CFSMS -Chapter 100 Potato Potato, This Is Mushroom

“Potato, potato, this is Tomato Mushroom. Everything is going smoothly on my end.”

“…”

“Tofu, tofu, this is Winter Melon Mushroom. I spotted those people making their move.”

“This is Chicken Claw. Someone’s heading toward the Pickled Pepper Beef side. Remember to intercept them.”

“Beef received. Hey, Pickled Pepper Chicken Claw, mind letting me take a bite out of your claw? I’m starving.”

“Get lost!”

Message after message was sent out.

As they recited those code names, the diners rolled up their sleeves and took deep sniffs.

That’s right.

Every one of them was an undercover agent.

After Yang Jiang handed over all the information he had gathered to the enforcement team, someone reported the situation to Cang Heguang.

The reason nothing had been done before was because of standing orders.

But Cang had drawn inspiration from the situation and decided to take advantage of the chaos Lu Wu had stirred up over the past few days. He simply replaced a large number of the gamblers inside.

As long as people gambled obsessively, Desire would be generated.

The appearance of Desire served as the perfect smokescreen, and Steward Zhu never imagined that all these people were actually clear-headed.

They had indeed been infected.

The gambling bugs were still inside their bodies.

But they carried protective skewers with them, taking a sniff every now and then to refresh their minds and stay alert.

As long as they carefully controlled the timing, the bugs could be kept alive without affecting their sanity.

The fierce struggles Steward Zhu witnessed throughout the casino were all performances these people had rehearsed beforehand.

“Come on, take another sniff.”

Tomato Mushroom blended in among the gamblers and softly spoke to the little bug inside his body.

Eat more.

It’ll make your journey easier.

The bug thought:

Ah… there are stars in front of my eyes…

So dizzy…

Time to sleep…

Good night…

Feeling the bug’s reaction, Mushroom raised his eyebrows smugly.

This move of his was called the Skewer Hypnosis Technique.

The results were excellent.

“Honestly, I should’ve picked Pickled Pepper Beef as my codename. Boss Lu’s cooking is making me drool.”

He muttered to himself.

Outside at the food stall, the Pickled Pepper Beef was selling exceptionally well.

Just imagining it—

One bite, and the beef soaked in rich broth would be captured between his teeth. That tangy, spicy flavor would probably ignite his entire being.

Ah!

He was on fire.

“Pickled pepper? Wasn’t it Spicy Beef?”

Just as he swallowed his saliva from the fantasy, a hoarse voice sounded beside him.

A… girl.

“Hm?”

Mushroom remembered her.

They sat at the same gambling table.

She seemed to be one of tonight’s victims, drifting through the casino in a daze under the bug’s influence.

He had planned to rescue her after the operation ended.

Yet now, there was a faint trace of clarity in her eyes.

“Wasn’t it… Spicy Beef?”

Mu Mu asked expressionlessly.

Her head felt as though it were about to explode.

Countless voices tugged at her, urging her to keep placing bets.

Yet her hand had frozen in midair.

What had she just heard?

“Boss Lu’s Pickled Pepper Beef!”

Mu Mu was furious.

You had to understand—

The thing she most wanted to eat this time was the Spicy Beef from before.

Even though she never got to taste it, she had imagined it countless times through the RealmNet.

Tender, juicy slices of beef would be fully cooked in the broth, turning a light brown color.

The thin slices would bounce gently on the bamboo skewer.

Boss Lu’s special sauce would coat every piece evenly, decorated with colorful chili flakes.

Then she would slowly tear the meat apart with her teeth.

The spicy broth would elevate the flavor even further.

That sensation could strike directly at the soul.

Even imagining it made her feel spiritually enlightened.

But now—

The Spicy Beef was gone.

In its place was Pickled Pepper Beef!

No.

No way!

Pickled Pepper Beef was heresy!

The fury of losing something she loved allowed Mu Mu to forcibly break free from the gambling bug’s control and regain herself.

What gambling bug could possibly compete with her soul-deep craving for Spicy Beef?

Never underestimate the bond between a foodie and good food, you bastard!

She glared viciously at the undercover Mushroom, demanding an explanation.

“Ahem…”

Mushroom nearly turned into dried mushroom from fright.

This girl was fierce.

“Boss Lu changed the broth base.”

After checking that no one was paying attention to them, he quickly tried to calm her down.

Seeing her expression grow even uglier, he lowered his voice.

“I think Pickled Pepper Beef is pretty delicious too. Really. I’m not lying.”

If time had allowed, he would have bought at least ten or twenty portions to satisfy his cravings.

“Not listening! Not listening!”

Mu Mu shook her head wildly.

At this point, she didn’t have a single gambling thought left in her head.

All she wanted was to rush over and ask Boss Lu if Spicy Beef could make a comeback.

“Tiantian! Right, there’s Tiantian too!”

Remembering her friend, she looked around and spotted Tiantian betting at the neighboring table.

Still filled with rage, she walked over and whispered something into Tiantian’s ear.

Mushroom watched as the girl named Tiantian instantly exploded too.

“What?! My numbing-spicy broth is gone?”

“What mushroom clear broth? I don’t want it! Clear broth is heresy!”

“Come on. Let’s find Boss Lu.”

Tiantian woke up too.

The two girls, burning with righteous fury, charged toward the casino entrance.

They moved so fast that Mushroom didn’t even have time to stop them.

He opened and closed his mouth, staring blankly at the two powerhouses.

“This is Tomato Mushroom. I have a situation to report.”

Breaking free from a gambling bug through sheer willpower alone—

Those were some extraordinary people.

The moment they left the casino, they spotted the food stall surrounded by layers upon layers of people.

Though angry, they still followed the rules and joined the end of the line.

The entire street was filled with the sour-spicy aroma of pickled peppers.

Just smelling it made their stomachs churn faster, urging them to eat immediately.

Amid the drifting fragrance, the gambling bugs struggling desperately against the girls’ appetites began twitching again.

The two bugs cried:

Waaah… we’re no longer pure…

It’s over… Buggy’s finished…

Then their legs kicked once.

And they went to join their brothers and sisters.

Gone forever.

With the gambling bugs completely dead, the two girls suddenly came to their senses and realized what had happened to them.

“There’s a problem.”

“A huge problem.”

They spoke in unison.

Their eyes met.

No further words were needed.

“How about we eat first and report it afterward?”

Tiantian suggested.

“Makes sense. The casino isn’t going anywhere.”

Mu Mu nodded.

And just like that, they tossed the bizarre casino experience to the back of their minds.

Right now, all they wanted was their beloved spicy broth back.

But their anger didn’t last very long.

The lingering aroma gradually melted it away.

Especially since so many diners around them were happily eating skewers while sharing their opinions.

“I’ve almost finished drinking all the broth from these Pickled Pepper skewers.”

“You just don’t get it. The mushroom broth is the real masterpiece. It’s so fresh my tongue’s about to fall off.”

“Huh? Nobody likes the tomato broth? The tomato flavor is incredibly rich. Sweet and sour, so delicious. I could drink another bowl.”

…

As those comments mixed with the irresistible fragrance assaulting their senses, the expressions on the girls’ faces gradually softened.

“My heart is telling me… it’s moved on.”

“What a coincidence. Mine too.”

Years of friendship allowed them to instantly understand each other’s thoughts.

“How about… we give it a try?”

“Yeah. Let’s try it.”

If something was destined not to be, then it simply wasn’t meant to be.

They were adults.

Adults had to learn to let go.

Today, the one destined to be with them was Pickled Pepper Beef.

Meat, wait for us.

We’re coming.