Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The girl glanced at Bu Fang. ‘So this is the chef Her Excellency Nethery is looking for? Why does his face look a little paralyzed?’
“Come with me. Her Excellency Nethery is waiting for you,” she said.
Bu Fang nodded and did not think too much. He heard that the power of Soul, the other Cursed Goddess, was very strong, for almost all the nobles in District A were supporting her. In that case, it was not too surprising that Nethery’s living space was compressed to so small.
As the girl pressed on, she glanced curiously at Whitey, then at Shrimpy and Foxy—one lay on its head, while the other perched on its shoulder.
‘This is a very strange combination. Her Excellency Nethery said that the arrival of this combination could bring her hope and provide her great help. But is that true? Why do I find them somewhat unreliable? A guy with a paralyzed face, a little fox, a shrimp who keeps spitting bubbles, and a metal puppet whose belly is larger than its head…’
As they walked, they soon found something else inside the small house.
The girl brought Bu Fang and his companions to an array. It was a teleportation array constructed in a very secret spot and could only be activated by opening three passes.
They stepped into the array. As a buzzing sound rang out, they disappeared, and when they reappeared, they were already inside a cold palace.
“We are here… This is Her Excellency Nethery’s Cursed Goddess Palace. Each Cursed Goddess has a palace of her own,” the girl explained to Bu Fang.
“A palace? Are we in the depths of District A now?” Bu Fang asked.
“You’re right. The Queen of Curses and the Cursed Goddesses both live in the palace deep in District A. This is just a side palace, and Her Majesty’s palace is outside… But don’t think that you can go there. Apart from the Cursed Goddesses and dukes, no one else is qualified to step into Her Majesty’s palace. Besides, Her Majesty will not grant you an audience…
“Especially since… you are a chef.” The girl gave Bu Fang a sideways glance.
‘What’s wrong with me being a chef? Did a chef steal the rice in your house?!’ Bu Fang twitched the corner of his mouth, but he did not say anything.
They walked inside the palace. Its architectural style was similar to that of Medieval Europe, with a vaulted ceiling decorated with various strange paintings, giving the place an artistic air. The palace was cold and cheerless. As they walked, the only sound they heard was the echo of their footsteps.
Following the girl, they came to a huge door. The girl knocked at it a few times, then spread her palm and pressed it hard on the wall. The door opened with a creak.
“Your Excellency Nethery, I’ve brought the man back.” The girl’s voice seemed happy.
Bu Fang stepped through the door, clasping his hands behind his back, and saw Nethery in her plainly decorated room.
Clad in a long black dress with her long straight hair streaming down her back, Nethery looked at Bu Fang without any emotion in her eyes. “You’re here,” she said.
There was a hint of relief in her voice. When the girl heard that, she could not believe her ears. ‘Why did Her Excellency sound so happy as soon as she saw this chef?’
“You don’t look like you’re in a good condition.” Bu Fang glanced around the room. It gave him a feeling like a prison.
“Duchess Yunlan is summoned by Her Majesty, so Her Excellency Nethery is in a very dangerous situation now. Her Excellency Soul’s been looking for her, and if she is found… She will die for sure,” the girl said.
“Close the door, Xiao Ai,” Nethery said as she glanced at the talkative girl.
The girl pursed her lips as if she was reluctant. She seemed aggrieved and resentful that Nethery trusted the chef over her. She was her handmaid!
Bu Fang pulled over a chair and sat down comfortably as if this was his room. “How’s the situation now?” he asked.
“Soul is already on the move. She commands the support of most of the powers in Void City, and with such an advantageous position, she has begun to go after those who support me and the Cursed Goddess from the Primitive Universe.
“Duchess Yunlan was taken away from me by Soul’s trickery as well… I’m on my own now,” Nethery said. However, her expression remained unchanged, and she did not look like someone in crisis.
Bu Fang nodded. Stroking his chin, he said, “Don’t worry, I’m your reinforcement. I’ve said that I can fight an entire army alone, and it has not changed…” Then, he patted Whitey on the belly and went on, “Whitey can do that, too.”
That gave Nethery pause. She glanced at Whitey.
Whitey lifted its huge palm and scratched its head as if Bu Fang’s praise made it a little embarrassed, its purple mechanical eyes flashing.
