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墨書 Inktalez
Chen Rui smiled helplessly and pretended to leave the room. "Did the Colonel come here just to chat? If that's the case, I can't stay. I have official business to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
The Colonel put on his hat and smiled at Chen Rui. "If you have matters to attend to, then I won't keep you."
Watching Fan Yu leave the room, Chen Rui plopped down into the armchair behind him. Peng Hao teased, "Oh, oh, oh, still busy with official duties... I see you just came out looking for some fun."
Chen Rui shot Peng Hao a glare; he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "How are the six individuals doing? I'm worried that if they wake up from anesthesia, they might realize that this world isn't real. After all, they are all trained personnel."
Peng Hao shrugged and laughed. "You shouldn't be asking me about that. You should ask Xiong Kai or Yu Mingming or Wang Conghui. What good would it do to ask me? Don't you know this time the Execution Team is just waiting to collect their pay?"
Chen Rui rubbed his forehead, realizing it was a mistake to ask this guy. He retorted sarcastically, "This time it's an emergency order, and it's a coordination task among internal personnel. There probably won't be any bonuses."
Ignoring Peng Hao's mocking remarks behind him, Chen Rui walked toward the Cabin. This mission was indeed an emergency order, and it felt like a ghostly encounter; the other nine teams were all executing tasks and had completely collided together. With no choice but to use his own territory, he felt relieved that there wouldn't be any awkwardness of borrowing equipment from other teams.
Arriving at the end of the Cabin, Xiong Kai raised his head and asked lightly, "You’re here?"
"Of course. If you know, then don’t ask," Chen Rui replied with a smile as he directly sat in Xiong Kai's large armchair, looking at the display screen in front of him.
Xiong Kai frowned and pushed Chen Rui out of the chair. "There are chairs over there; why do you have to fight me for mine? Ever since you got infatuated with that vixen, has your orientation changed? Get away from me!"
Chen Rui couldn't help but laugh at Xiong Kai's words. When did this guy start making jokes at his expense? He must have learned it from that rascal Peng Hao! Hmph! He would deal with him later.
Pushing a chair over from the side, Chen Rui sat down and carefully stared at the various data on the display screen. Unlike usual, there were only some data points and a few lines resembling an electrocardiogram.
"Look at that—can you even understand what you're staring at?" Xiong Kai mocked, his eyes filled with amusement.
Chen Rui frowned and gave Xiong Kai a light slap on the back. "Alright, I can’t understand it; you! I’m just listening."
Xiong Kai sighed and glanced at Chen Rui. "Right now, the emotions of those six Special Forces members are relatively stable. Oh, don’t pay attention to those lines; after all, they bear too many missions and hopes on their shoulders. A bit of pressure is normal. Their physical condition is also quite good; it's like they're sleeping."
"Of course! Who doesn't look like they're sleeping when they're dreaming?" Chen Rui rolled his eyes at Xiong Kai, warning him not to spout nonsense.
"If they were ordinary people, it would be the same! But you know they are Special Forces. Generally speaking, their physical state should be quite tense—like they're resting their eyes but remain very alert. We confirmed this in our predictions. However, their current physical state is akin to being in a sleep state; this basically indicates they are unaware that they are in a Dream World."
Xiong Kai directly addressed Chen Rui's unspoken concerns; he truly deserved to be Chen Rui's second-in-command or real assistant.
Chen Rui still felt a bit uneasy. "Is it possible that the effects of the anesthesia haven't worn off yet, which is why their bodies are still in a state of sleep?"
"That could be the case. After all, we're not entirely sure about the exact duration of the anesthesia's effectiveness. However, we will continue to monitor their physical condition, so you can rest assured," Xiong Kai reassured Chen Rui, completely alleviating his concerns. After tapping a few notes on the touchscreen, the display switched to another interface, showing a camera angle capturing the situation in the Dream World, which was the interface Chen Rui was most familiar with.
He gazed at the six individuals on the screen as if watching a movie, unable to suppress his laughter and finally bursting into a smile.
***
"Damn it, was it really necessary to come to such a fancy restaurant?" The Fox awkwardly looked at the five people around the round table. Although they were there to eat, they had arrived at a restaurant that had been rated three stars by Michelin for over a decade. The restaurant was called Grae. Normally, even with a reservation, one would have to wait one or two months to dine there. But there's an old saying: money can make the world go round...
