Absolute Dominion

Chapter 19

Realizing that the opponent’s skills were on par with his own, Jeong Lee-Chu stepped in front of Cha-Ryun to shield her.

But it wasn’t just the martial artist that Lee Hwa was relying on.

“If you knew the kind of people who frequent this establishment, you wouldn’t be acting this way.”

Lee Hwa was treating Jeong Lee-Chu with utter contempt.

Jeong Lee-Chu felt a sense of futility. To deal with someone like her, he would have to cover himself in sewage and roll in the mud with her. Even if he wanted to expose today’s injustice, he would have to endure all kinds of gossip. He knew that the martial world was a cruel place, where gossip could bury a small sect.

Ultimately, the fault lay with him for being deceived by Kwon Hyuk-Gi. But Jeong Lee-Chu was too kind-hearted to deal with all the complications that would follow.

“Fine. I’ll write a promissory note.”

Leaving his daughter behind was simply out of the question.

“No, Father!”

Cha-Ryun stomped her feet in frustration. If they wrote a promissory note, there would be no turning back. And if they couldn’t gather the money in time, the interest would be unbearable.

Lee Hwa smiled silently, knowing full well that today’s incident would damage both the Righteous Sword Sect’s finances and its reputation.

At that moment, someone lightly tapped Cha-Ryun’s shoulder from behind.

“Do women come to places like this too?”

Startled, she turned around to find Jeok Lee-Gun standing there with a blank expression.

“Huh? You? Why are you here?”

“If I had known you liked places like this, I would’ve invited you. Are there men that serve the customers here, too? You’ve got some unusual tastes, don’t you?”

Cha-Ryun was left speechless by Jeok Lee-Gun’s nonchalant remarks. Whether by coincidence or because he had followed her, one thing was clear—she was genuinely relieved to see him.

“Good to see you again, Sect Leader.”

Jeok Lee-Gun greeted Jeong Lee-Chu with a respectful bow.

“Good to see you, too.”

Jeong Lee-Chu was equally flustered by the unexpected encounter.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to have a drink.”

His face was already flushed, and he was holding a bottle of liquor.

“Ah, just a moment.”

Jeok Lee-Gun squeezed past Cha-Ryun and Jeong Lee-Chu, making his way to the counter.

He placed the bottle on the counter.

“Sister, what is this?”

“What seems to be the problem?”

Lee Hwa responded with a sweet smile. It was hard to believe she had been cold to Jeong Lee-Chu just moments ago.

“This is supposed to be bear gallbladder wine, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Can it still be considered as bear gallbladder wine if it doesn’t actually contain any bear gallbladder?”

A hint of panic crossed Lee Hwa’s face, but she quickly regained her composure.

“What do you mean by that?”

“This stuff doesn’t have any bear gallbladder in it, yet you’re charging a hundred and twenty nyang for this?”

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“You seem to be quite drunk.”

“I wish… I want to be drunk, but this fake wine is just giving me a headache.”

“You’d better watch your words, or you might find yourself in serious trouble.”

Lee Hwa responded calmly.

Jeok Lee-Gun narrowed his eyes.

“I overheard you earlier, talking about how important people come here. So… did you sell this fake wine to those ‘important people’ too?”

“Shut your mouth!”

For the first time, Lee Hwa raised her voice.

“No.”

Jeok Lee-Gun quickly turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“This place is serving fake bear gallbladder wine! It’s fake!”

His voice echoed through the establishment.

The martial artist standing behind Lee Hwa stepped forward, intending to subdue Jeok Lee-Gun, but just then, a nearby door creaked open. A middle-aged man poked his head out.

The man’s eyes were deep, and his muscles were solid. It seemed that his martial prowess was far superior to the martial artist from the Spring Breeze Inn.

Recognizing the man, Lee Hwa’s expression turned stiff. She signaled her martial artist to stand down, and he obediently retreated.

Lee Hwa spoke in a flustered manner.

“It’s just a drunkard causing a scene. You don’t need to worry, sir.”

“Whether this is a drunken outburst or a scam, everyone come out and see for yourselves!”

Jeok Lee-Gun’s voice was loud and clear, not at all like that of a drunk man.

Doors began to open, one after another.

The man who opened his door first, asked calmly.

“Young man, on what grounds are you making such claims?”

“Why, my tongue, of course.”

“Your tongue is the proof?”

“There is not a single trace of bear gallbladder in this wine—you probably couldn’t even find a scrap of bear fur in this drink.”

“Can you prove it?”

“Without a doubt.”

Only then did the man step outside from his room.

“I am Mak Hwi of the Southern Peak Alliance.”

At his words, the surrounding people gasped and took a step back. Those who met his eyes either reflexively lowered their heads or cupped their fists in respect.

Mak Hwi, renowned for his exceptional martial skills and bold nature, was known as ‘The Heaven-Conquering Saber,’ and was the leader of the White Tiger Squad, one of the strongest forces within the Southern Peak Alliance.

“I came here today to drink with a very important guest, but your commotion has ruined the mood. However, if your claims are true, this is indeed a serious matter. We just served that very wine to the esteemed guest a moment ago.”

Lee Hwa maintained her calm demeanor.

“It is fortunate that Master Hwi has intervened. Since this situation has damaged our reputation, I ask for a fair resolution.”

“Of course. Whoever is lying will be dealt with accordingly.”

With that, Mak Hwi casually tapped the large saber hanging at his waist.

Jeok Lee-Gun, undeterred, responded with confidence.

“If I prove this liquor is fake, I’ll take all of today’s earnings.”

Lee Hwa asked coldly.

“And if you fail to prove it?”

“You can use my gallbladder to brew your next batch.”

In other words, he was willing to stake his life on his claim.

