Chapter 68
[WTF… I was happy to see Vulture get slapped, but this feels like self-sabotage?!]
[+1. Every other stream has the main CP locked in tragic love, forced marking drama… Meanwhile, in this stream, they’re fighting over an inhibitor just to hoard fried chicken and hotpot. QAQ MOM, THIS ISN’T THE DOG-BLOOD STORY I SIGNED UP FOR!!]
[Aren’t you guys even a little curious who will win?]
[Also, @Vulture, speak up.]
[‘Hah! You guys don’t seriously think a mere street food stall could derail the main CP’s romance, right?’—Care to comment on this, Vulture?]
[Vulture, why so quiet? Cat got your tongue? (snickers)]
Xiao Hu couldn’t find the words.
He stared at the screen in utter disbelief.
After a long pause, he finally managed to type with trembling fingers:
[This is just the beginning! How do you know there won’t be a reversal later? The power of the storyline is strong! There’s no way the main CP would actually turn against each other over fried chicken and hotpot! Just wait and see!!!]
*
Meanwhile, at the Food Stalls
No one at the scene had any idea what kind of heated debate was raging in another dimension’s livestream chat.
The diners remained divided and focused, enjoying their respective meals in peace. It was as if an invisible truce existed—neither side interfering with the other.
Until—
A faint scent of jasmine swept across the food stalls.
It wasn’t overpowering, yet it sent an inexplicable shiver down everyone’s spine.
Then, a frail-looking young boy suddenly collapsed, his face flushed.
Before this moment, everyone had been too engrossed in their delicious hotpot and fried chicken to notice anything amiss.
It wasn’t until the boy fell that they realized the severity of the situation.
A wave of alarmed voices rose from the crowd:
“Omega! There’s an Omega going into heat!”
“We need to get him to the camp’s emergency isolation room! Someone carry him—quickly! Call the medical team!”
“Are there any Betas? Betas, step up! Alphas, keep your distance!”
The Longteng Summer Camp was composed almost entirely of Alphas, and at the mention of an Omega going into heat, panic instantly spread through the camp like wildfire.
Meanwhile, over at Lotus Pond Community, there were still a few Betas. Upon hearing the commotion, everyone immediately worked together to lift the unconscious Omega and rushed toward the isolation room.
However, traces of the Omega’s heat pheromones still lingered in the air, causing the Alphas present to grow restless.
Beyond just restlessness, another emotion surfaced—
Fear.
None of them were fools. By now, they had realized the real problem.
Originally, they had believed that if they simply waited in line, they would eventually get their share of spicy hotpot and fried chicken.
But now, the situation had completely changed.
Alphas surrounded by Omega pheromones, if they didn’t inject an inhibitor in time, would be induced into their own heat and would have to leave immediately—isolated with a bite guard.
Inhibitors had now become the ultimate key to securing fried chicken and spicy hotpot!
The simple act of lining up at the food stall had officially escalated into a Hunger Games scenario.
A crisis was rapidly unfolding.
Jiang Wolong narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings while clutching his pocket.
…Inside, he had a top-grade inhibitor that he had casually brought along before heading out today.
This information had to remain a secret. No one could find out.
Only with an inhibitor could he ensure his right to fried chicken!
Jiang Wolong understood his priorities perfectly.
Suddenly, Lin Feng poked his shoulder and asked urgently, “Boss, do you have an inhibitor?”
Jiang Wolong tensed up immediately. “Me? Of course not! I’m looking for one too—if you find one, let me know!”
Lin Feng and Cui Hu exchanged glances, then looked at him suspiciously. “You sure you don’t have one?”
“I swear I don’t!” Jiang Wolong denied flatly.
He wasn’t the only one acting.
Across Longteng Summer Camp, several big, burly Alphas were also hunched over nervously, clearly hiding something in their pockets while blatantly lying through their teeth:
“I didn’t bring an inhibitor!” Alpha #1 said, his eyes flickering.
