Chapter: Power Growth
[Positive Emotion Value +5]
[Positive Emotion Value +4]
[Positive Emotion Value +11]
...
The cavalrymen from the Northern Fortress tasted the beef buns, and Cheng Yu's positive emotion points kept climbing.
The counter in the upper right corner of the system panel jumped steadily—from 38 to 43, from 43 to 47, from 47 to 58...
Over a hundred cavalrymen had sampled Cheng Yu's beef buns. He'd gained more than 800 positive emotion points.
Finally, the counter settled at 892 points.
More than 800 points. What should I exchange for?
This world was dangerous. He might as well dump everything into strength and defense.
One strength point cost 100 positive emotion points. Same for defense.
He'd exchange for 4 strength and 4 defense.
[Host has spent 800 Positive Emotion Points. Strength +4, Defense +4]
Cheng Yu returned to the system's main interface and checked his personal attributes.
Host: Cheng Yu
Cooking Skill Level: Max
Strength: 391
Defense: 391
Skill: Silver Moon Shockwave
Equipment: Dragon-Pattern Golden Knife
Clenching his fists, Cheng Yu felt his strength increase slightly.
Mina stood behind him, still giving him a back massage. "Are you a warrior too?"
Last night, Cheng Yu had killed five demon soldiers as easily as slaughtering chickens. She guessed he might also be a warrior.
"My profession? Obviously, I'm a chef."
"Uh..."
Mina was speechless.
You're stronger in combat than I am, and you're telling me you're a chef?
In addition to his powerful strength and defense, Cheng Yu's attribute panel now had an extra skill: Silver Moon Shockwave.
He stood up and raised his right hand, beginning to charge the skill.
Magic power from the surrounding environment gathered toward him, attaching to his palm. His hand glowed with bright white light.
Surprise flickered in Mina's eyes. She was very familiar with this skill—it was clearly the Silver Wolf Clan's innate ability: Silver Moon Shockwave.
Why did Cheng Yu, a human, possess the Silver Wolf Clan's innate skill? Could he also be Silver Wolf? But why didn't he have ears and a tail?
After charging for ten seconds, Cheng Yu thrust his right hand forward. The magic power in his palm transformed into a half-meter-long silver energy shockwave that shot forward.
The silver energy wave flew fast, striking the trunk of a large tree fifty meters away.
Bang!
The trunk exploded. Sawdust scattered, and a bowl-sized crater was left behind.
The power of Silver Moon Shockwave was moderate, but it was useful for long-range harassment in battle.
"Wait, how can you—a human—use our Silver Wolf Clan's innate skill?"
Mina's face was full of confusion. Her hands rummaged through Cheng Yu's thick black hair, searching for traits of the Silver Wolf Clan—like animal ears.
After searching for a while, she found nothing.
"Maybe I also have Silver Wolf blood in my body," Cheng Yu said casually.
Her eyes lit up. Mina suddenly understood. "Oh! I see! You're a hybrid of humans and Silver Wolves, right?"
There was no reproductive isolation between different races on the Celsis Continent. When humans and beastfolk interbred, their offspring carried mixed bloodlines.
Maybe Cheng Yu's ancestors had bred with the Silver Wolf Clan, so his blood was mixed with theirs, and it just happened to awaken in his generation.
Hybrid?
"Good observation. Don't say it like that again."
Cheng Yu didn't know where Mina had picked up that term. He corrected her. "It's called 'mixed blood,' not 'hybrid.'"
"Uh... is there a difference?"
Mina touched her chin and thought for a moment. The two words seemed pretty similar to her.
"Don't question your master."
"I'm a private college graduate. You're illiterate. My understanding of language is better than yours."
Private college graduate?
Mina didn't quite understand Cheng Yu's unfamiliar terminology.
That afternoon, Cheng Yu went into Bailu Town to hire a carpenter to repair the living room floor and the broken door. While he was there, he also bought meat and seasonings.
Another day passed.
In the morning, Karl led a dozen cavalrymen and arrived on schedule.
