Chapter 189: Sir~ You’ve Got Such Good Taste
Chapter 189: Sir~ You’ve Got Such Good Taste
The Black Puzzle Cube café sat on a bustling street in Satellite City No. 4.
Its décor wasn’t much different from other cafés—elegant, bourgeois-bohemian, romantic, with distinct Western flair. It was decorated with all manner of dainty and coy methods in order to declare itself distinct from the other gaudy cheap things on this street— I’m classy — and expensive.
Lu Xin wasn’t opposed to coffee, but he wasn’t particularly fond of it either. His first encounter with a Contamination Incident had been in a coffee shop, and it had also been damn expensive.
But, following Drunkard’s instructions, he came here alone nonetheless.
Last night, Drunkard had discussed things in great detail with him for a long time. She recounted her entire schedule, experiences, what she’d done, and even the specific conversations she’d had with people on the day she was targeted by the feral Ability User, all to help deepen Lu Xin’s Memory. Using her ability, she even had Lu Xin personally experience several points she deemed important from that day to aid his search for clues…
This café was the last place she’d deeply investigated that day.
Though it appeared to be a somewhat luxurious café on the surface, it was actually an important stronghold of the mysterious organization she was investigating. Drunkard had come here that day to identify the core members of this organization before submitting the list to the Guard Bureau to facilitate their capture.
However, she was targeted by a Psychic Entity that very night.
Hence, this was the most likely place where she got hit.
…
…
Tinkle~
The bell above the door frame chimed pleasantly as he pushed the door open.
Carrying his bag, Lu Xin walked to a window seat and sat down. It was the seat Drunkard had occupied at the time.
“Sir~, what would you like to drink?” asked a girl dressed in a black maid outfit, approaching with a menu and a smile.
Her affected tone seemed learned from some islander dialect from movies, sounding sweet and cutesy, yet not purely so. Accurate to say, it was a mix of Qinggang’s local dialect and that islander inflection, resulting in a kind of plastic, unnatural speech.
“I’ll take a look first.”
Maintaining his steady composure, Lu Xin accepted the menu from her.
Then, looking at the prices, his pupils contracted slightly.
Next, frowning faintly, he pointed to the most conspicuous item on the menu, which was also the most expensive. “This one.”
Since Drunkard was footing the bill, he felt no pang of spending. Besides, this was the coffee Drunkard herself had ordered that day.
When compelled and footing someone else’s bill, Lu Xin didn’t mind enjoying a little luxury either.
“Okay~ You just wait~”
The maid in black skipped back towards the counter.
Doesn’t look anything like an illegal organization’s hideout… Lu Xin thought to himself.
Yet, he didn’t let his guard down. Drunkard’s investigation had confirmed this café was, in fact, an important base connected to the source of bizarre Aberrations like the Headless Murders in the sealed rooms of Satellite City No. 4 and the Potted Plant Transformation of the Red Vest Brotherhood. In such a place, even a stray word or an inadvertent glance could spell danger. Therefore…
…he had to focus and employ every possible method to invite that danger onto himself himself.
…
…
Lu Xin slowly recalled Drunkard’s actions and words that day. In his Memory, Drunkard had casually ordered a coffee, then mixed in a half-cup of liquor. She had chatted merrily with the lisping maid about comics from the Era of Civilization, even debating whether bare-headed men or boys with hair like open flames were stronger.
Later, she had developed a keen interest in the cleaning Auntie in the café. She grilled her in detail about her age, family, monthly salary, and even asked about the state of her relationship with her current husband and her son who had just started working, essentially confirming her lack of plans to remarry.
The thing that had brought down the Killer’s wrath on Drunkard was inevitably hidden within these details. Certain actions she took must have roused the organization’s suspicion, prompting them to decide to eliminate her.
Must I do everything she did too? Even chatting about comics and bothering the cleaning Auntie? Lu Xin felt his cheeks twitch slightly. This was going to be a bit challenging for him.
