Sausage Business Empire

The moment they decided on it, Lin Kun and Oscar got to work! They immediately slipped into the pitifully crude kitchen. Luckily, Teacher Shao—the Food System Spirit Saint and the academy's head chef—was out today, giving them room to experiment.

Lin Kun handled the ideas and "technical guidance," while Oscar used his soul power to condense sausages. After half a day of fumbling around, suffering several failures involving "soul power going out of control—sausages flying everywhere" and "failed seasoning ratios—weird flavors," they finally achieved some preliminary results!

They cut Oscar's Recovery Great Sausages into small pieces and threaded them onto sharpened bamboo skewers. Then they tried several simple seasonings: some were sprinkled with cumin and chili powder to make "Spicy Recovery Skewers"; some were brushed with a little honey to make "Honey Spirit Power Skewers"; others retained their original flavor but were renamed "Original Power Supply Blocks."

Looking at the "products" before them, now completely transformed in both appearance and name, Oscar was beside himself with excitement. "It worked! Lin Kun! Doesn't this look much better?"

Lin Kun picked up a Spicy Recovery Skewer and took a bite. The flavor could not compare to the barbecue stalls from his previous life, but the sausage itself still restored soul power and stamina. With the seasonings masking that subtle original texture, it was indeed much easier to accept!

"Come on, Oscar. Let's find our first taste-testers!" Lin Kun said confidently.

The two first sought out Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who were sparring on the training ground. They had just finished a fight, and both were breathing heavily, having expended quite a bit of soul power.

"Dai Laoda, Fatty, try our new product! Oscar's Custom Spirit Power Skewers! Free samples!" Lin Kun enthusiastically handed them two Original Power Supply Blocks.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun accepted them skeptically. Looking at the perfectly ordinary skewers, they hesitated for a moment before taking a bite.

"Huh? This tastes pretty good!" Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up. He finished it in a few bites and immediately felt a warm current flow through his body. Much of his expended soul power and stamina recovered. "The effect is great too! It's way more comfortable than eating that Great Sausage directly!"

Dai Mubai nodded as well. "True. Prepared like this, it's much easier to eat. Oscar, not bad!"

Having earned Dai Laoda and Fatty's approval, Oscar's face turned red with excitement. His gaze toward Lin Kun was full of gratitude and admiration.

Next, they found Tang San and Xiao Wu resting beneath a tree.

Xiao Wu looked at the skewers, still somewhat hesitant. "This... really isn't that..." "Absolutely not!" Lin Kun immediately promised. "Look, even the shape is different now! It's just an ordinary meat skewer! Oscar made it with soul power. It's clean, hygienic, and filling!" Tang San carefully examined it with his Purple Demon Eye. Finding nothing wrong, he took a bite and nodded. "The taste is fine, and the recovery effect has not been weakened. Xiao Wu, try it. It's better than dry rations." Only then did Xiao Wu cautiously take a bite, and her face immediately brightened. "Wow! It really is delicious! Give me another honey-flavored one!"

Finally, they even worked up the courage to offer two skewers to Zhu Zhuqing, who was cultivating nearby with a cold expression. Zhu Zhuqing looked at them and remained silent for a moment before accepting them. She quietly finished them. Though she said nothing, her slight nod counted as approval.

Miss Ning Rongrong could not stop praising the Honey Spirit Power Skewers. She even offered packaging suggestions. "If you could wrap them in pretty oil paper and tie them with ribbons, you might be able to sell them for a high price in Suotuo City!"

The first round of taste-testing was a huge success! Oscar's Custom Skewers received unanimous praise from Shrek's Monsters—at least on the surface!

Just as Lin Kun and Oscar high-fived in celebration and prepared to discuss mass production and sales plans, a sinister voice suddenly sounded behind them.

"Oh? Running a side business? Doing business in the academy? Did you get my approval?"

Dean Flander had appeared behind them at some point, pushing up his glasses as a sharp glint flashed across the lenses.

Oscar shuddered in fright. Lin Kun's heart tightened as well, and he hurriedly explained, "Dean, we were just making these for fun and improving our meals..."

Flander picked up a Spicy Recovery Skewer, inspected it, took a bite, chewed a few times, and nodded. "Mm. The taste is decent, and the effect has not been lost. You two have some business sense."

