The Cook of a Perished World - Chapter 69

Episode 69: Village (3)

The city was destroyed by monsters and many people died.

The surviving humans formed small groups of survivors and lived scattered here and there.

It can be said that existing civilization and society have been completely destroyed.

so that.

“We want to rebuild human society. “I hope you guys can help with that.”

Near our unit.

We rebuild the destroyed human society.

‘My goal is. All I have to do is survive until I can open my own restaurant.’

Because the only customers who would come to that restaurant were soldiers.

Wouldn’t it be so bleak?

In the meantime, our unit prioritized survival.

Now that you have gained some influence and power.

The next step also had to be kept in mind.

The reason humans were able to reign as rulers of the Earth was the construction of civilization and society.

‘Are we going to kick out the survivors who came to visit us because they refused to become members of the unit? ‘Why do you do such a wasteful thing?’

Two groups of survivors came to visit the unit.

A small village that will be created as they settle near our unit.

It will become the cornerstone of reconstruction.

“Society is being formed… It will definitely be that kind of trend.”

“What does that have to do with collecting taxes?”

“If a society is created, there will definitely be conflicts of interest within it.”

My goal is to rebuild human society, even to a small extent.

In the process, a struggle for interests will arise between various groups.

and.

The authority to decide to whom the interest will be transferred.

“It will be our unit with the strongest power.”

This is natural since they are the ones who gathered to receive protection from our unit in the first place.

The survivors who will gather around cannot escape our guild’s influence.

“I think this is a natural flow. “You can’t even criticize that.”

“Hmm.”

“We are basically a military unit. “I am confident in the battle… but there will also be interests that are difficult or bothersome for us to directly touch.”

“…The ones who will receive the benefits will be those who showed favor to you. “For those who don’t even pay for protection, that opportunity will be lost.”

“you’re right.”

Since they don’t want to see humans die, they will protect them even if they don’t pay protection fees.

But those people will gradually be left out of this society.

The survivors who heard the whole story seemed to think for a moment.

He quickly nodded and said.

“What are the terms of the deal?”

“It’s simple. Pay us for protection at a reasonable level. “It would be convenient to think of it as a tax.”

“What should I pay for it? “We don’t have much.”

“It doesn’t matter what shape it is. If possible, points would be nice. Food is good, oil, daily necessities, etc… It’s okay to use other resources as well. “I will adjust it to a level where it is not excessive.”

Because we don’t lack much right now.

What’s important is the fact that they pay for protection.

“If you want, you can do other transactions besides taxes. “You said you don’t want food support, but if you pay the price, we can share the food we have.”

“If that’s the case. hmm.”

“There is one more condition.”

“also?”

“This isn’t anything special.”

Although it may not be great from their perspective.

It’s important to us.

“If someone wants to join our unit… the Iron Legion, don’t stop them from doing so.”

at last.

The most important thing is to grow our troops.

actually.

Currently, I am persuading every survivor I meet while passing by to join the corps.

This is overly cumbersome and difficult.

Rather, the attitude that they will not protect you unless you join the corps will only cause backlash.

but.

What if we create a human society around the unit?

And it is our guild that reigns at the top of that society.

If it’s the Iron Legion.

‘Actually, you don’t necessarily have to receive anything from the survivor group.’

One important thing.

It is symbolic of the position of collecting taxes from those who belong to society.

‘The top of society.’

Of course, the strength as a group.

If the treatment of soldiers is also maintained at the highest level.

Even if you have to participate in a dangerous fight.

There are clearly people who think they want to belong to a corps.

If that happens, that’s it.

There is no need to persuade everyone you meet to join the corps.

You can increase the number of guild members by only accepting those who come on their own.

Of course, for something like that to be possible.

This society needs to grow beyond a certain size.

“I understand if that’s the case.”

“Let’s slowly agree on the details.”

at that time.

Cheolwook, who had been contemplating with his arms crossed, raised his hand.

“a moment ago. “I think they said other transactions were possible.”

“iced coffee. yes. you’re right. We pay points to provide food that we have. “Such a deal is always welcome.”

In order to make society run properly, it is not a bad idea to exchange various transactions.

however.

The deal Cheol-wook was talking about was not like that.

“then. “I want to buy one of those coupons you mentioned earlier.”

“yes?”

What he wanted was not food, but profit.

Among them.

“I want you to give me the right to farm the land around here.”

“Cultivation.”

“In return for the deal, I will hand over 90% of the harvest from the land to you.”

I felt like I knew what land he was talking about.

Widely spread rice fields around the ammunition battalion.

lately.

Deserters who were recruited into the unit through [rehabilitation].

