Episode 25: Finding a Path in the Darkness (3)
Light Novel: Volume 1 Episode 25
Manhwa: Chapter 24-25
Chapter 8 Episode 25. Finding a Path in the Darkness (3)
A vast plain, lush with green foliage, stretched endlessly, and across it, dozens of cargo wagons moved in formation. Riding atop the wagons were dozens of people, while a group of armed warriors on horseback escorted them, guiding the caravan forward.
On the roof of the leading wagon, a flag with the two words ‘Silver Lotus’ fluttered in the wind.
“Wow!”
A boy sitting inside one of the wagons in the middle of the procession let out an excited cheer as he gazed at the expansive plains.
He looked to be around thirteen years old, his round cheeks full of youthful softness, and his plump physique giving him an overall impression of warmth and innocence.
His expressive face was filled with wonder as he admired the scenery around him.
The middle-aged man driving the wagon glanced at the boy and chuckled.
“Jin-bo, do you like it that much?”
“Of course!”
“But haven’t you already seen this landscape on our way here? What’s so exciting about it?”
“It wasn’t this green back then!”
“Well… that’s true.”
The middle-aged man who was driving the wagon, Bang Woo-gwang, nodded in agreement.
The boy, who was marveling at the landscape and exclaiming in admiration, was his son, Bang Jin-bo.
Looking at Bang Jin-bo, Bang Woo-gwang’s eyes were filled with a wistful light.
‘Poor boy… If only his mother were still alive, he wouldn’t have to suffer like this, traveling everywhere with his father.’
It was then.
“We’ll be camping here for the night, so everyone, make your preparations.”
A loud voice rang out from the front of the caravan.
“Yes, sir!”
The coachmen, who had been guiding the wagons, responded in unison. Among them was Bang Woo-gwang’s voice.
Dozens of wagons gathered on the open plain.
As if prearranged, they arranged the wagons in a circular formation, creating a barrier, and began preparing for the night.
Bang Woo-gwang also positioned his wagon among the others and spoke quickly to Bang Jin-bo.
“Hurry and unload the kitchenware.”
“Yes!”
Bang Jin-bo began unloading the supplies from the back of the cargo wagon.
The first thing he unloaded was a large wok made of cast iron. Both a shallow, wide Guangdong-style wok with handles on both sides and a deep, round Sichuan-style wok were unloaded at the same time.
“Heave-ho!”
Next, Bang Jin-bo unloaded a large cast-iron cauldron. Bang Woo-gwang gestured toward him.
“Bring the cauldron over here.”
Bang Woo-gwang gathered some nearby stones to build a makeshift fire pit. He then placed the cast-iron cauldron onto the hearth that Bang Jin-bo had brought over.
“Bring the rest as well.”
“Yes!”
Bang Jin-bo proceeded to unload a kitchen knife and various steaming baskets. Though the kitchenware was unloaded, his work was not yet done.
He busily carried over large slabs of meat and vegetables that had been loaded on one side of the cargo wagon. Even as sweat dripped from his brow, Bang Jin-bo continued to smile from ear to ear.
Meanwhile, Bang Woo-gwang had completed four makeshift fire pits. The wok and cauldrons were set atop them.
Now it was time to start the fire. Bang Woo-gwang rummaged through a crate at the back of the wagon and pulled something out.
The hard, solid lumps he retrieved were a mixture of dried cow dung and hay. When thoroughly dried, they emitted little odor and burned with great intensity, making them one of Bang Woo-gwang’s favored materials for starting fire.
Bang Woo-gwang tossed the dried cow dung into the hearth and set it ablaze. The well-dried fuel caught fire instantly.
“Whew!”
Only then did Bang Woo-gwang take a brief moment to catch his breath. But it was only for a moment as he soon began moving busily again.
A thick, long wooden board was placed in front of the fire pit. On its surface were countless knife marks. It was a cutting board.
Standing before it was Bang Jin-bo.
Bang Woo-gwang looked at Bang Jin-bo and gave him a warm smile.
“Shall we begin?”
“Yes!”
With that response, Bang Jin-bo picked up the kitchen knife and set his hands in motion.
Thud! Thud!
The large kitchen knife sliced through the meat effortlessly.
The heavy, rectangular cleaver was wielded freely in Bang Jin-bo’s hands.
In no time, he had broken down the large slabs of meat into smaller cuts and swiftly chopped up various vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
“Hehe!”
