Nano Machine Chapter 22: This Guy, He Fooled Us All! (D)

The strange sight in front of him surprised an unprepared Doctor Baek who's unfazed with what happens in his surroundings most of the time. Cadet Number Twenty-Three entered yesterday with a full head of bouncy, healthy hair; today he was as bald as a mole. However, even at the mockery, Cadet Number Twenty-Three had to swallow the bitter pill. He didn't want to do anything that might rub the other dispensary patient, Cheon Yeo Woon, the wrong way.

"Oh, oh! I'm sorry. I apologize."

Feeling apologetic for his lack of self-control, Baek Jong Myeong closed the bed curtain to give his patient privacy.

-Hmmm.-

Judging by Cadet Number Twenty-Three's sudden hair loss and dead silence, Baek Jong Myeong had an inkling that something might have gone down the night before, but he decided to say nothing.

One rule as the chief physician in Ma Fighting Academy was he wouldn't involve himself in whatever happened in the academy other than treating his patients.

"Hehehe! It's a beautiful morning."

Grand Prince candidate and group leader of Group Eight, Cheon Moo Geum, couldn't wipe the smirk off of his own face as he took part in the morning stretch out on the main training field. He felt his vent up anger released as he thought of his henchman Ja Hyeon's brilliant plan of sending Cadet Number Twenty-Three to attack Cheon Yeo Woon came to fruition.

Thanks to this fortunate course of events, the cadets in Group Eight could sleep in peace in the dormitory — well at least for another two days.

Then two days passed…

Around night time, after they completed the day's training, Buk Ma clan's Grand Prince candidate Cheon Moo Geum tended his guest. Cadet Number Twenty-Three had made his grand return — wearing a weird bandana-like headwear.

And, unlike the big smile on his countenance for the past two days, Cheon Moo Geum's had a rigid and distraught look on his face.

-If he won't come to us, our other choice is to send someone over to him.–

After contemplating his course of action, his right-hand man, Ja Hyeon, came up with a brilliant plan gladdening Cheon Moo Geum's sinister heart. This plan led to Cadet Number Twenty-Three's departure from the dispensary on a mission which got him admitted on the infirmary for four days.

Cadet Number Twenty-Three, chosen after much consideration, was an unskilled and weak fighter within the Ma faction. As a fair exchange for severing Cheon Yeo Woon's ankles and wrists, they promised him asylum for the said crime and would continue his sponsorship from Buk Ma clan even after his expulsion or disqualification from the academy thereafter.

"Hmm, that's weird. Shouldn't you be notification of your expulsion already?"

Cheon Moo Geum asked as he stared down at Cadet Number Twenty-Three who was on his knees. Since he failed the mission, the cadet knew there would be repercussions.

While still on his knees with his head hung low, he mustered up the courage to say in a meek tone.

"I was waiting for the opportune time to get to him, but maybe because his injuries are so severe the doctor never left his side. He was treating him 24/7."

"What? Are you trying to tell me that the doctor doesn't even sleep? You call that an excuse?"

"Like, like you recommended I waited until the middle of the night to make my move, but even then the doctor woke up from my faint footsteps."

Cadet Number Twenty-Three himself knew his excuse sounded questionable. As a matter of fact, this excuse was one Cheon Yeo Woon suggested him.

"Does the doctor have elephant ears or something?! What do you mean he heard your footsteps?!"

Puk!

"Agghh!"

Cheon Moo Geum, who became infuriated by his response, kicked him in the gut. Although there was no inner power involved in the thrust, receiving a kick straight in the solar plexus caused Cadet Number Twenty-Three to roll on the floor in pain.

"You darned bastard! You had one freaking job!"

Puk! Puk! Puk!

"Aaggghh!"

As if one hardy kick to his gut wasn't enough, Cheon Moo Geum stomped him with his feet. Since Cadet Number Twenty-Three couldn't fight back, he crawled into a submissive fetal position and took the painful strikes.

All of a sudden, the silent Ja Hyeon, who observed this whole thing from the beginning, held Cheon Moo Geum back.

"Hold on, sir gongja."

