3 Chapter 3
◎Ye Pingan, peace, joy and prosperity◎
“???”
Ye Ping'an put down the bowl with a bang, opened the door and rushed out. There was no one in sight on the empty street.
"...I was careless. You're wearing all these accessories, but you ran away without making any sound? You're lucky you ran fast."
"Isn't it just two bowls of noodles I'll sell you and then settle the cleaning fee? You look like a decent person, but why are you running away with the bill? You're just bullying an honest businessman like me. The world is going downhill! People's hearts are no longer what they used to be!"
Ye Ping'an returned to the store with a gloomy face. He got angry when he saw the black water at the door. He wiped it with a rag on his tiptoes in disgust.
"Tsk. It's so sticky, like chewing gum. How long has it been since you took a bath? Don't stain the tables and chairs in my shop."
After wiping twice, a golden light suddenly flashed in the sticky black water.
A thin piece of gold the size of a fingernail was embedded in the dirt, barely making out the shape of a miniature copper coin with a round outer surface and a square inner surface.
“…Isn’t this fake again?”
Ye Ping'an curled his lips, put a tissue under his mouth, and gently picked out the gold flakes from the sticky puddle.
Gold foil, to be exact.
After burning it with a lighter and confirming that it was real, Ye Pingan was happy.
After wiping off the last bit of dirt, she quickly took out the electronic scale while holding the gold foil.
Weigh it on the scale.
0.02 grams.
Ye Ping'an's grin narrowed a little. "It's only a dozen yuan. Never mind. Although most gold shops won't accept such a small amount, it's still some money at least."
Carefully seal the gold foil with plastic wrap and place it in the cashier drawer at the counter.
Few people use cash nowadays. Even payments for goods are made online, and there are only a few spare coins in the drawer.
But the world has changed, and the coins can't be spent. If you sell them as commemorative coins or directly sell the materials, you probably won't even get a dollar, and people will suspect they are counterfeit.
"If there are no other customers, I can only rely on this little gold to buy groceries tomorrow..."
Before he could even breathe a sigh, Ye Pingan quickly shook his head, "Pah, pah, pah, the day has just begun, there will definitely be customers coming! Booming business, lots of money!"
After putting away the gold foil, Ye Pingan picked up the bowl of noodles and said, "Forget it, I'll eat it myself. It would be a shame if the noodles clumped together."
I rolled up the noodles and ate them in big mouthfuls, and gave myself a thumbs up for my cooking skills.
After throwing the bowl into the dishwasher, Ye Ping'an picked up a piece of fine cloth and started his after-meal exercise: wiping the sign.
The four golden characters on the ebony signboard flickered away the fine dust and gleamed in the sunlight.
Xile Hotel.
After cleaning, Ye Ping'an was studying the food delivery platform and traffic promotion when the sound of a car engine came from afar on the quiet street.
The tip of her ear twitched, and she sat up straight. "Are there guests?"
The car drove very slowly, observing the surroundings as it went.
[Life-saving Money] disappeared so suddenly that Captain Hu became more alert and slowed down his search.
"The strange aura in the places we passed was very clear, not like any strange incidents had occurred there... The area ahead was the last area that Xuerong roughly remembered. But it didn't sense anything strange nearby."
Bai Xuan asked expectantly, "Captain has also tried to use a strange object to attract it, but it didn't work. Although the strange thing can't be killed, we have tried every possible method. Could it be that the [Life-Buying Money] has completely crashed? Once we find the strange object that formed it, Jiang City will be safer!"
Captain Hu shook his head. "It's possible that the [Life Purchase Money] has been consumed and merged with other strange things, or it might have encountered a folk ghost control person. Don't be distracted, search the street ahead first."
When the car turned into the intersection, without the obstruction of the construction site wall, a two-story building could be seen at a glance.
A beautiful antique-style building occupies the corner at the end of the street, and the sign with gold letters on a black background sparkles in the sun.
Captain Hu paused, "Was there this store here on the way up the mountain yesterday?"
"Eh? The deputy captain said this place is on the edge of the university town, and business is already bad, with stores closing down one after another. It seemed like yesterday..."
Bai Xuan racked her brains, but no matter how hard she tried, she could only think of the obvious construction site fence at the intersection.
"It seems so. Maybe it wasn't open a few days ago. No, wasn't the whole area evacuated?"
Bai Xuan glanced at her phone watch. "Ah, it's already past six o'clock. The notification time has passed. This store opens so early."
As soon as the car arrived in front of the store, Ye Pingan came out to greet him with a smile on his face, "Welcome to Xile Restaurant!"
The restaurant owner was surprisingly young, with a healthy complexion, rosy complexion, and bright eyes. Her smile made everyone happy too.
Bai Xuan looked at the unresponsive hedgehog lying paralyzed in her palm and couldn't help but whisper, "Captain, she looks quite normal... At least she's definitely not a ghost slave bewitched by something strange, nor does she look like a ghost controller."
