Chapter 59: An Encounter Like Blossoming Flowers

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Eastern Abyss Fish Noodles—what kind of fish is the Eastern Abyss Fish?

This was the first time Luffy had ever heard such a name. He was a bit curious, and also found it rather expensive that a bowl of noodles cost three crystal cores. Still, he figured he had to taste it to know if it was any good.

“One bowl of Eastern Abyss Fish Noodles, please,” Luffy called out.

He took a seat at one of the nearby tables. The meal wasn’t particularly luxurious, but the place was spotlessly clean.

“Alright, please wait a moment,” the owner replied.

The proprietor was a middle-aged man with a trimmed beard, dressed in a white shirt, his short hair flecked with gray. He wore a kind, gentle smile, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He flicked the cigarette into a nearby ashtray, stood up, and walked over to a fish tank.

“Boss, what kind of fish is the Eastern Abyss Fish?” Luffy asked with curiosity.

“It’s a fish from Lake Dongming in Jiu Zhou City. The flesh is tender and, after mutation, it’s become even more delicious and extremely hard to catch. I can only get three a day, which is why it’s so expensive. Ordinary folks can’t really afford it.”

The middle-aged man smiled and explained as he grabbed a fish and began to prepare it right there. The fish weighed at least five pounds, looking somewhat like a grass carp, but with a long tail and a slender mouth.

Luffy watched as the owner handled the fish with practiced ease, and then began preparing the noodles.

“I’ll need two bowls, actually. My friend will be here soon,” Luffy said, glancing up at the owner.

“Alright. Not bad, you must have plenty of crystal cores,” the owner remarked with a note of surprise, eyeing Luffy. Was this boy from the Li family, or perhaps the Wang family? Otherwise, who would spend six crystal cores on two bowls of noodles—something ordinary people couldn’t possibly afford.

“It’s alright. I only have six thousand left,” Luffy replied casually.

“Oh!” The owner was taken aback, but quickly finished preparing a bowl of porridge and set it in front of Luffy. “Enjoy.”

Just as Luffy was about to eat, he saw a red SUV pull up outside the shop. The vehicle had been modified, with two large boosters at the rear—one of those terrifying rides that could accelerate in an instant—and was made of some special material.

The door swung open, and a slender, pale leg stepped gracefully out, clad in high blue heels, followed by the other leg—long and alluring, the kind of legs one could admire for a year.

Then, a beautiful head emerged from behind the car, slightly bent at the waist—a woman of striking charm, dressed in a blue dress, stepping elegantly from the vehicle.

Her features were exquisite, her skin as delicate as porcelain, an oval face, a slender waist, a curvaceous figure, and an alluring silhouette—every detail was perfection.

Her beauty was like a painting, as if a celestial maiden had descended to the mortal world.

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Luffy was stunned. He hadn’t seen her in a month and a half, and she seemed even more graceful, beautiful, and enchanting than before. Her every step was captivating.

She was like a blossoming flower, radiating an intense allure.

Even the middle-aged owner was mesmerized. Though he was well past the age of youthful longing, he couldn’t help but be dazzled by the youthful charm of this young woman.

Qin Bailing walked over to Luffy, a gentle fragrance wafting in her wake.

Their eyes met.

With a familiar smile, she sat down across from Luffy.

“Long time no see. You haven’t changed at all, but I didn’t expect you to have reached Tier Two already,” Qin Bailing said, her beautiful eyes shining with curiosity and charm.

“It’s nothing much. But you’re already Tier Four—higher than me,” Luffy replied, looking at her with interest.

“Actually, I took the Body Tempering Elixir three months ago. That’s why I have the strength I do now,” Qin Bailing said openly, without hiding anything from Luffy. “Three months ago, I met a strange woman who said my talent was rare in a millennium. She took me as her apprentice and had me meet Dr. Huo from the Li family. I didn’t know the apocalypse would arrive a month ago. That morning, my master sent someone to take me away, saying the end was coming. My parents and I boarded their helicopter. Your parents happened to pass by, so we brought them with us.”

“I’m so grateful to you. I really don’t know how to thank you!” Luffy said sincerely. If not for Qin Bailing, his parents would likely have perished.

“I told them to go to the school, but they didn’t listen—said there wasn’t enough time and drove off,” Qin Bailing replied helplessly.

“It’s fine, you did your best,” Luffy said with a smile. At that moment, the owner brought over the second bowl of noodles and set it before Qin Bailing. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you!” Qin Bailing nodded and looked at Luffy. “I didn’t expect you to take things so well. I sent someone to look for you, but he seemed out of sorts when he returned. Was that your doing?”

“How did you know? That guy was too arrogant—tried to rob me and said a lot of things that forced my hand,” Luffy chuckled, picking up his chopsticks. Sharing a meal with Qin Bailing always lifted his spirits, as if seeing her was a joy in itself.

“Oh, he deserved it. But how did you make him lose his memory and claim he crashed his car into a ditch? That’s hilarious,” Qin Bailing said as she ate her noodles, occasionally flashing her white teeth. Around Luffy, she shed all pretense; the two chatted and laughed easily.

Their conversation was warm and friendly.

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“I bashed his head in,” Luffy replied with a smile. That was only part of the truth—the real reason was the puppet talisman he’d used, but he couldn’t mention that for now.

“No wonder he kept repeating the same phrase. How are our classmates?” Qin Bailing asked, glancing at Luffy with concern.

“There are only a little more than ten left. The rest are dead. All the teachers are gone, too. Those of us who remain made it to the Jiu Zhou City Safe Zone,” Luffy answered between mouthfuls. The apocalypse’s cruelty lay in the pain of parting through death—one moment, they were all students in school; the next, most had turned into flesh-eating zombies. It was a terrifying ordeal.

“What about the class vice-rep?” Qin Bailing asked as she ate.

“She left during the journey,” Luffy replied.

“Oh, she’s always been so competitive. Let’s go see your parents after we finish eating—they miss you very much,” Qin Bailing said, savoring her noodles.

Luffy, having already finished, placed his chopsticks on his bowl and watched her eat, finding even that a pleasure. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

“These noodles are pretty good,” Qin Bailing remarked.

“Yeah, they really are,” Luffy agreed, shrugging and nodding. He took out a spatial ring from his storage ring—the one he’d gotten from the head of the Evil Sky Sect. He considered whether to give it to her, since her birthday was coming up in a few days. After a brief internal struggle, he decided to wait and give it to her on her birthday.

“Alright, let’s go,” Qin Bailing said, patting her stomach, finally satisfied. She stood up and headed outside, while Luffy had already paid the bill.

Luffy climbed into Qin Bailing’s car, where her scent lingered—fragrant and pleasant. He settled into the passenger seat, and Qin Bailing started the engine and drove off.

He hadn’t seen his parents in so long—they were the ones he missed most.

(End of chapter)