Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 1260

Chapter 1260

Bran, who could almost be said to be the King of Farmers, smiled brightly as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

‘I have finally finished rebuilding my sweet potato and potato fields!’

In the past, Bran had lost his precious sweet potatoes and potatoes—crops that he struggled to grow and raise—to a man named Minhyuk. That man ate everything, leaving behind only a single potato.

“That triceratops-like bastard...”

Bran shuddered at the mere thought of the man. The man was crazy enough to keep on calling and shouting sweet potato pumpkin when it should be pumpkin sweet potato. Regardless, everything had been fine since then.

Based on the foreigners’ standards, that man had already grown strong enough to no longer come to this place. This meant no one could eat all his potatoes and sweet potatoes anymore!

At that moment, a bright light flashed, revealing the figure of a small girl.

“Please give me sweet potato pumpkin!” the cute girl shouted, her words eerily similar to those Minhyuk had previously said.

Bran had not entertained a guest for quite a long time now. He could not help but smile brightly when he saw such a young and adorable guest like her. He chuckled, “Hohoho. Kid, what’s your name?”

“My name is Philos!”

Philos was Minhyuk’s chosen Food God’s Descendant and one of the two remaining patients suffering from eating addiction. As for the reason why she came here? It was because of the devilish words that Minhyuk had whispered while he gently stroked her head.

–Fufu, Philos. If you go to Isbin Village, take on a subjugation quest for Sun’s Wheat, and make outstanding achievements, then you will be given a key. You will be taken somewhere with delicious potatoes and sweet potatoes using that key.

Basically, Philos came here to eat potatoes and sweet potatoes. And Bran? He was flashing a fatherly smile at Philos without knowing that.

“I want to eat potatoes and sweet potatoes, please!”

Bran’s smile grew when he heard her words. He said, “Originally, you have to dig out the bad guys called Black Sweet Potatoes that eat the nutrients from the other crops. But since you’re a cute little lady, you can eat as much as you want!”

“I can eat as much as I want?!”

“Yes, yes. These are the sweet potatoes and potatoes that I worked painstakingly hard for in the past year. They are very delicious. I don’t think it will be noticeable if a cute little girl like you ate a few!”

“Wooooooaaaaah! Sweet potato pumpkin!”

“It’s pumpkin sweet potato. Haha!” Bran chuckled, a flash of confusion appearing on his face when he realized that the girl was calling his crop by the same name the triceratops had called it in the past.

Not long after, Philos began to boil the sweet potatoes.

“Little girl, this farmer uncle will be going out to take care of some business, okay? You cannot take them out of here, my dear, cute little girl. You can only eat the sweet potatoes and potatoes here.”

“Yeeeeees–!” Philos replied loudly.

Bran smiled and went outside happily.

Just like that, two days had passed. Bran, who bought supplements and fertilizers for his sweet potatoes and potatoes, finally returned.

‘Maybe the cute little girl has left now?’

Just thinking about the cute little girl was enough to bring a smile to Bran’s face. Alas, he was met with an indescribable sight when he returned to his field.

“...?”

The fields no longer had sweet potatoes. At the center of it all was Philos, who smiled happily as she put the last piece of sweet potato in her mouth.

“Wh-what is this...” Bran stammered.

Bran was the owner and master of this place. He had set it up so that anyone who entered could only eat his crops and never take them out. Due to that restriction, this kid had eaten everything here.

“Sweet potato pumpkin is so delicious!!!”

For a moment, Bran thought the girl looked exactly like that bastard. He could not help but ask, “By any chance, do you know Minhyuk?”

“Ah! I know him well! He’s the one who told me about this place.”

“...”

Bran was rendered speechless, his jaw dropping open at the discovery.

‘Wait. I was the one who said she could eat as many as she wanted...’

He could not say anything to the girl because he was the one who said it first. Then, the girl bowed politely and disappeared from his sight. Not long after, Bran found a single leftover potato in the field. A single piece of potato out of the thousands that he had grown! It was exactly the same as what Minhyuk did in the past!

“The triceratops had given birth to a baby...”

The worst part? The triceratops sent its baby here.

“Is he set out to kill me?” Bran cried.

***

Minhyuk had turned off the chat window and the donation and sponsorship notifications of his Hanwoo Set Mukbang. However, he was the only one who could not see them. The viewers could still talk in the chat window and send donations and sponsorships.

Countless viewers from all over the world, who enjoyed watching ZTube videos, were quite puzzled to see the sudden appearance of an Athenae player in the broadcast’s top rankings, especially because many of them did not play games.

[Wait, there are so many viewers watching a single gamer?]

[A gamer doing a mukbang? Lololol. It’s something worth watching, no?]

[I think he’s going to do a fake mukbang though...]

Fake mukbang was a term referring to those who would eat voraciously and then induce vomiting off-screen.

A mukbang BJ’s greatest weapon was eating deliciously and happily. Using this weapon, they could help others feel happy and gain some appetite while watching their videos.

