《The Military Chef of a Ruined World》 Prologue Prologue Prologue ¡°Hey, wouldn¡¯t it bea good idea to stage a protest?¡± Lieutenant Kim spoke with a trembling voice. Upon hearing this, the faces of several soldiers, myself included, grimaced. Some soldiers nodded in agreement with Lieutenant Kim¡¯s words. ¡°Now that our food supplies arepletely depleted, we have to abandon the base and moveout to somewhere else.¡± ¡°Well, we could¡­ since our unit is in the mountains, we could dig for wild vegetables like bracken or hunt¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡± Sergeant Park from the radar team interjected with frustration, but the fear in the eyes of the unit members remained palpable. Understandably so. One month ago, out of nowhere, monsters suddenly appeared in the world, and many people died due to this unforeseen event. Attempts to contact outside the unit proved futile; not only regrmunications but even the emergencywork within the unit failed to function. No inte, no phone signals, no radio frequencies, nothing that seemed to work. Even military frequencies were dead. Anyone could predict that the situation outside was inplete chaos since the emergencywork didn¡¯t even work. ¡°Isn¡¯t it safe here for now?¡± ¡°Well, it has been until now.¡± A unit located in the high mountains where even monsters found it difficult to reach. And most importantly, the defensive barriers surrounding the unit. That¡¯s why our unit has managed to survive so far. It would be suicidal to abandon these advantages and move. But now, with food running critically low, we had no choice but to abandon the security of our military base and relocate. However, seeing the excessive fear in the unit members¡­ ¡°Alright, it¡¯s lunchtime. Let¡¯s eat first, and then discuss further.¡± I must feed them. ¡°Well, today¡¯s lunch is Sari gomtang*!¡± It was a popr menu among soldiers for its decent taste. The high-calorie content in the rich beef broth was perfect for soldiers engaged in strenuous tasks. And if you added a special sauce, it would be even better. I pretended to add salt to the boiling sari gomtang and secretly used my skill. [Chef¡¯s Secret Sauce ¨C Courage] [Tasty food moves people¡¯s hearts] [It will increase the user¡¯s courage on consumption] Done. Soldiers hesitantly took a spoonful of the beef soup with worried faces. Lieutenant Kim still looked pensive as he took a spoonful of the sari gomtang. ¡°Anyway, try eating while you listen. Even if we must go out, gulping down food right now¡­¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± Lieutenant Kim paused at my words. ¡°Going out¡­ I¡­ going¡­ out¡­¡± Sounds of spoons dropping to the floor could be heard around. Lieutenant Kim stood up abruptly and shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s go out!! Let¡¯s go out! Pack your bags! You cowardly bastards! Is it right for soldiers to be this afraid? These deer-like brats!¡± As he spoke with courage, the rest of the unit began to respond to his brave outburst. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s just going out!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been confined to the base for so long, let¡¯s take a walk and hunt some monsters!¡± ¡°Heh, it¡¯ll be perfect for post-meal exercise.¡± ¡°Yeeeaaaahhh!¡± ¡°Long live the Republic of Korea Army!!!¡± With the sound of Lieutenant Kim¡¯s courageous exmation, I smiled contentedly. ¡°As expected, people need to eat.¡± Sergeant Shin Young-joon. 23 years old. I am the cook responsible for this unit. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: *Sari Gomtang typically means beef shank soup. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Life in the South Korean military is generally mundane. Unless there are inspections or drills, it¡¯s the same repetitive routine every day. Even on weekends, units might get some rest from duties, but that¡¯s not applicable to all departments. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon? We¡¯re making stir-fried squid for dinner today, but we can¡¯t find the squid.¡± ¡°What? How many times have I told you to check the food inventory properly¡­¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin, Lieutenant Kim called. He said he doesn¡¯t want to eat fried mackerel for lunch, can you make just one dish for him?¡± ¡°Ah, that guy¡­ sigh, just let him have his way.¡± The kitchen unit. The core ofbat readiness lies in nutrition, and it¡¯s the chefs¡¯ responsibility to provide a well-bnced nutritious food. Mealtimes are also associated with one of humanity¡¯s three basic needs. So even on weekends, there¡¯s no rest for the kitchen unit. If soldiers are served tasteless or the same food every day, morale is bound to plummet. That¡¯s why chefs must prepare a variety of dishes, reaching a certain eptable standard that soldiers will enjoy eating, every day. If there are any issues during this process, it¡¯s up to the chefs¡¯ improvisation to fix them. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡­ never mind. Hey, remember the pork belly we saved for the unit¡¯s dinnerst time? Instead of stir-fried squid for dinner, let¡¯s make stir-fried pork belly. The guys will love it. They¡¯ll go crazy for pork belly, so don¡¯t forget to serve it yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Get some cream and chicken from the fridge. Lieutenant Kim likes pasta, so make something with chicken, maybe pasta.¡± It was frustrating to not even be able to rest properly on the weekends. But¡­ ¡°You¡¯ll be discharged soon, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± If there¡¯s any sce, it¡¯s the fact that this won¡¯tst much longer. I was a senior sergeant close to discharge. Of course, being close to discharge doesn¡¯t mean you can rx, especially in a kitchen unit. ¡°What are your ns after discharge?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The question from my junior was something any soldier nearing discharge would think about, at least once. What to do after joining civilian life. Naturally, I had some thoughts too. ¡°I have nned to learn cooking formally and maybe open a restaurant.¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t the food industry a total nightmare these days?¡± I¡¯m serving as a chef in the military but originally, I wasn¡¯t one. I just happened to be assigned to the kitchen as a chef. The cooking I experienced for the first time in the military wasn¡¯t even cooking, it was more like food preparation. But there was a reason why I wanted to learn cooking properly and formally. ¡°I always feel satisfied and ecstatic when the guys tell me that they enjoy my cooking.¡± ¡°Well then, Sergeant Shin, would you considering to the restaurant where I used to work? I¡¯ll teach you well as your senior.¡± ¡°Who said I agreed? And I have no interest in Japanese cuisine, man.¡± My junior, Jun-hyuk. He had joined the military after studying Japanese cuisine in society. On top of that it is also an eptable fact that culinary industry is more hierarchical than the military. He had no hesitation about entering as my junior. ¡°Japanese cuisine isn¡¯t bad, though.¡± ¡°Ah, forget it. Oh, I saw that we¡¯re running out of salt. Could you get some from the warehouse?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ingredients like salt are stored in the warehouse, a bit away from the restaurant building. As I watched Jun-hyuk head to the warehouse, I drifted into my own thoughts for a moment. ¡®Learning Japanese cuisine¡­¡¯ Maybe learning Japanese cuisine wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all. Most of the cooking I learned in the military was Korean, but there was no reason to keep learning Korean cuisine after discharge. ¡®Besides, the essence of cooking is in Western cuisine.¡¯ While entertaining such thoughts and watching Jun-hyuk¡¯s back *** As Jun-hyuk opened the back door¡­ He was engulfed by something that came out from outside. ¡°Huh?¡± At first, I thought someone was ying a prank again. Jun-hyuk often became a target for the soldiers¡¯ jokes because of his cute appearance. But that thought vanished quickly. Because something was tearing at Jun-hyuk¡¯s neck. ¡°Jun, Jun-hyuk!¡± ¡°Cou¡­ cough.¡± I was momentarily shocked, but then my feet moved swiftly. What was that creature? It didn¡¯t matter. All I had in mind was that I must save him. It was bewildering, but I had to save Jun-hyuk first. With that thought in mind, I leaped with arge cooking shovel nearby, but¡­ Squelch. I was a beat toote. Squelch, chop- A sound of flesh being torn apart echoed as something pinkish dangled from the monster¡¯s mouth. I may not know much about human anatomy, but¡­ I knew something shouldn¡¯t being out of his throat. ¡°¡­Jun-hyuk, he¡¯s¡­ dead?¡± Just moments ago, we were having a conversation, and now my junior¡¯s organs were flying around, an unreal, yet terrifying sight. I froze at my ce with thatrge shovel tightly gripped in my hands. The scene was just too grotesque for me to understand. ¡°Sergeant Shin? What was that noise just now¡­ Ugh!¡± Even the youngest guy frying mackerel in the corner seemed startled when he saw Jun-hyuk. I, frozen in shock, could barelye to my senses thanks to his exmation. ¡°What the heck is¡­ that? Damn it¡­¡± It was only then when I saw the creature that attacked Jun-hyuk. But seeing it didn¡¯t mean I understood what it was. If I had topare it with something, it looked somewhat like a lizard. Covered in thick scales, including its humanoid face, it was almost as tall as a person. But unlike lizards, its teeth were sharp, and its hands tearing into Jun-hyuk¡¯s body had sharp ws. Its reptilian eyes, vertically slit, eerily flickered as they stared at me. ¡­Me? I heard the youngest¡¯s scream and looked his way. The creature, which had been busy tearing into Jun-hyuk, stealthily rose to its feet. Clearly aiming for the next prey. How many people have been in the position of getting hunted in their lives? My hands and feet trembled, and I felt a chill run down my spine. ¡°Damn it!¡± I could see the mangled body of my unfortunate junior. I¡­ I didn¡¯t want to end up like that! ¡°Youngest!¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± ¡°Get some reinforcements!¡± Leaving the youngest one to find something useful as a weapon, I swung therge cooking shovel at the monster. Arge cooking shovel used for mass cooking wasrge, heavy, and sturdy enough to easily kill a person if swung with sincerity. But¡­ Crack! When the weapon shed with the creature, an unsettling sound echoed. ¡°Crunch!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± As if hitting a wall. Instead, my hand felt sore and numb after hitting that monster with all my might. I almost dropped the shovel due to the intensive pain but thinking that losing the weapon would be the end, I managed to hold onto it. ¡°It¡¯s not even a damn piece of iron¡­!¡± While I was shaking in pain, the monster nonchntly swung its ws. As if being hit by the shovel meant nothing to it. ¡°Ugh!¡± I dodged backward and narrowly avoided its ws. Thinking now, if I had been a bitte then another body would have been added to the list. My heart couldn¡¯t stop and was beating faster than usual. ¡°That scale! No wonder it looked so damn thick!¡± It seemed harder than it appeared. ¡°S-Sergeant Shin!? What the hell is that thing!?¡± ¡°Do you recognize me!¡± The bewildered youngd approached me, but I was just as bewildered. I¡¯d rather be attacked by a tiger than that monster. ¡°Darn it, darn it, darn it! Why the hell does such a monster exist in the first ce.¡± In the irrationality of the sudden attack by the monster, all I could do was curse inwardly. The youngd also hastily brought arge shovel like me, but it probably wouldn¡¯t have made any differences. That monster was enveloped in tough scales, all over its body. It reminded me of medieval knights. ¡°A knight d in full armor can massacre peasants wielding farming tools.¡± Being in the position of those ughtered peasants, I could feel it to my bones. I would really feel fortunate if the shovel could make even a small scratch on its scales. There was no way to deal with it. ¡°To face such a knight, you either exhaust them somehow or pour hot oil¡­¡± Ah. There was a way. ¡°Lunch today. Deep-fried mackerel¡­¡± I was not sure if this would work. I didn¡¯t intend to just stand here and wait for my death. I threw therge shovel at the monster that I was holding and leaped backward. ¡°Crack!¡± Despite throwing the shovel with all my might, hitting the monster¡¯s head, it just flinched for a moment. Rather, it infuriated that monster. I felt it rushing towards me. ¡°Please, please, don¡¯t bete!¡± During that momentary flinch of the monster, I reached the deep fryer behind the narrow restaurant. A deep fryer where fish scraps floated, and oil bubbled vigorously. Holding argedle with trembling hands, I thrusted it into the oil container. And then. Sizzle ¡°Screaak!!!¡± I sprayed boiling oil onto the monster, which was so close that I could reach out and touch it. The optimal temperature for frying is at least 180 degrees Celsius. Even in winter, when you¡¯re frying, it¡¯s so hot that you¡¯ll sweat even while just passing by. The monster began to writhe in agony after sshing oil on its body. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet!¡± Though it seemed to be in agony, it still clung to its life. Even a regr person would have been shocked into unconsciousness from such an ordeal. But I confirmed that the oil attack worked. I continued to swing thedle with all my might as if I were going topletely empty the oil in the pot. As I vigorously sshed the oil, a few drops sttered onto me, scalding me painfully. ¡°Please die, please¡­!¡± In such a situation where there was no time to care about such pain, I gritted my teeth and endured tears asionally leaking out. ¡°Krrr¡­¡± How many times did I spray the oil like that? By the time I noticed, the restaurant floor was already gleaming with oil. The monster, writhing in agony, seemed to have calmed down to some extent. ¡°Is it dead?¡± I wondered. Although its movements had stopped for now¡­ ¡°It could be pretending to be dead.¡± I cautiously distanced myself from the monster. ¡°Sir, Sergeant Shin? Is that thing dead?¡± But it seemed like I was the only one thinking that. The youngest one approached the monster with a shovel in hand. ¡°Hey, hey! It might still be alive, so be careful¡­!¡± ¡°I just need to make sure it¡¯s really dead¡­¡± Crunch. The monster bit into the foot of the youngest who was trying to turn the body over. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Youngest!¡± I hastily retreated, but I still kept my distance from the monster just in case. Sizzle¡­ When I arrived right in front of it, the monster was already devouring the youngest¡¯s belly. I thought I had cornered in the end. But it had been waiting for the prey to let its guard down. ¡°Even the youngest¡­¡± Now, there was really no one left except me. The fear that even I could end up like that made my teeth chatter. ¡°O- Oil. I need to spray more.¡± I nced at the oil pot sneakily, but it was almost empty. The monster was busy devouring the youngest, but I didn¡¯t know when it would target me. ¡°Should I run while its attention is on the youngest? No, if I run for no reason, it might provoke it¡­¡± While racking my brains on how to survive, suddenly¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Something red caught my eye on the monster¡¯s back. It was visible between the shiny scales. A reddish area. ¡°Is that¡­ exposed skin?¡± Despite being covered in tough scales, the continuous application of hot oil had cooked its flesh, exposing it in patches. Unlike the hard scales, the skin looked no different from that of an ordinary animal. A clear weakness. ¡°If I try to escape and it chases me then it¡¯ll be really over. Rather than that¡­¡± Now that its attention was on the youngest. Maybe aiming for its weakness is the better choice. The exposed skin area wasn¡¯t extensive, so hitting it with something like a shovel seemed futile. ¡°If I¡¯m aiming for a weakness, I shouldn¡¯t strike, I should stab.¡± Fortunately, there were plenty of weapons suitable for stabbing in the restaurant. Carefully, not to provoke the monster while it devoured the youngest. I used both my hands to cover my mouth and headed towards the knife drawer in the coroner of the restaurant. With trembling hands, I pulled out the longest and sharpest sushi knife from the drawer. ¡°Jun-hyuk, I¡¯m borrowing this.¡± It was Jun-hyuk¡¯s personal sushi knife, which he cherished as a gift from his master while studying Japanese cuisine. The knife was meticulously maintained as it was a gift from his master. It was so sharp that it could cut anything just by touching it. ¡°Grr, Grrr¡­¡± The monster still seemed busy devouring the youngest. Seeing the scene of human organs being scattered on the floor was something that I had never witnessed before. I almost felt like vomiting, but I managed to hold it back. ¡°Can¡¯t it see because of the oil sttered on its face?¡± Perhaps it needed nutrients to heal its wounds. The monster seemed busy devouring the youngest one¡¯s body. It might be fortunate or not, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to sneak up on it. ¡°The target to aim for is the neck¡­¡± Any animal, if its head and body are connected, dies if its neck is injured. The scales inside probably aren¡¯t as tough as to bounce off a knife. ¡°One, two¡­!¡± Through the gap in the scales near the neck. I thrust the sushi knife with all my strength. ¡°Kraaaaah!¡± Even at this point, it seemed to have some strength left. The monster, despite being stabbed in the neck, violently resisted, thrashing about. ¡°P-Please, just, die, peacefully, please¡­¡± The oil sprayed on it was still hot, and every time it collided with the thrashing of the monster¡¯s tough scales, it felt like being hit by iron pellets. ¡°Giving¡­ up¡­ You¡­ bastard¡­¡± But I couldn¡¯t give up either. Suppressing its resistance with my whole body. With one hand pressing down on its head and the other hand pushing and twisting the sushi knife stabbed in its neck. Every muscle in my body was screaming in agony. The painful time seemed to continue endlessly. How long has it been like this? ¡°Kkk¡­ Kkruk¡­¡± The monster finally stopped resisting when the strengthpletely left its body. Right at that time a strange message appeared before my eyes. Ding- [Congrattions on awakening!] [Awakened: Shin Young-joon] [upation: Novice Chef Lv. 1] [Attributes: Strength 9, Agility 10, Magic 8, Luck 9] [Specialties: Basic Dagger Mastery, Basic Culinary Mastery, Basic Ingredient Identification, Basic Fire Affinity] [Skills: Chef¡¯s Insight, Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] [Points: 0pt] [Unique talent detected from the Awakened] [Talent: Large-scale Cooking] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 2 Chapter 2 [You have awakened] [World Event ¨C Faction War is in progress] Unite to survive! Create a faction or join an existing one. Those who establish their factions quickly may receive special rewards! [Current Faction Affiliation ¨C None] [World Event ¨C upation Battle is in progress] I¡¯m the crazy one in this area! upy and expand your territory. As your faction grows, you may receive special rewards! [Current Area Affiliation ¨C ROK. 17] [upation Battle Status in the Area] 1. ??? (??%) 2. ??? (??%) 3. ??? (??%) ¡°What in the world is this¡­?¡± An unidentified message appeared the moment I killed the monster. People were dying. I, too, was trembling with exhaustion after barely surviving this disaster. But the message that appeared before me seemed utterly absurd and mocking. ¡®You have awakened? What awakening?¡¯ A hologram appeared before me, and judging from its interface it was quite simr to a game panel that appears in those popr Role-ying Games. My awakened profession was that of a chef. It seemed to have some characteristics rted to cooking¡­ ¡°What is this? upation battle?¡± As I was bewildered by the contents a loud noise echoed from afar. Tadada Tadang. Soldiers would be familiar with that sound. Gunshots. Gunfire ringing out on a weekend, with no training, within a perfectly intact unit. It wasn¡¯t very difficult to guess the reason. ¡°Has this thing appeared somewhere else too?¡± This dreadful creature, even if just one, can give nightmare to an entire unit. I nced down at the monster¡¯s corpse lying beneath my feet. ¡°I almost died just dealing with this one.¡± No, it was more than just dying. I was almost dead, if not for the oil and the sashimi knife. My junior was lying dead with his throat torn near the back door of the mess hall. And the youngest was killed inside the greasy mess hall, his stomach ripped open by the monster. Two of my juniors were actually dead. Out of a total of four. Except for one on vacation, two out of the three casualties were from the cooking team. In essence, more than half of the casualties were from our team. Only one creature caused this many causalities, and if there are multiple creatures then¡­ Honestly, I didn¡¯t have much confidence in surviving. ¡°I somehow managed to survive just now.¡± It wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if I had died in ce of my two juniors. Death. Only three days left before I can be discharged from the army; will I be left alone and die here? ¡°That can¡¯t happen.¡± I will survive. I will survive, go out into society, learn proper cooking, and open a restaurant. I will focus on the design and marketing of the store, and even register it with Michelin-starred restaurants. But for that to happen. I can¡¯t afford to die here. ¡°To survive¡­¡± A famous saying came to mind. ¡°We must unite.¡± With trembling hands, I grabbed my knees and pulled myself up with determination. To survive, I needed to join forces with other unit members. I held Jun-hyuk¡¯s sushi knife with my left hand, instead of my right hand, which was trembling from strangling the monster¡¯s neck. I moved in the direction of the gunfire. * * * The restaurant building was somewhat distant from the other buildings in the unit. Although the unit wasn¡¯t particrlyrge, the distance between buildings wasn¡¯t that far. I turned my head in the direction where the gunfire was heard. ¡°It¡¯s probably the ammunition depot.¡± It was a natural assumption. Due to the nature of the military, soldiers rarely carried bullets around during normal times. Except during training situations, most bullets were stored in the ammunition depot. Considering the direction where the gunfire was heard. It was likely that the ce where the unit members were located was the ammunition depot. The problem was¡­ ¡°Of all ces, it¡¯s on the exact opposite side.¡± If the restaurant building was at the western end of the unit, the ammunition depot would be at the eastern end. To get from the restaurant to the ammunition depot, I would have to cross the entire unit. Given that the unit wasn¡¯t particrlyrge, during normal times, one could leisurely walk and eventually reach the destination. But now, with the possibility of monsters roaming around, it was an infinitely dangerous and distant journey. ¡°Let¡¯s try to move through the buildings as much as possible.¡± The unit¡¯s roads were too open. Walking casually could attract the attention of monsters from afar and lead to being chased. It would be the end, if I encountered a monster on the way to the ammunition depot. It would be better to move through the interiors of surrounding buildings to avoid being noticed. First, I dashed to the supply building right next to the restaurant to hide my body. Then, after crossing through the supply building to the opposite entrance, I quickly ran to the facilities building next to it. Moving from building to building like that. I cautiously headed towards the ammunition depot, being vignt for any signs of monsters around. Despite passing through quite a few buildings, there was not a single indication of anyone. Today was a weekend. Except for officers and a few departments, most soldiers didn¡¯te to work. Tadada Tadang. Even in this quiet environment, sporadic gunfire could still be heard in the distance. I was moving while relying on that sound. I arrived in front of a building. ¡°The Living Hall.¡± While other buildings might be quiet on weekends. The living hall, where the unit members lived should be noisy with various chatter and TV sounds. But now, it was as quiet as the other buildings. ¡°If those monsters attacked people¡­¡± I opened the barracks door with a foreboding feeling. Inside was¡­ Exactly as I had anticipated. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Communications squad¡¯s youngest, Yunsu. Facility squad¡¯s Corporal Park, who came back from ying ser outside, and someone whose face was torn to shreds beyond recognition. These were the people who were lying dead in the dormitory hallway. ¡°Just how many people died here?¡± Bodies were visible inside each room of the dormitory. Some windows were shattered, and the fixtures were broken. Even if I didn¡¯t know, it seemed there was quite amotion. Seems like even the soldiers resting on the weekend in the dormitory experienced the chaos. I was lucky back then to have boiling oil in the kitchen. The monster¡¯s scales were incredibly tough. It would have been difficult to scratch them with ordinary attacks. I barely survived by frying the creature in boiling oil, but¡­ The soldiers in the dormitory had no way to fight the monsters. It must have been a massacre. However, it seemed that some guns were missing from the gun lockers ced in each dormitory. I roughly pieced together the situation in my head. ¡°The monsters attacked the dormitory, and those who judged that fighting was futile took out their guns and ran to the ammunition depot.¡± And then they replenished their ammunition from the depot and started fighting the monsters. That must be the cause of the gunshots I hear now. As I crossed the dormitory, I headed towards the ammunition depot. After leaving the dormitory, I began to see bodies little by little along the way to the depot. Well, the monsters wouldn¡¯t just let us run to the depot with guns. Those bodies must have been soldiers caught by the monsters¡¯ pursuit. As I passed by the bodies and headed towards the ammunition depot. Twist. Something, which I thought was another corpse began to move. I was startled and couldn¡¯t help but hold my breath. ¡°Grr¡­¡± A low growl of a beast. ¡°Darn it¡­¡± I thought it was a corpse abandoned in the sewer beside the road. Who would have thought that a monster was behind, devouring it slowly. The creature, looked just like the one I saw in the kitchen, rose to its feet. Its reptilian eyes red at me eerily. ¡°Darn it, darn it, darn it, darn it!¡± I tried so hard not to be noticed by the monster! And now, there¡¯s not much distance left to the ammunition depot! ¡°I don¡¯t even have any boiling oil.¡± I remembered the corpses in the dormitory. The helpless, ughtered soldiers. There were no monsters, only corpses there. So many soldiers died without being able to do anything. What makes me any different? ¡°I¡­ Have only three days left before my discharge?¡± If I had known this would happen, I would have applied for it three days earlier. Even if Taejun hadn¡¯t asked him to leave in time for his vacation. Rather thanradeship, it ended up with us being buried together in the unit. While having such trivial thoughts. The creature, resembling a lizard, slowly began to walk towards me. ¡°Damn it. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± I couldn¡¯t just let myself be that monster¡¯s meal like this. I held the sashimi knife that Jun-hyuk diligently maintained in my right hand and prepared myself. ¡°No matter how much of a monster it is, if I poke it with a knife, it¡¯ll get hurt somewhere.¡± Though I was all ready for the fight, I didn¡¯t have a n. But still, I concentrated on the monster¡¯s movements, thinking that I mustn¡¯t die so easily. [Skill ¨C Chef¡¯s Insight activated.] [Analyzing ingredients¡­¡­] Before my eyes. Once again, an unidentified message popped up. ¡°What the¡­!¡± The strange characters that had appeared before. The difference from before was that these characters blocked my view, so I couldn¡¯t see the monster. Just when I held the knife with resignation and had thought that I might die for such a ridiculous reason. [Ingredient analysisplete] [Acquired ¡®Novice Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Lizard Butchery.¡¯] The ¡®method of butchering¡¯ that monster came to mind naturally. [Although lizards appear difficult to butcher due to their thick scales andrge size, they are an ingredient that anyone can easily butcher if they know the trick. First, it is important to cut off their airways and drain their blood¡­] I looked at the monster just like a butcher with 30 years of experience looks at pigs, cows, and chickens ¡°Graaah!¡± The monster swung its sharp ws at me as it charged. Perhaps expecting me to dodge and flee, it was a big move. ¡®In that case.¡¯ I didn¡¯t flee to avoid the attack. Instead, I dove into the creature¡¯s embrace. There were many openings in its w-swinging posture. Especially because it swung its arms wide, leaving its armpits exposed. ¡®Left armpit.¡¯ From my perspective, it¡¯s the right one. I thrust the knife into that spot. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The reason for my confusion wasn¡¯t something else. ¡®Did I stab wrong?¡¯ Because the de went in too easily. I wondered if I had stabbed into thin air. [Trait ¨C Novice Dagger Mastery] [Proficiency increases when using dagger-type equipment.] I felt warmth in my hands. ¡°Blood?¡± Blood gushed out vigorously from the creature¡¯s wound. ¡°Grr, argh¡­.¡± The force with which it charged at me was nowhere to be found. The creature, which was spilling blood through its armpits, gradually seemed to be losing its strength. It copsed on me with a thud. Dead. ¡®It¡¯s not pretending to be dead. It¡¯s really dead.¡¯ As the monster died, I felt something filling up inside me. A sensation of ecstasy, something I¡¯ve never felt before in my life. [You have gained experience points.] *** [Chef¡¯s Eye] [A great chef never encounters an ingredient that they cannot handle] [Even if it¡¯s an ingredient they¡¯ve never dealt with before!] [By observing objects deemed as ¡®ingredients,¡¯ you can discern their correct cooking methods, handling techniques, etc.] That¡¯s how the skill was exined. ¡°¡­. Ingredients.¡± An old video I watched on YouTube came to mind. A fish thrashing wildly on a cutting board, but as soon as you pierce between its fins, it bes still. And then blood began to pour out. A video on fish preparation. ¡°Is this monster considered a food ingredient?¡± Even if there¡¯s a handling technique, what about cooking methods? [Acquired Revtion of Lizard Cooking Method] [Lizard meat is characterized by its savory and nutty taste, but if overcooked, it tends to be tough, and if not properly cleaned, it can have a strong odor. It is one of the ingredients that requires careful attention in cooking. Rmended cooking methods include¡­] Insane. I deliberately pushed away the thoughts of how to cook the monster that came to my mind. It¡¯s a monster that eats people. It¡¯s horrible to think of eating that man-eating monster. ¡°Anyway. I¡¯m lucky to be alive.¡± A sudden message appeared before me. And even the handling method injected into my mind out of nowhere. I still didn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I was grateful to be alive. I cleared the corpse of the monster thaty on top of me and moved toward the sound of gunfire near the ammunition depot. Luckily, I didn¡¯t encounter any other monsters besides the one I just ¡®prepared.¡¯ So, I sessfully made it to the ammunition depot unharmed. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon?¡± ¡°Quickly,e inside!¡± Near the ammunition depot, soldiers were gathered and were equipped with rifles andbat gear. ¡°I-I¡¯m alive.¡± Relief washed over me, and my body felt weak. Sitting down on the ground, I looked around at the gathered soldiers. At that moment. [Acquired ¡®Novice Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Primate Preparation¡¯] ¡°¡­.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 3 Chapter 3 [Acquired ¡®Novice Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Primate Preparation¡¯] As per the system¡¯s info ¡°Chef¡¯s Eye¡± only worked on food ingredients. Turns out it also works on humans too, and that too his ownrades. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I could sense multiple pairs of eyes on me while I was busy reading the system description about Primate Preparation. Wondering what was going on, I looked around, only to find some soldiers giving me uneasy looks. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Was it because I was unarmed, while everyone else was on guard and fully armed? Or could it be that the information about primate preparation was visible to others too? Fortunately, it was neither. ¡°Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that appearance¡­?¡± Taking a look at myself, I realized my condition was beyond words. My face was smeared with grease and monster blood from the kitchen, and my once navy blue colored kitchen uniform was soaked dark with the monster¡¯s blood. The sushi knife in my hand was sticky with the monster¡¯s flesh. ¡®It¡¯s not even a horror movie.¡¯ No wonder everyone else was feeling unsettled looking at my present get-up. ¡°It seems difficult now; But I should wash up as soon as I get the chanceter.¡± But what concerned me more was¡­ ¡°What happened to you guys?¡± I might not have been in my best shape, but the others gathered there weren¡¯t either. They all had pale faces devoid of color, and some soldiers were trembling with fear. The one who spoke to me seemed to have a strong mentality, but upon closer inspection, he was trembling slightly all over. ¡°We¡­,¡± After listening to their exnation, it wasn¡¯t much different from what I expected. They were just chatting and watching TV on the weekend when suddenly the TV went nk. As they were all trying to figure out what happened, monsters smashed through the windows and invaded. Many people died. The surviving soldiers managed to grab guns from the armory and fled to the ammunition depot, where they replenished their bullets and fought. ¡°Normally, the keys to the armory should be kept at headquarters, but our unit didn¡¯t bother with that.¡± ¡°Thankfully we were abat unit.¡± The keys to the armory, which should have been kept at headquarters, were in the living hall, and the keys to the ammunition depot were in the pockets of the ammunition control soldiers. Normally, they would curse about military life, but if the keys had been farther away, even more people would have died. Should I say they are lucky¡­? ¡°And, Sergeant Shin, how about the rest of the cooks¡­?¡± After finishing the story, the guy cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°They¡¯re all dead except me.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± My subordinates, Jun-hyuk and Yong-jun. ¡°They were good guys.¡± Jun-hyuk, like a seasoned cook, was good at kitchen work and had a sharp personality. Yong-jun, the youngest, was a bit slow and not that good at work, but he had a very kind personality. In the kitchen, I used to scold and yell at them, as their senior. But they didn¡¯t deserve to die like this. ¡°¡­I¡¯m the only one left.¡± Perhaps because I realized I had survived, my tension eased a bit. Now, I finally felt the reality sinking in. Feeling mncholic for no reason, I looked up towards the sky. A soldier approached me from the ammunition depot. ¡°Sergeant Shin. Lieutenant Kim wants to see you for a moment.¡± ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°Not just you. He is calling all the top officials from different departments and counting the number of heads who escaped from those monsters.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Since it¡¯s the weekend, there aren¡¯t many officers left in the unit, so we should listen to the soldiers¡¯ opinions too.¡± Normally, in emergencies like this, officers would exchange opinions and then convey them to the soldiers. But today, when the incident happened, it happened to be the weekend. There wouldn¡¯t be many officers left in the unit, and they would want to listen to the soldiers¡¯ opinions too. ¡°¡­That¡¯s, it¡¯s not just a small number.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Of the five officers who were at the unit today, excluding Lieutenant Kim, all of them have passed away.¡± As he continued speaking, the soldier¡¯splexion gradually darkened. ¡°Even the officers¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but one thing was for sure: the situation was not good. Some of the soldiers were sitting in corners, hugging their knees and sobbing. And some were staring nkly into space, as if they hadpletely lost their minds. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± Heading to where Lieutenant Kim had called, I saw that some other unit members had arrived before me. And among them, there was a man sitting in the middle. ¡°Young-joon finally here? Sit over there.¡± Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok. *** At first nce, he wasn¡¯t such a bad guy. Or rather, you could even say he gave a favorable impression. He was young, tall, and had a somewhat trustworthy face. Many people initially wanted to be friendly with him because of his appearance. But when you get to know him, you will find he is ipetent and greedy, and a rather troublesome officer at that. At first, I tried to impress him by cooking decently. Butter on, whenever an unappetizing dish came out, he would say, ¡°Young-joon, make me another dishter,¡± and even ce an order separately. ¡°And this guy is our unit¡¯s top ranking officer now.¡± I felt a headacheing but I sat down without showing any signs of difort. Gradually, the other senior soldiers from various departments began to arrive. ¡°Seongho from the transportation unit is here? Wasn¡¯t he a senior soldier?¡± ¡°Oh, that. Sergeant Kim Junggyo¡­ He¡¯s¡­ passed away, no¡­ he¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Uh, huh? Uh oh. okay.¡± Lieutenant Kim swallowed his words awkwardly. ¡°Why are you asking that now¡­? What are we supposed to do about the atmosphere?¡± About half of the soldiers gathered here by department were not the top brasses of their departments. The original top-ranking soldiers were either dead or not in their right minds due to these sudden events. Only those soldiers who managed to maintain their sanity even in such situations had gathered there. But¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Damn it. Damn it. Damn it¡­.¡± Someone was retching as if recalling someone dying. Another guy was even muttering curses under his breath while clutching his head. Most of those sitting there were just trying to hold onto their sanity somehow. They seemed to be on the brink of madness. Even I, thinking such thoughts, couldn¡¯t shake off the image of junior soldiers being devoured. ¡°Ahem, then let¡¯s start with a headcount. Could someone start by reporting the numbers for each unit?¡± In the meantime, it was necessary for us to understand the situation, and even more important was understanding and considering everyone¡¯s opinion about this situation. After most of the top-ranking soldiers had gathered. The meeting began. ¡°There are ten members in the transport unit.¡± ¡°The radar unit has seven¡­ members.¡± ¡°Only one member left from the cooking unit,¡± I answered. I listened carefully to the numbers other soldiers were reporting. I learned a very shocking fact from their conversations. ¡°About a hundred people have survived.¡± As a cook, I knew well the number of people eating in our unit. And I can roughly remember that there should have been over 200 people staying at the base on weekends. ¡°Nearly half of them died.¡± I expected there to be many casualties. But to this extent¡­ ¡°May I give a report as well?¡± The one raising his hand was Sergeant Lee Min-jae from themunications unit. We were only a rank apart, so we were like brothers to each other. Amidst the confusion of most soldiers, Min-jae maintained a semnce ofposure. Come to think of it, Min-jae was thest to arrive at this meeting. ¡°We checked with the neers beforeing here, and it seems we¡¯ve lost contact with the outside.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°All regrmunication channels are down, and emergencyworks are dead too. TV, radio, everything. Intr, military frequencies¡­ we tried all possible means ofmunication, but it seems everything¡¯s cut off.¡± What? What¡¯s going on? ¡°Is this¡­ some kind of nonsense?¡± It wasn¡¯t just me who was taken aback by the sudden news. I could feel the murmurs of confusion among the other soldiers nearby. ¡°So, so you¡¯re saying there¡¯s absolutely no way to contact with the outside?¡± ¡°What? Did North Korea set off an EMP or something?¡± ¡°No. The military has safeguards even if an EMP goes off!¡± Confusion was already spreading subtly among the gathered soldiers. While a handful of remaining rational thoughts tried to suppress it, the news of the severed contact with the outside world ignited a rapid spread of confusion. ¡°Oh my, are we all going to die here!?¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t contact the outside, then what about our families¡­?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards Lieutenant Kim amidst this mor of the confused soldiers ¡°Lieutenant Kim¡­ What should we do now?¡± Humans tend to seek refuge when anxious. The only officer left in the unit. In other words, Lieutenant Kim, who was currently themander of our unit. I secretly hoped that he, being the only officer, would organize this chaos and give rational orders. At least if there were clear objectives perhaps the soldiers¡¯ anxiety would diminish somewhat. But¡­ ¡°Well, um. I¡¯m not sure either¡­.¡± What? Rational orders? It was unreasonable to expect that from Lieutenant Kim. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then what should we do!?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Hey, hey! Calm down!¡± Amidst the escting confusion. Someone managed to restrain a frantic soldier who was rushing towards Lieutenant Kim. Lieutenant Kim, who had been holding his head, suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke up. ¡°Well, well. You said contact was lost, right? Maybe we should send a few soldiers to try and establish contact with the higher-ups? We need to receive orders from higher-ups to do anything, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Although I reluctantly voiced my opinion. It was me who hastened the decision. Our unit was a first-ss emergency unit stationed in a mountainous area at an altitude of 1,400m. It took an hour from the entrance of the mountain to reach our unit, which was a first-ss emergency unit. ¡°Even if they go by car, it will take at least two hours to reach the higher-ups from the mountain, and if monsters attack during that time¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t for nothing thatmunication was cut off. Sending people to contact the higher-ups might result in them never returning. I thought it might be safer to stick together with the armed unit members. ¡°It may be risky¡­ but it¡¯s necessary! Let¡¯s select volunteers for the same.¡± Lieutenant Kim seemed determined not to give up on contacting the higher-ups. ¡®¡­Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to be in amanding position.¡¯ If it were a normal situation, it might be understandable, but in a situation where monsters were attacking humans¡­ If he took the reins of judgment and made a wrong decision, the aftermath would be enormous. While I could understand not wanting to take on such an important role¡­ ¡®That¡¯s not how amander should appear.¡¯ Several soldiers, including me, who still had some judgment, wore uneasy expressions. But since an officer said so, we couldn¡¯t refuse. In the end, it was decided to gather volunteers and send them to the higher-ups. ¡°Alright, alright¡­ Until we establish contact with the higher-ups, the principle is to stay in the unit¡­. Young-joon, how much food do we have left in our unit?¡± He directed the question towards me. I quickly racked my brain to get an answer. ¡°Uh, since the rations came in on Friday, we have about five days¡¯ worth of basic rations, and in addition, we have about six weeks¡¯ worth of emergency rations. Considering the reduced number of personnel, it should be about two months¡¯ worth.¡± ¡°Is that so? What about ammunition in the unit?¡± Another soldier answered that question. ¡°We used up all the training ammunitionst week, so we only havebat ammunition left in reserve. It¡¯s not a small amount, but if there¡¯s no additional supply¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not enough, then? But if the monsters don¡¯t show up then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°Well, yes. But if they appear out of nowhere, it¡¯ll be a huge problem, won¡¯t it?¡± Various discussions followed. How to deal with the remaining monsters within the camp. What to do about electricity and water. How to protect the unit until contact is made with the higher-ups. ¡®At least now we have a goal to wait for contact from the higher-ups.¡¯ As an immediate goal emerged. The soldiers, who had been confused, were able to conduct the meeting in a somewhat calmer manner. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with that n, and as for the rest¡­ well, we¡¯ll leave it to improvisation as we go!¡± ¡­It wasn¡¯t exactly reassuring. ¡°Then, let¡¯s adjourn for now.¡± As the conversation seemed to being to an end, Lieutenant Kim rose from his seat. The other soldiers were nodding and pulling their chairs back. Except me. ¡°Huh?¡± The meeting ends like this? Didn¡¯t we just skip the most important topic? ¡°Um, what about awakening?¡± ¡°?¡± I raised my hand tentatively. Everyone seemed puzzled by my question. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Am I saying something strange?¡± I gained some strange power after killing the monster. Naturally, I expected some discussion about that, but instead¡­ Nobody seemed to even know what awakening was. ¡°Didn¡¯t you all say you hunted monsters?¡± ¡°Yeah. We managed to hunt them down with guns somehow. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± What? Am I the only one awakened here? I clearly awakened right after hunting the monster. ¡°¡­Is awakening random, or is there an issue with hunting with guns?¡± The important thing is that they don¡¯t know about awakening. In that case¡­ ¡°Well, I have something to show you.¡± I stood up and drew the blood-stained knife that I hadn¡¯t cleaned till then. Ignoring the gazes directed at the knife, I focused on the table in front of me. Just an ordinary wooden table with nothing special about it. ¡°This¡¯ll do.¡± Since I sat at this table, I had a strange intuition that it would work. ¡°Like cutting vegetables.¡± I brought the knife down onto the table. And then¡­ Swoosh. Apart from a bit of blood, there was nothing remarkable about the sushi knife. Yet, it effortlessly sliced through the solid wooden table. ¡°Insane¡­¡± ¡°W-what the¡­?¡± Everyone around me looked astonished. It¡¯s not like I used a chainsaw. It¡¯s just surprising to cut through a wooden table with a regr knife. There¡¯s only one reason why this is possible. [Trait: Novice Dagger Mastery] ¡°This is considered novice?¡± I met a monster on the way before meeting the other members of the unit. The sensation of piercing through the flesh of that monster lightly. And now, effortlessly slicing through wood. ¡°It¡¯s something even lifelong swordsmen might struggle with.¡± If this is considered novice¡­ What about intermediate or advanced? Looking at the shocked faces of the unit members, I continued speaking. ¡°After killing the monster in the restaurant, I experienced awakening, which made this possible.¡± I pointed the knife towards Lieutenant Kim and said, ¡°You mentioned earlier that we might run out of ammunition if more monsterse, right?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± ¡°In that case, our top priority should be this.¡± If there¡¯s no bread, just eat cake. If there¡¯s no ammunition? Create an army that can fight without ammunition. I recall the message I saw right after awakening. [World Event ¨C Faction War is in progress.] Unite to survive! Build a faction or join one. Those who establish factions quickly might receive special rewards! That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to survive. Discharge safely and even open a restaurant. To survive, I need to unite. ¡®I¡¯ll feed you all.¡¯ I have to feed this group. ¡®And then I¡¯m turning all my unit members into awakened individuals.¡¯ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 4 Chapter 4 After roughly concluding the meeting, we immediately began to organize the unit. Fortunately, the monsters only attacked the ces where people were present. With all unit members gathered at one ce, dealing with those monsters became easy. However, ¡°They¡¯re more resilient than I thought.¡± Monsters encased in thick scales. Those damn Lizards. They didn¡¯t even receive a scratch when struck with a heavy shovel. But luckily, they did get injured when shot with bullets. It took nearly a magazine to bring one down. ¡®For one to die, it seems we need to unload at least a whole magazine on them.¡¯ Twenty to thirty rounds, per monster. Considering there were over ten monsters that attacked the unit today alone, we would soon run out of bullets. ¡°We¡¯ll need to replenish the bullets somehow.¡± ¡°Where should we put the bodies of our unit members¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a cemetery behind the unit. Let¡¯s put the bodies in body bags and bury them there.¡± We roughly decided on this n. While some soldiers patrolled in groups of three, others worked on organizing the unit as efficiently as possible. After the meeting ended, two significant conclusions were reached. One was to send someone to the higher-ups formunication, and the other was to increase the number of awakened individuals. For the former, two soldiers volunteered to go outside the unit, believing it would be safer than staying within. As for thetter¡­ Apart from me, no awakened individuals appeared even after dealing with quite a number of monsters. ¡°Maybe we didn¡¯t awaken because we killed them with bullets.¡± Sergeant Park Taejun from the radar unit remarked. He was my ssmate and the one who shot one of the monsters that appeared this time. ¡°I think there is some way to do it.¡± ¡°You mentioned you faced them directly while we kept them at bay from afar. The difference might lie in that.¡± I recalled the surge of energy within me when I killed the monster, I wondered if it was rted to that. ¡°When you killed the first monster, you wouldn¡¯t have known its weaknesses, right? How did you manage to kill it then?¡± ¡°Well, I kept sshing boiling oil¡­ and while it was busy eating the youngest one¡¯s corpse, I stabbed it in the neck from behind¡­¡± ¡°Boiling oil? It¡¯s not a siege.¡± Heughed incredulously at my experience and then continued with a serious tone. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. These monsters are tough to kill with just bullets. But if you shoot them until they¡¯re almost dead and then approach to stab their weak points, it might work.¡± As he spoke, he nced at the sashimi knife in my hand. ¡°Unlike you, we¡¯ll use bays attached to our rifles to stab them.¡± Soldiers were sharpening their bays with grinders, in the warehouse next to the living quarters. Since bays have a long range, they would be way safer than my sashimi knife. ¡°What if the monster still resists?¡± ¡°Then we will pray for its soul to rest in peace.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°Whatever. Whether more monsters appear or not is a concern forter. Worrying won¡¯t change anything.¡± Taejun seemed to think that more monsters might not appear. Indeed, there was no evidence that the monsters that attacked the unit would return. However, ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that what happened once won¡¯t happen again.¡± Even so, just as Taejun said, worrying now would be pointless. ¡°In that case, you guys manage things here. I¡¯m going to get some food.¡± With that, I left Taejun behind and returned to the mess hall. Lunch time was already over and now it was time for the dinner. ¡°This is a mess.¡± ¡°Other soldiers from the unit had already handled the disposal of monster carcasses and other recements. But the oil that I had sprayed still flickered on the ground, with blood and flesh scattered around.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s clean up first and then cook.¡± After recalling memories of my two juniors, I cleaned the kitchen with hot water and started preparing for the dinner. Although some preparations were alreadypleted, doing a task alone that¡¯s usually carried out by at least three people was expected to be challenging. But all of a sudden. ¡°Huh? Why is this so easy?¡± Every step of preparing ingredients, handling, and cooking felt unusually easy. No, not just easy, it feltfortable. ¡°Is this the power of ¡®Novice Grade Cooking Skill¡¯?¡± Coupled with ¡®Novice Grade Fire Affinity,¡¯ even the usually scorching kitchen feltfortable. Well, even mastering the novice grade knife skills turns one into a master, who could chop wood like slicing tofu. Earlier I had worries on how I would cook alone without my two juniors. But with this level of proficiency, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. When Ipleted the dinner menu a message appeared before my eyes. ¡°The ¡®Novice Chef¡¯s Stir-fried Pork Belly¡¯ isplete!¡± ¡°The ingredient quality is poor, resulting in a slight decrease in cooking ability.¡± ¡°Due to excellent temperature control, the cooking ability has increased.¡± ¡°The chef¡¯s sincerity is rated as ¡®ordinary,¡¯ resulting in a slight increase in cooking ability.¡± ¡°¡®Novice Chef¡¯s Stir-fried Pork Belly''¡± ¡°Eating it will increase strength and agility for a certain period.¡± ¡°Skill ¨C You can add the Chef¡¯s special sauce.¡± ¡°It will be a buff-giving dish when eaten.¡± ¡°Well, I expected as much.¡± Suddenly, the status window appeared. Apanied by various exnatory texts. At first, I was confused and didn¡¯t notice, but with a little reading I understood what it was about. ¡°It was quite simr to a game system.¡± And what would a chef do in a game? Make dishes with buff effects. ¡°But how significant is Strength +1 and Agility +1? Is it a significant effect or a minor one?¡± Even though I was a chef in this game, not all chefs were the same. Depending upon the game¡¯s nature the chef skills can y a vital role in providing significant and effective buffs to the yers. Another point that caught my attention was ¡°The Chef¡¯s special sauce?¡± ¡°Delicious food moves people¡¯s hearts!¡± ¡°A great chef can even steer the direction of those hearts..¡± ¡°Through special sauces, one can alter the emotions of those who consumes the food.¡± Hmm. So, using this ability, one can somewhat control the emotions of those who eat it. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s really a need for it.¡± I recalled the sight of the soldiers after today¡¯s incident. Everyone seemed shocked and fearful due to this sudden event. ¡°It would be nice if they calm down a bit after eating.¡± [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Comfort] added. [Stir-fry Pork Belly for Comfort] [Upon consumption, Strength +1, Agility +1 for a certain period.] ¡°Eating might make them feel a bit more rxed.¡± After serving them thepleted dishes, I waited in the corner, to observe the results. Soldiers started entering the mess hall for dinner. ¡°Ah¡­ Captain Shin. Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re wee.¡± They all seemedcking in energy. But they seemed to havee because they knew they needed strength, and for that they had to eat. Was my skill even working? If it makes them stronger, their muscles should grow, or their veins should bulge, right? There should be some physical change. But it was hard to distinguish any effects outwardly. ¡°Is this just a trash ability?¡± At that moment of doubt. I locked my eyes on one soldier who was about to leave after finishing his meal. ¡°Captain Shin. Thank you.¡± ¡°Huh? For what?¡± ¡°For cooking. With all this stress from the monsters, I was having a headache. On top of that, I was feeling a bit on edge¡­ but after eating, my stomach feels full, and I feel a bit more rxed. Thanks for the meal.¡± Hm. It seems like the effect isn¡¯t entirely nonexistent. ¡°No wonder people say a fille stomach makes you feel better.¡± ¡°And today¡¯s menu was really delicious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as always.¡± ¡°Really? It felt even more delicious than usual¡­¡± After that conversation. Other soldiers also seemed to have slightly rxed expressions. I¡¯m not sure about the stat boosts, but¡­ ¡®If this can help with managing their mental state, it might be a decent ability after all.¡¯ They say eating delicious food is the best stress reliever. Even if taste is secondary, if it can help relieve stress, it¡¯s not a bad thing. ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear ¡®thanks for the meal¡¯ so many times.¡± I was feeling pleased as I looked around the mess hall. Suddenly! Gunshots rang out. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± I had some expectations. Earlier we had assumed that the monsters who had attacked the base before were thest ones, and there wouldn¡¯t be any more attacks. But those relentless creatures never gave us a break. *** As the sound of the gunshots echoed through the base, I hurriedly left the mess hall and headed towards the source of the sound as quickly as possible. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Upon arrival. Sergeant Park Taejun from the radar unit and Sergeant Lee Min-jae from themunications unit were already there before me. ¡°If we heard gunshots then most probably it¡¯s those monsters.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Taejun nodded slightly, indicating towards one side. ¡°Two of them this time.¡± ¡°Are both of them alive?¡± ¡°Yeah. And¡­¡± Taejun showed me a gun with a bay attached onto its top. ¡°I¡¯m going to stab one now.¡± Both monsters were lying there, their strength drained after being shot multiple times. Their ferocity was nowhere to be seen. The monsters were lying on the ground, struggling to breathe. ¡°Hmm.¡± Corporal Lee Min-jae approached the bleeding monster with a bay-equipped rifle. Taejun was also ready with his bay. They were the first to step forward for a reason. ¡°Let¡¯s awaken those who participated in the meeting first.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve seen you handle a table like it¡¯s nothing, so we believe in your ability to awaken. But other soldiers might think it¡¯s nonsense, if we ask them to approach the monsters bare-handed. We can¡¯t also gather all the soldiers who have been assigned their respective tasks to showcase them your table-chopping skills. So, we need to awaken first and let them know about this. Since the topic came up, I¡¯ll go first.¡± The person who said that was Corporal Lee Min-jae, who was now approaching the monsters. With soldiers who had gathered from all over to witness. Corporal Lee Min-jae approached the bleeding monster. And then Wham. Worried that it might rise, he stomped onto its chest. Pointing his bay downwards. ¡°Huuk.¡± I revealed its weakness, its Left armpit. And then Sergeant Minjae, catching his breath, swiftly struck down with the bay. Fwoosh. Blood poured from the pierced artery in the armpit. Unlike the messy hacking with a kitchen knife during the first awakening, this was a rather clean strike. It was an easy task to cut off a dying creature¡¯s lifeline. ¡°Ugh. This feels awful.¡± Sergeant Minjae returned, wiped out his cold sweat, and took out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. ¡°So, did the system window pop up?¡± I couldn¡¯t resist and asked out about the awakening. Sergeant Minjae chuckled and took out a cigarette, cing it between his lips. Then he brought his finger to the ignition spot. Crackle. Blue electricity sparked from his finger. And the cigarette lit up. ¡°Apparently, I have awakened as a Novice Mage. My attribute is the lowest level electricity affinity. My skills include lightning strikes and more.¡± ¡°Damn, there are mages too?¡± ¡°Why in the world is the first awakened is more surprised than us?¡± Anyway. Our hypothesis was confirmed. You will awaken, if you kill a monster from close. ¡°Next it¡¯s my turn¡± Perhaps Taejun saw that scene and slowly approached the other monster with the bay in his hand. He was careful while approaching the monster but then ¡°Kk¡­ Ragh!¡± ¡°Taejun!¡± The dying monster lifted its head and bit Taejun¡¯s leg. ¡°Kkrrgh¡­¡± Even while suffering from the pain of his calf being bitten, Taejun didn¡¯t let go of the bay. Fwoosh! And he seeded in stabbing the monster¡¯s weakness. The monster was pierced in its weakest spot. Soon it lost its strength and copsed. But. Taejun¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t normal either. ¡°Sergeant Park Taejun!¡± ¡°Damn it, hey! Get the medics!¡± ¡°Uh, our medics are in the physical therapy department, so they can¡¯t handle that kind of treatment.¡± ¡°Just get them already. Something is better than nothing, damn it!¡± Blood was flowing profusely with a hole visible enough in from his calf. Soon, medics rushed over and, along with other soldiers, carried him away. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Being dragged away like that, Taejun looked back at me with a pained expression and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve awakened too¡­ the system window.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Well done, kid!¡± Perhaps due to excessive adrenaline from the wound, even while sweating cold, he grinned as he was being dragged. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the wound¡­ but Taejun has also awakened.¡± The fact that monsters kept appearing was grim, but it also meant that we can also replenish our power. If we continue to increase the awakened like this, soon¡­ ¡°A military capable of fighting monsters without bullets will beplete.¡± The path to survival. It was bing clear. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Episode 5: Increasing the Number of Awakened Individuals (Part 2) Even Taejun seeded in awakening his powers. Though we couldn¡¯t hear about his ability due to the injury he has sustained. ¡°Everyone, focus!¡± Zap¡ª Amidst the soldiers¡¯ focused gaze, a blue electric current flowed through Minjae¡¯s body. He even gathered electrically charged energy in one hand. ¡°Magic¡­ it¡¯s real.¡± The soldiers witnessing this unbelievable sight couldn¡¯t close their mouths. Being a chef who awakened was fascinating enough, but aside from using a knife to set a table, there wasn¡¯t much visible change. On the other hand, Minjae¡¯s magic was dazzling even at a nce. Just one look was enough to make you believe in the phenomenon of awakening. ¡°He¡¯s a real mage who can use magical powers!!¡± You can awaken such magical powers if you kill a monster from a close distance. Now that this fact has been confirmed, there was no more dying. Systematically, we began to awaken the soldiers, ording to the n. One day, we¡¯ll have the power to fight monsters even without guns. ¡°So, next we need to awaken Gwang-il from the facility unit, right?¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. He happened to be the top member of the facility unit who had also attended the previous meeting. However, something seemed off about his gaze. ¡°I, I can¡¯t¡­ I absolutely can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡­This guy? ¡ª ¡°I, no, I¡­ I can¡¯t do it. Absolutely not.¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il trembled in fear as he spoke. ¡°Hey, do you think me and Taejun weren¡¯t scared? ¡°I¡¯m one of those people who had only killed mosquitoes in my life.¡± Even after pressure and encouragement Corporal Jeon Gwang-il outrightly refused. Seeing the progression of the current situation Min-jae stepped up to persuade him. ¡°But you know, the situation right now isn¡¯t normal. If we want to survive, we need to set an example.¡± ¡°I, I understand that. But still, I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± Zap. Blue electricity crackled around Sergeant Min-jae¡¯s angry face. Electricity flows around him when he¡¯s angry. It was a bit reminiscent of Pikachu, but we overlooked that. ¡°What, what are you saying! How can I deal with something so terrifying!¡± The soldier who was originally the best in the facility unit was already dead, now he was the best one in the current facility unit. So, naturally he had to participate in all our meetings. When the topic of increasing the number of awakened individuals was brought up, he didn¡¯t raise any objections. But suddenly, he was acting like this, causing stress and confusion among the soldiers. I guess there must be a reason. ¡°Is it because Taejun was attacked by a monster? Is that why?¡± Taejun¡¯s foot was bitten by that monster that he thought had lost his strength, right before he died. ¡°There¡¯s no rule that says it won¡¯t happen to someone else.¡± No. Perhaps Taejun was lucky as he ended up with light injuries. If this happens again, it might not end with just injuries. It¡¯s understandable to be afraid. But even considering that. ¡°It¡¯s too pathetic¡­¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il ended up lying on the ground shouting ¡°I can¡¯t do it¡± repeatedly. An adult lying on the ground whimpering was even more pathetic than imagined. ¡®That guy wasn¡¯t that bad of a loser, was he?¡¯ Rather it was the opposite. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il was over 190cm tall, with massive bulged out muscles. Though his personality was rather on the gentle side. So, even if there was a tough task in his unit, he would neverin and always tries his best toplete his assigned tasks. He was overwhelmingly favored by his superior such that he was constantly being rmended to be a professional sergeant as soon as he became a corporal. ¡®Why is someone close to being an ace, acting like this?¡¯ ¡°Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, I¡¯ve heard that despite his size, he is quite timid¡­¡± At that moment. We heard the voices of the soldiers talking behind us. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. He does tough tasks easily, but he can¡¯t climb heights, can¡¯t watch horror movies¡­ That¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°Well, he looks like someone who can easily beat a monster to death.¡± It was unbelievable. A man who was over 190cm tall and can lift over 500kg lying on the ground saying he can¡¯t do it, ¡°Is he really that scared that he¡¯s acting like this?¡± Sergeant Min-jae seemed to be fed up with Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s behavior. In the end, he sighed and said, ¡°Ha¡­ Alright. If you can¡¯t do it, then you can¡¯t do it. We can¡¯t do anything about it. Do as you please.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you-¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t expect to be treated as a senior in the unit from now on.¡± The military is a strict hierarchical society. But ironically, rank, whether it¡¯s corporal or sergeant, isn¡¯t everything. The military is a ce where sensitive people gather. Due to this nature, they often cannot tolerate having someone inferior to them above them. If it were a matter between individual soldiers, they would end up on bad terms with each other. But if there is an individual who doesn¡¯t seem to fit his/her assigned rank in eyes of other soldiers then in those cases the soldiers may not treat that individual ordingly. ¡°No, I¡¯ve only heard about such cases. There wasn¡¯t a single person in our unit who was that serious about rank and stuffs.¡± Unless the soldier really had issues adapting to military life. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il was receiving the affection of the unit leader and was almost like an ace in his unit, Not receiving proper rank treatment now would be the same as being denied all of the military experience that he had worked and gained so far. Sergeant Min-jae was telling him to ept that disgrace if he wants to avoid awakening. ¡°¡­Understood.¡± What¡¯s surprising was. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il nodded in agreement to that statement. To be so terrified that he agrees to ept the disgrace. Does he even realize that he¡¯s showing such a pathetic side of himself? He silently epted the humiliation. But¡­ ¡°Min-jae, and Gwang-il, hold on.¡± From what I see, This shouldn¡¯t end like this. I decided to intervene in the midst of their conversation. ¡°Young-joon?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon? No matter what you say, I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I understand, but for now, calm down. Can you go to the mess hall and wait for me? I want to talk with Min-jae.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± After sending Gwang-il to the cook¡¯s lounge in the mess hall, I called Sergeant Lee Min-jae separately. ¡°Sigh¡­ What do you want to talk about?¡± Seemingly not having calmed down yet, Sergeant Lee Min-jae lit a cigarette before starting the conversation. I waited until he took a drag from his cigarette. ¡°Min-jae, I go it that you¡¯re upset. But even you can understand, it¡¯s not right to end it like this.¡± ¡°¡­Hey, Young-joon. I know you¡¯re a good guy, but that bastard Gwang-il did something really shitty there. He should face the consequences. If we just let it slide¡­¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not about that.¡± To begin with, I¡¯m not that nice. While it¡¯s nice to cook for others, I also frequently nag and swear at my juniors. Being too kind in the military doesn¡¯t get you anywhere. But this incident was different. ¡°If it were something else, I might have just let it go, but this situation is different.¡± ¡°¡­Go on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my guess, but there might be a lot of guys thinking about desertion right now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sergeant Min-jae was surprised by the sudden remark. ¡°Think about it. Monsters suddenly attacked the base, officers and soldiers are dying. We can¡¯t even contact the outside world.¡± Except for the fact that it¡¯s monster attacking us this time instead of the usual North Korean soldiers. ¡°You may think about desertion if a real war broke out, right? It might seem calm now on the surface, because of the incident that just happened. But I¡¯m sure many of them are having a mental breakdown internally and must have been thinking about deserting this war.¡± ¡°Hey, our base is an hour away even by car. How can they desert? And even if monsters attacked our base, there might be more safety here with soldiers gathered together, especially if there are monsters outside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why there haven¡¯t been deserters so far. But give it some time, and there might be guys who think it¡¯s safer outside. They¡¯ll worry about their families outside.¡± In fact, this isn¡¯t just someone else¡¯s problem. I¡¯m worried about my own family outside right now. But what¡¯s important right now is survival. ¡°To survive, we need to strengthen the unit.¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± ¡°If the soldiers desert, the unit weakens. On the other hand, if the unit bes stronger, more soldiers will think it¡¯s safe here, and we won¡¯t have to worry about desertion.¡± It was a natural conclusion. The talk of desertion in a war happens when soldiers are in danger. If the military is safer, who would desert? ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I wanted to awaken them, but Gwang-il stirred up trouble, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Hyung, what I said wasn¡¯t about not treating Gwang-il fairly.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The problem is, if you don¡¯t want to awaken, then don¡¯t do it.¡± If the awakening process had gone smoothly, there wouldn¡¯t have been a problem. But in the middle of it, Tae-jun got seriously injured. And many soldiers witnessed it. Fear must be spreading. ¡°Gwang-il isn¡¯t the only one like that. There are probably many guys who want to bailout if they can. Getting ostracized and not getting proper rank treatment is much better than dying, isn¡¯t it? ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If even one person falls like this, there will be more who refuse to do it. There might be friction between awakened soldiers and those who un-awakened ones.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any officers who can control us right now. If such conflicts arise at this time, it¡¯ll eventually lead to division¡­¡± ¡°The unit will weaken.¡± ¡°Right.¡± If my profession were something else¡­ I could have just abandoned the unit and survived on my own. Like being a detective or an assassin. Those kinds of professions often end up ying solo in games. I could have tried to survive alone in a simr way. But my profession is a level 1 novice chef. Support ss by name. It¡¯s not suitable for solo y. To make good use of my profession, I need to feed someone, ultimately. And for a chef like me, the soldiers are my customers. If this unit falls apart, there won¡¯t be anyone left to eat my cooking. The path to survival lies in keeping this unit strong. ¡°Awakening all members. No exemptions allowed.¡± Sergeant Min-jae, as if suffering from a headache, massaged his head before taking a deep drag from his cigarette and spoke. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right. But then we have to persuade that guy, what¡¯s he going to do?¡± In the end, that¡¯s a problem. Sergeant Min-jae didn¡¯t let Gwang-il go just because he felt like it. ¡°Ordinary persuasion won¡¯t work on him.¡± ¡°I have a n. Just trust me once.¡± ¡°If you say so, then I will¡­ But it won¡¯t be easy.¡± With a doubtful expression, Sergeant Min-jae returned to the living room. It¡¯s a difficult task. But I have a corner of trust in me too. After sending Sergeant Min-jae back to the living room, I headed to the mess hall. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡­¡± As I opened the door to the cook¡¯s lounge, I saw Corporal Jeon Gwang-il sitting with his head bowed in a dark mood. ¡°Hey, hey. I didn¡¯t call you here to scold you. Just sit.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, okay¡­ got it.¡± He was trying to get up, but then awkwardly sat back down in the same posture. I feel somewhat sorry for him. ¡°The reason I called you here is nothing special.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking him in the eye, I asked seriously. ¡°Do you have a favorite food?¡± ¡°Um, yes?¡± ¡°Is there something you want to eat? Never mind, it¡¯s hard to say with someone watching. Let¡¯s just go for some simple fried rice.¡± My profession is a chef. So naturally, as someone who believes in that¡­ ¡°I¡¯m a chef.¡± I¡¯ll make you a real soldier. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: In the novel¡¯s context the facility unit, sometimes also known as an engineering unit in the army typically refers to the branch responsible for managing and maintaining the infrastructure and facilities used by military personnel. This includes tasks such as building maintenance, repairs, construction projects, and ensuring that facilities meet safety and operational standards. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 6 Chapter 6 I¡¯m not sure if other soldiers are aware of it or not. But there is one thing that¡¯s done so openly among kitchen staff that no one actually knows about it. It¡¯s the crime of misappropriating military assets and taxpayers¡¯ money uwfully. ¡°Hey, Corporal Shin? Is it okay to use the chicken like this?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, this? It¡¯s fine. Since it¡¯s just us, let¡¯s remove the legs and wings.¡± ¡°Oh, I prefer chicken breast.¡± ¡°What? Ah, because you like working out, huh?¡± Kitchen staff often sneak ingredients to make something tasty just for themselves. ¡°I¡¯ve had heard rumors that soldiers make tasty dishes for themselves¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just for ourselves; we often make it for the officers too.¡± ¡°Oh? Do the officers know about it?¡± ¡°Yeah. The supply sergeant sometimes brings soju when we eat together, and Lieutenant Kim even ces orders. That gentleman loves all kinds of noodles.¡± I spoke while neatly taking out the necessary ingredients from the refrigerator. ¡°Chicken breast, onions, carrots, green onions, eggs¡­¡± I turned on the gas stove, lit it with a kitchen lighter, and ced a pot filled with water on it. ¡°I want to get rid of the smell a bit. Maybe I should use that Cheongju* that Jun-hyuk brought.¡± While it¡¯smon for soldiers on kitchen duty to cook and eat together, it¡¯s hard to make tasty dishes with only the ingredients avable in the inventory. At best, we have salt, pepper, red pepper kes, soy sauce, miso¡­ Other than that, we can only use natural seasoning like powdered shiitake mushrooms because it¡¯s the military. So, whenever we go on leave, we buy ingredients and seasonings for the dishes we want to make. Me and the youngest weren¡¯t really into cooking when we were civilians. But Jun-hyuk and the third one who went on a vacation were into cooking. So, they had their own preferences. The shelves in the soldier¡¯s recreation room were filled with ingredients that didn¡¯t fit in the military mess hall. ¡°Most of these were bought by other chefs¡­ it should be fine.¡± As I put the chicken breast into the boiling water with Cheongju, Gwang-il, who had been fidgeting behind me, started talking. ¡°Corporal Shin Yeong-joon.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I took out the cooked chicken breast, separated the bones, and shredded it thinly. Sizzle. ¡°Do you understand what you did wrong?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, man. Taejun is also like you. But you are too much in a sense.¡± After roughly removing the meat, I lit the stove and heated the wok, then added oil. ¡°I¡¯ve always been timid since I was young¡­ I often heard people telling me to toughen up.¡± As I was about to add the chopped green onions to prepare green onion oil, perhaps he felt uneasy witnessing someone of higher rank preparing food for him. So, he started talking about himself. ¡°I had heard that exercise and build up your confidence that¡¯s why I started work out and even started martial arts¡­ But this personality didn¡¯t change.¡± Is that why he developed those muscles? While beating eggs in the green onion oil, he started talking about his life. He was narrating how, because of his personality, he had suffered a lot. There were many times when he knew logically what he should do but couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°So, when I was enlisted, I was worried if I could adapt¡­ But still, I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble to others, so I tried to do everything I could.¡± After adding rice and mixing it with eggs, I added the prepared vegetables and meat and stir-fried it until the rice grains were separated. ¡°I¡¯ve really tried my best to take on difficult tasks withoutining. So, I thought it was fortunate that other people liked me¡­ but things turned out like this¡­¡± I seasoned it with salt and pepper and adjusted it with the high-quality oyster sauce that my juniors had bought. ¡°I heard that Corporal Shin fought like a monster even after seeing his juniors die, but I¡­¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I felt a bit sorry for interrupting his serious talk, but¡­ The dish was ready. ¡°It¡¯s a special meal.¡± I brought a stainless steel dish from the dryer and pushed it towards him. ¡°There is nothing that I can do for you. So, just eat this.¡± ¡°Corporal Shin¡­¡± The guy, who was as big as a bear, started hesitating as he began to eat the dish. It felt weird and unsightly to see a guy as big as a bear crying and eating my food. [Courageous Novice Chef¡¯s ¡®Chicken Breast Fried Rice¡¯ isplete] [Main Ingredient ¨C The quality of the meat is not good. Resulting in a slight decreasing in cooking ability] [Secondary Ingredients ¨C The quality of seasonings is excellent. Resulting in a slight increase in cooking ability] [A dish made with the chef¡¯s sincerity! Resulting in a great increase in cooking ability] [A dish made for a specific individual. If the intended person consumes the dish, its effects are enhanced.] [When consumed, strength +3, agility +3 for a certain period, and if the intended person consumes it, all effects of the dish increase by 30%.] [Chef¡¯s special sauce has been added.] Corporal Jeon Gwang-il started eating with a hesitant expression. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s delicious. Corporal Shin, did you cook this outside? What vor is this¡­?¡± ¡°Haha, you really know how to tter.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s true¡­¡± He quickly emptied the dish, whether it was actually edible or not. ¡°¡­I understand how much effort he has put into it.¡± Being timid is ultimately a natural trait. Trying to change such an innate trait isn¡¯t an easy task. In the first ce, criticizing or trying to change a person¡¯s personality is probably wrong. But¡­ ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I can tolerate his exclusion.¡± This is the military. Contrary to the norms outside, personal traits aren¡¯t simply respected here. Everyone in the unit hase to understand the risks of the awakening process. If this guy is allowed to be excluded from the awakening, others might also request to be excluded. Since nobody wants to take on dangerous tasks willingly. If there are exclusions, there will inevitably be distinctions between those who have been excluded from those who haven¡¯t. Division leads to weakening. epting him might lead to the copse of the unit¡­ But¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± Is it okay to say just this much? ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How much time has passed? After emptying the dish like that, he looked at me and said, ¡°Corporal Shin¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°Well, if you enjoyed the food, you should say ¡®It was delicious¡¯ instead of ¡®I¡¯m sorry.''¡± ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± He hesitated, as if he had something else to say. After a brief pause, he finally spoke up. ¡°Sergeant, I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°No worries. Though I can¡¯t provide you with special meals like this often. You know, our unit is currently facing a food crisis.¡± ¡°I understand. The food was delicious, but besides that¡­ Well, how should I put it? After sharing what had been weighing on my mind with you¡­. Sergeant, I feel a bit relieved. It¡¯s strange, but it also gives me a sense of confidence.¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± Confidence, huh? He seems to think it¡¯s because of what he shared with me, not the cooking¡­ ¡°But it¡¯s probably because of the cooking.¡± Just a hunch. Anyway, that¡¯s how it is. ¡°Sergeant Shin, about finishing off the next monster. I¡¯d like to give it a try.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. I think I can do it now.¡± Alright! I clenched my fist with a silent cheer. Internally screaming ¡®Yes!¡¯ but keeping a calm exterior. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never forget this favor, Sergeant.¡± ¡°What favor? Now go back. I feel bad for keeping you here any longer.¡± After seeing Gwang-il off like that¡­ I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It worked¡­¡± As a soldier, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il was the ace of aces. His physical prowess starting from his height and muscle mass, coupled withbat skills honed through martial arts experience. Followed by his amiable personality makes him get along well with both his superiors and subordinates. He also follows orders diligently. The only downside is his timid personality. ¡°Well, that can be fixed.¡± In a typical military setting, he¡¯d probably undergo character and mentality redevelopment. But luckily¡­ There was an alternative method. [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] ¡°Delicious food moves people¡¯s hearts!¡± ¡°A great chef can even steer the direction of those hearts.¡± ¡°Through special sauces, one can alter the emotions of those who consumes the food.¡± It was one of the strange abilities that I had gained upon awakening. I¡¯ve already conducted some experiments. ¡°Using it to reassure soldiers also had its effects.¡± The anxious atmosphere among the soldiers had somewhat settled after the dinner. Though the exact extent of its effectiveness is unclear till now. Its usefulness has been confirmed. So, there¡¯s no reason not to use it. If Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s only w is timidness¡­ Then what he needs to ovee is¡­ ¡°The strength to conquer fear is courage.¡± [Chicken Breast Stir-Fried Rice by a Courageous Novice Chef] Bringing him over for a meal and cooking for him was, naturally, to use this ability. I made sure to make the dish asforting as possible, hoping it would help ease his anxiety. ¡°It seems to have worked out smoothly.¡± Now that Gwang-il has gained some courage¡­ When the next monster appears, he should be able to awaken and deal with it smoothly. Of course, we must ensure incidents like that of Taejun¡¯s mustn¡¯t happen again. If we can neutralize the monster¡¯s power with a gun before awakening, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues. * * * An hourter. Things didn¡¯t go as smoothly as expected. ¡°Sergeant Jeon Gwang-il! You can¡¯t go yet!¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Hey, hey! Someone stop Gwang-il!¡± The soldiers shouted, holding onto Sergeant Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s arms. And as for Gwang-il himself¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t stop me! This is my chance to test my courage!¡± A monster appeared at the base in the dead silence of the night. The n was to weaken it with gunfire and let Gwang-il finish it off. But Gwang-il, instead of using the bullets, charged at the monster, shouting such nonsense. ¡°Ha ha ha! Die, monster! Be my sacrifice!¡± ¡°Groan¡­¡± Even after taking more than ten bullets, the monster still had some strength left, thanks to its resilient life force. Ignoring the soldiers trying to hold him back, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il rushed at the monster unarmed. ¡°Kahak!¡± Naturally, the monster didn¡¯t just stand there. Its hands, with sharp ws, attacked Gwang-il. ¡°Crunch!¡± Facing the attack, Gwang-il stretched out his own hand, grabbing the monster¡¯s hand that was attacking him. He was engaged in a battle of strength, holding onto the monster with both hands, while driving his knee into its abdomen. Thunk! Thunk! It sounded like hitting a wall. The scales covering the monster¡¯s body were incredibly tough. Gwang-il couldn¡¯t break through them with his knee, and instead, his military pants tore, and his skin underneath started bleeding. ¡°Ha ha ha, you lizard bastard! You¡¯re quite sturdy!¡± Gwang-il turned his knee and attacked the monster¡¯s abdomen. At the same time, he changed the direction of the force he was applying with his hand. The monster¡¯s body swayed heavily and fell to the ground. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s body was on top of the monster¡¯s body. He pressed the monster¡¯s right arm with one foot. Then, with one hand, he pressed down the monster¡¯s head, and with the other hand, he lifted its left arm. Then. An armpit was exposed. No scales, close to the heart. ¡°¡­The weakness that I had revealed earlier!¡± Though he seemed crazy on the surface, he still remembered the monster¡¯s weakness. However, just because there were no scales in the armpit didn¡¯t mean there was no skin. Although rtively soft like a joint. Without a great sword or a bay, Jeon Gwang-il had no way to tear through that skin and attack the heart. However. Crunch. It was a mistake to think there was no way to attack. He opened his mouth wide and bit into the monster¡¯s armpit. A part of the monster¡¯s flesh dangled from Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ugh, tastes awful.¡± He brought down the arm that was pressing the monster¡¯s head. Then, he thrust his hand into the armpit area with his fingertips. Stab, stab. ¡°Kraah¡­ hah!¡± The monster with its face freed, tried to bite Jeon Gwang-il. But Corporal Jeon was busy exploring and bursting the vessels near the monster¡¯s heart. Blood gushed out and rapidly drained out from the monster¡¯s body. The monster, which was writhing in agony. At the end it even lost its strength to struggle and gradually quieted down. Thud. It didn¡¯t take long for the monster to lose its life. Confirming the monster¡¯s death, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il stood up. He nced around as if there was something in front of him. Then, his eyes met mine. ¡°Sergeant Shin! I¡¯ve awakened too!¡± Covered in the monster¡¯s blood all over his body. With the monster¡¯s heart in one hand. And still, bits of the monster¡¯s flesh sticking to his mouth, he smiled brightly and said. ¡°Ha ha ha! It¡¯s all thanks to Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°¡­¡± I felt the gaze of those around me fixating on me. Even if they didn¡¯t know, I could keenly feel them thinking, ¡®What on earth did he do to¡­¡¯ Everyone was astonished. ¡°¡­I think¡­ I have gone a bit overboard.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: *Cheongju is a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage often referred to as ¡°rice wine¡± or ¡°clear rice wine.¡± It is made from rice through a fermentation process simr to that of other rice-based alcohols like sake in Japan or Huangjiu in China. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°How on earth did you manage that?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing special. I just cooked something delicious for him and then listened to him for a bit!¡± ¡°And that¡¯s all?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all.¡± It was great news that Gwang-il has sessfully awakened but seems like the effect of my was skill too potent. Sergeant Lee Min-jae seemed skeptical of my words. ¡°You had the talent to persuade him like that¡­¡± ¡°Hyung, it¡¯s all about understanding people¡¯s hearts. Even if they¡¯re feeling down or scared. When you eat a delicious meal, you let out what¡¯s been bottled up inside, and then everything gets resolved, isn¡¯t that simple? You shouldn¡¯t underestimate the power of listening.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Obviously, not. It was the effect of my skill ¡°The Chef¡¯s Special Sauce¡±. ¡°¡­But I can¡¯t reveal it.¡± It was quite different from the ¡°Novice Grade Dagger Mastery¡± that I had showed people. It was a skill that maniptes people¡¯s emotions. At first, I thought it would be at a level where it slightly improves or worsens one¡¯s mood, but¡­ Seeing Corporal Jeon Gwang-il today, it was clear that this skill is way above my expectations. It was akin to temporary personality modification. ¡°If it¡¯s revealed, it could be dangerous.¡± For now, it¡¯s better to keep it hidden. ¡°Do you know what job that brat Gwang-il got?¡± ¡°Nope, what job did he get?¡± ¡°He is a Berserker. He also gained a trait where hisbat power increases in exchange for his sanity.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t intend for that.¡± ¡°It was supposed to be about courage¡­ Why did it turn out like this?¡± If I were to guess, perhaps I added too much courage. ¡°For someone like Gwang-il, he always looked like he could fight well with his big build. Maybe he had talent in that area.¡± ¡°That mild-mannered guy?¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae still seemed to find it odd, but it wasn¡¯t something I could easily exin. ¡°Anyway, send me the soldiers who are due to awaken in the future. Since it¡¯s a risky endeavor, they should at least have a special meal.¡± ¡°Is that okay? We don¡¯t have much surplus in food supplies.¡± ¡°Most of the remaining food is emergency rations anyway. We need to consume the rest of the ingredients before they spoil. With many casualties, there are fewer mouths to feed, right? We should use up the fresh ingredients before they go bad.¡± Military rations are broadly categorized into three types: Regr meals are made from ingredients thate in 2-3 times a week. Combat rations are for field use. Emergency rations are stored in a type 1 warehouse. Emergency rations are for situations where supplies have been cut off suddenly due to war. They are always stored inrge quantities. The downside is that the menu is limited and monotonous. The main items usually include canned curry, ck bean sauce, and soups. The quality ofbat rations goes without saying. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time to provide proper meals.¡± In that case, it¡¯s better to feed as much as we can rather than saving. Moreover, emergency rations orbat rations are foods that don¡¯t require cooking. I wondered if I could utilize my profession as a chef. And so, the process of increasing the awakened individuals in the unit began. *** It wasn¡¯t entirely smooth sailing. ¡°Did you just kill that monster?¡± ¡°Yes. The resistance was too strong, so I had no choice¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to apologize, you did well.¡± The monsters kept attacking the unit, and while the soldiers managed to fend them off, it wasn¡¯t easy to deliver the final blow. ¡°Their vitality is too strong.¡± Taejun¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t just a random incident in the monster¡¯s retaliation. Even if you shove a dozen bullets into them, they continue to resist until the very end. If another soldier were to get injured by a monster like Taejun, it would severely dent the morale of the unit. The rate of increase of the awakened individuals was extremely slow. As they had to facilitate this process with utmost safety. However, there was a change. The next to awaken was Corporal Seo Su-hyeok from the transport unit. Unlike Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok readily agreed to the awakening. And¡­ ¡°I have awakened as a Marksman. But¡­ what is this?¡± Once again, text appeared in front of us. [Faction Formation Sess] [You have sessfully formed a party (5 yers), the minimum required unit forbat]. [Main Region- This is the third faction of the ROK] [Sub Region- This is the first faction of the ROK 17] [Achievement Unlocked ¨C Unit Assembled] [You who have sessfully formed a party faster than others!] [A reward will be given to those who lead the way.] [3rd ce reward ¨C Growth Potion x10] The rewards were given immediately. Each awakened person received 10 potions. [Growth Potion] [Experience acquisition rate increases by 500% for a certain period.] ¡°¡­It¡¯s bing more and more like a game.¡± A party. The minimum standard for tackling instant dungeons in games. It varies depending on the game, but five people are exactly the level of a ¡°party.¡± ¡°Five people¡­ So, me, you, Taejun, Gwang-il, and Su-hyeok. That makes us exactly five, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s fascinating that Taejun, who¡¯s still lying in the sickbay, is also included.¡± Gwang-il, who was also watching the text, remarked. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about beingbeled as third ce.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re ranked third, it means there are first and second ces. And if there are others in simr situations as us, then there must be more people outside of our unit who might be facing the same¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± It¡¯s true. ¡°Sigh, I wonder how our parents are doing.¡± Within the unit, there were still quite a few soldiers pondering whether the monsters only targeted our unit. But judging from the information, at least it¡¯s confirmed that there are areas outside the unit facing simr situations to ours. In the worst-case scenario, even the families of our unit members might have been swept up in the monster attacks. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell too much on the negatives. While we¡¯re concerned about external factors, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Our safetyes first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Even though we might not know, if they¡¯re giving out achievement rewards, it means we¡¯re quite ahead. Once our safety is secured. Now we can think about the next steps.¡± At that moment, Sergeant Seo Soo-hyuk, who had been silently listening, furrowed his brow and spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m not too fond of this.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Only five awakened? With over a hundred surviving members? It¡¯s like those who haven¡¯t awakened aren¡¯t even counted as personnel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are only the awakened treated as humans? It¡¯s annoying, I awakened myself to survive even then¡­¡± He¡¯s not entirely wrong. Just the sudden change in the world is bewildering enough, but in this changed world, non-awakened humans aren¡¯t even considered human. ¡°Come to think of it, you said your awakened upation is a marksman, right? What about the skills?¡± ¡°Well, novice marksman. It says my uracy and firepower are enhanced during shooting.¡± Sergeant Seo Soo-hyuk always seemed to be renowned for his marksmanship within the unit. ¡°But shooting? What if we run out of bullets because we¡¯re using awakening for that?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, that¡¯s right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t entirely meaningless. ¡°Those monsters, even after being hit by ten bullets, they still survived and rampaged. It seems like just two bullets from Corporal Seo Soo-hyuk could put them in critical condition.¡± Reducing the number of bullets needed to subdue a monster means saving bullets. From then on Corporal Seo Soo-hyuk was tasked with subduing the monsters. And the awakening of the members continued. ¡°Is it my turn? Alright, I understand.¡± While there were soldiers like Sergeant Seo Soo-hyuk responding to awakening without muchint, there were also soldiers who trembled with fear, unable to move. Of course, in such cases¡­ ¡°Hey, hey. Calm down. Let¡¯s talk after you¡¯ve had some food.¡± After food. ¡°Hahaha let¡¯s go! Glorious death awaits us!¡± Offering a special meal infused with a little courage seemed to resolve the situation. ¡°You¡­¡± Soldiers who returned full of courage every time I persuaded them toe along. Every time a scaredy soldier consumes my food they would be filled with courage up to the brim. Observing this Sergeant Lee Min-jae found this slightly ufortable¡­ ¡°It¡¯s inevitable for the unity of the unit.¡± [Awakened: Shin Young-joon] [upation: Novice Chef Lv. 1] [Attributes: Strength 9, Agility 10, Magic 8, Luck 9] [Specialties: Novice Grade Dagger Proficiency, Novie Grade Cooking Skills, Novice Grade Ingredient Identification, Novice Grade Fire Affinity] [Skills: Chef¡¯s Eye, Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] [Points: 82pt] [Talents: Large-scale Cooking] While awakening the unit members, I also checked my own abilities. First, the points. ¡°82? When did they umte like this?¡± It seemed like the points increased with every monster hunt or meal cooked and shared. So, it seems like I¡¯ve umted quite a lot of points. When ites to points in a game, the uses are¡­ ¡°¡­Point shop?¡± [Point Shop] [Hardened Rye Bread ¨C 10pt] [Ordinary Steel Sword ¨C 30pt] [Ordinary Shield ¨C 30pt] Point Store appeared before me when I called its name. As the name suggests, there seemed to be various items in the store, but none seemed useful to me. Items like weapons or spells might be useful for those awakened as warriors or mages. ¡°At least there¡¯s bread¡­ Does this mean I won¡¯t starve to death?¡± The fact that there was some food like bread could be meaningful, but it was quite pricey. If a situation arises where I have to fill up three meals a day with that bread, then I¡¯ll probably have to diligently collect enough points for the same. Continuing to scroll down, I checked what other items were avable. What I considered most important was whether there were bullets, but it seemed that guns and bullets were not listed in the inventory. There was something at the very bottom, though. [Strength Enhancement Potion] ¨C 1,000pt [Agility Enhancement Potion] ¨C 1,000pt [Magic Enhancement Potion] ¨C 1,000pt [Random Skill Book] ¨C 3,000pt ¡°I¡¯m not sure about their effectiveness, but they¡¯re quite expensive¡­¡± Items that enhance attributes or grant new skills. Unfortunately, the prices were currently unattainable for me. Someday, I¡¯ll be able to afford them. ¡°Next, skills and abilities.¡± The [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce], which affects the emotions of the eater, was already proving its effectiveness. Skipping over the [Eyes of the Chef], which reveals the handling and cooking methods of the target. [Novice Grade Dagger Proficiency] As a result of experimentation, I found I could easily cut through solid wood with a sushi knife. Apart from that I also had a little sparring with Gwang-il who has awakened as a Berserker, and the next thing he asked was, ¡°Were you a gangster or something before joining the military?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Even though I¡¯ve never done any knife training or even thrown a punch, using a dagger inbat felt natural, as if my body had be ustomed to it. If this is novice grade, then what could I do at a higher level? It became a little scary. [Novice Grade Fire Affinity] I touched a hot pot with my bare hands and felt nothing. Just in case, I also put my hand in the fire, but after about 30 seconds, it became too hot, and I quickly withdrew my hand. [Novice Grade Ingredient Identification] [Lowest Grade Green Onions: Ordinary green onions with poor freshness and quality] It was a trait that allowed me to see the descriptions of ingredients. From what I could see, all the ingredients supplied to the mess hall were of the lowest grade. ¡°Is this our country?¡± Although there were also some intermediate and rarely superior ingredients bought separately by the cooks. [Novice Grade Cooking Skill] I heard this from others. ¡°Yeong-joon, what did you do with the cooking?¡± ¡°Min-jae hyung? Why? Is it bad?¡± ¡°No, the taste has actually improved a lot. But more than that, I strangely feel stronger¡­ I guess you could say my stats have increased.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The effect of +3 strength attached to the finished dish began to affect stats. I guess others haven¡¯t noticed it yet. ¡°The system panel is showing that the food increases specific stats, right? Perhaps it only works if the person already has those ¡®stats¡¯ to begin with.¡± Ah, is that so? To receive the effect mentioned as ¡°increasing stats,¡± the target must originally have those ¡®stats.¡¯ ¡°I was wondering what was going on all of a sudden. But there is no different answer other than you¡¯re cooking.¡± In addition, after hearing from others, it seemed that the effects of the eaten dish did not appear separately in the system panel. Min-jae hyung also felt strangely empowered after eating, so after checking the status window, he could confirm the change. ¡®Unless you have a special ability like my ¡®Ingredient Identification,¡¯ the system message doesn¡¯t seem to indicate the effect of the dish.¡¯ Indeed. If that were the case, there would have been discussions among the soldiers at the time of using the ¡®Chef¡¯s Special Sauce.¡¯ ¡°What about the actual effect?¡± ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s significant. My original strength stat was 9, but now it¡¯s increased by 3. It¡¯s 30% just by the numbers, but it feels much bigger.¡± There are many games where eating gives you buffs. However, the amount of buff varies depending on the game. Based on Min-jae hyung¡¯s experience, it seemed that the chefs in this game were not performing poorly. ¡°If this level of buff applies to the entire unit¡­ Yeong-joon, you might be the core of our unit?¡± ¡°Ahh, what nonsense.¡± So, with all that I had confirmed my abilities to some extent. Also, apart from that 10 other members of the unit awakened their powers sessfully. Just when everything was going smoothly, ¡°Sergeants. I think you shoulde and see something for a moment.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°A monster has appeared!¡± ¡°Lizards? We were just getting used to them¡­¡± ¡°No, those creatures are different,pletely different from the lizards!¡± An unusual event urred. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Episode 8: Night Attack (Part 1) As we are awakening more soldiers, we realized we need to revise our unit¡¯s security arrangement. Simply put, our unit was too vast for just a hundred soldiers to guard it effectively. ¡°From the dormitories to the restaurants. Let¡¯s gather workforce and resources in the nearby building. ¡°Aren¡¯t we the Radar Unit? We can¡¯t leave the radar alone!¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a situation where all externalmunications have been cut off. The radar information isn¡¯t reaching other units either. Would the enemy really target the radar, especially since it¡¯s not North Korea?¡± Supplies were stored in the barracks, and soldiers also resided there. Some Soldiers were stationed on the rooftops of surrounding buildings to guard the perimeter. If any problems arose, soldiers stationed in the central barracks would rush to support each building. It was a strategy to intercept monsters before they reached the barracks where soldiers lived. If the unit¡¯s fences had been intact, it might have been different, but with the fences already breached by the monsters¡¯ teeth and ws, there was no choice but to resort to this method. One of the soldiers, who was scanning the surroundings with a rifle and binocrs from a building rooftop, noticed something unusual. ¡°Oh! Sergeants, have youe?¡± ¡°Has another monster appeared?¡± ¡°Yes! It looks simr to that lizard we¡¯ve encountered before, but you¡¯ll understand once you look at it.¡± I received the binocrs from the soldier. ¡°There, take a look.¡± Our unit was located on the highest peak of a mountain range, with only mountains visible in the surroundings. From atop the building, the terrain of the surrounding mountains was clearly visible. When I looked where the soldier pointed, I indeed saw something. A creature covered in ck scales. At first nce, it seemed simr to the monsters that had attacked the unit so far. ¡°¡­But it¡¯s huge, isn¡¯t it?¡± The monsters that had continuously attacked our unit were lizards resembling Komodo dragons. These creatures had tough scales and formidable vitality, but they weren¡¯t particrlyrge, averaging about 160cm in height. ¡°That one seems to be around 2.5 meters.¡± ¡°I see other lizards around it. Perhaps it¡¯s their leader.¡± ¡°Do monsters live in groups too?¡± The lizards that had attacked the unit so far had usually appeared alone, or at most, in groups of two or three. But thisrger one, resembling a leader, apanied by ordinary-sized lizards¡­ It looked like there were twenty or more of them. Unlike the monsters that had attacked the unit individually, this was clearly a dangerous number. ¡°We might use up some bullets, but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± Min-jae sounded as if it weren¡¯t a significant issue. Indeed, bullets were effective against the lizards. It took about twenty shots to bring one down, and with unit members holding rifles on the rooftop, we were in a good position. We might use up a lot of bullets, but we could probably wipe them out before they even reach the unit. However, I had a different thought. ¡°When did you notice it?¡± ¡°I spotted it this morning.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been observing it since then? How did it behave?¡± ¡°Hmm? It didn¡¯t do anything special. It just kept circling around our base, showing no signs of attacking.¡± Even now, one or two lizards asionallyunched mild attacks on the unit. And our unit, with its established defenses, easily repelled them. In fact, we were repelling them quitefortably and increasing the number of our awakened members. But that creature hadn¡¯t attacked the unit until it gathered a group of nearly twenty. If I were to guess the reason why it hadn¡¯t attacked even with that many numbers¡­ ¡°It¡¯s waiting for an opportunity.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Just like Min-jae said, we could handle a straightforward attack. But that creature didn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± That monster with a height of 2.5 meters, with sharp nails and teeth is not a peace-loving herbivore, and there is only one reason why they aren¡¯t attacking. ¡°They know a straightforward assault won¡¯t work. So, they¡¯re scouting around our unit.¡± ¡°Can monsters be that smart?¡± ¡°Imagine how cunning wolves can be when they hunt. These creatures walk on two legs; it won¡¯t be surprising if they¡¯re smarter than wolves.¡± Conversely, it meant that we had be prey to creatures who had intelligence on par with wolves at the very least. ¡°What should we do? Maybe we should attack before they find an opportunity¡­¡± ¡°No, our advantage lies in defending the unit. It¡¯ll be much worse if we venture out into the forest.¡± ¡°Then what¡­¡± I looked around but none of them had any suggestions. Well, there probably wasn¡¯t an immediate solution. ¡°¡­For now, keep observing their movements. And make sure to inform the soldiers on duty.¡± Min-jae instructed nearby soldiers. Certainly, from the soldiers¡¯ perspective, that seemed like the best course of action. But it might not be enough. In that case¡­ ¡°Could we broadcast something from the barracks?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Tell the awakened soldiers toe and talk to me one by one.¡± As a cook, I needed to do my best. * * * Despite therge lizard prowling around the camp, the awakening of the soldiers proceeded smoothly. Emphasizing safety meant that the pace wasn¡¯t fast, but the fact that not a single injury urred carried a significant weight. The stability of the unit boosted morale among the soldiers. In fact, their mental state had improved considerablypared to the first day. Of course, it wasn¡¯t solely because the unit was running smoothly. [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Peace of Mind] [Novice Grade Chef¡¯s Tranquility Enhancing Seasoned Bean Sprouts] ¡°Still, being in the unit feels safer since monsters have a hard time getting close, and we have weapons. Plus, there¡¯s a high chance of monsters appearing outside. So, being in the unit feels morefortable and reassuring.¡± [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Comfort] [Novice Grade Chef¡¯s Mind Comforting Salted Squid] ¡°At first, it was a bit scary, but after dealing with monsters, I¡¯ve be ustomed to it. Now, I feel morefortable.¡± [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Faith] [Novice Grade Chef¡¯s stress bursting stir-fried pork] ¡°About family worries? If I say I¡¯m not worried, it would be a lie, but our family is strong. Even though I¡¯m the weakest in the family, I¡¯m still alive, so I believe my family will find a way to survive.¡± Thanks to the sustained morale of the soldiers, there were no disruptions to the unit¡¯s defense. The number of awakened individuals also increased smoothly, with ten more seeding over the week, totaling twenty awakened individuals, a fifth of the total unit. ¡°Any changes with that big lizard?¡± ¡°Yes, it still seems to be just prowling around the unit. However¡­¡± ¡°Their numbers have increased again.¡± With no gaps in the unit¡¯s defense, there weren¡¯t any attack attempts from the giant lizard lurking around the perimeter. However, while we were increasing the number of awakened individuals, it seemed like it was gathering other lizards that roamed separately. The group of about twenty lizards we first encountered had now exceeded forty. ¡°So far, there haven¡¯t been any problems, but what if they exceed a hundred¡­¡± ¡°Even if they exceed a hundred, it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. We¡¯ve also increased the number of ¡®Marksman¡¯ awakened individuals quite a bit.¡± The first five awakened individuals in the unit had different professions. Excluding Taejun, who fainted without being able to speak his profession we had a cook, a berserker, a mage, and marksmen. After that, various other professions emerged. Some facility unit¡¯s guys awakened as engineers, while some guards awakened as defense troops/garrison members. Soldiers awakened with simr abilities gathered into groups, researching and honing their respective professions. One thing we discovered was the ¡°Marksman¡¯s Trick.¡± A ¡°Marksman¡± awakened individual could neutralize or kill lizards with just two bullets. This was a stark contrast to warriors who had to engage in closebat with the lizards, or magic users who needed to cast spells to be effective. Although it had the drawback of consuming bullets, and once out of bullets, they became powerless, assuming there were bullets, a marksman with a normal K2 rifle could urately hit most of their shots, akin to a walking machine gun. There were three marksman awakened individuals among the twenty awakened ones. Even with just these three, a hundred lizards wouldn¡¯t pose a problem. As soon as the lizards entered the effective range of the marksmen, they would be showered with bullets. By the time they reached the barracks, even ten of them wouldn¡¯t survive. And amidst all this, the other soldiers wouldn¡¯t just stand by. ¡°The importance of bullets increased ordingly.¡± Now that we knew the firepower of the marksmen, it seemed possible to deploy a sufficient number of marksmen along with warrior-ss awakened individuals to tackle the extermination of these monsters. While the forest provided cover, the firepower of the marksmen would also be limited, but it was powerful enough to handle any limitations. ¡°If we continue to grow at this pace, victory shall be ours.¡± I had made some preparations just in case problems arose, but it seemed like such a situation wouldn¡¯t ur. ¡°By next week, the unit¡¯s regr food supply will almost run out, but we¡¯ll be able to awaken about half of the unit. By then, even without the buffs from my food, the unit should run smoothly. The need for regr food will decrease.¡± Everything was going perfectly. With that thought in mind, I headed back to the mess hall. It was a quiet night after dinner, with all the cleanup done and preparations for breakfast finished. I needed to check the remaining stock of ingredients and figure out what dishes could be made from them. It was around 10 o¡¯clock, so I could finish by 11 and head back to the barracks to rest. As I was about to take out the inventory notes, there was a sound. ¡°Huh?¡± Something that sounded like an rm went off, and the lights in the mess hall went out. All of a sudden, the refrigerator making a gentle hum sound stopped producing that sound. ¡°A power outage?¡± Come to think of it, it was surprising that the electricity had been working fine until now. Given that monsters were appearing outside, it was strange that the electricity was working fine. Still, since this was a military base, there were generators prepared for emergencies, so the facilities personnel would soon be dispatched to fix it. ¡°No, wait.¡± It was night time now. A unit without electricity was locked in darkness. ¡°In situations like this¡­¡± Among the ¡°Marksman¡± awakened individuals, there wasn¡¯t a trait of being able to see well in the dark. I threw down the pen and notebook that I was holding and stood up at once. I could feel sweat trickling down my back. A unit shrouded in darkness. This was the chance that the monsters had been waiting for. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Episode 9: Night Attack (Part 2) I hurriedly left the mess hall and dashed towards the barracks. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon!¡± It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one who had anticipated the ckout and sensed the danger. The usually quiet barracks were bustling with soldiers running around. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°Most of the soldiers have been deployed! As soon as the power went out, Sergeant Min-jae ordered everyone to grab their guns and rush out¡­¡± Fortunately, Min-jae had quickly taken notice of the crisis and responded promptly. ¡°We had some illumination res among the supplies, so we¡¯ve scattered them around as much as possible¡­¡± I could see soldiers on the rooftops of surrounding buildings still tossing red illumination res. It was a swift and sensible response. But¡­ ¡°There are still some limitations, no matter how you look at it.¡± Usually, even at night, the buildings¡¯ rooftops were illuminated enough for us to monitor the entire base. The fact that the lizard horde hadn¡¯t attacked even during the night was because our visibility hadn¡¯t decreased despite the ckout. But with just illumination res being thrown, at best, our visibility only extended up to the buildings surrounding the barracks. By now, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the monsters had infiltrated our base, but there was no way to confirm it with the naked eye. ¡°What about the awakened soldiers?¡± ¡°They¡¯re waiting near the entrance of the barracks. Since we don¡¯t know where the monsters will attack from, they¡¯ll wait until they can see them with the naked eye before taking action¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join them over there. Stay strong.¡± ¡°Yes! Sergeant, you too stay strong!¡± As I headed towards the entrance, I could see the awakened soldiers waiting there. There were seventeen awakened soldiers, excluding those already stationed on the rooftops as snipers. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Young-joon¡¯s here.¡± The awakened soldiers were preparing for battle in the urgent situation. The magic users were quietly chanting spells, while the warriors were armed with sledgehammers, riot control shields from the unit¡¯s warehouse, and bullet less bays. Although tonight¡¯s dinner was light, it had a hint of ¡°courage¡± mixed in, so morale should be sufficient. I stood beside them. My weapon was a sashimi knife left behind by my junior. I was also holding a packet in my hand. ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re a cook. Shouldn¡¯t you stay behind and handle supplies?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I should be leading the charge in this unit since I¡¯m the first awakened, right hyung?¡± ¡°Haha, I only trust Sergeant Shin Young-joon!¡± Joined by Sergeant Min-jae and Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, I opened the packet. ¡°Wait a moment, everyone¡­¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± My words were interrupted by Sergeant Min-jae. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± From afar, figures covered in the red light of illumination res appeared. It was the lizards. ¡°Open fire!¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyuk¡¯s voice who wasmanding the snipers from the rooftop, rang out. Ta-da-da-da-da-da-da-dang. At the same time, the sound of gunfire echoed from the snipers and the awakened soldiers. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent situation, but the response is perfect.¡± Although our visibility had decreased due to the ckout, we had regained some visibility through the illumination res. With just the gunfire from the snipers and ordinary soldiers, we might be able to eliminate around thirty of them, I thought. ¡°What about that one?¡± Ahead of the lizards, a lizardrger than the others appeared. [The Chef¡¯s Eye has been activated] [Lizard Chieftain] [The Lizard Chieftain is a rare specimen among lizards, boasting a taste that cannot bepared to other lizards¡­] ¡°A Chieftain. That¡¯s its name.¡± Chieftain, the leader. Themander of the monsters. But no matter howrge it was, it was pure foolishness for amander-level individual to step forward. It was practically offering itself as a target. After all,manders shouldmand from behind¡­ ¡°Kroooaaaaak!!!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The advancing Chieftain let out an enormous roar. The ground shook just from the sound alone. And it wasn¡¯t just a loud noise. [You have been exposed to powerful enemy] [Battle Cry!] [The power, agility, and stamina of the ¡®Steel Lizard Tribe¡¯ on the battlefield will be temporarily increased.] [The Steel Lizard Tribe has also been granted the Minor Grade Long Range Attack Resistance] [Other entities except for the Steel Lizard Tribe will temporarily be affected by ¡®Minor Confusion¡¯, ¡®Minor uracy Reduction¡¯, and ¡®Minor Concentration Reduction¡¯.] ¡°What¡¯s this¡­!¡± One after another clearly unfavorable messages appeared before us. I looked around in a hurry While most of the awakened soldiers seemed to be in decent condition, most of the soldiers shooting from the rooftop were clutching their heads and staggering. On the other hand, the bodies of the lizards were surrounded by an indistinct gray energy. ¡°Pull yourselves together and resume firing! You bastards!¡± Fortunately, Sergeant Seo Su-hyuk, the best among the awakened soldiers, regained hisposure and resumed firing¡­ ¡°But the uracy¡­!¡± The reason why the awakened soldiers were powerful was not just because of the firepower of each bullet, but also because of their remarkable uracy in hitting every single shot. However, due to the power contained in the Chieftain¡¯s roar, the uracy of the sniper awakened soldiers didn¡¯t seem to be at their usual level. If it was just that, it might have been manageable¡­ ¡°Those, those creatures! The bullets aren¡¯t working!¡± ¡°Dammit, even though they have such abilities, why didn¡¯t they attack sooner!¡± ¡°¡­ Look at the message; most of the effects arebeled as temporary. Under normal circumstances even if the bullets temporarily ceased to work, the situation would quickly revert once the effect wore off. But for now, even a temporary effect is more than enough for them to approach us.¡± ¡°Then are you saying those monsters nned everything, this far?¡± Answering Gwang-il¡¯s question sent shivers down my spine. It was unbelievable that there were monsters with such intellect. ¡°Awakened soldiers, show your might!¡± Min-jae yelled as he witnessed bullets from the marksmen and soldiers failing to hit the approaching monsters. Standing in front of the building, the monsters were rushing towards us. At a nce, their numbers seemed substantial. During reconnaissance, we saw about forty of them, but now, excluding the dead monsters killed by the marksmen, there seemed to be at least fifty. Originally, it was close to sixty. ¡°They knew we were observing, did they deceive us about the number of their group?¡± Those monsters were showing pure malevolence and wickedness to the point of sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. To stand against them¡­ I, too, must y the role of a chef. ¡°Min-jae.¡± ¡°Young-joon? If you¡¯re going to say that you have to be out since you¡¯re a chef¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. You liked coffee, right?¡± I pulled out a small packet from the pocket and threw it towards Min-jae¡ªa mocha bread that can be eaten in one bite. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Gwang-il you like chicken breast, right? Here is a chicken breast sandwich. Have a bite.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Additionally¡­ ¡°Hong-soo, the ¡®Fire Mage¡¯ awakened, likes spicy food, so I made ramen with spicy chicken sauce.¡± ¡°Han-il, the ¡®Warrior¡¯ Awakened, likes sweet things, so I made candy with syrup.¡± One-bite-sized dishes tailored with the preferences of the seventeen Awakened individuals. After handing out dishes to everyone and casually tossing the empty bags on the ground, I held a sushi knife and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat and get to work.¡± I, too, indulged myself in my favorite dish. Despite hearing the grumbling noises from the surroundings, I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy the taste of green tea-vored chocte. ¡°Lizard Chieftain, was it? Your skills were truly remarkable.¡± Though temporary it provides considerable boosts and myriad of buffs to its allies. It was a dizzying effect. But¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t stop until I be a top chef.¡± The effect of the one-bite sized chocte started showing its effect. [You¡¯ve consumed the ¡®Brave Green Tea vored Chocte,¡¯ imbued with the courage of a Novice Grade Chef!] [This dish is tailored for a specific individual based on their preferences! When consumed by that individual, the dish¡¯s effects will be greatly enhanced] [This dish is made from high-quality ingredients, resulting in superior quality. The dish¡¯s effects have been increased.] [A dish made with the chef¡¯s utmost care, exceptionally excellent! The dish¡¯s effects will be significantly increased] [This is an outstanding dish made with the chef¡¯s sincerity! The dish¡¯s effects will be significantly increased] [All stats will receive a significant boost for a day] [All attributes increase by 1 level for a day] [Novice Grade Physical Resistance will be applied for a day] [Novice Grade Attack Power Increase will be applied for a day] [Novice Grade Stamina Increase will be applied for a day] [Novice Grade Magic Power Increase will be applied for a day] [The Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Intermediate Grade Bravery has been applied] [Intermediate Bravery] [Master of the Battlefield!] [Brave warriors dominate the battlefield] [The opposing party will face a slight decrease in stats and morale] After noting down the favorite food of all the Awakened individuals, I used all the avable ingredients to prepare dishes as per their preferences. ¡°And in this [game] like new environment¡­¡± Being a chef seems to be a demanding jobparable to that of a marksman. The effects were immediate. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± Foam dripped from Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s mouth. A 196 cm tall giant was standing by my side. Normally gentle and good-natured, but now he¡¯s caught up in madness again. ¡°This crazy warrior¡­ He¡¯s calm for a moment, and the next moment he¡¯s overwhelmed by madness.¡± ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Let¡¯s go,rades¡­! Honor awaits us in death!! Roooaar!!!¡± With a grotesque roar, Gwang-il threw himself into battle. [A new trait has been unlocked by yourrade] [Novice Grade: Battle Frenzy] [Allies will experience minor confusion and intermediate stat increase] [The effect of ¡®Intermediate Bravery¡¯ nullifies low-grade confusion] Thud! The giant Jeon Gwang-il charged ahead and shed with the 2.5-meter-tall giant lizard chieftain. Following him, the warrior-type awakened rushed forward with battle cries and confronted all the lizards. But that wasn¡¯t all. I felt a surge of light from behind, and it was Min-jae, holding a lightning spear nearly two meters long. ¡°It¡¯s twice the usual size¡­ What have you done?¡± ¡°I just wanted the food to be delicious.¡± ¡°You crazy¡­!¡± Soon, the lightning spear flew and incinerated a lizard. Min-jae smiled and said, ¡°As expected, you¡¯re the core of our unit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. At best, it¡¯s a 5:5, got it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Our buffs overwhelmed the enemy. Unlike the lizard soldiers, who are all frontline fighters, our unit has a bnced formation of frontline and rear support. But weck numbers. We were 17 and the enemy had over 50 lizards. It was almost 3:1. ¡°We¡¯ll join the fight too. We¡¯ll rely on you for long-range support, brother.¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you dare die. Without you, our unit is doomed.¡± Though we¡¯ve fought alongside soldiers against lizards before, this is the first time we¡¯ve faced a battle where firearms are entirely ineffective. It was our first battle solely with the awakened against monsters. It was not easy at all, and on the contrary, there were several times when I was on the verge of death. But finally, the moment came when the system messages flooded our vision. [Sessfully acquired control over ROK. Area 17 ¡®Mountain Region¡¯] [The unit is at the ¡®Party¡¯ level. Until it reaches the ¡®Guild¡¯ level of influence, the provisional named ¡®423rd Battalion¡¯ will be applied] [World Event ¨C upation Battle Status] [Affiliated Region ¨C ROK. Area 17] [upation War Status in the Region] 1. ???(??%) 2. ???(??%) . . . 12. 423rd Battalion (provisional) (3%) [Major Region ¨C First ¡®upation¡¯ of humans under ROK affiliation] [Achievement Unlocked! ¨C My Land From Here to There] [A special reward will be granted for the 1st ce] At that moment we could see the sun rising. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Episode 10: How big is this?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Huff¡­¡± My entire body grew feeble, dizziness swept over me, and my head spun. A bitter taste rose in my mouth. ¡°Wu¡­ We won¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a joke; I had genuinely thought I was going to die. While the lizardmen were somewhat familiar opponents, the chieftain was apletely different beast altogether. It¡¯s tough scales couldn¡¯t even be pierced with novice dagger skills, and it took three awakened warriors, including Gwang-il, to barely make it a fair fight. We were already outnumbered, and the burden only increased with three of us facing the chieftain, adding more pressure to the other awakened soldiers. ¡°And even knowing their weaknesses doesn¡¯t help.¡± The lizardmen¡¯s weak spot was their left armpit, precisely below, where stabbing could reach the blood vessels near the heart. However, with the chieftain standing at 2.5 meters tall, his armpits were nearly 2 meters high. We needed someone of simr size to attack its armpit and pull the dagger downwards to cut down its blood vessels. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the soldiers breaking free from the ¡®Fear¡¯ effect and the awakened marksmen joining the battle, we would¡¯ve been corpses by now.¡± ¡°Medics, quickly!¡± ¡°Oh, no. How am I supposed to deal with this¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a medic! Will you take responsibility if these people die?¡± ¡°¡­No, but if things go wrong, we might end up with casualties too.¡± While the battle ended in victory with the reinforcement of other soldiers and marksmen, there were still some casualties, given the unfavorable circumstances. Every awakened soldier had received wounds of varying degrees. Thankfully, most of them were not life-threatening. However, some were problematic. ¡°Han-il, Daewon¡­¡± Both of them were warrior-type awakeners. Specifically, the other two who, along with Gwang-il, had faced the chieftain. ¡°The ones who bravely fought in the most dangerous positions.¡± Han-il was knocked out by the chieftain¡¯s body m, crashing on to a wall, and bleeding from his mouth. And for Daewon, he had his abdomen torn by the chieftain¡¯s sharp ws, with his intestines nearly spilling out. ¡°If they die¡­ no one will dare to step up next time.¡± They had to be saved somehow. ¡°Medic¡­ Was your name Uijun?¡± ¡°S-Sir, Sergeant Shin Young-joon? Well, I¡¯m from the physical therapy department, so¡­¡± ¡°Not that¡­ Ah, it¡¯s too hard to exin right now. Just follow me.¡± I was filled with the desire to copse from exhaustion but somehow, I held on to my senses and moved my body. I headed towards the ce where the bodies of the lizardmeny scattered. ¡°Not this one¡­ Not this either¡­ Ah, found it.¡± Despite the chieftain¡¯s resistance to ranged attacks few of the lizards were rendered useless by the awakened marksmen soldiers. Scattered on the ground were bodies of those lizard monsters who were barely clinging on to their life. What I found was one of those barely surviving monsters. ¡°Hey, this one¡¯s still alive¡­ Take his dagger. You already know their weak spot, right? Stab there¡­¡± I handed my sashimi knife to the medic and instantly copsed on the ground, unable to move any further. The one who took the knife hesitated for a moment, then tremblingly approached the incapacitated monster, and thrusted the knife into its weak spot. ¡°If my guess is right then this should work¡­¡± A cook like me awakened as a chef. The ones who awakened as marksmen were generally good at shooting. Thus, the jobs granted through awakening weren¡¯t entirely random; there seemed to be some rules and logic behind it. ¡°If this world has turned into a game, there should be job sses, right?¡± My anticipation proved right, as the medic holding the knife cheered with joy. ¡°It worked! I¡¯m a novice healer! I have healing skills!¡± ¡°Good, now go take care of Han-il and Daewon¡­¡± Now I could finally rest a bit. ¡°Oh, but this healing skill, it¡¯s for one person and has a cooldown period of one day¡­¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t our unit have a chain?¡± And just like that a healer and a priest two ¡®Healer¡¯ ss awakened joined our unit. *** The next day. When I opened my eyes, I found myself under an unfamiliar ceiling. I was in the living quarters. Seems like I passed out among the lizard corpses. The other soldiers must have moved me in. ¡°I slept well¡­ Ouch.¡± As I tried to get up and to sit properly waves of pain surged through my body. It felt like I had cramps all over my body. ¡°Hey, Young-joon. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae opened the door and came in with a soldier. Upon entering he saw me groaning with pain. ¡°Jungsu, this guy is about to die. Give him some treatment.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As Sergeant Min-jae spoke, the soldier beside him folded his hands, adopting a praying posture and murmured. ¡°Oh Lord¡­¡± A white light descended on to my body from his hands. And with it, the pain washed, as if it never existed. ¡°So, you¡¯re the unit¡¯s chain.¡± ¡°Haha yes that¡¯s me. Though it¡¯s not my first time doing this, I feel awkward whenever I have to that ¡®Oh Lord¡¯ prayer.¡± Hearing hisments, I smirked and asked, ¡°Is that so? Isn¡¯t it a daily thing for a chain to offer prayers?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m a Buddhist.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, for your information, I¡¯m neither a Buddhist major nor a monk. I¡¯m just a third-generation Buddhist born believer. I was ordered by the monk to serve in the army. I¡¯m a Buddhist, not a monk or something simr. But for some reasons I awakened as a priest ss. I was also surprised by this result, Haha.¡± It seemed like this ¡®game¡¯s¡¯ job system was a bit random and haphazard. But it was fortunate in a way, since it saved lives. ¡°So, are you okay with that? Isn¡¯t it somewhat against your religious beliefs?¡± ¡°In the grand scheme of things, I guess I¡¯ve already crossed the line. I don¡¯t think much of it anyways. Also, everything feels like a game with my new found powers. On top of that I¡¯m saving sentient beings here which isn¡¯t against my religious beliefs, Hahaha.¡± He seemed like a very positive Buddhist. ¡°Anyway, well done, Young-joon. We practically won this battle thanks to you,¡± said Min-jae after dismissing the military priest. ¡°And did you see the log as well?¡± It was obvious what log he was referring to. ¡°The one about upation?¡± The system message that appeared after defeating the Lizard Chieftain. ¡°Yeah. It seems like we¡¯ve upied this mountain range.¡± ¡°A mountain range? Isn¡¯t our unit just positioned on one of the peaks of the range?¡± Our unit was situated amidst the rugged mountains of the Gangwon Province. The ce where our base was located wouldn¡¯t even amount to 1% of the entire mountain range. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we need troops spread across the entire mountain range, does it?¡± exined Minjae. ¡°We¡¯re not just randomly positioned on one of the peaks. We¡¯re stationed on the ¡®highest summit¡¯ of the range.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ True¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a force spread across this whole mountain range then most probably it¡¯s those lizard monsters. But the rules for who controls the area aren¡¯t so simple. It¡¯s all about the symbolic, important ces. Who controls those ces matters too.¡± Now that I have heard his exnation everything began to makes sense. We defeated the lizards scattered throughout the mountain range and now holds the most symbolic location of the mountain range. These factors made us the upiers of this area. ¡°But that¡¯s not all good news,¡± Min-jae continued. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but the enemy must have suffered significant losses in yesterday¡¯s battle. Our holding over the symbolic location, and them being spread across many areas means our upation over this ce signifies their major losses. So, then¡­¡± Min-jae became excited and continued, ¡°We might evenunch a counterattack against them.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible.¡± Yesterday¡¯s battle. Despite the various circumstances, we had the terrain advantage. There is a major difference between being in a defensive position and being in a position where you have to break through the enemy defenses. Even in such a defensive battle, we almost faced total annihtion due to a slight mistake. ¡°Of course, what you say is true. And our awakened individuals are increasing. With your buffs from yesterday, I think a counteroffensive might not be out of reach.¡± ¡°Oh, you shouldn¡¯t expect much from those buffs.¡± ¡°What?¡± Certainly, the reason we could winst night¡¯s battle was due to the tremendous buff effect from my dishes. But it¡¯s not easy to make these dishes again. ¡°The dishes that I had fed you all¡­ Each one took at least 4 to 7 hours to prepare.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Using high-quality ingredients gathered by the chefs after meticulously studying the tastes of each awakened individual, and then spending hours on each dish made such buffs possible. ¡°It was made as a precaution against the possibility of the giant lizards attacking. If I were to make it again, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get ingredients of the same quality. And with more awakened individuals, it would be even more difficult to do so.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Then¡­¡± ¡°Normal level buffs might be possible, but with that level, even if we were to repeat yesterday¡¯s battle, we¡¯d be at a disadvantage. Even in a defensive battle, let alone a counterattack.¡± ¡°It seems impossible then¡­¡± Unless we can secure good ingredients. Given the nature of the cooking skills that I¡¯ve been investigating high level buffs will be impossible for a while. ¡°Now, the next thing to discuss is¡­ the top achievement.¡± ¡°Oh! That. What did we end up getting?¡± [Major Region ¨C First ¡®upation¡¯ of humans under ROK affiliation] [Achievement unlocked! ¨C My Land From Here to There] [1st ce privilege has been granted] The achievement messages that appeared when we first formed a party of five awakened individuals. We were third at that time but now we¡¯re first. And it¡¯s not just about forming a party; it¡¯s about upying an area. The rewards could be substantial. ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to exin. It¡¯s better if you see it for yourself.¡± ¡°Huh? What did we get?¡± At Min-jae¡¯s words, I essed the log and clicked on the first-ce achievement section. Then¡­ [You can choose one of the following rewards] An Invitation to Lord Vk¡¯s Castle Mobile Fortress Bimana Nebuchadnezzar¡¯s key Call of the Abyss Ascending Path Tome of Reversal Broken Straight Sword ¡°What in the world is this?¡± An invitation to Vk Castle? Who in the world is that? A broken straight sword? What are we supposed to do with that? ¡°So, we still haven¡¯t made a decision yet. There¡¯s no proper exnation given, let alone what they¡¯re for.¡± Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be some sort of description window. [Broken Straight Sword] [This is a Broken Straight Sword.] [Call of the Abyss] [You have received the Call of the Abyss.] That¡¯s the problem with it. ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing. I¡¯d like you to choose for us.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Min-jae hyung spoke with a serious expression. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make no difference if I choose?¡± ¡°Since we have no information, it¡¯s all luck anyway. But still, I¡¯d feel more at ease if you chose. The others probably wouldn¡¯t mind if you pick our reward.¡± Even if he says it like that, I still need to know¡­ Hmm. ¡°Then let¡¯s go with that one, the Mobile Fortress Bimana.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because at least we can specte its purpose from the name, right? If it¡¯s a mobile fortress, maybe something like a giant tank wille out.¡± ¡°Do we even need a tank?¡± ¡°Not right now, but we might need one soon.¡± As someone who manages the unit¡¯s food supply, there¡¯s one thing I can be sure of. ¡°Soon, the time wille when we have to abandon the unit and move.¡± When that timees, that Mobile Whatever wille in handy. ¡°If there¡¯s a reason, then it¡¯s settled. We will go with the second reward.¡± [Special Privilege ¨C You have chosen the Mobile Fortress Bimana] [Summoning authority for Bimana has granted to ¡®Shin Young-joon¡¯] ¡°Summoning authority, huh. Should I try it once?¡± After going out to the courtyard in front of the living quarters, we decided to test the special mission. ¡°Summon Bimana.¡± [Insufficient space for summoning] ¡°Huh, it says there¡¯s not enough space.¡± ¡°This courtyard is a bit narrow. Let¡¯s try it in the ser field ahead.¡± [Insufficient space for summoning] ¡°Here too?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the training ground. Our unit¡¯s training ground is quitergepared to the unit¡¯s size.¡± [Insufficient space for summoning] ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± This¡­ Just how big is this fortress? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 11 Chapter 11 We returned to the barracks; after realizing we had no way to summon the rewards that we had earned, We figured we might as well return to the mess hall, even though we couldn¡¯t use the rewards immediately; there mighte a day when we could. Lunchtime had long passed, and it was about time to return to the mess hall to prepare dinner. ¡°But I doubt other soldiers are even thinking about going to the mess hall; they¡¯re probably too exhausted.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably better to just grab somebat rations and eat. You should take a break too.¡± Following Min-jae¡¯s advice, we decided to take a brief rest. ¡°Yeah, I guess I should also take a day off.¡± I said it, but¡­ I had been working too hard all this time. Being the only cook left, I had to handle all the cooking by myself, not to mention making buff dishes for the awakened and special meals for the mentally weak soldiers. I had gone through all sorts of hardships. Still, there was a sense of fulfillment in it. ¡®And that sense of fulfillment isn¡¯t just because of the mood.¡¯ [Awakened: Shin Young-joon] [upation: Novice Cook Lv. 9] [Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 13, Magic 10, Luck 10] [Specialties: Novice Grade Dagger Mastery, Novice Grade Cooking Skills, Novice Grade Ingredient Identification, Novice Grade Fire Affinity] [Skills: Chef¡¯s Eye, Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] [Points: 1,032pt] There was a tangible satisfaction in those numbers. ¡°I¡¯m level 9 now!¡± I had been steadily gaining experience points. Whether it was hunting monsters orpleting dishes. And recently, I discovered another source of experience. [Someone who has enjoyed your meal has excelled in battle] [The Chef¡¯s reputation is spreading far and wide. Increase in experience points] If someone who ate my cooking excelled in battle thanks to that buff¡­ That became experience points for me too! ¡°Thanks to that, I gained a lot from yesterday¡¯s battle.¡± With each level up, my stats also increased. Now, I had reached the stats that were only possible to achieve by eating buffed dishes when I was at level 1. I was saving them just in case I needed them in the future. I had umted quite a lot of points too. ording to other awakened I asked, there was no one in the unit with higher points or levels than mine. ¡°My growth is going well. After yesterday¡¯s fight, the number of lizard attacks on our unit has decreased by half, and the awakening of the unit members is also progressing well¡­¡± Everything was going smoothly. When monsters first appeared, all I could think of was not wanting to die like this. But now, I feel a bit rxed. Considering all the struggle that I went through to prepare for the war. I was getting a sense of fulfillment. Even if it might only be a brief period of peace. If we continued to handle things well like this in the future¡­ ¡°Hey, Young-joon!¡± In the midst of these thoughts¡­ Someone called my name. There weren¡¯t many people left in the unit who would call me by my name. Thinking it might be Min-jae, I turned my head in the direction of the voice. ¡°Are you here?¡± I managed to maintain a miraculouslyposed expression. ¡°Lieutenant Kim¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done well! Good job!¡± The one who called me was Lieutenant Kim. He was both thepanymander of our unit and currently the only remaining officer. In other words¡­ He was currently the highest-ranking officer. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just what I had to do.¡± ¡°But how many people can do what¡¯s expected of them? Huh? Have some confidence man!¡± His words were a bit rough. But in reality, what he said was apliment. If it hadn¡¯t been Lieutenant Kim who said those words, I might have felt good about it. ¡°Those who can¡¯t do what¡¯s expected of them.¡± It had been over ten days since the monsters appeared. Soldiers gathered to fight the monsters. We increased the number of awakened. We tried to awaken the excluded. We built defenses around the barracks. We patrolled the area. And we even fought the lizard chieftain. During these ten days¡­ Lieutenant Kim did the following: [.] To put it into words: Nothing. He simply did nothing. During these ten days, surprisingly enough¡­ Lieutenant Kim didn¡¯t do a single thing! When he decided we needed to increase the number of awakened¡­ ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡± When we gathered supplies near the barracks and built defenses¡­ ¡°It¡¯s nice to see everyone working hard.¡± When the lizard chieftain was first discovered¡­ ¡°There¡¯s such a monster? We should be cautious. I might have to wait for contact from a superior unit. I¡¯ll leave it to you guys.¡± His words sounded inspiring, but ultimately, he delegated all the work to the soldiers. No. It would have been better if he had simply delegated everything to the soldiers and called it a day. After the monsters first appeared¡­ Our unit had casualties, but no deaths. However¡­ We had two missing soldiers. ¡°The ones that Lieutenant Kim insisted on sending to make contact with the higherups.¡± Since we couldn¡¯tmunicate via wired or wireless means¡­ They were sent out to make contact. But they haven¡¯t returned even after ten days. The anger among few soldiers who were close with those two was palpable. They didn¡¯t hesitate to speak openly about how Lieutenant Kim had killed them himself with that suicidal mission. Well, at least he was an officer. Despite being amander and conducting extensive patrols, Lieutenant Kim always made efforts to gain favor. In my case, it went something like this: ¡°Hey, Young-joon, you¡¯ve been working hard. Thanks for today¡¯s lunch! Ah¡­ We have fried chicken today¡­? That¡¯s a bit¡­ How about you make some pasta for me instead?¡± Rejecting the meal offered with careful consideration and insisting on ordering a special food instead. If someone had any sense, they¡¯d wonder how someone could do such things without any hesitation. Thanks to this, I ended up using expensive ingredients like olive oil and minced garlic even though they were already scarce. I had to make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with them. Due to incidents like these, Lieutenant Kim¡¯s evaluation within the unit was at its lowest. It wasn¡¯t great even before the monster showed up. ¡°It was as if he was continually testing the depths of a new low, descending vertically each day.¡± And now, he came to say something again. Sure enough. ¡°I heard today we¡¯re skipping the mess hall and havingbat rations. Why don¡¯t we cook something for ourselves?¡± As expected, his intention was clear. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m a bit tired right now, and we also need to save some supplies. Cooking just for ourselves might draw some attention.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. If anyone has something to say, tell them toe to me. I¡¯m an officer, after all.¡± I wanted to say something, but¡­ ¡°And why are youughing? Did you think I didn¡¯t know you guys sometimes cook for yourselves?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± What¡¯s he talking about now? It¡¯s already hard enough to save the little supplies we have. ¡°You guys are cooking for those about to awaken, aren¡¯t you? Last time, you were cooking properly for the awakening candidates.¡± Oh, my goodness. I didn¡¯t expect him to catch on to this. ¡°So, you¡¯re boosting their morale with food, right? But how much can food really boost their abilities¡­¡± His words were just excuses. Lieutenant Kim muttered, seemingly annoyed, that we were just cooking for our friends. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s nitpicking over this.¡± Lieutenant Kim, seemingly more upset, outrightly opened the door and left. I felt helpless seeing him vent his anger like that. Despite appearances, he¡¯s the only officer left in our unit. Even if he seems useless now, it¡¯s not an exaggeration. The outside world¡¯s military still exists. And someday, when we make contact with them. He¡¯ll be incredibly important. ¡°That ¡®buff¡¯ is actually quite significant.¡± ¡°Ah, forget it. It¡¯s too dirty; I won¡¯t eat it.¡± It¡¯s absurd, but¡­ Lieutenant Kim was infuriated, seemingly more angry. ¡°You¡¯re not just favoring your friends, are you?¡± Lieutenant Kim said abruptly before leaving. I couldn¡¯t help feeling dumbfounded by his outburst. ¡°Seeing him throwing tantrums I was craving for a cigarette. But strangely enough I have never smoked before.¡± My head was pounding strangely, and¡­ Someone opened the door and came in. Knock, knock. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon? You don¡¯t look too good.¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim came and went¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. ¡°Well, who knows what he said, but¡­ Anyway, thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Ugh¡­ really.¡± ¡°Well, if there are difficult times then that also means there will be good times soon, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I sighed because my headache wouldn¡¯t go away¡­ He suddenly smiled and said that. ¡°Sergeant Park Taejun is awake.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± My ssmate had gained his consciousness. *** ¡°You¡¯re not facing any health issues, but there might be some difficulty in walking.¡± ¡°Was it tough even with the healers and priests?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ If we had treated you right after you were injured, it might have been possible, butpletely healing wounds that have been around for over ten days was impossible. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, you don¡¯t need to apologize, thank you. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Upon hearing the news that Taejun had woken up¡­ I hurriedly went to the unit¡¯s medical office. ¡°My only ssmate.¡± Corporal Park Taejun. The most senior soldiers in this unit after Lieutenant Park and¡­ We had even nned to get discharged together. But a day before our leave, he was attacked by a monster. He was the first one to express his willingness to awaken when I told him that killing the monster could trigger it. Unfortunately, at that time, we didn¡¯t know how resilient those lizard monsters were. He was still conscious even when the monster tore down his leg, causing severe injuries. It was onlyter when he lost consciousness after losing too much blood and due to immense pain. He woke up only now. ¡°It was a serious injury, with bones visible.¡± Even then, Uijun the medic awakened continued to provide care, changing bandages and such. But Uijun was a physical therapy major. He wouldn¡¯t know how to treat wounds where bones were exposed. Preventing it from worsening was the best he could do. And then, in thest battle, Uijun awakened as a healer. Together with a priest awakened, they started treating him. And the result? Half-sess. Although it¡¯s difficult for him to walk, there are no health issues. ¡®At least that¡¯s the best they can do for now.¡¯ ¡°Hey, Park Taejun. Long time no see.¡± ¡°Are you here?¡± ¡°I feel like we met just yesterday.¡± As we opened the door to the sickbay and entered, Taejun, looking a bit frail, greeted me. ¡°Are you really getting better? How many fingers can you see?¡± I wiggled my index finger in front of Taejun¡¯s eyes. ¡°One.¡± ¡°You mean two, right? Bastard you are still not fine in your head¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡­ You shouldn¡¯t make fun of the patient.¡± ¡°Haha. Crazy guy.¡± After exchanging casual greetings, I briefed Taejun on what has happened in the unit during his time on the bed. From the day he passed out to the current situation. I told him about everything and the crazy experience we went through. There were many ups and downs, but for now, things seemed fairly stable. Since the mountain range became our territory, monster attacks have decreased by more than half. Even though we had taken out the Lizard Chieftain, attacks still urred, which was puzzling. They didn¡¯t seem to be following orders. I guess they are just the remnant soldiers trying to attack us and take over our base. With quite a few Awakening users in our ranks now, we could easily subdue the lizards that came our way. We use those subdued lizards as materials for further Awakening. So, the situation was pretty stable overall. ¡°Yeah. We went through a lot while you were lying there.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± ¡°All you have left now is to enjoy the good life. Lucky bastard.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so considerate, Young-joon.¡± Sergeant Park Taejun looked me in the eye as he spoke. ¡°Have you already forgotten? I¡¯ve also Awakened.¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Even though he got bitten by a monster and passed out he still ended up awakening. ¡°There¡¯s no way everything¡¯s fine just because the monsters have decreased.¡± In the end, we couldn¡¯t contact the outside world. We were running generators for power. ¡°And the generator¡¯s power isn¡¯t unlimited. There¡¯s probably also a food shortage. In this situation, can I just sit here and eat?¡± He didn¡¯t bring it up because even if one more Awakened couldn¡¯t walk, the situation wouldn¡¯t change much. *Sigh* ¡°Okay, then let me ask. What did you Awaken as?¡± Since things had turned out like this, I decided to ask about the things I had been curious about. ¡°A warrior? No, considering your personality, you¡¯d probably lean towards being a mage.¡± ¡°A mage, huh. It¡¯s simr, but a bit different.¡± If it¡¯s not a mage, then it¡¯s probably a warrior type. A profession that doesn¡¯t mean much to a guy with injured legs ¨C ¡°Astrologer.¡± ¡°Huh? An Astrologer?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°ording to the exnation, it¡¯s about peering the heavens, and observing the movement of the stars to predict the rise and fall of fortune.¡± Taejun started exining vaguely, but it was so iprehensible from the beginning that I could only stare nkly. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s tooplicated. I don¡¯t understand it even as the person involved.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± ¡°Instead, take me outside for a bit.¡± ¡°Outside?¡± At Taejun¡¯s request, I brought the wheelchair from the corner of the sickbay made Taejun in it, and then we went outside the building. ¡°Our unit has some good things.¡± Late at night. The moon and stars were shining beautifully in the sky. ¡°There are no lights around and we¡¯re on a high mountain, so you can see the stars really well.¡± ¡°Well, our unit¡¯s scenery is quite pretty.¡± ¡°Thanks to that, I found out two things.¡± Huh? Two things? ¡°Guests wille, tomorrow¡± Guests? Suddenly, what- ¡°And¡­ It¡¯s better to hide your ws.¡± * * * At first, I didn¡¯t know what that meant, but the next morning, I found out right away. ¡°Is that, is that real? There¡¯s a military unit!¡± ¡°I told you so! Look over there! There are soldiers too!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Sujin, we¡¯re safe now¡­¡± It had been 11 days since the monsters attacked our unit. Now survivors have appeared. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 12 Chapter 12 It was the 11th day since the monsters attacked our unit. Early in the morning. There was chaos in the unit. ¡°Sergeant Shin, you are finally here!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So¡­ you found people?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Along with the monster attacks, allmunication with the outside world had been cut off. Two soldiers who had set out to contact the outside world had disappeared. Among the unit members, there was likely onemon thought. ¡°What¡¯s happening outside?¡± After learning that there were others facing a situation simr to ours through the achievement system, the prevalent opinion was society had also been attacked by monsters. But that was all. We had no idea what had happened to the society under those monster attacks. ¡°Although we¡¯re a military unit, if you think about it the other way around, it¡¯s just an attack where a mere hundred soldiers managed to withstand.¡± An attack that a hundred soldiers managed to withstand. Outside, there were not only soldiers but also police officers. While it was true that the monsters were formidable opponents, there were a vast number of people outside. Soldiers, police officers, and many civilians. In terms of facilities and manpower, the situation was likely much better than that of our unit, which only had 100 members. The main opinion among the unit soldiers was that they must have somehow repelled the attack. ¡°It¡¯s a baseless, optimistic spection, but¡­¡± In society, there are families and friends of the unit members. Unless we could confirm it immediately or find a way to go there, thinking that ¡°they must be safe¡± would relieve our minds. ¡°The soldier who first spotted them said it was about twenty people.¡± However¡­ ¡°They were all dressed in shabby clothes¡­ and considering the location, they should arrive at the unit within an hour or two.¡± Our unit was located on top of the mountain. So, we could easily observe the paths leading up to our base. We didn¡¯t neglect surveince with the fear of other monsters attacking the unit, again. But what we found wasn¡¯t monsters, but people in distress. They were about twenty people who walked up the mountain, a ce where they wouldn¡¯t normally go, ignoring the military area entry ban signs, unless they were enthusiastic hikers. There was probably only one reason they approached the unit. ¡°They¡¯re running away.¡± We all reached the same conclusion. We didn¡¯t know about other areas, but at least in Gangwon Province, where our unit was located¡­ Has be a ce where people have to run away. ¡°¡­I need to cook for twenty more people.¡± By the time they arrived, it would be breakfast time. We didn¡¯t know what would happen when we met them, but it would be good to at least feed them. * * * ¡°There, there! There¡¯s a military base!¡± ¡°I-I told you! Look over there! There are soldiers too!¡± ¡°Mommyyyy!¡± ¡°Sujin, we¡¯re safe now¡­¡± And that¡¯s how we ended up in this situation. ¡°Alright, alright. Everyone calm down!¡± After hearing that survivors had arrived near the unit, me and the soldiers went out to meet them. ¡°¡­There are many of them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ording to the soldier who first spotted them, there were about twenty people, but when we counted them precisely, and realized there were twenty-five. Currently, excluding the two missing persons out of 101 unit members, there are 99 survivors in our unit. The number of survivors was more than a quarter of the unit members. ¡°Their ages and genders are all different.¡± From a stern-looking grandfather to middle-aged men and women. From students to young children held in their mother¡¯s arms. There was not a singlemonality among them, yet they were gathered together as a group. ¡°For now, let¡¯s send them to the third-floor barracks personnel to the second floor, as we had discussed earlier. And let them settle on the third floor. Then we need to make arrangements for their meals, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that should do for now¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Hello, everyone!¡± Someone appeared behind our soldiers. Me and the soldiers turned our heads in surprise to look behind us. ¡°I¡¯m Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok, who is currently inmand of this unit! Now that you¡¯re safe, please follow the soldiers¡¯ instructions without worry!¡± ¡°L-Lieutenant Kim?¡± He was the only officer in our unit. Lieutenant Kim. ¡®Why is he suddenly here?¡¯ From the appearance of the monsters till the fight with the lizard chieftain, and even after that¡­ Lieutenant Kim did nothing and just hid in a corner. Naturally, I thought he would delegate the handling of the newly discovered survivors to the soldiers as well. ¡®So, we didn¡¯t even report separately.¡¯ But that Lieutenant Kim. Suddenly he revealed himself. I wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised. All the soldiers who were dealing with the survivors looked at Lieutenant Kim in disbelief, as if they couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What are you waiting for! Guide them quickly! Sergeant Min-jae?¡± Then, unexpectedly, Lieutenant Kim yelled at us. ¡°Yes? No. Yes, Sergeant Min-jae.¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s enough space in the barracks for these people to stay?¡± ¡°Well, um, yes. That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Hmm, that answer doesn¡¯t sound very confident. Make sure to take responsibility and guide them properly. I¡¯ll checkter if the guidance was done correctly. And report immediately if any issues arise.¡± The barracks were a space where survivors could live. It existed. As soon as the survivors were discovered, soldiers worked hard to clear out the entire third floor for them. Naturally, without saying it, the n was to guide them. ¡°And, Sergeant Shin Young-joon!¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon.¡± ¡°As soon as the barracks guidance is finished, make sure to prepare meals for them. Adding around 25 extra portions shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Then, go ahead.¡± There shouldn¡¯t be a problem. The original dining capacity of the unit was for 100 people. Adding 25 more. ¡°Is it really feasible to prepare additional meals equivalent to a quarter of the total personnel?¡± As soon as the survivors were found, soldiers headed to the mess hall. Additional meals were prepared at once. Of course, without saying it, the n was to guide them to the mess hall and feed them. ¡°¡­Lieutenant Kim is doing what he should be doing, but something just feels off.¡± Somehow it just feels ufortable. ¡°They should be safe now. Everyone must be tired, so don¡¯t worry and focus on resting first to relieve fatigue!¡± But¡­ Despite such efforts an officer still an officer? When our soldiers tried to guide the civilians, they did not follow the instructions properly, perhaps due of their excitement upon discovering the soldiers. But when it came to Lieutenant Kim¡­ It felt like his words contained some strange power. The civilians followed the guidance well. Lieutenant Kim may not be doing his job properly. And he may be quite greedy. ¡°But he¡¯s good with words.¡± He¡¯s tall with broad shoulders. A manly figure from the Honam region. He looks like a soldier straight out of a picture. Moreover, considering his eloquence. He¡¯s the remaining officer in the unit. And he¡¯s a lieutenant at that. From the soldiers¡¯ perspective, it might not be a big deal, but to others, it¡¯s quite a convincing position. It¡¯s only natural that his words carry more weight than the soldiers¡¯. In fact, from the soldiers¡¯ perspective, that¡¯s the most infuriating part. Even if Lieutenant Kim has done something wrong while carrying out his duty for the unit, it often happens that the soldierly atmosphere and his eloquence make the soldiers look bad instead. ¡°But still, thanks to him, the guidance for the survivors went smoothly. So, I guess I should be grateful.¡± Despite the soldiers disliking him. Right now, he has done his job well. So, it¡¯s better to think positively. But still¡­ ¡°Sir, thank you so much¡­¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t mention it. Protecting civilians is a soldier¡¯s duty! I just did what I had to do.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, we survived! Thank you so much, Lieutenant Kim¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re all safe now. Just rx, as the soldier said! We¡¯re safe now!¡± The situation was quite odd. That much was certain. *** ¡°You can use the third floor for the barracks. The soldiers who were there have all moved to the first and second floors, so there should be enough beds for everyone now.¡± ¡°The third floor? Isn¡¯t that the highest floor? It¡¯s difficult for tired civilians to climb that far.¡± ¡°Mr. Park!¡± ¡°Tsk¡­ An old man like me finds it hard to climb stairs. Soldiers should be considerate¡­¡± The expressions of the soldiers, which were already somewhat shadowed, were openly grimaced at the old man¡¯s words. Although a few other survivors seemed to give the old man meaningful nces. The old man continued to grumble, seemingly unaffected by others¡¯ gazes. At the moment when the soldiers¡¯ gazes were about to turn sour¡­ Fortunately, Gwang-il, who had a mild temperament, stepped forward. ¡°Haha, it may seem that way. But usually, monsters enter from the first floor. There hasn¡¯t been a monster with wings yet.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°On the first day when monsters attacked our unit, all the dead soldiers were on the first floor.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Upon hearing that, the old man seemed somewhat relieved. ¡°I understand that you¡¯ve had a hard time outside, but I hope you can trust us a little. We¡¯ll ensure your safety.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, you should have exined it first¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, sir, please stop ande in.¡± After persuading the old man somehow, they guided the survivors to their respective barracks. Surprisingly, what the survivors reacted most to wasn¡¯t the beds. It was the bathroom and shower. ¡°I can finally take a shower¡­¡± ¡°I thought I was going to die feeling dirty. I endured it because it was a life-or-death situation.¡± After the external power was cut off¡­ They had to rely on the unit¡¯s generator for electricity, so everyone was conscious of saving electricity. But water originally came from underground streams on the mountain. Even if they used it liberally, there were no major issues. ¡°You don¡¯t get hot water, though.¡± But for the survivors, that alone was enough to make them feel relieved. ¡°We have also prepared meals for everyone. So, once you¡¯re done with your cleanup, juste to the mess hall.¡± ¡°Wow! There¡¯s food too.¡± ¡°Soldiers will guide you to the mess hallter.¡± After confirming that the barracks guidance was more or lessplete¡­ I thought I should also give them some guidance about the meals. As I was about to head to the mess hall¡­ ¡°Um, excuse me.¡± A woman approached us and spoke. She seemed to be in herte twenties or so. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°Um, the person who greeted us, was his name Lieutenant Kim?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is he the highest-ranking officer in this unit?¡± Well¡­ We¡¯re not sure about that either. ¡°¡­Ah, yes. Well, something like that.¡± ¡°I want to talk about something with Lieutenant Kim. Could you tell me when it would be possible to have a conversation?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unlike the old man, the woman¡¯s tone was polite. And the content of her request wasn¡¯t problematic either. But¡­ The expression on the soldiers¡¯ faces upon hearing that were even more rigid than when dealing with the elderly. ¡°Um, excuse me¡­ Did I do something wrong?¡± The woman seemed to sense the atmosphere as well, looking a bit flustered. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Conversation. Actual conversation. ¡°It should be possible soon. We¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. There are things that must be told. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Well then, take a rest.¡± Except for a few soldiers who were assigned to guide the civilians, the rest of us headed out of the barracks. ¡°Hah. ¡®I want to talk about something with Lieutenant Kim.¡¯ It¡¯s driving me crazy, hearing that.¡± Discussions started as soon as we left the barracks. ¡°I felt even more frustrated and angry upon hearing her request than I did when that old man was making a fuss about living rooms on the third floor. Despite not saying anything to her, I still feel remorseful.¡± ¡°I understand. Everyone must have felt the same way.¡± Even though the woman didn¡¯t do anything wrong, there were murmurs about how strangely everyone became angry. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t help but sympathize. Thinking about Lieutenant Kim, who gave orders ¡°like amander¡± to me and Min-jae. My face must have grimaced a bit. Oh. Come to think of it¡­ ¡°Min-jae hyung isn¡¯t around?¡± ¡°Sergeant Min-jae? As soon as the civilian guidance was over, he strutted off somewhere.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He probably went to Lieutenant Kim¡­ I think.¡± He seems really pissed off hyung, I guess. ¡°¡­. Honestly, I thought there might be problems among soldiers when war broke out.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The one who brought up that point was a Lance Corporal from the Communications unit like Min-jae hyung. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed, Sergeant Shin¡¯s seniority is one level above Sergeant Min-jae¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well, in themunication unit, we often talk about how if a war ever breaks out first, we will shoot Sergeant Lee Min-jae in the back of his head and wouldter tell it was a misfire.¡± Ah. That¡¯s what he meant. ¡°Haha, Min-jae hyung is quite strict.¡± ¡°Just strict? He would yell at you to die if you do something wrong.¡± There were probably more than one or two cases like that. If a senior gives too much leeway to a junior, it often causes problems in the work. I probably heard simr things from the junior chefs. ¡°But now that things have actually happened, it¡¯s fortunate that we have someone like Sergeant Min-jae who can handle things well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Going through those kinds of things together, we have started to feel a strange camaraderie.¡± ¡°Hmm. Camaraderie.¡± Yeah. Camaraderie. Over the past two weeks, the unit members fought together against the monsters. Some received help from others. Some heard words of gratitude for helping others. Sharing the absurd experience called Awakening. Surviving together in a state of being trapped in the unit, fighting against monsters. Although it started as a necessity for survival. Now, among the unit members. There was a solid camaraderie. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Only then did I realize. The true identity of the awkwardness I felt when seeing Lieutenant Kim today. Comradeship. In that word. ¡®Lieutenant Kim is not included.¡¯ Lieutenant Kim. He didn¡¯t fight with us. He didn¡¯t help anyone. He didn¡¯t even share the experience of Awakening. Far from being arade. A person in a position where even calling him a colleague is hesitant. Such a person. ims to be our highestmander. That¡¯s just. ¡®I need to take action.¡¯ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Ahh¡­ Eating proper food makes me feel alive.¡± ¡°Wow, even this simple meal tastes so good.¡± ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it? Is this really the military food that I used to know?¡± During the Breakfast time, I stood in a corner of the mess hall, watching the survivors eat their meals and chat. There are many issues to deal with, but still, seeing people enjoy the food that I have prepared makes me feel good. ¡°Excuse me, Chef? That was delicious. Thank you so much. It was unexpectedly tasty for military food.¡± ¡°No, thank you for enjoying it.¡± Sometimes I hear remarks like, ¡°Cooks or chefs cook every day. So, even if they hear ¡®delicious, well done¡¯ it feels pretty indifferent to them.¡± But that¡¯s not true. Every time I hear it, it feels refreshing and exhrating. ¡°This taste makes cooking worth it.¡± As I happily watched over the mess hall, Gwang-il came up to me. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-jun. What do you think?¡± ¡°Huh? About what?¡± ¡°You know. The¡­ supplies.¡± With a lowered voice and a serious expression, Gwang-il asked about the rations. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Our unit, based on over a hundred members, should have had enough rations for about two months. It¡¯s been almost two weeks already, and with those people added¡­¡± ¡°Well, if I say it has little impact, it would be a lie.¡± Emergency rations andbat rations were stocked for over 200 personnel. When there were only about 90 survivors left due to casualties, it was not abundant but still not insufficient. With the addition of 25 more people to a unit that had barely over 100 members, ¡°It¡¯s an increase of about 25% in terms of ratio alone.¡± The consumption of rations would also increase ordingly. Regr food ingredients were almost depleted, and from now on, we had to cook emergency andbat rations. ¡°We were already adjusting the diet to make itst longer, but now we have to be even more frugal.¡± ¡°Will that be enough?¡± ¡°Well, I think we¡¯ll barely make it past a month, but that might be the limit.¡± Gwang-il¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°¡­I hope they¡¯re worth it.¡± What? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say things like that.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Although I scolded him. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand Gwang-il¡¯s feelings. Gwang-il may go berserk during a battle. But in peacetime, he¡¯s gentler than anyone else in the unit. For even Gwang-il to unknowingly say something like that. It means that the addition of survivors is a concern for us. ¡°The bond between the members of the unit has be solid.¡± As I talked with the soldiers earlier. There¡¯s a camaraderie among our unit members. The result of repeatedly fighting against amon enemy and watching each other¡¯s backs. As a result. The cohesion among the unit members has significantly strengthened since the monster attack. But on the flip side. It¡¯s be harder for those who are not part of our unit to be epted. And¡­ ¡°Young-joon, I¡¯m going to kill that bastard Kim, and go to prison.¡± ¡°I know how you feel, but calm down, hyung.¡± Lieutenant Kim lived with us in the same unit. But he was far from being our rade in arms¡±. Even the civilians who joined us today are in same position. ¡°Sergeant Min-jae? Did you talk to Lieutenant Kim?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was so angry I almost hit him with a million volts on the spot.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I was so angry that I wanted to zap with a million volts, but I just managed to hold back.¡± Ah. A million volts refers to Min-jae¡¯s lightning magic. Of course, that¡¯s not its official name. But it was simpler to refer to it as a million volts rather than Novice Electric Emission. ¡°What did you guys talk about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter. I¡¯ll exin it separately when all the other soldiers gather. For now, I need to cool off a bit.¡± Saying that, Min-jae took out his tray and went to eat his meal. Whatever they talked about. It definitely wasn¡¯t good news. ¡°Ah, that was a good meal.¡± As I let out a sigh, thinking about it all. Another survivor came up and greeted me. ¡°It¡¯s good to hear you enjoyed it.¡± ¡°Oh, it was more than just good.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Even though hearing that they enjoyed the meal lightens my mood a bit. The survivor spoke up. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your upation?¡± ¡°upation?¡± When I heard the word ¡®upation¡¯, what came to mind was the phrase floating in my status window. [upation: Novice Chef] I was about to answer him Novice Chef as per the system¡¯s status. But then. ¡°I was a college student. Now, as you can see, I¡¯m a chef here.¡± ¡°I see. Anyway, thanks for the meal.¡± With that, the survivor greeted me and left the mess hall. Watching their back. Thoughts swirled in my head. ¡°Why would they suddenly ask a soldier about their previous upation?¡± Soldiers are soldiers if their upation is a soldier. Is there a reason to ask about their upation? It could just be asking about their job before enlisting as a conversation starter. But recently, in our unit. That¡¯s not what ¡®upation¡¯ means. [upation: Novice Chef Lv. 9] The job that appears in the status window, visible only to Awakened individuals. ¡°When soldiers ask about upations, it¡¯s natural for words like warrior or mage toe up.¡± In my case, I¡¯m a chef. But if others heard that question, they might identally blurt out ¡°warrior¡± in response. Suddenly, I recalled the thing that Taejun had told me while looking up towards the sky. ¡°Guests wille, tomorrow.¡± ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s best to hide the ws.¡± A chill ran down my spine. ¡°Hide the ws?¡± Taejun said himself he only read the signs in the sky, not understanding the detailed meanings¡­ But one thing seemed certain. There might be something among these survivors. *** That night. ¡°Sergeant Min-jae? Looks like everyone¡¯s here.¡± Most of the unit¡¯s soldiers had gathered on the rooftop of a small building next to the barracks. ¡°Why do we have to hide and have a meeting here?¡± They were here at the request of Sergeant Lee Min-jae. To have a meeting among themselves without being seen by the survivors or Lieutenant Kim. Except for a few soldiers left behind in the barracks to manage Lieutenant Kim and other survivors, all unit members were present there. ¡°Before we start, let me tell you about the conversation that I had with Lieutenant Kim today.¡± Min-jae, who had kept silent until now, began his narration. The conversation with Lieutenant Kim roughly went like this: ¡°Lieutenant Kim, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Sergeant Min-jae, what¡¯s with the sudden attitude?¡± ¡°You intervened with the survivors without consulting us.¡± Lieutenant Kim¡¯s sudden intrusion. It was a highly unexpected event for us, but¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Thanks to me, things have been sorted out, right? Or is it a problem that I epted the survivors? You decided to reject them, didn¡¯t you? Is that it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. But still, if you¡¯re going to step into such a position, at least consult us, the ones in charge of the unit¡¯s affairs¡­¡± ¡°What? Hey, Lee Min-jae. Are you out of your mind?¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely incorrect. If it weren¡¯t for Lieutenant Kim saying it¡­ ¡°Do you think just because you¡¯re a sergeant, you can say anything¡­¡± After hearing that much, I almost couldn¡¯t hold back from unleashing a million volts and barely managed to hold back and left. The expressions of the soldiers listening to the conversation were not pleasant either. ¡°And based on that conversation, my first proposal is as follows.¡± Taking a deep breath, Sergeant Min-jae opened his mouth. ¡°We need to get rid of Lieutenant Kim. That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°What!?¡± It was an extreme statement. There was somemotion among the soldiers. In such an atmosphere. As someone who could speakfortably to Sergeant Min-jae, I stepped forward to continue the conversation. ¡°Min-jae hyung calm down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being rational.¡± ¡°Rational? What are you talking about? Lieutenant Kim isn¡¯t anything special, and why do you need to get rid of him?¡± At my words. After ncing briefly at the third floor of the barracks where the survivors were resting, Min-jae spoke cautiously. ¡°This morning, because Lieutenant Kim stepped forward to organize the survivors, they think Lieutenant Kim represents us.¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s true.¡± I¡¯m angry too. ¡°But that¡¯s not really true, is it? Even if Lieutenant Kim gives us strange orders, we can discuss and decide among ourselves.¡± ¡°Well, who knows if this will end with just one incident?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sergeant Min-jae folded his arms and began to point out the obvious. ¡°Think about it. With more and more survivors joining us, our group could be muchrger than it is now.¡± Survivors already appeared once. There¡¯s no guarantee that more survivors won¡¯t arrive. ¡°With each new arrival, if Lieutenant Kim continues to be the representative every time?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Someday. The number of ¡®those who think Lieutenant Kim represents us¡¯ may exceed our own.¡± ¡°!¡± Certainly. When that momentes. ¡®Our will won¡¯t matter.¡¯ ¡°Everyone understand this the day Lieutenant Kim bes our leader is the day our unit falls apart.¡± If the one who said such words really bes our leader. How will they treat us? Does everyone agree with that statement? Muttering sounds can be heard even among the soldiers. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ ¡®Lieutenant Kim ismanding us. It¡¯s scary to even imagine.¡¯. ¡®I shared the same office as Lieutenant Kim, and it was a real hell¡­ ¡­.¡¯ ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Everyone knows that he only looks good on the outside, but his abilities are terrible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Before something terrible happens, we have to deal with Lieutenant Kim somehow.¡± I understand what Sergeant Min-jae wants to say, but¡­ ¡°Still¡­ Aren¡¯t we in the military?¡± Gwang-il, who was listening, spoke hesitantly. ¡°There might still be a military system operating outside. I don¡¯t know much about it, but isn¡¯t the military hierarchy essential even in modern warfare?¡± But. After hearing that, Sergeant Min-jae responded as if he had expected the objection. Nodding his head, he replied. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why we need to get rid of him.¡± ¡°If Lieutenant Kim, the only officer in our unit, is gone, the highest-ranking individuals will be Park Taejun and Shin Young-joon, both nearing the end of their military service as sergeants.¡± The attention of the unit members turned towards me and Taejun. Especially when looking at me, Sergeant Min-jae continued forcefully, ¡°Then, if by any chance we encounter outside military forces,¡± ¡°And among them,¡± Particrly when looking at me. ¡°Young-joon. There would be no problem with youmanding us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Getting rid of Lieutenant Kim is one thing. As long as we don¡¯t get caught.¡± Suddenly gazes were directed at me. In that moment of slight confusion from the gazes. ¡°I have gathered everyone to discuss this matter.¡± Sergeant Min-jae addressed the other soldiers in time. ¡°Since it¡¯s something we need to discuss when everyone is together, it¡¯s my second proposal and essentially the main topic of today¡¯s discussion.¡± Extending his hand towards me. ¡°The onemanding us should be Sergeant Shin Young-joon.¡± Min-jae said that. I shouldmand? No. ¡°Wh- what makes you think that a chef has any leadership qualities?!¡± Such an unexpected proposal. Feeling bewildered, I said that and looked around. ¡°Others¡­ Would they even agree with the idea of a chef being the in charge?¡± It was an attempt to seek approval, assuming they would share my thoughts, but¡­ ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey, guys?¡± The other soldiers just stared at me. There was no dissenting opinion. Seeing that, I realized. ¡®With the other soldiers, there¡¯s already some discussion going on!¡¯ Well. Min-jae isn¡¯t the type to make such sudden remarks, but¡­ ¡°There seems to be no opposition.¡± ¡°Well, hold on a moment.¡± There was one opposing opinion. To be precise, it was a matter of the individual¡¯s will. And that individual would be me. ¡°Then let¡¯s consider this matter passed.¡± It was lightly dismissed. ¡°From now on, our leader is Sergeant Shin Young-joon.¡± At that moment. A message filled my vision. Ding! [The Conditions have been fulfilled] [Having 30 or more members (30/31)] [A leader recognized by the majority (1/1)] [n Established!] ¡®A n, huh?¡¯ [ You have Sessfully formed the minimum attack unit, [n (30 members)].] [A n is the first step in forming a full-fledged group beyond a temporary party] [A nposed of a leader who is recognized by the majority. Arge number of people who follow hismand will show a different level of cohesion than a typical ordinary party.] [Main Region- ROK¡¯s second n.] [Sub Region- ROK. 17¡¯s first n.] [Achievement Unlocked ¨C Comrades! Comrades!] [Congrattions on forming a n faster than others!] [Second ce Reward ¨C Group Skill (Token)] [You are now the leader of the 423rd n] [Awakened: Shin Young-joon] [upation: Novice Cook Lv. 9] [Affiliation: 423rd n] [Position: n Leader] The status window in front of me stated clearly that I was the leader of this group. ¡®Looks like discussions with the other soldiers have concluded.¡¯ Damn. Now that it¡¯se to this. There¡¯s no choice but to ept it. ¡°If it¡¯se to this, I can only ept.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± ¡°Haha, you have to work hard, Sergeant!¡± The soldiers were openly excited. Why on earth did they want to make me theirmander? I still don¡¯t understand. But since I¡¯ve been tasked with it. I have to do it properly. ¡°So, my first proposal as the leader.¡± ¡°Yes! Tell us!¡± ¡°Getting rid of Lieutenant Kim is a no-go.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± These guys. After making me their leader, they¡¯re already unhappy with the first proposal? ¡°First, let¡¯s make a promise.¡± I said to the soldiers around me. ¡°We won¡¯t kill anyone unless they attack us first.¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± ¡°Well. I¡¯ll follow orders, but,¡± The soldiers looked puzzled. ¡°Is there really a need for that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the sake of the unit.¡± To Corporal Seo Su-hyuk¡¯s question. I replied firmly. If we go around killing people for our own gain. We¡¯ll only be physically alive. ¡®Our spirits will die.¡¯ The reason I presented this rule first is simple. To ensure that our unit doesn¡¯t lose its humanity. ¡°Oh. What about Lieutenant Kim then?¡± ¡°Even if we make Sergeant Shin our leader, it won¡¯t matter if Lieutenant Kim is still around¡­¡± ¡°Oh, there is separate way other than killing people.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Well, originally there was opposition to getting rid of Lieutenant Kim.¡± Getting rid of someone like Lieutenant Kim. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a waste?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Lieutenant Kim. At the moment, he¡¯s not only useless one but also causing harm. ¡®But getting rid of him would be a bit wasteful.¡¯ If someone is considered useless. The solution is simple. ¡°Just make them useful.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°The soldiers seemed to have returned, hyung.¡± In a room on the third floor of the barracks. A man, peering outside through slightly opened blinds, remarked. ¡°Hmph, going for a group stroll in the dead of night, are they? They must be feeling lively.¡± The man addressed as ¡®hyung¡¯ replied. ¡°¡­Do you think it might be a problem?¡± ¡°Heh, they¡¯re just a bunch of twenty-year-old babies. Even their head officer is as soft as a kitten when ites to military spirit. They won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± In a room, five men sat on their respective beds. ¡°More importantly, didn¡¯t I instruct you to verify it properly? Are you doing it properly?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve asked some soldiers as naturally as possible, but so far, there have been no suspicious answers indicating awakening.¡± The men conversedfortably as if they knew each other well. It was possible because, during the room allocation process for the soldiers, they were initially divided by gender, allowing friends to share rooms. ¡°I took a peek too, it seems they use guns when dealing with monsters.¡± ¡°When I asked, there didn¡¯t seem to be any strange reactions either. Everyone seems to be answering without any doubts.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s highly unlikely that there are any awakened among them. We should proceed as nned without any issues.¡± ¡°Yes. When should we proceed then?¡± ¡°Nevertheless, just to be sure, let¡¯s observe the situation for a few days. If everything seems fine, we¡¯ll proceed immediately. There¡¯s no harm in being cautious.¡± ¡°As youmand, hyung.¡± *** In the morning, the unit¡¯s gathering was already over. I sat in the cafeteria lounge after preparing breakfast. I was fiddling with the dog tag hanging around my neck. The reason I held onto this dog tag, which I usually didn¡¯t wear, was because¡­ Suddenly, I missed the texture of this piece of metal. [n token- Leader] [This is a proof that you are a member of this n] [Depending on the size of the group, it provides stat bonuses] This. This was the first ¡°equipment item¡± that I have obtained in this world after it transformed into a game. ¡®A n.¡¯ Last night. During the meeting, our unit grew from a ¡°party¡± size to a ¡°n¡± size. ¡°30 awakened individuals and one leader.¡± Thirty awakened individuals barely met the criteria. The lizards that we had caught during the fight with the chieftain¡­ They are still breathing, all bing materials for the awakening. And the lizards that came after that were also utilized for awakening. Originally, it wasn¡¯t easy to subdue lizards safely. Even if ten of them attacked, only about two could be utilized for awakening. But now, with time passing by, our unit has be more adept at dealing with lizards. The number of awakened individuals increased, and most importantly, ¡°we got healers.¡± Even if the lizards resist a little and injure someone, the healers step up to provide treatment. There was no need to push until the lizards couldn¡¯t resist at all. The remnants of lizards that attacked were all used as awakening materials for the unit members. Thanks to that, the awakening process sped up, and thirty individuals could awaken. And with the appointment of a leader. Our unit¡¯s status was elevated to that of a n. ording to the achievement disyed: ¡°The creation of a group on the n scale was aplished by ROK¡­¡± In other words. We were the second in South Korea. Come to think of it. When five awakened individuals formed a party, we received the third-ce reward. ¡°Did we surpass that team?¡± It¡¯s surprising how quickly we¡¯re advancing, but¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not bad. The achievement rewards are excellent.¡± The dog tag I¡¯m holding right now. It¡¯s the reward for creating the second n. [Group Skill (Token)] [You can select an item that can be used as a symbol for the group and turn it into a token. Only members of the group can wear it, and it provides stat bonuses based on the size of the group. The bonus value varies depending on the position within the group] ¡°Nice.¡± It¡¯s different from the ¡°Bimana¡± which didn¡¯t have any exnation of how it works. It provides stat bonuses to all members of the group. It¡¯s simple yet powerful. As a leader, I have nothing to say. The rise in stats was significant enough for other awakened soldiers to feel. It¡¯s like the increase in stats after eating a dish I prepared with the right amount of strength? ¡°All members of the unit have it, and the only item suitable for turning into a token is the dog tag, which is a bit disappointing.¡± Using the group skill on the dog tag. All the dog tags owned by the awakened soldiers turned into items. And the content written on them changed slightly. The n name and rank were added to where the military number used to be. And there were small patterns added to the background. The dog tag. It¡¯s in the form of a ne, so it can be carried and worn at any time. It¡¯s also good for proving affiliation. As it was a decision made after consulting with other unit members. Honestly, I think it¡¯s the best choice. ¡°Of all things, a dog tag¡­¡± The dog tag is an object which signifies the concept of military service. It¡¯s a bit distressing but that¡¯s all there is to it. ¡°But why me, of all people?¡± One leader was needed to fulfill the n¡¯s requirements. And it had to be me. ¡°Why am I the leader? What kind of chef represents a unit?¡± Afterst night¡¯s meeting. I went to see Min-jae hyung and asked. ¡°You were the first to awaken, and you also set the unit¡¯s policy to increase the number of awakened individuals.¡± ¡°No. That was just luck¡­¡± ¡°You also discovered the monsters¡¯ weaknesses, yed a significant role in therge-scale attack¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, when ites to expanding the buff effects of cooking, you conducted individual interviews with each member to understand their preferences. All this has been done by you and you alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be strange now if someone else bes our leader now, other than you?¡± When scrutinized like this, there was no room for argument. And that¡¯s not all. ¡°While other awakened individuals killed lizards with guns to some extent, you killed monsters with just a kitchen knife. And you took down two.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounds.¡± ¡°On the first day of the attack, many unit members saw you walking around with a kitchen knife stained with monster blood.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°The rumor spread throughout the unit that you were strong enough to kill monsters with just a knife even against those resistant to bullets.¡± No. How did such a rumor spread? ¡°It¡¯s an unstable situation in many ways. We need a strong leader in our unit.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s me?¡± ¡°Gwang-il, the berserker, has a simr image. But he¡¯s naturally too timid. I, um, it¡¯s a bit awkward to say this myself, but I don¡¯t have that good of a reputation.¡± I¡¯ve heard rumors that if a war breaks out, we will shoot Min-jae in the back of his head. He¡¯d say something like that. ¡°In the end, there¡¯s no one else but you.¡± Min-jae had been thinking about it from past few days. After asking other unit members for their opinions and confirming there was no opposition, he nominated me as the leader. Just to survive. To live on and eventually open my own restaurant. It was just a struggle to make the unit stronger as a means to that end. But it seemed different to the unit members. ¡°I can¡¯t refuse when it¡¯s put like that.¡± In the end, I epted the position of leader. After discussing a few more matters, we adjourned the meeting. Now, the unit members¡­ They have epted me as theirmander, and not Lieutenant Kim. Sure enough. As I sat in the cafeteria waiting¡­ ¡°At your service, Sir.¡± ¡°Alright, have youpleted all the assigned tasks?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A soldier came to see me. ¡°When someone in the unit asks about our upations, never mention the job in the status window. Don¡¯t give any strange hints. Understood?¡± ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve conveyed the instructions to conceal the existence of the awakened individuals as much as possible. Everyone should handle it well.¡± This is¡­ One of the proposals I made at yesterday¡¯s meeting. I remembered what Taejun said after looking at the stars. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your ws hidden.¡± He didn¡¯t exactly know why he said that. But in other words, it meant. You have to hide your abilities. ¡°The guy who asked me about my job¡­¡± It sends shivers down my spine. If he had asked me about my job out of the blue. And if I had answered ¡°novice chef¡± without thinking. What would have happened? ¡°It¡¯s rtively okay for me since I¡¯m a chef, but for others¡­¡± While asking about someone¡¯s job might not seem strange, if the person asking is another awakened individual. The intent behind the question could be interpreted differently. ¡°Are you also an awakened individual?¡± Taejun had already given us the warning. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to be careful. ¡°Conceal the presence of awakened individuals as much as possible, but don¡¯t dy the task of increasing their numbers.¡± ¡°Yes. Anyway, since the suppression of the monsters is mainly carried out by our marksmen type awakened individuals, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡± ¡°Our marksmen just look like any ordinary soldiers holding guns, after all.¡± It¡¯s just that they simply possess firepower several times greater than that of regr soldiers. With differences of up to tens of times depending on level and stats. ¡°When it¡¯s time for a soldier to awaken, we¡¯ll instruct them to pretend to go move lizard corpses and then awaken while they¡¯re alone, so you don¡¯t need to worry about hiding. But¡­¡± ¡°Is there another issue?¡± ¡°The survivors are continuously requesting dialogue. They insist there are things that need to be discussed.¡± Come to think of it, that¡¯s true. ¡°That woman, is she the one you¡¯re referring to?¡± The woman who first requested a conversation when she was escorted to the dormitory. ¡°Yes. Contrary to appearances, it seemed like she was taking on the role of leader among the survivors.¡± ¡°A conversation¡­¡± They think Lieutenant Kim is our representative. While it would be Lieutenant Kim¡¯s role to step into the dialogue, it¡¯s not something that can be done at this moment. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll handle Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Are you sure that would be a good idea? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to go without Lieutenant Kim¡­¡± ¡°In this situation, it¡¯s better for the topmander to take charge directly.¡± But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let Lieutenant Kimmand us freely. I might need to exert some influence. ¡°Select a representative for the survivors and have theme to the 2nd-floor dormitory meeting room three days from now after dinner.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, and for the soldiers participating in the meeting on our side, make sure they don¡¯t leak any information about our unit¡¯s situation, no matter what.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Then let that soldier handle conveying the message to the survivors. ¡°I have my own tasks to attend now.¡± It¡¯s time to do what I need to do. *** I filled a small tray with several dishes and headed to the cafeteria. This time, I made some special dishes. ¡°Especially considering I had more freedom with the ingredients than usual.¡± Thanks to that, I could showcase my skills more freely. Just looking at the dishes on the tray. They were all upscaled by military cafeteria standards. Items retrieved from the chef¡¯s lounge. The utensils used when officers from other units or senior officials visited for inspections. Holding these gorgeously prepared dishes, I headed to¡­ The dimly lit basement of the cafeteria. It was a bleak space with only one oldmp flickering. Grrrrr¡­ The sound of a massive machine working. Only the buzzing vibration of various boiler devices, water supply systems, generators, etc., filled this small underground space. Despite being called a basement, it was essentially a boiler room. The basement served as a space to supply heat, hot water, and electricity to the cafeteria building. However¡­ It was quite spacious, perhaps unnecessarily so, with various storerooms for storing supplies next to the various equipment. Small warehouses categorized by purpose. Seven in total. ¡°A suitable number for makeshift cells.¡± In conventional military settings. There¡¯s a concept of detention facilities to rece prisons. But our unit, being small in scale. As a subordinate battalion belonging to a higher unit. We didn¡¯t have any separate detention facility here. ¡°Soldiers sent to detention usually go to the detention facilities of the higher unit, right?¡± So, instead of separate detention facilities, they chose¡­ This ce. Seven storage rooms in the basement of the cafeteria were renovated. They decided to use them as temporary detention facilities. Among the renovated storerooms. I opened the door to one and entered. Inside was¡­ The first upant of this detention facility. ¡°Oh, Young-joon?¡± ¡°Hello.¡± The only officer in our unit, and the highest-ranking nonmissioned officer. It was Lieutenant Kim. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°Hey, Young-joon! I¡¯m d you¡¯re here. Listen to what I have to say!¡± Last night. Or, more urately, the night when I was acknowledged as the leader of this unit. All the unit members gathered for a meeting, and we had two main agendas. One of them was none other than me. To appoint Sergeant Shin Young-joon as the leader of our unit. And the other agenda item was¡­ To get rid of Lieutenant Kim. ¡°A few days ago, out of nowhere, the soldiers stormed in and locked me up here! What¡¯s the meaning of this!¡± At the point when the agenda to appoint me as the leader was passed. It was practically a given that the agenda to remove Lieutenant Kim was also approved. Lieutenant Kim is strangely adept at politics. If left unchecked, he could undermine our unit¡¯s efforts and authority. To avoid such a future. Getting rid of Lieutenant Kim was essential. ¡°I oppose removing Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a waste?¡± I was the one who opposed it. ¡°I suggested removing Lieutenant Kim, and I was prepared to do it myself. Do you really have to intervene?¡± At that time, it was me who opposed Min-jae hyung¡¯s proposal and had replied ¡°I¡¯ll handle that part. Just lend me a hand.¡± It seems Min-jae hyung even considered directly removing Lieutenant Kim himself. But in the end, he respected my opinion. And agreed to cooperate. That¡¯s how Lieutenant Kim¡¯s life was spared. ¡°Min-jae hyung came through with the request.¡± Min-jae hyung¡¯s electric magic. Commonly known as the ¡®Million Volts,¡¯ knocked out Lieutenant Kim, making him the first prisoner here. Min-jae hyung¡¯s ability. Perfect for subduing someone. Back to my visit with Lieutenant Kim. It went something like this. ¡°If the soldiers are upset with me for something, tell them I¡¯ll apologize!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Last time, I spilled coffee and med the duty soldier for it, and during inspection, I vented my frustrations on the soldiers for my mistakes!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And what else, during working hours, I dumped my work on the administrative soldier and rested in the warehouse! And¡­¡± Coming to his senses in this trapped situation. Lieutenant Kim seems to have thought a lot about why he ended up here. Perhaps he concluded that it was due to resentment. Apologizing while listing actions that could have caused resentment. ¡°But there seem to be quite a lot.¡± Already notorious among the soldiers as azy officer. There were many stories that I knew, but it seems Lieutenant Kim hadmitted many morezy acts than I or the other soldiers knew. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes! Young-joon, please help me. You get along well with the unit members.¡± While I do get along with the unit members. It¡¯s not the same with you. ¡­I almost said it. I held back and kept the words I had thought of. ¡°I tried to persuade them myself, but there are still too many opposing soldiers. There were more soldiers who resented Lieutenant Kim than I expected.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Lieutenant Kim made a despairing expression. He¡¯s probably imagining examples of officers being killed by their soldiers in situations like this. By the way. I¡¯ve heard stories of officers who excessively forced FM on their soldiers, and ended up being killed by them, but I¡¯ve never heard of an overlyzy officer being isted. ¡°Still, I¡¯ll keep trying to persuade them, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Ugh. Young-joon¡­¡± ¡°More importantly, please have some of this. It must have been tough being locked up here¡­¡± In front of a tearful Lieutenant Kim. I set down the tray I brought. ¡°Lieutenant Kim, you like pasta, don¡¯t you? I made it with cream sauce.¡± ¡°Ah. Young-joon¡­ Thank you so much!¡± The prepared dishes were cream pasta paired with some beverage. It was a dish that targeted Lieutenant Kim¡¯s taste for pasta. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I made a dish without worrying about ingredients, so I think I made quite a decent dish.¡± Given that it was a dish I was confident in. The response was immediate. ¡°Mmm, delicious!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Slurp¡­ But what¡¯s this meat? I heard there weren¡¯t many ingredients left in the unit¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah, that? It¡¯s just, um, what do you call it¡­ chicken meat.¡± ¡°We had chicken meat left?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. Something like that.¡± Anyway, since the description said ¡®simr taste to chicken meat,¡¯ I didn¡¯t think it was a wrong statement. ¡°Thank you for such valuable ingredients, Young-joon. When I get out of here, I¡¯ll treat you very well.¡± Lieutenant Kim, who was already known for his voracious appetite. The carefully prepared dish targeted his pte perfectly. Naturally. The effect was tremendous. ¡°And probably, the effects I expected from this side wille soon.¡± My thoughts were immediately confirmed. Lieutenant Kim¡¯s attitude had strangely changed. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Should I call it an attitude? Lieutenant Kim was chuckling strangely. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ no, it¡¯s just¡­ probably because it¡¯s been a while since I had something tasty¡­ I feel good. Hehe¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you in a good mood.¡± Actually. I felt a sense of guilt for doing this to Lieutenant Kim. He¡¯s a bit¡­ Well, quite ipetent, and hasmitted many petty offenses. But it¡¯s not like hemitted any major crimes. ¡°But it¡¯s necessary.¡± When the conversation about getting rid of Lieutenant Kim came up, I was prepared to get my hands dirty. Compared to that. I could easily bear the guilt. ¡°It¡¯s also something I have to endure.¡± With that in mind, I watched Lieutenant Kim, who had finished his dinner. I roughly tidied up the dishes and left the room. And the next day. I once again served Lieutenant Kim with a meticulously prepared dish. ¡°Darn it. Those guys¡­ making me, an officer, like this¡­¡± ¡°Please calm down.¡± ¡°When I join the higher unit outside, they¡¯ll all be court-martialed or sent to military trial. Young-joon, you¡¯ll be spared.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°S-So. Today¡¯s menu is¡­¡± ¡°Today, it¡¯s noodles.¡± Forgetting about apologies or whatever he said earlier. Lieutenant Kim muttered about being sent to a military trial if he leaves. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, but it¡¯s not worth bothering about at this point.¡± I listened to such remarks with one ear and continued to feed him. ¡°Hehe¡­ Huhuh¡­ Heh¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Every time the meal ended. Lieutenant Kim chuckled strangely. I silently watched him and left after roughly cleaning up the dishes. Meals continued to be provided afterward. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Three meals a day. Since eating only noodles might get boring, I asionally mixed in other dishes. Lieutenant Kim, confined and dismissed by the unit members. To that man who now had no authority whatsoever. I still went to the trouble of cooking and serving him. ¡°Hehe¡­ Young-joon, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± And now. Even though Lieutenant Kim didn¡¯t eat, he was still chuckling strangely. ¡°What¡¯s on the menu today¡­?¡± ¡°Today, it¡¯s your favorite chicken pasta.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ Good, good¡­ Heh¡­¡± [Lizard Ros¨¦ Pasta filled with extreme happiness] [Forgetting all pain and worry, only happiness remains with this pasta] [A new recipe developed using ingredients never used before in human history. Experience points will be increased] A smile that couldn¡¯t be happier than this. * * * [Lizard¡¯s Thigh Meat] [Lizard meat a bipedal race of reptiles] [Ingredient Identification ¨C Tastes simr to chicken meat. Due to frequent exercise, it has less fat content, resulting in a nd taste] Lizard meat. Today, it was brought to the mess hall fresh from the creature that the unit members had hunted, just like any other lizard before it was burned. ¡°¡­This is the first time I¡¯ve cooked with monster ingredients.¡± Lizard meat. It might not seem like a big deal just by words. But these creatures are monsters that devour humans. In the past. Half of the unit members were killed by these monsters. Their corpses became a meal for the lizards, severely damaged and disfigured. ¡°I can¡¯t tell others to enjoy the meat of such a monster.¡± It¡¯s a dish that I have never prepared before. More than that it¡¯s a question of whether it¡¯s eptable to eat creatures that devour humans. Until the unit members can ept lizards as food. We couldn¡¯t use lizard meat as an ingredient. Thanks to that, we had to rely solely on the remaining ingredients in the mess, and our supply was quickly dwindling. ¡°But it¡¯s necessary to know what it tastes like when used as food.¡± Because when there¡¯s nothing else to eat, even monsters have to be eaten. It was a good opportunity for that experiment. So, I immediately tried cooking the lizard meat¡­ And the results were astonishing. [Lizard Ros¨¦ Pasta filled with extreme happiness] [Forgetting all pain and worry, only happiness remains with this pasta] [A small amount of mana is included. Enhances the overall taste and performance of the dish.] Perhaps because it used monster meat. Mana was included, enhancing the taste and performance of the dish. That alone had a tremendous effect, but¡­ [Using ingredients never used in human history, a new recipe has been developed.] [Experience gained from consuming this dish significantly increases.] [Achievement ¨C Oh, this taste!] [As a chef, you have created a dish using monsters for the first time.] [Those who make history all possess an uncanny spirit of challenge!] [For opening a new path in the culinary world, you are rewarded with an achievement.] [Title ¨C Pioneer] [Given to individuals who pioneer entirely new areas in their field.] [The effect of job-rted skills and characteristics increases by 50%] Getting this achievement. And receiving the title as a reward. ¡°It¡¯s excellent.¡± A 50% increase in the effects of all skills and characteristics. It was an immense effect. It¡¯s probably because opening up a new path in that field is considered remarkable. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not bad.¡± With that, I approached Lieutenant Kim with the dish. It was the first day I brought my cooking to Lieutenant Kim. * * * A few days passed, and today. It¡¯s the third day I¡¯ve brought food to Lieutenant Kim. ¡°Hehe¡­ Heh¡­ Young-joon¡­ You¡¯re here?¡± Now, even though he didn¡¯t eat the food, Lieutenant Kim was still chuckling strangely and drooling. I watched him and confirmed that it was time to move on to the next stage. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So¡­ What¡¯s for breakfast today?¡± Today as well, Lieutenant Kim believed that I would provide a delicious meal. But I had no intention of meeting his expectations. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but today it¡¯s justbat rations.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lieutenant Kim made a face as if he misheard something. ¡®Sorry, but you heard me right.¡¯ I looked down at the item I brought to Lieutenant Kim instead of the dish. A square, yellow box. It was the standard-issuebat ration of the Republic of Korea Army. ¡°Even so, I chose pork vor, which you like, from thebat rations. You know how to prepare it, right? Here, pull this stic strap¡­¡± ¡°W-Wait a minute! What¡¯s this all about? Are you saying there¡¯s no other meal today except this?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I said.¡± Lieutenant Kim, angry at the fact that it wasn¡¯t the high-quality meals he had been receiving every day, I exined the reason. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the real reason, but¡­ ¡°Because there aren¡¯t many ingredients left in the unit. It might be difficult to provide meals likest time in the future.¡± ¡°What? Then what am I supposed to eat¡­¡± ¡°What to eat? There you go, aren¡¯t therebat rations?¡± When I think ofbat rations, I often imagine a dreadful taste. However, thebat rations that are avable nowadays have undergone considerable improvement in their own way. They¡¯re deemed decent enough for soldiers with generous appetites to eat without muchint. ¡°I¡¯ve been cooking for you out of consideration, Lieutenant Kim. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°From now on, it seems we¡¯ll have to make do with this.¡± Thinking rationally, it¡¯s not a significant problem. It¡¯s just a matter of meals being a bit less tasty for a while. After all, thebat rations are still edible. ¡°But for Lieutenant Kim, who has already developed a taste for my food, not being able to eat it has be a major issue.¡± ¡°Not good, Young-joon. Is this how you¡¯re going to treat me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was nning to speak favorably of you even after joining the higher-ups. But it seems there¡¯s nothing good about it for you!¡± ¡°Ah, Lieutenant Kim. I told you there were reasons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my concern! Just hurry up and cook something!¡± Now he was shouting. Ignoring him, I left the storeroom after leaving thebat rations there. It was a relief knowing I didn¡¯t have to clean up afterward. ¡°You! How ungrateful can you be?¡± ¡°Do you really think you can treat me like this? I have my dignity too!¡± Even though I left the room, I could still hear Lieutenant Kim yelling. But I didn¡¯t pay any attention to it. He¡¯s not in a state to think rationally right now. ¡°Hmm, as I expected¡­¡± He probably won¡¯t be able to stomach even one meal. And, my prediction was correct. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ughhh¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This¡­ This isn¡¯t the taste¡­ This isn¡¯t the feeling¡­¡± As soon as the next mealtime came around, this was the sight that greeted me. Lieutenant Kim was sobbing in a corner of the narrow storeroom. Coldbat rations were scattered on the floor. ¡°Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Young-joon!¡± Seemingly unaware that I hade, Lieutenant Kim, who had been sobbing relentlessly, responded to my voice and looked up. ¡°Have you changed your mind? Is lunch going to be a proper meal?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, considering the circumstances of the unit, it might be difficult. We can manage withbat rations for one meal a day. I used to skip breakfast anyway! So, for lunch¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± I said, offering what I had. This time, it was bulgogi-voredbat rations. ¡°This¡­ This is¡­¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like pork vor, so I brought a different one.¡± Naturally, Lieutenant Kim¡¯s expression twisted noticeably. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Sergeant Shin Young-joon.¡± ¡°This is¡­ This is an order from the topmander of this unit¡­ Bring me a proper meal right now!¡± Now, he¡¯s using his rank to give orders. ¡°Ugh¡­ That¡¯s not it, is it, Lieutenant Kim?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you really want to eat a proper meal, your attitude is wrong. In this world. Giving orders like this out of the blue¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­ This is an order as an officer! Are you mocking my orders?¡± Despite his flushed face, Lieutenant Kim¡¯s attempt at intimidation felt feeble. ¡°I¡¯lle back at dinner time. By then¡­ think about what attitude would be appropriate.