With a grin, Hao grabbed both sides of the chip bag and pulled.
Classic Tear.
Pop!
The sudden force sent a few chips jumping near the top, shaking the bag.
“Shit.” Hao flinched, clutching the bag tighter. “Almost shared my chips with the floor.”
He peered inside.
Golden, thin slices filled the bag, curled slightly at the edges like they were posing. Each one looked almost identical.
“Wait.”
“They all look the same. Are these all seasoned perfectly balanced or what?”
[Indeed, host. The potato chips are evenly seasoned using a unique blend of salts.]
“Ah? Different salts?” Hao blinked.
“Isn’t original salted supposed to use just one kind?”
He narrowed his eyes at the chips.
“System, this isn’t gonna be so salty it turns my tongue into a dried fish, right?”
[No, host. The chip uses three compatible salts: Coral Salt, Starflame Salt, and Frostpeak Salt. Each one brings a distinct flavor, but they do not overwhelm.]
[Instead, they complement each other, creating a layered taste that stays balanced from start to finish.]
“…”
Hao had absolutely no idea what those salts were, but just from the names alone, they clearly weren’t from Earth.
Starflame Salt? That sounded more like treasure from a dungeon than something you’d see on a grocery shelf.
He picked up a chip and popped it into his mouth.
Crunch.
The first bite hit with a rich, savory taste – the kind that made his mouth relax without thinking.
A gentle umami wave rolled over, smooth and buttery from the potato.
Then came a light prickling on his tongue. Not spicy, but like a warm wake-up call.
Finally, a refreshing coolness swept over his mouth, clean and crisp, as if snow had dusted his taste buds.
“Hmm…” Hao blinked.
“That’s… actually insane.”
From one single chip, he experienced three shifts in flavor. It caught him off guard in the best way.
He grabbed another.
“System, what kind of potato did you guys use for this?”
[Starlight Root Potato, host. It has pale blue skin and a soft golden interior. It only grows at night in the Celestial Vein Highlands.
[The potato absorbs oil blends easily without becoming soggy or greasy.]
[With a fine, porous structure, the flesh allows the salt blend to stick evenly across the surface, ensuring a consistent flavor without clumping or overpowering the taste.]
“Starlight Root, huh… That explains everything, I guess.”
The potato must be doing all the heavy lifting, keeping the salts, oil, and taste in perfect sync. It’s what makes the whole thing work.
He crunched again, letting the flavor flow hit him a second time.
The chips disappeared faster than he expected. He thought his stomach might complain – after all, this was technically his breakfast.
But strangely, he felt fine.
No heaviness, no weird greasy aftertaste. And with the Peach Oolong Tea washing it all down, it actually felt… right.
A nice combo.
Crunch. Crunch. Sip.
The balance between salty and refreshing was just too good. Hao was already finishing the last few chips.
He looked into the bag and saw nothing but crumbs.
Smiling, Hao held the bag from both ends and gave it a shake.
Sha sha sha!
Then, he gave it a light squeeze.
Paaa!
The crushed bits shifted to the bottom. He tilted his head back, opened his mouth wide, and poured the last salty fragments straight in.
Kakaka!
He chewed like a champ.
“Breakfast of champions.”
Of course, to truly finish, there was one last step.
His fingers.
No way was he just going to wash them.
That’s only what people do when they’re outside pretending to be proper.
At home? You lick them clean.
And so, he did.
“Mn. Still salty.” Hao was satisfied.
With one hand, he reached for another can of Peach Oolong Tea, cracked it open, and drank the whole thing in one go.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
Burp.
“Life’s good.”
Now that breakfast was done, it was time to get moving.
Hao stood up, stretched lazily, and headed into the back to grab a few boxes. He started restocking the shelves, moving from one section to another.
He placed several neat rows of Peach Oolong Tea into the glass-door refrigerator, lining them up beside the Lime Fizz.
The cold air brushed his skin as he slid the last can in. Just looking at the colorful rows made him feel calm.
Then he moved over to another section and opened the box of Original Salted Potato Chips. One by one, he placed them on the shelf, just a little distance away from the instant noodles.
Even though it was simple work, there was a quiet joy in doing it.
Seeing the shelves slowly fill up, watching the store take shape little by little – it gave him a small sense of achievement.
He walked up and flipped the wooden plaque hanging by the door.
Clack!
[Open]
The store was now ready for business!
The first ones to arrive were none other than the two jade beauties from Snow Petal Sect -Hua Feixue and Yue Xueyan.
By now, they had grown used to the little store and its strange but amazing products. Especially Hua Feixue. She always talked to Hao like they were old friends.
“Welcome.”
“Morning, Boss Hao!” Hua Feixue greeted brightly. She looked at Hao for a moment, then narrowed her eyes a little.
“Hmm? Is it just me, or is there something different about you today, Boss Hao?”
Hao blinked. “Different?”
He paused, thinking. Then he gave a small laugh and nodded.
“Ah, yes. There are two new products today.”
He turned slightly and pointed.
“That one over there – Original Salted Potato Chip. A snack.”
He then gestured toward the glass shelves.
“As for that light pink one, that’s Peach Oolong Tea. It’s a drink.”
Hua Feixue’s eyes widened. “Two?”
“You’re spoiling us today, Boss Hao!”
Yue Xueyan, who had been quietly listening beside her, didn’t say a word.
But her eyes were already fixed on the Peach Oolong Tea.
Her cold and usually calm face showed a slight change – her fingers twitched, as if resisting the urge to immediately grab one.