[Egg-A-]
An egg laid by a chicken bonded with its owner.
It was laid by a chicken trapped in a coop, secretly stressed over time.
Because it received the owner’s love without missing a single day, it became a fairly good quality egg.
*Permanently increases Force by 1 upon consumption. (One-time only)
“A-? I’ve eaten countless eggs, but this is the first time I’ve seen this kind of info pop up. Plus, the egg is small.”
The Information Window appeared on other eggs as well, but unfortunately, there was only one A-grade egg.
A notification shimmered, catching my attention.
[You have harvested a product from livestock for the first time. From now on, you can view information on products obtained from livestock.]
“So that’s why. This must be the reason I suddenly got to see the egg’s info.”
After finishing my meal, the chickens gathered around me.
They all stuck their heads out, wanting to greet me.
As always, they wanted me to pet their heads…
I understood how they felt, but I was itching to rush to the fridge to compare the egg grades.
“I’m busy now, I’ll come back later, guys.”
Though I said that, I still petted each chicken’s head one by one.
(That feels good~)
(This is how the day starts~)
Satisfied clucking surrounded me as I practically ran toward the fridge.
‘Will the eggs I bought at the market also show information?’
The answer was ‘yes.’
[Egg-A]
An egg from a free-range chicken.
A Special Egg.
Average grade: A.
Or rather, just consider it A.
It’s so rare to find even a single B-grade in a whole tray.
‘Pretty good eggs, huh? So the ones from my chickens barely scrape the top-grade threshold. Still small, but they have stats attached.’
Come to think of it, even just looking at Mr. Kim’s chicken coop, it’s dozens, if not hundreds, of times bigger than my small, precious coop.
Since it’s almost the same as free-range, the grade difference is inevitable.
‘Should I let mine roam freely too? But this place is close to the mountains unlike Mr. Kim’s, so wild animals might attack…’
I headed to the coop to take a look around.
Watching Goldie eating, I realized there was no need to worry.
Since we can communicate anyway, no need to struggle alone—I could just ask.
“Goldie, do you like being protected inside the fence? Or do you prefer roaming freely outside?”
(Outside is better! I want freedom!)
“There are dangerous wild animals outside. You might get attacked. Are you sure that’s okay?”
(I know the owner’s worries. But I’ll beat them all!)
Goldie’s strong desire for freedom was clear.
No matter how big the coop is, staying only inside must feel suffocating.
“Alright then. I’ll leave the gate open now. But if you get attacked or feel danger, you have to make a big noise and run back inside. Got it?”
(Okay!)
(Freedom!)
(We are freedom!)
“And Goldie, you’re the leader, so protect the hens well!”
(Of course! I protect my girls!)
Goldie flapped his wings proudly.
His vow to protect his hens felt reassuring.
At that moment, my stomach growled loudly.
Come to think of it, I had woken up early but was so distracted I missed meal time.
‘The chickens aren’t starving, so it’s fine.’
I headed to the kitchen to satisfy my hunger first.
“Freshly harvested eggs…”
I lightly coated the frying pan with perilla oil and added sliced green onions.
The green onions began to cook in the perilla oil, already filling the air with a delicious aroma.
Tap tap.
I cracked two small eggs freshly harvested this morning into the pan.
Sizzleee.
Because the eggs were freshly harvested, the yolks were bouncy and pudding-like.
The once-clear egg whites began turning opaque with a sound that made my mouth water.
“Crispy at the edges.”
I held the pan’s handle and shook it gently.
The eggs and green onions wobbled around the pan as I moved.
The yolks must not cook—only the whites!
While the eggs cooked, I scooped freshly steamed rice into a big bowl.
Brown rice is tasty too, but plain white rice is the best match for soy sauce eggs.
I placed the two fried eggs on the steaming rice.
Then, a spoonful each of soy sauce and sesame oil.
I happily poked the bright yellow yolks with a spoon, letting them spill like a waterfall over the white rice.
Now, just mix well, and the soy sauce egg rice is ready!
“There’s no better rice thief than this.”
Soy sauce egg rice.
Easy to make and always delicious no matter when you eat it.
This is the taste of freshly harvested eggs.
