Chapter 64
The first batch of pumpkin bread came out of the oven, filling the kitchen with a sweet aroma.
The pumpkin-shaped loaves, tinted with a yellowish green, were plump and looked delicious. Wearing heat-resistant gloves, Jiang Jitang carefully took each loaf out and placed them on the cooling rack.
Once they cooled slightly, he picked one up.
“Hot,” he said, feeling the high temperature on the bread’s surface. He tossed it lightly in his hands, unwilling to put it down.
Freshly baked pumpkin bread was incredibly delicious. The combination of flour, pumpkin, milk, and sugar created a warm, comforting aroma. Just smelling it warmed his stomach; tasting it soothed both palate and body.
He had made pumpkin bread before, but with the shop’s magic applied, he could clearly feel a special energy transferring into his body as he ate.
This was a completely different sensation from before, impossible to dismiss as a mere “illusion”—it was real.
“The special effects of food can only be felt by players, but I can feel it too… Is that because I’m the store manager, so I get to enjoy this benefit?”
The system explained: [The effect of the food exists objectively and does not disappear because of who consumes it. However, during special periods, non-players and non-visitors will experience weakened effects. Also, as the store owner, you can choose whether to block a particular food’s effect.]
“I see. Let’s try the sandwiches.” Jiang Jitang picked up a slightly cooled sandwich. Although it wasn’t in its best state for eating, that didn’t matter—its effects were still fully felt.
It was magic food, just like the pumpkin bread.
A magical system, a magical shop.
Ding!
[You successfully made ‘Pumpkin Bread,’ one-star, feature: satiety +1~3, includes effect: ‘relieve negative body status,’ duration 10–30 minutes. Keeps fresh 72 hours at room temperature; consume within 6 hours after opening. Record recipe?]
The four pumpkin breads had four different effects. As before, the recorded recipe reflected the effect range.
“Number two and number four breads are almost identical, both using natural yeast. The difference is machine-made versus hand-kneaded. Indeed, my skill is comparable to a machine, but I still have a way to go before reaching a professional baker’s level.”
Jiang Jitang had an intuition: if he could improve professionally and use better ingredients, he might be able to produce higher-star foods.
He began his second batch of pumpkin bread.
High-gluten flour, natural yeast, the existing other ingredients, hand-kneading, waiting for fermentation… This time he was meticulous, fully focused.
He forgot everything else, putting his best state into the new pumpkin bread.
Ding!
[You successfully made ‘Pumpkin Bread,’ one-star, feature: satiety +3, health +1, includes effect: ‘relieve negative body effects,’ duration 30 minutes. Keeps fresh 72 hours at room temperature; consume within 6 hours after opening. Record recipe?]
An additional ‘health +1’ was included.
“Yes.”
Jiang Jitang left the virtual kitchen. He placed the high-quality ingredients he had prepared into the ingredient basket, and quickly generated 26 one-star luncheon meat sandwiches and 13 pumpkin breads.
They were automatically sent to the backend and appeared in the small food shop in the university city, each occupying a slot in the battle-worn vending machine.
Truly like an idle game—no running around needed; everything was remotely operated.
Sandwiches: 50 yuan. Pumpkin bread: 50 yuan.
This pricing would deter accidental players, but those who had been keeping track of him would be curious—curious why he opened such a food shop. Even priced at tens of yuan, they would buy a few to try.
No promotion was necessary. Once they tasted it, they’d recognize the benefits. They might even scramble for it, since food was one of the few items allowed into dungeons without restriction.
Yes… first notify the officials—can’t let even close allies go without.
“Minister,” Jiang Jitang called Minister Jiang, giving the address of the Dream-Fulfillment Food House. “It’s my shop. The food comes with little surprises. Do you want to try?”
For this “treasure” of the ministry, Minister Jiang agreed immediately: “Sure. By the way, three new players tried contacting you recently, but they had bad attitudes and unclear perception. Wait until they’re trained properly. Also, a player group wants to send Guo Jie in exchange for ten healing slots; it’s an overseas player organization.”
“Leave those people to you, thank you very much. What’s the name of the foreign organization?”
Jiang Jitang went to the balcony. Night had fallen, and the streetlights shone through the transparent rain canopy onto him.
He didn’t ask what would happen to Guo Jie. As one of the first players to act on ordinary people, Guo Jie would be used as an example. In such chaotic times, it was necessary to draw a line, showing which actions superhuman players could and could not do.
Of course, Jiang Jitang didn’t intentionally direct others to hand Guo Jie to the government just for this—or not only for this.
