Jong-sik always had a sincere love for kimchi. And he wasn’t alone in this; it was likely a sentiment shared by all Koreans.
“Kimchi is a beloved food for all citizens.”
His dedication to kimchi was such that he even included kimchi (baek kimchi) in baby food. Additionally,
“If there were no kimchi, what would we eat with our rice?”
There’s even a song about kimchi. That’s how special kimchi was to Koreans.
A dish made with such revered kimchi couldn’t possibly be tasteless. Kimchi fried rice had to be delicious.
“This is the ultimate spicy and savory dish.”
“The rice grains stick to your mouth, don’t they?”
“As expected, it’s from Jong pal’s kitchen!”
“Wow, the taste is so irresistible even though it’s hot.”
“Doesn’t Captain Dok eat this kind of food every day? I’m really envious.”
The dungeon raid team that received the lunchboxes devoured the kimchi fried rice as if their lives depended on it. Among them, Dok Jong-sik was undoubtedly the champion.
“It’s always fresh and thrilling, even if you eat it every day. It feels even tastier when you eat it outside.”
Jong-sik thoroughly enjoyed this time. Why wouldn’t he? Working hard and then having a delicious lunch felt like a treat.
Moreover, today’s lunch menu happened to be his favorite. There was no reason not to be happy.
…or so he thought.
“It’s rice cooked with kimchi, right? Indeed, Korea is such a considerate country, preparing this for us. We should express our thanks, shouldn’t we?”
Until that statement was heard.
The absurd ranting was so loud that it reached even the dungeon raid team members, far away from the food truck.
In response, the dungeon raid team members clenched their teeth, suppressing curses.
“…What are they even saying?”
“Just let it slide.”
“Oh my, those who don’t even have a kimchi fridge are causing trouble again?”
“Huh? Where did Commander Dok go…?”
Meanwhile, Jong-sik was standing in front of the food truck faster than anyone else. More accurately, he was facing the Chinese dispatch team.
“I didn’t expect such a quick response.”
Commander Dok Jong-sik had a cold expression on his face. Judging by his rough demeanor, he seemed quite agitated.
Indeed, they were dealing with a nation sensitive to such matters as kimchi.
‘But what now? This isn’t the end. We need to escalate things further! Hehehe.’
With a smug smirk, Sun-hong responded.
“Well, well, well, you came just in time. I was wondering who to thank for this. Thanks to you…”
However, before he could finish his sentence, Jong-sik cut him off.
“No, what did you just say?”
“Arrogant bastard!”
Sun-hong scolded himself with a look of disdain.
‘Patience, patience. Just a little more.’
He knew he wasn’t the one who should be losing control. It had to be the other side.
The excited Koreans should be the ones to start the fight first. Then, he could show his authority.
‘I didn’t tell you to start unnecessary trouble. I never said anything about enduring the fight that comes first. Even the Prime Minister can’t do anything about that.’
Sun-hong barely contained his frustration. Then, he continued.
“Ahem. What I meant was, thank you for preparing rice cooked with paocai.”
“You keep mentioning paocai.”
“But to the point…”
“Brother! Let me handle this.”
At that moment, Sun-yang, his younger sister, intervened. She must have sensed her brother’s dwindling patience.
“I should step in.”
After all, gently persuading others was her specialty. So, she answered Jong-sik’s question.
“Your traditional Korean dish. We call this fermented cabbage ‘paocai.’ But did Dok Jong-sik Hunter say that? It’s our first meeting, isn’t it? Brother, right?”
“That’s right.”
“We didn’t agree to speak informally with each other, did we?”
A nod.
“But why are you speaking informally to my brother? I just can’t understand.”
“…”
“And besides, who was the one insisting on formal language even when we already knew each other? It was someone from your team. But the team leader Dok Jong-sik , who we’re meeting for the first time, speaks informally to my brother. It’s absurd, isn’t it? Are they accusing us of favoritism?”
“Favoritism… That sounds nice.”
Jong-sik muttered, and Sun-yang frowned as she spoke.
“Anyway, Dok Jong-sik Hunter, please show some respect. Etiquette is something we should both uphold.”
Moreover, she just repaid the disgrace her brother received earlier. It was exactly what the rude woman from the village said to her brother.
‘As expected of my sister.’
‘This is my specialty, isn’t it? Be prepared for a fight. If we’ve scratched the surface this much, we’ll soon take action.’
The siblings exchanged sharp smiles. And then, while they were doing so, Jong-sik was smiling wryly. Because it was so obvious what they were thinking.
‘These guys are weird.’
‘If they wanted to fight, they should just say so. Why babble nonsense like this?’
It was a behavior that Jong-sik couldn’t understand. Moreover, with them acting like this, there was no intention of complying.
So, Jong-sik responded brightly, more than anyone else.
It was both a response to the request for respect and a rebuttal to calling kimchi ‘paocai.’ If it was favoritism, then it could indeed be favoritism. Since nonsense deserves a nonsense response.
“As the ancestors said, ‘Those hooligans are number one when it comes to shamelessness and brazenly insisting on things.'”
“Hooligans, hooligans, hooligans?”
“What did you just say…”
At that, both Sun-hong and Sun-yang doubted their ears. They didn’t expect such words. So, at first, they thought they misheard. But they hadn’t misheard. Jong-sik confirmed the word again, as if checking for accuracy.
“So, our ancestors said that there’s no need to show respect to those hooligans. As you know, Korea values etiquette, so we must follow the ancestors’ words. Therefore, to those shameless hooligans who don’t know shame and insist on things, we don’t use honorifics.”
