A Warm Bowl to Calm the Soul
"Name."
"It's Sim Yeon!"
"Don't play games with me."
How could someone have a name that sounded like the very abyss that would stare back at you if you stared into it?
Sim Yeon, tied tightly to a chair, protested in sheer frustration.
"It really is Sim Yeon! The surname Sim, and 'Yeon' meaning to connect! Sim Yeon!"
"You have a perfectly fine surname and a name with a good meaning, so why did you commit such a crime?"
"Th-they said they'd pay a lot of money..."
"Why didn't you just try to kidnap the Emperor while you were at it? You could have gotten three wives, four concubines, and a storehouse overflowing with gold."
"Ugh! I have absolutely no interest in rebellion!"
Their way of thinking was fundamentally different from ours. So kidnapping children was fine, but rebellion was out of the question? Well, then again, if you got caught rebelling, they'd slice you in half at the waist with a giant guillotine, so who in their right mind would try?
"Why is a guy with the most pathetic internal energy like you hanging out with those two?"
"That guy enticed me first!"
Sim Yeon pointed at the guy I had punched into oblivion and immediately began babbling his defense.
"No, actually, he didn't even entice me! We met at a cheap tavern. He smashed half the table I was drinking at and told me to work with him!"
"Work? What's your actual job?"
"...W-well, I go around tracking down people who don't pay their debts to collect the money."
"Figures."
He was nothing more than your run-of-the-mill street thug. It seemed the other guy and Jong Oh had intended to use Sim Yeon as a disposable pawn. Ironically, one of them had been blown to smithereens in midair, and the other had been beaten to a pulp by me. Instead, the disposable pawn was the only one with his limbs intact and completely unhurt... Oh, wait, he did get hit once by Gongson Yeongji and Yoo Jeoksan, didn't he?
In any case, Sim Yeong... no, Sim Yeon kept crossing his legs and squirming. It seemed a certain highly sensitive area of his was throbbing with pain.
"What happened next?"
"That guy... I mean, Dae Jeong! That bastard Dae Jeong introduced me to Jong Oh, and then told me to keep a low profile because we'd start the job in a week!"
"Start the job?"
"He told me we were going to kidnap a rich family's son and extort a ransom! I-I had no idea it would be a young master from the Academy!"
"Is that the truth?"
"How would I dare lie in your presence! It's the absolute truth!"
Since he was just a disposable pawn, they obviously wouldn't have told him the real reason. Even I wouldn't reveal to a lowlife thug that I was planning to kidnap someone with the Heavenly Martial Body.
However, Oh Waja didn't stop there. He continuously and relentlessly asked the exact same question. To give you an idea of how 'relentless' he was:
"So, who did you say gave you the job?"
"Didn't I just tell you earlier?! Jong Oh! Dae Jeong! Those two bastards!"
He asked the same question at least four or five times, enough to make my ears bleed. Wow, he really doesn't get tired of this.
"Are you raising your voice at me?"
"How could I not! You keep repeating the exact same thing!"
As Sim Yeon thrashed around in his bonds, Oh Waja finally smiled as if satisfied.
"It seems he's not lying."
"Huh?"
"If you keep asking the same question over and over, a fabricated answer is bound to slip up eventually."
Unless they had perfectly memorized a script beforehand, very few people could repeat a lie exactly the same way multiple times on the spot. He had been asking the same question repeatedly to exploit that psychological loophole. Was this the interrogation technique of the Beggars' Sect? Honestly, I thought he would just beat the information out of him with a Dog Beating Staff, but he was using a surprisingly systematic method.
The Eastern Depot was terrifying, but the Beggars' Sect was certainly no joke either. I should make sure never to give the Beggars' Sect any reason to target me.
Oh Waja, seemingly engraving the information into his mind, asked one final question.
"Right. By any chance, was there anything unusual about their conversations?"
"Unusual conversations?"
"Something that would sound strange to anyone listening."
"Ummm..."
