novel
| ← Ch.085 | Ch.087 → |
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
While driving, Ho Sung checked his status window.
[Name: Ho Sung Lee]
[Level: 871]
[Title: Head of the Diamond Clan]
[Property: Metal]
[Luck: N/A]
[Pet: N/A]
[HP: 3247]
[MP: 1221]
The explosive growth felt extremely surreal. It was as if a stock he had invested in have skyrocketed overnight. However, joy was far from what Ho Sung was feeling. If anything, the surreal level at which he found himself reminded him that levels were just mere numbers, and that they held no significance whatsoever when it came to his journey with the champion.
The reality was that the stronger Ho Sung became, the more his chances of getting killed in action increased, making him far more vulnerable to danger than ordinary thugs.
'I better go to a psychologist one of these days, ' Ho Sung thought. At that moment, his car came to an abrupt, loud, screeching stop in front of Min Sung's house.
"We're here, sir."
"Ho Sung Lee."
"Sir?" Ho Sung replied, looking toward the champion, who handed him a card and said, "I'm gonna take a shower. Go get me something to eat."
"... You mean now?"
"Yes, now, " Min Sung said, glaring fiercely at Ho Sung. At which point, Ho Sung dropped his gaze.
Looking at the champion getting out of the car and walking into his home, Ho Sung stuck a cigarette in his mouth. Then, he stared outside with troubled, wary eyes and muttered, "Sigh... I could use a break."
Tossing the cigarette butt out of the window, Ho Sung drove off in search of food.
—
Despite knocking on the door a number of times, there was no response coming from within the restaurant. Breathing a heavy sigh, Ho Sung got in his car. There was not a single restaurant that was open for business in the area.
'This is not good, ' Ho Sung thought, taking his phone out of his pocket in order to call restaurants nearby. It wasn't until he was about forty phone calls in that someone finally answered.
"Hello?"
When he heard a voice coming from the other end of the receiver, Ho Sung nearly jumped from his seat, where he was sitting wearily.
"Yes, hello. Are you guys open?"
"No, not exactly..."
"Oh..." Ho Sung let out, deeply disappointed.
"... But, we can work something out if you're in a bind. I know it's dangerous to be out these days, but do you think you can come to the restaurant in person?"
Hearing that, Ho Sung's face lit up. He replied, "Of course, I can! I'll be right there!" Looking at his watch, he added, "Twenty. I'll be there in about twenty."
"All right. You be safe now."
As the call came to an end, Ho Sung clenched his hand into a tight fist.
'Where there's a will, there's a way!'
Thinking that he'd get his well-deserved break after delivering the food to the champion, Ho Sung drove the car with a smile on his face.
—
When showering in hot water, Min Sung was often reminded of just how big of a blessing it was to be alive. Contrary to the Demonic Realm, where every waking moment had been a living hell, his life on Earth had enabled him to be grateful for even the smallest things in life.
'Better to be alive and miserable above ground than to die below, ' Min Sung thought.
After the hot, refreshing shower, Min Sung made himself a cup of iced Americano and sat on the couch. Upon taking a sip of his iced coffee, the champion felt the caffeine spread throughout his body. However, as thirst-quenching as it was, it did little to satisfy his hunger. Waiting for Ho Sung, Min Sung turned on the TV. Every channel showed news on the Central Institute clearing the labyrinth, while the citizenry remained traumatized from the monster attack in spite of the Institute's success. While the citizens' response was understandable, it wasn't a subject of interest for the champion. Then, while he was flipping through the channels, Min Sung finally came across a show that had nothing to do with the recent event.
It was a cooking competition show, where a number of world-class chefs competed against each other within a short time limit. Since the competitors needed to complete their dishes in fifteen minutes, the tension was immense, and the intensity with which the chefs worked gave the champion the impression that he was watching a movie. The dishes made by gourmet chefs were enticing in every sense, commanding the champion's attention.
—
When he arrived at Min Sung's house, Ho Sung looked at the plastic bag of food on the passenger's seat.
'I got lucky, ' he thought, smiling. As far as he was concerned, failing to bring the champion food and getting the beating of his life because of that was no longer an issue.
'Oh, he will like this, ' he thought, excited to see the satisfied look on the champion's face. However, his face fell as a certain thought entered his mind, 'Man! Why am I getting all excited? Damn... I might as well find him a personal chef or something... ' he grumbled. Then, a smile appeared on his face as another thought struck him, '... wait a minute!'
There was a way to escape the grasp from hell that was Min Sung Kang.
"Yeah... ! That's it! Ho Sung Lee, you're a genius!" Ho Sung said to himself, rubbing his face and patting his own shoulders. Suppressing his laughter, he got out of the car.
—
By the time the show was coming to an end, Ho Sung arrived in front of the champion's house.
"That was sooner than I thought, " he said as he rose from the couch.
"Yep. I got lucky, " Ho Sung replied.
"Stay and eat."
When the champion unexpectedly suggested that, Ho Sung's eyes widened.
While Ho Sung stood in a daze, Min Sung made his way to the kitchen. When he sat at the table, Ho Sung put the bag of food down and unwrapped the contents, revealing the riveting, golden-brown glory. It was jokbal: braised and chilled pork hock.
