Infinite Cosmic Cafeteria Chapter 98: Promotion

Translator: StellarNovels Editor: StellarNovels

Ma Lu wasn’t entirely sure he could convince Zhen Ye. Although her house indeed needed renovations, getting someone as socially anxious as her to leave her comfort zone would be quite challenging.

If all else failed, he could always call in a favor from Yan Wu. The werewolf had recently enjoyed the Flame-Hearted Earth Dragon Stuffed Orange, so he might feel a bit obliged. Lately, he had been very proactive in helping with the restaurant’s renovation, contributing a lot. The construction crew was his recommendation, and they were known for their meticulous work; Foreman Old He was also a straightforward guy.

Yan Wu even personally assisted in sourcing building materials and keeping costs down, and the contact for the lumberyard had also come from him.

The only issue was with the collateral loan—he was still insistent on tasting a dish that would genuinely move him before handing over those three high-dimensional artifacts.

…………

Ma Lu spent most of the week running around, and it wasn’t until the day came to gather ingredients again that he could finally catch a breath and temporarily free himself from all the mundane tasks.

Compared to renovations and paperwork, even the beast tides seemed less daunting.

With the white Insect Egg perched on his head, Ma Lu was eager to escape from this world.

But before running off, he habitually took stock of the past week’s earnings from the stall.

Thanks to a price increase and the Collection Bag’s upgrade to level 5, which added an extra 100 pounds of capacity, the Earth Dragons roujiamos brought in a total income of 203,849.

Excluding rent and renovation costs, the operating costs for the week were slightly lower than the previous week, totaling just 1,522.2, resulting in a final profit of 202,326.8.

Ma Lu initially wanted to level up the Collection Bag to level 6 in one go, but he resisted the urge.

While Universe’s Best Snack Stall had the popularity to sell an additional 100 pounds of ingredients, it would extend his daily work hours to over seven hours.

With the restaurant’s grand opening preparations also underway, even someone as young as Ma Lu would find it exhausting.

Furthermore, previously, all he needed was to upgrade his equipment, which only required buying a new phone to feed to No. 6. However, the desktop farm he planned to acquire next would require repair costs in Old Value.

So, Ma Lu considered sourcing some second-hand electronics to see if he could make a better trade, but the second-hand electronics market was tricky.

He had seen a story on Bilibili about a graphics card with a damaged core that kept circulating among different tech repair creators, only to end up on second-hand marketplaces again, a testament to the murky waters of second-hand tech.

Local exchanges were more reliable, but Ma Lu didn’t have the time this week, so he’d have to look into it next week.

“The universe is full of eggs, and all eggs are interconnected!”

As Ma Lu cleared his mind and spoke the code phrase, his body vanished from the sofa.

The Giant Screen. The atmosphere in the city felt heavy.

The streets were quieter than usual, especially on the first floor, where many shops had closed.

Just three days ago, over 200 Flesh-Dangling Hooked Vultures and White Headed Desert Rocs had infiltrated the city through gaps in the solar panels on the dome, attacking and causing destruction everywhere.

Although the intruders were eventually exterminated by hunters and law enforcement officers, there were still some casualties.

As a result, the city council decided to temporarily relocate ordinary residents from the first floor to the underground levels.

Bocchi’s apartment was also on the first floor, but as a hunter, she didn’t need to move.

With no customers, Mai Mai decided to close her perfume shop and moved in with Bocchi.

Setta and Senqi, after sending their parents to the second underground level, also returned to the surface and found an empty room next to Bocchi’s to stay in.

Since Ma Lu was away, the Double Sunflower hunting team hadn’t been very active, mostly taking on low-risk cleanup tasks and occasionally hunting Two-Headed Jackal and Horn-Bellied Black Speed Snake near the city gates. They were keeping a low profile.

However, due to their previously displayed strength against the Strange-Mouthed Sandworms, Emperor Red-Backed Scorpions, and Earth Dragons, it was no surprise that they had attracted some attention.

This was the fourth time the Hunter Guild had sent someone to Bocchi’s residence.

And this time, it was none other than the guild’s vice president, Qin Zhao, who came in person. Bocchi was not unfamiliar with Qin Zhao, as he had a close relationship with her father.

Back when they were in school, the two were classmates, and they had later fought side by side in the same hunting team.

Qin Zhao’s record as a hunter was impressive. Although not quite on par with Li, he was still the ace of another diamond-level hunting team.

After retiring due to injuries, he joined the Hunter Guild to oversee hunting team evaluations and assessments.

Bocchi had met Qin Zhao more than once when she was young, and it was Qin Zhao who helped organize Li’s funeral. Their last meeting was about four months ago, at Bocchi’s graduation.

Upon entering, Qin Zhao first nodded at Mai Mai, who was reclining on a beach chair, engrossed in a magazine. Then he turned to Bocchi, his gaze filled with a touch of pride.

“Uncle Qin,” Bocchi greeted with a hint of helplessness and explained, “We’re not holding back because the guild’s rewards are low. Given the current situation, all hunters should unite and fight for The Giant Screen, and Double Sunflower is no exception.

“Even without compensation, we will do our best. The reason we haven’t accepted high-level commissions is that one of our core members is currently unavailable. We don’t have the strength to take on more challenging missions right now, and as the team leader, I must ensure the safety of my team.

“But rest assured, once our members are back, we will be active again soon.”

“I understand,” Qin Zhao said. “Courage is important, but knowing your and your team’s limits is just as crucial for a team leader.

“I’m glad you recognize this; you’ve become a qualified leader. I’m not here to rush you into action.”

As Qin Zhao spoke, he pulled out a small box from his coat.

Mai Mai, who had been reading her magazine, looked up, surprised at the sight of the box. “Is that…?”

“A silver badge,” Qin Zhao smiled. “Congratulations, according to the guild’s evaluation, you are now officially a Silver Level hunting team.

“Normally, when a team advances to Silver Level, the guild hosts a small badge awarding ceremony. But given the current situation, there’s no ceremony, though I’m still here as the awarder.”

Bocchi opened the box and saw a silver badge shaped like a Double Sunflower.

Already promoted so soon?

Seeing Bocchi’s puzzled expression, Qin Zhao waved his hand dismissively.

“I didn’t pull any strings. This is well-deserved. Your previous battle was spectacular, even the president couldn’t stop praising it.

“The four of you hunted down a full-grown Earth Dragon on your own. In terms of sheer skill, that’s already a diamond-level performance. But becoming diamond isn’t easy; it requires making a significant contribution to The Giant Screen.”

“Oh? Such as what?”

An unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke up from behind Qin Zhao.

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