Moorim Pochang - Chapter 40

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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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Chapter 40. A Tense Table.

“I just finished pounding it. Please, have some.”
Gang Jo set a plate of seasoned vegetables on the table, followed by a bowl of chicken noodles.
“Thank you.”
As Ja Seol began eating, Gang Jo peeled a stalactite root.
The stalactite root demanded more work than the vegetables.
But his master loved it so dearly that the nearby mountains were nearly bare of their seeds.
While Gang Jo peeled, Ja Seol ate mechanically, tasting nothing.
She had so many questions, yet the words wouldn’t come.
“I…”
Just as she struggled to speak again, a loud voice pierced the air.
“Brother…! Save me…! The Patriarch of the Gae Sect is chasing me…!”
At that cry, Gang Jo’s voice exploded.
“How many times must I tell you…? Face them with confidence, you fool…!”
Following Gang Jo’s outburst, Yang Jeong appeared.
Huff…! Gasp…!
Breathing heavily, he composed himself at once.
“You’ve arrived, Miss Yeon.”
He bowed deeply to Ja Seol.
“My respects to Master Yang.”
Yang Jeong turned toward the Stone Bridge as though he had become someone else entirely.

*

Shin Pung Gae paced before the Stone Bridge.
If he could just cross that bridge, he felt certain he’d catch his quarry—yet the bridge loomed before him like a fortress wall.
“How much longer do you think you can run…?”
He called out, his voice alone rising.
“Go back.”
At Gang Jo’s voice, Shin Pung Gae exhaled heavily.
Sigh…
What enmity had they carried from some previous life?
‘Until I smooth over his ill will, I won’t claim him.’
As despondency settled over him, Yang Jeong emerged.
“I have no intention of becoming a beggar. Please understand, Patriarch.”
Yang Jeong bowed, his voice calm and measured.
Shin Pung Gae’s rage boiled over, his voice sharp.
“Do you think any fool can become the successor to the Gae Sect…? Do you not know how glorious a position the successor to the Gae Sect is…?”
Yang Jeong countered in a quiet, luminous voice.
“Surely there are younger talents far more worthy than I. I am not suited to be the successor of the Gae Sect.”
Shin Pung Gae’s fury mounting, he moved to cross the bridge.
But a glacial voice froze him in his tracks.
“Cross that bridge if you wish to make an enemy of me.”
A low growl.
In the end, Shin Pung Gae did not cross.
His shoulders slumped as he turned toward the Martial Alliance.
Ja Seol witnessed the entire chaotic, almost farcical scene.
A quiet chuckle escaped her.
Laughter bubbled from her lips.
‘So Gang Jo isn’t as cold as I thought, and Yang Jeong far more timid.’
Whether or not Yang Jeong sensed her thoughts, he returned to the Inn with a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Gang Jo gritted his teeth at the sight.
“That smile is nauseating. Stop it.”
Laughter.
“What are you saying now, brother?”
Sigh…
Gang Jo released the fist he’d been clenching, letting out a long breath.
No matter what that fool did, he couldn’t afford to look foolish in front of a young and beautiful woman.
Every man wanted to appear impressive before a beautiful woman.
But that one’s obsession ran deeper than most.
‘I don’t know how to cure that chronic weakness of his.’
*

