There were many who would think that compassion always came with strings and restraints attached.
However, not everything was all dark and grey.
Kang Hyuk proved this from the moment he'd met the duo of 'old geezers' stumbling about in life.
That day, they were really worse for ware…
The youthful ascender wore a personalised white hanfu. It looked like a pair of t-shirt and pants.
After 'ascending' to such an abnormal world, he was taken aback by the lack of interest people had of him. No one checked his identity or even cared where he came from. It was a different experience.
If this was Jianghu, there would certainly had been someone who'd overcharge him for food and water.
However, nothing of the sort had happened here.
Was this the nature of the 'Divine Realm'?
Things were truly hard to comprehend in this world. People didn't abide by logic or rationality.
They seemed more driven by instincts…
His first day in the realm above his own was spent living like a beggar, but better than his own world.
Although having no roof over his head was concerning, Kang Hyuk wasn't uncomfortable.
He laid down a blanket next to a nearby meat stall and looked around. His mouth covered in drool.
The owner of the stand gave him a look.
"What's a dud like you hanging around for?" The youthful ascender pointed at himself in response:
"Me?"
"Yeah, you're not here to cause trouble… Right?"
"…" Although he wasn't much of a fighter, the presence and energy of the man was terrifying.
A mere stall owner in this world was so strong?
He was about to make himself scarce, but the rumbling of his stomach gave away his intentions.
Hyuk smiled at him embarrassedly.
"Good sir, do you take silver taels in payment?" A hand reached out with currency from his realm.
As expected, the man looked at him strangely. The butcher-like stall owner titled his head at the sight.
"What's that?"
"Ummm… Is this not enough?" The newbie of this Divine Realm took everything out of his pouch.
He put everything on his person on the line.
"Have mercy on me… I feel so hungry. I'm about to die." The feeling consuming him wasn't a joke.
He wasn't sure why, but it felt like all his energy was used up to expanding his horizons of potential.
Unfortunately, more potential didn't mean anything if he couldn't fill his stomach. He didn't want to die.
Still, the stall owner insisted:
"Get those things out of my face." The butcher-like face of the man seemed to twist with discomfort.
"Please…" He felt so weak that he fell to his knees.
Hyuk would rather live longer in life than hold onto his pride. Even licking his shoes was no biggie.
He'd do anything to survive…!
"…So you're a new guy." The stall owner didn't accept money, but still threw out some grilled food.
The youthful ascender chomped on cartoonish size meat stack. He ignored the bone going through it.
Not realising the size was unlike any animal from his world- No, he didn't care about that either way.
Meat was meat regardless of its origin.
Looking at how he was eating like a starved wolf, a laugh was accompanied with a better explanation:
"I'm not saying what you have is useless. Most of the things here already have an owner, and what you ate was from my pocket. Digital currency is all the rage right now, so go sell those things at a blacksmith shop. They'll give you a good price."
"…Thank you, my saviour."
"Don't be so polite. Next time, come around when you have money." The man smiled and saw him off.
After that, Kang Hyuk really WAS able to sell his assets and find ways to make money in this realm.
He was also warned by a powerful being (with an imperial air) to not cause any large disturbance.
He was happy that person helped guide him.
It looked like there were these things called 'Guilds' that gave out regular requests to vagrants like him.
They did so personally over a 'Phone'.
A contraption that looked like a smooth miniature box holding metals put into a mysterious 'Array'.
He wondered what kind of Witchcraft this was…
The world seemed simple and easy enough. It may seem odd from the lack of interest people had about him being an 'Otherworlder', but he was slowly coming to terms with the rules of society.
It was while he was looking around that he came across the unusual pair. The duo looked quite lost.
There was a lack of life in their eyes.
They stumbled towards the district many of his kind that hadn't found a place to stay holed up.
Also known widely as the 'Adventurer District'.
"You're gonna be fine. Stay strong. You just need to stay strong." The man said these words faintly.
It was hard to tell who these words were meant for.
Was it for the injured old drunkard, or himself?
Naturally, Kang Hyuk reached out his hand and naturally helped Sebastian take care of the geezer.
How long had it been since then? Months?
The three of them took care of each other and talked lot about their plans for their future.
Though none of them expected to end up being tenants under a landlord from a lower realm.
"What are you thinking about?" Sebastian, who he had put to bed, had woke him out of his daze.
"I'm wondering why the house owner doesn't like me." Kang Hyuk shrugged at such a question.
His answer wasn't completely untrue.
A social butterfly like him took great pride in his ability to charm others, so why was he rejected?
Even now, there felt like a barrier between them.
"Cheer up. He's probably not used to having tenants." The white-haired young man smiled.
He wasn't sure if these words were sincere or not.
"…Anyway, it's time for 'that'." Hyuk threw all the unimportant matters away and took off his glove.
'Seriously… I wish there was an easier method.' He thought while grabbing his patient's hand readily.
As someone who had rooted himself in the Medical Dao, Hyuk was aware of the situation of his friend.
Sebastian Pegasus was a young man that had seriously overtaxed his 'Life Energy' in the past.
But that wasn't the end of his injuries.
His patient also showed signs of rapid ageing and cellular degradation. At least, that's the new terms he'd learnt to label them as after coming to this world. There was no known cure for this condition.
Even in Jianghu, people who'd overdrawn their strength would end up permanently scarred by it.
That was unless they took a miraculous Longevity Pill or transformed after breaking their upper limits.
The level of 'Earthly Rebirth of Divine Physiology'.
Since he wasn't an alchemist and couldn't artificially produce the latter, he had one choice.
Using his own Life Force to heal the damage.
This was an excruciating procedure that involved using his own Internal Qi to seep into his patient.
Gradually seeping into the depths of the building blocks of life and recovering what was consumed.
