Chapter 82: Actually, I’m Just Immersively Playing the Fool

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Actually, I’m Just Immersively Playing the Fool

Unaware of the man’s rich inner monologue, Lu Wu looked at the Spirit Stones.

"Twenty-three Spirit Stones. A serving is twenty stones—that gets you your choice of two meat skewers and three vegetable skewers."

Lu Wu handed the extra three stones to the man, but he pushed them back.

"One skewer. Veg... vegetable skewer."

’So he wants to use the three Spirit Stones to buy another vegetable skewer. Technically, I’d be losing money on this deal, but who can say no to a fool who knows how to haggle?’

"Alright then. Seeing as you’re my first customer, I don’t mind taking a small loss."

’This fool is actually pretty smart.’

A firm believer in getting off to an auspicious start, Lu Wu tossed these thoughts aside.

"Do you want to choose yourself, or should I choose for you... Ah, never mind, I’ll just pick for you."

Lu Wu made the decision before the man could even open his mouth.

It wasn’t that Lu Wu was being domineering.

She was just afraid the fool wouldn’t even recognize the different types of skewers.

"You absolutely can’t miss out on this spicy beef. And these spicy chicken wings are so tender."

"For vegetables, potatoes are a must. I’ll also add some cabbage for you. Cabbage in rich broth—don’t be fooled by its simplicity, the taste is absolutely to die for."

"For the rest, I’ll give you a skewer of mushrooms and a skewer of dried tofu."

"This dried tofu is handmade; it’s quite good."

After quickly arranging all this, Lu Wu saw the fool in front of her give a thumbs-up.

"Can you handle spicy food?"

Lu Wu asked, figuring she should at least consider her customer’s preferences.

"Spicy, spicy!"

The man nodded emphatically. He looked simple and foolish, but his eyes had never left the spicy hot pot base.

He loved spicy food. Compared to the spicy base, the clear broth was utterly worthless.

The plain-Jane clear broth was effortlessly outshone by the sultry, seductive spicy pot.

Lu Wu placed all the ingredients into the spicy pot.

She stirred them a few times as they cooked to keep them from sticking together.

It would take a little time to cook, so Lu Wu decided to whip up a supreme spicy dipping sauce for him.

"Eighteen types of ghost peppers plus my secret-recipe chili oil. One bite and the top of your head will fly off. I guarantee you’ll be too stunned to even make a sound."

This wasn’t just Lu Wu boasting.

Looking at the dipping sauce, the man nodded to himself.

He tried to squeeze out a smile for Lu Wu, but his face, stiff from constantly grinning like a fool, produced a smile that was rather terrifying.

Fortunately, the suspicious trail of drool trickling from the corner of his mouth helped solidify his "fool" persona.

The man, completely engrossed in the skewer stall, had thoroughly given up on his dignity.

If he weren’t worried about raising suspicion, he would have pushed Lu Wu aside and taken over himself.

’Wait a minute, I’m a fool right now.’

’And fools have the right to be willful.’

’It would be perfectly reasonable for a fool like me to rob a little stall owner, right?’

’I don’t want money or affection, just this pot of broth and these skewers.’

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. The man began to plot, his mind stirring with devious intent.

Facing the fool’s suddenly profound gaze, Lu Wu seemed to sense something.

"Sir, your skewers are ready. Here you go. Be careful, they’re hot."

She fished out the skewers, placed them in a bowl, and drizzled them with the secret dipping sauce. Just like that, the Night Fragrance skewers were ready.

Master Lu had delivered a perfect score.

The score was so high that the one grading it temporarily set aside his terrible thoughts.

SLURP.

The man sucked back his drool and wiped his mouth casually on his clothes.

He picked up a skewer and was about to stuff it in his mouth when he met Lu Wu’s sparkling eyes.

The man, who was not fond of having an audience while he ate, paused. Then, holding the bowl, he walked toward the gambling den with a foolish grin.

The door swung open and shut.

