Chinese Language Talent
“……Chinese?”
It was an entirely unexpected result.
From the moment the roulette stopped spinning, I stared at the result without blinking for a long time.
“Should I be happy about this, or should I be upset?”
Obtaining a B-rank talent by spinning the Gold Roulette Wheel was undoubtedly exhilarating.
However...
I couldn’t figure out where to use it or how to leverage it.
Talent 'Chinese' has been updated.
A strange sensation swept through my head.
Thousands of Chinese characters flooded into my mind automatically.
Pronunciation, words, intonation, grammar structure... everything arrived fully formed and ready to use.
Talent 'Chinese' update complete.
I stood there blankly for a moment, then walked over to the mirror.
“Ni hao.”
It was a greeting even someone who didn’t know Chinese would recognize.
And then came the next line.
“Do I know how to speak Chinese? Is this real?”
It came out surprisingly natural.
There was no awkwardness on the tip of my tongue at all.
It felt as familiar as speaking Korean while breathing.
I immediately grabbed the remote and turned on Chinese satellite television.
At that moment, a wuxia drama was airing on Zhonghua TV.
“Master, please forgive my senior brother!”
“That ungrateful scoundrel dared to...”
“I admire him. So...”
The dialogue was serious and emotional, but I understood every word perfectly.
The meaning, the nuance, every single sentence.
“......It’s real.”
This wasn’t just learning a language.
It was more than just being able to communicate.
It felt as if the very soul of the Chinese people, their way of thinking and emotions, had naturally merged into me.
I picked up my smartphone and searched for the link Jang Yu-na 2-dan had sent me earlier, then clicked it.
Chinese news outlets.
Headlines that I couldn’t read without a translation function before now made perfect sense.
And not only the meaning, but the intention behind the words and the emotions they carried.
The Chinese side was furious, while the domestic side was excited.
The provocative headlines amplified the controversy by highlighting my words.
The comments were no different.
Rude, overstepping, full of insults, mockery, and belittlement.
Chinese netizens poured out their criticism like a tidal wave.
Yet I felt nothing.
No anger, no embarrassment.
Instead, right now, I could directly see and understand their language.
This situation was simply amusing.
“They really got what they deserved.”
The first to snipe had been a Chinese journalist.
The provocative question had come from a Chinese reporter.
And now, the ones insulting me were Chinese as well.
If I hadn’t known their reactions, I might have let it slide.
But now I could see and hear everything.
There was no reason to ignore or forgive them.
I had planned to respond in the way they feared most.
“Results.”
It might look arrogant.
But in the end, it was the most accurate and reliable way.
“Alright, let’s see this through to the end.”
***
“In-ha, is the bathroom in our house better than this?”
After checking in, my mother returned from the lobby bathroom in a state of constant amazement.
The marble floor without a single speck of moisture, the subtle aroma, and the lighting all earned her endless exclamations.
My father nodded in agreement, as if he too approved.
“Right. We can sleep well here.”
“Hey, that’s an exaggeration.”
I let out a light chuckle, and my mother looked at me with concern.
“Kid, how much do you think a night here costs?”
“Why are you talking about money when you came with such good feelings.”
“I don’t want you to feel burdened.”
I smiled faintly and shook my head.
“I made it to the quarterfinals. The organizers provided support. Room fees and dinner included.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It’s a world tournament. They treat the participants well.”
At first, my mother had been skeptical, but soon her face broke into a relieved smile.
“Oh my... thanks to our son, we’re receiving such treatment.”
Her face was filled with pride and satisfaction.
“Well done, our son.”
My father patted my shoulder with a pleased expression.
“It stings a little... but this much is fine.”
In truth, it had all come from my own money.
But it was a white lie meant with good intentions.
I simply wanted them to rest without worrying about money.
We headed to the restaurant on the hotel’s first floor.
They said it had been introduced in Michelin.
Originally difficult to reserve, but participants in the main event could use it once.
“Mr. Kim In-ha, please come this way.”
We were guided to a quiet table by the window and ordered the recommended course.
First came four small one-bite dishes, beautifully plated on small plates.
“How do you eat this?”
“Just use your fork. Dip it in the sauce.”
My mother nodded and took a bite, then let out a sigh of admiration.
“Wow... there are so many different flavors.”
“It’s the first time I’ve tasted anything like this.”
My father nodded as well.
I quietly smiled and took a bite.
It was a flavor as if the sea had been contained within it.
The harmonious blend of four dishes that refreshed the palate.
“......The taste doesn’t break down.”
It was a perfectly dense flavor.
I had no idea what ingredients were used or how the flavors were seasoned.
Perhaps because my talent was limited to Korean food, or maybe because it was still only B-rank.
“It’s fortunate, though.”
Right now, I could simply enjoy the taste in its pure form.
As we neared the end of the main course, the wagyu sirloin steak, I cautiously opened my mouth.
“How’s the store these days?”
My mother’s hand paused while drinking water.
My father stopped his knife as well.
There was an awkward silence for a moment.
“......Well, it’s fine. It’s okay.”
My mother forced a smile.
But her expression was not bright.
“......It’s not okay.”
A few days ago, the former landlady’s Tteokmidang had opened right on the main road.
It was a premium store handling not just tteokbokki but the entire snack bar category.
