The Myriad Virtue Inn, newly opened by the Tang Family's estate in the heart of Ganyang.

"Welcome!"

Upon entering, anyone could receive a greeting from the kind waiters who had shed their vagrant past.

"Hey, I didn't order the large size."

"This is the regular size."

"What? Then this is two nyang?"

"That's right, customer."

The amount of noodles was on a different level from other places.

Anyone who saw it would suspect they were digging up the ground to do business.

"Th-the broth! It's amazing."

While being cheap and plentiful, the clean aftertaste was also excellent, so the faces of the guests visiting the Myriad Virtue Inn were full of smiles.

If the noodles were that good, how would the other dishes be?

It was all thanks to the full support of the Tang Family's estate, which had put forward the name 'Myriad Virtue'.

Of course, the five hundred nyang that Cheonyeong had extorted from the merchant association head, Go Hyeon, was having a small effect.

Customers who came once came again, and customers who came again became regulars, so the Myriad Virtue Inn was quickly establishing itself as a famous spot in Ganyang.

And on the wall.

The Family Head is watching with his eyes wide open.

...With such a ridiculous family motto hanging, there was no one who slacked off.

A place where everyone was happy.

But for just one person, the success of the Myriad Virtue Inn was making his insides burn to death day by day.

"Dammit..."

Im Saeng, who was looking down at the overflowing inn from the second floor, trembled as he gripped the railing.

The owner of Hoeseong-ru.

The place that had taken the biggest hit after the Myriad Virtue Inn opened was Hoeseong-ru.

Since they had put forward a high-end strategy from the beginning, those who ate noodles would not have sought out Hoeseong-ru, but weren't even the long-time regulars seeking out the Myriad Virtue Inn instead of Hoeseong-ru?

"Th-that punk is here?"

And among those eating was a waiter from Hoeseong-ru.

"Damn punk! I'll fire him immediately!"

As Im Saeng gritted his teeth and fumed, Go Hyeon, who was next to him, called him.

"Hey. Come sit here and have a drink."

"Do I look like I can sit and drink right now?"

"..."

"Damn it, my insides are rotting. Rotting!"

"Tsk tsk, they say you shouldn't get angry as you get older. Why is your anger keep increasing?"

"No, Association Head! Can you say that even after seeing that sight?"

"Hah, that person."

Despite Im Saeng's annoyance, Go Hyeon's expression was just calm. No, he was even smiling, as if something was so good.

"What happened? Didn't you say you would take care of it and to trust you last time?"

"I did."

"But, what is this? To have lunch together at the Myriad Virtue Inn? Are you trying to see me die from a burst of anger right now?"

"Surely I wouldn't have such a cruel heart."

"Then why the Myriad Virtue Inn?"

Even though Im Saeng raised the corners of his eyes and questioned him, Go Hyeon just emptied his cup without a care.

"It's about time they came."

"Came? Who? Who else did you call to the already crowded Myriad Virtue Inn?"

"Alright. There they are."

Despite the random questioning, Go Hyeon only said what he had to say, and Im Saeng whipped his head around to where he was looking.

"Who on earth is coming... huh?"

But upon seeing those just entering the Myriad Virtue Inn, his anger seemed to completely dissipate.

"That person is?"

"The guest we are meeting today."

"...You were supposed to meet that person?"

"Didn't I say? That a martial family has the ways of a martial family."

"...Ah! Then?"

"Just watch. Something interesting is about to happen."

Go Hyeon wore a sinister smile, and Im Saeng looked back and forth between the guest who had entered the Myriad Virtue Inn and Go Hyeon.

If he hadn't seen wrong...

The bowls and food spilled.

The inn fell silent as if cold water had been poured over it, and the gazes inside turned towards the door of the Myriad Virtue Inn.

The spilled food.

The broken bowls.

And the young man standing there with a cold expression.

"You punk! What do you think you're doing right now!"

A shout erupted from the sturdy man standing behind the young man.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. My foot got caught..."

"What did you say? You damn punk! Do you know who this is!"

Although the waiter, who was prostrate on the floor, repeatedly begged for forgiveness, the man's angry voice did not subside.

As he approached with a ferocious momentum, as if he would trample the waiter to a pulp, the people began to murmur.

"Jangpae."

"...Yes! Young Master Lee."

"Move."

"Pardon? But..."

"Tsk!"

As the young man made a sound with his mouth, expressing his displeasure, the man who had approached the waiter was startled and stepped aside.

"I'm sorry, Young Master Lee."

As the man stepped back and bowed his head, the young man approached the waiter, who was trembling on the floor, and looked down at him.

"Boy."

"...Yes?"

"I came here today to meet someone."

"...Yes?"

Although the waiter asked back as if he didn't understand, the young man calmly said, paying him no mind.

"There was no need to, but for the sake of my face, I came quite dressed up."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

The frightened waiter just repeated his apology.

"A person's status is like that. You can't help but care about what others think. Even if the person you're meeting is a completely useless human... there's face and dignity."

"I'm sorry."

"But, you have now sullied that face and dignity with food scraps."

"Young Master, I'm sorry."

"No. No. What is there to be sorry about? There's no need. If a person does wrong... they just have to take responsibility."

"...Pardon?"

"Which foot got caught?"

"Pardon?"

The waiter looked up at the incomprehensible question.

The young man was smiling brightly.

He had a mischievous expression.

"I asked which foot got caught."

"...The right."

"The right foot."

The young man's gaze turned to the waiter's right foot.

"A useless foot is better off gone."

"...Pardon?"

Kwa-aak!

"Kkeu... aaaaak!"

It happened in an instant.

It didn't even take a single breath for the young man to stomp on and crush the child's right ankle.

The faces of the people inside the inn contorted at the tearing scream.

