The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 5

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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 5. An Eye for an Eye
“What do you mean?”
I already knew what he was about to say.
I opened my eyes wide, feigning ignorance as I stared at him.
The burly man thumped his chest in frustration as he spoke.
“Didn’t I tell you not to cross the line?!”
The burly man was pointing at a white line.
His pointing hand trembled with barely contained anger.
“Don’t you know the Truck Zone rules? The rules?”
“I followed the rules, though.”
“No, you didn’t just cross the line—you took up the adjacent spot too. How is that right?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“What? What do you mean that’s correct?”
But I had followed the rules.
“That spot over there. I rented it. According to the rules.”
“…Huh?”
“There’s no rule saying you can only rent one spot in the Food Truck Zone, is there? The other spots were empty, and I legitimately paid for and secured that space.”
Since he didn’t understand, I explained it to him.
The burly man’s expression went blank upon hearing this.
Then his face flushed red and purple.
People like this typically resort to one particular tactic when things don’t go their way.
Insisting they’re right.
He came at me, arguing as if what I said made no sense.
“That, that doesn’t make sense?! One person taking up the whole thing… Huh? Is that even within the rules?!”
“It is, apparently.”
“Says who?”
“I contacted the district office before renting to ask. I can show you their response.”
“…The district office?”
“Yes. I paid and rented it legitimately. Oh, and you see those tables? Not a single one crosses the line.”
I pointed to the tables.
Not a single table crossed the line. I’d arranged them that way deliberately.
The burly man’s mouth gaped open as he saw this.
He wanted to say something, but clearly had nothing left to say.
“Since you’ve given me so much to think about, I should get back to organizing the tables.”
“Y, yeah.”
I left the dazed man behind and moved away.
Ah, but I hadn’t forgotten one thing.
I felt like I owed this guy something.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“Hmm?”
That was, quite simply, a lesson in manners.
“Don’t speak so casually. Show some respect when I’m being gracious.”
“You, you…!”
“If you can’t speak properly, then leave. I’m busy.”
The burly man stepped closer, as if to argue with me.
Then our eyes met.
“Ugh….”
He took a step back.
In that instant, fear flickered across his face, plain as day.
* * *
‘What kind of eyes….’
Bang Seong-min. With financial backing from his family, he’d become a young boss in his thirties and feared nothing in this world.
Timing the ramen business perfectly, his shop had flourished greatly.
It had even earned a reputation as a hidden gem in the neighborhood.
Thanks to that, he’d hired eight employees.
‘I’m managing eight employees, and yet this guy has none!’
His way of thinking was rather peculiar, to be honest.
Perhaps because of his imposing build, no one in the merchant association dared challenge him.
No other ramen shops opened nearby.
It was, in effect, a monopoly.
Thanks to that, he’d lived comfortably without anything grating on his nerves.
In any case, he was undoubtedly a successful boss on the surface.
Until recently.
Customer numbers suddenly dropped, and he wondered why. But then.
-The ramen was so delicious, wasn’t it?
-Seriously insane! The broth flavor…!
-Should we go again?
-The line was probably full today, right? Let’s go tomorrow. Tomorrow!
A ramen shop had opened in the Food Truck Zone, a place no one had given a second glance.
At first, he thought it was just a fad.
‘No matter how tasty ramen gets, it’s still just ramen. This is on a different level…!’
…Most of his ingredients were sourced from Japanese food suppliers, after all.
Bang Seong-min considered assembly itself to be a craft.
‘It’s just the opening buzz. It’ll die down in a few days. Yeah, maintaining a popular restaurant isn’t easy.’
Time drifted by endlessly.
“Welcome… Oh! Boss, you’re here?”
“No customers again today?”
“Yeah. As you can see. None.”
“Sigh.”
Only time passed. Nothing else changed.
The tables remained stubbornly empty.
Only the regulars lingered.
Judging by their expressions, even they seemed to be struggling. Was it my imagination, or did they appear less satisfied than usual?
‘This can’t be happening….’
Thump. Thump.
My heart raced. A wave of dread crashed over me.
‘What kind of food truck nonsense is this…!’
So I went early the next morning to investigate, and sure enough, I saw tables being set up.
Just as I thought! I knew it!
