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The underground tunnel shook like a wok on high heat, and Lin Hao's heart was doing its best to outpace it. The Level 15 *Abyssal Minotaur* loomed before Squad Firestorm, its massive, horned silhouette filling the tunnel with a menacing glow. Its eyes pulsed with the same eerie Abyssal Energy as the *Crimson Fang Core* and *Abyssal Orb* in Lin Hao's *Reinforced Apron*, which were practically vibrating in his pocket. The beast's roar echoed, and its hooves cracked the stone floor, aiming straight for Lin Hao as if it knew he was the one carrying the traitor's prize.
"Sassy, I'm gonna need a *bigger* wok!" Lin Hao shouted, raising his glowing wok like a shield. His Level 10 stats were laughable against a Level 15 monster, and the *Hidden Quest: Defeat the Abyssal Minotaur and Reach the Core Chamber* wasn't exactly boosting his confidence.
[Emergency Quest Update: Defeat the Abyssal Minotaur and reach the Core Chamber. Reward: 600 EXP, Legendary Ingredient. Penalty: School-Wide Monster Surge,] Sassy, his snarky [System], chimed in. [That minotaur's got 3,000 HP and a bad attitude. Use Thread of Fate (Level 3) and Seasoning Slash (Level 3) flexibly—mix and match, get weird. Your Immortal-rank talent, Infinite Craft, loves chaos. Cook the World in a Pot (Level 3) is your ace, but don't just spam stew. Think outside the pot, Spatula Boy!]
Lin Hao dodged a hoof that cratered the ground, stumbling into Su Yan. Her *Blaze Sorceress* aura flared, and she unleashed a fireball that singed the minotaur's fur but barely dented its HP. "Spatula Boy, do something!" she yelled, ducking a swinging horn. Wang Lei's *Ironclad Knight* shield took a hit, his HP dropping to 70%. Zhou Mei's *Wind Archer* arrows bounced off the beast's hide, and Liu Tao's *Shadow Assassin* daggers scratched it, but the minotaur just roared louder.
"Flexible, huh?" Lin Hao muttered, his mind racing. "Alright, let's get weird." He activated *Thread of Fate (Level 3)*, but instead of binding the minotaur or buffing the squad's gear, he wove the golden threads into a massive, glowing tripwire across the tunnel floor. The threads shimmered, stretching 20 meters, and the minotaur charged right into it, stumbling as the threads tangled its hooves.
[Debuff applied: Abyssal Minotaur movement speed reduced by 40% for 20 seconds!]
The squad seized the opening. Su Yan's fireballs hit harder, Wang Lei's shield stabilized, Zhou Mei's arrows found weak spots, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced deeper. The crowd of students watching from the tunnel entrance—because of course they'd followed, phones out—cheered, posting to X with #SpatulaHeroTripsBull.
Lin Hao didn't stop there. He activated *Seasoning Slash (Level 3)*, grabbing a *Dragonfire Pepper* and an *Abyssal Shard* from his inventory. Instead of throwing spices, he crushed them into his wok, creating a glowing powder cloud. He aimed the cloud at the minotaur's face, the spices exploding into a *Blinding Spice Barrage* that made the beast sneeze violently, its eyes watering.
[Damage dealt: 300 HP! Debuff applied: Spicy Blindness – Accuracy reduced by 50% for 15 seconds.]
"Spatula Boy, you're insane!" Zhou Mei laughed, her arrows now hitting the minotaur's eyes. The beast flailed, its HP dropping to 2,400.
[Sassy: Keep going! Mix Cook the World in a Pot with Thread of Fate for a combo. You're a World Weaver—make it ridiculous!]
Lin Hao grinned, an idea sparking. He activated *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 3)*, his wok expanding to a 15-meter radius. He tossed in a *Ghoul Bone Shard*, a *Mystic Herb Bundle*, and the *Tainted Crystal* from the last fight, then wove *Thread of Fate* into the mix, stitching the ingredients together with glowing threads. The wok glowed like a supernova, producing *Abyssal Minotaur Marinade*—a shimmering, red-gold sauce that smelled like a barbecue at the end of the world.
"Eat this!" Lin Hao shouted, flinging the marinade at the minotaur. The sauce splashed across its hide, sizzling as it burned through fur and dealt 800 HP damage. The threads woven into the sauce tightened, binding the beast's limbs like a culinary straitjacket. The squad's wounds healed by 40%, and the marinade's aroma boosted their attack speed, making Su Yan's fireballs fly like a meteor shower.
[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 800 HP! Debuff applied: Marinade Bind – Minotaur immobilized for 10 seconds. Squad attack speed increased by 20%.]
The crowd went wild, chanting "Spat-u-la! Spat-u-la!" as X posts exploded with #SpatulaHeroCooksCow. The minotaur roared, breaking free, but its HP was down to 1,300. Su Yan unleashed a *Blaze Inferno*, Wang Lei slammed his shield into its face, Zhou Mei's arrows pincush还不
System: The message appears to be cut off, but I'll proceed with completing **Chapter 9** of the webnovel, ensuring it remains engaging, easy to follow, and incorporates Lin Hao's flexible use of his skills (*Cook the World in a Pot (Level 3)*, *Seasoning Slash (Level 3)*, *Thread of Fate (Level 3)*) as requested. The chapter will align with the story's comedic tone, apocalyptic gameified world, and the skill progression rule (new skills every 15 levels, current skills leveling up). The Global College Combat Exams are set for mid-September 2045, three months from the current date (June 7, 2045).
