"Who are you?"
Nam GoongJin's eyes shone sharply.
"I'm ShiHoon's hyeong," KangWoo answered calmly.
"Kim ShiHoon's hyeong…? Kim YeongHoon? But I heard that person is in prison."
"There are relations that are thicker than blood."
"…?"
Nam GoogJin looked at him in confusion.
"Have you heard of sworn brothers?"
"Oh, so you meant that."
Nam GoongJin snorted while nodding.
"We aren't interested in you. The Sword King only wants Dragon Sword. Move."
"But I'm also not interested in who he is."
"Don't speak so lightly…"
Nam GoongJin turned his head to Kim ShiHoon.
"Dragon Sword, if you don't want to see this person get hurt, follow me."
"Don't talk to him so lightly."
Kim ShiHoon, cringing at the nickname ‘Dragon Sword’, took a step forward. A strong killing intent came out of him while he put his hand on his sword’s sheath.
Of course, he was afraid of Sword King Cheon MooJin.
—He was the strongest player in China and the leader of a huge force.
Even the Chinese president was careful around him, so he thought it was understandable for Nam GoongJin, a higher-up in the Thousand Sword Gate, to talk to him like that.
But he wouldn't let him talk about KangWoo like that. After all, he was the person who had saved him from a hellish lifestyle.
He wasn't a coward that would remain silent while looking at his benefactor get insulted.
"Oh, so you're going to bare your sword?"
Nam GoongJin's eyes narrowed.
"It seems that other peoples’ praises had made you forget how high the sky really is.’.
Nam GoongJin thought that he should use a more aggressive strategy.
'Although the Sword King told me to bring him respectfully…'
To be honest, what was the point of being educated and respectful in front of a newbie like him?
Rather than that, he thought that teaching him a lesson before he could disrespect the emperor would be better.
Nam GoongJin put his hand on the sword that was on his waist.
—But someone put his hand on top of it faster than him.
"Don't take it out."
"Wh-what…?"
"If you take that out, you'll die."
Before Googjin could even notice what was happening, KangWoo's hand was already on top of the sword.
Nam GoongJin was horrified.
He was a knight-type player that had a unique stat called Qi.
—His senses were far sharper than other knight players.
But KangWoo had put his hand on top of his sword before he could notice.
"Ugh!"
Nam GoongJin moved backward. He looked at KangWoo cautiously.
"How…?"
The thought that he had been careless crossed his mind.
"Oh, I'm going to say it just in case. It isn't like you were careless—you're just weak."
"…"
"So don't say anything stupid like you were careless."
A thick tendon became visible on Nam GoongJin's forehead. He took out his sword without hesitating.
"How dare a Korean—!"
Crack-!
"AARRGGHH!"
A scream came from his mouth.
KangWoo had approached him and twisted his hand before he could finish the sentence.
He dropped the sword to the ground.
"Stop it with your nationalism. Aren't you tired of that?"
KangWoo looked at him pitifully.
"Is your country so important? Then pay more taxes. People like you who don't have shit always become patriotic while in another country."
"Y-you son of a—"
"Oh, also, do you think talking like that about another country will make yours look better? Huh? If you really care about your country's image, you shouldn't do that."
"AAHH!"
Nam GoongJin rushed at KangWoo.
KangWoo turned his body and raised his knee, and Nam GoogJin fell to the ground while grabbing his stomach.
"Cough! Cough!"
"You!"
Clang-!
The men that were behind Nam GoongJin took out their swords.
KangWoo spoke in a low voice.
"I told you not to take out your swords."
A strong killing intent surrounded him.
Their expressions paled.
"Ugh."
It wasn't a normal killing intent.
Rather than 'we're going to get killed,' they felt they were about to de devoured.
They felt like frogs in front of a massive predator.
"Since you aren't stupid, you know you won't be able to win against me, right?"
"Ugh…"
The men gulped.
He'd easily defeated the leader of the Third Squad, Nam GoongJin, so they knew they wouldn't be able to win against him.
Nam GoongJin, who was on the ground, coughed.
"Couch! Cough! H-how dare a K-Korea—"
"Ah, this idiot still hasn't learned his lesson."
KangWoo grabbed Nam GoongJin by the neck and picked him up.
"The quality of the people decides the quality of a nation. You doing that just makes your country look worse."
"…"
"Ah, maybe this was a bit hard for you to understand. Well, now that things have turned out like this, I'll tell you what you should do to make your country look good."
"Wh-what are you trying to do?!"
"Just follow me."
KangWoo dragged Nam GoongJin somewhere.
Kim ShiHoon followed KangWoo.
"Where are you trying to go, Hyeongnim?"
"ShiHoon, is there anywhere around here that prepares good kimchi stew?"
"Yes…?"
Kim ShiHoon's eyes widened.
Why was he suddenly looking for a restaurant that prepared good kimchi stew?
"There's one at the end of that alley…"
"Good."
KangWoo smiled, satisfied, and dragged Nam GoongJin there.
He looked at the rest of the men that were just standing there.
"Hey! You guys should also follow me!"
"…"
They looked at each other and followed KangWoo.
Click-!
"Aunt, give me seven portions of kimchi stew with a lot of meat, please."