Xiao Ai rolled her eyes when she heard that from a distance. She did not know Bu Fang’s strength or what had happened in District B. However, she could sense from Bu Fang’s aura that he was just a Saint of the Great Path.
‘Ugh… A Saint of the Great Path doesn’t even get a chance to be promoted among those who serve Her Excellency Soul. I can’t believe this chef would brag that he can fight against an entire army alone…’
As for the metal puppet, she did not want to comment about it.
Nethery squeezed her lips and asked, “Bu Fang, I’m hungry. Do you have anything for me to eat?” Her eyes lit up. She always felt happy when it came to food.
Foxy, sitting listlessly on Whitey’s shoulder, beamed when she heard that. She was very interested in food, too.
The corners of Bu Fang’s lips lifted. He did not say anything. With a thought in his mind, the Black Turtle Constellation Wok and the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife flew out. He was ready to start cooking. However, before he did that, he had something else to discuss with Nethery.
“Well… I plan to open a restaurant in District A. Do you have any suggestions?” he asked.
Nethery froze, while Xiao Ai rolled her eyes again. ‘Is this chef… out of his mind?’ the girl thought to herself. ‘He plans to open a restaurant in Void City? Is he not afraid that Her Majesty will crush him with one finger?’
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“You want to open a restaurant? There should be no problem… I’m the Cursed Goddess and the potential successor, so it should be easy for me to find a location in District A… Am I right, Xiao Ai?” Nethery looked at the girl, who was rolling her eyes.
Xiao Ai coughed then said, “Your Excellency does have your own property. But you can’t go out now. Moreover, opening a restaurant is a grand event, and it will make you an easy target for Her Excellency Soul… Duchess Yunlan had asked you to wait for her return,” Xiao Ai said.
“Don’t worry. Bu Fang’s here, so I’ll be fine,” Nethery said.
The corners of Bu Fang’s lips lifted. Now that he had found a location for his restaurant, he could start cooking.
With a shake of his hand, a mass of white flour spread out. It was a product of Niu Hansan’s hybridization. Fused with the Law of Life, the noodles made with it could fill one with joy. Bu Fang kneaded it into a dough, then turned the dough into noodles. His movements were skillful and smooth.
Nethery narrowed her eyes and watched with joy as Bu Fang prepared the noodles. As for Xiao Ai, she was already dazzled by Bu Fang’s series of complicated techniques.
‘Are all chefs flashy like him?’ the girl thought.
Bu Fang spread his ten fingers. There were noodles between them, waving gracefully and shining like the soft hair of a beautiful girl. At the same time, the Spring of Life had come to a boil.
He cut the shrimp rolls made of blood lobster meat into slices and put them into the water, then added the noodles as well. The broth was so clear that the bottom of the wok was clearly visible, and as the noodles tumbled in it, bubbles rose and popped on the surface, sending a rich aroma into the surroundings.
Nethery took a deep breath with an intoxicated look on her face. Xiao Ai, on the other hand, swallowed. ‘It smells… delicious…’ she thought to herself.
Bu Fang produced a few porcelain bowls, fished out the steaming noodles, and put them in the bowls. Then, he filled the bowls with broth, placed the sliced shrimp rolls on top of the noodles, and garnished them with immortal vegetables. After that, he poured the water out of the wok and reheated it.
From the System’s storage space, Bu Fang took out a spirit beast egg and cracked it with his thumb and index finger. The egg fell into the wok. He grabbed the wok and began to shake it vigorously, but the egg remained unmoved. Grease spilled on it, turning its color softer and softer as a strong egg fragrance wafted out of it.
Finally, he knocked the wok with the Qilin Transmigration Ladle, and the egg jumped up into the air before falling into the bowl of noodles. Together with the sliced shrimp rolls and the glittering immortal vegetables, a simple bowl of noodles was ready.
Bu Fang cooked the noodles very quickly, so Nethery did not have to wait for too long. She took the bowl and began to eat immediately as if she had been starving for a very long time. The soft, thin noodles slipped through her red lips into her mouth, their ends flinging broth everywhere.
Xiao Ai stared at Nethery with a look of disbelief. ‘Her Excellency has no fear of… food? How… How could she do that? She knows Her Majesty hates food, right?’
“Your… Your Excellency…” She was so shocked that she stammered.
