I Run a Convenience Store in the Martial Arts World

“My name is Baek Jin-yong.”
The man who introduced himself as Baek Jin-yong looked around the inside of the convenience store with admiring eyes.
“So many highest-grade night-luminous pearls! And so many items I’ve never seen before. Innkeeper, are these items from the Western Regions?”
I nodded vaguely, and Baek Jin-yong nodded saying, “Indeed.”
“Is there no place to sit here?”
“Ah. Hwa-yeon, please guide the customer.”
“Got it, master chef.”
Hwa-yeon took Baek Jin-yong to the plastic chairs inside the convenience store.
“Innkeeper! Please give me one chicken and noodles. Oh, and make the noodles spicy, please.”
Baek Jin-yong knew exactly what he wanted.
He seemed to think this was a regular inn.
I went to the refrigerated section and chose a vacuum-packed smoked chicken leg and one Shin Shin Ramen.
I slightly tore the packaging of the smoked chicken leg and put it in the microwave for 1 minute.
I poured hot water into the Shin Shin Ramen, prepared wooden chopsticks, and placed them on the table where Baek Jin-yong was sitting.
“That will be fifteen coins in total. Payment in advance, please.”
“Here you are.”
Baek Jin-yong placed the coins on my palm.
Like Yu Hwa-yeon and Kwak Sang-hyun, he too began to exclaim in wonder while looking at the ramen cup.
“Is this… noodles?”
“Yes, it’s spicy noodles. We call it ramen.”
“Ra… lamian? But why is there only a chicken leg? I asked for a whole chicken.”
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have whole chickens at the convenience store.”
“Huh. What a strange inn.”
Baek Jin-yong tilted his head but focused on the emanating aroma.
He picked up the brown smoked chicken leg, turned it around while looking at it, and then took a big bite.
“Oh! This is a smoked-style dish! I’ve only heard about it, but this is my first time actually eating it.”
Baek Jin-yong exclaimed in admiration as he tore into the chicken leg and inhaled the ramen.
A Wudang Sect martial artist.
I closely examined his appearance.
Typically, Wudang Sect is known as a sect that practices the Way to become immortals.
In the description of Wudang Sect martial artists I read in the novel, they were described as clean in appearance, with flawless martial attire, always neat in appearance, and their walking style reflecting courtesy.
But,
“Smack smack! Mmm! Delishush! Huheheh!”
A shabby appearance with dark circles under his eyes.
Frivolous demeanor and eating with smacking sounds.
No way.
This isn’t the Wudang Sect I had in mind.
Could he be a beggar who just picked up discarded Wudang Sect martial clothes from the street?
Seeing the Wudang Sect martial artist I had thought was cool from the descriptions, my fantasies came crashing down.
I whispered to Hwa-yeon who was standing beside me.
“Is he really from Wudang Sect…?”
“The martial clothes are definitely Wudang Sect’s, but…”
Hwa-yeon also tilted her head.
Having instantly emptied the ramen and chicken leg, Baek Jin-yong leaned back in his chair and let out a loud burp, “BURP!”
“Wow, to think there was an inn that could make such a taste. Indeed, it’s something to see after living a long time.”
For a young man who seemed to have just passed thirty to say “after living a long time.”
Indeed, it’s something to see.
With his stomach full, Baek Jin-yong finally looked around the inside of the convenience store.
At first, he had been so engrossed in eating that he missed the strange sights inside the convenience store.
“Innkeeper. If it’s not impolite, would it be alright for me to look around the inn?”
This is actually a good thing.
If Baek Jin-yong explores the inside of the convenience store and goes back to Wudang Sect to tell others about what he saw here, other Wudang Sect disciples curious about it would come visit.
That’s how the customer base could gradually increase.
When I nodded, Baek Jin-yong picked up his sword and began to walk around the inside of the convenience store.
He was admiring the same points that martial artists commonly admire.
The dozens, hundreds of various items, the refrigerator emitting cold air, and the brightly shining fluorescent lights.
Baek Jin-yong, with his mouth so widely open that a fly could enter without him noticing, looked around the convenience store for a while and then stopped at a certain point.
“Innkeeper. What on earth is this?”
As I was organizing the trash he had left after eating, Baek Jin-yong suddenly asked.
Wondering what he had seen, I approached him, and in his hand was a stiff yellow paper.
It was a scratch lottery, Speedo, with the first prize of 100 gold ingots written on it.