¡± There was a five-hour gap between breakfast and lunchtime. Meanwhile, there¡¯s a seven-hour gap between lunch and dinner. He¡¯ll have plenty of time to think, and plenty of time to struggle. [Contained within extreme happiness] This was the reason why Lieutenant Kim wasmenting so inadequately. It¡¯s because of the buffs attached to every dish I served him. ¡°The emotional changes brought about by cooking may be temporary. But¡­¡± The repercussions of those emotional changes linger on. A prime example is Private Jeon Gwang-il and other soldiers who couldn¡¯t awaken their courage. When they were fed a dish symbolizing ¡°courage.¡± Those who gained courage would rampage like berserkers, ying lizards, but the next day, they¡¯d return to their original selves without a trace of the courage they had shown. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean those changes were meaningless.¡± Those who once gained courage. When they fought the lizards after awakening, they showed no signs of fear. It wasn¡¯t because the courage from the dish still lingered. It was because they had faced monsters with courage and conquered their fear. While the emotional change itself may be temporary. The experiences and memories left by those emotions continue to influence us afterward. Lieutenant Kim¡¯s feeling of happiness after eating the food was no different. ¡®Excessive happiness¡­¡¯ When that happiness ends, It hits even harder. ¡®That¡¯s why I fed him dishes that maximized the effect, three meals a day, for more than two days.¡¯ As soon as Gwang-il ate the dish that enhanced courage, he became a berserker. The effect was that strong even with just one meal. And if he had it for a few days¡­ The emptiness¡­ when that happiness isn¡¯t felt, perhaps¡­ ¡°Please¡­ I beg you¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s not enough. No matter how much I eat, it¡¯s not filling¡­ Please, I¡¯ll do anything¡­¡± Just one day. From lunch, barely holding on with willpower, to dinner, seven hourster. The time it took for Lieutenant Kim to surrender. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll cook. But there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°Anything, anything¡­¡± Actually, there might not have been a need to cater to Lieutenant Kim like this. In fact, some suggested just confining and neglecting him would suffice. Yet, the reason I made Lieutenant Kim surrender like this was¡­ ¡°You¡¯ll obey my everymand without question.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I understand!¡± ¡°Then, here¡¯s the first order. Follow me.¡± Judging by the tendencies of awakened individuals in their acquired professions¡­ Lieutenant Kim could be a lottery. Taking Lieutenant Kim with me, we left the underground mess hall and headed toward the defensive line where soldiers were on guard. At that moment a lizard attacking our unit was being subdued. ¡°You just need to kill that monster.¡± Lieutenant Kim obeyed mymand and killed the monster. And¡­ [Novice Commander] [Specialty: Novice Command] [Abilities of soldiers undermand increase by 10%.] ¡®A 10% increase¡­!¡¯ I scratched off the lottery ticket just in case. And it turned out to be a winning ticket. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 16 Chapter 16 In games, there are mainly two ways to increase ability levels. Fixed-value increase and percentage increase. ¡®With the token, it was a fixed-value increase.¡¯ Fixed-value increases show more significant effects when the base abilities of the user is low. Conversely, percentage increases show greater effects when the base abilities of the user is high. And the ability of Lieutenant Kim, who just awakened, is precisely¡­ ¡®A percentage increase!¡¯ If the token can instantly elevate the abilities of weaker unit members to a usable level, then Lieutenant Kim¡¯s ¡®Novice Command¡¯ will exhibit higher efficiency as the base abilities of the unit members will increase by 10%. Moreover¡­ ¡®These two buffs usually exhibit synergy.¡¯ Percentage increase buffs include fixed-value increase buffs in their calctions. Since our unit already secured fixed-value increase buffs through the token, Lieutenant Kim¡¯s abilities practically soared. But that¡¯s not all. [Achievement: Irresistible Taste] [Seeded inpletely controlling one person through cooking] [This is one of the greatest achievements attainable as a chef] [As a reward for the achievement, [Top Quality Ingredient: Dragon Heart] will be provided] [You have acquired a massive amount of experience points] [You will be promoted.] [Apprentice Novice Chef lv. 10 ¡ú Junior Chef lv. 1] [Achievement unlocked] [Apprentice Novice Chef lv. 10] ¡°I didn¡¯t level up for ages.¡± I was puzzled by the level that hadn¡¯t been increasing for a while. But upon reaching level 10 and then immediately being promoted, it all makes sense. ¡®Promotions are supposed to be tough.¡¯ Firstly, I leveled up, and thereafter I checked if there were any changes to the stats after bing a Junior Chef. Firstly, the basic stat has increased. This urred with every level up but was slightly different now. ¡®Stats used to increase by 1 with each level up, now they¡¯re up by 2.¡¯ Perhaps it¡¯s because of the promotion. It seemed that the stat increases per level up had also increased. But that¡¯s not all. [Novice Grade Cooking Skills ¡úJunior Grade Cooking Skills] [Novice Grade Fire Resistance ¡ú Junior Grade Fire Resistance] *** ¡®All the novice grade abilities have changed to junior grade abilities.¡¯ The various abilities I had. Novice grade Knife Proficiency, novice grade cooking skills, and so on. All abilities, previously at the novice grade have now advanced to the junior grade. Even at the novice grade, those abilities showcased mastery in their respective fields. With those abilities advancing to the next level, I couldn¡¯t even guess how much they¡¯ve improved. And finally¡­ [Skill ¨C Combat Rations (new)] [Sometimes in life, circumstances prevent us from having a proper meal] [Soldiers participating inbat are a prime example! Enhancing the taste ofbat rations for morale boosting during field operations has been a key task for all military leaders] [If they discover you, they¡¯ll want to recruit you no matter what!] [Now it is possible to manufacturebat rations for field use] [Combat rations, while slightly inferior in statspared to regr meals, are easy to carry due to their long shelf life andpact size. Taste is guaranteed as well] Combat rations. The same items that Lieutenant Kim found agonizingly tasteless. ¡°Well, it¡¯s tough to provide meals to every soldier when the battle intensifies.¡± Combat rations created by this skill are different from those of regr military units. Although they may be slightly inferior to regr meals, the increase in stats is undeniable. And depending on the chef¡¯s skill, the taste is also guaranteed. ¡°Not bad.¡± This skill seems quite useful. What¡¯s important is that I¡¯ve achieved significant growth in my own way. And, I¡¯ve also seeded in making Lieutenant Kim surrender. Now, onto the next step. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon. It¡¯s about time¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. We just finished preparing on our end as well.¡± The survivors who came to our unit. I¡¯m ready to engage in conversation with them. ¡°Lieutenant Kim, I trust you understand what I¡¯ve exined?¡± ¡°Leave all the talking to the soldiers, and I¡¯ll just nod along in the background¡­ Okay, no, I got it.¡± Lieutenant Kim has bepletely submissive after eating my cooking. Now he was perfectly obedient to mymands. The sudden change in Lieutenant Kim, from being difficult to manage to suddenly bingpliant, surprised everyone in the unit. ¡°Please mind your manners.¡± ¡°Hmm, uh, understood¡­¡± Though I was recognized as a leader among the soldiers. But ultimately it was Lieutenant Kim who held the highestmand in our unit. So, for external activities, Lieutenant Kim was decided to represent our unit. Rather than me, a mere cook, Lieutenant Kim, with his reasonably usible rank, seemed more fitting to outsiders. Not because Lieutenant Kimcked any actualpetency or diligence, but rather¡­ Lieutenant Kim had the charm of a capable officer in appearance, speaking well and adept at political maneuvering, despitecking in actual work performance. Since Lieutenant Kim now couldn¡¯t be satisfied without my cooking, there was no need to worry about him causing trouble without it. ¡°That habit of trying to be respectful to a soldier. It would be great if that could also be achieved. Anyway, the first external task for Lieutenant Kim after his forced change of heart was¡­ Engaging in a dialogue with the survivors. ¡®It may seem heartwarming to call it a dialogue.¡¯ Both the soldiers and I considered this dialogue as a battle conducted through words. ¡®Among them, there might be those who could pose a threat to us.¡¯ Survivors who fled from the monsters. Though they were victims and vulnerable, it didn¡¯t mean they were trustworthy or benevolent. ¡®We must be cautious.¡¯ ording to Taejun¡¯s message, for some reason, we had to conceal our abilities from them. So, our strategy for this conversation was simple. ¡®Reveal as little information about ourselves and gather as much information as possible.¡¯ With that in mind, we prepared ourselves mentally and entered the designated room. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Sergeant Lee Min-jae, in charge of this meeting.¡± ¡°Not Lieutenant Kim?¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim will also participate in the meeting. However, since Lieutenant Kim is in charge ofmand, he suggested that those of us who handle fieldwork would be better suited to engage in discussions with the survivors.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± For now, Min-jae hyung stepped forward as our representative. As the most educated member of our unit, smart and eloquent, Min-jae hyung tried to promote me as the leader, but after Imanded as the leader, he eventually agreed to represent us. ¡®He epted the leadership position, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s willing to take on all the annoying tasks. Anyway¡­¡¯ We asked them to nominate representatives to participate in this conversation. Since conversing with over twenty survivors individually could be unnecessarilyplicated. Thus, on our side, we had the most senior soldiers from each department, including Lieutenant Kim and Min-jae hyung. And on their side, five men and women participated. ¡®Did they send one person from each dormitory?¡¯ Our third-floor dormitory was allocated entirely, with five people assigned per room. I made sure that friends could share the same room, so it seemed like they sent one representative per room. I nced around, wondering if there was anyone here who asked about the number of battalions our unit had, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to be present. ¡°I wonder if we canmunicate well with ordinary soldiers.¡± ¡°These soldiers gathered here are the highest-ranking soldiers in each department responsible for the unit¡¯s operations. If you have any questions or requests, feel free to ask.¡± ¡°Well, if there¡¯s anything to ask¡­ then just one thing.¡± As expected, there was someone who pointed out that Lieutenant Kim didn¡¯t appear as their representative. A middle-aged man with a rather imposing stature. While his appearance was intimidating, his attitude was outrageously arrogant, making him far from a respectable figure. ¡®There are people like this sometimes.¡¯ Those who consider themselves almost like superiors to soldiers because their taxes pay the soldiers¡¯ sries. The man in front of us seemed to be one of those people. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not like that, then what is it?¡± ¡°Mr. Park Gwon-chang!¡± Though Park Gwon-chang seemed eager to argue, another survivor¡¯s voice interrupted his tirade. It was the young woman who first requested a conversation with us. ¡°Mr. Park, these people took time out of their busy schedules to meet with us. I understand your frustration, but it might be best to remain quiet for now.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Mr. Park seemed to be a bit hot-headed, to put it nicely, or to put it not so nicely, it was as if he had ants in his pants. Despite someone else interrupting his speech, Mr. Park showed slight dissatisfaction but ultimately acquiesced. Through his reaction, it became apparent who the real representatives among the survivors were. ¡®Based on appearance alone, I couldn¡¯t have imagined.¡¯ The woman, who looked to be in her mid-twenties at most. She was the leader of the survivor group. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mr. Gwon-chang has a bit of a fiery personality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. It¡¯s true that we have our own issues. But as I said, there was no malicious intent¡­¡± ¡°I understand. Given the circumstances, it can¡¯t be helped. My name is Lee Sang-ah. I used to work at a small tailor shop before this incident broke out.¡± Fortunately, unlike Park Gwon-chang, Sang-ah, who seemed to be the representative, had a somewhat softer attitude. ¡°Well then, you mentioned you had something to say to us¡­ but before that, could you exin how you ended up here in the mountains?¡± ¡°How we ended up here?¡± ¡°Yes. I know it¡¯s a bit of a strange question, but our unit is quite remote. So, knowing why you came all the way here might be important.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± That wasn¡¯t necessarily a lie. Our unit was located in a deep mountainous area. It took about an hour by car to get to the city from the mountain, a first-ss secluded unit. Due to its extreme istion from society, the soldiers were granted extra leave topensate, and the essibility was poor. So, it would be essential to know why they ended up here. ¡°Well, you see¡­ as you all know, about two weeks ago, suddenly, monsters appeared. At the same time, allmunication methods like the inte, TV, and phones were cut off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The situation during the appearance of the monsters seemed simr to ours. ¡°Attacked by various monsters, and even people who were attacked by the monsters became zombies over time¡­ It caused tremendous chaos.¡± Hmm, we were certainly in quite a bit of chaos too. ¡­ Huh? ¡®It sounded simr, but I heard a different word.¡¯ Zombies. Didn¡¯t they say zombies? ¡°Zombies?¡± It wasn¡¯t just me who thought that; another senior soldier sitting next to me casually questioned. ¡®Hey, wait a minute!¡¯ We shouldn¡¯t show our surprised expressions before them. ¡°Yes. Is there a problem with zombies?¡± Min-jae hyung hurriedly tried to smooth things over. ¡°Oh, no. In our unit, we don¡¯t use the word ¡®zombies¡¯.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ But they definitely looked like zombies¡­ So, what do we call them here?¡± ¡°¡­We call them ¡®walkers¡¯.¡± Well, there was a drama that called them that. ¡°I see. Seems like many people here like dramas. I enjoyed that drama too. So, should we call them walkers too?¡± ¡°No, upon reflection, ¡®zombies¡¯ seems more urate. We¡¯ll go with that.¡± ¡°Well, anyway, as I was saying-¡± It was a somewhat awkward excuse, but fortunately, it passed without much suspicion. The senior soldier who had spoken out in surprise seemed to feel sorry, lowering his head and remained quiet. ¡®While our situations seemed simr¡­ there were some significant differences.¡¯ Sang-ah¡¯s story continued. In summary, they had fled from various monsters and zombies, joined other survivors along the way, and had grown to their current size. During their search for a safe ce, one of the survivors mentioned, ¡®By the way, there¡¯s a military base on a nearby mountain.¡¯ ¡°That was me.¡± The person who said that was a familiar face. Someone else called for him. ¡®Grandpa Park?¡¯ When we escorted the survivors to their living quarters. He was the old man whoined and suggested that the survivors should be put on the lower floors and the soldiers on the third floor. ¡°I have a friend who works in construction. He said he went to work at a military base, and it turned out that the base was in my neighborhood. I heard that there was a military base deep in these mountains, but that¡¯s all I knew.¡± ¡°So, we decided to check out the base that Grandpa Park mentioned. That¡¯s how we ended up here.¡± There was nothing particrly strange about their story. However, there were a few things that bothered our unit members. ¡®Firstly, zombies.¡¯ Our unit¡¯s original strength was about 300 personnel. Excluding officers and soldiers on leave, there were around 200 soldiers stationed in the unit. On the day the monsters attacked, half of them were killed by the monsters. But among them, not a single soldier turned into a zombie. ¡®While our unit has referred to this situation as an apocalypse, we¡¯ve never called it a zombie apocalypse.¡¯ It¡¯s not surprising, as there were no zombies in our unit. On the surface, when people die, they¡¯re said to be zombies and rise, but such a thing hadn¡¯t happened in our unit. Another point of confusion was the ¡®various monsters.¡¯ The only ones who attacked our unit were those lizard monsters. But ording to Sang-ah¡¯s exnation, all kinds of monsters appeared and rampaged in the city below the mountain. While zombies could be dealt with if they were numerous, like strong, robust men, without guns, there was no way to deal with most monsters. ¡°The problem with zombies is their numbers. A strong awakened could easily deal with them, but without a gun, there was no way to deal with most monsters.¡± This part could still be somewhat guessed. ¡®Until we took over the area, these mountains were the lizard creatures¡¯ territory.¡¯ The lizard creatures were also monsters that could tear humans apart without a gun. Perhaps the lizard creatures drove out other monsters as they upied the mountains. If you didn¡¯t know their weaknesses, they were powerful monsters with imprable scales. And finally. ¡°Excuse me, butst time I saw, there were no weapons, not even guns or knives. All you had that time were iron pipes at most.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you manage to get through between those monsters and zombies?¡± ¡°I thought someone would ask that question.¡± After saying that, Sang-ah took a deep breath and spoke with a tense expression. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe¡­ but I awakened psychic abilities.¡± It seemed like she had prepared herself before speaking. From our perspective, it was the expected statement. Of course, there couldn¡¯t be no awakened individuals. ¡°Among our 25 members, I¡¯m the only one awakened.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She was so candid about their abilities that it made us wonder if we were the bad guys trying to hide them. A woman who confidently boasted about their powers. ¡°Thanks to those psychic abilities, we were able to break through the zombies and make it this far.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not easy to believe.¡± Seeing our slightly startled reactions to their open disy of power, she reached into her pocket as if she thought we didn¡¯t believe in psychic abilities and pulled something out. What she pulled out in her hands were scissors. They wererge scissors, though not huge,pared to ordinary ones, about the size you could hold with one hand. ¡°These are tailoring scissors. They¡¯re used for sewing curtains and such, so they¡¯re quitergepared to regr scissors.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And, um, excuse me.¡± After saying that, she brought the scissors down onto the wooden desk we were sitting at. And then¡­ Slice. The scissors effortlessly cut through the wooden desk. It was a quite surreal sight, reminiscent of when I proved the existence of awakening by cutting through a wooden desk with a kitchen knife. ¡°Something about this situation felt familiar.¡± When I cut through the wooden desk with a kitchen knife, proving the existence of awakening. It was quite simr in various ways. ¡°As always, I was working at the tailoring shop, and then some people who didn¡¯t look like they were alive attacked the shop¡­ I stabbed a zombie¡¯s head with these scissors, and a message popped up saying I awakened as a seamstress, gaining various abilities. Thanks to that, I could cut off a zombie¡¯s head with a single snip.¡± ¡°Impressive¡­ So, is Sang-ah the only one with such abilities?¡± While the survivors were honest about the awakened individuals, Min-jae hyung seemed to maintain an attitude of concealment regarding our side¡¯s awakening. ¡°Yes. I awakened right after killing a zombie, but others didn¡¯t. Another awakened person we met when encountering another survivor group had killed a zombie and awakened, but I¡¯m not sure what the exact conditions are.¡± Are zombies different from lizards? Lizards had a 100% chance of awakening as long as the condition of killing up close was met. But for some reason, there were cases where killing zombies didn¡¯t result in awakening, unlike lizards. As a result, among the group of about 25 survivors, Sang-ah was the only awakened individual, and the rest moved under Sang-ah¡¯s protection. That¡¯s why she became the leader of the survivors. ¡°But¡­¡± Sang-ah, who openly dered herself as the group¡¯s sole awakened individual. She extended her helping hand to others with her abilities. She didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. But the words left by Taejun implied that there were people here who could harm us. Non-awakened individuals didn¡¯t seem like they could cause much harm. But the man who asked me about my profession. He asked simr questions to a few other soldiers afterward, so I can be sure. That question was clearly aimed at finding out whether we were awakened or not. In that case¡­ isn¡¯t there only one answer? ¡°They¡¯re hiding it.¡± There are awakened individuals who have awakened their abilities and hiding inside this group by mixing themselves with non-awakened civilians. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 17 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 spection, 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¡­ There were those hiding in the shadows, concealing their identities. ¡°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 diforts or if anyone had any special circumstances. Various detailed discussions took ce. 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 asionally asked Min-jae hyung questions and discussed matters rted 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 upation.¡± 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, wee.¡± 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-rted 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 nning 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 morefortable. ¡°I¡¯ve finished washing the dishes!¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work.¡± The first ones toe 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 unusuallycking 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 stilles 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 orbat skills, there are many of them.¡± Powerful skills and attributes that are extremely useful inbat. In this world that has turned into a ¡®game¡¯, the profession of ¡®cook¡¯ is probably ssified as a buff-oriented job useful inbat. 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, andrades 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 sumbed 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 asionally 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 de 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 de 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 ufortable 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 deration 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 nning 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 hourter that the old man handed me back the knife. ¡°It¡¯s sturdy, well-bnced. 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 de, 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 thest 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. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: 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. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 18 Chapter 18 There¡¯s a presence threatening our unit. It¡¯s certain, but we don¡¯t know who it is. A few days ago. I also discussed this matter with Min-jae. ¡°The biggest clue is the man Young-joon spoke to us about. We¡¯ve identified the room number. Also, some of the people who share the same room,¡±. The room was shared by five men. ording to information gathered discreetly by soldiers from survivors, it seemed like they were aware of the zombie outbreak before it happened. ¡°But just because they were close doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re all aplices.¡± ¡°Yeah. Conversely, all five of them could be the threat.¡± The suspects were narrowing down. But it wasn¡¯t as simple as just going up to them and saying, ¡°You might be a threat to us, soe with us.¡± It wasn¡¯t that straightforward. Not only would the other survivors object, but we didn¡¯t even know how many of them might pose a threat. We still didn¡¯t know what kind of threat they might pose to us in the first ce. ¡°But we can¡¯t just wait until the threat materializes.¡± Waiting until our unit is under threat and then trying to catch the culprits would be toote. Given the unknown nature of the threat, it could result in greater damage than anticipated. We have to deal with it now, before it happens. ¡°¡­There may be a way.¡± There is a way to find the culprit. We¡¯ve used plenty of methods so far. ¡°In the future, survivors will help with the unit¡¯s tasks, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll be limited to tasks like cleaning the living quarters or dining hall.¡± ¡°Then, arrange for that man that I have mentioned to be assigned to the dining area.¡± The request itself had nothing to do with finding the threat. Normally, this would prompt the question, ¡°What method are you nning to use?¡± ¡°¡­Ha. Are you nning to ¡®persuade¡¯ him?¡± ¡°Well, something like that.¡± Sergeant Min-jae sighed. He turned towards Gwang-il, someone who was too scared to move before the monster had be someone who sought out the monster¡¯s weaknesses. My persuasion turned the anxious soldiers into bing willing fighters. ¡°¡­Since I have used persuasion so tantly, it¡¯s not surprising if they catch on.¡± Min-jae, who had witnessed all the persuasion, seemed to have sensed that I had some special means. ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly what ability it is¡­ but since we¡¯re in a situation where we need that kind of power, I won¡¯t say much more. Still, relying too much on that ability might not be a good idea.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m being cautious.¡± [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] The power to regte the emotions of those who eat the food. It¡¯s certainly a powerful ability, but¡­ ¡°If word gets out about this ability, no one will want to eat my cooking.¡± Min-jae seemed to have vaguely sensed it already. If I were to overuse this ability, then the likelihood of its true nature being discovered would increase. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t overuse it, but when I do use it, I need to be careful not to get caught.¡± [The Honest Heart Misutgaru Ice Cream of a Junior Chef] ¡°We could just bring that man here and force-feed him.¡± Imagine someone suddenly bing excessively honest after eating my cooking. Everyone who witnessed that change would inevitably suspect the food that went into their mouths just before the change urred. Survivors, even soldiers, would start to be wary of my food. So, the prepared method was: ¡®Dishwashing support.¡¯ We would offer snacks to those who came to help in the kitchen. It was something we had done even when the unit was normal, and it was a natural reason to give out food. If we did this a few times, rumors would spread. ¡°If everyone else has eaten the food and if something strange happens this time then they won¡¯t suspect the food.¡± Also, there might be enemies among those who could potentially be a ¡®threat¡¯ to our unit. But they wouldn¡¯t be suspicious of snacks that everyone else had eaten. * * * ¡°I made a snack, please have some before you go.¡± ¡°Oh, this is the famous ice cream, isn¡¯t it?¡± Exactly like this man. ¡°Has the word spread?¡± ¡°Haha, you wouldn¡¯t believe how envious the people on cleaning duty are. All the people who went to help in the kitchene back with big smiles.¡± Are the people on cleaning duty envious? ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry for those who went to help with cleaning. We should have done something for them too¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. They will rotate anyway. Those people over there are probably eagerly awaiting their turn to help in the kitchen.¡± I didn¡¯t know about this. Fortunately, it seems like theints from those who went to clean weren¡¯t too significant. ¡°Well then, enjoy.¡± The man took a bite of the ice cream. ¡°Mmm!¡± It seemed to suit his taste very well. ¡°Mmm, mmm!¡± He continued, ying with the spoon. Well, I put a lot of effort into making it, so it¡¯s probably delicious. Especially since it¡¯s a special menu just for you, I didn¡¯t skimp on the ingredients. ¡°That was delicious! Wow, it¡¯s really tasty! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had such a sweet dish.¡± He quickly finished his bowl. Even as he returned the bowl, his smile didn¡¯t fade. ¡°Then, shall we¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed the meal.¡± ¡°Haha, I should be the one thanking you.¡± Here it goes. ¡°By the way, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Hm? Do you have a question for me? Feel free to ask anything.¡± It seems eating something sweet has put him in a good mood, making him kinder as well. Empowered by his kindness, I asked without hesitation. ¡°Last time, you asked about my upation.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why did you ask that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± If he wasn¡¯t that ¡®threat¡¯ and if the question was just for casual conversation, he would probably answer without much thought, and that would be it. Then he would just move on, thinking it was just an ordinary question. But¡­ ¡°Well, there was a need to confirm the presence of Awakened individuals in your unit.¡± Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t know for sure, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a military unit with guns had someone who sessfully awakened. In that case, we would have needed a different strategy. Hearing that it¡¯s not the case is quite a relief¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± Casually answering at first. But the guy seemed to elongate his sentences as if feeling uneasy. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, it seemed like a possibility.¡± While talking andughing he felt something was wrong here. ¡°¡­This.¡± His expression, distorted to that extent, was surprisingly shocking. ¡°That¡¯s just a curious question, but if there were Awakened individuals in our unit, how do you think it would have turned out?¡± ¡°Well, I would have first confirmed the scale. If there were many Awakened individuals in the unit, there would be no chance in direct confrontation, so we would have sought opportunities quietly. Damn it, what was I¡­!¡± ¡°Ah, I see. If you had confirmed that our Awakened forces were strong, you would have hidden more thoroughly. So, because you didn¡¯t think so, your vignce became a bitx?¡± Awakened individuals have various abilities. If this man knew that we were a unit producing Awakened individuals¡­ He wouldn¡¯t have casually eaten the food I served. As Awakened individuals have diverse abilities, he wouldn¡¯t have beenx in any aspect of his vignce. If that were the case, it would have taken much longer time and effort to capture him. ¡°So, it¡¯s better to conceal one¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Realizing that something was wrong, the guy hurriedly turned to flee. But¡­ ¡°Just a moment, I have something to ask.¡± ¡°¡­¡± With no hint of coercion. ¡°I have a quick question.¡± Upon hearing that, the guy who was about to flee abruptly stopped in his tracks. And then¡­ He hesitated. Turning his head back. ¡°What is it¡­ that you want to ask?¡± With sweat dripping down his cold face, he opened his mouth. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s working perfectly.¡± There are a few rules regarding ¡°Chef¡¯s Special Sauce.¡± One of them is that the more the effect of the dish is maximized, the more the ability of the special sauce is maximized. While the ice cream given to others was made with just starch, sugar, and syrup¡­ [The Honest Heart Misutgaru Ice Cream of a Junior Chef] As the name suggests. It was a work where I had put tremendous effort for making it by using the almost depleted condensed milk and incorporating air inside for a smooth taste. ¡°You know what¡­ Logically speaking you shouldn¡¯t be revealing all this to me. But you can¡¯t control yourself, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, I thought so.¡± He now has be more ¡°honest¡± than anyone else in the world. So eager to answer upon hearing that there¡¯s something to ask. ¡°Like the excessive courage that turned Gwang-il into a hero.¡± The difference is that, unlike Gwang-il, who didn¡¯t intend to, this time it was thoroughly intentional. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep asking. Do you have anyrades? Among them, are there any who could be considered Awakened individuals and a leader?¡± ¡°There are five of us who share the same dormitory, allrades and Awakened individuals. The leader is Park Gwon-chang, who is in charge of the dormitory¡­¡± ¡°Wow, all five of them?¡± Park Gwon-chang, who took on the role of leader, was a middle-aged man who seemed to be trying to argue why Lieutenant Kim hadn¡¯t appeared in the conversations with survivors. These guys seemed to have their own standing even within the survivor group. ¡°With five of you gathering, what were you nning to do?¡± ¡°We were nning to take over this unit.¡± Though I thought it might be something like that. The important thing was the method. How to upy a unit with over 100 soldiers armed with guns? ¡°First, we would have taken some time to ensure there are no awakened individuals or other threats¡­¡± This part is not a concern. I¡¯ve advised the unit members not to reveal themselves as awakened. If any awakened had revealed their powers, then these fellows might have acted more discreetly, deeming them as threats. ¡°And after observing for several days¡­ we¡¯ve concluded that there are no awakened individuals or equivalent threats within this unit. So, we have decide to proceed without operation.¡± Continuing to leak their own operation¡­ But something seems odd. ¡°Huh?¡± Wait a minute. ¡°Did you say ¡®decided to proceed¡¯, and not ¡®will decide and then proceed¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes. Since no awakened are present, the operation will be carried out tonight.¡± Upon hearing that, I nced out the mess hall window. It was already dark outside. Finishing dinner, it was the time for post-meal cleanup. ¡­Isn¡¯t it a bit off now? ¡°As soon as I return, the operation willmence.¡± ¡°Insane.¡± Out of nowhere he shed a grin on his face. The previously tensed expression had vanished somewhere. ¡°Well¡­ It deviated slightly, but the n was to proceed upon my return.¡± In that moment, Fwoosh! ¡°Fire?¡± From that guy¡¯s body, a zing fire erupted. For an instant, it seemed like he had set himself on fire. Chuckle¡­ It seemed like he wasn¡¯t feeling any pain. Instead, he emitting a sinisterughter. ¡°I was bewildered about what happened, but on second thought, there¡¯s no need to be. Judging by the circumstances, although there seem to be quite a few awakened in this unit¡­ at best, aren¡¯t you just a chef who only knows how to cook?¡± ¡°Hmm? Yeah, right?¡± Even in answering his own question the ¡®honesty¡¯ still prevailed. ¡®Honesty doesn¡¯t equate to being docile or anything like that.¡¯ You know, like those characters inics or movies. They answer all the questions the other side has while continuously attacking, like an annoying viin. That¡¯s exactly the feeling. The zing fire gradually extended towards the guy¡¯s entire body. Before long, all the mes moved to his right hand. Creating a massive fireball. ¡°In that case, I just need to burn you down! It¡¯s painful to have our cover blown, but we can regroup with ourrades and start over somewhere else!¡± After saying that he shouted ¡®die!¡¯, and hurled the massive fireball gathered in his right hand towards me. It was like something out of a movie, a spectacr and massive ze charging towards me. Although the sight of the huge fireball flying towards me was undoubtedly imposing. ¡°Hmm.¡± That heat wasn¡¯t as terrifying as expected. ¡®Being a chef, you get quite familiar with fire.¡¯ Why else would dinerdies casually grab hot pots with their bare hands? It¡¯s simr to that. Kuuwoong. Flick. ¡°¡­You¡¯re really no match.¡± The huge fireball that touched my body, Disappeared without any effect, as if asking what had happened. [Junior Grade Fire Affinity] [From its origins, cooking has always been associated with fire.] [Before the scorching mes, wielding a steel pan is the destiny of a chef!] ¡°Sorry, but let¡¯s have a little reality check.¡± ¡°What the¡­!¡± His trusted fireball failed to produce any effect and disappeared. Leaving the guy greatly flustered, stumbling backward. Slosh. Whether he realized it or not, In my [Chef¡¯s Eyes] holding the sushi knife. [Junior Grade Cooking Secret ¨C Enlightenment of Primate Preparation] The ¡®effective method of handling him¡¯ was visible before my eyes. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Episode 19: Threat (Part 3) ¡°Ugh, why isn¡¯t that guy here yet?¡± In one of the rooms of the unit¡¯s living quarters. Park Gwon-chang, with a rough demeanor, muttered as he looked at the stubbornly closed door. It was evening, the time when all survivors gathered at the base after dinner. But one of theirrades was dying matters by beingte. ¡°That kid was saying he wanted to eat some ice cream¡­¡± ¡°Heh heh. That Chan-jung, he has always had the taste buds of an elementary schooler.¡± ¡°He could¡¯ve had whatever he wanted if he just waited a bit. Stupid kid.¡± If there was a valid reason for beingte, that would have been understandable. But dying things because he wanted snacks that he could only get by helping in the kitchen was just absurd. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he just wait and ask for itter?¡± ¡°He probably thinks he can get away with anything. He¡¯ll probably just throw something together haphazardlyter.¡± With that reason in mind, the guy stubbornly went off to the kitchen. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t it because that brat insisted, we wait for his turn?¡± The biggest guy in this group, who had been with them since before half the world fell apart, was none other than Park Gwon-chang. On the other hand, Chan-jung, who was currently absent, was the youngest, who used to light his cigarettes. Originally, he wouldn¡¯t even dare to confront Park Gwon-chang, let alone speak properly to him. Feeling irritated that things were being dyed because of him, even though he had no reason to. ¡°It¡¯s no use. Let¡¯s proceed without him for now. Chan-jung can jointer,¡± Park Gwon-chang dered. ¡°Really? Can we proceed without Chan-jung?¡± ¡°Kid! Even without him, we still have four awakened individuals among us. We¡¯ve confirmed there are no awakened individuals among the soldiers.¡± ¡°Well, maybe, but what if¡­¡± The reason why the others, including their leader Park Gwon-chang, were letting Chan-jung¡¯s whims dictate the situation was simple. ¡°I had never thought that brat, who was nothing special, would awaken and grow so quickly.¡± He was the most powerful awakened individual in their group. Although all five of them had awakened, Chan-jung¡¯s growth, being the youngest, was unparalleled. Already at level 6, his ability to manipte fire was unmatched. ¡°His ability was enough to remind me of a tank¡¯s cannon.¡± His incredibly powerful ability was even named ¡°Annihtion Orb¡± among them. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been the leader even before the apocalypse, and if I hadn¡¯t¡­ it would have been hard to stick with him and make him listen to me.¡± But regardless of the circumstances, he was now in the position of following his orders. Regardless of what might happenter, there was no reason to disobey him immediately. ¡°Anyway! Let¡¯s proceed with the operation. Chan-jung can join uster if he¡¯s satisfied.¡± So, the four men mobilized for the operation. Though they called it an operation, these guys, who lived a thug¡¯s life even before the apocalypse, couldn¡¯te up withplicated operations. So, their n was simple: ¡°Forceful Suppression.¡± Simple but effective. Park Gwon-chang kicked the door of the living quarters and shouted. ¡°Everyone,e out!¡± * * * The leader of the survivor group and the only awakened individual, Sang-ah. She addressed the people standing in front of her with a stern expression. ¡°¡­Can I ask what this is about? Mr. Gwon-chang.¡± Although her tone was sharp, the question contained genuine curiosity. ¡®What on earth¡­¡¯ She thought the difficult times were over. Days of fleeing from zombies and monsters, sometimes fighting for survival. The hellish days seemed to have ended when they finally arrived at the military base that still existed. However, until Park Gwon-chang and his group burst into the living quarters after dinner¡­ They forcibly dragged the survivors out to the open space in front of the living quarters and made them kneel. ¡°Hehe, well, it¡¯s nothing much. I have a chronic condition that causes a rash all over my body if I¡¯m not the leader of the group.¡± Park Gwon-chang replied to Sang-ah¡¯s question. His group was known among the survivors for being particrly rough and violent. Nevertheless, he remained rtively obedient in front of the awakened Lee Sang-ah, and despite his violent tendencies, they continued to keep him in the group because they felt guilty about expelling him. ¡°Mr. Gwon-chang, were you not satisfied with your position as the representative of your group?¡± ¡°The five of us? Too small! This survivor group is too small.¡± Then, another guy continued, looking around. ¡°If we had a unit like this¡­ we could be somewhat satisfied.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Sang-ah sighed softly, crossing her arms and holding them close to her chest. This was an inevitable situation. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that something like this might happen someday¡­¡± What she brought out in her hands were two sharp pairs of scissors. ¡°Mr. Gwon-chang, do you know what these are?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°When I first killed a zombie and awakened¡­ I didn¡¯t even dream that those people were zombies.¡± On the day the world fell apart, When people lost their sanity, they stormed the tailor shop where Lee Sang-ah worked, intending to kill the shopkeepers. Without a moment of hesitation, she raised scissors and plunged them into the attackers¡¯ skulls. It was onlyter that she realized they weren¡¯t living humans but zombies. ¡°For survival¡­¡± Lee Sang-ah had effectively experienced murder. If someone threatened her life, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do it again. ¡°Heh¡­ quite scary.¡± Park Gwon-chang also knew how terrifying Lee Sang-ah was. Despite her seemingly mild upation as a seamstress, after one snip of her scissors¡­ What was cut wasn¡¯t mere fabric but the heads of zombies or monsters. ¡°Hyung-nim, leave it to me.¡± Standing before Lee Sang-ah was the second man among Park Gwon-chang¡¯s group. Though he seemed confident, Park Gwon-chang was cautious. ¡°Well, alright, but that woman is strong. Third, you too, join in.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Following the second man, the third one also stepped forward towards Lee Sang-ah. From Lee Sang-ah¡¯s perspective, they were just slightly bigger than average civilians. Her eyes slightly squinted at the thought. They must be aware of her abilities. Yet, to approach her so boldly¡­ ¡°Ha. So that¡¯s what you were hiding¡ªyou¡¯re actually an awakened one?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that personal information? You should respect it.¡± Withughter, the two men gradually approached Lee Sang-ah. Then, they shed. ¡°So, the most annoying woman is roughly dealt with.¡± Despite Lee Sang-ah¡¯s strength, the second and third men were Awakened individuals with level 4 upations. Moreover, Lee Sang-ah¡¯s upation wasn¡¯t evenbat-rted but a seamstress. While she might withstand against one, but it was clear what the oue would be against two. That¡¯s when¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on here!¡± Soldiers sensing the disturbance rushed in. Armed with firearms, dozens of soldiers. Those who had been on surveince duty around the base at night descended from the nearby buildings. ¡°Finally, they¡¯re here.¡± But Park Gwon-chang, far from being afraid upon seeing the guns, wore a mocking expression. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, leading the troops wielding guns, stepped forward and addressed Park Gwon-chang. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening here, but if you don¡¯t stop right now¡­¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t stop, what?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll open fire.¡± ¡°Heh¡­ amusing.¡± Even at the mention of gunfire, Park Gwon-chang didn¡¯t flinch, rather wore an amused expression. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, leading the marksmen, nced back. Lee Sang-ah and two men were seen fighting, representing the survivors. ¡®There are more Awakened individuals hiding.¡¯ At least three, including the man in front of them. But that wasn¡¯t the reason for their confidence. ¡®Awakened individuals are certainly strong, but¡­¡¯ The soldiers who had seeded in awakening were feeling their power more and more powerful with each passing day. Bing akin to extreme experts honed to their limits at the moment of awakening. As their level rose or they began to equip themselves, they started to transcend even human limitations. However, ¡°We are still no match for bullets.¡± Even Sergeant Jeon Gwang-il, the strongest warrior among the awakened in the unit, could be fatally wounded by bullets. Perhaps someday, he¡¯d be able to deflect bullets with his bare hands, but it was absurd to think he had already reached that level. Then that means there were two possibilities. One was that the opponent had grown to a point where they could ignore even bullets with absurd probabilities. The other was¡­ ¡°Are they trusting the hostage?¡± Simultaneously, the soldiers¡¯ thoughts turned. If that were the case, things would getplicated. They couldn¡¯t just attempt to subdue when hostages were involved. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± But Park Kwon-chang didn¡¯t seem to hold any hostages. He approached the soldiers, distancing himself from the survivors. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll shoot.¡± ¡°What are you waiting for then? Just shoot?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As if he was dead set on provoking us Park Gwon-chang spread his arms wide. ¡°Hehe, what¡¯s with youngsters barely twenty years old threatening to shoot now?¡± It was a tant provocation. ¡°Is it not about the hostage, but rather they believe we won¡¯t shoot in the first ce?¡± It was a highly usible hypothesis. The soldiers, although they appeared strong, were merely young men in their early twenties. People who were not only afraid to shoot humans but even scared to kill a small mouse. But¡­ ¡®They¡¯ve been through too much.¡¯ Though the target being human was undoubtedly terrifying. For them, shooting living beings had be almost routine. ¡°Corporal Seo Su-hyeok?¡± ¡°Ugh, annoying.¡± Muttering so, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok aimed his gun. And without much hesitation, he put his finger on the trigger, but¡­ The awaited gunshot didn¡¯t ring out. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hmph! To think you¡¯d try to shoot without a moment¡¯s hesitation? You aren¡¯t someone to be underestimated as a mere youngster.¡± The bullets weren¡¯t fired. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, feeling puzzled, tried to pull the trigger again himself, but the same result. ¡°Hehe¡­ So many soldiers here, yet they thoughtlessly start trouble.¡± The survivors were murmuring and whispering about it. Even though they were Awakened individuals, they couldn¡¯t boldly stand against guns. No matter how developed their physical abilities and strange powers were, they were still just humans who would die if shot. Nevertheless, one of the reasons Park Gwon-chang dared to start trouble in a military unit was because¡­ He opened his status window. [Awakened: Park Gwon-chang] [upation: Arsonist Lv. 5] [Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 8, Magic 10, Luck 4] [Traits: Novice Grade Physical Resistance, Novice Grade Fire Affinity, Novice Grade Misdeed Knowledge, Novice Grade Magic Affinity] [Skill: Novice Grade me Mastery] [Novice Grade me Mastery] [Has dominion over surrounding mes and phenomena rted to fire.] This is it. ¡°A gun is ultimately a firearm! It can only shoot if there¡¯s an explosion from the ammunition. But all fire and explosions are under my control!¡± Other weapons like grenades are the same. And soldiers without guns are ultimately just civilians. For awakened individuals like them, dominating a hundred with just five is easy. ¡°I¡¯ve observed for a few days. Even when they¡¯re hunting monsters, they only use guns!¡± If they¡¯re awakened, there¡¯s no reason for such hassle. The reason Park Gwon-chang had confidence to challenge them was right here. ¡°Now, all of you kneel. If you cooperate, I¡¯ll treat you fairly. I might even help you gain power simr to mine¡­¡± ¡°What? Was that the n?¡± However, That confidence became irrelevant. ¡°Sigh¡­ They got scared for nothing.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The soldiers weren¡¯t bewildered. Instead, they felt a sense of relief upon realizing why their firearms were rendered useless. ¡°What should we do then?¡± ¡°That side two? This side, well, two should suffice.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just overwhelm them with numbers?¡± ¡°Sang-ah trying to hold them on their own. We should send some to her side too.¡± Even now, it seemed like they didn¡¯t care about Park Gwon-chang in front of them. They even started chattering among themselves. ¡°These guys¡­ Can¡¯t they understand the situation right now?¡± Despite knowing they can¡¯t use guns, their confident demeanor left Park Gwon-chang bewildered. And soon, he figured out the reason. ¡°There are no awakened here, so they probably don¡¯t know the power of the awakened.¡± In that case, he just had to demonstrate. Even being only Level 1 was enough to be called a superhuman. As mes surged from Park Gwon-chang¡¯s body, they soon enveloped him entirely. ¡°I should at least set an example by killing one!¡± The monstrous figure engulfed in mes charged towards the soldiers. ¡°Then, that one will be handled by Han-il and Dae-won.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± ¡°This¡¯ll be fun after a long time.¡± As Park Gwon-chang swung his fist, thinking of killing at least one, Two rtivelyrge soldiers rushed forward. And¡­ ¡°Haha! Are they suicide applicants or¡­¡± Thunk. ¡°Huh?¡± It seemed like a dark object was approaching him. Thereafter a dull sound echoed in his ears. ¡°What¡¯s with this guy?¡± With just one blow, Park Gwon-chang lost consciousness. ¡°He¡¯s incredibly weak, huh?¡± ¡°What did he think he was doing?¡± While falling, It seemed like such voices were heard. ¡°¡­Have we be too strong?¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Episode 20: Interrogation (Part 1) ¡°When I returned after apprehending the awakened individual concealing his identity in the restaurant, I found that the chaos that had erupted in the base had been partially resolved.¡± ¡°Whoa, Sergeant Shin Young-joon? What in the world¡­¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. Is it a bit strange to see me like this?¡± I had rushed over with the thought that there might have been trouble in the living quarters, but I couldn¡¯t just leave the subdued awakened individual in the restaurant. So, I brought him along. Other soldiers who saw the scene were horrified. ¡°¡­Is that thing¡­ still alive?¡± ¡°Well, it seemed like he was in a lot of pain. But he¡¯s unconscious now, so¡­¡± Fundamentally, my profession as a chef wasn¡¯t abat role. Instead, I was closer to rear support, supporting allies through cooking. While my abilities did have more influence in that area, during thest assault, I fought alongside the other soldiers on the front lines. There were two reasons why this was possible: One was the ¡°Novice Dagger Proficiency¡± trait. And the other was the skill ¡°Chef¡¯s Eye.¡± ¡°Chef¡¯s Eye is a good skill, but¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t without its drawbacks. Essentially, what Chef¡¯s Eye showed was how to ¡°prepare¡± the targeted ingredient. However, the mostmon method of preparing meat usually involved first cutting the throat and draining the blood. While it was useful to be able to quickly identify an enemy¡¯s weakness¡­ ¡°The problem is that it¡¯s too lethal.¡± When I needed to spare someone¡¯s life, it was ambiguous how to do it. Yet, if I didn¡¯t use this ability, mybat effectiveness would plummet. Of course, there was the option to strictly focus on rear support, but considering that monsters had started appearing, it was wise to pay attention to my ownbat abilities, as I had when facing the first monster that attacked the restaurant. Even if monsters were targets to be killed immediately, when facing humans like this time, there was a need to spare their lives. While pondering if there was any way, I remembered something. ¡°Sashimi.¡± More specifically, sashimi served not in a sushi restaurant, but sashimi prepared on the spot by captains who had spent decades on fishing boats. When you ate fish caught from the sea. Sometimes, instead of aging the fish by killing it and letting it sit, they would slice it raw right away. ¡°That¡¯s also a great method of preparation.¡± With that thought in mind, I tried using the skill, and the ¡°preparation method¡± I had hoped for came to mind. ¡­Though it ended up looking a bit strange. ¡°S-So, how did it end up like this?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Even though he¡¯s unconscious now, we don¡¯t know when he might wake up and start jumping around. So, properly restrain him and send him to the medical team for treatment.¡± After entrusting the guy who had been ¡°prepared alive¡± to the soldiers, I went to where the other soldiers had gathered. There were four guys kneeling there, already subdued. They seemed startled since I brought the unconscious awakened individual with me. ¡°That, that¡¯s Chan-jung!¡± ¡°The strongest among us, Chan-jung, lost to a mere cook¡­?¡± ¡°And in such a gruesome manner¡­ What¡¯s going on with this unit?¡± One guy was unconscious, having copsed, but the rest of them, upon seeing me, started murmuring to each other in shock. ¡°The strongest?!¡± He must have been tasked with extracting information about the unit from me or something like that. If they¡¯re saying he was the strongest, his rank might have been higher than I thought. But if they ask if he was strong, honestly¡­ ¡°Is this really all he¡¯s got?¡± Sure, his ability to throw that huge fireball might not work on me, but it could work on others. However, that¡¯s all there was to it. In strength. In skill. In every aspect, he wasn¡¯t a match for me. ¡°And he was the strongest among these guys? How weak are they?¡± ¡°Actually, it seems like we¡¯ve be too strong.¡± Simrly, Gwang-il, who was on the scene, spoke up. ¡°The average level of these guys seems to be around 3. In our unit, even those who awakened slightly earlier are at least level 5 or 6. Sergeant Shin Yeong joon, didn¡¯t you tellst time that you are over level 10?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°And on top of that, we also have our tokens.¡± As an achievement for forming the second n in Korea, we received a group skill Token. This token was in the form of a military identification tag that only our n members can wear, has the effect of fixing stats. When worn by a level 1 member, it can provide stats simr to those of a level 5 Awakened individual who isn¡¯t wearing it. It was an incredible advantage. ¡°Though it¡¯s an item with fixed stats¡­ As individual growth progresses, its efficiency will gradually diminish.¡± Generally, buffs can be broadly categorized into two types: fixed stat increases and percentage increases. The former, fixed stat increases, have a significant impact when basic stats are low. Increasing a stat from 1 to 2 doubles it, but when it¡¯s already 100, increasing by 1 hardly matters. Conversely, thetter is more effective when basic stats are high. Increasing a stat by 100% when it¡¯s at 1 results in an increase of 1, but when it¡¯s at 100, it increases by 100. The Token falls into the former category. Later on, who knows¡­ ¡°Right now, it¡¯s like a cheat item that instantly raises a level 1 to that of a level 5.¡± When Gwang-il, the leader of those guys, faced Han-il, who was the strongest in our warrior group, and Han-il, the next strongest, they were quickly defeated. The leader of those four was instantly defeated when faced with Gwang-il and Han-il who were the strongest warriors in our group. The rest, being individually weaker than our awakened members, were swiftly dealt with when several of us fought them together. ¡°Moreover, our members spar with each other whenever they¡¯re not on patrol. Those guys¡­ seem tock knowledge of how to fight with an Awakened individual¡¯s physical abilities.¡± Though they had the confidence of having about five Awakened individuals in their group¡­ Ultimately, they weren¡¯t that big of a threat to us. ¡°Our group has be so strong¡­¡± ¡°Frankly, I was worried that something big might happen while I wasn¡¯t around.¡± When I heard the ns of the guy while subduing him in the restaurant. I was greatly shocked at the possibility that others might attack the unit in my absence. But when I returned, things had been neatly sorted out without me. ¡°¡­Now, it seems like there¡¯s no problem even without me. Without my cooking buffs, too.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s not true.¡± Gwang-il chuckled and continued speaking. ¡°We did be stronger, but is this really something I did alone?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin fed us and nurtured us, so isn¡¯t that a big part of it?¡± Now that he mentioned it¡­ When the monsters appeared in our unit and I joined forces with other soldiers, a thought urred to me. ¡®I thought I had to feed this unit somehow, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Physically feeding them food is one thing, but¡­ Even in other aspects, it seems like I¡¯m aplishing my goal of somehow keeping the unit nourished. ¡°Excuse me, soldiers¡­? What¡¯s going on here¡­?¡± As I was thinking, Lee Sang-ah, the representative of the survivors, approached with a bewildered expression. Perhaps because she had fought against two opponents before our members intervened, she looked slightly exhausted. Upon closer inspection, it seemed like she had burns on her arms. ¡°It seems like your injuries are severe. We have a medic in our unit, so you¡¯ll be treated quickly. Uijun !¡± ¡°Yes! Lance Corporal Uiju.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s treat this person first.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As the medic¡¯s hand glowed, the burns disappeared just by applying it to the injuries. In a matter of seconds, only new, unscarred skin remained, leaving no trace of injury. ¡°You¡­ are Awakened individuals. And all of you, too.¡± ¡°Not all of us. We¡¯ve only just surpassed half recently.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s still over 50 people, right¡­? Incredible.¡± Come to think of it, I realized I had lied to her. We shared opinions on how to Awaken, thinking there were no Awakened individuals in our unit. Although it wasn¡¯t a malicious lie on our part, it seemed necessary to exin. ¡°Lee Sang-ah, you said your Awakened job is a seamstress, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a chef. There are various other Awakened individuals in different upations. Medics, priests, warriors, mages¡­¡± ¡°Priests and mages?¡± ¡°Yes. Among them, there¡¯s even an astrologer who has limited ability to see the future.¡± I exined why we hid the fact that we were Awakened. From the day the monsters first appeared in our unit until now. The truth was, we knew survivors woulde, and there was a strange warning among them. We epted that warning and hid our Awakenings until we found potential threats. ¡°Okay, I think I understand¡­ So, most of you are Awakened individuals, and you¡¯re also steadily increasing the number of Awakened individuals stably?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± With that, Sang-ah seemed to fall into thought, her words trailing off. ¡°Anyway, I hope you didn¡¯t misunderstand. There¡¯s no malice behind it.¡± ¡°Oh, no! I didn¡¯t misunderstand at all, don¡¯t worry.¡± Seeing her lost in thought again, I decided it was best to withdraw for now. Approaching the restrained individuals again, some soldiers approached me. ¡°We¡¯ve subdued them, but how should we proceed?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°My personal opinion is that keeping them alive won¡¯t be of much help¡­¡± Keeping them alive won¡¯t be of much help. That statement implies, essentially. ¡°No. Killing them is still pending.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Not good for the soldiers¡¯ morale, nor for the survivors.¡± While the soldiers may have killed monsters, they haven¡¯t killed people. Despite growing ustomed to various things during the fights, time hasn¡¯t passed enough for them to ept murder casually. The survivors are the same. Even if they are obvious sinners, those who belonged to survivor groups. If they were executed, other survivors would inevitably be frightened. ¡°But if we keep them alive without killing them, it¡¯ll just drain our resources. If they manage to escape, it¡¯ll be a bigger problem.¡± We can¡¯t just let these guys attacking others go scot-free. ¡°Let¡¯s lock them up in the basement of the cafeteria for now.¡± ¡°The basement of the cafeteria¡­ isn¡¯t that the boiler room?¡± ¡°Yeah. There should be about seven storage rooms down there. Lock them from the outside, and it should serve as makeshift cells.¡± There are a total of seven rooms. We should be able to detain around five without any issues. ¡°Since they¡¯re dangerous, pick one awakened fighter from each unit to manage them. I¡¯ll take care of it next time.¡± After locking them up in the prison, I decided to visit the prison the next day. Then. ¡°Heh, hehe!¡± ¡­Even so, isn¡¯t this a bit too much for a first greeting? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21: Interrogation (Part 2) ¡°Are you here, Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks for your hard work. Any issues?¡± ¡°No, sir. We were concerned they might attempt to escape, but they seem to understand it¡¯s impossible and have been quiet.¡± After the initial handling of the ¡®threat,¡¯ I followed the soldiers to the basement of the restaurant where five men were detained. This was the same space where we had previously held and ¡®persuaded¡¯ Lieutenant Kim. I entered one of the rooms. ¡°Hello, Chan-jung.¡± Inside, a man named Chan-jung sat, bound and dazed. He was supposedly the strongest among the five and the one I personally subdued in the restaurant. Perhaps that¡¯s why he reacted with such terror. ¡°Eek!¡± He screamed and convulsed the moment he saw my face. ¡°Is that how you greet people?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± His immediate cowering was somewhat satisfying, both for quelling my slight irritation and establishing dominance. Trembling so pathetically, anyone observing might think he was being threatened with death. He was terrified of me¡ªunderstandably so. I had devised a non-lethal yet painful method of subduing them. The method itself was gruesome, even from my perspective. ¡®It must have been excruciating for him,¡¯ I thought, recalling how he had fainted from the pain. I hadn¡¯t expected him to react so severely upon merely seeing me. ¡°Anyways, Chan-jung.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here because I have a few requests. Will youply?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do anything! Just please, spare me!¡± His intense trauma was evident; he had shown his utmost submission to me. My conscience pricked a bit, but the situation had turned in our favor with him willing to cooperate. ¡®Better to take advantage of this,¡¯ I thought, setting aside any lingering guilt. ¡°Of course. As long as you cooperate, you won¡¯t have to worry about being ¡®handled¡¯ again.¡± ¡°Eek.¡± ¡°First, have some of this.¡± I handed him some confession-inducing Honest Heart Misutgaru Ice Cream that I had saved just in case. He epted the bowl with a puzzled expression but started to rx as he ate. ¡®He seemed fully submissive, but just in case,¡¯ I thought. The ice cream, a concoction I was quite proud of, would make him overly truthful and also it was quite delicious. ¡°I have a few questions.¡± I asked Chan-jung about several things I had been curious about but hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask during the previous interrogation. ¡°The reason we attempted to upy the outpost¡­ it¡¯s rted to our profession.¡± ¡°upations?¡± His revtion was startling. ¡°My colleagues and I¡­ we have different jobs but amon trait.¡± ¡°Hmm? Whatmon trait between different jobs?¡± ¡°We¡¯re criminals.¡± ¡°Criminals?¡± ¡°Mine and Gwon-chang¡¯s upation is that of an arsonists. While the others are gangsters abd con artists.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Given that this world had turned into something resembling a game, it wasn¡¯t surprising to find such professions, but it was still shocking. These were not ¡®clerics¡¯ or ¡®mages¡¯¡ªthey were openly criminal upations. ¡°It means even in this new world, there¡¯s no trust among humans.¡± ¡°We were gangsters operating around Gangwon-do, particrly near Chuncheon.¡± Chan-jung exined how he and his colleagues were part of a gangster organization active around Chuncheon. Despite the harsh world, their organization had adapted into a quasi-corporate entity and was thriving. ¡°But then monsters appeared, killing people, and zombies showed up¡­ the world started falling apart.¡± In the ensuing chaos, most of their gang perished. Only the five of them survived and eventually awakened new powers. ¡°However, we faced a problem.¡± ¡°A problem?¡± ¡°Our line of work makes it difficult to build power.¡± All of us were awakened criminals. Although Awakeners were rare, information about the awakening itself was quietly spreading among the survivors. These men already had a rough appearance. Hiding their criminal-sounding job titles, it was hard to gain trust or build influence. ¡°So, we came up with an idea.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t build power, we¡¯ll just take over someone else¡¯s.¡± Thus, they joined the survivors¡¯ group led by Lee Sang-ah. They concealed the fact that they were Awakeners. ¡°That woman was quite diligent, and though her job wasughable, her abilities were decent. We thought her group would grow quickly. Our n was to take over that group once it had grown.¡± ¡°Taking over someone else¡¯s group isn¡¯t an easy task.¡± ¡°One of our brothers has the ¡®Con Artist¡¯ ability. With that skill, we can manipte a legitimate leader into seeming like a terrible criminal and get them ousted. Once the leader is gone, we can take over the group.¡± This sent chills down my spine. These guys. They¡¯re like a virus, cutting off the head of a group and taking over the body. ¡°So, why did you target our unit?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to take over another group, it might as well be a big one. Survivor groups are generally small. We also figured Brother Gwon Chang¡¯s abilities would be advantageous against soldiers who rely on firearms¡­ once we subdued the soldiers and got our hands on their weapons, we wouldn¡¯t need to infiltrate anymore.¡± It just so happened that the survivor group had decided to head towards a nearby military base. If they could seize that base and get their hands on powerful weapons, they could use force to build their power from then on. ¡°What if there were Awakeners in our unit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we took several days to investigate. If there were Awakeners stronger than us, we nned to bide our time rather than confront them directly. We would sneak in, use the Con Artist¡¯s abilities to gradually extend our influence, and then¡­ rebellion. Take over.¡± Listening to this, I finally understood the prophecy Taejun mentioned. ¡®I wondered why we needed to hide our power from such weaklings.¡¯ If they had known we were a strong group, they would have infiltrated our unit pretending to be survivors. Carefully expanding their influence from the inside, like cancer cells suddenly appearing in a body. Eventually, they would have taken over the head and the body. ¡®¡­Even if we had realized itter, it would have been difficult to remove a group that had grown from the inside.¡¯ If Taejun hadn¡¯t hinted that we should hide our power, we might have suffered significant damage. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± It¡¯s good that we discovered their intentions. Preventing their n without any losses is a great achievement. However, despite feeling somewhat content, there was a sense of unease. Beyond dealing with monsters or zombies, it hade to a point where even encountering other humans required caution. ¡°Now that I think about it, bringing survivors into the unit was a risky move.¡± It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but¡­ It could have led to the unit copsing from within if mishandled. Having heard everyone¡¯s stories, I left the man behind and emerged from the underground bunker. I had a rough idea of who these guys were and what they intended. The problem was¡­ ¡°How should I deal with these guys?¡± Leave them be, and they¡¯ll just consume our resources. The quickest solution is to deal with them before they cause more trouble. In other words, it would involve killing them. ¡°We haven¡¯t killed another human being before.¡± Someday, we might have to kill each other. But for now, to maintain the humanity of the unit, I judged it premature to do something like that. Without resorting to killing, measures must be taken to neutralize the threat. There must be a better way¡­ ¡°Hey, Young-joon!¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim?¡± As I pondered, someone called out my name while walking through the unit. Lieutenant Kim. He spoke with a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯ve managed to reassure the survivors as you instructed!¡± The sudden threat to their lives had put the survivors on edge. Moreover, they had learned that we were a unitprised of awakened individuals. Anticipating their increased anxiety, I had sent Lieutenant Kim to reassure them. ¡°Was there any issue?¡± ¡°Well! Some sounded a bit anxious, but you know, I¡¯m good with words. I Managed to persuade them, and they ended upughing it off.¡± That ability reallyes in handy. ¡°So, um¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°You handled the task well, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, sir, I did.¡± ¡°So, as a reward¡­ Could you perhaps whip up somete-night snacks or something?¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± I was about to say something else, but Lieutenant Kim, it seems, has developed a craving for my cooking. Since he did a good job with the task I assigned, he¡¯s hinting at making another dish as a reward. ¡°Well, maybe I crossed a line there? Just kidding! I¡¯m perfectly content with three square meals a day! I¡¯m definitely not trying to climb up in the ranks!¡± ¡°Oh, no, of course not. I understand. Since you¡¯ve handled it well, let me do something for you.¡± Although the ingredients aren¡¯t exactly plentiful. Captain Kim enjoys dishes made from monster ingredients. Since lizard meat is abundant, I can manage this much. ¡°Thanks, Young-joon! I¡¯ll remain loyal in the future too!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ sure.¡± ¡°Hmm? Got something to say?¡± ¡°No, nothing. Carry on.¡± Captain Kim, addicted to my cooking, pledged his loyalty with just ate-night snack. Seeing him, a solution came to mind. ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s all I wanted to say! I mean it!¡± ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯vee to ask for one more favor.¡± I returned to the basement and found Chan-jung. ¡°Here, hold onto this notepad and pen.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just jot some things down there.¡± Might as well. Wouldn¡¯t they be happy to receive what they like? ¡°About you and your brothers, what dishes you like, dislike, whether you prefer nd or savory, your eating habits, everything.¡± A few dayster. [Achievement Unlocked ¨C Reformation] [A party made up of evil attributes waspletely subdued with the power of cooking] [A title has been awarded as a reward] [Title ¨C The Chef of Reformation] [While cooking evil attribute monsters and upations the effects will be increased by 30%] An achievement and title have been given as a reward for reforming the criminals through cooking. ¡°Sweet.¡± Some unusual members with unique upations have joined our unit. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Episode 22: That¡¯s Monster Meat ¡°How are the new recruits?¡± ¡°They seem to be adjusting well. They¡¯re a bit older, but it¡¯s not umon for older recruits to join.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll remain newbies until they¡¯vepletely turned over a new leaf.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± And so, the threat to our unit was resolved by adding more recruits. However, not all our unit¡¯s problems were solved. In fact¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve collected as much oil as we could, but we¡¯ve reached our limit. Aside from vehicle fuel, we only have enough to power the generators for about a week.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Food shortages. Power shortages. Various other problems arising from the cut-off supplies. ¡®Our resources were already limited. Now with more mouths to feed¡­¡¯ These issues were exacerbated by the influx of survivors. In this situation, there¡¯s probably only one path we can take. ¡°We need to prepare to leave.¡± I remember thest time. When the Lizard Chieftain attacked our unit. We were able to fend off dozens of lizard forces partly because we were in a defensive position. ¡°We were able to repel sporadic attacks also because we utilized the facilities of this Hwang Jun-san battalion, thus staging advantageous in the defensive battles.¡± But every child must leave the cradle eventually. If that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°I need to finish the things that needs to be done.¡± The time to leave the unit was approaching. But we won¡¯t just leave. ¡®Not without thorough preparation.¡¯ After achieving everything we can within the unit, We will leave the cradle. But first¡­ ¡°How many lizards did we hunt today?¡± ¡°Um, about ten.¡± ¡°Bring them all to the front of the restaurant.¡± We need to elevate the unit¡¯s rations to the next level. That evening, after dinner time had passed, I summoned the key figures of the unit to the mess hall. First and foremost were Min-jae, Gwang-il, and Su-hyeok, who had seeded in awakening and now respectively held the positions of mage, warrior, and archer. And then there was Taejun, who used his astrological abilities to assist in decision-making for the unit. ¡°Why did you call us here instead of letting us eat dinner?¡± ¡°Are you asking for help in the kitchen?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± After seating those who were puzzled by the sudden summons at the table, I went into the kitchen and brought out the prepared dishes. ¡°Try some of this.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Noodles, skewers, fried items, and more. The expressions of those who saw the various dishes changed pleasantly. ¡°Is this delicious? What¡¯s the asion?¡± ¡°You mentioned that we were running short on ingredients, didn¡¯t you? So, I made dishes with plenty of meat¡­¡± The unit was facing a situation where supplies were cut off. While the taste was satisfactory and provided a boost, questions about the source of the ingredients were bound to arise. If they¡¯re curious about the source, they should be told. ¡°That¡¯s lizard meat.¡± ¡°Eugh!¡± ¡°S-Sergeant Shin?¡± Lizards. The monsters we were fighting. While there was a slight change in the expressions of those who realized they were eating creatures they fought against, fortunately, no one vomited. Honestly, I expected someone to vomit. Thankfully, those gathered here didn¡¯t seem to have a strong aversion to monster meat. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like I suddenly wanted to mess with you all. Let me exin the reason.¡± Of course, there was a reason behind serving them monster meat. The reason for eating monster meat. ¡°Those newbies who just joined us.¡± Though they were once human like us. They were enemies to us. ¡°We¡¯ve only fought lizards until now. Fortunately, they had clear weaknesses.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But ording to the survivors, there are various monsters out there, including zombies and even humans.¡± It¡¯s different from facing lizards. Unknown enemies, humans we can¡¯t let our guard down against. It¡¯s going to be a tough fight. So, we¡­ ¡°We need to be fully prepared.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with this¡­¡± ¡°Monster meat contains magic, making it quite effective.¡± Now our unit¡¯s rations are depleted, except for the bare minimumbat rations. While it¡¯s possible to purchase bread from the store, it costs points, and there¡¯s no space left for food to be used as ingredients. We need to procure food on the ground, but a lot of time has passed since the situation began. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about dishes that can be stored for a long time, then maybe, but it¡¯s going to be difficult to find fresh food like meat.¡± So¡­ ¡°We have to eat monsters.¡± ¡°¡­I understand what you¡¯re saying, but many people might find it distasteful.¡± ¡°Especially lizard meat, it¡¯s likely to trigger revulsion.¡± Originally, there were about 200 personnel staying in our unit over the weekend. Half of them have been devoured by the lizards. People have witnessed friends andrades being eaten alive right beside them, numerous times. If I hadn¡¯t been managing the unit¡¯s morale through cooking, it could have resulted in severe trauma. Furthermore¡­ ¡°Eating monsters.¡± There¡¯s no objection to hunting them. But if we¡¯re told we have to eat them¡­ ¡°Eating monsters that have eaten humans?¡± Especially if the human eaten was someone you knew. There are also those who clearly think it is no different from eating an acquaintance. Whether it¡¯s an ethical or emotional issue, There will likely be significant reluctance. But¡­ ¡°Forget the reluctance.¡± Honestly, there¡¯s no room to consider such sentiments. I¡¯m a chef who must feed this unit to survive. There¡¯s no room for picky eaters among the soldiers. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, our primary goal is survival.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s be clear. Will we be prey to the monsters¡­?¡± Or¡­ ¡°Will we eat the monsters and survive?¡± The expressions of those who heard my words changed slightly. Despite saying such things aloud, the answer is already clear. ¡°¡­Leave convincing the kids to us.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Rather than the chef himself speaking, it¡¯ll be more effective if we, as squad leaders, do the convincing.¡± Min-jae and the others nodded without dissent. ¡°We¡¯ve been preparing ourselves for the day when we have to make tough choices.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°With the world in this state, honestly, the choice of eating monsters doesn¡¯t seem that difficult.¡± Taejun seemed to imply that it¡¯s not that big of a deal. While some may see eating monsters as a significant issue, others like Taejun might just shrug it off with a ¡°So what?¡± attitude, especially if it¡¯s for survival. Even if the soldiers find it unsettling, I believe they¡¯ll understand. So¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll leave the convincing to you. However¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Whether they¡¯re convinced or not, tell them to gather in the backyard of the mess hall tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too hard to do. Why?¡± ¡°Even if the subject is monsters, eating should fundamentally be an enjoyable activity.¡± To ensure that meals made from monsters don¡¯t be tainted memories. I¡¯ll have to make some effort in that regard. To be honest in the military, the opportunity to enjoy delicious food isn¡¯t something thates around often. While our unit does have a fairlyx discipline, allowing for asional gatherings among soldiers, such asions are typically reserved for departmental celebrations or farewells when someone is discharged. For the tougher units, unless there¡¯s an event like a sports day, even these gatherings are rare, let alone formal dinners. And today was one of those rare asions. After some time past dinner, all unit members gathered in the courtyard behind the mess hall. It was a long-awaited feast. ¡°Wow, is this¡­!¡± [Supreme fried lizard made with sincerity by a junior chef] [Stir-fried lizard with red pepper paste made with care by a junior chef] [Lizard Kalguksu* made with sincerity by a junior chef] [Grilled lizard skewers made with great care by a junior chef] [Lizard steaks made with care by a junior chef] ¡°What¡¯s with this feast?¡± ¡°Oh well¡­ I put in some effort to prepare all this.¡± One of the skills I have, [Chef¡¯s Eye]. Although somewhat overshadowed by the ¡®Enlightenment of Butchery Techniques¡¯ used inbat, there was definitely an effect of gaining ¡®Enlightenment of Cooking Techniques¡¯. It only provides basic cooking knowledge, but one thing I learned through this ability: ¡°Lizard meat is fundamentally simr to chicken.¡± Given that chickens are distant rtives of dinosaurs, there¡¯s a simrity in taste with other reptile meats like snake meat, as I recall. In the same context, lizard meat might resemble chicken as well. And chicken is one of the most beloved ingredients for Koreans. ¡°I¡¯ve tried all the chicken recipes I know.¡± Chicken, stir-fried chicken, chicken kalguksu, chicken skewers, and so on. I took advantage of the variety of sauces we had in stock. Even though the main ingredient was lizard, I tried to make it as diverse as possible to avoid monotony. ¡°Is this¡­ curry?¡± ¡°Yeah. Curry is one of the emergency rations in our unit, so we have quite a bit in stock.¡± ¡°Wow! Chicken!¡± ¡°I prepared a variety of vors. Take your pick.¡± While fresh ingredients were rtively plentiful at the beginning,tely, due to the need to conserve supplies, many meals were filled withbat rations. Considering that, it was truly a rare treat to have a proper feast after such a long time. A lizard nearly the size of a person. Thanks to it, there¡¯s plenty of meat, almost to the point of it rotting. Fortunately, the reaction from the troops wasn¡¯t bad. ¡°This¡­ this is monster meat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious though¡­?¡± ¡°The taste is great but check out the stat boost. It¡¯s on a whole different levelpared to the buffs from the dishes we¡¯ve had before¡­¡± Depending on the person, even familiar ingredients can be off-putting, and they won¡¯t eat them. Like dog meat, for example, that¡¯s a ssic case. Even though lizard meat is apletely new ingredient to most, and it¡¯s derived from monsters. Yet seeing everyone enjoy it¡­ Honestly, as the cook, I can¡¯t help but feel proud. Still, there were soldiers who felt hesitant. ¡°Eating monsters is quite off-putting, and it doesn¡¯t sit well emotionally, I get that.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin¡­¡± ¡°But still, give it a try. It¡¯s quite delicious, I promise.¡± Approaching them, I spoke sincerely. ¡°Well¡­ Sergeant Shin¡¯s cooking skills, who doesn¡¯t know about them?¡± ¡°Eating monsters might be off-putting if they¡¯re humanoid or something, but lizards seem fine.¡± ¡°No, actually, wouldn¡¯t it make us regret all the lizards we¡¯ve killed so far?¡± Even the soldiers who were hesitant about eating monsters seemed to soften their expressions. It¡¯s tasty, but it¡¯s also necessary. In the end. Every soldier agreed to eating monsters. ¡°It¡¯s good! I will crack open all the hidden soju and beer today!¡± ¡°Wait, you hid alcohol?¡± ¡°The leftover alcohol from the toon dinners. Where did you think it, all went?¡± ¡°Sometimes you can smell alcohol on the alcoholics!¡± Even though monsters attacked the unit, and somehow, we managed to keep the troops¡¯ morale in check. Yet with the anxiety of not knowing when we might die, the atmosphere of the unit inevitably became somewhat stiff. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving the unit soon enough.¡± Before that, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a gathering to rx like this once in a while. ¡°Uweuk.¡± ¡°Oh! Lieutenant Kim is about to puke!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so exciting about a guy who can¡¯t even drink¡­!¡± ¡­Was this a bit excessive? Perhaps, but seeing everyone enjoying themselves, eating and drinking it didn¡¯t feel too bad. ¡°This is the main dish of the day, Lizard Chieftain!¡± ¡°Well, how long has it been since he was killed it?!¡± ¡°Just in case a day like this came. I secretly prepared it.¡± ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± I even let Lieutenant Kim try it, but Chief¡¯s meat was better in taste and had a stronger effect than other lizard meat. Except for the reserved amount, I decided to distribute all the Chief¡¯s meat today. Fortunately, there was plenty of ingredients, so it was quite amusing to continue replenishing the food and watching everyone enjoy it. In one corner, even the survivor representative, Ms. Lee Sang-ah, was seen holding a skewer¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Ms. Lee Sang-ah? The reason she¡¯s here is that for survival eating buffed dishes is essential. In other words, it¡¯s not necessary to enforce it on survivors who don¡¯t participate inbat and haven¡¯t awakened yet. So only the personnel participating inbat were invited to the gathering, but why is she here? ¡®I guess she doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s strange.¡¯ It would be awkward if we excluded the survivors and only looked after the troops. With that in mind, I quickly approached to exin. ¡°Mr. Sang-ah? We don¡¯t have any ulterior motives behind this.¡± ¡°¡­Eating monsters?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh.¡± Apparently, I¡¯ve already heard the unit members talking about lizard meat and such. It seems like she¡¯s not even considering thoughts about discrimination, but rather appears surprised by the fact that she¡¯s eating monsters. ¡°Well, seeing someone enjoy eating monster dishes seems rather odd.¡± Why is it that in movies, cults revel in feasting on forbidden flesh as if it were a wild celebration? Though the reality is quite different, superficially, we might appear simr. ¡°Well, it may seem a bit odd at first nce.¡± ¡°To survive¡­ This much¡­¡± I wonder if my attempt at exining is getting through. Lee Sang-ah had been muttering to herself for a moment. Abruptly she lifted her head and spoke up. ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If possible, we would also like to join your unit, formally.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: *Kalguksu (Korean Knife Cut Noodle Soup) is a traditional Korean noodle dish consisting of handmade, knife-cut wheat flour noodles served in arge bowl of broth with various ingredients. The name ¡°kalguksu¡± trantes to ¡°knife noodles,¡± referring to the method of cutting the noodles by hand with a knife. Kalguksu is especially popr in Korea during the summer, as the light broth and fresh ingredients make it a refreshing meal. However, it is also enjoyed year-round as aforting and hearty dish. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If possible, we would also like to join your unit, formally.¡± To be formally admitted to the unit. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already joined? We¡¯re providing protection, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about that, you know?¡± ¡°Well, I guess.¡± Around twenty survivors. They sought refuge under our protection, but¡­ ¡®Strictly speaking, they¡¯re not part of the unit.¡¯ They¡¯re merely under our protection. We give them some minor tasks in exchange, but that¡¯s it. They¡¯re not ourrades. ¡°Being protected by soldiers might not be a bad thing. But if that¡¯s all we do, we won¡¯t be able to survive.¡± ¡°Well, we intend to protect you as best as we can.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s because of the world we¡¯re in. Unless you fight to survive on your own, when crisis strikes, you¡¯ll just perish.¡± ¡°I understand your point, but it¡¯s a bit sudden.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been thinking about it since the day Gwon-chang and his group betrayed us.¡± The criminals. While our unit,prised of awakened individuals, managed to deal with them sessfully, they were originally part of Lee sang-ah¡¯s survivor group. Without us, Lee sang-ah alone wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop them. ¡®They were lucky, if you think about it.¡¯ It could have easily led to their demise. Amidst this, we witnessed our stable growth of awakened individuals. After seeing survivors resort to eating monsters for survival, we realized that they too must strive to survive. They have to fend for themselves. ¡°epting you is possible, but if we do¡­¡± In military terms, it¡¯s like conscription of civilians into the army. They would have to leave their protected status behind. Joining us means they¡¯ll have to fight alongside us against the monsters. ¡°Have you heard the opinions of the other survivors?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had enough discussions. We realize we need the strength to survive on our own. So¡­¡± ¡°You want to join our unit as awakened individuals.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Joining us also means obeying orders as unit members.¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim seemed like a goodmander. There shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± At that, there was a chuckle from the soldiers who had been observing our conversation from afar. Come to think of it, these people still regarded Kim as ourmander. Well, I¡¯ll inform themter. After discussing various matters, it seemed like everyone was sufficiently prepared. The other soldiers around didn¡¯t seem to have any objections. In that case¡­ ¡°There¡¯s no reason to refuse.¡± I extended my hand to Sang-ah. ¡°Wee to our unit.¡± ¡°¡­! Thank you. I¡¯ll do my best not to be a burden.¡± *** Surprisingly, their promise to do their best wasn¡¯t empty words. ¡°These meats, you said they¡¯re monster meats?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then, have you also processed the scales and leather?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The Enlightenment of Lizard Butchery¡¯ skill I had learned allowed me to cleanly process the target, whether intentional or not. Thanks to that, the purpose was to cook and obtain meat. The lizard scales and leather were quite neatly processed. ¡°The leather is tough and thick¡­ but these scales, they¡¯re incredibly hard.¡± ¡°Lizards are monsters. The scales and leather you mentioned are at a level that bullets can¡¯t easily prate. Without guns, there¡¯s no way to deal with these monsters other than exploiting their weaknesses.¡± At the moment, only one or two stray lizards wereing in, which was manageable. But if we were to face them head-on in equal numbers on an open field, without knowing their weaknesses, we probably wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are there any spare uniforms in the unit? I¡¯d like to borrow them.¡± After saying that, Sang-ah gathered up the byproducts of the lizards and the clothing used by deceased soldiers and disappeared somewhere. She even took the chieftain¡¯s belongings. And the next day¡­ ¡°Could you take a look at this?¡± ¡°¡­This is!¡± [Steel Leather Command Combat Uniform] [Steel Leather Combat Uniform] What she brought was military attire. Berets, uniforms, military boots, and even field jackets, aplete set ofbat uniforms. The difference from the military uniforms we know is that they are not in camouge colors but instead have patterns of ck and gray. And, the system message disyed their names. ¡°It¡¯s a set ofbat uniforms made of leather.¡± ¡°¡­Goodness.¡± ¡°The skin of those lizards, as you said, has incredible defense power, right? It¡¯s so hard that anyone other than an awakened person like me can¡¯t handle it. The lizard¡¯s scales have high defense but are a bit thick, so we strengthened the defense by filling them only in areas where movement is not restricted or in vital areas.¡± [Steel Leather Command Combat Uniform] [A set of leather armor meticulously crafted by a novice seamstress] [Made from the products of powerful steel lizards, particrly those of chieftain-grade specimens. It has extremely high resistance in various aspects and retains traces of the chieftain¡¯s mana, bestowing various effects] [Significantly increases physical resistance when worn] [Increases resistance to magic and elemental attacks when worn] [Grants the attribute [Minor Charisma] when worn] [Increases strength and agility stats when worn] Themandbat gear is crafted from the chieftain¡¯s leather. The standardbat gear seemed to be made from regr lizard leather. Specializedbat gear needs no mention. Although the standardbat gear may have slightly reduced effects orck attribute bonusespared to themand uniform, it was still a remarkable piece. Lee Sang-ah. Former upation: Tailor and costume designer. Current upation: Seamstress. ¡°Production category¡­!¡± Why didn¡¯t I immediately think of this direction upon hearing her upation? Just like how I cooked using products from lizards. Lee Sang-ah created armor. ¡°Items that increase stats were only obtained through the n token acquired via group skills.¡± The token took the form of a dog tag. The increased abilities it provided greatly enhanced thebat prowess of our unit members. And the equipment she crafted was no different. Not only did it increase stats, but it also boosted resistance. We, who used to operate inbat uniforms with little resistance against monsters, are now properly armed. Moreover, perhaps due to her original profession as a costume designer¡­ The design felt quite elegant. However¡­ ¡°Thebat gear looks simr, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re all soldiers, aren¡¯t you? I designed it to reflect that identity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Well, there may not be a better design to express identity. ¡°But, when you look closely, there are some differences.¡± Although it¡¯s a digital-patterned military uniform, the biggest difference lies in the base colors of ck and gray. The color scheme is more reminiscent of riot police operating in the city than the army. For field jackets, they¡¯re longer than usual, reaching halfway down the thighs, almost resembling trench coats. ¡°Wider coverage is more useful for armor.¡± While digital-patterned military uniforms excel in camouge, they¡¯re not particrly helpful in directbat with monsters. But thisbat uniform seemed excellent even assuming a fight against monsters. ¡°We tweaked the performance slightly differently for officer and enlisted uniforms. Themandbat uniform made of chieftain leather is for officers like Lieutenant Kim or other sergeants.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m themander of our unit right now.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± And so, albeit a bitte, Ms. Lee Sang-ah fully joined the n. We also share the fact with her that I¡¯m themander now. And under her leadership, The armament of the unit began. ¡°Just what sort of clothes are these to increase our stats¡­¡± ¡°Try it on. It¡¯s leather.¡± ¡°Can you move this freely in a leather military uniform¡­?¡± [Steel Leather Combat Uniforms] were issued to awakened soldiers. It wasn¡¯t just clothes being given. ¡°Warriors probably need more defense. So, we¡¯ve made it possible to wear armor underneath.¡± ¡°Here for the marksmen. This version has magazine pouches attached for holding extra rounds.¡± ¡°Mr. Young-joon said he uses a knife, right? We¡¯ve added a sheath to the belt for that.¡± The design itself didn¡¯t change much, but there were slight variations depending on the types of awakened individuals. She immediately incorporated any requests the awakened individuals had about the clothing that they had received, Thanks to that, even though everyone in the unit wore the samebat uniform, it was customized ording to each individual¡¯s personality and upations. And¡­ ¡°Can I take this?¡± ¡°Gwang-il, you¡¯re the head of the warriors. Who else would wear it but you?¡± Including me and Lieutenant Kim, [Command Combat Uniforms] were issued to sergeant-level awakened individuals. Command uniforms are equipment made from chieftain¡¯s byproducts. Unlike the lizards that still asionally attack the unit in small numbers, it was a rare item due to theck of immediate supply of materials. And thatst set. ¡°Sang-ah, you should take this one and customize it for yourself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Based on discussions with unit members, It was decided to assign this to Ms. Lee Sang-ah. ¡°Why me, though¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the representative of the survivors. It¡¯s almost like being a sergeant in terms of what to call you.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it a meaningless title when joining the unit?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± The representative of the survivors. Certainly, at the point where they decided to join our unit, they might deserve to be treated like any other soldier. However¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving the unit soon.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°When we go outside, other survivors might join us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Sang-ah, you¡¯ll have to take care of those survivors.¡± Dealing with the survivors we¡¯ll meet outside. While the troops could handle it if they had to, we¡¯ve never experienced life as survivors ourselves. As a leader of survivors, someone who has lived in a world on the brink of destruction, she¡¯s the right person for the job. ¡°Plus, being someone who distributes equipment from the production system.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s be a more important position than I thought.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through it too, so I know it might be worrying, but you¡¯ll adapt quickly.¡± I¡¯ve been in a situation where I was suddenly appointed n leader overnight. But hey, humans are adaptable creatures, they say, and they do get used to things quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a reward, but here¡¯s something from our side.¡± I handed her the item I had brought with me. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± Normally, when soldiers transfer to a unit, they¡¯re issued assault rifles like the M16 or K2 as personal weapons. The same goes for most officers unless they¡¯re in special units. But there are a few exceptions. ¡°A pistol¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a K5.¡± In special cases likemissioned officers or senior sergeants. Instead of assault rifles, they¡¯re issued pistols. ¡°In our unit¡¯s case, it¡¯s themanding officer, senior sergeant, and medical officer. Three people.¡± Three pistols that lost their owners. They had been quietly stored in the corner of themand center. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave them behind.¡± One of them, for now, went to our unit¡¯s highest-ranking officer. I gave it to Lieutenant Kim, who had awakened as a [Novice Commander]. Although it¡¯s just a nominal position, being almost equivalent to amanding officer, Lieutenant Kim, who focuses onmand-rted skills, had weakbat skills. ¡°And another one, I¡¯ll be using it myself.¡± The weapon I¡¯m currently using is the long sword that belonged to my deceased junior. It¡¯s suitable with my ¡®Dagger Proficiency¡¯ skill, and it¡¯s strangely familiar in my hand, so I¡¯ve been using this sword as my weapon so far¡­ ¡°But it has its limits.¡± I first realized that during the fight with the Lizard Chieftain. I was well aware of the weaknesses of the lizard race. However, the massive stature of the lizard chieftain was such that even if I stretched out my sword with all my might, I couldn¡¯t reach its vulnerability. Warriors, mages, and the like. Combat-oriented awakeners are said to possess skills or attributes to deal with such situations. But I am a production-oriented awakened. Recognizing myck ofbat-oriented traits, I concluded that being armed was necessary. Lee Sang-ah, another production-oriented awakener like me, came to the same conclusion. ¡°¡­We¡¯ll have to work hard.¡± It seemed to hit her quite hard that she was being issued a pistol, something that would usually be impossible to obtain, as she nervously received the gun with a tense expression. And so, the armament distribution among the unit members came to an end. * * * A few dayster. ¡°Min-cheol,e with me.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ y-yes!¡± ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m right here, so don¡¯t get too nervous.¡± A senior soldier, who had already awakened apanied the private and approached the dying monster. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t be scared!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that hard once you try it!¡± The soldiers watching nearby also shouted encouraging words for the private. And then. Thud! ¡°I did it!¡± ¡°Congrattions. You have awakened now.¡± Private Jang Min-cheol. The youngest member of our unit seeded in awakening. [The conditions have been fulfilled] [100 or more people (100/100)] [A leader recognized by the majority of the members (1/1)] [Sessfully formed a guild (100 members)] [Unlike a party, which is a temporary organization, or a n, which is an early form of a group, a guild is a full-fledged social group with a proper structure] [Establish ranks, create regtions, and establish order] [Enforce the order you¡¯ve created upon the world] [Can appoint Vice Guild Masters] [Can designate Vice Guild Masters to delegate guild tasks] [Vice Guild Masters can have some involvement in guild affairs and can converse remotely through guild messages. Make your decision carefully!] [Guild name not yet determined. Please specify the guild¡¯s name] [Main Region- ROK¡¯s first guild.] [Sub Region ¨C ROK. 17¡¯s first guild.] [Achievement unlocked ¨C Formation of an organization] [Rewards are given to those who excel] [Reward ¨C Dragon¡¯s Tooth] All preparations wereplete. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 3 more chaptersing today (1 regr chapter + 2 additional chapters) Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 24 Chapter 24 When the suggestion of abandoning the unit and descending the mountains came up, as expected, there were voices of concern about leaving the safety of the unit for the dangers of the surface. Some soldiers showed signs of anxiety, even if they didn¡¯t voice their objections. ¡°Let¡¯s just go for it!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Thankfully, after serving them courage-infused dishes, they showed more enthusiasm than anyone else. It¡¯s inevitable. ¡°Before we leave the unit, let¡¯s tidy up first.¡± After preparations for the expedition to the surface were somewhatpleted, we gathered all the unit members and survivors for a final meeting. ¡°First off, everyone¡¯s aware that our awakened members have grown to a guild of 100, right? It¡¯s the first in the country. Let¡¯s give them a round of apuse.¡± ¡°Woww.¡± *p p p. * After the small apuse passed¡­ ¡°And, as we¡¯ve grown into a guild, we now have the option to appoint Vice Guild Masters.¡± ¡°Vice Guild Masters¡­ you mean?¡± Nodding, I opened the system window to ess the guild information. [Vice Guild Masters: 0 (0/5)] ¡°Vice Guild Master assist the Guild Master in managing the guild.¡± ¡°When appointed as a Vice Guild Master, the buff effect of the [Token] skill increases. Vice Guild Master and above can also use the messaging function.¡± The increase in the buff effect of the Token skill is something I already enjoy. The amount of buff granted by the Token skill varies depending on the wearer¡¯s rank. As the leader, I already had a higher buff than others, and it increased further when I became the Guild Master. Vice Guild Master would also experience such an increase in their buff. ¡°What¡¯s more, those appointed as Vice Guild Master canmunicate remotely with other Vice Guild Master or with me, the Guild Master.¡± ¡°Remotemunication¡­¡± As people began to murmur, I continued. With the appearance of monsters, all conventional forms ofmunication, like phones or radios, had been cut off. The fact that long-distancemunication was now possible again meant that our capabilities would expand ordingly. ¡°So, we¡¯re nning to appoint Vice Guild Master here.¡± When we were all together in the unit, overseeing a hundred people wasn¡¯t too difficult. But once we left the unit and went out to the monster-infested surface, it would be challenging to keep a hundred people together in one ce. That¡¯s where the role of Vice Guild Master, who couldmand divided units, would be crucial. ¡°First, Sergeant Lee Min-jae.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although he¡¯s older than me and we usually speak informally to each other, Min-jae hyung maintained a respectful tone, recognizing the formality of the asion. ¡°Sergeant Lee Min-jae will assist me in managing the unit and willmand divided units if necessary.¡± Min-jae hyung is known for being smart andpetent. Despite his somewhat picky personality, he has shown dedication and hard work even after the monsters appeared. Thanks to that, his reputation in the unit improved considerably. The unit members also nodded as if they recognized Sergeant Lee Min-jae. ¡°Next, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yup.¡± They had previously served as leaders of the assault and sniper teams, respectively. As the top warriors in their respective groups, they were expected to perform well as Vice Guild Master too. ¡°Next, Ms. Lee Sang-ah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ms. Lee Sang-ah, the leader of the recently joined survivor group. Now that even the survivors were slowly bing awakened, their role was bing increasingly important. ¡°Ms. Lee Sang-ah¡­ This way of addressing doesn¡¯t fit you anymore. From now on, I will treat you the same as other unit members. ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± ¡°¡­None!¡± Now that Ms. Lee Sang-ah and the survivors had be part of the unit, there was no need to address them formally. She seemed to sense this, as she answered with more determination, as if reaffirming her status as a unit member. Ms. Lee Sang-ah, who had led thergest survivor group, naturally took on the role of a Vice Guild Master. Considering that other survivor groups might join us once we go to the surface, she would be adept at coordinating with them. And so, four Vice Guild Masters were selected. Since the reasons were clear, the unit members seemed to ept them without muchint. And finally, the fifth officer. ¡°Lastly, Sergeant Park Taejun.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The moment that name was called. Murmurs arose among the troops. ¡°Sergeant Park Taejun?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good guy, but can we really make someone who can¡¯t even walk properly an officer?¡± In truth, it was a natural reaction. Being an officer meantmanding the unit in ce of the guild master and sometimes fighting on the front lines. Despite Taejun¡¯s good reputation among hisrades, there were doubts about whether someone with a leg injury could properly fulfill the role of an officer on the ground. However, the reason I chose Taejun as an officer was simple. ¡°Sergeant Park Taejun will not leave this base unit.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Murmurs. For the first time among the soldiers who had been listening without any objections, there was a stir. We were going to leave our base unit and move to the surface. But a few members of the unit, including Taejun, would remain here. ¡°These mountains are our only stronghold. If all unit members leave, the upation effect will also disappear.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± When we first gained control of these mountains, a message appeared: [You can acquire ¡®upation* Points¡¯ while maintaining territorial control] [Points obtained by dominating territories. The longer and the more territories you dominate, the more points you can obtain] At this point, we don¡¯t know what these upation points are used for. ¡°But this game seems to take the form of territorial warfare for some reason.¡± There¡¯s no way the points obtained by maintaining upation wouldn¡¯t have any meaning. So, we can¡¯t give up our only stronghold, the mountains. But that¡¯s not the only reason. ¡°¡­As you all know, my profession is that of an astrologer. It¡¯s easier for me to use my abilities where the stars are visible. There are few ces with clear visibility of stars like our unit.¡± Taejun continued his exnation. ¡°I¡¯ll stay on this mountain to maintain its upation and ry information obtained through my abilities.¡± The top of the radar team, Park Taejun. He would ensure that there were no problems on the path we would take to the surface. Thus, Taejun and seven radar team soldiers who were close to him decided to stay in the unit. It would be easy for them to continue managing the unit while maintaining the upation and rying information obtained through Taejun¡¯s abilities. And the food situation could be solved with thebat rations and emergency rations remaining in the unit. ¡®Even if the enemies invade, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡¯ Leaving only seven troops on the mountains wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat. In a small-scale skirmish like the current situation, we might manage, but we¡¯d be powerless against arge-scale invasion. However, with Taejun¡¯s astrological abilities, we could detect the invasion beforehand and request support from our main base on the ground. That¡¯s why Taejun was appointed as the Vice Guild Master. ¡°If there are no other opinions, let¡¯s settle for five Vice Guild Masters. Now, for thest matter¡­¡± The next thing to decide. Arguably the most important aspect. [The guild name hasn¡¯t been determined yet. Please specify the guild name.] ¡°The guild name. Any suggestions?¡± When we were in small units like parties or ns, we couldn¡¯t decide on a name. But now, with 100 awakened individuals gathered and grown into a guild-level entity, we could choose a guild name to represent us externally. ¡°Do we really need to change it? Using 423rd Battalion as it shouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­¡± One soldier said so, but his opinion was rejected. ¡°Maybe it would¡¯ve been fine a few days ago. But new people have joined recently, right?¡± ¡°Ah, true.¡± Earlier, our entire group consisted of all the soldiers and officers of the 423rd Battalion. If that was the current scenario, using the battalion name would have sufficed for us. But now, with survivors like Lee Sang-ah having joined the unit, the name 423rd Battalion might feel like a barrier to those who joinedter. ¡°Especially since we¡¯ve decided to operate on the ground, there¡¯s a high possibility that more people will join us in the future. We need a new name that represents us, not just a battalion name.¡± A name that won¡¯t make future recruits feel excluded while showcasing our uniqueness. ¡°How about ¡®Gangwon Province Human Liberation Front¡¯?¡± ¡°But we¡¯re not going to stay only in Gangwon Province, right? Besides, there are fewer people from Gangwon Province among the unit members.¡± ¡°The Knights of the Round Table!¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim¡­ that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Various opinions were exchanged among the soldiers, but a guild name that seemed perfect didn¡¯t emerge. ¡°If it¡¯s unclear, how about deciding on keywords?¡± ¡°Keywords?¡± After contemting for a while, Min-jae suggested. ¡°If deciding on a group name is difficult, then let¡¯s do it step by step. Start with keywords that can reveal our identity and won¡¯t feel awkward when others join.¡± ¡°Something unique¡­¡± What could be considered our uniqueness? ¡°Our military background?¡± ¡°Background, you say. Well, we¡¯re all still soldiers.¡± True. We¡¯re still soldiers, and we are just leaving our military base unit; we haven¡¯t received discharge orders yet. In that case, something military-rted would be better. Military¡­ ¡°Steel¡­¡± ¡°Steel?¡± A word muttered without much thought. The word elicited reactions from others. ¡°Well, when I think of the military, that¡¯s whates to mind. Guns and armored vehicles, you know. It¡¯s all about steel, isn¡¯t it?¡± I¡¯m not entirely sure, but they might actually use synthetic metals instead of actual steel. But perhaps it¡¯s the image of toughness associated with steel. When I think of the military, steel is the image thates to mind. ¡°Steel, huh¡­ Not bad.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± I just thought it was the word that came to mind when I thought of the military, but it seemed like it was okay to decide on it. ¡°The image of steel also conveys resilience.¡± ¡°The first monster we encountered was a Steel Lizard, right?¡± The reactions of the unit members seemed to already have settled on this. ¡°Above all, the fact that our leader, you, thought of it first carries significant symbolic meaning.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ncing around, there seemed to be no one with objections. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go with steel as the keyword. Now, what should we name the organization?¡± Again, there were various opinions. Knights¡­ Brotherhood¡­ Comradeship¡­ Fraternity¡­ ¡°How about Steel Corps?¡± ¡°¡­No, let¡¯s not go with that.¡± ¡°Huh, really? Why not?¡± It¡¯s not that it¡¯s a bad name, but somehow it just doesn¡¯t feel right. After a brief discussion, The name decided by majority vote was this. [Steel Legion] ¡°We are a legion.¡± ¡°For a legion, we seem rather small.¡± A soldier¡¯s voice from the corner elicited a small chuckle. [A guild system has been established] [Guild: Steel Legion] [Legion Commander: Shin Young-joon] [Deputies: Lee Min-jae, Park Taejun, Gwang-il Jeon, Seo Su-hyeok, Lee Sang-ah] [Legion Members: 100] [Description] [ROK. Area 17, an armed group that originated from deep within the ¡®Mountains¡¯.] [After a briefpetition for dominance with the Steel Lizard tribe over the ¡®Mountain Range,¡¯ victory was attained in arge-scale battle instigated bymanding-level entities] [After driving out the lizard forces, they established themselves as the undisputed rulers of the Mountain Range. Leveraging the geographical advantages of the Mountain Range, they steadily expanded their influence, culminating in the formation of a legion] [Rooted in a military unit, they possess numerous military-grade weapons and have rapidly grown into a powerful group of awakened individuals. Initially stemming from a national military unit, they have since re-established their identity with the inclusion of civilian survivor groups, aiming to expand their influence] ¡°Huh. Get into position.¡± It feels like text straight out of a game exining the faction. Despite a bit of awkwardness, there¡¯s also a sense of pride in how far we¡¯vee. Especially thest sentence. Now, we¡¯re leaving the Mountain Range to expand our influence externally. ¡°The question is, where to?¡± Our unit is situated within the vast mountain range spanning Gangwon Province. If we¡¯re leaving the unit, then we have two options: east or west. To the west, in the Yeongseo region, there arerge cities like Chuncheon, and thend is expansive. With such a vast area, there are many other military units, and our headquarters are also located to the west. On the other hand, to the east, in the Yeongdong region, there are cities like Gangneung, and the sea is nearby. It¡¯s also where the 12th Division, our higher headquarters, is located. ¡°Should we venture into the vast region or head towards the location of the higher headquarters to join forces?¡± ¡°Each option has its advantages and disadvantages¡­¡± In that case¡­ ¡°Shall we leave it to the fortune teller?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a fortune teller, it¡¯s an astrologer.¡± A few dayster¡­ In the depths of the mist-covered mountains, a small military unit is located. The long-closed main gate of the unit¡­ Finally opened. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 2 more chaptersing today (For NU ratings) Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Although we gained control over the mountain range, it didn¡¯t mean we ruled over the entire area. We only conducted defensive operations from the highest peak, eliminatingpetitors. ¡°Recently, our soldiers conducted an investigation.¡± Min-jae hyung said, taking out a military map. The military map showed unknown X marks scattered abundantly around our unit¡¯s vicinity. ¡°Sergeant Lee Min-jae, what are these markings?¡± It wasn¡¯t just me who was curious about this, Gwang-il also asked the same. ¡°These are locations where monsters have been sighted recently. Through this, we can roughly estimate the number of monsters nearby.¡± ¡°Wow, there seem to be a lot of checkmarks.¡± ¡°Good observation. And it¡¯s likely to be true.¡± Although it had been some time since we defeated the chieftain, a few lizards still attacked our unit every day. It wasn¡¯t a big problem since they weren¡¯t inrge groups, and it actually helped the unit members level up. But¡­ ¡°There are probably many more spread throughout the mountain range.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Min-jae hyung sighed deeply as he looked at the map. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there are holes where monsters are spawning or something¡­ but if what the soldiers observed is true, the number of monsters is increasing rather than decreasing.¡± ¡°While we continuously hunt the creatures flowing into our unit, is the total number actually increasing?¡± ¡°It seems so. And recently, there have been stories of encountering bizarre creatures besides the lizards. While we have information on the lizards, dealing with other creatures might be more difficult.¡± Even with just the lizards, it was challenging to face them without the firepower of snipers if we didn¡¯t know their weaknesses. On the other hand, knowing the weaknesses of the lizards might give us an advantage. The enemy¡¯s strength might be more formidable than expected. At this point, one question arose. ¡°Vice guild leader, Sang-ah.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How did you and your group make it to our unit?¡± About twenty survivors who belonged to her group. How did they manage to climb this mountain range? ¡°Well¡­ There were monsters, of course, but not as many as now. Since we were few in number, we tried to hide our presence as much as possible and climbed cautiously. Sometimes we encountered one or two monsters, but we managed to deal with them somehow. They weren¡¯t lizards, though.¡± Hiding their presence? Would that really help them avoid monster attacks? ¡°Think about it.¡± Min-jae hyung answered my question. ¡°We discovered those climbing the mountain range the day after we defeated the chieftain.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Indeed. The lizard chieftain had gathered the lizards of the mountain range to hunt us. We repelled them. Thanks to that, when her group set foot in the mountain range, the number of lizards roaming around had drastically decreased. On the contrary¡­ ¡°If we had tried to climb the mountain range just a few days earlier¡­ Ugh, gives me the chills.¡± Unfortunately, it¡¯s difficult for us to expect such luck now. With many unit members and not enough supplies to move secretly, conflict is inevitable. ¡°Ha. I feel confident in defending the unit but leaving the unit and descending the mountain range¡­ that will require a different mindset.¡± ¡°It¡¯s inevitable.¡± Leaving the unit and moving is necessary. We must prepare as thoroughly as possible. ¡°All vehicles have been serviced.¡± As I busily prepared in the restaurant, a soldier who specialized in vehicle maintenance reported to me. Following him, I saw several vehicles in the distance. Military trucks, known as Retona, and other vehicles, from civilian minibuses to ambnces. ¡°We¡¯ve brought out all the vehicles avable.¡± ¡°Is there enough fuel?¡± ¡°Just in case, we haven¡¯t used the fuel stored in the vehicles. Since we¡¯ll only be moving a short distance down the mountain, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± I was worried about the amount of fuel the unit¡¯s generator consumed, but it seemed other soldiers also anticipated the need for vehicles someday. ¡°For now, we¡¯ve loaded everything we can. Let¡¯s hope they¡¯ll be useful in battles against monsters.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unsettling, but we have no choice but to trust.¡± The reason we went to such lengths to mobilize vehicles¡­ It is for the purpose of using in battle. ¡°The area below the mountain is an unfavorable ce for us.¡± So, we need to make it advantageous by any means necessary. At least, so far, the monsters we¡¯ve encountered didn¡¯t have long-range attack capabilities. We¡¯re nning to erect barriers using giant vehicles, essentially forming a kind of barricade. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of protecting the other survivors.¡± ¡°Yes, stay strong, everyone.¡± The downside is that all the survivors haven¡¯t awakened yet. Still, it was realistically difficult to stay in the mountains any longer. The yet-to-awaken survivors were ced in the safest vehicles under Lee Sang-ah¡¯s care. ¡°We¡¯re opening the gate.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Creak¡­ In the deep, misty mountains, a small military unit was located. Finally, the main gate of that unit opened after a long time. * * * ¡°Warriors, this way!¡± ¡°Send the vehicles with survivors inward first!¡± As the narrow gate opened and we stepped out of the unit, we formed our formations ording to the n. Originally, we¡¯re not ustomed to battles involving awakened individuals. Naturally,plex formations would be challenging, so we kept it simple. ¡°Tank, Damager Dealers and Healers. It¡¯s a standard formation in RPG games.¡± The vehicles would serve as outer barriers, surrounded by warriors. Inside them were awakened individuals providing ranged and rear support, with vehicles carrying survivors positioned in the center. Simple yet effective, intuitive in its simplicity. While warriors and vehicles would hold off the enemy, the mages would attack from behind. ¡°The problem is we don¡¯t know where the attacks wille from.¡± ¡°In that case, the warriors near the vehicles will have to dynamically block the attacks.¡± Watching the soldiers maintaining their formations Gwang-il muttered. ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if we could quickly descend while on board the vehicles.¡± The road down the mountainside would take several hours even by car. It would probably take half a day on foot. In terms of speed, taking the car would be faster, but¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s too risky.¡± ¡°Hmm. ¡°I justined once.¡± The roads in the mountains, where our unit was located, were mostly rugged dirt roads, with more than half being unpaved. Even the roads were narrow. There were many sections where two cars couldn¡¯t pass side by side. Not to mention, most of the routecked guardrails. If an ident were to ur, the vehicle would immediately fall off the cliff below. Given that we were the only ones using this road, even if we did manage it, the road¡¯s quality wasn¡¯t high. Even with maintenance, it was limited to removing weeds and rocks; the road itself wasn¡¯t of high quality. ¡°The drivers always drove cautiously when going up and down the mountains.¡± We didn¡¯t even ask the new recruits to drive up and down the mountains. After assessing their driving skills to a certain extent, if we thought it wouldn¡¯t work, we redirected them to the maintenance team. That¡¯s how treacherous the road was. So, rather than moving quickly on the vehicles in such a treacherous path and risking an attack by monsters¡­ It was judged safer to position the vehicles in potentially attacked areas, using them as barriers and moving slowly. ¡°Formation set up,pleted.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡± We began our descent with brisk steps. Thanks to everyone awakening, we didn¡¯t tire easily, even with a fast pace. ¡°Well, as a cook, I don¡¯t tire easily anyway.¡± The warriors could run as fast as Olympic medalists. ¡°Still, it¡¯s pretty quiet near the unit.¡± Moving cautiously with the vehicles while maintaining vignce, one soldier muttered. Indeed, the area near the unit was practically our territory. It¡¯s been quiet so far. ¡°But it probably won¡¯tst.¡± As expected, just as I predicted¡­ Rustle¡­ Not long after leaving the unit and beginning our descent from the mountain, we heard strange noises. Originally, it was a mountain range close to being semi-wilderness. I wish it were just the sound of beasts¡¯ footsteps. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± The sound came from a distance. A dark figure was swiftly approaching. ¡°Everyone, weapons up!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stay calm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no different from fighting in the unit!¡± The senior soldiers encouraged the others, and the soldiers raised their weapons. Soon, the forest concealed by trees. From within its shadows, ¡°Aaaargh!¡± A lizard appeared, screaming. Following it, several more lizards began to reveal themselves. ¡°As per the n, use the vehicles as barricades.¡± The warriors stood behind the vehicles, weapons ready. The vehicles were meant to provide primary defense. It was a tactic to engage only the enemiesing around the barricade. However, contrary to our expectations, The vehicles couldn¡¯t fulfill their role as barricades. Crunch. ¡°Grrr¡­!¡± The lizards seemed to drive their sharp ws into the transport truck of our unit. Monsters leaping over the vehicles using the ws stuck in them as leverage. Their bodies soared over the vehicles. ¡°Damn.¡± Our belief that the vehicles would serve as barricades was just a misconception. They were nothing more than flimsy barriers that can be easily ovee by those creatures. ¡°Damn it, I knew it would be like this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust the barricades! Warriors, switch positions!¡± Seeing this, the warriors quickly changed their positions. With the barricades being ineffective, the area the warriors needed to cover expanded. ¡°Growl!¡± Soon, the monster that had first leaped over the vehicle flew towards the center of our formation. One of our allied marksmen seemed to be aiming to shoot at the monster, but¡­ Thunk. I quickly reached out and lowered the muzzle of his gun. ¡°We stick to the n. No shooting.¡± ¡°But, but¡­¡± The original base we were stationed at had terrain favorable for our defense. Utilizing the overwhelming firepower of our marksmen in defensive battles was always effective. ¡°But this ce is different.¡± The mountain range, with its obstructed visibility due to the trees, greatly limited our long-range firepower. That alone wouldn¡¯t be too bad, but¡­ ¡°The moment gunfire rings out, the monsters will swarm in.¡± It was a thunderous sound, in and of itself. If it were just a small number of monsters, we might have a chance of prevailing even in unfavorable conditions. But if a monster horde were toe charging after hearing gunshots¡­ ¡°That¡¯s when things truly be dire.¡± ¡°But, our formation¡­¡± ¡°We anticipated scenarios where vehicles wouldn¡¯t be of assistance. Trust in the warriors and mages.¡± Indeed, beyond the formation, warriors were leaping to confront the lizards. Prepared for such situations, there were warriors waiting inside. And the mages, unlike the marksmen, could control their firepower to reduce the noise and fight effectively. ¡°We can definitely win this.¡± The assaulting monsters numbered over a dozen. But that wasn¡¯t all. Once the battle began, noise was inevitable. Compared to the gunfire echoing across the entire mountain, it was rtively minor, but it was still enough noise to attract nearby monsters. More monsters came rushing in upon hearing the noise of battle and the roars of the creatures. They outnumbered the initial attackers. In the base we were originally stationed at, this wouldn¡¯t have posed a significant threat. The key to our unit¡¯s sessful defensey in our long-range firepower. It was made possible by our clear sightlines and various defensive structures. However, these creatures had breached our formation intact. While they were certainly threatening, they weren¡¯t invincible. ¡°We¡¯vee prepared for this.¡± I shouted, looking at myrades. ¡°Eatbat rations!¡± It was a somewhat out-of-cemand during urgent battle unfolding on the battlefield. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Bring out thebat rations!¡± But the soldiers seemed to be waiting for it. Keeping a slight distance from the enemy, they took action. They reached into their ration pouches and pulled something out. It was¡­ ¡°Jerky.¡± Wrapped in small pieces of paper, the crimson jerky. Even in the urgency of the moment, the soldiers tore open the paper and popped the jerky into their mouths. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just ordinary jerky. [Lizard meat jerky filled with courage of a Junior Chef] [A dish made with magical ingredients. Increases the effects of the dish] [A dish made for long-term preservation. Virtually no decrease in stats over time.] [Upon consumption, all stats will be increased by 5.] [Upon consumption, the magical power of the ¡®Steel Lizard¡¯ contained in the dish permeates the body. Physical Resistance will be increased drastically] ¡°Hehe! This is going to be an interesting fight!¡± ¡°We¡¯re dining in hell tonight!¡± ¡°Yeehaw!¡± The dishes that I have personally prepared. It was the first real deployment ofbat rations. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 1 more chaptering today (For NU ratings) Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Episode 26: Descent (Part 2) The dishes that I had prepared as a chef. Their effects were tremendous, but there was one fundamental drawback. ¡°First, you have to cook.¡± It¡¯s essential to cook in order to give buffs through cooking. You have to cook and feed to grant those buffs. That¡¯s the gist of it. It wasn¡¯t much of a problem when I was with the unit. I¡¯m proactive in participating inbat myself. However, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t have time to cook in the mess hall either. But once you descend to the ground, the problems be bigger than expected. ¡°There¡¯s a significant possibility that the necessary environment for cooking won¡¯t be provided.¡± Cooking in the field always entails great risks. There¡¯s the risk of exposing your location to the enemy due to smells and smoke, among other things. In situations where you don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll be attacked, it¡¯s impossible to set up cooking equipment for preparing meals. Until a stable base is established under the mountain. It¡¯s difficult to cook with peace of mind. Then, I think about packing lunchboxes, but they tend to spoil quickly. And this wasn¡¯t limited to battles with monsters alone. How soldiers would eat before going into battle has been a headache for many leaders for ages. So, to tackle this problem Combat Rations were created. ¡°Combat Rations.¡± [Skill ¨C Combat Rations (new)] [Now it is possible to manufacture preserved food for field use] [Combat rations, while slightly inferior in statspared to regr meals, are easy to carry due to their long shelf life andpact size. Taste is guaranteed as well] After dealing with Lieutenant Kim¡¯s matter. I acquired this skill upon reaching level 10. The dishes made using this skill have a slight decrease in their basic effects. However, such penaltiese with significant advantages. One of them being the elimination of expiration dates. [Lizard meat jerky filled with courage of a Junior Chef] This was the first dish that I had prepared using this skill. Jerky that preserves meat for a long time. In ancient times. Before the groundbreaking invention of canned food. It was the traditional form ofbat rations widely used in armies worldwide. ¡°It seems that eventually, even lunchboxes could be transformed intobat rations. But for now, this seems to be the limit.¡± Nevertheless, the effect was excellent. [Upon consumption, all stats will be increased by 5.] [Upon consumption, the magical power of the ¡®Steel Lizard¡¯ contained in the dish permeates the body. Physical Resistance will be increased drastically] Fixed stat increase. And even an increase in physical resistance influenced by the lizard used as an ingredient. But that¡¯s not all. ¡°Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Ahem. All units, assumebat positions!¡± After ensuring that all members of the unit had eaten my food, I signaled to Lieutenant Kim. With a nod, Lieutenant Kim shouted. [Command Directive ¨C Assume Battle Formations!] [Thebat abilities of allies will be increased by 10%.] [Temporarily, all allies have been granted the trait ¨C Combat Stance] [Trait ¨C Combat Stance] [When you deploy in a formation with a certain size of troops and prepare for battle, yourbat efficiency will be increased. Your troops will be immune to confusion caused by the battle] Lieutenant Kim¡¯s profession was that of a ¡®Novice Commander.¡¯ Simr to me it was a rear support providing type upation. It¡¯s a buffer-type profession. Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buffs increase the stats of allies by a certain percentage. And the characteristic of percentage-based buffs is¡­ ¡°It¡¯s about creating synergy with fixed number buffs.¡± The buffs from my cooking and Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buffs synergize to produce even greater effects. And with the effect of ¡®courage¡¯ infused in the dish. ¡°This will be an interesting fight.¡± ¡°Come here you bastards!¡± The monsters leaped into our formation. They¡¯ve chosen their ce to die. * * * That¡¯s how it went. The first battle unfolded as we descended from the mountain. ¡°We have about ten casualties, but they should be treatable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡± Fighting in unfavorable terrain. Naturally, there were some casualties. Still, the two awakened healers somehow managed to cover it. It was fortunate that there weren¡¯t more casualties. ¡°Sergeant Shin¡¯s cooking had a significant effect.¡± Sa Uijun, the medic, said. He looked at me with wonder as he took out the jerky from his bread pouch. ¡°To be honest, I thought Sergeant Shin¡¯s cooking effect wouldn¡¯t be seen once we left the unit. To have this much effect with such a small jerky is impressive.¡± ¡°I appreciate the praise, but there¡¯s still much room for improvement. Due to myck of skill, I had to settle for jerky for now, but I¡¯ll continue to improve.¡± Jerky made frombat rations. It performed admirably in this battle. Receiving cooking buffs even with small jerky that you can carry around is certainly a striking effect. ¡°But¡­ Jerky is just the most primitive form ofbat ration.¡± Combat rations used before the advent of canned food. There must be reasons why they were recedter on. Jerky can¡¯tpare to properly made dishes. I¡¯ll have to increase my skill proficiency to enhance the effects further. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sa Uijun, the medic, who heard my answer, responded as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°It is impressive as it is now. And you are saying there is more room for development?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s terrifying.¡± ¡°Right.¡± As I continued with the chef profession, I find it increasingly surprising. It¡¯s understandable that buffs improve aspensation forckingbat abilities. ¡°Luck yed a part too.¡± My cooking essentially increases in effectiveness rtive to the number of people eating it. It¡¯s simr to a wide-area buff. With over a hundred unit members benefiting from this buff, my abilities shine ordingly. Perhaps it¡¯s fortunate to be a chef. Anyway, the soldiers¡¯ injuries were at a level manageable by the medics and healers. After the conversation with Sa Uijun, as I was about to leave, a soldier who had been waiting grimaced and spoke up. ¡°We can¡¯t repair these vehicles.¡± Combat engineer, Corporal Lee Gong-woo, was inspecting the vehicles. ¡°Thought they might be of some help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s proven now. Regr vehicles aren¡¯t much use against monsters.¡± The vehicles used as barriers were mostlyrge vans or small trucks. But the exteriors of those vehicles were torn and shredded by the lizard¡¯s ws, rendering thempletely useless. It¡¯s hard to expect much in terms of protection. ¡°What about military vehicles then? Are they simr?¡± ¡°Military vehicles are definitely sturdier. They seem to withstand the ws better.¡± Unlike the battered vans, military vehicles still retained their shape to some extent. ¡°But seeing vans in that state, it¡¯s hard to fully trust military vehicles.¡± ¡°Even military ones could be destroyed if stronger monsterse.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not armored vehicles, just military variants ofmercial ones.¡± Lee Gong-woo finished his words with a bitter expression. ¡°If we had enough materials, we would have managed somehow.¡± Lee Gong-woo¡¯s profession was that of a ¡®Combat Engineer¡¯. In short, it¡¯s also called a Sapper. As the name suggests, it¡¯s a profession specialized in creating or reinforcing something. If we had the materials, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to enhance the vehicle¡¯s defense. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing we can do. Our unit isn¡¯t arge one. We don¡¯t have a lot of materials to deal with monsters.¡± ¡°I understand the situation, but¡­ sigh, it¡¯s still disappointing.¡± However, since the small unit in the mountains didn¡¯t have sufficient materials, thebat engineers awakened in their profession could only contribute to reinforcing the unit¡¯s defenses to some extent. Currently, they¡¯re mainly engaged in activities akin to warriors, utilizing their ¡®Hammer Mastery¡¯ skill. ¡°If we descend to the surface, we¡¯ll have to secure useful materials.¡± The same goes for the effects of the equipment made by Lee Sang-ah, the awakened ¡®tailor¡¯. In this ¡®game,¡¯ production jobs are surprisingly powerful. If these guys can fully utilize their abilities, they might demonstrate tremendous capabilities. But for now, it¡¯s something we can¡¯t immediately address. After somewhat organizing the battlefield, We reformed our formation and resumed our march. ¡°Wait, halt!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± However, not long after resuming our movement, An order to halt came from the front. It doesn¡¯t seem like a monster attack. What could it be? ¡°Reporting, Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve found something that you should see.¡± The soldiers leading the march came to me and reported. ¡°What have you found?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± Following the soldiers¡¯ lead, I moved to the front of the formation. There, I could see what they had discovered. A few guardrailsid on the path leading to the unit. And those guardrails¡­ ¡°They¡¯re broken.¡± It looked like a major incident had urred; they were torn up roughly. ¡°They weren¡¯t like this before, right?¡± ¡°No, they were intact before the monsters appeared.¡± For a moment, I wondered if monsters had torn them apart. But looking at the shape of the broken guardrails, There seemed to be no reason for monsters to attack them. ¡°¡­Could it be?¡± The appearance of the broken guardrails. It resembled something enormous rolling down and tearing away as it fell. ¡°The areas where guardrails areid are particrly dangerous if something falls.¡± With a hint of concern, I cautiously moved closer to the cliff edge. ¡°Sergeant Shin! Be careful!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fall.¡± It was a dizzying cliff. As I leaned over, I could see a Retona, a familiar vehicle, lying near the ground. ¡°Jaemin, Seungho¡­¡± Soldiers who had left for the upper unit to report just shortly after the monsters appeared. They were the ones driving that vehicle. Beyond the guardrails, a Retona used by the unity wrecked. The two drivers who rode that vehicle probably didn¡¯t survive. ¡°Sergeant Kim Jaemin and Sergeant Gwag Seungho¡­¡± ¡°They went to contact the upper unit, but I didn¡¯t expect them to not make it down alive.¡± When we realizedmunication with the outside was cut off, Other unit members, including myself, opposed it, But Lieutenant Kim pushed for sending drivers to try to contact the upper unit. Even though they were selected volunteers, In the end, they died here without even making it down from the mountain. ¡°If they hadn¡¯t gone down from the mountain, they might have still been with us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They weren¡¯t awakened, so they would have been helpless against monster attacks. They probably ran away in a panic, only to be hunted down and killed. However, As I looked closer, there was one thing that bothered me. ¡°I don¡¯t see any bodies.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Jaemin and Seungho. If they were dead, there would be bodies, but I don¡¯t see any.¡± The Retona lying below the cliff. The door of the partially wrecked van was torn open. But the driver¡¯s seat where the soldiers would have sat was empty. ¡°Did they luckily survive and move somewhere else?¡± ¡°From this height? Even with our awakening, falling from there would result in at least severe injuries.¡± The area where the guardrails wereid along the path to the unit consisted of steep cliffs where falling would mean certain death. It¡¯s hard to imagine that even the two drivers, who weren¡¯t awakened, survived the fall and moved on their own. ¡°Maybe the monsters took them as food.¡± That¡¯s the only usible guess. The monsters attacking the unit were not just killing humans but also devouring them. They must be organisms that need to eat to survive. However, Other possibilities kept popping up in my mind. ¡°It¡¯s a regrettable thought for those two, but¡­ perhaps it¡¯s better to hope they were eaten by the monsters.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t just rely on prayers. We needed to prepare for any contingency. ¡°Min-jae, Lieutenant Kim, I¡¯ll leavemand to you for a bit.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I have something to attend to.¡± After leavingmand to the two of them, I moved to the rear of the small truck. ng¡­ Inside the truck were the corpses of the lizards that we had just hunted. They were piled up inside the truck. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is thest chapter of the day. A big thanks to all the readers for all the reviews and ratings. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 27 Chapter 27 **Thud¡­!** A massive tremor shook the truck from the outside. ¡°¡­¡­! ¡­¡­!!!¡± The soldiers¡¯ voices rang out along with it. Sitting inside the trailerpartment, I could roughly guess what was happening. ¡°Another battle, huh.¡± This was the fourth one since I boarded the truck. After a while, themotion outside began to subside. Someone opened the trailerpartment door and reported, ¡°The battle¡¯s over. We¡¯re moving the monster corpses in here, right?¡± ¡°Good job.¡± It was Sergeant Lee Min-jae. Several soldiers joined him, starting to haul the carcasses of the hunted monsters into the trailerpartment. ¡°Five wounded. One is seriously injured and has been moved to the medic vehicle for intensive care,¡± Min-jae reported nonchntly. It was an update on the battle outside. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re still taking some hits.¡± Despite my cooking and Lieutenant Kim¡¯smand buffs, enhancing the troops¡¯ capabilities significantly, we were still constantly under attack in unfavorable conditions. Injuries and serious casualties piling up slowly. I asked Min-jae about something that had been on my mind. ¡°Are the battles getting more frequent, or is it just me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just you. The noise from continuous battles seems to be attracting more monsters. We tried to minimize gunfire for this reason, but¡­¡± Min-jae sighed deeply. ¡°I guess it didn¡¯t help much.¡± ¡°We should be thankful it¡¯s only this bad because we saved ammo. Anything you need my help with?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still good with thebat rations for now. I¡¯ll report, if anything changes.¡± By then, the task of moving the monster corpses into the trailerpartment wasplete. In a low voice, I asked Min-jae about the soldiers¡¯ morale. ¡°How are the soldiers holding up?¡± ¡°Not great, as you might expect.¡± Min-jae sighed briefly before continuing. ¡°While thebat rations you¡¯ve made are a big help¡­¡± ¡°There are stillints, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. No matter how good the rations are, there¡¯s grumbling about you staying out of the fighting.¡± Battles with monsters¡ªI¡¯m the only one not directly involved. ¡°It¡¯s natural for some to find it odd.¡± While thebat rations I prepared were undoubtedly helpful, my role seemed quite differentpared to those fighting on the front lines. It wasn¡¯t surprising if some saw me as choosing a safer path by staying in the rear. Min-jae nced around the trailerpartment and said, ¡°You have your reasons for what you¡¯re doing. Don¡¯t worry about the soldiers¡¯ints; I¡¯ll handle them.¡± In the unit, I had my fair share of frontlinebat experience. I had considered joining the fights, but mybat skills were, at best, average among the warriors. As a ¡°chef,¡± I contributed to the battles through the rations, but my directbat role wasn¡¯t as impactful. ¡°Better to stick to what I¡¯m good at.¡± With that Min-jae left. The inside of the trailerpartment was filled with the stench of blood. I continued to process the monster corpses. Separating skin and flesh, tenderizing the meat, and adding a bit of sauce were repetitive but necessary tasks. There were several more battles. Screech¡­ Suddenly, the truck I was in came to an abrupt stop. From outside the trailerpartment, I could hear the soldiers¡¯ voices buzzing. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like another attack.¡¯ Something must have happened. I opened the trailerpartment door and stepped outside. Upon emerging, I saw soldiers gathered and murmuring amongst themselves. ¡°Excuse me, let me through.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin?¡± I pushed through the gathered soldiers to the front of the crowd. Then, I saw what had startled them. In the distance, near the road, there was a figure wandering. ¡°Grrrr¡­!¡± Rotting skin, a severely broken and limping leg, and a familiar military uniform draped over its body. ¡°I hoped this wouldn¡¯t happen¡­¡± The two drivers, Corporal Kim Jae-min and Corporal Gwag Seung-ho, who had died while descending the mountain, had now appeared before us as zombies. ¡®Are we near that cliff from earlier?¡¯ We had to take a long detour down the mountain, so it took a while, but this ce didn¡¯t seem far from the cliff where we found the overturned vehicle. ¡°That¡¯s a zombie¡­?¡± Yes, that sentence is correct. However, it could be enhanced for flow: ¡°Many soldiers were visibly shocked at the sight of their formerrades transformed into zombies.¡± However, we couldn¡¯t just stand there in a daze. ¡°Grrrr¡­ huh?¡± Noticing themotion among the soldiers, the zombie soldiers turned their faces toward us. And then¡ª Click. ¡®¡­Click?¡¯ Of course, they had been supplied with guns and bullets. The soldiers sent to make contact with the higher-ups due to the monster attacks now pointed their weapons at us. This is insane. ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± The typical zombie clich¨¦ is that they only rush at you like beasts! These zombies were pointing their guns at us. Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat¡ª The two zombies unleashed a barrage of bullets from their guns. * * * ¡°Shieldmen!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Warriors with shields hurriedly moved to the front lines. Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud¡ª ¡°Hup¡­!¡± The awakened soldiers with defensive traits reinforced their iron shields, deflecting the zombies¡¯ bullets. However, some bullets still found their way towards the soldiers. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Min-cheol!¡± One soldier staggered who was hit by a bullet. I quickly rushed to him. ¡°Private Park Min-cheol! Are you alright?!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Damn it. Hold on, I¡¯ll get the medic¡ª¡± No one could be fine after being hit by a bullet. As I was about to call for a healer, the soldier groaning in pain spoke. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°What?¡± The soldier was clutching the area where he had been hit. However, there was no sign of bleeding. ¡°I think the uniform saved me. It hurts like hell though¡­ ugh.¡± [Steel Leather Combat Uniform] Ordinary bullets required an entire magazine to bring down a monster, and even shots from an awakened marksman could only hold them off for a few rounds. These uniforms were crafted from the processed hide of those lizard monsters. The zombies¡¯ shots were merely regr, unenhanced bullets. Despite the significant impact, no one sustained fatal injuries from bullet pration. ¡®Thank goodness.¡¯ The soldiers, initially shocked by theirrades turning into zombies, quickly shifted their emotions. Anger of the enemy firing on them outweighed their confusion. ¡°That bastard shot Min-cheol!¡± ¡°Zombie or not¡­!¡± Several enraged soldiers rushed forward, quickly eliminated the two zombies. Though the zombies fired their guns, theycked the intelligence to reload. Once their bullets were spent, they were rtively easy to handle. Seeing familiar faces being crushed by hammers wasn¡¯t pleasant, but¡ª ¡°They¡¯re dealt with!¡± ¡°It seems like the problem is solved¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± The issue was far from over. ¡®It¡¯s just the beginning.¡¯ After the zombies fired at us, strange noises echoed throughout the mountain range. Caw¡­! The sound of crows startled by the gunshots, followed by¡ª Rustle. Rattle. Ca! The eerie cries of creatures moving violently within the mountains. ¡°Sergeant Shin¡­ that sound¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably exactly what you think.¡± We were already in a situation where the noise of battles had attracted nearby monsters. Now, gunfire had echoed through the area. The noise of gunfire was much louder than the sounds from the awakened fighters¡¯ battles. ¡°All the monsters in this area are likely converging towards us.¡± ¡°After all the effort to conserve ammunition, this happens.¡± Despite our careful movement to avoid attracting monsters, the gunfire had effectively lured them right towards us. After a brief moment of contemtion, I made a decision and spoke. ¡°Our careful movement ends here.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Marksmen, switch to full auto. Mages, unleash your full firepower.¡± Several soldiers voiced their concerns. ¡°Is that really, okay?¡± ¡°The noise from the battle might draw even more monsters than before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need to get out of here as quickly as possible.¡± Battling in the mountain range puts us at a severe disadvantage. However, once we escape the mountains, the situation could improve somewhat. I nced around and recognized the familiar path. ¡°Driver!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°How much farther until we¡¯repletely out of the mountains?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there! If there are no monsters, we can escape in about 30 minutes.¡± Not much time left until we¡¯re out of the mountains. The path ahead is rtively clear and less dangerous. ¡°All long-range awakened, board the Deuce and a Half and provide covering fire from the vehicles! Warriors, sprint ahead and deal with any monsters that get close!¡± ¡°All long-distance awakened people board the Retona and provide support fire from the vehicles! Warriors run at full speed and only deal with monsters that stick to them!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± There¡¯s no time to hesitate. After issuing themands, I quickly grabbed onto the trailerpartment of the truck I was in. Awakened soldiers without the physical abilities of warriors hurriedly climbed onto nearby vehicles. ¡°All aboard!¡± ¡°Go! Full speed ahead!¡± Vroooom¡­ The vehicles roared to life and started moving, with the warriors sprinting alongside them at full speed. Shortly after we began moving, ¡°From the right! They¡¯reing!¡± I looked in the direction of the shout and saw around 15 monsters approaching at incredible speed. ¡°Marksmen,mence interception!¡± ¡°Wipe out them!¡± Orders came from Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, leader of the marksmen, and Sergeant Lee Min-jae, leader of the mages. The bullets from the already powerful marksmen,bined with the mages¡¯ unleashed firepower, spread across the mountain range. Tat-tat-tat-tat¡ª Boom, boom¡ª The thunderous noise reminiscent of war echoed through the air. ¡°They¡¯reing from behind¡­¡± ¡°And from the front¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re closing in from all sides!¡± Unlike the previously spread-out unit, we were now facing a mountainous terrain filled withrge trees and rocks, limiting the effectiveness of long-range firepower. ¡°There are too many!¡± It was different from the unit that used to mow down enemies with firepower before the powerful lizard monster could even approach. Enemies were converging from all directions. The marksmen and mages couldn¡¯t eliminate them all. ¡®We¡¯ll have to face some of them head-on.¡¯ It seems like it¡¯s time to use what we¡¯ve prepared. I opened the door of the trailerpartment I was hanging onto and stepped inside. Roar! The sound of monsters was almost right in front of us. ¡°Hold them off!¡± ¡°Push them back!¡± The warriors running alongside the vehicles swung their weapons at the approaching monsters, preventing them fromtching onto the vehicles. These warriors had experienced many battles and could handle most monsters that came their way. ¡°But if the enemies were not the familiar lizard creatures, we were ustomed to facing¡­¡± By the time we were halfway down the mountain, we encountered many unfamiliar monsters. ¡®This isn¡¯t the territory of the lizards anymore. It must be them.¡¯ It certainly wasn¡¯t a good sign. With so many unfamiliar monsters, it was hard to guess their abilities. Roar! The warriors continued to push back the monsters clinging to the vehicles. However, some of them showed abnormalities. Warriors wielding their weapons, leaping high. ¡°What the hell!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that!?¡± A grotesque creature with unnaturally long legs and six eyes. Its appearance hinted at formidable strength. The creatures, leaping over the weapons wielded by the warriors, soared towards our formation. Or, to be more precise, they were descending towards me. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± The soldiers, seeing the monster fall near me, shouted in rm. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Seated inside the trailerpartment of a running small truck, I watched as the iing monster pierced through. A creature resembling a beast with green fur. At first nce, it looked somewhat like a wolf with an odd skin color. However, its legs were unnaturally long, and it had six eyes. Had it been starving for days? The eyes of the attacking monsters were filled with life. Unlike the warriors, I was alone without any formation. This must be an enormous crisis. So, I¡­ ¡°Here.¡± Swiftly, I tossed prepared chunks of meat to them. ¡°Aaaah¡­ What?¡± The charging monsters bit into the meat I threw. I was able to divert the attention of the rampaging monsters, who were intent on tearing apart their prey before them. ¡°Aaa¡­¡± The momentum of those monsters noticeably diminished. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°The monsters, they seem¡­ subdued?¡± A clear change. The soldiers rushing to help me noticed the shift and murmured in surprise. Whether it was rted or not. [Skill ¨C ¡®Chef¡¯s Eye¡¯ has been activated] [Analyzing ingredients] [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Light Foot Slypa Preparation Method] An enlightenment surfaced in my mind. The ¡®effective method of handling it¡¯ was visible before my eyes. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 3 more chaptersing soon (1 regr chapter + 2 additional chapters for NU voting) Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡°Keaaah¡­¡± The monsters, charging towards me with tremendous vigor, breathed out clouds of steam. Their eyes lost their fervor, and their bodies sagged. Merely clinging to the momentum of their charge, they stuck to the speeding vehicle. I gazed intently at the monster. And then¡­ [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Light Foot Slypa Preparation] Following the enlightenment that came to mind, I swung the kitchen knife towards the nearest creature. [You have gained experience points] ¡°W-what was that?¡± The soldiers, running alongside the vehicle, shouted in disbelief. ¡°Was that¡­ Sergeant Shin¡¯s doing?¡± The monsters, previously charging to kill, suddenly became docile, falling lifelessly. It was bewildering to witness such a drastic change. But there wasn¡¯t time to exin each detail. ¡°Let¡¯s put out the immediate fires first, I¡¯ll exinter. The weakness of that one is-¡± I shared the insights of the ¡®preparation technique¡¯ with the soldiers. The remaining two monsters within our formation were dealt with by the soldiers. Not stopping there, I moved inside the trailerpartment. Inside were piles of butchered meat. Gathering handfuls of it, I emerged with both hands full. ¡°Euracha!¡± I threw them in all directions. ¡°Grk?¡± The monsters charging towards us, especially those nearby, eagerly snapped up the flying chunks of meat. ¡°As expected!¡± Seeing that, I was certain. ¡°The monsters attacking us¡­ they¡¯re not necessarily trying to kill humans.¡± When I heard about the variety of monsters on the ground, one question remained. Why do they attack humans? What I just witnessed might hold the answer. ¡°They¡¯re hunting prey.¡± The lizard we fought in the mountains might be different. Since they¡¯ve been strategizing and consistently attacking our mountain troops. But even they didn¡¯t stop at killing our soldiers; they tried to devour them. With their grotesque forms. Unmatched strengthpared to ordinary animals. They felt like formidable beings. Their behavior principle was fundamentally simr to wild animals. I recalled a documentary about wild animals. It discussed the behavior of starving beasts. A starving beast is aggressively relentless, even towards dangerous prey. But what if safe food appears before them? ¡°Naturally, they choose the safe food.¡± The monsters before us were no different. ¡°No, these creatures seem more aggressive than most animals.¡± Most of the monsters, even after biting into the meat I threw, continued to chase the speeding vehicle. Even in a situation where food was secured, they remained aggressive enough to continue hunting. Ordinary humans would have no way to deter them once they were designated as prey. However¡­ At the moment they bit into the raw meat I threw, other concerns became meaningless. [Raw Meat Seasoned with a Languid Feeling prepared by a Junior Chef] The raw meat I threw to them. It was, in a sense, a dish. [No effort was put into preparing this dish] [This food is at a level where it¡¯s embarrassing to even call it a dish] [A chef should be ashamed of this dish] Of course, it wasn¡¯t a remarkable dish. Beyond that, it was so embarrassing to call it cooking. ¡®I don¡¯t recall seeing such a harsh message before?¡¯ [This dish doesn¡¯t contain any stat increase effects] [Experience points will decrease slightly] So, even the experience points can be decreased. I understand. I just handled the meat, tenderized it, and sprinkled the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce]. Even for me, it¡¯s hard to call it cooking. It might be more appropriate to see it as a finished ingredient. Of course, there are no cooking buffs or effects. But¡­ [When consumed you will feelnguid] Even so. The effects from the special sauce still triggered. ¡°The lower the quality of the dish, the less effective its effects will be!¡± I threw some extra meat to the monsters who were trying to cling onto the meat. [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] ¡®I have already confirmed that this skill works on monsters too!¡¯ That¡¯s not all I¡¯ve experimented with. The higher the quality of the dish, the more effective it is. And¡­ ¡®This is the most important. Even if it¡¯s roughly made, the effect is still there!¡¯ No matter how roughly the dish has been prepared. The effect of the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] doesn¡¯t drop to 0. It always triggers at least one effect. The scariest part of this skill isn¡¯t maximizing its effect. It¡¯s this minimum adjustment value. The most deceptive part of this skill! ¡°Aaargh¡­ Argh?¡± I threw raw meat at another monster charging towards us with renewed vigor. Then the momentum of the monster noticeably diminished. After calmly observing the monster, whose momentum had decreased, [Skill ¨C ¡®Chef¡¯s Eye¡¯ has been activated] [Analyzing ingredients] ¡°That one¡¯s weakness is its legs!¡± Through the Chef¡¯s Eye, enlightenment about the handling technique for that monster can be revealed. In other words, once the weakness is identified and ryed to the warriors¡­ ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Everyone, aim for the weak point that Sergeant Shin pointed out!¡± The rest was taken care of by the other awakened individuals. After throwing a bunch of meat like that¡­ The monsters clinging onto us greatly diminished. ¡°Those with empty hands, eat yourbat rations now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim, why aren¡¯t you giving buffs?¡± ¡°Uh, um! Everyone, full speed ahead!¡± Their momentum diminished due to the effect of the meat. Their weaknesses became apparent through my eyes. Meanwhile, our allies were reinforced with dishes imbued with [Courage] and Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buffs. [Someone who has consumed your meal has excelled in battle] [The Chef¡¯s reputation is spreading far and wide] [Increase in experience points] The situation overwhelmingly turned in our favor in an instant. Of course, there were still issues. ¡°There¡¯s a monster blocking the road ahead!¡± ¡°What kind of monster is so massive¡­!¡± A gigantic creature resembling an elephant blocked the road. [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Smell Sniffing tur Preparation Method] ¡°Attack its nose! It¡¯s a creature with vital organs concentrated there rather than its body!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Kwoong. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il Jeon Gwang-il, our finest warrior, rushed forward and forcefully gripped the giant elephant¡¯s nose, causing it to copse and tumble off the road. ¡°A bug-like monster is approaching from the side!¡± ¡°That one won¡¯t even touch the meat Sergeant Shin threw!¡± A gigantic centipede-like monster attached itself to the nk of our formation. Unlike other monsters, it showed no interest in the thrown meat, focusing solely on hunting. [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Venomous Cron Preparation Method] ¡°The red node in the middle of its body is its weak spot! It¡¯s different from its appearance, so aim for that!¡± Taaang! Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s bullets pierced through the heart of the giant centipede. The monstrous creature, moments away from tearing into our troops, copsed to the ground. And there were more. The eavesdropping hfur, the imposing Metus. Monsters of all names continued to pour in. ¡°Damn it, we¡¯ve only fought lizards before¡­!¡± ¡°Why are there so many diverse creatures here, it¡¯s not even a zoo!¡± Our unit, awakened and trained through battles with lizards, faced creatures entirely different from lizards in every aspect. Naturally, our tactics had to adapt ordingly. Given that we wouldn¡¯t have been able to figure out their tactics, they should have been quite formidable foes. ¡°If Sergeant Shin hadn¡¯t noticed¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just weaknesses. Even with cooking¡­¡± I felt the soldiers who were defeating the monsters looking at me strangely. Certainly, it was fortunate that I could identify their weaknesses. In truth, from my perspective, it was a taste of death. [Chef¡¯s Eye] [Chef¡¯s Eye¡­] ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The Chef¡¯s Eye was a definite skill. The more I used it, the more it felt like a draining sensation inside my body. It was probably the magic energy points residing in the stats window. This sensation was quite simr to how I felt after mass-producing dishes with the skillful Chef¡¯s Special Sauce, perhaps there wasn¡¯t much mana left to begin with. [Chef¡¯s¡­] As new messages appeared on the status window, it felt like needles pricking my eyes. As waves of enlightenment about handling methods flooded my mind, headaches surged, and my mind grew fuzzy. But the moment my information transmission ceased, the unit¡¯s advancement would be dyed due to the killing of unspecified new monsters. The monsters that caught up with us were equally ignorant of our tactics. This would trigger a vicious cycle, making the battle even more challenging. ¡°Their weakness is!¡± Knowing this, I endured the pain and continued to shout while throwing meat with both hands. It felt like an eternity passed in this manner. When the number of pursuing monsters dwindled, and we managed to shake off most of them, ¡°Look ahead!¡± One of the soldiers shouted. Whaty before us was a mountain. ¡°But it looks familiar.¡± As the vehicle advanced a bit further and passed the mountain, ¡°Atst.¡± Instead of the tiresome mountains and trees, there were traces of civilization. A long, stretching road appeared. In the early morning, with the dawn mist, we embarked on our mission to escape the mountains. What greeted us as we descended from the mountains was thendscape of the earthly world bathed in the setting sun. With no more meat to throw, ¡°Hehe¡­ Finally. Nice to see familiar ground.¡± Thud. ¡°Sergeant Shin!?¡± Looking at the weing earthlyndscape I copsed inside the trailerpartment. The mountain range that stretches across Gangwon Province. To the west, where major cities like Chuncheon and Wonju are located, is the Yeongseo region. To the east, where major cities like Gangneung and Sokcho are located, is the Yeongdong region. And if you follow the small roads down from the mountains towards the west, there lies an old farmhouse. That¡¯s where I woke up. ¡°Ugh, my head.¡± Perhaps due to depleted mana, a headache surged. As I got up, a nearby soldier noticed me and shouted, ¡°S-Sergeant Shin is awake!¡± ¡°Sorry, can you speak a bit quieter? My head is pounding because of this headache.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry!¡± Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s voice, others rushed over. ¡°Young-joon! Are you alright?¡± ¡°No. I feel like I¡¯m about to die.¡± ¡°You seem fine. That¡¯s a relief.¡± No room for drama here. ¡°Min-jae, what happened after I copsed?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, we had already shaken off most of the pursuing monsters. Then we went out to deal with the ones still following us.¡± ¡°They must have been overwhelming.¡± ¡°Compared to the fight in the mountains, it was manageable.¡± Min-jae continued with his report. There were a few injured and a couple of vehicles overturned, but the damage wasn¡¯t too severe. ¡°Thanks to you.¡± ¡°I was unconscious and copsed though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough about that. You¡¯re safe now, so rest up.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± With that, Min-jae finished his report and left the room. However, the soldiers who had entered the room with Min-jae stayed, gathered in a corner. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Just as I wondered why they were acting like that one of the soldiers stepped forward and hesitantly spoke up. ¡°Is there something you want to say?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± The soldier hesitated, as if he had something to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± He shouted loudly, bowing his head deeply. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 2 regr chapter (For Tuesday) + 2 additional chapters (For NU voting targetpletion) will be uploaded after few hours. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¡°I¡¯m Sorry!¡± Thed bowed his head deeply as he shouted, and the soldiers behind him followed suit. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Did they cause some trouble behind my back? As I stared nkly, thed who bowed his head spoke up. ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Thed, still bowing his head, opened his mouth. ¡°Um, we¡­ we spoke ill of Sergeant Shin while you were in the trailerpartment¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°We thought¡­ even though you contributed withbat rations, it wasn¡¯t right to step out ofbat. That¡¯s what we thought.¡± ¡°Actually, considering the performance ofbat rations, you were the most contributive even at that moment.¡± ¡°We realizedter. You were in the trailerpartment preparing for the monsters¡¯ onught.¡± A soldier, who seemed like a mage among them, spoke up. There was a slight hint of admiration in his eyes. ¡°We heard that Sergeant Shin copsed due to mana depletion.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that makes sense.¡± ¡°Mana depletion is something mages sometimes experience¡­ but most of the time, they can¡¯t use their skills anymore once headaches start. Using skills until they pass out is something new.¡± ¡°We practically owe our lives to you. And yet¡­ we were speaking ill of you from behind¡­¡± ¡°We came here to sincerely apologize.¡± So that¡¯s why they were all gathered here. These were the dissatisfied soldiers Min-jae mentioned while we were in the trailerpartment. Sigh. ¡°I understand.¡± To be honest, I might have done the same, right? No matter how much someone contributes in reality, if they¡¯re not visible, it¡¯s hard to grasp. If someone is seengging behind while others are fighting hard, it¡¯s only natural to feel uneasy. ¡°¡­But still, they were talking behind their superior¡¯s back!?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± I yfully put a headlock on the soldier who had spoken up first. Since they did gossip, they deserve a bit of this. ¡°Just kidding, you did well. All of you.¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± I released the headlock and said, ¡°Well, I unexpectedly became a guild leader, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m cut out for it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°If you guys praise me blindly, I might end up doing something wrong.¡± I was sincere. To me, I¡¯m not that great. ¡®How remarkable can be a soldier who was just waiting for his discharge?¡¯ In this case, it¡¯s true that I was trying to find a way to help inbat. But without the watchful eyes of others, I might actually make a mistaketer on. As a guild leader, I might start to seek my own benefit without hesitation. I can¡¯t confidently say that I can reject such temptation when ites. ¡°So¡­ keep doubting.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Whether thatd is doing well or making wrong judgments, I hope you will continue to doubt me and my actions.¡± That way, I can lead the guild better. And there¡¯s a higher chance I¡¯ll survive. ¡°But still, I already forgave you, didn¡¯t I? You keep apologizing, and I¡¯m the one feeling sorry now.¡± It was all just yful gossip anyway. Even I, when I was the youngest, cursed my seniors a lot. In fact, I probably got cursed out by the cooks when I was their junior. ¡°Oh. By the way¡­¡± There was one thing that bothered me. Since the soldiers were gathered here anyway¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re truly sorry, can I ask for a favor?¡± ¡°A favor? Anything, sir!¡± Their apologies seemed quite sincere. Thankfully, they responded quite enthusiastically. ¡°I know you¡¯re all tired, and I¡¯m sorry to ask, but could you gather the corpses of the monsters we hunted nearby?¡± This was the part that had been bothering me. Monster corpses were resources. Their meat was food, and their hides were materials for equipment. ¡°In fact, Sergeant Jeon Gwang-il is already out with some soldiers, working on it. We¡¯ll join them too.¡± What? ¡°Sergeant Gwang-il?¡± They had started working before I even gave the order. I leaned out of the old farmhouse¡¯s window and nced outside. ¡°Corporal, even though I can handle three monsters at once, do you really need to do it alone? You might copse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing what I can. Besides, the other trailerpartment was full. Can you call an ice mage?¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Outside the window, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il was moving monster corpses onto a trailerpartment, followed by several soldiers. It was right after a tough battle. Everyone must be exhausted. ¡°How long have they been like this?¡± ¡°As soon as the battle was over, Corporal Jeon started working. He said he couldn¡¯t just do nothing after causing trouble for you during the battle. And the other warriors couldn¡¯t just watch him work alone, so they took a short break and joined in.¡± Securing the monster corpses was definitely necessary. But it¡¯s never easy to personally step up like that, especially in tough times. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just how he is.¡± He wasn¡¯t an ace from the Facility Division for nothing. Even when he was in the unit, he always stepped up to do the hard work. ¡°Then let¡¯s go join them.¡± ¡°Uh, okay. Take care, sir!¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± The soldiers I had asked for help soon went outside to assist Gwang-il. ¡°I should make sure to give thoseds something extrater.¡± I¡¯d like to help them right away, but honestly, just getting up is a struggle right now. I¡¯ll have to think about it after another nap. Park Taejun, the awakened astrologer, urged us to head west. By the way, he doesn¡¯t even know the reason himself. ording to his prediction, is there an indication that luck is more concentrated or particrly favorable? I honestly don¡¯t understand talk about luck and such. But the advantages of choosing west are clear. ¡°It¡¯s broader. More familiar to us.¡± After groggily catching a few more breaths due to mana depletion, Once my health somewhat recovered, I stepped outside the farmhouse. ¡°Come to think of it, what happened to the elderly couple who owned this ce?¡± ¡°Well, when we arrived, there was no one here. They probably sought shelter somewhere after the situation broke out.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The farmstead asionally provided aid to civilians. It¡¯s a bit unsettling that the owners weren¡¯t around. Still, it¡¯s something to be thankful for, having a ce to rest for the night. Finishing my thoughts, I scanned the surroundingndscape. The scenery around was quite familiar. I have been here quite a few times during different works. ¡°If we head that way, we can reach the urban area. And wasn¡¯t the shooting range in that direction?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Though I couldn¡¯t recall everything perfectly, it was a somewhat of a familiar ce. The advantages of this area must have been why we came down westward. Leaving the troops behind for a moment, I headed towards the nearby fields. Quite a spacious piece of farnd. At this rate, maybe¡­ [Insufficient space for summoning] ¡°Tsk.¡± It was a frustrating oue for me. ¡°Does it make any sense that I can¡¯t use the item I obtained with such difficulty because it¡¯s too big?¡± [Mobile Fortress Bimana] At first, I thought it might be something like a giant tank. When even our logistics sergeant couldn¡¯t summon it, I thought it might be fortress-sized as its name suggests. But¡­ ¡°It¡¯s even more than that.¡± It was a bit surprising, but there was also an aspect of anticipation. There¡¯s a fundamental principle in games. If it¡¯s difficult to use, then its performance is usually outstanding. If it¡¯s this difficult to use¡­ When it bes usable, how powerful it will be. ¡°Well, judging by the current state, it seems like a distant future thing.¡± A momentter. ¡°Be careful not to fall.¡± ¡°Since the power¡¯s off, it should be fine, but just in case¡­¡± ¡°Leave it to me! Didn¡¯t I tell you? Climbing trees is my specialty.¡± Me and the other soldiers were gathered near the farmhouse, some of us near the utility pole. ¡°Hup.¡± One of the soldiers climbed the pole with a telescope in hand. That guy. Maybe he awakened as a thief or something. I remember he was always on the slender side. A guy whose specialty was climbing trees actually climbed the utility pole all the way to the top. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Perched atop the utility pole, he looked through the telescope. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Can you see anything?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± We, watching from below, shouted. But he didn¡¯t answer, just trailing off. A momentter. He shouted, looking downwards. ¡°Sergeant Sin!¡± ¡°What!¡± ¡°Are we going in there!?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s decided yet! Why!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case! I want to object!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sliiiide. The soldier slid down the utility pole like it was greased. His face seemed a bit paler. ¡°You want to object¡­ And why is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± The guy said, trembling. ¡°Going in there feels like a suicide mission.¡± Describing what he saw. As those of us who didn¡¯t see it directly could only imagine, it was hard to picture exactly. But there was one thing that was certain. ¡°It¡¯s serious.¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯re out, it seems like the whole world¡¯s gone mad.¡± Heading westward over the mountains leads to Inje-gun. Most of the survivors who joined our unit, including Leader Sang-ma and others, are from Inje-gun. It¡¯s also a restricted area for our unit when we go out. And now, it¡¯s turned halfway into hell. ¡°Well, I heard something like that from the survivors.¡± ¡°I had my suspicions too, but it seems worse than I imagined.¡± Basically, monsters see humans as prey. And the ce with the most prey is the city. To them, it¡¯s probably like a free buffet. So, many monsters gather to hunt the humans there. The chaos caused by those monsters attracts even more monsters. The dead humans rise as zombies. That¡¯s how a thriving city turns into hell. ¡°What do you n to do? Going in there seems a bit¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably impossible.¡± Nearly a hundred awakened individuals. We also consider ourselves quite powerful. But¡­ ¡°The battlefield has too many variables.¡± Some evenpare it to modern siege warfare. The entering side is overwhelmingly disadvantaged. The city¡¯s buildings limit our vision and firepower. And with monsters and zombies overflowing the entire city¡­ Each building bes a target of suspicion, not knowing what might pop out from inside. ¡°If we had more firepower, maybe. But with injuries still being treated, dreaming of entering the city is out of the question. Even now, with just two healers, we¡¯re barely covering the limits. If we get more injuries here, we¡¯ll surely have casualties.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± I pondered the soldier¡¯s question for a moment. ¡°Since we can¡¯t stay here indefinitely anyway, if we have to move¡­¡± There¡¯s one ce of concern. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the barracks.¡± ¡°The barracks, sir?¡± The most remote outpost in the outskirts of Inje-gun. Not far from here is our unit¡¯s barracks. Our unit is a ss-A elite unit that takes hours to reach even by car. For the soldiers living in the unit, it¡¯s an overly secluded ce, especially for the officersmuting. The barracks were built for such officers. Also known as BOQ. But it¡¯s not exclusively for officers. Our unit members often stop by the barracks¡¯ soldier lounge before or after their leaves. Then they either leave for their vacation or return to duty. Every time that happens, the unit members used to show dissatisfaction with the location being far from the downtown area. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a convenience store near the barracks?¡± ¡°Why are there only buildings in the middle of nowhere?¡± ¡°But actually, it¡¯s better now.¡± ¡°Really? And why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be away from the dangerous city center. And having only buildings in the middle of nowhere is advantageous terrain for us.¡± Once we¡¯re on the ground, the most important thing is securing a base for operations. The barracks could serve as a reasonably good base. ¡°Then, let¡¯s look into the route to the barracks.¡± ¡°The drivers often live at the barracks too. They know all the roads there.¡± That¡¯s how the unit¡¯s next destination was decided: the barracks. The unit members discussed the route to the barracks. Watching them, I had a different thought. ¡°The barracks might be a good base, but¡­¡± Actually, the reason for deciding on the barracks as our destination isn¡¯t the whole story. I didn¡¯t explicitly tell the soldiers, but some of them probably have the same thoughts as me. As mentioned earlier, The barracks were where the unit members and officers stayed before and after leaves. ¡°Those people must have been at the barracks on the Doomsday.¡± They may not have fought alongside us against the monsters, but they were still our fellow unit members. We need to find out what happened to them. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 1 regr chapter + 2 additional chapters (For NU voting targetpletion) will be uploaded soon. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ¡°This time, let¡¯s organize into squads and act.¡± We decided not to lead all the unit members to the barracks. It¡¯s difficult to move with over a hundred people. ¡°Each vice guild master capable of sending guild messages leads ten-unit members on the move.¡± ¡°We should prioritize high-level soldiers in the formation.¡± ¡°So, three squads?¡± The squad leaders looked puzzled at my words. ¡°Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡± ¡°Yes. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll stay here with the marksmen and guard this ce.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, after receiving the order, seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking up. ¡°Because of the noise, right?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± At this point, the marksmen¡¯s bullets are our unit¡¯s most powerful firepower. Their bullets are even stronger than those of the mages. However, they might not be very helpful in this battle. ¡°After all, we¡¯re almost out of bullets.¡± We need to conserve their bullets. It¡¯s not feasible to include them in every battle. Moreover, gunfire might attract more enemies. Unlike mages, marksmen can¡¯t adjust firepower to reduce noise. If it¡¯s a defensive mission in an open area, they can fulfill their roles. But it¡¯s not suitable for exploring new ces. After hearing my response, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding. ¡°I think it¡¯s a rational decision.¡± He nodded immediately. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I also think it was the most efficient decision. Take care.¡± Fortunately, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok didn¡¯t seem to have anyints. He didn¡¯t seem relieved to be excluded from the battle. It was simply a clear and reasonable attitude withoutints. ¡°As long as I give rational orders, they¡¯ll follow them obediently. It¡¯s convenient.¡± Anyway, the decision was made. Including me, Sergeant Lee Min-jae, and Corporal Jeon Gwang-il each formed our own squads. ¡°I think it¡¯s best for me to join this side.¡± Another squad leader. In the case of Lee Sang-ahh, she decided to join my squad for this operation. Although she was appointed as a squad leader, Since she joined the unit recently, she hadn¡¯t formed strong rtionships with the unit members yet. It¡¯s not suitable formanding. ¡°Instead, she¡¯s a survivor from the destroyed city.¡± Her strength lies not inmand but in her survival skills on the ground. Perhaps she¡¯s even more skilled in that aspect than anyone else in our unit. ¡°Can she utilize that survival knowledge and expertise?¡± In addition to Lee Sang-ahh, who joined my squad, Survivors were also included in the squads led by Sergeant Lee Min-jae and Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. ¡°Can we trust criminals?¡± ¡°Now that they¡¯ve shown repentance, let¡¯s give them a chance. Don¡¯t cause trouble either.¡± ¡°Hehe, leave it to us.¡± ¡°After work, just make snacks for us, and we¡¯ll do anything.¡± The former criminals have now be the ¡°permanent youngest¡± members of our unit. They were treated the same way as Lieutenant and thanks to that they were showing their utmost loyalty towards me. Like Lee Sang-ah, they are likely well-informed about the surface. Their survival knowledge could be helpful. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s go first.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet near the barracks!¡± After each squad was formed and the necessary supplies were checked, Sergeant Lee Min-jae and Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s squad departed first. With about thirty members, moving all together would attract too much attention. So, we nned to move separately and meet in front of the barracks. ¡°Let¡¯s start moving as well.¡± After the other two squads disappeared from sight, Our squad also began to move. Through an old path which was rarely used by the people. The soldiers, carrying their gear, began their silent march, concealing any sign of their presence. Although the barracks were rtively close, But that was a tale from the days when we used to travel by car. It would take quite a while if we were to travel on foot. I spoke in a low voice to Lee Sang-ah, who was walking behind me. ¡°Squad leader Lee Sang-ah.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°From what I heardst time, survivors mainly active in cities.¡± The scene of the city described by the soldier¡¯s words raised the first question in my mind. ¡°How? I mean, why are they active there?¡± Survivors were mainly active near cities. In such cities, how? Just why? ¡°They didn¡¯t have much choice.¡± Sang-ah shrugged, exining the surprisingly simple reason. ¡°They found ces where they could get food. There was plenty of food in ces where people used to gather.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Monsters and zombies aside, hunger was also a serious threat.¡± Food naturally gathers at ces where there¡¯s demand. In a society where civilization has copsed, obtaining food has be a struggle. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that we didn¡¯t have to suffer from hunger after joining the unit. Before that, we had to risk our lives every day to get food. In fact, there were overwhelmingly more days of hunger.¡± ¡°How did you wander around in such cities and find food?¡± ¡°We were told bymanders that those dense buildings limited their vision and firepower, but that¡¯s not the case for us.¡± She turned her head, scanning the surroundings. ¡°Rather than open fields like this, cities with many buildings where you can hide are better.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°You can hide and move around. Even if you¡¯re spotted by unbeatable monsters, you can create variables by turning buildings into obstacles to escape. In open fields, if you¡¯re pursued by monsters, you¡¯ll only die.¡± Indeed. The environment that acts as a penalty for us may be an advantage for survivors. That means¡­ ¡°There¡¯s still a high chance of people being left in the city, right?¡± ¡°Probably? We had quite a few encounters with other survivors back then. There might still be many people hiding somewhere.¡± After hearing that, my worries deepened. The reason we decided toe down to the surface was to secure resources and expand our influence. Like Lee Sang-ah¡¯s group joining our unit, someday we¡¯ll have to grow our unit through survivors. But blindly bringing in survivors might also bring in people like those criminals. Moreover, just finding survivors and entering that city itself is a challenging task. ¡°Ahh¡­ My head hurts.¡± While I was pondering, Pak! Someone grabbed my arm from behind. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Lee Sang-ah, who was walking behind me. She spoke with a serious expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet.¡± She ced her finger on her lips and spoke in a low voice. I silenced myself and nced around. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see anything?¡± The surrounding squad members were also scanning around, but it seemed like they couldn¡¯t see anything. I looked at her with curiosity. She spoke in a hushed voice. ¡°Can you hear it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. What on earth¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about seeing. You have to listen. Focus. There will be something to hear.¡± Listen? Following her words, I held my breath and focused on the sound reaching my ears. Then, there it was. A faint sound. Grr¡­ Grr¡­ ¡°Is that rough breathing?¡± It wasn¡¯t the sound the soldiers made. I looked at Lee Sang-ah. She silently moved her lips. The message she conveyed was simple. ¡°Zombies.¡± She gestured for us to stay still and began to move somewhere. In her hand was arge pair of scissors, pulled out at some point. Grr¡­ A faint sound in the empty surroundings. Lee Sang-ah moving along with the sound. Where she arrived was a small sewer. Typically, an ordinary sewer beside the road. But inside the concealed sewer grate, There was something. In that moment. ng! The roar of a beast echoed. Swoosh. Simultaneously, Lee Sang-ah¡¯s scissors moved. With her snipping, the roar that was about to spread stopped abruptly. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Lee Sang-ah wiped her cold sweat and said calmly. Her familiar action of wiping sweat with a cloth and cleaning the blood on the scissors was so natural. ¡°What just happened?¡± It might be a routine thing for her, but not for us. What on earth just happened? ¡°Um. Since you said you don¡¯t know much about zombies, I should exin clearly and move on.¡± Lee Sang-ah calmly began her exnation. ¡°Most zombies are weakerpared to monsters. At best, they are as strong as adult men. I¡¯ve killed zombies and awakened, so I know.¡± Continuing her exnation, she reached out to the sewer block where she had inserted the scissors. ¡°But survivors can never ignore zombies.¡± Crunch. An unpleasant sound came as she lifted the sewer block. Inside was a bloated corpse swollen from the flowing water. ¡°This is why.¡± ¡°What on earth¡­¡± ¡°Many zombies retain human habits, but there are also many who exhibit unpredictable behaviors like this.¡± A zombie lurking in the outskirts of the sewer. It¡¯s definitely hard to anticipate. ¡°There are even aspects where they¡¯re worse offpared to monsters.¡± ¡°What if we hadn¡¯t noticed and just passed by?¡± ¡°Zombies are inherently hostile to humans. We are lucky if we pass unnoticed but the moment, we stepped onto them without noticing, we¡¯d be attacked.¡± A cold sweat ran down my spine. Zombies, you say. ¡°It¡¯s like a booby trap, isn¡¯t it?¡± Even if the squad members have be awakened and stronger, it would be difficult to anticipate attacksing from underfoot. ¡°That¡¯s not the only danger these creatures pose. Once bitten by a zombie, the body slowly rots from the bitten area.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Those people eventually die with their entire bodies rotting and turn into another zombie.¡± ¡°Do you mean getting bitten is a death sentence?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, but you have to amputate the bitten area. And in a world like this, losing a part of your body is almost tantamount to death.¡± Her expression darkened notably when she mentioned this. I wonder if there wererades who had to resort to such drastic measures. ¡°Is there no way to deal with this? Likepletely hiding to avoid detection, perhaps¡­¡± ¡°You just heard, right? Their breathing.¡± Ah. ¡°Zombies inherently have rough breathing. If you concentrate with the awakened¡¯s hearing, you can easily discern it in quiet environments.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The only way is through hearing. It¡¯s absurd, but at least there¡¯s a method. It¡¯s better than being caught off guard and attacked. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s better to die at the hands of monsters than zombies. Those bitten by zombies never die peacefully.¡± I realize how lucky we were that no zombies appeared on the mountain. The lizard creatures that attacked our unit were already overwhelming enemies. And if we think about it, if the deceased unit members had turned into those zombies¡­ It¡¯s troublesome just thinking about it. We can¡¯t just sit around worrying about how troublesome the zombies are. We have toe up with a n. ¡°Hmm.¡± I discreetly reached behind my back and touched the military backpack I was carrying. Solid and slightly cool to the touch. ¡°This might be the solution.¡± After our encounter with the zombies was over, We resumed our journey towards the barracks. We encountered simr hidden zombies along the way, but This time, the squad members were also focusing on the sound. ¡°Even so, it seems we can hear them when we concentrate.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± We managed to handle them somehow. And thus, we arrived at our unit¡¯s barracks. ¡°Has Young-joon arrived?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, am I thest one?¡± ¡°We just arrived ourselves.¡± Three squads that moved through different routes. We reunited at the courtyard in front of the barracks. ¡°What¡¯s it like inside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still quiet.¡± Upon Min-jae¡¯s response, I looked at the barracks buildings in front of me. The barracks are primarily residential spaces for officers. Out of our unit¡¯s approximately 100 officers, more than half, around 60, live in the barracks. Especially since our unit is in a strategically difficult location, it¡¯s inconvenient for soldiers toe and go. So, soldiers on leave typically stay in the barracks before and after their breaks. Considering those soldiers as well. Even though it¡¯s the weekend and they might not be at the barracks, quite a few would still be there. But right now, it¡¯s eerily quiet. If everyone managed to find safety, that¡¯s fortunate, but¡­ ¡°The likelihood seems low.¡± I¡¯m already prepared for the worst. I looked at Min-jae and Gwang-il and asked, ¡°Did you hear about the zombies?¡± ¡°Yes. We encountered and hunted down a few on the way here.¡± ¡°I heard something from the youngest too. He mentioned we need to focus on listening for sounds, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Since it seems like other squad members also know how to deal with zombies, there¡¯s no need to waste time. Imanded the soldiers, ¡°Let¡¯s enter.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The soldiers seemed a bit tense before the battle. Leading them, we approached the outermost building of the barracks. ¡°I¡¯ll open it. Don¡¯t forget to detect the enemies¡¯ positions through sound.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Creak¡­ As soon as we opened the barracks door and entered inside, Groaning sounds echoed nearby. Up to this point, it was expected, but¡­ The problem is¡­ Groaning¡­ Thunk¡­ Gurgle¡­ Click¡­ ¡°Wow, the soundproofing here is terrible.¡± It¡¯s not just one or two sounds that we¡¯re hearing. Inside the barracks¡­ It was filled with dozens of rough breathing sounds. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: 2 additional chapters (For NU voting targetpletion) will be uploaded soon. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Wow, the soundproofing here is terrible.¡± As we entered the building, rough breathing sounds echoed from all directions. The only way to locate the zombies hiding within was through sound. ¡°This makes it impossible to locate them by sound alone.¡± I wondered if the entire building was overrun by zombies. Rough breathing sounds echoed from all around. Even though the senses of the awakened were sharper than those of ordinary people, it was difficult to pinpoint the locations of the hidden zombies within. ¡°I feel uneasy.¡± I could sense it instinctively. Entering like this would be dangerous. After making my decision, I turned back and issued amand. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat for now¡­¡± But then¡­ ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± As I turned around to leave the building, I saw soldiers rushing towards me. I was momentarily startled, but I quickly realized they weren¡¯t attacking me. ¡°Grr¡­¡± Above my head. A distinct rough breathing sound wasing from there. ¡°Damn it!¡± Through the old building¡¯s ceiling pipes. A zombie that had been hiding there suddenly lunged at me. Quickly, I raised my hand to protect my head. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Thunk! Fortunately, my reaction wasn¡¯t too slow. I felt the zombie¡¯s teeth sink into the sleeve of my uniform. ¡°Not just any uniform, but a military uniform that can withstand several bullets.¡± Even if the Zombies bite fiercely, they can¡¯t pierce through the lizard leather of the uniform. ¡°If it had bitten me in an unprotected area, it would have been over.¡± Feeling the cold sweat, I observed the zombie biting my arm. Had it realized it couldn¡¯t prate the uniform? It seemed to be twitching, as if it were about to bite somewhere else. ¡°Where!¡± My next move was faster. I swung my arm forcefully, throwing the creature to the ground. Thud! ck! The zombie mmed onto the building floor. ¡°Aaargh!¡± It immediately tried to get up and lunge at me, but¡­ Thunk! With a powerful blow, I shattered its skull with my military boot. ¡°I¡¯m not abatant, but I¡¯m also awakened.¡± If I strike someone with my military shoes, it¡¯s more than enough to shatter their bones. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°Are you alright!?¡± ¡°Just look at me. I¡¯m fine.¡± Except for the ambush, the zombies themselves didn¡¯t pose much of a threat. It was somewhat dangerous, but luckily, I wasn¡¯t bitten. ¡°But it¡¯s too early to rx.¡± Aargh. Grkk¡­ Perhaps the recent sounds ofbat had provoked them. The sounding from inside didn¡¯t seem promising. The soldiers looked at me, as if asking if it was okay to proceed. Their eyes seemed to question whether it was safe to enter. After a moment of consideration, I made a decision and said, ¡°Let¡¯s retreat for now.¡± *** ¡°That was Sergeant Park from our division.¡± After retreating from the building to the end of the courtyard, it was Gwang-il who spoke up. He must be referring to the zombie that attacked me in the building we just entered. Sergeant Park, huh? ¡°I remember him as someone I was close to. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il was the ace of our facility division. He was close not only to the soldiers but also to the officers. Sergeant Park was rtively young, so he got along well with the soldiers. ¡°No need to apologize.¡± Gwang-il seemed to flinch for a moment, then quickly nodded his head and said, ¡°Sergeant Park probably wouldn¡¯t have wanted to live like that either.¡± Though Gwang-il responded somewhat positively, the atmosphere among the soldiers had considerably dampened. It was the same when the drivers saw the zombies. Seeing someone you knew turned into a zombie wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight. ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve fed the soldiers dishes like ¡®Reassurance¡¯ and ¡®Comfort¡¯.¡± I¡¯ll have to make those dishes again for mental well-being once the situation stabilizes. ¡°For now, everyone take a break. And, squad leaders,e over here for a moment.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a meeting.¡± I pulled aside the squad leaders and moved to a corner. Once we were away from the soldiers. ¡°You wanted to visit the barracks, right?¡± Jeon Gwang-il spoke up before I could. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Are you trying to confirm whether ourrades are alive or dead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Gwang-il turned his head to nce at the resting soldiers. ¡°Did you really have to confirm it? Our soldiers¡¯ morale doesn¡¯t seem great. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to investigate elsewhere?¡± He continued to speak while keeping an eye on the soldiers¡¯ reactions. ¡°Your point is valid. Actually, I thought the same at first. But¡­ I still felt that it¡¯s necessary to visit the barracks.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°For mental management.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The faces of Gwang-il and the other team leaders showed confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡°Well¡­ to be honest, yes.¡± Given the soldiers¡¯ current mood, it might be hard to believe that my goal is mental management. But my thoughts were different. Their current state is temporary. ¡°What if¡­ there were survivingrades in the barracks?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What if there were survivingrades in the barracks, and we could have saved them?¡± If we had just passed by the barracks andter found evidence that surviving soldiers had been there until recently¡­ ¡°We would feel even more guilty.¡± The guilt of not being able to saverades we could have rescued¡­ Such guiltsts longer than mere sadness. Even though the likelihood of there being no survivors was high, we still needed to confirm it. ¡°Confirming if there are survivors in the barracks. It¡¯s a bigger deal than you might think.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± As I finished exining, Gwang-il nodded in understanding. ¡°Surprisingly thoughtful, aren¡¯t you¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ve only been thinking about the advantages of it as a base of operations, but I¡¯ve never really considered that aspect before¡­ Now that I hear it, it does seem like a valid point.¡± Jeon, Sang-ah and Min-jae looked at me again, seeming lost in thought. In any case, it seemed like everyone understood my decision. ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s the n now?¡± Min-jae asked with his arms crossed. Though our goal was set on attacking the barracks, the problemy in what to do next. ¡°We must make them rest in peace.¡± They wererades from the same unit. Leaving them wandering around as undead would be uneptable. ¡°That sounds easy, but it might be more difficult than you think.¡± Turning around to look at the barracks, Corporal Lee Min-jae remarked, ¡°Those buildings are like dungeons where enemies could pop out from anywhere.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°If it were zombies rushing at us on open ground, we could handle hundreds of them. But in narrow buildings, with zombies hiding everywhere? That¡¯s a whole different story.¡± It was difficult to pinpoint the locations of the zombies just from their sounds. I looked at Lee Sang-ah and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t the survivors have any know-how? Precautions to take when entering a new building?¡± ¡°We just be more cautious¡­ that¡¯s about it. Entering a building or area without information is always a risky challenge.¡± In terms ofbat power, we were far stronger than the survivor group she led. But that was only in frontalbat situations. Being ambushed by hidden zombies meant death for anyone, even an awakened. ¡°Shall we gather all the mages and bombard the area with maximum firepower? It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to eliminate the zombies hiding.¡± ¡°Are you nning to demolish the barracks altogether?¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± At my joke, Corporal Jeong Gwang-il gave a wry smile. Demolishing the barracks altogether¡­ it was a thought, though. ¡°We should consider that option, though.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Noise could indeed be a problem. If the main strategy seems too difficult, sending the zombified unit members could be considered as an option to clear the way. If others find it difficult to attack, this is an option worth considering in order to make our zombifiedrades rest in peace. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°I am. But it¡¯s still n B.¡± I raised my head slightly and looked up at the sky. The sun was high above. ncing at my wristwatch, it seemed like it was almost lunchtime. The best time to attempt n A. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch first.¡± *** At the outskirts of the barracks, in the courtyard. After confirming that the surroundings were safe to some extent, I opened the military bag I brought. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± What came out of the military bag wasn¡¯t a sleeping bag or protective gear. It was an old cast-iron skillet. A deep frying pan. Andrge chunks of meat wrapped in aluminum foil. ¡°Oh, is that meat?¡± ¡°Yeah. I picked the best cuts.¡± ¡°Wow¡­!¡± There was a slight buzz among the soldiers who were feeling down. ¡°Since Gwang-il and the others brought it, you should thank them.¡± ¡°Oh, hehe¡­ What¡¯s there to thank for?¡± Gwang-il scratched his head, looking embarrassed. The meat of monsters hunted down in the mountains. If they hadn¡¯t worked hard to gather them, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to enjoy it now. ¡°Hmm.¡± But Sergeant Lee Min-jae¡¯s response was ambiguous. ¡°Will it really make a difference to raise our stats?¡± In the past, the soldiers would have questioned why I suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch.¡± But they¡¯ve gradually be ustomed to the fact that my meals are not just about nutrition. ¡®Of course, there¡¯s a limit to how much it can boost stats or change emotions.¡¯ As Min-jae said. Originally, it¡¯s not that ourbat power wascking. It would be difficult for stat buffs alone to help in the current situation. ¡°Well. Let¡¯s wait a moment.¡± I carefully inspected the chunks of meat in the bag. The meat was wrapped in foil along with ice packs made by the frost-type mages. Among them, there was one item I was looking for. ¡°Found it.¡± [The eavesdropping hfur] [Ingredient Grade: Medium] [Freshness: High] hfur was one of the monsters encountered on the way down from the mountains. It was a monstrous creature with fox-like features and unusuallyrge ears. ¡°Any fire-type mages here?¡± ¡°Yes, Lance Corporal Son Byeong-mun.¡± ¡°Could you please light up some firewood here?¡± ¡°Ah, sure thing.¡± Fwoosh. Since we didn¡¯t have proper equipment for fancy cooking in the field, it was a bit challenging. We decided to just grill it as it is. Maybe it¡¯s because of the magical essence, but monster meat is quite tasty on its own. Sizzle¡­ I ced therge piece of meat on the heated frying pan. With a satisfying sound, the meat began to cook. Watching it cook, I thought about the skills I possessed. [Chef¡¯s Eye] A skill that reveals the handling method and rmended cooking techniques of the target. Thanks to it, I gained insight into the [Handling Method Enlightenment] for monsters. But despite its name¡­ ¡°It doesn¡¯t just reveal handling techniques.¡± [Eavesdropping hfur Handling Method] ¡°hfur¡¯srge ears serve as organs to detect the positions of predators and prey and are sometimes considered a weakness due to being a vulnerable spot where major blood vessels pass through. By cutting this part off, blood can be easily drained¡­¡± It certainly reveals the handling technique, but it also subtly incorporates the monster¡¯s characteristics, doesn¡¯t it? ¡°Large ears that detect predators and prey¡­¡± Thanks to that, I can understand not just weaknesses but also the inherent traits of the monster to some extent. That¡¯s partly why I chose this meat. ¡°I¡¯m not sure who wrote these handling and cooking techniques, but¡­¡± They have been quite helpful in various ways. Eventually¡­ [Calmness inducing well-grilled eavesdropping hfur meat prepared by a Junior Chef] ¡°This dish is made with high-quality ingredients. The effect of the dish is slightly increased.¡± [This dish is made with high-quality fresh ingredients. The effect of cooking increases slightly.] ¡°It¡¯s a dish made with magical ingredients. The effectiveness of the dish will slightly increase.¡± ¡­ The dish isplete. ¡°Everyone, line up with your tes ready.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In reality, it wasn¡¯t a formal mealtime. I simply cut therge piece of meat into appropriate portions for everyone. They might not be able to eat until they¡¯re full with just the meat, but the soldiers didn¡¯t seem to mind. Since it was only meat, they wouldn¡¯t be able to eat to their fill, but they didn¡¯t seem to mind it. ¡°Wow, the texture is like hangjeongsal*.¡± ¡°Ugh, it would¡¯ve been perfect with rice and lettuce wraps.¡± Rice and lettuce wraps, huh? We definitely need to secure carbohydrates and vegetables as soon as possible. But that¡¯s not the priority right now. After the distributing the meat, the soldiers sat down and started chewing on the meat. Seeing everyone has already started eating, I also joined in and took a bite. And then the message appeared. [All attributes increased by 5] [The magic imbued in the dish has an effect] [The magic of the ¡®Eavesdropping hfur¡¯ infused in the dish seeps into your body.] ¡°Hey, everyone, check your status screens.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Something¡­ with a strange attribute-¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± My prediction was spot on. It was hard to suppress theughter bubbling up inside me. ¡°Why are you suddenly yelling like that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You sound like-¡± [Acquired Temporary Attribute ¨C Enhanced Hearing (Eavesdropping)] ¡°Just as nned.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: *Hanjeongsal is a Korean term referring to a premium cut of pork, specifically the pork jowl or pork cheek. It¡¯s known for its tender texture and vorful taste. 1 additional chapter (For NU voting targetpletion) will be uploaded soon. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°Krrriiiik.¡± As the old barracks¡¯ ss door creaked open, an unsettling friction spread through the air. Had the residents of the barracks detected the entry of outsiders? ¡°Kahahaak.¡± Rough breathing began to echo from all directions. Even for someone with exceptional hearing, pinpointing the origin of each sound within this space would be nearly impossible. But¡­ ¡°There you are!¡± If it were the enhanced hearing of a creature beyond an ordinary human, then that would be a different story. Leading the way, a soldier thrusted his knife into a nearby cupboard. And then¡­ ¡°Thud.¡± A zombie grotesquely contorted inside the cupboard and copsed. Its body was that of a soldier on vacation. The soldier stabbed the head of the zombie. Even though its upper body was torn to pieces, it was still wriggling. The reason they could precisely detect the enemy¡¯s location amid the sounds echoing around them was precisely this ability. And it was all thanks to this particr attribute. [Attribute: Enhanced Hearing (Eavesdropping)] [Extreme sensitivity to sound possessed by only a few races. Can hear even the slightest noise from several kilometers away, including the sound of an ant¡¯s footsteps on a battlefield. With such sensitive ears, there is no escape from sound.] [Only a few species are born with extremely sensitive hearing. They can hear faint sounds from several kilometers away, even the footsteps of ants amidst the chaos of war. No sound can escape from these extremely sensitive ears] [However, due to its heightened state, there may be side effects.] An auditory ability possessed only by a few races. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t a trait they originally had. It was all thanks to the dish prepared by me. [Calmness inducing well-grilled eavesdropping hfur meat prepared by a Junior Chef] I just had a hunch that something simr might happen. From my previous experience, after preparing the lizard meat, the message I got was ¡°Upon consumption, the magical power of the ¡®Steel Lizard¡¯ contained in the dish permeates the body. Physical Resistance will increase drastically¡± A dish infused with magic. It made sense that the dish¡¯s performance would improve. But the sudden drastic increase in physical resistance was unexpected. ¡°The first thing that came to mind was the tough scales and skin of the lizards.¡± My hypothesis was this: Perhaps those scales and skin were reinforced due to the lizards¡¯ magic. And if cooking monster meat retained the effects of magic, then the eater would gain physical resistance. ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ What about monsters with other attributes?¡± It was partly a gamble. I hadn¡¯t precisely pinpointed how the effects of magic manifested, nor could I predict which attributes would be reflected in the dish. But if there was one way to test my hypothesis: ¡°Monsters with tantly obvious attributes. You can anticipate what you¡¯ll gain.¡± Eavesdropping hfur. Both in appearance and the traits I learned through the Chef¡¯s Eyes. ¡°A monster with all its stats poured into hearing.¡± If my theory was correct¡­ I hoped to gain a hearing-rted buff through hfur¡¯s cooking. And sure enough. My expectations were eerily urate. I sessfully obtained the attribute ¡®Enhanced Hearing (Eavesdropping)¡¯ temporarily. The problem was the word ¡®Eavesdropping¡¯ attached to the attribute. What exactly were the side effects? ¡°Amazing!¡± The soldier who finished off the zombie looked at me with sparkling eyes. ¡°It feels like I can pinpoint the enemy¡¯s location just by sound alone! That this is possible just by eating a meal¡­!¡± A soldier marveled at the effects of my cooking. I felt proud and grateful. But also, a bit¡­ ¡°Arrrggh!¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down, mate.¡± The term ¡®side-effect¡¯ was forcefully attached with the system notification while showing us about the dish¡¯s buffs. And to my surprise the side effect was rather simple. ¡°My ears are going to burst, damn it.¡± ¡°Oops. S-sorry.¡± My ears throbbed painfully. While having heightened hearing was good¡­ It seemed like our brain function wasn¡¯t optimized for heightened hearing, ¡°It feels like the world is filled with sounds.¡± Sounds that would have gone unnoticed before were now booming like thunder. ¡°At least it¡¯s bearable, to some extent.¡± I was worried about what would happen if the side-effects aspect of the attribute affects our operation. But fortunately, it didn¡¯t have any major effect. We all fell silent. ¡°We nodded at each other, letting our eyes do all the talking.¡± It was the start of a proper purge, or rather, the beginning of a clean-up. * * * ¡°Kaah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s noisy, Sergeant Jang!¡± Thunk. With our sensitive hearing, we could urately pinpoint the positions of the zombies. Dealing with zombies who posed little threat in terms ofbat prowess was rtively simple, to say the least. After cleaning up several buildings, we moved on to the next one. But there were already people gathered in front of the next building. ¡°Is Young-joon here?¡± ¡°Looks like Sergeant Shin¡¯s team is keeping up the pace.¡± Two other squads. We had agreed to split up by squad and start cleaning the buildings from different directions. But having all three squads gathered here¡­ ¡°Is this thest building?