“Damn it,” Alpha #2 was even more dramatic—clutching his pocket, stomping his foot in frustration. “I just got over my susceptibility period, and I forgot to bring mine today…”
Alpha #3 went all out, flopping onto the ground like a dead fish. “Nope, don’t have one. This bulge in my chest? That’s my pecs. Definitely not an inhibitor!”
“No inhibitors, no nothing. Even if the Emperor himself asked, I don’t have one.”
The other food stall customers gritted their teeth in fury but were helpless against the blatant deception.
Until suddenly—
Someone pointed to the front and shouted, “Wait—holy sh*t! You guys forgot—Boss Jian is an Alpha too!!”
…Boss Jian was an Alpha.
Which meant that Boss Jian would also be affected by the Omega pheromones!
Everyone turned their panicked gazes toward the front.
On the tricycle stall, two large boiling pots bubbled on the left, while oil sizzled loudly in the fryer on the right.
Jian Yunlan wielded his spatula skillfully, lifting thinly sliced beef into the steaming broth. His expression remained firm, his actions smooth and practiced.
“Me? I’m fine.” Jian Yunlan patted his chest confidently and grinned. “I’m above such worldly desires.”
The customers: “…..”
They carefully observed Boss Jian, watching his every move.
…He really didn’t seem affected. His hotpot cooking was just as precise as ever, and his fried chicken was still cooked to absolute perfection.
If you ignored the growing flush on his face and the increasingly intense scent of spicy hotpot pheromones in the air.
Suddenly, Jian Yunlan’s steps faltered slightly, as if momentarily dizzy from the onset of heat.
At that exact moment, a large silver-furred dog streaked forward like a bolt of lightning, pressing against Jian Yunlan’s back to steady him and prevent him from collapsing.
Everyone’s faces paled in unison.
“OH MY GOD, BOSS JIAN IS GOING INTO HEAT TOO!!”
*
In the very next second—
Whoosh!
Over a dozen inhibitors were instantly produced and shoved toward Jian Yunlan.
The very same Alphas who had been rolling on the ground, swearing they had no inhibitors just seconds ago, suddenly pulled them out, their eyes filled with urgency.
“Boss Jian! I have an inhibitor! Take mine!”
“Mine is extra-strength! Boss Jian, use mine!!!”
“Quick, quick! Boss Jian, inject it now!” Jiang Wolong frantically pulled his inhibitor from his pocket, nearly on the verge of tears. “If you wait any longer, it’ll be too late!”
—Because let’s be real. Priorities.
They had hidden their inhibitors to secure their right to fried chicken and hotpot.
But if Boss Jian, the one making the food, collapsed…
Then what the hell would they even be fighting over?!
“…”
The other Alphas clenched their jaws in rage.
These damn two-faced schemers!!
Lin Feng and Cui Hu turned to stare at Jiang Wolong, their gazes icy with betrayal and disgust. Jiang Wolong avoided their eyes, forcing himself to turn away stiffly.
“Uh… Boss Jian, take mine! Don’t worry about me!”
Faced with over a dozen eager inhibitors, Jian Yunlan blinked.
After a brief pause, he reached into his own pocket, pulled out an inhibitor, and swiftly injected it into his left arm with practiced ease.
“Thanks, but I’ve got my own.”
The moment the injection was done, he immediately went back to cooking. He flashed everyone a smile.
“You guys keep yours for yourselves.”
Ever since his last susceptibility period incident, Jian Yunlan had always carried one with him.
Nothing was going to stop him from running his food stall!
The crowd: “…”
The crowd: “……”
The dozen or so Alphas who had dramatically pulled out their inhibitors just moments ago now hesitantly stuffed them back into their pockets.
A cold chill ran down their spines.
It felt like many, many people were now staring at them.
Coldly. Murderously.
In the face of crisis, the fried chicken and spicy hot pot customers once again started forming their own factions.
“Fried chicken people, fried chicken soul! Everyone, unite! We must help each other and make sure we all get to eat fried chicken. We can’t let those spicy hot pot folks take advantage of us,” Principal Lao Xu called out.
