269 Chapter 269

Ho Sung Lee set out to find information about the secret document as Min Sung instructed.

The air was sticky, followed by rain.

The day was getting darker.

In order to find information, Ho Sung Lee used his skills to start a search, but despite having looked for a long time, he couldn't find a single clue.

"It seems as though we might have to meet with the ruler of this territory."

In response to Ho Sung Lee's report, Min Sung grabbed his head. He thought for a moment and then looked at Ho Sung Lee.

"I'm sure we'll meet him soon. Anyway, it's raining. What would be good?"

"Sorry? Oh, for food?"

"Yeah."

"One moment."

Ho Sung Lee looked out at the rainy scenery out the window and thought about what to make.

Not long afterward, Ho Sung Lee nodded.

"How about pork bone soup?"

"Sounds good. Get started."

"Yes, Sir."

Ho Sung Lee smiled and began preparing the meal.

After rolling up his sleeves and washing his hands, he took out the ingredients to start cooking when he heard the sound of knocking.

Ho Sung Lee opened the door with a confused look on his face.

Outside was the little girl, Marie, who was smiling while wearing a raincoat.

"Huh? Hey, Marie."

Ho Sung Lee smiled and greeted her.

"May I come in?" Marie asked.

"We were actually preparing a meal. Would you like to join us?"

Marie looked at Ho Sung Lee with twinkling eyes and showed joy as if it was Christmas Day.

"Really? Can I?"

"Yeah, of course. This is your house, and you should eat as much as you can while we're here."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Stop thanking me and come in."

Ho Sung Lee gestured for her to come in.

Marie entered and took off her raincoat.

Ho Sung Lee began preparing the ingredients.

Meanwhile, Marie approached Min Sung.

Marie seemed nervous because of how intimidating Min Sung looked.

Min Sung, who was thinking while looking out the window, slowly looked over at Marie.

Min Sung flicked his index finger toward Marie.

Marie approached, still tense.

"How did it go?" Min Sung asked.

"The villagers are treating me well. Some of them still hate me, but there are a lot more people cheering for me now," explained Marie with a smile.

"That's good."

"It's all thanks to you. Thank you."

Min Sung nodded.

"No problem. I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Marie asked with a cute look on her face.

"Do you know anything about the Golden Code?"

The Golden Code was the confirmed information they had on the ancient document, and it was their biggest hint for finding the hidden secret document.

Of course, the little girl was just a child who was chased away by the villagers for supposedly being a witch, but he thought he should ask anyway.

"Yes, I do."

Marie gave a very unexpected answer.

Min Sung looked at the witch with surprised eyes, and even Ho Sung Lee, who was preparing the food, looked at Marie with a shocked look on his face

If this girl who was called a witch had been killed in the hands of Krok's soldiers or the villagers, it was possible they wouldn't have been able to find the Golden Code, which was a hint to finding the secret document.

His thoughts ended there, and an exhilarating sensation crossed his heart.

Min Sung got up from his seat and looked straight into Marie's eyes.

"Tell me what you know. What's the Golden Code?"

Min Sung was very focused after realizing that she could have the solution.

"12," Marie quietly answered.

"12 is the Golden Code?"

Marie nodded at Min Sung.

"Do you know why 12 is the number for the Golden Code?"

"Yes, I do."

Min Sung looked at Marie in shock.

He had no idea this little girl possessed such important information.

Min Sung hid his surprise and focused.

"Tell me. Why is the number 12 the Golden Code?"

"It's a list of 12 names and a sign."

"… 12 names. And a sign?" Min Sung mumbled to himself.

Thanks to Marie's valuable information, he now knew what the Golden Code was, and as a result, he got an idea of what the secret document was.

The quest that the ancient document gave him.

The hidden secret document must have been a type of list.

It would contain the information of the 12 peoples' signs, and that sign was probably the inner continent's high-ranking players.

"Do you know anything else?"

"That's it…"

Marie answered with a sad face

Min Sung smiled at Marie.

"Don't worry. You did plenty."

