The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 485

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 485. Not for Sale

 

 

The lower floor was bustling with noise.

Ha Mu-baek woke up from his sleep at that sound.

It was already early morning.

‘It’s been a while.’

He had truly slept deeply.

Was this what Dang Jin-san had once called a honey sleep?

He was even having such trivial thoughts.

“Morning seems a bit different.”

Ha Mu-baek muttered quietly.

He could feel quite a few people’s presence on the first floor.

Getting up and going downstairs.

The little kid and young girl he had seen yesterday, along with the female innkeeper, were moving about busily.

From the kitchen, he could constantly hear the sounds of cooking.

Even so, there were only about ten people seated at most.

It seemed like laborers doing construction work in the area had come to fill their stomachs before heading out to work.

“Ah, you’re awake.”

The young girl bowed her head upon seeing Ha Mu-baek.

The inn’s only guest.

“If you go over there, there’s a place prepared for washing. I brought hot water there just a moment ago, so it should be fine.”

The young girl pointed to a door on one side and quickly moved to a dining table to take orders.

“Haebin, you’re getting prettier by the day. Head Cook Gong might be too reluctant to send you off in marriage. Kahahaha.”

Jang Han, who had just refreshingly finished his noodle soup, burst into a pleased laugh looking at the young girl.

“Uncle Jang. I’m not going to have a wedding or anything like that.”

The young girl pouted her lips in response and headed back to the kitchen.

“Our sister isn’t getting married!”

The little kid also grumbled toward Jang Han.

“Hae-jun, you little rascal. You need to hurry up and grow up to protect your sister. Haha.”

Jang Han took out a coin from his pocket, placed it on the dining table, and spoke.

Little Hae-jun quickly gathered the empty bowl and coin and moved.

He immediately put the coin into the cashbox at the counter.

Since Mother was also busy, there was no one guarding the counter right now.

“Lady Gong. I’m leaving after a good meal!”

Jang Han waved his hand like that and walked away with a shuffling gait.

Ha Mu-baek listened to that conversation while washing his hands and face at the small bathing hall.

In the still cold winter.

This was a space made outside the inn building with wooden planks to block just the cold wind.

Even so, the outside air seeped through everywhere, making the air cold.

A place where you could avoid the wind but couldn’t block the cold.

So the hot water quickly became lukewarm.

Though it contained the care prepared for just one guest, Ha Mu-baek himself, at this dawn.

Actually, whether the water was hot or cold didn’t matter to Ha Mu-baek at all.

But seeing that the customers eating also seemed to lightly wash their hands here.

Ha Mu-baek lightly stirred his hand.

Then instantly the lukewarm water became hot.

He was worried that the good child might get scolded for the water being cold.

Ha Mu-baek headed back to the restaurant and sat at a dining table.

“Hello! Customer. What would you like?”

Little Gong Hae-jun approached with quick steps and placed a teacup down.

“What’s delicious?”

Ha Mu-baek asked Gong Hae-jun.

“The beef noodles are a delicacy! The stir-fried vegetables are also delicious!”

At the answer that came out without hesitation, Ha Mu-baek chuckled and said.

“Then bring me those two.”

While giving him an iron coin.

“Yes! Please wait a moment!”

Watching Gong Hae-jun quickly run to the kitchen, Ha Mu-baek drank his tea.

Here and there, laborers who had finished eating got up from their seats.

The female innkeeper, young girl, and little kid moved busily, receiving coins from those who had paid and clearing the dining tables.

“We’re leaving after a good meal!”

“It was delicious!”

The laborers each gave their greetings and left.

“Tsk. Such a delicious place, and yet.”

Someone’s regretful muttering reached Ha Mu-baek’s ears.

Ha Mu-baek read even the frustrated feelings contained within.

‘There must be some story behind it.’

Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for a place serving food of this level to be so idle during dinner hours.

In the meantime, the beef noodles and stir-fried vegetables came out.

A strange light appeared in Ha Mu-baek’s eyes as he looked at the food, especially the stir-fried vegetables.

“This is…”

It was Baizu-style stir-fried vegetables.

Though stir-fried vegetables throughout the Central Plains were all similar, this was made only with vegetables that Baizu people enjoyed.