He was inside.

Lu Wu, once again alone, felt a slight sense of regret.

’If he weren’t a fool, I would’ve asked him for his feedback on the food.’

’Speaking of which, can fools even get into a casino?’

The answer, it turned out, was yes.

[Mission Progress: 2/200]

The progress update meant that the man met the requirements. He wasn’t just a fool, he was also a gambler. This was quite an eye-opener for Lu Wu.

’With a mind like his, won’t he be fleeced for everything he’s got in there?’

Meanwhile, the man Lu Wu was worried about was greeted by someone as soon as he walked through the casino doors.

Inside the casino, the lights were dazzling.

Luminous Pearls were embedded in the ceiling, making the room as bright as day.

Gambling tables were scattered throughout the casino, each one surrounded by shouting gamblers.

Their eyes were bloodshot, their gazes fixed on the chips on the tables. Their expressions were greedy and fierce, completely oblivious to their surroundings.

The sounds of shouting and clamoring were endless.

The frenzied gamblers kept raising their bets, trying to turn their luck around.

"I can win! I’ll definitely win the next hand!"

Even when they lost, they would console themselves before raising the stakes and betting again.

The fortunes at the tables changed in a flash, but the gamblers remained the same.

They were lost in the thrill, each one more frantic than the last.

On closer inspection, one would notice that these gamblers were all somewhat dazed. The longer they stayed, the more agitated they became.

Some even looked ready to erupt in violence.

The man was used to such chaotic scenes. He scanned the floor to ensure everything was in order before looking away.

"Steward Zhu, should I send someone to take care of her?"

The subordinate made a throat-slitting gesture, his eyes cold and vicious, his target clearly Lu Wu outside.

"Things have been a bit tense lately, and a lot of people have their eyes on this place."

"We’ll be leaving soon, but we want to ensure there are no loose ends before we do."

"Heh heh!"

Steward Zhu let out an instinctive, foolish laugh. Seeing his subordinate’s horrified expression, he almost slapped himself.

’I’m pretending to be a fool, I’m not actually a fool.’

"Not for now."

The skewer stall owner didn’t seem to be a problem at the moment.

Besides, her skewers were too damn good. He was a bit reluctant to act just yet.

’If she really is a problem, I’ll just have her killed before we leave.’

Having made his decision, the man waved his subordinate away, then casually picked up a skewer and popped it into his mouth.

It was the dried tofu.

This dried tofu was pressed very tightly, so it wasn’t soft but had a pleasant chewiness.

The dried tofu was thoroughly soaked in the broth, which, combined with the natural fragrance of the beans, made for a perfectly numbing and spicy flavor.

The moment it entered his mouth, Steward Zhu paused.

He looked down at the other skewers in his bowl in astonishment.

He had high hopes, but he never expected this little thing to be such a delightful surprise.

’Simply divine.’

’It’s a shame the portions are so small, though.’

Skewers were all about being small, cheap, and affordable.

The two small pieces of dried tofu were gone in an instant.

"Crooked merchant!"

Steward Zhu couldn’t help but curse. Couldn’t that skewer boss give him a bit more? It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it.

Fuming, he picked up the spicy beef skewer.

This was the one Lu Wu had passionately recommended. The moment the tender beef intertwined with his tongue, Steward Zhu knew: that little boss wasn’t going to die before they left.

He would personally guarantee it.

The fragrant, tender beef didn’t require much effort; his teeth separated the soft meat with ease.

With a single slurp, the tender meat slid down his throat. Steward Zhu felt like he hadn’t even had a proper taste before the beef was gone.

Smacking his lips and savoring the aftertaste, Steward Zhu’s expression soured.

"You crooked merchant! Skimping on the goods!"

’There’s not nearly enough to eat!’

Cursing again, the thought of playing the fool and robbing her resurfaced in Steward Zhu’s mind.

’What does an impulsive act by a fool have to do with him, Steward Zhu of the casino?’