An Unfamiliar Encounter
Baek Mun-do greeted the morning looking utterly haggard.
None of his usual volcano-like energy came bursting out of him.
Before, his power had overflowed so much he couldn't even sleep—but last night, he had fallen into the deepest slumber of his life.
I was deceived. Those bastards tricked me.
No wonder the liquor had tasted a little strange. What he drank yesterday was not the real thing.
Heh heh...
"Ridiculous bunch of scoundrels."
A hollow laugh escaped his lips.
Those shameless men had served up ordinary herbal wine and walked off with a precious secret manual instead.
And yet, with the dignity of the Alliance Leader at stake, he was in no position to demand they hand the manual back just because he'd been swindled.
"Are you feeling unwell, Father?"
At his son's greeting, he quickly cast the thought aside. The longer he kept such matters buried in his chest, the more they would eat away at him.
"No, I'm fine. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. Jaseol returned just a moment ago."
Ohhh...........
"So she's back, is she."
Baek Mun-do was overjoyed.
Jaseol was his second disciple, alongside Moyong Se.
His disciple had returned to her ancestral home, saying she needed to hone her martial arts alone, and it seemed she had only now come back. Apart from her, there was another disciple, Moyong Se, but he had gone back to his family estate when trouble arose there.
"She'll come to pay her respects shortly."
"Good. From now on, look after her well."
"Have no fear, Father."
When evening came, Baek Won-young went to find Yeon Ja-seol of his own accord.
Just as before she had left for her ancestral home, she was absorbed in her martial training.
Shwaaak... Swiish......
Sharp sword-light flashed across the training ground, filled only with her flickering afterimages.
She's improved tremendously.
He stood to one side and quietly watched her practice.
Slirrr.....
The countless afterimages merged into one, and Ja-seol, sheathing her sword, turned and bowed her head.
"You're here, Senior Brother?"
A clear voice, ringing like drawn steel, flowed from her lips.
"Your sword-shadow could touch the heavens before long."
"Compared to you, Senior Brother, I still have far to go."
Hahaha.......
"What nonsense is that? The difference between you and me is less than a single sheet of paper."
In the jianghu, a difference of one sheet of paper divided life from death—which was to say, the difference between heaven and earth.
Knowing this, Ja-seol could not laugh as easily as Baek Won-young did.
"Let's go outside. This senior brother of yours will introduce you to a truly delicious dish."
"The Murim Alliance's food is delicious too, you know."
Just as she said, the Alliance's meals were excellent.
It was home to many scions of great families and renowned sects, and it received a steady stream of distinguished guests besides. The cooks who worked in the Murim Alliance's kitchens were of a higher caliber than those of an ordinary inn.
Above all, she did not trust the world's reputation.
And she had no particular desire to go traipsing around in search of inns or restaurants famous for their cooking.
"Once you taste the food at that inn, you'll never want to eat at the Murim Alliance again."
"Will you be paying, Senior Brother?"
Haha..........
"Of course I'm paying."
Baek Won-young let out a laugh so refreshing anyone could see it.
At that laugh, Ja-seol felt a strange sense of dissonance.
Her senior brother had always been gentle in temperament, but he had never smiled so brightly as this.
He was a lonely man whose smiles for others had always been nothing more than masks.
That was why, since long ago, she had always sensed an invisible wall around him.
What could have changed my senior brother so?
As dusk began to fall, Baek Won-young and Yeon Ja-seol set out from the Murim Alliance.
But then Baek Ha-young abruptly wedged herself between them.
"And where might the two of you be going?"
Her face was full of smiles, but there was something oddly frosty in her eyes.
"Your junior sister has returned after a full year. Surely that calls for a celebration, doesn't it?"
"Then may I join the party as well?"
Baek Won-young readily agreed.
"Of course you may. What a thing to even ask."
After all, the more people gathered to celebrate, the better.
Ja-seol smiled too.
"Your senior brother says he'll treat us to something unbelievably delicious, so look forward to it."
"Really, Brother?"
Baek Ha-young delightedly took Baek Won-young's arm as well.
Even if Yeon Ja-seol was her own junior martial sister, she disliked being left alone with her brother.
