I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

The night in the Forest Labyrinth is not dark.

Here, "night" simply means that the enormous flower enveloping the star closed its petals, filtering the originally dazzling light into a soft, ethereal blue glow. Countless luminous spores danced like fireflies among the giant vines, adorning this cosmic jungle with a dreamlike quality.

However, this open space in the heart of the forest was now bustling with activity, resembling a square hosting a celebration.

The iconic Abyss Furnace Cauldron has been set up, and what burns beneath it is not ordinary fire, but pure heat energy focused by the Starlight Heat Collector, specially designed to appease the plants.

The oil in the pot wasn't ordinary oil either; it was Nebula Oil, which Jiang Li had casually collected in Orion. This type of oil has an extremely high boiling point and a faint milky aroma, making it ideal for frying high-end ingredients.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you've all been looking forward to tonight's main course for a long time."

Jiang Li stood in front of the chopping board, holding the Void Silkworm that was still in the net bag trying to make a spatial jump (but crashing into the mesh every time).

"The Void Silkworm, a top-tier tailor of the multiverse, a transporter of spatial laws." Jiang Li introduced it as if it were a rare treasure. "Its flesh has become extremely firm due to its long-term consumption of spatial fragments, and it possesses a sense of 'non-existence.' If you eat it directly, your teeth will pass right through its body and bite your own tongue."

"Therefore, in order to cook it, a special pretreatment step must be performed first—[Law Shattering]."

Jiang Li turned his head and looked at Odin, who was wiping his spear to the side.

"Hey, can I borrow a light... no, I mean, a grenade?"

Odin understood immediately, chuckled, and raised Gungnir. Although the spear had become quite tainted with alcohol from their previous drinking contest, the lightning crackling around it was still genuine divine lightning.

"Watch closely! This is the thunderbolt used to punish a rebellious son!"

"Sizzle—!!!"

A blinding azure lightning bolt struck precisely the imprisoned silkworm.

The lightning didn't scorch it, but rather, at a microscopic level, shattered the tightly packed spatial particles within its body. The silkworm's original translucent, seemingly ethereal quality gradually faded, replaced by a warm, elastic texture, like white jade.

"Alright! It's ready!"

Jiang Li raised his knife and brought it down; his movements were so fast that even a blur couldn't be seen.

The silkworm, as large as a car, was instantly cut into uniformly sized diamond-shaped pieces. Each piece of meat trembled slightly, and tiny ripples could even be seen spreading across the cut surface.

"Apply the starch!"

Jiang Li poured the prepared meat chunks into a huge bowl, added his specially made [Stardust Starch] and [Void Egg White], and quickly mixed them well.

"Put it in the pot!"

As the chunks of meat slid into the scalding nebula oil, a strange sound rang out.

It wasn't an ordinary "sizzling" sound, but a crisp sound like a wind chime being blown by the wind, or like glass gently shattering. It was the sound of space fragments exploding under high temperature.

The meat chunks rolled and expanded rapidly in the oil, forming a golden and crispy outer shell on the surface, while the inside remained tender and juicy.

But that's not the key to this dish.

The true essence lies in—[pulled sugar].

Jiang Li started a separate pot and poured in a small bottle of emerald green liquid.

That was the gift from the ancient tree elder to thank them for eliminating the pests—[Forest Dew]. This is the essence of life that only condenses once every ten thousand years in the entire Forest Labyrinth; its thickness and sweetness are enough to drive even the most discerning bees mad.

Add the nectar to the pot and simmer over low heat.

The green liquid gradually thickened, and its color changed from emerald green to a deep amber gold. The bubbles decreased in size, eventually becoming fine, fish-eye-like bubbles.

"Now!"

Jiang Li poured the fried silkworm meat into the syrup pot, which was the ultimate battle between the chef and the ingredients.

His wrists trembled wildly, making the huge iron wok seem weightless in his hands. With each flip, the golden-brown chunks of meat were coated with a layer of even syrup.

"rise!"

Jiang Li suddenly swung the spoon.

At this moment, the entire audience was shocked.

As the spoon was lifted, the syrup coating the meat did not break. Instead, it was pulled out into thin, hair-like strands, tens of meters long, shimmering silver in the night sky—[silk threads].

It's not just sugar strands.

Those were the [Lines of Law] that had been melted by high temperatures and then reassembled.

This Void Silkworm, which had consumed the laws of space its entire life, was now being materialized by Jiang Li using the cooking technique of "pulling silk"!

These threads intertwined in the air, like a dazzling star net, suspending the golden chunks of meat in mid-air like glittering stars.

【Golden Pulled Silk Void Silkworm】.

carry out.

"Come on! Eat it while it's hot!" Jiang Li walked up to the group, carrying a plate that was actually floating in mid-air (because the pulled-out threads had anti-gravity properties). "These threads will harden when they cool down and could cut your mouth!"

The people sitting around the table could no longer contain themselves.

Even those plant-loving people who advocate vegetarianism are now tempted by this aroma that embodies the beauty of ultimate laws.

