The Roast Pork and Fish Balls Were Sure to Give You Heat If You Ate Them Together

On the west wing of the Council of Five Kings, following the steep rock formations, many supporting facilities are built against the mountain.

According to 9527 --

These composite structures, built close to the rock face, served as the initial scaffolding and foundation ceiling for Nine Realms Station. The entire station was built from top to bottom, so the construction process began with these supporting facilities.

The top floor, number fifty-one, is actually the first floor of the station.

"The old engineering station was demolished a long time ago and moved to Longhua Avenue in the underground city." 9527 led Xue Ming as they walked and looked around.

She pointed to the composite steel beams in the distance that resembled a ceiling, and continued, "Many facilities have been moved away, but the VIP tea room remains here."

Jiang Xueming looked around and could see the twin towers of the platform, as well as the clock tower with the BOSS's portrait hanging on it.

There are flowerbeds and corridors everywhere, as well as small mazes made of grass leaves. Like the six- Rubik's Cube's Cube in [Radiant Road], they are divided into six different types of vegetation. With artificial light sources, these plants are growing very well.

"It's very quiet here." Xue Ming walked along the wide obsidian main road, following Seventh Brother.

Xiao Qi, looking quite smug and showing off his knowledge, said, "The VIP tea room is a place for distinguished guests to rest and relax; the environment is much better than the guest rooms."

She pointed to the gradually rising slope and terraces, where there was an ancient fortress built against the mountain, like a fantastical Baroque-style building.

"That's how the underground expedition team works—little by little, they carve out a complete path from this fortress."

Xiao Qi spreads her arms wide, showing the entire jurisdiction of the Nine Realms Station, including the far reaches of the fountain square and the underground city beyond Moon Lane.

"It all begins here. This building must now serve as the highest point of the station; it holds immense significance for everyone in the underground world."

"Should I change my clothes?" Jiang Xueming said half-jokingly, "Change into a suit, a bow tie, and leather shoes, and go in carrying a glass of red wine?"

"Hahaha," 9527 waved his hand, "It's not as formal as the Grammys Oscar! Relax!"

The two walked along the wide avenue, Jiang Xueming was filled with curiosity when he saw these magnificent and enormous buildings and roads.

"Why did they make the road so wide? And that black stone archway, those massive stone steps like a pyramid—this road could easily accommodate twenty lanes side by side. Was it really necessary?"

"Because," 9527 said mysteriously, pointing to the large bronze sculpture in the fountain square, "Because this road was originally built by them. Go to the Great Archives and you'll find the book <The Frost Giants and Their Grand Ambitions>, which records the love-hate relationship between the BOSS and them."

"Those statues... were they originally alive?" Jiang Xueming asked in surprise. The bronze sculptures, which were impossible to complete by human hands alone, deeply moved him no matter how many times he saw them.

"Perhaps it's a legend, perhaps it's fabrication." 9527 couldn't guarantee that what was written in the book was true, "Because the station was built gradually from top to bottom, with land clearing and renovation happening simultaneously, what this book describes is the Frost Giants and the BOSS negotiating a cooperation to build the station together. The entire mid-term urban planning and construction was the work of the giants. Why is this road so wide? Because it was originally designed according to the physique of giants."

Jiang Xueming found it hard to imagine the wondrous history sealed away in ancient times. Only these magnificent buildings, whose full extent was obscured, remained in this 17,000-meter-deep underground pit.

If you didn't see it with your own eyes, stand on these buildings, step on their solid stone foundations, and see the earthquake-resistant steel bars and anti-oxidation aluminum blocks buried deep in the mountain through the cracks in the stone, it would be hard to imagine how such buildings, which are almost impossible to exist in reality, could withstand their own weight and be built so tall and so big.

Upon entering the fortress's anteroom, one sees six servants seated on sofas arranged in two rows.

--They were both men and women, and they were chatting happily. They didn't seem like the waiters at the entrance of the reception hall downstairs.

These people were dressed in various ways, with only a red tie serving as proof of their waiter status. Jiang Xueming even saw a girl using the red tie as a hairband, her attitude casual and natural.

