After leaving their contact information, Pei Guang's group returned to Boulder Town. On the way back, it was clear that Seele was quite fascinated by the phone Pei Guang had given her: she was playing with it the entire way.
Not only her—Bronya was also engrossed in figuring out the device. As they studied their new gadgets, the two of them started chatting.
To avoid awkwardness, they both walked on the left side of the group while the others walked on the right. Despite being able to talk directly, they chose to text.
Seele: "This thing is amazing! It can take photos and videos. And from what I read, even if we're separated by the Underworld and the Overworld, we can still communicate."
Bronya: "Yes, and with this, I'm feeling more confident about my plan. Seele, do you think my plan will work? Pei Guang didn't say yes, and that makes me feel uncertain."
Seele: "Don't worry! With Pei Guang around, no matter how strong the enemy is, we can beat them."
Bronya: "Thank you."
Seele: "No need to be polite! We have the same goal. You want to protect Belobog, and I just want to survive longer down here. We need to support each other."
Bronya: "I'm glad I met you—and everyone."
Seele: "Save the mushy stuff for later. If you really want to thank me, do it in front of everyone once all of this is over. But this device is super handy. Whenever you run into trouble, just use it to contact me, and I'll come running!"
As the two continued their conversation, they suddenly heard March 7th calling them. Looking up, they saw her waving them over.
Seele and Bronya quickly put their phones away and walked over to join her. When they arrived, they noticed that Pei Guang and Stelle had already run off to a nearby food stand.
Seele asked March 7th, "What's going on?"
March 7th pointed at the food stand. "Oh, nothing serious. They saw a snack stand and got curious, so they went to check it out. Pei Guang even said there might be a hidden challenge there!"
The vendor running the food stall was named Turner. He was one of the few remaining snack vendors in Boulder Town. Though the snack business didn't make much money, he was determined to carry on the tradition that had been passed down through his family. Even though the Underworld and all of Belobog were facing destruction, he didn't want to let this craft die out.
In these harsh times, his snacks had become one of the best ways for residents of Boulder Town to enjoy a little comfort.
Seeing the two unfamiliar faces, Turner called out, "Hey, you two! Want to try the local specialty snacks?"
Stelle asked excitedly, "What kind of food do you have?"
Turner began his pitch: "Of course! Our specialties here are the red sausage and crystal lizard satay. Oh, and we're currently hosting a Competitive Eater Championship. Want to give it a try? If you can eat five plates of deep fried rock crabs in under 20 seconds, everything at this stand is free!"
While explaining, Turner presented the deep fried rock crabs. These crabs were considered... aquatic creatures from Belobog even though they live in rocks? Well, they had "crab" in their name, so they were treated as seafood.
Each one was about the size of a fist, with tender meat that was both savory and delicious. They were a common food in the Underworld, but because of the rapid spread of the Fragmentum, many of the farms had been destroyed, and it wouldn't be long before they became extinct.
One plate was enough to fill a person up, but the competition required you to finish five plates in just 20 seconds! The crabs were crispy from being fried, making them easy to eat in one bite.
Turner's introduction made Stelle eager to try. She was feeling a little hungry, and the smell of the crabs was so enticing that she couldn't resist.
As Turner finished his explanation, Pei Guang came over. "A Competitive Eater Championship? A hidden challenge? And you get a title for it? I'm in!"
Stelle: "Want to do it together?"
Stelle: "Shall we do this together?"
Pei Guang: "Of course, together! Five crabs in twenty seconds? Easy peasy!"
Hearing Pei Guang's confidence, Stelle puffed up a bit and said, "Yeah! Easy peasy!"
Seeing how confident they were, the vendor, Turner, said, "Alright, you two look so sure of yourselves! I'll get some water ready for you, just in case our giant crabs get you all choked up."
Though Pei Guang and Stelle were becoming famous, not everyone in Boulder Town recognized them. Besides, even though people had been talking about their presence in the town, Turner had no clue that the two in front of him were the heroes of the Underworld.
If he had known, he would've offered them everything for free, no questions asked. After all, they were the ones bringing hope to keep the town going. Even if they ate him out of business, he would've been glad!
Turner prepared ten deep fried rock crabs. As Stelle looked at the golden, crispy crabs, she gulped.
They were enormous: even if she only ate the meat, Stelle figured two would be enough to fill her up. She glanced at Pei Guang. "Pei Guang, are you confident?"
Pei Guang, completely calm, replied, "It's just a fun little side quest, right? We'll breeze through it. Twenty seconds for five crabs? Light work."
Stelle was shocked. She hadn't expected Pei Guang to be such a big eater. But at that moment, she felt the pressure from him—if Pei Guang could do it, how could she not?
Meanwhile, Pei Guang was puzzled about why Stelle seemed so nervous. After all, with an inventory space, doing the eating animation and storing the food away was standard player behavior, right?
As the two prepared, Turner started calling out to the townsfolk, "Citizens of Boulder Town, come take a look! Another brave soul is here to challenge for the title of the town's eating champion!"
Hearing Turner's shout, some elderly folks and children playing nearby gathered around. Seeing Stelle's small frame standing at the stall, someone called out, "Can they really do it? They look pretty confident."
Another spectator laughed, "They've gotta be joking! Look at them, they're as skinny as a pair of twigs. There's no way they can eat that much! After a day of hard work, I can only manage one and a half at most."
Turner added, "Brave challengers, would you care to share your names with the crowd?"
"Pei Guang!"
"Stelle!"
When they called out their names, the crowd gasped in shock.
"Our heroes!"
"The heroes are joining the eating contest? How can they lose? Tell me, how do they lose?"
"Just look at them, standing tall and proud. They're going to crush it, no doubt."
Turner was stunned as well. He hadn't expected the participants in his little contest to be the heroes of the Underworld. Forget the eating contest; if they had revealed their identities earlier, he would've gladly let them have everything on the menu for free.
Turner said, "You two..."
Pei Guang raised a hand. "Say no more! I'm entering this contest, and I'm winning it!"
Stelle, now infected with Pei Guang's confidence, added, "That's right! We're definitely winning!"