Chapter 42
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Hambugi Giveaway
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"Ugh..."
A headache like a hammer smashing my skull.
A groan slipped out on its own.
It was payback for chugging drinks with Team Leader until the film broke last night.
I forced my drooping eyelids open.
The first thing I saw was the ceiling of my apartment.
I turned my head to check beside me.
"...She's gone."
The bed was empty.
The memory of sharing it with a wasted Team Leader from the booze was still fresh.
The blanket was neatly folded, and only a faint shampoo scent lingered on the pillow.
I even checked the bathroom door, just in case, but it was empty.
"Did she leave?"
Couldn't she have woken me up?
A twinge of disappointment crept in, but on a whim, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand.
The screen lit up to reveal a text already waiting.
It was from Team Leader.
[Min-jae, you up?]
[Had to head out early for something urgent at home.]
[Wanted to let you sleep, so I didn't wake you. Breakfast is in the kitchen—eat it! No skipping the hangover remedy, or you're in trouble!]
Plain text, but somehow her voice narrated it perfectly.
The emojis helped, maybe?
"Wait, she made breakfast?"
I sat up and glanced at the table right by the bed, then headed to the kitchen.
A pot sat on the gas stove.
I hurried over and lifted the lid.
"Whoa..."
Admiration escaped me.
The pot brimmed with steaming bean sprout pollack soup.
Sprouts and pollack chunks floated evenly in the milky broth.
Still warm, so she must've left recently.
And that table I'd skimmed earlier.
It was set with side dishes, meticulously covered in plastic wrap to keep dust out.
Beef braised in soy.
Perfectly crisped tofu patties.
Kimchi cut into bite-sized pieces.
"When did she even...?"
She got smashed like me—got up early and whipped all this up?
I'd have just boiled ramen water and crashed again.
Opening the rice cooker released a fresh steamed rice aroma.
I ladled soup into a bowl and scooped rice into a high mound.
Sat on the floor and picked up my spoon.
First, the broth...
Slurp.
"Ahhh..."
A full-on uncle groan erupted.
Felt like it rinsed my esophagus clean—pure bliss.
Spicy yet deep, caressing my insides...
Chewing the pollack flesh exploded umami in my mouth.
'We could just get married right now.'
Wish she'd come to my place someday.
That good, seriously.
The braised beef melted after barely chewing.
I shoveled rice frantically.
Chewed till my cheeks bulged, gulped broth straight from the bowl.
Sweat beaded on my forehead, booze purging through my pores.
'When was the last home-cooked breakfast like this?'
Discharge day morning?
Maybe the last real breakfast I ever had.
Every side, every spoonful screamed Team Leader's care.
[Team Leader, it's delicious.]
[Ate every scrap. Thanks for the meal!]
I snapped a pic of the empty bowls, sent it, and set down the spoon.
Belly full, bed called—but conscience wouldn't let me.
Gotta repay kindness.
"I'll make her breakfast someday too."
My skills? Ramen and fried eggs. YouTube practice time.
Who knows when.
Dishes squeaky clean, mind cleared.
Sat at my desk, booted the PC.
Belly full, back comfy.
Now for the rest...
'Weekend, but work calls.'
Main job off, side hustle on.
Videos to edit, streams to run.
Skipped yesterday's stream—viewers bitching already.
"Video topic..."
Nothing jumps out.
Might as well theme it on this morning's feast.
'Why Pollack Soup for Hangover Recovery Next Morning.'
Perfect.
Not the boring aspartic acid spiel.
My channel, The Truth of the World, deals in premium BS.
Plausible nonsense—my selling point.
Fired up the AI app.
"Make a video on why pollack soup is great for hangovers."
[Generating...]
Video ready moments later.
[In -20°C frigid cold, pollack freezes and thaws repeatedly.]
[Its protein cells endure extremes, accumulating quantum wave energy.]
[This energy vibrates most in liquid form, resonating directly with human brain cells upon consumption.]
[Thus, pollack soup isn't mere food—it's infusing nature's endurance into your brain to dismantle alcohol molecules atom by atom.]
Perfection.
Total perfection—in BS terms.
Only my videos deserve "perfect."
Where else this flawless nonsense?
"Whoa, almost believed it myself."
Even I, the creator, buy it sometimes.
