Our Restaurant is Operating Normally Even in the Apocalypse - Chapter 10

Episode 10. Ham and Cheese Toast (2)

A distance that was too far to walk but too short to travel by car: 4km.

During that short time, Jae-hyung asked Su-a if she knew anything about his destination.

Su-a looked troubled as she spoke.

“I’ve only vaguely heard the name that such a place exists, but I don’t know exactly which city or neighborhood it’s in….”

“Is that so? Well… can’t be helped then.”

Watching Jae-hyung, who wore an expression of lingering regret, she spoke with a short sigh.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help.”

“No, it’s not like you’d know everything just because you’re in the same industry. Besides, you said most of your colleagues were in the medical field, right? Surely one of them might know something.”

Indeed, just as Jae-hyung said, there were teachers among her colleagues who had lived in Gangwon-do for a long time, so they might be able to provide some answers regarding the information Jae-hyung needed.

“I feel so relieved to finally ditch that old piece-of-junk truck.”

Gil-ho, who had been sitting in the backseat, was wearing a faint smile.

Jae-hyung had insisted on the old truck, claiming he wanted to draw the zombies’ aggro.

Though he didn’t show it, Gil-ho had been dissatisfied with that choice.

‘If it’s a car, it should move quietly and smoothly like this.’

Su-a, who had been glancing at Gil-ho in the rearview mirror, was lost in thought.

It was an impulsive decision that had succumbed to his taste buds, not a choice made by cold reason.

She couldn’t predict what kind of results this current choice would bring.

‘…But.’

Even so, Su-a wanted to believe in her decision.

If this man who introduced himself as a mage was for real.

If he wasn’t just pulling a scam with some plausible sleight of hand, but was truly a mage who could cast magic.

Then Jae-hyung might be the only existence capable of solving this disaster that had pushed humanity to the brink.

“Hahaha, there are quite a lot of zombies here too! And~ Fireball!”

No, perhaps the choice hadn’t been Su-a’s to make from the start.

How could one stop a human who spewed fire out the passenger window even while traveling that short distance?

“He’s definitely more suited to being an arsonist who burns zombies to death than a restaurant owner who cooks in a kitchen.”

Gil-ho in the backseat muttered his impressions in a low voice.

“Hey, that hurts the restaurant owner’s feelings….”

Jae-hyung grumbled and glared at Gil-ho.

All while still burning the zombies outside the window to a crisp.

“….”

A subtle combination that seemed to fit, yet didn’t.

The image of Jae-hyung reflected in Su-a’s eyes was a fiercely burning flame, in and of itself.

A flame that was flashy on the outside, but burning black on the inside.

In contrast to him, Gil-ho was water.

Water that was calm on the surface, but once it started to churn, it felt like it would be uncontrollable—water so deep that it couldn’t be measured by eye.

A difference in personality that could be called polar opposites, and an age gap like that of an uncle and nephew.

Yet, the two men’s journey was continuing smoothly.

Having worked as a nurse for a long time, Su-a could tell.

Those two were becoming a healing presence for each other.

A crazy lunatic and a middle-aged man as rough-looking as a gangster.

Contrary to that first impression, Jae-hyung and Gil-ho were actually quite decent people.

“Here goes, Flame Baptism! It was super effective!”

…Or maybe not.

With a screeching sound, the vehicle came to a stop.

Having finally returned to the base camp, Su-a spoke with a quite serious expression.

“We’ve arrived.”

Her footsteps were heavy as she opened the car door and stepped out.

A red brick building that looked like it had been built at least 20 years ago.

High barbed-wire fences surrounded it.

It wasn’t a barrier erected on a personal level.

To Jae-hyung and Gil-ho, it was a familiar sight—barbed wire that one would typically see at a military base.

“It looks like a place managed by the state, not private property?”

At Jae-hyung’s question, she nodded and said.

“It was originally a building that operated as a health center. After the zombie outbreak, it was operated as a Medical Support Center established by the government to support the citizens.”

As she spoke, Su-a was restless for some reason.

Watching her, Jae-hyung said without showing much emotion.

“Since we’re already here, we’ll clear out all the zombies in this vicinity before we go in, so you go ahead and take care of your urgent business first. While you’re in there, pass this toast to your other colleagues too.”

Jae-hyung spoke with ease, as if he could see through the entire situation.

Gil-ho picked up his axe with a stoic expression.

“…Thank you. I’ll go in first.”

Su-a immediately ran in a hurry toward the inside of the building.

Once they were left alone, Gil-ho asked in a voice quite different from his usual tone.

“What are you planning to do from here on out?”

Jae-hyung asked back, looking at Gil-ho who was asking somewhat seriously.

“About what?”

“If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to get the information you want here. And you’ll continue the fight based on that information.”

As Gil-ho stated the obvious, Jae-hyung tilted his head, waiting for him to continue.

“Do you intend to keep fighting alone?”

At Gil-ho’s tone, which was more serious than ever, Jae-hyung chuckled and said lightly.

“Kekeke… isn’t that obvious? How could I travel with people who are just desperate to survive right now?”

“You said you were going to investigate the mastermind behind this incident…. You know better than anyone, but that journey will be an incredibly arduous and dangerous path. Even so, do you intend to shoulder it all alone?”

