"Auntie Norde, take a good look at me. I've made a staggering sacrifice for your damn chicken coop. You aren't planning on stiffing me on those salted eggs, the buns... and the hazard pay we agreed on, are you?"
Xiao Yu stood there, clutching his lower back. His outfit was nothing more than a few tattered black strips fluttering in the wind. On his belly, the prominent "+" mark bobbed with his lazy breaths. If he tried to beg in the city looking like this, half the town would weep for him, and the other half would call the police.
"Take it! Just take it all and get out!" Auntie Norde shoved the basket away as if it were a plague. "And take that feathered monster with you! I don't want to see that winged lightning rod ever again!"
Inside the basket were two white buns, two salted eggs, and a bowl of oily congee. Auntie Norde bit her lip and tossed in ten copper coins. "Consider these extra for your medical bills! Now move, before that chicken wakes up!"
Xiao Yu cracked open an egg. Crimson oil oozed out, coating his soot-stained fingers.
"Mia, do you see this?" He held the egg aloft like a sacred relic. "Our first bucket of gold! We aren't broke-ass ghosts anymore!"
"Buns... soft, white buns..." Mia stared at the bread, her throat clicking as she swallowed. She snatched a bun, dipped it into the crimson oil, and stuffed it into her mouth. "Mmph! This salty, oily, fluffy sensation... I think my soul is ascending!"
[System Log: Basal energy intake detected. Evaluation: Trash-tier fuel, but it'll keep you alive a bit longer. Rated: Acceptable.]
"Burp—" Xiao Yu patted his stomach and flashed a soot-covered grin. "Pleasure doing business, Auntie. Next time you have another 'high-voltage' job, give me a call."
After the meal, Xiao Yu looked at the tied-up Thunder-Clap Rooster.
"Eating it raw is for barbarians," Xiao Yu said profoundly. "We shall accord this LV.1 beast the respect it deserves—we're going to bread it and fry it!"
Since his appearance was a public hazard, Auntie Norde lent them a battered pot and a red apron that said "Model Homestead." Under the sunset, a bizarre scene unfolded: a man, naked from the back and wearing a red apron, stirring a pot frantically while a scruffy girl mashed salted egg yolks.
"Mia, this is what we call: Golden Sand Thunder-Crisp Chicken!"
Even with a Stamina of 3, Xiao Yu's knife skills were surgical thanks to his 'Slow-Motion Prediction.'
Sizzle—!
The moment the yolk-coated chicken hit the oil, an aroma with an electric kick exploded. Even plucked, the meat hummed with blue sparks.
"Is this... the taste of a Magical Beast?" Mia felt her depleted mana pool begin to thrum.
Ten minutes later, a plate of golden, crackling fried chicken sat before them.
"Time to eat!"
Xiao Yu took a bite. Crunch! The crispy shell and the sandy texture of the yolk shattered, releasing a torrent of juice with a mild electric tingle. It felt like his tongue was dancing the disco with a group of mint-flavored lightning bolts!
[System Log: Energy overload. Forceful conversion in progress...] [Stats Updated:] Stamina: 3 → 3.5 (You can finally outrun the old lady next door!) Strength/Agility: +1 (Input lag reduced. Your body finally stops lagging.) Lightning Resistance: +5% (Next time you get electrocuted, your spasms will look more graceful.) [Hidden Reward: Skill Fragment "Thunder-Flash Step" (1/10)]
Mia was devouring the chicken with both hands, her cheeks bulging like a squirrel's. As she swallowed, a faint silver glow seeped through the grime on her skin. For a split second, the aura of a Vampire Progenitor flickered to life.
"Burp—" Xiao Yu patted his belly. "Stamina up, clothes gone. Overall... a massive win!"
Under the sunset, the man in the red apron and the stuffed girl turned toward the tailor shop.
"Mia, tomorrow, let's pick a quest that gives us clothes." "No, Xiao Yu! We're picking the quest that gives us beef!"
Author's Note: Remember to eat well and sleep tight. The next one to save the world might just be you.