Time slipped by unnoticed.
Feng Qi Shi stopped with Mu An Xiao in front of a demon realm inn, enveloped by greenery.
Mu An Xiao looked at the surrounding plants, then tilted her head back to gaze at the somber sky. "How do these grow without even a speck of sunlight?"
"Why don't you go in and ask?"
"Are we really going in?"
"Didn't you say the previous few places were too expensive? So, I inquired... this inn only requires one inner core."
"Then... do you think the food inside will be good?"
"It's good enough to have a place to stay."
"No, I followed you here precisely for the food. Besides, people say you get what you pay for. If it's so cheap here," Mu An Xiao tugged hard at Feng Qi Shi's arm, "it's definitely not going to taste good."
"You complained about the price just now, and now that it's cheap, you're worried about the taste? Mu Shazi, why are you so fussy?"
"This is called being refined."
"..." Feng Qi Shi lowered his gaze, scrutinizing Mu An Xiao's attire, and scoffed, "You call yourself refined, but I can't see it."
Mu An Xiao: "..." She rolled her eyes.
Feng Qi Shi asked, "Are we going in or not?"
After so much hesitation, Mu An Xiao had already witnessed the harshness of the prices here.
Resigned, she had no choice but to accept her fate.
"Let's go," she said with determination.
The next moment.
As Mu An Xiao and Feng Qi Shi walked side-by-side through the inn's main door, she shivered and exclaimed, "Did they turn on the air conditioning? It's so cold!" She pulled her neck in.
Feng Qi Shi remarked, "You even know about air conditioning."
"Of course, I spent a little time in your realm, after all."
"Stop showing off," Feng Qi Shi said, glancing at the waiter who came out to greet them. "One room costs one inner core, right?"
"Yes," the waiter replied, unsmiling, his voice chillingly cold.
Mu An Xiao cautiously observed the waiter's slightly bluish complexion, then looked at the patrons sitting at tables, savoring their food. "Do you have any signature dishes?"
Immediately, the waiter shifted his gaze to Mu An Xiao's face. "No, only stir-fried greens, lettuce, spinach, grass, and so on."
"Why are they all green?"
"Yes."
Listening to the waiter's unhurried replies and looking around, Mu An Xiao asked, "How much for a dish?"
"We don't sell dishes individually. The total for all dishes is one inner core."
"..." Mu An Xiao gave a dry laugh and asked, "What happens if we can't finish it?"
Hearing this, the waiter's face darkened. "If you can't finish it, you'll become like me."
"Huh?"
"To be frank, I am someone who didn't finish their food and was left behind. If you wish to become like me, I would be most welcoming."
"Welcoming?"
"Yes, if you can't finish it and become me, then I can be free."
Mu An Xiao: "..." She looked speechlessly at Feng Qi Shi.
Feng Qi Shi said, "That's indeed how it is."
The waiter stared blankly at Mu An Xiao. "..."
Mu An Xiao felt as though she had stumbled into a den of thieves.
Except, this place was openly nefarious, leaving Mu An Xiao at a loss for words.
Mu An Xiao: "..." She offered the waiter a smile.
The waiter asked, "Are you ordering or not?"
"I..." Mu An Xiao hesitated, but then she thought that if she didn't eat this meal, she would have to continue eating wild berries.
But if she ordered and couldn't finish, she would end up like that, which would be utterly humiliating.
With that in mind, she said, "I... I need to think about it."
"Very well, I will deliver the dishes to your room."
At this moment, Mu An Xiao was stunned.
The waiter turned and left.
Mu An Xiao: "..." She wore a bitter expression.
Feng Qi Shi said, "The fact that he said all that to you already reveals his intentions."
"You mean, he's already given me a heads-up?"
"You could say that. As long as you ask, he will deliver, because he wants to leave this place."
Mu An Xiao: "..." She pouted.
Returning to the room.
Mu An Xiao sat at the table, looking at the lifeless room, and sighed. Then, thinking about the all-green food, she asked, "Shen Fengzi, if I eat that, will my face turn green?"
"After you finish, no. If you don't finish, yes."
"And what about you?"
"Whoever orders, eats. No substitutions."
Mu An Xiao, who had initially thought Feng Qi Shi would share some of the burden, was startled anew. "Who told you that?"
"It's written on the main door."
"The main door?" Mu An Xiao repeated, then quickly stood up and walked to the door. "Where is it written?"
"Downstairs."
"Downstairs," Mu An Xiao echoed, and as she reached to open the door, she paused.
"Why aren't you going down?"
Mu An Xiao released her hand, turned to look at Feng Qi Shi, and smiled, "Are you crazy?"
"How am I crazy?"
"Outside just now, you clearly saw it, and you didn't tell me. Let me tell you," Mu An Xiao hurried to Feng Qi Shi, "if I turn green-faced and become like that waiter, the next person I'll harm is you."
"Have you lost all confidence in yourself?"
"...."
Normally, Mu An Xiao needed meat with everything she ate. The thought of eating a pile of green food made her feel utterly defeated.
Of course, even with a little meat mixed in, she could accept it!
"Why aren't you talking?"
Mu An Xiao said, "Confidence, you don't even give me confidence, where am I supposed to find it?"
"I wish I could give it to you, but reality doesn't allow it."
"You can help me eat, and that would be fine."
"I already said..."
"I said, only you eat."
"...." Feng Qi Shi looked at Mu An Xiao's expectant little face, then turned his head and smiled, "You're the one ordering, and whoever orders eats. That's the rule."
Mu An Xiao: "..." She had completely lost hope.
Half an hour later.
Mu An Xiao, rolling her eyes, carried a plate and ate the last remaining dish of stir-fried grass.
Feng Qi Shi looked down at Mu An Xiao's nearly green face and couldn't help but chuckle.
Mu An Xiao had no time to pay him any mind. She ate the grass, which had a peculiar flavor, mouthful by mouthful, forcing out, "It's really delicious." As she said this, she gagged several times.
Across from her, the waiter watched Mu An Xiao's strenuous efforts and sighed, "If you can't eat anymore, just..."
"Shut up," Mu An Xiao roared, forcing herself to eat faster.
The waiter: "..."
Feng Qi Shi continued to chuckle unashamedly.
A quarter of an hour later.
Mu An Xiao slammed the plate down, then swallowed the last mouthful of grass, saying, "Delicious." Tears welled up in her wide eyes.
Feng Qi Shi stopped chuckling.
The waiter looked down at the ten plates of green dishes that Mu An Xiao had meticulously finished and gave a thumbs-up. "Guest, is there anything else you require?"
After this meal, Mu An Xiao finally understood that no place in the demon realm was normal. Therefore, for her future safety, she waved her hand.
Then, the waiter collected the empty plates and left the room.