CHAPTER 257: CHAPTER 257: INDISCRIMINATE KILLING OF BOTH MEN AND WOMEN

EDITOR: DRAGON BOAT TRANSLATION

"What would you like to eat?"

No matter who it was, as long as they were a customer, this was the female shop owner’s automatic response.

"A plate of Crab Shell Yellow, a basket of Nanxiang Steamed Buns, and a cup of Milk Tea with Silk Stocking." Dai Yuxing seemed to know the female shop owner’s capabilities. With a faint smile, she ordered three items that were definitely not possible to make at the Ghost Stall.

Then she glanced at the Ghost Stall’s notice, her smile fading slightly as she muttered softly, "Do I need to tell a story... Just a moment."

Dai Yuxing then took out her phone from her clothes, laughed, and said, "Just as I thought, no service."

Following that, she took a small revolver from her waist, aimed it at the sky, and fired. While doing this, she kept her eyes on the female shop owner, as if ready to stop immediately if the shop owner uttered a single word of objection.

However, the female shop owner did not react, and Ren Suo, outside the screen, didn’t either—he was curious about what would happen next.

With a gunshot, the revolver flashed, and accompanied by a WHOOSH, a dazzling white light suddenly erupted three meters above the Ghost Stall.

Ren Suo’s perspective followed the female shop owner; since she was inside the Ghost Stall, she was naturally unaffected by the light. Only the girl from the Tactical Bureau, who had been staring at the sky, screamed, covering her eyes and yelling, "Ahhh, my eyes!"

She really speaks that dialect assertively, Ren Suo thought.

It took about ten seconds for Dai Yuxing to recover. She looked at the small revolver in her hand, sighed, and put it away. Shaking her head, she asked with a smile, "Can I step out for a moment and then come back to eat?"

"..." This was seemingly the first time the female shop owner had encountered such a request. She didn’t have a ready-made response and, after a moment of silence, asked, "Is that the truth?"

Dai Yuxing was startled.

Then she sighed, "No."

"It’s strange. From the moment I sat down, I’ve just wanted to chat with you." Dai Yuxing looked at the female shop owner and said, "I really don’t want to get my butt off this stool. Is this the power of the Fairy Palace? Is this the power of the God of Cookery?"

Such questions were not within the female shop owner’s service scope. Therefore, it was up to ’Intimate Older Brother’ Ren Suo to engage in conversation, "Face your heart. Only by speaking out can you enjoy the delicacy you anticipate."

"I still have a mission from the Tactical Bureau..." Dai Yuxing said with a bitter smile. "I’m sure I’ll be scolded when I return.

"But... I’m used to it."

Dai Yuxing rested her head on her arms, slumping over the dining table as if she were an elementary school student napping. She closed her eyes and whispered,

"When I was six, my parents divorced.

"Because my dad had an affair, I lived with my mom. She was always busy with work, but she never slacked on my education.

"Perhaps it was because I saw my dad leave. I was terrified, afraid that my mom would also leave me. So, for the next dozen years, I revolved my life around her, doing whatever she asked...

"Dancing, piano, tutoring sessions—I excelled at all of them. As long as I could see Mom smile, I was satisfied..."

This doesn’t sound like a lack of parental love... Ren Suo mused.

"Later... I went to university," Dai Yuxing said. "It was the first time I lived away from my mom; I was excited yet afraid.

"I also had a youth to reminisce about, so I joined university clubs, the student council, ran for class president, actively participated in various competitions, and even met a boy I liked..."

Ren Suo recorded Dai Yuxing’s words with neither joy nor sorrow. He felt this was a huge challenge: how to analyze the inner world of this Successful and Showy Person?

"...And then, I stepped into the Abyss." Dai Yuxing’s head rubbed back and forth on her arm as if trying to shake something off, but she continued to tell her story:

"When tasks from the faculty or university were assigned to our class, I’d try to delegate them to other student officers. But they’d always claim to be too busy and ask for my help... I’d smile and agree.

"My roommate would be on the phone all night, and I couldn’t sleep, but I wouldn’t say a word. Then, in the morning, if I accidentally bumped a chair while getting up, they’d immediately complain... I’d just awkwardly apologize and laugh it off.

"During competitions, other team members proposed some bizarre and impractical ideas. I clearly had better ones, but when they asked for my opinion on theirs... I smiled and praised them.

