Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Unintended Meetings Can Also Bring Trouble (1)
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The girl who stepped down from the carriage was unmistakably Eun So-cheong. By her side was Jong Ri-su, her escort warrior.
"So-cheong!"
"Huh?"
Hearing Bang Jin-bo's voice, Eun So-cheong turned her head. Upon confirming it was him, her pupils dilated sharply.
"You're... Jin-bo."
"So-cheong, it really is you."
"How did you end up here? Oh right! You said you were coming to the World's Best Tower too."
Eun So-cheong lit up with joy and strode over briskly.
"Miss!"
Jong Ri-su called from behind, but it was no use. She rushed right up to Bang Jin-bo in an instant and grabbed his hand.
"Jin-bo."
"Y-Yeah!"
"I'm sorry about that day. Our schedule got moved up suddenly, and there was nothing I could do."
"Oh, no, it's fine. I was okay."
"I'm just glad we got to meet like this, even if it's late."
Eun So-cheong beamed brightly.
She seemed genuinely thrilled to see Bang Jin-bo again. Her sincere attitude lifted his spirits, and he smiled back.
Eun So-cheong's gaze shifted toward Dam Ho.
"Have you been well, sir?"
"Mm."
"Hehe! Still as taciturn as ever. But are you already done eating and heading back?"
"No, we didn't have a reservation, so we're just leaving. They told us to come back next month."
Bang Jin-bo answered in Dam Ho's place.
"Oh?"
Eun So-cheong furrowed her brow slightly. At that, the burly men from the World's Best Tower, who had been standing by, tensed up.
'That chubby kid knows Eun So-cheong, the pampered jewel of the Eun family?'
The Eun family was one of the top powers in Hunan, counting among the Five Great Clans of the region. More than that, they had deep ties to the Righteous Sword Sect, the shadowy backers of the World's Best Tower.
The sect leader of the Righteous Sword Sect, Shim Woo-won, was Eun So-cheong's uncle, and he doted on her endlessly. In this Hunan land, offending her and surviving unscathed was next to impossible.
Eun So-cheong's eyes turned to the burly men.
"Can you prepare a table for these guests right now?"
"You don't have to go that far..."
Bang Jin-bo tried to dissuade her just then.
"Of course. I'll have them set out an extra table immediately."
The burly man, who had been so stubborn earlier, answered hastily.
Eun So-cheong smiled sweetly.
"Hear that? They said we can all go up together."
"Still..."
"It's fine, let's go up. I'm sorry we left like that the other day, so let me treat you here."
Bang Jin-bo looked troubled as he glanced at Dam Ho. Only after Dam Ho nodded did a smile spread across Bang Jin-bo's face.
Eun So-cheong and Jong Ri-su led the way, with Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo following behind.
Inside, the World's Best Tower was several times more opulent than it had appeared from outside. Furniture crafted by the finest artisans lined the walls, and even in broad daylight, ornate lanterns illuminated the interior.
At tables made of the highest-grade wood sat people who looked wealthy at a glance, enjoying their meals.
And there weren't just one or two of them. Even just on the first floor, there were roughly twenty tables or more. Even counting five per table, that made over a hundred people dining here.
"Wow!"
Bang Jin-bo let out an exclamation.
The aromas wafting from the food were already incredible. The intense scent teasing his nose made his salivary glands explode.
Eun So-cheong calmly passed through it all and climbed the stairs. She went up one floor, then two, three, four, finally stopping at the topmost fifth floor.
The fifth floor was wide open on all sides, offering a panoramic view of Dongting Lake and the Yuan River. There were only five tables in total. It was that exclusive.
Eun So-cheong looked around and said,
"I've heard a lot about this place, but it's my first time actually coming to the World's Best Tower."
"Thank you!"
"There's still plenty of time until my appointment, so I'll hang out with you until then."
Eun So-cheong pulled Bang Jin-bo to an empty seat.
