The Underworld Cafeteria Runs Amok

Just how unlucky is Zhu Beiran?

After finally landing his first real job, he opened his eyes the day after signing the contract and found himself in the underworld.

Was he dead? No.

The judges, impermanence spirits, and ox-headed and horse-faced guardians surrounding him explained, "Um... sorry about this. We accidentally mixed up your contract with the one belonging to the underworld's chef reaper."

Zhu Beiran: ???

There was nothing for it. He had to stay in the underworld for a while.

They needed a chef, didn't they? Zhu Beiran had spent seven years working in restaurant kitchens. He could handle it.

As soon as he arrived, Zhu Beiran dug up red lotuses, stole Meng Po's soup, and went fishing in the River of Forgetfulness. He turned the underworld upside down over a few ingredients.

Before long, Zhu Beiran's little food cart was open for business, with delivery available too!

One time, while making a delivery, he barged into a mysterious room and was blasted out by the powerful force inside.

Still reeling and nearly vomiting blood, Zhu Beiran was shocked to see a human being walk out of the room, yawning and stretching!

Xu Yu looked at Zhu Beiran, who was still protecting the food delivery even while lying on the ground, and was delighted. Had the underworld finally seen the light? Had it started offering cross-realm deliveries?

But all Zhu Beiran wanted to ask was: Bro, do you know the way back to the world of the living?

Here's how Zhu Beiran's first conversation with the King of Hell went:

Hello, I'm Zhu Beiran, the guy opening a food cart in the underworld for the first time. Yes, yes, I'm the one whose contract the underworld mixed up a couple of days ago.

All right, go ahead. I'll write down what I need to know about running a food cart.

I know this is the underworld... What? The lords of the underworld don't eat food from the world of the living? Food from the underworld doesn't have any taste either?

All right, then what am I supposed to sell from this cart?

Oh, there's no precedent, and you don't know either? I'm just a thoroughly unlucky guy? Got it.

Then where should I go to get ingredients if I want to try making some good food?

Right... Right? Climb the mountain of knives and descend into the sea of fire? You're joking... Huh? You're serious?

These ingredients are so hard to get. They must be precious, right? Surely the lords of the underworld will at least try a few bites?

What? They're just appetizers, and the lords are already sick of them?

Then what if I try using ingredients from the world of the living? The lords are so powerful, they won't get diarrhea, right?

They won't? That's good... Huh? If they don't like the taste, I might not get another life?

So being the underworld's chef is kind of hard, huh?

Not really? The lords just like making things difficult...

Zhu Beiran snapped. Rules to follow? What a load of crap! He was done with this!

1. A food story. In the world of food, good food can solve any problem.

2. The underworld's setup is my own invention. Don't nitpick the details.

Theme: A lively, happy little life