Chapter 142: Joy Restaurant

With Sherlock's orders given, the people in the Abandoned Ruins began to move with high efficiency.

However, the target they were searching for had long since left the perimeter of the Abandoned Ruins, venturing back into the northern edge of the Abandoned Forest.

Seated on her Magic Broom, Lan Qingyou flew leisurely through the sky.

She kept her speed in first gear, treating the trip like a relaxing vacation. She admired the scenery along the way as she slowly made her way toward Gu Xiaobei's restaurant.

Truth be told, it was quite the sight.

Although this area was still part of the Abandoned Forest, the scenery in the north was vastly different from the central and southern regions she was used to.

For one, the massive towering trees gradually decreased in both number and size, giving way to lower-lying vegetation.

Furthermore, jagged rocks and winding streams became increasingly common.

Since this region bordered the Abandoned Mountains, the melting of the pristine white snow naturally gave birth to countless little streams.

After coasting along for a few hours, Lan Qingyou finally arrived at the coordinates Gu Xiaobei had sent just in time for noon.

There, nestled against the base of the mountain, she spotted a stilt house.

The stilt house had two floors, featuring a roof shaped like an overturned wooden boat that exuded a distinct tropical vibe.

The ground floor featured an open-air design, allowing the breeze to pass freely from all sides. Several vine-woven tables and chairs rested on the wooden floorboards, creating a perfect spot for drinking tea and cooling off.

The second floor housed the actual restaurant.

Just by peering through the windows from the outside, one could easily tell that the dining area boasted excellent ventilation and natural lighting.

In a scorching, humid tropical climate, such a design would make perfect sense.

But given the current snowy weather, it looked anything but warm and cozy.

Yet, as Lan Qingyou glided up the stairs and into the second-floor dining area, a wave of blistering heat washed over her.

Looking closer, she realized this warmth was coming from several stone Kerosene stoves blazing away inside the restaurant.

On top of that, there were several fire pits burning brightly beneath the dining tables.

Relying purely on sheer numbers, these fires had forcefully transformed the freezing interior into a sweltering subtropical zone. She could only marvel at Gu Xiaobei; the girl's thought process truly was on another level.

After all, maintaining this level of fuel consumption was not something just anyone could afford.

It was only because she had the backing of Lan Qingyou and Shang Chuan, granting her priority access to large amounts of Kerosene, that she could even pull this off.

But from another perspective, it clearly demonstrated just how incredibly profitable Gu Xiaobei's restaurant really was.

At the landing between the first and second floors, a solid wooden sign displayed the words "Joy Restaurant" in standard federal lettering.

Inside the restaurant, several diners sat scattered in groups of twos and threes. They were likely locals from the surrounding area.

When they noticed a woman dressed as a Witch gliding through the doorway on a Magic Broom, every single one of their expressions shifted.

'Is that a Witch?'

'Is that the Tower Witch?'

These two questions instantly surfaced in everyone's minds.

It could not be helped. Lan Qingyou's attire was simply too stereotypical for her role. Anyone laying eyes on her would immediately make the connection.

What cemented the image was the owl perched on her broomstick, carrying a tiny white mouse in its beak.

No matter how you looked at it, she fit the legendary description perfectly.

Lan Qingyou, however, paid no mind to their staring.

After entering the restaurant and taking a quick glance around, she immediately pinpointed the kitchen.

She then casually flew straight toward it, completely ignoring the flabbergasted looks from the diners.

'Hey, hey! This is the Joy Restaurant! The kitchen is strictly off-limits. Even if you're a Witch, just waltzing in there like you own the place is going to cause trouble!'

Almost everyone watched with bated breath, fully expecting Lan Qingyou to make a fool of herself.

After all, aside from its exorbitant prices, the Joy Restaurant's biggest feature was its strict set of rules.

Anyone who dared to break the head chef's rules would not only be denied a meal—they would be lucky to leave the establishment alive.

"Gu Xiaobei, I'm here."

Reaching the doorway of the kitchen, Lan Qingyou brought her Magic Broom to a smooth halt.

"Boss!"

Gu Xiaobei had been bustling about inside. When she first noticed someone hovering near the entrance, a frown had touched her face. As far as she was concerned, one person in the kitchen was more than enough. Anyone else stepping into her domain was nothing but a nuisance.

But the moment she realized it was Lan Qingyou, a bright smile bloomed across her face.

"Is this the Witch's broom? Wow, it looks surprisingly comfortable."

Gu Xiaobei stared at the broom beneath Lan Qingyou with a glimmer of envy in her eyes.

Still, she restrained herself from reaching out to touch it.

She was right in the middle of cooking, after all. If she touched it now, she would just have to wash her hands again, so it was better to keep her hands to herself.

"It's not bad. Mostly, it's this thermal suit from Xingxing doing the heavy lifting," Lan Qingyou replied. "Otherwise, flying hundreds of meters up in the air during a snowstorm would give me frostbite, or at least a nasty cold."

"Haha, you'd be lucky if all you caught was a cold!" Gu Xiaobei chuckled. "And what about these guys? Which one is Steel Wire Ball?"

Looking between the owl and the tiny white mouse on the broom, Gu Xiaobei looked a bit puzzled.

The only thing she knew for sure was that Steel Wire Ball absolutely loved beef.

"The owl," Lan Qingyou answered.

Lan Qingyou reached out and poked the confused Steel Wire Ball on the head. While the bird blinked at her in bewilderment, she introduced Gu Xiaobei.

"This is the nice sister who always cooks that delicious beef for you."

"Hoot!"

The moment it heard the word "beef," Steel Wire Ball instantly perked up.

With a sharp flick of its head, it tossed the white mouse straight into Lan Qingyou's arms. It then fluttered over to land squarely on Gu Xiaobei's shoulder, affectionately nuzzling its feathered cheek against hers.

"Haha, that tickles!"

Even though this was her first time having such close contact with one of this world's magical beasts, Gu Xiaobei wasn't afraid in the slightest. In fact, she looked delighted.

This was true despite her level being considerably lower than Lan Qingyou's.

Are you kidding? It was a fluffy owl, and a magical one at that!

More importantly, it was incredibly cute.

Not seizing the opportunity to pet it right then and there would have been the greatest regret of her life.

"It seems to like you," Lan Qingyou noted. "And it especially likes your crispy beef slices."

Watching Steel Wire Ball's shameless behavior, Lan Qingyou knew exactly what the little glutton was plotting.

Acting cute.

Begging for free food and drinks.

There was simply no other explanation.

Sure enough...

"Oh, really? Then big sister will treat you to a feast today!"

Gu Xiaobei fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Steel Wire Ball narrowed its eyes, looking incredibly smug about its victory.

"What's on the menu for today?"

Lan Qingyou rolled her eyes at the bird before turning her attention back to Gu Xiaobei.

After all, since she was already here, it would be an insult to the head chef to leave without grabbing a bite to eat.

"Roasted mountain lamb leg paired with a lime and sour plum juice."

"Oh! That sounds fantastic. I'll take a portion. By the way, could you do me a favor and appraise this little guy?"

As she spoke, Lan Qingyou held up the tiny white mouse resting in her arms by the scruff of its neck.

Even as she dangled it in the air, the mouse didn't so much as twitch. It hung there lifelessly, almost like a corpse.

Strangely enough, the little creature had been incredibly lethargic ever since Lan Qingyou woke up that morning.

Heaven only knew what sort of cruel trauma it had endured the night before.

All she knew was that Steel Wire Ball had been in a spectacularly cheerful mood all day long, immensely pleased with itself.