No—it was women growing close to her brother that she couldn't abide.
"Well, well. I see I can't shake you off today."
"Whatever could you mean by that, Brother?"
Hahahaha............!
"Nothing at all."
Baek Won-young, walking along, burst into bright laughter.
He was remembering what had happened at the inn not long ago.
Ahead of them, Baek Won-young suddenly turned toward the forest.
At that, Baek Ha-young stopped in her tracks, startled.
"Don't tell me this is where this so-called delicious food is?"
Her face was full of displeasure.
Ja-seol stopped as well, recalling the face of the young man she had seen that morning.
Is that man the inn's owner? Far too young to be, though.
While she was thinking this, Baek Won-young walked on ahead and entered first.
"Once you've eaten here, the Alliance's cooking will look like nothing to you."
After he went inside, Baek Ha-young had no choice but to follow him in.
Ja-seol walked on as well, crossing the stone bridge.
"You're back again."
Baek Won-young was in high spirits even before he stepped into the inn.
No—strangely enough, whenever he thought of this place, even back at the Murim Alliance, his mood turned cheerful.
"Welcome."
Jiang Zhou greeted the guests with equal pleasure.
Among all the customers who came to the inn, the only one he genuinely welcomed was this young, handsome man.
Raising his head, Jiang Zhou surveyed the women following behind him.
The moment he confirmed the sourly scowling face, his own face twisted as well.
That ill-mannered brat.
Catching the tension, Baek Won-young quickly stepped forward.
"This is my younger sister. I believe she made a mistake here before—please forgive her graciously. I offer my apologies in her stead."
Coming this far from him, Jiang Zhou had no choice but to smooth out his darkened expression.
"Not at all. Welcome."
"You too—apologize properly, and quickly."
Urged on by her brother, Baek Ha-young reluctantly bowed her head.
Had her brother not been standing beside her, she would never have lowered her head.
"I believe I said some harsh words before."
Once she had grudgingly bowed, Baek Won-young smiled and introduced Ja-seol.
"And this is my junior martial sister."
"Welcome."
Jiang Zhou and Ja-seol bowed to each other at the same moment—then lifted their heads and found themselves face to face.
The instant their eyes met, Ja-seol's impression was much like Baek Won-young's had been.
A man with deep, clear eyes.
Men like this were rare even within the Murim Alliance. Most had gazes clouded by self-interest and greed.
"Please, take your seats."
When Jiang Zhou showed them to their places, Baek Won-young walked to a log chair without a second thought and sat down.
Ja-seol and Baek Ha-young took their seats across the table from one another.
"By the way, where is that younger brother of yours—the most handsome man under heaven?"
Baek Won-young asked after Yang Jeong.
"Ah........ Samryong has gone back to his family home on some business."
"So your brother's name is Samryong. What a loss for you—he could have seen the most handsome man in the world."
At Jiang Zhou's answer, he turned to Baek Ha-young with a smile.
Baek Ha-young's interest seemed piqued as well, her eyes going round.
"You're telling me there's a man more handsome than my brother?"
Hahahaha.............!
He roared with laughter and put on a meaningful expression.
"When you see his face, I expect you'll be in for quite a shock yourself."
Baek Ha-young couldn't believe her brother's words.
But judging by how confidently he vouched for it, the inn owner's younger brother must have been magnificently handsome indeed.
He's probably some nobody who doesn't even know martial arts, though.
While she was thinking this, Jiang Zhou spoke up.
"We have chicken noodles today—shall I bring you those?"
Baek Won-young ordered with easy familiarity.
"Yes. Three bowls of chicken noodles, please, and bring us wine as well."
Jiang Zhou first set several kinds of seasoned wild greens and the wine on the table.
The wine was not a harsh, burning liquor but a mild medicinal brew pressed from herbal juices.
As the seasoned greens arrived at the table, Baek Won-young promptly picked up his chopsticks.
"Taste it, both of you, quickly. You're in for a surprise."
Urged on by him, the two women picked up their chopsticks as well.
The dish before them did not look especially appetizing.
But the moment they lifted it to their mouths, a refreshing fragrance spread through them.
"This is... really delicious."
