Saturday morning came too fast.
Ah You woke up at six AM to the sound of heavy rain hammering against his window. The monsoon season was in full swing, and Kuching was getting drenched. He lay in bed for a moment, staring at the water-stained ceiling, wondering if he could just... not go.
The food expo. Full of professional people who'd take one look at him and know he didn't belong.
But he'd made a deal. Three thousand five hundred ringgit a month. Plus commission.
He couldn't afford to back out now.
[DAILY QUEST: Morning Routine]
[Complete basic training: 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, 10-minute meditation]
[Reward: +5 HP, +5 MP, Small stat increase]
The system had started giving him these daily quests yesterday. Apparently it wanted him to get in shape.
Ah You groaned and rolled out of bed. The floor was cold. He dropped down and started doing push-ups.
One. Two. Three.
By fifteen, his arms were shaking.
Sixteen. Seventeen.
He collapsed at nineteen, gasping.
"Fuck... this..."
[DAILY QUEST INCOMPLETE: 19/20 push-ups]
[Penalty: No bonus stats today]
"Oh, come on!" Ah You glared at the screen. "One more? Really?"
The system didn't respond. It never did.
He forced himself back into position and did one more push-up, arms screaming in protest.
[DAILY QUEST COMPLETE!]
[+5 HP, +5 MP]
[Strength +0.1]
[Note: Consistent training will yield better results over time]
Point-one strength increase. Barely anything.
But it was something.
He finished the sit-ups – those were easier – and then sat cross-legged on the floor for the meditation part. The system had given him basic instructions: close your eyes, focus on your breathing, try to sense the energy flow in your body.
It sounded like bullshit, but he tried anyway.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
At first, nothing. Just him sitting on a dirty floor in his underwear, feeling ridiculous.
Then, gradually, he started to feel... something. A warmth in his chest. A tingling sensation that spread through his limbs.
Was this MP? Mana? Life energy? Whatever the system called it?
It felt real. Tangible.
[MEDITATION COMPLETE]
[MP regeneration rate increased slightly]
[Perception +0.1]
Ah You opened his eyes. The room looked the same, but he felt... clearer. More alert.
Maybe this training thing wasn't complete bullshit after all.
---
By eight-thirty, he was dressed in his best outfit – the blue shirt from yesterday, a pair of black pants he'd bought secondhand but that looked decent enough, and shoes he'd actually polished last night using some old shoe polish he found under the sink.
He looked at himself in the cracked mirror.
Not great. But presentable.
His phone buzzed. Linda:
Car will pick you up at 9. Don't be late.
Car? She was sending a car?
Ah You looked out the window. A black Toyota Camry was parked in front of his building, hazard lights blinking. The driver – a Malay guy in a white shirt – was checking his phone.
Okay then.
Ah You grabbed his bag – just a cheap backpack with a notebook, pen, and his phone – and headed downstairs.
The driver saw him coming and got out to open the back door.
"Mr. Li?"
Nobody had ever called him "Mr." anything before.
"Uh, yeah. That's me."
"I'm Hafiz. Miss Linda sent me to take you to the convention centre."
The car smelled new. Or at least clean. The seats were leather. There was air conditioning that actually worked.
Ah You felt like he was in the wrong movie.
Hafiz drove smoothly through the rainy Kuching streets, navigating traffic with practiced ease. Soft music played on the radio – some Chinese pop song Ah You didn't recognize.
"First time going to the expo?" Hafiz asked, making conversation.
"Yeah."
"It's pretty big. Lots of people. Miss Linda goes every year." Hafiz glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "You work for her now?"
"I guess so. Just started."
"She's tough boss, but fair. You do good work, she takes care of you."
That was... reassuring? Maybe?
They pulled up to the Borneo Convention Centre twenty minutes later. The building was massive – all glass and modern architecture, sitting right on the waterfront. Cars were lined up at the entrance, dropping off well-dressed people with briefcases and expensive bags.
