Chapter 453

So, Jin Jangmyung, wearing a fake chest, confidently puffs out her chest like it’s no big deal.

Qing, looking at him, said.

“Well, there was a reason for the elaborate disguise, huh?”

If you’re going to wear a fake chest as a disguise, you’ve got to flaunt it for sure. Because if you don’t emphasize it, you’ll just look like a big woman in puffy clothes.

A big chest can really ruin the overall look of an outfit.

So here’s Jin Jangmyung, all gathered up and showing off her chest.

Seeing her suddenly strutting with her shoulders raised gave off a vibe of confidence, even though it was fake.

Qing couldn’t resist and reached out, grabbing the fake chest.

Of course, since it’s fake, Jin Jangmyung wasn’t shocked but gazed at Qing with bright eyes.

“How’s it feel?”

“Hmm. It’s… kinda peculiar…”

For a fake chest, it’s impressive—what should I say—definitely bouncy? Or is it the weight? It just feels too squishy, like a water balloon?

Whether I’m just aware of the fact it’s fake or not; it definitely feels fake.

Would it have felt better if I didn’t know it was fake?

Is this what they call a red elixir?

Jin Jangmyung started poking her own chest thoughtfully, tilting her head slightly as if to gauge how it feels.

But despite everything, Jin Jangmyung, who resembled a baby with a ludicrously big chest, looked utterly satisfied.

Then Cheon Yu-hak splashed some cold water on their antics.

“Didn’t I tell you? The best disguise is to change your gender.”

—-

A brother and sister meander through the market.

They look so alike you’d think they were twins.

In reality, the only matching feature is their boldly drawn eyebrows, yet somehow that alone gives off an incredible resemblance.

The sister is tall, almost like a guy, while the younger brother is quite short.

It’s Qing and Jin Jangmyung, disguised.

Qing looks like a sharp-thinking woman ready to take on big ventures.

Jin Jangmyung is the spitting image of a rich young master, hair in a single braid, a white belt draped around, and dressed like a hero.

With a strong jawline, well-defined features, and a straight nose, he’s masked any hint of femininity, producing a pristine little young master look.

Though, he’s got this grumpy expression as if someone angered him.

“Why the long face?”

“I dunno.”

“Is it because you can’t wear earrings? How about we go look at some earrings? If you choose something unique, it’ll be fine, won’t it?”

At this, Jin Jangmyung shakes her head.

“If I wear them while disguised as a man, I won’t be able to wear them later. What if someone sharp-eyed spots me?”

“Yeah, but seriously, who’d notice earrings and figure it out?”

“If it’s even a tiny bit risky, I’m unwilling.”

“Hmm. You’re pretty wise, Jangmyung…”

Talking about a bit of risk, Qing didn’t quite catch that.

Look at the little guy being overly cautious; the kid’s really got a lot of fear.

Words have to be precise if they’re going to get the point across.

Cheon Yu-hak left the scene, claiming to find detailed maps.

While he’s at it, he told them to show their faces and gather info in No Mountain.

“Wait, where am I supposed to gather info? Just asking around won’t yield any results!”

“Mountain folk will know. Start asking at the medicine shop.”

Of course, Cheon Yu-hak didn’t have high hopes for great intel.

Just casually tossing around names in the city and stirring up some trouble was all he was really after.

This left Qing quite impressed.

Wow, is this how Shintu operates? Should I be the next Shintu? Maybe I should just kidnap a smart little brat and pass the responsibility onto them?

Anyhow.

Qing’s alias was practically locked in.

Thus, she wandered the medicine shop.

“Welcome! Oh, guest! Are you looking for something specific?”

Dressed well, she set that pricey artifact on her nose.

That artifact is crafted from glass or crystal and is quite expensive and precious.

Naturally, she didn’t pick one tailored to her eyesight like back in her hometown but selected the best made by the artisans.

Though it’s just a flat-cut glass piece that looks fake, it’s still pricey!