Among them, there was one who was strangely obsessed with farming.

It was a piece of land that they were trying to cultivate around that guy.

Unfortunately, he is a guy who only likes farming but has no skills.

There has been no significant results so far.

by the way.

90% of the harvest.

I don’t think even the most vicious medieval lords would have demanded that much tax.

“I don’t quite understand. I understand if you want food. “If you hand over 90% to us, it sounds like you actually mean that you will only provide labor.”

“Not really. “I am confident that I will benefit from just the remaining 10%.”

“what.”

“Like the lady next to me, Jeongsuk… I am an awakened person. However, due to some circumstances, I was not able to use my abilities properly.”

After saying that, Cheol-wook put his hand into his arms.

He opened his palm and showed it.

Lying on the calloused hand are the seeds of an unknown plant.

and.

Paaaa-

‘Crazy.’

In that seed.

Suddenly it sprouted.

“My occupation is a farmer.”

“…oh my god.”

“That rice field was the land I farmed on. It’s a land inherited from our ancestors. Since I was right next to him, I was close to the soldiers and executives of the ammunition battalion. “I was very grateful that the soldiers came out to support the public when work was busy.”

Was that why I became depressed upon hearing the news that the ammunition battalion was destroyed?

“I have no intention of claiming the right to be the original owner of that land when civilization has been shattered. Because now the world has become a world ruled by power. Unfortunately, being a farmer is not a combat occupation.”

“It must have been difficult to secure land for farming.”

“Most of the skills and characteristics I had were useless.”

in other words.

If we guarantee his safety and give him land to farm…

“To be honest. “I am confident that I can produce enough to hand over 90% of the harvest to you.”

There was one problem with our unit’s diet.

The soldiers don’t seem that dissatisfied, though.

As a cook, this is something I cannot help but be concerned about.

‘The ingredients are too focused on meat.’

They say they only recently succeeded in opening a supermarket.

Most of the vegetables were rotten.

Even when cooking meat, it is rare that only meat is included.

Sauce garnish, etc.

In the end, ‘ingredients from the ground’ are needed to improve the quality of cooking.

however.

A farmer awakener here?

“…If you need anything, please feel free to let me know. We will provide full support.”

“uh? Uh oh. I understand. “I guess they didn’t have enough food there either?”

This man won’t know.

The ingredients he will provide.

How much it will increase the strength of our unit.

* * *

“That’s amazing.”

After the meeting with the survivors was over.

Corporal Seo Soo-hyuk, who followed me as I was about to return, said.

“Amazing?”

Instead, we bring in the survivors to create a society and have our guild stand on top of that society… It was a direction I had never thought of.”

Looking at Corporal Seo Soo-hyuk saying that.

I thought to myself.

‘This guy is a guy who thoroughly pursues practicality and efficiency.’

Sergeant Lee Min-jae is similar, but a little different.

Although Minjae pursues practicality and efficiency.

However, there is a side that is tied to the emotional part.

That’s why he leaves the choice to me, even though he claims practicality without emotion.

There are times when I secretly wish I would choose the other side.

‘This guy is different.’

Unlike Minjae hyung.

A guy who doesn’t even consider the emotional aspect at all.

After hearing the stories of survivors trying to settle nearby.

The first thing he said was, ‘We need to kick him out.’

It means that words drive them out.

In a world like this, it’s no different from being driven to death.

It’s not a matter of being selfish or anything like that.

Unless the organization itself has reached a dead end.

Even selfish people feel reluctant to cause others to die with their own hands.

But this guy didn’t even show any signs of that.

Feeling like something is missing.

but.

“My idea was that we should kick out those who would not be of help. “I had no choice but to admit it.”

Basically, he is a guy with good abilities.

As long as I don’t make the wrong choice, I listen well.

There won’t be any problem right now.

“Did you think that far in that short moment?

“It’s not that big of a deal. “I just changed the direction of my thinking a little bit.”

“yes?”

“I’m a chef, right?”

The more people there are to eat my cooking, the better.

It’s a benefit to me.

A direction that benefits me while eating well and living well together.

When I think about it that way.

The conclusion came quickly.

“It’s like anything, but if you focus too much on efficiency, there are some things you can’t see.”

“…understand.”

The guy who answers by stretching his words.

‘Do you really understand? ‘I’m not sure.’

You don’t have to worry about it right now.

* * *

So survivors began to settle around the unit.

Basically, the area near the base is an empty plain and there are only a few buildings.

With some help from our engineers, they began to build a village nearby.

How many days have passed like that?

“This is the first harvest.”

Cheol-wook, who came to the military cafeteria, put down a large basket and said.

crazy.

