Running Away Is Shameful, But Useful
This was exactly why I preferred to keep my martial arts under wraps. Even on the day I defeated Hapdan, the Stench King, a few students had been whispering about me, but today was on a whole different level.
"Is that him? The one who took down the great arch-villain alongside Instructor Socheonma...?"
"That's him. I guess handsome faces really do handsome deeds."
"I thought he was just a good-looking chef."
"Good-looking? Where? If you want handsome, look at Instructor Jegal Mu."
"Spoken like a true Eastern Hall student. Chef Yoon is easily handsome enough!"
This is the downside of being a Peak Master. I could hear the students chattering from all the way across the courtyard, even while standing deep inside the kitchen. It was driving me absolutely nuts.
Occasionally, I would step outside the kitchen to help the servants carry heavy loads, only for tiny, pint-sized kids to run up and interrogate me.
"Chef Mister! Is it true you defeated the Stench King in a culinary duel?"
"I heard you trained in the Shaolin Temple's kitchen for thirty years and won a chance to ascend to the Temple of the Food Deity, but you chose to stay in the mortal realm instead. Is that true?"
Kids, Hapdan is a notorious arch-villain. Why on earth would I have a cook-off with him? That makes about as much sense as a half-alien savior challenging the final boss to a dance battle to save the universe. And what the heck is the Temple of the Food Deity anyway? Is it some culinary equivalent of the Temple of the War God? If they keep believing these ridiculous rumors, I might have to channel my inner child psychologist and whip them into shape.
Seeking refuge from these rumor-mongering rascals, I slipped into my office in the Outer Dining Hall, only for Gye-yeong to sneak in right behind me.
"Chef Yoon, is it true?"
"Oh, great. Now even you're interrogating me, Gye-yeong? What's true?"
"That you're dating the Tiger Brigade Leader?"
Whoa, now that is crossing a major line. At least the other rumors had some loose connection to my actual deeds, but this one has absolutely zero basis in reality!
"Gye-yeong."
"Yes, Head Chef?"
"Do you want to end up like Geum Ho?"
"...I'll get back to work."
At my polite suggestion of having his jaw shattered, Gye-yeong scrambled out of the room. The kitchen aunties were staying quiet out of consideration for me, but even their silent, knowing glances felt awkward. It looked like I wouldn't be getting any peace of mind for the next few days.
Just as I was lying across my desk, debating whether or not to indulge in some midday drinking, a servant scurried in and called out in a hushed voice.
"Head Chef."
"Yes... go ahead."
Exhausted from the relentless chatter of the day, I answered in a daze. The servant approached with a troubled expression.
"The Hall Masters are looking for you."
"The Hall Masters?"
Ah, damn it. That meant I had to get up. Why were they calling for me all of a sudden? I absolutely detested being summoned by the higher-ups. I hoped they weren't about to say something like, "Since you hid your strength, your punishment is to hunt down the demons plaguing the Central Plains." If they did, I'd have to turn into Tanjiro, put a bamboo muzzle on Seonwoo Seol, and carry her in a box on my back... No, let's stop escaping reality. Dodging the students who were eager to spread more fake news, I headed toward the Responding Dragon Hall, the academy's administrative headquarters where the Hall Masters gathered.
"If it isn't the talk of the town, Chef Yoon! Bwahaha!"
As I entered one of the meeting rooms in the Responding Dragon Hall, Oh Waja, who was practically lounging horizontally in his chair, welcomed me with open arms. Beside him sat Dan Buyong, a round-faced elderly man with a neat beard, and a middle-aged man with light pink hair wearing a sleeveless martial arts uniform.
"Aigoo, Northern Hall Master. If you tease me any more, I'll have to change my name from Yoon Gomyung to Yoon Bakmyung. Please, spare me."
"Well, who told you to defeat an arch-villain so spectacularly? I told you, didn't I? You have to hide your skills well."
Oh Waja chuckled, his eyes twinkling with genuine concern beneath his playful teasing. He really was a true Elder of the Beggars' Sect.
