Reading that, the corner of John's mouth lifted. In the blue glow, his smile looked a little sly.
"So that's how it is."
He swiveled his chair and glanced toward the corner.
Little Fire wasn't fully asleep. One eye cracked open, and when it saw John looking, it quickly shut again. But its trembling wings gave away its excitement.
John chuckled softly. "You're different."
Ever since its breakthrough and gaining the title "Hundred Shots, Hundred Hits," Little Fire was way beyond an ordinary chicken. Its digestion and energy conversion were near perfect. Every cut of premium beef proved it—nothing could challenge that stomach.
In a world where eating raw beast meat was basically suicide, Little Fire was the one exception.
"Your ability… it's like a cheat code."
John turned back to the screen, pulling up the price list. A kilo of level 1 beast meat cost only a tenth of a single ability drink. With 10,000 USD, instead of 10 bottles, he could fill an entire freezer with meat. The energy gain would be dozens of times higher.
The thought made his heartbeat quicken. His veins felt like they were about to burst with heat.
But his reason still held him back. "Gotta test it first."
The next day, John went to a small black market on the outskirts of the city. Hidden stalls sold all sorts of beast-related goods. Among the overwhelming stench of blood, he picked out a cheap piece of level 1 beast meat, only about the size of a fist. The seller looked at him like he was crazy, but still shoved the meat into a paper bag and muttered: "Don't eat it raw."
John just smiled without answering.
Back in his room, he placed the meat on a plate and slid it toward Little Fire. The chicken tilted its head, eyes blazing.
"Go on, try it."
Little Fire pounced, beak stabbing down with a sharp crack. The meat disappeared into its mouth like it had never existed.
John held his breath, watching.
One second. Two seconds… Little Fire stopped, blinked, then suddenly flapped its wings and clucked excitedly, bouncing around the room like it had won the lottery.
John's jaw dropped.
Through their mental link, he could feel it clearly: the energy wasn't chaotic at all. It had been smoothed out, flowing clean like spring water over stone. Pure and harmless.
He slumped into his chair and burst out laughing. "Perfect. This is the shortcut."
That night, John reopened his spreadsheet. He rewrote the formula:
10,000 USD → level 1 beast meat → energy dozens of times greater than the drink.
The numbers on the screen felt like a key unlocking the path to the sky.
Yesterday's pressure from that pile of money now turned into motivation. The burden was still there, but it felt sweet. And with Little Fire, that burden would turn into wings.
John lifted his head, looking at the golden chicken perched on his desk, its eyes shining like tiny flames.
"You're my secret. You and me… we'll walk a road no one else dares to think of."
Little Fire clucked loud and proud, wings beating hard in agreement.
The glow of the screen reflected in both their eyes. Not just slyness now, but an iron will.
The plan couldn't be clearer.
Episode 11: A New Problem
"Do you have a membership card, sir? Please swipe here."
The glass turnstile gave a soft hiss. John Markus slid the metal card he'd made last week across the scanner. A red beam passed through, the hazy barrier vanished, and he stepped inside.
The main hall opened up like a whole different world. High ceilings, rings of white light floating overhead, shining down on polished black tiles that reflected people like mirrors. Cold air poured from the massive AC system, but inside it buzzed hot with voices.
Crowds came and went in a steady flow: some in armor with swords on their backs, some lugging bags full of strange items, some in business suits with glowing gloves on their hands. The noise was chaotic, yet not messy at all—like a marketplace, but with the order of a military camp.
John swept his eyes around, muttering inwardly: This really is the brain of the ability-user world, a city inside a city.
Right in the center hung a massive electronic board. Bright text scrolled across nonstop: "Every nation has a central agency to oversee all activities of ability users." Then: "Each major city has a branch directly under it."
A staff member walked by, checking things while announcing through a loudspeaker:
"Attention: The head of each branch is one of the strongest and most respected ability users in the region. The Organization has the right to evaluate, license, and regulate all transactions, as well as publish every major event in the community."
Beneath the board stretched a long line of people waiting. Some held number boards, some whispered to each other. A woman in business attire leaned toward her friend and said:
"To go on legal hunts, you've gotta get tested here and get your license. Act without papers, and you'll get nailed right away."
Her friend nodded:
"Not to mention, anyone who wants to trade loot has to go through this center. The Organization's a true one-stop shop. They regulate, they profit, no loss at all."
Hearing that, John smirked to himself. Half interior ministry, half wholesale market, half job center. Clever.
He didn't linger. He went straight to the materials section at the far end. Rows of bright white display cases stretched out like a giant cold storage. A blast of chill air made him shiver.
A staff member in a blue uniform hurried over, flashing a standard smile:
"Hello sir, which material would you like? Meat, crystals, or organs?"
"Just meat," John replied, eyes already fixed on the price list inside.
Bright red cuts of meat were packed in transparent glass containers, each tagged with a glowing price label. John bent down, reading the first line.
"Level 1 beast pork…" He did a quick calculation, comparing it with normal pork prices. His eyes widened instantly. Five times more!
"You kidding me?" he blurted, then gave a wry laugh. "A kilo of pork costs as much as five. Whoever raises these pigs makes more than gold traders."
The staffer kept smiling, silent.
John moved to the next case. The label flashed: Level 1 beast beef. He read it, swallowed hard. Ten times the price of regular beef.
"God…" He rubbed his forehead, shaking his head. "One steak of this stuff and you can kiss a whole week's paycheck goodbye. After eating, you'd be chewing air to survive."
A nearby customer chuckled, chiming in:
"First time here, huh? Don't compare it to normal meat. Livestock raised in level 1 realms are different. Rich energy, but gentle, easy to absorb, absolutely safe. The price is justified."
"Justified for you." John shrugged. "For me… it's robbery."
The man shrugged back and walked away.
John stayed crouched, staring at the glowing price tags. Even though Little Fire could absorb perfectly, he felt his blood boil in reverse. Feeding it like this was no better than raising a luxury addict, burning money with every meal.
He let out a slow sigh, leaning on the counter, eyes locked on the carefully sealed packages.
No. This way's a massive loss. I need another option. A kind of meat with wilder energy, harder to absorb… and therefore cheaper.
Straightening up, he pulled his gaze away from the glass case. The corner of his lips curled, half self-mockery, half calculation.
"If I can't find that kind, I'll have to sell a kidney just to feed Little Fire."