And with a noble young master on the side.

The medicine vendor, noticing the well-to-do guests, rushed out immediately.

“Are you here to look at ginseng?”

“Ah, you’ve come to check out the ginseng! What kind are you looking for? The Korean ginseng from Dong-i has decent stock today.”

“Hmm, not dried ginseng. Do you have fresh ginseng? Something lively from No Mountain.”

“Oh dear, don’t even get me started. The mountain folk can’t even go into the mountains lately, so we’re not getting anything from No Mountain at all.”

“Well then, do you have anything like Poria or Callus?”

“Yes, we have a little dried herbal medicine, but fresh herbs are impossible to find anywhere right now.”

“Tsk. What kind of chaos is this? I came all the way from Namnyeong just for No Mountain ginseng.”

Jin Jangmyung, trying to ease the worries, smoothly added a word.

“Don’t worry! Sis, there are medicine shops besides this one in Jigmuk. Let’s check out another place.”

Hmm. Jangmyung, that voice of yours seems a bit too low, doesn’t it?

Even someone listening from a distance would find that oddly suspicious.

And emphasizing names too much does not help if it sounds forced.

Qing flinched a bit, but the medicine vendor didn’t bat an eyelash at the sound of their conversation.

Anyway, as they strolled through the market, tasting skewers and fruit, dealing with various jars and cakes, then—oh, fishcake? Huh? Is that real fishcake?

It sounds strange to ask what fake fishcake is.

However, this fishcake from the Central Plain is a specialty from the Divine Maiden Sect in Hubei, boasting a history of over three thousand years as a top-notch cuisine.

It’s made by finely grinding the meat of freshwater fish and pork, then steaming it with eggs and starch to create a thick dish.

It wasn’t the flavor Qing had envisioned at all.

Was it too gourmet?

Of course, it was delicious.

But what was going on with the fishcake sold at the market?

Strangely, it reminded her of her hometown, and ahh.

Yeah, sometimes you just want to indulge in this cheap taste.

Forget about medicine shops and inquiries; I need to eat this nostalgic fishcake right away.

“Skip the broth; just give me the solid bits equivalent to twenty bowls!”

“Wait? Did you just say twenty?”

“Twenty. Now hurry up and hand it over.”

The fishcake vendor’s face lit up at the prospect of selling twenty bowls at once.

While ideally, she’d prefer the twisted fishcakes, sadly, authentic fishcake from the Central Plain only comes in thin slices or round bites.

So it is what it is.

“Uh, Miss? Are you actually going to eat all that?”

“Sure! You should try it. It’s so tasty. Really!”

“What is?”

Anyway, while Qing was diving deep into her spontaneous food expedition, her excitement was a rare sight in a land where entertainment and leisure were scarce.

Eating displays had only recently become entertainment back in her hometown, so she’s possibly time-traveling.

Inevitably, those around her stopped in their tracks.

With her captivating appearance and her bowl of fishcake, she stuffed her cheeks full, swallowing with the steam rising around her.

And when onlookers get curious, they come closer.

What’s going on? Did the fishcake cart catch fire?

Is this vendor particularly exceptional? More people began to gather, but, wow, what in the world? What kind of woman can shove her face full of fishcake and look gorgeous doing it?

Jin Jangmyung looked bothered by all the attention.

She tightly grabbed Qing’s sleeve and yanked her along.

Let’s get out of here already!

But Qing stood her ground.

When else would she have a chance like this to eat?

And so the quick dwindling of fishcake continued.

Those watching, fascinated by this spectacle, were now even more curious.

Could this woman really finish twenty bowls of fishcake?

With each bowl becoming emptier, the crowd swallowed their own saliva.

Because eating looks attractive when a beauty devours food, how about I get myself a bowl of fishcake, too?

And just as she popped the last piece into her mouth, cheers and applause erupted from the crowd.

