Leveling Up Through Eating

Chapter 771: Happy Island

The moment Minhyuk chomped on the red bean covered omegi-tteok, the not-so-sweet flavor of the red bean that covered the rice cake greeted his taste buds. Then, it was immediately followed by the chewy texture of the rice cake, and then a burst of sweetness from the red bean paste inside. Savoring those flavors could make one dance happily.

Of course, the next omegi-tteok that Minhyuk tried was the one covered with injeolmi.

“Chomp.”

Minhyuk consumed the entire rice cake in one bite. The sweetness of the injeolmi powder immediately greeted him with that one huge bite. However, the more he chewed the omegi-tteok, the more he realized that the flavor was quite different from injeolmi. It felt more chewy and softer than injeolmi. Even the red bean paste inside was much sweeter.

Just like that, Minhyuk continued to eat the omegi-tteok, including those covered with black sesame seeds and cereals, while admiring the flavors and textures.

‘Happy Island is a very beautiful island…’

Based on Minhyuk’s standards, Happy Island was the best island in existence. After all, it was an island with very delicious rice cakes. He even had tears dripping down the corners of his eyes as he ate them.

[You have eaten Happy Island’s Specialty, Omegi-tteok, for the first time.]

[You have gained +1 STM as a special reward.]

It was truly astonishing. For the first time since he started this game, his STM stat increased permanently just because he ate an omegi-tteok, a specialty of the island.

‘What kind of place is Happy Island?’

It was a special island that only Gorac knew of, an island that produced delicious food that could also raise one’s stats?

After finishing everything, a stream of tears flowed down Minhyuk’s cheeks.

Drip, drip, drip, drip—

At that moment, the door in front of him burst open and he met the gaze of a woman. The woman looked like she was Minhyuk’s age and was a beauty comparable to Genie and Ascar.

‘Since the omegi-tteok is this good, then the gogi-guksu must also taste good.’

Gorac’s power had guided Minhyuk to this place. Of course, Minhyuk did not stay idle during that time. From what he heard from the merchants and sellers in the area, Evelyn was the best when it came to making gogi-guksu.

“Please give me fifty bowls of gogi-guksu.”

“…”

Evelyn looked at the man in front of her in shock.

‘He’s ordering fifty bowls of gogi-guksu for himself?’

She did not think that Minhyuk was just making things up. After all, the man in front of her had eaten ‘827’ omegi-tteok by himself. However, there was a problem.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have any ingredients.”

“…!” The words were a bolt out of the blue. He hurriedly asked, “What do you mean by that? Why don’t you have any ingredients?”

“I don’t have any more pork.”

It was a shocking statement, even more so than getting only fried rice after ordering bokjjamyeon[2]. Who had heard of a restaurant selling gogi-guksu that did not have any pork?

“Then, can’t you just buy it?”

“It seems like this is your first time in Happy Island, huh?” Evelyn knew at once that this was Minhyuk’s first time here. After all, he still did not understand how terrifying the black pigs on the island were.

Minhyuk nodded in answer. Seeing that, Evelyn explained the distribution contract for black pork.

“…I think I won’t be able to keep the store running anymore.” Evelyn looked bitter. However, she quickly erased the expression on her face and showed Minhyuk a small smile.

The sight of someone crying, then smiling broadly at the same time as he ate 827 pieces of omegi-tteok might look strange. However, Evelyn could tell that the man in front of her loved food dearly.

“Just one bowl. I only have enough ingredients left to make one bowl of gogi-guksu.”

Just one bowl. After that, there were no more ingredients left. Evelyn would no longer be able to make gogi-guksu in this restaurant.

Minhyuk was thrilled when he heard that Evelyn could still make one bowl of gogi-guksu for him. At the same time, he thought, ‘Should I bring her a bunch of black pork?’

Perhaps Evelyn’s final bowl of gogi-guksu was truly special. After all, there were plenty of chefs that ended up forsaking the long, arduous path of cooking.

Some gave up because they received poor welfare despite the intense and harrowing work. Most chefs had to work ten hours a day in front of the fire, with some working more hours than that. There were even some that could not make enough money with their craft. All in all, there were many reasons as to why people stopped cooking.