Because they were so fresh, there was no fishy taste at all—clean and full of umami.
“Huh? Already done?”
True to its name as a rice thief, the bowl was empty in an instant.
‘Can I eat like this from now on? Wow… This is true happiness.’
It had only been a few days since I brought the chicks, and now I could harvest and eat eggs right away.
I rubbed my belly, feeling full and happy.
“Ah, maybe I should boil some too.”
I poured water into a large pot, adding a spoonful each of vinegar and salt.
After a while, bubbles started to rise, and the water boiled.
Carefully, I placed ten eggs harvested this morning into the boiling water and stirred gently in one direction.
They needed to boil for another 7 minutes, but maybe because of the soy sauce egg rice I just ate, I was already looking forward to tasting the boiled eggs.
Seven minutes later, I took the eggs out and cooled them in cold water.
Now, the soft-boiled eggs were ready.
I tapped a fully cooled egg on the table and peeled the shell off.
Thanks to the vinegar and salt, the shell came off cleanly.
Looking at the smooth white egg, I involuntarily salivated.
Gulp.
Why hadn’t I taken out the seasoned salt earlier?
I cursed my past self, took the seasoned salt from the cupboard, and poured some into a small dish.
I dipped the egg into the seasoned salt and popped it into my mouth in one bite.
“Krrr~ Perfectly boiled. Even the yolk, which’s usually dry, is soft! The seasoning is just right, it’s so delicious!”
Done.
Soft-boiled eggs made from freshly harvested eggs.
This alone was delicious enough, but…
I knew a way to make soft-boiled eggs taste even better.
I rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out an airtight container.
“Let’s start with about four.”
I put four boiled eggs and enough water inside, added seven spoons of salt, and mixed well.
“Done.”
Just put this in the fridge and that’s it.
After about a day of marinating, it becomes seasoned eggs with a salty, rich flavor.
I couldn’t keep this deliciousness to myself.
I grabbed five warm soft-boiled eggs, five raw eggs, and seasoned salt and headed out.
My destination was the home of Park, the elderly woman who had helped me a lot.
Eager to share these delicious eggs, I quickened my pace.
“Grandma! Are you home? Minho’s here!”
I called several times, but there was no answer.
Of course, she was out.
‘Maybe she went to tend to her crops?’
I headed to Park’s clan land nearby.
There, besides Park, two other elderly women were sitting together on mats.
It must have been time for a snack.
“Grandma! I’m here!”
“Oh, Minho’s here? What brings you here? Need more rice straw?”
“Park, it’s nice seeing young people often, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it’s good to see you more than just when you need something!”
Though gruff, Park’s mischievous smile made me feel glad I came.
“Hahaha, I’ve been raising chickens and wanted to share some eggs. I boiled some, would you like to try?”
“We’re old, boiled eggs make us choke…”
“Old folks need care too! Please try it!”
“Ta-da! These are soft-boiled eggs, so they’re tender!”
I took out a bottle of makgeolli I had brought in advance, catching the ladies’ full attention.
The number of bottles matched the number of grandmas perfectly.
“Wow, how nice~ Minho really knows how to treat us right.”
While the grandmas showered me with endless compliments, I shook the bottle.
Then, pressing the cap with my thumb, I carefully opened it.
Pssshhh.
The sound of carbonation releasing made my mouth water already.
I poured makgeolli into each cup, and we all took a sip together.
“Krrr, tastes so good!”
Then, I peeled each soft-boiled egg and handed them to the grandmas.
“Wow? The yolk is really soft!”
“How did you make these? Teach me.”
The eggs were more popular than I had imagined.
I regretted only bringing five soft-boiled eggs, thinking Park would be the only one home.
After listening to the grandmas’ stories for a long time, I finally returned home.
All of them were kind to me, but Park was a little more special.
Maybe it was the few cups of makgeolli making me nostalgic, but the memory of that day three years ago came flooding back.
I had barely survived the Dungeon, but my mind was shattered.
It was what people commonly call PTSD.
I somehow managed to endure the daytime.
Because there was light.
But at night… it was terrifying.
The moment I turned off the lights, every object around me seemed to attack.
So I had to keep the lights on in every room at all times.
