The Military Chef of a Ruined World - Chapter 415
Only Noblemtl
Episode 415: Dogmatism (3)
Daejeon and Chungnam.
The Awakened forces from both regions left the place, as if they had no intention of cooperating immediately.
“You should have asked their opinion first.”
No matter what.
As Lieutenant Kim said, there were some who were unwilling to cooperate.
They ignored such opinions and tried to create an atmosphere as if cooperation was a given.
I understand the intention, but it was not a pleasant experience for the other forces.
“… … What do you guys think?”
Government officials turned their heads and looked at the other forces.
Excluding us, the only ones left are Gyeonggi-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do.
“I came here to cooperate with others in the first place. There is no reason to leave.”
Yoo Jeong-suk, who came from Gyeongsangbuk-do, seemed to be rather sorry for those who left.
It was only natural, she said, that she had held on, believing that the day would come when she would join the other forces.
“There’s no reason to refuse the idea of the survivors joining forces. But.”
And in the case of Gyeonggi-do.
“Depending on the type of cooperation, the story might be a little different.”
Jo Beom-seok spoke alternately to us and to the government officials.
“I am the survivor of Gyeonggi-do… I only represent the association. The association is not my private organization. If the cooperation has to be done in a way that puts us under the government… … we need to think about it. At least it is not a matter to be decided lightly here.”
I did say that I should think about it though.
It means that it is uncomfortable to be under the control of any organization.
“… … .”
“I see.”
To the government officials who regarded us as their subordinates.
He frowned slightly.
As Lieutenant Kim shrugged, the government officials frowned and said,
“They are civilians, so that’s understandable. But you are soldiers!”
… … That story again.
I have a feeling that if things continue like this, the same story will just keep repeating itself.
I sighed inwardly and thought.
‘I don’t know why Lieutenant Kim suddenly did something so outrageous.’
but.
Listening to their stories, I also started to think that it might not be a good idea for me to join their ranks.
Although it feels like the cause and effect have been reversed, Lieutenant Kim’s actions themselves are now in line with my intentions.
then.
‘At least we have to stop that story from repeating itself.’
Even though Lieutenant Kim is good with words and all, there are many of them.
On the other hand, in this case, only Lieutenant Kim is speaking.
Gyeonggi Province is said to have friendly relations with us, but there is no way they would openly take our side in a place like this.
Another way was needed.
“therefore……!”
[Chef: Lieutenant Kim.]
“… … !”
Let me send you a private message.
Lieutenant Kim flinches as he tries to refute the government official’s statement.
“So what!”
[Chef: We will hear the reason for this sudden outburst later.]
“Open your mouth carefully, Lieutenant Kim. You have sworn to serve your country… … .”
[Chef: Unless you intend to betray the Legion. Do as I command.]
I gave the order to Lieutenant Kim.
Whether the government officials continued to babble or not, Lieutenant Kim read my orders in silence.
“Why is there no answer!”
And then, a little later.
“Haa… … Let’s stop this pointless, wasteful talk.”
“What are you talking about!”
“Don’t you think it’s rude to begin with?”
Lieutenant Kim Hyeon-seok cut them off.
He answered with a look of displeasure.
“Everyone who came here came here as representatives of their respective regions… … but those who aren’t even representatives are raising their voices.”
“What are you trying to say? Are you saying to bring me the evidence I mentioned earlier?”
“Let me ask you just one thing.”
Lieutenant Kim even ignored the words of Yoo Jin-hwan, who was said to be the acting president.
He said, looking at a corner of the conference room.
“Can we assume that what is being said here now is in line with your opinion?”
“… … ?”
Lieutenant Kim speaks while looking somewhere else, not at the people gathered in Seoul.
People’s eyes turned to where Lieutenant Kim was looking.
Someone looking at it frowned and muttered.
“Mr. Host… … ?”
“… … .”
What’s there is.
After first introducing the government figures, the man stepped back and quietly listened to the story.
“Is that you?”
“Yeah, you.”
The person in charge of running this meeting is… … .
at the same time.
“I am asking if what the authors are saying is the same as what you, the representative, are saying.”
[Jang Young-woong]
[Lv.34]
Of those I saw in Seoul.
He was the one with the highest level.
* * *
From what we have seen, Seoul has considerable power.
but.