"Um..." The old tree elder's weathered, bark-like face showed an extremely human-like struggle, "Although...although we have regulations...but...these are pests...eliminating pests is a matter of course..."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Jiang Li quickly handed over a pair of chopsticks. "This is called—[Physical Salvation]. Elder, you are ridding the people of a scourge; it's a meritorious deed!"

With a way out, the elder no longer hesitated, and stretched out its trembling branch hand (chopsticks were too superfluous for it, so it used the branch to pick up a piece of steaming meat).

As it moved, a long silver thread was pulled out, and in the process, the surrounding space was slightly distorted.

The elder took a bite.

"Snap!"

In that instant, his old eyes, which had become somewhat cloudy due to his age, suddenly widened, and even burst forth with two beams of bright green light.

The crisp sugar coating on the outer shell bursts between your teeth, revealing the ultimate sweetness and vitality of the forest nectar. Then, the soft, chewy silkworm meat inside slides into your mouth, as if you've bitten into a capsule filled with a sense of "space".

The narrow mouth, at this moment, seemed to transform into a vast starry sky. That ethereal, profound, yet incredibly delicious flavor traveled straight to the soul through the taste buds.

"Ugh!!!!"

The withered leaves on the elder's head instantly turned green, and even a few small pink flowers bloomed.

"What a...unique texture!"

"I feel... my roots... seem to have reached into another dimension..."

"I saw... a wider world..."

It's not just delicious.

This dish truly possesses a magical enhancement.

Next came the glutinous rice balls. This little guy couldn't wait any longer. Without using chopsticks, he opened his big mouth and sucked one up like a vacuum cleaner.

"Smack smack... gulp."

The instant you swallow it.

"Wave--"

The glutinous rice balls disappeared.

The next second, it appeared hundreds of meters in the air.

"Wave--"

It reappeared underground.

"Wave--"

It appeared above Jiang Li's head.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Tangyuan shouted excitedly, "I can teleport now! I don't have to run anymore!"

After consuming a top-quality ingredient of the same type, this void creature finally awakened its race's innate skill—[Place-to-Place Teleportation].

Finally, it was Jiang Li's turn.

He picked up a piece of meat and savored it carefully.

As a God of Food with the "Gluttony Godhood," he eats not only the taste, but also the "concept" behind it.

As the food entered his stomach, the "devouring space" ability belonging to the Void Silkworm was analyzed, refined, and then integrated into his divine essence by the system.

[Ding! Consuming the legendary ingredient "Void Silkworm" has strengthened your Gluttony Godhood!]

[New Feature Unlocked: Path of Gluttony.]

[Description: For you now, "distance" is also a kind of food. You can achieve instantaneous teleportation by "consuming the journey." Theoretically, as long as your appetite is good enough, even the ends of the earth are within reach.]

"Eat the distance?"

Jiang Li wiped his mouth, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"An advanced version of shrinking the distance to an inch? Not bad, I'll never be late when delivering food again."

The banquet lasted all night.

The enormous void silkworm was completely devoured, leaving not a single crumb.

The crisis in the Forest Labyrinth was completely resolved. With its natural predators gone, the World Tree's roots began to heal rapidly, and the plants throughout the galaxy flourished with even greater vitality.

On the eve of parting.

The Ancient Tree Elder led all the plant-like beings of his clan (literally) to the Deep Blue to see them off.

"Honorable guests... thank you for your... appetite."

The elder carefully broke off a tender branch that emitted a bright green glow from the top of his head.

"This is... a branch of my origin."

"Although it can't compare to your family's... Myriad Realms Divine Tree..."

"But what if we... graft it on..."

"Maybe it can grow... even more interesting fruit (like the Peashooter from Plants vs. Zombies?)."

Besides this precious tree branch, there's a whole spaceship full of local specialties behind it.

That's a [Fairy Fruit].

A specialty product that, when consumed, can increase magical affinity, improve skin complexion, and bring joy.

"Thank you, Elder! Let's keep in touch! If you encounter any more pests, remember to call us! We'll give you a 20% discount!"

Jiang Li accepted the branch, overjoyed. This was an unexpected delight; the sacred tree in his home could level up again.

……

The Deep Blue spacecraft took off again, leaving behind the green nebula.

Jiang Li stood alone on the observation deck of the spaceship, watching the Forest Labyrinth recede into the distance behind him, and then looking at the vast and boundless sea of ​​stars in front of him.

An unprecedented feeling welled up in my heart.

He recalled the journey he had taken.

From a small food stall on Earth with just a few broken tables, to later subduing Odin, fighting the Abyss, exploring Universe Zero, cooking the Entropy Demon, and now traveling to the edge of the galaxy.

Before he knew it, he had come so far.

That little chef who could only make scallion oil noodles has now become a multiverse culinary god who can use stars as stoves and black holes as pots.

【Ding! 】

The system notification suddenly sounded in my mind, and this time the voice was more solemn than ever before.