"The student council always held gatherings, and they loved toasting. I despise the smell of alcohol, but when others came to toast... I’d drink with a smile.

"A friend once told me she thought a particular guy, who was rather plain-looking, was actually a really good man. She asked me for his WeChat ID and then asked if I liked him... I smiled and said no.

"During the graduation photo, I could call out many people’s names, and others would greet me warmly... but no one knew it was my birthday that day."

After a long silence, Dai Yuxing continued, "Later, I had my Awakening and joined the Tactical Bureau. Just like college, there are good people and bad people in the Bureau, however...

"I am still Dai Yuxing."

She didn’t say much about her experiences in the Tactical Bureau, but this sentence seemed to sum up her life.

Dai Yuxing lifted her head from her arms, her face already streaked with two paths of tears—her cheeks were soaked.

"The Tactical Bureau believes the God of Cookery has some ability that makes the food cart undetectable, and it’s true. There’s no cell phone signal here, and signal flares can’t even be fired."

Dai Yuxing wiped her face and smiled again. "I didn’t expect to meet the God of Cookery just two nights into my duty. Seems my luck isn’t so bad after all."

Without waiting for the female shop owner to ask, Dai Yuxing took the initiative, "Do you remember the couple you served in Ben Gang City? The man contacted the Tactical System himself. He detailed his encounter with the food stall and the elderly Corpse Ghost, and he also cooperated with the government for a physical examination to monitor any changes.

"Not to mention the ’Rainy Night Butcher’ turned himself in the next day, which made the Tactical System notice your presence."

That Yellow Hair possessed such a sense of social responsibility was truly beyond Ren Suo’s expectations.

"We also know about your encounter with Zack in Manhattan," Dai Yuxing said. "Zack’s actions that night were directly exposed to intelligence personnel from various countries. The next day, the New York Police Department also saw a surge in people turning themselves in.

"The Tactical Bureau no longer had any doubts. From preliminary statistics, we guessed there are two patterns to your appearances. First, you appear in highly populated major cities. Second, you appear in urban centers like parks, but in areas that are rarely visited at night. Thus, we began night duties in various parks, all hoping to meet you."

Dai Yuxing smiled. "In the Tactical Bureau, although I am an Awakener and considered a main member, I’m rarely utilized. The actual core members wouldn’t participate in this kind of waiting mission. So when they asked if I could take on the park’s night duty, I agreed, even though flipping my sleep schedule was really hard on me.

"But, after seeing the God of Cookery, I felt this might be Destiny’s final act of kindness towards me."

Dai Yuxing looked at the female shop owner and said in dialect, "Is it very cowardly of me to pin my hopes on you?"

The female shop owner silently pushed the Crab Shell Yellow and Nanxiang Steamed Buns towards her, handed over a cup of milk tea, and said,

"Stop smiling."

Dai Yuxing pursed her lips, and her eyes instantly welled up, tears dripping into the milk tea, which she then drank down in one gulp.

"Hot," she couldn’t help but stick out her tongue and laugh, then she started eating the steamed buns and Crab Shell Yellow.

After she finished eating and drinking, showing no signs of aggression, Ren Suo also breathed a sigh of relief. He had just looked it up online and discovered Dai Yuxing likely had what’s called a ’people-pleasing personality.’ Therefore, the meal he concocted for her was unique:

"Confidence" is a must, Ren Suo decided. Then, add half a spoonful of "Rebelliousness," half a spoonful of "Anger," and two spoonfuls each of "Bravery" and "Enthusiasm."

After throwing in a whole bunch of seasonings, Ren Suo couldn’t be sure if it had worked.

Suddenly, Dai Yuxing let out an "Ah," and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her face. "In front of the God of Cookery, I was truly too rude."

After wiping her face clean, Dai Yuxing’s refined features showed a smile again.

It wasn’t the kind of faint, polite smile that barely twitched her facial muscles, an attempt to maintain composure. Instead, it was a wide, unguarded grin that showed both rows of white teeth—the kind of joyful smile you’d see on someone gleefully rolling down a hillside while hugging a panda.

"Thank you. May I ask you a question?"

The female shop owner didn’t respond. Then Dai Yuxing’s face flushed, and she mustered the courage to ask,

"May I like you?"

Off-screen, Ren Suo blinked, thinking, Maybe I should learn to cook... Turns out, being a good cook can win over anyone, regardless of gender, huh!?