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

Jianghai City, Old Wharf.

"boom--!!!"

Accompanied by the low-frequency hum unique to anti-gravity engines, the massive Black Pearl, like a magic mountain descending from the sky, slowly landed on the sea, stirring up thousands of waves.

The lingering frost and lunar dust around the hull shimmered with an eerie glow in the sunlight, making the fishing boat, which had just completed its "moon landing feat," appear both futuristic and bizarre.

"We're home! We're home!"

Wang Ergou was the first to rush off the boat, lay down on the concrete ground of the dock, and gave it a big kiss.

"The air on Earth smells so much better! The moon smells like dirt and disinfectant (actually, it's the bodily fluids from the moon beasts)!"

Jiang Li slowly walked down the gangway, carrying a specially made cage in his hand.

Inside the cage was the "specialty" brought back from the moon—the [Moon Beast Cub].

The thing looks terrible right now. It's deathly pale, like a skinned toad, with no eyes and a tuft of pink antennae growing on its head, wriggling uneasily and hissing menacingly.

"Boss, are you really going to give this thing to your sister as a pet?"

Liu Wei (Thousand-Faced Ghost) leaned closer, looking at the monster in the cage, his face twitching. "This is too... too unique! Will a little girl like it? Won't she be terrified?"

"You don't understand, this is called a raw stone, it needs to be polished."

Jiang Li said confidently, "With just a little modification, it will be the only 'Jade Rabbit' in the entire Jianghai City!"

He glanced at the time.

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Xiaoyu is still waiting for me at school. Ergou, take some men and transport those 'mooncake fillings' (adult moon beast corpses) back to the shop, and let Lei Meng handle them first. I'm going to give this little guy a 'makeover'."

……

Half an hour later, in the back alley of Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant.

This place has been converted into a temporary "pet grooming room".

Jiang Li, wearing a mask and gloves, was holding a pair of scissors and several bottles of hair dye, gesturing at the moon beast cub that was tied to a bench.

"First of all, these whiskers are too long and need to be trimmed into the shape of rabbit ears."

"Snap! Snap!"

Jiang Li ruthlessly trimmed those pink tentacles that could sense fluctuations in space and time into two upright "ears".

Lunar Beast Cub: "Hiss—!!!" (Those are my sensory organs! It hurts so much!)

It struggled desperately, but the ropes (dragon tendons) binding its body were so tight that it couldn't move at all.

"Don't move! If you move again, I'll turn you into a spicy rabbit head!"

Jiang Li slapped its smooth forehead, then took out a bottle of white spray paint (actually a kind of alchemical potion that could solidify).

"This skin is too sticky and not fluffy; it needs to be flocked."

"Sizzle sizzle—"

As soon as the medicine was sprayed on, layers of white downy hair instantly grew on the moon beast's originally slippery skin (those were mycelia induced by the medicine).

In no time, it turned into a fluffy white ball.

"Hmm, that's starting to look like it."

Jiang Li nodded in satisfaction, then took out a pair of red glass balls (actually the eyeballs of some low-level fire-type magical beasts) and glued them to the parts of the moon beast that originally had no eyes.

"The finishing touch! That's what gives it its soul!"

Finally, he tied a pink bow around its neck.

You're done!

A cute, adorable, and perfectly normal Jade Rabbit, except for the occasional twitch, has just been born!

The two cats, Big Yellow and Little Black (the cat goddess), who were watching from the sidelines, were dumbfounded.

"Meow?" (Is that all? Is human aesthetics really that distorted?)

"Woof!" (This rabbit has a strange smell, but it does look much better than before.)

"Perfect!"

Jiang Li, carrying the cage, said, "Let's go pick up Xiaoyu from school!"

……

Jianghai University.

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the school is filled with a festive atmosphere.

As soon as Jiang Xiaoyu stepped out of the school gate, she saw the familiar black behemoth (Unimog) parked on the side of the road, surrounded by students taking pictures.

"elder brother!"

Jiang Xiaoyu ran over.

Happy Holidays, Little Fish!

Jiang Li jumped off the car and handed over the cage covered with a red cloth.

"Guess what I brought you? It's a local specialty from a really, really far place!"

"What is it?"

Jiang Xiaoyu curiously lifted the red cloth.

"Wow--!!!"

A surprised scream.

"What an adorable rabbit! Is it the Jade Rabbit?!"

Inside the cage, the moon beast cub, which had been completely transformed into a plush toy, was shivering and huddled in a ball. Its red fake eyes stared blankly ahead, looking extremely adorable.

"Yes! It's the Jade Rabbit!"

Jiang Li lied with a straight face, "I went to... uh, to that 'Moon Bay' to catch this for you! It's a rare breed, there's only one like it in the whole world!"

"Thank you, bro! You're so cute!"

Jiang Xiaoyu reached in and touched it.

It feels soft, warm, and fluffy to the touch.

The moon beast cub sensed the [Star Protection] emanating from that hand (the buff given by the Dragon King's Eye earlier) and was so frightened that it dared not move. It even had to try its best to rub against her palm.

