And the most important thing was this:

  These were clearly just side products sold as an afterthought, yet in terms of flavor, they completely overshadowed the dishes of Drunk Cloud Restaurant.

  Han Ming was so angry he felt like spitting blood.

  "Fine. All I want right now is another Bacon Sandwich. Since you are the Manager, just name your price," Han Ming said through gritted teeth, willing to swallow his pride for the sake of his stomach.

  "Apologies, but I have already said it. Each snack is limited to one per person, per day. I will not make an exception for anyone," Kael replied, shaking his head with his usual expressionless face.

  "You!"

  Han Ming choked on his anger, his finger trembling as he pointed at Kael.

  After a long pause, Han Ming seemed to realize something. He let out a cold chuckle, as if he had seen through everything. "I get it now. No wonder you use purchase limits and send people to cause trouble at Drunk Cloud."

  "I told you, I didn't do that," Kael shook his head slightly, not bothering to argue further.

  Han Ming ignored him, continuing with his own narrative. "The reason is that your shop can't produce a real Main Course. You don't have the capability to compete with Drunk Cloud directly."

  "That’s why you have to resort to these cheap tricks!"

  Han Ming felt more and more convinced the longer he spoke. He almost wanted to applaud his own deduction skills.

  "System, can you refute him? I find him incredibly annoying," Kael thought, watching Han Ming spout nonsense in the middle of his shop.

  He silently called out to the System.

  [System: No threat to the Host detected.]

  Kael paused for a moment before speaking very seriously in his mind. "If I could be threatened by a guy like this, I wouldn't need to open a shop at all."

  A fifty-level cultivator being threatened by an ordinary person? Impossible.

  Kael rephrased his request. "System, what I mean is, do you have a 'Main Course' in your database that can shut this guy up?"

  A customer was a customer. Even if Han Ming liked to make wild accusations, he had spent money and hadn't physically caused a scene. Kael couldn't trigger the shop's defense system against him.

  Besides, regarding the "troublemakers" Han Ming mentioned, Kael had a pretty good guess. It was almost certainly his own customers going to Drunk Cloud after eating his snacks and finding the restaurant food lacking.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Strictly speaking, Han Ming wasn't making things up out of nowhere. Kicking him out now would treat the symptom, not the root cause.

  The System fell silent upon hearing Kael's request.

  After a long while, Kael heard a voice in his head that sounded somewhat pained.

  [System: For the peace of the shop, for the dignity of the Host, and for the face of the System, a new snack is now being released: Instant Cup Noodles. Flavors are random.]

  "Stop. System, I don't care about dignity or whatever, and I can overlook you categorizing noodles as a snack," Kael was almost dumbfounded.

  "But I asked for a Main Course. What do you mean by giving me Instant Noodles?"

  Kael asked, suppressing his rage.

  [System: Instant Cup Noodles. Price: 30 Spirit Crystals per bucket. Special Effect: Small boost to Comprehension (Insight). Duration: 12 hours.]

  The System ignored Kael's anger entirely. After quickly listing the necessary information, it vanished as per custom.

  "Forget it."

  Kael shook his head helplessly. He looked at Han Ming and said, "I know what you mean. The thing you want... I have it. Come here."

  "Hmph. Although your Bacon Sandwich is indeed delicious and surpasses Drunk Cloud's food, it's just a trinket that can't be served at a formal table," Han Ming chattered on as he followed Kael. "The most important thing for a restaurant is a dish that can be properly served."

  Shier looked at Kael curiously, wondering what he would bring out.

  Without anyone noticing, a new option for Instant Cup Noodles had appeared on the vending machine, along with a hot water dispenser beside it.

  "This strange cabinet again?" Han Ming looked unimpressed.

  Kael didn't speak. He retrieved a bucket of noodles from the machine. with practiced ease, he peeled back the lid, tore open the seasoning packets, poured in the hot water, and placed it on the counter.

  "What is this strange thing?" Han Ming eyed the bucket with scrutiny.

  "Instant Cup Noodles. Braised Beef Flavor," Kael answered simply.

  He started wondering what the System meant by "random flavors."

  "Noodles? As a staple food, I suppose it barely qualifies for the table," Han Ming nodded slightly, acknowledging the humble item's eligibility. However, he held zero expectations for the taste of this so-called "convenience noodle."

  However, as the noodles soaked in the hot water, a miraculous aroma—unique to instant noodles—began to drift through the air.

  Anyone who has eaten cup noodles knows the truth: regardless of whether the noodles actually taste good, the smell is always overwhelmingly potent and delicious.

  In an instant, no one in the shop had the mood to enter the Combat Strength Enhancement Arena anymore.

  Everyone stood up, sniffing the air, searching for the source of the divine scent.

  Han Ming stared unblinkingly at the bucket on the counter, frantically swallowing the saliva that flooded his mouth.

  "Can I eat it yet? Is it done?" Han Ming asked, his speech slurred by the excess saliva.

  "Don't rush. Wait three minutes," Kael said leisurely.

  "Manager, what is this?" Shier couldn't help but ask.

  "Instant Cup Noodles. New product," Kael introduced it briefly so Shier could inform other customers.

  "Big Brother, what is that? Can I eat it?" Lan Zi'er, attracted by the scent, ran directly to the counter, fighting back her drool to ask politely.

  Even a glutton could be a polite, well-raised glutton.

  "Of course."

  Kael nodded and pulled out another bucket.

  This one was Spicy Flavor.

  "I think I know what 'random flavors' means now," Kael thought, looking at the bucket in his hand.

  With Lan Zi'er leading the charge, a crowd quickly gathered around the counter.

  Seeing this, Shier immediately stepped into her role. "This is today's new product, called Instant Cup Noodles. It costs 30 Spirit Crystals per bucket. After consuming, it provides a small boost to Comprehension for twelve hours."

  While Shier explained, Kael prepared the Spicy noodles for Lan Zi'er, serving as a demonstration for the gathering crowd.

  "Thirty Spirit Crystals? Just for this smell, it's worth it!"

  "Less talking, can the people in front move faster?"

  "If you bought it, go get the water! Don't waste time!"