To ascend, I had no choice but to create games

Chapter 485: Chapter 286: Cao Thief (Second Update)_1

[At first, I didn’t believe you when you said Gong Gong would play the game, but seeing her achieve what others couldn’t, I became a believer. After all, without true skill, it would be really unlikely to poison someone on the first try.]

[Huaxia people always focus on harmony. If you make me eat bran with pickles, I absolutely refuse. But if you ask me to try Gong Gong’s cooking, I’d be wondering, ‘Is it okay to add a piece of fermented bean curd to the pickles?’]

[Tai Yin, you died so horribly! So Military Governor, when do we eat?]

Their recent antics had been a riot, causing the three of them to have no choice but to create new accounts and start taking the game seriously.

After creating new accounts, the three from Gong Gong sat on the doorstep of a hotel, discussing what to do next.

Tai Yin, sticking out her tongue and fanning herself with her hand, said with a big lolling tongue, “It feels disgusting, like drinking expired engine oil, and now my tongue is all weird tasting. So Gong Gong, what on earth was that stuff?”

...

“Don’t ask, it’s definitely not engine oil.”

“That’s even more disgusting!”

Though they had restarted the game, Gong Gong’s possession of the [Absolutely Deadly Recipe] remained, and she could just gift a dish to anyone she didn’t like in the future.

It was one of the game mechanics to acquire higher-level recipes for more experience and silver, making the early game go smoother for players.

As a result, many players kept resetting at the beginning, using silver to buy low-level recipes, and only then did they start playing the game for real.

And the [Absolutely Deadly Recipe] had a fairly high rating; making a dish from it gave quite the experience, showing the system’s favorable evaluation of this recipe.

Since they decided to live stream “God of Cookery,” they couldn’t just fool around all the time.

Besides, if the fans found out they were serious instead of joking around, their live stream accounts might have to be started over from scratch.

Having brainstormed a plan, Gong Gong suggested, “Military Governor, let’s take this seriously. From now on, I’ll play the role of a reformed young miss, and you can be a maid who is moved by me and willing to devote herself, how about that?”

“That’s fine,” nodded the Military Governor, “but I retain the rights and identity of being your little mom.”

“And me?” asked Tai Yin excitedly.

“Just play yourself, that would work for the show too.”

Hearing this, Tai Yin felt vaguely excited but then wondered, are they plotting against me?

The three of them started dividing the tasks, quickly tidying up the restaurant, and then it was time to study how to play the game.

While the game was a culinary game, its business aspect was also significant, and players still needed to be mindful of the seasonal effects on produce and meat.

Later on, they could hire workers to help out, which would save a lot of time.

And learning from “I Am The Director,” Fang Cheng Studio had imposed many restrictions on capitalist tactics, preventing many underhanded methods, which disappointed players who wanted to rely on dirty capital moves to flourish.

After reading the guide thoroughly, Gong Gong said, “The best way to play this game is to cook. Military Governor, Tai Yin, do any of you know how to cook? I’m not asking for much, just the skill level of a five-star chef will do.”

“What are you joking about?” The Military Governor crossed her arms, “Do you think I can cook?”

“But you’re my maid!”

“I’m the little mom who likes to dress up as a maid and play surreal house with the master.”

“Damn, you’ve gotten way too detailed with this setting.”

Finding no room to slack off, the three memorized the content of the cookbook, bought ingredients, and then proceeded to cook automatically.

At the start of the game, players receive a basic level-one recipe from the system and can buy level-two recipes at the market with silver. Nanan City’s NPCs give out level-three recipes when their favorability is high. Participating in Lin’an City’s cooking competition and beating other NPCs to earn the title of “Small Town Food God” unlocks multiplayer mode and challenges to obtain recipes of level five or higher.

Having grasped the gameplay, Tai Yin was responsible for grocery shopping, the Military Governor managed reception and cleaning, and Gong Gong took care of cooking. The division of labor among the three worked out quite well.

After all, they were all Artifact Spirits who, even after acquiring physical bodies, could still understand each other with a glance, making communication comfortable.

This comfortable feeling also spread to the live stream, where viewers could sense the reassuring teamwork of the trio.

[The flow is so smooth, Gong Gong, Military Governor, and Tai Yin must be sisters, right? Such coordination can’t be achieved without years of living together.]

[You’re thinking too much, they probably practiced it on purpose.]

[I wonder what Gong Gong is like behind the scenes, probably flying with dirty jokes and wanting to tease everyone she sees.]

[Maybe she’s an upright and honest loli with white hair, just like her image in the live stream.]

[Even thinking about it is impossible. It would be satisfying enough if she’s not a single mother.]

[I can handle it!]

Ignoring the discussion in the live stream chat, the three coordinated silently and began cooking to make money.

Besides cooking, the game also involved judging customers and observing their behavior.

If they noticed someone well-dressed with sophisticated manners, they would recommend expensive dishes and add an extra ten to twenty percent to the cost. The customer wouldn’t complain and often left a generous tip.

Seeing someone poor, they provided food high in salt and oil. After eating, the customer might just leave a gift, and little by little, they could earn some extra money.

For the Military Governor, perceiving and observing was a breeze.

Every Iron Guard’s processing system was prepared for cosmic warfare, which involved so many calculations and memories that remembering the types of patrons was a piece of cake.

