Chapter 54
In the Multiverse live stream.
While viewers in other live streams were still heartbroken, feeling sorry, and revisiting the tragic experiences of Yu Ming in the original timeline, remembering how his glands were injured and he fell into the abyss after becoming an Omega, the audience in Jian Yunlan’s live stream had already leveled up.
[…@HandstandHotpotBro, get ready with your old hotpot (.)]
[Boss Jian said, this street stall power move is a one-time deal, watch closely!]
[Why does it seem like all the customers at Boss Jian’s stall are so tall and strong? Wang Dajian and Duan Qiongzhi’s muscles… Even the aunties doing square dance seem to exude strength, what’s going on ahhhhh]
[Customers: Thugs trying to interrupt Boss Jian’s stall? (smiling) Done, Boss Jian, continue]
[Feels like this round is secured]
Handstand Hotpot Bro watched Jian Yunlan’s live stream, silently tilting his head back, taking a big gulp of his old hotpot.
Although Yu Ming had been pushed aside by the customers and looked a bit dazed and frustrated, at this moment…
This version of Yu Ming, compared to the one in other live streams who had to fight against knife-wielding thugs with his weak body, was much better off.
Seeing this scene, Hotpot Bro couldn’t help but feel pleased!
In the Hotpot Bro’s live stream, the barrage of comments was full of shock. He took a large gulp of the scorching hotpot, and someone asked:
[Does Hotpot Bro also think Boss Jian has this in the bag?]
“Hmm…” Hotpot Bro wiped his mouth, furrowing his brow as he looked at the screen. “It’s hard to say, it’s not that simple.”
If the difficulty of this plot was really so low, it wouldn’t have gone unbeaten for so many years, or even be regarded as a ‘plot kill’…
These thugs still have a backup plan.
*
At the entrance of Lotus Pond Residential Area, on the spicy hotpot stall.
The customers pushed the thin-armed, thin-legged Yu Ming aside. They smiled and stretched their wrists and ankles, then swarmed toward Pao Hui and the others:
“Let’s take a good look at what these guys who dared to come and cause trouble at Boss Jian’s stall look like!”
“Hey, hey, don’t run, uncles and aunties are kind-hearted, why are you running~”
“Come on, let’s show you how we do it, just a few of us, let’s compare!”
The little thugs, pale-faced, took steps back, their souls seemingly scared out of them.
Meanwhile, Yu Ming, who had been pushed aside: “…???”
He felt a little frustrated.
Once, Yu Ming thought of himself as the strongest, the protector of this area.
But now, he realized he was just a frog in a well. He was too weak, and compared to real strength, there was still a huge gap…
Looking at the strong, muscular customers, Yu Ming seemed to come to some realization, his expression thoughtful.
In order to intimidate the thugs, the crowd kept pushing forward.
Although Yu Ming had been exercising, he couldn’t match the strength of the customers, and so he kept being pushed further and further toward the center, until…
With a dazed and frustrated expression, Yu Ming found himself face-to-face with Jian Yunlan, who was focused on stirring the hotpot.
Yu Ming: “…?”
In front of him was a steaming hotpot stall.
Behind the stall stood a figure he recognized all too well.
On the small extension table, a variety of ingredients skewered on bamboo sticks were displayed—tender beef, tripe, trachea, meatballs, potatoes, tofu, enoki mushrooms… The warm yellow lighting cast a cozy glow, making the entire stall feel warm and inviting.
Various colored porcelain dishes were filled with seasonings—chili powder, sesame paste, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Additionally, two large soup pots were boiling with a rich, beef bone broth, bubbling with frothy bubbles. The rising steam and heat hit him with an incredibly rich and fragrant smell.
Yu Ming’s eyes, hidden beneath thick lashes, shifted from a confused daze to gradually shining with golden light.
…This familiar scent!
The world outside was noisy and chaotic, but this spicy hotpot stall felt like an isolated utopia.
Here, all one needed was the protection of the hotpot boss and the chance to quietly enjoy the healing warmth brought by the food.
Looking at Yu Ming, Jian Yunlan revealed a warm and enthusiastic smile, his eyes bright: “Welcome! Would you like to have some spicy hotpot?”
*
On the other side.
A few thugs were surrounded by the customers, a sea of people, and even though they shakily pulled out knives, they seemed completely powerless.
The thugs trembled:
“Boss, what should we do? Should we… should we run?”
“Run? It’s called retreating gracefully!”
“Yeah, yeah, retreating gracefully, we’ll come back next time…?”
Surrounded, Pao Hui, the leader, managed to keep his composure.
As the leader of the thugs, he couldn’t panic!
