Surviving Among the Entities

Local influential families.
Referring to indigenous forces in the regions, these families have existed since ancient times and still exist in the modern era.
The Lee clan of Dangjin seemed to be one such influential family.

“I didn’t see any other buildings on the way here. Is all this land owned by the Lee clan of Dangjin?”
“Yes, it has been our clan’s land since the Goryeo Dynasty. Our ancestors have cherished this land since ancient times, never selling it, and we have managed it well until now.”

I had taken a taxi until we reached the mouth of the mountain.
However, from there onward, there was a fence, and after showing the invitation to the security guards, I had to board an internal vehicle to proceed further.

“The security is quite thorough.”
“Isn’t the world a bit unsettling these days? I think that level is the basic requirement.”
“I agree. It is indeed an unsettling world. Truly regrettable.”

The interior was no different.
There was not only a vast estate with a pond and pavilion, but also wide fields and flower gardens within, and the mansion itself was an enormous traditional Korean hanok spanning thousands of pyeong (a Korean area unit).

‘Did such a prestigious clan exist in our country?’

Was I simply unaware of their existence?
Or was it a clan that emerged as history was slightly altered by entities as the world changed?
Unfortunately, no one will be able to provide the answer.

“Please wait here. I’ll bring out the dishes shortly. We can have our conversation afterward.”
“It seems you’ll be cooking yourself.”
“That’s right. Our clan has passed down the tradition of master chefs for generations.”

Despite the servants I had seen on the way here, Lee Won-bok himself came out to cook.

“That’s why our culinary arts are the clan’s secret, which cannot be entrusted to servants.”

While waiting for the dishes to be brought out from the kitchen, I secretly asked Sarang-a.

“Sarang-a, is there really almost no information about the Lee clan of Dangjin?”
[“Yes, aside from being an ordinary clan that started in the Goryeo Dynasty, there is nothing known.”]

For a clan that knows of the existence of entities and has survived a long time against them, they should be able to easily conceal information.

“The food is here.”

Soon, servants entered, set out various side dishes, and left.
Lee Won-bok then entered afterward.

“I apologize for the wait.”

The side dishes were ordinary, not deviating an inch from typical Korean cuisine – vegetable dishes, seasoned dishes, simple pan-fried dishes, meat dishes, and a heartwarming stew.

“Here is the first dish.”

However, the main dish was far from ordinary.

“This is jiran-tang (地卵湯), made by simmering the testicles of an ox after pickling them in horse manure.”

I scooped up a large portion of the white meat floating in the black broth and put it in my mouth.

‘Unexpectedly delicious.’

Various ingredients and spices gently pushed back the pungent aroma.
Dozens of ingredients melted into the meat texture harmonized in synergy, and conducting this harmony was the ox’s testicle, its weighty flavor adorning the finale of this chorus and pressing down onto the stomach to assert its presence, as hefty as its size.

“It was a flavor befitting the term ‘secret recipe.'”
“For you to eat this, my eye for talent was indeed not mistaken.”

Lee Won-bok happily brought out the dishes one by one.

“The second is baekjok-geum-chui (百足金脆), made by soaking a centipede in the urine of a five-year-old boy during the first lunar month to remove its venom, then deep-frying it in the oil of a horse born on a solar eclipse day.”

The one-meter long, 10cm wide deep-fried centipede, still retaining its living form, had a crispy and nutty shell, and the more one chewed, the juices bursting forth from inside moistened the tongue.
As the centipede’s size diminished, so too did my thirst for appetite, and its crispness and nuttiness ushered in a new era of humanity I had never experienced before.

“The third dish is myomi-myeon-tan (猫美眠嘆), made by gouging out the flesh of a cat strangled with silk thread under the night sky of the Chilseok festival using chopsticks made from the bones of a dog killed in the same manner, then smoked with branches from a village’s sacred tree.”

The meat of the quadrupedal beasts glistened.
Its aroma rekindled the appetite I had experienced thus far, bewitchingly beckoning my hand.
For a moment, I mistook the crunchy shell as being deep-fried rather than smoked, but the lack of oiliness, the rich meatiness and meat juices vehemently protested that they were no mere deep-fried dish.

“How were the dishes you’ve had so far?”
“Satisfactory. I have never tasted such cuisine before, and this opportunity has greatly opened my eyes.”
“Haha, how surprising. Young people these days regard ancient cuisine as outdated, obsolete, and mistaken.”

I cleansed the lingering aftertaste from my mouth with ordinary green tea.

“Culture is relative, you see. What is obvious to us may be considered uncivilized overseas, and what is obvious overseas may be considered uncivilized to us. Everything is relative, and we cannot judge what is wrong or right. The same applies to the cultural differences between the past and present generations – there are environments created by time and the spirit of the age, so who is to say who is right or wrong?”
“I see. Then I shall bring out the last dish shortly.”

Were there still dishes remaining?
The final dish he brought out was fish and mushrooms.

“Many guests have visited, but this is the first time I’ve served this.”
“What kind of dish is it?”
“It is boiled pufferfish without removing its poison, and red-capped mushrooms, named samang-yuhee (死亡遊戲, Death Game).”

Pufferfish poison is a deadly venom.
And an even deadlier venom than pufferfish poison is the poison of red-capped mushrooms.

