The Military Chef of a Ruined World

Chapter 33

After cleaning the barracks, the task of turning this place into a temporary base was entering its final stages.

“We need some fire magic over here too!”

“Got it!”

Torches made from nearby trees were set up in various places around the courtyard.

The area around the barracks was an empty plain.

By illuminating the surroundings with torches, even the night became bright.

“It looks quite similar to our base.”

“It’s a bit lacking compared to our base, but it’s decent enough.”

An environment similar to that of our base for defense.

“Well then. Let’s start the guard duty right away.”

“Okay. We’re counting on you.”

Several long-range specialists ascended to the rooftop of the barracks.

From there, they would observe the surroundings and intercept any approaching monsters or zombies.

After a few soldiers went up to the rooftop to start their duty, “The rest of us will gather at the central courtyard of the barracks for now.”

In the middle of the barracks’ buildings, there was a small pavilion-like structure meant for relaxation of the soldiers.

The remaining survivors and soldiers gathered around and sat down near it.

Once all the unit members were seated the meeting began.

“For now, our mission to descend to the surface has been successful. Great job, everyone. Applause.”

“Wow.”

A somewhat ceremonial ‘wow’ and a round of applause followed.

“I’d like to throw a party like we did before leaving the base.”

“Huh?”

“Seriously? Are you kidding?”

“Unfortunately, we still don’t have the luxury for that!”

“Ugh.”

Disappointed soldiers.

I also wouldn’t mind having some fun and relaxation.

But we really don’t have the luxury for it right now.

We’ll postpone that for another opportunity.

“The important thing starts from now on.”

The reason for gathering the soldiers for a meeting.

“I’ll explain from here.”

As I finished speaking, Min-jae stepped forward.

In his hands, he held a small whiteboard notice board.

It seemed like he had taken it off from the central corridor of the barracks.

“As you all know, our descent to the surface was to expand our influence. But for now, we don’t even have enough resources to survive, let alone expand our influence.”

Min-jae showed the whiteboard to the soldiers as he spoke.

“The things written here are the lists of what we immediately need.”

The contents of the whiteboard were simple.

[1. Food]

[2. Oil]

[3. Ammunition]

[4. Miscellaneous, etc.]

“I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

One of the soldiers who looked at the whiteboard raised his hand.

“What do you mean by ‘we have little food’? Haven’t we gathered tons of meat already?”

As he said.

Thanks to the abundance of monster carcasses hunted down from the mountains, there’s no problem with meat.

In fact, cooking just meat would be convenient for me.

“I have no problem, but might it be a problem for you guys?”

“Huh?”

“No matter how good meat is, if you only eat meat, it can’t be called a balanced diet, right?”

“Ah.”

Half of it was a joke, but.

In fact, half of it was serious.

Having a variety of flavors is quite an important factor.

“In fact, flavor is one thing, but more importantly, it’s about the nutritional issue.”

Humans need essential nutrients to survive.

Various nutrients that can be consumed through cooking.

“If it’s just meat, our bodies will only be supplemented with protein and fat.”

I don’t know the internal functioning of an awakened human being.

Also, I’m not sure whether it’s a type of power that can maintain health even after nutritional imbalances in the body.

“Having only meat might not cause problems for about a month. But if it continues longer, who knows what will happen. To be precise, it’s not about food but about securing various nutrients.”

“Hmm. I see.”

“It’s something we’ll have to think about, even if not immediately.”

Food is one thing.

Number 2 is oil for moving vehicles and generating electricity with generators.

Number 3 is the issue of supplying ammunition for our unit’s main firepower, the marksmen.

In fact, each one is important without missing a beat.

“I have a suggestion!”

“Oh.”

At that moment,

A soldier raised his hand.

“You seem quite enthusiastic. What’s your suggestion?”

“I highly recommend Number 4!”

“Number 4?”

I turned my head to look at the whiteboard Min-jae was holding.

And there it was, Number 4.

[4. Miscellaneous, etc.]

“Oh… So, you mean you’re recommending ‘Miscellaneous, etc.’?”

“No, not exactly ‘Miscellaneous, etc.'”

The soldier spoke with enthusiasm.

“I’m suggesting that we need to secure materials! I strongly recommend it.”

His name was Corporal Lee Gong-woo.

He was an engineer type awakened in our unit.

“Securing materials…”

“Yes. I’m confident it will be helpful no matter what.”

Corporal Lee Gong-woo spoke confidently.

Listening to him, I thought, ‘Certainly. When we descended from the mountains, we also thought about securing materials.’

When we left the base and descended to the surface, we intended to use vehicles actively.

