Chapter 1196 - 564: Old Mo? (2)
Old Mo stood there in a blue apron, just like usual.
"It’s really Old Mo!" Lin Yi whispered, "Old Mo."
Old Mo remained unmoved, without the slightest response, just standing there silently, staring at the Student Passage like a statue waiting for his beloved.
"He probably hasn’t recovered," Tian Bufan’s voice came from the exit of the Student Passage. He had acquired Lin Yi’s experiences through a dream and naturally knew about Old Mo’s situation. "This might be what the Convenience Store Owner meant by ’can be saved.’
"The Convenience Store Owner reshaped Old Mo using a Burial Body and Old Mo’s heart, but perhaps his memories were lost, reviving as a ’Newborn Cafeteria Associate.’
"Old Mo lost his memory..." Lin Yi felt a bit sad as he listened.
"Maybe he’ll remember in the future, but who can guarantee it?" Kuai Hongji said, "Perhaps it’s like a factory reset... if he’s lucky, he’ll still remember you; if not, well, it is what it is."
"Ah~ Lonely shadows on the cold river, old acquaintances in the world~ Why need to recognize each other when meeting~" Wei Liang said with mock sentiment as he walked out of the Student Passage, pretending to be emotional.
"I really want to kick you," Lin Yi rolled his eyes, and Wei Liang’s antics dispersed much of his sorrow.
"A kick? I only want the Boss’s kind," Wei Liang continued his jest.
"Get lost!"
"I’m not negotiating with you, so why are you in a hurry?" Wei Liang said with a mischievous grin.
"Get lost, get lost, get into the cafeteria!" Wei Liang’s disruption dissipated Lin Yi’s bad mood. He tidied up his emotions and lifted the plastic curtain to enter the Student Cafeteria.
Not until all five had entered the cafeteria did Old Mo’s dull eyes waver slightly, and his dry lips trembled slightly. A voice, as faint as a whisper, drifted out intermittently: "re...play... boy..."
...
Upon entering the Student Cafeteria, Lin Yi immediately looked around. The cafeteria was illuminated with incandescent lights, but it was nearly devoid of people.
The lights at the dining windows were still bright, and the chefs stood waiting for students to line up for meals.
At first glance, the cafeteria seemed devoid of anything problematic apart from being cold, but subtle issues made Lin Yi furrow his brow.
First, he hadn’t seen a single Blue-aproned Chef; all the chefs inside the cafeteria wore green aprons.
Including inside the dining windows.
Moreover, the light at the number 10 dining window was on, but it seemed oddly eerie, like some strange combustible was burning there, creating a weird flame.
The light was very cold, like will-o’-the-wisps, exuding a ghostly aura, reminiscent of the ghost lights from folklore.
Lin Yi paused, his expression slightly uneasy.
"Young Master Tian, everyone." He opened his mouth slowly, "Are we really going to eat under these conditions?"
Tian Bufan turned around and glanced at him, a slight smirk on his lips: "What? You don’t eat beef either?"
"Uh... no, but those are Chefs in green aprons," Lin Yi couldn’t help but say.
Tian Bufan furrowed his eyebrows slightly as Kuai Hongji chuckled darkly, "Someone seems to have forgotten, didn’t you once gnaw on a tomato?"
"You’re afraid to eat now?"
Upon Kuai Hongji’s reminder, Lin Yi was first taken aback, then he slapped his forehead.
Yeah, how could I forget!
"I’ve eaten so many tomatoes... what’s there to be afraid of?"
With that thought, he was no longer flustered and swaggered directly to the number 3 dining window, facing the strange-looking Chef in the green apron, "Auntie, Tomato Egg Noodles, please."
The corner of the green-apron chef’s mouth was just about to spread into a strange smile when they suddenly froze.
"What do you want to order, student?"
They seemed somewhat incredulous; I haven’t tampered with anything yet, how could anyone directly order it?
This isn’t right!
Shouldn’t you have ordered something else, and then I secretly switch it to Tomato Egg Noodles for you?
