Chapter 261

"A pigeon endowed with mystical energy? A pigeon that has achieved enlightenment? What on earth is that supposed to mean?" The escort stared at the white pigeon with blue feathers held by his friend and asked. Achieved enlightenment? As if a pigeon could master martial arts. "You've been living under a rock! No matter how busy you are escorting, once you're back in the infinite, you should keep up with worldly news." "To think you haven't heard of the extraordinary pigeon known as the 'Qi Awakened Pigeon.' Tsk tsk." His friends shook their heads disapprovingly as if they were looking at someone pathetic. "How could I know if no one explains it!" "That's why you don't have the knack to be the head escort. Now, hold on! Today I'll show you the new realm of cuisine. Now, where did it go." The friend holding the pigeon scanned the surroundings. "Looking for the menu? It's here!" Another friend, having immediately realized what he was looking for, tossed a wooden menu from the corner. "A menu?" The escort frowned, unable to grasp the situation. Wait a minute. Isn't the menu something the waiter hands you at an inn? Are these guys thieves or something? Why would they bring the inn's menu here? The escort couldn't make sense of it at all. "He's the one treating, so let's order four jajang and one large sweet and sour pork." "I prefer jjamppong." "Too cumbersome to clean up. Let's order four jajang." The man wrote something on a paper with a fine brush, then opened the window and let the pigeon go. "Now, sit and wait!" "What in the world is this..." The escort, dragged to his seat by his friends, still couldn't fathom the situation. A Qi Awakened Pigeon? What on earth is that? It's like the messenger pigeons used by the head escort—what does that have to do with food? It's not like the swallow from old stories that would bring food to its hungry master. Are these guys planning to make me starve just because I'm late? My brain doesn't work properly when I'm hungry. Are they trying to take advantage of me? Or are they making fun of me? While the escort was lost in a maze of unresolved questions, there was a knock on the door. "Is this the place that ordered four jajang and one large sweet and sour pork through Pigeon 53?" A Joseon man in a straw hat knocked on the door of the room where the four men were. "Here, here! Bring it this way." His friend opened the door to greet the delivery man and led him to a table where he could place the food. Finally, the escort seemed to understand the situation. "Did we just order food with a messenger pigeon?" The escort asked in a voice filled with astonishment. "Exactly. How are you still not getting it?" "This makes no sense..." The escort was left speechless. Ordering food with a messenger pigeon? Not just around here, but even in the numerous cities I've traveled, I've never heard of such a thing. "Where should I put the food?" "Place it here on the table." The delivery man with black hair placed a unique-looking black box on the table, lifted a vertically placed wooden plank, and began taking out food from inside. "What a peculiar bag! I've never seen one like this." A black box with a handle, its interior was sectioned off like a drawer. And he could even take out food from it. The escort examined the wooden box with curious eyes. "Our innkeeper made it. We call it an 'iron bag.'" "Iron bag? You're saying you carry a bag made of iron?" Iron would be incredibly heavy. Is this Joseon man a martial artist? The escort looked at the black-haired delivery man with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "It's made from good wood coated with several layers of lacquer, so it's as sturdy as iron." "Huh. It's designed to hold enough food. Wonder who thought of it, fascinating." The iron bag not only had an intriguing design but also seemed sturdily constructed. It was undoubtedly the work of a skilled craftsman. "Haha. Our innkeeper is quite remarkable. That'll be four silvers for four jajang and one large sweet and sour pork." "What?! Four silvers for four jajang and one large sweet and sour pork? That's outrageous!" The escort's face, which had been filled with curiosity, turned into one of shock upon hearing the price. Anywhere else, it’d be three silvers. Asking for an extra silver? What a rip-off. "Man! If that were the case, why would we have the delivery man come all the way here?" "Why are you making the delivery man feel awkward! Apologies! This friend is rather narrow-minded!" His friends reprimanded him as his expression grew harsh. "No, but still..." "If you don't want to pay, just say so." "N-not at all! I'll pay." A man couldn't go back on his words. The escort quickly took out the money from his purse and handed it to the Joseon man. Although the delivery man felt the trembling in the escort's hand, he accepted the four silvers without showing it. "If you leave the bowls outside, I'll come and collect them. Here's Pigeon 53, which you sent earlier." The delivery man took the Qi Awakened Pigeon that had flown to the inn from his iron bag and returned it. "Thank you! We'll order again next time!" "Yes. Wherever you are, with the order-come delivery nation! The inn run by Joseon people! Please use us again!" The delivery man cheerfully recited his prepared slogan and left the room. "What... Food delivery is really a thing." Even looking at the food laid out on the table, the escort couldn't believe what had just happened. "Isn't the Qi Awakened Pigeon amazing? Before, delivery was something only the rich did by sending their servants or a regular who had arranged it in advance. Now, even folks like us can order delivery food." Delivery food wasn't non-existent in this world. However, it was something only available to the rich with servants or regulars who ordered large quantities. It wasn't an option for four men gathered in a room to order such food. "Just send the Qi Awakened Pigeon and the order comes right away?" "Yes, you see the number on the leg of the Qi Awakened Pigeon? The inn records the pigeon number and the address. When you send it off with the food order, the delivery person arrives here." "It's fascinating how it gets here before the food gets cold." "It's on the pricey side, but it's convenient. Nowadays, everyone in this area is eager to get their own Qi Awakened Pigeon." "Not just anyone can get one, right?" "There are conditions. You need to be a regular customer at the inn. Moreover, if you aren't going to order food within the next fifteen days, you have to return the pigeon." His friend added that if the