Qing turned to face them, raising her arms high, responding to their fervent cheers with a victorious shout.

“I am! The one and only! Unyeonjeong! The gluttonous carnivore devouring all the world’s delicacies! That’s me! Unyeonjeong!”

Gluttonous carnivore? A meat-obsessed girl? But why fishcake?

Come on, buddy, isn’t fish meat? Fish is indeed a type of meat.

And in that moment…

“Shopkeeper! Ten more bowls!”

The astonishing declaration of the carnivore!

The stunned crowd gasped collectively.

She just devoured twenty bowls and now wants ten more?

But the silence was fleeting—a raucous cheer spurred the crowd louder.

“Carnivore!” “Unyeonjeong!” “Carnivore!”

In truth, each bowl didn’t hold many bits.

Transforming her town’s specialized unit of measurement, it was around that twisted size.

For Qing, taking on forty bowls equating to twenty wouldn’t be much of a challenge at all.

Though it was a bit taxing…

Since the crowd was gathered, time to boost the name a little more.

So, as Qing gobbled down the fishcake, someone suddenly chimed in.

“Hey, lady. Did you say Unyeonjeong? How about you eat something good instead of this cheap fishcake? If you’re in Jigmuk, enjoying an extravagant banquet is the real way to experience it, right?”

What’s this, now?

Turning her head, Qing spotted a cocky guy armed and flanked by a few others—all of them smiling devilishly at her.

Well, you know they say, just because you look somewhat polished, it doesn’t mean you’re safe from trouble.

Even with makeup on, the renowned Most Beautiful in the World look wouldn’t be concealed.

It’s only natural for flies to swarm around a seemingly defenseless beauty without weapons.

Still astonished, Qing blinked at this intruding guy.

What’s his deal?

He looks rather appealing, likely the type who would have broken a few hearts.

With confidence to boot, he probably thought he could slide right in.

“Thanks for your kind words, but I’m starting to feel full.”

“Oh, come on, lady, don’t play hard to get.”

Qing’s eyebrow twitched.

This brat is calling her “lady” on their first meeting?

I really oughta smack him one.

Using “lady” where she comes from implies a deeper relationship—just above friends but not quite lovers.

Friends are just referred to as “Young Ladies.” When it comes to lovers, they use all kinds of cheesy nicknames, leaving “lady” in a unique spot.

“Thanks for your consideration, but how could I casually follow some strange backwoods man? Please hold back on such audacious comments.”

“Strange? That sounds harsh.”

“Are we acquainted then? I’m seeing you for the very first time.”

“Well, knowing your name and seeing your face means we’re acquainted, right? I’m Jang Han, a great hero of Seohociljeol. So now we’re friends, right?”

Qing waited for just a moment.

One… two…

There might not be any substantial fame behind his name since no loud cheers rang out, but Qing, with her extraordinary hearing, caught whispers of “Seohociljeol” and “fiery one.”

A heterodox scoundrel’s moniker rarely matches the name they claim.

Typically, people twist the last character to demean them, labelling them as devils, dogs, barbarians, or slaves.

“Not particularly interested in getting to know you, so could you step aside?”

“Oh come on, no need to act haughty. Just one drink? What do you say?”

“Day drinking? Really?”

“Well then, we can drink until night, can’t we?”

“Sorry, but I have other matters to attend to. So, I’ll be off now.”

“Oh come on.”

Right then, he reached out and grabbed Qing’s wrist.

Qing internally cheered.

This punk just made the first move!

Ready to teach him a lesson, she swung her arm back.

“Stop!”

Every eye turned to them: Qing, Jin Jangmyung, Jang Han, and the onlookers, all watching this unfold.

Then, a masked warrior stepped forward.

With a dual sword strapped to his back, it seems he’s a martial world individual.

Jang Han let go of Qing’s wrist and took a hand to his waist.

Qing tilted her head.

This felt oddly familiar, and her voice sounded like someone she knew.

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