Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Getting a Meal
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People stared at the weirdo with baffled expressions.
‘Why is he acting like that?’
‘Is he crazy?’
‘What’s with that getup?’
‘Carrying around something that shabby as a weapon? What a weirdo.’
“Welcome?”
Just then, the waiter who had been serving drinks to another table stopped in his tracks and asked.
When a customer arrives, shouldn’t he say something like ‘Welcome’ or ‘Please have a seat over here’?
The weirdo didn’t even look like a customer to the waiter.
The weirdo strode forward and asked.
“What did you just say?”
“What?”
“I asked what you just said.”
“I asked who you are.”
‘Ah, music to my ears.’
Heuk Do-san barely calmed his surging chest. How long had it been since he last heard Han speech?
Only now did the Central Plains truly feel close.
The waiter was dumbfounded.
He had clenched his teeth, ready to punch the man’s jaw for demanding what he’d said. But the guy was grinning to himself with his eyes closed.
‘Is he deranged?’
“What year is it now?”
“What?”
“I asked what year it is.”
“It’s the 17th year of the Martial Calendar.”
Jianghu folk reckoned power by cutting off the last two digits of the common era by about 28 years, making it 945 in Martial Calendar terms.
He had been trapped in that cave for a full three years.
He’d thought a good ten years had rotted away, but it was only three...
“Where is this place?”
“What?”
“Young friend, you’ve got a weird habit. When an elder asks something, answer straight away instead of always asking back.”
“It’s Tongman City. Satisfied?”
“Tongman City? What’s that?”
“We call it a city, so it’s a city.”
“Where’s it located?”
“Where did you just come from?”
“I don’t know.”
“Didn’t you come along the plateau road?”
“Road? I didn’t see any road.”
“Then how did you get here?”
“I followed wolves and reindeer.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. The place you crossed is the Akida Plateau. That answer your question?”
“Akida Plateau?”
“What, you want me to explain where the Akida Plateau is too?”
“No need. I know the Akida Plateau roughly. So that’s what I crossed. No wonder it felt so vast.”
People were dumbfounded.
The Akida Plateau—what the northern barbarians called the Ordos Desert—wasn’t a place you could just call ‘vast.’ It was a death trap if you wandered in carelessly.
Yet this weirdo spoke as if he’d merely gotten lost on a stroll up the hillside behind his house.
The weirdo continued.
“But where on the Akida Plateau is this? I mean, how far is it to the Central Plains?”
“You may have seen it on the way, but cross the desert ahead for a day and you’ll reach Shaanxi Province.”
“A day? Just one day?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re sure?”
“Have you lived your whole life getting duped?”
“Ha ha ha!”
Heuk Do-san burst into wild laughter.
He had walked alone for three months and ten days. He had crossed snow-capped peaks buried in blizzards and forded countless frozen rivers.
In the endless desert, he had wandered lost for a month, nearly dying of thirst.
And now, just one more day. One more day to Shaanxi Province, full of Han folk and their inns.
How could he not be thrilled?
‘I’m really back!’
The inn’s patrons inwardly clicked their tongues. Despite his beggar rags, there had been an air of something extraordinary about him, putting them on subtle guard.
But now he seemed half-mad.
Likely, he was a merchant who’d fallen behind his caravan while crossing the plateau, wandered lost for years, and washed up here.
His ragged clothes, crude weapon, and rambling speech all supported that.
At least he wasn’t after their escort cargo—or someone who’d come deliberately.
Still, with boredom hanging in the air, this entertaining spectacle kept their eyes glued.
Their thoughts ran along these lines.
‘How’s the waiter gonna handle this lunatic?’
Heuk Do-san cut off his laughter and scanned his surroundings.
The city, rammed from earth, had long been ruins, half-buried in sand, its original shape unrecognizable.
‘Tongman City? What an odd name.’
In the center, a motley crowd mingled. Swordsmen here, swordsmen there—swordsmen everywhere. In one corner, Mongols lounged by a campfire.
One glance and he saw through it all. Three years in the cave hadn’t dulled his old knack for reading a room.
‘Not merchants pretending to be merchants. Wait, is this a bandit den?’
If he didn’t know, he’d ask.
Not that it mattered much either way.
“What sort of place is this?”
“An inn.”
“An inn?”
“That’s right.”
“What’s with all these swordsmen gathered in a backwater inn like this? Waiting for some escort cargo to show up?”
Heuk Do-san said, sweeping his gaze over the room.
In an instant, the inn fell silent as if doused with cold water. The waiter’s face paled.
Heuk Do-san paid no mind and kept looking around. Steam rose from pork and chicken on every table.
Just looking at it made his guts twist. Especially the chicken on the table of what looked like escort guards—it looked delicious.
‘Phoenix stuffed with veggies and steamed. Garlic would kill the gamey smell and make it perfect. Slurp.’
Just looking made his mouth water.
Suddenly, his eyes met those of a pretty young woman. Heuk Do-san turned quickly to the waiter and said.
“Anyway, this inn’s got a weird design. No roof? What happens when it rains?”
“Planning to stay the night?”
“You think I came just to ask directions?”
“Rainy days are less than a fortnight a year here. Who needs a roof? If it bothers you that much, try somewhere else.”
“Any other inns around?”
