Healing in the Country Side with a Baby Dragon - CHAPTER 23 (Meat on a Hard Day)

The motorized tiller chugged slowly along the winding country road.

To Chief Ham Bong-seok, who had traveled this path for decades, the bumpy terrain was practically second nature. Riding behind him on the trailer of the cultivator was Hyung-seok, Grandma Kim’s grandson. When Chief Ham had stopped by their house earlier, he was already dressed and waiting for him, so he decided to bring him along. 

Originally, Chief Ham had only planned to take the Sae-chaem, but for some reason, Hyung-seok insisted on tagging-along. He used to absolutely despise interacting with people, but it seemed his state of mind was loosening up a bit.

“I’ve actually been starting to feel a lot better these days.” Hyung-seok said softly.

It wasn’t just his mood; his physical body was genuinely beginning to recover. 

Not long ago, the nerves in his twisted legs had slowly started firing again, and recently, he’d even begun feeling occasional flashes of pain. If an outsider heard that, they might wonder why on earth someone would be happy about feeling pain, but to Hyung-seok, it was the best news in the world. 

It was a definitive sign that his dormant nerves were coming back to life. It could have been phantom pain or something similar, but having even a sliver of tangible hope was infinitely better than before, when his situation felt entirely hopeless.

“Really? Man, that’s incredibly fortunate.” Chief Ham replied, beaming.

“Yes, it really is.” 

A small, genuine smile appeared on Hyung-seok’s face as he looked down at his lap.

He didn't even care if he never made a full, absolute recovery. If he could just heal enough to walk around and help his grandmother with the farm work, he would be completely satisfied. He hated the thought of watching his grandmother labor away in the fields forever.

Glancing at the young man’s brighter expression, Chief Ham chuckled warmly.

Hyung-seok then said to the Chief;

“I’m actually learning how to make traditional gochujang (chili paste) and doenjang (soybean paste) from my grandmother right now.”

“Oh, really? From your grandma?”

“Yep. So once I recover a bit more, You'd better help and teach me a thing or two about farming!”

At Hyung-seok’s earnest request, Chief Ham nodded with a broad, booming laugh. 

“You bet I will! You’ve been a sharp kid since you were knee-high to a grasshopper. You’ll pick it up in no time.”

Having watched Hyung-seok grow up from a young boy, the chief had been secretly heartbroken by his debilitating injury. Seeing the lad regain his spirit like this warmed his heart. With his mood dialed up to an all-time high, the chief felt like he could plow the entire valley today without breaking a sweat.

As he steered the tiller, he leaned back slightly. 

“By the way, Hyung-seok, you know Jin-sol, right?”

“Yeah.”

“What exactly did he do before he moved out here? Last I heard, he just worked at some regular corporate office.”

“An office? Are you sure it's just a normal company?” confusion rose from Hyung-seok face.

“Yeah, that's what he said. Why do you ask? Is something on your mind?”

Hyung-seok hesitated for a moment. 

“To be honest, Chief... Jin-sol brought some apples over to my house a while back.”

“And?”

“My body started recovering right after I ate them.”

“From eating an apple?”

Hyung-seok had spent countless sleepless nights analyzing why his condition was suddenly improving. Was it an injury that was simply bound to heal naturally over time? Was it pure psychological willpower driving his rehabilitation? Or was it an absolute miracle? Try as he might, he couldn’t find a logical answer anywhere—until his gaze locked onto the unique apples Jin-sol had gifted his family.

He had heard from his grandmother that the golden bell tomatoes Jin-sol grew were actually magical crops sourced from beyond the dungeon gates. That piece of information made him connect the dots. Just to be absolutely certain, he decided to open his status window—an interface he had completely closed and ignored ever since his career-ending injury.

[You have consumed an Apple of Life - Grade: A]

[Your natural healing capabilities have increased significantly.]

He had frozen solid when the glowing system message materialized before him.

“You know, there are special crops from beyond the gates that focus entirely on physical recovery.” Hyung-seok muttered.

“What? Really?” the chief blinked, thoroughly surprised. 

“Is that why those tomatoes taste so incredible? Come to think of it, whenever I eat them, I feel strangely refreshed and energetic the next morning!”

