C20 Fighting with Me You will Have Rice to Eat!

Indeed, the system's disdain wasn't unfounded. Shen Chen really didn't know some of the more basic techniques, and frankly, he couldn't be bothered to learn them. But now, seeing them all neatly laid out before him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise.

The collection of techniques was modest, and at a cursory glance, they were all defensive in nature. Annoyingly, there wasn't a single offensive move among them.

"Pfft, I got my hopes up for some offensive techniques. Talk about a letdown!"

"People call the Earth Element garbage, and it looks like they might be onto something."

Shen Chen shrugged off the disappointment. As a complete novice, he wasn't in a position to be choosy, and he certainly wasn't losing any sleep over it.

Upon exiting, he noticed that everyone from Ocean Mountain Base had cleared out. Amu approached with a mischievous grin, flashing an OK sign.

"Brothers, you've all worked hard. Dinner's on me tonight."

His declaration sparked a wave of excitement. They all had rice but were too thrifty to indulge. Shen Chen, on the other hand, had rice to spare and was ready to feast without restraint.

Riding on the coattails of his 'big brother,' his moment to shine had finally arrived.

They closed up shop and headed to Cloud Mountain Base together, chatting and joking along the way. Some even cheekily inquired what Shen Chen was in the mood to eat.

With a laugh, Shen Chen replied, "Rice."

Those two simple words sent the spirits of the Cloud Mountain Base brothers soaring, their excitement palpable as if they hadn't tasted food in centuries.

"Brother Shen, isn't this a bit too lavish?"

Liu Yunshan was taken aback by Shen Chen's magnanimity. With so many brothers at Cloud Mountain Base, if they were to eat their fill, they might just burst.

"Relax, there's plenty of rice to go around."

Shen Chen's assurance was met with howls of delight, and his name was chanted with fervor. This left Liu Yunshan feeling somewhat embarrassed; as the head of Cloud Mountain Base, he had never seen his brothers this elated.

"There's a fight up ahead!"

A brother's shout snapped them to attention. They hurried to a crumbling wall corner for a better view and saw two factions clashing at the base of a nearby hill – it was Han Iron Base and Ocean Mountain Base locked in combat.

Shen Chen couldn't help but smirk to himself; things had indeed come to this point.

"Even the Han Iron Base can't resist in the face of absolute temptation," Liu Yunshan tsked, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Such a pity, such a pity..."

"What's a pity?" Shen Chen was puzzled. Liu Yunshan gave a sly grin. "The rice, of course. If only it had all fallen into our hands."

Shen Chen was at a loss for words, not expecting this guy to be so avaricious.

...

The battle raged with even greater ferocity than the previous night. Despite Baldie's relentless resistance, he was consistently overpowered by Blind Chung. Each of Blind Chung's lightning strikes left the earth-elemental shield riddled with massive cracks, steadily draining Baldie's strength.

Blind Chung even managed to spare efforts to strike at the other members of the Ocean Mountain Base. His blows weren't excessively cruel, but they still left many wounded.

The gap between a level two superpowered individual and a peak level three was starkly evident in that moment.

"Baldie, don't push it. If you're after the rice, go rob the scavengers. Why pick a fight with me?" Baldie exploded in frustration after repeatedly being dominated by Blind Chung, who sneered in response, "We're a respectable organization. Robbing scavengers would be laughable."

"So you're robbing me instead? Why not try your luck with the Cloud Mountain Base? Don't have the nerve, do you?"

Baldie's mention of the Cloud Mountain Base caused Liu Yunshan's face to darken. "That Baldie is no good," he muttered.

Shen Chen remained noncommittal.

"Don't rush," Blind Chung taunted. "Give up a portion from your Ocean Mountain Base, and I'll ensure the Cloud Mountain Base does the same. That way, neither side loses out."

Blind Chung launched another assault, his lightning serpent slamming into the shield with a thunderous impact.

Boom! The shield shattered. Baldie stumbled back with a grunt as Blind Chung kicked aside an Ocean Mountain Base fighter and grabbed the bag from his hand.

"Blind Chung, you scoundrel!"

Suddenly, as Baldie's curse hung in the air, something bizarre occurred. The bag in Blind Chung's grasp ripped open, and the rice spilled onto the dark purple earth, instantly tainted a sickly purple-black.

Not only did Blind Chung's pocket burst open, but the rice bags clutched by the Ocean Mountain Base experts also tore apart during the battle, spilling rice everywhere, which quickly became contaminated.

The unexpected twist caught everyone off guard.

"Was this your strategy?"

Yang Hanshuang finally understood the secretive exchange between Shen Chen and Amu—it was all about sabotaging the rice bags.

