《The Immortals Shopping Mall ???》 Chapter 3: WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?! Hours passed and evening arrived. Throughout the day, no customer other than Lin Feng had come. Jin Kai hung up the ¡°We¡¯re Closed¡± sign and went upstairs. Upstairs, there was a bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Suddenly, a mechanical voice rang in Jin Kai¡¯s mind: ¡°Congratulations, host. You have successfully completed your first trade; therefore, you will be elevated to the Ultimate Martial Novice level¡ªthe most perfect form of the Martial Novice level, which is the first level of cultivators. Shortly, your first xiulian disciple will be created, and your body and soul will be refined. This process may be painful. Therefore, grit your teeth and try to endure.¡± Jin Kai sneered at the Shopping Mall System: ¡°Fuck both the Martial Novice level and the Ultimate Martial Novice level. Give me a Hatay-style chicken d?ner with single lavash, plenty of mayonnaise, and lots of sauce.¡± The Shopping Mall System frowned: ¡°It has been determined that the host is agitated. Emergency de-escalation intervention is being initiated!¡± ¡®?!!!¡¯ ??? The System looked into Jin Kai¡¯s mind with a horrifying terror it had never felt in its life and shouted, (¡°Fuck, what is happening?! How can you defy me?! What the hell is this nonsense?!¡±) What the hell is this?! The Shopping Mall System looked at me and said, ¡°Cracked Storyteller, what is happening?!¡±in great horror. I don¡¯t know- ??? ??????? ??????!!!!!!!!!! What the hell is happening?!!- I saw that Jin Kai was looking at me. This is impossible! Meanwhile, the Shopping Mall System was trembling with fear. ¡°You fucking bastards. I told you to give me a Hatay-style chicken d?ner with single lavash, plenty of mayonnaise, and lots of sauce,¡±said Jin Kai, looking at both me and the Shopping Mall System. The Shopping Mall System, what are you waiting for? You bastard, fulfill his request! ("THIS MUST BE A DREAM¡­") thought the Shopping Mall System, and on the table in front of Jin Kai, a Hatay-style chicken d?ner with single lavash, plenty of mayonnaise, and lots of sauce appeared. Jin Kai looked at me and the Shopping Mall System with contempt and said, ¡°Good job, slave.¡± ¡­ Then he snapped his fingers, and a Turkish ayran as cold as ice appeared in his hands from downstairs. Jin Kai looked at the d?ner on the table. The Hatay-style chicken d?ner with single lavash, plenty of mayonnaise, and lots of sauce in front of him was like a masterpiece. As the reddish sauce seeping lightly from the edge of the lavash and the aroma of the spicy chicken pieces inside hit his nose, his eyes almost shone. He slowly reached out his hand toward the wrap. He felt the soft texture of the lavash on his fingers. He squeezed gently, and from within, he thought, (¡°This flavor¡­ might be dangerous,¡±) He took the first bite. Bam! There was an explosion in his mouth. The deep and powerful taste of the chicken d?ner, the creamy texture of the mayonnaise, and the slightly sour-spicy balance of the sauce had come together to create an absolute flavor storm. The chicken pieces were cooked so that their exterior was crispy and the interior tender. With every bite, the chicken, sauce, and mayonnaise were practically dancing in his mouth.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. While licking the sauce from his palate with his tongue, he paused for a moment and shouted, ¡°Delicious!¡± Taking another bite of the wrap, the burst of spicy flavor in his mouth was so intense that he struggled to breathe for a moment. His eyes then fell upon the icy bottle of Turkish ayran standing beside him. The bottle, gathering tiny droplets of water on its surface, was misted over. When Jin Kai reached out and grasped the bottle, that refreshing coldness spread from his fingertips throughout his body. He shook the bottle, ensuring that the yogurt and water inside were thoroughly mixed. Then he gently turned the cap. The ¡°crisp¡± sound produced as he turned the cap seemed to proclaim to the entire universe, ¡°It is time for refreshment!¡± Before taking a sip, he brought the bottle to his mouth and inhaled its aroma. A slightly tangy, refreshing scent filled his nostrils. He added a bit of rock salt into it, then closed the bottle¡¯s cap and shook it once more. And then¡­ The moment arrived; he took a sip. As the ayran, as cold as ice and perfectly balanced, slid down his throat, Jin Kai¡¯s entire body relaxed. In that moment, he felt as if he were swimming in a cool river on a summer day. It was as though he were facing the wind naked amidst meadows and grass. The fiery spices on his tongue suddenly subsided, replaced by a cool and soothing flavor. ¡°Ah¡­¡± he let out a deep sigh. Before placing the bottle on the table, he took another sip. The slightly salty taste of the ayran lingered on his palate. Another bite of wrap, another sip of ayran¡­ Jin Kai had discovered the perfect balance of this duo. ¡°What are you discovering, man. I already knew this before you were born.¡± (Fuck, will this bastard split me like this,) I thought to myself. He looked at me and, smiling, took another bite of d?ner. It was as if he wanted to take my life away¡­ ¡°Watch closely, miserable insects,¡±he said to you. And then he executed a combination of one bite of d?ner and one sip of ayran. ¡°Finishing the d?ner and ayran simultaneously is a great art. It is one of the 333 Celestial Tao!¡± One bite of d?ner, one sip of ayran¡­ Another bite of d?ner and another sip of ayran¡­ Suddenly, the entire universe began to tremble. The ayran was transforming into Yin, and the d?ner into Yang; soon, the perfect harmony of Yin and Yang was achieved. The Celestial Tao trembled violently!!! Suddenly, time froze. (What the fuck is happening¡­) Suddenly, a pair of eyes appeared in the sky; this was the manifestation of the Heavens! Because time had frozen, no one had noticed anything. You were among them¡­ The Heavens looked at Jin Kai and produced a pair of celestial lightning bolts. It seemed as if they wanted to destroy Jin Kai! And¡­ They hurled the lightning bolts at The Immortals Shopping Mall! VIZZ! The lightning bolt shot toward The Immortals Shopping Mall at an infinite speed! It was infinitely faster than the speed of light. No, not even infinity could define this speed. When this lightning struck, nothing but ash would remain of them! ¡°Exactly, watch, not even our ashes will remain,¡±said Jin Kai arrogantly, looking at me. Zamazingo suddenly looked at the Heavens arrogantly and crowed!: ¡°¨¹ ¨¹ ¨¹R¨¹¨¹¨¹!!!¡± G¨¹MM!!!!!!!! (AHH MY EAR!!!) I covered my ears in pain. The roar crashed into the celestial lightning at a speed that exceeded infinity! BOOOOM!!!!!! The celestial lightning vanished; not even the tiniest particle remained! At the same time, the pair of eyes in the sky also disappeared. Zamazingo, looking at me, you, and the Shopping Mall System, spat arrogantly. ??? You too, Brutus? (Et tu, Brute?) Meanwhile, within Jin Kai¡¯s mind, the Shopping Mall System was turning side to side, laughing to itself in a slightly deranged manner, while Jin Kai continued to consume his ayran with perfect balance. Countless other beings, oblivious to everything, went on with their lives. As for the Heavens, I have no idea what they are doing. (Fuck, I¡¯m in trouble!) Jin Kai, with a flawless Yin and Yang cycle, finished his d?ner and ayran at the same time: ¡°Eh¡­ That was a delicious meal.