February 5, 2023
"Are you guys going to continue this tournament?"
Mei Mei, sitting on her bed, tried to lighten the mood. They had just finished breakfast. The plates had a little food left or were clean except for crumbs or sauce smears.
Amon, biting an apple, smirked. "Of course. We came here to learn advanced magic at this magic academy. Well, even though I don't really need to bother winning the tournament, but its not bad to be a winner."
Reza next to him nodded. "The only way to enter this magic academy for free is to be among the top ten winners of the tournament. Otherwise, it costs quite a lot to be a student at this magic academy. I don't have money, so my only option is to be in the top ten."
Mei Mei nodded slightly. She too had entered the magic academy through a medical scholarship. Because Mei Mei's healing magic talent was quite rare, even in the field of healing, she could study at the academy without spending a single penny. After all, she came from common folk. It was a great stroke of luck for her to study at this center of magical knowledge throughout China.
"How about you, Lisa?" Mei Mei turned to Elizabeth, who was drinking a glass of milk.
"Mm? Ah, I'm just participating in the tournament to gain experience. I really didn't expect the tournament here to be so life-threatening. Nevertheless, I'm very grateful to have survived and gained quite valuable experience on my first night here."
"Well, actually, the opponents we faced were really out of control." Mei Mei scratched the back of her head, which wasn't itchy, while laughing awkwardly.
"Eh? Is that so? I thought it was all part of the tournament." Elizabeth tilted her head. A question mark appear up her head.
Everyone in the room seemed to be thinking to themselves. Whatever they were thinking, their faces were as furrowed as Mei Mei's.
"It seems something is happening here." Mei Mei said, but everyone in the room thought the same thing.
***
"Ah! Miss Luxia! Like usual?"
"Yes, the usual please. Oh, and add more gyoza and meat for this child."
"Aiyo! We'll prepare it as quickly as possible!"
Sizhu and Luxia had breakfast below the academy, where the residents of the small town opened food stalls or clothing stores or other human necessities like cosmetics or toys.
This was the small town beneath the cloud waves Sizhu saw on the high cliff a few minutes ago with Luxia. It was located just outside the academy. Nevertheless, this small town was still within the giant transparent protective dome that covered almost the entire Qincheng mountains.
Sizhu and Luxia stopped at Luxia's favorite noodle shop. They ordered wonton noodles and beef gyoza for breakfast.
Many people who saw Luxia immediately recognized her and bowed respectfully whenever they were about to walk past the two of them. Luxia returned a gentle smile to them.
"You're very famous here." Sizhu commented, seeing that almost no elderly people, adults, or even children dared to smile and pass them without bowing respectfully to Luxia.
Luxia chuckled. "Ara, that's because the residents here are too friendly."
After waiting for about five minutes, two bowls of wonton noodles, with one jumbo bowl containing more noodles and shrimp meat than Luxia's. A plate of gyoza lined up with golden-red sauce. Its aroma tempted Sizhu's keen sense of smell to drool as soon as the dish was served before his eyes.
"Enjoy, miss and sir!"
After the middle-aged male chef bowed and returned to his kitchen, Sizhu swallowed his saliva countless times, so impatient to taste the food before his eyes. It shone brightly, full of delicious aroma.
"Can I eat all of this?" Sizhu said, unsure. Luxia then chuckled upon hearing it.
"I wouldn't bring you here if it wasn't to fill your rumbling stomach, Sizhu."
Sizhu was actually confused by Luxia's answer, but he took it as a yes. He immediately picked up his chopsticks and ravenously ate the contents of the jumbo bowl with plenty of noodles and shrimp meat, piled high.
Luxia remained silent, smiling softly as she watched Sizhu eat. In less than two minutes, the bowl was empty, without a single trace left. Not even a drop of broth remained.
Sizhu, noticing Luxia's amazed gaze, felt his cheeks flush red.
The beautiful woman was still only halfway through her bowl.
"Um.." Sizhu pointed with his chopsticks at the untouched gyoza lined up on the plate. Luxia immediately slid the gyoza plate towards Sizhu.
Sizhu immediately devoured the gyoza one by one in a single bite. If he had to be compared to something, he was like a starving panda.
"You have quite an appetite, don't you? Unexpected." Luxia smiled, then took out her handkerchief from her pocket and wiped Sizhu's cheek, which was smeared with thick gyoza broth.
Sizhu noticed it and his eating motion stopped.
"Thank you." He said softly while chewing the food in his mouth.
"You're welcome." Luxia smiled, seeing Sizhu eat so heartily, making Sizhu's cheeks flush even redder.
"Ah, excuse me, we'd like to get more a jumbo noodle and gyoza."
"Aiyo! Coming, Miss Luxia!"
The chef immediately prepared the additional order. Three minutes later, right after Sizhu finished chewing the last gyoza, a mountain of extra shrimp wonton noodles and gyoza, this time more than before, were served again in front of Sizhu.
Luxia smiled, seeing Sizhu's eyes sparkling, his hands holding chopsticks, eager to devour his second round.
"This.."
"Eat it all."
Sizhu immediately nodded and finished all the food in front of him.
Luxia even chuckled, seeing Sizhu eat so heartily. Even people who accidentally walked by and bowed, stopped for a moment to watch Sizhu eat quickly and ravenously like a mukbang expert.
Luxia's bowl was already empty, and she was chewing a gyoza in her mouth. Seeing someone eat so heartily makes you eager to eat a lot too.