Ghost slaves live in a state of illusion controlled by a strange force. A few words reveal that their thinking is completely different from that of ordinary people. The use of strange objects by ghost masters incurs considerable damage.
The two have one thing in common: lack of vitality, the most obvious manifestation of which is pale skin.
The shop owner in front of me... doesn't fit any of the requirements.
Captain Hu frowned. "But there's been a strange aura erupting here before, so let's check it out. Follow behind me and protect yourself."
Seeing them get off the car, Ye Ping'an's smile became even brighter. "What would you like to have for breakfast, ladies and gentlemen? Freshly cooked braised eggs, braised pig's trotters, braised chicken feet, and handmade ramen. Come in and sit down, and we also support takeout!"
Captain Hu pulled out a document and waved it. "Jiang City University Town Subdistrict Police Station, please cooperate with the investigation. Please provide your name and ID. When did you open? Have you obtained the store permit?"
It turns out he's not a guest...
Ye Pingan was a little disappointed, but still answered the question, "My name is Ye Pingan, which means peace, joy, and prosperity. My ID card is..."
After giving the number without a pause, Ye Pingan pointed to the store confidently and said, "Look, the health certificate, business license, and food business license are all on the wall."
She has a lot of experience in checking, and the key point is not to prove whether it is true or not, but whether it exists or not.
Although the certificates were not from this world, but... firstly, she did not lie, and secondly, she did not want to travel through time, so there was nothing to feel guilty about.
She is an ordinary person who has made her fortune through her own efforts. She is obviously a law-abiding citizen, right?
Ye Pingan continued to solicit business without giving up, "Don't worry, officer. Although we just opened today, this is my family's craft. I cooked it right after we opened this morning!"
Captain Hu pretended to take notes and casually scanned the store.
The restaurant's layout is very comfortable. The lobby is bright and clean, with solid wooden tables and chairs, free of any decorating odors. A small blackboard displays today's menu by the counter. The ID behind the cashier is a bit hard to read from a distance, but generally speaking, it's fine.
The shop owner's dialogue was logically sound, and his self-awareness was also normal... He was probably just lucky to have avoided any strange encounters. Otherwise, with his passion for business, it would have been difficult to avoid the temptation of "Life-Buying Money."
Ye Pingan thought for a moment, "Officer, are you investigating counterfeit/currency fraud/scam dens?"
Captain Hu's expression turned serious. "Why do you ask?"
"I saw the notice when I came here." Ye Ping'an pointed at the now-extinguished notice board, heartbroken. "Officer, you know, a small business like this can't afford to get into trouble with counterfeit currency! You must solve this case quickly!"
Captain Hu nodded seriously and said, "Thank you for cooperating with the investigation. We will do our best.
"By the way, I just received a notice from my superiors that we'll be doing some pest control work in the forest today. The spraying will probably continue until the afternoon, so business on these streets will remain suspended. Please pack your things and leave as soon as possible. And be careful when you return tonight."
"Leaving now?"
Ye Pingan looked embarrassed. "I just opened the door, and there's still some stewed food in the pot. The noodles won't be good if I leave them out until tomorrow..."
Hearing the captain's tone become gentler, Bai Xuan relaxed and noticed the rich and fragrant smell of braised meat.
She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose and swallowed.
Captain Hu looked at her and said, "We'll take all the food that's made in the store. How many servings are there? Boss, please calculate the price."
Ye Ping'an's eyes lit up.
The opening bonus is really effective, and a big order is coming soon!
"Okay! The prices are on the blackboard. Forty-eight bowls of noodles, forty-eight braised eggs, and ten each of braised pig's trotters and chicken feet."
Ye Ping'an didn't even need a calculator. He spoke quickly and gave the exact figure, "Not counting the packaging fee, the total is 1,150 yuan. We just opened and offer a 99% discount on the first order for new customers. So, round off the number, it's 1,190 yuan!"
Captain Hu counted out 12 hundred-yuan bills and handed them out, keeping an eye on the surface of the bills.
[Life-saving Money] The banknotes near the main body are most likely to be affected by the strange aura, so check them last, just in case.
Ye Pingan was a little embarrassed, "I just opened the door and can't make change. Please scan the code."
Captain Hu took back the unchanged banknote and took another look at it while scanning the code.
The boss’s phone is pretty nice, and the logo looks like a flower, but... I don’t think I’ve seen it before?
Maybe it's an unknown brand.
“Ding Dong! 1,190 yuan has arrived!”
Ye Ping'an listened to the announcement on his phone, his steps quickening as he said warmly, "Please take a seat. I'll pack up. Do you want some noodle soup? Or water? I'll add some brown sugar for you."
In a new world, auxiliary police officers have more miscellaneous work to do.
Look, he has to work on the way to send his child to school early in the morning. He looks so tired and his face is pale.
Captain Hu also checked the kitchen.
