120: Chapter 120 Demon Lord? No, you're a top-notch barbecue chef.

The second layer of the Abyss, Lava Purgatory.

This is a kingdom of fire. The sky is a burning dark red, and the ground flows with rivers of scalding magma. The air is thick with the scent of sulfur and charred remains, the temperature high enough to melt refined iron instantly. For ordinary Cultivators, this is a forbidden land. But for the [Tianhe Expeditionary Force], this place is simply... the kitchen of their dreams.

Rumble— One hundred pink biological warships (Tianhe No. 1 Fleet) tore through the spatial barriers and hovered over the purgatory. Even before the hatch doors opened, a rich, mouth-watering aroma of beef wafted out from the exhaust vents.

“What is... that smell?” On the ground, countless Lava Demons rolling in magma and biting each other stopped their movements. Their noses, formed of flames, twitched as a longing they had never felt before appeared in their eyes. In a desolate place like the Abyss, they usually only ate rocks and drank magma; occasionally eating a stray Soul was considered a celebration. This Advanced, Qi-rich meat fragrance was a dimensional strike to them.

...

Inside the tianhe no. 1 flagship.

Butcher Xiao (Commander-in-Chief) held a massive blueprint, assigning tasks to various departments. “Attention!” “This is our future [Tianhe Second Food Processing Plant]. Our goal is: to transform this place into the Universe's largest 'Self-Service BBQ City'!”

“First, cool it down!” Butcher Xiao waved his hand grandly. “Drop those Air-Conditioner Giants (formerly Western Desert Flame Giants)! Clear out a cool piece of territory for me!”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Thousands of rock giants radiating cold air dropped from the sky. As soon as they landed, they began spraying cold air frantically at their surroundings. Ssss—!!! The scalding magma was cooled into obsidian, and the sweltering air became cool and pleasant. In just fifteen minutes, a 'Safe Zone' with a radius of a hundred miles was forcibly carved out in the center of the purgatory.

“Step two, set up the racks!” Hundreds of transport ships opened their hatches, pouring out countless tons of sliced [Abyssal Void Fatty Beef] (from the North Sea), as well as tens of thousands of 'Automatic Rotating Grill Forks' modified from Wanfa Immortal Sect Flying Swords.

“Boys! Get to work!” The Tentacle Monster army (waiters) tied on aprons and held trays, rushing out excitedly.

...

Deep within the purgatory, the Devil King's Palace.

The ruler of the second layer—Fire Demon King Ragnor—sat on his obsidian throne, roaring in fury. “Who! Who dares to make my territory so cool?!” “This is a desecration of fire! This is a provocation to the Abyss!”

He stood up, a hundred zhang tall, his entire body burning with purple Abyssal Demonic Fire, holding a massive flame sword capable of splitting mountains. “Assemble the army! I will roast those invaders into charcoal!”

Boom! The Fire Demon King led an army of a hundred thousand Lava Demons, aggressively charging toward the 'Safe Zone.'

However, when they reached the edge of that area, they froze. There was no Formation, no defensive fortifications. Only... rows of neat barbecue stalls and mountains of fresh meat radiating a fatal temptation.

“Gulp...” The Fire Demon King heard the sound of his subordinates swallowing their saliva. Even his own stomach let out an unfilial growl.

“Courting death!” The Fire Demon King forcibly suppressed his appetite and roared, “How dare you use food to humiliate the great Fire Demon Clan! Kill!” He raised his giant sword and slashed down fiercely at the largest barbecue stall.

At that moment, a figure wearing a white lab coat and gold-rimmed glasses, holding a small notebook, appeared out of thin air beneath his sword. It was Li Mo.

Li Mo didn't dodge; he simply reached out a hand and lightly supported the descending giant flame sword. [Rule: No fighting in the kitchen.]

Clang! The giant sword felt as if it had struck an unshakeable barrier of rules, remaining perfectly still.

“You...” The Fire Demon King was shocked. He was about to exert more force when he discovered the giant sword in his hand had suddenly... changed. The originally sharp blade became flat, the body of the sword became wide, and several oil-draining holes appeared on it. It had turned into a giant... spatula.

“Such a good fire—it’s a waste to use it for fighting.” Li Mo adjusted his glasses, sizing up the Fire Demon King with the gaze of an interviewer. “Good fire control, stable temperature, and no smoke. Perfect. Our 'Executive Chef' position is still vacant.”

Li Mo took out his notebook and tore out an [Employment Contract]. “Sign it. Room and board included, five insurances and one housing fund. You can even take a 10% cut of the beef every day as your salary.”

“You're dreaming! I am the Fire Demon King! I will never—” The Fire Demon King was about to refuse. Li Mo reached into the System space and pulled out a handful of [Special Cumin Powder (Abyssal Devil Spicy Version)] and sprinkled it onto a piece of beef being grilled nearby.

Sizzle— An overbearingly delicious aroma instantly exploded, rushing straight to the Fire Demon King's crown. That was a critical hit on the level of the Soul. It was a fatal attraction caused by the long-term lack of seasoning for Abyssal creatures.

The Fire Demon King's eyes instantly turned red. His rationality collapsed at this moment. Dignity? The throne? Could they compare to the fragrance of this meat?

“Gulp... (You'll really let me eat?)” the Fire Demon King asked tremblingly. “Eat your fill,” Li Mo handed him the meat.

The Fire Demon King tremblingly took the meat and swallowed it in one bite. Boom! That spicy, savory, and satisfying feeling caused two lines of magma tears to instantly flow down. So delicious... I've lived my life in vain...

“I'll sign!” The Fire Demon King threw the spatula aside and pressed his handprint directly onto the contract. “Boss! If anyone dares to cause trouble in the shop from now on, I'll roast them!”

...

One hour later.

The second layer of the Abyss had completely changed. The originally murderous army of a hundred thousand Lava Demons had all turned into 'Grill Masters.' They stood in a row, using the demonic fire on their bodies to precisely control the heat of every beef skewer. “More fire over here! The customer wants it medium-well!” “You little demon over there, don't sneak a bite! I'll dock your pay!”

Meanwhile, the Cultivators of the Tianhe Expeditionary Force sat in the cool air-conditioned area, eating large quantities of meat and drinking heavily (their own spiritual wine). “Refreshing! This Abyssal BBQ is the real deal!” “This Devil Lord's skill is really not bad—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!”

Li Mo sat in the VIP booth (the former Devil King's throne), watching this harmonious scene, and closed his ledger with satisfaction. [System Notification: Transformation of the second layer of the Abyss complete.] [Obtained new facility: Tianhe BBQ City (Abyss Flagship Store).] [Obtained new employees: Fire Demon Chef Brigade (100,000 members).]

“Very good.” Li Mo looked into the deeper darkness. That was the third layer of the Abyss: Desolate Ice Plains.

“Now that we're full and satisfied, it's time for some dessert.” Li Mo picked up the walkie-talkie: “Director Xiao, pass the word. Next stop, the Ice Plains. Bring all the 'Milk Tea Powder' and 'Ice Machines.' I heard the 'Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice' there has an excellent texture, perfect for making 'Abyssal Shaved Ice.'”}, side

“By the way... ask that Ice Plain Lord if they're willing to be the 'Cold Drink Department Manager.'”}, side

With Li Mo's command, this expeditionary force—full to bursting and with grease-covered mouths—set out once again on their journey to 'scourge' the Abyss. And the nightmare of the Abyss (or perhaps its blessing?) had only just begun.