Jong Ri-su wore a troubled expression at her actions. There was some time before the guests arrived, but not so much that they could afford to be this leisurely.
But no one knew better than he did that once Eun So-cheong dug in her heels, nothing could stop her.
As they sat, an elderly server climbed the stairs.
It was a crotchety-looking old man with a goatee. He strode straight toward Eun So-cheong.
"From the Eun family manor, are you?"
"That's right."
"Hmph! No wonder the tower lord told me to come up myself."
Do Hak-gyeong grumbled in clear displeasure.
He took immense pride in his cooking. He saw the kitchen as his domain and considered it only natural that others paid top dollar for his dishes.
One of the things he hated most was when highborn nobles came calling. That sense of emptiness when his cooking flow was interrupted mid-stride—only another chef could understand it.
With his pride in the profession greater than anyone's, Do Hak-gyeong detested such situations.
"I am Do Hak-gyeong, head chef of the World's Best Tower. What would you like to eat?"
"Will you make anything I ask for?"
"Hmph! There's no dish under heaven I can't make."
Do Hak-gyeong crossed his arms. Eun So-cheong furrowed her brow slightly at his arrogant demeanor.
She respected his pride as a chef, but his gaze, looking down on everyone, was hard to bear.
Do Hak-gyeong asked again.
"What would you like? The pampered jewel of the Eun family."
"First, the Golden Thread Black Dragon, please."
Bang Jin-bo looked puzzled at Eun So-cheong's order. It was the very dish she had eaten when they first met.
Do Hak-gyeong, unaware of the context, snorted.
"Hmph! Not a difficult dish. Next?"
"Please handle the rest at your discretion."
"Understood. Just wait a moment. I'll have it out shortly."
"Please do."
Do Hak-gyeong turned and descended the stairs without a backward glance.
Bang Jin-bo finally let out a sigh of relief and looked at Eun So-cheong.
"Why that one?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Golden Thread Black Dragon."
"It was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten."
"Sigh..."
Bang Jin-bo sighed again. But a smile played on his lips.
"By the way, the Eun family manor—impressive."
"Sorry! I didn't get a chance to tell you."
"No! I was just surprised. Your status is so high, I wondered if I even deserved to talk to you like this..."
"What does status matter? We're friends, right?"
"Friends?"
"Yeah! Friends. That's what I think—don't you?"
"I, uh..."
"I don't have many friends. I'd love it if you became one."
Bang Jin-bo's face flushed at Eun So-cheong's bold words. But he soon nodded.
"Yeah! We're friends."
"Hohoho!"
Eun So-cheong burst into clear laughter.
Jong Ri-su shook his head as he watched her.
Eun So-cheong, the pampered jewel of the Eun family. She might not be the noblest in the world, but few in Hunan could match her status.
She could afford to be a bit arrogant, yet she was remarkably unpretentious. Her bold personality led her to befriend people utterly mismatched to her noble standing.
Just like now.
'The master would have a fit if he knew. Friends with a boy whose background we don't even know.'
There might even be an edict of disapproval.
The head of the Eun family, Eun Il-myeong, was fiercely proud and despised anyone unfit associating with his daughter.
Balancing the relationship between Eun Il-myeong and Eun So-cheong was one of Jong Ri-su's key roles. But mediating between two such polar opposites was incredibly taxing.
Jong Ri-su's gaze shifted to Dam Ho.
Since entering the World's Best Tower, Dam Ho had barely spoken. His silence and unique aura were nagging at him.
At first, he hadn't noticed much, but the more he observed Dam Ho, the more suspicions piled up. So he hadn't let his guard down for a second.
'Dam Ho, was it? I'll have to investigate him separately later.'
Eun So-cheong and Jong Ri-su had come straight here after parting from Dam Ho, so they hadn't heard the rumors circulating in the world. Thus, they had no clue about his true identity.
Even then, Eun So-cheong and Bang Jin-bo's conversation continued.
"But you have an appointment here?"
"Yeah! They set it here."
"Must be someone important to book a place like this."
