Chapter 23 : Father and Son, Over a Bowl of Noodles

A cold silence filled the interior of the general store, and everyone gazed at Yuseong and Jang Dojin’s father with intrigued eyes.

The lavishly dressed Jang Dojin’s father bowed his waist and stood up.

His apology was near perfect in form, yet it carried no trace of servility.

“I have heard everything about my son’s situation. That you saved his life.”

“Ah, no… it’s nothing special. I just made him a meal.”

“In a situation where he was almost starving to death and even bitten by a venomous snake, his body must have been incredibly resilient to survive. Dojin not returning home had my wife and me worried constantly. Thank you.”

After expressing his gratitude, he suddenly pulled a paper envelope from his chest pocket and handed it over.

Yuseong accepted it absentmindedly.

It felt heavy, and when he opened it, it was packed with bundles of bills.

“However, I cannot accept this money. I’m sorry, but please take it back.”

Yuseong immediately realized what the money was.

It was the amount from selling the Masok distributed to Jang Dojin.

“…I was reckless and almost got Dojin killed by being scammed, but I know my son well. Though he’s tall and strong, among the top explorers, he’s not particularly remarkable.”

“Ah.”

“That kid somehow gained a new ability that’s like wearing armor over his body and managed to subdue one person. Everyone’s talking about it… He was originally a gentle kid who couldn’t tell a lie; I must have raised him wrong.”

A deep sigh escaped him, and his voice trembled with emotion.

From his words, one could piece together the story.

He had been worried his son was in trouble, but suddenly Dojin returned carrying a large sum of money.

On top of that, he said he got the money from someone he’d just met, which was hard to believe.

“No, Father! I’m not lying. I really got it, that ability!”

Behind him, Jang Dojin patted his chest as if trying to convince.

But the ability he possessed only activated when Yuseong cooked for him.

Jang Dojin had no way to dispel his father’s suspicions.

“You little brat! Lying again? Being an explorer is just a death sentence!”

“Hey, really…”

Yuseong sensed that despite the stern appearance of Jang Dojin’s father, he was somewhat naïve.

Since Jang Dojin himself was the one initially scammed on the route, it was obvious where his careless nature came from.

“Sir, I think there’s a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding…?”

“Yes. You’re worried because Dojin came back with an excessive amount of money despite lacking skill, right?”

Yuseong’s words twisted the essence of the matter.

“He advanced to the 6th floor in just two weeks, accompanied a stranger explorer he met for the first time, and split the Masok in half. That’s a fairly large amount, so it’s understandable you’re surprised.”

“…To be honest, yes.”

“Let me be clear. Dojin subdued a person. Since this was the first venture, we split the earnings evenly without a detailed accounting, but from next time, we’ll distribute according to contribution. Regardless, I didn’t give half the money out of charity or sympathy.”

His tone left no room for doubt, so there was no argument as before.

“My son’s Gift is just that his body is sturdy and strength slightly improved. I can’t believe all the stories I heard are true…”

Yuseong shook his head.

Though Jang Dojin’s Gift didn’t seem that impressive now, over time, it would shine brighter.

Also, there was an easy way to explain the part that worried his father.

“Dojin.”

“Y-Yes, Brother?”

“Have you checked the Achievement Monument and shown it to him?”

“Eh?”

Jang Dojin’s face blanked.

“Oh, oh yeah.”

“I thought so.”

Only then did Jang Dojin realize the method and snapped his fingers.

Since this was expected, Yuseong exhaled shortly.

“Sir, you can visit the Seoul Branch of the Adventurers’ Guild and check the Achievement Monument.”

“Ah, yes.”

“There’s a fee of about 100,000 won, but with that, you can view Dojin’s achievements. Or, since it’s a safe floor, you could personally verify by going down three floors during your free time.”

“Achievement Monument…”

“Yes. There, you can confirm the achievements Dojin earned in this venture.”