He had never hidden his extraordinary healing ability, either in this identity or as an “outsider.” In a world where humans lacked a “core” and couldn’t use magic, he was the only exception. There were few people with such bug-level healing powers, all from the same country, roughly the same age, gender, and appearance—how many could there be?
He never underestimated the country’s power, nor overestimated his own. Given such a huge gap in strength and no conflict of interest, it was better to lie low.
Now that Guo Jie was captured, he could calmly wait for someone to approach.
“Who helped me so much? I need to properly thank them.”
Jiang Jitang smiled. He wore a white shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows from earlier work, revealing firm arms. The shirt, slightly translucent under the light, hinted at broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
Passersby downstairs couldn’t help but glance a few times.
“The Mystery Seeker Organization, a frontline player organization, just settled in our city,” Minister Jiang said on the phone.
“?”
The former abandoned kindergarten, now the Mystery Seeker player headquarters.
“Consider? I don’t know their relationship; it’s all very mysterious.”
Minister Jiang hung up. The ministry had already assigned protection for Jiang Jitang, so they knew he had contact with the Mystery Seeker Organization’s leader, though the exact details were unclear. Respecting Jiang Jitang’s privacy was necessary.
She recalled Jiang Jitang asking before: “Dream-Fulfillment Food House? When did it open?”
It was still early, before bedtime. She sent a night-owl staff member to pick up whatever food Jiang Jitang specified, funds to be processed officially.
After hanging up, Jiang Jitang stood on the balcony, seemingly watching insects in the streetlight, but in fact his mind was focused on the surprise: “So it’s you, after all.”
Earlier, someone—Zhu Jun’an of the Dongying Association—had claimed to have captured Guo Jie. Turns out, he was intercepted.
He never expected Parsons, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, would also do such a thing.
Previously, he confirmed Parsons was the Mystery Seeker Organization’s leader, so he thought about how to “meet” him. He was a healer; Parsons was a player in the same city—they were bound to meet.
Out of past and future connections, it wasn’t a problem to help as a half-doctor.
Since he trusted Parsons’ personal ability, Jiang Jitang wasn’t worried and preferred a natural course.
Unexpectedly, just a few days later, the opportunity arose.
Now, he had the initiative. How could he dramatically reveal to Parsons that he was the healer he was seeking?
In his past life, he killed; in this life, he saved. He had ultimately become the person he disliked most.
Others might think this was a healing item, but Parsons would recognize it as magic—specifically, healing magic mastered by the Church of Light.
Humans in this world had no “core” and couldn’t use magic; he was the only exception.
“To hide this secret, I’d need countless lies. Forget it; it was impossible to hide anyway. Non-core issues don’t need concealment. As for Parsons seeking the healer… let him come to me.”
Jiang Jitang messaged the minister: “Minister, treat Mystery Seeker Organization as usual. If the ministry considers cooperation viable, set a time and place for a meeting. Details can be decided then.”
He returned to the living room, opened the delivery app, and prepared to order ingredients.
A broken vending machine had nine slots, enough for 891 sandwiches and 891 pumpkin breads. So he needed that many ingredients.
He ordered 100 basic loaves from a bakery—premium flour, natural yeast, hand-made by a master baker with decades of experience. Quality was assured, though the price was higher, but cost-effective compared to chain stores.
Other ingredients—cheese and luncheon meat—were sourced from a local large supermarket, the best available.
He also needed high-gluten flour, butter, organic tomatoes, organic lettuce, free-range eggs, pumpkin, and more—entrusting the newly acquainted purchaser from the chef group. Quick, efficient, and high-quality.
With so many items, delivery would arrive the next day. Jiang Jitang wasn’t impatient; beginnings were always hardest. Once started, the rest was easier.
By dinner time, everything was in order. He used the remaining ordinary-quality ingredients to make many sandwiches.
Besides his own, he gave dozens to neighbors, then carried a basket to the park, giving snacks to dancing ladies and elderly men playing chess.
These sandwiches had no magical effects but were still delicious and nutritious.
“Today, I’ve indulged in some fancy food, haha.” Even grandmas claiming they couldn’t eat Western food enjoyed the sandwiches while watching various small-space activities like dancing, spinning tops, calligraphy, and exercise.
Children were drawn over, gazing eagerly. There were extra sandwiches in the picnic basket, which he shared, making the scene livelier.
Jiang Jitang had planned to stay longer, but a call from international logistics summoned him: Mrs. Jiang’s package had arrived.
“Please sign here.”
After signing and photographing, Jiang Jitang received a triple-layer packaged box.
The gift, from a distant land, filled with his mother’s love, had finally arrived in his hands.
