Because she had stayed up a little late, Qi Xu woke up the next day close to 5 a.m.!
She quickly got up, took a shower, and began fueling her stomach. There was no such thing as a poor morning appetite for her—she ate until she was completely full, then did some simple stretches to prepare for entering the dungeon.
The chat lobby was buzzing with excitement since everyone would soon be heading into the dungeon.
To accommodate this, "Fortune from All Directions" moved up the "Daily Sales" by half an hour and even released three premium items—all gourmet dishes crafted by Master Chef. Instantly, over 3,000 players scrambled to grab them...
No elaborate introductions were needed—the name "Master Chef" alone was the best product description!
The three lucky winners acted like they’d hit the jackpot, flaunting their prizes in the chat lobby. Qi Xu even spotted a familiar jokester—the same guy who had pointed at her flag on the Parallel Highway and asked for her autograph.
The kid even recorded himself doing a mukbang, devouring lemon chicken feet with such exaggerated expressions that Qi Xu, despite having just eaten, felt hungry again. The player instantly became the envy of the entire chat lobby...
But this bold move also caught the attention of Fortune from All Directions, who immediately recruited him into the team. In sales, shamelessness pays—if you’re willing to lose face, there’s no money you can’t make.
Seeing everyone so fired up, Qi Xu first consulted with Master Chef, then posted a message in the group before 6 a.m.:
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "If our district ranks first in this dungeon, I’ll drop a red envelope containing 100 servings of Master Chef’s lemon chicken feet. All players in the top 1,000 overall rankings can participate.
For those ranked below 1,000, don’t lose heart—Master Chef’s beef meatballs are also amazing. 3,000 servings will be raffled off, as long as your overall ranking isn’t in the bottom 5,000.
As for the top 10 players—DM me. I’ll treat you to a meal. (✿◡‿◡)"
This tangible reward instantly ignited the players’ enthusiasm!
Within 10 seconds, thousands of messages flooded the chat. Whether strong or average, every player was suddenly pumped up.
Average players aimed for a meatball, stronger players dreamed of snagging lemon chicken feet, and some even fantasized about the legendary meal with Whirlwind himself...
Ever since the number of players with golden chat cards increased, Master Chef had stopped taking outside orders.
Now, all meals were for internal consumption—or high-end custom orders from monster NPCs. Not only was the money rolling in effortlessly, but the dishes also became more challenging to craft, which Master Chef loved.
With no time to spare for regular players, the occasional items sold by Fortune from All Directions were just a small gesture of support for their own people.
Every player geared up, ready to risk it all for a good ranking—after all, this was their closest shot at Master Chef’s delicacies!
At exactly 6 a.m., Qi Xu—armed with dual blades and surrounded by a shimmering shield—was teleported into the dungeon space. Even if it was a low-star dungeon, proper preparation was non-negotiable!
She braced herself for battle, but... the sight before her left her stunned.
It was a peaceful space—a plush bed draped in a cozy blanket, playful stuffed animals nestled beside it, a sleek gaming setup glowing with blue LED lights, a grand piano and an easel standing quietly in the corner, waiting for their keys and paints to be brought to life. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf overflowed with books...
"A gentle trap, huh? Qiuqiu, you’re good."
Truth be told, since the survival game began, everyone had seen their fair share of gruesome scenes. The weak and cowardly had long perished.
Most had learned to toughen up, fighting to survive and embracing the relentless trials of the Survival Highway.
But now, out of nowhere, they were reminded of the comforts of a peaceful world—even if just for a few days. The temptation was overwhelming.
Who wouldn’t want to laze in bed, legs wrapped around a blanket, free from the rush of mileage? Or sink into a gaming chair, playing without a care in the world? Or binge-watch videos, scroll through social media, or lose themselves in a novel?
How many could even remember the dungeon’s objective? "Beat Qiuqiu"? Why bother when you could just... enjoy yourself?
Or maybe—"Just one more game, then I’ll start the mission." But after five straight losses, the frustration kicks in—"I’m just warming up! One more round to climb back!"
Or—"I’ll finish this novel first." But then another gripping recommendation pops up. Or a quick scroll through short videos turns into hours...
The distractions were endless. And for players deprived of mental nourishment for so long, these temptations were as irresistible as Master Chef’s dishes.
Qi Xu couldn’t control whether others would snap out of it and focus on the mission. But for her, there was only one goal.
In the southeast corner of the space sat a plump, milky-white Qiuqiu—utterly harmless-looking, the only thing resembling a "ball" she could find.
Without hesitation, she swung her blade at it!
A deep gash split open, followed by a damage display:
"-4"
Then came the dizzying sight of Qiuqiu’s health bar.
(49,999,996/50,000,000)
"Oh, Qiuqiu really loves itself, huh? Giving a fake ball 50 million HP."
Qi Xu doubted she could kill this "Qiuqiu" even if she slashed nonstop until the dungeon ended.
But hesitation wasn’t an option. No matter how impossible, she had to try.
She unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes—over 10,000 slashes in an hour.
As her arms began to tingle with fatigue, Qi Xu suddenly found joy in this dungeon. It was a chance to clear her mind, to shed her restlessness.
She aimed to maximize damage in the shortest time while honing her skills.
Experimenting with angles, speed, and power, she adjusted and refined her technique. Then, she incorporated 〖Crimson Assault〗, strategizing how to amplify the damage threshold of her pink mist blades...
The repetitive, monotonous slashing was boring enough—but Qiuqiu, unwilling to stay passive, began stirring up trouble...
...........
