Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 309: Juicy Drink

Three days earlier, Minhyuk had pondered over his trial right after Dwarf Lant disappeared to who knows where.

‘The Small World Tree’s mysterious fruit?’?

The mysterious fruit was something that would give anyone who ate it a huge amount of EXP. It was also clearly described to be a fruit that had the flavor of several different fruits combined together. The fruit sounded extremely mysterious and delicious, that even just its description was enough to make Minhyuk drool unknowingly. However, this was something that he would only get once he finished the trial. So, Minhyuk followed behind Bran.

“These, over here, are the withering fruits.”

Strangely enough, the fruits that Bran pointed at were growing on the ground and not on the trees. They grew just like how potatoes and sweet potatoes grew.

“The fruits grow on the ground so they could receive the power of the Small World Tree. However, the withering fruits suddenly appeared and gnawed on the roots of the Small World Tree. These fruits are weakening the power of the tree. That’s why we have to remove it. Well then, let me show you how to do it. It’s not that hard," Bran said as he brandished his hoe and started digging on the ground.

Thud, thud, thud, thud―

The process might have been just a simple strike of a hoe, but it took Bran at least thirty strikes before a withering fruit appeared. The fruit that appeared was none other than an apple.

“Wow. That’s amazing.”

“The land itself is being nurtured by the Small World Tree, so unless the owner of Atlas territory appears, it would be hard for anyone to dig through the ground.”

“Unless the owner appears?”

“That’s right. Didn’t you see how long it took for the fruit to appear when I dug just now? I need at least twenty minutes to dig up one withering fruit. That’s how hard it is to dig this ground.”

Bran continued to move his hoe as he explained things to Minhyuk. After a while, he took out a small dagger and carefully cut off the stem that connected the apple to the Small World Tree.

“We have to be very careful. The stem of this fruit is directly connected to the roots of the Small World Tree so we have to be careful not to hurt the tree while cutting off the stem. That’s why it takes me at least twenty minutes to dig out one.”

Minhyuk nodded to show his understanding. Bran carefully and gently collected the apple as he continued his lecture, “Back then, you were able to dig out potatoes and sweet potatoes quickly but this is extremely different from that. It would be hard for you to dig out one within an hour.”

At that moment…

Roll―

“...Huh?”

Bran was still lecturing Minhyuk when a melon suddenly rolled towards him. He looked at the melon in confusion not knowing where it came from, or how it came to be. However, it did not end with just a single melon.

Roll, roll, roll, roll, roll―

Withering fruits rolled one after another towards Bran’s feet as he blankly watched Minhyuk’s quick hand movements. And then…

[You have acquired a Withering Watermelon]

[You have gained 1 DEX]

“...?”

Bran was both speechless and confused.

‘Wh…what’s happening?’?

The hard, unyielding ground was easily turned over with just a strike of Minhyuk’s hoe. Just like Bran said before, the land was extremely solid after receiving the power of the Small World Tree for a long time. However, Minhyuk was able to easily dig and cut off the stem of the withering fruits connected to the tree without any damage because his DEX had already exceeded 2,000. Even though Bran was known as a legendary farmer, his DEX was only a little over 1,000, which made it hard for him to dig through the hard soil, effectively lowering his speed and efficiency.

“...?”

“Yay! It’s a withering melon! Hehe.”

“...?”

“Oh yeah!?It’s a withering oriental melon!”

Watching Minhyuk dig up one withering fruit after another made Bran feel like crying.

‘Th…this punk is really…’?

It seemed like the man in front of Bran did not change at all over the course of time that they had not seen each other. Minhyuk was still a very unique and special person.

‘This speed should probably be enough, right?’?

It seemed like the requirement of the trial― harvesting 20% ‘withering fruits’?growing in the wide field―could be achieved easily if Minhyuk continued at this rate. However, Minhyuk did not look satisfied with his progress and speed. He continued to dig while surveying the area.

“This field is really big. Hiyaaa~”

Minhyuk’s eyes, stained with greed and desire, were glinting sharply as he looked at the vast field. The look in his eyes looked strangely similar to the one that he had when he saw the potatoes and sweet potatoes in Bran’s farm in the past. After all, it had already been long established that Minhyuk was a person who only wanted delicious food. He was someone who only longed for more delicious food, over money, fame, and honor. For Minhyuk, the crops hiding underneath this land were worth more than gold and silver treasures. That was to say, the 20% quota was not enough for him. He wanted to harvest them all.

However, it seemed to be an impossible feat. Minhyuk was only one person, and harvesting all of the withering fruits within the set time limit was something that was impossible. He knew that he would not be able to do it alone. Just then, he recalled the things that he did in the temple.