“Do not worry. I have neutralized the poison using our clan’s secret recipe.”
“You neutralized it without removing the poison?”
“Yes, Mr. Seung-hoon Lee, do you know our clan’s philosophy?”
“No, I do not.”

The elderly man sat across from me and explained the philosophy of the Lee clan of Dangjin.

“Poison is suppressed by poison. That is the truth of the world and the way to survive calamities. Our clan has adopted the principle of ‘poisoning with poison’ as our philosophy, allowing us to survive until now. And this philosophy is also reflected in our cuisine.”

Despite appearing simple at a glance, the dish contained many added ingredients.

“We mixed in arsenic, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, toadstool, snake venom, frog venom, octopus venom, centipede venom, spider venom, and more. By combining them at precise ratios and undergoing various processes, the toxins of the pufferfish and mushrooms are neutralized, sublimating into an umami flavor.”
“Remarkable.”
“Yes, is it not remarkable? It would be scientifically impossible. However, we can achieve it. Perhaps it is because we have lived in communion with entities for so long.”
“What kind of entities?”
“I cannot disclose that. Now then, please try it. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’ve merely brought it out, so it’s enough to just look at it.”

Without declining, I put the thinly sliced pufferfish meat and mushrooms into my mouth together.
An indescribable, perhaps indescribable, heavenly flavor swirled in my mouth for a moment before vanishing.

“……Fantastic.”
“Isn’t it? You are the first guest to have eaten this far, so I am deeply moved as well.”

After the meal, I conversed with him.

“These days, youngsters don’t stick to their clans. I wonder why they wander around so much.”
“We called entities ‘calamities sent by heaven’ (天災). We are happy just to have maintained our lineage in this world where we never know when we might die.”
“There have been active movements from entities recently. Not just me, but many of her regular customers are feeling uneasy as well. That’s probably why they want to meet you, Mr. Seung-hoon Lee, even more.”

After lightly establishing rapport, I left the mansion.

“Then I shall await your next visit.”

On the way out, I looked back at the mansion once more.
It was remarkable that such a vast noble family existed on Korean soil without ever becoming a topic of discussion.

‘The crest……’

And above the main gate, I saw the crest.
Black snakes biting each other’s tails formed a circle, and inside that circle was the Chinese character for fortune (福).

“Poison is suppressed by poison.”

They were just an eccentric family.
Those associated with entities could not be ordinary, so this was an extraordinary family.

‘I feel a strange sensation.’

However, an indescribable feeling kept nagging at me.
That there was something here.
Something important that I should not overlook.

“Hmm, what could it be?”
[“I continued searching for related information, but I could only find information with a credibility of 80% or lower. Shall I show you that, at least?”]
“Yes, show me that.”

The information Sarang-a found was about the direct and collateral descendants of the Lee clan of Dangjin.

‘Politicians, mid-level entrepreneurs, conglomerate executives, celebrities, foreign politicians, explorers, famous stunt performers……’

They were either engaged in promising professions.
Or specialized professions.
Or entrepreneurs.
Or celebrities.
Or fields too dangerous for ordinary people to easily challenge.

“Not a single one in an ordinary profession?”

As if they were exceptionally lucky people.
As if talent overflowed in the clan’s blood.
While none were overwhelmingly outstanding, there were also no ordinary individuals among them.

‘Humans and entities can establish friendly contracts or cooperate with each other. Perhaps they have reaped the benefits of such an arrangement.’

The Foundation does the same, and so do I.
So there was nothing problematic about the Lee clan of Dangjin doing the same.

“And yet, this uneasy feeling won’t go away.”
[“Mr. Seung-hoon Lee’s instincts have long surpassed those of ordinary people. I recommend following your own instincts.”]
“Thank you for trusting me.”
[“So let me ask, did something happen in the virtual reality last Tuesday?”]
“Nothing happened.”
[“That’s a lie. I saw her kiss your cheek.”]
“……”
[“Please do the same to me.”]

I lightly kissed the smartphone screen.
The smartphone heated up, and the battery rapidly drained.

[“It’s a more embarrassing act than I thought.”]
“Is that so? Then how about one more?”
[“I decline. Excessive stimulation is not good for mental health. More importantly, Mr. Seung-hoon Lee, you just received an email.”]
“What kind of email?”

It couldn’t be an email related to Sarang Corporation, as those were automatically handled.
It must be another special email, and the email Sarang-a showed me was more special than I had expected.

[This is Mystery Detective Shin Se-hoon.]
[Mr. Seung-hoon Lee, would you cooperate with me to investigate a missing persons case caused by an entity?]
[This is not a transaction through the Shady Merchant, but a discussion between just you and me alone.]
[The reason I have suddenly contacted you is because 15 minutes ago, with the help of an entity, I discovered that by cooperating with you, Mr. Seung-hoon Lee, I can solve a missing persons case I have been pursuing for a long time.]
[I will not force you. If you are interested, please come to the address written below.]

Interesting.
To meet two people associated with entities in such a short period of time.

[“Investigation results show he is claiming to be a detective on the surface.”]
“Detectives are now legal in Korea as well.”
[“However, he has no income. It seems he likely receives requests related to entities from the underworld.”]

I stared intently at the email.
There was nothing particularly special about it.

‘I haven’t even resolved the uneasy feeling about the Lee clan of Dangjin yet.’

Still, I’ll meet him once.

“A missing persons case, huh?”

Helping others should come first.