The Cook of a Perished World - Chapter 55

Episode 55 Contact

After zombies and monsters began to appear in the world.

A long time has passed.

And for that long time.

Those who survived did not sit idle either.

“Everyone was alive. thank god.”

“How could the people gathered here die so easily?”

An old building outside the city.

Several humans gathered there and exchanged greetings.

A world that suddenly collapsed.

Survivors have searched for various ways to survive.

One of them is this.

“then. “I will begin this information exchange.”

Information exchange between survivors.

Survivor groups active nearby.

This is a regular meeting held by people who judged that they could trust each other.

To some, it may feel like a trivial matter.

Just creating a safe place to gather on a regular basis takes a huge amount of effort.

And this exchange of information was worth it.

Unless it’s a really great group.

The number of survivor groups cannot exceed 30.

Food problem, shelter problem.

Besides that, all kinds of problems are bound to arise.

But what can be done with such a small group is limited.

By creating a space for exchange like this, we can share information with each other and cooperate when necessary.

That alone was a great help in survival.

When we first started interacting, there were more than ten groups.

There are now about five groups left.

“Isn’t there a group that was active near the town office?”

“ah. “I heard there are two awakened people.”

“yes. That group. They say they have decided to move to join a larger group to the north.”

“Huh.”

“Is this the large group of survivors that was rumored?”

Leaders of each group began sharing information.

“Hmm. How many times have we done this already? “It seems like a lot of people are moving around.”

“I honestly wonder if this information is trustworthy.”

“Slowly, food in the county began to run out. “We will have to make a decision soon.”

“Ugh….”

“It’s my turn next. “You know that mysterious explosion that happened last time?”

“iced coffee. It was an incredibly huge explosion. Even if there weren’t so many monsters who heard the sound and flocked to the area, we would have been able to determine the cause of the explosion. “It’s just a shame.”

“At that time, the flying debris destroyed the building occupied by those mantis-like monsters. Thanks to this, the road leading there has become a little safer.”

“Huh, is that really true?”

“So that explosion was a benefit to us.”

Leaders of each group gathered here.

They unraveled the information they had one by one.

“This time it’s my turn.”

That’s how the order goes.

A woman opened her mouth.

The woman looked nothing special.

There was one characteristic.

He was participating in a meeting with his eyes closed.

She was blind.

“The information our group recently obtained…”

she started casually.

however.

The content was by no means ordinary.

“what?”

“Does that mean it’s true?”

The survivors who heard the story from the woman’s mouth opened their eyes wide and asked back.

It has to be that way.

“There is a military unit that is still alive.”

“Is that also around here?”

“Isn’t that such a nice thing to say?”

A military unit known to have been annihilated.

It was information that that exception had occurred.

“I always wonder about this.”

at that time.

A man put his feet on the table and opened his mouth.

A man with a very suspicious expression.

“How does Sua always bring back such rare information?”

“What do you mean?”

“I know where that military base is located. No, everyone here knows. “It’s a place that survivors who are well-versed in information wouldn’t even go to.”

The other leaders also nodded at those words.

“That’s true.”

“Most of the places where military bases are located are occupied by powerful monsters, so it is an unwritten rule not to approach them. “Moreover, isn’t that a place where deserters were said to be wandering around?”

The man who saw this became triumphant and spoke.

“A military unit said to be operating in that place? “How on earth did you get this information?”

“Is the source of information important?”

“It’s not important then. Whether or not you can trust that information is not determined there. Those deserters who were rumored to be active nearby. “If they were just pretending to be normal soldiers, wouldn’t it be a bigger problem?”

A man who folds his arms in an attitude that says, if you want to refute something, refute it.

however.

The woman named Su-ah spoke rather calmly.

“I can’t tell you the source.”

“Then…”

“But. “Have I ever brought you false information?”

“what?”

She turned her head around.

Even though he couldn’t see it, his gaze moved precisely towards the people.

“Mr. Chanseong?”

“Oh no. “Thanks to you, I saved my life last time.”

“Then what about Mr. Joong-kwon?”

“…If it weren’t for the information Sua brought, our group would have starved to death.”

Everyone here.

My life was saved once thanks to Su-ah’s information.

“Do not get involved in the jobs or abilities of other group members. “It’s a rule that’s been in place since the beginning of this exchange.”

Although they are ordinary survivors now.

Because you never know when they might turn into predators.

Just in case.

Although each group exchanged information, they did not ask or inform about the abilities of group members.

It was one of their unwritten rules.

“That’s why I can’t tell you the source. But all the information we have received so far is real. “There is no reason to spread false information.”

