I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

At the end of the cold plains, a mountain road leads to the clouds.

The Tree Spirit (treehouse form) trudged heavily, crushing the obsidian scattered on the ground, as it climbed toward the giant castle that stood high in the clouds.

That is the unknown card.

Legend has it that this is the place where the gods of dreams reside.

But according to the guide rat (the star thief), it was the most terrifying forbidden area in the entire Dreamland.

"Please don't go...please don't go..."

The giant rat lay on Er Gou's back, its two hind legs shaking like cotton being fluffed.

"The gods above... are all bad."

"They may be weak, but their bodyguard... that faceless man... is terrifying."

"He will rip your brain out, put it in a metal cylinder, and take it to the ends of the universe for exhibition!"

"A faceless man?"

Sun Wukong sat on the balcony railing, holding the half-eaten moon beast meat skewer in his hand (it was cold, but even more chewy).

"I, Old Sun, have traveled all over the country and seen plenty of shameless demons."

"If anyone dares to try and dig out my brain, I'll use these chopsticks to perform brain surgery on them first."

Jiang Li ignored the giant rat's wailing.

He was sitting in the living room of the treehouse, with several boxes of soul crystals seized from the Black Sail warship in front of him.

These crystals have a pale blue hue, representing the pure consciousness extracted from countless dreamers.

They are cold and fragile.

"Boss, are you really going to use this stuff to make food?"

Er Gou came closer and sniffed it.

"It doesn't taste like anything, it's just like ice."

"This is the best ingredient."

Jiang Li picked up a crystal and examined it against the light.

"The soul is inherently tasteless."

"Only through experiencing the joys and sorrows of life can one truly appreciate its flavor."

"Now, I will take these imprisoned, fear-filled souls..."

"Wash it clean."

"Then make it into a dessert... that can make people forget their worries."

……

Step 1: Crush and knead.

Jiang Li took out a huge piece of gauze (actually Nezha's Hun Tian Ling, which can not only prevent fire but also be used as a filter).

Envelop those soul crystals inside.

"Great Sage, lend me your strength."

Jiang Li shouted.

"Okay!"

Wukong jumped down and raised the pair of enormous rule chopsticks (though they had shrunk now).

They started hitting the bag of crystals repeatedly.

"Jingle bells—"

The hardened soul crystals were transformed into extremely fine soul powder under the impact of the power of rules.

Next, Jiang Li poured the powder into a basin of Forget-Me-Not Water (the raw material for Meng Po Soup, which he had previously obtained from the Underworld instance).

"The next step is crucial."

"Hand-rubbed".

Jiang Li washed her hands and put them into the cold water.

The Gluttony Godhood is in operation.

He wasn't kneading powder; he was comforting.

Soothe the lingering fear in the powder.

"Don't be afraid...it's alright now..."

"It's all in the past..."

As Jiang Li kneaded the water, it began to become viscous and transparent.

Countless tiny bubbles rose inside, and with each bursting bubble, a trace of the nightmare's gloom was taken away.

Ten minutes later.

A bowl of crystal-clear, jelly-like ice jelly has been formed.

……

Step 2: Boil the brown sugar.

"Iced jelly has no flavor; its soul lies in the brown sugar."

Jiang Li took out a piece of Abyss Brown Sugar.

This sugar comes from sugarcane forests deep in the abyss. It is a hundred times sweeter than ordinary sugar and has a smoky, caramelized flavor.

"Take it off the heat!"

Nezha spewed out Samadhi Fire.

The brown sugar melted in the pot, bubbling and gurgling with dark reddish-brown bubbles.

Jiang Li added another handful of Dream Osmanthus (which she had just picked in the Enchanted Forest).

And add some... raisins.

No, that's dried nightmare (the product of drying nightmare fragments, which tastes sweet and sour).

"Sizzle—"

Boil the brown sugar water until it becomes thick and coats the spoon.

A rich, warm, sweet scent reminiscent of childhood memories permeated the entire treehouse.

The fragrance even wafted out the window, drifting towards the cold, impersonal Cadas Castle.

……

Unknown Kadas, the Temple of the Gods.

This is a magnificent hall that defies the laws of physics.

The pillars are so tall that their tops are invisible, and the walls are covered with strange reliefs.

In the center of the hall, dozens of enormous golden thrones were placed.

