The cafeteria was considerably larger than Lu Er had anticipated.

  Along the left wall, workers moved efficiently behind long counters—cooking, portioning, replenishing containers that steamed steadily. To the right, rows of tables stretched the width of the hall, already filling with the particular noise of hundreds of young people eating after a shared ordeal: overlapping conversations, the clatter of cutlery, the occasional burst of laughter.

  There was a long line in front of the food counters.

  Seeing Wan Reira’s wave, Lu Er gestured toward the food line with an apologetic shrug, indicating he would join them after securing a meal.

  He took his place at the end of the queue. The air was thick with the rich, savory aromas of real cuisine, a stark contrast to the Game's rations.

  When his turn finally arrived at the first window, a weary-looking worker extended a hand. "Identity plaque."

  Lu Er passed over his silver token. The worker's eyes flicked to it, and his demeanor shifted subtly, from bored to professionally accommodating. He retrieved a different plate from beneath the counter, a heavy, gleaming piece of stainless steel, larger and sturdier than the simpler aluminum plates being handed to those with copper plaques.

  "You can skip this queue entirely and head directly to the last four counters on the far end," the worker offered. "Everything available here is also available there, plus a wider variety of cuisines. It would save you some time."

  Lu Er offered a wordless nod of thanks and made his way to the designated premium section. Unexpectedly, there was still a line here, although much smaller, with only four others waiting. It indicated that the village was still producing a steady trickle of Ranked individuals every year. Not to mention that not all of them were here; some would be inside their rooms or other facilities, and there were still many Unawakened inside their respective games. The time window was thirty days, and his game had ended in only half that time.

  He let his gaze drift across the faces ahead of him without particular intention—and stopped.

  He recognized one of them.

  It was the girl who had phased through Lu Yi near the end of the game. Her Acolyte ability was… peculiar.

  His turn came. The moment he stepped forward, the smell struck him properly for the first time—rich and layered, the deep savoriness of slow-cooked meat mingling with the sharpness of spiced oils and something faintly sweet underneath. Lu Er shoved the thought to the back of his mind. The fragrance of the food was heavenly. Having subsisted on dry biscuits and jerky for nearly two weeks had done magical wonders on his appetite. He nearly drooled looking at the spread.

  There were only a few dishes, but each appeared exquisite. Different types of meat, cooked in various styles, were stored in large containers constantly heated by preservation artifacts below. Those artifacts were not cheap; they would usually cost a normal family their entire lifetime worth of savings just to afford a single one.

  Most of the youths here had not paid even a single crystal to the clan yet, yet the clan used these artifacts to feed them for free. It showed how much they appreciated talent.

  "What would you like to eat?" the worker asked. Lu Er stood still, mesmerized by the options.

  Then his gaze caught a specific dish. Among the various trays, it shone like a lodestar. 'It's the Shyant Centipede brisket.'

  "I'll take a little bit of everything, and two ribs of Shyant Centipede." Though the Shyant Centipede was a delicacy, how could he give up the other dishes without even trying them first? Who knew what might become his next favorite?

  The worker didn't question and quickly filled the plate with a little bit of everything. After he was done, the plate weighed so much that the worker couldn't even lift it and had to slide it around the counter.

  "Oh, I almost forgot. What sort of wine do you have?" Lu Er asked.

  "For the Silver Plaques, we have three types of wine. Jade Mulberry Mead, Pearl Snake Wine, and Blueback Koi Nectar."

  "Which is the best?"

  "If you are looking for taste, Jade Mulberry Mead is the best. If you are looking for the strongest, then Pearl Snake Wine. If you want the most expensive, then it's Blueback Koi Nectar. It has a unique taste and is mildly strong."

  "Can I taste?"

  "Sure." The worker went inside and brought out three small cups on a tray.

  Lu Er tasted all three one by one. The mead was indeed sweet, smooth, and fragrant. The snake wine was bitter and burned a warming path down his throat. The Koi Nectar, however, made his nose wrinkle slightly. "Meh. Most expensive? This Blueback Koi Nectar tastes below average."

  "Not to everyone's palate, young master. Its value lies in the scarcity of the Blueback Koi. A single bottle requires essence-divers to risk the deep river rapids," the worker said while cleaning one of the utensils.

