The next day.
When the bone-chilling wind swept over him, Qin Nuo woke up immediately, without any trace of grogginess.
The sinister laughter of ghost dolls echoed throughout the room, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it.
That was their alarm clock.
The restaurant opened at six.
They had six hours of sleep.
Wearing the foul-smelling work uniform, Qin Nuo endured the discomfort all over his body, tidied up his clothes, and prepared to set off.
Liu Jiaqi and Wang Yang were also up early.
Wang Yang was muttering something while putting on his clothes with one hand, probably still haunted by yesterday's mistakes.
Liu Jiaqi clutched a necklace, praying she could return to sleep tonight.
To be honest, Qin Nuo admired her a bit.
For a girl to hold on until now without breaking down, her mindset was quite commendable.
Soon, the three of them left and arrived at the restaurant.
Pinocchio sat slumped in a chair, head tilted, looking like an abandoned puppet.
Then, today's tasks were announced.
"We're short-staffed today, the three of you need to complete six orders before you can clock out."
Hearing six orders, their faces turned a bit grim.
The main issue wasn't the workload; it was the risk of encountering difficult and temperamental customers, which could easily lead to trouble.
Six orders increased that probability!
Why were they short-staffed?
Qin Nuo and the others knew very well.
It wasn't due to resignations; it was more likely that someone had been eaten or killed by a customer.
***
Nether Springs Restaurant, open for the second day.
Customers continued to pour in.
Phantoms moved about the restaurant, customers sat at tables with vacant expressions, waiting for servers to approach.
Qin Nuo approached the first table, where a ghost with a severely burned face looked up, enough to scare a girl into fainting on the spot.
"What would you like to order?" Qin Nuo asked calmly and politely.
The Burning Ghost slid the selected menu over.
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Qin Nuo glanced at it and was taken aback.
"Sweet and sour ribs?"
This was actually a normal dish!
Do ghosts eat this kind of thing?
"Please wait a moment."
Qin Nuo took the menu and left.
In the kitchen, the chef glanced at the menu and let out a cold snort, seemingly with some disdain.
Then he began to cook.
The dish was ready quickly.
As Qin Nuo took the dish, the chef coldly said, "If you dare to sneak a taste, I'll cut out your tongue and use it as an ingredient!"
Qin Nuo carried the dish away, hesitated for a moment in the hallway, and activated the Eye of Analysis.
Eye of Analysis: In the final moment of the explosion, he pushed the girl to safety, sacrificing himself and getting burned to death. Though dead, he still remembers the girl liked to make sweet and sour ribs for him, and Tequila was the drink they had when they first met...
"So it's not food it's after, but memories." Qin Nuo realized.
Looking at the dish, Qin Nuo suddenly had an idea.
He took a couple of turns, not heading to the restaurant but to the vending machine.
"Human food, disgusting taste!"
The blood-red eyes on the vending machine's ghost face opened, glaring fiercely at Qin Nuo.
"Little rat, feeling hungry?"
Qin Nuo said, "Give me a bottle of Tequila."
"80 Ghost Currency."
"It says 50 on it."
The vending machine sneered, "If you don't buy, then scram. I won't sell you anything, and you'll starve to death. Know who's the master and who's the slave, got it?"
Qin Nuo said nothing, tossed 80 Ghost Currency into the gaping bloody mouth, and a bottle of Tequila was spat out.
"Go drink in the corner!"
Memorizing the vending machine's mocking tone, Qin Nuo carried the dish away.
Soon, he returned to the restaurant.
Just in time, the Burning Ghost hadn't gotten impatient.
"Enjoy your meal."
Qin Nuo placed the dish in front of the Burning Ghost.
The Burning Ghost started eating, not devouring like the other ghosts, with disgusting liquid splattering everywhere, but slowly savoring each piece, as if searching for something.
Soon, the Burning Ghost's body trembled slightly, and a strange sound came from its mouth.
Observing its reaction, Qin Nuo smoothly poured a glass of Tequila and pushed it in front of it, "Would you like to try this drink?"
