Chapter 43: Even Cooking Requires Cheats?

"Little Yuhao, I've already prepared everything you need. Now it's up to you!" Tang Ya glanced at the prepared green fish, swallowed her saliva, and smiled at Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao nodded vigorously, his face filled with gratitude as he looked at Tang Ya. "Thank you, Teacher Tang Ya. Without you, I wouldn't even know where to get these things."

Tang Ya reached out and ruffled Huo Yuhao's hair. "No need to thank me. As the sect leader, of course, I have to take care of my disciples. Go for it, Little Yuhao! I believe you can become as famous as Lin Yun, the strongest freshman king in your grade, and make a name for yourself across the entire academy!"

"Teacher Tang Ya!"

"Little Yuhao!"

Just as the two were sharing a heartwarming master-disciple moment, a voice suddenly interrupted.

"Ahem, I think I heard someone calling my name?" Lin Yun swallowed the food in his mouth and casually tossed the wooden skewer into a nearby trash bin.

"Huh?!"

"Ah!"

Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya were startled by Lin Yun's sudden voice and turned to look at him in unison.

Tang Ya's face immediately turned red, and a guilty feeling washed over her, as if she had been caught badmouthing someone behind their back.

"Well then, Little Yuhao! I still need to find Beibei. You keep at it!" Tang Ya patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder, then slipped away like a greased eel.

Only one sentence lingered in Huo Yuhao's ears...

"Remember to save two grilled fish for me!"

Huo Yuhao was instantly petrified, his mouth slightly agape as he stared in the direction Tang Ya had left, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.

Helpless, he turned to Lin Yun, his tone apologetic. "Sorry, Lin Yun. Teacher Tang Ya didn't mean any harm."

After the first day of school, Lin Yun had become a de facto leader in the class, not officially the class monitor but wielding more authority than the soft-spoken substitute teacher. No one in Class One dared to defy him.

Huo Yuhao was no exception. In fact, he admired Lin Yun even more than most.

In the normal Douluo Continent, someone with formidable strength and limitless talent would likely be arrogant, looking down on others. But Lin Yun had never bullied anyone despite his strength, earning him an excellent reputation.

Of course, to Lin Yun, these were just kids. He had no interest in bullying children.

But his behavior had won Huo Yuhao's full admiration. Both had golden hair, but while Dai Huabin was arrogant despite his mediocre strength, Lin Yun, who could easily defeat Shrek Academy teachers, remained humble and approachable.

Huo Yuhao had practically made him his idol.

"It's fine. This just proves how strong I am. Who wouldn't want more admirers?" Lin Yun smacked his lips and spoke casually.

"But if you want to make me your goal, you'll have to work harder. I'm not that easy to catch up to."

Huo Yuhao's later actions, after being tamed by Tang San, were indeed disgusting, but right now, he was just a bullied illegitimate child.

Moreover, living in dormitory 109, Lin Yun saw Huo Yuhao's diligent training every day. Such a resilient person was hard to dislike.

Lin Yun didn't want to give him any malice. There was no need.

"Thank you. I'll do my best! Let me treat you to some grilled fish, okay?" Huo Yuhao scratched his head sheepishly and pointed to the barbecue stall in front of him.

"No need for treats. We're classmates. Consider it me supporting your business." Lin Yun flicked his thumb, and a golden light flew toward Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao caught it and opened his hand to see a beautifully patterned gold soul coin resting in his palm.

"A gold soul coin!"

Huo Yuhao was shocked and quickly said, "This is too much! Even if you're buying, my grilled fish only costs five copper soul coins each. This is enough for twenty!"

"Then twenty it is. I have a big appetite and can finish it all. Just focus on cooking." Lin Yun tilted his chin up and smiled. "Don't keep me waiting too long. I'm already starving."

Huo Yuhao didn't say much, just nodded lightly. But his grip on the gold soul coin tightened, the hard metal digging into his palm.

Yet he paid no attention to the pain, his heart filled with deep gratitude toward Lin Yun.

Tang Ya believed in his grilled fish because she had tasted it before, but Lin Yun? He had never seen Huo Yuhao cook before, yet he was willing to spend a gold soul coin on his grilled fish.

"I have a big appetite and can finish it all."

This sentence left Huo Yuhao unable to refuse and made him feel no sense of charity, only warmth and gratitude.

Lin Yun, waiting for his food, had no idea that Huo Yuhao was on the verge of considering him his best friend. Otherwise, he would have laughed out loud.

He just wanted to taste the legendary Grilled Fish God King's cooking. Besides, a gold soul coin was nothing to him. He wouldn't even bother picking it up if he dropped it on the ground.

He had tens of millions of gold soul coins in his soul tool, and if he asked Di Tian to sell a few spirit bones, he could become instantly wealthy.

In short, Lin Yun's casual act had nearly maxed out Huo Yuhao's favorability toward him.

Then, Huo Yuhao began his performance.

Lin Yun had said he was hungry and didn't want to wait long, so how could Huo Yuhao keep his idol waiting?

His azure eyes suddenly glowed with a golden light, and a white spirit ring appeared at his feet. However, due to the grill blocking the view, Lin Yun could only see a faint white light.

Spirit Detection!

Quickly seasoning four fish with salt and perilla, Huo Yuhao skewered them with bamboo sticks and placed them on the grill.

To ensure the grilled fish reached peak flavor, Huo Yuhao focused all his attention, carefully controlling the heat.

This was his most serious attempt. He couldn't let his idol down!

As the fish slowly cooked under the high heat, a light yet penetrating aroma began to spread. Even amidst the myriad smells of the food street, Huo Yuhao's grilled fish stood out, capturing everyone's attention.

Upon smelling this, Lin Yun glanced at Huo Yuhao in surprise.

This grilled fish... has something special!

The main ingredient was just ordinary green fish, far inferior to the fish Di Tian caught in the Lake of Life. The seasoning was also simple—just salt and perilla, which Lin Yun had seen Huo Yuhao prepare with his own eyes.

Yet the resulting flavor was as if it had been buffed, completely unreasonable. It didn't seem as fragrant as the fish he had eaten at the Lake of Life, but the aroma was irresistibly appetizing.

Alright, alright, even cooking requires cheats now?

(End of Chapter)

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