Kachi stood with her hands behind her back, looking like a world-weary young adult.
Chu He took a deep breath. The look in his eyes was no longer simple reverence. It was a fervor kindled by something called ambition.
He followed Kachi and once again stepped out through the heavy vermilion doors of Gluttony House.
BOOM—!
Outside, the aura that had been suppressed for so long surged toward them like a tangible storm.
It was mixed with the greedy drool of countless Anomalies, impatient growls, and desires that were practically boiling over.
A dense crowd of Anomalies had completely surrounded the open space in front of the door.
The more than a hundred pounds of offal they had sampled earlier had long since been snapped up.
The lucky few who had managed to taste a bite now had their eyes closed, their faces as blissful as if they were smoking spiritual opium. They smacked their lips, as though their souls were still lost in that fleeting burst of spicy, fragrant, crisp delight.
As for the many who hadn't gotten any, they were shouting themselves hoarse in frustration.
"Boss! Get the food going! I've been waiting so long my flowers have wilted!"
"Exactly! We've been standing in line forever, and we didn't even get a single bite! Are you actually running a business or not?"
"Cut the crap! Get that pot set up! My Ghost Coins are starving!"
The din was so deafening it could have torn the rooftops off the entire street.
Watching the frenzied scene, which was nearly out of control, Chu He calmly cleared his throat, raised a hand, and gently pressed it down.
"Everyone, quiet."
At his call, the crowd really did quiet down a little, almost as if by some miracle.
Countless red, green, and blue eyes locked onto him all at once, like spotlights.
A smile full of apology spread across Chu He's face, so sincere that no one could doubt it.
"First of all, I'm very sorry. I never expected everyone to be so enthusiastic."
"We only prepared a limited amount of ingredients today, so a lot of you came here for nothing. I didn't plan well enough."
His words softened the expressions of many of the Anomalies who had been seething with resentment.
"But don't worry!"
Chu He changed tack. His voice suddenly rang out, carrying a peculiar force that seemed to pierce through everything.
"Today was just an appetizer!"
"This shop—Gluttony House—will officially open tomorrow at four in the afternoon!"
"We'll have an even wider selection of dishes then, and I guarantee you'll all leave satisfied!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers.
But Chu He's next words were like a basin of ice water, instantly dousing every flame.
The smile at the corner of his mouth turned inscrutable. He spoke slowly and clearly, making sure every Anomaly could hear him.
"Of course, to guarantee the finest dining experience, starting tomorrow, this shop will operate on a membership system!"
He paused, savoring the instant silence that fell over the crowd.
"Each day, only thirty Gluttony Tokens will be issued!"
"Only honored guests carrying a Gluttony Token may enter."
"And the soup base is free forever for all guests with a token!"
The moment he said it, the entire crowd fell silent.
Three seconds later, they erupted!
"What the hell? Gluttony Tokens? Only thirty?"
A pig-headed Anomaly covered in rolls of fat jumped out and pointed at Chu He's nose, cursing. "You're just some guy selling offal. What gives you the right to limit the supply? You think you're Divine Chef Xia Yan?"
"Exactly! I've never heard of rules like that! Are you out of your mind, trying to drive up the price?"
"Membership? Why don't you fly up to the sky while you're at it? I've got money. There's nothing I can't eat. Why would I need you to hand me a token?"
Mockery, angry curses, and questions surged toward him like a tide.
Many Anomalies felt that both their dignity and their intelligence had been insulted.
A human relying on women to back him up, selling the lowest-grade "scraps," dared to pull a stunt like this in front of them?
Xia Yao's gaze turned cold at their words, but Chu He stopped her.
Chu He had expected this, and his smile didn't change in the slightest.
He knew that most of the ones shouting the loudest hadn't gotten to eat earlier and were still fuming.
"Everyone, quiet."
Chu He's voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to possess a kind of magic. Once again, it subdued the clamor.
"What this shop sells has never been ingredients."
He surveyed the crowd, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
"What I sell is an unprecedented experience! A miracle that will make even your souls tremble!"
"I think the friends who were lucky enough to sample it just now can honestly answer this: have you ever eaten anything better?"
At his words, the Anomalies who had tasted the food all nodded without thinking, their expressions turning exceedingly strange.
It really had been... damn incredible!
Seeing their reactions, Chu He felt reassured. He pressed his advantage, a hint of pride entering his voice.
"Maybe you think a human like me is making an absurdly bold claim."
"But my culinary skills have been personally praised by the famous Ghost Chef, Master Xia Yan!"
The two words "Xia Yan" exploded among the crowd like a real nuclear bomb!
Who was Xia Yan?
A legend in the world of Ghost Chefs! A god!
If you wanted him to cook for you, money didn't matter. Only your status and his mood did.
In the entire Anomaly world, only the nine supreme Royal Families were qualified to be his honored guests!