"Do you know these two?"
"I believe this is Eastern Hall Master So Sanyeong, and Southern Hall Master Paeng Gyegeon of the Hebei Paeng clan."
"Hohoho! To think you even know the name of an old man who's about to pack his bags."
The round elderly man, Eastern Hall Master So Sanyeong, let out a hearty laugh. True to his words, it seemed he was preparing to retire and return to his family estate.
"I also know that the Eastern Hall Master's favorite snack is honey-glazed walnuts."
"Aigoo, it feels like my deepest secrets have been laid bare!"
"..."
As for Paeng Gyegeon, he merely gave me a brief glance and a nod by way of greeting. He always ate his meals at the Inner Dining Hall, but since he never spoke a word, his personality remained a complete mystery to me. The only notable things about him were his habit of wearing that sleeveless martial arts uniform year-round, his light pink hair—an incredibly rare sight in the Central Plains—and the heavy saber strapped to his back.
"Chef Yoon, are you aware of the commotion currently stirring both inside and outside the academy?"
"Well, that's... not exactly my fault."
"Your tone... Ahem. I am not here to scold you. Who in their right mind would complain about one of our own staff members neutralizing a threat to the academy?"
"Oh, is that so? In that case, does this come with some sort of reward?"
When my expression instantly brightened, Dan Buyong stared at me in sheer disbelief. Come on, it's not like she didn't already know what kind of person I was.
"The reward will be presented at a later date. But with Chef Yoon's level of skill, it is an undeniable fact that no one would stop you even if you aimed for a much higher position."
"...Excuse me? A higher position?"
We had barely wrapped up the last incident. I suddenly had a very bad feeling that another tedious chore was about to be dumped on my lap.
"Chef Yoon, what are your thoughts on the Beggars' Sect?"
Oh Waja smiled warmly. They are the largest armed organization and intelligence network in the Central Plains disguised as beggars, making them the most dangerous group among the so-called Orthodox sects... is what I wanted to say, but obviously, I couldn't.
"Though their appearance may seem humble compared to other sects, they are a gathering of true men who understand righteousness better than anyone, striving tirelessly to build a better Jianghu."
"Bwahaha! Indeed, Chef Yoon truly understands us. You speak as if you're reading my mind!"
"You flatter me."
A little flattery goes a long way. I had to grease the wheels properly to prevent another piece of garbage like Geum Ho from stabbing me in the back.
"I am grateful that you hold our Beggars' Sect in such high regard, Chef Yoon. Which brings me to my request... would you be willing to help us with a banquet?"
"A banquet?"
Why a banquet all of a sudden? Instead of Oh Waja, Dan Buyong stepped in to answer.
"The Dragon Head Sect Leader is celebrating his sixty-sixth birthday, his Misu, very soon. His birthday falls on the fifteenth of this month."
The "Dragon Head Sect Leader" was another title for the chief of the Beggars' Sect. It was said they called him that because of the sect's signature martial art, the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Hmm, so even the Beggars' Sect celebrated banquets. Well, just because they were a league of beggars didn't mean they would skip out on major milestones.
"According to reports from the kitchen staff and servants, you've been having a difficult time lately due to all the rumors circulating about you."
"I won't deny that."
"So, the Hall Masters and I thought it might be a good opportunity for you to step away from the academy for a while. It would allow you to deliver our congratulations to the Dragon Head Sect Leader, and at the same time, showcase just how talented our academy's Head Chef truly is."
In the Central Plains, sending a master chef to cook for someone was a gesture of deep trust. It was the academy's way of signaling their desire to maintain friendly relations with the Beggars' Sect. Therefore, I had no reason to refuse, nor did I want to. In a volatile world like the Jianghu, teeming with all kinds of martial artists, one could never predict the future. If I ever found myself in a tight spot down the line, perhaps the Beggars' Sect would lend me a hand simply because I had once served them a feast fit for a king.
I bowed deeply and cupped my fists.
