Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Unintended Meetings Can Bring Trouble (3)
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Bang Jinbo held Eun So-cheong's shoulder as he stared at Damho.
Eun So-cheong's face was deathly pale.
She was far too young and fragile to endure Damho's killing intent.
Standing in front of Eun So-cheong was Jongrisu, sword drawn.
He had pulled it unconsciously in response to Damho's killing intent.
Jongrisu glared at Damho, teeth gritted tightly.
His palms were soaked with sweat, though he was utterly unaware of it.
That was how tense he was.
Damho looked at Bang Jinbo.
Bang Jinbo shook his head.
It wasn't for his own sake.
It was for Eun So-cheong.
Damho read that intent in Bang Jinbo's heart.
Damho's gaze shifted to Sim Uwon.
“You shouldn't touch people carelessly.”
With that, Damho returned to his seat.
Only then did the air, rigid as a boulder, finally loosen.
“Phew!”
A sigh of relief escaped someone's lips.
Sim Uwon desperately wracked his brain, trying to recall Damho's identity.
He remembered the unbelievable rumor he'd heard recently.
‘The warrior who single-handedly wiped out West Heaven Manor, unleashed unfathomable power at Red Rock Manor. And in one move, subdued Namhak—the Kongtong Sect's top disciple and one of the Nine Dragons? It was so absurd, I wrote it off as nonsense.'
The figure in that rumor wore pitch-black robes and limped slightly on one leg.
That was why he'd dismissed it as fiction.
Yet the man standing before him matched the description perfectly.
Sim Uwon's tightly pressed lips parted.
“Shin... Ganghyeolseong.”
Now he believed the rumor.
No, he had no choice but to believe it.
The man before his eyes was far more terrifying than the tales.
Even if his strength was half what the rumors claimed, the Uiseon Sect might as well be doomed.
He had to resolve this smoothly, no matter what.
He spoke hurriedly.
“S-sorry. I was too rash.”
These were words hard to utter as leader of the Uiseon Sect.
But Damho's reply remained ice-cold.
“Apologize to the children, not me.”
Bang Jinbo and Eun So-cheong still hadn't shaken off their shock.
“I'm sorry. I should've asked for the full story before speaking. If my words wounded you, I apologize.”
“N-no, it's fine.”
“Uncle! We're okay.”
Now Bang Jinbo and Eun So-cheong were the flustered ones.
Eun So-cheong's bewilderment, in particular, defied words.
She had never once seen her uncle Sim Uwon show such weakness.
That said it all about how fearsome Damho was.
Eun So-cheong stole a sidelong glance at him.
Damho sat as if nothing had happened—like the calm eye of a storm, serene amid total devastation.
‘Just who is this man?’
But Eun So-cheong didn't dare even think of asking.
The bloodied corpse lay before her eyes.
Its gruesome sight choked her breath.
With things at this pass, Do Hagyeong grew deeply uneasy.
He could scarcely draw breath now.
‘The Grim Reaper was right here before me.'
He'd heard plenty about how frightening murim folk could be, but he'd never given it a thought.
If anything, he'd mocked them as barbaric louts blind to the refined art of cuisine.
That security came from the Uiseon Sect's staunch protection.
But with that shield gone, he was no proud master chef with pride piercing the heavens—just a terrified old man.
Damho's gaze turned to Do Hagyeong.
Do Hagyeong hurriedly looked away.
He lacked the courage to meet Damho's eyes.
“Because of you, an innocent life was lost.”
“......”
Do Hagyeong's pupils quaked like in an earthquake.
Deep down, he wanted to snap, ‘How is that my fault? You did the killing.'
But Damho's face robbed him of any such courage, even unto death.
Sim Uwon eyed Do Hagyeong.
“Did you slip up while preparing the food, by chance?”
“You know I never would.”
“Then why...”
It was then.
“Ah, did you add celestial fragrance herb to the golden lion dragon, perhaps?”
Bang Jinbo clapped, as if struck by sudden insight.
Do Hagyeong's face filled with shock.
Celestial fragrance herb grew only on Heavenly Mountain—a rare spice.
Precious few master chefs even knew it existed; fewer still knew how to use it.
He'd added a touch to heighten the golden lion dragon's flavor.
Even his fellow chefs were in the dark.
“No wonder...”
Bang Jinbo muttered.
Do Hagyeong asked him.
“How did you know about the celestial fragrance herb?”
“I've tasted it before.”
“You tasted celestial fragrance herb? That rarity?”
“Yes!”