However, this time, in addition to the cavalrymen in their silver-white armor, there was also a chubby young man and an old man in a gray robe.
After entering the manor, the group dismounted and walked toward the wooden house.
"Brother Cheng Yu, we're here again!"
Karl hopped off his horse with a smile and strolled into the manor.
Four large steamers sat on a stone table in the manor garden. Cheng Yu and Mina were packing buns into small paper bags for Karl and the others.
Seeing the beef buns in the steamer, the short, pudgy young man's eyes lit up. He rushed over to the steamer and started eating one after another, not caring that they were scalding.
"Hey, Fatty, who the hell are you?"
Cheng Yu kicked out, his foot landing squarely on the fat man's rear. Of course, the kick wasn't that powerful—just a light warning.
The fat man's rear had plenty of cushioning. Cheng Yu's kick was mostly absorbed by the padding, so it didn't hurt.
The fat man ignored Cheng Yu's flying kick entirely, continuing to stuff buns into his mouth. He spoke incoherently. "Ah, sho delishush... sho good... sho good..."
What the hell!
Karl's eyes went wide, his face full of shock. Boss Cheng Yu just kicked the third prince! Fortunately, the third prince's rear is well-padded.
Yesterday, General Barney had brought two beef buns to the third prince.
After tasting them, the third prince was shocked to discover the buns were not only far better than the northern fortress's military rations—they were even better than the delicacies served in the palace.
So the third prince had tracked down Karl and insisted on coming along to buy buns.
However, royal family members couldn't be too conspicuous when moving among the common folk.
So the third prince had asked Karl not to reveal his identity as a prince.
Seeing the fat man show no signs of stopping, Cheng Yu was about to intervene again when Karl hurriedly stepped in. "This is my friend. His name is Maxi Bernard. He's a first-tier mage. Let him eat if he likes."
"..."
Since Karl vouched for the fat man, Cheng Yu didn't stop him.
The buns were packed and handed over to Karl's cavalry.
Karl pulled out one gold coin and sixty silver coins and handed them to Cheng Yu. "This is payment for today's buns."
Cheng Yu pocketed the money.
The short, pudgy young man named Maxi was stuffed to the brim. He rubbed his round belly and exclaimed, "Such delicious food for only twenty copper coins each—it's way too cheap! I'd like to call Boss Cheng Yu the conscience of the culinary world!"
"Really? Then I'll raise the price to fifty copper coins tomorrow."
The fat man thought the buns were too cheap, so Cheng Yu immediately hiked the price.
Hearing Cheng Yu raise the price, Karl suddenly had the urge to punch Maxi.
But the other party was the third prince of the Black Sun Empire. He didn't dare.
The gray-robed old man beside them also ate two buns, a look of surprise on his face. "I've lived for decades and eaten countless dishes. This food called 'buns' can easily rank in the top ten for flavor."
"Boss, I heard you used to sell egg fried rice in Bailu Town and were quite famous. Could you fry a portion of fried rice for me to try?"
Having tasted the delicious buns, Maxi wanted to try Cheng Yu's egg fried rice.
"I don't sell fried rice anymore."
Cheng Yu was focused on selling buns now, not fried rice.
Seeing Cheng Yu refuse the third prince's request, Karl panicked slightly and stepped closer. "Boss Cheng Yu, our cavalry unit supports your business every day. We're all so familiar with each other. Could you do us this favor?"
"...Fine."
Yesterday, Karl had warned Cheng Yu about the demon soldiers—a genuine act of kindness.
Cheng Yu agreed to Karl's request.
Then he turned to Maxi. "Fried rice—small portion is thirty copper coins, large portion is fifty copper coins. Which do you want?"
"That cheap?"
Maxi looked slightly surprised.
Karl wanted to cry. Third Prince, please stop talking, or he'll raise the price again.
Cheng Yu smiled. "Bringing food happiness to the common people is my purpose as a chef."
"I'll take two large portions."
Maxi looked at Karl. "Captain Karl, you can head back first. My teacher and I will finish the fried rice here before returning."
"Then I'll take my leave."
Karl and his cavalry departed the manor with the buns.