Chapter 20: The Kitchen God Restaurant Opens for Business

Zhang Achun turned his head to look at the sign he had made, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice, "Manager Lin, business isn't done this way. A powerful dragon doesn't suppress a local snake. I know you have ability, but when it comes down to it, you are still an outsider..."

A threat?

Lin Bai shook his head with disdain and interrupted him: "Master Zhang, there is a cause for everything, and there will be an effect. In business, one must still value integrity..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a voice suddenly cut in: "Manager Lin, are you still short of a shop assistant here?"

It was Deng Li Buduo who spoke. He rubbed his hands together and looked at Lin Bai expectantly, "Manager, your new shop has just opened, so you probably haven't had time to hire help yet. Do you think I'm suitable? I work very diligently, and besides, the wages are very low..."

Several people looked at him at the same time.

Lin Bai felt amused. Well, I didn't provoke you, yet you're rushing to get involved.

"Little Deng?" Blacksmith Zhang felt as if his heart had been struck heavily again, and he looked at Deng Li Buduo in surprise, "You..."

"Master, a wise bird chooses its tree to perch on." Deng Li Buduo puffed out his chest, his face full of righteous indignation, "Yesterday, while we were forging, Master kept spouting filth and cursing Manager Lin to die early; the baleful energy was too heavy. Although I, Little Deng, am a rough man, I know the principle that one who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black. I am ashamed to be associated with you."

Blacksmith Zhang's face flushed red instantly: "Don't talk nonsense, I didn't..."

He gritted his teeth and glared at Deng Li Buduo, "Little Deng, you'd better think this through. Jiamu City has a Blacksmith Guild. If you leave me, it will be difficult for you to enter the blacksmith trade again."

"When I left the house today, I didn't intend to go back." Deng Li Buduo snuck a glance at Lin Bai and said righteously.

Lin Bai watched the player and the NPC bickering quietly, thinking to himself, Deng Li Buduo has really taught the NPC a lesson. If anyone else in Jiamu City wants to learn blacksmithing in the future, the difficulty will probably double!

The wicked Fourth Calamity—if they keep going like this, Jiamu City will probably turn into Gotham City, and there won't be any good people left in it.

Since that's the case, I'll continue to teach you all a lesson...

"Little Deng, is it? You can work here, but there are no wages." Lin Bai looked at Deng Li Buduo and said.

Deng Li Buduo was stunned: "That's fine, as long as you provide food and lodging."

"I run a restaurant, so naturally there will be no shortage of food." Lin Bai smiled, "Employees get a discount; you can eat for 20% off. As for lodging, eight hundred wen a month will barely suffice."

Damn it!

Deng Li Buduo froze. How is an NPC even more ruthless than a capitalist? Seeing me leave the Blacksmith Shop, are you price-gouging?

"Serves you right!" Blacksmith Zhang gloated. What "wise bird chooses its tree to perch on"—do you really think Lin Bai is some good wood? He is a black-hearted piece of wood that eats people without spitting out the bones.

The carpenter was dumbfounded, watching the performance of the few, and had already forgotten that Lin Bai wasn't paying him.

Deng Li Buduo fell into silence. Looking at the smiling Lin Bai and recalling his suspected identity as a hidden NPC, he gritted his teeth: "Fine, I agree."

A master's actions have unique characteristics; he must be different from an ordinary NPC. I'll take the gamble!

"..." The carpenter.

"..." The blacksmith.

The two looked at each other, both seeing the disbelief in the other's eyes. Are outsiders always this unreasonable when doing things?

Why does this world suddenly make no sense?

Little Deng, I didn't force you; you jumped into this pit yourself...

Lin Bai glanced at Deng Li Buduo and smiled: "Little Deng, congratulations. From now on, you are a member of the Chef God Restaurant."

"Manager, shouldn't it be Chef God Rice Divination?" Deng Li Buduo corrected.

"It only looks like a divination, but it's actually a shop. Don't worry about those details." Lin Bai waved his hand, "Tidy up and get ready to work! The restaurant is opening today, and there are many things to do. You came at just the right time."

Strange things happen every year, but this year there are especially many.

The carpenter and the blacksmith looked at each other and simply stood where they were, not leaving. They didn't even mention their wages anymore; at this moment, they just wanted to see how Lin Bai's broken restaurant would make money.

As for the money lost, they would just treat it as the price of a theater ticket to watch a joke.

In a short while.

A person carrying a large basket of Steamed Cakes arrived hesitantly at the entrance of 'Chef God Rice Divination'. Just as he was about to speak, he turned his head, saw the sign, and was completely stunned.

Flaw +1.

The progress of the Wanwu Youque System automatically jumped up one notch.