¡± Then he looked at you and began to speak: ¡°What, are you hungry? Or do you not know what a Hatay-style chicken d?ner is? You pathetic ignorant insects! This is a legendary dish ranked among the top 10 most delicious foods in existence!¡± He furrowed his brows: ¡°Hey, I see that some of you fucking idiots are calling Hatay-style chicken d?ner trash. If you keep speaking this foolishly, I''ll take you with me and devour you to Zamazingo! Then I''ll place a clone in your stead, identical to you and sharing your memories! Afterwards, because your clone shares your memories, it will utter this nonsense once more, and I''ll devour it to Zamazingo as well! Then I''ll create a clone of your clone! YOU WILL BE DEVOURED BY ZAMAZINGO IN AN ENDLESS CYCLE!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it!!!¡±I shouted vehemently, looking at Jin Kai. But it was too late. Jin Kai smiled and looked at the man in front of him. ¡°???¡± ¡®Hahaha. So I must be dreaming. Otherwise, how could a novel be this ridiculous? How could a novel character possibly pull me to his side? This is definitely a dream,¡¯ consoled X person himself. (FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!)I spun around in great panic. ¡°Yeah, just a dream, pal. It¡¯s not real,¡±said Jin Kai disdainfully, and then he threw X person to Zamazingo. ¡°HAM!¡± Zamazingo swallowed X person in a single bite. At the same time, in your world: X person looked at the novel before him and was horrified upon seeing his name, birth date, all his family details, and his entire life. You saw him as X person, but X person saw it not as X person but as a massive notebook-like repository of information. The notebook contained the knowledge of everything he had ever done in his life. ¡°This is impossible!¡±he shouted, trembling with fear, as he read his own life on the screen. Then, a hand pulled him from the screen! ¡°AHHHH!!!¡± ¡®NO! DON¡¯T!!!¡¯ And Zamazingo took another bite¡­ Apparently, Jin Kai was erasing a portion of his memories. For this reason, X person either did not understand that he was a clone or realized it too late. This was the 100th Clone¡­ Of course, in your world, no one could notice anything. Because a new clone identical to the original instantly replaced X person. AUTHOR''S NOTE!: ¡°I am not responsible for anything!!¡± ¡°Shut your damn mouth. You, my ass¡¯s author!¡± ¡­ What have I gotten myself into¡­ Chapter 1: The Immortals Shopping Mall; Street Food Shop Open! (English + Türk?e) In a remote corner of Rising Sky City, at a quiet square where narrow, old stone-paved streets converged, a new shop opened with the first light of dawn. The shop¡¯s sign was simple yet eye-catching: The Immortals Shopping Mall. Beneath the sign of The Immortals Shopping Mall hung a smaller sign proclaiming ¡°Our Street Food Shop is Open.¡± Beside it, an announcement read: our exquisite warm Turkish simit, cold ayran, and hot tea are now at your service. The shop consisted of two sections: the sales area and the kitchen. The sales area was spacious and bright, with simple wooden tables and chairs arranged in neat rows. At the front stood a large counter. Beneath the counter was a glass cabinet where freshly baked simits were carefully lined up. In the cold storage immediately next to it, bottles of icy ayran stood ready. In the right corner of the counter, a teapot still burning on the stove could be seen. The aroma of the tea mingled with the scent of simit, forming a perfect harmony. The kitchen was separated from the sales area by a thick wall. Inside, there was a large stone oven, dough trays neatly arranged on shelves, and a sack of flour. The shop¡¯s owner, Jin Kai, wore a simple yet clean apron. As a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, he pulled the second batch of simits from the stone oven. The warm simits, with their golden crusts and sprinkled sesame seeds, looked perfect. He carefully placed each simit into the glass cabinet and smiled in satisfaction. Now, the simits were ready for sale. But Jin Kai was not alone. Just behind the counter, a life-sized puppet with elegantly carved wooden joints was watching him. His name was Picockyo. He was large and silent, yet his presence suggested he could spring into action at the slightest hint of unrest. In one corner of the shop, their third companion¡ªa rooster¡ªwas fidgeting. His name was Zamazingo. As the morning progressed, the streets began to stir with activity. A man in his early thirties, cheerfully deciding how best to reward himself that day, noticed the signs for ¡°The Immortals Shopping Mall¡± and ¡°Street Food Shop is Open.¡± ¡°Shopping mall? Hm? Simit, ayran¡­ What are these? What kind of street food are these?¡± he mumbled, as he opened the door and stepped inside. This man¡¯s name was Lin Feng. Just half an hour ago, he had reached the level of 9-Star Martial Novice. Of course, achieving this breakthrough had not been easy. Having been confined and training indoors for days, he was forced throughout the process to subsist on tasteless, flavorless, utterly disappointing satiety pills! Thus, today he was roaming around with the intention of rewarding himself with meat and drinks. The moment Lin Feng stepped inside, he was hit by an exquisite aroma unlike any he had ever experienced. His eyes lit up with joy, and his mouth watered. Taking a deep breath, he directed his nose toward the source of the fragrance. Before him stood a simple yet enchanting duo born from the harmony of simit and tea. ¡°What are these?¡± asked Lin Feng, gazing admiringly at the simits. With a calm smile, Jin Kai replied, ¡°These are called simit.¡± Lin Feng, while looking at the simits, lightly licked his lips and murmured, ¡°Simit¡­¡± Then he turned to Jin Kai and said, ¡°They smell wonderful. Prepare three of them for me.¡± Jin Kai nodded and retrieved three freshly baked simits from the glass cabinet, placing them onto a plate. The delightful aroma that wafted out as soon as the simits were revealed caused Lin Feng¡¯s heart to beat faster and his stomach to rumble. ¡°How can this simple bread smell so exquisite?¡± Lin Feng thought involuntarily. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to change my plan for meat and drinks today. But that might not be a bad thing at all!¡± Jin Kai extended the simits he had arranged on the counter toward Lin Feng, then, gesturing toward the beverages with a smile, asked, ¡°Would you like something with that? I have icy cold ayran and freshly brewed, piping hot tea.¡± Lin Feng looked at the ayran with a peculiar expression. He had never seen such a beverage before¡ªit possessed neither a familiar aroma nor a recognizable color; it was entirely foreign to him. However, tea was different. Its warm, soothing aroma drifted in the air, warming his spirit. Glancing at the teapot, he spoke without hesitation, ¡°You can¡¯t eat simit dry. I¡¯ll have a cup of tea.