"Well, you could say that."
Eun So-cheong smiled sweetly. Bang Jin-bo's face reddened in response.
It was then.
"The food is here."
Servers emerged carrying trays of dishes. Do Hak-gyeong led the way.
The servers bustled around the table where the four sat, setting down the food. Mouthwatering dishes filled the table at a glance.
The aromas alone were enough to cloud the mind.
"Start light with the soup dumplings, then move to the boiled fish. Follow with the Golden Thread Black Dragon, and the flavors will deepen even more."
The soup dumplings were broth-filled buns with a unique eating method: insert a straw and suck out the juice.
The boiled fish was made by slicing the fish thinly, lightly frying in oil, then stir-frying with various spices.
Both were rare dishes not commonly found. But rarer still was the Golden Thread Black Dragon.
Made primarily with sea cucumber and minced meat, a botched Golden Thread Black Dragon would shrivel the sea cucumber, ruining the flavor. That was why many chefs shied away from it.
Do Hak-gyeong explained his creations with confident pride. As he instructed, Bang Jin-bo and Eun So-cheong inserted straws into the soup dumplings and began sucking.
The finely minced broth rose through the straws.
In an instant, both their eyes widened.
"Delicious."
Exclamations burst from them simultaneously, without precedence. Do Hak-gyeong snorted as if it were only natural.
The novel flavors delighted their palates. Ecstatic expressions bloomed on their faces.
In contrast, Dam Ho ate the soup dumpling without a flicker of emotion. Do Hak-gyeong's eyebrow twitched, irked by Dam Ho's reaction.
'Hmph! Must be an ignoramus who doesn't even know good food.'
There were those types now and then. People who couldn't discern taste but assumed expensive meant delicious.
Do Hak-gyeong pegged Dam Ho as one of them.
The second dish was the boiled fish. Despite frying and stir-frying, the thin slices held their shape perfectly.
Bang Jin-bo and Eun So-cheong carefully lifted a slice to their mouths.
Sluurp!
The moment it entered, the slice melted away.
A sweet yet spicy flavor filled their mouths. The slight greasiness from the soup dumplings cleared into refreshment.
"Ah!"
They exclaimed again. Both were experiencing a new world of taste.
'Truly amazing. He deserves the title of food sage.'
Bang Jin-bo finally understood why Bang Woo-gwang had been so eager to taste Do Hak-gyeong's cooking.
The finest ingredients, top spices, living flame, and the chef's masterful skill harmonized into something new.
'First time... for a taste like this.'
Bang Jin-bo's eyes even teared up.
Unconsciously, he glanced at Dam Ho. Dam Ho was eating the boiled fish too. But unlike him, Dam Ho showed no expression whatsoever.
'Why? Doesn't it taste good?'
Dam Ho usually made his preferences clear when eating Bang Jin-bo's cooking. His silence now made Bang Jin-bo uneasy.
He shook off the thought and refocused on the food.
He took another bite of boiled fish. Still heavenly.
Suddenly, Bang Jin-bo tilted his head. It felt strangely familiar. But he couldn't recall where he'd tasted it before.
'Must be my imagination.'
Then Do Hak-gyeong's voice rang out again.
"Now, the Golden Thread Black Dragon. Eat the sea cucumber, meat, and stir-fried vegetables all together."
Bang Jin-bo and Eun So-cheong followed his words once more.
Do Hak-gyeong watched them with an arrogant expression, anticipating their shock.
"Delicious."
But Eun So-cheong's reaction fell short of his expectations. He looked at Bang Jin-bo in bewilderment.
"Mm."
Bang Jin-bo's response was lukewarm too.
There was flavor, certainly. But it was a taste he'd had somewhere before. Nothing that new.
'Where have I tasted this before?'
It was then.
Clack!
Suddenly, Eun So-cheong set down her chopsticks. She looked at Bang Jin-bo.
"Yours was tastier."
In an instant, the room's atmosphere chilled sharply.