A Stable Taste
Namgung Woo’s first priority upon arriving in Beijing was neither locating Haomun nor seeking out the Yo-pyeong Express, which had likely reached the capital ahead of him. It was something else entirely.
“Mm… This flavor is remarkably stable.”
It was the meal at the inn. Convinced that one must eat Peking duck upon reaching Beijing, Namgung Woo had dragged the Yang brothers straight into the city in search of an inn the moment they arrived. Though it might have seemed reckless, he was no ordinary traveler who would wander into just any establishment. His body, having reached the Transformation Realm, had senses that transcended human limits. With nothing but scent, he could reconstruct flavor and predict taste. After visiting several inns and their kitchens, he finally stepped into one—and his choice proved excellent.
“The duck is excellent, but the black-pepper beef tenderloin is truly outstanding.”
“I heard there aren’t many places that serve Peking duck anymore. You found one remarkably well, Chief.”
Despite the name, Peking duck’s origins lay in Nanjing. It had been imperial cuisine, and when the Yongle Emperor moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, the dish’s name changed with it. Because it was difficult and expensive to prepare, more establishments in Nanjing still offered it than in Beijing itself. Namgung Woo made no reply to the brothers, simply continuing to move his chopsticks in silence.
Eating was a ritual of profound importance to him. For a man who had fallen into a world far more distant than any foreign land, it was one of only two true sources of happiness. The freedom of martial arts that allowed him to surpass the limits of the human body. The vivid sensory experience of diverse flavors and textures. These two things quietly accumulated, easing the stress and anxiety that even he could not entirely escape. In this world, they were the only drugs he was permitted.
In his original world, meals had been nothing more than a means of replenishing nutrients. Even the nutrient packs had some flavor, and real food was available if one had the money, but everything cost coin. Virtual reality? Chukrok Murim had been an early VR game, so its implementation of taste had been crude. For Namgung Woo, therefore, every meal remained a fresh and novel pleasure.
“Ah… That was excellent.”
“Chief, I hate to say this after eating my fill, but at this rate our funds are going to run dry on food expenses alone.”
“We’re wanderers. One or two jobs should cover it.”
“Chief, this is Beijing.”
When Namgung Woo merely looked at him as if to ask what difference that made, Yang Kvae spoke with the air of someone explaining reality to a sheltered young master.
“There are no martial forces in Beijing.”
Namgung Woo frowned. “I thought Haomun was here.”
“Chief, Haomun isn’t a pure martial sect. It’s closer to a merchant guild that buys information from courtesans, street performers, and coachmen, then sells it again.”
“So you’re saying there’s no work for wanderers here.”
“That’s about the size of it.”
Beijing—the heart of the Northern Metropolitan Region under the Emperor’s direct rule. If the Northern Metropolitan Region was the Emperor’s front courtyard, Beijing was his inner sanctum. Who would dare brandish weapons in such a place? If any did, the Jinyiwei would erase them without a trace. Martial artists existed in Beijing, but none had established permanent roots there. Even the Hebei Paeng Family had relocated to Tianjin when the Yongle Emperor moved the capital.
Wanderers were not entirely absent—Namgung Woo’s own party had been grumbled at by the gate guards upon entry—but jobs for them lay outside the city walls. Only escort contracts for convoys or merchant groups departing Beijing offered any work.
Namgung Woo mentally tallied what remained of their funds. We’ve spent quite a bit. His body’s consumption was simply too efficient; he had eaten without restraint.
“Word of what happened in Muan County spread quite far, didn’t it?”
“It did.”
“If you hadn’t asked us to keep your name quiet, you’d probably have earned a nickname or two by now.”
Before leaving Muan County, Namgung Woo had asked Paeng Mu-ho to ensure his name remained unknown. It was not because he enjoyed hiding his identity, but because he wished to honor their agreement.
“That would have been a breach of contract.”
Instead of spreading Namgung Woo’s personal fame, the story that circulated was of the Yo-pyeong Express. Word that an unnamed escort from the agency had performed brilliantly at the sealed gate had greatly enhanced the agency’s reputation and credibility. That had been Namgung Woo’s proposal to Pyeong Cho-yul—an act of free advertising. Pyeong Cho-yul had only lent the agency’s name to help Song Chae-ji’s benefactor, but Namgung Woo had taken the role seriously.
