Chapter 170: Priority Processing Right

Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Priority Processing Right

Seraphina Sinclair watched the chat channel blow up before her eyes, her sleepiness completely washed away by the unexpected "all-server announcement."

She rubbed her still-throbbing temples and gave a wry smile.

Messages scrolled rapidly through the channel: people looking to buy water, asking about the fishing spot, marveling at her sleep schedule... all sorts of messages popped up one after another.

Seraphina Sinclair gave it a quick scan, but she had no intention of replying for the time being.

She was definitely going to sell the water. A lake in the sky was a rare find, and she had to maximize the profits it could bring.

But she wasn’t planning on starting right away. For one, most people were still asleep, so many wouldn’t see a message posted in the regional channel.

Second...

Seraphina Sinclair shook her head. Her mind still felt a bit groggy, and she was also getting hungry; after all, she hadn’t even eaten dinner.

This grogginess was completely different from how she’d felt before bed. Then again, it was to be expected. She had gone to sleep at six in the evening and slept until now—a full eleven hours.

’Sleeping too little is uncomfortable, but sleeping too much is also uncomfortable.’

’The human body is so difficult to please.’

Seraphina Sinclair sighed and closed the door, shutting out both the early morning chill and the clamor from the channel.

Inside the mobile cabin, the fireplace was still burning. A faint smell of fish lingered in the air, mixed with the warm fragrance of burning wood.

She stood and looked around the cabin. The Sunflower’s leaves had drooped; clearly, the sound of the Blobfish crying had disturbed it quite a bit.

’The atmosphere is actually pretty cozy,’ she thought.

Seraphina Sinclair yawned, went to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on her face. The icy sensation completely dispelled the last of her grogginess, and only then did she properly wash up.

Returning to the main room of the cabin, she tore open a meal coupon.

Eating was one objective; asking the waiter for details about the fish was the second.

A golden light shot out from the tear in the coupon, looking no different than usual. But Seraphina Sinclair sat on the stool and waited for quite a while, yet neither the waiter nor the meal appeared.

She was a bit surprised, but it wasn’t hard to guess why.

’Do these non-human things actually have to sleep on a human schedule?’

Meanwhile, the waiter, who had been jolted awake from its sleep by a notification, looked completely exhausted.

[Triple pay. Come work overtime.]

The waiter: "..."

’It’s not like it gave me a choice,’ it thought.

It paused for a moment while choosing a form, ultimately selecting the female one whose voice Seraphina Sinclair had complimented.

If Seraphina Sinclair had known that her offhand comment had such a significant impact on the waiter, she would have definitely snarked, "Still a people-pleasing system, I see."

But she didn’t know any of this. All she knew was that her breakfast still hadn’t arrived.

"Waiter?"

Seraphina Sinclair tried calling out again.

This time, the figure of the waiter holding a platter emerged from the golden light. After its body solidified, the rift vanished.

It didn’t rush to put the platter down. Instead, it bowed to Seraphina Sinclair while still holding it, expressing its apology. "Good morning. Due to the hour, I arrived a bit late. I offer you my sincerest apologies."

Seraphina Sinclair waved her hand. A verbal apology was meaningless, but since this thing insisted on apologizing, then it was only right for it to help her—its customer—appraise the value of the fish.

"No need to apologize. Just help me appraise the value of these fish."

As soon as Seraphina Sinclair finished speaking, six fish materialized on the floor.

The waiter bent down to set the platter on the floor. Its eyes fell on the fish, and it looked slightly startled before turning its head to look at Seraphina Sinclair.

As long as it didn’t speak, Seraphina Sinclair certainly wasn’t going to say anything either.

She didn’t know what to make of the waiter’s reaction, nor did she know what it was planning to do. Remaining silent and meeting change with constancy was the best strategy.

After a long moment, the waiter asked, "Did you catch all of these yourself, ma’am?"

’What an interesting question.’

Seraphina Sinclair gave a calm nod, her gaze fixed motionlessly on the waiter’s face.

And then...

’Did it just blush?’

Seraphina Sinclair lowered her gaze, but she couldn’t help but curse inwardly, ’What in the world is it blushing for?’

The waiter seemed to realize the issue. It cleared its throat to get Seraphina Sinclair’s attention and then said seriously, "You can already capture such prey now; in the future, you will surely be able to catch even rarer specimens. What I mean is... can we cooperate? Or perhaps, may I invest in you?"

’Cooperate? Invest?’

Seraphina Sinclair mulled over those two words. ’So, does this mean I’m like a cultivation prodigy whose talent has just been discovered by a Sect Elder?’

’No, that’s not right.’

’A Sect Elder can offer a great many things. What could this waiter possibly give me?’

Meeting Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze, the waiter blushed and lowered its head again. "My apologies. I just can’t help but get excited at the thought of one day handling those legendary, precious ingredients with my own hands."

Seraphina Sinclair: "..."

’I haven’t even agreed to work with this thing, have I?!’

’This thing is already jumping to conclusions.’

Seraphina Sinclair let out a laugh, but the sound contained something that was definitely not friendly.

She lifted her hand to uncover the meal the waiter had brought, though her attention wasn’t on the food. "This ’cooperation’ or ’investment’ you mentioned... I’m very interested. But you’ll have to be more specific before I’ll consider working with you."

The waiter finally realized the problem. The survivor before it was not like the easily-fooled ones it had met before.

’If I don’t show some genuine sincerity, I’m really going to get rejected.’

’And if I get rejected, I’ll have to say goodbye to the precious ingredients of my dreams, won’t I?’

Waiter: "!!!"

It bit its lower lip, but its enunciation was clear as it spoke. "I can provide you with an exclusive ingredient appraisal service. No matter when or where, you only need to use a meal coupon, and I will prioritize your request. I can also provide you with more detailed and accurate item prices, including their potential uses, rarity, and... valuation in certain special markets."

"Miss, you must understand. In a place like this, information is the most valuable thing."

The waiter’s eyes shone brightly, its gaze fixed on Seraphina Sinclair, filled with obvious anticipation.

’Everything it said is correct, but what’s the price for this service?’

"So... what do I have to give in return?"

’There’s no such thing as a free lunch. That principle holds true in any world.’

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze remained placid, and her tone betrayed no hint of being swayed.

The waiter grew flustered but forced itself to say, "I only want the first right to handle the prey you capture!"

"I just need you, when you capture prey and wish to find a chef to prepare it for you, to think of me first."

’Is that all?’

Seraphina Sinclair picked up her spoon and leisurely stirred the congee in her bowl.

Today’s breakfast was chicken and mushroom congee, served with a side of crisp pickled cucumbers and a small portion of golden thread shrimp balls.

Seraphina Sinclair scooped up a spoonful and slowly brought it to her mouth.

Her movements were slow, but her thoughts were anything but.