“Wait, did Jin-sol give some to you too, Chief?”

“Huh? Yeah! He distributed two of them to every single household in the neighborhood.”

Hyung-seok’s jaw nearly hit the floor of the trailer. 

'Two per household?!' 

Even a single low-grade gate crop could pull an astronomical price on the open hunter market, yet Jin-sol was just handing them out to the village elders like standard produce? What’s more, he had brought five whole apples straight to Hyung-seok's house.

‘I definitely need to talk to him about this.’ 

Hyeong-seok resolved internally.

It was glaringly obvious to him that Jin-sol had absolutely no concept of market value. Although Hyeong-seok had never achieved legendary S-class status during his active years, he had made a decent living as a professional hunter. He had a very clear, realistic grasp of just how much a miracle fruit like the Apple of Life was worth. 

Honestly, it was a value that an insignificant, retired hunter like himself probably couldn’t even accurately calculate. It was a relic-class asset, not something you just throw around carelessly to neighbors.

He knew that telling Jin-sol might complicate things, and it certainly wouldn't change the fact that his body was already healing, but he couldn't just sit back and say nothing. He had witnessed far too much ugly, toxic selfishness during his time in the hunter industry to stand by and watch a good, naive person potentially get taken advantage of.

Just as Hyung-seok finalized his mental resolve...

“Well, look at that. We’re here.” 

Chief Ham announced, pulling the tiller to a halt at the edge of Grandma Kim’s property.

“What on earth...?”

Both the Chief and Hyung-seok froze, their mouths dropping open as they took in the unbelievable scene unfolding before them. Hyung-seok frantically rubbed his eyes, convinced he was hallucinating from his nerve recovery, but the reality remained entirely unchanged.

The massive, winding field was already completely turned over. And right at that moment, the final patch of soil was being vigorously plowed by... a full suit of silver plate armor.

“Hyah! Move it, Oh-sik!” Jin-sol cheered from behind.

It was a literal medieval knight, completely decked out in shining steel, sprinting across the dirt while dragging a heavy wooden ox-plow. And right on top of the plow frame, balancing expertly as if he was riding a chariot, was Jin-sol.

“Right away, my lord!” Oh-sik roared back, looking incredibly thrilled by the intense physical labor.

And perched right on his armored shoulders...

“Byaaaa—!”

Little Baek Seol-ah was squealing with pure delight, her silver hair fluttering wildly in the wind as they bounded across the field.

Hyung-seok rubbed his eyes a second time. The scene was far too absurd to be real, yet there they are, kicking up massive plumes of dark, rich soil.

“What in the world is happening here?” Chief Ham stammered, entirely bewildered.

One of the village elders sitting on a nearby ridge chuckled, waving a hand. 

“Ah, the lad in the armor suddenly insisted that he could turn the entire field using the old wooden ox-plow. At first, we thought he was completely out of his mind, but look at him go! He’s a machine!”

“He plowed this entire valley by himself?” Hyung-seok asked, his voice cracking.

“Yep! He mumbled something about his 'knightly duty' and then started tearing through the dirt like a madman. Honestly, I think he’s faster than a literal tractor!”

The neighborhood elders were all lounging comfortably, laughing and smiling as they watched the spectacle. And curiously, every single one of them was holding a vibrant, perfectly round red fruit in their hands.

Hyung-seok’s eyes locked onto the fruit.

'Wait... an apple?'

Recognizing the distinct, premium aura of the fruit, he rushed over to the resting elders. 

“Excuse me, where did you get those apples?”

“Oh, Hyung-seok! You made it out! Shouldn't you be resting your legs at home, dear?” 

Grandma Kim asked warmly, taking a massive, crisp bite out of her own apple.

Hyeong-seok’s mind was spinning at a million miles an hour. 

'Do these people have any earthly idea how much money they are chewing on right now?!'

“Did Jin-sol bring these? Did he give them to everyone?” he pressed urgently.

“Yeah, that nice young bachelor brought a whole bunch over for us to snack on while we watched. My goodness, it is incredibly sweet!”

Hyung-seok didn't need her to tell him it was delicious; just standing within a five-foot radius of the crisp, magical fragrance was causing his salivary glands to completely explode. It was a literal crime to see such high-grade, system-blessed artifacts consumed as casual field snacks.

