Ku Mu, the Poison Hermit, wandered around the town for a while but didn't see any trace of Kei.
"Tch, this is troublesome. Whatever—I'll just poison everyone."
He let out a chilling "kekekeke" as he walked, leaving behind a trail of pale yellow powder. The powder drifted through the air with the wind.
Earlier, the man who had refused Kei's offer to treat him was now sitting at the roadside, resting.
A gust blew past—he unknowingly inhaled the toxic yellow particles.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
He began coughing violently, hacking up a mouthful of black blood, and collapsed on the spot, unmoving.
"Hey! Hey, old man, are you okay?!"
"Don't go near him! Look at that black blood—he was poisoned for sure! Keep your distance or you'll be next!"
"Everyone, careful—cough, cough! Be careful!"
The collapsed man became a new infection source. Within an hour, people who passed by started coughing as well.
One after another, they fell. Within a day, the entire small town had become a plague zone.
Meanwhile, Kei was in the mountains outside the town, researching the region's unique miasma when a man stumbled toward him from the city.
"Help… cough… help!"
The man's eyes lit up when he saw Kei—he remembered this was the traveling doctor. He rushed forward, but only made it a few steps before collapsing.
"Boss, he smells really strange. I think he's poisoned!"
"This isn't ordinary poison," Kei said seriously. "The toxin is breeding rapidly in his body—he's become a source of infection himself."
"It's a plague! But how did it break out so suddenly?"
The poisoned man woke up to a giant, fluffy husky face staring at him.
"AAAAHHH!!"
"Boss, he's awake!"
"Good, good. This poison is tricky," Kei said as he examined him. "It can't hurt me, but it's difficult to treat others with it."
He usually just healed wounds or internal damage—now he had to detoxify before healing, or else the person would relapse immediately.
"T-Thank you for saving me!"
The man was stunned for a moment before dropping to his knees, kowtowing gratefully.
"No need to thank me. How did you get infected?"
"Infected? I don't know… it just suddenly spread through the whole town!"
"At first, no symptoms. After one hour—coughing. Two hours—coughing blood. Three to four hours—weakness, can't move. Five hours—dead!"
He described the terrifying progression of the plague. The town was in panic—every home shut tight in fear of death.
"When did this start?"
"About a day ago. Not sure of the exact time."
Kei narrowed his eyes. "One day? So the moment I arrived, a plague breaks out. Sounds suspicious. C'mon, doggo—we're going back."
"You're really going back?! That place is dangerous! If you catch the plague—"
"I'm not afraid. I'm a wandering doctor—wherever there are patients, I go. What else am I supposed to do? Sightsee?"
He climbed onto the husky and headed back.
The man was stunned by Kei's words, then ran after him. "Divine Doctor! I'm coming with you!"
Back in town, it was a horror show. Bodies littered the streets—some dead, others barely hanging on.
"What now, Boss?" the husky asked.
"Back to work. Time to shout."
"Cure-all for just ten coins! Ten coins for healing, no matter how sick!"
Kei jumped off and walked through the streets, loudly offering treatment.
"No! I don't need you!"
Despite lying on the ground dying, the man tried to crawl away in fear as soon as he saw Kei.
"What the heck? You're dying, and you still refuse help?"
The husky was completely confused.
"Divine Doctor, you're outsiders. You don't understand…"
"In our land… there are only poisons that kill. No medicines that heal."
"There are no real doctors here—only poisoners! They use us as test subjects for their latest toxins! Death is better than falling into their hands!"
The man broke down in tears.
"Wait, isn't this place under the Southern Demon King Huan Du Qingtian? He doesn't do anything about this?!"
"He has no idea! We're in a remote village. Even if everyone here dies overnight, he won't know or care."
"He just sits in his palace, guarding his own patch of land!"
Kei frowned. If they delayed even half a day more, most of the town would be dead.
"Go gather everyone who's still breathing—drag them here if you have to. I'm treating them whether they like it or not."
"I've had enough. Cure them I will—consent or not!"
The husky and the man rushed off to gather patients.
Yes—gather, as in hunt down.
Anyone who heard the word "treatment" tried to run, but they were too weak. The husky easily caught them and dragged them back.
Kei didn't care about permission—he began treating them one by one.
"Damn! No wonder everyone fears Southern poison!"
"Each person's poison has mutated differently depending on their body type! If this spread to the Central Plains, Tushan, or Beishan, who knows how many would die!"
Kei, who was weak in detoxification, now had the perfect opportunity to improve.
[You've unraveled a complex, mutated toxin. Your pharmacology has improved!]
[You've unraveled a complex, mutated toxin. Your pharmacology has improved!]
Healing medicine and poison are one and the same. Both are part of medicine!
"I… I'm healed!"
"I'm not coughing anymore!"
"Even my chronic poison ailments are gone!"