However, a thread called Gorging Out was spreading worldwide. It dealt with fake mukbangs, and many BJs had been caught and proven to do this. Because of this, many of the mukbang viewers had left them.

[I’m so sick and tired of this. I don’t want to see handsome and beautiful people eating anymore! We really want to see someone eat happily so that we can eat and live vicariously through them!]

[That guy called the Supreme in the game is trying to cosplay as a mukbang-er right now?]

Although Minhyuk’s name was widespread, and a few people who did not play Athenae had heard about him, they still knew nothing about him. Of course, this was only natural.

Even if he were hailed as the most influential person in the world, many people would still not know much about him. After all, he was not someone from their own country. Why would they even brag about him becoming number one? And they did not even play the same game. Why would they be interested in finding out more about Minhyuk?

[For now, let’s just watch. Anyway, this is inside a game. So, there’s no way a fake mukbang will be done here. Lololol.]

[How can you even do mukbang in Athenae? It has a satiety system, no? So, it’s impossible for the average player to do a mukbang and eat to their heart’s content.]

[Minhyuk is special. The satiety system does not work on him. It doesn’t put any restrictions on him regarding eating.]

[Hey, hey, guys. Minhyuk does not insert any weird ads. He just eats. Anyway, just watch him first, nerds!]

Amidst the viewers’ skepticism and distrust, the thick sirloin steak was gently placed atop the heated stone grill.

Minhyuk, who did not know the argument that was taking place online, admirably gazed at the billowing white smoke.

“Kghhk...” Minhyuk sighed in pure awe and admiration.

At this moment, his eyes were completely focused on the food, and he was eating so much that he forgot that he was doing a live broadcast.

Sirloin steak tastes best when grilled golden on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside. That is why it is necessary to flip it at the right time.

Sizzle–

When it was turned over, the sizzling oil remained on the surface of the side that had already been grilled. After cooking the other side to a certain extent, Minhyuk sliced the steak thickly. The inside of the steak was still pink and juicy.

He grabbed a slice and tried it without dipping it in anything. The thick and soft texture of the meat greeted him the moment it entered his mouth. The savory and meaty juices would come out with every bite and chew.

“Woah...”

The Supreme Hanwoo Set was an ingredient that went beyond Athenae’s Ingredients. And it lived up to its name. This was the best Hanwoo that Minhyuk had ever tasted in the world!

As he marveled at the meat's taste and texture, he grabbed another piece and put a bit of wasabi on it. The wasabi’s slightly spicy flavor instantly washed away the greasiness of the meat.

A small smile graced Minhyuk’s face as he closed his eyes and savored the flavor of the meat. With a small nod, he opened his eyes and spread some ramps and garlic on the plate before him. After that, he placed a piece of the sirloin steak, added a bit of wasabi on top, and made a wrap. Then, he put everything in his mouth.

[...Wait, what? Why do I feel like I want to eat, too, as I watch this live broadcast?]

[That happy smile on his face... it doesn’t seem like it’s a pretense...]

[As a self-proclaimed mukbang doctor who subscribed to over 300 mukbang BJs, I can say that the smile on his face is pure and genuine...]

[No, what... how can he eat so happily like that?]

Minhyuk, who seemed unconcerned about their conversation, continued to eat. This time, he made a lettuce wrap with meat, scallions dipped in ssamjang, and some Chongyang red pepper inside. When he put the wrap in his mouth, the rich and savory flavor of the meat and the crispy and fresh taste of the vegetables greeted him, leaving an even happier smile on his face.

The Supreme Hanwoo Set consisted of various beef parts and weighed two kilograms. Of course, he did not forget to grill the rest of the meat.

After eating the sirloin steak, Minhyuk focused on the chuck flap tail. Once that was finished, he went ahead and ate some rib-eye steak. Regardless, that was not the end.

“Oh no. I was too focused on eating the meat.”

Minhyuk immediately grabbed a spoon and scooped a huge mouthful of hot white rice into a bowl. He followed it with a spoonful of the spicy and refreshing doenjangjjigae. Then, he scooped a huge spoonful of the steamed eggs, which had already swelled like an active volcano on the pot, and placed it on top. After mixing everything together, he scooped a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

It felt thrilling, like something new, even though he was familiar with the taste. He could not help but be impressed.

This time, he began to grill the marinated beef ribs.

Sizzle–!

[O-ooooh!!! I know that!! They’re beef ribs!]

[I tried them when I was in Korea!]

[Wait. Minhyuk is Korean. I’m sure he eats ribs. Wait! Why does it look like he’s not going to eat them?!]

Of course, that would never be the case. Minhyuk removed some of the bibimnaengmyeon he had prepared in advance from his inventory.

[Oh my god...!]

[He really knows how to eat. Jesus!]

At this point, the ribs were already done grilling. The well-cooked ribs looked golden and juicy.

What was the best way to cook marinated ribs? It was to grill them over low heat and only use high heat toward the end. With this method, all of the seasonings would seep into the meat and leave it with deep flavor and taste.

