Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: To Covet What Others Have, You Must Stake Your Own Treasures (2)
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“Ugh! I’m gonna die.”
Bang Jin-bo groaned as he stretched.
“You did great today.”
Song Hwan lightly patted Bang Jin-bo’s shoulder with his thick hand.
Bang Jin-bo had more than pulled his weight today. Thanks to him, they’d managed to handle the flood of orders pouring in like the tide.
“Everyone worked hard. The urgent stuff is done, so you can rest for today.”
“Woo!”
Cheers erupted from the head cooks and assistants.
Today marked the peak of the sixtieth birthday celebration. It was the day when the most people had gathered to see Lee Sin-pung. The kitchen staff hadn’t even had time to breathe while preparing the food.
Song Hwan said to Bang Jin-bo,
“It’ll be tough, but help out just until tomorrow.”
“Yes! I’ll do that.”
“Thanks. You kept at it quietly even though it was hard. You helped us get over this hump.”
“No, it’s nothing. I’m enjoying it myself. And thanks to you, I’ve learned about all sorts of foods I never knew before.”
Most of the dishes that owner Lee Sin-pung had eaten were made by Song Hwan himself. As the head cook, he knew all sorts of secret recipes unknown to others.
Just watching him cook from the side had taught Bang Jin-bo a great deal.
Song Hwan was a renowned master chef even in Gansu Province. The very fact of cooking alongside such a man was an overwhelming, unforgettable thrill for Bang Jin-bo.
Song Hwan clapped his hands.
“Everyone worked hard. Clean up and get some good rest today.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The head cooks and assistants bowed to Song Hwan in unison. He waved them off once and headed outside. U Bok-gyeom, the deputy head cook, followed behind him.
Even the other cooks left, leaving only Bang Jin-bo and So Jin-seo in the kitchen.
Bang Jin-bo smiled at So Jin-seo.
“Well then, brother, shall we get back to it?”
“Yeah!”
So Jin-seo nodded. A smile lit up his face.
Ever since Bang Jin-bo had taught him the right way to handle fire, the smile hadn’t left his face.
‘I think I’m finally starting to understand fire.’
He hadn’t fully mastered it, but he’d grasped how to use it to some degree. Thanks to that, his cooking skills were improving by the day.
And it was all thanks to Bang Jin-bo.
After that, Bang Jin-bo hadn’t held back on advice for So Jin-seo. So Jin-seo was moved by Bang Jin-bo’s consistent attitude.
He no longer envied Bang Jin-bo. Instead, he cherished and followed him.
Tap-tap-tap!
The sound of their knives striking the cutting boards echoed endlessly through the kitchen.
So Jin-seo tried his best to cook while understanding fire as Bang Jin-bo had taught him, and Bang Jin-bo recalled Song Hwan’s techniques from earlier in the day.
“Hahaha!”
Their laughter rang out in the kitchen.
It was quite a while later when Bang Jin-bo finally left the kitchen.
“Ah! Feels good.”
Bang Jin-bo stretched as he looked up at the sky. The moon seemed especially bright tonight.
Looking at the moon made him think of his father.
“I’m doing just fine without you, Dad. So don’t worry.”
Bang Jin-bo waved at the moon, then dashed off.
He could see the guesthouse in the distance.
“Brother!”
Bang Jin-bo flung open the door. But Dam Ho was nowhere to be seen.
“Brother?”
***
Jwa Sang-cheon was in an exceedingly good mood.
Around him sat four young martial artists of similar age. They were all men he’d met at the Crimson Rock Ranch.
Young warriors from similar backgrounds to his own. They were all renowned geniuses in Gansu Province.
Somehow, they’d ended up together, hit it off, and had been hanging out ever since.
“Haha! To finally meet friends I like. I’ve wasted my life until now.”
“Who can argue? I’m glad we met when we did.”
“Nothing beats sharing drinks with good friends.”
Their names were Jang Hak-kyeong, Mo Jung-hyeon, and Yun Sang-han.
Jang Hak-kyeong was the young head of a fairly large trading company based in Lanzhou, Mo Jung-hyeon was the chief instructor at the Yunyang Martial Hall.
