Chapter 56: The World Has Changed
“Foreign researchers have repeatedly tested and concluded that mutated marine creatures exposed to unknown energy radiation can effectively halt the deterioration of radiation sickness patients. The ‘Special Security Division’ here has found that mutated sea creatures are less effective than your red plum fruit wine, though.”
“The red plum wine is a life-saving item in emergencies, and the ‘Special Security Division’ can’t afford to share it. They want to know if you have any food materials for sale that could help tide us over. Once the storm clears, the higher-ups will send out a team to fish.”
Even with the danger at sea, they had no choice but to venture out — lives were at stake, and the cure was in the ocean. No country could afford to give up.
Si Xu added, “Radiation sickness progresses rapidly in those affected. Severe cases can kill within hours, while milder ones may last a few days. We’ve already seen a dozen cases here, and the numbers are rising. This might just be the beginning.”
This was happening in a coastal city, but once the unknown radiation spread into the atmosphere, no one would be able to escape it. All nations were racing against time, needing to find hope in the dangerous seas.”
“After the ‘Special Security Division’ reached this conclusion, they reverse-engineered the idea: if healthy people eat your food supplies, could it help them prevent the onset of the unknown energy radiation sickness? The answer is yes. So, the higher-ups have decided not to impose restrictions on your Demon Fish Shop, hoping you can work harder and sell more food.”
Lin Jiu breathed a sigh of relief—it seemed like his Demon Fish Shop wouldn’t be shut down.
The complete ban on seafood had forced most seafood restaurants out of business. With the increasingly strict inspections, it had become too difficult to continue operating. Fortunately, no one had come to inspect the Demon Fish Shop yet. The higher-ups were aware of the shop’s situation and supported him in keeping it open.
Lin Jiu asked, “I’ve brought back quite a lot of ingredients. How should I handle them now?”
Many of the non-star sea creatures were badly damaged, making them look unattractive, but they were still fresh and perfectly edible.
Although these were all non-star sea creatures, they had grown in a magic-rich environment. The magic content in their meat was far higher than that of newly mutated marine creatures.
Initially, Lin Jiu had planned to sell the non-star sea creatures directly. But upon reconsidering, he realized that even a small profit was still profit. Selling prepared dishes was far more lucrative than selling raw ingredients, and most importantly, the revenue from selling raw ingredients wouldn’t count toward his shop’s income.
Lin Jiu double-checked with the Chef God System, and after receiving confirmation, he decided to get to work.
“How about this—I’ll prepare some finished products. Would you come and pick them up, or how should we handle this?”
Lin Jiu didn’t want to miss out on the profits.
“Can you handle everything on your own? Won’t it be too much work?” Si Xu sounded a bit worried.
“No, I’ll be fine. I’ll prepare individual portions and sell them under the Demon Fish Shop’s name. A lot of the seafood I’ve caught isn’t recognizable to most people. If it’s not prepared properly and causes problems, that would be a hassle. It’s safer to sell it as a finished product.”
The smart kitchen had all the necessary equipment. If he wanted, he could fully automate the process.
Si Xu said he would check with Lu Yu, who would have to report the matter. How things would be handled depended on the higher-ups.
While waiting for a callback, Lin Jiu put his phone on the couch and entered the smart kitchen. He began processing some of the non-star sea creatures.
First, he categorized the creatures: little phoenix fish, spearhead fish, threadfish, butterfly tail fish, red demon fish, and others. There were so many types, and handling them all together was troublesome, so it would be much easier to deal with them after sorting.
Seafood processing wasn’t an issue. There was a machine specifically for slicing fish fillets. He could place the fish on the conveyor belt, and as they passed through the machine, the heads and bones would be perfectly removed, leaving the meat sliced evenly into fillets. He could even adjust the thickness of the fillets.
Slicing the fish wasn’t the problem—packaging them was. Lin Jiu didn’t have the time to go out and buy packaging boxes, let alone custom order them. He urgently needed a helper to take care of these small tasks.
