Chapter 10

Fang Lingying looked at the corner of the pot where a small dish was clearly prepared for her and started to drool a bit: "Let's just taste it here. It's simple and convenient. We can eat a little and then go back to work. Old Yang, can you make do with this?"

The old man, called Old Yang, nodded with a smile: "Eating for the flavor doesn't necessarily require a fancy setting. We often eat and sleep outdoors, so Xiao Shao, you just need to tough it out."

Fang Lingying pulled out the plastic stool under the grill with familiarity and instructed Bak: "Hurry up, the main thing is to fill our stomachs." Although she said this, she still brought her delicate and smooth nose close to the small dish and sniffed it, nodding in satisfaction: "Yes! This is the flavor with a hint of fennel and cumin, and a bit of sugar. How did you know I like this..." She glanced at Bak's expressionless face in slight surprise, then turned to get a stool for Old Yang. As a result, Old Yang and Xiao Shao squatted by the roadside, each lighting a cigarette.

Bak also lit a cigarette. He wasn't particularly dependent on nicotine; the smell of smoke could attract pursuers, so he could control it well. However, he needed to relieve his impatience, which he knew came from others observing him. Old Yang, with a cigarette in his mouth, was intentionally or unintentionally observing him.

Bak never liked being the subject of observation; it almost always meant he was in danger. His appearance and behavior, which seemed ordinary to the point of being unremarkable, were the most important assets that allowed him to survive for many years in a highly casualty-prone mercenary team.

The special stir-fried dish for Fang Lingying was quickly prepared. Yesterday, he noticed that she seemed to treat it as dinner, so he prepared two more steamed buns. They were heated in the storage space under the grill and then skewered onto a long knife and placed on a plate. After arranging the plates, he used the long knife to carry the four plates over, two of which were for Fang Lingying.

Bak, of course, had no romantic interest in this lively woman. He wasn't in the mood for it; he was just repaying her for the food and clothing she provided during their journey back to Yuxing. However, others definitely didn't see it that way. Seeing the special treatment, even the ordinary round steamed buns were garnished with two pressed carrot flowers and a drizzle of sauce, making them look even more appealing when paired with the fresh, fragrant, and crispy stir-fried mixed vegetables and two steamed buns.

Fang Lingying loudly swallowed her saliva, picked up the specially matched metal fork, and started eating heartily: "Delicious! Really delicious!"

It was indeed delicious. Even the ordinary steamed buns, heated in the storage space under the grill, had a slightly crispy outer layer and a soft, steaming interior. Mixed with other dishes and meat slices, the bland steamed buns perfectly balanced the strong-flavored grilled meat, making it very good.

Even Old Yang couldn't help but sniff a couple of times, but his eyes remained fixed on Bak's gloved hands.

Xiao Shao also watched, but he focused on the knife in Bak's hand. He sniffed and laughed softly, warning Fang Lingying: "This guy who's grilling the meat has some ulterior motives, you know?" He tried to control his disdain, but a bit still leaked out.

Fang Lingying, busy eating, glanced up at the busy Bak, smiled, and continued eating. Old Yang didn't sit on the stool but used it as a small table for the three of them. She, wearing her blue work smock, sat on the curb to eat.

Bak glanced at the girl sitting and eating with her head down, and for a moment, his face showed a rare smile, the kind a chef gets when his food is appreciated. He lit another cigarette, and the impatient leg shaking disappeared. He let others look as they pleased.

Xiao Shao snorted again: "Still trying to act cool... Isn't this like a toad lusting after swan meat?"

Fang Lingying, who had spent several nights in the wild with this "toad," made a horrified face at him, laughed, and continued eating.

Old Yang also smiled, trying to divert his subordinate's attention. He knew his subordinate was very fond of the rising star Fang Lingying and was always extra attentive and enthusiastic when they came to handle official business, but being too hasty was not a good thing: "What do you think of this handsome guy?"

Xiao Shao, who was still diligent in his work, subconsciously brightened his eyes at his leader's question: "Is there a problem?"

Old Yang smiled but said nothing. The young man looked closely. Fang Lingying lightly raised her head to look at Bak, who was a few meters away, frowned, and then lowered her head, but her eating speed clearly increased.

