Chapter 319: The Fifty Legacies of Velaria (I)

"What’s the best dish in this city?" Uhtred suddenly asked, taking the man completely off guard. Even in his dazed state, the man knew the question was entirely bizarre given his current predicament.

"Huh?" He stared up at Uhtred, bewildered.

"You heard me," Uhtred said, repeating himself coldly. "What’s the best dish in this city?"

"Is that why you... How does that have anything to do with me—!"

A heavy punch slammed straight into the man’s face, cutting off his words mid-sentence.

Uhtred looked down at him, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "That’s not the answer I wanted to hear. When I ask you a question, I’m not asking for your opinion. I only need you to answer the damn question... am I clear?!"

The man would’ve nodded, but his head lolled on his neck, the whiplash of Uhtred’s punch sending him into a daze. Not to mention replying, Uhtred wasn’t even sure whether the man had heard his words at all.

He sent three hot slaps to snap him back to reality and ensure his mind was still present. Thankfully, the man responded after the third slap, nodding his head to show he’d somehow heard and was going to comply.

"Good. Now, again. What’s the best dish in this city?" Uhtred asked.

"The... the best dish in this city... is any dish made by Feastweaver Markesh. His dishes take advantage of the cosmic essence circulating the flesh of any beast or plant he makes use of..."

The man’s response came out slow and intermittent, but he replied without asking any more questions, just like Uhtred wanted.

Uhtred, hearing the man’s words, raised a brow. He’d only asked such a useless question to establish that he meant business, and to ensure the man answered every question he asked promptly and without any unnecessary input.

But hearing that title "Feastweaver" again took him by surprise. The Heavenly Demon back on the second Floor had mentioned something about a "Cosmic Feastweaver," and how well-renowned and powerful their class abilities were even on the grand scale of the multiverse.

Yet there’s one just out in the open here in this city? Uhtred nearly broke his stoic expression and frowned.

Of course, there was a distinction in that the man he was interrogating only called the Feastweaver a "Feastweaver" and not a "Cosmic Feastweaver." But still, Uhtred felt this Feastweaver Markesh person had to be valuable to big families.

There’s no way he’s just out there without a purpose.

A glint of understanding flickered in Uhtred’s eyes.

Isn’t this the same method the Heavenly Demon used in the previous Floor? Someone definitely placed that guy there to sniff out people like me who’d be curious to see a Feastweaver...

In which case, they had to have known I’d understand what that word meant...

Uhtred couldn’t help but frown this time, realizing something else.

Does that mean the Heavenly Demon purposely told us about Cosmic Feastweavers just for this?

Following that line of thought, Uhtred realized that whoever had set up this Feastweaver here had to be working with the Heavenly Demon in a way — or perhaps not the Heavenly Demon specifically, since there had been myriads of scenarios taking place at the same time back on Floor 2.

If Uhtred had to guess, every single ascender who made it to their own sub-scenarios in Floor 2 had these Cosmic Feastweavers mentioned to them.

What a fucking grand bait, Uhtred marveled at how something so small and insignificant had been planted in their minds as a catalyst to lure them into a future trap.

While it wasn’t a hundred percent confirmed, Uhtred felt very confident he was on the right track.

One thing was for sure, though... he wouldn’t be stepping foot inside any Feastweaver establishment anytime soon!

He shook the thoughts away, noticing he’d gone silent for longer than necessary. The man beneath him was already stuttering out gibberish, terrified that his initial answer hadn’t been enough.

Uhtred cut him off just as he was about to launch into a detailed explanation of one of the Feastweaver’s best dishes.

"Who is Elion Silverwood?"

The man paused immediately, a look of relief that his answer had been sufficient crossing his face for a second. Then that look shifted into confusion before he quickly reined it in and answered in haste:

"A–Ah is–isn’t that one of the elf Champions?"

"You know who the elf Champions are?"

"Yes? Just like everyone else...?" the man answered with a hesitant look on his face, clearly confused as to why Uhtred kept asking such obvious questions. He continued, nonetheless, giving Uhtred a more detailed explanation so he wouldn’t be hit again.

He explained that there was a public Stele in the capital of every human and other races’ kingdoms. He explained that a public Stele stood at the heart of the capital in every kingdom, human or otherwise.

While this city wasn’t this kingdom’s capital, ranking updates still trickled down. The constant daily flow of adventurers, bards, merchants, and travelers naturally carried the latest news regarding the Champion Competition. That was how a local adventurer like him knew Elion Silverwood’s name.

With the fact that the man definitely knew a lot about the Champion Competition now established, Uhtred then asked the real question he wanted:

"Explain to me the Champion Competition from scratch. Explain it like I’m someone whose head was knocked and can’t remember the slightest thing at all."

The man’s face scrunched up again, his expression basically screaming: Who was this weird fellow he’d decided to target tonight. Why was his luck so bad that of all people, it had to be he who went after this weird young man?

In the end, the man seemed to fully succumb to his fate — not like he had a choice, though. He began answering Uhtred’s question quickly and in deep detail, eager to see the end of this weird interrogation:

"Well, if your head’s been knocked and you don’t remember anything, then I guess the first thing you’ll need to know about the competition would be the Fifty Legacies of Valeria..."