Ping… Thwack!
The small stone that left his fingertips shattered the pheasant’s skull without hesitation.
Chul Goe moved slowly through the grass to retrieve the fallen bird.
Three pheasants already hung from his belt.
With the bird in hand, he made his way toward the stream.
As he plucked the feathers and gutted the pheasant at the water’s edge, Yeo Hwa approached him.
“So what now?”
Chul Goe answered without even turning his head.
“I’ve cast the bait. The real player will show himself.”
The attacks on the Martial Alliance and the Demon Cult had been nothing but bait.
The ones they truly feared were not the Alliance Lord or the Cult Master.
“So we’re just going to sit here waiting for him to appear?”
“Don’t act recklessly, Yeo Hwa.”
He was a formidable opponent indeed.
The Jianghu remembered only the One Hundred Heroes, but the true hero was him.
He despised letting his name spread throughout the Jianghu.
In fact, not a single one of the One Hundred Heroes knew his name.
Truth be told, there was quite an age gap for him to be called by that title.
But he had asked to be called that, so that was what he became known as.
“What gives you the right to order me around?”
“Do you think I don’t know what’s in your heart? You think of nothing but killing Mun Do.”
Heh heh…
“So you know my mind and yet tell me to do nothing but wait?”
“Both the Martial Alliance and the Demon Cult have suffered grievous losses this time, so they won’t move rashly. But just as he did before, they’ll try to gather a hundred masters. You’re to handle them.”
“Do you think the Celestial Master will wait for us?”
“He’s already entrusted this task to us, so he’ll wait. Though he might just send someone else instead.”
Yeo Hwa looked down at him with a meaningful gaze.
“I never knew Jo Bi-ja could be so calculating.”
“That name is one I discarded long ago. Don’t speak it before me again.”
Heh heh…
“Fine then. I’ll wait while enjoying some entertainment.”
Chul Goe turned his head toward her without rising.
“You’d best abandon any thoughts of touching that inn. When the time comes, I’ll be the one to take the head.”
Yeo Hwa met his gaze with a smile.
“I’m not your subordinate. I wasn’t then, and I’m not now. If I want to kill something, I kill it.”
She left those words behind and scattered into empty air.
Chul Goe turned his head back and quietly finished preparing the pheasant.
Once he was done, he gathered them and rose to his feet.
Whoooosh…
And like Yeo Hwa, he too scattered into empty air.

*

The sound of hammering continued, and then all at once it ceased.
“Where did that bastard wander off to this time?”
As the sun began its descent westward, Gang Jo set about preparing dinner.
Yang Jeong, who had been away for quite some time, finally reappeared.
“Brother. I’ve caught some eel.”
He held up five or six eels strung on a branch.
“How did you catch eels?”
Heh heh…
“When I lived with Master in the past, didn’t we catch eels together, brother? I learned the method by watching you then.”
Gang Jo let out a soft smile.
Indeed, the man had not only keen eyesight but excellent manual dexterity as well.
Years ago, he’d caught an eel at the Stream with nothing but a fishing hook and a twig — and this fellow had somehow remembered it.
As Yang Jeong brought the eel inside, Gang Jo placed it on the cutting board and drove small wooden splinters through its head and tail, deep into the wood beneath.
The splinters pierced clean through the eel’s skull and tail, anchoring it firmly to the board.
Gang Jo picked up a kitchen knife and began to clean the eel.
Yang Jeong watched from the side.
“How have you all been keeping?”
That was when Baek Won Young’s voice carried through.
The moment Yang Jeong heard it, he hurried out to greet him.
“Welcome, sir.”
Gang Jo called out in greeting from the kitchen, still working on the eel.
“Welcome.”
Baek Won Young peered through the open doorway toward the kitchen.
“Where did the eel come from?”
“I caught it myself, sir.”
Ha ha ha…
“Then we’ll feast on eel tonight for a change. Wait just a moment — I’ll tie the horse in the stable and be right back.”
Yang Jeong studied the horse Baek Won Young had brought and tilted his head curiously.
“Strange — every time you visit, the horse seems different.”
“Is that so? You must be mistaken.”
“Not at all. Last time you brought a black one, but this one has a reddish tint, doesn’t it?”
Ha ha.
“It’s just dark — you’re seeing things.”
Baek Won Young, playing innocent, led the mare off to the stable.