After the third round, Luxia gave up, but Sizhu, like a vacuum cleaner, finished three jumbo bowls and three large plates of gyoza. He even seemed unsatisfied.
"So greedy." Someone with square glasses, thick wavy brown hair, trimmed. Stood between Sizhu and Luxia. He bowed respectfully to Luxia then asked permission to join.
Luxia nodded slightly. "Ara, came here for breakfast too?"
Jianying nodded, his eyes fixed on Sizhu, whose eyes were also fixed on Jianying with a sharp glance.
"This eatery has become famous since miss often visits this place."
Jianying raised his hand and ordered the same thing as Sizhu's portion. He then rolled up the sleeves of his long white shirt to his elbows while loosening his black tie.
"Ara, give that compliment to the person who makes the food here."
Jianying nodded slightly. "How long will you keep going, Sizhu?"
Sizhu, who had just finished his fourth round, raised his hand. Asking for more.
"Miss Luxia allowed it."
"That doesn't mean you can add as much as you want. You forest child."
Sizhu and Jianying exchanged sharp glances like tigers and lions baring their fangs.
"Ara~ Ara~ you two. No need to worry, Manager Jianying. Sizhu is in his growth phase. He needs a lot of sustenance."
Hearing that, Sizhu lifted his chin, smiling victory slightly like a younger sibling defended by his mother when his older sibling scolded him.
Jianying sighed softly. He picked up the chopsticks in his hand. Feeling challenged.
"Not a man if he can't eat more than one bowl. Sir, give me four extra bowls and four plates of gyoza."
The chef of the eatery smiled broadly while giving a thumbs up, "Aiyo, ready to execute!"
Luxia opened her mouth slightly for a few seconds, then chuckled.
"You two, like children."
But Jianying and Sizhu didn't listen to her. Jianying had five bowls and five plates of gyoza served in front of him, Sizhu entered the fifth round after four bowls and plates towered up on the table. The one-by-one table was soon full of bowls and plates. It became an impromptu eating tournament arena.
Jianying quickly finished five bowls and plates of gyoza at once. Meanwhile, Sizhu had already entered the seventh round.
They fought fiercely for several minutes. Making some people stop to see who the winner was.
Ten minutes passed and twenty bowls and plates were stacked on the table.
Jianying's face was pale, as was Sizhu's.
But there was still one last gyoza on each of their plates. With trembling hands and stomachs swollen from fullness, they tried to put in the last gyoza to mouth.
But it fell!
Jianying's gyoza fell just before he put the last part into his mouth. Jianying was made nauseous.
Meanwhile, Sizhu forcibly chewed the last gyoza and smiled superiorly at Jianying.
Jianying could only reply with an annoyed smile.
Luxia, who was the judge, smiled softly seeing their funny behavior.
"Ara~ you two. Like children."
***
Sizhu then parted ways with Jianying and Luxia. The two of them went to the office, while Sizhu walked around Qincheng.
His full stomach made him look like a pregnant woman. He walked aimlessly until he finally met Qing and Yaoyao on the street.
"Ah! Brother Sizhu!" Qing and Yaoyao immediately hugged Sizhu tightly. Sizhu immediately stroked their heads back.
Behind them, a honey-brown skinned woman with short, neck-length black hair like a man's cut, even her clothes and style were like a man's. Tight short jeans and a half-body red-brown leather jacket.
She seemed to have just accompanied the two children for a walk.
"Hey you two! Naughty kids! What other strangers are you hugging suddenly?"
Sizhu had seen the woman's face last night at the Zhan Dou opening field. Her face seemed cheerful with typical Western features.
"Ah, this is brother Sizhu! He's our lifesaver." Qing introduced Sizhu to the brown-skinned woman. The woman smiled broadly and cheerfully at Sizhu.
"Oh you, who came back bruised last night."
Sizhu nodded slightly, "Who?"
"Ah, haha, my name is Imara Nzinga. I am someone who will become the strongest Hunter Tamer in the world!"
"Hunter Tamer?"
"Yes! Ah, there aren't many magic beasts roaming freely here. Very different from my continent. Every ten steps there, you will encounter ferocious magic beasts."
Sizhu nodded slightly.
"Since you've met your acquaintances, I'll be going. Don't you dare run into people's butts, okay? Little kids?"
Qing and Yaoyao nodded. "Thank you, Sister Imara!" Waving their hands.
The beautiful brown-skinned woman smiled broadly while waving back at Qing and Yaoyao.
"See you again in the tournament arena! Green-eyed boy!"
Then the brown-skinned woman disappeared into the crowd of people passing by.
"What are you doing here?" Sizhu asked Qing and Yaoyao.
"Ah, Uncle Jianying brought us here earlier then let us walk around and order whatever we wanted." Qing explained, while Yaoyao nodded slightly. "Then Yaoyao accidentally bumped into that pretty sister's butt, so we walked around with her."
Sizhu nodded. "Let me accompany you. Have you eaten?"
Qing and Yaoyao nodded. "We just ate with that pretty sister."
Sizhu held Qing and Yaoyao's small hands. The two immediately explored the small town. They walked around, looking at shops and the local residents.
"Oh, by the way, someone was looking brother Sizhu earlier."
"Hmm, who was it?"
"If I'm not mistaken, a gray-haired monk."
Sizhu thought for a moment. A gray-haired monk... Gui?
***