His mother was angry. She lectured Zayn for eternity but gave up at last. Zayn’s innocent smile was too irritating, and if he was not her flesh and blood, she would have considered punching him in the gut.
It was a good thing that she didn’t know anything about her husband falling victim to Zayn’s traps as well, otherwise, Stephanie would have snapped Zayn’s neck on the spot.
Zayn knew his mother's true nature better than anyone – probably even better than herself. That was also why he continued to play the ignorant fool and inched closer to the groceries. Searching for his stuff was a hassle. Everything was spread in several bags that had to be opened, emptied, and put in the correct spot. His mother didn't have OCD but she hated it when the kitchen looked like a mess. Therefore, Zayn spent more than 15 minutes collecting everything he had requested from his mother. Like always his mother didn't miss a single item. She procured everything he needed.
“Mom, you're the best!” He exclaimed, planting a kiss on the fuming woman's cheek before he began preparing the ingredients for the meals that ought to last him through the week.
His meal plan was going to be pretty simple. Zayn was going to cook braised steak with a side of mac ‘n’ cheese. It might be a simple meal but it would fill his stomach and provide all the nutrients he needed to survive playing long hours.
Zayn chose his favorite cut of steak; sirloin. In his opinion, the tenderness and flavor of sirloin was unmatched. He removed the steaks’ packages and patted them dry with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Zayn seasoned both sides of the sirloin steaks generously with salt and pepper. Optionally, Zayn could add more spices and some herbs for additional flavor but he was not a fan of using too many different spices. It destroyed the natural taste of the steak, in his opinion.
Once the steaks were seasoned, Zayn preheated the pan to a high temperature. The initial sear would help the steaks develop a flavorful crust. The moment the pans were hot enough, Zayn placed the steaks on the hot surface where he let them sear for 90 seconds on each side, locking the juices inside the steak while the perfect crust developed.
Using several pans to cook was not something Zayn would do under normal circumstances, but he was in a rush. The guides and videos didn’t create themselves, after all. He was also curious how dexterous and perceptive he was in his current state.
A pot of water on the stove in the back began to bubble. The first bubbles burst on the water’s surface when Zayn tore open two packages of macaroni to put them inside the boiling water. He didn’t miss a single moment, his eyes taking in every single detail in the kitchen.
Zayn didn’t have enough thermometers to keep check of the internal temperature for the desired doneness of his steak. Therefore, he had to use his instincts and years-long cooking experience amid the apocalypse to ensure that his steaks would be perfect.
He didn’t use any utensils to turn the steaks over. A gentle flick with his wrist while holding the pan’s handle was enough to turn the steaks once they were perfect. The next steps were pretty easy. He let the steaks rest for a few minutes to redistribute the juices inside them.
The macaroni was done just on time, giving Zayn just enough time to drain the water and mix them with the velvet cheese sauce he’d crafted from a blend of sharp cheddar and creamy gouda.
Precision was every cook’s greatest ally and mightiest rival as it orchestrated the timing of all dishes, ensuring that each element reached perfection simultaneously. As the steak was tenderized, the mac ‘n’ cheese was mixed slowly and steadily until it reached perfection.
At last, the juices inside the steaks were redistributed, and Zayn cut them with great precision. His cuts were deadly fast, the knife barely scratching the surface of the wooden cutboard.
Once he was done, Zayn split the meals into seven parts and put six into the meal boxes his mother had purchased for him. The last portion was moved to a separate plate for Zayn to finish.
He devoured the savory meal in no time, ignoring his mother's confused stare. When did Zayn learn to cook like this? The smell was wonderful and he used techniques she’d never seen before. His cooking skills rivaled her decades of experience. No. He might actually be better!
Zayn smiled through his mother's baffled stare and cleaned the kitchen with swift and precise motions. At last, he put the meal boxes into the fridge and returned to his brothers.
**
[Common Card – Iron Bark – Body Enhancement – Active/Passive] – [Sold for 1450 Credits]
[Common Card – Aggression – Berserk – Active] – [Sold for 1200 Credits]
[Common Card – Piercing Shot – Weapon Enhancement(Projectile) – Active] – [Sold for 2500 Credits]
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
[Common Card – Silverwolf – Summon – Active] – [Sold for 5000 Credits]
“Damn!” Percy exclaimed, his eyes glued to Zayn’s phone.
Nicolas and Percy spent the last five minutes of the auction staring blankly at the phone. They were as stiff as trees and more tensed up than most Players would be upon facing their first Regional Boss. Zayn enjoyed their behavior for quite a while. Of course, that didn’t mean he was not surprised as well.
The four Common Cards were sold for a much higher price than he anticipated. The last few minutes before the auction ended was a rollercoaster as more bids flooded his phone. It was amazing.