Evelyn was in a similar situation. She even told him that she would give him the last bowl that she could make. It might be a single bowl of gogi-guksu, but it would be the bowl that was made with utmost sincerity.

Then, Evelyn began to cook. She used a variety of ingredients, including the meat of the head of the black pig, to boil the milky-white soup. The waiting time was quite a pleasant experience in itself.

Tak, tak, tak, tak—

The loud and rhythmic sound of the knife as it made contact with the chopping board rang in Minhyuk’s ears, and made his anticipation grow even further.

Shwaaaaaaaaaaa—

Even the rising steam that escaped from the pot as Evelyn raised the lid also increased his expectations for the dish. When Minhyuk saw Evelyn take out the noodles and shake them off, he realized that the time to eat gogi-guksu was finally approaching.

Soon, Evelyn served the steaming gogi-guksu with some dumplings on top. Then, she said, “You’re my final customer. So, I won’t take your money.”

Minhyuk looked at the gogi-guksu in front of him. The milky-white soup contained Evelyn’s fresh and hand-made noodles, topped with seven pieces of boiled pork and egg garnish.

As he looked at the dish in front of him, Minhyuk vowed that he would repay this grace. However, he knew that action would always speak louder than words. But first, he had to appease his hunger.

The first thing that Minhyuk did was to lift the bowl. Then, he gently blew on it and sipped the milky-white soup. The light and refreshing flavor of the broth of the gogi-guksu instantly spread in Minhyuk’s mouth.

‘There’s no gamey smell at all.’

One of the main reasons why black pork was used instead of white pork for Happy Island’s gogi-guksu was because it was less gamey and fishy. After savoring the soup, Minhyuk clamped a mouthful of the noodles and slurped them up in one breath.

Sluuuuuuuuuuuuurp—

Minhyuk’s lips curled up as the chewy noodles danced around in his mouth. Next, he grabbed some boiled pork and ate it together with some noodles. One look and he could see that the pork had the perfect ratio of lean meat and fat. When he put everything in his mouth, the flavor that spread brought out a burst of admiration from him.

“Wow…”

The taste of Evelyn’s gogi-guksu was so divine, that Minhyuk almost wondered if the ‘First Food God’ had come back alive. Once again, he drank the soup directly from the bowl. Then, he clamped some well-ripened kimchi along with some noodles.

‘The charm of noodle soup is amplified with kimchi.’

Indeed. The crispy, well-ripened kimchi went well with the light, bland flavor of the noodle soup.

“Sluuuuuuuuuurp.”

Crunch, crunch, crunch—

The pleasant sound of crispy kimchi being munched on rang. Then, Minhyuk turned his chopsticks toward the dumplings. The moment he put one in his mouth, the hot juices trapped inside the thin skin burst out and spread in his mouth.

While Minhyuk was having a delightful meal, the door to Evelyn’s restaurant slammed open.

Bang—!

People began to pour in the moment the doors of Evelyn’s restaurant slammed open. There was deep anger marring Evelyn’s beautiful face as she glared at the man that suddenly stood in front of her.

Pluine Merchant Group practically dominated the entire Happy Island. Their merchant group was so large that even the Happy Island’s royal family could not do anything to them at all.

The men that appeared in front of Evelyn were knights sent by the Pluine Merchant Group. Among them was Loic, an outstanding knight. He was hired by Pluine Merchant Group to do vicious tasks on their behalf.

In fact, the Pluine Merchant Group was actually an evil and malicious merchant order. They were considered as the group with the absolute power in the island

Five other knights entered the restaurant with Loic. A total of six warriors that came to a single woman’s restaurant? It was unlikely due to Evelyn’s outstanding looks.

“Get lost, Loic,” Evelyn roared at Loic.

“We can’t just go away for no reason, no?”

Loic, who sported a huge build, shrugged his shoulders.

“I already told you to stop doing business. But what’s this? You have a customer? Hey, you! Stop pigging out and get lost,” Loic growled as he glared at the man sitting by the side. Then, he continued, “We have pushed back on collecting your rent time and again. Today’s your final due date, Evelyn. You will have to work for the Pluine Merchant Group from this point on.”

“What nonsense…!” Evelyn’s face turned red.

She was truly behind on her restaurant’s rent. In fact, it was not just that. Her late father had also left her with debt. Loic had been using this method to try and bring her to Pluine Merchant Group’s side, because they coveted Evelyn’s special power.

