The opera house exterior at dusk. Candlelight flickers in the broken windows. The food truck is parked at the entrance, Mo Yan's silhouette visible through the driver's window.

Interior of the opera house being transformed. Tables set with real cloth and tarnished silver. Mo Yan directing the setup.

Mo Yan in the truck's kitchen, preparing the secret ingredient. The zombie court cores rendered into powder.

Survivors arriving at the opera house entrance. Dressed in their best — clean if patched clothes, some with flowers in their hair.

Lin Shu enters the opera house, looks around in wonder. Mo Yan emerges from the kitchen area.

The zombie court assembles in the shadows of the opera house. Madame Qing takes her seat at the head of a shadow table.

Mo Yan at the kitchen station. The lamb is being prepared. His hands move with mechanical precision.

The child zombie watches from the shadows near the door. Mo Yan passes by with a covered plate.

Serving begins. Mo Yan presents a plate to a survivor family. The System HUD counts ratings.

More plates served. More five-star ratings. The zombie court begins to fade in the shadows.

Lin Shu eats at a table with her father. The child zombie flickers and fades near the door.

More zombies fade. The retired general flickers and collapses. Mo Yan serves the next plate, expression unchanged.

The ninth rating arrives. Nine stars. Nine stars. Nine stars. Mo Yan pauses.

Mo Yan prepares Madame Qing's plate. The dish is lamb with a special sauce — the court essence mixed in.

Mo Yan presents the plate to Madame Qing. She looks at him with polite expectation. The survivors applaud.

Madame Qing takes her first bite. Her expression changes. Recognition.

Madame Qing coughs. The cracks spread. She dies with a smile. The System displays the mission results.

Wide shot of the opera house. Madame Qing's body has crumbled to porcelain dust. The survivors applaud, not knowing.

Mo Yan stands alone in the kitchen. His hands are shaking. The chef's mask cracks.

Lin Shu finds Mo Yan in the kitchen. She sees his shaking hands. She reaches for them.

Mo Yan puts on the chef's mask again. Asks Lin Shu how she'd rate the meal. She says five stars.

Mo Yan walks out of the opera house. The truck waits. One star in his pocket. He starts over.

The truck drives into dawn. The System HUD displays the new mission. Same words as the beginning.

Final panel. Mo Yan's face — the rare genuine expression. The five-star expression. He knows something the System doesn't.