"If the Principal and the Hall Masters permit, I would be honored to have the opportunity to present my cooking to the Dragon Head Sect Leader."
"That is exactly why we gathered here today. We intend to send you, Chef Yoon, to the Beggars' Sect Headquarters in Gyeongsa."
"The Beggars' Sect Headquarters."
If the hundreds of Beggars' Sect branches scattered across the Central Plains were franchise locations, then the headquarters was the corporate main office. If Forbes existed in this world, the Beggars' Sect Headquarters would easily rank in the "Top 10 Places You Must Visit If You're Reincarnated into the Murim." Since they were sending me to such a legendary spot, there was no way I could pass it up. Just as I was about to bow and cup my fists once more to express my gratitude for this wonderful opportunity—
"Hold on, hold on, Chef Yoon. Let me finish."
"Pardon? There's more?"
Oh Waja waved his hand dismissively. What else did he have to say that warranted interrupting my bow?
"There is one condition for the Dragon Head Sect Leader's birthday banquet."
"Ah, yes?"
"The cost of the ingredients for the dish must not exceed three hundred copper coins."
"Three hundred copper coins?"
One tael of silver was worth about two thousand copper coins, or cash. Pork, beef, and chicken generally cost between fifty to a hundred copper coins. Hard-to-find ingredients like wheat flour, soybean oil, and black pepper were far more expensive than meat. This meant high-cost ingredients and complex cooking methods were practically off the table.
"No matter how grand a milestone his sixty-sixth birthday is, the Sect Leader insists that he must never forget his identity as a member of the Beggars' Sect."
"So, the main dish presented to the Sect Leader must not cost more than three hundred copper coins... is that correct?"
"Precisely."
Three hundred copper coins... It sounded simple, but it was actually quite tricky. Honestly, there were dozens of commoner recipes I could make, but I couldn't just serve a basic everyday dish at a grand banquet. Especially not for the birthday of the supreme leader of the Beggars' Sect. Slapping down a cheap commoner meal just to save money would be like serving plain black bean noodles without sweet and sour pork as the main course for Grandma Kim's seventieth birthday party. I needed to find a dish that had a clear purpose, was inexpensive to make, yet tasted incredibly luxurious.
"Will you accept?"
If I chickened out here, the Inner and Outer Dining Halls would become a laughingstock, branded as a haven for cowards.
"I accept."
I closed my eyes tight and bowed with cupped hands. No risk, no reward.
Rattle, rattle...
"Wow, Head Chef! This is my very first time riding in a carriage!"
"Yeah, great. Now sit down before you get motion sickness."
"You might be used to it since you've traveled a lot, Head Chef, but this is my first time, and I'm incredibly excited!"
"I get it, but can't you be excited with your butt firmly planted on the seat?"
Gye-yeong was practically bouncing off the walls inside the carriage. Even the coachman driving the carriage chuckled at his antics. You're embarrassing me, kid. Frankly, this was only my second time taking a long-distance carriage ride, so I found it quite interesting too, but showing too much excitement would make me look like a country bumpkin. Meanwhile, there was one passenger who looked completely baffled as to why he was even here.
"Chef Yoon."
"What?"
"I understand why Gye-yeong is here, since he's your direct assistant. But why did you drag me along?"
As Man Hanseok grumbled with a slightly disgruntled expression, I gave him a curt reply.
"Can you manage your internal cold qi on your own?"
"No..."
"Do you know anyone else who can brew medicine to boost your yang energy as cheaply as I do?"
"No, not really..."
"Then sit tight and introduce me to the Beggars' Sect folks when we get there."
"But I just wanted to stay at the academy and practice my martial arts."
"Hey, seriously. I need to keep an eye on you until you can control your qi release on your own."
Man Hanseok's biggest issue was that his physical constitution was too compatible with the Ice Limit Spear technique. Until he reached a realm where he could expel or consume the cold qi on his own, I had to stay by his side and meticulously manage his diet.
"Do you think I wanted to travel with a guy bigger than me? I'd much rather go on a trip with a pretty instructor who knows the Beggars' Sect inside out."
