I opened a BBQ joint in the apocalypse. While others are fighting zombies on empty stomachs, I'm feasting on sizzling, fatty pork belly every day. 1 This is my third day in this world. I stared at the pork belly grilling on the rack and let out a heavy sigh. Three days ago, a gas tank exploded in my restaurant. When I opened my eyes, both my BBQ joint and I had been transported to this godforsaken wasteland. There’s no one here. Just ruins everywhere you look. At night, there are no streetlights. Beyond the glow of my shop, it’s pitch black. The craziest part? There are zombies. Real-life, blood-soaked, limb-missing zombies like in the movies! Fortunately, for some reason, the zombies can’t enter my shop. So I’ve been hiding out here, safe and sound. I flipped the pork belly. Once it turned golden brown and started dripping oil, I took it off the heat, blew on it, and stuffed it into my mouth. Fragrant, fatty, delicious. My culinary skills are still top-tier. But there’s a catch. My shop currently has an endless supply of pork belly and beer, but literally nothing else. Every time I try to grab other ingredients from the fridge, an invisible barrier blocks my hand. A robotic voice chimes in: "Please open for business. Serve customers to unlock remaining ingredients." After three days of nothing but pork belly, I’m about to throw up. But where are the customers? Aside from the wandering zombies, there isn’t a soul in sight. I can’t exactly invite a zombie in for a cold one, can I? I squatted by the door, holding a skewer, sighing and hoping a customer would fall from the sky. After squatting until my legs went numb, the doorway remained empty. The night was thick with fog, and the only sounds from the distant ruins were the wails of the undead. In this pitch-black world, my BBQ joint was the only speck of light. I downed the last of my beer and was about to head to the back room to sleep when a staggering figure appeared at the door. I thought it was a zombie, but then I squinted—it was actually a person! A young guy, maybe 5'9", with a round face. Although he was covered in blood and stumbling, his eyes were clear... It was a real, live human! He was staring at me in shock, utter disbelief written all over his face, his hand trembling as it rested on the window. A customer! My brain screamed. Before I could even think, my hand flew to open the door. I put on my best customer-service smile, just like back at the night market: "Hey handsome, want some BBQ?" 2 Kyle sat in a daze at the BBQ table. It was a real BBQ joint. Surrounded by cheap green plastic chairs stained with grease, kegs of draft beer in the corner. The disposable chopsticks on the table looked cheap—classic night market style. The air was filled with the scent of roasting meat, mixed with oil and spices. Familiar yet strange. How long had it been since he’d eaten BBQ...? Since the apocalypse started three years ago, he hadn’t had a decent meal. Once a chubby guy pushing 200 pounds, he was now a scrawny 130. He was practically skin and bones. And now... he looked up at the shop owner. Was this BBQ joint in the ruins real or a hallucination?! The young female owner was grinning as she grilled a handful of pork belly. The fat rendered over the fire, dripping onto the charcoal with sizzling pops. The scent of cumin drifted through the air, melding with the meat aroma, making his stomach cramp and his mouth water uncontrollably. Kyle thought he should leave. This was the apocalypse. Nations had fallen. Only a fraction of humanity remained. How could a BBQ joint exist in a place like this? And such a normal BBQ joint at that—which was abnormal in itself! But the smell of grilled meat was like a rope, binding him to the spot. He couldn't move. His eyes were glued to the skewers over the fire. He wanted to snatch them and shove them down his throat! Luckily, the torture didn't last long. The owner sprinkled a final dash of chili powder, pressed the meat onto the grill one last time, and piled twenty skewers onto a plate. She then filled a huge glass mug from the beer keg. The frosty beer mug instantly beaded with condensation. She placed the tray and beer on Kyle's table with a smile. "Thanks for waiting!" The steam from the skewers hit his face, carrying an aggressive, delicious aroma. Kyle was stunned by the smell. He stared blankly at the slightly charred pork belly and hesitated: "Is this... for me? Can I eat it?" The owner laughed. "Of course. But do you have anything to pay with?" Kyle thought for a moment, then frantically dug a few green crystals out of his pocket. He scratched his head, handing them over sheepishly: "Is this okay? Level 1 zombie cores. They can buy two corn cakes right now..." He lowered his head as he spoke, knowing their value was far less than this pile of meat. After all, this was meat. In the first year of the apocalypse, all livestock vanished. He couldn't remember the last time he ate meat. Frozen meat sold for astronomical prices on the black market, if you could even find it. And this pork belly looked incredibly fresh. Kyle's face flushed red. He wanted to run, but he was glued to the seat. It smelled too good. Even just one bite! These crystals were his only wealth. He had gotten beaten up protecting them just now. To his surprise, the owner picked up the crystals with curiosity, looked them over, and nodded. "Sure. If it's not enough, tell me, I'll grill more." She went back to the counter. Kyle stared at her in shock, but the aroma of pork belly had already infiltrated every pore, bypassing his brain entirely! He grabbed a skewer and shoved it into his mouth— The meat was tender. Incredibly