Edberg was found very quickly.
Or, more accurately, Edberg contacted Guti himself.
When Guti told him what had happened in the cafeteria, the head chef fell noticeably silent for a second before drawing a deep breath.
"Very good!"
"2567, you passed my test."
"You're now a member of the E District Cafeteria, but... from now on, you are not to set foot in the Serving Room without my permission!"
Even through the communicator, Guti could imagine the head chef gritting his teeth.
Qin Ran, who had expected this, put the last piece of beef on his plate into his mouth before asking slowly, "I'm a taste tester. If I'm not in the Serving Room, where am I supposed to be?"
Expecting it did not mean accepting it.
Qin Ran was fighting for his last remaining chance.
Unfortunately, Edberg paid no attention whatsoever to his argument.
"Stay wherever you like!"
"But you're not allowed into the Serving Room!"
With that, the connection cut off.
His words carried anger, but even more urgency.
Looking at the disconnected communicator, Qin Ran raised his right hand and rubbed his chin, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes.
"Food Records?"
Earlier, Edberg had answered the communicator after Qin Ran entered the Serving Room.
He had assumed that, with the Serving Room's thick, soundproof door between them, Qin Ran could not possibly hear what he said.
That was why he had made no further attempt to conceal anything, merely lowering his voice.
But with Qin Ran's entry rank Perception, a door was nothing. Within a certain range, he could hear clearly even through several walls, even if that door was actually more soundproof than those walls combined.
What concerned Qin Ran most now, however, was what exactly had happened!
The rumors Rude had ordered his two underlings