“Well, if you don’t want that. Then, just come to my side, no?” Loic said, looking at Evelyn with a disgusting gaze.

Evelyn almost blew the top of her head from anger when she saw the grimy look. “You are all disgusting.”

She bit her lips tightly. In fact, she had already guessed the things that they did.

“You are the ones that did my father in.”

Yes, Evelyn’s father died during a hunt. She had already suspected that it was related to the Pluine Merchant Group.

“There’s so many people that came to take a single woman, huh?”

Evelyn’s lips were already bleeding from how hard she was biting them. Furious, she regretted the fact that she could not fight back when her father died back then. But now, she would say what she wanted to say.

She knew that she no longer had any way to run this restaurant anymore. She was also aware that her life would be turned upside down from this point on. However, even after knowing this outcome, Evelyn would not back down. She was not the type to surrender so easily.

“Just looking at all of your faces makes me feel sick. It makes me feel like I want to vomit. Especially when looking at you, Loic. Is the reason why you were called Orc Loic because you resemble an orc? Shameless bastard. You’re going around doing every evil and malicious thing in the book just so you can get a woman.”

“W, what…” Loic’s face turned red.

Loic was a hot-tempered individual. Especially when what Evelyn said was the truth. Loic might be strong but he was not blessed with good looks. He was so ugly to the point that every single time he approached a woman, they would all reject him.

However, now that he had gained some sort of position in the Pluine Merchant Group, he wanted to use this opportunity to take Evelyn by force.

Loic grabbed Evelyn’s wrist and dragged her toward himself. Evelyn, weak as she was, could only be dragged helplessly.

“Aaaack…!”

“If you come with me, then everything will turn for the better for you. Yeah? Fufu. I’ll even give you a lot of money.”

Thwack—

In response to the creepy and disgusting smile on Loic’s face, Evelyn slapped him hard, blood dripping down his cheeks as her fingernails scratched his skin. Furious, Loic raised his hands toward her. However, he was in the presence of the other knights. So, he just whispered to Evelyn’s ears, “Who do you think killed your father? Huh?”

Evelyn understood the meaning of his words. Loic was the one that killed her father. Her blood started to boil from anger. However, she was helpless. She could only get dragged by the hand. She could tell that Loic was also at the limit of his temper. So, as if she was grasping the final straw, she hurriedly spoke while being dragged away, “W, wait. Let me serve my last customer properly.”

This last customer was a very precious existence to Evelyn.

Loic turned to look at the man that was eating gogi-guksu by the side. He had obviously told this man to get lost earlier. But the man did not listen. Loic slammed his fist on the table.

Crack—

The table broke into pieces and the bowl of gogi-guksu that the man was eating fell on the ground, its bowl breaking into pieces. At the same time, the last piece of boiled pork left in the bowl also fell on the ground.

Clatter—

“…”

“Oh my, I missed the mark. Next time, I’ll make sure to take your head. Get. F*cking. Lost.”

Evelyn could no longer hold back her anger. Despite her wrist still being held tightly by Loic, she started to rain blows on the man, scratching him with her nails.

“How dare you! How dare you do that to my customer…!”

Loic, who was being slapped non-stop, could no longer hold back. He moved to grab her by the hair.

But then, the customer, who was still sitting on his seat, murmured, “Have you ever tried eating gogi-guksu?”

“…?”

Loic tilted his head in confusion.

‘What bullshit is this guy spouting?’

“The soup tastes light and refreshing, the noodles are chewy, and the boiled meat on top tastes fantastic with its perfect fat to lean meat ratio.”

“???”

“The gogi-guksu’s boiled meat was very delicious. That’s why I left behind one piece to eat at the end of my meal. A cherry on top, so to speak.”

The man stood up from his seat and grabbed Loic’s wrist that was holding on to Evelyn. Then, he exerted some force.

Crack, crack, crack, crack—

At that moment, Loic felt the bones of his wrist break and crack. Then, with bloodshot eyes, the man said to him, “You m*th*rf*ck*r. You will pay for what you did to my boiled meat.”

1. A particular type of glutinous millet in Jeju Island. ☜

2. A set meal of fried rice and jjampong ☜