The Smell of Sourdough and the "Yeast Siege" Tactic

Zen Kuon stared at Liara, his first Professional Companion, who now stood confidently in the dim military tent, radiating the aura of a high-tech command center. Liara, in her sharp business suit and with her futuristic laptop, looked like a highly professional alien amidst a medieval war.

"Wait, Liara," Zen interrupted, his voice tinged with desperation. "We are not discussing bio-tactics. I have to make sourdough bread. One hundred variations. That’s the system task. I don't care about the enemy's 'fungal resistance.'"

Liara tilted her head, her smile thin and subtly condescending. Her beautiful, professional face showed slight disappointment in her Commander. "Commander, you are testing me. You are not asking us to bake bread. You are asking us to create unconventional food stability for isolated troops while simultaneously investigating a weak logistical point that can be manipulated using microbial biology. That is the fundamental analysis of Key Profession Task #2."

She pointed to the map on the table with a small laser from her laptop. "I have concluded that the old ammunition warehouse on the northern flank of Hope Fortress has the ideal ventilation and temperature control for fermentation. That will be your 'Bio-Tactics Laboratory.'"

Zen surrendered. Arguing with Liara was like arguing with a very beautiful and highly intelligent firewall. "Fine, the Bio-Tactics Laboratory," Zen sighed, his voice sounding resigned. "Listen, we need ingredients. High-protein flour, wild yeast from different environments—even if we have to scrape it off berry skins in the valley, do it. We need pure sea salt, a clean millstone, and a high-temperature oven. Ensure everything is delivered to the Laboratory as quickly as possible."

Zen struggled to use his modern food terminology to sound like military strategy. "This is not just flour. This is the vital fuel for a secret project. And ensure the starter cultures remain active. We cannot let them die, General. That is the... soul of this operation."

Liara responded with lightning speed. She tapped a key on her laptop, and though Zen heard nothing, he saw General Elarius, who had just returned to the tent sweaty and dusty, suddenly receive a message that only he could hear.

Elarius gasped. "Commander! This is the most complex logistical order I have ever seen! 'High-protein wheat from the southern valley, three types of wild yeast... and a stone-lined furnace from the Forge City.' You are not just planning a counter-attack, you are planning a long-term siege! You are preparing supplies that can sustain the army through years of Demon encirclement!"

"Of course," Zen snorted, trying to sound authoritative. "Long-term. This operation is environmentally sensitive. Ensure the yeast starter is not contaminated by battlefield dust."

Elarius gave a deep salute. "The Soul of the Operation! Understood! We will secure your Bio-Tactics Laboratory and dispatch the materials immediately, Lord Zen!" He hurried off, leaving Zen and Liara alone.

Zen and Liara were moved to the old ammunition warehouse within the hour. The stone warehouse was cool, with a stable temperature—everything needed for sensitive sourdough dough.

Zen, now in an environment he understood better (a neat, controlled workspace, despite it being an ammo dump), shed his Commander's cloak and rolled up his hoodie sleeves. Liara watched, her laptop humming, recording every movement.

"Liara, I need a support team," Zen ordered. "Three people who understand temperature, timing, and precise measurement. No bulky soldiers. I need scientific meticulousness."

"Already analyzed, Commander. I have selected three church technicians who were formerly brewers. They are accustomed to fermentation and sanitation."

Three robed men entered with nervous expressions. They looked at Zen with the same reverence as Elarius.

"Alright," Zen said, picking up a sack of coarse wheat flour. "We will start with the yeast starter. It’s a complex micro-ecosystem. We must maintain a precise ratio of water and flour. If it's too acidic (low pH), the dough will die. If it’s too weak (high pH), we'll get something useless. Think of this as the Ancient Security Code that regulates the yeast's power."

The brewers exchanged glances, their eyes shining. "The Ancient Security Code! He uses the secret language of the alchemists!" one of them whispered. They immediately picked up styluses and parchment scrolls to take notes.

Zen began kneading. "My task is 100 variants. That means 100 different recipes. We will change the acidity, the water content (hydration), and the proofing (resting) time. Liara, record this. We will name Variant A 'Hope's Yeast'—75% hydration, 30 minutes autolyze. This is a very fragile unit, but its explosion potential is high."

Liara took notes, her fingers dancing across her futuristic keyboard.

