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

The kitchen of Shenlan Seafood Restaurant in Jianghai City.

This is the busiest and most mysterious place in the entire restaurant. The purple furnace fire (Nine Nether Soul Refining Furnace) burns day and night, and top-quality ingredients from the abyss simmer in the huge iron pot. The air is filled with a high concentration of spiritual energy fragrance that could make an ordinary awakened person drunk on the spot.

In a corner of the kitchen, a blond, blue-eyed man with a physique as perfect as a Greek sculpture stood solemnly in front of the sink, wearing a pink apron with the "Deep Blue Seafood" logo, rubber gloves, and rubber gloves.

He is Arthur, a genius and S-class powerhouse from the European Knights Templar.

At this moment, he was holding a plate covered in black oil stains (actually the remnants of some kind of evil beast's curse), as if he were holding a sword of Excalibur.

"The filth...must be purified!"

Arthur groaned and slammed the dishcloth (actually made from the hide of some high-level magical beast) across the plate.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

The black grease on the plate let out a mournful scream, then turned into a wisp of black smoke and dissipated.

Immediately afterwards, Arthur turned on the tap.

The water that flowed out was not ordinary tap water, but a "specially made cleaning water" that had been electrolyzed by the [Thunder Element Core] and mixed with [Life Source Matter].

"Splash—"

The water flowed onto the plate, emitting a faint holy light.

As Arthur looked at the plate in his hand, which had become as white as jade and even faintly glowed, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and reverence appeared in his eyes.

"Is this... the true essence of spiritual practice?"

He muttered to himself.

When he was first asked to stay and wash dishes to pay off his debts, he refused and felt humiliated.

How could a dignified paladin do such lowly work?

But soon, he found it delicious.

Because he discovered that every plate and every pot in the kitchen had the "Taoist charm" (power of rules) left behind by the man (Jiang Li) when he cooked.

While washing the dishes, he was not only cleaning the grease, but also using his holy light to fight, adapt to, and merge with the remaining abyssal rules!

With each dish he washed, his understanding of "light" and "darkness" deepened.

With each dish he washed, the holy light within him became a little purer.

In just three short days, he felt that the bottleneck that had stagnated for many years had been completely shattered, and he even faintly touched the legendary "Sacred Domain" realm!

"Washing dishes... is actually a more efficient form of cultivation than praying!"

Arthur understood.

This is not a restaurant kitchen; this is God's testing ground! It is a shortcut to the truth!

"Number 009! Stop contemplating life! There aren't enough plates in front of us! Hurry up!"

Wang Ergou (the lobby manager) shouted towards the kitchen.

"Yes, Manager!"

Arthur's spirits lifted, and his movements quickened instantly, the dishcloth dancing in the air, leaving afterimages as if he were performing some kind of profound swordsmanship.

……

Front hall, cashier counter.

Jiang Li was sitting in the boss's chair, staring blankly at the calendar.

"In a few days... it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival."

He stroked his chin. "During the holidays, we miss our loved ones even more. Although Xiaoyu is right here with us, we still need to create a festive atmosphere."

"We have to eat mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Jiang Li is a person who values ​​rituals.

"But the mooncakes on the market are too awful. We're tired of all the different kinds, like five-nut and lotus seed paste. We run a seafood restaurant, so we need to make some unique mooncakes."

"Seafood mooncakes?"

Jiang Li shook his head. "Too fishy, ​​not tasty."

His gaze drifted through the floor-to-ceiling windows to the distant horizon.

Since it's the Mid-Autumn Festival, it's a festival for worshipping the moon.

"How about... we make mooncakes using the 'moon'?"

A bold idea popped into Jiang Li's mind.

He turned to look at the [Mi-Go Brain] next to him, who was disguised as a lucky cat.

"Hey, Brain Flower, I have a question for you."

Brain: "Buzz... Boss, you said I'm your personal AI..."

"Are there any special products or delicious foods on the moon?"

brain:"……"

It was silent for a few seconds, seemingly searching its database.

"According to the star map... the far side of the moon is one of the entrances to the [Dreamland], where a creature called the [Moon-Beast] lives."

"A moon beast?"

Jiang Li's eyes lit up. "What does it look like? Is it like a rabbit? White and soft?"

After all, the legend says it's the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine.

Brain: "Uh... from a biological point of view, they are all white, have no eyes, are bulky, and are indeed... quite soft."

(In reality, the Moon Beast is a disgusting creature with pink tentacles, no facial features, resembling both a toad and a caterpillar. It is extremely cruel and enjoys enslaving other races.)

"That's right!"

Jiang Li slapped his thigh. "It's the Jade Rabbit! I knew the ancients were right!"

"Just think about it, this moon beast spends all its time pounding medicine on the moon, its flesh must be incredibly firm! And it eats immortal herbs and drinks osmanthus wine, the taste... tsk tsk tsk!"

Jiang Li's cravings grew stronger with each passing thought.

"It's decided! This year's Mid-Autumn Festival special is—[Snow Skin Moon Beast Mooncake]!"

"Let's go catch rabbits on the moon!"

……

Just do it.

Jiang Li immediately convened a meeting with core employees.

Meeting location: Kitchen dining table.

Attendees: Wang Ergou, Liu Wei, Lei Meng, Wang Defa, Arthur (who had just finished washing the dishes), and Dahuang (listening in).

"Comrades! There's a big project!"