Yun Sang-han was a lay disciple of the Kunlun Sect and known as an exceptional talent in Gansu Province.
The place where they drank was a annex within the Crimson Rock Ranch. The trading company run by Jang Hak-kyeong’s father donated a massive sum to the ranch every year. Thanks to that, they received special treatment and were given this annex.
High walls surrounded it, so they could drink freely without worrying about prying eyes.
They’d drunk quite a bit—their faces were flushed red, and empty bottles littered the floor.
The alcohol was at its peak buzz when—
“Senior Brother!”
A sharp voice suddenly rang out in the annex.
“Who’s this? Isn’t it the world’s prettiest little junior sister?”
Jwa Sang-cheon looked blearily at the woman who’d entered. It was Mun Su-kyeong, his junior sister from the Hyeonhyeon Sect.
Mun Su-kyeong approached Jwa Sang-cheon.
“Senior Brother, what are you doing here?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re supposed to attend the banquet.”
“What’s the point? I’d never get to meet the host there anyway.”
“What did you say?”
“You think he’d bother with me even if I hung around? The Hyeonhyeon Sect isn’t even on his radar.”
“Senior Brother!”
“Face reality, Junior Sister. Forget about Lee Sin-pung—he’s out of reach. Why not join us here instead? Making connections with these guys will do way more for the Hyeonhyeon Sect’s future.”
Jwa Sang-cheon spread his arms wide. Mun Su-kyeong’s face twisted at the sight.
Meeting so many people here had inflated Jwa Sang-cheon’s vanity tremendously. He’d always had a bit of it, but not to this extent.
“Senior Brother, please…”
“Just watch, Junior Sister. The Hyeonhyeon Sect will rise even greater in my generation.”
Mun Su-kyeong squeezed her eyes shut at his words.
Jang Hak-kyeong and the others chimed in.
“Miss Mun, we’ve heard a lot about you from Brother Jwa. Come join us.”
“That’s right! As you can see, we’re not bad guys. Connecting with us will help the Hyeonhyeon Sect a lot.”
They spoke very politely. But Mun Su-kyeong wasn’t listening.
She glared at Jwa Sang-cheon.
“Senior Brother, where were you last night?”
“Huh? Why?”
“You didn’t come back to the lodgings.”
“Heh! I had some business.”
“What business?”
“Do I have to report my private life to you? Don’t get the wrong idea, Junior Sister. I may be a disciple of the Hyeonhyeon Sect, but I’m not obligated to tell you everything.”
“Senior Brother!”
“If you’re not drinking, then get lost.”
Jwa Sang-cheon waved her off dismissively.
Her face flushed red at his arrogant behavior. She’d held out hope because he was her senior brother, but he was only disappointing her more and more.
The problem was the people around Jwa Sang-cheon. They were filling his head with hot air.
Just as Mun Su-kyeong was about to say one last thing—
The annex’s front gate opened silently. But Jwa Sang-cheon and the others, lost in their drinking, didn’t notice.
“Huh?”
Mun Su-kyeong was the only one who saw the gate open.
The large gate swung open, and someone entered.
The moment she saw the man approaching quietly, dragging one leg along the ground, her pupils trembled.
Messy black hair and a pitch-black leather robe.
‘The man they called Jin-bo’s brother.’
He was the one who’d been with the chubby boy who’d left such a strong impression on her way here.
The first impression had been intense, but she hadn’t paid much attention. Thinking back, that was odd. No matter how focused she’d been on Lee Sin-pung’s birthday, to show no interest in someone with such a striking presence.
Watching Dam Ho approach, Mun Su-kyeong realized why she hadn’t paid attention to him.
She’d been afraid.
Her mind had recognized the fear first and deliberately pushed Dam Ho out of her thoughts to protect her body.
Even as he simply walked toward them, her body trembled like an aspen leaf.
Mun Su-kyeong backed away step by step. She didn’t know how far she retreated. She stopped only when her back hit the platform where Jwa Sang-cheon and the others sat.