It wasn't that they had simply thrown money at the problem; their attire and demeanor clearly indicated their wealth. No one was dressed in formal wear, but each person's outfit was carefully curated, reflecting their distinct personalities and styles. Adding to this was a lady who looked ethereal, prompting the waiter to escort them to a waiting area.
The restaurant was bathed in warm lighting, which is traditional for most European-style restaurants. Although the light wasn't very bright, it created a cozy atmosphere.
"Excuse me, are you of Chinese descent?" A beautiful female server slightly bowed and asked them in Mandarin with a hint of an accent. Despite her brown eyes, her features closely resembled those of an East Asian person.
Tiger smiled slightly. "Not entirely, but most of us are of Chinese descent."
"Thank you for answering my question. My mother is also Chinese. However, due to recent tensions between our two countries, there have been fewer Chinese diners here lately." The Beautiful Waitress's expression dimmed slightly but was quickly masked by her smile. "Are there six of you? This way please."
The Mixed-Race Beauty led them to a long table at the back, which was significantly larger than the other round tables. The long table was set with six pure silver place settings, causing the Fox to frown upon seeing them.
"Since you did not make a reservation, I'm afraid we cannot offer you the chef's special dishes. You may order freely and choose your meal sequence," the Mixed-Race Beauty said as she tapped a few times at the end of the long table. A projection appeared on each person's right hand; the options for chef's special dishes were grayed out while the other options were brightly colored.
This restaurant's ability to maintain its three-star status was not just for show. While adhering to traditional dining standards, it also incorporated some very modern technology—like this projection and virtual touch system—which many traditional establishments were reluctant to adopt due to concerns about losing their classic charm.
While these technologies might indeed affect some traditional aesthetics, they undeniably provided customers with a more efficient and intuitive dining experience, allowing them to select dishes that best suited their preferences. The realism of the projected images far surpassed any static menu.
After they finished ordering, the Beautiful Waitress tapped a few more times at the end of the long table and smiled as she left their table.
The Fox watched her walk away and finally let out a sigh; playing the gentleman was truly not his style—especially when it came to dealing with such refined women...
Elephant General couldn't help but shake his head and joked, "I still prefer Chinese food more! Look at this American cuisine—if it doesn't suit my taste buds, it's not worth it! And look at these tiny portions! How many plates would I need to eat until I'm full? Hahaha."
Everyone was amused by Elephant General's jokes. The United States is a nation of immigrants, boasting a variety of cuisines from around the world, yet most American dishes are derived from British cuisine. Compared to British food, American cuisine has undergone significant changes in flavor and ingredients. Traditional salty, savory, and sweet tastes have shifted towards lighter and fresher profiles.
Elephant General, hailing from Hubei, a region in central China known for its diverse flavors, tends to favor spicy and bold tastes. It is understandable that he does not hold traditional American cuisine in high regard.
The dishes were served relatively quickly, unlike the sequential serving style common in domestic restaurants. Three waitstaff brought out the first plates for all six diners at once, reflecting their respect for the customers.
Although initially skeptical about the food here, once it was tasted, they had to reconsider their earlier opinions: the seafood was incredibly fresh, and the meat dishes were delightfully sweet and fragrant. The main ingredients had rich textures, and the dipping sauces were refreshing and delicious. Everything on the plate was edible; even the flowers and herbs that seemed decorative had excellent flavors.
Even Elephant General, who had just been joking around, fell silent as he savored the delicious food before him: King Crab paired with Applewood-smoked mushrooms and seafood stew. It seemed that even this traditional advocate of Chinese dining could not resist the allure of such a feast.
Since there were six guests, not all dishes arrived at once. The waitstaff would occasionally glance at the table, ensuring that as soon as one dish was finished, another would promptly follow.
Lion Brother was enjoying his dessert when he suddenly sighed and remarked in a low tone, "I have to admit, their service is indeed better than most places back home."
The other four paused involuntarily; although it was an ungracious comment, it was true—there was indeed a noticeable difference in service between the two countries.
Only Elephant General continued to relish his meal. He glanced at them with a wry smile and said, "When did you all become so serious? This is just cultural difference; you'll understand soon enough."
After the meal, the restaurant offered complimentary chocolates that were clearly not mass-produced but made in-house: white chocolate sprinkled with various spices. They could taste green pepper and sea salt among other flavors. At first glance, such a combination seemed unusual but turned out to be exceptionally delicious.
"Well then, ladies, do you need anything else? If not, we can settle the bill and be on our way," Elephant General said with a mischievous grin as he looked at the fox, his gaze filled with playful intent.
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