Chapter 722: Survival Food (2)

That young chef.

The dirt and dust grasped in Doyun’s hand.

By nature, it was something humans could not take in as nutrients.

No matter what kind of seasoning one added to it to make it taste better.

It would only be dirt and dust that tasted good, not something that could be called proper cooking.

The reason was simple.

'Because the fundamental effect of cooking is the intake of nutrients.'

When one examined that fundamental principle.

The taste of cooking...... the pleasure gained through the sense of taste, was actually no more than a secondary element of cooking.

The most important thing was the intake of nutrients.

That dirt and dust contained no nutrients that would help a human at all.

And yet, right now.

[Skill]

[Ultra-Extreme Survival Cooking]

The dirt and dust that should not have been able to become proper cooking in the first place.

That ingredient, which humans should not have been able to eat, and which should have provided absolutely none of the necessary nutrients even if one put it into one’s mouth.

[Low-Grade Chef’s Survival Dirt-Dust Cookie]

[A dish created for survival in extreme conditions.]

[A primitive form of cookie made by strongly clumping together dirt and dust.]

In that hand.

It was being transformed into “edible cooking.”

[This meal is made by processing ingredients from which nutrition cannot be expected through a special method, allowing the intake of the minimum amount of energy and moisture.]

[As this is a dish focused entirely on survival, its texture is rough, and its taste is also poor.]

“Senior. This is.......”

“Yeah.”

Not only me.

Howard, too, stared blankly at that dish.

Howard and I were chefs.

That was why we could clearly confirm the elements contained within it.

A dish so tasteless and low in quality that even calling it cooking felt embarrassing.

But.

[It provides all essential nutrients necessary to sustain life in an emergency.]

[Toxic substances and impurities have been removed during the cooking process, and it can be safely consumed.]

Inside it.

There were clearly abundant nutrients that a human could eat.

'It’s different from my elemental cooking too.'

Elemental cooking only allowed me to cook that element more deliciously.

It was not an ability that transformed the element itself into a different element, or allowed humans to eat lightning or flame.

The elemental cooking I mainly used right now was water.

That was partly because, thanks to glimpsing the memories of Dasmur’s chef, my water-attribute cooking had a relatively high degree of completion, but.

'It was also because, among the elements that exist in the world, water was the representative element most living creatures could consume.'

That was why elemental cooking aside from the water attribute was either used only for defense, or used against the small minority of monsters that used that elemental cooking as food.

My main focus was the water attribute, which could be fed as cooking.

In the end, that meant even I could not escape the essence held by the ingredients.

But that was not what this kid’s cooking had done.

'Nutrients that hadn’t existed in the ingredient before it went through that cooking suddenly appeared.'

I stared at that dish while breaking out in a cold sweat.

'Did it create something from nothing?'

No...... that was not it.

'It rearranged the ingredients at the atomic level and recreated them as a completely different substance.'

Something extremely difficult and obscure even with modern science, which had advanced to an extreme degree.

A miracle possible only in very, very limited situations, and only by pouring in astronomical costs.......

“You’re chefs too, aren’t you? Isn’t this all possible for you?”

Was being performed in the hand of that ignorant kid, who did not even know how incredible it was.

And.

Howard and I, having grasped the supernatural ability contained in that cooking, let out hollow laughs and muttered.

“......Apparently.”

A power that created nutrients that did not originally exist inside the ingredient by rearranging it at the atomic level.

And this was.

“Those zombie bastards. Looks like they didn’t really need to call us after all.”

For those who wanted to be supplied with nutrients that did not exist in this world.

It was the most efficient power of all for completing the “recipe” those parasites wanted.

***

Howard and I stared at that kid with dumbfounded eyes.

The task those zombies had requested of us.

The creation of a recipe that even we had thought would be quite difficult.

'If this ability is used, it might be solved easily.'

In the end, the difficult part there was that the energy source those bastards used did not exist in this world.

But if this kid’s ability was used.

It would likely become possible to arbitrarily create the energy source that did not exist in this world, which those zombies needed for survival.

The most important one in solving those bastards’ request was not me or Howard.

It was none other than this kid.

If there was one problem.

'It’s that this kid is the one most fiercely refusing to cooperate with those zombies.'

I had not even decided yet whether I would accept or not.

But even if we accepted that prince bastard’s proposal.

The role of making it succeed ultimately lay with this kid.

In other words.

'The choice of whether this succeeds or not is in this kid’s hands.'

I let out a hollow laugh and said,

“You. You said you didn’t want to cooperate because you don’t like those corpses, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what would they have to do for you to cooperate?”

“What do you mean, what...... I don’t plan to cooperate in the first place.”

“Even so, there has to be something like, if they came out like this, you’d be willing to think about it. Something like that.”

At those words.

The kid frowned and thought for a moment, then cautiously opened Doyun’s mouth.

“When those things stop thinking they’re the only ones who are especially unfortunate.”

“Hm?”

“If they realize they aren’t the only ones suffering, and try to help the suffering of others...... then I might be able to help them too.”

At those words.

I lightly thought to myself.

'So I should assume there’s no chance of cooperation at all.'

Those zombies were in a desperate situation where even their own remaining lifespans were not long.

The chance of them suddenly becoming enlightened in that way and thinking that everyone should try to live together was basically nonexistent.

***

After that.

I temporarily stopped my research on that parasite and went outside.

“Ah, Sergeant Shin.”

“Everyone all right?”

The reason was simple.

It was to check on the condition of the unit members who had followed along to guard me.

That goblin seemed unwilling to allow the unit members to approach the prince.