The patients were stunned by the miracle. Cheers erupted.
Then, guilt followed.
"Divine Doctor, we're so sorry for rejecting you earlier…"
"We kneel in gratitude! Thank you for saving us!"
People knelt and wept. No one wants to die.
Kei didn't look at them—still immersed in the process of analyzing poison.
"Divine Doctor…"
"Enough talking—now's not the time for guilt. Everyone, help bring in more patients!"
"Yes! Let's go!"
"No need to persuade them—just tie them up and drag them here!"
Seeing Kei so focused, everyone thought he was angry at their earlier rejection. But then the husky returned—
Dragging 3–4 people on his back, 5–6 more in each paw, he dumped them on the ground.
"MOVE IT! Get more people over here!"
Everyone snapped back to action. The priority now was saving lives.
Day 1:
"Divine Doctor, want some water? Something to eat?"
Kei ignored them—he was analyzing a particularly complex case.
"Such dedication… no food or rest…"
"I can't believe I ever doubted him… I'm trash!"
Slapping himself, the man cursed his own stupidity.
"Woof—less self-hate, more helping! Hurry!"
"Y-Yes!"
Day 2:
"Southern zone is almost done. Only west, east, and north left!"
The husky yawned, eyes red. But seeing Kei still working without rest, he pushed on.
Day 3:
"Some weaker youkai have collapsed!"
"Let them rest. Everyone else—keep going!"
"What about the Divine Doctor?"
"He doesn't need our help. You know why he's our leader? 'Cause he's the strongest!"
"Got it!"
Day 4:
"Husky-sama, your step…"
"I'm fine! Keep going—cough!"
Even he was reaching his limit. But he saw Kei, still tirelessly working, and gritted his teeth to continue.
Day 5:
"HAAAAA—!"
The husky coughed up blood and collapsed. His vision blurred…
In his daze, he saw Kei.
"You did good, doggo. For once, you're acting like a wolf."
"Boss… if I look like a wolf… stop calling me doggo…"
"Woof…" he muttered faintly before passing out.
"What happened to him?"
"He's poisoned. His body was too strong to be affected normally—but he's exhausted. His defenses dropped, and the toxin broke through."
"No problem."
Kei cured him in a few taps.
By now, after five days and nights, Kei had mastered every variation of the toxin.
His pharmacology had reached new heights. With poison-fighting-poison techniques and acupuncture fusion, he created a new skill:
Poison Acupuncture!
He led the group to the remaining untreated areas.
Each time he found a patient, he pointed his finger—
Purple-red ripples surged across his fingertip—an evolved form of Poison Dragon energy fused with Gourmet Cells.
The point sealed the flow of toxins in the body, and injected a tailored counter-poison that devoured the virus in stages.
No matter the poison, Poison Acupuncture could handle it.
Day 6:
The husky woke up.
He saw Kei eating surrounded by grateful townsfolk.
"Boss, it's over?"
"It's done. But we still lost a lot of people. This poison was vicious."
"It's not your fault. If not for you, we'd all be dead!"
"We'll tear that poisoner to pieces! No—make him beg for death!"
The town erupted with fury.
Just then, Ku Mu the Poison Hermit returned.
He'd come to see if any new toxin strains evolved… and if Kei had died.
But instead, he saw—
Kei alive.
The town mostly intact.
People cheering.
"Boss! That guy smells like…"
The husky's nose twitched—it was the same smell he'd been inhaling for six days straight. No mistake.
"Yeah."
Kei appeared behind Ku Mu in a blink and patted him on the shoulder.
"You were the one who poisoned the town, weren't you?"
"Yep. Surprised you're still alive—but doesn't matter. You're dead now."
Ku Mu cackled. "You touched me—you're already poisoned. Know that?"
"You're already dead. Know that?"
Kei changed his mind about killing him quickly—it'd be too easy.
He unleashed Poison Acupuncture, locking Ku Mu's blood vessels and flooding his body with anti-poison energy that devoured his techniques.
In an instant—crippled!
"Everyone—here's your culprit. I'll leave him to you. C'mon, doggo, time to go."
"Y-You dare—?! I'll kill you all! I'll poison you to death! STOP—ARGHHH!!"
His internal energy was devoured, and with no poison arts, he was just a cripple.
The furious townsfolk didn't kill him immediately—they had… plans.
"Safe travels, Divine Doctor! If you ever need us—we'll give our lives!"
At the city gate, the youkai all knelt.
"…Can you stop saying 'safe travels' like I'm dying or something?!"
"You're right, Divine Doctor. We'll study hard from now on! So you can rest easy… in the underworld!"
"…Let's go, doggo."
Kei had no words anymore.
Under the send-off of thousands, he left the plague city.
And Ku Mu? He screamed in agony as his real punishment began—a fate worse than death.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]