Doctor Goes Back to Joseon - Chapter 207

 

Dolsok slowly began to open the house call bag that Kanghyok brought with him.

 

Makbong also unpacked a bundle he carried on the back.

 

The sound of clanking iron resonated in the room.

 

But Pyonsu seemed calm, even though Kanghyok momentarily felt he was gooseflesh all over.

 

‘How come this guy can stay so calm?’

 

By any standard, he was far from an ordinary man.

 

“Hey?”

 

Pyonsu raised his eyes furtively at Kanghyok’s calling.

 

But he didn’t reply at all.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

He didn’t reply, either.

 

With a faint smile Kanghyok murmured to himself,

 

“I’m not trying to find out something, but just asking out of curiosity. I like a guy who keeps his loyalty to the end.”

 

“Bullshit!”

 

Laughing sarcastically, Pyonsu turned over in bed.

 

Given that he was giving a moan, he obviously felt pain all over his body.

 

“I’m ready, Master.”

 

Turning back, he saw Dolsok holding some surgery tools.

 

As Kanghyok never tortured somebody up to now, he felt a bit embarrassed as he had to do it now.

 

He was idly fiddling the operating tools when Dolsok said, “Master, how about tying him up for now?”

 

Dolsok was more composed than Kanghyok at the moment.

 

Kanghyok took out several leather strings from his sleeves.

 

“Good. Bundle him up with these strings.”

 

Dolsok and Makbong tightened Pyonsu with their rough and strong hands.

 

He didn’t show any resistance.

 

“Be careful…Check out the color of his fingers before tying him. Otherwise they might get rotten.”

 

“Oh, yes… Is this enough?”

 

“Nice job. Have you done this before?”

 

“Well, for me it’s the first time. But Makbong is pretty skillful.”

 

In fact, there was little change in Pyonsu’s face when Makbong began to tie him, which meant the former felt little pain.

 

“Where did you learn this skill?” asked Kanghyok.

 

“I didn’t learn it… When I visit the widow’s town at night, I see various clients.”

 

“Clients? Are they asking you to tie them up?”

 

“Oh, yes, sometimes I’m tied, depending on the client’s taste.”

 

“I can’t understand if there are such clients even in Joseon.”

 

Kanghyok shook his head, looking at Makbong, a master knotter.

 

‘Dang it… Why did I volunteer to do this?’

 

Kanghyok wished he had refused Hangbok’s suggestion.

 

But it’s too late.

 

Hangbok was adamant about his determination to extract Pyonsu’s confession, and so was Chul Chung.

 

‘If I successfully get this done, I could protect Yoju, and they would be my protector.’

 

Joseon at that was divided into Tongin and Soin political factions under the king.

 

While Tongin was led by Sungryong Yu and Sanhae Lee, Soin was led by Chul Chung.

 

Ironically Sungryong and Chul were close friends.

 

From Kanghyok’s standpoint it was the best policy to take side with the ultimate winner, which was Soin.

 

“Hmmm.”

 

Kanghyok was about to hold a scalpel, the most perfect tool for torture.

 

“No, not this one…”

 

He thought twice after checking Pyonsu’s body condition, covered with small and big scars all over.

 

There would be nothing different even if he used the scalpel.

 

“Using this one then?”

 

He looked at the forceps, usually used to locate blood vessels and stop the bleeding.

 

It was naturally very solid and used for various purposes.

 

For example, he could use it to tear away nails or even flesh.

 

‘I don’t want to go that far…’

 

Kanghyok didn’t want to cause any pain to him by injuring his body.

 

Then he looked at the bundle Makbong carried on the back.

 

He wanted to use the tool in it first before turning to the operating tools.

 

“Makbong!”

 

“Yes, master.”

 

“You are confident of blowing on the testicles, right?”

 

“Oh….”

 

Makbong shook his head at Kanghyok who was waving a bull’s testicles.

 

Though he could do it skillfully, Malsok didn’t want to avoid it if he could.

 

But he had no other choice but to follow Kanghyok’s direction.

 

“Dolsok, you, too, can do it, right?”

 

“Oh… Yes, sir.”

 

“Good.”

 

Kanghyok filled the syringe with the fugu’s poison.

 

‘5mL is enough to paralyze a man.’