“10,150 Credits…in what? 26 hours? You little fucker!” Nicolas shouted, putting Zayn in a chokehold. Zayn could have escaped the chokehold easily, but he granted his brother the moment of joy – though he never figured out why Nicolas demonstrated his happiness in such a unique way.
But it was fine. Seeing his brothers happy and excited was much better than the memories of their desperation as their bodies were ripped apart right in front of him. The former was something Zayn wanted to imprint into his mind. Unfortunately, the latter had been brandished in the depth of his consciousness.
“Three Cards were bought by MasterOfTheSword. I have no idea who that guy is, but I want to be friends with him,” Percy mumbled under his breath.
Zayn could only agree. MasterOfTheSword was probably a wealthy tycoon. Being friends with him would be quite helpful. Zayn couldn’t bother spending the rest of the day to befriend the wealthy tycoon, but he sent him a friend request nonetheless. Maybe it would be easier to befriend him than he expected. It was worth a try. He wouldn’t lose anything if MasterOfTheSword rejected his friend request.
Opening the Forsaken Auctionhouse, Zayn checked the market for items. More Common Cards had been sold, but most were not as useful as the batch of Cards Zayn sold. But that was expected. Most Players would keep their Cards to grow stronger as quickly as possible and sell only duplicates or ‘useless’ Cards.
In Zayn’s opinion, there were no useless Cards. It was just that some Cards didn’t fit certain playstyles. An Alchemist did not require a Heart Deck filled with Combat-related Cards which was what Players preferred. It was more important for him to procure Cards that aided the concoction of potions and pills.
Of course, it was much easier to earn money with Combat-related Cards in the early game. Everyone would want to grind as many Cards as possible to make some quick cash. That would change sooner or later as the need for Ranked Armaments and high-quality potions increased drastically. As long as someone focused their attention on creating a proper Heart Deck for the Lifestyle occupation of their choice they could earn a fortune without the need to leave well-protected cities and Sanctuaries. It required a painstaking amount of effort, but focusing on Lifestyle occupations was certainly a great option in the long run. Unfortunately, Zayn’s grand goal didn’t align with the abilities of Blacksmiths, Alchemists, and most other Lifestyle occupations.
He was in dire need of money, but the wealth would come in handy to increase his strength, not to turn him into a renowned Alchemist, or whatsoever.
“I will order your Basic VR Helmets,” Zayn informed his brothers, who swallowed their saliva staring at their phones. They’d opened the Forsaken Auctionhouse’s website on their phones to research the items sold online and the prices some Players paid for them. It was shocking, and extravagant, to put it in simple terms.
Zayn could tell that his brothers were now fully convinced to join Forgotten Lands. They finally understood that Forgotten Lands was a treasure trove, a place they could suck dry as long as it was still fresh and full of treasures.
“Thanks. I will go back to re-edit the videos,” Percy said, hastily putting the phone aside before rushing back to his laptop. Nicolas could only nod. It was time to go back to edit the videos and guides once again. Only after they were edited a second time would the videos and guides be ready to be scheduled to release.
Nicolas stared at Zayn, a smile on his face.
“We’ll make sure to create the best videos and guides for Forgotten Lands. Your knowledge is a treasure! I never thought that I would say this, but I love you, little monster!”
Some people were capable of earning a man’s love through their stomachs. Meanwhile, others received their brothers’ love through money and gifts. That was a new one for Zayn. But it didn’t feel bad. As long as his brothers were happy, he couldn’t complain. It was nice to see them laugh and giggle, excited about the possibility of earning a fortune using Forgotten Lands. They should enjoy themselves as long as they can. The near future would drain the joy and happiness within mankind, after all. At least, that was how it had been in the past.
Zayn checked some other things online, and he went through the guides and videos once again to ensure that everything was correct before he returned to his room. His brothers were capable enough to manage everything else for him. It was about time for him to return to the world of Forgotten Lands.
He retrieved the advanced VR Helmet from the nightstand, laid down on the bed, and put on the helmet. He empowered the VR Helmet and the world around him changed once again.
He returned to the Arylin Forest, where hundreds of Inferior Demonic Treants were waiting for him, or so he thought.
What Zayn didn’t expect was to find several groups of Players hunting down the Inferior Demonic Treants. At least, that was what they were trying. The Players worked together to avoid the treants’ main roots and cut them down one after another. It took them several minutes to destroy two main roots and even longer before they reached the trunks of the Inferior Demonic Treants.
Their movements were not too bad considering that their Agility and Dexterity seemed rather low, but it was quite obvious that they were still inexperienced with Forgotten Lands’ game mechanics. Their utility of Cards was not smooth and their fighting style was rather rough. Interestingly enough their teamwork was good enough to block the main roots of the neighboring Inferior Demonic Treants. This allowed the groups’ strongest Players to start cutting down the treants.
Zayn watched them a few minutes, his interest decreasing with every minute. He watched the strongest Players struggling to cut through the treants firm Iron Bark.
“Slow. Way too slow…”