The Cook of a Perished World - Chapter 56
Episode 56: Spiritualist (1)
The sounds of battle captured by [Sensitive Hearing].
It was clear that human-human combat was taking place.
the problem is.
“We’re getting closer.”
“…It must be a coincidence, right?”
Is this a battle where one side is losing?
The sounds of people running away to elude the enemy were heard.
The problem was that the epicenter of the sound was getting closer.
‘If you think about it in general terms, it might be a coincidence.’
But the sound is getting closer.
I thought it was probably approaching in an almost straight line.
This is like.
“It makes me wonder if they know our location.”
So what should we do?
It’s not difficult to avoid.
There is plenty of meat left in [Light-footed Sleipa].
If you increase your mobility through cooking, retreating is no problem.
but.
“I’m curious.”
“yes?”
“Who is attacking the same human being and for what reason?”
I decided to wait rather than avoid.
So let some time pass.
Far away.
“I guess I can’t get away with it.”
“Let’s not give up! “If we go a little further…”
I saw people running towards us.
“Wait a minute, in front of you!”
Those running away also seemed to have checked us.
We stopped in front of the road where we were taking a break.
The moment they tried to say something to us.
“haha! “I’ve given up on running away now… huh?”
Another group chasing them appeared.
They wince when they see us.
“Military uniform. “Are they deserters?”
“I guess there were some deserters who came to this area.”
Those who arrived late muttered in low voices when they saw us.
I think he thinks we can’t hear him because he’s whispering.
‘I can hear everything.’
[Sensitive hearing (deterioration)] is still maintained.
Their conversation could be heard clearly as if they were speaking next to each other.
-Write. I caught almost everything. No luck.
-They are deserters.
-Can we win?
-Are you crazy? How do you beat a soldier with a gun?
I don’t know what kind of relationship he has with those who were being chased.
I know that from their perspective, we are not very desirable.
-But that doesn’t mean we can hand over all the ones we caught.
-They probably don’t want to cause friction with us. wait.
These people talked to each other like that.
“Adventure.”
One of them came forward.
“Hello.”
“hmm. hello.”
“I didn’t expect to see military personnel in a place like this.”
“There is no need for a long story. “Let’s get to the point first.”
I said harshly to him who was trying to start a conversation.
Those guys were talking behind my back, confirming that he was a deserter.
What about you, military personnel?
“With these people.”
Those who were attacked and running away.
“Those people over there.”
And the attackers.
“What is your relationship?”
“…hmm! That’s the main point. “It’s cool and nice.”
The man on the attacker’s side glanced towards the group of fugitives.
He opened his mouth confidently.
“The humans there stole our group’s belongings and ran away.”
“You stole something?”
“exactly. From our perspective, they are criminals who must be caught. “How can you not give in?”
After the man finished speaking.
The fugitive group reacted with surprise.
“That’s a lie!”
“We are an ordinary group. “Those guys suddenly attacked!”
“How can you be so shameless…!”
however.
It seems as if their objections are not something to worry about.
The man on the attacker’s side continued to speak.
“Of course I won’t ask you to hand it over for free.”
A man grinning and pointing in the direction of the fugitives.
“Isn’t what the soldiers want anyway the supplies they have?”
“…then?”
Actually, I have no intention of stealing other people’s supplies.
They seem to think of us as marauders and deserters.
I decided to just leave it at that for now.
however.
“We will give all of those supplies over to you.”
“what?”
Concession of materials.
That suggestion must have come about because the man considers us deserters.
But this is pretty amazing.
no.
It was a difficult proposition to understand.
“So what’s left for you?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Those guys are thieves who stole our group’s belongings! Materials aren’t really important. But these guys betrayed us, stole our things, and ran away. I guess we have to make them pay for their sins somehow. That’s enough for us.”
“hmm.”
to be honest.
I thought they were looters.
That’s right too.
Because he saw right under his nose that he was attacking a fellow human being.
Is there any way to look at it positively?
But if you’re a looter, you’re giving up supplies that should be your target.
If what that man said is true.
This isn’t our business to get involved.
“It’s a lie!”
“What lies! And these guys. Do they even care about that?”
“What?”
Survivors on the fugitive side tried to refute this.
The man on the attacker’s side scolded him again.
“Think about it. What our military personnel want is the supplies. And what we want are you thieves.”
“…Ugh.”
“What’s the point of you guys lying and all that when you can get what you want without friction?”
After saying that, the man smiled triumphantly and looked at us.
“If you say it’s difficult to give up even that, conflict is inevitable. Don’t you think soldiers wouldn’t want to make gunfire in a place like this? “How about we resolve this issue here?”
