41 Chapter 41 (Two in One)
◎Bad breath is unacceptable, but you don’t have to be so dedicated to cosplaying as a zombie, right?◎
After being out for a week, there is no strange smell when I open the door, so no additional ventilation is needed.
Ye Ping'an kicked the sweeping and mopping robot back to its original position and turned back to check the door lock.
The lock was pried open once, but surprisingly there were no traces left, so I didn't have to spend money to replace it with a new one.
The things I brought back were thrown into the storage room, and the brand new barbecue grill was left in the car to be used when I go out today.
Ye Ping'an first took out the meat. It had all been processed and was ready to eat.
"Boss Ye, Boss Ye! We are neighbors, let me help you?" Xiao Kui leaned in and drooled at the sight of a pot of freshly grilled skewers.
Ye Pingan laughed, "I think you're craving barbecue? Can you eat barbecue?"
Xiao Kui rubbed his belly and chuckled. "Meat...meat is protein, it replenishes healthy fats, and helps with weight loss! I trust the quality of Boss Ye's ingredients. Most of the people in University Town are going to the music festival, so I asked the staff to watch over the store and we'll go and have fun together."
"It feels like a long time since we last met. I haven't tasted Boss Ye's cooking for a long time. Let me have some." Seeing Ye Ping'an's tacit consent, Xiao Kui washed his hands and came up to help immediately.
Without Ye Ping'an's skilled hand speed, I searched for a quick method to skewer the skewers. Using a steamer to help, it wasn't too slow.
Ye Ping'an glanced at him a few times and was surprised to find that this rich second generation worked very well.
In the Huaxi City Canteen, she had the staff at her disposal, and whatever she wanted could be prepared quickly. But after returning, she felt a little uncomfortable.
Ye Ping'an thought for a moment, then finished cutting the meat and posted a notice: "This shop is recruiting temporary workers for the summer vacation. Room and board are provided. Salary is negotiable."
As we all know, negotiable = generally not too high.
The sunset glow spread from the edge of the sky, quickly dyeing the sky red.
Ye Ping'an received a message from Anqi that the enthusiastic diners had already found a venue for her.
The festival has its own barbecue area and there are also designated areas for stalls.
Ye Ping'an found out late, and for temporary entry, good places like the stadium entrance and exit, and the mountain trail entrance on the top of the hill by the river had already been occupied.
An Qi explained the situation and then changed the subject: "But Xia Xia and A Yu have connections with the student union. After asking around, they just happened to find a vacant seat for you not far from the entrance to the mountain trail! Boss, since we've worked so hard, can't you give us a discount for this barbecue?"
The last time she entered the store, she was charged 99. Although Lin Yu and Xia Zihan thought it was worth it and advised her to come and eat more often when she was free, she still couldn't help but mentioned it.
99! A bowl of soup! Jiang City finally had a big event, and universities from nearby cities all came to join in the fun. It would be bad if Boss Ye’s reputation for overcharging customers spread everywhere.
"...Then, 99% discount?" Ye Ping'an endured the pain.
An Qi: ...
Forget it, hoping to get a big discount from Boss Ye is better off dreaming. 99% off means 99% off!
Ye Ping'an asked her for the price list of the barbecue stall that had already arrived.
The organizers provided the ingredients for the barbecue area, and most vendors also offered a variety of snacks. Grilled squid, fried rice and noodles, stinky tofu, grilled chicken and fried chicken cutlets... At first glance, it was all the same food street items, but the prices were almost doubled.
"Then... double the price." Ye Ping'an compared the prices in the barbecue area, quickly wrote a sign, and put it on the grill.
Xiao Kui hurriedly instructed the newly hired clerk and rushed out, holding a bag of steamed buns and snacks. "Boss Ye, can you give me a ride? I'll pay for the gas!"
Ye Ping'an gestured for him to get in the car. "The store has hired all the employees. Boss Xiao's business is doing well. Your family hasn't given you permission to drive yet?"
"I gave it up originally. That's why I started hiring staff. It's open 24 hours a day, so it's fine for everyone to pay by themselves while I sleep."
Xiao Kui stuffed the bag into the car and sighed sadly, "But something happened at the mall before, so my family doesn't allow me to go out. I've only been behind the wheel for a few days!
"The area around the mall is still closed. I've lost a lot of money on my investment, and my sister hasn't slept well in days. Speaking of which, did Boss Ye go to the mall that day? I saw the report about 'People Bravely Acting for Justice,' and the blurry figure in the report looked a bit like you."
