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

Jianghai City, [Shenlan Seafood Restaurant].

"Serving up—! Our signature Crispy Black Cicada! Be careful, it's hot!"

Accompanied by Wang Ergou's loud and penetrating shouts (after all, his voice was honed by chanting the prayers of evil gods), plates of "snacks" piled up like small mountains, fried to a golden brown and crispy, and exuding a strange and exotic aroma were served on every table.

The restaurant was packed.

Not only was the lobby on the first floor packed with celebrities and tycoons from Jianghai City who had come after hearing the news, but even the private rooms on the second floor were booked by representatives of various awakened families and conglomerates.

There was a long queue outside, and scalpers were even reselling queue numbers.

The reason is simply that the positive feedback from last night's "internal tasting event" was just too overwhelming.

It is said that the seafood here is not only incredibly delicious, but also possesses effects comparable to top-tier elixirs. An old Awakened One, stuck at the D-level bottleneck for many years, broke through to the next level last night after simply drinking a bowl of "Fish Head Tofu Soup" (Abyssal Anglerfish Head)!

The news spread like wildfire throughout the extraordinary circles of Jianghai City overnight.

"Is this the legendary 'Black Cicada'?"

In a private room on the second floor, a wealthy businessman dressed in a Tang suit and with many thumb rings on his fingers looked at the dark-colored thing on the table with some hesitation.

Although it smells delicious, this thing looks more like... a fly?

"Boss Liu, if you don't dare to eat it, then I won't be polite."

Sitting opposite him was a voluptuous female Awakened One. Without saying a word, she picked up a "golden cicada" and threw it into her mouth.

"Snap!"

The crisp sound echoed in the private room.

Immediately afterwards, the female awakener's eyes suddenly lit up, and an abnormal flush appeared on her face.

"Mmm! This texture! This energy!"

She felt a surge of heat rush up her throat and into her dantian. The stagnant toxins (hidden injuries) that had accumulated in her body due to improper cultivation were quickly dissipated under the flushing effect of this heat!

"Amazing! Waiter! Five more plates! No, ten more!"

Seeing this, Boss Liu didn't care about presentation anymore and quickly picked one up and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Huh?! Chicken flavor?! Crunchy?!"

"Ouch, my back! It doesn't hurt anymore? This thing is amazing for male potency!"

For a moment, the entire restaurant was filled with the sounds of crunching and exclamations of surprise.

In the kitchen.

Jiang Li was so busy he barely had time to breathe.

Holding a huge iron shovel, he stood in front of the [Nine Nether Soul Refining Furnace], frantically stirring the two-meter-diameter iron pot.

"Add more heat! Er Gou! The fire's not hot enough! These flies... no, these cicadas are too moist; they need to be stir-fried over high heat to get them crispy!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Wang Ergou had completely taken on the role of "sous chef" at this point. He was stuffing resentful coffin boards (fuel) he had bought from the black market into the stove while stirring the buckets of ingredients waiting to be processed with his bone cane.

"Big Yellow! Stop eating! Go bring me that bowl of washed tentacles!"

Jiang Li called out again.

With half a rotten fly still in its mouth, Big Yellow made a muffled cry, then used its tail to lift a huge stainless steel basin and carried it to the stove.

"Very good, very energetic."

Jiang Li wiped his sweat and looked at the busy "employees" (cult members) in the room, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.

"This business makes money much faster than fishing!"

He glanced at the electronic screen hanging on the wall, where the turnover was fluctuating wildly at a rate of thousands of yuan per second.

"At this rate, if I work for another month, I'll be able to buy this building!"

……

Just when [Shenlan Seafood Restaurant] was booming.

An unexpected guest arrived at the restaurant entrance.

He was a middle-aged man with a burly, bear-like build, a thick beard, and carrying a giant black pot (actually some kind of defensive magical artifact).

He stood at the doorway, his nose twitching like a hunting dog's, and his expression instantly turned extremely serious.

"Such a heavy demonic aura... no, it's the aura of the abyss!"

His name is Lei Meng, nicknamed "Iron Stomach". He is a famous gourmet hunter in China and an A-level physical enhancement expert.

His cultivation method is unique—he strengthens himself by devouring various powerful exotic beasts and spiritual objects. Therefore, he is extremely sensitive to the spiritual energy fluctuations in his food.