“Ah, that’s called Speedo, it’s a lottery. A lottery.”
“Lot…tery?”
“So if you scratch these numbers here.”
I took out a coin and started scratching the front of the Speedo.
As I scratched the rectangular surface, pictures and prize amounts began to appear.
“You see these pictures? If they don’t match, you lose, and if they match, you win. See how these 10 coin pictures match over here? That means you’ve won 10 coins.”
“So, it’s like putting money down and eating money, that’s what you’re saying?”
“Well, if you put it that way. One of these costs 10 coins. The prize that came out now is 10 coins. That means you break even.”
Looking at Baek Jin-yong’s expression, he was completely entranced.
It was because his eyes were caught by the opportunity for instant wealth depicted on the front of the Speedo.
“So does that mean the 100 gold ingots shown here could also come out?”
No way.
In all my time working at convenience stores, I’ve never seen anyone bring in a 1 billion won winning Speedo.
Would the martial arts world be any different?
“It’s possible, but it’s better not to expect…”
“Give me one!”
“Pardon?”
“Just give me one first.”
“Well, I’ll give it to you, but…”
As long as I sell the item, it’s fine by me, so I’ll give it if he buys it,
but Baek Jin-yong’s eyes seemed a bit off.
It was as if he was thinking, ‘I’ll try my luck just once!’
Oh well.
He must be doing it as a hobby.
Would a Wudang Sect martial artist, who dreams of becoming an immortal, fall into gambling?
Surely not.
“I have 10-coin and 20-coin ones, which would you like?”
“Give me both!”

Manyokru, known as the largest entertainment house in Hubei Province.
The evaluations that circulated among those who frequented the place were unanimously the same:
‘Manyokru is a very special entertainment house!’
True to this evaluation,
everyone from the martial heroes of the Martial Alliance, Evil Sect martial artists, Hidden Cult members disguising their identities, local notables, and merchants, all passed through Manyokru at least once.
Two-tenths praised the delicious food.
Two-tenths came hoping to see the mistress of Manyokru, known for her beauty that could topple a nation.
One-tenth praised the exquisite dance and songs of the courtesans.
And the largest segment, five-tenths, praised:
Gambling.
Past the large courtyard of Manyokru, at the edge of the courtesan rooms, there was a hidden door.
Beyond it lay a massive gambling den that one could hardly imagine.
Today too, martial artists who had come to gamble since daylight filled the gambling den.
This was the secret behind why Manyokru was called the entertainment house of day and night.
“Listen! I clearly saw it with my own two eyes! The ball was definitely in the middle cup!”
A hot-blooded young martial artist flushed red and stomped his foot.
“This is clearly a fraud! I clearly saw with my own two eyes this person moving the ball to the right cup at the last moment!”
At the young martial artist’s words, others gathered around and began to murmur.
Gambling itself was illegal, but still, being cheated within it was inherently unpleasant.
The young martial artist looked triumphant as he saw people agreeing with him.
“Hey, servant. Quickly admit your fraudulent act, apologize, and return my money, and I’ll consider this matter settled.”
The servant who ran the shell game, mixing three cups to guess where the ball was, showed an embarrassed look and broke into a cold sweat.
“Sir, customer. Fraud? There’s no such thing at all.”
“Huh! You’re still not admitting it?”
Swish-
The young martial artist drew the sword at his waist.
The sharp tip of the sword jabbed near the servant’s neck.
“Let’s see if you continue to lie even now.”
“Eek!”
Just as the martial artists stationed inside the gambling den were about to rush in,
“If anyone moves, this servant’s neck will be gone!”
At the young martial artist’s shout, they stopped in their tracks.
However,
Step- Step-
Despite the young martial artist’s shout, the sound of light footsteps continued.
“Who is it! If you move, this man’s head will…”
“For someone who calls himself a hero to attempt to cut the neck of an innocent person.”
A neat and elegant voice.
Graceful steps.
A tight qipao that revealed her sides,
and a sensual figure visible through the clothes.
“It would severely lower the dignity of the righteous sects.”
Her eyes, which she gently closed and opened as if to say ‘don’t do it,’ were filled with profound intelligence.
“Oh. So you are Cheon-hyang, the mistress of Manyokru. Indeed, you are worthy of being called a beauty that could topple a nation, as I’ve heard.”
“You flatter me.”
