Chapter 352: Free Stewed Noodles
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Initially, Lu Shu thought that they would be transported to the air by plane or other advanced tools and be released like skydivers, but the Heavenly Network did not do so…
Eating melon seeds in the lower deck of a tourist coach, Lu Shu sighed, “So stingy!”
Chen Zuan was indignant, “Agreed! Never have I slept on such a hard seat before!”
As he was complaining, Chen Zuan suddenly turned to the person beside him, “h.e.l.lo? Yes you! Can you please put your shoes back on? Did you blow up the toilet or something? The smell of your feet is so strong! I’m still eating seeds right here!”
Then, the middle-aged man reluctantly put on his shoes…
At that moment, a spoiled brat ran towards Chen Zuan and stared into his eyes. Before Chen Zuan figured out what he wanted, the brat spat on his melon seeds and ran away…
“My goodness! Don’t try to stop me!” Chen Zuan exploded at once, “Where are the kid’s parents? Huh? I demand an explanation!”
Lu Shu shot him a glance, “No one is stopping you.”
He cast a glimpse at Cao Qingci, who was resting quietly on the upper deck, and was impressed by her ability to fall asleep in such an unfavorable environment.
At that moment, Chen Zuan sat down as well. As a Pract.i.tioner, he really could not give up his dignity to pick a fight with ordinary people. Seeing that Cheng Qiuqiao was having a video call, Chen Zuan leaned in, “Why? Talking to your girlfriend?”
However, on his screen, it was Cheng Qiuqiao’s mum and a short-legged Welsh corgi in her arms. Cheng Qiuqiao grinned, “Dodo, come and say hi to your brother Chen Zuan!”
Chen Zuan’s face darkened, “Thought you were talking to your girlfriend. You talked for so long.”
Cheng Qiuqiao still did not notice what he was talking about. Raising his head, he smiled, “Isn’t my dog cute?”
Chen Zuan asked, “Are you dating?”
“Huh?” shocked at the abrupt turn, Cheng Qiuqiao replied, “Nope. Now I’m purely focused on my cultivation and studies. Relations.h.i.+ps can wait until after graduation.”
Chen Zuan was frustrated at Cheng Qiuqiao’s failure to get his point, “If you can’t even catch your prey in the zoo, how can you hunt outside? In my opinion, I suggest you keep a girlfriend, not a dog.”
Meanwhile, the train arrived at the next station. Lu Shu stood up and glanced at him, “True. You didn’t keep a dog. But how about your girl?”
Chen Zuan was quiet for a total of ten seconds, “Ouch.”
“From Chen Zuan’s distress, +199.”
But everyone missed the faint smile on Cao Qingci’s face.
Lu Shu gave a pat on the little fatty’s shoulder, “I’ll go for a walk. If I don’t make it back in time, you wait for me at Tongguan.”
Everyone else was stunned. Why would your walk take that long?
In that instant, no one knew what Lu Shu was going to do!
Meanwhile, in the adjacent carriage, w.a.n.g Li, He Xie, Liu Xueruo and their members were preparing to alight. They had reached their destination, Gongyi County. After a short stop, the train would continue to travel to the west across Yuzhou, pa.s.sing by Tongguan.
Lu Shu only knew the three of them in the team, especially He Xie, the girl with heavy makeup and a branded backpack. Her appearance was hard to forget. Every time Lu Shu saw her, he had the temptation to ask her about her master Xuan Zang and her junior fellow apprentices Zhu Ba-jie and Sha Wujing. Making herself look like a monkey, what for?
However, Lu Shu did not expect that at the current stage, all the black markets were hidden in the countryside of remote counties.
It seemed that they were not bold enough to enter cities.
But what Lu Shu was not aware was that many illegal dealers were frightened to death in the cities, as they could always be easily found.
Lu Shu had shared similar feelings before, for instance, when he was watched by surveillance cameras on the entire street… After that incident, Lu Shu would consciously avoid those cameras when he was on the move and walked out of his opponents sight.
Lu Shu slowly walked behind and followed w.a.n.g Li’s team, who looked like ordinary university student tourists. Upon exit from the train station, the seven people settled down in a small inn. When Lu Shu was just about to catch up with them, he was stopped by a middle-aged woman, “Young man, do you want some rest?”
Lu Shu was unimpressed with her insincerity. The last one who stopped him proposed a folk dance, but this one clearly lacked a compet.i.tive edge.
Then, the woman continued, “It’s very comfortable. 50 yuan only, with one bowl of free stewed noodles…”
Lu Shu was shocked. That was her trump card?
The key point was, they had package services now? But the service packaged was so practical, free stewed noodles? In fact, it was Lu Shu who was ignorant of the local culture. It was a common but useful technique used near train stations for attracting workers. In any case, everyone needed food, and in addition to the highly-priced noodles, they could also…
Sensing that Lu Shu was hesitant, the woman went on with her persuasion, “It’s nutritious! With quail eggs!”
“Well,” Lu Shu cleared his throat, “I really don’t need it. Thank you. But… my friends need it!”
Of course, Lu Shu could not let w.a.n.g Li’s group find out what he was doing. At first, he was worried that the geniuses might head to their destination immediately, but it seemed that they took a more cautious approach.
Lu Shu was still figuring out a way to hold w.a.n.g Li back and now, it seemed there was an easy way. But as for whether it would work, you would never know unless you gave it a try.
Then, he pa.s.sed 300 yuan to the woman and pulled her aside for a long word.
The woman’s face lit up, “No problem at all! Rest a.s.sured that I have other sisters too. My stewed noodles are as wonderful too. We will definitely serve them well!”
After that, Lu Shu walked away with his spears on his back. His spears were contained within a black leather bag, given to him by his friendly comrades-in-arms in the Heavenly Network. From the outside though, people might be able to tell that there was nothing normal inside, no one could be certain that it was actually a weapon.
Usually, there were very few surveillance cameras in the counties, and even fewer in poorer areas like Gongyi.
Now, Lu Shu had to have a chat with those in charge of the black market before w.a.n.g Li’s team took action.
…
On the other side, someone was knocking on his door when w.a.n.g Li was unpacking his luggage. Out of curiosity, he asked, “Who’s that?”
“Room service!”
w.a.n.g Li found it strange. An inn of such a small size had room services? Innocently, he wondered whether it could be room cleaning or something along those lines.
Once he opened the door, a middle-aged woman came in with a bowl of stewed noodles in her hands…
“You must be hungry, young man! Come and have some stewed noodles!”
w.a.n.g Li was indeed hungry. Unsure about what was happening, he placed the bowl on his table and was about to eat, still surprised that the inn actually provided noodles for free. When he raised his head, he realized the woman had no intention to leave. Thus, he asked curiously, “Anything else I can help you?”
“It’s okay! Eat faster. After you finish the noodles, I’ll start my work!” the woman grinned.
w.a.n.g Li nodded, thinking maybe she meant to return the bowl. However, at that moment, he heard his teammate shouting from next door, “What are you doing, woman? I’m not that kind of person! Ah!”
Then, it was followed by the loud voice of a woman, “Do you still intend on running after you eat my noodles?”
w.a.n.g Li looked at the woman in front of him, and returned his gaze to the noodles… To eat or not to eat, that was the question…