Helping the Beggar Siblings
“Th-this is a highest-grade night-luminescent pearl……!”
“This! Oh! Is it eternal cold iron? I feel a chill from up there. But it's different from the eternal cold iron I know……”
I rested my chin on the counter, staring blankly at the boy wandering around the convenience store like it was his own home.
Murim folk were Murim folk, alright. Calling the fluorescent lights a highest-grade night-luminescent pearl, mistaking the air conditioner for eternal cold iron. It was too complicated to explain, so I just nodded.
That did it.
“Great one, are you the head of some trading caravan? How do you have such expensive items?”
My title had upgraded to “great one.” And my job? Trading caravan head. What a tearjerker of a promotion.
“Not a caravan head. This is a convenience store.”
“Con-venience...? What in the world is that? A convenience caravan?”
“Not a convenience caravan—a convenience store. A place that sells convenient things to people.”
I gave a rough explanation, and the boy nodded like he got it.
That was when it happened.
“Umm, big brother……”
The little girl I'd laid on the counter rubbed her eyes and woke up. The moment her voice sounded, the boy dashed over and hugged her tight.
“Su-hwa! Are you okay?”
“Big brother? Where are we……”
“This great one saved your life! Hurry and thank him.”
The little girl looked around, then met my eyes. She jumped up in surprise and awkwardly raised her hands, mimicking her brother's arch hand salute, from the look of it.
“Thank you, sir.”
Her chubby cheeks were adorable. She looked about five years old. Her arms were stick-thin, like she hadn't eaten properly, and she had dark circles under her eyes.
What could have happened to make a child go hungry like this?
The boy lifted his sister down from the counter and bowed once more with the arch hand salute.
“Now that my sister's awake, we'll be going. We'll repay this favor. If I tell the Beggar Union beggars there's a herb mountain in this bamboo forest, it'll spread across the entire Central Plains in no time.”
I waved at the boy, who was acting all mature beyond his years. If he really did that, customers might start trickling in. Those customers would bring more, and so on. Word of mouth would spread bit by bit until the whole Central Plains knew about this convenience store.
Ah, if only.
I was grinning to myself when a dull thud echoed.
Then—
“B-big brother!!”
The girl's scream pierced the air.
I rushed to the entrance. The boy, who had seemed so spirited moments ago, lay collapsed on the ground.
What the hell? I checked his forehead for fever, felt his pulse—nothing wrong. Not sick, either.
No way…
I turned to the gaunt little girl.
“How long have you two gone without proper food?”
She folded her tiny fingers, then held up three.
“Th-thirty days?”
I stared down at the boy in disbelief. Thirty days without eating? He'd have died if he hadn't collapsed—I never would've guessed.
First things first: save the kid. I scooped him up and carried him back inside.
*
Jang Su-cheon woke to a savory aroma tickling his nose.
I collapsed!
Dizziness hit him hard. He tried to sit up, and the world spun. He'd endured hunger with the Jang family inner power method until now, but even that had reached its limit.
He shook his head to clear his vision and saw cute little Su-hwa right there.
“Big brother!”
Her mouth glistened with oil. What? Had she eaten meat?
Gulp.
Su-cheon swallowed. Thunder rumbled from his stomach.
“You're awake? Eat this at least.”
Su-cheon focused on the voice. It was the benefactor who saved Su-hwa.
Eat what? Without even checking the food, Su-cheon shook his head vigorously. Saving Su-hwa was gratitude enough—he couldn't accept food too.
“I'm fine. I can't eat food for free……”
“Who said free? Pay me back. I'm a merchant too.”
Su-cheon blinked his big eyes up at Jung-hyun. For someone so pragmatic, a gentle smile lit his face.
“Come back when you make some money.”
“Pardon?”
“What, you don't like that?”
“N-no! Absolutely not!”
“Eat first.”
Jung-hyun was curious too. What would a Murim kid think of his first hamburger? What if it was too salty, sweet, or spicy—inedible to them? Convenience store business in Murim would be doomed.
Heart pounding, Jung-hyun watched the burger in front of Su-cheon.
Su-cheon picked it up with trembling hands. He had no idea what it was, but one thing was clear: this aroma wasn't from any worldly food.
How do you eat it? Just pick it up?
Gulp.
He shoved it into his mouth.
Haah!
Soft bun, sweet sauce, juicy patty bursting with flavor hit first. Su-cheon's pupils doubled in size.
“!!!”
How could such a taste exist? Salty savoriness stimulating every meridian. It coursed through his channels like perfect qi flow, making him shudder.
And this sour, sweet, spicy mix? Even without circulating qi, his dantian energy circulated naturally. Suddenly, stagnant poison leaked from his forehead, neck, back, chest.
Sticky sweat drenched him. Several acupoints burst open, he realized. Close to total meridian opening, like Father described?
And the bun! He'd never tasted such flavorful bread. So soft—like chewing silk. Murim bread was rock-hard.
This is yin-yang harmony. The five elements exist in this food, Su-cheon dared think.
He went for another bite, then set the burger down.
“Why? Not good?”
Jung-hyun eyed Su-cheon, who hadn't finished.
Really that bad?
But Su-cheon shook his head.
“No. It's delicious. Tears are flowing.”
“Then eat more.”
“It's just……”
Su-cheon glanced at Jung-hyun.
“I've never heard of meat sandwiched in bread. You give such expensive food freely, heal my sister—how can I repay this grace?”
Here we go again.
“How old are you?”
“Pardon?”
“Your age.”
Su-cheon counted on his fingers.
“Fifteen this year.”
“Yeah, you look it.”
“Pardon?”
“You look young. Can a fifteen-year-old earn a gold ingot?”
Su-cheon shook his head.
“See? No expectations. What, hope for gold from a kid? No way.”
Jung-hyun slid the burger back.
“I didn't help expecting big things. Just eat well and grow strong.”
Tears welled in Su-cheon's eyes.
Jung-hyun handed him tissues.
“Promote the store properly. That's how you repay me. Got it?”
Su-cheon nodded vigorously.
“Of course! I'll make this inn's fame spread across the Central Plains, no matter what!”
“Hope so.”
Relaxed now, Su-cheon devoured the burger. A few coins invested to test Murim convenience store viability? Bargain.
He finished clean, stood, and saluted.
“The ocean-deep grace from the great hero cannot be repaid even in hundreds of reincarnations.”
Title upgraded to great hero now. Reserved for masters of righteousness, right? Whatever. Jung-hyun cared only about getting paid to secure the store.
“Others will say it's delicious too, right?”
“No need for words! Best delicacy of my life.”
How long you lived, kid?
“I'm Jang Su-cheon, last blood of the Jang family. I swear on my name to fulfill the great hero's request!”
Jang Su-cheon. Jung-hyun recalled the name from the novel. No mention of rebuilding the Jang house, just a minor episode. Extra at best.
What ripples this bond with an extra might bring? Who knew.
“I'll spread the word properly to the Beggar Union beggars. Rumors will cover the Central Plains soon.”
Really hope so.
“Great hero! This one will take his leave.”
Su-cheon bowed last, took his sister, and left.
*
Next day—out to sweep fallen leaves from the front yard as usual, Jung-hyun couldn't help but gasp.
Helping the Jang siblings? Best decision.
“Ahem. Heard there's a delicacy here, full of cosmic energies, in this remote spot.”
Bamboo hat hid her face, but her slender figure stood out. Travel-worn robes, but the sword at her waist gleamed pristine.
To Jung-hyun right then, looks didn't matter. First customer did.
Su-cheon promoted properly!
Energy surged in his voice.
“Welcome, customer!!”
Joy lit Jung-hyun's face.