Without any shame, they were installing tables that encroached well beyond their own territory.
“Hey!”
I shouted openly.
At first, I thought my protests were working—one table disappeared after my initial outburst.
But the customers never came back regardless.
My shop’s situation wasn’t improving.
When I closed up and went to check, it was a disaster.
‘The tables multiplied?’
I demanded an explanation immediately.
They said it was all properly permitted, so there was no problem.
No problem… there was none.
‘I’m the problem!’
At this rate, I’d struggle to keep my shop running.
This couldn’t go on like this.
‘What am I supposed to do if they follow the rules? Huh? Damn….’
So I stormed over, fired up and ready for confrontation.
Old school instincts I’d forgotten about resurfaced.
No one had ever stood their ground when this large frame approached them.
But this time.
It should have been different…
‘…Huh.’
The moment our eyes met, my mind went blank.
There was a beast in those eyes. A predator that devoured herbivores.
Bang Seong-min’s body froze like that of prey.
“If you can’t speak properly, leave. I’m busy.”
Only after the other person spoke did I feel my rigid body relax.
“Ugh….”
Instinctively, I realized this wasn’t going to work the usual way.
But I couldn’t back down.
For some reason, the sting of losing that staring contest ignited a stubborn defiance in me.
My anger flared intensely.
I stared at the Ramen Shop owner’s back for a long while. He looked ready to devour me on the spot.
He hadn’t said anything to my face, but…
Bang Seong-min was the type to glare daggers at me from behind as he left.
‘Just wait and see…!’
* * *
‘How pathetic.’
There’s something commonly called momentum.
He was just a guy relying on his size to hold his ground.
How could I possibly match the venom from the Apocalypse era?
‘Absolutely impossible for him.’
Perhaps embarrassed by backing away, he glared for a long time but didn’t dare approach.
I hadn’t even shown my true strength. Yet he reacted like that.
‘What a waste of that physique.’
Anyway.
Business proceeded smoothly after that.
“Will spicy pepper ramen do for today?”
“You know it’s up to the owner’s discretion, right?”
“I know it’s a Ramen Case. I know well. But still!”
“I’ll make you my special pepper ramen.”
“Yes! One bowl, please.”
Janus’s regular customer had evolved into a cheerful regular.
These days, she occasionally came by in the evenings too, not just at lunch.
She said eating here gave her strength for overtime work.
‘I should make it so the stress melts away. I’ll julienne the green onions and add a refreshing kick.’
The cheerful regular was one thing.
But the one who kept coming morning and evening was that guy.
“Hyung! I’m here!”
“Again? Didn’t you eat lunch and leave?”
“Geez, is that how a boss treats customers…?”
“Well, I see you every day.”
Jin-woo came without fail.
He said studying and working went well when he ate here.
Apparently his grades had improved quite a bit too.
He came with a smiling face every day, saying things seemed to be going well.
‘That guy seems to have an unusually good compatibility with my cooking.’
My dishes seemed to suit his constitution perfectly.
At this rate, I had a feeling his Stamina would rise by 1 within a month.
Not just a temporary increase, but permanent!
In other words, his very constitution would change.
If his Stamina increased, that guy’s entire life would transform.
No matter what I do, I tire less easily and recover quickly.
It’s practically a blessing.
Yet she places her order without even realizing it.
“That’s because I love the ramen so much. But today, could I please have the special spicy ramen instead?”
“Why? Aren’t you the one who loves the simmered garlic most?”
“Well, I think I might have gotten a bit tired of it….”
“Heh. Alright, I’ll make it for you.”
“Yes!”
Anyway, it’s nice that the child is so cheerful.
‘She was so gloomy at first.’
Now she’s brimming with energy.
Watching her excitement, the regular customers around us break into warm smiles.
-Hehe. Look at that girl. So full of vitality.
-She’s a delightful one. I was just like that when I was young.
-You were. But I think it’s even nicer to see now.
-Is that so? Hehe. What’s nice about an old person who’s lost all their vigor?
-What does it matter if we’ve lost a little strength? We get to spend more time together than before. How wonderful is that?
-Haha. That’s true. You’re right. Absolutely right.
A lovely elderly couple.
The elderly couple who had started visiting occasionally a week ago also seemed to draw strength from it, their faces constantly wearing contented smiles.
