[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist":3,"chapter-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-486":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1531843,1991,"Chapter 486: 485: Divine Game – Chaotic Restaurant 6","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-486",486,"\u003Cp>Despite the obvious strategic advantage of eliminating a teammate, all four job roles were essential—and the game had designed them with impressive balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One person handled cooking, another took care of customers, someone had to go out for supplies, and one player needed to clean and manage miscellaneous tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each role was indispensable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though this was a restaurant simulation, Rita wouldn't be foolish enough to think that just having a chef was enough to run the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, she turned her head towards the vine-covered walls, as if she could see through them into the neighboring restaurant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Pine Bloom spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We could try stirring up trouble with the other players.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly what Rita had been thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their own resources weren't enough, what about the other restaurants?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita immediately translated Pine Bloom's words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marmang-Crab responded with a simple:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, it vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than a minute later, their floating data screen updated—Marmang-Crab's Mischief Score was rising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Rita grabbed a mop and started cleaning!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the crab out of the restaurant, this was the perfect chance to leech some Mischief Score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, was she supposed to steal points from Black SpringMud Bears or Pine Bloom?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black SpringMud Bears gave her a weird look, then disappeared as well, presumably to cause chaos elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That left only two people in the restaurant—Rita and Pine Bloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom, still humming a Forest Sea tune, flicked her fingers, and the cutting board and vegetables on Rita's prep station floated over to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While slicing, she greeted Rita casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello, BS Rita.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita gritted her teeth, aggressively mopping the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stealing my Mischief Score right in front of my face, huh?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a deep breath, forced a smile, and replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B80234615: \"Ah, so this is the 'repressed frustration' Nivalis warned me about.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"...You're seriously underestimating me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared straight at Pine Bloom, voice steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That dish—cut it into thin strips.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B80234615: \"Damn. That was intense, Master. I respect that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"Shut up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom casually asked, \"Why don't you summon your dragon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita replied, \"She's resting. She won't be appearing in this game.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom stretched out her response. \"Ohhh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with swift precision, she diced the brownish melon into neat cubes instead of strips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita had expected her to bring up dragon blood, but instead, Pine Bloom asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has Lidian been saying a lot of bad things about me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita paused, then answered diplomatically:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you want to know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good. There was too much—I can't remember all of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Actually, now I kind of want to know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not hard to summarize. Right now, she's your 'insult admirer.'\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom: \"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"She insults you constantly, but she also likes you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Pine Bloom could say anything else, Marmang-Crab returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment it entered, it saw Rita mopping the floor—and immediately got mad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell are you doing?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita glanced at her Mischief Score—now at 21.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Pine Bloom, who had spent the entire time cutting vegetables, had only raised her score by one point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita had been multi-tasking like crazy, alternating between dumping kitchen scraps and mopping the floor, maximizing her efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stopped and calmly explained to Marmang-Crab:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sorry. Once we open, I'll be too busy to move. My rule requires me to keep my Mischief Score from getting too low. I can't afford to be penalized for three entire Starsea days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, you're our strongest fighter. If you have to go out and farm Mischief Score later, who's going to handle the cleaning? It'll fall on us, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marmang-Crab lowered its pincers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Fair point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since whatever it had been doing outside had already boosted its Mischief Score to 87.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, it could afford to share some points with the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, restaurant popularity depended on the total Mischief Score—so it didn't matter who had how much, as long as the total was high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita smiled. \"You're the most reasonable Stage 17 powerhouse I've ever met.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been prepared for things to turn ugly—in which case, she would have used Master Thief Dragon to rewind time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she had a hunch she wouldn't need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marmang-Crab, after all, was a Stage 17 Demon King with the title—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's Be Reasonable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A good crab, indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom wiped her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm heading out to farm Mischief Score.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Marmang-Crab was the one staying behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such cooperative and self-aware teammates, Rita was in a great mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She focused on preparing ingredients for the restaurant opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time was running short, so she used [Shadow Control] to split off a shadow clone, letting it handle simpler tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, other players—who had figured out the Mischief Score mechanic—tried to ambush their restaurant, but Marmang-Crab effortlessly drove them away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Pine Bloom was out farming Mischief Score, Rita snuck up to the front counter and shouted outside:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come check out our fresh rice cakes and grilled meat!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she hurried back to check their Mischief Score—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had gone up by 1!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before she could celebrate, something hit the back of her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not hard enough to do damage, but enough to get her attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A green feather lay at her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The item description showed nothing suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"Scan this. No hidden effects, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B80234615: \"No issues. But why are you keeping it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"Can't you guess?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B80234615: \"Oh, I can guess. But the idea is so devious, I refuse to believe it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"Selling it to Lidian at a ridiculous price is devious? If I don't sell it to her, she'll throw a fit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B80234615: \"…That's fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starsea Calendar 6798, February 15, 1:00 AM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep, whale-like sound echoed through the Chaotic Restaurant food street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the edge of the starry sky, countless dark figures appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pine Bloom sat behind the cash register, perched on a high stool she had conjured, sipping an icy drink Rita had made for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marmang-Crab held a cleaning machine, tidying up the aftermath of Rita's cooking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black SpringMud Bears waited for income, unable to leave for supplies until the restaurant started making money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita worked at lightning speed, plating one dish after another and setting them on the serving table between the kitchen and cashier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to her, a plate of sashimi-like dish began complaining loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Too thick! Too thick! You should've sliced me 0.01mm thinner! And soak me in glacier water for five minutes to activate my full flavor! Oh, and if you're generous, sprinkle a tiny bit of Ghost Sugar on me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost Sugar?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was only one tiny jar in the whole kitchen—barely the size of her pinky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita placed the dish (69% Deliciousness) on the serving table, then used [This Life is Unbearable] on another plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More complaints erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew what kind of customers were coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If players were fighting over Mischief Score, then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wouldn't customers be dangerous too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if they didn't like the food and decided to beat up the chef?\u003C\u002Fp>",1181,"2026-06-06T06:14:58.840Z",1,"novelbin.me","ee7dfa8ae01344cbc1a0625a00ce0a6940a9191bc99ec096f56ba437c3a9d851","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-487","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-485",1404,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-cover.jpg"]