And this human claimed Xia Yan had praised his culinary skills?
Just as the Anomalies were starting to doubt him, thinking the man had taken his boasting too far, Chu He lazily pointed to Xia Yao and Kachi beside him, a teasing smile curling his lips.
"Would I lie to you? Were these two Royal Family princesses also pretending when they ate until their mouths were greasy and looked so happy they were about to pass out?"
"You don't have to believe me."
"But would you dare question the taste of the Void Gazer Royal Family and the Star Law Royal Family?"
Every Anomaly's gaze shifted back to Xia Yao and Kachi.
This... was hard evidence!
Just then, an Anomaly who looked like a demon, with a single horn on his head and a butler's uniform, suddenly shuddered. As if he'd remembered something terrifying, he shrieked:
"I remember! When this human dealt with that Taotie earlier, the chains he used carried the aura of distorted space! That was the Star Law Royal Family's secret art—the Spatial Divine Chain!"
Chu He froze. What Spatial Divine Chain? Wasn't it just a kind of Power of Space?
A single stone stirred up a thousand waves!
The Anomalies recalled what they'd seen, and the more they thought about it, the more their scalps prickled.
A human with two Royal Family princesses at his side, who wielded a secret Royal Family technique, and was even connected to the legendary Divine Chef Xia Yan...
Who exactly was this guy?
His backing wasn't just powerful—it could punch a hole through the sky!
For a moment, all the Anomalies who'd let their anger get the better of them and shouted insults fell silent. They felt a chill at the backs of their necks.
They didn't need to think too hard to realize someone like this was far beyond their ability to offend.
The mockery and curses they'd just thrown at him now felt like swords hanging over their heads.
Quite a few Anomalies had already started edging backward, trying to slip away in disgrace.
Chu He let out a sigh, too!
As expected, a little "borrowing the tiger's prestige"—no, the tiger's power—worked better than a thousand explanations.
He waved his hand, dismissing the crowd.
"All right, that's enough for today. You can all head home."
"If you want to experience an unrivaled delicacy, come back tomorrow at four in the afternoon, and bring your sincerity!"
The remaining Anomalies were reluctant to leave, but they knew there was no chance of eating today. They could only walk away, looking back every few steps, their eyes full of awe and fervor.
Soon, the area in front of Gluttony House was quiet again.
Chu He led the two women back inside and began making the final preparations for tomorrow's opening.
He cleaned all the remaining bags of offal.
Then he made a huge pot of soup base, divided it into dozens of portions, and put them in the freezer to cool!
As for things like tripe and liver, he planned to make them into side dishes and sell them separately!
He was incredibly grateful to Kachi. With her method, he'd not only saved himself a lot of effort, but he'd make more money too!
Xia Yao and Kachi didn't sit idle either. One erased the dust with a glance, while the other waved her little hand and put the tables and chairs back in place. They worked at an astonishing speed.
Once everything was ready, Chu He slapped his thigh.
"We need a sign!"
He immediately found an artisan Anomaly. Under the requirement that it be "simple and clear, with overwhelming presence," a huge sign was soon made and hung high over the entrance to Gluttony House.
Five large characters were carved across it in bold, sweeping strokes: Chu He Hot Pot Restaurant!
Next, he had someone put up an advertising board beside it. The slogans on it were even more shocking.
"A delicacy praised by the Royal Ghost Chef, Xia Yan!"
"Hot pot so delicious, it'll make the Queen cry!"
Kachi stood to one side, looking at the tacky shop name and the painfully awkward slogans that could make you cringe yourself a whole three-bedroom apartment. The corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
She couldn't hold back. She nudged Chu He with her elbow.
"Little He He, I seriously suspect your taste is going to lower our shop's standards and mess up my 'three-step squeeze-them-dry plan.'"
"Shows what you know!" Chu He said smugly. "That's contrast! Pairing the ultimate delicacy with the most down-to-earth advertising—that's what makes it relatable!"
Kachi rolled her eyes so hard they nearly disappeared, but her gaze held an affection she hadn't even noticed herself.
Never mind. As long as this idiot was happy.
By the time they'd finished everything, night had fallen.
Chu He looked up at the sky. "It's too late to go back to school now. Let's find an inn around here and stay the night."
"An inn?"
Kachi and Xia Yao's eyes lit up at the same time. For two Royal Family members who had always come and gone from palaces and divine kingdoms, the word "inn" was filled with novelty and temptation.
"Sure, sure! I've never stayed in one of these places ordinary people live!" Kachi clapped excitedly.
Xia Yao nodded in agreement.
The three of them locked the doors of Gluttony House and headed toward a place called House of Anomalies at the end of the commercial street. It looked fairly clean.
And there, Chu He witnessed a sight he would never forget.
Before you continue