Authentic Bean Juice

"You're too slow," the man said, frowning slightly.

"What's the rush? Eager to reincarnate?" The Latecomer straightened his clothes unhurriedly, a hint of teasing in his tone.

The man didn't respond, forcing The Latecomer to adopt a more conciliatory tone.

"The roads in Tianjing, you know how the traffic is."

"It failed."

Finally, the man spoke again, though his voice was completely flat, as if stating something that had nothing to do with him.

"Oh?"

Trench Coat Guy wasn't even surprised.

"That fast? I figured as much. It's fine, it's all one link after another anyway."

"My mission is complete. I have no further part in what comes next." The man picked up his coffee and downed it in one gulp. The bottom of the cup clinked softly against the table.

He stood up and, without another word, pushed the door open and left.

But the very moment he stepped onto the crosswalk, a black sedan came out of nowhere, charging from the opposite side without warning, its engine letting out a terrifying roar!

Bang!

The man's body was sent flying like a broken sack, tracing a grim arc through the air.

He landed squarely in front of the coffee shop's floor-to-ceiling window.

His head was facing directly at The Latecomer, who was calmly drinking his coffee.

Blood trickled down along the cracks in the floor tiles.

"Urgh... urgh..."

A wheezing sound escaped his throat. His eyes shifted from shock to realization, and finally, faded into dead silence.

So, he was also...

The coffee shop owner, a middle-aged man in a vest, walked out from behind the counter. He took one look at the gruesome scene outside the window, then glanced at Trench Coat Guy, his brows knitting into a tight knot.

"I say, could you maybe change your personnel policies? Even pawns require time to cultivate. How many people do you have to burn through like this?"

The Latecomer chuckled softly.

"What does it matter? I love watching these self-righteous chess pieces die. They are just ordinary people anyway, mere consumables. The one thing this world doesn't lack right now is people."

The coffee shop owner shrugged.

"Fine, suit yourself. Just don't use my shop for your rendezvous next time. It's really annoying."

"I will! I definitely will!"

The scene shifted back to the training base.

The people of Yanhuang Awakening had already tracked down who planted the bomb.

They had also found that person's corpse, along with the final message she had received.

Everything had to be investigated slowly, step by step.

But in the end, it would likely all be... for nothing.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open, and a warm breeze mixed with sizzling cooking oil and the rich aroma of food wafted over them.

The view suddenly opened up; the entire floor was a cafeteria.

Tong Dong, holding an introductory brochure, stared so hard his eyes nearly popped out. "Are we sure this isn't a buffet at some five-star hotel? Are the standards at the training base this high? Are they training state banquet chefs?"

"I saw in the brochure that the cafeteria seems to be buffet-style. That should suit you perfectly."

Tong Dong looked at Lin Mo as he spoke.

Ever since that jade pendant was returned to its rightful owner and he had cut ties with his biological father, Tong Dong had completely relaxed.

He wasn't as introverted as before, though of course, he only truly let his guard down a bit around Lin Mo.

If it weren't for the fact that he was already set to study and compete domestically, Tong Dong might have actually gone to seek refuge with his aunt's family in Xiangjiang.

His aunt's family genuinely loved him, and his cousin had protected him like a blood brother since they were young.

Unfortunately, because of his father, those bonds had faded over the years.

Watching him act like this, the corners of Lin Mo's lips curled up, but he didn't reply.

A training base?

If only this place were really that simple.

His gaze swept over the figures bustling between the different food counters. Many of them wore badges of various colors and styles on their chests, their expressions either serious or hurried, completely out of place among the wide-eyed, curious students around them.

Because of the semi-closed nature of this place, their presence actually seemed perfectly logical.

"Come on, let's see what's good to eat." Tong Dong had already taken the initiative to walk ahead, looking incredibly curious about everything around him.

The cafeteria was clearly divided into sections featuring cuisines from various regions, and even foreign delicacies. It was truly a dazzling array of choices.

But after walking a lap, both of their eyes landed simultaneously on the most prominent counter, which hung a sign reading Authentic Tianjing Flavors.

Douzhi, luzhu huoshao, stewed liver, quick-boiled tripe...

Just looking at these names, one could almost smell the unique scent of the old Tianjing hutongs.

"Since we're in Tianjing, we have to try the local specialties," Lin Mo said.

Behind the counter were several nimble women wearing white aprons.

Lin Mo ordered a bunch from the menu: "One bowl of luzhu huoshao with extra intestines, one bowl of stewed liver, one portion of quick-boiled tripe, and a serving of roast duck, half a duck is fine."

Finally, he pointed to a spot at the very bottom of the menu.

"And a bowl of douzhi."

As soon as he said this, the woman serving food on the other side paused her ladle and looked up to give Lin Mo a second glance.

Her gaze was thirty percent curiosity and seventy percent like she was looking at a warrior preparing to die a heroic death.

"Student, this douzhi is something else," the woman kindly advised. "How about I just give you a tiny sip to try first? If you can't get used to it, don't force yourself. It's no big deal if you throw it away."

Saying that, she actually just used the tip of her ladle to scoop a tiny bit from the bucket, carefully pouring it into a bowl. The amount was barely enough to cover the bottom.

Lin Mo had ordered quite a lot. The luzhu, stewed liver, and tripe were all massive, solid bowls, plus a portion of glossy, oil-glistening roast duck. His tray was piled up like a small mountain.

"If you want anything else, you can come back for more, but don't waste food," the woman reminded him.

"Thanks, sis. I'll share it with my classmate, I promise we won't waste any."

Calling her sis made the woman burst with joy, the wrinkles on her face blooming into a wide smile.

"Alright, if there's anything you like, I'll give you extra next time."

Before long, Lin Mo walked back steadily, carrying a tray filled to the brim.

In front of Tong Dong sat a bowl of Tianjing zhajiangmian, with a few freshly cooked mending meat pies on the side, sizzling with grease.

His own portion wasn't large, but it was plenty for one person.

But when he saw the items on Lin Mo's tray, his expression changed.

Luzhu huoshao and quick-boiled tripe were heavy dishes, which was fine.

But that bowl of grayish-green liquid, which looked like pure torture...

"Lin Mo, this douzhi... I saw online that it's something terrifying. Are you really going to try it?"

Lin Mo picked up the douzhi, raised an eyebrow, and uttered the ultimate Chinese maxim:

"We're already here, might as well try it."

With that, Lin Mo lowered his head, preparing to take a sip.

Before the edge of the bowl even touched his lips, an indescribable smell launched a preemptive strike, rushing straight to the top of his skull.

It wasn't simply sour, nor was it purely spoiled. It was a mixture of the two, magically fermented and ultimately sublimated into an incredibly aggressive odor.