It was an unexpected question, but after a long moment of deep thought, Sim Yeon recalled something.
"W-well, whenever those two parted ways, they exchanged a strange greeting."
"What kind of greeting?"
"'The Sea of Blood covers the Jianghu'? I think it was something like that..."
"A Sea of Blood? As in a literal ocean of blood?"
"Yes. It sounded like that kind of sea of blood."
How bizarre. Beyond merely suspicious, it was a phrase bordering on taboo. It was practically declaring that they would cause so many casualties that the blood would literally form an ocean.
The next morning.
"Aigoo, please spare me! My lord, my loooord!"
"Quiet! Do you think this is a marketplace?!"
Sim Yeon was stomping his feet in despair, while Dae Jeong was being dragged away with a swollen face and slumped shoulders. Dae Jeong's state was particularly satisfying to look at. Just like Geum Ho, who had been utterly destroyed by me, this guy would probably have to live on nothing but rice porridge for the rest of his life.
Seeing Dae Jeong being dragged away by the burly guards of the Brocade Guard put a genuine smile on my face. Times like this made you appreciate how reliable the Brocade Guard could be.
We handed over the information we had gathered to Ha Migwa, the second-in-command of the Eastern Depot. After all, this matter seemed far too massive to be kept solely within the martial world. It was highly likely that deep within the dungeons of the Eastern Depot, they would be pouring boiling-hot mala soup down those two's noses to squeeze out every last drop of information.
"...Honestly, Chef Yoon, I didn't expect you to hand over this information to us so willingly."
As Ha Migwa took the documents from me with a suspicious look, I shrugged and replied.
"Even if I can't dedicate my life to the empire, I should at least avoid causing it harm. Don't you think?"
"But why are you speaking so casually to me? No matter how you look at it, I am your elder."
"Oh, come on. We eat from the same pot. We can drop the formalities."
"What kind of sophistry is that? If I had been able to marry, I would have had a son your age."
"An eunuch getting married? Please. Besides, you were the one who picked a fight with someone young enough to be your son first, weren't you?"
"Hah! Are you really going to bring up a matter that has already been cleanly resolved and swept under the rug?"
"Suit yourself. I'll just go whine to Her Highness the Princess instead."
"You lunatic. Do you think Her Highness is your childhood friend?"
"Isn't understanding and comforting the struggles of the common folk the ultimate virtue of a ruler?"
"Her Highness is a very busy person. You only claim to be a 'commoner' with 'struggles' when it suits you."
Ha Migwa grimaced as he tucked the documents into his robes.
"Do whatever you want. I am going to present these documents to the Director Eunuch."
As Ha Migwa turned around to leave, I immediately called out to him again.
"Hey, Mr. Ha."
"What? What is it now?!"
"That 'Sea of Blood' group... I have a feeling they're the same organization that keeps spouting that 'repay resentment with blood' nonsense."
"...Do you have proof?"
"It's just a guess and a gut feeling. Don't believe it if you don't want to."
At that, Ha Migwa slipped his hands into his sleeves, gave me a sideways glance, and replied.
"The character for 'blood' is used everywhere, but if it appears this frequently, there is indeed a possibility they are the same group. I will report this separately."
Before I could even thank him, Ha Migwa scurried away. I had a feeling our paths would cross quite often in the future.
After handing over the information to Ha Migwa, I walked back and saw two children trembling between Seonwoo Seol and Man Hanseok.
"It would be better for your peace of mind to get some sleep."
"N-no... I want to sleep, but my heart is pounding so hard I can't..."
As Man Hanseok expressed his worry, Yoo Jeoksan replied, his eyes trembling.
"Yeongji, are you feeling the same way?"
At Seonwoo Seol's question, Gongson Yeongji nodded silently. Seriously, those bastards put so many people through hell. Especially children—they should never have to go through something like this.
"They were both so terrified, and the tension hasn't left their bodies yet..."
"What should we do? I don't think sealing their sleep acupoints would help much in this state."
