The Military Chef of a Ruined World

Chapter 17

Episode 17: Threat (Part 1)

“I guess the story that you wanted to tell us is about the awakening of the psychic powers.”

“That’s right. We’re not sure about the exact criteria… but based on our speculation, we think awakening might happen randomly while kill zombies. We thought it was important to share this information.”

“We appreciate your cooperation.”

Sang-ah also added that she could handle fighting monsters if any problems arose and that we could call her anytime.

She seemed like someone who had protected the survivors and guided them safely here.

“She doesn’t seem like someone plotting something evil.”

If that’s the case, then the threat to our unit must be elsewhere.

While Sang-ah fought alone to protect the survivors from the monsters…

“Then, is there anything else you’d like to request from us? We’ve already arranged for the basic necessities, but…”

“In that case, could we get some spare clothes?”

“If that’s the case, there are some tracksuits left that aren’t currently in use by the unit. We’ll make sure you get them. Anything else?”

“Not at the moment. On the contrary, is there anything we can help with?”

“In that case, if you could help with cleaning the barracks or assisting with dishwashing in the mess hall…”

“Got it. We will send a few people from our side…”

Min-jae hyung discussed if there were any other discomforts or if anyone had any special circumstances.

Various detailed discussions took place.

Amidst this, the conversation wasn’t just about us giving, but also requesting cooperation in areas where civilians could help.

It was evident that appointing representatives for this conversation was a wise decision.

Confirming that the conversation was progressing well, I turned to look at the representatives of the survivors.

They occasionally asked Min-jae hyung questions and discussed matters related to cleaning schedules in the barracks.

“There are probably hidden awakened individuals. That’s almost certain.”

In fact, it wouldn’t be very difficult to find out who they are.

Especially since someone has already piqued my interest.

“The guy who was asking about my occupation.”

He asked several other soldiers about their professions afterward.

Unless he’s overly curious about others’ jobs, it’s clear that he was aksing about awakening.

In that case…

“I should ask politely.”

After concluding the meeting with the survivors…

There was one change the next day.

“Dishwashing support is here!”

“Hello.”

“Oh, welcome.”

Since all the other chefs died… I ended up being the only one in charge of the mess hall, I had to handle everything from basic cooking to dishwashing and cleaning.

“Even if I had to do the dishwashing alone, soldiers usually helped out, but with the appearance of monsters, I sent them to reconnaissance instead.”

Fortunately, the ‘Novice Grade Cooking Skills’ I have gained through awakening showed remarkable performance, far exceeding its name.

Thanks to that, I could handle cooking-related tasks at an incredible speed and with minimal effort.

Also, with the unit’s reduced manpower to less than half of what it was before, somehow, I managed to keep the mess hall running alone.

But if meal preparation for soldiers was the only task…

Making buff food for awakened individuals, understanding various situations in the unit, participating in planning meetings…

Soldier in charge of chef’s duty usually starts cooking early in the morning, so they were given rest time during work hours, but recently, I’m not even getting that rest time.

“If I weren’t tired…”

In the meantime, I had a conversation with the survivors.

As a result, it was decided that survivors would assist in some of the civilian-capable unit tasks.

In the case of the mess hall, it was about providing support for dishwashing and cleaning.

“Now I can concentrate solely on cooking.”

In other words, if I were to describe the current situation in one word…

“Sweet…”

It became much more comfortable.

“I’ve finished washing the dishes!”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

The first ones to come for dishwashing support were two young girls who didn’t seem worn out yet.

When I asked them while working, they said they were sisters who had attended a nearby high school.

What was somewhat strange was that while the younger sister seemed quite polite and diligent…

The older sister seemed strangely powerless and timid.

“There must be some reason.”

In a situation where the world had turned into this mess…

It was obvious they must have gone through all sorts of unpleasant experiences.

Besides her, there were many people among the survivors who seemed unusually lacking in energy.

“Hmm… in that case…”

Thanks to them, work became easier, so it’s time to repay them.

After finishing the dishwashing, I called out to the sisters and handed them some ice cream.

“This is a snack that I have prepared. Please have one each.”

“Huh? Can we really eat this?”

“You helped me with dishwashing and cleaning, right? Consider this a reward.”

“Wow!”

It wasn’t anything new for me.

Even when the unit was intact, I used to give out snacks like ice cream to soldiers who helped with mess hall duties, saying ‘good job’.

Of course, I can’t provide ready-made items like ice cream now that the supply is cut off.

“But the water in the unit still comes from underground, and there’s still plenty of ice because the generator is still running smoothly. Although there are no ready-made ice creams…”

No ice cream?

Then why not make some?

There were a few simple snacks that could be made with the remaining ingredients in the unit.

[Happiness Inducing Misutgaru* Ice Cream]

An ice cream made with sugar, honey, and the misu powder brought by my juniors.