I had tried it myself and found it had taste.
It must have had a significant impact on the store.
At that moment, the waiter brought the next course.
On a white plate was something shaped like tteok, with a thin stream of red sauce flowing over it.
“This is dessert ice cream tteokbokki made using tteok puree and ice cream.”
“Tteok... tteokbokki?”
My mother was startled, and my father’s eyes widened.
I was surprised too.
My mother scooped up a spoonful with her spoon.
“Oh my. What is this taste? It’s so delicious.”
I also scooped up some tteok puree and put it in my mouth.
It had a cool, soft texture.
The harmony of tteok and fresh cream.
The sweet-salty sauce blended perfectly with it.
“Ah.”
Suddenly, something flashed in my mind.
It wasn’t just the taste.
The very name “dessert ice cream tteokbokki” struck me like inspiration.
A combination that broke stereotypes.
The boundary between familiarity and unfamiliarity.
“Perhaps...”
It was a hunch.
A feeling that something new might be starting.
But for now, I swallowed it quietly without saying anything.
At that moment, a commotion came from the entrance.
A loud Chinese voice that demanded attention.
Familiar faces entering in a group.
The Chinese professional Go players who had advanced to the main event.
Liu Cheng 8-dan was at the center of them.
Some of them had already noticed me and were giving me looks.
They followed the waiter’s guidance, passing by my table and whispering among themselves.
“Those guys. Arrogant amateurs from Korea.”
Familiar face.
Chinese interpreter.
“They say they don’t know Liu Cheng’s Go. Why don’t they know basic etiquette?”
I quietly lifted my water glass and took a sip.
My expression remained unchanged.
I wasn’t surprised or frowning.
“......Now I can understand everything.”
The timing was so perfect it felt like it had been arranged for this.
One of them let out a cold laugh.
Wu Xiaoyu 9-dan.
“How amazing. The amateur bragged and luckily beat a few pros. What a boast.”
Zhou Xiwan 9-dan nodded.
“Since Oh Soo, they’ve been looking down on us too much. Let’s stomp on Liu Cheng. Got it?”
Liu Cheng 8-dan smiled leisurely.
“That’s the plan. We need to make sure they understand the rules.”
Their voices drifted over.
I turned my head toward their direction.
And let out a light smile.
“......!”
The Chinese players flinched as our eyes met.
The laughter from just moments ago vanished completely.
An eerie silence fell.
Meanwhile, one Chinese player muttered softly.
His voice was low, but I heard it clearly.
“I... I’m a bit uneasy about that guy.”
The Chinese players turned to look at him.
It was a face I remembered.
Xun Lanpei 5-dan, the Chinese prodigy who had defeated Japan’s Fujisaki 9-dan and caused a stir.
Liu Cheng 8-dan turned his head and met his eyes.
“Why?”
Xun Lanpei said carefully.
“His Go doesn’t seem predictable. I don’t want to play against such incomplete Go.”
The table fell silent for a moment.
Liu Cheng let out a snort.
“Scared? That’s what it means for Go to be incomplete.”
A relaxed expression settled on his face.
“That guy will lose his luggage tomorrow.”
“H, but...”
Xun Lanpei couldn’t continue.
He wanted to say more, but before his seniors, he simply closed his mouth.
At that moment.
I quietly stood up from my seat.
“In-ha?”
“You’re eating.”
I briefly asked my mother for permission, then turned my body.
As I moved, a stir went through the Chinese players.
A slight tension.
I passed by the Liu Cheng group and stopped in front of Xun Lanpei 5-dan.
“Excuse me.”
Xun Lanpei looked at me with a startled expression.
I kept a smile on my lips and spoke in Korean, one word at a time.
“Can I take a photo with you? I like your Go.”
He turned to look at the interpreter.
“Ah, Mr. Kim In-ha says he would like to take a photo together. He respects you as a player...”
At those words, Xun Lanpei’s eyes wavered for a moment.
Though surprised, he soon nodded.
“......Yes, that’s fine.”
Click.
The interpreter took the photo with my smartphone.
I gave a light bow.
“Thank you.”
Xun Lanpei smiled awkwardly.
Separate from the two of us.
The expressions of the Chinese players sitting nearby were all stiff.
They seemed to be maintaining courtesy on the surface, but their attitude clearly showed they didn’t care about the other pros.
Especially that he had only taken a photo with Xun Lanpei 5-dan made them look even more displeased.
“They must be feeling uneasy.”
That emotion was clearly visible on their faces.
And that was exactly the reaction I had aimed for.
To calm the atmosphere, the interpreter smiled awkwardly and asked.
“Um... would you like to take photos with other players as well...”
“No.”
I maintained my smile and shook my head decisively.
“There’s no need to take photos with people I don’t know.”
The interpreter’s expression froze.
The Chinese players urged him with their eyes, but he couldn’t speak, only moving his lips.
At that moment.
The Chinese team’s next course arrived perfectly timed.
I gave a light smile and added one final line.
“Please tell Liu Cheng 8-dan that I’ve packed his luggage for tomorrow.”
“......!”
It wasn’t Chinese.
It was Korean.
To the end.
I left those words behind and quietly turned around.
“This much is enough repayment.”
They had started the backtalk first.
And.
Tomorrow’s match as well, I would show them even more clearly.