Song Lanzhen sneered. “Take advantage? Who cares about taking advantage of you? We don’t even eat fried chicken. But all of you are Alphas—you’re like clay Buddhas crossing a river, barely able to save yourselves!”
The two sides glared at each other. If not for the urgent situation, they would have been at each other’s throats again.
At the back of the line, Duan Qiongzhi didn’t join the argument.
Her forehead was covered in sweat.
She was one of the few Alphas from Lotus Pond Community.
And she didn’t have an inhibitor.
Most of her gym buddies were Betas, so she couldn’t rely on them either.
She was so close—so close to her turn.
So many days of chasing, trying, suffering, and regretting all flooded her heart.
Spicy hot pot…
Boss Jian’s spicy hot pot—so near, yet so far…
The dizziness and heat from the fever phase surged up, and Duan Qiongzhi felt a wave of despair as her face turned pale.
Suddenly, a cold syringe was placed into her palm.
“This is a premium-grade inhibitor. Use it,” a slightly awkward yet clean and crisp girl’s voice rang in her ear. “I’ve already taken mine. I don’t need it anymore.”
Through her hazy vision, Duan Qiongzhi’s eyes suddenly snapped open—
It was Xiao Xiao, the one who had been arguing with her not long ago!
Xiao Xiao’s eyes held a clear moonlight-like brightness.
“I’m not helping you or anything. I swore to never stand with the spicy hot pot faction. But… you’re also a comrade who loves Boss Jian’s food. Helping you is purely out of comradeship.”
The other customers quieted down.
Hearing this, some of them were moved.
Comrades, huh?
Fried chicken and spicy hot pot were supposed to be sworn enemies.
But in the end, what they all deeply loved was the food made by that man…
Everyone fell into thought.
Duan Qiongzhi’s lips trembled.
Her heart was filled with complex emotions, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say. Silently, she injected the inhibitor.
With tears in her eyes, she grasped Xiao Xiao’s hand. “Comrade, I won’t forget this kindness. If I manage to buy spicy hot pot, I’m willing to share half with you.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiao’s eyes suddenly lit up!
She swiftly pulled out a stamped contract from her coat.
“You said it yourself. I’ve already prepared the contract—just leave your fingerprint here.”
Duan Qiongzhi: “?”
Other fried chicken customers: “???”
In a daze, Duan Qiongzhi pressed her fingerprint down.
Why did it feel… like she had fallen into a trap?
“Xiao Xiao, you betrayed our fried chicken organization!” Lao Xu roared. “We swore never to eat spicy hot pot!”
Xiao Xiao stood her ground, hands on her hips.
“You guys do what you want. Hmph, stubborn fools suffering for the sake of pride.”
“I’m definitely eating this spicy hot pot. If Boss Jian’s fried chicken is that good, then his spicy hot pot must be… slurp slurp.”
Soon, Xiao Xiao received her share of spicy hot pot from Duan Qiongzhi.
Since Boss Jian hadn’t set a purchase limit, Duan Qiongzhi simply bought two portions—one for herself, one for Xiao Xiao.
Holding the bowl of spicy hot pot, Xiao Xiao deliberately walked over to the fried chicken customers and picked up a piece of beef tripe with her chopsticks.
The beef tripe quivered slightly, coated with a thick layer of chili oil. The large piece of tripe was soaked in the rich, sticky sauce, glistening red and incredibly tempting.
Before taking a bite, Xiao Xiao even dipped the beef tripe into the bowl again, ensuring that every spiky fold was drenched in sauce and chili oil.
“Look at this beef tripe, this sauce,” Xiao Xiao proudly showed it off before finally putting it into her mouth.
“…Holy crap!”
The beef tripe was bursting with freshness, cooked to perfection so that it wasn’t tough at all but had just the right chewiness.
That crisp and bouncy texture, the juicy explosion in every bite, mixed with the numbing, spicy heat of the chili oil—it was unbelievably fragrant.
