I controlled the entire Zerg race with my superb culinary skills.

Every night, it becomes a paradise for those street thugs. Pete, holding a white baseball bat and with a lollipop in his mouth, sits in front of an abandoned building.

"Why haven't we seen that good-for-nothing Pan Cheng lately? Could it be that he's too scared to show his face after we beat him last time?"

"Haha, our boss Pete is really something else. Let's see if he dares to try and take our territory now."

Pete draped his arms over the half-broken wall behind him, crunching on candy.

"Hey, Pete, long time no see. Why are you still dressed so shabbily?"

Pan Cheng emerged from the darkness carrying a tote bag, looking at Pete with a mocking expression.

"It's Pan Cheng, that stray dog ​​who actually dared to cross the river like a worm."

"Haha, let's teach him a lesson again today and show him who's in charge."

Pete's henchmen, armed with baseball bats, surrounded Pan Cheng with excited expressions.

"Ha, a bunch of frogs in a well. Pete, want to join us?"

Pete spat out the candy stick from his mouth with a cold smile, dragged a baseball bat in his hand, and walked towards Pan Cheng. His underlings automatically made way for him.

"Pan Cheng, do you want to listen to the bullshit you're spouting? Join you? You think you're worthy? Heh."

Pan Cheng was unfazed by the verbal insults and instead threw the bag in his hand at Pete triumphantly.

"Taste it."

Pete caught the bag but didn't open it immediately, instead looking at Pan Cheng with a mocking expression.

"You would be so kind?"

"Haha, you don't dare? That's right, you've always been a coward."

Feeling slighted, Pete stared menacingly into his eyes, casually tossed aside the baseball bat, reached into his bag, and pulled out a soft, steaming bun.

Ok?

This taste…

Pete ate faster and faster, one or two at a time... and soon all the buns in the bag were gone.

Pan Cheng, with his arms crossed over his chest, revealed a triumphant smile.

"Hey, what future is there in being a petty thug? Why not join us? My boss is super powerful. Don't blame me for not including you. This is your only chance."

After saying that, Pan Cheng turned around and pretended to leave. As he left, he glanced at Pete, who was still immersed in the delicious food.

"It's just a few steamed buns. We eat them every meal and we're already tired of them. Sigh, let's ask the boss to come up with some new products next time."

After a moment of shock, Pete finally came to his senses, looked at Pan Cheng's back, made up his mind, and closed his eyes.

"If I join you, will I be able to eat this every day?"

Pan Cheng gave a wicked smile, turned around, and waved at him.

“Although we used to be rivals, once you join us, we’ll be partners. We’ll provide three meals a day and pay you a salary. I’m only saying this once: tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., at the steamed bun shop opposite the back gate of the Central Hospital.”

After saying that, Pan Cheng left without looking back. Although Pete used to fight him for territory, they were all just trying to earn a living. As fellow vagrants, they could better understand how hard it was to be the leader of a group of thugs.

After he left, a group of his underlings quickly surrounded Pete, chattering incessantly.

"Boss, don't get scammed."

"Yeah, boss, Pan Cheng is our biggest rival."

"He must have come up with some kind of conspiracy to annex us and then wipe us out in one fell swoop."

.....

Pete looked at the empty bag in his hand, still smelling of steamed buns, then looked up at his underlings surrounding him, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he had made up his mind.

"Whether it's true or not, we'll go and see for ourselves tomorrow. If it's really as he says, we'll join. Winter is coming soon, and war could break out at any time. If we can have a strong backer before then, things will be a little easier."

The underlings immediately shut their mouths. Indeed, wars would break out every winter, causing prices to rise and all sorts of supplies to be prioritized for the military. Low-level scoundrels like themselves would only suffer from cold and hunger.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Pete led his group of henchmen to the back gate of the central hospital. Across the street, they could see a spacious and brightly lit steamed bun shop.

Xiao Chu Steamed Bun Shop

Through the closed glass doors and windows, Pan Cheng and his group of henchmen could be clearly seen busily working inside in an orderly manner.

Pan Cheng would peek outside every now and then. When he saw that familiar figure, he put down what he was doing, said a few words to Chu Yang, and then opened the closed glass door from the inside.

"Wow, you're here pretty early."

"When did you open a steamed bun shop?"

Pete's tone wasn't as sharp as before; he questioned him with furrowed brows.

"I don't have that ability. It's owned by my boss. Let's go, my boss is here too, let's go in and meet him."

The steamed bun shop was warm, and the delicious aroma made Pete and his friends' mouths water as soon as they entered.

"Boss, it smells so good."

The younger brother stood next to Pete, drool practically dripping from his mouth, his eyes fixed on the kitchen.

"Ahem, everyone be careful, don't let Pan Cheng and the others look down on you."

The group of underlings, still dazed by the fragrance, reluctantly looked away and stood tall and proud behind Pete.

Chu Yang followed Pan Cheng out of the kitchen and immediately saw Chong, who was standing straight with short white hair. His gray coat was a little faded from washing.

With white hair and white eyes, if he weren't in the Zerg race, Chu Yang would definitely think he was blind.

"Boss, this is the bug I told you about, Pete. Although we used to be enemies, I don't deny that he's a formidable character."

Pan Cheng followed Chu Yang closely, showing no trace of ruthlessness or domineering aura, acting more like a subordinate than his own underlings.

"My name is Chu Yang, and I'm the owner of this shop. Pan Chengdu told you this before we came, right?"

Chu Yang gestured for Pete to sit down and chat. This group of thugs, who looked like petty thugs, must have been Pan Cheng's friends before. He was surprised that Pete was actually quite loyal.

Pete was surprised to find that Pan Cheng's new boss was a male insect, who looked tall and thin, and frail.

There was none of the scolding and arrogance I had imagined, and he could even make delicious food. It seems this male insect is no ordinary creature.

After they sat down, Chu Yang continued speaking to him.

“My salary here isn’t high, but it includes three meals a day. The shop next door that’s under renovation is also mine. For now, you can intern with Pan Cheng. Once the renovation next door is finished, you can start working there. Do you have any objections?”

Upon hearing that not only would he receive a salary, but also three meals a day, Pete immediately stood up and addressed his group of underlings behind him.

"You all heard what Boss Chu said, right? I have no objections. Do you have any other questions?"

"no!"

The unanimous answers made Chu Yang's ears ring.

Pete turned around and looked at Chu Yang with gratitude.

"Boss, none of us have any objections."

Chu Yang didn't really like the title "boss," as it sounded like a mafia boss. So, he took this opportunity to reiterate the issue in front of them.

"From now on, you can just call me boss, don't call me 'boss' anymore, otherwise other guys will think we're a shady business, understand?"

Pan Cheng and Pete exchanged a glance, then immediately smiled and changed their tune.

"No problem boss."

With the employee issues resolved, Chu Yang looked at the slightly crowded kitchen and suddenly realized that his business was slowly growing. A small shop was probably not enough; he should start a company.

The most troublesome thing for him when thinking about this problem was how to manage finances if he set up a company, since he had never been involved in these areas before.

Pete and his team arrived at the perfect time; after getting acquainted with the kitchen staff by following Pan Chenggang, it was time for the morning staff meal.

His underlings were moved to tears of happiness as they ate hot food for the first time.

"Waaah~, it's so delicious, I'm so happy."

"Yes, why didn't we come sooner?"

Pan Cheng's underlings proudly raised their heads, glanced at them, and then continued eating, afraid that they would all finish it if they were late.