“Did you get attached after traveling together for a few days? Or have you become addicted to the taste of the food I make? Why are you like this, it’s creepy.”

Jae-hyung retorted in a playful tone, but Gil-ho’s voice remained grave.

“Yeah… I suppose you wouldn’t be stopped even if I tried. I just wanted to say thank you. For everything you’ve done for me so far, and even for the future, for the lonely fight you’ll be waging that no one will ever know about.”

Watching Gil-ho, who even bowed at the waist to express his gratitude, Jae-hyung let out a small sigh.

Then, scratching his head awkwardly, he opened his mouth.

“You don’t need to be grateful with such a pious attitude. It’s not like I’m doing volunteer work out of pure kindness. I’m just trying to find the guy who messed up my perfect life plan. And I intend to make him pay the price.”

The experience in the other world where he rolled around like a dog.

And the power he obtained there.

Based on this, Jae-hyung had planned to officially open ‘Woori Restaurant’.

But the world he returned to had been ruined by mere zombies.

Not by a Demon King, or the Four Heavenly Kings serving him, or an evil magic dragon.

But by pathetic zombies.

That was why this flame was nothing more than Jae-hyung’s venting.

Though he felt a little sorry for those who had unfairly become zombies.

“Don’t worry about me, just think about what you’re going to do from now on, Mister. It’s close from here, right? That child Yoon-ji’s hometown.”

“Yeah, if you just keep going along the industrial road like this, it’s not far.”

“Kekeke, maybe our journey ends here too. Just in case, I’ll say my goodbyes in advance. Make sure you survive. No matter how fucked up a situation you face, endure it firmly. And when all this is over, make sure to visit the officially opened Woori Restaurant. With your hands full, that is.”

They hadn’t grown deeply attached over a short few days of traveling together.

Just like the other customers who had passed by, he just hoped that Gil-ho would be happy.

He hoped that all the customers of Woori Restaurant, including Gil-ho, would survive safely.

And that they would revisit the restaurant he would open one day.

“Huhu…. I will definitely visit. At that time, I won’t be holding a steering wheel, but paying the full price.”

“That’s a welcome thing to hear.”

At the same time as the end of his words, a massive flame soared.

A giant wall of scorching heat began to envelop the other side of the barbed wire.

The few zombies that had been approaching the health center were burned to ashes in an instant.

“My, my god, what is this….”

A hellscape of fire unfolded before his eyes.

The man who had come out of the health center to meet them after hearing Su-a’s words had an expression as if his eyes were about to pop out.

“It seemed like there was a very urgent patient…. I guess that matter was resolved well?”

At the sight of Jae-hyung asking with his lips curled up, Su-a’s colleague nodded with a look that was still dazed.

“I heard from Su-a-ssaem. That if it weren’t for you two, we would have faced a major disaster…. But what on earth is this? Where did that flame erupt from?”

“Oh, I guess that nurse didn’t tell you? That I’m a mage.”

At the sudden bombshell, Su-a’s colleague tilted his head.

‘A mage? Is that some kind of code used by special forces or something?’

Since it was a reaction he was now all too familiar with, Jae-hyung chuckled and moved his feet.

Toward the health center where Su-a and the other medical personnel would be.

Unlike its shabby exterior, the interior was kept incredibly clean.

That appearance was a part where one could tell how much effort the government had put into this place.

‘Two-faced, is that it….’

A form that was different on the outside and inside.

Jae-hyung’s assessment of the government’s response could be summarized in that one phrase.

“Who is the highest-ranking person in this group? I want to meet them for a moment and have a serious talk separately….”

Jae-hyung’s attitude was threatening enough to remind one of a gangster.

Gil-ho, who was a real former gangster, burst into a hearty laugh watching that scene.

‘Now he doesn’t look like a restaurant owner at all, but a thug…. No, he just looks like a crazy guy.’

“W-what on earth is this….”

A benefactor who not only helped his colleague but even delivered toast from who knows where.

And yet, that benefactor was showing behavior like a gangster.

The health center staff member who was guiding Jae-hyung and Gil-ho couldn’t help but be flustered.

But fortunately, his worries didn’t last long.

No, they couldn’t last long.

“…We can’t hold out much longer with this amount of medicine. So, there is no other way now. We have to clear this place out and leave too.”

The conversation going back and forth inside was by no means light.

“It’s unfortunate, but the medicine that Su-a-ssaem risked her life to bring is woefully insufficient. There are no more pharmacies or hospitals left in the vicinity. This is as far as we can go.”

It was a voice mixed with despair.

“…I’m sorry, if only I had done my job a little better.”

The voice of Su-a that followed immediately after was also steeped in deep despair.

Jae-hyung, who had unintentionally overheard their conversation, was able to quickly figure out what the situation was.

“The master is here, so what’s the problem!”

That was why he acted without hesitation, just as he usually did.

Bang, the door opened with a sound.

Jae-hyung, who had kicked the door open with all his might, grinned and looked around at those gathered inside.

Every one of them had a face that looked like they had studied a bit in their prime.

At their appearance, Jae-hyung was feeling hope growing.

‘If all these people are in the medical field, at least one of them must know.’