12: devil?

Li An, clutching his stomach in a panic, ran towards the public restroom he remembered.

However, after finally holding it in until he reached the vicinity, he found that section of the grassy sidewalk completely deserted.

Many passersby even walked far around, as if afraid of getting contaminated by something unpleasant.

Initially confused, Li An only understood once he got closer.

"Holy crap, why is it so stinky?! Did the public restroom explode?!"

He wasn't the first person to say that, nor would he be the last.

But undoubtedly, he was definitely the most desperate one.

What to do? Just find a random place to relieve himself?

Li An looked left and right, then despairingly realized there were people everywhere.

It was the age of self-media; if he really relieved himself anywhere, it would probably be a local trending topic within a few hours.

"...I'll risk it!"

Li An was on the verge of tears, enduring the eye-watering stench, and charged in with his head down.

At this point, he preferred to pass out from the smell alone in the restroom rather than face public humiliation.

After rushing past two corners, the stench had become so strong that his vision began to distort.

Li An's face was already ashen.

It was a mix of holding it in and being scared.

Could the public restroom have really exploded?

Literally?

Otherwise, how could there be such an exaggerated stench?!

Just as he was about to round the last corner, on the verge of encountering the public restroom whose smell he'd encountered before seeing it, a burst of cheerful laughter reached his ears.

The cackling laughter sounded as if seven or eight people were happily having a meal together.

"It's over, the smell is really making me hallucinate..."

Li An hadn't expected the stench to already start invading his mind, causing him to hallucinate.

Realizing that the stench might have threatened his life, Li An, despite still suffering from severe stomach pain, stopped in his tracks and looked back wistfully at the path he had taken.

My life, tossed by wind and rain, can I reach the end smoothly?

Li An's eyes held both reluctance and confusion.

Alas, let's go.

He no longer hesitated, taking a big step around the corner..."Mine, mine, don't snatch..."

"Ah, life is like a piece of stinky tofu, first stinky, then fragrant..."

The vivid scene before his eyes and the sounds of laughter in his ears harmoniously blended together.

Together, they depicted a lively, bustling atmosphere.

Li An rubbed his eyes and slowly retreated back around the corner.

After a moment, he walked out again.

Before him was still that vivid scene.

"Heh heh."

His anxious heart finally gave up.

A smile appeared on Li An's face as he nodded at the vibrant high school students, the middle-aged man engaging in performance art, and the young boss with the stiff smile.

"My hallucinations, hello there."

Li An watched the lively scene with appreciation, while clenching his buttocks and waddling into the public restroom.

"Oh, right, this public restroom must have exploded, so I can't be fooled by the hallucination before me."

Li An tried to mentally block out the bright, clean public restroom before him, tiptoeing forward, step by step, to avoid stepping into pits obscured by the hallucination.

"Hmm, good luck, this step landed on a good floor."

"Hmm, this step was also correct."

"Good, good, good, this step wasn't wrong either."

"Keep going, the stall is just ahead! Victory is in sight!"

---

Lu Chuan listened to the self-talk, full of joy, coming from the public restroom.

The stiff smile he was trying to maintain on his face almost broke again.

"System..."

"Host, please speak."

"I'm not selling 'Guochao' pre-made meals, am I? Also, I don't have a physique that easily attracts abnormal humans, do I?"

"Host, please set up your stall properly and don't talk nonsense."

"..."

Soon after, the sound of a toilet flushing came from the public restroom.

Then, the previously plump man emerged, pulling up his pants, looking refreshed.

Lu Chuan thought for a moment, then still asked aloud.

"Hello, would you like a portion of stinky tofu? It's very delicious."

His words made Li An, who was looking down and adjusting his clothes, freeze.

"You... are you talking to me?"

Li An suddenly looked up, staring blankly at Lu Chuan, then pointed back at himself, his face filled with a 'seen a ghost' expression.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

Lu Chuan thought he had said something wrong and became a little nervous.

Li An was sure he hadn't misheard, but still rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then rubbed his plump face, and finally slapped himself.

Perhaps he was too excited, as he didn't hold back much with that slap, leaving a bright red mark on his face.

At the same time, the loud slap also made Qi Yuan, Worker Meng, and the others nearby look over in surprise.

Under these strange gazes, Li An felt the stinging pain on his face and finally realized that none of this was a hallucination.

And the stench that had constantly lingered in his nostrils was not coming from the public restroom.

Li An's gaze involuntarily shifted to the small cart with the 'stinky tofu' sign, his expression changing rapidly.

From initial suspicion, to realization, then to surprise, and finally, to horror.

Yes, horror.

He never would have thought that the source of this repulsive, unsettling stench was actually stinky tofu?!

No, that's not right, normal stinky tofu could never achieve this level!

Even stinky tofu with added ingredients couldn't!

For some reason, Li An suddenly thought of the various rumors circulating online recently about spiritual energy revival and interdimensional invasion.

He also recalled classic plotlines from various web novels and anime.

A terrifying conjecture rapidly spread in his mind, gradually occupying all his thoughts.

Exclude all impossible and illogical deductions, and whatever remains, no matter how incredible, is the truth.

Therefore, there is only one truth!

This is definitely stinky tofu made by the devil himself!

And only stinky tofu made by the devil could be so contrary to common sense!

Frightened by his own conjecture, Li An's pupils dilated as he quickly glanced at the young man with the stiff smile behind the cart.

So this young man, who seemed gentle and introverted, was actually a cunning and sly devil inside?

Beneath Li An's broad physique, his heart trembled.

At this moment, he caught sight of Qi Yuan, Worker Meng, and the others out of the corner of his eye, noticing then that each of them held a bowl of stinky tofu, with a strange smile on their lips.

So, these customers, were their true identities the devil's minions?

Li An felt as if his legs were filled with lead, and the plot of a novel he had recently read about hellish demons invading the human world began to gradually overlap with the scene before him.

The devil had appeared, so was the end of the world finally coming?

"Wuwuwuwu..."

Li An trembled with fear, a quivering sound escaping his throat..."What's wrong with him?"

Qi Yuan nudged Li Qihong with his elbow, asking curiously.

Li Qihong shrugged his shoulders, equally confused...Worker Meng and Old Chen exchanged glances, a hint of sympathy in their eyes.

Could this fat man be having some kind of medical episode?

Look at all that fat, shaking like that...

Lu Chuan, unaware that he was apparently a devil, was also worried about Li An.

"System, can you help call an ambulance? I don't have a phone..."