Chapter 106: One Wave Settles, Another Rises
“What is the status of the discharges over in the Black Fields?”
“Eight laborers were discharged in the first wave this morning. According to the inspectors’ monitoring report, all remaining conscripts will be able to leave the Black Fields Quarantine Sector by the early hours of the day after tomorrow.”
“Good.” Yves nodded.
The rapid succession of briefings over the past two days had redrawn the layout of the quarantine sector and adjusted the overall labor quotas. Factoring out the share of mature iron black wheat previously earmarked for Seed City’s civilian rations, they had scaled down the harvest totals required for the second half of the year. The convicts serving prison sentences were now fully sufficient to handle the downsized cultivation work.
The accelerated awakening program for the South Wall Special Strike Team was also progressing steadily according to plan. Two operatives had awakened last night, and Captain Mori was actively compiling their findings to keep the overall schedule on track.
The newly formed Chinese Restaurant Food Research Group had borne fruit as well.
Their analysis suggested that the bloody vomiting afflicting Sheila—the guard who had remained in a coma ever since her awakening—was likely triggered by parasitic corruption or blood toxicity. They proposed administering the [Braised Vegetables] to her.
Yves had approved the requisition last night. By six in the morning, Sheila’s hemorrhaging had ceased completely; by ten this morning, while still on an IV drip, she had regained consciousness. Her bodily functions were currently stabilizing.
Publicity for the Chinese Restaurant within Seed City had yielded staggering results.
Per the checkpoint data recorded by late afternoon, nearly ninety percent of the city’s population had ventured out through the West Gate today.
Word had also arrived from the Red Flag Society and Dark Star: each organization had successfully awakened another member. Their recruitment drives were proceeding as scheduled, and the sweep beyond the North Wall this afternoon had gone off without a hitch.
Following Mori’s awakening, last night’s spoils at the South Wall were immense. The mutant carcasses had already been recovered, exceeding yesterday’s haul by a wide margin. Exchanging them at the Chinese Restaurant should easily cover today’s catering order, as well as the bounties owed to the two Awakener factions for their clearing operations.
Nothing but good news across the board.
Yves rose and glanced at the wall clock in his office. It was about time; the hour to collect their order had arrived.
“Come. Let us head to the Chinese Restaurant.”
Ever since disaster struck the Black Fields and the South Wall, Seed City’s administration had been operating on high alert from top to bottom. Following the discovery of the Chinese Restaurant, the Commander had been caught in a ceaseless whirlwind of meetings. He hadn’t managed a single full night of sleep.
Once we bring this order back, I should finally be able to get a proper rest tonight, Yves thought to himself.
The Chinese Restaurant.
Ling Jing had just concluded the day’s regular business hours.
She hadn’t taken the entire day off after all. By ten in the morning, as the painkillers took hold, she had stepped right back into the kitchen—just as order volumes on the second floor began to climb.
Working alongside a robot was incomparably more efficient than swinging a spatula alone. They were easily able to keep pace with the influx of tickets.
By the time the closing bell rang, Ling Jing had already finished Yves’s catering order ahead of schedule.
Once the diners cleared out and she activated the one-touch cleaning function, she had Caicai box up the massive catering order and stack it neatly on the empty wooden tables in the dining hall.
Thanks to the time-limited quest, Ling Jing had also received a free weather forecast for tomorrow.
With the Rainy Season on the horizon, she couldn’t leave her patrons out in the pouring rain on the exterior benches.
Opening the System Mall, she browsed the outdoor canopies.
The bench seating outside the entrance had expanded multiple times. As foot traffic surged, Ling Jing had added row after row. It could now seat nearly three hundred people at once. The protective white light enveloped the benches and the open plaza before the Item Exchange Box, forming a sizable sanctuary.
Covering such an expanse would not come cheap.
Ling Jing deliberated over the listings for a while before settling on a heavy-duty, retractable outdoor rain and sun canopy. It could be deployed during the rainy season and on scorching sunny days alike, and rolled back whenever the weather was mild.
Measuring eight meters wide, twelve meters long, and two and a half meters high, these large canopies featured pale yellow canvas awnings. Ling Jing bought five.
[Heavy-Duty Outdoor Canopy (Shields against sunlight, rainfall, hail, and all else.)]
Such massive awnings were steep: 1,200 points apiece. Five of them burned clean through 6,000 points.
A painful pinch to the wallet.
Ling Jing placed the canopies via her system console. Four were aligned to completely blanket the bench seating, while the fifth was rotated to shield the area around the Item Exchange Box.
Once placed, Ling Jing looked up at the sky.
Today had been clear, but as late afternoon bled toward evening, the sky was already dimming. When the Rainy Season hit tomorrow, it would only grow darker.