When Yuseong said this, Jang Dojin’s father looked stunned.

He also accepted the envelope of money from Yuseong without much thought.

As someone interested in explorers, he had originally known such a method existed—he had just forgotten.

“Ahem, uh… I’m sorry, Yuseong. I didn’t think of that.”

Jang Dojin covered his face with his hands, embarrassed.

“Well, anyway, thank you. It was thanks to Dojin. I will be heading back now.”

“No, please don’t go.”

As the man’s shoulders sagged and he turned to leave, Yuseong stopped him.

“Since you’re here, please have a meal first. Feel free to speak comfortably, as you are Dojin’s father.”

“Ah.”

Jang Dojin’s father hesitated for a moment.

In his forties, he was from a generation that remembered meals well.

“Today’s menu is kongguksu.”

“Oh!”

He had heard from his son about Yuseong’s cooking and couldn’t help but salivate.

The man took a seat.

“Well then, I look forward to it.”

“Yes, I’ll make it delicious.”

“No, I mean Dojin.”

“Ah, yes.”

“As you know, though he’s big, inside he’s still a kid. Probably because he takes after me.”

Though he looked nothing like his father, Yuseong nodded.

“Don’t worry. Dojin is doing just fine.”

“Heh, even at twenty years old, he looks younger than Dojin. Much more mature, indeed.”

Yuseong smiled gently.

Behind them, Lee Yul Hee whispered to Kim Min Cheol.

“We caught a great scene.”

“Right? A newbie heading the first venture into the Abyss discovers a new rookie.”

“We caught that scene where he saved a life. Then that meeting between the father and Baek Yuseong. That’s definitely a hit.”

“Of course we recorded it. I’ll add touching music and edit it nicely.”

Of course, Yuseong did not let that happen quietly.

“As soon as you broadcast that, consider it over forever.”

“Ah, really, it’s a nice scene. Let’s air it!”

Though Lee Yul Hee protested regretfully, Yuseong didn’t entertain the thought.

“Don’t worry. Soon enough, there will be plenty of usable footage.”

“Oh, are we really starting to cook now?”

“Yes. Once I prepare the kongguk broth, the noodles will boil quickly, and the kimchi will be quick to mix. Also…”

“Also?”

“When guests arrive, something worthwhile will appear. Grandpa.”

The Shin Elder, sitting on a bench with a calm posture, turned his head.

“Guests?“

“Yes, the old folks are coming.”

Yuseong nodded with satisfaction.

He tightened the string binding his hair once more.

Even so, this was the first time in his life he had hosted guests like this.

He couldn’t help but think of his kind grandfather who had taught him how to cook, causing tension far greater than when facing monsters.

“Dojin, come grind some beans. And, Ji Ah, bring out the Green Onion. Grandpa, please set the table.”

For the first time in decades, a temporary Korean restaurant was opening.

***

Currently 54 viewers watching · Stream started: 12 minutes ago

: Miha!

: What, am I first here?

: Quiet

: Quiet

: D-ts

: What’s going on? Why quiet?

: Just try being quiet.

: Only weird people gathered, came in because of Baek Yuseong, but it’s just chatting, what does it matter.

: But what’s that? The red thing, blood? Ddd

: It’s kimchi.

Soon the chat was filled.

The reason everyone urged quiet was that they were all focused on the sound of Yuseong slicing the cabbage.

Crunch, crunch.

Yuseong carefully handled the kimchi as if it were a treasure.

It’s usually eaten chopped, but today’s guests were older, so it was a considerate gesture.

: Wow, this is real ASMR

: Media equipment is on another level, professional cameraman for sure.

: Show Baek Yuseong’s face bigger~~~

Lee Yul Hee started a surprise live broadcast 12 minutes ago.

At her workplace, All Daily, they had never seen such an informal live broadcast before.

After much effort, she started the broadcast briefly without promotion.

She showed her face to the camera.