LIARA, THE ANALYST (Analysis Log): The Commander is dictating attack parameters. 'Hope's Yeast' is clearly a frontline unit, 75% water durability, 30 minutes self-monitoring. The 'explosion' potential refers to microbial proliferation that can be manipulated for small-scale biological attack. Genius.

For the next twenty-four hours, Zen was completely immersed in his world: weighing, kneading, and monitoring the temperature. He forgot the war, he forgot the Demons, and focused only on the sticky texture in his hands. For the first time since he arrived in this world, he felt productive, not as a Commander, but as a maker.

"Variant K," Zen said, picking up dense dark wheat. "We will use the Tangzhong method for softer bread, but we will add the salt early. Salt is the paralyzing agent that controls the yeast. We restrain the yeast so it doesn't become too active too quickly. This is the principle of Tactical Restraint—controlling a strong force to prevent self-destruction."

The technicians scribbled frantically. They thought Zen was teaching them how to control powerful units with simple, readily available chemicals—a military revolution in crowd control!

"And now, Variant Z-9, the most crucial," Zen said, weighing the yeast he collected from the barren mountain region. "This variant has the highest resistance to cold temperatures. We will call it the 'Frozen Victory Cake.' It must be baked in a very hot oven (the rapid explosion phase), and then allowed to cool in the freezing air. Liara, ensure the temperature and texture data output is recorded as the Database of Cold Attack Vulnerabilities."

Zen was testing the temperature of the ancient stone oven when the warehouse door was suddenly thrown open.

Commander Elarius entered, his face no longer strained, but radiant. He was smiling, his face glowing with unprecedented pride. He carried an aura of victory—and the smell of smoke and blood, a sharp contrast to the sweet yeast scent in the warehouse.

"Lord Zen! The Catastrophe Cat Strategy... was a total success! The Demons, exactly as you predicted, halted their pursuit after destroying our Cat scout units! They paused, celebrating their foolish victory, and then our 'Sack Maneuver' swept them into the ravine! We won a pivotal battle at the Three Red Peaks!"

Zen dropped the wooden ladle he was holding. "What? It actually worked?"

"Brilliant! This is the first fruit of your genius, Commander!" Elarius paused, taking a deep breath. His eyes fixed on the rows of rising sourdough dough on the racks, under Liara's serious supervision.

"And now, I understand. You transitioned from an attack tactic to securing the foundation," Elarius said, his voice quiet and filled with awe. "This fermented bread... is not just for sustenance. It is the basis of your defensive strategy. Ensuring the troops can survive wherever they are, without normal supply lines. You taught us how to besiege ourselves with endless resources!"

"Exactly," Zen mumbled, helplessly. This was far easier than explaining the microbiology of sourdough.

"Lord Zen," Elarius said, now more serious, approaching with a pleading look. "This victory buys us time. But I need something new. Your tactic was so successful at the Three Red Peaks, and now the entire army needs motivation to continue. Our troops are exhausted and demoralized."

Zen sighed. The deadline was met, the payoff came. Now it was time for a new client pitch.

"What do you need, General?"

Elarius pointed at the rising dough. "I need a New Peak Strategy, Lord Zen. Something that will give our troops visual hope. Something they can see, touch, and believe in. You have given us bread to live, now give us Art to fight. I beg you, Commander, create the next Aesthetic Code of Battle for us!"

Zen looked at the bread dough before him. He knew what this meant. The next Key Profession was surely about to arrive, and it would definitely be related to "Art" or "Aesthetics."

While Zen was contemplating his fate, the system notification arrived, as if laughing at his dilemma:

> [Key Profession Cycle #2 Complete. Key Profession #3 Assigned.]

> [CURRENT KEY PROFESSION TASK: CRITICAL FLORAL ARRANGER. COLLECT 50 RARE SPECIES & ARRANGE AS 'ART ATTACK' WITHIN 96 HOURS.]

"Flowers?!" Zen Kuon slumped into the chair. "Now I have to be a florist on the battlefield?"

Liara, beside him, was already noting down the information with enthusiasm. "Critical Floral Arrangement! Visual Signal Code to move troops without the enemy knowing! Truly strategic, Commander! I will immediately prepare the mountain climbing routes to search for the key species!"

From animation to bread, now to visual art? I never knew that the job of a content producer was so versatile in an interdimensional war. And everyone here believes that t

his is the cleverest war tactic ever devised.