Xiao Shao had already reached a conclusion: "His movements seem very skilled, but they're not necessarily essential, indicating he's not a professional cook. He might be skilled with something else, but he does heavy physical labor. However, his left leg seems a bit lame, though not obvious. His shoulder and back muscles are well-developed, and his forearms are very flexible. His skin is very tanned, indicating he spends a lot of time outdoors. He looks younger than he is, probably around 26 years old. His hands... hmm, he might be more skilled with knives... these two knives are controlled weapons and are homemade." He made a move to go over and ask.

Old Yang held him back and waved: "Boss, can you add some more meat?"

Bak, who was unaware of the recent strict regulations on knives, nodded and used the knife to scoop some meat, then turned and extended it over, gently flipping it into the plate and withdrawing. At that moment, Old Yang quietly reminded his subordinate: "Look at his arm..."

Xiao Shao focused intently: "Very steady! This knife is made from spring steel and weighs nearly ten pounds. He holds it with one hand without any tremor?"

Old Yang gently shook his head and stopped giving hints.

He was looking at the sleeve of Bak's old T-shirt, which had become somewhat transparent from washing. Old Yang's eagle-like eyes noticed that the inside of Bak's right shoulder seemed to have a different color!

The darker the skin on the arms, the whiter the shoulders appear, making the contrast very obvious. A darker spot on the shoulder was particularly noticeable, especially on white shirts. Among the people Old Yang had encountered, only soldiers, especially those who had served for a long time and were often in training, would have such a crescent-shaped mark on their shoulder!

It was a mark of iron and blood, earned from countless hours of using a rifle butt!

Of course, other professions might have similar marks, but they were usually on both shoulders. There was one case where the police incorrectly identified someone based on this mark. Many outdoor sports enthusiasts, especially long-distance swimmers, also had this mark on their right shoulder, supposedly because they often breathed on the right side, causing the long-sleeved wetsuit to rub there.

More importantly, he couldn't detect any military aura from this ordinary-looking young man.

This was the sensitivity of a veteran detective with a proud ten-year military background!

Xiao Shao, unaware of Old Yang's thoughts, put down the disposable plate and stood up: "Let's detain him and ask some questions!"

Fang Lingying reluctantly gave up her leisurely meal and quickly finished eating, greedily wiping the last bit of sauce from the plate with the steamed bun and stuffing it into her mouth. She puffed her cheeks and stood up, mumbling: "Finished, let's go..." She casually pulled out a hundred yuan and gave it to the little beggar who had quickly come over. The beggar, confused by the charge for the three servings of grilled meat, looked back at Bak.

Fang Lingying, choking, managed to say: "I'll make it up next time!" She turned to Old Yang, who was also standing up: "This time, this matter..."

Old Yang, knowing his very proud subordinate had lost face in front of the girl, raised his voice: "Xiao Shao, let's go quickly..."

The young police officer, already two steps ahead, frowned, looked at the quickly walking Fang Lingying, hesitated for a moment, and then followed.

Old Yang slightly shook his head at this action. Xiao Shao's behavior was purely emotional, a big no-no, and he had lost some points in Old Yang's estimation.

Bak casually glanced at the two men following, noticing the bulge on their right hips, which were clearly handguns. When they passed by, the movement of their clothes revealed the leather holster for handcuffs. They were police officers, and likely detectives.

He smiled lightly, not out of contempt, but in the battlefield... police were nothing.

Here, however, the police could still maintain order. As the police left, the young man who had been served by Bak started to complain: "Boss! Give us an explanation! We came to consume, but your employee hit us, and we want compensation!"

Liu Changyuan, who had been reluctantly pulled away by his parents, turned around with bloodshot eyes, ready to rush back, but his parents held him back.

Bak remained indifferent, slowly continuing to grill his meat and serving the customers waiting in line. The little beggar handed out disposable plates and chopsticks. The customers not only came for the food but also for the spectacle. Paying for a meal and getting to watch a show was a good deal. The little beggar handed the plates to Bak and nodded: "Look, they're challenging you..."

Bak remained expressionless, with a cigarette in his mouth and oily, dirty clothes. The police officer, Xiao Shao, wasn't wrong; he was a bit of a show-off.

Bak wasn't particularly handsome, but at 1.8 meters tall, with a strong, triangular upper body and no excess fat around the waist, he looked very fit even in a dirty T-shirt and a long apron tied around his waist. Despite wearing broken flip-flops, his short, flat head and tanned, oily skin, combined with the cigarette dangling from his mouth, gave him a rugged and carefree look. It was all about the aura!

His face, with its sharp features, was a bit dark, but wasn't a sunburned look in vogue now? His scruffy appearance was quite cool!

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