Back when Damho razed West Heaven Manor, Bang Jinbo had tried it.
Years later, the flavor lingered in memory.
That explained the familiar note in Do Hagyeong's golden lion dragon.
“Celestial fragrance herb truly elevates a dish to perfection. But here, it overpowered everything.”
“Meaning it went too far.”
“My take, yes.”
“Hmm!”
Do Hagyeong groaned.
He never dreamed the spice meant to refine the taste had ruined it instead.
Do Hagyeong regarded Bang Jinbo with fresh eyes.
“Have you trained in cooking?”
“My father was a chef. I learned from him.”
“Remarkable. Discernible celestial fragrance herb by taste alone—you have an extraordinary palate.”
“No, not really.”
“I'm sorry. I blamed you without seeing my own error. I'll apologize to young lady Eun too. But did she know about the celestial fragrance herb?”
“No. Like I said, I've had tastier golden lion dragon before.”
“What?”
“To me, Jinbo's version is the best. Doesn't mean Chef Do's is bad. Just suits my taste more.”
“Hmm!”
Do Hagyeong groaned again.
It all made sense now. No slander—just his blunder, their misunderstanding.
But the cost was steep.
One dead, his face lost. Sim Uwon, too, shamed beyond bearing.
Do Hagyeong had no face left to show him.
Do Hagyeong sighed toward Sim Uwon.
“Sigh! All my fault. My arrogance led to the mistake. I'll bear full responsibility and step down as head chef. Punish me as you see fit, Sect Leader.”
“No. Rushing to accuse without checking the facts—that's largely on me.”
Sim Uwon sighed softly.
How had it spiraled so? Felt like possession, or nightmare.
Yet it was stark reality—his to shoulder.
Damho stared straight at him.
Staying his hand for Bang Jinbo's sake now, but poised to strike any moment.
Sim Uwon cupped his fists toward Damho.
“I apologize once more. Shall we call it even here?”
“Even with your subordinate dead?”
“I'll let it slide.”
Tremors rippled through Sim Uwon's shoulders.
Humiliation crushed him.
But endure he must.
Turning Damho to foe in rage? The fallout was unforeseeable.
Not the time. Not now.
Damho rose and spoke.
“Change your mind, come find me anytime.”
“......”
“But come prepared to stake your sect's lives.”
“Kuh!”
Damho's overbearing words twisted Sim Uwon's face hideously.
No rebuttal came. The sincerity rang true.
Damho headed for the stairs.
Still limping faintly—but that only amplified the terror.
Bang Jinbo told Eun So-cheong.
“I'm off!”
“But...”
“Later.”
Bang Jinbo flashed his usual warm smile, then followed Damho.
Eun So-cheong stared blankly at his back.
Thud! Thud!
Their descending footsteps weighed heavy on Sim Uwon's chest.
“Sigh!”
Only when the sounds faded did Sim Uwon survey the fifth-floor guests.
Time to salvage this.
Do Hagyeong's honor must hold; the Uiseon Sect's name, unsullied.
Luckily, Sim Uwon wielded peerless medicine and might.
Plus Eun Gabo's wealth. Nothing beyond mending.
Now, to parley.
Bang Jinbo glanced back suddenly.
Far off, World's Premier Tower loomed proudly atop the hill, gazing down.
Moments ago so imposing; now, not so lofty.
‘So-cheong.'
Anxious over her thoughts of him.
Yet loath to leave Damho alone.
The man wore an impassive mask—unbelievable he'd just slain a man.
Bang Jinbo drew near.
“Hyung!”
Damho looked down as he called.
“Why'd you do it?”
“......”
“That Uiseon Sect warrior... was killing him necessary?”
“Had to.”
“Why?”
“Most won't believe in hell till they've tasted it—even staring it down.”
“Hyung!”
“See the Uiseon Sect Leader's eyes?”
“Well...”
“Classic opportunist glare. Weak to the strong, ruthless to the weak. Needed an example.”
The sort that pounces on weakness, grovels to power. Damho's read of the Uiseon Sect Leader.
“Hyung!”
“Uiseon Sect trappings, fame—trifles. Strip the title, what's left? Erase his smirk, what's left? Not the surface. Essence matters.”
Uncharacteristically loquacious for Damho.
He wished to teach Bang Jinbo: worldly ways. Survival in brutality.
Bang Jinbo, too pure, saw only light.
The world held shadows aplenty.
Radical means could be righteous.
Damho imparted via deed. Reception, Bang Jinbo's alone.