Chapter 38: Chaotic Time
"Yin Kong's cooking is really that good?"
After getting over her initial disappointment, Miss Yoko looked at Yin Kong curiously.
In this era, Japan still upheld the idea that men belonged outside while women belonged in the home.
Unless cooking was their profession, men rarely cooked for themselves.
The most typical example was probably Mori Kogoro. Even though Fei Yingli's talent and accomplishments in the field of dark cuisine were probably enough to rival Lord Narukami the Great Shogun, he had never once considered cooking for himself.
In fact, for several years now, his underage daughter Ran had been doing the housework and cooking for him.
Of course, Paimon clearly did not think that way. The moment she heard about food, she immediately forgot her earlier embarrassment and introduced him proudly:
"Not really good—he's extremely good! Other than Xiangling and Akafia, I've hardly seen anyone else who's better at cooking than this guy..."
Daily Commission: [Cooking Showcase]. It was time to let the girl experience this world's cruelty. Prepare a dish on the spot. The higher its level and quality, the greater the reward.
Hearing the system prompt, Yin Kong looked at the idol and confirmed once again that she truly was a rich mine in every sense of the word.
"Eh, Yin Kong, you're cooking too? That's great! To be honest, I wasn't quite full just now. Since you're making it fresh, I want Fisherman's Toast, Satisfying Salad, and Radish Veggie Soup..."
Paimon's words made Ono Yoko glance at her again.
She knew Paimon could eat a lot, so she had prepared an especially generous breakfast—almost enough for five adults.
But now, it seemed she had still underestimated the little white fairy's appetite.
Paimon had already eaten food three times larger than her own body, yet she was still not full. Did this little thing's stomach lead to another dimension?
Still, despite her shock, Miss Yoko did not forget the "important matter" and immediately rose to her feet as well.
"I'll help too."
Unfortunately, Paimon stopped her outright, waving her hands as she explained:
"No need, no need. [Traveler] is really fast. No matter how complicated the food is, it'll be done with a clang."
Done with a clang?
Miss Yoko could not help laughing. As expected of little Paimon—even her descriptions were so exaggerated and adorable.
"But Paimon, why do you sometimes call Mr. Yin Kong [Traveler]?"
Paimon answered as if it were obvious:
"It's simple, because we've always been traveling."
Miss Yoko was very interested.
"Then you must have been to many places, right?"
Paimon nodded, replying with a proud expression:
"Of course! We're the best partners!"
"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is here!"
Just as the idol was about to press for more details, Yin Kong's call suddenly came from behind her.
She froze for a moment, then sharply turned around.
Then Ono Yoko discovered in utter shock that Yin Kong had already emerged from the kitchen carrying a golden jar brimming with Chinese charm.
Wasn't that far too fast?
From the moment Yin Kong entered the kitchen to the moment he came back out, it could not have been more than twenty seconds.
That was not even enough time to cut up a fruit platter, was it?
Of course, someone present was even more shocked than she was.
"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?!"
Yin Kong rarely used the phrase scrambling and crawling to describe a flying posture, but Paimon at that moment undoubtedly fit the description perfectly.
The moment Yin Kong set the jar on the table, she impatiently lifted the lid.
At once, a rich and domineering yet gentle and pure fragrance, layered distinctly yet blended flawlessly together, rapidly filled the entire living room along with the rising steam.
Paimon's tiny face was filled with delight and nostalgia.
"Wow, [Traveler], how did you remember this recipe? Wait! I know—it must have been Zhongli!"
That was indeed the case. Not only did the Geo Archon remember the recipe for Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, he remembered almost every recipe in Liyue, even their histories of development.
Although the lack of ingredients meant a considerable number of dishes could no longer be made, Yin Kong's menu had still expanded severalfold.
"Mountain and sea delicacies gather in one hall; when the jar is opened, the finest dishes release their fragrance."
By the time Miss Yoko came back to herself, she realized that she, Paimon, and Yin Kong had already divided up the entire jar of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall until not a drop remained.
The idol fell to her knees, feeling as though she had completely lost something. The small fighting spirit she had possessed was utterly burned away.
The instant that peerless delicacy entered her mouth, she understood that this level of cooking was probably no longer something that could be caught up to through hard work alone.
[Primogem ×20, Mora ×8150, Affection EXP ×70, Fine Enhancement Ore ×6, Mystic Enhancement Ore ×2]
He had actually gotten double rewards?!
Yin Kong blinked at the mission rewards. After standing there in a daze for several seconds, he finally confirmed that he had not misread them.
Not only had resources such as Mora been doubled—even the Primogems had given double the usual Daily Commission rewards.
He hurriedly opened his Adventurer Handbook again and confirmed that he had indeed completed only one Daily Commission.