9527 told Xue Ming not to speak carelessly. These people are very distinguished; they are all VIP attendants. Whenever a VIP goes to explore unknown and dangerous places, they will inevitably follow the VIP.

Jiang Xueming then asked, "If that's the case, why wasn't Professor Victor's attendant with him?"

"Hahahaha~!" a burly man shouted back, "Because that guy sneaked out! Hey! Was he super, super careful? Super, super cautious? He kept telling you—don't tell anyone my whereabouts?"

Jiang Xueming nodded. "That's indeed the case."

"I'm that curly-haired slut's waiter." An older woman, no more than thirty years old, wearing glasses and with a serious and indifferent expression, stood up from the sofa. But the words that came out of her mouth were incredibly explosive. "Kid, do you know which butcher shop that leftover char siu is hanging in now? Just thinking about it makes me angry!"

Jiang Xueming struggled to understand the meaning behind the profanity. "Uh, I know. But right now I'm not sure where the teacher is."

"Then please clean out all the unspeakable filth from your intestines so I can pick through it and organize the clues." The woman's tone was calm, but her words were harsh. "Don't be shy, farting in public is no different from taking a dump; it's just a process of opening your heart."

Jiang Xueming felt awkward. "The last time I saw my teacher was on the train to the City of Dead Puppet Agency. He may have come back, or he may not."

"There's a hidden meaning in that, but I still have to thank you." The woman rolled her eyes, rubbing her forehead, and walked out, glancing back to add, "You called Victor 'teacher,' so you must be his first student, or at the very least his second or third. I believe this guy isn't that lucky to have so many students at once—on a first meeting, I should at least bring you a small gift, right? But unfortunately, you're disappointed. I didn't prepare anything for you because your teacher is a complete idiot. After he left without saying goodbye, I frantically searched everywhere and didn't prepare a suitable gift at all. It's really rude of me. If this makes you angry, you can write it down in your journal as a daily trick to get angry. Use it with your stone. If you have a red stone like that char siu, that would be even better! Consider it my gift to you?"

"Excuse me for asking, are you my teacher's wife?" Jiang Xueming greeted her very politely.

The woman then froze, motionless.

It's like the brain has shut down, completely stopped functioning.

About thirty seconds passed.

The woman finally squinted, adjusted her glasses, and said with a slightly more polite tone, "These days, do kids always have to be so sweet-talking when they want gifts?"

Seventh Brother listened from the side, his emotions fluctuating wildly.

It wasn't until Xue Ming uttered the words "Master's wife" that she finally felt relieved and overjoyed.

The mysterious woman finally walked out, went far away, and just as she got on her motorcycle, she waved behind her.

"I'm not going to say anything more. I'm going to find him first. You can stay home, wash your ass, and wait for your email!"

As the sound of the accompanying rider's motorcycle engine gradually faded into the distance.

Jiang Xueming found it all very mysterious.

--Is this Professor Victor's waiter?

At this juncture, Brother Qi was not idle either. He squeezed towards the sofa in the hall and greeted each of the VIPs' accompanying attendants.

Xue Ming had excellent hearing; he could hear what Seventh Brother was saying—roughly inquiring about the recent situation of several VIPs and discussing the family matters of these distinguished guests.

It is worth noting that Brother Qi's attitude towards one of the waiters was quite special.

--She didn't address me with "you" or "your Excellency".

Instead, they address him directly as "Master".

Xue Ming was certain she hadn't misheard; it was "Master," not "Master"—and looking at the "Master," she saw a woman in her mid-twenties.

This woman had a blank expression and a very "sharp" appearance—the reason for using this adjective is because of the overwhelming aura she exuded.

She crossed her arms over her chest, wearing a waiter's scissor-tailed dress, which she didn't bother to put on properly. Underneath, she wore a tight-fitting, quick-drying ice silk garment, the pure black fabric adorned with a fiery phoenix.

She had a pair of striking, almond-shaped eyes, a delicately shaped nose and mouth, and eyebrows as sharp as swords.

Her hairstyle is exactly the same as Seventh Brother's; the one I mentioned earlier who tied her hair with a red tie is her—perhaps 9527's habit of tying her hair in a single ponytail with a red ribbon is imitating her teacher.

