Chen Qi wiped the table:
"Mr. Bai Ou, you shouldn't mind the condition of the corpse, right?"
He could bring back the man's dead son.
If a crack lost didn't die, it was very likely to become a highly aggressive monster.
So, finding the body wasn't difficult, but ensuring the integrity of the body was.
Old Bai Ou contemplated in a deep voice for a long time: "I don't mind. After death, the soul disperses, and the body is merely flesh, no longer of use. However, my wife believes in Sun Worship. She cares deeply about this matter.
If impossible... could you bring back some belongings, like the chest emblem, the black-rimmed golden glasses, or the weapon he carried, the Magic Bullet pistol? And… and..."
Such vivid memories. Chen Qi accepted the 100,000 Shell Coins and the crack file, taking the commission:
"I understand. I will keep the body as intact as possible."
For Chen Qi, who had Residual Fire Touch, the difficulty of this crack wasn't high.
Then, he curiously asked:
"May I ask, what is the Nature Form of the second-tier Lamp Phase occupation card I am to receive?"
Old Bai Ou didn't want to disclose all the information about the second-tier occupation card:
"Lamp and Shadow Phase. It's an extremely rare Lamp Phase card. Don't worry, it won't disappoint you."
Lamp and Shadow Phase...
Chen Qi was shocked.
The lamp symbolized hope, while the shadow symbolized darkness.
These two Nature Forms typically had a certain degree of mutual repulsion in many contexts.
An occupation card that combined these two was extremely rare worldwide.
Its value far exceeded that of an ordinary second-tier Lamp occupation card, like the "Traveler."
Chen Qi opened the commission file and skimmed through it.
The crack was named 8号列车. Besides him, Old Bai Ou had also commissioned seven first-tier Hunters with remarkable achievements.
From the records, it was clear that Old Bai Ou had put significant effort into this matter.
However, most Hunters had failed.
A little challenging, just the way I like it! Chen Qi put away the file.
Unfortunately, it was already late tonight, no time for dinner. Old Bai Ou stood up:
"Once the commission is complete, besides the occupation card, my wife will also offer a generous reward.
In seven days, I will head to the Crack Sea, so if possible, please complete it within seven days."
"No problem."
Chen Qi agreed.
"By the way, for more information on the crack, you can ask the managers of the Moonstone Islands, the novice mentors."
After saying this, Old Bai Ou left the small boat restaurant.
Chen Qi prepared to close the door.
However, there were still two drunk people on his boat.
Pei Lu, like a dead pig, mumbled about being the sales champion.
Lilith also had a pained expression, muttering incessantly about money.
"How did these two manage to get this drunk?"
Chen Qi had grown quite familiar with Pei Lu.
He no longer held back and grabbed the Deep Sea Water Elf, giving Pei Lu and Lilith a rude awakening.
"Who? Who attacked me?"
The groggy Pei Lu felt a bit chilly on his head.
Chen Qi briefly explained what had just happened to Pei Lu.
Pei Lu and Lilith instantly showed regretful expressions.
As journalists, they had missed such a valuable opportunity.
It's rare to meet such a notable person even once!
According to insider information, a great battle between the navy and pirates was imminent.
To boost newspaper sales, Pei Lu planned to photograph the battle site.
Lilith, also for newspaper sales, intended to photograph the beautiful Sea Demons of the Crack Sea, which required the escort of a strong fleet.
Lilith stood up, tied her black hair, and looked resolute.
She was determined to win this issue's sales championship of Moonstone City's newspaper.
The two argued as they left, heads hanging in dejection.
After they left, Chen Qi cooked a final dish of stir-fried beef and took a taste.
"Delicious!"
His culinary skills, through constant practice, had finally evolved.
At that moment, a special prompt appeared before him.
[Your Transcendent Cooking skill has been upgraded to Transcendent Cooking Lv2, gaining a 10% boost.
You can now learn more powerful cooking techniques.]
"Finally..."
Chen Qi felt exceptionally excited.
This prompt meant he had finally advanced as a first-order Chef!
Chen Qi took out a wooden sign and wrote, 'Out for training, temporarily closed.'
Though it would disappoint many, the restaurant business had to pause.
He had more important matters to attend to now.
Chen Qi started up the small boat restaurant, heading towards the Moonstone Islands.
The 8号列车 crack was in a small island near the Moonstone Islands.
He could conveniently visit Maro Town on the way.
