A Witch's Guide to Working in Another World [Western Fantasy]

[A monster-slaying, level-up wizard story + wizard academy + steampunk + a touch of cosmic horror] Ever since Xia Lin transmigrated to the world of wizards, she’d had nothing but bad luck. In an age when human lives were worth less than grass, her family was wiped out, forcing her to flee to a distant land. On the run, she was kidnapped by a wizard and made to serve as the evil wizard’s personal laboratory assistant, cook, coachman, and more... Fortunately, an extraordinarily rare supernatural talent manifested in her. Supernatural talents cannot be inherited and can appear at random in anyone. Whether they are nobles, commoners, beggars, or slaves, possessing a supernatural talent gives them the chance to enter the world of wizards. It is a gift of fate, scattered randomly across the world. To save enough money to buy the resources she needed to advance, Xia Lin began her miserable life of odd jobs. For money, she worked as a mercenary bodyguard, a cook, a housekeeper, a coachman, and a mentor’s laboratory assistant. She also went outside the academy to hunt exotic beasts for money, where a fellow apprentice tried to lure her into a honey trap and rob her. So she killed him instead. At last, she landed a big job, only for her noble employer to withhold her pay and try to silence her. So she joined forces with the other apprentices who hadn’t been paid and killed him instead. When she accompanied her mentor abroad to attend an academic conference, she got caught up in a civil conflict in another country. Her patron offered her a fortune to work as a mercenary. Xia Lin had no choice but to go on a killing spree, leaving the palace awash in blood. If the price is right, she’ll kill even an emperor. That is the professional code of a top-tier wage earner! During a laboratory accident, Xia Lin was infected by an unknown species, and some alarming changes began to appear in her body. Eyes sprouted randomly across her skin. Every day, huge amounts of spider silk poured out of her body. Powerful pincers emerged from her back. She was becoming less and less human. In the world of wizards, everything comes at a price. The strange species gave her incredible strength, but the shadow of death followed close behind. Worldbuilding introduction After the war against the strange species ended a thousand years ago, the wizarding world lay in ruins. Most of the strange species left this world, while a small number of them and the many monstrous beasts they had created went dormant somewhere in the world. A thousand years later, wizards had gone into hiding. The nobles of the empire held the greatest power, and warriors and knights ruled the land. Steam trains, steam airships, and all kinds of enchanted alchemical objects began to appear on the world stage. Wizards, once a common sight, had become synonymous with the bizarre and cruel. They retreated into their academies to focus on their research, but behind the scenes, they still controlled the true lifeblood of the world. Nobles and commoners struggled for power within the wizard academies, squeezing the apprentices at the bottom of the ladder and leaving them little room to survive. A helpless outsider with no one to rely on, Xia Lin could only grit her teeth and claw her way up despite all the forces pressing down on her. Every apprentice dreamed of one day transcending the limits of their life, becoming a full-fledged wizard, and escaping the many constraints of the mundane world. Xia Lin was no exception. Later, she kept climbing and climbing until she reached the pinnacle of the wizarding world: demigodhood. And then every inch of the wizarding world was covered in her spider silk. Coming soon: The Galactic Mess Hall Cook Question: Master, what do you do for work? Jiao Tang: Thanks for asking. I work in the mess hall. Jiao Tang, a food blogger, transmigrated to an interstellar battlefield and became an honorable... logistics soldier. Jiao Tang: QAQ Even logistics soldiers have to go to the battlefield sometimes! After transmigrating, Jiao Tang discovered that years of war had caused people across the stars to completely lose their taste for food. They only needed to consume nutrient solution to maintain their most basic vital functions. Jiao Tang tried to fit in and drink nutrient solution too, but she felt like it was going to poison her. Every day she rummaged through the labyrinthine logistics warehouse for new ingredients. The ingredients of the stars looked different and had different names, and most of them were completely unfamiliar, so there were very few dishes she could make. But Jiao Tang was determined not to drink nutrient solution! And so Hamster Jiao Tang diligently researched new ingredients in the logistics warehouse, feeding the various food-loving friends who were drawn in by the aromas. Then, finally, one day! Jiao Tang stood out among the many masters of inedible cuisine and became the one and only head chef of the base canteen! Jiao Tang was moved to tears. She could finally stop secretly cooking on the side! She was going to go all out and cook up a storm! During wartime, the Sea Folk launched a massive offensive and cut the battlefield into separate zones. All supplies from the rear were cut off from Base Star 5587, leaving the soldiers there isolated and without support. Everyone in the Interstellar Alliance was deeply worried about the soldiers on the front lines. But one day, people managed to connect to the base’s signal through a livestream and discovered something surprising. The soldiers weren’t gaunt and starving as everyone had imagined. As they faced the ferocious Sea Folk, every one of the stranded soldiers fought like a powerhouse. As they pounded the Sea Folk, they kept chanting strange incantations: “Ginger and scallion crab! Seafood in spicy sauce! Poached fish fillets! Fish head tofu soup! Steamed scallops with garlic and vermicelli! Salt-baked prawns! Spicy stir-fried clams! Hand-rolled fish balls! Steamed crabs...” The soldiers, who should have been suffering from recurring mental breakdowns and spiraling into madness, were getting stronger by the minute and had even gained a few pounds. Their eyes were red as they chanted those strange spells, tears suspiciously dripping from the corners of their mouths. Everyone in the Interstellar Alliance: What’s going on at Base 5587? Later, a cook named Jiao Tang became famous throughout the stars. No matter what species you are! No matter how picky your palate is! No matter whether you love sour, spicy, bitter, salty, funky, or sweet foods... Come to the Galactic Mess Hall! Chef Jiao Tang will satisfy you! The food blurb was screenshotted on February 16, 2026. Theme: No matter how difficult the circumstances, you must have a strong heart.