tender. Probably marinated beforehand. The fatty parts were charred just right. When he bit down, the hot oil and savory juices exploded in his mouth, scalding him. But he couldn't bear to spit it out. He didn't even feel the burn anymore, chewing every piece with reverence. Chili, cumin, sesame... the medley of flavors made Kyle’s eyes sting with tears. He finally realized what food meant. After this bite, he could die happy! "Drink some beer, don't just eat the meat!" The owner called out: "It's fresh draft, changed daily." Kyle paused and looked at the beer. The huge glass was frosted over, water droplets sliding down its sides onto the table. The scent of wheat and alcohol mixed together. He grabbed the handle with trembling hands and took a slow sip. The ice-cold beer, carbonated and sharp, washed down his esophagus, instantly quenching the heat from the spicy meat. Every pore in his body sighed with relief! Kyle slammed the mug onto the table, eyes red, and shouted: "Awesome!" The owner glanced over and smiled. Before Kyle knew it, the twenty skewers were gone. When he snapped out of it, the plate was just a pile of metal skewers. No meat left. The beer mug was empty, not a drop remaining. Kyle rubbed his stomach, disappointed. He wasn't full. His stomach was screaming for more. But he clenched his empty pocket and gritted his teeth to stand up. Seeing him stand, the owner trotted over. "Done? Want to order more?" Kyle smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Thank you... I'll come back when I have money." He took a deep, lingering sniff of the lingering aroma, pushed open the door, and stepped back into the night. 3 I lay in bed that night, holding the crystals, grinning like an idiot. Customer served. New ingredients unlocked, right? Sure enough, when I opened the fridge, the crystals vanished from my hand. Reaching in, alongside the pork belly, I pulled out a giant squid. Grilled squid, my love! Those twenty skewers were worth it! I picked out a few squids and threw them on the grill. I was so sick of pork belly. Tonight’s dinner: Grilled Squid! ... For the next few days, no new customers came. This place is desolate. Aside from passing zombies, there are no living things. I survived on pork belly and squid for half a week. Even the squid was starting to lose its appeal. Was my prayer heard? Just as I wished for a new customer, there was a knock on the door again. I looked through the glass. It was the customer from last week. The boy named Kyle. He was shouting anxiously: "Boss! Boss, please save my brother! I can pay with crystals!" I realized he was supporting someone. It was too dark to see clearly before. The man was hurt badly, blood dripping everywhere. He couldn't stand straight, leaning heavily on Kyle. Kyle's eyes were red with desperation. "Boss, please! I brought crystals this time, lots of crystals!" This kid was polite when he paid last time and didn't ask too many questions. I liked him. I quickly opened the door to let them in. "What happened?" Kyle wiped away tears, voice full of hate. "People ambushed me for my crystals. My brother came to save me and got jumped!" "He would have been fine, but he just killed a Level 4 zombie and hadn't recovered yet..." "Those animals!" He clenched his fist, then begged: "Boss, do you have medicine? I'll trade all my crystals!" He pulled handfuls of shiny crystals from his pocket. Green, yellow, red. They rolled on the table, glittering beautifully. A few days ago, I was living in a peaceful city. The worst violence I saw was a drunk fight with beer bottles. I'd never seen a living person this bloody. I didn't care about the money. I told Kyle to put the man on the cot in the back room. It was my nap bed—small, but clean. Kyle struggled to get him onto the bed. His brother was tall, probably over 6'2". His feet hung off the edge. I got a basin of hot water and wiped the blood off his face with a damp towel. Pushing aside his blood-matted hair, I realized this man was handsome. High nose bridge, sharp jawline. Even with his eyes closed, his thick lashes trembled. Even unconscious, his brow was furrowed tight in pain. His clothes were soaked in blood. I hesitated and handed the towel to Kyle. "You do it." Kyle didn't hesitate. He ripped his brother's shirt open right in front of me. Wow. Defined muscles. That six-pack was stacked neater than my meat inventory. But it was covered in fresh wounds and old scars. Such a waste of a prime human specimen. I peeked from the side, handing bandages to Kyle. Since I lived in this shop, doing prep work and grilling, I kept a stock of basic meds. Kyle glanced at me, grateful. "Thank you, Boss. I'll repay you." I waved my hand. "Don't mention it." 4 When Leo woke up, he found himself in a bed. He froze. Since the apocalypse began, he had rarely slept in a bed. Zombies were like a plague. Once one person was infected, the whole area fell. So they slept on the ground, sometimes out in the open. Sleeping sitting up was a luxury. Usually, he'd wake up every hour or two. He hadn't slept this well in a long time. Leo moved slightly, feeling the warmth of the down comforter. It smelled faintly of body wash. It was pumping heat into his body, cold from blood loss. As he looked up, a girl smiled and handed him two white pills. "Awake?" "You have a fever." The girl was pale, with great skin. She didn't look like she belonged in the apocalypse. Her eyes curved when she smiled, voice crisp. "Take some antibiotics." Leo looked at her pale palm. Two white pills lay there. His pupils contracted. After the apocalypse, medicine prices skyrocketed. Pharmaceutical factories shut