Despite the massive, city-wide announcement, everything remained exactly the same at the Iron Core Gym.
The daily training sessions were proceeding as usual, and for Zani, life was currently at peace.
At this moment, he was in the main hall, sweating profusely as he tried his absolute best to push his physical limits to 300 kilograms so he could finally break through.
[Ding~] [Displaying upgrade conditions to reach Sect Level 2:] [1.
Have a working kitchen, fully equipped and large enough to feed 60 people simultaneously.] [2.
Increase the Sect’s total area to 10,000 square feet, all enclosed within a single, continuous boundary wall.] [3.
Build and designate official Accommodations for 10 Inner Disciples and 2 Core Disciples.] [Rewards: Maximum Disciple Capacity increased to 60, and a upgrade to the ‘Talent Evaluation Eye’.] CLANG!
The heavy pure iron rod slipped from Zani’s grasp, slamming violently into the stone floor.
He stood entirely frozen, staring blankly at the translucent blue text floating in his vision.
“Wow…
wow.
Wow, wow, wow,” Zani stammered, aggressively rubbing his temples as a massive headache instantly formed behind his eyes.
“I need to fulfill all of these absurd conditions just to reach Level 2?!” “What conditions, Master Zani?” Because he was training in the main hall with many disciples present, his muttering had not gone unnoticed.
Thankfully, only Elisi, who was training closest to him, had heard his words aloud.
“Nothing, Elisi,” Zani sighed, waving his hand dismissively.
“I was just thinking about our lack of funds.” “Again?
You really are a weird master,” Elisi teased, wiping sweat from her brow.
She then looked around suspiciously to see if anyone was eavesdropping before stepping closer and whispering.
“I say, there is only one way to cure a headache like that.
How about we go out and eat something delicious for dinner?
Hehehe…” “Huh.
Look at the time.
I am out of here.
You continue with your squats.” Thanks to his quick thinking and immediate action, Zani successfully escaped the main hall before the gluttonous Elisi could begin her pitiful, dramatic begging for expensive food.
Safely inside his master quarters, Zani sat on his bed to analyze the prompt.
Every single one of these conditions requires mountains of silver.
Something I do not have.
A few desperate ideas crossed his mind.
He briefly considered selling the medicinal cauldrons or the 9th-Grade Skin Tempering Rod, but he quickly discarded such thoughts.
As he currently lacks the martial strength to protect himself, if he exposes such treasures to the city.
No, his current best bet was to aggressively monetize this upcoming competition.
If he could earn good money from the entry and spectator fees, he could permanently hire the top chefs.
Then, using his established partnership with the local hunters as a cheap meat supply chain, he could finally kickstart a working kitchen inside the Gym to satisfy the System’s first requirement!
Furthermore, providing daily meals would give him a rock-solid justification to increase the disciples’ monthly tuition by at least 50 or 60 coppers.
“I really hope this competition is a success,” Zani muttered to the empty room.
Currently, the Gym can barely support its own expansion using the tuition from its thirty paying disciples.
The culinary event next month is his absolute only breaking point.
Time continued to pass.
Ten days before the big event.
Zani finally broke through his physical limits and officially entered the Skin Tempering Realm!
However, he was nowhere near as thrilled as he thought he would be, because Little Leo was already nearing the perfection of the Bronze Skin stage.
Five days before the event.
Regular gym training was temporarily suspended, and the grand construction began.
The workers dispatched by the Mayor’s Manor were undeniably the absolute best in the city.
Before even arriving, they had already prefabricated the wooden stages, cooking stations, and tiered seating areas.
All that was left was to assemble them in the gym ground.
It was all brilliantly designed so that, the day after the event, everything could be disassembled and reused.
Three days before the event.
Registration for the competing chefs officially opened.
In front of the Iron Core Gym’s main gates, a large makeshift tent was erected.
Sitting behind a long wooden desk were three people: Elisi, who was responsible for recording and questioning; Leo (safely hidden inside the towering ‘Bai’ puppet) to serve as silent intimidation; and Zani, taking the center seat to oversee the entire operation.
“Please state your name, age, origin, specialty, and if you are currently affiliated with any power,” Elisi recited professionally to the woman standing before them.
“Yes.
My name is Tassy.
I am thirty-six years old, born and raised right here in Grains City,” the woman answered nervously.
“I am really good at handling rich broths and meat dishes.