“Jungho! You’re alive! Thank goodness…”
“…Brother, why are you the only one alive?”
“I, I…”
“Why? Why is it like this? I, a Hunter, died. Why are you…?”
Jungho’s body twisted grotesquely as he approached me.
“Why, why are you the only one alive? Why did the monsters leave you alone?!”
His monstrous scream was beyond terrifying.
Then their numbers grew—dozens, hundreds of monstrous Junghos charging at me to bite.
When I barely woke from the nightmare and went outside, people’s gazes followed me.
Their laughter and chatter sounded like they were about me.
“That’s the one who caused the Hunter massacre. Look, he survived alone.”
Gradually, I stopped going outside.
I cut off all contact with the world, starting from the TV, smartphone, and internet.
The only connection to the outside was my younger sibling, who occasionally visited.
My only family.
They must worry a lot…
Because I was trapped inside the house, I developed a hobby—gardening.
Plants make no noise, so I chose them.
But…
‘Why do they grow so well?’
I started lightly, but the plants seemed to rejoice every time I touched or watered them.
They grew vigorously every day, and I gradually began nurturing them with heart.
That was when the nightmares began to lessen.
Not gone forever, but fewer.
‘Maybe I should grow them seriously? Then the nightmares might disappear completely…’
Since I no longer had any attachment to city life, I thought about moving to the countryside.
To avoid people, I took a bus to Gangneung, Gangwon Province.
‘There are… too many people here.’
I lowered my head and chose paths with fewer people to avoid their eyes.
After walking for a while, a dilapidated sign saying ‘Chilcheon-ri’ caught my eye.
‘…Chilcheon-ri. Is this okay? First, find a house. I need a place to live.’
I headed toward a real estate agent, avoiding as many eyes as possible.
When I opened the door, village residents sat holding cups of coffee, chatting in a circle.
But as the warm atmosphere cooled, I was met with wary eyes from strangers.
“You’re an outsider. What brings you here?”
“…I’m looking for a house. Do you have any listings?”
“You have to get the Chief’s permission to move in. Go over there to the green-roofed house, the green outsider…”
The agent spoke curtly with suspicious eyes.
It made sense.
No sane person looking for a house would walk around with just a flowerpot, avoiding eye contact.
My unkempt hair and unshaven beard made me look even weirder.
“…Thank you.”
Still, I bowed politely and headed straight to the Chief’s house.
As I approached the gate, I heard lively voices from inside.
Feeling hesitant, I reached out my hand.
Knock knock—
“Are you there?”
“Come in!”
Inside, elderly men and women sat on benches in the yard, eating fruit and chatting.
One person wearing a green hat watched me suspiciously.
The Chief.
“I’m the Chief, but you’re not from this village.”
“…Hello. I’m Do Minho. I wanted to visit the Chief first to find a house here.”
“Our village doesn’t have much turf or anything… Do you have any ties here?”
“No… I don’t. I just happened to end up here for certain reasons.”
The Chief’s displeased expression was obvious.
Did he want to hear that I came here because I wanted to live in the village?
But my mental state was so fragile that I couldn’t even speak such a simple truth.
Then, unexpectedly, I received support.
“There aren’t many young people left in the village, so it’d be good if you came. Right? You’re tall and good-looking.”
“That old woman doesn’t look at her own hairdo! Tall my foot! With a ghostly bowl cut and bandit-like beard. Maybe he ran away after doing something bad!”
“He said he has his reasons. His eyes look kind. How long are we going to live with just old people? The village will disappear, and then you’ll regret it.”
After delivering a sharp remark to the Chief, the lady smiled kindly and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
That was Park.
That’s how I came to live in Chilcheon-ri.
Since it was a forgotten memory, the feeling was strangely ticklish.
After that, Park was always busy bringing side dishes and such.
She probably worried about me.
Taking a deep breath of fresh air, I returned home, but an unfamiliar feeling spread throughout my body.
It was quiet.
Nothing unusual.
‘No… the quiet is what’s unusual.’
By now, the chickens should be making a fuss, hungry.
My heart pounded.
Instinctively, I headed toward the field behind the house.
Where the chickens should be running around.
“Uh…?”
The field was splattered with blood.