“What’s wrong, Junior Sister? Changed your mind after all?”
Jwa Sang-cheon, still unaware of Dam Ho’s approach, grinned. But when Mun Su-kyeong didn’t answer and just trembled, he naturally followed her gaze.
“Huh?”
Only then did he spot Dam Ho, and a puzzled look crossed his face.
“You?”
The moment he met Dam Ho’s eyes, his face began to quiver.
Perfectly black pupils, devoid of any flicker or emotion. Yet the instant Jwa Sang-cheon looked into them, his breath caught in his throat.
It felt like his heart was shrinking—he couldn’t breathe properly.
Overwhelmed by this unfamiliar terror he’d never felt before, Jwa Sang-cheon shot to his feet.
“What are you doing here?”
He deliberately shouted loudly, thinking it might shake off even a bit of the inexplicable fear.
“What’s wrong, Brother Jwa?”
Jang Hak-kyeong and the others looked at him with strange expressions.
Then came Dam Ho’s low voice.
“Why did you do it?”
It was a question out of nowhere.
Everyone else looked baffled, but Jwa Sang-cheon grasped the meaning behind the simple words.
“What are you talking about?”
He denied it anyway. He couldn’t afford to lose face in front of everyone.
“Do you even know what this place is, barging in here? This isn’t somewhere a nobody like you belongs.”
Seeing Jwa Sang-cheon’s unusual expression, Jang Hak-kyeong stepped forward brashly. The alcohol had stolen his clear judgment, and having Mo Jung-hyeon and Yun Sang-han beside him bolstered his courage.
One was the chief instructor at one of Lanzhou’s top martial halls, the other a lay disciple of the Kunlun Sect. Logically, he had nothing to fear.
Mo Jung-hyeon stood with a laugh too.
“He must be some clueless fool. I don’t know what beef you have with Brother Jwa, but you can’t cause a scene here. This is a space Master Lee Sin-pung specially gave us. Starting trouble like this isn’t good for anyone.”
Even with Jang Hak-kyeong and Mo Jung-hyeon stepping up, Yun Sang-han didn’t move. He saw no need to get involved himself.
But Dam Ho didn’t spare them a glance. His eyes were fixed solely on Jwa Sang-cheon.
Dam Ho’s mouth opened again.
“Why did you do it?”
“What are you talking about? I have no idea what you’re on about.”
Jwa Sang-cheon played dumb to the end.
Earlier, in his drunken haze, he’d gone to the stables. The image of the Black Ghost kept nagging at him.
The pure black horse, without a single stray hair from head to toe, was temptation incarnate.
He’d slipped some coins to the stable hands and tried to ride it. But the Black Ghost resisted wildly.
Enraged, Jwa Sang-cheon had grabbed a nearby whip and lashed it madly. But the Black Ghost held out, refusing to let him mount.
Exhausted from beating it, Jwa Sang-cheon had returned here and gone back to drinking.
Whatever the reason, he had whipped the Black Ghost, and it was an embarrassing act that couldn’t get out.
That was when Mun Su-kyeong, now composed, cut in.
“Senior Brother, what on earth did you do?”
“Shut up! What did I do? Are you seriously believing this guy over me, the senior disciple of the Hyeonhyeon Sect?”
“Senior Brother, you really…”
Disappointment crossed Mun Su-kyeong’s face.
They’d known each other for at least a decade or more, seeing each other daily. She could tell truth from lie just by his expression.
Her forlorn gaze made Jwa Sang-cheon feel even more desperate.
He bellowed at Dam Ho.
“Fine! I tried to ride your horse. So what? What’s the big deal about taking it for a spin, you bastard?”
“Bastard?”
“Yeah! Bastard, you dog son of a bitch!”
In his excitement, Jwa Sang-cheon forgot his fear and swung a fist at Dam Ho.
It wasn’t a simple punch. It carried the essence of the Hyeonhyeon Sect’s secret art, the Southern Luminous Fist.
The killing strike flew toward Dam Ho.
“Senior Brother!”
Startled, Mun Su-kyeong cried out and squeezed her eyes shut.
Boom!