To ascend, I had no choice but to create games

Chapter 501: Chapter 295 Of Course You Can (Part 1)_1

Entering the game pod once again, Wu Wei was filled with a whirlwind of emotions.

His previous experience with “Zoo” had been indescribably stunning—the perfect replication of the sensations of wild animals had given him an unprecedented sense of freedom. It awakened his wild side and made him feel a primal yearning to return to nature.

The little boy inside him who loved games was reawakened; his passion for gaming reignited, infusing his life with renewed vigor.

When he had requested annual leave, his immediate supervisor nagged him endlessly. However, Wu Wei, who had long seen through the other’s bluster, wasn’t intimidated; he simply retorted, “Approve it or not, if you don’t, I’ll ask the higher-ups whether my annual leave is a right or not.”

With that one line, he silenced the opposition and got the approval he sought.

Lying in the gaming pod, Wu Wei closed his eyes contentedly and followed his feelings into the world of the game.

He had first played as an otter in “Zoo,” lazily drifting on the water for half a day. Only afterward did he pass the trial of “Sweet Home” and finally entered the world of “God of Cookery.”

He had been playing the game on PC already but had heard that Linhua City was not particularly friendly, which had kept him away. Instead, he honed his culinary skills in his starting location, and before he knew it, a month had gone by.

He had already triggered almost all the side quests in his starting location and acquired all the available level-five recipes. Now with the game pod, he was determined to try every single delicacy until he grew tired of them.

Despite having eaten so much, his favorite remained his original creation—fried egg noodles.

This dish could be prepared with both high-quality and subpar ingredients.

The vegetables could be switched from tomatoes to lettuce, and the width of the noodles didn’t matter; the key was to get the cooking time just right.

Since the ingredients were all common, it was a dish he could replicate in reality as well.

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The game also offered a rating for each cooked dish, which meant he could adapt his high-scoring dishes to real life and improve the flavors based on his gaming experience.

Especially at midnight, a bowl of such fried egg noodles warmed the stomach, and drinking up the soup satisfied a lazy person’s cravings completely.

Beyond that, various humble dishes also held a special place in his heart. After returning from work in reality, he would occasionally cook some according to the techniques he discovered in the game, and they tasted surprisingly good, enriching the life of this bachelor.

Affordable and delicious—that was the biggest takeaway he had gotten from the game.

Feeling that the time was about right, Wu Wei finally decided to go to Linhua City.

Full of anticipation, he rode a carriage into Linhua City, ready to thoroughly enjoy the sights. But as soon as he alighted, he was shocked by the environment.

While he had been aware of the harsh conditions, he hadn’t expected them to be this extreme.

The air was tense with an impending sense of conflict, with two major factions poised for battle, making it feel like war could break out at any moment.

A broad avenue split Linhua City in half, with players from different camps clearly divided into two opposing sides, each viewing the other as mortal enemies.

The situation for suppliers was brutal. Access to different supply channels was controlled by the two player factions, and some key ingredients had become forbidden treats exclusive to members of their respective guilds.

He had wanted to open a small store, but all the central locations were already taken. Moreover, the rents in less desirable locations were too high, while further out, the foot traffic was almost nonexistent, leaving Wu Wei deeply dejected.

The prices of meals had also increased significantly; level-six recipes had more than doubled in price, and various exquisite dishes were more expensive than before.

Furthermore, it seemed that even the street-side NPCs were having a hard time.

The NPCs in “God of Cookery” followed their own set of logic, having their own lives and incomes.

Before the players arrived, they had decent earnings and could occasionally treat their families to a meal out, enjoying the local delicacies.

But ever since the player battles began, those good days were gone.

As the price of fine food soared, many households had to start fending for themselves. More and more lavish dishes appeared in restaurants, but the food that trickled down to the common folk became scarcer.

After taking a look around, Wu Wei realized his purse was far too light; there was so much he could see but not afford, which gave him quite a headache.

To get more food, he would have to join a guild and be part of the all-out war.

However, his vacation was just seven days, and he had already spent one at his starting point. Now, he had no time to waste.

Opening a small shop to earn some money had been his initial plan, but it seemed this idea was unlikely to be realized now.

So, was there a suitable method that would allow him to enjoy the game and eat more dishes simultaneously?

Walking through the desolate streets of Linhua City, Wu Wei noticed it had become much quieter. The once-bustling crowds were nowhere to be seen; it was a stark contrast to the scenes depicted in the game’s promotional videos.

After walking for a while, Wu Wei felt the place had lost its liveliness.

More restaurants opened, but there were fewer customers. The empty dining halls had almost no patrons, sustained only by the guilds that hoped to outlast their opponents.

The wealthy were indifferent; they had deep resources and high-level recipes. Members of both factions curried favor with these individuals, ensuring that their days were comfortable.