Xiao Kui was worried for only a few seconds before he became curious.
Ye Pingan: ...
So your family is the investor in this shopping mall with a hellish aesthetic? No wonder the prizes are made of gold.
Ye Ping'an casually asked him about his search for a clerk.
They are all recruiting part-timers, and those who have already recruited employees understand the market better.
We chatted as we walked, drove around the construction site in front, and drove a little further along the road, and we could see the newly decorated stadium and riverside.
This was a rare large-scale event, and Jiang City attached great importance to it. There were two lines of police cars along the way.
The festival tents were scattered across the hillside, and the trailhead was packed. Most of the crowds were inside the stadium, where the performances began. The festival itself consisted of a circuit along the river and mountain.
There are many small stages next to the river and the mountain, and some people have already gone up to join in the fun.
Ye Ping'an followed the signs to the parking lot and saw a few familiar faces. Officer Li was busy with his team, so she didn't bother him.
"Boss Ye! You're finally here!" An Qi saw the barbecue grill being pushed over, stood on tiptoe and waved a fluorescent stick, and squeezed out a path from the crowd with difficulty, letting the cart carry Ye Ping'an to the designated stall.
Even though it was not at the entrance of a mountain road, the stall was located close to the forest and there were surprisingly many people nearby.
"I'm afraid everyone in the city has come..." Xiao Kui usually didn't think Jiang City was crowded. The fat boy was pushing the cart, and his flesh was squeezed and deformed.
An Qi shook her head. "More than that. This time, it's a touring concert. The opening performance on the first day will last until tomorrow morning, and people from several nearby cities have come to join in the fun. We were all captured by the student union, and Xia Xia and I helped maintain order for a while."
Before An Qi could finish, Xia Zihan voiced the thoughts of the diners gathered around. "So—Boss Ye, if you don't turn on the stove, I'm going to starve to death!"
"Long time no see." Ye Ping'an smiled and hung up the sign in an orderly manner.
【Xi Le Restaurant——Mobile BBQ.】
"I'll have fifty skewers of lamb first!" Xia Zihan glanced at the price list and immediately scanned the code.
The others were a step slower, glaring at him, "Xia Xia, you beast! How can your hands be so fast? Can you finish it?"
Xia Zihan said confidently, "I still have to lead it to the police officers. Boss Ye, if you have any questions, just send me a message. Today, my student union and I will cooperate to maintain order. By the way, you have to pay attention to fire prevention in your position. I'll help you get a fire extinguisher!"
She hadn't completed her training exams yet and was considered a reserve investigator. If it weren't for her connections with the student union, she wouldn't have had the chance to join the operation. She knew a little about the inside story of the sudden approval of this large-scale event.
First, to celebrate the passing of the B-level incident, and second, to use the now-free Jiang City to lure out the evil organizations hiding in the nearby cities. Bai Xian was currently patrolling the periphery!
Now that Boss Ye has arrived, Xia Zihan feels more at ease.
"Would you like a drink? An iced one, just brought out. If you want more, ask Boss Xiao to get it for you in the parking lot." Ye Ping'an took a skewer of pork belly wrapped with enoki mushrooms, which was the first skewers that were grilled and adjusted to the right temperature. With her grilling skills, it was almost impossible to taste the change in temperature during the process.
It was given to Xiao Kui, and he accepted everything.
The edges are roasted until crispy, the meat juice is locked inside, and the soft enoki mushrooms are full of meaty aroma.
Xiao Kui cherished his food very much. When he heard about the assignment, he nodded immediately, "Leave it to me. I'll run more. Mmm, just enough to burn calories and eat more."
The diners who weren't among the first to pay noticed the drinks written in the corner of the price list. "Wow, why is Mr. Ye's iced cola so cheap? He's selling it at the original price at the music festival?! You're so generous! I'll have one!"
We still have to wait for the skewers, and after a while, two cartons of Coke were sold out.
Ye Pingan: Cleared inventory smoothly√
The drinks I bought from Lao Liu that were close to expiration date were only good for about half a month at most. The more I sold, the more I earned.
Sizzle——
The aroma of the mutton skewers' fat rises with the smoke from the spices. It's the aroma of the fresh mutton itself, but also the overbearing aroma nurtured by the charcoal fire, spices, and cooking method.
As the aroma wafted through the air, the audience, who were excitedly waiting for the festival to begin, couldn't help but start looking around.
