The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13. Do People Change So Easily?
The Bang Owner’s voice reached my ears.
It was unusually formal.
-Haven’t you left this Food Truck Zone neglected for quite some time?
-It’s not so much that we neglected it…
-Come on, if you left it as is for several years, that’s neglect, isn’t it?
-Well. Since the previous mayor created it arbitrarily, there wasn’t much we could do about it.
-Of course. I understand. What did that man do properly anyway? Nothing, which is why the new mayor won by such a landslide.
-Exactly? Hehe.
-That’s right.
The content, however, was anything but formal.
‘So those people are public officials, it seems. The Food Truck Zone has been around for a while now, hasn’t it? So this was the previous mayor’s project.’
The Bang Owner had rattled them with that comment.
They looked like they’d been summoned just to stand there doing nothing.
This too seemed like a calculated move.
The Bang Owner immediately switched to soothing mode.
-Since the previous administration created it arbitrarily, things got a bit messy.
-That’s true? Looking at it now, there are quite a lot of people….
-Ah, that’s all inflated numbers. They just pass through here and head into our Eatery Alley.
-Is that so?
-As you can see, things work out only where they work out, don’t they?
-Only where they work out… It does seem that way.
In reality, things are only working out in certain places.
My Ramen Case truck and the Coffee Truck.
Beyond that, there are quite a few trucks selling snacks like buttered squid to the people waiting in line.
Especially that resourceful fellow called the Jang Owner—he brings trending dishes and sells them well.
There’s no way they don’t see that.
They’re simply choosing not to see it.
-So that’s why the mayor is building the Youth Mall this time, isn’t it?
-That’s right. It’s something the mayor is putting considerable effort into.
-And coincidentally, that Youth Mall location is right near the Eatery Alley, isn’t it?
-Hehe. And?
Did the flattery work?
Or maybe the Bang Owner had unexpectedly good connections.
The official who appeared to be the highest-ranking looked quite focused.
-I have a good idea, if I may….
-We’re listening.
-Well. If you’re going to erase the traces, shouldn’t you erase them completely?
-How do you mean?
That’s when the Bang Owner dropped his bombshell.
The new mayor opened the Youth Mall to help struggling small business owners in the Food Truck Zone! What do you think?
He opened the Youth Mall? That’s going according to plan, isn’t it?
Well, we’re adding a heartwarming story to it.
A heartwarming story?
Yes. The Food Truck Owners from here will be the first to set up shop in the newly opened Youth Mall! From Food Truck Owner to legitimate Store Owner. What do you think?
Ooh…!
That’s a brilliant move!
Clap clap clap.
As if waiting for this moment.
Applause erupts from all around.
It seems the other owners who came with Bang Owner are the main ones clapping.
The other Public Officials beside them are swept up in it, clapping along.
From what I hear, it’s not complete nonsense.
‘Now that I think about it… it really is a brilliant move?’
A tug-of-war between the previous mayor and the current mayor.
This wasn’t my concern.
What mattered was whether this Food Truck Zone would survive.
It seemed the new mayor intended to eliminate it.
The problem was what would happen to the rest of us.
We haven’t put down a formal deposit, but we’ve paid regularly and operated here for a long time.
If they suddenly told us to leave, the situation would become quite difficult.
But if the Food Truck Owners were given priority to set up in the Youth Mall first?
‘It’s actually a decent idea?’
It becomes quite a good strategy.
I agree it looks like a heartwarming story.
The problem is who’s saying it.
Sometimes the messenger matters more than the message itself.
The fact that Bang Owner is the one delivering this message bothers me. It feels like there’s something more to this.
But still, this place is functioning to some degree, isn’t it? Considering the Youth Mall location, some might not want to move immediately.
That’s true. But as you can see… the environment here isn’t very good, is it?
The environment?
Bang Owner brings up this strange talk about the environment.
For reference, trash bins are placed throughout, so there’s nothing to frown about.
I’ve even prepared a bin next to my Food Truck for customers to dispose of their trash.
It seems they don’t see that.
Yes. Trash is appearing all over the place.
Hmm…
And because trash appears like that, other places also… well, aren’t they affected?
Is that so?
Yes. That… have you heard of the broken windows theory?
-Broken windows?
-Yes.
Good grief. Now he’s bringing out theories that don’t even apply.
The Broken Windows Theory.
An old theory that if you leave a building’s broken windows unrepaired, that area descends into lawlessness.
It actually did show results when New York applied it.
‘But that’s something used against crime, isn’t it?’
It’s not exactly a flawed theory.
But it doesn’t apply here.
We’re not broken windows, are we?
It’s a nonsensical comparison.
Bang Owner wouldn’t be embarrassed by that.
