Chapter 485
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 485
Chapter Title: Not For Sale
The downstairs was bustling with noise.
At the sound, Ha Mu-baek woke from his sleep.
It was already early morning before he knew it.
'It's been a while.'
He'd slept deeply, truly deeply.
Was this what Dang Jin-san had once described as a "honeyed sleep"?
The thought crossed his mind, idle as it was.
"Breakfast seems a bit different here."
Ha Mu-baek muttered softly to himself.
He could sense quite a few people downstairs on the first floor.
When he got up and headed down,
he saw the little boy and girl from yesterday, along with the female owner, all bustling about.
Sounds of nonstop cooking came from the kitchen as well.
Even so, there were only about ten people seated and eating.
They appeared to be laborers heading out for construction work, stopping by to fill their stomachs hearty before starting the day.
"Ah, you're awake, sir."
The girl spotted Ha Mu-baek and bowed her head politely.
The inn's one and only guest.
"If you go out that door over there, you'll find everything prepared for washing up. We just brought in some hot water, so it should be fine."
She pointed to one of the doors, then hurried back to take orders at the tables.
"Hae-bin, you're getting prettier by the day. The head chef might regret sending you off to marry someday. Kahahaha."
A burly man who had just slurped down a bowl of thin noodles let out a pleased laugh as he watched the girl.
"Uncle Jang, I'm not getting married or anything like that."
The girl pouted her lips in response before heading back to the kitchen.
"My sister's not getting married!"
The little boy grumbled at the burly man in the same vein.
"Hae-jun, you rascal. You need to grow up quick and protect your sister. Haha."
Jang Han pulled a coin from his pocket and placed it on the table as he spoke.
The little boy, Gong Hae-jun, swiftly gathered up the empty bowl and coin.
He dropped the coin straight into the drawer at the counter.
His mother was too busy to man the register right now.
"Madam Gong, great meal as always!"
Jang Han waved as he strolled out leisurely.
Ha Mu-baek washed his hands and face in the modest bathing area, listening to the exchange.
It was still the cold grip of winter.
This was just a space built outside the inn with wooden planks to block the chill winds somewhat.
Even so, drafts seeped in from every crack, keeping the air frigid.
A place that shielded from the wind but not the cold.
The hot water quickly turned lukewarm as a result.
And yet, they'd prepared it especially for their single guest this early in the morning—himself.
Truth be told, hot or cold water made no difference to Ha Mu-baek.
From the looks of it, the dining guests also used the spot for a quick hand rinse.
So Ha Mu-baek gave the water a casual flick with his hand.
In an instant, the lukewarm water heated back up.
He worried the kind girl might get scolded if it had gone cold on her watch.
Ha Mu-baek returned to the dining area and took a seat at a table.
"Hello, sir! What can I get for you?"
Gong Hae-jun approached with quick steps and set down a teacup.
"What's good here?"
Ha Mu-baek asked the boy.
"The beef noodle soup is our specialty! The stir-fried veggies are delicious too!"
The immediate, enthusiastic reply drew a chuckle from Ha Mu-baek.
"Bring me both, then."
He handed over a single iron coin as he said it.
"Yes, sir! Just a moment!"
Ha Mu-baek sipped his tea while watching Gong Hae-jun dash to the kitchen.
Laborers who had finished eating rose from their seats here and there.
The female owner, the girl, and the boy moved busily, collecting coins from those who'd settled up and clearing tables.
"Great meal—thanks!"
"Delicious as always!"
The laborers called out their farewells as they left.
"Tch. Such tasty food, and yet..."
Someone's regretful mutter reached Ha Mu-baek's ears.
He could even read the frustration laced in those words.
'Looks like there's some story behind this place.'
Otherwise, it made no sense for an establishment serving food of this caliber to be so empty in the evenings.
In the meantime, the beef noodle soup and stir-fried vegetables arrived.
A glint of interest entered Ha Mu-baek's eyes as he regarded the food—especially the vegetables.
"This is..."
It was the Bai tribe style of stir-fried vegetables.
While vegetable stir-fries across the Central Plains were much alike, this one used only the greens favored by the Bai tribespeople.
Ha Mu-baek recognized it at a glance.
'No way?'
The thought struck him, and he immediately called the boy over.
"Boy!"
"Yes, sir!"
Gong Hae-jun, who had been heading to clear another table, spun around and hurried over.
"Do you happen to have sliced raw pork?"
Gong Hae-jun's eyes went wide at Ha Mu-baek's question.
"How did you know about that?"
He seemed genuinely startled.
It was an unfamiliar dish in Luoyang.
There were plenty of other styles of cooking besides, so the inn didn't bother offering it.
A guest suddenly asking for it, out of nowhere.
Ha Mu-baek glanced at the stir-fried vegetables as he replied.
"This is Bai tribe style. You look Central Plains to me, so how does the chef know Bai cooking? And he nailed it perfectly."
As he spoke, he picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks and popped them in his mouth.
Ha Mu-baek nodded.
"Perfectly done."
"W-Well, I'm more surprised that you know Bai dishes, sir..."
Gong Hae-jun replied with a bewildered expression.
The kitchen curtain parted, and out stepped a burly man with a cloth wrapped around his head and broad shoulders.
"We stayed with a Bai village for a few years. Learned the cooking back then."
"You sound like a Luoyang man, though."
His accent was pure Luoyang.
The female owner approached now that she'd finished tidying up.
"My family on my mother's side is Bai."
"Ah."
Ha Mu-baek let out an understanding exclamation.
"Anyway, you can do the sliced raw pork?"
"We have the ingredients, so yes."
"I'd appreciate it. It's my favorite, but I haven't had a proper chance lately."