After that, a series of fresh vegetables and condiments followed. By that point, Min Sung felt as though his stomach was screaming for food. Rubbing his lower belly, the champion took a deep, slow breath. Reminding himself that it was not good to eat too fast, Min Sung decided to savor every last bit of the dish.
"Better go wash my hands, " Min Sung said, making his way to the sink while Ho Sung was peeling away the wrappers. When the champion returned to his seat, the table was completely set. Opening a bottle of soju, Ho Sung filled Min Sung's glass to the brim and took a seat.
"What a productive day, am I right!? Hunting down monsters roaming about the city, driving those arrogant Americans away, clearing the labyrinth..." Ho Sung said with a genuine smile on his face.
"Good work today. Take care of the loot and send me the money when the Sun comes up. I expect every bit of change from it. I don't have to remind you what would happen to you if you tried to take some of it, do I?"
"Yeah, yeah. Off goes my head. Right?" Ho Sung said, clinking his shot glass against the champion's. After that, the two poured the clear liquid into their mouths simultaneously. When Min Sung put the glass down, Ho Sung handed him a pair of wooden chopsticks. Taking them from Ho Sung's hand, Min Sung looked down at the jokbal on the table. The thick slices of glistening skin and fat attached to the lean meat made him feel as though he had poured oil down his throat.
'Oh, how I've been waiting for this moment, ' the champion thought. Meanwhile, Ho Sung watched Min Sung quietly, waiting for him to have his first bite. Amid the silence, Min Sung's chopsticks made their way toward the slices of pork. After picking up a slice, Min Sung dipped it in soy sauce and brought it up to his mouth.
"... !"
The second his teeth sank into the tender piece of pork, Min Sung couldn't resist the shock. With a dazed look on his face, Min Sung looked down at the bed of pork filling the styrofoam dish and asked, "How can pork be this tender?"
Braised long and slowly, the pork was unbelievably tender. The skin, in particular, had a gratifying chew to it, and it almost felt like it was made of sticky rice.
"I was lucky enough to find a restaurant that was known for its jokbal, " Ho Sung said with a confident smile, and Min Sung nodded affirmatively. The restaurant's reputation was a well-deserved one, as the dish it was known for was bursting with flavor and deeply satisfying.
'Who would've thought I'd be this impressed by some pork hock?' Min Sung said to himself, chuckling. Picking up a perilla leaf, he placed a slice of pork, pickled shrimplets, and a slice of garlic on it.
"Why aren't you eating?" he asked, giving Ho Sung a puzzled look.
To which, Ho Sung smiled and replied, "Don't get me wrong, but I feel full just looking at that satisfied look on your face."
"Well, do me a favor and do something about that smile of yours. It's killing my appetite."
"Right. So, uh... sir?"
"What?" Min Sung asked with a mouthful of the perilla-leaf-pork concoction.
"I've been thinking... You know how the terrorist attacks have been getting more frequent and the monsters are becoming more and more unpredictable?"
"And?"
"And that means the restaurants might close down more often. So, on that note, I was wondering what your thoughts were on hiring a personal chef?"
Chewing by the mouthful, the champion immersed himself in brief thought. Soon, he nodded and said, "Not bad. No, that's an excellent idea."
From time to time, Ho Sung was capable of scratching where it itched.
"Right!? I'll look into it, then!" Ho Sung said with excitement.
"Good."
"Then, uh... sir? Would you mind if I turn in for today? I really need to shower..."
"Go ahead. I'll be expecting a chef by lunchtime."
"You mean today?"
"Yes."
With sunken eyes, Ho Sung looked at his watch and replied, "But it's five in the morning! Are you telling me to bring you a chef by lunchtime?!"
"Precisely. Do you have a problem with it?" Min Sung asked, staring piercingly at Ho Sung while waiting for a reply. Looking at him, Ho Sung, who was pale by that point, smiled and said, "Of-of course not! I'll be glad to be of help in any way possible, even if it means running around barefooted."
"Good. Go on, " Min Sung said, still chewing by the mouthful while nodding with satisfaction.
"Sir, " Ho Sung replied, rising from his seat slowly and bowing to the champion."Well, enjoy your meal, sir, " he added, and the champion, preoccupied with eating, responded with a haphazard wave.
While the pork hocks were delectable on their own, the best way to enjoy the dish was to wrap them in the leafy vegetables along with some condiments. After placing a perilla leaf on a lettuce leaf, Min Sung put a slice of jokbal, a dollop of pickled shrimplets, onions pickled in soy sauce, a slice of garlic, and a slice of hot pepper on the lettuce and wrapped it all into a ball. Then, after downing a shot of soju, he brought the concoction up to his mouth. Tasting the parade of flavors, the champion squeezed his eyes shut.
'This is one of the best things I've eaten. '
The intense saltiness of the pickled shrimplets, the bitterness of the garlic, and the fiery heat of the pepper filled his mouth like fireworks as his teeth sank into the leaves of lettuce and perilla.
"Phenomenal, " Min Sung said to himself, savoring the flavors and aromas in the comfort of his quiet living room.
| ← Ch. 085 | Ch. 087 → |