She was wearing loose black trousers with bright red flames on the cuffs, and she was barefoot, like a boxer in a martial arts dojo.

Seventh Brother squatted down beside the sofa, not daring to sit down, and whispered to the older sister. Every now and then he would glance at Xue Ming, as if seeking his master's opinion.

Xue Ming couldn't hear what Seventh Brother was saying.

From beginning to end, the VIP's attendant did not show any change in expression, nor did he say a word.

After Seventh Brother finished speaking, he rushed back, his expression as if he were—

--The feeling of sending "I like you" to the person you have a crush on, then throwing your phone on the bed like a grenade, and finally finding cover to hide behind.

Seventh Brother pulled Xue Ming's arm and led him to the side hall, smiling awkwardly, "Let's go! Master! And all you seniors! Get some rest!"

The waiters simply nodded without saying a word.

9527 led Xue Ming toward the medical facility in the teahouse, and only spoke after walking through two corridors.

"Those older brothers and sisters just now were all important figures at the station."

Jiang Xueming: "I heard you call one of them 'Master'?"

Xiao Qi: "Yes."

At this point, Xiao Qi's face was full of admiration, and she turned into a little fangirl.

Jiang Xueming paused for a moment, but didn't ask any more questions. He figured if he kept asking, his fangirl Aqi would keep him talking for another half hour.

Xiao Qi had been holding back for a long time, but then the employer suddenly fell silent.

She kept winking and making faces, and was even preparing to give a proper introduction to her ideal man.

"Go ahead and ask! Why aren't you asking anymore? Weren't you quite curious just now?"

"I'm here for a checkup." Jiang Xueming pressed on Seventh Brother's shoulders, urging him to continue leading the way, "We can talk about anything else when we have dinner together."

After Xiao Qi had completely left.

Suddenly, several waiters on the sofa in the front hall began to chatter amongst themselves, becoming quite lively.

He used to have a bit of an air about him in front of his juniors, a bit of an idol image to maintain, but he's let go of that now.

"Hey! What did Xiao Qi just say to you?"

"Secret."

Is there a chance? Is there a chance for them?

"Secret."

"When Bloodhound went out just now, he was cursing Victor, saying his mother might as well have given birth to a piece of barbecued pork. But as soon as this kid opened his mouth, Bloodhound immediately stopped being angry. He seems to know how to make girls happy."

"Given your intelligence, you've basically said goodbye to girls. Finding a good mother who can take care of her mentally challenged son is more realistic."

"Can you please stop swearing?"

"Well said, I vote for Phoenix."

"In short, it seems my troublesome little apprentice has found a pretty reliable partner. As her teacher, I'm truly gratified."

"How about we go out for a drink? Where's Dandelion? Have you seen Dandelion? Should we call the couple over?"

"His employer has suffered very serious psychological trauma. Let them rest in peace for a while—wasn't there supposed to be an event at the tulip pavilion today?"

Who invited you?

"Please pay, I just paid off the BOSS's Blood Butterfly Loan Shark last month."

"Can't you lend it out again this month?"

"But being in debt... that uneasy feeling... if I leave it in the course of an investigation, I think my chances of survival are slim."

"Life is too short! The one who should be worried is the boss. If you owe it a huge debt, it'd be more than happy to sit on your shoulder every day and keep you safe!"

"Cough, does anyone care about my little apprentice?"

"Oh right! Oh, oh, oh! What do you think of that boy?"

"He probably had to ring the Summoning Bell to get him here, right? I don't think so—my employer has never rung the Summoning Bell. He's too aloof; I couldn't help him at all during his upbringing."

"Is your Inspiration soaked in wine? Can't you feel it? This child isn't injured, and his three-dimensional state is excellent—spirit, body, and soul are unharmed. I have a feeling he just wanted a waiter by his side, which is why he rang the Summoning Bell."

"That's a little romantic! If I had an employer who rang a bell every day, I think she'd be very clingy!"

