Chapter 25: Milai, the Little Glutton

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In the world of "Online Game: Age of Magic," the text flow is a bit sparse during the serialization, so please bookmark it. Xiao Hei's updates are guaranteed.
Additionally: there will be an extra chapter at midnight tonight.
———

At one o’clock in the afternoon, for those living on the Scavenger Planet, this time of day is akin to the middle of the night on a residential planet.

On the neatly planned, spotless streets, a few scavengers with "panda eyes" hurried back and forth on miniature glideboards under the saturated brilliance of the so-called "sunshine."

Above, the sky was still that same deep blue, dotted with ever-shifting, flawless white clouds... and that "artificial sun" whose wattage I couldn’t even begin to guess—a damned orb, fabricated from who knows how many bulbs, with no sense of sunrise or sunset, circling above us all day in endless, nauseating loops. After a while, one grew weary of its presence.

Here, there are no rainy days, no snow, not even the overcast, for those would burden the district’s systems. The other ninety-nine living zones are much the same.

…

This was the first time I’d left my apartment while my fellow residents were deep in slumber…

In that moment, a strange illusion bloomed in my mind: it felt as if this world was no different from the Kodo Beast Valley in "Age of Magic"…

So quiet!

But the rumbling of my empty stomach soon dismissed that ridiculous comparison.

"Better find something to eat. I wonder what Milai is doing right now?" Driven by hunger, I set off toward Milai’s Restaurant, a place I could find even with my eyes closed.

…

Milai’s Restaurant was a Chinese eatery run by a beautiful woman named Milai. She was stunning and alluring; it was said that many scavenger men in our district had once considered her the woman of their dreams.

And as for my troublesome personal steward—Little Rascal—the first time she simulated a humanoid beauty to mess with me, she’d chosen Milai’s appearance.

To be honest, when I first saw Milai in a skimpy swimsuit appear in my bedroom, eyes full of seductive allure, I almost lost control…

I almost sent Little Rascal in for forced recycling, that’s how close I came.

It was simply unbearable—Milai was an android, a mechanical beauty in human form.

My own tastes are perfectly mainstream, thank you; I have no interest whatsoever in robotic women…

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After that impulsive episode, Little Rascal never again simulated a mechanical beauty to provoke me. Instead, she stubbornly embarked on an endless quest across the net, scouring the stars for the universe’s most popular female celebrities… Damn, how did I get sidetracked onto Little Rascal again?

Shaking my head, I stepped into Milai’s Restaurant.

The restaurant was bright and spotless, the air fresh and clean without a trace of grease—precisely why I chose to eat here. But what kept me coming back was the Chinese food. Whatever was on the menu, Milai could prepare to perfection.

Almost every customer here praised Milai’s culinary skills—though, truth be told, I never really knew whether she cooked everything herself…

But that hardly mattered. There was never a wrong time to eat here.

As I entered, the place was as quiet as I’d expected, almost eerily so. Not a single other customer.

I chose a window-side table for two and naturally took a teacup from the tea set rising from the table…

At that moment, Milai’s lovely silhouette appeared, accompanied by the familiar scent of jasmine. She gracefully lifted the teapot, pouring a stream of fragrant tea into my cup.

"Qilin, you’re two hours early today," she said. A mature woman with a voice like a young girl’s—it was an enchanting combination, one that could easily make a man drunk on it.

With practiced ease, Milai lowered her sensual figure into the seat opposite me, her captivating eyes meeting mine.

"Shall we try something different today?"

As the owner of Milai’s Restaurant, she knew my dining habits well. This was her first time seeing me come at this hour; a touch more curiosity than usual sparkled in her alluring gaze.

"Sure, Milai. Why don’t you decide for me?"

Her familiarity and candor were nothing new to me. Her warmth and friendliness were always genuine, never once disliked by any man—including myself.

To me, Milai wasn’t just a dedicated and exceptional proprietor; she was the only one I could confide in at will. I had never made friends on this planet. As for Little Rascal, she was merely a smart steward system, lacking Milai’s emotional depth and design. Besides, that one spent all day scheming to prank me… utterly unreliable!

Milai paused, a mischievous glint in her beautiful eyes. "Very well… Please wait a moment."

With that, she glided away from the table.

…

Half an hour later, clutching my overstuffed stomach, I settled the bill amid a cascade of Milai’s playful laughter—letting her pick the dishes had certainly been a mistake. I was far too full!

"Sister Milai, who was that just now?" A young girl dressed head-to-toe in white casual attire watched Qilin leave. Black shirt and pants, about her age, curiosity sparkled in her eyes; after all, at this hour, she was usually the only one who came.

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"You little glutton, you’re here too!"

"Milai, I told you not to call me that! If you keep it up… hmph! I won’t come next time!"

"Really? That’s wonderful… The freeloader’s finally leaving; thank heavens, Milai’s Restaurant can finally lighten its burden…" Milai laughed, patting her chest in exaggerated relief, looking every bit the liberated farmer.

But her companion was not to be outdone.

"So, what was I saying—oh, right, Milai, what’s for lunch today? Hurry up, I’m starving!"

Milai: "…"

…

There were still ten minutes left before my scheduled meeting with Bai— for White Day—when I returned to my apartment. I ignored Little Rascal’s insistent requests to provide "special service" and activated the communication system.

"Please enter the name of the contact."

"Lin Xuefeng."

"Please wait…"

Three seconds later, another female voice came through:

"My master left a message in 'Age of Magic' for me to pass on: He’s currently leveling up and can’t leave right now. Contact him after eight in the evening if it’s not urgent. If it’s an emergency, please leave a message, or I can transfer you into the game—one minute costs ten credits. Would you like to proceed?"

"No, thank you. End call."

I shook my head. Ten credits a minute for a transfer service—I wasn’t about to splurge on that. Besides, I wasn’t ready to tell him I’d entered the game world yet. I’d wait until I reached the third tier of power—telling him now would only distract him and do no good.

"Very well. Contact us next time," Lin Xuefeng’s personal steward concluded politely.

The next moment, I dashed into my bedroom before Little Rascal could reveal her "true form"!