“well.”
actually.
What the man said wasn’t really wrong.
It’s actually a pretty good offer.
but.
‘It’s like that only when we are marauders.’
Even after all this, he is still a proud soldier of the Republic of Korea Army.
I have no intention of plundering other people’s supplies.
The problem is even if we exclude the looting of materials.
If those fugitives are really the ones who stole supplies from the attackers’ group, then it is not our business to intervene.
On the other hand, the fugitives claim that the statement is a lie.
Depending on which side is telling the truth.
Our decisions will be different.
and….
It didn’t seem that difficult to find out.
I am a man smiling triumphantly.
He made eye contact with him and activated his trait.
[Attribute – Food Ingredient Identification (Enhancement) is activated.]
OK.
A message appeared on the man’s face.
[Primates – Human Species]
[Freshness – Medium]
tribe.
And freshness.
At most, the information that can be seen through food ingredient identification is this much.
no.
‘It was about this much.’
lately.
[Characteristic Enhancement Ticket] obtained after recapturing the ammunition battalion.
Through this, I strengthened my [Food Ingredient Identification] feature.
Change from [Food Ingredient Identification] to [Food Ingredient Identification (Enhanced)].
It’s just that one word was added.
The difference was big.
Below the text indicating the species and freshness.
List of additional messages that appear.
[Occupation: Rookie Serial Killer Lv. 7]
[Abilities: Strength 14, Dexterity 16, Magic Power 5, Luck 3]
[Characteristics: Lowest dagger proficiency, lowest level stealth maneuver, lowest level acting]
[Skill: Remove fibula stab marks]
The content was quite shocking.
“…her.”
“hmm? “Is there something on my face?”
From what I have experienced so far.
There are certain standards for determining the occupation of an awakened person.
It is a person who was actually engaged in a related profession.
Or maybe your talents and inclinations are specialized for that area.
It’s one of the two…
…either way.
[New serial killer]?
This is my first time seeing a guy with a job like that.
There’s no way a guy with a job like that could be a normal person.
After making my decision, I spoke to my unit members.
“Guys.”
“yep.”
“Let’s take up arms.”
As soon as my order is given.
“Loyalty!”
The soldiers waiting nearby in comfortable positions stood up.
“…what?”
The man on the attacker’s side who saw the scene spoke in confusion.
“You take up arms. “Is that what I understand it to mean?”
“Well, that’s how it happened.”
“I don’t understand.”
The man said as if he felt stuffy.
“Like I said, we’re not trying to do anything particularly bad. “We just chased down those in our group who committed crimes and ran away.”
“Oh, that’s it. “I guess so.”
That’s probably true.
“Are you hoping for more concessions? In that case, it would be better to say it verbally. The moment you fire a gun here, all kinds of monsters will come rushing in. “I don’t know why you want to see blood.”
A tone of voice that seems truly unfair and incomprehensible.
Looking at that scene made me feel like I was doing something bad.
Characteristics of that man.
It must be the effect of [lowest level acting].
but…
That doesn’t sound very convincing to me.
Even if the man himself is like that.
“What should I do, brother? Are you fighting?”
[Identification of food ingredients (enhanced)]
[Occupation: Rookie Human Hunter Lv. 4]
“If you look closely, there seem to be only a few soldiers with guns. I think it will be fine if you do well. “It’s up to the leader to decide.”
[Identification of food ingredients (enhanced)]
[Occupation: New Marauder Lv. 6]
Even the people around them.
‘There’s no way you can trust it.’
The man, who has a bloody job as a serial killer, took a quick look at me and his soldiers.
He said shaking his head.
“Let’s retreat.”
“older brother?”
“I don’t know if we have an older brother, but it’s still too much for us to do on our own. “It’s unfortunate, but I’m giving up.”
what.
Are you just going?
The attackers turn their backs and retreat.
The man looked this way one last time and spoke.
“Now I can complain about being a soldier. Make sure you enjoy that leisure as much as you can. “It won’t be long either.”
“What does it mean?”
“I don’t know if you guys know this, but the potential of awakened people is greater than you think.”
hmm.
This is a fact we all know well.
“It won’t be long before guns become useless.”
“….”
“until then. “I will remember what happened today.”
The man leaves after leaving his words there.
He thought as he looked at the back.
Remember this.
‘Then it might be better to get rid of it now.’
I don’t know why he said something like that.
There is nothing you can’t catch if you try to hold on to it.
There will be regrets afterward.
It would be better to kill him here…
‘…What are you thinking? I am.’