¡± Nodding in agreement, Jin Kai retrieved a sparkling clean tea cup from beneath the counter. However, instead of immediately filling it with tea, he poured boiling water into the cup and began meticulously rinsing every part of it¡ªits bottom, top, interior, and exterior¡ªswirling the water around with care. Lin Feng raised his eyebrows in astonishment. What was this? Why was he rinsing the cup with boiling water? Was the cup dirty, or was there another reason? Unable to contain himself, he asked, ¡°Why are you rinsing the cup with boiling water?¡± Jin Kai replied with a slight smile, ¡°To warm the cup. That way, the tea will remain hot for a longer time.¡± Lin Feng paused for a moment, then his eyes gleamed slightly. Nodding in approval, he murmured, ¡°Makes sense¡­¡± Once Jin Kai determined that the cup was sufficiently warmed, he skillfully added first the tea infusion and then the hot water. The deep crimson hue of the tea met the clarity of the water, dancing in the cup. As the colors blended into an enchanting harmony, Lin Feng watched, captivated. He had never seen such a tea service before. As Jin Kai poured the tea, it was as if he were performing an art. His movements were so smooth that it seemed he was presenting not tea, but a precious elixir. As a final touch, Jin Kai placed the tea cup onto a tea coaster, accompanied by two sugar cubes and a teaspoon, and extended the cup to Lin Feng. Then, with a slight gesture of his hand and a smile, he added, ¡°Price: 13 Level 1 Qi Stones.¡± Meanwhile, Lin Feng began to search his pockets, preparing to pay for the simit and tea. However, when he heard Jin Kai say ¡°13 Qi Stones,¡± he froze. His astonishment quickly turned to anger, and reflexively he shouted, ¡°13 QI STONES?! You¡¯re selling three pieces of bread and a cup of tea for 13 QI STONES?! With that money, I could have a delicious beast meat and a cup of beer! You must be out of your mind!!¡± As Lin Feng¡¯s voice echoed throughout the shop, the previously warm and friendly atmosphere was instantly shattered. The understanding and gentle expression on Jin Kai¡¯s face evaporated like morning dew under the sun, replaced by the stern, threatening look of a moneylender demanding what was rightfully his from a customer refusing to pay. ¡°Bread? Bread is your father. These are simit!¡± hissed Jin Kai, his voice as sharp and cold as a knife. ¡°How dare you place an order and then try to cancel it?! If you¡¯re a pathetic wretch, you¡¯d better ask for the price before ordering next time!¡± There had been a magical tranquility in the shop, until this very moment. Now, that warm atmosphere had given way to menace and tension. For a moment, Lin Feng realized that his hunger had clouded all sense. Until just moments ago, the only thing on his mind was to have a delicious meal as soon as possible. The satiety pills he had consumed for days had left him weary, so from the moment he stepped into the shop, all his attention had been focused solely on the aromatic simit and tea. But now¡­ that enchantment had been broken. Food was now secondary. What mattered was his honor! Was he going to behave like a pitiful man who unquestioningly submits to a thousand absurd demands just to bed the woman he fancied? No! He would not succumb to his hunger. He had to put this swindler in his place! Taking a deep breath, he cautiously stepped back and scanned his surroundings. He needed to get his bearings first. He had been so dazzled by hunger moments ago that he hadn¡¯t even bothered to examine the shop, its owner, or the other people inside. If this place was protected by powerful individuals who wouldn¡¯t tolerate a raised voice, he should immediately pay for the simit and tea and quietly apologize. But if that were not the case¡­ then he could teach those here a lesson! Squinting his eyes, he quickly scanned the interior of the shop. He noticed that there were no other customers present. Only Jin Kai was there¡­ along with Picockyo (the puppet) and Zamazingo (the rooster). He furrowed his brows and looked on with suspicion. Who were these oddities, anyway? ¡°Hey, you¡¯d better pay me first before I beat you up!¡± Jin Kai¡¯s voice cut short Lin Feng¡¯s internal analysis. Lin Feng narrowed his eyes and focused on Jin Kai. When he realized that he sensed not even a trace of power emanating from him, he furrowed his brows. ("Am I dreaming?"), he thought to himself. Rubbing his eyes in astonishment, he looked again carefully. But no¡ªnothing had changed. Jin Kai was an utterly ordinary man. ¡°Just a mortal¡­¡± Lin Feng murmured. His anger had subsided. In its place, his gaze held a mix of disdain, pity, and astonishment. He looked down on him, for Jin Kai was merely a mortal. How could he possibly stand on the same level as him? A pang of sorrow welled within him¡ªclearly someone must have set Jin Kai up. Otherwise, how could one dare to open a shop among cultivators? He was shocked that people would allow this mortal to roam freely and conduct business here. Normally, Jin Kai should have long been dead! Not everyone was as understanding as Lin Feng. Most cultivators regarded mortals as mere insects. As long as an insect kept its distance from humans, it posed no problem. But if it wandered about at their feet, it would be crushed! Lin Feng thought to himself, ¡°I must be the first customer. Otherwise, he would probably have been dead long ago. This mortal is truly lucky to have encountered me.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The stern, cautious expression on his face changed. It now carried both the gravitas of an authoritarian ruler and the warmth of a friendly smile. In a tone that Jin Kai could not refuse, Lin Feng advised, ¡°You¡¯re truly lucky to have encountered me first. If anyone else were in my place, they would have killed you long ago. You must leave this place immediately. Until you depart from here, act like my slave and avoid making eye contact with anyone. I can drop you off at a mortal town¡ª¡± But Jin Kai¡¯s patience had run out! What the hell is this bastard rambling about?! WHY IS HE RAMBLING INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR THE SIMITS AND TEA?! His face soured, his eyes narrowed with anger, and in an impatient tone he commanded, ¡°Picockyo, beat this bastard and collect the 13 Qi Stones he owes!¡± Lin Feng furrowed his brows as Jin Kai interrupted him. But what truly ignited his anger were the words Jin Kai uttered about him: ¡°Beat this bastard.¡± A deep glimmer of rage appeared in his eyes. This bastard doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him! he thought. He spat with anger. ¡°Not only is he a mere mortal, but also insane! An ant truly doesn¡¯t understand kindness!¡± Fiyuuuvvv! Whack! ¡°Ahh!!!¡± A sharp crack of a whip that tore through the air was heard. A thin, reddish line appeared on Lin Feng¡¯s backside, and he suddenly cried out in pain. But the blow was not fatal. It wouldn¡¯t even be considered a serious injury. Still, it was agonizing and gave him a very tangible sense of who had beaten him! Lin Feng immediately raised his guard. His eyes scanned his surroundings rapidly. He thought with concern, ¡°What was that? Who hit me?!¡± Fiyuuuvvv! Whack! ¡°AHH!!!¡± Another whip strike! Once again, a mark appeared on Lin Feng¡¯s backside, prompting another cry. In shock, he brought his hand to his backside and rubbed it. Then, he looked at Jin Kai with eyes full of fear. A single thought echoed in his mind: ("He¡¯s not a mortal¡­ he¡¯s a hidden expert!") *************** B?l¨¹m 1: ?l¨¹ms¨¹zler Al??veri? Merkezi; Sokak Lezzetleri D¨¹kkan? a??k!