Finally, a strong man nearby couldn't stand it and stood up to intervene.

"You! What do you think you're doing..."

Peok!

The young man didn't even look back.

The fist of one of the sturdy men who had come with him was swung, and the intervening strong man flew like a kite with its string cut and was slammed into the ground.

Ujijik, kwang!

The nearby tables and chairs were broken, and even the customers who were sitting were harmed.

"Anyone else want to intervene?"

The eerily uttered voice and the gazes of those surrounding the young man as if to guard him threatened the people.

The people inside the inn, who had sensed that they were martial artists, were surprised and slowly backed away, creating distance.

Although the waiter's situation was pitiful, they knew that if they needlessly got involved in the affairs of a martial artist, they would suffer a great misfortune.

Despite the commotion, the young man didn't even glance away and only looked at the waiter, who was clutching his right ankle and groaning in pain.

"The leg is done, which hand were you holding the food in?"

"...Please save me. Please save me."

Although the waiter, who seemed to have forgotten his pain in his fear, cried and begged, the young man calmly smiled and said.

"Which hand?"

"Young Master, please... please."

"Hmm, if you don't say, both hands will be broken. That's what responsibility is."

"Young Master..."

"Then it can't be helped. If that's your choice..."

The young man, with a face full of laughter, reached his hand back.

The escort warriors, who knew the meaning, drew their swords and handed them over.

As the sharp, blue-tinged blade glinted, those watching swallowed a dry breath and couldn't even intervene, faltering and backing away.

"Aigoo, Young Master! Please, please forgive him. I will compensate for everything. No, the Tang Family's estate will compensate for everything. Of course! Please, please show mercy!"

At that moment, the manager of the Myriad Virtue Inn rushed out and prostrated himself next to the waiter, begging.

But at the manager's words, the young man's sword paused.

"...The Tang Family's estate?"

"That's right. This place is managed by the Tang Family's estate."

"Hmm. The Tang Family's estate..."

As the young man frowned and glanced over, Jangpae immediately answered.

"It is the place that recently drove out the Yin Hand Chamber of Ganyang."

"The Yin Hand Chamber?"

"Yes. There is a rumor that the Family Head of that place, although young, possesses considerable martial prowess."

"Keuk, keuk keuk keuk."

The young man wore a strange expression and laughed at Jangpae's words.

"Just."

The young man's expression, as he mulled over the manager's words, turned cold.

"Hey."

"...Yes?"

"Are you threatening me right now?"

"Pardon?"

"You just said it. That this place is managed by a place called the Tang Family's estate."

"Yes. I did say that, but..."

"Then it's a threat."

"Pardon?"

"Since this place is managed by the Tang Family's estate, stop causing a commotion and get lost. Isn't that what you meant?"

"...N-no. That's not what I meant."

Puk!

The young man's sword pierced through the manager's hand, which was on the floor.

"Kkeu-euk!"

Blood spread thickly, and the manager's face contorted.

"Don't say no. It doesn't matter what you meant, what matters is how I heard it."

"Y-Young Master... that's not what I meant..."

Jjii-ik!

"Kkeu-aaaak!"

Another scream was added.

Because the young man had twisted the sword that had pierced the back of his hand, widening the wound.

"You'd better shut up. If you utter one more word, I'm thinking of ripping your mouth open."

"Ugh... ugh ugh..."

The manager had to swallow his groans even in his pain, not knowing what other consequences his words might bring, and the waiter could only tremble like a leaf in the wind.

"What do you think you're doing!"

"...?"

It was then.

Someone shouted from the entrance of the Myriad Virtue Inn with a voice full of anger.

"One Cup Child?"

"It's One Cup Child!"

"It's the One Cup Child of the Tang Family's estate!"

The people, who had whipped their heads around, shouted with cheers upon seeing the person who had just appeared at the Myriad Virtue Inn.

"Hoh? Look at these guys. Their reaction is interesting."

The young man wore an amused expression at the people's relieved faces.

"One Cup Child... one cup of alcohol? Keuk keuk, as befits a nobody from a worthless family, even the name is strange."

Chunil's expression turned cold at the young man's words.

The waiter, who was prostrate on the floor, seemed to have a broken leg, and the manager was bleeding profusely with a sword stuck in his hand.

"You people... what do you think you're doing right now?"

"Hmm, well? Should I say I'm making them take responsibility?"

"Responsibility?"

"That's none of your business. It's a matter between me and these people. More than that... how are you going to compensate?"

"Compensation?"

"Yes."

"What compensation are you talking about?"

"You can see, can't you? My clothes are ruined."

"Clothes?"

Chunil frowned at the young man's words.

The young man's clothes, which were dirty as if food had been spilled on them.

They looked expensive at a glance.

He could guess what had happened.

The waiter must have spilled food.

And the young man, holding him responsible, must have broken the waiter's leg and stabbed a sword into the hand of the manager who tried to intervene.

Although he was furious at the sight of the smirking young man, Chunil took a deep breath to swallow his anger and asked with courtesy.

"...I am Tang Chunil, the Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate."

"Ah, so you're the Outer Hall Master."

"I understand that the fault was with the waiter. We will compensate for this without any dissatisfaction, so I would appreciate it if you would let the two of them go."

Like the other kids, Chunil had also grown to fit his position.

Although he thought the treatment was excessive, he couldn't just fight recklessly, swayed by his emotions.

There were too many unrelated people inside the inn. If a fight broke out, innocent people could be harmed.

Also, since his words and actions as the Outer Hall Master could be seen as those of the Tang Family's estate, he had chosen to talk.

And didn't he not even know what status the young man had?

But.

"...If you have the skills, try saving them."

The young man smiled and twisted the sword.

(End of Chapter)