Fighting Isn't My Style
Before the morning sun had even touched the West Lake Number One Inn, a long line had already formed in front of it. The queue that had begun at dawn waited eagerly for their turn to come as soon as possible.
“I have to eat here today no matter what!”
“Yesterday the line was so long I never got a chance…”
A week after the cooking contest ended, the West Lake Number One Inn was enjoying a true golden age. From dawn until night, there was barely room to set foot amid the crowds who had come to sample the skills of the young chef who had defeated the Fire Dragon Chef.
“Welcome! I’m so sorry, but we’re full right now—you’ll have to wait a little!”
Jo Seol’s voice was already hoarse, yet her face still shone with a bright smile. Beside her, Nang Hyeon moved without rest, guiding guests to their seats.
“This table just opened! Four of you, right this way!”
In the kitchen the fires never went out.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Kang Yeon and Jo Hwan moved as if they were a single body, handling dozens of orders at once. Kang Yeon cooked without the slightest break in his breathing, while Jo Hwan, sweat beading on his brow, still worked with precise, lightning-fast hands.
“Three portions of Don Guksu and two stir-fried noodles going out!”
“Four morning specials here!”
Dishes flew out in a frenzy and empty bowls came flying back in.
“Whew… I’ve never been this busy before.”
Jo Hwan paused for a breath. Exhaustion was plain on his face, yet a small smile still clung to the corners of his mouth.
“But it’s not so bad, is it?”
“Of course not. When business is booming, even the hard work feels good.”
Meanwhile, in one corner of the dining room, owners of other inns had gathered and were whispering among themselves. They kept glancing at Nang Hyeon while discussing something in serious tones.
Then—
“Your dishes are ready.”
The moment Nang Hyeon set the plates down, the innkeepers rushed to speak.
“Master Nang, couldn’t you include our inn in the Taste Guide as well?”
“That’s right. We would like a fair evaluation too.”
Nang Hyeon answered them with polite formality.
“The Taste Guide is based on personal visits I make myself. I plan to tour every inn around West Lake soon, so please wait a little longer.”
“Is that true? Then we still have a chance!”
Hope lit up the innkeepers’ faces. Now that the fairness of the Taste Guide had been proven, a good review would be a tremendous boost to business.
At that moment the inn door opened and a familiar face stepped inside.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
The man who entered was none other than Chae Myeong-won, the Fire Dragon Chef. The guests who recognized him immediately began to murmur.
“It’s the Fire Dragon Chef!”
“Whoa! Looks like he really came to keep his promise.”
Jo Seol approached with a tense expression.
“Uh… welcome?”
Chae Myeong-won smiled gently.
“No need to worry. I have come today to keep my word. I would like to see Chef Kang Yeon.”
Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, Kang Yeon untied his apron and came out. When he spotted Chae Myeong-won his face brightened with welcome. The contest was already over, and the man was simply a guest who had come to the inn.
“Welcome, Fire Dragon Chef.”
Chae Myeong-won bowed deeply.
“Have you been well? As promised, I have come to learn cooking from Chef Kang. Please teach me how to listen to the voice of the ingredients.”
At his words the guests murmured even louder. One of the finest chefs of West Lake had come to study under a young cook. Even if it was because he had lost a wager, the prideful Chae Myeong-won of old would never have done such a thing.
Kang Yeon nodded calmly.
“Gladly. But we’re terribly busy right now… could you wait just a little while?”
“Of course. Ah—and if there is anything I can help with, I will.”
The unexpected offer made Kang Yeon’s eyes widen.
“Truly?”
Chae Myeong-won was the head chef of Gangho’s Number One Pavilion. For a man of his standing to help in another inn’s kitchen was no small decision. Yet his resolve was firm.
“It will be a valuable experience for me as well.”
And so Chae Myeong-won joined the kitchen of the West Lake Number One Inn. At first things felt awkward, but he soon fell into perfect rhythm like the skilled chef he was.