Once he realized what had just happened, Yin Kong's eyes immediately lit up. Looking at Miss Yoko kneeling on the floor, his gaze became exceptionally eager.
Unfortunately, encountering such a mission was clearly not easy.
No matter how Yin Kong probed indirectly or carefully guided the conversation afterward, he was unable to trigger another similar mission.
"Miss Yoko, don't be discouraged. [Traveler] is special, so it's no big deal that you lost to him."
With their comfort, the idol finally regained her energy.
Only then did Paimon finally remember their real business.
"Right, Miss Yoko, haven't you noticed that today's weather is strange?"
"Strange? The weather?" Ono Yoko paused before asking doubtfully, "Tokyo doesn't get snow very often, but I wouldn't call it strange, would I?"
Paimon scratched her head.
"But wasn't it summer yesterday? And isn't snow supposed to happen only in winter?"
Miss Yoko was even more confused.
"But today is winter. What's strange about snow?"
"What? Miss Yoko, you're saying it's already winter today?" Paimon asked in shock. "But yesterday was summer, and today is winter. Isn't that strange?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Everything is wrong with that!"
Seeing that Paimon and Ono Yoko were looking at each other very strangely, Yin Kong immediately asked:
"Miss Yoko, may I ask what date yesterday was?"
Although Ono Yoko did not understand, she vaguely sensed that something was wrong and answered honestly:
"August 8th."
Yin Kong continued:
"Then what about today?"
Miss Yoko answered:
"November 24th. Mr. Yin Kong, has something happened?"
Chapter 39: The Tidal Sound of Revelation
"What day of the week was yesterday?"
"What day of the week is today?"
"What comes after three?"
"Four, of course?"
"Then why does Friday come after Wednesday?"
"Yes, Friday comes after Wednesday. Is there a problem with that?"
"Ugh, I can't do this anymore!" After repeatedly getting nowhere, Paimon could only turn to Yin Kong for help. "[Traveler], Miss Yoko is possessed, right? She has to be possessed, right?"
Ono Yoko immediately looked over as well, her expression somewhat uneasy.
After all, she knew that Yin Kong and Paimon were not ordinary people and could see dangers that ordinary people could not detect.
"Miss Yoko, there's no need to be nervous. I don't think this is your problem." Yin Kong first reassured the idol, then explained to Paimon, "If only her perception had become distorted, even the seasons and weather would not have been affected."
Paimon suddenly understood.
"That's right! This is an abnormality across the entire city. We just don't know whether the whole world has become like this."
Yin Kong spoke slowly.
"Zhongli told me yesterday that, in order to repel the Abyss, this world may have paid a price unknown to us. My guess is that this chaotic date is that price."
Paimon finally understood completely.
"But ordinary people like Miss Yoko can't notice the problem at all?"
Yin Kong nodded.
"I believe that is indeed the case. Just as, to us, today is followed by tomorrow and Wednesday should be followed by Thursday—if someone told you that all of that was wrong, you would only find it difficult to understand, wouldn't you?"
Paimon analyzed the situation.
"Wait, isn't this like the World Tree? Once the records in the World Tree are altered, everyone's perception is automatically corrected. Eh, then that means you and I are both exceptions this time."
Yin Kong corrected her.
"It is indeed very similar, but I think this situation is far more thorough than altering the World Tree."
After all, the World Tree could only alter existing records and the perceptions within people's minds.
True history itself would not change because of that.
But what they were facing now was genuine power over time.
Not only had the seasons outside changed, but people's lives had undergone tangible changes as well.
Take Miss Yoko before them, for example. When she hurried home from the crime scene yesterday, she had not actually brought many daily necessities or changes of clothes.
Yet now, warm winter clothes had appeared by the entrance.
If nothing unexpected had happened, the furnishings in her room and the bedding on her bed had probably automatically become winter versions too.
"Amazing! Is this the authority of time? It's incredible! Could there be an existence here like the Ruler of Time as well?"
"Perhaps."
Watching Paimon's awestruck expression, Yin Kong's own expression became somewhat strange.
Because this little one's true identity might not be beneath Istaroth's at all. There was even a strong chance that she was King Deshret's alternate account.
Naturally, Paimon did not notice any of this. She was instead filled with worry.
"So, this world isn't actually on the brink of destruction, is it? What do we do, Yin Kong? Hurry and have invincible Mr. Zhongli think of something."
Yin Kong patted the little one's head and comforted her with a smile.
"Even so, we do not need to worry too much. Invincible Mr. Zhongli has already said that aside from time, this world's other laws remain very stable.
So even if it really is on the brink of destruction, that would be a matter for the entire world.
For ordinary people, even if destruction truly comes, it will probably be decades—or even centuries—from now..."
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