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 unlawfully.

“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 places 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 placed 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’s common for soldiers on kitchen duty to cook and eat together, it’s hard to make tasty dishes with only the ingredients available in the inventory.

At best, we have salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, miso…

Other than that, we can only use natural seasoning like powdered shiitake mushrooms because it’s the military. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

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 without complaining. 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’ is complete]

[Main Ingredient – The quality of the meat is not good. Resulting in a slight decreasing in cooking ability]

[Secondary Ingredients – 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 flavor is this…?”

“Haha, you really know how to flatter.”

“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 place, 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 has come 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.

Accepting him might lead to the collapse 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 with combat 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 flaw is timidness… 

Then what he needs to overcome 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 as comforting 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 hour later.

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 plan 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! Become 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 claws, 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 relatively soft like a joint.

Without a great sword or a bayonet, 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 glanced 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.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Translator: 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 similar to that of other rice-based alcohols like sake in Japan or Huangjiu in China.

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