"What? What is it?"

"Do you know the name of the physician in the academy dispensary right now?"

After catching the air he lost from the beating, Cadet Number Twenty-Three answered his question after a few seconds of desperate deliberation.

"Huk… huk… Baek Jong Myeong. I think his name was Baek Jong Myeong."

"Baek Jong Myeong? Baek Jong Myeong… Oh!"

There was a reason behind Ja Hyeon's inquiry about who the dispensary chief physician was. To better serve the Grand Prince candidate Cheon Moo Geum, Ja Hyeon came to the academy having researched and gathered relevant information about this place.

"What? Do you know who that is?"

"I believe he is the protégé of Doctor Baek Jong Woo, the Doctor of Misfortune."

"Doctor Baek Jong Woo?"

At the name "Baek Jong Woo," Cheon Moo Geum stopped his stomping and gave Ja Hyeon his ears.

Baek Jong Woo, the Doctor of Misfortune belonged to the Dok Ma clan, one of the six pillar clans. Although born into the said clan, he took a path in medicine instead of martial arts or warfare and reached the status of being the Grand Master's primary physician. He was not only an extraordinary physician but also a demigod level master who ranked in the top thirty best fighters in the faction.

"Although I'm not sure about him being Baek Jong Woo's protégé, it wouldn't surprise me if Baek Jong Myeong is a skilled master himself."

This was nothing more than mere speculation. Ja Hyeon didn't know at the moment that inferences made from partial and incomplete information can sometimes be detrimental than no inferences at all.

Even though Baek Jong Woo belonged to Dok Ma clan, he was as professional as he can as a physician, and therefore, forbade himself from teaching martial arts to his medical students.

"Darn it! That means we wasted our time sending this guy over there!"

Cheon Moo Geum neither planned nor lifted a finger to execute this little ambush, but the thought of Cheon Yeo Woon chilling on the dispensary bed infuriated him again. Despite the supporting evidence of Ja Hyeon leaving Cadet Number-Twenty Three off the hook, Cheon Moo Geum continued to kick him to blow off more steam.

Puk! puk! puk!

"Aagghh! Arghh!"

"Darned bastard! Don't even think of getting sponsored by the clan ever again!"

Both Cheon Moo Geum and Ja Hyeon had buttered him up by saying that even if he were to fail the mission, he would still get the benefits they offered. However, now, nothing remained of the sweet deal — his sole purpose now is to be a mere punching bag.

As he was being kicked in a fetal position, there appeared in his eyes a menacing glare that wasn't there before these occurred.

-Keep acting crazy. Let's see if you can still do that once he arrives.-

If Cheon Moo Geum and Ja Hyeon had been on his side and assured him they would make good on what they promised, he would've disclosed every happenings in the dispensary, but it was too late now.

He changed his mind.

-Experience for yourself what a freaking monster he is, you sucker!-

It was only four days, but Cadet Number Twenty-Three got a glimpse of Cheon Yeo Woon's diabolic side. He was not the power-less, untrained, and pathetic kid they assumed him to be.

"Anyway, what the hell is that weird bandana thing on your head?"

Cheon Moo Geum stopped kicking him for a while, reached down, and pulled the covering off of Cadet Number Twenty-Three's head. The once long hair brushing against his shoulder was gone. Instead, there was a bald head so shiny it reflected light off of it.

The ends of Cheon Moo Geum's lips curled up as he let out a silent snort.

"The hell? You're trying to outdo yourself, aren't you? What, you thought if you come back with your head shaved off I'll let you off the hook? You retard."

Pretending like he hadn't laughed, Cheon Moo Geum put on a serious face again and continued kicking him. The only saving grace was the kicks weren't as strong as before. After uncovering his disgraceful head, the one thing he had hoped wouldn't happen, Cadet Number Twenty-Three poured curses out of his heart.

"You freaking Cheons! You can all go to f*cking hell!"

And just like that, the four-day peace everyone in Group Eight enjoyed came to an abrupt end as Cheon Moo Geum once again terrorized the cadets in Group Eight with his antagonizing attitude.