The next day.
Liu Yang woke up feeling refreshed and energized, heading downstairs.
As soon as he made his way down, he noticed the women were already bustling around the kitchen.
He walked over to take a look and was surprised to find Taozi cooking.
This caught Liu Yang off guard.
Who would have thought that this ability user from the Sun Empire actually knew how to cook?
Liu Yang had never eaten authentic Japanese food before.
Back during peaceful times, Japanese cuisine was treated as high-end dining.
It wasn't something ordinary people could afford on a whim.
Besides, whatever Japanese food was available locally was prepared by regular chefs-it was hardly authentic.
Now that he had a chance to sample the real thing, Liu Yang was actually looking forward to it.
He strolled into the kitchen to get a better look.
He found He Yushi and several others gathered around, watching Taozi work.
Clearly, they were just as curious about how Japanese food was made.
Being stared at by so many eyes made Taozi feel self-conscious.
Her fair face flushed pink as she stammered, "E-everyone... please don't stare at me like that. I'm so nervous I'm forgetting what to do next."
He Yushi smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, it's fine! We're just trying to learn. Don't be nervous."
Zhao Lina chimed in, "Yeah, exactly. We just want to pick up a few cooking tips from you."
Su Xiao teased, "You're not afraid we'll steal your secrets, are you? Don't be so stingy!"
Taozi shook her head rapidly. "No, no! I'm only making simple sushi. If you want to learn, I'd be happy to teach you. It's just... having so many people standing around me makes me anxious."
Taozi had only moved into the villa yesterday and wasn't familiar with He Yushi and the others yet, so it was only natural for her to feel uneasy surrounded by a crowd.
The only reason she had come to the kitchen so early was that she wanted to prepare breakfast before Liu Yang woke up. After all, as his maid, taking care of his needs was her primary duty.
Such was the effect of the Soul Chain. Once bound, the target became entirely devoted to their master's interests.
This mindset stemmed from the very depths of the soul.
It was natural and instinctive. Even without Liu Yang asking, Taozi would spontaneously strive to give him her absolute best in every regard.
Before long, Taozi finished preparing the sushi and brought the platter to the long dining table. Everyone gathered around, inspecting the novel Japanese dish with intense curiosity.
He Yushi was the first to pick up a piece and take a bite.
Delight instantly bloomed across her face. Chewing happily, she gushed in a muffled voice, "Delicious! It's so good! I can't believe we get to eat food like this in the middle of an apocalypse. This is amazing!"
Tang Mengting took a bite as well and exclaimed, "Wow, it really is delicious! I want to learn how to make this! Taozi, you have to teach me!"
"N-no problem..." Taozi replied shyly.
Blushing deeply under their praise, she lowered her head.
Chen Dan, Su Xiao, and the rest took their turns tasting it, each echoing high praise.
They hadn't expected Taozi to not only be stunningly attractive and a powerful ability user, but also an exceptional cook!
How did Liu Yang manage to keep finding such high-quality women?
It was enough to make the rest of them feel a subtle sense of competition!
At that moment, Liu Yang picked up a piece of sushi and bit into it.
A look of pleasant surprise crossed his features. "It really is good. Everyone, eat up. Since you're all pregnant, you need all the nutrition you can get."
A mischievous grin spread across his face as he spoke.
The women blushed instantly, bowing their heads in embarrassed silence.
The meal concluded amidst lighthearted laughter and banter.
Liu Yang turned to Taozi and said, "Taozi, come up to my room. I have a few questions for you."
"O-oh... okay!" Taozi nodded hastily.
She obediently followed behind Liu Yang as they headed upstairs to his room.
Watching Liu Yang call Taozi up to his room right after breakfast, the other women exchanged surprised looks before breaking out into hushed whispers.
He Yushi remarked, "Wow! Right after eating? They're getting right to it?"
Su Xiao giggled, "Liu Yang could at least let the food digest before exercising! He's going to give himself indigestion!"
Tang Mengting agreed, "Right? Talk about impatient!"
Chen Dan noted sympathetically, "Taozi just spent all morning cooking Japanese food for us. He won't even give her a break!"
Hearing Chen Dan's words, Zhao Lina said, "Taozi is basically Liu Yang's prisoner, so he's not going to hold back out of chivalry! After all, she's an enemy invader from the Sun Empire who came to attack our Dragon Empire. Even if Liu Yang subdued her, she'll never hold the same status as us!"
Zhang Jingyu nodded. "Lina makes a good point. Besides, she's a powerful ability user. Liu Yang might unleash an intensity on her that we can barely imagine. We should listen closely to see just how strong he's gotten! After all, our bodies can't handle that kind of power!"
Zhou Keke giggled, "Probably only a high-level ability user can endure Liu Yang now, right? He's practically upgraded into a category 16 hurricane! Just like Sun Wukong's Golden Hooped Rod-touch it and you die, bump it and you perish, a brush tears your skin, and a scrape breaks your bones!"
Wang Feifei chimed in, "Then we should definitely keep our ears open to hear how Liu Yang handles this Japanese girl!"
Wang Siqi grinned, "I bet Liu Yang is going to give her a beating she won't forget! She's definitely losing a layer of skin today!"
Zhou Qiuping nodded knowingly. "I doubt she'll even be able to crawl out of bed tomorrow!"
White Fox smirked, "It's not that dramatic. Ability users recover quickly! Back then, I even managed a second round with Liu Yang!"
Upon hearing this, the others turned to White Fox with looks of admiration and envy. "As expected of you, White Fox!"
...
Standing nearby, Zhao Yuting overheard their conversation about Liu Yang's overwhelming strength and fierce power.
Far from feeling afraid, her heart swelled with longing. As she listened, her breathing gradually grew shallow and heavy.
Every other woman here had been inside Liu Yang's room and experienced his strength firsthand-she was the only one who had yet to be favored.
Every time she heard them talk about Liu Yang, curiosity and desire consumed her.
Even though they all claimed he was terrifyingly powerful and that their fragile bodies couldn't take it...
Women often said the opposite of what they meant.
They claimed he was terrifying, yet their expressions were always filled with deep satisfaction and lingering bliss!
Looking at their faces, it was hard to believe they had experienced anything horrible...
They clearly craved it!
Because of this, Zhao Yuting became even more consumed by curiosity-what kind of magical experience awaited inside Liu Yang's room?
Unfortunately, she had been living in the villa for nearly a month, and Liu Yang hadn't given her a single hint or invitation. She was at a total loss for what to do.
With more and more people gathering in the villa district, her presence was becoming increasingly overlooked.
She couldn't go on like this...
She had to find an opportunity to slip into Liu Yang's room and seize her chance...