"Damn it! I traveled all the way to the newbie village and spent 3,000 gold coins, only to come up empty-handed!" the Great Merchant fumed, while Feng Qingyang shook his head, recognizing that the stall owner was truly beyond conventional understanding.
...
At this moment, Zhao Shen, the subject of everyone's ire, found himself surrounded by four muscular men.
"You can't leave! If you do, the mission will fail!"
The air around them was thick with fire elemental energy, making it even hotter than in the newbie village; speaking just a few words caused beads of sweat to form. In such an environment, stamina became an invaluable asset.
Blazing Balaka was a typical level five dungeon, easily cleared by five players, provided they worked in unison. However, this newly recruited novice had the audacity to announce his intention to exit the dungeon as soon as he entered! How could the other four possibly tolerate that?
"I told you, I clicked the wrong button and accepted the party request! I had no idea you all jumped right into the action!"
Even a novice like Zhao Shen realized the situation after assessing his surroundings—he had mistakenly joined a party and was pulled into the dungeon without warning.
"Brother, now that you're inside, why insist on leaving? Remember, you can only enter a normal dungeon three times a day, and the experience you gain here far outweighs what you would earn grinding for two hours!"
...
One of the players, anxious that Zhao Shen might actually exit, attempted to coax him back.
"I don't want experience."
Zhao Shen's response was shocking; his sole ambition was to become a culinary master. Experience points were meaningless to him, as they wouldn't enhance his dishes.
"Brother, upon clearing the dungeon, you'll receive 15 gold coins! Understand that a part-time job only pays about 18 yuan an hour!"
Another player chimed in.
"I do not desire gold."
For Zhao Shen, 15 gold coins were trivial; perhaps in the past, he would have considered it, but now he remained unmoved.
"Friend, you must know that Blazing Balaka is abundant in various ingredients, and the monster meat can even be consumed raw, delivering an exquisite flavor that is an invaluable resource."
Initially, Zhao Shen had dismissed such offers, but now he felt a twinge of hesitation. Was it truly fair to abandon these players after they had invited him? Of course, he would not change his steadfast resolve solely for a few ingredients.
...
"I..."
At that moment, the tantalizing aroma of cooked meat wafted through the air, wrapping around Zhao Shen's senses and evoking distant memories of his father's culinary creations from his childhood, the name of which he could barely recall.
He envisioned his father standing by the stove, a white apron tied around his waist, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, using just two simple utensils to create a dish that would forever be etched in Zhao Shen's memory. Holding a carton of milk, he poured it into a scorching iron pan, a satisfying sizzle producing a fragrant cloud of steam as he turned and smiled, saying, "This is called 'The Great Splash of Ink!' It's the first step in making beef cheese."
The chili peppers were sliced in half, the insides carefully scraped of their membranes, seeds, and stems. As he preheated the pan and added three spoonfuls of oil, Zhao Shen vividly recalled his father's hand hovering above the oil to gauge its temperature, the vigorous tossing and flipping that danced in his mind. The serious expression on his father's face, the furrows on his brow, conveyed the importance of what he was doing—the very soul of a chef, a skill that Zhao Shen had yet to master!
...
A gleaming steel blade suddenly interrupted Zhao Shen's reverie, resting against his neck, its tip mere inches away. The player who had initially pulled him into the party, Bai Yue, brandished his weapon.
"Delay further, and you'll find yourself leaving this world!"
"Alright, I don't want gold or gear, but all the ingredients must belong to me."
Zhao Shen shrugged nonchalantly. In the presence of such tempting ingredients, he was reluctant to leave so easily. Since he couldn't think of suitable materials, he might as well explore his surroundings.
However, this display left the others feeling disdainful, perceiving Zhao Shen as cowardly. Nevertheless, as long as he agreed not to exit the dungeon, they were content.
Unfazed by the dagger at his neck, Zhao Shen thought back to his encounter with Dayu, a level ten player he had faced without fear; how could he be intimidated by a few level five novices, even if he himself was also level five?
"Seriously? Where's your weapon, brother?"
Zhao Shen produced his Culinary God's frying pan and chef's knife, the pan dark as if it absorbed all surrounding light, while the knife gleamed with a sharpness that was undeniably lethal. Yet, they remained mere kitchen utensils.
"This is my weapon," Zhao Shen declared earnestly.
"What about your class? Don't tell me you only have a crafting profession and no combat skills!" Bai Yue barely contained his frustration, incredulous at the absurdity of this unlikely recruit.
Zhao Shen nodded, realizing that since entering the game, he had become immersed in the world of culinary mastery to the point of neglecting any notions of combat professions.
...
As the five navigated through the fiery foliage of Blazing Balaka, the realization that Zhao Shen was merely a dedicated life player lifted a significant weight off the hearts of the remaining four. Where on earth had this naïve chef come from? How could a pure life profession like cooking survive in this game?
The need for communication and information exchange among teammates was entirely absent, allowing Zhao Shen to relish his tranquility.
...
"Kid, hurry up; do you want your ingredients or not?"
Perhaps Zhao Shen's previous demeanor had left a lasting impression, for his teammates' tones had noticeably shifted. They withheld any goodwill towards this laggard, while Zhao Shen remained indifferent, a mere cook uninterested in the violence that surrounded him.
At that moment, a sudden rustling followed by a catlike shriek echoed through the jungle. A Fire Spirit Cat lunged toward Bai Yue, but even as the attack emerged unexpectedly, Bai Yue drew his longsword with calm confidence.
The Fire Spirit Cat, one of the most formidable minor creatures in Blazing Balaka, moved with exceptional agility. Yet, Bai Yue swiftly struck the airborne creature, sending it crashing to the ground. His skillful execution drew admiration from everyone present—a testament to Bai Yue's prowess as a seasoned gamer.