Lin Jiu left the smart kitchen and thought about calling Jiang Ge to ask for advice. Jiang Ge had opened Bai Ge Wan and probably knew a good supplier for packaging boxes. Lin Jiu needed delivery to his door.
Before Lin Jiu could dial, he received an incoming call.
Seeing it was Jiang Xiwen, he quickly picked up. “Sister Wen?”
Jiang Xiwen’s voice came through, “Boss Lin, am I not qualified?”
Lin Jiu was confused. “Qualified for what?”
Jiang Xiwen explained, “Aren’t you hiring a lobby manager? I submitted my resume but never got a response, so I called to ask. Don’t be fooled by my experience as a talent agent—I worked in hotels before that and even managed a lobby. Do you think I’d be a good fit?”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu said, “Sister Wen, you need to focus on recovering first…”
“Don’t mention recovery anymore. I was discharged from the hospital just yesterday. The doctors initially planned to give me chemotherapy in half a month, but after a routine checkup, they said I was recovering so well that I could go home and wouldn’t need chemo for now. I just need regular follow-ups, and if there’s no relapse, I should be fine.”
“My doctor was shocked at how well I recovered. He credited it to my strong immune system, but I don’t think that’s it. To prevent a relapse, and to make sure I can keep eating at Demon Fish Shop with an 80% discount, I have to snag this lobby manager position. Other people are fighting for a job, but I’m fighting for my life.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
“You don’t know how crazy people are for the lobby manager and waiter positions at your shop. They don’t care about the salary—they just want to eat at the Demon Fish Shop every day without having to wait in line. Especially with the rumors that your food can give people superpowers, imagine how sought-after these three positions are.”
Lin Jiu asked the Chef God System if Jiang Xiwen was suitable for the lobby manager position.
[Chef God System reminder: Jiang Xiwen, female, 36 years old, has five years of hotel management experience and seven years of experience as a talent agent. She trusts the shop and is sincere toward the host. Qualifications met; she can be hired.]
Lin Jiu asked, “Are you really sure your health is fine?”
Jiang Xiwen replied, “I’m perfectly fine.”
Lin Jiu hesitated. “The salary here won’t be very high.”
After all, the pay at a private shop couldn’t compare to what a talent agent earned. Lin Jiu felt he had to be upfront about that.
Jiang Xiwen chuckled. “I’m not taking this job for the salary. If I wanted a high salary, I wouldn’t be coming to you.”
She then sighed deeply. “Getting sick made me realize a lot of things. I used to work day and night, thinking I was young enough to handle it. But the truth is, illness doesn’t care about your age. The things I worked hard for and cared so much about became unimportant when I found out I was sick. In this life, aside from life and death, everything else is trivial. Now I just want to live like a lazy fish, enjoying life without the pressure to hustle. Taking care of my health is what matters most now.”
Since Jiang Xiwen said so, Lin Jiu had nothing more to worry about.
“Welcome to Demon Fish Shop, Sister Wen. I could really use some help right now. Do you have time?”
“I’ve got plenty of time! What do you need me to do?” Jiang Xiwen perked up.
“I need some takeout boxes for the seafood. I’ll need quite a few. Do you know any suppliers?”
Jiang Xiwen laughed, “I actually do! Just let me know the size, material, and shape of the boxes, and I’ll contact them for you.”
“That’s great, hold on.”
Lin Jiu hung up and thought carefully about what kind of takeout boxes he needed.
First, they shouldn’t be too big, but deep enough to hold an ice layer at the bottom. It would be best if they had some insulation, and of course, they should look nice.
After telling Jiang Xiwen what he wanted, she said she understood and would talk to the supplier.
As soon as Lin Jiu hung up, Lu Yu’s call came in.
The higher-ups had approved Lin Jiu’s proposal, but they wanted to discuss the price. If a portion of sashimi cost the same as it did at Demon Fish Shop, the expenses would be astronomical, and they’d have to reconsider buying the finished products.
Lin Jiu quoted a price of 1,000 yuan per portion.