The spice didn’t hit all at once. Instead, with each chew, the heat built up gradually, making her break into a sweat while the numbing sensation spread deliciously across her tongue.
Xiao Xiao kept eating while gasping from the heat, unable to stop praising it—
“It’s delicious, really delicious… gulp gulp, and this soup is amazing too! You guys who can’t taste it are really missing out!”
The fried chicken customers were on the verge of collapse.
They had tried so hard not to look, not to smell, not to listen—anything to avoid being tempted by the spicy hot pot. But now, Xiao Xiao was standing so close, the fragrance, the details, even the crispy crunching sound as she chewed… There was no way to escape it.
More and more people faltered.
Tentatively, they glanced toward the “enemy” camp:
“Hey, bro… you got an inhibitor? I’ll trade an inhibitor for some spicy hot pot…”
“I have capsules to relieve side effects—two capsules for one piece of fried chicken.”
“Ahhh, I don’t care anymore! I want both spicy hot pot and fried chicken! Only kids make choices—I want it all!!!”
Jian Yunlan: “…”
He never actually said that a person could only buy spicy hot pot or only buy fried chicken.
But…
Watching more and more people let go of their prejudices and start cooperating, Jian Yunlan smiled slightly.
This wasn’t so bad!
A gust of wind lifted a stack of flyers from the tricycle, sending two of them spiraling far away—but no one paid attention to this small detail…
*
Meanwhile, in a secluded grove.
Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming stood in a tense standoff.
The scene looked calm on the surface, but undercurrents surged beneath.
Winner takes all—the victor would get to monopolize all of Boss Jian’s fried chicken and spicy hot pot!
The stakes were too high.
Yu Ming had a thought in his mind, but he wasn’t entirely sure. He didn’t dare to jump to conclusions.
A thin layer of sweat formed on his palms.
Stay calm—he had to stay calm.
Before him, Fu Changfeng held an inhibitor, chin slightly raised, wearing a look of absolute confidence.
Standing tall in the moonlight, his usually gentle features were cold.
“Xiao Ming, you’ve already lost,” Fu Changfeng said arrogantly. “The one who injects the inhibitor, the one who gets to eat all the fried chicken… will be me.”
The needle of the inhibitor was already pressed against his arm, his muscles tensed.
It seemed like there was no turning back now.
Suddenly, Yu Ming chuckled softly.
The sound was so faint, almost blending into the wind, barely audible.
But there was a hint of mockery in it.
Fu Changfeng frowned. “What are you laughing at?”
“The inhibitor was always yours, wasn’t it… brother—”
Yu Ming’s gaze was sharp, carrying a clarity that seemed to pierce through everything. He curled his lips slightly. “So why did you come to me? Why did you come all the way out to this grove?”
“…Was it just to mock me? Or is there something else you’re after?”
Fu Changfeng’s eyes widened slightly.
A sudden gust of wind swept through, startling the birds in the treetops!
[……]
[Wait, what kind of peak-level mind game is this?!]
[Shhh, I’m so tense right now]
[=?= This plot twist is insane]
[@BaldVulture, is this the reversal you were waiting for? (.)]
[Now that Yu Ming said it, it is suspicious… If Fu Changfeng already had the inhibitor, why bother coming here to talk to Yu Ming instead of just injecting it and waiting for the other Alphas to lose control and get taken away? Something isn’t right.]
[Uh… “The Great Fried Chicken & Spicy Hot Pot Battle: The Mystery of the Inhibitor”]
[I never imagined I’d be watching this level of psychological warfare in a chaotic foodie livestream…]
From the moment Fu Changfeng pulled out the inhibitor, Yu Ming had sensed something was off.
And that feeling of wrongness had only grown stronger.
Yes.
—Fu Changfeng always had the inhibitor. It belonged to him.
Right now, in this high-stakes situation, everyone knew—the one who controlled the inhibitor controlled the fried chicken and spicy hot pot. If Fu Changfeng was truly as confident as he claimed, why go through the trouble of dragging Yu Ming into this grove?