"A chef has appeared in the barbecue area? No way, I just saw someone grill out a plate of charcoal."
"The snack stalls don't smell this good..."
"Ah, I see it! Boss Ye is back, and he's grilling skewers! Wait, I'll get in line!"
"Boss Ye?"
"Are you from another city? This is the most famous little restaurant in our university town. Hurry up, the boss has so much stock. If you go too late and it's all gone, you'll have nowhere to cry!"
Soon, a long line formed in front of the oven.
Whoosh—bang!
The charcoal fire illuminated the faces waiting in front of the barbecue grill in the evening, and the fireworks exploded into the sky, blooming brilliantly, reflected in the surging river and in everyone's eyes.
"Opening fireworks show! Start, start, start!"
"The last time I saw fireworks was during Chinese New Year, and people were not allowed to gather near the river... Wow, this is so beautiful! It's the city flower of Jiang City! This is the emblem of Jiang University! And this, this!"
"Hey, there are drones cooperating?"
Fireworks continued to rise into the sky, and the clusters of flowers were as bright as day. Among the fireworks, drones flashed with light spots, forming words to celebrate the music festival.
The powerful music came from the stadium's tuned speakers. Students sang together with their friends, dancing and laughing.
Ye Ping'an had never heard of it. It should be a popular song from Lan Country. Even if the diners around him couldn't sing it, they could at least hum a few lines.
The crowd surged, and some diners at the barbecue stall took the opportunity to squeeze over, peeked over from the side of the grill, and winked at Ye Pingan:
“Ding Dong! Payment received…”
The smile on Ye Ping'an's lips became even brighter.
This was much more lively than the music festival videos she'd seen in the past. Sure enough, the atmosphere had to be experienced in person.
The stadium's light show was followed by brilliant fireworks, and cheers resounded like a tsunami, as if there were no shadows at all.
The plainclothes officers and investigators guarding the crowd couldn't help but laugh.
After laughing, he became seriously alert. "Continue to check the surroundings and be careful of any suspicious people."
people.
People follow the crowd.
Tu Shansui hadn't seen so many people gathered together for a long time, and the small tablet in his palm seemed to be hot.
The blooming fireworks lit up half the sky, brilliant and beautiful.
Tu Shan Sui stopped for a moment and continued to search for the faint breath.
As he approached the edge of the mountain, he stopped again.
No, there is a faint strange smell approaching.
The source of the strange changes in Jiang City has been elusive for a long time, and the sudden appearance of a strange aura has made him even more concerned.
...Looks like it's coming from Penalty Area 2.
Tu Shansui took out his cell phone to contact someone in Jiang City, but the gadget in his hand was black.
Tu Shansui pressed the buttons for a long time, but the phone showed no response. He realized with frustration that it really was unusable.
When he regained consciousness, he could walk outdoors without fear of wind or rain. Human inventions were said to be drop-resistant, waterproof, and rechargeable, so he was assured of using them, but they still broke.
"Hello, do you need help? I'm a volunteer for this concert, and this is my volunteer ID." Xia Zihan saw a handsome guy standing still from a distance. He was neither appreciating the fireworks and light show nor listening to music or having a picnic. He seemed to be looking for something.
Although she is very good-looking, the deputy captain said that we cannot let go of any suspicious things!
When the white-haired young man glanced at her indifferently, Xia Zihan's breathing seemed to freeze.
What a cold iceberg series!
Tu Shansui recognized the Investigation Bureau logo on the ID card in her hand.
"Contact the superiors." Tu Shansui nodded, "Report, No. 2."
Xia Zihan was confused, but she realized that this person must be related to the Investigation Bureau, so she immediately agreed, "Huh? I'll contact him now, please wait a moment... Where is he???"
Xia Zihan looked away and tapped her phone screen. The handsome man in front of her disappeared in a second. She almost thought she had seen a ghost again.
Yao Qing received her report but didn't understand what it meant.
After finding Lao Li, who was waiting for news in the car, he suddenly sat up straight. "Are you sure it's Baifa? Let me check the surveillance. Yes, it's Consultant Tushan. He finally contacted us, it must be something serious. Number 2... Number 2, does it mean there's something strange in the No. 2 restricted area? That's a zombie with a chance of infection!"
Zombies and ferocious beasts were both born from the influence of strange auras, but their origins were different. Where strange auras erupted, ferocious beasts could be born, but the original source of zombies was in Forbidden Zone 2. Cities far from Forbidden Zone 2 had only heard of it at most.
