The Chef's Trial

Jiawei, Tian Qi, and Xiao Jiang moved to a seating area in the lobby, settling into the cushioned chairs. They chatted casually about the Water Realm, the homeland of the Aquarii, and Xiao Jiang's surprising decision to join The Chef's Trial at such a young age.

"So, you're competing in The Chef's Trial just so you can leave the Water Realm?" Jiawei asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

"Well, isn't that the reason everyone joins The Chef's Trial? To move to The Cloud Palace?" Xiao Jiang replied, tilting her head slightly, her own confusion evident.

"Well, yeah," Jiawei admitted. She had a point. After all, the ultimate reward for winning the trial was residency in The Cloud Palace. "But still, the Water Realm is famous for its beauty and elegance. I just can't wrap my head around why anyone would want to leave such a place."

This time, Xiao Jiang didn't answer. She only offered a small, faint smile—a smile that seemed to carry a hidden sadness.

Noticing her silence, Jiawei shifted his gaze back toward the other contestants. They were lining up at the reception desk, presumably to check in. His eyes scanned the room until they stopped on a striking figure—a woman whose eyes were fixed on him, Xiao Jiang, and Tian Qi.

"Do either of you know her?" Jiawei whispered, his tone low and curious.

Both shook their heads, now equally intrigued as they glanced back at the woman, puzzled by her gaze.

She was beautiful, in an unusual and almost contradictory way. 

Her face carried a sharpness that gave her a fierce aura, like someone who was determined and relentless. 

Her jet-black hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her expression was stern, exuding an air of authority. 

Yet, her features softened her otherwise intimidating demeanor. Her large, round eyes—bright and clear—reminded Jiawei of a puppy trying to look ferocious. Her nose arched gently, adding a touch of refinement to her face, while her plump lips, though slightly pale, perfectly complemented her fair, almost translucent skin, which, despite being smudged with dirt, still retained a delicate glow.

She looked like a character straight out of a story—an elegant woman intentionally dressed down, trying to play the part of someone rougher, tougher.

"You've gone through training, right?" Tian Qi asked Xiao Jiang, breaking the silence. "Have you ever seen her at the training halls?"

"Never," Xiao Jiang replied. "At the training halls, we were all too focused on surviving to notice each other's presence."

Jiawei nodded, his curiosity tempered by understanding. He was genuinely intrigued about what went on in those training halls. But he wasn't foolish enough to ask a naive question. As if anyone would willingly divulge the details of life-or-death training sessions, especially when their survival was still very much on the line.

When Jiawei turned back to look for the woman again, she was gone.

After a bit more conversation—exchanging room numbers and agreeing to look out for each other as allies—they parted ways, heading to their respective rooms.

Once he entered his room, Jiawei flopped onto the soft mattress, sinking into its comforting embrace.

For some reason, he felt utterly drained today—even though he hadn't done much of anything. Was it because he hadn't socialized with people in so long? Whatever the reason, the fatigue gnawed at him, triggering a troubling thought: if he was this exhausted before the competition had even begun, how would he hold up once the real battles started?

Jiawei stared up at the ornate ceiling, its swirling patterns reflecting the grandeur of the Cloud Palace Hotel. His mind wandered as the exhaustion he felt refused to dissipate, clinging to him like a stubborn fog.

His fingers absently traced the edge of the pillow as he mulled over the faces he had seen earlier. The weary contestants filing in, Xiao Jiang's determined yet innocent smile, Tian Qi's sharp wit, and that mysterious woman who had stared at them from across the lobby. Who was she? Why had she been looking at them so intently?

Jiawei sighed and turned onto his side, gazing at the small, complimentary notepad on the bedside table. Scribbled across the top in elegant calligraphy was the hotel's slogan: "For those who dare to dream."

Dream? Jiawei scoffed internally. More like survive.

The stories about the preliminary rounds weren't exaggerated. The competition wasn't just about talent or creativity—it was about endurance, wit, and, frankly, the willingness to sacrifice. People didn't just fail; they disappeared.

He closed his eyes, trying to push the dark thoughts away, but they lingered. Tomorrow, the real challenge will begin. He would have to prove he belonged here, not just to others but to himself.

So what? If I die then I die. I have no reason to keep on living anymore.

Jiawei had only joined this competition on a whim, hoping to escape the monotony that had plagued his life for as long as he could remember. He wasn't here to win, nor did he care about the prestige or the promise of living in the Cloud Palace. All he wanted was to feel alive, even if it meant courting death itself.

After all, there was nothing anchoring him to the world. No grand dreams, no burning purpose. If this trial was going to be the end of him, then so be it. At least he would go out having felt something.

The weight of that thought settled over him as his eyelids grew heavy. The soft hum of the room and the cool sheets beneath him did little to comfort the hollow ache inside.

Yet, deep down, a small part of him—buried beneath layers of apathy—whispered a challenge.

If you're going to throw yourself into this, at least see it through. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find something worth holding onto along the way.

Unaware of what lay ahead, Jiawei let sleep claim him. This competition, brutal and merciless, would not only strip him bare but also force him to confront the pieces of himself he had long ignored.

Tomorrow, the journey would begin for the non-realm scouting contestant. He made a promise with Tian Qi to spectate the whole thing and give support for Xiao Jiang. And with it, may he find the faint possibility of finding meaning in a life he had long deemed meaningless.