Local Specialties and Order Taking
The next day, after sleeping in late, Yang Ning and his group swaggered back into town.
Immediately, Yang Ning noticed a change in the way the islanders looked at him.
Though everyone continued their own business and no one spoke, their gazes were strange—an odd mix of worry, hope, and fear.
"Captain?" Old Johnny, always perceptive, nudged him cautiously.
Yang Ning waved him off.
Let them treat him as a hero, or a demon—it didn't matter. Hero worship wouldn't raise a single stat, but fear? That suited him perfectly.
What mattered more was whether this town had good food and drink.
---
Local Specialties
"Five ants!"
Inside the town's only restaurant, Yang Ning gawked at the dish before him.
It looked unremarkable—maybe even unappetizing—but the owner assured him it was a local specialty. Yang Ning shrugged and ordered a portion, curious about its flavor.
The first bite surprised him.
Despite being cooked, the dish retained the freshness of seafood, with a subtle sweetness that hinted at richness reminiscent of beef. The meat chunks had a texture like semi-cooked tuna belly, chewier than normal, almost like raw marbled beef without the sourness.
Mixed with sticky mashed potatoes and lightly refreshing vegetables, it was absolutely delicious.
The shop owner leaned on the counter, smug.
"The beef, fish, and bighead beans here are only found on this island. In the past, merchants sailed here specifically to buy them. This braised beef and fish with bighead beans is my family's heirloom dish—you won't find it anywhere else in the East China Sea."
Yang Ning gave him a thumbs-up.
"Delicious. Really delicious. I'll take another serving."
---
Unwelcome Guests
No sooner had the owner smiled and begun serving the next dish than the restaurant door exploded open.
Every head turned toward the entrance—except Yang Ning, who was still happily eating.
A cold, iron-clad figure stood at the threshold, sword at her side, flanked by pirate henchmen. Sunlight fractured into sharp slivers across the floor.
The owner's smile vanished. Trembling, sweat pouring down his face, he gripped the counter.
"Sword General, I've already paid this month's blood offerings and tributes!"
The armored swordswoman didn't even glance at him. Her gaze swept the room, stopping behind Yang Ning.
"Come with us. The Blood King wants to see you."
Yang Ning choked on his food.
"Water… water, give me water!"
After gulping down the water the shopkeeper handed him, he finally turned toward the swordswoman, annoyance plain on his face.
"So… I have to go see him?"
"Is he crippled or sick? Why doesn't he come see me himself?"
The swordswoman's expression hardened, and the pirate henchmen who had suffered at Yang Ning's hands shifted nervously—but no one dared respond. The islanders in the restaurant, however, whispered excitedly among themselves.
"Go ahead! Show that Blood King who's boss!"
A few bolder locals shouted, but under the swordswoman's piercing gaze, they quickly fell silent.
---
The First Challenge
One pirate henchman, more confident than the rest, stepped forward.
Yang Ning raised an eyebrow. Well, the first order of the day has come knocking on my door.
Without a word, he drew his sword and slashed the pirate's head in a single, precise motion, cleaving him and his weapon into two pieces.
The stench of blood filled the small restaurant instantly.
The remaining henchmen paled, taking several steps back, trying to protect themselves.
The islanders' eyes glimmered. Suspicion and fear had turned into anticipation—they were waiting for Yang Ning's next move.
"Kill him! Kill that iron lump!" some whispered, but the Sword General's icy presence kept them quiet.
---
Taunting the Enemy
After finishing with the pirate henchmen, Yang Ning wiped his blade clean.
"We didn't finish yesterday, did we? Want to try again today? I won't hold back."
The armored swordswoman remained silent, pushing open the door without further confrontation.
"The Blood King has his eye on you. You can't hide just because you refuse to go."
Yang Ning plopped back into his seat, unfazed.
"Boss, another order of braised beef and fish with broad beans. And a bottle of your best drink."
He ate leisurely, completely unconcerned about being targeted by the Blood King.
Sure, he wasn't strong enough to take him on directly… yet. But after another night of hunting and growth, the outcome could easily flip.
The combination of four growth-oriented skills was absurdly overpowered. Yang Ning hadn't wanted to become this strong—but the system seemed to have other plans.
And now, having finished digesting his Feast skill, he couldn't wait to test himself against a true non-human monster, as the islanders claimed the Blood King to be.
He laughed softly to himself, sipping the local wine. The thought of seeing the Blood King suffer true damage in flesh and spirit was… intoxicating.
---
The restaurant owner, hesitant to accept payment, instead waved them off.
"Come again anytime!"
Yang Ning grinned.
"Don't worry. For a meal this good, I'll gladly help take down that Blood King."
He and his companions left amidst the stunned gazes of the diners.
Watching them go, the owner's shocked expression slowly transformed into a bright smile. He gripped his mop a little more lightly, veins relaxing.
"This outsider… he really dares to speak his mind."
"Old Joe, what do you make of them?" a middle-aged man with an afro asked.
The owner shook his head.
"I don't know… I can only hope."
---
Yang Ning now had a new mission. He sent his crew back to the ship to wait and ventured out alone.
He didn't believe all the pirate henchmen had retreated safely.
If he could hunt another twenty or thirty, then—even against the Blood King—he could confidently strike first.