My exclusive card pool

Chapter 178 Liuli gives them a whole performance (two parts, slightly slice-of-life)
It's early August now, which coincides with the beginning of autumn.

The weather is still very hot.

Wang Xi glanced at the bright sunshine outside the window, then took off his clothes and sprawled shirtless on the sofa.

He thought it over and over, but in the end he didn't turn on the air conditioner.

Firstly, it saves electricity, and secondly, it's unnecessary.

How could the mighty "Lord of Scorched Earth" be killed by a 30-degree "high temperature"?
This isn't funny, kids.

This is a fairy tale, not a joke.

Snapped.

Wang Xi snapped his fingers, and the temperature around him plummeted, sending chills down his spine.

Being unafraid of the heat is one thing, but feeling cool and comfortable is another. When it comes to enjoying himself, Mr. Wang is never stingy.

He picked up his phone and tapped it lightly.

blah blah blah...

"Leader Chu, I'm going to Lucheng in a couple of days. Would you like me to bring you back some local specialties?"

After a while.

beep.

"Oh? Brother Xi is going to Lucheng?"

beep.

"Is he going to take a 'promotion' assessment?"

Clearly, the silly goose had guessed the reason.

Wang Xi replied simply: "Yes."

"Wow! That's amazing! (Dumb goose's admiring face)"

If such exaggerated praise came from someone else, it would mostly be just polite flattery, but Chu Nai was genuinely delighted by his progress.

It can be said to have maximum emotional value.

But who is Chu Nai?

A genius from the Eastern Continent, the head of the Exorcism Section of the Overlooking Bureau who was parachuted into Gucheng, and a silver-framed skull-level powerhouse.

Given the vast difference in skill, Wang Xi inexplicably felt a sense of déjà vu, like a veteran pretending to be a newbie praising a novice.

"What's so impressive about it? We'll talk about it after you pass the test."

Wang Xi types.

The reply came instantly: "Brother Xi can definitely do it!"

"Also, I want to eat Gong duck, sesame cakes, and Lucheng strawberries, hehe. (Silly goose drooling)"

"Okay." After sending the message, Wang Xi thought for a moment and then added a "pat on the head" emoji.

In the section chief's office overlooking the bureau building, the silver-haired girl Chu Nai sat upright, her high-necked uniform making her look exceptionally capable.

Behind her black-rimmed glasses, her bright, azure eyes were fixed on her phone screen. When she saw Wang Xi's reply, she suddenly covered her flushed cheeks, her tied ponytail swaying gently with the movement of her shoulders.

"hey-hey……"

He let out a snicker.

She glanced at the glass curtain wall and the outside of the door, her fingers rapidly typing on the screen:
"Brother Xi, I'll try to leave work early and come to your house for dinner... We agreed last time that your cat would cook me a big meal."

Is Chu Nai coming over for dinner?

Wang Xi was stunned.

He sat up from the sofa and glanced at the calico cat, Liuli, who was fast asleep in her nest—cookbooks were piled up like a small hill, burying her underneath, with only her fluffy tail sticking out.

Appearance reflects the heart, and favors follow the master's nature.

That's absolutely right.

Liuli couldn't even learn cooking skills; she would start dozing off within seconds of opening a book.

"Okay, I'll go buy groceries now. See you later."

Wang Xi calmly replied.

"With Leader Chu's presence at my humble abode, you can expect a feast that will make you feel like you're flying high."

Finally, I added an emoji:
(The sad frog gives a wicked smile)

"Hehe, looking forward to it! (Silly goose's sparkling eyes)"

Wang Xi switched out of the chat software and directly opened the "Flying Hat" online shopping platform.

Useless glass, my cooking learning plan has been a complete failure.

He can only rely on himself now.

Wang Xi opened the platform and was immediately taken aback.

He discovered that the two wild cards he had just hung up were already showing as for sale, and the buyer was the same person.

So popular?

Wang Xi didn't think much of it; as long as it was sold, that was a good thing.

