Chapter 187: This Feels Like Robbery

This dinner didn't include Harry. Shawn, Joycelyn, and Louis each grabbed utensils, their excitement barely contained. Hudson, with only one gold bar to his name, could only watch from the side. The three immediately started eating the spicy stew fish, relishing every bite. After two days of surviving on plain compressed biscuits, they couldn't wait to enjoy something flavorful. The fish head, covered in chili peppers, instantly awakened their taste buds.

“Hey, slow down! Save some for me!”

“You’re eating too fast!”

“Ugh, can’t you two learn to share a little?”

They might have broken into a fight if not for the live broadcast. Olivia and Harry quietly watched as the others devoured the food, sweat dripping down their faces.

“Don’t you think it’s… a little too spicy?” Harry asked cautiously.

Shawn stuffed another bite into his mouth.

“It’s fine. I love spicy food.”

Joycelyn cheerfully added, “It’s not bad at all! Olivia, your cooking is incredible. If you ever open a private restaurant, I’ll be your VIP member!”

Louis didn’t stop to respond, simply waving a hand as he continued eating.

Harry was at a loss for words. He stared at Olivia, his mind full of doubt. Something’s not right! I saw her put an entire basket of chili peppers into that pot.

Olivia responded with a calm, knowing smile.

Nobody watching the livestream expected a variety show to turn into a food broadcast.

“What did I do to deserve this? Why am I stuck watching people eat in the middle of the night?”

“To be honest, Olivia’s spicy stew fish looks amazing…”

“But isn’t it strange? Where did those chili peppers in the stew come from?”

“If I remember correctly, Willowridge is known for its wild chili peppers. There should be plenty in the nearby mountains. Olivia probably picked them. I mean, if she can catch fish so easily, grabbing chilies and mushrooms should be nothing.”

“Wild chili peppers? Are you kidding? Those have an insane afterburn!”

“Speaking from experience, let me tell you, avoid wild chili peppers at all costs. You’ll never understand…”

“I was jealoits of their spicy stew fish earlier, but now… I feel kind of bad for them.”

Unaware of the live chat conversation, Shawn, Joycelyn, and Louis continued eating until they began to sense something was wrong. Their mouths and throats felt like they were on fire. The burning heat spread to their stomachs, growing unbearable.

“What’s happening? Why is this suddenly so spicy?” Shawn, usually confident with spicy food, felt like his mouth was swelling.

Joycelyn’s eyes filled with tears. “It wasn’t this spicy at the start!”

Without speaking, Louis grabbed a bowl of mushroom fish soup, hoping to ease the heat. The moment he tasted it, he shouted, “This is way too salty!” He spat it out in disgust.

“Olivia, how much salt did you add?”

Olivia blinked innocently. “Oh, I forgot to mention. I got distracted and added too much salt when I made the soup.”

Louis winced, his face twisting in discomfort. But with the fish stew too spicy, he had no choice but to gulp down the overly salty soup. Joycelyn and Shawn, both overwhelmed by the spice, followed suit and drank some soup. Now they weren’t just burning from the spice; they were also parched from the overwhelming saltiness.

“Water, I need water! Get me a bottle!” Joycelyn shouted, her face flushed red.

She desperately needed something to drink.

“Of course, darling!” Olivia replied sweetly, placing a stash of bottled water and milk in front of them. “Bottled water is four gold bars. Milk is five.”

Joycelyn was dumbfounded. Shawn and Louis were completely stunned.

“Are you kidding? This is daylight robbery!”

“Wait… Wasn’t bottled water just one gold bar yesterday?” Joycelyn stammered in disbelief.

Olivia grinned. “That was yesterday. Prices are rising, and my shop needs to adjust accordingly.”