Because of that, after arriving in this city, we had essentially been operating separately.

“As long as we don’t actually approach that prince, they don’t interfere much with our actions.”

“Really?”

Apparently, the unit members divided off like that had been able to move relatively freely.

While I was researching, I asked about what the unit members had been doing.

“Mr. Wonjun and Mr. Changsu went outside together with the queen.”

According to Jeong Sua’s report.

Choi Wonjun and Changsu...... the two people investigating the movements of those demon followers, had gone outside following Ariella.

Ariella’s combat ability was certainly excellent, but even she was not perfect when it came to searching.

If it was those two, they would be able to sufficiently help with the investigative role entrusted to her.

“We were examining the city a bit, as long as it didn’t draw those zombies’ attention too much.”

The rest of the unit members had apparently settled here and looked around various parts of the city.

Then Corporal Seo Suhyeok spoke in a small voice.

“We also secured several more locations where hostages are likely being held.”

“......Hm.”

“There are quite a lot. Enough that we might have identified every location.”

After saying only that, Corporal Seo Suhyeok stepped back.

I thought as I watched him.

'The locations of the hostages have been identified, huh.'

Of course, there might still be more hostages locked up somewhere he had not identified.

But this was Corporal Seo Suhyeok saying it.

There was no doubt that he had succeeded in identifying at least every place nearby where hostages were likely to be held.

For now, my thought had been to wait until Ariella finished gathering information, but.

That was only because rash action had been impossible due to those hostages.

But if identifying their locations was finished.

'That gives us one more option.'

We could give up on dealing with those corpses.

Secure the hostages quickly, then escape.

Of course.

This was an option that could only be chosen on the assumption that Corporal Seo Suhyeok had finished identifying every hostage location.

As long as that assumption was not 100%, we had to be cautious about choosing it.

In the end.

In order to decide whether to choose that option or not.......

{Did you speak with that child?}

“......!”

I would probably need to speak with that prince bastard.

One more time.

***

{Did you speak with that child?}

“Well, for now.”

While I was returning after checking on the unit members’ situation.

A voice came from somewhere.

It was the prince’s voice, speaking from beyond that gray barrier.

And.

'Is it hiding somewhere again this time?'

The voice was being transmitted to me.

But I could not see the figure of the bastard actually speaking.

Just like until now, it seemed this bastard very much wanted to hide its appearance.

{I would hope a constructive conversation took place. Though the probability is likely low.}

And.

The prince, hiding somewhere, spoke calmly.

{That child seems to hate us quite a bit.}

“......Looks like you knew?”

{How could I not know? Such blatant hatred is being displayed. Considering what my kin and I have done, that hatred must be justified.}

To be exact, that was not the reason for the hatred.

Well, there was no need to say that much.

{The only individual who might be able to resolve our issue hates us. We had no choice but to bring chefs from elsewhere.}

“And that’s us?”

{It was not intentional. But it seems you are probably greater chefs than that child. I believe you would be fully capable of taking that child’s role in our place. And.......}

A strange emotion entered the bastard’s words.

{We do not have much time, so I would prefer that you hurry your decision if possible.}

“About that.”

In order to make food that these bastards could eat, we needed that kid’s cooperation.

But judging by what that kid had said, the chance of Doyun suddenly cooperating with the zombies was infinitely low.

In other words.

“Even if we accept your proposal, making the recipe within a short period of time might be a little difficult.”

{Hm.}

“It’s not completely impossible. But it’ll take quite a long time.”

Unless I was going to dominate that kid’s mind with “sauce.”

In the end, we would have to find another method that could provide nutrients exclusive to the zombies.

And finding that other method would take a fairly long time.

It was unclear whether it would even be possible within those zombie bastards’ short lifespans.

“Instead.”

Making the recipe was not an easy task.

But.

Not making a recipe, but making food.

“On the condition that you do not oppose humanity, I can feed you and several others.”

{......Ho.}

Making food that would extend the lifespans of several zombies was extremely easy.

Because.

'[Force-Feeding] was originally a skill meant for bastards like that.'

A skill for patients who could not eat food.

I had almost never used it in a way that matched its purpose until now.

But the true nature of this skill was, in fact, for beings like those bastards.

If there was one problem, it was that I would have to take charge and use [Force-Feeding] every day, but.

'The situation is already one where most of the unit members are living on my cooking. And the Bimanars that copied me can use [Force-Feeding] too...... I should be able to feed a few thousand of them for life through [Force-Feeding].'

The zombies staying in this city that had undergone “evolution” like that bastard.

That much...... I could sufficiently keep alive by supplying nutrients through my cooking.

On top of that, if that bastard accepted this condition.

'The right to decide their life and death will be in my hands.'

They would die if I did not provide cooking.

In the end, they would have no choice but to cooperate with the Legion.

Even from what I had seen, they possessed considerable skill.

It might become possible to place them under the Legion’s command.

Up to here.

This was the maximum proposal I could offer that bastard.

{Only me, and some of the others...... is it.}

Although we had been dragged here through threats.

Because the bastard was at least attempting a “conversation,” I was willing to concede this much.

But at the same time.

I moved my hand toward my waist.

{That is.}

Yes.

This was the greatest concession I could make.

If they accepted this concession, they would be able to stand with us, like those beastkin or the Green Mane tribe.

But if.

They did not accept that concession.

'......Conveniently, another option has appeared.'

Choosing that other option.

Was worth considering enough.

And.

{Impossible.}

At the answer that came from the bastard.

My hand gripped the kitchen knife at my waist.