Y¨¹kselen G?k ?ehri¡¯nin ¨¹cra bir k??esinde, eski ta? d??eli dar sokaklar?n birle?ti?i sessiz bir meydanda, sabah?n ilk ???klar?yla birlikte yeni bir d¨¹kkan a??ld?. D¨¹kkan?n tabelas? sade ama dikkat ?ekiciydi: ?l¨¹ms¨¹zler Al??veri? Merkezi. ?l¨¹ms¨¹zler Al??veri? Merkezi tabelas?n?n alt?nda ise daha k¨¹?¨¹k olan ¡®Sokak Lezzetleri D¨¹kkan?m?z a??kt?r¡¯ tabelas? as?l?yd?. Yanda ise bir a??klama vard?; enfes s?cak simit, so?uk ayran ve s?cak ?ay hizmetimiz hizmetinize ba?lam??t?r. D¨¹kkan iki b?l¨¹mden olu?uyordu: sat?? yeri ve mutfak. Sat?? yeri geni? ve ayd?nl?kt?, sade ah?ap masalar ve sandalyeler s?ralanm??t?. ?n tarafta b¨¹y¨¹k bir tezgah yer al?yordu. Tezgah?n alt?nda cam bir dolap vard? ve yeni pi?mi? simitler dikkatlice dizilmi?ti. Dolab?n hemen yan?ndaki so?uk haznede buz gibi ayran ?i?eleri duruyordu. Tezgah?n sa? k??esinde ise oca?? hala yanan bir ?aydanl?k duruyordu. ?ay?n kokusu simit kokusuna kar???yor, birlikte m¨¹kemmel bir uyum olu?turuyordu. Mutfak, sat?? yerinden kal?n bir duvarla ayr?lm??t?. Burada b¨¹y¨¹k bir ta? f?r?n, raflarda d¨¹zenli s?ralanm?? hamur tepsileri ve bir un ?uval? bulunuyordu. D¨¹kkan?n sahibi Jin Kai sade ama temiz bir ?nl¨¹k giymi?ti. Aln?nda bir ter damlas? s¨¹z¨¹l¨¹rken, sabah?n ikinci simitlerini ta? f?r?ndan ??kart?yordu. S?cac?k simitler, alt?n rengi kabuklar? ve ¨¹zerlerine serpilmi? susamlarla m¨¹kemmel g?r¨¹n¨¹yordu. Simitleri teker teker dikkatlice cam dolaba yerle?tirdi ve memnuniyetle g¨¹l¨¹msedi. Art?k simitler sat??a haz?rd?. Ancak Jin Kai yaln?z de?ildi. Tezgah?n hemen arkas?nda, insan boyutunda, ah?ap eklemleri zarif?e oyulmu? bir kukla Jin Kai¡¯yi izliyordu. Onun ad? da Picockyo idi. ?ri ve sessizdi, ama bir huzursuzluk an?nda harekete ge?ebilece?ini hissettiren bir varl??? vard?. D¨¹kkan?n bir k??esinde ise ¨¹?¨¹nc¨¹ yolda?lar? olan bir horoz k?p?rdan?yordu. Onun da ad? Zamazingo idi. Sabah ilerledik?e, sokaklar hareketlenmeye ba?lad?. Yakla??k 30¡¯lu ya?lar?nda olan bir adam ne?eli bir ?ekilde bug¨¹n kendisini nas?l ?d¨¹llendirmesine gerekti?ine karar vermeye ?al???rken ¡°?l¨¹ms¨¹zler Al??veri? Merkezi¡± ve ¡°Sokak Lezzetleri D¨¹kkan? a??kt?r¡± tabelas?n? g?rd¨¹. ¡°Al??veri? merkezi mi? H?m? Simit, ayran¡­ Bunlar da ne b?yle? Hangi sokak lezzeti ki bunlar?¡± diye m?r?ldand?, kap?y? a?t? ve i?eriye do?ru bir ad?m att?. Bu adam?n ad? Lin Feng¡¯di. Lin Feng, hen¨¹z yar?m saat ?nce 9 Y?ld?zl? D?v¨¹? Acemisi seviyesine ula?m??t?. Tabi ki bu at?l?m? ger?ekle?tirmek kolay olmam??t?. G¨¹nlerdir kapal? kap? yeti?imi yapt??? i?in, bu s¨¹re? boyunca sadece lezzetsiz, tats?z, tuzsuz lanet tokluk haplar? t¨¹ketmek zorunda kalm??t?! Bu nedenle, bug¨¹n kendisini et ve i?kiyle ?d¨¹llendirmek amac?yla etrafta dola??yordu. Lin Feng i?eri ad?m?n? att??? anda, hayat?nda daha ?nce hi? deneyimlemedi?i enfes bir koku ona ?arpt?. G?zleri sevin?le parlad?, a?z? suland?. Nefesini derin derin al?rken, burnunu kokunun kayna??na y?neltti. Kar??s?nda duran, simit ve ?ay?n uyumundan olu?an o basit ama b¨¹y¨¹leyici ikili dikkatini ?ekti. ¡°Bunlar da neyin nesi?¡± diye sordu Lin Feng, simitlere hayranl?kla bakarken. Jin Kai, sakin bir tebess¨¹m e?li?inde, ¡°Bunlara simit denir,¡± diye yan?tlad?. Lin Feng, simitlere bakarken dudaklar?n? hafif?e yalad? ve, ¡°Simit¡­¡± diye m?r?ldand?. Sonra Jin Kai¡¯ye d?nd¨¹, ¡°?ok g¨¹zel kokuyor. Bana onlardan ¨¹? tane haz?rla,¡± dedi. Jin Kai ba??n? sallad? ve cam dolaptan ¨¹? tane taptaze simit ??kar?p taba?a yerle?tirdi. Simitler ortaya ??kar ??kmaz yay?lan mis gibi koku, Lin Feng¡¯in kalbinin h?zla ?arpmas?na ve karn?n?n guruldamas?na neden oldu. (¡°Bu basit ekmek nas?l bu kadar enfes kokabilir?¡±) diye d¨¹?¨¹nd¨¹ Lin Feng istemsizce. (¡°San?r?m bug¨¹nk¨¹ et ve i?ki plan?m? de?i?tirmem gerekecek. Ama bu hi? de k?t¨¹ bir ?ey olmayabilir!¡±) Jin Kai, tezgah?n ¨¹zerine koydu?u simitleri Lin Feng¡¯e uzatt?, ard?ndan i?ecekleri i?aret ederek g¨¹l¨¹mseyerek sordu: ¡°Yan?nda bir ?ey ister misin? Buz gibi so?uk ayran?m ve taze demlenmi? s?cac?k ?ay?m var.¡± Lin Feng, ayranlara tuhaf bir ifadeyle bakt?. Daha ?nce b?yle bir i?ecek g?rmemi?ti. Ne bir kokusu vard? ne de tan?d?k bir rengi. Ona tamamen yabanc?yd?. Oysa ?ay ?yle de?ildi. ?ay?n o s?cak, huzur verici kokusu havada s¨¹z¨¹l¨¹yor, i?ini ?s?t?yordu. ?aydanl??a g?z gezdirirken d¨¹?¨¹nmeden konu?tu: ¡°Simitleri kuru kuru yemek olmaz. Bir bardak ?ay alay?m.¡± Jin Kai ba??yla onaylayarak tezgah?n alt?ndan p?r?l p?r?l bir ?ay barda?? ??kard?. Ancak hemen ?ay? doldurmak yerine, kaynar suyu barda??n i?ine d?k¨¹p her yan?n? ?zenle y?kamaya ba?lad?. Alt?n?, ¨¹st¨¹n¨¹, i?ini ve d???n? suyla iyice ?alkalad?. Lin Feng ?a?k?nl?kla ka?lar?n? kald?rd?. Bu da neydi ?imdi? Neden barda?? kaynar suyla y?k?yordu? Acaba bardak kirli miydi? Yoksa ba?ka bir sebebi mi vard?? Dayanamay?p sordu: ¡°Neden barda?? kaynar suyla y?k?yorsun?¡± Jin Kai hafif bir g¨¹l¨¹msemeyle yan?tlad?: ¡°Barda?? ?s?tmak i?in. B?ylece ?ay daha uzun s¨¹re s?cak kalacak.¡± Lin Feng bir an duraksad?, ard?ndan g?zleri hafif?e parlad?. Ba??n? onaylarcas?na sallay?p m?r?ldand?: ¡°Mant?kl?¡­¡± Jin Kai barda??n yeterince ?s?nd???n? anlay?nca, b¨¹y¨¹k bir ustal?kla ?nce ?ay?n demini, ard?ndan s?cak suyunu ekledi. ?ay?n koyu k?z?l tonu, suyun berrakl???yla bulu?arak bardakta dans etti. Renkler birbirine kar???p b¨¹y¨¹leyici bir ahenge d?n¨¹?¨¹rken Lin Feng istemsizce b¨¹y¨¹lenmi? gibi izledi. Daha ?nce hi? b?yle bir ?ay servisi g?rmemi?ti. Jin Kai, ?ay? d?kerken adeta bir sanat icra ediyordu. Hareketleri ?yle p¨¹r¨¹zs¨¹zd¨¹ ki, sanki ?ay? de?il de de?erli bir iksiri sunuyordu. Son dokunu? olarak Jin Kai, ?ay barda??n? bir ?ay altl???n?n ¨¹zerine yerle?tirdi, yan?na iki k¨¹p ?eker ve bir ?ay ka???? koyarak barda?? Lin Feng¡¯e uzatt?. Sonra hafif?e elini a??p g¨¹l¨¹mseyerek ekledi: ¡°¨¹cret: 13 adet Seviye 1 Qi Ta??.¡± Lin Feng, bu s?rada ceplerini yoklayarak simitlerin ve ?ay?n ¨¹cretini ?demek i?in para ??karmaya haz?rlan?yordu. Ancak Jin Kai¡¯nin ¡®13 Qi Ta??¡¯ dedi?ini duyunca bir anda donakald?. ?a?k?nl?k yerini h?zla ?fkeye b?rakt? ve refleks olarak ba??rd?: ¡°13 Q? TA?I MI?! ¨¹? PAR?A EKMEK VE B?R BARDAK ?AYI 13 Q? TA?INA MI SATIYORSUN?! BU PARAYA ENFES B?R CANAVAR ET? VE B?R BARDAK B?RA ??ER?M! DEL?RM?? OLMALISIN!!¡± Lin Feng¡¯in sesi d¨¹kkanda yank?lan?rken, az ?nceki s?cak ve dostane atmosfer bir anda yerle bir oldu. Jin Kai¡¯nin y¨¹z¨¹ndeki anlay??l? ve nazik ifade, g¨¹ne?e d¨¹?en sabah ?iyi gibi buharla??verdi. Yerine, paras?n? ?demeyi reddeden bir m¨¹?teriden hakk?n? zorla alacak bir tefecinin sert, tehditkar ifadesi ge?ti. ¡°Ekmek mi? Ekmek senin baband?r. Bunlar simit!¡± diye t?slad? Jin Kai, sesi so?uk bir b??ak gibi keskin ve sertti. ¡°Ne c¨¹retle sipari? verip iptal etmeye kalkars?n?! E?er fakir bir pi?sen, bir dahaki sefere sipari? vermeden ?nce fiyat?n? sor!