Seonwoo Seol asked in a worried voice. Forcing the traumatized children to sleep by pressing their acupoints after they had been terrified all night felt wrong. It would be better to naturally induce a deep sleep.
Something warm and gentle that could completely relax their tense bodies would be perfect. Naturally, a chicken broth base would be ideal... Since it was morning, I should make something simple.
"Keep comforting the kids for a bit. When it comes to calming children down, nothing beats good food."
Leaving the children with Seonwoo Seol for a moment, I headed straight to the kitchen. Conveniently, today's breakfast menu included chicken soup, so I decided to make use of the chicken broth.
First, I set aside a portion of the milky, rich chicken broth. Then, I shredded the white chicken breast and minced it into tiny, pea-sized pieces. Next, I finely sliced some soft tofu. I cut it in a grid pattern, making the tofu strands as thin and dense as silk threads.
With my Black Iron kitchen knife infused with sword qi, the tofu was sliced so incredibly thin that even I found it hard to believe I had done it.
After that, I cracked three or four eggs and whisked them vigorously to make an egg wash. I didn't usually bother removing the chalaza, but this time, I made a special effort to strain it out.
I gently added the finely sliced tofu to the simmering chicken broth. Once the tofu was slightly cooked, I carefully drizzled in the egg wash. If I stirred too vigorously, the meticulously sliced tofu would crumble, so I stirred gently, bit by bit.
I considered adding vegetables, but since their flavors were already infused in the broth, I decided to keep it pure so they could enjoy a mild, comforting taste today.
I immediately brought the finished dish out to the children, Seonwoo Seol, and Man Hanseok, who were waiting outside.
Taking the tray, Seonwoo Seol handed out the bowls to Man Hanseok and the children, gazing down at the soup.
"It looks so clear and pure at a single glance."
"Since this morning's menu was chicken soup, I decided to use just the chicken broth for this."
As Seonwoo Seol ladled the soup into the bowls, a subtle, savory aroma wafted up. Yoo Jeoksan and Gongson Yeongji's eyes naturally drifted toward the tray.
"So, what is the name of today's dish?"
"It doesn't really have a name. But if I had to choose, I'd call it Gyedantang (egg drop soup)."
I sat down in front of Yoo Jeoksan and Gongson Yeongji, pointing at their bowls.
"It's hot, so eat slowly."
While comforting words like 'You must have had a hard time' or 'Are you hurt?' were good, sometimes simply conveying silent support was more than enough.
Grumble.
It seemed Yoo Jeoksan and Gongson Yeongji were finally regaining their appetites, as cute rumbling sounds echoed from their stomachs. Well, let's have a bite myself. I scooped up a large spoonful of the egg drop soup.
"Mmm."
My usual cooking style involved combining various ingredients to maximize the flavor profile. However, this egg drop soup had none of that complexity. The only ingredients were seasoned chicken broth, tofu, chicken breast, and eggs. The flavor did not stray a single inch from those simple components.
It was a soft, mild broth that still fully retained the rich depth of the chicken. It was gently seasoned, lightly comforting their empty stomachs.
In particular, the occasional bits of chicken breast offered a clean, savory bite that paired beautifully with the silky eggs. It was a cozy warmth that instantly melted away the chilly air of the early autumn morning.
"Ah... chicken broth is truly the best..."
"I honestly don't know why chicken soup is always this delicious."
Seonwoo Seol, Man Hanseok, and the two children who had been huddled stiffly finally showed expressions of relief.
"Is it good?"
"Yes, yes... It tastes completely different from the Outer Dining Hall."
"Of course it does, because I made it myself. Don't rush, eat slowly."
"Okay..."
Yoo Jeoksan glanced at me before focusing back on his soup, while Gongson Yeongji quietly and slowly swallowed her soup sip by sip.
They both did incredibly well. How admirable was it that they fought back until the very end and didn't just give up, even in such a terrifying moment?
