Stranger

After nearly an hour of research, Hao Ren finally confirmed one thing: the data terminal in his hand had no major issues, but it was constantly plagued by minor ones. Even as a complete novice to such high-tech gadgets, he could tell that the system within this small device was not right. Many functions seemed inexplicable, and much of the data had nothing to do with him. He even asked the data terminal's AI about it, but even the AI didn't know what these things were for—Raven 12345 had simply ordered it to install them, and it did.

That's right, Raven 12345 had ordered them installed, they weren't part of the original system. Every data terminal issued from the Time-Space Administration Bureau headquarters was initialized, and logically, they should all be identical when sent to the grassroots. However, management personnel in the local regions had the authority to add programs for specific local uses to these data terminals, such as a comprehensive encyclopedia of local flora and fauna, local interstellar route maps, or even guides for pregnant female Examiners to maintain their pregnancies and calm their nerves. Whatever strange things existed, they could be found in the Xiling Empire's central data repository, so the programs that could be installed on a data terminal were endless. And that's where the problem lay: Hao Ren's local superior was a woman with a screw loose (a Goddess?), who, despite being completely clueless about technology, didn't request more scientific equipment. What's more, she had a personality that compelled her to meddle in everything personally. After Hao Ren's data terminal was sent over, Raven 12345 spent half a day playing with it...

Now, Hao Ren and Vivian stared blankly at the data terminal, which displayed an overwhelming number of entries from the "PT-385 Cosmic Encyclopedia Series" (a set of two thousand volumes). He discovered that this headache-inducing thing couldn't be deleted. In fact, all the messy things Raven 12345 had installed on the data terminal were locked by high-level permissions and couldn't be deleted.

"This unit suggests you... make do with it," a line of text appeared on the data terminal. "This unit's functions are still complete, and it has everything you need. You just need to suppress your obsessive-compulsive disorder and get used to having a massive amount of junk information on your portable device. Because if you ask Officer Raven 12345 to exchange devices, she'll only give you one that's worse than the current situation. This unit discovered this after querying the local network's message board—everyone who has interacted with Officer Raven 12345 complains about similar incidents, and the repeated complaint rate is one hundred percent. She is very good at breaking things."

"Fine, fine," Hao Ren quickly waved his hand. He was only frustrated for a moment before his optimistic nature took over, and he put the matter aside. "You're the one managing the system data anyway. When I need something, you can just help me find it. As for all that messy stuff, out of sight, out of mind. I'll just pretend it doesn't exist. That's fine, right?"

A boastful line immediately popped up on the data terminal: "This unit's performance is excellent, and its query functions are powerful. Users need not worry."

In the near future, Hao Ren would realize just how correct a decision he had made today.

"Let's go down for breakfast too," Hao Ren put the data terminal back into his pocket, completely putting the matter out of his mind. He then looked up at the grand and handsome antique grandfather clock in the corner. "Lily has been down for an hour, why is there still no movement? Did she get lost or something?"

"That big dog is a glutton. They offer a buffet breakfast here, she's definitely going to eat until she has to be carried out," Vivian pouted. "No manners, that's all she's got."

Hao Ren shrugged speechlessly and led Vivian out of the room. They soon arrived at the restaurant on the first floor.

Britain is a slow-paced country, and in many situations, a slightly lazy and unhurried atmosphere permeates the air. Locals generally start their day at nine in the morning, including their breakfast. Hao Ren clearly couldn't adapt to this schedule yet, as he hadn't adjusted to the time difference. He was greeted by an unusually deserted breakfast: there were only a few people in the vast buffet restaurant. Thus, he and Vivian easily spotted Lily in the center of the restaurant. The werewolf girl had an exceptionally high presence, occupying a large table by herself, eating like a king, with three or four empty food trays already in front of her...

Hao Ren blinked. "They say Britain is the headquarters of the culinary dark arts. Looking at Lily's eating habits... it doesn't seem as bad as the rumors say?"

Vivian said disdainfully, "She's just omnivorous. She's born not to be a picky eater."

Hao Ren picked up a tray and walked around the long food counter. He was fortunate to discover that not all British dishes were as bizarre as unknown substances, though this might also be related to the nature of the buffet. In any case, he managed to gather things he could eat amidst some strangely colored foods, then carried his plate to Lily's side. "Still not full?"

"Mmm-hmm," Lily's mouth was full, and she tried hard to speak clearly as she swallowed. "The vegetable salad here is delicious! The fruit is delicious too! I just don't like the roast meat here, it's not as good as at home..."

Hao Ren looked into Lily's eyes and muttered, "As a werewolf, aren't you ashamed of your diet?"

Lily retorted righteously, "They don't sell big bones here!"

Hao Ren felt he could no longer communicate with this werewolf.

Then he turned his head and saw Vivian sitting on the other side, prompting him to say, "You were just saying she has no ambition, how much more ambitious do you think you are?"

Vivian's food tray could almost be described as a moving hill. She had picked out several pieces of what Hao Ren considered "mysterious food." The perpetually poor vampire girl, upon arriving at this buffet where she didn't have to pay, couldn't suppress her inner excitement. She had just criticized Lily for having no ambition, but now she was acting more like a country bumpkin than anyone else!

"I've never experienced such good living before!" the vampire girl quickly stuffed her mouth with food, her words muffled as if she were ventriloquizing. "If I don't eat my fill today, who knows when I'll have the chance to eat like this again..."

Hao Ren was extremely grateful that most people in Britain started their day around nine o'clock. Including the service staff, there were only about a dozen people in the entire restaurant. Otherwise, leading these two starving ghosts, he really wouldn't have been able to save face!

While the three of them were busy with breakfast, a tall and thin man walked over with his food at some point. Hao Ren heard a gentle voice from above and to his side: "May I sit here?"

Hao Ren looked up and saw an unfamiliar man. The man was wearing a thin white shirt and black trousers, was tall and slender, neat and tidy, with a sharp black short haircut. His appearance wasn't particularly handsome or dashing, but he had a capable and reliable air about him. Of course, what was most striking about the man was his East Asian facial structure. Hao Ren took one look and was almost certain he was Chinese.

"Oh, there's no one here, please, be my guest," Hao Ren nodded, noticing an empty seat across from his table. However, he also noticed that there were empty tables everywhere in the restaurant, so there was no need for the tall, thin man to "share a table" with them. He subconsciously felt a bit curious and wary of the stranger.

He still remembered his "top-secret mission," so his vigilance was much higher than usual.

With an outsider suddenly appearing, Vivian finally remembered her status as a high-level vampire and quickly slowed down her eating pace, trying hard to put on a dignified noble demeanor—it would have been more convincing if she could wipe the grease from her face.

"It's not easy to meet a fellow countryman here," the tall, thin man sat down and spoke very kindly, not as unapproachable as he had initially seemed to Hao Ren. "Are you guys here for tourism?"

"Countryman?" Hao Ren hadn't expected his guess to be correct. Because of the translation program, he could no longer distinguish whether the other person was speaking Chinese or something else based on language alone. Hearing the other person call him a "countryman" made him finally dare to confirm his guess. "Are you also from China?"

"A native Chinese, but I travel around the world a lot," the tall, thin man said with a cheerful laugh. "It's rare to meet a fellow countryman here, so I came over to join your table... Did I cause any trouble?"

Hao Ren quickly waved his hand. "No, no trouble at all."

"That's good," the tall, thin man nodded, then casually said, "Are you looking for a place called Yuefu'erde?"