Chapter 145
Chapter 145: Chapter 145
The river snail noodles Lu Wu made were extremely spicy. She’d warned every customer before they ate, but no one had paid her any mind.
This was especially true for veteran customers like Qin Zhan, who considered themselves to have a high tolerance for spice and said it would be a piece of cake.
The result of slurping down the noodles a little too enthusiastically was a raging case of the ring of fire.
In contrast, the customers from the Sea Clan had developed cast-iron stomachs—and backsides—from their usual diet of raw seafood. The spice level was intense, but it did zero damage to their bodies.
The Sea Clan followed Dan Ji as she left to discuss the specific details of the collaboration between the two parties.
Before they left, they expressed their gratitude to Lu Wu with a tangible gesture.
Gazing at the large pearls, Lu Wu decided that the next time her Sea Clan customers came to visit, she would provide them with even more thoughtful service.
Like adding extra numbing spice and heat.
Her first day was just a trial run. With the crowd’s enthusiastic support, Lu Wu closed up shop for the day once she’d used up all her prepared ingredients.
In her small courtyard, she sipped tea, admired the flowers, and idly scrolled through One World Communication.
"Generous reward for Boss Lu’s location. Waiting online. PM me with clues."
Lu Wu came across this post.
The original poster was one of her customers, who was trying to figure out her schedule and track her down.
Lu Wu considered whether she should just out herself and take the money.
But when she clicked on the post, she found someone had already revealed the location of her current stall.
"Boss Lu is setting up her stall over at the beach on the East Sea of the Abyss. She’s selling river snail noodles and Crab-Roe Burgers."
When Lu Wu saw this, she figured it was just one of today’s customers sharing what they knew. She didn’t pay it much mind and kept scrolling, soon coming across another post looking for her.
After the Grand Tournament of Prodigies, her fame had eclipsed that of numerous geniuses, making her a sensation across the Southern State.
Even people from other parts of the Green Origin Realm had grown curious about her.
What surprised Lu Wu was that the person who’d spilled the beans on the second post was the same person from the first.
Then, as if she were haunted, she started seeing that person’s name under every single post related to her.
This person was bouncing between all the different threads, tirelessly promoting her business. Lu Wu was incredibly moved.
It was only after she asked Qin Zhan and the others that she found out they weren’t behind it.
"I swear on eighteen generations of my ancestors, this information is 100% legit."
"You ask who I am?"
"Hah, I am but one who has lost all love."
This person’s style felt a bit familiar to Lu Wu. She finally tapped on their account profile and discovered their location was set to Xiaohe Town.
Alright, Lu Wu had cracked the case of who was behind the account.
Lou Xiaotian: ’I will expose it all! I will make Boss Lu’s business boom! I won’t let you villains monopolize Boss Lu! I will have my revenge... MWAHAHAHA.’
Thanks to Lou Xiaotian’s tireless promotion, many customers now knew that Lu Wu was still in Yuanhai City.
"I’m already home and you’re just now telling me Boss Lu never left? Are you kidding me?!"
"My Flying Boat just took off! Captain, I need to get off! What do you mean, I can’t? You’re not afraid I’ll jump, are you?!"
"Huh, wait a second. I’m a Cultivator. A fall from this height won’t kill me."
"Later!"
"WHOOSH!"
One customer ignored the Flying Boat captain’s protests and forced himself into a free fall.
Fortunately, they weren’t too high up, and the customer landed safely.
"Good thing I’m still in Yuanhai City. I’m off to get in line!"
After what happened in Little Sea Village, some customers started getting fiercely competitive. Even though it was still a long time until Lu Wu opened her stall, some had already brought little stools and were waiting on the beach.
"Who said we’re here for Boss Lu? We just came to look at the sea."
"Look at this sea. So vast, so fragrant... Doesn’t it remind you of river snail noodles and little burgers?"
In short, the customers were in excellent mental shape, much to Lu Wu’s relief.
With half a day still to go before she had to set up shop, Lu Wu was at home baking bread and preparing sauces.
