Braised Noodle Shop

It was a doppelganger—

Zhu Yan steadied his body, almost laughing out loud.

Was the supermarket boss so angry that he threw a doppelganger flying?

There were also a large number of broken, thick bronze fragments scattered on the ground. A strange smell of sludge mixed with a heavy greasy stench, making Zhu Yan's stomach churn.

He raised his eyes, only to realize that quite a few horror creatures were sizing him up with strange looks.

Zhu Yan immediately became alert.

Fortunately, he didn't spot any hungry gazes coveting human flesh.

Compared to the [Xishan University] cafeteria upstairs, this place seemed like a base camp for horror creatures, resembling a particularly smelly wet market.

To Zhu Yan's left was a storefront selling roast suckling pig, the meat inside emitting a bizarre, putrid stench.

There were also stalls selling headless fish bodies, turtles, and strange sculptures. It was a diverse and bustling scene.

"Sorry about that." Zhu Yan still didn't dare to relax, absentmindedly apologizing to the doppelganger. "I didn't mean to. I can treat you to some snacks. Do you know how to get to [Auntie Jin's Braised Noodles]?"

To be fooled by [Roleplay], this doppelganger's level should be below level six.

Hearing "snacks," the doppelganger's eyes lit up.

Zhu Yan casually pulled out a packet of something he had swiped from the shelves of the [Memory Supermarket] and shoved it over.

"How about this?"

The doppelganger's glass-bead-like black eyes grew even brighter: "You are truly a great philanthropist! Please follow me, I can take you to that noodle shop."

It led Zhu Yan through a corridor packed with horror creatures, chattering incessantly along the way.

"The boss of this shop isn't a high level, so she is fairly amiable and won't just randomly eat her customers."

"However, in this instance, her noodles are sold in limited quantities every day. Today, she's only selling 20 bowls."

Zhu Yan felt a bit puzzled.

"What do you mean, limited to 20 bowls? Doesn't this boss like earning bone coins?"

There were easily over a hundred horror creatures in the corridor, almost every single one of them drooling over the food display windows on both sides.

Zhu Yan saw the floor sign for the "55th Floor." This floor seemed dedicated exclusively to horror creatures, with no dormitories, no classrooms, and certainly no players.

"Anyone who can come to this floor should have a need to eat, right?"

The doppelganger grabbed a handful of snacks, stuffed them into its mouth, and chewed with a loud crunching sound.

"You're right. Everyone needs all sorts of supplies, and there are even those who specifically feed on human resentment."

"Everything is here... I don't know why Boss Jin limits her sales either."

Zhu Yan followed it, brushing past an old lady in red who was picking out a bracelet.

[Auntie Jin's Braised Noodles] was at the other end of the circular corridor, and he could already see the signboard.

It was very strange.

The information provided by the librarian stated that [Auntie Jin's Braised Noodles] was a shop in the [Boyang University] cafeteria, which should be meant for human consumption.

Why would it open here?

Moreover, the toad guard for [Key Fragment 1] was a full level 14.

That "Auntie Jin" was only level 6...

The information said that [Key Fragment 2] was on "the same floor as [Auntie Jin's Braised Noodles]."

Could it be that the guard this time wasn't Auntie Jin, but another hidden, higher-level monster?

"We're here," the doppelganger said, bringing him to the shop entrance. "Good luck, sir."

With that, it turned and left, quickly disappearing into the bustling crowd of horror creatures.

Zhu Yan nervously checked his disguise, and only after confirming there were no flaws did he look toward [Auntie Jin's Braised Noodles].

A long queue had formed in front of the noodle shop. Zhu Yan counted a total of eight horror creatures, all of different appearances.

The storefront wasn't large. The four four-seater tables inside were already full, the diners sweating profusely as they ate, unwilling to stop.

A large pot for boiling noodles was placed right at the entrance, and against the wall next to the pot was a massive prep counter.

Standing in front of the prep counter was a cicada wearing an apron.

This cicada was only slightly shorter than Zhu Yan. With its back to him, it waved its barbed insect legs, constantly pulling noodles on the cutting board.

Zhu Yan saw a massive, pale red ball of dough resting under the counter.

The dough was easily over a meter in diameter.

Wasn't such a large ball of dough enough to make 20 bowls of noodles?

He peeked inside the shop again to confirm that the bowls in front of every diner were of normal size.

If it was strictly limited to 20 bowls, then what was the remaining dough going to be used for?

Zhu Yan lined up at the very back of the queue.

He definitely wouldn't be able to buy these limited noodles today, but since he was currently wearing the skin of a high-level horror creature, he could force some information out of this "Auntie Jin."

The key fragment probably wasn't something he could get just by simply buying a bowl of noodles anyway!

While waiting leisurely, Zhu Yan opened the [Player Forum] and logged into his alt account, [Zhu Zeyu].

A bright red private message notification popped up on his retina.

Qi Yinming and Yang Zhanbai were indeed very anxious. Qi Yinming was alright, but Yang Zhanbai's message box was straight up at 99+.

"Where the hell are you? Zhu Zeyu, you didn't actually die, did you?"

"Fuck, don't scare me!"

"[Carnival Paradise] is so dangerous, where am I supposed to buy a memorial tablet for you?"

...What awful things to say.

Zhu Yan closed his eyes, feeling like he really was about to pass away.

He quickly scrolled up through their messages, learning about the current situation upstairs.

"Chen Zhaoxing is here, he's one of the duo that cleared the playground."

"Thanks to his cockroach chocolate, we've all recovered."

Good lord.

So that was chocolate?

Zhu Yan scrolled down a few more messages and discovered that those two lucky surviving idiots were actually in the dormitory too.

Judging from the mirror picture Qi Yinming sent, the supermarket boss was outside flying into a rage and going on a killing spree. The scene was too gruesome to look at.

"The [Hunter] refuses to disclose your situation, so we have no way of knowing where you are."

"Right now we can only hide inside the dormitory..."

Qi Yinming sent a video, a recording taken of the surveillance mirror.

In the video, the supermarket boss tore a door apart as easily as tearing newspaper, dragging wailing players out from inside.

A trail of scarlet blood was dragged out in a long, winding mark across the floor, making Zhu Yan furrow his brows.

"Brother Zhu, if you're still conscious, you must remember to write us back!"

"Coming straight back to the dorm is fine too. Either way, Chen Zhaoxing can heal your injuries!"

Zhu Yan pondered for a moment before closing the private message box.

He hadn't figured out what to reply yet.

Moreover, if he replied but didn't return to the safe dormitory, it would be an immediate red flag.

Better to wait.

He would talk to them when he actually needed to use them.

The line moved forward a few spots as three fully satiated diners squeezed out of the narrow storefront.

The apron-wearing cicada clumsily turned its body, extended a long insect leg, and pointed at the remaining queue.

"Selling one more bowl! I can only sell one more bowl!"

It suddenly began to hiss and chirp, its voice trembling with a hint of electronic feedback.

Zhu Yan was reminded of a middle-aged woman screaming hysterically during a street argument.

"Those at the back of the line, disperse! Just disperse!"

The cicada issued an eviction order: "I won't sell to anyone else! Even if someone from the [Abyssal Eye Club] comes, I won't sell!"

The terrifying creatures let out a collective sigh of disappointment, scattering in twos and threes.

Zhu Yan quietly edged forward.

The area was now completely deserted—the perfect opportunity for him to ask his questions!