He had just gotten off the plane when he heard that a miraculous shop had appeared in Jianghai City, so he made a special trip to check it out.

What he saw almost scared him to death.

This shop... it's filled with an eerie aura!

The skeletal frame (archway) on the main gate exuded the lingering power of a B-grade evil beast; the colorful lanterns (Starry Night) hanging on the second floor revealed a greedy desire to devour life; even the fat man (Fatty Wang) who greeted guests at the door carried an earthy smell (the smell of someone who had just crawled out of a tomb).

"This isn't a restaurant! This is clearly a shady establishment in the heart of the city! It might even be a cult hideout!"

Lei Meng clenched his fist.

As a righteous gourmet hunter, he could not tolerate this behavior of feeding ordinary people like pigs to the poisonous creatures of the abyss!

"Hmph! I'll see what you're really up to!"

Lei Meng snorted coldly and strode inside.

"Welcome! Just one person?"

Fatty Wang greeted us with a smile at the door.

Lei Meng glanced at him, said nothing, and walked straight to an empty table in the center of the hall. He sat down and slammed the huge black pot weighing several hundred kilograms behind him onto the ground with a loud bang, causing the floor to crack.

The surrounding diners were startled and turned to look.

"Who is this person? Bringing a pot to eat? Bringing their own utensils?"

"He doesn't look like a good person. Is he here to cause trouble?"

Fatty Wang was a seasoned veteran; he could tell from their demeanor that the newcomers meant no harm.

He winked at the waiter next to him (the Deep One in disguise), signaling him to inform the boss, and then approached him with a smile.

"Sir, what would you like to eat? Our signature dishes are the Grilled King Squid and the Secret Recipe Black Golden Cicada..."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Lei slammed his hand on the table with tremendous force, leaving a handprint on the solid wood.

"Bring me your most expensive, most nutritious, and most bizarre dishes! I want to taste what kind of 'blood-soaked buns' you're selling today!"

Fatty Wang's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes turned colder.

"Alright! Please wait a moment! We'll arrange the 'All-Demon Feast' for you right away!"

He turned around and whispered into the walkie-talkie, "Boss, there's a tough guy in the front hall, looks like he's here to cause trouble, around level A. Should we send Big Yellow out to bite him?"

In the kitchen, Jiang Li, who was tossing the wok, heard the report.

"Looking for trouble? And bringing a pot with you?"

Jiang Li chuckled, "Is this a competitor coming to challenge us? Interesting."

"Don't let Big Yellow go. That dog doesn't know its own strength when it bites. What if it bites someone to death and we have to pay compensation?"

Jiang Li thought for a moment, "Since he wants to eat the most bizarre dish, let's satisfy him. Er Gou, bring out our secret recipe."

Wang Ergou was taken aback: "Captain, you mean...that?"

"Yes, it's that [Abyss Sashimi Platter]."

……

Ten minutes later.

Wang Ergou personally carried a huge ice platter to Lei Meng's table.

"Sir, your dishes are all ready."

On the ice platter were several "delicacies" that would make anyone's sanity drop drastically.

In the center is a huge eyeball that is still pulsating slightly and emitting a ghostly blue light (the Eye of the Abyss Anglerfish, sliced).

Next to it were a few still-wriggling, purplish-black tentacles (Kraken larval tentacles, raw and pickled);

There was also a small dish of dark, oil-like sauce (high-concentration abyssal essence).

The entire dish exuded an aura of the abyss so intense that the surrounding air began to distort simply by being placed there, and one could even faintly hear indescribable whispers.

The surrounding diners were so frightened that they all backed away; this thing didn't look like something from the mortal world!

Lei Meng stared at the dish, his pupils contracting sharply.

"This...this is..."

As an A-level expert, he could clearly sense the terrifying energy and pollution contained in this "dish".

This is extremely pure abyssal biological tissue! And it hasn't undergone any sealing treatment!

An ordinary person would go crazy if they saw it just once!

"You really are a cult!"

Lei Meng was furious. He stood up abruptly, shouting, "How dare you openly sell such depraved items! Do you want to kill the entire city?!"

"Hey, sir, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."

