CHAPTER 679: CHAPTER 678: BEFORE THE FESTIVAL

The next day, the news of Koga Shoji’s breakthrough spread throughout the Far Moon Campus.

With so many witnesses around, and numerous club members present, it wasn’t surprising that the news got out quickly.

Moreover, Koga, who loved to show off, had made it very clear during an interview with the news department.

"...Yes, I’ve grasped a sparkling key to the treasury!"

"Here, I want to thank Instructor Xia, who pulled me back from my misguided obsession and helped me truly understand the power of ’numbness’ and ’spiciness’!"

Thus, in this issue of the Far Moon School’s newspaper, Koga Shoji became the cover story, with the huge headline—

The Ultimate Key!

"Wow!"

In the office of the Ten Master Mechanism, the silver-haired ’Table White Knight’ closed a newspaper, propped his chin on his hands, and appeared somewhat daydreamy, his eyes filled with a hint of envy.

"Tsk tsk, our leader isn’t feeling pressured by the juniors, is he?"

Beside him, Kobayakawa Ryodan sat on a chair, legs crossed, snacking, his mouth smacking loudly as he talked, lacking the aloof demeanor expected of the Ten Masters.

Si Yingshi, however, expressed his worries, "It’s great that Koga has made a breakthrough, but I’m even more afraid that he’ll regain his confidence and keep challenging me to culinary battles..."

As he spoke of culinary battles, the leader’s brow furrowed tightly.

"Well, you can relax for now, at least until the School Festival is over, he won’t have time to bother you!"

Kobayakawa Ryodan chuckled, setting down his snack bag and picking up a newly printed booklet that looked like a guide, "Here, take a look, this year’s ’School Festival’ tour guide booklet is out, in fact, the applications for opening a store were already closed yesterday at 6 PM."

"Oh?"

The other members of the Ten Master Mechanism also looked interested and Kobayakawa Ryodan distributed several pamphlets.

The High Platform Area was divided among the Ten Masters who were well-versed in the layout of each other’s restaurant stores and hence didn’t pay much attention, their gaze immediately sweeping towards the Central Area and Corridor Area.

And the Central Area was dominated by Koga Shoji and his Chinese Cooking Research Association, with the most forward spots—

A1!

"Ah—"

Then Si Yingshi couldn’t help but exclaim softly, rubbing his eyes and looking at the guide for booth A2, which listed the operator’s information—

Representative: Xingping Chuangzhen.

Grade: First Year, Senior Section.

Coincidentally, A1 and A2 were next to each other, facing each other, and A1 had much more space, leaving A2 almost no room to survive. Logically, this area would be absolutely unpopular, no Far Moon student would choose it.

But it was indeed Xingping Chuangzhen!

"Hmph, this commoner is really asking for trouble!" mocked Rui Shan Zhi Jin Ye.

Tiqie Helinai rarely agreed, "Exactly, he’s courting death!"

The other Ten Masters also had strange expressions on their faces.

Never mind that Koga Shoji hadn’t made a breakthrough, before he had made significant progress, they never believed that a mere individual could shake the foundation of Koga Shoji’s restaurant.

...

In the Polar Star Dormitory courtyard.

Xia Yu sat leisurely, tasting the rustic style rice balls made by Tanaka Hikari, Makki was opposite him, holding a School Festival guide booklet, covering her mouth and saying:

"I didn’t expect Xingping to actually confront Senior Koga head-on!"

Their respective news about confronting each other, along with the news of Koga Shoji’s breakthrough, were published in this issue of the school newspaper, naturally attracting a wave of ridicule and criticism.

Makki continued to read:

"Hmm? In the Central Area, besides Xingping and Senior Koga’s stores, Senior Ichise is leading our Polar Star Dormitory also to open a shop, Xiao Hui is going to help at the Rural Dish Research Association, she’s now the main player over there, you know..."

Hearing this, Xia Yu couldn’t help but lick his fingers, the tangy taste of the rice ball spread on his tongue, yet he didn’t care, and looked curiously at his childhood friend, "Makki, aren’t you opening your own store?"

"Oh, I’d rather participate with everyone else," Makki replied softly.

"Do you not want to own a shop of your own?"

She shook her head, then nodded, her lips curling into a faint smile, dimples appearing on her cheeks, a strange glint passing through her eyes:

"I do, actually!"

"Snap!"

Slapping his forehead, Xia Yu thought she was referring to the traditional snack house of the Sen Tian family.

"Well, if the first place restaurant prize doesn’t attract you, what about the second or third place recipe rewards?"

At this, Makki looked at him earnestly.

"Yu, do you really want to see me fight and compete for a place?"

Xia Yu was about to give a definite yes, but when he looked into the girl’s dark, clear eyes, which were like lakes, he felt as if he was electrocuted, seeing nothing but peace and purity in those eyes.

"Sigh!"

Got it.

Holding his forehead, Xia Yu suddenly felt distressed. He had pretty much pushed his childhood friend into Far Moon, but once there, the Cinderella who had put on her glass slippers underwent a change he couldn’t comprehend.

Logically, entering Far Moon should have imbued her with a competitive spirit.

But instead, his childhood friend became even more detached from worldly strife.

"Forget it, do as you wish—" Xia Yu felt helpless.

At the moment, among the group at the Polar Star Dormitory, she was the only one who kept calling him Yu, while everyone else had switched to calling him Instructor Xia or Chef Xia, maintaining a respectful distance from him.

Seeing his troubled look, Makki’s lips curved slightly, her voice soft as a mosquito’s: "Actually, I’m different from Eriina. I just want to be an assistant, not a head chef. So, I don’t need to shine too brightly, nor do I need my own castle of a restaurant."

"What?!"

Xia Yu hadn’t fully understood, "You don’t want to be a head chef?"

Their conversation was interrupted at this point by Tanaka Hikari.

"Instructor!"

With her blue hair in braids and a kind heart, Tanaka Hikari put down the school festival manual, her hands tangled together, her large eyes pleadingly looked at Xia Yu: "Please help Xingping. Senior Koga has discovered the ultimate key, possessing the magic power that captivates patrons, and if Xingping can’t come up with a counteracting recipe within the next week, it won’t just be a simple defeat in the contest—"

Taking a deep breath, Tanaka Hikari continued with a trembling voice:

"If it runs at a loss, he could be expelled!"

Unexpectedly, Tanaka Hikari spoke up to plead for Xingping Chuangzhen. Just as Xia Yu was about to respond, a stubborn voice came from the entrance of the Polar Star Dormitory’s lobby:

"I don’t need his help!"

Xingping Chuangzhen, with his arms crossed behind his head, stood at the doorway, indifferently saying, "Likewise, I’ve decided to fight using my own recipes!"

Tanaka Hikari immediately became anxious, "But..."

Xingping Chuangzhen did not heed her, walking straight up to Xia Yu, "I will defeat one strong opponent after another, and finally stand before you, on equal footing!"

"Really?"

Xia Yu’s eyes held a mysterious smile.

He had helped Koga Shoji make a breakthrough the day before, just to make the ’school festival’ more interesting.

Koga Shoji had become stronger.

And would the protagonist, Xingping Chuangzhen, enveloped in the protagonist’s halo, be able to defeat him as in the original story again?

This was just a whimsical little experiment.

Of course, if Xingping Chuangzhen needed his guidance, Xia Yu, from the standpoint of an instructor and that teaching mission, would not be stingy with his advice.

But it seemed that Xingping Chuangzhen temporarily didn’t need it.

"Let’s wait and see!"

Xia Yu thought to himself.