Hafiz stopped at the main entrance. "I'll be here when you're done. Just call this number." He handed Ah You a business card.
"Thanks."
Ah You got out, immediately getting hit by the humid air and rain spray. He jogged under the covered entrance, joining the stream of people heading inside.
The lobby was chaos.
Hundreds of people milling around, checking registration, greeting each other, speaking in a dozen different languages. Malay, Mandarin, English, various Chinese dialects. The noise was overwhelming.
Ah You pulled out his VIP pass and found the registration desk for VIP attendees – a separate, much shorter line. The woman at the desk scanned his pass and handed him a badge and a glossy brochure.
"Welcome to the Borneo Food & Beverage Expo. Your VIP status gives you access to all halls, including the premium supplier showcase in Hall A."
"Thanks."
He pinned the badge to his shirt and opened the brochure. The expo was divided into different halls:
- Hall A: Premium Suppliers & Importers
- Hall B: Local Producers & Organic Farms
- Hall C: Equipment & Technology
- Hall D: Restaurant Services & Consultation
Linda wanted him to check out suppliers, so Hall A and B made the most sense.
Ah You took a deep breath and walked into Hall A.
---
It was like stepping into a different world.
The hall was enormous – easily the size of two football fields – filled with booths and displays. Each supplier had set up elaborate presentations: fresh produce artfully arranged, samples being offered, salespeople in smart uniforms pitching their products.
The smell hit him immediately. Hundreds of different ingredients, all in one space. Fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, seafood, meat.
And his Nature Sense went absolutely haywire.
[WARNING: Sensory overload detected]
[Recommendation: Focus your perception to avoid overwhelming your mind]
Too late. The information flooding into his brain was insane. He could sense every plant-based product in the hall – thousands of them, all at once, all screaming their individual properties and qualities at him.
Ah You stumbled, grabbing onto a nearby pillar for support.
"You okay, bro?"
A young guy – maybe mid-twenties, wearing a polo shirt with "Green Valley Farms" embroidered on it – was looking at him with concern.
"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine. Just... a lot of people."
"First time at the expo?"
"That obvious?"
The guy grinned. "Little bit. Here, try this." He handed Ah You a small cup of what looked like fruit juice. "Fresh passion fruit from our farm in Serian. Helps with the nerves."
Ah You took a sip. It was incredible – sweet, tart, complex. And his Nature Sense could immediately tell it was high quality, freshly pressed, from plants that had been well cared for.
"This is really good."
"Thanks! We're trying to break into the restaurant supply market. Most places buy from the big importers, but local produce is fresher and cheaper." The guy extended his hand. "I'm Daniel, by the way."
"Ah You." They shook hands.
"You with a restaurant?"
"Sort of. Doing ingredient consulting."
"Nice! Here, take my card. If your clients need good local fruit, we can do bulk orders." Daniel handed him a business card with a cheerful logo of a pineapple.
Ah You pocketed it. "Thanks. I'll keep you in mind."
As Daniel went back to his booth, Ah You realized something: the initial sensory overload was fading. His brain was adapting, learning to filter the information. He could still sense everything, but now it was more like background noise that he could tune in and out of.
[NATURE SENSE LV2 adapting to environment]
[New skill developing: Selective Focus]
He walked deeper into the hall, notebook out, starting to take notes.
---
For the next three hours, Ah You methodically worked his way through the premium supplier section.
He discovered that his ability was absurdly useful here. While other attendees had to rely on sales pitches and sample tastings, he could immediately sense the quality of products just by being near them.
Booth #23 - Japanese Wagyu Importers:
Not his specialty – meat wasn't plants. But the vegetables they used for garnish samples? Mediocre quality. Probably not worth the premium price they were charging.
Booth #31 - Organic Herb Suppliers from Cameron Highlands:
Jackpot. The herbs were exceptional. He could sense the careful cultivation, the rich soil, the perfect growing conditions. He took three business cards and made extensive notes.
