254: Online "human flesh search"

Time: Wednesday, 15:00.

Weather: Sunny and pleasant.

Mood: Gloomy.

Qi Yuan rested his chin in his hand, listening absentmindedly to the teacher lecturing at the podium.

Occasionally, he would lower his head and continue writing in his diary:

“Today is probably another day I won't get to eat the Little Boss's delicious food… Waaah!!!”

“It's Wednesday, Little Boss, where exactly have you been setting up your stall? Don't you want us, your loyal fan-customers, anymore?”

“We all miss you so much, please come back!!!”

Every stroke was exceptionally forceful, expressing the turbulent emotions beneath Qi Yuan's calm exterior.

Over the past three days, he wasn't the only one; all the Regular Customers had spontaneously taken action.

They had scoured all the locations where Lu Chuan had previously set up his stall, even expanding their search to cover every possible corner for a stall in Yinhua City.

Many even took an unconventional approach, considering Lu Chuan's particular preference for stall locations, and searched places that ordinary people wouldn't even think of, but where a stall could still be set up.

The result: nothing.

In the group chat, it was already a madhouse.

“Not being able to eat the Little Boss's delicious food every day feels like ants are crawling on me! I'm about to lose it!”

“Didn't find him on Monday, didn't find him on Tuesday, didn't find him again on Wednesday… It's over, looks like he's ghosted us this week too.”

“Is the Little Boss not setting up his stall in Yinhua City this week either? Nooooo!!!”

“@Group Admin Qi Yuan, Group Admin, think of something! If we don't find the Little Boss soon, my depression is going to act up again!”

“I even asked people in the surrounding towns of Yinhua City, and there's nothing! The Little Boss is too good at running away!”

Finally, when class ended, Qi Yuan could check the messages in the group.

Seeing the widespread wailing in the group, he also frowned deeply.

After a moment of thought, he began to type his reply.

“Qi Yuan: Based on last week's pattern, if Boss Lu isn't in Yinhua, then he most likely went to another city. Today is already Wednesday, so at most, he probably only has Thursday and Friday left to set up his stall. So, our time might really be running out.”

This message was like cold water dropped into a hot oil pan; the group instantly exploded even more.

“Ugh, I was deliberately ignoring that point, you bad guy, Group Admin!”

“My Little Boss, boo hoo hoo!”

“Even by high-speed rail, it takes most of a day to get from Yinhua City to the nearest big city, right? We're out of luck!”

“Qi Yuan: So we can't just wait around, and we definitely can't rely on just ourselves searching blindly in Yinhua. @All Members, listen to me, we need to leverage the strength in numbers and expand our search to the entire internet! Especially social media platforms!”

“Qi Yuan: Keywords to search for are 'Miracle Vendor,' 'Street Food So Good It Makes You Cry,' 'Strange Stall,' 'Young Handsome Boss Who Cooks Delicious Food,' and so on! If there are any suspicious clues, especially information from Magic City or surrounding big cities, screenshot it immediately and post it in the group! @Baba Le Big Streamer, do you have any inside information?”

Baba Le, who was tagged, immediately popped up.

“Baba Le: Xiao Hu and I have been in Magic City for two days already! My legs are practically worn thin! We've been to every night market, snack street, and commercial plaza with any reputation, and we still haven't found a trace of the Little Boss! But I have a strong feeling that the Little Boss is definitely in Magic City!”

“Baba Le: Don't worry, Group Admin, everyone! I, Baba Le, hereby make a military pledge! For the last three days, even if I don't eat, drink, or sleep, I will turn Magic City upside down and do everything I can to help everyone find the Little Boss! Otherwise, I'll stream myself washing my hair while standing on my head!”

Baba Le's words slightly eased the anxious atmosphere in the group, but also made everyone more aware of the urgency of time.

Thus, a massive online “human search” operation, spontaneously organized by thousands of Yinhua City's Regular Customers, began.

These people, from all walks of life but connected by their love for food, unleashed astonishing energy.

They constantly refreshed various social media platforms, using various keyword combinations to search, filter, and identify.

All sorts of ambiguous clues were continuously thrown into the group.

“Look! Someone on Little Yellow Book said they ate a super delicious fried rice on Guanqian Street in Su City! The picture is a bit blurry, but the stall owner seems to be a young person!”

“Identification complete, it's not the Little Boss. That guy wears glasses, the Little Boss doesn't.”

“A food blogger on Weibo posted a video, saying they found a super long queue at a BBQ stall by West Lake in Hangzhou City!”

“Saw it, the grilling technique is very average, pass.”

“What about this one? At the entrance of a certain wet market in Pudong, Magic City…”

“That stall owner is an auntie (laugh-cry).”

Hope ignited again and again, only to be extinguished again and again.

Just as everyone was feeling a bit disheartened, in the evening, Yue Yifei suddenly sent more than a dozen messages.

“Yue Yifei: @Group Admin Qi Yuan @All Members!!! Major discovery! Major discovery!!!”

“Yue Yifei: I think I found the Little Boss!”

“Yue Yifei: I just chatted with a university classmate who majors in finance, and he told me that in the past two days, a fried rice stall appeared at the entrance and exit of the Skyline Financial Building plaza in Magic City.”

“Yue Yifei: The fried rice the stall owner sells is ridiculously expensive, but it's so delicious that a group of financial elites in suits lost their composure on the spot, and some even cried and laughed while eating it.”

“Yue Yifei: When I heard that, doesn't that sound a lot like the Little Boss's style? So I quickly asked him if he had any photos or videos.”

“Yue Yifei: [Picture] [Picture] [Picture]”

“Yue Yifei: Look quickly! Is it the Little Boss?! Although the distance is a bit far, that profile! That figure! It really looks so much like him!”

Those few photos, taken from a distance by Yue Yifei's classmate, somewhat blurry but with very accurate characteristic captures, were like a depth charge, instantly igniting the previously silent group chat!

In the photos, the young man standing behind the food cart, holding mystic crystal kitchen knife that shimmered with starlight, with a focused and calm expression, who else could it be but Lu Chuan?!

“Holy cow! It really is the Little Boss!”

“That profile! I'd recognize him even if he were burned to ashes!”

“Skyline Financial Building?! That's the financial core of Magic City! The Little Boss ran there to set up a stall and sell fried rice?! And made elites lose their composure?!”

“This is very Little Boss! This is extremely Little Boss!”

“Yue Yifei! You've made a great contribution! I'll give you two extra drumsticks tonight!”

Qi Yuan reacted quickly.

“Qi Yuan: @Yue Yifei, have you confirmed the stall hours?”

“Yue Yifei: My classmate said he sets up at 12 PM sharp every day and packs up at 2:30 PM sharp.”

“Qi Yuan: Good! @All Members, target confirmed! Magic City, first-floor plaza of the 'Skyline' Financial Building! Those old friends who are close and have the means, let's get moving!”

As Qi Yuan's message went out, the wealthy and available Regular Customers in the group could no longer sit still.