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Chapter: 26
“…What? How would Ji-gu know that?”
Startled by Ji-gu’s confident tone, Edwin widened his eyes. Ji-gu pointed down the hallway with a bored expression.
“Family photos.”
Following her fingertip, Edwin saw several small picture frames hanging on the dim hallway wall. Because the place was so poorly lit, anyone not paying close attention would have easily overlooked them.
He studied the three frames, strung together with rope like a ladder, hanging from the old wall. Moments later, Edwin let out an exclamation.
Inside the tiny, homemade-looking frames were photos:
A little girl with wheat-colored hair smiling brightly.
The man they had found wrapped in plastic.
And a family sitting together happily.
An elderly man holding a newborn, a young couple smiling at the camera—
the old man in the photo was unmistakably Morto“I thought you didn’t think about anything at all…”n.
When did she even notice these?
Edwin glanced sideways at Ji-gu in admiration.
“I thought you didn’t think about anything at all…”
“That’s rude. I can hear you.”
Ji-gu snorted, unimpressed by Edwin’s suspicious look.
But none of the group could really be blamed for their doubts.
Ji-gu herself had been wary of Morton—still was, even now.
I really thought I was about to be murdered by him.
The sight of the huge old man charging toward her with a massive axe was terrifying enough to make her blood run cold.
But the direction he had rushed to was not them—
It was the pile of corn leaves covering the zombie’s corpse.
The moment Morton threw aside his axe and fell to his knees, desperately searching—
Rustle!
From between the corn stalks popped out a little girl.
A girl with the same wheat-colored hair.
Morton.
And Morton’s granddaughter, Beth.
Apparently, Morton hadn’t been lying about the child being sick.
Beth smiled and walked fine, but her cheeks were flushed, sweat dampening the hair by her ears.
Morton’s anxious eyes stayed fixed on the girl, clearly worried about her condition.
Seeing the old man and the child through her reddish, fever-bright vision, Ji-gu quietly swallowed a sigh.
* * *
“So we’re spending another night here after all.”
Edwin rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a heavy sigh.
Night had completely fallen—no more work could be done.
On top of that, they hadn’t rested or eaten properly since coming to Morton’s farm.
Everyone was exhausted, physically and mentally.
What greeted them were armfuls of baby corn that Ji-gu and Ryan had gathered.
“It’s actually kind of atmospheric, though.”
Peggy said with a laugh, watching Ryan run around carrying corn.
Though rain-heavy clouds loomed overhead, they had set up a small campfire in the pitch-black night.
The rustling cornfield in the wind, the crackling firewood, and the warmth of the flames warding off the cool, damp air bathed their faces in a soft glow as they sat in a circle.
“Atmospheric, sure… but I’m starving to death.”
Maya’s dramatic complaint made Peggy laugh and gesture at the excited kids.
“Just wait a little! Our wonderful little chefs will soon present an amazing feast!”
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
The farm’s mood grew warm and lively—
At the center of it all were Ji-gu, Ryan, and Beth.
“Uwaaah! The snowball burned!”
“I told you you can’t roast Snowballs! Ah—Ryan! The marshmallows are burning too!”
“Aaah!! Ji-gu, help!”
The Snowball (a candy) ended up completely charred and melted,
but the marshmallows were only lightly toasted.
Ji-gu clicked her tongue in disappointment and dumped the burnt Snowball glob onto the ground.
“Too bad. I thought it would taste good.”
“Yeah…”
But Snowballs and marshmallows were only snacks—
The real meal was being prepared by Edwin and Morton.
Just as Morton had said, hunting was his hobby.
The farm’s kitchen was full of homemade cured sausages.
Earlier, Edwin had been horrified by the strange intestine-like strings hanging from the kitchen ceiling, covered in white mold—
only to learn they were salt-cured, dried sausages.
Morton brought two sausages from the kitchen.
He sliced one extremely thin to serve with salad.
Ji-gu, now at his side, pointed at the slices.
“Can I try one?”
“Of course.”
With Morton’s nod, Ji-gu popped a slice into her mouth, chewing carefully.
“…Salty.”
“It’s salt-cured.”
“And… nutty.”
“Nutty?”
“Mm… the flavor is deep. Salty, sweet, soft?”
The cured sausage was extremely salty at first,
but as she chewed, the hardened fat melted and softened the saltiness.
The savory balance of meat and fat made it strangely addictive.
Unable to translate “nutty” properly, Ji-gu struggled with all kinds of words until Morton burst into a laugh and nodded.
“So you mean it’s good?”
“Yeah. Basically.”
“This one is called prosciutto. It goes wonderfully with fruit—ah, shame we don’t have any.”
He then picked up another plump sausage and began slicing it thick—no doubt for the soup.
“How are ingredients this fresh…?”
Edwin, cutting onions and potatoes beside him, couldn’t help but marvel.
Firm onions with no soft spots, potatoes without sprouts—
there were few ingredients, but their quality alone was moving.
Edwin boiled clean water from Ji-gu’s inventory over the fire,
added chopped potatoes and onions,
and finally the meat.
Morton tossed the thick sausage slices into the pot, added peppercorns, salt, and dried bay leaves.
The fat from the sausage soon turned the broth milky.
The humble campfire became a lavish dining table in no time.
Scrambled eggs with grilled sausage,
creamy potato soup with sausage,
sweet potato split open and filled with eggs, cheese, and butter—their “sweet potato egg-slut,”
fresh salad topped with thin prosciutto and seasoned with olive oil and pepper.
And Ji-gu, Ryan, and Beth’s cheese balls, marshmallows, and butter-grilled baby corn.
Everyone swallowed hard at the mouthwatering scent.
“Let’s eat!”
Ji-gu grabbed a fork and immediately speared the prosciutto salad.
Eggs and sausage were precious ingredients, yes—
but fresh vegetables were incomparable.
“Waaaah!”
Stuffing a huge bite of salad into her mouth, she felt the crisp juiciness spread coolly across her tongue.
The bursting tomato juices, the salty prosciutto, the slight heat of pepper,
and the fragrant olive oil combined into perfect harmony.
“S-so good…!”
“Hey! Me too! I want some!”
Ryan, seeing her teary-eyed reaction, attacked the salad with equal ferocity.
And then the entire group dove into their food without hesitation.
The potato soup warmed their stomachs,
the fresh salad refreshed their palates.
But the highlight was definitely the butter-grilled baby corn.
At the last moment, Ji-gu mischievously added marshmallows—
which melted into the cheese and butter, creating the perfect sweet-and-salty blend.
Soon, the only sounds around the fire were clinking dishes.
Even talking felt like a luxury.
They finally came back to their senses only after the moon had begun to sink overhead.