‘Back then…’

The look in Minhyuk’s eyes changed. It seemed like he was going to use that method once again. He quickly looked around to try and think of something that would suit everyone’s palate.

‘Yeah. That's right. There’s a variety of fruits here. And…’?

Minhyuk quickly took out a bottle of water from his inventory to wash off the dirt covering the apple. Then, he wiped the apple on his shirt and took a big bite out of it.

Crunch―

His teeth sunk deeply into the crunchy apple, as the sweet and tart juices flowed in his mouth with every bite.

‘Wow, it’s really sweet…’?

The withering fruits tasted more delicious than regular fruits, which brought a sense of awe to Minhyuk. He snapped his fingers together as he thought of a way to utilize these fruits.

Ding!

‘There are many fruits here. And…’?

Minhyuk turned his gaze upwards. The sun was shining brightly above Atlas. Its blazing rays were shining brightly over the entire territory, making the residents sweaty and hot. Every single person that passed by Minhyuk’s eyes were all fanning themselves from the terrible heat of the sun. In fact, even the continent’s Legendary Figures were all hiding under the shade of a tree and trying to cool themselves off. They looked like kindergartners having a picnic and playing house, while hiding away from the harsh glare of the sun.

“That’s right! Juicy?is the answer!”

Juicy was a popular franchise store out in the streets that was well-known for its cheap price and wonderful flavors. The store’s main menu was none other than fresh fruit juice. It was extremely flavorful and so fresh, that everyone would recall its taste the moment summer came around. Minhyuk was going to replicate this Juicy?drink. With a plan finally in mind, Minhyuk immediately dug up more withering fruits.

‘What is this rascal trying to do again?’

Bran had been together with Minhyuk in the past. He knew that he was up to something with just one look at his face. That was why he was looking at him strangely right now.

After digging up enough fruits, Minhyuk quickly cleaned them. Then, he placed the fruits inside a huge blender together with ice. Before he turned the blender on, he added one final ingredient.

‘Sea honey!’

Sea honey was a wonderful ingredient that could only be harvested near the Dragon King’s Sea. To show how spectacular this ingredient was…

(Sea Honey)

Material Grade: C

Special Abilities:?

?Relieves stress.

?Addictive.

Description: Sea honey is an ingredient that can be collected from the sea’s flora and fauna. It’s best eaten when one’s low on sugar. A healthier and sweeter alternative to ordinary sugar and honey. However, this ingredient is very addictive, so ingesting a huge amount is prohibited.

Minhyuk had personally tried sea honey. True to its words, it was truly addictive. The extraordinary sweetness and unique texture of this honey was to die for. This honey might be healthier and sweeter than any ordinary sugar or honey, but its taste would linger in one's head, making them crave for more. The crafty Minhyuk added this very same honey inside the blender. Then…

Whiiiiiiiiir―

Minhyuk blended everything. After blending, he immediately started taking out disposable cups and straws from his inventory.

“N…no. Boy, why do you even have those in your inventory?”

“I don’t think it tastes good drinking in a mug, so I always bring around 30,000 disposable cups. Why?”

“...”

Bran was left speechless with his logic. He could not find the words to refute him at all. That was right! Even if it was hot, Minhyuk liked to drink cafe drinks. But for some reason, he always found it more delicious to drink in disposable cups than mugs. Of course, Minhyuk was environmentally conscious, so he always made sure to wash his disposable cups and reuse them as much as possible.

Minhyuk watched the blender and finally deemed the drink ready. Then, he poured the watermelon juice carefully in his cup. The finely ground ice, together with the delectably red watermelon juice, looked so similar to those 900mL bottled watermelon juices that one could buy in stores. The moment he held the cup, Minhyuk felt the refreshingly cold sensation travel from the tips of his fingers to every part of his body. Then, out of nowhere, Minhyuk suddenly did some push-ups.

“Boy, what’s wrong with you?”

“It will taste better if I do this.”

Seeing him do something strange again, Bran recalled the past. Back then, Minhyuk had also told him that it would make the sweet potatoes delicious if he ate it under the covers of a blanket.

‘This boy is really… out of his mind…’

Minhyuk only stopped doing push-ups when he felt his breath turn ragged. Sweat immediately rained down from his forehead down to his toes the moment he stopped moving.

‘Yeah, it’s exactly like this.’

He imagined himself hurriedly running to visit the nearest Juicy franchise under the glaring rays of the sun. Then, he would say…

“One large watermelon juice please.”

The store staff would then ask him, under the refreshing background of blending watermelon juice…

‘Would you like me to put in a straw?’

‘Yes, please!’

Once the drink was prepared, he would reach out for it and take a sip to quench his thirst, before leaving the store. Then, the feeling of the cool and sweet Juicy watermelon juice traveling from his mouth, to his throat and down to his stomach… would definitely be similar to what he was feeling right now.