Jiang Li stood in front of the table, full of vigor, "To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and to give back to our valued customers, both new and old, I've decided... that Deep Blue Aquatic Products will be expanding its business!"

"We want to go to space! To the moon!"

"puff--"

Wang Ergou, who was drinking water, spat it out.

"Ahem! Boss! What did you say? Heaven?!"

"Yeah, right! We're going to the moon to buy goods!"

Jiang Li said matter-of-factly, "I heard that it's full of wild rabbits (moon beasts) up there. Nobody catches them, so they've become an infestation. Let's go help them clean up their ecosystem and get some meat filling to make mooncakes."

Everyone looked at each other.

Liu Wei (former Black Tower assassin) raised his hand and asked, "Boss... although our ship (the Black Pearl) can sail on the sea, it's still a ship! How can it fly without wings?"

"So what if it doesn't have wings? Who says a ship can't fly?"

Jiang Li pointed in the direction of the Black Pearl, which was docked at the pier.

"Doesn't our ship have that 'antimatter boiler' thing? That's enough power! With a few minor modifications, like adding a few jets and a sealed cabin, wouldn't it be a spaceship?"

"and……"

Jiang Li took out several Gravity Stones (materials used by the Ancients to build floating cities) that he had brought back from Antarctica from his pocket.

"I have this! An anti-gravity stone! Just stick this to the bottom of the boat, and it'll float!"

Everyone stared at the stones that emitted a strange magnetic field and fell into deep thought.

Although it sounds outrageous, in Jiang Li's hands... it seems like nothing is impossible.

"Um... Boss."

Wang Defa (the Immortal Captain) spoke tremulously, "This old man has lived this long and has never been to space. On the moon... is there air? Won't we suffocate?"

"Don't worry! I'm prepared!"

Jiang Li took out a bunch of breathing masks (actually some kind of biological filter membrane) that he had seized from [Mi Go].

"One for everyone! This thing can filter vacuum... no, it can produce oxygen! You can breathe while wearing it!"

"Also, our ship has that blue shield (biofield shield). That thing can withstand even the deep sea, so withstanding space radiation is a piece of cake, right?"

Jiang Li had already "arranged" everything.

In his eyes, going to the moon and going to the deep sea are no different; they are both about retrieving things from places no one else goes.

"Alright! Enough with the nonsense! Er Gou, go buy flour and molds! Lei Meng, go prepare the seasonings! Lao Liu, come with me to modify the boat!"

"We're making it back before the Mid-Autumn Festival! So everyone in Jianghai City can enjoy our 'lunar specialties'!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Although it seemed crazy, everyone quickly sprang into action thanks to Jiang Li's powerful influence (and financial power).

……

Old Wharf.

The Black Pearl underwent another major overhaul.

This time, Jiang Li went even further.

He embedded all the gravity stones he brought back from Antarctica into the keel of the ship, forming a simple anti-gravity array.

They also gathered all the "Bayaki" (delivery drivers) they had previously arrested.

"An army is raised for a thousand days, but used for only one!"

Jiang Li looked at the flock of large birds. "You can fly, right? You can even fly out of the atmosphere? I'm giving you a task this time—pull a cart! No, I mean, pull a boat!"

He found several thick "dragon tendons" (pulled from Nidhogg), tied one end to the bow of the Black Pearl, and the other end to the Byakki.

This is the legendary "Nine Dragons Pulling a Coffin"... oops, I mean "Demons Pulling a Boat"!

The Byakkis: "..."

They are noble interstellar beings, the servants of Hastur, how could they have fallen so low as to become castrated men?!

But under Dahuang's threatening gaze, they could only lower their heads in humiliation.

"Gah!" (For survival!)

Everything is ready.

Jiang Li had painted a silver coating on the hull of the Black Pearl (it was a radiation-proof coating made by melting some of the ancient abyssal gold), making it look... more like a ghost ship from hell.

"Test flight begins!"

Jiang Li stood at the bow of the ship and pressed a red button.

"Buzz—"

The gravity stones at the bottom of the ship hummed, and the massive hull of the Black Pearl actually slowly lifted off the water and hovered in mid-air!

"It's flying! It's really flying!"

The crowd watching on the shore (mainly Wang Pangzi's henchmen) gasped in surprise.

"ignition!"

Jiang Li gave the order again.

Blue flames spewed from the antimatter nozzles at the stern, and a dozen Byaki simultaneously flapped their wings and took flight, propelling the giant ship into the sky.

"Whoosh—"

The Black Pearl traced a black trail in the sky, instantly piercing through the clouds and flying towards the full moon hanging in the sky.

……

at the same time.

Jianghai City Anomaly Monitoring Center.

The alarm blared loudly.

"Chief! An unidentified flying object has been detected taking off! It's moving at extremely high speed! It has already exceeded the first cosmic velocity!"

"Radar shows...that's...that's...a ship?!"

The technician stared at the image on the screen, his jaw practically dropping to the floor.

An ancient sailing ship, flying a red flag and pulled by a group of monsters, is flying into outer space?!

The bureau chief looked at the familiar ship shape and the familiar figure at the bow, then helplessly took off his glasses and rubbed his temples.

"Never mind...that's Mr. Jiang's private jet...no, his private spaceship."

"Call the air traffic control and clear that air route to prevent a collision with a commercial airliner."

"Also... notify the lunar monitoring stations (if there are any) and tell them... to fend for themselves."

The bureau chief sighed.

"So, this guy has finally decided to take action against the universe."