Those seated atop are the legendary Great Ones, the gods of Earth.

They had human forms, wore magnificent robes, and carried exquisite masks.

But at this moment.

They are... trembling.

"They're here...they're here!"

A god wearing a tragic mask, his voice trembling.

"Those man-eating monsters!"

"They even turned the moon beasts into skewers and ate them!"

"Even Dagon's offspring are being made to guard the gates for them!"

"What do we do? We'll be eaten!"

These so-called "gods" don't actually have much power.

They are merely the managers of dreams, or rather... mascots.

The reason they were able to rule the Dreamland was entirely because they had an untouchable big shot protecting them.

"Quickly! Call a messenger!"

Another god wearing a comedy mask (but with a gloomy expression) shouted.

"Let that sage come and save us!"

"But... that lord is unpredictable..."

"If He knew we were this useless, He might have eaten us first!"

Just when the gods were in complete chaos.

A sweet, warm fragrance wafted into the main hall.

"Slurp..."

A goddess couldn't help but sniff.

"What does it taste like?"

"It smells so good..."

"It tastes like... brown sugar water that Mom makes?"

"It's like... that candy from your first love?"

The gods' panic was actually relieved by this fragrance.

Their stomachs, to their dismay, began to rumble.

……

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Heavy footsteps echoed outside the main hall.

then.

The obsidian gate, which was a hundred meters high, was kicked open by someone.

"Here comes Old Sun!"

Sun Wukong swaggered in, carrying those enormous chopsticks.

Behind them followed Jiang Li carrying a tray, Nezha, and Tang Sanzang who always hid his face.

"Robbery!"

Although the giant rat was afraid, it still shouted out in a show of bravado.

"Hand over...hand over all the good food!"

……

The gods were so frightened that they huddled on their thrones, trembling with fear.

"What...are you going to do?"

The leading god mustered his courage and asked.

"We...have no meat..."

"We don't taste good..."

Jiang Li looked at this group of cowardly gods.

Laughed.

"take it easy."

"I'm a cook, not a butcher."

"I generally don't kill animals as long as they behave."

Jiang Li placed the tray on the stone table in the center of the main hall.

Those were dozens of bowls of crystal-clear, soul-stirring ice jelly, drizzled with bright red syrup and sprinkled with osmanthus and nightmare-inducing herbs.

"Just now down the mountain, the atmosphere here seemed quite tense."

"Don't get so angry in this sweltering heat... no, in this freezing cold."

"I'll treat you to a bowl of ice jelly."

"Calm down."

……

The gods looked at each other in bewilderment.

Ice jelly?

What kind of operation is this?

They came to our door not to kill the god of war and seize the throne, but to... deliver takeout?

"Really...giving us food?"

A goddess floated down cautiously.

She looked at the bowl of ice jelly that was still sloshing around.

That crystalline texture is like a frozen dream.

"Glug."

She couldn't resist picking up a bowl.

I took a bite.

"Ugh!!!"

A gasp of surprise escaped from beneath the goddess's mask.

"So cool! So sweet!"

"That...that feeling of being filled with something..."

My fear... has vanished.

The ice jelly melts in your mouth.

In that instant, the pure energy contained within the soul crystals cleansed their divine hearts, which had become clouded by years of worry and fear.

The caramelized aroma of brown sugar and the delicate fragrance of osmanthus brought them a long-lost sense of warmth.

"tasty!"

"Me too!"

Seeing this, the other gods couldn't hold back any longer.

They all rushed down to grab the food.

In a short time.

The solemn temple has been transformed into a roadside stall scene.

Dozens of gods sat around the table, holding bowls, slurping down their iced jelly.

Where is even a trace of divine majesty?

……

"It seems that even gods have weaknesses."

Jiang Li leaned against a pillar, watching this scene unfold.

"As long as there are desires, there are weaknesses."

"And appetite is the easiest thing to satisfy, but also the hardest to give up."

"Amitabha."

Tang Sanzang (in his cicada form) perched on Jiang Li's shoulder.

"Benefactor, this 'sugar-coated bullet' is more effective than this monk's headband."

"That's right."

Jiang Li smiled.

But at that moment...

The temperature in the main hall... plummeted.

It's not the kind of physical cold.

Rather, it is a... logical freezing point.

