Chapter 26: Top-Tier Cafeteria Delicacy is on the House

Her bark-like face was taut, and her murderous eyes snapped toward Jiang Xiaoyu, fixing dead-set on the boy who was squinting and grinning foolishly. She remained in a state of shock for a full five or six seconds.

In all the years she had served as the school cook, no one had ever praised her. Not a single soul. Students would tremble like chaff in the wind when they saw her, their hands shaking so violently they could barely hold their trays. Last year, a freshman had fainted on the spot just because she gave him one extra glance.

But this boy was different.

“He praised me… he actually praised me!”

Auntie Willow’s eyes grew warm, and her voice choked up. “Kid! You suit my tastes! What’s your name? What class are you in?”

“Jiang Xiaoyu, Class Seven!”

“Class Seven? That group of Zhao Lu’s girl. Good! Good kid! Come, Auntie is in a good mood today, I’ll fill you up!”

The iron ladle dug deep, dishing out a generous, heaping portion. Auntie Willow brought the bowl to the window but didn’t hand it over right away. Her smile vanished, replaced by a rare, genuine seriousness.

“Kid, let me ask you—are you unaware of what a ‘living aberration’ is?”

Jiang Xiaoyu blinked.

“Living aberration? You mean raw-marinated? Of course I know.”

Auntie Willow was stunned.

In all her years as a cook, this was the first time she’d heard anyone call a living aberration “raw-marinated.” Before she could explain, Jiang Xiaoyu continued.

“Auntie, let me tell you, when it comes to raw-marinated food, you either love it to death or fear it to death. The fearful ones say eating it is a gamble with your life, but for the lovers, if they go three days without it, they feel terrible all over—” He patted his belly. “I’m the type who feels terrible after three days. My stomach can handle anything!”

The students lining up nearby fell silent for two seconds.

Then, the entire cafeteria exploded.

“What did he say?!”

“Is he crazy?”

“He must be insane; he’s looking for a way to die!”

“That’s a living thing! If you eat it, it’ll breed in your stomach! Isn’t he afraid at all?”

“Didn’t you hear him? He loves it to death.”

Behind the window, Auntie Willow’s canopy shuddered violently.

Then, she laughed.

The laughter boomed like thunder, shaking the spirit lamps on the cafeteria dome and causing the glass windows to hum.

“Good! A wonderful line—’Love it to death, fear it to death’!”

Auntie Willow danced her iron ladle through the air, shouting, “You’re the first person to praise my living aberrations so beautifully! If you can finish that bowl and stay in one piece, from this day forward, you are Auntie Willow’s first VIP—as long as I’m in this cafeteria, this place is your safe zone!”

“VIP?”

“A safe zone?”

“Since when has this cafeteria ever had such things?”

“With a cafeteria safe zone, we won’t have to risk our lives in the Aberration Forest during the day anymore!”

Jiang Xiaoyu bowed happily. “Thank you, Auntie!”

Just then, a living larva from the bowl crawled sneakily over the rim and onto the back of his hand. He glanced down—to his eyes, it was just a blurry little thing squirming slowly on his skin. He picked up his chopsticks and casually flicked it back into the bowl, his movements as natural as picking up a grain of rice that had fallen on the table.

He mumbled something, looked up, and asked, “Auntie, how much for this big serving?”

Auntie Willow planted a willow branch on her hip and laughed. “Advanced living aberrations are served free of charge, unlimited for twenty-four hours! If you have the guts, eat as much as you can!”

“It’s free?” Jiang Xiaoyu’s eyes brightened. “Auntie, your cafeteria is too good! Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

He carried the massive bowl of living aberrations and turned toward the seating area. He walked two steps, then turned back to shout: “Auntie! Your raw-marinated sauce is way better than those old-school shops in City A! This sauce is divine!”

Auntie Willow’s canopy shook again. She raised a ladle high, waving it at his retreating back. “Kid! Next time you come to Auntie’s window, skip the line! Use the VIP lane!”

Another wave of sharp gasps rippled through the cafeteria.

Jiang Xiaoyu gave a thumbs-up without looking back and sat down next to Xiaoqi.

There was already an empty bowl in front of Xiaoqi. She had finished her meal.

Jiang Xiaoyu plopped down, picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a squirming larva, and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed.

“Hmm? The sauce is a bit sweet, really suits my palate.” He nodded in satisfaction and took another chopstick-full.

The moment he swallowed it—

A scalding flow of heat rushed up from his stomach, shooting like a bolt along his spine and straight into his brain. It felt as if someone had lit a fire inside him; the flames spread along his blood vessels, and his whole body jolted with a shiver.

“!”

He squeezed his eyes shut and suddenly “saw” the students eating behind him.

At the table to his left sat three ghost cultivators; one was shoveling food, two were whispering. At the table to his right, a large brute was gnawing on a bone, crunching loudly. At the table behind him, someone had dropped their chopsticks and was bending over to pick them up. Further away—he tried to reach further—there were four people at a table by the door discussing something, and one of them was pointing in his direction.

These images weren’t seen with his eyes, but the silhouettes, movements, and locations of everyone were clearly etched into his mind, as if an invisible radar map had unfolded in his consciousness.

Jiang Xiaoyu snapped his eyes open, his face filled with joyful surprise.