"Exactly. Mr. Shen wouldn't just hand over the rice for nothing. It's better to waste it than to let it end up in their hands."

Amu's explanation brought grins to the faces of their comrades, who now looked at Shen Chen with newfound respect. "Brilliant move. Let them fight like dogs over scraps and end up with nothing."

"It's a clever play, but they might take out their frustration on Cloud Mountain Base."

Shen Chen cautioned them to temper their optimism, knowing full well the lengths to which the two bases would go.

"Scared? Not a chance!"

The brothers brimmed with bravado.

...

With the rice now spoiled and strewn across the ground, the fight seemed pointless. But Baldie, enraged, let out a bellow and lunged at Blind Chung, demanding the rice be returned amidst his furious cries.

The clash reignited, more intense than before.

Shen Chen and the Cloud Mountain Base crew skirted the fray and made their exit, hoping the conflict would thin their ranks.

Back at Cloud Mountain Base, the brothers looked to Shen Chen with eager anticipation, not just because they had witnessed their rivals at each other's throats, but because Shen Chen had promised them a hearty rice meal for the day.

Shen Chen instructed them to get the side dishes ready; he would handle the rice himself.

In the kitchen, he found several large pots and took his time cleaning them. Anyone who offered to help was promptly sent away, and he issued a strict ban on peeking—if they did, there'd be no rice for anyone. This deterred the more curious brothers, who could only gaze longingly at the firmly shut kitchen door.

Amu wore a puzzled expression. "Something's off. Mr. Shen didn't bring any rice with him when he went into the kitchen. Without rice, how is there going to be any rice meal?"

"Yeah..."

Everyone was left speechless, but with Shen Chen's prior warning, they didn't dare get too close. They could only stand by, watching in disbelief, some even questioning whether Shen Chen was pulling their leg.

But then, the rich aroma of rice drifted through the cracks in the door, and all doubts evaporated. Eyes bulged and saliva was swallowed in anticipation.

When the door finally swung open, there was Shen Chen, grinning and gesturing towards the kitchen, inviting them in for a meal.

The crowd roared with excitement and rushed in. The sight of those pots brimming with rice sent them into a frenzy, and they erupted in cheers, "Long live Mr. Shen!"

Meanwhile, the brothers who had been waiting in the hall, speculating about Shen Chen's apparent lack of rice, were silenced as the steaming pots were brought in. The unmistakable scent of rice cleared any lingering skepticism—the aroma was undeniable.

With the delicious, tender rice melting in their mouths, many were moved to tears. It had been years since they'd tasted rice, and in that moment, it felt like a dream.

"Oh my goodness, this is amazing!"

"I feel like crying!"

"..."

Shen Chen was caught between laughter and tears, yet he was deeply content. They had earned this moment. After all the help they had provided, treating them to a meal was the least he could do.

"Where did this rice come from? I didn't see you bring any, and even if you had, it couldn't have been this much," Yang Hanshuang inquired, her curiosity piqued. Shen Chen replied softly, "That's a secret. If they ask, just say I had you set it aside earlier. I've been meaning to treat them for a while."

"Why should I cover for you?" Yang Hanshuang asked with a light laugh. Shen Chen winked, "Well, do you want them to keep enjoying this delicious rice in the future?"

"You've got me there."

No sooner had he spoken than the excited brothers posed the question. Yang Hanshuang, playing her part perfectly, relayed Shen Chen's instructions. The brothers' gratitude deepened, "Mr. Shen treats us too well. From now on, whatever Mr. Shen needs, we're on it, no questions asked!"

"Absolutely, thank you, Mr. Shen!"

The brothers were all convinced. Shen Chen chuckled, but the side dishes for the rice were embarrassingly poor.

He could unlock three items if he completed that mission involving fresh zombies.

How perfect it would be to unlock chicken, duck, and fish. Such fine rice deserved better companions, and it would be a shame to squander it.

With that thought, Shen Chen was eager to get back and start experimenting. He hadn't yet returned the 300 Level-1 Crystal Cores he borrowed from Yang Hanshuang.

Right now, his priority was to succeed in his experiment and unlock those items.

...

Dinner at the Cloud Mountain Base was filled with warmth and laughter as everyone enjoyed the steaming bowls of rice.

Upon leaving, Liu Yunshan insisted on providing an escort for Shen Chen. Initially, Shen Chen wanted to decline the kind offer, but a glance at the darkening sky outside made him reconsider. He nodded towards Yang Hanshuang, "You escort me."

"Yo—!"

A chorus of wolf whistles filled the hall, leaving Shen Chen in a state of embarrassment.