‘They look wonderful.’
Watching the two of them like that, I too felt strengthened.
Warm—that’s what I’d call it.
The sight of two people who’ve spent long years together carries a weight different from young couples.
It might be a crude way to put it, but it’s a beautifully aged love.
‘Will I too meet someone that wonderful someday…?’
Their presence seemed that admirable to me.
It’s still just a food truck.
Even with consideration, I’m serving ramen—a dish that’s difficult for elderly people to eat comfortably.
But someday, I plan to showcase a special dish that would suit them better.
Until that special dish is ready, I hope I can continue seeing them like this.
‘I’ll do my best to make it delicious for them.’
Tap. Tap-tap. Tap.
As I simmered the deep broth, I added a bit of radish.
The radish’s components help with digestion.
The finishing touch was bean sprouts added after everything was cooked!
After they eat, even the ramen will sit comfortably in their stomachs.
“Here’s your ramen.”
“Oh! Did you prepare something special for us again today?”
The Old Gentleman had excellent manners.
Because you’ve always spoken to me with respect.
“I just hoped it would bring you some comfort.”
“Ha ha. Thank you. These days, I feel alive eating this.”
“Your words are thanks enough.”
The Old Gentleman’s face brightens as he takes the two bowls of ramen.
Hearing about the ramen, the Old Lady seated nearby claps her hands in delight.
She certainly has a rich range of expressions.
Watching the two of them, I notice a cat-like child behind them.
‘Huh…? She’s here again.’
Long hair, bright and sparkling eyes. She must be around ten years old.
She’s been coming here since the early days of my business.
It seems she attends academy classes in the Academy District nearby, passing through here every day.
She’s genuinely passionate about ramen.
Every time she passes the Food Truck, I’ve noticed her swallowing hard.
“….”
Embarrassed by it, whenever our eyes meet, she bows her head deeply and scurries away.
‘She’s adorable.’
Like a little kitten.
If she came and wanted to eat, I’d give her the ramen I’d prepared in advance.
Unfortunately, she didn’t come today either.
‘Not today either? She hasn’t been eating much lately.’
Well, a child’s financial situation is predictable enough.
Perhaps she only eats here once in a while after much deliberation.
I’d like to quietly give it to her if I could.
‘The timing just never works out.’
It’s difficult to leave the counter and go get her.
In the meantime, the little kitten-like child has gone far away.
Unfortunately, today didn’t seem to be the right time either.
On the other hand, there’s someone like a bulldog.
‘He’s here again.’
That bulky figure passing by once more.
He glares with fierce eyes and stares at this place for a long time. Since he can’t find fault, he huffs and leaves—that’s his routine.
Then our eyes met.
Normally he’d bow his head and leave, but today he just snorts and goes.
‘Hmm? His reaction is different.’
There’s a scheming glint in his eyes.
As I’m observing carefully, Jin-woo, who was slurping his broth with his head down, flinches.
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Um… it’s nothing. Really.”
He says it’s nothing, but his eyes keep darting toward that big guy.
His expression looks like he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t.
I glanced back and forth between the big guy and Kang Jin-woo for a while.
As I watched casually, it suddenly clicked.
‘Ah… that’s it.’
There are two reasons Jin-woo comes here.
Academy classes and his part-time job.
He’d never pretend not to see someone from the academy.
He’s the type who grins cheerfully and approaches even if an instructor shows up.
So that leaves the part-time job angle.
Seeing how guilty he looks, the answer is simple.
‘That big guy must be the owner of the ramen restaurant where Jin-woo works.’
I’d figured out who the big guy was.
Now that I knew, the situation made perfect sense.
All that talk about rules and why he kept passing by here suddenly became clear.
He wanted to eliminate his competition.
‘That big guy just wants to interfere because his ramen business is doing well.’
Once I understood the situation, I let out a small laugh.
I understand his anger—his livelihood depends on the shop.
But his methods are too childish.
He’d be better off focusing on his own food rather than trying to interfere with me.
Such interference doesn’t actually offer many options.
‘What could he really do to me anyway?’
* * *
‘There was something?’
I thought there wouldn’t be much.
But there was a surprisingly simple, childish way to interfere with me.

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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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