Reika was mortified beyond words. How had her simple job interview turned into a joint audition with some mysterious, ridiculously handsome martial arts expert? As she trailed behind Zephyr Nightbane, her mind replayed the heart-pounding scene from moments ago. Am I here for a job, or did I just sign up to watch a master take on street thugs? she silently fumed.
The two of them reached the manager, who still hadn't fully recovered from the earlier shock. He nervously rubbed his hands together, his gaze shifting between Zephyr and Reika.
"Erm... You're both here for the job, right?" The manager cleared his throat, clearly suppressing the urge to kneel before Zephyr, who had just casually slapped the Voidclaw Brotherhood lackeys aside like some deity in disguise.
"That's right. We're here for the job," Zephyr answered with perfect calm, waving his hand as if the earlier fight had been nothing worth mentioning.
Reika nodded, trying her best to act casual. "Yeah, we're here to, uh, work."
The manager took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, and handed them both application forms. "Well, then... please fill these out. We're hiring people with knowledge of pill-making. How much experience do you two have with alchemy?"
Reika's brain froze for a second. Alchemy? The only "success" she'd had with alchemy was that time she accidentally made a dumpling explode and scared off a spirit beast. There was no way she could admit that! Why didn't the book warn me about this?! she cursed silently.
Zephyr calmly took the form and began filling it out without a word. He looked so confident that Reika felt like a total amateur standing next to him.
"Uh, about alchemy..." Reika forced an awkward smile, her mind racing for an excuse. "I'm, um... very skilled in making pills. Especially, uh... spirit dumplings."
"Spirit dumplings?" The manager blinked, clearly baffled. He had never heard of such a thing.
"Yeah, spirit dumplings!" Reika's brain kicked into overdrive as she seized on her wild idea. "They're a unique kind of pill that not only restores spirit energy quickly but also, you know... fills your stomach at the same time! Two benefits in one!"
"Dumplings... as pills?" The manager looked even more confused now, trying to picture what that could possibly look like.
Zephyr, standing nearby, barely held back a laugh but managed to keep a straight face. "Spirit dumplings? Why don't you show us a demonstration?"
Reika shot him a glare. Stop fanning the flames! But she forced herself to nod. "Of course! But, uh, not today. These kinds of 'divine pills' aren't something you just whip up on a whim."
The manager, surprisingly, seemed to buy it. After all, anyone who had just stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Zephyr and helped fend off the Voidclaw Brotherhood deserved the benefit of the doubt.
"Well, well... since you both seem to have such unique backgrounds, how about this—we'll let you do a trial run for a day and see how you perform," the manager suggested, deciding this was the safest approach.
"Sounds great!" Reika nodded quickly, internally thrilled that she had managed to dodge the bullet for now.
The manager then led them to the kitchen, where it was bustling with activity. Smoke of various colors wafted from the pill furnaces, while staff members hurriedly worked to mix and prepare ingredients. Reika took a deep breath, only to immediately regret it as the overwhelming herbal smells hit her nose. This is a disaster... I've definitely come to the wrong place. These pill recipes are giving me a headache just looking at them!
Zephyr, on the other hand, strolled confidently over to one of the furnaces, pulled out a few spirit herbs from his pouch, and began expertly mixing them together.
Reika stood there, slack-jawed. How is he so good at this?! Who is this guy, really? The blank book had told her to find him, but was this so she could become his student or something?
The manager peeked into the room and, seeing Zephyr's flawless technique, gave him a thumbs up. "Mr. Nightbane, you're incredible! A true pro!"
Meanwhile, Reika nervously laughed along, only to notice a staff member approaching her. "Miss, could you... lend a hand with the pill-making too?"
Reika's heart shot up into her throat. "Pill-making? Me? Uh... I'll... I'll just, uh... watch the pots for now!"
"Watch the pots?" The staff member looked puzzled.
"I mean, I'll observe everyone's technique, you know, learn by watching, ha ha ha..." Reika fumbled for words before spotting a large pot in the corner and darting over to it, pretending she had something important to do.
Standing over the pot, Reika stared down at the swirling concoction inside, her mind a jumble of panic. What do I do? I don't know anything about alchemy!
At that moment, Zephyr glanced over at her and casually said, "No need to stress. Alchemy's all about understanding the flow of spirit energy and the nature of the ingredients."
Reika mentally screamed. You think I don't know that?! I just don't know how to do any of it! But she forced a smile, trying to appear calm. "Ah, yes, of course. I'm just... gathering my thoughts. You know, preparing my mind."