“But it seems you haven’t acquired the character to match your beauty? Not only running a gambling den but also openly committing fraud.”
Cheon-hyang approached the servant and asked.
“Did you really cheat?”
“Mistress! I’m really wronged! Fraud? There’s absolutely no such thing!”
This time, Cheon-hyang stood beside the servant and looked at the young martial artist.
“He says he didn’t.”
“I clearly saw it!”
“What only you saw doesn’t constitute evidence of fraud.”
“You woman? Do you think you’re something because people call you pretty?”
“Instead of that, how about you play a round with me?”
Cheon-hyang placed a small ball in the middle of the three cups.
“If you win, I’ll generously give you your original amount plus twice that amount as profit. But if I win, you’ll apologize neatly and leave empty-handed.”
“Ha! I asked you to clarify the fraud, why are you asking me to play shell game again…”
“You mix them, sir. I’ll guess. This way, you don’t have to worry about us cheating, right?”
The young martial artist’s eyes lit up.
Alright.
You’re giving me the key?
He had heard rumors that she had a serious and deep gaze and an intellectual character, and had been wondering what kind of woman she was.
Were all those just exaggerated rumors?
Now that he looked at her, wasn’t she just a sucker?
The young martial artist didn’t think he would lose.
He sent a sound transmission to someone standing in the corner of the gambling den.
‘Please help me once more.’
‘Double.’
‘Double… alright.’
How could the servant move the ball inside the cup without even touching it?
This entire incident was all planned by the young martial artist.
He had stationed a master who had reached the level of controlling objects in the void in the corner of the gambling den.
It was incomprehensible why such a master would conspire with con artists to cheat, but only the master knew his reasons.
“Fine. Just make sure you keep your promise.”
The young martial artist’s hands moved busily.
Cheon-hyang’s pupils followed the cup that was in the middle.
In the last moment, the young martial artist slightly lifted the cup without anyone noticing, and the ball in the left cup quickly moved to the middle cup.
“Now, try to guess where it is.”
How would a woman who doesn’t know even the basics of martial arts know where the ball moved?
Therefore, the young martial artist was confident in his victory.
However,
“The middle one.”
At Cheon-hyang’s words, the young martial artist’s expression hardened.
‘How?’
“Let’s quickly check.”
When the young martial artist kept his mouth shut and stayed still, Cheon-hyang directly lifted the middle cup.
“Here it is.”
The young martial artist’s face turned red, and he immediately drew his sword again.
“You, you woman! What trick! This is clearly fraud…”
“I didn’t even touch it, so how did I cheat? I don’t even know the basics of martial arts.”
Swish-
The tip of the sword hung over Cheon-hyang’s neck.
“How dare you! Do you know who I am? I am the branch of the Martial Alliance in Hubei Province…”
“Tak Seon-gang. You are the Yellow Dragon Deputy Leader of the Hubei branch of the Martial Alliance, right?”
“You know well.”
“It’s an honor that the Deputy Leader has come to enjoy such a humble place, but would you be safe even if your fraudulent act was revealed?”
“What?”
“I saw you using sound transmission. Your shoulders were trembling.”
Tak Seon-gang snorted.
“Didn’t you say you don’t know even the basics of martial arts? How did you know my shoulders were trembling?”
“My, are there only one or two masters here? The old master standing in the corner with whom you exchanged sound transmissions isn’t the only master.”
Tak Seon-gang and Cheon-hyang’s gazes met in the void.
He couldn’t say anything.
“How about it, will you quietly withdraw? Or should I report to the headquarters of the Martial Alliance?”
Finally, Tak Seon-gang withdrew his sword.
“Hmph! That high nose of yours will crumble one day. I hope I’m standing in front of you when it happens.”
“The bigger the dream, the better.”
Tak Seon-gang clicked his tongue and turned to leave Manyokru.
“Phew.”
Cheon-hyang let out a sigh of relief.
One of the martial artists from the gambling den approached her.
“Mistress. I’m sorry, but I have something urgent to report.”
“It’s alright. Tell me.”
“His whereabouts have been tracked. He’s in the Ghost Bamboo Forest.”
Cheon-hyang’s face hardened at the mention of the Ghost Bamboo Forest.
“I’ll go directly. Prepare.”
“Yes.”
Cheon-hyang fiddled with the jade ring on her finger.
Baek Jin-yong.
Finally caught your tail.
Wait.
I’ll chase you even to the ends of the Central Plains.