Given the circumstances, it may be something that can’t be helped.
I feel like my thoughts have become a little rough.
Even if it doesn’t involve killing anything.
These guys don’t seem like they’ll do a very good job.
I think it might be better to hold it here.
I took a quick look around.
The breathing of monsters can still be heard around the area.
Just like that guy said.
This is a dangerous place.
There’s no need to make a fuss to attract the monsters’ attention.
“You’re gone.”
“Let’s say they sent those guys away. “The next problem is.”
After all the attackers have left.
The eyes of my unit and I turned to the group on the runaway side.
“Those are the people.”
First of all, this is a situation where we helped.
Those deserters have sent the perception of soldiers into the abyss.
It’s obvious that you’ll be asking me to save you again.
How should I explain it?
That was my concern.
I thought one person came out among the survivors.
He said, bowing his head towards us.
“thank you.”
unexpectedly.
The woman with her eyes closed was not wary of us.
She expressed her gratitude in the usual way.
‘…are you blind? So you don’t even know we’re wearing military uniforms?’
no.
If that were the case, I would have heard the entire conversation with the group that left.
Are they just people who haven’t heard the rumor about deserters…?
I can’t believe I was thinking like that.
Tiring.
[Shaman: Youngjun.]
[Chef: …Taejun?]
From a familiar person.
A guild message arrived.
[Chef: What’s happening all of a sudden?]
[Shaman: A fortune telling came out.]
and.
[I don’t know who the people you’re meeting are.]
The content was quite interesting.
[Shaman: He knows about us. That’s pretty detailed, too.]
[Chef: …It’s fun.]
* * *
My unit members and I left the military with the survivors we encountered.
Because the risk is high there.
It’s hard to be at peace.
Near the unit.
After entering the safe building that the soldiers had organized while scouting.
“What happened?”
I decided to try talking to survivors.
Inside one room of the building.
Sitting opposite me was the leader of the survivors.
He was a very strange person.
A woman walking with her cane with her eyes closed.
No matter how she looked, it seemed clear that she was blind.
But it seems she is by no means an ordinary blind person.
Even with her eyes closed, I felt a slightly eerie atmosphere as she walked normally.
‘Well, there are a lot of strange guys in our unit.’
A wizard whose blue electric current flows from her body when she gets angry.
A berserker who, when excited, drools from her mouth and loses her language, etc.
Because my experiences are quite diverse.
I was able to do most things just because I wanted to.
I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
After hearing my question, she immediately opened her mouth and answered.
“It’s not complicated enough to say, ‘What’s going on?’ We were moving around normally. “They just attacked us suddenly.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, everything they said about me being a thief and all that is a lie. “These are people I had never seen before they were attacked today.”
“ah. “I had a rough guess.”
“…is that so?”
As if he was wondering how he could have guessed that.
A woman tilting her head in puzzlement.
But that’s not important.
“Anyway, I’ll say it again. “Thank you so much for saving me.”
“Thank you for everything. actually. “I didn’t expect to be thanked so obediently.”
“yes? Isn’t it natural to express gratitude to those who help you?
uh.
Actually, that’s not wrong.
I lightly shrugged my shoulders and said.
“If you say that, I have nothing to say. As you know, the perception of soldiers among people these days is not very good.”
“is that so?”
“It seemed like some evil deeds were committed by some soldiers who deserted their unit. Thanks to this, even our unit, which is in good condition, is now aroused by people’s suspicions.”
“okay. “You’re not one of those people, are you?”
“…For now, yes.”
“Then there’s no problem.”
“….”
Is that how it works?
A woman who speaks expressionlessly.
She tried to observe facial expressions while having a conversation in her own way.
I have to say I feel a little dazed.
There were parts where it was hard to figure out what she was thinking.
‘Are you pretending to know? ‘Are you pretending not to know?’
I’m not sure.
Still, we decided to talk first.
Before starting a full-fledged conversation.
I got up with the intention of preparing some simple tea.
“Let’s drink something and talk. There is tea and coffee as well. “Yes, it is instant.”
“car…”
The combat vehicle is loaded with a certain amount of food.
Small items such as tea bags and instant coffee were also included.
I was thinking that if I was going to talk to him, I should at least treat him like that.
“I decline.”
“yes?”
“Even though it’s called tea, it’s still food. It’s a world where even a drop of drinking water is a waste. “I’m grateful that you saved me, but I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”
ah.
After listening to it, I wonder if that’s the case.
First of all, the ammunition battalion we occupied had a small stream flowing inside it.
Although the food problem still remained, little thought was given to drinking water.
I told her as she waved her hand.