  "Uhuh." Lu Er grunted in acknowledgment.

  "Hey! You!" a sharp, impatient voice cut from behind him. "Can you hurry up? You've been holding the line for ten minutes!"

  Lu Er didn't turn. He gave a slight, dismissive glance over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of a scowling youth with a Silver Plaque. He turned back to the worker. "A bottle of the Jade Mulberry Mead, please."

  The worker went inside to retrieve the wine.

  "What are you staring at? You have some problem?" the guy shouted once again, emboldened by the silence.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Lu Er scoffed, took his food, and walked toward the table where Cai Hong and the others were sitting.

  "You are quite early. Why didn't you come after we finished eating?" Zhu Yan said.

  "What? Am I late? Who are we planning to kill?" Lu Er replied, looking around aggressively as a joke. "Whatever, just let me eat. Though, you can tell me how the game proceeded after I died. I really need a good story." He dug into the food.

  "I'll tell you," Cai Hong said. "After you died, we went to the…" He continued describing the events.

  As Cai Hong spoke, Lu Er selected his first target: one of the Shyant Centipede ribs. This time, the meat didn't fall from the bone with the sublime tenderness of a fresh preparation; it had clearly been held warm, losing a fraction of its ideal texture. But to his starved palate, it was still ambrosial. He took a huge, tearing bite.

  Heavenly. The complex flavors—sweet, spicy, umami, with the distinct, gamey richness of the centipede meat—exploded across his tongue. He followed it with a piece of the White Qi Fish. It was cooked in chili oil and covered with various condiments. The moment it entered his mouth, a burst of spicy, sour, and savory juices erupted, perfectly balanced. He grabbed the bottle of Jade Mulberry Mead, uncorked it with his teeth, and took several long, satisfying gulps, the sweet alcohol cooling the chili heat.

  When Cai Hong finished recounting, Lu Er was already finished eating. Perhaps he ate too much; his stomach full to the point of tightness.

  "Ahh, I am done. So, what are you guys doing?" Lu Er slumped back in the chair.

  "We still have to prepare for the competition. We are not like you; we still need to compete to get into a better academy."

  "Don't antagonize me,” Lu Er retorted, waving a dismissive hand. “It's not my fault that only the Shanyue Central Academy has the elders to teach the Ranked." This was another fact he had obtained earlier from the information artifact. Out of the 3 academies in the Shanyue Village, only a single one—the best academy that everyone competed to be admitted to—had resources to teach about Soul Gifts and Ranked techniques.

  This meant that Lu Er didn't even need to participate in the competition.

  Not like he wanted to anyway.

  The fewer people who knew about his strength, the better his life would be.

  "So, I am alone then. Sigh, I have no plans. Did Xia Sahui tell you anything about what to do or where to meet?" Lu Er continued.

  "No," Cai Hong replied.

  "All of you are going to train next?"

  "Yes, we will spar with each other," Wan Reira replied this time.

  "Are you allowed to use Essence? I didn't check the rules for the competition."

  "Yes, we are allowed to use Essence, but we are not allowed to go out of the grounds. Basically, we'll have to learn it ourselves if we want to use it."

  "Makes sense. I'll also come with you and help you with your sparring."

  "Great! You are very strong; it'll definitely be helpful." Wan Reira seemed very enthusiastic.

  …

  In the Xia Family Manor

  "Sir," a servant murmured from the doorway, bowing low. "The young lady has returned. Her Game has concluded."

  Within the room, two men sat across from each other. Xia Zhong occupied a high-backed chair, his expression inscrutable. In front of Xia Zhong was a young man in his early twenties, with thin, scholarly features magnified by round spectacles. His hair was slightly unkempt, and his face bore the pallor and premature lines of one who spent long hours in dimly lit workshops. In his hands, he nervously turned a small glass vial filled with some sort of white powder. Between them on a polished rosewood table lay a plump, drawstring pouch.

  "Tell her to wait for a bit," Xia Zhong instructed the servant, his voice calm. He then turned his attention back to the young man. "You can give it a thought. There is no hurry. You can take your time and decide."