"Auntie, Tomato Egg Noodles!" Lin Yi frowned, tapping the window glass.
It wasn’t until he received his Tomato Egg Noodles that he was somewhat dissatisfied, muttering as he left, "All Chefs in green aprons, and their hearing still hasn’t improved..."
As Lin Yi moved to swipe his Student ID card while carrying the food tray, he suddenly noticed Tian Bufan looking at him with a bizarre expression. Then, under Lin Yi’s somewhat puzzled gaze, Tian Bufan ordered a bowl of white porridge...
And picked up some pickled vegetables...
"What’s up with you, Young Master Tian?" Lin Yi asked, wide-eyed.
Tian Bufan was also a bit speechless: "Kuai Kuai tells you that you once ate tomatoes, and so you directly order tomatoes just like that? How foolish... "
"..." Lin Yi was at a loss for words, "Well, I just... okay, whatever!"
He swiped his card, let out a long sigh, and carried his Tomato Egg Noodles away from the dining window.
At this moment, a trailing group also lifted the plastic curtain and walked in.
As they entered, they happened to run into Lin Yi head-on.
Lin Yi, still upset by Tian Bufan’s rebuke, paid them no mind, but the group was momentarily stunned upon seeing the Tomato Egg Noodles in Lin Yi’s hands.
"Captain..." Chen Yu whispered.
The Captain subtly shook his head: "The cafeteria is very strange today. Let’s fully grasp the situation before stirring up additional complications."
Su Yao wanted to speak, but ultimately swallowed her words.
They had their protocols and naturally understood the priorities, and they walked toward the number 3 dining window.
Meanwhile, Tian Bufan and the others finished ordering, carrying white porridge, cucumbers, and fried dough sticks, and slowly sat near Lin Yi.
But what surprised Lin Yi was that Tian Bufan ate normal food, Wei Liang ate fried dough sticks, but Wei Shan and Kuai Hongji each had a bowl of Tomato Egg Noodles.
"Eat up, or it’ll get cold and won’t taste good," Tian Bufan remarked with a mild grin.
Lin Yi, pouting, stared at his Tomato Egg Noodles. Seeing this, he picked up his chopsticks, tapped the table twice, and then quickly took a bite.
The Tomato Egg Noodles didn’t have much of a bloody taste entering his mouth... emmmm... didn’t in the first place, actually. It was sweet and sour, quite delicious.
As the Tomato Egg Noodles were swallowed, an extremely chaotic Supernatural Power exploded within him.
Lin Yi’s eyes sharpened, and pure Primordial Pollution was immediately decomposed into untainted Supernatural Power, while the messy, useless pollution was considered waste, expelled directly through his breath as powder form particles.
After finishing the bowl of Tomato Egg Noodles, Lin Yi carefully sensed the flow of the noodles within him. If he couldn’t expel that chaotic Pollution Breath out of his body, it would take root and spread within, slowly turning his shell into something eerie.
Possibly, his Spirit would get contaminated in this process, even driving him insane.
With the consumption of Tomato Egg Noodles, he gradually perceived the contaminants mixed within it—seemingly the roots of a Burial Body processed to create these pollutants.
If he absorbed it, he would likely become host to the Burial Body’s will, transforming into a puppet akin to Zhang Lingzhen, overtaken by the Burial Body’s consciousness anytime.
Fortunately, these things were now detected by his Miao Yi perception.
"Old Lin, you’re really enjoying your meal," Wei Shan said as he devoured his bowl of Tomato Egg Noodles, noticing Lin Yi finishing his bowl in no time. His eyes crinkled with joy, as if recalling something pleasant.
"Um... more noodles, please."
After Wei Shan finished his first bowl, he suddenly asked beside him.
Lin Yi was taken aback, realizing that a Chef in a green apron had silently appeared beside Wei Shan.
Not just him, Kuai Hongji had one beside him, too!
Beside him, as well!
Three Chefs in green aprons appeared ghostlike beside them, their presence initially bypassing their perception.