He straightened his shoulders confidently and applied even more pressure.
-Those broken windows are right here, you see. Our Market merchants are struggling too… You understand, right? How long the locals here have been around.
-I understand. Yes.
-There are plenty of people who’ve been here since I was a child. They all live in this area….
-Hmm… I see.
-This is actually a delicate request. I’ve taken on the villain’s role from the Merchant Association. Haha.
-The Merchant Association.
-Yes. After all, we moved here to live in this area, didn’t we? Of course, once the Youth Mall is built, we’ll probably move there too? Maybe?
-I understand.
The Merchant Association. Local residents.
These were excellent words for pressuring the other party.
The other person wasn’t someone without the intelligence to understand.
He clearly grasped Bang Owner’s meaning immediately.
Even though he wouldn’t be unaware of it.
-Wouldn’t it be better to settle this before any incidents occur?
Why was it?
Bang Owner was looking at me and adding one more comment.
* * *
Business is about making a living.
As soon as I finished business, I called the Food Truck Owners I had connections with.
Coffee Truck Owner Kim.
Jang Owner, the shrewd merchant selling snacks.
Both of them came right on time.
I relayed the news I’d just heard immediately.
“The Youth Mall?”
“Yes. They said they’re going ahead with it.”
“Wasn’t that a project that was shelved? Why are they suddenly doing it….”
“To eliminate this place. They’re trying to push the Youth Mall instead.”
The Coffee Truck Owner’s expression darkened as he listened to the story.
Just when I thought things were finally settling down, the situation had shifted.
There was no way this could be good.
“Sigh… what are we supposed to live on then?”
“It seems like they’re giving bonus points for opening a store instead.”
“Hmm… bonus points, you say?”
At the mention of bonus points, Jang Owner casually interjected.
“If there are bonus points, wouldn’t it be possible to get in without much trouble?”
“That’s probably how it works. The Youth Mall had plenty of food trucks when they were all the rage, but most of them disappeared, right? So the competition rate probably wouldn’t be that high.”
“That’s certainly true.”
Both of them seemed to nod in agreement at the mention of bonus points.
“But what if we get rejected?”
“Then things really fall apart.”
“Ugh, this is complicated.”
“It’s certainly a complicated issue.”
When survival is at stake, nothing can be simple.
“On the surface, it looks quite reasonable. For us too… well, it’s definitely better than just doing business from a truck.”
“That’s true, but… abandoning this location entirely and moving feels…”
“It seems like that’s already a done deal.”
“Yeah, that’s right. What can we change anyway?”
“Right. We have to adapt to it, I suppose. Getting in isn’t a bad thing in itself, but…”
“Something just feels off.”
On the surface, there’s nothing that would put us at a disadvantage.
We could even upgrade our store in this situation.
A small shop is definitely better than running a business from a cramped truck.
Everyone just had to start with a truck out of necessity.
So this is actually a good proposal.
But why? The unease won’t go away.
The source of the unease was simple.
“It’s that Bang Owner who’s bothering me, isn’t it?”
“…That’s it! I couldn’t figure out why it bothered me, but that guy’s making me uneasy!”
“I knew it, right?”
“Exactly! No matter how much I think about it, I don’t see why that guy would do something good for us?”
Bang Owner. He’s the one that bothers me.
Jang Owner, who arrived recently, seems to have a different take on it.
“Is that so? I did see him install those standing signs… but at this point, don’t you think he’s had a change of heart?”
“A change of heart?”
“Yes. He’s surrendering. There’s a line here every day, right? So he probably realized he can’t beat this place, and that’s why he’s trying to bring people to the Youth Mall instead.”
“Surrendering?”
“Yes. Surrendering. Since there’s a line here every day, he probably thinks he can’t win, so he’s trying to bring people to the Youth Mall instead.”
“What difference would it make if they came here?”
“Well, I heard the Youth Mall is located deeper inside the Eatery Alley. If they enter through there, isn’t it the same as entering the Eatery Alley?”
“Ah, I see. So we’d share the foot traffic from new tenants?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t that revitalize the entire commercial district?”
“But couldn’t they just go straight to the Youth Mall without coming through here?”
“From their perspective, they’d want every single customer they can get.”
“Hmm… now that I hear it, that does make sense.”
“So maybe that’s why they’re trying to embrace us?”
“Embrace us, you say…”
Jang Owner’s argument had merit.
Even just increasing foot traffic would revitalize the area.
If that was their aim, it wasn’t wrong.
Their talk of a “surrender declaration” sounded rather appealing too.
Even if business is always about competing for the same limited customers.
It’s not right to keep fighting every time.
‘When I think about it that way, the logic checks out.’
It’s clearly the right reasoning.
So why.
My chest feels heavy.

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