His price tag is actually not high, in line with the market price of cards of similar quality. The dark green one-star "Swarm Resonance" is priced at 68, and the blue one-star "Locust Transformation" is priced at 166, for a total of 234.

After deducting a handling fee of 23.4, I finally received 210.6 credit points.

After Wang Xi completed the setup, he waited for the delivery person to arrive.

Next, he searched for cards related to "cooking skills" and clicked on the top-ranked card shop.

This is the flagship store of the Sky Dome Foundation, selling various basic skill crafting cards.

"Basic Culinary Skills Mastery (Skill Card/White One-Star/Cannot Be Upgraded)" is priced at 5.

Cooking some home-style dishes is no problem.

"Master Chef (Skill Card/White Two-Star/Cannot be Upgraded)" is priced at 10.

Being proficient in a single cuisine can provide a livelihood, allowing one to apply for a restaurant chef position.

"Master Chef (Skill Card/White Three-Star/Cannot Be Upgraded)" is priced at 30.

Proficient in all cuisines, a prerequisite for entry into the kitchens of most chain restaurants.

Of course, there are even better ones.

Wang Xi tried navigating to the hidden "Hat Hole" section, and sure enough, he found high-end goods in this shop that weren't available in the regular market.

"Superior Culinary Skill (Skill Card/White Four-Star/Cannot Be Upgraded)"

The price is 80.

Wang Xi was speechless.

Capital, you've won.

The price of a man-made four-star white card is comparable to that of a top-tier dark green card in the main battle.

I know you guys will make money.

But this guy is incredibly good at making money!
With this card, you might be able to become a signature chef at a high-end restaurant. But artificial is still artificial; the technology and ruthless work lack the flavor of "love."

Wang Xi scoffed.

In addition, he also discovered some very strange food cards, such as "dancing beef," "singing mushrooms," "buttered toast," and "eggs that don't fall over."

These ingredient cards offer no benefits, and their taste and texture are unreliable; they are purely for novelty.

Wang Xi strongly suspected that this was a marketing product carefully selected from the waste cards acquired by the Sky Dome Consortium, which was intended to be repackaged and then used to fleece investors.

But just then, looking at the ingredient cards, a flash of inspiration struck him.

Finally, Wang Xi placed three orders at the Tianqiong Group's flagship store.

"Master Chef", "Master Massager", "Buttered Toast"

Two fake Samsung white cards, with a total spending of 60.

A genuine one-star white card, 2.

Do not ask.

Asking reveals the bottom line.

In addition, Wang Xi also bought vegetables worth over a thousand credits in the "Flying Hat" fresh food flash delivery area.

Less than forty minutes.

Deliveryman Ning Meng carried an insulated box to the door.

"Thank you for your hard work, Miss Ning Meng."

Wang Xi stood at the door, handed over two cards, signed the receipt, and then took the things she had bought.

The short-haired girl in a uniform and helmet glanced at him and asked, "Mr. Wang, are you planning to cook for yourself from now on?"

That look in her eyes seemed to be questioning the scumbag about whether he was tired of her and no longer loved her.

"'Grumpy Sweetheart' will always be my favorite."

Wang Xi said solemnly.

"But occasionally cooking for myself gives it a more lived-in feel."

"Uh," Ning Meng hesitated, then stopped herself. "Good luck."

After saying that, she took the goods and turned to leave.

Wang Xi carried the ingredients to the kitchen, sorted and processed them simply, and put them in the refrigerator.

Immediately, he activated the newly acquired "Master Chef". A flash of white light, and he instantly mastered superb culinary skills.

I glanced at the time; it was only a little past two in the afternoon.

There are still several hours before Chu Nai gets off work and comes over for dinner, so there's plenty of time to prepare dinner.

Wang Xi, holding a piece of "buttered toast," knelt down in front of Liuli.

According to the "maze inequality", the cat maid's inability to cook does not mean she cannot make three dishes and a soup.

