Meat is Love
Meat is love. In the silent space devoid of any noise, adorned with all sorts of religious paraphernalia, only two men dressed in black robes resembling priestly garments continued their conversation in the form of a report.
"China's progressing smoothly as well."
"Yes, starting with the villages where our compatriots live was indeed the right call."
The bishop, pleased with the highly satisfactory report, smiled. An increase in followers was always welcome, as it signified the growth of their faith. They were still proselytizing domestically, but as the numbers dwindled year by year, it had been over seven years since they turned their gaze overseas. Starting from Korea, they advanced through Asia, Europe, and North America in sequence, and recently, they had even established a school in an African region in the name of their religion.
And now, even China—the closest yet trickiest target—had been steadily approached not through major cities like Beijing or Shanghai, but from small villages, quietly amassing over 100,000 believers before they knew it.
The reporting man flipped through the stack of documents one by one as he continued with the next update.
"This time, it's a report on the 'Flower Garden' in Paju. We succeeded in harvesting ahead of time while evading the Hunter Management Bureau's eyes, but... we've lost more than half due to S-rank hunter Yoo Ji-na's interference."
The man, who had been smiling at the satisfying results just moments ago, furrowed his brow the instant he heard 'Yoo Ji-na's' name.
"Yoo Ji-na... That bitch is meddling with us again. But didn't you say she and the Management Bureau are sworn enemies? Why the hell is she cooperating with them like this?"
"I suspect it's because Cheon So-hee, the guild master of Maru Guild, has persuaded her well."
"So she listens to her friends, huh? Three years ago, when we heard the eldest daughter of the Maru Group had founded a guild, we just let it slide, but who knew she'd become such a thorn in our side..."
Their order had only five members domestically, and now one of the S-rank hunters had them in her sights. With the Management Bureau and her interference, their already shrinking flock was in danger of dwindling even further.
The Management Bureau was untouchable by anyone. Yoo Ji-na was beyond what they could handle with force, and targeting her loved ones for threats was pointless—she had already lost everyone close to her. A person with nothing to lose was the most terrifying.
But that was true only until yesterday.
Having calmed somewhat, the bishop asked, "So, what about the 'little sister'? Any prospects there?"
"Well, actually... I'm not quite sure yet."
"What?"
The bishop's expression turned icy in an instant at the man's unsatisfactory reply. The man flinched but pressed on.
"As per your urgent orders today, we tried querying her identity using our believers in the Management Bureau, but it seems Maru Guild already got to it last night. Even the CCTV footage from the time she entered has been completely erased—we have no idea what she looks like."
"They anticipated we'd make a move like this. That bitch is thorough..."
If they were curious about her appearance and name, they could dig up old photos or records, but returnees from gates often emerged changed from their pre-disappearance selves. Without precise information, there was no way to identify Yoo Ji-na's sister.
It was an ironic situation: the one chain that could bind the beast called Yoo Ji-na had appeared, yet they didn't even know what that chain looked like.
"We don't know what she looks like, but she rushed over abandoning the assault. She's definitely near that bitch Yoo Ji-na. Keep searching. I'll inform His Eminence the Archbishop separately."
"Understood."
Before finishing the report and leaving, the man extended the silver X-shaped arrow pendant hanging from his neck—the symbol of their faith—to the bishop and said,
And the bishop raised his hand in response.
Sizzle――― The short scream of the beef hitting the hot grill.
"Haaht♡...! That sound is so naughty~!"
I let out a weird noise aloud without realizing it, lost in the ecstasy of the meat. My solo BBQ party at the countryside pension had kicked off smoothly. Thankfully, I wouldn't be going hungry today.
An hour ago, the shock of delivery not being possible had me collapsing in place, staring blankly into space for a good five minutes. That's when So-hee unnie called belatedly.
When I whimpered to her over the phone about being starving, the fridge empty, and delivery impossible, she burst into maniacal laughter. Honestly, it wouldn't have been weird if I'd cursed her out right then, but her response was more than enough to quell my rage.
According to So-hee unnie, the manager had come by this morning and stocked up ingredients for me to eat, but since the pension's breakers were off, the fridge wasn't cold inside. So he put them in the kimchi fridge in the annex that runs on separate power—and unnie forgot to tell me about it.
The moment I heard that, I bolted outside, found the annex, and inside were rice and various veggies stored at room temp. And crammed full in the kimchi fridge: meat.
I felt the joy of a shipwrecked survivor stumbling upon an oasis.
Over the phone, as So-hee unnie said, 'My housewarming gift to you~,' I bowed deeply toward wherever she might be and politely hung up.
Now, I was holding a BBQ party in the spacious living room using the pension's electric griddle.
Sizzle――― The beef, full of personality, cried out seductively as if begging for attention.
Whoa! Almost turned innocent beef into a charcoal briquette!
I quickly lifted it with chopsticks and lightly dipped it in the flower salt dish. First bite: just salt to savor the pure beef flavor. Then straight into my mouth.
"Nom... munch munch."
The more I chewed, the more juices flooded my mouth, interspersed with the crisp, melting salt. Salt was just seasoning—the star of my mouth was unequivocally the beef.
"So damn good!"
I have no idea what cut it is, but it's insanely delicious. Sure, I ate steak back in that other world too, but no comparison. Primitive cooking method, but somehow fundamental. Yeah, back to basics. Simple is best. Like red bean bun over pizza hotteok.
To keep the flow going, I loaded more beef onto the grill, then shoveled microwaved instant rice into my mouth and chewed vigorously. Garlic and onions were in the annex, but I was too starving for veggies right now. Filling up solely on meat and rice.
There's plenty of meat anyway. The kimchi fridge was the biggest I'd seen, stuffed full on both sides—enough to eat beef till I'm sick of it for at least a month!
"Drooling even while eating... hehe."
Tomorrow for pork belly, prep garlic and onions ahead. Mix noodles would be invincible. There were ramyeon in the annex too—definitely some spicy ones, 'cause my So-hee unnie's got killer taste!
♫♬♫♬♫♬♫♬―――
Lost in my feast, my phone rang like it was snapping me back to reality. As expected, So-hee unnie.
I swallowed all the meat in my mouth and picked up.
"Yesss~ Pretty So-hee unnie~"
The moment I answered in a cutesy nasal voice, she cracked up on the other end. After laughing her ass off for a while, she finally responded to my greeting.
[Haa... my stomach hurts.......Anyway~ Pretty Ji-na's little sis~ Eating well?]
"Yup! Lubing up my tummy with unnie's love!"
[Good good, meat is love, right?]
Meat is love, but that meat came from So-hee unnie. So ultimately, unnie is love! My chest swelled with grandeur.
As I silently praised her in my heart, she continued.
[Reason I called is about how we'll communicate from now on.]
"Huh? Can't we just keep contacting like now?"
[That's only till today. Check your contacts real quick?]
A bit puzzled by her words, I did as told and opened my contacts.
[Three saved numbers total. Two are obviously me and Ji-na, and the last one's who I'm about to tell you about.]
Sure enough, exactly three as she said. The most eye-catching: Manager Lee Dae-gun. Sounds like a guy, but a total stranger to me. Since unnie set up this smartphone first, probably someone she added.
[That's the manager who brought your ingredients today. Lives in the nearby village, so ask him if you need anything, use the card from that document envelope for necessities. And I won't be easy to reach from now on. Keep contacts minimal. Got it?]
"......"
The wooden chopsticks slipped from my hand to the floor the instant I heard her words.
So-hee unnie? Unnie's abandoning me too? Just minutes ago, the person I'd dubbed my love had cast me aside.