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± Thest building. Compared to the other barracks, this one had a strangely modern feel to it. It was meant for officers, specifically not for nonmissioned officers but formissioned officers. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in.¡± Soldiers entered with quiet voices. They had already cleaned several buildings without any difficulty. There was no hesitation. Kaah¡­ Thunk. We began cleaning the building from the first floor, shing through the necks of our formerrades. The cleaning progressed quickly, and soon we reached the top floor. As I arrived at the third floor with my squad, we opened the next door. Inside, we heard familiar rough breathing. Opening the door, I expected to find another officer-turned-zombie. But what I saw inside made me flinch for a moment. Keaak¡­ Inside the room was a zombie like all the others we had encountered, but with one key difference. ¡°Battalion Commander.¡± That zombie was our battalion¡¯smander. Major Gwag Han-jung. ¡°Battalion Commander¡­ Come to think of it, didn¡¯t he mention during our training that his family was all in Seoul because of his kids¡¯ education, and he was living the life of a ¡®wild goose dad¡¯ alone in the barracks?¡± Memories of conversations overheard during military life shed through my mind. Wearing a tattered sleeveless shirt, drooling profusely was the pitiful sight of our battalionmander. Seeing him like that all sorts of thoughts came to my mind. The person who should have been leading our battalion. Different from the indecisive Lieutenant Kim. While soldiers may have found him annoying at times, everyone recognized his leadership skills. The person who should have been in my position, now reduced to this state. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°No.¡± I reached out to stop a squad member who was about to step forward to deal with him. There was no particr reason. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± It was something that had to be done by the guild leader of the Steel Legion, themander of the 423rd Battalion. With a swift movement, I drew a kitchen knife with my left hand and approached thepanymander¡¯s zombie. With my right hand, I extended my palm towards my forehead at a slight angle. Then, standing straight, I opened my mouth. ¡°Salute.¡± I saluted thepanymander. ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon. May I have a moment, sir?¡± ¡°Keaeae¡­?¡± As he heard my voice, Major Gwag Han-jung.¡¯s face, now halfway distorted, turned towards me. ¡°Keak!¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take that as permission granted, sir.¡± ¡°Keaeaeaeaeak!!!¡± ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Major Gwag Han-jung screamed as he charged towards me. I held the kitchen knife at an angle in front of his neck. [Junior Grade Dagger Proficiency] That was enough. Swoosh¡ª The rotten head of thepanymander fell to the floor. The lifeless body didn¡¯t move anymore. ¡°Phew.¡± A strange mix of emotions washed over me. As I wiped the rotten blood off the knife with a rag from my pocket, I felt a strange gaze from behind. ¡°¡­¡± Turning around, I saw soldiers who had gathered at the door, staring at the bodies of thepanymander and me. ¡°Hmm.¡± Sending off thepanymander personally, what should I say it was? It was like my own small gesture of respect. Perhaps the soldiers watching had guessed the meaning behind my actions. They stared at me with firm expressions. I decided to give them orders, as the clearmander of this unit. ¡°The battle is over. Let¡¯s clean up.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± * * * The zombie purge in the barracks was finallypleted. But we still had to clean up all that mess. ¡°Well, I added [Sauce of Calm Emotions] to the hfur meat, but¡­ Still, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth for a while.¡± Well, I have added the Calmness Sauce in the hfur meat¡­ Even then it left a bad taste in my mouth, after dealing with the Battalion Commander. Among the zombies were many who had been closerades to the soldiers when they were alive. It wouldn¡¯t sit right to just move on without acknowledging them. Imanded the soldiers, ¡°Gather the bodies of the fallenrades in the center of the barracks ground. And collect their dog tags separately.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Is there a specific reason for gathering them in one ce?¡± I nodded at the soldier¡¯s question. ¡°We need to hold a funeral.¡± With all the soldiers, we began the task of gathering the bodies and retrieving their dog tags. Before starting the task, I also contacted Seo Su-hyeok, who was waiting at the farm. By the time all the bodies and dog tags had been collected, All the former unit members and survivors had gathered at the barracks. ¡°I¡¯ll set the fire.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± Whoosh. The bodies gathered in one ce were engulfed in mes. There wasn¡¯t enough time or expertise for a proper funeral, and no one knew the proper procedures anyway. So, we conducted a brief funeral. ¡°Major Gwag Han-jung, Captain Choi Jae-hyeok. Lieutenant Ahn Kyungsu-¡± Standing in front of the burning bodies, I recited the names written on the dog tags one by one. ¡°-Private Jang Mun-hyung.¡± After speaking thest name, ¡°They were all excellent soldiers.¡± The simple funeral was over. I turned to look at the unit members who had attended the funeral. Many soldiers had tears in their eyes, mourning the loss of theirrades. The survivors, too, had hardened faces, perhaps thinking it wasn¡¯t someone else¡¯s story but their own. p! I pped my hands to draw the attention of the soldiers towards me. Then, in a loud voice, I spoke. ¡°Since we¡¯ve held the funeral, they¡¯ve all gone to a better ce. Don¡¯t dwell on it anymore.¡± Although I feel sorry for the deceased, I don¡¯t have the luxury to dwell on them any longer. ¡°From now on, we focus only on us, the survivors. Understood?¡± ¡°¡­Yes!¡± There may be many sad soldiers, but it seems like everyone understood my intention well. ¡°The soldiers, who had been in a dejected mood, answered in a booming voice as if they had never been that way before.¡± Perhaps some soldiers who went on leave might still be alive. But excluding those hypothetical cases, we, the survivors of the 423rd Battalion, are thest ones standing. As long as we survive, the lineage of our unit won¡¯t be cut off. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work right away. The barracks are quite messy. Let¡¯s start with cleaning up. Oh, and it¡¯s not just zombie cleaning, it¡¯s real cleaning.¡± ¡°Haha, we understand.¡± ¡°Oh, and there was a stream near the barracks, right? Some of you get a few PET bottles and fetch some water. Also-.¡± After neatly sorting out any lingering regrets about the deceased through the funeral, the work to turn the barracks into a temporary base began in earnest. The soldiers became busy, as if they wanted to avoid thinking about something. ¡°Gather the garbage, we can burn itter-.¡± ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I was giving various orders, Sang-ah, who had approached, spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re amazing!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve led a survivor group myself, so I understand how impressive it is. It¡¯s almost awe-inspiring, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ah. Is she talking about seeing me leading the soldiers? ¡°It feels like I¡¯m going to die just by trying something I¡¯ve never done before. What¡¯s so impressive about that?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re doing something you¡¯ve never done before this well, it might mean you have talent, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really embarrassed now. Let¡¯s stop.¡± Even something like the funeral felt like a farce. But it had to be done. It¡¯s like she¡¯s saying my feelings don¡¯t matter. ¡°The effect of cooking, too. It would¡¯ve been better if someone like you were leading our survivor group.¡± ¡°Then there wouldn¡¯t have been people dying, right?¡± ¡°Did you already forget the orders?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I subtly pointed to a corner of the courtyard. The survivors she was leading were cleaning the barracks. ¡°Focus on the survivors. Regardless of who died in the past. They¡¯re alive and have be our unit members. Think about doing well as unit members first.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Instead.¡± I handed her the item I was holding. It was arge water jug. ¡°There¡¯s a stream over there, right? Go get some water from there. Sang-ah, leader of the survivors.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Now that she¡¯s my unit member she should work hard, shouldn¡¯t she? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the additional chapter for (NU vote targetpletion) that I had promised yesterday. No more chapters for today (I¡¯m stuck with some IRL work). 2 regr chaptersing tomorrow. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a rating or a review on Novelupdates. For every 5 ratings or reviews on Novelupdates, I will release 2 additional chapters. Also don¡¯t forget to join our Dicord Server for chapter updates and pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 33 Chapter 33 After cleaning the barracks, the task of turning this ce 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 ces around the courtyard. The area around the barracks was an empty in. By illuminating the surroundings with torches, even the night became bright. ¡°It looks quite simr to our base.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bitckingpared to our base, but it¡¯s decent enough.¡± An environment simr to that of our base for defense. We have secured a sufficient distance for our allied mages and marksmen to intercept enemies. ¡°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 rxation 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 sessful. Great job, everyone. Apuse.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± A somewhat ceremonial ¡®wow¡¯ and a round of apuse 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 rxation. 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 exin 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. Misceneous, 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 bnced diet, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Half of it was a joke, but. In fact, half of it was serious. Having a variety of vors is quite an important factor. ¡°In fact, vor 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 imbnces 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 rmend Number 4!¡± ¡°Number 4?¡± I turned my head to look at the whiteboard Min-jae was holding. And there it was, Number 4. [4. Misceneous, etc.] ¡°Oh¡­ So, you mean you¡¯re rmending ¡®Misceneous, etc.¡¯?¡± ¡°No, not exactly ¡®Misceneous, etc.''¡± The soldier spoke with enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting that we need to secure materials! I strongly rmend 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? Regr 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 upation is that of an engineer?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your suggestion about securing materials must be rted to that. Exin 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 upation, 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 sessfully attacked the barracks through my cooking. There wasn¡¯t anything particrly 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 ns 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 sessfully 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 particrly diligent¡­ It¡¯s something that I have developed over the years while cooking as a chef. It¡¯s just like an upational 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 ced 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. Arge cooking pot (cauldron). Arge grill. And even a stand to ce the grill and the cooking pot (cauldron) on. ¡°For cooking, this should be enough. I¡¯ll have to ask the others for tablester.¡± 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 arge 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 trailerpartments 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 mighte 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 trailerpartment. I decided to save any monsters with potentially useful characteristics forter 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 ording 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 notpletely thawed yet. As it slowly melted, the seasoning would seep inside. ¡°I think this should suffice for ingredients.¡± After cing 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 nearedpletion, 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 morefortable 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 firste, 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 ncing 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 haveints 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 asionally 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 provideforting meals like this imbued with ¡®stability¡¯ due tock of ingredients. Worries about the soldiers¡¯ morale started creeping in. Even though the only ingredient avable 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 ced 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 beenpletely 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 ss bottles from the barracks. Tilting the pot, I poured the contents little by little into the ss 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 thepletion of the oil. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the first regr chapter of the day. 1 more regr chapter + 2 more additional chapters (For NU targetpletion)ing up in few hours. Thanks a lot to all the readers for the reviews and ratings. [post-views] Chapter 34 Chapter 34 [Animal Oil Mixed with Magic Essence] It was thepletion of the oil. In modern kitchens, vegetable oils are predominantly used. However, in the past, animal fats were moremonly utilized. In particr, pork fat, known asrd, remains a crucial ingredient in Chinese cuisine. And making this animal fat is straightforward. You just need to melt the pork fat to extract the oil. ¡®Honestly, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure about this process myself. But I was uncertain about the oue.¡¯ Judging by the results, it seems to have turned out well. There¡¯s a saying that even shoes taste good when fried in oil. That¡¯s how much of a game-changer oil is in cooking. My profession is cooking. So, when problems arise, I must find solutions through cooking. And when the answer needs to be found in cooking, having oil on hand is quite reassuring. ¡°Is this how much I can prepare for now?¡± The other soldiers, having finished their meals, must be making their own preparations. As soon as they are ready, the mission to secure materials will begin. * * * ¡°So, um, let¡¯s get started.¡± During the meeting, Corporal Lee Gong-woo hesitantly pointed to a corner of the military map among the squad leaders. ¡°Here. Do you see it?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s quite close to the barracks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a fairlyrge hardware warehouse here.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± It seemed he wasn¡¯t just iming that they needed to stock up on materials without a n. Corporal Lee Gong-woo had apparently figured out where they could secure the materials. ¡°How did you know about this ce?¡± ¡°Exactly. Even as a local, I didn¡¯t know there was a warehouse here.¡± ¡°Ahem. There are times when the unit needs materials urgently. During those times, I had to go down and buy them. This ce is closer than the small hardware store on base, so I used it frequently.¡± Indeed. Even as a chef, whenever I ran out of spices, I¡¯d ask the drivers to get some for me. The engineers must have had simr situations. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty spacious warehouse, so we should be able to find most of the materials we need. And since the monsters appeared on a weekend, there¡¯s less chance of zombies inside.¡± It¡¯s close to the barracks, far from the busy areas, so there should be fewer zombies. It¡¯s the perfect environment for an operation. ¡°You really thought this through.¡± ¡°Ha, ha.¡± Corporal Lee Gong-wooughed awkwardly. It was clear he was serious about this mission. ¡°All squad members, ready.¡± The same personnel who participated in the barracks operation were selected for this mission. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The difference this time was that each squad had an engineer. And¡­ Vroom¡­ An additional vehicle with an engineer onboard had been added. ¡°A vehicle, huh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just as concerned, but we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Against the monsters, vehicles were quickly torn apart, rendering them nearly useless. Yet, their loud exhaust noise attracted unwanted attention perfectly. Normally, we wouldn¡¯t use them until the roads were somewhat stabilized. ¡°But this mission is about transporting materials.¡± Unless every squad member carried materials with both hands, vehicles were essential for moving the secured materials. There was no other choice. ¡°Though we can¡¯t do anything about the vehicle noise, we¡¯ll move as carefully as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The squads began to move out. Everyone made an effort to minimize noise and keep their presence hidden. However, traveling with arge vehicle made stealth nearly impossible. ¡°They¡¯reing from 70 degrees.¡± Monsters were everywhere, and avoiding their notice was impossible. ¡°We have no choice. Keepbat noise to a minimum. Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Roger that. Everyone, prepare forbat.¡± [Command ¨C Assume Battle Formations!] A series of brief skirmishes with the monsters ensued. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Wounded to the rear!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fill the gap in the formation.¡± Thanks to minimizing thebat noise, we avoided being surrounded byrge hordes. Still¡­ ¡®We also have to avoid using magic that causes loud noises.¡¯ As a result, some injuries were inevitable. Watching the battle, I had a curious thought. ¡®Zombies and monsters don¡¯t attack each other?¡¯ Even though monsters often fought amongst themselves, zombies strangely weren¡¯t attacked by the monsters. It was as if¡­ ¡®Like they were avoiding poisoned prey.¡¯ ¡°Hey, I can see the warehouse!¡± One of the soldiers pointed ahead. Following his gaze, I couldn¡¯t help but be genuinely astonished. ¡°It¡¯s huge!¡± The warehouse buildings were massive, far bigger than I had anticipated. They certainly lived up to the im of being thergest hardware warehouse in the area, dwarfing any local hardware store byparison. ¡°It was a weekend when the incident happened, so there probably weren¡¯t any employees around. The inside is likely empty.¡± If that¡¯s the case, we can be somewhat relieved about the possibility of zombies lurking inside. ¡°Engineers, inform the soldiers of the materials we need. Everyone else, follow the engineers¡¯ directions and only take the necessary materials.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Rumble¡ª The warriors approached the warehouse doors and began to open them. The doors, though massive, were not locked, and they creaked open with a heavy sound. But then¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± As the doors fully opened, the scene inside was peculiar. In a normal hardware store, you would expect to see countless shelves filled with materials. Instead¡­ ¡°Did an earthquake happen¡­?¡± Shelves were toppled over, and the materials we came for were scattered haphazardly on the floor. It looked like the aftermath of a natural disaster. ¡°Whatever happened here¡­¡± We didn¡¯t need to know the details. The disarray would make things a bit more cumbersome, but that was all. We just needed to gather the materials and leave. ¡°Engineers, list out the materials. Everyone else, follow the engineers¡¯ instructions and load the materials onto the vehicles.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± At mymand, the soldiers sprang into action. While following the engineers¡¯ directions and picking up some metal sheets, a strange noise suddenly echoed through the warehouse. Vroooom¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What was that noise?¡± ¡°Everyone, stay alert!¡± The unexpected phenomenon had everyone on edge. The soldiers ceased their material collection and readied their positions. And after a while¡­ tter¡­ The metal materials scattered on the floor. They began to move. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± Some soldiers muttered in confusion. It seemed like a dark energy was swirling in the center of the warehouse. The metal objects touched by that energy floated up into the air and gathered in one ce. Watching that scene, I muttered quietly. ¡°What could it be¡­¡± Soon, the metal objects formed into a single shape. ¡°It¡¯s a monster.¡± No wonder things were going a bit too smoothly. It couldn¡¯t be that simple. ¡°A bear made of steel¡­ perhaps?¡± Grrrr¡­ The form created by the intertwining of the ck shadows and metal. It resembled a gigantic bear. With its ck fur rippling, it was a steel beast. Its enormous size was truly intimidating. But we¡¯ve been through our fair share of battles. ¡°Lieutenant Kim!¡± ¡°Everyone, assumebat positions!¡± [Command issued ¨C Combat positions are being assumed.] Lieutenant Kim immediately applied the buffs. Every soldier adopted our guild¡¯sbat stance. They took out a piece of jerky from their pockets and chewed on it. [The dish has been consumed] [All abilities increased] [A dish infused with magic. All resistances increased] The driving force that allowed us to withstand the monsters surging from the mountains. Various buffs synergized, bringing about even greater increases in power. ¡°Hahaha! Look at those cute little scraps of metal!¡± The soldiers¡¯ morale got an exponential boost after eating my courage infusedbat rations. ¡°I don¡¯t know how we ended up here, but¡­¡± ¡°Step aside for a moment! Here Ie!¡± A soldier buffed up and charged towards the monster with great momentum. An awakened warrior wielding a massive sledgehammer. His strike, capable of shattering rocks effortlessly, descended upon the gigantic creature. However. ng- The sound that echoed was different from what was expected. Rather than the sound of breaking, it was more like something bouncing off. ¡°Huh?¡± The anticipated attack to defeat the monster didn¡¯t have any effect. Instead. As forcefully swung, the sledgehammer bounced back equally strong. ¡°What¡¯s this ¨C oof!¡± -Boom! The giant metal paw of the creature, caught off guard, struck the bewildered soldier. Thud! ¡°Han-il!¡± The impact was so strong that the soldier flew and crashed into the warehouse wall. Meanwhile, the monster seemed unharmed. ¡°Han-il got hit!¡± ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s stronger than we thought!¡± The soldier who initiated the attack immediately faced consequences. The remaining soldiers calmly shifted to a defensive formation, aiming to exploit the enemy¡¯s openings rather thanunching preemptive strikes. The soldiers surrounding the monster initiated the battle. ¡°Roar!¡± Swish! ¡°Gack!¡± The giant paw barely missed me as it passed by. The pressure alone nearly lifted me off the ground. ¡°Insane.¡± This monster. It¡¯s much stronger than I imagined. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no strategy.¡± As the soldiers with shields took the lead, buying time against the monster, I stepped back slightly and opened thebat rations pouch I carried. [Red Kangal Jerky Seasoned with Languid Feeling prepared by a Junior Chef] ¡°Descending from the mountains, this effect should work like a charm.¡± The momentum of the monsters, brimming with vitality, miraculously softened in an instant. No matter how strong the monster is, if it loses its momentum, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to deal with! With that expectation in mind, I tossed the jerky. As I anticipated, The creature seemed to be focusing on the more delicious prey in front of it ¨C Thud. ¡®Huh?¡¯ For a moment, I doubted my eyes. It seemed utterly uninterested in my dish. Swinging its paw to swat away the food. -Boom!!! The armored monster disregarded my dish entirely. Continuing tosh out at the soldiers. Meanwhile, My dish remained discarded in a corner of the warehouse. It was covered in dust after being kicked up during the battle. ¡°¡­What?¡± The monster throwing away my dish. The emotion I felt wasn¡¯t confusion. Looking at the jerky on the floor, it was something else. A bit different. Yeah. If I had to say. ¡®Rejecting the dish I made¡­?¡¯ Anger. My pride was wounded. ¡°This creature¡­¡± Thud. I felt blood rushing to my head. In my heart, I wanted to draw my de and turn that thing into sashimi. Unfortunately, It wasn¡¯t the time for that. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°This thing, it¡¯s too tough!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Coming back to my senses, I saw our troops locked inbat with the giant steel bear. We were also armed with equipment, dishes, and Lieutenants Kim¡¯s buffs. No one seemed to have suffered major injuries after adopting proper defensive formations. However¡­ -Roar!!! ¡°Tsk.¡± The same goes for that bear monster. There were only minor scratches on its armored body. There was hardly any real damage. ¡®Continuing the battle as it is won¡¯t change anything.¡¯ Suppressing my anger and making a rational judgment, I shouted to Lieutenant Kim. ¡°We¡¯re retreating for now! Lieutenant Kim!¡± ¡°Retreat slowly to avoid being attacked from behind!¡± [Command issued ¨C Everyone Retreat!] [A bonus has been added to those who have disengaged and retreated from the battle] ¡°Everyone, fall back!¡± ¡°Withdraw as safely as possible!¡± With the retreat order given, Our troops began to retreat as safely as possible to avoid being attacked from behind. Thanks to Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buffs, the retreat proceeded smoothly. There could have been trouble if the creature pursued us outside the warehouse. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be following.¡± Contrary to our worries, The creature merely watched from afar as we fled the warehouse. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps it¡¯s a creature that firmly guards its territory.¡± Anyway, our safety was secured. But¡­ My heart still felt uneasy. ¡®Rejecting my dish and throwing it away like that.¡¯ I was just a chef at best. Until now, I never really felt proud of my cooking. Even when soldiers left food uneaten, I just shrugged it off. ¡®But now, I¡¯ll regret it.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the same anymore. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the second regr chapter of the day. 2 more additional chapters along with 2 regr chapters for Fridaying up at once. Sorry for the dys in uploading (Stuck with some IRL work). I will try to sort out everything by the end of this week only. Till then enjoy the chapters. And once again thanks a lot to all the readers for the reviews and ratings. [post-views] Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°Bring the wounded over here!¡± ¡°Han-il is badly injured. Treat him first.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Once outside the warehouse, we retreated to a nearby safe location. Two healers rushed over to treat the wounded. In the meantime, other squad members sat down on the ground to catch their breath. ¡°What¡¯s our n?¡± As I took a moment to catch my breath, Sergeant Min-jae approached me and asked. ¡°The monster is stronger than we anticipated.¡± Min-jae spoke while looking towards the warehouse. ¡°Indeed, it seems challenging to subdue with our current strength.¡± Gwang-il chimed in, supporting Min-jae¡¯s statement. ¡°I propose a retreat.¡± ¡°A retreat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to facilitate easier nning for future operations by securing resources. It¡¯s not immediately necessary. We don¡¯t need to incur unnecessary losses.¡± Min-jae suggested the retreat. He wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. What about your eyes? You can figure out the enemy¡¯s weakness just by observing them, right? ¡°Judging from Young-joon¡¯s silence, perhaps his skill didn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°No, it did.¡± As he said. My skill, ¡°Chef¡¯s Eyes,¡± reveals some of the target¡¯s handling methods and characteristics. With this skill, I¡¯ve identified many monsters¡¯ weaknesses. ¡°I¡¯ve also figured out what type of monster it is.¡± ¡°Really? Then, couldn¡¯t we use that information to formte a new strategy?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to do that too, but this time might be a bit difficult.¡± ¡°Difficult?¡± The skill certainly worked. However, the information obtained in this manner. [Junior Grade Cooking Secret ¨C Enlightenment of Mac Preparation] [Mac¡± is a type of creature with a sturdy exterior that protects its fragile body by surrounding itself with nearby objects] [The handling method is quite simple. Remove the shell first, then cut the flesh inside into bite-sized pieces] That¡¯s what it says. The monster¡¯s name is ¡®Mac¡¯. Its core is weak, but it protects itself by surrounding itself with nearby objects. ¡°It¡¯s probably simr to a hermit crab.¡± Perhaps that dark energy-like thing is its main body. It merely took on the form of a giant bear using the metal objects lying around. Its body is extremely vulnerable. But the problem is the creature¡¯s weakness. How to handle it¡­ ¡°Remove the shell somehow and cut it into bite-sized pieces.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The soldiers, hearing my words, looked at me with nk expressions. It¡¯s a monster that even the buffed-up soldiers couldn¡¯t harm. The shell. In other words, removing the steel covering its body. ¡°Can that be counted as a weakness?¡± If we had the strength for that, would we be struggling like this? If we could remove the steel covering its body, we could have just beaten it to death. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t misunderstand my abilities¡­¡¯ Chef¡¯s Insight is a skill that reveals handling methods for ingredients. To be precise, it doesn¡¯t reveal strategies or weaknesses. In most cases, the handling method and the weaknesses matched. So far, I¡¯ve used it effectively to identify weaknesses. ¡°But there are rare cases when it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then, is retreat still the answer¡­?¡± The other leaders all seemed to lean towards retreat. As Min-jae said earlier, Resource acquisition isn¡¯t essential. The cost of this operation isn¡¯t too high. Moreover, there should be other metal warehouses elsewhere. Retreating seems like the right choice. But¡­ One thing that¡¯s holding me back is, ¡°I can¡¯t just turn back, even if it makes me angry.¡± Furthermore, there¡¯s one thing that bothers me. ¡°That guy. At first, I thought it was just a monster made of scrap metal.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Like, why iron? You know what I mean.¡± Not all monsters are necessarily living beings. Some could be machines made of iron or something simr. Such monsters could exist. ¡°So, I was wondering why it rejected my cooking.¡± If it were such a monster, I could understand why it wouldn¡¯t eat the meat I threw at it. If it¡¯s a creature that doesn¡¯t need to consume food in the first ce, cooking wouldn¡¯t matter. But that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Based on my skill¡¯s analysis, it seems to be an organic being for now. If that¡¯s the case, it would need to eat something. So why did it refuse my cooking?¡± Actually, this is one of the main reasons why I hesitated to retreat. A monster that rejects my cooking. I feel like I need to understand the reason behind it to move on. And then it happened. ¡°It would need to eat something¡­.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I heard Corporal Lee Gong-woo¡¯s voice. He seemed to be mumbling something softly. ¡°Gong-woo? Do you have any guesses?¡± ¡°Well? Um, it¡¯s nothing special, really.¡± ¡°Anything will do, just tell me. Even if it¡¯s not particrly helpful.¡± As I pressed him, he finally spoke cautiously. ¡°Well¡­ you know those metal pieces lying around inside the warehouse?¡± Finally, Corporal Lee Gong-woo cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°Some of them seemed to have traces, as if something had gnawed on them.¡± ¡°Gnawed on them?¡± ¡°Yes. Some of the intact metal pieces seemed to have been nibbled away, little by little.¡± Hearing Corporal Lee Min-jae¡¯s words, Sergeant Lee Min-jae said, ¡°Could it be rust or something like that?¡± ¡°Hmm, probably not. Engineers have a basic characteristic of material identification. From that perspective, those traces are definitely not something that typically urs.¡± ¡°It would be fascinating if it were true.¡± ¡°But it probably won¡¯t be much help, right?¡± ording to the other members of the squad it wasn¡¯t particrly helpful. Even Corporal Lee Gong-woo, who brought it up, seemed to share the sentiment. But my thoughts differed. Traces like something had gnawed on them. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I think I might have been mistaken all along.¡± After all, that thing wasn¡¯t human; it was a monster. So, if that¡¯s the case¡­ It rejected the meat because it wasn¡¯t a suitable food¡­! ¡°It eats iron.¡± It¡¯s like serving meat dishes to a vegetarian and then getting angry because they didn¡¯t eat it. It¡¯s absurd that someone iming to be a chef wouldn¡¯t even consider this basic possibility. ¡°So, it rejected my cooking because of that.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, there¡¯s no contradiction like this. Confidently, I shouted towards the resting soldiers. ¡°Hong-su! Are you there?¡± ¡°Lance Corporal Hong-su, Sir!¡± The soldier I called was Lance Corporal Jang Hong-su. His upation was that of a fire mage. ¡°Can you make a fire here?¡± ¡°Um¡­? Oh. Uh, yes, I can.¡± With his help, we lit a small fire on the ground. Then, I took out a small pan from my military bag and ced it on top. From the same bag, I retrieved another item: a small ss bottle containing a yellow liquid. ¡°What are you nning to do, Young-joon?¡± People asked, surprised by my sudden actions. I casually replied, ¡°Well, they say everything tastes better when fried, even shoes.¡± So, I thought¡­ ¡°If frying shoes makes them taste better, what about frying metal sheets?¡± ¡°¡­Wil that even taste good?¡± The soldiers asked incredulously. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know?¡± I¡¯ve never tried eating a fried metal sheet. It¡¯s just a thought, a ¡°might as well give it a try¡± kind of thing. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work, but we¡¯re dealing with a monster that¡¯s hard to defeat inbat, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°So, we might as well try something before retreating. After all, there¡¯s nothing to lose at this point.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s also true.¡± Before long, all the soldiers gathered around started to watch my cooking. ¡°Well, the problem lies in the ingredients.¡± ¡°Oh, if it¡¯s about that¡­¡± The monster appeared after I gave the order to retrieve materials. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°It was rolling on the ground, so it¡¯s a bit dirty.¡± As soon as the order was given, soldiers picked up items rolling on the ground. Among them, one rtively clean item was chosen and thoroughly washed. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ the temperature should be about right.¡± Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Jang Hong-sou continued to raise the temperature of the oil. Since there was no worry about the ingredients burning, it just needed to reach a suitable temperature. Carefully, I ced the clean metal sheet (iron te) into the oil. Splish. There was no typical sizzling sound when you put something into hot oil because we didn¡¯t coat it with batter. ¡°Is it even appropriate to call this frying?¡± But then again, coating it with batter seemed pointless. Would a monster that doesn¡¯t even eat meat be attracted to breadcrumbs? Ultimately, all I could do was to maintain the appearance of ¡°cooking¡± as much as possible. There was probably a low chance of sess, but it was worth a try. After all, there was nothing to lose at this point. ¡°¡­ ¡± Amidst the silence, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the metal sheet floating in the oil. After some time passed¡­ ¡°I think this should do.¡± I used tongs to remove the metal sheet from the oil. A metal sheet soaked in oil. And then I brushed my finger lightly on it. ¡°Chef¡¯s Special Sauce¡± was sprinkled on the metal sheet. ¡°Well, it¡¯s finished¡­ but.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like anything has changed.¡± The finished fried metal sheet. It only seemed to have gained a bit more shine on the surface. It just looked like a metal sheet soaked in oil. ¡°Is it a failure?¡± ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a metal store near the military headquarters. It¡¯s risky, but maybe we can use thatter¡ª¡± While everyone seemed to be anticipating failure, Ding! ¡°No.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Along with the familiar sound, messages appeared before my eyes. [The dish has beenpleted] [Deep-fried metal sheet filled with a sense of defat of a Junior Chef] [It has be an alloy dish mixed with magic, providing a deeper vor] [This is a pretty simple dish. The effect is slightly reduced] Grin. ¡°It¡¯s a sess.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Messages filled my vision. Information about thepletion of the dish flowed into my mind. Since it was a dish prepared by me, it obviously contained several buffs in it. But those weren¡¯t important. What mattered was one thing: This greasy metal sheet was recognized as a dish! [This is a dish that goes beyond the concept of existing cuisine.] But the messages didn¡¯t end there. [For the very first time in human history, a new horizon in cooking has been discovered!] [Many chefs fail to realize the limits of cooking] [That limit is none other than the limitation of ingredients!] [No matter how skilled a chef is, attempting to cook with ingredients considered inedible is extremely rare] [The endless potential of cooking has been overshadowed by small biases] [Many great chefs have been trapped by these limits, unable to progress to the next level, only to despair] [But not you] [A reward will be given to those who are ahead of others] [Reward: The limitation on ingredients disappears] ¡°¡­?¡± It seemed like a grand message, yet the reward was just one line. ¡°What does it mean that the limitation disappears?¡± As I pondered the meaning of the reward¡­ ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Someone eximed in awe. Turning my gaze in that direction, I saw Corporal Lee Gong-woo. He was staring intently at the metal sheet I was holding. ¡°Corporal Lee Gong-woo?¡± ¡°Do you sense something different?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, uh¡­¡± It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one who heard his amazement. Some soldiers also began to question Corporal Lee Gong-woo. After being lost in thought, he finally responded. ¡°Well¡­ as I mentioned earlier, engineers like us have a characteristic called ¡®material identification.''¡± Material identification, huh? It¡¯s probably a simr characteristic to my ¡®ingredient identification.¡¯ Like how I can discern ingredients, he probably can discern materials. ¡°Based on that, that metal sheet¡­¡± Corporal Lee Gong-woo continued, his expression showing disbelief. ¡°It seems like an entirely different item from the metal sheet before that went into the oil.¡± ¡°Entirely different?¡± The soldiers¡¯ expressions lightened upon hearing his response. Their gaze turned to the metal sheet in my hand. Outwardly, it just seemed like a slightly wrinkled metal sheet. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Could it be? ¡°So, did it be a sturdier metal sheet?¡± If that¡¯s the case¡­ With this ability, if I could enhance all materials¡­ ¡°Huh? No, it didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It seems like its efficiency as a material actually decreased. It¡¯s practically unusable now.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± I wondered if I could reinforce the metal sheet with my cooking, but contrary to expectations, it seemed impossible. ¡°This is not something to just overlook! The fact that a substance changes just by being put in and taken out of oil? There¡¯s no other word for it but a miracle! Maybe it¡¯s possible because of the Sergeant¡¯s profession, but really¡­¡± His astonishment seemed to be limited to that aspect. Excitedly, he began to exin how unbelievable it was. Of course, it wasn¡¯t helpful from my perspective. I let his words go in one ear and out from the other. ¡°Is it important?¡± After all, it wasn¡¯t a dish meant to aim for that aspect in the first ce. As long as it fulfilled its role as a dish, that was enough. Handing thepleted dish to the soldiers, I said, ¡°This should be fed to the monster.¡± ¡°Is it the debuff food you showed usst time?¡± By the way, most soldiers still didn¡¯t know that my cooking could stir emotions. Since it¡¯s not a desirable ability that should be known publicly. So, thanks to that soldiers had some peculiar misunderstandings. The food I fed to monsters when we descended the mountain. They understood it as debuff food. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not even sure if it can be considered food.¡± ¡°It¡¯s food. Well, also a debuff food.¡± Since the results were simr, I decided to leave the misunderstanding as it was. Regardless, the dish waspleted. So¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s begin the operation.¡± *** Thunk¡­ We stepped back into the warehouse, but this time with fewer soldiers than before. Most of the group consisted of shield warriors with outstanding defensive capabilities. Since we deemed direct assault impossible, only warriors with exceptional defensive abilities were brought along as a precaution. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s back to its original state.¡± Upon re-entering the warehouse, we saw the scattered metal pieces on the floor. Apart from the rearrangement, it was a mess just like when we first arrived. ¡°I was wondering why it was such a mess when we first arrived.¡± A monster that gathers materials and forms a gigantic form when it discovers an enemy. But does that form itself consume power? After repelling the enemy, the gathered materials seemed to scatter randomly. We stood near the entrance, scrutinizing the interior of the warehouse. ¡°Where¡¯s its main body?¡± ¡°Hmm. Can¡¯t see it.¡± What we needed to find was the monster¡¯s main body, the ck shadow that manipted the metal pieces. But could it be buried somewhere, hiding? No matter how much we searched, it was nowhere to be found. ¡°Seems like it¡¯ll only show itself when we approach a bit more.¡± ¡°It will likely assume the same giant monster form as before.¡± Ideally, I wanted to ascertain its location in this state. But it seemed difficult. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t do anything about it then.¡± I confidently stepped forward. As we took a few more steps into the warehouse¡­ Grrrr¡­ ¡°There it is!¡± The vibration sound, that we had already heard once, resonated again. It seemed the sound came from the vibrating materials. Apanying the sound was the spreading ck shadow throughout the warehouse. Warriors raised their shields, guarding against the floating metal pieces. ¡°Stay cautious, everyone!¡± ¡°Even if we fail, we must protect Sergeant Shin.¡± The warriors assumed a defensive stance, protecting me. From the perspective of someone who was being protected, it was quite reassuring. Within this protection, I closely observed the ck shadow. Particrly, I focused on the center of the shadow. Where the shadow condensed the most. That ce was surrounded by hardware, as if to protect it from external enemies. ¡°Is it there?¡± That was probably where the monster¡¯s main body was located. Observing the almostpleted form of the giant monster¡­ I gripped the metal sheet I brought along. The gleaming metal sheet, shimmering with oiliness. The heat still lingered, scorching hot. If it weren¡¯t for my fire-resistance, my hands might have suffered. Yet, there was a reason I brought the metal sheet in such a heated state. ¡°It¡¯s best to eat it warm for better vor.¡± With the metal sheet gripped firmly in my right hand, I formed an L-shape by extending my left hand forward. It was a throwing stance I learned, reminiscent of a grenade throw. I¡¯ve never tried baseball before, and this was the only thing that I knew about it. ¡°Throw!¡± Unlike in training, this time the target wasn¡¯t the enemy¡¯s base but the area near the monster¡¯s main body. The shimmering metal sheet sliced through the air. As I observed it, I thought, ¡°Last time, you attacked my food mercilessly, didn¡¯t you?¡± Thanks to that, my pride took a hit. But this time it was different. The metal sheet fell around the monster¡¯s main body. The ck shadow homed in on the spot where the metal sheetnded. Thud. The shadow adhered to the metal sheet. The metal sheet, guided by the shadow, was drawn towards the presumed location of the main body. ¡°There it is!¡± Confirming the sight, I shouted to the soldiers, ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°Fall back, fall back!¡± ¡°Mission aplished, everyone, retreat!¡± The objective was achieved. Without hesitation, I turned and fled along with the soldiers. ncing back, I saw the monster observing us with a somewhat bewildered expression. Was it due to mood swings? ¡°Do you want to fight?¡± The soldiers were brought along just in case. Combat wasn¡¯t part of the n from the start. Before the fully formed monster could attack us, wepleted our retreat. From a distance, the monster watched us and the soldiers, still in the warehouse. We knew it wouldn¡¯t pursue us. ¡°We¡¯ve managed to evade somehow.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope it stays that way.¡± The monster likely saw the warehouse¡¯s metal as both a protective shell and a source of sustenance. The warehouse, overflowing with metal, was the perfect sanctuary for it. There was a possibility of someone looting the food if left unguarded. There was no need for the monster to pursue invaders who retreated, considering humans were inedible and useless for it. ¡°We somehow managed to shake it off.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope it stays that way.¡± Afterpletely escaping from the area of the monster, the soldiers spoke. The soldiers were anxious about whether the operation would go well. Although we seeded in delivering the dish. In the end, the operation could only seed if it ate the dish, and the effect takes ce properly. I understand their worries. I shrugged my shoulders and said, ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Unlike the anxious soldiers, I was confident that it would go well. ¡°You seem very confident that it will go well.¡± ¡°How can you speak with such confidence?¡± ¡°Huh? Well¡­.¡± To the soldiers¡¯ question, My answer was simple. Because I have faith that it will seed. ¡°Who do you think made the dish.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Of course, it will turn out well. And My belief was not wrong. ¡°Mmm¡­ Mm¡­.¡± What¡¯s this? Looking at it like this, ¡°It¡¯s pretty cute, isn¡¯t it?¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the first additional chapter of the day (For NU 30 votes milestonepletion) [post-views] Chapter 36 Chapter 36 After throwing my deep-fried metal dish at the monster, we took a moment before re-entering the warehouse. Amidst the iron tes scattered across the floor, a ck, blob-like creature was curled up. From it came faint sounds: Creak. Crunch. Crack. ¡°Those sounds¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s eating,¡± I confirmed. And it seemed to be enjoying itself quite a bit. Given that it had consumed my dish, it couldn¡¯t escape the effects of the chef¡¯s special sauce contained within. Step by step, I moved closer. Flinch. The creature twitched, sensing our approach. What mattered was its next reaction. Screeech! Startled, it darted towards a corner. ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape!¡± I ordered. My team and I spread out, blocking its path. Cornered, the monster had nowhere to run. It crouched and trembled. Looking at it now, it seemed pretty¡­ cute. ¡°Isn¡¯t it kind of adorable?¡± someone remarked. ¡°Indeed,¡± I agreed. Unlike the armored steel beast it had been moments ago, it now resembled a small, ck puffball. With four tiny legs, it really did look like a ck cotton ball. ¡°Remarkable,¡± someone else noted. ¡°To see such a powerful creature reduced to this¡­ is it the effect of Sergeant Shin¡¯s cooking?¡± The effect of my dish was ¡®defeat¡¯. This creature, once capable of obliterating us all, was now just a fearful, trembling weakling, weighed down by a sense of defeat. Swish. ¡°I¡¯ll end this quickly,¡± I said, drawing my knife. The way to handle it: ¡®cut into bite-sized pieces.¡¯ Its main body was a vulnerable lifeform. One swift sh to the neck would suffice¡ª ¡°Wait a moment!¡± It was Corporal Lee Gong-woo, grabbing my hand mid-swing. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I asked, frowning. The effect of my dish wouldn¡¯tst forever. We needed to deal with the creature before it regained its strength. Dying this action will only bring trouble. ¡°If you¡¯re hesitant to kill a defenseless creature¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Please look at this.¡± He picked up a piece of metal¡ªone of the many scattered on the floor. ¡°What about it?¡± I started to ask, but then I saw it. [Ingredient Identification] ¡®Huh?¡¯ My skill activated. [Mac¡¯s iron te reinforced with magic power] [The quality of the ingredient is high, but due to inadequate hygiene and cleanliness, it is not rmended as a cooking ingredient.] ¡­¡­? ¡°What?¡± For a moment, I thought I misread it. The skill that had activated was definitely [Ingredient Identification]. However, the item being appraised was a metal te. The problem was. ¡®Why is this skill¡­¡¯ activating right now? ¡°Oh. Even if I show it to you, you wouldn¡¯t understand. Only engineers have the [Material Identification] trait.¡± Exactly. Normally, I shouldn¡¯t be able to see the effects of that metal te since it¡¯s not a cooking ingredient. As I was bewildered by the sudden activation of the skill, Corporal Lee Gong-woo spoke up first. ¡°This metal te isn¡¯t ordinary.¡± Not ordinary? Could it be the same as what I saw? ¡°Corporal Lee Gong-woo?¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not an ordinary metal te?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been enhanced with that monster¡¯s magic.¡± Just as I thought. It was the same as what I confirmed through the system message. ¡°Even during thest battle, it was a bit strange. No matter how thick a metal te is, it shouldn¡¯t end up with just a few scratches from the attacks of awakened warriors. And those metal tes weren¡¯t even that thick.¡± ¡°You mean the monster strengthened the metal tes?¡± ¡°Yeah. And this is even more important.¡± Corporal Lee Gong-woo pointed at the trembling monster with a shaky finger. ¡°Even after being separated from the monster, the enhancement is still maintained.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°We might be able to use this enhanced metal for ourselves.¡± I see. I roughly understood. I could guess what he wanted to say. ¡°Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What if we keep this monster alive?¡± Just as I thought. ¡°You mean to spare the monster?¡± ¡°Oh,e on, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± The other soldiers reacted negatively to the suggestion. A monster is still a monster. It¡¯s only trembling in fear right now because of my ability. Once the cooking effect wears off, it might try to kill us again. No, it¡¯s highly likely to. Dealing with it cleanly would ensure no future troubles. But¡­ ¡°If we can somehow keep it alive, we might be able to create amazing things using its trait. Isn¡¯t it too much of a waste to let this opportunity slip by?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± The benefits of acquiring enhanced materials. That¡¯s hard to give up too, right? I subtly turned my head to look at the monster. It looked like a ck bear cub. ck energy swirled around its body. The same energy that grabbed and controlled the surrounding objects. ¡®Hold on.¡¯ I pulled a piece of cloth out of my pocket. I used it to wipe the blood off my knife. I brought it close to the ck energy swirling around the monster. ¡°It doesn¡¯t stick?¡± Unlike the metal, the cloth didn¡¯t get pulled in by the ck energy. ¡°So, it can only control metal objects or hardware, not everything.¡± In that case. ¡°Guys.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can you bring me a bag? One without any metal zippers or buckles.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I think we have one. Just a moment, please.¡± Soon, one of the soldiers brought a bag. ¡°It¡¯s more of a pouch than a bag, but it should work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. This will do.¡± The soldier brought over what could only be described as a pouch. The pouch itself was made of cloth, with an opening that could be cinched shut with a drawstring. I cut off the metal ends attached to the string. ¡°Let¡¯s put it in.¡± Opening the pouch wide, I approached the monster. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s trying to escape!¡± ¡°Hey, stay still!¡± With the soldiers¡¯ help, we managed to grab the creature and, after some struggle, sessfully shoved it into the pouch. Whimper¡­ ¡°It feels a bit like animal abuse,¡± I remarked, feeling a pang of guilt. ¡°But it¡¯s better than killing it, right?¡± someone replied. Despite its obvious difort, the monster didn¡¯t put up much of a fight, perhaps due to a deep sense of defeat. As I tightened the drawstring, the dark energy seemed to be contained within the sack. What remained was arge pile of metal strewn across the floor. ¡°Wow. There¡¯s so much of it!¡± eximed Corporal Lee, marveling at the sight. He scratched his cheek awkwardly as our eyes met. ¡°Ah, I might have gone a bit overboard,¡± he admitted. ¡°You might not understand, Sergeant Shin, but this stuff¡­ it¡¯s amazing,¡± he said, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at the scattered materials. ¡®I think I do understand.¡¯ [Ingredient Identification] [Nut Enhanced with Mac¡¯s Magic] [Monkey Spanner Enhanced with Mac¡¯s Magic] . . . . . . . [¡­. with Mac¡¯s magic] For some reason, I could also see detailed information about these items. When we first came to the hardware warehouse, we were just looking for ordinary materials. But what we found were objects enhanced with magic. Nearly 90% of them had been strengthened by the monster¡¯s magic. In other words, We have discovered a ¡®Treasure trove¡¯. The reward far exceeded our expectations. * * * We sessfully secured the materials and returned to our base. If we could ensure safe passage, we could make a few more trips to gather the remaining items. ¡°We¡¯ll keep this one locked up here,¡± someone said. The hardware store had more than just metal tools; there were wooden items too. We crafted a makeshift coffin out of wooden nks and put the monster, ¡®Mac,¡¯ inside. Growl!! The effects of the meal seemed to be wearing off, and the creature started to thrash about. But. ¡°Hey, quiet down.¡± Thunk. Grr¡­ Without any metal nearby to control, the monster was helpless. Since it seemed to feed on metal, managing it properly shouldn¡¯t be a problem. After that, we opened the truck¡¯s back door. The spoils of our mission wereid out for inspection, and the engineers gathered around. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t just ordinary pieces of metal, are they?¡± ¡°No way, the strength of this material is incredible!¡± Everyone was impressed. Corporal Lee Gong-woo approached. ¡°Thank you for prioritizing the acquisition of materials and trusting us.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. We secured the materials as you requested, so our part is done. Now, it¡¯s your turn, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s our turn.¡± He grinned widely. ¡°We¡¯ll create something amazing with these materials.¡± Carrying the materials, they headed somewhere. It seemed they nned to start work in the spacious area behind the barracks. I noticed some vehicles being moved there, likely necessary for their task. I nced at the vehicle. And then, [Junior Grade Ingredient Identification] [Aluminum] [ss Fiber] [Functional Ceramic] ¡­ My trait activated once again. ¡®A list of materials used in the vehicle. I learned something I wasn¡¯t even interested in.¡¯ The trait that activated was the Ingredient Identification. As the name suggests, it is the ability to detect and analyze ingredients. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t activate for aluminum or ceramics. My skills and traits stem from my profession as a chef, so they are mostly limited to culinary-rted matters. ¡®Not anymore, though.¡¯ This trait was also activated when I saw the hardware in the warehouse. At the time, I didn¡¯t understand why, but now I do. When I seeded in cooking that metal sheet, I saw the following messages: [For the very first time in human history, a new horizon in cooking has been discovered!] [A reward will be given to those who are ahead of others] [Reward: The limitation on ingredients disappears] ¡°This must be the reason.¡± I was too busy with other matters in the warehouse to check it out. I had brushed off the reward, thinking it was nothing significant. But after careful consideration, I realized, ¡°This is an unbelievable reward¡­¡± The disappearance of ingredient limits meant that one of the restrictions of my abilities had beenpletely removed. [Ingredient Identification] [Chef¡¯s Eye] and others. Most of my skills applied only to cooking or ingredients. Well, my profession is a chef, so I thought such restrictions were natural. However, after cooking a metal sheet, a material not typically considered a cooking ingredient, one of the limitations of my abilities essentially vanished. ¡®It might not greatly help with cooking itself.¡¯ The main customer base for my cooking is the military personnel. Even if I could cook with aluminum or functional ceramics, I couldn¡¯t serve such meals to them. ¡°But the Chef¡¯s Eye can also detect weaknesses.¡± This ability, which used to only activate for ingredients, could now potentially work against inanimate foes, given the variety of monsters we face. ¡°Especially the Ingredient Identification is pretty powerful.¡± Though its name suggests it only detects ingredients, with the restriction removed, this trait has turned into an ability to analyze all items. Considering that engineers with simr traits can only detect specific materials, having an unrestricted detection trait provides a significant informational advantage. I am certain of this: though the mission¡¯s goal was to secure materials¡ªand we seeded beyond expectations¡ªthe greatest reward is this newfound ability. * * * A few dayster. ¡°It¡¯s finished!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The engineers came to me while I was pondering the next menu. I was thinking of Ssambap* with wild greens picked up from the nearby mountains. ¡°Finished? Does that mean the work is finally done?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We apologize for the noise these past few days.¡± The noise from their work had made the barracks quite loud during the day. At least no monsters were drawn in by it. ¡°Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t really taken a close look since I¡¯d been working behind the hangar.¡± I had only vaguely heard about reinforcing the vehicles. I¡¯d never seen them actually working on it. With a sense of anticipation, I followed the engineers. The vans and cars we used in the unit. I was hoping they might have transformed into armored vehicles. And then¡­ ¡°Ta-da!¡± ¡°So, what do you think, Corporal Shin?¡± The engineers proudly presented their work. ¡°Oh? Oh, wow.¡± It was impressive, for sure. Impressive, but¡­ ¡°It has horns¡­?¡± The front of the once-normal van. It now had huge horns attached to it. The sides and wheels were equipped with sharp, spear-like des. A familiar visual. Yeah, just like¡­ Is it some kind of Mad Max?** ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the second additional chapter of the day (For NU 30 votes milestonepletion) *Ssambap is a traditional Korean dish that consists of rice (bap) wrapped in leafy vegetables (ssam), such as lettuce, peri leaves, or cabbage. The wraps often include various fillings and condiments, such as grilled meats (like bulgogi or pork belly), fermented soybean paste (doenjang), chili paste (gochujang), garlic, green onions, and sometimes even fish or tofu. Ssambap is typically eaten by cing a small amount of rice and other ingredients onto the leaf, wrapping it up, and eating it in one bite. It is a popr and healthy dish that showcases the vors and textures of Korean cuisine. **Mad Max in this chapter it¡¯s a reference to the Mad Max Cars which are post-apocalyptic, heavily modified vehicles featured in the ¡°Mad Max¡± movie series. These cars are characterized by their rugged, aggressive designs, usually equipped with various weaponry and armor to survive the harsh desert environment depicted in the films. The ¡°Mad Max¡± series, starting with the original 1979 film, showcases these unique vehicles as a central element of its dystopian setting. [post-views] Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Is this some kind of Mad Max?¡± Vehicles equipped with horns, spikes, and des here and there. The designs were excessively apocalyptic. As I stare in disbelief at these vehicles, ¡°Attention! Sergeant Shin, you¡¯ve arrived!¡± Corporal Lee Gong-woo approached me. With his shoulders puffed up, he proudly asks, ¡°How do you like our work?¡± ¡°Well, how should I put it¡­¡± It certainly looks impressive. In various ways, to say the least. ¡°Haha, the design is a bit much, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sensing my hesitation, heughs awkwardly. I feel bad about criticizing something they worked hard on. But I didn¡¯t expect him to bring up the design first. ¡°To be honest¡­ Is this your taste?¡± ¡°No way. We prioritized functionality.¡± I turn my gaze towards the vehicle upon hearing that. Still covered in horns and spikes. ¡­This is functionality prioritized? ¡°Well, listen to this.¡± He taps one of the spikes attached to the vehicle. ¡°Before modifying the vehicles, the engineers had a brief meeting. We concluded that these vehicles are not meant for road driving.¡± ¡°Not for road driving?¡± ¡°Of course not. They¡¯re forbat.¡± Ah. ¡°We had to consider that the situation has changed significantly from the old gunfight-centric wars. The enemies have transformed from armed soldiers to wed monsters. So, we need to adapt ordingly, right?¡± With that exnation, something clicks in my mind. If the design is meant tobat wed monsters¡­ ¡°These spikes. They¡¯re meant to prevent monsters from approaching, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± I envisioned a medieval battlefield. Where sharp spears were arranged to prevent enemy advances. Even in modern warfare, there are simr things. Like barbed wire fences around unit perimeters. These spikes and des serve that purpose. ¡°They¡¯ll function offensively as well. Look here. If we drive through a horde of monsters with this vehicle¡­ see those des on the side? They¡¯ll slice through the enemies.¡± Corporal Lee Gong-woo makes a cutting gesture with his hand. The des looked quite sharp. A mere brush against them would likely result in a fatal wound. ¡°Well, they might be ineffective against tough monsters like lizards.¡± Some monsters are incredibly resilient. ¡°But against zombies, they¡¯ll be more than enough to turn them into minced meat. At the very least, it¡¯ll be a significant deterrent.¡± ¡°They do seem difficult to deal with.¡± ¡°Think of them as abination of barricade and tank.¡± At first, I thought these were just promotional vehicles for a movie. But on second thought, the vehicles in ¡®Mad Max¡¯ were also modified forbat. Prioritizing performance isn¡¯t just talk. ¡°That¡¯s not all. We also soundproofed them as much as possible.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t a ¡®Mad Max¡¯ vehicle be roaring and screaming?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Oh, never mind.¡± I spoke my mind without thinking. ¡°Anyway, though they¡¯re notpletely silent, we¡¯ve significantly reduced the noise, so we¡¯ll draw less attention from the monsters. And their defense is solid.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ really impressive.¡± Corporal Lee Gong-woo¡¯s exnation continued. ¡°And here we also considered-.¡± ¡°You thought of even that?¡± Details I hadn¡¯t even imagined. Each aspect was meticulously thought out with realbat in mind. The vehicles that initially seemed ridiculous now felt incredibly reliable after his exnations. ¡°It was all possible thanks to the quality materials we secured. We managed to get them because of your decision.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me too much credit.¡± Speaking of materials¡­ ¡°What happened to that guy?¡± ¡°Ah, would you like to see?¡± The one who enhanced these materials. I knew the engineers took him, but I hadn¡¯t heard what happened next. ¡°This way, please.¡± Following the engineers, I see a small wooden building in a corner of the barracks. It looks sturdy for something that has been hastily assembled. ¡°Be careful. He¡¯s quite ferocious.¡± Creak. As the door opens¡­ Ah! A sharp scream echoed from within. The monster we captured earlier. Ah! Ah! Ah! Trying to pose some sort of threat, it seemed. The monster inted its fluffy body with force. But¡­ ¡°Not much of a threat, really.¡± Its body was small and fragile. It felt more like a kitten¡¯s hiss than a serious threat. ¡°Are you raising it here?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s not particrly strong, so as long as we keep it contained, it won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Ignoring the monster still hissing away, I surveyed the inside of the wooden building. It was basically empty, except for a few sheets of metal rolling around. ¡°Is it safe to leave those metal sheets like that? This thing seems pretty hostile.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve investigated, and those sheets don¡¯t seem to pose a big threat.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± This monster. Mac reinforces metal with his magic. Plus, the stocks are also metal. ¡°If we leave non-threatening metal like this. Some of it seems to be consumed as a meal. See these marks, looks like this one has been gnawed?¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem to consume much. And here¡¯s the important part.¡± The creature tapped the metal it held. I felt like, I could understand what it wanted to say. ¡°Reinforced with Mac¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°The leftover metal that¡¯s not consumed is reinforced like this, with magic.¡± ¡°So, by leaving it like this, we can periodically obtain reinforced materials.¡± ¡°Yes. It seems to be an instinctual behavior.¡± The reinforced materials can withstand attacks from awakened beings. Just by putting them in a simple wooden building, we can secure such materials. ¡°Unbelievable efficient.¡± ¡°Yes. The reinforcement speed isn¡¯t fast at the moment, but we¡¯re trying to optimize it. Once enough materials umte, we might be able to build barriers or something.¡± ¡°Barriers?¡± ¡°Yes. Even now, soldiers stand guard 24/7 to deal with iing monsters. But if we build barriers, it will significantly reduce the soldiers¡¯ workload.¡± Thebat engineers spoke with enthusiasm. Listening to their exnation, I nced at the monster. Grrr¡­ Still inting its body and showing hostility. The soldiers¡¯ approach isn¡¯t bad. But one thought lingered in my mind. ¡°Hmm. There might be a better way.¡± That monster showing its intent to kill. Our current method is essentially exploiting it. It¡¯s understandable if it gets angry from its perspective. Either way, we¡¯re benefiting. It¡¯s not bad as it is now. But I wonder if there¡¯s a better way. In fact, there¡¯s a specific idea that came to my mind. ¡°Well¡­ for now, things are going well enough.¡± I probably don¡¯t need to intervene. ¡°If I ever need to,ter on.¡± When the situation calls for trying out a new method. * * * While thebat engineers utilized the materials. Other unit members weren¡¯t just idling around. ¡°We¡¯ve been consistently scouting the area. And tried our best to secure resources¡­¡± But. What can I say? ¡°There was nothing remarkable.¡± ¡°Well, what can we do.¡± Our base is already a small military town in itself, located at Inje-gun. And even there, it¡¯s standing quite isted in a remote area. Which originally meant there were no people around. It¡¯s not without its advantages. With no people around, there are fewer zombies. And it seems there are rtively fewer monsters roaming around in search of prey. Especially, since we can¡¯t use the ¡®mobile fortress.¡¯ In terms of safety, it¡¯s a decent temporary base for the time being, isn¡¯t it? ¡°The problem lies in resources.¡± Food, fuel. And various medicines on top of that. Essential items for survival. Naturally, such items were in demand¡­ In other words, People tend to gather where there¡¯s a high demand. ¡°It means there¡¯s hardly any connection with the outside near this base.¡± But traveling long distances is also risky. Thanks to that, the operations so far have focused on securing the surroundings. ¡°The engineers have finished modifying the vehicles.¡± It was now possible to begin full-fledged activities. ¡°The performance is better than expected. We can start being more proactive.¡± ¡°We can finally try to do something.¡± The rush to secure supplies was with the intention of making future activities easier. Now that the engineers have finished modifying the vehicles. We can finally engage in active operations. ¡°If we¡¯re around here, there might be a supermarket.¡± The one who spoke was Lee Sang-ah, representing the survivors. She was a local who actually lived around here. She probably has more urate information than us, who used to visit this ce for asional outings. ¡°It¡¯s here. I haven¡¯t been here often, but I¡¯ve seen a small supermarket around here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rtively on the outskirts. It may seem safe, but¡­¡± Pointing to a corner of the map, she spoke. In terms of distance or danger, it seemed like a decent destination. ¡°But there is one problem¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± She trailed off with a worried tone. I wondered if there were any dangerous elements nearby. ¡°It¡¯s about whether the items we need are still there.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It¡¯s been almost two months since the monsters started appearing. The survivors from the surface must have struggled fiercely to survive as well. ¡°While this supermarket may be rtively unknown, it was still used by people living nearby.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a high possibility that other survivors have already passed through. Is that so?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± There¡¯s a good chance it¡¯ll be empty even if we make the effort to go. But. ¡°Zero possibility isn¡¯t the case.¡± We might still get something out of it. The unit began preparations for the expedition. * * * A small mart on the outskirts. The distance is rtively close, but it¡¯s still a bit ambiguous to just walk there aimlessly. After all, we¡¯ll need to transport supplies anyway. We decided to immediately deploy the vehicle that our engineers have just modified. We¡¯re on the move towards our destination in the vehicle. And we encountered a few zombie groups along the way. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Thud! Two zombies standing on the road. They got sliced by the de edges at the front of the modified vehicle. ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Haha. I¡¯m already getting a cold sweat.¡± Said the soldier who was driving the modified vehicle. Looking at his face, he seemed slightly pale. Engaging with human-shaped figures on the road was an act that contradicted conventional wisdom. It must have been quite hard for him to adjust to his new reality. Anyway, the important thing is that the vehicle¡¯s performance is reliable. Even though we just hit zombies, there was no sign of monsters gathering around. It probably means that reducing the noise, as mentioned by the engineers, is effective. Although the road conditions are not as good as before, and encountering a horde of monsters could change the situation, the constraints on our movement seem to have been significantly decreased. ¡°There it is.¡± We managed to arrive at our destination. ¡°The front of the car was a mess.¡± ¡°Ugh, disgusting.¡± The vehicle¡¯s front, where the zombies were shredded, was in a grotesque state, smeared with grotesque chunks and rotten blood. It was quite a shocking visual. ¡°Well, when you see something that gross, it doesn¡¯t matter much.¡± ¡°The real gross part is that we have to clean that up.¡± Fortunately, the soldiers were quite ustomed to such gruesome scenes. They were even considering the hassle of cleaning up. Whether getting used to such things is a good or bad thing is a headache for another day to think about. Soldiers got out of the vehicle and checked their gear individually. I looked at them and said, ¡°Did everyone bring thebat rations I provided?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat number 3.¡± The soldiers were provided jerky that I had prepared asbat rations. I categorized them based on the effects of the cooking. The effect of the Number 3 cooking was something I had experienced before. [Acquired Temporary Attribute ¨C Enhanced Hearing (Eavesdropping)] ¡°Ugh, I think my ears are already hurting.¡± ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s refrain from making loud noises.¡± It was a dish prepared from therge-eared hfur. It had the effect of significantly enhancing hearing abilities. With this ability, even in narrow spaces, we could locate enemy positions. After confirming that all the soldiers had put the jerky in their mouths, ¡°We¡¯re entering.¡± Creak- We slightly pushed the half-broken ss door and entered the mart. We were prepared for the possibility of monsters or zombies popping out from the inside. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Inside the mart there were no monsters or zombies, as we feared. The problem was¡­ ¡°It¡¯s clean.¡± ¡°Well, we sort of expected some of it, didn¡¯t we?¡± It wasn¡¯t just that there were no monsters or zombies. ¡°Well, look over there. Amidst all this, there are still some toy-like things left.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a hurry to survive. There¡¯s no reason to take those.¡± Toys, household appliances, and everything that wasn¡¯t essential for survival had already been looted. Amidst all this, one soldier pointed to a corner of the mart. ¡°Look over there. Even the pet food section is empty.¡± ¡°Huh? Why pet food?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly essential for survival, is it?¡± Some soldiers expressed their doubts. But that only applies to units like ours where we never went hungry. ¡°The taste matters, humans can eat it too, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a situation where we could starve to death. Whether it¡¯s for humans or animals, as long as there¡¯s something to eat, it¡¯s all the same.¡± In reality, we¡¯re not so different. Whether it¡¯s pet food or monster meat. Ordinary humans wouldn¡¯t even consider putting it in their mouths. ¡°There might still be some necessary items left. Let¡¯s search thoroughly.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Still, you never know. There might be something useful among the remaining items. The soldiers dispersed to begin their search. ¡°Over here. It¡¯s a zombie corpse.¡± One of the soldiers found a zombie slumped in a corner. Perhaps it was a mart employee. A zombie wearing an apron with the mart¡¯s logo on it. ¡°Um. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s appropriate to call a zombie a corpse.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not important, let¡¯s move on. Any other peculiarities?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a wound on its head like it was struck with an axe.¡± ¡°An axe, huh. Perhaps it was dealt with by survivors who came through earlier.¡± As feared by Sang-ah. It has been two months already since the beginning of the apocalypse. It seemed that others had alreadye through, disposing of the zombies and looting the items. ¡°They¡¯ve cleaned it out.¡± ¡°While we were holding up in our base, the survivors on the surface surely weren¡¯t idle. It¡¯s inevitable.¡± It¡¯s a bit disappointing, but¡­ Even as we investigated, we couldn¡¯t help but think there wouldn¡¯t be anything left. They were starting to consider giving the order to return. I was considering an immediate return order. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡­Crackle. ¡°A sound!¡± We heard a faint sound from somewhere. Not a particrly loud or notable sound. Normally, we might have missed it and moved on. But we couldn¡¯t avoid it with our heightened senses. ¡°Sang-ah.¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard it too.¡± All the soldiers, who had been looking around, stopped in their tracks. Soldiers speaking in hushed tones from a distance. It was possible because they all shared the same enhanced senses. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± That question left me somewhat perplexed. The power of their enhanced senses was formidable. Though it was a small sound, they had already pinpointed its origin. ¡°Inside the butcher¡¯s corner.¡± There was a small iron door there. The sound came from inside there. The problem was¡­ It was certain that there was something inside. The question was whether we should check out that ce or not? ¡°That thing. It seems to be deliberately suppressing the sound, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It appears so.¡± After that initial sound, no other noises were heard. It seems likely that it¡¯s deliberately suppressing its presence. A creature that attacks prey that bescent due to the absence of enemies. A monster that acts while concealing its presence. There must be a reason for it to conceal its presence. ¡°It¡¯s likely a creature vulnerable to head-on attacks rather than ambushes.¡± Otherwise, it would have confidentlyunched its hunt from the front. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Simply ignoring it and passing by might not pose a significant issue. But this creature could potentially cause other problemster on. It¡¯s advantageous to deal with it while they can. Several soldiers who heard the conversation approached. A warrior wielding a hammer looked at me. I drew a kitchen knife from my waist. ¡°Smash it.¡± I nodded towards the creature. And then¡­ ¡°Whoom!¡± The hammer struck forcefully, smashing the door. As the broken door flew open, the soldiers quickly pushed their way inside. That was the moment. Swish! Something from inside the room lunged at me. ¡°Above!¡± But I was prepared. I swung the kitchen knife towards the objecting at me. Squelch. The sensation and sound of cutting through something as solid as wood. I judged that I had blocked the attack and turned my gaze towards where the attack came from. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t know what kind of monster it is, if I can identify its weaknesses, I can win.¡± As I turned my gaze towards the beast that attacked us, my skill, [Chef¡¯s Eyes] got activated. But then¡­ [You have already grasped the preparation method of this material] [You have already grasped the recipe of this material] [Skill: Chef¡¯s Eyes won¡¯t be activated] ¡°¡­What?¡± The expected skill did not activate. Instead, something else did. [Ingredients Identification] [Primates ¨C Human Species] ¡°¡­Primates ¨C Human?¡± A message appeared before my eyes. Looking beyond it. Two humanoid figures appeared from inside. A pair of a boy and a girl who still looked young. The girl who attacked me opened her mouth. ¡°P-please don¡¯t eat my brother.¡± Huh? What¡¯s she talking about? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the third additional chapter of the day (For NU 35 votes milestonepletion) [post-views] Chapter 38 Chapter 38 A dark space without any lights. Within it, ¡°Uwup.¡± A faint voice echoed. ¡°Shh. Suhyuk, quiet.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. Sorry, sis.¡± Another voice cautioned her. The owner of the cautious voice Suyeon looked at her younger brother Suhyuk and thought, ¡°He really¡­ even making a sound to respond is risky.¡± An annoyance that arose unintentionally. But seeing her brother quiet down again, her thoughts changed. From irritation to self-reproach. ¡°I¡¯m getting annoyed with my brother. What am I doing?¡± Even though she was stressed, she shouldn¡¯t haveshed out on him. She was filled with regret, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to apologize. Making noise was dangerous. Some may think that trivial conversation might not seem like a problem, but she had seen people dying while having such thoughts. Monsters that appeared out of nowhere, started to kill people. Among them, there were many who were sensitive towards sound. Back to the silence flowing through the darkness. Swoosh- She sensed a gesture of something being presented in front of her. ¡°You should eat.¡± A signal that her younger sibling had finished eating. And handing her over the rest of the food. She reached out her hand and took the can that her sibling passed to her. Carefully reaching inside, she retrieved the contents. And brought it to her mouth. ¡°Ugh.¡± A momentary surge of revulsion. It felt particrly impressive how well her brother endured. Gulp. She managed to swallow the saliva somehow and sent it down her throat. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s tasteless¡­¡± The food that they were eating wasn¡¯t ordinary. It was pet food. Some were even more expensive than human food. But it wasn¡¯t something which was primarily prepared for humans. During normal times, they wouldn¡¯t have touched it. Regardless of taste, the issue was their health. Since it wasn¡¯t food meant for humans, it could potentially cause various illnesses. However, ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that we still have some pet food with us.¡± Continuing their meal somehow, She remembered what happened in the past. The group she and her brother were part of. The memory of when the group raided the mart. ¡°The bags are full. It seems difficult to carry more.¡± After dealing with the zombies in the mart with great difficulty, She and her group decided to gather as many supplies as possible. ¡°These seem edible. What a waste.¡± ¡°Huh? Hey, old man. Are you talking about this pet food?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with pet food? I heard some are fit for humans nowadays.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not about that¡­¡± The problem arose when it became too difficult to gather more. One man became fixated on the pet food. After a brief struggle, ¡°Enough! Staying here any longer is dangerous.¡± The woman who led the group stepped in. ¡°Still, we might have to chew on tree bark. Leaving these behind feels too wasteful.¡± ¡°In that case, let¡¯s do this. Since carrying them immediately is impossible anyway, let¡¯s hide them nearby.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ I agree.¡± ¡°We cane back for these when we¡¯re nearby again. Hmm, not a bad idea.¡± So, The pet food was hidden in the obscure corner of the warehouse. That was why she and her brother could survive without starving. But recalling the past, She felt unnecessarily mncholic. ¡°Suni ajumma¡­ Cheol oppa¡­¡± The people who protected her and her brother. They were all good people. But only she and her brother survived. -Run, Suyeon. -Oppa! But¡­ -Quit your chatter and hurry! Sniff¡­ ¡°Oh no.¡± She was startled by the unintentional sob. She had to hold her breath to not make any noise. ¡°It¡¯s in the past. We can¡¯t dwell on the past when the present is dangerous.¡± Wiping away her tears discreetly, Suyeon gathered her resolve. Regardless of what happened to the deceased, What mattered was that she and her brother survived. She needed to focus on that. However, if there was a problem, This situation wouldn¡¯tst long either. ¡°There¡¯s not much food left. When this runs out¡­¡± A brief imagination. Her expression could only darken rapidly. The siblings had barricaded themselves in that warehouse. What she feared the most wasn¡¯t the darkness with no hint of fire or the decaying corpses lurking in the corners. It was ¡°The faint sounds that can be heard while holding their breath.¡± The faint sounds from outside. Most of them weren¡¯t human. Strange, dragging noises. Heavy, guttural sounds that couldn¡¯te from a human¡¯s vocal cords. Even heavy footsteps that could be mistaken for an elephant passing by. ¡°Monsters.¡± Every time she heard such sounds, She imagined the day they would have to leave this hiding ce. And she trembled with fear. ¡°The people who protected us are gone now.¡± After finishing the meal, she pondered while feeling the warmth of her sleeping sibling. ¡°Can Suhyuk and I survive together?¡± It was different when we belonged to the survivor group. Difficult decisions were made by the adults leading the group. Hard tasks had to be done together with her and her sibling. Still, having the adults around felt quite reassuring. But now, seeing them all perish before my eyes¡­ All that remains is my younger brother. And this cold feeling of this fire axe. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe she could survive in this world anymore. Once all the remaining food runs out, Whether she likes it or not, she and her sibling will have to venture outside. There¡¯s no other option but to suffer a painful death at the hands of monsters. ¡°¡­Rather than suffer so painfully, I¡¯d prefer¡­¡± She gently grasped the handle of the axe. It was the fire axe that she had picked while escaping the apartment. The axe still bore the blood of zombies that she had killed while reiming the supermarket. She lightly pressed the edge of the axe de against her wrist. She could feel her rapid heartbeat. If she just strikes down¡­ With no proper medical supplies avable, she could surely end it all. But¡­ ¡°Stop.¡± After a moment of hesitation, she gently ced the axe on the floor. If she were alone, she might have chosen a less painful path. But¡­ ¡°Because Suhyuk is with me.¡± Her brother was there with her. Though she hadn¡¯tpletely ruled out the option of dying together, She couldn¡¯t bring herself to directly harm her brother. ¡°¡­Even in the worst scenarios.¡± Instead, she made a resolve. ¡°To protect Suhyuk at all costs.¡± Like the other adults who died protecting them. With that determination in mind, as she was gathering her thoughts¡­ ¡­Kiiing. A sound could be heard from the outside. ¡°Something entered the supermarket¡­?¡± Thump thump. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Many footsteps. Faint sounds reached her ears. ¡°I think, I can hear voices¡­¡± The sound was too faint to make out. Ordinary humans wouldn¡¯t converse in such hushed tones. She tried to silence the sound as much as possible. Her brother, who had just woken up, also seemed to sense the need for silence. This wasn¡¯t the first time that such a situation urred to them. But until now, everyone had left without any major issues. ¡°If we quietly endure this time too¡­¡± At that moment. Was it because his posture was slightly ufortable? Her brother stirred ever so slightly. Sreek A sound quieter than the murmurs. She thought it wouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem. But then¡­ Thunk. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The faint sounds from the supermarket. Footsteps, and even fainter voices. Right after her brother stirred slightly. Suddenly, everything disappeared. She had a premonition. ¡®A monster sensitive to sound¡­ ¡­ !¡¯ Despite being so cautious. Reacting to a mere brushing sound of fabric. Thud. Thud. The sound that had momentarily stopped, started again. Footsteps. Unlike before when they roamed randomly. This time, the footsteps had a pattern. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer.¡± It hadn¡¯t been long since she mentally prepared for the worst. ¡°That worst-case scenario¡­ came too soon.¡± Regretfully, she sighed internally and rose to her feet. And grasped the fire axe with both hands. Even in the worst-case scenario, she¡¯d protect her brother. A recent determination. Her will to protect remained strong. The moment to act on that determination came swiftly. She inspected the door. The moment it opened, she nned to strike the monster with her axe. But¡­ Kwaaang! Instead of opening, The door was shattered into pieces. If she had to break the door like this, it meant the monster on the other side was too powerful for her to handle. But she had no time to entertain such thoughts. Reacting instinctively to the figure in front of her, she swung the axe. And then¡­ Slice- The axe was severed along with its handle. In the moment of despair, The figure in front of her began toe into focus. A somewhat familiar sight. ¡°A soldier?¡± But upon hearing what came out of his mouth, her thoughts changed. ¡°Primates¡­ human race?¡± A being resembling a soldier. But ¡®human race¡¯? A term like ¡°human¡± would be unknown to them. There was no suitable word to describe a fellow human. ¡°Initially¡­ he came this way upon hearing Suhyuk¡¯s faint sound. Can¡¯t imagine there¡¯d be a human with such keen hearing.¡± Upon reflection, something seemed off. For instance, the kitchen knife that he held. If he were truly a soldier, he¡¯d be holding a gun, not a kitchen knife. Which means¡­ ¡°A monster in the form of a human.¡± Given its strength, that conclusion made sense. She hastily pleaded. ¡°P-please don¡¯t eat my brother.¡± Knowing it was a humanoid monster didn¡¯t change the fact that it was an unbeatable foe. Since it was usingnguage. Pleading it was all she could do. Was it effective? The expression on the other¡¯s face suddenly contorted. * * * ¡°P-please don¡¯t eat my brother.¡± Normally, I would have thought it as some nonsense. ¡°But of course, there¡¯s always something that gets under your skin.¡± In my mind, the techniques for handling and cooking primates were vividly etched. ¡°Eat Primates¡± Is something that I¡¯ve never actually tried, not even once. Probably never will. Still, when told not to eat it, I couldn¡¯t help but feel taken aback. Judging from the situation. ¡°Um. It seems like there¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t eat you.¡± As I calmly spoke, the girl seemed surprised and even startled. I observed her demeanor calmly. Given my skill in discerning ingredients, there¡¯s no doubt she¡¯s human. Not a monster. ¡°Is she a middle schooler? Or maybe a high schooler?¡± She doesn¡¯t seem very old. Clearly a youthful face, likely a student. Though she wasn¡¯t wearing a school uniform. It was probably a weekend when the monster appeared, so that would make sense. ¡°But even so, the boy behind her looks like he¡¯s only in elementary school.¡± It was hard not to feel puzzled. In a world overflowing with monsters and zombies. They seem too vulnerable to be wandering around in such a world. ¡°Sergeant?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± As I entertained these thoughts, other soldiers entered the room, weapons ready. ¡°Could they be survivors?¡± ¡°Well, it certainly seems like it.¡± ¡°The noises we heard¡­ might not have been from a monster after all.¡± The two children seemed taken aback at the sight of the other soldiers. Realizing this, I cautiously spoke up. I tried to speak as gently as possible, but¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so scared-¡± She flinched. ¡°We¡¯re just ordinary soldiers-¡± She trembled in shock. ¡°¡­.¡± This. I might end up hurting their feelings. ¡°Sergeant.¡± At that moment. Someone called me from behind. It was Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. ¡°They still seem like kids.¡± ¡°Well, seems like that only.¡± ¡°Think about it from their perspective. Even if we say we¡¯re ordinary soldiers, that¡¯s not necessarilyforting to them.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I hadn¡¯t considered that. ¡°Well, from the perspective of active-duty soldiers like us, soldiers aren¡¯t exactlyforting figures.¡± Adults might not feel that way, especially if they or someone they know has served in the military. But those two still look young. Menacing men in military uniforms with fierce weapons. It¡¯s not an easybination to feelfortable around. In that case. ¡°Squad leader Lee Sang-ah.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± As the soldiers gathered outside the door, Squad leader Lee Sang-ah emerged from the crowd. ¡°At least for now, she¡¯ll give off the softest impression. Let her handle it.¡± ¡°Yes. After all, my original job was also survivor management. Leave it to me.¡± With no time to spare, the awakening of other survivors was postponed. She was the only one here who had awakened as a survivor, with a rtively gentle demeanor. Being in a simr position and having a softer demeanor. She might find it easier to approach them than we would. ¡°Hey kids,e over here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We won¡¯t hurt you.¡± As the other soldiers kept their distance from us. She managed to coax the two children, who seemed like siblings, out of the room. We¡¯ll have to rely on her to calm them down. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°I feel awkward dealing with kids.¡± As Sang-ah moved with the children. The remaining soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. I¡¯m not particrly good at dealing with kids either. ¡°They didn¡¯t seem like ordinary kids.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The soldiers were puzzled. Come to think of it¡­ I guess you guys didn¡¯t see it. That axe came flying towards me as soon as I went through the broken door. ¡®It had enough weight and power to kill a person.¡¯ It was not an axe that could be wielded by an ordinary child who had no experience of chopping firewood. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ But it seemed familiar¡­ the way that axe swung towards me with a killing intent. Even if they don¡¯t know, they might have killed a few zombies.¡± ¡°I have a simr thought.¡± Min-jae hyung interrupted my words. ¡°Earlier, Gwang-il mentioned that they might be afraid of soldiers, right? But my thoughts are slightly different. It¡¯s not that they are afraid of soldiers. Maybe, they are just afraid of strangers.¡± Minjae nced in the direction of the children and thenmented again. ¡°It seemed like they were on guard against an unknown enemy.¡± ¡°That might be right. Or maybe, all your spections are right.¡± Being cautious towards enemies. Although it didn¡¯t quite suit the kids who now looked like elementary or middle school students. But the world has already turned into such a ce where even the kids can¡¯t always stay innocent. That¡¯s what I was thinking when it happened. Thud. Thunk¡­ As I absentmindedly took a step, something caught on my foot. I nced down at the floor. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Without thinking, I shifted my gaze to the ground. It was the storage room where the children had settled. There were tin cans rolling around on the floor. Small cans with all the contents emptied out. I reached out and tilted one of them slightly. And there it was. A logo printed on the can. ¡°¡­.¡± A logo with three puppies smiling brightly. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the fourth additional chapter of the day (For NU 35 votes milestonepletion) [post-views] Chapter 39 Chapter 39 A logo with three puppies smiling brightly. The meaning of that drawing wasn¡¯t hard to guess. Pet food. ¡°Those kids. Looks like they¡¯ve been living off of this.¡± ¡°Seems like it, huh?¡± I was surprised to find that even the pet food section was empty while surveying the mart. Their whereabouts were discovered quite quickly. ¡°They seemed like kids. It¡¯s a pity¡­¡± One soldier standing beside me remarked. We¡¯ve been quite fortunate till now and haven¡¯t suffered from such hunger so far. But on the ground, food is bing scarcer. Ironically, the area with the most survivors is that region. It¡¯s a ce teeming with zombies, monsters, and the most food. From their perspective, even having pet food was fortunate. ¡°Still, it¡¯s been less than six months since the monsters appeared.¡± To think the world has changed this much already. It¡¯s truly startling. Judging by the situation, it seemed those kids hadn¡¯t been able to eat proper food and were hiding. Honestly, it was inevitable to feel a bit sorry, being human and all. But. Apart from that, there was something else to consider. ¡°Sergeant Shin, could youe over here for a moment?¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok called out to me. I could guess what he wanted to talk about. I nodded and followed him to a corner. The effect of the ¡°keen hearing¡± I had from cooking had gradually faded. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok opened his mouth in a low voice. ¡°What to do you think we should do with those kids?¡± The question I was expecting. The first survivors we encountered on the ground. We had to decide on how to handle them. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°They¡¯re kids and they look pitiful, but¡­¡± He sighed before continuing. ¡°That aside, I think it¡¯s a separate issue whether we can protect them or not.¡± ¡°True.¡± After descending to the ground. We managed to establish ourselves in a makeshift base called the barracks. But. To put it inly, we didn¡¯t have much leeway. ¡°Even if we have food, it¡¯s only monster meat. If we can¡¯t supplement it further, it¡¯ll only diminish.¡± Even with the barracks, we were still just getting by. The stability of a proper barrack was frankly nonexistent. Moreover, the survivors who joined us might not be fully awake yet. ¡°In terms of protecting survivors. It¡¯s not as good as when we were in the 423rd Battalion.¡± At least the 423rd Battalion was sufficient as a barracks. ¡°Plus. They seem like kids. If they end up moving, it could lead to stamina issues. Especially if they fall ill, it could be a bigger problem.¡± ¡°Even healers¡¯ abilities have limits.¡± There were priests and healers, but they also had limits. Powerful healing skills had restrictions on usage. While they could treatmon illnesses without medicine, it wasn¡¯t easy. Just as I couldn¡¯t fully utilize my cooking abilities without ingredients. With medicine in short supply, their healing abilities were also limited. So, if even one person fell ill. It wouldn¡¯t just be their problem. One person¡¯s illness could shackle the group¡¯s actions. Among the survivors we epted, there were children mixed in. But as their numbers increased, so did the risks. ¡°Taking in survivors and increasing our numbers is something we¡¯ll have to do eventually, but it¡¯s not necessarily something we have to do right now.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± They might be manageable without any immediate issues. But what about the next survivors we meet? Maybe we can do something once the situation improves. We can¡¯t protect them all. ¡°Mhm¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°A wise choice. We¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± It wasn¡¯t an easy decision, and I found myself contemting about it. I nced around at other parts of the mart. I saw soldiers rummaging around, still hoping to find something useful. ¡°Other soldiers probably share simr opinions like him.¡± It¡¯s not that the others are selfish or anything. It¡¯s just that recent observations suggest that¡¯s likely. Having fought together, there¡¯s a strong camaraderie among the unit members. While opinions may differ, the sense ofradeship is solid. This has its advantages, but also its downsides. While the emotions towards allies are strong. Interest in anything else seems to have diminished. ¡°It¡¯s been several days since wended. But none of the soldiers have mentioned about rescuing others.¡± The same goes for those two. Though some soldiers seemed genuinely sympathetic, the chances of a soldier wanting to ept them, despite the risks, were low. ¡°If we consider all that. Leaving them behind might be the right choice.¡± Those kids managed to survive somehow before we arrived. They might have their own ways to endure even without our protection. But¡­ There was one thing that bothered me. ¡°The pet food lying around on the ground.¡± It¡¯s definitely not cheap. Sure, it¡¯s valuable as food for dogs or cats. But. ¡°It¡¯s not food meant for humans.¡± Taste aside. We don¡¯t know what impact it might have on health. Especially at such a crucial age. If we leave them with the remaining pet food, they¡¯ll have to fill their hunger with it. ¡­Hmm. I¡¯ve made up my mind. ¡°Let¡¯s feed them something at least.¡± ¡°What?¡± My sudden statement, after saying I¡¯d contemte, left him puzzled. ¡°To feed them, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting we take them in under our protection?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Even if we send them away, let¡¯s at least feed them before we do.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It¡¯s true that ingredients are scarce. But surely, we have enough to give those kids a meal. ¡°¡­Doing something halfway might actually do more harm than good. If we¡¯re going to send them off, it¡¯s probably better to do it decisively.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely wrong. But if we¡¯re going to do it anyway, it¡¯s better to do it properly.¡± ¡°Then why-.¡± ¡°For the satisfaction of being a chef.¡± ¡°What?¡± As regrettable as it is. I also want to help as a human. ¡°If that were the main focus, I wouldn¡¯t have said this.¡± In fact, that¡¯s not the main reason. The reason I started thinking about feeding someone is simple. First of all, I¡¯m a chef myself. ¡°It¡¯s ufortable.¡± It¡¯s not proper cooking; it¡¯s pet food. Seeing someone fill their stomach with that made me feel stifled and ufortable. Feeding them isn¡¯t about anything else. It¡¯s just me feeling ufortable. It¡¯s something I do for my own satisfaction. ¡°Self-satisfaction, huh¡­¡± Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s expression seemed incredulous as he listened to my exnation. But then. ¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s no helping it.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Someone interjected from the side. It was Sergeant Lee Min-jae. ¡°It¡¯s not really my ce to say, but shouldn¡¯t someone intervene?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re also the guild leader. Food management is your responsibility. I have no right to intervene. You should do as you please.¡± Following Min-jae¡¯s words, Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok bowed his head and took a step back. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot managing the soldiers¡¯ morale, but I was worried because it seemed like you weren¡¯t managing your stress well.¡± Currently, Min-jae hyung was in a position to give me advice. Usually, I listen to his advice attentively. ¡°If solving your difort by feeding two portions of a meal works, it¡¯s not a bad deal. Do as you please, guild leader.¡± It seems Min-jae hyung prioritizes me being the guild leader the most. ¡°It¡¯s somewhat unexpected.¡± There may be differences in rank, but Except for Lieutenant Kim, all of our unit members are former soldiers. Once we¡¯re out in society, we speak to each other informally. Naturally, I didn¡¯t think the hierarchy within the unit was strict. Being the guild leader was no different. I thought it was just a badge of suffering. ¡°But maybe it¡¯s not like that.¡± Some soldiers seem to respect the authority of the guild leader. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t respect my decision to do something that makes me feel better. It won¡¯t bother you right, Su-hyeok? ¡°If that¡¯s your judgment as the guild leader, then yes, I have no room to intervene.¡± Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. Ultimately, they support what I want to do. ¡°In that case.¡± I decided to go and do what makes me feelfortable. To prepare the meal. *** A whileter. I walked towards a corner of the mart, carrying arge bowl in one hand. ¡°Guild Leader?¡± Someone who noticed me in that state approached me. It was Squad leader Lee Sang-ah. And the siblings I met just before. They were sitting there. Perhaps she was trying to lighten the mood. There seemed to be some casual conversation going on. But as I approached. -Flinch. ¡°Ha-ha. Kids are tough.¡± Despite trying to lighten the mood or whatever. The children still seemed wary of me. My delicate heart got a little scratched. Do I really look that scary? But well. It doesn¡¯t matter now. ¡°This time, I¡¯vee up with a n.¡± I ced the bowl I brought in front of them. And when I opened the lid of the bowl. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± A rich meaty scent filled the mart. ¡°I have brought some food. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Fortunately, there was still quite a bit of seasoning left. It¡¯s a sweet soy sauce stew that kids would like. No need to reveal what kind of meat it is. ¡®It has been said since ancient times that eating is the best way to attract kids.¡¯ And that¡¯s the reason why adults warn not to follow strangers promising candy. This saying was created by the elders as the temptation to eat is stronger among the kids. ¡°¡­.¡± But contrary to my expectations. The two children didn¡¯t immediately pick up their chopsticks. Does it look like it¡¯s not tasty? I thought for a moment, but that was just for a moment. Drip¡­ I saw drool flowing from the boy¡¯s mouth as he looked at the food. His eyes sparkled, too. He really wanted to eat a lot, but it seems like he¡¯s holding back out of caution. ¡°It¡¯s not something poisonous. You can eat it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll take it away. If there¡¯s no one to eat, I¡¯ll have to throw it away.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Only then did the children cautiously pick up their chopsticks. Their wariness is no joke. They cautiously picked up a piece of meat with their chopsticks and put it in their mouths. And then. ¡°¡­!!!¡± There were no words, but It seemed unnecessary to ask whether it was delicious or not. ¡°I guess they¡¯re just like kids. Seeing their expressions changing dramatically is quite enjoyable.¡± The younger brother was surprised after taking a bite of the meat. Then he started moving his chopsticks continuously. The sister didn¡¯t say anything, but she looked quite surprised too. ¡°Well. Who made the food, by the way.¡± Of course, it should be delicious. Atst, the meal of the hesitant children started properly. Confirming their state, I discreetly stepped back to let them eatfortably. Seeing that, Squad Leader Lee Sang-ah followed me out. ¡°How was the atmosphere with the kids?¡± A little away from the kids eating their meal. I asked Squad Leader Sang-ah. ¡°Well, they¡¯ve reached a point where they can have a conversation. It seems like there was a bit of misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± ¡°I think they thought we were monsters.¡± ¡°What?¡± Monsters, huh. ¡°Do we¡­ I mean, do I look that fierce?¡± ¡°Heh. It¡¯s not like that. There could be human-like monsters or monsters that steal other people¡¯s appearances, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°They probably thought there could be such monsters.¡± It¡¯s oddly sharp for them to be wary of other humans. So that¡¯s the reason. ¡°Why did they think the unit members¡¯ hearing was enhanced like ghosts? They even located the kids by sound. There can¡¯t be humans with such hearing, right? I suppose that¡¯s what they thought.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Human-like monsters, huh? I recalled the criminals who hade to our unit. ¡°Well, those guys have jobs that might make them seem like that, but they¡¯re still humans, for now.¡± If such individuals were mixed in as enemies, they could grow into a significant threat. And to add to that, if there were monsters disguised as humans. ¡°Team Leader Sang-ah, you¡¯ve never encountered such monsters, have you?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t even heard rumors about them.¡± In our unit, she and the survivors have the most detailed information on the surface. But that¡¯s a story from a month ago. ¡°It¡¯s been a month since we descended the mountain. The information among the survivors has been updated quite a bit during that time.¡± Civilization was destroyed in just two months. That¡¯s half the time of that period. The information she has is undoubtedly useful. But we have to understand that some of it might be outdated. ¡°Anyway, after talking with her, I at least believed that they are not our enemies. It was unreasonable to bepletely on guard, but still.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something. You did well.¡± ncing over at the kids eating quietly. ¡°Sis, this is so delicious! Right?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is.¡± Now I can see the kids eating without a care. [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce for Peace of Mind] I added a bit of sauce because I thought the tension might affect their appetite. It probably made quite an impact. They were happily chewing their meat and enjoying the dishes. Among them, my eyes met with the sister. ¡°How is it? Is it delicious?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± There¡¯s no point in ignoring it when our eyes meet. I couldn¡¯t believe she responded to my question. That¡¯s a significant improvement in our rtionship. ¡°That dish, is it actually cooked by this hyung?¡± ¡°The ajeossi?¡± ¡°Ah, the ajeossi?¡± ¡°This punk¡­¡± As he was saying such trivial things his sister was also looking at me. ¡°¡­It¡¯s delicious. Thank you. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± Although the ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy it¡± came a littlete, still it¡¯s something that I have been waiting for. I could see a slight redness in the sibling sister¡¯s eyes. She must have had a hard time. Hmm. ¡°If you need more, just let me know. I¡¯m sorry that the ingredients are only meat. But we have plenty of meat for now.¡± I said so, feeling a bit awkward. As long as the two kids eat to their heart¡¯s content, it¡¯s not a problem. ¡°Plenty of meat¡­?¡± But my sister seemed a bit puzzled by my words. ¡°You usually struggle to get meat. Are you guys the opposite?¡± ¡°Well, it just happened that way.¡± The atmosphere rxed somewhat as I sessfully diverted the conversation towards food. I decided to respond casually. ¡°To be honest, I came to this mart hoping to find other ingredients or necessary items besides meat.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity it didn¡¯t work out.¡± Shrugging off her shoulder the sibling sister nodded in response to my story. Perhaps she was considering something after hearing that. She seemed to be eating slowly, lost in thought. ¡°My sister seems to be the type who thinks a lot.¡± Is this kind of attitude necessary in this world? Or maybe she¡¯s always been like this, I don¡¯t know. *** So, the meal ended without any trouble. Seeing them eat well made me feel good for no reason. The difort was resolved. Now it was time for a serious talk. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lee Suyeon. And that¡¯s my brother Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Okay, Lee Suyeon¡­ Let¡¯s talk with this ajeossi for a minute.¡± I opened the pocket on my waist and took out its contents to hand them to her. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing strange, so don¡¯t worry.¡± What I handed her was jerky. Combat rations that I had prepared. ¡°Are you just giving me food?¡± ¡°As I said before, we have plenty of meat for now.¡± I had received a bit from other soldiers, so there was quite a lot of jerky. As it was produced asbat rations, it had almost no expiration date. ¡°And from here on is the important part, so listen carefully.¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, yes.¡± ¡°From here to here. These jerkies are for when you can¡¯t endure eating other things. They¡¯re small but high in calories. Half of one should be enough.¡± I pointed to the jerky with special properties forbat. But since there¡¯s a high chance that these kids won¡¯t benefit from stat increases. It¡¯s better for them to eat it when they can¡¯t stand eating just pet food. ¡°And from here to here. Don¡¯t eat these jerkies regrly. You can even hide them somewhere.¡± ¡°When should I eat them then?¡± ¡°When you¡¯re leaving here.¡± This is separate from increasing abilities orbat power. These jerkies contained properties that could be helpful to survivors. Examples include hfur¡¯s meat, which increases hearing. ¡°Stay hidden here and eat them when you can¡¯t hold out anymore and need to move. They¡¯ll be helpful.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t the soldiers protect us?¡± I expected her to say that. But the answer was already decided. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that seems a bit difficult.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Even though we¡¯re soldiers, we¡¯ve lost all contact with other units. The base we set up on the surface is also unstable. It¡¯s hard to add another uncertain factor there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but for now, try to endure with those rations as much as possible. Someday when our situation stabilizes, we¡¯lle back here¡­¡± It¡¯s a bit painful, but it can¡¯t be helped. Just as I was continuing the conversation. ¡°I know a ce.¡± Lee Suyeon, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. She continued speaking with a determined expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you came here wanting to get other ingredients, but the result was a failure.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After hearing that story, I had a feeling about what she was going to say. ¡°You want to trade?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Huh. To suddenly propose a trade. I always thought of her as nothing more than a kid. But it seems like she¡¯s not an ordinary little girl after all. To suddenly show such boldness. It¡¯s a bit surprising. ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting.¡± I decided to engage in the conversation for now. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: This is the first and also thest regr chapter of the day. From tomorrow onwards releasing pace will be 1 ch/day (Mon-Sat). Apart from that I will release one additional chapter for every 3 review/rating on Novelupdates. All the additional chapters umted over the week will be released on Sunday. [post-views] Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the location, but there¡¯s a condition.¡± She bargained boldly. And indeed, the deal was something we needed too. Given the shortage of groceries and medicine. ¡°Seems like she remembered what I said earlier.¡± About having plenty of meat butcking other items. She must have remembered the casual remark I made. And now she¡¯s bringing it up for a reason. ¡°Probably testing if we¡¯ll protect them.¡± Seeing us about to leave. She took out the card she had saved for that moment. Maybe that¡¯s it. Thinking like this feels wickedly cynical. Indulging her as a child might lead to trouble. So, I decided to approach with more caution. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it first. What are your conditions?¡± ¡°Please protect us.¡± Well. That was expected to be the only condition. ¡°Your offer is indeed attractive, but, as I said, it¡¯s tough. Firstly, whether we can fully trust your words is uncertain.¡± ¡°I understand if you can¡¯t trust us. But really-¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not all. There¡¯s also what¡¯s best for you.¡± Interrupting her, I began to persuade. ¡°I¡¯m saying this now. We, as a group, have a different naturepared to survivors who mainly hide and survive.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We aim to build up our power and grow our influence, gradually.¡± Unlike survivors whose main goal is day-to-day survival. We aim beyond that. ¡°¡­Influence, power?¡± ¡°Well, for now, it¡¯s a bit of a struggle.¡± The world has changed. Thew it presents is domination. Expand your influence and seize territory. That¡¯s the rule of this game. Even if it¡¯s tough now, the ultimate goal is clear: we must grow our power and expand our influence. ¡°In this process, there will be frequent shes with monsters or zombies. Having more people isn¡¯t always a good thing. It means being more easily exposed to enemies.¡± Even the barracks we currently hold is like that. A structure not built with battles in mind. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if it caught the eye of monsters and turned into a battlefield. ¡°Staying hidden here might be safer than following us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you decide to join us after securing safety, we might ept you then. And if you feel the food we gave you isn¡¯t enough, we might add a bit more.¡± To trade, we need clear conditions. It¡¯s hard to be sure that following us is safer than hiding here. I wanted to rify that point. There was no change in her answer. ¡°It might be safer here, and we coulde back once our situation stabilizes?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡± Seems like a firm decision. Now I¡¯m curious. ¡°Give us a reason. Why do you want to join us so badly?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Just wanting to join a safe faction wouldn¡¯t make us such an excellent choice. Even after exining that, she didn¡¯t waver, which was a bit strange. Listening to my question, Lee Suyeon seemed to ponder for a moment. Then, taking a deep breath, she answered. ¡°It was terrible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hiding in here.¡± I was puzzled by her words. What she said next was quite grim. ¡°Do you know? We had to close all the doors and stay still, afraid of making any noise. Terrified that if we were discovered, we¡¯d die in vain. And¡­ not being able to see or move¡­ As time passed, it became unbearable.¡± As if recalling those moments. A shadow crossed her face. ¡°Every time we heard strange noises outside, we¡¯d worry. What if it¡¯s a monster? What if that monster finds us? Is that how we¡¯ll die? We¡¯d agonize over it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even when we managed to sleep through the day, we¡¯d wake up at the slightest unfamiliar sound. Holding our breath, trembling with fear, praying for the noise to fade away.¡± I hadn¡¯t considered that aspect. Just thought staying hidden would be safer. ¡°I realized it now¡­¡± We, in the military, were rtively fortunatepared to surface survivors. Looking at me, she said, ¡°It was more horrifying than you can imagine. There hasn¡¯t been a single day where I haven¡¯t thought of suicide. If we had to endure more of those days, we¡¯d probably lose our minds and die sooner.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Even if we end up dying in battle someday, I think following you would let us live longer.¡± Their determination seems firm after all. It seems pointless to persuade further. So, the problem lies here. Even if the kids want to join us, it¡¯s okay if we refuse. The issue lies in the conditions they set. ¡°They know where the goods are.¡± And it¡¯s not far from here. I nced back at Lee Sang-ah, our leader. ¡°¡­.¡± She, too, seemed to be contemting something, furrowing her brows. She met my gaze and spoke up. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Well, no matter how small a town is, there isn¡¯t just one supermarket or warehouse. There are many other ces besides this ce. ¡°I can¡¯t even guess where Suyeon is talking about.¡± ¡°But you suggested wee to this mart instead of all those other ces. There must have been a reason for that, right?¡± ¡°Well, yes. This mart is rtively small and remote, so there weren¡¯t many visitors. Other ces are more famous, and more people know about them.¡± In other words, ¡°Since most likely, survivors have already passed through those ces, then it¡¯s better to guide us to a ce where there¡¯s a higher chance of finding goods¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± Her judgment was probably correct. Initially, this mart wasn¡¯t difficult to conquer. The problem was theck of supplies because people had already passed through. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s how it is. Since the ce you know is likely to have been visited by someone else, it may not be valuable to us¡­¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not true.¡± The girl countered, shaking her head. ¡°The goods there are still intact. Maybe not everything, but I¡¯m sure most of them are still there.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because I saw it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°What?¡± Both of us were surprised hearing after hearing the words from her mouth. The girl continued. ¡°All the adults there were dead.¡± *** To sum up Suyeon¡¯s words briefly: ¡°Your group visited there to get supplies, and except for you and your brother, everyone else perished?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± If that¡¯s true, then it will be the basis for the im that goods are still there. She really saw that the goods were still there. ¡°It¡¯s a bit surprising that the two kids managed to survive until now¡­¡± It makes sense if they didn¡¯t act alone from the beginning. They joined a survivor group and survived with them. And not long ago, they lost them. ¡°Wait.¡± At that moment, Lee Sang-ah stepped forward and asked. ¡°Can you tell us who were in that group?¡± ¡°¡­? Yes. Besides us two, the leader was-¡± Suyeon¡¯s exnation continued. Listening to the exnation, Lee Sang-ah nodded slightly. ¡°Do you know them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not close acquaintances. Just heard their names here and there.¡± Since survivors had to hide, they couldn¡¯t expand their group much, but they exchanged information whenever they met. It seemed like a group they had heard of during such exchanges. She thought deeply as if recalling something. ¡°My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I heard that the leader there was a considerably strong awakened. And there was another awakened besides.¡± ¡°Ah, it must be the story about Suni ajumma. The one who awakened as a warrior¡­ The second awakened one must be the story about Cheol oppa.¡± A warrior. Lee Sang-ah is quite good at fighting, but her upation, like mine, is more in the production category. She can¡¯t match a purebat awakened like a warrior. The group led by that woman Suni, who awakened as such, would likely be stronger than Lee Sang-ah¡¯s group. Especially if they had a warrior known to be very strong. And not just one Awakener, but two. ¡°Did such a group really perish?¡± I wouldn¡¯t know if it were just the deaths of survivors. But the annihtion of a group with two awakened is not something to be taken lightly. Of course, our guild, with more awakened than civilians, wouldn¡¯t beparable to those survivors. But it¡¯s hard to ignore how powerful the entity could be that wiped out their group. At least enough to handle two awakened. And at most, maybe, it can wipe out our entire guild. The monster we encountered in the hardware store, ¡®Mac,¡¯ was also incredibly powerful. There could be monsters of that level. And. Listening to Suyeon¡¯s story, one thing bothered me. ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± ¡°Yes, anything.¡± ¡°Is telling us about that ce the only condition you gave?¡± ¡°Yes. There were definitely plenty of goods there for all of you.¡± That alone sounds quite appealing, but you know¡­ ¡°But that condition¡­ Is it really for our benefit?¡± ¡°What?¡± Just making sure. It seems like these two siblings and their group members had a very special rtionship. Their former group saved them at the cost of their own lives. And the ce where she is guiding us is the ce where they all perished. So¡­ ¡°Are you trying to use us for your revenge?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Just a moment. Leader?¡± Not only Suyeon, but others were also surprised to hear my words. I intervened to prevent Sang-ah from speaking. ¡°This is an important point. If it¡¯s a trade of information, we must verify it.¡± ¡°¡­There really isn¡¯t a single lie in the story about the goods still being there, and you can confirm it by visiting that ce.¡± ¡°Even if everything else is true, it¡¯s hard to agree if the motive is false.¡± The ce that she knows is not a safe ce. A ce where a monster lurks, capable of killing at least two awakened individuals. That¡¯s the information they wanted to pass on to us. Not because they wanted to endanger us by leading us to such a perilous ce out of a desire for revenge from our group members. How can, we be sure? Upon hearing my question, Suyeon seemed momentarily at a loss for words, as if pricked by a w. Her gaze wandered aimlessly, lost in thought. ¡°¡­To be honest.¡± After a brief pause, as if organizing her thoughts, she spoke up. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve never thought about wanting revenge.¡± ¡°Suyeon?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ they were good to us, that¡¯s all.¡± If that¡¯s the case. We can¡¯t agree to this deal. The guild can¡¯t risk danger for the sake of revenge on the survivor we met today. However. Her words didn¡¯t end there. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Not now. I don¡¯t desire revenge anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising. Why? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re just trying to avoid the situation.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Looking at her younger brother sitting beside her. Suyeon nced at Suhyuk. ¡°Suhyuk and I¡­ we survived¡­ you see.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°There were people who died trying to protect us. If we were to die chasing after the revenge of those who sacrificed themselves to save us¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That would make their actions meaningless. I don¡¯t want to trivialize something they sacrificed their lives for.¡± Suyeon looked me in the eye and spoke firmly. ¡°I have only one goal. Mine and Suhyuk¡¯s survival. Even if we die here, it would be quicker to die from something like a mental illness. I only mentioned that information as part of the deal. I didn¡¯t have any intentions of revenge.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Really. Please believe me.¡± Survival is the top priority. To survive. ¡°You¡¯re like me.¡± ¡°Like you?¡± I thought it was a bit audacious when you proposed the deal, but I liked that part. The best mindset for surviving in this world¡­ is to make a goodpanion. If you cling to what¡¯s already passed and suffer consequences, it¡¯s pointless. ¡°Let¡¯s change one condition.¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to allocate resources for protection. There¡¯s no room to protect someone.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of the deal?¡± ¡°Join the unit.¡± Suyeon¡¯s expression was questioning the meaning upon hearing my proposal. You might wonder about the difference between joining and being protected. But Lee Sang-ah, who was listening beside me, seemed to understand the meaning and sighed. ¡°As a recruit¡­ Must it be that way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s partly what you desire, and as long as you awaken, being young isn¡¯t a problem. You won¡¯t be thrown into dangerous battles.¡± There are also children in the survivor group led by Lee Sang-ah. Those children were going to awaken someday too. If you think about being included in that, it¡¯s not a big loss. It¡¯s not about being protected, it¡¯s about bing a member of the unit as an awakened individual. That¡¯s a reasonablepromise. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you¡¯ll ept us, right?¡± ¡°For now. But it¡¯s not just about receiving protection, you have to fight alongside as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t just ying around when I was with the adults.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The deal is made. ¡°Now, let¡¯s start with the information about the ce you mentioned. Or rather, is there information about the monsters that killed the adults?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± She hesitated when asked about the monsters that wiped out the group. The reason became clear soon. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Even though I watched all the adults die¡­ We couldn¡¯t see the monster. Suddenly, people were being pierced and shed without anything there.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her description reminded me of something that I hadn¡¯t encountered yet but it was somewhat familiar. ¡°It was as if a ghost had appeared.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°It was as if a ghost had appeared.¡± ¡°After listening to Suyeon¡¯s exnation, Sang-ah and I were left with a bewildered expression.¡± A ghost? ¡­Really? Suyeon¡¯s described destination was a mart simr to the one we had visited before, albeitrger in scale. ¡°To be honest, we found it quite strange that the items in that mart were still intact.¡± ¡°If you all find it suspicious then why did you all step in?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have the luxury to turn back just because it seemed suspicious.¡± This mart is well known for itsrge size and location. There must have been a reason why survivors hadn¡¯t raided such a ce. Or rather, they probably couldn¡¯t raid it. ¡°There were no issues at the entrance, but¡­ once everyone ventured a bit inside¡­¡± ¡°People started dropping dead suddenly. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So far, this was what we had heard from Suyeon. I suggested the two siblings to take a rest for now. Then I returned to the other squad members and ryed the conversation. ¡°So, under the condition of letting them join the unit, they agreed to share the information. Come to think of it, I made the decision on my own, so I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°No, if Sergeant Shin has decided it then it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem, right?¡± ¡°More hands are always wee. Though dealing with kids might be a bit annoying.¡± It was essentially a decision to expand our unit with new members. I felt a tad sorry for making the decision somewhat unterally, but thankfully, everyone seemed understanding. Perhaps my trust in humanity yed a small role. But it probably wasn¡¯t the main factor. Although the soldiers had be somewhat indifferent and harsh towards matters outside of our unit. But when ites to camaraderie, it revolved around whether you belonged to our unit or not. Unless you were an outsider. If it was about bing a unit member, they tend to be quite lenient. However, the real problemy elsewhere. ¡°Well¡­ recruiting them is not an issue, but¡­¡± After hearing all the stories, one of the soldiers raised his hand with a slightly pale face. ¡°That¡­ it couldn¡¯t be a real ghost, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°¡­Well¡­¡± ¡°P-Please, quickly say it¡¯s not true! It¡¯s terrifying!¡± ¡°No. Even if I say that¡­¡± The story where everyone suddenly died without seeing any monsters made it seem like a ghost had appeared. It was almost unbelievable. There was a part of me that doubted it could really happen. ¡°Honestly, given the situation¡­ even if a real ghost appeared, I think I¡¯d believe it.¡± There is no ce where rumors about ghosts circte more often than military bases. In fact, there were often soldiers who returned to their living quarters after duty and made a fuss about seeing a ghost. If it were the old me¡­ ¡°You probably just saw it wrong; you fool. Where in the world are ghosts?¡± I would have dismissed it. But now, with monsters appearing everywhere. ¡°Well¡­ the world has be a ce where zombies roam around freely. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I see ghosts roaming around.¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± It¡¯se to this. The faces of the soldiers who heard my response changed in various ways. Some remained indifferent, while others frowned slightly. ¡°Ahem.¡± The problem was with those whose faces were noticeably paled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°W-Why are you trembling?¡± ¡°W-Who¡¯s trembling!¡± Although the soldiers were quite ustomed tobat, dealing with ghosts was a different matter. Even skilled fighters could be afraid to watch horror movies alone. Soldiers were no exception. Although there were some rtively calm soldiers. Some soldiers turned pale and trembled. It was quite scary. Then¡­ ¡°Do you still call yourselves men after behaving like that?¡± One soldier yelled. Now a familiar towering figure. ¡°The guys who used to fight monsters and risk their lives are trembling now?! What happened to the bravery you showed when you stabbed a knife into a lizard¡¯s mouth, huh!¡± ¡°C-corporal Jeon Gwang-il?¡± It was Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. ¡°The Marines corps said they could even fight ghosts. They said they could defeat ghosts or whatever with their courage!¡± ¡°But we¡¯re not Marines, sir¡­¡± ¡°Hey¡­ Is that really Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, who used to run away scared whenever we watched horror movies?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m starting to think maybe it¡¯s not him.¡± He used to be one of the most cowardly guys in the unit. I had a rough idea why he was acting like that now. ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s probably the side effects of the psychotherapy¡­¡± Injecting excessive ¡°courage¡± into him was probably the cause. The effect of the courage sauce must have worn off by now. But it seemed to have left a lingering aftereffect. ¡°It seems his fear has beenpletely eliminated.¡± Even though his original personality was quite gentle and there were no issues in normal times. ¡°What a disgrace! The brave son of the great Republic of Korea is cowering like a baby deer! What is this nonsense?!¡± Seeing the soldiers cowering, it seemed that the side effects of the psychotherapy had fully kicked in. Those who were already afraid became outright sobbing messes. The soldiers, who were already very scared became tearful due to Gwang-il¡¯s threats. Then¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not definitively a real ghost.¡± It was Sergeant Lee Min-jae who calmed the atmosphere. ¡°It could just be a monster that can kill invisibly, making it appear like a ghost. It¡¯s not wise to be so certain that it¡¯s a ghost.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s hard to think of anything other than a ghost when you hear the description.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re trying to perceive the subject with ourmon sense.¡± Min-jae hyung habitually searched his pockets to take out a cigarette. But it¡¯s been a long time since we have run out of cigarettes. He cleared his throat awkwardly before continuing. ¡°Think about it. Most of the monsters that have appeared till now defy ourmon sense. From the very beginning, the situation where monsters appear is quite abnormal.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to try to confirm the identity of the monster based on ourmon sense and abstract images. It will only make it harder for us to understand their real identity. They won¡¯t be as kind as to appear within the boundary of ourmon senses.¡± He had a point. Confirming the identity of the enemy solely based on stories that we¡¯ve heard, without seeing it ourselves, is quite risky. In the end¡­ ¡°We have no choice but to go and experience it firsthand.¡± Seeing with our own eyes. There¡¯s no other way to find out. ¡°We¡¯ve made things moreplicated than expected. But since we can¡¯t just go back empty-handed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start the vehicles right away.¡± Thanks to the modified vehicles, short-distance travel was not a problem. Once the decision was made, there was no time to hesitate. The soldiers quickly prepared for departure. The two siblings who agreed to join us did the same. As they were brought out to board the vehicles¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. It¡¯s just¡­ not the kind of car I imagined.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The visual of the vehicle was a bit off. Still, the siblings quickly calmed down and boarded the vehicle. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes. let¡¯s move out!¡± The vehicles headed towards the location that Suyeon had mentioned. And not long after we set off¡­ I noticed Suyeon, sitting beside me, looking around anxiously. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, no. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Suyeon seemed uneasy, looking out the window at the surrounding vehicles. ¡°I was wondering if there was anything like a tank.¡± Since we¡¯re soldiers, naturally, one would expect to see tanks or something simr. ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have anything like that.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said we don¡¯t have tanks or anything like that. Over there, we have Retona, and we do have military vehicles, but nothing like tanks.¡± ¡°So, how do you n to deal with the monsters where we¡¯re headed?¡± ¡°Hmm? Well, first, we need to identify the monster. And once we are done with that then it¡¯ll be up to the soldiers to handle them directly.¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± Suyeon was startled at my response. ¡°That, that¡¯s impossible!¡± Impossible, she says. ¡°You were the one who suggested going there with the information!¡± ¡°Well, I thought since you all are soldiers, you might have other ways¡­!¡± ¡°Other ways?¡± ¡°Like tanks or missiles¡­ Even if there are ghosts inside, wouldn¡¯t destroying the ce itself make the ghosts disappear?¡± Hmm. When you think of soldiers dealing with something, that might be the image thates to mind. But what to do now? ¡°As I said earlier, tanks or missiles¡­ Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have those.¡± ¡°!!!¡± We were a small radar unit stationed on top of the mountain. Why would we need tanks there? Oh, we had some of those anti-aircraft guns, but we couldn¡¯t just bring those down. ¡°If we attack like that, wouldn¡¯t the entire mart be destroyed? We wouldn¡¯t be able to secure the items we need from the mart.¡± ¡°Oh. Um, well¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead, perhaps. Suyeon¡¯splexion turned pale. ¡°Well, then¡­ I¡¯m sorry for suggesting it, but maybe it¡¯s better not to go in¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury to do that. Unless it¡¯s an enemy we absolutely can¡¯t handle, it¡¯s a shame to retreat without even seeing it.¡± ¡°But I told you! There were two awakened ones, and they both died.¡± ¡°Hmm. It could be dangerous. But still.¡± I think I understand what she¡¯s thinking. ¡°It was that ce where their entire survivor group waspletely wiped out. Only the sibling pair survived and returned alive from that ce.¡± She¡¯s probably worried that we¡¯ll end up in a simr situation since she was the one who guided us there. An unknown enemy. Maybe it really is a ghost. ¡°We¡¯re not entirely without confidence either, you know.¡± * * * We arrived at therge three-story supermarket following Suyeon¡¯s guidance. That was our initial impression of the mart. ¡°¡­It¡¯s strangely intact.¡± Intact. The reason for such an impression was simple. ¡°It looks too normal.¡± Ironically. The overly normal appearance made it feel eerie. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of ¡°not being looted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like the old mart.¡± It had been over two months since the day monsters appeared. Since then, we¡¯ve only seen the copsed society. This intact appearance felt eerie to us. ¡°What kind of creature could be inside?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s truly ghost-like and we can¡¯t even touch it, then what should we do?¡± The soldiers ask me as they look at me. There was only one answer that I could give. ¡°What else can we do? We¡¯ll just have to retreat if we deem it impossible to defeat the enemy. Just in case, the drivers are keeping the engines running.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°And you are calling this deadly n your strategy?¡± Mac had something to eat, so there was a possibility of an attack. But what can you feed a ghost? So, we¡¯ll have no other choice but to retreat. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s only in the worst-case scenario.¡± There¡¯s no need to be frightened by thinking of the worst-case scenario already. ¡°We¡¯ll consider it unknown entity until we get closer.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± The soldiers nod as they listen to my words. They¡¯ve be quite ustomed tobat now. The problem is. ¡°If it¡¯s really a ghost, then you all should retreat!¡± We still had some guys who were trembling in fear. ¡°Man, you all need to calm down first.¡± ¡°But Sergeant Shin¡­¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s face turned red after seeing their confidence levels. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to fight properly in that state.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°What are you nning to do? It might be better to exclude them from this mission.¡± He¡¯s right. They won¡¯t be helpful inbat if they¡¯re scared like that. But getting angry won¡¯t solve anything. Besides. We still have items specifically prepared for situations like this. Including the scared guys. Imanded the awaiting soldiers, ¡°Take out yourbat rations.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The soldiers took out theirbat rations from their hip pockets. ¡°Eat as instructed. Let¡¯s eat number one.¡± ¡°¡­Enjoy your meal!¡± Our unit¡¯s uniquebat posture. Combat rations were being eaten by soldiers. This time, I ordered everyone to eat number one. To be honest, it was nothing special. It¡¯s the one we¡¯re most familiar with. [Lizard meat jerky filled with courage of a Junior Chef] ¡°Hehehe. Ghost hunting, huh.¡± The effect was immediate. The expressions of the soldiers, who had bitten onto the jerky, changed dramatically. ¡°The zombies were getting boring anyway, this is better.¡± ¡°Grrrk¡­.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the enemy? Is there anyone who can satisfy me?¡± ¡°Yeeaaah!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I like seeing everyone so enthusiastic.¡± The soldiers were brimming with courage and filled with enthusiasm. ¡°Sis¡­ These soldiers are weird¡­¡± ¡°Were they always like this?¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s to boost morale before a potentially dangerous battle.¡± The two siblings who hadn¡¯t eaten thebat rations were a little puzzled. I gave them a vague exnation of what was happening and then moved forward. Looking at the soldiers who were then full of spirit, Imanded, ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Yeeaaah!¡± ¡°To the battlefield!¡± Bang! With courage multiplied, the soldiers pushed open the door and entered the mart. But their momentum faded away instantly. ¡°It¡¯s quiet.¡± There¡¯s not a hint of an enemy presence in this mart. All we could hear was the rough breathing of our soldiers. ¡°Just keep moving forward for now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In the midst of that. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Suhyuk, who was following from behind, said. ¡°This is where Cheol oppa copsed¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Come to think of it, something was odd. The survivors who died here. Their bodies were nowhere to be seen. A clear anomaly. ¡°Everyone, hold on-.¡± I was about to give the order to stop, but other soldiers were already moving forward without fear. And then¡­ ¡°Where are you? Where are my enemies¡­ cough.¡± A soldier walking right in front of me. The guy suddenly let out a sound full of pain. ¡°Attack!¡± Be alert! I quickly reached out and grabbed his shoulder before throwing him behind me. ¡°Medic, field medic!¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± The soldier thrown behind me had a wound near his waist, blood flowing from it. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and treat him!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°The rest of you soldiers, hold your positions! Prepare for an attack!¡± ¡°Hold, hold!¡± ¡°Everyone, hold your positions!¡± Soldiers obediently followed my orders. ¡°Cough¡­¡± ¡°Just bear with it a little longer.¡± I watched as the wounded soldier behind me received treatment for his injury. Walking just behind him. I saw clearly what had happened. The problem is. ¡°Clearly, there weren¡¯t any enemies. Yet, he got stabbed by something.¡± At that moment I couldn¡¯t figure out what that something was. ¡°It¡¯s the same¡­¡± At that moment. Suyeon, following behind, spoke. I didn¡¯t need to hear more to know what she meant. ¡°It¡¯s just like when our survivor group was wiped out.¡± If it¡¯s truly the same situation. Then the attack won¡¯t end here. I surveyed the surroundings with tension, but¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± The attack didn¡¯t continue. ¡°¡­What you said earlier.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Exin it again.¡± I addressed Suyeon without letting my guard down. ¡°What happened here? Exin it in more detail.¡± ¡°Oh, um, even if you ask for more details¡­ that¡¯s really all there is. Suni ajumma who was leading the group got attacked¡­ and the rest of us got attacked too as everyone hurried to escape.¡± Hmm. But we¡¯re not facing another attack at the moment. If there¡¯s a difference. ¡°It¡¯s that we didn¡¯t run away but stopped, right?¡± Confirming that the attack wasn¡¯t continuing, I calmly assessed the situation. Where the soldier was stabbed right in front of me. There was some blood sttered on the ground. Nothing seemed strange. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s very close to the nearby shelf¡­ ¡­ ? At that moment. [Skill ¨C Ingredient Identification Activated] Maybe because I was scrutinizing the surroundings. My skill was activated. [Ingredient Identification] [Aluminum] [Polyamide] The spot where he was stabbed was the snack corner. After thest incident, the limitations of cooking ingredients have disappeared for me. It was now possible to discern the ingredients of not only food items but also snack packaging. Of course, what¡¯s the use of knowing the information about snack packets¡­? I wondered. [Oak] [Polyethylene Terephthte] [Blue Water Droplet] [Aluminum] ¡­ ¡­What? Something¡¯s¡­ ¡°Strange was mixed in?¡± I surveyed the area once again. This time, I was actively using my skill. And the prompt that appeared before my eyes. [Blue Water Droplet] The target of that prompt was¡­ A snack packet that looked ordinary even after rubbing my eyes. Indeed. ¡°So that¡¯s what it was, huh?¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 42 Chapter 42 [Ingredient Identification] [Blue Water Droplet] [Quality: Excellent] The subject indicated by the system prompt was none other than amon snack packet. ¡°Blue Water Droplet¡± It¡¯s not the kind of name you¡¯d see attached to a snack packet. I discreetly moved my body towards it. Confidently. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin? Did you call me?¡± As I stood in front of the snack, I spoke. Strangely, the soldiers nearby who were on guard answered. Sorry, but I ignored them a bit. ¡°Hey, you.¡± ¡°What are you doing¡­¡± ¡°Well, this kid is quite audacious, huh?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I pointed the knife directly at the snack packet and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been caught, dude.¡± It was at that moment. Crash! The snack packet seemed to distort strangely, Gray thorns seemed to sprout out and aimed at my head. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin!?¡± The soldiers watching my actions were also startled by the sight, but. ¡°If you anticipate it, avoiding it isn¡¯t that difficult!¡± I dodged the thorn. Instead, I swung the knife towards the snack. Squelch. The sensation was like cutting through jelly. Then. [You have gained experience points.] Grumbling The appearance of the seemingly ordinary snack packet changed. A silver-gray jelly-like substance flowed out from the snack corner¡¯s shelf. ¡°Sergeant Shin? What in the world is this?¡± ¡°The identity of the ghost.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± A ghost, what? It¡¯s absurd when you see it like this. ¡°It¡¯s so well hidden that it could easily go unnoticed. To hide this well¡­¡± ¡°Since earlier, we¡¯ve been wondering what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s mimicry.¡± [Chef¡¯s Eyes activated] [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret ¨C Handling Method of Blue Water Droplets.] [Handling Method of Blue Water Droplets.] [Blue Water Droplets are magical organisms with the ability to mimic their surroundings to lure prey-.] [In their original form, they consist of arge amount of liquid forming a silver-gray body and a central core where magic is concentrated. While some ssify them as a type of slime, due to their ability to regenerate as long as the core remains intact, they are difficult to ssify as such] [The key to handling lies in the core, which is practically the same as the body of the water droplet] ¡°It¡¯s not a ghost. It¡¯s his ability to blend with the environment to the point of giving you chills.¡± ¡°Are you talking about this jelly-like thing?¡± ¡°Yes, it can perfectly blend into its surroundings to the point where it¡¯s nearly invisible.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve beenpletely fooled then. We thought it wasn¡¯t visible, but it was clearly there, just like the surrounding objects.¡± After perfectly blending with the surroundings, they attack unsuspecting prey from angles where they¡¯re not visible. The reason there were no additional attacks when we stopped is simple. It¡¯s just that these creatures weren¡¯t around at that time. ¡®First, they lure you into their preferred surroundings. Then they let you drop your guard and after that only they will start hunting.¡¯ When the prey panics from the unseen attacks and tries to flee these creatures, who blend with the environment and attack people running around them like traps. The survival of the siblings was also due to the sacrifice of the adults but fundamentally, it was because these creatures didn¡¯t pass through where they were hiding. It was luck. And¡­ ¡°Those creatures are unlucky.¡± Although I¡¯m repeating what I said just a moment ago, an enemy that hides and conceals itself? If they were strong from the beginning, there would be no reason for that. The fact that they resort to such tactics. ¡®It means theyck confidence in a head-on confrontation!¡¯ I shouted to the soldiers as I looked around. ¡°They have a very clear-cut weakness! There¡¯s a ck jelly-like thing at the center of these creatures¡¯ transparent bodies! Just take that out, and it¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Yes? Well, that¡¯s easier said than done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to know the weakness if you don¡¯t know where the monster is!¡± ¡°Leave that to me.¡± After confirming that there were no other monsters on the shelf in front of me, I scattered the snacks on the floor and stood on top of them. And I looked around the whole store. [Aluminum] [ss Fiber] [Fment] [Synthetic Fiber] [Blue Water Droplet] ¡°Gwang-il!¡± ¡°Yes! Corporal Jeon Gwang-il!¡± ¡°The dairy refrigerator next to you! Attack it!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± The soldiers still seemed a bit bewildered upon hearing the identity of the monster but as soon as the order was given, they acted without any hesitation. Without any doubt, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il swung his fist towards the refrigerator. Then. Whoosh. His fist plunged into the refrigerator. ¡°There¡¯s something in here!¡± When he retrieved his hand there was a ck sphere in his fist. The core of that monster was clutched in his hand. Crunch. He crushed the core with all his strength. As a result, the refrigerator itself turned into a gray jelly and spread out on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s taken care of!¡± ¡°Good job! Next, Private Byeong-min!¡± ¡°Private Lee Byeong-min!¡± ¡°The table in front of you! Tear it apart!¡± ¡°Affirmative sir!!!¡± Crack. Various objects piled up inside the mart. Monsters were hiding their identities by mimicking those objects. ¡°The creatures. Crackle. Squelch. Squish. One by one. They all lost their cores and sprawled out on the floor. ¡°¡­¡­Sergeant Shin, just what on earth.¡± ¡°How can he recognize them?¡± Soldiers, even while defeating the monsters, couldn¡¯t recognize them until thest moment. They looked at me as if I were something incredible. Sorry, but I didn¡¯t have the leisure to respond to those gazes. ¡°Next is Han-il!¡± Thankfully, the Chef¡¯s Eyes, unlike the other magical skills, didn¡¯t consume mana, or I might have fainted again. Did we really defeat that many ¡®Blue Water Droplets¡¯? Phwaaah. Suddenly, A loud noise reverberated throughout the entire store. ¡°What, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°What could it be? Look over there.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The source of the noise was soon apparent. Monsters disguised as items scattered throughout. ¡°Hiding is meaningless at this point.¡± They leased their disguises, revealing their silvery-gray forms. ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± ¡°There are so many of them¡­ hidden inside.¡± As they released their disguises. What appeared before us were not the shapes of their mimicked form, but dozens of giant jelly-like monsters. If they were as powerful as they say, If they were powerful entities like the Mac, then we might have to shove my cooking in their mouths like we did with the Mac. But. ¡°Why did release their mimicked form?¡± ¡°It might actually make hunting them easier!¡± These creatures were problematic because of their shape-shifting abilities. They weren¡¯t that strong. At that moment, when we rushed in without hesitation to hunt them down, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°These creatures. They¡¯re trying to transform again!¡± Just when it seemed like all the jelly was churning, Their forms changed significantly. The shape was quite familiar to us. ¡°A person, is it?¡± ¡°It appears to be a woman.¡± Armed with a sword and shield. A woman in herte twenties to early thirties. Although she looked like a woman, she seemed quite muscr. A somewhat peculiar point was that, Apart from the sword and shield, her attire seemed very modern. It resembled the attire of a career woman in a faded suit. ¡°Packet ajumma¡­¡± Suyeon muttered upon seeing her. What? ¡°That¡¯s Sunni ajumma?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­But she looks quite young to be called an ¡®ajumma,¡¯ doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Well, you know, to kids, once you¡¯re over twenty, you¡¯re pretty much an ajumma.¡± Suni ajumma. The name of the leader of the survivor group Suyeon belonged to. ¡°Indeed. She was said to be an awakened warrior.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Indeed. ¡°Hiding is meaningless, and it¡¯s difficult to fight in jelly form.¡± ¡°Seems like they have taken a form suitable forbat.¡± There must be a reason why they took that form. Maybe they can only take the form of creatures that they directly hunt? They wouldn¡¯t have transformed just for appearance¡¯s sake. Probably, that form is the strongest one the creature can take. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but¡­ Could theirbat capabilities be simr to the originals?¡± ¡°Are you talking about those numbers¡­?¡± The number of monsters before us. It was simr to ours, or slightly higher. In other words, We should consider that we¡¯re facing an equal number of awakened warriors. ¡°What a foolish thing they have done.¡± ¡°W-We need to run away quickly¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Why should we?¡± ¡°Sunni ajumma is an awakened warrior! And there are so many of them. Running might be futile¡­¡± Come to think of it, That woman was rumored to be quite strong among the survivors. An awakened warrior specialized inbat. But sorry. ¡°Hehe, now it¡¯s starting to get a bit more interesting!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make it more enjoyable for ourselves!¡± Crack. Phwaaah¡­ The monsters mimicking the formidable awakened warrior. They were being chopped down by our soldiers. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± I said to Suyeon, who was speechless at the sight. ¡°It was a foolish thing to do.¡± If you were going to copy, you should have copied Gwang-il. He is the strongest awakened warrior in our unit. ¡°Our soldiers are the epitome of no-fail factors, aren¡¯t they?¡± We didn¡¯t spend our time in the mountains for nothing. We had leveled-up quite a bit while killing those lizard monsters. Combat techniques honed by a hundred awakened warriors whilepeting against each other and sharpened in real battles. Equipment made from the leather of steel lizards that could even withstand bullets. And my cooking buffs on top of that. Sorry, but. It¡¯s hard for just one famous awakened person to catch up with us. The difference in level is too great. The battle concluded without any crisis whatsoever. And since we emerged victorious from the battle, It was time for the spoils. ¡°Look! There¡¯s an abundance of rice here!¡± ¡°Fresh produce is all spoiled, but the packaged side dishes seem usable.¡± ¡°When was thest time we saw ramen?¡± Food supplies. ¡°Toilet paper, toilet paper!¡± ¡°Thank goodness. We can maintain our dignity as humans¡­¡± Essentials. ¡°It¡¯s not a pharmacy, so we only have basic first aid supplies and over the counter medications¡± ¡°For now, this should suffice. Securing bandages and alcohol is crucial.¡± Medicine. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°I missed this taste.¡± Including cigarettes and other luxuries. ¡°This is amazing.¡± Considering the group of over 100 people, it¡¯s uncertain how long these supplies willst. But at least we can extinguish the urgent fires. ¡°And yet, there¡¯s still plenty left?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still going tost a long time, right?¡± Two siblings sitting in a corner, seemingly dazed. It makes me want to pinch their cheeks at least once. While the troops were transferring goods to the vehicles, ¡°Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± ¡°The empty bottles you mentioned. I¡¯ve brought them.¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me¡­¡± I asked some soldiers to gather empty bottles for me. ¡°Where do you intend to use these?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll see.¡± The empty bottles collected by the soldiers. I poured¡­ The silver-gray jelly was spread out on the floor. I collected the [Blue Water Droplets]. ¡°Sergeant Shin? Are you nning to use those for cooking too?¡± ¡°Oh, you catch on quickly.¡± ¡°Eek¡­¡± The soldiers were startled. Yet each of them grabbed a bottle and sat down. They began collecting the jelly together. ¡°It feels like jelly even when touched. It certainly looks like it¡­ Are there any dishes where you use this?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a matter of creating the recipe. I guess I should give it a tryter.¡± The soldiers may not know it, but these jelly-like monsters possess incredible culinary potential. ¡°If you cook it well, you might create something remarkable.¡± As they were discussing, ¡°Young-joon.¡± ¡°Yes? What¡¯s up, hyung?¡± Min-jae hyung approached from a distance. He smelled of cigarettes, as if he had just tasted one after a long time. ¡°Are you nning to use these creatures as ingredients too?¡± ¡°For now, there¡¯s no harm in trying, right? We have nothing to lose if the result isn¡¯t great.¡± ¡°Hmm. In that case¡­e with me for a moment.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As we headed to where Min-jae hyung called us several soldiers from the mage division were standing there. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see if you look inside.¡± Curious about what they meant; I approached a bit further. I could see what the soldiers were surrounding. ¡°¡­Surely this isn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as you¡¯re thinking.¡± A silver-gray jelly, simr to the ones they had been collecting. The difference was: ¡°Is it alive?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± The fact that its core was intact Although not moving actively, it seemed alive. ¡°How did this happen? We killed them, didn¡¯t we? Why did it be like this?¡± ¡°Well, we mages aren¡¯t confident in closebat. We could render them incapable of fighting by using our magic, but in the heat of battle¡­¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t strike their cores with magic to kill them, so they ended up being subdued like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We thought they might be useful for cooking.¡± Hmm. I recalled the handling method¡¯ I learned from the system. [Some ssify them as a type of slime, due to their ability to regenerate as long as the core remains intact, they are difficult to ssify as such] ¡°The core seems to be the key, and the rest might not be as important.¡± If that¡¯s the case¡­ The core might have concentrated nutrients. ¡°Let¡¯s take them.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Is it okay to take a living monster?¡± ¡°Their only means of attack was through their silver-gray jelly. The core was just a vulnerability.¡± The core is the main body. And it doesn¡¯t seem to possessbat abilities. ¡°The nutrients might be concentrated in the core. If we can keep them fresh, I¡¯d like to preserve them.¡± ¡°Hmm. If that¡¯s your judgment, Sergeant.¡± There were a few more monsters subdued by Min-jae hyung and the mages. We collected their cores and sealed the opening of the containers. ¡­They won¡¯t die from neglect like this, will they? After finishing all the tasks. As we were about to board the vehicle to return to base. ¡°¡­¡± The siblings, Suyeon and Suhyuk, were there. They were still staring at us nkly. ¡°Why happened? You look like you¡¯ve lost your mind.¡± ¡°¡­Those monsters. They were as strong as Suni ajumma.¡± ¡°Ah, it seemed like it.¡± ¡°Even though there were dozens of us, we couldn¡¯t handle them¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Suyeon tightly grasped her brother¡¯s hand as she spoke. ¡°It seems like it was a good deal.¡± Heh. ¡°We gained a lot because of you. It¡¯s a win-win situation.¡± ¡°As promised, you¡¯ll let us join as members of the unit, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But remember, it¡¯s not a free ride.¡± There¡¯s a difference between providing protection and joining as members. ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll have to pick up weapons too. It probably won¡¯t take too long.¡± Just because they¡¯re kids doesn¡¯t mean we can protect them forever. This world has changed. There might be situations where we can¡¯t protect them, even though we want to. They have to strengthen themselves to survive. ¡°I didn¡¯t freeload even when I was in the survivor group.¡± ¡°I, I won¡¯t either!¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Come to think of it. That kid who swung an axe at me was quite impressive. These kids seem like they¡¯ll be good soldiers. At least, I need to make sure they can handle themselves. Of course, awakening procedures should be conducted as safely as possible. Also, Although not perfect, we now have a temporary base. And through vehicle modifications, our mobility constraints have somewhat lessened. With the supplies obtained today, we should be able to sustain ourselves for a while. Hmm. We have a bit of breathing room now. In that case¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s start tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Finally. The time hase to increase the number of awakened. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 43 Chapter 43 We returned to the base with high spirits. And then¡­ ¡°Wee back, sir.¡± The soldiers guarding the base came out to greet us. ¡°Did everything go smoothly?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. And how did the mission go?¡± We had departed on a mission to procure supplies. The soldiers guarding the base couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity about the oue. I spoke with a grim expression. ¡°Sorry, but¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Disappointment spread across the faces of the soldiers. ¡°Things don¡¯t always go as nned on missions, you know? Don¡¯t be too disheartened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to move everything at once.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed¡ª¡± Ignoring the bewildered soldiers, I reached behind and opened the cargopartment of the modified truck. Creak. And then¡­ ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± ¡°The quantity is overwhelming.¡± ¡°It was impossible to move everything in one go. Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to help unload.¡± ¡°Was that the meaning behind it?¡± As we unloaded the supplies, the soldiers who had been unaware of the situation looked stunned. ¡°This isn¡¯t all of it. How did you¡­?¡± ¡°We got lucky.¡± Turning my head slightly, I saw Suyeon and Suhyeok, siblings who were disembarking from another vehicle. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have time to admireter. Let¡¯s get inside for now.¡± The siblings, holding hands, moved towards the base with Lee Sang-ah. Even in this situation, the base looked impressive. Looking around as we explored, I thought, ¡°We were really lucky.¡± In truth, this mission was supposed to fail. The mart we visited for supplies was already raided by other survivors. Normally, the mission would have failed, and we would have returned empty-handed. But then we met those kids. And thanks to the information they provided¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a jackpot.¡± We have acquired a substantial amount of food, necessities, medicine, and even luxury items like cigarettes and alcohol. Thanks to that, our unit¡¯s life got a bit easier. ¡°Sorry, could those who were resting lend a hand with unloading?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ll get everyone.¡± ¡°And the squad leaders, gather for a moment.¡± Finally, the time hade to expand our influence. All the vice guild masters were gathered in a room, in one of the buildings. Leaving them behind, I nced out the window. ¡°Damn, I need a smoke.¡± ¡°Oh! Remember, only one pack per person!¡± ¡°Where is even one pack? It¡¯s been over a month since I was forced to quit smoking.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t smoke.¡± ¡°Huh? Then can¡¯t you give it to me? I¡¯ll pay you backter¡ª¡± I observed as they unloaded and distributed the supplies. ¡°I managed to secure quite a bit of food supplies. We also have some basic medical supplies.¡± ¡°Just by looking, we can ck off for a while, right?¡± The atmosphere among the gathered leaders wasn¡¯t bad. But¡­ ¡°This is not the time to rx.¡± Even though we had some ck, we couldn¡¯t afford to becent. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok nodded in agreement with my words. ¡°We¡¯ve just temporarily gained some breathing room; the long-term issues remain.¡± ¡°Yes. With this newfound breathing room, I believe it¡¯s time to strengthen ourselves.¡± ¡°What do you mean by strengthening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to address the things we¡¯ve been putting off.¡± The biggest reaction to my words came from none other than Corporal Seo Su-hyeok. He looked at me with expectant, sparkling eyes. ¡°Are you suggesting¡ª¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded in affirmation. ¡°We need to increase the number of awakened individuals.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. That¡¯s what you meant.¡± Then, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like nothing. His expression hinted otherwise. Corporal Jeong Gwang-il answered my question. ¡°Haha. Su-hyeok is disappointed because it¡¯s not about securing ammunition.¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± ¡°Securing ammunition?¡± ¡°Oh, no, not really. It¡¯s just that increasing the awakened would be more efficient.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok was the team leader of the marksmen and the first marksmen awakened in our unit. But now, our unit was almost out of ammunition. Considering the talk of strengthening, it seemed natural to think about replenishing bullets. The marksmen, who formed the core of our firepower, couldn¡¯t function properly without them. However, there was no immediate solution. On the other hand, there were those whoseplexion darkened for different reasons. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± It was Lee Sang-ah, the squad leader. Unlike Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, the reason for her concern was clear. ¡°I¡¯m worried. They¡¯re the people who trusted and followed me. How could I not be worried?¡± Increasing the number of awakened individuals meant awakening the survivors who stayed in the unit. And most of them belonged to her group. Even if we exclude herself and the five criminals, there were still over twenty people. Leaving such a number idle without awakening them was a loss in itself. ¡°I hope nothing bad happens.¡± ¡°To awaken them, we must directly confront the monsters.¡± It was a risky endeavor, apanied by significant dangers. In fact, Sergeant Park Taejun had suffered injuries severe enough to prevent him from walking. Her concerns were understandable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve dealt with such situations many times in the unit.¡± Corporal Jeong Gwang-il addressed Lee Sang-ah¡¯s apprehension with a mixture of concern and reassurance. It was a different attitude from when he dealt with frightened soldiers. ¡°Initially, idents did happen among unit members, but our soldiers have gained expertise in subduing monsters. There shouldn¡¯t be any significant risks.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Please trust us. After all, isn¡¯t this what Sergeant Shin ordered?¡± Ah. Why did my name suddenlye up? From my perspective, it was quite an absurd logic. ¡°You saw it this time too, right? When Sergeant Shin perfectly identified the monsters¡­ Even though they looked like ordinary refrigerators, he ordered us to attack! And when we followed without hesitation, it turned out to be those silver slime monsters!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It was remarkable.¡± ¡°After that, he systematically identified ordinary objects as monsters, and we just had to attack where he directed us, right?¡± The guy who talked about me while pounding his chest. ¡°If you think that way, then certainly!¡± And there was someone who agreed with that nonsense. ¡°Should we just overlook something good because it¡¯s good?¡± ¡°Hey, Gwang-il, how long will you throw around Senior¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Hehe. I only trust Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Sigh. Let¡¯s talk properly.¡± It was yful banter, but fundamentally, it was meant tofort the worried Lee Sang-ah. ¡°In reality, this is his original personality.¡± Fundamentally gentle and kind-hearted. When he shows his warrior-like side¡­ Honestly, it sometimes makes me feel guilty. I wonder if I¡¯ve done something terrible to this gentle soul. ¡°No. Let¡¯s not think like that now.¡± Those are thoughts to entertain only when survival is securely guaranteed. There¡¯s no room for depression. What¡¯s important right now is¡­ ¡°Increasing the awakened.¡± After the squad meeting. Lee Sang-ah, along with other leaders went to find the survivors. They spoke to them about awakening. ¡°So, now it¡¯s our turn.¡± Grandpa Park responded calmly. ¡°As long as the soldiers are with us, there won¡¯t be any danger.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ve been waiting for this day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to just rely on protection without doing anything.¡± Tasks involving risks. Contrary to what I expected, their response wasn¡¯t hesitant. ¡°I felt the same even when I was old and retired. Just idling around gets boring.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Now that I can finally do something, I feel more at ease.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were thinking like that. ¡°Once you wake up, I¡¯ll have to push you hard enough that you¡¯ll think it was a good time.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t the younger ones these days know the word ¡®respect for elders¡¯?¡± Well. Setting aside the banter with Grandpa Park. The other survivors seemed a bit tensepared to him. However. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mommy¡¯s here with you. Listen to the uncles, okay?¡± ¡°Sis¡­ Will it be, okay?¡± ¡°You saw how strong those soldiers were at the market, right? You don¡¯t have to worry. Besides¡­¡± With a child and parents. Even siblings who joined the unit not long ago. Among them, there was no one who rejected awakening. They all seemed to understand. ¡°If we want to be strong like those soldiers, we have to go through this process.¡± In this wild world. It has be necessary to be able to protect oneself. The barracks were located on the outskirts of the outskirts. The surroundings were practically like vige. And around that barracks. ¡°We found them.¡± ¡°Finally.¡± Dozens of soldiers were patrolling around. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Lucky us. There are three.¡± ¡°One of the monsters we encountered on the way down from the mountain. Sergeant Shin¡¯s strategy should work.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Then.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go for them.¡± Three monsters wandering near the fields. The soldiers approached, surrounding them. And then. Crunch!? Attack! Kaaahhh! We had the numerical advantage. There were no variables in the hunt. ¡°Combat over!¡± ¡°Any monsters approaching due to the noise?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± ¡°Good, then.¡± I nced towards the soldiers. And there, among them, came out the one who was being protected. ¡°My turn.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡± The man was older than me. But now, he will be a junior member of the unit. It felt a bit awkward, but I decided to speak. Other soldiers also encouraged him. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous and rx.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, we¡¯ll rush in immediately. At that time all you have to do is calmly withdraw.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The soldiers handed him a rifle with a bay. Holding the gun with a bay, he said, ¡°You asked me not to be nervous, but actually¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He spoke while facing the monsters with his de. ¡°I¡¯m surprisingly calm to the point of being fascinated. Don¡¯t worry.¡± With a calm demeanor. Phew. Oh my god! Watching this hunting process, Leader Lee Sang-ah seemed incredulous. ¡°To think awakening could happen like this, I never imagined.¡± ¡°Huh? Is this such an amazing method?¡± ¡°When I led the survivor group, I didn¡¯t even know the awakening method¡­ Even now, after knowing it, it still seems difficult till¡­¡± Engaging inbat with monsters itself is a life-threatening task. And to subdue those monsters alive. It¡¯s an act thates with tremendous risk. That¡¯s why survivors usually hide and evade the monsters. The scarcity of awakened among the survivors could be due to this survival method. ¡°Hunting monsters like this, swarming around them, isn¡¯t amazing; it¡¯s just absurd.¡± But we were theplete opposite. We actively seek out monsters. ¡°Because we have over a hundred awakened.¡± Unlike survivors who consider having two awakened in a group to be plenty. We have over a hundred awakened members making such actions possible. It might seem brute force. ¡°But effectiveness matters more than being brute.¡± The awakening proceeded smoothly. ¡°You¡¯re an Ice Mage, right?¡± ¡°Are you a mage too, unni? Yes, I¡¯m a Fire Mage.¡± The sisters, Hyunji and Hyeji who used the same room as Grandfather Park. The two of them awakened as mage twins. Seeing this the mage awakened soldiers muttered. ¡°So, does this mean the mage team is getting new recruits too? Finally, I¡¯ll no longer be the youngest!¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be the case for now. But you know, from now on, it going to be all about skill, not rank.¡± ¡°¡­We need to be careful and not to get caught.¡± And the person who just spoke was Grandpa Park. ¡°A cksmith, huh.¡± ¡°A cksmith?¡± ¡°To be a novice cksmith at this age. Haha.¡± I wondered what he was doing when he sharpened my knife. But to be a cksmith at his age? Unexpected. He must have been doing that kind of work originally. ¡°An increase in production type awakened is a good thing.¡± Unlikebat roles, production roles are more effective inrger groups. They should be able to make some major contributions to the guild. As the awakening proceeded smoothly. ¡°Oh? Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Come here for a moment.¡± A soldier who was scouting the surroundings seemed to have found something. He called me from behind. As I walked a few steps toward him. From a distance, a sound began to echo. Boom¡­ ng¡­ Sounds resembling shes of weapons. And then. ¨C Aaaah! ¨C Sir! Voices of people. Though it was an unfamiliar situation. Understanding this situation itself wasn¡¯t overly difficult. ¡°Survivors, perhaps.¡± As we got closer, their figures became visible. A group of survivors locked inbat with monsters. Unlike the sibling pair, Suhyeok and Suyeon, who had separated from the group and seemed somewhat substantial in size, rtive to the group. ¡°Oh. They shouldn¡¯t be engaging the monster like that.¡± ¡°They seem unaware of its weaknesses.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± They were helplessly struggling against the monster. Even if it¡¯s a monster we can deal with, it would be a huge threat to the survivors, who at most have one or two awakened people. ¡°What should we do?¡± The soldiers asked me. ¡°Don¡¯t we have to rescue them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fighting so loudly. If we intervene, other monsters mighte running when they hear the noise¡­¡± The soldiers seemed divided in their opinions. Between rescuing immediately or letting them fight on their own. In the past, the former opinion might have prevailed mostly. But now, prioritizing the survival of the group was the norm. Thetter opinion slightly edged out. However. ¡°After all, to awaken, they need to hunt monsters.¡± The awakening process was nearingpletion. There were only a few survivors left who hadn¡¯t awakened yet. We wanted to finish this task as quickly as possible. And the monster attacking the survivors over there seemed to have a small number. A prime target. There was no need to let it slip away. ¡°Everyone, arm yourselves.¡± ¡°Affirmative sir!¡± ¡°Affirmative, sir!¡± As I gave themand, even those who suggested letting them fight on their own retrieved their weapons without hesitation. ¨C Damn it, everyone run! We¡¯ll meet again at point 3! ¨C Run away? How do we escape from a ce like this¡­! ¨C I¡¯ll buy some time somehow¡­ ¨C Wait, hold on! ¡°Squad 2 and 3, take care of the one on the right! Remember, don¡¯t cut off their airway!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°The rest of you, follow me to deal with the one on the left!¡± Some soldiers headed in the opposite direction. I focused on the nearby monster. A colossal creature resembling an elephant. Its teeth were sharp, and its muscr body was agile for its size. But. [Activated Chef¡¯s Eye] [You have already learned the handling method of the given target] It had already been hunted before. I lunged toward it and stabbed my knife towards its weakness. Swoosh! Its weakness was its trunk. With its vital organs concentrated there. A single strike could be a fatal blow, rendering it unable to fight. Sizzle¡­ Even though I wasn¡¯t particrly skilled inbat, it didn¡¯t meant I could handle formidable opponents. Boom. ¡°Sergeant Shin!!¡± ¡°That was a nice shot.¡± ¡°Are you guys just letting the chef fight and watch from far?¡± ¡°Well, after seeing that, no one would think you¡¯re just a chef.¡± It was a monster with a clear weakness. It would be quite a formidable foe if you didn¡¯t know its weakness, but once you did, it became rather straightforward. Knowing this, the other unit members seemed rxed, but¡­ ¡°What, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Did that giant monster go down in one hit¡­?¡± To those who didn¡¯t know its weakness¡­ It seemed like quite an impressive feat. I felt the gaze of the survivors engaged inbat with the monster, filled with astonishment, directed towards us. Hmm. Though it¡¯s for awakening. ¡°Is everyone okay? Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve definitely subdued this guy.¡± Still, helping the survivors was a fact. I thought I might receive a word of thanks at least. However. ¡°¡­Hm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ military attire.¡± ¡­Something was off. ¡°Geez.¡± ¡°Thought I¡¯d dodged the fox, only to meet the tiger.¡± ¡°Shh! Everyone quiet down. No need to provoke unnecessarily.¡± Apletely different reaction from what I had anticipated. Rather than gratitude, it seemed more like¡­ ¡®Are they afraid of us?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but feel a grimace forming on my face. Even though there was an intention to quicklyplete our awakening on this side¡­ Still, we had helped. Yet, this reaction¡­ ¡®Isn¡¯t it a bit disrespectful?¡¯ At that moment. ¡°Oh, sir.¡± ¡°Step aside. I¡¯ll handle this. Let me talk to him.¡± Amidst the group of survivors, a middle-aged man stepped forward. Based on the conversation, he might be the leader of this group. Just as I was about to speak to him¡­ He nervously spoke up first, with a tensed expression. ¡°Wh-What business do deserters have with us!¡± A statement filled with suspicion. But. There was one word that caught my attention. ¡°We have nothing to offer deserters. So just leave!¡± Deserters? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Three additional chaptersing tomorrow for NU milestonepletion. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°Hey, what business do deserters have with us?¡± Deserters, huh? Without even trying to conceal my discontent, I spoke up. ¡°Is that the first thing you say to someone who saved your life?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Well¡­¡± It seemed they finally realized that we had saved them. A middle-aged man coughed awkwardly. ¡°Yes, that was impolite of us. I apologize. It was just a mistake, so I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°Misunderstand what?¡± I wondered if there was anything to misunderstand from my end. If anything, they seemed to be misunderstanding something. I wondered how they interpreted the words I had muttered to myself. ¡°¡­We are really grateful for saving our lives! Thank you. But¡­ what I said earlier wasn¡¯t a lie. We don¡¯t have anything to offer you-¡± ¡°No, it seems like the misunderstanding is on your end.¡± Nothing to offer. We never expected anything in return in the first ce, you fool. That¡¯s what I intended to exin, but¡­ ¡°We-¡± ¡°Please, just let us go¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± This man. It seemed like he came out to talk, but I was the only one feeling like no conversation was happening at all. After exhaling deeply, I shouted loudly, ¡°We are-!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°¡­Not deserters.¡± The man seemed to shrink a bit when I raised my voice, feeling awkward. Though I felt a bit sorry, it seemed like conversation wouldn¡¯t proceed unless I did this. We had already left the barracks, but we were still in contact with the remaining soldiers there, and we were apanying Lieutenant Kim, the nominalmander of the unit. The discipline of the military unit was still in ce. It felt unfair to be called deserters. ¡°If the term ¡®deserters¡¯ was offensive, I apologize. So, what should I call you instead? Elders?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not about the word being ufortable. It¡¯s because we really didn¡¯t desert.¡± Conversation was really going nowhere. Then¡­ ¡°What that soldier said is all true. Please believe us just this once.¡± A man among the soldiers spoke up. It was none other than our nominal leader, Lieutenant Kim. He was the current highest-ranking officer in the 423rd Battalion. ¡°You are¡­?¡± ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°To be more precise¡­¡± Lieutenant Kim continued, showing his rank insignia on his uniform. ¡°I¡¯m Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok, from the 12th Corps directly under the Ground Operations Command of the Republic of Korea Army. I¡¯m assigned to the 423rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion.¡± ¡°Lieutenant? Are you¡­ an officer?¡± ¡°Yes. Originally, my position was that of apanymander, but now I¡¯m acting as the deputy battalionmander, nominally.¡± The unit¡¯s evaluation of Lieutenant Kim was that of a retired officer. But on a second thought, he could be featured in military training videos for exemry conduct. He had the appearance of a model soldier. Besides, he had the eloquence and political acumen of a top-tier officer. Considering all these factors¡­ ¡°I, I see. Are you really a regr soldier?¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Were you really a soldier? Not a deserter?¡± It seemed they finally started to believe that we weren¡¯t deserters. The survivors looked at us with unfamiliar eyes. ¡°¡­The flow of this conversation is quite different from what I had expected.¡± Now that I think about it, when I tried to talk to Suyeon and Suhyuk, they were also frightened of me. But they quickly became friendly with squad leader Lee Sanh-ah. Maybe Lieutenant Kim¡¯s good impression yed a part. Could it be¡­ ¡°Did I make a bad first impression?¡± Come to think of it, I¡¯ve heard that I cane off as an intimidating individual sometimes. I stood there quietly even after receiving a slight wound on my delicate, sensitive heart. As I stood still, Lieutenant Kim nced at me discreetly. He nodded. Wasn¡¯t it a gesture that says, ¡°Leave it to me, Young-joon¡±? Maybe not exactly that. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s doubtful.¡± When he got my approval, Lieutenant Kim immediately engaged in conversation with the man. ¡°Why did you think of us as deserters?¡± ¡°Huh? Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yes. We thought that if survivors like you encountered soldiers, you would request protection.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Well, in ordinary circumstances, that would be a normal reaction.¡± ¡°But it seems like it¡¯s not an ordinary situation now. Can you exin why?¡± ¡°Um¡­ It¡¯s not difficult to exin.¡± Lieutenant Kim¡¯s question mirrored my own curiosity. It might seem natural to think we were soldiers because we were wearing uniforms, but¡­ ¡°To put it bluntly, seeing how the world turned out, and how many people died¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a tragic event.¡± ¡°I agree. But those who died, died, and those who somehow survived like us started to have doubts.¡± The man who spoke while looking at our military uniforms continued. ¡°Doubts about what soldiers were doing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was a natural thing to wonder. In a situation where monsters appeared and ughtered people, soldiers should be active to handle the situation. I nced at vice guild master, who shrugged when our eyes met. She was one of those who had doubts like that in the first ce. Since she decided to lead the group and move to find a military unit. It seemed like cases like hers were rare. The survivors continued their part of narration. ¡°And then we found out.¡± ¡°All the military units have been wiped out.¡± ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± ¡°The military units here have been wiped out. At least, all the military units in this area.¡± Lieutenant Kim and all the other soldiers who were listening to the conversation stepped back in shock. Wiped out. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Are you really asking that? Or pretending not to know?¡± ¡°For now, it¡¯s the former. Please continue.¡± ¡°You are showing attitude of not knowing when you are the party involved.¡± However, as it was apletely new story for us, we couldn¡¯t help but urge the next part of the tale. ¡°Ahem. After somehow adapting to this environment, some people went to find known military bases. Well, aren¡¯t military bases abundant in Gangwon Province? Everyone knew of a base or two and managed to find them sessfully.¡± Up to this point, it made sense. After all, Lee Sang-ah¡¯s group was one of them. But¡­ ¡°However, what they found wasn¡¯t resisting soldiers.¡± A man continued with a sigh. ¡°The soldiers were wiped out and the bases were upied by monsters.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°For some reason, particrly powerful monsters had taken hold of the military bases. And not just one or two, but dozens, even hundreds.¡± The man shivered, as if feeling a chill run down his spine. ¡°Our group also went to one of the bases. Monsters that seemed more powerful than those we¡¯ve encountered before, and the sight of them gathered in the hundreds¡­ It¡¯s chilling.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°If the soldiers were attacked unexpectedly like us, it¡¯s understandable why they couldn¡¯t withstand it.¡± The total annihtion of all military bases. It sounded unbelievable at first, but there was something hinted in the recent words. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one catching onto it. One of the soldiers nearby, listening to the conversation, muttered with a puzzled expression, ¡°Lizards.¡± The monsters who aggressively attacked our unit. The doom of the world. Within half a day of their assault, over half of the unit¡¯s members were dead. Thinking back, the lizards were indeed formidable monsters. The fact that there were no other monsters near the base in the mountains indicated their dominance in that area. In reality, among the monsters encountered on the surface, very few seemed stronger than the lizards. Perhaps only the ¡°Mac,¡± who guarded the warehouse, could be considered on par. ¡°It was only through understanding their weaknesses and increasing our own power that we barely survived.¡± If we hadn¡¯t known their weaknesses¡­ Or even if we had, but hadn¡¯t quickly realized how to increase our power¡­ A monster that required dozens of bullets to take down. Within a few days, ammunition would run out, and the unit would be wiped out. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Yeong-joon, we would¡¯ve been among the ¡®annihted military units.''¡± When Min-jae murmured softly, all eyes turned to me. ¡°Well, hunting lizards bare-handed to understand awakening techniques¡­¡± ¡°It was Sergeant Shin who understood the lizards¡¯ weaknesses. Considering their tough scales, awakening individuals wouldn¡¯t have been able to prate the lizards¡¯ defenses. In fact, aside from their weak points, they were more threatening than any other monsters we encountered on the surface.¡± ¡°Furthermore, think about it. If Sergeant Shin hadn¡¯t been there, we would¡¯ve been wiped out when their chieftain attacked.¡± ¡°In hindsight, it¡¯s a miracle we didn¡¯t be lizard food. If Sergeant Shin hadn¡¯t been there¡­¡± ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s not wrong, but it¡¯s somewhat embarrassing.¡± ¡°Why only powerful monsters appeared at military bases is unknown. It¡¯s said that therger the base, the stronger the monsters that inhabit it¡­ Thanks to this, survivors nowadays don¡¯t even approach ces with military bases.¡± We barely managed to survive with various factors ovepping. If every other military base was in a situation simr to ours¡­ Without luck and various factors in our favor, survival would have been difficult. ¡°Theplete annihtion of military units could be somewhat understandable. In fact, given the silence in the units despite the appearance of monsters¡­ To some extent, it was anticipated.¡± ¡°The real problem lies elsewhere.¡± After pausing, he nced over our unit with an uneasy look. ¡°Deserters.¡± That¡¯s where they began to see us as deserters. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s still hard to trust you.¡± ¡°If we had intentions to attack, wouldn¡¯t we have done so already? Please continue.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not entirely wrong. Among the units that were annihted by monster attacks, there were soldiers who somehow managed to abandon their units and flee. Being soldiers, they naturally had powerful weapons like guns. It would have been better if they had used those guns wisely.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t the case.¡± ¡°Unfortunately. It seems that they target humans more than monsters or zombies.¡± Soldiers who managed to escape the monster attacks. Unlike us, who still held onto some sense of military discipline, they had no qualms about abandoning their units and fleeing. And they happened to have guns with them? In such a situation, it¡¯s only natural to do what it takes to survive. Looting. The man continued, his head shaking. ¡°The survivors who encountered deserters armed with guns were not few. It would¡¯ve been somewhat eptable if only items were looted, but sometimes they even took people¡­¡± ¡°In fact, there have been rumors of deserters in this area as well. We tried to avoid it as much as possible, but other paths were blocked by zombie hordes, so we had no choice but to pass through here.¡± And that¡¯s how we ended up meeting each other. ¡°We thought you all were deserters just by seeing their military uniforms. I apologize.¡± ¡°No, I understand.¡± After the man finished his exnation, Lieutenant Kim spoke with a subtle tone. ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, we¡¯re not deserters. And¡­¡± We have surplus supplies now. The process of turning survivors into awakened individuals was also underway. Judging from what I¡¯ve heard, they seemed like a capable group. ¡°We¡¯re looking for allies we can fight alongside.¡± If they could be of help. Given the current situation, it was worth considering. It seemed Lieutenant Kim had made that judgment. ¡°Fight together, and not just protect?¡± ¡°Originally, that¡¯s how it should be, but since our connection with other units has been severed, we don¡¯t have the luxury. It¡¯s almost like civilian recruitment in wartime.¡± ¡°Recruitment¡­¡± ¡°It may sound like a constion prize, but if you join us, you¡¯ll definitely gain the power to protect yourselves.¡± We were talking about awakening, but¡­ ¡°Does that mean you provide firearms?¡± ¡°Something simr.¡± It would be natural for them to understand it in terms of guns. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. The man who heard the proposal seemed to ponder for a moment. After a long thought, he finally spoke. ¡°I just want to ask. If you call it recruitment, do we have a choice?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re not forcing anyone.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯m sorry, but the answer is rejection.¡± It was somewhat unexpected, but hearing his following words, it made sense. ¡°You may not be deserters, but you¡¯re still an unfamiliar group. Entrusting ourselves to such people all of a sudden would be too big of a gamble.¡± ¡°Please understand. It¡¯s difficult for us to trust you. It¡¯s not 100% certainty that you¡¯re not deserters, and frankly, even if you aren¡¯t, the perception of soldiers isn¡¯t that favorable. We don¡¯t want to take unnecessary risks.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Perhaps he thought further persuasion was futile. Lieutenant Kim nodded with a solemn expression. They were the ones who had survived in such a world, where having their own rules for survival wasn¡¯t unusual. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to persuade them to go against decisions made based on those rules. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I hope you won¡¯t hold a grudge because of this.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s your choice. We don¡¯t intend to make an issue out of it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± The man let out a sigh of relief. It seemed he had genuinely been concerned about us holding a grudge. ¡°Well then, what are your ns from now on?¡± ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t I mention that?¡± It seemed like a sensitive question, but he casually opened up, as if it wasn¡¯t difficult for him to share. ¡°Well, actually, there¡¯s a reason we decided toe over to this side where there¡¯s intel on deserters.¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor about a group here that has secured a vast amount of resources.¡± A rumor? ¡°Apparently, they¡¯ve raided some kind of government bunker or something, stocked with plenty of food and weapons. However, the problem seems to be the shortage of people. They¡¯re looking for fellow survivors to share those weapons and food.¡± Plenty of food and weapons. And they¡¯re just giving them away? It sounded almost too good to be true. ¡°It sounds like an incredibly good deal, but¡­ can we trust that rumor?¡± ¡°Well, you see, in this world, is there such a thing as information that¡¯s 100% trustworthy? Perhaps joining you would be a better choice. But as I said, survivors tend to trust each other a bit more than soldiers. This rumor is quite famous among survivors.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We truly appreciate the fact that you saved our lives. If we ever meet again, I¡¯ll make sure to repay this kindness.¡± In the end, the conversation with the significant group of survivors we encountered on the surface ended there. ¡°Take care. We wish you sess in your endeavors.¡± ¡°Likewise. We wish you all the best in surviving.¡± People who nced back briefly even as they departed. They must be worried that we might change our minds and attack them. Such vignce was necessary for survival. After the survivors had left. ¡°Yeong-joon, how did it go?¡± ¡°You did well, sir. If we encounter such situations in the future, it would be best if you would take the charge.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m confident in my leadership skills, so feel free to rely on me anytime. However, um, what should I say¡­¡± Unlike when conversing with the survivors, Lieutenant Kim hesitated. I had a feeling I knew what he wanted to say. ¡°¡­For the next three days, I¡¯ll provide an extra meal for Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Three, three days? Thank you! I really appreciate it!¡± The reason Lieutenant Kim obeyed me was because of the joy that my cooking brought him. Or rather, he was addicted to the happiness that my cooking brought. Since he did a good job this time, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to reward him. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°This could be more serious than we think.¡± The soldiers didn¡¯t seem pleased. The awakening of the survivors was nearing itspletion. It would probably be over within two days at thetest. ¡°But. Our main goal in descending to the surface is to expand our influence.¡± I thought there would be more survivors on the surface. Our original n was to amodate them and turn them into awakened individuals. ¡°However, there aren¡¯t as manyrge-scale survivor groups outside as we expected.¡± Surprisingly, most survivors didn¡¯t formrge groups. The reason was simple. ¡°The monsters are too strong.¡± To expand our influence, we needed more awakened individuals. Ordinary survivors didn¡¯t contribute much to survival. But it was too difficult to increase the number of awakened individuals. Although it was said that one could awaken through killing zombies, the probability seemed random. The number of those who became awakened by killing zombies wasn¡¯trge. Naturally, survivors had to operate in small groups. ¡°We need to somehow amodate these small-scale survivors and increase our strength. That¡¯s the n.¡± Until recently, I hadn¡¯t been worried about this. I thought that the image of being soldiers would be helpful in persuading survivors. However. ¡°Some people seem to be forgetting that precious image.¡± Ironically, the survivors we needed to absorb seemed to be flocking to other rumors instead. For us, whose goal is to expand our influence, this is quite a big problem. ¡°Yeong-joon, we need to solve this problem as soon as possible.¡± ¡°As Sergeant Min-jae said. If the perception of soldiers keeps deteriorating, it won¡¯t be good for us.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The problem is. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to know where those deserters are to solve the problem?¡± It might be difficult to solve it right away. But we had definitely identified the problem. ¡°We needed to address it swiftly upon learning about their whereabouts.¡± *** However. ¡°Hey! You there, gentlemen!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°There seems to be quite a crowd here, if you have anything valuable, hand it over and leave.¡± That moment had arrived. Faster than expected. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. This is the first additional chapter of the day. Two more chaptersing up after few hours. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratingson Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 45 Chapter 45 In a remote corner of Gangwon Province stands an old, dpidated building. Inside one of its rooms, nearly all traces of its once normal state have vanished. A man was there, fiddling with his firearm. He meticulously cleaned the gun with an oil-stained cloth. Just then. Someone opened the door and entered the room. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Is that you, Jin-yeong?¡± They seemed to be familiar with each other. They exchanged brief greetings. What made this scene a bit unusual was¡­ Both of them were wearing military uniforms. ¡°How¡¯s business, any luck?¡± ¡°Another empty day.¡± ¡°¡­Tch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting tougher to operate around here.¡± The man who had just entered the room, Jin-yeong, leaned his firearm against the wall and continued. ¡°I think rumors are spreading.¡± ¡°What rumors?¡± ¡°What else? That there are deserters hiding around here.¡± ¡°¡­Hey. Do we really need to call ourselves deserters?¡± ¡°Logically speaking it¡¯s not incorrect. If that bothers you, you shouldn¡¯t have deserted in the first ce.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk¡± Jin-yeong plopped down onto an old sofa with a serious expression. ¡°We set up here because we heard about arge survivor group forming nearby. But we overlooked the possibility of rumors spreading about us.¡± ¡°How do rumors spread so fast when it¡¯s hard enough just to get around with all these monsters and zombies?¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all gone to shit. Damn it. And the ve died recently. I was nning to grab another survivor next time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said we shouldn¡¯t kill them unnecessarily¡­¡± ¡°Ah! How was I supposed to know that survivors would suddenly stoping through here?¡± Jin-yeong¡¯s outburst left a brief silence between them. After a moment, the man who was cleaning his gun spoke up. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Ah, I already apologized for killing the vest time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, idiot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± With a weary expression, the man continued. ¡°You said there aren¡¯t any peopleing around here anymore, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a real mess.¡± ¡°Then¡­ why don¡¯t we stop this nonsense?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jin-yeong couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°We can¡¯t keep surviving by looting forever. We¡¯ve got guns, don¡¯t we? Why not find some isted mountain, im a bit ofnd, and farm? We could at least sustain ourselves.¡± Jin-yeong was momentarily stunned by the suggestion. Then he let out a bitterugh. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ You¡¯re such a fool.¡± Jin-yeong scratched his head in frustration. ¡°Guns? Sure, they¡¯re great. They¡¯ve been keeping us alive. But you know how loud gunfire is, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Farming in the mountains? What happens when the monsterse?¡± ¡°We can handle most monsters with our guns¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say we take down one monster with a gun. What about the ones thate running at the sound?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Did you forget? The monsters that swarmed our unit.¡± Even though Jin-yeong was the one who brought it up, he felt a chill run down his spine. It was just a month or two ago. Their unit, which had been fine, was suddenly overrun by monsters. Most of the soldiers were killed in the sudden attack. The survivors fought back, but¡­ ¡°It was useless.¡± They were cut off from the outside world. If they had stayed, they would have been wiped out. While the soldiers tried to hold out in the building, Jin-yeong and a few others had a different idea. They secured as much ammunition as possible, stole a vehicle, and broke through the monster¡¯s encirclement to escape. ¡°Honestly, we were lucky. We¡¯d have died if we stayed too.¡± Less than half of those who attempted to escape with Jin-yeong survived. Their escape left the side they were guardingpletely undefended. The unit would have been wiped out soon anyway, but their escape might have hastened it. But Jin-yeong thought. ¡°So what? Someone would have tried to escape eventually.¡± Why should it matter if he was the one who did it first? Having already betrayed theirrades, they had nothing left to lose. ¡°If monsters swarm us like before, there¡¯s no hope. Farming is suicide. On the other hand¡­¡± Jin-yeong grinned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it easy dealing with humans?¡± Shooting a gun would attract monsters. But. ¡°We don¡¯t even need to shoot humans.¡± Unlike zombies and monsters, humans could be intimidated without firing a shot. The power of a gun, a symbol of strength in the 21st century, was deeply ingrained in people¡¯s minds. Just pointing a gun and threatening them was enough. Survivors would willingly hand over their possessions. Even with the emergence of superhumans among survivors, it was the same. Superhuman or not, a bullet would still kill them. ¡°We need to secure enough supplies tost until this situation is resolved. Until then, we can¡¯t afford to stop this. If you don¡¯t like it, leave. Go on your own.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± The man cleaning his gun replied to Jin-yeong¡¯s growl.¡± ¡°I was wrong. We¡¯ve already killed ourrades, so there¡¯s no reason to worry about our conscience now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Good thinking. I thought you lost your mind for a moment.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really giving me a hard time just because of one wrong word.¡± ¡°Sorry, okay? Is that good enough?¡± Despite the seemingly resolved conversation, Jin-yeong had different thoughts. ¡®This guy still seems a bit shaky.¡¯ If a colleague leaves, tormented by their conscience, it¡¯s no big deal. The real issue lies with the guns and bullets. Even if they take just a portion, it could spell disaster for us. These are as good as lifelines for everyone here. Jin-yeong pondered for a moment before making his decision. ¡®If there¡¯s a risk of them running away, it¡¯s better to take them out preemptively.¡¯ This was a colleague who already showed signs of wavering. If he uses that as an excuse and kills them, the other colleagues might understand. Just as he was thinking this, another colleague, who was keeping watch on the building¡¯s balcony, interrupted him. ¡°Hey, sorry to interrupt, but someone¡¯sing.¡± ¡°What?¡± They were just talking about rumors spreading nearby. Yet here came some survivors heading this way. ¡°Maybe they haven¡¯t heard the rumors?¡± ¡°Could be folks who just arrived from another area.¡± However. ¡°Ha, ha. Either way, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Business had been slowtely, so this could be a blessing in disguise. ¡°Let¡¯s grab a few people to use as ves this time.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s off.¡± The lookout, using binocrs, frowned. ¡°They look like soldiers.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jin-yeong grabbed the binocrs and took a look. Sure enough, there were men in military uniforms approaching. ¡°They really are soldiers?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t seem like our unit. I don¡¯t recognize their faces.¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re deserters like us.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re soldiers, it¡¯s best to just let them pass.¡± The other colleagues recognized the uniforms too. If they were deserters, they¡¯d likely have guns, making intimidation useless. The group¡¯s mood deted. But. ¡°No.¡± Jin-yeong thought differently. ¡°Look closely. They don¡¯t have guns.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Just as he said, the soldiers carried hammers or knives, but no guns. ¡°Seriously? Soldiers without guns?¡± ¡°They might have survived an outing only to run into monsters.¡± ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to hesitate about?¡± Jin-yeong grabbed his K2 rifle from the corner of the room. ¡°You guys stay here and just make a show of threatening them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Remember, before deserting, I was the youngest. I should go.¡± Jin-yeong exited the building after slinging the K2 over his shoulder. At the entrance, he saw the group approaching, clueless about what awaited them. Jin-yeong called out to them. ¡°Hey, you guys over there!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Leave everything you have and walk away.¡± * * * ¡®Who¡¯s this now?¡¯ Seeing someonee out of the building was surprising. But the uniform he wore, the way he casually held his gun, and what he said at the end¡­ ¡°He¡¯s the deserter the survivors mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t take long to run into him.¡± The deserter, brimming with confidence, stared us down. I pondered about our next move. ¡®What should we do?¡¯ Ignoring and passing by wasn¡¯t an option. He seemed interested in our supplies. Besides, these were the people we needed to deal with swiftly. ¡°Minjae hyung.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can we win against armed soldiers?¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a serious question.¡± When we tried escaping through the mountains, we experienced the bullets of zombie soldiers. A wounded soldier mentioned that it hurt like hell. But our uniforms weren¡¯t ordinary, so they absorbed the impact without pration. Unless they were sharpshooters¡­ From the looks of it, it doesn¡¯t feel that way. ¡°Hmm. It depends on the situation.¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°If the soldiers are defending like we did with ample visibility and distance, it would be hard to break through.¡± ¡°Then, what if one person takes the front and the rest are in buildings within 100 meters?¡± ¡°Do you really not know?¡± Min-jae hyung chuckled. ¡°Inside a building, the effective range of a gun is reduced.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°On the other hand, our soldiers can close the distance in an instant.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the conclusion?¡± ¡°A decisive victory is expected.¡± Well, I thought so too. ¡°Alright, everyone heard that?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Everyone, take out yourbat rations.¡± The soldiers promptly took out theirbat rations. Watching us, the deserter looked incredulous. ¡°Hey, you guys.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the one in front. The rest of you enter the building. Lieutenant Kim, give the signal.¡± ¡°What are you suddenly pulling out¡ª?¡± ¡°One, two¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Did they think showing their guns would scare us? [All stats slightly increased¡ª] He watched us nkly as we ate. ¡°Three!¡± We charged at him. ¡°W-What!?¡± The startled deserter finally adjusted his grip on the gun. The barrel was aimed at us but¡­ It was toote. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to threaten with a gun, you should have kept your distance.¡± For regr people, tackling someone with a gun might not have been an option. But all of us here are awakened. With my cooking and Lieutenant Kim¡¯smand, no distance was too far. I knocked the gun out of his hands and pinned him to the ground. ¡°Let go, you bastard¡ª!¡± ¡°Calm down, mister.¡± He struggled, but¡ª ¡°Ugh, what strength¡­?¡± The physical abilities of the awakened far surpass those of ordinary people. Even I, not being in abat role, could easily overpower an average man. ¡°Feeling calmer now?¡± ¡°Heh¡­ You must be one of those superhumans that have been appearingtely.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The deserter, pinned beneath me, sneered up at me. ¡°Yeah. With sudden power like that, you¡¯d be confident.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably fine, but what about yourrades?¡± While I was subduing the deserter, the rest of the soldiers had entered the building. ¡°There are nearly ten of myrades in there, all armed.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°They must have seen me being taken down and will must be on high alert.¡± He chuckled, even as his face pressed against the ground. ¡°Even if you manage it somehow with you superhuman powers, will yourrades inside make it out, safely?¡± Ah, so that¡¯s what he was getting at. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± At that moment¡ª ¨C They took down Jin-yeong! ¨C Damn it, kill them! A deserter on the balcony aimed his gun at us. ¡°Heh¡­ Yourrades won¡¯t die easily. Especially you. I¡¯ll make sure to make you suffer¡ª¡± ¡°Min-jae hyung.¡± Ignoring the deserter¡¯s nonsense, I looked at Min-Jae. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going to take him down?¡± ¡°I was just about to.¡± At my words, Min-Jae hyung pointed his finger at the balcony. ¡°One hundred thousand volts.¡± Bzzzt! ¨C Ugh¡­! With a yful phrase, a blue bolt of electricity shot out. The deserter on the balcony was hit directly and copsed, dropping his gun. ¡°What¡­?¡± His eyes widened in shock, but that wasn¡¯t the end of it. From inside the building, we heard shouts. ¨C Should we shoot? Monsters mighte¡­ ¨C Idiot! Now¡¯s not the time to worry about that, ugh. ¨C Damn. Are they all superhumans? Most of the noise belonged to those deserters¡¯ screams. ¡°Hmm. Looks like they are done already.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, mister. What were you saying, again? I was too busy to catch that.¡± It took less than five minutes to subdue over ten deserters. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. This is the second additional chapter of the day. One more chaptering up after few hours. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratingson Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°So, let me get this straight. A monster appeared in the base, and you guys thought staying there would inevitably lead to annihtion, so you decided to make an escape?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± In a corner of the building, soldiers were interrogating the deserters who had been disarmed and incapacitated. ¡°And you figured the other soldiers left behind would die anyway, so it didn¡¯t matter if it happened a bit sooner. Correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bunch of real scums, aren¡¯t you?¡± Whack! The interrogating soldier struck the deserter on the head. If it had been a subordinate, it might have been a distressing sight. ¡®Strangely, I don¡¯t feel much.¡¯ These guys are deserters who abandoned theirrades to die. They deserve at least this much. ¡°Well, I understand that you thought you were all going to die anyway. Once you run out of ammo, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Uh, no, we actually had plenty of ammo.¡± ¡°What? Then why did you think you were doomed?¡± ¡°Because¡­ the monsters were hard to kill even with bullets, and there were so many of them¡­¡± The interrogation continued, while I and the other soldiers watched from a distance. It had taken us less than five minutes to subdue them, a surprisingly quick result. ¡°No matter how you look at it, they were armed soldiers.