If I do, viewers must eat it up.
Upload clicked.
Title: [The Real Reason Pollack Soup Cures Hangovers (Doctors Hide This!)]
Weekend lunch buff hit—views skyrocketed.
Opened comments.
Chaos, as expected.
Whoa... chills. No wonder pollack soup clears my head—quantum waves! Ancestors were geniuses ㄷㄷ
Our ancestors left us this weird gene—time to exhume them.
You just don't know—matter is wave and particle. Pollack condensing waves? Basic physics. Skip class?
Physics grad student here. Showed prof—bolted from lab. Own this.
Write pollack soup recipe in your suicide note lol
Neurosurgeon here. Video cured my cancer. Med school wasted. Ripping gown now.
Doc, hold up... loans still due ㅠㅠ
LOL master counter-troll
K-Medical future so bright need shades ffs
Asked mom for pollack soup— no pollack, pollack dried okay? No freeze-thaw so no waves? Urgent.
Pollack dried = kinetic energy. Need 500kg lifts to digest.
Crazy bastard lololol
Reported. False info = channel ban? Kids believing this ㅡㅡ
Loser trait: can't read room, gets serious alone.
Report your life lol see if cops care
Low waves = angry. Prescribing 3 days pollack soup.
Pollack prescription what lololol
Per fortune-telling, pollack condenses water & metal qi—matches waves. Disagree? You're wrong.
Science + superstition fusion lololol
Superstition aside, where's the science in this BS lololol
Pollack soup in ramen = double waves?
Ramen MSG amplifies waves as catalyst.
Cackled reading them.
World's full of fun folks.
Agreeing shamelessly despite knowing BS, raging ones.
These comments? The finishing touch on my videos.
"Time for a stream."
Mic set, hit start.
Viewers surged as screen lit.
Mad from yesterday's skip.
Chat flooded with prying.
Hyena senses spot-on.
But who am I?
Shameless survivor of this game.
"Ahem. Mic test."
Innocent face on, opened mouth.
Virtual avatar Doc teared up.
"C'mon bros. Too harsh. Girl? When do I have time? Skipped for you all."
Distrust deep.
But I waited for this.
Time to toss bait.
"Sigh... too much. Know what I did all day yesterday? Ran soles off prepping event to thank you bros!"
Pulled ace.
Nothing flips backlash like this.
"Sorry no stream! Starting Hambugi event now! Single? Nah. Set? No! 20,000 won vouchers to 10 winners!"
Mood flipped instant.
Hambugi unbeatable.
"Ready up. FCFS. Watch chat!"
Pasted 10 prepared mobile codes.
1111-2222-3333-4444
5555-6666-7777-8888...
Chat silenced.
Then exploded.
Grinned devilishly at panic.
Think I'd hand freebies?
"Oh, FYI: First come first served. Can't register in Kakao or delivery apps. In-store only."
All fumbling Kakao gifts now.
Store-exclusive codes.
Chat inferno.
Thunderbolt to couch finger-flexers.
"And! Store users, post proof in The Truth of the World Gallery."
"Thanks Ocheron. Hit 5 proofs, next chicken vouchers. Miss 5? No more events."
Taming viewers.
Not freebies—channel fuel.
Trackies sprinting neighborhoods now?
Imagining cracked me up.
30 mins later.
The Truth of the World Gallery filling with proofs.
Title: Hambugi Proof lololol
[(0 won receipt + burger set pic)]
Works fr? Thx bro eat well!
3min walk heaven~
Part-timer stared like psycho
Luck trash game
Stomach hurts pray indigestion
100 cucumbers in burger
Spill coke
Title: Sweated running but used already ffs
Who? #3 user come out die
Lmao I used it gtfo
Addr drop irl meet
Blame slow ass lololol
Title: Love Owner!!
Friend burger $$ safe in pocket~
Package time~
Share crumbs
Embezzler here!!
No friends known, hogging pig bastard
Satisfied smile scanning posts.
"Ahh... our viewers. Zero dine-and-dash."
Beamed at stream.
"Only good folks watch my channel. So honest."
Griping but loving it.
This is why stream.
"Burgers down, daily quests then raid Soul Chamber?"
"Hmm... yeah?"
What now?
Ask Yumi just in case.