Traveling Between Two Worlds: From Bread for Maids to Fantasy Overlord

The shack was eerily quiet. All the refugees' eyes were fixed on the instant noodle package in Huang Yiming's hand, their gazes filled with confusion. They had never seen this square, brightly colored thing before, and it even seemed to have a faint aroma that made their mouths water.

Huang Yiming suppressed his nervousness. His stomach was growling with hunger, and without bothering to be polite, he tore open the instant noodle packaging, took out the mineral water that the system had rewarded him with, filled the instant noodle bowl with water, and put the lid on.

"Sizzle—"

The sound of hot water rinsing instant noodles filled the air, and within seconds, a rich aroma soared into the sky. The savory fragrance of braised beef and the rich aroma of spices instantly permeated the entire shack and drifted into the crowd of refugees outside.

This aroma was heavenly for the refugees who ate wild vegetables, cornbread, or even went hungry all year round! Everyone stared wide-eyed, sniffed intently, their mouths watering, their expressions shifting from confusion to shock, and then to fervor.

"It smells so good! What is this smell? It smells even better than the meat we eat during the New Year!" "My God, could this be a legendary celestial delicacy?" "He must be an immortal descended to earth; only an immortal could produce something that smells so good!"

Someone cried out "Immortal, spare my life!" and immediately, all the refugees inside and outside the shack knelt down. Regardless of age or gender, they all kowtowed repeatedly, calling out "Immortal" and "Master Immortal" with utmost respect. There was no trace of their previous greed and ferocity.

Huang Yiming was completely stunned, almost dropping the instant noodles in his hand. He had only made a packet of instant noodles, and he was being treated like an immortal? These people in the fantasy world are too easily fooled!

He paused for a few seconds, then quickly realized—this was a golden opportunity! He had to maintain his immortal persona to survive in Black Wind Ridge, and perhaps even seize the chance to gain some benefits. He cleared his throat, adopted a cool and indifferent demeanor, and coughed lightly, saying, "Rise, all of you. No need for formalities."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an inexplicable air of authority. The refugees were so frightened they dared not rise, remaining kneeling on the ground, heads bowed, barely daring to breathe. Huang Yiming felt a secret satisfaction, but his face remained impassive. He lifted the lid of the instant noodles, and the rich aroma wafted out once more. He picked up a fork and took a bite.

The warm noodles slid down his throat, a feeling of fullness washing over him, and he squinted his eyes contentedly. This scene, witnessed by the refugees, further confirmed his status as an immortal. A bold young refugee kowtowed and said, "Immortal Master, could you grant us a sip of your sacred soup? We're willing to exchange everything we own!"

Huang Yiming's eyes lit up; this was exactly what he wanted! He pretended to ponder for a moment, then slowly said, "Since you are all so sincere, sharing a bit is no problem. However, everything should be an equal exchange, so let's trade what you have in return."

The refugees instantly erupted in excitement, pulling out all their meager possessions: worn-out silver ornaments, rough jade, dark stones, dried herbs... They eagerly offered them to Huang Yiming, hoping to exchange them for a bowl of noodle soup.

Huang Yiming glanced at it and his gaze fell on an inconspicuous black stone—the texture looked quite good. He casually said, "Let's use this to exchange." The refugee was overjoyed and quickly handed over the stone. He then took a sip of noodle soup from Huang Yiming and drank it with great relish, as if it were the finest nectar.

[Ding! Detected that the host has completed their first interdimensional transaction, obtaining 1 top-grade jadeite rough stone, which is quite valuable. The host has unlocked the interdimensional trading achievement, rewarding them with +0.5 cubic meters of storage space.]

The system notification sounded, and Huang Yiming was overjoyed: This broken stone was actually top-grade jade? Modern "trash" is indeed a treasure here, this is a huge profit! He pretended to be calm and distributed the remaining instant noodles to a few elderly and weak refugees, instantly earning a lot of gratitude from everyone present.

The refugees frantically shoved their belongings into his face, begging for a bowl of noodle soup in exchange; some were even willing to trade clothes and farm tools. Looking at the pile of clutter before him, Huang Yiming was overjoyed: This was the right way to experience time travel!

Just as he was busy scavenging for treasures and fantasizing about getting rich quick by trading between the two worlds, a rough shout suddenly came from afar, accompanied by the sound of chains being dragged and a woman's faint sobs, breaking the tranquility of the shack area.

"Get out of the way! Don't block the way! These are fresh maids; those with money, buy them now; those without, get out of the way!"

Huang Yiming frowned and looked in the direction of the sound: several fierce-looking burly men were leading a thin woman towards them. She was covered in wounds and her clothes were tattered, but her beautiful face could not be hidden, and her eyes were full of despair. A strong sense of compassion welled up in his heart instantly.

[Ding! Host's saintly heart detected. Warning: Black Wind Ridge is a dog-eat-dog world. Saving someone is tantamount to suicide. Host is advised to turn around and leave, continue plundering treasures to make a fortune, and not meddle in other people's business and ruin your grand plan.] The system immediately poured cold water on his plans, its tone filled with disappointment. Huang Yiming ignored it completely. Looking at the wounds on the woman's body, he felt increasingly distressed—he had just crawled out of a desperate situation and understood this kind of helplessness best. Even knowing the danger, he couldn't just stand by and watch the young girl be violated.

He touched the bread in his storage space, his fingertips slightly warm, and made up his mind: even if he had to play the master to the end, he had to save this girl. At worst, the system would criticize him afterwards; he was already used to its sarcastic remarks. The surrounding refugees all turned to look, whispering and discussing, waiting to see what this "immortal" would do, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. The slave trader's shouts grew closer, and the crisp sound of the whip cracking on the ground sent chills down everyone's spines.

[Ding! Host, you're really not afraid of boiling water, can't be persuaded, huh? Fine, it's not me who'll lose anyway. A reminder: don't take out all the bread, keep it for yourself—otherwise, you'll both starve to death after saving someone, and the system won't be collecting your corpses then.] The system's comment was tinged with helplessness. Huang Yiming rolled his eyes, knowing what was going on, but outwardly maintaining a cool and aloof expression, he strode towards the slave trader—his steps seemed steady, but inwardly he was trembling, afraid of giving himself away.