Gaming Aftereffects

At dawn, on the training grounds of Shrek Academy's inner court, the main team members were conducting their daily combat sparring.

But today, Elder Xuan gnawed on a chicken leg as he supervised them, feeling that something was off about these little brats.

"Chen Zifeng! Draw your sword! Is your Soul-Chasing Sword for embroidery? Why are you so slow?" Elder Xuan scolded indistinctly through mouthfuls of chicken.

On the field, Chen Zifeng held the Soul-Chasing Sword as he sparred with Dai Yueheng.

Yet this time, Chen Zifeng showed no reaction to Elder Xuan's scolding. He merely stared fixedly at Dai Yueheng's shoulder.

"Startup... he's raising his hand!" A sharp glint flashed through Chen Zifeng's eyes.

The instant Dai Yueheng threw a punch, Chen Zifeng did not use a soul skill to block it head-on. Instead, he made a move that left everyone present utterly baffled.

Clang!

From an awkward angle, the Soul-Chasing Sword in his hand lightly tapped the weakest point of Dai Yueheng's fist force.

Deflect!

Though there were no game-like visual effects, Dai Yueheng's powerful punch was actually knocked off course by that seemingly light strike. His center of gravity faltered, and he stumbled one step forward.

"Deathblow!"

Chen Zifeng shouted instinctively and thrust his sword straight at Dai Yueheng's lower back.

"Fuck!" Dai Yueheng felt a chill down his back. The battle instincts he had cultivated over many years made every hair on his body stand on end.

But his next reaction was even more absurd.

Without a second thought, he rolled forward in a standard tactical roll, using his invincibility frames—even though they did not exist in reality—to narrowly evade the strike.

Then he got up, raised both arms to protect his chest, and shouted, "Drink a potion! Cover me!"

Everyone was stunned.

The chicken leg in Elder Xuan's hand fell to the ground with a slap.

The other inner court disciples watching nearby, however, were completely unsurprised. They even nodded as they commented.

"That roll was textbook. Looks like Boss Dai died plenty of times yesterday."

"Chen Zifeng's sword had a hint of Ashina Style to it. It would've been perfect if he'd followed it with a Mortal Blade."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Elder Xuan finally could not take it anymore. With a flash, he appeared in the middle of the field and glared at the disciples.

"What are you doing? Performing some kind of ritual?"

"Chen Zifeng, who taught you to use a sword like that? Where are your soul skills?"

"Dai Yueheng, you're a White Tiger, not a gopher! What kind of disgrace is this, rolling all over the ground?"

Facing Elder Xuan's questioning, Dai Yueheng patted the dirt from his body with a solemn expression. "Elder Xuan, this is called tactical evasion! When Soul Power is depleted, or when facing an unbeatable giant beast, this kind of roll is more useful than taking the attack head-on."

Chen Zifeng also sheathed his sword and stood calmly. "Elder Xuan, I realized that I relied too much on soul skills before! A true swordsman should learn that hesitation is defeat."

For a moment, Elder Xuan was speechless.

He turned toward Yan Shaozhe beside him, his beard trembling. "Shaozhe, this is the result of the special training you mentioned? Did these kids train until they went stupid?"

Yet Yan Shaozhe wore a gratified expression. "Elder Xuan, you don't understand. This is the elevation of combat awareness! It might look strange, but think about it. In real combat, wouldn't that roll just now have saved Dai Yueheng's life?"

Elder Xuan paused and recalled the scene from earlier.

Indeed, though the posture had been unsightly, the reaction speed and grasp of timing had been practically textbook-perfect.

"That place... is it really that miraculous?" Elder Xuan picked up the chicken leg, curiosity appearing in his eyes. "Does that owner know how to cook too?"

Yan Shaozhe thought, Isn't your focus a little off, old man?

Origin Internet Cafe.

Lu Yuan was counting yesterday's earnings.

"Fifteen thousand Gold Soul Coins... damn, the inner court bunch really are fat sheep."

Lu Yuan hummed a little tune, feeling quite pleased.

"System, the shop expansion is finished, right? Where's the dining area?"

[Ding! The second-floor expansion is complete.]

[Dining function unlocked.]

[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a special NPC Summoning Card: Cat Chef.]

[Recipe obtained: Hunter's Meal.]

"Cat Chef?"

Lu Yuan perked up. Who among those who had played Monster Hunter did not know that one-eyed feline chef, covered in muscles and known for his hardcore cooking?

"Summon!"

Buzz—

A vacant area on the second floor suddenly blazed with light, and a massive open kitchen appeared out of thin air.

Immediately afterward, a huge bipedal cat emerged. It stood a full meter and a half tall, its entire body packed with bulging muscles. It wore an eyepatch over its left eye and an apron around its waist.

It held a kitchen knife larger than itself, radiating an aura that said it was not to be messed with.

"Meow! (Greetings, Boss! Where's the kitchen? My big blade is already hungry for action!)"

The Cat Chef waved its cleaver, then skillfully walked over to the stove and began preparing ingredients.

The ingredients supplied by the system were all top-tier goods from the Monster Hunter world: specialty mushrooms from the Ancient Forest, Great Jagras tail meat, and all manner of spices.

Sizzle—

As a massive steak was thrown into the oven, a rich aroma of meat instantly filled the entire internet cafe, even drifting through the gaps in the door and into the forest outside.