  The young scholar nodded jerkily, his eyes darting once more to the pouch. Taking his chance, he took another glance inside. It was filled with Essence Stones. Swallowing hard, he scooped up the pouch, bowed deeply, and scurried from the room.

  Xia Sahui stood outside the room. A figure came out from inside. 'Who's he? I've never seen him around before. Father even told me to wait due to him…' Xia Sahui thought, then entered the room.

  She entered the study. "Father." She offered a respectful bow.

  Xia Zhong nodded, a rare, genuine smile touching his lips. "Come. Sit." He gestured to the now-vacant chair.

  "Who was that man, Father? I've never seen him before." She sat leisurely.

  "Do you remember a few years ago when there was an innovation in the Redstone Wire? He is the young man who refined the recipe of the wire.

  How did the trials go?" There was a slight anticipation on his face.

  A confident smile touched Xia Sahui's lips. "Father, you worry too much. Of course, I succeeded with the best result. I have Awakened both my Soul Gift and my physical body."

  "That's great. It's a relief that it went well."

  "Though, it didn't go that well. I have more good news."

  "Is that so? I am listening."

  Xia Sahui then recounted how the game proceeded. She also included details about the monster. She had already asked Hua Yong about what happened after she died and added that information to her report.

  "Then, it seems only Zhang Ling knows what happened at the end. But the description of this monster and the way it acted throughout the game sounds very odd." Xia Zhong mused.

  "That's what I thought too."

  "Let's not waste any more time on this. The game ended with you winning. You made the correct decision to choose the temple and not fight with Zhang Ling for the last position. You even acquired trusted subordinates for the future, even pulled a Ranked by orchestrating a fake scenario. You have truly exceeded my expectations."

  "Thank you."

  "What's the name of this Ranked? I'll look into whether he is clean or not."

  "His name is Lu Zhiheng."

  "What? Are you sure his name is Lu Zhiheng?"

  "Yes… why? Is there something wrong?"

  Instead of answering, Xia Zhong turned to a drawer in his desk, rummaging through scrolls and dossiers. He pulled out a specific scroll and unrolled it, pushing it across the table to her. "I've already looked into his background because he was an orphan and yet he paid a full Essence Stone fee to awaken rather than signing the contract."

  "What?! That means…"

  "Right. He is totally unaffiliated. He is not bound to the Clan. By bringing him to your side, you have secured an asset for Xia Family directly."

  All the Ranked in the Shanyue Clan either belonged to major families or were bound to serve the clan by a contract. When bound by the contract, the Ranked served the clan. Although they were given choices, ultimately, they all had to listen to the Clan Leader. If the Clan Leader disagreed, nobody would be able to command them. Though the Clan Leader was also bound by this—the Ranked were not his personal force—it didn't stop him from still using them secretly to elevate his own family's position.

  With the poaching and influencing Unawakened being illegal, the families had no choice but to wait it out and produce capable heirs. There were rarely such cases of a Ranked appearing outside of a major family without being bound by a contract. Even if they did, they would still be from a rich family with a lot of ties, thus it would already be set who would get the Ranked.

  That's why Lu Zhiheng's appearance and allegiance were important. It strengthened the Xia Family's own forces, thus elevating their position in the clan. And if Lu Zhiheng reached high ranks, in the near future it might even be possible for Xia Sahui to vie for the Clan Leader's position.

  Hearing about Lu Zhiheng's skills and learning about his capabilities were enough to shoot him to the top.

  "I might've made a mistake not letting him Awaken."

  "No, what you did was absolutely right. Have confidence in your decision. It's because of you that Lu Zhiheng will now only join the Xia Family. You have already bought him temporarily; you should think about how to keep him permanently."

  "Understood."

  "Good."

  "Then I will take my leave." Xia Sahui stood, preparing to take her leave. As her hand touched the door handle, she paused and glanced back. "By the way, where is Wakumi?"

  "Her game has not concluded yet."

  What if cultivation was engineering?

  Engineer mind + Taoist cultivation + Blacksmith MC

  He died. He glimpsed infinity. Now he's building his way back—with a hammer.

  No shortcuts. Just a nine-year-old forging lightning generators and formations in a dying kingdom.

  ? Daily Updates ? Slow-Burn ? Real Cultivation