Chapter Forty-Eight: Everyone Has Something They Dislike

Heath stroked his chin, suspecting that the little fire dragon before him was likely the runaway Pokémon Sister Maple had mentioned. The Evergreen Voice radio had reported on the matter earlier today. The little fire dragon’s trainer had offered a reward of ten thousand League coins to reclaim it, so people all over Evergreen City were searching for it.

At this moment, what Heath saw was not a fire dragon, but ten thousand League coins dancing before his eyes, irresistible in their allure.

“Hello?” Heath gestured for Zorua and the Leek Duck to stand guard, preventing the fire dragon from escaping, then greeted it with a cheerful smile.

Yet the fire dragon seemed not to hear, intent on prying open the lid, even using its teeth. Watching this, Heath winced—if those teeth were damaged, would the reward decrease?

“Are you in a hurry?” Heath tried another approach, but the fire dragon still didn’t respond, stubbornly gnawing at the box lid. Heath drew a sharp breath.

Zorua rolled her eyes in exasperation. Clearly, this trainer wasn’t a legendary Pokémon in disguise—no legendary would be so foolish.

Suddenly, the fire dragon leapt up and crashed headfirst into Heath’s cabinet, making a loud ‘duang.’ Heath nodded approvingly; the cabinet’s quality was quite good.

“Hello, little fire dragon,” Heath said, beaming. After all, one doesn’t strike a smiling face.

But in the next instant, the fire dragon unleashed a jet of black smoke, leaving Heath coughing and gasping. By the time the smoke cleared, the fire dragon was gone.

“When did the little fellow escape?” Heath asked, looking at Zorua and the Leek Duck, their faces blackened by soot.

“I don’t know. The smoke blocked my view,” Zorua grumbled, fussing over her fur. She’d cared for it so long—the fire dragon was truly infuriating!

The Leek Duck shook his head as well. Heath finally understood how the fire dragon had managed to evade capture for so long—its smoke attack was ingeniously executed, and its escape skills were first-rate.

“Ten thousand coins...” Heath sighed, wondering how long he’d have to save to amass such a sum.

“Do you have anything to eat?” Mr. Yanin’s voice called out. Heath stood up and nodded quickly; business must go on.

But to his surprise, Mr. Yanin burst into laughter at the sight of him. Heath touched his face and realized it was still blackened like a chieftain’s mask. He hurried to wash up, finally restoring his normal appearance.

“Ha ha ha, Heath, what are you up to? Mining coal?” Mr. Yanin clutched his belly, laughing until he was breathless.

“I was burning charcoal and got smoked out,” Heath explained, finding a plausible excuse—he had indeed made charcoal just yesterday.

Mr. Yanin laughed for a while before settling down, leaving Heath a bit speechless. Was it really that funny to have a smoky face?

“Mr. Yanin, would you like something to eat?” Heath asked.

“Hm... You changed your food cart. Do you have any new dishes? I mean those you served at lunchtime,” Mr. Yanin replied after a moment’s thought.

Heath nodded, noticing Mr. Yanin still carried a trace of amusement, but as long as he could order, it was fine. Making others happy was its own reward.

“For lunch today... I recommend spicy chicken,” Heath said, recalling he still had some seasoning left from his previous batch.

Mr. Yanin was instantly interested. He had eaten at Heath’s cart for three years, usually ordering pancakes, occasionally switching to fried rice when he was tired of them. He’d heard Heath mention spicy chicken before.

He’d always been curious, but Heath, busy repaying debts, hadn’t made it until now. Finally, Mr. Yanin could satisfy his curiosity.

He promptly ordered spicy chicken. Heath prepared it and served it to him. After a few bites, Mr. Yanin’s expression turned odd.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Yanin?” Heath asked.

“It’s just... I don’t really like the taste,” Mr. Yanin admitted awkwardly. Heath wasn’t surprised; he’d anticipated this outcome from the start.

Chinese cuisine was renowned worldwide, but even within China, people from different provinces might dislike dishes from other regions. This was a different world, after all—it was impossible for everyone to like the same food.

Apparently, spicy chicken wasn’t to Mr. Yanin’s taste.

Heath sighed inwardly. If only he had something to reveal each customer’s preferred flavors...

Heath paused, then discreetly took out his magnifying glass and scanned Mr. Yanin.

[Human. Consumption may cause prion disease, increasing the risk of madness. Not recommended.]

Heath felt disappointed—not because it couldn’t be consumed, but because the magnifying glass only identified species, not individual preferences. The information he wanted remained elusive, and its usefulness was suddenly diminished.

[Special task triggered: Chef’s Eye]

[Chef’s Eye: An outstanding chef can always discern his customers’ tastes and needs. Satisfy one hundred customers with your dishes to earn the Chef’s Eye (Beginner) and unlock the next task.]

Heath was stunned. The timing of this task was perfect. With the Chef’s Eye, his ability to serve customers would be vastly enhanced.

“Mr. Yanin, may I ask what kind of flavors you prefer?” Heath looked at him, his eyes shining. One hundred customers—he was determined to satisfy them!

“Huh? Me? Well... I like... hmm...” Mr. Yanin fell into deep thought, finally responding after a while.

Something a bit salty.

Heath was taken aback. So Mr. Yanin had a strong palate. Salty dishes were a bit tricky...

Heath glanced at the Leek Duck, who was playing joyfully with Zorua. Suddenly, a dish from his previous life came to mind—something that would suit Mr. Yanin’s tastes.

But it was a complicated dish that required time, so he couldn’t serve it immediately. It would have to wait, since preparation took a while.

For now, Heath made fried rice for Mr. Yanin, and told him to come back after work to try something new. An afternoon should be enough time.

“Mr. Yanin, you must come!” Heath said, waving with a cheerful smile.