Chef in the Apocalypse - Chapter 72: Feast (2)

“Football isn't just a game”—it's life.For 16-year-old David Jones, football is more than a sport; it's an escape, a calling, and the only thing that makes sense in a world full of challenges. The electric thrill of scoring a last-minute winner, the roar of the crowd—it’s the closest thing to freedom he knows.But David's journey is far from simple. Blessed with extraordinary talent yet burdened by fiery anger, he’s fighting battles on and off the pitch. Growing up as the son of a Nigerian immigrant and a British mother, David navigates the pressures of cultural expectations, the weight of his own ambitions, and the scrutiny of a sport that demands perfection.Passion drives him forward, but his temper holds him back. Can he channel his emotions and prove himself worthy of being football's next big star?David Jones: The Next big thing is a gripping coming-of-age story about resilience, identity, and the unrelenting pursuit of dreams.Disclaimer:This work is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All trademarks, brand names, and other proprietary rights mentioned or depicted are the property of their respective owners and are used for illustrative purposes only. This work is not affiliated with or endorsed by any brand, company, or individual mentioned. All rights reserved to their respective owners.

He was Model 72 — a crash test dummy. A being of metal and sensors whose sole purpose was to break and to be repaired. Routine crashes, routine analysis, routine repairs. Until one day, something… went wrong. Or maybe right. Now, he wakes up in Telaria, a unique world of magic and monsters, and in a body that is, for all intents and purposes, terribly inefficient.Soft flesh. Brittle bones. And as if he weren't fragile enough already, it all came gift-wrapped with something new.Pain.Every jab, scratch, and burn is a revelation. And strangely... irritating.But Axel is no ordinary human. Hidden beneath his supposedly fragile exterior is a regenerative gift so powerful that each recovery doesn’t simply restore him to his former state.It adapts his body against the very damage it just endured.[Your hand has been impaled by Crystal-Blade Grass.][Host's [Pierce Resistance] has increased slightly.][All leg bones have been broken by the ground][Host's [Impact Resistance] has increased greatly : x6][Your face has been burnt by a Fireball.][Host's [Fire Resistance] has increased greatly: x2]He hates it. Every injury is just another reminder that his human body is flawed.And yet he knows...his body can learn. His body can evolve.So, Pain?Pain is a problem he intends to solve. And only then, would he truly be complete.“There will be no need for repairs. No need for pain. No need for regeneration.”“I will simply be unharmable.”The world believes SSS Rank Gifts are the ceiling. The End-All, Be-All.Well...The world hasn't met Axel.

A dying old man entrusted him with the position of Sect Lord of a “great and glorious sect,” passing on a token and proclaiming him the future ruler of countless disciples.But when Li Xuan arrived at his inheritance…There were no disciples.No elders.No spirit beasts.No treasures.Only a collapsing gate, broken halls, and weeds taller than the main pavilion.The so-called supreme sect was nothing more than a ruined mountain with a fancy name.Just as despair set in, a mysterious voice echoed in his mind—[Sect-Building System Activated.]• The Host is invincible within sect territory.• The Host cannot leave sect territory.• Expand territory to receive rewards.• Recruit disciples.• Establish dominance.• Conquer realms.Each time the sect’s influence expands, divine rewards descend:Ancient techniques.Heaven-defying artifacts.Mythical beasts.Even fragments of lost realms.Trapped within his mountain yet unmatched inside it, Li Xuan begins rebuilding from nothing.One disciple becomes ten.Ten become a hundred.A hundred become an army of immortals.As territory spreads and realms begin to converge, the world slowly realizes:The ruined sect on the forgotten mountain…has become the axis of heaven and earth.Within his sect, all realms unite.

Back in 1996, when the daughter of the Old Xie family, Xie Wanying, said she wanted to be a doctor, many laughed.“Phoenix begets phoenix, dog spawns dog. A truck driver’s daughter becoming a doctor is as likely as a sow climbing a tree.”“I’m not just going to be a doctor, I’m going to be a female chest surgeon,” said Xie Wanying.Her words provoked even greater waves of disdain within the doctors' community.Relatives who were doctors ridiculed her mercilessly: “Do you know how high the admission scores are for medical students? Do you think you can make it?”“There are zero female chief chest surgeons in the country. Who do you think you are!”A bunch of people mocked her: “You'll probably only get into a third-rate medical college and end up as a health worker in a small county town. It's easy to imagine what sort of marriage you'll have.”After the college entrance exams, Xie Wanying entered the top surgical class in the country with the highest science scores in the province, with department heads in the Capital’s top-tier hospitals vying for her from her internship beginnings.“Student Xie Wanying, come to our digestive surgery department.”“No, she must come to our urological surgery—”“Pediatric surgery is in short supply of female doctors like student Xie Wanying.”Circles of relatives and friends: …At this time, Xie Wanying independently completed the youngest Tetralogy of Fallot surgery in the country, represented the national association of chest surgery at an international medical forum, and published the world’s first minimally invasive heart valve repair surgery, becoming truly the foremost surgeon in the field of female surgery!As for the marriage concerns that everyone “worried” about:A brother from the Returned Overseas Faction, a hot bachelor within the Capital, changed his QQ profile picture to Junior Sister Xie.The young CEO, a handsome man, came to the hospital every day with flowers, keen to offer a diamond ring.Not to mention, a whole host of suitors had long since worn a path to the Old Xie Family's doorstep...