Chapter 3 - The Man From NourishNow
The man introduced himself as Grant Mercer, Regional Community Wellness Director.
Eli decided anyone with four words in a job title was probably dangerous.
Grant's smile belonged on a dental billboard.
"You've been giving out meals in a zone serviced by NourishNow."
Eli looked around at the wet tents, cracked pavement, and shopping carts.
"You call this serviced?"
The man in the Seahawks beanie snorted into his breakfast.
Grant's smile tightened.
"Our company operates under city permits. Unlicensed distribution creates liability."
"You mean feeding people?"
"Improperly feeding people."
Eli's new Appraisal flickered.
A black ribbon of energy wrapped around Grant's wrist beneath his shirt cuff.
[Hunger Contract — Grade: Iron]
[Bearer receives commission from collected Appetite Tax.]
Eli's anger sharpened into certainty.
Grant was not merely corporate annoying.
He knew.
"How much do you make per stolen day?" Eli asked.
Grant stopped smiling.
Only for a heartbeat.
Then it returned.
"Excuse me?"
"Bad joke."
"Very bad."
Grant handed him a business card.
"Stop distributing food here. If you want legitimate work, call me."
"What kind of work?"
"You seem... unusually perceptive. NourishNow values talent."
When Grant left, the Seahawks man whistled.
"You know rich people?"
"Apparently I know their soup."
His name was Reggie Bloom, a former city bus mechanic with a laugh like a busted starter motor. He volunteered to help Eli carry containers back.
"Why?" Eli asked.
"Breakfast was good. Also you annoyed Corporate Dracula."
Back home, Mei was awake and furious that Eli had spent his last money feeding strangers.
"Rent first," she said.
"Technically, I have a business plan."
"You have twelve dollars."
"Eleven seventy-four."
"That correction made it worse."
The system chimed.
[New Skill available: Purifying Flame — Cost 25 Gratitude Qi]
Eli bought it.
A warm point ignited behind his sternum.
He placed his palm against one NourishNow carton.
Gold flame appeared around his fingers without burning his skin.
The black seal screamed.
There was no other word for it.
A thin sound filled the room as the curse peeled away.
The carton split.
Steam rose.
[Purification successful.]
[Hunger Qi recovered: 3]
[Warning: recovered Hunger Qi contains owner mark.]
"Owner mark?"
The black energy condensed into a tiny symbol.
A bowl with nine teeth.
Mei saw nothing, but Eli did.
His system did too.
[Symbol identified.]
[Nine Banquet Consortium]
[Classification: Hidden Culinary Cultivation Organization]
Eli stared.
"There are secret cooking cultivators?"
[Yes.]
"And they run soup programs?"
[Among other crimes against seasoning.]
A notification appeared beneath it.
[Owner mark has detected purification.]
[Tracing initiated.]
[Estimated time until hostile cultivator locates host: 03:59:58]
Eli looked at the countdown.
Then at his mother.
He had four hours to learn kung fu.
Unfortunately, his system specialized in dinner.
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