“Hmm. surely.”

“If Su-ah was going to do something strange, wouldn’t she have done it a long time ago?”

“I think Kyungsoo is too suspicious in this case.”

“…Tsk. “I’m sorry.”

“I will accept your apology.”

like that.

The conversation was completely dominated by a woman named Su-ah.

She nodded and said.

“So, I have a suggestion.”

“A suggestion?

“I think it would be a good idea to contact that military unit.”

“what?”

Although the group leaders had great trust in her.

I had no choice but to protest against those words.

“Miss Sua. “Isn’t that such a rash judgment?”

“I think it’s a bit dangerous too. Even if it’s a military unit, you don’t know if you can trust it or not. “There is no guarantee that their situation is better than ours.”

“Even if it were better, they might have accepted us in the first place. Wouldn’t it be better to head towards the larger group of those rumors?”

The woman who had been listening in silence also nodded.

“I understand your opinions.”

“Then…”

“So, our group will go meet you first.”

“what?”

“The concerns you mentioned. “You just have to contact them directly and check, right?”

“That’s true.”

“Isn’t Miss Sua’s group dangerous?”

“Yes, but it’s worth the risk.”

naturally.

The flow of the story changed to contacting the military base.

The man who was listening to that story.

Kyungsoo clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Tsk. ‘It’s not good to be like this.’

The man, who felt uncomfortable, looked at Su-ah and thought.

‘I don’t like it.’

The same goes for that attitude of knowing everything.

The same goes for that movement of acting as if you can see when you are blind.

It gives me strange goosebumps.

I was thinking about that.

The very eyes that I thought were creepy turned towards Kyungsoo.

“Mr. Kyungsoo? “Is there any difference of opinion?”

As Su-ah spoke, she opened her eyes.

What was inside my closed eyes.

Eyes that have turned white due to complete loss of vision.

It was enough to instill fear.

“Oh no. “I’m just grateful for your hard work.”

“thank god.”

I was so overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

Kyungsoo, who had inadvertently even said thank you, felt sorry to himself.

‘Shit. You were so scared that you even said things you shouldn’t have said.’

Although he was embarrassed.

After regaining my cool, I thought calmly.

Exchange with military units.

Something like that.

‘Absolutely not.’

I was trying my best to time the timing.

I thought it was time to stop exchanging information.

* * *

“Entering into the military.”

A meeting of leaders held for the first time in a while.

I got straight to the point.

“Let’s advance into the military.”

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

“Well, it would be a lie if I said it wasn’t dangerous. But it is.”

I quickly opened a system window.

There is one sentence that is still flashing there.

[World Event: A Conquest War is in progress.]

“I don’t know why, but this world is telling us to carry out a Conquest War.”

Before occupation.

The standards are not clear, but one thing is certain.

As you expand your area of activity and increase your control over that area.

Being able to become the occupier of an area.

“It’s a little annoying that I have to do what the status window message tells me.”

“I don’t like it either. But first of all, this world follows game-like rules. That means.”

What Corporal Seo Soo-hyuk muttered.

To be honest, I agree with you.

“It means that if you do it successfully, you will be rewarded.”

The main principles of the game.

If you complete a mission, you will receive a reward.

I don’t know what kind of compensation it will be.

It is certain that it will be of great help to our survival.

In fact, we got something like a ‘mobile fortress’ as a reward for our first occupation.

…I’ve never tried using it due to the lack of summoning area, but anyway.

‘Is it because I was obsessed with settling down stably after coming down to earth? It’s been a while since I’ve seen the system’s achievements.’

But now that I have settled down in my own way.

Now there is a need to follow the guidance of the system to some extent.

“It is a given that we need to expand our territory. Besides…”

“The risk has probably decreased a bit now.”

It was Corporal Jeon Gwang-il who came forward to help me.

The guy who grins and overlaps his hands.

Its hands were equipped with what looked like scary-looking steel gloves.

In fact, that was the reason I decided to enter the military.

‘Arming of unit members with personal equipment has been completed.’

Grandfather Park and the engineers.

The weapons they made in the workshop were returned to all the awakened people.

The combat capabilities of the unit members also doubled in an instant.

Even if you say that the county has changed like a devil.

Now, I’m no longer someone I can’t do well with.

“Well, even so, there is not enough information. “I guess we should start with a light reconnaissance.”

“ah. “Isn’t it like a full-scale subjugation war or something like that?”

“You have to know something like that.”

A place where some kind of monster may be located.

Jumping in suddenly would be nothing more or less than a flashy act of suicide.

“Oh, if that’s the case.”