Booth #45 - Italian Truffle Importers:
Again, not his wheelhouse. But interesting. He sampled some truffle oil and could sense the infused botanicals. High quality, but overpriced for the Kuching market.
Booth #52 - Sarawak Pepper Trader:
This was what he'd been hoping to find. Sarawak pepper was world-famous, but quality varied wildly. He approached the booth, where an old Chinese uncle was demonstrating different varieties.
"Selamat pagi," the uncle greeted him. Good morning.
"Selamat pagi, Uncle. Can I see the white pepper?"
The uncle's eyes lit up – finally someone who knew what they were looking at. He pulled out several varieties, explaining the differences.
Ah You activated his Nature Sense fully, focusing on the pepper corns.
Information flooded in:
Variety A: Grown in Sarikei region. Good quality. Harvested three months ago. Flavor profile: sharp, clean, slight citrus notes.
Variety B: Grown in Bau. Excellent quality. Harvested one month ago. Flavor profile: complex, earthy, lingering heat. Superior to Variety A.
Variety C: Imported from Indonesia, labeled as "Sarawak pepper" (false claim). Medium quality. Harvested six months ago. Flavor losing potency.
"This one," Ah You pointed to Variety B. "This is the best quality. Recent harvest, complex flavor profile. Probably from Bau area?"
The uncle's eyebrows shot up. "Wah! You can tell just by looking?"
"I have some experience with spices. My grandmother taught me."
The uncle beamed. "Your grandmother sounds like a wise woman! Yes, this is Bau pepper. Very fresh batch. Most people can't tell the difference without tasting."
They talked for twenty minutes. The uncle – Mr. Tan – gave him samples, explained his sourcing process, and complained about competitors who sold inferior products as "premium Sarawak pepper."
Ah You left with another business card and a small bag of free samples.
[QUEST PROGRESS: Supplier Investigation 45%]
He was getting the hang of this.
---
By noon, Ah You needed a break.
He found the VIP lounge – a quieter area with comfortable seating, free coffee, and air conditioning that actually worked. He collapsed into a chair, pulled out his notebook, and started organizing his notes.
The lounge was half-full. Business people having quiet conversations, checking their phones, making deals. Ah You felt out of place, but nobody paid attention to him.
He was reviewing his notes on the herb suppliers when someone sat down in the chair next to him.
"Interesting reading?"
Ah You looked up.
The man was maybe forty, Chinese, wearing an expensive-looking suit and Rolex watch. He had the kind of face that smiled easily but with eyes that never stopped calculating.
"Just work stuff," Ah You said carefully.
"First time at the expo?" The man pulled out a gold cigarette case, then seemed to remember they were indoors and put it away. "I'm Kenneth Lim. Lim Trading Company."
He said it like Ah You should recognize the name.
"Li Ah You. Uh... freelance consultant."
"Consultant?" Kenneth's interest seemed to sharpen. "What kind of consulting?"
"Ingredient quality assessment. For restaurants."
"Interesting." Kenneth leaned back, studying him. "You're young for a consultant. What's your background? Le Cordon Bleu? Culinary Institute?"
"Self-taught," Ah You said, which was technically true if you counted "taught by a supernatural system" as self-taught.
"Even more interesting." Kenneth pulled out his phone, typed something, then showed Ah You the screen. It was a photo of expensive-looking mushrooms. "What can you tell me about these?"
Ah You looked at the photo. Just a photo – he couldn't use his Nature Sense on a picture.
"Can't tell much from a photo," he admitted. "Would need to see them in person."
"Honest answer. I like that." Kenneth put his phone away. "Most 'consultants' would bullshit me with confident nonsense." He stood up. "Come. I want to show you something."
"I don't—"
"Five minutes. I promise it'll be worth your time."
Against his better judgment, Ah You followed Kenneth out of the lounge and into a restricted section of the expo – an area marked "Trade Members Only."
Kenneth flashed a platinum badge at the security guard, who nodded them through.