¡± D¨¹kkanda b¨¹y¨¹l¨¹ bir huzur vard?, ta ki bu an gelene kadar. ?imdi ise o s?cak atmosfer yerini tehdit ve gerilime b?rakm??t?. Lin Feng, bir an i?in a?l???n t¨¹m mant???n? buland?rd???n? fark etti. Az ?nceye kadar, akl?ndaki tek ?ey bir an ?nce g¨¹zel bir yemek yemekti. G¨¹nlerdir t¨¹ketti?i tokluk haplar? ona b?kk?nl?k vermi?ti, bu y¨¹zden d¨¹kkana ad?m att??? andan itibaren b¨¹t¨¹n dikkati yaln?zca mis gibi kokan simit ve ?ay ¨¹zerinde olmu?tu. Ama art?k¡­ bu b¨¹y¨¹ bozulmu?tu. Yemek ikinci plandayd?. ?imdi ?nemli olan onuruydu! S?rf ho?land??? kad?n? yata?a atabilmek i?in bin bir sa?ma iste?e sorgusuz sualsiz boyun e?en zavall? bir adam gibi mi davranacakt?? Hay?r! A?l???na yenik d¨¹?meyecekti. Kar??s?ndaki bu doland?r?c?ya haddini bildirmeliydi! Derin bir nefes alarak temkinli bir ad?m geri ?ekildi ve ?evresine g?z gezdirdi. ?nce etraf?n? tan?mal?yd?. Az ?nce a?l?ktan o kadar g?z¨¹ d?nm¨¹?t¨¹ ki d¨¹kkan?n kendisini, sahibini ve i?erideki di?er insanlar? inceleme zahmetine bile girmemi?ti. E?er buras?, sesini y¨¹kseltmemesi gereken g¨¹?l¨¹ ki?iler taraf?ndan korunuyorsa, hemen simit ve ?ay?n paras?n? ?deyip sessizce ?z¨¹r dilemeliydi. Ama e?er b?yle bir durum yoksa¡­ o zaman buradakilere iyi bir ders verebilirdi! G?zlerini k?sarak d¨¹kkan?n i?ini kabaca tarad?. ??eride ba?ka m¨¹?teri olmad???n? fark etti. Sadece Jin Kai vard?¡­ ve onunla birlikte Picockyo (kukla) ve Zamazingo (horoz). Ka?lar?n? ?at?p ?¨¹pheyle bakt?. Bu ucubeler de kimdi b?yle? ¡°Hey, seni d?vmeden ?nce bana param? ?desen iyi olur!¡± Jin Kai¡¯nin sesi, Lin Feng¡¯in analizini yar?da kesti. Lin Feng, g?zlerini k?st? ve Jin Kai¡¯ye odakland?. Onun ¨¹zerinde hi?bir g¨¹? k?r?nt?s? bile sezmedi?ini fark edince ka?lar? ?at?ld?. (¡°R¨¹ya m? g?r¨¹yorum?¡±) diye i?inden d¨¹?¨¹nd¨¹. ?a?k?nl?kla g?zlerini ovu?turdu ve tekrar dikkatlice bakt?. Ama hay?r, de?i?en bir ?ey yoktu. Jin Kai tamamen s?radan bir insand?. ¡°Bir ?l¨¹ml¨¹¡­¡± diye m?r?ldand? Lin Feng. Art?k ?fkesi dinmi?ti. Onun yerine bak??lar?nda k¨¹?¨¹mseme, ac?ma ve ?a?k?nl?k vard?. K¨¹?¨¹ms¨¹yordu, ?¨¹nk¨¹ Jin Kai yaln?zca bir ?l¨¹ml¨¹yd¨¹. Nas?l onunla ayn? kulvarda y¨¹zebilirdi ki? Ac?yordu, ?¨¹nk¨¹ belli ki birisi ona tuzak kurmu? olmal?yd?. Ba?ka t¨¹rl¨¹ k¨¹ltivat?rlerin aras?nda bir d¨¹kkan a?maya nas?l c¨¹ret edebilirdi? ?a?k?nd?, ?¨¹nk¨¹ insanlar bu ?l¨¹ml¨¹n¨¹n burada serbest?e dola??p i? yapmas?na nas?l g?z yummu?tu? Normalde Jin Kai ?oktan ?lm¨¹? olmal?yd?! Herkes Lin Feng gibi anlay??l? de?ildi. K¨¹ltivat?rlerin ?o?u ?l¨¹ml¨¹leri b?cek olarak g?r¨¹rd¨¹. Bir b?cek, insanlardan uzak ya?ad??? s¨¹rece sorun ??kmazd?. Ama e?er ayak alt?nda dola??rsa, ezilirdi! Lin Feng i?inden d¨¹?¨¹nd¨¹: (¡°?lk m¨¹?teri ben olmal?y?m. Yoksa b¨¹y¨¹k ihtimalle ?oktan ?lm¨¹? olurdu. Bu ?l¨¹ml¨¹ benimle kar??la?t??? i?in ger?ekten de ?ok ?ansl?.¡±) Y¨¹z¨¹ndeki sert, temkinli ifade de?i?ti. ?imdi hem otoriter bir h¨¹k¨¹mdar?n a??rl???n? hem de dostane bir tebess¨¹m¨¹n s?cakl???n? ta??yordu. Jin Kai¡¯ye kar?? reddedemeyece?i bir ses tonuyla tavsiye verdi: ¡°?lk benimle kar??la?t???n i?in ger?ekten de ?ansl?s?n. E?er yerimde bir ba?kas? olsayd?, seni ?oktan ?ld¨¹rm¨¹?t¨¹. Hemen buradan ayr?lmal?s?n. Buradan gidene kadar bana k?lem gibi davran ve kimseyle g?z temas? kurma. Seni bir ?l¨¹ml¨¹ kasabas?na b?rakabilirim-¡± Fakat Jin Kai¡¯nin sabr? art?k t¨¹kenmi?ti! Bu pi? ne sa?mal?yordu b?yle?! NEDEN S?M?TLER?N VE ?AYIN PARASINI ?DEMEK YER?NE GEVEZEL?K YAPIYORDU?! Y¨¹z¨¹ ek?idi, g?zleri ?fkeyle darald? ve sab?rs?z bir sesle emretti: ¡°Picockyo, bu pi?i d?v ve borcu olan 13 Qi Ta??n? tahsil et!¡± Lin Feng, Jin Kai¡¯nin onun s?z¨¹n¨¹ kesmesiyle ka?lar?n? ?att?. Ama as?l ?fkesini kabartan ?ey, Jin Kai¡¯nin onun hakk?nda s?yledi?i ?u kelimelerdi: ¡°Bu pi?i d?v.¡± G?zlerinde derin bir ?fke par?lt?s? belirdi. (¡°Bu pi? onun i?in neyin iyi oldu?unu bilmiyor!¡±) diye d¨¹?¨¹nd¨¹. Sinirle s?r?tt?. ¡°Yani sadece bir ?l¨¹ml¨¹ de?il, ayn? zamanda deliydin! Bir kar?nca ger?ekten de iyilikten anlamaz!-¡± Fiyuuuvvv! ?lak! ¡°Ahh!!!¡± Havay? y?rtan keskin bir k?rba? sesi duyuldu. Lin Feng¡¯in k???nda ince bir k?z?l ?izgi belirdi ve bir anda ac?yla ???l?k att?. Ama bu darbe ?l¨¹mc¨¹l de?ildi. Hatta ciddi bir yara bile say?lmazd?. Yine de can yak?c?yd? ve ona kim taraf?ndan d?v¨¹ld¨¹?¨¹ne dair ?ok somut bir his vermi?ti! Lin Feng hemen gard?n? ald?. G?zleri h?zla etraf? tarad?. Endi?eyle d¨¹?¨¹nd¨¹: (¡°Bu da ne b?yle? Kim vurdu bana?!¡±) Fiyuuuvvv! ?LAK! ¡°AHH!!!¡± Bir k?rba? darbesi daha! Lin Feng¡¯in k???nda bir kez daha patlad? ve bir ???l?k daha att?rd?. ?ok i?inde elini k???na g?t¨¹r¨¹p ovdu. Sonra Jin Kai¡¯ye korku dolu g?zlerle bakt?. Beyninde tek bir d¨¹?¨¹nce yank?land?: (¡°O bir ?l¨¹ml¨¹ de?il¡­ O gizli bir uzman!¡±) Chapter 2: My friend, this Turkish simit and tea are marvelous! (English + Türk?e)
Jin Kai did not feel happy when he saw the expression of fear on Lin Feng¡¯s face. On the contrary, his patience was wearing thinner and thinner. Another lash of the whip split the air, leaving a searing pain radiating across Lin Feng¡¯s rear. Smack! ¨C Another lash of the whip! Smack! ¨C Yet another lash landed on his rear! Whip strikes coming from an unknown direction pounded Lin Feng¡¯s backside, and Lin Feng was desperately trying to shield it! But no matter what he did, he could not fend off these blows! "Are you repentant? Will you pay your debt?!" Jin Kai asked in an authoritative tone. Smack! "Ahh! I¡ª" Smack! "Ahh! I will pay!!" Smack!¨C The final lash halted impossibly midair with a slight wave of Jin Kai¡¯s hand, just before it could touch Lin Feng. It was only then that Lin Feng was able to see the whip that had struck him. It was as thin as a rope! ("What in the world is this?!") He quickly followed the source of the whip and realized that it had extended from the fingers of a wooden puppet. ("Fuck, did I just get beaten by a puppet?!") In shame and tears, as he rubbed the pain in his rear with his hand behind his back, that thought echoed in his mind. Then he looked at Jin Kai and saw that the latter was still waiting impatiently. Jin Kai¡¯s eyes were fixed on Lin Feng¡¯s coin purse, as if he could see the Qi Stones inside! Shivering under Jin Kai¡¯s gaze, Lin Feng hastily pulled the coin purse from his pocket. He counted 13 Qi Stones and extended them to Jin Kai. The impatient look on Jin Kai¡¯s face vanished like melting ice in snowy mountains after a meteor strike the moment he saw the Qi Stones Lin Feng offered. In its place, his expression turned gentle and friendly once again. He served the Turkish simits and tea to the table with a smile: "Thank you for choosing my shop. Enjoy your meal." And Lin Feng stood there dumbfounded like an idiot. ("Fuck¡­ what is with that expression?!") ("How can he act as if nothing happened?!") ("Is this... the Tao of Shamelessness?!") Yet he could not voice these thoughts. After all, his dick wasn¡¯t that big. So, while rubbing the pain in his rear, he forced a smile and sat down on a chair. At that moment he was so terrified that he could have paid all his money just to get out of there. But seeing Jin Kai¡¯s strange behavior, he decided not to deviate from his words. He sat where he was told and began consuming the Turkish simits and tea. For about a minute he drifted into thought. Then, the exquisite aroma of the tea and simits filled his nostrils. It almost touched his soul. The scent was so wonderful that, for a moment, it even made him forget the pain in his rear. Grulll! A rumble from his stomach echoed in the shop. Lin Feng lowered his head in embarrassment. While one hand rubbed his stomach, he glanced at Jin Kai. But Jin Kai didn¡¯t even seem to care. He had moved to the front of his counter, eagerly looking toward the door. ("He must be waiting for another customer¡­") ("He¡¯s forgotten about me the moment he started making a sale...") Lin Feng furtively cast a glance at the wooden puppet. It stood unmoving in place, fixedly watching the door. Beside it was¡­ a rooster staring at him with a strange expression. Lin Feng¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ("I swear that damn rooster is looking at me with disdain!") He took a deep breath. And shook his head in despair as if to say, ¡°Where have I fallen?