Minhyuk put those golden and well-cooked ribs in his mouth. Many of the viewers opened their mouths at the same time. It was as if the ribs were coming to their mouth, not his. The delightful and sweet flavor immediately spread in his mouth as he chewed and gnawed on the ribs.

“Kyaha!!!”

[Kyaha!]

[Kyaha!]

[Yummy!]

[Gulp!]

Then, he grabbed his chopsticks and separated the yolk from the egg on top of the bibimnaengmyeon.

[What’s he doing?]

[Does he not like the egg yolk?]

Then, he crushed the yolk and mixed it with the rest of the noodles. The yolk was slowly mixed with the red and glossy sauce and covered with delicious noodles.

[It can be eaten like that...?!]

[Wow! This is nuts...!]

After mixing everything, he grabbed two pieces of ribs, placed them on top of the bibimnaengmyeon, and wrapped them with the noodles. Then he put everything in his mouth. The sweet and savory meat and the spicy bibimnaengmyeon combined to create a perfect harmony of flavors.

The viewers, who watched him eat like that, could not help but exclaim.

[What the hell? Why do I feel so hungry?!]

[Can a person really eat food so happily like that?]

[It’s true! I can’t even find a hint of fakeness in his happy smile!]

The viewers who knew Minhyuk well replied to them.

[Please go and search about eating addiction. Go, go!]

[Our Minhyuk will never do fake mukbang. He will never vomit out something that has entered his mouth!]

After hearing the other viewers' words and hearing them from their friends, the unaware viewers searched for information about eating addiction. These people had not been interested in Minhyuk before, but now that they had developed some interest, they could easily find out about him.

[It’s a rare disease with a zero percent survival rate?]

[How many hours per day did he have to work out and exercise just to live?]

[This is crazy! Can a young man really do something like this?!]

[So, you’re saying he started playing Athenae to survive?]

[Why am I crying right now?]

[Isn’t the burden that he’s carrying too big and too heavy for a 21-year-old...?]

This was exactly what Carron expected. Minhyuk’s story, appearance, influence, and outstanding mukbang ability combined to create a huge wave.

Minhyuk, who seemed utterly aware of the waves that he was causing, rubbed his stomach after eating the beef set and said, “Ah. Let’s have some simple cake for dessert!”

Then, he promptly took out ten plates of cake and lined them up along with twenty glasses of iced americano.

“Cake and iced americano!”

[...]

[...]

The viewers, who had been watching Minhyuk eating his cake happily, realized why he was so happy eating like that.

[If the mukbang is like this, then it’s definitely worth watching.]

[Living vicariously through others is the best!]

[Donate! We will donate and sponsor!]

Minhyuk ate ten plates of cake and drank twenty glasses of iced americano in two hours.

“I feel slightly peckish... shall we have some Korean fried chicken?”

Then, Minhyuk took out thirty boxes of Korean fried chicken.

[OMG... He can eat more?]

[Wait. No. Even if this is a game, there’s no way that a person can eat that much, right?]

Minhyuk continued to eat while the viewers clamored. He did not have much time to eat recently, so he took this opportunity to enjoy himself thoroughly and take a long break.

Minhyuk, who only ate for twelve hours straight, sighed, “Fwaaaa... I ate everything!”

The viewers thought he would greet them at the end; after all, he did not mention or even acknowledge them during the entire broadcast.

[Minhyuk’s Supreme Hanwoo Set Mukbang has ended.]

[...?]

[Wait. Wasn’t this a live broadcast? So, he just ate like that?]

[What is this? Lolololol.]

[He’s the real deal. For real! All he did was eat, yet he will profit from the broadcast’s revenue!]

[I can’t stand this! Let me scold you by giving you donations and sponsorships!]

[Gosh. Lmao. I can’t believe this live broadcast. He really just ate without even saying hello or goodbye!]

The people were agitated when they saw Minhyuk act like that.

***

“Ah! That’s right. I was doing a live broadcast, right?”

Minhyuk had been so focused on eating that he forgot he was in the middle of a live broadcast. But Carron had told him that it was fine if he just ate like usual and that it would not matter if he did not mind the people in the live broadcast. That is why Minhyuk ate without any scruples and even forgot about the matter.

‘I made a mistake. It was my live broadcast. I should have greeted the viewers at least, right?’ Minhyuk thought, a sigh escaping his mouth. ‘I wonder if I truly created huge waves even though I did not say anything during the entire broadcast? Will it really be as Carron said...? At the very least, I’m sure that I will be able to get at least two billion won in donations!’

Minhyuk tamped down his expectations, as having unnecessary expectations always led to disappointment. Exiting the capsule, he grabbed his phone and checked his subscriber count and the amount of donations and sponsorships he had received during the live broadcast. But what he saw made his eyes grow as wide as saucers.

[Your total subscribers have increased by 7,897,031 as of today.]

[Today’s donation and sponsorship.]

[33,110,035,010 won.]

The amount of donations that he received today alone was 33 billion won.