There's no other way; even former members of the clan have to learn to act cute in order to survive.

"If you like it, take it home and keep it as a pet. This rabbit isn't picky about food; just give it some leftovers."

Jiang Li instructed, "But don't let it run around, that thing is fast."

……

Meanwhile, inside a high-end art gallery in the city center.

An avant-garde art exhibition entitled "Dream of the Yellow Dress" is currently underway.

The exhibition hall was filled with abstract paintings that would make anyone's sanity drop: distorted yellow symbols, cities shrouded in mist, and indescribable tentacles.

In the center of the exhibition hall stood a man wearing a yellow trench coat and a pale mask.

His name is Huang Yi (pseudonym), a fanatical follower of [King of Yellow Hastur], and a powerful cult high priest (A+ level).

He was not only a madman, but also an "artist." He tried to spread Hastur's madness to the world through art.

"What a beautiful painting...what an intoxicating madness..."

Huang Yi gazed at his work with delight.

Suddenly, a subordinate rushed in in a panic.

"Priest! Something terrible has happened!"

"What's the panic? You've disturbed my artistic inspiration. I'll turn you into a picture frame!" the man in yellow said coldly.

"No...no...it's our 'messenger'..."

The subordinate, trembling, pulled out a photograph. "We've detected a large number of traces of Byakki activity over Jianghai City! They...they appear to be enslaved!"

"What?!"

The man in yellow suddenly turned around, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes beneath the mask.

The Byakki are Hastur's kin, windwalkers who roam the stars, and noble mounts! Who but a follower who possesses golden mead and a magic flute can command them?

He took the photo and looked at it.

The photo shows large birds wearing yellow vests and carrying delivery boxes around their necks, delivering food in the air.

The vest also had the words "[Deep Blue Delivery]" printed on it.

"puff--"

The man in yellow almost coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"What is this?! This is blasphemy! This is the ultimate insult to the great, unspeakable One!"

"Who did this?! Who on earth did this?!"

"It's...it's a restaurant called 'Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant'..." the subordinate stammered as he reported. "They say their owner is named Jiang Li, and he's...he's a chef."

"cook?!"

Huang Yi was so angry that he trembled all over. The yellow curtains around him moved without any wind, and the entire exhibition hall began to distort.

"A cook dares to enslave God's people to deliver takeout?!"

"Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"

"He's declaring war on the King in Yellow!"

The man in yellow tore the photo to shreds, his voice as cold as ice.

"Let's go! To that restaurant! I'm going to turn that chef... into my most perfect work of art!"

……

Evening, Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant.

Tonight is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the store is not only offering a "Moon Viewing Feast," but also officially releasing the legendary "Snow Skin Moon Beast Mooncake."

The hall was packed with people, and even the street outside the entrance was filled with tables.

"Everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Wang Ergou stood on the stage, holding a microphone, his voice brimming with passion.

"Tonight's star—a mysterious delicacy from behind the moon! A genuine specialty of the 'Moon Palace'! Every bite tastes like the starry sky!"

"Mooncakes!"

With the sound of a gong.

A row of Deepsea waiters came out carrying exquisite plates.

On the plate were rows of crystal-clear mooncakes, each emitting a faint chill and a unique fragrance.

The mooncake crust wasn't made of flour, but rather a "snow skin" made by mixing [Shoggoth] gel with [Moonstone] powder. It was bouncy, transparent, and you could even see the flowing filling inside.

The filling is made from Moon Beast Meat (chopped up and mixed with five kinds of nuts and ham), which Jiang Li has carefully prepared.

"This mooncake... looks a bit eerie, doesn't it?"

One diner looked at the mooncake crust that was still slightly wriggling and hesitated.

"What's there to be afraid of! Anything made by Boss Jiang is guaranteed to be top-notch!"

Without saying a word, a gourmand (Old Tang) next to him picked up a mooncake and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Crunch!"

Take a bite.

The snow skin bursts open, and the filling inside flows out.

The extreme coldness collides with the fiery heat of the filling in the mouth, and the unique sweetness of the moon beast meat and the crispness of the five nuts blend perfectly.

"Ugh!!!"

Old Tang's eyes instantly turned into stars, and he seemed to float away.

He saw it! He saw the vast starry sky! He saw that huge, pale moon!

[Ding! Consuming Moon Beast meat increases Spirit Power by 5 and grants the temporary skill: Moon Gaze (can see through illusions).]

"Great! Great mooncakes!"

Old Tang roared, "Give me ten more boxes! I want to take them back as gifts!"

The entire audience was in an uproar.

Just as everyone was rushing to buy mooncakes.

Suddenly, a strange singing voice came from the main gate.

"Along the shore, cutting through the clouds... the twin suns sink into the lake..."

"A long shadow fell...in that Karksar..."

The song was poignant and sorrowful, yet it possessed a captivating magic.

The guests who were eating mooncakes froze, their eyes becoming unfocused, as if they had been dragged into a yellow dream.

