Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Chef II
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Boss Cha Dong-seok was thrilled.
"Let's buy twice as many ingredients for dinner!"
Na Gang-in said,
"Just lunch today."
"Huh? What? No, why?"
"I've got things to do."
Cha Dong-seok's eyes shook for a moment before steadying.
"Double pay for tonight's shift?"
He'd worked like a hired chef for two hours today, paid at 20,000 won per hour.
But tonight's deal was 40,000 won per hour.
Na Gang-in replied,
"Deal. Then from 5:30 to 7:30, just two hours."
Boss Cha Dong-seok quickly called to his niece.
"Eun-seo! Put up the notice quick. Dinner specials tonight from 5:30 to 7:30. Sales end when ingredients run out, and the menu is..."
Cha Dong-seok turned to Na Gang-in.
Na Gang-in said,
"Just General's Stir-Fried Rice all day today."
"Right! Everyone who heard how good lunch was and came for dinner should get the same!"
The dinner shift wrapped up in two hours. Na Gang-in had worked four hours total today and pocketed 120,000 won.
Cha Dong-seok beamed.
"Lunch tomorrow too, right?"
"I'll decide based on tomorrow's situation."
"Ah... no reservations then."
"Reservations?"
"PC seat reservations."
After his shift, Na Gang-in sat at the emptiest spot in the back corner of the PC bang. Some diners had left after eating, freeing up seats.
"120,000 won means I've secured some initial operating funds."
"Just? Aren't you undervaluing the money I worked hard for?"
"With my hands."
Arguing further would put Na Gang-in at a disadvantage. He quickly changed the subject.
"What's the next phase of our operations?"
"Then we need to gather more data. Can we still access the government network we used last night?"
"Then find new intel."
A problem arose. The screen on his monitor wasn't updating properly.
"Huh? Why?"
Suddenly, groans erupted from all around.
"Huh? What's wrong with this?"
"I was about to win!"
"My pentakill!"
Na Gang-in stood up. Every PC in the PC bang was glitching.
At the counter, the two night part-timers looked panicked as they tried to fix things. The usual female part-timer had an issue tonight, so the boss's niece, daytime worker Cha Eun-seo, was covering the night shift too.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Cha Eun-seo said to the male part-timer,
"Didn't you say you know computers? Fix it quick."
"If I could, I would've already. Looks like we need to call someone."
"It's night—where from?"
Cha Eun-seo glanced around in confusion and locked eyes with Na Gang-in, who was standing.
"Ah!"
She rushed over to him past the partitions.
"Oppa. You're good with computers, right?"
"Me?"
"I glanced by and it looked like you were making some program."
He was in the corner, but passersby might catch a glimpse of the screen. Spotting that and recognizing it as hacking would mean she was a hacker herself.
Na Gang-in whispered softly to the AI Jeon Ji-in,
"We used the government network last night. Could we have been backtraced?"
"Still, we should check, right?"
"Then handle it."
Na Gang-in asked Cha Eun-seo,
"Where's the server?"
There was a server in the back managing all the PCs. He sat at the terminal directly connected to it.
"Ji-in, I'll hand over control. Show me what you've got."
His hands flew across the keyboard and mouse.
Info flooded the screen in seconds. The software from last night's government network breach were standalone executables needing no install. He'd grabbed a stray USB from the PC bang, copied them, and ran them on the server.
Before five minutes passed, the AI reported.
"Good. Was worried for a sec."
"Huh? Hacking? Here? Why? Isn't this just a PC bang?"
"Don't those usually bypass security?"
"Find out who the hacker is."
His fingers hammered the keyboard. Moments later, the AI reported.
"That was easy."
"All good, but the second half sounds like an ad?"
"Can't turn that off?"
"Can you make 2082 gear that wasn't even made back then, here in 2022?"
"You're teasing me, huh?"
"Feels like teasing. Anyway."
Na Gang-in eyed the monitor.
"Where's that hacker punk now?"
"Picked a nearby PC bang for testing then. Why so close? Does the hacker need to install that program in person?"
"Then let's go meet the punk. Time for a talking-to."
Complaints poured from customers everywhere.
Na Gang-in instructed,
"First, stabilize our base. Get the internet back up."
The task finished swiftly.
Soon, the PC bang's internet revived.
Cha Eun-seo clapped in delight.
"Whoa, awesome! Oppa, you're not just a cooking pro—you're a computer expert too?"
Na Gang-in boasted,
"I don't usually, but this level? Piece of cake when it hits me."
The internet was back, but customer gripes lingered.
"Connection dropped mid-game—what now?!"
"Staring at my phone for 10 minutes."
Cha Eun-seo panicked.
"Um, so... Ah! 10 extra minutes free!"
That didn't quell the protests.
"That's the least you can do!"
"Ah! Missed 10 minutes of my drama!"
"My pentakill!"
Na Gang-in asked the AI Jeon Ji-in,
"Locals at our base are rioting. Quiet fix?"
By 2082 standards, 2022 was technologically underdeveloped.
Na Gang-in proposed to the crowd,
"Free simple snacks on the house."
The pentakill complainer perked up at "snacks."
"What kind?"
"Homemade ones, made fresh."
Most customers tonight had tasted Na Gang-in's cooking at dinner.
"Whoa! Sign me up!"
Protests vanished the moment he offered food. Some even grinned.
A newbie asked around,
"Snacks turned this rowdy vibe around—what are they?"
"Dunno what."
"Huh?"
"But a real chef's making 'em—gotta be tasty."
Na Gang-in headed to the kitchen.
"Suggest simple snacks I can make."
Thanks to the AR Lens, a snack list scrolled before his eyes, complete with photos and descriptions.
He picked one.
"Number 3."
"Is that line auto-generated for budget saves?"
"'Excellent choice,' you said. First time hearing praise like that from you."
Number 3 was a flour-based snack for carb supply to soldiers.
As he kneaded the flour, he told Cha Eun-seo,
"Get four frying pans on the gas and electric stoves. Max heat."
"Got it!"
The AI Ji-in guided his hands, adding sugar, chili powder, seasonings, spices. Fruit juice from the fridge and a dash of MSG too.
Cha Eun-seo asked,
"Not fresh fruit, just store-bought juice—won't it taste weird and sour when cooked?"
Na Gang-in answered,
"Make it right."
"Ah! Smoke from the pans!"
Field Tactical Cooking featured max-heat recipes for fast bulk prep. This one too.
Snacks finished quick. He flipped a pan onto the cutting board. A thick, pancake-like slab thudded down.
With his chef's knife tip, he scored it into a checkerboard grid. It sliced neatly.
He lifted the board. A big tub sat beside it. He dumped the cut crackers in.
Moving the next pan's contents, he said,
"Distribute to customers. I'll keep slicing."
"Yes!"
Cha Eun-seo plated the hardtack-like bites and served them.
Customers eyed the snacks curiously.
"What's this? Hardtack?"
"Size like hardtack, but shape's off—no two holes in the middle."
"Color's different too."
"Safe to eat?"
One munched a piece.
"Huh?"
Delicious.
His buddy next to him tried one and marveled.
"Whoa, this is good."
"For real. Spicy yet tangy-sweet with that perfect sweet-savory balance. How's this flavor exist? What's it called?"
Reactions were great. Cha Eun-seo grinned wide.
"I'll ask our chef oppa!"