Chapter 99: Making Steamed Buns, Rescue Arrives

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Making Steamed Buns, Rescue Arrives

Steamed buns.

What a great idea!

In this gloomy, cold, and damp weather, hot, generously filled steamed buns were the perfect comfort food—a balm for body and soul!

Besides, her Space was full of top-quality pork!

She got right to work.

Seraphina Sullivan immediately took out flour, pork, scallions, ginger, and other ingredients from her Space.

However, she ran into a small problem while kneading and proofing the dough. With no electricity,

the proofing box was useless, and letting the dough rise at room temperature would be incredibly slow in this damp, cold environment.

Just then, she had a flash of inspiration. ’The Scorching Hand Skill!’

She tried to Control the Skill, making her hands emit an even, gentle heat. She was like a human-sized, temperature-controlled proofing box as she wrapped her hands around the kneaded dough.

It worked!

With the precise temperature Control from Scorching Hand, the dough expanded and proofed at a visible rate. The Effect was even better than a real proofing box!

"Haha! I never expected this Skill to have such a wonderful use!"

Seraphina Sullivan thought she was a genius.

She had unlocked such a new application for Scorching Hand.

"Hands that can heat up are practically a Divine Artifact for making dough-based foods!"

Soon, the plump, soft dough was ready.

Mixing the filling, rolling the wrappers, shaping the buns... Seraphina Sullivan moved with swift efficiency, while Sean Chandler helped quietly by her side.

As steamer after steamer of large, piping-hot, and fragrant meat buns were finished, a stark contrast formed: outside was the cold, torrential rain and apocalyptic chaos, but inside was filled with the warm aroma of food and a moment of peace.

Thanks to the quality of the renovations, the aroma didn’t escape the apartment.

’First, eat until I’m full. Then, I can think about how to survive better.’

This was Seraphina Sullivan’s most down-to-earth thought at the moment.

"Hurry and eat! While they’re hot!" Seraphina Sullivan urged Sean Chandler, impatiently grabbing a big, plump, white, steaming bun for herself and taking a bite.

The skin was soft and sweet, the filling was plump and juicy pork mixed with the savory aroma of scallions and ginger, and the scalding hot juices instantly burst in her mouth, bringing Seraphina Sullivan immense satisfaction.

The buns weren’t small, each about the size of an adult’s fist.

Seraphina Sullivan ate one after another, gobbling them down so fast that before she knew it, she’d polished off more than ten!

’This appetite of mine... I couldn’t have imagined it before.’

Staring at the empty steamer basket, Seraphina Sullivan was dumbfounded.

Ever since becoming a Player, especially as her physique and strength continued to improve, her need for Energy had become unusually high.

Of course, compared to her, Sean Chandler’s appetite was even more outrageous.

As someone who possessed the Beastification and Monster Power Talents, he alone polished off the remaining three steamer baskets, eating with his usual quiet demeanor.

Full and satisfied, Seraphina Sullivan looked at the torrential rain still pouring outside. Seeing no sign of the power returning, she decided her main task for the day would be to keep making buns!

’I’m idle anyway, so it’s always good to stock up on more cooked food.’

If she stored these hot, energy-rich buns in her Space, she could take them out to eat anytime during the next dungeon.

’This is so much better than gnawing on compressed biscuits.’

’While everyone’s panicking right now, their desperation for food hasn’t reached its limit yet. Plus, water and electricity are still restored occasionally. I should make more and store it up.’

As Seraphina Sullivan kneaded the dough, she listened to the sporadic shouts and commotion that occasionally drifted in from outside her window.

The robbery in the complex was clearly not an isolated incident. Panic and chaos were spreading.

But she was powerless to change the grand scheme of things. All she could do was her best to fortify her little nest, stockpile supplies, and increase her strength.

...

「Meanwhile, next door.」

Samuel Webb’s family was also eating the last of the food they had brought from home.

A few packs of instant noodles and crackers.

The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

"Son, what are we going to do now?" the old woman asked, looking worriedly out the window.

"Those damn robbers... you think they’ll come for us, too? Is our door sturdy?"

The old woman had no idea her son was also a Player; otherwise, she would have broadcasted it to the world by now.

Samuel Webb took a bite of a dry, hard cracker, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of confidence. "Mom, you don’t need to worry so much. They can’t get to us. Didn’t you see the news? The government has already stepped in. Even those... those Players with Special Abilities are helping the country. The chaos won’t last long."

Despite his words, he knew in his heart that distant water couldn’t quench a pressing thirst.

"Daddy! I’m hungry! I want more!" The spoiled brat quickly finished his share of the food and started wailing again.

Samuel Webb looked at his son’s spoiled behavior, a wave of irritation and helplessness washing over him.

Here they were at the end of the world, and all his son knew was how to eat and make a fuss, completely devoid of any sense of danger. It was the result of his own mother and his wife spoiling the boy rotten.

He sighed and looked away from his noisy family, his thoughts drifting to more distant matters.

Namely, the next dungeon.

He had experienced a dungeon before and was keenly aware of both the dangers and the opportunities it held.

He yearned to become stronger, to obtain more resources and Abilities. That was the only way to survive in both the real world and the dungeons, and maybe even... rise above everyone else.

His gaze drifted involuntarily toward the adjacent Wall.

’Should I... go ’get friendly’ with my neighbor right now?’ The thought popped into his head.

Thinking of Sean Chandler,

he realized that getting on his good side might bring substantial benefits.

But the thought had barely formed before it was suppressed by another, stronger emotion deep within him: resentment.

’I finally got an Ability. Do I really have to go back to bowing and scraping before others, just like I did to earn a few measly bucks?’

He was sick and tired of those days of having to constantly read people’s expressions.

’I’m a Player now! A person with a superpower!’

’What I want is to Control others, to have them suck up to me! Not for me to be someone else’s lackey!’

The two thoughts waged a fierce battle in his mind.

’With an Ability like mine, I can definitely survive in the apocalyptic dungeons.’

Samuel Webb’s Ability Talent was named [Concealment]. This Talent could reduce his presence and also block observation- and appraisal-type Skills and Talents.

Relying on this Ability, he had dodged many fatal dangers within the dungeons.

On one side was his craving for great Power and resources; on the other was his obsession with dignity and control.

In the end, the latter temporarily won out.

"I’ll wait and see... I’ll just see how things go..." he muttered to himself, deciding to keep observing for now. He would rely on his own Ability to fight his way through the next dungeon, and then reconsider.

He refused to believe that he was any worse than others!

Just as everyone was gripped by panic, the rescue team finally arrived.

Several military assault boats and rubber dinghies could be seen cutting through the murky water as they entered the complex.

On the boats stood rescue personnel with resolute expressions, dressed in orange life vests or military uniforms.

A soldier holding a megaphone stood on the lead assault boat. Though dampened by the rain, his voice carried through the speaker, reaching every floor with clarity and force:

"Attention, all residents! We are the National Emergency Response Team! Please remain calm and do not panic! We have arrived, and your safety will be guaranteed!"

Hearing this, relieved expressions appeared in many windows, and some people even began to clap excitedly.