Chapter Ten: Adjusting the Price

The time it took to absorb the black gas was brief, lasting no more than a minute. Li Can gazed at his right hand, bewildered and uncertain—the white flame was now burning with even greater intensity.

With a single thought, the white flame vanished.

Another thought—he tried to summon it, but failed.

Once more, and the white flame appeared.

He repeated this process over a dozen times, and now the success rate had climbed to more than fifty percent.

Not only that, the wounds on his chest had been healed, and his physical condition had improved even further!

“If I were to face Liu Huadong again in my current state, I could probably kill him the moment we met.”

Li Can showed no sign of joy. He realized that since becoming the agent of the gods, he had already stepped into another, unknown “new world.”

In this world, there were many hidden threats like Liu Huadong, lurking in the shadows, disguising themselves while preying upon humans.

Li Can took a deep breath.

“As for this mysterious ‘new world,’ I have only just pushed open its door. What lies within remains to be seen.

Until I fully understand the situation, I must act with caution. At least now that Liu Huadong is dead, the threat to the restaurant’s safe operation has finally been removed.”

Shaking his head, Li Can opened the video settings and gently pressed the ‘delete’ key.

Originally, the purpose of this video was to provide evidence for the police that Liu Huadong had broken into his home and had a motive for murder, so that he could extricate himself from any trouble.

But now, it was clear this was no longer necessary.

Whether it was Liu Huadong’s true form or the combat power and techniques Li Can had displayed, if any of it were exposed, he would likely become a specimen for the highest-level biological research institute.

Rather than invite trouble, it was better to wait and see.

After dealing with the video, Li Can turned to the monster’s corpse.

Just as he was about to dispose of it, he hesitated.

For someone who loved the culinary arts as deeply as he did, the urge to study new ingredients was as powerful as a child’s craving for a new toy—especially when faced with something he’d never seen before. The temptation to turn it into a delicacy was almost irresistible.

It was just like those oddly shaped crayfish that thrived in harsh environments—at first, people found them repulsive, even frightening.

But what happened afterward?

Once chefs handled them with care and used the right cooking techniques, they became one of the most popular midnight snacks in every household.

So, as long as a chef handles it properly, there’s no such thing as an ingredient that cannot be eaten in this world.

Li Can’s only concern was whether the monster’s corpse would provoke a physiological reaction in customers, or pose any health risks, since its existence defied the laws of nature.

“Forget it, I’ll think about it later.”

After wrestling with the dilemma for a long time, Li Can still couldn’t bring himself to burn the corpse with his white flame. Instead, he found a large iron barrel, shoved the corpse inside, and carried it up to the second floor to hide it.

The second floor was cluttered with miscellaneous items, and the dried seaweed helped mask the corpse’s strange odor, so he wasn’t worried about Su Rui discovering it.

After finishing all this, he returned to the main hall and cleaned up all traces of the fight.

Only the damaged wall and the cornerless dining table remained beyond his ability to fix…

How heartbroken would Su Rui be when she saw this tomorrow?

The new chef, who was supposed to enjoy a “sky-high” salary, had nearly torn the place apart like a husky!

“I’d better come up with a good explanation before sleeping tonight. It would be too humiliating to get fired on my first day of work.”

Even Li Can couldn’t stand to look at the mess anymore. He switched off the lights and fled from the first floor, returning upstairs to rest.

Though his physical condition was excellent after absorbing the black gas, he couldn’t withstand the mental exhaustion.

This day had been simply too much.

…

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, every major media outlet and newspaper in Canglan City ran a headline about “cuisine.”

“The Royal Court Restaurant, hailed as the top gourmet spot in Sakura District, Canglan City, witnessed a seismic event in the culinary world yesterday.

According to insiders, a man named Lei defeated the mysterious chef once honored as the ‘God of Gods’ in a private cooking competition, seizing the position of head chef.”

The moment this news broke,

Foodies everywhere were stunned, inviting friends to sample the new head chef’s skills.

Food critics found themselves with new missions, eagerly scheduling explorations for fresh delicacies.

Even those top-tier chefs once overshadowed by Li Can’s culinary prowess found new hope rekindled within them…

A butterfly had flapped its wings—

And the world was about to change.

…

When Li Can opened his eyes in a daze, the room was already bright.

Sunlight streamed through the window, forming a wide beam that hung in the air.

He could see motes of dust floating, the light almost blinding.

A vibrant pot of sunflowers now sat on the nightstand.

Su Rui had been here.

“Damn.”

Li Can sprang from his bed, immediately checking the iron barrel hidden in the dark.

No sign of tampering.

He glanced at his phone.

11:30!

It was nearly the golden hour for daytime business.

He hurriedly changed into clean clothes, washed up in the bathroom, and rushed downstairs.

He’d retrieved his backpack from the flowerbed the night before, after seeing Su Rui off.

The rolling shutter on the first floor was already up.

Fresh streaks of water gleamed on the floor, so clean that they reflected the pedestrians passing outside.

All the trash cans had new bags, and all the tableware was still steaming—clearly disinfected with boiling water.

Wait a minute…

Li Can’s gaze landed on the dining table closest to the kitchen.

It was new!

He glanced behind him and saw that the damaged wall had been repaired, though the freshly applied cement was still damp.

From the kitchen came the clatter of pots and pans. Lifting the curtain, Li Can saw Su Rui, dressed in dark casual clothes, busily working. The pantry shelves were laden with freshly washed, dripping vegetables.

“Oh, you’re awake? Did you sleep well last night?”

Su Rui rolled up her sleeves and glanced back with a smile, a lock of hair slipping behind her ear, lending her an air of mature grace.

So gentle?

Li Can was caught off-guard.

Shouldn’t she be interrogating him with a stern face?

“Did you not sleep well?”

Seeing Li Can hesitate, Su Rui pressed her question.

“No, no, I slept quite well,” Li Can replied guiltily.

“If you’re not comfortable staying here, let me know,” Su Rui said with the care of an elder sister.

“All right.” Li Can sighed inwardly, feeling a pang in his heart.

He knew why Su Rui chose not to ask questions—she simply wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict that might affect the restaurant’s operation.

Such cautiousness was almost pitiable.

“Here, Li Can,” Su Rui called him over.

“These vegetables—I bought them early this morning at the market, and they’re washed. I’ve already peeled the ginger and garlic for you, but I’m not sure if it’s enough.”

She opened the freezer. “I also bought fresh pork, pig snout, ribs, and there’s still plenty of beef and lamb left from a few days ago.”

“You bought all this?” Li Can was surprised. The combined weight of these items must be over fifty pounds.

“Yes,” Su Rui nodded. “The previous chef used to give me a shopping list for the next day’s ingredients, so I’ve gotten used to it. I know how exhausting it is to cook all day, so I’m happy to help however I can.”

Li Can couldn’t help but think of the sunflowers on his nightstand.

She had to buy ingredients,

Manage the restaurant,

And still remembered to buy a plant to improve the air quality upstairs.

Truly admirable!

“By the way, check if you’re satisfied with the selection of seasonings. If not, just let me know,” Su Rui said, stepping aside.

“Sister Su Rui, none of that matters,” Li Can said, not even glancing at the spice rack.

Su Rui: “???”

“I want to adjust the prices on the menu…”

“Prices? Were mine set too high?”

“No,” Li Can shook his head slowly. “They’re far too low.”

(To be continued…)