“It’s already harvested?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s not a lot.”

“I don’t think quantity is the problem. It’s been a few days since I decided to start farming, and the harvest is already…”

“It’s a skill. Farming is farming, but food to eat right away is important. “I tried making a small amount.”

“That’s right.”

“We will start increasing the amount in earnest from now on.”

I looked at the vegetables in the basket.

Vegetables that were probably in seed form not long ago.

It can grow so quickly and even be harvested.

When full-scale farming begins.

Our unit also broke away from a society that relied on hunting for food supply.

We will enter an agricultural society.

“I’m just grateful that you decided to settle down near us.”

“I am. The reason that farming was possible this quickly was thanks to the help of the soldiers in many ways. especially.”

Saying so.

Cheol-wook puts his shoulder on a soldier standing nearby.

“This friend. “It helped me a lot in many ways.”

The soldier’s face.

It was a little familiar.

“That deserter back then?”

“You remembered.”

Among the soldiers who deserted from the ammunition battalion, they barely survived and joined our unit.

Among them, there was a soldier who was said to be interested in farming for some reason.

“When I heard that the soldiers of the ammunition battalion were wiped out, I became a little depressed. “When you go to the field, you probably see a familiar face.”

“ah.”

“How happy I was.”

Come to think of it.

Cheol-wook was said to be close to the senior soldiers of the ammunition battalion.

And that guy is from the same ammunition battalion.

It seems that the two people were spherical.

“How the ammunition battalion was destroyed. “I heard about it from this guy.”

“…You said that?”

I looked at the soldier with a little surprise.

The biggest cause of the destruction of the ammunition battalion was desertion.

I never thought that person would talk about annihilation.

“…The ammunition battalion was annihilated. “Maybe it’s because of me.”

but.

Because he is the one himself.

It seems like he thought he needed to explain further.

“Uncle Cheol-wook had many close friends. “I thought I had to tell you.”

“Mr. Cheolwook. Are you okay?”

“hmm? That’s right. It’s clear that this guy did something wrong. I’m not in a position to argue about that. but.”

Cheolwook says with a smile.

“It’s a time when most of the people we knew have died. “For me, I’m just happy to see at least one happy face.”

“Uncle Cheol-wook….”

“This guy actively helped with farming even when he was volunteering for public assistance. Even now, if I feel like I’m missing something, they come right over and help me. “I can’t help but be thankful.”

Looking toward the rice fields.

Cheol-wook mumbles in a low voice.

“I just chose it because it was close to my hometown. “I also see faces I miss.”

“….”

“also. “It was the right decision to come here.”

Come to think of it.

I decided to ask Cheol-wook one question.

“How did you decide to settle down near our unit?”

“hmm. I heard a rumor that the marauders who were running amok nearby were recently subdued. “It was the soldiers who carried out the subjugation, and the military base was relatively intact.”

This is a rumor spread by Jeong Soo-ah.

It seems to be spreading well among the survivors.

“I am the only awakened person in our group. “I am not in a combat position, so there were limits to how I could stay hidden.”

“I see.”

“When we heard rumors about this unit, we had only two options.”

two?

“Are you joining the large group of survivors in the north? Or are you visiting the military in the south?”

“ah.”

“I just chose this place because this is where I used to live. “I’m really glad that it worked out well in the end.”

Large group of survivors.

I had already heard about them a few times.

The group was said to be overflowing with weapons and food, as if they had robbed a bunker somewhere.

“actually. “Maybe this is just my mood, but I felt like the monsters were increasing in number and getting stronger as the days passed.”

“Is that so?”

“hmm. So far, we have survived by hiding among small groups of survivors, but in the future, I think those who feel their limitations will gradually turn to larger forces. “We just chose this one.”

The largest organization in this area has been divided into two.

Our unit located in the south of Inje-gun.

and.

To a large group of survivors to the north who are gathering them.

* * *

After sending Cheol-wook away.

I remained in the restaurant and thought deeply.

‘Creating a society around us. This isn’t bad. It would be the best way to increase power in the long term.’

but.

This method takes some time to pay off.

I glanced in the direction of the county.

To build up enough strength to conquer the inside.

It will still take a lot of time.

but.

‘What if that large group of survivors is similar to us… or at least slightly inferior to us?’

I don’t even want to absorb them.

But if you can form an alliance with them.

Couldn’t it be possible to eliminate the monsters within the military?

As a society began to form around the unit.

Even if I don’t touch it, the size of the unit will naturally grow in the future.

After reaching a conclusion, I stood up and thought.

It’s north.

“Do you want to bring a gift?”