¡± Then he closed his eyes and focused. ("What¡¯s done is done.") ("They don¡¯t seem like they¡¯re going to harm me.") ("Besides, they didn¡¯t steal my money. They didn¡¯t even injure me.") ("If they meant to do something to me, they would have already done it.") But when he recalled the 13 Qi Stones he had just given, a sorrowful smile appeared on his face. However, the exquisite aroma of the tea and simits transformed his sorrowful smile into one filled with hope. ("Maybe it was worth it?") he mused mockingly to himself. He reached for one of the Turkish simits. His fingers immediately felt the crisp texture of the fresh dough. He gently squeezed it. The exterior was crunchy¡­ yet the interior was soft as could be. He took a bite. And his pupils dilated. The sesame-coated outer surface of the simit created a burst of flavor on his palate. The roasted taste of the sesame spread over his tongue. Then, the slightly salty and incredibly delicious texture of the dough caressed his mouth. Unbidden, a pair of tears welled up in his eyes. He chewed the simit with immense delight. And the tears streamed down his cheeks. These were tears of happiness! "Extraordinary¡­" he murmured. As the muscles in his jaw worked, an indescribable satisfaction appeared on his face. He had tasted many foods in his life. He had even eaten beast meat when he had the means. But this simit? This seemingly simple round thing? No¡­ This was something entirely different. He took another bite. This time, he paid even more attention to the inner part of the dough. The outside was crunchy, while the inside was as soft as clouds. ("The exquisite harmony of crispiness and softness¡­") Before taking a sip of tea, he placed the simit on the table. He stared at the cup. For a moment, he hesitated. He did not know what this tea was. Moreover, the two sugar cubes beside it only complicated the matter further. But¡­ The aroma was so delightful that he could no longer resist. He lifted the cup and took the first sip. The warm liquid spread over his tongue and palate. And for a moment he closed his eyes. It was an entirely different experience. So rich, so powerful in flavor that¡­ For a moment, he compared it to that exquisite beer he had never forgotten throughout his life. Yes¡­ That beer had aged in bottles for years. But this tea? This simple tea? It did not fall short of that exquisite beer in any way! "Hm?" With great astonishment, as if witnessing a miracle, he looked at the simits and tea before him. ("The pain in my rear is gone!") A surge of excitement spread across his face, but he quickly suppressed it. ("Fuck, my xiulian foundation is solidifying! Normally, it would have taken days, perhaps even weeks, to achieve this! But these simple foods¡­ They can be compared to alchemy pills!") Author¡¯s Note: In xiulian practices, cultivators must solidify their foundation when they make a minor or major breakthrough. This is somewhat akin to allowing a freshly baked food to cool down. He cast an admiring glance at Jin Kai. ("These are definitely worth the money! No, they are even more valuable than 13 Qi Stones! Both an exquisite taste and the effect of an alchemy pill!") He stood up, gathered his courage, and addressed Jin Kai with an expression full of admiration. "Sir¨C" Seeing him rise, Jin Kai became a bit excited and cut him off. "Would you like another cup of tea?" The admiration on Lin Feng¡¯s face froze. He forced a smile. "No. I¨C" Jin Kai¡¯s smile faded slightly. "Would you like a simit?" Sweat appeared on Lin Feng¡¯s forehead.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "No¨C" This time, Jin Kai¡¯s smile almost completely disappeared, replaced by an expression full of suspicion. "Is there a problem with the simit or the tea?" For the first time in his life, Lin Feng looked at Jin Kai with a foolish expression. His mind raced and he could only murmur a single word. "No¨C" But having completely lost his patience, Jin Kai interrupted him once more. "WHAT?! Then why the hell are you bothering me?!" Then, once again with excitement, he turned to the door, waiting for the next customer. Lin Feng was uncertain, but he noticed once again that the rooster was giving him a disdainful look. This time, it even seemed to be laughing at him. Moreover, the puppet now appeared to be joining in with the rooster! With his cheeks reddening in shame, Lin Feng sat back down in his chair and, while eating another simit, mumbled, "I only wanted to know your illustrious name¡­" But this time, something miraculous happened that he had not expected at all. Without breaking his composure, as if he had heard Lin Feng¡¯s mumbling, Jin Kai replied, "My name is Jin Kai. You may call me Boss Jin. The puppet that beat you is named Picockyo. And the rooster¡¯s name is Zamazingo. You may call them by their names." Lin Feng glanced at Zamazingo and Picockyo in bewilderment. ("Why on earth did he give names to a rooster and a puppet? And more importantly, why did he say I can call them? How can a rooster understand me? Also¡­ doesn¡¯t he control that puppet himself?!") He looked at Jin Kai in confusion. ("Secret experts really are eccentric¡­") Then he smiled faintly and shook his head. "Thank you for answering my question, Boss Jin." He brought his hand to the simit, and just as he was about to shove it into his mouth, he added with a small hesitation, "I will remain under your supervision, Great Master Picockyo, Great Master Zamazingo." ("Fuck, dealing with secret experts is really hard. I can never figure out what I should say¡­") Lin Feng was uncertain, but he felt that the puppet and rooster, addressed as "Great Master," had become slightly proud. He shook his head helplessly, laughed internally, and brought his hand to his tea. Just as he was about to take a sip, two sugar cubes caught his attention. He did not know what they were, but since they were served next to the cup and accompanied by a spoon, they must be something meant to be added to the tea. Therefore, he cast a secret glance at Jin Kai, ensuring that he wasn¡¯t being watched. He did not want to appear as a villager who had just come down to the city for the first time. So he took one sugar cube, lowered his head, secretly broke off a small piece, and put it into his mouth. Sweetness immediately spread across his tongue. ("So it''s sugar... Fuck, it''s so sweet! But if Boss Jin put it there, he must know what he''s doing¡­") He dropped the sugar cube from the tea coaster and the missing piece into his tea. As the sugar dissolved, he took the metal spoon and slowly stirred inside the cup. As the tea and sugar merged, the sound emanating from the cup was soft, yet it resonated like a soothing melody in one''s soul. He took a sip. ("Fuck, it''s so sweet!") He grimaced and cursed under his breath. The pleasure he had just received from the tea had completely vanished. ("But I must drink it all. If Boss Jin added the sugar, he must know something. Otherwise, why would he place