Dating Caster

"It's nothing..." Ryunosuke Uryu maintained his bright smile, waved his hand, and continued, "This can also be considered a kind of pleasure in life."

Ryunosuke Uryu's words made Wang Xiaoming feel even more favorably toward him. After a moment of thought, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it over.

"Bao Xiao..."

"Wrong one!"

Wang Xiaoming snatched the card out of Ryunosuke Uryu's hand as if grabbing it back. Then, meeting Ryunosuke Uryu's strange gaze, he pulled another card from his pocket, glanced at it, and handed it over.

"Wang... Xiao... Ming..."

Ryunosuke Uryu read the awkward pronunciation of the name on the card.

"This is my business card; it has my contact information on it. If you ever travel to Tokyo, you can give me a call, and I'll host you then."

Wang Xiaoming said to Ryunosuke Uryu. After they chatted casually for a few more moments, they bid each other farewell, and Wang Xiaoming drove toward the hotel arranged for him by the newspaper office.

Interesting! Interesting!! This is just too interesting!!!

Ryunosuke Uryu lowered his head to look at Wang Xiaoming's business card, using the action to hide his body, which was twitching slightly from excitement, and his extremely exhilarated eyes.

He had originally planned to leave this town today, having grown bored of playing in it, but he had actually encountered such an "interesting" person. If that man knew he was the serial killer he spoke of, he wondered what kind of Cool~~ expression he would make.

Just thinking about it was intoxicating!

Ryunosuke Uryu, a serial killer who lived only to kill, an "artist" [psychopath] who sought art in death. He had already committed several inhumane crimes in this town of Fuyuki. He had intended to leave, but instead, he had met the reporter who came to investigate him.

Sometimes, that's just how it is.

Fate is truly mysterious.

Ryunosuke Uryu casually tossed Wang Xiaoming's business card into a trash can: "Contact information, not needed."

He looked up at the sun, which was about to set in the west:

"Tonight, I will come to find you."

Ryunosuke Uryu decided that after finishing tonight's [Hunt], he would leave this city.

He hoped Lord [Demon] would like this [Offering].

Chapter 03. Mapo Tofu

"I'm exhausted!"

Following the address given by his supervisor, Wang Xiaoming arrived at the hotel arranged for him by the newspaper. After parking his car and walking into the hotel, he had to struggle to keep himself from cursing out loud once he saw the full state of the place.

Damn it, I wonder if that bald supervisor is having an affair with the landlady of this hotel. Looking at the landlady, who still possessed a certain charm as she admired herself in the mirror, Wang Xiaoming felt a bit weary; the counter in your lobby is practically covered in dust.

However, it was fortunate that the hotel room was not as unbearable as the exterior, and the relatively tidy room dispelled Wang Xiaoming's thought of paying out of his own pocket to find another hotel.

After all, when traveling, saving money is the absolute truth.

Wang Xiaoming put down his luggage and sprawled out on the bed in a star shape. The soft bedding and the fatigue from driving all day gave him the urge to sleep soundly. But his remaining sense of professional ethics forced him to struggle up from the bed.

"Phew, I'll go interview the surrounding residents first."

After getting off the bed and splashing his face with cold water, Wang Xiaoming suddenly thought of the optimistic young man he had met today. He wondered what he was doing now.

Ryunosuke Uryu... I always feel like this name is somewhat familiar, and this Fuyuki City... I guess the memories from my previous life are acting up again.

Wang Xiaoming felt helpless regarding his own memory. Although he had forgotten most of it, whenever he encountered certain familiar names, a strange sense of déjà vu would suddenly pop up, but if he continued to think about it, the memory would cut off.

This feeling of [I'm just rubbing against it, not going in] was enough to make Wang Xiaoming feel frustrated to the point of exploding.

Forget it, better not to think about it; the more he thought, the more uncomfortable he felt.

After tidying up a bit, Wang Xiaoming walked out of the room. He greeted the landlady downstairs and left the hotel.

"Should I eat first or go interview people first?"

Glancing at the late hour, Wang Xiaoming happily decided—I'll just wander around first.

Miyama Town. Commercial Street

Following the guidance of the Travel Guide placed in the hotel, Wang Xiaoming walked to this location and sighed as he looked at the slightly quiet street.

The guide clearly stated that this was the most bustling street in Fuyuki City at night, but looking at it now...

I suppose the rumors of the serial killer have left the people of this city in a state of panic.

"Achoo!"

A cold wind blew, making Wang Xiaoming shiver. It was late autumn, after all.

Looking at the desolate street, Wang Xiaoming's desire to stroll around diminished by more than half. The top priority now was to find a restaurant in this bleak autumn wind.

But where were the restaurants? Wang Xiaoming looked around, but he didn't find a single restaurant that was open. Even the shops had closed their doors early; a shopping street without foot traffic was truly miserable.

Wait!

Just as Wang Xiaoming was about to lift his foot and leave the shopping street, he was suddenly attracted by a scent carried on the autumn wind.

This fragrance...

Grumble~~~

The roar emanating from his belly urged Wang Xiaoming to keep moving forward.

The aroma guided Wang Xiaoming to the entrance of a shop. If it weren't for the neon "Open" sign glowing, Wang Xiaoming might have even thought this place had gone out of business.

[Hongzhou Yansui Pavilion · Mount Tai]

The ambiguous Chinese-style name left Wang Xiaoming scratching his head, and the tightly shut doors and glass windows made it impossible to see what was happening inside. However, what made Wang Xiaoming even more curious was exactly where this fragrance was coming from.