pigeon dies, one might have to pay a penalty. Hence, it's better to let it go if you don't plan to use it. "Haha. Who came up with such an idea?" Ordering food with a messenger pigeon. The escort prided himself on his broad knowledge and insights, yet this left him utterly astonished. "I have no idea. Breeding such pigeons is something only a few craftsmen can do." "As long as it works, who cares who did it!" "Guys! You're not planning to play mahjong after eating, are you?" "Of course, we will play while eating!" The four men in the room happily turned out the mahjong tiles while eating jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork. They didn't need to expend energy going out to eat. They enjoyed their meal and played mahjong simultaneously. Eating without worrying about others and playing mahjong all the while—this was pure bliss for the escort and his friends. They laughed, talked, and enjoyed their food; it was paradise. "Delivery food... This is fantastic." The escort said, rubbing his satisfied belly. "Once you start ordering, going to a restaurant feels like a chore!" "I agree!" "When you consider the delivery fee, the price seems reasonable." The escort, full and pleased, did a mental recalculation. Paying slightly more for four portions and a large sweet and sour pork was not extravagant for a one-person portion. It saved time and energy going back and forth to the inn, making it more beneficial to eat and play mahjong in the room. He finally understood the advantages of delivery food. "Yes, right?" "About the Qi Awakened Pigeon. Is there any chance I could get one?" "If you apply today, you'll get one right away. From tomorrow, though, it'll take a few days." "What?! Why didn't you mention this earlier!" There wasn't a moment to lose. The escort suddenly stood up. "Why are you leaving without finishing the game?" "I'll be right back!" ***************** The trial distribution of the Qi Awakened Pigeons was a success. "Chief! We've got another order! Four jajangmyeon and one large sweet and sour pork!" "Careful, don't rush. You might get hurt." I gently advised the waiter rushing down from the third floor with an order slip tied to the pigeon. "Yes, sir!" We had remodeled the third floor to facilitate the movement of these pigeons. Splitting the reception area from the inn would have only added time. "This really works out well, doesn't it? How did you come up with this idea?" Im Ha-yeon asked with a new sense of admiration, watching the waiter heading downstairs. "Wuhan is the capital of Hubei Province. It's the largest city in Hubei, cradled by the Yangtze River, so job opportunities are abundant." "What does having many jobs have to do with the Qi Awakened Pigeon?" "Men flock to Wuhan looking for work. With good jobs, they have purchasing power and tend to buy food." Even in South Korea, it hasn’t been long since older family members would threaten to cut off a child’s access to the kitchen. In a world where men wouldn’t typically cook unless they were chefs, the advent of delivery food was bound to generate demand. "How does your mind think so far ahead?" "All thanks to your Qi Awakened Pigeons, Ha-yeon." Even a brilliant encirclement and annihilation strategy won’t work if the 300 strongmen aren't strong enough to wield 6kg daggers. Without Ha-yeon's messenger pigeons, execution would have been impossible. As fitting for a pigeon known in Korea as a flying rat, the Qi Awakened Pigeons mature quickly and are prolific breeders. They're able to travel long distances delivering messages and can survive even if they’re not frequently fed. This means they can handle rough management from customers. They are the perfect medium for a delivery communication network. "I was ready to release them if needed, but they turned out to be useful." The Qi Awakened Pigeons were ones we could afford to let go if necessary. While occasionally a pigeon with mystical intelligence, like Goo-goo, might be born, most were just clever pigeons. The real key was Ha-yeon’s ability to train them as messenger pigeons. Once released into the wild, they would quickly revert to feral pigeons, so Ha-yeon wasn't too attached to the idea of releasing them. "If a customer sends an order, we retrieve the pigeon through the delivery person. If they don’t order within a certain period, we take it back, minimizing pigeon loss." "Even if we lose some, it’s okay. The ones like Goo-goo reproduce so fast." But each pigeon is a revenue source, so we couldn't be reckless. "Customers need to understand the value of these pigeons to treat them well, so let’s keep that under wraps." "Alright then. Also, it seems like the Joseon people are very helpful." Ha-yeon looked at the Joseon workers busily working in the inn and remarked to me. "I didn't become the guild leader for nothing." When I commanded, "Assemble, Joseon people!" the manpower I needed was readily available. I hired a Joseon woodworker to make the iron bags and remodel the inn. To prevent a shortage of cooks, I also employed skilled Joseon chefs. To the Joseon waitstaff or those with local connections, I handed out a few coins and had them promote the Qi Awakened Pigeon service. After a rigorous selection process for delivery personnel, we firmly established the delivery food system. "The profit margins look promising, but can we really grow the capital to exceed the principal within the given timeframe?" Despite her amazement at my idea, Im Ha-yeon couldn't hide a hint of unease. Even though it's undeniably a great business model, passing the Ten Thousand Gold Examination within the period is a different matter altogether. "This venture is bound to succeed." I reassured her with certainty and looked out at the crowded first floor. "Is this the inn where they are distributing Qi Awakened Pigeons?!" The first floor was bustling with people eager to get their hands on a Qi Awakened Pigeon. "Give me a Qi Awakened Pigeon too!" "Applications are being accepted here. If your identity and residence can be verified, then after confirmation..." "Let me apply first!" "Step aside!" "I'll pay for it! Let me have one first!" This was my idea, brought to life with Im Ha-yeon's ability and the hard work of the Joseon people, creating a seamless food delivery system. The more customers use the Qi Awakened Pigeon, the more they'll be astounded by its overwhelming convenience. And once people experience convenience, there's one truth they come to realize. "Once they've experienced delivery, they can never go back to a time without it." Now, it's time to rake in the money.