What are you doing, Mr. President? I'm just an extra!

This is a game of strategy.

It was also a battle of life and death.

Lu Li sat at the dining table, holding a pair of sandalwood chopsticks in his hand, his fingertips turning slightly white from the excessive force.

He kept his head down, his gaze fixed on the bowl of "noodles" in front of him that was still steaming.

A strange layer of oil floated on the surface of the purplish-black broth.

The legendary poached egg now lies at the bottom of the bowl in an extremely contorted position, its edges charred black, while the center is a semi-cooked, liquid state, gently swaying with the ripples of the broth.

grunt.

A bubble rose from the bottom of the bowl, bursting on the soup noodles and releasing an indescribable sour smell.

【Ding! 】

The system notification sounded in my mind right on time.

High concentrations of carbonized organic matter were detected.

[Ingredient Analysis: Flour (carbonized), eggs (in a semi-biological weapon state), excessive amounts of aged vinegar, and residue of blue cleaning agent of unknown origin.]

[Toxicity assessment: Not highly toxic, but it puts the human digestive system to its extreme limits.]

[Suggestion: The host may try writing a will, or call 120 directly.]

Lu Li felt a throbbing sensation in his temples.

Cleaning agent?

Hey lady, did you cook noodles without washing the pot properly?

Is this food? This looks like a Breaking Bad experiment!

[That milk tea I just drank was poisoned, but at least I could still look at it. After drinking this bowl, I probably won't even have a chance to be saved; I'll be cremated on the spot.]

Lu Li roared inwardly.

But he dared not show it on his face, and even had to maintain that stiff smile of "being flattered".

Snapped.

A soft sound.

Su Feiyan leaned against the kitchen door frame, toying with a metal lighter in her hand, the flame flickering between her fingertips.

She changed her clothes.

She had casually tossed the flour-stained shirt into the trash can, and was now wearing a loose-fitting loungewear T-shirt with the hem tied in a knot, revealing her flat and toned stomach.

She frowned slightly as she looked at Lu Li's tense expression.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Su Feiyan's voice was very soft, with a hint of languor after cooking, but to Lu Li, it sounded like a death warrant from the King of Hell.

"Is it because you think my cooking isn't good?"

She took a step forward, her high-heeled slippers making a crisp sound on the floor.

[Disdain? How could I dare to disdain!]

This is my final farewell to my stomach!

This isn't noodles; it's clearly a bowl of Meng Po soup (a legendary soup that erases memories of past lives). Drinking it not only makes you forget your past and present lives, but it also corrodes your esophagus.

[President Su, with your skills, it's a real waste that you're not researching chemical weapons.]

Lu Li thought this to himself, but he still had to put on a brave face.

"No...no."

Lu Li chuckled twice, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty.

"I'm just... so touched."

"President Su cooked himself; this treatment is practically emperor-level. I almost don't want to eat it."

Upon hearing these words, Su Feiyan couldn't help but smile.

Although she could hear Lu Li's inner complaints, for some reason, seeing this man trembling and saying things he didn't mean in front of her gave her a strange sense of pleasure.

This sense of control is even more addictive than closing a multi-million dollar contract.

"Since you're touched, then finish your meal."

Su Feiyan pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down, resting her chin on her hands, her beautiful peach blossom eyes staring straight at Lu Li.

Not a single drop of soup is allowed to be left.

"That's an order."

Lu Li's hands trembled even more violently.

You're too cruel!

【You even want to finish the soup? Are you trying to marinate me?】

If I finish this huge bowl of purple stuff, when the forensic pathologist dissects me tomorrow, they'll probably be able to extract a new periodic table from my stomach.

Lu Li took a deep breath.

Sticking your neck out means you'll get cut, whether you stick your neck out or not.

Fight!

As long as you don't die, you'll eventually rise to the top.

He closed his eyes, like a brave warrior about to go to the execution ground, picked up a mouthful of dark noodles with his chopsticks, and shoved it into his mouth.

chew.

pause.

At this moment, Lu Li's facial features completely lost control, and his originally handsome face was twisted into an extremely abstract emoji.

The taste... is too strong.

The first thing you smell is a strong burnt smell, like biting into a burnt tire.

Immediately afterwards, the sour and astringent sensation from the excessive amount of aged vinegar shot straight to the top of my head.

Before he could even catch his breath, the fishy smell of raw eggs mixed with an unknown salty taste exploded in his mouth.

bitter.

astringent.

salty.

acid.

Various extreme flavors clashed on his tongue, showing no signs of merging; instead, they went their own way, frantically attacking his taste buds.

Lu Li felt his soul slowly leaving his body, floating in mid-air as he watched his body suffer.

Lu Li suppressed the urge to vomit, desperately controlling the muscles in her throat to prevent herself from throwing up on the spot.

If he really vomits, it won't be as simple as just having his salary deducted.

That female demon would definitely pour this bowl of stuff directly into his nose.

Su Feiyan kept observing Lu Li's expression.

Seeing his furrowed brows, pale face, and even tears welling in his eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

Is it really that bad?

She just tasted a small sip of the soup; although it was a bit salty, it was still within the acceptable range for humans.

Does this man really have to look like he's eaten shit?

"It tastes bad?"

Su Feiyan's voice carried a dangerous undertone, and the lighter in her hand clicked as she pressed the cap.

"If you dare say it tastes bad, you're dead."

Lu Li shuddered; his survival instinct overcame his sense of taste at that moment.

