Chapter 15: Target Locked
In the Ancient Research Institute, the old man’s eyes were filled with tears as he tried hard to keep them wide open, staring at the message while furiously pounding on Luke.
He didn't care about his dignity, but he still had his old face to maintain!
On the other end of the video call, another old man was laughing uncontrollably, almost going mad with laughter. It was none other than Old Master Tang, who had been thoroughly shown up by Dean Gu yesterday.
But the next moment, Old Master Tang’s laughter froze. There were many senior brothers and colleagues gathered in the institute, and for convenience, a large wall was dedicated to a live stream’s holographic projection.
Old Master Tang suddenly remembered the Ancient Blue Star cuisine that Dean Gu had bragged about to no end yesterday. He hadn’t believed it—after all, in his position, there wasn’t a rare delicacy in the entire galaxy that he hadn’t tasted.
When the video call connected, the first thing he saw was the red-eyed old man, a sight he had never seen before, and that alone had him laughing hysterically.
But the next moment, as a faint, unfamiliar sound caught his attention, he looked up and locked onto the live stream projection on the large screen.
Golden fried eggs, slightly browned from the stir-fry and glistening with oil, were now joined by fresh, vibrant green asparagus. The sizzling oil enveloped the colors, and with a few flips of the spatula, the white and red curled, bouncy meat-like substance mixed in, creating a perfect harmony of three colors. Just looking at it gave off an overwhelming sense of freshness.
It was as if he had been transported to the lush greenery of Ancient Blue Star’s rare plants. The sensation of every pore opening up left Old Master Tang completely stunned.
"W-What is this…" he stammered in disbelief, his eyes glued to the screen as if he could press his entire face into it.
Dean Gu, who had been feeling down moments before, perked up at the sight. With a "better you than me" attitude, he started to babble on, explaining how rare and delicious the ingredients were.
Old Master Tang gulped audibly, unable to resist.
Meanwhile, the viewers in the live stream were also going wild with hunger.
They eagerly awaited their chance, all hoping to snag a dish today.
Ning Yunyi plated the stir-fried shrimp with eggs and asparagus, a simple dish seasoned only with ginger and garlic, yet bursting with flavor.
He glanced at the live stream’s chat, noting the flood of questions about what shrimp were. Instantly, several shrimp-based delicacies flashed through his mind.
At the top of the list were Spicy Crayfish and Garlic Crayfish, both famous dishes. Pairing a large bowl of noodles with crayfish drenched in sauce…
He hadn’t had lunch yet, but Ning Yunyi already knew what he’d be eating for dinner.
After finishing the third dish, Ning Yunyi added diced potatoes to the Big Plate Chicken that had been simmering for a while, and continued to let it cook.
While waiting, he began preparing the last dish, Seaweed Egg Drop Soup—a light dish to round off a hearty meal.
All over the galaxy, the sound of people swallowing filled the airwaves of the live stream. Viewers were practically crying from hunger.
Why did it smell so good? Why hadn’t the Xingbo Research Team developed a way to replicate it yet? Forty portions for over 200,000 people—when would they ever get to taste it?
Loren, behind the camera, was almost in tears as well. He was already hurrying the team, but it wasn’t something that could be solved in a day.
He wanted to grab a portion too, but with his poor luck, he had yet to win one.
Ning Yunyi finished the Seaweed Egg Drop Soup and checked on the Sweet and Sour Ribs. Using his spiritual energy to speed up the cooking, the ribs were nearly ready. He turned up the heat to reduce the sauce and sprinkled sesame seeds on top.
The rich aroma of caramelized sauce coated each rib, and the sweet and sour scent filled the air. The little kitten inhaled deeply, unable to stop.
Even the large cat in the cage stood up, its big paws gripping the bars, its head pressing closer, enticed by the smell.
The Sweet and Sour Ribs were just the start. As the lid was lifted from the Big Plate Chicken with Potatoes, the strong, savory aroma of the red oil, simmered with the unique fragrance of Doubanjiang, filled the room. The scent was so intense it made people feel weightless, their pores opening as they forgot everything else.
The starch in the potatoes thickened the sauce as it reduced, coating the chicken. The viewers, mesmerized, could barely hold back from licking their screens.
But they couldn’t. Most were projecting the stream onto large screens, and one wrong move might send them crashing to the floor.
How could it look so good? If they could taste just one bite in their lifetime, it would all be worth it.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the screen as the streamer’s elegant hands plated the beautiful dishes. Even the bowls in the live stream looked gorgeous.
Finally, the most crucial moment of the day arrived!
With bated breath, hands rubbing together, it was time to test their speed and luck.
Ning Yunyi scooped a portion of each dish into small disposable bowls and began uploading the flavors.
After finishing, he looked into the camera, waved, and with a gentle sway of his pale, slender fingers, said, "See you tomorrow."
He clicked the button to end the live stream and logged out.
But instead of exiting Xingbo, he logged out of his account, then manipulated his wristband, accessing an encrypted website where he entered a special account and password.
Soon, an all-black screen from the Star Network appeared.
Ning Yunyi’s previous life had revolved around coding, and the original host had majored in advanced chip backend development at the Federation Military Academy. While they seemed like different fields, they shared certain similarities.
Encrypted IDs were beyond his reach, but tracking an ordinary citizen was child’s play for him.
This was why he had asked Loren earlier. The Xingbo staff might not be able to investigate quickly, but he could.