“Sir— your coffee’s here~ Please lin~ slow use~”
A lively figure in black flitted over, setting the coffee before Lu Xin.
Perhaps because Lu Xin had ordered the priciest coffee without flinching, the black-clad maid seemed quite enthusiastic towards him.
“Alright…” Lu Xin nodded, then glanced at the tray where sat only a black substance inside a white porcelain cup.
He looked around curiously. “Sugar and milk?”
“Sir~.” The maid in black smiled sweetly. “This is our store’s special~ A pure black coffee~ Drinking it straight allows you to taste its bitterness and richness~ So the proper way to drink it is without sugar or milk~”
“Oh. Oh.”
Lu Xin chuckled hurriedly. “I know that. But, could you bring some over anyway? I don’t like it too bitter.”
He knew some people preferred black coffee without sugar, but he truly disliked that bitter taste.
To him, any coffee without sugar and milk was blasphemy.
Hearing Lu Xin’s words, the maid in black uniform didn’t move. She smiled and explained: “Only by tasting the bitterness can one appreciate its fragrance. And that’s how life works too. Sometimes things feel difficult and painful, but actually, that pain comes from our own selves. If we try letting go of preconceptions and accept life’s truths, it might become much easier…”
Lu Xin glanced up at her, noticing her beaming face and gentle voice:
“Sir, you can start with this cup. Our coffee is specially shipped from the south. It’s called Black Puzzle Cube, with very limited annual supply. That’s why it’s so expensive. Adding anything would insult it…”
“……”
Lu Xin looked down at the coffee, sensing no issue except its bitterness.
After a pause, he began: “I—”
The maid interrupted: “If you truly want something sweet, why not try a Cappuccino…”
“……”
“Ah…”
Lu Xin hadn’t expected such reverence for coffee. He pondered and said: “Then get me a Cappuccino!”
“I’ll fetch you a cup.”
The black-uniformed maid froze briefly, her tone shifting as she turned to leave.
“Wait—”
Lu Xin stopped her, pointing at the coffee: “Return this one.”
The maid turned back, smiling: “Apologies, sir. We don’t refund coffee…”
“You—”
Lu Xin’s heart twitched at the thought of a non-refundable overpriced drink.
But putting himself in her shoes, since it was already brewed and unsellable, the policy made sense.
He sighed resignedly. “Fine, I’ll drink it. Bring me some sugar.”
The maid replied: “Sir, this coffee isn’t served with sugar…”
“But I hate bitterness.”
“Then you might as well drink Cappuccino…”
“Then refund this cup—”
“Coffee is non-refundable…”
“Then bring me sugar—”
“You might as well drink Cap—”
“Don’t you think insisting like this disrespects Cappuccino?”
“……”
Suddenly, the conversation deadlocked.
Lu Xin stared at the maid. She stared back. Both smiled politely, neither yielding.
After all, both held convictions.
“Sir. Our. Coffee. Is. Not. Served. With. Sugar.”
Her smile had stiffened, yet she emphasized each word, unwavering.
“Alright…”
Lu Xin decided being the older man, he shouldn’t argue with a young girl.
He surrendered.
A relieved, appreciative smile spread across the maid’s face.
Then Lu Xin fished a candy from his bag. Slowly unwrapping it, he dropped a half-melted Chocolate block into the coffee. Picking up a silver spoon, he stirred gently to dissolve it evenly.
“Hmm?”
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.
Just outside the café, Little Sister appeared. Pressed against the glass, her eyes locked onto Lu Xin’s bag.
Lu Xin instantly realized his mistake and clutched the bag tight.
Damn. Exposed…
……
Meanwhile, the black-uniformed maid, still holding her coffee menu, darkened momentarily before a slow smile returned. She eyed the tainted coffee before Lu Xin – its purity destroyed by melting Chocolate.
Her lips gradually stretched, revealing pearly teeth against crimson, shadowed gums:
“Sir… what… refined taste you have…”