Pao Hui racked his brain.
Soon, he came up with a plan.
Pao Hui lowered his voice and whispered to the few thugs beside him:
“They’re Betas, we’re all Alphas. Wait… we’ll suddenly release our Alpha pheromones all at once, and I’ll rush in, grab that little brat Chen Shuoshuo as a hostage. Got it?”
The thugs exchanged glances. Although fear still lingered in their eyes, they all nodded.
This plan seemed somewhat feasible.
No matter how strong a Beta was physically, they couldn’t compete with the Alpha pheromones. The moment the pheromones were released, the Betas would be paralyzed and unable to act. Even among Alphas, there was a difference in the strength of pheromones, which depended on the Alpha’s level of obsession and ability.
For example, Pao Hui’s copper-rust-scented pheromones were particularly strong because he had dropped out of school early and fought his way through society for years, his obsession with money making his pheromones even more potent.
In this society, Alphas were rare—only about 30% of the population were Alphas. Among Alphas, the strength of pheromones varied, and the pheromones of these thugs were highly aggressive.
This was why they could easily dominate and wreak havoc in nearby neighborhoods.
The thugs exchanged a glance, and Pao Hui counted down: “Three, two, one—”
Pheromones! Release!!!
A strange and pungent smell began to spread from the group of thugs, enveloping the entire hotpot stall.
The next second.
The faces of most of the customers, including Tian Dajian and Duan Qiongzhi, turned pale. Some even ran to the side to vomit!
The thugs showed proud expressions.
Success!
Under the pressure of their Alpha pheromones, the ordinary people were trembling, some so overwhelmed by their imposing aura that they couldn’t hold it in and vomited.
The thugs’ expressions became incredibly carefree, proud, and haughty.
Yes, they were born strong~
…But in reality.
The reason the customers’ faces turned pale and some even vomited wasn’t because the pheromones were particularly strong.
It was because the mixed pheromones of the thugs…
Smelled absolutely horrible!!!
They didn’t know what went wrong, but their pheromones had a rancid, coppery smell, like slug slime, rotten egg stench, and the scent of excrement… all mixed together and spreading like a concentrated stink bomb, worse than the smell from a sewer.
People weren’t frightened, they just couldn’t stand the terrible odor. No normal human could bear it.
Yes, this was the truth behind the thugs’ “invincibility.”
It wasn’t because people were afraid of them, but because no one wanted to keep smelling this stench, which clung to them and wouldn’t go away. It was better to avoid them altogether.
Moreover, their pheromones were so foul that they reached the level of biological weapons, capable of causing damage to the glands of ordinary people.
…It was so bad, no one could compare.
Not far away, Yu Ming was looking at the soup pot in front of Jian Yunlan.
He was hesitating, torn between his childhood trauma and the fragrant aroma of the hotpot. Upon smelling that stench, his face changed immediately.
This, this terrible smell, this intense pheromone attack…
A sharp pain came from his glands at the back of his neck.
The stench made Yu Ming’s stomach churn, and even the steaming hotpot before him no longer seemed appetizing.
It wasn’t just Yu Ming’s face that changed, the other customers were also affected:
“Ugh, damn it, what’s that smell…”
“Yuck!”
“I don’t want to vomit! That’s Jian Boss’s hotpot!! Damn…”
Wherever that stench wind spread, no one was spared. Even though the hotpot in front of them looked delicious and precious, they couldn’t resist the urge to vomit.
It was a miserable scene.
However, the next second.
A wave of warm, fragrant wind swept through!
The wind carried the classic taste of Sichuan-style spicy hotpot—rich beef tallow broth, the fresh spiciness of Sichuan peppercorns, and the meaty aroma of ingredients like fatty beef, tripe, and trachea after being cooked…
That strong breeze easily overpowered the disgusting smell of the pheromones. Under this new wind, the customers no longer felt nauseous or wanted to vomit. They looked at the hotpot again, and their appetite returned.
They picked up a piece of tofu puff, soaked in the broth, and gently bit into it. The hot, spicy red soup poured out, spilling across their lips and teeth.
Delicious!
——Wait.
The thugs looked around with gloomy expressions.
This can’t be! Their Alpha pheromone scent shouldn’t be overshadowed by the smell of regular food! How could the aroma of a mere hotpot cover their imposing pheromone scent?!
Unless… the hotpot smell wasn’t from ordinary food, but from the pheromones of another Alpha…
The customers also realized the same thing and began looking around, confused.
Who was it? Who could it be?!
Soon, everyone’s gaze naturally focused on the center of the hotpot stall.