＊＊＊
Just as Reika was racking her brain, trying to figure out how to avoid exposing her rookie alchemist status, the atmosphere in the kitchen suddenly became tense.
Outside the Five Flavors Restaurant, chaos erupted in the most ridiculous way possible. A disheveled cultivator with a bright red face came barreling down the street, his entire body smoking like a bonfire. He clutched his stomach and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Get out of the way! I'm on fire!"
Every step he took left a scorched mark on the ground, steam hissing from his feet. He looked like a walking firework ready to blow. Onlookers stared in disbelief as he raced past, murmuring, "Isn't that Senior Brother Li from the outer city, one of the most powerful Golden Core cultivators? What's got him running like he swallowed a volcano?"
Senior Brother Li continued his desperate sprint, followed by a crowd of gawking cultivators, their laughter filling the air. He finally burst through the doors of the Five Flavors Restaurant, his body radiating heat as he stopped in front of the manager, panting heavily, his face twisted with rage. "Manager! What in the world was that 'Blazing Burger Pill' you gave me?! My stomach feels like a volcanic eruption! I ran fifty miles, and I'm still burning!"
"Fifty miles?!" The manager's eyebrows shot up so high they almost flew off his face. He had never heard of anything like this before.
"Yes, fifty miles!" Senior Brother Li's face contorted in agony, his spirit energy practically evaporating from the intense heat. He looked like he was moments away from turning to ash.
The scene quickly became a source of entertainment for the surrounding customers. One alchemist doubled over in laughter. "Ha ha ha! That Blazing Burger Pill really lives up to its name! He's practically flying!"
Another alchemist, eyeing Reika with a mischievous smirk, teased, "Reika, could this be your masterpiece? How on earth did you make a pill that sends people running fifty miles?"
Reika's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she lowered her head, unable to respond. Ever since she started working at Five Flavors, she had been secretly observing the other alchemists, trying to learn their techniques. But somehow, her creations always ended up with... unexpected side effects. Today's "Blazing Burger Pill" was just the latest disaster in a long list of culinary mishaps.
"How could this happen?" Reika berated herself silently. Her hands just wouldn't cooperate, and her success rate with alchemy was embarrassingly low. Last time, her "Sashimi Pill" scared customers half to death, and now her Blazing Burger Pill had sent Senior Brother Li sprinting across the city like a human torch.
The manager, smiling awkwardly, was clearly not pleased. "Reika, you've really done it this time. You've practically roasted a Golden Core cultivator alive!"
Senior Brother Li, still fuming (literally), grabbed the manager by the collar and roared, "Do you realize I almost became a barbecue?! You call this a minor mistake?!"
The other alchemists couldn't resist snickering. "Reika, maybe you should quit while you're ahead. Even Golden Core cultivators can't handle your pills."
Reika clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up inside her. "I've been trying so hard, but these stupid hands just won't listen..."
For three long weeks, Reika had been sneaking around the kitchen, watching the other alchemists, yet her failure rate was through the roof. The "Blazing Burger Pill" was just the tip of the iceberg—there were plenty more embarrassing disasters waiting in the shadows.
The manager finally sighed and waved his hand in resignation. "Reika, I don't think our restaurant can afford to keep you around. Maybe it's time for you to find somewhere else to work."
Hearing those words, Reika's heart sank. She had hoped to learn something valuable here, but instead, she was being kicked out before she'd even scratched the surface of real alchemy.
Zephyr, who had been quietly observing the whole debacle, remained as calm and composed as ever, a faint smile playing on his lips. He glanced at Senior Brother Li and thought to himself, There's definitely something wrong with these pills. Looks like they've been laced with banned substances. But now's not the time to expose it...
Zephyr had already sensed that something was off with the Five Flavors Restaurant, but he chose to keep quiet for now. As he noticed Reika's dejected expression, he felt a subtle pang of sympathy.
Time to move on to the next lead, he thought, making up his mind.
"Manager, I'll be quitting too," Zephyr said suddenly, his tone casual, as if quitting a job was the most insignificant thing in the world.
The manager was caught off guard by Zephyr's abrupt resignation, but he quickly nodded. With everything in chaos, he didn't have the energy to argue.
Reika packed up her things and walked out the door, feeling a wave of disappointment wash over her. "Maybe I'm really not cut out for this..."
She had been fired. It wasn't exactly a surprise, but it still stung. After all, she hadn't even had a chance to properly steal any of the alchemy secrets before being booted out. The whole thing left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Just as her thoughts started drifting, she heard a familiar voice call out behind her.
"Reika, wait up."