Old Li quickly activated his permissions, retrieved the relevant response files, and distributed them to everyone. "How dare the True Spirit Society pull off such a drastic action now, bullying Jiang City?! Prepare the ambulance, initiate surveillance and search, and the consultant is already looking for the target. Keep an eye on those minions, and the joint operation begins!"
The investigators on standby set off one after another, leaving the audience immersed in the excitement of the music festival unaware of anything.
Sightseeing boats, ferries, and transport vessels plying the river, inevitably drawn to the bustle of activity on the shore, a cargo ship suddenly slowed down, seemingly unnoticeable among the crowd, but quickly making it onto the investigators' search list.
"Ho ho—ho ho—"
Strange gasps continued to sound in the bottom cabin. A big man hurriedly blocked the hole in the cabin and did not dare to go inside at all.
He cursed loudly at the person behind him, "An Yi, you sonless bastard, did you feed the pigs with your bell?! Hurry and quiet them down, or the Investigation Bureau will be called in if they keep making noise! Those hyenas set up a trap to lure us in, not realizing we'd play along. We sent out a few minions to distract attention, and the big shipment was shipped across the river. We were about to enter Lin Province, but we ruined it here!"
The big man's veins popped up and he pressed the hatch that was blocked by a temporary protective shield, his heart pounding.
The door looked like it had been knocked open by a large truck. The iron sheets on the edge of the door frame were deformed, and a human-shaped outline appeared in the middle. It was obvious that someone had forced their way out from inside.
The big man gritted his teeth, "You never said it could knock down all three gates when it went crazy! If it hadn't been so focused on rushing out, and if the Lin Province defenses hadn't been broken, we would all be dead!"
"The bell was taken away by Yu San. Go after it!" An Yi, his hood covered, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Door! Quick! Where's the new hatch? Block it!"
"The door is coming—"
Someone from the upper level came down with new protection and piled cement barrels on top, banging on the hatch until the banging became quieter.
The big man breathed a sigh of relief. "Yu San, Yu San hasn't come back yet. We can't wait any longer. The thing came from the restricted area. Restricted Areas 2 and 3 haven't been as active as Area 1 in recent years, and other areas have little experience dealing with it. It's good for Yu San to go down and teach Jiang City, where things are always happening for no apparent reason, a lesson."
"Bell..." An Yi said weakly.
The big man glared at An Yi, "Bah! You still have the nerve to say you're the closest to the gods, and you still have the nerve to mention bells? I heard that the foreign branches have taken the fusion with the gods a step further. You don't have this technology, you don't have longevity, you've all become half-human, half-ghost creatures, with only a little bit of supernatural power. You'd better pray that those ghosts on the road don't go crazy again, otherwise, you'll be the first one to feed them! Start the boat first, otherwise you won't be able to leave."
"It can't be opened." A cold voice sounded from above the cabin, so calm that it seemed like a statement.
"Who?!" The big man's face suddenly changed, his arms swelled up like blue-gray ghost claws, and tore the deck above his head with one blow.
The white-haired young man just stared at the numerous figures trapped inside by the concrete wall.
The humanoids roared, as if they had smelled a delicious delicacy, and they swarmed out in a restless frenzy. When he appeared, the agitation intensified, pushing the heavy concrete and causing it to sway with a bang.
"The walking zombies. When the restricted zone 3 appeared, restricted zone 2 was stolen." Tu Shansui stated confidently, revealing a hint of doubt. "Isn't it a flying zombie?"
An Yi sneaked to another exit, but before he could get out, he heard a voice that instantly broke his defense. "You guys in the Investigation Bureau are so arrogant, you're so great! You have so many divine fragments, but you don't allow us to have power. Do you think flying zombies are so easy to appear?!"
Tushan Sui was at a loss.
Why do they always get angry when they encounter these organizations? I don't understand, maybe it's because the weirdness has affected their minds.
Under the cold and indifferent gaze, An Yizhi felt as if he had been stripped of his clothes and thrown into the snow, with all his dirty plots and jealous anger exposed.
An Yi sneered grimly, "The Investigation Bureau has found us? White hair, indifference unlike ordinary people, could it be that you are Tushan Sui... No, someone from the Tushan family? It seems that we really can't leave, so let's have a taste of their power! Second brother, open the door!"
