The Military Chef of a Ruined World

“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—”

“It’s urgent!”

Creak.

“Uh, Sergeant Shin?”

“…?”

“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—it 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)] – 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.”

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—”

“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!” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

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.”