We expected them to carry not only materials but also serve as barricades.

‘But that was impossible.’

Barricades? What barricades?

Regular cars were torn apart like pieces of paper by monster attacks.

At that time, Corporal Lee Gong-woo said something.

“If only we had the materials, we could have managed somehow.”

“Your occupation is that of an engineer?”

“Yes.”

“Your suggestion about securing materials must be related to that. Explain it in detail.”

With my permission granted, Corporal Lee Gong-woo continued with excitement.

“What you mentioned. Of course, they’re all important.”

“But?”

“The problem isn’t about whether we need them immediately. It’s about…”

Corporal Lee Gong-woo said firmly.

“Whether it’s feasible or not.”

“Hmm.”

“Securing food, oil, and the like. Of course, that’s good, but we don’t know much about the surface.”

That statement wasn’t entirely wrong.

Although survivors have joined our group, they were also people who fled to our unit without fully adapting to the surface.

“So. The first thing we need to do is to find a safe way to explore the surface. That’s essential.”

“Is that what you mean by securing materials?”

“Yes. My occupation, the engineer, may have the name ‘engineer,’ but it’s a bit different from the engineers of modern warfare.”

From what I know, the main role of modern engineers is removing or installing obstacles,

as well as maintaining unit facilities.

“Of course, I can perform those tasks, but you could say it’s been expanded with the concept of medieval engineers.”

“Medieval engineers?”

“Making and modifying war weapons, for example.”

Something grandiose was mentioned.

War weapons, huh?

“In medieval wars, there were things like ballista or catapults, right? Making and modifying those weapons locally was also the role of engineers.”

“…We can make siege weapons?”

“It’s impossible right now. But with the necessary materials, it’s definitely possible.”

It might sound somewhat vague.

But Corporal Lee Gong-woo seemed confident.

“Think about the recent assault on the barracks.”

I tilted my head at Corporal Lee Gong-woo’s words.

‘Wasn’t it resolved well?’

We successfully attacked the barracks through my cooking.

There wasn’t anything particularly considered a problem there…

“In the recent assault on the barracks, only three squads were involved.”

Ah.

That’s true.

To cautiously operate while avoiding the attention of monsters and zombies, we had no choice but to limit the number of operatives.

We restricted the number of operatives to a minimum.

“In hindsight, sending the entire force to storm the barracks would have been the most ideal choice. Fortunately, there were no issues this time, but when you think about it, we didn’t know what might happen at the barracks.”

“It’s not easy for the entire force to move at once.”

“If we mobilize vehicles, it’s not impossible, right?”

Mobilizing troops using vehicles?

In response to that, Sergeant Lee Min-jae frowned and said, “Impossible. If we’re attacked by monsters or zombies, vehicles will be torn apart like paper. It’s better if the troops clear the way ahead.”

“That’s exactly it!”

Although Sergeant Min-jae intended to refute, Corporal Lee Gong-woo surprisingly agreed with Sergeant Min-jae’s statement.

“Since we can’t use vehicles, humans have to clear the way bare-handed. Hmm…! The pinnacle of inefficiency!!!”

Corporal Lee Gong-woo’s voice rose considerably, showing his excitement.

“And this is not about monsters being the problem!”

Bang!

He pointed his finger at the cars parked in the corner of the barracks.

“These feeble vehicles, defenseless against monster attacks, are the problem!”

“…”

This guy.

Has quite a Spartan mindset.

“If vehicles could withstand monster attacks, there would be no need for cautious movement. Our operations would be overwhelmingly easier.”

“Can you make such vehicles?”

“Yes! With enough resources and time, absolutely!”

Corporal Lee Gong-woo was so excited that he was almost ranting.

“Just provide the materials! I’ll show you something!”

… Everything’s fine, but

His excitement makes it a bit hard to follow.

“Uh, Corporal Lee Gong-woo. You seem a bit too enthusiastic.”

“Oh. Oops. Was I too excited?”

“I’d like to say no, but… you were a bit. Please calm down.”

“Sorry.”

It wasn’t just me who felt awkward.

When another soldier next to him pointed it out, Corporal Lee Gong-woo quickly suppressed his excitement.

Watching him feel a bit embarrassed, I thought,

Having too much passion might be an issue.

‘But he’s not wrong.’

Securing materials, something I secretly put off thinking it wasn’t essential.

However,

One of the features of this ‘game’ that I vaguely grasped bothered me.

‘Are production jobs more powerful than they seem?’

As an awakened chef I have experienced this firsthand.

And the equipment made by seamstress Lee Sang-ahh provided tremendous defense capabilities.