down. Drugs were scarce. Three years in, even a box of expired antibiotics cost several Level 3 crystals. And now, this girl was casually offering them like candy. Leo felt dazed. Was it poison? But his silly brother Kyle was urging him excitedly: "Bro, eat it quick!" If she wanted to kill him, she could have done it while he was out. No need for tricks. Leo paused, then took the pills and swallowed them with the warm water she offered. "Thank you," he whispered. He fished a few red crystals from his pocket. "These are Level 3 crystals. For the medicine." The girl didn't hesitate, grabbing them all. "You're not well, so you should eat light. But unfortunately, I only have BBQ here. How about some pork belly and squid? Mild spicy?" Leo didn't process what she meant, but his idiot brother jumped up. "You have squid now?! Boss, give me 10 skewers! I brought enough money this time!" The girl rolled her eyes and gestured a size about the length of her forearm. "My squid is this big. Ten will kill you. I'll grill 4, and 50 pork belly skewers. Beer?" Kyle nodded furiously. "Yes! Large mugs!" Leo rarely felt this helpless. Since the apocalypse, he became strong quickly. He could solo Level 4 zombies. But right now, he felt like an idiot. He didn't understand a word they were saying. Pork belly? Squid? Beer? Are these code names for new ration bars? How could BBQ and beer exist in the apocalypse? But he watched as the girl put on an apron and struggled to pull a huge bundle of skewers from a freezer. The frozen squid was multicolored and covered in ice crystals. It really was as big as she said. Leo was lost. This really is a BBQ joint. When they were ambushed and he got hurt, Kyle dragged him here, saying there was a shop with a nice owner who could save him. He thought Kyle was hallucinating. Until they actually saw that tiny light in the cold night, and he passed out. So Kyle wasn't crazy. There really was a shop?! Leo picked up the towel. It was still hot. He wiped his face, feeling sensation slowly return to his body. Over there, the girl had started the fire. Squid on one side, pork belly on the other. Sizzling. The fat from the pork dripped onto the charcoal, popping and crackling. The girl brushed oil onto the whitening squid, its edges curling. She pressed it down with a metal plate. Sizzle. Then she brushed on a thick layer of sweet and spicy sauce. The unique aroma of teppanyaki squid filled the room. "Mild spicy, right?" Her technique was pro. Fifty skewers of pork belly turned from red to golden brown, mesmerizing to watch. Kyle wiped his mouth, staring at the grill unblinkingly, like a dog waiting for scraps. Leo muttered, dazed: "...Sure." The girl grabbed a shaker of chili powder, dusted the meat, and let it roast for two more minutes. "Order up! Kyle, go pour the beer. Mugs are in the bottom cabinet." "Yes ma'am!" Kyle sprang into action, grabbing three glass mugs and opening the tap on the keg. Golden, clear beer rushed into the mug, topped with thick white foam, smelling of malt. Even Leo, who faced zombie hordes without flinching, rubbed his eyes and pinched his thigh. Hiss. It hurt. It's real. Kyle dragged the plastic table and chairs in front of Leo and turned on the overhead light. The light reflected off the oily sheen of the meat. "Bro, eat! With your constitution, a little BBQ won't hurt!" Kyle invited the girl to sit, then downed half his beer in one go. His face scrunched up, then relaxed. "Awesome!" "I've been dreaming of this. Saved all these crystals just to binge on skewers!" He grabbed a hot skewer of pork belly and stuffed it in his mouth— Explosion of flavor! "This is life," Kyle said tearfully. "How long has it been since I had a full meal? Eating corn cakes and wild greens every day, my throat has calluses." The girl clinked her glass against his. Leo swallowed involuntarily. "Eat!" the girl urged him. "You paid enough. Don't worry, there's plenty more in the fridge!" She handed him a squid skewer. The seafood umami mixed with charcoal and spices hit him like a cavalry charge! Warm lights, steaming meat, ice-cold beer. Leo looked at the skewer in his hand. His brain short-circuited. This was too unreal. Like a dream. A beautiful dream. He tentatively lifted the skewer. It was so big it needed two sticks. Thick sauce coated it, smelling sweet, salty, and spicy. He glanced at the other two, then took a bite. Thick, bouncy meat with a slight crunch. The unique texture of squid mixed with the sauce filled his mouth. It was real squid. Not dried tofu or synthetic meat. His mouth, used to tasteless rations, spasmed in delight. Leo ate faster and faster. Before he knew it, he was holding two empty sticks. He hadn't even realized he finished the whole thing. He felt awkward. He was always the protector, saving the best for the elders and kids in his clan. Now he lost control. But the other two didn't look at him. Kyle's mouth was stuffed with pork belly, mumbling: "Bro, try the pork belly. It's insane!" The girl boasted, "I use the best pork belly. Almost $3 a pound. Didn't overcharge you!" "Right, right! Great value!" Kyle struggled to swallow. So Leo picked up a pork belly skewer... That night, they ate and grilled, grilled and ate. By the time they were full, a mountain of skewers sat on the table. Leo swallowed the last piece, sighed in satisfaction, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Then he saw the pile of sticks and froze. They ate so much! How much was this going to cost?! The crystals they brought definitely weren't enough. What now?! Maybe he could leave Kyle here to wash dishes!
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