However, his internal panic reached an absolute peak when his grandmother pointed toward a large woven container resting under the shade of a tree. Following her finger, Hyung-seok was completely paralyzed by the sight of a massive, overflowing basket stacked high with Apples of Life

“He told us to split whatever's left among ourselves and take them home when we're finished.” Grandma Kim smiled. 

“Since you love apples so much, Hyung-seok, make sure we pack a whole bunch into our bags!”

Looking at the pure, radiant happiness on the faces of the village elders as they laughed and enjoyed the crisp fruit, Hyung-seok felt a sudden wave of profound clarity wash over him. His grandmother wiped a fresh apple against her apron and handed it to him. As he took a bite, the intense, crisp sweetness immediately filled his senses, while out in the field, the silver knight’s armor flashed brilliantly in the sunlight.

‘A regular corporate office worker? Yeah, right.’

A man who casually commands high-tier armored knights like farm animals and grows mythical gate crops in his backyard like ordinary garden weeds? There was absolutely no way. The simple country folks might be completely oblivious to the truth, but he was a former hunter; he wouldn't be fooled so easily.

Hyung-seok was now completely, unshakeably convinced of Jin-sol true identity.

'A Hermit.'

It was the only logical explanation. He has to be a legendary, retired master hunter who had chosen to live a quiet, anonymous life deep in the countryside, away from the prying eyes of the media and the big guilds.

Right then and there, Hyung-seok made a silent, solemn vow to himself. 

‘I will protect his secret with my life.’

He would take the truth of his benefactor’s god-like status to the absolute grave. It was a silent pact made in his heart, entirely unbeknownst to Jin-sol

The sun began to set as we finally made our way back up the path toward our house.

“Charge!” Oh-sik shouted.

“Byaaaa—!” Seol-ah cheered.

Oh-sik was practically sprinting up the road, carrying Seol-ah safely on his shoulders. It seemed his debut into agricultural labor had left him incredibly energized, and Seol-ah was absolutely loving the high-speed ride. I trailed a few paces behind them, carrying the carrier box housing our three puppy brothers.

Oh-sik had made an absolute splash today. Thanks to his superhuman strength, the plowing that usually took days was completed in a matter of hours.

“My goodness, Oh-sik is an absolute treasure!”

“I’ve never seen anyone that powerful in my life!”

The barrage of intense compliments from the neighborhood elders had left the knight completely floating on cloud nine.

“If any of you ever face any hardships, do not hesitate to summon me!” he had declared proudly to the entire crowd. 

“It is the absolute code of a knight to aid those in peril!”

He was so deeply invested in the validation that he had essentially volunteered himself for any future heavy lifting in the village. Naturally, I didn't mind at all. Since there wasn't much for him to do around our yard anyway, letting him help out the neighbors was the perfect way to get him integrated into the community.

“Oh my, look at Seol-ah eating that apple. Is it really that delicious, sweetie?” Grandma Kim had asked earlier.

“Yes!” Seol-ah had beamed.

“My word, she’s speaking so clearly now! And look at that smile, she is just precious.”

Seol-ah was clearly thriving on all the warmth and affection from the village elders. Lately, she and So-yoon had officially become the dual mascots of the entire neighborhood. Whenever Seol-ah ran into an elder on the road, she would stop, bow her tiny head deeply, and give a bright greeting. It never failed to instantly illuminate their faces. The elders had even started carrying small pieces of candy in their pockets specifically to hand out to her whenever she passed by.

I had initially worried it might be a burden to them, but Chief Ham had firmly set me straight: ‘It’s the simple joy of old age, Jinsol. Don't go stealing that away from us.’

He was right; it brought them genuine happiness. And honestly, no parent would ever complain about their child being showered with unconditional love, so I simply encouraged Seol-ah to be as bright and affectionate as she wanted.

“Are you little guys having a good time too?” I asked, peeking into the carrier box.

“Heh, heh, heh!”

The three puppies responded by panting happily, their tiny pink tongues sticking out as their ears and tails wagged in a synchronized blur. The sight was incredibly endearing.