By the time we had completely emptied our bowls, Gongson Yeongji and Yoo Jeoksan had gradually grown quiet. Their heads began to nod, and before we knew it, they had fallen asleep on Seonwoo Seol and Man Hanseok's laps.
"Let's carry them carefully to the Inner Dining Hall Master's Office and let them sleep there. It'll be quiet and empty."
"Shall we?"
We laid the two children down on the spacious chairs in the Inner Dining Hall Master's Office and quietly stepped outside.
"Chef Yoon, what are you going to do now?"
"What do you mean, 'what am I going to do'? I have to work."
"Huh? You're going to work?"
Man Hanseok asked with a bewildered expression. He seemed to be asking how I could possibly go back to work so soon after such a major incident, but unfortunately, this was the reality of an employee's life.
"Hey, do you have any idea how much work has piled up in the Inner and Outer Dining Halls? If I'm not there, the faculty and the students will starve."
"Considering you went on two consecutive trips recently, it didn't really seem like that was the case."
"Mr. Man, that was only because I did an absolutely flawless job of handing over my duties. And the backlogged work from that time is still piled up."
You have no idea how infuriating it is to survive on catnaps to reduce your workload, only for some bastards to dump a whole new pile of work on you.
"Still, you should rest today."
"Even for today's lunch, one of the kitchen ladies in the Outer Dining Hall is out, so I have to step in and help."
When I mentioned that I would at least be able to get some proper rest in the evening, Seonwoo Seol nudged my arm with her elbow.
"Then, once you're done with work, come to my room with Yeongji and Junior Yoo. I'll have some tea ready."
"What kind of tea?"
"Hmm, who knows? Since you're tired, wouldn't jujube tea be good for your body?"
"True, jujubes are indeed good for fatigue."
As I nodded in agreement, Seonwoo Seol began counting on her fingers.
"Then, since Junior Man is coming too, it'll be quite lively, won't it?"
"Why are you treating my attendance as a foregone conclusion without even asking me?"
"So, are you saying you don't want to come?"
How dare you reject me? Seonwoo Seol tilted her head back and looked down at Man Hanseok like the Pirate Empress from a certain pirate king manga, prompting Man Hanseok to scratch the back of his head.
"I-I'll go..."
Man Hanseok really was incredibly weak when it came to women. Maybe it was because he had never properly dated before.
"See you later, then. Make sure you come too, Junior Man."
"Yes..."
Since Seonwoo Seol was also a Gyodu, she had a mountain of work to do. As she waved and walked away, I immediately nudged Man Hanseok in the ribs.
"Did you really hate the idea that much?"
"It's not that I hated it... I just feel a bit guilty."
"About what?"
"I didn't really do anything, and I couldn't even help look after them properly."
So that was what he was worrying about. Good grief, this guy might be built like a giant, but he was still a kid at heart.
"Hanseok."
"Yes?"
"How old are you now?"
"Since my birthday passed, I'm sixteen."
"Right, Hanseok. Even if you went out into the Jianghu right now, you'd still be considered a greenhorn. No one expects great things from someone your age. Even the Northern Hall Master didn't say anything to blame you, did he?"
"Ah, now that you mention it, I guess you're right..."
"Exactly. Seonwoo Seol and I stepped in because we're staff members, while you're still a student who should be receiving help from the staff. Besides, you helped keep those bastards locked up in the basement, didn't you?"
"But that was a really easy task."
"Just because it was easy doesn't make it any less important."
With those words, I gave Man Hanseok a firm pat on the back.
"Oof."
"Don't worry. You're doing great, so don't rush yourself. Just focus on practicing your martial arts diligently."
"Yes..."
After comforting Man Hanseok, I was on my way to start my afternoon shift when someone approached me.
"The Western Hall Director requested that you drop by without fail."
"Right now? Wait, why so suddenly?"
"Not right now, but he asked you to come by once your afternoon duties are finished... He only mentioned that it was an extremely important matter, so I don't know the details either."
Receiving a summons the moment I arrived at the Outer Dining Hall left me utterly dumbfounded.