Chapter 8

After a busy day, the end finally came. As the last dish was served, everyone in the kitchen let out a sigh of relief. Master Abe, the head chef of Kikusha Tower, announced the end of the day's work. Some people left the kitchen, while others stayed behind to tidy up and prepare for the next day. As a newcomer, Yueyuan naturally stayed behind.

"Today's dishes were excellent. You've become a qualified chef," Master Abe said, looking at Yueyuan. Despite being only fourteen, he was already an upper-level chef. Recalling Yueyuan when he first came to Kikusha Tower three years ago, Master Abe couldn't help but marvel, "Yueyuan, you are the most talented chef I've ever seen. Your mastery and passion for cooking are on par with some of the top chefs. With a bit more training, you will surely become a great chef who can stand on your own."

"Hehe, that's all thanks to your guidance, Master Abe," Yueyuan chuckled in response to Master Abe's praise.

Yueyuan knew his own talents well. His sudden awakening of these talents had greatly helped him. Diligence alone couldn't have made him an upper-level chef in just three years, especially his inexplicable talent with knife skills, which had significantly improved his culinary skills.

"Master Abe, is Senior Brother Shaohan almost ready to take the top chef exam?"

Yueyuan asked cautiously, tidying up the kitchen while glancing at his master out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, Shaohan has been working hard and should be able to become a top chef. When that happens, the burden of Kikusha Tower can be passed on to him. He's almost twenty and has been here for nearly ten years. Time flies," Master Abe said, a nostalgic look on his face, clearly pleased with his disciple.

However, Yueyuan's eyes were filled with worry: Is the time finally here? It won't be long before Shaohan becomes a top chef and takes the money and people away from Kikusha Tower. Can I stop him?

With these thoughts, Yueyuan slowly finished tidying up the kitchen. By the time he was ready to leave, he was the last one.

As he stepped out of the kitchen, a tall figure blocked his path. Looking up, he saw it was Shaohan.

"Wow, you really worked hard today. Are you content to stay at Kikusha Tower as a disciple for the rest of your life, even after becoming an upper-level chef?"

Shaohan's tone was laden with a different meaning, as if he was probing.

"What do you mean? Where else could I stay if not at Kikusha Tower?"

Yueyuan clearly understood his meaning but pretended to be confused and asked in return.

"Haha, I'm about to take the top chef exam. After that, I'll be a top chef. Why don't you work under me? I'll make you the head chef."

Shaohan laughed, seemingly excited about his future.

"Maybe I'll just continue learning from Master Abe for now."

Yueyuan evaded, trying to walk past Shaohan to leave.

"What, do you still want to work under that woman? Can you bear to be under a woman's command forever?"

Shaohan's voice came from behind. Without turning around, Yueyuan replied, "Don't forget, she is still our master. Only ungrateful people would betray her."

As Yueyuan left, he faintly heard, "Damn, this brat..."

Although Yueyuan didn't take Shaohan's words to heart, he secretly prepared, wary of any underhanded moves Shaohan might make.

Soon, Shaohan took the top chef exam. When he returned to Kikusha Tower with the news of his success, everyone, including Master Abe, was delighted that Shaohan had become a top chef. However, Yueyuan noticed some details.

Shaohan exchanged glances with the three top chefs of Kikusha Tower, a sinister smile on his face, hinting at a plot about to unfold.

"Are those the three people?" Watching them exchange glances, Yueyuan decided to keep a close eye on them.

A few days later, on the day Master Abe was celebrating Shaohan's twentieth birthday, the certificate of qualification for the top chef exam arrived at Kikusha Tower.

Shaohan eagerly took the certificate, clutching it tightly and laughing, "Hahaha... the certificate, I've wanted this for so long."

"Here, Shaohan! We need you!" Master Abe, seemingly unaware of Shaohan's intentions, said with a joyful expression, "We'll rely on you from now on!"

Just as Master Abe was about to entrust the responsibility of Kikusha Tower to Shaohan, he received an unexpected response.

"Sorry, but it's over!" Shaohan replied with a grim face, "I don't want to work under you anymore!"

Master Abe was stunned, unable to believe what he heard, "What...?"

Without saying more, Shaohan turned to leave, apparently to pack his belongings.