He swallowed the indescribable mass in his mouth with force, forced out a smile that looked worse than a grimace, and gave a thumbs up.

"So...delicious!"

"It's really delicious!"

To increase his credibility, he picked up a large piece of food with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth, saying indistinctly:

"That's what you call... a lot of depth!"

"A slightly bitter taste at first, that's the flavor of life; a sour aftertaste, that's the hardship of struggle; and that last bit of fishy smell... that's the vastness of the sea!"

"Mr. Su, what you're making isn't just noodles, it's a philosophy of life!"

Lu Li felt that he had used up all his flattery skills in this one moment.

Su Feiyan was stunned for a moment.

Philosophy of life?

The vastness of the sea?

Is this man talking nonsense, or has he really figured out some deeper meaning?

She watched Lu Li devour the noodles, his expression still somewhat ferocious, but his speed was incredibly fast, not like he was faking it.

Do I really have a talent for cooking?

The coldness in Su Feiyan's eyes dissipated slightly, replaced by a faint hint of smugness.

"You know your stuff."

"I modified this recipe according to the instructions of a French Michelin chef; most people simply wouldn't understand how to eat it."

Lu Li kept his head down and ate voraciously, not daring to say a word.

【Improvement? 】

[You've changed Michelin to Michelin tires, haven't you?]

Eat quickly, eat quickly, the sooner you die, the sooner you're reborn; a short pain is worse than a long one.

Just as Lu Li was taking his third bite, he felt his stomach begin to cramp and protest, and he was even about to call 120 for emergency help.

A sudden change occurred.

The "Iron Kidney" that had been quietly dormant within him suddenly began to operate violently, like a nuclear reactor that had been activated.

hum-

Lu Li felt a warm current rising in her lower abdomen.

This warm current, unlike before, did not carry some indescribable impulse; instead, it was surprisingly pure.

It quickly traveled along the meridians throughout the body, and wherever it went, the nausea, vomiting, and discomfort caused by the terrible food miraculously disappeared.

[Ding! Host has been detected to have ingested high-calorie, highly stimulating foods.]

[Passive skill "Steel Kidney" triggers a hidden mechanism: Super Metabolism.]

[Converting harmful substances into pure bio-thermal energy...conversion in progress...]

[Conversion successful!]

Lu Li's eyes widened.

And this kind of operation?

The "poison" that had been churning in his stomach had now transformed into a continuous source of energy.

The feeling was like drinking a bowl of hot ginger soup in the dead of winter, or like having just finished a full set of high-intensity aerobic exercise.

I felt warm all over and full of energy.

Even her legs, which had gone limp with fear just moments before, were now taut and strong.

Her pale face visibly regained its color.

A fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead; it wasn't cold sweat, but hot sweat.

Lu Li felt refreshed and full of energy, and even wanted to go downstairs for a five-kilometer run.

This "steel kidney" is amazing!

Turns out it's not just for that kind of thing, it's also a top-of-the-line food waste disposer?

With this cheat code, forget about Su Feiyan's terrible cooking; even if you fed him a pound of arsenic, it would probably turn into calories.

Lu Li's mindset has changed.

Just a moment ago he was fearless, but now he is full of confidence.

He ate even faster, and even picked up the bowl and drank the remaining half bowl of purple soup in one gulp.

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.

Setting down the bowl, Lu Li let out a long sigh of relief, a strange sense of satisfaction on his face.

"Mr. Su, another bowl, please!"

Su Feiyan was dumbfounded.

She looked at Lu Li.

Just a moment ago he looked half-dead, but after eating a bowl of noodles, he's like he's been injected with chicken blood?

Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes were bright, and even her skin seemed to have become more radiant.

Especially those eyes, when they looked at me, they had a kind of... indescribable look.

"Are you... alright?"

Su Feiyan subconsciously shrank back.

Is there some kind of stimulant in this noodle dish?

"I'm fine, everything's alright!"

Lu Li patted his stomach; he really felt great.

The feeling of being full of energy made him feel like he could kill a bull with one punch.

"Mr. Su's cooking is indeed very nourishing."

"I feel full of energy, my back doesn't ache anymore, my legs don't hurt anymore, and I can climb five floors in one go without any effort."

Lu Li's words were half true and half false.

Su Feiyan narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down.

It seems I really do have a talent for cooking.

[That kid's expression earlier was definitely fake; he was trying to gain my sympathy.]

[Now you've been exposed, haven't you? Your face is glowing with health, even your complexion has improved.]

Since he loves to eat it so much, and his body reacts so well after eating it...

Su Feiyan's thoughts clearly reached Lu Li's ears.

Lu Li's smile froze.

and many more.

Sister, isn't there something wrong with your logical reasoning?

I'm being saved by a system cheat, not because your cooking is really nutritious!

Before he could even explain it to himself, Su Feiyan had already stood up, her face bearing that confident smile typical of a domineering CEO.

She walked over to Lu Li, reached out, and patted his shoulder.

The movement was very light, but it made Lu Li feel as if he were being crushed by a huge mountain.

"Since you like it so much, I'll take care of your dinner from now on."

Su Feiyan's voice was filled with pleasure.

"Food outside is unsanitary and can easily be poisoned."

"I feel more at ease doing it myself."

"I want to try Sichuan cuisine tomorrow. I've heard that chili peppers can stimulate the appetite."

"You'd better get ready."

Lu Li sat in the chair, completely petrified.