Chapter 72
“You’re being too much, hyung. What’s the big deal about lending me your axe just once…?”
“Why are you even asking for my weapon? If you’re out of throwing weapons, go pick them up and reuse them. The ones you use aren’t disposable.”
“Well, yeah, but…! I almost died!”
“And yet you’re alive and well. You even took down the bear.”
“I’m not exactly in great shape, though…”
In front of the massive bear carcass stood Dang Jinak, completely wrecked.
His green robes were torn in places from the prolonged struggle with the bear. His once-clean cheeks were covered in scratches, and his silky hair was now a tangled mess.
Eun Sowol, who had watched his struggle from the start, gently patted his leg out of sympathy.
“Uncle Aki, you worked really hard.”
“Sniff! Sowol, you’re the only one who truly understands my suffering!”
Dang Jinak clutched Sowol and started to sob.
“Hyung just curses at me and puts me through hell… I don’t know if this is training or boot camp…”
Oh, he finally noticed.
It seemed he’d only now realized how rough Dokgo Ryong had been with him.
Just as his grumbling began to grow louder—
Thwack!
Dokgo Ryong gave him a hard flick on the forehead.
“Quit whining and start butchering.”
“Eh? I have to do that too?”
“Who else, you think I’ll do it? I’ll show you how to butcher a bear, so watch and learn.”
“Ugh…”
Dang Jinak dry-heaved, making it very clear he didn’t want to do it, but Dokgo Ryong wasn’t the kind to go easy on anyone.
“You, kid, stay here. I’ll bring the meat soon.”
Deciding the scene wasn’t suitable for a child, Dokgo Ryong grabbed Dang Jinak by the ear and dragged him a short distance away to begin the butchering.
“Hmm… looks like we’ll be staying here tonight.”
Seeing the sky gradually turning orange as the sun set, Eun Sowol looked around.
“Better get the campfire going.”
She wandered around, gathering things to use as firewood.
Kyung! Kyurung!
“Thanks, Baekwoon!”
Baekwoon energetically helped her, dragging dry twigs through the underbrush with his small body.
Eun Sowol neatly stacked the firewood and lit it.
Fwoosh—
“With this, I’m basically a fire-starting pro.”
She giggled, recalling how long it took Dang Jinak to light a fire the night before.
As the flames began to grow stronger, there was a loud thud and the sound of someone approaching.
“Well done, kid.”
“All done with the butchering?”
It was Dokgo Ryong.
His hands were stained red, likely from the butchering.
“Nope. The bear’s huge, so there’s still a lot left.”
Behind him, Dang Jinak followed, looking like he’d been to hell and back.
“Go ahead and start eating. You know how to grill meat, right?”
“I watched Uncle do it a lot.”
“There’s rock salt here. Just sprinkle it evenly.”
“Okay!”
With that, Dokgo Ryong turned and walked back to Dang Jinak.
Thwack!
“How many times do I have to tell you, that’s not how you do it!”
“Ow! Hyung, can you please stop hitting my head? I’m going to get a permanent bump!”
“If you’d do it right from the start, I wouldn’t have to. Are you really the top disciple of Sichuan Sect?”
“Of course! I’m even called the top talent of the Tang Clan!”
Thwack!
“And yet you can’t even butcher properly?!”
He struck Jinak’s head again with a stick, faster than Jinak could react.
Dokgo Ryong was diligently… tormenting… no, teaching Dang Jinak.
Sowol, averting her eyes from the duo, checked the meat Dokgo Ryong had dropped off.
“Whoa.”
He said he wasn’t done yet, but there was already a massive pile of meat.
“Come to think of it, last time we had bear meat, we shared it with the guys from Pachokchae.”
Even then, there were leftovers… Could they really eat all of this?
Since it was dinner time, Sowol skewered some properly prepped meat, ground some rock salt, and sprinkled it on.
Once the skewers were lined around the fire, it was done.