Many people were unable to breathe due to the stinky pheromones. A few fitness enthusiasts had to clutch their stomachs, pale-faced; even Song Jing’an, another Alpha, leaned against the wall, dry-heaving; even Hu Dangui, the thousand-year-old nine-tailed fox, was affected, her lotus lantern’s light flickering unsteadily.
But in the crowd, there was one person who was unaffected.
Even during the worst of the stench, he remained calm, his face full of focus and an overwhelming amount of affection. His gaze was intensely fixed on the soup pot in front of him—
It was Jian Yunlan!
The crowd looked on with respect.
Jian Yunlan didn’t care about any thugs causing trouble, or any stinky pheromones being released.
Jian Yunlan only cared about… the trachea in front of him needing to cook for thirty seconds. If it cooked too long, it would become tough!
For Jian Yunlan, his attention was solely on his little food stall, the timing of the hotpot, and the order in which the ingredients went into the pot. To present the most perfect flavors for his customers, he had no time to waste on thugs.
No one was allowed to disturb him while he was setting up his stall!
Jian Yunlan didn’t even notice how much more enthusiastic he was today, how focused he became, or how much better he controlled the details. Even his five senses seemed sharper than usual.
He didn’t even notice that, unknowingly, he had released an extremely powerful hotpot-flavored pheromone, one so potent that it directly overshadowed the foul pheromone smells from the seven or eight thugs…
Yes, this is what people refer to as the “sensitive period.”
“Number 67, your hotpot is ready.” Jian Yunlan moved swiftly and smoothly, a steaming bowl of hotpot was ready, with a glossy, translucent, bright red appearance.
The customers looked at Jian Yunlan with admiring eyes.
They had always known Jian Boss’s hotpot was delicious, but today they realized how cool and dominant he was. In order to make them a delicious bowl of hotpot, Jian Yunlan truly achieved a state of focus, as if he and the pot were one!
“Jian Boss, you’re so handsome!!”
“What terrifying focus! I’m totally worshipping Jian Boss and his floral apron now…”
“So delicious, it’s so good! This new hotpot from Jian Boss is even tastier.”
“So this hotpot flavor is Jian Boss’s pheromone?” Someone weakly asked, “Jian Boss is… in his sensitive period?”
During the sensitive period, an Alpha’s inner obsessions are magnified, and their pheromones become richer. For most Alphas, this results in an overwhelming desire for aggression and conquest, especially in terms of sexual drive.
But Jian Yunlan was different.
His obsession was making hotpot; what he wanted most was still making hotpot.
So, during Jian Yunlan’s sensitive period:
…His hotpot-making skills were in full bloom!
Everyone watched as Jian Yunlan’s movements became increasingly skilled, dazzling them with his efficiency. His actions exuded an overwhelming dominance, filled with passionate aggression and desire for conquest—
He intensely picked up the ingredients, his eyes gleaming with desire, and stirred the spices with force, aggressively ladling the hotpot into the bowl.
Everyone: “…”
In all his years, this was the first time anyone had seen an Alpha’s sensitive period manifest as an extreme passion for cooking hotpot.
Under Jian Boss’s intense enthusiasm, the hotpot he made must be extraordinarily delicious!
Although, honestly, anything Jian Boss made was delicious.
The customers couldn’t help but look around, wondering who would be the lucky one to receive that bowl of hotpot.
“…”
“…Thank you, Jian Boss.”
Yu Ming trembled as he stretched out his hand. Amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, he received the steaming, freshly made bowl of hotpot.
…In Yu Ming’s childhood memories, there was also a bowl of hotpot.
That bowl of hotpot came from a day during an autumn school trip.
He was very young at the time, and his older brother, Fu Changfeng, who was a year older than him, took his hand. The two little kids, hungry, secretly used their pocket money to buy a bowl of hotpot while their teacher wasn’t looking. Yu Ming still remembered how his young brother smiled and said:
“Eat, Xiao Ming, didn’t you say you were hungry? This is called hotpot. It’s so delicious, you’ll definitely like it.”
Fu Changfeng had narrow, gentle phoenix eyes, filled with soft concern for his younger brother.
So, that bowl of hotpot was placed in front of little Yu Ming.
There were too many chilies, the soup was so red it almost looked black, and the strong spice scents hit him immediately. The meat was half raw, one side already tough, and the other still had traces of blood.
It felt like a dark dish from hell.
With his brother’s encouraging eyes on him, young Yu Ming squeezed his eyes shut, summoning all his courage to take a bite of the hotpot, only to immediately be choked by the fumes, his nose and eyes tearing up as he gagged…
It felt as though he saw the great-grandmother from the other world.