In response to Min Sung's smile, Marie seemed to be relieved.

"Since Marie gave us such important information, I'd better make the pork bone soup extra delicious for her."

Marie glanced over at Ho Sung Lee with her mouth open.

"Pork bone soup…?"

"Yeah, pork bone soup. You'll like it, Marie," said Ho Sung Lee with a wink.

Marie was full of anticipation.

The pork cutlets and ice cream she ate last time tasted like Heaven.

She wouldn't forget those Heavenly flavors for the rest of her life, so the thought of eating something like that again made her very excited.

On top of that, Ho Sung Lee said he would make it extra delicious, so it was no wonder she was ecstatic.

Marie sat in a chair and watched Ho Sung Lee make the food.

She already smelled something delicious.

Marie continued to watch Ho Sung Lee make the pork bone soup with her jaw dropped.

***

The pork bone soup was complete.

The pork bone soup on top of the table boiled and gave off white steam.

Marie stared at the pork bone soup with her jaw still dropped.

"Your jaw might fall off."

Despite what Ho Sung Lee said, Marie didn't mind him and continued to stare at the pork bone soup with her mouth open.

It was understandable because the pork bone soup that Ho Sung Lee made was so perfect that it could have been from a restaurant.

The visuals were fantastic.

The black pot contained potatoes and pork bones, and the boiling broth gave off a powerful scent.

On top of that, the perilla leaves that could be seen on top of the potatoes and pork bones made the dish that much more impactful.

Ho Sung Lee placed the rice on the table, which meant that the meal was ready to be eaten.

Min Sung and Marie grabbed their spoons and began eating as if they were in a race.

He drank the soup first.

The boiled broth was deep and thick, and it stimulated his tastebuds.

After warming up his mouth with broth, Min Sung put down a large pork bone on his side plate.

Ho Sung Lee also made a dip to dip the meat.

When he dipped a piece of meat and ate it, he felt as though his body was being electrified.

It was sweet and sour and was truly the best sweet flavor he could imagine.

On top of that, the soft meat was so dangerously delicious that it made him want to stuff his face.

Min Sung focused on his pork bone soup and ate quicker and quicker with his eyes wide open.

Om nom!

The flavors were absolutely explosive, and what completed the whole meal was the rice and another spoonful of the broth.

But what about the potatoes within the broth?

The taste of the soft potato in his mouth was a killer.

But that wasn't the end of the pork bone soup.

There was one more thing.

And that was the hand-pulled dough that floated in the soup like small pearls.

The hand-pulled dough was small, but the flavor was not to be underestimated.

No, the hand-pulled dough was the true explosive in the dish.

The combination of the broth flavor in the hand-pulled dough, as well as its chewy texture, made the flavors very impactful.

When he ate a piece of the hand-pulled dough with some of the broth and rice, it was as though a tornado was let loose inside his mouth.

And what gave the meal the most powerful punch was a particular action.

Taking the bones apart and sucking the meat off the bones with his mouth was the best way to enjoy the flavors of the pork bone soup.

He finished the meat in no time, and the flavors of the potatoes, hand-pulled dough, and the dry radish greens made him want to faint.

After noticing that Min Sung and Marie had finished half of their meal, Ho Sung Lee jumped in.

"Can you eat more?"

In response, Min Sung looked at him in confusion.

"I'll make you some fried rice."

Ho Sung Lee hit him with a punch that almost gave him a heart attack.

Min Sung nodded. He sprung up. He washed his hands and came back.

Ho Sung Lee was already making the fried rice using Bowl's dark magic as fire.

They heard the sound of him making the fried rice.

Min Sung wasn't the type to overeat, but he couldn't refuse the fried rice that would be made with the pork bone soup broth.

So he waited for the fried rice with Marie.

He then glanced over at Marie.

The little girl looked as though she was going to pass out from the joy.

She was staring at Ho Sung Lee and the fried rice he was making without any thought.

It was understandable.

He thought it was delicious, so of course, Marie thought the same…

Min Sung realized that Ho Sung Lee's dishes were starting to reach a whole new level.