¡± ¡°Are we really that strong?¡± The soldiers, amazed at their own actions, were in disbelief. Though we had been awakened for quite some time, we had only fought monsters until now, and never with other humans. Armed soldiers are supposed to symbolize modern military power. Subduing them so easily was indeed surprising. ¡°We¡¯ve leveled up a lot, and the buffs from Young-joon¡¯s cooking are no joke. It¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°Really? Thinking about it that way, it was a winnable fight, but it still feels different.¡± Of course, we mustn¡¯t get cocky. These were just deserters, not a well-organized and fortified army. If we had faced a proper military unit, even a hundred awakened soldiers might not stand a chance. While we chatted, the interrogation continued. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s this about having plenty of ammo?¡± It was an interesting point raised by the interrogating soldier. We were nearly out of bullets ourselves, a fact that had been causing concern, especially among the marksmen who relied heavily on their firearms. ¡®But these guys seemed quite rxed about their supplies.¡¯ After subduing the deserters, I and the soldiers took a quick look around the building. What we found was a significant amount of supplies, including food, fuel, and a substantial stockpile of ammunition. While the food could have been looted, the ammunition couldn¡¯t be exined so easily. Considering our current shortage, this information was vital. ¡°How much ammo can a regr unit stockpile to have a surplus like you guys?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The answer from the deserter exceeded our expectations. ¡°Our unit is an ammunition supply unit.¡± ¡°An ammunition supply unit? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s also called an ammunition battalion. In simple terms, we manage the ammunition that needs to be supplied to nearby units.¡± ¡°So, how is it different from an ammunition depot?¡± ¡°Think of it as a downgraded version of an ammunition depot. If you haven¡¯t worked in this area, you might not know about it.¡± ¡°Where exactly is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too far from here¡­¡± An ammunition battalion. Hearing this, the soldiers¡¯ eyes were focused on the deserters. ¡°This could solve our ammo problem in one go.¡± If true, this could significantly improve our situation. Despite the noise and the consumption of bullets, the firepower of our marksmen was crucial. At that moment, I noticed one of the deserters slowly moving towards a corner. The other soldiers, engrossed in the interrogation, didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°You there, stop.¡± It was clear he was up to something suspicious. Just as I was about to intervene¡­ ¡°Nobody move!¡± The deserter stood up and shouted, holding a pistol in one hand and something else in the other. The pistol wasn¡¯t the main issue. It was the other item. ¡°A grenade, huh.¡± I frowned at the sight. ¡°Didn¡¯t we confiscate all their weapons?¡± ¡°Yes, we took everything they had on them¡­¡± ¡°Tsk, it looks like there was something hidden in the room too. ¡°The soldiers who searched that area better see meter.¡± ¡°S-sorry!¡± The soldiers who had searched the room turned pale. But that was a minor issue now. ¡°I said, nobody move!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I know you guys can reach me before I shoot, but can you survive a grenade st? As soon as I pull the pin, everyone in this room is dead.¡± ¡°And you think you¡¯ll get out of this alive?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m going to die anyway, I¡¯d rather take you all with me. Right?¡± The problem now was how to handle this guy. He seemed quite deranged. I nced at his uniform, noting the name tag: Hwang Jin-yeong. He was the same guy who had threatened us on the ground and whom I had personally subdued. Just then, a voice from behind me spoke up. ¡°Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Should I handle this?¡± Corporal Gwang-il, standing behind me, stepped forward. His physical abilities were outstanding, even within our unit. If anyone could deal with this, it would be him. ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I stopped him, despite his eagerness. ¡°Let¡¯s give him a chance first.¡± I decided to observe. ¡°What are you waiting for, idiots? Grab your guns!¡± Hwang Jin-yeong, still holding the pistol and grenade, shouted at the other deserters. They began to rise, moving towards the weapons we had set aside. ¡°You guys.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t regret this?¡± I tried to give them onest chance. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s scared now, huh?¡± ¡°No regrets here, you bastard.¡± ¡°Regret? Do you even understand what¡¯s happening?¡± Their sudden shift from subservient to defiant left no room for second chances. They had made their choice. Sighing, I called out to Gwang-il. ¡°Gwang-il.¡± ¡°Yes, Corporal Gwang-il reporting.¡± ¡°Take care of it.¡± His response wasn¡¯t the usual ¡®Yes, sir¡¯ or ¡®Understood.¡¯ ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrr¡­¡± A beast-like Grrrrrrrrrrrr emanated from him. Corporal Gwang-il, our unit¡¯s strongest warrior and ¡®Berserker¡¯ awakened, let his fury engulf him. Boom!! His massive frame charged towards the deserters. ¡°You think I¡¯m bluffing!?¡± Hwang Jin-yeong reacted immediately. Ping! He actually pulled the pin from the grenade and threw it high. Crazy. I never thought he¡¯d actually throw it. ¡°You, you crazy bastard!¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing pulling it for real?¡± ¡°Screw it, you assholes! If we¡¯re dying, let¡¯s all die together!¡± Even the other deserters looked shocked. If the grenade exploded, everyone in the room would be in pieces. But¡­ ¡°Well. I don¡¯t really care.¡± From my perspective, it didn¡¯t seem particrly dangerous. ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!¡± With a beast-like roar, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il charged. He jumped to a height with such eerie sticity that it seemed almost impossible with his body. His hand reached for the grenade in mid-air. Like a dog catching a toy. He effortlessly snatched the grenade¡­ ¡°Grrrrrrr!¡± ¡­and hurled it out the window. Boom¡ª The grenade exploded outside the building. The tremendous explosion and shockwave were felt even from afar. ¡°You insane monster!¡± Seeing this, Hwang Jin-yeong fired his pistol at Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. However¡­ Bang, bang¡ª ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­!!!¡± ¡°The bullets don¡¯t work either?¡± If even assault rifle bullets couldn¡¯t pierce our uniforms, a mere pistol wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Bang! Eventually, the deserter named Hwang Jin-yeong had his head smashed into the wall by Gwang-il. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What, what the hell.¡± ¡°What just happened¡­?¡± It took less than five seconds for Gwang-il to subdue Hwang Jin-yeong. The situation reversed in an instant. The other deserters, who were moving to grab their guns, muttered in bewilderment. ¡°Grrrrrrr!¡± ¡°Uh, ugh¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯te closer!¡± Their confident demeanor vanishedpletely. The deserters were overwhelmed by the menacing gaze of Gwang-il. ¡°Haha¡­ What a crazy monster.¡± Hwang Jin-yeong, who was rubbing his face against the wall, spoke up. ¡°It was supposed to be ourst stand, but it didn¡¯t work at all.¡± ¡°It was a good attempt. But you should¡¯ve chosen your opponent more carefully.¡± If the soldiers here were regr soldiers, or if Gwang-il wasn¡¯t here, it might have been a more effective attack. But they weren¡¯t dealing with ordinary opponents. ¡°Haha¡­ Do whatever you want now.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± This Jin-yeong guy. He¡¯s been acting strangely cocky all this time. ¡°Hey, mister.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want, kill me or let me live.¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know if you have a midlife crisis or something.¡± He still didn¡¯t grasp the situation. I decided to give him a little rity. ¡°We¡¯re not the ones deciding your fate.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± At that moment. From a distance. Strange sounds began to emerge. Graaah¡­ Creak. Screeeeech¡ª ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± ¡°They¡¯reing.¡± ¡°Wh-what do you meaning?¡± The once-confident deserter asked nervously. I responded with disbelief. ¡°Do you think we didn¡¯t shoot because we have no bullets?¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡ª¡± ¡°In a situation where even we are trying to avoid gunfire noise, you threw a grenade? Are you nuts?¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± Even a pistol makes significant noise. Throwing a grenade on top of that. With all thatmotion, every monster and zombie around must be heading this way. ¡°Hey. Um, mister.¡± Finally, realizing the gravity of their actions. The deserters began to speak in pitiful tones. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We were wrong. Please, spare us just this once.¡± ¡°A demeanor quite different from the time when we threw the grenade with the determination to take all of us down.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fellow soldiers. We should help each other out, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°If you spare us, we¡¯ll definitely repay the favor¡ª¡± ¡°Throwing the grenade was all Jin-yeong¡¯s doing! We surrendered, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­Crazy bastards.¡± Even the other deserters joined in the groveling. ¡°You should have taken the chance when you had it.¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae looked at them with cold eyes. ¡°Sorry, but the rule for deserters is immediate execution.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Be thankful we¡¯re not killing you ourselves.¡± At that, one of the deserters shouted in desperation. ¡°You think you¡¯re any different?¡± ¡°Of course we are.¡± I replied nonchntly and turned to our soldiers. ¡°Lieutenant Kim!¡± Then, Lieutenant Kim emerged from among the soldiers. ¡°Young-joon, did you call?¡± As the deserters caught sight of that scene, murmurs began to spread. ¡°The Lieutenant¡­ and even some officers?¡± ¡°No way¡­ Could those guys not be deserters?¡± ¡°No way. Those survivors that we had brought in as ves mentioned it. They said all the other military units were wiped out too. With those monsters swarming in like that, there¡¯s no way anyone could survive¡­¡± I wondered if they might be in a simr situation. Did they mistake us for fellow deserters? Ignoring them, I turned to Lieutenant Kim and said, ¡°Lieutenant Kim, please issue themand for retreat.¡± ¡°Understood. Everyone, retreat as safely as possible!¡± Lieutenant Kim shouted. As Lieutenant Kim yelled out, a strange vitality surged within our soldiers. [Commander¡¯s Roar ¨C The ¡®retreatmand¡¯ echoes out] [A bonus has been granted to those who are retreating] With the monsters closing in, there was hardly any room to engage them all. When I was about to withdraw, someone grabbed my ankle. A familiar face. It was Hwang Jin-yeong, who had been stered against the wall just moments ago. ¡°A minute ago, you were willing to die together just now. And now?¡± Whenever it¡¯s convenient, whether to kill or spare them, isn¡¯t it? Now, they were begging for their lives. I wanted to let them to die as they wished, but at the same time, a thought crossed my mind. A recent memory. Witnessing my two juniors being ughtered by monsters before my eyes. A small obsession. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see monsters killing humans.¡± It was a deeply personal issue. However¡­ It would have been preferable to let them face the consequences of desertion. But leaving them defenseless to be ughtered by monsters¡­ That didn¡¯t sit well with me. ¡°Maybe they won¡¯t be able to make use of the opportunity even if given.¡± Just one more chance. An opportunity. ¡°Here, eat.¡± ¡°This¡­?¡± What I tossed before them was jerky I had just made. It wasbat rations. ¡°They¡¯re not awakened, so their stats won¡¯t increase, but¡­¡± Perhaps their traits might apply. Saving these guys was impossible for me. All I could do was throw this and hope they¡¯d survive on their own. ¡°If they have enough will to live¡­¡± After picking up the jerky, they only needed to put it in their mouths. [Deep sense of guilt -] I had already sprinkled the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] on the jerky. If they managed to survive after eating it¡­ ¡°Eat it. If you admit your sins,e find our unit.¡± After that, they would struggle with guilt. To those who came seeking redemption, they would receive the punishment befitting deserters. That was the n, but¡­ ¡°Oh, jerky?¡± ¡°Do you mean that I should fill my belly before I die?¡± Seemingly iprehensible to them, who didn¡¯t know the effects of mybat rations. They pushed aside the rations I¡¯d given and whimpered. ¡°We¡­ won¡¯t beg for mercy.¡± And then, some of them said this. ¡°Instead¡­ Could you just¡­ Could you just kill us?¡± What they begged for wasn¡¯t their lives. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t avoid dying, I suppose. After all, this is a life that should have been lost in the unit¡­ And since you¡¯ve taken everything from me, even if I manage to survive here somehow, I won¡¯t live for long anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ But if we could choose how to die¡­ I¡¯d rather not be eaten by monsters.¡± Death was unavoidable. But there were different kinds of death. If executed by our hands. At least the moment of suffering wouldn¡¯t be prolonged. But¡­ ¡°Being torn apart and devoured by monsters¡­ That¡¯s apletely different story.¡± It was iparable to being shot. It would be a time of agony and terror. ¡°So. Please¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not asking to be spared! Just that¡­ Just that you could at least grant us the mercy of being killed!¡± They seemed to want to avoid such a death. Watching their desperation, I inwardly cursed. ¡°Giving up this easily?¡± I had done everything to survive. If there seemed to be no way out, I¡¯d make one. But¡­ They didn¡¯t even attempt to fight for their lives. ¡°The most important thing is to survive.¡± If these were my unit members¡­ I would have urged them on. ¡°But these guys¡­ They¡¯re not my unit.¡± I sighed and turned to the soldiers behind me. ¡°The pistols Gwang-il had taken out earlier.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They must be lying around in some corner over there. Let them be.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Since escaping from here is close to impossible anyway. And they are low on bullets. It¡¯s not like they can plunder with those pistols.¡± This time, I addressed the deserters. ¡°There should be bullets in the magazines. How you use them is up to you.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± ¡°Whether you use them to kill monsters or something else. It¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you¡­¡± With pistols, at least they could die morefortably. And if, by some chance¡­ ¡°Those with the will to survive. Even if it¡¯s just one.¡± If they have a gun. Somehow, they might survive. Especially. ¡°If they eat thosebat rations they threw in the corner.¡± The chance of survival is definitely not zero. ¡°They have been provided with a way out.¡± Whether they will use that way with determination to escape. Or they will simply choose afortable death is up to each of them. After pushing the one hanging onto my leg aside, I left the room with myrades. ¡°We need to hurry!¡± ¡°Alright¡­.¡± As I tried to rush out of the building as fast as possible, Bang¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± The sound of gunfire from above. All the soldiers down here knew what that sound meant even before the arrival of the monsters. ¡°You fools.¡± Even though a way out for survival had been provided. To be overwhelmed by fear and not even consider using that way to survive. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many have chosen death.¡± But such weaklings cannot survive for long anyway. ¡°Young-joon! We need to hurry!¡± ¡°We might be better than deserters, but we¡¯re still in danger!¡± I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t feel sick. But there was no room to worry about those who had already chosen death. ¡°We are different from them.¡± The difference between simply being a deserter or not doesn¡¯t matter. The most important thing is. ¡°The difference in having the will to survive or not.¡± As the sound of gunfire echoed, I silently vowed. ¡°I will never die like that.¡± Until the day I can open my own restaurant. I will definitely survive. ¡°To do that, first.¡± The monsters that are about to swarm from all directions. We had to get away from this building before they arrived. Even with the enhanced physical abilities of the awakened. And with Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buffs stacked on top. ¡°This won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What do you suggest then!¡± It seemed difficult topletely escape before the monsters arrived. Then there¡¯s only one way. To the soldier¡¯s question of how, I answered calmly. ¡°Everyone. Take out thebat rations.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The ones we¡¯ve been saving¡­.¡± There¡¯s only one answer in this situation, isn¡¯t there? ¡°Cooking.¡± I took out a piece of jerky from my pocket. From thebat ration series, we¡¯ve been saving. Among them, the one I¡¯ve never tried before. [Lightweight Trailzer¡¯s Jerky with the dedication of a junior cook] [Light Foot Slypa Jerky made with care by a Junior Chef] I tossed it to the deserters just now, but they threw it away themselves. A ¡°way out¡± for survival. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. This is thest additional chapter of the day. Thanks to all the readers for the supportive reviews and ratings. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 47 Chapter 47 After leaving the barracks on top of mountains. When did we encounter the most monsters? It was right when we wereing down from the mountains. ¡°It was when zombies-turned-soldiers started shooting. The sound of their gunfire attracted all sorts of monsters.¡± And now that I think, it strangely oveps with the current situation. Back then, it was truly a miracle that we survived. However. We didn¡¯te out of there empty-handed. Apart from escaping the unit and reaching the surface. We were able to secure the flesh of many useful monsters like the hfur. And. One of them was the Light Foot Slypa. After the gunfire echoed. It was one of the monsters that attacked us first. It had the appearance of a wolf with blue fur. Its peculiar feature was that it had six legs instead of the usual four. When it effortlessly leaped over the defenses of our allied warriors, we really thought we were done for. And. The effects we could obtain through its meat were quite predictable. [Light Foot Slypa Jerky made with care by a Junior Chef] [The dish has been consumed] [Drastic Increase in Agility] [The magic power of ¡®Light foot Slypa¡¯ contained in the dish permeates your body] [Acquired Temporary Attribute ¨C Slypa¡¯s Light foot (Deterioration)] [This attribute is unique to the Slypas. A beast with most of their magical power concentrated in their six legs. The chieftain of the Slypas, can be as big as ogres and can achieve unimaginable speed and movements irrespective of their size thanks to their six distinctive legs] [Significant increase in agility. From walking speed to jumping height, you will approach the realm of magical beasts, surpassing human realms] [However, the user may suffer from side effects due to its ¡®Deteriorating effect¡¯] ¡°My legs feel so light!¡± ¡°Even after awakening, this feeling is new!¡± We could immediately feel the effects. Compared to our usual speed our current speed was on a different dimension. It wasn¡¯t just the effect of my dish alone. ¡°The buffs from Lieutenant Kim and my dish¡­ strangelyplement each other.¡± Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buff granting bonuses for retreating. Combined with the effects of my dish. The synergy wasn¡¯t just double the effect of one buff alone. It might have been triple, no, quadruple. As a result. The speed at which we were running¡­ Surpassed vehicles speeding at full speed down the highway. No. Actually, it was beyond that. ¡°There, monsters are approaching!¡± When we had barely started running out of the building. We could see monsters approaching from afar. However. ¡°The monsters are getting further away!¡± ¡°Already?!¡± Because of our excessive speed. The monsters that were charging at us had to retreat in an instant and move far away. ¡°Haha!¡± As we sprinted ahead. The wind brushed past our faces. And the scenery was changing rapidly with every step. While running like this, I felt a strange sense of liberation. Seeing the world in that state. Despite being human, I couldn¡¯t help but umte stress. But the exhration I felt while running. Made even the stress that had built up disappear. ¡°If it¡¯s like this, there shouldn¡¯t be any monsters chasing us!¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin, this dish is really amazing!¡± ¡°I know, right!¡± The soldiers running alongside me seemed to share a simr feeling. It was a peculiar sensation of rising excitement. Feeling good, I shouted to the soldiers. ¡°Since we¡¯vee this far! Let¡¯s just run back to the barracks!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Lead the way, I¡¯ll go ahead, Sergeant, take it slow!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Anyway. It wasn¡¯t that bad of a feeling. On top we had plenty of Slypa¡¯s jerky. When feeling stressed, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to run like this asionally. *** I was crazy to even think of something like that. ¡°Arghhh¡­.¡± After returning to the unit. The first thing I did was. Copsing in agony and groaning in pain. [Slypa¡¯s Light foot (Deterioration)] The attribute obtained through cooking. Their effects are remarkable, but. The problem lies in the ¡°(Deterioration)¡± mentioned at the end. [However, the user may suffer from side effects due to its ¡®Deteriorating effect¡¯] Just like the Enhanced Hearing (Deteriorating effect) incident. This time also there was a statement indicating the existence of side effects. Previously, I could immediately understand what they meant by side effects. But this time, I didn¡¯t know. Slypa, a monster with six legs. The results of using that characteristic as bipeds. ¡°My, my muscles¡­¡± ¡°Arghhh¡­.¡± ¡°The medical unit, save me¡­.¡± ¡°Argh¡­ even the medics are down.¡± ¡°Insane¡­.¡± After the effects of the attribute ended. A tremendous muscle ache swept over us. All of us were lying on the floor. Rolling here and there in agony. ¡°If only we had just outrun the monsters and walked slowly¡­.¡± Continuously exerting ourselves to the point of straining our leg muscles. If we had slowed down midway, it wouldn¡¯t have been like this. Damn it. From now on, this dish will be pretty much off the menu. *** A few hours after my unit and I fell ill ¡°Cough, cough.¡± A few deserters arrived at the barracks, following us. Unlike stats that don¡¯t apply to civilians. Attributes can affect even ordinary individuals. These guys also had the same jerky as us, which allowed them to escape. ¡°We, we were wrong. Please forgive us¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry. We¡¯re sorry¡­.¡± As a result of eating the dish embed with [Deep sense of guilt] These guys approached us engulfed in guilt. ¡°The guilt they¡¯re feeling is probably due to my dish.¡± Once the effects of the dish wear off. The guilt, too, will likely disappear, leaving behind only traces. ¡°I should have lived by farming. I¡¯m really sorry. ¡°Farming? ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Although it seems like he is sincerely repenting right now. I don¡¯t know to what extent those are truly their feelings. There is no reason to be shaken by that sight. ¡°How are they doing?¡± ¡°These guys. They¡¯re not awakened. The side effects of their attributes are worse than other soldiers¡¯. They¡¯ll probably be bedridden and out of their senses for a few weeks.¡± Instead of the medics lying down in pain. Our military priest was taking care of the soldiers. ¡°So, what will you do?¡± Lance Corporal Shin Jungsu asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the deserters. If these guys had just deserted, it would be something we could overlook, but¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They pointed guns at people.¡± That part is an unforgivable crime. ¡°If the military¡¯s system was working properly, they would have been executed by firing squad.¡± However. ¡°For now, treat them.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°And when they wake up, call me. They should be given a meal too.¡± ¡°A meal? Why are you being so kind to these guys?¡± ¡°¡±It¡¯s not because I like them.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Rather the opposite.¡± ¡°Just executing them like that? ¡°That seems a bit wasteful, doesn¡¯t it?¡± From the start, If you consider the punishment these guys deserve, a simple death might actually be merciful. But, sorry, I¡¯m not exactly known for being lenient. ¡°We can¡¯t just let them off that easily.¡± For these guys, I¡¯ve got something more severe than death in mind. [Title ¨C The Chef of Reformation] [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce of Deep Repentance] As the eternal juniors of our unit, They¡¯ll face a punishment that¡¯ll make life feel like hell. Choosing plunder as afortable way to survive, And when that option was blocked, unlike the others who ultimately chose a peaceful death. ¡°At least these guys¡­ made an effort to live.¡± There¡¯s a will to survive. They¡¯ve met the minimum criteria for joining our unit. ¡°We¡¯ve been struggling with manpower shortages as it is.¡± The culprits behind that shortage are these deserters. They should bear the responsibility, shouldn¡¯t they? I guarantee you, ¡°Their remaining military life won¡¯t be easy.¡± *** While I and other unit members wereid up with fatigue, Not all unit members were just idling around. ¡°I¡¯ll be off for the final awakening operation.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry for just lying around.¡± ¡°No worries. Rest up.¡± Since the defense forces and awakening operations were handled separately within the barracks, The soldiers tasked with awakening rotated shifts, While those in good condition continued to awaken survivors. Given that we were in the final stages of awakening, Thest ones remaining were the Lee siblings we had encountered at the mart, Lee Suyeon and Lee Suhyuk. Since they belonged to a guild with roots in the military unit, The awakening process was arranged based on the order of joining the unit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help directly. But those brothers there. No, the uncles. Just do as they say, and you¡¯ll be fine. Rx. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Sigh. I¡¯m actually more worried about the guild master.¡± ¡°Haha¡± Fortunately, the siblings didn¡¯t seem too tense. A few hours after they finished their report and left, It was evident that the awakening operation had beenpleted. [Guild: Steel Legion] [Corps Commander: Shin Young-joon] [Deputies: Lee Min-jae, Jeon Gwang-il, Seo Su-hyeok, Lee Sang-ah, Park Taejun] [Members: 128] The number in the guild information window had changed, ¡°It feels like a fresh start.¡± When we left the mountain range, our unit had exactly 100 members. A group teetering on the edge of being a ¡°guild.¡± Now, that number had increased to 128. There were no ¡°survivors¡± left in our unit now. Everyone had taken their ce as members of the legion. A few dayster, By the time the muscle pain of the unit¡¯s member had disappeared to some extent. ¡°Everyone not on duty, gather for a meeting.¡± ¡°As an awakened individual, it¡¯s my first time attending a meeting, so I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Rx.¡± During morning roll call, All unit members gathered for the meeting. The small pavilion in the barracks. I cleared my throat before addressing the assembled soldiers. ¡°Ahem. First off, the most important task, the awakening of survivors, has beenpleted. You¡¯ve all worked hard.¡± As I spoke, I looked out at the soldiers gathered before me. Once huddled in a corner as survivors, They were now scattered throughout the units as members of different squads. Men, women, and children, all dressed in uniforms made by Lee Sang-ah. ¡°The unit¡¯s strength has increased significantly.¡± ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a matter of adding 20 more people. It was something beyond that. ¡°Since there¡¯s a variety of awakened upations, there should be more synergy now.¡± Simr to how my buff and Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buff ovepped to produce a greater effect, When awakened individuals of various upations gather, they could produce greater synergies. ¡°Now that our strength has been bolstered, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to propose.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Before I could speak, I nced at Corporal Seo Su-hyeok. He stood there, arms crossed, seemingly without much expectation. It didn¡¯t take long for his expression to change. ¡°Ammunition procurement.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Given his typically stoic demeanor, it was easy to tell. That guy. He was clearly excited right now. ¡°Ammunition procurement. Are you serious?¡± ¡°But how?¡± It wasn¡¯t just Corporal Seo Su-hyeok. Even the awakened as marksmen soldiers, Given the situation where ammunition was running low along with the noise of gunfire, they couldn¡¯t exert their full strength. So, hearing news of ammunition replenishment was quite exciting for them. ¡°Perhaps we were too caught up in muscle pain to exin?¡± Information from survivors and deserters. I decided to exin this to the bewildered marksmen. ¡°There¡¯s an ammunition supply point nearby.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°An ammunition supply point¡­¡± It was Lieutenant Kim who continued the exnation after receiving my cue. ¡°It¡¯s also known as ASP.¡± Ammunition Supply Point. Or simply, an ammunition depot. A unit also known as an ammunition battalion. ¡°There are many names for it, but its role is simple. It¡¯s a unit that stores ammunition and supplies it to the nearby units.¡± The soldiers, who only focused on their own duties, were often unaware of such topics. But Lieutenant Kim was at least apanymander and had some knowledge about it. ¡°The ammunition battalion that was just mentioned is actually the one responsible for supplying our battalion with ammunition. I¡¯ve actually been there quite a few times.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°If you knew about such a ce, why didn¡¯t you mention it sooner?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have the luxury to procure ammunition until now. I was nning to suggest it once the awakening waspleted. Something along the lines of joining forces with nearby units. But then¡­¡± A sigh escaped Lieutenant Kim. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that unit to be wiped out.¡± ¡°Wiped out?¡± ¡°Not just the ammunition depot. It seems like most units, except ours, have been wiped out.¡± This revtion was followed by more exnations about the situation. The lizards that attacked our unit. Simr monsters seemed to have attacked other units as well. ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± A voice rose among the unit members. It was from one of the siblings who had awakened a few days ago, Lee Suyeon. ¡°Come to think of it, in recent days she was more active with the survivors than vice guild master, Lee Sang-ah herself.¡± ¡°Did you hear about the military units being wiped out?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s rted to that, but it¡¯s more like an extension. Therger the unit, the stronger the monsters that appeared, it seems.¡± Hmm. Now that I think about it, that seems usible. ¡°The stronger the unit, the stronger the monsters need to wipe it out.¡± The lizards that attacked our unit were powerful, but¡­ If they had attacked a ce like the corps headquarters, they would have somehow managed to fend it off, right? But. If that were the case, then there¡¯s something odd. ¡°No, the stories told by the survivors that we had encountered in the middle doesn¡¯t makes sense.¡± Every military unit suffered attacks from unusually powerful monster hordes. But does that really mean that every military unit perished? It¡¯s hard to dismiss it as lies or rumors. In reality, most of the monsters that descended to the surface and shed weren¡¯t as strong as the lizard horde. At best, they could bepared to that Max. But going further from there, Did stronger military units encounter stronger monsters? ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that monsters would enjoy fighting with the strong.¡± Especially, stronger monsters appearing only around military units. ¡°Such a coincidence¡­ seems unlikely.¡± It¡¯s definitely a phenomenon that can¡¯t be attributed to chance or coincidence. I sensed some intent here. To attack humanity. First, they want to suppress the military unit, which is the core of the human force. ¡®Clearly with malicious intent.¡¯ It¡¯s a headache-inducing situation. First the sudden appearance of monsters, and then phenomena like awakening. There must be a clear cause behind it. I couldn¡¯t figure out the cause immediately. If there¡¯s any hint at all. [World Event ¨C upation War in Progress.] The upation War. Since this world is urging us to engage in an upation war. By pursuing that, perhaps we can grasp some clues. To seed in the upation war, ultimately, we need to strengthen our power. Securing ammunition is also part of that. ¡°The location of the ammunition battalion is here.¡± Lieutenant Kim unfolded the military map and spoke. Some of the soldiers who saw the location expressed doubts. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the area a bitrge?¡± Because the area shown on the military map was quite vast. ¡°Oh. Surely not all of that is military units-.¡± ¡°Yes, all of that area belonged to the military.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°ASP is actually quite extensive. It¡¯s on a rugged mountain, so it¡¯s hard topare its size with our rtively small unit.¡± The soldiers understood Lieutenant Kim¡¯s words. ¡°Oh. Didn¡¯t we hear rumors that the stronger the unit, the stronger the monsters they encountered?¡± ¡°If those rumors are true¡­ how strong are the monsters there?¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s unknown.¡± Unlike the soldiers, Lieutenant Kim had a rtivelyposed face. ¡°I told you, right? This is the ¡®Ammunition Battalion.¡¯ Our unit is the ¡®Anti-Aircraft Battalion.''¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°In terms of unit organization, our unit is considered the same as this battalion.¡± A unit of this size is only a battalion. ¡°Think of it as a characteristic of an ammunitionpartment or ammunition supply base.¡± Lieutenant Kim¡¯s exnation continued. ¡°Especially here, it¡¯s where ammunition for all kinds of weapons used in the front lines passes through. The amount stored is quite substantial.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s a high risk of ammunition exploding, and if something goes wrong, it could lead to a chain reaction explosion. Even in storage, the distance between each type of ammunition shouldn¡¯t be too close. Thanks to that, each building isrge, and there¡¯s a considerable distance between them and other buildings.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± So, that area is just wide, but the density of buildings is quite low. ¡°Considering the number of personnel stationed in the ammunition battalion, it should be simr to our unit. Even if we take into ount that our unit is rtively small in size, there shouldn¡¯t be much difference.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°The probability is high that the monsters appearing in the ammunition battalion are at a simr level to the monsters appearing in our unit. Ah, of course, this is based on the assumption that the rumor about ¡®strong units encountering strong monsters¡¯ is true.¡± Although Lieutenant Kim¡¯s exnation ended, The expressions of the unit members were still uneasy. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous? Knowing that strong monsters like those steel lizards are upying that ce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a defense battle. If we are the ones attacking¡­ Well¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s deemed dangerous, we can retreat. Besides, obtaining ammunition isn¡¯t the only reason.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± While this aspect is far from practical purposes, It¡¯s one of the major reasons. ¡°We¡¯re still soldiers.¡± Checking how other military units perished, And recapturing the captured units, isn¡¯t that what we should do? ¡°Sigh. It would have been nice if we had heard about the monsters that appeared in the unit from the deserters.¡± Due to the revtion during the interrogation. We forgot to ask about the most important information. Currently, due to the ¡®deterioration¡¯ attribute of thebat ration, those guys are unconscious. ording to the medic, they might stay unconscious for a few weeks. It¡¯s difficult to wake them up and ask. But wasting several weeks, each day is crucial. ¡°Hmm. If we visit the ammunition battalion, I have one suggestion.¡± Lieutenant Kim said. Now that I think about it, he mentioned visiting a few times before. ¡°Here. This mountain?¡± ¡°Yes. What about this mountain?¡± Pointing to the map, Lieutenant Kim spoke. What came out of his mouth was quite surprising. ¡°Actually, if you look down from here, you can see part of the Ammunition Battalion.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. Whenever we pass through this mountain path to the Ammunition Battalion from our unit, I¡¯ve seen that view every time. There¡¯s no mistaking it.¡± If it¡¯s true, then this information was incredibly useful. And on top of that. If you can at least roughly see the situation inside the battalion, the risk will be significantly reduced. Moreover. ¡°Hmm. If we can see inside.¡± ¡°Fool, that¡¯s not all.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sergeant¡¯s eyes!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± My skill. [Chef¡¯s Eyes] might also help identify the weaknesses of monsters in advance. ¡°Oh? If you think about it that way.¡± ¡°It should be more than enough.¡± The opinions of the soldiers who thought it was dangerous started changing slowly. ¡°Does anyone else have a different opinion?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± It¡¯s been almost three months since contact was lost with other military units. Finally. The time to visit another unit hase. * * * We boarded the vehicle modified by the engineers and began to move towards the vicinity of the ammunition battalion. As Lieutenant Kim said. The scenery of the ammunition battalion came into view. But. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°How should I put it.¡± The scenery there was a bit unexpected. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet, isn¡¯t it?¡± The unit which was reported to be upied by monsters. Inside there. It was strangely empty. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Sorry, for the dys in uploading chapters. Now that I¡¯m back I will try my best to upload the scheduled chapters as soon as possible. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¡°It¡¯s too quiet.¡± Contrary to the expectation that monsters would have upied the ce, the atmosphere at the ammunition battalion was eerily calm. ¡°ording to the deserters, the ammunition battalion definitely engaged inbat with the monsters.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that the monsters just took care of the soldiers and then left the battalion?¡± Come to think of it, a military base isn¡¯t exactly an ideal living environment. ¡°It¡¯s just a strategically important location. The monsters probably won¡¯t consider that.¡± A ce where all the supplies necessary for the soldiers¡¯ daily lives have to be brought in from outside. It¡¯s not exactly a hospitable environment for monsters either. They might have left, but¡­ ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± ¡°Half of it is just a hunch.¡± The horde of lizards that attacked our 423rd Anti-Aircraft Battalion where we were stationed¡­ Although their assaults were somewhat subdued after we defeated their chieftain but ¡°Even after that, more than ten lizards continued to attack the base every day.¡± Considering our fight with the chieftain, it¡¯s clear the lizards aren¡¯t a foolish species. They are intelligent enough to gather their forces, strategize, and attack when the enemy is weakened. With the awakened individuals among us increasing and the base¡¯s defenses fortified, they should have realized that attacking in small numbers was futile. Yet, they persisted in their suicidal assaults. An almost bizarre obsession. Why? ¡°They said especially powerful monsters have appeared at the military bases, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°If the monsters don¡¯t need to upy the bases, then there¡¯s no reason for those powerful monsters to attack the military at all, right?¡± No matter how strong the monsters are, there¡¯s no reason for them to deliberately attack dangerous military bases. Yet, for some reason, they did. ¡°There¡¯s definitely an intention behind this.¡± The feeling I had before resurfaced. A mysterious malice intent on attacking humanity. If such a force truly exists, then¡­ ¡°They would aim to suppress humanity¡¯s military power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even if soldiers are killed, if the military bases where the weapons are stored are left unupied, the surviving humans could potentially use those weapons to stage aeback. If there¡¯s a will to suppress humanity¡¯s military strength, I doubt they¡¯d leave the bases which are so easy to retake.¡± We can¡¯t afford to becent. There might be some kind of monster lurking in that quiet base. Of course. ¡°Not that I¡¯m thinking of avoiding it.¡± I nced around subtly. The soldiers who heard my words looked uneasy. After all, I had essentially told them that a formidable enemy was likely waiting for us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, guys. We took down the lizards just fine, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different from when we were defending the base.¡± This time, we have tounch an offensive against a force at least as strong as the lizards. It definitely won¡¯t be easy. However, ¡°There is one advantage to being on the offensive.¡± ¡°¡­? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We get to choose the timing of our attack.¡± Just like the lizards who struck when the base¡¯s lights were out. I nced up at the sky. The sun was high overhead. ¡°We¡¯ll move in after lunch.¡± I opened the trailer of one of our spiked vehicles. The ¡®cooking trailer.¡¯ An improvised mobile kitchen set up by the engineers. Since we¡¯re targeting a military base, we can¡¯t rely onbat rations like we have until now. ¡°Time to show off my cooking skills for the first time in a while.¡± * * * A little past noon, ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s really gross.¡± ¡°Hehe, sorry about that.¡± After having a satisfying meal, we now stood near the main gate of the ammunition battalion. The battalion was sprawled over arge area, surrounded by rice fields, and enclosed by a fence. Though not as remote as our base, this ce also seemed quite isted. I nced at the main gate of the ammunition battalion. Normally, it should have been closed off with bars and barricades. ¡°It¡¯spletely wrecked.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± The entrance¡¯s barricades had been shattered by a monster¡¯s assault. Now I noticed that there wererge holes in the fence and sections that had beenpletely torn away. However, Despite the numerous signs of battle, There was no sign of any monsters. ¡°We have no choice but to go in. Lieutenant Kim!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°How many times have you been here? Do you know the way to the ammunition depot?¡± Our primary objective was to secure ammunition. We needed to head straight to the depot, ignoring other buildings. However, Lieutenant Kim replied with a slight frown. ¡°I do know the way¡­ but the depot our unit used to resupply from is pretty deep inside. I also know a closer one, though.¡± ¡°Then, please lead us to the closest one first.¡± After clearing the debris at the main gate, the soldiers and I followed Lieutenant Kim into the ammunition battalion. However, not all of us entered on foot. Vroom¡­ Combat vehicles, armed with various sharp des and spikes, advanced slowly, matching the soldiers¡¯ pace despite their menacing appearance. The vehicles were surprisingly quiet as they moved forward. ¡°Mobile barricades.¡± An idea we considered when descending the mountain range, using vehicles. Back then, the vehicles were destroyed by monsters, resulting in failure. Now that the vehicles are reinforced, they can finally fulfill their role perfectly. ¡°Look over there.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°There are marks as if something sharp cut through¡­¡± Following Lieutenant Kim¡¯s guidance as we moved inward, a soldier spoke as if he had discovered something. Looking where he pointed, we saw a building where guards might have worked. There wererge, deep marks carved into it. ¡°What could have caused that?¡± ¡°How big of a sword would it take to leave marks like these¡­?¡± The gash marks weren¡¯t the only traces. Bullet holes peppered the building, it was evidence of the resistance put up by the soldiers of the ammunition battalion. It felt like surveying a city after a war. ¡°But still, no sign of monsters anywhere.¡± With doubts lingering in our heart, we continued deeper into the expansive grounds of the ammunition battalion. ¡°We started to see the sight of peculiar structures sprawled across the mountain.¡± ¡°There.¡± Buildings that appeared like tunnels piercing through the mountain when viewed from the outside. These were the ammunition depots. ¡°We¡¯vee all this way without encountering a single skirmish.¡± ¡°Haha. Weren¡¯t we just unnecessarily scared?¡± The soldiers remarked upon seeing the ammunition depots. ¡°Was I mistaken in my thinking?¡± By now, I was starting to wonder too. Whether there was any intent to wipe out all military bases, or whatever it was supposed to be. Perhaps none of that existed. Maybe the monsters just happened to attack the military bases by chance. ¡°Look. It seems like the ammunition depot doors aren¡¯t even locked.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and get the ammunition, then.¡± Soldiers approached therge iron doors of the ammunition depot with light footsteps. As they reached out to open the door. Suddenly, a question arose in my mind. ¡°The ammunition depot doors aren¡¯t locked?¡± The ammunition depot, which should have been securely locked with thick locking mechanisms, appeared with its doors closed but the locks opened. If the monsters needed the ammunition forbat, it would have made sense that they had opened it. But if it¡¯s closed, then why in the world is its lock opened? ¡°Well then¡­ I¡¯ll open it.¡± ¡°Wait-¡± ¡°One, two!¡± When I sensed something amiss and reached out, it was already toote. The soldiers approaching the thick iron door had already opened it. *Creak¡­* The heavy door swung open, releasing a cloud of dust. But what greeted us inside the ammunition depot was not the expected ammo and shells. ¡°Oh. Is this¡­¡± ¡°Spider webs?¡± The entire space was covered in spider webs, far beyond those formed from neglect andck of maintenance. It was almost impossible to discern the original form of the ammunition depot amidst this mess. In every corner,rge white spheres could be seen. ¡°Eggs, perhaps?¡± As I began to think they resembled giant eggs, something started moving on the surface of one of the white spheres. *Squirm¡­* *Snap.* *Crack.* A sound of something breaking and crumbling echoed through the chamber. Gradually, something emerged, from the shattered egg. ¡°Screaaaaam!¡± ¡°What, what is it!?¡± ¡°Oh, shit!¡± A creature with an unnaturally white body burst forth, frighteningly resembling a giant spider. ¡°This is no ordinary spider!¡± The spiders came bursting out from the eggs scattered throughout the interior of the ammunition storage. And began to attack the soldiers who had opened the door. ¡°Lieutenant Kim! Aren¡¯t you going to do something!¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡± [Command Directive ¨C Assume Battle Formations!] As I called out Lieutenant Kim¡¯s name amidst the sudden crisis, he responded with a reflexive shout. ¡°Lieutenant Kim!¡± [Command Directive ¨C Battle Formations in Effect] [Allies will experience 10% increase inbat abilities] [Temporary attribute granted to all allies ¨C Battle Formations] [Ability ¨C Combat Readiness] [When deploying with a substantial force and establishing formations,bat efficiency increases, providing immunity to confusion caused by battle] His job upation, Novice Commander wasn¡¯t there as a show. Though his ownbat skills might be modest, but his wide-reaching buffs were extremely effective. ¡°Is it an enemy?¡± ¡°Looks like they were hiding here, since we couldn¡¯t see them before.¡± The soldiers were initially caught off guard by the sudden attack, but lieutenant¡¯s buff quickly dispelled the confusion. The soldiers drew their weapons and engaged themselves in the counterattack. ¡°Tch!¡± ¡°Their numbers are considerable!¡± ¡°¡­This is going to be a tough battle.¡± Said a soldier as he fended off the monster¡¯s attacks. The monsters had burst out from the eggs filling the ammunition storage. Their number was no less than dozens, perhaps even close to a hundred. ¡®If my guess is right, these are at least Lizard-ss monsters.¡¯ And there were so many of them. The soldiers holding off the attacks were visibly tense. And at that moment, I stood silently behind the soldiers. Staring intently at the spider-like creatures rushing towards us. An enormous number of monsters. ¡°First, we need to figure out their weakness and then only we can counterattack them.¡± ¡®They may look like spiders, but they arepletely different.¡¯ Unlike regr spiders, their exoskeleton-like body is smooth, without a single hair. Its size rivals that of arge dog, reaching up to a human¡¯s waist. Moreover, it doesn¡¯t have eight legs but ten ¡®Wait¡­ are those two front legs not actually legs?¡¯ Unlike the other legs, the two frontmost limbs were sharp, like well-crafted des. After this brief observation, [Chef¡¯s Eye] activated. I unlocked the [Junior grade cooking secret: ¡®Iplete Arachron White Spider¡¯ Preparation Method] The method for preparing this creature appeared in my mind. But one phrase stood out and troubled me: ¡®Iplete?''¡± [Born imperfect due to an iplete maturation process, the White Spider of Arachron] [Once matured, its flesh toughens, making it difficult to cook, but in its immature state, it is prized as a delicacy for its unique tenderness, beloved by many gourmets] [However, unlike the matured form, the flesh in its immature state tends to be quite tender, requiring careful handling during preparation] [The key lies in delicately trimming the inedible front appendages to avoid crushing the flesh] ¡°¡®Ha.¡¯ These creatures. They¡¯re not in theirplete form, are they? A horde of spiders filling the ammunition depot. Even if they¡¯re not as formidable as lizards, given their numbers and the initial fear they instilled, ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°Are there any weaknesses!?¡± Soldiers asking about weaknesses. There was only one thing I could say to them. ¡®Doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ 100 monsters. But our side has 125 Awakened. Plus, Lieutenant Kim¡¯s buff. This isn¡¯t the end here. ¡®Our unit¡¯sbat formation.¡¯ I discreetly checked the status window. At the very bottom, a shining text had appeared: [Applied Buffs] [Dish: Gourmet Monster Bulgogi Set] [Significant increase in all stats] [Slight increase in all attributes] [Junior Grade Physical Resistance has been applied] [Junior Grade Attack power increase has been applied] [Junior Grade Magic Power increase has been applied] [You are at max satiety] [The duration of the effects has been extended] After descending from the mountain range. Due to having consumed all decent ingredients, my cooking options were inevitably limited. At most, I could make dried meat, which is essentially a type ofbat ration. Other than that, maybe some stir-fried meat. But now that I have sufficient ingredients, the effects of the properly prepared dishes are on a different levelpared to the previously createdbat rations. These substandard specimens aren¡¯t even worth the effort of engaging inbat The effects were immediately noticeable. The soldiers, who had been busy fending off the enemy¡¯s attacks, ¡°What¡¯s with these guys?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not as tough as I thought!¡± The moment they realized this side was stronger, the counterattack began. ¡°Vanguard squad! To the frontlines!¡± ¡°Marksman squad, open fire!¡± ¡°Mages, be careful! The ammunition storage is inside!¡± ¡°Keep the fire and electricity users away from the center!¡± The soldiers, fully empowered by the powerful buffs. Faced off against the spider-monsters who were bursting out from the ammunition storage. The result of that battle could be summed up in one way. [You have gained experience points.] [You have gained experience points.] . . . It was akin to massacring civilians. Seeing that, the only thing I could tell was: Aftering down from the mountain range, our unit had gone through various battles, and thanks to that their levels have increased drastically. And with the synergy brought by new awakened individuals, Our unit. ¡°Seems to have be much stronger than I had anticipated?¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Ratatatat¡­ Kaboom¡­ Screech¡­ In the previously silent 87th Ammunition Battalion, A sudden loud noise and vibrations reverberated from a corner. And from somewhere not far away, that sound triggered¡­ Rustle¡­ The queen, who had been slumbering deep within, opened her eyes. Hiss¡­A huge, white figure began to rise in the darkness. However, It wasn¡¯t itsplete form. Hiss¡­ The queen emitted a painful groan as she rose. She had scorched patches on her body, and grotesque pus oozed from her wounds. The queen¡¯s body was scorched, cut, and injured in various ces. Suppressing her pain, the queen opened her eyes. As she spread her senses, she felt it¡­ ¡°¡­!!¡± The death of her countless children. It hadn¡¯t been long since a major battle had taken ce. In that battle, the queen had lost most of her children. Moreover, she herself had sustained serious injuries. It would take time before new children could be born to rece the ones she had lost. The queen¡¯s wounds hadn¡¯t fully healed, yet. Additionally, from what she sensed, the current invaders seemed to be even stronger than the previous enemies. In her weakened state, they posed an even greater threat. They were exceedingly threatening foes for her. Shaaaa¡­. The fate of her species hung in the bnce. As their leader, the queen had to make a decision. ¨C With the significant loss of strength, engaging the enemies now would result in heavy losses ¨C Even if victorious, the gains would be minimal, as the increase in resources would be small. ¨C The risk must be minimized. Having made all these judgments in a short span of time, the queen awakened her sleeping children. To avoid the enemy, under normal circumstances, she would never have made such a choice, as her pride was at stake. But ¨C The survival of the species is the top priority. The queen was willing to cast aside her pride if it meant ensuring the survival of her species. That was her resolve. However¡­ [Invade and upy the humans¡¯ military facilities] [It must not be taken away by anyone else] This thought had been deeply embedded in the queen¡¯s mind. Shaaaaaaaaa An order leading to the extinction of their species. The queen resisted it fiercely. However, [It must not be taken away by anyone else] [It must not be taken away by anyone else] [It must not be taken away by anyone else] [It must not be taken away by¡­] [It must not be taken away¡­ [It must not be taken¡­] But her resistance was casually disregarded, Overwhelmed by an explosive surge of conviction¡­ It was enough to erase the queen¡¯s rationality. A momentter. What took hold in her mind was not the fear of her species¡¯ extinction. Rather it was pure rage. And hostility. Shaaaaaaaaaaahhhh The queen rose with her wounded body and awakened the surviving mature children from the previous battle. To eliminate the invaders who had encroached upon her territory. Thend that must not be taken from anyone else. * * * After the battle with the spider monsters concluded, ¡°Whoa, spider webs.¡± ¡°Ugh, the dust is no joke either.¡± We began to search the inside of the dome-shaped ammunition depot thoroughly. The depot waspletely covered in grayish spider webs, making it difficult to find its original appearance. But somehow, we managed to clear away the dusty cobwebs. ¡°Look! It¡¯s ammunition!¡± ¡°Just as expected!¡± Our primary objective in visiting the ammunition battalion. The ammunition revealed itself. ¡°They seem to be in good condition, huh?¡± ¡°Well, they were under the spider webs.¡± ¡°Not like the ones from the hardware store. Even if the monsters had the ammunition, it wouldn¡¯t do them any good.¡± The first discovery was unidentified shells. The artillery guys seemed to have a vague idea of what they were, but to my eyes, trained in culinary skills, they were just shells. Originally, the real important stuff was elsewhere. ¡°Here, the 5mm rounds!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Our main infantry weapon is the K2 rifle. We discovered the 5.56mm ammunition for the K2. ¡°Wow, bullets!!¡± ¡°And there are so many of them.¡± ¡°Phew, I almost had to learn bay techniques.¡± To be honest, it didn¡¯t excite me much. My specialty is ¡°dagger proficiency,¡± after all. Guns are just auxiliary weapons to me. But it seemed different for the marksmen awakened among us. It was almost like a festive atmosphere for them. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to be so thrilled.¡± ¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t know, Sergeant?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°The marksmen have been under a lot of stress. Every time they run out of ammo, some of them even lose hair and get circr baldness. So, you can imagine how they are feeling, right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Apparently, the marksmen squad was in a frenzy even when they managed to scavenge ammo from the deserters.¡± So, it was that serious! Well, Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok, the leader of the marksmen squad, may be quite rough around the edges. But even he couldn¡¯t hide his change in expression upon hearing about ammunition supply. The others must have been even more severe. But now, it¡¯s different. ¡°Just the amount in this ammo depot alone is substantial.¡± Beside the ammo depot, simr igloo-shaped storage units lined up at intervals. Considering all of those as well, Well, Who knows, but even if our sharpshooters unleash a barrage, it shouldn¡¯t pose any problems. The marksmen yed a crucial role in defending the mountain base before. Now that their firepower has returned, our unit¡¯s firepower has increased by at least 1.5 times. ¡°No, it¡¯s not just that.¡± It¡¯s not just about the marksmen. ¡°Since guns are weapons that even civilians can use.¡± With ample ammunition at hand,bining the firearms retrieved from the 423rd Battalion and those still housed within this ammunition battalion results in a substantial arsenal. These firearms can be distributed to the pre-awakened survivors. If the pre-awakened survivors can be a capable fighting force, then we can actively amodate them and rapidly build up our strength. However, Not everything found in the ammunition depot was good. ¡°Whoa, whoa!¡± ¡°Sergeant Sin,e over here!¡± Thinking about this and that while exploring the ammunition depot, The soldiers inspecting one corner suddenly started making amotion. Curious about what was going on, I hurried over. ¡°This is¡­¡± In one corner of the ammunition depot, there were things wrapped up in cobwebs that looked like cocoons. Among them, A soldier tore open one and exposed its contents. Inside it was¡­ ¡°¡­a person.¡± * * * ¡°Uijun, what¡¯s the situation?¡± The humans found inside the cocoons. I urgently called over our unit¡¯s medic to assess their condition. ¡°It seems like they were soldiers who were working in the ammunition battalion.¡± However, ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They may have been alive until a few weeks ago.¡± ¡°What?¡± Once they¡¯re dead, they¡¯re dead. I wondered what they meant by possibly being alive until recently. ¡°I heard somewhere that spiders don¡¯t immediately eat their prey but paralyze them and preserve them.¡± ¡°Why preserve them instead of just killing them?¡± ¡°To maintain freshness.¡± As I listened to the exnation, I understood why there were soldiers¡¯ bodies here. ¡°After preserving them in a fresh state, they provide high-quality food for their offspring.¡± Therge eggs scattered inside the ammunition depot. And the unspoiled bodies. They had prepared provisions for the hatchlings emerging from the eggs. ¡°Even though they were in a paralyzed state, they had been here for nearly a month without any nutrients provided. Their life functions were already¡­¡± ¡°I understand.¡± The bodies of humans were in by monsters. Seeing this reminded me of the day our unit was first attacked. Images of my fallenrades shed through my mind. ¡°Tsk.¡± Frustration surged within me after recalling the aftermaths of the doomsday. ¡°For now, gather their dog tags and withdraw. Let¡¯s leave the bodies in one ce.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°After the recapture of the base is properlypleted, we¡¯ll have to give them a proper burial.¡± Afterward, we opened a few more cocoons in the corner. We found more dead bodies of soldiers. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Looks like a monster, doesn¡¯t it?¡± And there were bodies of unidentified creatures. ¡°Are these creatures also serving as food substitutes or something?¡± ¡°Probably. But still, using the ammunition depot as their hatching ground¡­¡± ¡°But there was nothing in the buildings we passed by so far, right? Why only the ammunition depot?¡± Lee Sang-ah tilted her head with confusion. I felt like I knew the reason why the monsters onlyid their eggs here, while the other ces remained empty. ¡°The ammunition depot is the safest ce within this unit.¡± In modern warfare, ammunition may be more crucial than rations. Just as important as the items stored within it, ammunition depots are meticulously secured. Our previous 423rd Battalion may have just piled up bullets in an old warehouse. ¡°But this is an ammunition supply depot.¡± A ce where ammunition for various weapons, cannons, and missiles is stored. Not only are the ammunition themselves crucial, But if the enemy attacks an ammunition depot, their primary target would be the ammunition It¡¯s a ce where they¡¯ll aim for first when they intrude. That¡¯s why ammunition depots are camouged to look like parts of a mountain from the air. With sturdy iron doors and even cave-like buildings. ¡°A ce that feels safe even to someone like me who doesn¡¯t know much.¡± It must have looked simr to the monsters¡¯ eyes. A space to safely protect its precious eggs from external threats. ¡°Oh. That means¡­¡± ¡°On the contrary, does that mean there¡¯s a high chance monsters will jump out every time the ammunition depot is opened?¡± If they considered the ammunition depot a safe ce and used it as a hatchery, there would be no reason not to use it as a nest. ¡°Is it okay? This battle was literally one-sided.¡± ¡°These monsters, even if a few more of them shows up, it won¡¯t be a big deal!¡± The soldiers shouted confidently. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true.¡± Despite the battle being over, our side has suffered only some minor injuries. And even those minor injuries were perfectly treated by our medics and healers. Contrary to our initial worries, our casualties are nonexistent. ¡°But we¡¯re only talking about the monsters we fought this time.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ording to the information obtained with the ¡°Chef¡¯s Eyes¡± ¡°These creatures are in their immature fluid state, right?¡± It¡¯s like they are still in their pre-fertilized state. Seems like they were undergoing some sort of fertilization before being born into mature spiders. ¡°In China, there¡¯s a dish where they cook unborn chicks from eggs, right before they hatch.¡± In fact, the cooking methods presented by the ¡°Chef¡¯s Eyes¡± are quite simr to that. The only difference is their ferocity ¨C they aggressively break out of the eggs when threatened. ¡°The adult form of these spiders might be dangerous.¡± ¡°But is there a need to fear adults that we haven¡¯t even met yet?¡± ¡°Well, that makes sense too.¡± It¡¯s just a guess that they could be dangerous. Since it hasn¡¯t been confirmed whether they are dangerous or not, there¡¯s no need to retreat from here because of fear. ¡°Move to the adjacent ammunition depot.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Following mymand, the soldiers headed for the next ammunition depot. It too seemed to be in a state resembling a hatchery. [You have gained experience points] [You have gained experience points] [You have gained experience¡­] [You have gained¡­] [You have¡­] ¡°Damn, now that was easy.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve fought them once, they seem easier than before.¡± It was just a one-sided massacre. ¡°Hehe, there¡¯s so much ammunition.¡± ¡°These creatures. Looks like they want to die.¡± The amount of ammunition that we had secured was a considerable amount. Moreover, it¡¯s not just rifle ammunition that¡¯s important. ¡°These shells. We might be able to mount them on ourbat vehicles, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Hmm. Not a bad idea.¡± Combat engineers specialized in manufacturing war weapons. They began discussing ways to use the shells obtained here. Everything was progressing more smoothly than expected. While I had been concerned about the monsters being stronger in this area, It seems my worries were unfounded. ¡°If it¡¯s just this much¡­.¡± The moment such a careless thought crossed my mind. Kuguguguguguung. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? An earthquake?¡± Suddenly, a massive vibration spread throughout the entire unit. Naturally, I wondered if it was an earthquake. Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh And then the echoing scream followed immediately. It indicated that the previous vibration was no ordinary earthquake. * * * ¡°W-what¡¯s¡­ what!?¡± ¡°What in the world is this sound?¡± An unidentified scream echoed from the center of the ammunition battalion. And, [The Last Queen of Arachron, Kanya, expresses her anger] Along with that sound appeared a message before my eyes. [The Queen¡¯s anger covers the battlefield!] [Drastic increase inbat abilities of Arachron White Spider race] [Drastic decrease inbat abilities of your allies] A familiar message format. It didn¡¯t take long to realize what kind of scream had just echoed. Damn it. It was the same kind of ability used by the Lizard Chieftain while attacking the 423rd Battalion. Or a type of ability akin to the one used by Lieutenant Kim. It¡¯s a wide-area buff that weakens enemies¡¯ abilities and strengthens allies. It¡¯s the kind of thing you often see in games, so it¡¯s not surprising. The problem is¡­ ¡°.. this battle cry.¡± ¡°I-is such a widespread battle cry even possible!?¡± The monster that emitted this scream. We couldn¡¯t even see it with our own eyes. ¡°The sound was loud, but it didn¡¯t seem close.¡± Despite being sure of the considerable distance, It was a piercing roar that could affect us. ¡°This seems dangerous.¡± I moved my body slightly. And surprisingly, I felt slightly heavier than before. ¡°It has applied a debuff on us.¡± If it¡¯s just a debuff applied to us, then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. But¡­ [Drastic increase inbat abilities of Arachron White Spider race] That was the problem Such a widespread battle cry. ¡°How many monsters are receiving that buff over such a wide area?¡± That question was soon answered. Dudududududududu¡­ Along with the spreading battle cry came the sound of vibrations. ¡°It¡¯s right next to us!¡± The origin of the vibration sound was right next to us. Another ammunition depot that we haven¡¯t opened yet. No. ¡°It¡¯s the sound from the monsters¡¯ breeding ground.¡± ¡°Then that vibration just now was¡­¡± ¡°They must be breaking out of their eggs.¡± Before long, Thud! Thud! It was the sound of the ammunition depot¡¯s doors being pounded on. A significant number of monsters from the various ammunition depots lined up around us. After hearing the battle cry, the monsters forcibly broke out of their eggs and now they¡¯re trying to break down the doors and burst it open. ¡°Well, even if a few more show up, we should be able to handle it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a few more, it¡¯s probably dozens of times more.¡± No matter how strong our unit has be, If they increase by that much, it¡¯s quite problematic. ¡°Lieutenant Kim! What should we do?¡± ¡°Oh, right! Battle formation, everyone!¡± [Command Directive ¨C Assume Battle Formations!] [Command Directive ¨C Battle Formations in Effect] [Partially mitigates the Queen¡¯s anger] [Partial decrease in the debuff] Lieutenant Kim has be our unit¡¯s buff vending machine where just by calling his name we can activate and apply several buffs on us. But as I confirmed the effects of those buffs, I couldn¡¯t help but furrow my brow. ¡°Instead of boosting abilities, it¡¯s only reducing the debuffs.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault, Lieutenant Kim.¡± It¡¯s just, the battle cry was that powerful. If it¡¯s just this much, Lieutenant Kim alone won¡¯t be enough. ¡°Jeon Gwang-il!¡± ¡°Yes, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il!¡± The squad leader whomanded the warrior squads. ¡°Lieutenant Kim might not be sufficient! Gwang-il, you¡¯re up too!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± There was no need to exin further. Responding to themand, Gwang-il took a deep breath. And then, ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡± He roared like a wild beast. [The Roar of Madness Battle Frenzy echoes through] [Allies receive minimal confusion] [The novicemand mitigates minimal confusion] [Allies receive moderate ability increase] [Partially mitigates ¡®Queen¡¯s Anger¡¯] [Removes the ability Batlle Cry effect of ¡®Queen¡¯s Anger.¡¯] Gwang-il had acquired a simr type of skill from his battles with the lizard chieftain. However, he is different from me and Lieutenant Kim, who are primarily support support/support type awakened. ¡®Gwang-il is more of a frontline fighter.¡¯ Nevertheless, although he has skills in the buffer category, His battle cry doesn¡¯tst long, and there¡¯s a limit of about three uses per week. Furthermore, it¡¯s coupled with a debuff that causes minimal confusion when used alone. It¡¯s an ability that should be conserved as much as possible, given the need to save it. Especially for moments like this. ¡°I¡¯ve removed all debuffs. This is the best we can do right now.¡± At that moment, Thud¡­ Thud¡­ Kwoong! With a loud noise, the door of the adjacent ammunition depot burst open. Spider monsters poured out in a rush from within. ¡°To the battlefield!¡± ¡°For the legion¡¯s victory!!!¡± The troops who were in battle formation shed with the spiders. Thanks to Gwang-il and Lieutenant Kim¡¯s Battle Cry, the debuffs on our side disappeared. Additional buffs were only avable through mybat rations. A tremendous decrease inbat power. Conversely, the enemies were enhanced with buffs, increasing theirbat effectiveness. ¡°Tsk.¡± Apart from buffs, our side had the upper hand in overall firepower. As long as it¡¯s just the monsters that have popped out suddenly, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Thud¡­ Thud¡­ However, sounds of monsters bursting out from other ammunition depot buildings could be heard. Perhaps, Could the monsters scattered throughout this unit converging to hunt us down? ¡°I don¡¯t know the size of their forces, but facing all those monsters at once is absolutely impossible.¡± If that¡¯s the case. I made my decision and shouted towards the soldiers, ¡°Everyone, retreat slowly and board the vehicles as quickly as possible!¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin!?¡± ¡°Why suddenly board the vehicles duringbat¡­!?¡± The soldiers engaged in battle asked with confusion. Our side¡¯s buffs are minimal, while the enemy has many. Moreover, we¡¯re clearly about to be outnumbered. In that case, ¡°We need to change the situation, don¡¯t we?¡± The battle had clearly been in our favor. But the situation had suddenly turned upside down. I knew who had caused this upheaval. [The Last Queen of Arachron, Kanya, expresses her anger.] The monster known as the Last Queen. The mastermind who is hunting us with her Battle Cry. Her anger had created the current situation. So then, ¡°It¡¯s only natural to start by taking down themander.¡± Let¡¯s hunt down the Queen first. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 50 Chapter 50 After shaking off the monsters, the vehicles made their way across the base. Our destination was the enemy¡¯s leader ¡ª the ce where the ¡®Queen¡¯ resides. While the exact location of the Queen remains unknown, figuring out the direction is fairly straightforward. Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡­ [The Queen¡¯s fury echoes around] A chilling, bone-rattling scream reverberated from the distance, sending shivers down our spines. ¡°Head in the direction of that sound!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The source of that noise is where the Queen must be. Dududududu¡­ ¡°Over there, spiders were approaching from the opposite direction!¡± On our way towards that sound, spider monsters attacked us from apletely different direction. ¡®The ammunition battalion is vast, with multiple scattered ammunition depots.¡¯ Monsters emerging from other depots, or rather, hatcheries, are nowing to hunt us. Fortunately, the monsters charging from afar are not densely packed. Thanks to this, we can manage. ¡°Run them over!¡± Smash! Screeeeh!! Large horns, spikes, and des attached to the vehicles shred most of the approaching monsters, which have been enhanced by Mac¡¯s magic. ¡°Ha, ha-ha! How do you like the power of ourbat vehicles?!¡± ¡°Well done, you bastards!¡± The awakenedbat engineers proudly eximed, and rightfully so, given the immense power disyed. ¡®Prioritizing material acquisition was the best decision.¡¯ Thesebat vehicles are equipped with not only superior armor but also formidablebat capabilities. They effortlessly mowed down the few monsters in our path, moving forward without a hitch. As a result, Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! The monstrous scream grew louder and more intense than before. ¡°It sounds like it¡¯sing from over there!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that another ammunition depot?¡± Before long, we sessfully reached the source of the noise. ¡°Uh, what?¡± ¡°That¡­ it looks like an ammunition depot.¡± Like the other depots, it resembled a tunnel or cave dug into the mountain. However, one significant difference stood out. ¡°It¡¯s enormous¡­¡± These igloo-shaped ammunition depots, used as hatcheries, were already muchrger than typical military depots. Yet, the door of the depot before us dwarfed even those, as if an entire mountain had been carved away to create its vast entrance. ¡°That¡¯s where our unit received its ammunition supplies.¡± ¡°Lieutenant Kim?¡± ¡°It¡¯s thergest ammunition depot within the supply battalion. Who would¡¯ve thought the monsters¡¯ leader would be here?¡± Given the scale of this depot, it seemed unlikely that it only stored ordinary shells and ammunition. It might even hold missiles or otherrge-scale ordnance. The massive door of the depot was half-open, and inside, we saw a colossal, white spider. Shaaaaaaaaa!! A surreal sight: a spider the size of arge truck, spitting and screeching. ¡°That¡¯s the Queen.¡± The Queen¡¯s Battle Cry weakens enemies and strengthens her allies. Here, we are the enemies, and the spiders are her allies. Before this Battle Cry filled the air, the battle was significantly in our favor. Conversely, it means¡­ ¡°If we take out the Queen, the rest will be a disorganized rabble despite their numbers!¡± Even though there are many of them, I am confident that we can handle them once their buff is eliminated. As the newly hatched monsters from the other depots chase us, our n is to swiftly decapitate the Queen. ¡°It¡¯s not just the Queen.¡± ¡°Of course, the Queen wouldn¡¯t be alone. Damn it.¡± Screeeech. Squeeeek. The Queen, towering in size,parable to a massive truck was surrounded by slightly smaller but still massive creatures, about the size of vans. There were around twenty of theserge monsters. As I focused on these creatures, I suddenly gained an insight. [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Arachron White Spider Preparation] [Arachron ¡®s sharp and sturdy forelegs are highly regarded as cksmith materials, but they are difficult to use as food ingredients unless they belong to a special species. The key is to first process the forelegs¡­] [While the skin is tough, except for the forelegs, applying heat will soften it, making it easier to remove. However, be cautious as the flesh can be very tender and lose its texture. To maintain vor, handle the flesh delicately¡­] ¡°The name is different too.¡± So far, the spiders we fought had the prefix ¡®Imperfect¡¯ in their names. They were immature, not fully developed. Imperfectrvae. The giant spiders before us now were different. ¡®Fully grown adults, born, nourished and matured.¡¯ Fully matured adults. This battle felt like it would be much tougher than anything we had faced before. But. ¡°We must end this quickly.¡± The newborns from other hatcheries are likely racing toward us. If they join forces with these adults, it will be disastrous. ¡°Sergeant Shin¡­ do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± After drawing his de, Gwang-il asked nervously as he hurriedly chewed on hisbat rations. I had only one thing to tell him. ¡°Did you forget already?¡± Whether it was possible or not¡ªthat wasn¡¯t the important part. ¡°We make it possible, even if it isn¡¯t.¡± That¡¯s the nature of the military. No, perhaps it¡¯s not just because we¡¯re in the military now. ¡°It¡¯s about survival.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± This entire world had be one where that was the only way to live. ¡°Charge! Glorious death awaits us on the battlefield!¡± ¡°Tonight, we feast on them!¡± ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡± No more words were needed. Starting with Gwang-il, who had shaken off his hesitation, the warriors surged forward, and the awakened ones in the rear drew their weapons. The battle has begun. * * * ¡°Eliminate the queen as quickly as possible!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± As the awakened ones charged with their weapons, the engineers took their seats in thebat vehicles. ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°Hahaha! I knew we¡¯d need this design someday, for fighting against such huge monsters!¡± Vrooooom¡­ Thebat vehicles, modified by the engineers, charged forward. The massive horn-like ram at the front of the lead vehicle sped towards the queen. The attack was poised to deal significant damage if it hit directly. Shiiiiing! Thud! ¡°Damn¡­!¡± ¡°Damn it, we should have modified the engine too!¡± A couple of adult monsterstched onto the vehicle, preventing it from moving forward. The wheels spun uselessly, failing to propel thebat vehicle. ¡®Even with reinforcement, the engine is still the same as the original.¡¯ If we lose in a contest of strength, it won¡¯t matter. If their engineering skills improved, they could modify the engine as well, but that hasn¡¯t happened yet. At least a few adult monsters were upied trying to stop thebat vehicles. ¡°Damn it, get out of the way, you bastards!¡± ¡°They¡¯re determined to protect the Queen!¡± The key to their strengthy in the Queen¡¯s buffs. The enemies seemed to know this as well. The Queen only shrieked from behind, not stepping forward. I muttered in disbelief as I watched. ¡°Even monsters can take strategic positions?¡± Like in a game, with the buffer in the back and the tanks in the front. ¡®So, they have high intelligence.¡¯ Given their ability to form such a formation, they probably wouldn¡¯t just blindly consume a debuff dish if we threw it at them. Our side struggled to approach the queen, but¡­ ng! Keiieek! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The sharp ws of an adult monster blocked our path. We wanted to end this battle swiftly. But at this rate, it would only drag on. ¡®We need toe up with a n, anything.¡¯ But how? Each monster was incredibly powerful. If we had time, we might be able to deal with them, but to eliminate them quickly¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ At that moment, I noticed something strange. ¡°The monster that just blocked me!¡± It was undoubtedly a strong monster. But there was one peculiar thing about it. ¡°It seemed like it was missing a leg¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! That one is missing a leg!¡± Taking a step back from the battle and looking again, it was clear. One of the monsters was indeed missing a legpared to the others. ¡®Wait, it¡¯s not just that one.¡¯ That monster was the only one missing a leg, but the other monsters had their own issues. One had a white body with strange bruises, and another seemed to limp slightly, its front ws not moving as they should. ¡°These monsters¡­¡± ¡°Are they injured?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how they had gotten hurt, but the one missing a leg seemed to be the most severely injured. If there was a weakness, we had to exploit it. ¡°That monster! The one with a missing leg is our opening! Focus all firepower on it!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Just as a glimmer of hope began to rise, thinking we had found a weak point to exploit¡­ ¡°Sergeant Shin! Behind us¡­!¡± One of the soldiers, engaged in long-range attacks from the rear, shouted a warning. When I turned around and looked in that direction. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ In the distance, a swarm of spiders that had hatched from another nest was approaching. They were still a bit far, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before they arrived. If we get surrounded on both sides, then it would be total annihtion for us. ¡°We need to act fast!¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± In the face of imminent death, my mind raced frantically. ¡°Escape? No. Even if thebat vehicles are sturdy, if just one gets overturned, it¡¯s a disaster.¡± ¡°Should we dig into the ammunition depot instead? We won¡¯t get surrounded from both sides¡­ If we avoid being surrounded, what then? Even if we escape, how can we beat those numbers?¡± No matter how I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t find a solution. Maybe I should have chosen to escape the moment I heard about the Queen¡¯s power. ¡°Even now, scattering and fleeing might save a few of us.¡± As I was about to give the order to retreat, something caught my eye inside the ammunition depot. ¡°Missiles¡­?¡± Large missiles. And shells. ¡°Min-jae hyung.¡± ¡°Are we retreating?¡± ¡°No.¡± It seemed Min-jae hyung was considering retreat too, judging by his expression. But my thoughts were different. ¡°Summon all the fire mages.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Min-jae hyung looked momentarily baffled, but then he seemed to understand my intentions. ¡°No, it¡¯s your call. You must have a n. Just wait a moment.¡± Soon after, nodding gravely, he stepped back. ¡°Reporting sir!!¡± ¡°Fire Mage Unit, all 7 members specializing in me spells, assembled!¡± Amidst the chaos of battle, only me and the fire mages stepped back momentarily. These mages had been with us from the start. Along with the recently awakened survivors, including the youngest of the sibling sisters who were close with Grandpa Park. Their faces were smeared with soot from fire spells, and they gasped for breath as they gathered. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent situation. There¡¯s no time to exin,¡± I asked, focusing on the one thing that concerned me the most. ¡°Just one question.¡± ¡°Yes! Please ask anything!¡± ¡°Can you cast spells that detonate a littleter?¡± If this wasn¡¯t possible, it could pose a problem. But¡­ ¡°Yes? Ah, you mean dying the explosion?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll require some attention, but it should be doable.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem too difficult!¡± If they could manage that as well, then there would be no issue. ¡°Good. There¡¯s something you need to do.¡± ¡°We¡¯re ready for anything you ask.¡± ¡°Do you see those sections inside covered with spider silk?¡± I pointed with my finger. The soldiers¡¯ gaze shifted to the interior of the ammunition depot, where the huge stockpile was covered not just with webs on the floor but also with protruding items. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s visible.¡± ¡°Given how they¡¯re sticking out like that, those must be where the shells are stacked in the depot, right?¡± ¡°Just focus on what you can see.¡± Their task was simple. ¡°Remember what I mentioned earlier? That dyed magic? Aim it at those sections.¡± ¡°You mean inside the ammunition depot, not at the monsters?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s no time to exin. Please do it quickly and aim for the stronger spots.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re not entirely sure what you¡¯re nning, Sergeant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what Corporal Shin has ordered. There must be a reason. Understood!¡± The mages closed their eyes immediately, beginning to chant something akin to a spell. Confirming their readiness, I returned to the forefront of the ongoing battle formation. ¡°Sergeant Shin!?¡± ¡°This area is too dangerous for you! Sergeant Shin, you¡¯re not a frontlinebatant, so fighting from the outskirts would be¡­¡± The ce I headed to was the very epicenter of the fierce battle. It was a gathering ce for high-level warriors in our guild. As someone from the production line, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual for me to perish here at any moment, but for him, he would be here. ¡°Gwang-il! Jeon Gwang-il!¡± ¡°Hehehe, having fun, are we? Let¡¯s see if you can make me enjoy it more, you bug¡­¡± ¡°Snap out of it, you idiot!¡± Gwang-il, who was single-handedly grappling with a monstrous adult-level creature like a madman, turned his head slightly after I lightly smacked him on the head. ¡°Grr¡­ Ah, Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, idiot.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just say it? Why hit me on the head like that?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± Sorry to interrupt your fun, but there¡¯s work to be done. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It was where the strongest individuals in the unit with enhanced physical abilities gathered. Only they could pull this off. ¡°From now on, we¡¯re changing ourbat strategy a bit.¡± ¡°What are you nning¡­ No, I suppose you have a n. How should we change it?¡± ¡°Targeting the Queen is impractical. We¡¯ll lead the monsters into the ammunition depot.¡± ¡°Not targeting the queen, but leading them inside¡­¡± After a moment of consideration, he nodded. ¡°Well, this might actually be easier than the current battle. Is that all?¡± ¡°One more thing. After we sessfully lead them inside, we need to seal the ammunition depot.¡± ¡°Seal it?¡± Inside the ammunition depot are creatures like the Queen and her soldiers¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to detonate the ammunition depot.¡± With an enormous amount of explosives. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit. So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°We¡¯re going to blow up the ammunition depot.¡± Gwang-il¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he didn¡¯t ask any further questions. ¡°We¡¯ll close the ammunition depot doors¡­ Closing them should be possible with just two or three members of thebat squad.¡± ¡°The problem lies elsewhere, right?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no way those monsters will quietly stand by and let us close the doors.¡± The resistance would be intense. ¡°¡­Will it be very difficult?¡± ¡°It will be, but¡ª¡± Gwang-il grimaced momentarily, stroking his chin. Then, he grinned widely. ¡°If it¡¯s not possible, we¡¯ll make it possible, right?¡± ¡°Yep. Now you¡¯re getting it.¡± ¡°Combat squad! Change of ns!¡± The squad leader¡¯s orders came down. ¡°Daewon! Han-il!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Han-il, reporting sir!¡± ¡°You two, move to the door. Each of you, take a side and close it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°The rest, push the monsters inside! Now move fast!¡± ¡°Sir, yes sir!!!¡± As soon as the briefmand ended, the soldiers¡¯ actions changed noticeably. Instead of trying to take down the monsters guarding the Queen and somehow reach her, they shifted focus to driving the monsters inside the ammunition depot. The scattered soldiers regrouped. When the formation of the awakenedbat specialists was ready, ¡°Sergeant Shin! The magic you asked for is ready! There¡¯s a three-minute dy!¡± The magespleted their incantations. ¡°Fire now!¡± All the me mages cast their spells into the wide-open ammunition depot. The monsters, realizing the spells weren¡¯t aimed at them, didn¡¯t bother to block them. Soon, the magic stuck to the various shells inside the depot like adhesive bombs. ¡°The reason the ammunition battalion¡¯s grounds are so extensive¡­ is to minimize the damage from idental explosions.¡± If an explosion urred, the distance between buildings would prevent nearby structures from being affected. To ensure this, the distance between buildings is maximized, resulting in arger site area. Originally, even within the ammunition depot, there are spaces between the ammunitions to prevent chain explosions. Normally, a minor explosion wouldn¡¯t cause significant problems, but¡­ ¡°Now the inside is covered with spider webs.¡± In this situation, even a small explosion could easily spread to other areas. If the ammunition depot exploded under these conditions, the damage would be catastrophic. It would devastate the surrounding area. ¡°If such an explosion urs with the door open, our forces would be almost wiped out.¡± Therefore, ¡°Close it quickly!¡± Creak¡­ The massive iron door. Warriors on both sides began to push it shut. Shaaaaaa? As the allies started closing the door, the monsters, who were desperately guarding the Queen inside, seemed to notice something. Kieeeek! ¡°Those bastards are trying to escape!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them out!¡± The monsters attempted to burst out of the depot, but¡ª Boom! Boom! Boom! Thudududududu¡­ The warriors pushed the monsters back inside with their bodies, while the rear line of marksmen and mages fired relentlessly. Instead of exterminating the monsters, they were forcing them back into the ammunition depot. Pushing the monsters inside was a simple matter of brute force. ¡°We can¡¯t let them push us back!¡± ¡°Put more strength into it!¡± The monsters inside were desperately trying to escape. Under normal circumstances, they might have seeded, but¡ª Kieeeek¡­! Kkrrk¡­! The wounded monsters couldn¡¯t withstand our unit¡¯s firepower. They were gradually being forced further inside. ¡°The door is almost closed!¡± ¡°Just need to lock it¡­¡± ¡°Good job!¡± Almost there! Just as the door was about to closepletely, and we thought all that was left was to secure the lock and flee¡ª Kieeeeeeek! With a deafening screech, ng! Two impossiblyrge des burst through the closing door. ¡°Ugh!¡± The soldiers near the door were knocked back by those des. These des, resembling giant front legs, were twice¡ªno, three times¡ªthe size of a normal person. Even the immature and the fully matured monsters didn¡¯t have front legs of this size. The owner of those des was¡ª ¡°The Queen.¡± The Queen, who had been casting buffs and protecting herself from the rear, finally stepped forward in this moment of crisis. The Queen¡¯s power showed us why she was called the Queen of the Spiders ¨C it wasn¡¯t just an empty title. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°What kind of strength is this?!¡± Even though the door was nearly closed, as soon as the Queen wedged her two front legs into that gap, it refused to budge. In fact¡ª ¡®It was slowly opening up.¡¯ Despite the immense strength of all the warriors pushing to close it, the door was slowly being forced open by the Queen¡¯s overwhelming power. ¡°Damn it, fire at her!¡± ¡°We¡¯re on it!¡± The mages and marksmen bombarded the Queen¡¯s body with firepower, but her sturdy des seemed unaffected. I recalled the handling of these creatures. ¡®These monsters¡¯ front legs are incredibly tough.¡¯ The legs were both formidable weapons andrge shields. There was no time left before the explosion. If the st went as nned, the Queen wouldn¡¯te out unscathed, but if we couldn¡¯t close that door, we wouldn¡¯t either. ¡®In that case.¡¯ I quickly formted a n, drew my sashimi knife from my belt, and turned to shout: ¡°me mages! Initiate your spells!¡± ¡°Yes! Shall we aim for the Queen?¡± ¡°No.¡± It would be fortunate if that could kill her, but the firepower likely wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°Shoot here.¡± I pointed to the area just above the Queen¡¯s legs, where the door and the massive des met. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The mages showed confused expressions at mymand. ¡°It¡¯s a kitchen knife, though?¡± ¡°Good, now shoot at my knife.¡± ¡°Did I hear that wrong?¡± ¡°My knife. Heat it up as much as you can.¡± The target wasn¡¯t the monster. It was the kitchen knife that I was holding, which needed to be heated with me magic. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Hurry!¡± ¡°But if we heat the knife, Sergeant Shin, your hand won¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with that. Just do it.¡± I ordered them firmly. The me mages hesitated but then directed their mes towards my knife. Soon, the magic-infused mes roared, and the de began to glow red from the heat. ¡®This looks just like something out of a cksmithing YouTube video.¡¯ The long sashimi knife that I had received from a fellow junior¡­ That I have been using ever since, turned deep red. The heat was so intense that I could feel it searing through the handle. For an ordinary person, this would be enough to melt their skin off their hand. But for me, ¡®I can handle it.¡¯ [Skill: Junior Grade Fire Affinity] Chefs are resistant towards heat. ¡°Everyone in the rear, retreat.¡± ¡°What? But¡ª¡± ¡°If the ammunition depot explodes, the entire area will be devastated. Staying here means certain death. Go now.¡± There was no time for hesitation. After confirming that the soldiers in the rear were retreating in theirbat vehicles, I tightly gripped the now-red-hot knife and approached the Queen, who was holding the door with her two massive des. ¡°Those aren¡¯t just for show. They look incredibly tough.¡± Indeed, they had been withstanding thebined firepower of magicians and shooters. A normal sh wouldn¡¯t cause much damage. However, ¡°I see quite a few wounds on your royal body.¡± Like the other mature monsters, the Queen¡¯s body had several injured spots. Some of these injuries were on the delike front legs, particrly at the joints. These wounds were healing but not fully recovered, likely able to withstand bullets but not much more. I remembered the ¡°handling¡± instructions for these creatures: [Their skin is tough, but if heated, it bes softer and easier to remove] I swung the red-hot sashimi knife towards the wounded joint, which was hot enough to make the air around it shimmer. Stab! sh. Crack! The knife plunged into the joint, the heat allowing it to slice through the tough skin and ligaments. The intense heat and precision of the de did the rest, severing the Queen¡¯s leg with a satisfying crunch. The de tumbles to the ground, apanied by a painful scream. Even if she had eight arms, Losing one was excruciating. Unable to bear the pain any longer, The Queen¡¯s body, which was trying to reach outside, drew back. ¡°Now¡¯s the time! Close it!¡± Thunk! Now, only one de remains. Stuck between the door, as if refusing to let us close the door. ¡°Come on, just a little more!¡± I swung the heated de towards the joint connecting the front leg and body. ¡°Get in there!¡± Slice- The remaining sharp front w was also severed. Thunk!!! Finally, With a loud ng, the massive iron door was closed. Confirming the door was shut, I quickly turned around and shouted, ¡°Everyone, take out yourbat rations and retreat behind thebat vehicles!¡± We had sessfully trapped the monsters inside. Now, all that was left was to escape. [Light Foot Slypa Jerky made with care by a Junior Chef] [The magic power of ¡®Light foot Slypa¡¯ contained in the dish permeates your body] [Acquired Temporary Attribute ¨C Slypa¡¯s Light foot (Deterioration)] ¡± Sigh, I had sworn that I would again, damn it.¡± Thergest ammunition depot within the battalion. No matter how thick the iron door is, The explosive force is enough to blow open the door, if not the entire depot itself. ¡°Quick, get out of here!¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± I also pushed my legs to the limit to get as far away from the ammunition depot as possible. I surveyed the surroundings, while moving away from the ammunition depot at a speed that outssed even most vehicles ¡°The others seem alright.¡± Fortunately, the rear guard with weaker physical abilities had retreated by boarding thebat vehicles. With the protection ofbat vehicles, they should be able to shield against the fragmentation from explosions. The warrior fellows who closed the door with me also seemed fine. Their warrior status was not for naught. They were already running at speeds rivaling vehicles, and with the monster¡¯s attribute added on top. Those fellows had even acquired the characteristics of demonic beasts. Those fellows were already running far ahead of me. ¡°As for those who are falling behind¡­.¡± And finally. I turned around just in case. ¡­¡­ There was no one. ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± Behind me. There was no one. ¡°Could this possibly mean¡­¡± Does this mean I¡¯m the furthest behind? Unlike the warrior awakened inbat roles. As a chef, my physical abilities, while enhanced, still fall a bit short of superhuman levels. No matter how much I push myself, I will inevitably be thest one to escape. In other words. ¡°Am I the only one who will be screwed?¡± There wasn¡¯t much time left until the explosion. Sensing that things had gone terribly wrong, I gritted my teeth and ran with all my might. ¡°Sergeant Shin! Quickly, this way!¡± ¡°These crazy bastards! Aren¡¯t you taking care of Sergeant Shin?¡± The warrior fellows who were running ahead. From a distance, I came to the stark realization that I was considerably falling behind. And then, in that very moment. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!! A tremendous noise erupted from behind. ¡°Shit¡­!¡± A massive ammunition depot. Inside it, an enormous amount of ammunition. It started with a small explosion. Normally, even if a detonation urred, it shouldn¡¯t affect other ammunition unless triggered by internal detonators. But the spiderwebs stacked inside acted as fuses for the explosion. It would have set off the detonators and fuses of other ammunition and shells. The fact that such a massive amount of explosives went off in an instant meant that soon, It would create an explosionrge enough to engulf the entire ammunition depot. Just like this. BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!! Following the immense noise, What came next covered my back. ¡°Ughh¡­!¡± Intensely scorching. An enormous wave of heat. Despite having already fled far enough that the ammunition depot was barely visible, I couldn¡¯t escape fully and waspletely exposed to the heat. However, [Skill: Junior Grade Fire Affinity] [From its origins, cooking has always been associated with fire.] [Before the scorching mes, wielding a steel pan is the destiny of a chef!] [Steel Leather Command Combat Uniform] [Made from the products of powerful steel lizards, particrly those of chieftain-grade specimens. It has extremely high resistance in various aspects and retains traces of the chieftain¡¯s mana, bestowing various effects] Even though I could feel the flesh on my back melting, Somehow, I gritted my teeth and endured the heat. ¡°Ughhh¡­.¡± Using the recoil from the explosion as propulsion. I flung my body forward with even greater speed. Shrapnel from the exploding ammunition depot scattered in all directions. The dry sky turned crimson. In a state of frenzy, I ran for quite some time. ¡°Damn it, Sergeant Shin!¡± The warriors reached out, pulling my body behind cover. The pain in my back¡­ It felt like the heat was melting my flesh. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It hurts so much. It really hurts so much that I might die from it. But¡­ ¡®I¡¯m not dead.¡¯ Gasping for breath, I looked up at the sky. The sky, stained crimson red by the explosion, was visible. ¡°The explosion¡­ has it stopped?¡± ¡°We must take Sergeant Shin to the medic! Hurry!¡± Today, once again. I managed to survive without dying. Heh Thest thing I saw was lying on Sergeant Jeong Gwang-il¡¯s back and the sight of priests and medics rushing towards me. ¡°Sigh¡­ Military life is really tough.¡± Damn it. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. This is the first andst additional chapter of the day for NU votes milestonepletion. One more additional chapter will be released tomorrow along with one regr chapter. A big thanks to all the readers for their detailed and appreciative reviews and ratings. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 5 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit. So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 52 Chapter 52 I copsed from the excruciating pain coursing through my body. It felt like my bones and flesh were melting away. Thenter, when I opened my eyes. ¡°An unfamiliar ceiling.¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯re awake, Sergeant Shin.¡± I had always wanted to say that line. ¡°¡­Ah. You were here.¡± But now that I think¡­ Telling that line is quite embarrassing. When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in what seemed like a hospital room. Just then, our Medic Sa Uijun, who had been working nearby, noticed me and approached. ¡°Are you in any pain?¡± ¡°Strangely enough, I¡¯m not in pain at all.¡± This was something I found quite surprising upon waking up. It felt quite different from thest time when I had copsed after a fierce battle. Back then, I was gued by severe muscle pain as soon as I stood up. ¡®My injuries should be worse this time, though.¡¯ Even though I had fainted from tremendous pain, now I only felt a slight difort without any real pain. Thinking about it¡­ The most severely injured part must have been my back. Yet, I was able to lie on my back on the bed, which was quite remarkable. The reason for this soon became clear. ¡°Haha, my level has increased quite a bit as well.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Indeed. It wasn¡¯t just me who had grown during this time. The other members of the unit must have also been rapidly improving in their respective fields. ¡°Still, since your injuries haven¡¯t fully healed yet, it¡¯s best to stay in bed for a while.¡± ¡°It feels like I¡¯m on sick leave, which is nice. By the way¡­¡± I nced around subtly. It seemed like we were in the infirmary within the Ammunition Battalion¡¯s barrack, as there was no such facility in our usual base. ¡°Is this the infirmary within the ammunition battalion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Is everything alright with the unit?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, Sergeant Lee Min-jae asked us to notify him when you woke up. He has a lot to report.¡± ¡°Alright, please go get him.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± After Uijun left the infirmary, I decided to open my Status Window. The messages that I couldn¡¯t check while I was unconscious flooded my vision. Most of them were notifications about gained experience or points, but one message stood out the most among them: [You have defeated Kanya, thest Queen of Arachron] [You have in the leader of a race] [You have partially fulfilled the achievement of a ¡®King yer¡¯ (1/3)] [A reward for partialpletion of the achievement has been granted] [Reward: Trait Enhancement Ticket x1] This reward¡­ a Trait Enhancement Ticket? [Trait Enhancement Ticket] [Enhances one of your existing Traits] [The effects of the enhancement cannot be known beforehand.] [You only get one chance, so choose wisely!] Just as the name suggests, it allows me to enhance one of my existing traits. ¡°Hmmm.¡± I opened my status window to review my traits. The notable ones were: [Traits: Junior Grade Dagger Mastery, Junior Grade Cooking Skills, Junior Grade Ingredient Identification, Junior Grade Fire Affinity] Enhancing a trait¡­ As the term implies, any choice would likely be beneficial, but I still needed to decide carefully. ¡®The most useful inbat would be Dagger Mastery or Cooking Skills.¡¯ Fire Affinity did save my life recently, but it doesn¡¯t have many practical uses in everyday life. The Trait that shines most in battle and directly tied to my skills with knives, is the Dagger Mastery. And then there¡¯s Cooking Skills, which can provide valuable support buffs. But should I really choose between these two? After some deliberation, I made my decision. ¡°I¡¯ll enhance my Ingredient Identification trait.¡± [Enhance ¡®Junior Grade Ingredient Identification¡¯ trait] [Would you like proceed?] [Y/N] I was contemting about enhancing my dagger skills. But on a second thought, my personalbat prowess isn¡¯t that useful in battles. And regarding my cooking skills, I can improve it on my own. So, it didn¡¯t appeal to me the most. The reason I picked Ingredient Identification is simple. After the recent events, the limits of cooking ingredients have disappeared for me. Ingredient Detection has essentially be an unlimited sensory trait. Ever since the limitation on my ability to identify ingredients disappeared, this trait has essentially be an unlimited sensory ability. ¡®An ability to discern everything.¡¯ In the future, I¡¯ll likely encounter many unknown enemies. At that time, this trait, which allows me to grasp the opponent¡¯s information, will be as helpful as cooking. If Ingredient Identification is enhanced, perhaps the effects will be even greater? [Trait has been enhanced] [Junior Grade Ingredient Identification] -> [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] That¡¯s how the trait was enhanced. However¡­ ¡®What has changed?¡¯ At first nce, there wasn¡¯t much difference. The description of the trait remained the same. ¡­ Surely. ¡°Is this a dud?¡± At that moment ¡°Young-joon, I¡¯ming in.¡± I heard a knock at the door from outside. It was Min-jae hyung¡¯s voice. As Min-jae hyung entered the room, I was about to greet him. But then¡­ [Trait ¨C Ingredient Identification (Enhanced) activated] Perhaps due to my inexperienced use of the trait, it sometimes activates on its own like this. But¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± The information revealed by the ¡®Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)¡¯ trait seemed a bit different from before. Could this be the effect of the enhanced trait? After reading it all, I was sure that¡­ ¡®This is a jackpot, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ *** Min-jae hyung entered the room. ¡°Young-joon, are you alright?¡± ¡°I thought I was a goner. If I die, the next guild leader-¡± ¡°You seem fine. That¡¯s a relief.¡± I cleared the text of Ingredient Identification (Enhanced) that appeared before my eyes. And started talking with Min-jae hyung. ¡°It was an enormous explosion.¡± ¡°It sure was. It was quite arge ammunition depot, after all.¡± ¡°To be honest, I thought you and the warriors had all perished.¡± The soldiers who had already taken refuge in the armored vehicle. They witnessed the explosion with their own eyes. A massive explosion visible even from a considerable distance away. ¡°When I checkedter, the huge ammunition depot itself had explodedpletely. The shrapnel even destroyed several buildings of the ammunition battalion. It was more than just chaos.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The other spiders that had gathered to hunt us down¡­ literally melted away in that explosion.¡± Come to think of it. The heat from the explosion, though somewhat distant, was bearable thanks to my Junior Grade Fire Affinity. However, if even one of those fragments had touched me, I would have died instantly. ¡°Although I was lucky to survive this time, it was a close call.¡± Anyway, my injuries were severe enough that I remained unconscious for a long time, and the unit members seemed quite busy during that period. ¡°Extinguishing the fire caused by the explosion and dealing with the monsters attracted by the noise.¡± While I was lying down, there had been a series of intense events that could easily fill a movie. ¡°Everything has just started to settle down. Thankfully, there were no causalities this time, but we should avoid such dangerous operations in the future.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not like I have a death wish.¡± ¡°If you die, our unit¡¯sbat strength will plummet. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± This time, there was no other choice but to take a gamble. I don¡¯t n on doing something this crazy again. ¡°And by the way.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°While you were out, there was talk about using this ammunition battalion as our new base.¡± ¡°Here?¡± With that the briefing began. ¡°After all, the barracks are just a temporary base. They¡¯re too exposed, and with our current numbers it¡¯s almost at half of its capacity, already.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve captured it, we might as well use the ammunition battalion as our new base.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea. Although many buildings were damaged in the explosion¡­ So, we just need to avoid those.¡± The barracks were only ever a temporary base, so leaving them isn¡¯t an issue. ¡°Isn¡¯t this area toorge?¡± The ammunition battalion was excessively spacious. I¡¯m not sure if our unit alone can defend such a vast area. ¡°For now, we can use only a manageable portion as our base and have the engineers construct barriers around it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If we find that we can defend arger area, we can always expand the barrierster.¡± Minjae hyung nced out the window. ¡°There¡¯s a stream flowing inside the ammunition battalion. I noticed it on our way here, and there are fields near the entrance. We can secure drinking water and potentially farm as well. I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Farming, huh.¡± ¡°One of the deserters who recently woke up seems particrly interested in farming. It might be worth a try.¡± Now that I think about it, the engineers mentioned that they could build barriers once they got reinforced materials. ¡°If that¡¯s possible, it might actually work out well.¡± ¡°As soon as the guild leader approves, we¡¯ll start moving supplies from the barracks gradually.¡± I pondered about Min-jae hyung¡¯s suggestion for a moment. ¡®If only I could summon the mobile fortress, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about a base.¡¯ In the early days of my awakening, I received a special reward, [Mobile Fortress Bimana]. If I could summon that, finding a base wouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡®It¡¯s pointless to dwell on what can¡¯t be done.¡¯ Unfortunately, I still haven¡¯t figured out how to summon [Mobile Fortress Bimana]. Putting aside the fortress, this ce could indeed serve as a good base. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Good choice. I¡¯ll inform the others.¡± The briefing continued with other updates. ¡°We¡¯re organizing the ammunition battalion. We¡¯re sorting out the bombs and ammunition we need. Even though thergest ammo depot exploded, we still have a massive stockpile.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t have to worry about ammunition for a while. The marksmen will be thrilled.¡± ¡°We also found a few military vehicles and mortars. The engineers took them, so we should have some useful equipment soon. It¡¯s a shame we didn¡¯t get any armored vehicles, though.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± That sounds promising. Evenbat vehicles alone could make a significant impact. Then came the next piece of crucial information. ¡°When we opened the other ammunition depots, we found quite a few unhatched eggs. We¡¯re nning to deal with them just in case.¡± ¡°Unhatched eggs?¡± ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t seem like any monsters will emerge from them immediately, but just to be safe.¡± Eggs, huh? That¡¯s something I can¡¯t overlook. ¡°Tell them not to destroy the eggs and to store them carefully.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, but I have to ask this one. Is it for the same reason I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Min-jae hyung sighed. The fact that the eggs haven¡¯t hatched yet means they¡¯re less developed than the monsters we¡¯ve encountered. ¡°So, they¡¯re basically like regr eggs, right?¡± A new ingredient. I have to try cooking them at least once. ¡°Ah. We¡¯ll enjoy eating them, but every time I learn about the ingredients, it makes my head spin. And now you want to add spider eggs to the mix?¡± ¡°As long as they taste good, what¡¯s the problem?¡± Min-jae hyung looked horrified, and I gave him a lighthearted smile. * * * There were a few more reports. How they managed food while I was unconscious and other such details. ¡°For now, we¡¯re getting by with things like ramen from the mart, but the soldiers areining a lot.¡± There were many requests for the cook to return soon. Honestly, I felt a bit proud hearing that. Andstly, ¡°You noticed that the spider monsters we fought were injured, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The spider monsters were strong but manageable. The reason was simple. ¡®There were only a few adult monsters, and even they were severely injured.¡¯ Even the Queen was in an injured state. ¡°We found out the reason.¡± ¡°What? How? I mean, what¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best if you see for yourself.¡± With that, Min-jae hyung pulled something out from his belongings. ¡°A notebook?¡± ¡°When you read it, you¡¯ll get a rough idea of what happened. It¡¯s not that crucial from my perspective, but I thought you might find it important.¡± He shrugged and finished speaking. ¡°That¡¯s all for the report for now. Do you need anything? I¡¯ve moved all your personal items.¡± ¡°Nothinges to mind at the moment.¡± ¡°If you need anythingter, let me know. For now, get some rest.¡± Min-jae hyung stood up after finishing his report. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡± Just before closing the door, he suddenly stopped. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Captain. The others are grateful to you.¡± ¡°This is what military life is about ¡ª everyone working hard together.¡± ¡°Is that so? If that¡¯s how you feel, then so be it. Just know that everyone appreciates you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Min-jae hyung smiled and left the infirmary. With him gone, the room fell into a deep silence. ¡®¡­This is boring.¡¯ I worried a bit about the future of the unit, but it was pointless to stress over it when I needed rest and recovery. Just as I was about to lie down and close my eyes, I noticed the notebook Min-jae hyung had left behind. The cause of the monsters¡¯ injuries, he said, could be found in this book. With nothing else to do, I decided to take a look. I opened the notebook. Flipping to a random page, I started reading. ¨C X Month 2nd (Thursday) ¨C Five new recruits arrived. ¨C There was a conflict between Corporal Lee Gil-woo and a soldier from the dispatch securitypany, but it was resolved amicably. ¡®?¡¯ I nced at the cover of the notebook. It didn¡¯t seem to be a barracks journal. It was a notebook documenting events within the unit. Who would write such a thing? I wondered, but I quickly realized who. -The five new recruits had an interview with the Battalion Commander. Although they all imed there were no issues, two of them seemed uneasy when asked if there were any bullying seniors. Ah.. I got it now ¡®It was the battalionmander.¡¯ It seemed like he recorded the events to ensure he didn¡¯t forget what happened in the unit. Turning the page, I found more notes about the unit¡¯s affairs. ¡®Wait, in that case¡­¡¯ I quickly flipped through the pages. There was only one date I was looking for. ¡®The day the monsters appeared. It was definitely a weekend, right?¡¯ Finding the record for that date, I read: ¨C X Month 4th (Saturday) ¨C While walking the dog around the unit, was attacked by a strange creature. ¨C A huge, white spider-like creature with de-like front legs, about the size of a midsize car. ¨C Communication with the outside was cut off. Confirming that allmunication systems have be non-functional. ¨C The majority of the soldiers were killed. As expected. They experienced the same thing as we did. ¡°So, the battalionmander was at the unit.¡± Although it was the weekend, he must havee to the unit to walk the dog. And that¡¯s when the incident urred. ¨C List of the deceased . . ¨C List of missing personnels . . . Numerous names were recorded below that list. A list of casualties and those missing in action. ¡°¡­¡± From that moment on, I immersed myself and began flipping through the pages. After being attacked by monsters, The ammunition battalion also began to resist. They joined forces with the dispatched securitypany soldiers. They opened the ammunition depot¡­ Establishing defenses using several buildings as strongholds. It was a defense simr to ours. ¡°On this day, casualties: 2 deceased, 3 critically injured, numerous wounded.¡± Unlike us who quickly grasped the awakening techniques and improved the quality of our forces, These were ordinary soldiers. Deaths urred almost daily. Still, the number of fatalities wasn¡¯t excessively high, But it didn¡¯tst long either. On X Month 12 (Sunday), Troops defending the eastern outpost deserted without permission. During the desertion process, it seems the majority of deserters also perished. It¡¯s unknown if there were survivors who escaped alive. Holes in the defense perimeter resulted in losing control of the eastern building. Although no casualties urred due to swift action, The loss of provisions was painfully felt. ¡°They were the deserters.¡± Those deserters we encountered. Their desertion marked a significant turning point. The defense line we barely held on to¡­ It began to copse rapidly. ¨C Further defense is difficult. The battalionmander seemed to think so too. Most of the notebook entries were written in a detached tone, but deep despair could be felt within. ¡°¡­¡± My chest tightened. Could it be that so many people have died like this? ¡°Did those bastards make it too easy for them to die?¡± Just as I was about to sink into such thoughts, ¡°There are still¡­ pages left.¡± Separate from the despair that was engulfing me, the battalionmander continued with his records. And then, suddenly, a page written in urgent handwriting appeared. The content, written in a strangely excited tone, read: On X Month 15 (Wednesday), ¨C Corporal Lee Gil-woo¡¯s report. ¨C Spection that the exoskeletons of those spider-like creatures are weak against heat. ¨C Discovered by chance, but credibility seems high given the circumstances. ¡°¡­!¡± A vulnerability. It¡¯s the weakness of the ¡°White Spiders of Arachron.¡± Have they seeded in identifying it? ¨C Decided that maintaining the defense line is no longer meaningful. ¨C Therefore, ¨C We will go on the offensive. Surrounded by monsters. Defense lines breached due to desertion. Soldiers dying daily. Dwindling food supplies. Even in such despairing circumstances, the soldiers of the ammunition battalion did not give up easily. ¨C Mobilized all remaining soldiers for arge-scale operation. ¨C If sessful, there is a high chance of breaking through the encircling alien creatures and escaping the unit. ¨C Even in failure, it is anticipated that the operation will inflict significant damage on the alien creatures. ¨C Execution is set for tomorrow. Now, only one page remains. The contents written there were brief. On X Month 16 (Thursday), ¨C Fight to the death, live or die. ¨C Even if we die, we won¡¯t go down without a fight, you damn spiderlings. ¡°¡­¡± Injured Queens and the fully matured creatures. The subtle count of the matured creatures. Now I understood, the reason. ¡°They resisted fiercely until the very end.¡± I¡¯m not sure what kind of operation they carried out, but that resistance yielded very effective results. They significantly reduced the number of creatures and even inflicted critical wounds on the enemy queen. Having read that far, I quietly closed the notebook. There were two reasons why I sought out the ammunition battalion. One was to secure ammunition. The other was, ¡°As a soldier, to investigate how other units were wiped out and to reim them.¡± The objective was achieved. How they were wiped out, I¡¯ve now confirmed every detail of that process. Soldiers who resisted without giving up until the end. In the end, it seems they werepletely wiped out, but their deaths were certainly not in vain. ¡°If there had been even slightly more creatures¡­ No, if those creatures had been undamaged, our reim operation would have failed.¡± The reason we were able to survive. It¡¯s because of their resistance until the very end. ¡°Once things settle down, let¡¯s arrange for their funerals.¡± They were individuals who possessed immense courage. Thereafter, I stared nkly at the ceiling lost in thought. It was a day of deep contemtion. * * * Even after that, I had to stay confined to the hospital bed for several days. Lying around with nothing to do. As I nced around, wondering if there was anything nearby, I noticed some items piled beside the bed. ¡°Oh, my personal belongings.¡± Come to think of it, It seemed Min-jae hyung had brought them over. Clothes. Books. And even the pistol I kept, though I rarely used it. Except for my military uniform taken for repairs due to damage, It seemed like all my belongings were here. But there was one thing that worried me in particr. ¡°No way.¡± I pulled out an item from my military bag. A crudely made sheath. And inside it was the sashimi knife that I had been borrowing from my junior. Despite being borrowed, it somehow fit snugly in my hand and served me well. Though during the recent battle, I pushed it quite hard, and used it rather recklessly. And that bothered me. Anxiety preceded me, but still, I drew out the knife from its sheath. ¡°¡­Well, I guess it¡¯d end up like this.¡± The de was so badly bent that it was hard to imagine its original sharp form. The handle seemedpletely burnt. ¡°This thing, someone would think it was used for some kind of religious practices in a cult.¡± These days, knives are said to be made to withstand considerable heat. However, I had to raise the knife¡¯s temperature to a different level to strike down the Queen who was vulnerable to heat. Until shing and thrusting, I managed to maintain the shape and tip somehow. But after that, it seems I couldn¡¯t even hold out until the shape waspletely distorted. The knife managed to maintain its shape and edge while I was cutting and stabbing. But it seems it couldn¡¯t hold up after striking the Queen. ¡°I used this borrowed item for quite long time.¡± Maybe, I should change it now. I thought I should get a kitchen knife or something at the mart and move on. A few dayster. After my wounds had fully healed and I could move about again. ¡°Give me that knife.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Someone said that to me. He was one of the survivors who came to our unit in the mountains. A person who has officially joined our ranks after awakening a few days ago. ¡°I want to use that knife as a reference. Hand it over.¡± It was the grandfather. Grandpa Park. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Your trantor OneForce here. I have a series of exciting news for our avid and supporting readers. The first news is about the . As wished by some of the readers, we have added aments section on the site. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the chapter, and you¡¯ll be able to see it. The second news is about a giveaway. Just yesterday, we achieved 500 bookmarks on NU. So, to celebrate this assion we will be doing a giveaway. Next month, 3 lucky readers will be given ess to 5 Advance [PAID] Chapters for free. The winning criteria are quite simple. All you have to do is be active on the discord server and drop us a review/rating on NU. One regr chapter will be uploaded today, after few hours. This is the second additional chapter NU votes milestonepletion that I had promised to release on Monday, but couldn¡¯t due to some IRL work. [post-views] Chapter 53 Chapter 53 After my wounds had healed to some extent, I was discharged from the infirmary and moved to my new quarters within the ammunition battalion. ¡°So, this is my room?¡± ¡°Yes. It used to be the battalionmander¡¯s office, but everyone agreed that you should use it, Sergeant.¡± The issue was that this room wasn¡¯t just any ordinary room; it was the battalionmander¡¯s office. It was the space used by the author of that notebook and themander of this unit. Honestly, it felt a bit overwhelming. ¡®I¡¯m no longer just a regr sergeant now.¡¯ When it was just the soldiers of the 423rd Battalion, I felt like one of them. But now, with the survivors joining us, my position had elevated to that of a guild master, a fairly high rank. Considering this status, it might be burdensome for the others if I continued to live in themon quarters with them. I had no choice but to ept the room. As I was trying to get used to this somewhat intimidating room, there was a knock on the door. Someone familiar entered. ¡°Oh, Grandpa Park?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Grandpa Park was the one who had seen me managing my sword, and he would sharpen it for me and teach me how to maintain it. Our interactions from those times led to us having conversations every now and then. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡± Given my rank, I usually spoke informally in official settings, but with Grandpa Park, the age gap was too significant, so I tended to use formal speech in casual situations. ¡°I was worried when I heard themander had been bedridden. Have you fully recovered now?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no problem with my activities.¡± ¡°Hmph, at least that¡¯s some relief,¡± he said gruffly. I knew he was a good person deep down, so I didn¡¯t take it to heart. ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued, narrowing his eyes. I knew what he was looking at¡ªthe oddly deformed knife in the corner of the battalionmander¡¯s office. I scratched my head and said, ¡°Well, it ended up like this.¡± ¡°Tsk. I heard bits about how you fought. Figured it would look like this,¡± he responded. ¡°Is there any way to repair it?¡± I asked, though I was starting to think it might be time for a recement. This knife had been with me since my awakening, and mybat style was somewhat tailored to it. ¡°The best option is to somehow save this knife,¡± I said. However, he delivered his final verdict, dashing any lingering hopes, ¡°It can¡¯t be saved.¡± If the edge was just heavily damaged, it would have been manageable. Grandpa Park examined the warped knife closely, turning it this way and that. ¡°Exposure to high temperatures, that¡¯s not the problem itself,¡± he said. ¡°So, what can be done then?¡± I asked, holding onto a sliver of hope. ¡°The problem is the cooling process after being exposed to high temperatures. It inevitably changes the internal structure,¡± he exined. ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°The very properties of the metal have changed,¡± he continued. This meant that even if the knife could be reshaped back to its original form, it would be an entirely different sword¡ªessentially, it would be an unusable ornament. In the end, saving this knife was impossible. Acquiring another knife wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but it wouldn¡¯t be the same. The point shop does sell knives, but they¡¯re no different from the typical kitchen knives that could be found at the supermarkets. They¡¯re certainly not as good as this one. However, I had no other choice. So, I was about to open the point shop and spend some of my saved points when Grandpa Park spoke up. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll make you a new one.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Give me that knife.¡± Grandpa Park said this quite suddenly. ¡°I want to use that knife as a reference. Hand it over.¡± ¡°Wait, is making a new knife really that simple? We don¡¯t even have proper equipment here.¡± ¡°Did you forget? I¡¯ve awakened too,¡± Grandpa Park said, pulling something out from his coat. It was arge hammer, held in his small, aged hands. ¡°My awakened job is cksmith.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Grandpa Park was one of the 25 survivors who had joined our unit. A few days ago, all these survivors hadpleted their awakenings. Among them, Grandpa Park¡¯s awakened profession was cksmith. I hadn¡¯t heard the details of his abilities, but a cksmith¡­ ¡°Actually, I had a feeling you might have had some experience in that field.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not entirely clueless then,¡± he replied. I recalled seeing him sharpen my knife in the kitchen of the 423rd Battalion. His skill and demeanor were too refined for just any elderly man who had done some work in the kitchen. ¡®There was something about him¡ªa craftsman¡¯s aura, around him.¡¯ I had guessed he might have worked in metal crafting or something simr. ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s Park¡¯s Workshop,¡± he said proudly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Park¡¯s Workshop. You must have heard of it.¡± ¡°Park¡¯s Workshop?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the second-generation owner of that very workshop.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked, feeling a bit embarrassed. Grandpa Park¡¯s expression turned sharply. ¡°Park¡¯s Workshop¡­ You haven¡¯t heard of it?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ of course! Now I remember. You¡¯re quite aplished!¡± ¡°Enough. You bastard, you have no idea, do you?¡± I felt a bit guilty for not recognizing it. He spoke as if it was something significant, but honestly, I had never heard of it. From the context, it seemed to be apany that makes knives. ¡°Well, even though I awakened as a chef, my true job was that of a regr army chef. I wasn¡¯t particrly interested in knives.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s considered the best not just in Gangwon-do but nationwide¡­ No, forget it. What¡¯s the point in exining?¡± Grandpa Park sighed, cutting himself off. He seemed a bit disappointed. It looked like he decided it wasn¡¯t worth exining further to someone unfamiliar with the subject. ¡°How can someone who cooks not know about this¡­?¡± Grandpa Park muttered. Many chefs in the army are former professional chefs, so they can bring their own personal knives, provided the tips are blunt to prevent them from being used as weapons. Our unit, being sox, didn¡¯t even enforce this rule. However, most cooks who weren¡¯t professional chefs just used the standardized knives provided by the military. Professional chefs would probably recognize Park¡¯s Workshop immediately, but I wasn¡¯t quite at that level. Perhaps the newer recruits who had been learning cooking before enlisting would know it. ¡°Anyway, just know that I have the capability to make a few knives. I need you to grant me a few permissions.¡± ¡°What kind of permissions?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need some assistance from a few mages. You remember the sisters I shared a room with?¡± Their names were Hyunji and Hyeji, if I remember correctly. I remembered them because it was thanks to those sisters that I was able to meet Grandpa Park in the first ce. ¡°One of them awakened as fire mage while the other as ice mage. Temperature control is essential for making knives, so I¡¯m nning to seek a bit of help from those two.¡± ¡°I will pass on the request to Sergeant Min-jae then. He is the squad leader of all the mages.¡± ¡°Thanks. Next, I n to establish a workshop.¡± A workshop? Seeing me puzzled over this, Grandpa Park continued his exnation. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing special. Just think of it as a slightlyrger workshop.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not unfamiliar with the word ¡®workshop.¡¯ Is it a necessary upation for a cksmith?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not mandatory, but it¡¯s beneficial to have one. Me, the engineers, and that seamstress girl.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°In the case of production workers like us who create items, the presence of a workshop greatly affects the quality of the output.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The equipment made by Lee Sang-ah is still very useful. But could there be more potential here? ¡°We¡¯re nning to modify one of the ammunition depots here. Can you grant permission for that?¡± Thebat vehicles made by the engineers have definitely proven useful in this battle. ording to Min-jae hyung¡¯s report, the captured items from this unit are also being modified into weapons. Expanding their roles would only benefit them. ¡°I understand. Feel free to proceed with that.¡± ¡°Thank you. Honestly, this was the most difficult request.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± I asked, wanting to be as supportive as possible of the production efforts. As per my observations, the performance of the production workers in this world was better than expected. Since I¡¯ve agreed to support them, I decided to support them with everything I could. ¡°There is onest request. Um¡­¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Not now. I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Grandpa Park showed meaningful restraint in speaking. ¡°Is it a difficult request to make?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Well, you¡¯ll find out when the timees.¡± He chuckled, seeming to have something up his sleeve. I didn¡¯t know what Grandpa Park was nning, but I figured it couldn¡¯t be anything too malicious. ¡°Alright, let me know once the preparations are ready.¡± *** After granting Grandpa Park permission to build the workshop, the sounds of heavy construction could be heard from the corner of the unit where the ammunition depots used to be. ¡°This noise¡­ Won¡¯t it be a problem?¡± I asked one of the engineers. ¡°We¡¯re modifying the ammunition depots that are rtively inside, so it shouldn¡¯t be heard by the monsters outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that we¡¯re in such a spacious unit.¡± Monsters weren¡¯t attracted to themotion caused by the construction provided us some additionalfort. After a few days, by the time I had adapted somewhat to the kitchen of the ammunition battalion, ¡°Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yeah? Need more food?¡± ¡°No, sir. The workshop is fullypleted.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As I finished lunch distribution and prepared for dinner, a soldier from the engineering department came to me. Thepletion of the workshop meant, ¡°Ah¡­ I see, the construction was pretty noisy. Finally, it¡¯s done.¡± Imented. ¡°Haha. We apologize for the disturbance.¡± We had worked day and night toplete construction as quickly as possible. Despite that, I was relieved the work finished swiftly. ¡°So, Sergeant, could youe to the workshop for a moment?¡± ¡°Hmm? Is there something I need to help with?¡± ¡°No, sir. Grandpa Park said there¡¯s something he wants to make for you.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°He insisted that the first item made in the workshop must be for you¡­ Any guesses?¡± I had a hunch about it. ¡°My cooking knife.¡± While a standard kitchen knife from the ammunition battalion¡¯s kitchen worked fine for cooking I had been feeling a bit inconvenienced by theckluster performance of the standard-issue kitchen knife. So, I was curious to see thepleted workshop. The appearance of the workshop was quite unique. It looked like a mix of modern buildings and medieval forges. The workshop was made by renovating one of the igloo-shaped ammunition depots. On top, there was arge chimney that hadn¡¯t been there before, but there was no smokeing out. ¡°You haven¡¯t started working yet? There¡¯s no smoke.¡± ¡°Oh, smoke probably won¡¯te out continuously.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We¡¯re using fire magic from the mages to generate heat. Since we don¡¯t need to burn firewood or anything, there won¡¯t be any smoke.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Well, it¡¯s better if smoke doesn¡¯t attract the monsters¡¯ attention. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the chimney for?¡± ¡°Actually, this workshop itself is modeled after Grandpa. Park¡¯s workshop. Even though the necessity has decreased, we attached it for now. It also serves as heat dissipator.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± By the way, the soldiers have been naturally referring to him as ¡°Park Noyara¡± this whole time. ¡®Didn¡¯t they say this unit only respects those with ability and skill?¡¯ Compared to the engineers, Grandpa Park awakened his powers quitete. Yet the workshop is modeled after Grandpa Park¡¯s own forge, and they¡¯re even using that honorific title of ¡°Park Noyara¡± for him. He must be pretty skilled in his work then. ¡°You are here?¡± Just then, Grandpa Park emerged from within the workshop, and weed me. ¡°Do you like the workshop?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite impressive, better than I expected,¡± I admitted. ¡°The facilities are stillcking, and this workshop is only a temporary workshop in terms of the system¡­ Still, the effect will be significant.¡± ¡°I thought I had made it properly, but it seems this system doesn¡¯t officially recognize it as a proper workshop. There must be some additional conditions for that ssification,¡± Grandpa Park mused. A workshop of this size cannot be treated as an official workshop? Looking around, I could see the engineers already at work, handling pieces of metal. Nearby, there were piles of what seemed to be the finished products. Grandpa Park, after a brief greeting, approached near the piled products. He picked something up and then handed it to me. ¡°Here, give it a try.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± What he handed me was a long knife resembling something straight out of a movie. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive.¡± I may be a clueless oaf when ites to distinguishing types of swords like katanas or Japanese swords, but¡­ I could tell it was a gracefully shaped knife. ¡°Is that so? Well, never mind that. If you¡¯ve grasped it, try giving it a swing.¡± Saying so, he ced a small log on the workbench. ¡°A log, really?¡± ¡®Just a log?¡¯ I thought, stifling augh. I could slice through thick wooden tables like butter, so this seemed almost trivial. Swinging the de with confident ease, I expected it to cleave through the log effortlessly. But to my surprise, the de barely left a mark. ¡°Huh? This knife is¡­ trash?¡± I asked, perplexed, turning towards Grandpa Park. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 3 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit (Limited Time Offer). So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Huh? This knife is¡­ trash?¡± Shit. I couldn¡¯t help but flinch after saying that. A knife made for me. Given how cool it looked, it must have been crafted with some care. This was an insult of the highest order. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡± ¡°Haha. You do have an eye for knives, don¡¯t you.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± While I was flustered, thinking I had been rude, Grandpa Park just chuckled as if it didn¡¯t bother him. ¡°Yes, that piece of trash ¡ª set it aside.¡± ¡°Oh. Sure.¡± ¡°Next, try this one.¡± The old man handed me another knife. It looked simr to the one I had just held. Whack! The result was the same. I spoke up confidently. ¡°Grandpa Park, these knives seem to have some issues.¡± ¡°As if I don¡¯t know that? Try this one next.¡± My bold statement was brushed aside effortlessly. ¡°Hmm. Try this one.¡± And so, I tried the next knife. And the one after that. Grandpa Park kept handing me simr knives, asking me to swing them around. As this went on, Even someone like me, who didn¡¯t know much about knives, started to notice something. ¡°The lengths are getting shorter and shorter.¡± ¡°Haha, you catch on quickly.¡± After going through several knives, At one point, Swoosh¡ª Unlike the previous knives that got stuck in the log, this one cut cleanly. The knife I held this time easily sliced through the thick log. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hmm. The length is about 600mm. You¡¯re handling it quitefortably.¡± Grandpa Park was silently jotting down notes as he watched. At this point, even I could understand what was going on. I opened my status window and checked one of my traits. The name of that trait was: Junior Grade Dagger Mastery The series of actions repeated so far were meant for¡­ ¡°You were figuring out the right length for a dagger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was all about determining the standard for what constitutes a good dagger. ¡°The term ¡®dagger¡¯ sounds nice, but there¡¯s no official standard for what qualifies as a dagger in the realm of knives.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Think about it. A dagger is simply a short de. But what defines ¡®short¡¯? The standard changes depending on its use, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Indeed. When ites to cutting an apple, even the long sashimi knife I used would seem excessive. Yet, it is still considered a type of short de. ¡°Usually, length alone is used to define the ssification, not arbitrary terms like ¡®dagger.¡¯ That¡¯s why I was checking them.¡± ¡°Then what about these impressive knives?¡± ¡°These? I made them as practice pieces using scrap metal lying around, to revive my senses. They¡¯re not even good enough to be toys for kids.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I finally understood why Grandpa Park had such a nonchnt reaction when I called the knives impressive. ¡®To begin with they were hastily made items.¡¯ No wonder he wasn¡¯t impressed by mypliment. ¡®He figured out a trait about myself that I wasn¡¯t even fully aware of.¡¯ The standard for my skill, Junior Grade Dagger Mastery was now clear. About 600mm ¡°That¡¯s quite long, isn¡¯t it?¡± As far as I knew, regr kitchen knives are typically 15-25cm in length. Even veryrge ones are usually under 30cm. ¡°The sashimi knife I had before was around 300mm, which was already considered quite long for its specialized purpose.¡± Now twice that length? ¡°It¡¯s not a length typically used for a kitchen knife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But at least you now have a good idea of the standard length.¡± Grandpa Park showed me a page from his notebook. There was a drawing of a rather long Japanese knife. ¡°This is the longest type used for cutting tuna. This one is 600mm.¡± ¡°Ah, so this is the knife you¡¯reparing it to.¡± ¡°Exactly. And even that tuna knife is still considered a ¡®kitchen knife¡¯ at the end of the day.¡± In other words, these 600mm des represent the upper limit of what would be considered a standard kitchen knife. ¡°Since your upation is that of a chef, I imagine this length is about the maximum that would be suited for you to use effectively.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Actually, This wasn¡¯t a bad news for me. The length of the kitchen knives I had been using was around 300mm. Knowing that even knives twice that length could be covered by my trait was a significant advantage. A longer de length offered tremendous benefits. ¡®Especially since there are manyrge monsters.¡¯ No matter how sharp my knife skills were, Stabbing a monster with a body tens of meters long wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. The pain would likely only be akin to a slight prick from a needle. ¡®¡¯Just as it¡¯s impossible to kill a dinosaur by stabbing it dozens of times with a 0.01mm needle, the same principle applies here.''¡± It was all thanks to my [Chef¡¯s Eyes] skill that allowed me to identify the enemies¡¯ weaknesses and helped to offset the shorings of using a short weapon up until now. The increased de length was a boon. A longer de meant a greater reach, And therefore, more destructive power. ¡°Next is this one.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not over yet?¡± ¡°We need to be more thorough.¡± It wasn¡¯t over. Grandpa Park then handed me a double-edged de. In other words, A sword rather than a knife. ¡°As I expected from the name ¡®Dagger Mastery,¡¯ double-edged forms are not covered regardless of length.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± ¡°Next, try this one.¡± A knife with a broad de like a Chinese chef¡¯s knife. A Chinese cleaver. ¡°The thickness seems to be the limit here ¨C trying to pass this off as a kitchen knife would be a stretch.¡± Eventually, I held all sorts of bizarre shapes. A knife with three des branching from the handle. A nearly circr curved de. A saw-toothed knife. A knife with des on both the top and bottom of the handle. ¡°This should be enough.¡± The evaluation process finally concluded, after my concept of what constitutes a ¡®knife¡¯ had been thoroughly shattered ¡°If I start working now, it will be done within a week. Ah, would you like to watch?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°You should at least see the material being melted down. It¡¯s your trophy, after all.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Saying that, Grandpa Park opened a door in the corner of the workshop. When the door opened, what appeared was a smelting furnace. A room with a massive furnace in the centre. ¡°Ah! Hello!¡± ¡°¡­Hello, Commander.¡± Near the furnace, two magicians were waiting. The sisters who used to share a room with Grandpa Park. Each had awakened as a fire and ice mage, respectively. In a world without coal or oil, It was these two magicians who managed the heat. ¡°Hyejin, start the fire.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as we entered the furnace area, Grandpa Park spoke. Whoosh. Magical mes engulfed the furnace. ¡°Make it hotter!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Whoosh¡ª Even with my fire affinity as a chef, The heat was overwhelming. As the furnace temperature rapidly increased, Grandpa Park looked at me and spoke. ¡°Thest favour I mentioned before. I¡¯ll tell you now.¡± The mages¡¯ contributions, The workshop¡¯s creation, And the final favour that he had mentioned. ¡°Can I use that?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Turning my gaze in the direction Grandpa Park pointed, Engineers in thick clothing were bringing in something massive from the corner. An object I was quite familiar with. ¡®The Queen¡¯s de.¡¯ White spider monsters with six legs and two additional de-like forelegs. This was an object of overwhelming size among them. The de of the queen I had personally cut down. ¡°Haha! So, this was thest favour?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems this material is quite valuable.¡± The spider monsters that had upied the ammunition depot. Their bodies were rtively weak and sumbed easily to heat, But their two de-like forelegs were extraordinarily tough. They were sharp, and resistant to heat. Now out of all the ws, the Queen¡¯s de-like forelegs were particrly impressive. ¡°I asked around with the other soldiers too. Since you were the one who felled this, they said the ownership rightfully belongs to you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mention this before and suddenly bringing it up now. Was that intentional?¡± ¡°Yeah. It does carry quite an imposing presence, right?¡± Indeed, the immense sense of awe from the Queen¡¯s massive forelegs was no joke. ¡°So, can I use it then?¡± ¡°Yes. Feel free to use it as you wish.¡± ¡°Great!¡± There was no way I could refuse, given they intended to forge my new weapon from this. Is there any reason to refuse? ¡°Themander has granted permission! Put it in right away!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With great effort, the colossal foreleg was moved into the furnace. The heat was likely far beyond what would be required to melt ordinary iron. Sure enough, the Queen¡¯s foreleg began to glow red-hot and slowly it began to melt. ¡°It seems even that can melt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the cksmith¡¯s skill. Without that, ordinary heat wouldn¡¯t do. We¡¯ve already tested it.¡± ¡°Tested it?¡± ¡°I melted down the ws of the regr spider soldiers, since no one had im to their ownership. It was all just practice for making your weapon, of course.¡± Grandpa Park, holding a hammer, approached the furnace with a smile. He said, chuckling, ¡°It was a dress rehearsal for making your weapon.¡± *** ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± A few dayster. Before my eyesy a leather bag. Even though my knowledge of cooking iscking, I can still understand this much. A knife bag. ¡°The knife sheath and bag were made by Lee Sanh-ah.¡± ncing up discreetly. I saw Lee Sang-ah standing next to Grandpa Park. ¡°The workshop. It also affects the skills of the seamstress.¡± I wondered what could be so important about a knife bag or sheath. But upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t just that. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] Contrary to its name, now this ability allows me to assess all manner of things and not just food ingredients. [Leather Sheath filled with sincerity of a Junior Grade Seamstress] [Preserves the enclosed knife in optimal condition. Additionally, if the de is damaged, the sheath¡¯s magic slowly restores it] [Leather bag filled with sincerity of a Junior Grade Seamstress] [Bestows faint magic on the enclosed knife. After withdrawing the knife from the bag, it grants a ¡®sharpness¡¯ buff for 10 minutes.] ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°They said you¡¯d be using it, the Legion Commander, so I put in some extra effort.¡± Her crafting skills had improved during this time, perhaps due to added bonuses from the workshop. Even this auxiliary equipment had effects exceeding my expectations. ¡°If the knife bag and sheath are this good, how impressive must be the main gear?¡± With anticipation, I opened the bag, my heart beating rapidly. Inside the bag were two kitchen knives. ¡­Two? ¡°Not just one?¡± ¡°The Queen¡¯s ws came in pairs, didn¡¯t they? So, the des should alsoe in pairs as well.¡± Well, I couldn¡¯t argue with that logic. ¡°From the start, it never made sense for a chef to carry only one knife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Until now, you¡¯ve managed with just one for vegetables and meat, right?¡± In most cases, Chefs don¡¯t stick to just one knife. Depending on the dish, having various knives is essential. Of course, I wasn¡¯t a chef but a former soldier. As a chef, at most I would separate knives for cutting meat and vegetables, nothing more sophisticated than that. I might also have a Chinese-style cleaver for cutting meat, but that¡¯s all about the extent of my knife usage. ¡®These must be the real des used by master chefs.¡¯ My past aspiration to be a chef after leaving the military¡­ Now it feels like a distant memory. ¡°It seems like I¡¯m starting to at least assemble a basic set, even if it¡¯s just the bare minimum.¡± ¡°Go ahead, give them a try.¡± Following Grandpa Park¡¯s words, I decided to try out one of the knives. The one I held was the longer of the two. As I gripped the knife, a status window appeared before my eyes. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Dokkkogusik*] [A masterpiece created by a Junior Grade cksmith with all his might, possessing qualities of a master] [Made from the forelegs of the renowned White Spider of Arachron, a material renowned for its quality.] [The Queen¡¯s foreleg in particr, is an excellent raw material that retains its edge remarkably well] [Designed for efficiently handlingrge ingredients, it is on the longer side of a kitchen knife] [While it doesn¡¯t possess any special magical properties, it¡¯s faithful to the basics as a sturdy and sharp weapon] [Significantly increases Strength and Agility when equipped] [It will not wear out easily] [It will not break easily] [Carries the resentment of former leader of an entire species] [When used inbat, the probability of causing a critical hit increases] Though it resembled a Japanese chef¡¯s knife in form, the length was more akin to a short sword, exceeding the typical size of a cooking de. This was likely due to the limitations of my own specifications. It was probably around 600mm in length. The feel in my hand was quite different from the start. I had thought I had gotten used to the sushi knife wielded by my junior, but holding this one made that notion quickly disappear. I also noticed an ornate, antique-looking pattern along the side of the de. ¡°What is this design on the de?¡± ¡°Ah that? It emerged naturally during the forging process. Quite elegant, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Amazing.¡± I¡¯ve never had much desire for knives in my life. But holding this now, I think I understand why my junior proudly regarded the chef¡¯s knife crafted by a master. ¡°Try holding the next one.¡± The second knife was shorter in length but had a wide de. As I gripped the knife a description simr to the previous one appeared before my eyes. This knife¡¯s name is¡­ [ck Chinese Cleaver] ¡°It¡¯s a Chinese-style knife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the most versatile knives for cooking. And it could be useful inbat as well.¡± True to his words, this de had a substantial heft to it, though the edge was not overly long. It could likely be wielded like an axe to cleave through tough objects. Both des were exceptional in quality, eliciting admiration. Both knives are truly exceptional to evoke admiration. If there¡¯s one thing, I¡¯m concerned about¡­ Then it¡¯s their name ¡®Dokkkogusik¡¯ and ¡®ck Chinese Cleaver¡¯. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Is it okay to use these names?¡± ¡°Huh? You have an issue with my naming?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s cool. It¡¯s dignified, too.¡± Our n to seize ammunition was to secure ammunition, but I never expected the unexpected gains of battle to be used like this. Moreover, it seemed like I wasn¡¯t the only one getting new weapons. ¡°Let¡¯s test if attaching some spikes to the t of a hammer would still have it recognized as a hammer by our engineers.¡± ¡°Like a meat tenderizer? Not a bad idea. Ourbat engineers only have [Hammer Mastery] skill, after all.¡± ¡°We tried experimenting with the Sentinels¡¯ [Shield Proficiency] ¨C even attaching des to the shields, they¡¯re still recognized as shields. Putting the des on the bottom could let us use them as weapons too.¡± ¡°The mages are asking for staffs¡­ I wonder what that¡¯s about.¡± In the corner of the workshop, I could see the Combat Engineers gathered, deep in discussion. It seemed like they were designing weapons for the unit members. Just like how I checked the standards for [Dagger Mastery], They¡¯re inventing weapons tailored to other awakened job traits. ¡°¡­Those guys always liked making things from scratch, like stic models or DIY kits.¡± They always enjoyed creating and assembling something. Given that proper production facilities like the workshop have been established¡­ Their hobbies and aptitudes align perfectly. Now that the environment is set up as well. ¡°It must¡¯ve been tough for you guys to operate as warriors, huh?¡± ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t start.¡± ¡°I remember when they forcibly assigned me to the warrior role because of my [Hammer Mastery] and stamina enhancement traits. Back then, I thought I was going to die; I had nobat skills.¡± ¡°Heh, I¡¯m a chef myself. I know exactly how that feels.¡± With the materials and the workshop now set up, It was quite nice to see them creating and researching various things that fit their main profession. ¡°The standards for [Greatsword Mastery] have no limits on maximum size, but there are restrictions on the minimum size¡­¡± ¡°The rouge-type awakened ones are skilled with daggers like the sergeant, but their skills seem to be more about throwing, so they focus on mass shooting.¡± ¡°At this rate won¡¯t there be a shortage of white spider by-products?¡± ¡°Hey, over here! Can someone help me with dismantling this vehicle?¡± Afternding to the ground, Aftering down to the surface, the number of Awakened had grown by additional twenty. And it became clear that the diversity of upations was greater than expected. ¡®We may categorize them broadly as ¡°Warrior¡± or ¡°Mage¡± types, but the specifics are quite varied.¡¯ Even within the Warrior ss, there were Berserkers, Sentinels, Knights, Swordsmen, Lancers and more. Among them, there were those who needed to use specific weapons like my ¡®Dagger Mastery¡¯ to demonstrate their abilities. Until now, we had been getting by with whatever weapons we could find in the point shop, even if it didn¡¯t work perfectly with our awakened abilities. Because of this reason many awakened weren¡¯t satisfied with their equipment. ¡°Not anymore.¡± I look down at the clothes I was wearing. A ck and grey digital camouge uniform made from lizard skin. ¡°It looks stylish, performs well, but¡­¡± Maybe it¡¯s because this is a custom-tailored garment, something I¡¯ve never worn before. Despite being a leather military uniform, it feels asfortable as wearing nothing at all. This protective suit was exclusively created for me. And then there are these two des that I recently obtained. ¡°The Queen only had only two front legs to use as weapons, so I could only make two knives for now.¡± ¡°So, one of those giant legs became a single de?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems the system can only produce one item per raw material. Bring me more usable materials, and I¡¯ll make as many as you need.¡± Weapons that will be made for me in the future. ¡°I think these two swords will be enough for me.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? As a chef, you should know how to wield a variety of knives for different purposes. And you¡¯re our leader at that ¨C you need at least ten des!¡± It¡¯s not just for me. Every guild member will be supplied with weapons and armour tailored for them. Now that we¡¯ve reimed the ammunition depot and solved the marksmen¡¯s bullet problem, The armament of the unit members has begun in earnest. If survival was the goal for all unit members in the mountains, The first goal on the ground was settlement. And we¡¯ve effectively aplished that. So now¡­ I discreetly turned my gaze towards the distant horizon. Out there lies the former military base that has now be a maze. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: *Dokkkogusik it generally refers to something being ¡°old-fashioned¡± or ¡°outdated.¡± It conveys a sense of traditional or antiquated style or approach. Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 5 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. For now, the sky is the limit. So, don¡¯t shy away from giving us a review or a rating and take away as many additional chapters as possible. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Quite a bit of time has passed since the world has been overrun by monsters and zombies. During that long period, the survivors have not simply been sitting idle. ¡°Everyone¡¯s still alive. That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Do you think the people gathered here are the kind to die easily?¡± In an old building on the outskirts of the city, a few humans gathered to greet each other. The world had copsed suddenly. To survive, the survivors sought various methods, one of which was this: ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin this information exchange session.¡± Information exchange among survivors. Survivor groups active in the vicinity, those who deemed each other trustworthy, had formed a regr meeting. To some, this might seem like nothing special. However, just creating a safe ce to meet regrly required tremendous effort. This information exchange was indeed valuable. Except for exceptionally capable groups, the number of survivors in a group typically didn¡¯t exceed thirty. Issues like food and shelter, among countless other problems, naturally arose. However, the capacity of small groups was limited. By creating such a tform for exchange, they shared information and coborated when necessary. This significantly aided their survival. When the exchanges first began, more than ten groups participated. Now, only about five groups remained. ¡°Do you know the group that was active near the town hall?¡± ¡°Oh, the one with two awakened members.¡± ¡°Yes, that group. They decided to move to join therge group in the north.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The rumoredrge survivor organization?¡± The leaders of each group began sharing their information. ¡°Hm, how many times is this already? It seems a lot of people are moving.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m skeptical about the credibility of this information.¡± ¡°Well, the food supply in the district is starting to run out. We¡¯ll have to make a decision soon.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s my turn next. Remember that mysterious explosion fromst time?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. That was an enormous explosion. If there hadn¡¯t been so many monsters drawn to the noise, we might have figured out the cause. Such a pity.¡± ¡°The debris from that explosion destroyed the building those mantis-like monsters had upied. Thanks to that, the route in that direction has be a bit safer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That explosion turned out to be beneficial for us.¡± The leaders of each group gathered here began sharing their information one by one. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± When it came to her turn, a woman began to speak. She had an unremarkable appearance, but there was one distinctive feature: she participated in the meeting with her eyes closed. She was blind. ¡°The information our group recently secured is¡­¡± She started to speak casually, but the content was far from ordinary. ¡°What¡­ did you say?¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± The survivors, hearing what she said, opened their eyes wide in surprise. And they had every reason to be. ¡°A military unit is still surviving?¡± ¡°And in this area?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too good to be true?¡± It was information about a military unit that was previously thought to be annihted. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious about this.¡± At that moment. A man, wearing a skeptical expression, ced his feet on the table and spoke. ¡°How does Sister Sua alwayse up with such rare information?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The location of that military unit, I know it too. In fact, everyone here probably knows it. It¡¯s a ce even well-informed survivors wouldn¡¯t go near.¡± Other leaders nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Most ces where military units were stationed are now upied by powerful monsters, so it¡¯s an unspoken rule not to approach them. Besides, isn¡¯t that the ce where deserters are said to roam around?¡± Seeing the others nod, the man grew more confident. ¡°A military unit active in such a ce? How did you even get this information?¡± ¡°Does the source matter?¡± ¡°Of course, it does. Whether we can trust the information depends on its source. What if those deserters you mentioned are just pretending to be a legitimate military unit? That would be a bigger problem.¡± He crossed his arms, challenging anyone to refute him. However, Sua, the woman in question, remained calm. ¡°I can¡¯t reveal my source.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But have I ever brought false information before?¡± ¡°What?¡± She turned her head towards the others, her gaze seemingly pinpointing each person despite her blindness. ¡°Mr. Chanseong?¡± ¡°No, you haven¡¯t. Last time, thanks to you, I even saved my life.¡± ¡°And Mr. Jung Gwon?¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the information Sua provided, our group would have starved to death.¡± Everyone present had, at one point, been saved by Sua¡¯s information. Everyone present there had been saved by the information provided by Sua at one point. ¡°Let¡¯s not question the upation or abilities of other group members. This has been a rule since we started these exchanges.¡± Right now, we¡¯re just ordinary survivors, but we never know when someone among us might turn into a plunderer. That¡¯s why, in preparation for such a situation, each group exchanged information without asking or revealing their members¡¯ abilities. It was one of their unspoken rules. ¡°Not being able to disclose the source is the reason. However, all the information brought so far has been genuine, and there¡¯s no reason to spread false information.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°If Sua had any strange intentions, wouldn¡¯t she have acted on them sooner?¡± ¡°I think Kyung Su is just too suspicious.¡± ¡°Ugh, my apologies.¡± ¡°I ept your apology.¡± And so, the conversationpletely shifted to the woman named Sua. With a nod of her head, she continued, ¡°So, I have a suggestion.¡± ¡°A suggestion?¡± ¡°I was thinking, what if we try to make contact with that military unit?¡± ¡°What?¡± The group leaders, who had ced great trust in her, couldn¡¯t help but oppose this idea. ¡°Sua, isn¡¯t that too reckless of a decision?¡± ¡°I also think it¡¯s a bit risky. We don¡¯t even know if we can trust that military unit. Their situation might not be better than ours.¡± ¡°Even if it is better, there¡¯s no guarantee they¡¯ll ept us in the first ce. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to head towards that rumoredrge group instead?¡± Even the woman who had been silently listening nodded her head. ¡°We understand your opinions.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°So, our group will go to meet them first.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°All the concerns you mentioned. We can verify them by contacting them directly, right?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Won¡¯t Sua¡¯s group be in danger?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s worth the risk.¡± Naturally, the conversation shifted towards making contact with the military unit. Listening to this, Kyung Su clicked his tongue inwardly. ¡®Tsk. This isn¡¯t good.¡¯ Feeling uneasy, he looked at Sua and thought. ¡®I don¡¯t like this.¡¯ He was unsettled by her all-knowing attitude and the way she moved as if she could see, despite being blind. It gave him the creeps. While he was thinking this, those unsettling eyes turned toward him. ¡°Kyung Su? Do you have any objections?¡± Sua, who had just started speaking, opened her eyes. Behind her closed eyelids were eyes renderedpletely white from the loss of vision, creating an eerie sense of fear. ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just grateful you¡¯re willing to take on the risk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, Kyung Su had blurted out a thank you, which he instantly regretted. ¡®Damn it. I got scared and said something I didn¡¯t need to.¡¯ Despite his embarrassment, he quickly regained hisposure and thought calmly. This contact with the military unit ¨C he could not allow that under any circumstances. With this the information exchange session came to an end. * * * ¡°We will enter the military zone.¡± I went straight to the point, at the group leaders¡¯ meeting, which hadn¡¯t been held for a while, ¡°Advancing into the military zone.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°Well, saying it¡¯s not dangerous would be a lie. But, you see,¡± I casually opened the system window. A particr sentence was still shing there: [World Event ¨C upation Battle is in progress] ¡°For some reason, this world is telling us to carry out upations.¡± upation. The criteria aren¡¯t clear, but one thing is certain: as we expand our activity area and increase our control over it, we can be the ruler of a region. ¡°I¡¯m a bit annoyed that the system is telling us to do this, but¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it either. But for now, this world follows game-like rules. That means,¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok muttered, ¡°To be honest, I also agree with that.¡± ¡°If we seed, there will be rewards.¡± The grand principle of games:plete a mission and get rewarded. We don¡¯t know what the rewards will be, but they¡¯ll certainly be helpful for our survival. In fact, we once received a ¡®Mobile Fortress¡¯ as a reward for our first upation. We haven¡¯t been able to use it due tock of space to summon it, but still. ¡®Ever sinceing to the surface, we¡¯ve been so focused on settling down that we haven¡¯t looked at the system achievements in a while.¡¯ But now that we¡¯ve settled to some extent, it¡¯s time to follow the system¡¯s guidance. ¡°Expanding our territory is a given. Moreover¡­¡± ¡°The danger has decreased a bit now.¡± The one who chimed in was Private Jeon Gwang-il, grinning as he sped his hands together. On his hands were menacing steel gloves. Those gloves were the reason I suggested advancing into the military zone. ¡®The soldiers¡¯ personal equipment has beenpleted.¡¯ Grandpa Park and the engineers have crafted weapons in the workshop, and now every awakened soldier has received their own customized equipment. Thebat abilities of the unit members have been significantly enhanced. Even if the military zone has turned into a ce resembling a demonic realm, it¡¯s notpletely out of reach anymore. ¡°Well, even so, we¡¯re short on information. We should start with some light reconnaissance.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re not nning a full-scale extermination operation?¡± ¡°We need intel for something like that.¡± Charging blindly into an area where you don¡¯t know what monsters might be lurking around¡­ is nothing more than a shy suicide mission. ¡°If that¡¯s the n, I¡¯m fine with it.¡± ¡°Just as you said, it doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡± Thus, the expedition into the military zone began. * * * While we call it the military zone, it doesn¡¯t have a clear boundary that marks the start of it. We cautiously began our movement, and soon enough, the number of buildings around us increased. Grrr¡­ ¡°Inside that shopping mall, there¡¯s a horde of zombies.¡± The number of monsters began to rise. By this point, we could clearly say: this is the military zone. ¡°Everyone, get ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Of course, getting ready for our unit means: ¡°Enjoy your meal!¡± We took outbat rations and quickly ate them. Shortly after, a new line appeared in our status windows: [Acquired Temporary Attribute ¨C Enhanced Hearing (Eavesdropping)] Thebat rations made with hfur meat had taken effect, granting us this temporary attribute. ¡°Ugh, this really hurts my ears.¡± ¡°Heh, but isn¡¯t it better than dying because we let our guard down?¡± Whether it¡¯s zombies or monsters, most of them tend to make noises. Of course, there will be exceptions, but this trait is perfect for reconnaissance while minimizingbat. There are drawbacks, though. ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ The pain from the incredibly amplified sounds is intense. However, this difort doesn¡¯tst long. Over time, you get somewhat used to it, and the pain lessens. As the pain started to subside, I nced around. I could see all the soldiers standing with tense expressions. The reason was clear. The sounds we heard with [Enhanced Hearing (Eavesdropping)] were numerous. ¡®There are too many.¡¯ Just how many monsters and zombies are gathered in this military zone? ¡®But there¡¯s no need to get discouraged.¡¯ It¡¯s not like all those creatures wille at us at once. ¡°Everyone, we¡¯re moving in.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cautiously, we began searching the buildings within the military zone. ¡®There are nearly twenty soundsing from that building alone, so let¡¯s avoid it for now¡­¡¯ Using our heightened hearing to minimize engagements, we focused on buildings that seemed worth investigating. ¡°This ce is clear.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a long time, after all.¡± Restaurants, convenience stores, all were thoroughly ransacked. I entered a small snack bar and looked towards the counter. Therey a decaying corpse, slumped over the counter. The shape had deteriorated to the point where it was hard to recognize. Yet, despite that, her face seemed familiar. ¡°Thedy from the snack bar. She¡¯s passed away.¡± Honestly, there weren¡¯t many fond memories around this neighborhood. It was an off-limits area for our unit. There were a few ces that charged soldiers exorbitant prices, knowing they couldn¡¯t go elsewhere for outings or visits. Probably more disliked than liked by the members of our unit. But seeing her like this, it couldn¡¯t help but stir up mixed feelings. ¡°All that¡¯s left now are corpses.¡± Last time, during the raid on the market, I felt something simr. During our growth in the unit, It seemed like all the resources on the surface had already fallen into others¡¯ hands. Though we seeded in awakening all our unit members, Our spent time didn¡¯t go in vain, but It was clear that the people on the surface weren¡¯t just idling around. As we progressed with our search to some extent, We encountered a group of survivors. ¡°Stay back.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯te any closer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Their reaction was unexpected ¨C in a world overrun by monsters, seeing soldiers should have warranted a different response. But seems like they are, ¡°Deserters.¡± I understood the reason behind their reaction, yet it left a bitter taste in my mouth. ¡°If you insist oning closer, we¡¯ll have no choice but to show that we¡¯re no pushovers either.¡± ¡°They seem to have heard us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°¡­Young-joon?¡± Sergeant Min-jae seemed annoyed and was about to say something. . But I intervened. ¡°They¡¯re just afraid of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I understand the reason they¡¯re wary of us, so there¡¯s no need to impose ourselves on them forcefully.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Min-jae frowned thoughtfully. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, our expansion of influence will inevitably be dyed.¡± Yeah. That¡¯s the crux of the matter. To carry out our upation mission, we need to grow our influence. Recruiting survivors is essential in this process. ¡°But every survivor we meet treats us like potential threats.¡± Unless wepletely shed the identity of a military unit, It seems like it will take ages just to improve perceptions about us. As recruitment of survivors gets dyed, We¡¯ll likely suffer losses in future operations. Yet, we can¡¯t forcefullypel them to join us. As we pondered over what to do, Suddenly¡­ [Enhanced Hearing] Strange sounds were picked up. Thud¡­ ng¡­ Groan¡­ Sounds ofbat. And in between, Moans of humans. ¡°This is¡­¡± The sound of metal shing against metal. It wasn¡¯t a battle between humans and monsters. It was humans against humans. A conflict among our own kind was unfolding nearby. And¡­ ¡°It¡¯s getting closer.¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 5 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Thanks to the effect of the [Enhance Hearing] attribute, I could clearly hear the sound of an on-going battle from somewhere. It was certain that humans were fighting each other. The problem was: ¡°It¡¯s getting closer.¡± ¡°¡­It must be a coincidence, right?¡± Perhaps one side was being pushed back. I could hear the sound of people running away, trying to evade their pursuers. The troubling part was that the origin of the sound was drawing nearer and nearer. ¡®Normally, I¡¯d think it¡¯s just a coincidence.¡¯ But the sound was getting closer and closer. It felt like they were approaching in a straight line. Almost as if: ¡°They know our location and are heading straight for us.¡± What should we do then? Avoiding them wouldn¡¯t be difficult. We still had plenty of Light Foot Slypa Jerky left. If we used it to boost our mobility, retreating would be easy. However, ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Sorry?¡± ¡°Who is attacking their own kind, and for what reason?¡± I decided against running and chose to stay, opting to wait and see what would unfold. After a short while, In the distance, ¡°Ugh, we can¡¯t shake them off.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up! We¡¯re almost there¡­¡± We saw people running towards us. ¡°Wait, up ahead!¡± The fugitives seemed to have noticed us. They halted in front of the path where we were resting. Just as they were about to say something to us, ¡°Haha! Finally given up on running¡­ huh?¡± Another group, the pursuers, appeared. They paused upon seeing us. ¡°Military uniforms? Deserters, perhaps.¡± ¡°So, there were deserters who came this far.¡± The ones who arrivedter muttered softly when they saw us. They seemed to think we couldn¡¯t hear their whispers. ¡®But I can hear everything.¡¯ Thanks to my [Enhanced Hearing], I could clearly hear their conversation as if they were speaking right beside me. ¨C Damn, we almost had them. Talk about bad luck. ¨C Deserters, huh? ¨C Can we take them? ¨C Are you crazy? How do we beat armed soldiers? I couldn¡¯t tell what their exact rtionship was with the ones being chased, but it was clear they didn¡¯t see us favorably. ¨C Still, we can¡¯t just hand over those we¡¯ve nearly caught. ¨C They probably don¡¯t want any conflict with us either. Let¡¯s wait and see. As they continued discussing among themselves, ¡°Ahem.¡± One of them stepped forward. ¡°Greetings.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Hello,¡± I replied, nonchntly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see military personnel in a ce like this.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s skip the long story and get straight to the point.¡± I cut off his attempt at conversation, thoroughly unimpressed. Earlier, these guys were talking behind our backs and had assumed that we were deserters and now they are addressing us as military personnel? ¡°These people here,¡± I indicated the ones who had been fleeing. ¡°And those over there,¡± I pointed at the pursuers. ¡°What is your rtionship?¡± ¡°Straight to the point, I see. I like that,¡± the man from the pursuers¡¯ side nced at the group of escapees before speaking boldly. ¡°Those people stole goods from our group and ran away.¡± ¡°They stole from you?¡± ¡°Indeed. From our perspective, they are criminals who must be apprehended. How could we possibly concede?¡± As the man finished speaking, The fugitives were taken aback and countered vehemently, ¡°T-That¡¯s a lie!¡± ¡°We¡¯re just an ordinary group. Those guys suddenly attacked us out of nowhere!¡± ¡°How can they be so shameless¡­!¡± However, It seemed they paid no heed to their objections. The man from the attackers continued, ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not asking to hand them over for free.¡± He smirked, gesturing towards the fugitives. ¡°After all, what you soldiers want is the goods they possess, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­In that case?¡± Truthfully, we had no intention of taking someone else¡¯s belongings. Yet they seemed to regard us as mere plunderers or deserters. For now, we decided to let it slide. But then he proposed something ridiculous. ¡°We¡¯re willing to cede all of those supplies to your side.¡± ¡°What?¡± Handing over all the goods to us? The offer to relinquish the supplies was likely because that man saw us as deserters. But it was surprising, as this was an iprehensibly generous proposal. ¡°Then what will be left for you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? Those guys are thieves who betrayed us by stealing our group¡¯s belongings! The goods themselves aren¡¯t really important. But those guys betrayed us, stole our belongings, and ran away. They must face proper consequences. And That¡¯s sufficient for us.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Honestly, I thought they were plunderers. And rightly so. After witnessing them attacking fellow humans right before our eyes, How could anyone view them favorably? But if they were truly plunderers, why would they be willing to surrender the very supplies that they were targeting since earlier? If what that man says is true, This isn¡¯t our affair to meddle in. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that ¡®lie¡¯ nonsense! And you, stop bothering these officers.¡± ¡°What, what did you say?¡± The fugitives¡¯ survivors tried to argue back, But the attacker¡¯s man rebuked them. ¡°Think about it. What our military personnel want is material goods, and what we want is you thieves.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± ¡°We can get what we want without friction. Then does it really matter if you keep insisting it¡¯s a lie?¡± With that said, the man smiled triumphantly and looked towards us. ¡°If even that¡¯s difficult to concede, then a conflict seems inevitable. Surely you soldiers wouldn¡¯t want gunfire in a ce like this? How about we settle this amicably here?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Actually, The man wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. In fact, it was quite a reasonable proposal. But that¡¯s only if we really were the plunderers. We are the proud members of the Republic of Korea¡¯s military; we had no intention of piging others¡¯ belongings. And yet they keep thinking of us as plunderers. Even if we set aside the matter of supplies for a second, the real issue lies elsewhere. If the fleeing group truly had stolen from the aggressors, then this was not our ce to intervene in. But the fugitives imed the usation was false. Depending on who was telling the truth, our decision would differ. And¡­ I didn¡¯t think it would be too difficult to determine that. I met the gaze of the smugly grinning man and activated my ability. [Trait ¨C Ingredient Identification (Enhanced) activated] Then, a message appeared above the man¡¯s face. [Species ¨C Human] [Freshness ¨C Moderate] Species and freshness. This was the amount of information that would have been visible with my Junior Grade Ingredient Identification trait. But that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. A few days back, while recovering at the ammunition battalion. I had used my Trait Enhancement Ticket to upgrade my Junior Grade Ingredient Identification to Ingredient Identification (Enhanced). This entire change was marked by just one word ¡°Enhanced¡±. But the difference was quite significant. Now, I can see additional lines beneath the descriptions of species and freshness. [upation: Novice Serial Killer Lv. 7] [Attributes: Strength 14, Agility 16, Magic Power 5, Luck 3] [Traits: Novice Dagger Mastery, Novice Stealth Mobility, Novice Acting] [Skills: Bone Piercing, Trace Removal] The contents were rather shocking. ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Did something get on my face?¡± As an Awakened, I am quite familiar with the criteria that determine one¡¯s upation. It is typically based on either one¡¯s prior experience in a rted field, or an alignment between one¡¯s natural talents/tendencies and the requirements of that upation. It was either one or the other¡­ However, a ¡°Novice Serial Killer¡± is not a profession that I have ever encountered before. It was quite a disturbing revtion. A guy with such a job can¡¯t be normal. Having made my decision, I addressed the troops. ¡°Guys.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Take up your weapons.¡± At mymand, the nearby soldiers quickly rose to their feet. ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The man from the attacking side looked bewildered at their response. ¡°You¡¯re ordering them to take up their weapons? Am I misunderstanding something here?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t understand.¡± The man seemed frustrated. ¡°As I said, we¡¯re not here to do anything wrong. We¡¯ve been chasing those whomitted crimes and fled from our group.¡± ¡°Ah yes, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the case.¡± I replied dryly. ¡°Are you perhaps hoping for further concessions? If so, just say so inly. The moment gunfire erupts here, all sorts of monsters wille flocking. I don¡¯t understand the need to spill blood.¡± A tone of genuine injustice and iprehension. Just looking at him made me feel like I was doing something wrong. His trait. The effect of ¡°Novice Acting,¡± probably. But¡­ It didn¡¯t really convince me. Even if it might convince the man himself. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s your decision? Shall we fight?¡± [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [upation: Novice Human Hunter Lv. 4] ¡°Looking closer, it doesn¡¯t seem there are many armed soldiers. We may just be able to pull this off. It¡¯s up to the leader to decide.¡± [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [upation: Novice Plunderer Lv. 6] Including those around him. Not a single one of them seemed trustworthy. The man with the grim upation of a serial killer nced at me and the soldiers before raising his head. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We stand no chance against them, even with hyung here this time. It¡¯s unfortunate, but we have to concede defeat.¡± What? Are they just leaving? The attackers turned their backs and withdrew. The man nced back onest time and said, ¡°Right now, you can afford to act tough just because you¡¯re soldiers. Enjoy that luxury while you can. It won¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Whether you realize it or not, the potential of an Awakened is tremendous.¡± Hmm. It¡¯s a fact we¡¯re well aware of it too. ¡°The day wille when firearms will be useless.¡± *** ¡°Until then, I will remember what happened today.¡± After leaving those words behind, the man departed. Watching his retreating figure, I thought, ¡°Remember, huh? Maybe it¡¯s better to eliminate him now.¡± I¡¯m not sure what gave him the audacity to say such things. If we try to catch him, there¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t catch. Rather than leaving room for regrets, it might be better to just kill them here¡­ ¡°¡­What am I thinking? This is¡­¡± Given the circumstances, it might be unavoidable, but it feels like my thoughts are getting rougher. Well, even if it doesn¡¯te to killing them, These guys don¡¯t seem like they¡¯ll do anything good. Maybe it¡¯s better to keep them here. I nced around discreetly. Monsters¡¯ whispers still echoed around us. Just like that guy said. This is a dangerous ce. There¡¯s no need to stir up trouble and attract the monsters¡¯ attention. ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s assume they¡¯ve been sent off. Now, the next issue.¡± After the attackers departed, our attention turned to the group of fugitives. ¡°About those people.¡± Although we¡¯ve just helped them but those deserters from earlier had practically ruined the image of the soldiers. It was obvious they¡¯d start begging to be spared again. I was wondering how to best handle the situation. That was the dilemma. Just when I wondered if someone among the survivors would step forward, a woman lowered her head towards us and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Contrary to expectations, the woman with her eyes closed was not wary of us at all, but simply offered her sincere gratitude. ¡°¡­Is she blind? Is that why she doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re in military uniforms?¡± No, she must have heard our conversation with the departed group. Could they be unaware of the rumors about deserters¡­? As I pondered over this, *Trrring* [Shaman: Young-joon] [Chef: Taejun?] An unexpected, guild message was delivered from a familiar figure. [Chef: What happened all of a sudden?] [Shaman: I just received a divination] And¡­ [Although I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re meeting right now] But [They seem to know a lot about us. In quite detail] [Chef: ¡­Interesting] * * * We escorted the survivors out of the military zone. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to rest at ease there. Once we reached a secure building near the outpost, I decided to try conversing with the survivors. Inside a room in the building, sitting across from me was the leader of the survivors. The atmosphere around her was quite unique. She moved about with a cane with her eyes closed. Clearly blind, yet far from ordinary. Even with her eyes closed, her movements were unsettling, suggesting something more than meets the eye. ¡°Well, our unit has its share of oddballs.¡± Mages who emit blue currents when angered. Berserkers who drool uncontrobly and lose their ability to speak when excited, and so on. Having experienced quite a variety, I¡¯ve grown somewhat ustomed to the unusuality. Whether this is a good or bad thing, I can¡¯t say. ¡°So, what happened?¡± Upon hearing my question, she opened her mouth and replied promptly. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ asplicated as you might think. We were just moving around as usual when they suddenly attacked us.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, none of the things they said about thieves or whatever is true. We have never seen them before¡± ¡°I had a feeling.¡± ¡°You did?¡± She seemed puzzled by my intuition. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll say it again. Thank you so much for saving us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, though I have to admit, I didn¡¯t expect you to express your gratitude so readily.¡± ¡°Excuse me? Isn¡¯t it natural to express gratitude to those who have helped you? Uhh. Well, that¡¯s not entirely wrong. I shrugged casually and replied, ¡°If you put it that way, I don¡¯t have much to say. As you know, perceptions of soldiers aren¡¯t particrly positive these days.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Seems like some soldiers who deserted their units havemitted some crimes. Thanks to them, even our intact unit is under suspicion.¡± ¡°I see. You¡¯re not like those people, though, right?¡± ¡°¡­ For now, we¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Is that really so? The woman spoke expressionlessly. I tried to read her expression as we conversed, but she seemed somewhat distant. ¡®Is she pretending to know, or pretending not to?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t quite tell. Nevertheless, since we decided to talk, before diving into a serious conversation, I stood up with the intention of preparing at least a simple tea. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink while we talk. We have tea and coffee. It¡¯s the instant one, though.¡± ¡°Tea¡­¡± We carry some rations in thebat vehicle. There were small packets of tea and instant coffee. I don¡¯t know why but I felt we should offer something like that if we were going to talk, ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tea, but it¡¯s rations. Water is precious in this world. I appreciate what you¡¯ve offered, but I don¡¯t want to impose further.¡± Ah. Now that I hear it, that does make sense. Once we upied the ammunition battalion, we discovered a small stream flowing inside. While food supplies were still a concern, I hadn¡¯t really thought much about drinking water. I said to her, pping my hands, ¡°You don¡¯t have to refuse, really.¡± ¡°Well, still, it bothers my conscience. I¡¯m not particrly fond of tea either.¡± I offered again, but she firmly declined. In a typical situation, it would probably be proper etiquette to refuse. It could be true that she doesn¡¯t like tea. However¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± Right then, there was something else that was upying my mind. Till now, I can vividly recall the message from the guild message window. The message was sent by Sergeant Park Taejun who was staying on our old base along with some other soldiers of our unit. His profession was that of astrologer. Apart from his job title, what he does, and his abilities can do are akin to a shaman, hence the nickname, Shaman. I asked him the meaning of his divination, just in case. But the response only indicated he had read the stars and knew no further details. And that¡¯s the downside of Taejun¡¯s abilities. He often speaks without fully understanding what he¡¯s saying. But¡­ ¡°At least the information he passed on is likely to be true.¡± You can¡¯t always get what you want when you want it. And while we may not know the specifics of the information, the information itself can never be false. In other words, ¡°This woman seems to know quite a bit about us.¡± There are two important points here. Firstly, how detailed is the ¡°know a lot about us¡±? Secondly, the reason why this woman who knows about us, approached us. First, I decided to verify the first point. I smiled slyly and said to her, ¡°If you don¡¯t like tea, as I mentioned earlier, we also have coffee.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t feel like having a drink, how about some snacks? There¡¯s plenty to eat. I have simple cookies I made.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°If not that, then¡­¡± Even after that¡­ ¡°Well then, how about¡­¡± ¡°No, really, I¡¯m fine.¡± I continued my persistence and insisted on different suggestions ¨C cookies, snacks, etc. But each time, she politely turned them down. After several cycles of thisedic exchange¡­ This time, I made the most pitiful expression possible and said, ¡°Could it be that you think my cooking might not taste good?¡± While continuing this y, I was reminded of the time when I was young and visited a friend¡¯s house. My friend¡¯s mother kept insisting that I try all the food, to the point where I had to eat a few more bites, even when I was already full. I waspelled to do so as she made a pitiful face and asked if it was because the food tasted bad. I learned that if someone insists this much, it¡¯s polite to take at least a bite. However¡­ ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, but I¡¯ll still decline.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Indeed. Perhaps it¡¯s a matter of etiquette, pride, or personal preference. It¡¯s not the kind of refusal based on manners. They say it¡¯s a universal rule to refuse three times out of courtesy. Refusing more than that would be¡­ There must be another reason then. ¡°If it¡¯s not about the taste¡­¡± I pushed aside the tea I was preparing and faced her directly. ¡°It seems you¡¯re cautious about food.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± She flinched. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ A slight crack appeared on her consistently expressionless face. This is somewhat satisfying. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ if you¡¯re cautious about things like poison in such a dangerous world, it¡¯s a wise choice.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯m sorry to bring it up.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s probably not the reason.¡± Seems like she was just maintaining her distance from us. As we might also be the deserters that she has heard of. And food given by strangers could indeed be seen as risky. But from what I see, that¡¯s not the core issue. After checking the positions of the two knives at my waist, I watched her movements closely and continued, ¡°It¡¯s about the food I made, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Taejun¡¯s words about someone who knows a lot about us. I finally understood, the extent of that now. ¡®This woman.¡¯ At the very least, She¡¯s clearly aware of my cooking skills. ¡°How did you know?¡± Upon hearing my question, the woman remained silent, as if contemting. Should I push a little further here? ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to say. Actually, I already have some idea.¡± ¡°Already have some idea? What do you mean by that?¡± she asked, visibly surprised. ¡°That you know quite a bit about us. And the reason for that.¡± I pointed my finger towards her face. More precisely, her tightly gripped pupils. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of those eyes?¡± ¡°How did you even notice that!¡± As she opened her eyes in surprise, I saw her whitened, discolored pupils. Eyes that were clearly blinded, to anyone looking. ¡°But how did you know that?¡± she eximed. Hmm, how should I respond to that? I couldn¡¯t exactly tell her that my own eyes were rather extraordinary as well, allowing me to perceive things in great detail. [Trait ¨C Ingredient Identification (Enhanced) Activated] [Species ¨C Human] [Freshness ¨C Excellent] [upation: Spirit Master] [Stats: Strength 14¡­] [Trait: Spirit Vision] Her upation and attribute. Honestly, it was quite surprising, just like when Min-jae hyung had unexpectedly be a Mage. And ¡°Now we even have a Spirit Master?¡± ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: One Force TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. For every 5 reviews or ratings on Novelupdates, I will release 1 additional chapter on Sunday. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for spoilers, chapter updates, and novel pickup requests. [post-views] Chapter 57 Chapter 57 ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of those eyes?¡± ¡°How did you even notice that!¡± Her previously stoic demeanor crumbled instantly. She was staring at me with her wide, nk, white eyes. And in my view, I could see: [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [upation: Spirit Mage] [Trait: Spirit Vision] No matter what, she probably never expected that anyone could peek at someone else¡¯s status window.¡®A Spirit Mage with Spirit Vision.¡¯ In our unit, it¡¯s not unusual to see mages operating casually. So having a Spirit Mage around isn¡¯t all that strange. But actually, encountering one feels quite peculiar. ¡®If she knows about our unit, the only exnation must be that spirit thing of hers.¡¯ Of course, it¡¯s just a guess that she used a spirit or something. I don¡¯t know exactly how she did it. ¡°How, how do you even¡­?¡± ¡°Do I need to exin that to you?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Judging by her surprised reaction, it seems like I hit the mark. She must be very curious about how I discovered her abilities. However, I have no intention of exining my abilities in detail. ¡°Anyway, it seems you¡¯ve learned quite a lot about us with those eyes of yours.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°All this time you have been pretending that you don¡¯t know anything about us, haven¡¯t you? From our perspective, you tried to approach us while concealing the fact that you know a lot about us. How are we supposed to take that?¡± I folded my arms and watched her reaction. Depending on how she reacts, I would be able to understand the reasoning behind such an approach. If she had reacted strongly, I would have quickly drawn the two knives forged by Grandpa Park, which were hanging on my waist. However, that turned out to be unnecessary. She simply let out a sigh and said, ¡°It seems you already know everything.¡± ¡°Well, more or less.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t know much about her. All I could see with [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] were her stats. I only made a rough guess based on the information Taejun provided. I have no idea why she approached us or anything like that. But I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth, so I gave a vague answer. She then spoke, seemingly resigned. ¡°I didn¡¯t approach with any malicious intent.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t deny the fact that you deliberately tried to approach us.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Seeing her respond sopliantly, I rxed my posture, realizing I wouldn¡¯t need to use my knives. ¡°Go ahead and exin.¡± ¡°Sigh, since you seem to know everything anyway, I should introduce this one first.¡± Muttering as if this wasn¡¯t part of the n, she raised her hand. As she spun her hand in the air, Something squishy appeared around it. A translucent, jelly-like figure became visible. Although it wasn¡¯t clear, I figured that must be the one. ¡°This is a water spirit. I¡¯ve named it Bangul¡± ¡°A spirit¡­¡± Ignoring the unusually cute name for now, I turned my gaze towards the translucent life form before my eyes. I wondered what I would do if my skill didn¡¯t work on it. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Freshness: Excellent] [Species: Water Spirit (Lesser)] [Chef¡¯s Eyes Activated] [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Lesser Spirits Preparation] Seems like my trait can even be used on spirits. Information about spirits flooded my mind. ¡°Hmm, so this is the stat profile of a spirit.¡± As I curiously observed this new entity, a ripple suddenly began to tremble across the translucent water droplet. Rumble, rumble¡­ ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This child, Bangul, seems to be afraid of you.¡± No way. What did I do? ¡°I think it might be because of your gaze just now.¡± ¡°My gaze is the problem? Is your spirit so sensitive that it dislikes it when someone looks at it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s more like¡­ Bangul is afraid because you gazed at it as your prey.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Prey. Hearing that word, it does strike a nerve. Seems like my gaze was the problem. [Trait ¨C Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Skill ¨C Chef¡¯s Eyes] I see. So, the abilities that I have, like ¡°Ingredient Identification¡± and ¡°Chef¡¯s Eyes¡±, essentially view this spirit as a food ingredient, in other words, prey. Which means¡­ ¡®¡­Did it realize that it was being observed through Ingredient Identification?¡¯ As spiritual beings, they seem to be quite sensitive to magic and supernatural abilities. Now that¡¯s an important piece of information for me there ¨C that there are entities out there who are quite sensitive and can detect when I¡¯m using my skills on them. ¡°Anyway, this child is the spirit I have contracted with.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°And my trait is, as you mentioned, these eyes.¡± She tapped her eyes lightly. ¡°As you can see, I am blind.¡± ¡°Have you always been that way?¡± ¡°No, it hasn¡¯t been long since I became blind. It¡¯s the price of the contract. But in exchange, I gained a different kind of vision.¡± ¡°Different kind of vision?¡± ¡°Bangul.¡± At her call, the translucent water spirit flew out of the window. And as it did her previously closed eyes began to stare into the void. It was somewhat of an eerie sight to witness. But the most surprising thing came next. ¡°The area around here is surprisingly free of monsters and zombies.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, I see soldiers patrolling nearby. Is it thanks to them?¡± The ce where we were having this conversation was inside a building. There was no way to see monsters or soldiers wandering around. If someone could see such things. It would be the spirit that just flew out of the window. In other words. ¡°So, does that mean you are sharing you are vision with the spirit?¡± ¡°Yes, though it has many limitations.¡± Goodness A spirit that can fly through the sky and move around. And you¡¯re sharing your vision with that spirit? When I heard that exnation, only one thing came to mind. This¡­ ¡°It¡¯s like a drone, right?¡± So, did she observe our unit like that? When I saw the term ¡°Spirit Vision,¡± I thought it might be a simr ability, but this¡­ This is far more powerful than I imagined. ¡°Bangul can operate from a distance as long as there¡¯s flowing water nearby. That¡¯s how we were able to discover your presence.¡± Reflecting on the ces we had stayed, I thought, ¡°There¡¯s a stream running through the ammunition battalion. Or did it start from when we got drinking water at the barracks?¡± All our bases were near flowing water. It wasn¡¯t just a coincidence ¨C having a reliable water source was ideal for setting up a base. Thanks to that, they could find us. ¡°I was honestly surprised to find a rtively intact military unit.¡± She continued. ¡°It didn¡¯t look like you were attacking other humans. Moreover, after reiming this ce, you had enough weapons, right?¡± ¡°So, you wanted to make contact with us?¡± ¡°Yes. I thought I could propose a few trades.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°Since I was aware of your situation, I nned to act as if I didn¡¯t know anything, providing necessary items or information to lead the trade in my favour.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how you figured it out, but it¡¯s all for naught now.¡± Indeed. It¡¯s a reasonable exnation. And I have finally confirmed it now. She didn¡¯t approach with ill intentions. Although trying to conduct the trade to her advantage is a bit annoying. But it¡¯s not inherently wrong. However, there¡¯s one thing I find a bit puzzling. ¡°If you knew we were a functional unit then wouldn¡¯t it be more logical to join our unit rather than proposing a trade?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± It¡¯s a bit awkward to say this myself, but our unit is probably quite well-organized. We¡¯ve already seeded in an upation mission once. We have many awakened individuals. Resources are currently quite plentiful. But¡­ ¡°I did consider that, but there¡¯s one problem.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± A problem with our unit? That¡¯s something I need to listen to carefully. I wondered what she was going to say. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Her gaze fixed on me. ¡­Me? I¡¯m the problem? ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s more urate to say it¡¯s the food you prepare.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the people who ate your food.¡± As she spoke, she trembled as if frightened. ¡°I witnessed soldiers¡¯ personalities change almost instantly. It was as if they became different people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, it was a very scary sight.¡± [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] Out of all my skills and traits, this is probably the most powerful. And the most dangerous one. When used within the unit, everyone benefits from the buff effect. So, generally, they don¡¯t notice anything strange. After the buff ends, there are some who find their actions odd. Most interpreted it as mere battle excitement. ¡°But from an outsider¡¯s perspective¡­¡± It would look very different. It would seem like the personalities of normal people were suddenly being rewritten. ¡°This skill really is a problem.¡± A power that maniptes human emotions. Once someone understands its effects, they¡¯re bound to feel uneasy. ¡°So, I thought joining you was too risky. Instead, I decided to switch to establishing trade. From what I observed, it seemed safe as long as we didn¡¯t trade food.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± The woman finished speaking and asked nervously, ¡°So, what will happen to me now?¡± What will happen to her? ¡°Since I know your secret, are you going to eliminate me?¡± ¡°Eliminate you?¡± ¡°It would be impossible for me to escape with my abilities, so could you at least tell me what¡¯s going to happen?¡± Eliminate her¡­ I understand why she might think that. ¡°A power that people would avoid if they knew about it.¡± The fewer people know about the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce], the more valuable it is. So far, the only person roughly aware of it is Sergeant Lee Min-jae. Now this woman knows, too. Unlike Sergeant Lee, she can¡¯t be trusted. If I could get rid of her, it would be convenient. But ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°If you spare my life, I won¡¯t tell anyone¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°I said I won¡¯t kill you.¡± I recalled the journal of the ammunition battalionmander I read a few days ago. Even in his final moments, he kept writing as a soldier. Although I¡¯m just a chef, I¡¯ve been in a much better situation than them. I won¡¯t lose my sense of duty as a soldier. Killing innocent civilians for my benefit¡­ I¡¯m not in such a desperate situation. ¡°Well, as you mentioned, it would be problematic if you talked about my abilities, so there will have to be some restrictions.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Even if I say I¡¯ll spare her, she doesn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Do I look like a maniacal killer to you? Do you think I¡¯d kill an innocent person for something like this?¡± ¡°What? Oh, um, no, it¡¯s just¡­¡± She seemed hesitant to answer my rhetorical question. ¡­Does she really think I would? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I was just really scared after seeing the effects of your cooking.¡± ¡°Is it really that frightening?¡± ¡°I hate to say this, but¡­ your appearance is quite¡­ sharp, which might have made me misjudge you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯ve been noticing thistely. Do I really look that intimidating? I felt a bit hurt. ¡°Sigh. It¡¯s fine. Anyway, you were trying to contact us but got unlucky and were attacked by plunderers. That¡¯s the gist of it, right?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly.¡± I tried to wrap up the conversation, but she frowned slightly. ¡°We were indeed suddenly attacked by plunderers, but I wouldn¡¯t say it was just bad luck.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I used Bangul¡¯s power to carefully check our surroundings. There were no plunderers in the vicinity of our route.¡± Hmm. There seems to be more to this than I know. ¡°The plunderers who attacked us, I recognized a few faces. They wouldn¡¯t know me, though.¡± ¡°People you¡¯ve seen through your spirit vision, I assume.¡± ¡°Yes, they belong to thergest group of plunderers in this area. However, they usually operate much farther away.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°These plunderers who weren¡¯t even nearby suddenly attacked us. It¡¯s as if they knew exactly where we were heading. This is¡­¡± She closed her eyes briefly in contemtion before speaking again. ¡°It feels like we were betrayed.¡± ¡°Betrayed? By whom?¡± ¡°There are a few groups we share the information with. I wanted to earn their favour, so I shared some information I got through Bangul. A few days ago, I mentioned the military unit¡¯s location and that we were heading there. The ones who knew our location and destination would be among those groups.¡± I heard her grinding her teeth. ¡°Some of our members were taken by those plunderers. Returning kindness with betrayal¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know the full details, but it sounds like other groups they were in contact with betrayed them and sided with the plunderers. ¡°Hmm.¡± This could be quite useful information for us. After gathering my thoughts, I spoke. ¡°Your group members were captured?¡± ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t those plunderers mention it earlier? They said they could take the resources but just hand us over. They use captured people as ves.¡± ¡°ves.¡± It¡¯s hard to believe that after only a few months, such a word woulde up so naturally. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to rescue your group members? And take revenge on the betrayers?¡± ¡°I do, but¡­ it would be difficult. Those plunderers have quite arge force. With our strength alone, it¡¯s impossible¡ª¡± ¡± If strength is the issue, we can help you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± She looked at me as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. I replied calmly. ¡°If strength is the issue, we can help you. But there¡¯s one condition.¡± ¡°Condition?¡± ¡°Earlier, you said you decided not to join our unit because you were scared of my cooking, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ correct.¡± ¡°Cancel that decision and join our unit.¡± Our unit has managed to establish a rtively stable foundation. Now we need to expand, but the problem is the public perception of soldiers is in the gutter. It¡¯s difficult to convince survivors to join us through traditional means. But what if we approach it with this kind of deal? The woman hesitated to answer my proposal. Of course, she would feel uneasy. If she joins the unit, she¡¯ll have to eat my cooking. And who knows how that will affect her? But from my perspective, this deal is full of advantages. First, bringing her into the unit allows me to keep her from spreading word about my abilities. And, if these plunderers are operating nearby, we¡¯ll eventually have to confront them anyway, so meeting them sooner is quite beneficial. Moreover, there¡¯s another thing. ¡®That spirit vision I saw earlier.¡¯ A biological¡­ no, a spiritual drone. Relying on [Enhanced Hearing] to navigate a dangerous city is challenging. But if a spirit can provide an aerial view? Our operations would be much easier. Honestly, I¡¯m quite intrigued. And then, after a considerable period of hesitation, she seemed to make up her mind. ¡°If we can rescue our capturedrades¡­ then fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made a wise decision.¡± I extended my right hand to her. ¡°It seems a bitte, but I¡¯m Sergeant Shin Young-joon, the chef.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Jeong Soo-ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d we could strike a good deal.¡± After a brief handshake and introduction, ¡°Just tell us the location of those plunderers. We will go and rescue yourrades.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh.¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know the plunderers¡¯ location¡­¡± Huh? What does she mean by that? ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say they operate quite far from here? So, you must know their location¡­¡± ¡°They are well-known because they¡¯re arge group of plunderers, but I don¡¯t know their exact base location.¡± ¡°What about Bangul? Can¡¯t you ask your spirit?¡± ¡°As I mentioned, it has its limitations.¡± She stroked the transparent bubble floating in the air. ¡°This little one can only operate near flowing water. Their base is probably not near water.¡± ¡°But it can¡¯t be too far from water either.¡± ¡°The problem is with my own limitations, not Bangul¡¯s.¡± She sighed, rubbing her eyes. ¡°The distance I can see with my Spirit Vision depends on the condition of my eyes.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been using my spirit vision a lot to observe your unittely, so the distance I can see has decreased.¡± Hmm. ¡°So, if your eye condition were to improve drastically, would it be possible to locate their base?¡± ¡°Uh, it might be possible. I roughly know the area they operate in, so if we search around there¡­ But that¡¯s not something I can perform easily. The Spirit Vision¡¯s performance isn¡¯t that simple to control ¡° ¡°That¡¯s fine. I have a method in mind.¡± ¡°A method?¡± ¡°You said you were scared of my cooking, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± She looked at me with a puzzled expression. And I grinned widely, in response. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll still say that after trying my cooking.¡± ¡°¡­Hic.¡± _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Chapter 58 Chapter 58 My team and I returned to the base, bringing along Jeong Soo-ah and her group members with us. ¡°Sergeant Shin? Who are these people?¡± ¡°They¡¯re survivors we found during this mission.¡± ¡°Oh, so they¡¯re new recruits then?¡± ¡°Not yet. Just show them to a ce where they can rest for now.