Furthermore, according to scientific evidence from the new era, cats have a "righting reflex," which means they can quickly adjust their bodies to ensure they land on all fours when falling from a height.

This leads to the "cats always land on all fours" law.

Similarly, when a slice of bread with butter falls to the ground, the buttered side always lands face down; this is the "butter always lands face down" law.

Finally, according to the "maze relativity theory", if you put the buttered toast on the cat's back, it will create the "cat that never lands" paradox.

Wang Xi, a scientist of the new era, conducted this great experiment—he opened a cookbook and placed "buttered toast" on the back of a calico cat.

"Liu Li."

"Meow, Master...?"

The calico cat opened its sleepy heterochromatic eyes and yawned.

Wang Xi: "Let's do a backflip."

"Meow?" Liuli looked completely bewildered.

...

...

"You mean, your cat can not only cook three dishes and a soup, but also has invincible whirlwind wheels? It can't fall from mid-air?"

"Yes."

In the evening, Wang Xi picked up Chu Nai, who had just finished get off work, at the entrance of the residential compound.

The silver-haired girl couldn't wait to ask as soon as she got out of the car.

To Wang Xi's surprise, besides Chu Nai, there were two uninvited guests—Police Superintendent Yu with purple hair and big waves, and Ning Meng, who had just finished delivering packages and changed into her regular clothes.

The three people got off the hovercar.

At this moment, Ning Meng hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.

But in the end, he remained silent.

Cats can cook...

Instead of believing this, you should believe she was Qin Shi Huang.

However, Chu Nai looked surprised.

"So amazing?" She let down her ponytail, revealing her long, flowing hair and playful demeanor, and leaned closer, saying, "Brother Xi, let us see!" Actually, Yu Zizi and Ning Meng's trip together was purely coincidental.

Chu Nai didn't want these two third wheels to disturb her dinner date with Wang Xi, but she couldn't resist Yu Zizi's persistent pestering and insisted on coming along to see the cat that could only cook.

The four of them took the elevator upstairs.

As soon as they entered Wang Xi's house, they smelled the aroma of food.

"It smells so good!" Chu Nai exclaimed.

"Oh, Master, you brought your friend home?"

Just then, the three women, who were changing into slippers in the entryway, heard the soft, sweet voice of a young girl.

They looked up and saw a calico cat standing upright not far away. It wore a pink children's apron around its neck, had a lollipop in its mouth, held a spatula in its hand, and looked over with calm, heterochromatic eyes.

"It...it can talk?!"

Ning Meng asked in surprise.

Although she often came to Wang Xi's place for deliveries, she had never entered the house and naturally did not know of Liuli's existence.

Is it a Palico cat?

"No wonder he can cook."

Yu Zizi and Ning Meng exchanged a glance.

"What an adorable kitten." Chu Nai smiled and, after changing her shoes, stepped forward to pat Liuli's little head.

"Liuli, come on, show them your special talent."

Wang Xi gave the order.

Sanhua nodded.

He did a backflip on the spot.

shhhhhh!
To the astonishment of the three women, they saw the calico cat spinning continuously in mid-air, never touching the ground, and even producing sparks, as if it were truly a "fire wheel".

"This……"

Yu Zizi opened her mouth wide.

Ning Meng was also stunned.

Wang Xi continued explaining earnestly, "According to the 'maze relativity theory,' we know..."

However, Chu Nai covered her mouth to suppress a laugh.

She certainly noticed the fire element permeating the air... The cat's performance was just Brother Xi's magic cheating.

...

...

The so-called "butter cat" paradox, of course, could not fool the three women.

After their initial shock, Yu Zizi and Ning Meng quickly came to their senses.

How can this guy not laugh?
Because of this incident, the previously slightly awkward atmosphere became more lively.

During working hours, one is referred to by their job title; there's less of a formality about leaving get off work.

Yu Zizi is no longer a police inspector from the Public Security Bureau, and Ning Meng is no longer the defense captain. They are now just Chu Nai's friends, who come to her childhood friend's house for a free meal.