“Feels like something’s missing…”
She figured she needed some spices.
“How can I make this taste legendary?”
“Bear meat pairs best with this spice.”
“Really? Then I’ll give it a try.”
Sowol sprinkled the spice handed to her onto the meat.
“Wow, the gamey smell’s gone! I really don’t like that wild stink.”
“You don’t know how to enjoy bear meat. A real gourmet enjoys that strong aroma.”
“Pfft, Uncle said he hated that smell last time too, what are you—”
Turning her head mid-laugh, Sowol suddenly froze.
Who…?!
All this time she’d thought she was talking to Dokgo Ryong, but next to her stood an old man with snowy white hair and a long white beard.
“Oh no! The precious meat is going to burn!”
He patted his back as he urged her to turn the skewers quickly. In a daze, Sowol followed his instructions.
“Whew, that was close. Never take your eyes off meat on the fire, or it’ll all burn.”
He spoke so casually, like someone she’d known forever.
“Who are you, Grandpa?”
“Just a traveler passing by. The smell of the meat was so tempting, I couldn’t help but stop!”
His hearty laugh contrasted with his shabby appearance.
His rucksack fluttered lightly, and his sleeves and robes were frayed—he clearly hadn’t eaten well or stayed indoors recently.
Seeing how he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the meat, Sowol handed him a nicely grilled skewer.
“Wanna eat?”
His eyes widened above his thick, bushy beard.
“You’re giving it to me?”
“Yeah. Don’t you want some?”
“Well, yes, but… won’t you get in trouble for giving food to a stranger?”
“It’s okay. We’ve got lots of meat.”
She pointed to the pile of meat stacked on a rock.
“There’s no way we can finish all this by ourselves, so you can have some.”
“Still, people usually don’t like giving food to strangers.”
“Then let’s trade.”
Sowol pointed at the spice jar the old man had given her.
“This?”
“Yup! Since this makes the meat taste better, my uncle will like it too.”
Besides, it’s not like anyone would get mad for giving away a few pieces from a mountain of meat.
“Food always tastes better when shared! Here you go!”
She cheerfully placed the skewer in his wrinkled hand. When the old man hesitated and finally took a bite, Sowol also began eating her bear meat skewer.
“Wow! It’s delicious!”
The flavor made her eyes light up.
The bear meat grilled by the Pachokchae folks had been good—but with the old man’s spice, it was on another level.
Kyururung! Kyung!
Baekwoon pressed his soft cheeks against her leg, demanding his share.
“Okay, okay, I’ll give you some. Just wait.”
Sowol placed a plain piece of meat on a wide leaf for him.
But Baekwoon, dissatisfied, stood up on his hind legs and grabbed her hand.
Then, without hesitation, he bit into her skewer and ran off with it.
“Hey! You’re not supposed to eat that! Hey!!”
Sowol tried to catch him, but Baekwoon, holding the meat much bigger than himself, quickly climbed a tree.
From a branch high above, he smugly began eating.
“You’re going to get a stomachache! You’ll be in big trouble!”
Baekwoon turned his head sharply away, ignoring her completely.
Annoyed, Sowol puffed up her cheeks and trudged back to the fire.
“Ugh, seriously, who does he take after?!”
“Bwahaha! Looks like he takes after his master, don’t you think?”
“Hmph! How? I’m not a pig like him!”
But before she knew it, a new skewer had found its way into her hand.
Despite her grumbling, she didn’t stop chewing. Watching her, the old man chuckled again.
“Want me to tell you how to make the meat even tastier?”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Well, you see…”
“Kid.”
Before the old man could finish, a cold voice interrupted.
Sowol instinctively shrank and slowly turned her head.
“I told you to grill the meat, not to sit and eat with strangers.”
“Gyaaah! A-a monster!”
It was definitely Dokgo Ryong’s voice—but what appeared before her was a massive bear with thick fur.
