Chapter 105 - The Cat for the Prince

The corners of the mouths of the two Shadows twitched wildly at the sight of the food before them.Inexplicable tentacles, purple liquid emitting a steaming heat, sprinkled with icing sugar, floating eye-like objects, and a fish head right in the middle.

The fish eye is still moving...

Is this stuff really edible?

This dish in the Clark style even has a literary name

— Gazing at the Stars.

"I haven’t eaten in a long time, I’m starving."

Xu Xiaoyou broke open a pair of chopsticks.

The expressions of the two Shadows grew increasingly serious as they watched the girl bring the wriggling tentacle to her mouth, slurping it inside.

Crunch—

Xu Xiaoyou bit the tentacle off.

It was crisp and chewy, actually quite similar to the taste of blanched octopus tentacles.

If only there was some soy sauce to dip it in, Xu Xiaoyou thought.

The taste of the dish wasn’t as bad as it looked.

This lavishly decorated small shop was located right next to the station, and it was currently filled with figures sitting inside, all tourists from afar.

The rich retro vibe reminded Xu Xiaoyou of a noble’s tavern; exquisite oil paintings hung on the walls, the floor was lined with aged wooden planks, a faint fruit fragrance drifted in the air, and the counter display case showcased exquisite decorations and artworks, reflecting an enchanting luster under the glow of crystal lights.

The lively atmosphere and the aroma of food intertwined above the small shop, forming a flowing poem.

The violin music played melodiously in the small shop, with a beautiful and light tune creating a warm ambiance.

As the first stop for the Star of Art to leave a good impression on outside tourists, the control over the dishes in the shop was naturally strict.

The shop name was also quite artistic—Fifth Line Poem.

"The renowned oil painting master, Mr. Ventel, is set to hold a press conference tomorrow to unveil his work ’Impression: Sunset.’ Whether it will become another milestone on the path of art, we shall wait and see."

"Famous singer Britney has been accused of plagiarism in her new album ’Three-Dimensional Space.’ Her single ’Planetary Roaming’ allegedly shares similar melodies with several songs, and the lyrics are stitched together, stirring controversy. Britney has announced on social media that she is gathering evidence and will sue the defamers relentlessly."

"The preliminary selection of the new Starry Art Competition is about to begin. During the competition’s warm-up period, various agencies have intensified publicity for their artists, and fans have been actively supporting on social media, indicating people’s enthusiasm for the competition..."

Before the reporter finished speaking on screen, a person suddenly rushed out from a fan support group passing by in the park behind and snatched the microphone, shouting at the camera:

"Please support my big brother, Little Cauliflower meow!"

"My big brother’s new album ’Addiction’ has sold over 200,000 copies online, and the single ’Wilted Rose’ has dominated the Nebula Music chart for over half a month. He has even been selected as one of the ten outstanding songwriters of the New Era Calendar Year 531..."

"Calm down, miss, we’re still live."

Watching the content on TV, Xu Xiaoyou thought that the Star of Art was quite prosperous in the entertainment sector.

That’s right; with advanced internet technology here and stable public security, people don’t have to worry about daily needs and instead pursue spiritual fulfillment. Added to the overall atmosphere of the Star of Art, industries like this naturally thrive.

"Lately, the number of Exhausted individuals in the Piano Key District continues to increase. Citizens are advised to reduce unnecessary outings after 9 p.m. If you encounter danger, you can seek help from nearby Tuners through the personal curtain."

The two Shadows also looked at the TV and only realized the girl was quietly resting her chin, blinking at them.

Being stared at made them uneasy; they scratched their heads, unsure.

"Which one of you is called Lin Xing, and which one is Lin Sheng?"

Can’t blame Xu Xiaoyou; the two Shadows really looked too alike—a pair of twin brothers.

It’s not easy to distinguish faces and eyes. Moreover, both wore black masks covering half their faces.

"I’m Lin Sheng, he’s Lin Xing."

The man with a scar at the corner of his eyebrow said, looking much more composed, while the youth beside him occasionally showed a bit of panic and averted his gaze when meeting her eyes.

"Did you bring money with you?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

Lin Sheng, Lin Xing: "..."

"I’ll go exchange money, keep an eye on her, don’t let her disappear from your sight, got it?"

Before leaving, Lin Sheng instructed Lin Xing, his expression extremely serious.

"Remember, she’s very dangerous, her movements are unpredictable, no one knows what goes on in her mind, don’t be deceived by her appearance. Moreover, she’s a strategic talent for the company. If anything happens to her, both of us will be in trouble!"

"Got it, bro."

Lin Xing said, but his expression seemed absent-minded.

As a Shadow, he was trained as a killing machine by Cosmic Heavy Industries from a young age, growing up in a closed environment, mastering disguise, assassination, reconnaissance, close combat, and various technical means. Previously, his targets were either political and business bigshots or senior company employees, but it was his first time interacting with a woman.

Is she really as dangerous as the intelligence suggests, an S-level employee, solo-farming disaster-level mysteries, killing without batting an eye?

But she clearly looks like an ordinary, even somewhat cute, girl.

Seeing his awkward, boyish expression, Lin Sheng was speechless, but there was little he could say. After emphasizing again, he turned and left.

Lin Xing coughed twice, reminded of his mission.

As a Shadow, he still maintained professional standards.

He watched Xu Xiaoyou closely, ready to act if she made any unusual moves...

"Oh, my stomach hurts." Xu Xiaoyou suddenly clutched her stomach, her brows knit together.

Her expression was vivid, every detail on her face was just right, a real acting talent.

Lin Xing was genuinely thrown into panic by the sudden scene: "Are you okay?"

"I ate something bad, it must be the Gazing at the Stars issue, I need to go to the restroom!"

Xu Xiaoyou clutched her abdomen, sprinting towards the restroom.

"Wait!"

Lin Xing reached out and shouted at the girl’s distant silhouette.

Xu Xiaoyou turned around, her large eyes pleading: "What’s wrong?"

Lin Xing paused slightly in his expression, coughed twice, then turned his head.

"You can’t leave our sight, those are the company’s orders."

"Are you planning to enter the ladies’ room?"

"Of course not!"

Lin Xing shouted with his eyes closed.

"What do you think I am?"

"Then there you go, are you heartless enough to watch a pretty girl pass out from a stomachache?"

"But..." Lin Xing showed a troubled expression.

"This shop is only so big; can I vanish into thin air?" Xu Xiaoyou said.

Lin Xing thought about it, feeling her words made sense.

He stayed put, thinking even if she was dangerous with unusual skills, she couldn’t just disappear in front of him, right?

Thus, he forgot the thousand times Lin Sheng had instructed him.

Time ticked by, Lin Xing recalled the girl’s pure and lovely appearance, his head resting on the corridor as his thoughts drifted like a balloon rising and flying far away bit by bit.

Finally, he showed a shy smile.

She’s really cute.

Soon, the sound of washing hands came from the restroom, and before long, the blonde girl emerged.

She looked no different than before, wiped the moisture with a dry towel, expressionless:

"Let’s go."