“It’s okay if you don’t have to decline.”
“still. Something is pricking my conscience. “I don’t even like cars.”
I tried offering it again, but he flatly refused.
Under normal circumstances.
There is a high probability that he really thought it was right to refuse out of politeness.
It may be true to say that you don’t like cars.
but.
‘hmm.’
now.
There is one thing that bothers me.
I looked at the guild message window that was still floating in front of me.
[Shaman: I don’t know who I’m meeting now.]
[Shaman: He knows about us. That too in quite detail.]
‘shaman.’
The commander of our unit, who currently remains in the unit in the mountains.
This is the nickname of Sergeant Park Tae-jun.
His occupation is a planetarium.
Well, apart from the job title.
It’s my job, my abilities, and my nickname is because I’m no different from a shaman.
‘Is that what the guy who contacted me after a while said?’
Just in case, I asked what it meant.
He only replied that he had read astronomy and did not know the details.
This is the downside of Taejun’s abilities.
Even though he says it, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
but….
‘first. There is a high possibility that what was conveyed is true.’
You can’t get the information you want when you want it.
Although I do not know the details of the information.
The information obtained itself never lies.
in other words.
‘This woman. ‘She knows us pretty well.’
There are two important things here.
First, how much detail is there?
And the second one.
‘She knows about us and that’s why this woman approached us.’
first of all.
I decided to check the first one.
I smiled and told her.
“If you don’t like tea, we also have coffee, as I said before.”
“are you okay.”
“If you don’t want to drink anything, how about some snacks? There is a lot to eat. “There are also simple cookies I made.”
“Thank you, but I’ll decline.”
“Either that or….”
Even after that.
“Then this is….”
“No, it’s really okay.”
Continued encouragement.
And refusal.
After repeating the same skit over and over again.
This time I spoke with as pitiful an expression as possible.
“…Are you saying that you think the food I cooked won’t taste good?”
When I was young.
When I went to my friend’s house to hang out.
My friend’s mother was giving me a lot of food, so I refused because I was full and couldn’t eat it.
‘Is it because it doesn’t taste good?’
I remembered that he asked me so seriously that I had no choice but to take a few more bites.
Although I was quite embarrassed at the time.
That’s when I learned that it’s polite to take a bite if someone offers you this much.
however.
“no. “It’s not like that, but I’ll still decline.”
“…hmm.”
also.
Perhaps this is courtesy, respect, or taste.
It wouldn’t be that kind of rejection.
Why do they say it’s a national rule to refuse up to three times out of politeness?
To refuse any more than that.
There is another reason.
“If taste isn’t an issue, then of course.”
I pushed the car I was preparing to one side.
He looked at her directly and said.
“I see you are wary of cooking.”
“…yes?”
I flinch.
‘oh.’
Her face was expressionless the whole time.
There was a slight crack.
This is a bit refreshing.
“that….”
“It’s a dangerous world. “It would be wise to say that you are wary of things like poisons.”
“Oh, right. “I’m sorry.”
“But that’s probably not the reason.”
That’s right.
In this world, he is a soldier who might be a deserter.
Food given to me by people I’ve never met before.
It can be said that taking risks is a wise decision.
But this is what I saw.
“The point is not that a complete stranger recommends food.”
After checking the location of the two kitchen knives on my waist.
She continued, watching her movements.
“The key is that it’s a dish that [I] created.”
“….”
Taejun said that he knows everything about us.
I am clear about the scope.
‘This woman.’
at least.
It’s clear that I have a grasp of my cooking skills.
“How did you know?”
The woman who heard the question was silent as if shaking her head.
then.
Should I give you another stab here?
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t say anything. “Actually, I know it to some extent.”
“…What do you mean you know?”
“They know quite a bit about us. And here’s why.”
I pointed my finger at her face.
Exactly.
Two tightly closed eyes.
“Isn’t it because of those eyes?”
“…How did you even get to that!”
Surprised, she opened her eyes.
I could see the eyes discolored white.
Anyone can see that the eyes are blind.
but.
“You may ask me how I knew.”
well.
What should I answer?
‘My eyes aren’t normal eyes either.’
actually.
It was looking really good from before.
[Attribute – Activates food ingredient identification (strengthening).]
[Race – Primates (Human Species)]
[Freshness – High]
[Occupation: Spiritist]
[Stat: Strength 14….]
[Attribute: Spirit Eye]
Occupation Spiritist.
Characteristic Spirit Eye.
what the.
I was really surprised when I first heard that Minjae had become a wizard.
‘Is Ha-Ha-Ha a spirit now?’