¡± I introduced them to the soldiers who hade out to meet us and then headed further inside. Jeong Soo-ah asked with a puzzled expression, ¡°So, does this mean we¡¯re part of your unit now? And how should we address you, as captain or¡­?¡± ¡°For now, it¡¯s fine. Instead of joining the unit, your task is to help us get back your captured group members and get revenge.¡± ¡°Oh.¡±¡°Until those conditions are met, just call me whatever you¡¯refortable with.¡± Her group members were guided to the living quarters by the soldiers. And for me, I took her deeper into the base, towards the dining hall area. The ammunition battalion¡¯s dining hall had multiple locations due to therge area it covered, but we weren¡¯t utilizing the entire space. The dining hall that I had newly upied was quite close to the entrance. And nearby, we headed towards the food storage area. ¡°Hello, Commander.¡± A soldier standing in front of the storage greeted us. Her face was quite familiar¡ªone of the two granddaughters of Grandpa Park. ¡®So, this must be the ice mage, the older sister.¡¯ The fact that I met the ice mage in front of the food storage meant, ¡°You¡¯re on freezing duty today, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, I was about to use my magic.¡± ¡°Sorry about that. But could you wait a bit? I need to take something out.¡± Electricity had long been cut off. While we had been scavenging fuel from every visible vehicle around, the efficiency of running generators on this fuel was abysmal, to say the least. At the base, most of the tasks that used to run on electricity were now being handled by mages. The refrigerator was a prime example. Currently, we have converted one of the storage rooms into a freezer, with mages using their magic daily to maintain the ultra-low temperatures for food preservation. I opened the door to the freezer. Inside, it was cold enough to make one shiver. Stacked high were countless monster meats. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen it through your Spirit Vision? There¡¯s no need to be so surprised¡­¡± ¡°Seeing through Bangul¡¯s vision is a bit different from seeing it in person. It¡¯s also hard to see the inside of the storage room clearly. But¡­¡± As she observed the inside of the storage room, her face suddenly darkened. ¡°Coming here means it¡¯s what I think it is, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but probably, yes.¡± What I was nning to do was simple. Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s ability, the Spirit Vision, was certainly a powerful trait, but its effectiveness depended on the condition of her eyes. Due to her current poor eye condition, she couldn¡¯t locate the plunderers¡¯ hideout. So, if we improve her eyesight by feeding her healthy food then we might be able to locate the plunderers. While contemting about it a childhood memory popped into my mind. I used to hate eating oily fish because of their strong smell. My mom would nag me, saying fish were good for the eyes, and I should eat them, if I don¡¯t want to wear sses when I grow up. ¡°Cooking with monster meat¡­¡± Once again, the person in question didn¡¯t want to eat it, but since it was good for her eyes, she should eat my dishes. There was just one problem. Of all the monsters we had caught so far, none were particrly known for improving eyesight. ¡°No matter how powerful a dish is, it¡¯s dependency on the ingredient is above 90%. If the ingredients aren¡¯t good for the eyes, then no matter how well it¡¯s cooked, it won¡¯t make much difference.¡± Until recently, I wouldn¡¯t have known how to solve this problem. Without the right ingredients to improve eyesight, there was no way to help her. One of the major limitations of my ability was that I had to work with what was avable. However, right then, I had an idea that might work now. I looked at the piles of monster meat in the freezer. While I had beenid up with injuries, the soldiers had gone on reconnaissance missions and taken down some monsters. Many of them were unfamiliar to me. As I surveyed each piece of meat, I activated the Ingredient Identification trait. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Koteulni] [Freshness ¨C Medium (Frozen)] [Traits: de ws, Exoskeleton] ¡®Not this one.¡¯ [Hoguran] [Freshness ¨C Low (Frozen)] [Traits: Fortitude, Dash Specialization] ¡®Not this one either.¡¯ I quickly moved past the useless ones, searching for the right monster. [Koteulni] [Freshness ¨C High (Frozen)] [Traits: Crisis Detection, Telescopic] ¡°Got it.¡± I set aside the meat from the discovered monster and continued examining the others. [Traits: Nocturnal, Night Vision] ¡°This one too.¡± [Traits: Red Rage, Infrared Detection] ¡°This might be useful as well.¡± Among the monsters, none had vision enhancement as their main trait. However, ¡®If quality isn¡¯t avable, then I¡¯ll go for quantity.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter if vision enhancement wasn¡¯t the primary ability of the monster. Thanks to the enhanced effects of Ingredient Identification trait now I can see more detailed information about the ingredients. Anything that seemed rted to eyesight, no matter how minor, was set aside and organized. ¡°Um, I think this should do. Soo-ah, do you eat a lot?¡± ¡°Huh? I guess I¡¯m just average.¡± ¡°Well, you might need to step it up a bit then.¡± As a result, a considerable amount of meat piled up. ¡°I think you¡¯ll have to eat a lot.¡± *** When I arrived at the restaurant, I immediately started working. What I¡¯m trying to do this time is nothing less than. ¡®A full course meal.¡¯ The ingredients brought in are not specialized for vision as a whole. Making one dish at a time is difficult to achieve the desired effect no matter how good it is. But if you make one course with multiple ingredients? I should be able to obtain the desired effect. And to do that. ¡®Seems like I¡¯ll have to use all the recipes that I have learned from the other chefs.¡¯ In the end, taste is the most important factor in maximizing the effect of a dish. ¡®The variety of dishes can¡¯t be just one either. I¡¯ll have to provide multiple vors in the sauces to prevent boredom. Ah, the order of serving the food should also be considered.¡¯ Back when I was in the military, all I had to do was cook the menu provided by the mess hall. But now that I¡¯m trying to create a full course meal, the task of designing the menu has been quite taxing. But at the same time, ¡®Heh, it¡¯s fun.¡¯ What kind of dish should I make to create a delicious meal? The process of pondering that was enjoyable in itself. But more than anything, the pleasurees from seeing the response when people eat the dish. And so, after much deliberation, the first course was served. ¡°This is roasted Cotlini with a Lizard Gravy.¡± ¡°¡­Wow.¡± I had even brought some decent dishware from the officers¡¯ mess to te it nicely. They say cooking should be enjoyed visually as well. Seeing the dish, Soo-ah eximed with admiration, ¡°Honestly, I had dismissed the idea of a dish made with monster meat, but this looks so delicious. What is this dish made of?¡± ¡°Shall I exin? Or perhaps it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­That was an unwise remark on my part.¡± The Lizard was a monster that had devoured many of ourrades. Since we had an abundance of its meat, I had collected its broth separately. Then I thickened it by mixing in a bit of flour and seasoned it with salt and pepper to make a gravy sauce. Later I roasted the meat of another monster, known as Cotlini, which resembled a bird, in the oven. It was a bit challenging to remove the venom sacs from this poisonous monster, but the taste should be decent. After hearing all this Jeong Soo-ah picked up the utensils with a tensed expression. The woman who knew about my cooking skills. She must have been nervous, thinking I might have done something strange with the food. But¡­ She didn¡¯t have much of a choice. With resolve, she lightly dipped the meat into the sauce and tasted it. And¡­ The reaction was as expected. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Of course. Who do you think made it?¡± ¡°Well, but still. For it to be this good? Didn¡¯t you say you were just a regr cook? Even high-end restaurants¡­¡± The embarrassed Jeong Soo-ah trailed off, herpliments flowing out as she eagerly wielded her utensils. Despite her initial fear of my cooking. After leaving a brief review, she started devouring the dishes with admiration. ¡®Let¡¯s see if she can still dislike my cooking.¡¯ Well, it was a bet with myself and looks like I¡¯m the winner. After confirming she resumed her meal, I returned to the kitchen to prepare the next dish. ¡°Now, next is this grilled Shoulder Roach topped with blue water droplet jelly.¡± ¡°The freshness of the jelly bnces out the bitter taste so well¡­!¡± The slime-like monsters that we had gotten at the supermarketst time. It is a dish made by mixing jelly with jam to make it refreshing and then served it with monster meat. ¡­Though the original meat ingredient resembled a cockroach-like monster. But that¡¯s something the eater doesn¡¯t need to know. ¡°Now next on the course is this Pulled Goblin Toastada.¡± ¡°The outside is crispy, and the meat inside is juicy.¡± I had boiled the meat of a Goblin, shredded it, and then fried it in the [Animal Oil Mixed with Magic Essence] on a torti that we had obtained from the supermarket. Followed by, ¡°A soborodon pasta made with finely ground Arachron meat and Arachron eggs¡­¡± ¡°This egg. I¡¯m not sure what egg it is, but it¡¯s incredibly vorful!¡± It¡¯s a spider egg. ¡°A Minos tenderloin steak with Lizard Ragout sauce poured over it¡­¡± ¡°This juiciness¡­!¡± The juices of a monster that was eating another monster¡¯s corpse. Anyway, As long as it tastes good, that¡¯s all that matters, right? ¡°By the way, their reaction is surprisingly positive.¡± Have they tasted it before? Seems like they¡¯ve eaten some unusual things before. Anyway, from the perspective of a chef, she wasn¡¯t a bad customer. Afterwards, more courses continued. Each and every one of them was a main dish. ¡°Is it okay for a course meal to onlye with the main meals?¡± ¡°Well, if it were a typical restaurant, they wouldn¡¯t dare do something like this considering the cost. But¡­¡± ¡°But.¡± ¡°Rather, we don¡¯t have enough side ingredients.¡± More than anything, fresh ingredients like vegetables or mushrooms. There are so many things that we don¡¯t have. In the end, it feels like I was forced to focus only on the main dishes. ¡°Still, I paid attention to the tastebination. Having only main dishes might even be a strength and not a weakness.¡± Like that, After tasting all the course dishes, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± Now capping off the meal, she had a serving of ice cream for dessert. The final dessert course was a simple ice cream that I had made with the avable ingredients. As I watched Jeong Soo-ah eating it, I looked into the distance with a slight tension. ¡®All these dishes had one thing inmon. And if it goes as I had intended¡­¡¯ Gradually, I should have heard a familiar sound-. As I was thinking about all that. I finally heard that sound. Ding. [The Full Course Meal is Complete] [A ¨C Roasted Cotlini with a Lizard Gravy] [B ¨C Grilled Shoulder Roach topped with Blue Water Droplet Jelly] [C ¨C ¡­¡­.] . . . [Amon property has been detected in the magical energies of the dishes] [A themed course meal has beenpleted] [The first from the human species toplete a ¡®Course Meal¡¯] [Those who are ahead of others will be awarded a reward] [Title ¨C ¡®Course Chef¡¯ acquired] [Title ¨C Course Chef] [Whenpleting a course dish established under a unified single theme, the effects will be doubled.] And as intended. Notifications popped up uponpleting the course meal. It seems I am the only chef-awakened individual who had attempted this. While the effects were quite satisfactory the important partes next. [Common magical property ¨C Eyes] [Shin Young-joon¡¯s original course meal ¨C Pupil] [The diner¡¯s eyesight will be greatly restored] [Massive bonus will be provided to all vision rted abilities!] ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± I clenched my fist and silently cheered inside. ¡°As intended, the effect was noticeable. ording to Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s exnation, the effectiveness of the Spirit Vision varies depending on the condition of the eyes. With this, the range visible through Spirit Vision would certainly have increased significantly. ¡°Now that the cooking effect has been applied, she should be able to find the plunderers¡¯ base with those eyes.¡± The purpose behind this full course meal was to locate the plunderers¡¯ base using her abilities. Just as I was about to speak to her about that¡­ Something seemed different. She finally spoke. ¡°Um, excuse me. Could it be¡­ that you had something to do with this?¡± It seemed like I wasn¡¯t the only one aware of the changes. Her hands were going towards her own eyes ¨C Eyes that had been blinded and turned white. Startled, she looked at me and said, ¡°I can¡­ I can see clearly now.¡± Yes. This was the change. Soo-ah, who had been keeping her eyes closed due to her blindness, now had vibrant, blue eyes where the once-white eyes had been. The eerie, pale eyes that gave off an unsettling feeling were now reced by ocean-blue colored iris. [Theme ¨C Eyes] [The diner¡¯s eyesight will be greatly restored] No, it wasn¡¯t just greatly restored. To be honest ¡°greatly restored¡± was an understatement. There are certain degrees to such recoveries. Right then, ¡°Why does it look so clear?¡± The dish was strong enough to open the eyes of a blind man. And such a miracle was never seen before. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 The blindingly white eyeballs that had once lost their luster. The eyes that had evoked a peculiar sense of dread were now transformed into a mysterious bluish hue. Soo-ah, gently touching her eyes and spoke in a slightly trembling voice. ¡°I thought I would have to live as a blind person for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad trade-off, really. Although the ability I gained in exchange for my sight was powerful, and after bing an awakened one, my heightened senses made life manageable. But still¡­¡± A single tear drop rolled down her cheek. ¡°Even though I thought it was a fair trade, waking up to that darkness was terrifying. The thought of living like with it forever made my body tremble¡­¡± ¡°Well, I understand.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t understand. The feeling of regaining something once lost¡­¡± Wiping away her tears, Jeong Soo-ah spoke again. ¡°Was this your intention?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I can say it was my intention or not.¡± Cooking dishes beneficial for the eyes was deliberate, but restoring lost sight was not something I had aimed for at all. How did she interpret my answer? ¡°Opening the eyes of the blind¡­ this kind of thing only happens in the Bible¡­¡± Jeong Soo-ah muttered to herself and then flinched, looking at me. Her blue, glowing eyes were fixed on me. They looked quite nice, but they weren¡¯t your typical eye color. ¡®Is this the influence of the Spirit Vision?¡¯ Ah. ¡°A miracle¡­¡± ¡°Soo-ah.¡± ¡°A miracle happened¡­ Ah. Yes?¡± She seemed lost in thought. Still murmuring to herself, I felt a bit sorry for interrupting her reverie after regaining her sight. There was something that I needed to confirm. ¡°You said you lost your sight and gained the Spirit Vision in return, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So now, is the Spirit Vision still intact?¡± The ability gained at the cost of her vision. With her sight now restored, I wondered if the Spirit Vision has also vanished. If something like that happens then that would be a disaster. It would ruin my n to exploit the spirit drone from the start. With a feeling of anxiety, I asked, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Bangul¡± Unlike my nervous state, she waved her hand nonchntly. I saw the familiar water droplet gather in her hand once more. ¡°My contract with Bangul is still intact, and it seems the Spirit Vision is perfectly fine too.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± I was genuinely terrified. ¡°Since we¡¯re on the topic, why don¡¯t we take a look around?¡± As she spoke, the spirit exited the dining hall. Her gaze, once again, directed at the empty space as before. The posture was simr, but perhaps due to the cloudy white eyes turning into a deep blue, what once felt somewhat eerie now exuded a more mystical aura. ¡°Amazing.¡± She spoke absentmindedly, staring into the void. ¡°How amazing is it?¡± ¡°I can see the inside of the base from here. I¡¯ve never been able to see this far before. This is truly¡­¡± Trailing off, as if the shock was too great. For me, it was just good news. ¡°Perfect.¡± This may sound a bit cold-hearted. But my intention was to strengthen her ability and not restore her vision. ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you so much.¡± Momentarily lost in emotion, she wiped her tears away and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful.¡± ¡°Can you trust my cooking now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for doubting you. I can¡¯t speak for the others, but I will never forget the favor you¡¯ve done for me. I promise.¡± A favor, she says, quite grandly. Not that it¡¯s a bad thing for me. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start with the terms of our deal.¡± ¡°Right¡­ You performed a miracle, so I must repay you with everything I have¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°We agreed that we would eliminate the plunderers and rescue the captured members of your group. In return, you would join our unit. That was the deal, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± She spoke with an apologetic expression. ¡°It¡¯s something I can¡¯t say to my capturedrades, but with the favor that you¡¯ve granted me, honestly, if you asked me to join now, I would do so immediately.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t do. We have a promise to keep.¡± Promises are meant to be kept, Though that¡¯s not really the main point. ¡°Besides, this deal isn¡¯t just for your benefit.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Anyway, since you said the performance of the Spirit Vision has improved then can you now locate the plunderers¡¯ hideout?¡± ¡°I know the areas they¡¯ve been active in. If we start searching around the nearby waters, we should be able to find them quickly.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed with that.¡± Though it came off as amand, Soo-ah nodded and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but eliminating the plunderers will help you too, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ Leave it to me!¡± She responded enthusiastically. What should I say? The fact that we can now rescue ourrades isn¡¯t what¡¯s important here. It feels strange that the focus is on how it benefits me. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not a bad thing.¡¯ * * * ¡°Her sight was restored¡­¡± After addressing Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s issue to some extent, I decided to discuss our unit¡¯s affairs and update Min-jae on what had happened. After hearing the whole story, Min-jae paused for a moment before speaking. ¡°This is just my guess, but¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Maybe the price of that contract wasn¡¯t actually her sight.¡± Not her sight? ¡°When ites to Spirits, they don¡¯t reallymunicate in any straightforward humannguage.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Instead of her sight, it might have been something like the magic in her eyes that was part of the contract. But ordinary people have almost no magic.¡± ¡°So, she paid what little magic that she had in her eyes as the contract¡¯s price and went blind?¡± ¡°And then, after eating food imbued with good magic rted to her eyes, her sight was restored. That¡¯s my guess.¡± Min-jae shrugged, emphasizing that it was just a spection. However, I thought his hypothesis was quite usible. ¡®If I were an awakened healer, maybe it would be different.¡¯ Restoringpletely blind eyes isn¡¯t something that can be achieved through cooking. I¡¯m confident in my cooking skills, but not to that extent. ¡°Anyway, this is not a bad thing for us.¡± ¡°Right. We can now locate the plunderers¡¯ hideout.¡± ¡°That too, but¡­ I had a brief conversation with that woman earlier.¡± ¡°With Soo-ah?¡± ¡°Yeah. She seems to be ascribing a significant meaning to what happened with her eyes. Given how extraordinary the event was, it¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ascribing meaning?¡± ¡°What, you didn¡¯t notice?¡± I could feel that she sees the grace she received as something significant. But What¡¯s there to ascribe in the first ce? ¡°Well, even if you don¡¯t understand, it doesn¡¯t really matter, does it? She already feels immense gratitude towards you. So, there¡¯s no need to take any unnecessary risks, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Are you talking about punishing the plunderers?¡± ¡°Yeah. It seemed like that woman was willing to join the unit even without fulfilling the deal.¡± I understand what Minj-ae hyung is trying to say. I disagreed with him. ¡°The sooner we punish the plunderers, the better.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because eventually, they¡¯re going to sh with us anyway.¡± Having experienced it firsthand on the ground, Our unit is quite a strong force among humans. No, Rather, it¡¯s a tremendously strong force. ¡°But this difference was only possible because of rapid growth in the mountains.¡± Now that we¡¯re on the ground, the situation is a bit different. ¡°Others will be aware of the awakened powers. The moment we let our guard down, the gap between us will start to narrow.¡± ¡°That could be true, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather fight now while we¡¯re clearly ahead. Our unit members also need to gain somebat experience against humans.¡± ¡°Combat experience against humans huh.¡± Min-jae hyung asked with a meaningful expression. ¡°Should all those plunderers be killed then?¡± ¡°No, we should aim to capture them alive if possible.¡± ¡°Capture them? Isn¡¯t that too naive? It¡¯s just a waste of food to keep them as prisoners. You yourself said killing is undesirable, but I don¡¯t think you need to uphold that principle of non-violence now that you¡¯vee this far.¡± This hyung. Seems to be under some misconception. ¡°Did I say I wanted to spare them for moral reasons?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± ¡°Come on hyung. I¡¯m not that nice of a guy.¡± ¡°So, we capture the raiders and then¡­ ah.¡± Finally seeming to realize something, Min-jae hyung stared at me with widened eyes. ¡°You¡¯re nning to increase the nonmissioned forces.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡®Nonmissioned forces.¡¯ Literally means soldiers who are excluded from ranks. But now, things have changed a bit. ¡®Criminals.¡¯ In the past, The five criminals who came seeking refuge in the mountain unit mixed with Lee Sanh-ah¡¯s group. They submitted to my cooking and swore loyalty. As a result, They operated as juniors regardless of rank. In the past, anyway. Those guys, Now, they¡¯re quite a formidable force. ¡°Plunderers are basically criminals, and their minds may be rotten, but, well, can¡¯t we reform them?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It¡¯s not a conventional reformation method. But the results are certain. ¡®I¡¯m not particrly eager to use the ¡®special sauce¡¯ on ordinary people either.¡¯ Gwang-il is a prime example. Initially, I thought of just easing his cowardly nature a bit. But when I see himpletely transformed into a warrior. Honestly, it stings my heart sometimes. But. ¡°The plunderers are different.¡± They¡¯ve attacked other humans and even enved them. Why should I bother caring about their personalities?¡± ¡°Well then¡­ if what you say is true, we could rapidly expand our unit members.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a good idea. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to have thought this far. Were you nning all this from the beginning?¡± Min-jae hyung looked at me with admiration. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I shrugged and replied, pping my hands together. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my aim. It just happened to fit well.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you hope for, then let¡¯s go with that.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t exactly a tone of agreement. * * * A few dayster, ¡°We¡¯re going to take down the plunderers¡¯ group from now on.¡± I stood before the soldiers and spoke. ording to Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s investigation through the spirit¡¯s guidance, Their group has upied an entire residential area. They¡¯ve fenced it off and fortified the area into a stronghold. Inside, they cultivate crops using ves, And the awakened members roam outside the safe zone to raid. I didn¡¯t particrly feel like praising them. But when I heard Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s story, My first thought was this. ¡°To have built this level of power at this point.¡± They were said to be thergest force among the plunderers operating nearby, right? These guys. They didn¡¯t seem like an organization to ignore. Anyway, they were guys we were bound to sh with eventually. In the end, it might even benefit us to sh now. ¡°Everyone probably knows, but the enemies in this battle aren¡¯t monsters.¡± The soldiers¡¯ expressions gradually changed. While some soldiers had steeled faces, None showed signs of hesitation. Seems like I don¡¯t have to worry about them. The problem lies elsewhere. There were soldiers who couldn¡¯t hide a hint of unease on their faces. ¡°Everyone¡¯s used to fighting monsters.¡± But wielding a sword against humans. It seems some of them still have doubts about that part. ¡°It¡¯s actually for the best.¡± This opportunity. This is an opportunity to give the unit members experience inbat against humans. Aside from the deserters, they haven¡¯t really had a chance to engage in battles against other people. Though they can temporarily alter their minds through the Chef¡¯s Special Sauce. But the aftermathsts long. Using it incorrectly could have the opposite effect. So instead using that way we have decided it¡¯s better to let them experience it directly. ¡°Well then¡­ um, I have nothing else to say.¡± ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°I was just thinking I¡¯ve never tried giving an authorative speech before. But everyone seems ready, so let¡¯s depart.¡± Although it was a departure ceremony thatcked a sense of excitement, The oue was quite magnificent. ¡°Let¡¯s depart!¡± ¡°For the Legion¡¯s victory!¡± The soldiers, equipped with a diverse array of weapons, began marching in unison. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°Hyung! I have an urgent report¡­¡± ¡°Shut up brat. You are being too loud.¡± ¡°At least knock on the door before entering.¡± In a remote corner of Gangwon Province, there lies a small residential area. The appearance of this ce had changed quite a bit from the past. Now it was surrounded by a wall made up of old fences and misceneous junk. There were even small guard posts set up outside the wall, making it hard to imagine the ce as a typical vige. It looked more like a fortress. This was the territory of the plunderers operating in that area.Among them, this was the stronghold of the most powerful faction. At the center of thepound stood a building. That was where only the high-ranking members resided, and a low-ranking plunderer had juste barging in to make a report. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The boss is asleep. If it¡¯s not important¡­ you know the drill, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Good. Now, go ahead.¡± The high-ranking members were all top-level awakened individuals. The lowly plunderer, trembling, began his report. ¡°Well, the thirdbat squad that went out on a mission has returned.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about third squad¡¯s mission, you mean the information provided by the neers, right?¡± Not long ago. One of the survivor groups had expressed their desire to join them. Such cases were not umon. The life of a plunderer was far more luxuriouspared to ordinary survivors. However, they couldn¡¯t just ept anyone for free. They had proposed a deal, offering to take them in if they provided something valuable. The negotiations had dragged on without much sess. Finally, the other side had offered quite an attractive condition. ¡®Haha. Still, I didn¡¯t expect someone to sell out a group they were in contact with.¡¯ The information they handed over was valuable. They provided the locations of other survivor groups they had been in contact with. And even provided the travel route of one particr group. Indicating where they were heading. As per the information provided by the newly joined survivor group, A certain group was heading towards the military zone. Even though their leader doesn¡¯t have any special abilities she possesses an array of diverse information. Which would be useful to the plunderers¡¯ group if they capture and enve them. For the plunderers¡¯ ve trade was one of their most important businesses. The deal was struck, and they generously assigned an entirebat squad to the mission. However. ¡°The operation failed. Not only did we fail to capture the survivor group, but we also couldn¡¯t loot any supplies¡­¡± ¡°¡­These useless bastards.¡± Thebat squad wasposed exclusively of elite members, including the awakened individuals. They had been entrusted with this task because failure seemed impossible with them around. Yet, they had failed. Just as the executives were about to explode with anger¡­ ¡°It turns out they were up against soldiers¡­ deserters.¡± ¡°Deserters?¡± That word. It was like cold water had been poured over their fury, instantly quelling it. ¡°Tsk. If they were up against deserters, there wasn¡¯t much they could do.¡± ¡°Even abat squad can¡¯t win against guns. Not right now.¡± ¡°If they were deserters, it means those guys who were operating near the distant military base have wandered into this area.¡± In the current state where the level of the awakened individuals had not yet risen significantly, deserters armed with guns were like a natural disaster. Just as they were about to chalk it up to bad luck and move on¡­ ¡°I want guns.¡± A deep voice interjected into the conversation. ¡°Hyung?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you still asleep¡­?¡± From within the building, a massive figure emerged. The one they called hyung. This man had a physique that defied any description of an ordinary human. He stood over 3 meters tall, with grotesquely swollen flesh. His whole body was visibly pulsating with abnormal veins. The leader of the plunderers. Gwang-jin. As the officers caught sight of him, they thought, ¡®Damn it. Wasn¡¯t he sleeping?¡¯ ¡®Why¡¯s heing out now?¡¯ The reason this group could upy a vi and leap to be the strongest band of plunderers was mostly due to this man¡¯s strength. However, even to his own allies, his grotesque appearance was horrifying. The officers who followed him couldn¡¯t help but shiver as they looked on. ¡°But he wasn¡¯t like that just a while ago.¡± From the beginning, his appearance wasn¡¯t like that. He was originally a normal human, but after awakening, he had faced the crisis of starving to death due to theck of food. In the end, he turned to ¡°food¡± that a normal person would not have chosen. And the result was his monstrous transformation. On top of that he was gradually losing his humanity. ¡°You want to loot those deserters and get some guns. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± When the officers heard it, they were at a loss for words and hesitated, A subordinate plunderer who hade to report spoke up, ¡°But even for you, hyung. Going against those with guns might be too difficult, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This crazy bastard¡­!¡± Shocked, the officers responded. ¡°Uh, yes? Why are you all¡­¡± Sensing the strange atmosphere, the subordinate finally realized, but it was already toote. ¡°You. Talking back?¡± ¡°Hyung, it¡¯s not like that¡­!¡± ¡°Death Penalty!!¡± The massive mass of flesh pounced on to the low-ranking plunderer. Thunk¡­! The officers turned away from the gruesome scene. The plunderers lived bymitting crimes. But they too, not long ago, led ordinary lives. Harsh realities often unfold unexpectedly. ¡°I want a gun. Get it for me.¡± ¡°Yes, understood!¡± ¡°As the boss desires.¡± The officers responded, but they also had to ponder how to handle this. ¡°A full-scale confrontation might be tough but luring them nearby could work.¡± ¡°As if we don¡¯t know that. The problem is how to lure them.¡± ¡°Suggesting they join us outright¡­ but¡­¡± However, They soon realized their deliberations were futile. It didn¡¯t take long. ¡°Trouble! Big trouble!¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Scouts reported soldiers approaching nearby¡­!¡± ¡°What?¡± The plunderers, who were just pondering how to lure the deserters found themselves in quite a favorable situation. The vi was fortified, considered to be a hell to soldiers. Then, ¡°They seriously underestimated us.¡± ¡°Hahahahahaha. It might be better this way.¡± It¡¯s time for the hunt. *** ¡°The siege team has been deployed.¡± This battle split into two teams for execution. The assault team. And the siege team. When the plunderer extermination by the assault team begins, there will likely be those who would try to flee. The siege team was formed specifically to capture those escapees. Confirming the cement of the siege team, Our assault team also began their approach towards the fortified vi. ¡°It turns out they¡¯ve built a fortress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite impressive.¡± Iron tes sticking to the fence. I wonder how they managed to build such walls in such a wide area. It was kind of amateurish, but still seemed sturdy in its own way. Then, swishhh! Suddenly, a piercing sound cut through the air. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ng! The first to react to that sound was Private Jeon Gwang-il. His glove caught the projectile flying towards me. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°A crossbow bolt.¡± Gwang-il showed me his hand, revealing a broken bolt from the crossbow. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an ordinary attack. Probably.¡± ¡°An awakened.¡± Unbelievable. If it weren¡¯t for Gwang-il, I would have been clueless and would have died. Turning our gaze towards the ce where the crossbow came from, We noticed several makeshift buildings like outposts on the outskirts of the fortress. Among them, a man rose from the ground. Seeing his face, Jeong Soo-ah frowned and said, ¡°Mr. Kyung Su¡­ I had a feeling it might be you.¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the leaders from a group we used to interact with. Awakened as a crossbowman. Honestly, I suspected if there was a traitor, it might be him. Looks like my guess was right.¡± In other words, The man Jeong Soo-ah wanted revenge on was that man. The man rose to his feet and locked eyes with her. Smirking, As if to say, what are you going to do about it? He chuckled and turned around to flee. ¡°Are youughing at us?¡± ¡°Showing us arrogance, huh?!¡± ¡°Gwang-il.¡± ¡°Yes, Corporal Jeon Kwang-il.¡± ¡°That guy. Capture him.¡± ¡°As youmand, sir!¡± The crossbow shot came from a considerable distance, and the man immediately fled at full speed. Normally, it would be impossible to catch up to him. But Thud! ¡°I¡¯ve got him!¡± ¡°Heh, heh¡­¡± That¡¯s not normal by any means. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, who has recently been buffed by my cooking and Lieutenant Kim¡¯s abilities, has had his abilities further enhanced by acquiring new weapons. Like a kitten, the man was caught by the neck and brought in. Standing in front of him, Jeong Soo-ah spoke. ¡°Mr. Kyung Su. Long time no see.¡± ¡°Wh¡­ Who¡­?¡± ¡°After betraying me, you¡¯ve already forgotten my face?¡± ¡°Soo¡­ Soo-ah, is it you? Damn¡­¡± Maybe it¡¯s because his vision cleared up, but the man who initially didn¡¯t recognize Jeong Soo-ah lowered his voice. ¡°Can I take this person with me?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what the contract stiptes, feel free to. Just return himter.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No, please¡­!¡± As the boy was dragged away by soldiers, she turned away and looked towards the fortress. The guys at the outpost can be taken care of quickly, but¡­ ¡°The problem is that fortress.¡± Though it¡¯s just a wall, it looks quite sturdy. *** Attempting to break through or climb over it would expose us to attacks from enemies waiting inside. But well, we already knew the fortress was there. Naturally, we had prepared countermeasures. *** ¡°The outer patrol guards have been eliminated!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t even gunfire.¡± ¡°Well, perhaps there were awakened among the deserters.¡± The outer patrol guard refers to those stationed outside the fortress. It was risky entrusting recent recruits with this duty. They were essentially seen as expendable forces. But ¡°Already wiped out?¡± We thought they were just civilians wielding guns. It seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. Nevertheless, the officers didn¡¯t consider it a major threat. ¡°Since entering the fortress is futile anyway.¡± ¡°Boss hopes to obtain firearms. Once we defend the fortress and the tired enemy retreats, we can send in thebat squad.¡± Although we can¡¯t urately gauge the enemy¡¯s size, they were likely more powerful than the nearby militia. The fortress-like residential area. And inside it was their leader. Gwang-jin. They are like monsters, even more monstrous than the monsters that swallowed the residential area. ¡°Why did they dare to attack us? Ha ha ha.¡± While they chuckled, they soon discovered what gave the enemy such confidence. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Something was approaching on the road leading into the residential area. ¡°¡­A battering ram vehicle?¡± A massive vehicle resembling a battering ram, with arge horn attached, was charging towards the fortress wall at full speed. ¡°Kwaaaaang!!!¡± It rammed the fortified outer wall of the fortress with its massive horn. Originally, it took over a month to build the fortified outer wall, but it was instantly broken by the battering ram vehicle. *** ¡°Operationplete!¡± One of thebat vehicles modified by the engineers destroyed the fortress. The engineers, upon hearing about the fortress, quickly built the vehicle in just a few days. Those who witnessed the vehicle approaching the fortress attempted to attack it, but the vehicle, reinforced with magical materials, effortlessly demolished the fortress without a scratch. ¡°The wall has copsed!¡± ¡°Damn it, a battering ram vehicle!¡± ¡°Why would something like that even exist in this era¡­!¡± As the wall crumbled, voices of astonishment echoed from inside. Human figures began gathering around the copsed wall. *** ¡°Hmm.¡± Facing each other across the fallen fortress wall, our soldiers confronted the plunderers. Each of them held makeshift crossbows, bows, cheap swords, and armor bought from point shop. Compared to that, ¡°Weren¡¯t they supposed to be deserters?¡± ¡°We expected them toe armed with guns. Why these weapons?¡± ¡°Their equipment seems¡­ vastly different from ours.¡± Weapons made from the front legs of Arachron spiders. Military uniforms made from Steel Lizard leather. Lieutenant Kim¡¯smand and buffs from my cooking. And the Awakened on the other side didn¡¯t seem to make up even half of our forces. In other words, ¡°Suppress the criminals!¡± ¡°For the Legion¡¯s victory!!!¡± The oue of the battle was obvious even without looking. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± ¡°Damn it, they¡¯re not easy to deal with¡­!¡± Plunderers were being swept out helplessly. Among them, there were those aiming crossbows at us from the rooftops of vis. But, ¡°Kwoong¡­!¡± ¡°Hehe, over there!¡± ¡°Yaaa!¡± Among the awakened warriors, some made battle cries and leaped towards them with Sergeant jump. Kwajik! With just one jump, they reached between the building¡¯s second and third floors, stabbing their weapons into the wall. And then, ¡°Pa-babababack!¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­!¡± ¡°What are they? Cockroaches or something?!¡± Driving knives into the building¡¯s outer walls, they crawled at an incredible speed. In an instant, they threw themselves onto the vi¡¯s rooftop, overwhelming the plunderers. ¡°¡­Those guys. They were capable of that too.¡± Robust soldiers climbing the building¡¯s outer walls in eerie stances. Even I found it somewhat chilling. I wonder how the victims of this raid would feel? ¡°Insane.¡± ¡°What is this? They¡¯re monsters!¡± ¡°They¡¯re not monsters. These bastards. They¡¯re all awakened!¡± ¡°This many? How does that even make sense¡­!¡± It seemed they finally realized the difference in power. Plunderers fleeing into the interior. ¡°Chase them!¡± ¡°If we let them escape, they¡¯ll cause trouble elsewhere. Don¡¯t let a single one slip!¡± Our soldiers pursued them, charging forward. However, Jolt. The footsteps of our soldiers, who had been charging forward for a while, came to a sudden halt. Inside the fortress, around the central part of the vi vige, ¡°Gooo¡­!¡± A colossal, monstrous creature was emerging. ¡°A monster? Are these guys¡­ raising monsters?¡± We also kept monsters like ¡®Mac,¡¯ so it seemed possible, but it didn¡¯t look like it. ¡°That¡¯s our boss, our hyung!¡± ¡°Everyone, gather around boss! We¡¯ll counterattack around him!¡± So, it wasn¡¯t a monster, but¡­ But ¡®Boss¡¯ ¡­What¡¯s that? No matter how you look at it, it didn¡¯t look human. As I wondered about it with curiosity, the creature spoke first. ¡°You. Just soldiers. Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Awakened ones. All of you?¡± The lump of flesh asked with a puzzled expression. It was a bit strange. But anyway, as the hyung, this guy seemed to be the leader of the plunderers. ¡°Do we really need to talk to these plunderers?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop fighting first and talk!¡± Thanks to my cooking, which filled them with courage, the soldiers¡¯ thought processes had somewhat be simplistic. They rushed towards the fleshy monster. But, ¡°Awakened ones¡­ especially tasty.¡± ¡°Cough!?¡± Gwaaaah! The soldier from the first attacking warrior group was struck by the monster¡¯s swinging fist and flew far away. ¡°Byeong-min?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m okay.¡± The soldier who was thrown didn¡¯t seem to be dead, But it was still an astonishing sight. ¡°Our soldier, buffed by my cooking, losing in battle¡­¡± No matter how non-human their appearance looked given the name hyung means that man was probably an awakened individual. We had no idea there were Awakened of this magnitude besides us. However, ¡®Even if we fight, it won¡¯t that far.¡¯ In our unit, the was a soldier who matchup and suppress that level of fighter would be, ¡°Corporal Jeon Gwang-il.¡± ¡°A formidable foe¡­ grk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your turn now¡­ oh, you¡¯re already ready.¡± He was excited to see a formidable enemy. Before I even called him, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il had already turned on the switch. ¡°Kahahahaha!!!¡± He flew toward the fleshy monster. *** ¡°You pig bastard! Let me enjoy you!¡± A massive fleshy creature that seemed over 3 meters tall. Seeing it send our soldiers flying in one blow, it was undoubtedly a formidable foe. But no matter how strong its power was¡­ ¡°Krk¡­¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il is the strongest warrior in our unit. ¡°Stop¡­!¡± ¡°Kahahahaha!!!¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-ilughed like a madman as he hammered the fleshy monster. Each swing of his fist engulfed in madness produced a sound like exploding air. ¡°You, you¡¯re¡­ not human¡­?¡± Despite looking unmistakably monstrous, even from a distance, the fleshy creature¡¯s mouth raised doubts about whether Gwang-il was human or not. ¡°P-please¡­ spare me¡­¡± Eventually, the creature that had endured Jeon Kwang-il¡¯s onught fled backward. There, other plunderers had gathered. ¡°Hyung is losing!¡± ¡°And that too from only one guy!!¡± The awakened individuals of higher rank went to receive their fleeing hyung. ¡°Damn, where did these damn monsterse from¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s retreat for now!¡± The fleshy monster joined the plunderers. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Are they trying to escape with theirrades?¡± If it fled with its full strength, catching it might be difficult, even with our soldiers surrounding it. Though our soldiers were surrounding it, it was uncertain if they could hold such a powerful creature. ¡°We must catch it here somehow¡­!¡± Thinking that way, I tried tomand the soldiers, but suddenly, the fleshy monster didn¡¯t retreat with the intention to flee in the first ce. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Officers who hade to meet it. One of them disappeared in an instant. Due to the fleshy monster¡¯s descending fist. ¡°Did it¡­ kill its own ally?¡±¡¯ Its actions were iprehensible. And it seemed like we weren¡¯t the only ones who were surprised by it. ¡°This crazy bastard! It can¡¯t even recognize its own allies anymore!¡± Crunch. Squelch. The bizarre actions of the lump of flesh didn¡¯t stop there. Not to mention the other senior ranked plunderers nearby. ¡°Damn, hyung has gone crazy!¡± ¡°What do you mean that monster is hyung! Everyone, run away!¡± Chasing after the fleeing plunderers, He began to ughter them. But then, There was something a bit strange. ¡°No bodies?¡± The looters blown away by his fists. There wasn¡¯t a single body left behind. And, ¡°It¡¯s getting bigger.¡± With each plunderer dying off, The size of the fleshy monster was gradually increasing. As I wondered what in the world was going on and felt bewildered, A familiar sound reached my ears. Ding. [Chef¡¯s Nemesis ¨C Encountered with a Gourmet Glutton] [A profession quest has been assigned] ¡­Quest? [Profession Quest ¨C Nemesis Assassination (Gourmet Glutton)] [y the nemesis] [While pursuing this quest, yourbat abilities will be doubled against the enemy] Chapter 61 Chapter 61 [Chef¡¯s Nemesis ¨C Encountered with a Gourmet Glutton] [A profession quest has been assigned] [Profession Quest ¨C Nemesis Assassination (Gourmet Glutton)] [y the nemesis] [While pursuing this quest, yourbat abilities will be doubled against the enemy] [Gourmet Glutton] [They are beings who have gained distorted power through improper eating methods] [For chefs who advocate for proper dining, they are one of the unforgivable adversaries!] [Quest Reward ¨C Random Skill Book] ¡°A job quest?¡± The world has indeed transformed into a system akin to a game. But now quests too? ¡°No. It¡¯s toote to be surprised by things like this.¡± Calming my mind, I slowly read through the quest window¡¯s content. As a result, I understood why that creature had such a bizarre appearance and power. ¡± Gourmet Glutton¡­ huh.¡± A being that gains distorted power through improper means. That improper means likely refers to¡ª ¡°H-hyung! Please spare my life¡­!¡± The act of killing his subordinates and growing in size. That¡¯s what it must mean. And my profession is that of a ¡®chef.¡¯ It seems such ¡®meals¡¯ are uneptable. Well. That¡¯s not important. The most important thing when a quest appears is the reward. The problem is that¡ª [Quest Reward ¨C Random Skill Book] A skill book? Not much is known about how to obtain skills. By achieving certain aplishments, or¡­ Or, by paying an exorbitant amount of points at the point shop to purchase a ¡®Random Skill Book.¡¯ It¡¯s either this or that. In thetter case, even for someone like me, who has saved up a considerable amount of points, the price would be so high that it would make me flinch to obtain it. But they¡¯re just giving it away just like that? ¡°I can¡¯t let this opportunity pass.¡± I nced at the hulk like monster still hunting down his subordinates. Come to think of it, those plunderers were our potential new recruits that I intended to reform through my cooking. Watching the monster absorb them and grow stronger, I realized I couldn¡¯t just stand by and observe. ¡°Everyone, focus!¡± I shouted to the soldiers. ¡°That guy seems to be absorbing humans to increase his power.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then what should we do¡­?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Calmly, I reached to my waist and pulled out a kitchen knife. ¡°Take him down quickly, before he absorbs anymore.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The soldiers, who had been stunned by the surreal scene, sprang into action once the order was given. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± There was no hesitation. ¡°Kahahaha!!! Where do you think you¡¯re going, you pig!¡± With Corporal Jeong Gwang-il leading the charge, the other soldiers swiftly followed suit,unching their own attacks. Unlike the previous one-on-one fight between Jeong Gwang-il and the fleshy monster, this time, it was an all-out attack by our forces. The plunderers who might have helped the monster were already absorbed by him. I thought we could easily take him down, but¡ª ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Corporal Jeong Gwang-il!?¡± Corporal Jeong Gwang-il, who had charged in first, was sent flying, coughing up blood. ¡°Kahahahahaha, now this is getting interesting¡­!¡± Though he got up as if nothing had happened and wiped the blood from his mouth. Even someone as strong as Gwang-il had sustained a critical injury. He got up and wiped the blood from his mouth, as if nothing had happened and was ready for a second round. But seeing someone as strong as him getting tossed around like a toy and sustaining critical injury I understood, ¡°This monster has be iparably stronger than before!¡± Perhaps it was because it had already devoured countless plunderers. The flesh monster, which had already been powerful, was now overwhelmingly strong. Such a powerful monster reminded me of ¡®Mac¡¯ from the hardware store. ¡®Hmm. If I go in, I¡¯m as good as dead.¡¯ My specialty is cooking, notbat. Despite being one of the first in the squad to awaken, I would probably rank somewhere in the middle at best. Considering that our strongest fighter, Corporal Jeong Gwang-il, was struggling like this, it was clear that my chances were slim. Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d be folded in half within three seconds of the battle starting. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t just stand by and watch.¡¯ Gripping my kitchen knives in both hands, I approached the monstrous creature. I had one thing I could rely on. [The Profession Quest is in progress] [While pursuing this quest, yourbat abilities will be doubled against the enemy] A buff that applied during the Job Quest, significantly boosting mybat abilities. It was a ¡®significant¡¯ increase, after all. Even if I wasn¡¯t as strong as Gwang-il, I should be considerably stronger now. ¡°Sergeant Shin!?¡± ¡°Fall back, sir! We¡¯ll handle this¡­!¡± The warriors engaged in closebat were startled as I approached. They were probably wondering why someone not even in thebat unit hade to such a dangerous ce. Ignoring their attempts to stop me, I focused my gaze on the flesh monster before me. [Chef¡¯s Eyes activated] [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Gourmet Glutton Preparation] Recalling the preparation method that flooded into my mind, I gripped the cleaver in my right hand, [ck Cleaver]. A thick, heavy knife. Hoping it would be effective against the flesh monster, I swung the de. But then¡ª ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ As I swung the knife, I sensed something had changed. I had expected to be somewhat stronger due to the effects of the Job Quest, but this was¡ª ¡®This isn¡¯t just ¡®somewhat¡¯ stronger.¡¯ ¡®My body feels so light.¡¯ With my strangely lightened body, I slipped naturally through the soldiers like flowing water. The monster, preupied with fighting the warriors, didn¡¯t notice my approach. Following the preparation method that surfaced in my mind, my knife-wielding hand moved instinctively. sh¡ª The thick skin parted like paper under the de. And that wasn¡¯t the end. [The Resentment of the Last Queen burrows into the wound] [You have inflicted a critical injury on the enemy] The [ck Cleaver] and [Dokkkogusik] were both crafted from the front legs of the white spider queen that had upied the ammo depot. ¡°Graaaaargh!!!¡± The flesh monster let out a scream of agony. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sergeant Shin! Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡¯s attack worked!¡± The monster, which had withstood not only the warriors¡¯ attacks but also the assaults from the rear mages, was finally in pain. ¡°It hurts. It hurts. It hurts¡­¡± Seeing the creature suddenly thrashing around in pain, I felt the astonished gazes of my fellow soldiers on me. ¡®I, myself was surprised about the attack¡¯s effectiveness. So, I can only imagine how shocked the others must be.¡¯ But there was no time to stand around in amazement. ¡°You¡­ will die¡­!¡± The intense pain I inflicted had drawn the monster¡¯s attention towards me. The creature, now seemingly twice asrge, swung its enormous hand toward me. If it caught me, my bones would be pulverized. But¡ª ¡®It¡¯s slower than I thought.¡¯ Or rather¡ª ¡®Have I gotten faster?¡¯ I dodged its attack with a nimble movement, then swung my knives at its opening on the left side. sh¡ª ¡°Graaah! It hurts, it hurts!!!¡± The creature began to cry out in pain, tears streaming from its eyes. While it screamed in agony, I seized the moment. ¡°Seems like you enjoy eating.¡± As the creature¡¯s mouth opened wide to scream, I shoved my foot into it, forcing it open even further. And then¡ª [Junior Grade Chef¡¯s Arachron Jerky of Deep Despondency] ¡°Try tasting this.¡± I tossed in the [Combat Ration]. ¡°Come on, everyone! Assist me!¡± ¡°Help Sergeant Shin!¡± The emotion imbued in the [Combat Ration] was deep despondency. ¡°Aah, it hurts¡­ stop it¡­¡± Wrapped in a nket of powerlessness, the creature¡¯s ferocity visibly diminished. The soldiers also joined me in the battle. Even though I have grown stronger due to the effects of the quest, If I had fought one-on-one, it would have been impossible for me to defeat them. Though thanks to the effect of my dishes, the flesh monster had lost its momentum considerably and with the soldiers fighting alongside me, ¡°There¡¯s not even a slight variation.¡± Clearing my mind, I continued swinging the knives in my hands. Attacking the monster relentlessly. sh. sh. Stab. Cut. Stab. Split. How many times did I repeat that process? ¡°It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts¡­¡± As a result of continuously carving into the grotesquely swollen flesh heap, its size had been reduced on par with a normal human. At the end, it knelt on the ground and sobbed. ¡°It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts¡­. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. Please spare me. Please spare me¡­¡­¡± I watched the scene, catching my breath. Grabbing his diminished shoulders, he crouched and begged for his life. A fellow who possessed considerable strength. If spared, there might be a way to use him somehow. However, [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Gourmet Glutton] [Once human but haspletely transcended humanity through improper means.] Unfortunately, This fellow has already morphed into a monster. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll even be reborn.¡± A monster that gains strength by eating humans. Now that I remember, the plunderers that we had encountered, requested only for the humans whilepletely disregarding the food resources. Even the mere thought of enving humans is a grim affair. And watching him absorb his own subordinates to bulk up his body, It¡¯s just¡­ ¡°It hurts. It hurts. Mom¡­ save me¡­.¡± Gulp. Even if I kept it alive through the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] with its rationality almost gone, it would be too difficult for me to control it with my cooking. Since, I didn¡¯t have any other options. I tightly gripped the knife in my hand and swung it with all my strength. sh- And then, Just like when defeating a monster. A system message appeared before my eyes. [You have gained experience points] A strange sense of satisfaction flowed through my body. I could feel an enormous amount of experience points filling me up. [You have defeated the yer] [You have acquired 3,271 points from the yer¡¯s possession] ¡°From their possession?¡± His points were transferred to me. Could it be? Could it be that by killing a person, I can also acquire their points? As I thought about this, I suddenly realized. ¡°Is this my first murder?¡± I¡¯ve already taken the lives of many monsters. Although he had be more like a monster than a human. ¡°Tsk.¡± Yet, he was once human. I didn¡¯t feel particrly good about it. Though my fingers holding the knife trembled slightly. I clenched my teeth and suppressed the trembling. ¡®I can¡¯t get bogged down by needless thoughts.¡¯ To be depressed over the thoughts of someone I had killed with my own hands. I don¡¯t have the luxury to think that. ¡°What I need to focus right now isn¡¯t the dead enemies.¡± Rather it¡¯s the survivors. How we¡¯ll survive with them is the most important thing. In that regard, The amount of points that came in this time was enough to surprise me. ¡°3,271 points?¡± Originally, these points belonged to all the plunderers who were absorbed by that flesh monster. And it didn¡¯t end there. [Profession Quest ¨C Completed the extermination of the nemesis] [Reward ¨C Random Skill Book] Initially, it was a punitive expedition to increase the size of the subordinates. But the reward obtained was beyond what I had expected. Covering my mouth with blood-stained hands. I chuckled, letting out a satisfiedugh. Such rewards, you can hardly resistughing at them. *** ¡°Wow, you¡¯reughing.¡± ¡°¡­After fighting such a monster like that, you¡¯reughing so rxedly. Seriously.¡± As Sergeant Shin Young-joon chuckled while confirming the rewards. The soldiers who watched him muttered. ¡°I-I wonder what I just saw.¡± ¡°Did I really see that? Sergeant Shin literally killed that monster.¡± ¡°Right? It wasn¡¯t a mistake, was it?¡± ¡°Sergeant Jeon Gwang-il also fought with it but¡­¡± The soldiers were in confusion. The power Sergeant Shin Young-joon showed against that grotesque mass. It was at a level that they couldn¡¯t believe belonged to someone with the profession of ¡°chef.¡± And on top of that, he was covering his mouth with blood-stained hands andughing. It was a sight¡­ straight out of a movie, the very image of a battle-crazed madman. ¡°I never knew because I always saw him providing rear support andmanding.¡± But seems like, ¡°That¡¯s Sergeant Shin¡¯s original self.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin didn¡¯t even use a gun when he awakened. I heard he tore apart lizards with just a kitchen knife.¡± ¡°Insane. Is that humanly possible?¡± As stories from his awakening were highlighted, The soldiers looked at Sergeant Shin Young-joon in awe. ¡°No, wouldn¡¯t it have been better for him to be more directly involved regrly?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why was he always stuck in the rear?¡± The soldiers wondered. The answer came from a man over 2 meters tall. ¡°Haha. You guys still don¡¯t get it?¡± ¡°Sergeant Jeon?¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, who had been listening nearby, tapped the soldiers¡¯ shoulders and said, ¡°He was trying to give us opportunities to grow.¡± ¡°Opportunities to grow? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin is a chef, so he can gain experience points through cooking. Butbat-oriented awakened like us can¡¯t do that, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Oh, could it be!¡± As the exnation continued, Some soldiers began to understand what Corporal Jeon Gwang-il was trying to say. ¡°Yeah. If Sergeant Shin took up a knife himself, then everything would be easily resolved, but then we wouldn¡¯t grow. So¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying he sacrificed his own participation for our growth?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sergeant Shin¡¯s consideration is truly moving.¡± Corporal Jeon Kwang-il spoke with tears in his eyes. At that moment, one of the soldiers tilted his head and asked, ¡°Then, were you seriously injured when the ammunition depot explodedst time?¡± ¡°Combat ability and physical ability are separate. He might be a bit slower in running.¡± ¡°What about that monster at the hardware warehouse?¡± ¡°You mean ¡®Mac¡¯? He probably judged that it was more useful to keep it alive than to kill him. In fact, the engineers have been utilizing it well since they captured him.¡± Whatever the actual reasons were. The conversation fell into ce quite neatly. ¡°So that¡¯s how it was.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin¡­¡± ¡°In that regard, I think we have a lot to reflect on.¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il clenched his fist tightly, as if frustrated. ¡°Sergeant Shin has made so many concessions for us. But because of our weakness, we couldn¡¯t bring down that damn thing. Imagine how frustrating it must have been for Sergeant Shin to watch.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why Sergeant Shin stepped in this time!¡± ¡°He drew his knife out of frustration, seeing us struggle with our weaknesses, and took care of it himself. He must have felt relieved and smiled.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Impressed by this usible interpretation, the soldiers eximed. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il chuckled and said to them, ¡°Because Sergeant Shin cares for us this much, there¡¯s only one thing we should do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°To ensure that Sergeant Shin doesn¡¯t have to intervene like today, we need to polish ourselves and be stronger. That would be our only way of repaying his consideration.¡± As Corporal Jeon Gwang-il finished speaking, The awakened of the Warrior Squad gleamed with determination. ¡°Indeed¡­ Understood.¡± ¡°Corporal Jeon! May I ask for some sparring once we return to the base?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to join in too¡­¡± ¡°Of course, one-on-one training won¡¯t be enough for me either. Let¡¯s handle about five of you at once.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± That¡¯s how it was. The soldiers were ignited with a desire to train because of their clear-cut misunderstanding. The person who was directly involved in all this was unaware of all these happenings, even in his dreams. *** After cleaning up the battlefield, Our unit¡¯s soldiers entered the residential area for reconnaissance. The resources piled up by the plunderers were there, but The important thing was the humans. The reason we attacked the plunderers wasn¡¯t for resources. It was to liberate the ves oppressed by the plunderers and recruit them. The captured prisoners were reformed with the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] to increase our unit¡¯s numbers. And for that purpose, about half of our forces were separately deployed as a siege team around the residential area. ¡°We were on high alert, but we haven¡¯t had many plunderersing our way,¡± Min-jae hyung who was in charge of the siege team, remarked. ¡°To be honest, it was quite disappointing. We thought most of them would end up as our prisoners, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case now.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s how it turned out.¡± The plunderers we intended to capture as prisoners mostly ended up being devoured by that Gluttonous creature to bolster its strength. It was quite astonishing to witness that despite its massive figure it could swiftly catch and absorb the plunderers. It managed to grab and devour those plunderers who tried to escape during the initialbat phase. The only ones we managed to capture as prisoners were the few that we had grabbed early on. And the rest were those who had been held as ves. ¡°Sister Soo-ah!!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Soo-ah, we knew you¡¯de to save us.¡± Including those who had been kidnapped by the group headed by Soo-ah, we managed to locate and rescue several other ves. Nheless, the numbers were not as high as we had expected. The reason for this became apparent as we continued our search. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± In a corner of the residential area, soldiers searching an isted building were shocked to see whaty before them and could only exim in disgust. Some of them were left alive but subjected to very, but many others weren¡¯t as fortunate. ¡°Did they torture them here?¡± ¡°No, look closer.¡± I pointed to the bodies piled up in the building. The extent of dismemberment was rtively mild. Traces of being used as toys to satisfy their captors¡¯ desires were evident. Beyond that, some corpses had been mutted for no apparent reason. ¡°It¡¯s not torture. They were just yed with like toys until they died.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s strange. Using them as ves would have been more efficient, so why kill them like this?¡± The soldiers were puzzled. I had a rough idea of the reason myself. ¡°They were probably meant as food for that monstrous creature.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± That monstrous creature, clearly known among the raiders as the ¡®Hyung¡¯. ¡°He was their leader.¡± ¡°He swallowed up his subordinates¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In its haste, it absorbed its own underlings. I can only imagine how they usually operated.¡± This must have been a ce where ves were kept before being processed into food. The plunderers must have kept them here temporarily before processing them. ¡°There are also signs they were used for releasing urges.¡± ¡°Did you hear what that monstrous creature said? Did it sound like it had any sense or reason?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Its vocabry skills wereparable to a three-year-old child¡¯s. Whether it was a side effect of gaining strength that cursed strength or something else entirely, I couldn¡¯t say. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± The soldiers¡¯ faces darkened as they looked upon the gruesome scene. However, we couldn¡¯t afford to just pass this off as merely disgusting. ¡°We could have ended up like this too.¡± We gained strength from the mountains. From the perspective of the strong, we could have punished them. If our strength had beencking even a little, we could have be one of those corpses piled up over there. ¡°Keep in mind. Never let your guard down. Even though we¡¯re rtively strong now, we don¡¯t know when we might be overtaken.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust monsters, but don¡¯t trust humans either.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust humans?¡± ¡°Then who should we trust?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking the obvious.¡± ¡°The Legion.¡± ¡°The only ones we can trust are our guildrades.¡± As we continued cleaning up the scene, someone approached me and spoke. ¡°Not just my eyes, but the whole group ¨C how can we repay this kindness?¡± It was Jeong Soo-ah. And her group members who had been taken as ves. ¡°Thank you so much. Please convey our gratitude to everyone. You¡¯re our savior.¡± ¡°This is the person who¡­¡± ¡°¡­treated Soo-ah¡¯s eyes¡­¡± ¡°T-Thank you!¡± A savior, huh? I felt a bit of thatst time, too. I had sensed her tendency for grandiose expressions before. Anyway. ¡°The deal is nowplete.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Now, you should join our unit. I hope there are no objections.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then, from now on, let¡¯s drop the formalities.¡± Many of the group members looked older than me. But because of my position, I had to speak informally even to Grandpa Park. ¡°It feels a bit awkward, though.¡± If I didn¡¯t show appropriate dignity for my rank, the group could be unstable. I had to endure, what else could I do? ¡°I¡¯m actually morefortable that way. Please call me as you wish.¡± ¡°Once you return to the unit, the guild enrollment process will begin.¡± The non-awakened ones will proceed to awaken one by one. For the awakened ones, the artisans of the workshop will make and supply equipment. After that, they will officially start working as our unit members. ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m officially part of the unit.¡± ¡°As a member of the unit, I want to share some information I have.¡± Jeong Soo-ah, who used to scout around with her spirit. Before eating my cooking, her range had been limited. But after spending so much time on the surface and utilizing her spirit vision, she might have the most up-to-date information about this region. So, I asked the same to her with anticipation. ¡°What information?¡± ¡°You already know this world has turned into a game, right?¡± Well, that¡¯s that. It¡¯s something every awakened would know. ¡°Have you ever yed games?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not a huge fan, but I y as much as others.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll understand how important this information is.¡± I was wondering what she was getting at with all the preamble, but the words she delivered with a smile left me genuinely surprised. ¡°Have you heard about dungeons?¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 After the raid on the plunderers ended the survivors expressed their wish to join our unit. ¡°We¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have anywhere else to go, so if we join the unit¡­¡± So, just like that Soo-ah, her group members and the other survivors who had been enved were weed to the unit as new soldiers. As for the plunderers, ¡°Heh, heh heh heh¡­ Hic¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Please, just one more bite¡­¡± ¡°If you swear loyalty to me, I¡¯ll feed you meals like this every day.¡± ¡°We swear loyalty! Loyalty!!¡± All of them way through the reformation and rehabilitation process and officially joined our unit. As a result, though the awakening process was still notpleted, the number of troops increased significantly. The workshop personnel worked tirelessly to prepare customized equipment for the new recruits. ¡°Will there be enough lizard leather for those people?¡± ¡°Hmm, it should be fine for now.¡± ¡°Saying ¡®for now¡¯ means we¡¯re running low, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t worry too much. While continuously using lizard leather might be difficult, my skills have improved quite a bit. I can maintain the initial quality with the hides of other monsters.¡± In truth, Even though the number of new recruits was less, than initially expected, There wasn¡¯t any need to be disappointed. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the groups I was in contact with that I¡¯ve joined this side,¡± Jeong Soo-ah reported. She had been exchanging information with various groups and hoped to absorb them if possible. ¡°How did they react?¡± ¡°I tried to persuade them, but they still seem hesitant.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have much leeway, so they¡¯ll probably make a decision soon. You can expect a positive oue.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Those plunderers were quite infamous. The fact that they were wiped out, and that it was done by soldiers, is starting to spread among the survivors.¡± What? Were there actually people who were keeping an eye on us during the mission? ¡°Technically, it¡¯s a rumor that we started,¡± she rified. ¡°Ah.¡± The origin of the rumor wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was that it was spreading. ¡®If the soldiers¡¯ image improves, people will seek us out to join the unit.¡¯ This was an incredible advantage. *** After organizing the new recruits and sorting through the supplies acquired from the plunderers¡¯ base, we finally wrapped up the post-battle tasks. In a meeting with the vice guild leaders, we opened the guild message board. [Shaman: A dungeon] Sergeant Park Tae-joon, who remained in the mountains, had sent a message. ¡®Dungeon.¡¯ This was the first piece of information shared by Soo-ah after deciding to join our unit. Dungeons are the essential elements in RPG games. While the term originally referred to castle dungeons, its meaning has evolved significantly, over time. A dungeon is a ce where specific types of monsters gather. Though their forms and types vary greatly and are hard to define, they share one characteristic in games: ¡®The best farming spots.¡¯ Experience points, items¡ªeverything obtained from a dungeon far surpasses what you can get in the field. Jeong Soo-ah had nned to tackle the dungeon after growing stronger with her group. The recent fight against the plunderers reinforced the idea that, even if we were currently strong, we could fall behind at any time. Right now, we barely have the strength to secure our own territory. So, we can¡¯t just pass up an opportunity to get stronger. Though it sounds like a ce full of benefits, dungeons have another characteristic: ¡®They often have a higher level of difficultypared to the field.¡¯ That¡¯s why I asked our guild¡¯s fortune-teller to predict the future for us. [Shaman: It seems there is something at the ce you mentioned.] [Chef: How about it? Can we handle it?] [Shaman: Hmm. Well.] [Shaman: For now, I wouldn¡¯t rmend it.] This was the result. [Marksman Squad Leader: Is the fortune unfavorable?] [Shaman: If we¡¯re talking fortune or misfortune, it¡¯s misfortune for now. I think it means the dungeon is quite challenging to tackle at the moment.] All eyes, including mine and the vice guild leaders, turned towards Jeong Soo-ah. ¡°Why, why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°ording to Sergeant Park Tae-joon, that dungeon is extremely difficult.¡± ¡°What?¡± A flustered Jeong Soo-ah waved her hands. ¡°I was nning to tackle it once my group had about 30 awakened members. I didn¡¯t know it would be that tough¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use that spirit to look inside the dungeon?¡± ¡°I wish, but it doesn¡¯t have such overpowered abilities. Bangul couldn¡¯t enter the dungeon.¡± True. Even if we scouted out the dungeon¡¯s location, it would be impossible to determine its difficulty level. ¡°I¡¯m actually more freaked out, right now. I gave you all the information about the dungeon, but¡­ originally, my group nned to tackle it alone.¡± ¡°You almost got into big trouble trying to clear it after growing your group.¡± ¡°If the difficulty is such that even a battalion struggles, there¡¯s no way 30 awakened members would be enough. Ugh, thinking about it gives me chills¡­¡± Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s ability is specialized in reconnaissance. And Park Taejun¡¯s ability is almost like foresight. Both are in the information category but are quite different. Now, thanks to Taejun¡¯s abilities we avoided significant damage to our unit. On one hand, Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s spirit vision can discover new information, but it¡¯s uncertain what will happen when it¡¯s triggered. And on the other hand, Park Taejun¡¯s celestial divination is highly random. The fortunate thing is that their abilitiesplement each other¡¯s weaknesses. Soo-ah¡¯s spirit vision can find new areas, and Taejun¡¯s divination can determine whether it¡¯s safe to go there. ¡®By recruiting a spirit master instead of relying on drones, our operations¡¯ stability has increased significantly.¡¯ In any case, since the dungeon is likely too difficult to tackle immediately, we decided to focus on awakening the new survivors and building our strength. ¡°Building strength¡­¡± After finishing up in the dining hall, I returned to my room and fell into deep thought. ¡®We were lucky this time.¡¯ The leader of the plunderers¡ªording to the reformed plunderers, he was once ordinary but became that way after repeated acts of cannibalism. Initially, he was manageable, but after devouring all the plunderers, he became a formidable opponent, difficult even for Gwang-il to handle. Fortunately, the profession quest appeared, boosting mybat abilities just in time. Without that, we would have suffered significant losses. ¡®No matter how much strength I build, it¡¯s never enough.¡¯ After collecting my thoughts, I sat on the edge of my bed and opened my status window. [Awakened: Shin Young-joon] [Profession: Junior Grade Chef (2nd ss) Lv. 19] [Strength: 19] [Agility: 30] [Magic Power: 18] [Luck: 24] [Traits: Junior Grade Dagger Mastery, Junior Grade Cooking Mastery, Ingredient Detection (Enhanced), Junior Grade Fire Affinity] [Skills: Chef¡¯s Eyes, Chef¡¯s Special Sauce, Combat Rations] [Points: 8,182pt] [Random Skill Book x1] It had been a while since Ist opened my status window. Given everything that had happened, the noticeable increase in my stats was clearpared to before. What stood out the most was the points. ¡°Eight thousand? That¡¯s insane.¡± Normally, soldiers don¡¯t umte points to this extent. As soon as they gather enough, they use them right away. But since I¡¯m not in abat role, I never got the chance to spend them. So, I had saved up around four thousand points. Adding the points I got from defeating that monstrous flesh bastard. It brought my total to this impressive amount. It was time to use them. ¡®Ah. But before that¡­¡¯ I should use the item that appeared in my status window first. Reaching into my pocket, I felt an intangible book only visible to me. [Random Skill Book] [Randomly obtain one skill rted to your profession] [Please note that the acquired skill book cannot be transferred to others] It was a thin book without even a cover. I opened the book without hesitation. Instantly, a wave of information surged into my mind. [Skill ¨C Absolute Pte (new)] [To create delicious food first you must understand the taste itself] [The best chefs are also the greatest gourmets!] [Your sense of taste has reached its peak] [You will perceive vors more intricately than anyone else, catching even the smallest characteristics of the ingredients] [Effect 1 (Passive) ¨C User Exclusive, the positive effect obtained through cooking increases significantly and positively] [Effect 2 (Active) ¨C User Exclusive, when activated, you can amplify the subtle [characteristics] of a dish] ¡°The name of the new skill I¡¯ve obtained is [Absolute Pte]. It¡¯s a skill that pushes your pte to its limit. Hmm¡­ Well¡­ ¡°That¡¯s disappointing.¡± Feeling vors more keenly could be nice, I suppose. It would feel good when enjoying delicious food. But I don¡¯t think it will be of much help in battles. ¡°The first effect isn¡¯t bad. It means the effects of my cooking increase when I eat it myself.¡± The effects of the dishes I make are enhanced for myself alone. So, it means the efficiency of buffs increases. The problem is, even with the buffs increased, I¡¯m not naturally that strong, so it might not make much difference. Compared to genuinebat skills, it might becking a bit, but it¡¯s not bad. The issue lies with the second effect. I don¡¯t quite understand what it means to ¡®amplify¡¯ characteristics. ¡°Wait, why is this skill only applicable to myself?¡± It would have been better if it were effective for my squad members. It¡¯s disappointing, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Finally, it¡¯s time to cash in on the points I¡¯ve umted. ¡°Point Store.¡± I mumbled the name quietly. [Point Store] [Recent purchases ¨C Ordinary kitchen knife ¨C 5pt] [Hardened Rai bread ¨C 10pt] [Ordinary steel sword ¨C 30pt] [Ordinary shield ¨C 30pt] I didn¡¯t even bother looking at the list of items that are useless to me and just flipped through them quickly. As I reached the bottom¡­ I realized why soldiers use their points immediately. [Attribute Enhancement Potion (Strength) ¨C 1,000pt] [Attribute Enhancement Potion (Agility) ¨C 1,000pt] [Attribute Enhancement Potion (Magic Power) ¨C 1,000pt] [Random Skill Book ¨C 3,000pt] [This is thest page] [Additional items may be added through future patches] Remarkably, Items that grant abilities and skills. ¡°I¡¯m not abat type, so I didn¡¯t have a reason to invest hastily.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see. With the points I have, can I buy 8 potions or two skill books and two potions?¡± In other words, No matter how you use them, you can purchase at least two potions. I decided to purchase [Strength Enhancement Potion]. [Paying 1,000pt.] [Remaining points ¨C 7,182] A red potion appeared before my eyes. ¡°I do know a bit about these potions at least.¡± Since the other squad members have already been buying them as they earn Points. Of course, I¡¯ve heard about the effects from those who have already tried them. ¡®Upon consumption, randomly increases attributes from 1 to 3.¡¯ Typical of this game-like world, even the potions have a random effect. It would be quite unfortunate if it turns out to be 1. ording to the squad members, even if it¡¯s 2, it seems like the points are worth it. If it¡¯s 3, they say you can¡¯t brag to others. They say you¡¯ll be called a cheater. Additionally, although it¡¯s a potion, they say it tastes quite good. Like the taste of C vored drinks. ¡°Please, not 3. No, even if it¡¯s 2, it¡¯s fine, just not 1.¡± Uttering a prayer that doesn¡¯t really mean much. I opened the potion¡¯s cap and poured its contents into my mouth. A refreshing lime scent flooded my mouth, with a slight fizz. The magic contained in the potion spreads throughout my body as it passes through my mouth. And then, [Consumed Strength Enhancement Potion] [Your attribute levels have increased] The message stating that my attributes have increased appeared before my eyes. Up to this point, it¡¯s the same information I¡¯ve heard before. ¡®It said it would increase by 1 to 3. How much did it increase?¡¯ I waited for the message to appear, slightly tense. Hoping it¡¯s not just 1. However, Apletely unexpected message appeared before my eyes. [Skill ¨C Absolute Pte effect has been activated] [Effect 1 (Passive) ¨C User Exclusive, the positive effect obtained through cooking increases significantly and positively] ¡°¡­?¡± [Strength attribute has increased by 5] Huh? Chapter 63.1 Chapter 63.1 For a moment, I thought I was seeing things. Just to be sure, I checked the status window again. [Strength attribute has increased by 5] ¡°It wasn¡¯t a mistake?¡± Upon opening the status window to confirm, I saw that my strength attribute had indeed increased by 5 points. What is this? ¡°The squad members clearly said it would increase randomly between 1 to 3 points¡­¡± It seems the other members just had bad luck and the attribute could actually increase up to 5. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be it.¡± There was only one reason that came to mind. [Absolute Pte] [Effect 1 (Passive) ¨C User Exclusive, the positive effect obtained through cooking increases significantly and positively] ¡°¡­Wait, does that mean potions are a type of food or considered as a food?¡± A potion. In other words, it¡¯s medicine. Could this really be true? I asked about this to Sa Uijun, our unit¡¯s medic. And the reply, ¡°Well, I did major in physical therapy, so I¡¯m not an expert, but¡­¡± ¡°Well, it depends on the type, but¡­ it¡¯s not impossible.¡± His response that it¡¯s not impossible gave me a pause. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not impossible?¡± ¡°Well, attribute potions don¡¯t cure diseases or anything like that. They just make you stronger when you consume them, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°So, technically, they¡¯re not really medicine. They¡¯re more like tonic drinks. It makes more sense to ssify them as functional beverages.¡± ¡°Functional beverages?¡± ¡°You know, the digestive aids, hangover cures, vitamin drinks, and tonics you can buy at convenience stores.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, right.¡± ¡°Those are technically a type of medicine too, but you don¡¯t only get them at pharmacies. They¡¯re sold at convenience stores too. Such medical products that aren¡¯t restricted to pharmacies are called quasi-drugs. In the case of beverages, they¡¯re ssified as functional drinks. And as you know, beverages¡­¡± Beverages. Liquid foods that are meant to be consumed. ¡°So, they¡¯re considered food. Is that it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very generous interpretation, but you could see it that way.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Tonics aremonly consumed to improve health or increase energy. Potions to increase attributes. Still, can these really be grouped together? Well, it doesn¡¯t even matter if I find it strange. What¡¯s important is that the system recognizes it this way. Attribute-increasing potions are beverages. In other words, they are food. Thus, my [Absolute Pte] effect was applied. The potion, which should have increased my attribute by 1 to 3 points, boosted it by 5 points instead. ¡®That means¡­¡¯ An absurd idea popped into my head. An idea so ridiculous that I couldn¡¯t shake it off, no matter how impossible it seemed. If it¡¯s food. Then there must be a cooking process involved in making that food. And coincidentally enough, my profession is also that of a chef. ¡°So, can I make it too?¡± Since I¡¯m a chef I should be able to do it, right? If I could just figure out the ingredients and the recipe for the potion¡­ [1,000 points have been deducted] [Remaining points ¨C 6,182 points] Back in my room, I bought another potion. And used my ingredient identification trait on it. [Attribute Enhancement Potion (Agility) Identification Result] [Unknown Ingredient ??%, Unknown Liquid ??%, Unknown Sweetener ??%¡­] [The trait level is too low to identify the ingredients] ¡°Damn.¡± It¡¯s not going to be that easy, huh? The detection results were filled with unknowns. If only I knew the ingredients, I could experiment to figure out the recipe. But even with an enhanced trait, it¡¯s still at a low level. Identifying all the ingredients is difficult. Even if I did identify them, obtaining those ingredients at this stage would likely be impossible. Then, suddenly, ¡°Huh?¡± Amid the string of unknowns, I noticed something different. [Dragon Heart 10%] ¡°This is¡­¡± The Dragon Heart. Just the name alone sounds like an extraordinary ingredient. It¡¯s the only identified ingredient in the attribute potion. It¡¯s not like this ingredient is low-grade enough for my trait to identify it. In fact, ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve heard of this before.¡¯ I quickly stood up and rummaged through my military backpack, pulling out a wooden box. Inside that box was¡­ [Dragon Heart] [This is a Heart of a Dragon] In the past, after I managed to subdue Lieutenant Kim by feeding him my dishes, I achieved the achievement ¡®Irresistible Taste¡¯. The reward for that achievement was this. [Top Quality Ingredient: Dragon Heart] Due to myck of cooking skills, I couldn¡¯t handle it and just carried it around in my backpack, adding unnecessary weight. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought this would be one of the ingredients in the attribute potion?¡¯ Since I had it in my possession, my detection skill seeded. Although it¡¯s impossible right now, if I eventually gather all the ingredients like this heart¡­ ¡®I can cook an attribute potion¡­!¡¯ *** After experimenting with potions as much as I could, [6,000 points have been deducted] [Remaining points ¨C 182 points] I converted all my remaining points into potions. I considered buying a new skill, but I had just acquired a new skill recently. With the new skill enhancing the efficiency of the potions, I couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. [¡­Your attribute has increased by 5 points] ¡°Sweet.¡± Thinking back, the timing couldn¡¯t have been better. A skill book obtained by chance through a quest, and the points I had been saving. These two factors created a synergy that allowed me to maximize my attributes. As a result of consuming all 8 potions, [Attributes] [Strength: 19 ¡ú 29] [Agility: 30 ¡ú 45] [Magic: 18 ¡ú 33] [Luck: 24] In total, my attributes increased by 40 points. ¡®I wasn¡¯tcking in stats to begin with¡­ but this¡­¡¯ I was the first to awaken and have been steadily gaining experience through cooking. When ites to levels, I¡¯m the highest among the squad members and currently on the verge of reaching level 20, My stats were already on par with the warriors. With this much of an additional attribute boost, I subtly moved my body to test it. ¡®Hmm. It¡¯s not quite like when I fought that gluttonous guy.¡¯ Nevertheless, I felt incredibly light. If I y my cards right, I might even be able to take on Gwang-il. He has that ridiculously overpowered berserk skill, but with the increased buff efficiency from my [Absolute Pte] skill, I should be able to hold my ground against him. ¡®I always thought it was a useless skill.¡¯ But Unintentionally, I have achieved such tremendous growth. Even if it just boosts raw stats, I have finally obtained a skill that¡¯s genuinely helpful forbat. ¡®I was worried that myck ofbat strength would cause my squad members to look down on me.¡¯ With this, I might not get ignored after all. As I was thinking that a notification popped up before my eyes. Chapter 63.2 Chapter 63.2 Ding. [Shaman: Young-joon, did you do something?] [Chef:?] [Shaman: ¡­No? I thought only you could pull off something like this] It was a message from Park Taejun in the mountains. Wondering what he meant, I waited for the next message. [Shaman: The misfortune foretold by the divination has been lifted] [Shaman: I think it¡¯s okay to proceed with the dungeon challenge now] Even without a subject, it wasn¡¯t hard to grasp the meaning. We finally got the green light to tackle the dungeon. *** At the gathering of the squad members, the newly joined Jeong Soo-ah pointed to a location on the military map. ¡°Here.¡± She shared this information with us immediately upon joining the squad. It was the location of the dungeon. ¡°It¡¯s not that far.¡± ¡°Is this good luck?¡± The ce she pointed to was a t in with nothing around. ¡°It looks empty.¡± ¡°Is there a cave or something?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not an empty ce.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Looking at the map again, it seemed like a barren field. Soo-ah also nced at the map and tilted her head slightly. ¡°Uh¡­ it does look empty. But the spirits didn¡¯t show it as an empty ce.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Oh. I got it!¡± It was Lee Sang-ah who responded to her words. ¡°This is where a station is located.¡± ¡°A station?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± The reactions split into two groups. The soldiers, including me, showed confusion. The survivors nodded in understanding. ¡®There¡¯s a station in this remote area?¡¯ If that were true, there¡¯s no way we, who served near here, wouldn¡¯t know about it. We would have used the train when going on leave or returning. But there definitely wasn¡¯t one. Even I always used the express bus. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that soldiers wouldn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°To be precise¡­ it¡¯s an under-construction station.¡± Ah. So, it was a subway station under construction. Dungeons were originally associated with underground prisons. ¡°It makes sense as a potential dungeon site.¡± Our next destination was set. *** Afterpleting the preparations, our guild led the soldiers and set out. Unlike the rtively stabilized area near our military base, the world was still swarming with monsters just a little further away. Even a short distance made travel challenging. It was only after thepletion of thebat vehicles that this became possible. And then, another change urred. ¡°Third floor, window of the gray building on the left. A monster is about toe out.¡± ¡°Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Bang¡ª The squad leader, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, fired his weapon. Thanks to the silencers made by the engineers, the sound was minimal. Crack¡­ The monster that was crawling out of the window, aiming to attack the unit, had its head blown off instantly. ¡°Two blocks ahead, right corner at the intersection. There¡¯s a group of zombies. Quite a few of them.¡± ¡°Han-il, take your squad and handle it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The zombie horde, which could have threatened the unit¡¯s nk during the advance, was eliminated by the soldiers before it could get close. ¡°Straight ahead¡­¡± ¡°We should detour from here¡­¡± ¡°That path is blocked¡­¡± A soldier with a different perspective observed the battlefield and continued to brief us about the uing dangers. Jeong Soo-ah. A spirit mage, who shared her vision with a spirit. ¡®It was already a powerful trait.¡¯ A trait that allowed her to share the vision of an invisible, freely flying spirit. The only limit was Soo-ah¡¯s own ability. However, with the essories provided by the guild skill, the dog tag, the uniform made of lizard leather, the handmade weapons crafted by Grandpa Park and the engineers, and my cooking, the abilities of ordinary awakened doubled upon joining our unit. And she was no exception to this fact. ¡°Incredible¡­ Even after using my abilities this much, I don¡¯t feel any pain in my eyes.¡± Previously, our reconnaissance relied on the [EnhancedHearing] gained from my cooking. But now, that was merely an aid. Her spirit acted as a scout, informing us about the threats from the sky. The stability of our operations has increased significantlypared to before. Thanks to this, ¡°There, that construction site.¡± We reached our destination, the subway station where the dungeon was located, without significant damage. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to arrive this quickly¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s an honor to have been of help to my benefactor.¡± Although her abilities were a great help, the truth was that the military base and the station weren¡¯t that far apart to begin with. ¡°Luck was on our side in many ways.¡± ¡°Luck isn¡¯t everything,¡± Min-jae hyung said. ¡°Railroads have traditionally been used for military movement.¡± ¡°Ho.¡± ¡°While the station is mainly for civilian convenience, the location of nearby military bases would have influenced its selection. It¡¯s natural for the station and base to be close.¡± It made sense. Railroads are the most efficient and fastest way to move the military. Especially since our ammunition battalion was responsible for supplying ammunition to the nearby area, the station¡¯s location would have been chosen to ensure rapid supply in emergencies. Well, for us, it meant we could move without any damage. It¡¯s all good. Upon arriving at the station, we entered the construction site. As we walked inside, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok tilted his head in confusion. ¡°This is strange.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Considering it¡¯s a construction site, I expected to see zombies or corpses of the workers. But isn¡¯t it oddly quiet? I can¡¯t even hear any zombies with my [Enhanced Hearing].¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Now that you mention it¡­¡± ¡°The Dooms Day happened on a weekend, so perhaps the construction was halted? I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hmm. In any case, I decided to consider this as a fortunate turn of events. Without any zombie attacks, it became easier to enter the construction site. In the heart of the site, we found a small staircase leading down to the subway station. ¡°Here it is.¡± This was the entrance to the dungeon. ¡°Stairs, huh?¡± ¡°Looks like we can¡¯t take thebat vehicles down there.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Engineers will stay outside to guard the vehicles.¡± We stationed a few soldiers on the surface to be prepared for any unexpected situations and then proceeded down the subway stairs with the rest of the troops. As the daylight above began to fadepletely, ¡°res.¡± ¡°Deploying res!¡± The soldiers threw the res that they had brought, illuminating the dark underground space with a red glow that spread across the stairs. However, there was a spot that remained dark despite the res. ¡°That must be it.¡± At the bottom of the stairs, where it officially connected to the subway, there was a mysterious dark curtain that the res couldn¡¯t prate. As I focused on that spot, a series of messages appeared before me: [A dungeon has been discovered] [The beings of other realms possess diverse habits as varied as their kinds] [Some races have adaptive abilities that allow them to survive in any environment, while others may find lucky resemnces to their homnd in new surroundings] [Yet, some races find the new world¡¯s environment extremely unpleasant] [They have decided to alter the environment to suit their tastes] [This is a clear act of invasion] [Do not tolerate this.] The information about the dungeon unfolded before me. Despite its length, it made clear what the term ¡®dungeon¡¯ meant in this world. ¡°Beings from another realm, unable to adapt to the environment, have transformed it to suit their preferences.¡± In other words, ¡°Terraforming.¡± Chapter 64.1 Chapter 64.1 [A dungeon has been discovered] [The beings of other realms possess diverse habits as varied as their kinds] [Some races have adaptive abilities that allow them to survive in any environment, while others may find lucky resemnces to their homnd in new surroundings] [Yet, some races find the new world¡¯s environment extremely unpleasant] [They have decided to alter the environment to suit their tastes] [This is a clear act of invasion] [Do not tolerate this.] The system message referred to the monsters as ¡°beings of the other realm.¡± It seems the sudden appearance of these monsters is not due to some strange experiment on Earth¡¯s creatures, but rather they are beings from a different world that we were unaware of. ¡®That¡¯s quite an important piece of information. But¡­¡¯ More significant is the line that follows: ¡± They have decided to alter the environment to suit their tastes.¡± The implication is clear ¨C terraforming. Remodeling the unsuitable environment to make it suitable for their survival. The monsters we¡¯ve encountered so far, while formidable, have often been simr in many ways to Earth¡¯s creatures. Despite not being native to this, they adapted to the earthly environment and started hunting humans. ¡°But it seems there are also monsters that cannot adapt to this environment.¡± ¡°Perhaps the ones we¡¯ve seen so far are the minority. The majority of monsters may have died out, unable to adapt to this world.¡± Those monsters unable to adapt to Earth¡¯s environment ¨C some may have perished without being able to adjust, while others are actively trying to reshape the environment to suit their needs. And the result of that is the dungeon. ¡®So, this entire subway station has been remodeled?¡¯ A subway station built with the taxpayers¡¯ money. If it had beenpleted normally, even us soldiers stationed nearby could have used it. But now these monsters have simply taken over the ce, remodeling it to their liking. ¡°How arrogant.¡± This remodeled space of the monsters is unable to adapt to Earth ¨C it¡¯s likely an unfavorable environment for us, who have adapted to this world. But in this world, We cannot shrink back in fear of the risks. On the Dooms Day, when the monsters stormed the restaurant ¨C if I had run away in fear, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here now. Only those who boldly grow their strength will earn their right to survive. Conquering this dungeon will be the same. As with all game dungeons, the greater the risk, the more it will help us grow. Leaving behind the tense-looking soldiers, I stepped forward, entering the ck barrier. To properly show these monster fellows who the true owner of this illegally upied ce is. Swoosh- The ck curtain felt like nothing more than a simple shadow. I passed through it effortlessly, without even a sense of touching anything. But, I could immediately feel the fact that I had entered the dungeon. [You have entered the dungeon!] [Normal Dungeon ¨C Spawning Ground of ck Sand Larvae] [Famous as pests due to their unique appetite and habits, this is the breeding ground of the ck sandrvae.] [It is the spawning ground of the ck sandrvae which are widely known as pests due to their unique eating habits] [Unlike their scattered poptions across the universe, the spawning of ck sand worms requires aplex set of environmental factors to be in ce.] [Their mothers have decided to decorate this area as their own homnd, for the sake of their offspring¡¯s spawning] [This environment is not friendly to the human race] [All stats will be slightly decreased] ¡°Huh.¡± The abrupt environmental change. Maybe it¡¯s due to differences in gravity or air pressure. I felt my body bing heavy, apanied by a slight difort. The air also seemed different from that of Earth. Breathing felt a bit strenuous. There was even a dry, prickling heat that pricked my skin. It took some time for my body to adapt to the sudden environmental change. After weathering the shock of the abrupt change, I opened my eyes that had been tightly shut. And beheld the scene unfolding before me. ¡°A desert, is it?¡± Instead of the under-construction subway tform there was an expansive dark sand desert stretching out beyond the darkness. Starting with me at the forefront, the guild members who had been following me also entered the dungeon. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°What, what is this? It¡¯s hard to breathe here.¡± ¡°My body feels so heavy¡­¡± ¡°Sit down and wait for your bodies to adjust. It¡¯ll get familiar soon enough.¡± The sudden environmental change burdened even the awakened soldiers¡¯ bodies. But perhaps because they had transcended the human stage after just a little wait, their bodies adapted, and they could endure fairly well. I subtly shook my arm. I felt a slight unfamiliar creakiness. ¡®Hmm. Even with adaptation, movement is still difficult.¡¯ The environment here must be somewhat different from the Earth we live on. [This environment is not friendly to the human race] [All stats will be slightly decreased] ording to that message, this space itself is inflicting a debuff on us. A debuff ¨C I¡¯ve experienced that before from enemies¡¯ poison-based attacks. But this is the first time I¡¯ve experienced a debuff just from being in a ce. No wonder Taejun had cautioned against conquering this ce. As I waited for the rest of the squad to enter, I observed the surrounding space. ¡®The ceiling is just like the subway, huh.¡¯ The vision isn¡¯t great. We were relying only on the light of res. But upon closer inspection, traces of the under-construction subway could be seen here and there. The issue lies not in the ceiling, but the ground. Only the small patch of ground our squad members were standing on maintained the subway¡¯s form. I gingerly stuck my hand into the ground beyond that. Swoosh¡­ The texture when I grasped it, and the way it flowed through my fingers, suggested this was some kind of sand, likely different from what we know. ¡°Phew. Sergeant Sin, all members have entered.¡± ¡°First, have Uijun and the support team quickly recover the squad¡¯s condition. Then we¡¯ll decide how to proceed with the conquest.¡± In that moment, far into the sand desert, ¡®Something moved.¡¯ Maybe it¡¯s because my stats have recently increased. My senses have be peculiarly more acute than before. And that sense sent me a warning. ¡°Everyone.¡± ¡°Huh? Yes?¡± ¡°Assume battle formations.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Many soldiers had not yet fully recovered their condition. But the moment the order was given, they promptly rose and readied their weapons. Shh shh shh ssss Something¡­ was approaching, parting the sand desert. It seemed to be more than just one or two. And then- Chapter 64.2 Chapter 64.2 -AAAAAHHH! With a piercing scream, a massive worm erupted from the sand. ¡°Open fire!¡± Bang! Alongside Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s shout, the marksmen began their shooting at the enemy. Although visibility was a problem due to darkness, a hole was punched through the body of a monster that was trying to jump out of the sand and attack our troops. However, this was just the beginning of the first monster. ¡°They¡¯reing!¡± ¡°The vanguard squad is guarding the rear! Mages, marksmen, keep firing!¡± Monster-like creatures with thick exoskeletons, resembling ck insects, continued to emerge from the sand. In response, the ranged specialists on our side unleashed a hail of fire. The continuous sound of gunfire and explosions. ¡®Damn, how many of them are there?¡¯ It was like a swarm of locusts descending on prey. The monsters, filling the entire field of vision, charged like a wave. But, ¡®This should be manageable.¡¯ It resembled thete stages of a defensive game. While the number of invading enemies was staggering, our firepower was more than capable of dealing with them. Ssshhhhh¡­! As this war of attrition continued, the monsters seemed to realize that they couldn¡¯t break through our barrage and stopped their assault. ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°They could stille back.¡± The monsters, while numerous, were not particrly strong individually. The mages and marksmen were disappointed, having missed out on potential experience points. The monsters began retreating deeper into the dungeon. ¡°We can¡¯t let them escape. Let¡¯s chase them down!¡± ¡°What?¡± Seeing the monsters fleeing, Private Gwang-il shouted. Seemingly intent on pursuing and finishing them off, rather than letting them go peacefully. The enthusiastic Corporal Gwang-il rushed towards the monsters. But, ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± ¡°W-wait?¡± He dashed off the ground and stood on the sand, but something seemed off. Instead of charging at the monsters confidently, he was floundering awkwardly. ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t stop me¡­!¡± Thrashing about without seeming to know what he was doing, and then, his body started sinking into the sand. ¡®What the hell!¡¯ The more he struggled, the faster he sank. And since he was lost in his frenzy, he did not realize what was happening. ¡°Gwang-il! Don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Se¡­ Sergeant¡­ Ugh.¡± At the sound of my voice, he stopped moving, but his body was already half buried in the sand. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± The buried Corporal Gwang-il began groaning in pain. Given his exceptional physical abilities, even he was moaning in agony. ¡°Bring a rope!¡± ¡°Ju- just a moment, sir!¡± A soldier quickly tossed a rope to Gwang-il, and we all pulled together to hoist him out. ¡°Phew, phew.¡± ¡°Gwang-il, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡± He said, somewhat calmed down. ¡°I thought it would be like quicksand. No matter how hard I tried, there was nothing to grab onto or stand on, and I just couldn¡¯t get out¡­¡± ¡°You were in pain.¡± ¡°The more I moved, the deeper I sank into the sand, and the more the sand pressed against my body. It was like a living monster¡­ Honestly, it was too much to bear.¡± Gwang-il¡¯s physical abilities were practically superhuman. But no matter how strong he was without anything to hold onto, he was helpless in the crumbling sand. I nced over at the sand. The nature of this phenomenon was clear. ¡°It¡¯s a quicksand.¡± An antlion pit in the desert. This desert was trying to swallow us whole. ¡°Normally, quicksand isn¡¯t this deep, right? Moreover, there¡¯s perfectly goodnd right in front of us.¡± ¡°This must not be some ordinary quicksand then.¡± Dungeons are spaces that monsters have terraformed to suit their own environments. It would not be strange if this entire desert was made of quicksand. ¡°I sense some strange magic.¡± Sergeant Lee Minjae, the mage squad¡¯s leader, looked at the desert and said, ¡°There¡¯s a faint magical energy spread throughout the sand. It must be what¡¯s turning the sand into a trap.¡± The monsters bursting out from inside are manageable. If we deploy our firepower, we can probably mow them down before they even approach. ¡°But like this¡­¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be able to advance inside, will we?¡± We tried to escape through the dungeon entrance just in case. But, [Once you enter a dungeon, you cannot escape until the objective is cleared] The formerly shadowy ckout curtain had turned into a physical barrier. Looks like mid-mission abandonment is impossible. We should have noticed when the monsters seemed strangely weak. Taejun¡¯s divination seemed to indicate this dungeon has a pretty high difficulty level. Yet the monsters were pathetically weak. It wasn¡¯t the monsters who raised the dungeon¡¯s difficulty. It was the environment itself trying to create obstacles for us. ¡°Let¡¯s think of a way.¡± The squad leaders gathered and put their heads together. ¡°What if we ask the engineers outside to bring equipment that can cross the desert?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how deep it is, so will they have enough materials?¡± ¡°Lee Sang-ah, you work with the engineers, right? Any idea, if we have enough materials?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think we have that much.¡± Ah. ¡°If we use mages to spray water and then cast freezing magic on it, we might be able to make a path.¡± ¡°It¡¯s realistic, but if the mages¡¯ magic power runs out midway¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯d all die together.¡± Regrettably, Lee Min-jae¡¯s opinion was also rejected. Several other opinions were raised, but none of them seemed like a perfect solution. While briefly listening to their discussion, I quietly got up and moved to a corner. As I half-listened to the squad leaders debating and exchanging opinions, I carefully observed the inside of the sand. ¡®Found it.¡¯ I was able to find what I was looking for. I picked up the rope that I had just used to save Gwang-il and tied a knife to it. And then, Swish! I threw the knife at my target in the sand. The knife stuck into something. Then I pulled the rope back. It revealed an insect-like creature with a hard shell, resembling a mix of a fish and a cockroach, with jagged teeth like saw des inside its mouth. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [ck Sand Worm Larva] It didn¡¯t look appetizing at all. But¡­ ¡­it all depends on how you cook it. Chapter 65.1 Chapter 65.1 [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of ck Sand Larvae preparation] [ck Sand Larvae] [Theservae absorb, ingest, and dpose moisture from various objects. They are ssified as pests in many worlds due to their habit of causing desertification in their surroundings] Surprisingly, there are some enthusiasts out there who prefer its exquisite taste. [To prepare it, first pierce the neck to cut off its breathing and drain the blood, then separate the exoskeleton.] [Their eyes, which havepletely lost function as visual organs, are considered an excellent ingredient meant solely for cooking. Therefore, they should be separated carefully without damage] [Chef¡¯s Eyes activated] Following the preparation method that came to my mind, I handled the ck sandrvae. ¡®Starting off light.¡¯After spreading out a mat to sit on, I ced the prepared meat on a frying pan and lightly grilled it. The simplest cooking method. [Grilled ck Sand Larvae made with half-hearted effort of a Junior Grade Chef] [Slightly increase in the Physical Strength] [Temporarily acquired the trait ¡®Exoskeleton ((Deterioration)] The finished product wasn¡¯t particrly remarkable, as expected from such a simple preparation. But that¡¯s intentional, so it doesn¡¯t matter. The important thing is the effect triggered by this. Whether it will be helpful in the dungeon strategy or not. ¡°Exoskeleton, huh.¡± Fitting for its cockroach-like appearance. The trait that can be obtained by cooking with this ingredient is this ¡®Exoskeleton¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s a letdown.¡± Well, it might not be bad depending on the situation. But in the current situation, it wouldn¡¯t be particrly helpful. After all, ourbat power isn¡¯tcking at the moment. Having finished my assessment, I poured thepleted grilled dish into my mouth. I could feel a buff of insignificant level circting in my body. ¡®Hm?¡¯ I had put the dish in my mouth, thinking it was too wasteful to discard. The buff-like thing circting in my body wasn¡¯t particrly important. But there was one thing that caught my attention. ¡®This tastes like shrimp?¡¯ The voring from the grilled meat. It was unmistakably the taste of shrimp. ¡­Didn¡¯t they say that cockroaches and shrimp shared amon ancestor? Aside from the peculiar salty taste that seemed to be self-seasoned, the vor was very simr. Especially the bouncy texture. ¡®I see. Then¡­¡¯ I decided to proceed with serious cooking preparations. I approached one of the fire mages who had been quietly sitting in the meeting and asked, ¡± Hong-soo, can you light a fire here?¡± ¡°Ah, are you going to cook?¡± ¡°Yes, the gas stove won¡¯t be enough.¡± After asking the fire mage to light a fire on the ground, I set up a suitable stand and ced a pot on top of it. Then, I opened my bag and poured out one of my secret ingredients that I always carry with me. [Animal Oil Mixed with Magic Essence] Oil made from the fat of various monsters. Despite having no inherent effects due to the mixture of different monsters, this oil can maximize the effects of dishes made with it. The solidified fat melted into cooking oil as the heat warmed it up. Then, I immediately began preparing the ingredients. The meat of the ¡®ck Sand Larvae¡¯. And the most delicious part, the eyeballs. I mixed and stirred them together. The eyeballs burst open, bing a sauce that coated the meat. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a bit gross.¡¯ But in the end, it¡¯s all the same once it¡¯s in the stomach. Stirred and mixed well. After properly preparing the ingredients, I took out the [ck Chinese Cleaver]. And then¡­ I chopped and minced the mixed ingredients. After dividing the finely chopped ingredients into appropriate portions, I went to the ce where the supplies brought from the base were stacked and looked for what I needed. ¡®I¡¯m sure I brought it¡­¡­ Ah!¡¯ The item I took out from there was: [Bread made with the care by a Junior Grade Chef] Using flour and other ingredients obtained from the market, I had prepared this bread while reading cookbooks in between cooking for the unit members. Since the unit members¡¯bat rations were mostly just jerky, I had brought this to provide them with sandwiches at least, so they wouldn¡¯t get bored just eating that. While this bread itself is already usable as food, it will y another role as an ingredient this time. After dividing the bread into portions, I inserted the pre-portioned ingredients in between the slices. Now, I just need to check the oil temperature. ¡°Hong-soo, how¡¯s the oil temperature looking?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I asked the fire mage who had been lighting the fire. As specialists in fire-rted tasks, they should normally be able to precisely gauge the temperature. ¡°The difference in air pressure¡­ the me isn¡¯ting out as controlled as I¡¯d like. The fire is a bit stronger than I intended.¡± ¡°I see, that makes sense.¡± The oxygen concentration and gravity are different in this spacepared to the outside. It¡¯s only natural that controlling the fire power would be more difficult. Even as a fire mage, it seems he¡¯s having trouble gauging the oil temperature. In that case¡­ ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just check it myself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After thoroughly washing my hands, I dipped my index finger into the bubbling hot oil. Plop. ¡°Ah, this seems about right.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± At that moment, some of the soldiers watching me cook let out a scream. ¡°Aahhhh¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± ¡°What are you doing, Sergeant Shin!?¡± ¡°Hm? I¡¯m just checking the temperature since I don¡¯t have a thermometer.¡± ¡°¡­Is that something you can say so casually?¡± ¡°Ah, I understand the concern, but there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± I apologized a little. ¡°My hands are thoroughly cleaned and I¡¯m very careful about hygiene.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the concern¡­¡± The soldiers were staring at my index finger. Ah, they were worried about my hand and not the hygiene. ¡®It doesn¡¯t bother me at all.¡¯ With the [Fire Affinity] trait that I gained from bing a chef and my stats having risen considerably recently, ordinary heat doesn¡¯t really affect me much. I¡¯ve been checking temperatures this way even before cooking. I¡¯m used to it, so I did it casually, but for those who don¡¯t often see me cooking, it must have been a surprising sight. ¡°I¡¯m d it doesn¡¯t bother you, but please refrain from such startling actions. As the guild leader, you should be more careful with your body.¡± ¡°Ahahaha, my apologies.¡± Anyway, the temperature seems about right. I carefully picked up the prepared ingredients one by one and dropped them into the hot oil. Sizzle. The ingredients started turning slightly brown in the oil. After taking out the entire batch once, I let the temperature cool down a bit before putting it back into the oil for a second fry. After going through two frying processes, the dish waspletely prepared for consumption: [ck Sand Menbosha* made with the Care by a Junior Grade Chef] [When consumed, all stats will be greatly increased] [When consumed, earth attribute resistance will be greatly increased] [When consumed, physical resistance will slightly increased] Just when I was done with the frying, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s menbosha.¡± Chapter 65.2 Chapter 65.2 ¡°That¡¯s right. Doesn¡¯t it look delicious?¡± This is a dish made by frying chopped shrimp between bread slices. It was the first dish that came to mind when I realized the monster meat had a shrimp-like vor. I happened to have the ingredients, so I decided to give it a try. Hmm, the appearance turned out better than expected. ¡°It might be a bit strange to say it¡¯s made from that monster¡­¡± ¡°But it looks tasty, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident I can eat it without any issues.¡± The watching soldiersmented as they looked at thepleted dish.It seems they were debating whether or not to eat a dish made from a cockroach-like monster. They were worrying about it before even trying it. I couldn¡¯t help but say in exasperation: ¡°This is something I made for myself to eat.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± There was a reason for that. The intense firepower the camp members had disyed to defeat the monsters had left most of the corpses in an abnormal state. ¡°Only this one was in a decent condition.¡± There was never enough for the soldiers anyway. So, it was absurd of them to argue over whether they should eat it or not. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be today¡¯s meal?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but it¡¯s my meal. You guys have yourbat rations, so eat those.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like you are torturing us with food¡­¡± ¡°Someone might think I¡¯m starving you.¡± Perhaps they had high expectations for my new dish. I could feel the soldiers¡¯ gazes filled with disappointment. But even thebat rations were made with the utmost care and effort to make them tasty. Ignoring their lingering gazes as much as possible, I brought thepleted dish to my mouth. Crunch. As soon as I bit into the crispy fried bread, the oil-infused juices burst out. Inside was a tender, chewy meat. Crispy outside, juicy inside. It had an amazing texture. The more I chewed, the more the oil and meat juices blended, creating an even deeper vor. ¡°Wow, even though I made this myself, it¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s just cruel¡­!¡± Even so, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m the kind of person who would selfishly enjoy a meal all by myself among these soldiers. There¡¯s a reason behind this meal. [You have consumed the food] [¡®Absolute Pte¡¯ effect can now be activated. Would you like to activate it?] That reason is this. Seeing the status window before me, I unhesitatingly murmured: ¡®Activate.¡¯ [The ¡®Absolute Pte¡¯ skill has been activated.] [Reaching the pinnacle of food tasting] [Not only can you sense the hidden vors in the dish, but you can also focus on specific tastes] This is a skill I have recently acquired ¨C [Absolute Pte]. Unlike other cooking skills that focus on buffing others or identifying ingredients, this one only applies to myself. This skill has two effects: [Effect 1 (Passive) ¨C User Exclusive, the positive effect obtained through cooking increases significantly and positively] In other words, it maximizes the performance of the dishes I consume. It¡¯s essentially a boost to the efficiency of food-rted buffs. Thanks to the effects of the stat-boosting potions being amplified, I¡¯ve achieved quite a significant growth. As impressive as that is, it¡¯s just the beginning. ¡®That¡¯s not all there is to it.¡¯ The first effect I described was powerful enough to make the previous one seem trivial. The second effect is this: [Effect 2 (Active) ¨C User Exclusive, when activated, you can amplify the subtle [characteristics] of a dish] The effect that I¡¯m activating now is this second one. As soon as I decide to use the skill, a system window immediately appears: [Warning!] [When using this effect, all buff effects other than those from ¡®Absolute Pte¡¯ will be removed] [The existing effects of the dish will be canceled] [A new effect will be applied] [Please select the desired trait] [Minor increase in dental strength] [Minor increase inbat power] [Exoskeleton] [ck Sand Defense Armour] [Energy of the ck Sand] . . . . After reading through the descriptions of the disyed traits one by one, ¡°Finally, got it.¡± I selected the trait that I desired. [The dish¡¯s effects have been reced with the selected trait] I recalled the original effects of the menbosha I had made: [ck Sand Menbosha made with the Care by a Junior Grade Chef] [When consumed, all stats will be greatly increased] [When consumed, earth attribute resistance will be greatly increased] [When consumed, physical resistance will slightly increased] These were decent effects, but not exactly what I needed right now. And so, the effect applied to me was something which was entirely different in nature. [Active Buff] [ck Sand Menbosha made with the Care by a Junior Grade Chef] [Trait ¨C Obtained the Energy of the ck Sand] After finishing my meal, I naturally stood up and started walking away from the soldiers. ¡°Ugh, guess we¡¯ll have to eat thebat rations then.¡± ¡°¡®To call it bat rations¡¯ seems inappropriate; isn¡¯t this incredibly delicious too?''¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Huh? Sergeant Shin, where are you going?¡± The soldiers preparing theirbat rations called out to me as I got up and started walking away. I didn¡¯t respond and just kept going. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin Young-joon?¡± ¡°Captain! Please stop!¡± Some soldiers called out to me, but I had no intention of stopping. After all, I was heading straight towards the horrifying quicksand that had greedily tried to devour Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. ¡°You crazy-!¡± Sensing something was off, the soldiers shouted and rushed to grab me. ¡°Is this some kind of mental attack?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin has gone mad! Restrain him!¡± ¡°He ate something strange by himself!¡± But it was toote. My feet were already stepping onto the sandy desert. Contrary to the soldiers¡¯ expectations of me sinking into the treacherous quicksand, my body stoodfortably on the desert surface. [Energy of the ck Sand] [A special trait possessed only by the ck Sand worm species, which can turn the surrounding area into quicksand] [A unique energy is emanating from your body] [Entities imbued with this energy can move freely within the ck Sand¡¯s domain] I casually rolled my foot over the desert. Feeling the sand scattering softly. ¡°Not bad.¡± Chapter 66.1 Chapter 66.1 ¡°Huh? You¡¯re not sinking in?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see? He¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± The soldiers who were trying to grab me to stop me from moving on the sand looked at me with bewildered expressions. They had expected me to get swallowed up by the desert just like Gwang-il, but here I was, standing unharmed. ¡°Could it be that the desert has returned to normal?¡± ¡°Maybe it was just Corporal Jeon Gwang-il who got caught.¡± ¡°Then I can-¡± ¡°No, no, no! Everyone stop!¡±Seeing that the desert had seemingly returned to normal, the soldiers were about to follow me onto the sand. But I quickly raised my hand to stop them. ¡®I almost caused a big mess by trying to y a little trick.¡¯ While I was standing there fine, the moment they stepped onto the sand, they would have sunk in immediately. ¡°It¡¯s the effect of the skill.¡± ¡°Skill?¡± ¡°Can a chef¡¯s skill have something like that?¡± Absolute Pte¡¯s second effect: [User Exclusive, when activated, you can amplify the subtle [characteristics] of a dish] In other words, I can choose and obtain one of the special characteristics/traits of the monster ingredients used in the dish. It¡¯s an immensely powerful ability, even if it¡¯s just a temporary buff. ¡°Gwang-il got sucked in just by stepping on the sand, but those monsters were moving around just fine. They didn¡¯t even look light enough to avoid sinking into the quicksand.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°I figured there must be some special trait that allows them to do that.¡± And if I could obtain that trait, I too could freely move around the desert just like those creatures. My guess turned out to be correct. The trait I gained was this: [Energy of the ck Sand] [A special trait possessed only by the ck Sand Worm species, which can turn the surrounding area into quicksand] [A unique energy is emanating from your body] [Entities imbued with this energy can move freely within the ck Sand¡¯s domain] [Of course, there are no other entities aside from the ck Sand Worm themselves that possess this trait] The same energy that the monster creatures were exuding is nowing from my own body. While invisible to others, it allows me to be recognized as an ally by the mysterious forces pervading the desert. ¡°Now that I think about it, that¡¯s probably why Taejun¡¯s divination changed.¡± I had initially thought it was because I had grown stronger with the effects of Absolute Pte. But once I actually entered the dungeon, my existingbat power was already sufficient. The real issue was the desert environment, which I¡¯ve now ovee. ¡°So that¡¯s how it was?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you all surprised?¡± ¡°Heh heh, I wanted to y a little trick on you.¡± ¡°Next time, let me know ahead of time.¡± Of course, this powerful abilityes with considerable drawbacks as well. All the other effects the original dish had arepletely negated. I won¡¯t be able to receive any other buffs while this skill effect is active. For abat-focused chef like me, not being able to get those buffs is a significant weakness. And there¡¯s one more downside to this skill¡­ ¡°To have gained such a skill¡­¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you start applying that ability on us as well? With that power, we can all charge in. Those measly monsters won¡¯t be-¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯d want to do that too, but¡­¡± Absolute Pte isn¡¯t an ability that boosts cooking skills or anything like that. It¡¯s literally just an ability rted to a chef¡¯s sense of taste. ¡°This ability only applies to me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± No matter how refined my sense of taste is, I can¡¯t make the food others eat taste better for them. Both effects of Absolute Pte have the user exclusive limitation. Meaning, ¡°You all just wait here. I¡¯ll go on ahead ande back.¡± The only one who can proceed into there is me. ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such absurd things!¡± Of course, the squad members protested. As the core buffer and guild leader of the squad, for me to say I¡¯ll advance alone into enemy territory is something they can¡¯t ept. ¡°Well, what can I do? This is the only way.¡± I did try to think of how I could persuade them, but I knew they would never allow themander to do a solo operation. So, feeling a bit sorry, I¡¯ve made the decision to just go ahead. Once I¡¯ve stepped onto the sand, the squad members won¡¯t be able to stop me anyway. ¡°Take care, everyone.¡± ¡°Wait a moment,mander!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± Leaving behind the moring squad members, I moved my feet towards the dark subway station buried under the sand. I have a rough idea of where my target is. The magical energy I¡¯m sensing from this sand ¨C by following where it grows stronger, I should be able to confront the one who created this desert. As I delved deeper into the dungeon, the voices of the squad members calling out to me could no longer be heard. ¡®It¡¯s quiet now.¡¯ In the dark space, only the sound of my footsteps on the sand could be heard. I wish I could make some kind of cooking that could give me vision in this darkness, but the moment I try to use another dish¡¯s effects, I¡¯ll likely get sucked further into the desert. I¡¯ve just been walking blindly towards where the magical energy felt the strongest, but now I really can¡¯t see anything. I took out a re from my military uniform pocket, something I had brought just in case. As I ignited the re and held it like a torch, the dark underground space was illuminated in a red glow. And the first thing I discovered in this newly lit area was¡­ ¡®Damn¡­¡¯ The walls were covered in a swarm of insects, the ck Sand Larvae that had attacked us before. They were crawling all over the walls and ceiling, impossible to even count. And it wasn¡¯t just the walls. The sand I was standing on was also rippling in ces, with more of thervae moving about underneath. ¡®So, this is the hatchery for the ck Sand,¡¯ I thought. Seeing the sheer number ofrvae, even I can¡¯t help but feel a little intimidated. And with no friendly firepower to mow them down, the situation looks rather bleak. But¡­ ¡®As expected, they¡¯re not attacking.¡¯ I¡¯m not some suicidal maniac who would just recklessly charge into the heart of the monster¡¯sir. Even as the re¡¯s light flickered, dramatically announcing my presence, the countless beasts simply continued about their business, without any attacks directed at me. ¡®Just as I predicted.¡¯ [Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of ck Sand Larvae preparation] [Their eyes, which havepletely lost function as visual organs, are considered an excellent ingredient meant solely for cooking. Therefore, they should be separated carefully without damage] So, if their vision is so degenerated, how do they distinguish friend from foe? ¡®It must be this energy emanating from my body.¡¯ Insects that live in hive-like colonies are said to use pheromones to identify allies and enemies. And this ¡°energy of the ck sand¡± seems quite simr to that pheromone. Being recognized as an ally of the one who created this desert is likely why I¡¯m not being attacked. Seeing how I can walk openly amongst the swarming monsters without incident confirms my guess is correct. While the sheer numbers are daunting, I¡¯m confident there is no real threat. Ignoring the writhing beasts, I pressed on further inward. As I continued walking, the magical energy permeating the ground suddenly grew much more potent. ¡®The target is close.¡¯ Just as I thought. Proceeding a bit deeper, I spotted a massive insect, easily twice the size of a person. ¡®That must be it.¡¯ The entity radiating magical energy across this sandy desert. In other words, the target I must defeat. [Chef¡¯s Eyes activated] Acquired Junior Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of ck Sand Swarm Mother] ¡°¡­.¡± Since this is a dungeon, that colossal creature must be the boss monster I need to defeat. The general methods for conquering a dungeon are to either eliminate all the enemies within, or to defeat the boss. And since this is a real-world dungeon, it¡¯s unlikely to deviate from those standard rules. Defeating that creature should allow me to clear the dungeon. With no buffs or advantages, this will be no easy battle. But I have to seed. Steeling my resolve, I reached for the hilt of my sword. Taking a deep breath, just as I was about to draw [Dokkkogusik Knife]. Swoosh! ¡°¡­?!¡± Something flew towards me. Chapter 66.2 Chapter 66.2 The head of the ¡°Swarm Mother¡±. Despite its massive body being far away, its snake-like elongated neck and face were lunging straight at me. ¡®It struck first!¡¯ Already at a disadvantage, I had a sense this battle would only get harder. Quickly, I raised my arms to take a defensive stance. But¡­ ¡®¡­But there¡¯s no attack?¡¯ I didn¡¯t feel the pain. No, the attack I had anticipated never came.Not only was there no attack, but rather¡ª -Kkeureuk, kkeureuk. The [Swarm Mother] was gently rubbing its head against my arm. From its mouth came a surprisingly soft sound, utterly unlike the expected harsh insect chittering. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to understand what was happening. This is the hatchery where this Swarm Motherys its young. ¡®Is this creature really¡­¡¯ And due to the effect of my cooking skills, I must be emanating an energy that this creature recognizes as its own kind. ¡®Is it seeing me as its own offspring?¡¯ -Kkeureuk kkeureuk kkeureuk. The Swarm Mother circled around, making those gentle sounds. I sensed no hostility in its actions whatsoever. Seeing this, I was struck by a shock of a different kind. ¡®Do these monsters¡­ have maternal instincts?¡¯ I knew that these creatures had intelligence. Even those lizards have demonstrated strategic tactics in attacking us. But intelligence and emotion are entirely separate realms. Many creatures simply breed without caring for their young. This dungeon was likely shaped by the monsters¡¯ own needs and desires. From the human perspective, it¡¯s an outright act of invasion. This creature too, has encroached upon and reshaped humannds. But¡­ this is a hatchery. ¡®So that invasion was ultimately for the sake of its offspring?¡¯ I felt a strange sensation. I had ughtered this creature¡¯s young ones. And now, I¡¯m supposed to behead the monster that sees me as its own child? ¡®I wish it had just attacked me outright. Then I could have killed it with everything I¡¯ve got.¡¯ Even with the monster thrusting its neck towards me, I had trouble mustering the resolve to swing my de. ¡®¡­Mother.¡¯ The faces of my own parents, which I had been trying to forget, suddenly resurfaced. So, I stood there, unable to bring my knife down. -Kkeureuk? Kkeureuk kkeureuk. Perhaps sensing my unusual behavior, the Swarm Mother¡¯s demeanor shifted slightly. Its cries, though iprehensible, seemed to convey a question ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ ¡®I have to kill it, I know.¡¯ It feels unsettling, but if I don¡¯t take this creature down, it will be us who perish. Just as I was about to grip the knife and swing¡ª The Swarm Mother¡¯s elongated head retracted back towards its body, disappearing from view. -Keureuk! It emerged carrying something in its mouth, dropping it in front of me. A gesture akin to a mother offering a gift to her young. But seeing the object it had brought, I couldn¡¯t react with the excitement of a child receiving a present. Desated and contorted, but still clearly recognizable. It was a human corpse. ¡®¡­¡¯ -Keureuk! When I didn¡¯t react, the Swarm Mother kept pushing the corpse closer to me. The meaning behind its actions wasn¡¯t hard to decipher. Seeing me standing still, it must have thought its offspring was weak and was offering me sustenance. This too, was entirely driven by maternal instinct. I looked towards the deeper recesses concealed beneath the Swarm Mother¡¯s body. Though not fully visible, I could make out various things: Desated human body parts, bone fragments, weathered work uniforms, and a helmeted human skull. ¡®The subway construction site¡­ those must be the workers.¡¯ The words of Sergeant Seo Soo-hyeok came to mind. As an active construction site, there would have been workers killed on the day of the apocalypse. I had wondered if their zombified forms might attack, but strangely, there were no zombies around the station. ¡®They were killed to be used as food.¡¯ These were also humans, someone¡¯s family members. I had momentarily forgotten that in the face of its maternal behavior towards me. But the fundamental truth remains unchanged: I, as a human, cannot condone this creature. ¡®It¡¯s not a matter of good or evil.¡¯ The creature eating humans may not be an evil act in itself. It¡¯s a struggle for survival, for itself and its offspring. I have also done the same, eating its young to stay alive. Eating is an act of survival. Just as I consumed its young ones to get here, it was eating humans to sustain itself and its offspring. The distinction of good or evil doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is only one thing and that is Survival. Both of us are ultimately locked in a rtionship where we must consume each other to survive. So, ¡°don¡¯t hate it too much.¡± -Keureuk? Better to be the predator than the prey of these monsters. I had resolved this long ago. I reached out to stroke the creature¡¯s head with one hand, while gripping my Dokkkogusik knife, with the other. Without even a moment of hesitation, I cleanly severed the unguarded monster¡¯s neck. [You have yed the ck Sand Swarm Mother] [The ¡®ck Sand Dominion¡¯ skill of the ck Sand Swarm Mother has been cancelled] [The dungeon is copsing.] As the Swarm Mother¡¯s severed head rolled on the ground, the pervasive magical energy dissipated in an instant. The devouring sand desert had been created by the power of this Swarm Mother. With her demise, it all came crashing down. The dungeon environment began to copse rapidly. -Kiyaaaaack!? Thervae that had coated the walls started thrashing about wildly. They must have sensed the mother¡¯s death and the hatchery¡¯s destruction, thrown into a panicked frenzy. I opened the guild message window to observe their reactions. [Chef: I¡¯ve taken down the boss monster. The floor should be returning to normal.] [Warrior: Sergeant Young-joon, are you alright!?] [Mage: You bastard Young-joon¡­!] [Chef: Now that the boss is gone, the confused monsters are in disarray. I¡¯ll leave the cleanup of the remaining creatures to your squad.] After issuing orders to the main force through the guild message, I sat down on the Swarm Mother¡¯s corpse to wait for the response. And shortly after, Kwaaaaaang¡­ I felt a tremendous tremor from the distance. The soldiers had engaged the enemy. The monsters in this dungeon, while numerous, are not particrly strong. With the battalion¡¯s mages specialized in wide area attacks, the monster horde would be swept away by the sheer firepower. And the system acknowledged this fact as well. [You have cleared the dungeon!] [You are the first from the human race to clear a dungeon] [A reward will be given to those who lead the way] Chapter 67.1 Chapter 67.1 [You have cleared the dungeon!] [You are the first one in the human race to clear a dungeon] [A reward will be given to those who lead the way] Dungeon Clearing Reward. The message was sufficient to alleviate the unnecessarilyplicated emotions. [We investigate the contribution of the participants in the dungeon conquest] [1st. Shin Young-joon (Junior Grade Chef) ¨C 91%] [2nd. Jung Hong-soo (Junior Grade Fire Mage) 0.4%] [3rd ¡­¡­]¡­¡­But. ¡®Contribution of 91% huh.¡¯ I understand. This dungeon conquest was practically a solo y. Since the obstacles in the dungeon were environmental, there was actually little fighting. ¡®It seems the defeat of the most important boss contributed the most to the contribution score.¡¯ The remaining 9% I didn¡¯t get was likely the contribution from the initial battles upon entering the dungeon. The fire mage, whose specialized wide-area attacks and whose firepower seemed to have increased due to the environmental changes, ended up in 2nd ce. [Based on the contribution, experience points and points will be awarded] [Your contribution ¨C 91%] The first reward was points and experience points. And my contribution was a whopping 91%. [You have acquired experience points] [You have acquired experience points] [You have acquired experience points] [You have acquired points] ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Along with the message of acquiring experience points, A familiar energy rushed towards my body. The energy that I felt entering my body when I first awakened. Experience points. The amount of experience points flooding in was so overwhelming that it was difficult to breathe for a moment. As a result: [Your level has increased.] [Your level has increased.] [You have reached Lv. 20.] [You have reached Lv. 21.] My level, which had remained in the 10s for a long time, Finally surpassed the dreaded 20, And even reached Lv. 21. [Promotion has been achieved.] [Junior Grade Chef ¡ú Intermediate Chef] [Intermediate Chef] [Having gone through the Novice Chef stages, you are now a respectable Intermediate Chef.] [You have now be an excellent chef who will not be ignored anywhere.] [All attributes have evolved to Intermediate level] [You have acquired a new skill.] [Five Loaves and Two Fish (new!)] [Do you know the miraculous tale of feeding thousands with just five loaves of bread and two fish?] [Now, it is a reality for you, not a miracle.] [You can feed many with a small amount of food] [The more people you share your food with, the more magic power it consumes.] Along with the promotion came the evolution of attributes. And a new skill as well. The rewards did not end there. [You are the first fromthe human race to clear a dungeon] [A reward will be given to those who lead the way] [Title ¨C The One Who Closes the Gates] [The first dungeon conqueror] [All stats increased by 10%] [All effects inside the dungeon will be increased by 30%] ¡°Wow.¡± The second reward was a title. Perhaps because of the significance of being the first human to conquer a dungeon. The effects of the obtained title were beyond imagination. Even setting aside the increased effects inside the dungeon, A 10% increase in all stats. As time passes and your basic stats be higher, the unique traits you gained will shine even brighter. And this reward was not just for me, but for the entire party that participated in the conquest. [You have defeated the ck Sand Swarm Mother] [You have in the leader of a species] [Achievement ¨C You have partially fulfilled the conditions of the King yer (2/3)] [A reward for partialpletion of the achievement has been granted] [Reward: Trait Enhancement Ticket x1] The next reward was a familiar one. The same as when I defeated the queen upying the ammunition depot. The reward was also the same ¨C a Trait Enhancement Ticket. ¡®A Trait Enhancement Ticket. This also seems like an incredible reward.¡¯ Using this, the Ingredient Identification trait that I had enhanced, became capable of even showing the opponent¡¯s traits and stats. To be given such an enhancement ticket as an intermediate reward for an achievement, the final reward must be something incredible. And then, The final reward for the dungeon conquest was given. [Dungeon ¨C You have conquered the spawning grounds of the ck sandrvae] [As a reward, a ¡®Group Skill¡¯ has been awarded] [The Aura of the Legion (new!)] [A special trait granted only to members of the guild ¡®Iron Legion¡¯.] [An aura of the legion emanates from your body] [Those who share this aura can identify each other asrades] [When a sufficient number of those with the same aura gather, a synergy effect will be activated] A Group Skill. A skill that applies to the group, not the individual. Our guild already had one ¨C The Guild Token that added an ability boost effect to the dog tags worn by the soldiers. [Guild: Iron Legion] [Legion Members: 191] [Guild Skills: Guild Token, The Aura of the Legion] ¡®This seems almost the same as the [ck Sand Energy] that the dungeon monsters had.¡¯ A reward that is very simr to the trait possessed by the monsters of the conquered dungeon. This cannot be a mere coincidence. ¡®The rewards for conquering a dungeon seem to be rted to that dungeon.¡¯ I¡¯m not certain, but The effects of the trait were tangible. Around the time I finished reviewing all the overwhelming rewards, I felt a familiar energy approaching from the distance. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°Are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± The squad members who had been clearing the monsters approached, fussing over my condition. ¡°You, Young-joon¡­¡± ¡°Really, please don¡¯t do something like this again, okay? You really scared us.¡± ¡°Sorry. There was no other way this time.¡± I did do something reckless, And I did something, for which I should apologize to them. So, I had nothing to say. That¡¯s when, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that over there?¡± Chapter 67.2 Chapter 67.2 One of the soldiers who had arrived nearby opened his mouth while pointing to a corner. Seemingly surprised at something. ¡°What¡¯s that disgusting thing!¡± ¡°Some kind of bug, looks like it¡¯s two or three times the size of a person. Ugh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just disgusting; it also looks incredibly strong. Why is it lying dead here?¡± They were talking about the corpse of the ¡®Swarm Mother¡¯. ¡°That was the boss monster of this dungeon.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It seemed like this guy was the one who was creating that quicksand that devours enemies. When I defeated it, the dungeon copsed.¡±Since the soldiers seemed curious about the identity of the Swarm Mother¡¯s corpse, I decided to inform them of its nature. The soldiers were muttering something as they looked at me. Their gazes had changed in a strange way ¨C there was a look of astonishment in their eyes. Lee Sang-ah, who was alternately looking at the corpse of the Swarm Motherand me, asked in a peculiar tone: ¡°Didn¡¯t you just send a guild message saying you had defeated the boss?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I was thinking it couldn¡¯t be that you single-handedly charged into enemy territory.¡± Lee Sang-ah muttered dejectedly. ¡°So that¡¯s why you were so confident.¡± After joining the main force, The post-battle cleanup began in earnest. While sorting through the monster corpses to find parts suitable for cooking, ¡°Come to think of it, it seems like I monopolized the rewards. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± I suddenly had that thought and spoke up. The dungeon conquest was a choice for the growth of our guild. The squad members had unhesitatingly participated in the dangerous dungeon conquest, likely for their own growth as well. But in the end, I alone reaped the rewards. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve grown tremendously as well.¡± However, Min-jae and Gwang-il shook their heads as if I was saying something strange. ¡°The titles and traits you gained as rewards are incredible, you know.¡± ¡°And on top of that, the squad members gained a substantial amount of experience.¡± ¡°Most of them have likely leveled up several times.¡± The experience and points granted as rewards for the dungeon conquest were distributed proportionally ording to contribution. Most of which would have been monopolized by me. How? ¡°With so many monsters, it was hard not to level up.¡± Ah. Hearing that, I finally understood. The countlessrvae that had swarmed the walls and ceiling of the subway station, as well as burrowing in the sand. ¡°The experience gained from each individual monster wasn¡¯t that much, but a single swing of our weapons could take down three or four at a time.¡± ¡°It was practically a hunting spree. Especially the mages must have grown tremendously.¡± It was the squad members, not me, who had cleared the monsters that were rampaging as the dungeon copsed. And that experience gain must have been substantial. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t gained [Absolute Pte], we might not have been able to conquer this dungeon at all.¡¯ High-risk, high return. The rewards were certainly substantial,mensurate with the high difficulty. And there was an even more important achievement left. ¡°There¡¯s something like a room here!¡± ¡°Was this meant to be a restroom or something?¡± The space that had been transformed into a desert reverted back to the appearance of a normal, unfinished subway station after the death of the Swarm Mother. Of course, it was still just an unfinished station. We had assumed that weren¡¯t be anything useful for us. ¡°Young-joon.¡± ¡°What is it, Squad leader Min-jae?¡± ¡°Come over here for a bit.¡± Following Min-jae hyung, I arrived at a massivemunal space. ¡°What¡¯s this ce?¡± ¡°Look over there, at the back.¡± Looking where he pointed, I saw an enormous, cylindrical passage. A passage so huge that several trains could pass through it. ¡°That¡¯s the subway tunnel.¡± Though an unfinished station, the construction seemed quite advanced. ¡°So, the passage connecting to other stations is open now?¡± ¡°Yes, though the tracks don¡¯t seem to beid yet.¡± I think I understand why Min-jae hyung showed me this tunnel. ¡°Do you remember what I said before?¡± ¡°¡­You said that railways have traditionally been used as military transport routes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± We n to continue growing our forces. But the Inje-gun where we¡¯re currently located is just a small city-level military unit. ¡®To increase our manpower, we¡¯ll eventually need to expand our influence to other cities.¡¯ Traveling such long distances is no easy task. In this world where monster and zombie attacks are constant, major highways are likely blocked by abandoned vehicles. In contrast, the subway tunnels, apart from the stations, are closed-off passages. Not only are they less susceptible to monster attacks, but the direct rail routes also provide the shortest paths to our destinations. ¡®A path to other cities.¡¯ It¡¯s not just about expanding our forces. Our families, whose fates we may not even know, are somewhere out there. Someday, when we return to our hometowns, these straight railway lines could be the fastest way. Perhaps, securing this subway system itself could be an achievement that rivals the other rewards. Upon sessfullypleting the dungeon conquest and returning, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s something I need to report¡­¡± The few soldiers guarding the camp approached me with troubled expressions. I wondered what could be wrong. ¡°Survivors have started settling around the camp.¡± Chapter 68.1 Chapter 68.1 After returning to the camp. I and the squad leaders were sitting in one of the ammunition depot buildings, looking out from the window. We could see the scenery outside the camp. And the sight of a few people wandering around out there. ¡°Who are those people?¡± ¡°Not long after the team left to conquer the dungeon, those people showed up.¡± ¡°At first, we thought they might be attacking, but that¡¯s not the case. Instead, they went into the buildings around our camp and have just settled in there.¡± The soldier spoke with a troubled expression. At first, I thought there might be a problem. We already need to increase our camp¡¯s headcount. If survivorse, wouldn¡¯t that be a good thing? ¡°But it¡¯s not quite like that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on then?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve settled near the camp¡­ but they¡¯re refusing to join our unit.¡± Min-jae, who was also listening to the report, nodded and said, ¡°So they just want to reap the benefits without doing any work.¡± Those who have settled near our camp but refuse to join us. Their intentions are obvious. For the survivors right now, the most important thing is safety above all else. And the area around here has been cleared of monsters and zombies by our patrols. It¡¯s the perfect ce to settle. ¡°But they don¡¯t want to actually join our unit, they just want to enjoy the safety without the risk.¡± However, their decision puzzled me a bit. Until recently, the survivors we met were all trembling in fear. The result of mistaking us for the deserted soldiers causing trouble in the area. But now, trying to settle near our camp like this means¡­ ¡°Looks like the word is spreading that we¡¯re a normal, functioning unit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy about this or not.¡± Jeong Soo-ah had spread information about our unit to the group she was in contact with. So, the word about our unit has been spreading through those groups. The rumor of a normal military unit that hasn¡¯t turned into plunderers. ¡°Let¡¯s drive them out.¡± At that moment, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, who had been listening, firmly said, ¡°Drive them out?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we already struggling to increase our headcount? If we just ignore those people, more survivors will think they can enjoy the safety without joining us.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t justpletely disregard them either¡­ If something happens, we¡¯ll have to protect them too. It¡¯ll just mean more mouths to feed. I think we should let the ones who want to join in but drive out the rest from our territory.¡± It¡¯s a bit harsh, but Su-hyeok¡¯s point isn¡¯t entirely wrong. But still¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I feel like you¡¯re hesitating for a reason.¡± As I mulled over Su-hyeok¡¯s urging words, I decided, ¡°Well, do we really need to drive them out?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­!?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Drive out the survivors trying to settle near us? Are you crazy? Why would we waste such an opportunity? *** A few dayster. The survivors trying to settle around us. ¡°My name is Cheol-wook.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kim Jung-sook.¡± We invited them to the camp. They¡¯re our new neighbors. We should at least talk to them first. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok, the acting battalionmander of the 423rd unit.¡± Of course, the decision to invite them was mine. But Lieutenant Kim was the one who stepped up to represent us in the conversation. He looks fit and capable. His eloquence is decent too. Those who haven¡¯t directly experienced him tend to see him as the perfect model of a soldier. An absolute knockout at first sight. In reality, at the unit, he¡¯s utterly useless at his duties, and gets an earful of abuse from time to time for being so greedy. ¡®But he¡¯s such a talented guy, there¡¯s no one else like him to be the fake boss of our unit.¡¯ I even considered stepping up myself. But excluding the position the system has granted me, my official rank is that of a Sergeant Chef. Not a very trustworthy position. ¡°They say I could be promoted to Staff Sergeant in wartime conditions.¡± In wartime, it¡¯smon for capable soldiers to receive special promotions. And Lieutenant Kim, the sole officer, is still alive. Officially, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for my position to be upgraded to Staff Sergeant. But somehow¡­ ¡°From a regr soldier, to suddenly being promoted to a nonmissioned officer¡­¡± ¡®Even in this already disrupted daily life, I¡¯d feel even more distant.¡¯ What¡¯s important isn¡¯t whether I¡¯m a Sergeant or not, but my position as the Legion Commander of the guild. I declined the promotion to Sergeant. And recently, I¡¯ve also felt¡­ That my first impression isn¡¯t very trustworthy. ¡®Lieutenant Kim should handle the public-rtion role of the battalionmander.¡¯ The other reasons are just secondary. That way, at least one of my annoying tasks can be reduced. Anyway. Lieutenant Kim, after eating the meal I prepared, had his [Enhanced Hearing] activated. He¡¯ll be handling the basic conversation, but I¡¯ll be guiding the direction. ¡°Lieutenant Kim¡­¡± ¡°Please, just call me Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Then, Lieutenant Kim, may I ask you something?¡± The man who introduced himself as Cheol-wook was a middle-aged man of considerable build. ¡°If we¡¯re not mistaken, themon understanding is that the military has beenpletely wiped out. At best, there are a few deserters who abandoned their units.¡± ¡°We¡¯re aware that such rumors are circting among the survivors.¡± ¡°And from what I know, the name of this military unit wasn¡¯t something like the 423rd Battalion. Are you all really soldiers?¡± The man¡¯s face wasced with tension as he asked. Is he someone who lived in this area? I didn¡¯t expect there¡¯d be someone who would notice the difference in the unit¡¯s name. ¡°You¡¯ve managed to settle near the unit, despite harboring such suspicions.¡± ¡°In this world, the options aren¡¯t abundant.¡± ¡°I believe I can answer your questions clearly. Although we¡¯ve lost contact with the highermand, and the battalionmander has passed away¡­ We still consider ourselves soldiers.¡± One of the survivors seemed to let out a relieved sigh at that response, but the questioner, Cheol-wook, still had a doubtful expression. ¡°But you all aren¡¯t the original soldiers of this unit, are you? The military uniforms you¡¯re wearing aren¡¯t the same ck ones.¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct. Our barracks are actually in a different location.¡± ¡°Then¡­ what happened to the soldiers who were originally in this unit?¡± ¡°By the time we arrived here, the entire unit had been overrun by the monsters. The soldiers had already¡­¡± ¡°¡­I see. So that¡¯s what happened.¡± Hearing Lieutenant Kim¡¯s response, Cheol-wook let out a deep sigh. He must have lived in this vicinity. Maybe he had someone he knew in the ammunition depot. Chapter 68.2 Chapter 68.2 This time, it was the woman who introduced herself as Kim Jung-sook. She seemed rather old and had a strong personality. ¡°If you truly consider yourselves soldiers, shouldn¡¯t you have taken steps to protect the civilians much earlier? It¡¯s been months, so why only now¡­¡± ¡°We had our own circumstances.¡± ¡°Circumstances? What circumstances could justify the military failing to protect the people when people are dying?¡± The military exists to protect the citizens. Not fulfilling that role properly would lead to being criticized by the citizens. ¡°The same circumstances as other military units being wiped out. Monsters attacked our barracks.¡± ¡°¡­¡±¡°They were much stronger than regr monsters. In the process of fending them off, more than half of our unit was killed. I¡¯m currently acting as the battalionmander.¡± ¡°And what about the other officers besides you?¡± ¡°All the other officers have passed away. Some were killed by the monsters, and the others¡­¡± He trailed off, looking down at his own hands. ¡°It was by our own hands.¡± ¡°By your own hands? Does that mean there was some kind of mutiny?¡± ¡°Ajumma Jung-sookI don¡¯t think that¡¯s what he¡¯s referring to.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cheol-wook looked at Lieutenant Kim with a more serious expression. ¡°He¡¯s talking about the officers bing zombies, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. In that case¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ajumma Jung-sook seemed to realize then that he was referring to the dead officersing back as zombies. ¡°It must have been an unpleasant memory to dredge up. I apologize for bringing it up.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s in the past now.¡± The mood of the conversation had be rather solemn. The unit had fiercely resisted the enemy¡¯s attacks, but lost most of its soldiers in the process, even losing the battalionmander. The fact that they had to kill the reanimated battalionmander who had be a zombie must have been an incredibly dramatic experience. ¡®Well, that¡¯s the story, I suppose.¡¯ About half of it was true, but the other half had been cleverly embellished. It¡¯s true that the battalionmander and other officers had passed away, but they had died in the barracks, not in battle. However, by telling the story this way, the battles they had endured became a ¡°fiercely intense battle that even cost the life of the highestmanding officer.¡± I think I understand why Lieutenant Kim spoke this way. It would be difficult to criticize the soldiers who had gone through such intense battles, saying ¡°what were you doing, not rescuing the civilians?¡± This story¡­ is not exactly a lie. But a cleverly exaggerated dramatic narration that favours us, the soldiers. ¡°It¡¯s only recently that we¡¯ve left the barracks and arrived in this area, after retaking a military base that had been overrun by the monsters.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why other military units have settled here¡­¡± ¡°I feel I¡¯ve exined our circumstances well enough. May I ask you a question as well?¡± The self-introductions were done, so now it¡¯s time for the main discussion. ¡°You¡¯ve settled near our unit¡¯s base recently.¡± ¡°So, what if we have?¡± ¡°Wherever we decide to settle, that¡¯s our business, isn¡¯t it? Soldiers have no reason to concern themselves with where others choose to live.¡± The two of them seemed a bit defensive in their response. ¡°Though, if you were to join our unit, we¡¯d be happy to wee you.¡± ¡°We already heard that proposal from some of your other soldiers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like being conscripted than joining, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kim Jung-sook sighed. ¡°By myself, I wouldn¡¯t have minded that so much.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But for our group, it¡¯s not feasible.¡± I nced out the window, looking at the members of her group waiting outside. There were a lot of children and elderly among them. ¡°Excluding me, there¡¯s no one in our group who can really fight. Bing soldiers and fighting¡­ It¡¯s just too much for the members of our group.¡± Just looking at the numbers, it¡¯s surprising they¡¯ve managed to survive this long. But then again, ¡®Awakened abilities don¡¯t depend on age or gender.¡¯ Grandpa Park is a prime example. He¡¯s old enough to have grown-up granddaughters, but after awakening, he¡¯s be a key member of the engineering corps, respected as the ¡°Elder.¡± Awakening allows one to transcend human limits. If her group members went through that process, they could be capable soldiers as well. But from her perspective, she probably doesn¡¯t know that we¡¯re essentially mass-producing these ¡°Awakened¡± individuals. It seems the woman is reluctant to turn those under her protection into soldiers. ¡°Your situation is not good either, I know. We¡¯re not asking you to protect us or share your food. But would it be okay if we settle around your base? We¡¯ll make sure not to cause any trouble.¡± ¡°Our group is in a simr situation.¡± Well¡­ I¡¯ve also heard stories about the survivors on the ground aftering down here. Resources on the surface are limited. Survivors are wary of other groups roaming around, as they have topete for those limited resources. It¡¯s not really our concern, since we have plenty of resources. But we can¡¯t just let them sit on the edges of the safe zone we¡¯ve created either. I muttered quietly, just loud enough for the lieutenant to hear. The lieutenant repeated my words. ¡°It¡¯s fine for you to settle near the base.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you¡­¡± ¡°But in exchange, we¡¯ll need to make a deal.¡± The smiles on the two survivors¡¯ faces cracked. ¡°A deal?¡± ¡°What kind of deal are you talking about?¡± ¡°Anything works. Points, food, fuel, even a small contribution would be fine. In exchange, we¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s not a trade, it¡¯s a protection fee, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not soldiers, but gangsters!¡± Well, they¡¯re not entirely wrong. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? The military is essentially an organization funded by taxes.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The two people¡¯s expressions darkened rapidly. They hade, gambling on the hope that a normal military force remained. But now that military force is demanding a protection fee. They must have felt betrayed. I may have been too harsh. Time to ease up a bit. ¡°Honestly, we don¡¯t really need much.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The truth is, it doesn¡¯t matter if you refuse this deal. We¡¯ll still protect you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°After all, we don¡¯t want to see the people around us dying either. But are you satisfied with just that?¡± The two people looked puzzled at what I was getting at. I decided to exin the reason why I wanted to ept them. ¡°It seems most other military units have been wiped out, except for us. Our unit will independently build up our forces. Someday, we aim to be able to conductrge-scale military operations on our own. And as we grow our strength, more survivors who want to settle near us will start gathering.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Do you know what happens when people from different groups gradually gather in one ce?¡± ¡°Ugh, just spit it out already. What are you getting at?¡± ¡°A society will be formed.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± This is the reason I ignored Corporal Seo¡¯s suggestion to drive them out ¨C to use these people as the starting point for rebuilding human society. ¡°If we just try to survive on our own, we¡¯d end up as an isted military force in this ruined world. What¡¯s the point in that?¡± ¡°So, you mean¡­¡± ¡°We intend to rebuild human society.¡± These people. They will be the foundation for that. Chapter 69.1 Chapter 69.1 The city was shattered by monsters, and many people were killed. The surviving humans have formed small survivor groups and are scattered in various ces, living their lives. The existing civilization and society have beenpletely destroyed. Therefore, ¡°We want to rebuild the human society. We hope you can help us with that.¡± Near our unit, We will rebuild the destroyed human society. ¡®My goal is to survive until I can build my own restaurant.¡¯ If the only customers at that restaurant are soldiers, Wouldn¡¯t it be too bleak? So far, our unit has prioritized survival above all else. Now that we have built up some power and strength, We need to think about the next step. The reason humans could reign as the rulers of the Earth was the construction of civilization and society. ¡®Why would we drive out the survivors who refused to be members of our unit? That would be such a waste.¡¯ The two survivor groups that havee to our unit. The small vige they will form near our unit. That will be the cornerstone of the reconstruction. ¡°So, a society is forming¡­ Mhm¡­ That certainly seems to be the trend.¡± ¡°But what does that have to do with collecting taxes?¡± ¡°If a society forms, there will inevitably be power struggles within it.¡± My goal is to rebuild human society, even if just a little. In the process, there will be power struggles between various groups. And. The authority to decide who gets those interests ¡°Will belong to our unit, the one with the greatest power.¡± After all, those who gathered here sought the protection of our unit. The survivors gathering around us cannot escape the influence of our guild. ¡°I see this as a natural flow of events. You can¡¯t even criticize that, can you?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°We are fundamentally a military unit. We are confident inbat¡­ but there may be some interests that are too troublesome or inconvenient for us to directly intervene in.¡± ¡°¡­Then those interests will go to those who have shown favor towards you. Those who have not even paid the price of protection will lose that opportunity.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± We won¡¯t let humans die, so we¡¯ll protect those who don¡¯t pay the protection fee. But those people will gradually be left behind in this society. The surviving group that heard the whole story seemed to ponder for a moment, then nodded and said, ¡°Well then, what are the terms of this transaction?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Pay us a reasonable amount aspensation for our protection. You can think of it as a tax.¡± ¡°What should we pay with? We don¡¯t have much.¡± ¡°The form doesn¡¯t matter. Points would be preferable, but food, oil, basic necessities, or other resources are also eptable. We¡¯ll adjust it to a reasonable level.¡± We don¡¯tck much at the moment. The important thing is the fact that they are payingpensation for the protection. ¡°If you wish, we can arrange other transactions besides the tax. You said you don¡¯t want food support, but if you pay thepensation, we can share the food we have.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°There is one more condition.¡± ¡°Another one?¡± ¡°This one isn¡¯t a big deal.¡± It may not be a big deal for them, But it¡¯s important for us. ¡°You won¡¯t stop anyone who wants to join our Steel Legion unit.¡± Ultimately, The most important thing is growing our unit. In fact, Right now, we are individually convincing every survivor we meet to join the Legion. But this is an overly cumbersome and difficult task. Rather than that, taking an attitude of not protecting those who don¡¯t join the Legion would only provoke resistance. However, If we create a human society around our unit? And our guild stands at the top of that society. For the Steel Legion, ¡®In fact, we don¡¯t necessarily have to demand anything from the survivor groups.¡¯ The most important thing is one. The symbolism of being in the position to collect taxes from those in the society. ¡®At the pinnacle of society.¡¯ Of course, the power of the organization. And if we maintain the highest level of treatment for the soldiers, Even if they have to participate in dangerous battles, There will surely be those who want to join the Legion. If that happens, that¡¯s it. No need to individually persuade every person we meet to join the Legion. We can just ept those whoe to us of their own ord, and that will increase our guild members. Of course, for that to be possible, We need to grow this society to a certain minimum size. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the details gradually.¡± At that moment, Cheol-wook, who had been pondering with his arms folded, raised his hand. ¡°Earlier, you mentioned the possibility of other transactions as well.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s correct. Like providing our food supplies in exchange for points. We¡¯d wee that kind of transaction anytime.¡± For the society to function properly, having various transactions going back and forth is not bad. But. The transaction Cheol-wook had in mind was not that. ¡°Then, I¡¯d like to buy one of those rights you mentioned.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What he wanted was not food, but a right. Among them, ¡°I¡¯d like the right to cultivate thend around here.¡± ¡°Cultivate, you say?¡± ¡°In exchange, I¡¯ll give you 90% of the harvest from thend.¡± I think I know whatnd he¡¯s referring to. The vast fields and paddy fields around the Ammunition Battalion. Recently, The deserters whom we had reformed and recruited into the unit. There was one among them who was strangely obsessed with farming. They had been trying to cultivate thatnd, centered around that person. Unfortunately, while he loves farming, hecks the skills. So far, they haven¡¯t achieved any significant results. But. 90% of the harvest? Chapter 69.2 Chapter 69.2 Even the ruthless medieval lords didn¡¯t demand that high a tax rate. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand. If you want food, I can understand that. But 90%, that¡¯s essentially just providing thebor, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case. I¡¯m confident I can profit even with just the remaining 10%.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Like thedy Jung-sook over there¡­ I¡¯m an awakened one. But due to some circumstances, I haven¡¯t been able to fully utilize my abilities.¡± As he said that, Cheol-wook reached into his chest. And he showed the palm of his hand. On the calloused hand was the seed of an unknown nt. And then, Fwooosh! ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ On that seed, A sprout suddenly sprouted. ¡°My profession is that of a farmer.¡± ¡°¡­Damn.¡± ¡°That farnd was thend I had been cultivating. It¡¯snd that has been passed down through my family for generations. Since it¡¯s right next to you, I¡¯ve been close with the soldiers and officers of the Ammunition Battalion. They¡¯de help withmunity support when things got busy, and I¡¯m grateful for that.¡± So that¡¯s why he was so gloomy when he heard about the Ammunition Battalion¡¯s annihtion. ¡°In this world where civilization has copsed, I have no intention of iming ownership over thatnd. The world has be one where power reigns supreme, and unfortunately, the profession of a farmer is not abat role.¡± ¡°It must have been difficult to secure farnd.¡± ¡°Most of the skills and abilities I had were rendered useless.¡± In other words, If we guarantee his safety and give him thend to cultivate, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m confident I can produce a harvest so bountiful that I can still give you 90% of it.¡± There was one problem with the diet of our unit. The soldiers don¡¯tin that much, But from the perspective of the one cooking, it¡¯s inevitably a concern. ¡®The ingredients are too heavily meat based.¡¯ They had only recently seeded in securing a market, But most of the vegetables were already rotten. Even when cooking meat dishes, it¡¯s rare for it to be just pure meat. There¡¯s the sauce, garnish, and so on. But, To improve the quality of the cooking, we need ¡®ingredients from thend.¡¯ But wait, This man is an awakened farmer? ¡°¡­Please feel free to let us know if you need anything. We¡¯ll provide full support.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Your food situation isn¡¯t exactly abundant either, is it?¡± He doesn¡¯t know. The ingredients he will provide. How much they will boost the fighting power of our unit. ¡°You¡¯re quite remarkable,¡± After the meeting with the survivors was over, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, who had followed me back, said. ¡°Remarkable!!¡± To draw in the survivors and build a society, with our guild on top of that society¡­ It was a direction he hadn¡¯t even considered. As I looked at Corporal Seo Su-hyeok speaking like that, I thought to myself, ¡®This guy is someone who thoroughly pursues practicality and efficiency.¡¯ Sergeant Lee Min-jae is simr, but a bit different. Min-jae hyung also pursues practicality and efficiency. But he also gets caught up in the emotional aspect. While he ims to exclude emotion and focus on practicality, there are times when he leaves the choice to me, hoping I¡¯ll choose the other way. ¡®This guy is different.¡¯ Unlike Min-jae hyung, He doesn¡¯t have the slightest consideration for the emotional aspect. After hearing the stories of the survivors who wanted to settle nearby, The first thing he argued was that we should ¡®drive them out.¡¯ We were not going to drive them enough to push them to death. But still¡­ In this kind of world, it¡¯s no different from condemning them to death. It¡¯s not about being selfish or anything like that. Unless the group itself has gonepletely off the rails, Even a selfish person would feel squeamish about directly pushing others to their deaths. But this guy showed no such hesitation. It felt like something was missing. However, ¡°My idea of driving out those who wouldn¡¯t be helpful was shortsighted. I have to admit that.¡± He¡¯s basically a capable guy, And as long as I don¡¯t make the wrong choice, he listens well. For now, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. ¡°Did you think that far in that brief moment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that remarkable, I just shifted my perspective a little.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a chef, right?¡± The more people there are to eat my cooking, The better it is for me. A direction that benefits me while everyone lives well together. Thinking about it that way, The conclusion came to me quickly. ¡°But no matter what, if you focus too much on just efficiency, you might miss some important things.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± The way he responded, dragging out his words. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if he really understood it or not.¡¯ For now, I don¡¯t need to worry about it. And so, the survivors began to settle around our unit. Fundamentally, the area around the unit was close to a vast open field, with only a few buildings remaining. Our engineers lent a hand, and we started building a vige in the vicinity. After a few days had passed, ¡°Here is the first harvest,¡± Cheol-wook said as he ced arge basket at the unit¡¯s mess hall. Damn. Has he already started harvesting? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the amount isn¡¯t veryrge.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be an issue of quantity. You just started farming, yet you¡¯ve already harvested¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of skill. Farming is one thing, but having food to eat right away is more important, you see. I at least wanted to produce a small amount to start with.¡± ¡°So that means¡­¡± ¡°We will begin to scale up the production from tomorrow onwards.¡± I looked at the vegetables in the basket. The vegetables that were probably just seeds not long ago. Could be grown and be harvested this quickly is quite amazing. If proper farming truly begins, Our unit can break free from relying on hunting for food supplies, And enter an agricultural society. ¡°We¡¯re grateful that you¡¯ve decided to settle near us.¡± ¡°No, I should be the one thankful. The fact that I was able to farm this quickly is all thanks to the help from your military personnel. Especially this fellow here.¡± Chapter 69.3 Chapter 69.3 As he said that, Cheol-wook put his arm around one of the soldiers standing nearby. ¡°He¡¯s been a great help in many ways.¡± The soldier¡¯s face looked a bit familiar. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the deserter from the ammunition depot?¡± ¡°You, you remember me?¡± Among the soldiers who had deserted from the ammunition depot and barely survived to join our unit, this was the one who had shown interest in farming. ¡°When I heard the soldiers from the ammunition depot were annihted, I felt a bit mncholic. But seeing a familiar face in the fields, well¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I was so d to see him.¡± Now that I think about it, Cheol-wook was close with the officers and soldiers of the ammunition depot. And this fellow was from that very ammunition depot. No wonder the two seemed acquainted. ¡°He roughly told me how the ammunition depot was annihted.¡± ¡°¡­So, you were the one who told him that?¡± I looked at the soldier with a slightly surprised expression. The main cause of the ammunition depot¡¯s annihtion was desertion. I didn¡¯t expect the culprit himself to have brought up the annihtion. ¡°¡­It was probably because of me that the ammunition depot was annihted.¡± But it seemed the soldier felt he had to exin further, since he was the one involved. ¡°I thought Cheol-wook ahjussi, who had many friends there, should know about it.¡± ¡± Cheol-wook ahjussi, are you alright with this?¡± ¡°Hm? Well, it¡¯s clear this fellow did wrong. I¡¯m in no position to judge him on that. But¡­¡± Cheol-wook ahjussi, said with a chuckle, ¡°In this era where most familiar faces have perished, I¡¯m simply d to see one that I recognize.¡± ¡°Cheol-wook ahjussi,¡­¡± ¡°This fellow actively helped with the civilian support work when he came out. Even now, if he sees somethingcking, he rushes over to help. How could I not be grateful?¡± Looking towards the fields, Cheol-wook ahjussi, muttered in a small voice, ¡°I picked this ce just because it was near my hometown. But now I get to see a familiar face as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems I made the right choice ining here.¡± Come to think of it, I had a question I wanted to ask Cheol-wook ahjussi. ¡°How did you end up deciding to settle near our unit?¡± ¡°Ah, I recently heard a rumor that the plunderers causing trouble in the area had been suppressed. And that the military unit doing the suppression was a rtively intact one.¡± It was a rumor spread by Jeong Soo-ah. Seems it had spread well among the survivors. ¡°In our group, I¡¯m the only awakened one. And I¡¯m not abat specialist at that. So, there were limits to just hiding.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°At the point when I heard the rumors about this unit, we had only two choices.¡± Two choices? ¡°Either join therge survivor group in the north or go to the military unit in the south.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Since my original home was also in this vicinity, I simply chose this ce. In the end, it turned out well, so I¡¯m truly grateful.¡± Therge survivor group. I had heard about them a few times before. A group that seemed to have plundered some bunker or other, overflowing with weapons and food. ¡°To be honest, and it may just be my own feeling, but I¡¯ve had the impression that the number and strength of the monsters have been increasing day by day.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Up until now, we¡¯ve managed to survive by hiding in small survivor groups, but I think those who have reached their limits will gradually seek refuge inrger forces. And among them, we just happened to choose this side.¡± So, thergest groups in this area have now split into two. Our unit, located in the south of Inje-gun. And therge survivor group in the north. After seeing Cheol-wook off, I, who remained in the restaurant, pondered deeply. ¡®Building a society around our unit is not a bad idea. In the long run, it would be the best way to grow our power.¡¯ However, this method would take some time before bearing fruit. I nced towards the military zone direction. It would still require a lot of time to gain the strength to conquer that interior. But¡­ ¡®What if thatrge survivor group is simr in strength to us, or even a bit weaker?¡¯ I don¡¯t even hope to absorb them. But if we could form an alliance with them. Can¡¯t we then take care of the monsters within the military zone? Now that a society is starting to form around the unit, the size of the unit will naturally grow without me even my intervention. Having reached a conclusion, I got up and thought, ¡°I wonder, if I should bring a gift?¡± Chapter 70.1 Chapter 70.1 Therge survivor group that is said to be gathering in the north. When I expressed the intention to make contact with them, the reaction of the unit members was quite lukewarm. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous?¡± ¡°Even the awakened farmer has settled nearby, so we should be able to be self-sufficient on our own. Do we really need to?¡± But my thinking was a bit different. We¡¯ve only managed to meet the bare minimum conditions to survive. With the fact that the area near the military is overflowing with monsters, we cannot be at ease. Even our current base could be destroyed by a monster invasion at any time. ¡®After all, a single military unit alone is not powerful enough.¡¯ The strength of the modern military does note from the power of one unit alone. It¡¯s built through the cooperation andplementing of weaknesses between multiple units. Now that other military units have been annihted, if we can create a human alliance to take their ce¡­ There will be no harm in that. ¡°To be honest, when I first heard the rumors about them, I was suspicious because the conditions seemed too good. But thinking about it, the conditions for us epting survivors are quite exceptional in this world too, aren¡¯t they? In the end, I think we just have to meet them in person.¡± ¡°If you really think so, then there¡¯s no helping it.¡± ¡°But just in case, you should take enough forces with you, right? The risk is real after all.¡± That¡¯s true. After entrusting the unit¡¯s management to Min-jae and Lee Sang-ah, I decided on the soldiers who would apany me. The elite forces of our unit ¨C squad leader Jeon Gwang-il, squad leader Seo Su-hyeok, and 3 others selected from other squads. Plus, our drone operator Jeong Soo-ah for visual surveince. ¡°Although there are just over ten people in total, in the game, it¡¯s all about the level.¡± ¡®I¡¯d say around a third of our unit¡¯s strength is here.¡¯ Unless we encounter an unusually powerful monster, we should be able to easily deal with the zombies. The navigation was entrusted to Jeong Soo-ah, who has the Sprit Vision ability. We boarded thebat vehicles modified by the engineers and immediately set out. While minimizing noise, her spirit vision allowed us to avoid confrontation as much as possible. As we moved further north, the number of zombies and monsters visibly decreased. Just like how we periodically patrolled and cleared the monsters around the ammunition depot, it seems they have also been maintaining security in this area. Suddenly, a group of humans came into view in the distance. ¡°Those people are¡­ just ordinary survivors, it seems. Given how the rumors have spread, there are probably a few such groups in the vicinity.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± I said. It seems Soo-ah didn¡¯t feel the need to report this, so she didn¡¯t say anything. That group ¨C their appearance is quite familiar to me. I stopped the vehicle and got out to approach them. The survivor group seemed cautious as I approached, but¡­ ¡°That military uniform. Are you the ones¡­¡± As I got closer, a man approached me with a look of surprise. ¡°It is you! The soldiers from back then!¡± In the past, there was a time when we hunted the monsters around to awaken the survivors in our unit. On one such asion, we encountered a survivor group being attacked by monsters. Although we helped them, they initially mistook us for deserters and looters, causing quite amotion. ¡®The misunderstanding was cleared upter, but they said they were moving to join therge survivor group in the north.¡¯ Come to think of it, the first news we heard about therge northern group was from them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you said you were going to join therge group. Have you just arrived now?¡± ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve already met and talked with them?¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re already part of that group?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± the man said, waving his hand. ¡°We¡¯ve been here for a while, but they can¡¯t just ept everyone who shows up unannounced. They have to confirm that neers are trustworthy first before allowing them to join. We¡¯re not the only ones waiting ¨C there are a few other groups here as well.¡± I see. When Lee Sang-ah joined our group, we didn¡¯t know there were criminals mixed in. They must also be carefully vetting the neers to prevent any undesirable elements from infiltrating. ¡°It seems the verification process is taking some time.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re just wasting time here¡­? Isn¡¯t that a loss?¡± The manughed heartily. ¡°Loss? Not at all! This area has already been cleaned up by them, so we don¡¯t have to worry about monsters. And with the awakened among us, we have plenty of firepower to keep things secure.¡± He then went into the group and returned with a bag, showing me its contents. ¡°This is the food they¡¯ve provided for the groups waiting to join. Apparently, they give this to all the groups that have expressed interest in joining.¡± Wow, if those who are waiting to be epted in their ¡°guild¡± are getting this kind of support, then it¡¯s no wonder their reputation is so good. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it either when I first saw it, but it¡¯s true. Thanks to this, the waiting time hasn¡¯t been too bad.¡± The man said with a smile. This is not a bad situation for us. We came here to find a capable human alliance to cooperate with, and if their resources are this abundant, that would be great. ¡°But, ah, that¡¯s only until today.¡± ¡°Only until today?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention there are quite a few other groups waiting? Well, our turn ising up next. We¡¯re scheduled to join them tonight.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°By the way, I still haven¡¯t properly repaid the favor you did for us back then.¡± ¡°Favor?¡± Chapter 70.2 Chapter 70.2 ¡°Did you forget? I clearly told you back then that I would definitely repay the favor of saving my life someday!¡± Come to think of it. The first time we met this group was when they were being attacked by a monster. Anyway, we were already hunting the monsters around to increase the number of awakened ones. I remember helping them without much thought. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. We had our own reasons back then, we had to eliminate the monster.¡± ¡°Ah, but it¡¯s not just one or two people, you saved our entire group. I can¡¯t just let that go. Let me see.¡± The man seemed to ponder for a moment. Then he nodded and said, ¡°How about this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As I mentioned, our group is scheduled to officially join them over there today. If it¡¯s okay, I can tell them about you at that time.¡± Tell them about us? ¡°Judging from the fact that you¡¯vee this far, I take it you¡¯re also trying to join that group, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah. Something like that.¡± It¡¯s not exactly joining, but an invitation to form an alliance. ¡°I thought so! But as I said, a lot of survivors are gathering here, and it takes quite a while just to meet thatrge group of people. You can probably tell, but it takes even more time to actually join. However, not all groups take the same amount of time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, if they have weapons, or if there are many awakened ones in the group¡­ Anyway, it seems they let those who can be of help to them meet them a little faster. That¡¯s the way this world is. They¡¯re hungry for talent too, you see.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, our group doesn¡¯t have much ability, so the wait has been a bit longer.¡± ¡®Doesn¡¯t have much ability¡¯, huh. I activated my ability to evaluate the man in front of me. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Primate ¨C Human Race] [Freshness ¨C Excellent] [Awakened: Park Cheol-gon] [upation: Junior Grade Swordsman Lv. 12] ¡®Oh?¡¯ Level 12, huh. His abilities and stats also seemed to be well-rounded. Judging by his level alone, he would be in the middle to upper ranks in our unit. Among the survivors, he would certainly be considered high-level. Such a capable person is considered ¡°not very capable¡±? ¡°Just how high are the standards of that group over there?¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing.¡± No, now that I think about it, asking about each other¡¯s specific upations and levels is considered taboo among the survivors. I casually used [Ingredient Identification] to peek at his information, but this is probably quite rude to others as well. Since they can¡¯t know each other¡¯s levels, they must have just treated our group as one with only 1 awakened person. ¡°Hmph. Anyway, you¡¯re a soldier, aren¡¯t you? Judging from the military uniform, it looks like you¡¯re from a special forces unit.¡± The lizard-skin military uniform had a slightly different design from regr military uniforms. ck and gray patterns with a unique texture. Someone unfamiliar might mistake it for a special forces uniform. ¡°If you¡¯re from a special forces unit, you¡¯d be remarkable talents even without being awakened. And from what I saw, there are quite a few awakened ones among you as well. Like you, for example, the way you struck that monster seemed to be a swordsman type¡­¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°I thought so. If I ry this news, you might be able to meet them as soon as today or tomorrow. They won¡¯t let go of such capable people. And on top of that, the fact that you saved our group¡¯s lives ¨C that should be enough to get you epted, even if there are any personality issues. You will be directly admitted into their group.¡± Of course, our actual goal is to form an alliance with them, not to join their guild. But it seems it takes quite a bit of time just to make contact with them. If this man helps us, we can save a lot of time. Thinking it¡¯s not a bad idea, I nodded. ¡°Then, may I ask a favor?¡± ¡°Haha, leave it to me. Of course, I don¡¯t think this can fully repay the grace, but I hope it can be of some help.¡± The man then drew a map for us and said, ¡°Wait here. This is the building we used to stay in. Thanks to the fact that therge group has maintained order in this area, there are no more monsters. And we¡¯ve cleaned it up a bit, so you won¡¯t have anyints about staying here for a few days.¡± ¡°You even arranged a ce for us to stay. Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s we who should be thanking you.¡± The manughed with a rather friendly smile. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going then.¡± ¡°I wish you best of luck.¡± ¡°Haha, see youter then.¡± The man and his group members left to join therge group. ¡°Looks like this is working out better than expected.¡± ¡°Good deeds often bear fruit, you know.¡± Honestly, I¡¯m notpletely convinced about trusting thatrge group yet. ¡®If they¡¯re a bunch of looters, they wouldn¡¯t have any reason to supply food to the people waiting here.¡¯ But I decided to trust them just this once. After all, they¡¯re providing food to others for free. ¡­ They must have some sense of humanity in them, if they¡¯re not just prioritizing food. *** ¡°Mr. Park Cheol-gon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± At the rendezvous point with the northernrge group. No, the guild name was [Gangwon-do Survivor Union]. Someone called out to Cheol-gon, who had just arrived there. It was a tall man with a pale face. ¡°The verification process isplete. Cheol-gon, you haven¡¯t had any problematic behavior in the past, and the other members seem to be ordinary people as well.¡± ¡°What does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re epted. Wee to our guild.¡± ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Cheol-gon had been secretly anxious. Even though he trusted his group members, there were cases where they couldn¡¯t join the guild if there was a problem with someone. He was relieved to find that his worries were unnecessary. ¡°Please follow me.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± Chapter 70.3 Chapter 70.3 ¡°I will introduce you to our leader.¡± The guild member said to Cheol-gon. Cheol-gon, feeling joyful, followed him. While walking, he hesitantly spoke to the man. ¡°Umm, should I call you ¡®Manager¡¯ or something?¡± ¡°Call me however you¡¯refortable with. Now we¡¯re going to be like family.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so? Anyway, beforeing here, I met someone I knew.¡± The manager¡¯s footsteps paused for a moment. ¡°Someone you knew?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not someone I¡¯ve known for a long time. It¡¯s someone I met after the doomsday¡­¡± ¡°Did you tell that person that you were nning to join us today?¡± ¡°Uh, well, I did mention it to them.¡± The manager sighed, seeming troubled. His expression clearly showed he was displeased. Sensing the manager¡¯s mood, Cheol-gon felt a bit flustered, but since he had already brought it up, he decided to convey the request. ¡°Actually, they also want to join this side. I know their location, so could you please meet with them?¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what it was.¡± The annoyed look on the manager¡¯s face softened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but as you know, the queue is quite long.¡± ¡°Just hear me out. Those people are from a special forces unit.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The man showed a surprised reaction. ¡°¡­You mean they¡¯re active-duty special forces, not former?¡± ¡°Yes, real soldiers. They have guns and I even saw them arrive in a military vehicle today.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± As the man started listening to Cheol-gon with an intrigued expression, Cheol-gon thought he understood the interest. ¡°As the manager said, there are so many people waiting, and it takes time just to talk to them. There are quite a few survivors who have already gone back because they couldn¡¯t wait that long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°These people have good character and clear abilities. I can vouch for them. So could you perhaps move them up in the queue somehow¡­?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± The pale-faced manager said with a slight smile. ¡°We should be the ones thanking you. For how much you¡¯re offering to help.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You said they want to join us, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then,e this way.¡± Focused on the conversation, Cheol-gon only now realized he had arrived at his destination. The door in front of him. He thought the leader of the Gangwon-do Survivor Union must be there. Without hesitation, Cheol-gon opened the door. But¡­ ¡°Uh, it¡¯s dark in here.¡± The room was filled with darkness. Cheol-gon called out to the manager but received no reply. ¡®Did he leave already?¡¯ Perhaps the leader had just stepped out for a moment. As Cheol-gon was about to search for the light switch to sit and wait, Suddenly, a faint red glow flickered in the darkness. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Something ¨C a mysterious, beautiful form ¨C suddenly lunged at him from the darkness. ¡°What the¨C!¡± It was a sudden attack, but Cheol-gon instinctively drew his sword. As a warrior-ss awakened being over level 10, his reaction speed was fast enough to easily fend off an average monster¡¯s ambush. But, Crack. Faster than Cheol-gon could swing his sword, the form sank its fangs into his neck. ¡°Ugh¡­ Aaaaargh¡­¡± Colour was drained from Cheol-gon¡¯s face, and he copsed to the floor. ¡°Hmm? This man seems quite useful.¡± The form that attacked him spoke. The one who responded was the hiding manager. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. You said he¡¯s a warrior-ss awakened, right? Among the ones I¡¯ve seen so far, he¡¯s likely towards the upper ss, maybe slightly weaker than you or on par.¡± ¡°I see. I had thought he was a mediocre individual.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. You can¡¯t judge a person¡¯s abilities just by looking at them. It¡¯s impossible to fully grasp their capabilities just by appearances.¡± At that moment, someone else joined their conversation. ¡°If the taste suited you, I¡¯m d.¡± A man with fresh bite marks on his neck. ¡°You¡¯ll make a fine servant.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Manager, there is one thing I need to ry.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it? Just continue bringing in any individuals suitable to be servants, and have the useless old people and children eaten by you as you see fit¡­¡± The manager ryed Cheol-gon¡¯s earlier words. Hearing the story, the ¡°Queen¡± said, ¡°Interesting, that there were former warriors in this world.¡± ¡°In that case¨C¡± ¡°Such individuals would make better servants than those ordinary folk. We can afford to push the other survivors back a bit. Try to bring these ones as soon as possible.¡± The manager bowed his head briefly and left the room. Cheol-gon could only stare nkly at the scene. Chapter 71.1 Chapter 71.1 A few hours after Cheol-gon¡¯s group left. As night fell, we began to set up a sentry and prepare for bed. Suddenly, there was a knock. Someone hade to the building we were in. ¡°¡­Who could it be at this hour?¡± In the past, people knockingte at night usually didn¡¯t have good intentions. Especially in today¡¯s world. Together with the soldiers preparing for bed, I cautiously opened the door. Then, ¡°Good evening.¡± A pale-skinned man was standing at the door. Behind him were two people who looked like subordinates. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°I was introduced by Mr. Park Cheol-gon.¡± Park Cheol-gon. That was the name of the leader of the survivor group from earlier. He did say he would go and introduce us quickly to the other side. But still, it¡¯s been only a few hours since Cheol-gon left. I didn¡¯t expect the person from the other side toe this quickly. Especially at this hour. I was a bit flustered. I told the soldiers behind me, ¡°For now, let¡¯s take turns on sentry duty and going to bed, as we nned earlier.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Gwang-il and Su-hyeok,e with me.¡± They guided us to the corner of the building. We lit a candle, making sure the light didn¡¯t leak out through the windows. ¡°My introduction iste. I am from the [Gangwon-do Survivor Union] guild. ¡°Guild¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, you may not know about it. When a certain number of Awakened gathers, the system recognizes them as an organization. Small groups are called ns, andrge ones are called guilds. It¡¯s rare for there to be many Awakened, so a lot of people don¡¯t even know about the existence of ns.¡± ns. Guilds. Of course, we know about them too. [Guild Name: Iron Legion] We¡¯re also a guild-scale organization. ¡®As far as I remember, you need over a hundred Awakened to reach guild status.¡¯ I thought it would be a fairlyrge group, but a hundred Awakened or more, huh. ¡°I¡¯m Gwon Wantae, the one in charge of recruitment for the guild.¡± He offered to shake hands as he said that. Suddenlying up with an official title, huh. Well, my official title would be the guild leader, but¡­ ¡®Externally, Lieutenant Kim is the one ying the representative role.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m Shin Young-joon, the chef.¡± ¡°The chef?¡± He let out a muffledugh. ¡°Ah, I see. Then who should I speak with?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m the highest-ranking soldier here, you can talk to me.¡± ¡°The chef¡­? Alright, I understand.¡± Hmm. I¡¯m not too pleased about this. ¡°Ahem. First of all, I apologize for thete-night visit.¡± The man sitting down said. ¡°But I hope you can understand. We were very eager to meet with you as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Meet with us?¡± ¡°From what Cheol-gon told me, you are special forces, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡± ¡°¡­Something like that.¡± ¡°Ah, I see!¡± The man eximed. ¡°As the rumors have said, we¡¯ve been fortunate enough to secure a lot of weapons and food supplies.¡± ¡°The rumors were hard to believe at first, but it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Yes, but there is one thing that we arecking, trustworthy people.¡± Having an abundance of weapons and food is not everything. In the end, it only has meaning if there are trustworthy humans to make use of them. ¡°If you are indeed special forces, you would be able to handle the weapons we have. Moreover, you are reliable people vouched for by Mr. Cheol-gon. We are eager to have you join us as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Let me be direct. Please join our union.¡± ¡°Ah, about that¡­¡± I was going to propose an alliance, not joining them. But he cut me off and continued. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve heard you possess military equipment like firearms and vehicles. As former special forces, you must be confident in yourbat prowess. But trust us. If you join us, we can make you even stronger.¡± ¡°Are you referring to awakening?¡± ¡°You know about it. Perhaps some of you are already awakened. But the number is likely not high.¡± Hmm. Over 90% of us are awakened, but¡­ ¡°However, if you join us, we can immediately awaken you. You will gain power iparable to your days as a normal human. You won¡¯t have to worry about being killed by monsters anymore.¡± They can immediately turn us into awakened, huh. Mentioning the existence of the [Guild], I gather they have over a hundred awakened individuals. With this level of force, it¡¯s not strange for them to know about awakening. ¡®But¡­ Awakening isn¡¯t exactly an easy task, separate from that.¡¯ It requires directly killing living monsters. Given the danger, the awakening process must be handled carefully. ¡®Perhaps they¡¯re exaggerating a bit to recruit talented individuals?¡¯ No. It¡¯s possible they have some extraordinary power. Maybe they have an abundance of captured monsters ready for awakening. I looked closely at the man¡¯s face. [Ingredient Appraisal (Enhanced)] But the information before my eyes was a bit strange. [Species ¨C Human (Vampire)] [Freshness ¨C Excellent] [Awakened: Gwon Wantae] [ss: Lesser Vampire Knight Lv. 14] [Abilities: Lesser Blood Drain, Lesser Mist, Lesser Dark Affinity¡­] ¡®¡­Hmm.¡¯ I¡¯m not sure how to feel about this. It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve seen something I shouldn¡¯t have. I discreetly nced at the two men standing behind him as well. [ss: Novice Vampire Knight Lv. 7] [ss: Novice Vampire Knight Lv. 8] This¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like I¡¯m seeing things wrong. Hiding my change in expression, I asked him: ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, it seems you are an awakened as well.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°May I ask what ss you have awakened to?¡± At that, the man¡¯s face twitched slightly. ¡°Hmm. You should know that among awakened, inquiring about each other¡¯s information is considered rude.¡± ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mind sharing. I¡¯m a warrior. I wield swords.¡± Gwon Wantae lightly tapped the three swords at his waist. A warrior. [ss: Lesser Vampire Knight] [A ss bestowed upon those chosen by nobles to be their kin] ¡®Damn.¡¯ Warrior, my ass. Vampire knight? No matter how I look at it, that¡¯s an ominous name. I had a fleeting hope that they might be vampires friendly to humans, but¡­ [Lesser Blood Drain] [Recovers vitality through blood draining] [Can increase abilities bypletely draining the life of the human species] [Currently drained human lives ¨C 37] That hope didn¡¯tst long. 37 drained lives. That wasn¡¯t a big number. These guys. They are the enemies of humanity. ¡°May I ask one more thing?¡± ¡°Yes, anything.¡± Mr. Park Cheol-gon. At first, he had mistaken us for deserters, but after realizing his mistake, he had tried to repay the favor we had done him. ¡°What happened to that person?¡± Chapter 71.2 Chapter 71.2 ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t informed you about that. Mr. Park Cheol-gon and his group have also joined us. He seemed very pleased about it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In these times, there aren¡¯t many people who can show that kind of behavior. ¡®He was a good person.¡¯ I felt a tinge of bitterness. I asked the man onest question. ¡°Was it you who brought Mr. Park Cheol-gon to the Guild?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m responsible for the scouting activities of our union.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± But at least now I can get my revenge. I rose from my seat and said, ¡°Gwang-il, Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± [The Chef¡¯s Eyes skill has been activated] [Acquired Intermediate Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Primate (Vampire) Preparation] ¡°The weak point is the heart. While the Mist technique may prevent physical attacks, it¡¯s only a lesser skill. The duration won¡¯t be long. They¡¯re quite strong, but you two should be able to handle them easily.¡± ¡°¡­I see the conversation was a bit strange. So that¡¯s what it was. Understood.¡± ¡°Huh? Am I the only one who didn¡¯t understand? Sergeant Shin, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just follow my lead.¡± Corporal Su-hyeok nodded as he heard my words. While Gwang-il was still tilting his head in confusion. ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­ Wait, did you just say ¡®Mist¡¯?¡± Seemingly not yet realizing the abnormality, he asked about my words. Ignoring the man who was questioning me, I took outbat rations and poured them into my mouth. [All abilities have increased] [Due to the effect of ¡®Absolute Pte¡¯, the effect of the cooking has increased by 50%.] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Mist? Could it be¡­ you guys have-¡± The man seemed to have realized something. Towards him, Bang! Corporal Su-hyeok quickly drew his gun and fired. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The scout we were conversing with, the Lesser Vampire Knight Gwon Wantae, had a hole punched through his heart. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Freshness Excellent ¡ú Medium] His freshness had rapidly decreased. ¡°What have you done!¡± ¡°How dare you inferior beings touch Brother Wantae¡­!¡± The men behind him drew their weapons. I swung my kitchen knife towards them. I was nning to sever their windpipes ording to the ¡®preparation method¡¯ that had entered my mind. However, Whoosh- Their bodies transformed into a crimson mist. The knife I had swung merely swept through the mist. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ They reacted better than I expected. ¡°Damn it. Using their racial trait, huh.¡± ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve been exposed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important! We must urgently request assistance from the Queen!¡± The men transformed into mist tried to flee outside. But, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± Sergeant Gwang-il leaped off the ground with a thud and chased after them. Unlike Gwon Wantae, who was a ¡®Lesser Vampire Knight¡¯ over level 10, Those men were ¡®Novice Vampire Knights.¡¯ And their Mist trait, being of the lowest rank, did notst long. ¡°Haha! Finally, you¡¯ve revealed your true nature!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Crack. Sergeant Gwang-il¡¯s fist pierced through one man¡¯s chest. In the hand that had prated the vampire¡¯s body was his heart. ¡°Eeek, eek¡­¡± ¡°Ah, it looks like you¡¯re sad to lose your friend. Let me send you to the same ce!¡± Gwang-il, rambling nonsense, grasped the neck of the remaining one. Just as he was about to stab the vampire¡¯s chest, ¡°Gwang-il. Hold on.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The man, consumed by frenzy, immediately stopped his actions at mymand. Seeing this, Sergeant Su-hyeok looked at me and asked. ¡°Won¡¯t you take care of it? If it blooms into fog again, I think we¡¯ll have no choice but to miss it.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± I took out a piece of jerky from thebat ration pouch on my waist. I had made one just for a time like this. [Powerlessness Jerky created by an Intermediate Chef] ¡°That guy. Open his mouth.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What, stop. What are you trying to feed me¡­!¡± ¡°Something delicious.¡± Gwang-il forcibly opened the vampire¡¯s mouth. I tried to shove the jerky despite his sharp fangs, but¡­ ¡®Wait. These guys. They said they were vampires.¡¯ Mac, who had upied the hardware store, only ate hardware. ¡®If these guys are just the same species as the vampires I know by name, then they might need a suitable dish as well.¡¯ Hmm. In that case. ¡®The hastily made dish might be a bit low in quality. But oh well.¡¯ I brought my wrist to the jerky I had taken out and lightly scratched it with the [Dokkkogusik]. ¡°Captain Shin!?¡± ¡°Calm down, dude.¡± It¡¯s not like I suddenly lost my will to live or anything. As my blood dropped onto the jerky, the name of the dish changed. [Powerlessness Jerky infused with blood of an Intermediate Chef] That¡¯s it. The jerky, now a bit moist from absorbing the blood. I shoved it into the vampire¡¯s open mouth. ¡°Ugh, feeding me your blood. No matter what you were thinking, you¡¯lle to regret it¡­¡± As the vampire started babbling nonsense, it soon slumped down. ¡°¡­Captain Shin¡¯s debuff dish. It seems to be getting more effective as time goes on.¡± Since the dish was already powerful at over level 20, It seemed to havepletely overwhelmed the vampire with a crushing powerlessness and lethargy, sending it into a deep sleep. ¡°I just did as you ordered, but¡­ what is this all about?¡± Gwang-il, who was carrying the slumped vampire, asked with a puzzled expression. This guy is really remarkable in his own way. Even after breaking a vampire¡¯s heart on mymand, he still doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. ¡°The fact that they turned into fog, and the fact that I mixed in blood to feed them.¡± On the other hand, Corporal Seo Su-hyeok calmly looked around and said, ¡°Is this¡­ what I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Su-hyeok exined to the perplexed Gwang-il, ¡°This ce is not a paradise, nor is it an appropriate ally.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a breeding ground.¡± Vampires who grow stronger by consuming human blood. This is the ce where they lure their prey. That¡¯s what this [Large Survivor Group] really is. ¡°Wakeup our soldiers and start the vehicle.¡± ¡°Are we heading back right away?¡± ¡°The one you shot down seemed to have some status and was quite articte. If it¡¯s known that he¡¯s dead, more mighte after us.¡± We quickly woke the soldiers and returned to the ammunition depot. While riding in the armored vehicle through the darkness, I thought, ¡®That ce is probably where they¡¯re gathering the most survivors around here.¡¯ But they were not trustworthy allies. The gathered survivors would either be vampire prey, or perhaps turn into vampires themselves. After settling at the ammunition depot outpost, survivors gathered, and a society was formed. With farmers joining, it finally seemed like we were doing alright. ¡®Like hell we¡¯re doing alright.¡¯ Little did we know, there were bat offspring filled with the intent to devour humans lurking above us. Chapter 72.1 Chapter 72.1 In a small building in a corner of the 73rd Ammunition Depot. ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to capture me,¡± the vampire bound to the chair said. Since it was confirmed that even after turning into mist, it couldn¡¯t escape the sealed building, we had turned the small building into a makeshift prison to hold the vampire. There was no need to waste time, so I decided to immediately begin interrogating the creature. ¡°Your kind may want something, but you won¡¯t get anything from me. Unlike you spineless lowlifes, our loyalty to our Queen can never be broken.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Of course, I had no intention of resorting to brutal violence. That would be rather frightening. [Lizard Steak of Honest Emotions Infused with blood of an Intermediate Chef] ¡°What, you¡¯re going to feed me something again!?¡± ¡°Just try it, it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Urghh¡­!¡± A lightly seared lizard steak, still oozing with blood. I cut it into pieces and shoved it into the vampire¡¯s mouth. The taste must have been quite moving. ¡°If you have any questions, feel free to ask¡­¡± The vampire quickly became ¡°honest.¡± I decided to ask it everything I was curious about. ¡°You said your ¡®profession¡¯ or ¡®race¡¯ is vampire, is that the same as the bloodsucking vampires I¡¯m familiar with?¡± ¡°We are not exactly the same as the vampires in stories, but in the sense of being bloodsuckers, that would be urate¡­¡± ¡°Did you infiltrate therge northern survivor group? Or was it¡­¡± ¡°That group itself was created by us vampires.¡± I had suspected that maybe the northern group was normal, and only a small number of vampires had infiltrated it. But it seems that was not the case. ¡°I assume the rumors circting among the survivors were also started by you.¡± ¡°Correct. Since regr food has lost its meaning to us, beings superior to humans, we nned to lure in the useless humans as livestock to sustain ourselves and expand our ranks.¡± Expand their ranks. ¡°So, can you turn humans into vampires by draining their blood? Was Park Cheol-gon also bitten by you?¡± ¡°That is impossible for us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Our ruler is the Queen¡­ she is a noble, born different from us human origin vampires. Only those nobles who can have ¡®kin¡¯ have the privilege of turning others into vampires. All of us, including myself, are her kin.¡± A noble of non-human origin. In other words, a ¡®monster¡¯. A monster with the ability to awaken humans. ¡°Are you not discontent with being her kin?¡± ¡°Discontent? Hardly!¡± The vampire showed an unusually strong reaction to my question, its eyes shimmering with fervor as it spoke. ¡°I was once terrified of being devoured by monsters! But now I¡¯ve been granted power!¡± ¡°¡­So, you¡¯ve traded your humanity for this power? And from what you¡¯ve said, it seems you didn¡¯t even choose to be a vampire willingly.¡± ¡°I feel only infinite gratitude for the Queen¡¯s grace. I¡¯m sure all her other kin share the same thoughts.