 

For the past several days Kanghyok obtained enough clinical date on the dosages of fugu’s poison.

 

“Now, you will feel a prick.”

 

Snorting with laughter, Pyonsu shook his head. “Do you think I can open my mouth with that shit?”

 

“You’ll see it very soon.”

 

For all we know, he might feel more fear than any other torture he experienced in his life.

 

For he won’t be able to breathe, even though he stays conscious.

 

Clicking his tongue subconsciously, he tied a rubber band around his arm.

 

‘Yes, it was your mistake to have plotted a revolt at this time when the Japanese were looking for a good change to invade Joseon.’

 

Justifying his torture, Kanghyok tapped the blood vessel of his arm.

 

And then he skillfully gave an injection of poison into his arm.

 

“Is that all?” asked Pyonsu, snorting with laughter.

 

But Dolsok and Makbong, holding the bull’s testicles each, clicked their tongues while looking at him miserably.

 

“Poor wretch!”

 

“What the heck are you talking? This bullshit .uh…..”

 

Pyonsu’s face began to distort as the fatal poison began to spread into his body slowly.

 

No matter how much fugu’s poison was diluted, it could have a devastating effect when it was injected directly into the blood vessel.

 

“Cough.. Cough… What the heck…”

 

With a calm face Kanghyok was feeling his pulse, with eyes fixed on his chest.

 

It was exactly as he expected.

 

The fact that blowfish poison only affects striated muscles and respiratory muscles has never been so reassuring as now.

 

If the poison was lethal enough to stop the heart, it could have killed several people.

 

‘Only smooth muscles work okay.’

 

Come to think of it, Kanghyok thought blowfish poison was intended for torture.

 

Pyonsu’s face was becoming more and more reddish, grimacing with extreme pain.

 

With a worried look, Dolsok said, “It looks like he is going to die.”

 

“Not yet. He’s alright up to now.”

 

Kanghyok was still checking his pulse.

 

His heart rate didn’t go down, but increased gradually.

 

That meant he could endure it up to now.

 

Clearly Pyonsu was trying his best to overcome hypoxia.

 

“Be ready.”

 

“Yes, master.”

 

At his order Dolsok and Makbong blew air into the testicles.

 

Even when they blew to the point of the testicles bursting, Kanghyok didn’t give any additional order.

 

Kanghyok was just looking at his face and chest alternately, feeling his pulse with his hand.

 

“Isn’t it hard?”

 

This time, too, Kanghyok didn’t expect any reply.

 

“Aren’t you going to feel you were dying?” Kanghyok asked while checking his heart rate, which peaked a moment ago and then went down.

 

If he was left untreated, Pyonsu would lose consciousness and die, after all.

 

“I won’t let you die. So, don’t worry. Makbong, give him the testicles pouch.”

 

“Yes, maser.”

 

Kanghyok blew the oxygen in the testicles into his mouth.

 

When he repeated that several times, his heart rate went back to normal.

 

“Let us take a break for a moment.”

 

Kanghyok murmured, feeling his pulse.

 

At his remarks Dolsok and Makbong put down the testicles pouches.

 

Except for one, who was Pyonsu.

 

“Huuuk….”

 

His face began to be reddish again.

 

And his heart rate was going up as high as it could.

 

Kanghyok blew it into his mouth again.

 

After he repeated at least ten times, the poison was neutralized, finally.

 

As if he saw a devil, Pyonsu looked at Kanghyok now.

 

“You son of a bitch…”

 

“It was tough, wasn’t it?”

 

“You damned wretch…”

 

“Tell me what you’re conspiring now.”

 

But Pyonsu kept tight-lipped.

 

“Wow, this guy really sucks.”

 

If Kanghyok were in his shoes, he would tell so right away.

 

Even before he was tied up, Kanghyok would try his best to make him confess.

 

“Dolso, give me that rubber band.”

 

“Yes, master.”

 

Kanghyok tied his arm up slowly while Pyonsu was just looking.

 

“Whoops!”

 

Kanghyok dropped the syringes from his bosom on purpose.

 

As many as 20 syringes, all told.

 

When Pyonsu was becoming desperate, Kanghyok gave him a second injection.

 

“Let me finish this quickly. You can’t die until you reveal everything you know.”