Just thinking about the spicy, numbing, and savory flavor of cold pot skewers made Wen Yu’s mouth water. Her hands moved even faster.

She ate both meat and vegetables but had a particular fondness for crisp and crunchy textures, so while preparing the ingredients, she picked out more beef tripe, dried bean curd sticks, and boneless chicken feet. 

For cold pot skewers, potatoes, lotus root, tofu skin, and quail eggs were a must. Broccoli, seaweed slices, baby cabbage, and seafood balls added unique flavors too. She even wrapped shrimp paste with slices of fatty beef to create a special skewer. 

Besides these basics, Chef Wen also used her secret recipe to marinate spicy beef and duck intestines. Just getting close to them made the chili aroma rush up into the nose, so strong it could bring tears to your eyes. 

All the ingredients were cleaned, cut into pieces, and skewered neatly on smooth bamboo sticks. About ten sticks of each kind made a huge, impressive platter. 

Wen Yu grabbed the spices and started stir-frying them. The key to cold pot skewers is that spicy kick, so she used six or seven kinds of chili, green Sichuan peppercorns, and numbing peppercorns. After stir-frying, she added some white wine and soy sauce to boost the umami, then tossed in rock sugar and hot pot base sauce to layer the flavors. 

While she stirred the spices on one stove, she wasn’t idle on the other—she used both hands to run two stovetops at once. On the other burner, she boiled a half-pot of clean water and added star anise and cinnamon bark to cook the ingredients. 

After the broth had boiled for five minutes, she carefully strained out the residue and placed the clear soup into the freezer to cool. 

At the same time, the cooked skewers were transferred into the cold pot to soak while waiting for the soup base to cool to the right temperature. 

Waiting for food to be ready was the hardest part. Wen Yu stared longingly at the freezer door, taking deep breaths—the air was thick with the spicy aroma, completely capturing her attention. 

As soon as the broth had cooled, she immediately submerged the skewers in it. Unfortunately, cold pot skewers needed to soak for 1–2 hours before they could be eaten. 

But the smell was just too good… maybe just a little taste. 

She sneakily scooped out a skewer of quail eggs as a little snack for herself. 

“Mmm, so good~” 

The quail eggs hadn’t absorbed the marinade yet, but the spicy oil coated the surface. The egg white was tender and smooth, while the yolk had a soft, sandy texture—a five-spice flavor with a mild spiciness. 

The spice level was perfect, not overwhelming, just enough to whet her appetite. She happily popped one after another and ended up grabbing six or seven more skewers. 

“I’m just tasting, gotta make sure nothing went wrong!” 

After finishing the quail eggs, Wen Yu grabbed a skewer of beef tripe next. Thin and crispy, it soaked up the flavor quickly and was perfect to eat now. 

With the tripe gone, she moved on to baby cabbage soaked in broth, chewy seafood balls, and soft potato slices… 

By the end, she rubbed her belly, slumped back in her chair, and let out a satisfied sigh. 

“Taste test complete. Chef Wen gives it a perfect 10!” 

“Alright, add all these cold pot skewers to the ready-to-eat section.” 

The system’s mechanical voice was as calm as ever, but she faintly picked up on a trace of resignation. 

[Received.] 

✧✧✧ 

After everyone had eaten their fill, the Oasis Supermarket opened for business. Wen Yu stepped out, still carrying the strong aroma of cold pot skewers, drawing the attention of many customers. 

People sniffed around and glanced over, smelling that strong, mouth-watering spicy scent but couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. 

Eventually, with Wen Yu’s hint, they discovered that the deli section had a new addition: cold pot skewers. A long line formed almost immediately. 

On the deli’s digital screen, cold pot skewers took up a large portion of the display. The skewers, soaked in red chili oil, looked vivid and enticing. Beside them were two bold warnings: 

[Spice level can be selected for cold pot skewers. Please choose according to your tolerance.] 

[Note: ‘Extreme Spicy’ is insanely hot! Choose with caution!!] 

Fresh chili peppers hadn’t been produced in the wasteland for years. Most young people had only ever tasted expired chili sauce from factories and had never experienced the full force of fresh small chili peppers. 

As a result, the majority of customers chose mild or slightly spicy versions, wanting to test their tolerance before going further. 

But in any crowd, there’s always someone looking for a challenge. 

“Extreme spicy? Let’s see how extreme it really is! I’m ordering that.” 

Before Wen Yu could stop him, a young man in his early twenties had already paid with silver coins. She shook her head and placed a bottle of milk next to the self-checkout machine. 

“Extreme Spicy” didn’t just include bird’s eye peppers, it also contained a blend of facing heaven peppers and chicken-heart chilies. The spice level was maxed out—guaranteed to be unforgettable. 

The man had also picked ingredients that absorbed the broth well, like baby cabbage and beef tripe. The strong chili smell made his eyes water, and he hesitated to take the first bite. 

As the crowd teased and encouraged him, he tried to muster courage. 

“Fine! I’ll eat it!” 

He stuffed the skewer into his mouth in one go. The spiciness exploded instantly, spreading through his throat like fire. 

After a few weak chews, he forced himself to swallow the cabbage. Suddenly, his blood felt like it was boiling, his face turned bright red, and he shouted: 

“Hot! So hot! I’m dying! Give me water!!!” 

That’s when the milk next to the checkout came in handy. Wen Yu quickly handed over a large jug. 

“Milk helps with the heat—drink up!” 

He gulped down over half the jug in one go before the heat started to ease. 

His face was flushed, his lips swollen. Seeing how badly he was suffering, the others stopped laughing, quietly paid for their food, and left, leaving him there in embarrassment. 

Wen Yu sighed softly. 

“It was clearly labeled as extremely spicy. Why push yourself?” 

The man awkwardly paid for the milk, too ashamed to lift his head. 

