Moorim Pochang - Chapter 111

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 111. Pheasant Dumplings.

Just then, Baek Moon-do entered the Guest Inn with the Chief Administrator.
“What gives you the right to raise your voice in this establishment?”
He was already angry before he’d even stepped through the door.
“Sect Master, it’s an honor to see you.”
The Chief Administrator cupped his hands together and bowed respectfully toward Dok-go Yeop.
“So you’ve come as well. Please, sit.”
Baek Moon-do straightened his robes and took a seat across from Dok-go Yeop.
Yet his eyes remained fixed on Dok-go Yeop with unconcealed fury.
“When you send warriors, shouldn’t you at least send word first—a letter, something?”
Dok-go Yeop pretended not to notice the anger in his gaze.
“The Alliance Leader must have his hands full with a temperament like that.”
“Not at all. The Alliance Leader is right. Still, I’m grateful for the warriors you sent from the Ma-gyo.”
At the Chief Administrator’s reply, Dok-go Yeop nodded.
The moment he’d heard reports of warriors from the Cheon Sa-gyo Branch gathering in force, he’d selected and dispatched the Ma-gyo’s best fighters.
Though the Murim Alliance might already have fallen, he couldn’t simply sit idle and watch.
“The Chief Administrator, as always, shows excellent judgment.”
“Are you dismissing what I just said?”
Baek Moon-do’s irritation showed no signs of fading.
Then Dok-go Yeop looked up at him and spoke a single word.
“I apologize.”

*

An apology?
Had he misheard?
He’d never heard Dok-go Yeop apologize before.
The anger in his chest melted away like snow in spring sun.
“If you’re that sorry, you can buy the drinks yourself.”
Baek Moon-do sat down across from Dok-go Yeop.
“As it happens, I selected the pheasant myself. Isn’t that so?”
Dok-go Yeop turned and asked Kang Jo.
“Yes. I even told him not to, but he insisted on choosing it himself.”
At Kang Jo’s words, Dok-go Yeop’s brow furrowed slightly.
It was the truth, but for some reason it didn’t sit well with him.
‘I’m about to become a father. I need to be patient.’
He’d decided not to lose his temper over trivial matters anymore.
He turned his gaze back to Baek Moon-do.
“The damage was severe, then?”
Baek Moon-do nodded, his face grave.
“Seven out of ten died. Even the Sect Master of the Gae-bang suffered serious internal injuries.”
Had it not been for Dok-go Yeop, he wouldn’t have stopped at this inn at all.
No matter how fine the food here was, the current circumstances didn’t warrant lingering over a meal.
True, the enemy had suffered far heavier losses, but he had no energy left to spare even sympathy for the fallen.
Turning his head, Baek Moon-do called out to Yang Jung.
“Come here.”
Yang Jung emerged from the kitchen, puzzled by the summons.
“Your efforts have greatly reduced our casualties. I’ll see you’re properly rewarded later, so don’t refuse.”
“Thank you, Alliance Leader.”
Yang Jung bowed deeply and returned to the kitchen.
Baek Moon-do turned his attention to Kang Jo.
“Is there anything you need? Speak freely.”
“There is nothing.”
Perhaps foreseeing the answer, Baek Moon-do didn’t press further.
Dok-go Yeop withdrew a flat cloth wrapping from his robe and handed it to the Chief Administrator.
“Use this where it’s needed.”
The Chief Administrator showed no hesitation whatsoever.
“I’ll put it to good use, Sect Master.”
He didn’t unwrap the cloth to look inside, but he could guess well enough what it contained.
It was likely a Bank Note, and no small sum at that.