A chuckle naturally escaped from Bang Jin-bo’s lips. Seeing this, Bang Woo-gwang laughed as well.
“You little rascal!”
Now, it was his turn.
He tossed the prepared ingredients into the sizzling hot woks and began stir-frying them.
Sizzle!
A plume of white smoke instantly rose into the air.
Bang Woo-gwang moved skillfully, wielding a wok in each hand. Even among seasoned chefs, it was rare to see someone cooking with two heavy woks at the same time.
Yet, there was not a single sign of strain on Bang Woo-gwang’s face as he handled them effortlessly.
Bang Jin-bo watched his father in admiration.
No matter how many times he saw it, his father’s wok-handling skills were truly incredible. But it wasn’t just about maneuvering the woks. Between stir-frying, Bang Woo-gwang also threw meat and vegetables into the cast-iron cauldron, letting them simmer together into a stew. The aroma was simply irresistible.
In one go, Bang Woo-gwang was cooking three entirely different dishes at once.
It was Beef Shank, Twice-cooked Pork, and a rich stew filled with plenty of pork.
Beef Shank was a beef dish, while Twice-cooked Pork and the stew were made with pork. Although all were meat dishes, their cooking methods and ingredients were different, making it quite a challenge to prepare them all at once.
“Hoo!”
Bang Woo-gwang wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and looked at Bang Jin-bo. At that moment, Bang Jin-bo grinned.
“The rice is already done! Hehe!”
At some point, Bang Jin-bo had placed a pot over the last remaining hearth and cooked the rice.
“You rascal! You don’t even need instructions anymore.”
“Of course! Do you know how much experience I have? I’ve been following you around for eight years now. I think I’ve earned the right to be called a proper chef!”
“Hah! Has it already been that long?”
Bang Woo-gwang’s expression darkened slightly.
Ever since his wife passed away, he had wandered the world with Bang Jin-bo. That meant it had been eight years since she had died.
“Just hold on a little longer. Once we return this time, we’ll settle down.”
“Does that mean we’re finally opening our own restaurant?”
“Haha! That’s right.”
“Wow!”
Bang Jin-bo jumped up and down in place with excitement. Seeing him so overjoyed, Bang Woo-gwang smiled warmly.
He had earned quite a bit of money from this journey. If he added it to the savings they had accumulated over the years, they would be able to open a small restaurant. When that time came, he planned to properly teach Bang Jin-bo the art of cooking.
“But before that, we need to visit Best Culinary House in Dongting Lake.”
“Are we finally going to taste the food of the greatest chef in the world?”
“That’s right! Your father will sample his dishes and recreate them for you later.”
“You promise?”
“Of course! Hahaha!”
Just as Bang Woo-gwang burst into hearty laughter—
“Wow, that smells incredible!”
“As expected of Chef Bang. You already finished cooking?”
Drawn by the enticing aroma, people began gathering around. They were escort warriors and merchants from the Silver Lotus Merchant Group.
Bang Woo-gwang and Bang Jin-bo were chefs hired by the merchant group. Since the journey had lasted nearly a year, the group had made a special arrangement to have them along.
Whenever they camped outdoors, the father and son duo prepared food for the entire party. For merchants and escort warriors who usually had to survive on dry rations during long travels, the meals cooked by Bang Woo-gwang and Bang Jin-bo were a rare delight.
Bang Woo-gwang’s cooking skills were on par with those of renowned chefs from famous restaurants. And his culinary skills, which were already exceptional, had deepened and matured over the course of the year-long journey. This was because he had traveled with merchants into the Western Region, where he tasted and studied a variety of exotic spices.
Inside the wagon that Bang Woo-gwang and Bang Jin-bo rode in, there was a collection of spices he had personally acquired.
At that moment, a middle-aged warrior approached. With a thick beard covering his face, the man was none other than Cho Soo-kwang, the owner of the Silver Lotus Merchant Group.
“What delicious dish will you delight us with today, Chef Bang?”
“I was lucky enough to find high-quality beef and pork in the last village we passed. So today, I prepared Beef Shank, Twice-cooked Pork, and a hearty pork stew.”
“Oh! Beef Shank, you say? My taste buds are in for a real treat today.”
Cho Soo-kwang smiled.
He then turned his gaze toward Bang Jin-bo.
“Jin-bo, you should start learning your father’s cooking skills as soon as possible.”