"Oof~ Understood, but… young man… aren't these people hurt?"
"No. They're just exaggerating a little bit, right?"
KangWoo patted Nam GoongJin's back as GoongJin trembled a bit.
"Wait a bit~"
* * *
The warm-hearted-looking lady entered the kitchen.
She soon came back out with warm kimchi stew.
"Wh-what's this?"
"Kimchi stew. Try it, it's delicious."
KangWoo patted Nam GoongJin's back.
Nam GoongJin frowned.
"Are you saying that giving me hodgepodge like this is doing good for your country?"
"Hodgepodge…?"
KangWoo's eyes widened, and strong killing intent came out of him.
KangWoo grabbed his shoulder and used the Authority of Fear. Nam GoongJin felt a pressure comparable to being crushed by a press machine.
"Agh…!"
"It isn't hodgepodge; it’s kimchi stew. The meat is ready. Try it."
"Ugh…"
Taking a glimpse at Kim ShiHoon, Nam GoongJin began eating the kimchi stew.
'Hmm…?'
It was delicious.
The kimchi he'd tried before had such a strong, sour taste that it made him frown, but now when he tried it as a stew, that sour taste felt sweet.
He ripped apart the kimchi and placed it on top of a rice spoon with a slice of meat. A spicy and savory taste spread inside his mouth.
'Was there a food like this in Korea?'
He was a high-ranking officer of the Thousand Sword Gate. Everything he ate was prepared by top chefs.
Compared to them, kimchi stew was cheap—close to an instant food.
'But I don't know why I can't stop eating it.'
They’d soon devoured an entire bowl of rice.
It wasn't him alone—his foure underlings had also begun eating the kimchi stew.
"Aunt~ Give me three more portions! Also, a bowl of rice for each!"
"Okay~ Young man~ Oof, everyone eats so well!"
KangWoo smiled in satisfaction while looking at Nam GoongJin.
"How about that? It's delicious, right?"
"Ehem…"
"Haha. It seems like it's delicious. Feel free to eat as much as you can."
KangWoo also ate a bowl of kimchi stew.
"To be honest, I'm not someone who’s very patriotic, but you have to recognize that the kimchi stew is great. Don't you agree?"
"It… It isn't that great."
"What are you talking about? You already finished two bowls. Anyway, you understand now, right? What you have to do is teach others about your country's good culture! Don’t babble and say rude things."
"…"
After saying that, KangWoo concentrated on eating.
After eating an amount that surprised the other people, he stood up.
"Let's go, ShiHoon."
"Ah, yes…"
"Then pay this bill and return to China. Also, tell that person, the Sword King or however he's called, to come himself if he really wants to see ShiHoon."
After saying that, KangWoo left the shop.
Nam GoongJin couldn't believe what was happening.
'You ate so much and want me to pay for it?'
Korea's warmness embraced him.
* * *
"So… You came back after eating kimchi stew?"
A thin man was sitting in a big room on a chair that felt grand rather than luxurious.
He was so thin that he seemed like he would break if hit, but the energy coming from him was enough to overwhelm the surroundings.
Sword King Cheon MooJin.
It was the name of the player whom you could say was the one who ruled over China.
"I… I'm sorry!"
Nam GoongJin, kneeling in front of Cheon MooJin, trembled with an expression full of fear.
A breathtaking nervousness filled the room.
"Ha… haha."
A laugh came out.
"Hahahaha!!"
Cheon MooJin's laugh shook the entire room.
"Good! How fun! I really like that guy!"
He laughed out loud.
"But…"
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Cheon MooJin looked at Nam GoongJin with sharp eyes.
"I clearly said that you should be respectful."
"Th-that…"
"What? Were you trying to act all high and mighty while making the Thousand Sword Gate look bad?"
"N-no!"
"Stop lying."
Nam GoongJin was dragged to Cheon MooJin by a strong suctioning power.
After grabbing his neck aggressively, Cheon MooJin spoke in a low voice.
"I sent you because you know a bit of Korean, but it seems you acted all high and mighty without realizing how big the world is."
"Cough! I-I'm sorry…"
"You're excommunicated. We don't need someone who doesn't have the quality of a martial artist in the Thousand Sword Gate."
"P-please!"
Cheon MooJin shook his hands.
Nam GoongJin's body was sent flying to the wall.
"Hahaha. So he wants me to come personally, huh?"
Cheon MooJin stood up.
It was the first time something like that had happened since he’d become a world ranker.
"Since he asked me to come, I'll have to go."
"Father, are you planning to go to Korea?"
A beautiful voice that sounded like crystal balls rolling could be heard.
Cheon MooJin turned his head to the source of the voice.
A girl who had a hairstyle often called dumpling hair approached him.
She was thin, had thick eyebrows, a sharp nose, and red lips. She was a very sensual woman.
Cheon SoYeon…
She was the daughter of Sword King Cheon MooJin and was one of the strongest martial artists in the Thousand Sword Gate.
"Why? Do you want to see how handsome Dragon Sword is?"
"Father, what are you talking about?"
She sat on the armrest of the chair and crossed her smooth legs.
"I'm not interested in anyone who isn't stronger than father."
"Hng."
Cheon MooJin gulped as if he were troubled by that.