Heuk Do-san asked, startled.
“Of course.”
“Yeah?”
“Go out and turn left. You’ll see a desert. Cross it to Shaanxi Province, and inns everywhere.”
Laughter erupted here and there at the waiter’s deadpan reply. Some added jeers.
“Sure, just a day’s walk.”
“A day’s trip from the plains is the next village over.”
Heuk Do-san ignored the mockery. Let them laugh—what did it matter?
He was over the moon just to be back in the Central Plains alive. The raucous chatter was music to his ears.
“Truly, the Central Plains are within spitting distance. Anyway, with all these customers, you must be swamped.”
“Busy enough without you holding me up. If you’re done, head to the next village.”
“I’ll help with that.”
“What... do you mean?”
“Chopping wood, washing dishes, plucking chickens—whatever. I’ll do any work sharp and clean.”
The waiter stared at Heuk Do-san and said.
“No money, huh?”
“Right.”
“Got some nerve.”
“Being broke isn’t a crime, so why not be bold? I’ll work it off proper, so give me some food first. Hot liquor and well-boiled chicken. Oh, and blanch some veggies generously in salt water.”
The waiter’s patience reached its limit. His face flushed red and purple. As he gathered curses in his mouth, Heuk Do-san said smoothly.
“Don’t get worked up. You look seasoned enough—you’ve dealt with plenty of travelers who eat their fill then claim broke. At least I’m upfront, so that’s better, right?”
The waiter swallowed his curses, spun on his heel, and stormed into the kitchen. Heuk Do-san trailed after him, craning his neck toward the kitchen and saying.
“I know I look strange. Complicated circumstances I can’t explain, so don’t be too mad. You’ll have a day like this yourself someday...”
Splash!
Heuk Do-san was drenched in filthy dishwater. Greasy chicken skin stuck to his hair and clothes.
The patrons howled with laughter.
‘Quick hands.’
He could have dodged if he tried. By taking the splash, the waiter now owed him.
‘After this, if he just chases me off, even I couldn’t stand it.’
Heuk Do-san wiped the grime from his face with his hand. With a calm expression, he prepared to have a serious talk with the waiter.
“Care to join us, if it’s not too much trouble?”
He turned to see the pretty young woman from before smiling warmly at him from afar.
Judging by their clothes and the escort agency banner on their wagons, they were guards.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“We ordered extra since we were hungry, but it looks like there’ll be leftovers. Join us if you’d like.”
The escorts looked puzzled.
This was a time for utmost caution. Why was Yung Seol-ran inviting a stranger?
“What’s the plan?”
Bang Dae-gang whispered.
Yung Seol-ran whispered back.
“As you know, it’s common in the jianghu for martial artists to show mercy to penniless travelers. But if we had escort cargo, we wouldn’t dream of seating an outsider so readily, right?”
“Ah...!”
In other words, use this odd man to fool people’s eyes.
“Besides, he seems clueless about the escort cargo. Right now, he’s the only one in this inn we don’t have to watch.”
“What if it’s an act?”
“It’s too ridiculous to be acting. Plus, he’s drawn way too much attention.”
“Won’t he be in danger? Sorry to say it, but I don’t want to drag an innocent into our mess.”
“Everyone saw he’s got nothing to do with us. As long as he doesn’t meddle, he’ll be fine.”
The man approached, cutting their talk short. Yung Seol-ran and Bang Dae-gang quickly schooled their faces.
Heuk Do-san plopped down in an empty seat. They had pushed several tables together facing each other, leaving no gaps.
He squeezed into a narrow end spot, ironically flanked by people on both sides.
Heuk Do-san cupped his fists toward the woman.
“Heuk Do-san.”
“Yung Seol-ran.”
As Bang Dae-gang cupped his fists to introduce himself, Heuk Do-san cut in.
“One by one would be proper, but I’m starving right now. Mind if I eat first... beggin’ your pardon?”
Bang Dae-gang stiffened.
Yung Seol-ran clapped a hand over her mouth. Holding back laughter, she said.
“Of course.”
Heuk Do-san licked his lips and snatched the largest chicken from the pot onto his plate.
‘The feel at my fingertips is already different.’
On the way here, he’d caught and eaten plenty of thunderbirds racing over snowfields.
But skewered and roasted versus boiled in a pot? Worlds apart.
‘Melts in your mouth.’
The chicken was incredibly tender.
Stuffed with veggies and boiled, every chew brought fresh flavors.
Tender meat, veggies blanched in chicken fat, paired with warm baijiu—it rivaled a feast for kings.
No need to debone. A couple rips and the whole bird was gone.
“May I have another?”
Heuk Do-san asked Yung Seol-ran.
The escorts paused mid-bite to stare.
They were just starting on legs and wings, but this thunderbolt brute had demolished a whole chicken in seconds.
They knew he was hungry, but possessed like that?
“As much as you want.”
“Thanks.”
Heuk Do-san grabbed the largest again, transferred it to his plate, and dug in.
Only after stuffing down two more did the hunger ease a bit.
“May I have one more?”
The escorts gulped dryly.
Shameless or not, could a human stomach hold three chickens?
Yung Seol-ran seemed to realize this was no joke. With a tense voice, she said.
“If you can eat more...”
“What a magnanimous soul.”