How the Rank 0 Chef Survives 103: The Tteokbokki Cult's Customer Education

Late at night. The thick nocturnal aura was dragging the last few wakeful souls one by one into the realm of sleep.

"Hehe."

At that deep hour, Dahyun lay in bed, peering into her phone. On the screen, she and Hura beamed as brightly as blooming cherry blossoms. Hura's smile looked a bit awkward, like he wasn't used to photos, but it was satisfactory enough.

Gazing fondly at the picture, Dahyun rubbed her eyes and rolled over.

"Auu... So sleepy. Just a bit of NewTube before bed."

Dahyun opened NewTube and scrolled through videos. Suddenly, she remembered something Hura had mentioned.

"Oh right. The Tteokbokki Cult said they were starting a channel? Gotta check it out."

A quick search brought up a channel called Tteokbokki Cult.

"Whoa? For real."

It seemed newly created, with few subscribers. Dahyun tapped into the Tteokbokki Cult channel. There were three fresh videos uploaded.

"...Hura-nim's business interferer gets schooled?"

It looked like a series, up to Part 3. Dahyun clicked Part 1 without much thought.

"What the heck?"

Soon, Dahyun's face twisted in shock.

"...Gasp! So cruel...!"

She clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I-Is this... something you do to a person?!"

The video showed the Blood Axe Thrower being tortured relentlessly in various ways.

Part 1 featured the starved Blood Axe Thrower tied up, forced to watch a hearty mukbang right in front of him.

Unable to endure the hunger, Blood Axe Thrower cast aside his pride. But what entered his mouth was a filthy shoe—not chicken. There had never been any intention of giving him any.

"What kind of... vicious...!"

Part 2 started by force-feeding the emaciated Blood Axe Thrower fluffy soboro buns. Milk was offered but mostly drunk by the tormentor, the remnants dumped on the floor. No water, just hardtack crammed into his mouth until the end.

"Ah, devil..."

With trembling hands, Dahyun clicked Part 3.

"What could Part 3 be..."

The video opened on Blood Axe Thrower tied to a chair again. A mysterious hooded woman approached, placing a yogurt in front of him.

She peeled off the yogurt lid herself.

She shoved the yogurt into his mouth.

The yogurt lid fluttered to the filthy floor. But hope remained—it landed outer side down. If picked up cleanly, the inner yogurt could still be licked off. Blood Axe Thrower sighed in relief.

"...Eek!"

Dahyun squeezed her eyes shut. Part 3 ended with Blood Axe Thrower's scream.

"......"

Dahyun was speechless at the dense malice. In the fantasy world, torture was strictly forbidden. But this "torture" was different—pushing the victim physically and mentally to the brink without crossing lines into outright harm. Pure malice incarnate. In a game valuing player freedom, it occupied a gray area operators couldn't easily penalize.

"It can be like this, huh..."

Malice the devs never anticipated seeped through the cracks in their oversight.

"Oh? Not over yet."

The video teased the next installment. A frothy beer mug appeared amid sinister laughs and screams.

"...How many parts is this gonna have..."

The road to Harten wasn't too tough. The Ice Devil must've cleared things out once—few monsters attacked. With so few, Gold Sun and Tteoksoon-i handled them easily.

Finally, they reached their destination: Harten. Eternal winter with unending blizzards, they said, but the Ice Devil's ice walls had halted the snowstorm.

"Hmm..."

Just a serene forest village. Smaller than Shin-dong Village or Nimal Village. Cozy enough to guess the spoons and chopsticks in each house. Maybe 100 residents.

"Not going in, sir?"

Gold Sun, hiding beside him, asked.

"Wait."

They were concealed in the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bushes around Harten. The reason for waiting: no reply from her yet.

"...Maybe offline?"

He'd messaged Molrangkau ages ago that they were almost there—no response.

"Tch. Guess we have no choice."

Regrettably, they'd enter first. Before heading in, he reminded Gold Sun and Tteoksoon-i sternly.

"Users here are super strong, so don't pick fights. Stay quiet."

"Yes, sir."

"Understood."

Pulling on his fur hat, he stood.

"Alright, let's go."

Activating Dark Chef, he shared the surging darkness with them. Their white suits blackened, their prim demeanor turned roguish. Hura led his slouchy crew casually into the village.

The village felt heavy with tension. Deeper in, a group of users huddled around a bonfire, murmuring.

Invisible from outside.

The murmurs cut off as Hura appeared. Eyes locked on, wide like rabbits'.

"......"

Hura averted his gaze and quickened his pace.

Thud. Thud.

"Um, excuse me!"

He stopped. Turned only his head.

One user rushed up.

"Did you... come from outside?"

"Yeah."

"...!"

Shock rippled across the bonfire group.

"Ice Devil blockaded it... How?"

Hard to explain briefly. So,

"Killed it."

"...!"

Mouths gaped around the fire.

"Th-Then...?"

They stared with sparkling, expectant eyes. Hura replied flatly, annoyed.

"South. Yuten direction. Hole in the wall."

"...!"

Expectant eyes lit with joy.

"Woooah!"

"We're saved!"

"Thank goodness! Really!"

Hugging in celebration.

"...Later."

Hura nodded curtly and continued on. Calls followed.

Hura waved lazily without looking back.

He walked until their voices faded, then sighed deeply.

Hoo... Acting tough makes my heart race every time. How'm I supposed to survive?

Steadying his breath, he strolled the silver-moonlit village. Now what? Gather info via cooking like before? Those folks seemed ready to leave soon, and who knew how many other users in this tiny place.

But risky. If they ID him as Hura...

No Baek Bal Baek Jung or Crying Priest to back him up now.

What to do... Lost in thought, someone popped up ahead.

"Hm?"

Petite build, wide-brim hat.

Strutting Gold Sun approached her.

"Hey. Who're you?"

This guy. Told him not to be cocky.

"......"

No reply from the blocker.

"Oi. Didn't you hear? Who're you?"

Gold Sun swaggered, hands in pockets. She looked up. Moonlit face—total stranger.

"......"

She stared blankly at Gold Sun, then peeked past at Hura and Tteoksoon-i.

Tilted her head. Finally,

"Follow."

She spun and strode off.

"...?"

Gold Sun glanced back. Hura nodded—follow for now.

She headed to the quiet village outskirts. Hura signaled Gold Sun and Tteoksoon-i: prep for combat.

She entered the snowy forest outside. Crunch. Crunch. Only footsteps in snow.

Finally, she stopped. Deep woods, no signs of life. On Hura's cue, Gold Sun drew his shield; Tteoksoon-i's hair and eyes turned red.

She turned slowly.

"Who are you."

She snapped her fingers.

Snap—

A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clear sound, faint light bursting from her.

"...!"

Gold Sun and Tteoksoon-i jolted to attack.

"Hold!"

Hura stopped them. Her changing features felt familiar.

Her height shot up. Topped by a huge mage hat half-swallowing a small face. Curly red hair cascading. Sly upward-curved lips. Ruby-red eyes.

"...Molrangkau?"

She waved lightly.

"...Hey."