Wang Xi and Yu and Ning were old acquaintances. After inviting them to sit down at the restaurant and chatting for a few minutes, Yu Zizi covered her mouth and chuckled.

Chu Nai brought over a plate of food for Liuli, and seeing this, she looked at Ning Meng with suspicion and asked, "What is she laughing at?"

The short-haired girl tugged at her collar and hesitated, saying, "Someone complimented her on how her shiny black stockings suited her today."

"Huh?" Chu Nai was taken aback.

Just serving some food, and your house got robbed?
She lowered her eyes and secretly observed.

I was in such a rush leaving get off work today that I didn't even have time to change out of my uniform. Meanwhile, Yu Zizi, the highest-ranking police superintendent in the Public Security Bureau, was wearing a bodycon skirt and greasy black stockings to work?!
Shameless...

Chu Nai gritted her teeth inwardly.

No wonder this woman insisted on coming along.

This isn't about freeloading...

She's clearly just trying to get close to men.

Chu Nai then looked at Ning Meng, who was wrapped up tightly, and breathed a sigh of relief. Miss Ning was more reassuring.

Just then, Ning Meng suddenly unzipped her dress, revealing a milky white camisole underneath—the valley beneath her delicate collarbone was faintly visible, making Chu Nai's eyes widen instantly.

"It's so hot." Ning Meng seemed oblivious to Chu Nai's murderous glare, casually tugging at her collar and glancing at Wang Xi out of the corner of her eye: "Mr. Wang's cat is really something else, its cooking skills are comparable to a top chef..."

"I only know a little bit." Wang Xi picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs. "Miss Ning, please check the cooking time."

"Okay." Ning Meng, being a top-tier chef, didn't think much of it, but as she leaned forward, a glimpse of her white collar was revealed. "Ah—"

Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks cut in and snatched away the sweet and sour pork ribs.

Chu Nai stuffed the ribs into her mouth, puffed out her cheeks, and muttered, "Delicious!"

"..."

Ning Meng was taken aback, and then realized her mistake.

To cover her embarrassment, she quickly picked up a piece of pork rib, first carefully examining its color, and then gently biting and chewing it.

She frowned slightly, put down her chopsticks, and commented with an air of seriousness: "The cooking time was too long, and the meat was a bit dry. The sugar and vinegar ratio was standard, but there wasn't enough wok hei (wok aroma) when reducing the sauce, and the sauce didn't completely coat the meat... The most regrettable thing is that the tendons weren't loosened by pounding them with the back of a knife during marinating, which affected the degree of flavor absorption."

"..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the dining table fell silent.

Yu Zizi raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, Chu Nai blinked while biting her chopsticks, and even the calico cat Liuli, who was squatting to the side, tilted its head with its heterochromatic eyes full of doubt—this dish is clearly fresh, tender, flavorful, and fragrant, so what's wrong with it?

Feeling uncomfortable under the gazes of several people, Ning Meng forced herself to add, "There's too much sugar... too much sugar."

"Pfft." Yu Zizi suddenly laughed and teased, "Little Lemon, you're being too deliberate."

“Our Section Chief Chu is broad-minded and won’t hold a grudge against you. On the contrary, with such a fault-finding approach, be careful that they don’t give you more rice later.”

As she spoke, Yu Zizi leaned forward, deliberately rubbing her long, black-stockinged legs against Wang Xi's side under the table: "Mr. Wang, don't you think so?"

Ning Meng: "..."

Chu Nai: "..."

"Since it's delicious, let's eat more!"

The silver-haired girl stood up and kept putting food into Yu Zizi's bowl, her chopsticks flashing as if leaving afterimages.

In just a few seconds, the purple-haired woman's bowl was piled up like a small mountain, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

"Eat without talking or sleeping without talking."

Chu Nai smiled, her eyes narrowed.

"Inspector Yu, eat quickly, or you'll be disrespecting me."

...

...

