Chapter 9: Hu Daniu’s Decision

Page 1/3

Seeing the experience bar change from 0/100 to 1/100, Chen Yun was exhilarated. He had finally found a way to increase his experience. It seemed those online game novels were right—besides fighting monsters and completing quests, players could also gain experience through their secondary professions.

“Chen, didn’t I tell you to cut slower? Why are you still so fast?” Hu Daniu asked.

“Uh… Master, it’s not that I don’t want to slow down, I just can’t. I feel like as soon as I pick up the knife, I lose control, as if I enter a strange state. I don’t know what’s happening,” Chen Yun replied earnestly, though it was pure nonsense.

“A strange state?” Hu Daniu stroked his chin in thought, then suddenly startled, “Could it be...”

“What is it?” Chen Yun asked curiously.

“Nothing. Keep cutting the vegetables. I’m going out for a smoke,” Hu Daniu said, then left.

“Oh.” Seeing his master unwilling to talk, Chen Yun wisely didn’t press further.

In the restaurant’s courtyard, Hu Daniu lit a cigarette and took a drag, staring absent-mindedly at the peppers growing nearby.

On the Olive Planet, there were countless professions, and one of them was chef.

Chefs were divided into seven realms: apprentice, junior chef, intermediate chef, senior chef, master chef, grandmaster chef, and finally, the legendary god chef, a realm no one had yet attained.

Most chefs, even after a lifetime, could only reach the level of senior chef. Only a select few, gifted and perceptive, could break through that barrier to become master chefs, or even grandmasters.

Currently, there were fewer than a hundred master chefs in the Tianlong Empire, with only three grandmasters. Across the entire Olive Planet, grandmaster chefs numbered only twenty.

Whether master or grandmaster, those who reached such heights shared a common trait: when cooking, they entered a profound state, a mysterious condition that propelled them to the pinnacle of their profession.

“Could Chen Yun have the potential to become a master chef, or even a grandmaster?” Hu Daniu pondered. “If what he says is true, and today really is his first time cutting vegetables, then his future is boundless. Heaven has granted me a surprise so great—I wonder if I am blessed enough to enjoy it.”

Page 2/3

After a moment’s thought, Hu Daniu made up his mind. Though he hadn’t known Chen Yun for long, he trusted his own judgment. If Chen Yun truly became a master or grandmaster chef, then as his first teacher, so long as he treated Chen Yun sincerely, he would never be forgotten once the young man succeeded.

“Talented people learn quickly, but I’m only a junior chef—I can’t teach him for long. And letting a future master chef work in a small eatery like this is a waste. I must find a way to let him train in a larger hotel. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. When I can’t teach him anymore, I’ll approach the manager at the Turkey Hotel. I refuse to believe they’d turn down a chef with such potential.”

Resolved, Hu Daniu flicked away his half-smoked cigarette and returned to the kitchen.

“I really need to figure out how to increase my mana. Fifty points of mana—just five rounds of cutting and it’s gone,” Chen Yun muttered while munching a tomato that restored ten mana. “I can’t keep eating tomatoes every time I cut vegetables, can I?”

“Ha, Chen, are you hungry?” Hu Daniu asked with a grin, noticing the pile of tomato skins beside him. In his eyes, Chen Yun was now an untapped gold mine. Forget a few tomatoes—even if Chen Yun ate every ingredient in the kitchen, it wouldn’t matter.

“I’m not hungry, just thirsty. Ate a tomato,” Chen Yun quickly explained as his master entered. “Master, I’m not stealing food. I’ve accounted for everything. I’ll settle up when I get paid.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s just a few tomatoes. No need to settle. Eat as you like—consider it a perk,” Hu Daniu said, taking a bite of a tomato himself.

What a good man! Chen Yun thought gratefully. “Master, I’ve finished cutting all these vegetables. Is there anything else you’d like me to do?”

Hu Daniu was momentarily stunned. Seeing all the washed vegetables neatly sliced and arranged on plates, he was amazed. So fast! I was only gone for a moment, and he’s cut more than a dozen plates. And that wasn’t even his top speed? Honestly, this cutting speed rivals that of a grandmaster chef.

“Excellent, excellent. Your knife skills are solid—there’s not much more I need to teach you. I’ll instruct you directly in stir-frying, starting with the simplest stir-fried radish shreds,” Hu Daniu said, his mouth twitching as he looked at the vegetables, each one cut to identical length and thickness, as if copied.

“Alright.” Chen Yun obediently stood at the stove, watching his master.

“Watch closely and remember my steps,” Hu Daniu said as he worked. “Stir-fried radish shreds is a simple dish. The first thing I ever made as a chef was this. Pay attention.”

Hu Daniu skillfully turned on the heat and poured peanut oil into the wok. After ten seconds, he said, “Heat up the wok, pour in peanut oil, and bring it to sixty percent hot. How do you tell? Simple—hold your hand above the oil. If you feel distinct heat, it’s ready. Add minced scallion and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant, then add radish shreds and toss until they soften and turn translucent—like this.”

After a few tosses, he continued, “Now add water, but not too much. Turn to medium heat and simmer the radish shreds until soft. When the broth is reduced, add salt, sugar, and chicken essence for flavor. Stir evenly and it’s ready to serve. In this profession, the key difference between delicious and mediocre dishes is mastery of heat and seasoning. I’ll teach you that gradually.”

“NPC Junior Chef Hu Daniu wishes to activate the player Chen Yun’s Basic Hot Dish Cooking Skill. Activate?”

Page 3/3

After Hu Daniu finished explaining the stir-fried radish shreds, Chen Yun received a system prompt.

“Yes!”

“The player must pay a skill activation fee of thirty copper coins to NPC Hu Daniu to activate the Basic Hot Dish Cooking Skill.”

I knew it, Chen Yun thought bitterly. He suspected the designers of the player system were brainless. In games, when learning skills, the money was deducted automatically—but here, he had to hand it over to the NPC. What good does it do the NPC?

“The dish is done. I’ll plate it, then you give it a try,” Hu Daniu said, not noticing Chen Yun’s expression.

“Alright, Master.” While Hu Daniu was plating the radish shreds, Chen Yun quickly took out thirty copper coins and tossed them into the trash bin by the stove, then pointed and feigned surprise, “Master, why is there money in the trash bin?”

“What?” Hu Daniu put down the wok and looked where Chen Yun pointed, indeed seeing coins inside.

“Well! How did money get in here?” Hu Daniu bent down and picked them up.

“Perhaps, Master, it fell out of your pocket when you were busy?” Chen Yun prompted, hoping his master wouldn’t overthink it.

“Hmm, I bend down a lot during the day—must’ve slipped out by accident. Alright, let’s not dwell on it. You try the dish and let me see how much you’ve learned,” Hu Daniu said, pocketing the coins.

“Player Chen Yun’s Basic Hot Dish Cooking Skill has been activated. Current proficiency: 0/300. When proficiency is maxed, please seek an intermediate chef to receive your skill advancement quest.”