The dough is neatly arranged, the braising pot is bubbling, and the kitchen is in perfect order, a stark contrast to the often eerie mess that is the scene.
The boss is young, but his skills are very solid. With a flick of his wrist, he produces a handful of almost identical long noodles, which is smoother and more beautiful than the performances in many restaurants.
Ye Ping'an let her watch openly and brought out two cups of hot water.
The sugar cube fell to the bottom of the cup, rolled around, and the warm burnt red color spread out in circles.
Bai Xuan took a sip from the cup, and her eyes lit up. "It's sweet, and it seems to have the aroma of dates. It tastes good!"
"You have a very clever tongue, little guest."
Ye Ping'an nodded with a smile and pushed the cup towards Captain Hu. "I boiled it with dates and a little ginger. It's still a little cold in the morning, so it's just right to keep the cold away."
The rising steam hit Hu Tu's face, but he could not smell any fragrance.
She knew full well that her body was decaying and decaying, becoming more and more like the dead. This was the price of using the artifact.
Hu Tu smiled and said, "Thank you."
After all the noodles were packed, Captain Hu drank the cooled brown sugar water in one gulp and watched the shop owner lock the door and slowly walk away.
Back in the car, Captain Hu switched to work mode and instructed Bai Xuan, "Send a message to Lao Li to extend the evacuation time. Once the search on the mountain is complete, have them withdraw."
The team returned quickly, and Lao Li called out to his colleagues from various departments who had come to assist him. "Come on, our captain bought breakfast. You've all worked hard all night, you must be hungry, let's eat together."
Before anyone could say anything to decline, Lao Li opened the takeaway box and a fragrant aroma filled his nose.
When the hungry stomach meets the overbearing aroma of braised meat, gurgling protest sounds arise one after another.
"What a smell! It smells so good!"
Each investigator held a takeaway box and slurped the food non-stop.
The noodles are distinct, long and evenly slender. The slightly yellowish color is pure wheat aroma, coated with oil but not greasy. The noodles bounce up with the chopsticks when picked up, and the chewy and smooth texture is obvious to the naked eye.
The rich, meaty aroma of the broth, infused with the aroma of fat and soy sauce, imbued the perfectly braised eggs with a hue of brownish-red agate. Pig's trotters lay on the surface, trembling at the touch, their plump collagen gleaming in the sun and falling away from the bones with a single suck.
One bite and the aroma of the various spices has already blended into the fat, making your mouth water. Before you can even finish the first bite, your tongue swallows it, making you want to take another bite.
Watching the live eating show, the teams from other departments were completely unable to move.
The leaders waved their hands and told their subordinates to line up for their meals. "Ahem...how much is it? We'll report to the logistics department later."
Bai Xuan was pressing the calculator when she suddenly realized something was wrong and her face fell.
Old Li was surprised, "What's wrong?"
Bai Xuan was furious. "...The total price is 1150, and there's a 1 yuan per portion packaging fee. Even with a 99% discount, it shouldn't be 1190! What a profiteer!"
Lao Li rubbed her little head and said, "What if it's only two dollars? Okay, let's go eat."
Old Li brought the noodles to the car and pushed them to the captain. "You really don't want to eat? I know you don't have an appetite, so I gave you half a portion. At least eat something. Otherwise, your body will collapse before you can afford the strange things."
Captain Hu couldn't persuade her, so he reluctantly picked up a piece of food with chopsticks. He couldn't taste it and chewed it slowly and mechanically.
Old Li flipped through the messages on his phone. "You can't use any other phone. All the messages are sent to me. Just eat slowly and listen."
"When the aura of [Life-Buying Money] disappears, all the locked sub-bodies turn into ashes and disappear.
The search on the mountain has been completed and three bodies have been found and transported back. The specific confirmation of their identities will have to wait for news from the forensic doctor.
The preliminary notice for hot weapons and the second expansion of the evacuation area has been revoked, and the observation points for the area where [Life-Buying Money] last appeared have been set up..."
Captain Hu listened while eating, and once again raised his chopsticks, but found nothing.
Only then did she realize that she had finished the noodles without realizing it.
Old Li smiled. "It's rare for you to eat so much. It seems to taste good. Doesn't it feel uncomfortable?"
Captain Hu felt his stomach. It seemed a little... warm? But upon closer inspection, it seemed like an illusion.
Old Li continued to confirm the work with her, "If the strange creature is not found by the evening, will we ask the General Administration for assistance?"
Captain Hu came to his senses. "No, apply now. The pattern of [Life Purchase Money] is too unique. It seems there is a record of killing people for other strange transactions. We'd better find it as soon as possible."
"Okay, I'll file a report now."
As soon as Lao Li opened the internal APP of the Investigation Bureau, his face suddenly changed.
"The General Administration has declared martial law! The Stupendous Monument moved unexpectedly last night, and it's suspected that a new A-level anomaly has been discovered!"
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