It’s not just about being a ‘chef’ or ‘seamstress’.

If production jobs are overpowered?

Then Engineers.

These guys may possess considerable potential as well

After organizing my thoughts, I looked at Corporal Lee Gong-woo and said,

“Gong-woo.”

“Yes!”

“Are you really confident about this?”

Deciding the fate of the battalion is a serious matter.

You can’t take it lightly.

“I’m saying this just in case, but…”

“Yes.”

“If you’re saying this lightly or just want to try out your abilities, then I have no choice but to reject it.”

As I asked seriously, Corporal Lee Gong-woo’s face, which had been excited until then, tensed up.

“This is more important than other activities. Do you have that conviction?”

“Yes.”

Despite that, there was confidence in his answer.

“If we secure materials, we can create items that will make future activities on the surface much easier. I have many ideas and plans with other engineers. If necessary, right now… I can show-”

“No need to show it. If you’re serious about it, that’s enough.”

Bullets, oil, food, and other things are certainly important.

But if we can make the process of obtaining them easier… Then it wouldn’t be bad to prioritize his suggestions.

“Let me ask just in case. Does anyone have objections?”

It was quiet. It seemed like everyone was in agreement.

“Then it’s settled.”

Our unit’s next objective had been decided.

***

Though we had decided the goal, it was not something that we could execute immediately.

We had just successfully recaptured the barracks.

As it was a temporary base, there were many corners to be refurbished.

“Let’s discuss the details from tomorrow onwards. Disperse for now. Good job everyone.”

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work!”

And so, we spent the night at the barracks.

Strangely enough, the barracks had plenty of empty rooms.

Thanks to that, we could enjoy the luxury of having one person per room, which we couldn’t have in the unit.

Though it was a building without electricity.

The next morning, before dawn.

Yawn…

I opened the door of the barracks and stepped outside.

Looking up at the sky, it was still dark, with the sun yet to rise.

I came out at this hour not because I’m particularly diligent…

It’s something that I have developed over the years while cooking as a chef.

It’s just like an occupational disease caused by cooking.

“Tsk. Nowadays I wake up automatically around 4 a.m.”

Since I was awake, I thought, I might be able to resolve one of the ‘areas that need various adjustments’ that I had mentioned earlier.

“Hmm.”

I placed several heavy pieces of metal in the center of the courtyard.

In the past, a few people would have moved these items together.

But now, after awakening, I could handle it alone.

“Let’s see.”

I looked at the items gathered on the courtyard floor.

A large cooking pot (cauldron).

A large grill.

And even a stand to place the grill and the cooking pot (cauldron) on.

“For cooking, this should be enough. I’ll have to ask the others for tables later.”

Since it was our new temporary base, we needed a new dining area.

And for that I was building a cafeteria out there.

“If only we could use the barracks’ kitchen. But we can’t hold onto what’s not possible.”

With all utilities cut off, including electricity, water, and gas, the barracks’ kitchen was just for show and couldn’t function as a kitchen.

So, there was only one solution.

To make it ourselves.

Just in case, all the field cooking equipment we used in the unit was stored in the vehicles.

Actually, despite its grand name, it was just a large cooking pot (cauldron) and grill.

It’s quite crude, but it’ll do.

“There shouldn’t be any problem with basic cooking, right?”

Even in the unit, we mostly cooked using these.

For now, this level of kitchen facilities should suffice.

“So, should I start preparing breakfast first?”

Step one of meal preparation.

Prepping the ingredients.

I opened one of the trailer compartments parked in the courtyard.

Inside, there were piles of monster carcasses with frost on them.

It might have been a terrifying sight for the old me.

But now, I’m so used to it that they just look like ingredients.

[Chef’s Eyes]

“I think this might come in handy, so I’ll keep it. Hmm, this looks good.”

Using my skills, I assessed the method and characteristics of handling the monsters piled up in the trailer compartment.

I decided to save any monsters with potentially useful characteristics for later use.

Those with less distinct characteristics were selected and brought out.

[Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Red Kangal* Preparation’]

Slicing swiftly, I prepared the meat according to the system prescribed method that came to my mind.

Monsters whose bones and flesh separated effortlessly.

Among them, I set aside bones and hides that the seamstress could use.

I also separated parts of the meat that were not suitable for consumption, such as tough portions and fat.

What remained was just the flesh.

I generously sprinkled salt and pepper on the appropriately sized pieces of meat.

The meat had not completely thawed yet.

As it slowly melted, the seasoning would seep inside.

“I think this should suffice for ingredients.”