"Welcome!"

A short man behind the counter greeted him warmly the moment he saw Wang Xiaoming push the door open.

After stepping inside, Wang Xiaoming's nostrils were filled with an indescribable aroma, causing him to swallow his saliva instinctively.

Grumble-grumble~~~

It wasn't just his tongue that was stimulated by the scent; his stomach was, too.

"Hahaha! Guest, go ahead and find a seat first."

Seeing Wang Xiaoming's awkward state, the short boss laughed heartily, his friendly tone ensuring Wang Xiaoming didn't feel embarrassed.

"May I ask what the signature dish is here?"

After finding a seat, Wang Xiaoming asked the boss.

"If you're talking about the signature dish, it's definitely the Mapo Tofu!" The boss patted his chest and promised with a smile: "The taste is absolutely top-notch!"

"Then please bring me a plate of Mapo Tofu." Wang Xiaoming followed his suggestion readily.

"Coming right up!"

"Bo... Boss, is this really the Mapo Tofu from your shop?"

Wang Xiaoming stared at the Mapo Tofu the boss had just set down in front of him; the tender white tofu was perfectly coated in chili oil, making one drool just by looking at it.

"That's right!" The boss's words were filled with pride for his signature dish.

Although Wang Xiaoming understood that Mapo Tofu was a Sichuan dish and that spice was an essential flavor, this plate in front of him... was just excessive!

Red, red, it was all red!

Wang Xiaoming's entire field of vision was occupied by shades of red. There had to be an insane amount of chili peppers in this plate of Mapo Tofu!

Wang Xiaoming felt as if a Grim Reaper in a red cloak had appeared above the Mapo Tofu, whispering in a seductive tone:

(Eat it, it's not spicy at all~)

Yeah, right!

"Boss..." Wang Xiaoming turned his head and asked with a bitter face.

"What's wrong?"

Looking at the boss's eager eyes, Wang Xiaoming could only swallow the question that had just reached his lips and changed it to another:

"Do you have rice?"

"We do."

After saying that, the boss walked into the back, leaving Wang Xiaoming alone with tears streaming down his face.

(I just wanted to ask if chili peppers are free here)

In less than a minute, the boss returned from the back with a bowl of rice.

"I'm digging in!"

After shouting this in a tragic tone, Wang Xiaoming resigned himself to his fate, scooped up a spoonful of Mapo Tofu, and shoved it into his mouth.

(Holy crap! This stuff! How is this thing so spicy!)

Just one bite made sweat pour down Wang Xiaoming's forehead like rain. This stinging sensation on his tongue brought him an indescribable sensory experience. Forcing himself to swallow the tofu despite the heat, Wang Xiaoming instantly felt a ball of raging fire slam down his esophagus and into his stomach!

But damn, it felt good!

Aside from the spice, this was the second sensation the Mapo Tofu brought to Wang Xiaoming.

After shoveling a large mouthful of rice down, Wang Xiaoming felt it wasn't enough, so he dumped the entire bowl of rice directly into the dish. Even the boss was shocked by Wang Xiaoming's bold actions.

After a whirlwind of eating, nothing was left on the plate.

"That was damn satisfying!"

After putting down his spoon, Wang Xiaoming suddenly exclaimed in perfect, clear Mandarin. Although he had long grown accustomed to the bland food in Japan, deep down, he was still a tough guy from Northeast China!

"Little brother is Chinese?" Hearing that crisp, standard Mandarin, the boss's eyes lit up, and he asked in the same language.

"Of course."

Even if he was reborn in this place called Japan, his colors would always be Chinese red.

With that, the distance between the two of them closed significantly. After a friendly and cordial conversation, Wang Xiaoming learned that the shopkeeper's name was Ba.

Mr. Ba said he was from Sichuan and loved to travel, but even a wanderer needs a place to settle down. After finding his own place of belonging here, he stayed to open this restaurant. In his spare time, he enjoyed researching and improving Sichuan cuisine; that plate of Mapo Tofu from earlier was the result of his studies into various chili peppers from around the world.

At the mere thought of that plate of Mapo Tofu, Wang Xiaoming couldn't help but swallow hard. Seeing this, Mr. Ba chuckled and asked if he would like another serving.

Wang Xiaoming waved his hands frantically; if he had another plate, he reckoned he wouldn't be able to leave the bathroom tomorrow.

"Boss, one plate of Mapo Tofu, please."

Just then, a man walked in from outside and spoke.

"You go ahead and get busy, I'll be taking my leave."

Seeing that Mr. Ba had work to do, Wang Xiaoming offered his farewells.

"Alright, Father Kirei Kotomine, please wait a moment." Mr. Ba first greeted the incoming guest, then turned back to Wang Xiaoming and said, "Well, I won't keep you then. Consider this meal on the house."

"That works, I'll come by again when I have the time."

Wang Xiaoming didn't stand on ceremony and nodded in agreement.

"Very well, you are welcome anytime." After saying this, Mr. Ba turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving only Wang Xiaoming and the guest who had just entered, the one addressed as Father Kirei Kotomine.

Wang Xiaoming took a brief look at the priest and found that he was surprisingly young compared to other priests he had met before.

He wondered what denomination he belonged to.

Wang Xiaoming buried this small question in his heart, nodded to Father Kirei Kotomine in greeting, and then pushed the door open to leave the restaurant.

Stimulated by that plate of Mapo Tofu, all Wang Xiaoming wanted to do now was get a good night's sleep.

There is more during the day.

Tentatively two updates, not sure about a burst.