Bu Fang held a bowl of noodles and was enjoying it. It was only a simple bowl of noodles, but the simpler a dish was, the more it reflected the skill of the chef.
“Why are you not eating, Xiao Ai?” Nethery glanced at her handmaid and felt strange. Bu Fang had cooked her a bowl of noodles as well. Why was she not eating?
“No… No… Her Majesty forbids us from eating delicious food…” Xiao Ai waved her hand hastily as a horrified look came over her face. Delicious food was heresy, and it was banned in Void City. She would rather die than violate the rules!
Nethery gave Xiao Ai a strange look, wondering if there was something wrong with her handmaid. No one could resist such delicious food.
Picking up the fried egg, Nethery closed her red lips around it. Her teeth bit through the tender egg white, then burst the yolk. The orange-yellow yolk immediately flowed out of it. The medium-rare yolk was slimy, and as it flowed in her mouth, it gave forth a buttery fragrance, making Nethery breathe faster and faster.
Xiao Ai’s face turned red as she watched Nethery eat. She struggled with the human body’s instinctive response. “Judging from the way Her Excellency ate… it seems very delicious…” She twisted her clothes, hesitating. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she threw her head back to prevent them from falling.
“You don’t want to eat? In that case… I’ll finish it for you.” Bu Fang had already finished his bowl of noodles. He was already starving after fighting his way from District C to District A.
Foxy was slurping her noodles. When she heard Bu Fang, she also fixed her eyes on Xiao Ai’s bowl of steaming noodles.
Bu Fang glanced at Xiao Ai and reached out his hand to grab the bowl of noodles. “Delicious food is a kind of enjoyment. If eating has become a taboo, it is imperative to break this taboo,” he said.
Xiao Ai watched as Bu Fang’s hand approached the bowl, her mind filled with the steaming noodles and the orange-yellow yolk. Finally, she could not stand it anymore. She took the bowl before Bu Fang could reach it, ran to a corner of the room, squatted, and began eating. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she slurped the noodles.
“Delicious… This is so delicious! Xiao Ai… Xiao Ai has broken the taboo. Please forgive Xiao Ai, Your Majesty… The noodles are… Slurp! They are too delicious!”
The corners of Bu Fang’s mouth lifted slightly as he leaned back in the chair and watched Xiao Ai eat.
The charm of delicious food was hard to resist once one had tried it. When Xiao Ai finished her noodles, her face was flushing, and she looked embarrassed. She was the one who refused to eat, but in the end, she was also the one who enjoyed it the most.
“Have you had enough? If yes, bring me to the restaurant’s location…” Bu Fang said, looking at Xiao Ai.
The handmaid froze. She turned to Nethery, only to see her master nod seriously.
“Your Excellency, we can’t open this restaurant! As soon as we show ourselves, Her Excellency Soul’s lackeys will find us, and the restaurant will be destroyed! Even Your Excellency’s life could be in danger… Why don’t we discuss this again when Duchess Yunlan returns?” Xiao Ai said pleadingly. She was really worried about Nethery.
However, Nethery only shook her head. “Don’t worry. We’ll go to open the restaurant now…”
Xiao Ai had no choice but to bring Bu Fang and Nethery out of the palace. The array rumbled, and they came directly to a vacant property on a broad street. “This is Your Excellency’s property…” she said reluctantly.
Bu Fang glanced around and nodded with satisfaction. With a thought in his mind, he contacted the System. ‘System, renovate the place.’
At that, streams of bright light immediately filled the surroundings, and everything began to change rapidly. Xiao Ai’s jaw dropped as she watched the transformation. Finally, the place turned into a restaurant.
Looking at the familiar decoration, tables, and chairs, Nethery’s heart softened, and her tense body relaxed. The familiar restaurant gave her the feeling of home.
The Path-Understanding Tree was swaying. Foxy jumped off Whitey’s shoulder excitedly and ran up and down the tree. With its mechanical eyes flashing, Whitey walked toward the kitchen and stood at the entrance, carrying out its duty. As for Shrimpy, it lay under the tree, spitting bubbles.
Bu Fang was very satisfied. Stroking his chin, he glanced at Xiao Ai, who looked to be struggling. A faint smile brushed his lips as he said, “Xiao Ai, open the door. We are open for business now.”