Chapter Forty-Two: Slowly Toying You to Death!

“System, let me ask you, can I extract the super soldier serum from Captain America and use it on my parents?” As soon as Chen Feng returned to his room, he couldn’t wait to ask.

“You can,” the system’s cold voice echoed in Chen Feng’s ears.

“Really?” Chen Feng couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. Suddenly, he asked, “What about other things? For example, knowledge, or the master-level culinary skills of the God of Cookery, or even the recipe for the famous Juicy Beef Balls?”

The system’s mechanical voice continued to ring in his ears: “Until the host reaches a certain level, abilities cannot be granted to others.”

“Huh?” Chen Feng furrowed his brow, confused. “If abilities can’t be given to others, then why is it possible to use Captain America’s super soldier serum on them?”

“Captain America’s super soldier serum can be extracted,” the system answered mechanically. “It is a tangible item that can be used on the host or on others, whereas abilities are intangible and can only be used by the host.”

“So that’s how it is!” Chen Feng let out a wry smile. Even so, the news pleased him greatly. The serum naturally produced by Captain America’s body could be used on his parents; once injected, they would have bodies as strong as his own.

But there seemed to be a problem.

Chen Feng frowned tightly. He knew better than anyone that injecting the super soldier serum came with serious side effects. He remembered the intense pain he had endured and the way his pores expelled large amounts of impurities, almost like a complete physical cleansing.

If his parents underwent this, how would he explain it to them?

Tell them about his extraction system?

That was something Chen Feng had no intention of sharing with anyone else; it was a secret meant for him alone. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided not to extract the serum for now. If the opportunity arose in the future, he could give his parents the super soldier serum then.

With that thought, Chen Feng’s mind settled.

The next day, Chen Feng still prepared breakfast for his parents. The night before, he had already convinced them, and by eight in the morning, the family of three was ready to head to Sihai Street for a look.

Sihai Street was the most famous food street in all of Jiangzhou. The street ran about one and a half kilometers, lined on both sides with various eateries. Originally, Sihai Street was a bustling place, filled with hawkers and folks from all walks of life. The name “Sihai” meant that within the four seas, all were brothers.

In the beginning, it wasn’t just a food street—it housed brothels and opium dens as well. After liberation, these were abolished, but the food street remained. At first, it was still rather unruly, with local thugs collecting protection fees and some streetwalkers earning quick cash, though not openly.

Now, after a city government initiative, Sihai Street underwent a drastic transformation, becoming more upscale. The troublemakers and streetwalkers were dealt with accordingly, and the city’s planning had turned Sihai Street into a truly modern food street.

During holidays, locals would flock here for food, fun, and festivities, making it lively and bustling. Word of Sihai Street’s reputation drew in tourists from out of town as well.

When Chen Feng and his parents arrived, it was still morning and not yet crowded.

“This shop looks pretty good,” Chen Feng said, his gaze falling on a particular storefront. The location was decent, but he had no intention of running the shop himself. All he wanted was to perfect the Juicy Beef Balls; whether or not it was a prime location didn’t matter to him.

In the film, Stephen Chow didn’t run his shop in a prime location, yet his Juicy Beef Balls still sold like crazy. That’s the power of a brand: if you have something unique, people will come no matter how remote your shop is.

In any case, Chen Feng’s parents hadn’t bought a large storefront, nor was it in a prime location. Those areas belonged to wealthy owners who wouldn’t easily let go of their shops, and the family didn’t have that much money. Though Chen Feng’s parents had managed to save up over the years, it wasn’t even a hundred thousand yuan. Rent for prime spots was exorbitant, and the idea of spending so much money made them wince.

After spending the afternoon with his parents, they finally settled on a shop—not very big, about forty or fifty square meters. Even so, the rent was ten thousand a month, with three months’ deposit and one month’s advance, so forty thousand yuan disappeared in an instant.

When they handed over the money, his parents felt a real sting. Forty thousand gone just like that! Still, they had faith in Chen Feng. The Juicy Beef Balls were the best thing they’d ever tasted, and if they could really sell them, there was no fear of poor business.

The shop was nicely decorated and didn’t need much work—just a new sign outside would suffice.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the three-day May Day holiday was over.

During those three days, Chen Feng threw himself into making Juicy Beef Balls, barely sleeping or eating. He had tried to teach his parents the recipe, but it was too difficult—the force needed to pound the beef was beyond them. Even with the exact method and ingredients, their results, though tasty, simply didn’t have that special flavor his did.

It couldn’t be helped; after all, Chen Feng was making the Juicy Beef Balls with a master’s touch, while his parents weren’t even professional chefs.

He decided not to force them. Instead, he let them handle the shop, go to the business bureau, and wait for the grand opening.

“I need to find a chance to give my parents the super soldier serum—not for the sake of making Juicy Beef Balls, but to ensure their health!”

After the May Day holiday, Chen Feng returned to school and resumed his training.

“Chen Feng, can I get your phone number?” During practice, Lin Hang approached him and asked, “Chen Feng, could you give me your number?”

“Oh?” Chen Feng slapped his forehead, a bit embarrassed. “I really can’t give it to you—my phone was confiscated by the teacher a while ago, and I haven’t asked for it back yet. I’m really sorry!”

“Huh?” Lin Hang was surprised. “The teacher took your phone?”

“Yeah, I was caught reading a novel during class, and then…” Chen Feng trailed off, feeling a little sheepish. The person he was then and the person he was now were worlds apart—almost like two different people.

Lin Hang wiped sweat from his brow with a wry smile. “My dad really wanted me to get your number. By the way, when are you making those Juicy Beef Balls again? That flavor is unforgettable!”

Chen Feng laughed heartily. “No problem! In a few days, our family is opening a shop on Sihai Street. I’ll be selling them there—come by with your parents when we open!”

“Great, great!” Lin Hang laughed along.

Some of the basketball team members looked at Chen Feng and Lin Hang in surprise. Weren’t these two always at odds? When did they become so close?

Time slipped by. Xiao Yu still hadn’t managed to get Chen Feng’s number, nor had Chen Feng gone to ask Chen Minghai to get his phone back. His daily training was intense, and by the time the city finals between No. 1 and No. 17 High Schools rolled around on the seventh, Chen Feng looked even leaner.

At first, Chen Feng’s muscles were very pronounced—he had the exaggerated explosive build of a Western bodybuilder. But now, his muscles had become lean and well-defined, more powerful, compact, and sculpted. His abs gradually emerged with his effort; at this point, Chen Feng was completely immune to getting fat.

The final basketball game was between No. 1 and No. 17 High Schools. On that day, the audience numbered in the hundreds, and some city officials even attended as a show of support for local sports.

Before the game, Chen Feng carefully adjusted his condition, waiting for the match to begin.

“Chen Feng!” A voice drew his attention to the entrance, where a man stood watching him with a cold smile. Chen Feng recognized him at once—Luo Wenhao, the guy who had once tried to spend a hundred thousand yuan to lure Fang Yue, only to have Chen Feng break his left arm. Now, it seemed that arm had recovered quite a bit.

“It’s you?” Chen Feng looked at Luo Wenhao, his voice icy. “What, are you here to ask me to throw the game?”

“You’re overthinking it,” Luo Wenhao sneered. “By the way, your parents lost their jobs, didn’t they?”

“How did you know?” Chen Feng was taken aback, then immediately asked coldly, “Was this your doing?”

Luo Wenhao let out a cold laugh. “That’s right, it was me. And this is just the beginning. Kid, I’m going to make sure you’re ruined, step by step.”

With that, Luo Wenhao turned and walked straight to his own locker room, not bothering to waste another word on Chen Feng.