Gu Xiang Kai originally wanted to talk to Nam Yuen about teaming up, but seeing her completely focused on the duck, he stayed quiet.
About twenty minutes later, the boss brought out the dishes.
The roast duck was similar to what Nam Yuen had seen at her Grandmother's house, with a fragrant, crispy skin on the outside giving off an alluring aroma. The air carried not only the smell of oil but also a faint scent of honey.
The whole roast duck was placed on Nam Yuen's table.
The boss rubbed his knife with both hands, making a "chheng" sound. The next moment, the knife sliced through the crispy, roasted skin of the duck, revealing the juicy meat inside.
"Gulp."
It was unclear if it was Nam Yuen or Gu Xiang Kai who swallowed.
The boss expertly carved the duck into pieces, smiling proudly.
"To tell you two the truth, there are over a hundred Digital City-States. I dare say my roast duck skills can even rival those of some high-level city-states."
Nam Yuen listened to the boss's words with her last bit of willpower, nodded, and picked up a duck leg.
With a "crack," the aroma of oil filled the air. The crispy skin, roasted with honey, and the rich duck meat. A drop of clear oil dripped onto Nam Yuen's lips.
Nam Yuen paused, her expression unusually childlike. She hadn't expected it to be so delicious.
She had only seen roast duck in textbooks before. Eating paper roast duck at her Grandmother's house for a whole night had intensified her obsession, which was why she chose this restaurant.
But she hadn't expected roast duck to be
SO! DELICIOUS!
Nam Yuen buried her head in eating. Gu Xiang Kai was clearly also swayed by the enticing aroma of the roast duck, abandoning his usual composure. The two of them began to eat heartily.
They even ordered an extra duck in the end.
Nam Yuen's mouth still wanted more, but her stomach couldn't fit it. The remaining half of the roast duck went into Gu Xiang Kai's stomach.
Eating too much roast duck can be cloying, so ordering the vegetable soup was a good choice.
Nam Yuen was like a child experiencing the world for the first time; everything was new to her.
Even the simple vegetable soup tasted like nectar.
After eating their fill, Gu Xiang Kai went to pay the bill. The two of them sat on chairs on the mall's outdoor terrace, enjoying the breeze.
"What grade was your assessment this time?"
Nam Yuen felt that a team shouldn't have too many secrets, especially since she wasn't entirely sure how the mission grading worked.
Gu Xiang Kai was rather simple-minded, not the sensitive type. He trusted his intuition, and by extension, Nam Yuen.
"B+, with 600 points."
Nam Yuen pondered. Gu Xiang Kai was the type to focus only on completing his own missions, so the clues he found were all centered around himself. This rating wasn't undeserved.
"I got A+, with 1200 points."
Nam Yuen wasn't worried about Gu Xiang Kai having any thoughts about her points; she trusted him.
Of course, she also had absolute confidence in her own strength.
"Impressive."
Gu Xiang Kai whistled and sprawled on the bench. "If you keep this up, in another one or two missions, you'll be able to go to Harf Şehri."
"Right, what's our goal?"
"The top?"
Nam Yuen looked up at the sky. Unlike Digital City-State or Nameless City, you could see the sky here. Nam Yuen stared at the black expanse above.
"Yes, let's see what's at the highest point."
Nam Yuen was silent for a moment. "And while we're at it, let's look for meaning."
She had only been in Digital City-State for a few days, and her previous ideas had been overturned.
Scavenger work was necessary, but no one felt proud or happy doing it; there was only pain, evasion, and despair.
But they were destined to be Scavengers. If they couldn't find meaning in life, they would simply rot and decay in their missions. She didn't want that.
Gu Xiang Kai's interest piqued upon hearing this. "Meaning, huh..."
Nam Yuen didn't say anything further. She had another small thought.
If she could reach the highest point, perhaps that thing within her... could be gotten rid of?
Nam Yuen and Gu Xiang Kai returned to the inn. Neither of them was impulsive; they both planned to wait until the time limit was close before starting their next mission.
When Nam Yuen returned, Zhu Xi Ning hadn't come back yet. She went back to her room and put her uniform in the quick-dry machine. In half an hour, it was washed, dried, and warm.
She should change her clothes...
Nam Yuen lay down on the bed. Despite the slight dampness, the quilt was warm. Nam Yuen closed her eyes, feeling the fear spreading from her heart, slowly filling her blood and marrow.
A moment later, Nam Yuen opened her eyes and let out a "Huh?"
Was it her imagination?
Today didn't seem as unbearable as usual. Although the fear that permeated her limbs still made her heart tremble and her breathing difficult, the despair and suffocation, like falling into an unending hell, were much lighter.
She might be able to get a good night's sleep today.
Nam Yuen didn't miss this rare good fortune, sleeping until five the next morning before opening her eyes.
She touched her beating heart and looked out at the pitch-black window, tears welling up in her eyes.
She seemed to be gradually regaining Chapter 36 The Madwoman
When Gu Xiang Kai came out yawning around noon, Nam Yuen was already eating the lunch set.
Perhaps having eaten a perfect roast duck earlier, the inn's included meals now seemed somewhat unappetizing. But Nam Yuen didn't mind; she had diligently drunk her porridge in the morning and was now finishing every bit of her lunchbox.
"Nam Yuen!"
A clear female voice rang out, and a figure crashed towards her like a cannonball. "Wow, you're out too, that’s great."
Nam Yuen sniffled, somewhat helplessly. "You smell different."
Zhu Xi Ning revealed a delicately made-up face, her body radiating a rich rose scent, as if she were in a garden.
"It's perfume! I just finished a mission and went to buy new clothes, makeup, and perfume. Smells good, right?"
Nam Yuen's expression was a mix of emotions. "There are still 10 days left, pace yourself."
Zhu Xi Ning nodded dismissively. "I'm moving out! Going to live in a high-class hotel in East City. I might be back in six or seven days."
Nam Yuen: ...
Zhu Xi Ning originally wanted to invite Nam Yuen, to see if she wanted to share the room cost, as the hotel rooms in East City were larger and could easily accommodate two girls.
Her eyes darted around, and only then did she see Gu Xiang Kai opposite them.
She paused. "Why are you with