*

Seasoned vegetables and wine arrived, followed shortly by three roasted chickens placed on the table.
“The Pork Noodle Dish will take a moment, gentlemen.”
Dok-go Yeop and Baek Moon-do nodded and each grabbed a chicken.
“Help yourself too, Chief Administrator. You won’t find cooking as fine as this Guest Inn’s anywhere else.”
At Dok-go Yeop’s urging, the Chief Administrator reached for a chicken as well.
He seized a leg and tore into it—the meat trembled and juices ran down his hand.
‘Let me see just how good this tastes.’
He brought the leg to his mouth.
Crunch, crunch…
The skin was crisp, the meat inside tender and succulent.
And with each bite, the juices flowed freely.
Ha ha…
Before he knew it, he was smiling.
Had he known it was this delicious, he would have found his way here long ago.
Baek Moon-do and Dok-go Yeop tore into their meat with equal abandon.
After devouring both legs entirely, they refilled their wine cups.
“In the end, we’ll be the ones who win, Moon-do.”
“We have to win.”
All three drained their cups at once.
Ah…
Dok-go Yeop grimaced as he set down his empty cup.
“Can’t you prepare something decent to drink?”
“There’s no fine wine available in the Village, I’m afraid.”
Kang Jo fielded the complaint with composure.
It was true that the Village had no quality spirits.
“I’ll have fifty casks sent to you—use that from now on.”
“If you’re sending something, would you send Oliangye instead?”
At Kang Jo’s brazen request, Dok-go Yeop found himself at a loss for words.
Oliangye was a spirit from Sichuan, crisp and refreshing on the palate, but notoriously expensive.
Still, he did not refuse.
“I’ll send it.”
There was the Sect Master’s dignity to consider, but it was the old memories that rose up in him.
Baek Moon-do too opened his mouth, stirred by remembrance.
“Dae-hyung was so fond of Oliangye.”
“What Dae-hyung loved wasn’t Oliangye—it was expensive wine in general.”
Ha ha ha…
Keke ke…
The two men burst into laughter simultaneously.
Dae-hyung had loved not just Oliangye but all manner of costly spirits.
“Where could he be now?”
“Somewhere laughing at us, no doubt. ‘Is that all you’ve got? You fools.’ That’s what he’d say.”
“Knowing Dae-hyung, he’d say exactly that.”
While Dok-go Yeop and Baek Moon-do continued their exchange, Kang Jo brought out the Pork Noodle Dish and set it on the table.
“Please enjoy your meal.”
Dok-go Yeop picked up his chopsticks and asked a question.
“Do you see Silver often?”
“She visits from time to time.”
He nodded and began to eat.
Baek Moon-do watched him intently for a moment, then suddenly called out to Yang Jung.
“Come here.”
“You were looking for me, Alliance Leader?”
As Yang Jung approached, he continued eating while he spoke.
“Does Ha-young visit often?”
“Yes. He stops by from time to time.”
Baek Moon-do merely nodded, like Dok-go Yeop beside him.
‘Delicious. Really delicious. Every time work wears me down and exhaustion sets in, I should come to this place to gather my strength.’
The Chief Administrator barely heard the conversation between the two men.
Slurp… slurp…
“One more bowl.”
He’d emptied the Pork Noodle Dish completely and now held out the empty bowl.
“Of course. Please wait a moment.”

*

Yang Jung, who had been practicing the Shattered Heart Technique, bolted into the kitchen.
“What’s cooking tonight? Something smells wonderful.”
“Dumplings.”
“You went to the trouble of making dumplings?”
Though he spoke of hardship, his lips curved into a smile.
“Made them with chicken this time. Go change out of those clothes and come back.”
At Kang Jo’s words, Yang Jung dashed into his room to change.
“May I open it now?”
“Go ahead.”
Once outside, Yang Jung immediately opened the pot with steam rising from it.
The moment he lifted the lid, a cloud of white vapor billowed up, and he could see the dumplings arranged neatly on a bamboo steamer.
While dumplings at other guest inns had thick skins that hid the filling inside, the ones Kang Jo had made had thin, translucent wrappers that showed the filling through.
‘As expected, he really does have a gift for cooking.’
He lifted the steamer onto a cutting board and grabbed a dumpling with his bare hand.
“Ow, it’s hot!”
He tossed the scalding dumpling between his left and right hands before finally popping it into his mouth.
“Mmm… munch, munch…”
Delicious.
The thin wrapper was chewy, and the tender chicken filling released its juices with each bite.
‘Something’s just a little bit off.’
Even compared to dumplings from other guest inns, the flavor was distinctly superior.
Yet something seemed slightly lacking next to his other dishes.
“How does it taste?”
Kang Jo asked with an eager expression.
“It’s delicious.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes. Let me try another one.”
Yang Jung grabbed another dumpling and bit into it.
Munch, munch…
‘What’s missing?’
As he chewed, he examined the filling more closely.
“Did you shred vegetables into the filling?”
“I added a little so it wouldn’t feel too heavy. Why?”
Sigh.
He couldn’t help but exhale at Kang Jo’s answer.
Traditionally, the finest way to make chicken dumplings was to season only the chicken and use nothing else as filling.
He’d known for some time that Kang Jo was fond of vegetables, but he never expected him to put them in the dumpling filling too.
“Why put vegetables in chicken dumplings? If you’d used just the chicken, it would have tasted so much better.”
“Putting in different things tastes better than just meat alone, don’t you think? And adding some tofu…”
“No. Chicken dumplings should contain only chicken.”
The difference of opinion proved difficult to reconcile.
After his exchange with Yang Jung, Kang Jo left the kitchen.
Cheol-goe was just stepping into the Stone Bridge.
“Welcome.”