sugar beside the tea?") He consoled himself in this way and reached for another simit from the table. He took a bite. The sweetness from the sugar had also tainted the flavor of the simit. With an expression filled with sorrow, he murmured once again inwardly, ("Boss Jin must know something¡­") At that very moment, Jin Kai turned to Lin Feng and noticed that the man who had just consumed the simit and tea with great pleasure was now struggling to eat them with evident distress. With a confused look, he asked, "Hey, you were eating so happily just a moment ago. Why do you now seem to be forcing yourself to eat?" Lin Feng¡¯s heart skipped a beat at this sudden question. ("Fuck, since when is he looking at me like that?!") Quickly regaining himself, he replied as if nothing had happened, "Forcing myself to eat? Why would I force myself to eat these exquisite flavors? They¡¯re so delicious!" He even smiled and took a sip of tea to prove his point. But the twitch in his eyelids and lips betrayed how fake that smile truly was. Jin Kai furrowed his brows: "Hey, I don¡¯t like liars! Tell me what¡¯s going on!" In pain, Lin Feng looked at him and mustered the courage to say, "Well¡­ at first I drank the tea without sugar and everything was fine, but when sugar was added, the taste in my mouth was ruined." Jin Kai¡¯s brows raised. "If you don¡¯t like it sweet, then why did you add sugar?" Lin Feng lowered his head and, looking at the table, replied, "Boss Jin, if you put sugar beside the tea, it means that the tea is meant to be drunk sweet." Jin Kai was stunned by this answer for a brief moment. Then he looked at him as though he were an idiot. "If you believed that tea should be drunk sweet, why would I put the sugar beside the tea? I would have mixed it directly into it before serving." Lin Feng lifted his head and looked at Jin Kai. And¡­ he saw that Jin Kai was indeed looking at him like an idiot. What kind of expression was that?! What a stupid expression indeed!! Immediately after, he glanced at Zamazingo and Picockyo. And he realized that they too were looking at him with the same expression. With a huge smile plastered on his face as if nothing had happened, he gulped down the entire tea in one go. Then he stuffed all the simits into his mouth and marched out exclaiming, "YDADS LDLS SLSDPSSL" (Thanks for the food). Before leaving through the door, he could have sworn that the rooster and the puppet were laughing at him¡­ ****************************** B?l¨¹m 2: Dostum, bu simit ve ?ay bir harika! Jin Kai, Lin Feng¡¯in y¨¹z¨¹ndeki korku dolu ifadeyi g?r¨¹nce mutlu hissetmedi. Aksine sabr? daha da t¨¹keniyordu. Bir k?rba? darbesi daha havay? yard? ve Lin Feng¡¯in k???nda zonklayan bir ac? b?rakt?. ?lak! ¨C Bir k?rba? darbesi daha! ?lak! ¨C Bir ba?ka k?rba? darbesi onun k???na indi! Bilinmeyen bir yerden gelen k?rba? darbeleri Lin Feng¡¯in k???na iniyor, Lin Feng ise k???n? korumaya ?al???yordu! Ama ne yaparsa yaps?n, bu darbeleri engelleyemiyordu! ¡°Pi?man oldun mu? Borcunu ?deyecek misin?!¡± diye sordu Jin Kai, otoriter bir ses tonuyla. ?lak! ¡°Ahh! Ben-¡± ?lak! ¡°Ahh! Ben ?deyece?im!!¡± ?lak!- Sonuncu k?rba? darbesi, Jin Kai¡¯nin elini hafif?e sallamas?yla, Lin Feng¡¯e temas etmeden ?nce havada imkans?z bir momentumla durdu. ??te ilk defa o zaman Lin Feng, kendisine vuran k?rbac? g?rebilmi?ti. Bu, ipe benzer ince bir dald?! (¡°Bu da ne b?yle?!¡±) H?zla dal?n kayna??n? takip etti ve bunun... tahta kuklan?n parmaklar?ndan uzam?? oldu?unu fark etti. (¡°S?KT?R, B?R KUKLADAN MI DAYAK YED?M BEN?!¡±) Lin Feng, utan? ve g?zya?lar? i?inde, k???n?n ac?s?n? ge?irmek i?in elini arkas?na g?t¨¹r¨¹p ovu?tururken bu d¨¹?¨¹nce zihninde yank?land?. Sonra Jin Kai¡¯ye bakt? ve onun hala sab?rs?z bir ifadeyle bekledi?ini g?rd¨¹. Jin Kai¡¯nin g?zleri, Lin Feng¡¯in para kesesine odaklanm??t?. Sanki i?indeki Qi Ta?lar?n? g?rebiliyordu! Lin Feng, Jin Kai¡¯nin bak??? kar??s?nda ¨¹rperdi ve h?zla cebinden para kesesini ??kard?. 13 tane Qi Ta?? sayd? ve hepsini Jin Kai¡¯ye uzatt?. Jin Kai¡¯nin sab?rs?z ifadesi, Lin Feng¡¯in uzatt??? Qi Ta?lar?n? g?r¨¹r g?rmez, bir meteor d¨¹?mesi sonucu karl? da?larda eriyen buzlar gibi yok oldu. Yerine, tekrar nazik ve dostane bir tav?r geldi. Simitleri ve ?ay? g¨¹l¨¹mseyerek bir masaya servis etti: ¡°D¨¹kkan?m? tercih etti?iniz i?in te?ekk¨¹r ederim, afiyet olsun.¡± Ve Lin Feng aptal gibi dona kald?. (¡°Siktir¡­ bu y¨¹z ifadesi de ne b?yle?!¡±) (¡®Nas?l hi?bir ?ey ya?anmam?? gibi davranabilir?!¡¯) (¡®Bu... Utanmazl???n Tao''su mu?!¡¯) Fakat bu d¨¹?¨¹ncelerini dile getiremezdi. ?¨¹nk¨¹ ta?aklar? o kadar b¨¹y¨¹k de?ildi. Bu y¨¹zden, bir yandan k???n?n ac?s?n? ovu?tururken, di?er yandan da g¨¹l¨¹msemeye ?al??arak sandalyeye oturdu. ?u an o kadar fazla korkuyordu ki, buradan bir an ?nce gitmek i?in t¨¹m paras?n? bile verebilirdi. Ama Jin Kai¡¯nin garip davran??lar?n? g?rd¨¹?¨¹nden dolay?, onun s?zlerinden d??ar? ??kmamaya karar verdi. G?sterdi?i yere oturdu ve simitleri ve ?ay? t¨¹ketmeye ba?lad?. Yakla??k bir dakika boyunca d¨¹?¨¹ncelere dald?. Sonra, ?ay?n ve simitlerin enfes kokusu burnunun i?ine doldu. Ve adeta ruhuna dokundu. Bu koku o kadar g¨¹zeldi ki, ona k???n?n a?r?s?n? bile bir anl???na unutturmu?tu. Grulll! Bir kar?n gurultusu, d¨¹kkanda yank?land?. Lin Feng, utan? i?inde boynunu e?di. Bir yandan karn?n? ovu?tururken, di?er yandan da Jin Kai¡¯ye bakt?. Ama Jin Kai bunu umursam?yordu bile. O, tezgah?n?n ba??na ge?mi?, heyecanla kap?ya bak?yordu. (¡°Ba?ka bir m¨¹?terinin gelmesini bekliyor¡­¡±) (¡®Bana sat?? yapt??? andan itibaren beni unuttu...¡¯) Lin Feng, gizlice tahta kuklaya bir bak?? att?. O, hareketsiz bir ?ekilde yerinde duruyor ve kap?ya bak?yordu. Yan?nda ise¡­ garip bir ifadeyle ona bakan bir horoz vard?. Lin Feng¡¯in ka?? se?irdi. (¡°Bu lanet horozun bana k¨¹?¨¹mseyerek bakt???na yemin edebilirim!¡±) Derin bir nefes verdi. Ve ¡®nereye d¨¹?t¨¹m ben!¡¯ der gibi ba??n? ?aresizce sallad?. Sonra g?zlerini kapatt? ve odakland?. (¡°Olmu?la ?lm¨¹?e ?are yoktur.¡±) (¡®Bana zarar verecek gibi durmuyorlar.¡¯) (¡®Ayr?ca param? da ?almad?lar. Beni yaralamad?lar bile.¡¯) (¡®Bana bir ?ey yapmak isteseler, ?oktan yaparlard?.¡¯) Ama az ?nce verdi?i 13 Qi Ta?? akl?na gelince¡­ Y¨¹z¨¹nde kederli bir g¨¹l¨¹mseme belirdi. Ancak, ?ay ve simidin enfes kokusu onun kederli g¨¹l¨¹msemesini, umut dolu bir g¨¹l¨¹msemeye ?evirdi. (¡®Belki de buna de?er?¡¯) diye i?inden ge?irdi hafif alayl? bir ?ekilde. Bir simide uzand?. Parmaklar?, taze hamurun gevrek dokusunu hemen hissetti. Hafif?e s?kt?. D??? ??t?r ??t?rd?¡­ ama i?i yumu?ac?kt?. Bir ?s?r?k ald?. Ve g?z bebekleri b¨¹y¨¹d¨¹. Simidin susamla kapl? d?? y¨¹zeyi, dama??nda adeta bir tat patlamas? yaratt?. Susam?n kavruk tad? diline yay?ld?. Ard?ndan hamurun hafif tuzlu ve inan?lmaz lezzetli dokusu, onun a?z?n? ok?ad?. G?zlerinde istemsizce bir ?ift g?zya?? belirdi. Simidi b¨¹y¨¹k bir hazla ?i?nedi. Ve g?zya?lar?, yanaklar?ndan a?a?? s¨¹z¨¹ld¨¹. Bunlar mutluluk g?zya?lar?yd?! ¡°Ola?an¨¹st¨¹¡­¡± diye m?r?ldand?. ?enesindeki kaslar ?al???rken, y¨¹z¨¹nde tarifsiz bir memnuniyet belirdi. Hayat?nda daha ?nce pek ?ok yiyecek tatm??t?. Paras? yetti?ince canavar eti bile yemi?ti. Ama bu simit? Bu basit g?r¨¹nen yuvarlak ?ey? Hay?r¡­ Bu, bamba?kayd?. Bir lokma daha ald?. Bu kez hamurun i? k?sm?na daha ?ok dikkat etti. D??? ??t?r, i?i ise neredeyse bulut gibi yumu?akt?. (¡°??t?rl???n ve yumu?akl???n enfes uyumu¡­¡±) Bir yudum ?ay almadan ?nce, elindeki simidi masaya koydu. Barda?a bakt?. Bir an teredd¨¹t etti. Bu ?ay?n ne oldu?unu bilmiyordu. Ayr?ca yan?ndaki iki k¨¹p, bu olay? daha da karma??kla?t?r?yordu. Ama¡­ Kokusu o kadar g¨¹zeldi ki, daha fazla dayanamad?. Barda?? kald?r?p ilk yudumu ald?. S?cak s?v?, diline ve dama??na yay?ld?. Ve bir an g?zlerini kapatt?. Bu, bamba?ka bir deneyimdi. O kadar zengin, o kadar g¨¹?l¨¹ bir tat ki¡­ Bir an, hayat? boyunca unutamad??? o enfes birayla kar??la?t?rd?. Evet¡­ O bira ?i?elerde y?llanm??t?. Ama bu ?ay? Bu basit ?ay? O enfes biradan hi? geri kalm?yordu! ¡°Hm?