Ha Mu-baek could tell immediately upon seeing it.

‘Could it be?’

As soon as the thought occurred, he called the little kid.

“Shopkeeper!”

“Yes! Customer!”

Gong Hae-jun, who was just about to go clean another dining table, quickly turned around and approached.

“Is jakso-yuk also possible?”

At Ha Mu-baek’s question, Gong Hae-jun’s eyes widened.

“How do you know about that?”

He seemed quite surprised.

It was an unfamiliar dish in Luoyang.

Since there were many other cooking styles, this inn didn’t particularly sell it.

For a customer to suddenly ask for such a dish.

Ha Mu-baek looked at the stir-fried vegetables and said.

“This is Baizu-style. You look like a Central Plains person, but how does the head cook know Baizu cuisine? This is really properly made.”

Saying that, he picked up the stir-fried vegetables with chopsticks and put them in his mouth.

Ha Mu-baek nodded his head.

“It’s really proper.”

“Uh, I’m more amazed that you know Baizu cuisine, customer…”

Gong Hae-jun said with a bewildered expression.

The kitchen curtain was pulled back, and a large man with broad shoulders wearing a hood came out.

“We took refuge in Baizu Village for several years. We learned the cuisine then.”

“You sound like you’re from Luoyang?”

His accent was that of a typical Luoyang person.

The innkeeper’s wife approached, having finished tidying up.

“My maternal family is from Baizu.”

“Ah.”

Ha Mu-baek let out an understanding exclamation.

“Anyway, is Zuo Su Rou possible?”

“We have the ingredients, so it’s possible.”

“Please make it for me. It’s my favorite dish, but I haven’t had a chance to eat it recently.”

“Understood. But how do you know Baizu cuisine, sir?”

Head Cook Gong Yeop-myeong also asked curiously.

“I stayed in Baizu Village for a while because of work.”

“Ah!”

Gong Yeop-myeong nodded in understanding and headed straight to the kitchen.

Soon, delicious aromas began to spread.

While waiting for the Zuo Su Rou, Ha Mu-baek ate all the noodles and stir-fried vegetables, which were indeed delicious.

“Is Yeop-myeong here?”

Just then, an old man who had entered was looking for the head cook.

“Ah, Elder.”

The innkeeper’s wife hurriedly approached to greet the old man.

The old man had a sinister impression, and his gaze toward the innkeeper’s wife who was greeting him was unsettling.

The way he looked her up and down.

“Where is Yeop-myeong?”

“He’s cooking right now.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll wait for a moment.”

The old man shuffled over and sat at a dining table near Ha Mu-baek.

He glanced at Ha Mu-baek with disapproving eyes and shouted.

“Don’t you serve tea to customers here?”

At those words, the innkeeper’s wife took the tray and tea cup that Gong Hae-jun had brought and set them down on the old man’s dining table.

‘That bastard must be the source of this place’s troubles.’

He could tell immediately.

The attitudes of Young Girl Gong Hae-bin and little Gong Hae-jun changed instantly.

They flinched as if meeting someone frightening and wouldn’t go near him.

The innkeeper’s wife was also clearly uncomfortable.

Then.

Head Cook Gong Yeop-myeong came out carrying a plate of finished Zuo Su Rou.

He placed the steaming hot plate on Ha Mu-baek’s dining table and looked at the old man.

“Tsk. No wonder business is bad when you serve such food that only Baizu people eat.”

At the old man’s words, Gong Yeop-myeong’s eyebrows twitched.

“What brings you here, Elder Jeon?”

The old man chuckled at Gong Yeop-myeong’s question.

“Don’t you already know?”

“I won’t sell.”

Gong Yeop-myeong answered firmly.

Still, the old man wore a sly smile.

“I hear business has been terrible lately?”

“That’s because you’ve been using people to… Mmph.”

Gong Hae-jun was about to shout something angrily, but Gong Hae-bin covered his mouth and pulled him back.

‘Too typical, isn’t it?’

This was his thought as he brought the Zuo Su Rou to his mouth and chewed.

Following that.

‘It would be nice to drink alcohol with this.’

The Zuo Su Rou was extremely delicious.

Tasting this flavor after so long made him think of alcohol, which he didn’t usually enjoy much.