The soft, fragrant aroma enveloped the entire courtyard. Her next-door neighbor, Old Li, thoughtfully set up an Array to make sure no random passersby would fall in love with Boss Lu because of the smell.
"Time to head out~"
Arriving right on schedule, Lu Wu reached the vicinity of the beach.
In the bright daylight, the weather was clear and the entire sea looked beautiful, its surface sparkling and glistening.
But Lu Wu’s arrival drew even more eyes than the sea itself.
"Boss Lu, I’m back!"
"That ’No Love’ guy really wasn’t lying! I’m gonna post some pics later to thank him. What a great person!"
Lou Xiaotian: ’Returning kindness with hatred! You’re inhuman!’
The crowd greeted Lu Wu.
The customers parted wordlessly, allowing Lu Wu to get into position. The moment her stall was set up, queues formed on their own.
"Everyone, the river snail noodles are very intense and extremely spicy," Lu Wu reminded them. "If you’re not used to spicy food, you can try the Crab-Roe Burgers instead."
’After all, it’s not quite the season for chrysanthemums to be in full bloom.’
"Don’t worry, Boss Lu! I’ve got a stomach of steel. I can handle any level of spice. It’s no big deal."
The brawny customer at the front of the line thumped his chest, assuring her.
Seeing his muscular build and thinking he could probably take her out with a single slap, Lu Wu found him very persuasive. She believed him.
"Extra numbing and extra spicy, then?"
"Add it!"
After their friendly exchange, Lu Wu fished out the rice noodles. The instant she ladled the broth over them, a pungent aroma accompanied by the scent of pickled bamboo shoots spread, causing many people to cover their noses in discomfort.
Even though they had read on One World Communication that river snail noodles had a rather strong odor, experiencing it for the first time was still a shock.
Yet not a single person left the scene.
"Alas, times have changed. People just aren’t what they used to be."
A wealthy-looking customer patted his stomach. After asking around and finding no one willing to sell their spot in the line, he went to queue up himself in disappointment.
’The customers have all gotten smarter. They’re not so easy to fool anymore.’
"Here are your river snail noodles."
The first bowl of river snail noodles was served, and Lu Wu also placed a Crab-Roe Burger on the plate.
"You can sit over there to eat."
She pointed to some tables and chairs nearby. Dan Ji had ordered her people to bring them over last night. They were scattered all over the beach, creating a peculiar landscape.
"Hey buddy, hurry up and try it!"
A customer further back in the line urged him on.
This new delicacy made them both excited and fearful.
The first customer didn’t stand on ceremony and picked up his chopsticks.
He first poked at the toppings in the bowl of river snail noodles; the portion was very generous.
"Boss Lu is really generous," he commented.
He praised it, but hesitated to take a bite. The sharp, stimulating scent of chili peppers wafted into his nostrils, and the customer was already sweating buckets.
The broth was a rich red, with a layer of chili oil floating on top.
This chili oil was also Lu Wu’s own concoction, its fragrance brought to life by hot oil.
It looked incredibly spicy.
Remembering the bold claims he had just made, the customer lowered his head and took a bite of the noodles.
The smooth, tender noodles came apart with the slightest pressure. The texture was excellent.
But before he could even appreciate the flavor of the noodles themselves, the four horsemen of sour, spicy, savory, and fragrant came charging in at a full sprint, crashing violently against his taste buds.
His sense of taste was awakened, then ignited, and finally, it detonated.
The spiciness, intense enough to feel like the top of his head was going to explode, instantly flushed the man’s cheeks bright red.
"HSSS—so spicy!"
After swallowing that first mouthful, he couldn’t help but gasp for air, trying to alleviate the heat.
"Buddy, you’re not holding up so well."
A customer watching from the side chimed in with a taunt.
"You’re crumbling from just that little bit of spice? And on the first bite, too."
"Tsk, tsk. If I’d known, I would have gone first to give everyone the rundown."
These customers were truly merciless with their words. Under all the heckling, the brawny man was about to reach Hong Wen. He wanted to argue back but held his tongue.
’Trash talk doesn’t make you a king,’ he thought. ’Let’s see if you’re crying for mercy later.’