Whoosh!
Flames danced across several stoves. Under Kang Yeon’s direction the cooks of two different inns moved as one body.
“High heat on this side, medium on that side, please!”
“Yes!”
Chae Myeong-won watched Kang Yeon’s every movement with sharp attention. There was nothing flashy about them, yet every motion had a purpose and formed a flawless harmony.
Truly not a single wasted movement. With that kind of efficiency he could cook all day without tiring.
After the lunch rush had passed and a brief lull arrived, Kang Yeon and Chae Myeong-won stood side by side in the kitchen.
“All right. Shall we begin?”
Kang Yeon brought out simple ingredients: a single green onion, one carrot, and a cut of pork.
“Listening to the voice of ingredients isn’t anything mystical. It’s simply… the method of accurately understanding their condition and handling them accordingly.”
He picked up the green onion.
“This onion has just the right amount of moisture and is perfectly fresh. But the root end is a little tough, so if you stir-fry that part first the sweetness will come out.”
He raised his knife and began to slice.
Snick. Snick.
“Do you hear it? The sound changes depending on the cut. The tender parts ring crisp and bright; the tougher parts sound dull.”
Chae Myeong-won’s eyes flew wide. The sounds truly were different. In all his years of cooking he had never paid attention to such details. He had always simply bought fine ingredients and made flashy dishes.
“The same goes for the carrot.”
Kang Yeon tapped the carrot lightly with the back of his knife.
“A solid, dense carrot produces a clear note. And…”
He brought it close to his nose and sniffed.
“You can tell by the scent as well. A good carrot has a balanced earthy aroma with a touch of sweetness.”
Chae Myeong-won nodded.
“Meat is even more delicate.”
Kang Yeon pressed the pork lightly with his fingertips.
“Elasticity, color, the direction of the grain… all of these are signals the meat sends us. This cut has aged just enough for the umami to rise.”
He lit the stove and began heating the iron pan.
“And the most important thing of all is…”
Sizzle—
The sound of ingredients meeting the pan.
“This sound. When the temperature is right, the ingredients sing. Too hot and they scream; too cold and they fall silent.”
Chae Myeong-won stared, utterly spellbound. In thirty years of cooking he had never looked at ingredients from this perspective.
“All this time… I only tried to dominate them.”
Kang Yeon smiled softly.
“Ingredients are not enemies. They are companions who create good food with us.”
Chae Myeong-won bowed deeply.
“Thank you for this profound teaching. Only now do I feel I understand what true cooking is.”
His voice was filled with sincerity.
“From this day forward I will listen carefully to the voice of the ingredients. And… whenever the West Lake Number One Inn faces difficulty, Gangho’s Number One Pavilion will always come to its aid. We are no longer rivals, but comrades.”
Kang Yeon smiled gently.
“Yes. Anyone who loves cooking is a comrade.”
“I will never forget the grace of being shown the true path of cooking.”
When evening came the Fire Dragon Chef offered a formal farewell and departed. The inn soon filled once more with the evening crowd.
“Another huge day!”
Jo Seol cried out excitedly.
Yet Kang Yeon gazed out the window with a subtle expression. Lately he had noticed suspicious figures lingering around the inn.
…Looks like some troublesome business is about to start.
A few days later a new guest arrived at the inn. She was a young woman dressed in crimson. Her steps were light and full of confidence, and the twin swords at her waist marked her as a martial artist. When she reached the front of the inn her eyes sparkled.
“The place is smaller than I expected.”
Martial artists nearby who recognized her began to stir.
“Huh? Wait—is that who I think it is?”
“Looks like it…”
The young woman strode boldly through the door. The moment she entered, the guests already dining inside began to whisper. Nang Hyeon reacted at once.
“Welcome!”
He greeted her with his usual bright ease—until he saw her face and froze solid. The woman smiled as she surveyed the dining room.
“So this is the famous West Lake Number One Inn I’ve heard so much about?”
Nang Hyeon spoke carefully.