Wang Ergou (now a head waiter) looked completely innocent. "This is just ordinary seafood sashimi. Look at the color, how fresh it is! If you don't like raw food, we can heat it up for you."

"Bullshit! This is clearly an evil creature from the abyss!"

Lei Meng pointed to the still-moving eyeball, "This thing is still moving! It's alive!"

"That's a nerve reflex, it means it's fresh," Wang Ergou explained seriously.

"I don't believe it! This stuff is completely inedible!"

Lei Meng was convinced that this was a shady business that was harming people, and he decided to expose their true colors.

"Since you say you can eat it, then take a bite and let me see!" Lei Meng pointed at Wang Ergou.

"This is prepared for our distinguished guests. How could I be qualified to eat it?" Wang Ergou swallowed hard. Although he wanted to eat it too, this was a "strong medicine" specially prepared by the boss for this troublemaker.

"You're afraid to eat it? Then it must be poisonous!"

Lei Meng sneered, "Fine, since you won't eat it, I'll 'destroy' it for you!"

Although he said he would destroy it, as a powerful being who evolved through "devouring," his body instinctively craved this high-level energy source.

His stomach was roaring, his cells were cheering.

This is incredibly nutritious!

Despite the toxicity (pollution), Lei Meng, with his "iron stomach," is least afraid of poison!

"As long as I can withstand the contamination, this stuff will allow me to directly break through to the peak of A-level!"

Fortune favors the bold!

Lei Meng's eyes hardened, and he grabbed the slice of eyeball and shoved it directly into his mouth.

"Hmm!"

The moment it entered his mouth, a cold, slippery sensation sent shivers down his spine.

Immediately afterwards, an indescribable sweet and pungent taste exploded in his mouth, accompanied by countless frantic babblings that rushed into his mind.

Death...death...returning to the abyss...

Lei Meng's eyes instantly became bloodshot, veins bulged on his forehead, and his muscles tensed, clearly indicating that he was struggling against the terrifying mental pollution.

"Give it to me...to digest!!!"

He mobilized all his spiritual energy, frantically suppressing that evil will.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Suddenly, a warm current rose from my stomach.

The originally violent abyssal power, under the influence of some mysterious rule (Jiang Li's cooking process), became docile, transforming into the purest life essence, and merging into his limbs and bones.

All the hallucinations disappeared.

All the pain disappeared.

Instead, it brings an unprecedented feeling of comfort and power!

"boom!"

A powerful aura erupted from Lei Meng, shattering the table.

He broke through!

Peak A-rank! He even touched the threshold of S-rank!

"This...this..."

Lei Meng stared blankly at his hands, then at the empty plate.

Really fragrant!

It smells so damn good!

This isn't poison! This is practically a miracle drug!

The waiter wasn't lying, this really is "seafood sashimi"! It's just top-grade sashimi that only the strong can enjoy!

"I...I misunderstood you!"

Lei Meng was a straightforward person, and when he realized he had misunderstood, he was immediately filled with shame.

"Is there any more of this dish? Give me ten more plates! Money's no object!"

Wang Ergou rolled his eyes: "That's all. This was a limited edition; the head chef specially reserved it for you."

"Head chef?"

Lei Meng's eyes lit up. "I want to see the head chef! I want to thank this master chef in person! To handle the abyssal monster so perfectly, he must be a reclusive master!"

"This..." Wang Ergou hesitated for a moment.

"Let him in."

At that moment, Jiang Li's voice came from the kitchen.

……

Lei Meng straightened his clothes, carried his big black pot on his back, and walked into the kitchen with a pilgrimage-like feeling.

As soon as he entered, he saw a scene that he would never forget.

In the spacious kitchen, purple flames roared (Nine Nether Soul Refining Furnace).

A young man wearing dirty blue overalls and a mask is "dancing" on a huge black meat slab, holding a butcher knife in his hand.

At his feet lay a huge, hairless, strange dog (Big Yellow), gnawing on a glowing bone.

In the corner, a transparent cylinder containing a brain was flashing red, directing several Deep Ones dressed as chefs to wash vegetables.

"Wash it clean! Scrub off all the mud on those tentacles!" (Electronic voice from the brain)

"Gah gah!" (The Deep One bows and scrapes)

Lei Meng: "..."