Of course, this procedure wasn't possible for even someone at the level of Martial God to reproduce.
Hyuk watched as his patient stared at him with unblinking yet clear eyes, as if he had a lot to ask.
After the treatment was done, Sebastian spoke:
"How old are you really?"
It was an unexpected question that didn't suit the situation. What was the point of knowing his age?
"…25." He came up with a random number.
"You said it was 27 last time."
'For the love of Buddha…!' Hyuk unconsciously face slapped himself, only to writhe around in pain.
His meridians were already burning since earlier, so even a single touch made them grind on his nerves.
The result was clear to see.
"You okay?" Sebastian threw away the quilt.
He didn't hold onto the youth personally, but raised his hand and induced a phenomenon on his doctor.
Gravity became weaker above the Magic Circle that appeared under Hyuk's chair. It made things easier.
The youth balanced himself and spoke weakly:
"Thank you." His hands were clasped.
"I should be saying that to you. You're sure there isn't any way for me to pay you back in any way?"
"Don't. What are friends for?" Hyuk's radiant smile blinded his patient. That, or he was squinting.
The reason for it didn't come to mind.
"I can't believe I'm being taken care of by someone younger than me." Sebas hit the nail on the head.
"Is it too humiliating…?" He scratched his head. It was a reaction he'd expected from the beginning.
There had been many elderly healers and alchemists that took offence to him showing off his skill in the Medical Dao. Even his peers had never truly gave him praise for reaching such mastery.
"What? No! That's not what I meant."
"It's fine. You're two years older than me, my senior in life. I've been too arrogant. Acting high and mi-"
"Look, I said that wasn't it! Why are you looking down on yourself like that? You're a great genius."
"I'm actually not that talented."
"Didn't you also ascend to this world? I'm sure that counts for something!" Those words hit deeply.
But not in the way Sebas was intending.
An embarrassed look appeared on that normally cheerful face. His face was as red as an apple.
"Alright… Fine. Can you tell me what's up with you lately? Is it what he said?" Sebas sat up straight.
Those words referring to Simon's earlier comment:
["At least your talented. Think about how harsh your life would be if you hadn't had any blessings."]
"Pretty much." Hyuk didn't deny his feelings.
"What are you embarrassed about?"
"Actually… Ummm… How did you gain strength in your world? Was there any easy path for it?"
Even though the young healer answered a question with a question, Sebastian didn't deny an answer:
"Yeah… You know I'm a 'Magician', right?"
"I didn't bring it up when the house owner was around, but I didn't forget. You know how Simon is." He made a helpless look. Plus, it wasn't like he wasn't aware that his patient really hated teaching.
"Well… The easier path to magic, which my own students took while I was an instructor at the academy, was become a 'Wizard'. They took in magical energy and calculated using computers."
"Those round box things that Adam has?"
"…Similar- You know, let's just say that there's someone inside the box doing the studying."
"That sounds really unfair."
"It is… and they give up strength and variety of Invoked Spells for Conjured Spells instead. They have better flexibility and faster casting time than Magicians like me, but their progress is slower."
"If you came here, you must be a 'Magic King'."
"Not quite… Ranks in my world were determined by the level of external Mana we could gather into our body internally at one time. For me, I have the proficiency of a 5th Rank, but lack in strength."
"So you're techniques can't keep up with your body?" There was praise in Hyuk's twinkling eyes.
"That's a nice way to put it. Yeah… Anyway, if you're a fighter and cheater, did you eat 'Pills'?"
He felt like his guess was probably close.
However, the young healer shook his head.
His cheeks turned red while scratching his ear, but he didn't look like he'd back out in correcting him.
"Actually, I'm a Martial King of Dual Cultivation."
"You say what now…?"
"I ascended using the power of sex."
"That's kinda…"
"I know." Why else would he feel ashamed to tell the fighters of this world what he excelled at?
Imagine going into battle and being asked what he was most proficient at, only to say it was 'that'.
"Does Simon know about it?"
"He doesn't. They all think my main focus is the Medical Dao. I'm holding back myself back from going to the Redlight District. Did you know that there are girls with the Class of 'Prostitute' here?"
"I didn't want to- Wait, are you showing your true colours?" Sebas caught on that he was venting.
"I'm dying right now! To think that there are only high class brothels in this place. I want to work~!"
"As what…?"
"I want to jump into bed with a cute rich girl. I got out of the business before, but I'm thinking of going back." His was covered in desires and lust that really made Sebastian fear for his purity.
"Why…?" That word didn't question on thing.
He was really confused…
"Haven't you noticed that every girl in this world is either beautiful or spotless? The same for the guys too. I mean, I get why Otherworlders like me look good, but even people of this world look nice."
"Hyuk, you're freaking me out…!"
"Do you want me to help?" An unfamiliar stranger's voice made them freeze up from the sudden noise.
The sound of a silenced gunshot echoed in the room. Blood spurted from the Magician's forehead.
A flower of brain matter bloomed behind his head.
His body fell lifelessly…
A second gunshot unhesitatingly resounded once again, but that magical bullet ended up missing.
The second intruder held the black Spirit Essence of the Assassin after having knocked Hyuk out.
Blood seeped from the back of the healer's head.
Before his consciousness waned, he heard the conversation between the people who attacked:
"You bastard! We're not supposed to kill them."
"Sorry… It was on instinct."
"I don't care if your Class makes you do that. You should've shown restraint and acted on orders."
"My bad…" The Assassin apologised towards the hanfu wearing woman masking her lower face.
Even the literal 'Assassin Class' didn't go that far…
He couldn't hear the rest of what they were trying to say, but he guessed they were royally screwed.
'I let my guard down.' Was the last thought he had before being captured and tied up by the intruders.
Their next target being obvious.