Ja-seol stared at Jiang Zhou in the kitchen with a startled face.
This unfamiliar dish carried a freshness and cleanness utterly free of grease.
The seasoned greens seemed to suit Baek Ha-young's palate too, for she kept her chopsticks moving without pause.
Just like my brother said—it really is delicious, isn't it?
Baek Won-young watched the two of them with a smile, then filled the wine cups.
"This one's strong, so drink slowly."
If this inn had a single flaw, it was that the wine couldn't quite match the food.
Having filled the cups, he took the first swallow.
But it was not the taste of the liquor he had drunk last time.
Mmmmm...........
Even the wine...... is good.
Ja-seol and Baek Ha-young drained their cups as well.
Mmmm......
The wine was strong, just as he had warned—but contrary to his words, the flavor was quite respectable.
"The wine is delicious too?"
Hahahaha..........!
When Baek Ha-young exclaimed in admiration, Baek Won-young laughed with a look of pride on his face.
Her praise had made him feel good for no particular reason.
He turned his head to gaze out at the open forest beyond.
"Refreshing and wonderful, isn't it?"
Just as he said, the place was open and cool, never stuffy.
But there was a downside too.
"Yes, it's a refreshing spot, just like you said, Senior Brother. But being by the stream, there are an awful lot of mosquitoes."
Apparently hearing her, Jiang Zhou came outside and brought an armful of mugwort, setting it alight.
In the old days, when he had lived with his master and the mosquitoes swarmed thick, this was the very method they had used.
As the smoke rose, the scent of mugwort spread through the inn.
The smell is lovely too.
At the gentle aroma of mugwort, a smile spread across Baek Won-young's lips without his willing it.
Sitting here, somehow his heart felt at ease.
As a child, he had once played alone and dug himself a small dugout shelter.
The outside world, viewed from within that dugout, had seemed very small.
And yet that cramped little burrow had been so wonderfully comfortable and dear to him.
"Chicken noodles coming out."
Jiang Zhou set three bowls of chicken noodles on the table.
The moment they appeared, Baek Won-young—for once in his life—actually stammered.
"I—I guarantee you, one bowl won't be nearly enough."
His eyes sparkling, he hastily picked up meat and noodles with his chopsticks.
Slurp... slurp....
Then, without the slightest regard for appearances, he shoveled it all into his mouth.
Ja-seol and Baek Ha-young stared at him in disbelief.
In all the time they had known him, they had never once seen him like this.
Just how delicious can it possibly be...
They too lifted meat and noodles with their chopsticks and brought them to their mouths.
And almost simultaneously, both wore looks of astonishment.
How........ how can chicken and noodles taste like this?
Slurppp.......
Ja-seol and Baek Ha-young began devouring their noodles in a daze.
Jiang Zhou watched them with a contented air.
That guest really is a good one, after all.
Ak Hwan had been the first customer, and despite being treated to the most precious liquor, he had never brought another soul with him. But this handsome fellow had already brought two guests in his wake.
From Jiang Zhou's standpoint, there was no better customer to be found.
"One more bowl, please."
Having polished off a bowl in record time, Baek Won-young held out his empty dish.
At the same moment, Ja-seol and Baek Ha-young were emptying their bowls too.
"One more for me as well......."
"Me too, please."
Baek Won-young emptied three bowls of chicken noodles; Ja-seol and Baek Ha-young emptied two each.
Their stomachs reasonably full now, they sipped their wine slowly.
Hahahaha..............!
Every time the conversation turned, Baek Won-young's laughter rang out loud and high.
To the two women, his manner felt utterly foreign.
But it was not at all unpleasant.
No—if anything, it was delightful.
"By the way, whom did you learn this cooking from?"
Baek Won-young turned to Jiang Zhou with a smile.
"I taught myself."
Jiang Zhou answered with an unbothered face.
In truth, it was not something he had set out to master.
His master back then had been ferociously strict.
"Didn't I tell you to kill all emotion? Will you live like some beast possessed of nothing but instinct?"
He had grown furious at his stern master's exhortations.
And so, every time he cooked, internal energy had inevitably leaked out of him.
But then his master had praised the cooking, saying it was actually rather good.