The gods, who were drinking ice jelly, suddenly stopped what they were doing.

Their bodies stiffened.

The bowl in his hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

"Snap!"

"Coming...coming..."

"That sir... has arrived..."

The gods knelt on the ground in terror, burying their heads deep into the dust.

……

At the deepest part of the main hall.

On that once empty, highest black throne.

I don't know when.

A human figure appeared.

He looks very ordinary.

He was dressed in a black tailcoat, wearing a top hat, and holding a black cane.

He was tall and slender with pale skin.

But he has no face.

His face was like... a deep starry sky.

Or rather, it is a constantly changing black hole.

[Final Boss (Avatar): Nyarlathotep.]

[Titles: Crouching Chaos / Swollen Woman / Black Pharaoh / Faceless God.]

[Identity: Executive Officer of the Old Council / Mastermind behind the Dreamland / Entertainer.]

Status: Extremely interested.

……

"Wonderful."

The faceless man clapped.

Although it had no mouth, its voice rang clearly in everyone's mind.

It was a voice that was magnetic, elegant, yet with an underlying madness.

"Ever since I took over this boring dream."

"This is the first time I've seen this..."

"Someone has put these useless snacks (gods)..."

"Feeding them makes you so happy."

Nyarlathotep stepped down from the throne.

With each step he takes, the space beneath his feet shifts.

One moment it's the Egyptian desert, the next it's cyberpunk neon, and then it's a fiery abyss.

"You're the one..."

"A cook who devoured the very essence of Heaven?"

He walked up to Jiang Li.

That starry-sky face moved closer to Jiang Li.

"I can smell it..."

"You smell like... that otaku in yellow (Hastur)."

"And... the smell of giant octopus (Cthulhu) saliva."

"And even..."

Nyarlathotep extended a black finger and dipped it into the brown sugar water on Jiang Li's clothes.

"Um……"

"And... the sweetness of despair."

"interesting."

"That's so interesting."

……

Jiang Li did not retreat.

Despite the SAN value bar above his head being alarming wildly.

[WARNING! Look directly at the avatar of the Outer God!]

[SAN value determination in progress...]

[Gluttony Godhood Exemption!]

Jiang Li calmly took out a new bowl.

I served myself a bowl of ice jelly.

I added double the amount of brown sugar and raisins.

"Lord Nyarlathotep"

"Since you're here..."

"Would you like to... try a bowl too?"

"This is specially prepared for you... Extra spicy version (with some Abyss Chili Powder)."

……

Nyarlathotep paused for a moment.

Throughout his long life, he has seen countless madmen, believers, and heroes.

But I've never seen it before...

The person who dared to treat him to ice jelly.

"Hahahaha!"

He suddenly burst into wild laughter.

They laughed so hard they were doubled over, and the space around them seemed to collapse.

"good!"

"very good!"

I love your sense of humor!

He took the bowl of ice jelly.

Although it has no mouth.

But he pressed the bowl directly against his face.

"Glug."

That bowl of ice jelly was completely devoured by that starry-sky face.

"Um……"

"The taste... is very mixed."

"It suits my taste perfectly."

Nyarlathotep threw away the empty bowl.

"Since you made me happy..."

"Then I'll give you... a chance too."

He swung his cane.

Behind the main hall, a huge, twisted stargate appeared.

Behind the door.

It's that familiar... round table.

And that...boiling hot pot.

"You want to go to that dinner party, right?"

"but……"

"Having chopsticks alone is not enough."

Nyarlathotep's voice became eerie.

"That hot pot is missing one thing... a staple food."

"Staple food?" Jiang Li asked.

"right."

"Lord Azathoth (Lord of All Things) is asleep."

"If He doesn't wake up."

"This meal cannot be served."

"We need one..."

"An alarm clock that can wake Him up from his cravings."

Nyarlathotep pointed at Jiang Li.

"you."

"Is it possible?"

"Use your ingredients..."

"Go wake up... the biggest sleepyhead idiot in the universe?"

……

Jiang Li looked at the star gate.

His eyes shone with an unprecedented light.

Awaken Azathoth?

With food?

This is simply... the biggest challenge of my culinary career.

"no problem."

Jiang Li straightened his collar.

"As long as He has a mouth."

"I can make Him..."

"Woke up drooling."

"Lead the way."

"Black Pharaoh".