"Hey! Me too! My employer hardly ever rang the bell when he was young! Back then, I had just completed my third transformation and couldn't control my brain. I didn't do any work all day and was always getting scolded by the foreman. I was just thinking about how to come up with a 'beauty saves the hero' scene and how to strike my entrance—unfortunately, he's a dried-up old man now."

"As if you can control your brain now."

The so-called ternary substance.

--This is an alchemical theory proposed by Hohnheim.

The scholar's full name is Phillips Aurelius de Foraster Bombasz von Hohnheim.

During the Renaissance, alchemy branched into three directions.

This person happens to be a doctor, alchemist, and chemist, and possesses a little bit of all three.

He combined alchemy with medical chemistry, becoming the cornerstone of modern medical chemistry.

His concept of the ternary substance later gave rise to the idea of the ternary substance of sulfur, mercury, and salt, suggesting that human diseases are related to an imbalance in the ratio of these three substances.

He pulled alchemy down from the altar of the gods, tore off the veil of mystery surrounding magical rituals, dispelled superstition, and transformed medicine and chemistry into divine powers accessible to everyone.

To this day, countless works of art still celebrate alchemy and Hohnheim.

Among them, the Universal Elixir [Fountain of Youth] and the philosopher's stone [Sage Stone] are the most typical.

There are legends that the rediscovery of the four elements [air, fire, earth, and water] and the [Magician] card in the Major Arcana Tarot are both related to Hohnheim.

There is a portrait of Hohnheim on the gate of the medical facility.

The security check process at the VIP tea room is very complicated. Starting with blood and urine tests, Xue Ming has to go through a series of physical and mental examinations to ensure that there are no problems with the three elements in his body.

After ringing the Summoning Bell, passengers need to undergo an MRI scan and have electrodes attached to their heads to monitor brain waves and detect hidden lesions in the brain—and they have to shave their heads. In the waiter's casual conversation earlier, perhaps this is why a VIP refused to ring the bell when he was young.

The staff shaved Xue Ming's head, changed him into a hospital gown, and prepared to send him to the isolation room.

When 9527 saw the bald Xue Ming, his mouth opened slightly, and he had a surprised expression.

Seeing Xiao Qi like this, Xue Ming felt a little guilty.

He thought to himself—Seventh Brother must be a little disappointed. After all, no matter who in the world shaves their head and their head is shaped like a fish ball, it would probably look pretty bad, right?

Moreover, Bai Qingqing is a sucker for good looks, so she'll hear the sound of her dreams shattering. But that's a good thing, too. With this shiny bald head around, at least the two of them can maintain a safe social distance and have a normal conversation, right?

Before Xue Ming even entered the isolation room and went through the disinfection process, he ran up to Brother Qi, intending to say a few polite words—so that Brother Qi wouldn't tell the BOSS about Meng Sui's resignation.

"Xiao Qi, it's me."

"Don't come any closer!" 9527 pursed her lips, looking very wary.

Xue Ming hadn't expected Seventh Brother to react so strongly, and felt a little helpless. "I need to get checked out. There's nothing I can do even if I shave my head."

"Stay away from me. I'm scared." Xiao Qi didn't dare to look. "My heart is in turmoil. My heart is in turmoil."

Xue Ming sensed something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. "Oh, then I'll go get checked out."

"Okay, go ahead!" Xiao Qi covered her face, then peeked through her fingers again. "Go ahead! Don't worry about me, don't come near me, let me have some peace and quiet!"

After Jiang Xueming walked away, Bai Qingqing could be heard singing behind him.

"Mandarin ducks swim in pairs, butterflies flutter in pairs—the garden's spring colors are intoxicating."

"Whispering to the holy monk~ Is the daughter beautiful? Is the daughter beautiful?"

The mournful and strange singing frightened Xue Ming so much that he quickly hid in the disinfection room.

Even though he was separated by a door and more than thirty meters away, he could still hear Seventh Brother's eerie laughter outside.

"Hehehehe! Hehehehehe!~ He looks so lecherous with his shaved head!~ Hehehehe! Hehehe jiajiajiazhazhazha!"

Xue Ming sat on a stool in the disinfection room, covered his face, and learned a Cantonese phrase.

"You idiot!"