The power was a little different from that of other Awakened forces.
With a huge number of humans.
The equipment supplied to them seemed like the main force of Seoul.
but…….
It’s not that there were no awakened people.
Among them.
“If representatives from each region were to come and have a conversation, you should have stepped forward from the beginning.”
“… … .”
The man is smiling as if he is troubled by Lieutenant Kim’s words.
Even by the standards of all other Awakened Ones, he was an Awakened One who had reached an incredible level.
“Oh, how.”
Lieutenant Kim pointed him out and said:
I could hear voices muttering softly.
“Someone leaked the information… … .”
“That can’t be true. None of us would leak information.”
A puzzled expression and voice.
Although they are muttering quietly among themselves.
Even if I didn’t have the stats to hear that voice, it would still feel strange.
“… … Don’t change the subject, Lieutenant Kim! If you were a soldier, you would be talking about your duties!”
“Vice Minister Yoo Jin-hwan.”
Still, there were those who wanted to talk.
It wasn’t us who stopped him.
“I appreciate your efforts, but I think you should stop now.”
That man was Jang Young-woong.
Let him say so.
“If you say so… … I understand.”
Until just recently, Yoo Jin-hwan had been acting like the highest person in the place.
He nods obediently, sighs, and sits down.
“… … How did this happen?”
“It looks like you have something to explain to us too.”
With a young man who seemed to be nothing more than a conference facilitator.
Acting President.
There is a clear hierarchical relationship between the two that doesn’t quite fit together.
When Jo Beom-seok and Yoo Jeong-suk noticed the hierarchical relationship, they frowned.
“sorry.”
The man named Jang Young-woong bowed his head toward me and spoke.
“I was deceiving you. As Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok said… … It is true that I am currently the representative of the survivors in Seoul.”
“… … Huh!”
In that regard.
Jo Beom-seok and Yoo Jeong-suk seemed very surprised.
I looked at that face and thought.
‘I’ve been curious about something since I first came to the meeting.’
Before coming here.
When I spoke with Lieutenant General Kim Myung-hwan, he told us this.
The reason Seoul was able to be so whole was not because they were great.
Because there was another man.
‘I thought Seoul was united around that man. Judging from the tone of Lieutenant General Kim Myeong-hwan’s speech, that was definitely the case.’
but.
None of those present showed such an attitude.
‘I thought it was ridiculous that there wasn’t a proper Awakener among the leaders of such a force.’
Even me, Yoo Jin-hwan, the current acting president.
There were doubts as to whether the leader really had the ability to overcome this crisis in Seoul.
‘It was a ridiculous misunderstanding. The leader of such a force… … could not be anything other than an Awakened One.’
After looking at all the Awakened people here with that suspicion.
The one who caught my eye was that man.
“My name is Jang Yeong-ung. Before the destruction… … I was an ordinary civil servant. I did not deceive you with malicious intent, so I hope you will forgive me.”
As Kim Myeong-hwan said… …the hero of Seoul.
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when I heard that name.
Lieutenant General Kim Myeong-hwan said that there was a hero in Seoul or something.
‘It’s Jang Young-woong.’
that.
I guess it was a pun.
“I didn’t say a word… …How did you find out Young-woong’s identity?”
“… … So the Legion was also collecting information on us?”
They seemed surprised that we were investigating their information.
“There was no ill intent… … . I don’t know how to believe that. Why didn’t you reveal your identity in the first place?”
The man who pretended to be the host and stayed behind.
Lieutenant Kim asked, seeming offended by the fact.
“I didn’t do it with any malicious intent. I just… … .”
He answered with a look of regret.
“In order to talk to survivors from other regions… … I just thought that having people in authority come forward would give our group more credibility.”
“… … .”
In that regard.
Lieutenant Kim, of course, and I too couldn’t help but flinch a little.
That makes sense.
‘Ahem, I guess that’s not someone else’s story.’
Us too.
Because we were hiring Lieutenant Kim as the president of the pants company to give them confidence when making contact with other forces.
Just like we put forward our only officer, Lieutenant Kim.
They also put others forward.
“… … Please know that I was rude.”
“Yes. Sorry.”
Lieutenant Kim also feels embarrassed.
The appearance of moving on without further investigation.
“Then… … Lieutenant Kim Hyun-seok. Can I ask you one question?”