Even Lu Yu was shocked. A sashimi platter at Demon Fish Shop cost 8,998 yuan, so this sudden price drop raised some suspicions.
“How many slices are in one portion? We’re in a rush to save lives, and we’ll be sending a helicopter. The cost of the round trip…”
Lin Jiu understood what Lu Yu meant. He was worried that Lin Jiu might only include two or three thin slices per portion, and while there might be many boxes, there wouldn’t be much food inside, making the helicopter trips a waste.
Since this was a life-and-death situation, Lin Jiu wouldn’t joke around.
“Don’t worry about the portions. They’re more than what you’d get with the sashimi platters at my shop. The reason the price is lower is that the fish species are different, and some of the fish died accidentally while I was catching them. But rest assured, they’re all fresh. I wouldn’t risk ruining my shop’s reputation.”
Lu Yu: “…”
In the regular market, most fish were already dead and frozen, so Lu Yu hadn’t expected Lin Jiu to lower the price just because the fish weren’t alive. It seemed like Lin Jiu was being way too honest in his business.
Lu Yu placed an order for 2,000 portions, saying a helicopter would be sent to pick them up and urged Lin Jiu to prepare quickly.
Everyone was busy with the rescue efforts, so the payment would be settled later.
Lin Jiu had no objections and immediately called Jiang Xiwen again, telling her the quantity needed and that he also required some containers for soup, as many as possible, and to deliver them to the shop quickly.
Lin Jiu began preparing the various fish, slicing them into fillets. The fish he used for this were all boneless, while the ones with bones were set aside for other purposes. He placed the fish heads and bones in a large pot to cook, and after the fish head and bone broth was done, it would be handed over to the system for recycling.
He also needed help with packaging and lifting the pots, so Lin Jiu asked the Chef God System to check his inbox on Weibo for applicants. The system shortlisted candidates it deemed suitable as servers, which Lin Jiu now urgently needed.
The system quickly sent a list of shortlisted servers.
[Chef God System reminder: The most loyal applicants to the shop and the host are ranked as follows:
– Wen Cheng, 23 years old, enhanced human, extremely loyal to the shop and host, available part-time.
– Lin Han, 20 years old, soon-to-be enhanced human, extremely loyal to the shop and host, available part-time.
– Zhou Mu, 27 years old, soon-to-be enhanced human, extremely loyal to the shop and host, available part-time.
– Zhao Cheng, 23 years old, enhanced human in reserve…]
Lin Jiu was stunned. Was his Demon Fish Shop staff entirely made up of ‘Special Security Division’ people?!
Were they coming to work or just for the free meals and 10% discount?
Lin Jiu: Is there no one more suitable?
[Chef God System reminder: Many people have ulterior motives towards the shop and host. Please proceed with caution.]
Lin Jiu: …
So exhausting.
If he hired people from the ‘Special Security Division,’ they could only work part-time. If they had a mission, that would take priority, and their role as servers would come second.
Lu Yu must have been very busy at the moment, so instead of calling him, Lin Jiu contacted Shi Shuqing, the deputy team leader.
After explaining the situation, Shi ShuQing laughed, “The team leader encouraged them to apply. There are so many people in the ‘Special Security Division,’ and not all of them will be on missions. Those who stay at the base can work part-time at your shop. They don’t care about the salary; it’s all about the meals.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
You’re being very blunt!
Since he couldn’t find more suitable servers at the moment, Lin Jiu decided to temporarily accept the part-time help from the ‘Special Power Division.’ He asked Shi ShuQing to send people over immediately to help prepare the seafood for S City.
Shi ShuQing understood the urgency and quickly arranged for people to help, knowing that timely delivery could save many lives.
Lin Jiu instructed them to come to the neighborhood first, transport the goods to the shop, and preferably drive over to carry everything.
By the time the ‘Special Power Division’ personnel arrived, Lin Jiu had already finished preparing the fish fillets, and two large pots of fish bone soup were ready as well.
Four people arrived—two familiar faces, Lin Han and Wen Cheng, who had eaten at the shop before, and two younger ones who introduced themselves as Zhao Cheng and Huang Qi, both reserve enhanced humans. They were sent over by the deputy leader because they hadn’t entered the training room yet.