“I just… wanted to try…” 

He tossed the half-eaten skewers into the trash with a pained expression. Just as he was about to leave, he saw other customers chatting happily with seafood balls in hand. Gritting his teeth, he turned back to the deli section. 

As the spice wore off, a rich umami aroma began to rise. This time, wary of anything too hot, he chose “extra mild.” 

His tongue and lips still tingled, but the fresh batch of skewers smelled irresistible. He cautiously took a bite, and his tear-reddened eyes lit up instantly. 

Delicious. 

The extra mild level was just right; it brought out the natural flavor of the ingredients and complemented the seasoning perfectly. 

As he ate, he couldn’t help but shake his head. If only he had chosen this level from the start, he could have avoided all that suffering. 

✧✧✧ 

“Smells so good! Boss, did the supermarket stock any new snacks again?” 

Chen Zui pushed open the door and greeted Wen Yu. 

She came by nearly every day to buy daily supplies for Grandma Liu and Tian Tian, worried that keeping things too long would increase their radiation levels. 

“Cold spicy skewers, really spicy. Wanna try?” 

“Yes, yes!” Chen Zui bought a large bucket of skewers and chatted while eating. “I once had the chili sauce Hu Jiang brought over—so good.” 

“It’s a shame the neighbors at the Central Base can’t leave, so they don’t get to enjoy things like this. Bringing it back would mean high radiation levels, it’s more practical to cook for themselves.” 

“One of our neighbors who often cooks for us especially loves chili! When I was young, Grandma Liu’s family had a whole jar of pickled peppers—sour and spicy, really appetizing. She could eat several in one go.” 

Wen Yu was helping customers with the prize draw while casually chatting with her. Hearing a key phrase, her eyes lit up. 

Can’t eat it? That’s the perfect opportunity to promote the delivery service! 

“Oasis Supermarket now offers delivery,” she pointed to the delivery order station next to the prize draw box. “Just write down what needs to be delivered, and the delivery person will bring it at the scheduled time. Just have the silver coins ready.” 

“Oh? There’s a service like that?” 

Chen Zui immediately stopped eating, leaned over to check out the delivery card, and fired off a series of questions. 

Wen Yu answered them one by one, taking the chance to introduce the service to the surrounding customers as well. 

“Will the products be exposed to desert radiation once they leave the supermarket?” 

“No. Our delivery staff are equipped with the same protective shields as the supermarket. They completely block radiation.” 

“That’s great! But there are guards outside the Central Base. Can delivery still get through?” 

“Of course. My delivery team can reach anywhere—even the ends of the earth. Eventually, we’ll set up a delivery point right inside the Central Base so you can place orders from within.” 

“Wow, that’s impressive. Who are these delivery people anyway?” 

“Well…” 

Wen Yu blinked. 

“That’s confidential~” 

Trusting both the Oasis Supermarket and Wen Yu herself, Chen Zui didn’t hesitate to place several orders for cooked food. She filled out the delivery card and scheduled the drop-off for 6 p.m. 

Hearing all this, nearby customers were tempted. If delivery really worked, they wouldn’t have to run around the desert all day. 

But since the service was brand new, no one wanted to be the first to try it. They hesitated, deciding to wait for feedback before placing orders. 

Customers continued making purchases in an orderly manner and lined up for the prize draw. A few people won fruit platters and basic medicine kits. Every winning moment drew envious looks from those nearby—everyone was having a great time. 

For the customers, fresh goods and raffles were exciting; for Wen Yu, today was much calmer than the last few days, and the vibe was peaceful. 

Even the occasional disputes among customers quickly resolved themselves. 

Two customers were silently competing for the last bag of original-flavor chips when Wen Yu quietly pressed the restock button. The sudden appearance of more snacks startled both of them, and each went home happily with a big bag. 

Amid the hustle and bustle, another ordinary day came to an end. 

✧✧✧ 

The sun gradually moved west. 

In the blink of an eye, it was already six in the evening. 

The last customer at the supermarket left happily, clutching the fruit platter she had just drawn. After spending half the day outside, Hongye and Tianbing returned to the backdoor, rolling around while waiting for dinner. 

The butterfly delivery worker set off with the only order of the day and quickly arrived at the Central Base. Protected by the shield, it flew in without any obstacles. 

The blur function didn’t make it turn into a giant shadow. During the delivery process, activating the blur made people subconsciously ignore the butterfly in the air and forget that they had seen anything at all. 

When the delivery arrived at the door, the butterfly’s form was temporarily concealed, leaving only the box used for collecting silver coins. 

Basically, the blur function protects the fragile hearts of the locals. 

Wen Yu watched the butterfly depart and waved at it. 

The butterfly moved up and down in the air, mimicking a nod in response, then flew away. 

She turned back into the supermarket and began studying tonight’s recipe. 

Seeing no one inside, Hongye quietly slipped in through the back door. The shelves were too cramped for it, so it tucked its tail and hunched its neck to slowly move forward. 

Finally reaching the deli section, Hongye lifted a paw and pressed on the light screen. 

Nothing happened. 

It tilted its head and stared for a while, then plucked a few bright red hairs from its tail and tried to insert them at the checkout in exchange for some cold skewers. 

Still no response. 

Although materials related to mutated animals were valuable, Hongye was already a member of the supermarket, so the system wouldn’t accept its fur. 

The crimson fox was confused. It had clearly seen through the window earlier that customers would throw shiny, pretty things in and get lots of delicious food in return. 

It whimpered pitifully and lay down in the deli section, refusing to leave. 

Its cries summoned the owner. Wen Yu rubbed the drooping ears of Hongye and said gently, 

“You want to eat this, huh? But it’s way spicier than yesterday’s dry pot shrimp. You won’t be able to handle it.” 

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