Looking at the glass, the Burning Ghost's terrifying face twitched, "Is this from the chef, or your idea?"
Acting on one's own could offend the customer, leading to horrifying consequences!
But Qin Nuo wasn't afraid, calmly nodding, "My idea."
The Burning Ghost took the wine glass, terrifying flames flickering over its charred skin.
If this drink soured its mood, the flames could reduce Qin Nuo to ashes!
Lips parted, the drink wetting its throat.
The refreshing sweet and sour taste spread from the tongue to the throat.
The Burning Ghost reacted strongly, its entire terrifying face twitching.
It wasn't that the drink was particularly good, but the long-forgotten, familiar taste and a vague memory resurfaced clearly in its mind.
"Ah..."
A pained sound escaped the Burning Ghost's mouth.
The surrounding customers ignored its reaction.
The servers cast strange looks at Qin Nuo, seemingly convinced he was doomed.
After a moment.
The Burning Ghost raised its head again, a hoarse, distorted voice emerging, "Not bad."
"This is for you."
A 500-value Ghost Currency note was pushed over.
The surrounding servers were shocked by the scene.
Especially some ghosts, their eyes turning blood-red with envy at the generous tip.
Qin Nuo accepted it with a smile, bowing at a 90-degree angle, "Thank you."
Simultaneously, a system voice echoed in his mind.
"Angel's Kiss: You've gained +3 favorability from the Burning Ghost Liu Kai, rewarded with a blood-stained Bone-Crushing Hammer!"
Ghost Creature.
Items imbued with Ghost Aura, useful against ghosts, but varying in strength.
Without rushing to take it out, Qin Nuo tidied up and prepared to move to the next table.
Ding-a-ling!
Welcome!
The door suddenly opened, and a new customer entered, a girl with twin ponytails and fair skin, looking like a normal girl.
But the surrounding customers regarded her not with disdain like they did Qin Nuo and the others, but with a hint of apprehension.
Half-Ghost.
As the name suggests, half-human, half-ghost, originally human, with a ghost residing within, making them more mysterious and terrifying than ghosts.
Because of their half-human nature, they weren't particularly hostile to humans.
Of course, as long as you didn't provoke them.
She sat at a table by the window, her legs in white lace-trimmed stockings swinging back and forth under her floral dress.
Serving her was an experienced ghost employee, who approached with a smile to inquire about her order.
Qin Nuo didn't look further, noting the time, he moved to the second table.
***
Ten minutes later.
Qin Nuo successfully completed the second order, receiving a satisfactory review.
This made him secretly delighted.
Helping the Burning Ghost recover lost memories, the first order undoubtedly received a very satisfactory review.
At this rate, his daily wage today would be double yesterday's.
At this moment, some commotion arose in the restaurant.
Attracting the attention of many humans and ghosts.
By the window, the girl's food was served, a simple dish and an afternoon dessert, Tiramisu cake.
The girl picked up a spoon, tasted a bite.
After chewing carefully, her pretty face showed a hint of contemplation.
The ghost employee confidently smiled, "This is our restaurant's signature dessert, called Bloody Agate, complimentary for guests. If you find it satisfactory, we welcome you back next time."
The girl pouted slightly, smiling, "But it's missing something, and I don't like it too sweet."
The ghost employee quickly said, "No problem, I'll get you another one right away."
"No need."
The girl shook her head, extending her jade-like hand, pinching the air.
This action made the ghost employee's expression turn hideous and extremely fearful, his uniform bursting as he transformed into a tumor-like monster.
It retreated violently, trying to escape.
But its entire body was compressed by something, turning into a meatball, and with a squeeze of the girl's hand, the meatball exploded instantly.
Flesh and blood splattered every corner of the restaurant, the customers looked up, casting a fearful glance at the girl, then continued nonchalantly with their meals.
She killed a ghost on the spot!
As Qin Nuo's face turned pale, a worn-out teddy bear appeared beside him at some point.
Its two beady eyes stared intently at the girl, "Customer..."