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墨書 Inktalez
"It’s too late, all too late, my friend. If you had appeared ten years earlier, I would have definitely become your friend. If you are willing, I would even pass on my skills to you."
The words of the Fat Octopus Elder were filled with sorrow; he resembled a setting sun, shrouded in twilight, his pale purple skin gradually fading to a grayish black.
"Senior, why must you say this? If you wish, you can continue your culinary career, change to a Noodle Shop, find a new place..."
As a fellow chef, Lin understood that such melancholy could only arise in dire circumstances. However, Lin was not one to easily give up; he wanted to fight for it.
"It’s no use; you don’t need to." The Fat Old Man shook his head with a bitter smile, interrupting Lin's persuasion. After a pause, he continued, "This is the last meal I can prepare in my life. After this, I may never be able to cook again..."
"Senior, what exactly happened to you?" Lin sensed that things were not simple.
"If you are willing, let me tell you a story!"
The Fat Octopus Elder's large mung bean-sized eyes became dreamy as his long tentacles swayed beside him while he began recounting his story about the restaurant.
At the age of two hundred thirty-eight, the Fat Octopus Elder had reached an advanced age. He achieved culinary mastery at fifty and became a legendary Tenth Level Culinary God, renowned for his exquisite octopus dishes.
When he attained the title of Tenth Level Chef, he realized he had experienced enough of the world and thus came to Wuyuan Star to open his Gurikumon.
A restaurant run by a Tenth Level Chef naturally thrived; business was booming and prices were astonishingly high. Even for expensive dishes, diners flocked from far and wide, traveling across the Star System to Wuyuan Star just for a taste of the Octopus's delicacies.
However, as time passed, the Octopus aged. Like other Old Octopuses, he could not escape the ravages of time; his hands began to tremble while holding a knife, and his once-sharp sense of taste and smell started to deteriorate.
Even more terrifying was that he had developed the sleep disorder most feared by octopuses: Sleep Disorder.
Sleep Disorder was an incurable ailment in octopus civilization. Due to cellular aging within their bodies, their required sleep duration increased over time. Eventually, they could fall asleep anywhere at any time after needing twenty-four hours of sleep.
The Old Octopus once resisted fate. At the age of one hundred seventy, he underwent Cellular Activation Therapy, using medication to delay the progression of his illness.
However, time was too long. He endured this painful struggle for over sixty years, until half a year ago when the doctor told him that his body had aged too severely and that the activation therapy was no longer effective.
This Old Octopus finally faced the torment of illness he had to endure. In just half a year, his sleeping hours increased exponentially, and today, he wakes only for about two hours at a time.
Soon, he will fall into eternal sleep and never open his eyes again.
The aging of his body also led to a decline in his culinary skills. At one hundred fifty, he was still a Tenth Level Chef, but now he couldn't even reach the level of a Seventh Level Chef.
He struggled to measure the seasoning correctly, resulting in strange flavors. The ingredients he prepared were no longer uniform but rather uneven scraps.
The food he handled became increasingly unpalatable, and even he could not forgive himself for what he produced; it was inedible.
Today, Lin Ta and others were somewhat fortunate. The Old Octopus used his last bit of strength to create a relatively successful dish; under normal circumstances, he would have been unable to achieve even one-tenth of that.
At this point in the story, the Old Octopus couldn't help but let out a long sigh, seemingly lamenting the unfairness of his situation.
"The dishes I create will no longer shine. The broth I prepare will no longer rise with steam or waft the fragrance of Wuyuan Star... I am old; I am no longer worthy of being a chef..."
How could someone who once shone so brightly accept such a bleak old age? Thus, he decided to turn off Gurikumon and not let this old companion accompany him in his continued struggle for survival.
"Senior, please don't say that..."
These painful words made Lin Ye feel distressed. Who could imagine that this dying Old Octopus was once a brilliant Tenth Level Chef?
The Old Octopus stood up, waved his hand dismissively, and without saying a word, slowly walked toward the kitchen. Each step trembled as if he might collapse at any moment.
He gave up.
Lin Ye gave up; he knew that at this moment, everything was useless and superfluous.
Lowering his head, Lin turned to look at the two people at the dining table. They were still so happy, indulging in their food and drink, unaware that the chef of this dish was about to pass away, nor did they know that this dish was the Old Octopus's final requiem.
The sunlight streamed through the open window and the large glass panes, illuminating the room. Lin tilted his head to look at the sun; the light was so glaring that it hurt his eyes and caused a dull ache in his heart.
He no longer spoke to Old Octopus but quietly watched the sunlight until everything before him turned white, and a sharp pain jolted him back from his reverie.
Standing up, Lin brushed off nonexistent dust from his clothes, as if trying to wipe away something from himself.
He walked quietly to the door and called out, "Have you eaten enough? Hurry up and leave!"
He was urging them on, not knowing if Old Octopus would fall asleep in front of them if they delayed. That was something he did not want to see, nor did Old Octopus want others to witness.
A proud person would only die alone in a corner; he did not want the pain to be known by everyone.
Lin understood what Old Octopus was thinking. He just wanted to discard his lifelong pillar of support and become a mere shell, returning to his hometown to sleep in a place where no one recognized him, never to wake again.
His urging left Dream Source puzzled, but they did not ask further questions. They could tell that Lin was troubled, so they hurriedly got up to follow him.
As the wooden door swung open, the bell above the door jingled crisply with a "ding-dong," reminding Lin of the wind chimes at the Noodle Shop.
"Hey, wait a minute!"
Just as he was about to step outside, Old Octopus's voice called out from behind him, stopping Lin in his tracks.
Old Octopus stumbled over and grabbed Lin's hand, pressing a set of kitchen knives into his palm. It was a leather knife case containing nine knives, each varying in size and shape, indicating their different functions.
"Senior..."
Lin stared blankly at the knife set in his hand, feeling as if the knives were crying out in despair, a soft lament from their former owner.
"This set of knives is called Nine Heads. They've been with me for most of my life. I can no longer use them, but I can't let them be buried with me. I can sense that you are a good chef, and you will become a great one in the future. In your hands, they will not be wasted!"
Old Octopus's whiskers trembled as he smiled; it was the first time Lin had seen him smile since entering.
"I... will not disappoint you or Nine Heads."
Lin spoke sincerely, without pretense or refusal of Old Octopus's gift. He understood that this was what Old Octopus hoped for.
From the beginning, Lin had never considered himself a chef, but Old Octopus had given him the knives because he truly saw Lin's passion for cooking.
Without further words, Lin pushed the door open and left with the others. No one looked back.
The ringing of the bell was crisp as Old Octopus stood behind the glass window, watching Lin's figure fade away. When Lin disappeared from sight, he slowly closed his eyes.
He fell asleep, resting peacefully.
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