“When it comes to culinary instincts, this kid is actually better than me.”
“Haha! Now that’s something to look forward to.”
“You won’t be disappointed.”
Bang Woo-gwang patted Bang Jin-bo’s shoulder lightly. Looking up at his father, Bang Jin-bo responded with a bright, cheerful smile.
Clapping his hands, Cho Soo-kwang called out,
“Well then, everyone! You’ve all worked hard. Since Chef Bang has prepared such a delicious meal, let’s all eat together!”
“Thank you for the food!”
The escort warriors and merchants responded in unison and eagerly began eating the dishes prepared by Bang Woo-gwang and Bang Jin-bo.
As he watched the group enjoy the meal they had made, a joyful smile spread across Bang Jin-bo’s face.
‘Ah! This feels nice.’
At dawn the next day, the Silver Lotus Merchant Group quickly packed up their campsite. They extinguished the campfires and organized their belongings, and before they knew it, the sun was up in no time.
Unlike the others, Bang Woo-gwang and Bang Jin-bo had a bit more time to spare. While the rest of the group was still asleep, they had already prepared breakfast in advance.
Breakfast was a porridge made from the leftovers of the previous night’s meal. Though simple, it was rich with meat, making it a hearty and satisfying dish.
Once everyone had finished eating, Bang Woo-gwang and Bang Jin-bo hurried to clean up. As soon as they finished loading their kitchenware onto the wagon, the Silver Lotus Merchant Group set off.
Lying in the back of the wagon his father was driving, Bang Jin-bo gazed up at the sky.
‘It won’t be long now before we enter the Central Plains.’
Looking back, the past year had passed by in a blur, so busy that he hardly noticed the time slipping away. When Bang Woo-gwang secured a job with the Silver Lotus Merchant Group, Bang Jin-bo had been dragged along to the Western Region without any say in the matter.
At first, he resented his father for taking him so far away, but now, not even a trace of that resentment remained.
Bang Jin-bo pulled out a small booklet from his pocket. It was a personal cookbook where his father, Bang Woo-gwang, had written down his secret recipes whenever he had free time.
Throughout their journey, Bang Jin-bo had studied the book while riding in the wagon, memorizing various cooking techniques. Of course, it was all theory for now, but once they returned to the Central Plains, he would finally learn how to cook properly.
“Hehe!”
A silly grin spread across Bang Jin-bo’s face.
Boom!
Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap echoed through the clear morning sky.
“W, What was that?”
“Whoa, whoa!”
The startled members of the Silver Lotus Merchant Group struggled to calm their frightened horses as they anxiously scanned their surroundings.
Beyond a distant hill, an enormous cloud of dust was rising into the air.
“What is that?”
“What in the world is going on?”
The merchants and escort warriors murmured in confusion.
Cho Soo-kwang, the leader of the merchant group, turned and looked at the chief escort warrior, Oh Ki-oh.
“What’s happening?”
“Wait here for a moment. Yu-pyo and Cheong-oh, you’re coming with me. The rest of you, stay on high alert.”
“Understood.”
Oh Ki-oh led Yu-pyo and Cheong-oh toward the place where the dust was rising.
‘Could something have happened in Hell Valley?’
No one knew exactly when it started being called that. It was originally a canyon, but one day, it collapsed, turning into a vast plain.
Even though the canyon had become a flatland, people continued to call it Hell Valley. The area was covered in massive boulders and debris, making it a treacherous place. Because of this, merchant groups avoided the vicinity entirely.
Yu-pyo and Cheong-oh were seasoned escort warriors whom Oh Ki-oh deeply trusted. Having survived countless battles and hardships, they were fearless men who rarely flinched in the face of danger.
Yet, when they arrived at their destination, their entire bodies trembled as if they had been struck by a storm.
“What… is this?”
It looked as if a volcano had erupted. The entire area around Hell Valley was devastated. Dust and debris still hovered in the air, casting a thick, gray haze over everything.
“Hic!”
Oh Ki-oh and Yu-pyo, who had been focusing their sight to get a clearer view, suddenly gasped in shock.
Amidst the swirling ash, two eerie blue flames floated in the air.
The flames flickered like ghostly embers from the depths of hell, staring directly at them.
“A… a person?”
Only then did Oh Ki-oh realize that those burning lights were a pair of human eyes.
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
Bang Jin-bo is also mentioned briefly in Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 67.
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