¡± As someone using [Special Sauce], I shouldn¡¯t be the one to say this, but it seems their minds have been remodeled to a certain degree upon bing kin. ¡®Turning them back into humans¡­ will probably be difficult.¡¯ I asked several other questions after that. ¡°Why don¡¯t you immediately assimte all the survivors? Because there is a limit to the number of kin the Queen can create in a day.¡± ¡°We turn the suitable survivors into kin and feed the rest to our kin to help them grow stronger.¡± ¡°Those originally gifted inbat grow much faster. You said you¡¯re a special force, so with time, you¡¯d be powerful kin quickly.¡± Feeling I had learned the gist of what I needed to know, I asked one final question. ¡°Your scale. Weaknesses. The information you think is needed to subjugate you. I¡¯d like you to tell me everything.¡± ¡°¡­We can gain strength through blood-sucking, but if we can¡¯t do it regrly, our strength actually decreases. The moment we step into sunlight, our abilities drop significantly. Our strength has be quite weak, and it seems the Queen is experiencing great pain.¡± The part about weaknesses was roughly what I expected. The reason you came to find us at night must have been because of that. ¡°The headquarters is a huge cave-type bunker in the north.¡± ¡°¡­A bunker?¡± ¡°Yes. It looks like they¡¯ve renovated a mine. I¡¯m not sure who made it and for what purpose, but there were some weapons and food stockpiled. They must have spread rumors among the survivors, right?¡± The rumor about clearing out the bunker and securing a lot of food and weapons. I had to listen to that. ¡°So that rumor wasn¡¯t a lie?¡± ¡°The people of this era are more suspicious than you think. Deceiving and putting others in danger for a single meal is nothing to them. Since the bait itself was a lie, there were no humans who would¡¯ve fallen for it. Most were still skeptical of us until they actually confirmed the interior of the bunker.¡± I thought the rumor itself was a lie since they are vampires. But that part turned out to be true, huh. The more shocking part was what came next. ¡°The scale¡­ about 300 who have awakened as vampires.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Queen can increase her kin by five per day. The number will keep growing until there are no more survivors nearby. The bunker has already been fortified as well. ¡­I don¡¯t know how to attack there. Maybe if someone brought a tank, who knows?¡± As I was surprised by therger than expected scale, the one speaking without me asking anything continued. ¡°Wantae hyung, whom you guys killed was one of the Queen¡¯s cherished kin. The Queen must have been greatly angered. As soon as she deems, she has enough kin, she wille here to subjugate you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be toote to regret by then. Even now, if you surrender, you might be epted as kin by the Queen. But if you don¡¯t surrender¡­ you¡¯ll be writhing in agony without even the chance to be kin, begging to be killed instead.¡± ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve heard everything I was curious about. Thanks for telling me so kindly.¡± As I left the interrogation building, I thought. ¡®Our guild¡¯s awakened members are just over 150 now.¡¯ While the other side has 300 vampires. Increasing by 5 per day. And their headquarters, the fortified bunker. Hmm¡­ That¡¯s not going to be easy to beat, is it? ¡°Vampires, huh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s already shocking that dead people turn into zombies. Now there are even worse things out there.¡± I shared the information I gathered from the interrogation with my squad members. ¡°But the more shocking part is¡­¡± ¡°That scale, right?¡± 300 awakened ones, increasing by 5 every day. Hearing that, everyone was stunned. ¡°Just when we thought we could finally live a bit morefortably, they don¡¯t even give us a moment¡¯s rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Shin Sergeant went to check them out. If we had just focused on growing slowly within the squad¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way we can keep up with their growth rate. A confrontation was inevitable.¡± And we would¡¯ve been the losing side. Chapter 72.2 Chapter 72.2 Squad Leader Lee Sang-ah asked Gwang-il. ¡°From your experience in fighting them, how were the vampires? With that many numbers, they must be weaker than average awakened ones, right?¡± ¡°Hmm. My memories of the fight are a bit hazy, so I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± After stroking his chin in thought, Gwang-il said. ¡°Compared to the awakened individuals we¡¯ve met among the survivors those vampires are actually stronger.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, we¡¯ve got guild skills, equipment item effects and all. But if what Sergeant Shin said is true, those guys are also buffing their abilities through blood-sucking. If we¡¯re at simr levels, their individual vampire would probably be on par with one of our soldiers.¡± ¡°¡­With their numbers double ours, does that mean we can¡¯t win?¡± ¡°Ah, is that how it is?¡± If it¡¯s just double the numbers, it¡¯s not necessarily impossible. I could try to somehow utilize my cooking to make up for the power difference. ¡°The problem is, they¡¯re holed up in that fortified bunker. They said they¡¯re weak to sunlight, but if they bunker down in the caves, that doesn¡¯t mean anything. And the guy I interrogated said it¡¯d be impossible to break their defenses without bringing a tank.¡± ¡°A tank, huh¡­¡± That¡¯s when the naive Gwang-il said, ¡°Wait, does that mean if we bring a tank, we can break through?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t even operate a tank. What¡¯s the point of that?¡± The other soldiers¡¯ reactions were rather lukewarm, but Sergeant Lee Min-jae¡¯s eyes widened as he said, ¡°No, it might actually mean something.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Forgot that this is Gangwon-do, where the most military bases in Korea are concentrated?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°A tank. We can just get one, can¡¯t we?¡± We spread out the military map of the base. There are so many military bases around Inje-gun, after all. The closest ones are these three: The 423rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion of the 12th Corps. This was the military base where our soldiers were stationed. The 73rd Ammunition Battalion of the 12th Logistics Support Group. This is the stronghold we have taken over now. And. [The 22nd Tank Battalion of the 8th Armored Brigade, 12th Corps] ¡°Since our guild is called the Steel Corps, we should at least have some tanks, right?¡± Though the manpower is only at the battalion level. ¡°Recapturing a military base, huh¡­¡± ¡°Until recently, we were in a constant state of panic, afraid of being spotted by the zombies.¡± The newly recruited survivors expressed surprise after witnessing our living conditions. But we¡¯ve already sessfully recaptured the ammunition depot before. The monsters upying the ammunition depot were in a wounded state, but. Our soldiers have only grown stronger since then. ¡®Especially, the sess in conquering the dungeon was a big deal.¡¯ In the operation, all the unit members gained explosive level-ups and the title of [The One Who Closes the Gates]. The effect of the title alone is a 10% increase in all stats. Thanks to the newly acquired group skill [The Aura of the Legion], the more numbers we gather, the stronger we be. The monsters upying the military zone are generally stronger than the average monsters, but. We have no intention of losing. ¡°Hmm. I still can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°The spiritual vision can¡¯t prate inside?¡± There is one disappointing aspect, though. Jeong So-ah¡¯s spiritual vision reconnaissance was not effective. ¡°Something is blocking Bangul¡¯s approach.¡± ¡°What could it be¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time. Bangul isn¡¯t all-powerful either. There have been instances where specialized psychic monsters could detect and push Bangul away.¡± A specialized psychic entity, huh? ¡®Someone like Taejun, who awakened as an astrologer, might also be capable of simr feats.¡¯ So, there are such beings even among the monsters. It¡¯s a bit unsettling, but. ¡°If the information from the one we interrogated is true, then even that Queen is aware of our unit.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°In fact, even if that¡¯s not the case, as we and they both grow our forces, a confrontation is inevitable someday.¡± Catching up to the other side, where awakened individuals are increasing by 5 per day, is not an easy task. Meaning, The faster we can settle this, the better it is for us. ¡®For that, we need to secure the tanks as quickly as possible.¡¯ The next destination for the Steel Corps is the Tank Battalion. The spirit vision couldn¡¯t see inside the Tank Battalion, but it was fully utilized on the way to the Tank Battalion. ¡°There¡¯s something like a mountain after passing that building.¡± ¡°That¡¯s likely where the Tank Battalion is located.¡± Upon reaching the vicinity of the Tank Battalion, The nearby soldiers started a conversation. ¡°That¡¯s the Tank Battalion.¡± ¡°Since this is also a military base, there must be some powerful monsters upying it.¡± ¡°But still, with our current power, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll lose to any ordinary monsters, unless there¡¯s a huge swarm like those vampires.¡± I somewhat agreed with that statement. The unit members have gotten quite experienced in fighting monsters through numerous battles, so. Comcency is not allowed, but. After passing the building that had been blocking the view, arge mountain came into sight in the distance. ¡®So, the Tank Battalion is located there.¡¯ We disembarked from the vehicles and took positions for a full-scale assault. We were confident enough. Whatever monsters might appear, we should be able to¡­ As I was gazing at the mountain range, thinking such thoughts, there was a glint. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Something. Something glinting was flying towards us. It didn¡¯t take long to realize what it was. ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± The shell came at an incredible speed. To be more precise, It was an aerial bombardment. Booooom!!! Chapter 73.1 Chapter 73.1 Booooom!!!! A shell thatnded near our formation exploded with a fierce noise. While no soldiers were directly hit by the explosion, The true terror of modern firearms lies not in the singr explosion, but in the shockwave that follows. Shrapnel from the shell scattered in all directions, assailing our troops. ¡°Artillery fire!¡± ¡°Disperse! Take cover!¡± We had umted considerablebat experience through numerous battles. While the sudden artillery barrage was unexpected, our soldiers did not panic. Most of the troops moved in a disciplined manner, taking shelter in nearby safe locations. However. ¡°Cough¡­ Guh¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ack.¡± After quickly taking cover behind the building, I turned my head at the sounds nearby. The soldiers who had been in the vicinity during the first bombardment were directly affected by the shell fragments. They were in no condition to evenprehend the orders. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ No matter how superhuman the awakened individuals may be, they had not grown into monsters capable of emerging unscathed from an artillery strike. But¡­ ¡®They¡¯re still alive.¡¯ If they were only grazed by the bombardment, it means they had grown strong enough to barely cling to life. Groaning in pain and bleeding, the soldiers had not lost their lives. However, they were exposed on the bombardment site, unable to take cover. ¡®I don¡¯t know the source of the artillery, but there¡¯s no guarantee it¡¯ll end with just one round.¡¯ At this rate, they could be caught in the next attack at any moment. I tried to get up to bring them to safety, but. Grip. Someone pulled my wrist. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin, those are as good as dead already.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok. ¡°Judge the situation rationally. We don¡¯t know when the next attack wille. Losing those soldiers is painful, but protecting your safety is crucial for the unit¡¯s survival.¡± ¡°No.¡± I shrugged off his arm. ¡°We haven¡¯t lost them yet.¡± If they were truly dead, I would have abandoned them without a second thought. I have no intention of getting caught up in the dead while losing the living. But they won¡¯t die from this. The military uniforms we wear are made from the hides and scales of steel lizards. I know well the protective power of this equipment, having experienced it firsthand during the ammunition depot recapture. Even when the ammunition depot exploded, the gear kept them alive. ¡°Cough¡­¡± The soldiers appear to be on the verge of death due to the impact, but thanks to the protective power of thebat gear, they have not been pierced by the shrapnel and are still clinging to life. Praying that the bombardment would not strike again, I hoisted the two soldiers and moved. Recently, I¡¯ve achieved explosive stat growth due to the [Absolute Pte] effect. Whilecking inbat traits, I take pride in having the highest raw stats. Even with two soldiers to carry, the burden did not feel excessively heavy. ¡°Medic, Priest! Come out!¡± ¡°Yes! We¡¯ll start treatment immediately!¡± Fortunately, there was no additional bombardment while I was moving the soldiers. As soon as I put them down, Lance Corporal Shin Jungsu, the ¡®priest¡¯, and P Lance Corporal Sa Uijun, the ¡®healer¡¯, rushed over. ¡°Can you save them?¡± ¡°The condition is serious, but I believe it¡¯s possible.¡± The gasping soldiers. The memory of thete kitchen staff members who had died in the unit resurfaced. ¡®Those two shouldn¡¯t have died like that.¡¯ The same goes for these two. Fortunately. As the treatment progressed, their breathing visibly stabilized. ¡®Phew.¡¯ Only then could I rx a little. I just noticed that my entire uniform was soaked in the soldiers¡¯ blood. ¡®The vampires would be drooling if they saw this.¡¯ As I was roughly wiping the blood off my arm on my pants, Booooom!!! The bombardment continued. And it did not stop there. Relentless artillery fire poured in from around the area. Right next to me, scorching heat surged up and shrapnel scattered. We were holding out by using the building as cover. But staying put had its limits. ¡°Sergeant Shin, what should we do?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t keep withstanding the artillery fire!¡± The abilities of the awakened individuals are beyond imagination and grow even stronger when they gather. If we had anticipated the artillery, we might have been able to prepare a proper counterattack and break through. But now, we were caught unprepared for their bombardment. We had no preparation to push through the artillery. ¡°Everyone, retreat. It¡¯s dangerous if the armored vehicles get directly hit by the bombardment. Fall back far enough, then board the vehicles and carefully withdraw.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± While retreating to avoid the artillery, I nced toward the source of the bombardment ¨C the tank battalion. ¡®Can¡¯t even see them properly from here.¡¯ It seemed to be indirect fire from a mortar or howitzer. Even as we were being bombarded, the enemy was nowhere to be seen. This way, there¡¯s no way to know. ¡°Who¡¯s the one firing?¡± Who are the ones shelling us? ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it seems that military unit is the one bombarding us. Is that right?¡± Squad Leader Lee Sang-a spoke in a small voice. Perhaps because she was one of the few nonbatants, her tone was cautious. ¡°It must be so. The indirect fire from the tank battalion,¡± Min-jae responded with a rather grim expression. Knowing the nature of the enemy¡¯s attack did not improve the mood. No. It made the situation even worse. The weapons of the tank battalion were directed at us. ¡°So, the soldiers of the tank battalion attacked us. Is that the correct understanding?¡± ¡°Judging from the circumstances, that seems to be the case.¡± It was almost impossible to believe, but a clear fact. Silence fell among the unit members. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention back then that we are the only survivors?¡± ¡°Aside from us, there were only the deserters who managed to escape, right¡­¡± Soon, someone raised a question, and a confused discussion started among the soldiers. ¡°That was probably an overstatement too. We didn¡¯t actually confirm all the military units ourselves.¡± Chapter 73.2 Chapter 73.2 ¡°But why are they attacking us? We¡¯re both human.¡± ¡°Maybe they judged us to be monsters in human form¡­ After all, that slime-like guy did transform into a human.¡± The point of confusion for us was this: The attempt to capture military bases was not our first. We had already seeded in recapturing the ammunition depot. But. ¡®It was called capturing the military base, but we never actually shed with the military, and had no intention to.¡¯ Of course, we had expected to face off against the monsters upying those ces. But for some reason, this tank battalion, as a military unit, is now hostile towards us. In that case. ¡°If they really are the surviving soldiers, how should we respond?¡± Right. This is the problem. ¡°Should we try to let them know we¡¯re not the enemy?¡± ¡°They¡¯re raining artillery at us even if we just approach, and the radio¡¯s been dead since the Apocalypse. How can we?¡± If they really are the surviving soldiers other than us, We mustn¡¯t be hostile, as they would be our allies. Then why are they attacking us? ¡®Are they really mistaking us for monsters?¡¯ The variety of monsters is countless, after all. They might have been severely harmed by monsters disguising themselves as humans in the past. As the soldiers were pondering, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not a bad idea to just attack them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok spoke up. ¡°After all, it was the other side that initiated the attack first.¡± ¡°But even so, attacking fellow soldiers is a bit¡­ questionable, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°To be honest, we¡¯re not exactly regr soldiers either. What was the mission given to us as soldiers?¡± Our unit is the 423rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion under the 12th Corps. The unit¡¯s mission is: To monitor approaching enemies through radar, both from the coast and the air, and to defend against enemy attacks on the radar. ¡°Ever since we abandoned the radar defense and came down from the mountains, we¡¯ve basically been deserters, haven¡¯t we?¡± This guy. He¡¯s boldly poking at the sore spot of our unit. ¡°I agreed that maintaining military discipline helps with group order, but¡­ as for feeling a sense of belonging towards them as fellow members of the national military, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What we need are the tanks required to exterminate the vampires. If they refuse to provide those and instead attack us, the options be simple. Either we concede, or¡­ wepel them to concede.¡± ¡®Compel them to concede.¡¯ I had this feeling before as well. This guy. His thinking is a bit too extreme, focused solely on efficiency. Emotions. Pangs of conscience. He¡¯s the type who would do anything as long as it¡¯s advantageous, without caring about those things. ¡°Rejected.¡± I¡¯m sorry, but his opinion is rejected. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If it were just a regr infantry unit, maybe. But the risk of engaging a tank battalion is too high.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how many awakened ones are gathered here? True, we were caught off guard by the unexpected attack initially, but if we prepare properly and go in, those normal humans-.¡± ¡°¡­The principle of us not attacking humans is still valid, though.¡± ¡°That was only for innocent civilians. The fight against the plunderers before-.¡± ¡°Until we urately determine the circumstances of their attack on us, we can¡¯t judge them to be the same as those plunderers.¡± Of course. I don¡¯t intend to simply say ¡°it can¡¯t be done¡± without any solutions. Negating without any alternative proposals won¡¯t help solve the problem at all. Just as I was about to exin my own idea to the guy, ¡°¡­You¡¯re obsessing over useless matters.¡± ¡°What did you say, you punk?¡± He brought up that remark. ¡°It seems Captain Shin is unaware that he is leading over 100 people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, which is why I¡¯m saying a frontal assault has too much risk if they are an intact military unit.¡± ¡°Someone who ims to be aware is doing the same thing as before?¡± ¡®The same thing as before¡¯? I wondered what he was talking about. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just the divisionmander recklessly risking his life to save two soldiers? Do you think that¡¯s a reasonable thing to do?¡± He brought that up here. ¡®¡­.¡¯ I discreetly averted my gaze. The two soldiers who had just regained consciousness were visible. They seemed to have realized we were talking about them and fidgeted even while receiving treatment. ¡°And at the ammunition depot too. You nearly got blown up in the explosion, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even when dealing with the plunderers, and during the dungeon raids, as a rear support role that didn¡¯t need to be on the front lines, you still went out alone, didn¡¯t you? Since the missions seeded, it was swept under the rug. That was irresponsible behavior.¡± I did get an earful, especially during the dungeon raids. I had done it because I was confident it would seed, but I had gone solo since I figured persuasion wouldn¡¯t work. My mistake was correct. ¡°If those two die, we¡¯d only have lost two soldiers. Regrettable, but that would have been the extent of it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But if you die?¡± The death of the guild leader. That would not be the end of it. One of the core capabilities of our unit is the wide area buffs I provide through my cooking. The loss of the guild leader and the resulting chaos and loss of those buffs? It would cut the Legionbat power by more than half. ¡°That¡¯s a fair point.¡± We agree too, said some other soldiers. If it had been a normal situation, I wouldn¡¯t have intervened directly. However, at the ammunition depot and during the dungeon raids, I was the only one who could resolve the problems. This time as well, I¡¯m the only one who can rush to rescue the soldiers. No. There is one more person besides me. ¡°If you were so concerned about my well-being, you could have gone to rescue the soldiers yourself instead of stopping me.¡± Chapter 73.3 Chapter 73.3 The person who had restrained me from acting. Seo Su-hyeok, he was capable of pulling off that task. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to boast, but I believe I possess the abilities befitting a squad leader. My life, while not as valuable as the captain¡¯s, still holds a high worth in the unit¡­¡± ¡°Worth. You calcte the value of soldiers¡¯ lives one by one, don¡¯t you? The divisionmander is 100, the squad leader is 10, and the soldiers are 1. Is that how it is?¡± I had thought I needed to address this guy¡¯s attitude at some point. I didn¡¯t know today would be the day, though. ¡°That¡¯s not how you live, Corporal Seo.¡± To be honest, he¡¯s often been irritating. ¡°¡­.¡± The guy who closed his mouth strongly focused his gaze on me. I¡¯m not so oblivious as to not understand the meaning behind that gaze. I¡¯m a Sergeant, and he¡¯s a corporal. Regardless of our ranks, in terms of power within the unit, the corporal ss and above is often seen as the real powerhouse. After all, he¡¯ll be serving in the military longer. Even so, though. ¡®Insubordination.¡¯ I never expected to experience this in my military service. ¡°H-hey, calm down! Seo, you too! Talking to the captain like that isn¡¯t right.¡± Sensing the tense atmosphere, Corporal Jeon Gwang-il stepped in to separate Seo Su-hyeok and me. As Gwang-il was being pushed aside, Seo Su-hyeok shouted: ¡°Hmph. In that case, we¡¯ll have to withdraw from here. While those vampire bastards keep increasing, our own force enhancement without the tanks will be dyed.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°All because of those military guys who attacked us, people we¡¯ve never even seen before. What admirable benevolence. I don¡¯t know if anyone will appreciate it, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you should listen to the whole story.¡± Watching the retreating guy, I opened my backpack. In one corner, I spotted a small ss bottle. ¡°I said I¡¯m against a frontal assault, not that we¡¯re retreating.¡± [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Blue Water Droplet] [Freshness ¨C Moderately High] A slime-like monster that lurks in the supermarkets, hunting the survivors whoe. It wasn¡¯t a particrly high-level monster. The stat boosts from cooking with it were negligible, and I couldn¡¯t obtain any meaningful properties, so I hadn¡¯t used it. However, the actual cooking process wasn¡¯t difficult. I just needed to shape the jelly-like droplets into round balls, and sprinkle some brown sugar, honey, and soy flour on top. [Blue Water Droplet Cake prepared by an Intermediate Chef] The appearance was simr to the once-popr ¡°droplet rice cakes¡±. Since not much effort went into it, this wouldn¡¯t provide an incredible stat boost or anything. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ I recall the information on the Blue Water Droplet. [Blue Water Droplets are magical organisms with the ability to mimic their surroundings to lure prey] If it works as intended, I should be able to obtain the desired effect. I tossed thepleted droplet into my mouth. It had a sweet, jelly-like taste. [The effect of Absolute Pte has been activated] [Please select a trait.] The various traits were disyed before me. I selected the one I was looking for. [The selected trait has been acquired] [Trait ¨C Environmental Camouge] Gradually, my body started to be transparent. Soon, I disappearedpletely from sight. ¡°Captain Shin has¡­¡± ¡°Disappeared?¡± Judging by the soldiers¡¯ reactions, the effect seems to have worked. Even those military personnel wouldn¡¯t be able to fire on an invisible enemy. ¡®If they¡¯re fellow soldiers like us, they have no reason to attack us.¡¯ For that reason, I have to investigate this matter myself. Chapter 74.1 Chapter 74.1 Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s words were not illogical when thought rationally. That I shouldn¡¯t risk my life to rescue just two soldiers. Rationally, I also think he¡¯s right. However, it¡¯s a bit difficult to act only rationally when seeing the soldiers bleeding. When I see them dying, Doomsday scenariose to mind. My former subordinate Jun-hyuk and the youngest. The bodies of the subordinates who died right in front of me. Even the bodies of the soldiers I found while crossing the unit to join the main force. That day, I first learned, the appearance of a murdered human is much more gruesome, disgusting, and ugly than I had imagined. ¡®I don¡¯t want to end up like that.¡¯ And, I hope the soldiers with me don¡¯t end up that way. It¡¯s idealistic, but perhaps I was lucky or something. So far, there have been no casualties. Wouldn¡¯t that mean I can be a little greedy? Someday, someone will surely die, but in situations where I can save them, I won¡¯t hold back. And, although it¡¯s a bit awkward for me to say, ¡®I do have the ability for it.¡¯ *** [Trait ¨C Environmental Camouge] [Blends perfectly with the surrounding environment] The trait I obtained from the Blue Water Droplet through [Absolute Pte]. ¡°Captain Shin has¡­¡± ¡°Disappeared?¡± The soldiers¡¯ reactions confirmed the effect. The soldiers nearby couldn¡¯t detect my presence and were surprised. ¡°No¡­ Look closer.¡± One soldier with sharp eyes pointed to where I was, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a strange rippling effect over there.¡± ¡°Rippling effect?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡± Most of the soldiers didn¡¯t seem to notice even after being told, but the one pointing at me was clearly a veteran soldier. If he has good eyesight, he might be able to detect me. ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°A voice from thin air?!¡± Unlike the Blue Water Droplet, the trait I¡¯m using as a human has some weaknesses. It¡¯s regrettable, but on the other hand, unless someone with exceptionally good eyesight focuses and observes closely, it¡¯s difficult for them to even notice anything strange. I n to use this ability to directly visit the Tank Battalion. Unlike the infantry unit, a direct confrontation with the Tank Battalion carries significant risk. If a tank is lost in the process, it would be a devastating blow to us who want to seize the tanks. If there¡¯s an easier path, there¡¯s no reason not to choose it. If they attacked us due to some misunderstanding, clearing up the misunderstanding would be enough. It could even lead to absorbing the soldiers of other military units. Of course, if they attacked us knowing we were human, then they¡¯ve be no different from plunderers. In that case, I might have to ept a bit of risk. I started moving towards the Tank Battalion with my invisible body. ¡®No shelling¡­¡¯ The effect of Environmental Camouge. As I got closer to the unit, there was no shelling likest time. I arrived at the area devastated by the shelling. In the distance, I could see the location of the Tank Battalion. ¡®Come to think of it, the shelling only happened after I got quite close.¡¯ The performance of modern firearms often exceeds the average person¡¯s imagination. Indirect fire weapons like mortars have ranges of dozens of kilometers. However, the actual shelling was carried out only from the point where the silhouette of the Tank Battalion became visible. The reason is understandable. ¡®Since allmunications are cut, they probably had no way to gather information on the other side either.¡¯ Shelling is never a simple matter. They use radar or reconnaissance nes to pinpoint the enemy¡¯s location, calcte the environmental conditions like wind and predict the enemy¡¯s movement path before firing. An absurdlyplex realm of physics and mathematics. Without the information provided by other units, suchplex operations would be impossible for them. So, they had to resort to line-of-sight shelling with its limitations. [Warning] [This area is a military zone, and civilian ess is restricted.] After walking for some time, I saw a familiar signpost that I had seen several times in our unit. The Tank Battalion. At the gate, there were several soldiers standing guard with their guns at the ready. Seeing this, I couldn¡¯t help but be momentarily dumbfounded. ¡®So there really was another surviving unit besides us.¡¯ Men of the same age as me, dressed in military uniforms and carrying guns. It might be an unfamiliar sight to others, but it¡¯s a familiar scene to those who have been in the military. ¡®Now, their appearance seems more out of ce.¡¯ It¡¯s been only a few months, but still. Our unit is now equipped with gear that simply takes the form of military uniforms. Except for the veteran awakeners who use firearms, we¡¯ve be quite different from a modern military. Even me, a chef, has been using kitchen knife as my weapon. The others have spiked steel gloves, two-handed swords, war hammers, and bows. There are even soldiers carrying staves. Just as Corporal Seo Su-hyeok said, we¡¯ve be quite distant from the existing ROK military. That¡¯s why, perhaps. The soldiers standing guard in their digital camouge uniforms with rifles at the ready that pure image of a Republic of Korea soldier, felt unfamiliar to me, even though it was familiar to me just a short time ago. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s been that long, but maybe the density of the experiences I¡¯ve been through is so high that it makes me feel like it¡¯s been years. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time to be staring dumbfounded.¡¯ Surprising as it may be, I had already anticipated the presence of soldiers at the point where shelling was directed at us. I¡¯vee here to gather information and clear up any misunderstandings. ¡®Revealing my identity at the gate won¡¯t do any good.¡¯ I carefully moved my body, trying not to get detected. I was nning to break through the fence where there were no guards and enter thepound. But¡­ ¡®¡­?¡¯ Something felt off. Suddenly ovee by a sense of unease, I stopped in my tracks. The cause of this unease was the soldiers guarding the gate. ¡®Aren¡¯t they a bit too¡­perfect?¡¯ The soldiers manning the outposts. Outwardly, they are exactly the image of the soldiers I know. And that¡¯s precisely why I felt something was off. The soldiers stood at attention, staring straight ahead. There was not the slightest movement from their bodies. They weren¡¯t even exchanging casual chitchat with the other soldiers. ¡®Even without a supervising officer, to maintain such a rigid stance despite the physical strain?¡¯ I recalled the duty attitudes of the members of the 423rd Battalion. Nodding off to sleep was amon sight. Asking the juniors for some interesting stories to pass the time and the juniors wracking their brains toe up with something ¨C that was the daily norm. ¡®Our unit was a bit rxed, but still.¡¯ They could be an exceptionally disciplined unit. The appearance of monsters might have heightened their vignce. But still¡­ ¡®Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ Chapter 74.2 Chapter 74.2 I turned back and approached the soldier guarding the outpost. There was a risk of being detected up close, but I looked at the soldier¡¯s face. The soldier who had seemed normal from a distance. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The soldier was not moving or breathing at all. I¡¯m not using a metaphor ¨C the soldier was literally not breathing. ¡®What happened here?¡¯ There was no sign of life in their eyes. It felt like looking at a well-crafted doll.¡®I need to investigate further.¡¯ Maintaining my invisible state, I drew my knife. Quietly cutting through the fence where there were no guards, I entered thepound. At each outpost, the soldiers were standing guard. There were also soldiers waiting near the tanks. After carefully inspecting various parts of the Tank Battalion, I realized that none of them could be considered ¡®alive.¡¯ The conclusion was clear. ¡°It¡¯spletely different from what I expected.¡± I thought there was no way for the monsters to be capable of artillery fire like that. I naturally assumed the surviving soldiers were hostile towards us. But that wasn¡¯t the case. The soldiers of this tank battalion¡­ They are being controlled by some kind of entity. ¡°And they¡¯re still functioning as a military unit.¡± If the soldiers under control had just charged at us like zombies, it wouldn¡¯t have been too scary. But these soldiers are following orders with meticulous precision, as if an inspection ising. They are perfectly recreating thebat capabilities of a military unit. I don¡¯t know what is controlling them, but it¡¯s definitely no pushover. And soon after, I was able to discover the controlling entity. As I was looking around the base, hoping to find some useful information, it was¡­ in a very unexpected location. Quite unexpectedly so. ¡°Huh?¡± At first, I thought I had just seen it wrong in passing. It¡¯s not near any buildings or important facilities, but right on a road used by the tank battalion. [¡­¡­] There, a massive eyeball was floating. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± A monstrous entity in the shape of a gigantic eyeball, straight out of an old movie. It was floating about a meter off the ground. I was startled by its grotesque appearance the moment I detected its presence. Then out of nowhere the eyeball, which had been staring nkly into space widely opened its eye and blinked. It felt like it was making eye contact with me. It¡¯s strange to say the eyeball had an expression, but it seemed to be looking at me with a suspicious gaze. I, too, focused my attention on the entity. [Chef¡¯s Eyes activated] [Acquired Intermediate Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Geyser Preparation] At that moment, [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!!!!!!!] The massive eyeball started trembling, as if it had been shocked. Its pupil rapidly expanded, and it began spinning frantically in the air. ¡°Damn.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to understand the situation. Just as Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s spiritpanion ¡°Bangul¡± had noticed that I was observing it, this entity had also sensed the activation of my skill. From the monstrous creature, which didn¡¯t seem to have a mouth structure capable of making sounds, a bizarre scream reverberated. [¨C!! ¨C!!!!] Along with a strange energy surrounding me, I started floating up into the air. I wasn¡¯t just going to stand and watch. ¡°I¡¯ll eliminate it before it does anything weird!¡± I gripped my [Dokkkogusik] Knife andunched myself towards it. Just as I was about to stab the ascending entity, Taaang¨C! A gunshot rang out nearby. ¡°Ugh.¡± I felt something graze my cheek, and a surge of heat rushed to my face. Touching the area, I found a faint trace of blood. I could see a soldier from a nearby outpost aiming his rifle at me. ¡®Theck of additional shots means¡­ my stealth is still maintained.¡¯ [¨C!!!! ¨C!!!!!!!] After I failed to stab it, the glowing eyeball entity rose beyond my reach, soaring over 5 meters into the air. Since the knife couldn¡¯t reach it at that height, I drew my pistol and took aim at the creature. ¡®I¡¯m d I¡¯ve been carrying a sidearm as a backup.¡¯ My bullets may not be as powerful as the knife, but I should still be able to inflict some damage. [¡ª¡ª¨C! ¨C!!!!!!!] At that moment, The energy flowing from that entity began to radiate outwards. Some of that energy clung to the hand holding the pistol. As a hazy mist-like substance touched my skin, I felt a sensation that seemed to reach my nerves. Was this just my imagination? Tack. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ My fingers began moving independently of my will, and I released the pistol, dropping it to the ground. I felt a chill run down my spine. ¡®I¡¯ve been possessed!¡¯ I quickly sent the magical power within me to my fingertips and pushed it out. Then, I swung my knife to dispel the hazy mist approaching me. The mist touched by the Queens¡¯s resentment of the knife slowly retreated. While I managed to drive away the energy that had reached me, the more the entity floated higher, the wider the mist spread. ¡°So, its ascent wasn¡¯t just to avoid me.¡± I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s concentrating its power or what, but the higher it goes, the more widely the mist seems to spread. Tadadak. That¡¯s when the sound of military boots started echoing from the distance. It seemed the soldiers affected by the widespread mist were rushing towards this location. I nced up at the position of the eyeball monster. Given how high it¡¯s risen, it would be difficult to shoot it down with a pistol. Even if my [Environmental Adaptation] is maintained with the approaching soldiers, I¡¯ll eventually be exposed. I left the tank battalion, resolving to return another time. Upon arriving at the temporary barracks where the unit members were stationed, I deactivated my [Environmental Adaptation]. Shssh. ¡°Wha- Sergeant Shin!?¡± ¡°Huh? Why are you suddenly calling me Sergeant Shin¡­Whoa!?¡± The soldiers were startled by my sudden appearance in front of them. I don¡¯t have the time to exin in detail, so: ¡°Gather the squad leaders. We¡¯re having a meeting.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± One of the soldiers immediately moved to gather the scattered squad leaders. ¡°The situation was theplete opposite of what we expected.¡± I quickly shared what had happened at the tank battalion. The soldiers weren¡¯t hostile towards us. The bizarre eyeball monster was controlling them. It was the monster that attacked us. ¡°Such a thing¡­¡± ¡°Not satisfied with vampires, now there¡¯s a monster that controls humans?¡± This was different from zombies mindlessly moving like beasts or vampires changing species. The artillery fire directed at us, ¡®It means they can utilize the living knowledge of the humans they control.¡¯ If they were regr soldiers, I had nned to assess their motives and try to resolve it peacefully. ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take it out.¡± There¡¯s no room for negotiation with that monster. ¡°Take it out?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t that monster briefly control Sergeant Shin¡¯s hand?¡± ¡°A monster capable of controlling even Sergeant Shin of all people.¡± If it were just a regr tank battalion, we wouldn¡¯t be at a huge disadvantage. The Awakened are inherently powerful, and their synergy increases when they gather. With proper preparation, we could even prate the artillery barrage and subdue the tank battalion. The problem is that eyeball monster. The moment I was touched by its energy, even if just my fingers, I was controlled. The intimidated soldiers advised retreat. But, the others are mistaken about something. If my guess is correct, ¡°It¡¯s actually the opposite.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Honestly, taking on the tank battalion would be easier than you think.¡± At those words, the expressions of some soldiers turned puzzled, while others grew noticeably brighter. ¡°As expected of Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°You must have a n, don¡¯t you?¡± I looked at one of the squad leaders participating in the meeting. ¡°Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°¡­? Corporal Seo Su-hyeok.¡± The squad leader of our sharpshooter unit. In other words, the best ¡®marksman¡¯ Awakened, and our sniper. ¡°You¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Chapter 75.1 Chapter 75.1 After acquiring the [Absolute Pte] trait, I gained the ability to do quite a lot more. Being able to utilize the abilities of monsters was an enormous advantage, after all. However, that doesn¡¯t mean I can do anything and everything. ¡®I¡¯ve always known there are things that are impossible for me.¡¯ The reason I set the goal of growing the unit was for this very purpose. I, who cannot survive on my own, needed the unit to do what I cannot. In other words, this moment is what I prepared for. ¡°Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, you¡¯ll do it.¡± When I can¡¯t handle something, the members of my guild can help resolve it.The designated Corporal Seo Su-hyeok asked with a puzzled expression, ¡°Why me in particr?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re the most suitable person.¡± He is the best ¡®marksman¡¯ awakened in our unit. Marksmen are long-range Awakened, but they differ slightly from typical mages. Unlike mages, they cannot unleash widespread firepower. However, the prating power and destructive force of each shot, and their advantage in engagement range is unmatched by any mage or marksman in the unit. This task is suitable for him alone. ¡°You¡¯ll snipe that eyeball.¡± Sniping. It¡¯s the most convenient solution for resolving annoying problems. Brrrrrr¡­! ¡°Sergeant Shin! The food truck is ready!¡± Recently, when the engineers modified various vehicles, I had requested one particr item. A mobile catering equipment. ¡­That¡¯s the official name, but: ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that just the food truck?¡± Some prefer calling it a food truck. ¡°¡­Both are urate, I guess. Just call it whatever¡¯s convenient for you.¡± It¡¯s a vehicle equipped with arge gas stove, oven, sink, and all sorts of cooking tools. Essentially, it¡¯s just a field kitchen. In the military, duringrge-scale training, the cooks receive field cooking training. Our unit is quite small, so we just used a cauldron and gasoline stove for cooking. In a regr military, people might not even care whether such a thing exists or not. But with me around, this equipment will be incredibly effective for our unit. ¡®I assigned Su-hyeok the sniper task, but I don¡¯t n on just watching idly.¡¯ Befitting my support role, I intend to provide full-fledged assistance. ¡°I understand the cooking buffs are impressive, but do we really need to go this far?¡± The puzzled Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok seemed to think I was overdoing it. ¡°Combat rations alone would be more than enough, I think.¡± ¡°This guy,ining now.¡± It¡¯s true that I haven¡¯t had many opportunities to serve my proper cookingtely. The soldiers were already receiving buff meals through the [Combat Rations], and there were a few asions where I personally handled things due to [Absolute Pte]. So, it seems Seo Su-hyeok believes my cooking isn¡¯t that much better thanbat rations. Butbat rations are essentially preserved food. No matter how deliciously they¡¯re prepared, they have limitationspared to freshly cooked meals. ¡®Come to think of it, has there been any soldier who¡¯s tasted my proper cooking after my stats skyrocketed?¡¯ The stat increase from [Absolute Pte], and my evolution into an [Intermediate Chef] as my level rose, granting me the [Intermediate Cooking Mastery] trait. This Seo Su-hyeok will be the first one to taste my proper cooking. ¡®Consider yourself lucky.¡¯ Since I¡¯m serving proper cooking for the first time in a while, I n to put in maximum effort this time. Tak tak tak tak. The sound of me preparing the ingredients on the cutting board echoed quietly. ¡°Once again, Sergeant Shin was right.¡± As I was focused on the cooking, the soldier watching me quietly said that. ¡°Right about what?¡± ¡°About needing to find out why they attacked us.¡± ¡°If you put it that way, I wasn¡¯t entirely right either. I didn¡¯t expect the monster to be controlling the soldiers.¡± ¡°The fact that you discovered that was right. If we had just gone with my proposal to use force right away, it would have been a disaster.¡± Hmm. I hadn¡¯t even considered that scenario. ¡°A monster with the ability to control others. Even if we managed to prate the barrage and enter the tank battalion, that entity would have likely spread its mist-like energy at that point. If that had happened¡­¡± Even I, with my overpowered stats, had difficulty driving away the energy that reached me. About half the unit members would have been unable to break free. An unintended civil war would have broken out. ¡°I nearly put the unit in danger. And I also ended up blurting out some nonsense to the sergeant¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sorry too.¡± The argument fromst time. When I went to rescue the soldiers, what he said to me was actually a way of showing concern for my life. I was a bit bothered by the fact that I had let my emotions get the better of me and said some harsh words. ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t really say anything too harsh.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You were right. That I shouldn¡¯t be valuing people¡¯s lives like numbers or living that way. Honestly, it hit the mark.¡± The guy sitting nkly on the floor continued calmly. ¡°What¡¯s so wrong with that? Honestly, I still don¡¯t fully understand.¡± This guy is the epitome of pursuing pure rationality. Pursuing rationality isn¡¯t inherently bad. I¡¯d also like to just focus on personal gain if possible. The problem is¡­ This guy is just too cold. As a human being, no matter how much you try to pursue your interests, you can¡¯t avoid being affected by emotions. But this guy is different. If there¡¯s a choice that¡¯s advantageous, he can just relegate emotions to the backburner. Seo Su-hyeok is the best marksman and squad leader in the unit. He didn¡¯t obtain that position simply by being the first to awaken. He genuinely has the best shooting skills. ¡®I guess his personality also contributes to that skill.¡¯ Shooting a gun means taking someone¡¯s life. Even the best snipers will inevitably hesitate for a moment before pulling the trigger. But this guy will make a cold, rational choice even in those moments. As a marksman, that¡¯s the ideal quality to have. However¡­ ¡®As arade in the unit, it might not be so great.¡¯ The reason our unit has managed to survive so far, I believe, is thanks to the camaraderie and emotional bonds between us. As I put the prepared ingredients into the preheated oven, I said: ¡°I thought leading the unit was the best choice for our survival.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As a chef, I¡¯d be helpless without the other guys. I can¡¯t just survive on my own with a single knife. So, a big part of why I prioritize developing the unit is for that reason.¡± ¡°I kind of figured that was the case.¡± ¡°But what about you?¡± This is a person who always makes the most rational choice, devoid of emotion. So why does he care about the unit¡¯s survival? Chapter 75.2 Chapter 75.2 ¡°With your skills, you could have gone off on your own once you had enough ammo. Right?¡± He¡¯s not just a rear-echelon buffer like me. With his exceptional abilities, he could have split off and built his own power base. The surveince on soldiers going AWOL has beenx for a while now. If he had taken just a few guns, he could have gone through the same process as those deserters we encountered and established his own forces. Yet, he remained in the unit, acting as an exemry soldier. Why? ¡°In the beginning, I did think about deserting. Honestly, my initial n was to just escape the mountain range as soon as I could.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really frank about it.¡±¡°But at some point, I started thinking ¨C what¡¯s the point of just surviving on my own?¡± Huh? ¡°I didn¡¯t really care much about the other members of the unit. We all came from different backgrounds and had different personalities, just ending up in the same unit by chance. I thought they¡¯d be people I¡¯d never see again after discharge.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not an unreasonable perspective.¡± ¡°But recently, I¡¯ve started to develop some affection for the unit members.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok murmured while staring nkly at his own hands. ¡°It¡¯s a strange feeling.¡± He seems surprised by his own change. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯ve faced so many life-and-death situations together. Even someone like me, who used to be indifferent to others, has umted something.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Being in the unit makes me feel at ease, and being together with them gives me a sense offort.¡± This always rational person hase to realize the value of those around him. ¡°I¡¯ve developed a sense of trust¡­ in myrades.¡± It¡¯s a pretty moving story. ¡®Feeling at ease, a sense offort, a sense of trust.¡¯ The keywords he mentioned. Ease,fort, trust. Where have I heard those before? ¡®The special sauces I¡¯ve been feeding the unit members to manage their mental states.¡¯ [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Ease] [The Novice Chef¡¯s Comforting Bean Sprout Dish] [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Comfort] [The Novice Chef¡¯s Comforting Spicy Stir-fried Squid] [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce ¨C Trust] [The Novice Chef¡¯s Dish to Chase Away Anxiety ¨C Spicy Pork] In the early days of the unit¡­ To prevent the sudden desertion of the unit members whose mental state had been shattered by the unexpected crisis, I actively utilized the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce]. I had them eat meals cooked with such effects added in every meal. ¡°Do you remember the night of the battle when Lizard Chieftain led the troops?¡± ¡°Of course I do. How could I forget?¡± ¡°On that day, my courage seemed to surge inexplicably. Even though it was a battle with no prospect of victory by rational judgment.¡± Well, that¡¯s understandable. ¡®Since the meals served when Chieftain was patrolling around the unit were made with the ¡®courage¡¯ sauce.¡¯ It¡¯s certain. The reason this fellow has been changing gradually. It¡¯s the influence of my [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce]. However, The emotional changes caused by the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] are only temporary. What remains even after the effect wears off is not the emotions contained in the special sauce but the residues of those emotions. ¡°I felt a sense of camaraderie for the first time.¡± I¡¯ve never served my unit members meals imbued with the emotion of camaraderie. The emotions obtained through my cooking, The residues of those emotions gathered and affected him. Manifesting as an attachment to hisrades. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want this unit to fall apart.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The unsolicited advice I gave to Sergeant Shin was because I thought what you were doing risked the unit¡¯s disintegration.¡± ¡°I understand. What you said wasn¡¯t exactly wrong either.¡± Especially the part where I threw myself to save the soldiers. If I had died due to a mistake, it would have been a huge problem. ¡°No, it was wrong.¡± But he seemed to think differently. ¡°The reason you are suitable as a leader is that you were the kind of person who would rush out there to save the soldiers. If you had abandoned the other soldiers there, your standing as a leader could have been undermined.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t rush out there for that reason, really.¡± ¡°I know. Regardless of the reason, you were right at that time, Sergeant. Come to think of it, you¡¯ve always brought the right solution.¡± I¡¯m not quite sure, but It seems this fellow has given me a certain recognition. ¡°I hope you remain as the battalionmander like this, Sergeant Shin. Forget all the nonsensical advice I gave.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°From now on, there won¡¯t be any backtalk either, so please give me any orders.¡± With his head bowed, Seo Su-hyeok took an attitude of waiting for orders. Any orders, huh. ¡®Well, in that case¡­¡¯ [Arachron White Spider Deviled Eggs Infused with Dedication of an Intermediate Chef] ¡°This is the first order.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Enjoy this dish.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes.¡± Watching the fellow put the appetizer dish into his mouth, I thought. The one who used to calcte everything in numbers and was coldly indifferent to others seems to be gradually changing due to the ¡¯emotions¡¯ of the meals I¡¯ve fed him. ¡®Gwang-il had a simr experience too.¡¯ The mild-mannered Gwang-il had transformed into a berserker. I still feel guilty, thinking it was my fault. It seems it wasn¡¯t just Gwang-il. ¡®Especially this fellow¡­ he¡¯s in the transitional period of changing from a cold-blooded person, so he must be quite confused.¡¯ He¡¯s still the same when ites to emotions towards anyone other than his unit. Like casually suggesting to expel the survivors trying to settle near the unit, Or saying the tank battalion soldiers can be killed without hesitation. But, This is the kind of world we live in. ¡°The Iron Legion¡­ their attitude of considering and caring about their own might actually be desirable.¡± As I was watching him with such thoughts, The fellow had finished off the main course and was now putting thest dessert into his mouth, as I had ordered. [The Full Course Meal is Complete.] [A ¨C Arachron White Spider Deviled Eggs] [B ¨C ¡­] [¡­] [¡­] [Amon property has been detected in the magical energies of the dishes] [A themed course meal has beenpleted] [Common magical property ¨C Sense] [Shin Young-joon¡¯s Original Course Meal ¨C Hypersensitivity] [All of the diner¡¯s senses will be greatly amplified.] [This meal has been specifically created for a certain individual. The effect will be greatly increased if the intended recipient consumes it] ¡®Just like bombardment, sniping also requires considering and calcting various elements like the wind, so¡­¡¯ Theplex calctions are something the marksman awakened Seo Su-hyeok can handle on his own. My role is to make his senses sharper than ever, I thought. The wind, the air flow, and such. To allow him to perceive the elements crucial for sniping more urately. And, The reaction was immediate. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh.¡± After finishing the entire meal, Seo Su-hyeok started to tremble violently. His breathing rapidly became ragged, and soon he bowed his head, covering his eyes with both hands, convulsing. ¡°Seo Su-hyeok!¡± rmed by the obvious abnormal symptoms, I approached him. I wondered if there was something wrong with my cooking, ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°How can you be fine? There must have been a problem with my cooking-¡± ¡°It was delicious beyond words.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Truly¡­ I can only describe it as heavenly.¡± Seems that¡¯s not the issue. ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My senses are just too acute.¡± Lifting his head, Seo Su-hyeok gazed into the empty space. His pupils focused on tiny specks of dust. ¡°I can see the dust in the air¡­ I can feel the air flow on my skin. The stench of rotting corpses around the city is quite foul.¡± Now I understand why he was suffering. The senses had be excessively acute. It seems even for the awakened him, it was too much to handle. This is¡­ ¡®The effect is too good, almost too good.¡¯ Chapter 76.1 Chapter 76.1 ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± It was my intention to increase his senses, but the effect was too good. ¡®It¡¯s simr to the first time when we used the enhanced hearing trait and suffered from its side effects. His senses have be overly sensitive, causing him pain. I can guess the reason is, ¡®The effect of my cooking has be too strong.¡¯ Compared to when I cooked a course meal for Jeong Soo-ah, things are different now. Back then, I hadn¡¯t acquired the [Absolute Pte] trait, so my stats were lower. My level was also in the 10s, and my cooking skill was stuck at the Junior Grade proficiency.But now, with my stats boosted and having reached intermediate cooking skill, the effects of my cooking have be excessively powerful. Even Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok, one of the strongest awakened in the battalion, is having trouble handling it. ¡°Phew¡­ I think I¡¯m feeling a bit better now.¡± Exhaling heavily and wiping the cold sweat from his brow Su-hyeokfinally opened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m gradually adapting to it.¡± ¡°Can you handle it? If it seems too tough, it might be good to consider other options.¡± ¡°Are you seriously asking me that right now?¡± He looked at me, incredulous. ¡°After eating this kind of meal, there¡¯s no way I can¡¯t.¡± The eye monster is located near the center of the tank battalion. But from this distance, no matter how high we climb, it¡¯s hard to see inside the tank battalion. So. We need to lure it out to a sniper point. [Chef: Start the operation] ¡°Everyone-! Advance-!!!¡± Following the order tomence the operation, Lieutenant Kim¡¯s shout echoed. Boom¡­ The footsteps of the legion shook the ground. I spoke to Seo Su-hyeok, who was sitting at the sniper point. ¡°How does it look from up here?¡± ¡°Our legion. It¡¯s quite impressive.¡± Indeed. Below the building. About 200 soldiers were standing by with their weapons. Even thebat vehicles modified for war. The [Aura of the Legion] emanating from them bound the soldiers together as one. I never realized it while being among them. But our unit has grown out to be quite reliable. The n to lure the eye monster to a sniping position is simple. ¡®The energy that the eye monster emits controls its surroundings. To spread it widely, it needs to rise into the sky.¡¯ It was such a powerful force that even I, an awakened individual, had part of my body¡¯s control taken for a moment. But it¡¯s not without weaknesses. ¡®If we advance our troops towards the tank battalion, the monster will surely try to spread its energy.¡¯ Actually. This wasn¡¯t much of a weakness when I fought it. Mybat style focuses on close quarters, utilizing [Intermediate Dagger Mastery]. Using a pistol for long-range attacks was merely supplementary, making it hard to eliminate the monster once it took to the sky. But. For this guy, who¡¯s struggling to control his heightened senses. It¡¯s different for Corporal Seo Su-hyeok. ¡®The snipers haven¡¯t been idle either.¡¯ After upying the ammunition battalion. The firearms we seized were modified by the engineers and were distributed to the snipers. Silenced firearms are a prime example. And the rifle Corporal Seo Su-hyeok is holding now is no exception. ¡®K-14.¡¯ A sniper rifle used by the Republic of Korea Army. Originally, it was a decent weapon. But now, modified by the engineers, it has be a proper weapon equipment. This time, we didn¡¯t even attach a silencer to preserve maximum firepower. ¡®It¡¯s iparable to regr firearms.¡¯ And the power of the bullets fired by the marksman depends on the user¡¯s abilities. The unit¡¯s best sniper, Seo Su-hyeok. Now equipped with the buffs from my cooking and the gear made by the engineers. A target floating still in the sky. Is no different from a shooting ranged target. Thump. Thump. Thump. The synchronized footsteps of the soldiers marching together reached even up here on the rooftop. The tank battalion noticed it too. Boom, boom, boom- ¡°They have started the bombardment!¡± Along with the harsh sounds of artillery fire. From a distance, red glowing figures began to rain down on the legion soldiers. The tank battalion, detecting the approaching legion, attempted to intercept. ¡°Last time, we were hit by that shelling and had to retreat helplessly.¡± Of course. This time is different. ¡°Mages and marksmen, prepare for interception!¡± [Command Directive ¨C ¡®Interception Mode¡¯ echoes through the battlefield] As Lieutenant Kim¡¯s order rang out. All sorts of colorful lights filled the air against the red shells, Lightning, fire, ice, wood, water¡­ Various elemental magic and even formless magical energies. The legion¡¯s mages began to cast all kinds of spells. Boom¡­ When the two lights shed. ¡°Interception sessful!¡± Most of the red light disappeared without leaving a trace. While advancing, there were a few shells that weren¡¯t intercepted. ¡°Warriors, adopt defensive positions and protect our allies!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± [Command Directive ¨C ¡®Defensive Position¡¯ echoes through the battlefield] ¡°Huff!¡± Warriors wielding massive shields leaped to intercept the shells. The intense heat and lethal shrapnel bounced off the magically infused shields. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ I was impressed anew. This is the power of an awakened unit anticipating enemy attacks. With sufficient preparation, we could even break through military shelling. At that moment. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, who was positioned for sniping, spoke up. ¡°I can see it.¡± The eye monster. It began to float in response to the legion¡¯s threat. ¡°It¡¯s not at its peak yet.¡± ¡°But.¡± ¡°The legion is holding up fine. Just hang in there a bit longer.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Struggling to control his heightened senses, it seemed difficult for him to keep his eyes open and look through the scope. They say a sniper¡¯s qualities lie not only in shooting skills but also in patience and endurance. Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to endure a bit longer. A few minutes passed as the legion soldiers advanced through the shelling. ¡°Sergeant Shin, the main gate is open.¡± The main gate of the tank battalion opened. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand their intention. ¡®They must have judged that shelling alone couldn¡¯t stop us, so they¡¯re sending out tanks and infantry to intercept us.¡¯ And. To send out all their infantry, they would have to spread that mist-like energy to the soldiers defending the posts throughout the battalion. In other words. Now is when the floating eye monster is at its highest point. ¡°Prepare to fire.¡± ¡°Preparing to fire.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok heeded mymand and readied his rifle. The heightened senses from my cooking effects gathered all the surrounding information. Wind direction and speed, distance to the target. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s [Junior Grade Shooting Skill] calcted the bullet drop based on the gathered information and adjusted the muzzle slightly. And then. ¡°Open fire!¡± ¡°Open fire!¡± Bang-! A loud gunshot echoed. A .308 HPBT bullet cut through the air, advancing rapidly. And then. Several kilometers away. Chapter 76.2 Chapter 76.2 At the tank battalion, barely visible to the naked eye. [Aaaaaahhh!!! Aaaaargh!!!!] A terrible scream echoed out. At the same time, a massive surge of magic was felt. Shortly after. [Someone who received your meal has made a significant impact in battle] [The Chef¡¯s reputation is spreading far and wide] [Experience Points Increased] A message window appeared before my eyes.Along with that, the sound of shelling aimed at the soldiers also died down. ¡°Did it work?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Hah.¡± The one who had been in constant pain tossed his rifle aside and copsed on the rooftop. Then he closed his eyes and spoke. ¡°Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yeah, got something to say?¡± ¡°Sorry for the unsolicited advice, but can I offer one piece of advice?¡± ¡°I always wee advice. What is it?¡± Su-hyeok was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. ¡°Such powerful buffs, it¡¯s better to use them sparingly.¡± With utmost care, and with various ingredients supplied by the newly joined farmer. A full course meal made with multiple dishes, each specially prepared. A maximum buff dish that I could create at this point. ¡°I managed to endure it somehow¡­ but honestly, if it had been someone with even slightly weaker mental strength, they would have fainted long ago.¡± While the effects were overwhelming, they were so powerful that even the awakened individuals struggled to handle the bacsh. ¡®To withstand such a bacsh, one would probably need to be at least around level 20 like me.¡¯ I nodded at Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s advice. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll try to cook more moderately from now on.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s possible, but I trust you¡¯ll manage well, Sergeant Shin.¡± Having said that, he slumped down. ¡°It seems he passed out.¡± He must have been extremely exhausted. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of him, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Leaving the unconscious guy to the medic. I moved toward our target, the tank battalion. *** ¡°Sergeant Shin! You¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Yeah. No problems?¡± ¡°No, sir. Thanks to you and Corporal Seo taking out the monster, it was tough during the advance, but we faced no resistance inside.¡± As I reached near the tank battalion. The soldiers who had arrived earlier came out to greet me. Thankfully, it seemed there were no major issues. ¡°What about the tanks and armored vehicles?¡± I asked about the whereabouts of the tanks, the main reason for which we targeted the tank battalion. ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t even have to look for them deeply.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Follow me, you¡¯ll see.¡± Just as he said. As we followed the soldiers into the main gate of the tank battalion. I understood what he meant by not needing to search. Near the guard post at the main gate. Over twenty tanks were parked. ¡°¡­Why are these here?¡± ¡°They were probably about to intercept us.¡± Ah. They weren¡¯t conveniently positioned here for our benefit. ¡°Corporal Seo¡¯s sniper shot must have seeded just before the tanks could mobilize.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The tanks that were moving to intercept our legion. These tanks stopped right in front of the main gate the moment the eye monster died. However. There was something else that caught my eye. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, those are¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Military uniforms, to be exact.¡± There were military uniforms scattered around the tanks. As I approached and lifted one of the uniform jackets slightly. ¡°It¡¯s more urate to say they were soldiers.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Inside the uniform were human bones. ¡°When I infiltrated earlier, they were still in human form.¡± ¡°The eye monster¡¯s magic must have forcibly sustained them after they died.¡± When I saw the soldiers who still looked human, I held on to the hope that they might be alive. However, it seemed that the eye monster didn¡¯t need them to be alive to control them. Only the minimal functions necessary for the eye monster were maintained, while the rest of the body slowly decayed. Once the monster was eliminated, even those minimal functions disappeared, leaving only bones. ¡°Make sure to collect their dog tags. Even though they were in another unit, they were fellow soldiers and deserve a proper burial.¡± ¡°I heard a rumor that there¡¯s a pastor among the survivors settled near the base. I¡¯ll check if a funeral is possible.¡± Next up was the start of the loot inspection. ¡°One, two-.¡± ¡°Three!¡± Engineers clinging to the tanks shouted themand. Bang! ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± They pried open the hatch. ¡°Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure if we could manage this, but it looks like we can.¡± ¡°Wow. The tanks are great, but the fuel is almost empty.¡± Though not originally a tank crew, perhaps because their job was that of an [Engineer]. Among the knowledge they gained upon awakening were the details of how to operate tanks. ¡°If we modify this part like this¡­.¡± ¡°We can strengthen the armor with Mac¡¯s magic. To enhance firepower, first¡­.¡± The engineers entered each tank, checking and discussing modification ns. At that moment, ownership of more than twenty tanks was transferred to the ¡°Legion.¡± Although the primary objective of attacking the tank battalion was achieved. The loot didn¡¯t end there. Another piece of looty near the center of the tank battalion, scattered on the road. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Mutant Type ¨C Geyser] [Freshness ¨C Medium] The corpse of the eye monster, ¡± Geyser,¡± that controlled the soldiers. I wondered if it felt extreme pain before dying. Its pupil was shrunken to the limit. The center was pierced by Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s bullet. ¡°It looks like an eyeball, but it¡¯s not a real eyeball.¡± I expected a grotesque scene of a burst eyeball. But except for the bullet hole, it retained its original shape. Touching it, it didn¡¯t feel like a cornea but rather the texture of ordinary meat. This is interesting. This creature¡¯sbat ability likely wasn¡¯t very high. That¡¯s why it tried to defend against approaching enemies by controlling soldiers. However, regardless of itsbat strength. The ability it exhibited was the most powerful I had seen so far. This corpse must be useful. As I was about to gather and move the eye monster¡¯s corpse. ¡°Young-joon.¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae approached and spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve secured our target, the tanks.¡± ¡°Calling it a target is misleading. You know? The tanks are merely a means.¡± ¡°True.¡± The aim of seizing the tanks was to enhance ourbat strength. And the reason for strengthening our forces was singr. To confront the massive enemy in the north ¡°To exterminate the vampires.¡± Chapter 77.1 Chapter 77.1 In the small city of Inje-gun, Gangwon-do province, deep within a mountain range to the north, there was a cave that even the locals barely knew about. Only a very small number of people knew that a military facility had been built inside that cave, prepared for emergencies. However, no matter how few people knew about it, it was still a human military facility. And so, a monster appeared. ¡°Aaaargh¡­!¡± Unlike the monsters that had attacked other military bases, there was only a single monster that appeared in this bunker. That lone monster sank its fangs into a man¡¯s neck. The man whose neck was pierced by the fangs struggled against the sudden attack, writhing in pain. But it didn¡¯tst long.After all the blood in his body had flowed into the monster¡¯s mouth, the monster¡¯s own blood began to flow back into the man¡¯s veins. And then, ¡°I pledge my loyalty to the Queen¡­¡± ¡°Good. I expect great things from you.¡± With soulless eyes, the man knelt before the monster. Seeing this, the ¡°Queen¡± monster thought, ¡®My family has grown quite big.¡¯ It had been some time since she had appeared in this ce. The first member of her family was the man who had been managing the facilities in this cave. He must have held an important position among the humans. But such status was worthless before her. Yet, since he was a man of rtively high standing, he was quite knowledgeable about the ways of this world. From this first member of her family, the Queen learned about this world. And based on the knowledge she gained, she reached a single conclusion: ¡®This is the ideal environment for me to grow my power.¡¯ There were no pesky holy knights, anti-demon soldiers, or vampire hunters. There were stories of beings simr to her concept, but they were dismissed as mere fantasy. There were no real preparations against an existence like her. In her eyes, the humans of this world were like ones offering their necks, begging to be fed upon. ¡®It was so satisfying back then.¡¯ Realizing this, she was eager to immediately go on a hunt. Just as she was about to leave the bunker, filled with the anticipation of quickly growing her power, a thought suddenly came to her mind. [Invade and upy the human military facility] [It must not be taken by anyone else] She tried to ignore it, but the thought grew stronger the closer she got to the exit. Unable to let go of her greed, she thought, ¡®If I can¡¯t leave this ce, I¡¯ll just make the preye to me.¡¯ Fortunately, her family members were able to freely roam outside the bunker. It was less efficient than hunting directly, but still workable. The number of family members she could create per day was five. In the beginning, there were many days when she couldn¡¯t create even one. Thanks to the efforts of her first, more intelligent family member, they had managed to spread rumors among the survivors. Only recently had the growth of her family begun to elerate. ¡®If I keep building up my power this way, the number I can create per day will increase.¡¯ For now, the survivors who came were all either fed to her family or turned into new family members. But once she had enough power, she might be able to capture and farm the humans as a food source. It would be like a factory for producing sustenance. If she could achieve that, the speed at which she grew her power would only elerate further. Someday, she might even be able to push away the thoughts that dominated her mind. ¡®How annoying.¡¯ She frowned as she thought. Just as the pace had started to pick up, a recent unfortunate incident had slowed it down a bit. ¡®He was a family member with good abilities.¡¯ Gwon Wantae. He was one of the higher-level family members, possessing excellent abilities, and someone she had particrly cherished. His sudden and unexpected murder was not difficult to investigate. ¡®Soldiers¡­ the warrior ss of this world.¡¯ Among the more recently joined family members, some had information about these soldiers. Apparently, there was a surviving military unit that was actively engaged in exterminating plunderers groups. The rumors even included the approximate location of this military base. As a warrior ss, they posed a risk if she sent only her family members to attack them. But she was confident. ¡®My family is growing in number every day.¡¯ She had no intention of forgiving someone who has killed her family member. For now, she would grow her power. But once she had built up sufficient strength, her family would be a tidal wave that would annihte those soldiers. ¡°I¡¯d imagine she¡¯s thinking something like that,¡± said Sergeant Lee Min-jae during the unit¡¯s meeting. ¡°Sadly, that¡¯s probably not too far off the mark. If the information Young-joon gathered is true, the rate at which that vampire is increasing its family is abnormal. We can¡¯t keep up.¡± ¡°You said it increases by five per day? That¡¯s incredible¡­¡± ¡°Even when the lizardmen were recklessly attacking our unit, the fastest we could ¡®awaken¡¯ was around five per day. Anything more was impossible.¡± Five per day may not sound like much, but in a week, it adds up to over thirty, and in a month to 150. That¡¯s enough to rece our entire unit¡¯s manpower. ¡°So, the gap will just keep growing wider over time, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If we leave it as is, it¡¯ll eventually reach a point of no return.¡± That¡¯s right. So¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll have tounch a pre-emptive strike.¡± That¡¯s why we had obtained the tank, after all. However, simply using the tank as-is wouldn¡¯t be enough. While the tank¡¯s armor is thick, the awakened individuals and monsters are not ordinary beings. A powerful enough awakened individualcan potentially destroy that armor. The engineers would have to modify the tank to address this shoring. And while the engineers were working on the tank, the rest of the unit would develop the tactical n for the vampire extermination operation. ¡°What about the entrance to the cave?¡± ¡°¡­If you follow the mountain trail, there¡¯s arge boulder. Going up from there¡­¡± ¡°Oh ho. So, it¡¯s been fortified, huh? Can you tell us the locations of the outer lookout posts too?¡± ¡°Sure¡­ They¡¯re spread out in several ces, so anyone approaching on foot won¡¯t be able to survive¡­ The locations are¡­¡± After ¡®persuading¡¯ the captured vampire to be truthful, he recorded all the gathered information on a map. Then we huddled around that map, hashing out a tactical n of attack. Most of those involved in the nning were known as the brighter ones in the unit. But there was one unexpected participant. ¡°That¡¯s the wrong approach. If you try to attack this section, then here¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± One of the soldiers proposed a n, but someone voiced an opposing opinion. Yet no one was dissatisfied with this dissent. Even as an outsider to strategy, I could tell the critique was lucidly rational and convincing. It was so professional-sounding that I was somewhat overwhelmed. The issue was¡­ ¡°If we¡¯d gone with that original n, it would¡¯ve been disastrous.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lieutenant Kim.¡± That dissenting voice belonged to Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok ¨C the man notorious in the unit for his ipetence. ¡°No need to thank me. We¡¯re here to share ideas and fill in each other¡¯s gaps in the nning process.¡± ¡°¡­I still can¡¯t get used to this.¡± ¡°Hmm? What did you say, Young-joon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chapter 77.2 Chapter 77.2 Lieutenant Kim¡¯s awakened profession was that of a [Junior Grade Commander]. Can it really be that he¡¯s not just amanding officer? In the strategy meeting he¡¯s participating in, there¡¯s no trace of the cluelessness he had when he was thepanymander of the 423rd battalion. Rather, he¡¯s repeatedly offered sharp and cool-headed advice and insights like a genius strategist. In this strategy meeting, he was the only one who was shining the most, as anyone can see. ¡®Since his level as amander officer has risen, has his actual capability as amanding officer also improved?¡¯ It¡¯s a bit surprising. I just can¡¯t get used to it. ¡®Well, good is good, right?¡¯Even the poor rtionship we had in the past is ancient history now. Lieutenant Kim is now showing me unwavering loyalty. And, if I had to pick the person who¡¯s not contributing the most in this meeting, ¡®That would be me.¡¯ Regrettably, I don¡¯t have much connection to strategy and tactics. After all, my specialty isn¡¯tmanding, is it? ¡°I¡¯ll leave the operational matters to Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°Okay? Thenter¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cook you an extra snack.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Young-joon!¡± So, I¡¯ll leave this to Lieutenant Kim and focus on what I¡¯m good at. If Lieutenant Kim¡¯s specialty ismanding, Then cooking is undoubtedly my specialty. ¡®There is also that matter I¡¯ve been quite diligently working on.¡¯ Since it¡¯s something I¡¯ve been trying for quite a long time, I¡¯m now in the final stages of it. And the enemy happens to be vampires. I even have some recipes in mind. There¡¯s a chance it won¡¯t work, but if my n seeds, with hundreds of vampires, ¡®I¡¯ll gain a ton of experience points.¡¯ *** There was a man who hade to join the [Gangwon-do Survivor Union], therge guild situated in the northern part of Inje County, leading his family. And, now he was in a very dissatisfied state. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°Calm down, brother.¡± ¡°No. Even so, how long has it been since we arrived? When the hell are they going to let us join?¡± From talking to the survivors who had arrived earlier, It seems that while it had always taken quite some time, this dy is unprecedented. The reason, it turns out, is: ¡°All because the person in charge has changed.¡± Apparently, The previous scout recruiter was quite a capable person. But for some reason, There was a recent change in that position. The new person who took over seems to be severelycking in ability. As a result, the progress of the work has be extremely sluggish. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why did they suddenly rece the one who was doing a good job?¡± ¡°Brother, it¡¯s arge group, so as it grows bigger, mistakes are bound to happen, right?¡± ¡°Damn it. I should have just joined that military base instead.¡± The man had tried to seek help from a military base once before, but ended up barely escaping with his life from the incredibly powerful monsters entrenched there. Given that experience, even though he had heard rumors of a surviving military base, he judged it to be either a false rumor or a malicious one spread by marauding deserters. It might have been a misjudgment, but there¡¯s nothing to be done about his dissatisfaction. Suddenly, he felt the ground trembling. ¡°Is it an earthquake?¡± ¡°No. Listen closely. There¡¯s a sounding from somewhere nearby.¡± While he was dissatisfied, this area was the one where the[Gangwon-do Survivor Union]had managed to maintain a certain level of order, so encounters with monsters or zombies were rare. But, they weren¡¯tpletely nonexistent. ¡®Is arge monster passing through the area?¡¯ Just in case, the man rushed out of the building, thinking he should avoid anything he couldn¡¯t handle. And, what the man encountered was not a monstrous giant. ¡®What, soldiers?¡¯ A few young men in military uniforms. It had been a long time since he¡¯d seen soldiers, so the sight was rather unfamiliar, making him a bit flustered. But the man shouted at the two of them: ¡°Who are you? And what was that sound just now?¡± In truth, if they were plundering looters, he wouldn¡¯t have had the courage to confront them so boldly. But this was the territory of therge[Gangwon-do Survivor Union]group. As they maintained security here, he believed those soldiers wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. After all, the [Gangwon-do Survivor Union] numbered in the hundreds of members. Even formidable individuals would have to be mindful of them. However, ¡°Who are we, you ask¡­¡± ¡°Do we really have to answer that?¡± The two soldiers had an attitude as if wondering why he would even ask such a question. At that moment, with a loud sound, Arge tremor was felt behind the soldiers. ¡®Damn, is it a monster?¡¯ The tensed man readied to draw his weapon, but soon had to lower his hand. The source of the tremor had revealed itself. Along with the sound of a massive tracked vehicle moving, ¡°Huh, what¡­?¡± Crushing the zombie corpses on the road, a huge tank emerged. The soldier with the machine gun mounted on it pointed at the tank following behind them and said, in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°We¡¯re soldiers.¡± Leaving the astonished man behind, The soldiers began slowly moving alongside the tank. And then, ¡°That¡¯s really¡­ the military, isn¡¯t it.¡± Dozens of tanks, armored vehicles, and military trucks came into sight. With over a hundred soldiers following behind the vehicles. Chapter 78.1 Chapter 78.1 ¡°The enemy is approaching.¡± ¡°Everyone, take up defensive positions.¡± The enemies are approaching without any attempt to conceal themselves. The vampires were not so foolish as to not notice their approach. ¡®We have already fully established the defensive line in preparation for this. Their base, the bunker, is already secure as a military facility in itself. But they have also fortified the surrounding mountain area where the bunker¡¯s cave is located. ¡°Seeing that they attacked as soon as the sun rose, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s clear they¡¯ve noticed our kind.¡±However, it¡¯s unclear how they noticed. The enemies seem to know that vampires are vulnerable to sunlight and haveunched their attack at dawn. But the vampires are not intimidated at all. ¡°As if we wouldn¡¯t have prepared for even that.¡± All the way to the bunker, There are dozens of outposts and defense positions they have set up. Each outpost is a crucial location that attackers must pass through to reach the bunker. They are all situated in the shadows, allowing the vampires to utilize most of their power even during the day. The outposts are interconnected, so it would be like hell for the attackers. ¡°We can fend off even thousands of awakened individuals.¡± ¡°They¡¯re soldiers, so more skilledrades will be helpful.¡± As the vampires were having this conversation, Boom- Startled by the sudden loud noise, the vampires looked up to the sky. Something tracing a red trajectory was falling towards them. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Hit confirmed!¡± ¡°Moving on to the next one.¡± The engineer monitoring through a telescope shouted. The artillery fire from the tank had hit its target. ¡°Found the next outpost as well, exactly where the benefactor indicated.¡± ¡°Coordinates?¡± ¡°Latitude¡­¡± A woman gazed into the sky and spoke. Her eyes were shimmering with a mysterious blue light. That was not all. A man holding a sniper rifle stood with his hand held up, eyes closed. After a moment of apparent concentration, he spoke. ¡°The wind speed is¡­¡± The man provided the environmental information needed for the artillery. The surrounding area had been thoroughly cleared of the monsters¡¯ presence, thanks to the vampires¡¯ own efforts. There was no need to worry about other monsters being drawn by the sound of the bombardment. ¡°Fire.¡± The tank¡¯s cannon had a range of 3km. The range of the artillery fire from the tank battalion against us was less than half of that. Due to theck of guidance information. Previously, when the tank battalion soldiers attacked us, they solely relied on the crew¡¯s visual range, which resulted in some effectiveness in their attacking method. But now that it¡¯s in our hands, the story has changed. The approximate locations of the outposts, as told by the captured vampire. Further refined by Jeong Soo-ah¡¯s spirit reconnaissance in the air. On top of that, the environmental information obtained through Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s senses. All the necessary information for the artillery fire was in ce. As a result: ¡°Hit confirmed!¡± Not only the mages in our unit but even Seo Su-hyeok, who has the longest range among us, cannot match this distance. The ability to urately fire at such distances. ¡®No matter how powerful the awakened individuals are, they are still far from catching up to modern firearms.¡¯ Of course,ter on, the mages may be able to deliver firepower even more devastating than bombs, at ranges beyond direct fire. But not yet. They must have anticipated some kind of attack by the awakened soldiers. But they couldn¡¯t have expected us to bring a tank. ¡°To be honest, when I heard about the defense positions they had set up, I thought it would be quite challenging.¡± ¡°If we had entered directly, it would have been hell.¡± Perhaps they even have military experts on their side. Theyout of the defensive structures, as learned from the prisoner, was truly formidable. ¡®Without bringing a tank, there would have been no way to crack that.¡¯ As the prisoner had said. And now those defensive positions are being blown apart by the artillery. This is the role of artillery in modern warfare ¨C To destroy the enemy¡¯s defenses in advance and attack their forces. ¡®The infantry will then advance after that.¡¯ After civilization was shattered, and the battles became focused on the awakened individuals, military strategy had regressed to something closer to the medieval or ancient era. Their strategy is likely still at that level as well. ¡°But our unit is returning to the logic of modern warfare.¡± In a regr war between armies, the other side would normally respond with counter-artillery or send forces to assault the artillery positions. But they have no means to counter this range. With the freshly risen sun in the sky, they cannot even deploy their vampires. Watching the outposts being annihted, I wonder what response options they might have¡­ ¡°I might be able to re at them a bit. There¡¯s nothing to be caught for, so let¡¯s shoot them down!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The fortresses they were so proud of. Those strongpoints were blown up casually. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s artillery fire! Everyone, run away!¡± The vampires exposed to the artillery fire panicked and shouted. ¡°Fog them out just before the direct hit! This ce seems too exposed, we¡¯re retreating to the B-13 outpost!¡± The vampire who was given the authority of amander spoke with responsibility. ¡°I, I ran away from that direction! The B-13 outpost has already been destroyed!¡± ¡°What¡­!?¡± It was an absurd situation from the vampires¡¯ perspective. All of them had been human until recently. After the destruction of civilization and the appearance of monsters and zombies, They had been trembling in fear every day, worrying about not being bitten by zombies. ¡°And now suddenly there are tanks¡­!¡± From zombie horror to war. The genre hadpletely changed, so it was understandable to be bewildered. Boom!!! ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± But unfortunately, that was the reality. Artillery fire, something they had never experienced before in their lives. By bing vampires, they thought they had surpassed humanity. They had been reborn as a superior race, unlike the inferior zombies they had to struggle against. However. Boom!!! The explosion next to them tore theirrade¡¯s body apart. The proud strongholds they had built were ruthlessly destroyed. The trembling of the ground from the explosions made it impossible for them to even jump properly. Although their vampiric nature had not taken away their hearing, the deafening roar disoriented them. The protagonists in movies can remain calm even in their first experience of artillery fire. But reality is different. An environment that makes any rational judgment impossible. Since the day they thought they had been reborn as a superior race, This was the first time when the vampires faced the fear of death. At that moment, Someone shouted in disbelief. ¡°Damn it. Those bastards! How the hell do they know the exact locations of all our outposts!?¡± Chapter 78.2 Chapter 78.2 The outposts were meticulously constructed. Some were even hidden to the extent that they would be difficult to find even from the sky. But the iing artillery fire was urately targeting all of their outpost bases. It would be impossible unless they had precise knowledge of all the locations. ¡°Who leaked the information¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°All our brothers are absolutely loyal to the Queen. Unlike those humans, we have no traitors.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not the case, otherwise how could they know the locations of our bases so precisely?¡± The brothers who are absolutely loyal to their master.From their perspective, they couldn¡¯t even imagine how the humans could have such detailed knowledge of their information. Maybe one of those brothers had be overly honest after a delicious meal. But that was simply unimaginable. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± ¡°If it were night, that puny tank wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Vampires were more powerful than ordinary awakened individuals of the same level. If they could get close, they were confident they could destroy even the most heavily armored tank. The bunker was even equipped with some anti-tank weapons, so they could have inflicted damage if they could approach. ¡°This Cursed sun!¡± But it was just dawn. They couldn¡¯t approach the tank firing from kilometers away. While all the vampires were in chaos, A woman¡¯s voice echoed in their minds. [All of you, return to the cave] ¡°It¡¯s the Queen¡¯s order.¡± ¡°Is she telling us to retreat?¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t just lose the bases like this¡­¡± [The destruction of the fortresses is inevitable now. That human weapon is quite formidable¡­ but the cursed sun is hindering us even here] The Queen¡¯s voice carried a sense of regret. Hearing that, her family member, the vassals fell into despair. But the Queen¡¯s words did not end there. [So, why don¡¯t we fight where there is no sun?] Only then did the vampires understand the Queen¡¯smand. ¡°Does she mean to hunker down in the bunkers and hold out?¡± ¡°The bunkers were built to withstand even nuclear attacks. No matter how many tanks they¡¯ve brought, they won¡¯t be able to destroy them.¡± ¡°In addition, I don¡¯t think there would be something like a bunker buster that would need them to mobilize an aircraft.¡± They were nning on staging a sit-in in the bunker. As they continue the sit-in, time will pass. And as time passes. The sun will set, and night wille. [If the area under the sun is the domain of humans, then the darkness will be ours¡­] The vampires, oveing their shame, chose to retreat. For now, they have no choice but to withdraw. But the moment night arrives. Their hunting will begin. ¡°It¡¯s just as you predicted, sir.¡± Jeong Soo-ah, who was observing the movements of the vampires, said. ¡°They all started fleeing to the ces where the bunker entrances are.¡± ¡°Well, I figured as much.¡± While they boasted about the impressive defensive capabilities of the fortified positions they had upied. But realistically speaking. They actually had enough power that they didn¡¯t necessarily need to put up a serious defense. ¡®If it came down to a pure power versus power fight, with their numbers being more than double, it would have been difficult for them to win.¡¯ But I don¡¯t know why they focused on defending the bunker. Maybe there was a reason they absolutely had to protect that ce. In any case. If they are stronger in a straight-up power sh. There¡¯s no need to waste precious troops on a pointless fortress defense. Somehow hide and stall for time and attack us when night falls. That would be enough. But because of that. ¡°It¡¯s too obvious.¡± Who wouldn¡¯t know they woulde out like that? I was starting to feel a little restless just quietly watching the noisy bombardment scene. Suddenly, I got up andmanded. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next stage.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I led the soldiers and began the movement. The target was the very bunker where they had taken refuge. The distance was quite far, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. Since all the defending forces had retreated to the bunker. We started climbing the mountain without any interference. ¡°You said the path woulde out if we go up from this rock, right?¡± ¡°They really hid it well.¡± We moved ording to the information we got from the prisoner. From the middle part, it was already enough to just follow the footprints of the many vampires who had fled into the bunker. In a ce deep in the mountains, where I would normally never havee. There was a huge cave. As we advanced deep into it. ¡°There it is.¡± A massive iron door came into view. One of the engineers who found the door approached it and gently tapped on it with his finger. Thunk, thunk. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll open it if we knock?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just checking the thickness.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Hmm, it seems incredibly thick.¡± The engineers gathered around the door, observing it closely. ¡°It seems to be a bunker built to withstand a nuclear explosion.¡± ¡°With this kind of thickness, even a tank gun would have a hard time breaking through.¡± Hearing that, Sergeant Lee Min-jae also asked me. ¡°We could bring a tank and even mobilize mages, and eventually be able to break through. But¡­¡± ¡°It would take a very long time, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. By then, night will have fallen, and those guys wille rushing out.¡± We already knew they would stage a sit-in in the bunker. But knowing and being able to handle it are different. How to prate that sturdy bunker was a point of contention in the strategy meeting. The solution that came up then was. ¡°I told you to trust me. Alright, we¡¯vee this far. So, what are we going to do now?¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± It might sound like a rather desperate statement. But it¡¯s not that there¡¯s no n at all. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared something quite carefully.¡± I discreetly moved back and took an object out of the cargo of thebat vehicle. When I brought that object, everyone reacted with puzzlement. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a cage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A stic cage used to transport pets. I ced it in front of the bunker¡¯s steel door and opened the cage door. I spoke to the being inside the cage. ¡°Come out. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Come out? To whom are you talking¡­¡± ¡°Hiss. The sergeant must have something prepared.¡± Leaving behind the soldiers who still didn¡¯t know what was going on. I continued to speak to the creature. ¡°Do you see that steel door over there? Can you eat that for me?¡± ¡°Squeak¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look tasty, huh? Compared to the dishes I¡¯ve made, it probably isn¡¯t. But can you please do me a favor? I¡¯ve made you lots of delicious things, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Squeak¡­ Grrr.¡± ¡°When we get home, I¡¯ll cook for you again, okay?¡± As I kept pleading, with an air of inevitability, ¡°Grrr.¡± A creature emerged from the cage with a short sigh. It was a living being that resembled a ck cotton ball. At a nce, it could be mistaken for a kitten, but. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ !¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin, have you gone mad!?¡± ¡°Young-joon, are you alright?¡± Several soldiers eximed in shock at the sight. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± I brushed off their expected reaction and observed the creature that had emerged from the cage. It approached the bunker as I had requested. Its mouth area opened wide and faced the steel door. Then. Crunch, crunch. The entrance of the bunker, designed to withstand a nuclear explosion, unreasonably thick and sturdy. It crumbled like a cracker. Just as I had intended. [Ingredient Identification (Enhancement)] [Mutant ¨C ¡®Mac¡¯, the Metal Eater] [Freshness ¨C Optimal] [Affinity ¨C High] Crunch, crunch. The louder the sound of the crumbling steel door, therger the size of the ck furry mass grew. Holes were being bored through the thick iron door. Chapter 79.1 Chapter 79.1 I encountered this creature when I visited a warehouse to secure materials. It was living there, eating the metallic objects, spare parts and other simr objects. Those who have recently joined the unit or did not participate in the operation may not know but this creature was the monster that made our unit give upbat at that time. ¡®Among the monsters we encountered on the ground, this one might be the most powerful one among them.¡¯ There were other formidable beings as well. The White Spider Queen, who had upied the ammunition depot. That cannibal, leader of the plunderers, who grew stronger through cannibalism. But while we were eventually able to defeat and take down those foes, This creature was too strong, so we had to give up on taking it down throughbat early on.¡®We barely managed to neutralize it by feeding it a special dish.¡¯ This creature doesn¡¯t even recognize normal food as edible. As a result, we ended up trying the strange method of frying metal tes in oil to cook for it. The oue was beneficial in many ways. The monster we captured in this way used its magical power to strengthen the metallic objects to protect itself in battle. The engineers realized that by moderately limiting the supply of metal, the creature bes incredibly weak, so they are keeping it captive to use the materials for strengthening purposes. ¡®But it still makes me a bit uneasy.¡¯ Unappetizing meals. Fed just enough to barely keep it alive, while it has to use that to strengthen the materials of our guild. It was for the good of our unit, but ¡®I can¡¯t help but feel bad when I hear its pitiful cries.¡¯ So, I thought, since I have to feed it anyway to keep it from starving, Why not try cooking something tasty? ¡®After all, once Iplete the dish, I can also gain some experience points. So, I started cooking the metals to feed it.¡¯ It started as a thoughtless act, but after repeating it for a few days, a change began to ur. -Greeee¡­ The moment I opened the door to give it the usual meal, the creature with a fur-like appearance began rubbing its head against my feet, simr to a ck kitten. Seeing this, I was reminded of theJjam Tiger* I had befriended when I first joined the unit. After that, I gradually grew closer to Mac and would y with it asionally. And at some point, when I checked Mac¡¯s information through [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)], the text [Friendship ¨C High] Appeared before my eyes. And this is the result: ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± It gnawed through the thick iron door, creating a holerge enough for one or two people to pass through. The more it ate the iron, therger it grew. From a kitten-like appearance, it transformed into a foxlike form, then a wolf-like form, and now¡­ ¡®A tiger.¡¯ It has taken on the appearance of a ck tiger. Its once cute voice has also deepened considerably, exuding a strange sense of majesty. When it was in the metal warehouse, it looked like a huge bear. While not quite as massive as then, this size is still quite powerful as a monster. Normally, it would be something to be cautious about, but¡­ ¡°Good job, ckie! I¡¯ll make you something delicious when I get back home!¡± ¡°Greeeeee!¡± As I stroked it, the kind creature happily rubbed its head against me. Even as it grew bigger in size, our closeness remained the same. It would shrink back down after fully digesting the food, but both forms had their own charms. ¡°ckie.¡± ¡°What an unexpectedly cute name.¡± ¡°Ah, that was the name of the cat that used to hang around our unit back then.¡± ¡°Sergeant Lee Min-jae?¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae exined towards the towards the bewildered soldiers. ¡°Ah, you guys don¡¯t know? When Young-joon and I werence corporals, there was a cat that used toe to the dining hall often. At some point, it disappeared and stopped showing up. Young-joon was quite upset about that back then.¡± ¡°Ahem, you really don¡¯t need to bring up that embarrassing story.¡± Anyway, I looked into the hole ckie had made. It was dark, so I couldn¡¯t see clearly, but I could tell there was a fairly spacious area inside. ¡°It¡¯s wide, but I don¡¯t think we can fit a tank in there.¡± In this battle, the tanks were only used for bombardment, but their true utility lies in their overwhelming physical power ¨C crushing all obstructing enemies under their treads while bombarding them. But it seemed the tank wouldn¡¯t be able to fit through this opening. In the end, only the awakened soldiers will have to fight inside. However, there was one thing that bothered me about that. Sergeant Min-jae, who was also looking into the opening, pointed it out. ¡°It¡¯s dark in there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Less than a month after the Dooms Day, electricity waspletely cut off. Even our unit turns off the lights and goes to bed early at night. With the little oil we have, we can only provide lighting for the sentries on watch against the monster¡¯s attacks. A bunker of this size should have its own power generation capabilities, but¡­ ¡°It¡¯s because of the vampires.¡± ¡°So, we don¡¯t even need to turn on the lights.¡± If the surface is the domain of humans, then the darkness is theirs. Going in like this would be little more than a shy suicide. So¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± We gathered near a vehicle after briefly exiting the cave. A mobile field kitchen¡­ In other words, the food truck. ¡®Regr buffs won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ This is neither an environment nor a scale that can be resolved with just a slight increase in abilities. We need to create the optimal dish for the extermination. In fact, I¡¯ve prepared some ingredients specifically for this. When ites to vampire extermination, We should of course follow the royal road, right? Chapter 79.2 Chapter 79.2 [Garlic bulb filled with sincerity of a Junior Grade Farmer] [Contains weak magical power] The [Farmer] awakened who recently settled near our unit. I obtained some high-quality garlic by asking them. ¡®Ugh! Stop it!¡¯ When I tried shoving it at the captured vampire, it reacted with utter disgust. But that¡¯s not all. ¡°As you suggested, I¡¯ve tried to make something.¡± A soldier, one of our two healers, approached me and spoke.Lance Corporal Shin Jungsu, a [Priest] awakened and our unit¡¯s chain. He handed me a water bottle. [Junior Grade Holy Water] [Holy water concentrated with the blessings of a Junior Grade Priest] [Consuming it can provide a slight recovery of vitality and enhancement of physical abilities] [Demonic beings will absolutely hate this] Holy water. Lance Corporal Shin Jungsuhad toiled for days to make this, I heard. ¡°Even with all that effort, I could only manage to make about one bottle¡¯s worth. My abilities are stillcking¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, one bottle is more than enough.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Lance Corporal Shin Jungsuspoke with a worried expression. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the unit long enough to have a feel for these things. You won¡¯t just pour this out against the enemies. You¡¯re nning to use it in cooking, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But even so, one bottle¡¯s worth is probably only enough for about 10 servings at most.¡± That¡¯s true. It¡¯s not just the holy water. ¡®This garlic too, despite asking for the best quality, the quantity isn¡¯t much.¡¯ With just these ingredients, it would be difficult to provide a powerful buff to all the soldiers. ¡°So, what do you n to do?¡± ¡°Ah, I see. You were thinking of concentrating the buffs on the stronger soldiers like yourself or Corporal Jeon Gwang-il, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not enough.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Since we¡¯re eating it anyway¡­ ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we standardize the menu?¡±, I said, leaving the curious soldiers behind. I turned on the gas stove in the food truck and poured in the holy water. While the holy water was boiling, I heated up a stainless-steel pan and poured in [Animal Oil Mixed with Magic Essence]. ¡®A garlic-based dish. I may not know much, but¡­¡¯ There are quite a few recipes I¡¯ve picked up over the years while cooking with the other cooks. The rest, well. I¡¯ll just throw together somebinations that seem tasty, relying on my [Intermediate Cooking Skill]. And so, after one round of cooking, [The Full Course Meal has been Completed.] [1. Holy Onion Garlic Soup] [2. Holy Garlic Butter ck Sand Sea Bream.] [3. Holy Aglio e Olio.] [4. ¡­¡­] These are just garlic dishes made by squeezing out whatever recipes I know. After all, Koreans do love their garlic. I¡¯ve stuffed in as much garlic as I could, perhaps even a bit excessively. And I used up thest drop of the holy water as well. ¡°That¡¯s quite a few dishes.¡± ¡°Seven in total.¡± I wasable toplete a total of 7 dishes. ¡°I¡¯m not dismissing your cooking, but is seven kinds enough? I was expecting arge-scale mass catering, to be honest.¡± Sergeant Min-jae said, seeming a bit puzzled. The dishes I made are all ones I¡¯m fairly confident in. There are still different levels though: 1. A full course meal made for a specific individual. 2. A full course meal. 3. A dish made for specific individuals. 4. Mass catering. 5. Combat ration But even the strongest ¡°a full course meal made for a specific individual ¡± wouldn¡¯t be as efficient in buffing as a mass-catered dish for hundreds. Unless we needed something like Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s recent sniping. For therge-scale battle ahead, mass catering would be the more efficient approach. However, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of something.¡± After recently leveling up to an [Intermediate Cook], I¡¯ve gained a new skill. [Five Loaves and Two Fish] [Do you know the miraculous tale of feeding thousands with just five loaves of bread and two fish?] [Now, it is a reality for you, not a miracle] [You can feed many with a small amount of food] [The more people you share your food with, the more magic energy it consumes] Being able to feed many with a small amount of food, huh. I¡¯m not sure exactly how the skill works, but the effect itself is straightforward. I immediately decided to use the skill. [Use Five Loaves and Two Fish?] [Dish Type ¨C Full Course Meal] [Servings ¨C 143] But then, an additional warning message appeared with an alert: [Warning] [The quality of the dishes is too high] [The number of servings is too high] [Massive amount of magic energy will be consumed] [Cancel the skill? Y/N] Massive magic energy consumption, huh? ¡°Well, whatever.¡± I¡¯m not that strong as abat unit anyway. Even if I end up fainting from magic energy depletion, it¡¯s better to give the strongest possible buffs to myrades. Having made up my mind, I took a deep breath and used the skill. [The skill has been activated] [This is a High-quality full course dish] [Magic energy consumption will be maximized] [The number of servings is excessively high] [Magic energy consumption will be maximized] ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Seeing those messages, I tightly shut my eyes. I had experienced magic depletion before when overusing my ¡°Chef¡¯s Special Sauce¡± while descending the mountain. The pain back then was excruciating. This time, the pain was expected to be even worse. Gritting my teeth and squeezing my eyes shut, I braced myself for the agony¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± Chapter 79.3 Chapter 79.3 But something felt different this time. It didn¡¯t hurt at all. Wondering what was happening, I opened my eyes. In front of me, I saw a few messages floating. [Conditions fulfilled] [Provide the highest quality dishes to over 100 people in a single meal (1/1) (Achieved)] [As the conditions have been met, the user¡¯s innate talent has been awakened] [Talent: Large-Scale Cooking] Huh?*** ¡°Damn it¡­¡± ¡°To be driven out by such lowly creatures.¡± Deep within the bunker, where not a speck of light entered, the vampires spoke in frustration. ¡°Calm down, everyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Just wait a little longer. Our time wille.¡± Those who findfort in the darkness. Inside the bunker, they tended to their wounds, recovered their strength, and waited for the time to pass. To prepare for the hunt that would take ce as soon as night fell. ¡°They said the blood of the strong provides greater power¡­¡± ¡°If we can hunt those puny humans all at once, we¡¯ll be much stronger than before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually looking forward to it.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. From the far end of the bunker, Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. The sound of something approaching. It wasn¡¯t their own kind. ¡°Surely not.¡± ¡°Have those soldiers stormed in?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± The bunker was designed to withstand even a nuclear explosion. No matter how much firepower they brought, it was inconceivable that they could breach the bunker¡¯s entrance. And even if they somehow managed to destroy it, There should have been a tremendous noise apanying that kind of destructive force. ¡°But I didn¡¯t hear any sounds of destruction.¡± ¡°Wait, now that I think about it, those guys said they were a special forces unit.¡± ¡°¡­Could they have known how to open the bunker¡¯s doors from the outside?¡± Whether the spection was true or not, The important thing was that the thick door had been breached, and the enemy had invaded. The flustered vampires stirred, but¡­ ¡°Calm down, my brethren. This is actually a good thing.¡± A middle-aged man in a suit appeared among them, smiling. Behind him stood a blonde woman with an indifferent gaze, assisting him. ¡°You are the first member of the family, the first progenitor¡± ¡°My queen¡­¡± The vampires recognized their presence and knelt in reverence. One of the kneeling vampires asked the middle-aged man, the first progenitor, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®this is actually a good thing¡¯?¡± ¡°Think about it. What was the reason we were waiting for the night?¡± Looking around, the man spoke passionately with outstretched arms. ¡°Isn¡¯t the darkness our divine domain?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°The darkness within this bunker, where not a single ray of light enters, is even deeper than the outside. Did they really think they could just crawl in here? They seem quite arrogant. We call that kind of arrogance hubris.¡± The man addressed the vampires with fervent enthusiasm. ¡°Should we just let those arrogant invaders be? In this darkness, their guns and tanks are no match for us. Let¡¯s show them what we can do!¡± Inspired by his words, the vampires rose, wielding their weapons. Their morale was unwavering, as if the previous confusion had never existed. Observing this, the queen thought, ¡®I¡¯m lucky, this one is quite useful.¡¯ The man in charge of managing the bunker was a high-ranking official of some kind. Through him, the queen had gained knowledge of this world. Most of the strategies that had built up their current power originated from him. He was also the leader of the [Gangwon-do Survivor Union]. And this time as well, The first progenitor¡¯s words were not wrong. ¡®In this world, even holy knights are considered fantasy. In the darkness, there is no one who can stand against us and our progeny.¡¯ It was quite noisy, but¡­ It would be resolved soon, the queen thought, looking at the first progenitor. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be present for the battle, do I?¡± ¡°No, I believe we will be sufficient on our own.¡± ¡°Then I shall return to my room. It¡¯s usually my sleeping time, but I¡¯ve been awake too long¡­ I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± ¡°Of course, my master.¡± As the queen received the man¡¯s polite bow and was about to return to her room, yawning¡­ ¡­She paused. ¡°You.¡± The queen, who had stopped in her tracks, turned around. ¡°What is it, my master?¡± The first progenitor asked questioningly. And then, Grab! The queen¡¯s hand roughly seized his throat. ¡°Ack, ack¡­¡± ¡°You. You lied to me.¡± The first progenitor was only confused by the queen¡¯s words. ¡°Gah. I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ve always been loyal to you, my queen¡­¡± ¡°Oh, really? Then what is that?¡± Her hand pointed to the end of the bunker¡¯s corridor. The long corridor, filled only with darkness. At the end, Thump, thump, thump. The sound of military boots echoed. ¡°You, who said there were no holy knights, exorcist soldiers, or demon hunters, go ahead and exin this!¡± ¡°Guh¡­ I mean, I truly don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°That foul aura emanating from over there!¡± The footsteps at the end of the corridor were drawing nearer. Around the corner at the end, ¡°That ¡®Anti Demonic Aura¡¯¡­ is it not that of the holy knights?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Brilliant light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the bunker. Dazzling, sacred radiance, blinding one¡¯s eyes. From within, A mighty roar erupted. ¡°Glory to the Legion!¡± Chapter 80.1 Chapter 80.1 [Talent: Large-Scale Cooking] The moment I saw that text, I opened the status window and scrolled up the message log. I had seen that text before. And when was that, you ask? [Congrattions on your Awakening!] [Unique talent detected from the Awakened] [Talent: Large-scale Cooking] Right when I first Awakened. ¡°After that, there were no messages about it influencing anything, so I hadpletely forgotten about it.¡± I didn¡¯t expect to see it again like this. Reading the message, it seems the talent itself was innate to me but there were conditions required to develop it¡­ The problem is that condition was: [Provide the highest quality dishes to over 100 people in a single meal (1/1) (Achieved)] ¡°Does this make any sense?¡± When people are asked why military food tastes bad, they often say: The ingredients are not great. The cooking skills of the chefs arecking. While those reasons aren¡¯t entirely wrong, the answer that usuallyes from the chefs themselves is typically one: ¡°How can we properly cook meals for 200-300 people with just 3 of us?¡± Meals in the military are ultimately just to supplement the soldiers¡¯ nutrition. No matter what they do, the small number of cooks cannot make the massive quantity of food of the highest quality. So, the thing that usually gets sacrificed is the taste. It¡¯smon to just dump all the ingredients into a huge pot and stir-fry them all together. Even now, as an Awakened chef, my regr meals are still made that way. I have to cook for over 150 people by myself ¨C there¡¯s no other way. When I put in the effort to truly cook, it¡¯s usually just for a small number of my squad members. In those cases, I do have confidence in the quality. But that condition requires me to provide that high-quality cooking to over 100 people in a single meal. And I¡¯m the only chef. To make gourmet-level meals for 100 people all by myself? ¡®Ridiculous. Normally, that would be an impossible condition to everplete. But with the new skill that I have recently acquired [Five Loaves and Two Fish]. If I hadn¡¯t identally obtained this skill, I would have never been able toplete the conditions. A skill that allows me to feed many with just a little food. As difficult as that condition was to fulfill, the effects I gained frompleting it were extraordinary. [Innate Talent ¨C Large-Scale Cooking] [The unique talent of the Awakened ¡®Shin Young-joon] [Greatly increases the speed of cooking] [Dramatically reduces quality degradation when cookingrge-scale meals] [Drastically reduces the magic energy consumed when cookingrge-scale meals] [The use will gain bonus experience points uponpleting arge-scale meal] [Also grants bonuses for most actions rted torge-scale meals] Among those effect descriptions, one word particrly surprised me: ¡°The system¡¯s use of the word ¡®drastically¡¯.¡± I¡¯ve seen expressions like ¡°slightly increased¡±, ¡°increased¡±, ¡°greatly increased¡±, ¡°tremendously increased¡±, etc. But ¡°drastically¡± is a new one. It seems this talent¡¯s awakening is also why I didn¡¯t experience magic energy depletion even after multiplying that course dish 143 times. It must have dramatically reduced the magic energy consumption. The worrying part is¡­ ¡°Even though I didn¡¯t reach magic energy depletion, my magic energy was still reduced by over half at once.¡± Even with the drastic magic energy consumption reduction, it was still this much. ¡­This means. If this talent hadn¡¯t awakened, I might have just straight-up died, from magic energy depletion or whatever. ¡®Hmm. Maybe I was too focused on efficiency.¡¯ Well, trying to get 143 times the effect from just one dish? I was dangerously close to having to pay the ultimate price. But this world follows the rules of a game. Actions that require great sacrifices are rewarded withmensurate effects. ¡°Enjoy your meal!¡± To the 143 legion members. Before them was the [Full Course Meal] imbued with my care. A meal centered around garlic and holy water. The effect of that course meal was obvious. [Full Course Meal ¨C Light of Exorcism] [Greatly increases the abilities of those who consumes it] [Grants arge bonus when fighting against demonic entities] ¡°It¡¯s dazzling.¡± ¡°This incredible light, what on earth¡­!?¡± A pure white light rose up on the soldiers¡¯ backs. The halo around each individual was not thatrge but with over 100 people, and with the [Aura of the Legion]¡­ [When those with the same aura gather in sufficient numbers, a synergy effect is triggered] The guild skill obtained from the dungeon clearing has amplified that light. The dark cave was now enveloped in a dazzling white radiance. *** ¡°First the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes and now this light.¡± ¡°When I first heard about restoring the sight of the blind, I honestly didn¡¯t believe it. But at this level¡­ there¡¯s no room for doubt.¡± ¡°Jeong Sua was right.¡± The soldiers bathed in the brilliant light charged into the bunker. ¡°Glory to the Legion!¡± ¡°For the victory!¡± The warriors who first spotted the vampires inside shouted. Gwang-il and the rest of the assault team¡¯s roars shook the bunker. ¡°Argh¡­¡± ¡°What is this light!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic! We outnumber them!¡± The advantage of the darkness was already gone. Faced with the sudden light, the vampires were flustered as they met our soldiers. Soon, the battle began. As theirmander said, they outnumbered us. And this time, they were on the defensive. Unlike us, unfamiliar with the bunkeryout, they utilized the various spaces to attack us. But even so, ¡°Push them back!¡± ¡°You bat bastards, kill them all!¡± The tide of battle was overwhelmingly in our favor. Walls were destroyed, and various devices were smashed. And the broken iron, stone, and other materials¡­ ¡°Grrraah!¡± Gathered around the mac¡¯s body. Unlike the soldiers bathed in the Light of Exorcism, Mac didn¡¯t receive any buffs my cooking. ¡°What is this monster!?¡± ¡°Just a moment ago it was just a normal sheet of metal, how can it be this tough!?¡± Yet, single-handedly, he overwhelmed over ten vampires. The vampires that swarmed him couldn¡¯t even scratch his armor. Even when one piece was destroyed, he would just pull other metal scraps to patch the gap. ¡®He¡¯s really insanely strong.¡¯ Fortunately, he doesn¡¯t chase down fleeing enemies by nature. Otherwise, the day we encountered him would have been the end of our unit. In any case, the battle was decisively in our favor. At this rate, we couldpletely annihte them, despite their double the numbers. But then, ¡°You bat bastards! Witness the power of the humans!¡± ¡°Oh? Then show us.¡± ¡°Ugh!?¡± A woman¡¯s voice rang out, and one soldier¡¯s body was lifted into the air. Then, ¡°Aaaaaagh!¡± ¡°Seong Chol ahjussi!?¡± Chapter 80.2 Chapter 80.2 The soldier¡¯s body was torn apart in midair, his blood spraying among the vampires. Seong Chol was a man who had recently awakened after being a captive of the raiders. But now, with all the guild¡¯s equipment and buffs, he shouldn¡¯t have been weak. ¡°Tch. The taste of the blood is unpleasant. Better than nothing, I suppose.¡± Walking out covered in the dead soldier¡¯s blood was a woman. Blonde hair, and crimson eyes. She couldn¡¯t just be a random foreigner passing by. I recalled the words of the captured vampire: ¡°Our ruler is the Queen¡­ a noble of a different lineage than usmoner vampires.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin, that woman, in my opinion¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking the same thing.¡± That is the leader of the vampires. The monster that has devoured the surrounding survivors and made them her servants. ¡®¡­We¡¯ve never had a soldier from the guild die before.¡¯ He may not have been arade from the very beginning, but he was someone who was going to fight alongside us. The first casualty of the unit. Just a moment ago, I had resolved to avoid casualties as much as possible. And he was killed without me even being able to do anything. This just¡­ really pisses me off. ¡°Gwang-il.¡± ¡°Reporting, Corporal Gwang-il.¡± ¡°The boss mob has appeared. You know what to do, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A growling beast sound came from the nodding man¡¯s mouth. ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Boom!!! Unleashing his maximum frenzy, Gwang-il¡¯s fist struck towards the Vampire Queen. She must be a true boss for a reason. The Queen narrowly evaded the attack, but¡­ ¡°So, this is the power of a warrior-ss. You do pack a punch.¡± The Queen seemed to be breaking a sweat seeing that attack. If it had connected, it would have definitely been a critical hit. ¡°Supporting Corporal Gwang-il!¡± ¡°Stick in order of level!¡± Looks like she thinks she¡¯s pretty strong. But the battle situation is already overwhelmingly in our favor. ¡°Tch¡­! Those ursed pdins!¡± Just one monster showing up isn¡¯t enough to change the tide. As the elite soldiers with high levels from each squad engaged her, she was pushed back helplessly. But then, Ack! Her hand grabbed the nape of one of our soldiers. I thought he was about to die too but the Queen¡¯s target was not that. Her crimson eyes shone with a strange light as she gazed into the soldier¡¯s eyes. ¡°Obey me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡± Byeong-min!?¡± The soldier nodded his head. What the hell. Is this simr to the Eye Monster¡¯s ability from the tank battalion? The Queen holding the soldier spoke. ¡°Answer my question. Who is the strongest among you?¡± The first person that came to my mind at the Queen¡¯s question was Private First ss Gwang-il. ¡®Is she targeting Gwang-il!?¡¯ Indeed, he was delivering an incredible performance against the Queen. If asked to name the strongest in our unit, nine times out of ten, Gwang-il would be mentioned. But it seems that was just my own thought. ¡°That¡­ that one is.¡± Byeong-min pointed his finger towards me?! ¡°Him? He doesn¡¯t look that strong, but¡­could it be my charm doesn¡¯t work on him?¡± ¡°He may not look it, but Sergeant Shin¡¯s strength is more than meets the eye¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Tell me more.¡± ¡°Even before his Awakening, Sergeant Shin slew a monster with just a kitchen knife¡­¡± Well¡­ Hmm, what can I say. The statement wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. ¡°It was Sergeant Shin who finished off the White Spider Queen during the tank battalion¡¯s remation operation, and that flesh monster that had been controlling the plunderers.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°He even walked alone into the depths of a dungeon and effortlessly slew the boss and returned unscathed.¡± ¡°Interesting, that¡¯s quite impressive.¡± ¡°Even Corporal Gwang-il, renowned for his strength, often says he¡¯s no match for Sergeant Shin, so there¡¯s no disagreement among the unit¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Queen seemed surprised at how formidable I apparently was. ¡°He didn¡¯t look the part, but he seems to be a truly great warrior.¡± She looked at me with an intrigued gaze. No, I can more or less understand why the misunderstanding arose. ¡°In that case, if I were to eliminate him, your unit¡¯sbat power would be greatly diminished, correct?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not quite like that¡­ Our unit¡¯sbat power is over 70% dependent on Sergeant Shin¡¯s buffs. If he were to disappear, our unit would be so weakened that we couldn¡¯t survive in this world¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha! Indeed, that seems to be the case!¡± It¡¯s nice that they¡¯re evaluating me so highly, but¡­! ¡°That was a good answer.¡± Thud! The captured soldier¡¯s body was flung away. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to have died. ¡°It means that with you gone, the rest can be easily handled by my underlings.¡± So, you are the problem. The Queen nodded as she said this, looking at me. As she pointed her finger at me, a dark shadow began to gather around it. ¡°No, you are misunderstanding-¡± ¡°Come with me then.¡± The dark energy swirling around her coalesced and shot towards me. ¡°Damn it!¡± I hastily took a defensive stance and dodged, but the shadow seemed to have some kind of special ability and continued to chase after me. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°Protect Sergeant Shin!¡± The soldiers came rushing to defend me, but unfortunately, they were a bit toote. Prick. The moment the ck shadow touched my body, Whoosh, the sight of the soldiers rushing to protect me vanished. No. It¡¯s not that the soldiers disappeared. ¡®The one who disappeared would be¡­ me, I suppose.¡¯ When I came to my senses, I was no longer in the dark bunker. Looking up at the sky, I saw a blood-red sky, an unrealistic sight not of this world. ¡°Am I¡­ dead?¡± This must be the ce called Hell, where I arrived the moment the Queen¡¯s attack hit me. As I was thinking this, ¡°Wee to my domain, human.¡± A figure suddenly appeared before my eyes. The Queen greeted me. ¡°Consider it an honor. You are the first I have invited to this ce.¡± Ah. Damn it. ¡®At least it¡¯s not Hell, but this still seems like a pretty troublesome situation.¡¯ Chapter 81.1 Chapter 81.1 ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s hand reached out towards Sergeant Shin Young-joon, who was fleeing to avoid the attack. But the moment the ck shadow touched the tip of Sergeant Shin¡¯s foot, Swoosh. ¡°¡­Good heavens.¡± He disappearedpletely from that ce. As if he never existed there in the first ce. ¡°Sergeant Shin¡­¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin has disappeared!¡± ¡°Those bastards¡­¡± When Shin Young-joon¡¯s figure vanished, confusion spread among the soldiers of the legion. Guild Leader, themander of the [Steel Legion]. His role is not just that of a guild leader. After all, it was this light that allowed them to overwhelm the vampires, who had numerical superiority. Wasn¡¯t that created by Sergeant Shin Young-joon? The im that he ounted for 70% of the legion¡¯sbat power was not an exaggeration. Whenever a crisis befell the legion, he would resolve everything with inspired improvisation. While the degree may vary, most of the legionnaires felt indebted to him. ¡°Did the Queen take the enemy¡¯s leader?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it seems that leader was the majority of theirbat power.¡± Unlike the flustered legionnaires, The vampires began to gain momentum. ¡°Hahaha. Thebat power of those fellows who lost their leader has dropped by more than half.¡± ¡°You did well in killing theirrades.¡± ¡°You inferior beings. Now it¡¯s our turn¡­¡± The vampires, wielding weapons, approached. But they were mistaken about one thing. ¡°These bastards¡­¡± It¡¯s true that Sergeant Shin Young-joon ounted for the majority of the legion¡¯sbat power. But his buffs were achieved through cooking. Once the food was eaten, the buffs would persist even if the chef, Shin Young-joon, disappears. And. Those who felt indebted to Sergeant Shin Young-joon, their fury had only one target in this situation. ¡°How dare they do this to Sergeant Shin¡­¡± ¡°They won¡¯t die so easily.¡± The battlefield was already tilting in favor of the legion. And the Queen, who had single-handedly faced many elite soldiers, had also disappeared, just like Shin Young-joon. In other words, ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°They said 70% of our power would disappear, but not at all!¡± Enraged legionnaires swung their weapons. ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Avenge Sergeant Shin!!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kill them easily! Make them suffer as much as possible!¡± The soldiers, engulfed in the madness of fury. The battle with the vampires did notst long. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­¡± ¡°You are thest one.¡± Jeon Gwang-il¡¯s blood-stained glove grabbed and lifted the head of thest vampire. ¡°Please, spare¡­¡± Crack. His one hand tore out and crushed the vampire¡¯s heart. The battle ended in victory, but there wasn¡¯t any celebration. ¡°Sergeant Shin¡­¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± After descending from the mountain range, this was thergest-scale battle they had experienced. The overall situation was in the legion¡¯s favor, but casualties were inevitable. The first fatalities on the ground. ¡°Of all people, it had to be Sergeant Shin¡­¡± ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± Despair settled on the soldiers¡¯ faces. Reorganizing the troops and returning would not be difficult. If one of the other squad leaders took over as the guild leader, the guild itself could be maintained. But Shin Young-joon and the dishes he created were the core of the legion¡¯sbat power. With him gone, the moment they encountered forces even simr to, or weaker than, the vampires, the legion would face the crisis of total annihtion. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± While most of the soldiers were despairing over this fact and grieving over Shin Young-joon¡¯s disappearance, ¡°You¡¯re all worrying about useless things.¡± Someone broke the somber mood with those words. A recently joined survivor, Jeong Soo-ah. ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± The soldiers red at her with hostility. Squad Leader Lee Sang-ah looked at her sternly and said, ¡°I heard you were about to live your entire life as a blind person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You did mention in the past that Commander Shin Young-joon saved you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°¡­And yet, you speak so lightly about it? If you had any sense of gratitude at all¡­!¡± As the soldiers¡¯ anger was about to explode at her brazen attitude, ¡°So, I¡¯m telling you not to worry about unnecessary things.¡± Jeong Soo-ah spoke with a serene expression instead. ¡°There¡¯s no way my benefactor would die from something like this.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who made me, a blind person, see again.¡± It was as if something overwhelming was stirring within her. Jeong Soo-ah spread her arms wide. ¡°With just seven dishes, he fed hundreds of people, and the soldiers fighting under his grace were d in a sacred light to eradicate evil. It was a miracle. Do you really not understand what this means?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It means that he is the Messiah who came down to save this chaotic world.¡± Finally, ¡°Ah¡­¡± People who realized what she was trying to say scowled. ¡°Ha, there were always people like that.¡± ¡°Since the day of destruction, people obsessed with strange religious beliefs¡­¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t seen any since joining this unit. They must have been hiding.¡± In an instant, civilization had crumbled, and people had to lose many precious things. With their wounded hearts, Some sought healing through religion. ¡°Savior, my foot¡­¡± ¡°There were so many cults spewing that nonsense.¡± Those who had been fighting to survive on the surface were already fed up with cultists. ¡°Themander is dead. We are also saddened, but it is an unavoidable truth. Miss Soo-ah, it must be heartbreaking, but¡­ you have to ept it.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even have the luxury to mourn properly. Stop spewing nonsense. It¡¯s annoying¡­¡± No one paid attention to her words. ¡°Well, soon enough, we will see who is right¡ªme or you.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Shall I make a prophecy?¡± Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Jeong Soo-ah continued speaking. ¡°He wille back soon as if nothing happened. Just like Jesus returned after three days, he will ovee death and return.¡± ¡°Hey, hey. Someone shut her up.¡± ¡°You will realize that I was right when the timees¡­¡± As one of the soldiers approached to silence her. Chapter 81.2 Chapter 81.2 It was at that moment. Buzz¡ª A ck line appeared in the air, then turned into a hole, and soon, Spat out two figures. Seeing this, Jeong Soo-ah sped her hands together and spoke. ¡°Ah, look.¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°I was right. Even I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± Two figures. One of them was Sergeant Shin Young-joon, who they thought had died just moments ago. And the one he was holding unconscious was none other than, ¡°Not only did he ovee death, but he also subdued the leader of the demons and returned¡­!¡± The Vampire Queen. The sudden situation threw the soldiers into confusion. Whether she knew this or not, ¡°Army life¡­¡± Sergeant Shin Young-joon, who hade back from the dead, scratched the back of his head. Then plopped down in a corner and said, ¡°It¡¯s insanely tough.¡± For someone who had just ovee death, his words were quite vivid. *** After being struck by the ck shadow cast by the Queen, ¡°Wee to my domain, human.¡± When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a ck space with nothing in it. ¡®I guess this isn¡¯t hell.¡¯ At first, I thought I had arrived in hell. But it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Because the Queen was standing there, weing me. ¡°Consider it an honor. You are the first to be invited to remain in this space.¡± ¡°Ah, damn it.¡± ¡°Haha, such coarsenguage.¡± I nced up at the sky and used [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)]. Though it was called Ingredient Identification, It had evolved into a trait that could identify anything. [Shadow Veil] [Freshness ¨C Excellent] [A personal space that only the nobles of the night can freely traverse] [It is a world that exists within the realm of imagination, detached from reality] [As a space without a distinct physical form, it directly reflects the imaginations of its inhabitants.] I could roughly understand the nature of this space. ¡®A world within the mind, huh.¡¯ A barrier or a subspace. Something like that. When I looked up at the sky, the entire world was dyed in a blood-red hue. The ce I was standing on was a colossal gray fortress of unknown origin. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­ Could this be the vampire¡¯s stronghold?¡¯ Even though it¡¯s a world within the mind, the fortress was overwhelmingly gigantic and grandiose. ¡®Honestly, I¡¯m a bit intimidated.¡¯ Just looking around was enough to be oppressed by the sheer scale. Even if it¡¯s a world within the mind, it¡¯s still a bit difficult to act nonchntly when faced with such a massive fortress. ¡®That shadow from before¡­ It wasn¡¯t just a simple attack, was it?¡¯ Rather, it was most likely a skill to lure me into this ce. The reason for bringing me to this space¡­ Well, it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? ¡®They want to eliminate their most important asset one-on-one. Something like that.¡¯ I think I¡¯ve grasped the situation well enough at this point. I decided to calmly assess the current situation by racking my brain as much as possible. The conclusion I reached was one. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ And quite thoroughly so. ¡®Completely screwed.¡¯ The Vampire Queen spoke to me. ¡°ording to the words of that soldier I captured, your removal would significantly diminish the Pdins¡¯ forces.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seeded in separating you, my subordinates outside must be in the midst of a hunt by now.¡± The captured soldier, Private Lee Byeong-min, was not lying. The reason our unit could ovee the vampires despite being outnumbered? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m being modest. ¡®My strength does y a part in it.¡¯ However, ¡®The food has already been served, so the buff won¡¯t be interrupted just because I¡¯m gone, right?¡¯ This Queen seems to have made a grave miscalction. She thinks that removing me would immediately weaken the guild members¡¯ abilities. But that¡¯s not the case. ¡®Still, I¡¯m relieved.¡¯ It seems I don¡¯t need to worry about the soldiers outside. What I should be concerned about is myself. Standing before me is the boss of the vampires. To fight one-on-one against her? There aren¡¯t any cooking ingredients here. ¡®I can¡¯t win this, can I?¡¯ Frowning at this painfully obvious conclusion, the Queen, seeing my expression, said, ¡°Are you worried about the humans outside? Haha. I understand, but you should be more concerned about yourself.¡± Even without saying it, I¡¯m not worried about the outside. I¡¯m busy being worried to the max about my own situation. ¡®¡­The guild outside will win the battle.¡¯ In that case, if I can just somehow stall for time, the soldiers outside mighte to rescue me. No matter how I look at it, that¡¯s the only answer I cane up with. Steeling my resolve, I tightened my grip on the sword. Even if I¡¯m going to lose, I don¡¯t n to go down easily. After all, my stats are rtively high. If I focus on defense, I should be able to hold out for a while. ¡°That¡¯s a scary expression you¡¯re making.¡± However, the Queen, whom I had naturally assumed would try to eliminate me, instead casually smiled and said, ¡°You can rx your face a bit. There¡¯s no need to take such a hostile stance.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down and chat for a bit?¡± As she waved her hand in the air, the darkness of the space seemed to ripple, and a ck chair was created. What¡¯s this? ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Exactly as I said. While fighting is fine, wouldn¡¯t it be better to have a little chat beforehand?¡± She also sat down on a chair she had created. In a situation where a beautiful blonde woman is inviting me to chat, many people would be delighted, but¡­ ¡®When a pretty girl approaches you, it¡¯s usually either a religious pitch or a multi-level marketing proposal.¡¯ I¡¯m the type to be suspicious from the start in these situations. I activated my ability while looking at her. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Species ¨C Human (Vampire)] [Freshness ¨C Optimal] The only thing that mattered was the skills and abilities. Chapter 81.3 Chapter 81.3 Among them, one caught my attention. [Ability ¨C Charm] ¡°Are you trying to manipte me with that ¡®Charm¡¯ as well?¡± ¡°Hmm? So, you¡¯re aware of my ability. Well, that¡¯s natural for the leader of the Pdins¡­¡± What¡¯s this ¡®Pdin¡¯ now? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even I don¡¯t have the power to control someone as strong as you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯vee here, neither you nor I can leave until one of us dies. So, let¡¯s just talk for a bit ¨C is that so hard to believe?¡± Is this just a dying tactic? Come to think of it, this creature was under the impression that the soldiers outside were being hunted by vampires. ¡®But there¡¯s a higher chance the opposite is true. Stalling for time would actually benefit me as well.¡¯ I sighed and sat down in a chair. This is the firstmunicative monster I¡¯ve encountered. There was something I was curious about anyway. ¡°What are you exactly?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Are you curious about my species?¡± ¡°You¡¯re clearly not a being from Earth. Why have you invaded our world?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you meant.¡± She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± A light, candid response. This gurl¡­ ¡°It was you who wanted to have a conversation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m beingpletely honest. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here either.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s lying. She speaks with a rather serious expression. ¡°If my memory serves me right, I was sealed in a coffin.¡± ¡°Sealed¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a vile ritual of the holy knights, condemning one to an eternal imprisonment in a coffin. An impossible-to-break curse, no less than a death sentence. The zealous methods of those who see death as a mercy, even for their enemies.¡± She frowned as she spoke. Seemingly unaware of the reason herself. ¡°But at some point, I regained consciousness to find the seal gone. When I came to, I was in this cave, along with the coffin whose sealing power had vanished. And there¡¯s some sort of strangemand imnted in my mind.¡± ¡°So, you didn¡¯t invade intentionally?¡± ¡°Invade? I didn¡¯t even know this world existed. That¡¯s a ridiculous notion.¡± I know the monsterse from another realm. But if they didn¡¯t invade intentionally, then what? ¡°Then why do you attack humans?¡± ¡°Why, you ask¡­? That¡¯s a strange question.¡± She responds with bewilderment, as if it¡¯s obvious. ¡°To survive.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I suddenly found myself in an entirely unknown world, without any means to protect myself. Not knowing when I might die, and with this strangemand in my head¡­ I had no choice but to resist.¡± To survive, huh. That¡¯s the same as us. ¡°I am a night noble. The more blood I consume, the more servants I canmand, and the stronger I be.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°By gaining that strength, I won¡¯t have to fear being hunted someday.¡± In a small voice, looking down at her own hands, the Queen speaks. ¡°This vexing obsession will also¡­¡± While I¡¯m taken aback by this unexpected reason, ¡°I believe I¡¯ve answered your question sufficiently. Now it¡¯s my turn, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, about that ¡®obsession¡¯ you mentioned¡­¡± ¡°Now, now. It¡¯s my turn to ask.¡± I had more questions, but she has posed a question to me now. ¡°Won¡¯t you be one of my servants?¡± It¡¯s not exactly a question but more of an offer. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you might think. Just look at my subordinates. They were once the weak, destined to be hunted by other monsters. But by bing my servants, they have instead be the hunters.¡± ¡°I doubt those people wanted that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first to inquire about their intentions. However, one thing is certain ¨C if they hadn¡¯t be my servants, most of them would be corpses by now.¡± She speaks with a sense of righteousness even crossing her arms. ¡°I saved their lives, in other words. From your perspective, I¡¯ve saved hundreds of lives.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯re the finest warrior. If you became my servant, you could gain even greater power than you have now. I had a favorite servant before, but they¡¯ve lost my trust.¡± Then the Queen gazes intently at my face. ¡°You¡¯re not bad-looking, and your skills are outstanding. I¡¯ll give that spot to you.¡± Gesturing for me to take her hand. The Queen extends her hand to me. ¡°Let¡¯s build a kingdom for the night nobles in thisnd. I shall be the Queen, and you will be the grand duke of that kingdom. I swear it on my name.¡± Looking at her hand, I responded. ¡®A kingdom for the night nobles.¡¯ At those words, I looked around and asked, ¡°Then, is this fortress the citadel of your kind?¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± ¡°Even with such a mighty fortress, you were sealed. Those holy knights must have been quite formidable.¡± It was a really simple, thoughtless question. I was just curious about the nature of this imposing fortress. ¡°Fortress?¡± But, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®fortress¡¯¡­?¡± The Queen, who had been exuding an air of nonchnce had her expression suddenly distorted at my single question. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ Wondering what could be the matter, I kept watching her. It¡¯s as if she¡¯s only now noticed the surroundings. ¡°Wh-What is this? Since when¡­?¡± Her eyes widened greatly. ¡°This scale¡­ it surpasses even the stronghold of our progenitor. Why on earth is something like this here?!¡± With a disbelieving manner, The vampire Queen looked around. ¡°You, exin this immediately!¡± ¡°Exin what¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me!¡± She points her finger at me, her gaze filled with shock. ¡°What is this fortress?!¡± Chapter 82.1 Chapter 82.1 ¡°This fortress is¡­ well, what is it really?¡± It was just a simple question, but the Queen¡¯s reaction seemed strange. Looking at her reaction, I realized one thing. [Shadow Veil] [Freshness ¨C Excellent] [A personal space that only the nobles of the night can freely traverse] [It is a world that exists within the realm of imagination, detached from reality] [As a space without a distinct physical form, it directly reflects the imaginations of its inhabitants.] This ce is the [Shadow Veil] where only the Aristocrats of the Night can freelye and go. ¡®But it was said that this ce is the embodiment of the imaginary world of its inhabitants.¡¯ There was nothing to specifically indicate it was the imaginary world of vampires. I¡¯m not sure, but¡­ ¡®This fortress¡­¡¯ Something is happening here that even the Queen herself cannotprehend. In other words, ¡®This is not the Queen¡¯s domain!¡¯ I had already given up on trying to survive, but realizing this, I suddenly felt a surge of energy. ¡®Normally, I would have no chance of surviving.¡¯ No matter how skilled of a chef I am, I¡¯m no match for the seasoned warriors in our troop in directbat. For a weakling like me to face off against a boss monster, let alone in an environment more familiar to the enemy, it¡¯s simply unthinkable. At best, I could only try to buy time and hope the other soldierse to rescue me, but even that possibility is slim. However, the situation has changed a bit now. ¡®A variable!¡¯ For some reason, this fortress is also an unknown space to her. ¡®If I can just utilize this properly, I might be able to survive after all.¡¯ While internally pondering how to best take advantage of the current situation, I asked as casually as possible: ¡°Even so, wasn¡¯t it you who invited me here? What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Hah, are you going to y dumb!?¡± She must have been furious seeing the scenery of the fortress. Her hair levitated in the air. ¡°The Shadow Veil is my imaginary world¡­ Normally, this ce should have been a sea of crimson waves.¡± However, the moment I arrived in this world, the first thing I saw was this fortress. She was describing andscape entirely different from what I had witnessed. ¡°The only thing that was familiar to me was my personal bed ced in the center of it all. That was the scenery up until just a moment ago!¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°The moment you mentioned this fortress, thendscape changed!¡± Ah, I see. When I described the scenery, I was seeing to her that¡¯s when our visions aligned. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re the one behind this. Don¡¯t try to y dumb.¡± Step. The enraged Queen took a step forward. ¡°I was even willing to grant you the privilege to join me. How dare you defile my world!¡± This attitude waspletely different from her earlier attempts to persuade me to be a duke or a minister. It seems defiling her world is an unforgivable offense to her. Her fury appears to be genuine. ¡®Negotiations are hopeless now.¡¯ Judging from her demeanor, she has no intention of letting me leave peacefully. ¡°You said you were the Queen, didn¡¯t you?¡± Since it hase to this, I no longer need to be polite in our conversation. ¡°If I submit to you, would you put me in a position like a duke?¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote now if you¡¯re thinking of epting my offer. I have no position to hand over to the one who has defiled my world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m particrly eager for that kind of position.¡± If we¡¯re going to exchange harsh words anyway, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been wanting to point out. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not very familiar with your hierarchy, so¡­¡± I might as well address that issue. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] ¡°Queen? Offering me a duke¡¯s position? Hah.¡± What Queen? ¡°So, a mere Baroness can put me in a duke¡¯s seat, is that it?¡± ¡°Wha- what did you say!?¡± [Vampire Baroness] [Ari von Carstein] ¡®She¡¯s a baroness.¡¯ As far as I know, In the aristocratic hierarchy, it¡¯s a rank buried far below. No, this is¡ª There are limits to how far one can go in defying social order. ¡°A baroness, not even a full baron, is a Queen?¡± Isn¡¯t that a bit too far-fetched? How many ranks has she skip, exactly? ¡°Are you saying a mere private could be promised a general¡¯s position?¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± The Queen¡¯s face turned red with humiliation as she sat in her chair. Yes. Just as I intended. ¡°If the enemy charges in an excited state, I might be able tond a blow.¡± For her, this sudden appearance of the fortress and my provocation had caused both confusion and excitement. In other words¡ª She had lost herposure. If the enemy has lost theirposure. No matter how powerful a monster she might be, There must be an opening! After drawing out the two knives Grandpa Park had made, I murmured to myself, ¡°Using the Trait Enhancement Ticket.¡± Not long ago, I had obtained an Enhancement Ticket from sessfully clearing a dungeon. It felt like a waste to use it here, but¡ª I needed to survive first. [Intermediate Dagger Mastery (Enhanced)] Swoosh¡ª ¡°¡­¡­You!¡± The Queen¡¯s right arm¡ª shed through the air. [Intermediate Dagger Mastery (Enhanced)] The effects of the enhancement were perceptible. Unlike Ingredient Appraisal, there were no dramatic changes, But the de was now faster and sharper. Swoosh¡ª The Queen¡¯s right arm swung towards me. Her arm flew through the air, scattering blood. ¡°¡­¡­You. You won¡¯t be leaving here alive.¡± It was a clear hit. However, The hit did not bring me any joy. ¡°¡­¡­I aimed for the heart.¡± To avoid this¡ª The Queen was enraged by the fortress. The provocation had also worked to excite her further. The heart, a vampire¡¯s weakness, The trajectory of the de aimed at it was perfect. But just before the de could pierce the heart, The chest area turned into crimson mist, And my de passed through empty space. Chapter 82.2 Chapter 82.2 ¡®Mist form.¡¯ Vampires were stronger than ordinary awakened individuals of the same level. One of the most troublesome traits they had was turning into Mist. ¡®Essentially a second life, an overpowered ability.¡¯ Even though I quickly adjusted the de¡¯s path when the heart turned to mist, I only managed to sever her right arm. ¡®I missed the best chance.¡¯ I should have killed her here. Would I get another opportunity like this? ¡°I will ensure won¡¯t die easily.¡± The Queen shouted. Even though I had severed her right arm, Since I hadn¡¯t strangled her, It only made her anger grow stronger. ¡°I will drain all the blood from your veins and fill the empty space with my own.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± ¡°You will lose consciousness and be my puppet. You will stand at the forefront of the war to establish my kingdom, living as a ve for the rest of your life.¡± A puppet, huh? Fine by me, ¡°But being at the forefront is a bit much. As a chef, I¡¯m more of a support role.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, but fine. Let¡¯s see how you fare!¡± With her sharp ws outstretched, She charged at me with renewed intensity. ¡°Ugh!¡± I barely dodged her attack. I picked up the severed right arm of the vampire Queen that had fallen on the floor. Then, ¡°Run!¡± I fled with all my might. ¡°You! Where are you going!?¡± ¡°If it were you, would you fight someone like the Vampire Queen!?¡± Fortunately¡ª The cooking-rted buffs were still in effect. [Light of Exorcism] A buff that grants even greater power against demonic entities. Thanks to this, I was able to flee from the pursuing Queen as much as possible. ¡®If I were my normal self¡­ I might havested 10 seconds.¡¯ The buff was still active. And, ¡°Geez, where is this ce now!¡± Unlike the initial assumption that this was her home turf, this world¡­ No. ¡®At least this fortress is an unknown space even to her.¡¯ As a result, I was able to evade her for longer than expected. ¡°I got you!¡± But it didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Queen finally caught up to me, grabbing my shoulder. She then pulled my arm, seeming to embrace me, and buried her face in my neck. ¡°Urgh!¡± I managed to push her away. But as I brought my hand to my neck, it was sticky. ¡°¡­The disgusting scent of those pdin may linger, but the taste of your blood is exquisite.¡± She clicked her tongue, the blood from my body still staining her lips. ¡®With my stats being rtively high, I must seem like fine cuisine to these vampires.¡¯ No, not just the taste, perhaps my blood was also healthy for them. The right arm I had severed, now in my hand was steadily regenerating. No matter how much damage I inflict in battle, the moment she drinks my blood, it¡¯s all healed. In this situation, there¡¯s no way the fight can be even. ¡°Well then, I suggest you surrender now.¡± The enraged expression from earlier had vanished, as she approached me in a casual manner. ¡®Just when I thought I had a variable is this really how it ends?¡¯ Seeing no solution, I obediently lowered my head. At that moment, [Alert! Alert! Alert!] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°You, what have you done now!?¡± A mysterious mechanical voice echoed throughout the fortress. [Detected a decline in the Lord¡¯s vitality] [This has been ssified as a Level 1 crisis] ¡®Lord, what?¡¯ [Initiating the fortress¡¯s autonomous situation assessment] I had no time to decipher the meaning of those words. [Autonomous Assessment Result] [Concluded a crisis situation for the Lord due to an intruder within the fortress] [Activating the autonomous defense system] Simultaneously, the gray buildings inside the fortress, seemed to distort, and then- BOOOOOM!!! ¡°Ugh!!!¡± Directly striking the vampire Queen¡¯s body. ¡®What the heck is that!?¡¯ The buildings moving on their own was shocking enough, but now they¡¯re attacking the enemy? [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Autonomous Defense System] [Lv. Max] Even the Queen seems unaware of the fortress¡¯s true nature. The echoing mechanical voice, and the buildings autonomously attacking the Queen ¨Call of it was utterly iprehensible. ¡­No. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t try to understand.¡¯ Attempting toprehend the inexplicable would be a waste of time and effort. I don¡¯t have the luxury for that right now. Though I don¡¯t fully understand the situation, What¡¯s important right now is one thing: ¡®This fortress is trying to protect me.¡¯ [Warning!] [The analysis has revealed the summoning was iplete] [Relevant personnel are urgently requested to attempt a proper summoning] [The effectiveness of the autonomous defense system has been significantly reduced] [The duration of the autonomous defense system has been significantly shortened] [It has been confirmed that the fortress¡¯s power output is severelypromised] [The fortress¡¯s full capabilities cannot be utilized in this state.] [Relevant personnel are urged to promptly dispatch defensive units to protect the Lord] ¡°You¡­ where do you think you¡¯re going¡­¡± BOOM! ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Whenever the Queen tried to approach me, the surrounding buildings struck her body. ¡®So, it¡¯s buying me time. But¡­¡¯ It¡¯s still too early to bepletely at ease. [The autonomous defense system¡¯s power will be greatly reduced] [The autonomous defense system¡¯s duration will be greatly reduced] The buildings currently aiding me, the [Autonomous Defense System], seems to be in a significantly weakened state for some reason. ¡°Such power¡­ this fortress¡­! Ugh!¡± BOOM! ¡°The ancestral castle of the great progenitor wasn¡¯t even this powerful¡­ Kyaah!¡± THUD! While the buildings are merrily beating up the Queen, they seem unable to inflict any fatal blows. ¡®While these buildings are buying me time, I need to find the answer.¡¯ And as always, my profession is that of a chef. The answer I should seek is, well¡­ It¡¯s pretty obvious. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re helping me, but since you are, I have one more request.¡± Since you¡¯ve decided to help me, I might as well ask for this much, with a slight sense of expectation. ¡°I need a ce to cook.¡± [Command received] [Activating the navigator system] Suddenly, a path revealed itself in my mind. I dashed towards it with all my might. In front of me stood a massive building. [Dining Hall] [Lv. Max] BOOM! I burst through the door, entering the dining hall. In my hand was, [Vampire Baroness¡¯s Forelimb Meat] Not exactly the most appealing ingredient but this would do. Chapter 83.1 Chapter 83.1 [Dining Hall] [Lv. Max] Following the directions that popped into my mind, I arrived at a gigantic dining hall. Bang! Kicking open the door to the dining hall, I stepped inside. Messages filled my view: [Dining Hall Lv. Max is now active] [Chef¡¯s skill level will be enhanced] [Bonuses will be added to the results of your cooking] Could it be¡­? ¡®¡­A buff?¡¯ A building that gives buffs just by entering? It¡¯s not a bad deal for me. ¡®The inside¡­ Looks simr to a kitchen.¡¯ I was worried it might be an unfamiliar setup, but thankfully, it resembled a typical military kitchen. ¡®I don¡¯t have time to explore.¡¯ The Vampire Queen must be chasing after me. There¡¯s no telling how long the [Autonomous Defense System] will hold out. I immediately set down the cooking ingredient: [Vampire Baroness¡¯s Forelimb Meat] ¡°¡­.¡± I picked it up and pondered briefly. ¡®Is it okay to cook this?¡¯ Unlike the monsters I had cooked before, this vampire, despite its different species, looked simr to a human. ¡®Among the other ingredients¡­ There¡¯s nothing else to use.¡¯ Cooking and eating this arm was a disgusting thought. But. ¡®If I don¡¯t eat it, then what? Just die here?¡¯ My goal is always the same. Survival. For that, I must endure even the most repulsive things. ¡°Guess I have to bear with it. Damn it!¡± I swung the chef¡¯s knife at the arm. [Intermediate Grade Cooking Secret ¨C Enlightenment of Vampire Preparation] Awakening of my unique ability. Enhancement of Intermediate Dagger Mastery. My cutting speed during cooking was now incredibly faster than before. After preparing the ingredients, I ced them on the pan, ignited the stove, and began to stir-fry. Finally. I added the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce]. [Stir Fried Vampire Baroness¡¯s Forelimb with Severe Thirst] [A stir-fry made with fresh vampire Baroness¡¯s forelimb meat] [Bonus effects from the Lv. Max Dinning Hall] [All trait effects of those who consume this dish will be increased by 50%] Seeing the messages, I steeled myself and forced myself to chew the meat, suppressing the nausea. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Soon, my special ability activated. [Skill ¨C Would you like to activate Absolute Pte?] ¡°Activate it.¡± [Please select the desired trait] ¨C [Mist Form] ¨C [Dark Affinity] ¨C [Charm] ¨C [Rapid Regeneration] ¨C [Divine Power Weakening] . . . . Various attributes were listed before my eyes. However. I didn¡¯t need to read the other traits. The one I needed was¡­ [Trait selected] [You have temporarily acquire a new trait] [Due to the penalty of Absolute Pte, all effects of cooking, including ¡®Light of Exorcism,¡¯ will be nullified] Absolute Pte grants me the attribute of the cooking ingredients. And in exchange all other buffs disappear the moment I use this effect. The bright light that had given me tremendous vitality faded away. [Warning!] [Due to power reduction, the Autonomous Defense System will be forced down forcibly] [As the crisis situation at the castle has not been resolved] [Relevant personnel are urgently rmended to-] The mechanical voice echoed, signaling the end of the fortress¡¯s attacks. ¡°What did you do¡­ I don¡¯t know, but¡­¡± I turned to see a vampire standing at the entrance of the dining hall. ¡°Have you weakened?¡± The Queen, looking battered from the [Autonomous Defense System]¡¯s attacks, approached with a leisurely smile, perhaps noticing the absence of my anti-magic light. ¡°It¡¯s been such a bothersome fight.¡± Without the buffs now. I tried to resist as best I could. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to be family.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Crunch! Breaking through my resistance, she embraced me like before, her wicked smile growing as she sank her teeth into my neck. Slurp- I felt the blood from my body being drawn into her mouth. ¡°Mmm, ah.¡± If I continue like this, either I¡¯ll be unable to put up a proper fight and have all my blood drained until I die, or I¡¯ll be her servant and live the rest of my life as a ve. ¡®And I don¡¯t want that to happen.¡¯ That¡¯s why what I did was simple. If she has her fangs sunk into my neck, then I¡¯ll do the same. Crunch! I buried my lips into the Queen¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­What!?¡± Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have fangs. So, I bite down on her neck as roughly as I can with my teeth. A sticky liquid with a metallic taste touched my tongue. [Trait ¨C Bloodsucking has been activated] This is the characteristic I acquired through [Absolute Pte]. [Bloodsucking] [For vampires, the act of drinking blood holds various meanings] [It is a ritual to increase one¡¯s power and also a way to recover vitality] [It is also a way to consume meal essential for sustaining life] [Recovering vitality through bloodsucking] [Temporarily boost in abilities through bloodsucking] The blood flowing from her wounded vein, and I sucked it in as forcefully as I could. [This is exceptionally high-quality blood] [The efficiency of bloodsucking has greatly increased!] [Temporarily, all stats will be slightly increased.] A bit of vigor started returning to my weakened body. ¡°Wh-what are you doing!?¡± The Queen approached to drain my blood but now she finds herself on the receiving end of the bloodsucking. ¡°You, have you really gone mad!?¡± She seemed quite flustered to have the trait she possessed used against her to suck her own blood. As she pulled her mouth away from my neck and cried out, ¡®How dumb!¡¯ While she was shouting, I didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. I intensified my efforts, draining the Queen¡¯s blood. ¡®The taste is horribly unpleasant, but¡­¡¯ [Massively drained high-quality blood!] [All stats will be slightly increased, permanently] As I had high abilities, I must have appeared as a high-quality meal, to the vampires. But no matter how good my blood is, ¡®It can¡¯t be better than the blood of these vampires, and it¡¯s their Queen at that.¡¯ If we keep draining each other¡¯s blood, I¡¯ll end up consuming the higher quality blood. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Queen tried to push my head away, but ¡°No, let me go!¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Chapter 83.2 Chapter 83.2 I grasped the resisting figure tightly. The blood I had just drained had significantly boosted my abilities. While she had exhausted much of her strength from being beaten by the [Autonomous Defense System]. At this rate, Holding her should be very doable. ¡®If we go back to fighting, I absolutely can¡¯t win!¡¯ No matter what, I can¡¯t let her go. The worrying factor is her Mist ability. She could turn into mist and escape my grasp. But Mist ability has a cooldown, and it hasn¡¯t been that long since she used it. There¡¯s no way for her to escape. ¡°Damn it, how did I end up in this situation!¡± Realizing this, the Queen sank her fangs back into my neck. And so, The tide of the battle turnedpletely as I had intended. ¡®Since victory throughbat is hopeless, I¡¯ll change the objective.¡¯ The conditions were the same for both sides. The more blood is drained, the more life force is lost, and abilities are stolen. Conversely, the more blood is drained, the more life force is recovered, and abilities are stolen. ¡®Whoever can drain the other¡¯s everything first is the winner!¡¯ Slurp¡­ gulp, gulp. In the dark space, only the sounds of something being sucked echoed. If observed by a third party, it might look like a passionate scene of lovers nuzzling each other¡¯s necks. But the reality was entirely different. ¡®Even a little dy, and I¡¯ll die.¡¯ A fierce battle for each other¡¯s lives. The other side is originally a vampire. While I¡¯m a human, I¡¯m only borrowing the trait of bloodsucking. Normally this wouldn¡¯t be a fair match, ¡®But I¡¯ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.¡¯ [Bloodsucking is also a meal essential for sustaining life] Bloodsucking is an act of eating. Here, the blood is considered food. [The effect of Absolute Pte is activated] The condition for activating ¡®Absolute Pte¡¯ has been met. And with the bonus from the [Lv. Max Dining Hall], The effects of the characteristics I gained through cooking increased by 50%. [The effects gained from the food will be greatly enhanced] [Life force recovered] [Traits boosted] [Life force recovered] [Traits boosted] . . . *** Like that, How much time has passed? Then, out of nowhere. ¡°Stop, stop.¡± Thick blood kept going down my throat. My stomach could no longer bear it, crying out in pain. ¡°Stop it.¡± The special sauce that I applied to the cooking was [Severe Thirst]. Separate from the pain. I was still thirsty. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop!¡± We started to crave each other¡¯s blood. I couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed. ¡°I, I was wrong. Please, stop.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Blood is no different from the soul of the night¡¯s aristocracy. If I take it all, I, I¡­¡± I could feel the strength gradually leaving the Queen¡¯s body in my rough embrace. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ It¡¯s disappearing. My blood. My existence¡­!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t die like this. Not under the sun. Not like this¡­!¡± The one who gained more power from our mutual blood-drinking was me, under the effect of [Absolute Pte]. ¡°Please, save me.¡± Was it because her strength was drained? Or was it from fear? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. So please, please spare my life¡­¡± The Queen began begging for her life, her whole body trembling. But. ¡®I¡¯m thirsty¡­¡¯ Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to listen to such cries. The only thing that concerned me was quenching this agonizing thirst. [Warning!] [Excessive blood-drinking can cause physical changes to the body.] Some kind of system message seemed to have appeared, but I was too busy quenching my thirst to pay attention to that. I sucked the blood even harder. ¡°No, no¡­ Mom, Dad¡­¡± Gulp. ¡°Please save me, sob¡­ Please save me. Sniff.¡± Gulp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, please save me, please save me, please save me, please save me, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, please save me, please save me, please save me, please save me, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, please save me, please save me, please save me, please save me¡­¡± Eventually, the begging voice could no longer be heard. Gulp¡­ In the darkness, only the sound of swallowing echoed on. [The magic power required to maintain the Shadow Veil has been depleted] [The Shadow Veil is being canceled] Amidst my frantic quenching of thirst, I think I saw a message like that. And soon, Pang! With a strong force, I felt my body being flung somewhere. My body flying through the air. Right before being expelled from the world of the [Shadow Veil], I looked down at the ground. There was a beautiful crimson sea. ¡®So that¡¯s how it looked from up here.¡¯ And towering over that crimson world was a gigantic fortress. No, not a fortress, ¡®A fortress city¡­¡¯ Even if the world were to perish someday, it would stand firm, never to be destroyed. Yes, like an ark¡­ [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Mobile Fortress ¨C Bimana] My own stronghold. As I regained my senses, ¡°Ah, ah¡­! Look!¡± The familiar scenery was in view ¨C the glowing soldiers of the legion, and the rugged bunkers. ¡®Ah¡­ So, I¡¯m outside now.¡¯ In one hand, I was still gripping the neck of the Queen I had been draining. The soldiers around me were babbling something. ¡®What are they saying?¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t make out the content. I had been so focused on quenching my thirst by draining the Queen¡¯s blood that I just had no presence of mind. ¡®Damn, I¡¯m so thirsty it¡¯s driving me crazy.¡¯ This thirst was still not quenched. If I kept this up, I might unconsciously sink my fangs into the soldiers¡¯ necks. ¡®No, I can¡¯t do that.¡¯ I moved myself and the Queen to a secluded corner of the wall, and plopped down, leaning against the wall. Seeing the soldiers makes me want to bite them. So, I bowed my head down, making sure they couldn¡¯t be seen. My throat is still dry, and the unpleasant metallic smell of too much blood fills my mouth. Mentally, I feel like I could just pass out from exhaustion. ¡°Military life¡­¡± It¡¯s a relief that I¡¯ve somehow managed to survive, but still, I have to say this, ¡°It really sucks¡­¡± Chapter 84.1 Chapter 84.1 After the battle, the army began searching the bunker for any remaining stragglers. It was a precautionary measure to ensure no enemies were hiding. ¡°P-please save me¡­¡± In one section, they discovered living humans. Initially, it was thought they might be remnants of the vampires, but: [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Species ¨C Human] These were indeed ordinary humans. ¡°Here we have some survivors!¡± ¡°And here as well¡­¡± There were more of them than expected. ¡°Sniffle¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe now. Please calm down. What happened here?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°They were supposed to guide us to a safe ce, but instead, they brought us here. Some others went in a different direction, but we don¡¯t know what happened to them¡­¡± This was somewhat understandable. ¡®They either became vampires or were turned into vampire prey.¡¯ What puzzled us was what these people were doing here if they were neither vampires nor prey. ¡°I overheard something from the monsters.¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I heard it correctly, but they said they were nning to create a ¡®human farm.¡¯¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°They said they were setting aside people like us and will manage us carefully. So that we wouldn¡¯t die.¡± A human farm, huh? ¡°We¡¯ll take these people with us.¡± ¡°Oh. Can we trust you with them?¡± ¡°Yes, I am a survivor myself.¡± Jeong Soo-ah, who approached the survivors, said: ¡°I think it¡¯s important to exin to them what almost happened and who saved them.¡± ¡°¡­? Well. Please take care of them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The rescued survivors could either join our squad or be introduced to survivors settled near our base. During this process: ¡°Eek! Save me¡­¡± ¡°Is this one also a survivor?¡± ¡°No, this one is a vampire.¡± This one had recently regained consciousness and was hiding in a corner. Bang. As soon as the vampire was dealt with: [Gangwon-do Survivor Union has been exterminated.] [First human species victory in a guild war] ¡°Oh?¡± The system recognized this fact. [A reward will be given to those who lead the way.] [Reward: Growth Potion x10] [Increases experience gain rate by 500% temporarily] Growth Potion. Or Elixir of Growth I remember something like this from the very beginning. I recall receiving it as a reward in the early days. The other squad members used it shortly after obtaining it. The effect was quite beneficial. I don¡¯t urgently need a level-up right now, so I¡¯ll keep it for now. If I can identify it through [Ingredient Detection (Enhanced)], I might be able to mass-produce it someday. ¡°My goodness. Even the Elixir of Growth.¡± ¡°This reward isn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°Indeed. Moreover¡­¡± I looked around and said: ¡°Securing this bunker is the most significant achievement.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you remember, there¡¯s a rumor going around about those vampire fellows.¡± That there¡¯s a group around here with a lot of weapons and food. And they¡¯re looking for trustworthyrades. But the rumor wasn¡¯t started by us. A group with lots of weapons and food, looking for reliablepanions. ¡°That¡¯s us, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The survivors in the area have been feeling the limits of hiding and want to join arger group. They have two options: The rumor about the Legion. And the rumor about the bunker. But we¡¯ve already snatched up both of those choices. Now all the survivors wille seeking us out. We¡¯ll be able to turn the tables now. ¡°They must have gone through a lot to spread that rumor. But we will be the ones who¡¯ll reap the benefits.¡± ¡°Heh heh. Not bad at all.¡± ¡°The locations of the outposts we destroyed weren¡¯t bad either. We can dispatch engineers to rebuild those posts and move some troops over here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For a while, we¡¯ll need to focus on clearing the routes between the base and the bunker.¡± Vampires who feed on human blood. The invasion was carried out with the idea of cutting off their growing power before it was toote. But it led to the bunker as well. ¡°There is one regret, though.¡± ¡°In the end, we failed to gain an allied force.¡± Just as the squad leader said. The original reason I visited them was to search for an allied force to join the Legion. It was taking too long to build up the strength to conquer other ces on our own. So, I was trying to join forces with others. ¡®Over 300 awakened ones¡­ If only they weren¡¯t vampires.¡¯ We now have tanks in our possession. We would¡¯ve seeded in subjugating the military zone somehow. But they¡¯re vampires. Since they¡¯re the enemy of humanity, there¡¯s nothing to be regretful about. We¡¯ll have to gradually level up, increase the number of awakened ones, and then attempt the subjugation. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± But still, it¡¯s a bit disappointing, isn¡¯t it? ¡°They were excellent sons¡­¡± After the war with the vampires and the aftermath were somewhat resolved, A small funeral was held on the hill behind the ammunition depot. ¡®The first casualties.¡¯ From when we were stationed in the mountains to when we settled on the surface, We had gone through all kinds of battles, but miraculously, there had been no fatalities so far. We had made every effort to prevent any casualties. But this battle was a bit different. The enemy had numerical superiority over us. But we couldn¡¯t avoid the battle either, as their forces were growing too rapidly. We had no choice but to forge ahead, knowing it would be a perilous fight. ¡°Chef Shin¡¯s cooking mostly made up for the difference in strength, but still, each soldier had to take on more than two vampires.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too distraught.¡± ¡°Speaking as ater, the fact that there were no casualties until now is actually quite unbelievable.¡± My mood watching the funeral was naturally not good. Others tried to console me, but¡­ ¡®If only my cooking had been a bit stronger¡­ No, if we had secured more troops than the vampires much earlier, it would have been very different.¡¯ At least, the recent silver lining is that there was a former pastor among the survivors who have started to settle around our base. I¡¯m not particrly religious but having someone who knows the proper funeral procedures was a big help. Unlike thest time when we left it to the chain, we were able to hold a proper, if modest, funeral. ¡°¡­From now on, more people will die, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Likely so.¡± While the veterans who had been with the 423rd Battalion were quite distraught, ¡°¡­Another person has died.¡± ¡°He was a good person. It¡¯s a shame.¡± The guild members who joinedter, not being from the original unit, had a rtively calm attitude. It¡¯s not that they are more callous than others. ¡®They¡¯ve just gotten used to it.¡¯ In an age where people die so nonchntly. Unlike us who have been fortunate to thrive, They have long experienced the tragedy of losing someone. That¡¯s why they know from experience. More people will be lost going forward. And dwelling on those deaths means you yourself may be the next victim. ¡®If I die, the ones who died before me will have no one left to remember them.¡¯ We will continue to struggle to survive. Chapter 84.2 Chapter 84.2 And that will be for the sake of those who have already fallen. And so. As part of the struggle for survival, I started cooking in the mess hall. After the regr meals for the troops were mostly done, I began making a ¡®special meal.¡¯ ¡°Ouch, that¡¯s hot.¡± This special meal involves some slightly unique ingredients. It took several days just to prepare the ingredients. This is the first time I¡¯ve used them properly, so I¡¯m a bit nervous. ¡°Oh, this isn¡¯t bad at all.¡± The result turned out surprisingly good. Carrying thepleted dish, I headed towards a building in the corner of the ammunition battalion. A soldier guarding the entrance saw me and greeted me. ¡°Wee, Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yeah. Is everything alright inside?¡± ¡°Yes, but Sergeant Shin? What happened to your hand?¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± The soldier pointed at my left arm, where a bandage was wrapped around my wrist. ¡°Just a little incident.¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s something Sergeant Shin is handling, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. Anyway, open the door for me.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± This ce is used as a sort of ¡®prison camp.¡¯ It¡¯s where the vampire we previously captured was held to prevent their escape. That vampire had long since been dealt with. ¡°Hello.¡± Now, there was another prisoner in that spot. ¡°Baroness¡­. Or your majesty?¡± ¡°¡­Eek!¡± ¡°Or should I say Count? What should I call you?¡± Until recently, she was the leader of a group of 300 vampires. She called herself the ¡®Queen.¡¯ ¡°I was originally nning to kill her.¡± I intended to drain everyst drop of her blood. But after draining a certain amount, her magical energy dropped to the point where she couldn¡¯t maintain her [Shadow Veil]. She regained consciousness as she was thrown out of that state, allowing her to survive just before death. However. Unlike before, there was no longer a sense of fear emanating from her. Her once-glossy blonde hair was now brittle, and her skin was oddly cracked. ¡®The night nobility grows stronger as they consume more blood and increase their followers, right?¡¯ I drained all her blood, and her followers were all eliminated by me and the soldiers. It¡¯s only natural that she would be weakened. ¡°Wh-What do you want with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just wondering what to call you.¡± ¡°Are you trying to mock me?¡± She was quick to catch on. She looked down and spoke with a sobbing tone. ¡°You¡¯ve taken so much from me, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t torment me any further¡­¡± Taken so much from her, she says. It¡¯s not entirely wrong. [Stats] [Strength: 32 ¡ú 37] [Agility: 49 ¡ú 53] [Magic: 39 ¡ú 49] [Luck: 30 ¡ú 35] My stats have increased enormously. All of this was achieved by draining this monster¡¯s blood. ¡°I thought stat increases from bloodsucking were temporary.¡± The [Inferior Grade Bloodsucking] used by her followers requires killing a life to achieve a permanent increase in stats. But the Queen¡¯s ability, [Bloodsucking], seems to be a bit different. Thanks to draining the blood of a high-quality noble vampire almost to death my stats have increased drastically. But. ¡°Damn it. What¡¯s with this act of pity now?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡± This was the same one who wanted to create a human livestock farm. I felt no sympathy. She imed she hunted humans to survive, but that¡¯s the same for me. In order to survive, I drained her existence. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that my stats have increased a lot thanks to this.¡± ¡°¡­What are you trying to say now?¡± ¡°So, I thought I¡¯d give you something in return.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± In front of her, puzzled expression, I set down the ¡®special meal¡¯ I had brought. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know?¡± [Supreme Happiness Blood Soup prepared by an Intermediate Grade Chef] ¡°It¡¯s a blood soup.¡± ¡°I can tell it¡¯s some kind of dish. But I¡¯m a vampire. My food differs from ordinary humans.¡± ¡°Oh, I should exin what blood soup is first.¡± When blood is collected and left to sit, it separates into a solid mass at the bottom and a clear liquid at the top. The top part is serum, the bottom is blood pudding¡­ In other words, it¡¯s coagted blood. When used in cooking, it bes what is known as blood pudding. It¡¯s quite a peculiar ingredient when you think about it. But in Korea, it¡¯s a fairlymon cooking ingredient. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it, but are you telling me to eat this?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll follow your instructions, so please¡­ no more pain¡­¡± Pain, huh? How pitiful. What I¡¯m giving you isn¡¯t pain. ¡°¡­What is this taste!¡± Supreme happiness. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, so delicious¡­!¡± ¡°Is it really that good?¡± Since vampires subsist on blood, I wondered if they¡¯d appreciate blood pudding I cooked for them, and it seems I was right. ¡°It¡¯s a divine taste. Old blood usually has a rancid taste. But this vor is¡­!¡± Well, who made it? Of course, it should taste amazing. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not all.¡± Indeed. Since the ingredients were provided by you, It should taste incredibly good. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Her expression, intoxicated by the [Supreme Happiness], was oddly rxed. This expression. I¡¯d seen it a few times before. ¡®Lieutenant Kim.¡¯ And the criminals who came to our unit. The dishes I served the Queen weren¡¯t limited to just beef blood soup. [ck Pudding] [Haggis] [Blood Sausage] [Schwarz Sauer] And so on. Over several days, I searched through cookbooks to find every dish that included blood and served it to her. ¡°¡­Haaaaaaah.¡± Each time, the ¡®Queen¡¯ would writhe in supreme happiness. How many days did I provide these meals? One day, the moment I opened the door to bring the next dish, ¡°Haha¡­ Hahaha!!!¡± The Queen inside the building greeted me with a manicughter. ¡°Hahaha¡­! How foolish!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden outburst?¡± ¡°You served blood dishes to a weakened night noble and that too¡­¡± She pointed her finger towards me and said, ¡°¡­.A dish made from your own blood!¡± Chapter 85.1 Chapter 85.1 ¡°Hm? How did you know it was my blood?¡± ¡°As if I wouldn¡¯t recognize the blood I¡¯ve tasted before.¡± As she said, That blood was all¡­ ¡®My own blood.¡¯ Most monster meat is in a frozen state. I couldn¡¯t extract fresh blood, and It didn¡¯t feel right to get the soldiers to donate. But since a considerable amount of blood was used, I did receive some assistance from the medics. At some point, I even started making dishes good for treating anemia and ate them myself. ¡°Your blood was quite good quality to begin with. And on top of that, you have drained all of mine.¡± ¡°Did it taste good?¡± ¡°Amazingly delicious. A vor so exquisite that it can¡¯t be exined merely by the high quality of the blood¡­ A happiness that wells up with every bite¡­¡± No matter how much of a chef I am, I feel a bit embarrassed having suchvish praise heaped on me right in front of her. ¡°¡­No! That¡¯s not important!¡± With a loud snap, the thick chains binding the Queen¡¯s body broke apart easily. Since she had consumed my blood, which was said to be of such high quality, And I had even carefully cooked it for her, it¡¯s only natural that her strength would be restored. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking in feeding me your blood, but now that I¡¯ve regained this much power, there¡¯s nothing you can do to me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I may not know how you gained the powers of a vampire, but the reason I lostst time was because it was a battle of draining each other¡¯s blood. In a straight fight, someone like you would be easily defeated! I¡¯ll shatter all your fangs so you can never drink my blood again. You¡¯ll be my servant, not a vassal¡­¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you hope for, then¡­¡± Seeming to have regained her confidence along with her strength, The Queen proims grandly. I then approached her and¡­ ¡°Then drink it.¡± I exposed my neck, Holding it out in front of her. In the perfect position to be bitten. ¡°¡­What are you plotting?¡± The Queen seems taken aback by my unexpected reaction. ¡°Plot? You said you wanted to make me your vassal. And you said my blood tastes good, right? So just take a big bite.¡± ¡°Even if I don¡¯t know your scheme, do you think I¡¯ll be cowed so easily-!¡± ¡°Ah, but there¡¯s one thing you should know.¡± Just as her fangs are about to pierce the blood vessels in my neck, I decided to inform her of one important fact. ¡°If you make me your vassal, you¡¯ll never be able to eat my cooking again.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± She gives me a look that seems to say, ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± Guess I should exin this in more detail. ¡°Those vassals of yours¡­¡± ¡°You mean the ones your people killed, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah. I took a look at them, and you know what? Their professions were all the same.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s because-¡± While I had lumped them all together as ¡°vampires¡±, There were actually a variety of warriors ¨C mages, sword fighters, archers, spearmen, axe men, and so on. But theirmon profession was¡­ ¡°They were all vampire knights.¡± Knights were originally a sort of all-rounder, able to use bows, spears, and swords. ¡°So, if I be your vassal, I¡¯ll probably be a vampire knight as well, right?¡± ¡°¡­Most likely, yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m right.¡± The deliciousness of my cooking is thanks to the fact that I¡¯m an ¡°Intermediate Chef¡± ¨C I have the unique characteristics and skills of a chef. Bing a vampire knight might increase mybat abilities. But¡­ ¡°Those dishes I made for you, you probably won¡¯t be able to enjoy them again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard various things about the process humans go through during their awakening¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s about all I can tell you.¡± I tilted my neck towards her again. ¡°Go on, take a bite.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even if it means I can never cook for you again, if you still want to make me your vassal, then so be it.¡± However¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± The fangs touching my neck¡­ Did not pierce any further into my skin. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you biting? It wouldn¡¯t be hard for you now, would it?¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°Drain all the blood from my body, and then put your own blood in me ¨C that¡¯s how I be your vassal, right? Well, go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to.¡± Instead¡­ She gently pushed me back as I leaned in with my neck exposed. ¡°L-Let¡¯s do it this way instead.¡± But she still seems to be misunderstanding something. Confidently, she deres, ¡°I won¡¯t make you, my vassal. And on top of that, I swear I won¡¯t be hostile towards you.¡± I was mostly on the right track. ¡°In return, provide me with the dishes you make on a regr basis. What do you say? Isn¡¯t that a good deal for you as well?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not it.¡± I need to push her a bit further. ¡°Why do I need to cook for you? If you are going to be hostile, then I¡¯d rather just die.¡± ¡°¡­Are you mocking me!¡± Cook for her? It¡¯s not like I dislike cooking for her. I can certainly do that. ¡°But there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡± I extended my finger and pointed to the ground, Looking at her as I speak. ¡°You must submit to me.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± This one is a noble-ss vampire. She can turn even ordinary humans into her vassals, rapidly increasing the number of awakened ones. And the vampires created this way are quite powerful ¨C Able to match our soldiers who are decked out in all kinds of buffs and equipment, even without proper gear of their own. ¡®We only managed to counter them this time thanks to the [Light of Exorcism] buff. If it had just been a regr food buff, we would have lost.¡¯ They are absurdly strong. Add in the equipment and cooking of our guild, and they would be even more formidable. ¡®To kill someone who can mass-produce such powerful vampires?¡¯ That would be a shame. Since I failed to secure an alliance, I should at least try to recruit this one. ¡°Swear your obedience to me.¡± ¡°W-What are you-¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take responsibility for your meals. I¡¯ll provide you with cooking that will blow you away every time.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She¡¯s resisting for now, But I¡¯m certain. Just like Lieutenant Kim, the other criminals, and the plunderers- Many have already failed to refuse this offer. No matter how noble a vampire she may be, She¡¯s already tasted my cooking for days on end. There¡¯s no way she can give that up. This time as well, she¡¯ll surely- ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡­Huh? What did I just hear? ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Surely, this can¡¯t be. ¡°¡­Is my cooking really not that appealing?¡± I¡¯m crushed in my pride. How dare she. How dare she refuse the condition of me providing my cooking? ¡°I see, so the regr dishes weren¡¯t enough to satisfy your pte yet¡­¡± In that case, I¡¯ll serve you a full-course meal made with all my skill. The taste that will make you faint in ecstasy will surely change your mind- ¡°Th-That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°?¡± Chapter 85.2 Chapter 85.2 ¡°My n, the nobility of the night, are descendants of the demons.¡± Ah, I see. So, it wasn¡¯t a problem with the taste of my cooking after all. ¡°Thenguage of demons holds power within it. As a lesser noble, even I have inherited this trait.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand, could you exin it more simply?¡± ¡°It means that when I speak, there is apulsive force behind my words.¡± In other words, ¡°The moment you utter the pledge of obedience¡­ I could never betray you.¡± Once the oath of obedience is sworn, betrayal bes impossible.That¡¯s¡­ ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a good thing?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how significant this is! It means my very existence would be bound to you! To offer your own being for the sake of some cooking, how could you-!¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± I tilted my neck out again. ¡°If you don¡¯t want that, then drink my blood.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°As you know, I¡¯m a core member of this guild. If you just make me your vassal, turning the rest into vassal would be a piece of cake. If you don¡¯t want me to submit to you, then do that instead.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Choose, Your Majesty.¡± The Queen is trembling as she looks at my neck. If she really tried to make me her vassal here, it would be a big problem. But I¡¯m confident that won¡¯t happen. The basis for my confidence is simple. ¡®Whose cooking is it?¡¯ Others might think this is a terribly flimsy argument. But for me, It¡¯s the most certain evidence there is. And as I expected¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s say I will swear obedience. You won¡¯t break the promise to provide the cooking, will you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°¡­Swear it! Pledge that you will never break the promise!¡± ¡°Ah, I swear.¡± As the chef who feeds the troops, it¡¯s my responsibility. If she bes my vassal, at the very least, I¡¯ll make sure to properly take care of her meals. ¡°In that case¡­ Phew.¡± She trembled with embarrassment and knelt down, Then she opened her mouth with a shaky voice. ¡°¡­I swear in the name of Arie von Carstein, a distant descendant of the great ancestor Betrix, and a baroness of the Carstein bloodline.¡± The moment she uttered the oath, A disturbance ¨C I felt the air around us undting powerfully. Vibrations of magic energy. The magic energy responding to her oath began swirling around us. It¡¯s not hard to guess the reason for this phenomenon. [Thenguage of demons holds power within it] This must be that power she spoke of. From now on, the oaths she speaks will have apulsive force. And then, ¡°¡­I offer my all to you.¡± ¡°I ept.¡± As I ce my hand on her bowed head, At that moment, Ding! [A being from another world has sworn absolute loyalty to you] [You have acquired a vassal] [Owned Vassals: 1] [Vampire Baroness ¨C Arie von Carstien] [She is a noble of the night, chosen by Grand Duchess Isabe, the matriarch of the Carstien bloodline] [While her ranking among the bloodline is low, she is a remarkably talented vassal] [Cherish and nurture your vassal!] [There is potential for them to reach even greater heights with your guidance] [Caution!] [The vassal¡¯s power is currently greatly diminished for some reason] [The vassal is like a part of your own body!] [Please pay close attention to the vassal¡¯s condition] The system has recognized that she is my vassal now. ¡®Looks like the kind of message you¡¯d see for a pet in a game.¡¯ And then, [Achievement: Irresistible Taste (2)] [You have sessfully ced a noble from another worldpletely under your control through your cooking!] [This is an aplishment considered to be within the realm of imagination among the achievements that can be aplished by a chef] [You have gained arge amount of experience] [As a reward for the achievement, you have received a Top Quality Ingredient] [Top Quality Ingredient: Forgotten Saint¡¯s Sacred Blood] ¡®An achievement too?¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect this. As I read the message, A bottle containing a faintly glowing white liquid appeared before me. A simr luminescence to the [Light of Exorcism] that I had experienced earlier. I tuck the bottle into my chest as I examine the achievement message. The name of the achievement is ¡°Irresistible Taste (2)¡±. (2) means there was also an (1) achievement before this. It didn¡¯t take long to recall what that was. ¡°So, I¡¯ve already aplished this once.¡± This is the one. In the past, When I tamed Lieutenant Kim through my cooking. [Irresistible Taste] The previous condition for achieving the award was ¡®to control one person through your cooking.¡¯ Now that it¡¯s (2), the condition has changed to ¡®to control a noble from another world.¡¯ The difficulty has been raised by a notch. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ The reward I got back then was surely, [Top Quality Ingredient: Dragon Heart]. ¡®And that was an ingredient used in making ability enhancement potions.¡¯ Does that mean¡­ [Spending 1,000 points] I quickly opened the point shop and purchased an ability enhancement potion. Then I use the ingredient identification skill. [Unidentified Ingredient ¨C ??%] [Dragon Heart ¨C 10%] [Unidentified Ingredient ¨C ??%] . . . . [Forgotten Saint¡¯s Sacred Blood ¨C 10%] ¡®I knew it!¡¯ Thistest reward is also a top quality ingredient for an ability enhancement potion. Combined with the Dragon Heart, I now have 20% of the required ingredients. Once I gather all these materials, I¡¯ll be able to personally craft the ability enhancement potion myself. From that point on, thebat power of our troop will increase exponentially. ¡°Ah¡­¡± As I¡¯m getting excited about this, The vampire kneeling before me, Arie, lets out a strange sigh. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ced my hand on my weapon, thinking perhaps some problem has arisen and she might try to rebel against the oath. But¡­ ¡°The voices echoing in my mind¡­¡± Voices? Now that I think about it, She mentioned something like that before. ¡°They have vanished.¡± As she said this, A single tear fell from her eye. Chapter 86.1 Chapter 86.1 Voices. I suppose she did mention something like that before. ¡°Last time, I couldn¡¯t hear it properly. Exin it. What is this ¡®voice¡¯ exactly?¡± ¡°Even I don¡¯t quite know the details, but¡­¡± ¡°Use honorifics.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not too sure about the details either. It¡¯s been an intent that has been binding me since I descended into this world¡­¡± Binding, huh. There was an intent that could bind such a formidable monster?! ¡°It was a specific order, to be precise.¡±¡°An order?¡± [Invade and upy the human military facilities. It must not be taken by anyone else] The moment I heard her words, something shed through my mind. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The human military facilities. In other words, ¡°Military bases?¡± For some reason, more powerful monsters appeared at the military bases than ordinary folks. Those powerful monsters weren¡¯t all just battle crazed. There was no way they would just randomly show up at military bases. I couldn¡¯t help but sense the involvement of some entity. ¡®A clear malice that wishes to be hostile to humanity¡­¡¯ The spection I had until now. ¡°The ¡®military facilities¡¯ the voice was referring to seems to be talking about that bunker.¡± That bunker. As a government bunker, it was clearly a military-rted facility. ¡°What happens if you ignore it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to ignore. The moment I try to leave, that orderes crashing into my mind like a wave. When I regain my senses, I find myself guarding the bunker again.¡± She confirmed that my spection was correct. The heavily weakened Steel Lizards, who kept on attacking our base. The White Queen spider that didn¡¯t flee our attacks despite being severely injured. The eyeball monster with powerful mind control abilities that stayed only within the tank battalion. And this Vampire Queen in front of me. They weren¡¯t staying at the military bases because they were stupid. There was some intent forcing them to do so. ¡°One of the reasons I wanted to grow stronger was to eventually push away that intent.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I thought that if I kept growing stronger, I would someday be able to ovee this annoying intent. But that¡¯s no longer relevant now.¡± There was an odd refreshing look on her face as she said that. ¡°You mean the moment you became my vassal, that voice disappeared?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks to that thought, I never had a peaceful day. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve felt this clear-minded.¡± Even though she had devoted her existence to me. She smiled brightly, as if she was pleased about it. ¡°Maybe bing someone¡¯s vassal isn¡¯t such a bad thing after all. Hehe¡­¡± Even though she was the one I was most reluctant to make my vassal. Just the fact that the intent controlling her mind was gone made her happy about bing my vassal. ¡°If you were an ugly monster, I might have felt differently. But a master like you is quite to my liking.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Well, if she¡¯s fine with it, so be it. ¡°I am now your subordinate.¡± She bowed her head in front of me again, her movement refreshing unlike the previous shameful one. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Please give me any orders, my master.¡± Whatever the case may be. I¡¯ve essentially achieved my goal with this. ¡°Then, I shall issue my first order.¡± I took out a map from my pocket and handed it to her. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a map of the surrounding area. There are humans settled in the locations marked on it, and a fairly high ratio of awakened individuals among them.¡± ¡°¡­Humans, huh. By handing this to me, I take it you want me to¡­¡± ¡°Turn them into your vassals.¡± Hearing my order, she seemed puzzled. Tilting her head, she said, ¡°I thought you disliked the act of turning humans into blood kin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I do dislike it.¡± ¡°But the order you just gave¡­¡± ¡°To be precise, I dislike turning innocent humans into vampires.¡± Soo-ah, who was well-versed in surface information through her Spirit Vision, had already identified the presence of threatening individuals in this area. This was one of them. ¡°Those at that location are plunderers.¡± ¡°Plunderers.¡± ¡°And among them, the ones with particrly bad deeds.¡± Not only do they attack and loot others, but they also enve people. They even target those as objects of their desires, desires that couldn¡¯t be expressed during the prosperous times of civilization. In other words, ¡°They¡¯re trash that¡¯s not much different from you.¡± ¡°¡­I have now sworn loyalty to you, my master. I see trash simr to myself. I understand.¡± Anyway, in order for us to build up our power in this area, we need to quickly deal with these people as much as possible. The longer it takes to subjugate them, the more harm wille to the other ordinary survivors. ¡°But it would be a waste to just kill them. In this era where every individual is precious, I can¡¯t afford to do that.¡± So far, I¡¯ve been subjugating them one by one through my cooking. But that method takes a lot of time and is inefficient. It might work for a few exceptional individuals, but for the scattered plunderers, it¡¯s too much of a time-consuming a method. While I¡¯m wasting time like that, the harm to the other ordinary survivors would only increase. So, while it¡¯s not a method I¡¯m not particrly fond of, ¡°I suppose you could easily recycle those pieces of trash.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I failed to find any allies. But since I¡¯ve already subjugated Arie, who can rapidly increase the number of my subordinates, I can recycle those trashy plunderers. I¡¯ll be able to have a force equivalent to a decent guild under mymand. ¡®If there¡¯s a problem, it¡¯s just my own feelings.¡¯ I¡¯m ordering a monster to hunt humans. I might as well have killed them with my own hands. I didn¡¯t want to witness the sight of a monster killing humans. ¡®But I can¡¯t keep living however I want forever.¡¯ Her power, if utilized, can be an enormous asset. In this kind of world, It won¡¯t be long before there are dirty tasks that I can¡¯t assign to my unit members. The vampires who live in the darkness. They would be perfect for taking on such tasks. ¡°Increase your subordinates as quickly as possible.¡± So, while forcing down my nausea, Imanded her. ¡°Understood. However¡­¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°With my current power, I won¡¯t be able to create many subordinates. I¡¯ve lost too much of my own blood to you.¡± I did replenish it somewhat with thistest cooking. But my ability has risen a lot, so her abilities have diminished significantly. ¡°In this state, I¡¯d say a hundred or so is the limit.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s an appropriate amount.¡± Even if there were no limits, I was only nning to maintain around that number anyway. Vampires who drink blood. To sustain them, blood is necessary. The military force that can be maintained by monster blood is at most around a hundred. ¡°After that, use the plunderers you process as subordinate growth material. Let me know whenever you discover the locations of additional plunderers.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°You must clean up all the scoundrels in the vicinity.¡± Eliminating the plunderers is something that needs to be done eventually anyway. While she stabilizes the security and builds up her forces through the cleanup and recycling our unit will also recruit survivors through the bunker and ammunition depot. Chapter 86.2 Chapter 86.2 We¡¯ll expand the scale of the guild. ¡°And after I¡¯ve gathered the number of people you mentioned, what should I do next?¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± After a brief moment of consideration, I replied. ¡°We should move on to the next stage.¡± *** Two weeks have passed since then. During that time, our unit has not been idle either. We have been regrly patrolling and cleaning the path between the bunker and the ammunition depot.By hunting monsters, we have been growing in strength and securing the safety around our base. A visitor came to find me, when I was sitting in the battalionmander¡¯s office of the ammunition depot. ¡°Greeee.¡± ¡°Oh, ckie is here.¡± In the previous battle, this creature, mac, was very helpful. Not only did it create a hole in the bunker that was difficult for our firepower to prate, but it also fought against several vampires at the same time, even in its weakened state. As a result of this recognition of its contributions, it has been allowed to make the supply warehouse its home and freely roam the outside as well. ¡°Greeee!¡± Perhaps because it¡¯s a territorial animal, it hasn¡¯t left the ammunition depot and has been moving around freely inside. It has be quite friendly with the other unit members as well. But when it¡¯s bored, it tends toe find me first. The creature rubbing its head against my feet, it¡¯s like a cat. ¡°¡­Hey, ckie.¡± ¡°Gree?¡± As I stroked its head, I said, ¡°You don¡¯t have any strangemands, or anything stuck in your head, do you?¡± ¡°???¡± ¡°Never mind, what am I even asking.¡± After my suspicion had turned into conviction not long ago, I was in a rather troubled state. ¡®There exists a malevolent force that is hostile to humanity.¡¯ And this will, by manipting the monsters, has first eliminated human military power. The suddenly appearing monsters in the once-normal world have destroyed civilization. The ¡®Doomsday¡¯ as well is likely rted to that malevolence. My goal is the survival of myself and my unit members. I have various other objectives, such as checking on the well-being of my family back home. But the current ultimate goal is survival. However, now that the existence of this malevolent force hostile to humanity is certain, I¡¯vee to the conclusion that we must confront this malevolence in order to survive. The entity that has embedded irrefutablemands into those powerful monsters, an entity that can be called a god without it being strange. We must confront that malevolence. ¡°The path ahead is long¡­¡± I can only sigh. Even though I¡¯ve caught on to the existence of this malevolence, I honestly have no idea how to deal with such a transcendent being. The only thing I can do right now is well, I guess it¡¯s to follow the path suggested by the system. This mysterious system. Unlike the monsters trying to kill us, the system has at least granted us the power to survive. When we discovered the dungeon, I was even angry at its existence, in a way. I don¡¯t know where it¡¯s trying to lead us, but for now, we have no choice but to follow its guidance. As I was stroking the ckie while thinking these thoughts, a soldier opened the door to the battalionmander¡¯s office and asked, ¡°May Ie in for a moment?¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s the matter?¡± The person who entered was Soo-ah. She was the soldier tasked with the important duty of monitoring our unit¡¯s situation through her Spirit Vision. ¡°I¡¯ve heard some talk about the unit¡¯s organization recently.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, it is a bit loose. Were you assigned to the Magic Squad?¡± After pondering for a moment, I added, ¡°Considering your abilities, the Magic Squad would be a bit strange. We should create a separate reconnaissance corps or something-¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I wanted to ask about.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°The battalionmander doesn¡¯t have a direct subordinate unit under hismand.¡± The Warrior Squad leader, Jeon Gwang-il. The Mage Squad leader, Lee Min-jae. The Marksmen Squad leader, Seo Su-hyeok. The production Squad leader, Lee Sang-ah, The Engineer Squad leader, Lee Gong-woo, and Grandpa Park. They¡¯re all under mymand. But I don¡¯t have a direct subordinate unit. I, as the battalionmander, am involved, but I try to respect the authority of the squad leaders. ¡°Considering the battalionmander¡¯s position and importance, I believe a personal guard unit, a royal guard, would be necessary.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If we recruit volunteers, I believe many would join.¡± As she finished speaking, there were some people raising their heads. ¡°I would be one of them as well.¡± Soo-ah, who calls me her benefactor, was looking at me with passionate eyes. It seemed she wanted to join my royal guard, my personal guard unit. ncing behind her, I could see the figures of several soldiers standing outside the door. ¡°Are those soldiers out there of the same opinion as you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Actually, there were not many unit members who had been with me since the 423rd Battalion days. ¡®When talk of a royal guardes up, it¡¯s usually the people who are personally close to me that apply first. This is a bit unexpected.¡¯ Upon examining the people outside, I found that there were many whom I had not even exchanged a single word with. Most of them seemed to be survivors who had joined us on the surface. The one thing they had inmon was¡­ Many of them had been captured by plunderers or vampires and then rescued. ¡®¡­Is this just a coincidence?¡¯ The admiring gazes they were sending my way were almost ufortably intense. A royal guard unit, huh. It¡¯s not a bad idea, but¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think I need one, right now.¡± ¡°Why is that so?¡± Soo-ah, who always showed me excessive deference, now seemed to be rebelling against this decision. ¡°But there is already a royal guard unit in ce.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± I shifted my gaze to the shadow at my feet. ¡°Just keep that in mind.¡± That ordinary ck shadow. From within it, I felt like I could sense the silhouette of a woman bowing to me. ¡®These creatures are enough.¡¯ While they are not officially part of a guild yet, I n to formally enlist them in a guild once any resentment or hostility toward them has subsided over time. A force of 100 soldiers who have pledged their absolute loyalty to me is already ready. ¡°For now, it¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Your abilities are more suited for intelligence operations. After Sergeant Park Taejun, who is guarding the mountain range, returns, we can consider it, but not now. We will proceed with creating a separate reconnaissance unit, but you¡¯ll have to hold off on the royal guard idea.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The disappointed figures withdrew. The forces within the shadow do have some shorings. I may be able to reinforce them someday, but that¡¯s a matter for the future. ¡°Oh, right. Since you¡¯re here, let me tell you one thing.¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°It seems things will get busy soon, so prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Busy, you say?¡± The forces I had ordered Arie to gather have assembled. So now, ¡°It¡¯s time to move on to the next stage.¡± ¡°The next stage¡­?¡± In this devastated world, with the mysterious malevolence seemingly wishing for humanity¡¯s extinction, there are many things that worry me. But I don¡¯t have a clear solution to resolve that. The only thing I can do now is to follow the guidance of the system. And the ¡°next stage¡± that can be considered as such is obviously just one thing. ¡°upation.¡± [upation battle is in progress!] [Steel Legion] [upied area ¨C Mountain Range (3%)] ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s taken an annoyingly long time.¡± It¡¯s time to bring this area under control. Chapter 87.1 Chapter 87.1 The guild, the [Steel Legion] has established itself in this area. Inje-gun is a small town in the Gangwon-do province with many military zones and bases. Among them, Inje-gun is the frontline area with the most military bases concentrated. Even though it¡¯s a rural area, the center has quite a few buildings and resources concentrated due to the jurisdiction of so many units there. The ce with the most resources and people. In other words, from the monsters¡¯ perspective, it is the ce where most prey gathers. And to be precise, that ce is the military zone. Although it has be a wastnd now, that ce is the center of this region. *** ¡°From squad 1 to squad 3, allbat preparations have beenpleted!