Chapter 23: A New Attribute

Returning once more to the cafeteria, Murong Xun felt a wave of relief as he saw the lights still shining brightly inside. He had no intention of going in, but the strange chef seemed rather amiable and didn’t appear hostile at all. He figured that lingering nearby for a bit of rest wouldn’t be a problem—surely no other sinister entities would dare to cause trouble here.

At this moment, the wounds on his back throbbed with acute pain, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead. With two utterly exhausted companions in tow, his movements were severely limited.

But to his surprise, just as he approached the cafeteria, the tightly sealed doors swung open. The chef, dressed in his white uniform, appeared and beckoned him inside.

“You’re letting me in?” Murong Xun asked quietly.

The chef nodded.

After a moment’s thought, Murong Xun decided to follow the chef inside. The chef quickly led them to their previous seats and handed him a menu.

He propped Xu Ying and Zhang Jiao on either side, letting them slump over the table, then took the menu. But the words on it were completely foreign to him—a jumble of incomprehensible characters. He hadn’t the faintest idea what to choose.

“Is there anything that can heal my injuries?” he asked, recalling the hint he’d received last time.

The eerie chef pointed to the first item.

Murong Xun understood. So, the chef really did have something like that here! And with his friendly demeanor, a fleeting thought crossed Murong Xun’s mind.

Glancing at his two companions, he was curious—but not surprised—by their recent awakenings. After all, anyone who could board the Ghost Bus had already proven themselves to have a high degree of spiritual sensitivity, which is why they faced such experiences.

With high potential, it was only natural to awaken directly when facing mortal danger. That’s how the earliest Awakened in the Special Abilities Bureau had come to be. Their current weakness was simply the aftermath of their first awakening—the explosive outburst had drained every ounce of their strength, leaving them like athletes who’d pushed themselves far beyond their limits.

“Is there something suitable for them as well?” Murong Xun asked.

The chef glanced at the two women, his expression faintly displeased, apparently still bearing a grudge from their previous distaste for his food.

Though reluctant, the chef pointed to the fifth item.

“All right, one each for them,” Murong Xun said.

The chef took the menu and bustled off to the kitchen. Finally, Murong Xun allowed the pain to show on his face. It wasn’t his first time being injured—he’d been hurt facing the Serpent with the Foreign Head before—but this time was far worse.

He could feel the back of his shirt soaked with blood. The wounds had begun to close, but carrying the two women here, step by step, had kept them from healing, and the bleeding hadn’t stopped.

Bracing himself on the table, Murong Xun’s face was slick with sweat and his complexion had turned pale from blood loss.

Before long, the strange chef brought out a bowl of noodles and placed it before him, gesturing for him to eat quickly before hurrying off to fetch two more bowls, which he set before Xu Ying and Zhang Jiao with none of the care he’d shown Murong Xun.

Healing Ramen: Carefully prepared by a master chef, this bowl of ramen contains his heartfelt effort and possesses a gentle healing power.
Cuisine Level: Three-star
Effect: Over the next ten minutes, slowly restores ten points of vitality.

The appearance of “vitality” as a new term puzzled Murong Xun. Was this a new attribute? He glanced at the other bowl.

Energizing Seaweed Soup: An ordinary vegetable soup, though casually made by a master chef, still proves remarkably effective.
Cuisine Level: Two-star
Effect: Slowly restores stamina.

Stamina? Another new term.

There was no time to ponder further. The chef stood expectantly by, eager for him to taste his handiwork.

Knowing the ramen’s effect, Murong Xun didn’t hesitate. He ate ravenously. Though he’d just had fried rice earlier, he felt no sense of fullness now.

While he ate heartily, Xu Ying and Zhang Jiao, faces pressed weakly to the table, managed to scoop up small spoonfuls of soup, eyes fixed on Murong Xun.

What kind of person is this? Eating so voraciously in front of us, not even offering to help, and not even the decency to turn away!

Yet, even though the chef had made the soup with little care, his skill was undeniable. After just a few sips, the two women felt their strength returning and managed to sit up straight.

Once upright, they both downed the entire bowl of seaweed soup in one go. It was only a small bowl after all, nowhere near enough to satisfy them, so they turned simultaneously to the chef.

“Could we have a bowl of fried rice? Or maybe some noodles?” they asked.

But the chef ignored their request entirely, acting as though they weren’t even there.

Murong Xun, meanwhile, paid no mind to their longing gazes. He consumed the ramen with the force of a storm, not leaving a single drop of broth. When he finished, he set down the bowl and wiped his mouth in satisfaction.

Seeing this, the chef was visibly pleased. What could be more satisfying than having one’s cooking so heartily received?

He collected the bowl, glanced back at Murong Xun with genuine friendliness, and returned to the kitchen.

Murong Xun had no time to dwell on his rapidly healing wounds—he immediately opened his status panel.

At first, his attributes were simple: essence, energy, and spirit. But after finishing the bowl of ramen, he unexpectedly unlocked the detailed attributes that should have only become available after passing the novice trial.

Essence: 1.5 (+0.3 temporary)
Vitality: 155/150 (+30 temporary)
Stamina: 55/75 (+15) [Temporary Status: Slow Healing in Effect]
Energy: 1.2
Attribute-less Power: 120/120
Spirit: 1.4
Mental Power: 122/140

Each attribute now boasted an extra branch, providing a much more intuitive sense of his condition. Originally, his essence and spirit were the same, but after the Ghoul’s Devour skill consumed the Ghost Wolf, he’d gained a slight increase in strength.

He also understood the classification now: Essence represented the body—vitality, strength, stamina—everything physical. Energy was simple as well, representing power; the panel mentioned attribute-less power, which implied there were also attribute-specific powers, like Xu Ying’s fire or Chen Lian’s light.

Spirit, of course, was mental power.