Some might wonder what in the world is a misutgaru ice cream?

But surprisingly…

“It’s delicious!”

“Yeah… it is.”

It was surprisingly tasty.

In addition, the Chef’s Special Sauce was also added, albeit in small amounts.

“Huh? Sister, are you smiling right now?”

“…Me?”

“Sister… ever since Mom and Dad died, I’ve never seen you smile…”

The effect of the Chef’s Special Sauce was immediate.

After saying that, the younger sister, who had been so spirited, started shedding tears as if her vulnerable side was exposed.

Perhaps they recently lost their parents.

Despite putting on a brave front, the younger sister must have had a hard time to adjust with their new situation and surroundings.

“Thank you for the snacks!”

“You’ve worked hard.”

After a brief conversation with the two sisters, the tear-streaked younger sister wiped her face.

Then with a bright smile as she held her sister’s hand and disappearing into the barracks.

Her smiling face as she left the dining hall, bowing slightly in farewell, warmed my heart a little.

“…The abilities gained through awakening, whether they’re buffs or combat skills, there are many of them.”

Powerful skills and attributes that are extremely useful in combat.

In this world that has turned into a ‘game’, the profession of ‘cook’ is probably classified as a buff-oriented job useful in combat.

But…

“Among them, the most excellent ability is…”

The power to bring stability to people’s hearts.

[Chef’s Special Sauce]

In a world that has changed, people haven’t only suffered physical injuries.

The wounds left on their hearts are even greater wounds on their hearts.

But also, psychological injuries that has left even

Just within our unit, we lost seniors, juniors, and comrades who were closed to us and lived with us just a week before.

If our unit members are affected to that extent, I wonder how the survivors who might have lost their beloved family members might be feeling.

The emotional change brought about by the [Chef’s Special Sauce] is nothing more than temporary change.

When ‘Courage’ buffed cuisine was fed to Gwang-il…

That guy lost his reasoning due to excessive courage. And went berserk like a warrior during the battle, but the next day, he returned to his mild temperament as if nothing had happened.

However, that temporary change in emotions is not meaningless.

After that incident, Gwang-il no longer succumbed to fear.

“Having once fought monsters with courage, it broke down the walls in his heart.”

While the change in emotions caused by skills themselves is temporary, the incidents caused by that change in emotions continue to affect people even after the effect ends.

The sisters, too, might have been emotionally wounded by the shock of losing their parents.

The memory of happiness gained from eating the sweet ice cream will help her to alleviate that shock.

* * *

After that, the unit’s tasks continued without much change.

The monsters that occasionally attacked the unit were dealt with by the marksmen awakened and the non-awakened unit members, using their guns.

Unit members who were about to awaken proceeded with their awakening under the pretense of approaching and clearing the dead monsters, to avoid attracting attention from the survivors.

“I have no reason to intervene.”

Thanks to that, I continued to focus solely on the dining hall duties.

Now, with hardly any ingredients left, I divided and rationed the remaining supplies.

Apart from that I also devised buff dishes that awakened unit members could eat during awakenings and battles.

It was an everyday routine without any special events.

However, amidst this, something unusual happened.

“Are you the chef?”

“Yes?”

“What’s your name?”

The one who asked was none other than Mr. Park (the grandpa).

The old man who had been constantly strict with us approached me for a conversation.

Instead of doing the dishwashing duty that he was supposed to do.

“I’m Sergeant Shin Young-joon.”

It wasn’t difficult to tell him my name, so I answered without much thought, but…

“Hmph… I thought as much.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“That knife that you’re using… It’s not yours, right?”

“….!”

What followed next sent chills down my spine.

This long sashimi knife I’m using.

It was the first one I grabbed to hunt down the monsters that attacked the dining hall.

Since then, I’ve been using it for cooking because it fits oddly well in my hand, but…

‘It’s not mine.’

It belonged to my deceased predecessor.

He was good at his job and had a mild personality, earning him the nickname ‘Hwang Junsan’s Mom,’ and this knife was his memento.

“How did you know?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? It’s engraved with Chinese characters, isn’t it? ‘Bright Hyuk’? It might have a good meaning, but it’s not a name you just attach to a knife. Maybe it’s the name of the original owner of that knife, right?”

Looking at the blade near the handle, it was indeed engraved with Chinese characters.

Jun-hyuk had studied Japanese cuisine, and his teacher had given him this expensive knife as a gift.

It was probably his teacher who affectionately engraved his name in Chinese characters as a gift to his disciple.

Given the reasons I heard, there was some basis for noticing, but even considering that, it was an incredible observation.

“…Impressive. That’s correct.”

“Tsk, and you, using such a good knife and managing it like this? Anyone would find it suspicious and watch you closely to identify whom it originally belonged?”

To manage it like this.

