26: Food and wine

Time: October 16, 2075, Night. Location: Night City Badlands, Weeks Town Party Bar.

The entire bar was filled with the scent of hormones.

Men and women in wild clothing on the stage were twisting their bodies to their heart's content. They, following the passionate rock music, kept shaking, dancing, hugging, kissing, **.

Amidst the noise, Fang Yun, Valentine, and Toke were sitting steadily on the seats on the second floor.

Fang Yun sat on a double seat by himself, while Valentine and Toke sat opposite Fang Yun, with a height-adjustable glass table between them.

On the glass table, a grill was placed in the center, with various skewers being grilled on it, mainly meat skewers, with very few vegetable skewers.

On one hand, it was because all three preferred meat skewers, and on the other hand, it was because vegetable skewers were more expensive than meat skewers.

And on the sides near the seats, some food items were placed, such as wraps, grilled skewers, etc., as well as some drinks, such as soda and beer.

Of course, these skewers were not natural green food, but synthetic food.

After taking a bite of the low-grade synthetic food served by the bar, Fang Yun immediately spat it out.

Then, Fang Yun spent a little more money and had the bar replace the skewers and other food with medium-grade synthetic food.

As for where Fang Yun's money came from, as mentioned before, Fang Yun had hacked into Weeks Town's public network.

When exiting Weeks Town's public network, Fang Yun not only erased his intrusion traces but also secretly borrowed a little bit of euro.

Since the euro was borrowed from hidden accounts, gray accounts, and black accounts, Fang Yun didn't have to worry about the account owners reporting him to the town's government center.

Back to medium-grade synthetic food.

Although medium-grade synthetic food didn't have a plastic taste like low-grade synthetic food, it also didn't have a texture similar to natural green food like high-grade synthetic food.

In terms of taste, medium-grade synthetic food had no plastic taste, its texture was similar to bean gluten or bean curd skin, and its color depended entirely on coloring additives.

Generally, people in the lower class of the 2077 World usually ate low-grade synthetic food, and only on occasions like holiday celebrations would they be willing to "eat something good" and get some medium-grade synthetic food.

Only middle-class people could frequently eat some medium-grade synthetic food, occasionally eat some high-grade synthetic food, and even have the chance to taste natural green food.

As for people in the lower class, they generally ate by scavenging. Those with slightly better conditions could buy something like paste made from the residues of low-grade synthetic food from vending machines.

Although Valentine and Toke had some savings, their usual diet also mainly consisted of low-grade synthetic food.

Seeing Fang Yun take a bite of low-grade synthetic food and immediately spit it out, Valentine and Toke exchanged glances and immediately had many guesses about Fang Yun's identity.

Valentine and Toke knew that their relationship with Fang Yun hadn't reached a very familiar level yet, so they didn't ask about Fang Yun's identity.

Toke raised a glass of beer and said loudly:

"To thank Fang Yun for his help, cheers!"

Valentine also raised his glass and echoed loudly:

"Cheers!"

Seeing this, Fang Yun raised a glass of ginger beer and clinked glasses with Valentine and Toke.

"To our acquaintance, cheers!"

After speaking, the three of them, Fang Yun, drank their entire glasses of beer in one gulp.

Placing his glass down on the glass table with a clink, Fang Yun let out a satisfied sigh.

"Ah~. This beer is quite good, cool and refreshing, with a sweet aftertaste. Delicious."

Valentine and Toke both laughed upon hearing this.

Valentine picked up a grilled meat skewer, took a bite of half of it, and then said happily:

"Fang Yun, your taste is really good. This bar has three most famous features."

"First, it provides food like grilled skewers."

"Second, it's the ginger beer with special seasonings added."

"Third, it's the wonderful, heaven-like experience that can only be obtained with Superdream."

"By coming to this bar with me and Toke, you've come to the right place."

"Even looking at the entire Weeks Town, this bar's reputation is top-notch."

After listening, Fang Yun let out an exclamation:

"You're right. I've come to the right place."

After speaking, Fang Yun also picked up a grilled meat skewer.

Taking a bite, the thick sauce splattered in his mouth, and the rich aroma filled his nose and mouth.

「There's no meat taste at all. Moreover, I estimate that both the "meat" and the "sauce" are full of technology and ruthless processing.」

「But it doesn't matter, as long as it doesn't cause poisoning, it's harmless to me, this blocky person.」

「Furthermore, although this grilled meat skewer has no meat taste, there's absolutely no problem eating it as a tasteless bean product.」

「It can't compare to bread synthesized from wheat, but it's still acceptable.」

「When I have a chance in the future, I'll go and taste what "real meat" tastes like in this world.」

「Speaking of which, if I get livestock like pigs, cattle, sheep, and chickens in the future, build a ranch, and achieve "real meat" freedom, won't I be able to achieve financial freedom by selling "real meat"? Maybe I could even become the world's richest person because of it. (laugh.jpg) 」

While thinking, Fang Yun quickly devoured the grilled skewer that wasn't a meat skewer, and then picked up a vegetable skewer.

「Let me taste what this vegetable skewer is like.」

Taking a bite, Fang Yun could clearly taste the vegetable flavor, but this vegetable flavor gave him a strange feeling.

「How should I put it, it doesn't taste like the vegetable itself, but rather like a vegetable flavor concocted with various additives.」

「There's no characteristic taste of any specific vegetable, just the taste of "vegetable".」

「Scanning with my cyber eyes, it's not as good as the grilled meat skewer.」

Just as Fang Yun was concentrating on finishing the remaining part of the vegetable skewer he held, Toke, sitting opposite him, suddenly winked and said to Fang Yun:

"Fang Yun, you've already experienced the first two of this bar's three major features. How about considering experiencing the third one too?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yun finished the vegetable skewer in his hand in two bites, and then said thoughtfully:

"The third feature?"

"Oh~, you mean Superdream, right."

Toke smiled mysteriously, saying half affirmatively and half negatively:

"You're only half right."

"This bar's third feature requires both Superdream and people or machinery."

"Imagine it, Fang Yun."

"You can not only get neural sensory stimulation from Superdream, but also physical stimulation with the help of people and machinery outside."

"The excellent feeling of hitting the bullseye with every shot, a double stimulation where both nerves and body are immersed."

"I can only say, it's perfect."

Toke made a gesture indicating perfection.

Fang Yun picked up another grilled meat skewer and said while eating:

"What you said has made me a bit tempted. After we finish eating, shall we go check it out?"

Toke clapped his hands and said loudly:

"Great. After we finish eating, we'll go experience it."

After speaking, Toke turned his head to look at Valentine.

"Valentine, are you going?"

Valentine silently picked up a glass of ginger beer and said:

"I'll go too."