During these twenty days, Chen Qi had sent the ship money to Old Beili of Maro Town, paying off the debt, and even adding an extra 100,000 Shell Coins.
However, the 8号列车 crack was relatively special.
The more information he had, the easier it would be to clear the crack.
The file given by Old Bai Ou only contained the basic Nature Form information of the crack.
For safety, he decided to consult the Transcendent managers of the Moonstone Islands, specifically the novice mentor, An.
After all, he was originally a Transcendent from Maro Town.
...
...
By noon, the small boat restaurant had returned to the waters of Maro Town, the hometown of this world.
Chen Qi looked up and observed from the boat.
In a short time, Maro Island had changed dramatically.
To guard against Sea Beasts and pirates, a large number of defensive structures had been set up on the outskirts of Maro Town.
Stone walls, watchtowers, and multiple arrow slits and battlements equipped with well-made bows and cannons. If any pirate or Sea Beast approached, they would suffer deadly blows.
There were even Transcendent barrier activation devices.
In addition, a towering structure had been erected in the center of the island.
The weather station, used to detect the weather over the sea, the cracks in nearby waters, and any powerful spiritual power fluctuations.
During the Crack Tide, this could be considered the most important facility.
"Quite the project..."
Chen Qi marveled as he maneuvered the boat for a while before finally docking at the pier.
He looked towards the distant tavern on the pier.
At that moment, a white-haired girl was holding a thick stack of papers and discussing the next construction plans with two Transcendents of the Hammer Phase.
The serene white-haired girl before his eyes was none other than the long-unseen Teacher An, An Ma, An Aotian.
Is Maro Town's strategic position this important? Chen Qi mused silently.
It was a familiar feeling. Sensing something, An turned her head, her white hair fluttering in the sea breeze.
Her pupils shrank, then she smiled:
"Qi, long time no see. You haven't changed a bit!"
When Chen Qi went to sea, she had thought he wouldn't return.
"Long time no see, Teacher An."
An put the blueprints into her bag and walked quickly with the craftsmen:
"How is your restaurant business?"
She looked at Chen Qi's small boat restaurant, which hadn't changed much, and thought his business had flopped.
If Chen Qi couldn't make it, if he ran out of money... this would be her chance to recommend a path in book form!
Chen Qi smiled and replied, "It's quite popular, and it's been featured in the newspaper."
"Huh? Featured in the newspaper!?"
An looked puzzled. Although she often read the newspaper, she had never noticed this.
Also, why would a restaurant be in the newspaper?
At this moment, the two craftsmen beside An took out a newspaper and handed it to her.
"Really..."
An was taken aback.
The Deep Sea Water Elf restaurant boat on the newspaper was indeed Chen Qi's small boat restaurant.
Being featured in the White Dove Times wasn't an easy feat.
Even when she had outperformed many talented merchant families to get into Bei Country Royal University, she had only made it to an ordinary small newspaper.
Yet, during Chen Qi's short time at sea, he had been featured in the newspaper twice!
Once in the very popular White Dove Times of Moonstone City, and once in the Witch Sea newspaper.
Though they were in the corners of the paper, it was still remarkable.
An stabilized her expression and smiled:
"Congratulations. At this rate, you'll soon save enough money for the Sea Beast medication."
Her chance to recommend a path in book form had slipped again.
But alas, his business was booming!
Moreover, he had acquired many cute Water Elves.
Overall, she was genuinely happy for Chen Qi.
Chen Qi looked around:
"By the way, Teacher An, how is Maro Town doing?"
An frowned:
"Recently, there have been more and more cracks near the Moonstone Islands, and more monsters. We planned to set up a barrier around Maro Town.
However, due to the impact of these cracks, the construction has been repeatedly destroyed."
An pointed to her eyes, which had developed two heavy dark circles:
"Once we establish the defensive structures, Maro Town will become the front line island for Hunters. At that point, many wealthy people will come. You might consider setting up a restaurant in Maro Town.
It would be very profitable."
An could sense that Chen Qi's chef skills had undoubtedly improved!
"Is that so..."
Chen Qi looked around.
This coastal archipelago was indeed prone to monster attacks.
Then, Chen Qi straightforwardly asked:
"By the way, Teacher An, do you know anything about a crack called the 8号列车?"
"?????"
An's brain froze for a few seconds, like a robot malfunctioning, as she touched the white tuft of hair on her head.
Why was a new chef asking her this question?
Weren't they just talking about restaurants and food?
Isn't your topic shift a bit too fast?