Lin Jiu directed them to carry the two large, half-person-high soup barrels into the elevator and load them onto the vehicle, reminding them to be careful as the barrels were still hot.
After that, they loaded four more boxes of fish fillets and drove to the Demon Fish Shop.
Jiang Xiwen was already waiting at the shop’s entrance. Since the custom packaging boxes weren’t ready yet, she had sourced the closest available ones that could be used for now. The custom boxes would arrive tomorrow.
The first floor of the Demon Fish Shop had been expanded by merging two rooms, making the space much more spacious. They moved the tables and chairs to the sides, leaving enough room in the main hall to work.
After bringing everything into the shop, Lin Jiu assigned tasks: packing the soup, ice, seafood soy sauce, and green seaweed. The arrangement of the fish slices was primarily done by Lin Jiu himself since the others didn’t know how much to pack in each box or how to arrange the slices. Jiang Xiwen assisted him.
By the time they had nonstop prepared the 2,000 portions, a vehicle had already pulled up outside the shop. Two people in camouflage uniforms got out, their posture straight and expressions stern, and they walked directly into the Demon Fish Shop.
Many people in the old street were peeking around, trying to figure out what was going on. Was the Demon Fish Shop finally being investigated?
The two people quickly came back out, carrying large boxes. After a few trips back and forth, loading everything into the vehicle, they drove off.
The old street residents were left puzzled—had the shop’s kitchen equipment been confiscated?
With the Demon Fish Shop’s booming business, it was inevitable that some people were jealous. Especially since the sudden halt to the old street’s demolition plans, with new roads being paved, streetlights installed, and parking lots built, many suspected something was off. Rumors started circulating that it was because of the Demon Fish Shop that the authorities had changed their plans. This angered those who had been eagerly awaiting the demolition, and they were more than happy to see the shop face trouble.
Soon, the news that the Demon Fish Shop was under investigation spread online. Someone even uploaded secret photos showing two people in camouflage entering the shop and carrying out large boxes.
Fans of the Demon Fish Shop were skeptical, questioning the authenticity of the news. Lin Jiu had just announced on Weibo that he was taking time off to restock supplies—how could the shop suddenly be under investigation and have its kitchen equipment confiscated?
Meanwhile, the shop’s critics were thrilled.
“He said he was going to restock, but I bet he was ordered to shut down for inspections. Where can you even get seafood now? There’s a full sea ban—no one dares to go out. The restocking excuse is just a cover-up, wake up, fanboys!”
“Before the haters start spewing nonsense, think twice if you want to end up on the blacklist—superpowers will be out of your reach.”
“Demon Fish fanboys are living in a fantasy world. Do you think this is some sci-fi movie? Superpowers? I’m dying of laughter.”
“The more popular you are, the more drama follows. Just recently, there were rumors about a girlfriend and a mother—both turned out to be fake. Some gossip blogs should really do better and stop spreading falsehoods. Look at the uniforms in the photo—when did the restaurant industry fall under their jurisdiction? And look at the boxes they’re carrying—do they look like they could hold kitchen equipment?”
“The more I think about it, the creepier it gets. This photo gives me chills!”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking about xx and xx teaming up? To be honest, I’ve had suspicions for a while but didn’t dare speak up.”
“I’m thinking even deeper—did something major happen? Otherwise, why would they show up?”
“The issue is, why did they appear at Demon Fish Shop? And why did they carry out several large boxes? What exactly is inside those boxes? What’s the real story behind the Demon Fish Shop?”
“Demon Fish fans sure know how to give themselves credit. Stop overthinking things…”
Lin Jiu, unaware of the online debate, finally had time to rest. There was still some fish soup and fillets left, so he cooked a pot of jade essence rice, which became dinner for the six of them.
Wen Cheng had been wanting to thank Lin Jiu in person. He had been stuck at the pre-enhanced human stage for too long, but after dining at the Demon Fish Shop once, his RT value skyrocketed, allowing him to easily break through into the enhanced human stage, which made many envious.
