The sun had completely sunk below the horizon, leaving only a dark red afterglow at the edge of the sky.
The light in the forest had dimmed, but the streetlamps in the ranger rest area had already come on, their warm yellow halos especially comforting in the twilight.
The cafeteria was on the first floor of the main building. As soon as they pushed open the door, the mingled aromas of stew, baked bread, and hot tea washed over them.
The cafeteria was not large, with seven or eight long tables. Five or six people were eating at the moment.
When they saw the captain enter, several younger rangers looked up and greeted him.
"Captain, over here!"
"Captain, this is...?"
The ranger captain waved a hand and led Xinhai to a relatively empty table.
"One of us. Ran into him on the road—he just had a fight with poachers." His introduction was brief. Then he called toward the serving window, "Old Wu, make one more serving!"
A vigorous voice came from behind the window. "Got it!"
Xinhai sat on the bench, and Eevee jumped down from his shoulder, sitting neatly beside his leg as her big brown eyes curiously surveyed the surroundings.
Gardevoir sat gracefully at Xinhai's side, her red eyes calmly sweeping across everyone in the cafeteria—not with hostility, but out of habit.
Before long, an elderly man in an apron approached with a large tray. His hair was gray, but he looked full of vigor.
On the tray were two steaming bowls of stew, a large plate of golden-brown bread, a dish of sliced smoked sausage, and several fresh Berries.
"Come on, try Old Wu's cooking." Old Wu set the tray down on the table and looked at Xinhai with a cheerful smile. "Young man, the captain said