—Her head was adorned with demonic horns, behind her were bat wings, and she held a flaming trident, grinning at him while presenting that blackened hotpot!
From then on, for ten whole years, Yu Ming avoided any hotpot stall or restaurant he saw on the street.
…Until today.
Yu Ming trembled as he held the bowl of hotpot, carefully examining it, taking a deep breath.
What kind of hotpot was this?
Under the warm lighting, misty steam rose, carrying the rich, spicy aroma of bone broth. The scent was so alluring that Yu Ming couldn’t help but hold his breath.
Otherwise, he might faint from the fragrance.
The warmth of the hotpot spread through the bowl into his palm. His dark eyes widened, and he even felt slightly dizzy.
—The red broth inside was incredibly delicate, with a layer of translucent red oil floating on top, lightly bubbling. The ingredients were packed tightly, the thin slices of fatty beef covered in garlic and sesame sauce, and the yellow throat, cut into flower shapes, was tender and crispy, coated in smooth sesame paste.
On top, a few fresh green lettuce leaves were sprinkled with water droplets.
Yu Ming opened his mouth, and saliva couldn’t help but drip down.
…It was so delicious, it was almost overwhelming.
Yu Ming even saw a golden light enveloping the hotpot, as though it were shattering all the dark shadows of his childhood…
Ah, it was his great-grandmother!
—Grandmother’s head was crowned with an angel’s halo, and behind her were six pairs of pure white seraphic wings. She was holding a bowl of Jian Yunlan’s hotpot and waving at him with a smile!
Yu Ming eagerly picked up a piece of fatty beef and put it into his mouth.
What kind of fatty beef was this?
The fatty beef, coated in sesame paste and red oil, glistened with a smooth sheen, covered in white sesame seeds. As he took a bite, it was still hot from the pot, and the beef bone broth flowed into his mouth, filling it with an overwhelming, comforting warmth.
As he chewed, the rich flavor of the broth and the fragrant oils made him feel an incredible sense of satisfaction.
The more he chewed, the more he could feel the fibers of the beef, soaking in the hotpot broth and blending with the crispy white sesame seeds, making it utterly irresistible…
Since this year, because of the busyness of life and studies, and because of his family’s nanny intentionally making things difficult for him, Yu Ming hadn’t had such a high-calorie meat dish in a long time. He had been eating bland tofu and clear noodle soup every day.
But now, with this bite, his long-neglected stomach was awakened, crying out for more.
Yu Ming couldn’t resist and directly picked up the bowl, taking a large gulp—
The slightly hot broth flowed down his throat, and it was delicious to the extreme.
The hotpot was spicy, but not in a way that was unpleasant. Instead, it was a kind of spice that made his whole body sweat, warming his blood and bringing comfort.
The spiciness was flavorful, incredibly delicious.
On this cool autumn night, with fallen leaves covering the ground and the moon hanging high in the sky, surrounded by the lively crowd in the streets, enjoying a steaming bowl of this hotpot made him feel the simple beauty of life that had long been forgotten.
Yu Ming murmured, “So delicious, too delicious…”
He ate greedily, too hastily, and his eyes began to well up, his nose turning red.
*
In the Multiverse live broadcast room.
The viewers watched as, in other live streams, Yu Ming was struggling and fighting with gangsters in the quiet night. Then, they looked at Jian Yunlan’s live stream, where Yu Ming, intoxicated by the smell of hotpot, was savoring the food with relish.
All the viewers who couldn’t bear to watch the emotional drama, those who couldn’t bear to see Yu Ming suffer, and those attracted by the food… were all stunned by the huge contrast.
More and more people couldn’t help but click into the live stream to see what was going on.
The audience count in Jian Yunlan’s live stream soared in a new wave!
[…?]
[Xiu’er, why is this live stream so different? Everyone else is fighting, but what are you doing here???]
[Yu Ming, the handsome young protagonist, holding hotpot and drooling like that? Are you sure this is real?? =?=]
[Hey, Yu Ming, slow down when you eat!]
[Forget it, if he loves it, let him eat more. He’s been through a lot over the years.]
[The way Yu Ming looks, it’s like he’s seeing his great-grandmother, I also want to eat;-;; drooling]
[Wait.]
[Yu Ming’s expression seems… a bit sad?]
In front of the food stall.
The supreme deliciousness made Yu Ming feel as if he were placed inside a bubble, isolated from the world, not knowing where he was anymore.
The noises from the surroundings, the fighting, the clamor of people, and the sounds of vehicles all faded away.