Huo Yuhao, who was cleaning on the first floor, twitched his nose.

"It smells so good. What is that? It smells way better than my grilled fish!"

At noon.

The inner court group, having just finished their academy special training, dragged their exhausted bodies back to the internet cafe.

"I'm starving..." Dai Yueheng clutched his stomach. "The cafeteria food this morning was awful. I could barely swallow it."

"Yeah. Ever since I drank that Sprite, even the academy's water tastes bland now," Ma Xiaotao complained as well.

The group pushed open the door.

Boom!

A thick aroma of meat rushed toward them, making everyone swallow involuntarily.

"What's that smell?"

Elder Xuan was the first to charge inside, moving at incredible speed.

"Meat! The scent of peerless meat!"

He took a deep sniff, his gaze immediately locking onto the open kitchen on the second floor.

There, a muscular cat flamboyantly sprinkled salt through the air before placing a platter piled high like a mountain with roasted meat on the counter.

[Hunter's Meal (Attack Power UP)]

[Effect: For one hour after consumption, strength increases by 10%, stamina recovery speed increases, and there is an extremely small chance of triggering Felyne Weakener (encountered enemies become weaker).]

[Price: 50 Gold Soul Coins per serving.]

"A... cat is cooking?"

Everyone stared in dumbfounded silence.

This internet cafe was far too bizarre! A ferocious beast guarded the door, the dean kindled flames, and now even the chef was a cat?

"Boss! Give me one serving! No, ten servings!"

Elder Xuan did not care whether it was made by a cat. He only knew that the smell was unbearably enticing, so enticing that his Godly Taotie Bull martial soul was roaring.

"I want some too!" Dai Yueheng rushed forward as well.

"Me too!" Ma Xiaotao refused to be outdone.

Standing behind the counter, Lu Yuan smiled as he collected the money.

"Don't rush. There's enough for everyone! Cat Chef's hands are very fast."

Ten minutes later.

The second floor of the internet cafe had turned into a massive mukbang scene.

"Waaah... it's too delicious!"

Dai Yueheng clutched a piece of leg meat on a bone thicker than his arm and tore into it with huge bites. "This texture, this juice... it feels like every muscle in my body is burning!"

"This soup... it's incredible!" Ling Luochen had completely abandoned all concern for her image as she cradled a bowl and gulped it down. "After drinking it, I feel warm all over. Yesterday's fatigue is completely gone."

But the most outrageous eater of all was Elder Xuan.

Ten empty plates were piled up before him alone.

"Burp—"

Elder Xuan let out a full belch and patted his belly contentedly.

"I've lived for over a hundred years and eaten across the entire Douluo Continent, yet I still can't compare to a cat's cooking..."

"Boss!" Elder Xuan looked toward Lu Yuan, his eyes gleaming. "Is this cat for sale? I'll trade soul bones for it! As many as you want!"

Upon hearing this, the Cat Chef, who was wiping its knife in the kitchen, glanced back at Elder Xuan. Then it raised its cleaver and made a cutting gesture across its own neck.

"Meow! (Old bastard, you want to eat me? You think you're worthy?)"

Though Elder Xuan could not understand cat language, he could feel the killing intent.

"Ahem, just joking, just joking." Elder Xuan gave a dry laugh.

Lu Yuan walked over and handed Elder Xuan a bottle of Sprite to aid digestion.

"Elder Xuan, the cat isn't for sale. But..."

Lu Yuan pointed toward the gaming area beside them.

"Now that you've eaten your fill, want to get some exercise? Work off the meal?"

"I heard you're a Rank 98 Super Douluo and a top-tier assault-type soul master."

"Perfect. Teacher Gundyr has recently felt that his previous students were too weak, and he wants someone who can really fight to practice with."

Elder Xuan narrowed his eyes and glanced at the pitch-black Gundyr on the screen.

"Oh? That guy who beat Shaozhe half to death?"

Elder Xuan rose to his feet and loosened his muscles. His bones crackled throughout his body.

"Fine! Since I've eaten your food, I'll go meet this Teacher Gundyr!"

"Shaozhe said he's difficult? Hmph, before this old man's Godly Taotie power, any demon or monster will fall with one punch!"

Ten minutes later, Elder Xuan's roar came from the second floor.

"Fuck! What kind of broken shield is this? How did it shatter?"

"Ow! Don't hit my face! Don't hit my face!"

"This is way too shameless! How can he transform too?"

"Boss! Bring me another Hunter's Meal! I'll turn my grief and indignation into appetite!"

Downstairs.

As Huo Yuhao wiped the tables and listened to the commotion above, he thought, Even Elder Xuan has fallen... Shrek Academy is completely finished, isn't it?

In his mind, Electrolux gave a soft laugh. "Heh, humans can never escape the phrase 'it smells amazing.' But... Yuhao, the food made by that cat contains a strange life energy. Eat more of it. It will be greatly beneficial to your body."

"Really?" Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up.

"Of course. And..." Electrolux paused. "This old man just watched the process of making that Hunter's Meal and seems to have gained a bit of inspiration for undead culinary arts..."

Huo Yuhao's heart skipped a beat.

Elder Yi, please don't gain any more insight. Can food made by undead even be eaten?