The Chef From the Apocalypse Enters the Food Industry - Chapter 95

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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 95. The Final Round (2)
His words were blunt.
I couldn’t tell if it was worry or pride.
Jin-woo chuckled to himself as he closed the door.
‘I’ll show you.’
What I couldn’t express in words, I would demonstrate that day.
* * *
The day of the competition.
Jin-woo had been there since dawn.
“Goodness. When will they arrive? Come on.”
The sun hadn’t even risen yet.
There were no cars in the parking lot, and the staff were unpacking equipment with half-closed, drowsy eyes.
Jin-woo stood alone in the middle of it all, perfectly alert.
‘Did I come too early? No, that can’t be right. Shouldn’t everyone be diligent?’
Truth was, I couldn’t sleep and just came out.
No one had said anything, but my eyes opened at four in the morning.
I tried to force them shut, but it was useless.
So I just came out.
“Hah…!”
My breath misted in the air. Jin-woo thrust his hands into his pockets and shuffled his feet.
It was cold.
But I had other thoughts on my mind more than the cold.
‘Can I do well?’
Actually, I shouldn’t have been thinking about whether I could do well.
‘I have to do well.’
I had to do well.
That was the right way to think about it.
I had been standing there for quite some time when it happened.
‘Oh! There he comes!’
A familiar silhouette appeared in the distance.
Jin-woo’s eyes snapped open.
It was Seonwoo. He was walking over carrying a shopping basket, unhurried.
When had he even picked up that basket?
His face was unfazed despite the early hour.
He must have developed the habit of shopping at dawn.
Jin-woo rushed toward him.
“Hyung!”
“Oh. Jin-woo? You came early.”
“You came early too, didn’t you?”
“I need to receive the ingredients. But today you can bring your own.”
“Ah….”
Seonwoo looked Jin-woo up and down.
“Did you not sleep?”
“…A little?”
“A little.”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what. You look sharp, so that’s good.”
Seonwoo chuckled softly.
He didn’t ask further.
Jin-woo took the shopping basket and walked alongside him.
Thump-thump-
As the entrance drew closer, I felt my heart racing faster. Something was going to happen in there today. I was going to be part of it.
‘I love this!’
Dopamine flooded through me like madness.
Jin-woo stopped in front of the entrance.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go in!”
Seonwoo chuckled and opened the door first.
“Right. Let’s go.”
* * *
“Ta-da!”
It was Jin-woo who opened the waiting room door.
He was half a beat ahead of me. He probably wasn’t conscious of it. His feet just moved first. That’s how excited Jin-woo was.
‘How did he manage to hold back all that energy?’
If Haran had been nothing but tension,
this guy was the opposite—the more real the situation, the more energized he became.
‘Will Jang On-gyu be in there? Given his personality, he’d normally start some trouble right here.’
The moment the door opened, I glanced inside.
He wasn’t there.
‘Not that it matters either way. But why do I feel disappointed?’
We’d meet him eventually today anyway.
There was no real need to see him first in the waiting room.
But then.
“Well, well.”
An unfamiliar voice rang out.
A man who had been leaning back on the sofa stood up.
He looked slightly older than me.
His outfit wasn’t particularly flashy, yet an air of ease emanated from him. He wore a comfortable smile that didn’t feel forced.
The kind of person whose very impression draws favor.
“It seems we have an early guest?”
I said.
“Haha. I tend to come early myself. Did it feel a bit awkward that I was already here?”
“A little, yes?”
“Haha. I’m sorry about that. More than anything, my heart was so eager that I came rushing over.”
“Eager?”
“Yes. I saw it on the broadcast and it was so impressive. So I came running at full speed and ended up sitting down already.”
The man was smooth.
Even the way he extended his hand.
“I’m Han Jae-won. Let’s shake hands.”
“I’m Kim Seon-woo.”
I grasped his hand.
Han Jae-won wrapped both hands around mine and laughed.
His hands were warm.
“They say it’s good to receive energy from someone who’s doing well. So I hurried over like this to get it early. Haha.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Appreciate it? I’m the one who should be grateful.”
Han Jae-won gestured toward the sofa.
“Would you sit for a moment? We have time before things start anyway.”
“Hmm… should I?”
It was different from when I first met Jang On-gyu.
I didn’t feel any sharp edges at all.
I naturally took a seat.
* * *
‘This person has a real gift for conversation.’
The conversation flowed naturally.
Han Jae-won was someone easy to talk to.
He didn’t stand out. He certainly wasn’t the type to make people nervous.
He was the type who wrapped people in warmth.
“To be honest, when I first heard about the Factory Canteen, I was skeptical.”
“You were?”
“Ramen in a factory district, or rather snacks. I thought there’s no way this would work. But.”
Han Jae-won chuckled.
“Ah, I’ve actually eaten there.”
“At our store?”
“Yes. I stopped by while passing through and ordered a roll of kimbap and a bowl of ramen.”
He paused for a moment.