All that remained was himself…
He held the hotpot, taking one bite after another, letting the deliciousness warm his heart and soul, feeling his blood surge with a happiness that was hard to describe…
Maybe, when a person experiences happiness to the fullest, they truly feel sadness.
Plop. Plop.
Yu Ming lowered his head, large tears falling into the soup.
When he tasted such delicious food, he couldn’t help but think—
If Liangliang were here with him, he would love this hotpot too.
If Liangliang were here, he would definitely lick his ear and nuzzle against him with his fluffy head, stretching out to taste Jian Yunlan’s delicious hotpot too…
Among the gangsters, Pao Hui also stared blankly at Jian Yunlan.
The powerful hotpot-flavored pheromones were unstoppable, completely suppressing the pheromones released by the eight Alphas combined!
How… how was this possible?
This couldn’t be real!
How could the pheromones of a mere street food vendor suppress the combined pheromones of eight Alphas?!
Pao Hui saw that in the crowd, that little brat, Chen Shuoshuo, was hiding behind Jian Yunlan’s stall, looking well-protected. And in front of Jian Yunlan’s stall, the boy who had just challenged them was happily eating hotpot.
A vicious glint flashed in Pao Hui’s eyes.
In a corner where no one was paying attention, Pao Hui pulled out a small knife resembling a throwing dagger from behind his waist. With a flick of his wrist, he threw it toward the food stall.
Yes, Pao Hui had trained in throwing knives.
Pao Hui wasn’t particularly skilled in many things, but his ability to throw knives was his greatest strength. He rarely missed—almost always hitting his target with pinpoint accuracy.
In countless alternate timelines of Dark River, Bright Light, no matter how hard other challengers tried to rewrite the plot, Yu Ming was always injured by this seemingly random flying knife. Sometimes it would pierce his palm, other times it would cut his cheek, and once, it even damaged his optic nerve, leaving him with a disability.
In every timeline, one of the key reasons for Yu Ming’s tragic fate was this elusive throwing knife.
And at this very moment, in this timeline…
The throwing knife made a sharp whistling sound and flew straight toward Yu Ming!
Whoosh!
Everything happened too fast for anyone to notice.
Just as the knife was about to pierce Yu Ming’s neck:
—“Woof!”
Out of nowhere, a large gray dog leapt out like a whirlwind, agile and precise, and grabbed the throwing knife with its mouth.
The dog had a small tear on one of its ears.
It looked at Pao Hui in the crowd, baring its sharp fangs…
Pao Hui was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he fell to the ground.
In the next second, he watched helplessly as the large, muscular dog disdainfully spat out the throwing knife.
The dog lowered its head and nuzzled up to the young man’s side, tilting its fluffy head to rub against his cheek.
“Liangliang!”
…Yu Ming sat on the ground, his eyelashes misted with tears.
He could hardly believe his eyes.
Today, not only had he tasted Jian Yunlan’s hotpot, but he had also found Liangliang, who had been lost for so many days.
Was this really not a dream?
Liangliang, whom even the professional dog search team couldn’t find.
Yu Ming knelt on the ground, holding the large dog in his arms, his eyes glistening with tears: “Liangliang… where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for so long…”
The gray dog blinked its wet eyes and cutely tilted its head, continuing to nuzzle him.
“Did you come to save me? —You came to protect me, didn’t you?”
Yu Ming saw the throwing knife on the ground, and his heart was deeply moved.
It must have been to protect him that Liangliang intercepted the knife from midair!
“…”
The dog pressed its fluffy head even more forcefully against Yu Ming’s face, nudging him with great excitement.
The force was so strong that it nearly made Yu Ming’s mouth twist sideways.
At first, Yu Ming thought that Liangliang, like him, was just too happy and excited to behave like this.
…But gradually, Yu Ming began to sense something was off.
Because the strength with which Liangliang tilted its head and nudged him kept growing, as if using all its might.
Finally, seeing that no matter how much it nudged, Yu Ming remained unmoving, Liangliang suddenly became urgent…
Liangliang stretched out its furry paw, expressionless, and pushed Yu Ming aside. It then lay down on the spot, lowering its head—
And happily started eating the half-eaten hotpot that Yu Ming had left behind.
Slurp slurp slurp.
A big chunk of fatty beef, slurp slurp slurp, beef balls, quail eggs, slurp slurp, woof woof!
Other customers: “…”
Yu Ming: “……..”
The Multiverse live stream: “………”
The silence from the viewers was deafening.
After a long pause, a single comment finally appeared:
[Liangliang’s expression looks like it’s saying…]
—“Old Friend, it’s my turn to try Jian Yunlan’s hotpot now!”