After a cozy dinner.

The diligent calico cat, Liuli, "volunteered" to go to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Living room area.

The four sat on the sofa chatting.

"Brother Xi, the cat cooked for us and then we made it wash the dishes. Is that really okay?"

Chu Nai hesitated.

"It's alright." Wang Xi waved his hand. "Liuli just said that although it's just a cat, it wants to help its owner with housework."

Liuli did say that.

But the last half of the sentence is missing.

That was added by Wang Xi himself.

He had prepared this meal himself, and apart from Chu Nai, Liu Li had eaten the most heartily...

It's only right that I wash the dishes.

"Mr. Wang, we haven't yet congratulated you on being selected for this year's 'rising star' list in Gucheng."

Yu Zizi held a bottle of Mozi soda in her hands, sipped through the straw, and said with a smile.

"I heard that this time, 20 people are going to Lucheng for a 'promotion' assessment."

"Hmm." Wang Xi nodded. This wasn't a secret to the three women present, and he had no intention of hiding it. "However, I'm not very familiar with the other five-star warriors in our group."

"There are two of us in the Gucheng Defense Force."

Ning Meng said calmly.

"Captain Jiang Tianhao (No. 4) and Captain Luo Yan (No. 7) have been aiming for 'Professional Five-Star' status for several years, but unfortunately missed the first two attempts, only participating this year."

“The Public Security Bureau also has one,” Yu Zizi said with a smile. “One of my good friends, Inspector Gu Yuanshan.”

Ning and Yu didn't care about revealing the selected personnel, because the "upper-level" assessment was not a competitive process. They were all five-star warriors from Gucheng and could take care of each other.

Finally, noticing the gazes of the three, Chu Nai nodded:
"There are also two people in the Bureau of Overlooking the World: Zheng Xian, the group leader of the Foreign Affairs Department, and Ma Yu, the group leader of the Demystification Section."

"So, besides myself and these five, the other fourteen are all affiliated with civilian organizations or freelance volunteers?"

Wang Xi asked.

The three women nodded.

"As expected, there are hidden talents among the hidden masters."

Wang Xi sighed.

"Every year, several hundred five-star warriors from Southern Continent participate in the 'Advanced' assessment... and that's still considered a small number, considering Southern Continent only has twenty-seven cities."

Yu Zizi said.

The Mountain and Sea Federation comprises nine continents and over three hundred cities, with the Southern Continent having the fewest.

Wang Xi then consulted the three women about the precautions for the "promotion" assessment.

The result was similar to Li Xingduan's account.

The "advanced" assessment is much simpler and less complicated than the "professional" assessment.

It is sufficient to meet two conditions:

First, it has a brand.

Second, through practical simulations.

Because the selection list itself is a rigorous screening process, most people can pass the assessment smoothly.

Among the names on Gucheng's list this year, only three people have the brilliant record of destroying the disaster core single-handedly, and Wang Xi is one of them.

The other two are Jiang Tianhao and Ma Yu.

Compared to them, Wang Xi's resume is more dazzling, which can be summed up in two words: young.

Wang Xi is not only the youngest, but also has the shortest service time, less than two months. This incredible growth rate has already amazed Yu Zizi and Ning Meng.

Even in Chu Nai's opinion, Brother Xi was superior to those geniuses at Dongzhou University.

8:30 p.m.

Wang Xi escorted the three women out of the residential compound.

Before parting, they offered their best wishes to Wang Xi and got into the car together. However, Chu Nai lingered for a moment, then made an excuse that she had forgotten something, thus creating a tiny bit of time for the two of them to be alone.

"Go, Brother Xi!"

In the stairwell, Chu Nai tiptoed and gave Wang Xi a light peck on the cheek before running away.

Time turns.

three days later.

Wang Xi arrived at Yongxie early in the morning.

The other nineteen people on the list arrived one after another, each dressed formally and exuding an air of authority.

He was the only one wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and shorts.

Still as relaxed as ever.

(End of this chapter)