I was in a fantastic mood myself. When I saw Hyung-seok today, his overall complexion looked significantly healthier. He had even proudly mentioned to the chief that he could manage a few steps with the help of crutches now. Witnessing profound hope flood back into a place where absolute despair once ruled was an incredible feeling.

As we walked, Hyung-seok had caught my eye and delivered a bizarre parting line with an expression of intense, bordering-on-religious reverence: “Do not worry, Jin-sol. I will guard your true secret until the day I die.”

I had just nodded blankly, thinking to myself, ‘Uh, alright, sure.’ I figured he was just talking about keeping the healing properties of the Apples of Life under wraps. Given that the fruit had essentially saved his legs, a high level of gratitude was perfectly understandable, even if his intense gaze felt a little over the top.

When our eccentric little group finally arrived back at the house, I opened the front gate. “Alright, let’s get inside.”

*Grumbleeee.*

A massive, echoing rumble reverberated from deep within Oh-sik’s silver chest plate. I blinked, looking at him. 

“Wait, didn't you just eat a bunch of snacks at the field? You’re hungry already?”

“Ahem... I believe the sheer velocity of our return journey caused my stomach to drop, my lord.” Oh-sik offered, a terribly flimsy excuse.

Right on cue, Seol-ah’s tiny stomach let out a high-pitched gurgle of its own, signaling that she was equally famished. Well, considering the absolute wild energy the two of them had expended running around all afternoon, it made sense.

“Alright, let’s go inside and get some dinner started,” I laughed.

“Bam!”

“Is it time for the legendary beef soup, my lord?!”

I guided the two overly excited eaters into the house. Truth be told, all that manual labor had left me pretty exhausted too, so I wanted to whip up something incredibly hearty and satisfying for an early dinner. If Oh-sik heard what I was actually planning, he might be a little disappointed about the lack of beef broth, but I had a different philosophy: ‘On a grueling day, nothing beats pork belly.’

After a hard day's work, a proper meat feast was non-negotiable. 

‘Freshly made bossam (boiled pork) paired with crisp, spicy geotjeori (freshly pickled cabbage) is going to be perfect.’

First, I filled the pressure cooker with water and tossed in crushed garlic, thick cuts of green onion, whole black peppercorns, and a generous scoop of traditional savory soybean paste before submerging a gorgeous, thick slab of pork belly. I locked the lid into place and cranked the stove to high heat.

While the meat was cooking, I stepped out into the backyard garden to harvest the ingredients for the fresh kimchi. I pulled up a head of crisp cabbage and a few stalks of green onions. The system instantly chimed over the crops:

[Cabbage - Grade: A]

[A premium cabbage cultivated with meticulous care by the earth fairies. While compact in size, its innate sweetness, vibrant aroma, and crisp texture are absolutely extraordinary!]

[Green Onions- Grade: A]

[Premium green onions raised with love by the earth fairies. They possess zero toughness and offer an incredibly rich, robust fragrance that elevates any dish.]

I couldn't help but smile. Making fresh geotjeori with Grade-A, fairy-raised ingredients was practically cheating.

Back in the kitchen, I chopped the crisp cabbage and green onions into a large mixing bowl and began preparing the seasoning paste. I used the vibrant red pepper powder ground from the local mill that Chief Ham had gifted me, and its sharp, spicy aroma instantly hit the air. The moment I began tossing the fresh greens into the thick, crimson seasoning sauce, the pale cabbage leaves transformed into a mouth-watering, glossy red.

The color was flawless. I plucked a crisp piece from the bowl, popped it into my mouth, and bit down.

*Crunch.*

First came the incredibly satisfying, explosive crunch of the pristine cabbage, followed immediately by the sharp, savory kick of the spicy seasoning, which slowly dissolved into the rich, natural sweetness of the vegetable itself. It was absolute perfection in a single bite. Every time I cooked with these gate crops, I was reminded of just how profoundly the quality of the raw ingredients altered the entire flavor profile of a classic dish. It definitely hadn't received that A-grade rating for nothing.

Finding the seasoning just a hair light, I adjusted it with a pinch of coarse salt and finished it off with a generous scatter of toasted sesame seeds.

