Those Bastards Seriously Misjudged
Before dawn broke, the kitchen of the West Lake Number One Inn was already lit.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
Kang Yeon’s knife woke the quiet dawn. It was an ordinary morning like any other, yet after the victory at the Central Plains’ Greatest Culinary Competition, everything around them had begun to shift, little by little.
So this is how precious ordinary days really are.
The brilliance of the tournament and the glory of the championship had been fine enough, but nothing felt more comfortable than these quiet hours spent preparing food.
“You’re already up?”
Kang Yeon turned at the voice behind him. Muk Hyang-ru stood there. A week into his work at the West Lake Number One Inn, he still arrived early every morning.
“You’re out early too.”
“Yeah. I’m still a long way from getting used to it.”
Muk Hyang-ru tied on his apron as he spoke. Not a trace remained of the arrogance that had once marked the Food God’s chief disciple.
“What should I start with?”
“Chop some green onions. They’re going into the egg fried rice for breakfast.”
Kang Yeon’s first dish of the morning was always for the inn’s family.
“Got it.”
The two of them stood side by side and began prepping. Their methods differed, yet the rhythm they had forged during the competition made the work feel natural.
“So the expansion starts today?”
Muk Hyang-ru asked while slicing the onions.
“Yeah. We’re starting the inn’s expansion today. Too many customers—we’re short on seats.”
“Expansion… how much bigger?”
“Well, Dan U-ryeong said roughly double.”
Muk Hyang-ru’s eyes widened. Expanding an inn to twice its size while still running business every day—was that even possible?
“Double? Is that doable? You said we’re staying open.”
“Dan U-ryeong can do it.”
“Really? He’s that good?”
A natural question from someone who did not yet know Dan U-ryeong. Kang Yeon gave a small laugh.
“More than good. Incredible.”
“That so? Now I’m curious.”
Time passed, and fragrant aromas filled the kitchen. Kang Yeon whipped up egg fried rice for the inn’s family in no time. On one side stock simmered for the day’s service, dough was prepared, and sauces came together.
“Oppa, you two were already getting ready?”
Jo Seol’s bright voice rang out as she entered. Jo Un and Nang Hyeon appeared right behind her.
“You’re up early today, Seol-ah.”
“Yeah. Expansion starts today, right? I was so excited I couldn’t sleep.”
Jo Un yawned as he spoke.
“Expansion… finally we’ll be able to take more customers. Which means we’ll be that much busier.”
Not long after morning service began, Dan U-ryeong appeared. He had been rushing about preparing for the expansion for some time.
“All right, I’ll start the expansion work today. The plot’s limited, so spreading out sideways is tough—I’m thinking we go up instead.”
The West Lake Number One Inn currently stood two stories high. The second floor served as lodging for staff and guests.
“How high are you planning?”
“Hmm… while we’re at it, maybe five stories or so?”
“Sounds good. Expand the lodging out back too. The staff’s running out of room.”
Behind the inn stood the house where the Jo family and Kang Yeon lived. Kang Yeon wanted that building enlarged so the entire household could stay together.
“That’s a solid idea as well. I’ll keep the first floor open for business and seal off the rest of the space.”
Muk Hyang-ru looked puzzled.
“What does that mean? Seal off the space?”
Dan U-ryeong gave a short laugh.
“You don’t need to know. Explaining it would get complicated.”
Muk Hyang-ru tilted his head.
“I have no idea what you mean… but it’s impressive.”
“This is nothing. More importantly, Yeon—want me to expand the kitchen too?”
Kang Yeon nodded.
“Ah. Please do. Don’t worry about the cost anymore.”
The West Lake Number One Inn was raking in revenue. The funds they had saved were more than enough. Dan U-ryeong dove straight into the expansion. And just like any other day, the inn opened for business.
“Next guest, please come in!”
Nang Hyeon’s voice rang out without pause.
“Is this even real? The line’s already stretched to the end of the street this early! At this rate it’ll loop all the way around West Lake.”
Jo Un stared out the window in disbelief. An endless queue truly stretched before the inn.
“Ten more bowls of ramen!”
“Seven egg fried rice!”
“Ten Heaven-and-Earth-Opening Noodles!”
For the time being the West Lake Number One Inn was offering limited runs of the dishes sold during the Central Plains’ Greatest Culinary Competition. Guests asked for them so eagerly that the usual breakfast specials had been set aside.
Orders poured down like a waterfall.
Kang Yeon and Muk Hyang-ru moved like madmen in the kitchen. Their teamwork was flawless.
Whoosh! Sizzle!
Flames leapt and oil crackled, filling the kitchen with sound.
“Wow… when you two work together the kitchen looks like it’s on fire!”
Jo Seol marveled as she carried plates. Jo Hwan and Jo Un had stepped into support roles and backed the two chefs perfectly. After weeks of crushing fatigue, Jo Hwan was glad simply to catch his breath.
Jang Mu-eon and the former Black Wind Association members could not sit idle either.
“Delivery orders are piling up too!”
Yeong-ho staggered in, gasping.
“Every available delivery runner is already out and it’s still not enough!”
Cheol-san wiped sweat from his brow.
“At this rate we might have to start turning orders away…”
Kang Yeon thought for a moment, then spoke.
“We’ll only take what we can handle. If we overdo it and the quality drops, that’s not acceptable.”
The popularity of the West Lake Number One Inn soared to the heavens. As the hours passed the crowds only grew. By lunch the place had become a battlefield.
“I’ve never been this busy!”