Currently, I work as a head chef for the Bluey Merchants.” “Thank you,” Elisi nodded, dipping her quill.
“And the last question: will you formally join our Gym’s kitchen staff if you place in the Top 5?” “I…
no-” Seeing that the woman was hesitant to answer, Zani subtly poked Elisi in the back, giving her the pre-arranged signal.
“You can talk freely.
No one else can hear you in this tent,” Elisi whispered smoothly.
“We will offer you highly lucrative working conditions and a premium salary if you actually win.” “Really?” Tassy’s eyes widened.
“Yes.” After hesitating for a moment, the woman finally admitted her truth.
“I have two young children…
a boy and a girl.
If my family can be fully supported and fed, I will leave the merchants and join you.” Because the condition sounded so incredibly simple, Zani nodded and accepted it on a whim.
It was only much later that Zani would discover that absolutely nothing is ever “simple” in the martial world…
Time passed, and it was soon the final hour of the registration period.
“Oh, man!
Why do all the famous chefs who can prepare delicious, yummy, mouth-watering food keep refusing to join us?!” Ahhhh!
Today was the second and final day of registration.
Because no one had entered the tent for the last three hours, Elisi was feeling bored and had started throwing a dramatic tantrum.
“Okay, okay.
If you behave, I will let you eat all you want as my official ‘Taste-Testing Sidekick’ during the event.
So please, keep quiet for now,” Zani comforted her, massaging his forehead.
In truth, he felt her pain.
He had deeply hoped to casually poach the winner and runner-ups to serve his Gym, but city politics and faction loyalties were proving stubborn.
“Someone is here,” Bai’s deep, gravelly voice echoed from the side, instantly silencing the tent.
The heavy tent flap was pushed aside, and a young man entered.
His clothes were entirely shredded.
He was covered in thick grime and dirt from head to toe.
To put it bluntly, the man looked significantly worse than the actual beggars wandering the alleys of Grains City.
He slowly walked toward the wooden desk, his posture slouched but his eyes sharp.
“Should I…?” Bai asked Zani quietly, raising a massive, tree-trunk-like arm, while eyeing Elisi, who was actively pinching her nose in disgust.
“No,” Zani whispered back.
“And Elisi, he is just covered in dirt, he does not smell.
Stop the dramatic act and start the process.” “Y-Yes, Master,” Elisi straightened up, clearing her throat.
“Name, age, origin, specialty, and if you are currently affiliated with any power.” The dirty man looked slightly confused by the formal interrogation before nodding his head slowly.
“Julian.
Twenty-five years old.
I am…
good at cooking.” “Good at cooking?
Obviously!
That is why you are here!” Elisi huffed impatiently.
“What about your origin and affiliation?” “I was kicked out.” “Oooookay, we are done here.
Just hand over the 40 coppers for the entry fee now,” Elisi demanded, trying to end the conversation as soon as possible.
THWACK.
Zani mercilessly chopped Elisi on the top of her head.
“Ouch!” “I told you to handle the process!
Is this the proper process?!” Zani scolded her fiercely.
This child, after spending so much time with the haughty Leo, has started to adopt her arrogance!
As her Master, he absolutely has to correct this behavior before it is too late.
“I…
I only have 20 coppers on me.” Julian, the filthy man, spoke up calmly, entirely unfazed by the disrespect he had just been shown.
“Ahem.” Zani coughed aloud, instantly shifting into his official persona.
The reality is, Julian was not the first person to approach them with insufficient funds over the past two days.
Zani had already anticipated this and formulated a highly exploitative plan around it.
“We will accept 15 coppers from you,” Zani stated smoothly, interlocking his fingers.
“However, to cover the remainder of the fee, you must agree to a few mandatory conditions.” “1.
You will officially join our Gym’s kitchen staff if you manage to reach the Top 10.” “2.
After the initial screening rounds, during the one-on-one battles, you will be strategically matched against our seeded contestants.” “3.
You will absolutely not speak of this backroom offer to anyone.” Zani stared deeply into the beggar’s eyes.
“Tell me, Julian.
Do you accept these terms?” Thinking for a brief moment, Julian let out a long, heavy sigh, as if finally letting go of a heavy burden from his past.
He looked up, nodding his head with a sudden, intense new vigor.
“I accept.” ______________________________ [Question: Is Julian a hidden expert who will join the gym…] [Author Note: Thank you for your wait, please enjoy chapter 23.