Chapter 90: Culinary Rewards

The man previously singled out by Lu Kuan sighed quietly to himself. One look at his young master’s expression, and he already knew that tonight’s plan was likely to fall apart.

And who exactly was this Lu Kuan? Judging from his earlier poise and fighting ability, he was clearly no stranger to street brawls—nothing like what Xueliang had described as some “honest student.” Could he be mixed up in the underworld as well?

“How do you know who I am?” the man known as Hui, far calmer than Liu Xueliang, asked in a steady voice.

That was the heart of the matter. How had Lu Kuan managed to call out everyone’s names and identities so precisely? Hui felt a chill creep into his chest, as if an invisible eye was watching him from the shadows. It was an unsettling sensation.

“That’s not something you need to worry about, hic—”

Lu Kuan let out a drunken hiccup, his tone lazy, before turning to Liu Xueliang. “Since we’re all being frank now, let me give you a word of advice: from now on, stop pestering Wu Xiaoxiao from Thirteenth High, and that includes her friends.”

At the mention of her name, Liu Xueliang’s bravado seemed to surge back. His face twisted in a sneer. “And who the hell do you think you are? Tell me not to go near her, and now I have to? Maybe one of these days, I’ll spike that prim little bitch’s drink and have my way with her! Ha ha—”

“Xueliang!” Hui’s brow furrowed as the words grew more outrageous. Liu Xueliang fell silent, but his glare remained fixed on Lu Kuan.

Lu Kuan’s expression turned cold. He rose from his seat, and Liu Xueliang instinctively took a step back. Hui and his men immediately stepped in front to shield him.

“No need to be nervous,” Lu Kuan said, fixing his gaze on Liu Xueliang. He reached into a nearby cabinet, pulled out a small ledger used by the waitstaff, and scribbled a few lines on a blank page. Folding the paper neatly, he handed it to Hui.

“What’s this?” Hui asked, frowning at the note in his hand.

“Give it to Liu Xueliang’s father. I’m sure Mr. Liu will find it interesting,” Lu Kuan replied with a faint smile. Then, turning to his classmates, he waved. “That wraps it up for tonight, everyone. Sorry to have spoiled the fun. Next time, the drinks are on me again—I hope you’ll all join me.”

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd. Lu Kuan had always been the quiet, unassuming type—some even said wooden. When had he become so comfortable, so at ease in front of a crowd?

With a glance at Dai Guang, Lu Kuan signaled, and the two of them left the room. They took the elevator down to the lobby, where Lu Kuan paid the bill, and then left the hotel.

“Lu Kuan, you were amazing just now!” Dai Guang couldn’t contain his excitement in the elevator, striking a few martial arts poses. “You were so calm in front of everyone—it felt like a movie scene! What did you write on the note, by the way?”

Lu Kuan smiled wryly. In truth, the situation had developed beyond his expectations as well. He had been able to keep a clear head, but the moment Liu Xueliang threatened Wu Xiaoxiao, all reason flew out the window. Fueled by alcohol, he seized the chance to vent.

As for the note, it contained information about a land acquisition deal in the suburbs of Donghai City. If word got out to a competitor that Liu Xueliang’s father’s company was planning to develop it, they would stand to lose at least ten million. Lu Kuan figured that, unlike his idiot son, Mr. Liu would know how to handle the matter.

He brushed off Dai Guang’s questions with a casual excuse, but Dai Guang was no fool. He grinned at Lu Kuan. “So when did you start liking Wu Xiaoxiao? You never said a thing!”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Lu Kuan shot him a glare. “I just can’t stand Liu Xueliang messing with people. You know what he’s done at school.”

Dai Guang nodded in agreement, fully aware of Liu Xueliang’s reputation. “If he didn’t have such powerful connections, trash like Liu Xueliang would’ve been castrated in an alley a long time ago, humph!”

Lu Kuan made no comment and headed home with Dai Guang.

…

Night fell over the city center of Donghai. In a spacious office high in a business tower, Hui stood in the middle of the room, hands clasped before him, face grave. At the window, a middle-aged man with a close-cropped haircut gazed out at the dazzling city lights, hands behind his back. His features bore a striking resemblance to Liu Xueliang.

“So that Lu Kuan wrote this down on the spot?” the man said after a long silence.

“Yes, Chairman Liu. I saw it with my own eyes,” Hui replied promptly.

This man was none other than Liu Xueliang’s father, Liu Genghong, chairman of Feitian Group.

After another pause, Hui couldn’t help but ask, “Shall I have someone look into him? If necessary, we could scare him a little—he’s just a kid…”

“Nonsense,” Liu Genghong snapped. “If we make a move now, won’t that just tell whoever’s backing him that we’re afraid?”

“Yes, sir.” Hui bowed his head in apology.

Liu Genghong considered for a moment, then turned from the window. “You can look into his background a bit, but don’t make any waves. And keep a close eye on Xueliang these days. I don’t want him stirring up trouble everywhere and chasing after every pretty girl he sees. If he messes up another deal, I’ll skin him alive.”

“Yes, sir,” Hui replied respectfully, though he knew his boss was all bluster—no way would he really harm his son. Still, it seemed Xueliang would have to rein himself in for a while.

At the same time, in Lu Kuan’s home—

That afternoon, Lu Kuan had gone to Dai Guang’s place to sleep off the drinks and only returned home near dusk. By then, the last of his aunts and uncles had finally left. With the house quiet again, Lu Kuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But the day’s events had been a wake-up call: no matter how great his achievements in the game, there were still plenty of real-world problems to face.

Lu Kuan had originally planned to wait until he was completely secure in the game before starting his own business in reality. But now, it seemed he would have to move some plans forward.

Before logging into the game that night, Lu Kuan browsed the forums as usual. The news of Dark Heaven’s world-first kill of the three-headed serpent was splashed across the front page.

He checked the timestamp—less than ten minutes after the boss went down. Impressive efficiency.

But just as Lu Kuan had predicted, they had not managed to defeat the third boss of the Black Desert. He, of course, knew the best strategy for that fight, but he wasn’t about to waste time on it now. Paradise Eternal would just have to keep grinding away.

…

Midnight. The quiet halls of the Lava Fortress.

Lu Kuan went to the Adventurers’ Hall to cancel his bounty quest, then collected the last batch of fresh fish from his mailbox.

Thanks to his recent buying spree, even the prices of fresh fish at the auction house had gone up, leaving many cooking enthusiasts grumbling—cursing the “speculator” who was buying up all the catch at high prices.

Lu Kuan was oblivious to all this. He was in high spirits, because after handing in the last of his items, his reputation with Aaron had finally reached “Intimate”!

“Adventurer, I’ve seen your sincerity and perseverance. Well done! Here, take this recipe—I came across it by chance in my younger days, traveling the continent,” Aaron the chef said, pulling a parchment scroll from his greasy tunic and handing it to Lu Kuan. Then he looked up, his gaze deep and wistful. “I too was once a warrior of renown—slaying dragons and demons with ease, until an arrow found its way to my knee…”