Man Hanseok's father, the Cold Soul Spear, had long been on friendly terms with the Beggars' Sect, and Hanseok himself was close with several sect members at the academy, which was why I had brought him along.
"Besides, look at this as an opportunity. When else would you get to attend the Dragon Head Sect Leader's banquet? Right?"
"I suppose that's true. But since it's a Beggars' Sect banquet, I wonder if there will actually be anything good to eat."
"Young master, surely there will be plenty of cheap and delicious dishes, considering it's the Sect Leader's birthday banquet?" Gye-yeong chimed in.
"Ah, is that so?"
The two of them continued to chat amiably. Well, they were around the same age, so it made sense that they got along well.
"Chef, there's an inn just ahead. Shall we stop there and take a break?" the coachman called out.
"Yes, let's do that."
Was it lunchtime already? Time seemed to fly by in the Central Plains. Back in my past life, I used to stay up until dawn scrolling through my smartphone, but here, there was nothing to do in the dead of night except practice martial arts. Consequently, I slept much better.
We parked the carriage in the empty lot beside the inn, left the horses at the stable with a generous serving of feed, and stepped inside.
"What is the name of this town?"
"It's called Geumsan, named after the mountain that was once famous for yielding a lot of gold dust."
"Geumsan, huh."
Fittingly, the inn was named the Golden Frog Inn.
"Welcome! Please, have a seat over here!"
Gye-yeong, who had been a waiter himself just a few weeks ago, grinned as he watched the inn's waiter welcome us. Indeed, Gye-yeong had really moved up in the world.
"What's good today?"
"Our dry-pot tea tree mushrooms are very popular. It's a savory dish that goes perfectly with rice."
"We'll take one of those. What about meat dishes?"
"Our chef makes excellent lion's head meatballs and hot pot chicken. Would you like to try those?"
"We'll take both. Oh, and bring us four bowls of rice as well."
All three were famous dishes in Hebei. Any inn in Hebei that couldn't make these properly wouldn't survive a week.
Once the waiter scurried off, Gye-yeong leaned in and whispered, "Head Chef, are you rich?"
"The Hall Masters gave me a very generous travel allowance."
When I slightly parted my coin pouch to show him the contents, Gye-yeong gasped in awe.
"Whoa! How many silver coins is that?"
"This is the perfect time to live a little. This is exactly why I love traveling."
"Um, in that case, could you buy me some sweet pastries later?"
"Are you a child?"
"Head Chef... I want... to eat sweet pastries...!"
He sounded like a certain short-haired basketball player begging his coach to let him play. Dumbfounded, I let out a chuckle and nodded.
"Fine, fine. I'll buy you some."
In any case, this money wasn't meant to be hoarded penny by penny; it was meant to be spent freely. Since the carriage rental was already paid for, the remaining change would likely end up filling Gye-yeong and Man Hanseok's stomachs.
As we waited for our food, Man Hanseok twitched his nose and leaned in to whisper.
"Chef Yoon, doesn't the air in this inn smell a bit strange?"
"...You mean that fishy odor?"
Actually, I had noticed it the moment we stepped inside, but since no one else seemed to care, I had kept quiet. The other patrons didn't seem to notice anything either.
"Yes. It's not even raining, so it's a bit unsettling."
Seeing how the coachman and Gye-yeong were completely oblivious, it was clear that only martial artists with heightened senses could detect it. Looking around, there was no reason for such a fishy smell to linger here. The inn was situated on a gentle hill with excellent ventilation and plenty of sunlight. Where on earth was this smell coming from?
Just as I was pondering this—
"Heugh... gasp..."
Thud!
One of the two merchants sitting at the adjacent table clutched his throat and collapsed to the floor.
"Wang Sam!"
The merchant sitting across from him rushed over, grabbing the fallen man and shaking him frantically. Bloodshot eyes, a swollen face, and bloated lips... I had read about these exact symptoms in medical texts.
I shouted at the top of my lungs:
"It's poison!"