The restricted area was smaller, quieter, with only about a dozen booths. These weren't flashy displays – these were serious business operations. The people here spoke in low voices, negotiating six-figure deals.
Kenneth led him to a booth at the back. No company name on the sign, just a simple number: "A-07."
Behind the table sat a woman in her thirties, Southeast Asian, with sharp features and sharper eyes. She was examining something under a magnifying glass.
"Melissa," Kenneth said. "I brought you a consultant."
The woman – Melissa – looked up. Her gaze swept over Ah You in about two seconds, taking in everything.
"He's a child," she said, accent suggesting she was Thai or maybe Burmese.
"He's honest," Kenneth countered. "Which is more than I can say for the last three 'experts' you hired."
Melissa set down her magnifying glass. On the table in front of her was a wooden box filled with what looked like dried roots or tubers. Dark brown, gnarled, unremarkable.
"Tell me what these are," she said to Ah You.
He activated Nature Sense.
The information hit him like a freight train.
These weren't ordinary roots. The energy signature was intense – way more potent than anything he'd sensed so far today.
Ancient ginseng. Minimum 30 years old. Possibly wild-harvested. Extreme medicinal potency. Energy concentration: VERY HIGH.
But something else was there too. A weird, almost... artificial quality to some of the roots. Like they'd been tampered with.
Three roots genuine. Two roots artificially aged or treated with chemicals to simulate age. One root possibly fake – different species passed off as ginseng.
Ah You's mouth went dry.
This was a test. And not just about the ginseng.
He looked up at Melissa, who was watching him with those sharp eyes.
"Three of these are real," he said slowly. "Old growth, probably wild-harvested. Thirty years minimum. High quality."
Melissa's expression didn't change. "And the others?"
"Two have been... treated. Chemically aged, maybe. They look old but aren't. And this one—" He pointed to a root on the left side. "—isn't even ginseng. Different species. Good fake, but fake."
Silence.
Kenneth was staring at him. Melissa's face was unreadable.
Then Melissa laughed – a sharp, surprised sound.
"Correct," she said. "All correct." She looked at Kenneth. "Where did you find this boy?"
"Picked him up in the VIP lounge five minutes ago."
Melissa turned back to Ah You. "Who taught you to identify fake ginseng?"
"My... grandmother." The lie was getting easier to tell.
"Your grandmother must be remarkable." Melissa pulled out a business card – sleek black with gold lettering. "I deal in rare herbs and medicinal plants. I could use someone with your skills. The pay is excellent."
Ah You took the card. No company name, just "Melissa Chen" and a phone number.
"I already have a job," he said.
"Keep the card anyway. In case you change your mind."
Kenneth walked him back to the main expo area. At the entrance to the restricted section, he stopped.
"Word of advice, kid. People like Melissa? They're playing a different game than normal businesses. Be careful if you decide to get involved."
"What kind of game?"
Kenneth just smiled. "The kind with real stakes. See you around, Ah You."
He walked away, leaving Ah You standing there with a black business card and a head full of questions.
[QUEST COMPLETE: Supplier Investigation]
[BONUS OBJECTIVE COMPLETE: Identified fake products]
[Rewards: +100 Esper Points, +1 Skill Book: "Advanced Plant Identification"]
[NEW TITLE UNLOCKED: "Discerning Eye"]
[WARNING: You've attracted attention from dangerous individuals]
Yeah. He was starting to notice that.
Ah You checked his phone. 1:47 PM. He'd been here for almost five hours.
Time to get out of here before he accidentally got recruited by any more mysterious people.
He headed for the exit, his notebook full of supplier information for Linda and his head full of uncomfortable questions about what he'd just gotten himself into.
Outside, the rain had stopped. Kuching's afternoon sun was breaking through the clouds, making the wet streets steam.
Hafiz's car was waiting where he'd left it.
"How was it?" the driver asked as Ah You got in.
"Educational," Ah You said.
That was one way to put it.
---
[To Be Continued]