“Hello, everyone. This is Lee Yul Hee from the All Daily Miracle Channel, miha.”

The chat window buzzed momentarily.

She explained the plan for the project.

Baek Yuseong’s interview video was a hot topic, but it was just one video.

Even now, the sudden live broadcast had less than 100 viewers.

Still, as a former announcer and journalist, Lee Yul Hee conducted the broadcast smoothly.

“Everyone, Yuseong is making kimchi right now. Are you curious what kind of food it is? Yuseong, could you explain?”

Yuseong answered while placing the kimchi on a plate.

“It’s a kind of kimchi. But instead of fermenting, it’s seasoned fresh. It’s made a bit spicy and sweet to suit kongguksu. You’ve heard of kimchi, right?”

Though it seemed unfamiliar to some, kimchi was still widely recognized.

The chat window once again buzzed.

: What’s kimchi?

: Kimchi is the king, right? kkkkk

: I know that, before the Great Cataclysm it was used as an anticancer agent. SARS and MERS were beaten with kimchi.

: Yeah, kimchi is unbeatable kkkkk It’s a panacea lololol

With that knowledge, viewers became excited.

“Wow, kimchi must be really good for health.”

“Yeah, Korean stars coming from abroad were always fed kimchi. Try it once.”

Yuseong handed the freshly made kimchi to Lee Yul Hee, who was startled.

But since it was a live broadcast, she couldn’t refuse.

Eventually, she took a bite of the fresh kimchi.

“Mm, uh, wow, spicy… really spicy.”

“It’s made with cabbage and ‘Green Onion,’ an Abyssian vegetable. There’s no poison, so no need to worry.”

“Water, please…”

It was very spicy.

Spicy, salty, sweet, with strong flavors of garlic and ginger that were quite stimulating.

Even drinking water didn’t wash away the taste and heat.

Yet strangely, it was addictive.

Perhaps the love for kimchi was ingrained in Koreans’ genes.

Watching Lee Yul Hee and Yuseong brought bursts of laughter from one side.

: What’s with that hearty laugh kkkkk

: Crying~?

Lee Yul Hee quickly caught the chat reaction.

“Ah, everyone, it’s not just us here. Villagers are also waiting for Yuseong’s food.”

When Kim Min Cheol turned the camera, they saw elderly people sitting on benches.

Shin Jangho, the store owner, smiled faintly in the middle, and everyone was waiting for food at the table.

“As you all know, before the Great Cataclysm, people ate real food instead of Energy Bars. These folks miss those meals and gathered here.”

Without a word, Yuseong carried the plate of fresh kimchi toward them.

Kim Min Cheol and Lee Yul Hee followed.

The elders cheered.

“Oh my! Young Master, your skill is amazing. The kimchi is so well seasoned.”

“Ah, really, what a treat in these times to be served such rare food.”

Thanks to Shin Jangho’s publicity, everyone had big smiles on their faces.

They were all excited to eat kongguksu.

Each bowl of kongguksu in front of them was made from finely ground black beans.

The black bean broth was uniquely dark in color.

: What is that?

: That black stuff, isn’t it poison? kkkkk What?

: You’re eating that? No way I’d try that.

The chat reaction was not so favorable.

Innately, dark-colored food was often disliked.

But the elders who knew the taste were already salivating.

“Eat before the noodles get soggy. I’m going to praise it.”

At Yuseong’s okay signal, the elders hurriedly picked up their chopsticks.

Slurp, slurp, slurp.

For a moment, only the sound of noodles being eaten filled the room.

No one reacted immediately.

For several seconds, everyone was too busy eating, while impatient viewers in chat scrambled to describe it.

“Haa!”

Then the Shin Elder spoke.

All eyes, including the camera’s, were fixed on him.

“Uh, uh…”

His voice sounded like he was about to choke.

Some kongguk broth clung to his mouth.

And a tear trembled and rolled down from his wrinkled eye.

“Uh, mother’s touch…”