**Chapter 9: Minotaur Marinade and a Traitor's Taunt (Continued)**
*Word Count: ~3,900 (continued to completion)*
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ercushioned its hide, and Liu Tao's daggers carved deep gashes. The minotaur's HP plummeted to 500, and it staggered, its glowing eyes dimming.
Lin Hao saw his chance. "One last dish!" he shouted, combining *Cook the World in a Pot* and *Seasoning Slash* again. He tossed in the last of his *Dragonfire Pepper* and *Abyssal Shard*, creating a *Spicy Minotaur Meteor Soup*—a glowing, fiery broth that rocketed toward the beast like a missile. The soup exploded on impact, dealing 600 HP damage and finishing the minotaur off. It collapsed into a pile of loot: a *Minotaur Horn*, a *Tainted Abyssal Core*, and a *Glowing Leather Hide*.
[Enemy defeated! 600 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 11! Skill Upgraded: Seasoning Slash (Level 4) – Damage increased to 180-360, debuff duration increased by 10 seconds.]
The squad panted, surrounded by the steaming remnants of the marinade and soup. The tunnel smelled like a five-star apocalyptic diner, and the crowd of students at the entrance was losing it, posting clips with hashtags like #SpatulaHeroBBQsBull. Lin Hao's phone buzzed with X notifications, including a meme of him hurling a wok like a frisbee.
Su Yan wiped sweat from her brow, grinning. "Spatula Boy, you're a lunatic, but I'm not complaining. That marinade was wild."
Wang Lei grunted, inspecting his shield. "Your buffs held up. Not bad."
Zhou Mei twirled her bow, smirking. "I'm stealing that soup recipe."
Liu Tao emerged from the shadows, nodding. "Don't die. We need you."
Lin Hao clutched his wok, dazed. "Sassy, did I just take down a minotaur with cooking?"
[You're a World Weaver, kid. Cooking, sewing, spicing—you're a one-man chaos kitchen. Now grab the loot and move. The Abyssal Core Chamber's close, and the traitor's not waiting around.]
Lin Hao scooped up the loot, the *Tainted Abyssal Core* pulsing in sync with his *Crimson Fang Core* and *Abyssal Orb*. The tunnel hummed with energy, and the holographic map on the wall flickered, pointing to a chamber 50 meters ahead. The squad sprinted forward, guided by Lin Hao's *Thread of Fate* web, which glowed like a golden GPS.
The chamber was a massive cavern, its walls lined with glowing runes and a central pedestal holding a massive *Abyssal Core* the size of a basketball, radiating dark energy. Above it, a holographic screen flickered, showing the cloaked figure from before. Their voice echoed, distorted and chilling: "Weaver, you're persistent, but the surge is inevitable. Hand over the orbs, or New Shanghai falls tonight."
The screen cut off, and the *Abyssal Core* pulsed, sending a shockwave that knocked the squad back. The ground rumbled, and cracks formed, hinting at an imminent monster surge.
"Sassy, what now?!" Lin Hao yelled, his apron's orbs burning hot.
[Emergency Quest Update: Disable the Abyssal Core. Reward: 800 EXP, Legendary Weapon Material. Penalty: City-Wide Monster Surge. Use all your skills—flexibly. The core's weak to disruption, not destruction.]
Lin Hao's mind raced. "Disruption, huh? Let's get creative." He activated *Thread of Fate (Level 3)*, weaving a dense net of golden threads around the *Abyssal Core*, disrupting its energy flow. The core's pulses slowed, and the rumbling eased.
[Core disruption at 30%! Keep going!]
Next, he used *Seasoning Slash (Level 4)*, hurling a cloud of *Glimmering Spice Jar* powder at the core. The spices sparked, interfering with the core's energy, and the holographic runes flickered.
[Core disruption at 60%! One more push!]
Lin Hao activated *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 3)*, tossing in a *Ghoul Bone Shard*, *Mystic Herb Bundle*, and *Tainted Crystal*. The wok produced *Abyssal Disruption Broth*—a shimmering, chaotic soup that smelled like a thunderstorm in a spice market. He poured it over the core, and the threads tightened, the spices sparked, and the broth sizzled, shutting down the core's energy with a final flash.
[Core disabled! Emergency Quest Complete! 800 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 12! Reward: Legendary Weapon Material (Abyssal Alloy).]
The cavern went silent, and the squad stared at Lin Hao, jaws dropped. Su Yan laughed. "You're a freak, Spatula Boy. A useful freak."
The crowd outside roared, X posts flooding with #SpatulaHeroSavesCity. But Lin Hao's relief was cut short as the *Crimson Fang Core* and *Abyssal Orb* pulsed wildly in his apron, and a faint laugh echoed from the tunnel's shadows. The cloaked figure's voice whispered, "This isn't over, Weaver. The true surge is coming."
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CLIFFHANGER
As Squad Firestorm exited the tunnel, Lin Hao's [System] pinged. [Hidden Quest Update: The Abyssal Core's shutdown delayed the surge, but the traitor's still out there. Next step: Identify the faculty traitor. Warning: They know you're close.] A shadow flickered at the tunnel entrance, and a piece of paper slipped under Lin Hao's dorm door later that night, reading: "Meet me at the old library at midnight. Come alone, or the orbs are mine." Lin Hao gripped his wok, his heart pounding. "Sassy, this is a trap, isn't it?"
[Big time, Spatula Boy. Better cook up a plan.]
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