ATAPOW Chapter 5
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Chapter 5 – Noodles
Just when Ji Bai was secretly peeping at the few people in the luxurious restaurant next door currently chatting about knighthood, he felt a hand unexpectedly patting his arm.
“Little guy, what are you looking at in such a serious manner?” A loud and boundless voice carrying traces of hoarseness began to reverberate behind his back.
“Eh!?” Ji Bai’s auditory senses received such a sudden stimulation that he was startled. It was no surprise as his focus was placed somewhere else and he was trying to peep on someone.
“My god! You have spooked me uncle! If this was in the past, you will already have to compensate me for the mind damage, you know?” Ji Bai sulkily said while heaving a sigh. He had turned his head and saw a man whose chin was covered with stubble—the owner of the restaurant.
“Huh? Compensate you for mind damage? Don’t try to scam me here, youngster! The salt I have eaten is much more than the rice you eat1!” The owner then placed the large bowl of noodles in front of Ji Bai with one of his hands, and glanced in the direction where Ji Bai was looking.
“Tch, so you’re actually looking at a group of guys? And you’re looking at them with such enthusiasm. Little guy, do you have an addiction with sausage jockeys or something? Once he was done, the middle-aged man warily took a step back, distancing himself from Ji Bai.
“You’re the one whose addicted to sausage jockeys! I am just curious, alright? Besides, even if I do have that addiction, what are you moving back for? Don’t tell me you’re still freaking clueless of your looks?” Ji Bai shifted his disgusted expression towards the owner’s burly physique.
“Sigh, youngsters nowadays… Forget it. Let’s drop the subject.” The owner sat beside Ji Bai, as if they were overly familiar with each other. He then looked inside the restaurant next to him, where four knights were sitting in a luxury grade air-conditioned room.
“I recognized them. These four are holy knights, right? The owner narrowed his eyes, and spoke while putting on an air of importance.
“Hmm? So uncle actually knows about holy knights?”
“Little youngling! It’s too simple2! I know everything there is to this world! Know this: Not only can I tell they’re knights, I also know which hero’s faction they belong to!” Ji Bai’s astonished expression had greatly displeased the owner, who immediately began to show off whatever knowledge he had in a stubborn manner.
“Oh, let’s listen to it?”
“They’re the radiant knights, am I right? The number one chivalry order which numbers and fighting strength are at the top of the list.”
“Eh? You know it as well, uncle?”
“Of course. Youngsters like you shouldn’t assume that older generations like us are clueless on how to keep up with the time. Ji Bai’s amazed look had greatly satisfied the owner’s vanity to the extent that his head was high and his chest sticking out. That proud demeanor he was in made it seem as if he was a member of the radiant knights as well.
“Not only that, I also know that the chivalry order of radiant knights are made up of devout worshippers of the monarch knight called the ‘Radiants’, which he had single handedly founded. To be capable of creating a steel army that’s able to accomplish military feats time and time again, the radiant knight is indeed worthy of his title of ‘Monarch Knight’. The owner said, deeply moved.
“Hehe, it’s nothing special.” Seeing someone praising him like that, Ji Bai subconsciously replied in a modest manner.
“What are you laughing for? I am not praising you anyway.” The owner shot a disgusted glance at Ji Bai, who was in a cheap outfit sitting in a corner. “Youngster, it’s best not to bite more than you can chew…”
The middle aged man patted Ji Bai’s shoulder, his tone was earnest and his words were profound. It was unlike before.
“I know that youngsters like you wish to prove yourselves at all cost. You will leave your hometown, your relatives and give up a lot of things. However, everything you invested will come to a naught at the end. Your family will sever ties with you, and you will be alone and impoverished in your later years. Sigh. I have a friend that shared the same fate as well…” At this point, the middle aged man let out a sigh of sorrow.
“…That friend you’re referring to is actually you, right?” Ji Bai tilted his head.
“Cough, cough, cough!! …You! Sigh, you youngster, life is already hard, don’t unmask me, don’t say anymore!! H-Here eat your noodles!” The middle aged man coughed in an attempt to conceal his embarrassment from being seen through. He stood up and walked into his shop in a hurry.
Ji Bai laughed and took out a pair of newly cleaned chopsticks from the utensil holder on the table. When he directed his gaze towards the noodle in front of him, he was stunned.
The big bowl was filled to the brim with noodles, while the surface was full of beef and cow tendons.
Weird, isn’t my order just a bowl of vegetarian noodles?
Gazing at the middle aged man who was once more busy, a trace of warm feeling trickled into Ji Bai’s heart.
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