After placing the grill on the support, I stacked pieces of firewood that had been roughly gathered from the surroundings below.

I tore a few pieces of paper from the barracks and lit them with a lighter before tossing them into the firewood.

The firewood, slightly damp from the morning dew, didn’t seem like it would ignite easily.

“Oh.”

To my relief, smoke started billowing out and the fire began to burn.

“Lucky.”

As the preparations neared completion, the morning sun began to rise slowly.

“Oh, Sergeant Shin. What are you doing?”

“Preparing breakfast.”

It was the time when ordinary soldiers began their activities.

Some soldiers began to wake up and step outside the barracks, squinting at the light.

“Yes? Wasn’t breakfast going to be jerky for a while?”

“I considered that. But I thought it would be more comfortable to cook the food myself.”

“Wow, Sergeant Shin…”

“I’m so touched.”

“Gross, you, guys. Perfect timing. There were tables and tents in the barracks’ storage, right? Bring them out for me.”

“Yes, Sergeant!”

As the soldiers fetched the tents and tables, I started grilling the meat on the heated grill.

Sizzle…

The sound and aroma of grilling meat began to fill the air.

Even those resting in the barracks began to smell it and came outside.

“Wow. Meat for breakfast?”

“Yeah. Surprisingly, meat is good for breakfast, too.”

“Wow. Truly a chef.”

As most of the soldiers came out to the courtyard,

“The tables and chairs have been set up!”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

By the time the dining area was ready,

[The dish is ready]

[Imbued with the Stability of a Junior Chef]

The first batch of meat was ready.

“Everyone, line up. It’s first come, first served for the meal.”

“Yes, Sergeant!”

“Oh, some of these are for the guys on duty. Once you finish your meal, bring these to them first.”

As the guys who had finished their meal took away the cooked meat,

I continued grilling the next batch.

Amidst this, I felt some peculiar gazes.

When I looked in their direction, I saw some soldiers not eating and glancing at me.

“Why aren’t you eating? Oh, are you the type to skip breakfast? Is the meat too heavy for you?”

“No, it’s not that.”

I thought they might have complaints about the menu, but that wasn’t the case.

“It’s just that since Sergeant Shin is working, we thought we should let you eat first. Even though you’re doing your best…”

“Oh, what am I hearing now.”

This military culture.

“Ahh… Don’t worry about me. I’m eating one or two occasionally to check if they’re perfectly grilled.”

“Still…”

“In fact, picking and eating like this is the most delicious way.”

“I-Is that so?”

Only then did they start their meal.

Despite everything, seeing the soldiers enjoying their meal made me feel content.

For a while, we couldn’t provide comforting meals like this imbued with ‘stability’ due to lack of ingredients.

Worries about the soldiers’ morale started creeping in.

Even though the only ingredient available was meat, being able to resume meals like this gave me some peace of mind.

“Well, breakfast seems sufficient for now.”

In truth, the efforts since dawn weren’t solely for the soldiers’ breakfast.

“From now on, the real tasks are getting closer to the goal.”

After clearing the grill where I was cooking meat, I placed a pot on the burning logs.

The water collected by the soldiers from the stream yesterday was poured into the pot.

“Oh, are you preparing lunch already?”

“Huh? Not really.”

A few curious soldiers approached upon seeing the scene.

Whether they were interested or not.

With the pot slightly filled with water, I tossed in the fats of the monsters that I had set aside.

Chunks of fat.

“Ingredients aren’t just about meat.”

Eating only fat might be a bit much,

but it would be wasteful to discard them.

Luckily, there was one ingredient left in the camp that hadn’t been completely used up.

A cheat ingredient in cooking.

Continuously stirring the monster fat in the water, the chunks gradually turned brown over time, and the color of the water changed slightly along with it.

Technically, it wasn’t water anymore.

After stirring for about half an hour, satisfied with the result, I lowered the pot to the ground.

I took out all the fatty lumps and stored them separately.

Then, I brought some glass bottles from the barracks.

Tilting the pot, I poured the contents little by little into the glass bottles.

“Phew, the smell is intense.”

As I looked at the bottles, [Ingredient Analysis] was activated.  

[Animal Oil Mixed with Magic Essence]

[This is animal oil infused with various types of magic essence]

[When used in cooking, it transforms into magic essence suitable for the dish]

A cheat ingredient in the culinary world that makes everything taste delicious when fried.

It was the completion of the oil.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Translator: One Force

TL Note:

This is the first regular chapter of the day.

1 more regular chapter + 2 more additional chapters (For NU target completion) coming up in few hours.

Thanks a lot to all the readers for the reviews and ratings.

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