“And... done.” 

The fresh kimchi was officially complete.

In the meantime, the pressure cooker had begun releasing a rhythmic, hissing cloud of rich, savory steam. I lowered the heat to a simmer and let it cook for another thirty minutes. Once the time was up, I vented the remaining pressure and unlatched the lid.

Resting inside the bubbling broth was a perfectly cooked, golden-hued block of pork belly. I carefully transferred the steaming, tender meat to a cutting board and ran my knife through it. The blade slid through the meat like butter.

I took a small end piece to sample. The savory, deep undertones of the homemade soybean paste had infused beautifully into the pork belly, entirely neutralizing any gamey odors and leaving behind nothing but pure, unadulterated flavor.

This was the absolute peak of comfort food. There is truly nothing more formidable in the culinary world than the combination of piping-hot, freshly boiled pork belly and crisp, freshly seasoned kimchi.

“Alright, dinner's served! Come and get it!” I called out.

Seol-ah and Oh-sik scrambled to the table, their eyes widening into massive circles at the sight of the beautiful spread filling the surface.

“Go ahead, try the meat first.” I urged.

Oh-sik picked up a thick, steaming slice of the pork belly with his chopsticks and ate it. He instantly closed his eyes, a low, reverent groan of absolute admiration escaping his chest.

“Alright, let's get a piece for Seol-ah too—”

“Ah—!”

The moment I placed a tender piece of meat into Seol-ah's mouth, she literally started jumping up and down in her chair, her tiny face illuminating with pure joy. It was a massive hit.

Next, I decided to show them the ultimate combination. 

“Now, try eating them together like this.” 

I stacked a slice of the savory pork belly with a generous helping of the crisp, glossy fresh kimchi and handed it over.

Oh-sik took the massive bite. 

“Wow...!” 

This time, he couldn't even contain himself, letting out an audible gasp as the contrasting textures and flavors exploded in his mouth.

“Bya—!” Seol-ah clamored immediately, bouncing impatiently.

“Alright, alright, I've got you. Here comes the ultimate bite~”

I carefully combined a smaller piece of the tender pork with the fresh greens and placed it in her mouth. Seol-ah paused for a brief moment, her tiny jaws working through the combination. As she swallowed the bite, a layer of glistening tears suddenly welled up in her big blue eyes as she stared up at me.

For a split second, my heart dropped. 

'Wait, was the red pepper powder too spicy for her?'

“Delicious—!” she suddenly roared, her tiny dragon voice echoing through the dining room as she expressed her absolute ecstasy.

From that point onward, dinner turned into an absolute battle zone. Oh-sik and Seol-ah practically inhaled the mountain of meat and kimchi, nodding in frantic, mutual agreement with every single bite. It was less of a dinner and more of a high-speed consumption ritual.

Once the chaotic feast finally concluded, it was time for the grand finale.

“Let’s finish up with some apples.”

Having consumed a hefty portion of fresh fruit for dessert, Seol-ah was now rolling around lazily on the living room rug, holding her visibly bloated, round belly. Beside her, the three puppy brothers were also completely sprawled out on the floor, snoring softly. I had boiled a separate portion of the pork belly entirely without salt or seasoning for the pups, and after gorging themselves on meat and fresh apples, they were completely locked in a food coma.

Night had officially fallen over the countryside, and the only sound breaking the serene silence was the gentle, rhythmic chirping of crickets outside the veranda.

“Did you have a good time today?” I asked, looking over at Oh-sik, who was staring blankly out the window at the starlit sky.

I had been secretly worried that he would remain perpetually stiff and anxious inside his heavy armor, but today had felt completely different. Surrounded by the gentle, simple village elders, he had been able to laugh and let his guard down entirely without a single trace of tension.

“Ah.”

Snapping out of his daze at my question, Oh-sik looked down at the sleeping baby dragon, then at the snoring puppies, and finally back out at the incredibly peaceful, quiet night sky of our rural home.

“Yes, my lord.” he answered, a remarkably bright, serene smile spreading across his handsome face—entirely forgetting that he wasn't even wearing his helmet. 

“It was truly a wonderful day.”

I smiled back, leaning against the frame. Yeah, that was more than enough for me.