He rubbed his eyes.

Am I hallucinating?

Is that cylinder a brain? Are those vegetable washers fish-men? Is that stove a heretical treasure?

And that young man chopping vegetables...

Lei Meng, as an A-level expert, possesses extremely strong perception.

He could sense that although the young man did not have any spiritual energy fluctuations, he was emanating an aura of "rules" that made his soul tremble.

It's like facing an ancient god walking among humans!

"Oh, you're done eating? Hope you don't have diarrhea?"

Jiang Li stopped wielding his knife, turned around to look at Lei Meng, and asked with a smile.

"No...no!"

Lei Meng was no longer arrogant at all. He stood up straight like a primary school student and bowed respectfully.

"Thank you for the meal, Master! I am Lei Meng, and I was blind to your greatness. Please forgive my rudeness!"

"Hey, don't mention it."

Jiang Li waved his hand, "You look quite robust, a good candidate for a foodie. What, carrying a pot around everywhere, are you afraid of not having enough to eat?"

"Uh... this is my weapon," Lei Meng explained awkwardly.

"Weapons? Pots can be used as weapons?"

Jiang Li walked over and tapped the large black pot. "Hmm, it's made of cast iron, good quality. It's just that the bottom is a bit black; I'll have to scrub it later."

"Since you're here, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

Jiang Li pointed to a pile of ingredients next to him, "I happen to need someone to taste the dishes. I see you have a good appetite, so next time there are new dishes, you can help me taste them to see if they're salty or bland, how about it? It's all-inclusive!"

"A food tasting?!"

Lei Meng was overjoyed.

This isn't a food tasting; it's practically handing him a golden opportunity!

If I could eat this level of divine cuisine every day, I could easily reach the peak of A-rank, or even S-rank!

"Yes! I do!"

Lei Meng bowed again, "If you don't mind, Master, I'll wash the pot right now and serve as your taste tester from now on!"

"Okay, it's settled then."

Jiang Li nodded in satisfaction. "By the way, I think you're a pretty honest person. I happen to have a new order here, placed by a big client."

He pulled a crumpled order from his pocket (actually, it was an intelligence report given to him by Su Qingge).

"This client said he wanted to eat 'dragon meat.' He said he'd pay a billion if anyone could get real dragon meat!"

"A billion!" Jiang Li's eyes burned with fervor. "I'm just wondering where to find dragons. Since you're a gourmet hunter, do you know where to find one?"

"Dragon...dragon meat?"

Lei Meng was startled. "Master, you mean... a true ancient dragon?"

"Yes, preferably the kind that swims in the sea, and they're big."

"this……"

Lei Meng swallowed hard. "Legend has it that in the deepest part of the Ruins of Return lies a [Abyssal Dragon] (S+ rank Ancient God). But that place... once you go in, you can't come out!"

"Return to the Void? Return to the Void again?"

Jiang Li's eyes lit up. "Uncle Wang also told me about that place. It seems we absolutely have to go!"

He patted Lei Meng on the shoulder.

"Alright, you can help out here for now, wash the vegetables and stuff. I'll get everything ready, and in a couple of days we'll go to that Ruins of Return and fish out that dragon!"

"When the time comes, you'll definitely get a piece of the dragon liver and phoenix marrow!"

Looking at Jiang Li's crazy (confident) eyes, Lei Meng felt his blood boiling.

Fishing for ancient gods? Making dragon meat sashimi?

This is the ultimate dream of a Gourmet Hunter!

"Yes, Master! I'll follow you!"

……

And so, Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant gained another A-level expert who was called a "food taster" but was actually a "super bodyguard".

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in a dark corner.

The mastermind who once tried to kidnap Jiang Xiaoyu is now keeping a close eye on the booming seafood restaurant through the eyes of a rat from the abyss.

"Damn it... even that brute Lei Meng has been bribed?"

"Just who exactly is this Jiang Li?"

The shadowy figure gritted its teeth.

"It seems we have no choice but to use that trump card..."

"Since he cares about his family, then let his family... become one of us!"

The shadowy figure produced a strange black statue and began to chant an ancient and evil incantation in a low voice.

A more secretive and vicious curse targeting Jiang Xiaoyu is quietly descending.