Last night.

It was completely different from gulping down rice wine to calm his inner fire.

The thought of wanting to drink delicious alcohol that would complement delicious food.

“Head Cook. Do you have any alcohol that would go well with this?”

Ha Mu-baek immediately voiced what came to mind.

Gong Yeop-myeong, who had been engaged in a battle of wills with Elder Jeon, immediately turned at Ha Mu-baek’s words.

“Yes. We have good alcohol. Sir.”

Gong Yeop-myeong’s reply.

“Then please bring one bottle.”

Ha Mu-baek placed his order.

“Who are you to interfere with this elder’s business?”

The displeased old man poured out irritated shouts toward Ha Mu-baek.

“Can’t you see? I’m a customer dining at the inn and I placed an order. Rather, it seems like you’re the one disturbing my meal, old man?”

Ha Mu-baek glared at the old man as he replied.

“This insolent bastard…”

The old man shot up from his seat.

Looking at the clothing of the person before him, he seemed to be from Murim.

The old man knew all the appearances and attire of Luoyang’s Murim people.

This was someone not in his memory.

“It seems like a country bumpkin came to Luoyang to see Jeongcheon Alliance once, but then just quietly sightsee and get lost! Don’t uselessly interfere with this elder’s business!”

At the furious shout.

Two warriors entered the inn.

They seemed to be accompanying the old man.

“What’s the matter? Elder.”

The two warriors emanated a menacing qi aura.

Gong Hae-jun was frightened by their appearance and went to find his mother, hiding behind her.

Gong Hae-bin tightly grasped her mother’s hand.

“It’s nothing. Some country bumpkin was acting up without knowing his place, so I gave him some instruction. Let’s go.”

The old man turned around.

Then Gong Yeop-myeong appeared carrying a wine bottle.

“I won’t sell.”

Short and firm words.

“Hmph. Let’s see how long you can keep that up.”

Leaving those words, the old man departed.

The head cook set down the wine bottle and wine cup.

“This is Seobongju, a white liquor from Shaanxi Province. It starts with a smooth, refreshing sweetness and ends cleanly, pairing well with Zuo Su Rou.”

Even at a glance, it was a luxurious bottle that looked quite expensive.

High-grade alcohol that didn’t seem like it would be found in such an inn.

“Oh, Father. That, that’s…”

Young Girl Gong Hae-bin was startled.

The only bottle of high-grade alcohol in the inn.

It was very expensive too, yet he brought it without any explanation.

If it were a stranger, they might misunderstand that they were being overcharged.

“Seobongju… It’s good alcohol.”

Ha Mu-baek also knew this alcohol well.

Though he didn’t enjoy drinking.

Rolling around in Gangho, he had been able to pick up knowledge about famous renowned fine wines by ear.

Of course, most of that had flowed from Dam Mu-heun’s mouth.

“I never expected to find it in this place.”

“We try to keep everything necessary in stock as much as possible.”

Ha Mu-baek opened the wine bottle and poured it into a cup.

And took a sip.

Indeed, it tasted exactly as described.

This time he brought the Zuo Su Rou to his mouth.

Another cup of alcohol.

The flavor of the Zuo Su Rou in his mouth came alive even more, harmonizing with the sweet and smooth taste of the Seobongju.

Then finally, it cleanly organized all the flavors.

“Excellent.”

Ha Mu-baek ate the Zuo Su Rou again and tilted his wine cup.

It was an untimely solitary drinking session in the early dawn hours.

Seeing Ha Mu-baek eating with such enjoyment, Head Cook Gong wore a satisfied smile and turned around.

‘What an annoying bastard.’

Just when he was thoroughly absorbed in the taste, the presence he felt from outside made Ha Mu-baek feel unpleasant.

The old man called Elder Jeon.

The martial artists who had come with him were ordering people around to block the surroundings.

More precisely, they were interfering with people heading toward this inn.

This was why there were no customers.

The reason they didn’t block the dawn laborers was unknown.

At this rate.

This inn wouldn’t last long either and would go under.

There was a reason that young child had come out to the main road to attract customers.

He had guessed as much the moment he saw the old man’s behavior.

Because it was too typical.

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