Jong-sik chuckled and shrugged. “Ha-!” Even the gathered Healing Guild members seemed to inhale a gust of wind.
Then, how would the Chinese react? Hearing those words, the Sun-hong gang erupted in anger, using profanity.
“Are you, are you insane?”
“Did you just mention our ancestors? The ancestors who bowed their heads to Great China?”
“How dare a puny country like this insult Great China.”
Especially, the anger of Captain Sun-yang was particularly intense.
“It would be better for you to shut your mouth before I rip it open. Making such unbelievable remarks again…”
He threatened Jong-sik with a menacing air, but Jong-sik remained unfazed.
“Unbelievable remarks? Who’s the one making unbelievable remarks here? Calling kimchi ‘paocai.’ You should watch your language.”
“Dok Jong-sik?!”
He even added insult to injury.
“At least recognize the loud voices of those nearby. Why shout and make a scene when they’re right in front of you? And if it’s delicious, say it’s delicious, if you’re envious, say you’re envious. Why do you keep trying to steal other countries’ cultures? Don’t you have pride in your own culture?”
“I can’t take it anymore!”
At that, Sun-hong rushed forward with bloodshot eyes. His speed was so fast and ferocious that his colleagues screamed in fear. It was probably because they realized the consequences too late.
“Brother! You can’t attack first!”
“Captain Sun-hong!”
Simultaneously, the Dungeon Raid Team, which had just arrived at the meal cart, raised their voices.
“Uh, uh? General Dok. You can’t kill him!”
‘But that sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it? You can’t kill him? What kind of talk is that?’
Thud!
Understanding the meaning of those words came in an instant.
Thud!
Thud!
“Heugh, huk! This guy…”
Thud!
Thud!
Sun-hong charged boldly.
He was mercilessly being beaten.
More accurately, he was being ridiculed.
Jong-sik repeatedly struck Sun-hong with blows, provoking him.
“You said you wouldn’t stand still? You said you couldn’t take it anymore? Is this all you can do with your skills? It’s not like you’re dying to go crazy.”
Sun-hong felt a sense of disgrace. It was the first time in his life he felt such humiliation.
“Aaargh! I’ll kill you.”
So, he couldn’t admit the reality that was facing him even more.
However, no matter how much he struggled, nothing changed. It was just futile movements.
As a skilled fighter, Sun-hong couldn’t even touch the tip of Jong-sik’s hair.
That’s how swift Jong-sik’s movements were.
‘I heard he’s making a name for himself in the Korean Hunter Society, but I didn’t expect it to be this much.’
Only then did Sun-hong realize that something was wrong. But by then, it was already too late. The price of underestimating the puny country was considerable.
Thud!
Thud!
“Ugh, ugh!”
“Well, have you changed your mind now?”
“What do you think? Aaargh!”
“Well…”
Thud!
Thud!
“Ah, I got it. I got it! That’s not ‘paochai.’ It’s, it’s kimchi. Is that what you wanted to hear? So, so stop it.”
The fist treatment was effective.
It wasn’t bearable pain.
Sun-hong quickly changed his stance.
But it seems like he’s not fully recovered. He feels like he needs a bit more treatment.
“Is that it?”
“W-what! What else do you want me to do here?”
“When you rushed in, your teammates said that you shouldn’t have rushed in first. Why? And another thing, you clearly knew that was kimchi, but you shouted ‘paochai’ as if you wanted a fight.”
“T-that’s absurd…”
“Hmm. This won’t do.”
In an instant, Jong-sik summoned a phantom sword.
Swish!
Sensing imminent danger, Sun-hong yelled desperately while raising his hands.
“S-stop! I’ll talk.”
His instinct was warning him. If he didn’t speak, he could die.
“Speak?”
“I-I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything.”
A moment later.
“…We caused trouble for that reason.”
With his legs giving out, he explained with bowed knees. In front of everyone.
The Healing Guild members and the Chinese dispatch team, including the Dungeon Raid Team, looked at Sun-hong with disdainful eyes.
“…What are you doing, brother? Stop it!”
“Sun-hong, sir!”
On the other hand, the Chinese dispatch team members were dumbfounded. It felt like this situation was a dream. But how could it be a dream?
The situation in front of them is harsh, but undeniable reality.
The Chinese dispatch team, realizing this, trembled all over their bodies. Uncontrollable anger came to them belatedly as they witnessed Sun-hong’s powerless state.
In a fleeting moment, the four exchanged glances.
“Yeah. It would have been better to rush in like this from the beginning. Just stay put, everyone. I’ll handle it.”
As if he had been waiting for them, Jong-sik welcomed them. He gestured to stop the Dungeon Raid Team members who were approaching.
***
Meanwhile, at that moment.
Association Chairman Nam Woo-jong received a phone call. The caller was Pyeong-ari.
“Yeah. Did you finish the morning training?”
He thought it might be related to training or lunch. That’s what he expected.
But the response was unexpected.
“Ahem. I’m just waiting for now. I want to report something too.”
Nam Woo-jong could feel a headache coming on.
After a while, he hung up the phone and returned to his seat.
There was no need to go far or prepare any documents.
Coincidentally, the call was received in the presence of a superior.
He immediately reported to the Defense Minister and President Kwon Hyuk-bong the contents of the report he received from Pyeong-ari.
“It’s about the Chinese hunters who just arrived. They caused trouble, it seems.”
