Wow, A Breakthrough?!

Considering that it was the birthday lunch, they couldn't be eating everyday cuisines. On the long table big enough for 30 people to dine were all kinds of delicacies. They got seafood dishes that could only be seen before the doomsday: steamed king crab, braised prawns, minced garlic on steamed scallop, braised abalone. They also got southwesterners' favorite strong-flavored dishes: duck blood in chili sauce, spicy fish, stir-fried shredded tripe, dry pot crayfish, stir-fried beef, hot sausages and ham and all the hot food that one could ask for. And look at that milky pheasant mushroom soup, it got a layer of salivating grease on it.

"Our birthday boy should sit in the host seat today. Come on, Yao, sit down with Chenchen."

Zhou Zeyu and the guys were already seated around the table. They invited Yun Yao to sit down when they saw her come. Zhan Yafei pushed Yun Yao and sat her in the host seat, Xing Feng put Chenchen in the children's chair right next to his mother. Yun Yao wore a beaming face and said, "Thank you for preparing Chenchen's birthday. Back at the beginning of the doomsday, I thought we wouldn't have such a joyful celebration ever again."

Yun Yao meant what she said. It was safe to say that they were the only family that could organize such an extravagant birthday lunch. Yes, most squads had stored supplies but one could never know when the supplies might run out. Even rich squads like Joy or Loser couldn't afford such luxury, 3 meals a day was the best they could have.

"Sister, today is all about celebration. Don't think about the unpleasant stuff."

Yun Che and Xing Feng sat next to Yun Yao. Leng Yehan and Yun Cheng sat across from them. Yun Yao took a look at her brothers and noticed something red on Yun Cheng's mouth. She opened up her eyes in shock. "Cheng, what is it on your mouth?"

Could it be blood? Yun Yao was in fright. "Did he…"

As soon as Yun Yao asked the question, everybody turns their eyes to him, but immediately, they realized that that wasn't blood because they saw flesh and blood every day. However, they were confused, too. Yun Cheng ate nothing but crystal nuclei and tree heart, neither of them contained red juice.

"What?"

*Crack*

While Yun Cheng gawked at his sister after he heard her, he took a red fruit out of his pocket and took a bite of it. The juice of the fruit made his red lips look redder. Leng Yehan wiped Yun Cheng's mouth clean with a tissue. Other than Yun Che, Xing Feng, Gu Mingxuan and Chenchen, everybody was stunned by this jaw-dropping scene. "Is this real? Is Yun Cheng eating a fruit? Can he eat fruit?"

"Did you see that, Che? Cheng is… He's eating normal food."

Yun Yao was in shock and excitement at the same time. She pulled Yun Che and covered her mouth in case she burst into tears. Could Cheng be normal now?

"Mom?"

Worried and confused, Chenchen pulled the hem of his mother's clothes. Yun Che gave him a comforting look and said to Yun Yao, "Chenchen found that kind of fruit, which contains a small amount of energy like a crystal nucleus. I let Cheng try some and it turns out they are edible for him. Which reminds me that all the games and fish and crabs that came from my Space contain a certain amount of energy, Cheng might enjoy them as well."

"Really? Let's find out now."

Yun Yao was thrilled. She stood up and tried to get the chopsticks, but couldn't control her shaking hand at all. Yun Che grabbed her hand, trying to calm her down, "Sis, easy, that's just my assumption which hasn't been verified yet. Don't get your hopes too high because you don't want to be too disappointed to celebrate Chenchen's birthday. Just let Yehan look after Cheng."

He could understand why his sister was so thrilled. Previously, he wished his brother could dine with everybody and when that day finally came, his eye socket went wet. But it was a special night tonight and higher expectation might end up as a greater disappointment. The last thing he would like to see were his sister's tears.

"OK."

Yun Yao's hand stopped shaking as she looked Yun Che in the eyes. Everybody turned their anxious eyes to Leng Yehan. Although they didn't overreact like Yun Yao did, they, too, were excited. Everybody had sworn to be Cheng's guardian. If he could eat normal food, then he got to dine with them every day. If so, this today couldn't be merrier.

Facing the great pressure, Leng Yehan didn't know what to do with the chopsticks in hand. In the end, he got a piece of fish belly meat for Cheng. "Cheng, open your mouth!"

"No, eat fruit!"

Yun Cheng frowned after taking a look at the white, tender fish belly meat. He waved the fruit in his hand, implying that he preferred the fruit over fish meat.

"Good boy, Cheng, this is also good."

Leng Yehan had no choice but to coax him. He wished Yun Che could eat more stuff, too.

With a reluctant look on the face, Yun Cheng looked at Leng and then at his brother. After seeing his brother nod, Yun Cheng sucked the meat into his mouth. It was quick and seamless, but everybody observed so carefully that they noticed every detail in slow motion. They held their breath, waiting for a comment from Yun Cheng.