“Try it.”
“It’s true that I deceived you. Perhaps your suspicions toward us have also increased. But… … can we assume that you still have the will to cooperate with us?”
In that regard.
Lieutenant Kim glanced at me and then answered.
“Yes. If you are a proper government, there is no reason why you should not cooperate.”
“Well then, that’s fortunate!”
It was absurd that he was concerned about my reaction when he had been acting so impulsively.
Regardless of my thoughts.
Jang Young-woong nodded readily.
“Then let’s do this. It’s already been quite some time today, and the atmosphere seems a bit heated… … So let’s end today’s meeting here.”
“hmm?”
“It’s unfortunate that some people have left, but everyone here wants to cooperate. I apologize for deceiving you today, but I think we can discuss cooperation tomorrow.”
He looked at Lieutenant Kim and said.
“Tomorrow, I will officially become the representative and lead the discussion.”
“… … .”
“Let’s bring some evidence that can prove our identity. I think we can talk about it again then… … .”
In an overheated atmosphere.
The flow of the meeting was interrupted once the man’s identity was revealed.
Let’s have another proper meeting tomorrow.
“Okay.”
A suggestion that wouldn’t be a big deal.
Lieutenant Kim nodded with a look of discontent on his face.
like that.
The first meeting with other regions in Seoul has been concluded.
* * *
After the first meeting.
Each force returned to their assigned quarters.
We were also moving to our assigned accommodations.
“wait a minute!”
There was someone running towards me.
He was a familiar figure to me.
“Miss Lee Seo?”
“I came here because I have something to tell you, Youngjun. I don’t think we have time to talk for long, but just a moment… … .”
Han Yi-seo came over to me and grabbed my shoulder.
He whispered softly.
“The suspicions you mentioned earlier were certainly valid. Perhaps, even if it wasn’t the Legion, it was an issue that should have been mentioned and passed over at least once in other regions.”
doubt.
Lieutenant Kim’s point was whether they were truly the kind of people who could volunteer to run a proper government.
“But… …Youngjun, you know my abilities, right?”
“yes.”
“With that ability.”
Han Yiseo is not a combat officer.
As he is of no help in battle, he is practically a burden on long-distance expeditions.
Even when I was in Gyeonggi-do, I didn’t really participate in long-distance travel.
“They weren’t lying.”
“… … .”
Still, the reason she came here was… … .
It must be because she has the power to see through people’s true intentions.
‘Han Yi-seo knows that I am the commander of the legion.’
You must have seen Lieutenant Kim asking if there was any evidence or what.
I thought that the doubts that Lieutenant Kim spoke of were the same doubts I had.
It seemed like she wanted to give him an answer.
If you think about it, I am the one who deceived them in the end.
Even though we are now part of a completely different group, I can’t believe that he is actively trying to help us.
Honestly, I was just grateful.
……but.
“… … Yes. I know that too.”
“yes?”
“Thank you so much for letting me know.”
Unfortunately.
The question Lieutenant Kim raised was not my opinion.
Han Yi-seo looked puzzled at my answer, but then continued talking as if it didn’t matter.
“I’m glad you knew. And… … We’ve agreed to take the same position as the Legion as much as possible.”
“yes?”
“It doesn’t seem like the people in Seoul are lying either… … but whether or not you can trust them is a separate issue. On the other hand, the Legion… … at least as long as Young-jun is here, we’ve decided that you can trust them. Please keep this in mind, and if there’s anything you need, please let us know. We’ll do our best to help.”
“……! thank you.”
After leaving those words, Han Yi-seo returned to the Gyeonggi-do camp.
We are not the only ones who have seen the pristine appearance and power of Seoul.
Nevertheless, they declared that they would support us in case of emergency.
‘It’s a blessing.’
but…….
Phew.
‘I will stand with the legion in times of need, sir… ‘
I watched her walking away.
I sighed inwardly and thought as I turned back towards the Legion’s camp.
‘You wouldn’t think there would be any problems within that legion.’
Let me turn back.
There.
“… … Youngjun.”
“Lieutenant Kim. No… … .”
The external leader of our corps.
“Lieutenant Kim Hyeon-seok.”
“… … .”
“A proper explanation will be needed.”
He.
He was looking at me with trembling eyes.