Soon, every regular’s background and preferences were saved by the Military Governor, and after sharing with Gong Gong, they could easily grasp the status of each customer and analyze and control them accordingly.

After one day, they got the hang of it, and by day two, they were insiders.

On the third day, the previously deserted hotel was bustling with guests, and the swift Military Governor deftly served food to every table, occasionally even helping out Gong Gong in the kitchen.

Despite the number of guests, they didn’t save much money.

Although they knew that the prudent thing to do with money was to save up for some second-level recipes, the three of them simply couldn’t hold onto their cash; any surplus Silver would lead them to buy tastier treats. As a result, their palates became more discerning, but they ended up not buying any new recipes.

Let alone pleasing NPCs with cooking, they were lucky they didn’t have to sell the hotel.

After closing for the day, the trio calculated that day’s revenue and expenses in just a second, then sighed in unison.

“We didn’t make any money again. When can we go to Linhua City?” Gong Gong complained, rhythmically swinging his legs while lying on the table.

“Don’t know. Hey, what was that slightly sweet dish you bought today? I want to try it tomorrow,” said the Military Governor.

“Wine rice. It’s topped with fatty pork, white sugar, and date paste. Once steamed, the meat and rice merge perfectly, creating a rich but not greasy bite. It’s a high-class delicacy,” Tai Yin described, licking his lips.

Gong Gong immediately lifted his head, “I want some too, save me a piece for tomorrow! Wait, isn’t this why we never make any money? Someone in the chat said that Linhua City has even more delicious food, but we can’t taste it!”

The Military Governor contemplated, “How about starting tomorrow we don’t feed Tai Yin? That way, we could save a third on food expenses.”

Tai Yin narrowed his eyes at the Military Governor, “Are you trying to pick on me because you think my brain processes things too slowly?”

“Have you caught on?”

Ignoring the two who were at daggers drawn, Gong Gong continued pondering ways to make money quickly.

Indulging in fine food wasn’t without benefits; at the very least, their palates had advanced to level three. After tasting many dishes, the system would automatically help them analyze the preparation methods and ingredient content, allowing them to decipher their rivals’ cooking techniques and ingredients and deduce the corresponding recipes.

The fastest way to make money, as stated in the chat, was to save up and buy paintings to please the local patrons, taking on their daily dining needs. They could save a substantial sum in just a few days.

If they happened to cater for a wedding or funeral, they could earn a fortune, after which things would go smoothly.

However, to successfully handle these tasks, they would need third-level recipes.

Currently, the quickest way to obtain third-level recipes was to use second-level ones to please an old beggar in the city’s dilapidated temple, who was actually a somewhat famous chef. Regrettably, his recipes had brought him to a violent end.

So, that was the problem.

All their spare money went to buying delicious food, leaving them incapable of saving enough to buy second-level recipes. They were stuck in this unbearable limbo, frustrated every day.

While the three were deep in thought, there was a sudden knock on the hotel door.

“Excuse me, is the owner present?”

The voice outside was quite pleasant, but its mournful tone was piercing, causing the livestream audience to shiver involuntarily.

Hearing this voice, viewers familiar with the game immediately said, “Don’t, don’t open the door!”

“Why?” Gong Gong asked curiously. “Sounds like a lonely, cold lady desperately seeking someone’s warmth.”

“You are a young lady now, not a pervert!”

“Are they mutually exclusive?”

“…They are not. This is a side quest, the Ghost Bride. This young lady died with regrets and a heavy heart, clinging to her wedding plans. She finally found a recently departed young man and is planning to hire chefs to fulfill the marriage. However, this quest is hard to trigger; you need a fourth-level or higher recipe within the first ten days. How did you manage to trigger it?”

Gong Gong glanced at their recipe list and then displayed the [Absolutely Deadly Recipe].

Although certain death awaited anyone who ate it, the unique effects of the recipe had earned it a five-star rating, making it a true oddity.

After watching for a while, the audience commented, “Well, it’s normal for that to be five-star, considering it can kill a person. This quest is quite difficult because it takes place in a rather terrifying setting, and the slightest mistake can scare the characters, leaving them shaken for days. If you don’t want to accept it, just ignore it; it will leave after a while.”

“What’s the reward like?”

“Pretty good, a third-level recipe, a bit of silver money, and a hidden reward, though its effects are unknown.”

“Sounds decent, let’s check it out,” Gong Gong said to the others.

“Gong Gong, are you really considering it? You got half scared to death by a minor horror game before.”

“Heh, heh, heh. How could I, a dignified young lady, possibly be afraid of that? It was all acting before. Onward, minions.”

Upon opening the door, Gong Gong’s expression instantly froze upon seeing what stood outside.

A woman with bluish skin and holding an oil-paper umbrella stood at the door.

The umbrella’s lower edge obscured her face, revealing only her pale lips, curled into a chilly smile.

Her hair constantly dripped water, quickly forming a small puddle beneath her, as if she had just been pulled from a well.

Her figure was plump, but she exuded an indefinable presence of death, giving the impression she was not of this world.

When the door opened, her voice echoed eerily, “The owner has finally opened the door. My young mistress—”

“Madam, I don’t think your husband would appreciate you visiting others in the middle of the night,” Gong Gong said seriously.

“Eh? But I don’t have a husband.”

“…Suddenly I’ve lost interest. Can you find a husband first and then visit me?”

Faced with Gong Gong’s reaction, the livestream audience once again flashed a “6.”