"Understood. But sir, how do you know Bai dishes?"
The chef, Gong Yeop-myeong, asked with clear curiosity.
"Had to stay in a Bai village once for work."
"Ah!"
Gong Yeop-myeong nodded in realization and headed back to the kitchen.
Soon, a tantalizing aroma began to waft out.
While waiting for the sliced raw pork, Ha Mu-baek finished the noodles and vegetables—they were every bit as good as they seemed.
"Is Yeop-myeong around?"
Just then, an old man who had entered called for the chef.
"Ah, Elder Jeon."
The female owner hurried over to greet him.
The old man had a sleazy look about him, and the way his eyes roamed over her as she approached was far from innocent.
Scanning her up and down.
"Where's Yeop-myeong?"
"He's cooking right now."
"Is he? Then I'll wait a bit."
The old man sauntered over and plopped down at a table near Ha Mu-baek.
He shot Ha Mu-baek a displeased glance, then bellowed,
"What, no tea for the customers here?"
At that, the female owner took the tray and teacup Hae-jun had brought and set them at the old man's table.
'That guy's the root of this place's troubles.'
Ha Mu-baek could tell at once.
The girl Gong Hae-bin and little Gong Hae-jun's attitudes had shifted immediately.
They flinched like they'd encountered something frightening and kept their distance.
The female owner wore a look of clear discomfort too.
At that moment,
Gong Yeop-myeong emerged carrying a plate of finished sliced raw pork.
He set the steaming dish down at Ha Mu-baek's table, then turned to the old man.
"Tch. Serving trash like Bai slop—that's why your business is dead."
The old man's words made Gong Yeop-myeong's eyebrow twitch.
"What business do you have here, Elder?"
The old man smirked at the chef's question.
"You know damn well."
"Not for sale."
Gong Yeop-myeong's reply was firm.
Still, the old man grinned slyly.
"Heard business has been shit lately?"
"That's because you've been..."
Gong Hae-jun started to shout in anger, but Gong Hae-bin clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him back.
'Too damn clichéd.'
Ha Mu-baek thought as he chewed a slice of raw pork.
And right after,
'This would go great with some liquor.'
The sliced raw pork was incredible.
Tasting it after so long made him crave a drink he rarely indulged in.
Not like last night,
when he'd downed cheap rice wine to calm his inner energy.
This was a desire for fine liquor to match fine food.
"Chef. Got any liquor that pairs with this?"
Ha Mu-baek voiced the thought as soon as it hit him.
Gong Yeop-myeong, locked in a staring contest with Elder Jeon, turned immediately.
"Yes, we have something good. For you, sir."
"Bring a bottle, then."
Ha Mu-baek placed his order,
and the old man snapped at him, brimming with irritation.
"And who the hell are you to butt into this old man's business?"
"Can't you tell? I'm a customer eating at an inn, placing an order. If anything, you're the one interrupting my meal."
Ha Mu-baek shot back, glaring at the old man.
"You cheeky little shit..."
The old man shot to his feet.
Judging by the outfit, the guy in front of him seemed like a martial artist.
The old man knew every Luoyang martial artist's look by heart.
This one wasn't in his memory.
"Some country bumpkin who came to gawk at the Righteous Heaven Alliance, huh? Then shut up, gawk quietly, and get lost! Don't stick your nose in this old man's affairs!"
His furious roar
brought two martial artists striding into the inn.
They looked like his escorts.
"What is it, Elder?"
The two exuded a menacing aura.
Gong Hae-jun paled at the sight and ran to hide behind his mother.
Gong Hae-bin gripped her mother's hand tightly.
"Nothing. Just teaching some bumpkin a lesson for getting uppity. Let's go."
The old man turned to leave.
Just then, Gong Yeop-myeong appeared with the liquor bottle.
"Not for sale."
Short and resolute.
"Hmph. We'll see how long you last."
With those parting words, the old man left.
The chef set down the bottle and cup.
"Shaanxi baijiu—Xifeng liquor. Starts sweet and smooth for a refreshing kick, ends clean. Pairs perfectly with sliced raw pork."
Even at a glance, it was a high-end bottle that screamed expense.
The kind of premium liquor you wouldn't expect at a modest inn like this.
"D-Dad... Th-that's..."
Gong Hae-bin gasped in surprise.
The inn's single bottle of luxury liquor.
Absurdly pricey, and bringing it out without a word of warning?
Anyone unfamiliar might think they were trying to rip him off.
"Xifeng, eh... Fine stuff."
Ha Mu-baek knew it well enough.
He wasn't one for drinking,
but rolling through the jianghu meant picking up on famous brews by ear.
Most from Nam Mu-hyeon's lips, of course.
"Didn't expect to find it here."
"We stock whatever we can, as needed."
Ha Mu-baek uncorked the bottle and poured a cup.
Then a sip.
Exactly as described.
This time, a slice of raw pork.
Another cup of liquor.
The pork's flavors bloomed fuller in his mouth, mingling with the sweet smoothness of the Xifeng, then neatly resolved.
"Excellent."
Ha Mu-baek savored more pork and tilted his cup again.
An impromptu solo drink in the early dawn hours.
Gong Yeop-myeong watched him enjoy it and turned away with a satisfied smile.
'What an annoying bastard.'
Deep in the flavors, a presence outside soured Ha Mu-baek's mood.
The old man called Elder Jeon.
His martial artist escorts were hiring people to block off the area.
More precisely, harassing anyone headed for the inn.
That explained the lack of customers.
He had no idea why they spared the dawn laborers,
but at this rate,
the inn wouldn't last long.
There was reason for that child to stand in the street hawking guests.
He'd suspected as much the moment he saw the old man's act.
It was just too predictable.