Sadly, Yun Cheng didn't meet their expectation. He took another bite of the fruit after eating the fish meat. Chu Haoling, who always took food seriously, asked in an anxious tone of voice, "So? Is the fish meat good? Do you want more? Yao's cooking is perfect, she's been cooking for you since you were little. Does the taste bring back any memories?

Even Chu Haoling was anxious, much less the rest. Yun Che secretly tightened the grip on Xing Feng's hand since he saw Leng Yehan lift the chopsticks. He was equally worried despite the comforting words he said to his sister.

"Hmm?"

Yun Cheng frowned in wonder. His red lips pouted when he realized everybody was staring at him. "It's good, but not as good as fruit."

To corroborate his words, Yun Cheng put the other half of the fruit into his mouth and chewed it vigorously.

"Yeah, fruit is good. I eat a lot of fruits!"

Chenchen agreed with Uncle Cheng without knowing what was going on as if he'd get a praise by saying so.

"Is it that good? Give me one, OK?"

Chu Haoling couldn't resist the temptation. Everybody rolled their eyes at them when he asked Yun Cheng for the fruit. No one could stand him taking food from Yun Cheng because it was too embarrassing!

"I've only got two left. You can have one."

Yun Cheng took one from the bag and gave it to Chu Haoling even though he didn't feel like to. He then devoured the other one in case someone else asked for it. His stuffed cheek looked amusing and cute.

"Mmm, it is so good. Wow, what? Did I get a breakthrough?"

Chu Haoling put on his iconic approbatory face after a bite of the fruit. But this time, instead of making a long speech, he jumped right up. Everybody opened up their eyes when hearing what he said. "For real? One bite and he hits level 4?"

Those who frowned at Chu Haoling's greediness previously immediately changed their attitude and sided with Chu. They, too, were eager for a breakthrough.

"Let me have a taste."

Lu Haixuan snatched the fruit from Chu Haoling and threw it into his mouth. Chu Haoling was caught off guard, he then tried to get the fruit back from Lu's mouth. "How dare you steal my food! Spit it out, spit it out!"

Could anyone get greedier than him? Everybody was astounded, especially Mr. Chen and Lu's mom.

"Wow, a breakthrough indeed!"

Shocked, Lu Haixuan announced the result when fighting against Chu's fingers in his mouth. After he spat the kernel out, Chu Haoling gazed at it with a frustrated look on the face.

"Che, I want to level up as well!"

Zhou Zeyu didn't pay too much attention to Chu Haoling. After confirmation, as the most quick-witted one, he immediately looked at Yun Che with his poor eyes. Yun Cheng got no more fruits, the only source would be Yun Che.

"Che!"

Everybody decided to ignore Chu Haoling and joined Zhou Zeyu by looking at Yun Che right after he raised the request. Even a dual-attribute superfunction possessor could hit level 4, it wouldn't be a problem for single-attribute ones, right? They'd been stuck at level-3 for too long, they'd been longing for a breakthrough.

"Don't look at me. There are fruits, but they're on the trees, I don't have any for you right now. And the fruit isn't that magical anyway. In fact, you guys should have been level-4 now. The reason why Chu and Haixuan reached level-4 is that fruit gave them a little push when their energy broke through the leveling-up threshold. If you want to hit level-4, you either go out there and kills some zombies or eat the fish or pheasant from my Space. I'm sure you'll get your breakthrough immediately."

Yun Che patiently explained to the guys. He took a look at the air panel before Chu Haoling ate the fruit, he even discovered Chu's breakthrough earlier than he himself did. Also, Yun Che had confirmed that they got stuck at level-3 because the snow still hadn't come. The fruit was like a drop of water into a brimful glass.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's eat."

Recovered from a daze, the guys forgot all about table manners, even the birthday boy Chenchen. They scrambled for the fish and the chicken soup, and then…

"Shit, I got a breakthrough!"

"Haha, finally, I'm level 4."

"Yeah, yeah, I hit level 4…"

"Damn, it feels so good to be a level-4."

There came a fit of clamors and exclamations, someone even swore. It was obvious that they had been so sick of being stuck at level-3, but what they didn't know was, the way from level-4 to level-5 would only be much harder. If they were living in an online game, they would have to earn 2 or 3 or 4 times more exp. from level-4 to level-5 than from level-3 to level-4. Maybe they wouldn't get stuck at the leveling-up threshold again but they were sure to stay in level-4 for a long time.

"I'm more and more interested in your Space, I wish I could get in there and have a look."

Watching everybody's happy face, Xing Feng whispered to Yun Che. Xing Feng had reached level-4, too, and he figured he could get into Yun Che's Space soon since Chenchen was able to.

"Hehe, that day is near."

Yun Che grinned. Recently, he'd been putting many animals and supplies into Space. After Chenchen entering his Space, he was certain that the ocean would soon be unlocked.

"Don't push yourself too hard though."

Xing Feng didn't mean to pressure Yun Che with his request. Yun Che chuckled. He wasn't a pushy idiot, he was aware of how harmful the backfire could be. Now that everybody was level-4, he got nothing to worry about.