The concrete wall was torn open, and the zombies in the cabin were jumping stiffly, ready to jump out.
Tu Shansui seemed not to see them. He confirmed the source of the abnormal smell and threw out signal fireworks.
Red fireworks exploded in the sky, and investigators who had rushed to the riverbank immediately spotted their target. "That's the ship!"
The large man in the cabin had a grim expression on his face. The humiliation of being ignored made him even more furious. "Pretending... If you have the guts, come and suppress me! Treat me like a restricted area deity, and you'll be rich!"
The wall that the ghost claws had grabbed was dripping with black liquid, and the gasping corpse broke through the cracks. The big man ran in the front and grabbed Tushan Sui.
Tu Shansui was a little distressed.
The power of the Strange Suppression Monument must be reserved for the restricted area, so...
The fuzz that had escaped from my arm last time was still swaying itchyly in the wind, and I couldn't suppress it no matter how hard I tried. Fortunately, it was only a little, so I could still bear it.
He will not bring shame to the Tushan clan!
The white-haired young man standing in the hole on the upper floor had an expression as cold as ice.
In addition to the thin figure reflected in the cabin, there was another fluffy, swaying shadow.
-
The barbecue stall was crowded with people. Not only did they line up in front of the grill, but some people also lined up behind the grill and squeezed into the woods where they didn't take up much space to wait for their skewers.
As more and more people gathered, the police officers who were maintaining order came over several times.
"Hey, don't push, don't cut in line!"
An angry scream echoed from behind, and a path had clearly been squeezed out of the crowd in the woods. From the less crowded side of the riverbank, they quickly approached her position.
The investigators were chasing the suspicious person from behind and were squeezed by the crowd.
In the shadow of the woods, Yu San's arm had turned blue-black, and the hand holding the bell was stiff and difficult to move, and was being dragged forward at a mad speed.
There was a lot of noise around. Yu San should have been happy about having a lot of extra experimental materials and about giving the group of investigators from Jiang City a warning, but now he had no time to think about these things. His eyes and mouth were covered with water plants, leaves and mud, and his clothes and flesh were torn from being dragged on the ground. He was in great pain.
"Damn it... Stop! Stop it!"
This zombie was the strongest of the experimental subjects, and it was also the most attuned to the bell. The E-rank monstrosity [Hallucination Bell] was usually useless, difficult to control to kill the sacrifice, and quickly devouring its host, but it was perfect for these zombies.
Yu San never expected that the zombies, perhaps lured by the gathered flesh and blood of living people, or attracted by some special weirdness, frantically attacked the cabin and tried to get off the ship.
After taking out the bell, Yu San did not stop him. He just prevented the zombie from directly crashing into the hull and instead dragged him into the river.
Damn it, the zombie's joints and flesh are so stiff, why don't I usually see it running so fast? Is it because of its ancestors ahead, or is there some delicious meat?
“Ah! Zombies! There are zombies!”
Finally, someone in the dark woods could see what was running.
The figure running past was jumping around, as if its limbs could not bend.
Isn't this the zombie from the movie?!
Screams rang out, "Boss Ye, get out of the way!"
"What's wrong?"
Ye Ping'an looked back in confusion, and a fishy smell of saliva hit him.
The man running in front had a blue face and stiff limbs. He leaped forward at a rapid speed, his eyes bulging, his teeth bared, and saliva dripping. It was also dragging a person in its hand.
Xiao Kui was so frightened that his legs went limp. He sat down under the barbecue stall and barely raised the barbecue skewers. "Ye, Boss Ye!" Run! Or grab a weapon!
"Ugh." Ye Ping'an touched his mask in disgust, slammed it at the face of the blue-faced man one meter away, and held down his head that was rushing towards him.
"Don't drool on my food!"
"Ho ho ho—" The zombie stared at her with bulging eyes, its mouth full of saliva blocked by the mask. It tried to raise the hand that was biting and pressing on its forehead, but its head could not move at all.
Wait? It stopped right there???
Boss Ye was holding down a strong man, not a rabbit, right?
Before the students could scatter in panic or rush to the rescue, they were frozen in place, Anqi's mouth wide open enough to fit a duck egg.
Ye Pingan pulled up his mask to block out the stench, and looked at the guy who just ran over with disdain. "If you want to eat barbecue, you have to line up. You're squeezing others, don't you know? Your bad breath is too bad. You don't have to be so dedicated to cosplaying as a zombie, right?"
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