Lin Han’s RT value had also increased considerably. It wouldn’t take much—perhaps two more meals—and he, too, could step into the enhanced human stage. The effects were so obvious that many people wanted to dine at the Demon Fish Shop, but they couldn’t get a reservation.
After hearing that the Demon Fish Shop was hiring servers, some reserve members secretly submitted resumes. When this news spread, they thought they’d be reprimanded, but to their surprise, the team leader fully supported them. Why pass up the chance to grab a meal and a spot? That’s how things ended up the way they were now.
With Jiang Xiwen, who was unaware of all this, present, Wen Cheng kept his thanks to himself.
Lin Jiu glanced at them and introduced, “This is Jiang Xiwen, Sister Wen. She will be the floor manager of my shop from now on.”
The four of them greeted in unison, “Hello, Sister Wen.”
Jiang Xiwen smiled, “You guys exchange looks so often that I feel like there’s a secret you all know but I don’t. When can you share it with me?”
The four: “…”
Lin Jiu added, “Since you’re working part-time here, you’ll be under Sister Wen’s management. She may need to know a bit about your situation, so ask around and, if necessary, bring a non-disclosure agreement for her to sign.”
The four nodded reluctantly. They couldn’t reveal anything before reporting it.
Dinner was delicious, and everyone ate a lot. They finished all the rice, fish soup, and fillets.
The food they ate turned into energy stored in their bodies, and the four members of the ‘Special Security Division’ were overjoyed. As they left, they were already planning how to secure another opportunity to help out.
The 2,000 portions of fish fillets they had sent out were highly effective. After consuming them, the patients’ conditions no longer deteriorated, and with a few more servings, their bodies should recover.
This was good news, but bad news followed. The number of people falling ill had suddenly increased from a dozen to several dozen, and the count was still rising. The town residents were organizing an evacuation, and the urgent need for seafood supplies persisted.
Lin Jiu found himself busy again. Worried that he might be overworked, Si Xu sent Jiang Ge and Wen Qin to help out. Jiang Ge brought over the chefs from Bai Ge Wan, and Wen Qin also brought a few people.
That day, they needed to prepare 8,000 portions, and everyone worked tirelessly.
The heavy rain stopped around noon the next day. The ‘Special Security Division’ asked Lin Jiu to hold on for two more days, as they had dispatched people to catch seafood that had been affected by radiation. These mutated seafood would greatly ease Lin Jiu’s workload.
“Ordinary people who eat mutated seafood can increase their tolerance to radiation from unknown energy. There is a high chance they won’t get sick, and if they do, they can only continue to consume large amounts of mutated seafood. For severe cases, other solutions would involve purchasing products from the Demon Fish Shop.
Under radiation from unknown energy, some people fall ill while others adapt well to the energy. Their bodies change, with some becoming very strong, some gaining acute hearing, and others developing great jumping ability. These people are being gathered together.
The seas are full of dangers, and ordinary people cannot venture out to sea. Only those who can resist the radiation from the unknown energy are allowed. The ‘Special Security Department’ explains the situation to them, informing them that the sea is very dangerous, and that mutated seafood is crucial. Whether they choose to go out to sea is up to them.
The town is small, and everyone knows each other. Even without family ties, they are all familiar. As more people fall ill, they cannot stand by and do nothing, and are willing to go out to sea with the Special Security Department.
Restoring mutated seafood to the market isn’t something one or two people or one or two organizations can accomplish alone. It’s impossible to do it completely under official control. Fishing must be organized and disciplined, minimizing casualties.
A new policy was issued: the ‘Fishing Permit.’ Only those with a permit are allowed to organize teams to go out to sea.
Opening a seafood shop isn’t easy either. One must have an officially recognized permit to sell mutated seafood. Almost all seafood shops have been shut down. To open a shop, you must first obtain the necessary license.
The situation is getting more serious, and it can no longer be hidden. Countries are discussing how to release this unfortunate news without causing panic.