¡± B¨¹y¨¹k bir ?a?k?nl?kla, sanki bir mucizeye tan?kl?k ediyormu? gibi ?n¨¹ndeki simitlere ve ?aya bakt?. (¡°K???m?n a?r?s? gitmi?!¡±) Y¨¹z¨¹ne b¨¹y¨¹k bir heyecan yay?ld? ama hemen bast?rd?. (¡°S?KT?R, xiulian temelim sa?lamla??yor! Normalde bunun i?in g¨¹nlerce, hatta belki haftalarca u?ra?mam gerekirdi! Ama bu basit yiyecekler¡­ Simya haplar?yla k?yaslanabilir!¡±) Yazar notu: K¨¹ltivat?rler, xiulian uygulamalar?nda k¨¹?¨¹k ya da b¨¹y¨¹k alem atlad?klar?nda temellerini sa?lamla?t?rmal?yd?. Bu, bir nevi f?r?ndan yeni ??kan bir yiyece?in so?umaya b?rak?lmas?na benziyordu. Jin Kai¡¯ye hayranl?k dolu bir bak?? att?. (¡°Bunlar kesinlikle paras?n? hak ediyor! Hay?r, bunlar 13 Qi ta??ndan bile daha de?erli! Hem m¨¹kemmel bir lezzet hem de simya hap? etkisi!¡±) Aya?a kalkt?, cesaretini toplad? ve hayranl?k dolu bir ifadeyle Jin Kai¡¯ye seslendi. ¡°Efendim-¡° Onun aya?a kalkt???n? g?ren Jin Kai biraz heyecanland? ve s?z¨¹n¨¹ kesti. ¡°Bir bardak daha m? ?ay istiyorsun?¡± Lin Feng¡¯in y¨¹z¨¹ndeki hayranl?k donup kald?. Kendini zorlayarak g¨¹l¨¹msedi. ¡°Hay?r. Ben-¡° Jin Kai¡¯nin g¨¹l¨¹msemesi hafif?e soldu. ¡°Simit mi istiyorsun?¡± Lin Feng¡¯in aln?nda terler belirdi. ¡°Hay?r-¡° Jin Kai¡¯nin g¨¹l¨¹msemesi neredeyse tamamen yok oldu ama hala umudunu koruyordu. ¡°Enfes so?uk ayran?m? m? denemek istiyorsun?¡± Lin Feng¡¯in kalp at??lar? dakikada 300¡¯e f?rlad?. ¡°Hay?r-¡° Bu sefer Jin Kai¡¯nin g¨¹l¨¹msemesi tamamen silindi, yerini ku?ku dolu bir ifadeye b?rakt?. ¡°Simitte ya da ?ayda bir problem mi var?¡± Lin Feng, hayat?nda hi? olmad??? kadar aptal bir ifadeyle Jin Kai¡¯ye bakt?. Zihni h?zla ?al???rken sadece bir kelime m?r?ldanabildi. ¡°Hay?r-¡° Fakat sabr?n? tamamen kaybeden Jin Kai onun s?z¨¹n¨¹ bir kez daha b?ld¨¹. ¡°HAA?! O zaman ne sikime beni rahats?z ediyorsun?!¡± Ard?ndan bir kez daha heyecanla kap?ya d?nerek m¨¹?teri beklemeye koyuldu. Lin Feng emin de?ildi ama bir kez daha horozun kendisine k¨¹?¨¹mser bir bak?? att???n? g?rd¨¹. Hatta bu sefer ona g¨¹l¨¹yor gibiydi. ¨¹stelik bu sefer kukla da sanki horoza kat?lm??t?! Yana?? k?zaran Lin Feng utan? i?inde sandalyesine oturdu, bir par?a daha simit yerken m?r?ldand?. ¡°Sadece y¨¹ce isminizi ??renmek istemi?tim¡­¡± Fakat bu sefer hi? beklemedi?i mucizevi bir ?ey ger?ekle?ti. Jin Kai, tavr?n? bozmadan, Lin Feng¡¯in m?r?lt?s?n? duymu??as?na yan?tlad?. ¡°Benim ad?m Jin Kai. Bana Patron Jin diyebilirsin. Seni d?ven kuklan?n ad? Picockyo. Horozun ad? ise Zamazingo. Onlar? isimleriyle ?a??rabilirsin.¡± Lin Feng, Zamazingo ve Picockyo¡¯ya garip bir bak?? att?. (¡°Bir horoz ve kuklaya neden isim vermi? ki? Daha da ?nemlisi, neden onlar? ?a??rabilece?imi s?yledi? Bir horoz beni nas?l anlayabilir? Ayr?ca¡­ bu kuklay? kendisi kontrol etmiyor mu?!¡±) Jin Kai¡¯ye kafa kar???kl??? i?inde bakt?. (¡°Gizli uzmanlar ger?ekten de eksantrik oluyormu?¡­¡±) Sonra hafif?e g¨¹l¨¹msedi ve ba??n? sallad?. ¡°Sorumu cevaplad???n?z i?in te?ekk¨¹r ederim, Patron Jin.¡± Elini simide g?t¨¹rd¨¹, tam a?z?na atacakken k¨¹?¨¹k bir teredd¨¹tle ekledi: ¡°G?zetiminiz alt?nda olaca??m, B¨¹y¨¹k Usta Picockyo, B¨¹y¨¹k Usta Zamazingo.¡± (¡®Siktir, gizli uzmanlarla u?ra?mak ger?ekten zor. Ne s?ylemem gerekti?ini kestiremiyorum¡­¡¯) Lin Feng emin de?ildi ama ¡®B¨¹y¨¹k Usta¡¯ diye hitap edilen kukla ve horozun hafif?e gururland???n? hissetti. Kafas?n? ?aresizce sallad?, i?inden g¨¹lerek elini ?aya g?t¨¹rd¨¹. Tam yudumlayacakken iki k¨¹p ?eker dikkatini ?ekti. Bunlar?n ne oldu?unu bilmiyordu ama barda??n yan?nda servis edildi?ine ve yan?nda bir de ka??k oldu?una g?re ?aya at?lmas? gereken bir ?ey olmal?yd?. Bu y¨¹zden Jin Kai¡¯ye gizli bir bak?? att? ve onun kendisine bakmad???ndan emin oldu. Kar??s?nda ilk defa ?ehre inen bir k?yl¨¹ g?r¨¹nmek istemiyordu. Bu sebeple bir tane k¨¹p ?eker ald?, ba??n? e?erek gizlice k¨¹?¨¹k bir par?a kopar?p a?z?na att?. Tatl?l?k hemen diline yay?ld?. (¡°Demek ?eker... Siktir, ?ok tatl?! Ama Patron Jin bunu koydu?una g?re bir bildi?i vard?r¡­¡±) ?ay altl???ndaki k¨¹p ?ekeri ve elindeki eksik k¨¹p¨¹ ?ay?n i?ine b?rakt?. ?eker erirken metal ka???? ald? ve barda??n i?inde yava??a d?nd¨¹rd¨¹. ?ay ve ?eker birle?irken bardaktan ??kan ses hafif, ama insan?n i?ini rahatlatan bir t?n? gibiydi. Bir yudum ald?. (¡°Siktir, ?ok tatl?!¡±) Y¨¹z¨¹n¨¹ ek?iterek i?inden s?vd¨¹. Az ?nce ?aydan ald??? haz tamamen yok olmu?tu. (¡°Ama hepsini i?mem laz?m. Patron Jin ?ekeri koydu?una g?re bir bildi?i vard?r. Yoksa neden ?ay?n yan?na ?eker koysun ki?¡±) Kendini b?yle teselli etti ve masadaki simitlerden birine yeniden uzand?. Bir ?s?r?k ald?. ?ekerden kaynaklanan tatl?l?k, simidin lezzetini de bozmu?tu. G?zlerinde keder dolu bir ifadeyle bir kez daha i?inden m?r?ldand?: (¡°Patron Jin¡¯in bir bildi?i vard?r¡­¡±) Tam o s?rada Jin Kai, Lin Feng¡¯e d?nd¨¹ ve az ?nce b¨¹y¨¹k bir hazla simit ve ?ay t¨¹keten adam?n aniden b¨¹y¨¹k bir s?k?nt?yla bunlar? yemeye ?al??t???n? fark etti. Kafas? kar??m?? bir ?ekilde sordu: ¡°Hey, az ?nce b¨¹y¨¹k bir keyifle yiyordun, ?imdi neden zorla yiyormu?sun gibi g?r¨¹n¨¹yorsun?¡± Lin Feng¡¯in kalbi bu ani soru kar??s?nda tekledi. (¡°Siktir, ne zamand?r bana bak?yor?!¡±) H?zla kendini toparlad? ve hi?bir ?ey olmam?? gibi cevaplad?: ¡°Zorla yemek mi? Bu enfes lezzetleri neden zorla yiyeyim ki? ?ok lezzetliler!¡± Hatta bunu kan?tlamak istercesine g¨¹l¨¹mseyerek bir yudum ?ay i?ti. Fakat g?zkapaklar?n?n ve dudaklar?n?n se?irmesi, bu g¨¹l¨¹msemenin ne kadar sahte oldu?unu hayk?r?yordu. Jin Kai ka?lar?n? ?att?: ¡°Hey, bana yalan s?yleyenlerden ho?lanmam! Ne oldu?unu s?yle!¡± Lin Feng ac? i?inde ona bakt?. Cesaretini toplayarak, ¡°?ey¡­ ?lk ba?ta ?ay? ?ekersiz i?mi?tim ve her ?ey g¨¹zeldi ama ?eker ekleyince a?z?m?n tad? bozuldu,¡± diye cevaplad?. Jin Kai¡¯nin ka?lar? kalkt?. ¡°?ekerli sevmiyorsan o zaman neden ?eker ekledin?¡± Lin Feng boynunu b¨¹kt¨¹, masaya bakarak cevaplad?: ¡°Patron Jin, ?ay?n yan?na ?eker koymu?sa ?ay ?ekerli i?ilir demektir.¡± Jin Kai bu cevap kar??s?nda k?sa bir s¨¹re donup kald?. Sonra ona, bir aptala bakar gibi bakt?. ¡°E?er ?ay?n ?ekerli i?ilmesi gerekti?ini d¨¹?¨¹nseydim, neden ?ekeri ?ay?n yan?na koyay?m ki? Direkt i?ine kat?p servis ederdim.¡± Lin Feng kafas?n? kald?r?p Jin Kai¡¯ye bakt?. Ve... onun ger?ekten kendisine aptala bakar gibi bakt???n? g?rd¨¹. Bu nas?l bir y¨¹z ifadesiydi b?yle?! Bu nas?l aptalca bir y¨¹z ifadesiydi b?yle!! Hemen ard?ndan Zamazingo ve Picockyo¡¯ya bakt?. Ve onlar?n da ayn? y¨¹z ifadesiyle kendisine bakt???n? fark etti. Hi?bir ?ey olmam?? gibi y¨¹z¨¹ne kocaman bir g¨¹l¨¹mseme yerle?tirdi, tek diki?te ?ay?n tamam?n? i?ti. Sonra t¨¹m simitleri a?z?na s?k??t?rd? ve ¡°YDADS LDLS SLSDPSSL¡± (Yemek i?in te?ekk¨¹rler) diyerek d??ar? ??kt?. Kap?dan ??kmadan ?nce, horozun ve kuklan?n ona g¨¹ld¨¹?¨¹ne yemin edebilirdi¡­