¡± ¡°The engineer¡¯s tanks andbat vehicles have been deployed as well.¡± Around the military camp, more than a hundred soldiers, tanks, and modified vehicles began to assemble. The soldiers gathered there were quite diverse. Not only men and women but people of all ages, wielding various types of weapons were present. d in ck uniforms, they were united in their actions. ¡°¡­Whew!¡± ¡°What, are you nervous?¡± Some of the soldiers murmured softly. ¡°Of course I¡¯m nervous.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve fought monsters countless times, so why?¡± ¡°Well, you know, urban warfare is also called the ¡®infantry¡¯s hell¡¯.¡± Urban warfare. Each and every building bes a hiding ce and barricade for the enemy. You never know when an enemy might pop out from any building and pounce on yourrades. It is aptly called the ¡®infantry¡¯s hell¡¯. However. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. But that¡¯s only when it¡¯s a regr military.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just take a look over there.¡± The soldierughed lightly, as if he wasn¡¯t nervous at all. He shrugged his shoulders and gestured to a corner. ¡°What¡¯s over th- Ah!¡± ¡°Did you see?¡± There, a tank was stationed, havingpleted its deployment. And. Sitting on top of it was a man. A sharp-looking man holding a long sashimi knife in one hand. Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed like he could have skewered a few people with that knife. But on his other hand, he was holding fresh vegetables. ¡°Sergeant Shin is cooking.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Hearing that, the soldier¡¯s face visibly rxed a bit. Sergeant Shin Young-joon. To be honest, during his military service in the 423rd battalion, he wasn¡¯t particrly noticeable. Since it was a small unit, they were close regardless of thepany, but still, he was just a chef. There wasn¡¯t much ovep in work, and if he wasn¡¯t in the same cohort, there wouldn¡¯t really be any interactions. However, things changed after the apocalypse. ¡®The man who beheaded a lizardman with just a kitchen knife, even before awakening.¡¯ If you told him that, he would say ¡°It wasn¡¯t that simple.¡± But he wouldn¡¯t deny it either. Even after awakening, many soldiers struggled against the lizardmen, but that monster had aplished it even before awakening. Thanks to him swiftly dealing with the lizardmen up close they were able to quickly awaken the rest of the unit. If it weren¡¯t for him, they might have just wasted bullets without even thinking of approaching the monsters and met the same fate as the many other annihted military units. Even after that, Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡¯s feats did not stop. When the lizardmen gathered their forces and attacked, he fed hisrades buffing dishes to repel them. And when monsters swarmed during the escape from the mountains, he fed the monsters debuffing dishes to subdue them. In fact, up to this point, his skills as a chef were widely recognized as extraordinary. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Exterminating the plunderers. Even when all the elite awakened members struggled, he single-handedly beheaded the plunderers¡¯ leader with just a kitchen knife. Conquering the dungeon. While all the guild members were stuck, he alone walked into the depths of the dungeon. What thete-arriving soldiers could confirm was just one thing: An incredibly powerful boss monster, in with a single strike. And not too long ago, he even single-handedly defeated the Vampire Boss. Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡¯s upation is that of a chef. Clearly, it¡¯s a nonbat ss profession, But¡­ Even so, hisbat prowess has been proved to be on a different realm. ¡®¡­Honestly, it¡¯s unbelievable that a fellow human can do that.¡¯ Soldiers like Corporal Jeon Gwang-il always follow him around. As he is their savior who transformed their once-weak selves into powerful awakened individuals. And those who were recently liberated from the enemy¡¯s very or captivity, they have be a faction that worships Sergeant Shin Young-joon. It¡¯s so serious that the other soldiers view them with unease, but even they say, ¡®If it¡¯s the abilities shown by Sergeant Shin Young-joon then we can understand their perspective.¡¯ As survivors joined the guild, diverse individuals became members of the legion, but the one who remained as the number one is known other than that young man in his early 20s. ¡®That Sergeant Shin is picking up a kitchen knife now to cook.¡¯ This fact alone was enough to significantly reduce the fear and tension among the soldiers. And filling that void was confidence. ¡°Urban warfare is hell for the infantry?¡± ¡°Haha, then tonight¡¯s dinner will be eaten in hell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to what kind of dish he¡¯ll make for dinner.¡± In front of them, [The skill of the Military¡¯s Intermediate Grade Chef has been activated] [Five Loaves and Two Fish] [A Grand Scale Urban Warfare specialized Full Course Meal prepared with sincerity of an Intermediate Grade Chef is being provided to the entire legion] The food appeared suddenly, out of nowhere. It was like creating something out of nothing, but the soldiers, now ustomed to such urrences, naturally took the bowls. ¡°Enjoy your meal!!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± And when the soldiers finished their meal and stood up, Thud¡­ Chapter 87.2 Chapter 87.2 The vibration of their boots stepping in unison shook the ground. The legion¡¯s full-scale assault on the military zone has begun. A city where many monsters have settled. The legion¡¯s strategy was quite simple. An ¡®All-Out-War¡¯. A squad of soldiers began advancing towards the military zone. Their surroundings were filled with asphalt buildings. Each and every one of them could be a hiding ce for the monsters. In normal urban warfare, clearing the buildings alone would have taken an enormous amount of time. The time required for the assault would have increased, and the soldiers¡¯ fatigue would have piled up tremendously. However, ¡°Let¡¯s see, the monsters are said to be gathered on the 2nd floor here.¡± ¡°Those are the ones we caught before. Seems like they¡¯re only in the surrounding buildings.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯ll clean them up quickly and move on!¡± The soldiers, holding a map, fearlessly advanced. The positions of the monsters were already and almost perfectly mapped out. ¡°It¡¯s the Spirit Vision.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know the power of that woman who worships Sergeant Shin would be this strong.¡± Over the past few weeks Jeong Soo-ah with her Spirit Vision had scouted the surroundings. In the past, it would have been impossible for her to scout the entire military zone, but with Sergeant Shin Young-joon¡¯s cooking, she had no trouble straining her eyes. Of course, that¡¯s only effective for monsters that settle in one area. But in a city with thousands of wandering zombies. Preparing for the sudden attacks of roaming monsters is also necessary. And that¡¯s why [Enhanced Hearing] Thud thud thud¡­ ¡°Footsteps of a beast from the 3 o¡¯clock direction!¡± ¡°It¡¯sing this way. Everyone, prepare to intercept.¡± While the roaming monsters attacked the squad, the squad, having detected their approach from hundreds of meters away, was able to easily handle the surprise attacks. The name of the dish that Sergeant Shin Young-joon fed the soldiers was, [Urban Warfare Specialized Full Course Meal] Each course dish provided abilities specialized for urban warfare. Not only stats, but the traits to prepare for sudden attacks as well. And those deployed for the assault were not just the soldiers. ¡°That building has be a monster breeding ground.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too difficult to infiltrate and assault. The damage will be high.¡± ¡°Then what.¡± Thud thud thud thud¡­ The sound of unstoppable treads ruthlessly trampling obstructions can be heard. Appearing before them were the formidable armored vehicles. They serve both as mobile barricades providing temporary strongholds for the soldiers, and at the same time, ¡°Let¡¯s just blow it away.¡± Also acts as moving gun turrets. ¡°Fire!¡± Boooooooooooom¡­. Under the artillery fire of the tanks, modified by the engineers, followed by the concentrated firepower of the mages. The small building that was said to bepletely overrun by monsters did not take long to be demolished. Across the military zone, traces of shells and magic decorated the sky. The firepower that had been suppressed until now, due to the concern that the sound would draw the enemies, has been fully unleashed. *** At that moment, ¡°This is where we are, and if you look here, there¡¯s a market.¡± In another ce, a squad was pushing deep into the inner part of the military zone. It was the squad that had advanced the deepest among the legion¡¯s forces. ¡°Ah, this is the ce where the monster colony was formed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be tricky.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to avoid this side¡­¡± The squad members expressed their concerns, but the squad leader encouraged them, saying, ¡°It won¡¯t be easy but seems like we are the only ones who have entered this far.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°This market. Not only is it wide, but it also upies the center of the military zone, and there are many passages. If we can break through here, the advance of the other squads will be much easier.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°For the sake of the otherrades, we have to do this.¡± At those words, the soldiers let out a small sigh, then smiled wryly and said, ¡°Well, there¡¯s no choice.¡± ¡°The worst that can happen is that we might die, right?¡± When the determined soldiers began nning the operation to enter the market, ¡°Ah, Corporal Kim!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± From far away, a soldier from another squad was approached and addressed them. The soldier was calmly waving his hand as he approached. The problem was, ¡°You¡­ how did youe from that side?¡± The ce the soldier came from was the very market they were prepared to risk their lives to assault. Corporal Kim asked with wide eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, did your squad clear that market?¡± The fact that he came from the market meant he had subdued the monsters there. It was a natural assumption, but ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case.¡± His answer was quite the opposite. ¡°Our squad isn¡¯t as strong as Corporal Kim¡¯s, so it would be impossible.¡± ¡°Then how did youe from there? ording to the map information, there was supposed to be arge monster colony.¡± Hearing that, the soldier answered as if he was the one curious. ¡°Our squad also entered with a lot of tension, but there wasn¡¯t a single monster inside.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There were traces of the monsters having been there, and signs of a fierce battle¡­ So, we naturally assumed your squad had cleared it. Among the squads that advanced this far, yours was the only one, so¡­¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t. We were just starting to discuss how to assault it.¡± ¡°Then, who¡­?¡± The soldiers looked at each other, puzzled. While they were puzzling over this, In another ce, a report was being made. ¡°As ordered, I havepleted the mission and returned.¡± Chapter 88.1 Chapter 88.1 ¡°As ordered, I havepleted the mission and returned.¡± A blonde woman knelt down. And in front of her, ¡°My master.¡± Sitting on the tank was a soldier who was casually trimming some vegetables. But it wasn¡¯t just the two of them. Though not visible on the surface, there were beings hiding in the shadows of the buildings. They had a gun in one hand, and a cold weapon in the other, respectfully bowing their heads towards the soldier. The woman and the dozens of forms hiding in the shadows were clearly wearing military uniforms. However, their aura was a bit different from the other soldiers. [Novice Grade Vampire Knight] These individuals had an eerily paleplexion. Towards them, ¡°Well done.¡± I said, as I had been working on the ingredients for a while. The vampires that I had recently subdued and brought under mymand. She and the servants that she had created were faithfully obeying my orders. ¡®It¡¯s not just that they obey orders.¡¯ One of the powers Arie possessed was [Shadow Veil] A powerful ability to manifest her own mental world within the shadows. It turns out, it wasn¡¯t limited to just her own shadow. As soon as I heard about it, ¡®I immediately transferred it to my own shadow.¡¯ The world she possessed. [Shadow Veil] had now been transferred into my shadow. Since then, Arie and her servants have been hiding within my shadow, unless given a specific order. I¡¯ve essentially gained a personal bodyguard force that protects me closely. ¡®The only downside is that the space has be smaller as Arie¡¯s power has weakened.¡¯ When I first entered her [Shadow Veil], it boasted a considerable size. Big enough, that even the mobile fortress Bimana could be parked there. The fortress that we had received as a reward was parked within my mental realm waiting to get summoned. When I was drawn into the Shadow Veil, it revealed itself there. Among the other impressive features, That I had noticed the most was one particr facility built within. [Dining Hall] ¡®A facility that grants a buff to my cooking just by entering it.¡¯ After taking her under my control, I had nned to revisit that dining hall immediately. If I could visit it every time I cooked, the effects of my cooking would increase tremendously. But unfortunately, that n failed. ¡®So, it¡¯s unusable again because it¡¯s too big. How frustrating.¡¯ [Mobile Fortress] was excessively massive. Even when I visited it, it nearly filled the entire [Shadow Veil]. Now that Arie¡¯s power has weakened and the [Shadow Veil] has shrunk, the fortress no longer reappears within it. ¡®A bit disappointing, but oh well.¡¯ Being able to conveniently bring Arie and her servants with me, that alone produces an enormous effect, so I¡¯ll have to be satisfied with that. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°May I ask why you entrusted the clearing of that ce to me?¡± ¡°Simple. That market promised significant gains if cleared, but it seemed too dangerous to assign regr soldiers to it.¡± The ceiling of the market was covered by arge canopy that blocked the sunlight. It was a perfect environment for them to operate in. ¡°So, the casualties?¡± ¡°Two of the servants were lost, master.¡± ¡°Two?¡± ¡°The mother colony was quite powerful. My servants are still not strong enough.¡± Hmm. Two, huh. The woman in front of me, Arie¡¯s vampire servants were clearly powerful. They only have the weakness of losing a lot of their strength in the sunlight, but considering their rate of growth and abilities, that hardly counts as a weakness. Yet, two of them were killed, meaning ¡®It was more dangerous than the reconnaissance had indicated.¡¯ ¡­But oh well. ¡°That can be replenished quickly, right?¡± ¡°Yes, there are still many disposable scraps to be recycled.¡± I didn¡¯t really feel a significant impact. I had already ordered her to hunt down and turn the lurking plunderers across the city into servants. Even as we conquer the military camp now, there are likely many silent observers waiting in the shadows. ¡®If it had been ordinary the soldiers who died, it would have been quite heartbreaking.¡¯ But these were forces that were essentially considered expendable from the start. I didn¡¯t feel a strong sense of concern. ¡°Next, head towards that apartment. It¡¯s a ce full of monsters, and direct bombardment would be problematic.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ it seems to be quite arge-scale ce.¡± ¡°It will be a tough battle. That¡¯s why I¡¯m sending you.¡± The lost forces can be replenished quickly. It was quite a harsh way of putting it, but ¡°Do you have anyints?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m actually d.¡± The woman who has be mine vassal. Arie obedientlyplied without any objections. ¡°If I can consume the blood of those beasts, my own power will grow a bit stronger as well. Hehehe¡­¡± With what seemed like genuine delight, Arie disappeared into the shadows, the vampires following behind her. I watched their retreating figures and thought, ¡®I didn¡¯t realize she was that aggressive, having been holed up in that bunker.¡¯ Baroness Vampire, Arie. She has be my vassal and can no longer refuse even the most trivial of mymands. But ¡®that¡¯s the extent of it.¡¯ It¡¯s not as if her personality has been erased. She simply has to obey orders. And yet, even while obeying, she can express discontent with harsh treatment. But even though I¡¯m sending her to dangerous battlefields, she shows no signs of dissatisfaction. ¡®In fact, the more intense the battle, the more pleased she seems.¡¯ The reason was simple. Fighting strong enemies means obtaining high-quality blood. This allows her and her servants to grow stronger. And it greatly aids her own personal growth as well. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not very monster-like¡­¡¯ She has an extremely strong drive to improve. The reason she had been holed up in the bunker was likely because of the voice that forced her to stay there. ¡°¡­Actually, it¡¯s quite fortunate.¡± Such a ferocious and ambitious monster. If she had been able to grow her power without any constraints, ¡®It would have been a disaster.¡¯ An unstoppable cmity that would have engulfed us. But, ¡®That¡¯s just a hypothetical now.¡¯ After all, that cmity has nowe under my control. As the military zone conquest continued, I spotted a soldier standing in front of a building in the distance. ¡°Squad leader Lee Sang-ah?¡± Chapter 88.2 Chapter 88.2 The vacant-looking individual gazing into the building interior was none other than Sang-ah. In the meantime, I have also finished the peeling and trimming of the vegetables. I descended from the tank and approached her. Wondered what she had discovered to be standing there so dazedly. ¡°What are you¡­ ah.¡± Standing in front of the building, it became immediately clear why she was there. [Wolgyegwan Tailor Shop] A tailor shop. Sang-ah was a [Seamstress] by profession. Her pre-awakening upation had been a clothing designer at a tailor shop, if I recall correctly. In other words, this ce was¡­ ¡°It¡¯s my former workce.¡± She replied while staring vacantly at the storefront. ¡°Former workce.¡± ¡°Yes. I never imagined I¡¯d be able toe back here.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were active in the military camp before our unit arrived? You must have had opportunities many times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but there were just too many monsters concentrated in this area, especially around that market over there.¡± Following her gaze, I understood the situation easily. ¡®Ah, right next to where Arie had just cleared out a monster nest.¡¯ A powerful monster colony. Even with Arie and her servants deployed, substantial casualties had urred. Indicating the formidable prowess of the monster nest at that location. She had been leading a regr survivor group. A group thatcked a significant number of awakened. For her, returning here would have been nearly impossible. Creak. ¡°Going inside?¡± ¡°Well, why not? The door¡¯s already broken anyway.¡± The ss door was already shattered, but she deliberately opened it and stepped inside. I too was curious, so I peeked inside. ¡®It¡¯s surprisingly intact?¡¯ Perhaps due to the monsters that had taken over the area early on. The interior seemed to have maintained its past appearance even more so than expected. As for anything remarkable, well¡­ There was a zombie corpse lying in the middle. ¡°That¡¯s the zombie I killed.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, the scissors are still stuck in its neck.¡± ¡°I had awakened after killing that zombie. Didn¡¯t even realize it was a zombie at the time.¡± Sang-ah sighed softly as she looked around the interior. ¡°This ce was like a second home to me¡­ and now it ended up like this.¡± ¡°A second home?¡± ¡°My rtionship with my family wasn¡¯t very good.¡± An unhappy home life. She had wanted to leave home early, so she had be independent sooner than most. But living alone at a young age couldn¡¯t have been easy. The ones who had helped her a lot were¡­ ¡°The shop owner and his wife. They were so kind to me¡­¡± ¡°And now?¡± ¡°In the beginning, I was active alongside them. But after they fell in an ident, I¡¯m not sure what happened to them. They were already quite old and in poor health, so¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But still, I at least managed to survive in this world. I should be grateful for that.¡± Her face held a bitterness that she couldn¡¯t quite wash away. I nced further inside. In the area hidden from view, there was a small break room-like space. On the table were now-rotted dishes. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ah, those were the lunchboxes the wife would bring me every day. She¡¯d even share them with the other employees, so there was quite a lot.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve all spoiled.¡± ¡°Yeah. The wife was a really skilled cook. They were so delicious¡­ but now, sadly¡­¡± I briefly nced at the dishes. Decayed beyond recognition after all this time. But, I¡¯ve be quite an experienced chef myself these days. Identifying the original dishes wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. ¡®Sadly, huh.¡¯ With a menu like this, Hmm. ¡°If you miss it that much, why don¡¯t I make some new ones?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Sang-ah turned back with a bewildered expression at my words. ¡°Getting the exact same ingredients may be tough in this situation, but I should be able to find some monster meat that can make something simr¡­ no, even more delicious than before.¡± ¡°What are you suddenly saying?¡± I shrugged. ¡°You said this ce was like a second home, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, that¡¯s in the past tense.¡± If this ce used to be a second home, then from now on, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you think of our unit as your third home?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°The fact that it¡¯s the military is a bit of a w, I admit¡­ but I also make home-cooked meals too, you know. Military cuisine is mostly Korean dishes after all.¡± Sang-ah stared at me with a bewildered expression. I spoke confidently. ¡°Once you¡¯ve taste my home-cooked meals, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll feel like this is your true home.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Though I had spoken sincerely, she burst outughing in bemusement. ¡°Was it that funny?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not that.¡± For something ¡°not that¡±, she was struggling to hold back herughter. ¡°It¡¯s just, you¡¯re so focused on the cooking aspect. You really are a quintessential army chef, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Damn. Had my interests really be so skewed towards cooking? A little embarrassing, but¡­ ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Still, seeing the gloomy soldier¡¯s face light up with a smile, I suppose that¡¯s not a bad thing. ¡°You¡¯re right, a home.¡± After subduing herughter, she said calmly. ¡°This tailor shop wasn¡¯t really my true home to begin with. There¡¯s no problem seeing the unit as my new home.¡± ¡°I guess the concept of ¡®home¡¯ can be pretty flexible, huh.¡± ¡°Ah, who cares? Just think of it however suits you best.¡± She spoke lightly, as if a weight had been lifted. ¡°Thank you for the consideration, Commander.¡± ¡°I was just joking around, no need to be so polite.¡± ¡°Look at you, getting all embarrassed.¡± It seemed she had only nned to take a quick look around. With a lightened step, she exited the tailor shop and headed back to the battlefield. ¡®A home, huh¡­¡¯ I had said it lightly to her, but the concept of ¡®home¡¯ is quite an important keyword for me as well. ¡®Not just for me, though.¡¯ Most of the unit members are from elsewhere. They must be curious about the fates of their hometowns and families. Knowing the truth would likely bring them pain, as there are far more who have perished than those who have survived in this world. In such cases, if the unit could be a second home for them that would be no small thing. Stepping out of the tailor shop, the outer area was still embroiled in a chaotic battle. Boom! It¡¯s breached! Infiltrating, infiltrating! Requesting fire support here! The trajectories of mages¡¯ spells and artillery shells flew across the city. The enemy had simply transformed into monsters. The sounds were not so different from what one would hear in a war film. And at the edge of my vision, the central area of this region began toe into view. Not in a geographic sense, but a symbolic one. Aged and weathered, but above all, the building that symbolized this area. ¡®The city hall.¡¯ Our destination was in sight. Chapter 89.1 Chapter 89.1 The gathered military forces around the city hall. Though we grandly proimed it as a ¡°campaign topletely subjugate the area,¡± fully eradicating them would take an enormous amount of time. We had forcefully pushed through and breached the defenses with a shy disy of military might. ¡®But we¡¯ve likely only managed to clear out about a third of them, at most.¡¯ We had simply taken the fastest route to reach the city hall. Our objective was to expand the upied territory. After contemting, the conclusion I reached was this: ¡®Symbolism.¡¯ Our mountain division may not be thergest, but we were stationed at the highest peak, and we had exterminated the lizards who had upied the widest area besides us. Through that, the system acknowledged our control over the territory. So, if we were to upy the most symbolically significant location here, that would be the city hall, without a doubt. Based on my experience, the system has a certain understanding of human social systems. If my assumption is correct, something will change by capturing this ce. ¡°Young-joon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Report our side¡¯s casualty.¡± The casualties were substantial. Over 30% of our troops were injured to the point of being unable to continue fighting. ¡®Even after all our preparations, the losses are this heavy.¡¯ This was only counting the soldier casualties ¨C the vampires we had recklessly used had lost more than ten. The fuel-guzzling tanks, despite having poured out all the fuel they had umted, were now barely mobile. If we fail to capture the city hall, we¡¯ll have to methodically clear the area, taking our time. ¡°As I mentioned before, this area inside is one that Bangul cannot see.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The downside is that this is one of the areas where Soo-ah¡¯s reconnaissance is ineffective. It means there are monsters capable of blocking the approach of spirits. I had tried to avoid other areas as much as possible, but the capture of the city hall was unavoidable. ¡°Ah, Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± I was the first to enter the building. The moment I opened the door, strange sounds came from above my head. ¡°Kkak kkak kkak! Stupid humans! You foolishly walked in without even knowing we were hiding!¡± ¡°Idiots! We¡¯ll eat you up deliciously!¡± Two forms fell from above. ¡®They were hiding, huh?¡¯ Just as the monsters said, I had no idea they were hiding there. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The monsters weren¡¯t even trying to conceal their presence. I thought they were there just naturally. ¡°No, if they were hiding, they should have at least killed their own sounds.¡± ¡°Kwaak?¡± Sshhk. [Experience points acquired] [Experience points acquired] I felt the sensation of the de cutting through flesh. There was hardly any unpleasant sensation in the process. ¡®These monsters don¡¯t seem that strong.¡¯ I looked at the corpses of the fallen monsters on the floor. Two green-skinned dwarf-like creatures. [Chef¡¯s Eyes] activated. [Small Root Goblin] [A subspecies of goblins that primarily inhabit forests. Theyck individualbat prowess but are skilled in group tactics utilizing the terrain of the forest. Unfortunately, their meat yield is not particrly highpared to the difficulty of hunting them. For preparation, start by focusing on the spinal bone in their back-] Indeed. These were originally forest-dwelling monsters. I¡¯m not sure how they ended up in this concrete city, but theycked their original groupbat abilities. ¡°It took too long to infiltrate the city. We¡¯ll clear them out quickly!¡± The soldiers following behind me were also able to subdue the monsters rather easily. It was quite easy, considering the intensity I had expected for the core of the city hall subjugation. But just as I thought the cleansing would go without major issues, I had another thought. ¡®These creatures can speak.¡¯ The soldiers didn¡¯t seem to pay much attention, as the monsters were speaking so naturally. I¡¯m not even sure if they were truly speaking Korean, but the fact that they couldmunicate was quite significant to me. I nced down at the shadows. ¡­? I could sense a presence moving within, reacting to my gaze. The ¡°monster capable ofmunication¡± I had first encountered before, and the one who had be my [Vassals] And the result of that¡­ I also came to realize that they could be quite useful. ¡°Could these creatures also be made into vassals just like you?¡± -It¡¯s a bit disappointing to be treated the same as such inferior species¡­ In order to survive, we must build up our power. But unfortunately, during the ¡°Doomsday,¡± the majority of humanity had already been annihted. The remaining survivors would be less than half of what they once were. ¡®Incorporating the survivors is not a bad idea, but building power solely with the survivors would have its limits.¡¯ During Genghis Khan¡¯s conquest wars in the past, he had filled theck of manpower with ves from the conquered regions, and not just Mongols. No matter how contemptible these monsters may be, if they are useful, they could be employed as ve soldiers. As I continued the subjugation while pondering this, I soon arrived at the top floor of the city hall. ¡°Kwaak! These humans! They¡¯re too strong!¡± ¡°Damn it! How annoying!¡± The monsters were spouting vulgar words in their clumsy speech. At the center was a goblin adorned in an extravagant getup. ¡°Kwaak!!! Can¡¯t you do it properly? Useless wretches!¡± Waving his staff, he wasmanding the other goblins to fight. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Intermediate Goblin Shaman] That one must be the leader of the goblins here. He was likely the one who had driven out the spirits as well. Of course, they¡¯re still just goblins. ¡°Ke, Keeeek¡­!¡± The goblin was forced to the ground by the soldiers. His fancy ornaments didn¡¯t seem to be of much help. ¡°Hu- human there!¡± At that moment, the goblin shouted at me. ¡°Pl, please save me!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I! I¡¯m perceptive! You! You¡¯re the leader of these humans, right? Kekk!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Just say the word, and they¡¯ll all listen to you! Right!?¡± I hadn¡¯t particrly taken the lead in the battle within the city hall. Yet, he somehow deduced that I was themander. ¡®So, he¡¯s not just any shaman, huh?¡¯ Seems like he has a simr intuition to our shaman. I¡¯m growing increasingly intrigued. ¡°Kekk. If you save me, I can offer you lots of good things!¡± ¡°Good things?¡± If he submits obediently, I could possibly gain a useful military force. As I stepped closer to hear what he had to say, -Master, be careful¡­! In front of me, I saw a giant ball of me hurtling towards me. ¡°Kekeke! Swallow this! Idiot!¡± Even though he was being restrained by the soldiers, he was still able to cast magic. It seemed to be a spell simr to the fireball used by our mages. ¡°Kekk! The enemymander is dead!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a shaman, after all!¡± ¡°Kekk. I knew it!¡± ¡°The counterattack begins¡­!¡± The excited goblins started rambling. Seeing that, ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Chapter 89.2 Chapter 89.2 ¡°Kekk?¡± A sigh escaped my lips. ¡°Just when I thought I could get some useful soldiers.¡± [Trait ¨C Intermediate Grade Fire Affinity] [Modified Steel Leather Command Combat Uniform created by a Junior Grade Seamstress] As a Chef, I¡¯m quite friendly with fire. With the stat boosts from cooking, this level of me is nothing. ¡°Ke, kekk. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Surrender! Submission! Loyalty!¡± The goblin was now groveling on the floor. But a dog that bites its master is a worthless dog. Keeping such dogs is a hassle. Sshhk- [Experience points acquired.] Disappointingly, there were no achievement messages, suggesting this was not the leader of the species. ¡°Sergeant Shin? Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Then, what about these monster creatures?¡± ¡°Eliminate them all.¡± ¡°Yes! Boys, leave none of them alive!¡± ¡°Kekk!!! Please spare me!¡± The remaining goblins were being dealt with by the soldiers. I sat on a chair in the corner office, watching the scene unfold. -Master. ¡®Hm?¡¯ The vampire baroness who was in the shadows spoke to me. -It¡¯s not my ce to say this, since I¡¯ve already be one of your vassal. ¡®What is it?¡¯ -Keeping monsters under yourmand is not an easy task. Monsters¡­ She must be referring to the creatures. -Beings with innate magical power generally have strong pride. It¡¯s rare for them to submit to brute force. ¡®So, there¡¯s no such thing as a monster ve army?¡¯ -Yes. Unless there is a binding as powerful as my oath, trying to suppress them with just strength will most likely result in betrayal in the end. Hmm. It seems my grand dream of a monster ve army is crumbling. ¡®Won¡¯t they be tempted by my cooking?¡¯ -Hmm. The grace you bestow upon us brings the utmost happiness, but¡­ Since she¡¯s a vassal who has tasted my cooking, she seemed a bit hesitant to give a simple answer. -I think it would depend on the monster¡¯s disposition. ¡®Disposition?¡¯ -If the monster is not particrly bellicose, it may be possible to gain their favor through your grace. But those monsters that live in tribal units are generally quite aggressive. Indeed. The lizardmen who had invaded our forces were biting our soldiers until the very end. The ¡®Mac¡¯, who only defended its territories while living individually, were an example of non-aggressive monsters. ckie would be a case of a non-aggressive one. -Even if the negotiation had gone well initially, in the end, those creatures would have inevitably plotted to betray you and turn you into a ¡®grace factory¡¯ rather than cooperate to receive your cooking. ¡®Grace factory¡­¡¯ That¡¯s a rather novel term. Anyway, the implication is that it¡¯s impossible to just grab passing monsters, feed them my cooking, and instantly make them my vassals. That¡¯s when, Ding. [Acquired control over the territory ¡®Small Town (3)¡¯ in the ROK.17 region] [While control over the territory is maintained, additional ¡®upation Points¡¯ will be acquired] [The guild¡¯s upied territory has expanded!] [The number of deputies you can select has increased by ¡®1¡¯] ¡®As expected!¡¯ The expected message appeared before me. ¡°Huh, control over the territory?¡± ¡°What is this all about?¡± Some of the soldiers were puzzled by the message. Most of them were recent recruits. On the other hand, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen this message.¡± ¡°Ah, when was thest time we saw that?¡± The soldiers who had been with us since the beginning. A few of them spoke wistfully. ¡®It really took a long time.¡¯ The first time I saw this message was when we had crushed the forces of the Chieftain and gained control over the mountain range. Back then, our awakened members were barely over 20. It¡¯s no wonder there are few awakened soldiers who have seen this message before. Toward the soldiers who still didn¡¯t understand the meaning, Sergeant Lee Min-jae briefly exined. ¡°It means we have the greatest influence in this area.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Our forces are now assessed to be able to impact the entire Inje-gun.¡± Unlike the mountain range, which had nothing but a hodgepodge of monsters aside from the lizardmen, there were diverse survivor groups, plunderers, monsters and beasts flocking to hunt humans. And even zombies wandering around the abandoned cities. In addition, various monsters have been upying the military bases throughout Gangwon-do. By oveing all of them, we¡¯ve been recognized as the ¡®dominant force¡¯ in this region. ¡°Haha¡­ But in the end, it seemed pretty easy, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°The conquest of the military base too. I mean, it¡¯s not 100%plete, but I thought it would be much harder, but we seeded.¡± ¡°When I first came down with the troops and saw the base, I thought there was no way we could conquer it¡­ Guess we were lucky.¡± Lucky, huh?! I shook my head and interjected into the soldiers¡¯ conversation. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just luck.¡± When we came down from the mountains, I felt that luck had yed a role in our unit¡¯s survival. Even though my awakening was a factor, for some reason the environment was one where zombies didn¡¯t appear either. But on the surface, it¡¯s different. Luck? No way. ¡°We worked that hard and became that strong.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Yes, Sergeant-nim is right.¡± Even just this city hall building ¨C if we were the same as when we first came down with the troops, we might have barely managed to conquer it after tremendous effort. But over the course of time, we did not ck off in our efforts. The results are now showing. [Steel Legion] [Dominant Territory in the ROK.17 Region] [Mountains ¨C 3%] [Small Town (3) ¨C 3%] The share of Small Town (3) is 3%. Even though the Mountains are muchrger in area, the fact that it¡¯s only 3% means that the existing level of civilization still has some influence. ¡®Finally, we¡¯ve moved on to the next stage.¡¯ Seeding in dominating Inje-gun. Which also means it¡¯s now time to expand into other regions. ¡®Of course, we have already secured the tanks, as well as the subway lines for them to move.¡¯ As we keep expanding our territory, someday, I might even be able to reach my hometown where my parents are. Chapter 90.1 Chapter 90.1 We havepleted the upation of Inje-gun, but our unit¡¯s daily life hasn¡¯t changed much. ¡°Even though we¡¯ve upied the mountains, it doesn¡¯t mean all the monsters there have been wiped out.¡± upation only means we have the greatest influence. There are still unknown monsters or enemies remaining within Inje-gun. We didn¡¯t even seed inpletely cleaning up the military zone. We only cleared the fastest route to the city hall. The area we dealt with is likely less than a third of the whole. ¡®And there are military bases as well.¡¯ The military bases are said to have monsters even stronger than the average ones. Inje-gun is located in Gangwon-do, where most of the South Korean military bases are concentrated, and it¡¯s in the frontmost position. There are so many military bases that that have practically ¡°nketed¡± over the area. Some of those monsters could certainly pose a threat to our unit. ¡®At least the good news is those monsters won¡¯t likely leave their territory,¡¯ ording to what Arie said. The monsters that have upied the military bases seem to be under some sort of obsession, solely dedicated to guarding the ¡°human military facilities¡± they have upied. They can¡¯t wander outside, so unless something extraordinary happens, they won¡¯t affect the outside. So, we¡¯ll have to slowly retake the military bases. Anyway, the city is still overflowing with monsters, so the unit members kept on scouting and periodically cleared the area. When they¡¯re off-duty and not on patrol, they usually train their abilities on their own. In my case, it¡¯s cooking research. Once I¡¯m done with cooking, if I have time left, I open the recipe books that the other soldiers have gathered and study new recipes. But now, I¡¯m just sitting in the battalionmander¡¯s office, staring into the mirror. ¡°Hmm.¡± Recently, I awakened the talent of [Large-Scale Cooking], which drastically reduced the time it takes to prepare meals for the unit members. ¡°¡­Should I just cut it?¡± Because of that, I have too much free time now. It¡¯s given me the leisure to asionally just think about something like my hair. The Dooms Day was just a few days before my discharge. Our unit wasn¡¯t that strict, so they tolerated me growing out my hair a bit towards the end. In fact, up until then, I must have looked like a total buzzcut military guy to civilians. But now it¡¯s gotten a bit too long. ¡®After spending months focused onbat and cooking, I just didn¡¯t have the time to cut it.¡¯ It seems the other soldiers had simr concerns. Interestingly, thebat unit members all maintained short hair. When I asked them about it, one soldier said: ¡°Since we¡¯re often engaged in close-quartersbat, our hair can get caught by the enemy sometimes. It¡¯s notpulsory to have a certain hairstyle, it¡¯s just a practical consideration for realbat situations. A sporty buzzcut is easy to manage, and we can even cut each other¡¯s hair with knives if needed. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad system.¡± One soldier even offered to cut my hair. But I politely declined his offer. But thinking about it, it does make sense. I also often fight in close quarters, and usually chefs also keep their hair short. I considered going back to a buzzcut, but¡­ ¡°Hmm! I¡¯ll just tidy it up a bit!¡± I only had two days left until discharge. Going back to a buzzcut would be too cruel. ¡®Come to think of it, squad leader Lee Sang-ah once mentioned that she¡¯s good at cutting hair.¡¯ As a ¡®tailor¡¯ who awakened as a seamstress, she can apparently cut off zombie heads cleanly. But I heard she¡¯s also quite skilled at haircutting. It¡¯s a bit unusual for a tailor to have that skill, but I guess it¡¯s not that strange, since I can use my [Knife Proficiency] as a cook to slice up monsters. I should ask her to help tidy up my hairter. As I was thinking that a soldier knocked and entered the battalionmander¡¯s office. ¡°Sergeant Shin, Private Lee Minjae wants you toe to the vige for a bit.¡± ¡°Minjae hyung?¡± It¡¯s not like I was that busy right then. So, I followed the soldier and moved outside. After exiting the camp¡¯s main gate, The scenery of a small vige came to the site that had been built by the survivors who came to seek refuge near our camp. The military camp was surrounded by nothing but rice fields and farnd. The closest buildings were just some distant farmhouses and warehouses. ¡®Even this seems livable enough.¡¯ The buildings recently built near the camp were gray structures. These were houses built for those who wanted to settle nearby, for a small fee. The buildings were made of metal. Normally, this would not be a very suitable material for housing. But, [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Steel infused with the Mac¡¯s magic energy] And with the help of the engineers, the story changes a bit. The vehicles are sturdy enough to withstand even the monstrous creatures that can tear them apart bare-handed. Somehow, they also have good instion and cold-resistance properties. Let¡¯s walk around the vicinity. ¡°Oh, the chef has arrived.¡± The settled people greeted me as I approached. ¡°Haha, I hope you all are doing well.¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing great thanks to you all.¡± It¡¯s been quite some time since the initial survivors settled in the area. Many more have gathered here after hearing the news. ¡®The poption around the camp was now about the same as the number of our troops.¡¯ Those who paid a fee have been under our guild¡¯s protection. For reference, most of that price consists of the food they earned by helping Cheol-wook, the awakened farmer. Farming may not be an easy task, so it¡¯s hard to call this a carefree life. But many of them are grateful just for not having to worry about dying anymore. As a result, the camp¡¯s poprity is overwhelmingly high. ¡°Please also convey our gratitude to Lieutenant Kim.¡± ¡°We had lost all hope for the future¡­ but he has agreed to protect us for a small price. He is truly a great man.¡± However, they still believe Lieutenant Kim to be our boss. ¡°Haha, you don¡¯t need me to tell him that. I¡¯m sure he already knows your feelings well.¡± Recently, Lieutenant Kim had spoken about this matter. -Young-joon, to be honest, this is a bit burdensome. Do you think we can somehow change this? -What do you mean? Chapter 90.2 Chapter 90.2 -When you entrusted me with the nominal position of the battalionmander, I went along with it. It would be somewhat useful when dealing with other military camps, and I do have some confidence in my way with words. But¡­ Lieutenant Kim let out a subtle sigh. -You are the one who decided to bear the hardships. And you are also the one who has decided to protect those people, but now I¡¯m the one receiving the gratitude. This is too much of a burden for me. To that, I responded a bit incredulously. -It¡¯s not like you¡¯re receiving any bad feedback, they¡¯re just praising you. What¡¯s so burdensome about that? -If only they would curse me instead¡­! Lieutenant Kim also seemed to have a clear point about this. -It¡¯s burdensome because the praise is for something I didn¡¯t do. -Hmm. -Since it¡¯s certain that the other military camps have been wiped out, my position may not y as big a role anymore. Maybe it¡¯s time for you to take a more public-facing role? If needed, we could even promote your military rank from a sergeant to a staff sergeant. Hmm. While he¡¯s not entirely wrong. -That¡¯s too much hassle. -I, I see. Even though we¡¯ve gained a bit of leeway now, the reason I originally delegated that role to Lieutenant Kim was not just about external status. ¡®I also had the selfish intention of reducing my own workload.¡¯ I¡¯m already busy enough as it is. Adding the externalmander role on top of that is just too much of a hassle, isn¡¯t it? -I also don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to publicize Young-joon as the actualmander. I thought it might be a bit irresponsible, but Min-jae hyung backed my view. -It¡¯s a dangerous world, after all. -What does that have to do with this- -If there are any hostile forces out there, they will most likely target themander. Like during the vampire extermination, and the recent goblins we encountered. There¡¯s no need to put the realmander in that risky role. In other words, ording to Min-jae hyung, -Are you saying Kim Lieutenant should be my shadow warrior? -Sergeant Min-jae, that sounds like you¡¯re saying I should be the one to die. -It¡¯s not quite that extreme. Lieutenant Kim is also an important asset, so if someone has to die, it¡¯s better for it to be you rather than him. ¡®¡­.¡¯ -All the guild members know that Young-joon is the real boss anyway. You can tell just by checking the guild status. As long as there¡¯s no confusion among the guild members, I don¡¯t see a problem with the positive external evaluations going towards Lieutenant Kim. As long as the external evaluation is positive, it doesn¡¯t really matter who the target is. -Lieutenant Kim¡¯s job is to manage the image of the battalion as its externalmander. -Sigh. Alright, I guess that¡¯s something I¡¯m confident in ¨C politics and image management. I¡¯m not sure if I should be thankful for that or not. So, it ended up that way, where Lieutenant Kim was still known as themander to the outsiders. Apparently, he often patrols the vige andmunicates with the people. If that had been my job, it would have been terribly annoying. ¡®I¡¯m so d I passed that on to Lieutenant Kim.¡¯ Anyway, the n to rebuild a human settlement near our camp seems to be progressing very smoothly. However, there are always side effects to these kinds of things. ¡°Ugh, urgh¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move, you bastard.¡± I went to the ce where Min-jae hyung had called me. A man was pinned to the ground, his face pressed against the floor by a soldier. ¡°What¡¯s going on now?¡± ¡°Oh, Young-joon, you are here.¡± ¡°Soldiers! This is a misunderstanding!¡± Misunderstanding or not, I don¡¯t understand the situation at all. I looked at Min-jae hyung. ¡°This man is suspected to be a plunderer.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°One of the recently joined survivors came and told us privately. This man looks just like the plunderer who had attacked them.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m innocent!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we approached him to properly investigate, but he tried to attack our soldiers and run away. And still im it¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡± Hmm. I roughly get the situation now. ¡°You all, return to your duties for now.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, Min-jae hyung and I will handle this one, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ If it¡¯s Shin Sergeant, I don¡¯t think any dangerous situation will arise. Understood.¡± I dismissed the soldiers except for Min-jae hyung. ¡°Sir, pleasee with us.¡± ¡°Uh, where are you taking me?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re truly innocent, there won¡¯t be any problem. Don¡¯t worry.¡± I took the man to a secluded area. It was just Min-jae hyung and me around. There¡¯s evidence that this man is a former plunderer but he¡¯s iming to be innocent. So, what to do? There¡¯s an easy way to find out. ¡°Alright, open up~¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± After forcibly opening his mouth, I popped open a piece of candy that I always carry around. [The Honest Emotions Candy prepared by an Intermediate Chef] ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have an honest talk. Why did youe to our camp?¡± ¡°Rec-recently, I started hearing some bad rumors¡­¡± The effect was immediate. The man quickly became more honest than anyone else in the world. But, ¡°What kind of rumors?¡± ¡°It seems there are people who specialize in hunting down plunderers¡­¡± Specialized plunderer hunters, huh. ¡­Hmm. I have a bit of an idea. ¡®So, the rumors have already started spreading this much.¡¯ In this world where it¡¯s hard to even go outside, rumors seem to spread remarkably fast. ¡°Those hunters are apparently incredibly powerful. Even groups that have built up some strengths are disappearing without a trace¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. So?¡± ¡°I was already struggling with power struggles within my own group. It was obvious what would happen ¨C either get hunted down by those rumored hunters and die or get kicked out of the group and starve to death on the streets. In the midst of that, I obtained information about this ce.¡± Amidst all this he casually admitted of him being a plunderer. ¡°Those guys seem like some real pushovers, offering almost free protection. From my position, I couldn¡¯t find a reason to stay away from here.¡± ¡°Wow, so after arriving in this vige, you meant to suddenly turn over a new leaf and live righteously?¡± If that was the case, I might have given him one chance. ¡°What, are you crazy? Turn over a new leaf? As if.¡± Unfortunately, it seems like he hasn¡¯t turned to a new leaf yet. The next words that came out of his mouth were even more absurd. ¡°Where there are people, there is not just brightness. As the light grows stronger, the darkness also grows¡­ Since this society is still in its early stages, if I can quickly infiltrate and blend in, I can seize control of that darkness.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, so that¡¯s what you were thinking.¡± ¡°Heheh. As long as I can evade the soldiers¡¯ gazes, it won¡¯t be difficult to quietly build up my power.¡± ¡°Well, even if you manage to gain that power, what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°First, I must take revenge on those who tried to drive me out. But that¡¯s not the end of it. As society crumbles and time passes, a new society will emerge from the ashes. And I will be the lord of the underworld in that new society.¡± Some grandiose dreams he had there. Well, I feel like I¡¯ve heard enough at this point. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Hmm, I had a feeling it would turn out this way.¡± Min-jae hyung, furrowed his brows and rubbed the space between them, as if getting a headache. I nced back at the man, just in case. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Novice Thug Lv. 9] It seems this man, despite his appearance, is an awakened individual. His level was around 9, which was pretty decent, but he didn¡¯t seem to have any particrly useful skills or traits. ¡°It¡¯s good to build a society, but how many more of these kinds of people wille in¡­ It¡¯s giving me a headache.¡± ¡°Well, some side effects were to be expected.¡± ¡°As for disposing of this fellow¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± Min-jae paused for a moment when he heard that. ¡°Is it the ¡®disposal¡¯ I¡¯m thinking of?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°¡­Sigh. Well, that would be the most beneficial.¡± Seeming uneasy but resigned, Min-jae hyung nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work. Come out.¡± As I tapped the floor, a voice answered, ¡°Yes, master.¡± Something emerged from the shadows. ¡°Wh-what is that?!¡± The self-proimed future lord of the underworld seemed quite shocked by the sight. For someone aiming to rule the underworld, he didn¡¯t seem to have that much nerve. ¡°My beloved master, have you summoned me again to bestow your grace?¡± ¡°Dinner time is still a bit off.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± One of the abilities possessed only by noble vampires ¨C [Shadow Veil] ¨C the skill to create their own space within the shadows. At night, she hunts for prey, and during the day, when it¡¯s difficult to move around, she returns to my shadow to rest and serve as my guard. Her subordinates have also officially joined my party, so they were essentially sleeping in there during the day. ¡°From the start, you must have been listening to our conversation, haven¡¯t you, this man.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. He is nothing more than a mere insect.¡± She looked at the man with a contemptuous expression, as if truly seeing him as an insignificant bug. ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice such a trivial existence.¡± After bing my vassal there were times when she would show her original shelf. The one that sees humans as nothing more than livestock to feed upon and would act arrogantly, showing her royal pride. But then, ¡°I told you to speak politely.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± As a [Vassal] recognized by the system, no matter her original personality, she absolutely obeys mymands. ¡°This fellow has an okay level, but as a human, he¡¯s trash.¡± ¡°Hmm, he might be suitable for recycling.¡± ¡°Take him away.¡± ¡°As you wish, master.¡± Since I¡¯ve lost quite a few vassals in recent battles, he would be a suitable recement. ¡°¡­To spare yourpanion¡¯s eyes from an unpleasant sight, I shall take this man elsewhere.¡± In the meantime, Min-jae hyung was watching her with a cautious gaze. Unlike the man who will soon be my vassal, Min-jae hyung was mypanion. Seeming to sense this, she moved the man to a secluded location to turn him into a vassal. ¡°¡­Young-joon.¡± Min-jae hyung spoke, with a slightly uneasy tone. ¡°For now, I respect your choice. Based on my experience, you have always made the right choices.¡± ¡°Your sudden praise makes me worry about what¡¯sing next.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Min-jae hyung sighed softly. ¡°I do have some doubts about whether making that woman your subordinate was truly the right choice.¡± Chapter 91.1 Chapter 91.1 ¡°I¡¯m a bit doubtful whether it was really the right choice to make that woman our subordinate,¡± said Min-jae hyung with a small sigh. Hmm. Honestly, I had anticipated this kind of reaction. There was a simr situation when we used a monster that eats humans to make our cuisine. Now that we¡¯re actually using a monster that had eaten humans, it¡¯s not surprising that there¡¯s some bacsh. But I thought Min-jae hyung was more pragmatic than this. I didn¡¯t expect this kind of reaction from him. It caught me off guard a bit. ¡°After the battle with the vampires, we suffered our first casualty after we came down from the mountains,¡± he said. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Many in our unit were deeply saddened then. The funeral was held immediately¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, you were the one who grieved the most at that time.¡± Min-jae hyung¡¯s gaze on me was quite sharp. It was a rather unfamiliar feeling. ¡°The one responsible for that funeral was precisely this monster. Surely you haven¡¯t forgotten that fact?¡± Min-jae hyung was one of the few who had staunchly supported me from the beginning. This sense of wariness from him was something I was experiencing for the first time. ¡®I should have anticipated that Min-jae hyung could react this way. I made a mistake.¡¯ Among the officers in our unit, Min-jae hyung and Su-hyeok were known to prioritize pragmatism the most. But unlike the extreme pragmatism of Su-hyeok, Min-jae hyung was a bit different. ¡®He pursues gains but is also soft-hearted.¡¯ When faced with the choice between ruthless decisions for profit and humane decisions that incur losses, Min-jae hyung would secretly hope that I choose thetter, even as he advises me to take the former. He was the second to awaken in our unit. He¡¯s a smart guy and has a certain charisma. He could have easily taken on the role of the unit¡¯smander. ¡®And yet, it was this man who actively made me themander, without even asking for my consent.¡¯ Come to think of it, that decision was likely a reflection of his contradictory nature. Pursuing pragmatism in his head, while longing for human connection in his heart. Struggling between the two must have been quite a headache. That¡¯s why he entrusted the decision-making to someone he trusted, so he could coldly propose the pragmatic option while avoiding the agonizing choice himself. ¡®This bacsh is likely simr in nature.¡¯ The monster that killed ourrades. Just because it¡¯s useful, is it really right to have it as our subordinate? Normally, he would have advised me to pursue the pragmatic course. But now that he had seen me bringing in the vampires as our subordinates. So, he was against it. I wouldn¡¯t call it cowardly, though. Many people must be living with such dilemmas. Unless there¡¯s some other reason¡­ If the sole reason is that ¡°it¡¯s the monster that killed ourrades,¡± then my answer is simple: ¡°The dead are dead. The living must strive to survive. Unless it¡¯s for the sake of the living, I can¡¯t afford to be concerned about the dead.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ truly saying that?¡± ¡°That vampire will be of great help to our survival. We¡¯ve already experienced it firsthand, haven¡¯t we?¡± Most of the unit members still don¡¯t know that the ¡°Vampire Queen¡± has be my vassal. Only a few, including Min-jae hyung, are aware of this fact. But Min-jae hyung knows how helpful she and her servants were in thest battle. ¡°Abandon such a powerful asset just because it killed ourrades? That¡¯s a suggestion that doesn¡¯t consider the survival of the other members.¡± Min-jae hyung seems to have noticed his own excitement. He took a moment to wipe his face before continuing. ¡°The soldiers can¡¯t possibly trust and entrust their backs to those monsters. It might even be a seed of division within the unit. Maintaining the unit¡¯s unity has always been your priority, Young-joon.¡± ¡°Hyung. The essence of that creature is irrelevant.¡± What matters is only one thing: ¡°Absolute obedience to mymand.¡± After a brief argument, Min-jae hyung sighed and uncrossed his arms. ¡°Honestly, the other reasons aren¡¯t that important to me either.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m afraid of is¡­ you are brushing aside and forgetting the deaths of ourrades.¡± I was about to say something, but he cut me off. ¡°If you¡¯re going to easily forgive and overlook the deeds of those monsters, just because they¡¯re a little useful¡­¡± ¡°Forgive? What nonsense.¡± Forgiveness, really? ¡°Arie.¡± I called her name again. ¡°Yes, master.¡± She who had disappeared with a man for a long time soon revealed herself again. ¡°As you hadmanded, that trash has been recycled as my servant. If there is anything else, you would like me to do-.¡± ¡°Lie down and do pushups.¡± ¡°Ye- Yes?¡± The woman was momentarily flustered. She must have wondered if she had heard correctly. From her perspective she had sessfullypleted the task, and this was something that I said to herpletely out of the blue. But. It is not my problem to worry about. ¡°I said lie down and do pushups.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Realizing she had not misheard; she immediately ced her hands on the ground andy down. ¡°You, Young-joon. What are you trying to¡­¡± ¡°50 pushups. Start.¡± Leaving the bewildered Min-jae hyung behind in this sudden situation, I gave her additional orders. ¡°Roll to the right.¡± ¡°Roll to the left.¡± ¡°Forward into a prone position.¡± ¡°Backward into a prone position.¡± A set of military-style disciplinary exercises. I ended up making her do things that I had never even asked my subordinates do. After the disciplinary session was over, ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Huff¡­huff¡­ Yes, thank you. But, beloved master¡­? May I ask one question?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°What is the meaning of this unproductive act just now?¡± I told her to do it, so she did. But she seemed bewildered, not understanding the situation at all. I suppose I could give her an answer. The meaning of the disciplinary exercise? Chapter 91.2 Chapter 91.2 ¡°There is no meaning to it.¡± How could there be? ¡°No meaning? But then, what do you mean by¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, good work. Go back in.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± She went back into my shadow, panting. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Min-jae hyung was watching that scene with a perplexed expression. ¡°You saw that?¡± ¡°I saw it, but I have no idea what you meant by that.¡± ¡°She has pledged her absolute obedience and loyalty to me. At first I thought she might only feign submission, but the system has recognized her as a being bound to me.¡± I didn¡¯t know whether this system was good or evil, or what its true nature was. But one thing is certain. ¡°The system does not lie¡­¡± Min-jae hyung nodded his head solemnly. And this is not just a story of having acquired a useful subordinate. ¡°Hyung. Beingpletely subordinate to someone¡­ I think it¡¯s a form of punishment as severe as death.¡± Did I forgive the ones who killed my unit members? What nonsense. ¡°I¡¯ve used cooking to subdue many people, but even they weren¡¯t aspletely bound as this one. She¡¯s in a state where if I tell her to die, she¡¯ll have no choice but to do so.¡± ¡°So that in itself is the punishment, is that it?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m getting my revenge properly. Separately from that, we have to use any means necessary to survive.¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± I thought this would be convincing enough, ¡°If that¡¯s your view, then so be it.¡± ¡°Your response doesn¡¯t sound very assured.¡± ¡°¡­But I still don¡¯t quite understand.¡± Min-jae hyung still doesn¡¯t seem very satisfied. ¡°Still, I won¡¯t interfere further in this matter.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°I think your perspective is right¡­ and above all, you¡¯re the captain, after all.¡± Yet, it seemed he ultimately decided to respect my decision. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for saying unnecessary things. Like I said, I respect your choice. I was the one who nominated you as captain, after all.¡± With that apology, Min-jae hyung left to attend to other duties. Watching his retreating back, I thought, ¡®I¡¯m sorry to Min-jae hyung, but this is an asset I absolutely cannot give up.¡¯ I only told him that it¡¯s just a useful asset. But in reality, It has far more uses than that. Just like that thug who said earlier, In the society that has formed with people gathering, Where there is light, there is bound to be darkness as well. That man seemed to have tried to exploit that darkness for his own gain. But in a different sense, our unit cannot avoid involvement in the darkness either. In order to maintain this society. Perhaps there will be times when we have to do dirty work. ¡®I don¡¯t want to assign that kind of task to the other members.¡¯ There is no asset more suitable for that dirty work, other than Arie and her servants. The woman who waspletely bound to me and in a sense was my royal guard. Not only routine tasks and escort duties, But she can also carry out missions that cannot be spoken of to others. For example, assassinations. Things like that. Min-jae hyung would likely object to such matters, But if it benefits our unit, I have no intention of hesitating. It was important to secure an asset that could carry out such tasks while ignoring any objections. ¡°Master.¡± At that moment, Arie, whom I thought was resting in the shadows, spoke up. ¡°If the recent incident bothers you, just ignore it. As I said, it was an act without much meaning.¡± ¡°No. I was simply following your orders. I have no thoughts about it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­After all, even if the master uses the tool as a toy, the tool cannotin, can it?¡± Looks like she was quite hurt. ¡°But I feel I should report on the task you assigned.¡± ¡°Report?¡± ¡°The servant I sent out on the reconnaissance mission have finally returned.¡± ¡°¡­Finally!¡± I was aware of the mission she mentioned. It was a task I had given her some time back, We had seeded in conquering the Inje-gun. We¡¯ve finally gained a bit of breathing room. While it¡¯s important to continue reducing the monsters within Inje-gun, If we want to build up our forces, We¡¯ll ultimately need to expand into other regions. And. Deciding the direction of that expansion was up to us. In that case, ¡®If we expand in the direction of my hometown¡­ where my family is.¡¯ Until now, I¡¯ve been desperately trying to forget, But I, and the unit members, are still human. Worrying about the safety of our families is unavoidable. The boss monster we encountered in the dungeon that we had infiltrated, the Swarm Mother. Seeing it treat me as its child, I couldn¡¯t help but think of my own parents. Therefore, After the conquest of Inje County waspleted, the first thing I thought of was that area. ¡®Most of the unit members are from Seoul or Gyeonggi-do, so it won¡¯t be difficult to gain their support.¡¯ If we advance downwards while receiving their support, It may not be long before I can confirm the well-being of my parents. With that in mind, I had sent Arie¡¯s servant out on a mission. Her vampire servants were essentially just consumables to me. They may be weakened in sunlight, but it¡¯s not difficult to just move at night. And with [Mist Form], it¡¯s not hard for them to escape most crises. The fact that those reconnaissance troops have returned, But then, ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, quickly, report the results-.¡± ¡°As hard as it is to believe, I find you somewhat pleasing, Master.¡± ¡°???¡± What¡¯s this sudden talk about? ¡°Us nobles of the night do appreciate beauty, you see. Your face¡­ might not entirely suit my tastes, but it¡¯s somewhat within my preferences. While bing a vassal was horrifyingly unpleasant, thinking that the thoughts dominating my mind are gone, even meaningless acts like earlier are bearable.¡± ¡°Your preamble is long. What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to upset you with bad news, so please don¡¯t take it out on me, that¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± A hand emerged from the shadows, holding a map. Upon unfolding and examining the map, ¡°What is this line?¡± There was a thick ck marker line drawn across the map, following the border of Gangwon-do. I wondered what it could mean, ¡°It¡¯s a wall.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a wall built along that line. An impassable, tall wall.¡± What the hell is this nonsense? Chapter 92.1 Chapter 92.1 The subway station had fallen under the influence of the legion after conquering the dungeon. There were modified vehicles and trams that could be used to safely move along the railway. Once those two things were secured, We thought it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to advance to other regions. However. ¡°It¡¯s as if the wall reaches up to the sky, and there¡¯s no end in sight.¡± ¡°A wall, you say?¡± ¡°I only received the report, so I¡¯m not sure of the exact nature of it. But it seems to be blocking us from going beyond this line. You should hear the details from this one.¡± Another vampire emerged from the shadows. It was in a strange state ¨C battered and haggard, with one armpletely missing. ¡°Salute! I am honored to meet the master¡¯s master!¡± Despite his condition, he seemed to have its military discipline intact. He tried to salute with the missing arm and got flustered when it wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°Report in detail.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± He began exining his reconnaissance mission from the start. It seems there were originally three people heading north, but two of them had died in the harrowing journey. Honestly, I don¡¯t really care about the adventure details. What¡¯s important is what happened after they reached the wall. ¡°The further north we went, the further warmer it became.¡± ¡°It got warmer?¡± ¡°Yes. As you know, the area north of the Daegwallyeong Pass should be cool, not warm. I was puzzled by that too, but once we went a certain distance, I understood the reason.¡± That reason must be the ck wall mentioned earlier. ¡°Before getting close, it wasn¡¯t even visible. But at some point, a wall reaching up to the sky came into view.¡± If the wall is truly that tall, it should be visible from here as well. Apparently, it¡¯s only visible once you approach it. And, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a concrete wall. It was a shimmering ck wall, almost like a shadow. Heat was emanating from it.¡± ¡°Heat.¡± ¡°No, not just heat¡­ For a regr human, it would be a lethal heat even just to approach it.¡± ¡°So, you just came back then?¡± ¡°No. Your order was to investigate the situation outside. If it was a physical barrier, I might have doubted it, but seeing the shimmering, I thought we could pass through. However¡­¡± The vampire subtly raised his hand. This is the result of trying to put his hand into the wall. Vampires are hard to kill, except for the vital heart. Even with severe injuries, a few blood feedings can restore them. They can even heal by hunting monsters, so I wondered why it was left severed. Turns out it was meant to be a demonstration. Looking closely, it wasn¡¯t severed, butpletely burned away. ¡°The heat around the wall is nothingpared to the heat radiating from the wall itself.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°After that, I gathered as much information as possible on how the barrier is spread out, and now I¡¯ve returned. And I¡¯vebined the reports from the otherrades who came back from different directions to draw that line.¡± In other words, ¡°So, this mysterious ck wall haspletely cut off Gangwon-do from the outside world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ve concluded.¡± ¡°Who? And why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason, but¡­ Isn¡¯t it obvious who?¡± The vampire points up to the sky with its remaining hand. ¡°It must be that bastard who turned the world into this state.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± This news shattered my hope, just when a glimmer of hope to return home had appeared. ¡®The boundary surrounding Gangwon-do¡­¡¯ Come to think of it, there was something I remembered from the ¡°upation Status¡± report. ¡®[upied Region ¨C ROK. 17]¡¯ [Currently upied Regions] [Mountain Range ¨C 3%] [Small Towns (3) ¨C 3%] Whenever I looked at the upation Status report, or when the system message about an achievement popped up, I¡¯d rarely see that [ROK. 17]. Republic Of Korea. So, 17 must be¡­ ¡®Our country has one special city, six metropolitan cities, one special autonomous city of Sejong, and one special autonomous province of Jeju¡­ Plus eight regr provinces, making a total of 17.¡¯ It¡¯s just a guess, but my intuition tells me this guess is likely to be correct. And that number 17 is probably referring to Gangwon-do. Does that mean we¡¯re doomed to be trapped in Gangwon-do forever, carrying out this upation? ¡°No, that can¡¯t be the case.¡± ¡°What?¡± If we are doomed to be trapped here forever, then the very division itself would be unnecessary. They could justpletely cut off information about other regions. And yet, the system was hinting at the existence of other regions with its categorizations of [Major Region ROK] and [Sub Region ROK. 17]. The reason is likely one. ¡®This ¡°game¡± that is currently being conducted on a small scale will eventually expand to the major region level.¡¯ For now, it¡¯s just a squabble over Gangwon-do, a province of South Korea. But someday, it may escte to arger territory¡­ Perhaps even the entire South Korea. ¡®And maybe even beyond that.¡¯ Well, even if such an event urs, that would be in the distant future. Our task is singr. If my prediction is correct, someday we will be able to remove that barrier and move out. The important thing is to grow stronger so as not to miss that opportunity. ¡°The ted feeling just now has dampened a bit.¡± I was excited at the prospect of soon being able to go home and see my parents. But well, things are never that easy. If anything, we¡¯ve been too sessfultely. This world is certainly not an easy one. ¡®But hope hasn¡¯t vanished yet.¡¯ I don¡¯t know how long that barrier will exist. Perhaps we¡¯ll have to directly break through it ourselves. I don¡¯t know when that might be possible, but it won¡¯t be impossible forever. It¡¯s just a postponement. I can only takefort in thinking that way. ¡°Ah¡­ Is that really true?¡± ¡°So, advancement to other regions is blocked, then.¡± Chapter 92.2 Chapter 92.2 I only revealed this information to the officers. The others also seem quite shocked. ¡°It is a bit surprising. But we don¡¯t have any majorints, really.¡± The silver lining is that most of the soldiers are local, excluding the 423rd Battalion. Even among them, there are likely fewer dissatisfied onespared to the soldiers from other regions who have families there. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the soldiers about this.¡± ¡°For morale?¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve guessed, even if that barrier opens up someday, it¡¯s still just a spection. The fact that the path to other regions is blocked isn¡¯t enough to cover up.¡± It¡¯s something that will have to be said eventually, but there¡¯s no immediate need for it now.¡°This really throws a wrench in our ns.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok said while looking at the map. ¡°The original n was to gradually advance to the Gyeonggi-do region by following this subway line¡­¡± ¡°Well, that n is now cancelled.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t just give up on advancing to other regions.¡± Staying only in Inje-gun isn¡¯t necessarily a bad choice either. Small towns have sprung up around the base and bunkers. ¡°If we keep on the current course, housing the survivors and hunting monsters to grow our forces, we could achieve a fairly stable growth. But¡­¡± Min-jae hyung sighed as he looked at me. ¡°I suppose your thoughts would be the opposite.¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± Stable growth isn¡¯t bad either. But the problem is, Inje-gun was never a densely popted city to begin with. ¡°It was a city that maintained its economy thanks to the many military bases. But now that those soldiers have been wiped out, housing the arriving survivors and growing will soon reach its limits.¡± That¡¯s why I had considered the route of subjugating the monsters. If we gradually upy the military bases scattered throughout Inje-gun, we could secure a lot of weapons. But the limiting factor is the manpower to actually use them. In the end, we need to maintain our forces here and expand our presence to other cities. If this base and bunker are the main strategic points, then now we need to multiply our outposts. ¡°The regions we¡¯re currently considering within Gangwon-do are about three ces.¡± Min-jae hyungid out the map and spoke. ¡°Chuncheon, Sokcho, and Yanggu-gun.¡± ¡°I understand the other two, but Yanggu-gun? Isn¡¯t that a rtively small cepared to here?¡± It was Lieutenant Kim who answered Sang-ah¡¯s question. ¡°The headquarters of our legion is located there.¡± ¡°Huh? Our guild headquarters?¡± ¡°No, not the headquarters of the Awakened Legion¡­ I mean the corps headquarters of the superior unit of the 423rd battalion.¡± ¡°Ah, I see!¡± The 12th Corps of the Republic of Korea Army Ground Operations Command, which the 423rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion is subordinate to. That¡¯s the very legion headquarters where those two drivers were supposed to head to when Lieutenant Kim sent them away. In fact, it¡¯s not just our battalion. The 12th Corps is responsible for the defense of the central and northern regions of Gangwon-do. Even this ammunition depot is part of the 12th Corps Logistics Support Group, supporting the 12th Corps. The tank battalion we recently recaptured is part of the armored brigade under the 12th Corps. The military bases scattered around are mostly under the 12th Corps. ¡®When we came down from the mountains, the fact that the corps headquarters was in the western Gangwon region was quite an important factor.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect to hear the news that the military bases were wiped out. Lieutenant Kim spoke in a serious tone. ¡°It was my mistake to hastily send the drivers away from the base. But still, I think we need to check on the status of the higher headquarters.¡± ¡°Hmm. Based on our experience so far, the corps headquarters doesn¡¯t seem likely to be intact either.¡± ¡°That may be true, but as long as we don¡¯t abandon our identity as a military unit, it¡¯s something we have to do.¡± Corporal Jeon Kwang-il expressed his concerns about Lieutenant Kim¡¯s words. His concerns weren¡¯t entirely unfounded, but¡­ The stronger the military unit, the more powerful the monster that seems to have taken over it. ¡®The corps headquarters, of all ces.¡¯ I can¡¯t even imagine how strong the creature there might be. ¡°It would be difficult to confirm it through a spirit barrier, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Not only is the distance is an issue, but most of the military bases have blocked Bangul¡¯s approach. I¡¯m truly sorry I couldn¡¯t be of help to our benefactor¡­¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing to apologize for. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Soo-ah was being overly polite, to the point of being burdensome. Well, if pushes to shove, we could just send in some vampires as expendable scouts. ¡°If you insist on checking the corps headquarters, it would be difficult to simply drag the soldiers along.¡± ¡°How about this? We can slowly absorb the nearby military bases as we advance northward, and then make the push for the headquarters once we have enough of our forces.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too slow to begin with. Wasn¡¯t that the reason we were looking for other ways to expand faster.¡± Somehow, the discussion turned into a heated debate about whether or not to advance to the corps headquarters. Just as I was about to chime in with my own thoughts, ¡°Excuse me, Sergeants.¡± ¡°The corps headquarters is in a strategically important location. There¡¯s nothing wrong with quickly securing it, is there-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but¡­¡± A soldier opened the door and entered, followed by a man. ¡°Please, please help me.¡± ¡°Huh? Help you with what?¡± ¡°Who are you,ing here of all ces¡­¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± The man suddenly copsed to the floor without any further exnation. The words that came out of his mouth as he fell were quite significant. ¡°The dungeon¡­ The dungeon has swallowed the city¡­¡± Dungeon. ¡­Dungeon, he said? Unwittingly, the next course of action for the unit had just been decided. Chapter 93.1 Chapter 93.1 ¡°Hmm. He¡¯s likely going to take quite some time to regain consciousness.¡± ¡°That bad, huh?¡± The soldier who had suddenly appeared and copsed in the middle of our meeting was examined by the medic. ¡°It seems he was in an extremely malnourished state to begin with. I¡¯m not sure why, but he must have pushed himself too far even in that condition¡­¡± ¡°Even so, your medical skills aren¡¯t enough to handle this?¡± Lance Corporal Sa Uijun, the medic. While I had been the one single-handedly cooking for our unit and gaining experience, our two medics and chains had been responsible for treating countless injured soldiers from battles, steadily gaining high-level experience. The two healers had reached quite high levels, capable of saving all but the most grievous injuries. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t the injury, it¡¯s an issue of energy depletion.¡±¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°If it was just malnutrition, I could at least give him some nutritional supplements. But this man seems to be an awakened.¡± Hearing that, I btedly looked closer at the man. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Freshness ¨C Mid-Low] [Awakened: Kim Young-gwan] [upation: Junior Grade Messenger Lv. 11] [Status: Magic Energy Depletion] ¡°From what I¡¯ve observed over the past few months, Awakened individuals are quite resistant to falling into malnutrition. Even if their physical nutrition bes problematic, their inner magic energy somehow keeps them going.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong with this man then?¡± ¡°He¡¯s pushed his body to the point ofpletely depleting his magic energy. At the lowest estimate, he¡¯ll likely to remain in this state for at least a week, maybe even a month.¡± Even without the medic¡¯s exnation, it was clear the man was not in a normal condition. The ¡°Mid-Low¡± freshness rating from the Ingredient Identification confirmed it. The freshness of a living being is almost always at the highest level. Even corpses are typically rated as ¡°Good¡± if they have recently deceased. Yet this man was only ¡°Mid-Low¡± ¨C barely clinging to life, his physical state akin to a corpse. ¡°¡­Should we try feeding him a meal at least?¡± I did have experience in reviving even the blind with my cooking. If I could just get him to eat, perhaps it could restore his depleted mana. ¡°Feed an unconscious person? Forget it.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s no good, huh?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s your cooking, Sergeant, he could choke on it before it takes effect.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Besides, he¡¯s not an urgent patient that needs immediate treatment. Saving him won¡¯t be too difficult, it¡¯ll just take some time.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s fortunate at least.¡± The issue was the plea for help this man had made. I had no idea about the circumstances behind it. The only keyword I knew was ¡°dungeon.¡± If not for that, I would have simply waited patiently for his recovery. I nced sideways. My eyes met those of the soldier standing there. ¡°Byeong-min.¡± ¡°Yes, Lance Corporal Byeong-min.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anything?¡± ¡°Well, that is¡­¡± Byeong-min was the one who had brought this man to the meeting room. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the details. I just asked where he came from, and he said the Chuncheon area¡­¡± ¡°Chuncheon, huh.¡± ¡°The man looked like he was about to die, so I just quickly brought him here when he kept asking for help. Looking back, I should have tried to get more information out of him calmly.¡± ¡°No, you did the right thing.¡± In that state, the man likely would not have been able to provide much detail anyway. The key information he did give was ¡°dungeon.¡± It wasn¡¯t somethingpletely new to us. We had already achieved significant growth by conquering a dungeon that had appeared in the subway. The explosive level-up of our unit members, not to mention the guild skills we obtained ¨C it was an unprecedented reward. But since then, we hadn¡¯t made any attempts to take on a dungeon. The simple reason being: ¡°We¡¯d love to, but we need to know first about the location of a dungeon.¡± Dungeons were far frommon. Even Jeong Soo-ah, who had thoroughly scanned the Inje-gun area through her spirit vision was unable to find any dungeon apart from the one that we had conquered. Dangerous as it may be, it was the best farming spot with rewards to match. The fact that this man requesting help had mentioned that precious dungeon was quite intriguing. ¡®This is not just a request for help, but also an opportunity to conquer a dungeon.¡¯ Now that we knew we couldn¡¯t leave Gangwon-do for the time being, seizing this chance to grow our unit for the future was a must-not-miss opportunity. ¡®But it¡¯s too risky to just charge in without any information.¡¯ I opened the guild message window. And summoned our [Shaman: Sergeant Park Taejun], the [Astrologer] Awakened of our guild. But. [Chef: Hello?] [Chef: Are you sleeping?] It took quite a while to get a response. Just as I was starting to worry something might be wrong, [Shaman: Ah, it¡¯s you, Young-joon.] The reply finally came. [Chef: What¡¯s up? Are you busy? ¡­If there¡¯s some issue on your end] [Shaman: No, there¡¯s no immediate big problem.] [Chef: Really?] [Shaman: I just had something I needed to focus on, that¡¯s why the reply was dyed. What¡¯s the matter?] It was a bit puzzling. Come to think of it, the Taejun I knew would have warned us even before any issues arose, about whether we should go or not. It seems it¡¯s been quite a while since he stopped giving those warnings. ¡®Something he needs to focus on, huh.¡¯ If it¡¯s the Taejun I know, then there¡¯s probably no major cause for concern. But I can¡¯t help feeling a bit worried. ¡®Well¡­ If he needs help, he¡¯ll let me know himself.¡¯ I decided not to pry. That¡¯s not the most pressing matter right now. [Chef: Well, this happened¡­] [Shaman: Hmm, let me take a look.] For now, as originally intended, I ryed the details about the man who hade from Chuncheon. [Shaman: I¡¯m seeing something, but¡­ it¡¯s a bit abstract.] [Chef: Oh, what is it?] [Shaman: Thendscape is too abstract. I¡¯m not sure how helpful it will be.] Abstract, huh. That¡¯s the weakness of this guy¡¯s ability. [Chef: Still, it¡¯s better than nothing. Tell me about it.] [Shaman: Well, I¡¯ll just share what I see, and you can make your own judgment.] Thendscape Taejun described was roughly as follows: [A city half-submerged in water.] [Water pouring down from the rooftops of the buildings like waterfalls.] [Shrouded in pitch-ck darkness even in broad daylight, with gilled humans roaming within.] ¡­It is indeed quite abstract. Andscape that doesn¡¯t seem to exist in reality at all. Taejun¡¯s upation as an [Astrologer] makes this understandable. His abilities are akin to a fortune-teller, able to perceive the future, but rarely providing direct information. Most of the time, it¡¯s expressed in abstract and symbolic ways. ¡®Rather than Chuncheon literally being like that, he¡¯s likely exaggerating certain key features.¡¯ It¡¯s a powerful ability, no doubt, but this aspect can be frustrating. Even Taejun seems to feel a bit troubled by it. ¡®No¡­ This might actually be better in a way.¡¯ It would be ideal if he could show the actual scenery clearly. But from a certain perspective, this approach may be better. ¡®It highlights the core features I need to prepare for.¡¯ By not showing the full, realistdscape, but rather an abstract depiction, it means he¡¯s filtered out the unnecessary details. And only the critical characteristics remain. Chapter 93.2 Chapter 93.2 From that viewpoint, the key points to be aware of seem to be: ¡°Water and darkness.¡± Preparing based on those keywords should suffice. I may not say it out loud, but as long as I have the necessary keywords to prepare for¡­ ¡®There¡¯s nothing my cooking can¡¯t handle.¡¯ *** ¡°Expedition preparations areplete.¡± ¡°That was pretty quick, considering it was a sudden mobilization.¡± The importance of the dungeon was something everyone agreed on.Overshadowing even the headquarters¡¯ discussions, the decision was made ¨C our unit¡¯s next destination would be Chuncheon. Once the decision was reached, the time required for expedition preparations became surprisingly short. To be honest, I was a little surprised. This dungeon expedition was fundamentally driven by the rescue request of that copsed man. ¡®These guys, they seemed pretty callous about non-unit members, but they¡¯re being this altruistic.¡¯ It was heartwarming to see them so diligently fulfilling their duty as soldiers to protect the people. However¡­ ¡°Those guys seem excited about the dungeon raid.¡± Min-jae hyungmented as he observed them. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Remember thest dungeon raid? Most of the squad members who participated grew significantly.¡± That was true. Even though I monopolized most of the experience points from the dungeon raid, the other squad members also leveled up at least once due to the abundant monsters we hunted. ¡°The ones who missed out were really disappointed.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why they¡¯re in such a hurry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s be a world where the stronger you are, the better off you are. I don¡¯t like it, but if the dungeon offers such rewards, it¡¯s natural to get excited.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It had nothing to do with altruism or anything like that. ¡®Who can I me? It¡¯s probably my cooking that¡¯s influenced this situation.¡¯ I should be satisfied that the squad members are ambitious. Even with the direct route provided by the railroad. The distance to Chuncheon was not exactly short. Since it¡¯s not a distance we can easily cover, we needed to split our forces. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and go ahead. Didn¡¯t I mention before? I used to manage a tailor shop before.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit different?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a way of saying.¡± While on the expedition. The legion¡¯s management was left to Lee Sang-ah, the only nonbat officer. Even though managing a tailor shop was a joke, she was experienced as a leader of a survivor group. As an officer capable ofmunication through guild messages. She was trustworthy enough. There wouldn¡¯t be many left in the unit besides the nonbat awakened. But even the nonbat awakened had decentbat abilities. After all, I am one of them too. ¡°There are barriers built by engineers around the base. You¡¯re leaving the tank behind since it consumes too much fuel, right? Considering the defense facilities, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s any issue¡­¡± Lee Sang-ah sighed softly. What could be the problem? ¡°The soldiers will be upset that they can¡¯t eat your cooking, Commander.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± That¡¯s a problem I can¡¯t solve. ¡°There¡¯s plenty ofbat rations I¡¯ve prepared.¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not the same as having your freshly made food.¡± She shrugged as she spoke. ¡°Logically, going on the expedition should be harder, but the soldiers staying behind seem more upset. It really tells the importance of food and its corrtion with morale.¡± What can we do? They¡¯ll have to endure until another [Chef] awakened joins us. The rest of the squad gathered the necessary supplies and set off. Our route was the previously secured subway tracks. Unlike the roads clogged with wrecked vehicles, the tracks offered a straight, clear path. It was a rarely upied area to begin with. Aside from one incident where zombies crawled out of a derailed train, we moved without major issues. ¡°The subway is quite safe.¡± ¡°The tracks on the surface are a problem, but if we can reinforce the walls there, it might be a secure supply route.¡± Listening to the engineers on the expedition, we continued our journey. After passing one station. We were heading towards the next, Chuncheon Station, when¡ª ¡°Stop, stop!¡± The vanguard signaled us to halt. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You need to see for yourself.¡± The spot where the soldiers signaled the stop. It was the section where the subway transitioned to the surface. As we emerged to the surface. In the distance. We saw a massive wall. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Normally, we would be starting to see thendscape of Chuncheon City by now. However, whaty before our eyes was somethingpletely alien. It was as if someone had drawn a line and painted a different picture on each side of it. Two entirely differentndscapes coexisted seamlessly. ¡°¡­What on earth is that?¡± One side presented a familiar scene. But the other side, where the Chuncheon Cityscape should have been, was apletely different scenery. Despite it being broad daylight, that area was as dark as night. ¡®It¡¯s like someone pulled a ck curtain across it.¡¯ This ck curtain seemed almost transparent. Inside, we could see water up to a person¡¯s chest level, undting gently. Yet, the water did not spill out beyond that space. Upon closer inspection, water was continuously pouring down from the walls of buildings. Like waterfalls. This scene¡­ I had heard about it recently. ¡°Abstract, my foot.¡± Thendscape Taejun had described. It was recreated exactly as he had seen it. ¡°It wasn¡¯t abstract at all¡­¡± [A dungeon has been discovered!] [Eroded World ¨C Dasmur] Chapter 94.1 [Eroded World ¨C Dasmur] A mysterious barrier surrounded the central area of Chuncheon city. Rather than entering the barrier, we decided to first survey the surroundings. ¡°The water near the river and dam has visibly decreased,¡± said Soo-ah, gazing into the air with her glowing eyes. This was the result of reconnaissance through spirits. ¡°The water within must have been drawn from elsewhere. It¡¯s not like they created something from nothing.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fortunate.¡± The dungeon is a space where monsters have been terraforming. The previous subway dungeon had been rtively small, modified to suit the monsters¡¯ living environment. But this¡­ ¡®Topletely encircle the heart of this city.¡¯ A transparent wall imprisoning the entire city. The interior has be apletely different world. This is on a different scale from just remodeling an enclosed space. Reshaping an open area is a far more drastic act. It¡¯s only natural for us to have these thoughts. ¡°The monster who did this must be inside, right?¡± ¡°Do you think we can beat a creature capable of this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I responded with a shrug to the bewildered soldiers. ¡°At least the water seems to have been drawn from elsewhere, so it¡¯s not some godly being creating something from nothing.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ You¡¯re being quite positive.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of getting anxious already?¡± I am a bit overwhelmed by this sight as well. The subway dungeon being buried in sand under Inje-gun Station was impressive, but at least that seemed possible to ovee with enough brute force. This, however, was on a whole other level in both scale and oppressive presence. ¡®But I can¡¯t let myself get too demoralized either.¡¯ The important thing is to assess the situation calmly. It¡¯s still clearly a dangerous threat, but¡­ ¡®I wish we had brought the tank with us.¡¯ The long-distance travel was judged to be too fuel-consuming, but now I¡¯m not sure if bringing the tank would have been the right call given this visual. ¡®Retreat does seem like the best answer for now.¡¯ Delving into the dungeon or responding to rescue requests is important, but if I¡¯m not confident in our ability to clear it, postponing is the wise choice. I was about to order the squad to retreat when¡­ ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± said Corporal Su-hyeok. ¡°Strange?¡± ¡°Ever since I ate your cooking, my senses have been a bit heightened, you know?¡± After eating the dish that enhanced Su-hyeok¡¯s sniping senses, we¡¯d used simr recipes a few more times to aid the tank¡¯s bombardment. It seems that has left him more sensitive than before, even now. ¡°I think I may be the only one who¡¯s noticed, but¡­ this wall seems to be expanding gradually.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Expanding? ¡°Ah, it might be hard to believe before seeing it directly. Please wait a moment.¡± Su-hyeok approached the ck wall, with a weapon in hand. He drew a line on the ground about 2cm from the wall. After some time passed¡­ ¡°Take a look.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± The line he had drawn had been swallowed into the wall. The territory of this barrier was steadily expanding. Dungeons are shaped by the terraforming of monsters. Meaning¡­ ¡°So, it¡¯s expanding its domain.¡± ¡°The area this wall already upies is substantial, encircling the entire city. And yet, it¡¯s expanded over 2cm in this short time¡­¡± 2cm may not seem like much, but considering the massive scale this circle already covers, it¡¯s an rming rate. ¡®This is an astounding speed.¡¯ As time passes, this domain will only growrger. And the expansion of this territory¡­ is certainly not a good sign. ¡°Even if we retreat now, at this rate it¡¯ll catch up to us soon enough.¡± ¡°Most likely, yes.¡± ¡°Well then¡­¡± This feels simr to the vampire subjugation ¨C we likely don¡¯t have the luxury of leisurely building up our strength. ¡°We¡¯ll have to enter that territory before it expands further.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not, we¡¯ll just have to make it possible. And¡­¡± Truthfully, I don¡¯t think the answer is entirely hopeless. ¡®Water. And darkness.¡¯ The keywords Taejun provided were urate. So, ¡°You said the water levels near the dam and river have dropped significantly, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°Go do some fishing over there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± *** [Entering the Eroded World- Dasmur] [This is a world submerged in water, with only the moonlight shining dimly] [The people of Dasmur once enjoyed peace and prosperity under divine protection, but now, bereft of their god] [They seek to recreate their moments of glory on thisnd] [This is a clear act of invasion] [Do not tolerate it] [The environment is not friendly to humans (Environmental Adaptation ¨C 74%)] [Species Penalty ¨C Slight decrease in all stats] We entered the dungeon. The water rising to chest level soaked our uniforms as a system message appeared. One phrase I had ignored before now caught my attention: ¡°Do not tolerate it¡­¡± Was that the system¡¯s will? Or simply a quest prompt to stir our resolve? ¡®If it¡¯s the former, does that mean the system sees us as allies?¡¯ I¡¯m not sure. What we can do now is adapt to the environment in front of us. ¡°Enter, enter!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to breathe at first! Adapt calmly!¡± My guild mates followed me into the dungeon. A drastic environmental change. But this wasn¡¯t our first dungeon, and we had expected something like this. Having been warned of some difort, they were able to adapt without too much panic. ¡°Thebat vehicles have entered as well!¡± ¡°Lift up the ones in bad shape first.¡± Soon, the vehicles we had brought forbat were all inside the dungeon, waterproofed in anticipation of underwater battles. With their decent height, those on top of the vehicles should be able to mostly avoid the water. Before boarding, I approached the entrance we hade through. ¡®From the outside, the interior was fairly visible.¡¯ But upon entering, there was an immensely powerful current crashing at the boundary. Chapter 94.2 I dipped my military-grade sword into it, and the tip was shredded like it had met a grinder. Simultaneously, a message appeared: [Once you enter the dungeon, you cannot escape until the clear condition is met] Getting in may have been easy, but leaving apparently would not be. Even our reinforcedbat vehicles seemed unlikely to withstand the overwhelming water pressure for long. ¡®Well, I knew mid-mission withdrawal was impossible anyway.¡¯ The previous dungeon had been the same. Having stepped inside, We cannot leave until we clear the dungeon. This is a dungeon of substantial size, covering an entire city. ¡®This will be a prolonged battle.¡¯ I too boarded one of the nearby vehicles. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move out!¡± The engineer in the vehicle shouted, and they began advancing. The target was a nearby high-rise building. We¡¯ll need to get to a higher vantage point to survey the area. Looking down from the moving vehicle, one of the soldiers muttered, ¡°The water is so clear.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± I¡¯ve seen news footage of cities flooded, where the dirty water of sewers and urban dust make the water anything but clean. ¡®This is no ordinary flood.¡¯ The water now engulfing the city was remarkably clear, allowing even old flyers drifting in it to be visible. Suddenly, a distant ripple in the water caught my eye. ¡®That¡¯s not my imagination.¡¯ A ck shadow moving rapidly through the water. And not just one ¨C the shadows were multiplying at an rming rate. ¡°Here theye!¡± ¡°Assume battle formations!!¡± With Lieutenant Kim¡¯s shout, buffs began to spread out among party members. And then, a creature burst forth from the water, lunging towards us. Its speed was so great I couldn¡¯t make out the details, but the silhouette seemed¡­ ¡®Odd?¡¯ A humanoid monster with scales and gills. It is likely not the same species as Earth¡¯s fish, but a simr type of being. ¡®Straight-up aquaticbat specialists, huh.¡¯ The enemies charged at us from the water. Meanwhile, we arend-dwelling humans. And thatnd was now submerged in water up to our chests. While we havebat vehicles, we can¡¯t fight freely atop them. No matter how skilled a warrior may be, their abilities will be severely diminished underwater. It was an extremely unfavorable environment¡­ ¡®Or so it would have been.¡¯ But that¡¯s irrelevant now. ¡°Hahaha!!!¡± Warriors leaped into the water, letting out battle cries without hesitation. The reason was obvious. [Cooking effects have been applied.] [Full Course Meal: Deep Sea] Thanks to the hearty meal: [Spicy Crab Soup] [Pickled Seaweed] [Assorted Sashimi] [Grilled Nighthawk with Fish Sauce] While treating Soo-ah¡¯s vision I had used an owl like monster which had a trait called Night Vision. True to its name, it allowed vision even in darkness. And the other dishes were all seafood-based. A simple, conceptually clearposition. And the effects matched that concept: [Upon consumption all stats will increase] [Upon consumption water resistance greatly increases] [Upon consumption user will temporarily gain the trait (Water Adaptation)] [Upon consumption user will temporarily gain the trait (Night Vision)] The warriors in the water swung their weapons. Considering the resistance of water, the attacks shouldn¡¯t have been that effective. But- WHAM! -AAAAARGH! The monster let out a scream and was sent reeling. We boarded the vehicles just to movefortably. But now, having fed the entire unit with this meal¡­ ¡°Haha! Come at us, you fish brats!¡± ¡°Honestly, I was scared to fight underwater when they said we would. But it¡¯s easier than fighting onnd!¡± The flooded city environment was no disadvantage for us. ¡®It¡¯s a shame the ingredients used were mostly justmon seafood, though.¡¯ Ingredients from monster parts with innate magic would likely outperform regr fish and seaweed. I¡¯ve never encountered monsters with water-rted traits before. And since this was a multi-course meal, the stat boosts were only modest. But even so, Our troops have grown stronger. -EEEEEK¡­! Adapting them to the environment alone was enough for us to overwhelm the enemies. I too descended from the vehicle, drawing my de and calmly observed the fishman running towards me. [Skill ¨C Chef¡¯s Eyes activated] [Obtained Intermediate Cooking Secret ¨C Enlightenment of Dasmurrian Fishman Preparation] [Dasmurrian Fishman of the Deep Sea] [A prized ingredient among the lifeforms of Dasmur, the protector species Dasmurrian] [There is a local legend that says the one who eats their flesh can achieve immortality] [A race with great potential, but unable to fully manifest it currently] [To prepare it, first the gills-] Dasmurrians, huh. ¡°Their weakness is the gills on their chest! Stab anything you can into them!¡± Conveying the preparation method now flowing into my mind to the soldiers, I nced down at the de in my hand. [Dokkkogusik] The knife Grandpa Park made for me, in the form of a long sashimi knife. ¡®It¡¯s been so well-sharpened that I¡¯ve been using it for all sorts of tasks.¡¯ But its original purpose¡­ was to prepare fish. Shing. It should be easy to slice them with this. Chapter 95.1 [Gained experience points] [Gained experience points] ¡°Ugh, Is it over¡­?¡± The battle that unfolded shortly after entering the dungeon ended in an overwhelming victory for our forces. Not a single person was seriously wounded, not even minor injuries ¨C aplete rout. But- ¡°Hey, more areing!¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Not long after the battle ended, more monsters came swarming in. While our troop quality is superior, we can¡¯t eliminate the endless stream of enemiespletely. ¡°Commander Shin, we¡¯re alright for now, but if anyone gets injured, it¡¯ll be difficult to treat them in this environment.¡± The medic and chain approached and reported their concerns. We had prepared for this dungeon raid to be a protracted battle. There was no delusion of clearing it in a single fight. ¡°Keep moving and fighting! Towards that high-rise building!¡± The monsters were approaching from the water. Given their gills, their abilities tend to diminish out of water. ¡°The door¡¯s smashed! Be careful of the ss as youe in!¡± ¡°Us awakened ones don¡¯t get hurt by stuff like that! In, in!¡± We managed to sessfully enter the building. Stepping through the flowing water, we found the stairs and made our way up to the second floor. ¡°Looks like they aren¡¯t following.¡± The floodwaters hadn¡¯t risen up to the second floor. We remained vignt in case the monsters tried to pursue us, but luckily that didn¡¯t happen. ¡°¡­Everyone, rest up!¡± ¡°Phew!¡± We decided to take a breather. Though it was daylight outside when we entered, inside the building it was pitch ck. If not for the meal¡¯s effects, we¡¯d all be struggling in the darkness. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m a bit worried about leaving thebat vehicles down there.¡± ¡°They¡¯re waterproof, aren¡¯t they? We can just grab them when we move outter.¡± The vehicles that served as mobile barricades in battle. But since we couldn¡¯t feed them the prepared meal, They haven¡¯t fully adapted to the environment. Our boasted serrated des and horns also lose speed and effectiveness underwater. It¡¯s a shame, but not to the point where we need to go out of our way to retrieve them. As the soldiers rested, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Upstairs.¡± I rose to my feet and decided to explore the upper floors of the building. With the potions boosting my stats, and even vampire drain abilities, The fatigue from the recent battle wasn¡¯t even severe. ¡°Since we nned to scout the high-rise anyway, I¡¯ll go up first.¡± ¡°We¡¯re barely alive over here¡­ You¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°Just rest.¡± The building had long lost its electricity. We had no choice but to ascend the emergency stairs one floor at a time. After climbing several floors, I sensed some movements above. ¡°¡­!¡± Perhaps we became toocent, thinking the water-dwelling monsters wouldn¡¯t pursue us here. ¡®Just because the water monsters can¡¯t thrive onnd doesn¡¯t mean there are no other threats inside the building.¡¯ It was an overly optimistic judgment. But it¡¯s toote to regret it now. Ssss¡­ I gripped my de, preparing for battle. The presences I felt weren¡¯t just one or two. Entities slowly approaching me. As they revealed themselves on the stairs below, ¡®Okay, one at a time. Dispatch them quickly!¡¯ I swung my de towards the form. But- ¡°W-who¡¯s there!¡± An unexpected voice reached my ears. I hesitated. My sashimi knife, poised to decapitate, stopped just short of their neck. ¡®Shit, almost killed him.¡¯ The man who shouted at me, realizing he had nearly died, or perhaps unaware that I had nearly killed him- ¡°Dammit. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing, lurking in the dark, but this building is our territory!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what building you¡¯re from, but barging in from the first floor without coordination? You trying to start a war or what?¡± The men yelled angrily. But I was simply bewildered, unable toprehend their words. ¡®This building is their territory? What¡¯s this about othersing from different buildings?¡¯ I decided it was best not to react hastily. Perhaps they were also on edge. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? Damn, what a waste of fuel¡­¡± A man pulled something from his chest. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a torch made of a wooden stick and fabric. He lit it with a lighter. Fwoosh. In the darkness, a torch was lit. Its red light illuminated me. ¡°Where did these guyse from? Let¡¯s take a look at their faces¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± When the torch shined on me, the men¡¯s faces turned bewildered. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°He seems like an unfamiliar person.¡± ¡°No, look at his clothes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a military uniform, isn¡¯t it?¡± The men were shocked. I was just as perplexed. There were so many survivors inside this dungeon. Just what was going on here? ¡°Please have a seat.¡± The people already inside the building guided our squad upstairs. As we climbed the stairs, I took a look at each floor. This seemed to have originally been an office building. But now there were signs of habitation everywhere. ¡®They must have been living here for a while.¡¯ What was interesting was that there seemed to be quite a lot of people. Honestly, it was quite amazing. ¡®There are so many survivors inside this dungeon.¡¯ The previous dungeon we had cleared was different. The construction workers in the subway had all be prey for the monsters. But this dungeon seemed different. ¡°I¡¯m Park Tae-wan.¡± A man reached out to shake my hand. It was usually Lieutenant Kim who would take the lead in these situations. But this time, the main purpose was to explore the dungeon, not to meet an outside force. ¡°I¡¯m Sergeant Shin Young-joon.¡± I decided to introduce myself first. Revealing that we were soldiers. ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s true then.¡± I could tell they were amazed. ¡°Given the report we heard earlier, and now seeing the military uniform, it¡¯s clear.¡± ¡°Sir, apparently there were even armored vehicles submerged on the first floor.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The excited people started chattering among themselves. Even Tae-wan couldn¡¯t hide his excitement as he spoke. Chapter 95.2 ¡°So, the military has finally started moving.¡± ¡­Moved, huh? I hesitated on how to respond, when I heard the excited people talking more. ¡°See? Damn it. I told you the outside would be fine!¡± ¡°Does that mean we can go out now?¡± ¡°The fact that soldiers have arrived means there must be a way for us to leave, right? This miserable life is finally over.¡± I could kind of understand up to this point. ¡°No, just because we can go outside doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯ll be all good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if they find out about our ¡®awakening¡¯, we could be taken by the government and used as test subjects.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll resist. We¡¯ve gotten strong enough to do that.¡± ¡°Are you kidding? Even if we¡¯ve gotten stronger, we can¡¯t defeat the organized modern military.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not be so pessimistic. Instead of being test subjects, we could be treated like the superpowered heroes on TV, people who¡¯ve undergone a great struggle and awakening.¡± ¡­From this point on, I just couldn¡¯t keep up. ¡®These people. Do they really not know that the military has been wiped out, and that outside society has copsed?¡¯ They had apletely different feeling from the other survivors outside. As I hesitated to respond, Tae-wan asked, ¡°I just want to ask one thing. You all aren¡¯t the soldiers who were hiding in Chuncheon or something, right? You came from outside the wall?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± Tae-wan let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I was convinced the outside world had been destroyed.¡± ¡°Destroyed?¡± ¡°Well, what else could it be? We can¡¯t get out through that wall, and no one¡¯sing in from outside either¡­ Some argue there must be a reason we can¡¯t break through the wall, but I thought all of humanity outside had perished, drowned in that water.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Guess I was wrong about that. Though with that water pressure, it must have taken time to figure out how to prate from the outside.¡± ¡°Before that, just a moment.¡± While it seemed, he was quite mistaken about some things, I decided to ask about something I was curious about first, before correcting his misunderstanding. ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t get out because of that wall, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. One day, the ground started to fill with water. Whenever we tried to escape outside, there was that waterfall-like wall blocking the way.¡± ¡°Do you know when that happened?¡± ¡°Well, I do know the date¡­¡± The date he mentioned was familiar to us as well. It was just a few days before my discharge. Meaning¡­ ¡®This dungeon¡­¡¯ ¡®So, this dungeon was created on the day of the apocalypse?¡¯ The day when the lizardmen attacked our unit. Chuncheon had been trapped in this dungeon. I could then understand the gap in information between these survivors and the ones outside. ¡°It was really shocking. The people who said the military woulde rescue us soon grew quiet after a few months. There aren¡¯t many who still believe the military will help us now¡­¡± It seems opinions were divided among them. Some thought the outside world had beenpletely submerged and destroyed, except for them. Others believed the outside was fine, and the military woulde to save them soon. But both were wrong. ¡°More reinforcements will be arriving soon, right? I heard even armored vehicles can operate well underwater in this environment¡­¡± ¡°We are the only military force here.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The excited faces of the people turned a bit somber. We could try to bring in the tanks stationed at the ammunition depot, but that would be the extent of our military force. ¡°I see. I don¡¯t know much, but considering howte the military has arrived, it must not be easy to breach that wall from the outside.¡± We had just walked in. The fact that no one hade in before us was likely because it looked too dangerous. ¡°But it¡¯s alright! It¡¯s hard to believe, but we¡¯ve had a rather unique experience, in here. We¡¯ll show you the powers we¡¯ve gainedter ¨C I think you¡¯ll be quite surprised.¡± That power was probably something we already knew about. I could more or less piece together the situation. ¡®They seem to have experienced an apocalypse, but of a different genre.¡¯ There are different types of apocalyptic movies ¨C zombie movies, disaster films about floods, and so on. While the day of the apocalypse had arrived at the same time, these people had undergone a unique experience within this dungeon, separate from the outside world. ¡°Since we¡¯vee from outside, we don¡¯t really know the details of what happened here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°Could you please exin it to us in detail?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Tae-wan¡¯s exnation was roughly as I had expected. On the day of the apocalypse, slowly water began to fill thends. Allmunication with the outside was cut off. The way out was blocked by a torrential waterfall, powerful enough to even break apart rocks. The sun no longer rose, and even the clouds disappeared. ¡°When the water rose to around thigh-high, monsters started appearing.¡± ¡°At first, we thought they were just giant alligators.¡± The people fled to buildings above the second floor, escaping the water and the monsters. ¡°You could say we were fortunate. The water didn¡¯t rise too quickly. We had enough time to move the supplies to the higher floors. And the monsters didn¡¯te out of the water much, so the casualties were surprisingly low.¡± Huh? He said the casualties were low? Hearing that, my eyes widened. The reason I had tried to subjugate the monsters as my subordinates was because the number of regr humans had dwindled. I would have needed to bring in monsters to build up my forces, since so many ordinary people had died. ¡°So, the citizens of Chuncheon are mostly still alive. Is that correct?¡± Chuncheon was one of thergest cities in Gangwon-do province. If its entire poption had survived, that would be an enormous number. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, a lot has happened, let¡¯s just say. The details, you¡¯ll have to see for yourself outside¡­¡± Tae-wan spoke with a dark expression. One of the people behind him muttered in a small voice, ¡°We¡¯ll have to testify properly in court, after all¡­¡± I¡¯m not sure how to put this, but it seems the number of people killed by the monsters or drowned in the water was not that high. ¡®¡­Does that mean a lot of them died for other reasons? Chapter 96.1 ¡°We¡¯ll have to testify properly in court, after all¡­¡± ¡­It seems like a lot of people died for other reasons. ¡°May I ask a question as well?¡± At that moment, one of the soldiers standing behind us raised his hand and asked, ¡°So, there aren¡¯t any zombies here?¡± ¡°Zombies?¡± ¡°Is that some kind of metaphor?¡± ¡°The people do look a bit zombie-like, though¡­¡± It seemed there weren¡¯t even any zombies here. It felt a little simr to the situation of our own unit. ¡®Zombies didn¡¯t show up in our unit either, for some reason.¡¯ That allowed us to focus all our efforts on fighting the lizardmen. And it seems the same went for these people. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Lv. 3 Spearman] [Lv. 6 Fire Mage] There was a significant number of awakened individuals. With only the water-dwelling monsters to contend with in this space, information on awakening techniques had likely spread quite quickly. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s how it is. After that, we¡¯ve been getting by on the food supplies we moved upstairs, the fish we¡¯ve caught, and some bread we¡¯ve obtained through other means.¡± ¡°Fishing?¡± ¡°Ah, there are quite a few fish in that water. I¡¯m not sure why, though.¡± I recalled the dam orke that Jeong-soo had seen, where the water level had visibly decreased. ¡®It seems that water has flowed into this space, bringing the fish with it.¡¯ ¡°So, are you the only survivors here?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. There are a few others we¡¯re in contact with.¡± ¡°In contact?¡± Communicating with other buildings while trapped in this one? I had wondered if they somehow breached the monster-infested waters to reach other buildings. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if I just show you. Follow me.¡± We followed Tae-wan¡¯s lead. The ce we had been conversing was around the middle floor of the building. But the destination he was taking us to now was¡­ ¡®The rooftop?¡¯ As we climbed the stairs to the rooftop, the sight that unfolded before us was quite remarkable. The water cascading down the building walls like a waterfall, the moon floating in the sky despite it being daytime. And then, ¡°Leader, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Good, is everything alright?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The people standing guard on the rooftop. What they were guarding was nothing other than¡­ ¡°Cloud bridges?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°They were cloud bridges connecting one building to another.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a bit crude, but these bridges allow us tomunicate with the people in other buildings. We trade supplies as needed.¡± Cloud bridges, huh. Seeing the precarious, swaying bridges, I moved to the outer edge of the rooftop. Looking down, I saw the waterfall flowing down the building¡¯s exterior, with dark shapes moving about in the water below. ¡®They¡¯ve been driven from the ground and forced to take refuge in the sky.¡¯ While these cloud bridges were the ingenious solution the people in this city had devised to survive, it felt rather pitiful. The humans, who were once the masters of the ground, had been driven into the high-rise buildings. And now, the monsters that had taken over the ground were gaping their jaws in the water below, waiting to catch any humans who might fall from the unstable cloud bridges. ¡°Ah, you must be curious about how we made these cloud bridges. As I mentioned earlier, there are some people who have gained rather special powers. They used those powers to throw ropes to the other buildings and build these bridges.¡± ¡°¡­We already know about the awakening.¡± Tae-wan, surprised by my response, paused for a moment before speaking again. ¡°Now that you mention it, I¡¯ve been talking mostly about our situation here. I¡¯d like to hear about the outside as well, if you don¡¯t mind sharing?¡± The people here had clung to the hope that we hade from the outside world. It felt a bit sorry to crush that hope, but I couldn¡¯t lie to them either. ¡°It seems you thought the outside world was still fine when you saw us.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­Actually, that¡¯s not the case.¡± My unit members and I then proceeded to exin the full situation outside in detail. The humans who had been excited at the prospect of the militarying to rescue them¡­ ¡°Good heavens.¡± ¡­now covered their faces. Their once hopeful demeanor is nowpletely gone. ¡°Not just the Plunderers, but all kinds of monsters are roaming around out there?¡± ¡°Zombies? What¡¯s that even supposed to be. This isn¡¯t a movie.¡± ¡°Damn it. It would have been better if I had just thought everyone else drowned. Being zombies is even worse than being dead.¡± Tae-wan, who had been chatting enthusiastically earlier, now spoke with a dazed expression. ¡°So, are you really the only ones who came to help us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reinforcementsing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The people who had been filled with hope seeing us. It would have been better if they had no hope at all. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± The small glimmer of hope they had clung to was now extinguished, plunging them into despair. I could see a slight moistness in Tae-wan¡¯s eyes as he spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, covering his face. ¡°So, we¡¯re trapped here for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case.¡± The people stared at us with wide eyes. ¡°There must be a mastermind behind this dungeon somewhere, probably the leader of those monsters. If we kill that person, we can escape.¡± ¡°¡­Tch, whatever.¡± ¡°That was just nonsense, huh.¡± The response was lukewarm, despite my suggestion for a way to escape. ¡°Do you have any idea how many of those monsters there are? You¡¯d have to go into the water, their territory, to fight them.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We may be able to hunt a few of them, since we¡¯ve awakened too. But to hunt their leader? That¡¯s impossible.¡± I was slightly annoyed by their dismissive attitude even before trying. ¡°But how do you even know if you haven¡¯t even tried?¡± ¡°There are some things you just know even before trying. Sadly, you have to ept it. Since you¡¯vee in here, you¡¯ll die with us.¡± Tae-wan let out a hollowugh, seeming deeply dejected. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re done talking. Now get out of here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say this building is our territory? So, get out.¡± A sudden deration. ¡°We don¡¯t have much to spare either. Our food reserves are running low. We only have the fish we¡¯ve caught and some hardened rye bread that we¡¯ve bought with points. And that rye bread tastes terrible, and it¡¯s so expensive¡­ We don¡¯t have any food to share with you. We don¡¯t even n to share the fish swimming around here. So just leave.¡± Listening to that, I thought, ¡®Isn¡¯t that all the more reason not to kick us out?¡¯ Then, a man approached Tae-wan and spoke. ¡°Leader, please reconsider.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Those people are soldiers, aren¡¯t they? They have quite a few of them, and they came here of their own free will.¡± It seemed like he was thinking along simr lines to me, but¡­ Chapter 96.2 ¡°They must have somebat rations or something, right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be a waste to just send them away.¡± Hearing that, Tae-wan nodded and spoke. ¡°You make a good point. You people!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve learned a lot of information from us, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ll have to pay an information fee.¡± Information fee? ¡°If the information fee is a problem, then how about a passage fee to move elsewhere, or a lodging fee if you want to stay here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯vee here, you must have a decent amount of food, right? Let¡¯s share among fellow humans.¡± Such an audacious disy. ¡®This man isn¡¯t necessarily evil, but¡­¡¯ On top of the already difficult situation, he had just heard the news that the outside world they had hoped for was also ruined. In his despair, he was unable to make a proper judgment. However, ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean we need to amodate them.¡¯ I shrugged and looked back. ¡°Gwang-il.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There should be some militarybat rations left in the vehicles downstairs. Bring back a third of them.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok frowned at my words. ¡°Sergeant Sin, do we really need to¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± As they said, we did gain information from them. And military rations aren¡¯t that much, after all. ¡°This is not food I made, butbat rations that were stocked up in the ammunition battalion and tank battalion.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. I understand.¡± I¡¯m more than willing to provide it. ¡°You¡¯re being quite cooperative.¡± ¡°As you said, it¡¯s true that we received information. But we don¡¯t n to stay here, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Heh, that¡¯s good then.¡± But this is a transaction after all. We need to be clear on the amount to be exchanged. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear more information in exchange for the food.¡± ¡°Sure, feel free to ask.¡± ¡°You said this building is your territory, and you sometimes interact with other buildings. I¡¯d like to know more about the other factions.¡± Tae-wan¡¯s face seemed to slightly frown at that. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of aplicated story.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to then no food for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Tae-wan tried to get up, I slightly opened my coat, revealing the handgun holstered at my chest. ¡°Just so you know, I have no intention of handing it over peacefully even if you try to take it by force.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You seem to have quite a few awakened ones too. Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be easy targets.¡± ¡°Tsk, fine. Sharing the information shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡± Though he said it wasplex information, it turned out to be nothing major. ¡°The people upying that other building are on the smaller side¡­¡± It was just about how the different groups were situated in the various buildings, asionally interacting via connecting bridges. And, ¡°There have been some battles between them as well.¡± ¡°Battles?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rtively stable now, but there was a big fight at one point.¡± With food supplies dwindling, there were even some plunderers who attacked other buildings to seize their food. ¡°The plunderers were all killed in the incident, but after that, approaching the first floor was considered a hostile act.¡± While it¡¯s easy to just cut the bridges for aerial threats, thoseing up from the monster-infested waters below can still break through even if the stairs are barricaded. Listening to this, I thought again, ¡®They really messed up their choices badly.¡¯ Once I felt I had gathered the necessary information, ¡°I think that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± As I stood up to leave, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°?¡± Someone from the group approached Tae-wan and whispered in his ear. Leader, think about it¡­ those people¡­ Ah, is that so¡­? Hearing that, Tae-wan¡¯s eyes widened, and he cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, there¡¯s no need to leave so hastily.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Since we gave you so much food, the information we provided seems a bitcking. We¡¯ll provide lodging as well, so why don¡¯t you stay with us?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Our leader got a bit carried away earlier, but mistakes happen among fellow humans. Let¡¯s make amends and live together!¡± This sudden friendly attitude was easy to understand. ¡®So, they just realized it now?¡¯ Their food reserves were running low, and without sunlight, they couldn¡¯t grow crops. Their only sources were points and fishing, but the hardened rye bread bought with points was horribly inefficient, leaving fishing as their only viable option. However, this area didn¡¯t seem like a particrly good fishing spot, so they couldn¡¯t possibly obtain enough food that way. In other words, if this situation continued, ¡®It won¡¯t be long before the groups upying the different buildings start fighting each other for control.¡¯ They had already mentioned a previous fight to seize others¡¯ food supplies. The uing battles would likely be to secure more fishing grounds. The fighting would continue until only the group with enough manpower to sustain themselves through fishing remained. To survive in that struggle, Securing as muchbat power as possible would be essential. These people who had been surviving here for months already knew their ownbat capabilities were roughly equal. And that¡¯s when we, the soldiers with awakened abilities, had arrived. ¡®They must have realized we are soldiers with guns, and that we have awakened individuals mixed in as well.¡¯ In other words, we are an incredible force that can change the power dynamics between these human factions. Objectively speaking, they would be hard-pressed to not try to entice us to their side. They had initially shown an attitude of telling us to ¡®get lost¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll find a ce to stay somewhere.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t do that!¡± The people who are now trying to stop us from leaving. They must have realized the significance of our presence in their current situation. ¡°I apologize for my earlier mistake. Please, at least hear us out!¡± If they had properly understood, they wouldn¡¯t have told us to get lost or demanded our food. And, ¡°Let go of my sleeve.¡± We don¡¯t need to worry about their misjudgment. As I stood up, shaking off Tae-wan¡¯s hand trying to hold me back, I said: ¡°Thank you for the information. We¡¯ll leave behind thebat rations we promised as payment. Enjoy your meal.¡± ¡°W-why are you suddenly in such a hurry? Can¡¯t we at least talk it over?¡± ¡°If our leader¡¯s harsh words upset you, we can apologize on his behalf¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bothered by that.¡± These people who are now desperately clinging to us after btedly realizing our worth. To them, the only thing I could say was: ¡°¡­If you really want to keep us here, there is a way, but¡­¡± ¡°W-what kind of way?¡± ¡°You would have to pay the price.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Since they were the ones who first defined our rtionship as a transaction, Just as I had purchased information with their food, They would now have to ¡®purchase¡¯ our strength as well. ¡°But only if you can offer an appropriate price.¡± Chapter 97.1 ¡°Payment? We don¡¯t really have anything to pay with¡­ Ah! How about thebat rations you gave us earlier?¡± That prompted a slight chuckle from me. ¡°Haha¡­ Are you joking?¡± ¡°Well then, how about people? Our people are all quite good-looking, whether male or female. If you need them¡­¡± Tsk. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have anything more to say.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on! Don¡¯t say that let¡¯s just talk it out¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ignoring the people trying to stop us, my squad and I headed down the building towards the ground level. ¡°Even if you¡¯re going to leave, why go down there?¡± Someone among the building¡¯s upants asked. ¡°We have a cloud bridge we set up, so you can use that.¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no need to go down to the ground dangerously, right?¡± Seems they¡¯ve realized they can¡¯t really hold us back. They just want to part on a better note. But, ¡°I appreciate the consideration, but it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about that toll thing earlier, forget it.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m really saying this is okay.¡± As we reached the first floor, we could see thebat vehicles submerged in the water. ¡°We can¡¯t move those vehicles across the cloud bridge, can we?¡± ¡°Well, that does seem unlikely.¡± ¡°Most importantly, we have a separate reason for entering this dungeon.¡± Using the cloud bridge would be more convenient but our reasons for entering the dungeon were twofold: One was that we couldn¡¯t refuse the rescue request. The second was¡­ [Experience points acquired] [Experience points acquired] [Someone who has enjoyed your meal has excelled in battle] [The Chef¡¯s reputation is spreading far and wide] I [Increase in experience points] ¡°Keep attacking and move forward!¡± ¡°Yes!!!¡± It was for the sake of our growth. The meals we had eaten. We need to reap the benefits before the effects wear off. However, ¡°Ahem.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± There were a few who couldn¡¯t participate in the battle. The mages. Especially those wielding fire and electricity. ¡®In the previous dungeon, the fire mages were raking in the honey.¡¯ Perhaps the properties of the air were different in the subway dungeon, as the fire mages¡¯ firepower had increased. They were the second most crucial members for clearing the dungeon, with the highest-leveled soldier among the fire mages. But this time, ¡°Normally, wouldn¡¯t the fish die if the water temperature rises?¡± ¡°But these aren¡¯t just regr fish.¡± The battle took ce underwater. Even though my cooking gave them the [Environmental Adaptation] trait, the fire they shot at the underwater monsters would inevitably weaken. On the other hand, for the electric mages, ¡°The problem is that it¡¯s be too powerful. How about that.¡± Sergeant Lee Minjae sighed as he sat on thebat vehicle. These monsters. They¡¯re not just regr fish for nothing. They¡¯re swimming at incredible speed to approach us. By the time we noticed them, we were already in closebat. And that¡¯s where the problem lies. ¡®Friendly fire.¡¯ When your own attacks end up harming your allies. In games where the mage ss exists, there are usually area-of-effect attacks. But in those cases, the bnce is adjusted so that the AoE doesn¡¯t harm your allies. However, ¡°Some games that emphasize realism¡­ intentionally allow friendly fire. That adds to the realism andplexity of the strategy.¡± ¡°The game has be so realistic that the reality has be a game. Damn, that¡¯s too realistic.¡± Sergeant Lee Minjae frowned as he spoke. Our world is frustratingly realistic. Since the mages¡¯ AoE attacks can harm our own troops, ¡®Up until now, the mages would just regte their firepower to avoid hitting allies.¡¯ But the problem now is that the battlefield is underwater. Water and electricity are opposites. The mages¡¯ electrical attacks have be more than twice as powerful. But if they unleash that against the enemies swarming in the water, our own soldiers will get fried by the electricity. ¡®The strongest mage on our side is Sergeant Lee Minjae, and he¡¯s an electric mage.¡¯ Rendering his magic ineffective would be quite devastating. The only saving grace is that the monsters in this area aren¡¯t particrly strong. Excluding the two elemental mages, the other soldiers were steadily gaining experience by taking down the iing monsters. Of course¡­ It¡¯s impossible to keep fighting the endless hordes of monsters. We had only avoidedbat up until then, in order to reach our destination. ¡°Hey, I can see our destination!¡± Soon, we were able to reach the ce we had targeted. But then, ¡°Wait, hold on.¡± ¡°Something seems off over there too.¡± The soldiers looking in the distance said they spotted something. ¡°¡­A battle. There¡¯s a battle going on!¡± ¡°In the distance, humans and fishmen are shing!¡± Seeing that, I let out a slight smile and muttered, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve found the right ce.¡± Right after leaving the building, So, where should we go now? The soldiers had asked me. As I unfolded the map, I answered, There. Huh? That looks like a regr building. What¡¯s there? There are likely people residing in that building. Eh? I had confirmed that there were many surviving humans within the dungeon. In that case, ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be worth meeting some of the others as well?¡¯ That was the suggestion I made, but Other people? ¡­Do we have to? The reaction from my squad was rather ambiguous. This was both the strength and weakness of our unit. ¡®The internal cohesion is incredibly strong, but they¡¯re a bit wary of outsiders.¡¯ In the early days of the apocalypse, to calm the panicked soldiers, I had fed them meals with the [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce]. The effect was substantial. The soldiers who were on the verge of losing their minds have now be an excellent fighting force. However, Perhaps the effect of that meal wasrgely focused on ¡°Let¡¯s survive together by trusting our unit members!¡± ¡®In contrast, they¡¯ve be a bit too callous towards people outside the unit.¡¯ It¡¯s not just being callous. They not only have a hard time trusting others, but they also rarely let go of their suspicions. It¡¯s practically at the level of misanthropy. It¡¯s a strength in the sense that they won¡¯t be toyed with by external forces, but in a situation like this, there¡¯s no need for that, is there? ¡°You also kind of felt it, right? The abnormally high ratio of awakened individuals in this dungeon.¡± Yes, it is quite remarkable. At that moment, Sergeant Lee Minjae chimed in. From what I¡¯ve heard, there don¡¯t seem to be any zombies here. Just those monsters swimming in the water. Chapter 97.2 In terms of an environment conducive to awakening, it¡¯s simr to what our unit had experienced. Meaning, there are a lot of avable forces. I shrugged lightly and said, If there are usable forces, we might as well try to make use of them. You mean cooperating with the humans in the dungeon. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to cooperate with the people in this building then? Not them. The first humans we encountered after entering the dungeon. If we could have coborated with them, that would have been the ideal. But the reason we brushed them aside and came out was for one reason: They didn¡¯t have the intention of clearing the dungeon¡­ or even the idea of exterminating the monsters. When I told them that defeating the monsters would allow us to leave, they dismissed it asplete nonsense. ¡®Their bted attempts to persuade us, as well as the power struggles between other human factions, were likely just for their own benefit.¡¯ Those kinds of people are not helpful. Even if we somehow cooperated, there¡¯s no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t flee in a critical situation. On the other hand, You mentioned there was a suitable group earlier, right? Ah! The information we gathered while handing over thebat rations. It included details about human factions still living in the city. And, That building over there¡­ Hmm, it¡¯s upied by some peculiar individuals. Peculiar? We sometimes have to engage inbat with the fishman when necessary. To awaken people, we have to hunt them. But the risk is quite high, so most of the time, we only go underwater if it¡¯s really necessary. So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ The people in that building are a bit different. They¡¯re not aiming for survival, but fishmen hunting. The troubled expression on Tae-wan¡¯s face as he said this was still memorable. Since they go into the water without any hesitation, they have acquired some useful items through exchanges. But they¡¯re not exactly people I like. ¡­It¡¯s best to avoid crazy people like them. These were the people who had already been obsessed with fishmen hunting even before we arrived. ¡®They¡¯re worth meeting.¡¯ That was the conclusion I reached. Fighting their way here, they had engaged inbat¡­ ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Those damn minion bastards!¡± ¡°Die!!!¡± The humans were shouting furiously as they battled the fishmen. Letting out obscenities in the heat of battle wasmon even in our unit. ¡°Die, die, die, die, die!!!¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a bit too much.¡± I could see why Tae-wan was hesitant about them. It was a level of frenzy that went beyond just the excitement of battle. We only have one or two people in our unit who would disy that kind of intensity. ¡°Tsk. They all have crazed looks in their eyes.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh-huh.¡± That one person stood next to me with his arms crossed,menting. It was not a pretty sight. Corporal Jeon Gwang-il frowned as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s like they have a personal vendetta against the monsters or something. The way they throw themselves in without even caring for their own bodies, they won¡¯tst long like that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I understand that some of that fierceness is needed in battle, but those people are taking it too far. Don¡¯t you agree, Sergeant Shin?¡± He¡¯s right. He is, but¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not really for you to say-¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say, sir?¡± ¡°¡­Never mind, forget it.¡± Well, what does that matter anyway? The important thing is one fact: ¡®So, the im that these are people actively fighting the monsters was true.¡¯ In that case, what is there to hesitate about? ¡°Let¡¯s join the fight!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± My soldiers and I charged into the battle. ¡°Hahaha!!! You minion bastards! I¡¯ll send you all to the afterlife in order!¡± I decided to let Gwang-il¡¯s monstrous shouts slide for now. The humans, who were already holding their own against the Fishmen, became even stronger with our unit joining the fight. ¡°Thest one!¡± Crack. The battle was quickly over. Of course, the number of monsters roaming that ce was substantial. More will be rushing in soon, so this respite won¡¯tst long. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, you lot?¡± Perhaps they also realized that fact. As soon as the battle ended, a man emerged from among the humans. I watched him carefully. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Species ¨C Human] [Freshness ¨C High] [Awakened: Gwag Chang-su] [ss: Junior Grade Berserker Lv. 18] Seeing the text appearing before my eyes, I was honestly a bit surprised. ¡®Level 18?¡¯ That¡¯s a bit higher than the squad leaders in our unit. Gwang-il, who recently took on the role of unit leader, has just barely reached the ¡®Intermediate¡¯ awakened state at around level 20. Level 18 is an extremely high level, even by our unit¡¯s standards. We¡¯ve never encountered survivors with this level of advancement. ¡®It must take constant fighting against monsters to reach this level¡­¡¯ Impressive as it is, I extended my right hand towards the man and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Sergeant Shin Young-joon.¡± ¡°Sergeant?¡± My outstretched hand was met with an ufortable response. The man frowned and observed me, not even bothering with a handshake. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were soldiers living in here? Were you hiding on the outskirts?¡± ¡°Nope, we came from outside.¡± ¡°Outside?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened slightly, seeming a bit surprised. ¡°I thought the outside had fallen¡­ Well, no matter.¡± That was it. I expected him to be curious, since we¡¯re from the outside and even military personnel, but he nonchntly said, ¡°You asked if I¡¯m doing well? Not particrly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You lot took away our prey. Honestly, I¡¯m not too pleased about that.¡± ¡°We were trying to help-¡± ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why I¡¯m only mildly displeased, not outright angry.¡± It seems my well-intentioned attempt was just unnecessary meddling. ¡°I appreciate the goodwill, but I¡¯d prefer it if this doesn¡¯t happen again in the future. Well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± ¡°What? Do you have more to say? Those fishmen wille swarming if we linger too long. My men are tired, so I want to clear out of here quickly.¡± Chapter 97.3 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like to have a brief discussion with you.¡± ¡°With us? Why?¡± ¡°¡­I have something important to discuss.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The man holding the spear stroked his chin and said, ¡°Well, I suppose we can spare the time to talk.¡± ¡°In that case-¡± ¡°However, there is a condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡±I had a feeling he might demand food like the previous humans, but instead, he pointed his spear towards the water. ¡°That one. And that one. And that one over there too.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It seems those fishmen are alive.¡± The fishmen he was pointing at were unconscious and floating in the water. The battle was over, but there were still some monsters that hadn¡¯t been confirmed killed. ¡°Hand over the bodies of those monsters. They were our prey to begin with. I¡¯ll be more inclined to talk if you concede that much.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s fine, go ahead and take them.¡± ¡°You heard that? Gather them up!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± At the man¡¯s shout, the human followers began collecting the monsters. The man himself shouldered one of the bodies and said, ¡°Follow me.¡± The atmosphere was rather grim. My unit and I followed the man holding the spear. ¡°Sergeant Shin, letting them have the living monsters means¡­¡± ¡°They must be nning to use them for awakening.¡± Based on observing them as we walked through the water, their group didn¡¯t seem as numerous as I had initially thought. While our unit that entered the dungeon numbered around 150, this group was less than half that. ¡®Aside from their high average level, they likely want to increase their forces.¡¯ It was understandable that they needed subdued monsters for the awakening process. ¡°Here we are.¡± After walking for a while, we reached amercial building where they seemed to be based. We obediently followed them inside and up to the second floor, to a spot not submerged in water. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get down to the discussion¡­¡± ¡°Hold on, no need to rush.¡± As I tried to speak to the spear-wielding man, he brushed past me and headed to a corner. There, a shabby-looking middle-aged woman was sitting. ¡°Ma¡¯am. Ma¡¯am.¡± The man called out to her, shaking her shoulder a few times. The middle-aged woman slowly raised her head, but her expression was still vacant, her eyes lifeless. However, at the man¡¯s words, ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Chang-su is here. What¡¯s the matter¡­?¡± ¡°The time hase.¡± As soon as the man named Chang-su said that, ¡°Ah¡­ Finally!¡± The middle-aged woman rose with renewed vigor. Chang-su ced his spear in her hands and gently guided her wrist. In the direction he guided her, the monster he had earlier ced on the floor was now bound in chains and hanging on the wall. Kek, kek. It seemed to be struggling to breathe, perhaps because it couldn¡¯t properly respire on the surface. I was curious that it was still alive despite the breathing difficulties. It was easy to guess what was about to happen. ¡®Awakening.¡¯ Our unit also used to restrain lizards for safe awakening. It seemed they were attempting a simr process. However, while the prediction was correct¡­ ¡°Die, die, die, die!!!¡± Thrust, thrust, thrust, thrust!!! ¡®Ah, damn, what a surprise.¡¯ The woman suddenly let out a wild scream. The soulless expression from earlier waspletely gone. ¡°Hahaha!!!¡± Instead, she seemed filled with a sense of euphoria. Cackling madly, she thrust the spear towards the monster. It felt a bit different from the awakening process in our unit. If we had stabbed the lizard in the armpit area to quickly and safely cut off its breathing, ¡®They are stabbing it to make it die as slowly as possible, avoiding the vital spots.¡¯ They seem to be aiming to inflict pain on the fishman, even more than awakening. ¡°What on earth¡­¡± ¡°Aunt Yeong-ja lost her husband soon after giving birth to her children.¡± As I stood there a bit stunned at the sight, the man named Chang-su next to me spoke. ¡°All she had left were her two daughters.¡± ¡°Ah, I see, that¡¯s the story of that woman.¡± ¡°I heard she struggled tremendously to raise those two daughters alone. It wasn¡¯t just the money and effort of childcare, but she also feared her daughters would be hurt due tock of a father like figure. So, she doted on them and loved them even more than other families. That effort seems to have paid off, as both children grew up to be exemry, never causing their mother any grief. The elder daughter was even epted to a prestigious university with a schrship.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something to celebrate.¡± ¡°Is it? Until they were devoured and killed by the fishmen.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Their teeth are so strong, they chewed the bones clean, leaving no trace.¡± Only then did I fully understand. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that fewer people die from drowning or being killed by monsters than one might think.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re quite knowledgeable about the situation here for someone who just arrived.¡± ¡°I met some other people beforeing here, though the atmosphere was quite different.¡± ¡°Well, the statement about fewer deaths isn¡¯t entirely wrong. But just because it¡¯s fewer, doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any.¡± The woman continued to madly stab the monster,ughing hysterically. Eventually, Chang-su nodded as he confirmed the monster¡¯s death. ¡°If more people had died like that, our group would berger than it is now. I¡¯m actually d our numbers are rtively small.¡± Through his words, I could easily understand the kind of people they were. ¡®People consumed by revenge.¡¯ Their daily lives were destroyed by the monsters. And they are directing that fury directly towards the monsters. Perhaps they all have tragic circumstances, but from our perspective¡­ ¡®¡­This is the best, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Chapter 98.1 These people say they are hunting monsters. I think I can understand why Park Tae-wan was reluctant to approach them. The saying ¡°It¡¯s best to avoid crazy people¡± is not entirely wrong. Although that¡¯s not entirely urate. ¡°People obsessed with revenge.¡± These are individuals whose sole purpose is to take revenge on the monsters that stole their everyday lives. There are often people outside who are also consumed by hatred towards the monsters. This group seems to beprised of just such individuals. ¡°I can understand why they fight without regard for their own safety.¡±For those whose purpose in life is revenge, their own well-being is not a high priority. Chang-su scratched his head and said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s about the gist of it. Do you understand our situation now?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand the gist of it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting those fish bastards day in and day out. But as you can see, everyone is obsessed with killing the monsters as painfully as possible. Capturing them alive is harder than you¡¯d think.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that some of the Fishmen you hunted are still alive. After the fighting is over, people¡¯s excitement tends to die down a bit. Thanks to that, we¡¯ve been able to gain 3 more Awakened. It¡¯s really been a great help.¡± Hahaha!!! A woman was seen continuing to stab the already dead body of a monster. I¡¯m not sure if this can really be considered a good thing. I nced at Chang-su and asked, ¡°So, do you have a simr situation?¡± ¡°Me? My situation isn¡¯t as extraordinary as the others. I was just hoping to finally take off the ¡®bachelor¡¯bel and get married, but my fianc¨¦e disappeared.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That sounds like a pretty significant situation. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough about our story.¡± He seemed unwilling to discuss this topic further. Chang-su changed the subject. ¡°Did youe here specifically looking for us?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard about you from some other people I met beforeing here.¡± ¡°Oh? The people in the other buildings don¡¯t seem to think too highly of us.¡± ¡°Did you know that?¡± ¡°Do we look like idiots? Well, since you¡¯vee looking for us, why don¡¯t you tell us why.¡± Chang-su crossed his arms, as if urging me to go on. These people were consumed by a desire for revenge. They all must have quite tragic circumstances. Of course, their hostility towards the monsters is burning. And they¡¯ve raised their average level through long battles. ¡®The ultimate allies.¡¯ ¡°So, this ce is the dungeon you mentioned, and you¡¯re trying to defeat the boss here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I told him the same story I had told Tae-wan. Chang-su scratched his head, pondering theplicated situation. ¡°Let me ask, if you manage to do that and the dungeon gets closed, what happens to us who are inside? Do we all die when the dungeon copses?¡± ¡°Surely not.¡± The dungeon is the result of terraforming by beings from another world. The copse of the dungeon means the distorted environment is returning to normal. ¡°By distorted environment, I mean things like theck of sunlight, the water covering the city, and the strange monuments with unknown scripts.¡± It seems there were other abnormal phenomena that we weren¡¯t aware of. Anyway, those things would disappear. Hearing this, Chang-su¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Wait a minute. The ocean will disappear?¡± ¡°The probability of that is quite high.¡± ¡°Then the Fishmen creatures won¡¯t be able to breathe outside the water¡­ They¡¯ll naturally be annihted.¡± Stroking his chin, he let out a chilling smile. ¡°Not only killing the monsters, but also drying up their entire species¡­ And choking to death, one of the most agonizing deaths. Quite ingenious.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ah, that was just me thinking aloud. Pay no mind. Your proposal is very appealing to me.¡± Hearing his response, I was slightly taken aback. ¡®Normally, people would focus on the fact that they can now go outside.¡¯ These people seem to have no interest in anything other than theplete eradication of the monsters. The man muttered, as if only the part about the monsters being wiped out appealed to him. But well, to each their own. The important thing was it seemed they were attracted to our proposal. ¡®As long as it helps with the dungeon assault, they don¡¯t need to worry about anything else.¡¯ I thought we could persuade them more easily than this. ¡°But it won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What¡¯s with this guy? Didn¡¯t he just chuckle in approval just a moment ago? ¡°The proposal is appealing. Especially the part about being able to wipe out all the monsters.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know if I can trust you.¡± Chang-su crossed his arms and looked at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, but¡­¡± ¡°Even if I generously grant that this dungeon business is true, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re the kind of people we can fight alongside.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hmm. He¡¯s not entirely wrong. ¡°To begin with, I¡¯m curious why you even came here in the first ce.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We have clear reasons for killing the monsters ¨C it¡¯s for revenge.¡± He gestured around the area as he continued. ¡°As I mentioned before, Aunt Yeong-ja had her whole family eaten by the monsters. That young man over there barely survived by sacrificing his brother. And that¡¯s not all.¡± ¡°Do you see that room over there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s thergest room in this building. There are people lying inside.¡± Lying down? I thought it was a bedroom. ¡°Staring nkly into the void, having lost their minds.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Many people have lost a lot due to the previous incidents. Some were busy trying to figure out how to live on, while others, like us, were consumed by a desire for revenge.¡± Chang-su¡¯s expression darkened as he continued. ¡°But¡­ some others couldn¡¯t cope with the horrific reality and lost their minds. Many of us have family and friends who have be like that. Their rage towards the beings responsible for making their loved ones that way is what drives them to join our group. But you?¡± Chang-su questioned me with an expression of iprehension. ¡°Even knowing this is a dangerous ce, you¡¯vee here on purpose. I just don¡¯t understand it.¡± Indeed. It¡¯s probably in that sense that he can¡¯t trust us. He can¡¯t rely on people whose purpose and motivations are unknown. After hearing Chang-su¡¯s story, I pondered. The reasons we came to the dungeon: One was an urgent request for rescue. One was to sessfully conquer the dungeon, gain rewards, and grow stronger. But honestly, I had a separate motivation for choosing to assault the dungeon. ¡°Do you know one thing?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°This dungeon is gradually expanding.¡± ¡°We¡¯re roughly aware of that. We¡¯re not idiots.¡± The dungeon is the result of terraforming by beings from another world. In other words, ¡°Those beings have not only invaded the human domain but are also constantly expanding their own territory.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the big deal¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it piss you off?¡± If my everyday life had continued as normal, I¡¯d probably be a civilian by now, leisurely studying cooking or going on a post-discharge trip. But just the fact that all that has been shattered is frustrating enough. And now they¡¯re invading our territory, making it their ownnd. It¡¯s infuriating, isn¡¯t it? ¡°We can¡¯t just let them have their way, can we?¡± ¡°What, you came to this dangerous ce just for that reason?¡± ¡°It may be dangerous now, but in the end, that will be the way to survive.¡± The environment of this dungeon is a bit unusual. Even without directly fighting the monsters, If we¡¯re in the high-rise areas without water, we can somehow manage to live. However, Just eking out an existence like that would only prolong our lifespan a bit. ¡°Sooner orter, you¡¯ll end up getting hunted down while holed up in the high-rises.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We have no intention of just letting them have their way. We¡¯ll keep getting stronger to survive. And for that¡­ Have you perhaps yed games before?¡± It might have seemed like an abrupt question. But Chang-su seemed to understand the intent behind what I was saying and nodded. ¡°¡­Seeding in conquering the dungeon is sure to bring great rewards.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the idea.¡± Chang-su still looked at me with a suspicious gaze. If we end up working together on the dungeon assault, we¡¯ll have to entrust our backs to each other. He¡¯s probably being cautious, trying to decide whether he can trust us or not. ¡°This conversation seems like it will take a while.¡± He sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll need to think it over. It¡¯ll take some time, so in the meantime, please stay here.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Our numbers are on the small side, so we have extra space. I¡¯ll let you have an entire floor. I¡¯m getting hungry. Have you had any meals yet?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t know that this was a space where the sun doesn¡¯t shine, and it¡¯s been a while since the effect of the meal I had earlier wore off.¡± It¡¯s going to be dinner time. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t have much food, so let me serve you a meal.¡± ¡°Huh? There¡¯s no need for that.¡± I¡¯m the chef here. There¡¯s no reason for me to have someone else cook. But it seems like Chang-su thought I was just being overly polite. ¡°Looks like your gear is light and you don¡¯t have much food either?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s-.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying you don¡¯t have to refuse. We often go directly into the water, unlike other groups. So, we have more opportunities to obtain food than others. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± The military field rations that were in the vehicle have mostly been taken by the other survivors we met earlier. It¡¯s true that the soldiers¡¯ gear is light, since they don¡¯t know when the next battle wille. So, it seems they thought we had plenty of food. ¡®Even if that¡¯s true, there¡¯s no hesitation.¡¯ Even if Chang-su¡¯s words were true, we¡¯re only a little better off than the others at best. It¡¯s not like we had an abundance of food. Yet, insisting on serving a meal is¡­ ¡°We have to be good hosts.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since you all generously let more awakened join us, a single meal is not too much to ask.¡± While not entirely unexpected, This reaction was quite different from the people we met just before. ¡®The others even tried to extort our food.¡¯ In any case, this considerate offer was appreciated. If he puts it that way, refusing would be impolite. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Uh, Captain Shin¡­?¡± The members of my squad who can¡¯t eat the meal look a bit gloomy. But there¡¯s nothing to be done about that. ¡°Hey, you guys can just eat the field rations, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°They¡¯re offering to serve us a meal. It would be rude to refuse.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Eating one bad meal won¡¯t kill you, you idiots.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± After quietly telling the soldiers that, I decided to wait for the meal to be served. ng. Creeeeak¡­ People started to cook by the light of the torches. It¡¯s not much of a meal. Preparing and grilling some fish in the corner, and adding some rye bread from the store. ¡®It¡¯s quite meager.¡¯ As the chef, I¡¯m worried they might develop malnutrition. But then again, I heard awakened individuals don¡¯t easily get malnourished. ¡®No, it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t get malnourished, but rather they forcibly maintain their body that¡¯s been ruined by consuming their magic power.¡¯ It may not be the best method, but It¡¯s not like they have many options. As awakened, they won¡¯t die even with just this kind of meal. However, There were some people who were taking the finished meals somewhere. ¡°Where are those people going?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± It was a simple question, but the answer I received was quite heavy. ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention earlier? There are people we need to feed.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Now that you mention it, I did recall hearing something like that. ¡®There are people who have lost their minds.¡¯ I quietly got up and followed them. They are taking the food to a room in the corner of the building. There are a few people in the room. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Wooah¡­¡± They were sitting there, staring nkly into space, their minds seemingly gone. ¡®Those poor, insane people.¡¯ Our unit almost had some like them too. After the sudden monster attack on the first day, There were many who would just stare into space and ramble. ¡®Our unit managed to keep their minds together with the food.¡¯ And aftering down to the surface, I haven¡¯t seen any like that. The reason was probably this: ¡®Those who couldn¡¯t adapt to the changed world must have all died.¡¯ Unlike the outside, as long as you don¡¯t jump into the water, you won¡¯t be killed in this dungeon. That¡¯s why those people who had lost their minds were still here. ¡°Many of us joined because a loved one ended up like this. All of these people have someone in the group who cares for them.¡± ¡°The humidity is high, and the hygiene doesn¡¯t look great either. But are there no disease problems?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been trying to gradually change their posture and provide some nursing care, but that¡¯s about it. Oddly enough, no one seems to have contracted any illnesses.¡± ¡°So, viruses can¡¯t spread in here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re wondering about that too. Even if we¡¯re lucky, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good thing. But rarely, some of them do regain their senses, as unlikely as that is.¡± Come to think of it, the middle-aged woman who went through Awakening earlier had a simr feel to her. ¡®Maybe she¡¯s an example of someone who regained their senses at some point.¡¯ Anyway. Hmm. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I approached the people trying to feed the reclined individuals. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The ones caring for the reclined people were likely their family or acquaintances. They seemed to give me a slightly hostile look. I shrugged my shoulders and brushed off their gaze, then went to check on the reclined people. Their health condition couldn¡¯t be great, of course. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Freshness ¨C Moderate] ¡®Thanks to their dedicated care, they¡¯re not in the worst state.¡¯ The environment was highly humid and not very hygienic. If any illnesses were going around, they wouldn¡¯t havested long. But perhaps the uniqueness of this dungeon had spared them. Even just basic nursing care seems to have kept them in a reasonably stable condition. ¡®With this, it should be alright¡­¡¯ After organizing my thoughts, I turned to Chang-su. ¡°About the meal you offered to serve¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to decline that.¡± ¡°¡­? I¡¯m not sure I understand. If seeing them has weighed on your heart, there¡¯s no need for that. As I said, a single meal-¡° ¡°No, it¡¯s not about being polite.¡± I stood up and looked at Chang-su. ¡°I think my cooking would taste better.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Chang-su gave me a look of disbelief. It¡¯s understandable. Who refuses a meal offering by saying ¡°My cooking would taste better¡±? But oh well, that¡¯s the truth. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well then, suit yourself. But¡­¡± Chang-su nced at the luggage of our squad members with a puzzled expression. ¡°As I mentioned before, it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯ve brought an abundance of food supplies.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about the ingredients. In fact¡­¡± Ignoring the curious gazes of the others, I squatted down on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll make meals for the others as well, so could you please let them know not to eat and just wait?¡± ¡°What on earth are you talking about¡­¡± After sitting down on the floor, I reached my hand toward the ground. In a clumsy posture, as if picking up a coin that fell. The moment my hand touched the floor, Swoosh. ¡°Wha-what!?¡± I heard the startled voices of the people. Well, that¡¯s understandable. It must have looked like my hand was piercing through the floor. Ignoring the flustered people, I spread out my hands that had gone through the floor. Then, Thud. I felt someone handing me something. I grabbed the item and ced it on the floor. The people who saw this muttered in disbelief. ¡°¡­Cabbage?¡± But it didn¡¯t end there. Thud. Thud. Thump. ¡°Cabbage, carrots, cucumber¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? There are even eggs and meat!¡± ¡°¡­Why is a frying paning out of there?¡± The floor¡­ or rather, from the shadow cast by my body on the floor, Every time I reached in and pulled out, cooking ingredients started piling up. When the gathered ingredients had amassed quite a lot, I looked at the bewildered people and said: ¡°Is this enough?¡± If it¡¯s still not enough, just say so. I can keep pulling out more as much as needed. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ TL Note: Good day, readers. Had fun reading the chapter? If yes, then don¡¯t forget to drop us a review or a rating on Novelupdates. Also, don¡¯t forget to join our Discord Server for chapter updates, novel pickup requests and free OneForce coins. Chapter 99.1 The small torches illuminating the inside of the building. The shadows cast by them. As I inserted my hand into the shadows, all sorts of items were pulled out. ¡°Cabbage, carrots, cucumber¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? There are even eggs and meat!¡± ¡°Now even cooking utensils.¡± To be honest, This ability was strictly not mine. [Shadow Veil] The baroness-ss vampire that I have epted as my vassal ¨C Arie¡¯s trait. The elegant personal space of the nobility, how did it end up like this¡­? From within the shadows, I heard a sigh. ¡®Ah,e to think of it, I did say they rarely invite outsiders in.¡¯ I remember saying that when I entered. It seems this was quite a delicate personal space. -Too small to be an inn. Now, it¡¯s packed with over a hundred vampires, of course. Turned into a storage room, it seems. Various food ingredients. And my personal belongings have filled up the space. Ugh, uuugh¡­ After subjugating her through my cooking and making her my vassal, Arie generally obeyed mymands without much resistance. But this order to fill the space with my belongings, She really disliked it. However¡­ ¡®Since I¡¯m the one saying she¡¯ll do it, what can she do about it?¡¯ She may have disliked it, but She had no right to refuse me. There¡¯s no reason to waste this great space, is there? I¡¯m not sure of the exact mechanism, but the items stored in here don¡¯t easily spoil. It¡¯s likely due to a simr reason why illnesses don¡¯t spread in this dungeon. Anyway, the important thing is, ¡®This space is the ultimate refrigerator.¡¯ That¡¯s why, on this dungeon expedition, I didn¡¯t load up the vehicle with a lot of food supplies. In case I get separated from the squad members, I only stocked up on easy-to-prepare military rations. All other ingredients, I crammed into the shadow space. As I inserted my hand, the vampires waiting inside passed the ingredients to me. What actually happened inside was probably the vampires¡¯ arduous loading and unloading work, but to the people outside, it must have looked like a sudden eruption of all sorts of ingredients and tools from the stone floor. The people murmured with bewildered expressions. ¡°Is this some kind of spatial magic?¡± ¡°They said there are Awakened ones among the outsiders too. So, this man must be a mage.¡± ¡°But still, magic that controls space? I¡¯ve never heard or seen anything like that.¡± ¡°What an incredibly powerful mage he must be.¡± ¡°¡­No wonder he¡¯s the captain of those soldiers.¡± Their misunderstanding seemed a bit grandiose, But I decided not to correct them. ¡®They¡¯re the people I need to win over as allies. If they regard me as a powerful being, it¡¯s better that way.¡¯ The only thing that bothered me a little was, The squad members have never seen me use the [Shadow Veil] before. ¡°As expected of Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°He¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t he?¡± They just seemed to brush it off like ¡°that¡¯s just how it is with Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°¡­No, is this really just an ¡®as expected of Sergeant Shin¡¯ kind of thing? That kind of ability is beyond the realm of a mere chef, isn¡¯t it?¡± There was a rare dissenting soldier. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That guy still hasn¡¯t adapted, it seems.¡± ¡°Just ept whatever Sergeant Shin does, man. If you don¡¯t, it¡¯ll just give you a headache.¡± Anyway! The space inside the shadow was quite vast. Even after filling it with the squad¡¯s extra food supplies, there was still plenty of room. A substantial amount of ingredients. And the skill [Five Loaves and Two Fish], which can multiply small portions of food to feed arge number. With these two conditions met, ¡®As long as I don¡¯t die¡­ I can feed hundreds of people for years.¡¯ As I organized the ingredients, I looked around at Chang-su and the others. ¡®They¡¯re different from the group I met with Tae-wan.¡¯ They had absolutely no possibility of cooperating in dungeon exploration. They even half-threatened us to hand over our food supplies. In contrast, these people are cooperative, and even tried to serve us a meal. In that case, ¡®I should reciprocate their goodwill.¡¯ Bum-seok, a member of the group ¡®The Revengers¡¯ led by Chang-su, couldn¡¯t hide his amazement. ¡®Subspace magic?¡¯ The man who appears to be the representative of the soldiers. From an empty floor, he brought out an enormous amount of food ingredients and cooking utensils. Somehow, he must have used magic to manipte space. Their group was rtively small in numbers. But even so, no other group could ignore them. They were driven by vengeance, hunting the monsters. They boast the highest average level among the Awakened in this city. However, ¡®None of us can even imitate that kind of feat.¡¯ Shooting fire, creating ice ¨C that¡¯s on apletely different level from those types of magic. What¡¯s even more baffling is, Thud, thud. ¡°Hmm, the preparations are almost done.¡± This incredibly powerful mage, after piling up the cooking utensils on the floor, suddenly started cooking. ¡°Mages! Light the fire!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°What? Why is the firepower so weak?¡± ¡°Ah, well, since we¡¯re in this dungeon, our firepower is a bit weakened¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing more frustrating than weak fire when cooking, you know? Make it stronger!¡± Even a fire mage came to join and help light the fire. Seeing the process unfold so naturally, it seemed like he has done this kind of cooking many times. The bewildered Bum-seok approached a nearby soldier and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t your captain some kind of space mage?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s that kind of person, why is he cooking? Is cooking his hobby?¡± It was a genuine curiosity, but the soldier had a slightly baffled expression, and then replied with a slight chuckle, ¡°Well¡­ if you just wait and see, you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± An answer that only raised more questions instead of resolving his curiosity. Bum-seok felt a bit annoyed, but ¡®¡­No, whatever his hobby is, cooking or otherwise, what does it have to do with me?¡¯ He decided to quickly lose interest. What¡¯s important to him was one thing: Killing the monsters. Those soldiers from the outside were the same. Whether they¡¯ll be helpful in ying the monsters, that¡¯s what matters. ¡®There¡¯s no point in wasting my energy on other things.¡¯ He nced sideways towards the door in the corner. The ce where they protect the people who have lost their minds. In one of those rooms¡­ Bum-seok¡¯s father was also there. In his childhood memories, His father, who always confidently held his hand and guided him, seemed gigantic. TL Note: Good day, readers. Pls check out our new site Cloudruntl.xyz where we upload High Quality MTLed Chinese novels. If you have any particr Chinese novel that you want to be tranted then pls drop us a message on the Discord Server. Chapter 100.1 ¡°Huh, what¡¯s this taste?¡± ¡°Delicious¡­!¡± Said the ¡®The Revengers¡¯. As I watched them eat, I nodded. ¡®Of course. It¡¯s a dish made by me¡¯ To be honest, I felt a bit hurt when they marveled at me being a spatial magician or whatever. ¡®But they hadn¡¯t even tasted my cooking yet.¡¯ It was a bit frustrating as a chef to see them admiring other aspects before even seeing the real thing. But oh well. It was just a matter of time, after all. Perhaps their revenge-driven feelings had overshadowed their other emotions. Those taciturn, inhuman-looking people. Except for when they were ying monsters for their revenge, their expressions seemed unlikely to brighten. Gulp gulp. Slurp¡­ Smack smack. But right now, a strange vitality had returned to their hurriedly chewing faces. ¡°Smack smack. No matter how long it¡¯s been since they¡¯ve had a proper meal, still¡­¡± ¡°Damn, this is so delicious!¡± People unable to conceal their excitement, stuffed the food into their mouths. I was almost worried they might choke. ¡®Hearing them say it¡¯s delicious is always a pleasure.¡¯ Witnessing that scene, I found it hard to suppress a fatherly smile. And shortly after, I realized that was not the end of it. ¡°Phew! That was great!¡± The man with an unusuallyrge mouth had finished his meal in an incredible speed. The moment he dered he had finished his dish, a message appeared before my eyes. [Your cooking has cured the abnormal condition] [You have gained experience points] ¡®Huh?¡¯ At the same time, I felt a surge of energy within me, something called the ¡®experience points¡¯. ¡­What condition did it cure? [Abnormal Condition ¨C Malnutrition] [It is a nutritional imbnce in the body. Causing physical abilities to deteriorate] [Magic Energy is continuously being consumed to maintain functional physical abilities] [Stats decreased] ¡®Ah¡­ I think I saw that message when I used [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] on them.¡¯ The message also appeared to me who provided the meal. There was no way they wouldn¡¯t have noticed the removal of their debuff. ¡°H-hey, wait a moment.¡± The man who finished his meal spoke up as he stood up. ¡°Hey, wait a moment.¡± ¡°Gulp gulp¡­ What, are we disturbing your meal?¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve finished the food, the debuff is gone.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not all. Our abilities have increased tremendously¡­ Is this some kind of buff skill? Even if it¡¯s temporary, our stats have risen this much?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Being in a dungeon without sunlight, vegetable cultivation was impossible. The nutritional imbnce was an inevitable consequence. And imbnce was bound to degrade the body. ¡®I¡¯ve had to be mindful of that aspect as well.¡¯ I went from just cooking the menu assigned by the catering corps to creating meals that were considered nutritional, which was quite a headache. But for them, with limited ingredients, they never even had the chance to ponder over it. ¡®At least the power of the awakened had been preventing that copse until now.¡¯ Consuming magic energy continuously to prevent bodily deterioration had been acting as a debuff. And now, [Healthy Set Meal Prepared with Sincerity of an Intermediate Chef] With my cooking replenishing their nutrition, that debuff had been cured. ¡®In other words, these people have been surviving while burdened by that debuff and fighting monsters.¡¯ That debuff was lifted. Thebat ability of this party had increased dramatically. ¡®Since I was making it anyway, I just considered the nutrition as well.¡¯ I never expected it to work this way. Moreover, the amount of experience I gained from curing one person¡¯s abnormal condition was simr to the amount I would gain from preparing a week¡¯s worth of meals for the entire squad. The influx of energy was almost overwhelming. ¡°¡­Incredible.¡± Chang-su, who had finished his meal, approached me and spoke. ¡°So, the debuff is gone, because we ate proper food. But the ability stats have also increased just from just eating? Is this some kind of enchantment or magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just cooking.¡± That¡¯s when¡­ In the corner, a man was seen getting up with a dish in his hand. ¡°If it¡¯s not magic, then what-¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± The curious Chang-su had his eyes wide opened, I went past him to speak to the person who had risen. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Ah, my apologies¡­¡± Chang-su, who had spotted the man, said, ¡°Bum-seok? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s really nothing much.¡± The man, seeming embarrassed that he caught attention, answered while scratching the back of his head. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve tasted such delicious food, so I wanted to let my father have a little taste as well¡­¡± ¡°Father?¡± ¡°¡­The person lying in that room is my father.¡± I see. I¡¯m d I stopped him when he was about to leave with the dish. ¡°That food was made for you to eat, so please finish it.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to make a separate meal for those people.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cooking well is not the only thing that matters in cooking. One must also consider the situation of the guests being served. ¡°That meal was made for you all who are rtively healthy. Those people are patients, after all.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°So, I need to make a patient¡¯s meal.¡± Hearing that, the man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Were you nning to make a meal specifically for them as well?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s better not to cook than to let some feed their stomachs while letting some others starve to death.¡± Upon hearing that, the man named Bum-seok began looking at me with a ratherplicated expression. ¡®¡­Why is he acting like this?¡¯ Though I don¡¯t fully understand, after confirming that he had quietly stepped back, I approached Chang-su and spoke. ¡°So, I¡¯d like some help with the patient¡¯s meal.¡± ¡°Help? As I said before, just ask for anything.¡± ¡°About the bodies of the fishmen we killed earlier¡­¡± ¡°And what about that¡­?¡± I had handled the ingredients for the rtively healthy people¡¯s meal using what I had brought, but for the patient¡¯s meal, it would be better to use fresh ingredients if possible. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ TL Note: Good day, readers. Now that was quite a long vacation that I had taken due to health problems. Now that I¡¯m back let¡¯s make some noise and do some mass releases. Chapter 100.2 ¡°I know it feels like taking something back, but could we use them as ingredients?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s absurd!¡± Though my reason was simply wanting to use fresh ingredients, Chang-su responded with shock upon hearing that. This was the first time I¡¯ve seen this man so startled. ¡°Weren¡¯t they brought for Awakening purposes? Let¡¯s just use some of that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not about eating monsters.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Oops. The culture of cooking and eating monsters was so naturally ingrained in the squad that I had forgotten about it and bluntly put forward my request before them. ¡®I forgot that eating the bodies of humans-turned-monsters would be quite disturbing.¡¯ But it seems Chang-su¡¯s reason for his shock was not that. ¡°Do you know what happens if you eat a monster¡¯s corpse?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Hearing that, not only myself, but the soldiers listening to our conversation also had question marks on their faces. ¡®Is there someone who knows what happens when you eat a monster¡¯s corpse as well as we do?¡¯ They were people who ate monster cuisine three times a day. The soldiers listening to the conversation between Chang-su and I spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re not entirely sure what happens, but¡­¡± ¡°As long as the captain tells us to do it, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, especially since it¡¯s in the culinary field and all¡­¡± ¡°Uh, umm.¡± With the squad members speaking up like this, ¡°¡­If any problems arise, I won¡¯t just stand by.¡± Chang-su sighed as he spoke. Somehow, it seemed there was another reason why they hadn¡¯t eaten the flesh of those fishmen. Well, I can figure that outter. I immediately approached the fishmen corpses and started cooking. ¡®They look quite gruesome.¡¯ The monsters, having been used for the Awakening process, had died in a rather brutal manner. From the perspective of a production worker utilizing monster ingredients, this rather unsightly visual might make one frown. But now, it doesn¡¯t really matter. After having the mages boil water, I submerged the monster¡¯s flesh into the water to simmer. At the same time, I had the rice I had kept in the shadows soak in the water as well, letting it soften a bit. ¡®I think it¡¯s about done.¡¯ As the flesh had cooked through after some time, I used a strainer to remove all the flesh from the water. Sploosh¡­ Laying the cleaver aside, I mashed all the flesh. ¡®I handled the meat a bit roughly, since I¡¯m just going to mash it up anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ The dish I was nning to make was quite simple. When you hear the term ¡®patient food¡¯, the first thing that woulde to mind would certainly be a grueling dish. And there were also fresh ingredients, you know. ¡®Fish gruel.¡¯ In fact. I had even thought about making this dish for that man who fainted after calling for help from the military. But since he waspletely unconscious, I refrained from it, worried that I might cause him to choke if I did it wrong. ¡®Those people have just lost their minds, but they would still chew instinctively if something were to put in their mouths.¡¯ If it¡¯s a soft gruel, they would be able to swallow it without much trouble. Finally, I ced my hand over thepleted dish and lightly rubbed my fingers. Sprinkle the [special sauce] to finish it off. [The cooking isplete!] [Dasmur¡¯s special fish gruel, imbued with the vitality of a mid-level chef¡¯s life] ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Are we supposed to fed them this¡­?¡± As the cooking wasplete, Some people came forward and received the dish. ¡®They were the families of those who had lost their minds.¡¯ Holding the fish gruel, they headed into the room. Watching their backs, I heard one of the ¡®revengers¡¯ muttering softly. -Even if you carefully cook and feed them, what¡¯s the point, since they¡¯ve lost their minds anyway¡­ -I understand the desire to take care of them, but¡­ it¡¯s a meaningless effort. Meaningless, huh? ¡®We¡¯ll see about that.¡¯ That¡¯s something that remains to be seen. ¡°Father, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­Ba-a-a¡­¡± A man named Bum-seok sat down in front of an elderly man and spoke. However, Despite his son¡¯s arrival, the elderly man, drooling and staring vacantly, did not even recognize him. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Seeing this, a surge of anger arose, didn¡¯t it? Bum-seok gritted his teeth. But soon, shaking his head, he moved the spoon and scooped up a spoonful of the fish gruel. ¡°Please try this. The ingredients might not be the best, but it¡¯s a patient¡¯s food. I tried the dish this person made, and it was really delicious, you know.¡± Muttering to himself, Bum-seok brought the spoon of fish gruel to the elderly man¡¯s mouth. This caring gesture seemed to be quite familiar. His hand movements were quite practiced. Spoonful after spoonful, The fish gruel went into the elderly man¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Eventually, Bum-seok, having finished the entire bowl, looked at me and said, ¡°Knowing that I was able to serve my father a delicious meal makes me feel a little lighter in heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± ¡°But since he can¡¯t even taste it, it¡¯s really just self-satisfaction, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bum-seok said with a bitter smile. Hearing his words, I tilted my head and said, ¡°Can¡¯t taste it? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Huh? As you can see, the people in this room have all lost their minds.¡± This man, He seems to be mistaken about something. ¡°Do you really think I would have cooked so diligently for people who can¡¯t even taste the food?¡± ¡°Even if you say that, to be honest, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Bum-seok furrowed his brow, as if questioning what I was getting at. At that moment, ¡°Bum-seok? Is that you?¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± From behind Bum-seok, A hoarse voice was heard. ¡®I don¡¯t need to exin this.¡¯ Hearing that voice, Bum-seok turned his head in surprise. The elderly man who had been staring nkly into space was no longer there. What was there instead was, ¡°Ah, Father!?¡± _______________________________________________________________________________________________ TL Note: Good day, readers. Now that was quite a long vacation that I had taken due to health problems. Chapter 100.3 ¡°Son, is that you? The face looks simr, but the atmosphere is too different, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± It was Bum-seok¡¯s father. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s as if I¡¯ve had a nightmare.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle¡­¡± ¡°By the way, where are we exactly? And why have you lost so much weight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything step by step, Father.¡± ¡°What, what is it suddenly? You¡¯re a grown man, don¡¯t be so bashful!¡± Bum-seok hugged his father, tears streaming down his face. But it wasn¡¯t just the two of them. ¡°Ugh, why does my body feel so stiff?¡± ¡°Honey? You¡¯ve regained your senses?¡± ¡°Why is it so dark, we need to turn on the lights¡­¡± ¡°Mom, Mom!¡± The people who had lost their minds due to emotional wounds, They were all beginning to regain their senses. Those who had just regained their consciousness were confused, not knowing what was happening. And the family members who had been caring for them¡­ ¡°Thank God.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you¡­¡± They embraced them, tears streaming down their faces. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Those people, have they regained their minds?¡± ¡°Suddenly¡­?¡± Startled by themotion, people began to gather around. I quietly stepped back and left the room. ¡°What¡¯s Sergeant Shin up to this time?¡± ¡°What kind of stunt is he pulling now?¡± Among them were even some of the soldiers. I ignored them and stepped back. ¡®I may be worried about my own parents, but there¡¯s no point in worrying about it right now. The important thing is to survive and build up the strength to go and see them.¡¯ ¡°First of all, ¡®Ugh. I¡¯m starving to death.¡¯ Bum-seok couldn¡¯t stop the tears from flowing. His father, who always seemed as solid as a giant, after seeing him lose everything and go mad because of the monsters, Bum-seok had vowed, ¡®I will avenge my father against those bastards, even if it costs me my whole life!¡¯ As he saw his father wasting away day by day, that vow only grew stronger. Bum-seok¡¯s life became devoted to vengeance. When he killed the monsters, Bum-seok felt a thrill of avenging his father. A huge thrill, so much that he didn¡¯t even feel the fatigue from the arduous battles. But asionally, other thoughts woulde to him. After ying the monster bastards and returning to the base with his wet body, as he tended to his father staring nkly into the void, a thought would sometimes cross his mind, ¡®¡­What¡¯s the point of all this?¡¯ No matter how many monsters he killed, it wouldn¡¯t bring his father back to his senses. ¡®All this rampaging for vengeance¡­ Isn¡¯t it actually meaningless?¡¯ But, giving up on vengeance wouldn¡¯t bring his father back either. Trapped in this hopeless situation, Bum-seok chose to throw himself into the relentless pursuit of vengeance, rather than entertaining the frightening notion that his actions were meaningless. Yes, at least until his father opened his eyes. ¡°Oh¡­ So those things happened while I was lying here.¡± ¡°Ugh, yes.¡± Bum-seok exined the events to his father. Yet, he struggled to hold back the tears welling up. After hearing the whole story, Bum-seok¡¯s father paused in thought, then nodded and said, ¡°You must¡¯ve had a hard time. Thank you, my son.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. I was so confident in my health despite my age, I never imagined I¡¯d lose my mind and be a burden to my son like this.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I really thought I was going to die from the exhaustion.¡± ¡°But now that your old man has regained his senses, let¡¯s struggle through this together as a family.¡± ¡°Struggle through this? What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what¡¯?¡± The old man replied with an expression as if stating the obvious. ¡°We still have to live on, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Bum-seok couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback by those words. He had always only thought about vengeance, never having considered a life beyond that. ¡°First, we need to resolve this abnormal situation in the city. For that, we¡¯ll have to cooperate with those military fellows.¡± ¡°Y-yes, of course.¡± ¡°Hmm. I wonder if this old man can be of any help. Let¡¯s start with that ¡®awakening¡¯ first, it seems like the way to go.¡± Bum-seok¡¯s father had been in a dazed, detached state for a long time, but it wasn¡¯t something that happened suddenly. The sudden flood and the appearance of the monsters, caused him to lose everything he had built up over a lifetime. ¡®All the things I¡¯ve achieved over my lifetime have vanished. Now I¡­ have no will to live.¡¯ The shock of that led him to lose his sanity. But now, how is he? ¡°I was so stupid. I only thought about what I lost, and failed to consider what I still have.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You being alive is such a precious thing, you know. From now on, let¡¯s figure out how we can move forward together.¡± Compared to his former self, consumed by a thirst for revenge, his father filled him with positivity and vitality for life. ¡°¡­Father, there¡¯s something I need to confess.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Bum-seok spoke meekly, like a child who hadmitted a wrongdoing. ¡°While you were lost in your mind, I¡¯ve been living solely to take revenge against those who did this to you.¡± _______________________________________________________________________________________________ TL Note: Good day, readers. Now that was quite a long vacation that I had taken due to health problems. Chapter 101.1 I went back to the corner and was getting ready to eat my own meal. [Achievement Unlocked!] [Achievement: The Healing Chef] ¡®Damn.¡¯ The achievement notification appeared. It seemed like all the patients lying down had finished their meals. ¡®I didn¡¯t really expect an achievement like this.¡¯ [You have sessfully treated the physical and mental conditions of many patients through your cooking!] [The realm of cooking has expanded beyond just gastronomy, confirming its potential] [Reward for this achievement will be provided shortly] [You have gained arge amount of experience points] [Random Skill Enhancement Ticket has been awarded] The amount of experience gained as a reward was substantial. And the other reward was¡­ ¡®Random skill enhancement?¡¯ Unlike the Attribute Enhancement Ticket that allowed me to strengthen a specific trait, this was a reward that would randomly enhance a skill. ¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing that I don¡¯t have a choice, but hey, an enhancement is an enhancement.¡¯ I promptly used the skill enhancement ticket. [A random skill will be enhanced] [Selecting random skill¡­] A small roulette-like thing appeared in front of me. The areas of the roulette had the names of the skills I possessed written on them. The roulette spun and¡­ Ding! [¡®Absolute Pte¡¯ skill has been enhanced!] [Absolute Pte -> Absolute Pte (Enhanced)] ¡®Yes!!¡¯ The enhanced skill was Absolute Pte. Just as I was about to read the effects of the enhancement, ¡°You¡¯ve done a remarkable thing,¡± Chang-su approached and spoke. His tone sounded incredulous. ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, the people have regained their senses. The group members who were taking care of them are so impressed that they¡¯re almost following you more than me.¡± Ah. The light cooking I did out of pity for the people who had lost their minds seemed to have been seen as something to sway his subordinates from his perspective. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it with the intention of swaying your group members, but¡­ I¡¯m sorry it turned out that way.¡± ¡°Sorry? Seems like you¡¯re misunderstanding something.¡± Chang-su waved his hand dismissively at my apology. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I wanted to express my gratitude.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Apparently, my assumption was mistaken. ¡°Those friends of mine had decided to take revenge after their precious people lost their minds. But now that they¡¯ve regained their senses, they¡¯ll likely give up on the revenge. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°A good thing? Isn¡¯t that bad for you?¡± As the leader of these people, He must be the one who hates the ¡®monsters¡¯ the most. So, the reduction of the personnel who were determined to take revenge against these ¡®monsters¡¯ should be something he would want to prevent, it seemed. ¡°Honestly, the people on our side don¡¯t look very normal, do they?¡± Ah, that¡¯s true. ¡°I¡¯m one of them, but I know this path is best left behind, at least.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been unlucky, so I don¡¯t think I can ever fully get out of this path, but I don¡¯t want to stop others from trying to escape it either.¡± I was a bit surprised by this honest statement. ¡®So, they¡¯re not just crazy people, huh.¡¯ I had only seen them as obsessed with hunting the ¡®monsters¡¯, useful for dungeon exploration. But it seems their leader isn¡¯t just a mindless fanatic. ¡°And well, even if a few leave the group, it¡¯s not a big problem.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°After all, your goal is dungeon exploration, isn¡¯t it? Until you achieve that goal, we¡¯re essentially the same group.¡± Ah, could it be¡­ ¡°I think I¡¯ll give the dungeon exploration a try.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Although there wasn¡¯t any real message that appeared before me. But I felt like I saw a message saying: [You have acquired an Ally] After the alliance was formed, a full-scale strategy meeting began. ¡°So, if we consider this ce a dungeon, there should be a boss somewhere¡­ actually, I have a hunch about where it might be.¡± Chang-su then led us to the rooftop and pointed to the distance. ¡°The city center of the city.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the basis for that?¡± ¡°Just look closely.¡± As if saying that would be enough to understand, Chang-su stepped back with his arms crossed. Following his lead, we looked around the area a bit and realized one fact. ¡°The water level is high.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even here on the outskirts, you¡¯ll only be safe up to the 2nd or 3rd floor of the buildings from the monsters. But¡­¡± ¡°It seems most of the 3-story buildings in that direction are locked.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Chang-su continued. ¡°Not only that, but the closer you get to the center, the higher the frequency and level of those monster appearances.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Even just the high-water level makes it a difficult environment to fight in. And with their increasing numbers and strength, our group has only been able to patrol the outskirts without being able to venture too deep inside. It¡¯s quite suspicious, don¡¯t you think? We all felt that there must be something important being guarded in there.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that difficult to approach, there¡¯s likely something important that needs to be protected inside¡­that makes sense.¡± Chang-su couldn¡¯t hide his worry as he continued. ¡°Even the military folks from outside wouldn¡¯t be able to break through that, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Well¡­we can at least try, can¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a very reassuring answer, but¡­ Anyway, let¡¯s move on from that.¡± As the discussion on the strategy progressed, I decided to ask a personal question that had been bothering me. ¡°Do you know of any way to escape from this city?¡± ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you say we need to defeat that ¡®boss¡¯ guy?¡± ¡°I mean, apart from that. For example, is there a way for even just one person to escape?¡± ¡°If there was, everyone would have escaped by now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± However, that raised another question in my mind. ¡®Then what about that man who called for our help? Where did hee from?¡¯ The man who imed to be from Chuncheon had almost certainly escaped this ¡®dungeon¡¯ somehow. But how did he manage to do that? _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: OneForce Chapter 101.2 ¡°Actually, there is one thing I¡¯m suspecting¡­¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Tell me, do you know why we can¡¯t leave this ce?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Do you see that wall, flowing like a waterfall?¡± ¡°The water pressure there is immense. Some have tried to escape before the monsters appeared, even trying to drive vehicles out, but the vehicles got shredded.¡± ¡°So that waterfall is the problem?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± I see. ¡®Once you enter a dungeon, you can¡¯t leave until you clear it.¡¯ But these people¡­ ¡®This dungeon appeared on the first day of the apocalypse, and they didn¡¯t even know this was a dungeon.¡¯ Normally, when entering a dungeon, there would be a message about entering the dungeon. If they had gone through that process, they couldn¡¯t have been unaware that this was a dungeon. , But they haven¡¯t actually entered this dungeon at all. Their original home just happened to be a dungeon.¡¯ So, if they tried to leave, they should be able to do so, unlike a regr dungeon. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you can escape outside?¡± ¡°As I said, it¡¯s too difficult. Even vehicles got shredded trying to go through that waterfall.¡± ¡°But we did meet someone who actually escaped.¡± ¡°Hmm. If that¡¯s true, then¡­ Ah.¡± Chang-su seemed to have realized something. ¡°There might be someone capable of doing that, but¡­¡± ¡°Do you have an idea of what that could be?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s probably not the right answer.¡± He shook his head, as if it couldn¡¯t be that. ¡°It would have the ability, but not the reason to do so.¡± ¡°So, there is a being that could potentially help us escape?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really helpful information, but since it¡¯s not a secret, I¡¯ll tell you. Do you remember when I stopped you from trying to cook with the fishmen earlier?¡± The sudden mention of that caught me off guard. ¡°The reason was simple ¨C there have been cases of monsters, and even humans, being devoured by that thing.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°And the result wasn¡¯t very good.¡± Chang-su¡¯s expression darkened a bit as he said that. ¡°I had a feeling that some kind of story would unfold.¡± ¡°Your body became abnormally swollen, and you would gained immense strength. But it seemed the consumer would lose his intelligence in return.¡± ¡®¡­.¡¯ ¡°Later on, they would even try to eat people alive.¡± As expected,. ¡°After that incident, eating the monster became taboo. It¡¯s one of the many taboos spread throughout this city.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡®Sometimes few woulde forward who would try to eat the monsters in order to gain the power of revenge, but we are doing our best to dissuade them. They may momentarily gain some strength, but in the end, they will only lose their intelligence and be wandering monsters.¡¯ I had encountered a simr existence before. ¡®The Gourmet Glutton.¡¯ Therge plunderer group that we had exterminated. The human who had reigned as the leader of that group had strayed far from what could be called the human form. It was so powerful that even the elite members of our unit could not gain the upper hand against it. ¡°That monster is still wandering somewhere in this city. It might even be able to withstand that water pressure.¡± The Gourmet Glutton that we had encountered. I had only thought that its appearance was the result of devouring its own kind. ¡®But it started eating humans onlyter. Before that, it only ate monsters.¡¯ It seems that was not the case. ¡®I¡¯m curious. What did you do that allowed the people who ate the monster to remain unharmed?¡¯ Chang-su tilted his head and asked. Well, that¡¯s a fair question. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°What? Hahaha! That¡¯s impressive!¡± If I had to guess, it might be because of¡­ [Intermediate Chef Lv. 22] The upation of being a chef. Perhaps this had some kind of effect. After the conversation ended, I looked out towards the city center from the rooftop. The dungeon that had covered the entire city. It was on apletely different scalepared to the dungeon in the subway that we had conquered. I wish our unit¡¯s strength alone could resolve this, but¡­ ¡®It seems that will be quite difficult.¡¯ Even after including Chang-su¡¯s group, we might face difficulty clearing this dungeon. While we might be able to improvise solutions for other problems¡­ ¡®The absolute power is simply toocking.¡¯ Hmm. I decided to ask Chang-su, just in case. ¡°Forgive me for asking, but¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Is there no one else who can participate in the dungeon conquest?¡± Honestly, I didn¡¯t think there would be. Chang-su¡¯s group was special. Considering the people I had met before, there would likely be no one willing to venture into such a dangerous battle. ¡°If not, then there¡¯s nothing can be done, but¨C¡± ¡°No, there are some.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But Chang-su¡¯s answer was contrary to my expectations. ¡°While they may not be as capable as us, there are a few groups that do not avoid confronting the monsters.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Unlike us, who make a living by ying the fishmen, they engage inbat with the monsters for the sake of survival. They can gain levels and points by hunting the monsters, so they fight them to a certain extent for the benefit of their survival. You could try approaching them about the dungeon conquest.¡± I see. In that case, I should definitely try to persuade them. ¡°However, the question is whether you¡¯ll be able to convince them.¡± Chang-su spoke with a concerned tone. ¡°As I said, they engage inbat with the monsters solely for the sake of survival. It¡¯s not the same as our purpose of hunting them. In other words¡­¡± ¡°If the battle bes one that requires sacrificing their lives, there is a high chance they will withdraw.¡± That¡¯s only natural. The dungeon conquest, or anything else, is not more important than their own survival. Moreover, there is no certainty that the conquest will seed even after the dangerous battle. So¡­ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: OneForce Chapter 101.3 ¡°For your dungeon conquest, you¡¯ll need to convince them that you can defeat those monsters. Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°If they judge the risk to be too high, they will likely withdraw immediately. But it¡¯s not an easy task to provide that kind of assurance either¡­ It would be more convenient to consider them as non-existent forces.¡± Hmm. After pondering Chang-su¡¯s words, I nodded and responded. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡®It¡¯s fine¡¯? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You said it would not be easy to persuade them. It¡¯s fine. Please call those people here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chang-su¡¯s eyes widened as he asked. ¡°Do you have some confidence? Your magic is certainly impressive, but that alone doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you can easily defeat those monsters.¡± ¡°What do you think the people who hunted those guys the most would say?¡± As he furrowed his brow, he replied. ¡°Do you think no one has died in the process?¡± ¡°At least the monsters on the outskirts weren¡¯t that powerful, so it was possible. The deeper you go, the bigger the enemies get, and their teeth and skeletons be tougher. It¡¯s only natural that it gets harder to fight as the difficulty level rises.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in this city who doesn¡¯t know that fact. Subduing those monster bastards and conquering the dungeon? Honestly, if I had to judge the possibility, I¡¯d side with the ¡®impossible¡¯ camp.¡± This was something I had thought about even before entering the dungeon. A monster that created a dungeon covering an entire city. It couldn¡¯t possibly be weak. ¡°You have to give us the confidence that you can catch that monster. But that just doesn¡¯t seem possible, does it?¡± It would be quite a difficult task, but¡­ The only answer I could give was: ¡°So, what if it doesn¡¯t work? Let¡¯s just try to make it work.¡± ¡°¡­Are you being serious?¡± I just shrugged my shoulders and smiled silently. ¡°¡­Looks like you have something in mind.¡± ¡°How long do you think it will take?¡± ¡°Even if it takes a long time, two days should be enough. Since the number isn¡¯t that big.¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Chang-su seemed a bit unsure, but he believed in my words and took a few subordinates with him. Watching them move across the skybridge connecting the buildings, I thought, ¡®I do have something in mind, you know.¡¯ If necessary, our unit alone could have conquered the dungeon. The reason we boldly entered the dangerous dungeon was that I had a n. I approached that ¡®something I had in mind.¡¯ ¡°Why the gloomy face?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ You¡¯vee, Young-joon.¡± In the corner of the building, Min-jae hyung was sitting with a slightly troubled expression. ¡°I was just feeling a bit sorry about something.¡± ¡°Sorry about what?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be much help in this dungeon.¡± A city covered in water. Even the building walls were flowing with waterfalls, as if they were affected by some supernatural force. While the interior was a bit drier, the floors were still slightly damp due to the moisture. ¡°Using my lightning magic here would be practically suicidal.¡± Min-jae hyung¡¯s specialty was lightning magic. Due to the dungeon¡¯s environment, his power was amplified more than usual. Unlike the snipers who could attack from a distance, the mages¡¯ spells didn¡¯t have that long of a range. ¡®Whether I like it or not, using magic would affect our own troops.¡¯ As a result, Min-jae hyung and the other lightning mages had nothing but just watch us throughout the battles after entering the dungeon. Apparently, this had taken a toll on his self-esteem. ¡°Maybe it would have been better if I took charge of the ammunition unit and sent Lee Sang-ah here instead. Sharp weapons like swords might still be effective underwater¡­ That subspace, it¡¯s the vampire¡¯s ability, right?¡± ¡°Ah, you noticed?¡± ¡°After telling that vampire to get lost, it turns out I¡¯m the useless one here.¡± Min-jae hyung, who had questioned the necessity of using the vampire that had killed our own troops, was still bothered by that incident. ¡°¡­Was I just rambling on about negative things?¡± He seemed to have just realized it. ¡°Ahem. Sorry about that. So, what¡¯s the n now?¡± Min-jae hyung cleared his throat and changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the gist of it. The n is clear, but the real problem is convincing the others, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. It would be great if we could just do it ourselves, but the more manpower the better. I¡¯ll try my best to persuade those people.¡± ¡°Giving them the confidence that conquering the dungeon is possible¡­ Is that even possible? At least I can¡¯t think of a way.¡± ¡°There is a way.¡± Surprised, Min-jae hyung looked at me questioningly. The method I had already thought of. That I was confident in would work. ¡°To be exact, it¡¯s right here.¡± ¡°The one I¡¯m pointing to is you, Sergeant Lee Min-jae.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to put in some effort, hyung.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Trantor: OneForce Chapter 102.1 ¡®Phew. I¡¯m not sure if this is the right decision.¡¯ A man sighed as he pondered. He was leading a small group in the submerged city. He was somewhat capable, so the group was managing reasonably well, but¡­ ¡®The city¡¯s food supplies are running out. There will be fighting again soon.¡¯ The food they could obtain through fishing or the bread they could buy with points was not enough to feed all the people in the city. There had been a major fight over food in the past. The man, thinking there would soon be another conflict where humans would take up arms against each other, took his group out for hunting. To level up a little, earn some more points, and secure some more food for the survivors. One day, someone came to see him. ¡°I¡¯ve found a way for us to escape this ce. It was Chang-su, the leader of the Revengers, a group made up entirely of battle-crazed fighters. He said he had joined forces with some soldiers from the outside and was nning an operation to escape from this ce. When the man first heard this, he thought, ¡®Those revenge-obsessed idiots and their nonsense.¡¯ Everyone in the city hated the monsters, but they were a little extreme. Most of the surviving humans in the city avoided them. And this time was no different. ¡®Now they want to drag us into their revenge as well.¡¯ He had heard about the soldiers from the outside. Tae-wan¡¯s group had apparently weed them but parted ways on bad terms. When he heard that story, he thought those idiots who clung to their legs deserved to be kicked out. ¡®But if those soldiers are talking about hunting the monsters together, I would have refused too.¡¯ Sorry, as he was about to say it, the man had no intention of getting involved in this. Even though they were trapped in the buildings by the mysterious walls, his priority was to live one more day. Hunting monsters was one thing, but going to the center to catch the boss? It might be a novel way tomit suicide, but those who valued their lives would never participate. He was about to refuse, shaking his head, when¡­ ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe, but could you at leaste to our building and hear us out?¡± ¡°What reason do we have to do that¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll provide you 3 days¡¯ worth of food.