All he had to do was quietly inject the inhibitor, wait for the other Alphas to lose control and be taken away, and then he could enjoy all the food by himself.
Why risk coming here to show off, increasing the chance of failure?
Was it really… just to gloat?
“You’re not the type to risk losing fried chicken for something meaningless,” Yu Ming said, his voice growing steadier. His gaze locked onto Fu Changfeng, unwavering.
“I know… because to you, fried chicken is everything. Just like how spicy hot pot is to me.”
When it came to Boss Jian’s food, neither of them would ever take unnecessary risks.
Fu Changfeng was silent.
“So, I can say with absolute certainty,” Yu Ming’s lips curved into a knowing smile, “Brother, you won’t inject that inhibitor.”
“There’s only one truth—”
With the force of undeniable conviction, Yu Ming raised his index finger and pointed directly at the inhibitor in Fu Changfeng’s hand.
His voice was calm as he declared:
“Your inhibitor… is incomplete!”
Boom!
A sudden clap of thunder split the sky.
Lightning flashed, illuminating their faces in stark contrast, making the tension in the grove unbearable.
[Shut up, I’m trying to think]
[Wuwuwu let me go back to watching Boss Jian’s food stall, I wanted a chill food stream, not a high-stakes psychological thriller!!!]
The audience’s attention was instantly gripped by the sheer tension and suspense of the scene.
Even the usually vocal “vulture” viewers had fallen silent at some point—yet no one had noticed.
[Holy crap, holy crap, I’m so nervous!]
[Same here, I’m sweating like crazy. I’ve got goosebumps—this feels just like a suspense film where the protagonist and the villain face off in a dark forest!]
[Who’s going to win? Who’s going to win?!]
Fu Changfeng froze in place.
A slow smile crept onto Yu Ming’s lips.
One hand was casually tucked into his pocket, while the other reached in and pulled out a small capsule.
“Brother… you called me out here because you wanted this, didn’t you?”
In the span of just thirty seconds, their positions had completely flipped.
Now, it was Yu Ming who stood triumphant.
And Fu Changfeng—the one who had seemed so confident just moments ago—was now silent, his face turning pale.
His inhibitor was incomplete.
Yu Ming hadn’t been completely sure before.
But just now, when he caught the fleeting flicker in Fu Changfeng’s gaze, he was finally certain.
“All high-grade inhibitors on the market share one side effect,” Yu Ming said slowly. “They cause temporary loss of taste and smell.”
His eyes grew even brighter—so bright, it was almost manic.
“So even if you inject the inhibitor, even if you win and buy up every single serving of spicy hot pot and fried chicken… you won’t be able to taste a single bite while it’s fresh out of the pot.”
“What a pity, what a tragedy! Don’t you think so?!”
“Hahaha, Brother… that’s why you need me.”
Yu Ming clenched the capsule in his palm, laughing.
“Brother, this battle… is mine!”
[??????]
[WTF, Yu Ming sounds like some sinister villain!]
[Nonsense! He’s not a villain—our little Ming is just… slightly ruthless when it comes to fried chicken. (poking fingers together)]
[Wait, this is the ending? No more twists?!]
[The fact that this whole high-stakes, nerve-wracking psychological battle was just about stealing fried chicken and spicy hot pot is kinda… disillusioning…]
[So it’s settled then.]
[Wait, look! There’s another twist—!]
Fu Changfeng’s expression remained unchanged. His right hand still firmly gripped the inhibitor syringe.
“Xiao Ming, you’re too reckless,” he said.
“You really think I wouldn’t dare?”
Fu Changfeng let out a soft chuckle. With a press of his thumb, the needle pierced half an inch into his skin.
“Look…”
A bead of blood surfaced.
Then, slowly, he began pushing the amber-colored inhibitor into his vein.
Yu Ming’s expression shifted.
