Chapter 26 The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind
Good heavens! This 1203 case is like a Russian nesting doll, with one twist after another!
In Lu Zheng's case, it turned into a chilling "mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind" scenario.
“Of course, this might just be me being paranoid,” Lu Zheng emphasized. “But you must be vigilant. That Zhang is definitely not simple. If he is released later and moves back into 1203, he will be your potential neighbor. Don’t be fooled by any of his appearances, and don’t trust him easily.”
Su Xiaonuan could hear the seriousness and concern in Lu Zheng's tone, and her heart warmed slightly.
This cold-faced police officer is actually quite thoughtful.
"I understand, Officer Lu. Thank you for telling me all this. I'll be careful, don't worry," Su Xiaonuan replied earnestly.
Having experienced so much, she is well aware of the wickedness of human nature and will never let her guard down.
After hanging up the phone, Su Xiaonuan took a deep breath and firmly kept the matter of "being wary of Zhang" in mind.
Then, she decided to do something fun to change her mood—browse the system store!
Looking at the huge sum of 2580 merit points, Su Xiaonuan felt like she had become rich overnight.
With a wave of her hand, she began her "buy, buy, buy" spree, her first target being the dazzling new recipes in the [Food Encyclopedia].
【Flaming Volcano Roasted Milk】: Price: 100 Merit Points.
【Extra Spicy Chicken Wings】: Price: 100 Merit Points.
【Deadly Barbecue Skewers】: Priced at 100 merit points.
Cream of Mushroom Soup: Price: 100 Merit Points
【Durian Pizza】: Price: 100 merit points.
The five recipes cost a total of 500 merit points.
Current merit points: 2080.
Another flood of knowledge rushed into her mind: the passion of grilling with flames, the collision of chili and oil, the addictive aroma of barbecue seasoning, the silky richness of cream soup, and the pungent fusion of durian and cheese... making her look forward to setting up her stall tomorrow.
Having just purchased the recipes, the system's daily tasks arrived as scheduled.
[Daily Quest Refresh: Tomorrow, successfully set up a stall outside the 'Lost City' bar and sell 50 'Flaming Volcano Roasted Milk'. Reward: 450 Merit Points.]
Outside a bar? Selling roasted milk? The system really knows how to pick a location.
However, the name "Flaming Volcano" sounds pretty cool and should be a good fit for the bar's atmosphere.
The following evening, Su Xiaonuan began preparing for her nightly stall.
Since we're going to the bar street, our attire should be appropriate for the occasion.
She rummaged through her drawers and found a black, tight-fitting tank top, paired with high-waisted denim shorts, an oversized denim shirt, and a pair of Dr. Martens boots.
She wore slightly heavier makeup than usual, with winged eyeliner, bright red lipstick, and her hair tied in a high ponytail. She looked both sweet and spicy, and very energetic.
Looking at her refreshed self in the mirror, Su Xiaonuan whistled with satisfaction: "Perfect!"
At 8:30 p.m., she drove her silver-white gourmet campervan to the city's famous bar street.
The city was brightly lit, neon lights flashed, and the air was thick with the scents of alcohol, perfume, and hormones.
Young men and women strolled about, creating a lively atmosphere.
She found an empty parking spot near the "Lost City" bar and parked her car.
Open the side sales window and hang up a small blackboard: "Flaming Volcano Roasted Milk, 28 yuan/cup, limited to 50 cups."
He then took out the old-fashioned megaphone and recorded a line: "Fiery volcano, passionate as fire, warming the heart and stomach!"
Set it to loop playback, and turn the volume down a bit so it's not too loud.
Then, she began preparing the ingredients.
First, there's the milk tea base.
She chose Sri Lankan black tea, which has a rich flavor.
Steep the tea leaves in boiling water until the tea soup turns a deep amber red and releases a mellow aroma.
Then add the premium evaporated milk and a small amount of condensed milk provided by the system, stir well to make the tea soup silky smooth and the aroma of tea and milk perfectly balanced.
Place the prepared milk tea base in an insulated container for later use.
The key point is the top of the "Flaming Volcano":
She took out fresh mangoes and red dragon fruit and diced them.
Scoop out several large spoonfuls of the vanilla ice cream provided by the system; it has a smooth texture and a rich, creamy flavor.
You will also need whipped cream, and most importantly—the system-exclusive "flame syrup" and edible gold powder.
Flame syrup is a clear, slightly viscous orange syrup with a subtle aroma of cinnamon and caramel. When exposed to high temperatures, it produces a brief, dazzling blue flame effect, a visually stunning but fleeting phenomenon with extremely low temperatures that will not cause burns, only bringing a unique caramel flavor.
Start making it.
Take a transparent, thick-walled plastic cup and pour in a layer of chilled milk tea base, filling about two-thirds of the cup.
Adding a suitable amount of diced mango and dragon fruit creates a beautiful red and yellow color combination.
Scoop up a large scoop of vanilla ice cream and place it steadily on top of the fruit, forming a pure white "snow mountain".
Whipped cream is poured over the top of the ice cream mountain, resembling clouds on a snow-capped peak.
Then, the most crucial step!
Using a small spoon, carefully drizzle the orange "flame syrup" over the whipped cream and ice cream. The syrup will slowly drip down, covering part of the "mountain".
ignite!
Su Xiaonuan took out a small kitchen spray gun, aimed it at the top of the syrup-covered area, and gently pressed the switch.
boom!
A cluster of brilliant, leaping blue flames instantly enveloped the top of the ice cream!
It was as dazzling as a volcanic eruption! It instantly attracted the attention of everyone around!
"Wow!!"
"What's that?! Is it on fire?!"
"That's so cool!"
The flame lasted for about two or three seconds before quickly going out, leaving only a light, alluring caramel color and a unique caramel aroma on the surface of the ice cream and cream, creating a wonderful contrast with the coolness of the ice cream.
Finally, sprinkle a little bit of edible gold powder on top, and it will sparkle under the bar lights, like gold dust in volcanic lava!
A visually stunning "Fiery Volcano Roasted Milk" with a contrasting hot and cold sensation is ready!
The dazzling production process and the unparalleled aroma—the fragrance of tea, milk, fruit, caramel, and the sweetness of ice cream—instantly caused a sensation at the bar entrance!
"Boss! What's this? It's so cool! Give me a drink!"
"I want one too! It looks so delicious!"
"Take a picture! Quick, post it on WeChat Moments!"
The line quickly drew people over, many of whom were young people who had just come out of a bar or were about to go in. They were completely unable to resist this novel, fun, and visually appealing food.
Su Xiaonuan was busy and having a great time. Her hands moved quickly, and the spray gun ignited blue flames time and time again, eliciting gasps of surprise.
Just as she was busy, a system notification sounded:
[WARNING! Target with 'Sin Value' of 40 detected within range! Location: End of the queue on the right!]
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