¡± ¡°¡­3 days¡¯ worth?¡± Three days¡¯ worth of food sounded great on paper. In a situation where even the daily food ration is precious, this condition was absurdly exceptional. ¡®I ended uping here because I was blinded by that condition, but I¡¯m not sure if it was a good choice.¡¯ There were a few others around who had alsoe, attracted by that outrageous condition. There was also the judgment that it wouldn¡¯t be bad to get friendly with Chang-su¡¯s group, which was full of strong individuals. But apart from that, the man thought Chang-su¡¯s proposed method was unrealistic. ¡®Hunting those monsters is also a life-threatening endeavor. Is it really possible to hunt their leader?¡¯ Well, whatever. If he could get the group¡¯s 3-day food ration in exchange for wasting a bit of his time, that would be a kind of profit, in a way. Thinking such thoughts, the man went up to the rooftop of the building. What he saw there was¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± A huge thundercloud hovering over the city center. After entering the dungeon, Lightning mages had essentially be useless. The reason was simple. ¡®They¡¯ve be too strong.¡¯ In this dungeon, not only is the ground covered in water, but the air is also saturated with moisture. Even the interior of the buildings has damp floors. ¡®The fact that no diseases have broken out yet is probably due to the peculiarity of this dungeon.¡¯ Anyway, with highly conductive water everywhere, The lightning magic of the mages had be too powerful. ¡®Even if they fire it from far away, the lightning still affects their own allies.¡¯ Even when inside the buildings, the waterfalls flowing down the exterior walls end up affecting the people around them. While there were lightning awakened in this city, They were all treated as outcasts. ¡®Novice mages don¡¯t have long range advantages.¡¯ Using magic too close would only end up harming their own allies and themselves. Meanwhile, [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Lee Min-jae] [Lv. 21 Intermediate Lightning Mage] [Hwang Sun-wook] [Lv. 16 Junior Lightning Mage] Our mages were quite high leveled. ¡°If we minimized the power and only fired from the maximum range¡­ we might be able to contribute to some degree. But¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not specialized in long-range attacks like the snipers. I¡¯m not sure how much help we can provide by reducing the power and firing from far away.¡± The mages I had gathered looked quite uncertain. Hearing their words, I let out a wryugh and responded. ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t reduce the power.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If we do that, it will still end up affecting our own allies. The environment of this dungeon itself¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but let¡¯s try changing the approach.¡± Reducing the power just because a problem arose is¡­ Too passive of an idea, isn¡¯t it? ¡°We should do the opposite.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Increase the power and the range as well.¡± The magic that¡¯s already strengthened. Enhance that even further. ¡°As long as the range is enough that it won¡¯t harm our own allies, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem possible¡­¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± If it doesn¡¯t work, we just have to make it work. ¡®And I have the ability to do that.¡¯ The memory of when I reimed the tank battalion came to mind. Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, who fainted after eating the food I had poured my full power into. What he said right before fainting: ¡®It¡¯s best to refrain from using such powerful buffs.¡¯ ¡®I was just barely able to endure it, but someone with even a bit weaker willpower would have fainted long ago.¡¯ Chapter 102.2 After hearing that, I had been gradually adjusting the effects of the food. ¡®But if I give up on adjusting it¡­ the story might change a bit.¡¯ Smirking, I reached into the shadows and started taking out the ingredients one by one. ¡°Really, you think it¡¯s not possible?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The mages, seeing my expression, asked with a tentative look. ¡°Is this really going to work?¡±And the result is¡­ That huge cloud in the sky. ¡°What on earth did you do?¡± Ominous sparks were flickering around the massive dark cloud in the sky. Chang-su was sweating as he looked at the cloud. ¡°After we got trapped here¡­ the sun didn¡¯t rise, it didn¡¯t rain, and there was no wind. The normal weather phenomena stopped urring.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Now that he mentioned it, Tae-wan had said something simr. About the sun not rising and the clouds disappearing. ¡°That¡­ is definitely not a normal weather urrence.¡± Well, it¡¯s not like a dark would suddenly appear in apletely clear sky. The dark cloud as a weather phenomenon is a kind of natural disaster. Producing lightning and pouring rain is considered an impossible feat for humans to recreate. ¡®It¡¯s not quite at that level, but¡­¡¯ While everyone was looking at it with cold sweat, Realistically, if youpare it to a real lightning cloud, there¡¯s quite a difference. In the sealed-off dungeon with no clouds, and at a rtively lower altitude, it just appears to be unnecessarilyrge. The size of the thundercloud itself is not that huge. ¡®It¡¯s big enough for our purpose, though.¡¯ It¡¯s not an exact recreation of a natural phenomenon. But it¡¯s still an incredible feat. And it came with a price. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± The lightning mages. And even the fire mages, whose magic power has diminished and are now useless. They were all groaning in agony, some even frothing in their mouths. The reason they¡¯re suffering so much is none other than me. ¡®Since they ate the food, I poured my full power into, they must be in excruciating pain.¡¯ Not just the taste, but the buff theygained is the core of it. ¡®Excessively strong power inevitably puts a strain on the user.¡¯ It¡¯s a bit embarrassing for me to talk about, but after going through various incidents, my stats and level have risen far beyond my squad members. The food I make with my full power provides buffs that are too much for them to handle. That¡¯s why they¡¯re suffering so much. But it doesn¡¯t end with just the buff. ¡®Magic energy transfer.¡¯ It¡¯s a basic ability that mages possess. The mages whose magical power explosively increased after eating my food, They were channeling that amplified energy into one ce. Bzzzzt¡­ The squad¡¯s strongest mage, Sergeant Lee Min-jae, Was casting a spell in the sky. ¡°I¡¯m gonna die¡­¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae had also eaten the food I made with my ¡®full power¡¯. And he was drawing in the magical energy from all the other mages in that state. ¡®He¡¯s probably feeling the greatest agony here, even more than what Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok experienced.¡¯ Even so, he¡¯s the one who awakenedright after me in the squad. ¡°After saying he¡¯d be useless in the dungeon, and now he¡¯s going through this hell¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said you should suffer a bit.¡± Even I, the oldest in the squad, am working hard. What, you want to hog all the honey by yourself? And¡­ ¡°I fed you delicious food, so get to work.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ you bastard.¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae, sweating profusely but still conscious, raised his hand. The lightning spear, his signature spell, materialized in his grip. Fwooosh! It was hurled towards the dark cloud in the sky. ¡®Min-jae Hyung¡¯s magic.¡¯ He¡¯s a bitter than me, but he¡¯s recently be an intermediate-level mage, over level 20. Naturally, the number of spells he can use is different from when he first awakened. One of them is just that. The effect is simple. It condenses the magic within the dark cloud so it can be manifested all at once. ¡®The duration is rtively short, and normally it couldn¡¯t beunched that far, so the utility wasn¡¯t great.¡¯ But with the buff on, it¡¯s different. The dark cloud, continuously absorbing lightning, was far away, right above the city center. Likely where the dungeon¡¯s monsters and boss were gathered. It¡¯s a considerable distance from the building we¡¯re in. No matter how powerful the lightning is, It won¡¯t harm us. I nced back. ¡°Just what is that cloud¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± The other group of people Chang-su had brought, asked. They were all staring at the dark cloud in the sky, horrified. Part of the reason I did this was to convince them, after all. Those who aren¡¯t confident won¡¯t participate in the dungeon raid. So, ¡®I just need to show them an overwhelming power to convince them.¡¯ I think I¡¯ve captured their attention enough. I did want to increase the power a bit more, but¡­ ¡°Grrr¡­¡± Gradually, people will start fainting if I drag this on. I put my hand on Sergeant Min-jae¡¯s back and spoke. ¡°Open fire.¡± ¡°¡­Commencing fire!¡± Sergeant Lee Min-jae shouted in response to my order. Seeing that, I simultaneously thought: ¡®Isn¡¯t fishing with electricity in the ocean illegal?¡¯ Because the sheer power could risk injuring the fishermen. And yet, news would often report on anglers persistently sticking batteries into the sea. The risk was high enough to potentially cost them their own lives. But the reason why those people keep taking that danger is¡­ Simple, really. ¡®It¡¯s just too effective.¡¯ At that moment, Lightning struck the submerged city center. Crackle¡­! That massive lightning spear. There was no way to describe it other than divine punishment. Chapter 103.1 Crackle. Crackle. Tremendous amounts of lightning struck down from the dark cloud in the sky. The lightning, even from this distance, exuded an oppressive presence. As the lightning struck the ground, Thud, thud¡­ An enormous number of fish. No. The bodies of the fishmen were floating on the water. The city center was obscured by the other buildings, so it was not fully visible. But the sheer number was still apparent. And, [Someone who has enjoyed your meal has excelled in battle] [The Chef¡¯s reputation is spreading far and wide] [You have gained experience points] [You have gained experience points] [You have gained experience points] ¡®Ugh.¡¯ I could feel a massive surge of energy flowing into my body. The sudden influx brought with it a hint of difort. ¡®If I¡¯m feeling this much from the indirect experience points, then¡­¡¯ Then, The mages who participated in that spell, And Sergeant Min-jae who manifested it, How many experience points have they gained directly? ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ It seems the im about the monster density increasing towards the center wasn¡¯t a lie. Conversely, if we had tried to push through those monsters, how much hardship would we have faced? Just as I was feeling pleased with the unexpected results, Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!! ¡°!?¡± ¡°That sound.¡± At the center of the lightning-struck city, Something massive let out a cry of agony. A pained scream reverberating all the way here. For the sound to reach this far, it couldn¡¯t be an ordinary creature. ¡®The boss monster.¡¯ The one responsible for turning this city into a dungeon. That must be it. The lightning we just unleashed was the maximum our guild could muster at the moment. And it seems to have affected the boss lurking within. The aftermath came swiftly. ¡°Hey, look over there.¡± ¡°The water level is receding!¡± Terraforming, under the name of a dungeon. The one responsible for that was the boss monster. The water level rises higher towards the central area. The city center was submerged up to the level of tall skyscrapers, But ¡®that water level is receding now.¡¯ It¡¯s not just the city center. The water level of the entire dungeon seems to be gradually lowering. Even this area, where the water previously reached up to the chest, Is now barely reaching the thighs. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this much.¡¯ I suppressed a leaking chuckle and looked back. ¡°Th-this is crazy.¡± ¡°The water receding, that can¡¯t be a coincidence, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but those soldiers must have done something.¡± The people unable toprehend the recent events, Staring at the soldiers, unable to hide their astonishment. ¡°We heard that the deeper we go, the more monsters there are, and the higher the water level gets. So¡­¡± Nonchntly, as if summoning lightning from the sky was an everyday urrence. ¡°We reduced the monsters and lowered the water level.¡± ¡°¡­Good lord.¡± Gulp. People looking down at the ground, sweating nervously. There, the bodies of the fishmen were floating around. Seeing that, people murmured cautiously: ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°The raid¡­ might actually be possible¡­¡± *** ¡°Is it really possible?¡± ¡°Ha. As long as you follow us, there¡¯s no problem.¡± The people brought by Chang-su were entrusted to Lieutenant Kim. Lieutenant Kim, with his bold and confident demeanor, instilled trust in the people. ¡°I thought I was doomed to wither away in that building.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such frightening things. Even in the most perilous moments, there¡¯s always a way out, you know. We¡¯ve entered this city for a reason, after all.¡± ¡°As expected¡­!¡± ¡°The soldiers are no ordinary bunch. They¡¯re quite reliable!¡± They had already started to hope for the dungeon raid¡¯s sess after witnessing the lightning strike. And with Lieutenant Kim¡¯s unfounded confidence, the people¡¯s conviction in the raid¡¯s sess grew even stronger. That¡¯s when, The medic approached me, who was observing Lieutenant Kim and the people. ¡°Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The mages who participated in the attack just now have all fainted.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talk somewhere private.¡± After moving to a ce where the other Awakened couldn¡¯t hear, I listened to the medic¡¯s report. ¡°How are their conditions?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve experienced both mana surge and mana depletion. They¡¯ll likely need to rest for a week.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even after regaining consciousness, they¡¯ll have difficulty using that level of magic again.¡± It¡¯s only natural that there would be a price to pay for invoking such a powerful spell. I had gathered the idle mages and forcefully fed them food imbued with an intensely potent buff. And then, I poured that amplified magic into Sergeant Lee Min-jae, our best mage. ¡®They won¡¯t be able to use it again.¡¯ I had anticipated this oue to some extent. ¡°Take good care of them. With the high humidity here, they¡¯re prone to illness. No outbreaks yet, but you never know. They might have just gotten lucky so far.¡± ¡°Understood, sir. Leave it to me.¡± Those mages would have had a hard time showcasing their abilities in this dungeon anyway. At least, they served the purpose of drawing in other Awakened factions. Indeed, ¡°We might not even be needed in the first ce.¡± ¡°Yeah, just a few more lightning strikes like that, and the monsters will be wiped out, right?¡± ¡°Haha!!!¡± The ones who had joined after witnessing the magic disy, They were now fully convinced that the dungeon raid was possible. Of course, replicating that lightning strike would be difficult. It would likely take at least a month before it¡¯s feasible again. ¡®¡­No need to explicitly mention that, I suppose!¡¯ The inconvenient truth can be left unspoken. If we include all the Awakened from the groups that Chang-su brought, their numbers would be 2-3 times the size of our unit. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen such arge number of humans after the Doomsday. Chang-su¡¯s group was the only one whose level seemed as high as our unit. But even Chang-su¡¯s group was only high in level. Of course, most of the points they gained were invested in food. They didn¡¯t benefit from the effects of items made by the Awakened in our guild or production-focused groups. Chapter 103.2 They didn¡¯t benefit from the effects of items made by the awakened in our guild or production-focused groups. ¡°The numbers have increased tremendously, but in terms ofbat power, it¡¯s only about 1.5-2 times what it was when it was just our unit.¡± ¡°Even that is already enormous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok¡¯s gaze seemed rather unconvinced. Well, what can you do? Hoping that others would be as elite as our unit members was a luxury. ¡®We need to use this military force to conquer the dungeon.¡¯ There was at least one piece of good news. ¡°Thanks to the reduced water level, we should be able to conduct reconnaissance, even if it¡¯s rough.¡± Jeong Soo-ah approached me and informed. Her upation was that of a Spirit Master. Given that herbat ability was not particrly outstanding, We have always used her ability like a drone. The spirit she had contracted was none other than the Spirit of Water. ¡®A spirit that can move through water¡­ In this dungeon, it means she can see anywhere.¡¯ Perhaps she can be more useful inbat here than outside. From her perspective, this was a very favorable dungeon. ¡°The center was too high in water level, so we couldn¡¯t see inside from the outside, and when we tried to go in, we were obstructed, making reconnaissance difficult.¡± ¡°But not anymore, huh.¡± ¡°Yes. Whatever was obstructing the vision must have been dealt a fatal blow. Now we should be able to at least roughly scout the center.¡± Being able to conduct reconnaissance was highly significant. The survivors in the city were scattered across the high-rise buildings on the outskirts. No one knew what was going on in the center. Just being able to identify where the enemy were distributed would be a huge advantage. But¡­ ¡°Huh? This is a bit unexpected.¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s there?¡± The center of the city, submerged in deep water. The water covering the city was rtively clear. ¡°There are buildings¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Buildings of a design I¡¯ve never seen in any book.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± No matter how much the survivors live in high-rise buildings on the outskirts, They couldn¡¯t have seen what¡¯s inside. While people¡¯s eyes were averted, There were buildings being constructed inside. ¡°The city center would have had plenty of buildings originally. What happened to those buildings?¡± ¡°The buildings that were submerged in water have all disappeared.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­ They demolished the buildings?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I don¡¯t think we should imagine what thendscape was like before it was flooded.¡± Architectural structures made of mysterious pure white materials. ¡°Well, if the assumption of the dungeon being a terraforming project is correct, then they¡¯re probably trying to create an environment suitable for their own living. It¡¯s not strange that they¡¯d be building their own style of buildings.¡± ¡°It¡¯s surprising that they have a culture advanced enough to construct buildings.¡± The areas we¡¯ve visited so far have been the outskirts of the city. But this ce was truly a dungeon. Aside from the special environment of being submerged in water, it¡¯s not much different from the outside. In fact, it might even be safer, with no zombies and the monsters only roaming in the water. ¡®So, the central area must be different.¡¯ The core forces of the monsters and the boss monsters would be situated there. The human buildings that were there have all disappeared. What remains were the structures built in their own style. Yes, this has truly be a ce deserving of being called a dungeon. Ssh¡­ Hundreds of humans immersed their bodies in the water. The cold water lowers their body temperature and weighs down their clothes and equipment. ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°This sensation just never gets familiar.¡± The water environment is not originally meant for humans, after all. Of course, that¡¯s just a minor annoyance. The real problem arrived soon after. Fwooosh! From within the water, ck forms approached rapidly, ¡°There, there!¡± ¡°They¡¯reing!¡± Normally, Most of the humans in this city avoided fighting the fishmen. And even those who did fight had to be extremely cautious. They were vastly outnumbered and at a disadvantage due to the environment. So, their choice was understandable. Disregarding that, Chang-su¡¯s group was the one that frequently shed with the them. But even among them, few survived after repeated battles. However, the situation has changed a bit now. ¡°Hiyaa!¡± A man who used to tremble at the mere sight of the fishmen, ¡°Haha! That¡¯s a home run, you bastard!¡± Swung his huge mallet, knocking away the leaping fishmen monster. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°My body feels so light!¡± ¡°Haha! Die, you piranha bastards!¡± ¡°Hiyaaaa!!!¡± The humans who were once mere prey to the monsters, Were now ying those monsters, after bing our allies a short while ago. ¡°That¡¯s quite an impressive buff.¡± The reason why this became possible was quite simple: Captain Kim¡¯s Battle Cry, and my magical cooking buffs. The wide area buffs that our unit is proud of. ¡°We did have some buffer-type Awakened among us, but¡­ the level is on a different scale. Especially this ¡®environmental adaptation¡¯ buff.¡± Crack! Chang-su quickly dispatched the charging monster, stabbing its heart with his spear. Looking down at his spear, he said, ¡°Lieutenant, do you know why I¡¯ve started using a spear?¡± ¡°Huh? Because of your Awakened ability, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but to be precise, it¡¯s a bit different. There were limited options for fighting enemies in the water.¡± Most actions were restricted underwater. Especiallyrger weapons, which lose a lot of their power due to water resistance. ¡°The best options were either a piercing spear, or maybe a dagger with a small surface area. Those were the only viable weapons for underwaterbat.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Most in our group use one of those two. It¡¯s one of the know-hows we¡¯ve built up, having fought those monsters the most. But¡­¡± Unlike Chang-su¡¯s group, Other Awakened haven¡¯t experienced as muchbat with the fishmen. They¡¯ve only fought a little when awakening new members. ¡°Swinging a mace underwater? Normally, that would be a worse weapon than bare hands¡­¡± The weapons they wield vary based on the abilities they awakened. The first awakened who struck down a monster had used a mace like weapon, for instance. ¡°But now those weapons are performing to their full potential.¡± My cooking¡¯s buffs were significant in improving stats, but The most crucial part was the temporary abilities it can grant. [Environmental Adaptation ¨C Water] [Possesses excellent adaptability to a specific environment. When active in water, reduces environmental restrictions on actions by up to 80%] ¡°That¡¯s an absurd effect.¡± ¡°Well, the effect is a bit good, I suppose.¡± ¡°A bit?¡± Chang¨Csu let out a hollowugh. ¡°I asked the other soldiers before, but is this something all the awakened outside can do? That can¡¯t be the case, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not, unfortunately.¡± ¡°Good to hear. I was almost devastated by the loss of confidence.¡± The reason we can provide such buffs was that our unit has been tempered through countless battles and grown stronger. ¡°Honestly, I thought the addition of other groups wouldn¡¯t have much impact. At most, they could just bodily block the monsters, given the environmental constraints.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s no longer the case.¡± As he said, Not only have their stats increased, But the Awakened can now fully utilize their abilities even underwater. And so, The monsters who were once the predators were now the ones being pushed back. Chang-su muttered with a low chuckle, ¡°Killing them all might¡­ be very much possible now.¡± Chapter 104.1 ¡°This is thest one!¡± ¡°Aaaaahhh!!!¡± A man roared loudly, strangling the monster. As he said, the battle ended after taking out thest one. I wiped the blood off my sword and said, ¡°Report the casualties.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± One of the soldiers soon came over and reported the results of the battle. ¡°Among the civilian supporters, three are injured. One of our soldiers has minor injuries. Other than that, there are no deaths.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± The soldiers were already seasoned inbat, so that was to be expected. But the people with lower levels and lessbat experience also showed their mettle in the fight. ¡®So far, we still have the upper hand.¡¯ We¡¯ve just descended into the dungeon to begin the assault. If Chang-su¡¯s words were true about the monsters in the outer regions being rtively weak. Then even with my buffs, their contributions must have been a major factor in gaining victory over this fight with the inner area fishmen. [Identify Ingredients (Enhanced)] [Deepsea Dasmurian Young adult Fishmen] The monsters in the outer regions were weak. Which means¡­ The further we advance into the dungeon¡­ Stronger monsters will appear. ¡°What the hell are these things!¡± ¡°Be careful! They¡¯re incredibly strong!¡± As we pushed towards the center after taking out the outer monsters, monsters iparable to the previous ones started appearing. [Dasmurian Ascendant] [The Ascendant of the Dasmurians, the guardian race of the deep sea world of Dasmur] [The flesh of the Dasmurians, who guard the world of Dasmur, is a precious ingredient in Dasmur¡¯s folklore, said to grant immortality to those who consume it] [A race with great potential, but unable to fully unleash it] The previous monsters were [Young Adult]. While their size was only slightly smaller than an average adult male, the ones appearing now are [Ascendants]. Standing nearly 2 meters tall, with disproportionately long hands and feet. They¡¯re not justrger, but their strength and toughness have doubled. ¡°Everyone, stay calm!¡± ¡°Their numbers aren¡¯t that many! If a couple of us gang up on one, we can handle them!¡± The fortunate thing was that their numbers were not that great. The leaders of each group organized formations and engaged with them. Gradually, the casualties decreased. ¡°At least their numbers are few, so that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s probably thanks to that magic from thest time.¡± ¡°Truly impressive. The countless dead bodies that floated up on the water were actually monsters of this caliber, huh?¡± Normally, the closer you get to the center, the more numerous and powerful the monsters be. But therge-scale lightning magic that Min-jae and the mages unleashed greatly reduced the number of monsters in the central area. ¡°Normally, monsters of this level would have swarmed us in droves.¡± ¡°Just the thought of that is horrifying¡­¡± Electro fishing might be illegal, but it was effective. It¡¯s a good thing we did that. Moreover, it¡¯s not just the city¡¯s people who were happy after killing the monsters. Shhk- I grip my [Dokkkogusik] knife and slice through the monsters. Perhaps even the knife was pleased when used for the intended purpose. It feels sharper than ever. ¡®The average level of the monsters may have risen, but the party members and Chang-su¡¯s group should be able to handle them on their own.¡¯ The increasing difficulty as we advanced to the center was a problem, but with the boss weakened, there were no obstacles to our progress. As I was wiping the blood and moving to the next monster¡­ Karanake¡­ Dasmur¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± The monster, whose life was about to be snuffed out, muttered something. ¡°These ones usenguage,¡± said Gwang-il, who was fighting beside me. Unlike the outer monsters, these inner ones were able to vocalize. ¡°They do seem different from the outer monsters somehow.¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel a certain¡­ intelligence from them.¡± The outer monsters were [Young Adult]. And these ones a step beyond were [Ascendants]. ¡®If they were human, they¡¯d be at an elementary school level, so it¡¯s not that strange they can speak.¡¯ Seeing monsters that can usenguage wasn¡¯t entirely an unprecedented event for us. The goblins that had taken over the Inje-gun Office, and the vampires that were even now engaging monsters outside the view of the party members ¨C including Arielle, who has be my vassal ¨C they could allmunicate with each other. The difference was that while I couldmunicate with them, I could not understand thenguage of these monsters at all. ¡°Take a break!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll move into the adjacent building!¡± As the party members rested, I sat down and bowed my head, speaking to the shadow. ¡°Now that I think about it¡­ how were you and those goblins back then able tomunicate with me?¡± Normally, these monsters should only be spouting iprehensiblenguage, just like the others. -It¡¯s simple. A response soon came from within the shadow. -I¡¯ve learned thenguage. ¡°Learned thenguage?¡± -The goblins likely did the same. It¡¯s rare, but there are species that can quickly pick up othernguages. Their speech may have been clumsy, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re highly intelligent. ¡°And in your case?¡± -My situation is a bit special. Special, huh. So, it¡¯s not just a matter of learning it like the goblins. -After being suddenly summoned to the bunker, the first thing I did was turn the human in front of me into my first vassal. ¡°And then?¡± -When I drank their blood, I gained some of their knowledge. ¡°What?¡± Gaining knowledge by drinking blood? Is that even possible? -Of course. The blood contains a part of that being¡¯s essence. Some high-ranking vampires even capture humans and impersonate them. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Capturing and consuming humans, then impersonating them based on the acquired knowledge. ¡®This is less like a vampire, and more like some other kind of monster¡­¡¯ The concept doesn¡¯t seem to match the vampires I know. ¡°I don¡¯t recall the vampires I¡¯m familiar with having that kind of ability.¡± -The very term ¡®vampire¡¯ is inurate to begin with. ¡°?¡± Chapter 104.2 -While I understand why you call me a vampire, the pronunciation of my species¡¯ name in my ownnguage doesn¡¯t ovep with ¡®vampire¡¯ at all. I see. The monsters are beings from another world, so it¡¯s strange that their species would matchmon human myths. Now that I think about it, this one has always introduced itself as a ¡®Night Noble¡¯, not a vampire. The same goes for the vassals I fought before. The reason I¡¯ve been calling them vampires was¡­ [Vampire Baroness] ¡®It must have been because of the status window.¡¯ The status window doesn¡¯t lie. Technically, this being is a species that wouldn¡¯t be strange to call a vampire. ¡­Wait. Maybe I just defaulted tobeling them as vampires since I didn¡¯t have a better trantion for their name. ¡®How careless.¡¯ This status window can be a bit sloppy in many ways. Anyway, this one has simply learned the humannguage, like the goblins. It seems they cannotmunicate with regr monsters. ¡®Hold on a moment.¡¯ This one said their case was special, didn¡¯t they? I looked back to the shadow. ¡°You said you learned the humannguage by drinking blood, right?¡± -Yes. ¡°Can you then learn thenguage of those fishmen monsters as well?¡± The monsters who turned this city into a dungeon. From our perspective, they¡¯re not much different from other monsters. ¡®They not only usenguage but have their own architectural styles as well.¡¯ Perhaps these monsters possess a more advanced civilization and knowledge than we thought. ¡®They might know something.¡¯ These monsters that suddenly appeared on Earth ¨C the reason for their invasion was still unclear. The only one I¡¯ve managed to make a vassal is Arielle, but even she didn¡¯t understand why she ended up on Earth. But these monsters are a bit different. In such numbers, and even progressing a terraforming on Earth. ¡®I might be able to learn the reason for their invasion of Earth.¡¯ However¡­ -While I understand your intent, it would be difficult. ¡°Why?¡± -I¡¯m just a low-ranking noble, you see. It seems the method I had hoped for is not avable to me. -Fully absorbing the memories of an existence is only possible for the higher nobles. Even just absorbingnguage knowledge requires being of a simr species. ¡°Tch¡­ The vampires are more ipetent than I expected.¡± -¡­Haha. I didn¡¯t expect you, my lord, to say something like that! ¡°?¡± -If things had gone as nned, I would have already risen to at least the rank of a true baroness by now. But then someone came and killed all the vassals I had worked hard to raise, and even drank my blood. ¡°Ah.¡± I see. My own actions have led to her ipetence. Now that I think about it, the [Shadow Veil] has shrunk tremendously at the same time as her weakening. Originally, it wasrge enough to barely hold the [Mobile Fortress], but not anymore. And there¡¯s one more important point. ¡®Can monsters grow as well?¡¯ Compared to the monsters I¡¯ve encountered so far, we have a clear growth metric in levels, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be applicable for the monsters till now. But after witnessing the vampires my world view shattered. I recalled the description that came up when I made her a vassal: [Though her rank as a blood rtive is low, she possesses exceptional talent] [Cherish and raise your vassal!] [With your support, they may reach even greater heights] ¡®I just thought of using them as monsters without properly cultivating them.¡¯ To make proper use of them, I¡¯ll need to help them grow to a certain degree. This measly baroness is practically useless. I¡¯d need them to at least reach the level of a count before they¡¯d be truly useful. ¡®But it seemsmunication will still be difficult.¡¯ Regrettable, but unavoidable. To casually converse with other species would require an incredibly advanced being. After that brief rest, we continued advancing, engaging in several more battles. ¡°The water is rising steadily.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± After those battles, I suddenly realized the water that had only reached our waists before had risen considerably higher. The shorter soldiers were starting to feel difort as the water reached their chests. ¡°Look! There it is!¡± The drowned cityscape disappeared, and a massive architectural structure made of a pure white material came into view. ¡°A temple¡­ perhaps?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± The building was surrounded by giant columns, their walls etched with mysterious patterns. The grandiose atmosphere did evoke a temple-like feeling. Whether that was its actual purpose or not, I couldn¡¯t say. There were smaller structures built around the central building as well, giving the impression of an ancient sunken city. The main difference being that this was likely built underwater from the start. I gazed at the water now rising to our chests. ¡®Now is the time to attack.¡¯ Originally, even that massive building waspletely submerged in water. No matter how much [Environmental Adaptation ¨C Water] buff we had, fighting underwater would not have been easy. But the mages¡¯rge-scale lightning spells have now dealt damage to the boss, making entry possible. ¡®In other words, we need to quickly defeat it before it can recover.¡¯ That¡¯s why we¡¯ve rushed in a bit hastily. If the creature recovers and the environment changes, the difficulty of the assault would escte dramatically. I approached the temple-like building. At the center, there was a massive door. ¡°It¡¯s enormous.¡± ¡°Even ounting for those monsters being around 2 meters tall¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit excessive, don¡¯t you think?¡± At least 5 meters tall, that colossal door. The moment I reached out to open it: [Retreat] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Though I looked around at the surprised expressions of the others, the voice came again: [Withdraw] This time, I realized it was not in ournguage. It must be thenguage used by those monsters. While I still couldn¡¯t fully understand the speech, the meaning somehow tranted itself into my mind. Just a few hours ago, I had the thought thatmunication with an entirely different species would require an advanced being. -Oh my? A voice came from the shadow. -I can smell an incredibly delicious blood scent from the inside. Chapter 105.1 [Withdraw.] ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What was that voice just now?¡± ¡°What, what is this?¡± A voice suddenly rang out. The people who heard the voice mutter in bewilderment. But I was surprised for a different reason. ¡®Why¡­ can I understand it?¡¯ The sound that reached my ears was somewhat iprehensible for others like an aliennguage. But to me it was quite clear. But in my mind, the meaning of that sound was clearly understood. An absurd phenomenon. To be honest, I was quite perplexed. ¡®Calm down.¡¯ I soonposed myself and thought. ¡®The dungeon itself is an abnormal phenomenon from the beginning.¡¯ Even creating the dungeon. The ability to forcibly understand thenguage was also an abnormality. In other words, the owner of this voice was likely ¡®The Boss Monster.¡¯ An entity capable of creating such a dungeon. No matter what they do, it would not be strange. -My, a very delicious scent of blood ising from inside. Affirming my guess. The Vampire Baroness spoke from the shadows. -It¡¯s a bit pungent, but this is a delicacy in its own way. ¡®Come to think of it, Arie did mention about consuming high quality blood to strengthen herself.¡¯ The fact that she said the smell is delicious¡­ ¡­It¡¯s meaning was not that hard to understand. ¡®The monster inside must be a powerful existence that can make the Vampire Noble salivate.¡¯ Then, [Why are you invading our territory?] The voiceing from inside spoke to us again. ¡°Huh. Why are you asking why we¡¯re invading?¡± ¡°Invasion? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t we have to answer them?¡± The soldiers hesitated a bit. If it were a mindless monster, they could just fight hard and defeat it. But this was the first time they encountered a monster that suddenly spoke to them, so, they were confused about how to respond. ¡®Sigh. There¡¯s no help for it.¡¯ This was the heart of enemy territory. It would not be good to let the confrontation drag on. Moreover, ¡®I¡¯ve also wanted to talk to them once.¡¯ *** ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean by that¡­ Let¡¯s start by pointing out the things that don¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Why do you im this is your territory?¡± You said we invaded your territory. What nonsense was that? [My kin and I im the seas. Your kind, the natives, im the skies.] The response was short, but the meaning was clear enough. ¡°So, the waters are their domain, and thend belongs to humans? Is that it?¡± Ridiculous. ¡°This city is human territory, part of South Korea. You¡¯re the ones illegally upying ournd.¡± [Grrr¡­ You wish to argue about legitimacy?] I wanted to refute the nonsense, but the only response I got was a sneeringugh. [A country, you say. You¡¯re trapped in a well, unable to see anything clearly.] ¡°Huh?¡± [How pitiful. Even the natives know less about this world than I, an outsider.] ¡­This bastard. ¡®Does he know something?¡¯ Our unit was stuck in the Gangwon Province. We don¡¯t even know what¡¯s happening in other cities, let alone the outside world. Even as mere soldiers, we¡¯ve somehow managed to survive and keep our unit intact. I believed the country of South Korea would still be standing as well. ¡®But¡­ there¡¯s a chance it¡¯s not.¡¯ I wanted to hear more details. [If I have offended you, I apologize. But your argument is meaningless. We im the seas, and you im the skies. Has that not been the agreement throughout time?] ¡°Instead of spouting nonsense, exin what you just said¡ª¡± [We are paying the price for yielding thend. We are defending you from external threats.] ¡°¡­?¡± I wanted to hear more about the state of the country, but his words seemedpletely out of ce. ¡°You¡¯re protecting us from external threats?¡± ¡°That monster¡­ What the hell is he talking about?¡± The people in the city seemed to find the idea offensive. Defending us in exchange for yielding thend? To them, it must sound like utter nonsense. But¡­ ¡®I have a hunch.¡¯ From our outsider¡¯s perspective, it didn¡¯t seem entirely out of the realm of possibility. [Natives, do you know how many of your kind still live beyond these walls?] ¡°What¡¯s he talking about?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all living just fine.¡± [Less than a tenth of your poption remainspared to before. And most of them wander thend, unable to die properly.] ¡°W-what did you say?¡± As soon as they heard those words, the awakened ones in the city widened their eyes and stared at me and the soldiers. ¡®Is that true?¡¯ That seemed to be the question in their gaze. We had told them about the appearance of monsters outside, but¡­ ¡®I hadn¡¯t bothered to mention how many humans had died.¡¯ I thought revealing that would only dampen their resolve to venture outside. But now, it wasing back to bite me. ¡®The most shocking thing when we entered the dungeon was the number of people.¡¯ Despite the unique environment of the dungeon, this ce had an unusually high number of living humans. [It is because I have been keeping external threats at bay.] So that was this creature¡¯s doing? [That¡¯s not all. I also purified the disease that once gued this space. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve paid enough for thend you¡¯ve been given?] In this damp, filthy environment, it was strange that there hadn¡¯t been any sick people, even though disease should¡¯ve spread long ago. ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± Then, a man muttered in a voice full of hatred. ¡°You monsters devoured my fianc¨¦e and chewed down her bones. ¡®Givennd¡¯ in exchange? Is this what it looks like to live peacefully after yieldingnd?¡± [As long as your kind didn¡¯t invade our territory, we didn¡¯t attack anyone.] ¡°Let¡¯s be real here, fish-head. It¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t, it¡¯s that you couldn¡¯t. You can¡¯t even breathe properly once you leave the water.¡± [¡­¡­] It was Chang-su. [I know who you are. You¡¯re the native who¡¯s killed the most of my kin.] ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be recognized, really.¡± [Even if webined all the natives we killed, it wouldn¡¯t equal half the number of my kin you ughtered. Do you know that? All the ones you killed were children.] ¡°¡­That was¡ª¡± [It¡¯s true that your numbers have dwindled. But most of it was caused by your own internal conflicts.] We had heard rumors of a major conflict among humans. [Stand down.] His voice softened a little. [All we want is a ce of refuge. We have no intention of invading anyone.] ¡°¡­.¡± [We will respond if you invade our territory, but we have no desire to make you, our enemies. If you retreat, I promise we will not interfere with you. We have even tolerated your fishing in our waters, so leave us in peace.] Despite all his long-winded talk, his message was simple. Chapter 105.2 ¡®He¡¯s offering a truce.¡¯ Unfortunately for him, it wasn¡¯t an offer we could ept. ¡®We need to defeat the boss to escape the dungeon.¡¯ There¡¯s no way we¡¯re staying trapped in here for the rest of our lives. But that¡¯s just our unit¡¯s situation. ¡°¡­Is it really true?¡± A voice from behind startled me, and I turned around quickly. ¡°I was always afraid of being hunted by monsters. But if they¡¯ve been sparing us all this time¡­¡± ¡°Then we will never have anything to fear, right?¡± ¡°They say more humans are dying outside¡­¡± ¡°So, the outside world is more dangerous, huh? Then is there even a point in struggling to leave¡­?¡± I saw the humans in the city murmuring among themselves. Unlike us, they had adapted to the environment of this city. It was absurd to think they believed the words of a monster. But if what it said was true, it was enough to shake them. After all, the outside world wasn¡¯t exactly a ce fit for survival. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense¡­!¡± ¡°Are you really going to believe that monster¡¯s words?¡± The only ones who remained unfazed were Chang-su¡¯s group. ¡°You all know it too. Fishing alone won¡¯t be enough to feed the people in this city.¡± Chang-su, the leader, seemed to have regained hisposure. He stepped forward to persuade the people. ¡°If things continue as they are now, we¡¯ll eventually run out of food. Staying trapped here means starving to death. If we want to survive, we have no choice but to go outside.¡± ¡°¡­With the number we have now, that may be true.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± However, the persuasion didn¡¯t have much impact. ¡°If there were fewer mouths to feed, we could survive on fishing alone.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­ You better not be saying what I think you are.¡± ¡°W-We¡¯ve been fighting monsters and leveling up along the way. We have an advantage over those other humans who have only awakened and hidden away¡­ If ites to a war between humans, we can definitely win.¡± ¡°Damn it. So, you¡¯re really going to say it.¡± The persuasion wasn¡¯t working. ¡°In fact, you all stand to gain the most, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re the strongest people in this city.¡± ¡°Revenge is pointless! What¡¯s important is the survival of the living¡­ Instead of dragging innocent people into this, you should be more worried about your own survival!¡± He made it sound reasonable enough, but in the end, it was just about killing off the weak so the strong could live. We had brought these people to bolster our forces, but now it was backfiring. They were even trying to sway Chang-su¡¯s group, who were full of fighting spirit. ¡®Tsk. It¡¯d be fine if they just stayed out of the fight.¡¯ If we managed to defeat the monster, the dungeon would disappear. Then they would have no choice but to face the outside world they didn¡¯t want. In that case¡­ ¡®Could they even end up attacking us?¡¯ The situation had suddenly be much moreplicated. After a moment of thought, I made my decision. ¡®Tsk. Overthinking things is not my style.¡¯ I started walking. Ahead of me, the entrance to a temple-like building came into view. ¡°Hey! Soldier over there!¡± ¡°Stop right there! If you take another step, we won¡¯t just stand by¡­!¡± The city dwellers were trying to block my way, but¡ª ¡°And if I do?¡± A massive arm cut them off. ¡°Wh-what the hell are you?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin is moving forward. You wanna try and stop him? Go ahead, say something.¡± It was Corporal Jeon Gwang-il and his soldiers. The sheer presence of his towering figure was intimidating enough. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I just thought maybe we could talk a little more¡­¡± ¡°Oh, is that it? I thought you were about to use force!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As if anyone in their right mind would do something that crazy! I made a huge mistake, hahaha!¡± Thud, thud! Gwang-ilughed, smacking the others on the back. He forced his arm around the shoulders of those trying to stop me and spoke in a friendly tone. ¡°But really, no need to worry.¡± ¡°L-let go of me, let¡¯s talk about this.¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin isn¡¯t the kind of guy who acts recklessly. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s got a n, so let¡¯s just watch.¡± Thanks to him, no one interfered as I stood before the door. I ced both hands on it, ready to open it. [Is this meant to be a refusal?] ¡°Yes, you dumbshit bastard.¡± Back off quietly, and I won¡¯ty a hand on you? ¡®Bullshit.¡¯ From the start, the audacity of this monster acting like it held the power over our lives was absurd. ¡®You¡¯re the one who¡¯s badly hurt right now.¡¯ The dungeon¡¯s difficulty had dropped drastically. That meant the monster had suffered a serious injury and lost a significant amount of its power. He was the one who was actually feeling nervous. And besides¡ª [I do not understand. I have spoken no falsehoods. Why reject something that benefits us both?] ¡°Do you know why we entered the dungeon now?¡± This dungeon was enormous, even from the outside. Normally, we would¡¯ve prepared more before attempting to clear it. But there was one reason we entered as soon as we found it. ¡°It¡¯s expanding.¡± [¡­.] This dungeon¡­ It was growingrger by the day. The expansion of a dungeon is straightforward: it means the power of the entity that created it is also growing stronger. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the details, but as time passes, your power is increasing, right?¡± [¡­.] ¡°When you got injured and lost power, the difficulty of the dungeon dropped. So, conversely, as you grow stronger, the difficulty of the dungeon will rise, correct?¡± [Grhhhhh] ¡°Let me ask you something. How will the dungeon look in 2 or 3 years if things continue like this?¡± A deep rumbling shook the door as it slowly opened, and the entity lying inside responded. [Even the tallest spires of this city will have sunk beneath the sea.] ¡°¡­.!¡± It¡¯s obvious. As the water rises, people will eventually have to abandon their buildings and flee. By then, the dungeon will have expanded even further, so they could move to outer high-rise buildings. But¡ª Will they even be allowed to make that move easily? ¡®Those creatures attack as soon as you enter their territory.¡¯ The sea and the sky. It might seem fair if they divided their domains like that, but if the sea keeps encroaching towards the sky, the situation changes. They say they won¡¯t attack as long as you don¡¯t invade their territory? The reason humans died was due to infighting among themselves? That premise is fundamentally wed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who created an environment where survival is only possible by invading a pristine world and causing mutual destruction among humans.¡± [Grhhhh] Even if we withdraw for now, the situation was clear. They say they won¡¯t attack if you don¡¯t invade their territory, but they create situations where invasion is unavoidable. Ultimately, they will try to eliminate humans by any means necessary. My talk about nations was pointless, and their talk about protecting us was meaningless too. Whyplicate things? The crucial point was simple. ¡°The stronger one survives. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± [Hmph¡­ Heh heh heh¡­ Hahaha¡­] In the heart of the massive temple, the giant that had been lying down now rose to its full height. [You¡¯re quite perceptive, aren¡¯t you, little insect?] Chapter 106.1 [Heh heh¡­] The being lying in the water inside the temple stirred. But then¡­ ¡®How much bigger is it going to get?¡¯ Two meters¡­ three meters¡­ It rose further from the water, stretching its legs, straightening its hunched back, and lifting its head. [You¡¯re quick to notice, you bug.] Once the creature stood fully upright, it towered over Sergeant Jeon Gwang-il, more than twice his height. It was nearly five meters tall. ¡®No wonder the building was so enormous.¡¯ It had been sized for this thing¡¯s movement. This being, which not only created the dungeon but also tried tomunicate in strange ways, had more than just its massive size to offer. [The strong survive. It¡¯s true. But we¡¯ll see who survives in the end.] Gulp¡­ The sound of soldiers nervously swallowing followed after the giant¡¯s deration. But¡­ There was no need to be too scared. ¡°This thing tried to convince us with words and deceive us! Do you know what that means?¡± I shouted without breaking eye contact with the giant. I could feel the people behind me focusing on my words. ¡°It means we¡¯re a threat to this creature!¡± Before entering the dungeon, there had been some fear of whether we could defeat a monster capable of creating such a ce. But now¡­ That fear was gone. ¡°If it were truly an overwhelmingly powerful being, there would be no need for these tricks!¡± If it were so powerful that we couldn¡¯t stand a chance, it wouldn¡¯t need mind games. It would have simply crushed us. The fact that it hadn¡¯t done so meant only one thing. ¡°It¡¯s a monster we can definitely take down!¡± The creature had just confirmed it was not an absolute, unstoppable force. Rumble¡­ ¡°Combat vehicles! Ready to go!¡± The temple was built to amodate something as massive as that giant. Even the main doors were designed for its size. ¡®Big enough to allowbat vehicles to pass through.¡¯ The vehicles, now modified for underwater operations, wouldn¡¯t be able to charge as they would onnd, but they could serve as mobile barricades. ¡°It¡¯s huge, so even shooting randomly will hit! Fire away!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! Just treat it like training against a giant monster!¡± The high-ranked soldiers encouraged the others. ¡°That¡­ that bastard tried to deceive us?¡± ¡°In the end, it wanted to drown us all in the water. Damn it!¡± Up until a moment ago, the awakened individuals from the city were preparing to flee. However, now they too were enraged, drawing their weapons and entering the temple. As I watched them form up, I drew my knife, preparing for the battle. It was a formation set to fight against a massive monster. Just before the formation was perfectly established¡­ [How pathetic I¡¯ve be. These insects I could have easily crushed them before¡­] The giant muttered in a somewhat sorrowful tone. [To think I¡¯d be struggling like this.] The giant, who had just risen from the water, began to copse backward. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Boom! The giant, over 5 meters tall, plunged back into the water. A massive wave crashed over our formation. * * * Boom¡­ ¡°Cough! Ugh!¡± I was swept away and pushed back by the huge wave. The enormous wave caused by the giant throwing his body into the water¡­ ¡®No, this isn¡¯t just any wave.¡¯ Even though I mayck properbat skills, my stats alone are second to none. Yet, a wave powerful enough to knock me back? ¡®It¡¯s been enhanced by some ability.¡¯ I tried to gather my senses and check my condition. Fortunately, or perhaps it was my luck, I wasn¡¯t seriously hurt. Despite its intensity, it was still just a wave. No one should be gravely injured by this. But the real problem¡­ ¡°Our formation is broken¡­¡± As I slightly lifted my head, I saw the giant in the distance, the one who had caused the wave. Thud¡­ Thud¡­ It seemed that the giant had risen specifically to create the wave. Now, it was crawling through the vast temple in a grotesque manner. The sight could have beenical, but its speed and presence were too intimidating to let my guard down. And then¡ª ¡°Sp-spare me¡­!¡± [Die, insect.] Crack. The giant mmed his palm down on one of the city¡¯s awakened individuals. A momentter¡­ Thud¡­ The body of a man who had been fleeing on the water floated to the surface. It was unclear whether he was dead or unconscious, but one thing was certain: he had been incapacitated in a single blow. ¡®His n is to copse our formation¡­ and then take us down one by one.¡¯ That man wouldn¡¯t have fallen so easily under normal circumstances. If the unit had maintained formation, even arge monster wouldn¡¯t have broken through so easily. That creature knew exactly what it was doing when it broke the formation. ¡°Damn it. What kind of monster thinks like that?¡± ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°Gather the scattered men! Restoring the formation is our top priority!¡± Some soldiers, barely regaining theirposure, started to gather, but it was clear it would take time to regroup. ¡°Restoring the formation is one thing, but¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t just stand by and let us do that.¡± Well, of course. There¡¯s no way it would just sit idly by and watch us rebuild what it worked so hard to destroy. Sigh. With a short sigh, I spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve got some work to do.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Trust me and focus on restoring the formation. And¡­ Jeon Gwang-il! Seo Su-hyeok!¡± At my call, the two who were busy organizing their troops turned to face me. ¡°You¡¯reing with me!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Sir, yes sir!¡± As the two followed me, I gave them their orders. ¡°Our mission is to buy time.¡± ¡°¡­I had a feeling it woulde to that.¡± Corporal Seo Su-hyeok, checking his rifle, nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going to hold that monster off until the formation is restored. It makes sense¡­ but do you think three of us can manage it?¡± Chapter 106.2 ¡°Kahaha! Su-hyeok, you¡¯ve got a lot to learn,¡±ughed Corporal Jeon Gwang-il. ¡°Do you know what military life is all about?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When it seems impossible, you make it possible!¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s absurd, but not wrong,¡± Seo Su0hyeok sighed deeply as he reluctantly agreed. ¡°Ahhh!¡± A scream rang out as a man narrowly avoided being caught by the giant in pursuit. Just as the giant¡¯s fist came crashing down toward him¡ª Boom! ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, kid!¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il intervened. ¡°Th-thank you,¡± the fleeing man stammered. ¡°No need for thanks! Join the formation!¡± The man, pursued by the boss monster, fled in haste. Two soldiers stepped forward to confront the creature that was after him. ¡°Excluding Min-jae, we three are the elite of our unit.¡± We three needed to buy as much time as possible. [So, you are¡­ rather sizable vermin.] The giant loomed over us, and we gazed back defiantly. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Chef¡¯s Eyes] activated. [Pope of the Deep Sea] [Freshness ¨C Moderate] [Representing the guardians of the Deep Sea world, Dasmur.] [This being was their religious leader, reigning as king.] [Its freshness has significantly deteriorated due to aging and injuries.] ¡°A religious leader, huh?¡± Seeing it up close, it appeared even more grotesque. It resembled a human in some ways, but its skin was covered in scales, and its face was closer to that of a fish. Though its size was enormous, its limbs were thin to the point that the bones were visible. The sight of it crawling through the temple on those spindly legs was akin to watching a horror film monster. ¡°That thing is a pope?¡± There was nothing divine about it; it looked like something straight out of a demon-worshipping cult. [Of course. Size doesn¡¯t change the fact that a bug is still a bug.] As the creature finished its sentence, the water around it began to rise, swirling in the air to form a colossal spear. ¡°Crazy!¡± ¡°Is it controlling the water?!¡± I recalled how strangely powerful those waves had been earlier. Did he amplify the force of the water its body? The creature thrust the spear down with great force. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Corporal Jeon Gwang-il crossed his arms to block the spear. Unlike the others, he didn¡¯t be incapacitated from a single blow, but¡­ ¡°Cough¡­ Keuh¡­ Hahaha. Yes, this is the kind of challenge I was expecting¡­¡± It seemed he had taken considerable damage. We weren¡¯t just standing there, however. Rat-tat-tat-tat¡­! [Grhhhh] Screech¡ª [Ugh¡­!] As Gwang-il braced himself against the spear, Sergeant Seo Su-hyuk unleashed a barrage of firepower. Confident in my physical abilities, I darted in closer and managed to slice through that monsters¡¯s flesh. ¡°Tsk. If only I could have targeted a weak spot,¡± I thought. The creature, like other aquatic beings, had gills located on its chest. But with its towering height of nearly 5 meters, getting close to its weak point was a daunting task. ¡°Your strength surpasses that of an ordinary insect. It¡¯s clear that it isn¡¯t normal,¡± the monster muttered. Though I failed to strike its weak spot, the damage I inflicted appeared significant enough that it seemed to feel some pain. It was undeniably a powerful monster, but if we could just stall for a little longer¡ª ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s the reason. It¡¯s the cooking, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, caught off guard. The creature¡¯s words were peculiar. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found a decent cook,¡± it said disdainfully. What was this creature implying? How did it know about the cooking? And this wasn¡¯t merely a surface-level understanding, either. ¡°If you know the source of your suffering, responding to it shouldn¡¯t be a challenge,¡± it continued, rising slightly and lifting its head. Its abdomen swelled ominously. Grhhhhhh!!! [The voice of the ¡®Pope of the Deep Sea¡¯ echoes!] [Combat abilities of the Dasmurians will drastically increase!] [All other races, excluding the Dasmurians will have their stats reduced!] [Buffs for all other races have been removed!] The echo reverberated through my body, weighing me down and de-amplifying the resistance of the water. This was the consequence of the cooking¡¯s effects wearing off. Our stats plummeted, and the trait [Environmental Adaptation ¨C Water] had vanished. ¡°This eliminates the effects of your cooking,¡± the creature taunted. ¡°Now, what will you do? Will you try cooking again?¡± It looked down at us mockingly, as if dismissing our weakened state. The creature shifted toward our allies, who were struggling to regroup. ¡°I must stop it.¡± I had anticipated that we might find ourselves in a situation where our buffs would vanish. ¡°Get thebat rations ready!¡± ¡°Sir, yes sir!¡± The creature seemed puzzled, raising an eyebrow at our frantic preparations. I pulled some food from the pouch at my waist. ¡®This is exactly what the [Combat Ration] skill is for.¡¯ So, what if the buffs were dispelled? We can just eat again. I had prepared [Intermediate Chef¡¯s Dasmurian Fish Cakes] prepared for a situation like this. It would grant the [Environmental Adaptation] trait. [Is it really a dish that preserves effects? Unbelievable¡­!] The giant seemed to have some knowledge about cooking, but perhaps not enough to understand the intricacies ofbat rations. He appeared bewildered, muttering to himself. [No. Hold on. What you just put in your mouth was¡­ ?] After observing the other soldiers gaining buffs from their meals, I too was about to consume thebat ration when he eximed, [That meat¡­ It came from my children, didn¡¯t it?] ¡°¡­Ah.¡± I noticed a hint of hesitation in the giant¡¯s eyes. ¡®Now that I think about it, I did prepare it quite nonchntly.¡¯ From his perspective, this dish was made from his kin¡ªparticrly, the flesh of a child. ¡®Even I find this situation a bit unsettling.¡¯ But still, could a monster really care so much about its own kind? Such doubts ran through my mind as I watched the giant let out an anguished roar, Graaah!!! Not like we attacked him directly. Yet, he screamed in pain. ¡®¡­It seems he genuinely cared about his kin.¡¯ Chapter 106.3 [It¡¯s hard to endure even the thought of killing the children¡­ And¡­ You all¡­! Are eating them?!] The Pope, upon seeing the minced flesh of a young kin before him, cried out tears of blood. [I will never forgive you¡ª!!!] Fury fueled his movements as he began to thrash around even more violently. [You! You are the chef!] And of all people, he directed his anger squarely at me. ¡°Ugh!¡± In a panic, I hastily swallowed thebat ration that I was holding. [The magic contained in the dish seeps into your body] [The effect of Absolute Pte activates] [For you alone, the effects of the dish have been increased] The buffs I received were amplified greater than anyone else¡¯s. While this didn¡¯tpare to a proper meal, I still managed to gain a significant boost in my stats, along with the [Environmental Adaptation ¨C Water] trait. A massive crash echoed through the air! Thanks to the buffs, I was able to dodge the giant¡¯s attacks, but only for a short while. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Is it just me, or is that giant only targeting Sergeant Shin?¡± The relentless assault was focused solely on me. My fellow soldiers rushed in to help, but their efforts didn¡¯t provide much support. ¡°Hang in there, Sergeant Shin! Gwang-il is on his way!¡± ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± As I engaged in this deadly game of tag with the Pope, Sergeant Seo Su-hyeok grabbed Jeon Gwang-il by the arm and said, ¡°This might actually work out in our favor.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? The Sergeant is in danger!¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? Our goal is to buy time.¡± The giant was intent on dismantling our formation, clearly aiming to take us out one by one. It was obvious that he would try to prevent us from regrouping. Our mission was to hold him off and buy time until our formation could be restored. ¡°Right now, that giant seems entirely focused on Sergeant Shin and not on focusing on our formation.¡± ¡°How does that matter¡­?¡± ¡°It actually works to our advantage.¡± With the sergeant being the only one on the giant¡¯s radar, Seo Su-hyeok seemed to reach a calm judgment. He nodded and yelled towards me, ¡°Sergeant Shin! We¡¯re going to regroup!¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to recover the formation quickly, so just hang in there! With someone as formidable as you, you should be able to manage!¡± I was momentarily stunned, unable to process what was being shouted at me amid evading the giant¡¯s strikes. ¡°Just keep running!¡± ¡°Hey, you crazy¡­¡± The soldiers took off without hesitation, leaving me alone in front of the monster while they rushed to restore our formation. It¡¯s good that they¡¯re executing the n without hesitation, but¡­ The problem was, ¡°Are you saying that someone as strong as Corporal Shin can handle this?¡± The very premise of that n was wed. [Have yourades abandoned you?] The giant monster approached me, seemingly intent on tearing me apart with ease. The thought of having to stall this creature alone was daunting. ¡®Even with three of us, it was a struggle. How on earth can I manage this?¡¯ The idea that I could hold my own as a capable fighter was absurd. After all, I am primarily a support chef, with virtually nobat skills. ¡®I was aware that my fellow soldiers had mistakenly begun to view me as a strong contributor¡­ but with everything going on, I didn¡¯t have the time to clear up that misunderstanding.¡¯ Still, I never imagined it woulde to this. [Having turned the children of my own kind into minced meat¡­ it seems only fitting that you should face the same fate.] But as the monster nears, eager to turn me into ground meat as well, I cannot help but feel a surge of anger at how gleefully it approaches me, certain of its victory. ¡°Ugh, this is unbearable,¡± I mutter. It seems I cannot just let this creature have its way. ¡°Fine, I guess I have no choice.¡± ¡°Control what you can, don¡¯t let it control you¡±¡ªa principle I¡¯ve often shared with my juniors, and one I need to apply to myself now. The only option left is to struggle and fight back until the very end. ¡®Besides¡­ it¡¯s not like I¡¯mpletely out of options here.¡¯ I slipped my hand into my pocket and scrolled through my system notifications. [Random skill enhancement in progress] [Selecting random skill¡­] [Absolute Pte has been enhanced!] [Absolute Pte -> Absolute Pte (Enhanced)] While I didn¡¯t have the chance to confirm the effects immediately after the skill upgraded, I did check themter. And if the results align with my expectations¡­ ¡®Then I might just be able to hold my own against this thing.¡¯ Chapter 107.1 ¡°Then go for it!¡± [Abandoned by yourrades?] I¡¯m not sure how things ended up like this, but here I am, forced to buy time in a one-on-one battle with that monster. Still¡­ As I reached for my waist pocket, a thought crossed my mind. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s worth a shot?¡± What I pulled out of the pocket was¡ªwell, what else could it be? Of course, it was food. But this time¡­ [Intermediate Chef¡¯s Handcrafted Turbulent Blue Drop Jelly] It was a dish I¡¯d tasted before¡ªjust a jelly wrapped in a small stic package. [Foolish.] The giant, seeing me pull out the food, sneered. [The effects of a dish don¡¯t stack. That¡¯smon knowledge.] ¡°¡­You seem oddly well-informed.¡± I had a feeling before, but¡­ That guy¡­ seems to know quite a bit about [Chefs]. And this time was no different. ¡®Ordinarily¡­ the effects of food wouldn¡¯t stack.¡¯ Which, of course, makes perfect sense. If food effects could ovep, the strongest profession wouldn¡¯t be warriors or mages. It would be food fighters, taking down dozens with ease. But for me? That¡¯s a thing of the past. [Absolute Pte (Enhanced)] A while ago, after healing Chang-su¡¯s group through cooking, I received a [Random Skill Enhancement Ticket] as a reward for my achievements. And the skill that got enhanced was [Absolute Pte]. ¡®Even though it¡¯s enhanced, the base effect hasn¡¯t changed much.¡¯ The increase in food effect was just slightly higher. But there was one more thing that was added to the effect. It wasn¡¯t called (Enhanced) for nothing. It came down to a single line of text. [User Exclusive] [Effects of the food items can be stacked] One simple line. Yet¡­ ¡®This is insane.¡¯ The effect was outrageously powerful. *** [You have consumed the Intermediate Chef¡¯s Blue Water Droplet Cake] [The magic infused within spreads throughout your body] [Would you like to apply the second effect of Absolute Pte (Enhanced)?] [Please select the desired attribute!] [You have acquired the ¡®Environmental Camouge¡¯ trait] [Currently Applied Dishes] [Dasmurian Fishcake ¨C Stat Boost, Water Affinity Increase] [Trait: Environmental Adaptation ¨C Water] [Blue Water Droplet Cake] [Trait: Environmental Camouge] Ssshh¡­ Even with an active dish effect in ce, the new effectyered on top, stacking seamlessly. [What in the world?!] I could feel my body blending with the environment around me, granting me a stealth ability that even the eye-monster upying the tank division failed to detect. [¡­Where did you hide!?] Even that powerful creature couldn¡¯t spot me right under its nose, and its furious roar echoed as the figure of the pope missed my presencepletely. ¡®Like I¡¯d tell you.¡¯ Ignoring the monster¡¯s rage, I slowly backed away, increasing the distance between us. My n was simple: hide first, then reveal myself once more when he is ready to disrupt their reforming defenses. [An interesting ability, but it seems you don¡¯t understand whose domain this is.] Muttering to itself, the giant raised its palm high into the air. Crash! It mmed down with a deafening force, sending the water, which had already risen to my chest, surging in waves. Although it wasn¡¯t as violent as before, the rippling currents reached my body. [There you are!] The giant¡¯s eyes locked onto my position with eerie precision. ¡®Damn, what the hell is that a sonar?!¡¯ It had pinpointed me through the waves, tracking my location like some kind of aquatic bat. It wasn¡¯t just strong; this monster was disturbingly versatile. The massive water spear in its hand grew evenrger as it readied to hurl it. ¡°Seriously?!¡± Just before the spear could beunched, I hurriedly stuffed another dish into my mouth. [Intermediate Chef¡¯s Light Foot Slypa Jerky] [The magic in the dish spreads through your body.] [All your stats will increase] [For a limited time, you have acquired the trait: Slypa¡¯s Light foot (Deterioration)] [Due to the effect of Absolute Pte, the effectiveness of food has increased] [The deteriorating side effect of the trait has disappeared] [Trait ¨C Slypa¡¯s Light foot] [Significant increase in agility. From walking speed to jumping height, you will approach the realm of magical beasts, surpassing human realms] Slypa, the monster that had attacked us while escaping the 423rd battalion and descending the mountain. Itsbat abilities weren¡¯t particrly formidable, but it was a monster with remarkable agility due to its unique leg strength. I¡¯ve already experienced the effect of this trait before. Boom! Bang! [You insect¡­ You¡¯re annoyingly quick.] Using my enhanced legs¡¯ agility, I barely managed to dodge the attack with a swift movement. But¡­ ¡®If I had been just a little slower, I would¡¯ve been hit.¡¯ It was a dangerously close call. The gust from the spear grazing past my face was overwhelming. Had it struck me properly, I¡¯d already be a corpse. I thought, breaking into a cold sweat. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t hunted so many monsters before¡­ I¡¯d already be dead.¡¯ Thanks to the enhancement of [Absolute Pte], But¡­ The real reason I¡¯m still holding on is because of the variety ofbat rations I had prepared in advance. I encountered many types of monsters and fought them. Because of that, I obtained meat imbued with their traits. ¡°I¡¯ve been through hell and back, too, you know.¡± [Annoying pest¡­!] Boom! Since Doomsday, I¡¯ve constantly fought for survival, shing with various monsters. And those battles are what¡¯s saving my life now. After that, I concealed myself through environmental camouge, again. Whenever I was detected and an attack came flying, I dodged it using Slypa¡¯s agility. I managed to evade quite a few attacks that way. But then, all of a sudden¡­ ¡®Urgh¡­!¡¯ While continuously dodging the creature¡¯s attacks, my body began to feel the strain. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out the cause. ¡®The side effects of using multiple dishes.¡¯ [Absolute Pte (Enhanced)] It had be an absurdly powerful skill, allowing the effects of several dishes to ovep. But with great poweres penalties. [Warning!!!] [Overly powerful buffs may ce a strain on the user¡¯s body!] [Active dish effects ¨C 3] I recalled the soldiers who copsed, unable to endure the intense buffs when I had prepared meals for them at full strength. This penalty was simr to what they had experienced before. ¡®Because I stacked three of them.¡¯ The more dishes I stacked, the stronger the buffs became. But those very buffs were putting a strain on my body. Thanks to them, I was able to hold off against that monster for quite some time, but now the burden on my body was starting to show. It was only because my base stats were high that I managed to stay fine until now. ¡®My body feels heavy.¡¯ It was like I had caught a severe flu¡ªmy body wasn¡¯t moving as I wanted. ¡®I can still move, but¡­¡¯ With movements like this, I probably won¡¯t be able to dodge the next attack. With that in mind, I pulled out mystbat ration. [Intermediate Chef¡¯s Steel Lizard Jerky] [The magic infused in the dish seeps into your body] [Physical defense greatly increases] [Magic resistance greatly increased] [Temporarily gained the trait Steel Scales] And then¡ª Chapter 107.2 Boom! A powerful impact struck my body. * * * [Finally caught you, you pesky insect!] ¡°Ugh!¡± An enormous blow hit my abdomen. My gear was made from the hide of a lizard, and on top of that, I had eaten a lizard dish to boost my defense. Even so, the impact was this strong. Barely regaining my senses, I looked down at myself. ¡°Haha¡­¡± My uniform around the waist had beenpletely torn away. If that were the only problem, it would be manageable, but¡­ ¡°This is insane¡­¡± The attack hadnded right on my waist. To be precise, a huge hole had been punched through the right side of my body. Drip¡­ I could feel something I wasn¡¯t supposed to lose was trying to seep out. Hurriedly, I brought my hand to the wound to stem the flow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too strong?¡± If I hadn¡¯t eaten that lizard dish, the hole would¡¯ve been much bigger. Had it not been for the recent upgrade to my Absolute Pte skill, I¡¯d already be dead. I did my best, but this is as far as I go. [I¡¯m not much of a chef, but¡­ I can at least imitate one] The giant monster approached, ready to grind me into minced meat. I might be able to manage walking, but there¡¯s no way I can dodge the next attack. But I smiled lightly and spoke up. ¡°Still, I¡¯d say I¡¯ve bought enough time, haven¡¯t I?¡± [What did you say?] ¡°I¡¯m not nning to die quietly.¡± The giant monster hesitated for a moment upon hearing my words. Boom!!! [Urgh¡­] A massive impact hit the giant. ¡°Sergeant Shin!!!¡± ¡°We¡¯re regrouping!¡± The soldiers, scattered by the earlier wave, began to form up once again. [These worthless insects dare interfere¡­!] A huge spear appeared in the giant¡¯s hand¡ª the same spear that had inflicted critical damage on me, even with all my buffs stacked. But now¡­ [Legion¡¯s Aura activated] [Bonusbat abilities has been granted to the legion members in formation] For the soldiers who had restored their formation, things were a little different. ¡°Brace yourselves! It¡¯sing!¡± ¡°Defensive stance, now!¡± [Command Directive ¨C Assume Battle Formations!] With Lieutenant Kim¡¯smand, our forces received buffs. ¡°Shields up, to the front!¡± ¡°Ready and steady!¡± The awakened soldiers, specialized in tanking, raised their shields against the iing spear. Boom!!! As a result¡­ ¡°Ugh, damn, that thing hits like a truck.¡± ¡°The force is insane! Everyone, stay alert!¡± ¡°How in the world did Sergeant Shin survive that alone?¡± The damage to our formation was nonexistent. The shield bearers only suffered a bit of strain in their wrists. ¡®This is the power of a team.¡¯ It was a realization that struck me once more. I had long since concluded that going solo was not the answer, and that I needed to build a unit. And that unit had grown¡­ quite significantly. While each individual might not be a match for that giant monster, the awakened individuals of our unit gained synergy when they gathered around each other. We had consistently trained to fight massive monsters. And when those forces gathered and formed a proper formation, even a powerful boss didn¡¯t seem so intimidating. This was the strength we had built. The unit I had nourished and led¡ª It¡¯s the story of My Army. * * * ¡°Sergeant Shin! Over here!¡± While the soldiers held off the giant, a few from the rear approached me, offering their shoulders for support. ¡°Haha! You were amazing, sir!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done enough. Let the rookies handle it from here, Sergeant. You can just¡ªwait, what?¡± As they tried to support me, the soldiers noticed something and flinched. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°This¡­ this wound¡­¡± ¡°Heh, hurts like hell.¡± It was only natural for them to be shocked. After all, there was a hole the size of a hand at my side. ¡°Damn it, this is no time for jokes.¡± ¡°Your injury is worse than we thought!¡± ¡°Quick, get him to the medics!¡± Soon enough, the medics and the unit priest arrived. ¡°Sergeant, show us the wound immediately!¡± Without a word, I moved my hand, revealing the gaping hole in my side. The hand-sized wound¡­ It was terrifying to think that my guts might spill out at any moment. I nced down at the wound, expecting the worst. But then I noticed something strange. The flesh was slowly, but surely, regenerating. ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was a bit of a grotesque sight, but watching the wound heal was also oddly fascinating. ¡°Thanks. Our medics really are something, aren¡¯t they? That¡¯s some impressive healing.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± However, the expressions on the medic and the priest were odd. They were staring at the wound with cold sweat on their foreheads. What¡¯s with these guys? Why do they look so shaken all of a sudden? Wait¡­ could it be? ¡°Is the wound too severe to treat?¡± ¡°No, sir, that¡¯s not it.¡± Relief washed over me¡ªat least it wasn¡¯t that bad. I mean, I could literally see the flesh knitting itself back together, so it couldn¡¯t be untreatable, right? But then Private Sa Uijun, wearing a grim expression, spoke up. ¡°Sergeant Shin.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even started treating you yet.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I nced down at my abdomen again. Sure enough, the wound was slowly but visibly regenerating. ¡°Come on. Anyone can see the wound is healing. What do you mean you haven¡¯t done anything?¡± ¡°Sergeant, we¡¯re used to not being surprised by the stuff you pull off, it¡¯s kind of an unwritten rule around here¡­ but this? This we can¡¯t just let slide.¡± The two medics looked utterly bewildered, as if they couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening. Our unit priest and awakened [Priest], Private Shin Jungsu, cautiously asked, ¡°Sergeant, how is your wound healing by itself? Chapter 108.1 ¡°How is your wound regenerating on its own?¡± Even so, how could I possibly know what a healer like you don¡¯t? I shifted my gaze back to the injury. The flesh was squirming, slowly regenerating. This wasn¡¯t due to any healing skill, was it? ¡°I need to start treatment right away; we can discuss itter.¡± ¡°I was worried that the wound might be infected. But seeing how it¡¯s healing like this, it should be over soon.¡± The medic held a needle in his hand, while the priest from the Buddhist background clutched a cross and began to pray. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what was happening, but in the distance, ourrades were still engaged in battle. There was no time to search for answers now. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s better not to overthink things.¡± I turned my attention back to the fight between the giant and our soldiers. An immensely powerful monster. ¡°Sergeant Shin can take on that beast alone!¡± ¡°If we lose with this many numbers then we are screwed!!¡± As the battle raged on, our side began to take casualties. While the soldiers seemed to hold their ground, the city¡¯s residents were struggling to endure. Min-jae and the mages had struck directly above this building. That monster had probably taken the brunt of that lightning strike. To think it still had this much strength while wounded¡­ ¡°Still, things aren¡¯t all that bad.¡± Our losses seemed significant, but if we kept fighting, victory felt within reach. ¡°The rest should handle it well enough.¡± I thought I could just sit back and watch my juniors in action. But then¡­ [The kin aren¡¯ting.] The soldier fighting nearby nced around, puzzled. The ¡°kin¡± referred to the other monsters outside. Even facing this pope, we were struggling so hard. If more monsters joined the fray, the situation would quickly turn dire. ¡®But they¡¯re noting.¡¯ I had no concerns on that front. I already had a n in ce. [You must have done something, didn¡¯t you?] Perhaps sensing the tide turning against him, the monster¡¯s demeanor shifted slightly. [Prepare yourself.] And then¡ª ¨C Graaaahhhhhh!!! A brilliant white light enveloped the giant¡¯s body. * * * ¡°What is that?!¡± ¡°Stay calm!¡± Suddenly, the giant was surrounded by a blinding light, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically. ¡®It was like a monster from a horror film just a moment ago.¡¯ Now, cloaked in pure white light, it resembled a giant illuminated by divine intervention. ¡°Humph, it¡¯s still just one.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it ns to do, but as long as we hold our formation, we can manage!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± We had umted plenty of experience by this point. The soldiers responded withposure. However¡­ CRASH! ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Byeong-min!¡± ¡°Stay calm and hold the line!¡± A soldier hit by the attack flew far away. The weapon he used had cracked. ¡®Is it sending our troops flying with a single blow?¡¯ The city¡¯s allies, having lower levels than our soldiers, faced a dire situation. Our soldiers were elite, unmatched in level and equipment. The soldier who had just been sent flying was an elite who had fought alongside us from the beginning. This monster was already powerful enough and now it¡¯s even stronger. ¡®Is this something like a second phase?¡¯ To think a monster this formidable could grow even stronger was absurd. In that moment, a message appeared. [The Pope of the Deep Blue has unleashed thest of his divine power] [The Dasmurian Temple has been designated as a sacred domain] [While the sacred domain is maintained, escape from the area is impossible] [The physical abilities of the Pope of the Deep Blue have dramatically increased] [As a cost of burning thest of his divine power, the Pope¡¯s body will begin to copse] Of course. ¡°There¡¯s no way such power woulde without a penalty.¡± It was a force that could easily crush anyone who dared to stand in its way. If we just held out, his body would copse on its own. But there was a problem. BOOM! ¡°Damn it, how many have been sent flying?!¡± ¡°The gaps in our formation are too wide! We can¡¯t hold out much longer¡­!¡± ¡°Hold on, we¡¯ll endure with willpower!¡± It felt like before that copse could happen, our soldiers might be wiped out. Ugh. I had intended to just sit back and enjoy the show. ¡°Uh, Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°You still need to rest a bit more¡­¡± ¡°This is enough.¡± After confirming that my wounds had healed somewhat, I got back on my feet. But my mind was racing. ¡®I¡¯ve done everything I could.¡¯ I had called in the mages to unleash lightning, persuaded the city¡¯s inhabitants to bolster our ranks, and even provided buffs through cooking. I hadyered all sorts of cooking effects to buy time against such a foe. What more could I do? ¡®¡­Actually, there is one more n, but¡­¡¯ It had been only a thought, something I never believed could be done. Graaaahhhhh! But that monster had be so strong that defeating it through ordinary means seemed impossible. Then¡­ ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to gamble.¡± * * * Dragging my heavy body, I approached the formation in the midst of battle. There, among the rear mages, I spotted someone. ¡°Jeong Soo-ah.¡± ¡°Ah, my benefactor!¡± Soo-ah was our squad¡¯s only Spirit Master. With her unique ability, she yed a crucial role in our unit, but herbat skills were rathercking. I had seen her get swept away by the waves created by the giant earlier. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± ¡°Sort of isn¡¯t good enough¡­ You need to take care of yourself!¡± Normally, she rarely participated inbat, but with all the water around, it seemed she had been able to contribute with her water spirit. I addressed her as she anxiously checked my condition. ¡°I have a n. Get ready; I¡¯ll exin.¡± ¡°Y-Yes!? But¡­¡± She seemed worried about me returning after being injured, but she was now a soldier in our unit. It was time to instill some military spirit in her. Chapter 108.2 ¡°Just respond with ¡®yes¡¯ to orders.¡± ¡°¡­Yes sir!¡± ¡°Good.¡± I conveyed mymands to her, then instructed her to ry the information to the other squad members involved in the operation. I moved to the front of the formation. [¡­¡­You.] The giant, engaged in battle with myrades, called me out with a voice full of hatred. Even when I first saw him, he hadn¡¯t looked great under the influence of Min-jae¡¯s magic, but now he appeared even worse. ¡®Was he only glowing with that light before?¡¯ His body bore the scars of battle, wounded and torn in ces. Flesh was king away like dust. So, this was what ¡°copse¡± meant. [The fact that the kin aren¡¯ting is clearly because of something you did.] This ce is a dungeon overflowing with monsters. Under normal circumstances, facing a boss monster one-on-one would have been impossible. However. ¡°Your blood¡­ it seems to be of high quality.¡± It was impossible not to consider that. Outside this temple, a battle has been waged to fend off the monsters pursuing us. [It is so pathetic and miserable. To be hunted down by these wretches.] The fury was palpable. Its ring eyes were fixed on me. [Even if I return to my sea, I will take you with me.] Whoosh! The giant monsterunched a fist towards me at an incredible speed. Despite my sluggish body, Boom! The effects of the stacked dishes were still active, and thanks to some rudimentary healing, I managed to dodge the attack just in time. I witnessed the giant¡¯s fist narrowly miss me, embedding itself in the ground beside me. With a swift motion, I swung the knife towards his arm. [Dokkkogusik Knife Fish Cutting Style] The de was originally designed for cleaning fish. Could it be that it felt happy to finally fulfill its intended purpose? The sensation of slicing through flesh felt entirely natural. Graahhh!! A howl filled with rage echoed through the air. The giant was massive; this level of attack would only leave minor scratches. To begin with, I hadn¡¯t intended to inflict real harm. But [The Flesh of the Pope of the Deep Blue¡¯s Forelimb] I gripped the severed flesh andunched myself back toward our ranks. [Where do you think you¡¯re going?!] The giant chased after, but our frontline warriors threw themselves in the way, blocking its path. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± I heard a short groan behind me. One of my squad members, who had taken the hit for me, was flung far away. ¡®I¡¯ll remember your face!¡¯ I¡¯ll definitely have to prepare a proper side dish for that er. Thanks to them, I managed to escape to the rear where I examined the giant¡¯s flesh still clutched in my hands. [Flesh of the Pope of the Deep Blue¡¯s Forelimb] [A folklore is handed down among the tribes of Dasmur, deep within the world of the ocean] [It is said that those who consume the flesh of the guardians, the merfolk known as Dasmurians, can achieve immortality] [Many believe this story to be mere superstition, yet it contains more than a grain of truth] [Chosen by the gods as a guardian race, Dasmurians are born with immense potential] [The flesh of an adult whose potential has fully awakened is regarded as one of the finest culinary ingredients] How should I put it? ¡°Quite the grand exnation.¡± [Warning!] [High-grade ingredient] [The chef¡¯s skill is below par rtive to the ingredient] [If you attempt to cook with your current abilities, the chances of failure are exceedingly high] [It is advised to increase your skill level before attempting] The description was more detailed and extravagant than any culinary ingredient I¡¯d ever handled. This monster must have been far greater than I¡¯d initially thought. To be such a high-quality ingredient that cooking it would be difficult. But. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯ll be tough to handle with my current skills?¡± I have my pride as a chef. Touching my pride like that, they dared to challenge me. ¡®For the sake of the mission, I have to cook it no matter what.¡¯ In this environment where pulling out proper cooking tools was virtually impossible. The only dish I could quickly whip up was one. Though I¡¯ve never truly learned it, But I ended up as a subordinate of a cook and learned it. The most appropriate application of [Dokkkogusik]. ¡®Sashimi.¡¯ I carefully brought the knife to the Pope¡¯s flesh. And then, with as much care as I could muster, I began to slice through it. ¡®They say it¡¯s a high-grade ingredient, but¡­ I¡¯m not exactly in an ordinary state either.¡¯ [Current Cooking Effects Being Applied (4)] As a result of pushing myself and stacking buffs, the increase in my stats was enormous. The chef¡¯s ability has an impact on the dish¡¯s effects. The knife I held was originally meant for cleaning fish and slicing sushi. Even if it was a gamble, I had stacked the odds as much as possible in my favor. As a result: [The dish has beenpleted!] [Sashimi of the Pope of the Deep Blue] It seemed that luck was on my side. [Sessfully cooked a high-grade ingredient.] [Your skills as a chef have greatly increased] [You have gained experience.] ¡°¡­Yes!¡± I had somehow managed to finish it. ¡®If it were up to me, I¡¯d want the squad members to try it as well.¡¯ [Skill ¨C Five Loaves and Two Fish] [This is a high-grade dish!] [Not enough magic energy] [The activation of the skill Five Loaves and Two Fish has been canceled] Even though I had awakened the talent for ¡°Large-Scale Cooking,¡± It seemed Icked the magic energy needed for duplication. ¡®¡­Ultimately, it would have been too overwhelming of a buff for the squad anyway.¡¯ Excessive buffs can do more harm than good. In the end, I decided to eat it alone. I picked up a piece of thepleted sashimi and cautiously ced it into my mouth. ¡°¡­That thing. It¡¯s an annoying monster, but.¡± Chapter 108.3 I had to admit this: ¡°The taste is excellent.¡± Despite the absence of any special sauce, the vor was astonishingly deep. [Consuming a top-tier ingredient ¨C the flesh of the Pope, of the fishmen, has been confirmed] [Rted effects are being applied] A message indicating that some unknown effects were put into y appeared. I decided to check thoseter. [Would you like to apply the effect of Absolute Pte?] The awaited prompt finally came. [Applying the effect of Absolute Pte] [You temporarily gained one trait of the target ingredient] [Please select the desired trait] A skill that allows you to choose and apply desired abilities from an ingredient. [Mental Language] [Divine Power] [irvoyance] [World Erosion] . . . . . . mboyant characteristics shed before my eyes, but I discarded all of them. The ability I sought was singr. ¡®I found it.¡¯ [Mastery of Water Attributes] * * * [¡­¡­You!] ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m here.¡± Right after sessfully applying the desired characteristic, I approached the creature that was battling the soldiers. Even as its body was breaking apart, perhaps due to the white aura surrounding it, it gave off a strangely sacred vibe. [You appear again before me without a shred of fear, despite your impending doom!] It seemed unable to suppress the anger brought on by the fact that I had cooked one of its kind. The enraged creature swung its fist towards me, and I, too, extended my hand toward it. And then, I used the trait I had just acquired. [Mastery of Water Attributes] I enhanced the power of the waves and gathered the water to form a massive spear¡­ ¡­It was the same force that submerged this city. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°The water around the monster is¡­¡± The water that enveloped the entire city began to recede little by little. Specifically, only the areas surrounding the giant. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± ¡°Is he the great Moses¡­?¡± I heard someone whispering, but sadly, it was far from anything so morous. ¡®I¡¯m going to die, damn it.¡¯ [Mastery of Water Attributes]. A powerful trait just by name alone. Even with a brief use, I could feel the mafic energy being squeezed from my entire body. [How can you wield my power¡­?] As my ability was used in its entirety at my hands, even the most distinguished gentleman could not hide his surprise. [Did you cook me¡­? But there¡¯s no way you¡¯d be worthy of such a feat] Well, there was a lot of talk, but the operation was simple. [Are you nning to take water from me?] I recalled what Chang-su¡¯s group had said. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t¡ªit¡¯s that they can¡¯t breathe properly if theye out of the water.¡¯ Those creatures, with their fish-like appearance, were a species that essentially lived underwater. ¡®With no reinforcements to back them up, there¡¯s a limit to the buff I can give my allies.¡¯ So then, there¡¯s only one option left. ¡°I just need to weaken him.¡± [How foolish.] [Your mastery of water attributes is being interfered with] ¡°Uh, the water ising back¡­!¡± The water I had just removed began to reim its ce. The trait I had taken from him, [Mastery of Water]. And the trait he naturally possessed was [Mastery of Water Attributes]. The two abilities were shing. [This power was originally mine.] True to his word, I had also surrounded myself with various buffs to inte my stats. However, when it came to a battle of strength between the two [Masteries], there was no way I could win against the original. But. ¡°If it were you alone, we wouldn¡¯t have had to fight like this.¡± [What?] At that moment, ¡°Bangul!¡± [¡­¡­!] Those in the rear lines of our formation stepped forward. Jeong Soo-ah, the spirit master contracted with a water spirit. She aimed to usurp control of the water near the Pope using her spirit. ¡°We will join the fight!¡± Apanying her were mages specialized in water attributes. ¡®If fighting alone isn¡¯t enough, we¡¯ll overwhelm them with numbers.¡¯ Even if this were the case, the creature would still have the advantage over the control of the water. However. We were in the heat of battle. ¡°Grrk!¡± [You insect¡­!] Corporal Jeong Gwang-il unleashed a frenzied assault. The giant faltered briefly. In that fleeting moment, [The interference on your mastery of water is diminishing] The water surrounding the giant receded rapidly. He would still have to deal with the attacking squad members. Plus, he would now need to worry about thepetition for control over the water. This had to be unbearable for him. [The interference on your mastery of water is diminishing] [Ugh¡­] I could feel the bnce of power shifting in our favor. And ultimately, Cough! A groan filled with pain resounded. One of the worst feelings in the world¡ª the sensation of suffocation. * * * The massive body of the fishmen copsed, devoid of strength. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it managed to fight for several more minutes while being unable to breathe.¡¯ Having removed all the surrounding water, it could no longer breathe from midway through the battle, yet the fight continued for quite a while. In the end, we emerged victorious, but¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± A man was seen approaching the fallen giant. A man wielding a spear. Though most of our squad, having fought through the lengthy battle, had either fainted or sustained injuries and left the frontline, the spear master remained to fight alongside us until the end. He raised the spear high, muttering, ¡°Die¡­!¡± The spear plunged down toward the giant¡¯s weak spot, its gills. Thud! ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was none other than me who grabbed the spear. ¡°Indeed. Are you nning to cut the creature¡¯s throat yourself, or something like that? If so, go ahead. I¡¯m fine as long as I get to see this creature die with my own eyes.¡± Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t exactly the case. ¡°I have something to try out for a moment.¡± Chang-su and his group members had lived solely on the desire for revenge against the fishmen. Even if we were to stab the spear here, the revenge would only be somewhat settled. With such a powerful monster, ¡°More urately, I have something to feed it.¡± It just feels like a waste to kill it outright, doesn¡¯t it? Chapter 109.1 ¡°Please step aside for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Chang-su still wore a sour expression, yet he silently moved aside as I stepped forward. As someone who had lived solely for vengeance, one might assume he was eager to personally end the monster¡¯s life. However, the real heroes of this battle were our unit members. ¡°The right to finish him lies with us.¡± Well, that¡¯s how it is. I approached the giant lying in the water, his massive form stiff as a corpse. Wondering if he had fainted, I leaned closer to examine him. [Impressive.] Startled, I heard his voice suddenly reverberate in my mind despite his body remaining motionless. His lips didn¡¯t move at all. [Don¡¯t worry; my body has already lost the strength to rise.] Hmm. Given his condition, it didn¡¯t sound like a lie. ¡®Among his abilities, it seems there¡¯s something called mentalnguage.¡¯ Even while unable to move, he couldmunicate this way. [Ah, little bug, you have quite the variety of skills.] ¡°I¡¯m pretty remarkable, aren¡¯t I?¡± [Haha. What do you call the power that burned my body in the past?] ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The attack that surged through the water.¡± Ah. ¡°Are you talking about lightning?¡± [Yes. That phenomenon is known as lightning, a force that did not exist in my homnd. I¡¯m learning new things right before dying.] Monsters from another realm; it seemed that in his world, lightning was entirely unknown. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s no wonder a monster of his caliber would struggle to cope with somethingpletely foreign.¡± It¡¯s indeed unusual to have countermeasures against phenomena one does not evenprehend. ¡°You answered my question, so now it¡¯s my turn: Why are you monsters attacking this world?¡± Though it was a serious query, his response was quite vague. [I detect a little misunderstanding in that term: invasion.] ¡°Are you trying to joke again?¡± [I assure you, I¡¯m speaking the truth. If we mustbel it¡­ I¡¯m more of a refugee than an invader.] A refugee? ¡°You¡¯ve expanded the boundaries of your dungeon and call it anything but an invasion. That¡¯s quite audacious.¡± [I can exin that as well; it was for the children.] At this response, Chang-su, who had been gripping his spear and observing from behind, stepped closer, his eyes widening. ¡°What do you mean, fish head?¡± [Haven¡¯t you seen them? The scattered children of our kind throughout this space.] Children? ¡­Could it be? ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re referring to other fishmen.¡± [Exactly. When you see those small, insignificantly sized children, what thoughtse to mind?] Small and insignificant? The beings ssified as fishmen were at least the size of adult males, while the ascendants were over 2 meters tall. To this giant, were those sizes considered small? [Our species requires ample space to grow; the more extensive the water, therger we can be.] Is that what it is? The phenomenon where fish growrger in the ocean but remain stunted in tanks. [I squeezed every bit of strength to cover this city, yet it still felt unbearably cramped.] Looking back, this giant stood before me, reaching over 10 meters in height. [I gathered all my strength to survey this world; I spotted some vast, collected waters, but¡­ even that was inadequate.] Perhaps he¡¯s referring to the ocean. But is it inadequate even for them? [In order for the children of my kind to grow normally, we need to cover the entire surface of this.] ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Despite the numerous discussions surrounding it, the ultimate goal was to expand this dungeon¡¯s territory to epass the entire world. I hadn¡¯t given it much thought myself. ¡°¡­So, was it all for the children?¡± Chang-su¡¯s expression shifted in an oddly ambiguous way. I could understand his bewilderment. After all, when I first realized that the boss of that subway dungeon possessed maternal instincts, it stirred a whirlwind of emotions within me as well. [I¡¯m only disappointed in my failure. I have no regrets.] ¡°Then my next question is¡­¡± [It seems you¡¯re under a misapprehension.] I was eager for further rification, but the response came in a different tone. [Insect. You call me a monster, but to me, you appear as the true beast, one that devours its own young kins.] ¡°¡­.¡± [What I just shared was merelypensation for your understanding of the phenomenon known as lightning. I have no obligation to divulge anything beyond that.] So, this is how it¡¯s going to be? ¡®Well, I have my own ideas.¡¯ He had mentioned that my talents were quite diverse. If that¡¯s the case, ¡®I¡¯ll showcase my finest skill.¡¯ I inched closer to his face, slowly prying open that massive mouth. [What are you nning to do?] There was no need for me to respond to his question. I ced the dish I had prepared inside his gaping mouth. [The dish is infused with the ultimate level happiness of an intermediate chef] It was a meal made frombat rations, yet it was crafted with every ounce of effort I could muster. ¡®This giant is exceptionally strong.¡¯ Simply eliminating such a creature would be a waste. After all, there was already a precedent of a monster being subdued through cooking, like Arie. ¡®If I can bring this creature under mymand in a simr fashion¡­¡¯ I could gain not only valuable information but also a powerful ally. It would be a win-win situation. But then, [Hmm. It¡¯s passable, I suppose.] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something about that response felt incredibly lukewarm. [What¡¯s the sudden motive behind feeding me? Is this your kind¡¯s way of mourning?] ¡°Well¡­ after eating it, don¡¯t you feel an overwhelming sense of happiness? Isn¡¯t that the sensation?¡± [Not at all.] In that moment, I was taken aback by his response. Ding! [The subject has an excessively refined pte!] A system message popped up, exining why my dish¡¯s effects were not taking hold. [The subject has frequently tasted high-grade cuisine, reaching the pinnacle of culinary standards.] [The quality of your dish is below the subject¡¯s expectations, leading to a diminished effect.] ¡°Excessively refined pte¡­¡± [I have indeed heard that. Are you aware of my status?] Status? The name that popped up when I examined him with [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] was undoubtedly¡ª ¡°A Pope, right?¡± [I have savored the finest dishes every single day. While your meal isn¡¯t unptable, it does fall shortpared to what my personal chef creates.] ¡­This guy. It was my first encounter with someone responding like this after trying my dish. My pride as a chef had been soaringtely, but this wound left a deep scratch on it. ¡°Just wait. This was a hasty dish, but when I prepare something properly¡­¡± I wanted to recover my pride by serving him a proper meal, but then I nced at the notification that appeared before me. [Cooking effect application rate ¨C 5%] The message made me hesitate in surprise. ¡®5%?¡¯ So, what does that mean? Chapter 109.2 This guy¡¯s pte is so refined that my cooking would have to be twenty times better than it currently is just to satisfy him? ¡®The difference is way too big.¡¯ If I think about it, my profession is that of an [Intermediate Chef]. Although I¡¯ve been handling all sorts of tasks with cooking ever since I awakened as a chef, the title ¡®intermediate¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem all that impressive when ranked. I should have suspected something when I learned about buffs through cooking. ¡°There are chefs in your world who are overwhelmingly more skilled than I am.¡± As a result of being served by him, my cooking has apparently not made an impact on a creature whose pte had been elevated. ¡­I¡¯ve dealt with species that don¡¯t eat meat before, but I never thought my cooking might not work for this reason. [Indeed¡­ I understand your intentions. It was a cute little prank.] ¡°Ugh.¡± [Though your skill as a chef is shallow, it seems you possess quite a range of talents. How long has it been since you began to learn cooking seriously?] However, despite the minimal effects of my dish, the tone with which he addressed me had softened slightly. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Caught off guard by the sudden change in atmosphere, I simply replied with my thoughts. ¡°Um, just a little over two years.¡± I started learning when I first became a military chef. If I consider only the time since I became an awakened one, it hasn¡¯t even been a full year. [Hmm! Two years, you say?] He appeared slightly surprised at my answer. [To achieve such a level in just two years¡ªwhat remarkable talent! Little insect, do not rush your thinking.] ¡°Don¡¯t rush my thinking? What do you mean?¡± [The realm of cooking, the questions you hold¡ªall will gradually be clear with time.] What¡¯s this? It seems like, in the end, he won¡¯t reveal anything substantial. [Nevertheless, allow me to offer you one piece of advice.] ¡°¡­?¡± [The enemies you face will grow stronger over time. It would be wise to prepare in advance.] Hmm¡­ After delivering his words, I could hear rough breaths escaping from his body. [It¡¯s painful, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s time to finish this.] At his words, I nced back briefly. ¡°¡­They weren¡¯t just mindless man-eating monsters.¡± Though Chang-su had initially been excited at the thought of ending his life, he now seemed preupied with other matters. Well, whatever. I could at least grant him an easy end on his way out. Gripping kitchen knives in both hands, I plunged them into the giant¡¯s gills. Swoosh¡­ I targeted the weak spots of that creature. Vital organs essential for life were sliced through effortlessly. [Insect.] Just before its breath waspletely snuffed out, the creature managed to utter its final words. [The taste wasn¡¯t exceptionally great¡­ but it was a rather pleasant meal after a long time.] A surge of energy poured from its body into mine. [You have gained experience.] [You have defeated the ¡®Pope of the Deep Ocean¡¯.] [You have in the leader of a race.] [Achievement ¨C Condition for King yer has been fulfilled. (3/3)] [You are the first human to eliminate multiple race leaders.] [A reward will be granted to the one who leads the way.] [Reward: Trait Enhancement Ticket x1] [Title ¨C King yer] [Trait ¨C Combat Power Evaluation] ¡®Insane.¡¯ The requirements for obtaining this title were notoriously challenging. Perhaps that¡¯s why I received three rewards for it. ¡®I¡¯ve received the Trait Enhancement Token before, so that¡¯s familiar¡­¡¯ But what caught my attention was the next item. [Title ¨C King yer] [You have caused the deaths of leaders from various races and civilizations.] [All living leaders will feel an inexplicable sense of fear upon seeing you, while those who survive your gaze will double-check to ensure their necks are still attached.] [The majesty of kings will no longer have any effect on you] [All stats increased by 30%] [All types of effects against leader-level entities will be increased by 100%] [You gainplete immunity to skills and characteristics rted to fear] For someone like me, whose base stats were already incredibly high, this surge in power was significant. Moreover, ¡®Having all effects increased by 100%¡­¡¯ It means that against race leader-level entities, all of my abilities would be doubled. Though my cooking had only a 5% effect on the Pope, with this title active, it would have applied at 10%. ¡­But thinking about it that way, it seems only slightly better. And finally, [Trait ¨C Combat Power Evaluation] [Due to encountering many races and collecting their blood, you can now approximate the strength of each race] [You can discern the potential and strength inherent in each race] [This characteristic is linked as a sub-effect of the Ingredient Identification (Enhanced) trait] Then I heard voices calling from outside. ¡°Sergeant Shin!¡± ¡°Come out!¡± As I stepped outside, I looked up at the sky. Crack¡­ The dark sky shattered, and light began seeping through the cracks. ¡®The dungeon is closing.¡¯ The water that had risen to my chest began to drain away. Atst, [You have cleared the interdimensional dungeon ¨C Dasmur] [You have seeded in collecting the fragments of the wandering world] [Rewards will be granted based on your contributions] [Contribution ¨C Maximum] [You will receive the essence of the fragmented world] [Checking ss¡­ Chef] [Please select your reward.] * * * The dungeon that had engulfed all of Chuncheon city gradually receded, allowing the city to return to some semnce of its former state. The most bustling central buildings were gone, reced by strange temple-like structures, but that was about the only change. However, it didn¡¯t mean the city had be peaceful. Craaack!!! ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°What the hell? Where did these creaturese from?¡± A massive monster, resembling a wild dog, pounced on the city¡¯s residents. During the time of the dungeon, there had been no other monsters around, but now that it was closed, these creatures appeared as if they had always belonged in that very spot. ¡°The sky seemed toe crashing down, and then monsters started showing up.¡± ¡°Things were better before!¡± These people had originally been living in high-rise buildings, avoiding the monsters from the dungeon. Apparently, they ended up escaping the dungeonpletely unaware, due to us. People who were now being attacked by the monsters expressed their dissatisfaction. ¡°Urrgh!¡± Snarl! Despite theirints, their skills with the weapons they wielded were surprisingly decent. They were in an environment that felt rtively safe, akin to our own unit. Most of those living there had already undergone their awakening. While there weren¡¯t many high-level awakened individuals, they were still strong enough to defend themselves. ¡®Although the purpose of entering the dungeon was for the growth of my unit¡­¡¯ Watching the people fighting against the monsters, I couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°I think we¡¯ve unintentionally gained an advantage in an unexpected way.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The sudden invasion of monsters had resulted in over 90% of humanity¡¯s demise. The fight between monsters and humans was always a battle of overwhelming numerical disadvantage for humanity. ¡®Yet, that gap¡­ has somewhat narrowed.¡¯ Countless awakened individuals who had beennguishing away in the closed-off city were now unleashed into the world. Chapter 110.1 After clearing [Eroded World ¨C Dasmur] dungeon, chaos reigned for a while. -Crack! ¡°Damn it!¡± Immediately after the dungeon copsed, monsters emerged as if they had always belonged there. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re suddenly threatened by monsters.¡± ¡°Honestly, it was better when we were trapped.¡± While we were stuck in that dungeon, we faced issues like food shortages, but surprisingly we were safe from monster attacks. The monsters couldn¡¯te into the buildings, so we only needed to hide inside. ¡°No one asked to be let out.¡± Most of the people didn¡¯t realize that they were destined to be wiped out in a few years if things continued as they were. It was only natural for them to feel disgruntled. Of course, not everyone felt that way. ¡°I can finally return to my family.¡± Many shared the joy of sessfully stepping outside. Thousands of people had been freed into the world, and most of them were awakened individuals. Crash! ¡°Phew¡­ I barely caught that one!¡± Despite expressing various grievances, people adapted to the outside environment rtively quickly. ¡°The fact that so many of us have been released into the world¡­ it holds more significance than we realize.¡± Min-jae hyung, who had just managed to leave the hospital, remarked on this. ¡°We might sh with them over food issues and other concerns in the future.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a problem for another time.¡± What mattered most was clear: ¡®The strength of humanity has significantly increased.¡¯ The number of monsters that appeared in the city was considerable. Under normal circumstances, like in the case of Inje-gun, people would have had no choice but to hide in the city. But now, with awakened individuals pouring into the town, simply by each group protecting their own territory, safe zones were beginning to form around the city. I had thought about returning to Inje-gun after we had sessfully conquered the dungeon, but could I really afford to miss out on these awakened individuals? I had been desperate for manpower. For the time being, I needed to settle here in the city and start building up my team. * * * Thus, we took ownership of an abandoned building in the city. ¡°¡®Ownership¡¯ is a bit of an exaggeration; we only cleaned out the monsters andid down our sleeping bags.¡± Monsters had already taken residence inside the building, so it took quite some time to clear it. For now, we would use this ce as a temporary base before gradually establishing a proper one. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m heading out for duty.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The number of monsters had significantly increased. The team decided to conduct regr patrols to secure the surrounding area. Meanwhile, we would also have to try to recruit the countless awakened individuals nearby. After finishing the meal preparations for my team, I took a moment to rest and check my status screen. A message appeared in front of me: [Unimed rewards are avable!] I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight of this message. After all, what was our primary goal in attempting to conquer the dungeon? ¡®Farming, of course.¡¯ It was time to check those rewards. [Checking rewards for clearing the Eroded World ¨C Dasmur] [Rewards will be distributed based on contribution] [Awakened individual, Shin Young-joon¡¯s contribution rank: 1st ce] As expected, my contribution was in first ce. The second ce was likely held by Min-jae, who had unleashed that lightning spell. And then¡­ [Rewards have been granted] [You have gained experience points] [You have gained experience points] So far, this felt simr to my previous dungeon conquests. An overwhelming surge of energy coursed through me, apanied by those points. ¡®Last time, something akin to a group skill was given next.¡¯ I wondered if something resembling a group skill would be awarded again this time, but it turned out to be a bit different. [You have acquired the Essence of the Shattered World] [Checking ss¡­ Chef.] [Rewards will be granted] [Dasmurian Chef¡¯s Essence] This time, it wasn¡¯t a group skill rather it was rather it was some sort of essence. ¡®Although I had heard about it from the team members¡­¡¯ I had taken a bit longer to confirm it myself. Some members of my squad had already imed their rewards. I was somewhat aware that the uing reward wasn¡¯t a group skill. ¡®By the way¡­¡¯ Thest reward I received for conquering the dungeon was indeed a group skill, [Aura of the Legion]. At that time, the monsters in the dungeon had a trait called [ck Sand Energy], which transformed into the reward I received. And now, the name of this reward is [Dasmurian Chef¡¯s Essence]. ¡®Dungeon rewards are rted to the dungeon itself.¡¯ I believe this hypothesis can now be considered confirmed. ording to my team members, the rewards depended on profession and contribution, varying widely among us. Some received gear, while others obtained skills. For the wizards, it was elemental spells or staffs. The warriors ended up with weapons or armor rted to their element, or skills that caused tough scales to sprout all over their bodies. ¡®The wizards were quite thrilled.¡¯ While our team¡¯s equipment is managed by Grandpa Park and the skilled artisans of the workshop, even Grandpa Park, an expert at crafting swords, faced challenges when producing staffs that the wizards demanded. The wizards who sessfully obtained proper magical equipment were so delighted they even named their staff. ¡®In general, it seems that the greater the contribution, the better the reward.¡¯ The reward granted to me, the top contributor, was the [Dasmurian Chef¡¯s Essence]. A small, round orb that faintly glowed blue. Its texture felt soft to the touch. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± There¡¯s something about it. It¡¯s a bit different from what I expected. ¡®I was hoping for a decent knife, a special trait, or maybe even some high-quality ingredients.¡¯ When ites to ingredients, there are various options avable. ssic items like Dragon Hearts, which were once considered essential in fantasy novels or maybe some cool martial arts or cultivation techniques. ¡®But [Dasmurian Chef¡¯s Essence.¡¯ It was certainly quite different from the rewards others had received. Even Min-jae hyung, who holds the second rank, received a trait that significantly boosts his mana. Others received equipment or skills as well. I had no clear idea of how to utilize this essence, but then a notification appeared. [Warning!] [This is a high-grade ingredient] [Your current cooking skills are insufficient for this ingredient] [Attempting to cook with your current skill level carries a very high risk of failure] Chapter 110.2 [It is rmended to raise your skill level before attempting to cook] ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s this?¡± Can I even eat this? The wording felt familiar; I had seen it before when I tried to prepare a dish using the Pope¡¯s flesh. ¡®Thinking back, my sess in that dish was a stroke of luck.¡¯ Sure, various factors yed a role. I had stacked up buffs that enhanced my abilities, and my knife was specifically designed for sashimi. But still¡­ ¡®Had I failed that time, the ingredient would probably have been wasted.¡¯ At that moment, I had no other options avable, so I took the risk, and fortunately, it paid off. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee I¡¯d seed this time, though?¡± This was a reward from conquering a dungeon, and a reward specifically given to the top contributor. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll wait to challenge itter.¡± It might be difficult right now. However, I had a sense of when I might be ready to attempt it. My current profession was that of an [Intermediate Chef]. So, the next tier would probably be¡­ ¡®Advanced Chef.¡¯ At that level, I imagined I could handle just about any ingredient. Thanks to the immense experience I had recently gained, I felt I wasn¡¯t far from reaching that point. That¡¯s when I could create a proper dish and taste it. * * * After confirming the reward, I returned to my empty room and nced down. ¡°Come out for a moment.¡± As I spoke while looking at the floor, a voice emerged from the shadows. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Soon, a blonde woman appeared from within my shadow. ¡°Is it time for a meal? Oh, I see. The time for my grace hasn¡¯te yet. What can I assist you with?¡± She was a monster who had vowed her very soul in exchange for my cooking¡ª a vampire vassal. I had something I wanted to ask her. ¡°I thought I¡¯d offer you a snack since you¡¯ve worked quite hard this time.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± When I, along with my team members and coborators from the city, raided the Pope, his kins were unable toe inside. The other monsters scattered throughout the dungeon did not show up. If they had joined the battle, our fate could have turned out quite differently. ¡®She is the one who handled that task.¡¯ Before entering the temple, I had assigned the defense of the outer area to her, just in case. In the process of preventing the other fishmen from interfering in our battle about half of the minions that had summoned turned to dust. ¡®The remaining minions grew stronger by consuming the blood of their fallen kin, so the oue appears somewhat simr.¡¯ Nevertheless, the effort she put in was indeedmendable. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there would be such a reward. I will continue to work hard in the future~¡± Since this being hadmitted everything to my cooking, she eagerly ignored the decorum befitting a noble of the night as she approached me at the mention of a snack. I observed her with a hint of skepticism before moving swiftly. ¡°Oh?¡± I drew a de across my wrist. A tiny cut, enough to let blood trickle down my skin. ¡°Is the snack¡­ your blood, Master?¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± The first time I subdued her, I had used my own blood to prepare a dish. At that time, I had no reserves to rely on. But since then, I realized I needed to keep blood for cooking. I had started saving the blood of the monsters I hunted, which eliminated the need to use my own. This was the first time I was feeding her my blood since then. ¡°Such high-quality blood is hard toe by elsewhere. It¡¯s truly precious.¡± ¡°You have worked hard for this. Now, drink.¡± ¡°Thank you~¡± As I extended my wrist, she brought her face closer. Slurp~ Though it hadn¡¯t gone through the usual culinary process, perhaps it still held decent taste. The expression on her face as she licked my blood was intoxicatingly alluring. I felt a slight tickle too. Then, ¡°Huh?¡± She looked up, almost puzzled, as she sucked my blood. ¡°Master? The blood has stopped.¡± ¡°¡­Are you pretending that you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°?¡± I had made a cut deep enough that it would have caused significant blood loss, potentially leading to shock. But only a bit of blood had oozed out¡ªjust enough for her to take a few licks. The blood had quickly ceased flowing. ¡®There¡¯s only one reason for that.¡¯ As I wiped my wrist with the cloth I used to clean the de, I noticed the scar from the cut had already healed. ¡°Oh my, your wound has already healed.¡± The gash on my wrist had closed in an instant, showcasing remarkable regenerative abilities. Awakened beings had transcended human limitations. Compared to ordinary people, their healing speed was astonishingly fast. ¡®But not to the point of being visibly rapid.¡¯ This sudden regeneration ability had enabled me to return tobat against the Pope sooner, positively influencing the dungeon clear as well. At that time, there hadn¡¯t been any time for contemtion, so I considered the speed a bonus. ¡®But this is just too strange.¡¯ Seeing a healthy person¡¯s wound heal right before my eyes was extraordinary. Then again¡­ ¡®I¡¯ve seen this kind of regeneration before.¡¯ Upon deeper reflection, the only source of my suspicion was the creature standing before me. A vampire. Unless someone tears out their heart or exposes them to sunlight, they could recover from injuries in the blink of an eye. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± I spoke, a cold sweat breaking out on my brow, preparing to swing the de at her depending on her answer. ¡°Did you make me a vampire?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 111.1 The dust of our recent dungeon raid had barely settled, but two worries clung to my mind like shadows.¡°First, there¡¯s that guy who escaped the dungeon and came to us for help,¡± I mentioned, glancing at my squadmates. Most of them seemed indifferent to outsiders, but this man was different¡ªhe¡¯d managed to break free from that dark place. How? That answer would have to wait until he woke up in the ammunition battalion¡¯s base. ¡°But there¡¯s something else¡­¡± I took a breath, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. ¡°What was that insane regeneration ability I had?¡± It still felt surreal seeing my wound close¡ªthe gaping hole in my abdomen healing right before my eyes. ¡°Wait a minute. Are you telling me you turned me into a vampire?¡± Ariella chuckled, and her laughter only deepened my confusion. ¡°Look, this is all a bit alarming for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand what¡¯s happening to me.¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Is it the word ¡®vampire¡¯ that freaks you out? Should I call them ¡®nobles of the night¡¯ instead?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that!¡± I retorted, though I wasn¡¯t all that reassured. Ariella sighed and teasingly extended her fingernails. Instinctively, I tightened my grip on the knife in my hand, anticipating a strike. But her sharp nails stopped just short of my skin, halted by some invisible barrier. ¡°Relax, I can¡¯t hurt you without your permission. It¡¯s part of my oath as your vassal,¡± she said playfully. ¡°So, what¡¯s up with this regeneration then?¡± I pressed, locking eyes with her. ¡°Hmm, I might have a theory,¡± Ariella replied, tilting her head. ¡°If I¡¯m right, that regeneration might be a result of your own decision.¡± ¡°Decision? What do you mean?¡± She raised an eyebrow, amusement glinting in her eyes. ¡°Oh, you really don¡¯t get it, do you? Do you know how I create a vassal?¡± ¡°From what you told me last time, you drain their blood and fill the void with yours. Right?¡± ¡°Exactly! So, think back to how you subdued me.¡± ¡°I¡ªit¡¯s a little fuzzy,¡± I admitted, the chaos of that moment crashing back. I vaguely remembered the overwhelming thirst that had driven me to drain her blood in a frenzy. ¡°Oh! You sucked my blood, and then I also drank yours, didn¡¯t I?¡± I suddenly exclaimed. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A light bulb went off in my head. ¡°So, your human blood transferred to me, and my blood¡ªinfused with magic¡ªfilled you. It¡¯s similar to creating a vassal, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Precisely!¡± she said with a triumphant smile. I rubbed my forehead, trying to sort everything out. I remembered a system notification from when I drained her blood: *[Warning! Excessive blood sucking can cause bodily transformations.]* ¡°Are you telling me that you didn¡¯t just take a little of my blood? You drained everything just before I was about to become a noble?¡± ¡°When I gave you my blood, nothing changed. Why would that happen now?¡± Ariella shrugged. ¡°You can eat all the nutritious meals you want, but you won¡¯t see results overnight, right? Maybe the changes are just starting to manifest.¡± A throbbing ache began to stab at my temples. ¡°So, does this mean I¡¯m becoming your vassal? What happens to our master-servant relationship then?¡± ¡°Oh, I wish it were that simple. But it¡¯s a bit different from creating a typical vassal.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± ¡°To create a servant, I infuse my magical energy into the absorbed blood. But all the blood you consumed was mine.¡± ¡°So even if I was influenced by your blood, I wouldn¡¯t actually become one of your servants?¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s disappointing, isn¡¯t it? It would have been wonderful if you became my servant!¡± Her excitement was palpable, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy. ¡°Hold up¡ªI¡¯ve been a bit too lenient with you lately, and now you¡¯re acting out again.¡± I decided to set that aside for the moment. ¡°I heard from your associates that there wasn¡¯t any magic energy in this world originally?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Even looking at other humans, they seem unusually low in magical resistance. Given that magic has mixed so thoroughly with powerful blood, it seems to enhance that sensitivity.¡± With a smirk, she said, ¡°You may be closer to a noble than just a mere human now. Want to test that?¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She pulled at her collar, revealing her neck teasingly. ¡°If you just took a little more, you might change your very race. What do you think?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± I cringed at the thought. Yes, gaining power through blood would be enticing, but I¡¯d pay a heavy price¡ªsunlight vulnerability and a need to feed regularly? No, thanks. I had no desire to abandon my humanity. ¡°Become a vampire? What a terrifying idea,¡± I muttered under my breath. As I considered the profound boost I¡¯d felt from her blood, I daydreamed about it again. Would it be worth trying again later to enhance my stats once she regained her strength? ¡°Almost slipped into a huge disaster¡­¡± If I tried that again, it would lead me to erasing my human identity, replacing it with Shin Young-joon, the noble. ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd to say that drinking blood would change someone¡¯s race?¡± I pondered aloud. ¡°Especially if it¡¯s the blood of a being tied to blood-related traits?¡± ¡°As I mentioned, humans in this world have particularly weak resistance¡ª¡± ¡°But based on that logic, I¡¯ve eaten countless monster cuisines, right?¡± Most of my meals had come from monsters, and I surely would have transformed by now if that were the case. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Something wasn¡¯t adding up. Just as I searched for clarity, Ariella interjected, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a difference?¡± ¡°A difference?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve cooked monster meat, but when you drank my blood, you guzzled it down without restraint.¡± That made me think. We¡¯d talked about a comrade of Chang-Su¡¯s who had lost his humanity after consuming monsters and had begun consuming humans too. ¡°The devourer of the absurd¡­¡± I felt a sudden insight. Humans are vulnerable to monster magic. If consumed recklessly, they risk their own transformation into something monstrous. . . Heyo readers, Regular release will resume from tomorrow onwards and I¡¯m happy to announce 20 more chapters are on the way. Chapter 111.2 ¡°Refining the uncontrollable magical energy inherent in humans¡­ Could that be the essence of a chef?¡±¡°My race hasn¡¯t changed, so this regeneration isn¡¯t a bad thing at all.¡± I decided to view this as a beneficial development. Yet, I needed to delve deeper into this chef ability. ¡°I¡¯ll need to investigate that later.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Fortunately, I had a lead nearby. The now-monsterized human that Chang-Su mentioned¡ªand his party¡ªhad yet to locate it. That creature was likely still hanging around the dungeon, now that it had been unsealed. Surely, it would find a home somewhere in the city, and we might encounter it soon. When that time came, I hoped to finally resolve my lingering doubts. ¡°I¡¯m back from duty!¡± ¡°Welcome back! I¡¯ve prepared meals for the next shift. Eat up before heading back.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The reason our unit chose to stay was simple: we wanted to attract the many Awakened individuals in the area to join our ranks. Several days later¡­ ¡°So, how many people decided to enlist today?¡± ¡°Just two.¡± ¡°Two?¡± I frowned. The soldiers munching on their rations looked equally perplexed. ¡°It seems fewer people want to join than I hoped.¡± Our ultimate goal in lingering around was to build our ranks, yet only a trickle expressed interest in joining us. ¡°What gives? They can¡¯t have encountered any deserters-turned-raiders, so surely their impressions of being a soldier can¡¯t be terrible.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not great either. Everyone knows we closed that dungeon.¡± ¡°Still, wouldn¡¯t defeating the boss serve as a sign of competence?¡± In a world torn to shreds where monsters wandered freely, being a soldier should have provided some sense of security. I never expected people to shy away so much. ¡°What¡¯s the reasoning behind this? There are many possibilities, but¡­¡± I turned to Chang-Su, who hailed from this area and was somewhat close to our group. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because the people in this city find it hard to band together.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Remember what I mentioned before? There¡¯s been serious fighting between groups.¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°It was a showdown between those who had enough food and those who didn¡¯t. Quite a few lost their lives back then. Our group had combat capabilities and a decent food supply, so we weren¡¯t attacked, but¡­¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Because of that clash, many groups collapsed, leaving individuals from those collapsed factions merging into others. It¡¯s likely that some of those groups still harbor deep-seated grudges.¡± Chang-Su shrugged, and I could sense the weight of that history. ¡°I heard from the other soldiers that if over a hundred Awakened individuals gather, it becomes a guild, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Even with plenty of Awakened individuals in the city, not a single guild has formed. It¡¯s complicated. People don¡¯t naturally band together just because it would be beneficial. Each Awakened individual can fend for themselves without needing a large group.¡± Thinking back to when I first awakened, I realized he was right. ¡°If only I had been a knight or an assassin, I could have at least tried to stand on my own.¡± Those capable of standing alone were drawn to jobs like that. If they had been powerless, they would have sought out our guild. But those who could manage their own security had little incentive to join forces with us. ¡°Honestly, this makes the situation more disappointing. Are you really not considering joining our unit?¡± The man before me, alongside Chang-Su and his group, echoed the same sentiment. ¡°That¡¯s right, Captain!¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you come along with us?¡± Given that his group was small, it was almost unfair to say no, especially since almost half had made that choice. ¡°It¡¯s because of the ones I¡¯ve helped with my cooking¡­ their families.¡± The individuals he had treated, who were now recovering from their ailments, were starting to awaken. Those who cared for them were capable Awakened individuals, ready to leap into battle. I welcomed them without hesitation and without any embellishment. ¡°I completely understand.¡± Still, Chang-Su and some others in his group declined. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not big on being tied down. The truth is, I¡¯d like to grow this group before I consider any further actions.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you gather over a hundred, it becomes a guild. I want to at least reach that point. Once we have a solid foundation¡­¡± His gaze turned distant. ¡°I want to discover why this world has fallen into such chaos.¡± Chang-Su seemed to have shifted quite a bit of thought after our recent dungeon excursion. ¡°These monsters¡­ I used to think they were just mindless beasts, but there¡¯s more to it. They were fighting to protect their young. While I don¡¯t forgive them for that, it¡¯s opened up new questions.¡± It seemed he had reached the same conclusion I had after clearing that subway dungeon. I recognized that we were fundamentally different races, never meant to coexist harmoniously. Each side struggled to survive; it was nature¡¯s rule that the strong would thrive. ¡°Think about it. If those monsters had a reason for their actions, our real enemy isn¡¯t just them. It¡¯s something deeper.¡± All the monsters I had once sought revenge against were now dead, suffocated in their own chaos once the dungeon was sealed. Yet Chang-Su appeared bent on harboring thoughts of vengeance. ¡°As long as the circumstances creating these monsters persist, our revenge won¡¯t be over.¡± He seemed determined to pursue this quest even further. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not suggesting we live in a constant state of unease. Since most of our comrades have decided to join your unit, let¡¯s ensure we maintain our camaraderie. If you ever need our help, just call.¡± This growing bond felt crucial to me. ¡°Understood. Chang-Su, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out if you need a hand.¡± ¡°Oh, can I really do that?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He smiled awkwardly, clearly hesitant. ¡°I actually have a small favor to ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could I get some combat rations?¡±. . . . As per reader requests we have removed the coin system and instead have shifted towards the patreon system. The readers who still had some coins in their account must have received an email from us with a patreon gift card. Right now, for the Military Novel we are offering only two tiers on Patreon: The Cute Baby [Supporter Tier] and The Cute Rabbits [Basic Tier]. Soon, we will expand our catalogue by adding more tiers for the Military Novel. For advance chapters interested readers can click here. Chapter 112.1 ¡°I was wondering if you could spare some combat rations,¡± Chang-su mumbled, looking a bit sheepish as he made the request. Combat rations. I had prepared them myself, so hearing him ask felt a bit strange. ¡°Uh, was that too shameless of me?¡± he added. My brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what you were going to ask for. So it was that?¡± Chang-su nodded earnestly. ¡°The effects are truly impressive, and the taste is even better.¡± Well, of course it was. I¡¯m the one who made them. But still, I couldn¡¯t shake this odd feeling. ¡°Combat rations are nice and all, but they¡¯re not as enjoyable or effective as a proper meal, are they?¡± It felt a bit odd referring to them as my signature dish when they had tasted my properly prepared meals before. Chang-su shook his head. ¡°While the taste and effects are excellent, there¡¯s something even more remarkable about them.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Isn¡¯t taste and effect all that matters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an item that provides buffs even without a buffer. Think about it.¡± Ah¡­ that hit the nail on the head. That was the essence of the [Combat Rations] skill I had. ¡°Moreover,¡± he continued, ¡°simply consuming them activates the effects, making them usable by anyone. Their long shelf life and compact size make them almost absurd. Can I even ask for them openly?¡± I had to agree; this was definitely something that could tip the balance in a game. ¡°I won¡¯t ask for such an invaluable item for free; creating them must come at a cost.¡± Chang-su hesitated. ¡°We have useful items we¡¯ve collected. It¡¯s not much, but I¡¯d like to offer something in return¡­ Wait, what did you just say?¡± ¡°Take them. The combat rations.¡± He looked flustered, waving his hands. ¡°No, no! This is not something to give away so lightly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but considering our future relationship, sharing a bit seems fair.¡± Once someone joins a unit, they¡¯re supplied with dozens of them anyway. And now that I had a decent stock of monster meat, giving some away felt inconsequential. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Despite my insistence, he stood firm against the idea. I chuckled. ¡°Why refuse if I¡¯m offering it for free?¡± Chang-su sighed, frustration etched on his face. ¡°I already mentioned the best part about combat rations: they¡¯re incredibly valuable. Food is precious in this era; I can¡¯t just take it for nothing.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t have to feel burdened by it.¡± His expression darkened slightly. ¡°That statement only makes me feel more burdened. If we joined your guild, it would make sense. But right now, I¡¯d rather maintain an equal relationship.¡± I had to admit he had a point. After all, combat rations were impressive items. ¡°Can you make an appropriate payment?¡± I suggested. They must have accumulated some points from their monster fights, but given that they depended on [Hard Rye Bread], I doubted they had much leeway. ¡°We have several items collected from the city, some quite valuable¡ª¡± ¡°Most would probably go unnoticed by us,¡± I cut him off. ¡°I still want to receive something. At least one for each of our members for emergencies,¡± I said. In truth, they clearly needed the combat rations but seemed determined to reject anything given for free. How was I supposed to handle this? ¡°Ah, let¡¯s do it this way,¡± I began, a lightbulb going off in my head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chang-su asked, curious. ¡°Since there are monsters swarming the city, I assume your group will be hunting them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We plan to focus on leveling up.¡± ¡°Then bring us the monster corpses. We¡¯ll prepare combat rations from them.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll keep 50% of the meat and make combat rations with the other half.¡± Chang-su lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Is this offer of sufficient value?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t 50% quite a lot?¡± I shot back, raising an eyebrow. He thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°Well, we can¡¯t eat the monster meat. The skin has its uses, but the meat would just be discarded.¡± From their perspective, it might seem useless, but for me, every ingredient counted. ¡°But that meat has moderate value for us.¡± ¡°Hmm. But still, you might want to take more in commission.¡± ¡°50% is plenty. Or you could just consider it not happening.¡± ¡°No, no! I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go with that,¡± I said firmly. Once we settled the deal, I reached into the shadows and pulled out a box of combat rations. ¡°¡­That spatial storage?¡± Chang-su looked amazed. ¡°It¡¯s always remarkable. To have a skill like that and still call yourself a chef.¡± It was my [Chef¡¯s Special Sauce] that truly made the difference. After sprinkling some over the contents, I handed it to him. ¡°This is just a signing bonus.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m truly grateful.¡± His voice was filled with sincerity. They had helped in clearing the dungeon, and Chang-su was one of the last to fall in battle. I hoped that the combat ration garnished with mental stability sauce could help ease their persistent thoughts of vengeance. ¡°Once again, thank you. If you need our help at any time, please reach out.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Take care.¡± As he walked away, I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. ¡°Well then, I suppose that went well?¡± I murmured to myself after sending Chang-su off. I relayed the details of the transaction to the officials in my unit. ¡°He fought diligently,¡± one of them stated. ¡°As long as Sergeant Shin is okay with it, then it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Gwang-il chuckled. As I expected, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues. But then¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± The soldiers gazed at me, their expressions tinged with something unexpected. Sergeant Lee Min-jae and Corporal Seo Su-hyeok looked unusually serious. ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯ I suddenly thought, ¡®Did I act too gullibly?¡¯ Chang-su¡¯s group had been friendly, and creating combat rations wasn¡¯t difficult for me. But reflecting on the true value of those rations made me feel a bit uneasy. An alert feeling crept over me. ¡®This has to be a setup for a lecture.¡¯ Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 112.2 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. The dungeon boss¡ª[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.¡± The two seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding in agreement, a glint of understanding in their eyes. ¡°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?¡¯ ¡ª ¡°¡­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.¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. 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¡ª¡± ¡°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. Chapter 113.1 as the submerged city was freed, thousands of awakened individuals were unleashed back into the world. however, a looming crisis awaited them. while there were thousands of capable fighters, the food supply was alarmingly scarce. if the situation deteriorated, it would be no surprise to see waves of desperate robbers emerging. thud! ¡°i¡¯ve brought the monster corpses you mentioned.¡± what used to be a typical commercial building was now enveloped in a formidable gray barrier, reminiscent of steel. the atmosphere reeked of military presence. ¡°the steel legion¡­ they really live up to their name,¡± he thought, surveying the surroundings with skepticism. ¡°you promised food in exchange for these corpses, didn¡¯t you? i came here knowing i might be tricked, but honestly, it¡¯s hard to believe. if this is a scam¡ª¡± ¡°let¡¯s see¡­ yes. confirmed. please sign your name here and come back in two to three days,¡± the soldier replied, unimpressed. ¡°¡­hmph.¡± the man reluctantly signed, half-listening to the soldier¡¯s assurances. after all, those monster corpses were practically worthless to him. even if it turned out to be a scam, he had nothing to lose. with a lingering sense of unease, he turned to leave. days later¡­ ¡°let¡¯s see¡­ yes, this is it.¡± thud. the bag he brought was half-filled with jerky. upon seeing it, he frowned. ¡°i brought several monster corpses; is this all there is?¡± ¡°i told you the commission is 80%, didn¡¯t i?¡± ¡°eighty percent¡­?¡± the soldier¡¯s laugh was derisive. ¡°trust me, 80% is a steal.¡± the man¡¯s expression soured. this was a ludicrous cut for what they were handing over. ¡°is this acceptable for soldiers to profit so excessively?¡± ¡°anything i say now will probably sound sarcastic to you. but once you try it, you¡¯ll understand,¡± the soldier smirked, crossing his arms. how much effort had been expended to hunt those monsters? the man shook his head, grumbling under his breath. ¡®being weak is a crime.¡¯ as he stepped away, he felt bitterness linger in his throat. at least he had food now. ¡°okay, i¡¯ve got jerky,¡± he said to himself, pulling out a piece and taking a hearty bite. in that moment¡­ ¡°¡­huh?¡± surprise washed over him. the moment the meat hit his tongue, it melted like butter. each bite burst with juicy flavor. ¡°this is delicious,¡± he mumbled, completely taken aback. he had tasted high-end jerky before, but this was on another level. ¡°what¡¯s going on? am i just hungry¡­? no, the flavor is extraordinary.¡± he quickly devoured the remaining jerky, savoring every morsel. then something strange happened. sear?h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®my body feels lighter.¡¯ it was more than just relief from hunger. he opened his status window, and to his astonishment, saw his stats had received a boost. the man recalled getting minor buffs from an awakened priest previously, but nothing compared to this. ¡°compared to that buff, this is on a whole different level!¡± he exclaimed, his excitement building. the surge in his abilities was invigorating. although it was temporary, his combat potential nearly doubled from that simple meal. suddenly, everything clicked into place. ¡®if the combat rations provide this level of boost, hunting monsters will be a lot easier with them.¡¯ an 80% commission now felt trivial. in fact, he felt they owed the soldiers something for helping them so much. ¡°haha¡­ those soldiers are pretty decent folk after all.¡± looking at the bag, filled to the brim with jerky, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. recently, my routine had expanded to include mass-producing combat rations. ¡®in the past, creating a single batch took ages.¡¯ but now, thanks to the [talent: large scale cooking] ability, things had changed dramatically. [significant increase in cooking speed] preparing jerky from a single monster was almost instantaneous, and while drying the meat took a couple of days, it was manageable. [combat rations are complete] [you have acquired experience points] earning experience for such minor efforts was fantastic. ¡°food is piling up,¡± i said, surveying the storage room filled with supplies. at that moment, a soldier managing the food supply approached. ¡°sergeant shin.¡± ¡°yeah?¡± the soldier scratched his head, looking troubled. ¡°i¡¯ve finished processing the materials you brought, but¡­ some people are insisting that they can¡¯t wait a few more days for their food.¡± ¡°how difficult can waiting be?¡± honestly, i found it a bit ridiculous. they could have easily handled this with another soldier¡¯s help. despite their combat skills improving, many still acted like amateurs in administrative tasks. i intended to provide proper guidance when¡­ Chapter 113.2 ¡°They keep saying they need food urgently to get somewhere, but I can¡¯t quite grasp their reasoning¡­¡± ¡°Where are they trying to go?¡± Suddenly, I felt more engaged. Without hesitation, I followed the soldier to the food supply area. ¡°Haven¡¯t they said they would provide food in exchange for bringing in monsters? That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°But you need to refine them into food, so you need a few days¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s urgent!¡± Creak. ¡°Uh, Sergeant Shin?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Entering the room, I found a man embroiled in a heated argument with the soldier. ¡°Good job. I¡¯ll handle this from here. You can return to your duties.¡± The visibly fatigued soldier saluted and slipped out. I turned to the man, still fuming from his earlier confrontation. ¡°¡­Are you the commander of this unit?¡± ¡°No?¡± I replied, stifling a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m a cook.¡± ¡°¡­A cook?¡± ¡°Indeed! Were you not here to discuss food? I handle all the cooking for our unit, so you can talk to me about whatever you need.¡± The man stared at me, his eyebrows knitting together in skepticism. ¡°Sigh. There¡¯s no avoiding it now. I saw a flyer circulating in the city not long ago.¡± ¡°Ah, drafting that flyer was a hassle. We had no printer¡ªit was all handwritten. What a laborious task,¡± I said, shaking my head dramatically. ¡°¡­It mentioned providing food in exchange for monster corpses. I brought some, but now you¡¯re telling me I have to wait several more days?¡± I glanced at the monster corpses he had brought. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] Most were low-level monsters from our last hunt. ¡°Oh, just talking to myself,¡± I muttered. The color of the monsters caught my eye. ¡°Most of them are red, with a few orange ones too.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Wait, where did you find these monsters?¡± A slight chill ran down his spine as he realized my knowledge of their origins. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve recently acquired a new ability.¡± [[Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] ¨C Combat Power Meter] Now, I could assess the combat abilities of monsters based on their mana levels and color. The red hue indicated low combat strength; however, one yellow-colored body among them piqued my interest. ¡°Wait, where did you get this one?¡± ¡°That one? I took that down myself.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The revelation that he was a skilled hunter intrigued me. ¡°Why exactly the urgency though?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m from Gangneung.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I was in Chuncheon for business when everything went south. My family is back home. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened to them¡­¡± I nodded, understanding the gravity of his situation. ¡°There¡¯s a high chance they¡¯re still alive. Waiting too long could put them in danger.¡± ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m trying to get back as quickly as I can. I can¡¯t waste time here.¡± ¡°Are you going alone? That seems risky.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve gathered over twenty others who are heading to Gangneung too. We plan to travel together.¡± ¡°Please hang on a moment.¡± I stepped away to the storage area and examined the boxes of combat rations. ¡°Here it is, the yellow one.¡± I retrieved the boxed food made from a yellow monster. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°Th-this is¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than what you brought us. Trust me.¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± The gratitude in his voice was palpable. ¡°However, the original deal was to use the monsters you delivered for cooking. But how can I delay someone who¡¯s in search of family?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Technically, I usually take an 80% commission, but for you, I¡¯ll drop that to 50% for this special case. Keep this to yourself.¡± ¡°I am truly grateful¡­.¡± ¡°And you mentioned you¡¯re headed to Gangneung?¡± I asked. ¡°Y-yes.¡± I sketched a rough map, detailing hints and tips for the safest route. ¡°Our scouting indicated this path is more passable. The other routes are filled with danger.¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t¡­thank you enough.¡± The earlier anger he displayed dissipated, replaced by genuine appreciation. ¡°No need to repay me. I wish you the best in finding your family.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He repeatedly bowed as he exited, leaving me reflecting, ¡®Gratitude? No, I ought to be the one thanking him.¡¯ Exiting the room, I was met by a familiar voice. ¡°Benefactor!¡± ¡°Jeong Soo-ah.¡± A slight laugh escaped me. Perhaps it was due to my cooking restoring her sight, but she was always quick to shower me with praise. With her remarkable abilities, she had proven invaluable to our unit. I considered giving her a higher-ranking position, but her constant flattery became a bit overwhelming. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°I believe you might be showing too much compassion towards them.¡± Chapter 114.2 Perhaps he might even accept betrayal without a hint of suspicion. Such thoughts clutched her heart uncomfortably. ¡®He must have his thoughts as well¡­ but perhaps I should bring it up.¡¯ Thus, she finally voiced her concern. ¡°I worry that you¡¯re granting too much kindness.¡± Upon hearing her, I looked at her with confusion. ¡°Bestowing grace is indeed a noble act. However¡­ there are those in the world who don¡¯t reciprocate goodwill.¡± ¡°True enough.¡± ¡°Those who fill their bellies and gain strength through the meals you prepare¡­ they may turn against us later.¡± While it pained her to challenge the Savior¡¯s actions, if he veered off course, it was her duty to guide him back. ¡°You might think everyone¡¯s inherently good, but in reality¡ª¡± ¡°¡­Do you see me as kind?¡± ¡°Of course! But not everyone is like you.¡± Seeing his humble demeanor as he listened to her, she felt a surge of admiration. He nodded in agreement, ¡°True, that¡¯s a fair point.¡± Ah¡­ he gets it! Just as she was about to let out a sigh of relief¡­ ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Wait. Was he preparing to say something like, ¡°there¡¯s no need to be suspicious of others¡±? That thought made her heart clench again, but his next words surprised her. ¡°Nothing comes for free, you know.¡± ¡°¡­Are you hinting at the 80% fee? Seems trivial compared to the meals you provide.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± What other benefit could there be? ¡°In this city, there¡¯s an overflow of Awakened individuals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°That probably represents a reward far greater than what we¡¯d gain from dungeon hunting.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± His words were puzzling her, but he continued without pause. ¡°Their main issue is a lack of food.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°If not for some intervention, they might soon become thousands of plunderers, but I can handle that, right? I can turn useless monster meat into food, after all. Who wouldn¡¯t want that?¡± A mischievous smile spread across his face, like that of a little rascal. ¡°And my combat rations possess unmatched flavor and effects. The chef profession isn¡¯t very common, and even if there are other chefs, I have confidence I wouldn¡¯t be outdone.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Do you really think that those who¡¯ve tasted my cooking could be satisfied with anything else?¡± At that moment, Jeong Soo-ah finally grasped his intention. Thousands of Awakened individuals. All of them would taste the meals prepared by him. Offering tremendous buffs and a flavor surpassing all expectations. ¡®Only He can create such meals.¡¯ Once someone experienced his divine cooking, turning back would be impossible. The throngs of Awakened would have no choice but to look to their benefactor for sustenance, whether they liked it or not. A shiver ran down her spine. In her gaze towards the man before her, a deep sense of reverence washed over her. ¡®He sees far ahead, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ The miracles he wrought were extraordinary enough to deserve a place in religious texts, yet the foresight he exhibited rivaled even those feats. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the part I owe to Min-jae and Su-hyeok. I hadn¡¯t even considered it.¡± ¡°So humble, even in victory.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but bow her head in admiration at such humility. ¡°Well, there¡¯s one more advantage to it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Many people have died. The world has become harsh enough that even Awakening is difficult, and out of the survivors, only one in five is likely to be Awakened.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The war between humans and monsters had left the humans at a glaring disadvantage. ¡°They¡¯re likely dying even now in other places.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°We wish our guild could help, but it¡¯s not that simple to extend our resources elsewhere. So¡­¡± He grinned. ¡°By generously offering food to this region, we may just be helping others in distant areas.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Under normal circumstances, we¡¯d need to deploy units to assist, but it turns out there are so many willing to work in exchange for food. It¡¯s a sweet deal, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ha ha. Indeed.¡± Though he initially made the statement lightly, he gradually adopted a serious demeanor as he continued. ¡°I hope for as many people as possible to survive this apocalypse.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°True, some may eat my meals and still harbor ill intentions. But¡­¡± He tapped the pistol nestled within his clothing. ¡°The Legion is not going to lose to those kinds of people.¡± After concluding the conversation with Shin Young-joon, Jeong Soo-ah bowed her head in respect before returning to her room to kneel and pray. Ah, magnificent one. The soldiers of the Legion tend to push others away. But you are different. ¡®Your intention is the salvation of all humanity.¡¯ To fulfill that, her benefactor wielded insight so profound she could hardly comprehend. ¡®My faith was never misguided.¡¯ Her already firm beliefs deepened even further. Ding! [Conditions met] [1. Fragment of Divinity (1/1)] [2. A devotee with a certain level of faith (1/1)] [As a reward for completing the conditions, a new stat: Divine Power has been now unlocked] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Chapter 114.3 After returning from my conversation with Jeong Soo-ah, I opened the refrigerator to prepare dinner when this sudden message appeared before me. ¡°What on earth is this?¡± A completely unexpected notification. In a flurry, I opened the status panel. [Divine Power: 1] A brand new stat has emerged. Divine Power. ¡®Must be due to eating the Pope¡¯s flesh.¡¯ When I prepared the dish using the Pope¡¯s flesh, there was mention of some effect being applied. Now it seemed some elusive condition had indeed been fulfilled. Based on the explanations, it seemed similar to a divine stat¡­ I decided to ask the guild¡¯s priest, a fellow Awakened. ¡°Divine Power¡­? Ah, you mean Divine Strength. Yes, of course, I have that. My Divine Strength exceeds 30¡­¡± ¡°Not that, just Divine Power.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not something I¡¯ve ever heard of.¡± It was surprising that even the priest didn¡¯t recognize this stat. While I might have obtained traits or skills, receiving an entirely new stat was a first and thoroughly bewildering. I hoped it was not something bad. ¡®Just like my regenerative ability. This mysterious stat as well.¡¯ Recently, I felt a growing acceleration in my development. It brought back memories of the early days of awakening. ¡°Who¡¯s stronger, an Awakened or a soldier with a gun?¡± The conclusion back then was, unsurprisingly, the soldier with the firearm. Even if one was an Awakened, getting shot was fatal all the same. However, as time passed, conversations along those lines added a new caveat. ¡°At least for now.¡± Someday, it felt plausible that an Awakened could defeat a gun-wielding soldier in hand-to-hand combat. With the regenerative abilities that I possess, perhaps this hypothesis could hold water. Lately, I often pondered whether I have crossed over from the realm of ordinary humans. ¡°Well, perhaps it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Thus far, I have survived against the odds. Various abilities have extended my life. That in itself was what mattered. ¡®This stat will surely come in handy someday.¡¯ The days that followed were marked by a similar routine. Today, I reached into the shadows to retrieve ingredients for the unit¡¯s meals. Suddenly¡ª ¡°Your Lordship¡¯s benefactor!¡± A vampire, busy moving things inside, spoke out. It was unusual for those typically obedient to suddenly address him directly. Curious, I decided to listen. ¡°Carrots, cabbages, leeks, garlic¡ªeverything is nearly gone.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Not to mention, the oil is almost depleted as well, though we still have a decent amount of potatoes.¡± The words seemed too realistic, coming from a vampire. The refrigerator¡¯s vegetable bin was emptying fast. Back when we left the ammunition battalion, we had stocked up so much that it seemed there would be excess abundance. And if I use the [Five Loaves and Two Fish], it could sustain the unit for years. ¡®[Five Loaves and Two Fish]¡¯ is a skill that utilizes magic¡­ When preparing meals, I have deliberately avoided using this skill as it takes a huge troll on magic power. ¡°Vegetables are already running low?¡± While there was an abundance of meat brought by the city¡¯s Awakened members, the vegetable quality¡­ ¡®Compared to the meat¡­ the quantity of the vegetables is just lacking.¡¯ The vegetables were coming from an Awakened farmer near the village by the ammunition battalion. He sent only the freshest produce from his yield. In fact, they were incredibly fresh compared to the subpar vegetables that I used to receive back in the days when I was an ordinary cook. The issue was¡­ [Ground Meat of Hauwan Honmar] [This is the front leg meat of Hauwan Honmar, which exerts great power through its forelimbs.] Monster meats inherently contained magical energy, so cooking them resulted in statements suggesting that ¡°the magical energy contained in the dishes seeps into your body.¡± They exhibited effects incomparable to standard beef or pork. But vegetables¡­ ¡°While they are fresh, compared to the meat, it¡¯s just not the same.¡± As my cooking skills improved, I began to notice the limitations of ordinary vegetables more and more. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t just serve no greens.¡± I resolved to make a trip to Inje-gun soon to replenish the supply of vegetables. While considering all this, I suddenly received a message. [Seamstress: Excuse me, Commander?] Was there something important? A message came in from his dear confidante. The ammunition battalion in Inje-gun had stabilized to a certain extent. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One of her tasks was managing the area and recruiting people into the unit: it was none other than the talented Seamstress, Lee Sang-ah. She had been magnificently managing the base since they established it. Thanks to the stable home base, the expeditionary force could devote ample time to dungeon exploration. Furthermore, it had played a critical role in planning their settlement in Chuncheon¡­ However¡­ [Seamstress: ¡­ I think we¡¯re in need of a bit of assistance.] Chapter 115.1 After receiving the urgent message for help from Captain Lee Sang-ah without wasting a moment, I rallied my troops and led them back to the Ammunition Depot. We couldn¡¯t afford to halt our efforts to expand our territory into Chuncheon. I didn¡¯t bring many of my troops back with me. I had prepared enough combat rations in advance, so they should manage well on their own. Traveling between cities isn¡¯t easy, but with the subway secured, we could return to the Ammunition Depot in a few days. ¡®Things have changed a lot.¡¯ As I looked around at the Depot, what had originally been a mere old military outpost was now encircled by massive walls that appeared quite sturdy. ¡°It¡¯s been a few weeks since I left with my troops.¡± While there weren¡¯t many combat-oriented Awakened individuals left at the Depot, a fair number of construction types like engineers remained behind. These engineers, with capabilities beyond humans, had worked tirelessly to produce this impressive result. ¡°What happened here?¡± As I greeted the soldiers who came out to meet us, I noticed their solemn expressions. ¡°Um, well¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go see for ourselves, shall we?¡± Though I felt a twinge of curiosity, I followed them deeper into the base. ¡°Commander! I¡¯m sorry, I heard you were coming, but¡ª¡± As we made our way inside, I spotted Captain Lee Sang-ah, who was responsible for managing this base. She held an enormous pair of shears, far larger than the usual ones, in the hands of a seamster. In fact, they looked more suited for pruning tree branches than for sewing. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just as you see.¡± Snip! ¡°I¡¯m cutting down trees.¡± With that, she indicated the massively oversized trees she was dealing with, which covered not just the inside of the Ammunition Depot but also stretched beyond into the surrounding mountain range. ¡°The jungle¡­?¡± * * * The Ammunition Depot, ASP (Ammunition Supply Point), was designed to house a variety of explosives, so the distances between buildings were significant to mitigate the risks of detonation. The vast expanse of land here was many times larger than that of a standard military base. ¡®The storage facilities at the back were reportedly several times the size of Seoul University.¡¯ While the frontline Depot didn¡¯t quite reach that size, it was still vast. Defending such an extensive area was no simple task; our forces only utilized a small section of the Depot. ¡°Two-thirds of the Depot has been overtaken?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing to admit.¡± Excluding the areas we used; the vast majority of the Ammunition Depot had been consumed by this jungle. ¡°How did it come to be like this?¡± ¡°Rather than saying ¡®how,¡¯ it might be more accurate to say that it just appeared suddenly one day.¡± As I listened to her explanation, I noticed how the landscape had drastically shifted. Previously, there had been low hills at the edge of the Depot¡ªhills that had not been dominated by trees. ¡®So that¡¯s why everything looked different.¡¯ What once was a relatively barren area was now densely packed with towering trees, as if they were sprouting overnight. ¡°If it had been a gradual phenomenon, we would have noticed it sooner. But all of this happened overnight. We woke up one day to find it like this.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That was indeed the day we tried to reach out to you.¡± Other soldiers chimed in, equally bewildered by the overnight emergence of this jungle. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that something this massive could grow overnight.¡± ¡°Even if there was some sort of monster causing this, we wouldn¡¯t have missed it approaching the base.¡± The Ammunition Depot had undergone extensive fortification through the hard work of the construction crew, and had established its own reconnaissance systems. Yet somehow, this phenomenon had bypassed all of that. ¡°¡­It didn¡¯t just sprout up out of nowhere. How could this have happened?¡± At that moment, a thought crossed my mind. [As time passes, the enemy will grow stronger. It¡¯s best to prepare for that.] A warning from the Pope before his death. Initially, I took it to mean that the monsters already on the ground would become stronger. ¡®But in truth, these monsters just materialized out of thin air, didn¡¯t they?¡¯ From the Doomsday to the moment the dungeon in Chuncheon closed, monsters appeared as if they had always existed in that space. ¡®Even now, monsters may continue to spawn unseen.¡¯ I realized that this phenomenon, too, could be linked to creatures that had suddenly emerged in the mountains. If that were the case, then the integrity of our surveillance systems made sense. ¡°I thought about burning it down, but I eventually deemed that too risky,¡± she continued. ¡°Well, considering this jungle has engulfed the entire base¡­¡± ¡°I was worried that we might not just affect our own troops but also cause collateral damage to the nearby villages.¡± Chapter 115.2 This base and its surrounding community had taken a long time to stabilize. If we inadvertently harmed them while trying to eliminate the jungle, it would be a classic case of killing the chicken to scare the monkey. ¡°So instead, we¡¯ve been slicing them back as they encroach.¡± Snip! ¡°Every inch of progress threatens us.¡± With the shears in hand, capable of generating devastating cuts, she was slowing the jungle¡¯s expansion. ¡®It¡¯s funny how she can use those shears for both haircuts and tree-trimming now¡­ she¡¯s quite resourceful.¡¯ I looked around and noticed that other soldiers had similarly taken up saws to deal with the advancing jungle. ¡°Are they not attacking?¡± ¡°It seems fine as long as we don¡¯t enter deeper inside.¡± So they launch an attack if you advance, huh? Yikes. ¡°Anyway, you guys help out.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The expressions of my troops shifted uneasily. ¡®Ah.¡¯ I began to understand their concerns. What we were engaging in now resembled the tasks they dreaded when stationed at the base. ¡°Ugh, we have to do weed control¡­¡± ¡°Had we awakened our abilities sooner, this wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡± But what could we do? It was time to charge ahead. * * * ¡°Phew¡­ this is tough.¡± Even for us Awakened individuals, dealing with such robust growth was draining. Sweat trickled down her face as she labored. ¡°Just a moment.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I reached into the shadows and pulled out a desired ingredient. [Cold Horn of Samiran] A variety of creatures was brought by the city¡¯s Awakened individuals. I had stored everything that seemed useful with me in the shadows. ¡®This guy wasn¡¯t even a mage but managed to shoot ice out of its horn.¡¯ The horn was not only cold to the touch but also emitted an odd chill around it. With a swift motion, I struck the tip with my knife, shattering the end like ice breaking apart. I poured some water from a cup in the dining area over the shattered horn and added a touch of syrup on top. And just like that¡ª [The dish is complete] [Intermediate Chef¡¯s Frozen Samiran Drink] The effects were numerous¡ªtemperature control, enhanced resistance to cold, and fatigue reduction¡­ ¡°Drink this.¡± ¡°Oh! Thank you¡­¡± While there were various benefits, the most significant aspect was simply that it was refreshing and sweet. ¡°Ahh!¡± I had prepared similar drinks in Chuncheon a few times, and they proved to be quite satisfactory. Refreshment after sweating, ideal for replenishing energy. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I got to taste your cooking, Commander.¡± ¡°Not sure if I¡¯d call this cooking, though.¡± After she drank, her demeanor brightened slightly. While we exchanged casual conversation about the jungle, I felt compelled to ask about the man I had been curious about most. ¡°Is that guy still unconscious?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been informed that his condition is improving, but he still hasn¡¯t regained consciousness.¡± The man who had fled from the dungeon to find us; it seemed he was still in that state. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but that could wait for another time. ¡°The bunker and the nearby town have also expanded quite a bit. There have been more inquiries from people wanting to join the guild too.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± I asked about other news as well. It seemed things were progressing well here until the jungle appeared. ¡°Ahem. Cooking boy¡­ or should I say, Commander?¡± As I listened to Sang-ah speak about the state of the troops, someone approached us. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a familiar face. ¡°Ah, Cheol-wook!¡± ¡°Ha-ha! Just call me freely now.¡± The reason I remembered him was simple; he was responsible for supplying our vegetables. He was an Awakened farmer. Yet something felt off. The way he mentioned to call him casually, the way he looked¡ªespecially with the knowledge that I was a commander, which the town folks didn¡¯t know. ¡°Ah, I just mentioned about the increasing inquiries from people wanting to join, right? Mr. Cheol-wook one of them?¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± I was taken aback. Joining our ranks did come with rewards, albeit a cautious consideration due to the risk of fighting monsters at the frontlines. People often preferred a safer route in exchange for a tiny fee for protection. The farmer was no different. ¡°After spending some time here, my thoughts have changed a bit.¡± Scratching his head, he continued. ¡°I initially hesitated at the thought of being conscripted into a military unit, but I¡¯ve found the faces of the soldiers here aren¡¯t so bad. Even if I join, I¡¯ll just be farming, so it doesn¡¯t seem too dangerous.¡± ¡°You had a group you were leading, right? What happened to them?¡± ¡°The village has stabilized now.¡± Apparently, everyone was able to manage without their leader. The fact that he, who had been cautious before, now considered joining us indicated a significant shift in the perception of our unit. That¡¯s good news. But then he lowered his voice. Chapter 115.3 ¡°Actually¡­ since you¡¯ve arrived, there¡¯s something I must tell you.¡± He leaned closer, with a serious tone. ¡°That jungle isn¡¯t just any ordinary jungle.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s evident just by looking at it.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s more than it seems!¡± I was puzzled about what he meant. ¡°It¡¯s telling me as a [Novice Farmer] that there are things growing inside that could ignite the very soul of a farmer!¡± ¡­That was interesting. ¡°Sounds tantalizing.¡± * * * ¡°Careful!¡± One of my soldiers leaned a bit too far toward the jungle. Suddenly, a rustling sound erupted. ¡°Woah!¡± The roots that had been encroaching began to move quickly. A soldier nearly tripped, jerking backward just in time. He looked back, drenched in cold sweat, staring at the roots. Sang-ah sighed at the sight. ¡°I considered sending someone inside, but it¡¯s as I suspected.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± They don¡¯t react if you just trim back the edges, but once you venture deeper, they attack fiercely. ¡°Cutting down these trees won¡¯t make any progress, right? Because they aren¡¯t the real monsters!¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°I never got experience points from them.¡± Indeed, pressing into the jungle would only waste the troops¡¯ stamina. So what¡¯s the plan? ¡°Hmmm.¡± I turned and stepped back a little, approaching a tree that had been standing there since long before. Crack. I plucked a branch off it. ¡°Commander?¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± I tossed the branch into the jungle, giving it a spin as I did. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The result was¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± There was no response; it was eerily quiet. Sure enough. ¡°It¡¯s not reacting to moving objects.¡± Next, I reached into the shadows again to pull out a chunk of raw meat. Swish! It was a waste of food, but sometimes sacrifices must be made. After giving it a similar spin, I threw it into the jungle. Crack¡­! The roots surged forward, drawn to the meat. I began to grasp the situation. The trees ignored the branch but responded to the piece of meat. ¡°It seems it¡¯s not about whether something is alive or not; it¡¯s about whether it¡¯s plant-based or animal-based.¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± The soldiers now understood my reasoning. This was how the jungle distinguished its enemies. ¡°But.¡± ¡°Did learning the attack conditions change anything?¡± We didn¡¯t have any plants among our troops to worry about. It was logical for them to think there wouldn¡¯t be a significant shift in tactics. However, knowing that not everything that moves is attacked could open up some possibilities. [Blue Drop Jelly] [Would you like to apply the second effect of Absolute Palate (Enhanced)?] [Temporarily acquired the trait ¨C Environmental Camouflage] ¡°Ah!¡± Sang-ah gasped as I popped the jelly in my mouth. ¡°Are you seriously about to do something dangerous again¡­?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡± According to Cheol-wook, something extraordinary was hidden within the jungle. Perhaps it was the source of this ongoing crisis. Burning down the entire jungle should only be a last resort. It was the only way to truly find out. [Environmental Camouflage] My body melds with the surrounding environment. While it offers invisibility, the essence of the trait is about becoming one with the surroundings. Stepping into the jungle, I felt the trees and roots accept my presence without any aggressive response. ¡°Commander!? Wait! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± I took slow, deliberate steps further into the depths of the jungle. * * * Crackle¡­ Even though the trees refrained from attacking, traversing deeper into the jungle was far from easy. ¡®The density is so overwhelming¡­ I feel like cutting a path through while moving.¡± The thick growth blocked every human-friendly path, making it a struggle to navigate. I contemplated using my knife like a machete to clear a way, but at the same time. ¡®That would cross a line.¡¯ Even with Environmental Camouflage, acting aggressively wouldn¡¯t be overlooked. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± I moved past the vast expanses of the Ammunition Depot toward the mountains. Though the way was obstructed by trees, no matter how resilient I was, exhaustion crept in. At one point, I rested on a nearby tree, surveying my surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s a breathtaking sight.¡± Immense trees that before only existed in pictures surrounded me. Despite their previous lack of vigor, these forest giants now towered all around. ¡®What sort of creature could generate a jungle of this scale?¡¯ After a brief rest, I began to worm my way between branches, pressing onward into the heart of this jungle. If there was indeed a creature responsible, it would certainly be near the center. After navigating through a considerable distance, I caught a hint of something in the air. ¡®Smoke?¡¯ I peered through the trees. It wasn¡¯t smoke. [Combat Power Evaluation] The aura emitted by the monsters, visualized in waves rising into the air. At that moment, I froze. The color of the aura¡­ ¡°¡­It¡¯s blue.¡± Which meant it was extremely ominous. Chapter 116.1 ¡°Blue¡­¡± The [Combat Power Evaluation] trait categorizes enemies¡¯ strength by color: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. ¡®Even yellow is considered quite strong.¡¯ A green monster would be formidable enough that even our squad members would have to band together to take it on. But a blue monster¡­ Truth be told, it wasn¡¯t my first encounter with a creature radiating a blue aura. Right now, I could sense it lurking within my shadow. ¡®The Night Nobility was exactly a blue-type.¡¯ However, the shade emanating from Ariella was very faint. She was barely teetering on the edge of the blue spectrum, which said a lot about her current strength, particularly given her title of ¡°Junior Baroness.¡± In contrast, the entity before me was¡­ ¡®Not entirely dark, but definitely not faint either.¡¯ This meant it was a monster stronger than Ariella. I didn¡¯t lack confidence. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t have entered this place alone to begin with. ¡°Should we take action, master? There were a hundred troops hidden in the shadows with me. Sunlight barely penetrated the thick jungle, so our fighting capacity wouldn¡¯t be compromised. But the real issue lay in the environment. ¡®A creature that manipulates the jungle¡­¡¯ If that creature could control the trees around us, then our odds of winning wouldn¡¯t be 100 to 1. ¡®It would mean fighting the entire forest.¡¯ I might not lose outright, but the damage would be staggering. After a moment¡¯s contemplation, I made a decision. ¡®I¡¯ll assess its appearance first and then retreat.¡¯ After all, my strengths didn¡¯t lie in initiating confrontations while information was lacking. [Chef¡¯s Eye] [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] These two abilities allowed me to recognize the enemy¡¯s weak points and gather pertinent information. Moreover, I could respond dynamically to those weaknesses through my cooking buffs. Utilizing the synergy between these abilities was the core of my battle strategy. Thus, I had no need to engage right away. However, to employ these strategies, I needed to get a good look at the enemy first. [Chef¡¯s Eye] wouldn¡¯t activate without focusing on the target. I muted my steps and cautiously edged forward. A silhouette emanating a blue aura came into view. Just as it began to reveal itself, I heard a sudden crack. ¡°¡­!?¡± An unsettling sensation tightened around my ankle. The tree roots beneath me had ensnared my foot. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ Had I been discovered? I quickly checked if my ability, [Environmental Camouflage], was still active. This meant that I was still blended into the jungle. But how¡­? No. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s a blue-level creature!¡± It could do anything¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be surprising. Especially since this forest was its domain. Even if I was [Camouflaged], letting my guard down was a grave mistake! Suddenly, the roots that clutched my ankle began to stretch and pull me away. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but it didn¡¯t seem motivated to do me any favors. ¡°Prepare for combat¡­!¡± I shouted towards my shadow, fully aware that there was no turning back now. Even if the vampire troops fell, I had to fight. I steeled my mind for battle and hastily drew my sword. My plan was to deflect the next attack and then sever the roots that had ensnared my ankle. ¡­ But then nothing came. ¡°What¡­?¡± The roots that had grabbed my ankle had abruptly halted their movement. Cautiously, I scanned my surroundings, but there was no sign of an imminent attack. Just as I turned my head back, I was startled to find¡­ ¡°¡­What the hell?¡± Right in front of my face, I locked eyes with an entity. [Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)] [Alraune] [Chef¡¯s Eye] [Acquired Intermediate Grade Cooking Secret: Enlightenment of Alraune Preparation¡¯] What stood before me was¡­ a tiny tree. Among the tightly packed giant trees of this dense jungle, it appeared far too diminutive and frail. The distinguishing feature of this tiny tree was its unusual pattern. You know those patterns that look like human faces? This one was no different. The center of its trunk bore markings that distinctly resembled human facial features. But then¡ª ¡®This isn¡¯t good for mental health.¡¯ The face, seemingly carved into the tree, began to awaken. Its eyes rolled around, locking onto me, and I realized¡ª ¡®Those markings weren¡¯t just patterns, but an actual face!¡¯ A face, covered in bark, stared blankly at me. Engaged in what felt like a showdown of wills, I started an eye contest. Nonetheless, I quickly realized this was not a healthy endeavor. It looked absolutely grotesque! ¡°¡­.¡± The staring contest dragged on. No attacks came, just that thing continuing to gaze at my face in silence. ¡°Master? Should we attack?¡± ¡°No¡­ No. Just hold your position for now.¡± At that moment, I found myself suspended upside down with my foot still ensnared. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I felt my blood rushing to my head, which wasn¡¯t very pleasant. While it wasn¡¯t ideal, the creature didn¡¯t seem intent on attacking me. ¡°If it ever thinks of attacking me, retaliate immediately. If necessary, you can lose all your subordinates. My life comes first.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With that, I gave my command, then looked back at the tree before me. ¡°Cooking its head, eh¡­?¡± Chapter 119.3 At one point, Sang-heok had contemplated selling cigarettes. In a bygone era, cigarette products would typically be found on the first floors of supermarkets and convenience stores. All of those stores had been thoroughly submerged in the dungeons, and it was clear that the value of cigarettes would skyrocket. People would go to great lengths to find them, driven by that quintessential craving, even if it risked their lives. In such circumstances, he hypothesized that a single pack of cigarettes would be worth at least a week¡¯s worth of combat rations. Yet, in reality, ¡°¡­They ended up selling for just 1 combat ration.¡± Such a conclusion was made possible only due to the selling skills he possessed. Sang-heok was utterly baffled; It wasn¡¯t that people forgot how cigarettes tasted¡­ Or that cigarettes had suddenly turned unpalatable. No, it was much simpler than that. ¡°Combat rations are just¡­ far tastier!¡± In a clash between commodities, the rations utterly crushed the competition. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t buy them either.¡± No matter how appealing people considered cigarettes, why would anyone choose to buy them if they could enjoy the superior taste of combat rations instead? Consistent circulation in the market, along with a guarantee of worth, played significant roles in solidifying the perceived value of rations as currency. Even though all sorts of things contributed to their marketability, the value of 1 combat ration was exceedingly high. Most transactions were conducted in small fractional values. ¡®The battery I sold earlier today ought to be worth about 1 combat ration under normal conditions¡­ No, probably even lower.¡¯ The buyer didn¡¯t realize how Sang-heok¡¯s merchant skills had allowed him to serve them an outrageous price. ¡°Right now, I still have items worth selling, so I can scrape by using those skills. But¡­¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His inventory was dwindling rapidly. With no goods left to peddle, enhancing his merchant career felt like a lost cause. If he needed to find something to sell, he¡¯d soon find himself¡­ ¡®Going back out there.¡¯ He had to leave the safe haven protected by soldiers. He would have to venture into an unknown world teeming with other awakened individuals and the lurking monsters. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Each time such thoughts crossed his mind, he found it difficult to suppress a sigh. Yet, just as he prepared to resume business, A piece of paper caught his eye, flapping against a wall. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± It was an ordinary A4 sheet hastily covered with handwritten notes. The format felt oddly familiar. ¡°This disheveled appearance reeks of being the soldiers¡¯ work.¡± Outdated notices from earlier came to mind. The ones offering food in exchange for hunting down monsters. [Notice from the Iron Legion] [Seeking information on the Gourmet Glutton, a cannibalistic monster roaming the submerged city] However, the wording felt somewhat different this time. ¡°A cannibalistic monster? Has it done something lately?¡± At least in Chuncheon, no awakened individual could claim ignorance of the cannibal¡¯s existence. When the war between humans erupted, everyone had watched as he executed countless raiders with ruthless precision. Yet that was all. ¡°If anything, I¡¯d nearly forgotten about him.¡± Having not seen the creature for quite some time, he was tempted to dismiss it further. However, upon reading the last line of the paper, he felt his feet freeze in place. [Information provider will receive 300 combat rations upon authenticity confirmation ] [Or an equivalent compensation will be guaranteed] [For further details, please contact the Legion¡¯s temporary base.] [Map attached.] ¡°¡­T-three hundred!?¡± Sang-heok was left speechless. In truth, the return on combat rations for bringing monsters to the Legion wasn¡¯t exactly bountiful. An 80% processing fee would cut deeply into any potential profit. Yet oddly enough, he had no prominent grievances about this arrangement. ¡®Turning monster corpses into edible rations was bordering on impossible anyway.¡¯ The soldiers couldn¡¯t possibly perform such tasks without some form of compensation. ¡®It entails considerable effort and ingredients¡­ and the taste and effects are excellent, making that kind of fee rational in the current context.¡¯ It was quite reasonable to conclude that those factors contributed to the elevated market value of combat rations. But now, To think they were offering not thirty, but three hundred. ¡°Resources for a full party might only be earned after countless life-or-death battles¡­ you mean they¡¯re offering it for a single piece of information?¡± ?????¦­??§§? What horrible mischief had that cannibal gotten himself into? ¡®¡­If I could snag that reward¡­¡¯ Excitement surged through Sang-heok for a moment, but¡­ ¡°No, why am I getting riled up?¡± Just as quickly, that excitement drained away. The reward was only payable upon verification of the information¡¯s accuracy. As someone devoid of solid evidence, it felt more like chasing a mirage. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± In that moment, a particular memory struck Sang-heok. ¡°Could it be? Well, if it¡¯s not¡­ that would kind of seal my fate.¡± Through his merchant characteristics, he held: [Information Retrieval Mastery]. Thanks to this trait, he had unconsciously absorbed various bits of information swirling around the city. There was one particular suspicion gnawing at his mind, yet¡­ The question remained: was it related to the cannibalistic monster? ¡®If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll be at the mercy of the soldiers¡¯ ire.¡¯ That scenario would be disastrous. But then¡­ ¡®But who cares if I get hated by the soldiers? If I keep going like this, I¡¯ll run out of goods and have to risk my life to venture outside. So what if I die or the soldiers condemn me?¡¯ However, if this information proved true¡­ ¡°300 combat rations or equivalent reward¡­ Then,¡± *Gulp* ¡°If I make a connection with those soldiers¡­¡± Aligning myself with the most powerful faction in the area could lead to monumental growth. ¡®No, there¡¯s no doubt I could grow significantly!¡¯ There was no time left for hesitation. ¡°Why not take a chance?¡± With that thought, Sang-heok abandoned his plans for preparing sales and turned his body toward the building where the soldiers were based. Chapter 121.2 Spitting out a mouthful of blood, I painstakingly rose from the ground and approached the fallen gluttonous beast. As I moved towards the scattered vampire remains, I instructed my comrades, ¡°Make sure he can¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Yes¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh. Rise, brothers.¡± ¡°Your command, my lord.¡± ¡°Ugh. My back¡­¡± Somehow, the vampires, battling through their pain, managed to bind the gluttonous beast to the ground. Creak! The beast grunted in irritation; its freedom taken away. Approaching cautiously, I noted how the creature seemed drained of strength yet retained a feral glare. At the beginning of the fight, it had uttered words, but now it resembled a wild animal. ¡°Hmmm. It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯ll be able to hear me in this state.¡± Fortunately, I had come here for something specific, considering the possibility of speaking to it while it was in this irrational state. I leaned closer to its face until I was merely inches away from its maw. Slowly but cautiously, I nudged my foot towards its mouth. ¡°Hey, hold it right there.¡± To my surprise, the immense creature lunged forward, attempting to bite my foot. ¡°Whoa! Steady.¡± Grabbing its jaws just in time, I pried it open. With one hand holding the upper jaw and his foot on the lower jaw, I forced its mouth wide. ¡°Alright then, say ¡®Ahh.¡¯¡± As I forced its mouth open, I tossed in the prepared food. Boom! Just as I pulled my hand back, the beast¡¯s mouth slammed shut with a thrash. Had I been a moment slower, a hand or foot would have been bitten clean off. ¡°Yikes!¡± The monster, still growling fiercely, fixed its gaze upon him. Its feral snarls were accompanied by drool cascading from its mouth. This was no mere beast; it felt like he was facing an actual monster. However, that sensation was brief. As the food made contact with its stomach, ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± To his astonishment, a clear voice emerged from the once monstrous creature. ¡°Are you coming to your senses?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I seem to be in good condition.¡± Gone was the rampaging beast that had once reignited his primal fears. Before me now was an oddly bristled creature talking in a barely coherent tone. ????????????o??¨¨S [Steely Sloth Brisket] It was a sloth-like creature that bore a powerful build, yet it fought with a lethargy that betrayed any signs of agitation regardless of the assaults it took. This was its defining trait. [Trait: Unyielding Mind] [Maintains calmness and reasoning in most situations.] Combined with the effect of his [Special Sauce]¡ª¡°Steely Logic¡±¡ªthe results now spoke volumes. ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to endure it for just a while longer.¡± It appeared that while the creature was still starved, to an extent, they could communicate. ¡°My name is Shin Young-joon.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°My profession is a soldier¡ªa chef, to be precise.¡± Plopping down in front of it, I began to introduce myself. The creature, now more responsive than before, was listening. This was the same creature that, during their dungeon escape, sent help to my unit. It was likely that it had observed us from a distance before collapsing into despair. ¡°No need to explain yourself further; I understand perfectly,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have much time to chat.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The effect of that dish won¡¯t last long, and soon you¡¯ll be raging again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Therefore, we need to converse before that happens, don¡¯t we?¡± My gaze caught the sloth-eyed figure regarding him with an intense stare. Ignoring its scrutiny, I pressed on with the main topic. ¡°I¡¯m a chef.¡± ¡°A chef¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, a chef. At first, I thought it was a silly profession, but it¡¯s turning out to be quite fulfilling.¡± ¡°Why does a chef care about me?¡± ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been particularly interested in the nature of this profession.¡± I pointed towards a kitchen knife that I had brought along. ¡°I believe you might have some answers regarding this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You were once a normal human, right? Explain how you wound up in this form¡ªfrom beginning to end, if possible.¡± The creature¡¯s eyes, embedded within its flesh, glared towards me. ¡°Do I have to listen to your command?¡± ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ll face grave consequences if you refuse.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, that was just a joke.¡± It seemed the monster had been stung by the abruptness of my commanding tone, glaring with defiance. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°There was a man who escaped the dungeon to reach our unit. He stated that you sent him to us, right?¡± ¡°.¡­¡± ¡°After receiving your plea for help, we liberated the city. In other words¡­¡± I pointed a finger towards its forehead. ¡°You owe us a debt.¡± ¡°¡­Hah.¡± ¡°By helping you achieve what you desire, it is only fair that you return the favor.¡± Despite its lingering resentment, the creature studied him suspiciously. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡± ¡°Once our discussion concludes, I would like a favor from you.¡± A favor? ¡°What are you thinking, asking me for a favor when you¡¯re not even in a position to do so?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you, I believe it will be an easy matter. But feel free to decline; if you want to avoid it, I won¡¯t say another word.¡± ¡°¡­Alright then.¡± I felt no qualms about promising a favor since I can always annul it later. In this world ruled by might, the stronger party prevailed. In that case, he could simply deliver a few more blows. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that. I trust your word.¡± Whether knowing my intentions or not, the creature seemed to come to an understanding, cautiously closing its eyes. Chapter 123.2 ¡®It feels strange.¡¯ At this moment, I felt less like a chef and more like a surgeon or you can also call me a butcher. Considering the absence of anesthetics, I was no traditional doctor, but maybe I could be likened to the legendary Hua Tuo, who operated without any pain relief. That was the sentiment hovering above me. Since this cooking had helped maintain its sanity, if I were to wait for the effects to expire, and the creature regained its power, it would go on a rampage again. Ultimately, I had to proceed without anesthesia. ¡®That dish also had a [Calm Mind] effect.¡¯ The creature wouldn¡¯t even faint comfortably, forced to remain fully aware of the pain. I felt pity, yet¡­ ¡°Consider it a punishment.¡± This creature had slaughtered hundreds of humans. It could argue that killing wasn¡¯t a true expression of its will, but that doesn¡¯t erase the actions taken. And I was¡­ Not about to forgive such a monster so easily. ¡°Grrr¡­ Please, I¡¯d rather die¡­!¡± ¡°Mother¡­ Father¡­¡± This pain served as the price for its actions. * * * After what felt like an eternity, I finally remarked, ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°Likewise, I¡¯m almost finished.¡± [Blended Magical Flesh of the Gourmet Glutton] [These tissues contain a typical blend of various monster magics] [While the quality of this mixed magic is deficient, the sheer amount is substantial enough to blend well with any ingredient.] The process of slicing and pulling out the monster¡¯s blood and flesh was complete. Lying on the cold, hard ground was a figure, moaning in agony. Having scraped away the flesh without killing it, it was somewhat more human-like now. What it used to look like or its gender was indistinguishable. -The pain¡¯s enough. Kill me already.¡± ¡°Just a bit more, hang in there.¡± ¡°Ah, ahh¡­!¡± ¡°Why are you still crying blood? Clean that up!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Having avoided death, I stripped the blood and flesh from the creature. But my work was not done. ¡®It may now resemble a human, but¡­¡¯ The bones and remnants still contained a significant proportion of the monster¡¯s essence. ¡°Now, what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Having extracted the blood and regurgitated the flesh, now¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I wiped the blood from the knife and turned to the waiting vampires. ¡°We need to refill this empty space.¡± The vampire workers stepped into the [Shadow Veil] and began retrieving the ingredients stored within. Then, with a swift motion, I pulled out the cooking tools concealed within the shadows. Now, the real cooking was about to commence. ¡°Good! We have a plentiful supply of meat and some recently replenished vegetables.¡± The surplus of ingredients was ample enough to replace all the remnants of the monster with nutritious ¡®human¡¯ provisions. [Black Sand Larva Stir Fry] [Arachron Omelette] [Blended Magical¡­] From simple stir fries to grilling, deep-frying, stews, and more. I drew upon the various recipes I had learned during my time in the army, focusing on those which were quick and easy to prepare. With the effect of the [Calm Mind] dish still active on it, I thought to myself, ¡®There¡¯s no point worrying about any buffs it might gain from the new dishes.¡¯ For now, sheer quantity was all that mattered. The key was simple. ¡®After expelling the wrong forms it consumed, feed it correctly again!¡¯ After completely separating the blood and flesh of the monster from its body, I filled that very space with my cooking. If everything went well, those blood and flesh remnants would be replaced entirely by my meals. Notably, I was aware of others who had previously consumed dishes like this¡ªthose who were now far from monstrous. ¡°My squad members.¡± This creature would be no exception. If my declarations were accurate. ¡°Now eat,¡± I commanded. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The moment it consumed all this food, It would revert to its human form. The quantity of food piled high was staggering. A regular human would struggle to eat even a tenth of it. But this being was a [Gourmet Glutton]. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m starving¡­!¡± Having devoured countless monsters, the limits of its stomach were unknown. I began to shovel the completed dishes into its awaiting mouth. Wait, no, it was not just that. I literally ¡®poured¡¯ the food inside. As I continued stuffing the creature¡¯s mouth¡ªthough it writhed in pain¡ªit managed to mumble: ¡°De-delicious.¡± ¡°Who made it? Of course, it¡¯s amazing.¡± Although its form had shrunk back into that of a normal human, it still endlessly devoured the food. Time passed, and by the time I had put in just over half of the entire meal¡ª ¡­I began to feel slightly anxious. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t there a response?¡± Having thought of an idea sparked by its earlier words, I realized it made sense. But that realization didn¡¯t give me any reassurance. ¡°Cough! I see what you¡¯re trying to do.¡± It seemed I was not the only one feeling uneasy. ¡°But, as I said¡­¡± The creature continuing to consume the food had finally spoken again. I expected it to reference that last message it had seen. [You are on the brink of falling out of the realm of humans.] [If you continue to indiscriminately consume, there will be no turning back.] Certainly, The system did not speak falsely. ¡°Since I¡¯ve already strayed from the path, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The suffering I¡¯ve endured is nothing compared to the sins I¡¯ve committed. I understand this. So now, please¡­¡± It wished for death. Chapter 123.3 While I¡¯d like nothing more than to grant that wish, a nagging thought plagued me. ¡®Yes, there are sins for which it should be punished, yet what about the favor it has granted?¡¯ If it perished now, it would merely have atoned for its sins without any acknowledgment of its sacrifice. That felt¡ªwell, how do I say it? ¡°How frustrating.¡± The system had stated it was impossible, so what was I supposed to do about it? Such thoughts, I considered, were irrelevant to me. ¡°If it can¡¯t be done¡­ then I¡¯ll make it so.¡± This was a phrase drilled into me from my earliest days as a lowly private. Usually, while living, you might think there are things beyond possibility¡ªbut surprisingly, the seemingly impossible often becomes attainable. This instance would be no different. ¡°Nothing is impossible.¡± I would keep pushing on until the components of its body transformed from that of a monster into human parts. If I continued to stuff enough food inside, something had to give. And just as I prepared to shove more food in, Ding. ¡®¡­?¡¯ A clear, ringing sound echoed in my ears, and a system message appeared before me. [Warning!] [It is impossible to restore a being that has transcended humanity to its former state.] What in the world? Now even my systems were tossing their own impossibility claims at me? ¡°Thanks for the kind reminder, but¡­¡± No point in dwelling on shortcomings. ¡°Unnecessary buttering up.¡± I swiped the message from my view and then stared as more appeared below it. [Regardless, will you continue to challenge the impossible?] ¡­What? * * * [Regardless, will you continue to challenge the impossible?] What kind of nonsense is this? Just a few seconds earlier, my systems had told me it was impossible, and now it was asking if I might want to attempt to do so? I glanced down at the quivering form of the Gourmet Glutton. ¡®An individual I hardly knew.¡¯ Initially, my sole purpose for being here was to seek affirmation for my own doubts. I had already received that affirmation. And I had successfully extracted all of its blood. Surely this would aid Ariella in her growth. At this point¡­ ¡®If I leave now, I suffer no losses at all.¡¯ No need to push myself against challenges deemed impossible. There was no motivation for it. But still¡­ What truly held me back was singleness of sentiment. ¡°Ah, this interloper¡¯s self-esteem.¡± Of all beings, it was my own dish. The more people told me it couldn¡¯t be done, the more I felt the need to assert, ¡®That can¡¯t be right. If it¡¯s my cooking, it can be feasible!¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s still cooking left. Open wide.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Regardless of what the status window said, I would keep doing what I had set out to accomplish. I forcibly pried open the creature¡¯s mouth and hurled another meal towards it. Then¡­ [You are challenging the impossible.] [Checking conditions¡­**] ¡°?¡± The message in front of my eyes. [Conditions have been fulfilled] [Divine Power: 1] The description stated something I had seen before in my stats once thought to be meaningless but now appeared to have potential. Divine Power. [With just ¡®1¡¯ Divine Power, impossible tasks can be achieved] [Warning!] [Should your challenge fail, your Divine Power stat will be permanently erased, and recovery will no longer be possible] ¡°What the¡­¡± In that instant, I could feel something strange stirring deep within my body. It was not too difficult to conclude what this was. ¡®Divine Power?¡¯ I wasn¡¯t certain why it had activated now, but I knew without doubt that it began to initiate a reaction. ¡°What on earth is transpiring¡­ I have no clue!¡± Nonetheless, my duty remained constant. Keep doing what I am doing. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Grr¡­ Grrr¡­!¡± As I continued shoving food into its mouth until my arms ached, Time trudged on. Eventually, even the effects of the ¡®Calm Mind¡¯ expired. But even still, I kept propelling food into the creature¡¯s mouth driven by a simple thought. ¡°Rumble¡­¡± Hours passed in that manner. And at the very moment, when every last plate had been served and there was not a single dish left to give¡­ Ding. [The subject¡¯s species and profession are transforming] Once every meal had disappeared into nothingness, a series of messages flooded my vision. [Lee Hyun-jin] [Primate Human ¨C Gourmet Glutton] [Transforming¡­**] The form lying lifelessly on the ground, once teetering on the edge¡ªnow, in stark contradiction, was beginning to sprout flesh anew. [Transformation complete.] [Awakened Being: Lee Hyun-jin] [Primate ¨C Human] [Profession: Gourmet Glutton Lv.1] Flesh that was no longer of a beast, but of a human. [Profession Quest ¨C Extermination of the Nemesis has been completed.] [Quest objectives overachieved] [Quest rewards have been granted] [Achievement unlocked!] [Achievement: The Miracle Chef] [Through your cooking, you restored an adversary who had lost his way back to his rightful place!] [An extraordinary feat that is rarely seen across all dimensions] [One of the greatest accomplishments possible for a Chef!] [Rewards for achievement granted] [You have accomplished a record worthy of myth!] [Your Divine Power stat increases by 1] [Divine Power: 2] ¡®Divine Power.¡¯ A stat I had classified as unidentifiable; it seemed to result in a newfound energy coiling within me. ¡®The ability to make the impossible possible.¡¯ Unlikely tasks made feasible. ¡°Ha, ha¡­ ha¡­¡± If I were to categorize this situation against video game-like foundations, I could easily conclude what it would be referred to. A cheat. Or rather¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t this a hack?¡± Chapter 124.1 ¡°I left the person you brought in the care of the medics. But I can¡¯t understand why the guy who was supposed to face a monster ended up bringing back a person?¡± ¡°This is a bit complicated. I¡¯ll explain later.¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± After wrapping up the work in the underground sewer, I returned to our unit¡¯s temporary base. Min-jae hyung seemed intrigued and was clearly anxious about what had transpired. ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to tell him that the Gourmet Glutton turned back into a human. There was a lot to explain. ¡°A major earthquake hit the city a few hours ago.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Min-jae hyung crossed his arms, listening intently. ¡°The trembling was felt not just by our members, but also by other awakened individuals in the city. Most seemed to brush it off as just a natural disaster, but some speculated about monsters rampaging underground¡­ right when you decided to head down there.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but¡­ this part seems to fit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably about me.¡± ¡°¡­I figured.¡± Min-jae hyung sighed, a hint of concern flashing across his face. ¡°So, it was a battle strong enough for the ground to shake? Just how powerful was that creature?¡± It certainly was immensely powerful¡ªalmost on par with the dungeon boss [The Pope]. ¡°I probably should have taken some soldiers with me¡­¡± ¡°But bringing them along would have meant not using the vampires.¡± Min-jae hyung and other senior officers were aware of the forces hidden within my shadow. However, that knowledge was limited to just a few. ¡®There are still plenty of unit members who harbor strong disdain towards monsters.¡¯ As for the engineers who had been living with a monster like Mac, their resistance was somewhat milder. The majority, however, immediately saw any monster as an enemy, especially one that we had directly hunted down¡ªand one that had even killed some of our comrades in the process. ¡°You know that vampires become more powerful in places without sunlight. Those battles led to significant losses on both sides.¡± ¡°Leaving the soldiers behind seems to have been the right choice. So, did you get what you wanted?¡± ¡°Fortunately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Seeing Min-jae hyung nodding in approval, I felt a pang of guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°This mission was practically just me acting out of curiosity.¡± The underground exploration was undertaken to clarify my understanding of my profession. Ultimately, it was a unilateral decision on my part. As the leader of our guild, diving headlong into danger for my own curiosity felt irresponsible. I wondered if Min-jae hyung, known for his strictness, might be uncomfortable with this. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If the problem was that the other members couldn¡¯t assist you, then that¡¯s one thing. Your actions were perfectly fine.¡± To my surprise, he wasn¡¯t upset at all. ¡°Not only you, but your abilities are critical to our unit¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°You achieved a major breakthrough in understanding your profession. That¡¯s significant. The only thing I¡¯m disappointed about is that the rest of the team couldn¡¯t assist you during the process.¡± ?????N??¨¨? Min-jae hyung¡¯s unexpectedly positive attitude was a bit shocking. Now that I thought about it, he had been one of the earliest supporters of my potential since the beginning of our unit. ¡®Could it be that he has a keener sense than I gave him credit for?¡¯ While I had recognized the value of being a chef through this experience, before that, I had only ever thought of being a chef as just that¡ªa mere cook. It was Min-jae hyung who had elected me as the leader back then, having seen potential in my role way before I did. So maybe he¡¯s sharper than I had thought. In any case, I was quite satisfied with the events of my underground excursion. ¡®It wasn¡¯t just about clearing up my questions, after all.¡¯ [Quest goal exceeded] [Exceeding rewards will be granted] [Gate Summoning Ticket] [Achievement: Miracle Chef] [Exclusive rewards for those who excel] [Premium Ingredients: Core of the Millennium Glacier] [Premium Ingredients: World Stone Droplet] ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough!¡± The rewards for completing the quest and achievements were incredible. I had previously cleared this quest too, recalling that the reward was a strengthening ticket back then. ¡°The quest asked me to slay, but I ended up converting him to a human instead, and they give me these extended rewards.¡± I had expected to fail the quest, but things went surprisingly well. The outcomes exceeded the conditions set forth in the quest, leading to these new rewards. [Gate Summoning Ticket] [When you input specific keywords, a gate suitable for those keywords will be summoned.] ¡°Um¡­.¡± A gate. A gate. ¡®What is that?¡¯ I could understand a dungeon, but I had never come across the term ¡°gate¡± before. I was at a loss as to its intended use. Honestly, I felt quite clueless. ¡®Nonetheless, this is a reward I earned for exceeding expectations. It can¡¯t be bad.¡¯ The next reward was a bit more straightforward, but certainly no less impressive. It consisted of two [Premium Ingredients]. ¡°Usually, other achievements would let me just one.¡± When I managed to overpower Lieutenant Kim and Ariella, I was rewarded with a single premium ingredient each time. But this time, I got two. ¡°Does this achievement really indicate something momentous?¡± Indeed, I had managed to revert a creature that had transformed into a monster back to a human. This feat overturned what the system had previously deemed impossible. Encouraging someone to succumb to my cooking is nowhere near as monumental as turning a being from monster back to human. And when it came to premium ingredients, I knew precisely how I would use them. [Ingredient Identification (Enhancement)] [Ability enhancement potion (Strength):] S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Dragon¡¯s Heart ¨C 10%] [Forgotten Saint¡¯s Sacred Blood ¨C 10%] [Core of the Millennium Glacier ¨C 10%] [ World Stone Droplet ¨C 10%] [Unknown Ingredient ¨C ??%] ¡°Yay. Hehe.¡± Suppressing bursts of laughter was a challenge. I had gathered 40% of the ingredients for the ability enhancement potion.