“As you said. “I guess it won’t be that bad.”

like that.

The expedition into the county began.

* * *

Although it is said to be within the county.

It’s not like we’re going to separate from here with a clear boundary line.

It wasn’t long before we started moving cautiously.

Gradually, more buildings start to appear around the area.

-Crrrrr….

“Inside the shopping mall over there. “It’s a bunch of zombies.”

The number of monsters began to increase.

At this point, I can say for sure.

From here, it’s called Gunae.

“Let’s all get ready.”

“yes.”

of course.

This means our unit’s readiness.

“Enjoy your meal!”

After taking out the combat rations.

I chewed it in one bite and swallowed it.

Then a moment later.

One phrase was added to the status window of me and my soldiers.

[Attribute]

[Sensitive hearing (degraded)]

Combat rations made from Alaur’s meat.

The characteristics resulting from that effect are applied.

“Ugh, this hurts my ears so much.”

“Tsk tsk. Still, wouldn’t it be better than letting your guard down and dying?”

Either zombies or monsters.

In most cases, it makes a sound.

Of course, there must be exceptions.

There is no better characteristic for minimizing combat and scouting the surroundings.

Of course, there must be drawbacks.

‘Off.’

Pain caused by tremendously amplified sound.

Still, this is painful at first.

After some time, you will get used to it and the pain will lessen.

By the time the pain goes away to some extent.

Let’s take a quick look around.

I could see all the unit members standing with nervous expressions.

The reason was understandable.

A sound heard due to [sensitive hearing (deterioration)].

That number.

‘too many.’

In this county.

How many monsters and zombies are there?

‘There’s no need to feel intimidated by that.’

It’s not like that many people are flocking to us at once.

“everyone. Entering.”

“yes.”

We do it carefully.

Buildings within the county were searched.

‘The building over there is close to twenty just by the sound you can hear. Avoid it first…’

Minimize engagement through sensitive hearing.

The results of the investigation focused on buildings that seemed worth searching.

“It’s clean.”

“Well, whatever. Because so much time has passed.”

A restaurant and a convenience store.

Everything was cleaned out.

As I entered the small snack bar, I looked towards the counter.

A rotting corpse lying on the counter.

Although it was so corrupted that its form was unrecognizable.

Still, it looked familiar.

‘The lady at the snack bar. ‘He passed away.’

To be honest, I don’t have many good memories of this neighborhood.

Our unit’s guard area.

I wonder if there were one or two stores that charged high prices only to soldiers, knowing that they couldn’t go to other areas even if they were going out or visiting.

In fact, there must have been more unit members who disliked it.

but.

Seeing things like this, I couldn’t help but feel mixed feelings.

“All that’s left is a corpse.”

last time.

This is something I felt when targeting the supermarket.

While going through growth in the unit.

It seemed that the resources on the ground had already fallen into the hands of others.

Succeeding in awakening all unit members, etc.

The time we spent was definitely not in vain.

Those on the ground weren’t just sitting around either.

So, the search was going on for some time.

we are.

“Don’t come any closer.”

“….”

I encountered a group of survivors.

By the way, don’t come closer.

A world overflowing with monsters.

That’s not the reaction you should have when you see soldiers.

‘Children of deserters.’

I know the reason for that reaction.

I couldn’t help but feel sick to my stomach.

“I can’t help it if you come closer, but I will show you that we are not easy.”

“When those people heard it, they decided to listen.”

“Let’s stop.”

“…Youngjun?”

An annoyed Sergeant Lee Min-jae seemed about to say something.

It was me who stopped it.

“Because those people are just afraid of us.”

“….”

“I know the reason why they are reluctant to join us, so I don’t think there is any need to approach them in a burdensome way.”

“but.”

Minjae frowned and said.

“If that’s the case, the expansion of power will inevitably be delayed.”

okay.

The problem is this.

In order to carry out a war of occupation, you must increase your power.

In the process, recruiting survivors is essential.

‘But every survivor I meet treats soldiers as dangerous elements.’

Unless they completely abandon their identity as a military unit.

I think it will take a year just to improve the perception of us.

To the extent that recruitment of survivors is delayed.

You will suffer losses in future activities.

However, you cannot force them to join.

When I was wondering what to do.

Chaeng….

[Sensitive hearing].

A strange sound was heard.

Chang….

Kwaang….

Ugh.

The noise of battle.

and.

The sound of human moaning can be heard in between.

‘This.’

The sound of metal clashing against metal.

It was not a battle between humans and monsters.

Human and human.

A battle between compatriots was taking place nearby.

and.

‘It’s getting closer.’