And it would only take a short time.
While waiting for water to boil for some knife-cut noodles, Ning Yunyi stood to the side, his fingers flying as he typed into the system’s backend.
The code flashed by rapidly, a blur of lines. Two minutes later, the black screen blinked, and an orange-framed ID appeared.
[Target Locked: Jonah, Floor 44, Galactic Building, E District, G Star—Assistant.]
Ning Yunyi stared at the word "Assistant," confirming his suspicions. He swiftly typed again, and in another two minutes, Jonah’s entire network of connections from the past year was laid out in front of him like a web.
The closest connection was Nick, a contracted streamer in the Xingbo Food Section.
Ning Yunyi recognized the ID. When he had first explored the food section of Xingbo, he had come across Foodie Nick’s live stream.
He vaguely remembered a red-haired, green-eyed, handsome man teaching people how to plate nutrient supplements.
Ning Yunyi’s eyes darkened. To avoid wrongly accusing Nick, he needed further confirmation.
He created a new Xingbo account and first entered his own live stream.
Although the stream had ended, viewers who hadn’t managed to grab a taste were still there, chatting enthusiastically, yearning for the food.
Among the comments, a few stood out.
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[Commenter 1]: "Just came from Nick’s stream. Nick is so kind-hearted, supporting Zongmen Diyi Dao and even recreating the same Ancient Blue Star dishes."
[Commenter 2]: "You guys should go check it out! I just grabbed a taste of the Braised Chicken Wings for only 10 star coins. It smells amazing!"
[Commenter 3]: "It’s exactly like what Zongmen Diyi Dao made! So fragrant!"
---
Since only a few people managed to get a taste from Ning Yunyi’s stream, many were lured by Nick’s dishes.
Ning Yunyi had already guessed Nick’s plan. First, smear his reputation. Then, mimic his Ancient Blue Star dishes. On the surface, it looked like support, but the constant mention of "newcomer" would make it seem like Nick was the originator of these dishes.
Couple that with the earlier rumors about his ugly appearance, and now a handsome man making the same food—regardless of the taste, the visuals alone would steal a chunk of his audience.
Ning Yunyi entered Foodie Nick’s live stream.
Sure enough, a plate of Braised Chicken Wings sat on the table. The red-haired, green-eyed, impeccably groomed Nick smiled warmly at the camera as he finished preparing the second dish.
The Braised Chicken Wings had been divided into 10 small portions, and each portion’s scent could be uploaded for up to 10 people.
Ning Yunyi usually made one portion per dish, but Nick was deliberately making multiple portions to sell, pricing them at 10 star coins each, subtly insinuating that Zongmen Diyi Dao was overcharging.
After all, even a big-time streamer like Nick only charged 10 star coins.
Looking at the Braised Chicken Wings, it was clear they were synthetic—recreated with solid nutrient supplements based on the appearance of Ning Yunyi’s dish from yesterday.
Those who hadn’t tasted the real thing might be fooled.
Ning Yunyi’s eyes grew colder. It seemed he hadn’t wronged Nick—he was indeed the one behind the smear campaign.
Watching Nick’s rising popularity, Ning Yunyi wasn’t in a hurry. He logged out and set up a timed post for later, planning to expose Nick with his own tactics.
The reason he didn’t post right away was simple: the higher Nick’s popularity climbed, the harder he would fall.
Satisfied, Ning Yunyi put down his wristband. The water had boiled, and it was time to cook the knife-cut noodles to go with the chicken.
As he cooled the noodles and plated them, their white, glossy texture mesmerized the little kitten who had just entered the kitchen after the live stream ended.
The kitten clung tightly to Ning Yunyi’s pants, eyes wide with anticipation.
"So good… it smells so good."
Ning Yunyi smiled. "Time to eat. Go set the table."
The little kitten nodded vigorously and zoomed off to prepare, nearly tripping in its excitement.
In the cage, the large cat, overwhelmed by the rich aroma, paced back and forth.
Its large paws moved stealthily, but the urgency was evident in every step.
Its beastly eyes watched Ning Yunyi intently, wishing it could learn from the little kitten and dash out to fetch its own bowls.
As for carrying bowls in its mouth—something it had never done before—well, now that it was Ning Yunyi’s cat, who cared about its former identity as the Galactic Marshal?
If it didn’t admit it, then it wasn’t.
Ning Yunyi plated the three dishes and soup, divided the noodles into two servings, and carried the remaining half-bowl of noodles to the cage, where the large cat sat expectantly.
He poured the rest of the noodles into the cat’s bowl.
The cat’s eyes followed every movement, afraid to blink. As its gaze grew more intense, Sweet and Sour Ribs and Big Plate Chicken were added on top of the noodles. The scent was so overwhelming that the cat forgot to breathe.
The Asparagus Stir-fried with Eggs and Shrimp was specifically for the little kitten, so Ning Yunyi didn’t give any to the large cat. In the other bowl, which had previously held cat food, he poured half a bowl of Seaweed Egg Drop Soup.
Only then did Ning Yunyi return to the table.
The little kitten was already sitting obediently, waiting. As soon as Ning Yunyi said, "Let’s eat," the two of them and the cat began their feast.
The large cat, in particular, slurped up a mouthful of sauce-coated noodles, the unique and wonderful flavor rushing straight to its brain.
Oookay.... Apparently MC could code too? Despite originally coming from cultivation? Apocalypse? World?
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