“You tried to threaten me first—but you’re still too young,” Fu Changfeng sighed, his gaze sharp.
“The fried chicken… is all mine.”
Yes, the high-grade inhibitor would dull his senses. He wouldn’t be able to taste anything.
But so what?!
As long as he could have the fried chicken, he had already won.
Taste didn’t matter.
Fu Changfeng’s inborn, obsessive need for possession was now on full display—
—his twisted possessiveness over fried chicken.
If he couldn’t have it, then no one could.
Whether it was Jian Boss’s fried chicken or spicy hot pot, they belonged to him alone.
A cold, indifferent smile touched Fu Changfeng’s lips.
[……]
[WTF, another twist?!]
[“Fu Changfeng’s inborn, twisted possessiveness reached its peak at this moment.” I swear this line originally described his obsession with Yu Ming in the novel…]
[Paging the experts who have memorized the original text!]
[“Even knowing that forcibly marking Yu Ming would destroy him, Fu Changfeng never regretted it. Because as long as Yu Ming belonged to him, love didn’t matter. Now, he had finally claimed Yu Ming—their lives forever tangled in torment.”]
[“But why… did his heart feel so empty?”]
[“Why… were his eyes damp?”]
[These are the key lines from when the novel shifts into the tragic ending arc.]
The amber liquid slowly seeped into his bloodstream.
Yu Ming’s face turned pale.
He hadn’t expected Fu Changfeng to be this insane.
The spicy hot pot—no, his spicy hot pot—
A sharp, twisting pain bloomed in Yu Ming’s chest.
Before him, Fu Changfeng smiled again. This time, his smile was as gentle as a spring breeze beneath the moonlight.
“Xiao Ming, I win.”
The inhibitor took effect like a thousand tiny needles pricking his veins—sharp at first, then gradually numbing everything.
The numbness spread to his mouth and taste buds.
Fu Changfeng closed his eyes.
Even knowing that forcibly injecting the inhibitor would destroy his sense of taste, he had no regrets. As long as he could possess the fried chicken, then… whether he could taste it or not no longer mattered. Now, he had won. The fried chicken belonged to him alone, and their lives would forever be entangled in torment.
But why did his heart feel so… empty?
Why were the corners of his eyes damp?
“……”
*
Multiverse Live Broadcast Room
A sudden red light flashed in streamer Jian Yunlan’s broadcast room!
An urgent mechanical voice accompanied it:
[Warning! The timeline of the live broadcast “Dark River, Bright Light” is rapidly approaching a tragic BE (Bad Ending): “The Two of Us Who Can’t Eat Spicy Hot Pot and Fried Chicken.”]
[BE countdown initiated!]
[10:00, 9:59, 9:58…]
The chat instantly exploded.
[???? WTF, a BE countdown?! What did Jian Boss do to trigger an immediate BE ending with only ten minutes left?!]
[Does that mean Jian Boss failed the challenge? =?= I refuse to believe it!]
[Rigged! Xiao Lan, don’t be afraid, this must be some shady trick by the Multiverse Broadcasting Company! I’m filing a complaint right now! (User [Ming Ruogui] has gifted 10 luxury cruise ships to streamer [Jian Yunlan])]
[…Sister Ming, calm down.]
[Wait, what kind of BE ending is “The Two of Us Who Can’t Eat Spicy Hot Pot and Fried Chicken”??? Are they really going to be so heartbroken over missing out on food that the whole “Dark River, Bright Light” world collapses into a tragedy?!]
*
In the Grove
Silence engulfed the area, the moonlight cool and serene.
A battle with no winners—only losers.
Yu Ming sat dejectedly, burying his face in his hands.
Fu Changfeng let out a bitter laugh.
Suddenly—
A strong gust of wind blew past, carrying two fluttering flyers.
The flyers landed smack on their faces, still faintly carrying the scent of spicy hot pot—
[Prime location for lease! Previously operated as a cheese milk tea shop, fully equipped, first month rent-free…]
Fu Changfeng & Yu Ming: “?”
