4 Training a New Skill

After getting the new task, Lian knew that one month of self-control would be the key to his success. However, besides this side-quest, the system opened up many new possibilities for himself.

The system's goal was to master all skills on earth. But, Lian himself always had this same desire from reading so many novels. To not just be a jack of all trades, but instead a peak master of all of them.

It's hard to imagine such an accomplishment. If one could describe the sentiment, it would probably match the feeling of an antique enthusiast once they managed to collect all of the ancient antiques on the earth.

Therefore, Lian had to get to work. Looking back, he was a lazy person for a large part of his life and wasted himself away on the computer. He was viewed as a smart and involved student in secondary school. But, for the most part, the lack of competition allowed him to succeed while never fully investing his time into anything.

It was only when Lian entered University that his lack of talent and self-discipline became more prominent. However, with the system in his hands, he was now beyond a genius. In fact, one could say that he was cheating the heavens. Wasting time on the computer was no longer needed.

Considering Lian's previous knowledge from novels, if he was too high-key with showing off his skills or training on the outside, some sort of conflict would probably arise to push the "plot", or in the words, the suspense in his life, forward.

"You can kiss my ass! I'm not going to run around like a chicken with my head cut off while chasing chicks with low EQ and fighting degenerates. FUCK. THAT. SHIT."

"I'm not going to cause my family suffering or force them into a hostage situation due to my incompetency."

"If I ever do go out in the future, I must be low-key, leave no traces, and if there really is suspense, I'll only risk my own life and not that of those close to me."

After racking his brains a little bit, Lian came up with an idea.

"Since I barely go to class anyways, I'll continue with passing classes at the base average for now and I'll stay at home for the most part. This will be a good cover."

"My eyesight being solved shouldn't make anyone suspicious since everyone uses contacts these days. Heck, I'm sure my parents won't even notice much unless I mention it."

"I also don't need to worry about income or accolades in the future, since I'm sure that with the system I'll be super rich eventually…"

"Hopefully, I'll even be able to help my parents out…"

Lian: "Hey system! Will there be any way to get rid of my dad's disease in the future?"

System: "The user can heal his father once certain skills are mastered and certain leveling restriction are unlocked."

System: "Furthermore, the complications for your father's disease will not be life-threatening for at least the next 15 years."

Lian: "That's relieving…"

Continuing to make sure that all aspects of his life were taken care of, Lian decided to push aside his currently attained skills for the time-being. Instead, he planned to gain the first and most obvious skill that came to mind: cooking.

His father was currently still upstairs and his mother wouldn't come home until late at night. So, he snuck downstairs to the kitchen.

"Instead of scattering my mind, I'll aim to train a few related skills at a time. That way, I'll be able to keep track of my progress. I still need to master everything regardless, so there's no point in rushing."

After preparing some ingredients, Lian picked up an egg and cracked it onto the pan.

*Sizzzzzle*

*System: User has learned a new skill: Cooking.*

*System: User has gained 1 exp point in: Cooking.*

*System: Current experience to reach lvl 2: 1/10.*

"Sweet! Great user interface and very low exp to develop my proficiency. Just how I like it…"

He continued cracking eggs over the stove until the liquid in the pan looked like a jumbled mess. After cracking the tenth egg, a new message appeared.

*System: User has gained 1 exp point in: Cooking.*

*System: Congratulations! User has reached lvl 2 in cooking. All aspects of the users' cooking abilities and knowledge of recipes have increased.*

*System: Current experience to reach lvl 3: 1/100.*

"This sound is like music to my ears! With all that said, I can see how difficult it'll probably get in later levels if I need 10 times the experience each time. Yikes! I'll leave that problem for later on…"

After leveling up, he gained a few very basic recipes that were permanently imprinted into his mind. He went along with the instructions, while continuing to experiment with vegetables and condiments.

With his "Infinite Eating" ability, he didn't need to worry about ever overstuffing himself or getting sick from food poisoning. As a result, he always tried tasting the food after cooking it.

"This stuff's not half bad…"

"If I keep leveling up, among many future options, I could probably make some good cash by selling my creations…better than being broke with no job and a useless degree, that's for sure…"

He put on some music, and continued until the evening. His cooking level eventually reached lvl 3, with still quite a large amount of exp to reach the next level. He gained a larger breadth of recipes and more knowledge when it came to cooking in general.

However, he was now sweaty and somewhat exhausted from overexertion. He used the effects of "No Washroom Needed" to instantly clean himself and look hygienic, before changing into new clothes and heading out.

"I can't always occupy the kitchen to cook. Not only is it suspicious, but it will also get expensive to waste so many ingredients. Likewise, at some point, I'll have to find a way to gain more exp at later levels."

"For now, I'll look into working on another skill that's kind of related. If my assumption is right, I should be able to get a planting skill… or some skill along those lines."

He went to the local supermarket and began his shopping spree. Carrying some cheap pots, along with some soil and seed bags, he started walking towards the register.

As he approached one of the lines, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

High-pitched voice: "Hey Lian, how's it going?"

He turned around. After seeing who it was, he squinted.