"Huh? Who's singing? It sounds awful!"

Jiang Li was carrying out a plate of freshly baked mooncakes when she heard the sound and frowned.

He looked up at the doorway.

A man wearing a yellow trench coat and a mask stood under the skeletal archway, his body twisted in a bizarre posture, holding a tattered book (the script "King in Yellow").

Behind him followed a group of believers, also dressed in yellow robes and with blank expressions.

"Blasphemer...your end has come..."

The priest in yellow pointed at Jiang Li, his voice hoarse, "How dare you enslave my lord's retinue... Today, I will turn this shop into the theater of the King in Yellow!"

"theater?"

Jiang Li looked him up and down.

"Are you... here to sing? Or to act in a play?"

"But your outfit is awful, it's like a turkey-yellow color. And this song, it's completely off-key!"

Yellow-clad: "..."

Yellowish-brown?

This is the noble royal yellow! It's the color of Calxar!

"Ignorance! This is art! It's an aria leading to truth!"

Huang Yi was furious and abruptly flipped open the script in his hand.

"Act One! A Frenzied Feast!"

As he chanted, the surrounding space began to distort, and countless yellow tentacles stretched out from the void, attempting to pull everyone present into that insane dimension called [Kalxa].

The diners started screaming, some started tearing at their hair, and some started laughing stupidly at the void.

Sanity value is dropping drastically!

"Boss! Oh no! It's a psychological attack!"

Liu Wei clutched his head, feeling like his brain was boiling. This was high-level magic targeting the soul; physical defense was completely useless!

"Psychological attack?"

Jiang Li glanced at the chaotic scene of guests around him and his temper flared.

"On such a holiday, you come here to act crazy? And you're even affecting my business?!"

"Big Yellow! Bite him!"

"Woof!"

Although Big Yellow didn't like this mental noise either, it had to go when the boss spoke.

It was about to rush forward.

"etc!"

Jiang Li suddenly stopped it.

"This guy seems to be an artist? Then he must be mentally ill."

Jiang Li picked up a mooncake from the table next to her.

"To deal with this kind of mental illness, we need even stronger medication!"

He weighed the [Ice Skin Moon Beast Mooncake] in his hand.

The filling in these mooncakes contains "Dream Flower"! That's a hallucinogen that can give you sweet dreams (or nightmares)!

"You like to dream, don't you? I'll treat you to something big!"

Jiang Li swung his arm and threw the mooncake like a baseball.

"Take this! Flying pancake from outer space!"

"Whoosh—"

The mooncake, with a whooshing sound, headed straight for the man in yellow.

The man in yellow was engrossed in casting a spell and didn't even notice the small snack.

He casually waved his hand, trying to use his telekinesis to deflect it.

But this mooncake is accompanied by Jiang Li's "Guaranteed Hit" rule (an angler's casting technique).

"Splat!"

The mooncake was precisely pasted onto the yellow-clad mask.

The shaved ice cracked, and the sticky filling flowed into his mouth through the holes in the mask.

"Huh?!"

The man in yellow instinctively licked it.

sweet.

ice.

There was also an even deeper, more insane ancient god aura emanating from the far side of the moon!

That was a clash of powers between Nyarlathotep and Hastur, their cousins ​​from the outer gods!

"boom!!!"

The man in yellow's mind went completely blank.

The original yellow Carcasa Theater collapsed instantly, replaced by an absurd dreamscape filled with pink tentacles and white toads.

"No! This isn't my script! This isn't it!"

The man in yellow screamed in terror and rolled on the ground, clutching his head.

He saw countless rabbits dancing! He saw the moon turn into a giant pancake! He saw Hastur wearing an apron and making mooncakes!

too crazy!

This kind of madness was something even he, the cult leader, couldn't handle!

"Hahaha! Rabbits! So many rabbits!"

The man in yellow has gone mad.

He's gone completely insane (although he was already insane, he's now the kind of happy insane).

He got up, stopped chanting incantations and killing people, and began to hop around the hall like a rabbit, singing:

"Little white rabbit, white and white, with two ears standing up..."

The surrounding believers: "..."

High Priest... has he been turned by a mooncake?

"This...this is solved?"

Liu Wei wiped away his cold sweat, looking at the A+ level expert who was dancing, and felt that his worldview had been refreshed once again.

"I knew it! There's nothing a good meal can't solve."

Jiang Li clapped his hands, looking pleased.

"If that can't be solved, then treat him to the extra spicy one."

He pointed to the crazy man in yellow.

"Ergou, this guy seems cheerful and can even perform. Let's keep him; we happen to need a live singer, or... a mascot?"

"Yes, boss!"

then.

At the entrance of Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant, in addition to the Deep Diver greeters and Dragon Man security guards, there's now a new person wearing a yellow coat who sings children's songs and dances every day—

The Mad Hatter (former High Priest in Yellow).

His job was to liven up the atmosphere in the lobby and perform acrobatics to aid digestion when guests were full.

Thus, Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant's "Monster Team" has begun to take shape.