“I ate two bowls that evening.”
He patted his stomach as he spoke, smiling brightly in a way that genuinely showed how delicious the food had been.
That sincerity came through.
Jin-woo burst into laughter beside me.
I laughed and accepted it.
“I’ve tried your food too, Owner.”
“Oh, really?”
“Through delivery. To be honest, I thought each location might taste a bit different.”
As I spoke, I thought to myself.
‘With several locations, they were all completely consistent.’
The fact that the taste didn’t suffer even through delivery wasn’t simply because the recipe was good.
It meant he managed each location meticulously.
‘He runs a tighter ship than it appears.’
I knew that was the most difficult thing to do in a franchise business.
“I realized you manage your locations properly.”
Han Jae-won’s eyes crinkled slightly.
“People who know recognize it. That’s something I put effort into, that’s right. Haha. I focus on that every single day. Otherwise, customers would be disappointed.”
“Disappointment. Exactly.”
“Haha. You really do understand how it feels. I like that.”
“Thank you for the good meal.”
“That’s my line. Thanks to you, I had a good evening too.”
The atmosphere was warm and friendly.
Jin-woo listened quietly.
Even though it was our first meeting, it didn’t feel awkward.
It was completely different from the atmosphere I had imagined when thinking of Jang On-gyu.
‘That’s interesting.’
Then it happened.
Han Jae-won stood up from his seat.
“I should head out now. I have preparations to make. Actually, I was supposed to surprise you, but I ended up coming like this, huh?”
“Haha. It was fun thanks to you.”
“Me too.”
“Thank you for stopping by.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He straightened his collar and walked toward the door.
Then he turned around while gripping the door handle.
“Oh, and.”
His voice wasn’t light. It was the same person as before, but his tone had shifted subtly.
“No matter what happens today. If you ever need anything, please contact me.”
He offered his business card.
“I’m nothing special, but if there’s anything I can help with.”
I casually accepted the card.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t say that.”
Han Jae-won opened the door with a smile.
“Have a good match. Personally, I’ll be rooting for you. Though objectively, I won’t be?”
“Ha. I understand.”
The door closed.
A brief silence hung in the air.
Jin-woo spoke first.
“Hyung, that guy seems like a good person?”
“Yeah.”
I answered briefly, looking down at the business card.
‘The feeling isn’t bad. What is it?’
* * *
Jang Han-su walked toward the center of the stage.
The moment he appeared, applause erupted.
The audience was electrified.
“Hello! I’m Jang Han-su, your host for today!”
His resonant voice filled the studio.
This man was different from the moment he appeared.
He transformed the very air itself. If there was such a thing as a star’s radiance, this man was someone who received it excessively.
“Everyone here today, you’ve worked hard since this morning. But you won’t regret it. Why?”
Jang Han-su smiled and slowly swept his gaze across the audience.
Faces full of fervor. Eyes brimming with anticipation. His gaze made a complete circuit of the audience.
* * *
Meanwhile, I also glanced at the audience.
‘Huh?’
In the back corner. Two people sitting side by side.
A man awkwardly looking around and a woman beside him examining a pamphlet.
They looked remarkably like someone I knew. Or rather, someone I knew resembled these two people.
‘Jin-woo’s parents.’
Jin-woo had said he’d given them audience passes.
‘They really came.’
I let out a quiet laugh and turned my gaze away.
* * *
As I savored this warm beginning.
Jang Han-su raised his voice again.
“What you see here today, you’ll be talking about for years to come! So you definitely won’t regret it!”
“Woooow!”
Laughter erupted from various corners.
“Now, let me introduce our judges. You all know them already, right?”
Im Ha-yun, seated at the judges’ table, raised her hand lightly.
“Hello.”
“The mukbang empress, Ha-yun! How are you feeling today?”
“I’ve made sure to empty my stomach completely.”
“Oh. That’s already intimidating.”
Sonny interjected from beside her.
“What about me? What about me?”
“The trendsetter Sonny—we don’t even need to ask. You’ve come looking absolutely radiant today.”
“Of course. You all know I’m the most beautiful one here today.”
“And Ha-yun?”
Ha-yun glanced sideways at Sonny once.
“…Well, just for today, I’ll let it slide.”
“Oh! Are we already seeing tension here?”
Laughter erupted louder from the audience.
Jang Han-su raised his hand to command the atmosphere.
“Now then, let’s go over today’s rules. It’s simple. Three chefs will begin cooking simultaneously, and you’ll ring the bell the moment your dish is complete.”
Jang Han-su pointed to a bell placed on one side of the stage.
The bell was so ornate that anyone could see it was meant to be the star of this stage.
“When the bell rings, the judges will taste immediately. If the majority approves, you earn one point.”
“Simple enough.”
Sonny murmured.
“But there’s something frightening about simplicity.”
Jang Han-su held up a finger.
“What happens if you don’t get the majority?”
He paused for effect.
“Minus one point.”

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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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