The Military Chef of a Ruined World

Normally, they respected my opinions, but whenever something felt off, they would start their unsolicited advice disguised as nagging.

“May I ask just one question?” Corporal Seo Su-hyeok said suddenly.

“Uh? Sure.”

I felt tension at the thought of receiving some harsh feedback. Instead, Seo Su-hyeok’s question shifted the focus.

“You mentioned that those who often consume high-quality meals can’t perceive the effects of lower-quality food well. Is that really the case?”

“Ah, very much so,” I replied, recalling my recent experience. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The dungeon boss—[Pope of the Deep Blue]. The title “Pope” didn’t seem like just a nickname; it likely carried massive weight in its own world. After tasting so many lavish dishes, I felt my own cooking would never match its refined palate.

As I elaborated on my experiences, Min-jae chimed in. “Young-joon, you’re probably the best cook around at this moment.”

“If that’s the case… Hmm.”

“Indeed, it must be Young-joon,” Min-jae affirmed.

“Wise choice,” Seo Su-hyeok added.

“Huh?”

I was taken aback, confused by the sudden shift in their demeanor.

“I see your plan clearly. We’ll have to convey this to the soldiers. If there are Awakened individuals in the city needing combat rations, we should have them bring us monster meat.”

“And raise the commission for others,” Min-jae added. “Those who are friendly toward our guild should be aware of the perks in such situations.”

What just happened? I was bracing for criticism for being too generous, but now, they seemed to want to offer my combat rations to others?

‘What on earth are they planning?’

—

“…It appears everyone has gathered.”

In a city still damp from its recent fall, a group of individuals met in a corner of a crumbling building.

“All together, about thirty people. Quite a small number,” someone remarked.

“It can’t be helped. Building trust to work together has taken time,” came another voice, albeit with a hint of skepticism.

The gathered people exhibited little faith in one another, and even the one attempting to lead didn’t project a strong sense of authority. Common ground was nearly impossible to find, and they were not from the same group.

“Just to confirm, our goal is to escape Chuncheon. Do you all agree?” a man at the front asked.

“Hmm.”

“I concur.”

“That was the very reason we gathered, right?”

In essence, they were united by their desire to leave Chuncheon. The reasons varied widely from person to person.

Finally able to go home, they yearned to reconnect with family and friends they’d left behind.

“Let’s commence the meeting. For now, our first objective is to move to the Yeongdong region and reach Gangneung,” Lee Juhyeok declared, unfolding a map before them.

“Everyone here has the Gangneung area as their destination. Once we arrive, we’ll act individually based on our respective goals,” he continued.

The mountains divided Gangwon Province, and Chuncheon represented the Yeongseo region while those present looked toward the east. With their destination clarified, the meeting began in earnest.

“It will be tough to navigate the roads. Not only are there broken-down vehicles everywhere, but there are monsters and zombies hidden among them,” Juhyeok noted, his tone serious.

“I saw from a rooftop that one overpass completely collapsed,” another added. “I can’t say the tunnels are still usable either.”

Various issues surfaced in their discussions, but solutions mysteriously avoided them.

One pressing issue remained unsolved.

“Sigh, indeed, the issue of food is problematic.”

Juhyeok massaged his forehead, showing frustration. With so many roads rendered useless, they had no idea how long it would take to reach Gangneung while fighting monsters.

They could not rely solely on foraging.

“What if we raid a supermarket along the way?”

“Don’t you think we’ve been trapped in there long enough? Most food would have been cleared out by other survivors,” a voice countered.

“Ugh.”

“Perhaps hunting monsters to eat would suffice.”

“Crazy talk. I want to find my family, not become a monster myself. I wouldn’t stop you if you want to turn into one, though.”

“No, I was joking,” the initial speaker replied, trying to lighten the mood.

As the group kicked around ideas, lack of direction became increasingly apparent.

“Given the long journey ahead, the food we need to secure would be considerable.”

“Mm, indeed.”

“…May I ask you all something?”

Juhyeok’s unexpected question drew puzzled glances.

“I would like to know how far everyone is willing to go.”

A stern look gripped his face. “For the sake of meeting my family, I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Every day we hesitate here increases the danger for any surviving family members.”

“I’m not one to shy away either,” came another voice.

“I can think of one way to quickly secure food,” Juhyeok said, drawing fresh attention.

“…You don’t mean.”

“We’ll have to take it from those who have enough food.”

Tension ran thick in the air, the group’s expressions hardening.

Taking food from fellow humans to survive? Memories of similar tragedies in the dungeon resurfaced, bringing the horror to the forefront of their minds.

“You. What the hell are you suggesting?”

“This is strictly a final resort,” Juhyeok quickly clarified. “First, we should explore peaceful means.”

Though he hinted it was merely a last resort, everyone understood the truth. ‘That option isn’t acceptable.’

Just as they felt the mounting pressure of his suggestion, a gust of wind surged outside, forcing a piece of paper through the window and into the room.

“What is this?”

“It’s just a flyer. Toss it aside and get back to the meeting—”

“No, there’s something written on it.”

The plain white sheet bore hastily scribbled words.

In bold letters, the message read: [For those seeking food. Join the legion.]

“……?”

A potential way to secure food that didn’t involve violence had suddenly appeared before them.