Standing to the side, Yueyuan watched Master Abe, who was in a daze, and didn't say much. Although Master Abe was disappointed by Shaohan's decision, he didn't yet believe that Shaohan would take the salary of Kikusha Tower.

Bad news travels fast. The news of Shaohan's departure quickly spread throughout Kikusha Tower. Shaohan had already packed his bags, and two of the top chefs of Kikusha Tower were by his side. Master Abe and the others tried to persuade Shaohan to stay, but he was determined to leave.

While everyone was focused on Shaohan's departure, Yueyuan quietly checked the treasury. As expected, it had been broken into, though it was unclear whether Shaohan or his three accomplices had done it.

When Yueyuan returned to the front of Kikusha Tower, he saw Master Abe pulling on Shaohan's sleeve, pleading, "Please... think about it again. If you leave, what will happen to us here..."

"Let go of me, didn't you hear me?" Shaohan interrupted, his patience clearly worn thin.

Hearing Shaohan's harsh tone, Yueyuan slowly walked to Master Abe's side, keeping a watchful eye.

"Shaohan, at least... at least tell me why!" Master Abe still clung to Shaohan's sleeve, tears in his eyes, still trying to persuade him.

"Hmph! The reason is..." Shaohan shook off Master Abe's hand, glaring at him, his voice rising, "I can't learn anything more from you! That's the reason! Old woman!"

With that shout, he raised his right hand to strike Master Abe's face. Yueyuan, who had been on guard, grabbed Shaohan's hand, shouting, "Don't go too far, Shaohan! Master has taught you for ten years!"

Caught off guard by Yueyuan's intervention, Shaohan was stunned. Yueyuan didn't stop there; he quickly took the luggage from Shaohan's hand.

As soon as he took it, Yueyuan felt the weight was abnormal, too heavy. It seemed Shaohan had taken the salary.

"You brat, why are you taking my luggage? Are you tired of living?"

Shaohan reacted, snarling and reaching for his luggage.

Anticipating Shaohan's reaction, Yueyuan, having just taken the luggage, let go of Shaohan's hand and grabbed Master Abe's arm, pulling her back to the others.

"Shaohan! You ungrateful scoundrel, did you break into the treasury?"

Both the people of Kikusha Tower and Shaohan were shocked by Yueyuan's words. The people of Kikusha Tower were first surprised, then angry, and began to question Shaohan.

"Is this true? Did Shaohan break into the treasury?"

"Shaohan, how could you do this?"

"Kikusha Tower is where you've been for ten years. Don't you have any feelings for it?"

...

Shaohan, first afraid and then enraged at being exposed, shouted, "Brat! Don't slander me! What does the missing salary have to do with me? Maybe you stole it!"

Faced with Shaohan's slander, Yueyuan didn't say much. He first opened the luggage and untied one of the unusually heavy bundles, revealing a pile of silver coins.

Yueyuan handed the silver to Master Abe and pointed at Shaohan, saying, "This money can't be yours. The evidence is here. What do you have to say?"

Master Abe was stunned by this revelation, muttering, "Shaohan, Shaohan..." as if unwilling to accept that his disciple would do such a thing.

Seeing his plan exposed, Shaohan, enraged and embarrassed, defended himself, "Hmph... I've worked here for ten years... I've done so much... what's wrong with taking some severance pay?"

The people of Kikusha Tower were enraged by his audacity and began to curse him.

"What, severance pay?"

"Such a person should be sent to the authorities."

"How can there be someone like you in this world?"

...

Amidst the chorus of condemnation, Master Abe spoke, "Let him go. He can be unrighteous, but I cannot. Consider it as if I never had this disciple."

The others tried to persuade him, but Master Abe was resolute, and they had no choice but to let him go.

Seeing the situation, Shaohan, with a furious expression, took his luggage from Yueyuan and, as he turned to leave, spat out, "It's all because of you, brat. I will make you pay for the humiliation I've suffered here."

Shaohan left, and Master Abe was depressed for a long time. She focused more on Yueyuan and, at his suggestion, began training her son, Xiaodangjia, as a chef.

Although Yueyuan's culinary skills continued to improve, he still had no clue about skill development. To complete the main quest two and gain more in this world, he proposed to Master Abe the idea of traveling to improve his culinary skills.

At this point, there were 2 years, 17 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes, and 14 seconds left until the end of the game.

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