I did my best, sharpening the blade diligently and taking good care of it, but…

“It belonged to my junior.”

“Past tense?”

“Yes. On the day the monsters attacked the unit…”

“Hmph. Well, I thought as much.”

Saying that, the old man began to stare at me intensely.

‘What is it?’

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, I was about to turn away when the old man spoke again.

“Give it here.”

“Yes?”

“That knife, give it to me.”

A sudden declaration of extortion.

‘This old man…!’

Even if it’s a good knife, it’s still someone else’s belonging…!

I should have recognized him for being so strict from the start; was this old man the one threatening our unit?

Suspicious that he might be planning to take off with it, I watched the old man as he headed towards the corner of the kitchen, brandishing the knife as if he knew I wouldn’t resist.

Then, the old man took something out.

“Whetstones….”

Three square stones.

These were the whetstones used for sharpening knives in the restaurant.

“You might think you’re managing it in your own way, but if someone who doesn’t know how to properly handle it does it, it’s as good as not doing it at all.”

Saying that, the old man submerged the whetstones and the knife in water.

Then he checked the alignment of the whetstones.

He checked the condition of the knife.

After various checks…

He brought the edge of the knife against the whetstone at an angle and started sharpening.

At the moment he took out the whetstone, I understood the old man’s intention.

“…If you were going to sharpen the knife, you could have just said so.”

Feeling unnecessarily uneasy, I scratched my cheek and spoke up.

“Well, I think I’m somewhat of a cooking enthusiast myself. I know how to handle a knife.”

“You’re not supposed to speak when adults are working.”

“….”

“And it’s true that you don’t know how to handle a knife.”

“….”

What I thought would end quickly took longer than expected.

“It’s a good knife.”

It wasn’t until over an hour later that the old man handed me back the knife.

“It’s sturdy, well-balanced. Thanks to that, it takes time and effort to maintain, but… if you take care of such a knife properly, it’ll maintain its sharpness for a long time.”

The knife was sharpened to the point where it glinted in the light.

As I inspected it, I could see a cold gleam on the blade, and when I turned it sideways, my face was reflected on its surface.

“…I didn’t expect it to change so much, even though it was already a good knife.”

I had nothing to say.

After seeing this result, I had to admit that my knife sharpening skills were ‘subpar’.

“…Thank you.”

“Hmph. Did you make ice cream for Hyunji and Hyeji?”

“Yes?”

Hyunji, Hyeji?

Who are they?

“I heard from Hyunji that you made ice cream for them as a treat because she thought she wouldn’t see her sister smile ever again. She said she doesn’t remember the last time she had such a sweet treat. I don’t know what made it so delicious but consider it payment for that.”

It was only after hearing those words that I realized.

Hyunji and Hyeji.

They were the names of the sisters who came to help with the dishwashing a while ago.

‘Come to think of it, this old man was one of the representatives of the survivors.’

The survivors had chosen representatives for each dormitory.

The dormitory where this old man was a representative probably included the two sisters.

“I can’t give you an ice cream and tell you this is your payment for sharpening the knife. You would probably get angry at that. I wonder what is the right payment for your work?”

“Hehe. Then consider the ice cream prepaid. The rest, you can pay back slowly.”

“I still have some more ice cream. Would you like some, Grandpa?”

“I can’t eat it because it’s too cold. Instead…”

Wiping the sweat off his forehead as if he had exerted a lot of effort, Mr. Park spoke.

“Continue cooking for the people. Consider that as your payment.”

Saying that, the old man went back to the barracks.

‘He didn’t do the dishwashing and left….’

I turned the sashimi knife and checked it from all sides and corners.

The knife, now sharpened to the point of shining, felt so sharp that it didn’t feel ordinary.

‘Cooking for the people.’

The [Chef’s Special Sauce] is the power to touch people’s emotions.

This power can be used to heal someone’s heart.

Don’t misuse that power, but rather, use it for good.

Then…

I’m sorry, but perhaps I should postpone the payment Mr. Park mentioned.

‘Because the dishes I’m going to make from now on won’t be that great.’

That evening.

After the dishwashing team was formed.

The guy I had been waiting for the most visited the restaurant.

“…Long time no see.”

“Haha, indeed. Where should I do the dishwashing?”

To the guy who diligently did the dishwashing without any suspicion, I handed over the snack I had poured my heart into.

[The Honest Heart Misutgaru Ice Cream of a Junior Chef]

“I have prepared some snacks. So, please have it before you go.”

It was probably going to be the sweetest confession in human history.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Translator: One Force

TL Note: *Misutguru is a type of Korean traditional grain powder.

It’s typically made by grinding various grains, such as rice, barley, soybeans, and other ingredients like nuts and seeds.

Misutgaru is often used to make beverages, such as smoothies or shakes, and is known for its nutritional value.

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