[Congratulations, host, you have completed the stage achievement—"Galactic Overlord".]

[Current Progress Assessment:]

[Phase 1: Earth Arc (Completed)]

[Phase Two: Galactic Overlord Arc (Completed)]

[Evaluation: You have conquered most of the rare ingredients in this three-dimensional universe, and your name has become a legend in the lower-dimensional universe. But this is just the beginning.]

[A new chapter begins: Phase Three - Higher Dimension Ascension.]

[Description: True gastronomy often lies hidden in dimensions beyond the reach of mortals. It's a feast of rules, concepts, and the soul. Are you ready to break down the barriers of dimension?]

Jiang Li looked at the words and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Ascension to higher dimensions?"

"It sounds... like the ingredients there might be a bit harder to catch?"

"However, the harder an ingredient is to catch, the tastier it often is."

He turned around and looked at his friends who were playing around behind him.

Odin was using a newly grown branch of the World Tree to pick his teeth;

Abel is feeding his blood-stained sword with elven fruit (and the sword actually eats it).

Tangyuan is trying to use teleportation to steal the machine oil that the Mechanical Archbishop has hidden.

"As long as these guys are around..."

"Whether it's going to hell, heaven, or some higher dimension."

"We don't have to worry about not having enough to eat."

however.

Just as Jiang Li was about to order a return to Earth to rest and recuperate at the food stalls,

A sudden change occurred.

"Buzz—!!!"

The once peaceful void suddenly began to tremble violently.

This oscillation is unlike any previous gravitational wave or energy burst.

It has no sound, no heat, and even... no thickness.

The space in front of the Deep Blue was as if it had been cut open by an invisible pair of scissors.

The cut wasn't black, nor was it white.

It is... [flat].

"Warning! Warning! Dimensional collapse detected!"

"Warning! Anomaly in spatial curvature ahead! We are falling into two dimensions!"

"What's going on?"

Everyone was shocked and rushed to the cockpit.

No monsters or fleets emerged from that strange crack.

Instead, a piece of paper floated out...

To be precise, it's a two-dimensional character.

It looked like a character cut out of a comic book, without any thickness, only length and width. It floated in the air, and finally, with a "snap," stuck to the heavy reinforced glass window of the Deep Blue.

It's like a sticker.

This "paper doll" is shaped like a stick figure with simple and rough lines, but its expression is extremely vivid, depicting extreme terror with simple line drawings.

It was holding a speech bubble in its hand (yes, the kind of speech bubble you see in comics).

The text on the dialog box is constantly changing, as if it's pleading for help from the person on this side:

【Help……!!!】

They're here... those lunatics...

They've...flattened our world...

[Watch out... A dimensional reduction attack... is coming...]

"Two-dimensional life?"

Nyarlathotep pressed himself against the glass, staring at the paper figure, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

"This is no ordinary piece of paper."

"This is a creature that was originally three-dimensional, but was forcibly 'pressed' into a two-dimensional plane."

"Moreover, this force is spreading."

Naya pointed to the crack behind the paper doll.

The crack is widening.

Any matter touched by that crack—whether it be meteorite, stardust, or light—instantly loses the concept of "thickness" and becomes a painting suspended in the void.

This is the legendary—【Two-Dimensional Foil】(crossed out)...【Dimensional Fall Strike】.

"A dimensional reduction attack?"

Jiang Li looked at the shivering paper figure pressed against the window, and at the rapidly spreading "scroll world".

His first reaction was not to run away.

Instead, he touched his chin.

"It's become flat?"

"Lost its thickness?"

"Doesn't that mean...?"

"The things from that world... are particularly suitable for making—[pancakes]?"

"Or perhaps... [crispy]?"

"Boss! Is it time to eat now?!" Wang Ergou was so scared his fur stood on end. "If we turn into paper cutouts, how are we supposed to eat?! We won't even be able to open our mouths!"

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Jiang Li calmly patted Er Gou's head.

"Since the third stage is 'higher-dimensional ascension,' we will have to face changes in dimensions sooner or later."

"Whether it's ascending or descending in dimensionality, wherever there is matter, there will definitely be food."

He looked at the paper figure, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"Open the door."

"Please invite this... 'two-dimensional friend' in."

"I want to ask it, what flavor is that thing that flattened them...?"

As the hatch opened, the paper figure floated in, and under the influence of the gravity generator, it drifted to the floor like a falling leaf.

It retains its two-dimensional form, disappearing completely when viewed from the side; its appearance can only be seen when viewed from the front.

Jiang Li crouched down, looking at this survivor from another dimension.

"Hello, little piece of paper."

"Welcome to Deep Blue."

"Don't be afraid, here, whether it's round or flat, as long as it's delicious, we welcome you."

"As for those guys who flattened you..."

Jiang Li stood up, his gaze passing through the porthole to the deep dimensional rift.

The Crimson Lotus Ship-Slaying Blade in his hand resonated slightly, as if sensing a new challenge.

"Perfect timing, my menu is missing one dish... [Teppanyaki]."