After a moment’s thought, she purchased five light fixtures from the system, dragging them across the pixelated interface into the center of each canopy ceiling.
Another 250 points spent.
That ought to do it.
Just as the awnings were set up, she spotted the figures in black uniforms crossing through the boundary of white light.
Just like yesterday, Yves led the way, followed by city guards hauling bulging, heavily laden sacks.
Her catering clients had arrived.
“The order you sent over this afternoon is ready.” Ling Jing gestured toward the mountain of takeout bags on the wooden table. “Feel free to check it over.”
New dishes were added to the menu daily, and the authorities had caught on quickly. The guards who visited this morning had taken note of the menu updates, and by the afternoon, a runner had arrived with an amended order sheet. They had requested five portions of every newly added dish.
“No need to inspect.” Yves lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over the three new additions to the menu board:
[Tomato and Beef Brisket Stew — 48 City Coins
(Detoxification +7%, Strength boosted by 15% for 24 hours post-consumption)
Stew Attribute: Doubles the effects of all other consumed food items for 30 minutes post-consumption]
[Spicy Bullfrog — 55 City Coins
(Attack Power boosted by 10%, Cold Resistance boosted by 7% for 24 hours post-consumption. Grants immunity to acid corrosion and enhances jumping ability for 2 hours post-consumption.)
Stir-fry Attribute: Five Senses boosted by 5% for 24 hours post-consumption (A feast for all senses)]
[Crispy Fried Whitebait — 24 City Coins
(Doubles underwater breath duration, Cold Resistance boosted by 10% for 6 hours post-consumption. Grants immunity to parasitism for 2 hours post-consumption.)
Stir-fry Attribute: Five Senses boosted by 5% for 24 hours post-consumption (A feast for all senses)]
Evidently, the raw ingredients for two of those dishes hailed from the mutant carcasses they had delivered yesterday.
He had no idea what esoteric art enabled Boss Ling to transform abominable mutant beasts into culinary delicacies—let alone delicacies whose boons specifically countered the traits of the very beasts they came from.
For the South Wall Special Strike Team, the bullfrog and whitebait were not merely icing on the cake; they were a lifeline in the hour of direst need.
“We have brought Boss Ling some new ingredients today as well,” Yves said with a warm smile.
“Much appreciated.” Ling Jing nodded.
“The total comes to 4,342 City Coins.”
Once the guards completed their redemptions at the exchange box, she collected the payment.
Yves instructed the guards to hoist the packaged food. In high spirits, he casually remarked on his way out, “These canopies… are they for shade?”
They certainly hadn’t been here yesterday.
“They’re for the rain.”
The smile on the Commander’s face froze solid. “The rain?”
“It will rain tomorrow.”
Every trace of warmth vanished from Yves’s expression. “Are you certain?”
“Entirely,” Ling Jing replied.
She had already accepted the quest, after all.
The very next second, she watched the previously relaxed Commander turn pale with shock. With a curt nod of acknowledgment, he led his guards in a dead rush out from under the white canopy, utterly devoid of the leisurely stroll with which they had arrived.
Halfway out, however, he suddenly spun on his heel and strode right back to Ling Jing.
Ling Jing: “?”
Yves wrestled with his thoughts for several tense seconds before speaking: “I have heard… that you possess the power to eliminate A-rank mutant organisms?”
“If the Commander has something to say, speak plainly.”
“If… if things take a turn for the worst… will your establishment still remain open? Might we hire your services to assist in our defense…”
Before Yves could finish his sentence, Ling Jing cut in:
“My apologies, but I am merely a restaurateur. This establishment will maintain regular operating hours throughout the Rainy Season.”
The moment Yves uttered the word “hire,” her system interface had begun flashing an angry, pulsating crimson.
[WARNING: The restaurant’s interests are sacred and inviolable! The Proprietor may not undertake external employment for third parties!]
The flashing gave Ling Jing a splitting headache. Only after she voiced her refusal did the red warning lights subside.
“Then… should high-ranking mutated organisms appear in the vicinity of your establishment, will patrons still be able to dine here safely?”
“Restaurant Policy: Any patron dining within the boundaries of this establishment is guaranteed absolute safety.”
Hearing Ling Jing’s answer, a flicker of profound calculation crossed Yves’s face, as if a hundred and eighty distinct contingencies were flashing through his mind at once.
“Understood. My deepest thanks.”
The Commander gave a solemn nod, turned on his heel, and led his detail out into the dusk once more.
One wave had barely settled before the next rose up to crash.
As Yves quickened his stride, he fired off rapid orders to Keith: “Convene all senior squad leaders immediately. Emergency briefing!”
Sleep was out of the question now.
Confirmed intelligence: the Rainy Season had arrived early!