“Kggghk!”

It was a truly marvelous drink. Anyone who drank this on a hot summer day would definitely burst out in exclamation. Strangely enough, the Juicy?drink did not seem to decrease, despite Minhyuk chugging it non-stop. Perhaps it was because he found it to be extremely delicious. And since he found it delicious, it would naturally be the same for the general public. The first person that Minhyuk handed a cup of the Juicy?watermelon drink to, was none other than Bran.

“Here, have some watermelon juice. It’s quite refreshing~ Please have some before you work again! Haha!”

‘Is, isn’t this rascal someone who doesn’t like giving away his food?’

Bran looked at Minhyuk suspiciously.

‘Is it poisoned? Or maybe he added something else to the drink?’

However, it was true that Bran was extremely thirsty. Being presented with a cool drink on this hot day was something that he could not refuse. So, he took a sip. The taste of the drink flowed down to his throat and made his eyes widen.

“It’s, it’s delicious…”

“Hehe.?I know, right?”

Bran could not stop himself from gulping down the delectable drink.

Minhyuk chose to make the Juicy?drink for a variety of reasons. First, the residents of this territory had been in slumber for hundreds of years. Was ice something common back in their day? The answer was most definitely a huge no. It would have been difficult for them to find and taste cold drinks like this back then. Besides, Minhyuk had already guaranteed the taste. Even in the event that they found it mediocre, the honey that he added would not make them forget about its taste. Second, this place was teeming with ingredients. If he successfully tamed the residents with the drink, then he would be able to somehow make use of the residents to help him dig them out from the ground.

After pouring the drink in hundreds of cups, Minhyuk began to walk around. He handed a cup to Eden, the Mother of Life.

“Oh my! I haven’t tasted something like this before. This is really delicious!!!”

A cup to Sword and Shield Crusoe.

“I’m not really fond of sweets, but it wouldn’t hurt for me to taste it once…”

Sluuuuuuuuuurp!

“Gasp…!?It’s, it’s delicious! I’ve never tasted anything like this before!!!”

The priest, Louis.

“Thank you. May the grace of God be with you…”

Sluuuuuurp!

Louis suddenly grabbed Minhyuk’s hands.

“Oh my Lord!”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“...”

Minhyuk continued on his way after giving each of the three legendary figures a Juicy drink. He gave a cup to a young girl that he met on his way.

“Kid. Would you like to have a drink?”

“Thank you!”

Sluuuuurp!

“De…delicious!!!”

Minhyuk smiled happily as he watched the child drink the juice.

‘This child will also work hard in farming later.’?

Minhyuk continued to hand out Juicy?drinks to the residents of the territory. They did not know what the drink was, what it contained, or what the consequences would be once they accepted it, but they still drank it well. At first, the residents were all prideful and arrogant. They looked down on Minhyuk and distanced themselves away from him.

“A foreigner? A foreigner wants to become the owner of this land? Do you think someone like that would be able to do it?”

However, they immediately threw away their pride and grabbed Minhyuk's hands after they tasted his Juicy?drink.

“My Lord. I love you.”

“...?”

Minhyuk’s Juicy?drink spread wildly by word of mouth among the residents of the territory. It was so delicious that all of them scrambled to get a taste.

Meanwhile, Bran…

“W…wait. Why am I here blending these juices?”

“I’ll give you another cup, so please make sure they are well blended!!”

“I’ll make sure of it!!!”

In the blink of an eye, Bran had turned into an employee of Minhyuk’s drink shop, just like that. He felt that it was strange, but he could not tell exactly which part of it was off. However, no matter what Bran did, he could not forget the cool and refreshing taste in his mouth. Even the cold feeling that traveled from the cup to his hand, and the feeling of sucking the juice through the straw was something that he could not forget.

Gulp―

Bran blended the drinks non-stop as he sucked the straw on his own drink. His throat bobbed continuously as if he could not live without it.

By the time when almost everyone in the territory had had a taste of the Juicy?drink, the Mother of Life, Eden, approached Minhyuk and Bran. Her pupils and hands were both trembling wildly. She looked completely restless, as if she wanted to do something that she could not do. It was the look of an addict.

“Ex…excuse me.”

“Yes? Miss gullib… No, Miss Eden!”

“Can I have another cup of juice? Ah,?of course, I’m not asking something from you for free. This…”

Mother of Life, Eden, was a prideful being. She would not take anything from someone for free. So, she handed over a 500-year-old watermelon in exchange for a cup of juice. The 500-year-old watermelon was a fruit that was known to be much sweeter than ordinary watermelons, thanks to the concentrated essence that it had gathered over the years of its growth. It also had a special ability that could increase the experience of anyone who ate it by 1,000,000 points.