*

In Cheol-goe’s hands hung three pheasants, neatly dressed and ready to cook.
“Roast one of them. Make dumplings with the other two.”
“Yes. The dumplings will take a moment.”
Kang Jo accepted the pheasant and disappeared into the kitchen.
Cheol-goe, who had been about to take his seat, followed him into the kitchen.
“Have you made dumplings?”
“Chicken dumplings. Please, try them.”
As Kang Jo peeled the skin from the bird, he gestured toward the dumplings with a nod of his chin.
Cheol-goe picked one up and placed it in his mouth.
Chew, chew…
Chewy and plump yet tender—the taste was entirely different from the dumplings at other inns.
“It would be even better if you hadn’t added the vegetables…”
At his words of regret, Yang Jung brightened, chewing his own dumpling.
“I told you so, didn’t I? No vegetables.”
“I heard you. Now be quiet and eat.”
Cheol-goe picked up two or three dumplings and sat down at the table.
“Have you been practicing the Sal Gong?”
At his question, Yang Jung felt a flicker of unease.
But his elder brother was there beside him.
“Yes.”
“The worst scum in the Gangho are assassins. Bandits plunder and harm people, but assassins—they take payment to harm people. It won’t be long before those vermin disappear too.”
“I’ve never taken payment, sir.”
“Then you’re no assassin at all.”
Finishing his words, Cheol-goe bit into a dumpling.
Chew, chew…
He devoured two dumplings in an instant, then rose to reach for more.
Kang Jo quickly piled fresh dumplings onto a wooden plate and offered it to him.
Cheol-goe returned to the table and picked up another dumpling.
There was nowhere else as peaceful as this place.
That’s why he wanted to keep this inn running a little while longer.
Chewing as he ate, he rose and walked beyond the compound wall.
In the darkness, the sound of hoofbeats and creaking wheels drifted to his ears.
After watching for a moment, dozens of carts began to appear before his eyes.
The carts were laden with goods, and martial artists sat at the front of each, reins in hand.
As the supply carts passed, carts carrying people came into view.
‘Some family moving, then?’
He studied the martial artists escorting the convoy.
Each carried a long-hilted Fine-Tipped Sword in one hand.
‘Cho-ga, is it. They didn’t really need to flee. Though I suppose the Murim Alliance feared they might surrender to Cheon Sa-gyo.’
Even if Cho-ga didn’t surrender to Cheon Sa-gyo, he had no immediate intention of exterminating them.
In the end, all the martial families and sects in the Gangho would disappear anyway.
Chewing his dumpling as he watched them go, he turned back to where he’d come from.

*

Shin Pung-gae rose from the sickbed and moved his arms and legs this way and that.
Ha ha…
Laughter spilled naturally from his lips.
He’d thought the severe internal injury would keep him bedridden for months, yet he was up and about in less than a month.
And somehow, his body felt even stronger than before.
‘Truly a healer beyond compare.’
He picked up the Dragon Head Staff and stepped out through the door.
With his body so light, he felt he could wander anywhere now.
Just then the Old Physician came into view, and Shin Pung-gae turned toward him.
“Thanks to you, my internal injury has healed completely. I’m truly grateful.”
“I’m glad it worked out.”
The Old Physician made to withdraw after those words.
The Sect Master of Gae-bang was the type who wanted to know more than was necessary.
“What decoction did you prepare to heal such a grave internal injury so swiftly?”
Just as he’d expected, the Sect Master’s curiosity surfaced.
“The Sect Master simply had a naturally robust constitution.”
Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle…
“It’s true my body is sturdy, but what of internal injuries? Surely those are no different?”
The Sect Master pressed the Old Physician relentlessly, unwilling to let the matter drop.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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