Chapter 424 - 309: Astonishing Appetite, Dusk Blood Feast

Chapter 424: Chapter 309: Astonishing Appetite, Dusk Blood Feast

Pushing aside the greasy, sticky curtain, he was met with a pungent mix of aromas: cooked food, liquor, smoke, and sweat.

The interior wasn’t large. A few tables were set by the window, where two parties of customers sat drinking.

When Wu Liangchen walked in, both tables of customers looked up. Seeing an unfamiliar face, especially one leading a grimy little child, they were momentarily stunned. Then, their gazes grew meaningful.

Wu Liangchen, however, paid their stares no mind. He led the little girl straight to an empty table and sat down.

A middle-aged woman hurried over. She first sized Wu Liangchen up with curiosity, then, her face breaking into a wide smile, asked, "What can I get for you?"

"Meat! Fresh meat. Cook as much as you have and bring it all to me." Wu Liangchen sounded like a starving man who hadn’t eaten in days.

And in fact, that was the truth.

The moment he had stepped inside, the aroma of food had filled his nostrils, making his mouth water uncontrollably and his stomach rumble in protest.

The woman was taken aback by his words, and she gave the man and child before her a suspicious look.

’Setting aside whether the two of them could even eat that much, if she actually made it, how were they going to pay?’

As if sensing her doubt, Wu Liangchen wasted no time on words and simply took out the card he was carrying.

"Charge it."

After a BEEP, the woman’s eyes went wide.

The screen showed that Wu Liangchen had just transferred one hundred Alliance Points to her.

"Is that enough?"

"More than enough, more than enough!" the woman said, nodding frantically.

"Then why aren’t you getting started?"

"Right away! Please wait just a moment!"

The woman gave Wu Liangchen one last, deep look before turning and heading to the back kitchen.

In truth, Wu Liangchen knew he had been far too conspicuous, but he had no more time to waste.

’Replenishing my Qi and Blood is the top priority.’

In fact, if his current energy weren’t so precious, Wu Liangchen wouldn’t have bothered talking to the woman at all; he would have just taken what he wanted.

He could have just paid her after he finished eating.

At that moment, he could clearly feel the gazes from the two tables behind him turning increasingly hostile.

After all, with his pale complexion and gaunt frame, anyone could see he looked seriously ill. The skeletal little girl by his side just made them look like even easier targets.

Crucially, he had just flashed his wealth, so it was no surprise he had attracted greedy eyes.

Sure enough.

Before the food even arrived, a burly man reeking of alcohol came staggering over.

Seeing this, the already terrified little girl immediately scrambled under the table, her entire body trembling.

It was a conditioned reflex.

Her father had been just like that. Whenever he approached her reeking of alcohol, a vicious beating was sure to follow.

Wu Liangchen didn’t say anything.

He had already noticed the countless scars on the little girl’s body—the obvious result of long-term, horrific abuse.

He guessed it had something to do with her family.

Just then, the drunkard reached their table. He shot Wu Liangchen a grin, then let out a loud, boozy belch.

"Hey kid, you—"

He swallowed the rest of his sentence, because a sleek, exquisitely crafted pistol had appeared from nowhere and was now pressed against his gut.

The drunkard could feel the distinct, cold touch of the muzzle.

He swallowed hard, the alcohol vanishing from his system in an instant.

"What is it? Did you need something?" Wu Liangchen asked, looking up at the drunkard’s face, which was now beaded with cold sweat.

"N-nothing. I just wanted to ask if you wanted another dish. They just brought my stir-fried pork, and I haven’t touched it. How about I bring it over for you?" The drunkard’s face was plastered with a fawning smile.

"Not necessary. Get lost." As he spoke, Wu Liangchen withdrew the pistol.

"Yes, yes, of course! Enjoy your meal, please, enjoy your meal!" The drunkard, as if granted a royal pardon, sputtered the words and scrambled away.

A moment later, the customers from both tables hurried away.

While the Alliance didn’t prohibit firearms, anyone could tell that the pistol Wu Liangchen had just revealed was no ordinary weapon.

Anyone who could carry such a weapon was clearly no ordinary person.

And "not ordinary" meant trouble.

For those who scraped by in the trash district, avoiding trouble was a survival instinct.

This was especially true for those who did relatively well for themselves; their noses for danger were particularly sharp. Thus, they left without a moment’s hesitation.

Whether by coincidence or not, no sooner had the customers from both tables left than the woman emerged from the kitchen, laden with dishes.

Steaming hot dishes were quickly set down, one after another, until the entire table was full. The woman was beaming.

"There’s still more in the back. Please, sir, go ahead and start eating."

The woman’s attitude was markedly better this time, even addressing him with an honorific.

Wu Liangchen wasted no words. He tapped the table. "Come on out. They’re gone. It’s time to eat."

With that, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

Even though it was just a small diner in the trash district, the food was surprisingly good. At least it wasn’t synthetic, processed rations.

The ingredients weren’t anything special, but they had the advantage of being fresh.

So Wu Liangchen ate with great satisfaction.

His chopsticks moved like a whirlwind, clearing the dishes on the table.

Seeing him eat like that, the little girl hesitated for a moment before clumsily picking up her own chopsticks. She carefully pinched a piece of food and put it in her mouth.