.

He had always cursed at movies where characters did that. Why give away your position when the element of surprise was your only advantage?

“Argh!”

The pirate let out a scream as the stone struck him, slipping perfectly through the gap in his mask.

It hit his throat with pinpoint accuracy, bouncing off his chest plate and falling to the ground as if its task was complete. The light within the stone faded.

“You bastard!”

Yeon didn’t let the opportunity slip by.

Even as she lay on the ground, she thrust her sword into the pirate.

“Ugh!”

Her blade pierced his throat, right where the stone had left a fresh bruise. Blood gushed out like a fountain, drenching her in red.

“Gasp, gasp.”

Yeon panted heavily, her body covered in blood.

“Are you alright?”

Kang-hyuk, marveling at the stone’s mysterious power, rushed to her side.

Bright red blood was seeping from her thigh, staining her pants.

“Ah.”

“Let’s tie it up and get out of here.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Kang-hyuk pulled out a compression bandage from his medical bag and tightly wrapped her leg.

Though a few pirates lingered nearby, none dared approach.

The fallen pirate must have been a particularly fearsome figure.

Even the ruthless faces of the other pirates now showed hints of fear.

But they needed to act quickly.

Once the fear subsided, they would notice Yeon’s injury.

“Let’s go. Can you walk?”

“Yes.”

Yeon spoke bravely, but her steps faltered as soon as she tried to move.

The wound was more serious than she had let on.

“Get on my back.”

“What?”

“I said, get on my back.”

“Ah… yes, Young Master.”

Yeon hesitated briefly before climbing onto Kang-hyuk’s back.

She was surprisingly light, far lighter than he’d expected for someone who had just been cutting down pirates.

With his sword sheathed and his medical bag in hand, Kang-hyuk ran as fast as he could.

The dense undergrowth made the escape difficult, with branches scratching his face, but he didn’t stop.

‘Pain is better than death.’

He ran and ran, until the first light of dawn began to break.

By then, there was no sign of anyone nearby.

All that remained was the faint sound of Yeon’s soft breathing as she slept on his back.

Kang-hyuk gently laid her down on a patch of grass.

“Alright… let’s take a look at that wound.”