*

A generous spread of food graced the evening table.
Braised pork belly and eel shared space with an assortment of vegetable side dishes, and wine had been poured.
As cups circulated, Baek Won Young ventured to ask something that had long puzzled him.
“But tell me — why did you name yourself Three Dragons?”
Gang Jo, accepting a cup from him, answered.
“This one has three dragons tattooed on his body.”
Ah, dear me…
Baek Won Young seemed deeply regretful.
“To mark that clean body your parents gave you with such ink? Your parents must have been sorely disappointed.”
Yang Jeong received the remark with a gloomy expression.
“Father marked them himself, sir.”
Baek Won Young, taken aback, quickly corrected himself.
“Forgive me — I’ve made a grave mistake. It seems your father had a profound purpose in mind.”
“I dislike these tattoos myself, sir. They’re why I became Three Dragons.”
“I see. Have a drink with me.”
He had been awkward for a moment, then stifled laughter began to escape him.
Keke ke… khuh khuh khuh…
Indeed, anything involving these brothers always, always defied expectation.
Hee hee hee…!
And now a horse’s whinny drifted in from the stable.
Ha ha ha ha…!
He finally burst into outright laughter.
“What’s so amusing, sir?” Yang Jeong asked.
Yang Jeong couldn’t fathom what he found so hilarious.
Gang Jo was equally baffled.
But the cheerful meal was not destined to last.
Someone was crossing the Stone Bridge.
Gang Jo rose quickly and put distance between himself and the table.
Quick-witted Yang Jeong immediately handed over the sword he wore.
“Sir. Here.”
“What brings you here?” Gang Jo asked.
In answer, Chul Goe held up four cleaned pheasants.
“You’ve brought the pheasants as promised.”

*

The air inside the inn grew heavy, weighed down by the frigid energy radiating from Baek Won Young.
“What brings you to this place?”
Ja Seol had said he was her father’s old friend.
Yet this friend had leveled a spear at her father and fought him to the brink of death.
How many could cross blades with her father in this Jianghu and live to tell of it?
Likely none, save for the Demon Cult’s master.
And yet here he stood, not only unscathed but openly appearing in the Martial Alliance’s courtyard.
“So you are Mun Do’s son.”
Chul Goe showed no particular hostility.
“Please sheathe your sword.”
Baek Won Young hesitated for a moment at Gang Jo’s request before sliding the blade into its scabbard.
His hand trembled faintly as he did, betraying his tension.
‘How pathetic, Baek Won Young. Facing such a formidable opponent and you’ve already lost your composure.’
He rebuked himself inwardly.
He should have faced this with the boldness his father would have shown.
Instead, he’d drawn his blade in panic.
Once he had sheathed it, Chul Goe handed the four pheasants to Gang Jo.
“Have you prepared pheasant before?”
“A few times, yes.”
Living in the mountains, he’d naturally caught pheasants.
On days when he caught one, he would prepare Mountain Pheasant Noodles using the meat and broth in place of chicken.
“Make noodles with two of them and roast the other two.”
“It will take a little time.”
“Time is no constraint.”
Gang Jo took the pheasants and headed into the kitchen.
Chul Goe leaned his Long Spear against the table and settled into his seat, his back fully exposed.
Then he turned his head toward Baek Won Young.
“I came only to eat. I would prefer not to be disturbed.”
Baek Won Young steadied himself, quelling the tremors still coursing through him.
“If you’ve come only to eat, you’ll have no trouble from me.”
As his composure returned, Chul Goe nodded in approval.
“Indeed, you are Mun Do’s son. The old Mun Do was much like you.”
“I’m honored.”
Baek Won Young bowed slightly, his ease now unmistakable.
Krrrk, krrrk, krrrk…
Then Chul Goe let out a deep, rumbling laugh.

*

Roasting the pheasant proved straightforward enough.
Knead the meat until the salt settled through it, then roast—that was all there was to it.
Gang Jo prepared one bird with salt alone to taste, and seasoned the other before roasting it.
The remaining two he used to make Mountain Pheasant Noodles.
Whether it would suit the guest’s palate he couldn’t say, but this was the only method he knew.
At his side as he cooked stood his silent sword.
Chul Goe remained motionless, like a statue carved from stone.
“Brother… please eat now.”
Yang Jeong, who had been watching for his moment, quietly took his seat.
“Very well.”
Baek Won Young moved to a spot where Chul Goe remained visible to him.

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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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