Then his tone shifted as he stared at them. "However, carrying out commercial activities on Shrek territory with products made from the Martial Spirits of Shrek students... shouldn't you pay some venue fees, brand usage fees, technical support fees, and the like?"

Lin Kun and Oscar: "..."

Here it came.

Lin Kun forced himself to ask, "Dean, how should we pay?"

Flander stroked his chin and chuckled. "Simple. From now on, I get a share of this business. I'll provide 'official certification' and 'sales channels'—which really just means I'll allow you to sell in the academy. As for profits... seventy-thirty. I get seventy."

"Seventy percent?!" Oscar cried out. "Dean, that's way too ruthless!" Lin Kun's mouth twitched as well. This was even harsher than the commission cuts of certain platforms in his previous life!

Flander's eyes widened. "Ruthless? Without my approval, do you think you could keep this business running? And do you think Teacher Shao's kitchen is free to use? Isn't firewood money? Aren't seasonings money? I'm already giving you a friendly rate because this is your first offense... ahem, because you're a startup!"

Lin Kun calculated rapidly. Although they were being fleeced badly, with Flander's "official certification," they could at least sell legally in the academy. With the dean backing them, they might truly be able to open up sales channels. It was still better than being banned outright.

He gritted his teeth. "Dean, seventy-thirty is fine! But we have one condition!" "Oh? You still dare to make conditions? Let's hear it." "We need initial startup capital! At least ten Golden Spirit Coins to buy bamboo skewers, seasonings, and packaging! That money will be deducted from future profits!" Lin Kun attempted to get something for nothing.

Flander narrowed his eyes at Lin Kun for a long while, then suddenly smiled. "Kid, you've got guts! Fine! I... this dean will invest!" He actually took out ten Golden Spirit Coins from his clothes and tossed them to Lin Kun. "Remember! This time next month, I want to see the first dividend payment! Otherwise, heh heh..."

Holding the weighty ten Golden Spirit Coins and watching Flander's retreating back, Oscar felt as though he were dreaming. "Lin Kun... we... we just secured investment?"

Lin Kun wiped away a cold sweat. "More or less... it's just that this investor is a little too ruthless. Oscar, we're going to be busy from here on out!"

Ding! Successfully activated the hidden business route "Sausage Revolution" and received Flander's "investment." Reward: 100 Breakdown Points. Long-term mission activated: "Sausage Tycoon." Mission requirement: Successfully promote "Oscar's Custom Skewers" and achieve sustained profitability. Point rewards will be granted based on profit amount.

Although Flander had taken the lion's share, they had at least taken their first step! Shrek Academy's first "school-run enterprise" was born!

Just as the Sausage Business was getting started, Shrek Academy welcomed a heavyweight figure—Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang!

Flander had invited him over overnight. When Grandmaster saw Tang San, Xiao Wu, and especially Lin Kun at Shrek Academy, an extremely complicated expression appeared on his face. There was surprise and gratification, but even more solemnity.

He first called Tang San aside for a long private conversation, then summoned Lin Kun as well.

In the office, Grandmaster looked at Lin Kun with sharp eyes. "Lin Kun, you have given me another 'surprise.' Passing Shrek's assessment proves that my judgment back then was correct. Your Martial Spirit and that Spirit Ring are anything but ordinary."

Lin Kun was on guard inside, though he remained respectful outwardly. "Grandmaster, you flatter me. I was merely lucky."

Grandmaster waved a hand, his tone serious. "There is no luck here. Only data and logic. I reviewed your assessment records, especially that... interference ability you used on Zhao Wuji. Was that the effect of your Spirit Skill?"

Knowing he could not hide it, Lin Kun could only admit it. "Yes. My first Spirit Skill, Information Overload, can forcibly stuff certain analyzed information into someone, causing brief mental interference."

A sharp light blazed in Grandmaster's eyes. "An Information-based Spirit Skill?! As expected! It perfectly matches the characteristics of your Book Spirit! Show it to me!"

Lin Kun had no choice but to use his Spirit Skill on a vase beside them, packaging and stuffing in previously recorded, inconsequential information about the vase material, floral pattern, possible origin, and so on... The vase showed no reaction.

