Jelly Alien Will Save You! - Chapter 48

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Jelly Alien Will Save You!

 

Episode 48

 

Who would think you could eat ramen with eggs and green onions in an apocalypse?

 

“Hmm hmm.”

 

I crossed my arms and nodded my head.

 

The next option that appeared was this:

 

[Please select a vending machine to add a function to.]

 

“Hmm.”

 

I stroked my chin while looking at the map spread out before me.

 

The locations of vending machines were marked on the map.

 

There were only two options.

 

1. Vending machine in front of Yongsan Station

 

Those mysterious Yellow Hazmat Suit guys are trying to manage the vending machine.

 

2. Vending machine in front of Han Seong Hospital

 

Under military management. It seems soldiers are running around buying my items? Unknown if they’re also distributing to hunters.

 

I chose the vending machine in front of Han Seong Hospital without much deliberation.

 

If ramen comes out of the vending machine, the stationed soldiers would be a bit surprised, but it would be much better than making a bonfire to grill green onions.

 

‘Please buy lots, everyone!’

 

When I confirmed my selection, a familiar notification window appeared.

 

[‘Auto-cooking’ function will be added to the ‘Han Seong Hospital front’ vending machine.]

 

Thump thump.

 

‘I want to see how it changes!’

 

I rolled left and right inside the spaceship, then grabbed the energy injector and jumped up.

 

Pew pew pew pew!

 

When I entered the warehouse, I saw an old TV.

 

I immediately shot the alien gun (energy injector) at the TV.

 

Beep!

 

Crackle!

 

The Base #1 screen appeared on the round CRT.

 

I crawled up onto a box and turned the channel dial.

 

Base #2. The dark Yongsan Station vending machine was lit but no one was there.

 

Base #3. Similarly dark area near Yongsan Station.

 

Base #4. It’s Han Seong Hospital!

 

The scene in front of the hospital appeared on the screen.

 

Two soldiers stood guard in front of the familiar vending machine.

 

Soon…

 

The vending machine in the TV screen began to move.

 

“Oh.”

 

I swallowed my breath.

 

The vending machine was melting down like slime, all gooey.

 

The soldiers standing guard panicked and stepped back while shouting.

 

【What, what is it!】

 

【What’s happening! We need to report this…!】

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Ah…”

 

I let out a sigh.

 

Because the vending machine slime had eaten the soldiers.

 

“…”

 

I knelt down with my legs together like a sinner.

 

My vending machine had eaten people!

 

The phrase ‘What should I do?’ slid around floating in my head. Surely soldiers wouldn’t be added as ramen toppings, right?

 

Ugh! Just imagining it made me nauseous.

 

Meanwhile, the slime vending machine steadily began taking shape.

 

The gooey vending machine stretched sideways, and a small dispensing slot with a transparent acrylic door was added.

 

And in front of the vending machine, two sets of 4-person tables and chairs appeared.

 

[Vending machine upgrade complete!]

 

My body tensed up with nervousness.

 

It’s complete? Then what happened to the soldiers? It’s not really going to be human flesh ramen, right?

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Hands suddenly popped out from under the table.

 

“Kyaaaah!”

 

I screamed in surprise at the horror movie-like scene.

 

【Urgh!】

 

【Ahhh-!】

 

The soldiers who had been swallowed by the vending machine crawled out from under the table screaming.

 

The two people who crawled out lay there with blank faces for a moment, then sat up simultaneously.

 

【…?】

 

The two looked at each other blankly, then turned their gaze to the vending machine.

 

They still had faces that couldn’t grasp the situation.

 

【What was that? What happened?】

 

【I don’t know either…】

 

Just as the two stood up tensely and picked up their guns.

 

They could see that a menu had been added to the newly changed vending machine screen.

 

[Instant Ramen – 5500cc]

 

The new menu text was blinking, showing off its presence.

 

The two exchanged glances wondering what this situation was.

 

【…】

 

【…】

 

A moment of silence.