“Jeok Ryeon-hwa, I’ve already retired as a solver. I sent word that you shouldn’t come looking for me anymore.”
“My, Master Nang, you jump to conclusions rather easily. The reason I came today is to meet the cook named Kang Yeon who runs this place. Ah! But first I simply must try the food. I hear it’s extraordinarily delicious?”
When Jeok Ryeon-hwa flashed a sweet smile, Nang Hyeon immediately adjusted his manner. If she had come for Kang Yeon rather than him, and if she claimed to be a customer, then courtesy was required.
“Young Master Kang is in the kitchen. If you would like to wait while you dine…”
Jeok Ryeon-hwa raised a hand and cut him off.
“Just bring me the best dish this house has.”
“Yes, guest. I’ll bring you our recommendations right away.”
Nang Hyeon headed to the kitchen and placed the order, praying that a good meal would keep her from causing trouble. He chose the most popular lunch special of late.
Before long the dish emerged from the kitchen and Nang Hyeon set it before her. The moment the plate arrived Jeok Ryeon-hwa took a swift bite. A cry of pure delight burst from her lips.
“Wow?? This is actually amazing?”
But she quickly recalled her true purpose and steeled herself, then turned to Nang Hyeon.
“I’ve finished eating.”
A note of regret colored her tone.
“Then shall we settle the bill and…”
“As I said earlier, I want to meet the cook named Kang Yeon.”
“In that case we can arrange a proper appointment for another time…”
Jeok Ryeon-hwa cut him short once more.
“It’s urgent. I want to meet him right now.”
Her voice left no room for argument. After a brief hesitation Nang Hyeon relayed the news to Kang Yeon.
“Young Master Kang, a guest has come to see you.”
“A guest? Why me?”
“Well… she isn’t an ordinary guest. She says she wants to meet Young Master Kang in person.”
“What kind of guest?”
Nang Hyeon lowered his voice.
“The young sect leader of the Red Lotus Sect has come herself.”
“The Red Lotus Sect? What do they do?”
Nang Hyeon looked at him as if astonished that he did not know, then explained.
“They are the sect that employs the greatest number of solvers in the West Lake region. Most solvers receive their commissions through the Red Lotus Sect.”
“Ah, is that so? Then did she come because of some trouble with you again?”
Nang Hyeon waved his hands frantically.
“What? No! I’ve completely washed my hands of solver work, and the last commission was already settled cleanly.”
Apparently the commission that had entangled them with the Blood Wolf Faction had originally come through the Red Lotus Sect. Kang Yeon let out a long sigh.
“Haa… what a nuisance. Really.”
He stepped out of the kitchen and looked at the woman seated to one side.
“Another new guest, I see. What business brings you here?”
Jeok Ryeon-hwa’s eyes lit up the moment she saw him.
“I’m Jeok Ryeon-hwa, young sect leader of the Red Lotus Sect. I heard the rumors about you and came looking. You’re the Kang Yeon who subdued the Blood Wolf Faction and defeated Silent Sword Guest Jang Cheon-roe, right?”
Kang Yeon sighed again.
“Rumors travel far too fast. Yes, I’m Kang Yeon. But why would the young sect leader of the Red Lotus Sect come looking for a mere cook like me?”
Jeok Ryeon-hwa laughed brightly.
“A cook? You expect me to believe that?”
Kang Yeon shrugged.
“If I’m not a cook, then what am I supposed to be?”
Jeok Ryeon-hwa drew her twin swords and smiled.
“Don’t lie. I want to confirm with my own eyes whether you’re really strong enough to have subdued the Silent Sword Guest.”
Kang Yeon scratched his head.
“Fighting isn’t my style.”
Tension flooded the dining room once more. Nang Hyeon watched the standoff between Kang Yeon and Jeok Ryeon-hwa, then squeezed his eyes shut and silently offered a prayer for her soul.
Haa… she really had to pick the one person she shouldn’t touch.