Yet Grandmaster watched with immense focus and even took out a notebook to record his observations. "Ineffective against non-living bodies? Does the target need mental activity? Are there limitations on information type? What is the consumption?..."

The barrage of professional questions made Lin Kun's scalp tingle. He could only give vague answers that were half true and half false.

At last, Grandmaster closed his notebook and looked at Lin Kun, a trace of fanaticism in his voice. "Lin Kun, the combination of your Martial Spirit and Spirit Skill possesses enormous research and development value! It may overturn the traditional Spirit Master Combat Mode! I hope you can cooperate with me in a series of tests and data collection. It will also be of tremendous benefit to your future!"

Here we go again! Lin Kun groaned inwardly and hurriedly found an excuse. "Grandmaster, I'm very willing to cooperate! But I currently owe Dean Flander a large sum of money. I need to find a way to earn money and repay my debt first, or the dean will send me to dig mines..."

Grandmaster froze for a moment, clearly not expecting this complication. He frowned, seemingly very dissatisfied with Flander's profiteering behavior, but there was nothing he could do. He could only say, "In that case, earning money and repaying your debt comes first. But your cultivation cannot fall behind! Starting tomorrow, I will put all of you through special training! Your ability can also be trained and tested during it!"

The next day, before dawn had even broken, piercing whistles echoed throughout Shrek Academy.

Still bleary-eyed, everyone gathered on the training ground, where Grandmaster and Flander were already waiting. Grandmaster was expressionless, while Flander wore a look of eager anticipation.

"Starting today, I will be responsible for your physical conditioning and theoretical teaching." Grandmaster's voice was icy. "Shrek's teaching method is actual combat! Constant actual combat! Breaking through your limits under extreme conditions!"

"The first training item: endurance running! No soul power allowed. Run twenty laps around the village! The last person gets no breakfast!"

Everyone looked at the village, which was several times larger than Nuoding Academy, and sucked in a cold breath! Twenty laps without using soul power? That would kill them!

But Grandmaster gave them no chance to bargain and directly ordered them to begin!

The brutal special training had begun! Endurance runs, weighted cross-country, stress resistance training, underwater breath-holding... all kinds of extreme physical challenges came one after another, tormenting everyone half to death. Even Dai Mubai and Tang San, who possessed the highest soul power, complained bitterly, let alone Lin Kun, whose soul power was the lowest.

Lin Kun relied almost entirely on willpower, along with the occasional faint thread of Cool Mental Power passed over by Little White. Yet his Insight Skill and Book Spirit were frantically recording and analyzing everyone's physical fitness data, limit points, recovery speeds, and even the logic behind Grandmaster's training plan.

He discovered that although Grandmaster's training was brutal, it was highly targeted. Each person's training intensity and methods were adjusted slightly, aiming to squeeze out their potential to the greatest extent while avoiding permanent damage.

During this time, Grandmaster also cleverly incorporated Lin Kun's Information Overload Spirit Skill into the training. For example, when Dai Mubai and Tang San fought, Lin Kun would suddenly fill one of them with information about the other's next attack intent, testing their ability to make on-the-spot changes of tactics. Or when Lin Kun himself was nearing his limit while running, he would fill himself with the false information that "a beauty is chasing from behind"—which was not true at all—to stimulate his explosive potential...

This training method was highly effective, but it consumed an enormous amount of Lin Kun's mental power. After several days, his soul power had not increased much, but his mental power had become considerably more refined, and his control over his Spirit Skill had grown increasingly precise.

Grandmaster trained him to death during the day, and at night he still had to work overtime with Oscar to prepare the next day's Sausage Skewers—because Dean Flander was waiting for his share of the profits. Lin Kun felt as though he were about to fall apart.

But when he saw the slowly rising points in the system, as well as the occasional extra rewards triggered by "new progress in the Sausage Business" or "an outstanding performance during special training—forced out by Grandmaster," he felt that it was all worth it.

Still, he always felt that Grandmaster's gaze toward him was becoming increasingly heated, as though he were planning some even more "terrifying" research. As for Dean Flander, every time he saw Lin Kun and Oscar, his first question was always, "How much did you make today? Where's my share?"

Life at Shrek Academy truly was like hell... yet it also brought pain and joy. Lin Kun's journey of "breakdown" continued with difficulty amid sweat, debt, and the smell of sausages.