Minhyuk reached out for the watermelon and hid it first in his inventory. After hiding the fruit, he looked at Eden sadly. He looked like someone who was disappointed with himself and his incapabilities.

“That… I’m really happy to blend juices for the three legends, but I also want to be fair and give the people of Atlas a drink each as a small gift, so I think it would be hard to give you more. I used the ‘withering fruits’ that I dug to make the juice and I don’t have enough to give to everyone.”

“That, that…”

Eden, the Mother of Life, trudged back to her place with tears in her eyes.

‘Fufu, I got a 500-year-old watermelon.’

Minhyuk smiled happily at his unexpected gain. This time, the one to approach him was the Sword and Shield Crusoe.

“Uh… Give me another one of those!”

Minhyuk just repeated the words that he told Eden earlier. Hearing his words, Crusoe turned around and stomped his feet away in disappointment.

The ‘free tasting section’ in supermarkets was placed there for people to taste the food and encourage them to buy. This was what Minhyuk was doing. He gave them a taste so he could make them work. And sure enough, his plans were moving in the direction that he wanted.

***

Eden, the Mother of Life, was sitting under the shade of the tree. From afar, she might look peaceful and calm, but if one went closer, they would see that her eyes were shifting wildly, while her hands were shaking like a loose leaf in a storm. She was clearly showing signs of anxiety and restlessness.

“Cough, cough. I wonder what’s wrong with my arms?”

It was not just Eden. Crusoe and the priest, Louis, were also shaking.

“M…My Lord…?why are you giving me a trial like this… Please have mercy and grant me another sip of that melon juice…”

However, the other residents would find it strange if the three of them suddenly received more cups when Minhyuk said that he would give everyone an equal share, right?

They watched as the residents of the territory passed by with cups of watermelon juice in their hands. Their eyes were trained on the red juice sloshing around in the cup.

“Wow!?This is really delicious!!!”

“Woah!?Will we be able to drink this everyday if he becomes the new Lord?”

“Idiot. We’ll disappear once there is a new Lord.”

“Oh,?yeah.”

Eden was hailed as the Mother of Life. She excluded the gentleness of nature and embodied the words life, warmth and grace. However, the thoughts running through her mind right now at the sight of the residents passing by with cups of juice in their hands, were the complete opposite.

‘Should I catch them by surprise and take away those cups in their hands?’?

No! That was a very bad idea. Thankfully, her reason came back in time. Eden endured the urge and told herself that she could survive this day without any more juice, hoping that she would receive a cup tomorrow.

‘That’s right! He has to dig withering fruits tomorrow! That means that there will be more juice. I can drink more tomorrow…’?

‘I just need to get by today!’?

Unfortunately, all their hopeful thoughts were shattered the very next day.

***

Almost a thousand Atlas residents, together with the three legendary figures, gathered together in front of Minhyuk hoping to get a cup of juice. They gathered together to wait for Minhyuk to dig the withering fruits and make the juice, just so they could be the first ones to taste it today.

However, Minhyuk did not dig the withering fruits. It was not because he was lazy, but because he looked sick. Minhyuk’s lips had turned blue and he was even coughing loudly, making his already sick complexion even paler.

“Cough, cough, cough!?I caught a cold after working too hard yesterday. Cough!?I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to harvest withering fruits?for a while.”

“Oh, oh no…!”

“No, no way!!!”

“This won’t do!!! You have to quickly recover…!”

“Cough!” Minhyuk coughed loudly, as he grabbed his throat and collapsed on the spot.

Yes, that was right. The Best Actor of the Year?would definitely go to Minhyuk. He was just pretending to be sick, but in the eyes of everyone present, he looked like he was dying.

“Ugh…?I feel so bad.”

“...”

The people present were all going crazy at the thought of not being able to drink the juice today. They jumped around, trying to find ways to drink that heavenly juice once again. But! They could not force a sick person to work, just because they wanted to drink it!!!

Just then, a woman stepped out of the crowd. Every step of hers was filled with grace, warmth and life. She was none other than Eden, the Mother of Life. And the ever graceful Eden was now holding a hoe in her left hand, and a pickaxe in her right hand. She stood in front of the crowd and said…

“Everyone, grab your tools.”

The Sword and the Shield, Crusoe also stepped out of the crowd with a hoe and a pickaxe in both of his hands. Under their lead, the residents of the territory ran out to get their farming tools. Seeing everyone leave for a moment, Minhyuk immediately ate a ‘paint candy’ to keep his lips blue and continue the act.

“Kgghhhk!”

His blue lips were smiling widely. After all, his plans had gone smoothly. Just then…

[You have gained the Title: The One who Exploits the Legends]

A notification rang in his ears.