Lin Bai beamed and greeted him: "The Steamed Cakes are what I ordered. Carry them inside! Little Deng, give him a hand..."

Deng Li Buduo hurried over and helped carry the Steamed Cakes into the shop.

The delivery boy took a stroll around the shop, and when he came out, his face looked as unpleasant as if he were constipated: "Manager, if I may speak frankly, your shop..."

"It's a feature." Lin Bai interrupted him, "When you have time, you can bring your friends and family to sit for a while. Suppliers get a 20% discount."

"..." Deng Li Buduo's smile froze on his face. I work for you without wages and only get a 20% discount on food, yet you offer a 20% discount to a delivery boy right off the bat? Is a 20% discount really that worthless?

【Depression from Deng Li Buduo, +1】

Lin Bai glanced sideways at Deng Li Buduo. I told you, systems can be linked; it just requires a certain technique.

The delivery boy's mouth twitched: "Manager, I appreciate the kind offer, but since it's opening day, I won't delay your work. I wish you prosperous business."

Saying this, he turned and walked to the side, muttering as he went, I must be sick to eat my own Steamed Cakes in your shop.

A 20% discount—isn't that the same price you pay when you buy stock from me?

The delivery boy saw the carpenter and the blacksmith over there and walked over to stand with them to watch the fun.

He knew the rumors about the Haunted House. Now that someone had opened such a strange shop in the Haunted House, it was worth it to stay and watch the fun, even if he sold one less basket of Steamed Cakes.

A while later.

Someone else arrived at the shop carrying a basin of braised beef.

After Lin Bai had Deng Li Buduo take it inside, he readily gave the beef supplier a 20% discount as well...

The one delivering braised eggs;

The one delivering peanuts;

The one delivering rice porridge;

……

Basket after basket of cooked food was delivered to the shop.

Everyone who saw Lin Bai's decor provided him with a portion of Residual Value.

There was no helping it; everything in the shop looked too awkward. Not to mention those with obsessive-compulsive disorder, even a normal person would want to hit someone upon seeing it.

……

Lin Bai could not cook, but he could buy it. He couldn't have guests actually come to eat on the first day of business only to find nothing, which would hinder his sustainable development.

As more people arrived, the progress of the Wanwu Youque System advanced slowly and steadily.

Finally.

A lion dance troupe, beating gongs and drums, led a group of people to arrive.

When all the visitors saw the signboard, they collectively froze for a moment.

A mission notification came from Lin Bai's mind:

【Let fifty people experience the mystery of the Flaw... (Mission completed), Reward: 4.9 years of Internal Energy (already issued)】

In an instant.

Lin Bai's dantian swelled, and a warm current emerged. The warm current wandered continuously along his meridians, as if an extra power source had been added inside his body, and he felt full of strength.

It worked!

Lin Bai clenched his fists; even if not a single person came into the restaurant to eat, the opening ceremony he had stirred up was worth it.

Subsequently, the Wanwu Youque System released the follow-up mission:

【Let three hundred people feel the... of the Flaw; Reward: Dragon Subduing Palm (Incomplete).】

Lin Bai's heart skipped a beat. So the Wanwu Youque System was the true big boss. Although the mission difficulty increased sharply, giving Internal Energy followed by techniques was far more generous than any Spirit or Luck. No matter how much players grinded, how could they ever catch up to him?

Do it, must do it.

Since he could grow this fast, let keeping a low profile go to hell!

Lin Bai looked at the commoners in front of him, pondered for a moment, and beckoned to the dazed Deng Li Buduo beside him: "Little Deng, I have a mission for you."

"Shopkeeper, please speak," Deng Li Buduo replied hurriedly.

"I will teach you a few lyrics. Sing them at our shop entrance in a moment to promote the shop," Lin Bai said. "There are still too few people coming."

"No problem," Deng Li Buduo said.

Lin Bai glanced at him, recalled the familiar melody, and lowered his voice: "You love me, I love you, Kitchen God Rice Divination welcomes you."

"..." Deng Li Buduo widened his eyes, looked at Lin Bai in disbelief, and swallowed his saliva. "Shopkeeper, you aren't joking with me, are you!"

"Little Deng, what kind of talk is that? We are a legitimate business," Lin Bai frowned. "Think about the bright side. If our business is good and I'm in a good mood, I might even waive your meal fees!"

Eat for free?

Deng Li Buduo's expression shifted between cloudy and sunny, and finally, he gritted his teeth: "Fine, I'll do it."

It's just a game anyway, and the face is customized. It's important to grind the favorability of NPCs. Although singing is a bit shameful, once the level is high, all future experiences will be legendary...

(End of chapter)