“At the very least, they won’t turn us away.”
At his words, the Yang brothers pictured their next destination: the four characters of Yo-pyeong Express.
“Let’s go.”
If they had no money, they would borrow some. No collateral required. It would be a credit loan.
§
“Young Hero Nam! I’ve been waiting for you!”
When Namgung Woo entered the inn where the Yo-pyeong Express was staying, Pyeong Cho-yul’s reaction was explosive. He came rushing out with his shoes only half on, arms flung wide in welcome the moment he spotted Namgung Woo.
“You must have had a difficult journey finding us. Was the road to Beijing comfortable? Haha, there are simply so many things I wish to discuss that the words keep spilling out. Please, come inside.”
Finding them had not been difficult at all. Namgung Woo had simply asked after any express agencies that had recently arrived in Beijing and been directed straight to their lodgings. Still, seeing such an enthusiastic welcome warmed even his heart.
Inside, he recognized several familiar faces. After exchanging brief nods with the members of the Yo-pyeong Express, he gestured for the Yang brothers to follow. Pyeong Cho-yul greeted them warmly as well.
“Ah, these must be Young Hero Nam’s companions! This way, please. If you are with Young Hero Nam, then you are guests of the Yo-pyeong Express!”
“Then we’ll accept your hospitality.”
“Ahem, much obliged.”
The Yo-pyeong Express had rented out the entire third and fourth floors of the inn. As they climbed the stairs, Namgung Woo exchanged light pleasantries with Pyeong Cho-yul.
“I trust your own convoy arrived without incident, Young Master Pyeong?”
“Ah, yes, everything went smoothly. So smoothly, in fact, that my story would probably bore you. But what about you, Young Hero Nam? It was absolute chaos—more than a little chaotic, really.”
“Was it that bad?”
Namgung Woo had quietly listened for rumors about himself while traveling to Beijing. Even a Transformation Realm expert was not immune to the natural human desire for recognition. He was not so desperate for praise that he could be called an attention-seeker, but he did sharpen his hearing whenever conversations about himself drifted nearby. To him, Pyeong Cho-yul’s reaction seemed somewhat exaggerated.
The rumors weren’t really that dramatic.
Yet Pyeong Cho-yul’s excitement was one hundred percent genuine. After all, the colossal figure the Yo-pyeong Express had been desperately courting had come looking for them first—a miracle.
Chae-ji sent us a walking lucky charm! I really do adore that girl. When I get back, I’ll make a huge donation to the Hangsan Sect!
Pyeong Cho-yul was already imagining the barrage of gifts he would shower upon Namgung Woo to cement their alliance and reminisce about old times. If this went well, the Yo-pyeong Express would rise from a Shanxi agency to a leading one that covered Hebei as well. His father and elder brother would finally acknowledge him properly. He was floating on dreams of that bright future—until the moment was cut short.
“H-Head Escort! Th-they’ve arrived.”
“Arrived? Who—ah, this is… They came this quickly…”
Pyeong Cho-yul muttered in dismay.
“Young Hero Nam, I’m afraid our conversation will have to wait a little longer.”
“If you have other guests, I don’t mind. Please don’t worry about me.”
Even if Namgung Woo’s promotional effect had exceeded expectations, he had come to borrow money; the agency’s business took priority. Yet the “business” in question was apparently not the agency’s alone.
“Ah, well, they are guests, but…”
Pyeong Cho-yul paused on the stairs and looked down toward the first floor. Following his gaze, Namgung Woo caught sight of familiar figures entering the inn.
“The Paeng Family?”
Just as the rumors had said. Pyeong Cho-yul clicked his tongue.
“They’re here for you, Young Hero, not for our agency.”
Perhaps they had heard his voice. Among the Paeng martial artists below, a woman lifted her head. Her already large eyes widened further the moment they met Namgung Woo’s gaze. A radiant smile bloomed across her face.
“Ah……!”
“Eungong!”
Paeng Ha-ryeong cried out, her voice bright with joy.