 

Click.

 

Whirr-

 

When one soldier pressed the button, mechanical sounds came from inside the vending machine.

 

【Huh? Corporal Lee?】

 

【Ah… I pressed it without thinking!】

 

Ding!

 

Both the person who pressed the button and the one who just watched were surprised and flustered, when a bell sound came from the vending machine.

 

At the same time, a small door opened and cooked ramen came out with disposable chopsticks.

 

The freshly made ramen looked appetizing with eggs and green onions on top.

 

Hot steam and stimulating aroma poured out, stimulating the sense of smell.

 

【…Is this really ramen?】

 

【…】

 

【It doesn’t seem strange…】

 

The two soldiers stared at the ramen intently with suspicious eyes.

 

【Phew…】

 

The soldier who appeared to be the superior took a deep breath and approached first.

 

The moment he picked up the noodles with chopsticks, hot steam hit his face.

 

And unable to resist the temptation, he put the noodles in his mouth.

 

Slurp-

 

As soon as he took one bite, his tense expression melted away and changed to comfort.

 

That one bite was the signal.

 

Days of surviving on combat rations in harsh environments flashed through his mind.

 

Drip.

 

As he reminisced about the past and lifted his head with his mouth full of hot noodles, something that might have been sweat or tears rolled down his cheek.

 

Soon his chopsticks moved faster, continuously stuffing noodles into his mouth without pause.

 

【Uh… please give me just one bite too.】

 

A moment later.

 

The other soldier eventually couldn’t resist and bought ramen too, and the two soldiers sat side by side in chairs, frantically slurping their ramen.

 

Slurp! Slurp slurp!

 

Gulp!

 

I watched the two people eating their ramen deliciously with sparkling eyes.

 

“Business success…!”

 

* * *

 

Shane looked at the ramen on the table with a crooked gaze.

 

Though it was nicely cooked, ramen was still an unfamiliar food to him.

 

He picked up a few strands of noodles with clumsy chopstick work, then observed them intently as he spoke.

 

“You’re saying the contamination stopped after eating this.”

 

“Yes, that’s correct. Reports indicate that contamination increase stopped for about 2 hours after consumption, and abilities improved.”

 

His secretary answered curtly while handing over a tablet.

 

The tablet was streaming real-time drone footage of the area around the vending machine in front of Han Seong Hospital.

 

The few tables were already packed with customers, and the temporarily made tables were also full of people. Some were even eating while standing.

 

Shane quietly watched the soldiers and hunters eating ramen.

 

They were inhaling the ramen while blowing on it because it was hot.

 

Shane also put a few strands of noodles in his mouth.

 

Slurp-

 

Ah.

 

After catching his breath briefly from the heat and swallowing the ramen, his expression brightened a little.

 

“It’s delicious.”

 

Slurp!

 

After quickly devouring the noodles, he scooped up the broth with a spoon while flipping through the tablet screen.

 

“You’re saying that since the vending machine function was added, more coins are coming out of the Contaminated Areas.”

 

“Yes, we’ve confirmed it’s from the same time period.”

 

“Interesting.”

 

The report recorded that not only had coin production increased, but the number of hunters voluntarily entering Contaminated Areas to secure coins was also growing.

 

As a result, the speed of Contaminated Area purification progress was also accelerating.

 

Even compared to other countries, it was an overwhelming purification rate.

 

Gulp gulp gulp!

 

Shane, who had cleanly emptied even the ramen broth, set down his bowl. He wiped his mouth while lowering his eyes.

 

The thought that he could see the vending machine’s owner by watching around the vending machine had completely missed the mark.

 

The vending machine had grown on its own.

 

The military seemed completely convinced that this vending machine was some kind of anomalous phenomenon.

 

But Shane thought that was just a surrender declaration of ‘giving up on understanding.’

 

“It seems we’ll need a different method to meet the vending machine’s owner.”

 

Shane smiled slightly.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————