Lee Hwa nodded with a grim expression.

Mak Hwi’s voice boomed through the hall.

“Very well, I’ll act as the witness.”

With Mak Hwi stepping forward, more and more people emerged from their rooms.

Those who frequented this establishment were either high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, or renowned martial artists from the martial world. Although they usually avoided drawing attention to themselves, they had no reason to worry about appearances with someone like Mak Hwi from the Southern Peak Alliance present. Moreover, the matter directly concerned the wine they had been drinking, so of course, they were interested.

“So, how exactly do you plan to prove it?”

All eyes were fixed on Jeok Lee-Gun as Mak Hwi posed the question.

Cha-Ryun felt a wave of anxiety as she watched the situation unfold.

‘What are you going to do?’

Before Mak Hwi had intervened, this situation could have ended with a simple apology. But now, the situation had escalated beyond the point of no return.

Jeok Lee-Gun grinned.

“I’ll recreate this exact wine, but without using any bear gallbladder.”

Everyone was shocked by Jeok Lee-Gun’s audacious claim.

This statement piqued Mak Hwi’s interest, and he responded.

“So, that means you know exactly what’s in this wine.”

“You could say that.”

“Alright then—let’s see what you can do. Everyone, to the kitchen.”

Mak Hwi led the way, followed by Jeok Lee-Gun and Lee Hwa. Jeong Lee-Chu and Cha-Ryun also trailed behind, blending in with the crowd.

Cha-Ryun felt both relieved and worried.

At least, the promissory note matter had been postponed. If Jeok Lee-Gun could prove this scam, they wouldn’t have to pay for the drinks at all. Naturally, she found herself hoping that he could pull it off.

‘Wait a minute, am I actually trusting that talkative fool?’

At that moment, Jeok Lee-Gun glanced back at Cha-Ryun. Their eyes met briefly, and his gaze seemed to say, ‘Don’t lose sight of me. Just follow my lead.’

‘That look doesn’t suit him at all!’

Yet, despite her thoughts, Cha-Ryun felt a surge of emotion.

Jeok Lee-Gun’s confident back, as he continued walking, seemed dependable. Unlike his mouth, his back wasn’t spouting nonsense or covered in grease.

A strange sense of reassurance lightened Cha-Ryun’s steps.

Cha-Ryun whispered softly to Jeong Lee-Chu, who was still visibly concerned.

“Don’t worry, Father. Everything will be fine.”

Jeong Lee-Chu forced a smile.

When they suddenly barged into the kitchen, the chefs were startled.

Whoosh—

At that moment, something was tossed toward Cha-Ryun.

Without thinking, she caught it instinctively. It was a lingzhi mushroom.

“What are you waiting for? Come and lend a hand.”

“What?”

Jeok Lee-Gun grinned at her surprised expression.

“If I do this alone, it’ll take forever. Let’s do this together. It’s not like anyone’s going to complain if you help chop the ingredients, right? These people are all too busy.”

All eyes turned to Cha-Ryun. The people who had just noticed her were now admiring her beauty, wondering what kind of relationship she had with Jeok Lee-Gun.

The most flustered, however, was Jeong Lee-Chu. His daughter’s involvement was, after all, a matter that could affect her future marriage prospects.

“Young Master Jeok and my daughter have met before, briefly.”

He signaled for Cha-Ryun to step back quickly.

But Cha-Ryun ignored it and rolled up her sleeves.

It was an issue involving both her and her father. She had to help, whether he wanted it or not.

After placing the mushroom on the cutting board, she asked for instructions.

“What should I do? Slice? Dice? Stir-fry?”

“Slice it thinly.”

“Alright! Leave it to me.”

Though all eyes were on her, Cha-Ryun wasn’t embarrassed. She was completely unfazed by the attention.

Jeong Lee-Chu, watching his daughter’s boldness, was quietly impressed.

‘Had she always been like this?’

As they say, children grow when you look away, and they grow again when you look back. At some point, Cha-Ryun had grown this much.

Cha-Ryun gave her father a reassuring look.

Jeong Lee-Chu nodded. His daughter was someone who could accomplish anything she set her mind to.

Tap, tap, tap, tap!

Cha-Ryun started chopping.

When she was younger, she often helped her mother in the kitchen.

Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t cooked with her mother in quite some time, as she was too focused on her martial arts training. Suddenly, she felt a pang of guilt toward her mother.

Jeok Lee-Gun, watching her chop, commented.

“Not bad—you’re definitely better than my mother!”

“Really?”

“It’s true. You’ll see for yourself one day.”

Hearing so much about his parents, she actually believed she would meet Jeok Lee-Gun’s parents someday.

‘Am I being brainwashed by him?’

Even in the midst of such a situation, Jeok Lee-Gun’s mouth didn’t stop running.

“My mother is flawless in every way, except for one thing—she can’t cook. It’s proof that no one is truly perfect. But still, you can tell my father really loves her… the way he maintains that happy expression while eating such disgusting food is beyond me.”

‘It’s probably this guy who is at fault. He’s definitely a picky eater… if it were me, I would have forced it down his throat! I’d make that annoying mouth eat… wait, what am I even thinking?’

[TL Note: ayo…]

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

“I had a tough time growing up. To avoid developing a cheap palate, I had to learn how to cook myself. Like I said before, enjoying food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, right? So, I found some famous people to teach me.”

Feeling a bit sorry for his one sided conversation, Cha-Ryun interjected.

“Who did you learn from?”

“One of them was Master Chef, Jong Lee-Jae, and the other was a shabby old man—his stubbornness reminded me of steel.”

Just then, a voice spoke from behind the crowd.

“Are you referring to Master Jong Lee-Jae?”

An elderly man emerged from behind the crowd.