89 Why Chef?

Li Tianming, also known as the current head of the Li family and the father of Yangyi and Yinyi, was currently scratching his head in confusion. He could simply not comprehend what the City Lord was planning. No matter how he looked at it, there was no feasible way for Tian Lan to gain anything by attacking the three families. 

Yes, at first glance the City Lord possessed a lot of power, as it was a position granted and verified by the almighty emperor himself. He controlled the laws, taxes, economy, and military within the Extended Delight, and it was true that in comparison to him, even Li Tianming did not hold as much prestige.

However, this was only within this City. The three families hold their firm roods in the capital, with a history infallible even for a Tian Lan. He may try and succeed at undermining a small branch for some time, but the main family will not let him do as he wants, and it was unlikely for the royal family to back him, even if he had a good reason to do so.

In the first place, Li Tianming did not do anything recently to offend the City Lord. And even if he did was it necessary to react so harshly, pulling even the Zhang and Wang family with it? All these charges, including corruption and rebellion, were bogus too. It would be an easy win if he brought it up at the grand court. Nothing made sense. Did he suddenly go mad and fear the power the three families held? He should know, that even if he got rid of him, someone else would inevitably take his place. There are many other families here, not as well-known, just waiting for a chance.

"What a headache," the middle-aged man groaned as he rubbed his temples. "I can't help but think City Lord Lan is trying to cause as much trouble as he can. Is he truly trying to spark an all-out war? Where's the benefit in that?"

As for his brother Li Won and the elders that sided with him, he would find a way to deal with it, one way or another. He did not worry too much about that man. It was the mysterious City Lord who truly troubled him.

Someone knocked against his door. He beckoned them to enter, and it was Li Bufan, the son of Li Won, and elder cousin to the Li siblings. Unlike his unruly father, Li Tianming actually like this guy, even though he had snake-like eyes that gave him a wicked feeling. He was calm and never truly showed his feelings, indicating his maturity. "Greetings, family head."

"What brings you here," Li Tianming asked him while going through some random papers.

"How do I say this? It's just. . ." Li Bufan rubbed his hands. "I cannot find Li Yangyi anywhere, I was wondering whether you know where he went?"

Hearing that, the Li family head promptly turned red. "Damn that kid! I told him to stay in place, yet he still wanders outside during these incredibly dangerous times." The man slammed his table. "What the hell is he doing?"

...

To answer Li Tianmings' question, his son was currently shaping a big ball of dough. But in his defense, he did not do so voluntarily. "That is wrong," he heard the old man shout behind him, and get immediately braced for impact, as a heavy fist hit the back of his head.

"Ouch!"

"You are supposed to roll it clockwise, not the other way around, as long as the sun has yet to set, didn't I tell you many times," the chef huffed and grumbled.

Li Yangyi rubbed where it was sore. He wanted to give up so many times already, but just barely held through in hopes of gaining the immeasurable powers the village held. "It feels like you are making random stuff up as you go..."

"Are you questioning me? Do you need another lesson in trust?" The chef squinted his eyes.

Li Yangyi shuddered, seeing the face of this grandpa (he refused to call his master as he has yet to teach him anything). "No Sir, it was my fault." He continued kneading the doughball. "But hey, may I ask you something?"

"As long as you finish your tasks, you can do whatever you want."

"Why'd you become a cook?"

The chef thought about the question. "No particular reason. I just liked making food. I was fond of seeing people that I was fond of eat the stuff I put a lot of passion in. Their expressions when they take the first bite, as their eyes light up and they gasp in slight amazement is one of the most wonderful things you know? And with time, people referred to me as a chef."

"Is that so?" Li Yangyi, though he never served someone, still felt he understood what the chef meant. After all, he had eaten a lot of things. "I guess with your otherworldly dishes, their reactions must have been quite the sight."

"Thanks, though I don't think I am worthy of such compliments, as I suppose I haven't truly made any food since a long, long while." The old man rubbed his chin.

Li Yangyi looked up. "How come?"

The chef smiled. "The people I am fond of have long disappeared."

The boy was unsure of how to reply to that. His eyes twitched, as he muttered, "Way to read the room, dude." He returned to his kneading, sweat forming on his forehead. A thought flashed in his mind. "I wonder if the witch needs to eat..."

"Ah, you swerved to the right, you brat!" The chef hit Li Yangyi again, making him groan.

The others, such as Li Yinyi and Zhang Yong felt sorry for that young scion who was used to pampering and privileges? When in his whole life had he ever been drilled like this before? There was a chance that even his parents had never treated him this roughly. 

"Regardless of whether he succeeds or not, I doubt he'd ever forget this lesson," Zhang Yong mumbled.

"But don't you think he has improved a lot? Just a few days ago, he didn't even know how to properly crack an egg," Li Yinyi admired her brother. He'd probably be the first of the family to truly master the art of cooking. The way he moved so skillfully made him look just like the chefs in the family diner—that's beyond impressive, considering his short time spent practicing. "But the chef did make him scoop up every broken eggshell with a tiny pair of chopsticks. How funny."

"Funny? It looked more like cruel and unusual torture to me," Zhang Yong replied. "I have to admit, little Yangyis' willpower is quite strong, I don't know if I would have been able to handle that."

"How can you say that when you've been chewed and spit out by the shadow beasts countless times," Mei Xue could not help commenting. "If anything, what you are doing looks like some punishment of the gods."

"Hmm, I wouldn't have been able to do that a few months ago, that's for sure." Zhang Yong crossed his arms, contemplating. He gave a quick glance to Shou, who was yawning. "I suppose all the shocks and astonishment this place has given me has truly hardened my resolve. I don't think there's anything that can truly surprise me anymore."

Mei Xue shook her head with a wry smile. "Just make sure not to cultivate a heart demon because of that..."

"Oh, they have moved on to wrapping the dumplings. Will he succeed this tim- Oh, he got hit again," An Bai interrupted their small discussion. To him, watching Li Yangyis' instance was like watching some low-class slapstick comedy. He'd feel bad for Li Yangyi if it weren't for the absurdity of the whole situation. 

But he had to agree with Li Yinyi. The way her brother moved improved daily. In the beginning, that boy did not even know what dough looked like, now the food he prepared made him salivate. Thankfully, Fatty Liang was in his own instance, or he may not be able to hold himself back.

That big-bellied merchant was still focused on dodging the many villagers. It was incredible how nimbly he avoided the gazes of those that lived here. One couldn't help wonder, did he perhaps study some stealth arts in his past life? If not, maybe he should think about it in this one.

While walking through the gaps and loops within this nameless village, he'd have seen much more than anyone else. Ah Liang saw many other kinds of villagers, the kind of life they led, the way they behaved, and even their private moments. One of the biggest things he noticed were those with a defective body part. Some had their limbs and appendages black and dead, while for others, it was a shoulder, part of their waist, or even the eyes or mouth. They'd choose to wrap it in bandages or hide it behind clothes, but at times the necrotized flesh still poked out, glimpsing at the light outside.

The whole place looked like a gathering of war prisoners, not only due to their injuries but also their expressions and outlook on life. It was quite a depressing sight. And Ah Liang did not really wish to stay here any longer, as it dampened his mood. He logged out, delighting in another day where he did nothing at all. His completion rate at a steady 5% showcased his success.

The moment he returned to the Store of Fates, a big explosion rang from across the streets, alerting Shou who promptly awoke from his daze, and the other customers too, who hurriedly walked outside to see what was going on.