Jo Un shouted like a man possessed. Sweat soaked him from head to toe, yet a smile stayed on his face.
“Still feels good, doesn’t it?”
Nang Hyeon said with a grin.
“I never knew it could make me this happy—knowing so many people come just to enjoy our food.”
Muk Hyang-ru kept cooking without rest, thinking to himself.
This is what a real cook’s life feels like.
In the grand restaurants of Beijing where he had worked before, he had served only a handful of honored guests each day. Here he was delivering happiness to hundreds of ordinary people.
“Muk Hyang-ru, you all right?”
Kang Yeon asked with concern. Sweat poured down Muk Hyang-ru’s forehead like rain.
“I’m fine. No—better than fine.”
The answer was sincere. His body ached, yet he felt more alive than ever before. The sun set and at last the stream of guests thinned.
“Whew… I think this is the most people we’ve ever had since we opened.”
Jo Hwan slumped into a chair, exhausted.
“We’ve never seen a crowd like this. Even after the expansion it might still be a problem.”
“We’re going to have to hire more people.”
Kang Yeon shared the same thought. Night deepened. The entire household of the West Lake Number One Inn gathered for a late dinner.
“All right, we all worked hard today—let’s eat well!”
The table was piled high with dishes Kang Yeon had prepared.
“Hah… dinner after a hard day really is happiness.”
Muk Hyang-ru murmured quietly. Everyone turned to look at him.
“Ah, just… I like sitting together like this and eating. I always used to eat alone. The noise felt strange at first, but now I really love it.”
Jo Seol beamed.
“Of course! Muk-oppa’s one of our inn family now, right?”
“Family…”
Muk Hyang-ru rolled the word around in his mouth. A warm feeling spread through his chest. Just then Jin Mu-gyeong spoke with a serious expression.
“Yeon, after we eat, let’s talk alone for a bit.”
Kang Yeon nodded.
“Yeah, sure.”
When dinner ended, Kang Yeon and Jin Mu-gyeong slipped quietly into the back courtyard. Moonlight washed the yard in silver.
Jin Mu-gyeong spoke first.
“I’ve started a full investigation into the New World Association.”
“Yeah? Anything turn up?”
“Gathering information… has been harder than I expected.”
Jin Mu-gyeong’s face was dark. For the former master of Cheon-i-gak to struggle with intelligence work was no small matter.
“I mobilized almost every contact I still have, yet it’s like they’re wrapped in fog—no solid shape. All I managed to learn is…”
He paused briefly.
“They expanded at terrifying speed over the last three years. And they’ve been infiltrating every corner of the Murim in secret.”
“Three years…”
Kang Yeon murmured. In truth the New World Association had been building power for thirty years. Yet their open moves had begun right around the time he retired.
“And the strange part is, they look like a Murim organization, but what they’re hunting isn’t martial manuals or treasure. It feels more like… they’re looking for people.”
Jin Mu-gyeong looked straight at Kang Yeon.
“Yeon, is there something you already know?”
Kang Yeon gazed up at the sky. Stars glittered overhead. After a long silence he let out a deep breath.
“Mu-gyeong-hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“What I’m about to tell you… must never leave this courtyard.”
Jin Mu-gyeong’s expression hardened.
“Of course. If it’s coming from you.”
Kang Yeon spoke slowly.
“The New World Association… probably wasn’t founded by people of this world.”
Jin Mu-gyeong stared in shock.
“What do you mean? Not people of this world?”
Confusion filled his face. Kang Yeon hesitated, clearly weighing how much to reveal.
Yet only by telling Jin Mu-gyeong the truth could a proper investigation move forward.
“The truth is… I wasn’t originally from this place either.”
“What are you saying? That you’re not from the Central Plains?”
“No. Explaining fully would get complicated… but I carry memories of the future.”
“The future? What does that even mean?”
Kang Yeon explained everything about himself in careful detail. When he finished, Jin Mu-gyeong wore a blank stare.
“You’re… seriously expecting me to believe that right now?”
Even Jin Mu-gyeong, who trusted Kang Yeon’s every word, found this one hard to swallow.
“You have to. Only then will the New World Association make sense. They’re people like me—people who lived in another time.”
Kang Yeon laid out everything he knew about the New World Association and the Return to Home Association.
Jin Mu-gyeong drew a sharp breath.
“But why? For what purpose? By your account they already have more than enough power and influence.”
Kang Yeon gave a bitter smile.
“Well. Some people can never be satisfied with the life they’re given. They always want more. Especially when they can use the knowledge and skills they brought from their original world…”
“They could rule this one.”
Jin Mu-gyeong nodded in understanding.
“So that’s why they’re after you? To use the Absolute Martial God’s power?”
Kang Yeon nodded.
“Most likely. Or because someone as strong as me might get in their way.”
A breeze stirred. Leaves rustled softly.
“Yeon, so what will you do?”
“For now, we watch. Until they make the first move…”
Kang Yeon clenched his fist.
“But if they ever threaten my family or this inn, I won’t sit still.”
Jin Mu-gyeong clapped him on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help. I’ll put every scrap of Cheon-i-gak’s remaining network on it if I have to.”
“Thanks.”
“We’re going to have to be careful from here on. Especially now that the tournament win has put you in the spotlight…”
“That’s why I already warned everyone at the inn to stay sharp. Right now, with all eyes on us, it’s the perfect time for them to try something.”
Jin Mu-gyeong shrugged.
“Even so—thinking they can touch you? Those bastards seriously misjudged.”